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Date Posted: 07:16:13 08/01/01 Wed
Author: Islandgirl
Subject: New Fanfic — *MAJOR* spoilers for the end of Season 8

Title: "A Brand New Life"
Author: Angela W.
Catetgory: MSR/Mytharc/Crossover
Rating: PG-13
Timespan/Spoilers: This is a postep for "Existance" at the end of season eight. Major spoilers for that episode and anything that happened up to that time. This is kinda/sorta a sequel to "Six Weeks", my previous postep fanfic for "Existance". You might want to read that one first (it's fairly short, but it's of a strong R/mild NC-17 variety, so don't read if that sort of thing offends you); however, you should be able to figure out what's going on here without doing that.
Summary: How far would Mulder and Scully go to protect their son? What would they be willing to give up?
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. The ones from "The X-Files" are the property of Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. The character of U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard is the property of whoever owns the production rights to the movies "The Fugitive" and "U.S. Marshals".
Archive: Feel free to archive anywhere!
Disclaimer: If you like it or have *constructive* criticism, feedback is valued.



When F.B.I. Assistant Director Walter Skinner arrived in the office of Section Chief Kersh, Kersh's secretary was away from her desk. The simple occurrance of a low-ranking government employee needing to use the restroom at that particular moment was to have a profound effect on the lives of many people, as it allowed Skinner to continue into the inner office without Kersh being aware of it. The section chief was turned away from the door, having a phone conversation.

"Yes, the boy is the key," Kersh was saying. "The parents are expendable." Hanging up, Kersh turned around and seemed startled to see Skinner standing there. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I received a message that you wanted to discuss someting with me," Skinner replied. "Your secretary was away from her desk, so I came on on in."

"Well, it's not important anymore. The matter I wanted to consult with you on has already been handled. You're free to go. Sorry to have inconvenienced you," Kersh said gruffly.

Skinner left Kersh's office and walked slowly back to his own. The words he'd overheard, combined with Kersh's abrupt reversal of his desire to consult with him and that unexpected apology were setting off warning bells. When he walked into his office, he grabbed his coat, then said, "Kimberly, I've got something to take care of. See you tomorrow."

***

Fox Mulder grinned as he parked his car near an apartment building in Georgetown. Although he was longer an active agent with the F.B.I., he'd been tapped as an emergency, temporary replacement for an instructor at Quantico. But this afternoon had been his last day of teaching and now he was free to spend all his time with his wife and infant son.

"Hi, honey, I'm home," Mulder called out as he opened the door.

"Hi!" responded his wife, Dana Scully, as she walked up to him with William in her arms. Mulder gathered them both close and kissed Scully softy.

"Are we going somewhere?" he asked. He noticed that both Scully and William were fully clothed. Usually Scully didn't bother with shoes around the house and she rarely dressed William in more than a T-shirt and diaper if they weren't going out.

"House hunting," Scully confirmed. "I"m beginning to develop cabin fever. This is a one-bedroom apartment, designed for a single person; maybe, at a pinch, it could serve as the home of a childless married couple or a single mother with only one child. It is not big enough for a family of three! Between your stuff and all the baby stuff, I can barely turn around in here anymore."

"Okay," Mulder agreed. "Just let me get changed and we'll get going. Did you have a particular area in mind?"

Before Scully could answer, a loud knock sounded on the door.

Scully, still holding the baby, crossed the room and glanced out the peephole. "It's Skinner," she said to her husband, sounding faintly puzzled. Mulder was no longer an active agent and she was still on maternity leave. What could their former boss want with them? He was their friend, as well, but if he had simply wanted to come by for a visit, he most likely would have called first.

Scully swung open the door. "Come in," she said, holding open the door.

"Good, you're all here," Skinner said, taking in the family at a glance. "I need you to pack the bare essentials of what you need for yourselves and the baby and come with me immediately. You've got five minutes."

"Skinner, what's going on?" Mulder asked.

"Agents, in the past, you've asked me to trust you. To help you without delving too deeply into the reasons for what we were doing. Now I'm asking the same thing of you. I have reason to believe your lives may be in danger. We need to get you out of here as fast as possible."

Mulder and Scully glanced at each other and nodded. "You hold the baby," Scully said. "I'll go grab what we need."

Within less than four minutes, the four were on the street. "Get in your car and follow me. Do you have your cell phones with you?" at their answering nods, Skinner continued, "Agent Scully, call your mother and tell her your family is going to be out-of-town for the next few days; you don't know where, you and Mulder just decided you'd like to get away for a few days . If there's anyone else you think might wonder about your absence — like the Three Stooges or Agent Doggett — call them too, tell them the same thing. Keep the calls brief; when you're done, turn off the phones and place them in the glove compartment. We're going to pull up to an ATM machine. Take out several hundred dollars; not more than a thousand, but as close to that as you can without overdrawing your account. Mulder, don't lose me."

It was over an hour later when they pulled into the driveway of a large house in one of the far-flung suburbs of the metropolitan Washington area. "Hey, maybe Skinner bought a house for us!" Mulder suggested. They'd made the calls while they were en route. Scully had actually talked to her mother and Frohike; she'd simply left a message on Agent Doggett's answering machine. The $800 they'd withdrawn from the ATM machine was tucked safely in Scully's purse and their phones were turned off and shut in the glove compartment.

The door to the three-car garage opened automatically. Skinner parked his car and motioned for the agents to do the same. Once they had done so, the door went down. They got out of the car, Scully holding the baby and Mulder carrying the diaper bag and overnight bag. They followed their boss into the house. There they were met by another man who was similar to Skinner in age and build.

"Want to explain what's going on?" Mulder asked.

"I was kind of wondering that myself," the other man replied. "This better be good, Walt. I pulled every string I could, bent every rule that needed bending, to get myself personally assigned to this case at a moment's notice. Why don't we start with introductions?"

Skinner nodded. "Sam, these are two of my finest agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. They're married to each other and, as you can see, they recently became parents. Agents, this is U.S. Marshal Sam Gerrard. We were in the same unit in Vietnam."

The agents and marshal shook hands and exchanged greetings.

"If everybody will have a seat, I'll get to those explanations," Skinner said.

"Would it be too much trouble for me to have a glass of water to drink?" Scully inquired. "I'm nursing and I need to keep my fluid intake up."

"No problem," Sam replied, disappearing into the kitchen and returning with a glass of iced water, which he handed to Scully.

The agents settled on the couch, Scully still holding their son, while Sam took a seat in an easy chair nearby. Skinner remained standing then said simply, "Agents, I have reasons to believe your lives are in danger. This is a safe house, maintained by the U.S. Marshal Service for the protection of witnesses. I want you to stay here with Sam until I can complete a risk assessment, know if I'm right or wrong."

"Sir, I appreciate your concern," Scully said, "but, with all due respect, Mulder and I both fully-trained F.B.I. agents. We can take care of ourselves."

"Really?" Sam inquired. "Night and day, around the clock? There's never a time when you're busy with the baby and your husband is in the shower or out running errands? You don't sleep the same hours? The two of you never engage in. . .activities. . .that require the full participation and concentration of both of you?"

"Well, when you put it that way. . ." Mulder muttered.

"I don't think the *primary* threat is to either of you two, actually," Skinner said. "The person I'm most concerned about is your son."

"William?" Scully inquried, clutching the baby closer. Mulder instinctively tightened his grip on his wife's shoulders.

"Why would anybody be after a baby?" Sam asked.

"It's a long story, Sam," Skinner said. "Let's just say there's a possibility that the baby could have certain. . .genetic anomolies that would be of interest to scientists. Since his parents aren't willing to turn him into a human guinea pig, someone may try to take him away by force; maybe even deadly force."

"Is William what they call one of those "designer babies"?" Sam inquired. "Was he conceived artificially?"

"No," Scully said, shaking her head. "He was conceived in the normal, old-fashioned way."

"However, over the course of our years with the F.B.I., both Scully and I were exposed to various materials — toxins, radiation and crap that, quite frankly, we don't know *what* it was — that could have mutated our genes; caused us to develop certain traits that weren't apparent in us, but which we could have passed along to our son," Mulder added.

"Did you two investigate bioterrorism, something like that?" Sam asked.

"Something like that," Scully said with a small smile.

"Quite frankly, I hope I'm wrong about him being in danger," Skinner said. "If I am, then the three of you can resume your normal lives within a week or so."

"And if you're right?" Mulder inquired.

"If I'm right," Skinner said slowly, "then, beginning tonight, William Mulder, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully no longer exist. You'll be put into the Witness Protection Program and given new identities."

***

The men parked outside the building and went quickly inside. Once they reached the apartment they were looking for, they made sure there were no witnesses in the corridor and quietly jimmied the lock. It didn't take more than a few seconds for them to determine that the apartment was empty. Glancing at each other, one of them pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familar number.

"They're not here," he said to the man on the other end. "What do you want us to do?"

"Wait for them," the voice replied. "Relock the door and conceal yourselves in the shadows. Wait until all three of them have entered and the door has been locked before you show yourselves. Make sure the baby isn't harmed, but deal with the parents in whatever way you see fit. It's unlikely, but not impossible, that one or both of the parents may be armed. You are authorized to use deadly force if necessary."

"How long should we wait?"

The man on the other end gave a little grunt of exasperation. "Until they come home, however long that may be."

***

After Skinner had left, Sam said, "Look, agents, I know this is hard. There's nothing worse for a law enforcement officer than to be babysat by officers from another agency. But we might as well make the best of it. Let me explain how things will work: I'll be here with you, night and day, until A.D. Skinner tells me otherwise. Other members of my team are outside; I alerted them to move into position as soon as the garage door closed. Once a day, one of them will come to the door, deliver whatever we've asked for: food, books, videos, newspapers, anything you might need or want for yourself or the baby. I'll answer the door. They'll never see any of you. That way, on the off-chance that I've got a mole on my team, they won't even know who you are."

"What are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Mulder asked.

Sam shrugged. "Read, watch TV, play cards, cook, take care of your baby, make love, write your memoirs. . .I don't care, agents. Just so long as it doesn't involve you leaving the house or picking up a phone, you're pretty much free to do whatever you want. What I'd suggest you do right now is make a list of anything you'll need in the next 24 hours. Feel free to go into the kitchen, look at what we've got in stock, add anything you'd like. There's a master bedroom suite with a crib in it upstairs; I'd suggest you look around there, too, see if you need anything in the way of toiletries. After you've made the list, I'll get us some supper; it will have to be frozen dinners tonight, but we can get some fresh food in for tomorrow."

"I usually run five miles or swim 50 laps every morning," Mulder said. "Will there be any way for me to get any exercise while I'm here?"

"There's a stationary bike in the other room," Sam offered. "I'm afraid that's the best we can do."

Shortly after they'd made their lists and eaten dinner, William begin to fuss. Scully said, "I'll take him upstairs and get him ready for bed, then feed him. I'll probably go on to sleep myself after that. I'm still trying to follow my doctor's advice of sleeping whenever the baby's asleep."

"Unless there's anything further you need to discuss with me, I'll go on up with Scully," Mulder said to Sam. "As I'm sure you can imagine, there are things the two of us need to talk about."

"Just a couple words of advice," Sam replied as Scully picked up William. "Have you ever had a beard, Agent Mulder?"

"No, never. Why?"

"I'd suggest you not shave while you're here. A beard is one of the most effective way for a man to disguise his features. If it turns out that Walt's right, and the two of you do have to assume new identities, a beard will go a long way toward making it more difficult for you to be recognized as Fox Mulder. Agent Scully, if you've been making an effort to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy, quit dieting. The fuller your face is, the more difficult it will be to recognize you from any pre-pregnancy pictures."

"Anything else?"

"Just remember that I'm on your side, agents. Over the next few days, it may seem like I'm your captor. But my function is to make sure you remain alive."

Mulder nodded and followed his wife and son up the stairs.

As soon as Scully was settled on the king-size bed with a couple of pillows propping her in a comfortable position, she said, "Mulder, I know how difficult it might be, but if Skinner believes we need to do it, I think we should follow his suggestion. Assume new identities."

"You're sure, Scully?"

"If it's the only way to keep William safe. . .then yes, Mulder, I am."

"You'd be giving up a lot more than I would, Scully. I'm currently unemployed and, other than you and William, I don't have a family. You'd be giving up your career with the bureau, all contact with your mother and brothers. . .everything."

Scully sighed. "I know. But after all we've lost over the years. . .our sisters, our fathers, Emily. . .after thinking I'd lost *you* last year. . .I can't do this any more, Mulder. I want a normal life! I want to play with my baby and make love with my husband and go grocery shopping and attend church and not always have to be worried that any happiness I'm experiencing is only a brief interlude between disasters."

"Okay, Scully. The fight for truth, justice and the American way can go on without us. As you say, we've made more than our share of sacrifices. I'm not willing to risk losing William — or you — just to thwart the consortium. And, hell, I've always hated the name 'Fox' anyway."

"Oh, and one more thing?"

"Yes, Scully?"

"This time, when we go undercover, *I* get to pick our names!"

***

A.D. Walter Skinner once again found himself in Kersh's office, this time with several other members of the bureau hierarchy. During the past 24 hours, a quiet but unmistakeable "buzz" has had been building around the water coolers and bullpens of the bureau; the X-Files agents — the original ones, not those two who were currently staffing that division — had done it again. No one was quite sure what "it" was, but everybody knew that Kersh, A.D. Joanna Cassidy, and several others members of upper tiers of bureau administraiton had been searching — in vain, it seemed — for Mulder and Scully.

"A.D. Skinner, thank you for joining us," Kersh said as Skinner sat down. "It is a matter of the utmost urgency that we contact Agents Mulder and Scully as soon as possible. Do you know where they are?"

"I was unaware that the bureau currently had an 'Agent Mulder' in its employ," Skinner replied. "Are you referring to former Special Agent Fox Mulder? As I recall, he was fired — by you, if I remember correctly, Section Chief Kersh — several months ago. He turned in his weapon and his badge. That means he's now a private citizen. If you want to speak to him, I suggest you have a subpeona handy. He no longer has any reason or obligation to come into this office and talk to you simply because you've suddenly developed an interest in what he has to say."

"Agent Scully is still an employee of the bureau," Cassidy said, ignoring his reference to Mulder.

"Yes, she's an agent under my supervision," Skinner answered easily. "She's currently on an extended, unpaid maternity leave. In keeping with the government's mandate that we maintain a family friendly atmosphere in the workplace, Agent Scully is entitled to up to six months of unpaid leave after the birth of her son. That's in addition to the medical leave she took during the last few months before his birth, due to some complications she was experiencing during the pregnancy. I believe she intends to take the full six months before returning to work."

"Assistant Director Skinner, the employment status of either Mulder or Scully is not the issue here!" Kersh snapped. "Do you know where they are?"

"I don't know where they are," Skinner said slowly, "but I believe they may be out-of-town. I spoke to them a couple of days ago and they were talking about taking a trip. I don't know that they had any specific destination in mind; just wanted to get away for a week or so."

"They were taking a trip together?" Cassidy asked.

"Well, I assume they were bringing their son with them," Skinner replied.

"I was. . .unaware that Agent Scully's son was also the son of former Agent Mulder," Kersh said.

No, you weren't, you lying SOB! Skinner thought. Aloud he said, "Really? I thought it was fairly common knowledge around the bureau. They also married several weeks ago, in case you were unaware of that fact."

"Married?" Cassidy asked. "Are you sure?"

"I was the best man at their wedding," Skinner confirmed. "In any case, if you have a question about an X-File, I was the immediate supervisor of Agent Mulder and Agent Scully during the time they worked in that division. Perhaps I can be of help. Or you might check with Special Agent John Doggett. He's been assigned to that division for almost a year now; he would probably have more information on any on-going investigations than either Mulder or Scully would.

***

Mulder and Scully stared at each other across the expanse of the living room. It was only 11 in the morning and they were already bored. They had been woken at five a.m. by their infant son and had spent the intervening hours tending to his needs, showering, talking, eating breakfast and reading the morning newspaper. Mulder had also put in a half hour on the exercycle. Now William was asleep. If they'd been home, they probably would have used this time to check their e-mail, make phone calls, tidy up the apartment or make love. But the first two activities were forbidden to them, the third didn't seem to need doing — Sam seemed to feel his role as bodyguard also included housekeeping duties — and as for the fourth. . .well, they'd both agreed that physical intimacy would be limited to nights during the time they spent under Sam's protection.
"Agents, may I make a suggestion?" Sam inquired.
"If it will help us pass the time, be our guest," Mulder replied.
"Let's go ahead and start thinking up new identities for the two of you. That way, if you need them, you'll have a headstart on familiarizing yourself with them. If you end up not needing them — and I know we're all hoping that will be unnecessary — it's still an interesting intellectual exercise. The challenge is to give yourselves names and backgrounds that are similar enough to your own that you can assume them without undue stress or confusion, but different enough that you won't be found by whoever it is that's hunting for you. Why don't you start by giving me your real backgrounds: full names, ages, education, employment histories and various places you've lived. You first, Agent Scully."
"My full name is Dana Katherine Scully; or Dana Katherine Scully Mulder now, I suppose, although I haven't gotten around to legally changing my name. In addition to my status as an F.B.I. agent, I'm also a licensed medical doctor; a pathologist. I'm 37 and I'm a Navy brat; I grew up all over, but spent more time in California than any other place. I attended the University of California at Berkely and the University of Maryland for my undergraduate work. I did my medical training at Johns Hopkins. I was recruited by the bureau out of medical school. During most of my time at the bureau I worked in a small division called the X-Files, with Mulder as my partner. I also worked, briefly, as an instructor at Quantico and as part of the anti-terrorism squad.
"Okay. Now you, Agent Mulder."
"Full name, Fox William Mulder; age 39. I was born and raised in Massachusetts; my family also had a summer home in Rhode Island. My university work was at Oxford; I earned a degree from there that would be the American equivalent of a Master's Degree in psychology. I was recruited by the bureau the summer after I graduated. I first worked as a profiler in the violent crime divisions. Like Scully, I've also had brief stints as an instructor at the Academy and a member of the anti-terrorism squad, but my primary work was with the X-Files division. The X-Files was a small division where we investigated anything that didn't fit the normal parameters of bureau assignments; with Scully's medical background, that sometimes included bioterrorism, things like that."
"How long have you two been married?"
"About a month."
"A month?" Sam echoed. "I thought. . .I mean, the baby. . .sorry, it isn't any of my business."
Mulder sighed. "At the time Scully realized she was pregnant I was. . .on a deep cover assignment. There was no way for her to contact me without putting my life at risk. By the time I returned, she was in her last trimester."
"If we could have married early in my pregnacy, we would have. Since that was impossible — and since virtually all our family and friends knew I was expecting *BEFORE* Mulder did — there really didn't seem any point in waddling up the aisle when I was eight months pregnant," Scully explained. "We decided to just wait until after the birth. We got married when William was six weeks old. It's not something I'm particularly proud of, but it's the way things worked out. If we're going to be assuming new identities, I'd prefer a wedding date that comes before, not after, his birth."
"We can do that," Sam agreed. "But I'm afraid you'll have to lose your status as a medical doctor. Registry with the American Medical Association or the American Bar Association are about the only things we *can't* fake when it comes to formulating new identities."
"That's all right," Scully replied. "I've never actually practiced medicine, other than performing autopsies. Well, that and stitching up Mulder a few times when he got hurt."
"As far as your names — your first names — we're going to have to change yours for sure, Mulder. Fox is just to damned unusual. Agent Scully, you can keep your own first name and change your baby's name or vice versa. We can't have a mother named Dana with a son named William show up somewhere, even if the last name is different."
"I want to keep William's name," Scully said firmly. "It's the same as that of both my father and Mulder's father."
"Could Scully just use her middle name, Katherine?" Mulder inquired. "I've always liked that. If our baby had been a girl, we were going to name her Katherine."
"I thought I was going to pick our names," Scully said with an amused glance at Mulder. "But if you think that would work, Sam, I'm agreeable to it. My grandmother always used to call me by both my first and middle names — she always said Dana Katherine, never just Dana — so it shouldn't be too hard to get used to answering to Katherine."
"What about me?" Mulder inquired.
"David," Scully said firmly. "I thought it over last night. You've always said you wished you had a more common first name and there was at least one David in every class I ever had, kindergarten through college."
"David," Mulder said slowly. "Okay, I guess I can live with that."

(End of part 1)

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