Flight into Egypt 7:  Going Home

Author:  Vickie Moseley

Going Home:  Chapter 6 You Can't Go Home Again, Can You?

Crystal City Place

June 7. 2005

8:15 am

He was in the car, heading to some crime scene.  Scully was asleep beside him and he smiled over at her affectionately.  At a red light, placed suspiciously in the middle of nowhere, he reached over and was about to brush a lock of her hair behind her ear when his cell phone rang.  He snatched his hand back as if burned and grabbed for his phone, deep in his pants pocket. 

Wait.  He never put his phone in his pants pocket when he was driving -- did he? 

In that second, he came fully awake, finding himself not in the driver's seat of yet another non-descript rental, but in Walter Skinner's former kitchen.  Displacement and adrenaline rushed through his body as he found himself continuing to dig for his phone, which he finally retrieved from the pocket of his cargo shorts. 

"Hello."  It had taken almost a year for him to stop choking on his name as he answered his cell phone.  Fortunately for both he and his partner, most of the time it was Scully on the other end, so the occasional 'Mulder' that had popped out had never caused any problems.  Now that he could use his own name again and not the alias they'd been living under, he was finding the new habit hard to break. 

"Mulder?"  Even half asleep and disoriented from his location Mulder recognized the baritone of his former superior. 

"Yeah, Walter, sorry.  I was asleep," he answered, wiping drool from his chin.  "What's up?" 

"I just wanted to know if you were still planning on coming back to the city for the fitting this afternoon.  It's really not necessary.  I can tell the tailor -- " 

"Too late, Walt.  I'm already here," Mulder interrupted him. 

"You came back from the beach?  Wow, that wasn't long.  The babies OK?  William?" 

Mulder swallowed hard.  He hoped his children were OK, after all they were with their mother.  Still, it was the first time he'd been away from them in three years.  He swallowed back the hurt he was feeling and took a deep breath.  Their separation was just temporary, he promised himself.  "Nah, something else.  I'm here by myself.  Look, I'll come get you about 12:30." 

"Mulder, did something happen?" 

"I don't really want to get in to it right now, Walt.  I'll be there at lunchtime.  Look, I'm gonna get a run in, take a shower.  I'll see you at the office, OK?"  He hoped that would cut off further prying questions, at least for a while. 

"Yeah, sure.  Whatever you say.  See you in a few hours." 

He ran, he showered and then he stopped by the little cafe that was just around the corner for an omelet and some coffee.  It felt like old times, alone, sitting in a corner booth reading the Washington Post.  Old, old times.  Back in the days before he had started spending all his waking hours either at Scully's apartment or she at his.  He didn't miss those lonely times one iota.  

There was a grocery store just a block from the condo, and realizing that eventually his family would be coming back, he decided to stock up on a few things.  Besides, he was almost out of Rolling Rock.  Six plastic grocery sacks and $88 later, he trudged back to the condo and put away his larder.  By the time he'd finished stashing the last of the groceries in the cabinet, it was time to go see Walter. 

He started for the car when he caught his reflection in the glass of the patio doors.  He'd tossed on the same type of clothes he'd worn the day before at the beach:  tee shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals.  No, he was not going to walk into the Bureau wearing sandals.  He turned around and headed back to the bedroom to change. 

In less than ten minutes, he was hurrying out the door wearing one of the suits he'd retrieved from the storage unit.  Luckily, a pair of wingtips was also in one of the boxes he'd found.  As he walked past the glass door a second time, he smiled ruefully at his reflection.  It really did feel like old times. 

A visitor's badge was waiting for him at the guard station.  He clipped it on his label and smiled at the guard, a different one from when he'd come up to visit Walter with William.  The guard offered him directions to the Assistant Director's office, but Mulder waved him off with a "Thank you, I know the way." 

Holly looked up and then recognized him.  She smiled up at him.  "Talk about a blast from the past," she said.  "Take a seat, the Assistant Director's got one more appointment and then he's free as a bird."  She stood and picked up some files from her outbox and headed for the door.  "You look really nice, Agent -- er, -- " 

"Mulder, Holly.  No 'Agent'.  Just Mulder," he said with a wicked grin. 

"Still, you just looked -- wow, like you never left," she said wistfully and hurried out the door, but not before he could see the blush rising to her cheeks.  What was that all about, he wondered. 

A tall dark skinned man, wearing a suit that didn't quite match his frame, came into the office and looked around. 

"Holly just left for the stacks.  She'll be right back," Mulder told him.  

When the man turned toward Mulder, it was obvious he was young, and equally obvious he was nervous.  New agent, his whole posture screamed.  "Have a seat," Mulder offered, nodding toward the other end of the couch he was sitting on. 

The young man licked his lips, looked around again and finally nodded.  He sat down and immediately began fiddling with first his badge and then his tie.  Suddenly he looked over at Mulder.  "Oh, sorry, Jerry Wright," he said, extending his hand in greeting. 

"Fox Mulder," came the reply, and Mulder accepted the handshake. 

Wright nodded and looked away, only to do a double take a second later.  "You wouldn't be 'the' Fox Mulder, would you?" he asked, his voice breaking just a little. 

Mulder snorted.  "I'm pretty sure there isn't another one," he said. 

"Fox Mulder, X Files Division Head for 9 years, top profiler of the BSU for 3 before that.  Recruited out of Oxford.  The guy who wrote the Monty Props monogram -- that Fox Mulder?" Wright recited as if it were all memorized in exacting detail. 

Mulder chuckled again.  "Yeah, I guess so." 

"Wow," Wright said, giving Mulder a long look.  "Wow."  He leaned back against the couch, looking slightly bewildered.  Finally, he turned back to Mulder.  "I heard you were dead." 

"You know what Mark Twain had to say about that," Mulder quipped. 

Wright looked more befuddled but remembered the reference.  He laughed.  "Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated," he quoted. 

Mulder didn't say anything, just touched his nose.  Wright's smile got even bigger. 

"I mean, we heard all about you at the Academy.  We had to study a couple of your profiles.  You had a partner -- " 

"Have, I still have a partner," Mulder said fondly.  "Dana Scully." 

"Yeah!  That's the one!" Wright said, not missing a beat.  "Smart as a whip, they said.  A doctor, was in line to be head Pathologist -- " 

Mulder's head jerked up at that.  That was something he hadn't heard before.  Scully had never mentioned -- 

"Yeah, I heard tell she'd be hired on the spot for the Head of Forensics today, but of course everyone thinks -- " 

"She's not dead either.  As a matter of fact, we have three small children." 

"You don't say," Wright said cheerfully.  "Wow." 

At that moment, the door to the inner office opened and Walter Skinner's shining pate appeared.  "Where's Holly?" he asked, directing his question at Mulder. 

"Filing.  Stacks," Mulder replied with a shrug.  

Skinner turned his attention to young Agent Wright.  "Agent Wright, I didn't expect to see you back so soon," he said dourly. 

"I just had a couple of things I needed to run by you, sir," Wright said, standing tall, almost at parade attention. 

Walter sighed.  "Mulder -- " 

"I'm perfectly comfortable right here, Walt," Mulder grinned.  

"This better not take long," Skinner growled at the agent, stepping aside to let the young man enter the room.  "Mulder, don't touch anything," he quipped as he closed the door. 

Mulder's grin got all the bigger and he leaned his head back against the couch, absolutely content to do nothing but wait. 

Holly came in, they chatted for a while about Mulder's kids and how life in DC was treating her.  After about a half an hour, Agent Wright made a hasty exit from Skinner's domain. 

"Nice to meet you, Agent -- em -- Mr. Mulder," he said politely as he hurried out the door.  

Skinner was a few seconds behind him, pulling on his suit jacket.  "Holly -- " 

"You're in a meeting out of the office," she smiled up at him.  "And you have your cell phone if anyone _really_ needs to get hold of you." 

"You're the greatest," Skinner said with an easy smile.  Mulder looked at the man for a moment, amazed at what he was seeing.  "What?" Skinner asked gruffly. 

Mulder smiled and shook his head.  "Nothing.  It's just nice to see you so . . . happy, Walt," he said with a shrug of his shoulder. 

"Yeah, well, welcome to the club," Walter replied and they headed toward the elevator.  As soon as it was evident that they were alone, Walter turned to his friend.  "So, who threw the first punch, you or Bill?" 

Mulder closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall of the elevator.  "Neither.  But enough words were thrown to outweigh the need for punches." 

"Mulder, you can't let Bill Scully get to you -- " 

"He found out we're not married," Mulder said quickly. 

Skinner dropped his eyes to the floor in sympathy.  "How did he find out?  Scully didn't tell him, did she?" 

Mulder opened one eye to regard his friend.  He smiled, relieved that Walter seemed to be taking his side, unlike Scully's family.  "No, I don't think Dana said anything.  Actually, I can't figure out who spilled the beans." 

Walter whistled low.  "How did Scully's mom take the news?" 

"Not that well," Mulder answered.  "I left.  I knew it would just get worse if I stayed around." 

"Mulder, that doesn't sound like you.  This is your life, yours' and Scully's.  It really shouldn't matter if you're married -- " 

"The only thing Scully had left of her old life was her faith.  She's been attending Mass every Sunday since we got to Montana.  Her Church is telling her that living with me and not being married is a sin.  It's the way she was raised.  Hell, her younger brother married a girl after he got her pregnant.  We have three kids together and no ceremony.  That's what Bill's pissed about." 

"So, if it's important to her, get married," Walter said, as the elevator doors opened.  "Did you drive?" 

Mulder shook his head.  "I took the Metro.  And for the record, I've asked her to marry me, repeatedly." 

"So what's the hold up?" Walter shot back, digging his keys out of his pants pocket and hitting the remote door switch with his thumb. 

"She hasn't said yes," Mulder bit out, immediately regretting the heat behind his words.  "Sorry.  It's a bit of sore point." 

"You have to know that Scully -- " 

"Walter, I admit to being a bit dense about my partner's feelings for me for the first seven years of our relationship, but I am very secure in the knowledge that she loves me and she's in this for the long haul." 

Skinner nodded in agreement.  "So, I reiterate, why didn't you just punch his lights out and be done with it?" 

Mulder shook his head again.  "It's her family.  She has to come to terms with this.  Scully would tell you that we're married, she has told me in no uncertain terms that she considers us married, married since March 6, 1992, as a matter of fact.  But she has to explain that to her family.  That is her place, not mine, to make them understand.  I don't think busting my knuckles on Bill Scully's jaw is going to bring about enlightenment." 

"True, but there would still be a certain amount of satisfaction," Walter pointed out with a wicked grin. 

"So what had young Agent Wright so tangled up in knots?" Mulder asked, deftly changing the subject. 

"Wright's a good agent.  Green as they come but bright.  A case came through Violent Crimes and he picked up on the fact that it might be a serial." 

"Profiler?" 

"He has the makings of one.  Like I said, he's a bit green." 

"Hey, when is our appointment at the tailors?" Mulder asked as his stomach growled loudly in the closed space of Skinner's Buick. 

Skinner cocked an eyebrow.  "We have enough time to appease that monster," he teased. 

Lunch was good, Skinner took Mulder to a deli that had opened up not far from the Hoover. They decided that after their appointment with the tailor, Skinner would take Mulder by the new house.  The fitting was completed in record time, Mulder would be in a black tux with black tails, Walter in grey jacket with tails.  Walter's cell phone went off as Mulder was changing back into his own clothes. 

"Damn it, I can't even take an afternoon," Skinner groused.  "Do you mind if we run past the Bureau on the way out to Falls Church?" 

"Not at all.  You sure you don't need to get back to the office?  I understand if you have work to do this afternoon." 

"No, it's just some forms I forgot to sign.  They're due in the Director's office by 5 and if I don't get them there, I have not only Holly, but Kim on my ass." 

"Not to mention the Director," Mulder quipped with a raised eyebrow.  

"He's the least of my problems, believe me," Skinner deadpanned. 

Mulder followed his former superior back to his office.  Skinner sat down, waving in the general direction of the two chairs lined up in front of his desk.  The former agent gave his friend a sardonic grin as he slid down into his usual seat.  The forms requiring signature also seemed to require some review, so Mulder quickly sought out something to occupy his mind.  He picked up a folder he found on the edge of the desk blotter. 

"Mulder?"  He looked up to find Walter staring at him, a quizzical look on the older man's face.  "Did you just go into a fugue state on me?"  There was humor in Skinner's voice, but not in his eyes. 

"Sorry.  I was just -- "  Hastily Mulder returned the file to its place on the desk. 

"Pretty interesting, isn't it?" Skinner asked, leaning back and crossing his arms. 

Mulder shrugged.  "No trauma to match cause of death.  I'm sure a tox screen -- " 

"A few pages toward the back is the full tox screen.  Over the counter antacid, no other substances." 

"Death by Rolaids," Mulder muttered, pulling on his lip.  "But the organ failure -- " 

"You read the ME's report?"  Mulder nodded.  "Do you think it's possible that the heart and lungs could be 'cooked' with no external trauma?" 

Mulder grinned and shook his head.  "Boy, are you asking the wrong person," he said.  "Are you finished signing the Constitution, yet, or do we need to convene another Continental Congress?" 

"I've been done for five minutes.  I was trying to get your attention," Skinner said coolly as he stood and gathered the papers he'd just signed. 

As they started for the door, Mulder stopped and looked back at the file.  Skinner watched him and finally nodded.  Mulder went back and pick up the file, flipping pages. 

"It's not protocol, but would you like to take that back to the apartment, read it over a little?  Agent Wright could use some help on where to proceed." 

Mulder dropped the file to the desk.  "I -- No.  I think that's probably a bad idea," he said, but his eyes were full of indecision. 

"What could it hurt?" Skinner asked.  "Just take the file, look it over.  Give the kid some pointers.  We do actually hire consultants around here.  They make pretty good money, I'm told." 

"Don't need the money, don't need the trouble," Mulder said lightly but he still hadn't moved from his spot next to the desk, his hand hovering over the folder.  With an obvious effort, he dropped his hand to his side and sprinted out the door after his friend. 

Beach House

Ocean City, MD

June 7, 2005

Scully sat on a chaise lounge on the deck, shielded from the sun by a large umbrella.  The twins slept peacefully next to her in their playpen, William was out on the beach with Matthew, both little boys following their cousins Ben and Nate, as they searched for shells and driftwood.  Will was having a great time, and the older boys, to their credit, didn't seem to mind the littler ones tagging along.  The uproar of the previous day appeared to be all but forgotten.  

Except by her.  Every time Scully closed her eyes she could see the hurt, the helplessness and finally the resignation on her partner's face as he got into the new rental.  As they'd kissed goodbye she couldn't shake the feeling that it was one of those times she shouldn't have let him go. 

It could hardly be considered ditching.  She knew exactly where he was, could call him at any time.  But she felt strongly that there were things she needed to sort out, feelings she needed to put into focus and she sensed he was giving her time to do that.  Even if she didn't really want to go through the process, it was something that needed to be done. 

The adults had spent the previous night and the morning walking on eggshells, taking care of the children, ignoring each other.  Maggie had tried talking to Bill but it had ended in slammed doors and silence.  It was hard enough to think of all that the argument had dredged up, much less deal with the emotions left in its wake.  Still, after sleeping in a cold bed and waking up alone, Scully knew she had to take matters back into her own hands. 

She found Bill in the living room, trying to get the ancient VCR to work. 

"We need to talk," she said firmly as she turned off the television set. 

"I don't see much that needs to be said," Bill replied tersely.  "You've made your bed -- " 

"Cute choice of phrase Bill, but you're not going to win this one," Scully replied.  "Look, I don't give a rat's ass if you don't approve of my life.  I haven't for a very long time." 

"Well how about Mom's approval?  Or Dad's?" he shot back. 

She cracked a bitter smile.  "As if you are the authority on Dad's thought processes.  In case you didn't notice, Dad died 11 years ago.  And I don't remember anyone electing you to take his place." 

Bill's eyes narrowed.  "Someone had to." 

Scully huffed.  "No, Bill.  No one had to.  Especially not you.  You and your perfect life, your perfect marriage.  You have no idea what I went through to finally get to a place where I wasn't comparing every life choice to what Mom and Dad wanted for me, what you and Charlie had done before me.  Well, guess what?  When I finally let myself get past the walls I'd built up, I discovered something.  What Mulder and I have is stronger than what Mom and Dad or even you could ever know!  And if you can't handle the fact that we're happy, that _I_ am happy, then I see no reason for you and I to have any further contact."  She turned on her heel and left him with his mouth hanging open. 

Tara was in the kitchen and by her wide-eyed expression; she'd overheard every word.  "Dana, you don't mean that.  Please, I don't want to lose you.  You're the only sister he has -- " 

Scully stopped and wiped at the tears tumbling down her cheeks.  "I can't.  I can't be around him.  He has to change, Tara.  This time I'm not going to be the one to give in.  He has to change." 

"I know, I know," Tara said, reaching out to take her sister-in-law into a hug.  "Just please, please don't give up on him.  Give him some time." 

Scully pushed out of the embrace, shaking her head.  "How much time does he need?"  When Tara couldn't answer, Scully nodded.  "I have to get the kids ready.  We're going back to DC." 

Charlie was standing in the doorway to the deck, looking perplexed.  "Dana, William is all the way down the beach with the boys and the girls are napping.  You don't have to leave now, do you?" 

"Who's leaving?" Karen asked anxiously, hot on Charlie's heels.  "Dana, you aren't leaving, are you?" 

Scully felt as if her back was against a wall and she had no defenses left.  "Listen, all of you.  I just want to get my children and go home." 

"All the way to Montana?" Karen asked. 

"No, back to Mulder," Charlie said knowingly.  

Without even looking at her brother, Scully turned and walked toward the stairs.  "Tara, could you watch the girls while I pack our things, please?" 

She was stuffing clothes in one of the duffle bags when she heard the door open.  She looked up and saw Charlie.  She went back to her packing.  "I'm really not in the mood for this, Charlie," she said through gritted teeth. 

"Why didn't you go back with him yesterday?" Charlie asked, sitting down on the foot of the bed. 

She shot him a glare, but it softened when she saw his openly curious expression.  "Mulder wants the kids to know their family.  Our family, I guess.  He wanted me to stay so that they could stay." 

Charlie nodded, taking that information to heart.  "OK, then let the kids stay." 

"What?" Scully snorted.  "No, I don't think so." 

"Dana, Mom is here, Karen, Tara and I are here.  You don't think Bill would ever do anything to hurt -- " 

"Of course not!" she objected immediately. 

"Then let the kids stay.  It's just for a couple of days.  Will is having a blast; Ben and Nate think he's a hoot.  They were telling me some of the stuff he's been coming up with.  For a four year old, he's one sharp cookie." 

Scully smiled proudly.  "He's reading, you know." 

"I know.  He was telling me the ingredients on the bag of Cheetos at lunch.  I had no idea how much sodium was in those things!" 

For the first time in 24 hours, Scully laughed.  

"You can trust us with your children, Dana.  They're our family, too.  And when was the last time you and Mulder had a little time together by yourself?" 

She shook her head.  "You always have been able to surprise me, Chuckles.  I was certain you'd come up here to convince me to stay." 

Charlie feigned shock.  "Me?  Surprises?  Never!  Besides, I thought you were a fool to let Mulder leave by himself yesterday." 

She shot him a narrow eyed glare.  

"I'm serious," he said firmly. 

"You aren't upset that we aren't married?  I mean you and Karen -- " 

"Are us, and you and Mulder are totally different.  Dana, Mom has given me a brief but concise run down of all that you two have gone through.  Whereas Bill might not have listened, I did.  As far as I'm concerned, you're married where it counts," he said, pointing first to his head and then to his heart.  "What everyone else thinks really shouldn't matter." 

She walked the two steps so that she was right in front of her brother and leaned down to hug him tightly.  "I love you, Chuckles."  She released him and stood back.  "Why couldn't you have been born first?" 

"You know, I've asked Mom that all my life," he said with a wicked grin.  "But I'm not sure birth order is the only thing going against Bill.  I have a theory." 

She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms.  "Yes," she encouraged. 

"I think Mom dropped him on his head a time or two before we all got here." 

Scully laughed again and then shook her head.  "OK, that's it.  I'm out of here." 

Charlie caught her arm, stilling her movements.  "One thing, Dana, you have to tell me before you go." 

She swallowed, waiting for the onslaught. 

"Where did you stash the extra diapers?  You aren't leaving here before you tell me!" 

to be continued in Chapter 7

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