Title:  Nothing Important -- 4D

Author:  Vickie Moseley

Summary:  My personal rewrite of Season 9, the saga continues.

Spoilers:  Existence, Gethsemane, Redux II, Emily 

Category:  MSR, MA, SA

Disclaimer:  I'm pretty sure neither Chris or Frank would try to lay
claim to this, but hey, I'm having fun.  No copyright infringement
intended.

Archive:  yes

This is a continuation of a series.  They can be found on my website or
Gossamer.  They are as follows:

Nothing Important Happened
Nothing Else Important Happened Today
Nothing Important -- Hell Bound

Author's note:  This is my personal catharsis for what I saw as a waste
of a good season.  No actors, living or dead, were harmed in this making
of this fan fic.  Fictional characters are another matter.

Cyber roses to Truthwebothknow1 for tireless beta and poking services.

Comments to me:  vickiemoseley1978@yahoo.com
  

Weed Hope, New Mexico
3:06 am 

Mulder awoke to a sound and movement.  It wasn't William -- Scully had
fed the baby just a little after 1 and he was starting to sleep for
about four hours at a time at night.  Scully was up and seemed to be
trying to find something.  He rolled over and looked at her in the light
of the full moon coming through the tiny bedroom window. 

"Scully?" he whispered.  She'd told him to talk normally when the baby
was sleeping, otherwise Will would wake at the first pin drop, but old
habits weren't easy to break.  "Scully, what are you doing?" 

She ignored him and kept rummaging through the drawers and then the
closet.  He finally noticed that she was pulling out clothes and putting
them in an overnight bag. 

"Going somewhere?" he asked with some amusement.  They had spent the
night planning and decided to wait a few days before heading to their
next destination -- Mexico.  Will had been fussy and Scully didn't want
to travel with him yet.  He would be 8 weeks old in just two days.  Why
that was some magic number, Mulder could only begin to fathom, but it
wasn't his decision alone so he agreed readily to take his partner's
advice. 

He was getting a little miffed.  Scully was not acknowledging his
presence, let alone that he'd spoken to her, even asked her a question. 
"Scully, what the hell is going on?" he hissed as he climbed out of
bed.  He found his boxers on the floor and dragged them on quickly
because she'd moved to the bathroom. 

She was just leaving the bathroom when he caught her arm.  "Scully,
what is it?  Do we need to leave now?" 

She turned her face toward him and stared at him, blank, without
expression.   

"Scully?"  What was happening? Was she even awake?  Was she
sleepwalking?  He tried again, shaking her arm.  Her eyes flared and she
slapped at his hand -- hard.  "Scully!   What the fu -- " 

In his shock, he'd let her go and she was now at the door of the
trailer, fumbling with the ancient door lock.  He'd never been sure why
it was so important to lock a door that could have been kicked in
easily, but it was a nightly ritual since their arrival three weeks
before.  Now she was acting as if she'd never seen the door before in
her life. 

A terrifying thought hit Mulder in the pit of his stomach.  Maybe this
wasn't sleepwalking at all.  Maybe it was something far more sinister. 
His mind flashed back to a bridge in Pennsylvania, hunting through body
bags, hoping against hope that she wasn't among them . . .   

Scully had just managed to unlock the door and was opening it when he
ran over and slammed it shut again, leaning against it. 

"NO!" he shouted.  "No, you aren't leaving!" 

She screamed, a banshee scream, a scream that could literally wake the
dead.  Or scare someone to death.  Mulder's breath left his lungs, he'd
never seen her more violent, not even against deranged killers.  In an
instant she stepped back, pulled her weapon from the holster neatly
strapped to her waist and fired point blank at his chest. 

He was hit!  A direct hit, he could feel his heart fluttering to a
stop.  As he fell to the floor, he watched her expression -- again she
showed no emotion whatsoever.  She kicked his legs out of the way of the
door and calmly stepped over him.  As he watched, as he tried in vain to
cry out, she stepped out of the trailer and never looked back.  In the
distance, as darkness took him, he could hear their son crying. 

Mulder jerked awake, pulling deep draughts of air into his lungs.  He
still could feel the bullet hitting his chest, could feel all air leave
his body.  He was dripping in sweat and it took several minutes for him
to realize it had been a dream -- no, a nightmare. 

He turned to check on Scully, to assure himself that she was still
there, sleeping beside him.  When his eyes adjusted to the bright
morning light shimmering through the dirty bedroom window he realized he
was alone in bed and William was crying. 

"Jesus!" Mulder cried out frantically.  He hopped out of bed, terrified
anew at the prospect that his dream had not been entirely a fantasy of
his subconscious.  He ran to William's room, scooping the baby up and
out of his crib, holding the tiny boy to his chest.   

"SCULLY!" he shouted, which did nothing to calm the baby who was
red-faced and hiccupping in his distress.   

Mulder ran into the living room of the trailer.  The front door was
wide open and beyond he could see that their old Ford pick-up was gone. 

"Scully?" he croaked out again, dropping to the worn sofa, tears
brimming in his eyes.  "Oh God, Scully," he finally gave into the tears
and surrendered to his anguish. 

Sometime later, he lifted his head.  William's diaper was in need of
changing and the baby had cried himself to sleep but it wasn't at all
restful.  Mulder hugged the precious boy to him for a moment, gathering
strength from his tiny warm body.  He rose, went into the nursery and
changed the diaper.   

Think.  He had to think.  He was stranded, the closest town was miles
down the road and there was no way he could walk there with William. 
Scully had bought some formula, a four pack of bottles that she thought
they could use when they were driving over the border.  Taking William
with him, he went to the kitchen, found the formula and nipples and
fixed breakfast for his son.  Will didn't get halfway through the bottle
when he dropped off into an exhausted sleep.  

Mulder put the baby in his car seat and carried him into the kitchen. 
A quick check in the drawer told him all he was afraid he'd find. 
Scully had taken the money with her, all twelve hundred dollars.  He had
no vehicle, no funds and only enough formula to last the day.  He was
terrified for Will, terrified for himself and deeply terrified for his
partner.  He then spied their latest cell phone sitting in the charger. 
He picked it up and started dialing numbers. 

San Diego Naval Shipyards
San Diego, CA.
9:15 am 

"Commander Scully, there's a phone call for you.  The caller says he's
with the FBI.  An Agent Doggett?" 

Bill Scully looked up from the schematics spread across his desk and
nodded to his yeoman.  "Thank you, Simons," he said, dismissing the
young man.  He picked up the phone, took a deep breath and punched the
blinking button. 

"Scully," he said gruffly.   

"Commander, my name is John Doggett.  I work, um, I worked with your
sister, Dana." 

"I remember, Agent Doggett.  What do you want?" Bill asked, licking his
lip.  He'd been at loose ends since his sister and his nephew had
disappeared.  He had wanted to launch a full-scale investigation, call
in the police and the FBI, but his mother had forestalled that without
explanation.  He'd been chomping at the bit ever since. 

"Commander, I'm going to have to be a bit cryptic, but I need your help." 

"Does this have anything to do with Dana and her whereabouts?" Bill
demanded. 

"Yes sir, I believe it does.  That's where I need your help.  I believe
your sister was abducted by her former partner and that he's been
holding her captive along with her son.  I think we have an opportunity
to gain not only her release, but the baby's as well.  But I need your
assistance." 

Bill closed his eyes, tears brimming on his lashes.  "Tell me what I
need to do." 

"How soon can you get to Utah?  And Commander, it would be best if you
told no one where you were going or why."   

The Book Bag,Horton's Plaza
San Diego CA
11:21 am 

"And five makes thirty," Tara Scully said with a smile as she handed
the change to her latest customer.  "I'll call you as soon as _Henry V_
comes in, Mrs. Bridgeton." 

"Tara, there's a call for you," her coworker, Nan, called from the
office.  "I'll take over the counter if you want." 

"Thanks.  It's probably the day care again.  Matty has been a real
handful lately."  Tara slipped into the office and closed the door
behind her, picking up the phone.  "Hello, this is Tara speaking." 

"Tara, I don't know if you remember me.  This is Fox Mulder." 

Her eyes widened and she dropped into the empty chair behind her. 
"Fox.  My god.  We haven't heard from you in months.  Where are you? 
Are Dana and the baby with you?" 

"Tara, I can't stay on the line long.  I need an enormous favor and I
wouldn't ask it of anyone but family -- well, Dana's family.  I need you
to go to the US Air counter at the airport in one hour.  There will be a
ticket for you." 

"Fox -- I can't go anywhere!  Bill called just a bit ago and told me he
has to fly to DC today and Matty's at day care, I have to pick him up at
5 -- " 

"Tara, I promise you'll be back in time to pick up Matthew.  Please,
Tara, this is very important.  I'm begging you.  Please." 

"Are you in trouble?  What's wrong, is it Dana?  The baby?  Tell me
what's going on!" she demanded. 

"I can't explain on the phone.  Please, just do as I ask and I'll
explain everything when I see you.  Please." 

"I'll have to make some phone calls.  But I'll be there." 

"Tara, please, don't tell anyone you talked to me or where you're going
-- OK?" 

She didn't like the sounds of that one bit, but her curiosity
overwhelmed her caution.  "OK, Fox, but this had better be good."

Phoenix Airport
2:15 pm 

Tara looked at her watch again.  Her return flight was for 2:45 which
would put her back in San Diego at just a little before 4 pm.  It was
cutting it close if she was going to drive from the airport to the day
care.  She paced and looked down the concourse. 

She'd had a lot to think about on the plane.  First of all, what the
hell was she doing?  Tara Scully didn't have an adventurous bone in her
body!  Even as a kid her idea of a good time was curled up in her
backyard with a good book.  When she met and married Bill Scully Jr, she
saw herself in the role of dutiful wife and mother from the outset. 
Clock and dagger was not her idea of a fun afternoon. 

Not to mention what her loving husband would say if he ever found out
with whom she was meeting.  Fox Mulder, arch nemesis of Bill Scully. 
Since the day of Dana's disappearance, Bill had done nothing but curse
Fox Mulder's name.  At first, Tara had tried to reason with him.  If his
own mother wasn't concerned, why was he so adamant that something was
wrong?  But even that logic was flimsy at best.  Maggie Scully was
concerned, but Tara sensed that she knew more than she was telling her
son and daughter-in-law.  So Tara felt it important to follow Maggie's
lead. 

But beyond that, Tara couldn't hate Fox Mulder.  Where Bill saw only an
egotistical madman, Tara saw a man who would drop everything and fly
across the country after one five minute phone call.  Where Bill saw a
lunatic, Tara saw a man so committed to the woman he loved that he would
go to any lengths to keep her safe.  Where Bill saw a dangerous
psychotic, Tara saw a good man facing impossible odds.  Then there was
that part about rising from the dead . . . 

"Tara."   

She looked up and saw him striding toward her, the baby's car seat
dangling from his fingers. 

"Fox.  Oh god, William!"  Upon seeing her nephew for the first time,
Tara broke into a wide smile and hurried toward them.  Mulder placed the
carrier on the floor and stooped to unbuckle the baby.  Once in his
father's arms, little William looked up at his aunt with the slightly
befuddled expression of an infant. 

"May I?" she asked, holding out her arms.  Mulder nodded, swallowing
hard.  She accepted the baby easily and started swaying and cooing at
him.  She looked up at his father.  "Where's Dana?" 

Mulder felt all the air leave his body.  He struggled to even remain
standing.  Tara looked up at him and saw his distress.  "Fox?  C'mon,
sit down."  With her free hand she guided the pale man over to a bank of
lounge chairs.  He dropped into one like a rock, she sat next to him. 
"What is going on?" 

"She's gone," he gasped.  "I . . . uh, I woke up this morning and she
was gone.  She took our truck sometime during the night." 

"Gone?  Fox, where were you?  What -- "  Her inquiry was interrupted
when Mulder leaned forward and put his hand on her arm. 

"Tara, I know you have no reason to trust me, God, I know that.  But I
can't tell you what is going on.  I just hope that you'll believe me.  I
have to find Dana.  She's in terrible danger and I have to find her, but
I can't do that with . . . the baby," he choked out, a single tear
tracing down his cheek.  He bit his lip and looked away, gathering his
composure.  "I have to leave him with you.  I didn't know who to turn to -- " 

"Fox, have you called the police?  If she's in danger -- we'll call
Bill and what about the FBI, wouldn't they help?" 

"Tara, people in the FBI, people she worked with -- those are the
people who are after her now!  Please, I know this is an awful lot to
ask, but would you please just take care of the baby for me, just for a
few days.  Just till I can find her.  Please, please do this for me." 
His voice was a low whisper, his breath coming in pants and gasps. 

"Where are you going to look?" Tara asked with growing concern.  This
man before her was desperate, almost hysterical. 

"I have . . . friends . . . helping me.  I have an idea, but not an
exact location.  I hope to have that soon.  But I have to go now."  He
looked down at his son, placing his hand tenderly on the tiny forehead. 
"I . . . I need him to be somewhere safe."  He raised his eyes to Tara's
face.  "With people who love him." 

At his heartfelt request, Tara could only nod, holding back her tears. 
Slowly he removed the diaper bag slung on his shoulder and placed it on
the floor at their feet.  With extreme tenderness, he leaned over and
kissed the baby's forehead and cheeks.  His heart was breaking as he
stood. 

"I'll call as soon as I can," he assured himself and her. 

"Fox, what . . . what do I tell Billy?" 

Mulder thought about that for a moment.  "Tell him . . . tell him he
was right about me all those years ago.  And tell him that I'm very,
very sorry."  He lingered for a moment, looking down at his son.  Then
he turned and walked quickly down the concourse.  As Tara strained to
see him merge into the crowd, the loud speaker announced boarding for
her flight for all passengers with infants and small children.  She
looked down at the baby in her arms.  

"C'mon William.  Let's get you home." 

Salt Lake City, Utah
2:54 pm 

Bill came off the jetway and looked around before heading for the front
doors of the airport.  He'd never met this Doggett person face to face,
had only heard about him through his mother.  Dana didn't talk to him
much after that asshole knocked her up and left her.  Every time he
thought about that bastard Fox Mulder his blood started to boil. 

Oh, sure, Dana had been so quick to say the guy had been kidnapped. 
No, sorry, 'abducted' -- whatever the difference was, Bill sure didn't
know.  But it seemed pretty funny when the FBI treated it more like a
criminal manhunt than a kidnapping.  It definitely sent a signal to Bill
that Dana might not have been firing on full throttles. 

His mother had mentioned that they gave Dana a new partner after Mulder
went missing.  According to his mom, the guy was straight arrow, former
Marine.  Couldn't blame a jarhead for choosing the wrong part of the
Navy -- some of Bill's closest friends were Semper Fi.  It just seemed
that maybe this Doggett character was the only one really looking out
for Dana's best interests.  For a short while, Bill held out hope that
maybe she got pregnant _after_ the asshole left her -- that maybe she
and this Doggett guy -- 

Mom was fast and sure when she squashed that idea.  "She found out
about the baby the day Fox went missing," his mother had told him in no
uncertain terms.  "She didn't even _meet_ Agent Doggett until three days
later.  Now, if I have to explain simple biology to you, William Dennis
. . ."  He'd gratefully turned the phone over to Tara after that little
tirade and never spoken of it again. 

The baby, that was another sore point.  He and Tara had flown all the
way across the country to be present for a christening that never took
place.  When his mother had announced, with tears in her eyes, that Dana
wasn't in town, that she had left -- cleaned out her apartment and given
everything to charity -- he had been ready to call out the entire
Department of Defense to look for her.  But his mother had made it quite
clear that there was no need to look for his sister.  She had left of
her own accord and would contact them as soon as she thought she was
able.   

Just as Bill had suspected -- the whole pregnancy had left his sister
nuttier than a fruitcake.  Just like her crazy partner, the first one,
the one that left her pregnant.  Bill felt his blood pressure rise again. 

"Commander Scully?" 

"Agent Doggett," Bill answered as he held out his hand in greeting. 
Doggett took it in a firm grip, adding a plus in Bill's appraisal. 

"I have a car out front.  I'm really sorry I couldn't be more
forthcoming on the phone," Doggett apologized as the two men dodged
families and suitcases, businessmen and laptop carriers. 

"I understand.  Frankly, I wasn't surprised by your call," Bill admitted. 

"You suspected your sister had been taken in by Mulder," Doggett offered. 

"For the last 8 years, I would say.  I tried repeatedly to get her to
listen to reason, but she always turned my concern against me." 

"Typical of the Stockholm syndrome," Doggett affirmed.  "I'm in row 12,
section A."  As they approached the black Taurus, he unlocked both
doors.  "I'm sorry we let it go on this long.  All I can say in the
Bureau's defense is that your sister had a very good work record and it
appeared to the higher ups that nothing was really amiss." 

"Her cancer?  My sister Melissa's murder?" Bill snorted.  "Those
weren't things most of us in the family missed."  The conversation was
suspended while the two men entered the vehicle and Doggett started the
engine. 

"No, I understand.  I wasn't with the Bureau back then.  I know that at
the time there were some internal shake-ups.  But when that died down,
well, she was on the fast track at one point.  She was even sent to New
York on a case as lead agent." 

"The time she got shot," Bill fumed. 

"Yes.  Terribly mistake," Doggett commiserated.  "But unfortunately,
her actions on that case cast a shadow on her personnel record." 

"She gets shot and the shadow is cast on _her_ record?" Bill groused.   

"Yes.  It was the shooting, actually, that was the problem.  She ran
off and left her partner.  He had no way of knowing if she was being
held hostage, if she'd already been injured by the perp.  Anyway, the
young man was reassigned and Dana was relegated back to her position in
Domestic Terrorism.  It was a shame, that's for sure.  They might have
been able to separate her from Mulder, but it never happened." 

"They never should have dug the bastard out of the ground," Bill growled. 

Doggett shot him a sympathetic nod. 

"So, where is Dana?  When can I see her?" 

Doggett licked his lips as he pulled the car out into traffic.  "First,
you must understand something.  Dana is still under his influence.  Do
you remember, back several years ago, the story of Patty Hearst?" 

Bill thought for a moment.  "Seventies -- she was the heiress to the
Hearst fortune and was kidnapped by terrorists.  She ended up helping
them rob banks." 

"Exactly," Doggett encouraged.  "Well, it took years of extensive
therapy before Ms. Hearst fully recanted her association with the
Symbionese Liberation Army.  I'm afraid that's what we're going to be
facing.  Dana is not coming of her own 'free' will at this time.  We
have to confine her to keep her with us, to keep her safe." 

Bill frowned.  "You're talking about de-programming her, aren't you?" 

Doggett nodded.  "I know it's not standard procedure -- " 

"No, no, I understand, I understand completely," Bill assured him.  "I
thought that was what we should have done years ago, if you want to know
the truth." 

"Good.  Then we're all on the same page," Doggett said with a truly
sincere smile. 

Phoenix Airport
2:45 pm 

Mulder watched from the windows of the concourse as the US Air jet
taxied out the runway and took off into the western sky.  His lip was
bleeding from biting it and the knot in his gut wasn't going away any
time soon.   

It had been a hellacious morning, starting with his discovery of
Scully's disappearance.  He'd called in a hundred favors, owed the
Holsteen family more than just a tank of gas for coming to the trailer
and taking him and Will to the airport in Albuquerque.  Then a short
flight with a distraught baby.   

Will, his son -- how he missed the little guy already.  With one last
look, he turned, punched redial and put the cell phone to his ear. 

"Speak to me, Frohike," he barked.  He owed the guys more than gas
money and air fare -- he would owe them his life before it was over. 

"OK, a late 80s Ford F-150 with temporary tags was spotted in a gas
station along the I-70 just north of Glen Canyon Recreation Area in
Utah.  Pretty red-headed lady paid cash, seemed in a big hurry." 

"Great, good, that's what we need.  Any idea of the direction she was
headed?" 

"Better than that -- she asked how long it would take her to get to
Salt Lake City," Frohike replied with glee. 

"OK, that's good, that's really good.  But Salt Lake is a big area." 

"I told you we needed to get a tracking device on that heap a junk when
you bought it." 

"Well, there's wasn't a 'ConspiracyTheoristsRUs' in the vicinity of the
used car lot in Springfield, Missouri," Mulder shot back.  "And I didn't
think the Bass Pro Outlet would stock our brand of tracking devices." 

"Still, we could have rigged something up," the little man groused. 

"Look, water under the bridge," Mulder cut him off.  "Right now I need
to get to her and fast." 

"There's a ticket to Salt Lake at the United Express counter.  And your
lost wallet with your identifying photo ID.  Rental's waiting at the SL
aiport Lariet counter, Mr. Oppenheim," Frohike promised.  

"Thanks, Fro.  I don't even want to know how you pulled that one off." 

"Good, 'cause I have no intention of telling."  The line was silent for
a moment before Frohike's voice came to him again.  "How did Tara react
when you handed over Will?  For that matter, how are you holding up?" 

"Typical nightmare, Hicky.  I'm expecting to wake up with a tube down
my throat and others stuck where the sun don't shine any minute now." 

"Whatever gets you through the night, Bro," Frohike agreed
sympathetically.  "Well, we'll keep our ears to the ground.  But unless
she breaks a law along the way, it's gonna be hard to track her between
gas stops." 

"That's OK, the old Ford gets about 2 gallons to the mile," Mulder said
with a sigh.  He thought for a moment.  "Hey, Fro -- thanks.  And thank
the guys for me." 

"Any time, Mulder.  You know that."  

Compound C
10 miles southwest of the Great Salt Lake
5:08 pm 

The once cherry red Ford pick-up now faded a pastel pink ground to a
halt along the mostly dirt path that had been the road for the last
twenty miles.  In the near distance, no more than quarter a mile away,
stood a collection of buildings surrounded by a chain link fence.  A
wind-battered and sun-faded sign read 'No Trespassing, US Government
Facility' but failed to note the agency in charge of the property. 

Dana Scully smiled and sipped judiciously from her now warm bottle of
Aquafina.  Not exactly what she expected, but something she knew Mulder
would appreciate. 

Mulder.  Just the thought of him clenched her heart.  And William, her
sweet, sweet baby.  It had all happened so fast she hadn't really had
time to take it all in. 

Her neck had started itching even while she and Mulder sat at the worn
Formica table in the kitchen, planning their trip to Mexico.  At first
she thought it was a mosquito bite, but there weren't any mosquitoes
near their trailer.  There had to be some water for mosquitoes.   

Then she feared it was a spider bite.  There were plenty of spiders in
the rusty old trailer when they had first entered the place.  But Mulder
had taken the eradication process to heart and they were both assured no
more of the little beasties were around. 

The urge hit as she was lying Will down in his crib.  She had to
leave.  She had to get out of there.  She couldn't stop at anything. 

Oddly, after just a few seconds, she felt in control of her actions. 
Unlike her frantic journey to see Cassandra Spender and their subsequent
road trip to a bridge in Pennsylvania, this time Scully knew she was
large and in charge.  She almost went into their bedroom to tell Mulder. 

As she was in the small hallway, it hit her.  She couldn't involve
Mulder this time.  It was Mulder they wanted to kill, but it was Will
they wanted all along.  Scully was just a go-between, unnecessary to the
project now that she had produced the required offspring.  A fatal sense
of calm overtook her. 

She couldn't tell Mulder.  Mulder would want to leave immediately for
Mexico.  If they went that way, the itching would become too strong,
intolerable.  If she could control what happened, and she knew she
could, she could determine their fate.  In short, she could put an end
to their running.  But Mulder would want to protect her, to stop her and
so it would never end -- the running, the itching to respond.  She had
to stop it, now, once and for good. 

"Scully, you coming?" he had called from their bed. 

Blinking back tears, she had stood in the doorway to their bedroom,
looking at him.  "Yeah," she'd answered.  "I'm here now." 

They'd made love, sweet, tender love filled with gentle caresses and
soft words, just as they had every night since she'd finally coaxed him
back to her body.  Mulder, exhausted from worry about their upcoming
trip, had fallen asleep in her arms.  She kissed him, enough kisses to
last him until her return.   

When she was sure he was completely asleep, she silently crept out of
bed.  After a last kiss placed on the head of her sleeping son, she made
it out to the pick-up.  With the slight incline on the path leading to
their trailer, she was able to put the truck in neutral and push it
several yards downhill, where she hoped the engine starting wouldn't
wake Mulder.  It had been almost impossible to see the first ten miles
due to her tears. 

Her thoughts coming back in the here and now, Scully looked once more
at the complex before her.  It was just four buildings, all squat
concrete blocks and steel, showing signs of rust.  It looked abandoned,
almost innocent -- like the plastic block mobile above Will's crib.  But
she knew well how looks could be deceiving.   

Shoving any image of Mulder and Will from her mind, she concentrated on
her objectives -- to deceive, inveigle, obfuscate -- and ultimately,
destroy. 

She drew in a deep breath and licked her lips.  "Let the battle begin."

 

to be continued