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Chip Off The Old Block by mimic117
From: [email protected] Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 10:19:31 -0500 Subject: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block by mimic117 Source: direct Title: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block
Author: mimic117
Email: [email protected]
Rating: G, believe it or not
Category: S, MSR
Spoilers: Absolutely everything, all the way through the Season 9 two-parter. This could get a little confusing right here, so stay with me. Everything that happened up through the beginning of Season 9 is implied, but it diverges from canon at that point because I couldn’t stand where they were taking the show. So we’ve got William, but we’ve also got Mulder, cause I want him there. No Doggett appearances, but that doesn’t mean I’m ignoring him. Just assume that everything that’s happened on the show has happened here, without that really idiot bit about Mulder getting fired and leaving. Did I lose you yet?
Summary: Charlie Scully visits his sister, meeting his new nephew and catching up on what he’s been missing. But there are some things about her baby brother even Dana Scully doesn’t know.
Keywords: Charles Scully, baby William, Mulder present, Scully present, Doggett not
Archive: I’ll do Gossamer and Ephemeral, thanks. Okay to anyone else who wants it, especially The Charlie Fic archive, who was the instigator in the first place. More great Charlie Scully stories are at https://charliefic.xphilefic.com
Disclaimer: I’m not disclaiming anything anymore. In my opinion, Carter has forfeited all his moral rights to these characters. They may be his legally, but morally, anyone who doesn’t take better care of their toys than he has doesn’t deserve to play with them.
Thanks: To my Big Guy, who isn’t even a fan of the show, but who keeps coming up with the most wonderful story ideas. I just wish he’d write a few of them himself, seeing how I’ve already got more than I can deal with of my own. I really need to quit talking to him about story ideas.
Extra Special Beta Thanks: To Cindy, for wielding her Beta Bitch comb on short notice. We’ll probably have that ‘talk’ a few more times, Twinsy. I can be stubborn about the oddest things. Just keep whacking me upside the head and I’ll eventually get the idea.
Feedback: Kept in a little shrine and worshipped daily at [email protected]. Really.
You can visit all my other stories, assuming you’re interested, at https://mimicsmusings.com.
Chip Off The Old Block I
by mimic117
12:35 PM
“Charlie!”
A squeal erupted from Dana Scully’s mouth that would have left her FBI colleagues slack-jawed. Charles Scully didn’t even bat an eyelash. Gathering his sister into a tight bear hug, he spun her in circles until he set her back on her feet inside the apartment door. Identical pairs of bright blue eyes gazed at each other as twin, fat- cheeked grins blossomed across their freckled faces. It was like watching reflections in a mirror, except that one red-haired head was over a foot higher than the other.
“It’s so good to see you again, Charlie,” Scully sighed. “I can’t believe you’re really moving to DC. It will be so nice to have you close by after all these years.”
“I’ll actually be closer to Mom, but it still beats living half the continent away,” he agreed. “It’s good to see you, too, Dana. I’ve missed you.”
Tugging on his hand, Scully pulled him further into the room so she could close the door. Leading him toward the couch, she was just about to offer him a seat, when the sound of gurgling baby giggles made their heads turn toward the hallway. The noise warbled up and down a liquid scale of delight, creating involuntary smiles on the listeners’ faces.
“Sounds like this might be a good time to meet the men in your life I keep hearing about,” Charlie suggested.
Father and son were too engrossed in their game to notice when company arrived at the door of the nursery.
Clothed in a stretchy, footed sleeper, William kicked his legs and waved his fists on the dressing table. Through the gap left by open snaps, Mulder blew soft zerberts on his exposed belly as he worked on tucking the flailing arms into the pajama sleeves. It was taking twice as long as it should have since, every time William calmed down, Mulder would flutter his pursed lips on the little rounded abdomen again. It was hard to tell from the high- pitched shrieks and the baritone chuckles which of them was having more fun.
As if he sensed their presence, Mulder’s head turned toward the doorway. Seeing his audience, he returned to his task, rapidly pulling the sleeper on the little wiggling body and snapping the front closed. Placing the baby on his shoulder, he strode to the door, right hand outstretched in welcome.
“Nobody could have that coloring without being a Scully,” Mulder stated, raising his eyes to look the taller man in the face. “Nice to meet you, Charlie. Your sister has done nothing but talk about you since we heard you were moving here.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, too, Mulder. From several sources, I might add.” He chuckled as Mulder rolled his eyes. “I take everything I hear with a dose of skepticism, depending on the speaker. I just can’t believe we’ve never met in all the years you and Dana have been together. It’s good to finally put a face with the name.”
He studied the long look that passed between his sister and her partner. It was apparent that this was a standard way of communicating for them. He rather wished he could read their minds; it might make for interesting listening.
Scully took the baby and turned to Charlie with a soft smile. “Here’s a new face with a name,” she said. “This is William Fox, Charlie.”
“Hey, Will,” he whispered. Charlie caught one waving fist between two gentle fingers, smiling as tiny digits uncurled to wrap firmly around one of his own. “You’re a real cute kid, you know that? Pictures just don’t do justice to that sweet little face.”
“Too bad he got his old man’s nose,” Mulder complained.
Charlie glanced up with twinkling eyes. “I didn’t think Jimmy Durante was still alive.”
Trying to restrain a snort, Mulder choked on his own saliva and turned it into a coughing fit. He leaned against the wall while Charlie thumped his back in a helpful manner. Wiping tears from his cheeks, Mulder croaked, “You want a beer, Charlie? I think I’m gonna need one.”
Releasing the tiny fingers that held him captive, Charlie winked at his sister before following Mulder to the kitchen.
4:10 PM
“No shit! He looked like you?” Charlie ran his hand through his hair, making the red spikes flatten to his head, then spring back up.
Nodding, Mulder rubbed Will’s back as he slumbered, drooling on his father’s t-shirt. “Just like me. Hair, eye color — he even sounded like me. He was headed for first base with Scully when I bashed the door in.”
“Sis, you wouldn’t have! Would you?”
Scully chuckled at the look of fascinated horror on her brother’s face. “We’ll never know. When Mulder came bursting through the door, it hit me that he’d been right about Eddie being able to change his appearance. I was appalled by what he’d tried to do.”
“Admit it, Scully.” Mulder waggled his eyebrows. “You would have let him jump your bones because you thought it was me.”
One of Scully’s brows quirked in response, but he could see the laughter shining in her eyes. “It’s a moot point now, Mulder. I refuse to second-guess myself. It will remain a mystery forever.”
The sound of Mulder’s stomach rumbling was audible in the silence that followed. Will twitched.
“You know what we forgot to do today, Scully?”
“Oh damn. I forgot all about the groceries when Charlie showed up.” Scully jumped off the couch, headed for the kitchen. “I’ll have to go now or we’ll be ordering take-out for supper. Do you know where I put the list, Mulder?”
Carefully levering himself off the sofa, Mulder carried the baby toward the nursery. “I’ve got it, Scully. Let me put Will down and I’ll be right with you.”
They met in the hallway, Scully carrying her purse over one shoulder, hand outstretched as he came back into view. “Give me the list and you can stay here with Charlie.”
“It’s in my head,” Mulder replied, pressing a kiss into her outstretched palm. “Why don’t you stay here with your brother and I’ll get what we need?”
“Why don’t you both go and spend some time alone for a few minutes?” Charlie piped up.
“Oh, but — ” Scully stopped. Charlie couldn’t quite see the look she gave Mulder, but from where he sat, it looked a bit desperate.
“I’ve babysat Bill’s kids before, Dana,” he assured her. “I know what to do. Besides, he’s sleeping now. What kind of trouble can we get into before you get back?”
“Come on, Scully,” Mulder chimed in. “You hardly ever go out of the house anymore unless you’re working. When was the last time we did something as mundane as grocery shopping together? It might be fun to go out by ourselves for a change.”
“But don’t you think — “
Charlie cut her off. “I think you should both go out and find some food, before Mulder’s stomach attacks someone. Didn’t you eat any breakfast, man? I can hear you all the way over here.”
The two partners stood for several minutes, holding a silent conversation. Finally, Scully’s shoulders drooped in defeat, and she sighed.
“Okay. We’ll both go, if you don’t mind staying here, Charlie.”
He shook his head. “Take as long as you like. I can use the time to relax and catch my breath. Flying clear across the country in one day is a bit disorienting. I’ll be fine.”
After one more glance at Scully, Mulder got his coat out of the closet and went for his keys.
“Emergency numbers are on the fridge,” Scully informed her brother, “and you know Mom’s number. Our cell numbers are there, too, in case you need us for anything.”
“We’ll be fine.”
Mulder grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the door, still talking. “If he gets fussy before we get back, you don’t have to do anything. Just let him fuss a bit. Don’t worry about entertaining him.”
“We’ll be gone for thirty minutes tops, Scully.” Mulder had the door open, and was trying to pull her into the hall, with minimal success. “Let’s get going before all the noise we’re making wakes Will up.”
She looked from one man to the other, indecision written large on her face. At last, she shrugged and stopped backpedaling. Mulder nearly fell out the door from the lack of resistance. Charlie had the feeling this was more than a display of separation anxiety. As Mulder and Scully finally left on their shopping run, he grabbed a magazine at random, and settled in to see what was interesting in the AMA Journal of Medicine.
It always seemed to Charlie as though babies possessed a radar system that went off as soon as their parental units were out of range. Will was no different. The door hadn’t been closed for more than ten minutes when wailing could be heard coming from the nursery. Charlie put down the magazine he was holding and went to see what his nephew’s problem was.
Leaning over the crib, he rubbed the baby’s belly in tiny circles and smiled.
“Right on schedule, little dude,” he said. “You need a bit of company to fall back to sleep?”
As if in answer, the mobile over the bed began to move. Creaking and shivering, it rotated inch by inch until it had made a complete revolution without stopping. Charlie watched in fascination as the toy began its second circuit before he reached up and gently held it still. Releasing the mobile’s arm, he saw it resume its rotation, squeaking in the silence of the nursery.
“So that’s what your Mom and Dad were so worried about,” he mused. “They were afraid I’d find out. Can’t say I blame them, little Willy.” A slight grin spread itself across his face, reaching to his eyes. “Bet I know something they don’t, though.”
The spinning mobile slowed to a stop. Then, it gradually reversed its rotation. Charlie grinned down into the crib where Will lay wide-eyed.
“I can show you all kinds of things, Will,” Charlie said. “You’ve got a lot to learn, and I’m just the one to teach you.” A pacifier floated across to his hand, where he plucked it from the air. Poking it at the baby’s mouth, he stroked back his downy hair as Will suckled happily, staring up at his spinning toy. “You’re a chip off the old Scully block, William Fox. It’s never too early to learn control, you know. Good thing I’ll be nearby to help. With the parents you’ve got, you’re gonna need all the help you can get.”
The End
Author’s notes: In the first place, I don’t want to hear any guff about the baby’s name. What other middle name would Scully give him? That one just seemed the most logical, even if it is a bit trite. In the second place, I never thought I’d ever write baby fic, and certainly not baby fic with him being so important to the whole story. Just goes to show what a good idea will do to your muse. In the third place, I hope you found the whole idea vaguely plausible. When my husband suggested the basic premise, it hit me right between the eyes. If you think about the Scully family, it’s been established that Mrs. Scully has prophetic dreams, Dana is open to extreme possibilities, and Melissa was at least empathic to other peoples’ feelings. We were never told anything at all about Charlie. So it seemed possible that he could have something similar in spades. It made sense at the time.
Feedback on this story, another story, even stories by other writers, is worshipped and adored at [email protected].
From: [email protected] Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2001 10:22:52 -0500 Subject: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block II: Serendipity by mimic117 Source: direct Title: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block II: Serendipity
Author: mimic117
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG-13 for naughty language
Category: S, MSR
Spoilers: Absolutely everything. But while baby William is present, I’m ignoring anything else that happened last season or this. So Mulder hasn’t left, nor has he lost his job. phbtt Check out the first story in this series, Chip Off The Old Block, for full convoluted spoiler. In fact, you’d better read that one first or you won’t understand this one.
Summary: Mulder and Charlie are bonding over a basketball game. What can go wrong, you ask? They’re about to find out.
Keywords: Charlie Scully, baby Will, sorta AU
Archive: The Charlie Scully Fic Archive for sure. You can find them at https://charliefic.xphilefic.com I’ll do Gossamer and Ephemeral on my own, but if anyone else wants it, feel free. Just let me know so I can brag.
Disclaimer: Nuh uh. I’m not disclaiming anything anymore. As far as I’m concerned, they’re mine, considering the way they’ve been treated recently. The only people these characters belong to are David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. And I’m not even sure they want to claim them now. So there.
Author’s Notes: To all the people who were told that I wasn’t writing a sequel to the first story – I lied. Or rather, my muse got loose and wrote one while I wasn’t paying attention. This one is for all of you who quietly requested another story. There will also be a third story in this universe. After that, we’ll start negotiations. Thanks for giving me permission to annoy you again.
Author’s Thanks: To my Big Guy for the idea that led to the original story. He doesn’t have the vaguest clue why I write fic, but he knows it keeps me out of worse trouble, so he tolerates it. To Cindy, again, for her Flying Karamazov beta. Spot on as usual, Twinsy. It appears Northern wits are simply sharpened by the cold.
Feedback: Is kept in a little shrine and worshipped daily at [email protected]. I even print everything out so I can look at it again and again and again.
Come visit all my other stories at my archive: https://mimicsmusings.com
Chip Off The Old Block II: Serendipity
by mimic117
5:45 PM
“So, Charlie, how many different places have you lived?”
Tabulating in his head, Charles Scully followed Mulder into the kitchen, carrying his dirty dinner plate. “Umm, about eighteen or so, I think. If you count the places where I stayed for less than six months.”
Supper had been spent catching up on Scully family talk and discussing the newest addition. Mulder had offered to do the dishes while Scully fed Will, volunteering Charlie to help him. The offhand gesture made Charlie feel welcome in a way that he hadn’t for far too long.
“Where did you live the longest?”
Mulder pulled a dry towel out of a drawer and flipped it over his shoulder. Charlie caught it in mid-air. He raised an eyebrow at the water thundering into the sink, then looked pointedly at the dishwasher.
“Not enough to bother running it,” Mulder responded. “Besides, it’ll be full of baby bottles soon, and Scully doesn’t like to take a chance with food bits getting on them. Didn’t you notice my dishpan hands?” He swished a rag into the sudsy water and repeated his earlier question.
“Alaska,” Charlie answered. “I worked on the pipeline for eight years. It was a bit of a jolt going from there to Hawaii.”
Now it was Mulder’s turn to quirk a brow in question.
“I found out a friend of mine needed a pilot for his Island volcano tours,” Charlie said. “I flew a chopper for him for over a year. It was boring as hell, unless you were unlucky enough to fly over just as an eruption started.”
“Scully told me you were in the military, too.”
Charlie nodded. “I learned to fly choppers in the Navy. I stayed for a four year stint, but I was never as gung-ho about it as Bill or my dad. I got out as soon as I could and just started wandering.”
“We called him ‘the whistling gypsy.’”
Both men turned to see Scully leaning in the kitchen doorway, a grin tilting the corners of her mouth. Mulder held his hands up, over the sink, suds dripping down his forearms and off his elbows. “Wanna take over?”
“Nope.” Scully shook her head, smiling. “I like seeing my men display their domestic talents. Maybe later I’ll deign to let you give me a foot massage.”
“I could always do your hand-washable lingerie,” Mulder offered with a leer.
Scully snorted. “Not after what happened to my wool sweater, you’re not.” Pushing herself away from the door frame, Scully left the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder. “We need more diapers, Mulder. One of us will have to go back out later and get some.”
“I’ll try to remember.”
“It’s either that, or I let Will hose down your Knicks shirt. Your choice.”
Mulder and Charlie watched her retreating figure.
“Your sister really knows how to hit where it hurts.”
“She always has,” Charlie nodded. “Believe me.” Dishes were finished in companionable silence. Handing the last clean plate to Charlie, Mulder pulled the plug on the sink. “By the way,” Charlie asked, “what did you do to her sweater?”
“How was I supposed to know it would shrink so much in the dryer that it hardly fit Will, let alone Scully?” Mulder complained. “I’m a permanent press man, myself.”
Charlie’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. When he caught the mischievous gleam in Mulder’s eyes, he stopped holding it in. This is how brothers should be, he thought. Easy, friendly, comfortable together. Not judgmental and hostile, always quick to find fault, the way Bill was with him. Charlie was starting to understand what his sister saw in this man, despite the doom and gloom reports from his other sibling. You just had to like a man who could take a joke, even when it was on him.
“You wanna blow this hot dog stand?” Mulder asked. “I mean, I know you came to see your sister, but I usually go play some pick- up b-ball on Saturday evening so she has a little quiet time while Will’s napping. You interested?”
“You kidding? At my height, you learn to play basketball just so everyone will stop bugging you about it. Thing is, I actually learned to like it, too.” Charlie draped the damp dishtowel over the faucet and motioned Mulder to precede him through the door. “But you get to tell Dana we’re cutting out on her.”
7:35 PM
Parking lot of Jim’s Gym
“Did you see that one guy? What was his name? The one built like a Sherman tank.”
“Garneski?”
“Yeah. Did you see how high he got on that one lay-up? I mean, how did he do that? I’m taller than he is, and I can’t jump that high.”
“Garneski has steel springs in his calves or something. He whips my ass every time we go head to head on a jump shot, but I’ll thank you not to tell him I said so. I heard he’s got one of the best times on the Bureau obstacle course. You’d think all that muscle would weigh him down -”
Mulder’s hand went still, key poised above the door lock. Both men heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind them. Charlie knew there wasn’t much chance of help arriving. The lot where they’d parked was hemmed in on three sides by windowless brick buildings and rear exit doors. There were very few cars left, and no other people in sight. The empty storefront with the “For Sale” sign across the street didn’t give him much hope, either. Unless somebody jumped out of one of the trash cans waiting for next week’s refuse, they were on their own. Glancing sideways at Mulder, Charlie saw his other hand twitch, as though it wanted to grab something. But Charlie knew Mulder hadn’t brought his gun for a simple basketball game. The only thought that formed in his mind was “We are so fucked.”
“Put your hands up and turn around.”
Charlie and Mulder found themselves facing a skinny young man with a gun in his shaking hand. Stringy blond hair hung in his watery, bloodshot eyes. He used his other hand to wipe at his runny nose, shifting from foot to foot as his gaze twitched from one man to the other. He was so close, Charlie could see that his pupils were huge, the irises just a thin ring of color.
“Settle down, dude,” Mulder murmured. “We don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
The gun swung in line with Mulder’s head.
“Shut up! Hand over your wallet right now, man!”
“Our wallets are in the car,” Charlie said, and the robber turned the gun on him. “We just came out of the gym. Let us open the car so we can get them for you.”
The words just seemed to confuse the gunman. He jerked back and forth, wildly swinging his weapon. Anger twisted his face.
“Don’t fuck with me, man! I should just do both of you and then break into the car! I want that money, and I want it now!”
Glancing around for a way out, Charlie spotted a metal garbage can standing upside down. “You’ll have to let us open the car. We can’t get to the money from out here.” He concentrated on the trash can even as the gun swiveled in his direction again. He spoke soothingly, trying to hold the other man’s attention. “We’d like to help you out. I’m not shittin’ you, dude. We just need to unlock the car first.” Charlie breathed a sigh of relief as the can rose into the air and sailed toward the gunman. If either of them had been looking at Mulder, they would have seen his mouth drop open.
The garbage can whacked the robber in the back of the head with a satisfying clang. He dropped to the ground, never aware of what had hit him. Charlie leapt over his body, and grabbed the gun off the ground, just in case he was only stunned. When Charlie looked up, he realized that Mulder was even more stunned.
Hands still in the air, Mulder stared wide-eyed at the prone gunman. Then he stared at the dented trash can rolling to a stop several parking spaces over. Then he stared at Charlie. His mouth was working, but no sounds emerged.
Setting the gun on top of the car, Charlie gingerly touched Mulder on the shoulder. He jumped and lowered his arms.
“Maybe we should wait in the car until the cops get here,” Charlie suggested. “You got handcuffs, or a rope, or something we can tie him with?”
“Spare cuffs. Glove compartment.”
Removing the keys from Mulder’s limp fingers, Charlie opened the car and retrieved the cuffs. He also grabbed the cell phone sitting on the seat console. Giving Mulder the handcuffs, Charlie ignored the surprised look in his eyes and dialed 911. Once the would-be robber was securely immobilized, Charlie returned the keys to Mulder and they got into the car to wait.
Mulder slid into the driver’s seat, automatically putting the keys in the ignition. He stopped short of starting the car, staring out the window at the blank wall in front of them. Charlie could almost hear the pieces shuffling into place in his mind. He knew when the last space was filled in, because Mulder pulled the keys back out and swiveled to stare at him.
“Will gets it from your side of the family.” His voice was hushed and awestruck.
Charlie sighed, nodding. “It hop-scotches from generation to generation. It doesn’t usually show up back to back, but it’s not unheard of.”
“You know about Will.” It wasn’t a question.
“I saw him make his mobile spin. He seemed pretty fascinated when I made it reverse direction on him.”
“I’ll bet.” Mulder’s voice was almost back to normal. They sat in silence for a few moments before he asked, “Why hasn’t Scully ever told me about this?”
“Because she doesn’t know,” Charlie replied. When Mulder tilted his head in inquiry, he explained, “I didn’t show the ability until I hit puberty. Mom and Dad were the only ones in the family who knew. Bill and Dana never did, but I think Missy suspected. They were just enough older that they were too busy with their lives to notice. Mom asked one of her uncles with this talent to help me learn control. It worked. Most of the time.”
The sound of sirens could be heard drawing closer. Mulder glanced out the window, then back at Charlie.
“How will we explain overpowering a guy with a gun? And what about the trash can laying there?”
Charlie smirked. “A dog knocked the can over, startled the gunman, he turned, and we jumped him.”
“You’re used to covering your ass, aren’t you?”
“I’ve had some practice,” Charlie admitted.
Three police cars, lights blazing and sirens wailing, pulled into the far end of the parking lot. Mulder reached out for the door handle, but stopped and looked over at Charlie.
“We thought Will had been affected by all the things that have been done to Scully and me over the years. We have to tell her as soon as we can. Hopefully she’ll be relieved.”
“Don’t count on it,” Charlie advised as he opened his door. “She’s always had a problem with this kind of thing.”
Mulder opened his own door to greet the approaching constabulary.
“Tell me about it.”
15 minutes later
The scenery flashing past the car windows was starting to look familiar before Charlie finally broke the silence that had descended as soon as they pulled away from the parking lot.
“Do the cops usually let people make a signed statement the day after a mugging?”
“Scully and I know two of them. It was a personal favor. Especially when I told them you were her brother and we were on our way back home. They know we’ll show up first thing tomorrow and take care of it.”
“The look on that druggie’s face was priceless when he woke up with the cuffs on,” Charlie chortled. “You think the police bought our version or his?”
“Ours, definitely. Somebody that strung out isn’t going to get an impartial hearing anytime soon. They’ll just put it down to the crack and ignore him.”
“I almost felt sorry for him. He knows we never jumped him, so he knows we were lying. He looked like he was gonna shit his pants, he was so scared. Maybe we should have told the cops to give him a diaper, just in case.”
The car did a squealing 180 degree turn in the middle of the street as Mulder hauled on the steering wheel. His face was grim, set. Charlie clutched the dashboard as they straightened out and headed back the way they’d just come.
Charlie cleared his throat. “Hey, man. Do Feds always drive this way? Where are we going?”
Mulder’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. “We forgot the damn diapers.” He locked eyes with Charlie for a second before returning his gaze to the road. “I really like that Knicks shirt.”
The End
Serendipity: the faculty of making happy or interesting discoveries unexpectedly or by accident. (I’d say Mulder’s pretty happy and interested right about now, wouldn’t you?) Coined by Horace Walpole [from Serendip, an old name for Ceylon] in a fairy tale called “The Three Princes of Serendip.” Bet you didn’t know that, did you?
From: [email protected] Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2002 10:59:14 -0400
Subject: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block III: Veracity by mimic117 Source: direct
Title: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block III: Veracity
Author: mimic117
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG-13 to low R – you’ll see why
Category: S, MSR
Spoilers: Absolutely everything on the show, except what they did to Mulder at the end of Season 8 and beginning of Season 9. In other words, he’s still working for the Bureau and still very much in Scully and Will’s lives. This is also the third story in a series, and they follow one right after the other, so you should read the first two in order to get this one. You can find them at https://mimicsmusings.com
Summary: Scully learns something she didn’t know about her younger brother. But is she ready to believe?
Keywords: Charlie fic, baby William fic, sorta AU
Archive: Anywhere. Anywhere. I don’t know. (Christopher Robin) I’ll do Gossamer, but feel free to keep, share, and generally spread me around. Just let me know where so I can brag. And the Charlie Fic Archive gets this for sure – https://charliefic.xphilefic.com This whole series was Lara’s fault in the first place.
Disclaimer: I don’t know why I keep having to do this, when we all know that CC doesn’t deserve credit for these wonderful characters anymore. Still, I didn’t create them, he did, and I guess I’ll just have to be mature and admit it. But I don’t have to like it. phbbt
Thanks: To my Big Guy, who had the original idea for Charlie. And to my college kid, who’s actually been willing to beta something of mine, as long as I don’t stray into smutty territory. And to Cindy, as always, for bitchin’ beta above and beyond the call of duty. You are the wind beneath my wings.
Feedback: Kept in a little shrine and worshipped daily at [email protected].
Visit all my other stories at https://mimicsmusings.com.
Author’s notes at the end, if you’re still interested by then.
Chip Off The Old Block III: Veracity
by mimic117
8:15 PM
“Mulder, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Scully. Why do you ask?”
Setting the package of diapers beside the sofa, Charlie Scully looked at his sister and knew she wasn’t buying Mulder’s prevarication. He locked gazes with Mulder and realized that he also knew, but was going to try and stall anyway. They were both aware that it wouldn’t work, but you had to give the man points for trying.
“How many years have I known you?” Scully huffed. “Any time you’re trying to hide something, your face gets this wide-eyed, innocent look that’s a dead giveaway.”
“Gotta remember to work on my poker face. Scully, have you seen my new copy of The Lone Gunman? There was an article I wanted to show Charlie —”
“Don’t try to change the subject. Now I know there’s something wrong. Just spit it out, already.”
Trading glances with Mulder, Charlie took on the task of deflecting his sister’s annoyance. “We were almost mugged coming out of the gym, Sis. No big deal. We just didn’t want to worry you.”
“Yeah.” Mulder dove through the loophole he’d been handed. “It was just some hop-head trying to score a little cash. We got the bad guy, the cops took him away, and we’re both fine. End of story.”
Glaring from one man to the other, Scully crossed her arms and lowered her brows. “Why do I get the feeling there’s something else you’re not telling me?”
A wail coming from the nursery made all three heads turn.
“Hey,” Mulder exclaimed, “Will’s up. You stay there and relax for a few more minutes, Scully. We’ll go and get him.”
Charlie felt their hasty retreat was less than dignified.
“Boy, Mulder, that move was about as smooth as gravel.”
“What was I supposed to do, Charlie? Just blurt it out? ‘Oh, by the way, Scully, we were able to get away because your brother used telekinesis to pick up a trash can and whack the druggie upside the head.’ That one would crash about as fast as the Hindenburg. I’ll tell her eventually, don’t worry. We just have to go about this the right way, or she’ll dig in her heels and refuse to consider it.”
Picking up a squalling William from his crib, Mulder made motor noises with his lips. The baby’s crying stopped, although his face remained scrunched in annoyance as they made their way over to the changing table.
“I thought she was more open to extreme possibilities these days,” Charlie pointed out. “That’s what Mom said, anyway.”
Laying his son on the table, Mulder unsnapped and removed the sleeper, then tickled his tummy. Grasping the tapes on the disposable diaper, Mulder pulled it open with a flourish. Both men reared back in disgust.
“I don’t remember Mommy feeding you anything that looked like that,” Mulder gasped, fanning the air with one hand. “Scully is more open, Charlie. Hand me the powder, would you? But years of skepticism can’t be overcome in a few months. It’s still easiest to convince her if she sees things for herself. She’ll try to rationalize what she sees, but eventually she’ll talk herself into believing it if that’s the only logical explanation left. Trust me on this one. She’s still pretty jumpy, especially where Will is concerned.”
Charlie nodded. “I suppose that’s understandable after everything that’s happened. How are you planning to tell her?”
Mulder taped the fresh diaper shut, and replaced the sleeper. Picking Will up, he planted a kiss on each smooth cheek. He propped the baby in the crook of one arm and turned toward the door.
“I don’t know,” he said, “but I’ll think of something. You just be ready to back me up. In the meantime, we need to discuss a change in this young man’s diet if Scully doesn’t want to be the sole diaper changer in this family.”
8:25
Will’s supper was almost over when it happened.
They’d all been sitting around the kitchen table, laughing and talking while Scully fed Will cereal. Will was in his infant carrier on the table and seemed to be enjoying the attention as well as the cereal, if the enthusiasm of his waving arms and kicking legs was any indication. Maybe enjoying it a bit too much. Scully looked over at her brother to dispute a particularly lame observation and never saw Will’s tiny foot shoot out and connect with his cereal bowl. It somersaulted end over end, flinging drops of gooey cereal as it headed for the floor. All eyes turned to watch in stunned anticipation. Scully’s were even more stunned when the rotating bowl suddenly stopped and hung in the air six inches from shattering impact.
Scully locked gazes with Mulder, eyes huge. Charlie waited for him to use the opportunity to start his explanation of where Will’s powers originated. In spite of the fact that Dana was his sister, Charlie felt the information would go down better coming from her partner. When Mulder just sat there, mute, Charlie wondered if maybe he should be the one to start things off. But before he could open his mouth, Scully jumped out of her chair, snatched Will from the baby carrier, and rushed from the room. Mulder was up and after her in a second.
“Scully! Wait!”
Charlie was left sitting at the table, a bemused look on his face as the cereal bowl continued to lazily hang in the air.
He gave them a good four minutes. He probably should have given them longer, but Charlie figured that more time wasn’t going to make it any easier for his sister to believe. He could hear whispered hissing coming from the nursery, but not the actual words. As he rounded the doorframe, he realized Dana must have been talking the entire time. She was pacing back and forth, the squirming baby clutched to her chest, eyes unseeing, hushed words pouring out of her mouth. Mulder was still trying to get a word in edgewise.
“But, Scully —”
“He’s never done that before, Mulder. Does this mean his powers are getting stronger?”
“He didn’t —”
“How are we going to keep this under control? Who knows what he might do in a store, or at the park, or — God, Mulder! What if he does this over at my mother’s house? How could we explain it to her?”
“We don’t have to —”
“He’ll have to be isolated. He can’t go to school until he learns not to use it against other children.”
“Scully —”
“I’ll have to quit the Bureau and home school him.”
“Scully, don’t —”
“We’ll have to move some place where there aren’t a lot of people who could find out.”
“Scully, if you’d just —”
“My mother won’t be able to see her grandson unless we’re there to exert some control. But how will we control it?”
The exasperation on Mulder’s face wasn’t quite enough to make Charlie interrupt. But the desperation on Dana’s face was.
“Dana… it wasn’t Will. It was me.”
Her frantic pacing stopped. Both of the people in the room looked at Charlie: Scully in confusion, Mulder with definite relief in his eyes.
“What did you say?” Scully’s words were barely audible.
“Will didn’t stop the bowl from hitting the floor, Dana. I did.”
She was already shaking her head, but Charlie resumed talking before Scully could say anything.
“This ability, power, whatever you want to call it, runs in the family, Sis. Mom’s family, to be precise. It shows up every so often, in varying degrees of strength, but not usually right from birth. Still, chances are good Will won’t develop his full potential until he’s a lot older. Remember that time when Great-uncle Kevin was coming to the house almost every weekend? I was thirteen. I’d just started to display the ability and he was helping me learn how to control it. Mom and Dad were the only ones who knew. The rest of you were too busy with your own lives to notice. I didn’t mind, though. Uncle Kevin helped me understand the right and wrong ways to use this power. Otherwise I would have been tempted to strike back every time I got mad at one of you. “
She was still shaking her head. “That’s not possible.”
“And believing Will’s powers come from alien experimentation is?” Mulder had apparently recovered his voice. Scully transferred her incredulous stare to him. “Scully, why is it so fantastic to think this is an inherited trait, like your blue eyes or your hair color?”
“Because we know it’s the result of scientific experiments conducted on us. We know that, Mulder.”
Now Mulder was shaking his head. “We only thought that, Scully. We didn’t know about Charlie’s abilities when Will was born.”
Something must have clicked into place in Scully’s brain, because her stare lost its confusion and became laser intense as she zeroed in on Mulder. “You knew.” The laser beam turned back to her brother. “This is what you weren’t telling me earlier. Something happened tonight.”
Charlie sighed. “You remember the druggie that tried to rob us?” When Scully nodded, he continued, “I picked up an empty trash can with my mind and blindsided him. Then we cuffed him and called the cops. Mulder saw the whole thing, so I gave him the short history. He was going to tell you, but he hadn’t quite found the words yet. Stopping that bowl in midair was just my way of starting the conversation.”
Mulder glowered at him. “Thanks. I think.”
Walking over to the crib, Scully placed Will on his back. She stood with her hands on the side rails for several quiet seconds, just staring at him. Until the mobile over the crib began to spin. Wide-eyed, she turned back to Mulder, locking gazes with him, before striding from the nursery. The two men heard the door of the master bedroom close with a click. They stood there, looking into the empty hallway, until Charlie spoke.
“Look, man. I should leave you two alone for a while to sort this out. Why don’t I take Will down to that mall I saw on the way in? I can put his car seat in my rental and we’ll stay out of your way for a bit.”
Mulder appeared to consider his words for a few seconds, then dug into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. “Take my car. Seat’s already in the back. Don’t forget the diaper bag.”
Charlie took the keys, then picked up Will and followed Mulder out of the nursery into the kitchen. Mulder opened the refrigerator door and handed him a baby bottle of milk.
“Will doesn’t mind it a bit chilly. Feed him when you get there and he’ll probably go to sleep.” Mulder sighed and rubbed his chin. “I’m sure I’ll be able to convince Scully that this is a good thing, but it may take a while. I guess it’s a bit easier for her to believe that Will’s ability is a result of science, no matter where it comes from. The idea that she has the genes already inside her for something that can’t be categorized or easily referenced must come as a real shock.”
Clapping a sympathetic hand on Mulder’s shoulder, Charlie nodded. He walked out to the living room and picked up the diaper bag. He was almost out of the apartment when the sound of a bedroom door opening and shutting reached his ears.
9:45 PM
Charlie quietly opened the apartment door and peeked around the edge. The living room was empty. In fact the apartment seemed silent enough to be unoccupied altogether. He set the diaper bag by the couch and went back for the keys, balancing the baby in one arm while he shut the door. He and Will had had a very nice time at the mall. Contrary to Mulder’s opinion, Will didn’t sleep. After drinking the bottle of milk, he and Charlie prowled the mall, peeking into windows and ogling all the cooing women who couldn’t seem to resist a cute baby. But Will finally started to grumble, so when a diaper change didn’t improve his temper, Charlie figured it was time to head home. He was just about to call out when he heard noises coming from down the hall. He crept forward, a drowsy Will dozing on his shoulder, until he could make out the words clearer. What he heard brought a grin to his face.
“God, Mulder… Yeah, just like that.”
“You sure you wouldn’t rather I did this?”
Charlie’s grin grew wider at the harmony of their moans.
“Ohhhh, that’s nice, too. I don’t care what you do, just do something.”
The rustle of sheets entwined through naked limbs drifted to his ears.
“I wonder if position matters.”
“What? Mulder, what are you talking about?”
“Maybe a certain position would create one that reads minds.”
“Stop goofing around or I’ll have to hurt you. Besides, I don’t think that runs in the family.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, Scully. I mean, your mother —”
“Damn it, Mulder! Don’t bring my mother into it at a time like this!”
“Sorry. Is this better?”
Just a soprano moan this time.
“Ooooh…. It’s getting there. Now pay attention to what you’re doing.”
“Yes, dear.”
Charlie snuck back to the livingroom, shaking from the effort of containing his laughter. Picking up the diaper bag again, he detoured to the kitchen and snagged another baby bottle from the fridge. Opening the apartment door, he walked back out into the hallway, closing and locking the door behind him. Will was awake, looking around at the familiar blank walls. Charlie hitched up the diaper bag onto his shoulder and strode outside. The sun had already set in a blaze of oranges and purples, and now a few stars were twinkling in the inky sky. Moving to one side of the steps, Charlie sat down, settling his nephew on one knee, and holding the bottle to warm up in his hand.
“Well, Willy,” he said, “looks like Mom and Dad are still discussing the matter. What do you say we sit here and enjoy this pleasant evening for a bit longer? I don’t suppose they’ll miss us for a while yet. I’ll make the flag on that building across the street blow the wrong way. Would you like that? Yeah, I thought you would. Want to hear about the time I made Jimmy McGinty run into a tree on his bike?”
No one driving past seemed to notice as the flag spotlighted on the other side of the street bobbed up and down, twisted into a knot, then unfurled and went stiff as a piece of cardboard in the still evening air.
THE END
Veracity: habitual regard to or observance of truth; truthfulness; agreement with actual fact; truth.
Author’s Notes: Just to forestall the whining, there will be a fourth story in this universe. I’m not sure how soon it will be done, but I’m rather enjoying myself with this series. I’m not planning anything beyond the next one, but I never say never anymore. I can usually count on my muse to say “Oh really? We’ll just see about that!” at that point. Thanks for sticking with me for the ride.
Feedback is printed out and kept under my pillow to warm the cold Ohio nights. I could really use something to warm my feet, though. The dog’s a little heavy, and she snores. [email protected]
From: [email protected] Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 19:30:14 -0400 Subject: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block IV: Duplicity by mimic117 Source: direct Title: NEW: Chip Off The Old Block IV: Duplicity
Author: mimic117
Email: [email protected]
Rating: R, for potty mouths and disturbing references to rape, although not to any of the main characters and not anything graphic.
Category: X, S, A
Spoilers: Everything up to the point where Mulder was drummed out of the Bureau. Then it diverges into my own universe where he’s still employed, and still a part of Scully and William’s lives. Plus this is the fourth in a series of stories, so you should really read those first in order to understand this. They all have the same first part in the title, so they should be easy to locate.
Summary: Mulder and Scully are finally coming to terms with the truth about William and Charlie. Now they just have to keep Bill Jr. from finding out.
Keywords: MSR, AU, LMNOP, Charlie fic, William fic, Bill fic
Archive: I’ll beam like a little ray of sunshine if you do. I’ll make sure it gets to Gossamer and Ephemeral myself, though. Thanks for the offer.
Disclaimer: Dis is my claimer – I ain’t claiming dis. Dey is not mine. Dey is his. But I wishes dey was mine, cause I treats ‘em better dan he does.
Author’s Thanks: To all the people who have sent me encouragement to continue writing in this series. So it’s not my fault, y’all. Thanks also to my Big Guy, who had the original idea for Charlie. I don’t think he quite understands what he started, but I appreciate the way his mind works.
Beta thanks: To Cindy, for being the top-notch nitpicker you are. I appreciate your honesty and constant refusal to let me get away with less than my best.
Extra Special Thanks: To carma, Kel, Sdani, and XochiLuvr for helping me hammer out some of the details in the wee hours of the morning. They gave me new things to consider, enabling me to finally get this story finished. Any inaccuracies are my own fault, although I will hold them responsible for making me laugh so hard I couldn’t type.
Feedback: Is printed out and read in worshipful silence every day at [email protected].
Visit my other stories at https://mimicsmusings.com Your depravity levels may vary.
Chip Off The Old Block IV: Duplicity
by mimic117
Sunday 3:50 PM
“Hey, Charlie. Taste this.”
Charles Scully cast a dubious eye on the bubbling mass of ham, beans and spices in the pot on the stove. He reared his head back, away from the spoon being poked toward his face.
“It smells fine, Mulder. Why don’t you taste it yourself?”
The spoon followed his retreat at mouth level.
“I never taste while I’m cooking. How do you think I keep my girlish figure?”
Charlie hopped back a step, not taking his eyes off the spoonful of soup. “I wondered whose lacy bras were hanging from the shower curt —” The spoon darted between his lips before Charlie could get them closed on the last word. He was forced to either swallow or spit. He chewed and swallowed.
“Now I suppose you’ll want me to share my lingerie.” Mulder sighed. “But you’re not touching the black set. Those are for special occasions.”
Nodding, Charlie took the spoon Mulder still held and licked it. “This is good,” he stated. “I’ve never had ham and bean soup. Where did you learn to make it?”
“Old family recipe. It’s warm and filling on cold New England days. I’m hoping it’ll put Bill into a full-stomach stupor before he can start to catalog all my offenses against your family.” Mulder took a clean spoon from a drawer and went back to stirring the pot. “You don’t think it has too much thyme, do you?”
“Can’t say, since I don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like.” Charlie shrugged. “It’s got a good flavor, if that helps.” He reached out with his spoon and tried to scoop more from the pot. Mulder parried with the stirring spoon and drove him back. Charlie countered by making the pot rise off the stove and hover in the air.
“Cut that out,” Mulder protested. “Didn’t your mother teach you not to play with your food?”
Charlie couldn’t help but grin as he let the pot settle back onto the stove. It still gave him a jolt of happiness when he thought about how readily Mulder had accepted his gift. Charlie didn’t get many chances to openly play with his ability. Dana was still thrown off balance by any deliberate display of telekinesis, but she was coming around as well. She’d have to, considering William had the same talent.
As if in response to Charlie’s thought, a shriek sounded from the bouncy seat in the kitchen doorway. Both men turned to look at the red-faced baby, kicking his feet against the floor in frustration, toys scattered around him like a fairy ring.
“There goes the supper whistle,” Mulder said. He took a moment to turn the heat off under the soup and gather jars of baby food before plucking his son from the harness. Will stopped crying, but the fist he crammed in his mouth was getting a good gumming.
Charlie never grew tired of watching his sister and her partner as parents. He’d been living in the area for two months and made the most of his opportunities to visit. He could detect Dana’s efficient thought processes in the rigid organization of the mealtime ritual. Everything in its proper order, accomplished with a minimum of fuss, all of it completed within a very short span of time. In fact, he’d been there often enough to know the routine every bit as well as Dana and Mulder.
First, a diaper change, accompanied by music on the radio. If Mulder was pulling duty, it was sure to be rock and roll. Dana usually chose classical or soft jazz. The music acted as a distraction for the hungry baby, especially when Mulder was in the mood to bop along and cut up for his son’s amusement. After Will was clean and dry, it was off to the kitchen for fun with food. In spite of the fact that he wasn’t able to feed himself yet, that didn’t stop him from trying. When his parents figured there was the same amount of food in the baby as on the floor, one of them would clean up while the other fed Will his bottle until his eyes drooped shut. Since Dana had run out to the store for last-minute necessities before Bill arrived, Charlie took over the cleaning up portion of that day’s routine. When Mulder got up from the rocker and headed toward the bedroom with his limp son on his shoulder, Charlie decided to put his feet up and recharge before the big confrontation.
He’d barely settled in and closed his eyes when there was a knock on the door. Groaning, Charlie pushed himself back off the couch. The knock sounded again before he got there. He was gearing himself up to tell off whatever soliciting pest was in the hallway, until he looked through the peephole. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.
“Hey, Bill.” Charlie hoped his voice didn’t sound as unwelcoming to his brother as it did to him. “Come on in.”
Bill Scully, Jr., walked past Charlie, glancing around the room as he entered.
“How come you’re here? Where’s Dana?”
“Nice to see you, too.”
“Hey, Charlie.” Bill stopped and turned, smiling ruefully. “It is good to see you, I was just expecting Dana to be here.”
“She had some last minute errands to run. You’re a bit earlier than we figured.”
The brothers moved farther into the living room.
“Then I’ll have to wait to meet my nephew, I guess,” Bill said. “Or are you baby-sitting for her?”
“Mulder’s putting Will down for a nap, so I guess you’ll have to wait anyway.”
Bill’s brows drew down over his eyes in a scowl. “She left him alone with her baby?”
“He’s Mulder’s son, too, Bill.” Charlie glowered right back at him. “Mom said you were giving Dana a hard time, but she never told me you were being such a pig. He’s a lot more comfortable around his kid than I remember you being with Matthew.”
The indignant retort on Bill’s lips was stalled by the sound of a voice murmuring in the distance. Charlie followed as the singing drew Bill down the hallway to the nursery. The door was half open, Mulder’s back framed in the aperture. He swayed from side to side as he stroked his son’s back and head, crooning in a gravely tenor as William’s sleepy eyes blinked over his father’s shoulder.
May each day in the month be a good day. May you make friends with each one you meet. And may all of your daydreams be mem’ries, And may all of your mem’ries be sweet.
William yawned.
The weeks turn to months and the months into years. There’ll be sadness and joy, there’ll be laughter and tears. But one thing I pray to heaven above, May each of your days be a day full of love.
Sleepy-baby eyes blinked closed and stayed that way.
May each day in the year be a good day. May each dawn find you happy and gay. And may all of your days be as lovely As the one you shared with me today.
Mulder dropped a soft kiss on William’s head and laid him in the crib. He stayed for a few moments, tucking in the blanket. When he turned and saw the two men standing in the doorway, Mulder jumped.
“Thanks, guys,” he whispered, shooing them out the door and closing it behind them. “Now I’m gonna be jazzed on adrenaline for the rest of the day.” Mulder strode off down the hallway, Charlie and Bill trailing in his wake.
“I recognized that song you were singing,” Bill said. “Tara sings it to Mattie a lot. I didn’t realize you knew it.”
Leading the way to the kitchen, Mulder grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and handed it to Bill, then passed another one to Charlie. Taking one for himself, Mulder twisted off the cap and took a swig before speaking.
“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
Bill took a large swallow of his drink, too. “Like what?”
They locked eyes for several seconds. Charlie could feel the tension in the air ratchet up a notch.
“Like I want the best for my son, the same as any other father. Just like you.”
Bill’s gaze dropped first, and he took another pull at his beer.
Mulder sighed. “Look, Bill, you just got here. Let’s not start a pissing match right away, okay? I know you blame me for the death of Melissa, probably your father as well, every awful thing that’s ever happened to Scully, and global warming. You may even be right. But I want Scully to have a pleasant visit with both of her brothers for once, so how about we lay off the blame game until we can do it in private?”
“What the hell’s with all this ‘Scully’ crap, anyway?” Bill smacked his beer bottle down on the counter and scowled. “She’s got a perfectly nice first name. Why can’t you use it?”
Charlie had often wondered that, too, but it hadn’t seemed important enough to fight over. Apparently, nothing was too insignificant for Bill, though.
Mulder snorted, and took a gulp of his beer before answering. “Why don’t you try listening to how it’s said sometime? You might be surprised by what you hear.”
“Yeah? Well, why don’t you surprise me even more by telling me that you’ve finally talked her into a safer job?”
As tight as Mulder was clenching his jaw, Charlie was afraid he’d end up with a mouthful of broken teeth.
“What makes you think I have any control over what your sister does, Bill? She’s a grown woman. One trained in the use of firearms and hand-to-hand combat, I might add. I’d like to see the man who could make her do anything against her will without walking like Quasimodo for a week.”
Bill barked a derisive laugh.
“You don’t believe me?” Mulder made an expansive gesture with his beer bottle. “Be my guest. Piss her off. I just hope you and Tara have had all the kids you want, because it’ll be a moot point when she gets done with you.”
Drinking his beer in silence, Charlie’s eyes flicked back and forth as he waited for the fireworks. They never exploded, because just then, he heard the front door open, and a soprano “Mulder?”
Shooting the two other men a “shut-up” glare, Mulder called back, “We’re in the kitchen, Scully.” He jumped to assist as she struggled through the doorway with a paper sack in each arm and a plastic bag dangling from one hand.
“I thought you were just picking up a few things for supper,” he said as they set the bags on the counter. “Did you shop for the neighbors, too?”
“You know how it is.” She shrugged, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. “You always find things you forgot you needed.”
Turning, Scully beamed a smile at her older brother and opened her arms.
“Billy, it’s so good to see you.”
He engulfed her in a hug, then stepped back to look her over.
“You’re looking well, Dana. It’s good to see you, too. Charlie says I’m early. Is that a problem?”
“Nope.” Scully stood on tiptoe to kiss Bill’s cheek. “That just means we’ll have more time to talk. Smells like you came at just the right time for supper, too.” She turned to Mulder and cocked an eyebrow. “I thought you weren’t going to start the soup for a while.”
“Everything must be accomplished according to the whims of the boy king, Scully.” Mulder turned the heat back on under the pot and gave it a stir. “After he woke up earlier than usual this morning, I deduced that he’d be needing an early lunch and nap. Good thing I got supper started or it would only be half done by now.”
Scully began unpacking the groceries and smiled as Charlie moved to assist. “Where is Will?”
“Out trolling for babes with Frohike.” Mulder gave an unrepentant grin in reply to her disgusted eye-roll. “Sleeping, of course. He conked out just before you got back. I know it’s a little early, but if we sit down to eat in the next ten minutes, we might even get some food in our stomachs before he realizes that we’re having fun without his permission.”
At a nod from Dana, Charlie opened a cupboard and got out bowls. He turned to find Bill watching him with a surprised look on his face, but Charlie ignored it and just held out the bowls. When Bill took them, Charlie turned back to the cupboard for glasses. He pulled spoons and napkins from the drawers, then directed his brother to the dining area.
As they set the table, Charlie waited for the inevitable question.
“You seem awfully at home here,” Bill remarked. Charlie wasn’t fooled by the casual tone. He knew how his brother’s mind worked, and he knew what was coming. “Do you spend a lot of time with them?”
Charlie shrugged. “Sure. I don’t have any friends here, so I spend my free time with either Mom or Dana. I’m really at home at Mom’s house, too, just in case you were wondering.”
“It’s good that you get to spend time with them, after being far away for so many years.”
“Yeah. I’ve had a chance to reconnect with Dana, and I’m getting to know my new nephew. He’s a really sweet kid.”
“So what do you think about Mulder?”
There it was. Just tossed out into the conversation, as though it didn’t matter to Bill what he answered. Charlie knew better. Checking to make sure Dana and Mulder were still busy in the kitchen, Charlie finished setting the table and drew his brother into the living room, where they were less likely to be overheard.
“You don’t want to know what I think, Bill.”
“If I didn’t want to know, I wouldn’t have asked.”
Straightening his shoulders, Charlie looked Bill in the eye. “I think he’s a great guy. He’s not perfect, but he adores Dana and dotes on their son. He’s a good man and a good father. He’d do anything to keep them both safe and happy.”
Bill let out a sarcastic “HA” that made Charlie’s hackles rise.
“I knew you really didn’t want the truth, Bill. You never do unless it conforms to your own narrow viewpoint.” Charlie moved over to the fireplace, turning his back on his brother’s startled face. He heard Bill cross the floor to stand next to him, but Charlie didn’t dare look at him. They’d played this game many times before. This time, he wasn’t the same little brother who would give up his own opinion just because Bill said he should. He’d spent too many years on his own to fall back into that habit again.
“How can you say that, after everything that’s happened to her since they started working together?” Bill’s words were a hissing whisper, inaudible to anyone except Charlie. “He’s not good for her, or for the baby. Who knows what might happen to Will? His father attracts trouble. You need to talk to Dana, since she seems to listen to you more than me. Mulder is a Jonah, and he’s going to get both of them hurt if she doesn’t leave.”
Charlie’s temper flared, and he spun around so fast they would have collided if Bill hadn’t stepped back in surprise. Jabbing a stiff finger into his brother’s chest, Charlie hissed right back at him.
“If that’s true, then it must be your fault that Mattie broke his arm last summer, huh? I heard all about it from Mom. You were there, but you didn’t do anything to protect him. He shouldn’t have been hurt because it was your job to keep him safe. It doesn’t matter that he fell out of the tree after you told him not to climb it. It was your fault, wasn’t it?”
Bill’s mouth hung open for several seconds before he could find the words to respond. Then his eyebrows drew down in annoyance.
“I tried to keep Mattie out of that tree, Charlie. It was an obsession with him. I even considered putting a fence around it, but he was absolutely determined. All it took was a few minutes in the house to fetch something, and he’d already climbed the tree and fallen out of it. It wasn’t my fault. I did everything I could to protect my son.”
Charlie’s finger jabbed at Bill again.
“And Mulder has done everything he can to keep Dana and Will safe. Danger happens to be a part of their jobs, and Dana loves her job. She chose to do this, Bill. Mulder didn’t talk her into anything. She was already in the FBI before they met. In fact, I’ve heard him try to talk her out of an assignment twice since I moved here. She’s chosen to stay and work with him. Yes, it’s dangerous. Yes, awful things have happened because of what she does. But that’s not Dana’s fault, and it’s not Mulder’s fault. It just IS. And now that they have Will, they’re both being more careful. They have too much to lose now. So do you, if you can’t accept that she’s a grown-up and able to run her own life.”
Dodging around Bill’s body, Charlie strode off to the kitchen, leaving his stunned brother behind.
8:00 PM
To Charlie’s surprise, Bill behaved himself for the rest of the evening. It certainly didn’t hurt that Mulder kept as low a profile as possible, but Charlie could see that his brother was putting forth a definite effort not to upset Dana. They were currently sitting in the living room, engaged in a spirited but friendly argument over who broke Great-Grandmother Scully’s Waterford crystal vase over twenty years ago. Charlie wished he could tell them it had happened during one of his early attempts to control his talent, just to see the looks on their faces. From the thoughtful gleam in Mulder’s eye, though, Charlie knew he suspected the truth.
A wail from Will, bouncing on Mulder’s knees, broke into the conversation.
“He’s getting tired again,” Scully said. “Time for a bath, little man.” She stood and walked over to take him, arms outstretched, but Mulder stopped her with a shake of his head.
“Why don’t I do the bath tonight so you can visit with your brothers a bit longer? You can do bottle and story time instead.”
Scully lowered her arms. “That’s a nice gesture, Mulder, but Will likes your stories much better than mine.”
He grinned. “That’s because I do all the sound effects and squeaky voices, Scully. You’ll just have to put forth a little more effort tonight.” He stood with Will in his arms, but hesitated for a moment before turning and walking toward the bathroom.
Charlie had a good idea what Mulder had wanted to do. When he’d first arrived in DC, Charlie had been rather surprised by how little his sister and her partner touched each other. He’d often caught them gazing into each other’s eyes for long moments, but never any physical show of affection while he was there. He’d recently come to realize that was Dana’s doing. She’d never been a demonstrative person, even as a child, preferring to keep her private emotions private. Mulder, on the other hand, was a toucher; a sniffer; a kisser. It took a few weeks, but Mulder had gradually resumed what was probably a necessity for him. A caress of her cheek as he walked by. A touch on her hand to draw her attention. A kiss when he left the apartment, or sometimes just the room. Charlie had seen all of these little signs of their love for one another many times over the last few weeks as Mulder’s persistence had paid off in a more-relaxed Dana finally allowing his little displays in her brother’s presence. Now, he could see the effort it had taken for Mulder to not kiss Dana as he and Will left the room. Nothing would have ruined the current cheerful atmosphere more quickly. Charlie was thankful for Mulder’s tact and restraint. He just hoped Bill wasn’t any more perceptive these days than he’d ever been.
The three siblings sat in companionable silence for a few minutes until Bill finally spoke.
“How’s the new job going, Charlie? Mom said you’re working at a bar somewhere?”
“Yeah, I got a job bartending not too far from here. Washington is well supplied with bars, and they always need good bartenders to keep the customers satisfied.”
“I thought you gave that up years ago. It’s not much of a job for a grown man.”
Charlie couldn’t help but catch the condescending tone in Bill’s voice. It irked him that after all the years they’d been apart, he could still be angered so easily by his brother.
“Well who do you expect to serve you when you want a drink, Bill? They don’t let children into bars as a rule, so I guess it would have to be someone who’s a bit more grown up. It’s a perfectly good job, and it pays a hell of a lot more than you might think. Plus it gives me time during the day to spend with Mom and Dana and Will.” Charlie took a deep breath in an attempt to get his temper under control before he was tempted to hit his brother with something levitated off Dana’s mantelpiece. “Besides, it was either that, or bulk up and become a Chippendale.”
“A big bean pole like you?” Bill laughed. “You’re probably better off tending bar. I sure can’t imagine you strutting around on a stage while women hoot and throw their underwear at you.”
Charlie waggled his eyebrows. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.” He wasn’t about to tell his amused siblings that he was bluffing, just as long as the reduced animosity kept him from doing something he’d definitely regret later. It seemed like a good idea to change the focus of the conversation.
“Mom says you’re here on business, Bill. Anything you can discuss?”
“Nothing top secret,” he replied. “I’ve been on desk duty ever since my appendectomy two months ago. I’m just checking in to be cleared for active duty and to tender my report on the last few weeks. Damned boring it was, too, pushing paper all day. I can hardly wait to get back to an assignment. I have a meeting at 0900 hours tomorrow, but then I expect to be free by noon.”
“Why don’t we meet somewhere for lunch?” Scully asked.
Bill’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Tomorrow’s Monday. Don’t you have to work?”
Scully shot him smug grin.
“When Mom said you were coming to DC, I took a couple days off, just in case you had time to visit. So, no. I don’t have to work tomorrow.”
Before Bill could reply, the pause in the conversation was filled by the sound of baby squeals coming from the bathroom. Mulder’s voice could be heard over the top of Will’s chortles, shouting, “Oh no! It’s Big Blue! He’s gonna capsize the boat! AHHH!” followed by vocal depth-charges and loud splashing.
Scully closed her eyes and shook her head as Charlie turned a guffaw into a coughing fit. Letting Mulder give Will his bath usually meant giving the bathroom a thorough cleaning afterward to make it usable again. Charlie gave his sister credit for agreeing to the change in routine, even just for one night.
Bill snorted. “Is Mulder going to join us for lunch?”
Charlie winced at the distinct sneer in his voice and waited for Dana to explode. Instead, she sighed and chewed on her lip for a second before answering.
“He doesn’t have to if you’d prefer, Bill. I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“Yeah. Right,” he growled.
There was a definite glint of aggravation showing in Dana’s eyes this time. Playing the part of peacemaker was starting to wear on Charlie’s nerves, but he jumped into the fray once more.
“How about we meet Bill at the Hoover Building, Dana? I’ve been in DC for two months and I still haven’t seen where you work yet.” Charlie wondered if that had been the wrong thing to say, considering the incredulous stare his brother was wearing.
His sister seemed to think it was a good idea.
“Sure, Charlie. I can give you the private tour and we’ll meet in the office when Bill gets done. I’ll leave his name at the desk and directions on where to find us, then we can all go out to lunch from there. How does that sound, Bill?”
He was most certainly trying to be on his best behavior. Otherwise, Charlie was sure Bill would have already singed his ears with his exact thoughts. Instead, he appeared to be giving the idea careful consideration.
“It’s a good plan, Dana, but who’s going to watch the baby?”
“We could leave him with Mom for the day, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to bring him along. Will is usually pretty good in restaurants, and you really haven’t had a chance to spend much time with him. I’d like you two to know each other better.”
Bill nodded. “Well, it’s not like I don’t have any experience with kids of my own. If you don’t mind bringing him, I don’t mind either. But if we meet at your office, won’t Mulder want to tag along, too?”
“If I ask him not to, Bill, he won’t. You don’t understand him because you haven’t bothered to try. He only wants whatever makes me happy, and if that means going out to lunch without him, he’ll agree. He might not be thrilled about it, but he’s not going to make a scene in the middle of the Hoover Building.”
“You’re sure about that?”
It was hard to tell if Bill was being deliberately provocative, or if he really believed what he was asking. Scully shot him an exasperated glare.
“Maybe you haven’t seen Mulder under the best circumstances in the past, but I assure you that he won’t. Mulder is an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations. He may be prone to flying off the handle when he’s upset, but when the occasion calls for it, he’s a consummate professional.”
Just as Scully finished speaking, Mulder appeared in the living room doorway. Wet hair plastered to his head, his soaked t- shirt clung to his chest, and the front of his jeans were water- darkened from waist to knees.
He offered up Will, wrapped head to toe in a towel, for Scully’s approval.
“One baby, newly scrubbed and ready for a story. Just watch your step if you need to use the bathroom. There’s a little water on the floor.”
When Bill and Charlie burst out laughing, Mulder looked down at the wiggling baby in his arms, and shrugged.
J. Edgar Hoover Building
Monday 11:45 AM
“Well if it isn’t Junior G-Man! And with an addition to the entourage.”
The guard at the front desk smiled at Will, receiving a gummy grin in return. They were old friends, comrades of many a late-night run to the office to retrieve a forgotten file or late-working family member. The guard turned his smile on Scully next.
“Nice to see you in the daylight, Agent Scully.”
She smiled back. “They change your rotation, Eddie? Mulder swears you’re really a vampire, you’ve been on nights so long.”
“Yeah, I finally hit enough seniority to get day shift until I retire. ‘Course, I’m driving the missus crazy, being home and awake in the evenings. Keeps complaining I’m underfoot all the time.” He gave Charlie a good looking-over, then turned his attention back to Scully. “What can I do for you today, Agent Scully?”
“I’m taking my brother Charlie on a tour, Eddie.”
Charlie received a smile from the guard as well.
“But my other brother, Bill, is going to be meeting us in the office later,” she continued. “I told him to check in here. Could you give him directions on where to find us?”
“Last name, please?”
“Scully, Eddie, like mine.” She raised her voice slightly to get the point across. “Bill Scully. I appreciate your help.”
“No problem, Agent Scully. You two have a nice visit.” Reaching out, the guard shook Will’s little hand between two of his fingers. “And you stay out of trouble, Junior G-Man. No running up and down the halls, scaring the other agents.”
Will gave a bubbling chortle that earned him smiles all around.
Walking toward the metal detectors, Charlie couldn’t help gawking at his surroundings. People of all races strode through the spacious lobby, carrying briefcases, satchels, and dispatch pouches, dressed in suits, casual clothes, ethnic outfits, and uniforms of every description. It was like the huge terminus of a multi-cultural ant hill — each well-dressed ant intent on its own individual business. He watched as a tour group finished their turn through the electric portal and headed off.
“Place all the items in your pockets in this basket, please, sir.”
Charlie tried to remember if he’d brought anything embarrassing with him. He emptied his pockets and stepped through the archway. When it remained silent, he gathered his belongings and watched his sister.
Scully emptied her pockets and placed the diaper bag next to the basket. She displayed her ID as a matter of form, and indicated that she wasn’t armed, while another guard looked through Will’s accessories. She and Charlie had held a minor argument over the prudence of bringing her weapon on a casual visit with the baby in tow. Charlie had won, convincing her to leave it at home. The trump card turned out to be a casual mention of Bill’s possible reaction to packing heat on a lunch outing. Dana shut up and left without it.
Duly checked and cleared, the little party moved off toward the rear of the lobby. They hadn’t gotten very far when a familiar voice sounded clearly above the hustle and noise.
“Scully!”
They turned to see Mulder striding toward them, suit coat flapping, looking very much like a man on a mission. The huge smile on his face informed anyone who cared to look that the mission was a pleasure.
He caught up to them and placed a kiss on Will’s fuzzy head in passing, not quite stopping his headlong rush completely. Walking backward toward the bank of elevators, Mulder kept talking as he went.
“I’m glad I checked to see if you were here. Skinner needs to see me for a few minutes, and I didn’t want you to find the office empty. Wait here for me, okay? You can show your brother the Ten Most Wanted display. With all the traveling he’s done, maybe he knows someone.”
The closing elevator doors obscured Mulder’s face as the last word left his mouth. Charlie grinned at Dana’s exasperated look. They hadn’t even gotten a word in edge-wise while Mulder had announced their business to any interested bystanders. So much for the “consummate professional.”
Tugging on his sister’s arm, Charlie pulled her toward the ragged end of the tour group. He looked closely at the list of wanted felons, but none of them seemed familiar. He was a bit disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to affect the capture of a dangerous criminal, but he brushed it off as not having spent time with the right people. Or the wrong ones, depending on your point of view. They’d just reached the exhibit about American gangsters when Mulder returned, a tall, bald man right behind him. Noticing the way Dana straightened up and pulled down her professional mask, Charlie deduced that he was in the presence of Assistant Director Walter Skinner.
Mulder made some rapid introductions, then reached to take William. The baby, however, was intent on leaning over far enough to grab Skinner’s glasses. Mulder intercepted his son at the point where he overbalanced out of Scully’s arms and scooped him up.
“The AD needs to speak with you for a minute, Scully. Something about a line item on the last expense report. I tried to explain it to him, but he said it sounded like nonsense coming from me. Why don’t you give it a try? You speak the language better than I do.” Plucking the diaper bag from her shoulder, Mulder drew Charlie to one side, giving the AD and Scully some privacy.
“Look, Will,” Mulder cooed, pointing to a portrait on the wall, “that’s a picture of a very bad man.”
Charlie snorted. “Mulder, that says it’s a picture of J. Edgar Hoover.”
“Does it?” His brow furrowed in mock concentration as he stared at the prominent historical plaque. “Well then, maybe not a bad man, but certainly confused.”
“Mulder, if Will fails history in high school, I’m holding you accountable.”
They turned to see Skinner disappearing down the hall and Scully standing behind them, eyebrow cocked. She reached to take Will back, but stopped when Mulder held up a hand.
“This young man is starting to emit noxious fumes, Scully. Why don’t you two go on ahead? There’s a family bathroom with a changing table down that hall. I’ll clean him up and catch you in the basement.”
He turned and walked away, leaving a grinning Scully behind, shaking her head.
“He’s a really good father,” Charlie said, watching the look on his sister’s face soften in response.
“Mulder’s a wonderful daddy,” she replied. “He gets so much enjoyment out of everything having to do with Will. Sometimes I think he’s trying to rewrite his own lonely childhood now that he finally has someone to play with.”
As they headed for the stairs, for a moment, Charlie wondered why they weren’t taking the elevator. When the doors at the end of the hall opened and revealed a car-load of chattering agents, he understood. The other agents they’d passed since their arrival had provided a constant background of stares, whispers, and soto voce sniping. There wasn’t anything that he could point his finger at in solid proof, but the sound of snickering seemed to be loudest while Mulder was present. Charlie wished Dana didn’t feel the need to spare him more of the same while in her company. He would have enjoyed using his power to smack a few of them with their own folders and briefcases.
One flight of stairs after another led farther and farther down without let-up. It finally struck Charlie exactly where they were headed.
“Your office is in the basement?” He couldn’t keep the incredulity out of his voice, but Dana just smiled over her shoulder at him.
“It has its advantages,” she replied.
“Like?” Charlie couldn’t imagine anything lonelier than being stuck in the bowels of the building.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Scully gestured toward the office door. “Like, when someone comes down here, at least we know they didn’t just make a wrong turn somewhere. And it’s quiet. We like it that way.”
Scully grabbed the doorknob and turned, to no avail. She shrugged and patted her pockets, then frowned.
“Damn, he locked the door and I left my keys in the diaper bag. We’ll have to wait until Mulder gets down here.”
Charlie looked around at all the shelves and boxes in the hall. It looked like they were in a giant storage closet. He’d heard of utilizing the budget to its fullest extent, but this seemed ridiculous. Spotting a box that had clearly tumbled off a shelf onto the floor, he picked it up with his mind and put it back in place. Dana smacked him on the arm.
“Stop that,” she whispered. “Bill could show up at any minute. Do you want him to find out about you?”
“Gee, Sis, you make it sound like I stand on street corners selling naked pictures to little kids.”
“I don’t think he would understand either activity very well.”
Before Charlie had a chance to reply, something must have caught Dana’s attention, because she turned toward the stairs. Charlie followed her gaze. Expecting to see Mulder and Will, he was surprised to find a stranger in a security guard’s uniform standing on the second step. In fact, he looked like one of the guards that had checked them through the metal detector. Dana’s eyebrow rose in inquiry.
“Can I help you?”
They both gasped when the man pulled his gun and pointed it at them. “Don’t make any sudden moves, either of you,” he instructed. Continuing down the stairs, he maneuvered Scully and Charlie so their backs were to the office door. They were trapped. Even with the stairs right next to them, there was nowhere to go that didn’t give the gunman a clear shot.
Scully broke the silence. “What do you want?”
“I need to talk to Commander Scully.”
Charlie glanced around the small space, expecting to see that Bill had snuck up on them, too. He looked back at the gunman and realized that the man’s eyes were on him. Charlie cleared his suddenly dry throat.
“Commander Scully isn’t here right now. He’ll be sorry he missed you.”
The guard’s face turned red and the gun shook in his hand. His eyes grew dark with anger.
“Don’t fucking lie to me!” He spit the words into the air between them. “I’ve never so much as seen your face, but I’ve hated you for months. When I heard your name in the lobby earlier, I knew it was fate. I’m finally being given a chance to even the score for Alan.”
In the tense silence in the basement hallway, a voice echoed down the concrete steps.
“If you eat green peas, why don’t they come out green? That’s what I’d like to know. Or maybe we’d be happier living in ignorance. What do you think, buddy?”
Charlie mentally slapped himself for convincing Dana to leave her gun at home. Not that it would have helped at the moment, with someone else waving one in their faces. But it was beginning to look like they were up shit creek, and not only didn’t they have a paddle, but the boat was leaking.
Footsteps rounded the landing and Mulder came into view, Will perched in the crook of one elbow. His face lit up when he saw Charlie and Scully by the door.
“What are you doing out in the hall? I didn’t leave my girlie magazines laying around again… did… I…?” Mulder stopped short when he was halfway down the last flight of stairs, having finally gotten a look at the situation. He glared at the guard and covered Will with his large hands as much as he could, pulling him in tight to his shoulder. The gunman wiped the sweat off his face on his shirt sleeve and gestured for them to continue down the stairs. The look on his face plainly showed his displeasure with this new development.
Charlie wasn’t exactly thrilled about it, either.
Walking the rest of the way down, Mulder scooted in behind Charlie and Scully, between them and the door. He clutched Will to his chest, positioning him so he was protected to a certain extent by Scully’s body. All three stared at the gunman, holding their breath. When the man made a move to step closer, Mulder’s lip curled and Charlie actually heard him snarl. The gunman must have heard, too, because he stopped.
It was Mulder who spoke first. “You won’t get out of this building.”
“I know I won’t get out. I’m in the middle of the damned headquarters of the whole god damned FBI.” The gunman gave a wild bark of a laugh. “I know all about the damned security. I don’t care. My life means nothing to me after what he did to Alan.”
The movement of a hand against his back caught Charlie’s attention, but it didn’t appear that the gunman had noticed anything. There was a very soft <snick> and Charlie realized that he was hearing a holster being unsnapped. Dana might not be armed, but Mulder was. To cover his actions, Mulder continued to talk.
“I don’t understand what’s going on here. You’re one of the front lobby guards. I’ve seen you at the metal detectors before. What do you want with us?”
“I don’t want anything from you or her. All I want is Commander Scully. He owes me.”
“You’ve got the wrong man.” Mulder’s voice was a soft, soothing monotone. “This isn’t Commander Scully.”
The gunman didn’t appear to be especially soothed by his words.
“She gave his name to Eddie at the front desk. I KNOW he’s Commander Bill Scully! I heard her, so don’t play games with me!”
Looking around the hallway behind the guard, Charlie desperately searched for a way out of their dilemma. It didn’t look like Bill was going to make an appearance anytime soon, and it didn’t seem likely the gunman would believe any more denials. In fact, it just made him more pissed. It appeared to Charlie that he was going to be forced to play the part of Commander Scully. He just hoped he could bluff his way through until help arrived. And maybe he could manage a small telekinetic assist. If he could concentrate well enough with another gun in his face. A wave of deja vu swept over him, taking him back to the would-be robber in the parking lot. Being threatened at gunpoint was getting to be an annoying habit.
“Why don’t you let these other people go first?” Charlie asked. “Your beef is with Commander Scully. They haven’t done anything to you. Let them go, and maybe I can help you.”
Dana went rigid next to him, and Mulder poked him in the back. Charlie shook his head slightly to tell them he knew what he was doing. He’d just spotted their salvation — all he needed to do was stall. There was an old ashtray on a heavy iron stand, sitting up against the wall, on the far side of the elevator. Thank god for the insect bureaucracy that never threw anything away. Charlie kept one eye on the gun barrel as he started the process of focusing his thoughts.
The gunman’s wild laughter wasn’t reassuring.
“HELP? Haven’t you ‘helped’ enough already? Alan’s dead! Maybe if you’d actually done something when he came to you for ‘help’ he’d still be alive.”
Scully turned her body slightly, catching the guard’s attention, although his gun remained trained on Charlie. There was a definite feeling in the air that something was going to happen soon. Charlie used the slight distraction to narrow his concentration, listening without responding.
“We don’t understand,” Scully said. “What did Commander Scully do?”
The gunman huffed a laugh that sounded far from amused.
“Okay. Sure,” he said. “Why not? You wanna know what he did? He turned his back on someone who needed his help, because the Navy doesn’t like to know if you’re gay! He refused to help another human being who was hurting, so Alan killed himself! How’s that? HUH?”
The man’s voice rose louder and louder until he was shouting. Will whimpered in preparation for crying, but Mulder’s soft “shh shh shh” calmed him again. It wasn’t as effective on the gunman, who continued his tirade.
“You’re not allowed to be gay in the military, did you know that? Don’t ask, don’t tell, they say. Bullshit! The minute one person finds out, they make your life a living hell. Little things, stupid things, but every one of them building toward the grand finale. Touches and whispers, shit in his bed and condoms in his food. Kissy noises as he went about his duties, trying to serve out his assignment so he could come home to me. All those assholes treating him like dirt, just because he loved me.”
The guard held up his left hand, where a gold band glinted. “You see that? Alan gave it to me last year when he was home on leave. And he would have worn one just like it when he was done serving his tour. But instead, a bunch of them jumped him on shore leave one night.” His voice broke on a sob. “They raped him! One right after the other! He didn’t even know how many there were, they did it so many times. And when he went to Commander Scully afterward, he told Alan there was nothing he could do about it! NOTHING! He was told to return to duty and forget about it. Instead, Alan wrote me one last letter, then slit his wrists with a kitchen knife. They found him the next morning, on his blood-soaked mattress. The only reason I got his letter was because he put it in an envelope to his parents and they sent it to me. I didn’t even know he was dead until they told me! I wasn’t there when he needed me and nobody else cared enough to help him!”
Charlie felt the moment his mind connected with the ashtray. It was heavy, but not much heavier than the pot of soup he’d lifted the previous day. He was finding it hard to concentrate with the harsh words of the gunman ringing through the basement hallway. He’d always known Bill was an asshole, but he’d also hoped to be proven wrong someday, not right. Blocking the voices of Dana and Mulder as they tried to keep the guard’s attention, Charlie gently levitated the ash-stand and prepared to brain him with it.
When Charlie thought about the events that followed later, they seemed to move slower and last a lot longer than they actually did.
As the stand rose off the floor, the elevator chimed and the doors opened to reveal Bill. The sound caught the gunman’s attention. He turned, and Charlie heard the swish of Mulder’s gun leaving the holster as Dana pulled it free. The guard swung back just in time to see Mulder curl himself around Will and drop to his knees as Dana brought his gun up and yelled “Freeze!” Charlie watched Bill dive back into the elevator as two guns discharged at once. The sound was so deafening, it took a few seconds for the pain in Charlie’s right shoulder to register. His concentration well and truly broken, the ashtray clanged to the floor as he folded to the ground in pain. Time resumed its normal pace.
“Shit shit shit fuck shit oh fuck it hurts goddammittohell…”
Charlie could hear his own voice just fine, but the other sounds around him seemed to fade in and out. Snatches of shouted conversation overlaid the shrill crying of a baby. His ears were ringing. Must remember not to be in an enclosed hallway the next time a gun goes off, he thought.
“Shots fired in the basement! We need two ambulances. One security guard and one civilian down. Situation under control.”
…………………..
“Keep the cuffs, Mulder. He’s not going anywhere right now.”
…………………..
“So who the hell did you piss off this time, Mulder?”
…………………..
“Don’t try to get up, Charlie. Help will be here shortly. Shh, Will, shh, it’s okay now.”
………………….
“You even put your own son in danger, you asshole!”
“Bill…”
…………………
“The paramedics are here, Scully.”
…………………
“This one’s in bad shape, Brian. Let’s take him first. The shoulder wound can wait. Go ahead and keep the pressure on it for now, Agent Mulder. The other ambulance was right behind us.”
The shoulder wound. Charlie realized that was him. His head was clearing. He was still in pain, but feeling more numb as well. Probably going into shock. Wasn’t that what they always said on those medical shows on TV? You’d think something called “shock” would wake you up instead of making you sleepy.
“Stay awake, Charlie.”
“Shleepy…” Great. Now he sounded drunk, and he hadn’t even had anything to drink. No point in talking like you’ve been drinking if you haven’t been.
“I know.” Dana. Being a doctor instead of a gun-pointing FBI agent. He liked Doctor Dana, except when she pinched his earlobe like that.
“Ouch!”
“You need to stay awake for a little longer.”
“Okay. ‘m ‘wake.”
“Is he gonna be okay, Dana?”
“Yeah, Bill. It looks like the bullet went through without hitting any arteries. He’s bleeding pretty bad, but it could be worse.”
“Good thing ‘m lef’-handed.”
Charlie felt fingers patting his face and realized that his eyes were closed. He opened them to see Will in Mulder’s lap, right next to his head, little fists bopping him on the cheeks. They were sitting on the floor, and Mulder was pressing something against his shoulder, very hard. No wonder it throbbed. He smiled tiredly at them and got matching grins in return.
“You’re gonna be okay, Charlie,” Mulder said. “Doctor Scully has spoken.”
“No thanks to you, Mulder.” Good old Bill. No situation so bad that he can’t find a way to make it worse. “He couldn’t even take a harmless little trip to the headquarters of the damned FBI without running into someone with a grudge against you.”
“Bill, not now.” Dana again. She sounded pissed. Well, she should be. Bill was pissing him off, too.
“How can you defend him, Dana? How many members of our family have to suffer before you’ll admit —”
Charlie’d had enough.
“For Christ’s sake, Bill, he was looking for YOU!”
Will started to sniffle again.
“What?”
Attempting to sit up just resulted in more pain as Mulder pushed him back down. Charlie took the hint and didn’t try again.
“He was angry at you,” he explained, “something about one of your seamen committing suicide because he was gay and you not doing anything when he needed help.” Bill’s pale face hung within Charlie’s line of vision so he didn’t have to move after all. “That guy thought I was Commander Scully. I think he was planning to kill you and then maybe kill himself.”
Bill’s face moved away, which was just as well, because Charlie was tired of looking at it.
“Is that true, Dana?” Trust Bill not to believe his younger brother. Some things never changed.
“Yes.” Good, clear answer, Dana. Don’t let him off the hook.
There was a roaring noise in Charlie’s ears, almost like waves at the ocean, but not quite. It was getting louder, so he almost missed Bill’s reaction.
“Oh my God…”
The roaring swallowed up anything else he might have said. Charlie regretted not being able to stick around and hear more. It wasn’t every day he got to see Bill eat crow. Unfortunately, his body had had enough excitement for one day, and his brain decided that would be the perfect time to shut down. He hoped Dana didn’t pinch his ear bloody before she realized he wasn’t waking up for a while.
Georgetown University Medical Center
Monday 5:35 PM
Charlie swam up from the depths of sleep to the sound of hushed voices hanging over his bed.
“He was right, you know. I should have done something.” Bill. With a very uncharacteristic note of sorrow and regret in his voice. Charlie decided now was not the right time to wake up. “But there wasn’t much I could do for Alan without it getting back to the higher-ups. Then, of course, he would have been kicked out, which might not have been a bad thing after all, considering what actually happened. I just thought it would be better to bury the whole… awful… ordeal — try to pretend it hadn’t happened, so he could finish out his assignment. The brass is very good at hiding their heads in the sand when they don’t want to know something. Maybe I am, too. But there should have been a way for me to help Alan.”
A throat cleared.
“Finding him someone to talk to might have helped, but then again, it might not.” Ah. Mulder. “There’s no way to know how a different reality would play out under the same circumstances. We can only guess. And guessing won’t accomplish anything.”
Bill sighed. “It hurts so much, knowing what I did, or didn’t do, led to Charlie being shot.”
“I know.”
“Is… is this how you feel when something bad happens to Dana?”
“Every damn time. Because even though you know you couldn’t have done anything to stop it, there’s still this nagging doubt that says you should have tried.”
“I just don’t understand…”
“Probably not, but you’re getting there.”
“Yeah.” Charlie couldn’t ever remember hearing his brother sound so contrite. It was a unique and miraculous occurrence, as far as he was concerned.
Clothing rustled and chairs squeaked in the quiet room. Charlie was just getting ready to announce his conscious state when Mulder spoke again.
“So does this mean you’re gonna kiss me on the lips every time we meet?”
Bill snorted. “Hardly.”
“Good. ‘Cause I don’t want your sister getting jealous after all this time.”
More rustling and squeaking. A chair scooted back across the floor.
“I’m going to see if Dana and Mom are back yet.” Bill again. “I’ll watch Will so they can come up for a while, then maybe you and I can go get some supper. You’ll be okay with him on your own?”
“I’ve had practice, Bill, but thanks for the concern. Don’t let your sister browbeat the nurses or they’ll decide someone needs an enema, and they won’t be particular about who they grab.”
Charlie couldn’t believe his ears when Bill chuckled. “You’re a real smartass, Mulder.”
The sound of shoes walking out the door, then silence.
“It’s safe now,” Mulder said. “He’s gone.”
One of Charlie’s eyes cracked open to find Mulder grinning at him.
“How did you know I was awake?”
“Your eyes shifted toward whoever was speaking. I’m a trained investigator — I notice little clues like that. You want some water?”
Charlie nodded, but before Mulder could reach for the pitcher and glass on the nightstand, they rose off the table and came to him. Mulder snatched both objects out of the air, glaring at Charlie’s smirking face.
“You like living on the ragged edge, don’t you?” Mulder poured some water into the glass, but didn’t hand it to him. “I should dump this on your head to shock some sense into you. Bill has enough to think about right now without adding a telekinetic brother to wrap his mind around. Behave yourself for once.”
“Isn’t that a bit hypocritical, considering the source?” Scully stood in the doorway, an amused smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth. She walked over to the side of the bed and grabbed Charlie’s arm, giving it a little shake for emphasis. “But just to clarify, if I hear any stories about levitating bedpans I will be forced to take extreme measures in curbing your little hobby.”
A mock sneer curled Charlie’s lip. “Oh yeah? You and what SWAT team?”
The smug look on Dana’s face made his spine tingle. “I’ll just tell Mom.”
Charlie raised a hand in surrender, the one without the IV, and Mulder stuck the glass of water in it. A few sips went a long way toward clearing out the taste of anesthetic. He handed the glass back with a look of thanks and turned to his sister.
“How’s the guard? Did he make it here?”
Scully raised the head of the bed, making his shoulder twinge and ache, but it was nice not being flat on his back anymore. Then she sat down in Bill’s chair and stared at her hands wrapped around his arm. The answer came from Mulder.
“He’s in critical condition.” Charlie turned his head and took in the sorrowful look on Mulder’s face. “They’re not sure he’ll live, but he’s holding his own so far.”
Charlie sighed. “I wish there had been something we could have done for him. It just seems like such a waste.”
Scully patted his arm, drawing his attention back to her. “It is a waste, Charlie. But I doubt if we could have changed his mind. He was in too much pain to see beyond the loss of someone he loved. I think he knew exactly what the outcome would be. He was willing to accept that if he could take the person he hated with him. I’m just sorry you had to get hurt in the process.”
“Yeah, me too,” he quipped. “In hindsight, talking you into leaving your gun home wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. We could have been in real trouble. I’m glad Mulder was armed. That was quite a shot you made, Sis.”
“Scully doesn’t miss when she’s got your back.”
The pride and love in Mulder’s voice would have been crystal clear, even if it hadn’t been shining from his face. Charlie finally understood what Mulder meant when he told Bill to listen to how he said their sister’s name, instead of what he called her.
Companionable silence reigned for a few minutes while Charlie completed the process of waking up. It suddenly occurred to him that Dana hadn’t said anything about his wound. He opened his mouth to ask a question, only to find that he was no longer the focus of attention. Instead, Dana and Mulder were sitting on opposite sides of his bed, gazing into each other’s eyes with such intensity that Charlie was surprised the blankets didn’t combust. While he was lying in a hospital bed, shot through the shoulder and currently girlfriend-less, his sister and her lover were engaging in a smoldering mental conversation over top of his abused carcass. Not only was Charlie unlikely to find someone to spend his nights with while he was out of commission for several weeks, but it looked like Mulder was going to get laid as soon as they got home — provided they even made it that far. The thought rankled.
“Would you two cut it out?” Charlie snapped. He shrugged one shoulder peevishly in response to the startled, questioning looks turned on him. “My arm hurts. How long do I have to stay here, anyway?”
Scully picked up the call button and pressed it. “You’ll probably be able to go home tomorrow if there’s no sign of infection. There wasn’t a lot of muscle damage, but they had to stitch the exit wound back together, so you’ll be sore for a week or two.”
A nurse knocked on the open door. “Did you need something, Dr. Scully?”
“Yes. Mr. Scully is feeling some discomfort in his arm. Could you find out if he’s allowed to have any pain medication yet?”
The nurse nodded and walked back out.
So Dana had established her credentials. It was nice to have a doctor in the family, even if she did usually work on dead people. Maybe they’d let him go home early on her say-so.
When there was another knock on the door less than two minutes later, Charlie was surprised to see a supper tray instead of his expected medication. He took in the pretty woman’s tall, slim figure and long blonde braid before reaching the sparkling green eyes that laughed back at him. When she smiled, two dimples indented the corners of her mouth.
Tracy. Her name tag said Tracy. And she wasn’t a nurse — she was a hospital volunteer. And she had the loveliest hands, and such soft looking arms. She moved the tray table into position and set his meal down. His situation seemed to be improving. Maybe they’d let him stay an extra day or two, just to be safe. He looked into her bright, open gaze and realized he wasn’t really all that hungry.
“Thank you, Tracy,” Charlie whispered. Why was he whispering?
“You’re welcome,” she whispered back. Her dimples reappeared and Charlie found himself grinning like an idiot. “I hope you feel better very soon.”
Tracy removed the cover from his food tray, then removed herself from the room, much to Charlie’s dismay. He sighed, eyeing the rather bland looking meal in front of him. Wait. Had she placed a special emphasis on “very”? Things were definitely looking up.
He was brought back to his surroundings by a throat being cleared. Shit. He’d forgotten about his audience. Dana and Mulder were looking at him like indulgent parents about to send their first child off to the prom.
“Do you want me to have the guys hack into the hospital volunteer records and get her phone number for you?” Mulder asked.
Charlie shot him a withering glare. “I think I can find out what I need to know on my own, thank you very much.” He took a nonchalant sip of his apple juice. “Assuming I’m interested in the first place, of course.”
“Uh huh.” The amusement in Mulder’s voice made Charlie’s skin crawl.
His mind raced in circles, trying to find a way to deflect their unwanted speculation. It didn’t take him long to hit on the most obvious means.
Appetite miraculously restored, Charlie used his mental ability to scoop some peas into a spoon and lift it toward his mouth. He shot his sister a gloating glance, only to be stopped in mid gloat by the sight of his mother standing in the doorway. Fists planted firmly on hips, she glowered her annoyance. His concentration destroyed, peas scattered everywhere as the spoon dropped to the bed.
“Charles Andrew Scully, how many times have I told you not to play with your food?”
THE END
Duplicity: The fact or practice of speaking or acting in two ways in relation to the same matter with intent to deceive; double- dealing.
Author’s Notes: Thanks for visiting my little universe. While I’d planned this as the last story in the series, I’m sure there will be readers who want to see more of these characters. Abject begging for sequels will simply cause me to laugh maniacally until I hurt myself, and I don’t think you’re that mean, no matter what anyone else says. Still, I never say absolutely never anymore, so who knows when my muse will bite me on the butt with a great idea. I appreciate all the support and encouragement y’all have shown me.
As for the Hoover Building, I’ve never been there but I’ve done a lot of online research. I honestly don’t know what the lobby looks like, but the site I found said they have displays of the Ten Most Wanted and gangsters and such. I’m hoping those are in the lobby. Apologies to anyone who actually knows the building if I got it all wrong.
Feedback: is printed out, fawned over, and stroked to tatters at [email protected]
My homepage, built and maintained by the ever-adorable XochiLuvr, can be found at https://mimicsmusings.com Your depravity levels may vary.
From: mimic117 <[email protected]> Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:35:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: NEW: Chip Off the Old Block V: Felicity 1/1 Source: direct
Title: Chip Off The Old Block V: Felicity
Author: mimic117
Email: [email protected]
Rating: PG-13
Category: S
Spoilers: Only for the other stories in this series. You really MUST read the first one in order to understand about Charlie. If you want to find out how he meets Tracy, that happens in the fourth one.
Summary: There’s a perfect someone for everyone, they say.
Keywords: MSR, Charlie fic, William fic
Archive: Most assuredly, thank you.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never have been. Fun, not profit.
Thanks to bellefleur for her usual sharp eye and deep thoughts, and to my Twinsy for vigilant comma patrol.
Dedication: To lkc, who was as patient and unrelenting as a velociraptor in her pursuit of this story. If this doesn’t hold ya for a while, I don’t know what we’re going to do with you.
This story is my tribute to Donna, who has delighted me over many years with her characterizations of Charles Scully. I’ve
come to realize that I tried to model the Charlie in this series after the ones I’ve enjoyed in her stories. She sees him as a witty, loving, non-judgmental man who respects his sister, the work she does, and the partner who relies on her. I couldn’t agree more. I hope this story will do justice to that vision.
Chip Off The Old Block V: Felicity
by mimic117
“Mulder, don’t give that back to him!” Scully shouted. “It’s been
on the floor!”
Charlie Scully tried to melt into the counter top he was leaning against in his mother’s kitchen, even though his sister’s ire wasn’t directed at him. It was always fun to see fireworks, but he didn’t want to get burned by the sparks. He watched as Mulder placed Will’s pacifier on the highchair tray in front of his son before turning toward his partner.
“It’s okay, Scully. The three second rule was in force.”
“What are you talking about? What rule?”
Crossed arms, lowered brows. She wasn’t buying it.
Mulder shuffled his feet nervously. “You know. If it hasn’t been on the floor for more than three seconds, it’s not dirty.”
Dana’s eyebrows shot back up. Not a good sign.
“What the hell kind of rule is that?”
“It’s a ‘guy’ rule.” Mulder looked at Charlie. “Your brother knows what I’m talking about. Don’t you?”
Charlie raised his hands in a classic leave-me-out-of-it gesture. “Don’t make me your accomplice, man. It’s my day off and I’ve got plans.”
Any further argument was forestalled by the entrance of Maggie Scully, carrying a handful of folded dish towels. She nudged Charlie out of the way and opened a drawer. As she put the towels inside, she scowled at her daughter, exhibiting a good likeness of the one Mulder had just been receiving.
“What is going on in here? I thought you two needed to make your flight.”
Scully rolled her eyes. “It’s just the usual difference of opinion, Mom. I dislike it when some people —” Mulder hopped back a step when she leveled a glare at him “— don’t bother to wash William’s pacifier off after it’s been on the floor. He finds enough dirty things to put in his mouth without any help. Mulder thinks I’m making a big deal out of nothing.”
Maggie smiled and patted Scully’s shoulder in passing as she walked to the coffee pot. “It’s okay. He isn’t going to get sick from a dropped binkie.” She held up a hand to prevent her daughter’s protest. “I’m not taking sides. You’re a doctor and
I’m sure you know all about germs, but I do have some experience with children, you know. The first child ends up with sterilized toys and bleached out blankies. By the time Charlie was born, if he dropped a cookie, I’d brush off the ants and give it back. Children are a lot tougher than they look. William will be fine.” Maggie started the coffee brewing, then turned, hands on hips, and fixed Scully with a pointed stare. “However, I don’t like your implication that my kitchen floor is dirty.”
Charlie really didn’t want to let out the laugh that was building inside of him, but he was afraid holding it in would make his head explode. Clamping a hand over his mouth, he attempted an unobtrusive exit.
Without looking at him, Maggie said, “Charles Andrew, don’t you dare run off. I want to talk to you after your sister leaves.”
His shoulders slumped. How did she know, even with her back to him? Granted she was a mother with the requisite “mom radar,” but sometimes he wondered if she was also psychic and simply hadn’t told him.
Mulder looked at his watch, then cleared his throat. “Scully, we really need to go.”
Charlie had to give him a lot of credit for speaking up. If he read Dana’s body language right, she was still mentally dissecting Mulder and flinging the bloody hunks into the Potomac. And if he could read Dana, so could Mulder. Yep, it took really big cojones to even stay in the same room when his sister was steamed.
Scully threw her hands in the air. “Fine! It doesn’t matter anyway, since you already gave it back to him. Let’s get out of here before William sees me slug you.”
The irritation in her voice was belied by the tenderness in the look she bestowed on her son. Charlie knew Dana and Mulder hadn’t gone out of town on cases very often since Will was born, and then only for a day or so. This time, they might be gone longer. Charlie didn’t know how they could stand leaving him.
Maggie put a hand on Scully’s arm. “Quick like a Band-Aid, Dana. Don’t linger.”
“I know.” She cupped William’s little face in her hands, planting kisses on his cheeks and forehead before she let the squirming baby go. “It just doesn’t get any easier.”
Maggie smiled wistfully. “And it never will, if you’re lucky.”
Mulder managed a couple of quick kisses, dodging flailing hands while William swiped at his face. Mulder waved as he
followed Scully out of the room. “Take care, Charlie. Don’t levitate anything I wouldn’t levitate.”
Scully reached back and smacked him on the arm.
“Hey!” Mulder yelped. “No slugging in front of the kid.”
“That wasn’t a slug. It was a slap.”
“Was not. I know the difference between a slug and a slap.”
“Keep it up and I’ll show you the difference.”
Charlie finally gave in to his laughter as their bickering voices faded in the direction of the front door. William started fussing in his high chair, straining toward the sound of his parents with the high-pitched whine in his throat that meant the imminent onset of crying. His pacifier dropped out of his mouth, back onto the floor.
Maggie set a box of Cheerios on the table as she passed. “Distract him with a handful while I say goodbye. I’d better mediate before she really does slug him.”
Charlie shuddered. “I’ll bet she knows how to hit so it doesn’t leave a mark.”
“I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. I’ll be right back. Then we’ll talk.”
Charlie scooped a little pile of oat rings onto the highchair tray just as Will was revving up to high C. The baby stopped in mid-whine and reached for a Cheerio. He slowly pinched it between his index finger and thumb, then carefully guided it toward his mouth. Thank goodness for bottomless baby stomachs and short attention spans.
Cup of coffee in hand, Charlie sat down at the kitchen table. He knew what his mother wanted to talk about. Ever since he’d started going out with Tracy, she’d been pumping him for information about her. Invitations to dinner went with him on every date. He had his own reasons for not issuing one yet, but it was only a matter of time before his mother wore him down.
A faint scratching noise caught his attention. It took Charlie a minute to realize where it was coming from—the Cheerios were twirling all over Will’s highchair tray. The baby sat, gleefully watching the revolving bits of cereal, completely unaware of his own role in the new entertainment.
The display lasted for less than a minute, but it gave Charlie pause. Will was just over a year old, and already he was moving light objects spontaneously. His crib mobile, the Cheerios—Charlie had even seen him shift papers on the coffee table. It didn’t appear deliberate yet, but there was no way of knowing how soon he’d make the connection between what he was thinking and the action that resulted. It might not happen until he reached puberty, or it could only be a matter of a few years, but he was going to become more powerful and have better control. Then things would get very interesting.
Charlie watched as Will went back to eating the now- motionless cereal. For someone with the attention span of a goldfish, the little boy was certainly capable of focusing when it came to food. He pinched each miniscule ring between his fingers, one by one, studied it up close until his eyes crossed, then slowly brought it to his mouth, which was hanging open in anticipation during the entire process.
Since coming to DC to live, Charlie had been spending a lot of time thinking about babies. He’d never been around children much, except for the few times he’d seen Bill with Matthew. His brother seemed like a good dad, but with too much of the military you’re-a-man-suck-it-up mind set. Not exactly an inspiration to rush toward fatherhood. Watching Mulder with Will was totally different, though; he was a fun father, creative, flexible, and not afraid to show his emotions or allow his son to. Charlie suddenly found himself wishing for that kind of relationship with a child. Did men have a biological clock? Recently, he’d felt like there was something urging him to reproduce, and it wasn’t just because he hadn’t gotten laid on a regular basis. Sex he could get, if he wanted to waste the money. But what he desired now went beyond sex. He wanted the same thing his sister had with Mulder and their son. A child with whom to share his heritage, an equal partner in all of life’s ups and downs, somebody who knew everything about him rather than what he felt safe sharing. And he desperately wanted that person to be Tracy.
Which was exactly why he didn’t have, and would never have, the kind of love Dana and Mulder enjoyed. He couldn’t risk exposing his ability. Oh sure, he could control himself most of the time, but faced with an emergency where he acted without thinking…
He’d probably end up in the National Inquirer, once the scientists got done picking his brain apart. Remaining low profile didn’t include serving the Thanksgiving Day turkey by levitating the platter across the table, but to spend his life with another person and never be able to allow that side of himself any kind of expression was unthinkable. He was what he was—
a telekinetic. Other than his parents and Mulder, the few people who’d ever found out simply didn’t know how to deal with it and he’d ended up having to move on. No matter what his heart and his biological clock were saying, he’d eventually have to find a way to break it off with Tracy.
Charlie heard his mother returning and quickly plastered on a neutral expression. After years of working with him to control his ability, she could read him with a glance from five hundred feet away. For once, he’d done a good job of hiding his thoughts. Maggie smiled at him, got herself a cup of coffee, and sat down without the narrowing of her eyes that meant she’d noticed something.
“So, where are you off to today?” she asked.
He took a sip before answering. “Tracy and I are going to play tourist in DC and gawk at the sites. I haven’t had much of a chance to really see anything yet, and that kind of thing is always more fun with company.” He waited for the inevitable questions.
“How many dates is this since you got out of the hospital?” She peered at him over her cup, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.
“Six, but that’s because it took me two weeks to work up the courage to call her.” If he’d called sooner, it would be triple that but he was deliberately going slow. He smiled openly at his mother, pleased that she hadn’t disappointed him. Dating just wouldn’t be the same without the less-than-subtle grilling he remembered from high school.
“So when are you bringing her over for supper? I have to meet her sometime, you know.”
There was the crux of the matter, and they both knew it. Charlie wanted to share his recent thoughts about fatherhood,
his fears of growing old alone, the strain of never being completely himself, but he couldn’t. Not yet. And he definitely couldn’t tell her how he felt about Tracy. She would probably see it as no problem—he’d just have to find a way to keep his gift a secret. Like there was nothing to it.
“I’ll bring her to supper soon.”
She peered at him over the rim of her cup again.
“I promise. It’s… complicated. You know that.” Charlie really didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He knew his mother almost as well as she knew him, so he chose a distraction that was certain to work. “The bigger question right now is what to do about Dana.”
“Why?” his mother asked. “What’s wrong with her?” Once again, she didn’t disappoint him.
Rather than reply, Charlie set William’s Cheerios twirling again. The baby crowed in delight and kicked his legs, bouncing in his highchair. “That’s me—this time. He was doing it by himself while you were out of the room. I’m sure it’s completely unconscious, but how long will it stay that way? He’s a smart kid. He’ll figure it out pretty soon. Dana would have a fit if
she saw him doing that.”
“And what do you want me to say to her? Dana has to reach acceptance in her own way and time. Trying to force her isn’t going to help.”
Charlie sighed. “You’re right, but I’m worried about Will. You know Dana. If she can’t accept it, she’ll ignore it as long as possible. He needs to have both of his parents focused on helping him learn control, the earlier the better. You, of all people, should understand that.”
Maggie gave him a rueful grin. “I know. Dana’s a lot like your father that way. The only reason why he was able to accept your abilities is that he found out about Uncle Kevin by accident, much the same way Mulder found out about you. We were already married with two children by then. It took me more than one shore leave to convince him that he wasn’t imagining things, hallucinating or going crazy.”
He blinked. “Dad never seemed to have a problem believing in MY powers.”
“He was always on the lookout for it, though. By the time you started levitating objects, he didn’t see it as odd because he’d gotten to know my uncle better. I see a similar process going on with your sister. I keep hoping she’ll wake up one morning and magically be okay with it. Maybe pick up some of Fox’s belief through osmosis. She seems to have dealt with learning about your ability pretty well so far.”
“That took weeks, Mom.” Charlie laughed. “You saw how she reacted when Mulder simply used the word ‘levitate.’ She’s fine as long as I act normal.” He raised the sugar bowl off the table with his thoughts. “The minute I exhibit any behavior related to my ‘talent,’ as she calls it, we go back a few steps in the acceptance department. I think she’s convinced herself that I’m a really good magician.”
His mother plucked the bowl out of the air and returned it to the center of the table. “Well if that’s the kind of thing you’re doing, I can’t say I blame her. My family history made it possible for your father and me to accept your ability, but even after all these years, it’s still a shock to see objects moving on their own. Imagine how that must affect someone with a logical, scientific mind, like Dana.”
“Yeah.” He took another sip of coffee. “Thank God for Mulder.”
Maggie shook her spoon at him. “Now wait a minute. Just because Fox believes something, that doesn’t make it true. That man can believe ‘nine impossible things before breakfast’ and seven of them are likely to be false alarms.”
“I know, I know. It’s just…” Charlie turned toward the sound of childish giggles. William’s cereal rings were spinning lazy circles on the highchair tray again. Maggie raised an eyebrow at him, and Charlie shook his head. It wasn’t his doing.
“The thing is,” he continued, “I didn’t have to convince Mulder. I didn’t have to spend time breaking through a wall of disbelief by continually proving what I can do. He simply believed, on the basis of what he’d seen, and my word.” He caught his mother’s eye and tilted his head toward the clapping baby. “I’d say that’s a good thing for little Will. Dana’s seen most of the same things Mulder has and she still has a hard time believing.”
Maggie sighed. “I’m afraid you’re right. It won’t be easy for any of them if his powers are this strong at such a young age.”
Charlie nodded. He knew the family history, and it was only once in every few generations that the ability appeared at birth. His sister was in for a very rough road if she couldn’t find a way to accept what her son was capable of.
For a while, the only sounds in the kitchen were happy-baby gurgles and the skittering dance of Cheerios.
One of the things Charlie liked best about Tracy was her laid- back, completely unflappable personality. She radiated an enormous sense of calm that he latched onto every time they were together. Nothing appeared to faze her. Not even when he bought them hot dogs at a corner cart and proceeded to squirt mustard on the shoulder of her pink blouse. She’d just waved off his profuse apology and said, “I never liked this shirt anyway.” He could tell she wasn’t just trying to make him feel better, either. She really meant that she wasn’t bothered by his clumsiness. He’d pulled her into the first florist’s shop they passed and bought her a corsage of orchids tied with a green ribbon that matched her eyes. He’d basked in her smile of thanks as he pinned it over the spot on her blouse and admitted he’d do anything to make her smile like that. Yeah, he had it bad, and that ain’t good.
They visited the National Aquarium for several hours, which was really interesting, even if it did remind Charlie too much of his Navy-obsessed brother and father. He always found it ironic that not only was he the sole member of his family with unusual powers, but he was also the only one who got sea-sick as a kid. He’d grown out of it eventually, but he’d never been as in love with the Navy as Bill and Ahab. There were times when he wondered if he was really adopted, or maybe a changeling, left behind by the fairies.
The latter had been a favorite fantasy when he first manifested his ability. The possibility that he wasn’t human somehow made it easier to deal with the loneliness that resulted from always hiding his powers. That loneliness had been assuaged to a certain extent since he met Tracy.
As they were leaving the aquarium, a large family group entered, all shrieking children and harried parents. One curly- haired toddler caromed off Charlie’s leg in her hurry to get through the door. He caught her by one arm before she could
land on her diaper-clad butt, then passed her off to an apologetic parent with an indulgent smile. He watched the group head toward the exhibits until Tracy’s hand on his arm drew his attention. She was watching him instead of the children, lips softly tilted upward.
“They’re a bunch of monkeys, aren’t they? Have you ever thought about having kids, Charlie?”
He shrugged. “Nah, not really. I’m probably too old, anyway.”
Charlie wasn’t certain why he lied. Maybe admitting it would have made knowing that it would never happen that much harder. He desperately wanted to tell her everything about himself, his ability, his desires, his fears, but that was completely out of the question. It was a sure way to lose the first person he’d felt close to in years, even if he did acknowledge in the back of his mind that it couldn’t last. He’d never left anyone he couldn’t live without before, but there was a first time for everything. He wanted to put it off as long as possible. Still, it wouldn’t be easy when the time came.
Tracy squeezed his arm. “You’re not too old. Lots of people don’t have children until their thirties. Look at your sister. She’s older than you, isn’t she?”
He hadn’t realized they were still standing in the doorway until another family group tried to pass them. He finally continued outside, into the sunshine, and Tracy followed.
“Yeah,” he replied. “She’s three years older. Well, almost three. We’ve always been close because of the small age gap. To Bill and Missy, I was just a pest to tease and torment. But to Dana, I was a living baby doll. Mom said she used to dress me in her own clothes and feed me with a doll bottle.”
She grinned. “Did she wear dresses or overalls?”
Charlie grimaced. “That was during her pink ruffle phase. She switched to overalls when she was four.”
As Tracy’s laugh wash over him, Charlie marveled at how comfortable they were together, even after only six dates. He hadn’t felt so easy in a woman’s company in… Well, never. He couldn’t relax around other people, always needing to be on guard. He was probably most at ease with Mulder, but even then, he had to watch what he did in front of Dana.
The last time he’d had dinner with his sister, he and Mulder played with William while Dana got things ready for the baby’s bath. Will was just on the verge of walking, and his favorite game was to pull himself up using a piece of furniture, then let go, plop onto his butt, and crawl to his next pull-up spot. Charlie and Mulder laid down on the floor, offering themselves as furniture substitutes and becoming part of the game. After a couple minutes, Charlie used his ability to keep Will from sitting down completely when he let go. Like an invisible cushion under his butt, Will hung suspended in midair until Charlie lowered him gently to the floor. It made Mulder and Will laugh, which drew Dana into the room to find out what was so funny. Mulder saw her first and warned Charlie off with a throat-slashing motion. That was the end of their game. She simply wasn’t ready to see telekinesis as fun. Maybe nobody would be open to it except Mulder. Charlie sometimes wondered if he would ever find a woman who could share his secret and laugh with him about it.
Enough of that. His mood was sinking like the Titanic. Charlie looked at his watch and realized they’d have to get moving or be stuck in rush hour traffic. And he really needed to put gas in the car first. He grabbed Tracy’s hand and tugged.
“Shake a leg, woman. We won’t be going anywhere else if we don’t hit the pumps soon.”
She stopped for a moment, a frown creasing her forehead. He was going to ask what was wrong, but Tracy spoke first as she started walking toward the car.
“What’s your work schedule look like this week?”
He got the message. Whatever was on her mind, she didn’t want to talk about it. He wasn’t sure he did either, so they discussed the coming week’s activities instead and set up a time for their next date while they drove to the nearest gas station. He’d been planning to ask her out to supper, but maybe she wasn’t ready to spend that much time with him. He should have been happy about the idea, but somehow he simply couldn’t feel that way.
Charlie pulled into the first station he saw and parked at the pump closest to the road. The place was crowded already. Looked like they were going to get stuck in traffic anyway.
Tracy opened the door and got out. “I need something to drink. You want a soda?”
Charlie pulled out his wallet. “Nah, I’m good. But could you tell them to put twenty on pump one to speed things up?” He reached across the seat and handed her a bill.
She looked over at the building, where a line to the cashiers was visible behind the glass doors. “It’s going to take a few minutes. Good thing we’re not in a hurry.”
As she headed for the doors, Charlie got out of the car. He opened the gas cap, put the nozzle in the opening and waited. And waited. It seemed to be taking a lot longer than a few minutes, but he didn’t mind. He was passing the time with one ear on the gas pump and both eyes on Tracy, standing in line. He wasn’t even thinking about much of anything, just enjoying the chance to observe her from a distance. She turned toward the window.
All of a sudden, he couldn’t see Tracy anymore. Instead, he could see himself, standing at the gas pump. His car was behind him, the street behind that. Another car, dark blue, jumped the curb at full speed, barreling straight toward him. He heard Tracy scream, “Charlie! Look out!” and spun around.
The out-of-control car wasn’t only in his mind. Tons of racing blue steel hurtled toward him with horrifying speed. Without thinking, Charlie thrust his hands up in front of his face, as if
that was going to help. Anyone else would have ended up squashed like a bug against the pumps. For Charlie, the defensive posture was simply window dressing. The force of
his thoughts pushed out against the speeding mass, covering the distance in the blink of an eye. The car’s tires smoked as it screeched to a stop, then actually slid backward a couple feet. The radiator grill hissed, belching steam.
Charlie lowered his hands, chest heaving with the adrenaline and exertion. He could see an elderly man slumped onto the passenger seat of the car. The engine continued to whine as Charlie’s mind kept the straining machine in place. Carefully skirting the front bumper, he sidled to the driver’s side, reached through the open window, and shut off the ignition. For a moment, silence echoed in his ringing ears. Then pandemonium broke loose.
People poured out the doors of the station building, all intent on seeing what had happened. Someone pushed him aside to check on the driver of the car. He was unconscious, possible heart attack, someone else said. An ambulance and police cars screamed up, one after another. Cops asked Charlie question after question, sometimes more than once. Long practice allowed him to fib his way through without raising suspicions. He’d heard the engine rev, he said, which is why he turned around. The car wasn’t going as fast as it must have seemed to everyone inside. The driver’s foot probably slipped onto the brake after jolting over the curb. The car never really got all that close to him.
It was controlled chaos. Through it all, Tracy clung to his arm without speaking. He expected her to be shaking, but she seemed a lot calmer than most of the other people there. She just kept watching him, apparently more interested in what he was saying than in what was going on. It felt like it took forever before the police had all the statements they needed and the ambulance screamed away again with the injured driver. Relative quiet descended on the gas station.
Charlie felt something in his hand and looked down. Tracy had slipped him the twenty dollar bill he’d given her earlier.
“I never made it to the head of the line,” she said. “Do you want me to go back inside?”
He stuffed the bill in a pocket. “I’ll pick up gas later. Let’s get out of here.”
He pulled the passenger door handle, then stopped. It all came crashing down on him at once. The wrong place at the right time. So many things had depended on them being right there, right then. It could so easily have turned out badly. But it didn’t, thanks to Tracy.
“You saved my life.” His voice croaked, and he cleared his throat. “If you hadn’t shouted a warning when you did…”
“I didn’t shout. I didn’t say anything.”
Charlie froze with his hand on the half-opened door. “What?”
Tracy slowly shook her head.
“But I heard you yell my name. How—?”
“Probably the same way you stopped that car.” His eyes went wide and she nodded. “With my mind.”
They stood there for a moment, staring at each other, until Charlie opened the door all the way. “We need to find somewhere to talk.”
Tracy got in and he shut the door, mind already racing. They drove in silence, but his thoughts wouldn’t shut up.
This wasn’t possible. Was it? Hell, he knew it was! He was living proof. But what were the odds of him actually finding someone who was different, like him? Maybe not like him but… She could use her mind to do things. He’d heard her. And that picture, with the car coming at him. Did she do that? What else could she do?
As they rounded a curve, the driveway to a neighborhood park appeared on the right. He cut the wheel sharply, tires squealing as he made the turn, and pulled into the farthest parking spot, near a group of picnic tables. Tracy got out as soon as he stopped the car. Charlie shut off the ignition and joined her.
They walked toward the tables, mutually choosing one on the outer edge of the picnic area, away from the few people already there. Charlie climbed onto the tabletop and sat down, patting the wood next to him. Tracy joined him. Neither spoke for a moment.
“So.” Charlie took a deep breath. “Who wants to go first?”
“I will. Might as well get it over with.” She shot him a quick look, then stared at her clasped hands as she continued speaking. “I’m a high-functioning empath. My earliest memory is being yelled at for saying that Aunt Irene actually hated the scarf my parents gave her, no matter what she said. I learned to keep my mouth shut at a fairly young age, especially once I started school. I also learned that people rarely say what they mean. It was an interesting lesson.”
That explained a lot of things he’d noticed on previous dates. He’d seen her look at him oddly a few times and even turn toward him when he knew he was thinking about her. However, that didn’t explain…
“I saw a mental picture of that car headed straight for me. Was that you?”
Tracy shrugged. “It happens sometimes, usually when I’m really stressed or excited. I can read thoughts, too, but only when I’m in direct contact with the other person. Mostly I just get a strong sense of peoples’ emotions, like I’m feeling from you right now.”
Charlie realized she was probably picking up on his confusion and nervousness, interpreting it as something else. That’s why she wouldn’t look at him. He reached over, enfolding her hands inside one of his. “See if you can read this.” He tried to project thoughts of love, support, and acceptance, the idea that he understood. He knew he’d succeeded when she looked up with tears sparkling on her lashes.
“Thank you,” she said. “I haven’t talked about it since I was a child. I thought I’d gotten used to being the secret freak in the crowd.”
He released her hands, then bumped her shoulder with his. “If you’re a freak, so am I. I’m telekinetic.”
God, how long had it been since he’d said that out loud to
anyone other than family?
“When did you start moving things?”
And how long since anyone asked him that question? Probably never. They were usually too busy either laughing, looking for his keepers, or calling him a liar.
“I was thirteen, just hitting puberty.” Charlie shook his head. “Man, I can still remember the day everything changed. My older brother was being a jackass, which was nothing unusual, but he’d really pissed me off. I can’t even remember how anymore. I do remember wishing I could hit his stupid head with a rock, then watching as a rock rose off the ground behind him and smacked him in the back of the head. I didn’t connect it at first, had no idea how it happened, but I wanted it to happen again. And it did! Bill tried to blame it on me, but I was standing a good distance in front of him, so it was obvious I hadn’t thrown anything. When he told Mom, she gave me a long, hard look and said it must have been kids running down the street. I knew it was a lie, and she knew I knew. The next day, she started testing me while everyone else was out of the house, to see what I could do.”
Tracy leaned closer, eyes wide. “What could you do?”
“Pretty much anything I wanted, except I had no control. I’d try to lift a coffee cup and tip over a chair. I’d attempt to right the chair and empty the silverware drawer onto the floor. Mom forbade me to deliberately use my ability until I got some training, for fear I’d accidentally throw one of my siblings out a window. A week after the rock incident, Great-uncle Kevin came to ‘visit’ for the weekend, and for many weekends after that. Apparently it’s genetic on my mom’s side of the family, which is why she wasn’t surprised.”
“What did your brother and sisters say when they found out?”
Charlie snorted. “They never knew. Missy may have suspected, but Bill still doesn’t know. Dana found out by accident right after I moved here. To say she’s having trouble accepting it would be a major understatement. Up until recently, only Mom, Dad, and Uncle Kevin knew, and Mom is the only one of those three left. I didn’t mind the others not knowing, though. Uncle Kevin pounded it into my head that this is a gift, not a toy, and I had no right to abuse it. I think he knew I’d be tempted to use it for revenge and amusement, so he also insisted that I never display my ability unless there was no other option. He was a good teacher and gave me a lot of support. So did my parents.”
Tracy placed a hand on his arm. “I’m glad your parents were so supportive. My family knows, but we never talk about it. When you have six kids, it’s easy to ignore the empath in your midst. As long as I don’t blurt out what they’re feeling or
thinking, they don’t have to acknowledge that I’m different.”
“It probably IS a bit harder to ignore someone who can mentally stop a car in mid-careen, although Dana’s been trying really hard since she found out.” He took her hand and squeezed gently. “It’s lonely, always hiding part of yourself.”
She smiled. “Yeah, it is. Or at least, it was.”
“Was. Definitely was.” He leaned down for a kiss and she met him halfway. It felt nothing like the friendly, tentative lip brushes they’d shared in the last few weeks. There was hope, promise, desire, and passion in the press of her lips. Charlie couldn’t tell if those were her emotions, or his being reflected back at him. He really didn’t care, either. It felt like heaven to him.
Suddenly, taking it slowly didn’t seem to matter anymore. Even after all the people he’d met in his life, he’d never known anyone else with unusual abilities, yet here she was. Not only that, but he was in love with her! Apparently there really was a
perfect someone for everyone, including him.
Charlie reluctantly drew back, the need to see her face more overwhelming than the need to keep kissing her. Tracy’s eyes were still closed, the lashes dark and feathery against her skin. Her lips were parted slightly, breath whispering between them and tickling against his mouth. A pink flush covered her cheeks, turning them childishly rosy. When her eyes opened, dreamy and soft, he felt as though he’d never seen anything
more beautiful. He had to tell her.
“I don’t want to scare you, but I think I fell in love with you when you walked into my hospital room.”
Tracy smiled and nodded. “I know. I felt it. I was startled, but it didn’t scare me. I felt the same way.”
He should have been surprised, but he wasn’t. It all just seemed right. “So, you’ve been peeking at my thoughts when we were holding hands, huh?”
“Mm, sometimes. A lot of them were very interesting.”
Charlie got off the picnic table and tugged her hands until she was standing beside him. “Tracy, my mother would like you to have supper with us on Sunday. Can you come?”
Her smile was dazzling. “I’d love to, Charlie. I wondered what it was you wanted to ask me.”
He frowned. “How did you know I wanted—? Oh. Right. That’s going to take a little getting used to.”
She cocked her head to one side and studied him for a moment. “You’ve been thinking about something important for a couple weeks. I was afraid you were working up to the big kiss-off.”
He grinned sheepishly. “I’m surprised you couldn’t read those thoughts like a billboard. I have been thinking about it. More than I wanted to.”
“Well it’s good to know that you didn’t want to, even if you were thinking about it.”
The gist of their conversation struck Charlie as hilarious and he couldn’t help laughing. He looked down at the twinkle of amusement in her eyes. “You know the most amazing thing? Being able to talk to you about this at all. Most people freak when they realize I’m not lying. This is a totally new experience for me. How about I take you home so you can change out of your mustard-trimmed ensemble? Then I’ll treat you to dinner and we can exchange war stories.”
“That sounds nice.” She tucked her arm through the crook of his elbow and started walking toward the car. “So which hot dog stand will we be visiting?” She smiled at him teasingly, displaying the dimples he’d loved since the first time he saw her.
He disengaged her arm and draped his around her shoulder. She wrapped hers around his waist, tucking a hand in his back jeans pocket. “Let’s go someplace that doesn’t have condiments in squirt bottles. How does a swanky Italian restaurant sound instead?”
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, lips quirked. “I’ll be sure to wear something red.”
Charlie laughed as they headed toward the car. He hoped she could feel the happiness radiating from his pores. The way he felt at that moment, he’d probably glow in the dark from sheer joy.
They hadn’t discussed telling his family about Tracy’s “talent,” but he was sure she’d eventually want them to know and he wasn’t worried about that. His mother would take it in stride and start planning the wedding. His sister would deny the possibility exists and insist on having his head examined. And Mulder…
A huge grin blossomed at the thought.
Wait until Mulder found out!
The end
From: mimic 117 <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:45:33 -0400 Subject: Chip Off the Old Block VI: Sagacity 1/1 Source: direct
Title: Chip Off the Old Block VI: Sagacity
Author: mimic117
Email: [email protected]
Rating: NC-17 because XL said so
Keywords: MSR, Charlie fic, William fic, crossover
Setting: This takes place in the X-Men universe but assumes that the existence of mutants isn’t widely known yet.
Spoilers: For the other stories in this series. You really MUST read at least the first one in order to understand about Charlie.
Summary: “Wisdom lies not in reason but in love.” Andre Gide
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never have been. Never will be.
Beta thanks to bellefleur and Jake for steering me in the right direction, even if I do maintain that it was mean of them to make me think.
Written for the MSR-Smut 10 Year Anniversary Crossover Challenge
Chip Off the Old Block VI: Sagacity
by mimic117
Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters
10:28 PM
The force of Mulder’s thrusts pushed Scully into the bed’s headboard, her hands braced against the ornate mahogany wood. He had to admire the quietness of the bed frame, especially considering the amount of abuse he was currently subjecting it to. Still, even if it had squealed like a banshee, that wouldn’t have stopped him.
Head back, Scully began to mewl on a rising note as his speed increased. Knowing what she was building to, he whispered, “Shhh. Remember the children.”
Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him. “Way to kill the mood, Mulder.”
He drove into her again. “My mood’s just fine, thanks. You were the one who didn’t want to do this because there are kids here.”
“Yes, and I never should have let you talk me into it.”
Mulder stopped moving. “Well when I saw how you were looking at that wolf guy…”
Scully reached around and slapped his bare ass. “He’s called Wolverine and I seem to remember you looking the same way at someone else. So white hair turns you on, huh?”
“About as much as bulging chest muscles seem to turn you on. Or was it his cigar?”
She raised her pelvis and eyebrow at the same time.
Mulder grinned. “That’s what I thought.”
He withdrew slowly, savoring the feel of her flesh enclosing him, the warm, wet tightness that was her love for him. They never discussed how they felt about each other, very rarely said those three little words lovers exchange, but he always knew. He was never more certain of her love than in these moments when she gave him her total trust and passion.
Her hands clutched at his shoulders as he surged into her again. Fingernails dug into his skin, but Mulder didn’t care. He locked gazes with Scully, drinking in the way her pupils dilated, the clamp of teeth on her lower lip as a flush spread from her chest upward, the suppressed moans which drifted to his ears. Her legs began to shudder around his waist. That was his cue to pick up speed. He knew what she liked, what she wanted at any given point in their lovemaking. He didn’t need superhuman powers or sculpted biceps in order to please her. They were connected as surely as if he could read her mind.
Heat detonated up Mulder’s spine, out to the ends of his fingers and toes, creating a shower of sparkles behind his eyes. He nearly forgot his own admonishment for silence as he drove into her one last time, then stilled. His release drew the breath from his lungs and left him panting. He sagged toward the bed, slipping to one side in order to spare Scully his sweaty, dead weight.
As he slowly recovered, Mulder looked around the guest suite they’d been given for the night. Xavier’s school was huge. And fancy, too. Lots of wood paneling, floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious rooms, massive furniture. They’d been taken on the grand tour before supper and Mulder could see how the style of the place impressed Scully. The kitchen alone was larger than Mulder’s old apartment. He could understand how they’d need the room if what Charles Xavier told them about the number of mutants in the world was true.
Mutant. Mulder really didn’t like that word, although he noticed it was used freely here, and in the strictest sense of the word, not in any kind of derogatory fashion. Mutant: someone who is changed or altered. Telepaths. Shape-shifters. Guys like Wolverine, with knives that sprang from the backs of his hands. Telekinetics like Charlie and William. Even Xavier himself possessed an amazing ability to read minds. He reminded Mulder of Gibson Praise. Still, Mulder preferred to think of them as more evolved, the next step in natural evolution. He and Scully were the odd ones out in this place.
Scully finally stirred, stretching and yawning. “Be right back,” she said, then climbed out of bed.
Mulder watched her naked ass sway as she headed for the bathroom. He was glad to see that she seemed comfortable here. He hadn’t been sure what to expect as the tour of the school moved from architecture to curriculum, which seemed to include a fair amount of martial arts along with the textbooks. Xavier had pointed out that knowing you can defend yourself helps build confidence and control, reducing the need to strike out. Neither Mulder nor Scully could argue with that. It was already obvious that William needed to learn control.
Mulder had never heard of Xavier’s school, but then he probably wasn’t supposed to. It seemed like they did everything possible to fly under the radar, which was understandable. He and Scully still wouldn’t know about it if not for her younger brother. Apparently, Charlie had met a couple of Xavier’s former students in his travels. He hadn’t said anything until recently. Mulder believed in extreme possibilities but he’d never suspected how many of the stories in The National Enquirer and Star Magazine were true rather than exaggerations. He supposed it wasn’t surprising that people with unusual talents might find each other, but he couldn’t help thinking that Charlie meeting up with Xavier’s former pupils was a hell of a coincidence.
The bathroom door opened and Scully emerged. Mulder enjoyed the new view as she walked back to the bed. He lifted the blankets so she could scoot underneath, then pulled the covers over both of them as they settled in for sleep. But as long as she was still awake, he wanted to get her input. He ran a finger down her ribs.
“So what do you think of this place, Scully?”
She squirmed and tilted her head to look at him. “The gardens are lovely. The students seem happy and content. The curriculum sounds interesting and challenging. I certainly can’t complain about the building itself.”
Mulder tickled her again. “You’re avoiding the actual question.”
“He’s only eighteen months old, Mulder! Surely we don’t have to think about school already.”
“You mean a dozen eggs exploding on the floor one at a time isn’t enough reason to start talking about it? As I recall, you were ready to sell him to a circus.”
Scully crossed her arms over her breasts. “Yeah, well I was ready to sell you and Charlie for laughing at him, too. I love my little brother, but God knows what he’s teaching Will at this very moment.”
This trip wouldn’t have been possible a few months ago. Scully had still been denying their son’s powers, despite the steadily increasing evidence of his ability to control objects with his mind. Will was getting really good at retrieving his own toys and bottles, even though Mulder suspected he wasn’t doing it deliberately yet. He was probably just thinking that he wanted something and it came to him. Eventually, he was going to connect the two activities. It was Charlie who’d told them about this school and why it existed. Mulder had a feeling they were going to owe him big-time.
He teased her arms apart and gathered her against his chest. “Your mother will keep Charlie in line, but all the more reason to find somewhere that William can feel safe and accepted when he’s older. We know he’d fit in here. He won’t have to be afraid. Nobody will think he’s weird or frightening. Did you see the guy with the funky shades? At least Will is outwardly normal. They can teach him so much about the right and wrong ways to use his gift. I want that for him.”
She snuggled in and kissed his shoulder. “So do I, Mulder. So do I. It’s just that he’s still a baby. I hate to think of him going away.”
He sighed in agreement, stroking her hair. They lay there, quietly enjoying the chance to be together without having to say anything further. Scully gradually went limp against his side, her breathing becoming slow and even. Mulder’s eyes drooped closed, but he opened them again in response to a noise in the room. As he watched, a small blonde girl ran across the room and straight through the bed. Not just through the bed, but through his and Scully’s legs as they lay entwined in the bed. What the hell…?
Mulder jerked, startling Scully out of her doze.
The girl stopped on the other side of the bed and spun around. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “I’m so sorry. This room is usually empty and Inviso is chasing me.”
Scully sat up, nearly causing Mulder to flash the child as she pulled on the blankets to cover her breasts. “How did you get in here, honey? Do you need help?”
The girl pointed behind her. “I just came through the door—”
Her words cut off on a shriek as a short, dark-haired boy materialized at the end of her finger. “Boo!” he exclaimed. “I got you, Kitty!”
Mulder cleared his throat. The boy looked at the girl, apparently only then realizing they weren’t alone. He swiveled slowly toward the bed.
“Shouldn’t you two be asleep at this hour?” Mulder asked. Kitty shrugged. “We aren’t sleepy yet. You won’t tell Storm or Professor Xavier, will you?”
Mulder pulled an invisible zipper across his lips. “Just promise you’ll go to bed now.”
They both nodded.
“And next time you enter a room, knock first. Okay?”
Kitty giggled shyly. “Yeah. Sorry.” She turned to her friend. “Let’s go, Damien.”
She ran toward the boy, then right through him and out the still- closed door. Damien, or Inviso, waved sheepishly before he vanished in front of their eyes.
Mulder turned to Scully. “Suddenly, hide and seek takes on a whole new meaning.”
Scully blinked wide eyes. “In the morning, let’s talk to Professor Xavier about the application process. You can never start too early on getting a proper education.”
THE END
Sagacity: n. wisdom
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