Pattie's Pocketful of X-Fics

Part 17: To Find Their Treasure

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Author's Note: If you've been reading this series part by part, all headers
still apply, and I still do not own the three original characters. and the creator,
the production company, and Fox studios cannot sue me since I am a
pauper.


How many motels had they checked into during their careers working together?
They'd lost count. Ask them how many motel rooms they'd shared, they would
know, and could tell you approximate dates and places. The shared room habit
was relatively new to them.

Oh, they ended up sharing a room the first night together on a case in Oregon,
simply talking. Then, there was the time not so long ago, when they escaped from
the military prison with a little help from their friends, and ended up on their
quest for a new life and to find their son, William.

It was about midnight Wyoming time when Mulder and Scully took their
luggage into the motel room, washed up, and ordered a meal. Tired
and hungry, they decided to eat and go right to sleep.

"Tomorrow's the day," Mulder announced, kissing Scully good night and
caressing her face with his hand. "Have a good sleep, and we'll get up
any time you like."

"That's not a bad idea. I'm beat. I love you. Have I told you that lately?"

"Yes, just by being you. I love you. I need you in good shape, so, snuggle
up and fall asleep with me." He gently ran his hand over her hair. "Get all
comfy,relax. That's it. So peaceful here with you. Nice, fresh linen, warm
people we are, gentle breeze blowing through the window..." Scully was
asleep in no time.

"Guess I should tape this stuff and market it as a sleep aid," he remarked.
Then sleep befell Mulder ever so quickly.

Mulder's watch read 9:18 a.m. when he awoke to Scully's gentle humming of
"Joy to the World". She was still in bed but in a very relaxed frame
of mind. "I have a good feeling about today," she said. "A very good
feeling."

"Well, seeing as your instincts are never wrong, Scully, you must know
breakfast is going to be good."

"Well, yes, it must be. Let's get dressed and ordering. After all, we're
going out to see a very particular little man today."

"Umm hmm. So, we're not getting all ready for the pizza guy?

Scully threw her pillow at his face. "No. You are my favourite pizza
guy, Chinese Food guy, and guy. C'mon, let's get ready for the meeting
with the Van de Kamps."

Mrs. Van de Kamp had just hung a load of washing out on the clothesline when
she felt a wave of nausea. "That's a good sign," she told herself. "Morning
sickness. Sure feels unpleasant."

William was playing inside the house in his playpen while his adoptive
father wrote out a few checks. "Monthly book-keeping," he said to his
wife. "Thought I'd do the checks for you so you could get in a nap while
William sleeps today."

"I'm fine. The doctor said the drowsiness might not kick in for a while. But,
if you want me to take a little rest, I guess I should. The dizziness kicked
in last week and today I had my first morning sickness."

"Well, slow down and eat some plain things, dear. You're as precious as
the baby, you know. I'll get you a glass of apple juice and you check some totals
against the ones I came up with."

"Well, I need to do another load," she insisted.

"I can turn the washer on and get the juice! Heavens, just relax in the
chair!"

William was giggling as he kicked at a soft ball in the playpen, happy as can
be.

"May as well get some for William, too. He is going to be one big guy
some day. I bet his parents were good-looking, too."

Mr. Van de Kamp re-entered the livingroom with juice for his wife and
William, and a coffee for himself. "We are so blessed," he told her, as he sat
at his desk."Remind me to get that tile for the bathroom wall when I go to the
hardware store tomorrow. I still can't figure out why that one up and fell
off. Broke easily, too."

"They don't make things like they used to. "Oooh", Mrs. Van de Kamp
appeared to be in distress. "Just a little twinge," she assured her husband.
"I think they call it expansion pains."

"If you're sure that's all it is, will you at least have a little rest, now?"

"Yes. I think I will." The mother-to-be reclined on the sofa with a pillow
under her feet.


Mulder and Scully were by now shopping for some small gifts for William
and his adoptive parents.

"He'd love this!" Mulder held up a rubber ducky, the kind that squeaked.
" And I think it's kinda cute, too."

"I know." Scully was investigating a busy box. "This would be very
educational," she declared. "He could also see himself smiling as he
plays with it. Every kid needs a rubber ducky, too. So, let's get both."

"Any idea what to buy the wife?"

"I have one or two ideas. Have you thought about something for Mr.
Van de Kamp?"

"Yeah, so I'll head over to the tool department while you do your bit,
okay?"

"Okay. Meet me at the checkout and we'll get some lunch. About ten
minutes?"

"All right. Then we can get out to their house."

Scully managed to pick up a nice set of linen placemats for the family, and
Mulder found a framed print of a peaceful meadow beside a small brook.

As they had lunch at a small diner, Scully looked out onto the street full of
small shops and friendly passers-by. Small trees lined the street, gently
swaying in the mid-summer breeze. "You know, Mulder, I could live in a
little town like this and not even miss the big city."

"Mmm hmm. Could you miss the big department stores and the movie
houses?" Mulder shot back.

"For a taste of fresh air and a quieter night? Yes."

"Almost like The Falls of Arcadia."

"Well, not as controlled as THAT community!"

"It was our first home together."

"We were undercover on an X-File, and those days I would rather not relive,
thank you kindly. You know, I like the quieter life of a place like this,
that's all." Scully sipped her coffee and sat back in her chair.

Mulder put down his fork. "I've been thinking we might want to take that
picture out to the Van de Kamps, to prove you're a very good Mom, you
know?"

Scully gave Mulder a look that could have killed. "THAT is SO
CRUEL!"

"Sorry." Mulder looked downward.

"Really? Are you? For some reason, I wonder!"

"I really am, Scully. It would be unfair. Let's just pay the bill and get going,
okay?"

"All right. Remember, slow and easy. I know they probably have a very strong
bond with William. Please, for my sake, take it easy on them?"

"You have my word," he said, as he took out his wallet and left money on the
table. "But I still have the legal and medical papers."

The Van de Kamp home was only a short drive from the main street of
the town.

"This is it." Mulder stopped the car and removed the keys.
"It's a lovely place," Scully remarked, as she and Mulder walked to the front
door and knocked.

The wife opened the door. "Yes? May I help you?"

"Are you Mrs. Van de Kamp?" Scully asked.

"Why, yes. Is there something I can do for you?"

"My name is Dana Scully and this is Fox Mulder. A few months ago, I gave
my son up for adoption. May we come in?"

The poor woman became frightened. "I suppose so." She led them into the
house and closed the door."

"We... I don't know how to put this. Maybe you ought to sit down," Mulder
told her.

"Okay. I suppose I could sit a bit. You were saying you gave up your son
for adoption. We were blessed when a baby became available not long
ago, and now I'm having one!"

Scully was quite relieved to hear that news. Perhaps it would not do that
much harm to proceed with their plans to reclaim William.

"That's little William over there, sleeping."

"I know," said Scully, her voice straining.

"I should have seen the resemblance with the hair," Mrs. Van de Kamp said.
"Why are you here, really?" She was starting to panic. "Have you..." She felt
a sharp pain, but went on. "Have you come to ask for our little gift, the
answer to our prayers, to ask for him back?"

"I think you should relax while we explain things,"Scully said softly. "I'm a
doctor who once worked for the F.B.I. I do not want to hurt you, or upset
you in any way." Scully put her arm around the woman and looked helplessly
at Mulder. He nodded. She continued. "This man is William's father, and his
father's name was William. There was a time when we thought the best thing
to do was to give William to a loving family who could give him a very
special, happy life. But now that we are not working for the Bureau at this
time, we have decided that we..."

"Mrs. Van de Kamp," Mulder began, "You now know what it is to carry a
child. Dana was thought barren until she found out she was carrying
William. The only thing that gave her any hope was that cross around
her neck."

"You're Christian, then? Praise God. So are we. Our little one in my body is
an answer to prayer, too! Would you like to see William's room?"

Mulder and Scully nodded in unison and they were shown into the child's
bedroom.

"It's lovely," Scully cooed.

Mulder was fixated on the white buffaloes on the mobile over the crib.
"Scully?"

She saw the mobile and gasped. "No."

"Who gave this to you?" Mulder asked casually.

"Oh, my husband hand-carved it. He even makes rocking horses..."

"Have you been to your doctor about those pains you are having?" Scully
asked.

"Well, no. I just assumed they were my womb growing, so I didn't call him."
As soon as she had managed to say that, she fell to the floor
and began shaking.

Scully knelt down immediately. "She's having a seizure. Call 9-1-1,
and see if her husband is around. She needs immediate medical attention!
Go on, Mulder! I'll stay with her and watch William! You just trust
me, Mrs. Van de Kamp. We only want to help you."

Mr. Van de Kamp walked into the house as Mulder hung up the phone. "Mr.
Van de Kamp, I'm Fox Mulder. I just called 9-1-1 for your wife," he
spoke quickly. "She needs to go to a hospital now. I will explain as we go
along."

"What? Oh no! God, please no! The baby... " The man was so upset about
his wife he had no time to take on a stranger in the house. Instead, he ran
into the nursery where his wife was convulsing.

About fifteen minutes later, the three were sitting in the hallway in the
Emergency Department with William in Mr. Van de Kamp's arms,
awaiting news from medical staff.

A doctor, female and middle-aged, walked slowly out of the cubicle. Her
face was gravely serious. "I am so sorry, Mr. Van de Kamp. Your wife... "

The man was in shock already. "Dead?"

"Yes. We'll need permission to do an autopsy to find out what went wrong.
We do know it had something to do with her pregnancy. We want
to be certain."

"Oh, my... Of course. Oh, I thought there was something the matter. Poor little
William. How could a little guy like you deal with that?"

"Easy does it," Mulder whispered. "Just take care of yourself for the moment.
And, we can tell you what we have to say another day..."

"Did you talk to my wife already?" he asked quietly. "Then you can talk
to me. I see where William gets his red hair from. A man like me,
well, I couldn't go on alone to raise this little guy when our own baby
and my wife... I put too much of a strain on her. Tell me some more, and
we'll... after the funeral. I think the two people who gave my wife such a
precious gift of happiness for this long should be there to celebrate her
life with us."

Scully was in shock. "I don't know what to say... we came here for such a selfish
reason..."

"Why don't we all sleep on it and talk about it another time." Mulder wrote out
something on a slip of paper. "This is where we can be reached while we're out here.
Do you need any help with arrangements?"

"I think her sister can help me with that. You two can stay at the house, if
you want to. Besides, William seems to naturally like you two. Isn't it ironic?
I think they want me to sign some papers. Then we can go back to the house.
I'd better call around..."

After the funeral three days later, Mulder and Scully were given William back
without a fight. Not because there were legal or medical papers. Not because
of the white buffaloes. Just because it was meant to be.

Before leaving Wyoming, Mulder, Scully and William made one last visit to
William's adoptive father, Mr. Van de Kamp.

As they were sitting in the kitchen of the quaint country-style house, with William
enjoying everyone's company, of course the adults felt awkward.

Scully removed her cross. "I want you to have this," she said to the forlorn widower.
"I know you have faith, and you're a good man. None of the pain you suffered was
deserved. The least I can do is offer you a reminder of something good, something
that has brought me blessings. It has always been a reminder that someone is there
for me when all the people in the world haven't the comfort and help that He does."

"I... I can't take your cross."

"I can get another one," Scully insisted. She put it around the man's
neck. "You deserve it."

"Please get rid of the white buffalo mobile," Mulder pleaded.

Van de Kamp didn't quite understand. "Well, why? They're rare, and
he Native people say they're omens..."

"Just trust me. Let us know if you'd like to see William. He thinks
the world of you. You're a good father. Here's our contact numbers."

"I don't know what to say. This is so... unusual. You sure are godly
people. Just like her."

"Well, we have a grandmother who is very anxious to see this little guy
again." Scully felt joyful, guilty and sad all rolled into one ball. "The
plane leaves in an hour." She paused for an awkward moment. As no one
else had anything to say, she whispered, "You're a very special person, Sir.
Would you like to kiss William and hold him for a few moments?"

"Oh yes. Come here, you little rascal. Now, you be a happy little fella.You're a very
much loved little boy. And so special."

"He is," Mulder agreed. "So is his birth Mom."

"Okay, you have to fly soon. Need anything else for William? Bottles,
clothes?"

"You almost packed everything he ever owned," Scully smiled. "Bless you.
And please, if there is anything you need..." She was tearfully happy and sorry at the same time.

"Have my work, my relatives. And some new friends. A man is never alone
as long as he has friends."

"That's the truth. In more ways than you know." Mulder declared. "It's
been nice meeting you, Sir. Remember the good times. C'mon, guys," Mulder
said. He shook the man's hand and felt something he hadn't felt in so long:
Reassurance and trust.

Now, the man whose motto was "Trust No One" was willing to amend that
creed. Also, "The Truth" was no longer just "Out There", it was in
their hearts, and in the hands of determined, honest people. And it
would soon set them free.
.

This last part was written after The Blackout of 2003.