Resistance 2.0
The saga continues.

Peggy's Story

Resistance 2.05: Settling in.

Christmas Day

4:00 pm

It was still snowing as we walked to the community center.  It was the first time I had a chance to look at the town, since I'd been asleep when we left the center the night before.  Our house was at the end of a block of houses just like it, most with lights on and Christmas decorations out front.  I saw trees in every window.  It was like walking in a fairyland.  I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite books, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  I felt like Lucy, looking for the lamppost.  Mom and Daddy could be Susan and Peter.  But that left Will to be Edmund and I didn't like that thought. 

I was still a little hurt by his reactions of the afternoon.  Yes, his life was upside down, but so was mine.  He was worried about the aliens, but so was I.  He didn't like the fact that we were being treated like kids, but so did I.  He couldn't see past his own nose. 

Mom and Daddy had been through a lot their whole lives.  No one had ever sat me down and told me the stories, but I could hear it when Mom thought.  She lost Daddy a long time ago and that still scared her.  I didn't peek into Daddy's thoughts much, but he was afraid of losing Mom just as much.  And when they thought about me or even Will before he came back -- sometimes they were just terrified.  That was why I wondered how Gibson would ever manage to talk them into letting us help fight the aliens. 

It was only a couple of blocks from our house to the community center.  The whole town was only as big as our neighborhood back in El Paso, which was fine by me.  I liked small towns.  We'd lived in one once when I was little.  I learned to sidewalk skate in a small town.  I noticed that even though it was really, really cold, no one was driving cars -- everyone was walking.  As a matter of fact, except for our car in the driveway, I couldn't see other cars anywhere.  I guessed they were all in the garages. 

We stepped into the community center and that wonderful smell from last night hit me again.  This time, since I wasn't so sleepy and hungry, I walked around the place.  I even looked in the restrooms, which were really nice.  There was a kitchen in the back of the big room, a really big metal refrigerator, probably where they put all the leftovers.  The stove was as big as the one at my old school.  There was even one of those big dishwashers.  

They were still putting the food out, so Uncle Mel took Mommy over to meet some of the women doing that.  Uncle Walt took Daddy over to talk to some of the men who were moving chairs and tables.  Gibson nodded his head and Will and I followed him.  In a small back room, several kids were playing ping-pong and video games.  Everyone stopped playing when Gibson walked in.  They all smiled at him and a couple of the little kids ran over and hugged him around the legs. 

"Hey, guys, I want you to meet some people.  This is Will and Peggy Mulder." 

Will opened his mouth, like he was going to say something.  I know he was thinking 'my name is Will Vande Kamp' but he closed his mouth before he said it out loud.  I was glad he didn't correct Gibson.  Maybe he was starting to figure it all out.  I didn't have much time to think about it because some of the girls were coming toward me and introducing themselves.  The older kids and some of the younger boys were doing the same to Will. 

Two girls were my exact age.  Elisabeth was tall and blond and really pretty.  She said she liked people to call her Beth, not Lizzy and I understood.  I didn't like people to call me Maggie, either, even though I knew that was my Grandma Scully's name.  The other girl was darker haired, almost black, with skin that reminded me of a lot of my friends in El Paso.  Her name was Regina but she liked to be called Reggie.  I thought that was funny but didn't laugh because I didn't want to upset her.  They had brought their new dolls they just got for Christmas and pretty soon we were playing house in the corner.  I looked over and Will was playing ping-pong with three other kids.  He seemed to be having a good time. 

"So, do you go to school?" I asked Beth and Reggie.  

They both giggled.  "Sure!  Are you going to come to school, too?" 

I shrugged.  I sure didn't see how Mom or Daddy would let me get by with NOT going to school.  "I guess I will.  I'm in fourth grade." 

Beth looked impressed.  "We're in third, but our class is split."  I must have looked confused; I didn't think she could read my thoughts.  "Half our class is third grade and half is fourth grade.  We don't have enough teachers to have a different teacher for each grade.  But we don't have a really big school either.  There are only five of us in third grade and now the fourth grade will have six people in it.  That will make us the largest class in the school."  She was very proud of that fact. 

I was amazed.  My class in El Paso had thirty-five kids in it and that was just my classroom.  Poor Ms. Ramirez just barely kept the peace, Mommy used to say. 

"What's the teacher's name," I asked. 

"Mr. Byers and he's really nice, but he's also very strict.  You have to have your homework in the next day or he sends a letter home to your parents." 

Mr. Byers.  I shook my head.  Uncle Jon was my teacher?  "Do you know who Will's teacher is?" I asked. 

"What grade is he in?" Reggie wanted to know. 

I thought for a second, I knew it but I had to think about it.  "I think he's a freshman," I said. 

"You don't know what grade your brother's in?" Beth asked with a funny look on her face.  I knew she thought I was crazy or something. 

"He just got promoted," I said, covering.  

"Oh, well, if he's in high school, he has Mr. Frohike for math and science, but Ms. Covarrubias teaches social studies and Mr. Langly is the school's computer and technology teacher.  He comes in sometimes and teaches us, too." 

"Wow," I said. 

"Gibson helps at the school, too, sometimes.  He's our playground supervisor and lunch aide," Reggie added.  "Sometimes he travels, then we have parents come and supervise." 

I thought Gibson would be a good person to have on a schoolyard  -- he knew trouble before it started.  But I wondered what Will would think when he found out our uncles were our teachers.  Or what Mommy would think when she found out the lady she didn't like from Christmas Eve was now Will's social studies teacher.  I remembered we had a neighbor who was very nosy back in that small town.  That woman was the reason we moved.  Small towns can be very crowded, Daddy had told me then.

"Want to see the school?" Beth asked.  When I nodded my head, she took my hand and she and Reggie led me to another little room with a window out the back.  "It's that red brick building right there."  She pointed to a big two-story building surrounded by streetlamps with a lot of room around it.  "That's our room, the one in the left side corner on the bottom.  We don't have a lunch program -- you bring a sack lunch, but we have a really nice gym.  The older kids play basketball and volleyball there on weekends and during breaks.  We're on Christmas break now, so we don't have school until after New Years Day." 

I hadn't thought about that, school break and how much I used to look forward to it.  It was always fun because I got to spend time with Mom and Daddy and I got to read whatever I wanted to read.  "Is there a library in town?" I asked. 

"We have one at school," Beth said.  "And the town library is a block past the grocery store." 

"Good," I said. 

I was about to ask the girls more about town when Ms. Covarrubias came to the door.  "Children, it's time to eat." 

Beth and Reggie looked at each other and then me.  "Want to eat with us at the kids table?" 

I wanted to, but at the same time, I wasn't sure.  "I better ask my parents," I told them and ran off to do that. 

Will had already beat me to it.  "So do you mind?" he was saying.  

Mom looked nervous, but Daddy just smiled.  "Sure, go ahead."  Will grinned and ran off to a table where the bigger kids were sitting.  I saw him give a 'thumbs up' to Alexi, Ms. Covarrubias' son.  Alexi nodded and they both went to the line to get their food. 

"I met some girls from my new class," I told Mom.  "They asked if I could sit with them."  I pointed over to where Beth and Reggie were watching us. 

Mom licked her lips like she always did when she was about to say no.  Again, Daddy spoke for both of them.  "Sure, Peg Leg.  But remember, you always go home with the guy who brought you."  I must have looked at him funny, because I sure didn't understand what he was talking about.  "Never mind, wrong context.  Go have fun."  

We had a lot of fun at the kids table.  I met the rest of our class.  I decided not to tell anyone that our teacher was a close friend of our family.  We talked about books and games and stuff.  I hadn't done that in a long time.  It felt really good. 

The next time I saw my family was as we were helping clean up from the meal.  Will was talking to Daddy, who was looking pretty serious.  I came up and hugged him and he didn't even really notice. 

"I just don't know," Daddy said to Will.  

"But Uncle Walt is coming.  C'mon Dad.  We were stuck in a car for weeks.  I need to stretch." 

"I understand that, but . . ."  He looked over and I could see he was focused on Alexi, standing near the door with some of the other boys.  

"But what, Dad?  We're just going to the school gym to play basketball.  I used to do that all the time at home," Will said, putting his hands on his hips.  

I closed my eyes.  That was not the way to handle our father.  Pushing him just made him angry and then he'd say no.  I learned that the hard way. 

"That was different and you know it," Daddy said, using his stern voice.  

"You won't let me play basketball?" Will whined.  I knew he was hurt, and I couldn't blame him.  Something was going on and I almost peeked to see what Daddy was really worried about.  I didn't get a chance because Mom came over, wiping her hands on a towel. 

"What's the matter?" 

"I want to go play basketball with some of the guys and Uncle Walt.  Dad won't let me," Will said. 

"Mulder?" Mom asked, looking up at Daddy.  "What's the problem?" 

Daddy wanted to say something, I could tell, but he just kept looking over at Alexi and shaking his head.  "Fine.  Go.  But if Walter leaves, you leave, got that?"  Daddy turned on his heel and stomped off. 

"What was that all about?" Will wanted to know. 

"I don't know, sweetheart.  You don't worry about it.  I'll talk to him.  You just go have a good time.  And don't forget to button up and wear your hat.  It's cold out there." 

Will nodded and started to leave.  All of a sudden he turned back and leaned over to give Mom a kiss on the cheek.  "Thanks, Mom."  He headed to the door before she could say anything. 

Mommy was stunned, plain and simple.  She reached up and touched her cheek where he'd just kissed her.  She looked down at me and I could see tears on her lashes.  I reached up and touched her cheek, too and smiled.  I knew she wasn't crying because she was sad.  Mommy was happier than I'd ever seen her. 

"I better see what's gotten into your father.  You go play with your friends, OK?" 

I nodded and walked slowly over to where Beth and Reggie were helping put away folding chairs.  Not really meaning to, I thought about Daddy.  Pretty soon, his thoughts were plain as day. 

Daddy knew Alexi's dad.  But that wasn't the worst part.  Alexi's dad had . . . no that couldn't be right?  Daddy believed Alexi's dad had tried to kill Will before he was even born?  I got an image of a man with dark hair, a dark jacket, standing in a parking garage.  He had a gun pointed at someone and the all of a sudden, there was a hole in his forehead and blood -- 

I dropped the chair I'd been carrying.  It took me a minute to catch my breath and when I did, I looked over at Daddy.  My Daddy had -- he'd killed Alexi's dad.  Sure, the man was going to kill my Daddy, but still!  I couldn't' believe it. 

I felt Gibson's hand on my shoulder.  "Peggy, you don't know the whole story."  I looked up at him.  I wasn't so sure I liked Gibson peeking into my head.  Now I knew how everyone else felt.  

"Alex Krycek, Alexi's father, was a very complicated man.  He never really knew what side he was on.  In the end, he chose the wrong side.  He would have killed Will, your father and your mother.  You would never have been born if he'd had his way.  And it wasn't your Dad who killed Krycek, it was Walter Skinner.  Krycek was controlling Walter and wanted him to do his dirty work.  Krycek wanted Walter to kill your Dad.  Walter did the right thing back then.  Believe me, it was the only thing he could have done." 

"Daddy thinks Alexi will be like his father was?" I asked. 

"It has him worried.  He just wants to watch Alexi for a while, until he knows for sure." 

Something suddenly occurred to me, something I picked up from Gibson.  "Alexi's like us, isn't he?" 

"Both Alex Krycek and Marita Covarrubias were exposed to the black oil -- the alien virus -- before Alexi was conceived.  So yes, he is like you.   Not exactly, you two are special.  But he's more like you than like the others." 

I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.  But I knew for certain, we'd find out soon enough.

to be continued in Resistance 3.0, coming soon

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