Disclaimer: The characters of Mulder, Scully, The Lone Gunmen, and Agent Pendrell are property of Chris Carter, Fox and 1013 productions. Please, do not sue me: I'm big on imagination but really lacking in any form of potable wealth. The character of Lisa Mulder is mine, but if you ask REALLY nice I might let you borrow her, Chris. Spoilers: references to FTF, Leonard Betts, and the Fifth season. Rating: PG-13 for mild language Background: In my happy little universe Pendrell was never shot and the X-Files were returned to M&S after FTF. The sixth season never happened and I'm estatically repressing Diana Fowley's entire existence. Thank you, drive through. Note: This is my first fanfic: Flames and Raves are equally welcome. I read a fanfic once where the author offered choco-mulders in exchange for feedback: now, is that a Mulder shaped piece of chocolate or a chocolate covered Mulder? Sounds yummy! In any event, I have no such tasty inducements but all feedback will greatly be appreciated and addressed. meadora@hotmail.com Archive: Anywhere; just keep my name attatched Warning: This is shipper fanfic, if that sort of thing doesn't work for you (what kind of drugs are you on?!?!) then proceed no further. A Stitch in Time by Denise Morgen Part one: Beginning "Uncle Frohike! Uncle Byers! Uncle Langly!" the petite brown haired woman called out as she entered the secret HQ of the Lone Gunmen. She dropped her purse on the counter and moved into the main living area. "Guys?" she called out questioningly. she thought with a sigh She surveyed the area. "My god," she said incredulously, "it must be the end of the world! They actually left a note!" Lisa, Sorry to run off on you; Mulder and Scully needed our help on their latest. You know how they are! she thought with a laugh We just wanted to congratulate you on finishing up the academy, the FBI may not survive. We got you a little pre-celibratory gift. It's on the table in the work room. See ya at the party tonight. L., B., and F. P.S. Destroy this after you read it. she thought as she destroyed the note and wandered into the work room. There amidst the various clutter of dismembered gadgetry and tools sat a very professionally wrapped gift. she thought with a giggle She ripped open the paper with a gasp of surprise. Popping open the box confirmed her suspicions; it was an Eternia 3000xr. The absolute latest in law enforcement onsite computing. The Eternia series could interface with any machine ever invented, responded to voice commands, and was utterly impossible to get with out a class seven DCR permit. She thought as she slipped it on like a glove. She gave a sigh of contentment as it automatically adjusted itself to her skin. She giggled again as she remembered watching her father's huge fingers trying to type out a report on his tiny Eternia 1000. she thought smugly as she slipped the accompanying contacts in. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision and accustom herself to the new info that was being fed into her system by the computer. She wandered about the room laying her hand on various devices and uploading their information. She thought to herself as a half shrouded object in the back of the room caught her eye. Even before she reached it she was astounded by the data flooding her vision. She reached forward and pulled the covering off. she thought as she circled it warily. A quick check of the incoming power readings astounded her. She wandered in between the two pillars to stand in the center of the door. She noticed an input consul with a blank touch panel. Without thinking she reached forward and sat her gloved hand down on panel and suddenly the world disappeared in flash of white. Part two: Landing "Mulder you've got to be kidding. There's no way even you could take this seriously! You can see the wires! Someone back me up here!" Scully cried out in frustration. "I'm sorry, Mulder." Byers said as he looked up from the photograph they'd all been studying in the Lone Gunmen's living room. "I'm afraid I'll have to go with Agent Scully on this one. The wires are visually prevalent and undeniable." "Yeah, I guess you're right." Mulder said wearily as he rubbed his face with his hands. "But the background info fit the profile of-" "Profile, Mulder! Profile!!! You bought if for ten bucks at a road- side diner in Utah!" Scully practically exploded. "Scully, we gotta switch you back to decaf - What was that?" Mulder asked as a loud crash resounded through the cramped apartment. "Damn it, Frohike! Did you forget to lock the legs on the poker table again? Just because you dumped it all over the floor doesn't mean you get out of that money you owe me!" Langly said crossly as he headed back towards the work room. BANG! CRASH! "That doesn't sound like a poker table to me." Mulder said as he pulled out his weapon and moved past Langly to the work room. Scully was immediately behind him as he entered the room. The poker table was indeed knocked on it's side with it's legs toward the door. Cards and chips were scattered all over the floor and papers were strewn around the room as if a small hurricane had gone through. "What the hell-" started Frohike, but he was cut off by Scully. "Shh! Did anybody hear that?" She asked in a whisper as she moved into the room. A broken moan wafted up from behind the ransacked table. Scully skirted the edge of the table, weapon drawn. "Oh my god," she said as she holstered her Sig. "Come help me!" Scully cried as she tried to move the table back into standing position. Mulder and Frohike leapt forward and wrestled the table out of the way as Scully dropped to her knees next to the prone figure who had been obscured by the table. "Who is she?" Mulder asked Frohike. "Don't know, never seen her before. I think a better question would be where the hell'd she come from? There's only one way into this room and we were all sitting in front of it. I know for a fact she wasn't here before you and Scully got here." Frohike said with a frown that turned to a leer as Scully rolled the girl over. "She's hot, though." "Mulder, look at this!" Langly called from the other side of the room. Mulder went to his side as the Gunmen poured over the data that was flowing out of some strange machinery. "What is it?" Mulder asked as he picked up part of the print out. "Due to the large amount of sensitive equipment we keep on hand we monitor the environment of this room for any anom- alies," Byers began "according to this there was a temporal disturbance of monumental proportions at the same time we heard the crash." "What do the surveillance tapes show?" Mulder asked as he moved over to the monitors. "The magnetic energy was off the charts, too," Langly said excitedly, "all the tapes are blank!" Scully busied herself checking the girl's condition as the others buried themselves in the unusual readings. Aside from some irregular bruising and a light concussion it appeared she'd be okay. Scully reached forward and brushed the hair out of the girl's face and gasp in shock. "Mulder!" "Scully! What's wrong?" he cried out as he rushed to her side. He skidded to a stop as he caught sight of the girl in Scully's arms. The girl's eyes fluttered open as she snuggled deeper into her hold. "Mom?" the girl asked hoarsely "What's going on?" Her uncertain eyes flicked from Scully to Mulder and back again. Mulder felt his heart stop when her eyes had met his. Byers' words echoed in his head <"temporal disturbance...monumental proportions"...she called Scully 'Mom', she's wearing her cross - Oh My God...> The girl started as she got a good look at Scully. "Oh my god!" she cried as she leapt away from Scully, unknowingly echoing Mulder's sentiment. "Something is very not right here!" "You got that right, sister!" Frohike said as he moved to stand by Mulder. "How'd you get in here?" "Uncle Frohike, YOU gave me the key!" She cried as a note of panic crept into her voice. "So, Scully's your mom and Frohike's you uncle, got anymore relatives in the room?" Mulder asked. "Of course I-" she started and then broke off as she moved closer to examine Mulder. "What year is it?" "Year?" Mulder echoed uncertainly. "That's right, Mr. Eidetic Memory. The date, what is it?" "September 17, 1998." Scully answered calmly. "September 17, 1998." The girl parroted back numbly and then promptly collapsed into Mulder's surprised arms. Part Three: Tale Voices swam above her head as she fought to regain consciousness. "Well, what do you make of it, Scully? She looks just like you, she's wearing your cross and she knows about my eidetic memory. Doesn't that say something?" "Mulder, none of that is in any way conclusive evidence! I'm never without my cross and your memory is common knowledge. She thinks Frohike's her uncle and he doesn't even have a brother!" "She's got a point there, Mulder." Frohike put in. "And as for how she looks like me," Scully said quietly, "you know as well as I do she could be a clone." "Yeah, but her blood was red, Scully! You saw that cut on her forehead as well as-" "Agents, she's waking up." Byers said, forestalling any more argument on Mulder's part. Lisa clapped a hand to her aching head and tried to level herself up to a sitting position on the Lone Gunmen's ratty couch. Scully was immediately by her side. "My head is killing me." She said as Scully handed her a glass of water and some aspirin. "Did I pass out?" Scully nodded. "You have a slight concussion. I'd like for you to remain awake if at all possible, all right?" When Lisa nodded slowly Scully continued. "Can you tell us who you are?" "My name's Lisa-" she broke of uncertainly. "What year did you say it was again? 1998? You're not married yet are you? No," she said with a shake of her head, "of course not, not for another year. You'll just have to call me Scully then. That'll work: Lisa Scully." "Married, Scully? Is he someone I know?" Mulder asked with a sneer that wasn't quite up to his usual expression. Mulder thought with a shot of panic "Yeah," Lisa said, answering Mulder's question with a snort. "you know him. Who do you think I look like, Mulder?" She asked as she met his eye with the patented Scully-raised-eyebrow. Mulder chuckled at her expression. "Well, aside from your blatant resemblance to your mother, you called Frohike uncle and I know him, so it must be Langly." "Langly!" Scully and Lisa cried out in chorus. "No offense intended, Uncle Langly, but way to bruise a girl's ego, Mulder! Just for that I'm gonna make you pay for the reconstructive surgery!" "All right, let's stop this right now." Scully broke in, "You are not my daughter. It's physically impossible, you've got to be at least twenty five-" "Maybe I should explain," Lisa said, cutting in. "I'm going to need your help to get home anyway." She said as she turned to the Gunmen. "Our help?" Langly yelped. Lisa nodded uncertainly. "I guess I'll begin at the beginning: I was born on the year 2000..." Some time later... "And that's when I woke up to mom holding me in your work room." Lisa said as she wound tiredly down. Stunned silence met her words. Part four: Insert scene: explain Eternia 3000xr to gunmen so they can begin reconstructing the time machine from the info on Lisa's computer. Have Scully suggest the blood test. Scene in the car where Scully asks Lisa who her father is, but she refuses to tell. Undecided as to whether Mulder is in this scene or not. Part XX: Paternity "The paternity tests are in." Dana Scully said as she walked through the door holding a manila folder. "I notice you didn't mention the maternity test." "It just confirmed what you already told us." "You don't sound surprised." "Tired is more the word I'd use. I think I knew as soon as I saw you; I just couldn't accept it with out the scientific proof." "That's what I love about you, mom. Always the skeptic." "Will you tell me who your father is?" Dana asked quietly. "Mom...I've already told you: he's the man you dream about, the man you call out for at night, the man you love. If your honest with yourself you already know his name, and if not then you're not ready to hear it. But why are you asking me anyway? It's a moot point: you hold the answer in your hands." "You're right," she said as she looked down at the folder, "I do." And with that she tossed the file into the wastebasket by Mulder's desk and set it on fire. "You know, that probably wasn't the smartest move. Setting it on fire in the middle of your office, what if the alarms go off?" She answered with a laugh. "They never bothered to put smoke detectors in down here. We could have a bonfire in the middle of the office and they wouldn't notice till the floor upstairs caught on fire." They both stared silently at the sputtering flame for a few minutes. Suddenly, the door burst open to a fire extinguisher baring Mulder. He pounced on the trash can before anyone could stop him and in seconds the small fire was out. "Is everyone all right? I saw the smoke as soon as I got off the elevator! What's going on and what the hell was that you were trying to flambe in my garbage?!" He said as he picked up the small remaining corner of the document that hadn't been reduced to ash. "It was the paternity test results, Mulder." Scully said quietly. Mulder turned a stricken face to her. "So you read them? Was... was it someone you don't like?" he asked quietly, bereft of even an attempt at his usual sarcasm. "I didn't read them." She answered. "What!!! Scully, what the hell where you thinking-" She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I didn't have to, Mulder. Lisa made me realize that I already know. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with Agent Pendrell I have to attend." And with that she turned and walked out the door. "Come on, Mulder," Lisa said as she grabbed his arm, "let's go see if Uncle Frohike has anything that can cheer you up." "Pendrell..." Mulder muttered darkly to himself as she led him out the door. Insert scenes: Scully convinces Pendrell to keep the test results to himself. Mulder and Lisa go to LGHQ. Mulder leaves alone. Lisa's watch alarm goes off and she follows him. Part XX: Denial Scully slipped through the door to Lone Gunmen Headquarters. "Is Mulder here?" She asked as the guys looked up from their work at her approach. "No, he left a little while ago. Why, is something wrong?" Frohike asked with a small frown. "No, I just needed to go over some of these files with him and he's not answering his cell." Now it was Scully's turn to frown. "Is Lisa with him?" "She didn't leave with him, but this alarm went off on her watch and she took off like a shot." Langly supplied helpfully. Scully's frown deepened, "Did she say anything to indicate where she was going?" "She was muttering something under her breath about it being too late...maybe she had a date?" "Frohike..." Scully said condescendingly as she turned to go. "Agent Scully..." Byers said quietly before she could leave, "Why haven't you told Mulder?" Scully's head snapped around toward him defensively, "I don't know what you're talking about-" "It's obvious to anyone with eyes that Lisa is Mulder's daughter." Byers said as he cut her off. Frohike and Langly nodded in agreement. "Besides, she even got his sense of humor, no way to clone that." Frohike interjected. Scully squared her shoulders and prepared to launch her self into denial, but found she didn't have the energy to do it. Instead she merely exhaled the air she'd taken into her lungs with a weary sigh and dropped to the couch like a rock. "I just don't think he's ready to hear it." She said matter-of-factly. "We've never even kissed and I'm supposed to tell Mulder, case study in the fear of commitment and intimacy issues, that we're going to be married AND have a child together?" "You know he loves you." Byers said. "I do now." Frohike gaped at her. "You can't be serious! After all you two have been through, there's room for doubt?! You may not have seen him when you were missing," Scully winced at the uncomfortable memory, "but you saw how he was when you had cancer and then the whole Antarctica thing!" "Mulder's very loyal to his friends-" Frohike broke in with a snort, "Classic denial." Scully's eyes flashed and her mouth dropped open for an angry retort, but before the words could even form on her tongue Byers had jumped in with another question. "How long have you been in love with him?" Scully's jaw snapped shut with an audible click. She leaned back wearily into the couch. Tilting her head back and closing her eyes she softly muttered through clenched teeth, "First case..." "Ha!" Langly cried out, startling her eyes open. "You owe me twenty bucks! I told you she was in love with him that first night! Pay up!" Frohike grumbled obligingly as he rummaged through his wallet. Scully rolled her eyes in disgust as she leapt up from the couch and headed for the door. Byers' hand on her shoulder stopped her before she got two feet. She looked down in surprise at the hand on her arm. The most reserved of the Gunmen, she had never known Byers to initiate physical contact. "Agent Scully, whether you think he's ready for the truth or not, it's obvious he loves you. You have tangible proof that this is true. What does Mulder have but the knowledge that someday soon you'll be married and have a baby. What do you think this is doing to him? You're his lifeline, Scully. He falls apart without you." "But I'm not leaving-" "Mulder doesn't know that." Scully's face went white with shock as she suddenly realized the point Byers was trying to make. Suddenly she remembered her reason for being here and Lisa's abrupt departure. "Oh my god!" she cried as she ran to the door. The apartment was silent a few moments after her frenzied exit. "Bout time those two got a clue," Langly said as he resumed his previous position on the couch. Part XX: Death Mulder sank dejectedly down into his couch cushions. He felt as if the world had ended and no one had bothered to tell him about it. the nasty little voice in his head berated him. [Scully_] he thought brokenly in response. the voice laughed "No..." Mulder whispered heart-broken as his face fell into his hands. cried the voice almost gleefully. He could hear Lisa's voice echoing in his mind He pressed his palms tighter against his eyes to shut out the memory. "no..." he whimpered again when Scully's voice replaced hers <...didn't read them...didn't have to...I already know...Agent Pendrell...> A strangled sob tore itself from his throat. Mulder leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his knees as the sobs wracked his body. After a while he sat up. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he removed his weapon from its holster. He felt a sudden moment of clarity: his life had been meaningless. the voice hissed seductively. Silently, Mulder agreed. Best to end it now, quietly and effectively. Scully might be a little upset at him, but it would give her just enough time to get over it and have that beautiful baby that would grow up to be Lisa. [Lisa...] he thought with a stab of pain. He had so wanted her to be his daughter. Already he'd had sweet fantasies of the life he and Scully would have together with their baby girl at their side. "Who do you think I look like..." She'd asked him. "Me!" he'd wanted to scream, "You look like Me!" [God, if only that were true...] A single tear slid down his cheek as he contemplated the gun in his hand. "I love you, Dana..." He whispered as he brought the gun up to the side of his head and closed his eyes. A startled gasp broke into his reverie. Mulder opened his eyes to meet Lisa's tear streaked face. Part XX: Saved Mulder lowered the weapon subconsciously as he gaped at her in shock. His mind couldn't reconcile the image it was receiving from his eyes. Lisa edged slowly from his open door into his living room, her eyes locked with his as if she could stay his hand by strength of will alone. Her movements were smooth and gentle as she slid into the chair by the couch, all the while treating him like a nervous colt that must be handled carefully to keep it from bolting. Mulder watched as she struggled valiantly to reestablish that trademark Scully calm. They looked at each other for another few minutes before she broke the uneasy silence. "Might I ask what exactly it is you thought you were doing?" Mulder was unnerved by the quiet calculating look she was giving him. It made him feel like he was being profiled; having been on the giving end of such a glare more times than he could count, he was well aware of the relevance of any answers he would give to her questions. "What do you think I was doing, Lisa?" she thought in panic She let her calm crash over her consciousness in waves. Standing nonchalantly, she moved over to the couch and sat down beside him. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable with her nearness, but the battle of wills had begun and to move would be to concede weakness. "It looks like you were about to try a novel new approach at redecorating. Personally," She said with a dramatic pause as she crinkled her nose in disgust, "I would've started with the video collection, but I guess there's no accounting for taste." The audacity of her comment shocked a laugh out of him. His hands dropped between his knees still holding his gun and he shook his bowed head ruefully. "Twenty some odd years in the future and my video collection is still a point of contention with the Scully women." His good humor was cut off abruptly as he turned his head to look at her. "But then, it's not Scully, is it?" "No," she replied solemnly, "it's not." Mulder nodded his head knowingly, as if this confirmed a suspicion. He wanted to ask. He desperately needed to ask. The question struggled to force its way past his lips. He managed to bite it back only by asking a different question. "2000, huh?" "2000." "Is she, uh, I mean was she married when you were born?" Mulder asked, unable to meet her eyes. "Yes." "Then it's best you leave now and let me do this." Mulder raised his head and trapped her blue eyes with his mercurial hazel ones. "Why?" "Why?" he asked incredulously. "Yes, why." "Lisa-" he began, but dropped off brokenly as he struggled to regain control. Quietly he began again, "I can't do it, Lisa. I can't stand idly by while she marries someone else. I would just be in her way." "But Mulder," she said trying to break some of the tension with a joke, "if you don't come who's gonna throw Uncle Bill into the punch bowl?" Instead of laughing Mulder paled so considerably Lisa reached out to steady him, fearing he was going to pass out. He flinched away from her touch and lept to his feet to pace about the apartment. After a minute Lisa joined him on his feet and placed herself directly in his way. "Muld-" "No!" he cried out as he jerked away from her and then resumed his pacing by stepping around her. "Bad enough you want me to be alive! I can continue breathing if I know she's happy but damn it, don't ask me to be at the wedding! Jesus, why don't you just let me kill myself now-" "It'd be kinda hard to have a wedding without you, dad." Lisa said, quietly undermining his tirade. Mulder had already gone three more steps before the import of what she said sank in. He skidded to an abrupt stop and holstered his weapon before he turned slowly to face her, hope and disbelief warring together in his expression. "Let me properly introduce myself," she said as she stepped forward and offered him her hand, "Samantha Melissa Mulder, at your service." "Lisa?" he said questioningly as he took her proffered hand. "My nickname; short for Melissa." Suddenly he pulled her into his embrace and buried his face in her hair. "Thank god you didn't get my nose." he muttered through a choked sob as he held her tighter. "Yeah, the sunflower seed addiction is enough of a crutch." He gave an involuntary snort of laughter, "Gaw, not my sense of humor, too!" he cried out playfully. Now it was her turn to laugh, "Right! Pretend you didn't notice till now! Oh, and don't think I'm gonna let you forget that Langly crack either. I fully intended to spend years in parentally-funded therapy learning to repress that little remark!" she said with an evil grin. It was funny to see his trademark expression on Scully's features. He pulled away slightly to look at her, noting the traces of himself in her face that he'd dismissed as wishful thinking. He reached down and lightly brushed his fingertips across her brow lovingly. "You're such a perfect meld of the two of us," He whispered, the awe written plainly on his face and in his voice. "Kids usually are," she said with a smile. "I love you, dad." "Dad," he said as he shook his head incredulously. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he had her mother so many times before as he pulled her in for another bear hug. "I don't know how good a dad I'm gonna be, but I love you too, kid."