From: xf_emily_sim@yahoo.ca   
      
   Title: S.N.A.F.U. Chapter 28 & 29   
   Author: Emily Sim   
   Rating: Mature Adults only   
   Category: M/O S/O (brief/past) MSR Angst/Mythology AU   
   Spoilers: Seasons 2 - 6   
   Disclaimer: Still don't own them, no money changed   
   hands, I always put them back when I'm done.   
   Thanks to: xdks, Tali, Jake, - without these gals this   
   would not be readable and to Siggy and Toate for   
   providing valuable insight.   
      
   Feedback to: xf_emily_sim@yahoo.ca   
      
   Summary: What if Kristen Kilar wasn't dead, at least   
   not in the traditionally understood definition of   
   dead.   
      
   ***********   
      
      
   Chapter 28   
      
   Mulder navigated his vehicle with all the precision of   
   an Indy 500 driver. He took the corners as fast as he   
   dared; trying hard to keep his focus on the road and   
   not the frustration he was feeling. He was beginning   
   to feel as if his life was one big fuck over and   
   everybody but him seemed to know what tune they were   
   dancing to.   
      
   Diana was still a sore spot between the two of them   
   and he was convinced Scully's silence on the matter   
   would end quickly when she heard about the picture and   
   the prints. If he ever had question to doubt Diana's   
   allegiance to him, and her part in the whole mess of   
   things, her paw prints next to Krycek's cemented that.   
   It was something he himself wasn't too keen on   
   revisiting. It drew into question, not so much his   
   choice where his ex was concerned, but whether or not   
   he had any real choice in the first place; how much of   
   his life was orchestrated by somebody else.  He had no   
   desire to look too deeply into that aspect of things.   
      
   What he couldn't figure out was Krycek's motive in   
   giving the information he did to Scully and, by   
   association, to him. It didn't make sense. Krycek   
   never did anything unless there was something in it   
   for himself. The threads seemed to run off in so many   
   different directions it was hard to see any   
   connection. But he was convinced there was one. He   
   just needed to give his brain time to process it all.   
      
   Which was not right now. He swore as he swerved to   
   avoid the rear end of a SUV that had pulled out in   
   front of him. He checked the time and would have   
   patted himself on the back if he hadn't needed both   
   hands on the wheel. He just might make it after all.   
   Which was a good thing, considering he was going to be   
   in several kinds of shit when the picture and print   
   information went down. He pressed harder on the   
   accelerator. No need to give her more ammunition than   
   she already had.   
      
   ***********   
      
   Scully was feeling languid. The Valium was still   
   working its magic and Anna had supplied her with a   
   blanket. She was resting in the now dimly lit exam   
   room, with the lower half of her body elevated. She   
   was going to have a bit of a head rush when they set   
   her upright once again.   
      
   This time she had watched the procedure on the small   
   screen as Parenti guided the catheter containing the   
   fertilized embryos into her uterus. She had to take   
   the doctor's word that all five of them had made it   
   safely to their destination. It was now up to her body   
   to finish the process.   
      
   She fought back a tear as she considered the odds of   
   one of the embryos actually becoming the baby she so   
   desired. It was an ache like no other she had ever   
   experienced. At times her arms were heavy with their   
   emptiness. It was hard, each time her mother mentioned   
   a baby being welcomed into another parishioner's home,   
   to not hear the slight accusation in her voice. She   
   knew her mom didn't mean it, but it just hollowed out   
   the spot a little more and Scully was afraid that one   
   day there would be nothing left of her; that she would   
   just disappear into the background. Was it so wrong   
   for her to want something of her own? To want to fill   
   some of the emptiness?   
      
   She shifted, trying to get more comfortable on the   
   hard table. They were insisting on keeping her for an   
   hour. Extra insurance, Anna called it. But she knew it   
   was because this was it for her. Even if someone could   
   produce more embryos, she didn't think she would have   
   the emotional stamina to go through it again.  She   
   closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift.   
      
   ************   
      
      
   Chapter 29   
      
   Skinner opened his office door to find his chair   
   occupied, a plume of bluish smoke swirling above his   
   visitor's head. He had known Mulder's rant would grab   
   the man's attention, but he hadn't expected him to   
   show up this quickly. Not for the first time did he   
   wonder at the extent of Spender's reach.   
      
   "You rang, Mr. Skinner?"   
      
   Skinner closed the door behind him. "This office is   
   non smoking."   
      
   "Yes, I think you've mentioned that a time or two." He   
   made no move to put out his cigarette. "It seems one   
   of your agents is a little upset."   
      
   Skinner took a deep breath. It was a fine line he   
   walked between Spender's organization and Mulder's   
   work. There was no question in his own mind where his   
   allegiance lay, in spite of Mulder's misgivings at   
   times, but to antagonize this man did no one any good.   
   He had done things he wasn't proud of, but he would   
   not regret those. That line of thinking did no one any   
   good. Best to keep things simple and direct. "What do   
   you know about the little girl, Hannah?"   
      
   "What makes you think I have any information?"   
      
   "It's an educated guess."   
      
   "And what are you offering in exchange?"   
      
   Skinner leaned across the desk. "Is there any humanity   
   in you? Mulder is right, you are the devil." He   
   straightened up and stepped back. "Get out."   
      
   "Make no mistake, Mr. Skinner, I come and go as _I_   
   please. Your agent's rant was nothing more than a mild   
   amusement." Spender stood up and crushed his cigarette   
   out in the cup Skinner had on his desk. "I had nothing   
   to do with the child. I would like to know where she   
   is myself. Call me if you find anything." He paused,   
   "Yelling at the ceiling was a most unique way of   
   requesting a meeting."   
      
   Skinner watched him slip out the back door.   
      
   "Well, that went well." He flipped the switch that   
   activated the overhead fan and unlocked the office   
   door, deciding he needed clean, fresh air.   
      
   **************   
      
   When Scully's quiet rest was interrupted by the door   
   opening and the light it allowed in, she groggily   
   realized she'd actually fallen asleep and that her   
   hour must be up. She waited for Anna to speak and as   
   she began to fully wake up, realized that someone was   
   quietly making their way towards her. She stiffened,   
   her senses alert now.  She was still lying with her   
   feet elevated and facing away from the door, and   
   struggled to try and force her sluggish body to   
   respond.   
      
   "Scully?"   
      
   "Mulder. Dammit, I thought you were an intruder."   
      
   "Sorry."   
      
   He came into her view and she pulled the blanket more   
   tightly around her. Her eyes had adjusted to the lower   
   light level and the adrenalin rush had banished the   
   last fuzzies caused by the Valium.   
      
   "What time is it?"   
      
   "Just after five-thirty. The nurse said she'd be in to   
   finish up in a minute."   
   She felt him brush his hand along her arm. "How'd it   
   go?"   
      
   "Fine." She felt him step away, the small contact   
   lost. She knew her choice of words would sting, but   
   she was hurting too.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)