ScullyRedemption.html

Scully's Redemption

By Katwoman
kris_harnage@yahoo.com

DATE ORIGINALLY WRITTEN: 28 April 1998
DATE REVISED: 28 September 1998
FEEDBACK: Please! I *live* for feedback. Sad, eh?
DISTRIBUTION: Sure. Fine. Wherever. Just let me know!

RATING: PG-13
CONTENT WARNING: Adult subject matter and a little
strong language
CATEGORY: XA-UST (Wow! An actual X-File!)
SPOILERS: Everything up to and including "Fight The
Future"
KEYWORDS: Mulder/Scully angst/UST

SUMMARY: Mulder and Scully are on a routine
surveillance that takes a decidedly unexpected turn,
placing Scully's life in peril. (Possible Sixth Season
Scenario)

DISCLAIMER: As everyone knows, the characters Fox
Mulder, Dana Scully, etc., belong to Chris Carter, Ten
Thirteen Productions, FOX Broadcasting and 20th Century
FOX Television. I mean, if they belonged to me, I'd be
off traveling the world with all my millions, rather
than sitting here writing this. Such is my life ... so,
don't even try to sue me! <g>

COMMENTS: This is *not* a Mulder-Scully Romance,
although there are some very touching scenes between
Moose and Squirrel. Let's just say it's a lot like the
actual show, so both 'Shippers and NoRomos should enjoy
this one. 'K? <g>

I originally wrote this piece just after seeing "All
Souls," but never got around to posting it. So, I've
decided to revise it as a possible Sixth Season
scenario, basing certain things on spoilers I've heard
and read (i.e. A.D. Kersh is Mulder and Scully's new
boss, they have cubicles now and they're no longer
working on the X-Files).

BTW, this is my second fanfic about Scully dealing with
losing Emily (yes, her losing her precious daughter has
bothered me that much). My other piece is "Out of
Darkness" and has a totally different take on the
situation. Check both of them out, if you have time,
and please send feedback! You can find "Out of
Darkness," as well as all of my other stories, on my
fanfic page at:
http://members.tripod.com/~Kris_and_David/kris/fanfic.html

DEDICATION: To my best friend, Shannon O'Connor, for
not only editing my fanfic but for her willingness to
discuss "The X-Files" at nearly any time -- night or
day. To my husband, David, for listening with true
interest about all my fanfics (and reading most of
them!). Thanks sweetie! And finally, to Erin O'Connor,
for introducing me to the phenomenal world of "The
X-Files" and for being such a good Christian influence
... this one's for you! :^)

"SCULLY'S REDEMPTION" (1/2)
By Katwoman

On the outskirts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
October 30, 1998
7:45 p.m.

"SCULLY!?!" Mulder screamed into the darkness. "SCULLY!
WHERE ARE YOU?"

She'd been there just moments before, crouched beside
him behind some bushes near the old house. It was as if
the earth had suddenly opened up and swallowed her.

She'd just vanished.

He'd only looked away from her for a minute or so,
hadn't he? Mulder checked his watch again. It read
7:47 p.m. Yes, it had only been a few minutes -- no
lost time -- and yet, she was gone.

Panicked, Mulder frantically began a futile search of
the bushes, the backyard of the home and throughout the
nearby streets. He continued yelling out for Scully,
but heard nothing in return.

Finally, realizing he had no other choice, he pulled
out his cell phone and dialed headquarters.

"Kersh."

"Sir, it's Agent Mulder," he said, relieved that his
and Scully's new boss was still at work. "Agent Scully
is missing. I've searched the entire premises and can't
find her anywhere. I'm going to need some backup here."

"Agent Mulder, what happened?" Kersh asked sternly. "I
thought you two said this would be a routine surveillance."

"Yes sir, that's ... uh ... that's what we thought,"
Mulder explained. "I turned away from Scully for just a
moment when I heard a noise. When I turned back around,
she was gone -- vanished. I didn't see anyone ...
didn't hear anything out of her -- nothing. I have no
idea what happened."

"Agent Mulder, get hold of yourself," Kersh admonished.
"I'm sure it's not what *you're* thinking. I'll call
SAC Hancock at the Buffalo Field Office. He and the
other available agents can take the helicopter and be
there within two hours. I'll also contact the Toronto
Police. Everyone won't stop searching until Agent
Scully is found. I'll be in touch."

With that, the phone line went dead.

And Mulder's heart nearly did the same.

<Get hold of myself? Remain calm?> he thought,
pocketing his phone. <Impossible!>

If anything happened to Scully ... *again* ... Mulder
couldn't handle it -- he just couldn't.

He still hadn't forgiven himself over her original
abduction ... he couldn't forget her terrified voice on
his answering machine screaming for his help when Duane
Barry took her that fateful night ...

And that was more than four years ago.

Even though Scully never blamed him, he blamed himself.
If he'd only been home that night ...

<How many times are Scully and I going to have to go
through her being taken from me?> he thought. <Jack
Willis/Dupree ... Duane Barry ... Donnie Pfaster ...
Gerry Schnauz ... the ordeal in the Antarctic ... now
this ...>

It was more than Mulder could bear.

<Please watch over her ... let her be okay,> was his
silent plea to a God he wasn't sure even existed.

As much as he hated to, Mulder climbed into the rental
car and headed for the Toronto Police Station. Although
his initial reaction was to kick in the front door of
the old home -- where he was pretty goddamn sure she
was -- and rescue Scully, he knew he needed backup. The
home was most likely booby-trapped like before, and he
couldn't take any chances of getting hurt himself if he
was going to save Scully.

And if it was the last thing he ever did, he was going
to save her.

#####

Inside the old home
8:20 p.m.

Scully lay on the floor, ankles bound, hands tied
behind her back and a stream of blood running down the
side of her face from the gash in her right temple. As
she started coming to, she tried to focus her eyes. Her
head was pounding with a tremendous headache.

<What happened?> she thought. <Where am I? Where's
Mulder?>

Her mind was a complete blank. The last thing she
remembered was Mulder putting his fingers to his lips
and motioning for her to look to their left. Then, the
world went black as she felt a crushing blow to her
skull and someone grabbing her from behind.

Scully tried to calm her breathing when a sickening
stench hit her full in the face, nearly making her gag.
She realized exactly where she was ...

Inside the Peacock's home.

<Oh My God!> she thought. <No, please ... no! God,
please don't let anyone do anything to me ... touch me.
I don't think I could take it ... not *again*. Please,
God, please let Mulder get to me first,> Scully sent up
a silent prayer, realizing it had been a long time
since she had prayed ... not since seeing visions of
Emily pleading with her to let her go.

A tear rolled down her cheek at the memory and she
sniffled.

"Oh, are you *cryin'* tough FBI agent?" a voice came
from across the room.

"Who ... who's that?" Scully asked, knowing full well
whose voice it was -- a voice she'd never forget.

It was the same female voice who told her she could
tell she wasn't a mother.

<Shows how much you knew,> Scully thought angrily. <I
*was* a mother then, and just didn't know it.>

With her thoughts returning to Emily, another tear
escaped before she could suppress it.

"Why couldn't ya just leave well enough alone?" Mrs.
Peacock asked from underneath the bed. "Then you
wouldn't be facing whatcha are now, and me and Edmond
could get on wit our lives."

"Your son helped kill three people," Scully replied
bitterly. "You didn't honestly think we'd just give up
on finding you, did you? Is that why you crossed the
border? Did you *not* think we'd find you in Canada? We
*are* the FBI after all," she added with a hint of
defiance in her voice, regaining some of her composure.

"It sure took ya long enough, honey," Mrs. Peacock
laughed wickedly. "I done had two more babies since ya
last saw me. And look 'atcha. I bet ya still haven't
felt the touch of a man on yer body. *Investigations*
-- that's all ya worry about. Find the Peacocks, bring
'em to justice ... and what will that really getcha?"

"It *will* give me justice, which is why I joined the
FBI in the first place," Scully said. "And my personal
life is none of your damn business. Why did your son
kidnap me, anyway? If you wanted to get rid of us, why
didn't you just have him kill us? Why take me?"

"Oh, I don't think ya want to know that, honey," Mrs.
Peacock answered with a snicker.

Scully's stomach lurched violently and sudden terror
struck her heart.

"I'm getting on in years and gettin' too old to be
birthin' these babies, and the Peacocks must carry on
... must THRIVE," she continued, thoroughly enjoying
the look of horror on Scully's face. "You seem like a
good specimen for givin' birth ... and ya look like you
could use the touch of a real man."

Scully struggled to free her hands and legs, but it was
no use. They were tightly bound with the same type of
plastic cuffs law enforcement officers use. The more
she struggled, the more the hard plastic bit into her
skin.

Mrs. Peacock cackled, "It's no use tryin' to get free.
Edmond knows well how to tie up people. He's had enough
practice. Too bad I don't got my hands and feet no more
-- I miss me some good S&M once in a while."

Scully's skin crawled and she felt nauseated. She tried
to sit up, so she could better compose herself. Finally
succeeding, she learned back against a wall.

Laying her head back, she closed her eyes, tried to
steady her breathing and sent up another silent prayer.

<God, please ... *PLEASE* help me. If Mulder can't get
to me soon, who knows what might happen to me at the
hands of these people? Even if I tell her I'm unable to
have children, she probably won't believe me. She'll
probably tell her son to have his way with me anyway.
God ... please ...>

Scully's thoughts were interrupted as she heard a door
slowly creak open. Edmond peered in.

"Whatcha want, son?" Mrs. Peacock asked him. "Me and
the FBI agent here are havin' a good conversation right
now. Come back later."

Edmond closed the door quickly and went back to taking
care of his two children -- who were also his
half-brother and half-sister.

"What's your name, girlie?" Mrs. Peacock asked.

"None of your DAMN BUSINESS!" Scully spat out with more
hatred than she knew she had in her.

"Don'tcha get smart with me, girlie," Mrs. Peacock
barked at her. "All I hafta do is call Edmond back in
here, and you two can start makin' babies right now. I
have no problem watchin'. In fact, I would right enjoy it."

Scully's heart started pounding at the thought of
Edmond touching her body. It was almost more than she
could handle.

Even Cancer Man would be welcomed next to Edmond, and
she detested *him* with every fiber of her being.

"It's ... it's Scully," she gulped, deciding to try to
appease Mrs. Peacock to spare herself from the worst
torture she could imagine.

"Scully? What kinda ridiculous name is that?" Mrs.
Peacock snapped.

"It's my last name, Mrs. Peacock," Scully answered
evenly, finally steadying her voice.

She knew she had to get hold of herself, if she was
going to try to negotiate with this woman.

"Agents are called by their last name," Scully further
explained.

"So, what's yer full name?" Mrs. Peacock asked with
sincere curiosity. She just couldn't see anyone calling
this pretty little thing "Scully."

"Dana ... Dana Katherine Scully."

"Well, that's a real purdy name," Mrs. Peacock said.
"We don't have no Danas in our family. It'll be a nice
addition."

Scully was bewildered by Mrs. Peacock's sudden change
in demeanor toward her. After all, this woman was
nothing but cruel to her the last time she saw her.
Mrs. Peacock's words had hurt her deeply and have come
back to haunt her on many a night.

<"I can tell you don't have no children," Mrs. Peacock
had said to her. "Maybe one day you'll learn the
*pride*, the *love* when you know your boy will do
anything for his mother.">

Scully also remembered how repulsed and saddened she'd
felt at the sight of the deformed baby and the Peacocks
-- especially Mrs. Peacock.

She never voiced these feelings to anyone, though
Mulder seemed to pick up on them a little while they
were on the case. As usual, he handled the situation
with flippant remarks, which Scully knew was just his
way of dealing with difficult circumstances.

One remark he made did strike her in an odd way, however.

"Scully, I never saw you as a mother before," she
remembered Mulder saying to her.

<What exactly do you mean by that, Mulder?> she'd
thought then and had pondered many times since. <Do you
think I wouldn't make a good mother? Or do you think
I'd never take the time to become a mother?>

Of course, the few days with Emily last December
changed all that. In fact, it changed a lot -- driving
a wedge between her and Mulder that was still there ...
even after their traumatic experience in the Antarctic.

Scully felt she was mostly to blame for the current
state of her relationship with Mulder. She'd purposely
distanced herself from him a bit immediately after
Emily died, because she needed some time to herself.

But after the case in the spring when she'd seen
visions of Emily, she'd closed off even more. Mulder
had been worried about her, and when she'd told him
what she'd seen, he was sympathetic. But Scully was
already having a hard time keeping her composure, and
Mulder's concern had been more than she could deal with
at the time.

They hadn't spoken of Emily since.

<Of course, I've thrown myself into work so much, I
haven't given him or anyone else the chance to bring
her up or discuss her since then,> Scully thought.

"I said, 'How old are ya?' " Mrs. Peacock's question
interrupted Scully's thoughts.

"Thirty-four," she answered without hesitation.

"Well, that's not too bad," Mrs. Peacock said. "Ya got
plenty of good birthin' years left in ya."

"Mrs. Peacock," Scully began, "there's something you
need to know, whether you choose to believe me or not."

"What?" Mrs. Peacock demanded. "That you're gonna be
rescued? Don't count on it! Edmond is plenty prepared
to hold off the law as long as necessary."

"No, it's not that," Scully said. "The thing is ... I
... I ..."

"Well, spit it out girlie."

"I can't conceive children," Scully said sadly, not
believing she was sharing so intimate a detail of her
life with this horrible woman.

"Oh yeah, sure," Mrs. Peacock said smugly. "You want me
to believe that, so we'll letcha go. Well ... think
again."

"No, really ... it's ... it's true," Scully said. "It's
a long story."

"Well, I sure ain't goin' nowhere," Mrs. Peacock said
sarcastically.

So, Scully proceeded to tell Mrs. Peacock everything --
about her kidnapping four years earlier, the medical
experiments performed on her, discovering she'd been
left barren, the cancer, finding and then losing her
daughter, seeing visions of Emily ... everything.

Again, Scully couldn't quite believe she was sharing
the most intimate details of her life with Mrs. Peacock
-- of all people. But then, she had nothing to lose and
everything to gain ... if she managed to save herself.

Scully had no idea how long she'd been talking, but
when she finally finished, Mrs. Peacock just stared at
her for a while.

Finally, the older woman broke the silence.

"And I thought my life has been hard, born into a
family with such pain and sufferin'," Mrs. Peacock told
Scully. "But at least I've know'd the joy , the *love*
of motherhood. For that to be taken away from ya ...
against yer will. Well, that's ... that's the worst
thing I ever heard. I mean, I figured I was doing ya a
favor having Edmond bring ya in here ... givin' ya the
pleasure of being with a real man ... givin' ya the
honor of becoming the mother to a new generation of
Peacocks ..."

Mrs. Peacock paused, then her voice took on an air of
warmth as she continued, "But now, well ... um ... I
don't know what ta say or think. What happened to you
and yer little girl is just terrible. How'd ya get
through it?"

"Well, I don't think I actually have ... at least, not
... not *completely*," Scully answered sadly. "I guess
I've become consumed with my work ... so consumed that
I wouldn't have to think about it. That's how we were
finally able to find you and Edmond -- I've been
researching your case and looking for you for weeks --
basically *obsessed* with finding you ... and ... and I
don't even know why after more than two years."

Scully took a deep breath, then continued, "I guess I
... I felt the need to fix at least one thing from my
past I wasn't happy about and still had some control
over. There've been so many things in my life that were
out of my control. I had none over what happened to
Emily ... I tried everything I could think of as a
doctor *and* as a mother to save her, but ... but in
the end, it ... it wasn't enough."

Her voice trembling, Scully continued sharing her
feelings about Emily for the first time, "I've felt
like such a ... a failure. To lose my only child just
nine days after finding her ... then to ... to find out
I couldn't conceive any other children of my own ..."

Finally giving into her emotions fully, Scully broke
into sobs.

"There, there sweetie ... it's gonna be OK," Mrs.
Peacock said, her heart genuinely going out to the
young woman. "I can't letcha just walk outta here, but
I won't let my boy touch or harm ya, either. You got my
word on that. Maybe we can make some kinda deal ... our
safety for yours ... if you can promise nothing will
happen to my Edmond."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Peacock, but it's not FBI policy to
negotiate with kidnappers ... especially when the
person being held is a federal agent," Scully said
softly. "I'm afraid one way or another, the Bureau will
get me out of here and Edmond will have to pay for his
crimes ... and you for harboring a criminal. I can ...
I can hardly believe I'm saying this, but I wish we'd
never found you ... that *I'd* never found you now. I
... I should've dealt with my real problems, rather
than burying myself in my work and pushing them to the
back of my mind ..."

Still in a state of disbelief that she was opening up
to this woman about her most private difficulties,
Scully suddenly stopped talking.

"Go on," Mrs. Peacock said gently. "If I can't help my
own family, maybe I can at least help you. You really
seem like ya need some help. How're ya feeling about
yer daughter now? Have you visited her grave and
allowed yerself to grieve the proper way?"

"No," Scully said. "I don't think I could do it alone
... don't think I could handle it. And my family's not
really the type to talk much about pain and grief. I
guess that's why I've bottled it up."

"Well, how 'bout that partner of yours?" Mrs. Peacock
asked. "He seemed pretty concerned 'bout me when he
looked at me. He weren't horrified, just sad. You was
both that way. That's why I thought you'd be good for
havin' more Peacocks. The first thing you said was I
needed a doctor -- not usin' me as bait to catch my
boys."

"Well, being a medical doctor myself, my first response
is always in the best interest of the patient," said
Scully, sounding very much like she was quoting a
medical journal.

"Yeah, but it was more than that," said Mrs. Peacock.
"I ain't had no doin's with the outside world for 10
years before you and your partner showed up, and I
ain't had none since then. So I remember just what you
two said and how ya looked at me. You're both carin'
people -- not your usual 'cold, by-the-book' gov'ment
types. I don't think ya meant to kill George and
Sherman. You were just tryin' to defend yourselfs.
Right?"

"Yes ma'am, you're right," Scully replied, deeply
touched by Mrs. Peacock's kind words about Mulder and
herself. "We were just trying to arrest them ... not
kill them. I'm very sorry if their deaths caused you a
lot of pain."

"Well, they did at first, but I grieved properly, as we
Peacocks was taught, and I've gotten on with life,"
said Mrs. Peacock. "It's time for you to do the same.
I ... I could help ya, if you'd like."

"How ... how could you help me?" Scully asked somewhat
quietly, still taken aback at the sudden change in Mrs.
Peacock's attitude toward her.

"We have a family ritual we do after we bury our dead,"
said Mrs. Peacock. "It's supposed to be strictly fer
the family, but I guess I could make an exception in
your case ... being we kidnapped ya and all, and that
you're still in such pain."

"I would like that Mrs. Peacock," Scully replied.

"Edmond, get in here," Mrs. Peacock hollered.

Edmond came to the door quickly, thinking something was
wrong. He peered in.

"Untie her," Mrs. Peacock ordered her son.

Getting excited, Edmond rushed toward Scully.

"Down boy," Mrs. Peacock said. "You're not gonna have
yer way with her. Untie her, then get the ritual
candles out and set 'em up in the living room."

Edmond carefully cut the plastic cuffs off Scully's
wrists and ankles and gave her a damp cloth to clean
the blood off her face.

"Thank you, Edmond," Scully said, weakly smiling at the
grotesquely deformed man.

Edmond left the room to set up the ritual table.

"Can ya wheel me into the livin' room?" Mrs. Peacock
asked.

"I'd be glad to," Scully said, trying to stand up on
her shaky legs.

Once she regained equilibrium, she crossed the room to
Mrs. Peacock.

#####END PART ONE#####

"SCULLY'S REDEMPTION" (2/2)
By Katwoman

Conference Room
Toronto Police Headquarters
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
10:17 p.m.

"What we have is the high-priority kidnapping of a
federal agent," SAC Hancock told the crowded room of
FBI agents and Toronto police officers. "We must take
all precautions to ensure Agent Scully's safe return.
She's been inside for nearly three hours now, so time
is of the essence. Special Agent Mulder will lead the
team going inside. He's dealt with these people before,
so he knows what to expect. Mulder ..."

"There's only one person we have to worry about ...
Edmond Peacock, the only survivor of the three sons we
faced before," said Mulder. "We outnumber him 30 to 1,
but we can't underestimate what he will do to protect
his mother. Don't ask me how, but the sons seemed to
have some kind of ... of 'superhuman' strength. Agent
Scully unloaded a clip into George Peacock, and it
hardly fazed him. It wasn't until I shot him full in
the face that he was killed. The other brother,
Sherman, took an axe to the back after falling over a
trip wire while chasing Scully. Their house was
booby-trapped, so we can most likely expect the same
here. These three had no remorse in having killed the
sheriff, the sheriff's wife and the deputy, and they
were prepared to kill us."

"Make no mistake," Mulder continued, his voice taking
on a sharp tone. "If pushed, Edmond Peacock *will* kill
Agent Scully with no second thoughts. And make no
mistake ... this can't ... WON'T ... happen. Do you
hear me? She's not to be harmed in any way, do I make
myself clear?"

Heads nodded around the room.

SAC Hancock looked at Mulder curiously, not quite sure
what to make of the relationship between him and his
partner. In his opinion, it sounded as if Mulder was
talking about his ... wife ... not his partner.

He shook his head slightly and checked his gun again.

"OK, everyone knows the plan," Hancock said, standing.
"No mistakes."

#####

Peacock Home
Outskirts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
10:30 p.m.

Scully had pushed Mrs. Peacock into the living room and
helped prop her against the tattered couch on the floor
with a couple of old pillows.

Edmond had placed a dozen white candles all around the
coffee table, which had a small box of incense and a
small incense burner in the center.

He was lighting the candles as Mrs. Peacock began
chanting. Edmond lit all but two candles -- the one in
front of him and the one in front of Scully -- placed
incense in the burner and lit it, too.

"Come to us, oh spirit of the dead," Mrs. Peacock
chanted. "Come to us, ghosts of the past. Come to us,
for we are grievin'. Come to us, our pain can't last.
Come to us, oh spirit of the dead. Come to us, ghosts
of the past. Come to us, for we are grievin'. Come to
us, our pain can't last."

Scully looked back and forth between Mrs. Peacock and
Edmond and noticed their eyes were closed. She shut her
own eyes and tried her best to open her heart to the
possibility of relieving her grief.

"Oh spirit of the dead, take little Emily into yer
arms and heal her broken body and wounded soul," Mrs.
Peacock recited softly. "Bring some peace of mind to
her mama, Dana, and help her to heal her own wounded
soul."

A tear rolled down Scully's face.

"Repeat after me," Mrs. Peacock said to Scully. "Help
me Lord."

"Help me Lord," Scully said.

"For I am weak."

"When I can't find words, please help me speak."

"When the pain won't go away."

"Please help me face another day."

Mrs. Peacock smiled at Scully, then said, "Now, light
the candle in front of ya. And Edmond, you light yours."

Scully and Edmond lit the candles in unison.

"Would you like to say somethin' now, Dana?" Mrs.
Peacock asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Peacock, I would," said Scully. "I'd like
to say a prayer I learned as a child that's always
comforted me."

"Go ahead, honey," Mrs. Peacock said sweetly.

Scully fingered the cross hanging around her neck and
began tenderly ...

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb - Jesus,
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death, Amen."

"Amen," Mrs. Peacock and Edmond said together.

"That was real purdy," said Mrs. Peacock. "You feel
better now?"

"Yes, Mrs. Peacock, I do feel much better," Scully
said. "Thank you."

#####

Just as the last words escaped Scully's lips, a great
crash was heard -- like a door being kicked in -- and
several men in black FBI riot gear rushed in.

Before she knew what was happening, Scully felt herself
being pulled to her feet and rushed out the front door.
She vaguely smelled Mulder's familiar scent and felt
his arms tight around her.

When they got outside, her head was spinning and she
could barely catch her breath. She sat down in the
front seat of their rental car, with the driver's door
open. Mulder crouched down in front of her outside the
car and took both her hands in his.

"Are you okay, Scully?" he asked her. "Say something to
me ... you look like you're in shock. You're scaring
me! Did they do anything to you? Did Edmond *touch*
you? What's with the candles? Were they sacrificing
you? Please say something, Scully -- anything!"

"I'm fine, Mulder," Scully finally answered, wanting to
laugh at his last question but holding back, realizing
he was totally serious. "Really, I am. No, they didn't
do anything to me. No, Edmond didn't touch me. No, they
weren't sacrificing me. I'm just fine, although I do
have a splitting headache."

"Well, we'll get you checked out at the hospital,"
Mulder said, carefully reaching up with his right hand
and touching the gash in her temple. "Just to be on the
safe side."

"All right, if you insist," Scully replied, giving his
left hand a little squeeze.

"I do," he said.

Scully looked over to see Edmond, handcuffed, being
placed in the back of a police car. Mrs. Peacock was
being brought out on a gurney, about to be placed in
an ambulance with the two Peacock babies.

She let go of Mulder's hand, slowly stood and, after he
moved out of her way, started towards Mrs. Peacock.

"I'll be right back," she called to him over her
shoulder.

Mulder nodded, watching her walk towards the gurney. He
then took a seat in the front of the car, shook his
head slightly and raked his hand through his hair a
couple of times.

"I owe you one," he said quietly, looking upward, "a
BIG one."

Mulder then leaned over and rested his head on the
steering wheel.

He could finally breathe normally again.

Scully approached the ambulance as the paramedics were
about to lift Mrs. Peacock in. She reached out a hand
to grasp the rail at the foot end of the gurney and
addressed the paramedics. "May I have a few minutes
before you put her in?" she asked.

One of the men looked at her curiously, then shrugged.
"Sure thing, ma'am," he said, "but only a few. We've
got to get them to the hospital to check them out
thoroughly. They look pretty bad off."

Scully looked down at Mrs. Peacock lying on the gurney,
taking in the expression of sheer terror on the older
woman's face.

"It's going to be OK, Mrs. Peacock," she said, touching
her lightly on the arm. "They're taking you and the
babies to the hospital. Edmond will be going to jail,
I'm afraid, but he'll get a fair trial. I'll testify
that the two of you didn't harm me while holding me
captive. I'll do my best, but like I said before, he
*will* have to pay for his part in the three murders."

She paused, then went on, "Taking into account his
physical and mental state, however, I'm sure they'll
just end up institutionalizing him. You may ... you may
even be able to visit him. We'll just have to see."

"Thank you, Dana," said Mrs. Peacock, regaining her
courage. "It's nice of ya to try to help, but we'll be
just fine. You can't keep a good Peacock down. They'll
be more. There *will* be more."

With that, Mrs. Peacock was placed in the ambulance.

#####

J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building
Washington, D.C.
November 2, 1998
8 a.m.

"How's your head?" Mulder asked, when he walked in and
saw Scully working at her desk the following Monday
morning.

He eyed the small bandage on her right temple, which
was half-covered by her hair.

"Still on," said Scully lightly. "Seriously, I'm fine,
Mulder. I got plenty of rest this weekend -- in between
your numerous phone calls checking on me, that is --
and I'm feeling much better."

She smiled up at him and was rewarded with a big grin
from him.

"I'm supposed to get the stitches out in a couple of
days," she added. "The doctor said there shouldn't
even be a scar."

"That's good," Mulder said, taking a seat at his desk
in the cubicle across from hers. "I'm surprised to see
you back here already, though. Maybe it isn't my place
to say this, Scully, but ... but I think you always
come back to work too soon after bad things have
happened to you. For example, your father's death,
your abduction, your illness, Emily ..." his voice
trailed off at the mention of Scully's daughter.

Scully got up, walked from her work area to his, and
leaned against Mulder's desk. She gently took his right
hand in hers.

"Mulder," she began. "I know you've been concerned
about me, and I appreciate it. *I've* been concerned
about me, too. But I promise you, I'm okay -- much
better, in fact."

She paused briefly, then continued, "I would like you
to go somewhere with me this afternoon, though, if you
don't mind ... somewhere I've needed to go for a long
time, but couldn't go to by myself."

"Sure thing, Scully," Mulder replied. "I'd be glad to."

He knew precisely where she had in mind.

#####

Rolling Hills Cemetery
Annapolis, Maryland
November 2, 1998
6:05 p.m.

The sun was just beginning to set as Scully and Mulder
walked hand-in-hand toward the tiny grave next to
Melissa's.

Scully carried a dozen pale pink, sweetheart roses.
When they reached their destination, she crouched and
placed the roses in the small marble vase, kissed her
fingertips, then touched them to her daughter's
tombstone.

Her eyes filled with tears.

This was the first time either of them had been to
Emily's grave since the funeral exactly 10 months
earlier.

Mulder also crouched down and placed a bouquet of
colorful flowers on Melissa's grave. He then stood and
offered his hand to Scully, helping her up.

"It's a beautiful tombstone," he told her.

Emily's tombstone was in the shape of a heart, with a
small marble vase on one side and a small marble statue
of a lamb on the other. It read: "Emily Christine Sim
Scully; Born: November 2, 1994; Died: December 30,
1997; My beloved daughter -- I give you back to God.
I love you and will be with you always, Mommy."

"Thank you, Mulder," Scully said softly. "I wanted
something very special for her."

"It's perfect," Mulder said, putting his arm around
Scully's shoulders and giving her a little squeeze.
"I'm so glad you were able to go through with the
adoption -- even after her death."

"Me, too," Scully replied, still speaking very softly.
"It was worth all the hassle and red tape, just ...
just to have my last name on her tombstone and have
her buried here next to Missy. It's almost like ...
like ..."

"Like your sister is watching over your daughter?"
he replied in a gentle tone.

Scully could only nod.

She stared off into the distance, a pained look in her
eyes.

"What is it, Scully?" Mulder asked her thoughtfully.

"Today would've been her fourth birthday," she
whispered, looking up at him, silent tears streaming
down her face.

Scully still wasn't able to actually say Emily's name
in front of Mulder.

"I just realized that," he said, looking deeply into
her haunted eyes. "I'm so sorry, Dana. I ... I wish we
were commemorating it another way. I'd give anything
for that ... for her ... for *you*."

"I know that, Mulder," she said, laying her head on
his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist,
underneath his trench coat. "Thank you for being here
for me. I really needed this."

"Anytime, Scully. Anytime."

The two stood there a few minutes longer, embracing.
Mulder leaned down and gently kissed Scully's forehead.
A communication filled the air between them, but no
words were spoken.

With Mulder and Scully, there was no need.

The barrier that had been between them for nearly a
year was finally gone for good.

#####

J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building
One month later
December 2, 1998
8 a.m.

"Good morning, Mulder," Scully said, as she saw him
entering the bullpen.

"Morning, Scully," he replied, hanging his coat on the
coat rack near their desks. "Want some coffee?"

"Sure, thanks."

Mulder walked over to the pot and poured some coffee
into the cup he'd bought Scully for her 34th birthday.
The cup read "The Woman *Next* to the Man." He dumped a
little creamer into it and stirred.

He then took it to his partner of nearly seven years,
who was sitting at her desk, typing away at her
computer.

"Here you go," he said, smiling down at her. "What're
you working on?"

"Thanks," she said, then took a sip. "Mmmm ... perfect
as always. I'm, uh, finishing up the paperwork on the
Peacock case. I got a call from Washington General
Hospital early this morning, informing me Mrs. Peacock
had passed away in her sleep. I was just adding it as a
footnote to the file," she said, sounding a little sad.

"Are you okay, Scully?" Mulder asked, sitting on the
corner of her desk and staring down at her with true
concern. "You seem upset. I thought you'd be glad to
have that ordeal finally behind you."

Scully looked down, not answering, so Mulder continued.

"I haven't asked, because you never seem to want to
talk about it, but what exactly happened in that
house?" he questioned her. "I've been very curious,
but wanted to respect your privacy."

"I appreciate that, Mulder," Scully replied, looking up
at him. "And, to be honest, I'd still rather not talk
about it. I'll tell you someday, I promise, but ... but
not just yet. It's still too ... too ... soon."

The last line made Mulder's heart jump and worried him
a bit, even though he knew for sure Scully hadn't been
violated sexually.

Without her knowledge, he'd personally checked her
medical records at the Toronto hospital after she'd
been thoroughly examined. He had to know -- had to be
*sure* -- she was okay.

"Sure, I understand," Mulder said, placing his hand on
hers. "Just remember, whenever you're ready to talk ...
about *anything* ... I'm always here for you."

With that, he walked back to his desk and took a seat,
still looking at Scully.

"Thanks, Mulder," she said with a small smile. "That
means a lot to me."

#####

Scully's Apartment
Georgetown
December 2, 1998
7:12 p.m.

Scully placed several bags on her kitchen table, then
reached to flip on the radio that sat on the counter.
Soft music from her favorite adult contemporary station
began playing.

After putting the groceries away, she popped a Healthy
Choice lasagna dinner into the microwave and poured
herself a glass of white wine. When the meal was
finished heating, she placed it on the table next to
her drink and slice of buttered sourdough bread.

As Scully sat at the kitchen table eating, she looked
over the items she'd left on the table -- 12 white
candles, a box of incense and a small incense burner.
She picked up the incense and smelled it -- vanilla,
her favorite.

After finishing her dinner and cleaning up, Scully
turned off the radio and took the candles and other
items to her coffee table to set up.

After lighting all but the candle directly in front
of her, placing incense inside the small burner and
lighting it, too, she turned off the lights and knelt
next to the coffee table.

She closed her eyes and let her mind drift back. She
may not have Mulder's photographic memory, but she
*knew* these were words she'd never forget.

"Come to me, oh spirit of the dead. Come to me, ghosts
of the past. Come to me, for I am grieving. Come to me,
my pain can't last," she softly chanted. "Oh spirit of
the dead, take Mrs. Peacock into your arms and heal her
broken body and wounded soul. Bring some peace of mind
to Edmond and her other children to help heal their
wounded souls."

A single tear rolled down her face.

She continued.

"Help me Lord, for I am weak. When I can't find the
words, please help me speak. When the pain won't go
away, please help me face another day."

With that, she lit the final candle on the coffee
table, closed her eyes and offered up a silent prayer
for Mrs. Peacock.

Her heart suddenly lifted.

Her soul was at peace.

Dana Katherine Scully would suppress grief no more.

####FINIS####

So, did anyone make it to the end? If so, what did you
think? Should I just stick to the MSR and forget about
other types of stories? Please let me know! Send all
feedback to: kris_harnage@yahoo.com

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