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Title: Best Friends, Two Mothers, Two Sons
Author: Pattie
Rated: G
Spoilers: Duane Barry, taking place during the abduction
time period in 1994.
Category: Angst, Vignette
Summary: While taking a breather from his search for Scully,
Mulder rediscovers a couple of his other best friends.
Feedback: I would so love it at: patfiler2016@outlook.com
Archive: Yes to Gossamer. I take care of the rest and
it is also on my site. Jusr email me if you want it.
Disclaimer: Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and
Fox Studios have the rights to everybody but Bradley and
his mother, so there! No copyright infringement intended
and no money made.
Five-year-old Bradley James held his mother's hand, as was his
custom, as they walked through the woods looking for wild
strawberries. "Where have all the aliens gone, Mommy?" He saw
a look of complete, utter surprise in his mother's eyes. "Well?"
His mother stopped walking and sat on an fallen log. "Aliens are
on TV shows, honey. Now if you're wondering about that show we
were watching on the RetroChannel last night, it was on TV a long
time ago and then they... "
Adults can be exasperating sometimes when a child urgently wants
a question answered. "No, Mommy! I KNOW you saw that show when
you were a little girl. I mean the aliens who were over there!"
"You mean in Mr. Grizzard's field?"
"Yeah. They were here last week when Jimmy and me were grabbing
old pine cones." Bradley was serious about this. It was clear
his mother was taking his query as either a tall tale or a joke.
"I told you about them when we went out for ice cream yesterday."
"I know." The boy had some imagination, she thought. "I think you
mean the workers who were picking the spinach." She stood and took
her son's hand, "Now, let's get some strawberries and maybe I'll
make some whipped cream to go along with them." She mussed her son's
hair and they continued down the way through the wild woods.
"Wanna know what they looked like, Mommy?" If his Mom needed proof,
he'd gladly provide a detailed description.
His mother smiled and thought it rather cute a son of hers could
create such stories. Maybe he would be a writer when he was grown.
"If they look anything like those hairy, gooey beasts I remember
from that show, I don't think I want to hear it."
Bradley kicked a rather large stone about twelve feet from where
he was and declared, "You wouldn't believe they're grey, with these
big, black eyes, and they're not hairy? No slime or goo either,
Mommy."
Mommy just smiled again. "You snuck downstairs and watched your
big sister when she had that UFO documentary on TLC Wednesday.
Didn't you?"
Well! Bradley didn't like that accusation one bit, because he
clearly remembered he was arranging his teddy bear collection
that night. And he knew he should have been asleep, so he didn't
even comment on that remark. "No, I didn't. I was upstairs
Wednesday, but I did see you watching that icky kissing movie
on Saturday. I know what me and Jimmy saw, that's all, I want
to know where they went. Didn't anybody else see them?"
"Well, no." His mother stopped when she spied a patch of berries.
"Here they are, Nice and plump, too. Let's get these home before
we eat them right here. Honey?"
The boy just stood with his hands on his hips. "You don't believe
me anyway. And I'm telling the truth! Boy."
"Boy," his mother echoed. "Well, if you think that's going to
impress Mrs. Mulder down the street, forget it. She's pretty
firm there are no aliens around."
"Yeah, right. I saw her son, Agent Mulder talking to her right on
the lawn and he was sure there were aliens around here, too. So
there! And she didn't tell him there weren't. Why I heard them -- "
"Okay. That's enough gossip about the neighbors. Let's just get
these berries into the bag and get home. Maybe a little less TV
for you and a little more playing outside from now on. Grey
aliens. What an imagination. A good imagination, too."
"Aw, forget it." Bradley knelt down and began picking the
strawberries. "Anyway, I heard he was kinda spooky, even if he's
my friend. Forget it."
At that time. Mrs. Mulder was pouring a glass of lemonade for
her son. She knew he was often so involved in his work that he
hardly took vacations anymore. As she sat across from him at the
coffee table, on the edge of the couch, she pondered just what
she could talk about with Fox Mulder that didn't revolve around
aliens and conspiracies. It had taken some doing, and some fine
acting, to convince her son she had repressed any and all memories
of the days and weeks that had preceded and followed Samantha's
disappearance. "Quite hot these days, Fox. How did they get you
to take a vacation?"
Fox Mulder sat on an armchair and shook his head. "They thought
I was... that is, they were worried I was overworked. Mom, my
work has caused a very good friend and partner to disappear. I
don't know what to do."
Teena Mulder smiled and patted her son's hand. "I'm sure everyone
at the Bureau is working hard to see to it that -- "
"Hell Mom! They're NOT!" Mulder stood and walked toward the
living room window. "I've been looking for her all this time, no
one at the Bureau is looking for Scully, and I am responsible for
her disappearance. We, or rather, I crossed the line! I got too
close to something you wouldn't believe!" He shoved his hands
into the pockets of his jeans. "I... I'm sorry, Mom. I know this
is supposed to be a visit with you, not a rant."
His mother stood and put her hands on his shoulders, head on his
neck, and tried to console her son. "I know how it feels to lose
someone you care about. I also know you're doing all you can to -- "
"Find her?" His tone was softer now. "Her mother believes I will
find her, and sometimes I can't even look her in the eyes anymore.
Where do I begin? I thought it was that mountain, but I didn't
find a thing. All I can do when I am at home is wrack my brains
trying to remember anything or any place we've encountered that
could possibly lead to her whereabouts, and I come up empty. The
man who took her sure as hell wasn't much help, and God only
knows who has her now and what they're doing."
"I'm sorry."
Mulder turned and kissed his mother on the forehead. "Don't be.
If anything, I should be sorry. I should have been more careful.
I know I couldn't be around 24 hours a day, but I should have
suspected someone would pull something. You know who I mean."
That statement scared her. Yes, she did know who he meant. "I'm
afraid I don't, Fox. If it's any consolation, I am just as worried as you are.
There are a lot of crazy people out there."
"Dad knows a lot of those crazy people," Fox replied stoically.
"You know that much. Are you sure you want me here considering
I'm in the mood from hell?"
"Why don't you go for a nice walk and clear your head. There's
nothing like it out here. Heaven knows you can't get this
kind of fresh air in Washington. Go on. I'm about to make
dinner." His mother tried to smile, but the effort was forced.
"You're right. I told myself I could use the time off to clear
out the cobwebs. Maybe I can get a better perspective on things
after a few days." Mulder knew his mother wasn't really happy,
and hadn't been for several years. Had she indeed forgotten what
had transpired that fateful night in 1973?
As Mulder proceeded down the road, he was met with a happy,
energetic Bradley James and his mother. He opened his arms and
raised Bradley above his head. "Hey, stranger. What's happening?"
"We picked strawberries out by Mr. Grizzard's farm," the boy's
mother replied. "Why don't you two catch up while I wash these
berries. I think I can spare some for you and your mother, Fox."
"Thanks, Lena. Tell Tony I might take him up on that poker
game."
"Will do." Mrs. James made her way up the sidewalk to her home,
which was close to Teena Mulder's house.
"So, how come you're not chasing crooks?" Jimmy innocently asked.
"Well, even FBI Agents have to take vacations, buddy. Besides,
I wanted to see my mother and see what you've been up to. Tell
me you're into basketball."
"No, but I am into baseball. I have a uniform and everything.
Best team in the state."
Mulder set Bradley down and they started walking. "So, are you
pitching, hitting, what?"
"Hitting. It's okay, but sometimes I go for a long time without
a hit."
"Me, too. But in my work."
"Are you in a time out from work?"
Mulder laughed. "No. Well, sort of. I just need some time away
from work. Your Daddy takes time off, right?"
"Uh huh. Wanna hear about what I saw in Mr. Grizzard's field
for about five nights last week?" The boy was now wide-eyed
with excitement. He knew Fox Mulder was a kindred spirit.
"Only if it's not that mushy boy and girl stuff. You're not supposed
to watch that, you know." Mulder winked at the boy as he noticed
the grimace on his face.
"Yuck! No! This is 'way better than that icky stuff. I saw aliens with
grey skin and big, black eyes walking around outside a
spaceship!"
"I see." This could be something he could use. If they were
still around it might be the discovery of his life, and maybe
lead to Scully. "Bradley, did you see them last night?"
"No. They haven't been there for a couple of nights. I don't
think they're coming back. I called over to them to say "hi" and
they ran into their ship and took off in a real hurry." The boy
appeared saddened by the affair. "I was just being friendly,
too."
"Well," Mulder took a stone and threw it down the road, "I
guess you surprised them. Maybe they're just... " What could
he say?
Young Bradley frowned. "Maybe they just don't want us to know
they're here. That's not being good friends."
Mulder stopped and knelt to Bradley's eye level. "No, I don't
suppose it is. I'm kind of missing a friend right now. I wasn't
paying enough attention when my friend went away. Really
good friends stand by you."
"Yeah. Just like you and me. Only you aren't out here that
much, so I have friends at school and friends who live around
here. So did your friend move away?"
Mulder stood and they turned to go back to their homes. "I don't
think so. My friend was working with me every day. She's just
not... "
"Oh yuck! A girl?"
"Well, a woman. And a man and a woman can be friends. Don't you
have a best friend?"
"Sure. Jackie Flounder. He's the best friend I ever had. Where
did your friend go?"
Mulder sighed. "That's what I'm trying to find out. So, I guess
it's strawberries for desert tonight."
"Yeah, I guess so. I hope you find your friend real soon."
"Me too, Bradley. Me too. But I think our Moms are wondering
where we are right now. In many way's they're our very first
best friends. Even if they ARE girls."
"Yup. Even if they are GIRLS." The little boy laughed, and
Mulder wondered where all the laughter had gone, where Scully
had gone, and where his sister had gone. Most of all, he
wondered where the best friend in his mother had gone, because
she hadn't been close to him in years, and hadn't laughed
much since 1973. If anything, his very first best friend had
cried. Probably more than he knew.
END
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