Title:  Nothing Important 12:  The Truth II
Author:  Vickie Moseley   
Summary:  Total Rewrite of Season 9 from a 
shipper point of view. 
Category:  AU, MSR, babyfic
Rating: some violence, some language
Disclaimer:  This isn't Alternate Universe as much 
as it's a dream fulfilled.  But no copyright 
infringement intended.
Archive:  yes
Author's Note:  The other 11 parts are available on 
my website www.vickiemoseley.freeservers.com  
There will be on more part -- an Epilogue to be 
posted very soon.  This series may be the basis for 
another series that will take our little family into a 
10th season.
Dedicated to Fox Mom -- this one's for you, babe.  
Hope it's all I promised.
Thanks to Lisa for beta reading and incredible 
artwork.  Visit my site soon to see all that she has 
wrought.

Nothing Important 12:  The Truth II

Oregon Cave Junction, OR
3:30 am

The cabin had gone quiet at least thirty minutes ago, 
but John couldn't take the chance.  He waited 
patiently by a large pine, watching through high-
powered binoculars fitted with night vision. John 
had checked the rental car in the driveway and 
found it had been issued to Monica.  He hadn't 
figured her in to the equation.  No matter, he knew 
how she fought so it would be easy to take her out 
early. 

A figure moved past the window and he smiled.  
Krycek was in place, the rat bastard. How he'd 
managed to get in on the operation was anyone's 
guess, but at least John knew he wasn't going into 
this alone.  Still, it wasn't like he could just go up to 
the door and knock, even if he had someone on the 
inside.  He'd have to wait them out, wait until they 
were asleep.  Chances were good Krycek would 
even offer to take first watch and then John would 
have his opportunity.

There was plenty of time to think while leaning 
against the old tree trunk.  John thought back to 
when his buddy Knowle had first approached him 
with this assignment.  John was working VICAP 
and thinking about putting his name in for ASAC 
when Knowle had called him up out of the blue and 
asked him to meet him on the Capitol Mall by the 
Air and Space Museum.

It was early May and they grabbed a couple of dogs 
and started walking toward the Smithsonian castle.  
"John, what do you think about aliens?" Knowle 
had asked right off the bat.

"I think we should increase border patrols and move 
toward a 'read ID' where everyone would have the 
same kind of license," John replied thoughtfully.

Knowle laughed.  "No, John.  Not that kind of alien.  
The kind that would be totally undocumented.  The 
kind that come from above."  His old Marine CO 
pointed his index finger toward the sky.  

John got the joke.  "Very funny," he said.  "I don't 
think of them much at all."

"Do you think they might be a cover for a threat 
against our country?" Knowle asked, staring off 
toward the Capitol dome.

A threat was a threat.  As Knowle continued his 
tale, John didn't worry about the reason behind why 
a FBI agent was suspected of collaborating with an 
enemy -- he didn't even bother to ask who the real 
enemy was.  The fact that the man was missing and 
assumed plotting against his country was all John 
needed to know.

So he found himself in front of Deputy Director 
Kersh, a thoroughly dislikeable character and a 
puppet at best, who informed him of his new 
assignment to lead the search for Agent Fox 
Mulder.  As he sat and listened to Kersh outline his 
duties, John held back a smile.  What Kersh 
obviously didn't know -- and for the better -- was 
that John was supposed to find Mulder, but the goal 
was not to find him alive.

It all came down to that fateful meeting in Kersh's 
outer office.  John always thought it was a shame 
when cops or agents mixed business with pleasure.  
It was like drinking on duty -- do it a couple of 
times and it didn't become a problem.  The problem 
came because no one could ever manage to keep it 
to a couple of times.  All that logic went right out 
the window when he got a look at Dana Scully in all 
her pissed off glory. 

Suddenly, mixing business with pleasure wasn't 
such a bad idea anymore.  John had always loved a 
challenge and by God, Dana Scully was a challenge.  
Closed mouth, untrusting to the extreme, a 
challenge that would turn most men's hearts to 
stone.  But John saw through all that.  Challenges 
always presented themselves as impossible to attain, 
but just took motivation, determination and drive.  
A Marine never backed down from a challenge.

She was called Ice Queen behind her back, Doc Ice 
from a few.  Other agents warned John that she was 
once a good agent, but now had been totally 
mesmerized by Spooky Mulder to the point where 
Mrs. Spooky wasn't just a casual nickname but an 
actual fact.  Even before he found out she was 
pregnant, John knew she'd had sex with her partner.  
Wouldn't be a stretch for her to do it again -- just 
with a different guy:  John.

If it hadn't been for that worthless Skinner, John and 
Dana would be in bed together at that very moment.

John closed his eyes as bitter memories filled his 
mind.  Skinner was the fly in the ointment.  He was 
the one who had her ear, all because he kept the lip 
service going about finding Mulder, kept her 
dreams alive.  After Mulder turned up dead and they 
tossed him in the grave, John was certain all that 
would stop.  Dana had no interest in Skinner, so he 
wasn't a direct threat.  He was only a threat in that 
the Assistant Director stood as a constant reminder 
of Mulder.  Until the night that Skinner called John 
to dig Mulder out of the ground, John was sure that 
a little more time and Mulder would fade in her 
memory.

The image of that hospital room and his beloved 
Dana resting her head against that traitor's chest 
with tears in her eyes would haunt John forever.  He 
had been so close, so very close to attaining his goal 
and that dead/alive body in the hospital bed threw 
John right back to square one.

But hadn't his old drill sergeant once told him 
setbacks just make attaining the goal that much 
sweeter?

He glanced at his watch and then picked up the 
binoculars for another look.  The cabin lights were 
winking out.  It looked like they were finally 
settling down for the night.  They'd probably just 
been up with the baby.  

Should he wait for a sign from Krycek?  One might 
not be forthcoming.  He wished the slimy bastard 
had given him some warning that he would be there.  
But that wasn't Krycek's style.  Always in the 
shadows, a ninja wannabe, that was all he was.  
John would have to proceed as if he were alone on 
this, at least until he was inside.  He lowered the 
glasses and situated himself against the tree trunk.  
He'd give them another hour or so and then go in 
guns ablazin'.

Inside the cabin

"Krycek, wait," Monica whispered hoarsely.  She 
parted the curtain from the window casing just 
enough to peer out and then let it fall back into 
position.  "There's someone out there," she hissed.

Krycek drew in a breath.  "Follow me," he told her.  
He led her back to a small room off the kitchen and 
kicked a throw rug to the side, revealing a small 
circular handle cut into the floor.  He reached down 
and pulled up, nodding for her to follow him down 
a narrow wooden ladder.

"A storm cellar?" she asked.

"A bomb shelter," Krycek responded.  He fumbled 
in the darkness until he found a cord and turned on 
a single compact fluorescent light bulb at the 
ceiling.  The room was as large as the cabin above, 
furnished with a futon, an odd assortment of chairs 
and a table.  Along the walls were shelves of canned 
food.  In the corner sat an ancient refrigerator that 
hummed noisily.  

Monica was amused until she noticed the very 
farthest wall, where a bank of flat panel computer 
screens showed clearly the forest outside the cabin, 
as well as the cabin's front, back and sides.  
"Surveillance," she said with a wide grin.

"Insurance," Krycek replied.  "Now, let's see what 
your partner is up to."

Upstairs, Maggie and Scully were packing a bag for 
the baby.  "I still don't understand what's going on, 
Dana," Maggie spat out.  "Why are you in this 
danger?"

"Mom, I can't explain it now but later -- "

Maggie held up her hand.  "I don't want to hear it.  
It's always 'later' with you and then later never 
comes.  I'm sick and tired of all the lies and half-
truths, Dana.  I want answers."

Scully closed her eyes.  "I will tell you, Mom.  I 
promise.  But right now -- "

"I know.  We have to go," Maggie growled.  "But 
tell me, how far do you expect to run with a 2 
month old baby?  Have you thought about that?"

Scully swallowed and bit her lip.  "I need to find 
Mulder.  Would you mind watching -- "

"I've been caring for him for the last week, I don't 
see why I'd stop now," Maggie sneered.

"Thank you," Scully murmured.  She hurried from 
the room, tears stinging her eyes.  Her mother was 
right, they couldn't keep running with the baby.  
She'd been afraid of this moment from the very 
beginning.  

She found Mulder tossing bread and peanut butter 
in a backpack.  "Where are Krycek and Monica?" 
he asked her as she came up beside him.

"I . . . I don't know," she said, looking around.  
"They can't be far."  She leaned against the 
countertop and watched him for a minute.  "Mulder, 
what are we going to do?"

"Well, Krycek and Monica are going to take you, 
your mom and the baby and head out the back way.  
I'll deal with Doggett."

Her jaw dropped open and she sputtered.  "Are you 
crazy?"

"No, that was a few years back.  Now I'm just really 
tired of being pushed around," he answered grimly 
and tightened the clasps on the backpack.  "Try this, 
does it feel too heavy?"

She glared at him, refusing to take the offered pack.  
"Mulder, this isn't about you being pushed around.  
This is about us -- you and me and our son.  I refuse 
to let you run off and do something stupid, like get 
yourself killed!"

"Scully, we can't keep running.  Krycek -- Smith -- 
whatever you want to call him is right.  That is no 
way to raise a child."

"Having his father murdered is no way to raise a 
child, either," she countered defiantly. 

"I don't plan on getting killed," he muttered, 
fumbling with the pack.

"Well then, I'm just going to have to make sure you 
don't," she answered, taking the pack from him and 
heading toward the bedroom.

"No, Scully -- you can't!  Who'll take care of 
William?" he shouted after her.

"I will."  Krycek suddenly appeared from the other 
room, Monica trailing behind him.  "Mulder, you 
have to deal with this man.  I'll make sure William 
and Maggie are safe."

Mulder looked at him, doubt showing clearly.  

"Mulder, there's someplace we can stay undetected.  
You can lead Agent Doggett away from here," 
Monica explained.  "We can even see exactly where 
he is.  He's heavily armed and he's just a stones 
throw from the front door."

"How can you -- "

"I forgot to give you the grand tour.  Want to see 
my office?" Krycek grinned.

Mulder continued to be dubious, even after seeing 
the bunker-style basement.  "We can stay down 
here, all of us, if necessary," Monica offered, 
obviously trying to placate Mulder's distrust.

"Assuming he'll just give up and go away," Krycek 
said sarcastically, leaning against the stepladder to 
the first floor.

Scully peered at them all from above.  "What in the 
world . . . "

Mulder waved her down and went up to help 
Maggie with the baby.  Soon, all five adults and 
William were in the basement.  Scully and Mulder 
both were staring intently at the surveillance screen 
while Monica discretely kept Maggie occupied 
showing her the vast food stores.

"He's loaded, Scully.  Look at the firepower," 
Mulder whispered, pointing to the two rifles and 
assorted weapons he saw on Doggett.

"And what do we have?  We can't exactly down him 
with a well-aimed can of peaches," Scully muttered 
in return.

Krycek raised his head and smiled.  "Oh, I think we 
have enough to keep it interesting."  He got up and 
walked over behind the ladder, opening a cabinet 
along the wall.  Much to Mulder's relief, it wasn't 
for gardening tools.  It was a gun safe.  

Mulder nodded Scully over to look at the wares.  
"I'm not happy just waiting him out down here, 
regardless of all the advantages."

"If you leave here, I'm right behind you," she said 
quietly, her arms crossed and her expression set.

He sighed.  "OK.  But I think we should leave 
Monica and Krycek down here with your mom and 
the baby.  They'll be safe here."

"Do you have a plan?" she asked.

"We lead him away from the cabin and make our 
stand," he said with conviction.  "Are you ready to 
face him?"  It was more than just a simple question.  
He was asking how she felt on an emotional level.

"He betrayed me, Mulder.  I was duped and that 
doesn't sit well with me.  But more than that he 
wants to harm you and I won't stand for that.  
Whatever trust I had in him is long gone."  

Mulder nodded and proceeded to examine the 
weapons more closely, picking a handgun and 
tucking it in the waistband of his jeans.

"Mulder -- I just . . . "  She stopped until she had his 
full attention.  "When you . . . came back to me, 
when Skinner came to tell you that Kersh was 
keeping you off the X files, I said some things -- "

"Scully, please, we don't need to go into this now," 
Mulder objected but she shook her head.

"No, if not now we might never have a chance 
again.  That day, on your couch I said that Agent 
Doggett was above reproach.  At the time I just 
wanted you to understand that he wasn't the enemy.  
But later, when I got home and thought about our 
conversation, I realized that you might not have 
heard it the way I meant it.  I never wanted you to 
think that Agent Doggett was anywhere near a 
replacement for you, on a professional level or God 
forbid, a personal level.  I missed you so much, 
Mulder and yes, I was very lonely.  But believe me, 
I trusted him only as much as I had to and he was 
never more than a co-worker to me."  She chewed 
her lip and looked at him expectantly.

"Thank you, Scully.  I admit at the time it sort of ate 
at me for a while.  But then everything was so 
different and I just felt so lost.  Later, when I 
thought about it, I realized the position you were in.  
For the record, I never doubted you.  Never."

She nodded, her chin quivering just a second before 
she picked up a Beretta and tucked it into her own 
waistband.  

"Scully -- " he said, his voice a warning.  He was 
already having second thoughts about her joining 
him.  She would have to put an end to that quickly.

"Are we still partners, Mulder?" she challenged.

He bit his lip but said nothing so she repeated her 
question.

"Are we still partners, or not?  Think about your 
answer very carefully."

"William . . . " he said and she shot a quick glance 
across the far basement to where her mother was 
cradling their son.

"William will be fine.  Mom will see to that.  But if 
we don't put an end to this threat he will never be 
fine.  We have a job to do.  As parents, our job is to 
protect our son.  As partners our job is to protect 
each other's back.  Now, I see us as partners and as 
well as parents.  What do you see us as?" she asked 
again.

"I think we need at least three clips apiece," he said 
as he handed her four clips.  "Well, partner, let's get 
this show on the road."

"Good answer," she whispered as she followed him 
back to where Monica and Krycek were pretending 
to watch the monitor.

3:45 am

The house had been dark and quiet for over an hour.  
Doggett checked his weapons and considered his 
course of action.  It was imperative that Dana and 
the baby not be injured. Monica had just better stay 
the hell out of his way.  As for Mulder, he just 
hoped Krycek didn't try to steal that kill from him.  
This moment had been a long time coming and he 
was itching to watch the life drain out of his 
nemesis forever.  

Cautiously he rose from his hiding place by the 
pines.  He took one step forward when suddenly the 
front door opened revealing two people, one much 
shorter than the other and carrying an infant seat.  
They quickly walked over to the SUV parked off to 
the side of the gravel drive and after buckling in the 
infant, got in the front seat.  It didn't take using his 
night vision goggles to know it was Mulder and 
Dana -- about to make a get away.

He could just jump out and start firing, but the 
chance of hitting Dana or the baby was too great.  
He thought about flagging them down, making up 
some bullshit about Kersh hot on their heels, try to 
get Mulder off and have some 'horrible accident' 
take him out.  But the car was already turned around 
and headed down the drive.  

He had a decision to make.  He could run like hell 
and maybe get to his car hidden in the trees near the 
main road, or he could just hotwire the car still 
sitting in the driveway.  He decided hotwiring was 
the better of the two options.  Sometimes being a 
gear head had its advantages.

It took only a minute to pop the lock and get into 
the front seat.  He was pulling wires and stripping 
them when the tap came at the passenger side 
window.  John startled and looked up into the very 
serious expression of Monica Reyes.

She opened the door as if invited and sat down on 
the passenger side seat.  "What are you doing, 
John," she asked pointedly.

"I'm trying to go after them.  They're in danger," he 
huffed.  "What are you doing here, Monica?"

"I know why you're here, John.  The only danger 
they're in is from you," she replied.  "Don't do this.  
It's not too late.  Please, just leave them alone."

"You don't know what I know," he growled as the 
engine sparked to life.  "Now, I suggest you get out 
of this car."

"I know that your intention has nothing to do with 
protecting Dana and everything to do with handing 
her son over to forces of evil," Monica said, pulling 
her gun out of its holster at her back.  "And I know 
you are intent on killing Agent Mulder."

"You're crazy," he said flatly as he, too reached for 
his gun.  "Monica, don't make me do this."

"John, get out of this car," she ordered, pushing 
open the passenger side door and backing out.  

He held his gun up, backing out as she had done.  
When she pointed toward the cabin and took a step 
away from the car, he saw his opportunity and took 
it.  He brought his Smith and Wesson up and fired, 
aiming for her head.  She went down.

Without a second glance, he got back into the 
drivers seat and slammed the door.  Throwing the 
car into reverse, he peeled into a turnabout and then 
into drive to hurry down the path.

Mulder jerked the car at the sound of a gunshot.  He 
glanced over at Scully, turned in her seat to peer out 
the back window.

"He's coming," she said after a moment.

"How far do we lead him?" Mulder asked, avoiding 
the pot holes and ruts in the road.  

She was busy pulling ammunition out of the baby 
seat, now acting as a miniature armory.  "Find some 
place along the road," she shouted over her 
shoulder.  She didn't express her worry about what 
had happened at the cabin.  Her only consolation 
was that there had only been one shot fired and then 
Doggett was hot on their heels.  There hadn't been 
time for him to find her mother and William hidden 
with Krycek and Monica in the basement.  At least 
she prayed that was true.
 
"I remember an overlook, about a mile from here," 
Mulder told her, mostly to keep his panic to a 
minimum.  He'd heard the shot fired, he knew what 
it could have meant, what he hoped it didn't mean.

"An overlook?  We'll be cornered," she said, 
shaking her head.

"He's not expecting us to be armed," Mulder 
pointed out.

She bit her lip and then reluctantly nodded.  "I guess 
it's as good a place as any and I don't want to get too 
far away from the cabin in case we have to double 
back."

"Just think of it as our Thermopylae," he said with a 
lop-sided grin.

"300 Spartans were slaughtered at Thermopylae, 
Mulder," she returned with a glare.

"Try to think Persian," he replied with a tilt of his 
head.  

She merely rolled her eyes. 

Krycek heard the shot fired and looked over at 
Maggie.  He knew Monica would have trouble, but 
the woman had insisted that she had to try and stop 
Doggett.  With a glance over at Maggie and the 
baby, he made his decision.

"I'm just going up for a look.  Stay here and keep 
him as quiet as possible," he said.

"Alex -- you will explain all this when you get 
back."  Her expression was absolute, her voice 
stern.

"I'll try," he offered.  He hurried up the ladder and 
ran through the house.

The two cars that had been in the driveway were 
both gone.  That still left them with the car he'd 
driven, still secreted behind the cabin.  He was 
looking around when he spotted Monica's body on 
the gravel.  She was unmoving.  As he approached, 
he saw the blood spread out from under her head.

Kneeling down beside her, he touched her throat.  
No pulse, but the body was still warm.  He could 
see where the bullet had entered her head, he didn't 
need to lift her to confirm it had exited her at the 
back of her neck.

"It's a wonder your race hasn't been eliminated for 
stupidity alone," he mumbled as he laid both his 
hands on her, one hand on her chest and the other 
over the wound at her temple. 

At first, nothing happened.  Suddenly, the body 
jerked and when he lifted his hand, the wound had 
vanished, leaving completely unmarred skin in its 
place.  Slowly, Monica groaned and moved her 
head back and forth.  Finally, she blinked open her 
eyes.

"Hey," he said, smiling down at her.

"Hey," she rasped.  "What . . . "  She reached up to 
her temple and felt around.  "I . . . I guess he 
missed," she said groggily.

"In a manner of speaking," Krycek replied.  "C'mon, 
let's get you into the house."

"No.  I have to go after him.  He'll catch them."

"That's the plan, remember.  They're prepared for 
that."

"But he'll trick them, just as he did me.  All he has 
to do is kill either of them, the other won't survive 
that!"

"We need to protect William and Maggie," he 
objected.

"OK, you stay here, I'll go," Monica said, pulling 
herself up and into a sitting position.  "Whoa," she 
said and blinked rapidly.  "Dizzy."

"Take a minute," he warned. 

"Wish I could, but I need to get out there," she said, 
using his shoulder as leverage to push herself up.  
"You have a car here?"

"I do.  But you don't know which way they went," 
he reminded her.

"I'm a trained investigator.  I'll figure it out," she 
said holding out her hand, palm up, in a silent 
request for his keys.  He licked his lips, dug into his 
back pocket and dropped them into her waiting 
hand.

"Car's just around back," he told her in resignation.  
He watched as she walked away.  When she got to 
the edge of the cabin, she turned.  

"Krycek?"

He stood, waiting.

"Thanks."

He nodded.  Without a word, he walked into the 
cabin and closed the door.

Oregon Cave Junction Road
5 miles from the cabin

John had been following at some distance but 
slowed when he saw the car pull off to the side.  
Something was happening.   He had a decision to 
make.  His gut told him to be wary, but his mind 
reminded him that they had a baby in the car.  It 
was possible that they could just be stopping for 
diaper duty.  He drove past them and down the road, 
where he pulled over and got out of the car.  
Keeping to the trees, he ran back to the overlook.

The car was turned off, just sitting there.  It was 
hard to see inside, he could detect the two 
individuals in the front seat.  He was in a precarious 
position.  If he stayed there and they started the car 
and drove off, he would have to hightail it back to 
his car to keep up with them.  He had no doubt that 
he could, he just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Then, a dream John didn't realize he had came true.  
As he crouched there by the pines, the driver's door 
opened and Mulder stepped out of the car.  With a 
long look at the person still sitting in the interior, he 
closed the car door and started walking down a path 
near the stone fence that served as a barrier on the 
edge of the cliff -- a mere dozen yards from where 
John was hidden -- and headed off into the forest.

Decision time again.  John could easily move 
forward, get in the car and try to convince Dana to 
come back with him.  It would complete his 
assignment in the most expedient manner.  It would 
be exactly what he was ordered to do.

But it would mean that Fox Mulder would still be 
out there, a potential threat to any relationship John 
might start with Dana.   John understood all too 
well the power of Fox Mulder.  He'd watched Dana 
tear herself up over the man for the 6 months he'd 
been missing and then buried.  John couldn't let that 
happen again. 

With a furtive glance in the direction of the car, 
John straightened up and started after Mulder.

There was another overlook just down the path and 
Mulder stopped and leaned against the stone wall.  
He seemed deep in thought.  John stayed in the tree 
line, watching.  Mulder turned his head and looked 
at John over his shoulder.  "You gonna shoot me in 
the back, Doggett?  No much of a manly man thing 
to do," he challenged.

John licked his lips, his gun in his hand but at his 
side.  He stepped out into the moonlight.  "You're 
wrong about me, you know," he said.  "You've 
underestimated me from the first time we met."

Mulder laughed as he turned around to face 
Doggett.  "Oh, believe me, I never underestimated 
your ability to paint the world in perfect black and 
white -- with you on the winning side."  His mirth 
grew serious.  "I just never thought you would go so 
far as to allow Scully to be hurt," he growled.  "On 
that, I guess I did underestimate you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," John said, 
shaking his head.  "I'd never hurt her."

"No, you're more content to let others do the dirty 
work," Mulder countered.  "In that complex, in 
Utah.  Do you know what they were doing in those 
labs?  Do you have any idea what they put her 
through, you smug son of a bitch?"

"You have no idea -- " John tried to shout, but 
Mulder slashed his hand through the air and cut him 
off.

"Enough of your lies!  You want one thing -- one 
thing you can't have and I can tell you right now, no 
matter what happens to me, you'll never have her 
love.  More than that, you've even lost her respect.  
You are nothing to her."

"I say we let her decide that," John said, bringing 
his gun up and aiming right between Mulder's eyes.

"I think she's already made her decision," a voice 
come from behind him and suddenly the cold metal 
of a Smith and Wesson barrel was pressed deeply 
into the back of his neck.

"Dana, this isn't what you think," John sputtered 
hastily.

"I think you were about to shoot an unarmed man.  
The same man that is my partner and the father of 
my son.  How were you going to explain his death, 
Agent Doggett?  Some stranger happened by and 
did it?  A man that can turn into metal?  A bat?  We 
both know you're not one to believe in such things.  
Definitely not aliens, right?" she bit out angrily as 
she shoved the barrel of her weapon harder against 
his skin.  "You had me fooled, you know.  There 
was a time I honestly thought you wanted to help 
me.  Now I see you just wanted to get me in bed.  
You sicken me, you son of a bitch!"

He was outnumbered, but not outmaneuvered.  
Shifting his weight he swung around and toppled 
Scully to the ground, grabbing the gun out of her 
hand and flinging it into the woods.  Flipping his 
gun in his hand, he came down with the butt end 
right on her temple.  She lay unmoving at his feet.  
Mulder let out a feral yell but before he could 
advance three steps, John had the gun pointed 
directly at his heart.

"I didn't want to do it this way, but my orders are 
clear.  If not her, at least the baby.  Now where is 
he?" John growled.

Mulder glared at him.  "He's in the car, asleep."  

John looked confused for a moment and glanced 
over to the trail leading back to where the car was 
parked.  That made no sense -- why would they 
leave the baby alone and unprotected?  Unless the 
baby wasn't there . . . 

It was the opening Mulder wanted.  He lunged at 
Doggett, tackling him.  The gun went off hitting 
him in the side but Mulder ignored it, wrapping one 
of his arms around Doggett's middle and struggling 
to get hold of the gun with his free hand.  A sudden 
punch on Mulder's part sent the weapon flying 
against the edge of the stone wall and clattered to 
the ground.

Doggett was caught off guard, but not for long.  He 
used every bit of his military training to overpower 
the other man, who didn't seem to realize how 
seriously he was wounded.  Doggett fought and 
kicked, breaking free of Mulder's grip.  He jumped 
to his feet and started kicking the man still lying on 
the ground.  Mulder battled to get back on his feet 
and managed to remain standing.  Blood soaked his 
shirt and he favored his left side, but when he 
glanced over and saw Scully still unmoving on the 
ground, he redoubled his efforts.  Wrapping both 
hands around Doggett's throat, Mulder shoved him 
against the stone wall.  

Doggett had expected Mulder to weaken, so he 
wasn't prepared for the renewed onslaught.  He saw 
stars when his head made contact with the 
unforgiving stone and mortar.  Shaking off his 
dizziness, he used Mulder's wide stance to his 
advantage and soon had the former agent pinned 
against the wall, where he brutally grabbed his head 
and pounded it against the hard surface.

Mulder wasn't done yet.  He fought like a wild man, 
but Doggett countered his every move.  The 
military man pushed Mulder back, farther and 
farther, bending him over the wall.  Mulder could 
feel the wind rushing over the side of the cliff 
ruffling his hair and could hear water in the distance 
far below, even through the roar of blood in his 
ears.  This was not how he wanted to die -- with 
Scully possibly dead and their son unprotected from 
the likes of men like Doggett.

As they struggled, his feet fought for purchase on 
the rough gravel of the small clearing.  Completely 
by accident, he found the edge of a large stone or 
piece of cement, just enough to hook the toes of his 
boots under to gain a foothold.  Mulder closed his 
eyes and found his last ounce of strength.  He cared 
nothing at that moment about his own life -- only 
the lives of his partner and their son.  With that one 
thought on his mind, the family he would never 
know, he seized Doggett by his belt and pulled with 
all his might.  

Doggett, not anticipating such a move from an 
opponent who was obviously weakening, was 
propelled over Mulder's shoulder, losing his grip in 
the process.  For a split second, Mulder saw 
Doggett's eyes dilate in surprise before he vanished 
from view over the cliff screaming as loud as 
anything Mulder had ever heard.  

Mulder slid down the wall to the ground, totally 
spent.

Monica pulled up to the SUV and found it deserted; 
the baby seat still had ammunition clips that she 
pocketed hurriedly.  Looking around, she heard 
noises down the path and then a long scream that 
faded away to somewhere below.  As fast as she 
could, she headed in that direction.

She found Mulder first, barely conscious, slumped 
against a stone overlook.  He was covered in blood, 
his shirtfront was soaked, breathing erratically.  She 
ran to him and he roused.  "Scully," he gasped and 
nodded off by the trees.  The sun was just starting to 
come up over the mountains and in the twilight, 
Monica could make out a body lying on the ground.  

Pulling out her cell phone, Monica dialed the 911 
operator as she hurried over to the still form.  

"She alive?" Mulder choked out.

Monica dreaded what she might find, but when she 
pressed her fingers against Scully's neck, she found 
a pulse.  She breathed a sigh of relief and then 
looked over at Mulder.  "She's alive," she 
confirmed.  There was a 3-inch long gash on her 
forehead and Monica found a large knot on the back 
of Scully's head where she must have made contact 
with a rock on the ground during her fall.  Monica 
was about to mention that to Mulder, but when she 
looked over, he had already passed out.

Frantically, she looked around, taking in the 
obvious signs of a struggle, but could not find any 
trace of Doggett.  She realized what she'd heard -- 
his screams as he tumbled over the side.  She 
wanted to run over and look but the dispatcher was 
calling to her from her phone, demanding an 
answer.

"Oh, sorry.  Yes, I'm out on Oregon Cave Junction 
Road about three miles east of the Winterhaven 
Road intersection, I have two officers down . . . " 

The sheriff's department was the first on the scene, 
followed by two ambulances.  Monica tried to give 
a complete statement to the Deputy from what little 
she knew for certain, all the while watching the 
EMTs working on both Mulder and Scully.  She 
heard snatches of the conversations, only enough to 
scare her.  They were talking skull fracture and 
possible internal bleed with Dana and hypovolemic 
shock and dangerously low blood pressure on 
Mulder.  The technicians loaded the patients on to 
gurneys and were lifting them into the ambulances 
before Monica broke away from the Deputy to find 
out where they were being taken.  She got the name 
of the hospital and turned when she heard someone 
call to the deputy.

"Sir, we found two weapons, one in the trees, 
another by the wall and there appears to be a body 
at the bottom of the ravine," one of the officers 
reported.

Monica's heart sank.  She knew it was the body of 
Agent John Doggett.  Somehow, even severely 
wounded, Mulder had found a way to push him over 
the stone wall.  From the looks of things and the 
fact that only one weapon found had been fired -- 
the bullet in Mulder's side -- there was no doubt that 
it was a case of self-defense.  

Even knowing the things Doggett had done and was 
willing to do didn't make it any easier on her.  She 
borrowed a pair of binoculars from one of the 
officers and peered down at the body.  "I know who 
it is," she said sadly.  "My partner, Special Agent 
John Doggett."

A couple of officers were already repelling down 
the cliff to the body.  In a matter of minutes, one of 
the young men was signaling up to his superior at 
the top.  The Deputy turned to Monica and reached 
out to touch her shoulder in sympathy.  "I'm afraid 
he's gone, Agent."

She closed her eyes for a moment, sending up a 
silent prayer for a soul that was lost but maybe now 
could find peace.

"It's gonna take most of the morning to get down 
there and retrieve him.  Do you want to stay?" the 
Deputy kindly asked.

"Deputy, I know this is not standard procedure, but 
those two agents on the way to the hospital have a 
baby and his grandmother staying in a cabin just up 
the road.  I really need to get to the cabin and take 
them to the hospital.  Here is my cell phone number.  
I'll be at the hospital -- if you need me to answer 
any other questions, you can find me there."

"Agent, should we alert the hospital that they have 
two potential prisoners and keep those people in the 
secure ward?" the Deputy called after her.

Monica half turned and shook her head 
emphatically.  "No, Deputy.  Those two people are 
the victims here.  Please make sure they are treated 
respectfully at all times."

She ran back up the trail to where she'd abandoned 
her car.  There were officers going over Mulder's 
SUV for evidence and she was glad she'd taken the 
ammunition, leaving nothing for them to find.  She 
convinced them she needed the car seat to transport 
the baby to the hospital to be near his parents and 
they allowed her to take it.

The cabin looked deserted when Monica arrived 
and for a split second, she was terrified.  What if 
this had been the plan all along -- turn their backs 
and someone like Krycek would whisk William 
away?  Had she failed in one half of her mission -- 
protect the baby?  

Quietly she stepped in to the front room, her hand 
on her gun in a futile effort if no one was there.  
"Mrs. Scully," she called out.  "It's Monica Reyes."  

Relief flooded her as she heard a voice from the 
small laundry room.  "We're down here, Monica!"

Hurrying, she climbed down the ladder and was 
greeted by a very worried grandmother holding a 
fretful baby.  "Thank God you're back.  After Alex 
left -- "

"Alex didn't come back inside?" Monica asked, 
rushing around the room and gathering the baby's 
things.

"For a moment, after the two of you left, he came 
back down.  Said he had to leave but that we'd be 
safe.  That was the last I saw of him.  It's been over 
an hour ago.  I was so worried.  Where are Dana 
and Fox?"

"That's why I'm here.  Dana and Fox have been 
taken to the hospital.  They're hurt, but they are 
alive."

"What about the man coming to hurt them?  Is he in 
custody or did he get away?  It was Dana's 
temporary partner, wasn't it -- that Agent Doggett?"

Monica choked up.  She was having a hard time 
believing what John had become, couldn't make 
herself say the words.  She just nodded silently. 

Maggie walked over and enfolded the young 
woman in her arms.  "I'm so sorry," she whispered.  

Monica accepted the comfort gratefully, but after a 
moment she knew they had to get going.  "We need 
to go to the hospital.  They may need you to sign 
some papers, give information."

"Of course," Maggie agreed.  Together they got the 
baby and his things and headed out to Alex's car for 
the ride to the hospital.

To be continued in Epilogue