Title:  Nothing Important 8:  Improbable
Author:  Vickie Moseley
Summary:  Revised Season 9 where Mulder is very much 
present and accounted for.
Category:  alternate universe, mytharc, MA, SA
Rating:  anybody
Disclaimer:  The names are the same, but the rest of 
the story is decidedly different.  Still, no 
copyright infringement intended.
Archive:  yes
Author's notes:  The rest of the story is available 
on my website.  By this time you need to read it from 
the beginning or you will be terrible confused.  
Thank you to Lisa for quick turnaround and uploading.

Nothing Important 8:  Improbable

Wasatch Mountain Compound

This time when she woke up, Scully felt a little 
groggy, like she could easily go back to sleep.  But 
when she looked up, she saw Mulder sitting so close 
to the bed, clearly wearing his panic face.

"Hey," she said, yawning.  "I feel so muzzy."

"Yeah, I bet you do," he said warily.  He leaned 
forward and took her hand.  "Scully, love, I'm so 
sorry."

She blinked her eyes and frowned.  "Sorry for what?"

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now.  Just 
know that I love you and I'm only trying to do what's 
best for you," he said quietly, bringing their linked 
hands up to his lips so he could place a kiss on her 
fingers.

"That's what Bill said," she murmured, closing her 
eyes.

That got Mulder's attention.  "Bill?  When did Bill 
say that?  You've talked to Bill recently?"  He 
wasn't sure if maybe she'd been dreaming of her 
brother.

"Not just talked to him.  I threw a plate at him.  
Missed him, damn it.  Didn't line up my shot," she 
said, her eyes still closed.

"Bill -- Scully are you saying that Bill was in the 
military complex where you were being held?"

"Yup.  Right there with John Doggett.  You were right 
about him, Mulder.  So right . . . "  Her voice grew 
so soft he almost missed her last words.  She was 
asleep again, dragged under by the tranquilizer.

"Dr. Kim!" Mulder shouted as he stood in the doorway 
to Scully's room.  "I need her awake!"

Kim rolled her eyes as she hurried over.  "Mr. Mulder 
-- "

"No, I thought she was hysterical, but she had every 
reason to be frightened.  I have to make a phone 
call, immediately, but I need Scully awake," he tried 
to explain.

"I gave her a mild sedative, Mr. Mulder.  If she's 
asleep now it's because of what was done to her, not 
the medication.  I promise she'll wake up and have no 
problems talking to you but she needs to rest.  She's 
been through a rough time of it and her body has to 
heal," the doctor reasoned.

"Fine.  I understand.  But I have to make a phone 
call -- immediately!"

Bill and Tara Scully's Residence
San Diego, CA

Bill found his mother and wife sitting at the kitchen 
table, William in his mother's arms.

"Billy?  What are you doing home so early?" Tara 
asked as she stood to give her husband a kiss.

"Mom, we need to make some decisions and they have to 
be quick," Bill said without preamble.

"What?  What's the matter?" Tara asked worriedly.  
Maggie still hadn't said a word.

"You were right, I do have something to tell you, but 
we don't have much time.  They could come here any 
minute."  

Now Maggie shared Tara's worried expression.  "You 
have seen your sister," she said quietly.

"Yeah, I have.  I wasn't in DC the other day.  I was 
in Utah."

"Utah?  Bill, whatever for?" Tara demanded.

"If you'll just let me get through this -- please no 
more questions," Bill pleaded.  "I've thought about 
what you said last night, Mom.  You're right.  There 
are right directions and wrong directions and I think 
I was headed in the wrong direction.  But it's still 
not too late to change course -- if you'll go along 
with it."

"Tell me, Bill.  Don't keep us in suspense."

"Dana's partner, John Doggett, he . . . somehow he 
got Dana to walk into a trap."

Tara looked confused, but Maggie understood 
immediately.  Her hand flew to her mouth.  "Oh, no, 
please, Bill, don't tell me -- "

"They were trying to deprogram her, Mom.  The only 
reason I went along with it was because he -- that 
Doggett guy -- told me exactly what I wanted to hear.  
That Mulder had brainwashed Dana into following him 
and that he was leading her and the baby into danger.  
That the FBI was trying to help her. "

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," 
Maggie objected.

"That's pretty much what Dana said.  I spoke to her, 
Mom.  She was pissed at me.  Royally pissed.  She 
threw a plate at me.  And then she escaped.  They 
lost her.  She's back in hiding -- and she had help.  
I can only assume it was Mulder."  

Tara giggled at that, but put her hand up to hide it.  
"She threw a plate at you?"  

Bill shrugged.  "She missed, luckily.  Her aim was 
off."

"Thank God she got away.  But Bill, why?  Why do they 
want Dana?  What was the purpose?  They don't own 
her, if she chooses to leave the Bureau that's her 
decision," Maggie bit out angrily.

"Yeah, after the call I got today that thought 
occurred to me, too," Bill said.  "I don't think 
they're after Dana.  Well, not just Dana.  I think, 
for whatever reason, they're after the baby."

Tara gasped.  "Why on earth would they want William?"

Bill chewed on his lip.  "Think about it.  A barren 
woman gives birth to a healthy baby.  The father of 
that baby is taken, returned dead, buried, months 
later is resurrected -- the whole thing reads like a 
bad sci-fi movie.  But the fact remains that some in 
the government have taken a very unhealthy interest 
in my sister and her family.  I don't like it one 
bit."

Maggie smiled at her son.  "Finally," she sighed.  
"OK, so, what phone call did you get today that 
changed your course?"

He returned his mother's smile, but it faded quickly.  
"Agent Doggett called, looking for you."

"Me?  What would he want with me?  I told him back in 
Washington that I had no information on Dana's 
whereabouts."

"He also figured out that Mulder must have helped 
Dana escape.  And that he probably would have left 
William behind when he did.  He thought maybe Mulder 
would contact you, maybe even drop William off with 
you.  He tried to find you at home and you were gone 
so he called me."

"Where did you tell him I was?" Maggie fretted.

"I told him you were visiting your sister in Maine," 
Bill answered with a proud smile.

"Bill, that just puts your Aunt Mary in the middle of 
this," Maggie said, shaking her head.   

"Which is why we need to work fast.  I suggest that 
we get hold of Aunt Mary, tell her now might be a 
good idea to go antiquing along the coast.  In the 
meantime, we have to get you and the baby someplace 
safe."

Maggie smiled.  "I know just who to call."

High-rise on Fifth Avenue
New York

Krycek smiled at Doggett as the agent stepped off the 
elevator.  "Bet you never thought you'd get this far 
up in the world, did you?" he sneered.

Doggett ignored the jab.  One day -- one day in the 
not too distant future . . . But today was not that 
day.  "Where is the meeting?" he asked brusquely.

"Right this way," Krycek smiled, all schoolboy charm.  
He ushered Doggett down a long hallway of dark 
mahogany, lit with several wall sconces.  "In here," 
he said, opening the door at the end of the hall.

The room was huge, filled with the smells of leather 
and expensive cigars.  Men sat in the wingback chairs 
sat men, most of them older, graying at the temples.  
From the farthest corner a man rose and stepped 
toward them.  He was tall and distinguished looking, 
even in this room.  "Thank you, Alex," he said with a 
thick Eastern European accent.  "That will be all."  
With a nod, Krycek left the room, but not before 
shooting Doggett another smarmy smile.

"Agent Doggett, some of us have not had the pleasure 
of meeting you face to face," said the tall man, 
stepping over to a breakfront and pouring amber 
liquid into a crystal glass snifter.  "Brandy?  Or do 
you prefer bourbon?"

"Neither, if I'm on duty," Doggett said tersely.

The tall man smiled.  "Ah, John -- may I call you 
John?  You are always 'on duty'.  That's why we chose 
to approach you.  Please, relax, have a drink.  This 
is a friendly visit, I assure you."  The man 
indicated two empty chairs near the darkened 
fireplace.  

"Bourbon, then," Doggett said with a tilt of his 
head.  "Straight."

"Of course," the man replied and poured the drink 
from another decanter.  

He handed Doggett the glass and then sat down 
opposite the agent.  He settled back, sipping from 
the snifter.  "John, we've been worried about you," 
he said, smiling his concern.

"There's no need," Doggett replied, taking a good 
drink from his glass.  The liquor was warm and tasted 
aged, expensive.  It caressed his throat and settled 
comfortably in his stomach.  Doggett began to relax.  
"I understand your concern, but I have made headway."

"Yes, Commander Scully.  That was a very good 
contact.  Unfortunately, it was unproductive toward 
the final goal."

"But he's her brother.  I'm sure she'll contact her 
family again at some point.  And he's worried about 
her.  Her behavior at the clinic was enough to 
convince him that my explanation of the facts is the 
correct one."

The tall man nodded.  "Indeed.  Well, we have it on 
good authority that Commander Scully's wife has been 
caring for the baby since Agent Scully arrived at the 
complex."

Doggett sat forward, almost spilling the remaining 
contents of his drink.  "No, that's not possible.  I 
spoke with Commander Scully just this morning, right 
before I received my summons to come here.  He told 
me none of this."

Tall man tilted his head and smiled, but his eyes 
remained stern.  "Be that as it may, Commander 
Scully's wife Tara and his mother Margaret have been 
caring for the child for some time."
 
"Let me call him.  I can convince him to turn the 
baby over -- "

Tall man held up his hand, halting Doggett's rushed 
excuse.  "The child is no longer in San Diego.  We 
were able to track them as far as the airport and 
then apparently they never got on a plane.  They 
slipped the noose, as you Americans say."

Doggett sat back, stunned.  "I was certain he 
understood the consequences -- "

"Yes, well, apparently blood is thicker than 
patriotism these days," the tall man said with a 
casual shrug.  "Regardless, time is growing short.  
We need that child to continue our work.  As I 
remember, you have already been paid a handsome 
retainer to secure the child in our hands."

A shiver of something -- fear -- ran down Doggett's 
spine.  "I just need a little more time."

"Two weeks.  Then, I'm afraid, we will be forced to 
reassess our options."
  
20 Miles Outside of Bakersfield, CA

Maggie shifted in her seat to look at William, 
sleeping peacefully in the back of the car.  She 
turned and caught the eye of the driver and smiled.

Her mind was still reeling from the rush of events in 
the last few hours.  First there was the call back 
east.  It seemed almost impossible but Dana and Fox's 
three friends had already planned for a situation 
just as they were facing.  In an hour, Mr. Byers had 
called back with complete instructions.  Maggie was 
to take William to the airport, as if they were 
catching a flight.

There hadn't been much discussion when she arrived 
with William at the American Airlines ticket counter.  
A man in a dark leather jacket had approached her and 
given her the 'pass code' -- 'John Byers sends his 
love'.  After that, they have found his car in the 
short-term lot and driven out of the city, heading 
north.

"So you're a friend of Mr. Byers?" she asked as the 
Ford Taurus sped along the interstate.  

"Yes," the driver answered.  "We've been friends for 
several years."  

Maggie nodded, trying to ignore the fear that kept 
digging a hole in the pit of her stomach.  "Where are 
we going?" she asked, looking out the window at the 
central California scenery.

"Someplace safe," her companion smiled.  "I know how 
important your safety is, Mrs. Scully.  It's my 
utmost pleasure to ensure that you and little William 
remain absolutely safe until you can be reunited with 
your loved ones."

Maggie regarded the young man.  In an earlier time in 
her life, she would have been flattered by his charm 
and manners.  His dark hair, his piercing eyes, his 
easy smile.  It was a shame he'd didn't have both his 
arms, but the prosthesis on his left side didn't seem 
to bother him.  "Thank you, Alex.  You don't know 
what that means to me."

Wasatch Mountains Compound

Mulder closed his eyes in relief.  He was beginning 
to think he might have to revise his opinions of an 
all knowing and benevolent supreme being.  Spender 
was looking at him with concern.

"Mulder, what's the story?" he asked anxiously.

"It's OK.  Somehow Maggie got wind of something, 
that's not clear entirely.  But it doesn't matter.  
She called the guys and they put Operation 'Get outta 
town' into action.  One of their long-time 
subscribers picked Maggie and the baby up at the 
airport and is taking them to a safe house the guys 
set up."

"Where?" Jeffrey asked, dubiously.

"It's his.  The guys wouldn't give out the details.  
Said that when Maggie and the baby are safe, they 
would be in contact."

"Mulder, that sounds . . . insane.  How do you know 
to trust this guy?  Who is he?" Spender asked.

"What?  Since Scully's asleep you step into her 
shoes?" Mulder snorted.  "The Gunmen are the most 
paranoid people on the face of the earth.  They check 
their toilet paper roll for listening devices, for 
gods' sakes.  If they say they know this guy, that's 
all I need to hear.  And besides, the most important 
part is that William is away from Bill, isn't it?"

"I guess," Spender admitted reluctantly.   "Why do 
you think she was so adamant about that?"

"I don't know.  We'll have to ask her.  I know that 
Bill Scully has always hated me.  Maybe . . . maybe 
the other side got to him."  Mulder licked his lips.  
"I just hope Scully can tell us more when she wakes 
up."

Spender squeezed his old nemesis' arm.  "I do too.  
But in the meantime, you haven't really eaten 
anything since you got here and I'm pretty sure you 
hadn't eaten before then.  How about we rustle you up 
some grub?"

Mulder gave him a slow smile.  "You've been in Utah 
too long, Spender."

"When in Rome," Spender replied.  "C'mon.  I think 
you'll like our food service.  It's not fancy, but 
it's good and there's plenty of it."

It wasn't the Bureau cafeteria, but it did bring back 
memories of his high school lunch room -- complete 
with the windowless eating area.  He took the 
'special', which turned out to be a really good beef 
stew with bread and butter, and a cup of coffee.  
Spender did likewise and they sat down to eat.

"So what are you doing here?" Mulder asked as he 
looked around at the various people in lab coats and 
scrubs.

"Well, you know that the consortium was preparing a 
vaccine against the alien colonization.  We're 
perfecting that vaccine, making it easily 
distributed."

Mulder nodded.  "With help from the rebels?"  He 
looked over to the doorway and spotted Jeremiah Smith 
talking to one of the lab techs.

"He came to us, to my mother, actually.  The last 
time you saw her, when she was turned over to the 
colonist, she figured it was over.  But you and 
Scully missed the fun part.  The rebels hit that 
train car -- rescued my mother and vaporized the 
rest."

"There was no evidence found -- "

"No, there wasn't," Spender smiled ruefully.  "These 
people don't leave fingerprints and DNA behind."

Mulder continued to stare at Jeremiah.  "But can they 
be trusted?" he asked.

Spender shrugged.  "Do we have a choice?  The enemy 
of my enemy is naturally my friend, isn't that the 
old saw?"

"It doesn't always work out that way after the 
initial conflict is over.  We were allied with the 
Soviet Union until Berlin fell."

"They've been very good to us, Mulder.  They gave us 
the technology for the cloaking device that allowed 
your partner to escape the consortium.  I would think 
you'd be grateful."

Mulder frowned.  "I am grateful.  I'm just . . . 
wary.  I've been bitten before, Jeff.  I don't trust 
as easily as I used to."

Spender laughed out loud.  "Mulder, you never trusted 
anyone!  But this time, I can assure you.  You have 
nothing to fear from the rebels.  They are here to 
help us.  In their opinion, we're 'too young' to mess 
with.  They object to the colonization plans.  This 
isn't the first planet they've fought to protect."

"What, we're dealing with Captain Kirk and the United 
Federation of Planets?" Mulder quipped.  "Where's the 
Prime Directive when you really need it?"

"Mulder, this is war.  Not world war, galactic war.  
And if the wrong side wins -- we die."  Spender's 
eyes spoke to the seriousness of the situation.

"Spender, you have to understand.  I get the galactic 
stuff, I get the importance.  But I have a son now.  
And a woman I love more than I ever thought possible.  
I have more important things to deal with than saving 
the planet from aliens."

"Mulder, listen to what you just said.  If we lose, 
your son won't have a world to grow up in."

He didn't have time to respond because Dr. Kim 
stepped into the cafeteria, walking directly toward 
their table.  "Mr. Mulder?  Your partner is awake and 
asking for you."

He made it to the patient rooms in no time.  When he 
entered, she was sitting up in the bed, looking 
sheepish.

"Hi," she said shyly, one hand casually picking at 
her blanket.

"Scully," he sighed and stepped over to the bed, 
engulfing her small frame in a tight embrace.  Rather 
than move away, he perched on the edge of the bed.  
"How are you feeling?" he asked, brushing a stray 
hair off her face and behind her ear.

"A little embarrassed, actually.  What did they give 
me to knock me out?"

Mulder turned to the doorway where Dr. Kim was 
standing.  "Valium.  Not that much.  You were 
exhausted," the woman said with a knowing smile.

"Scully, your mom and William are safe.  We've made 
arrangements.  The guys had someone in place near San 
Diego so that they could act the minute they got 
word.  So your mom and the baby are on their way to a 
safe house up the coast.  But I don't understand why 
it was so dangerous for him to be around your 
brother."

Scully closed her eyes and sighed in relief.  When 
she opened them, all shyness was gone and anger had 
taken its place.  "Bill was there, Mulder.  At the 
complex where I was being held.  He was collaborating 
with them to . . . to torture me."

Mulder's eyes flew open.  "Scully, are you sure it 
was him?"

"Oh yes.  We spoke.  He tried to tell me it was for 
my own good -- that I needed to see the light.  I 
don't know if he understood about the experiments . . 
. "  She paled a little, but swallowed and forced 
herself to continue.  "I don't think he even knew 
about that part of it.  Someone convinced him that 
you've been brainwashing me all this time, and it 
probably wasn't that hard to get his agreement.  I 
think he saw it as getting me past a delusion -- the 
delusion that you are right and the rest of the world 
is clueless."

"Well, he wouldn't be the first," Mulder joked, but 
his eyes remained haunted.  He held her hand, rubbing 
the spot just above the IV needle.  "Scully, I'll 
understand if you're too tired to talk about this, 
but I have to ask.  Why?  Why did you leave us?  Was 
it the chip?"  

The fear in his voice and in his expression almost 
broke her heart.  "Mulder, the chip had something to 
do with it, yes.  A few days ago, right as we were 
planning to leave New Mexico, it started -- well, 
tingling is the only word I can think of that 
describes the sensation.  I knew it was 'calling' me.  
But I was able to ignore it, shove it aside."

Mulder shook his head in confusion and started to 
speak, but she stopped him with a finger placed on 
his lips.  "Let me finish.  I knew it was calling me, 
but I was in complete control.  It wasn't at all like 
Ruskin Dam.  I had my faculties, Mulder.  I knew what 
I was doing."

The confusion was replaced by a look of deep hurt and 
betrayal.  "So you ditched us, is that what you're 
saying?"  He didn't mean it to sound so much like a 
growl, but he was beginning to get angry.

"To end this, yes," she said defiantly, her chin 
tilted up as he'd seen her do so many times before 
when facing a challenge.  "Mulder, I knew they wanted 
me.  And I knew they wanted to use me to get to 
William.  And more than likely, to find a way to 
eliminate you as a threat.  My only thought was how 
to end this nightmare."

"So you gave them what they wanted," he sighed in 
resignation.

"I learned from the Master," she said with a sly 
smile.

"The Master is very sorry he taught you that lesson," 
Mulder responded, drawing her into his arms again.  
"Ah, Scully.  You have no idea what I felt like when 
I woke up and found you gone," he whispered into her 
hair.

She pushed against him, just enough so that their 
eyes could meet.  "Yes, Mulder.  I know exactly how 
you felt.  I've been there enough times to write a 
book about it."

"Hopefully, no one would want to read it," he 
answered, leaning in to kiss her lips.

When they broke the kiss, she pushed him back a 
little and settled into the bed.  "I'm afraid I was 
no more successful in stopping them than we've ever 
been.  And I think they got some of what they 
wanted," she added with a flash of venom.

"Well, they don't have you anymore and they don't 
have William.  I think we're safe here.  I want you 
to sleep a little more -- "

"Mulder, I've been sleeping since I got here.  I'm 
not that tired now."

 Dr. Kim entered the room, smiling at her patient.  
"Here's a suggestion.  Since you're awake, alert and 
you probably want to get out of here before we stick 
you again, I'll take out the IV.  Then you and your 
partner can move to some living quarters and let 
_him_ get some rest.  He hasn't slept but a few cat 
naps since he arrived and that's hardly the proper 
way to treat a mild concussion."

"Concussion?  Mulder!  What happened?" Scully 
demanded, pulling his head down and feeling for the 
bump on the back.

"Spender beamed me.  I was about to break through the 
fence at the complex to get you out."

"Spender?"  Scully was instantly suspicious.

"Spender the younger -- Jeffrey," Mulder said with a 
smile.  "He knocked me out and brought me here."

"Thank god he did!" she exclaimed.  "Mulder, they 
would have shot you on sight!"

"Look, let's argue this out later.  Right now -- 
let's go find a nice double bed and we'll both catch 
a few 'z's.  I could definitely go for that.  When we 
wake up, we can make plans to get this family back 
together."

Oregon Caves Highway
10 miles outside Cave Junction, OR

Krycek pulled the SUV off the main road and onto a 
service road.  "How's the little guy?" he asked his 
companion.

Maggie smiled at the tiny fist waving from around the 
edge of the car seat in the back.  "I think he's 
awake.  Probably needs a dry diaper before too long."

"We're almost there.  Just a couple of miles up this 
road," Alex assured her.

"This is beautiful country," Maggie said, admiring 
the tall trees and mountains peeking through the 
canopy.

"I think you'll like this place, Mrs. Scully.  Nice, 
quiet.  There's a stream running through the 
property."

"Alex, call me Maggie.  And I'm sure it will be fine.  
I'm just anxious to get off the road.  I hope we'll 
hear from Dana and Fox soon."

"Oh, I'm sure they're just as anxious to talk to you, 
Maggie.  As a matter of fact, I'd be stake my future 
on it."

to be continued . . . soon