From: taffyxf@yahoo.com   
      
   Title: Forgive Us Our Trespasses   
   Author: Taffy Northwood   
   E-Mail: taffyxf@yahoo.com   
   Rating:  NC17 (now and then)   
   Category:  AU, MSR   
   Archives:  Just ask.   
   Feedback: Never in bad taste    
   Disclaimer: Mulder, Scully, Skinner and any   
   other XF characters are on loan only.   
   Summary:  In 1909 New York City, there were two   
   distinct and separate worlds: that of the very wealthy   
   and that of the very poor.  Could love bridge the   
   great divide between those worlds for two star-crossed   
   lovers?   
   Author Notes: Like a huge part of the fandom, I've   
   become absolutely dotty over AU fic.  This is my   
   modest attempt to put Mulder and Scully into another   
   time and place.  Please be aware, this is a   
   work-in-progress.   
      
   Forgive Us Our Trespasses - Fox Mulder's story.  Part 15   
      
      
   William Mulder had been felled by a massive stroke.   
      
   In the weeks to come, Mother would praise him for   
   keeping his head and managing the crisis, but he knew   
   that was nonsense.  It was Katie who handled   
   everything.   
      
   Under her direction, Father was carried to his bedroom   
   and the doctor was summoned.  Dr. Wieder arrived   
   promptly and disappeared into the bedroom.   
      
   Fox's only task that evening was to sit with Mother in   
   the drawing room, patting her hand and urging her to   
   stay calm.   
      
   Dr. Wieder looked solemn when he joined them.   
      
   "He has suffered a major stroke.  There's little I can   
   do," the doctor informed them.   
      
   "But he'll be all right, won't he?" Mother asked.   
      
   "We can hope and pray for the best, but the outlook, I   
   fear, is very poor."   
      
   "Perhaps he'll listen to you now.  Give up those nasty   
   cigars and stop his overeating.  Take regular   
   exercise," Mother said.   
      
   "We will try to make him comfortable," the doctor   
   said.   
      
   "How long?" Fox asked.   
      
   "That's difficult to predict.  If he survives the   
   night, he may hold on for a few weeks."   
      
   "You don't understand, doctor.  My son has gotten   
   married.  My daughter is . . . gone.  William must   
   recover, he simply has to," Mother said.   
      
   "I've known Fox since he was a lad.  He will always be   
   there for you, Mrs. Mulder.  I'll give you a draught   
   so that you can rest tonight."   
      
   Fox rang for the maid to help Mother to bed, then   
   followed Dr. Wieder to the door.   
      
   "We were arguing, just before he was stricken," Fox   
   confided.   
      
   "I see," said the doctor.  "And you wondered if you   
   might be to blame."   
      
   "He was very angry."   
      
   "Fox, your father has suffered from high blood   
   pressure for the last ten years.  I warned him what   
   might happen, but he's a man who must have his own   
   way.  You didn't cause this calamity."   
      
   Fox grasped the doctor's words as a drowning man might   
   grasp a slender reed.  He was desperate for the   
   reassurance, but doubtful it could support the weight   
   of his guilt.   
      
   "Can he speak?" Fox asked.   
      
   "I don't think he will ever speak again.  He's very   
   weak and partly paralyzed.  With constant care he   
   might hold out for a week or two, perhaps a month."   
      
   "Will you be sending us a nurse?" Dr. Wieder had made   
   such arrangements in the past, in less dire   
   circumstances.  A stern hawk-nosed woman had seen Fox   
   and his sister through the chicken pox, and a jolly   
   Valkyrie had tended them through the misery of the   
   measles.   
      
   "Certainly, if you'd like.  But the nurse you've   
   engaged is more than capable."   
      
   "My wife, Katie," Fox said proudly.   
      
   "I beg your pardon?"   
      
   "My wife is a trained nurse and highly capable, but I   
   want to hire another woman to assume my father's   
   care."   
      
   "Well.  Congratulations."  Dr. Wieder recovered from   
   his surprise.  "I'll send someone around in the   
   morning."   
      
   "Tonight, if you don't mind.  My wife needs her rest."   
      
   Fox returned to his father's room after Dr. Wieder   
   left.  William Mulder lay ensconced in his bed, with   
   its massive, carved headboard, and heavy damask   
   hangings.  Fox thought his father looked much like   
   a king lying in state.  But Father was still alive,   
   even if only barely.   
      
   Katie sat on a straight-backed chair that Edgar had   
   brought in for her.  She must have been tired, but   
   her impeccable posture belied no trace of that.   
      
   "How is he?" Fox asked quietly.   
      
   "About the same," she answered.  She looked up at   
   him, her gentle eyes shining with love.  Katie   
   took his hand, bringing it to her lips.  "I'm so   
   sorry about your father, Mulder."   
      
   "Thank you," he said, his voice choking with   
   emotion.  In his whole life, Fox was certain that   
   no one had ever cared this much about him.   
      
   Fox placed another chair next to Katie's and they   
   sat and watched Father struggle with each   
   breath.  From time to time, Katie would lean over   
   and take her patient's pulse, or wipe some drool   
   from the corner of his mouth.   
      
   It was well past midnight when Edgar knocked on   
   the door and escorted a dark-haired young woman into   
   the room.  Katie stood, one hand at the small of her   
   back.   
      
   "Rebecca Waite, ma'am, sir," the woman said, nodding   
   at Katie and Fox.   
      
   Katie filled Nurse Waite in on William's current condition   
   and showed her the bathroom where she could wash up.   
      
   "You need to be in bed," Fox said, sliding an arm   
   around Katie's waist.   
      
   "I'm fine," she said, but her yawn couldn't be   
   denied.   
      
   "Yes, I'm sure," Fox replied, smiling.  She didn't   
   fight him, though, as he led her out of the room.   
      
   "Your poor father," she said as they walked down the   
   hall.  "An Irish fisherman's daughter can't have been   
   what he had in mind as a wife for his only son.   
   Mulder...did you...did you tell your father about the   
   baby?" Katie asked as they stood in the hall outside   
   his bedroom.   
      
   "I never had the chance.  My mother doesn't know yet   
   either.  Katie, I don't want you to worry about this.   
   My father is a stubborn man, but I know he would grow   
   to love you."   
      
   She turned into his arms, burying her face against his   
   chest.  "I'm so sorry," she whispered.   
      
   "Come on," he said, opening the door.  "You need to get   
   some rest."   
      
   Edgar had thoughtfully had the maid turn down the   
   bed, and a dressing gown and nightdress were folded   
   on the coverlet.   
      
   Fox helped Katie undress and slipped off her delicate   
   silver shoes.   
      
   "You're every bit as tired as I am, Mulder," Katie   
   said as her head emerged from the nightgown's neck.   
      
   "I'm not expecting a baby."  He held the covers so   
   she could slip between the sheets.   
      
   "You need to rest," she said, gently taking his   
   hand.  "The next days are going to be very difficult."   
      
   The bed certainly looked inviting, but Fox wanted   
   to check in on his mother.  "I know.  I'll be back   
   soon."   
      
   When no comment came back at him, Fox took a good   
   look at his wife.  Poor Katie, Fox thought, must   
   have been far more tired than she would admit.   
   She'd fallen asleep as soon as her head had rested   
   upon the pillow.   Carefully, he slipped out of the   
   room and closed the door behind him.  He made his way   
   downstairs and knocked gently on his mother's door.   
      
   "Oh Mr. Fox," his mother's maid said as she opened   
   the door.  "Is good thing that you are here.  I cannot   
   get your mama to take the medicine."   
      
   "Thank you, Gretchen," he said, following the maid into   
   the room.  "I'll do my best."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)