Title: Regrets 3: Rebirth

Author: RPcrazy

Category: DRR 

Key words: Doggett, Reyes, romance, casefile, mytharc, William,
Gibson, Skinner

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Doggett and Reyes are now parents while John still works on
the X-Files. As well as going through the rigors of parenting there
are plenty of surprises in store both in John's job and in his family
life. Something more ominous and unexpected clouds the horizon putting
in doubt the authenticity of Mulder's alien colonization date.

Notes: 

This can be read alone however if you wish to read the first two fics
of the series  'Regrets' and 'Regrets2: Reunion' can both be found on
this website.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


Chapter One
Washington Memorial Hospital, 2.30am


"Just get it out!" Monica grunted as she lay on her back, sweat
dripping down her forehead, her brow uncharacteristically furrowed.

"It won't be long now." John consoled as he patted her brow with a
cool cloth and then looked across to the doctor with concern.

"Now Monica, just follow your body's natural urge to push and we'll
have this baby out in no time." The doctor's voice was as calm as it
had been for the previous five months of visits. It had been on John's
insistence that they had found Doctor Judith Ramirez through Monica's
parents. She had come highly recommend by some friends of theirs and
luckily had a business in DC. She would spend one week of every month
in DC then return to Mexico City for the other three.

It had been Monica's belief that doctors were not needed during
pregnancy until the final throes and even then she only wanted someone
to watch over who'd had childbirth experience, perhaps a midwife. John
had had none of it. To him it was important that the baby's
development and health be monitored as well as the mother's and he
believed that would be through a medical doctor. Knowing her partner's
past history with the loss of his only child it was a small price to
pay to see him content.

It had been estimated that Monica was four months gone on her first
visit and had already begun to show. Her pregnancy had been trauma
free with both happy parents to be following the growth of Monica's
stomach at ease with the fact there was a healthy boy or girl inside.

"I ca  a - n't!" She drawled out in obvious hardship, her teeth
gritted in a shape John had never seen.

"You can." The doctor's words were confident and yet comforting. It
was clear she had been through the same scenario multiple times. "Only
a little way to go. I can see the head." She nodded the father over to
see the progress.

"No, John!" Monica bellowed has his presence left her side. "Stay!"
Her hand went out searching for his. It was comforting that she wanted
him so much during the ten-hour labor. With Luke's birth his ex wife
had gone through with all the stages hardly needing his presence. He
had felt like a fish out of water. With Monica, she had held onto him
all through first stage contractions and also never wanted him to
leave her side through the second stage. It was he who talked her
through the excruciating pain and he who put smiles on her face when
she thought she couldn't go on.

"So what do you think if it's a girl, Buffy?" Doggett showed a smile
that his partner just had to reciprocate between contractions.

"I thought we'd decided on a name." Monica prodded his arm.

"Yes, but she hasn't been born yet, there's still time." The
conversation had to be airy to get her mind of another approaching
wave of pain.

"It might be a boy." She had leant heavily against him, he sensing
another episode.

"What about Fox?" Monica's fingers began gripping his arm but not for
the reason John believed it to be. As her eyes glazed she commenced
some of the controlled breathing they had both learnt in pre-natal
classes together. When Barbara was having Luke, John had felt remorse
at being too busy with his career and study to attend many of the
classes. This time would be different, this pregnancy, childbirth and
fatherhood would be his chance for redemption. On the other hand he
knew he had a sympathic boss if work related issues were really tight.

Pushing back the wet hair from his partner's face as she bore down all
he could think about was how much she must have loved him that she
would go through all this just to have their baby. He also admired her
choice not to accept any pain relief but always knew Monica would be
an advocate of natural childbirth. There would be no argument.

"It's almost there Monica. One more of those and we should have the
head." There were two attending nurses with facemasks next to the
white clothed doctor with latex covered hands. Her hair was tied back
off her face but John hardly noticed the appearance of the doctor, his
mind was on his partner and how she was preparing for another
contraction.

'It's almost there.' John repeated in his mind. The months of waiting
were nearly over. The whole scenario was quite unique even though he
had been present at a previous birth.

As he dabbed at her forehead with the cool cloth and accepted her
fingers cutting off the circulation to his hand he listened as the
doctor give a commentary on the next stages of delivery.

"Good Monica, here's the head coming. Gently now. Calmly control that
breathing." The doctor's eyes were only on the baby. John was trying
to juggle between watching Monica's well being and the remarkable
birth of their child.

Even John could feel the relief in the room as the head finally pushed
out.

"One more contraction should bring the rest of your new baby." What
comforting words to the ears! They would have been even more relief
for his partner who could see the end of all that pain and discomfort.
"John?" The doctor wanted him to witness the birth but also not
distract his partner from her ending labor. "Easy Monica, almost
there. We have a shoulder, and now two." John couldn't believe the
sight as he observed his child being born into the world.

With a gush the rest of the tiny form was expelled into the doctor's
waiting arms. It was so small and vulnerable but John didn't get to
see the gender with the nurses quickly wiping the skin clean for Mom
to have a hold before the umbilical cord was cut.

Lightly wrapped in a soft white cloth the tiny form was placed in
Monica's arms after John helped her into a sitting position.

The look on both the couple's faces must have mirrored multitudes
before them but it was all so unique to them. With not a cry the baby
lay there, seeming to look up at both their faces in turn.

"Oh John, our baby's beautiful." As if the past ten hours had not
occurred Monica's radiant face had returned as she held the squirming
infant securely on her lap. John just numbly nodded. Words to describe
his overall sense of awe, relief, pride and love were all too hard to
express. There in Monica's arms was part him and the other part the
love of his life. God had given him another chance to make things
right this time. He would nurture this child with a hindsight he had
not had with his first.

The nursing staff was wonderful and had given them time to bond with
the newborn and check that all the parts were there before John was
asked if he wanted to cut the cord. It was something that had taken
him by surprise but when he had looked across to a beaming Monica he
knew it was the right thing to do.

After discussing what they needed to do next they took the tiny being
away for examination.

"John, go with them!" Monica had insisted. They had discussed it all
before the birth. If for any reason their baby was going to be out of
her sight then the father would be their eyes and ears.

Dr. Ramirez finished up with Monica and had a final chat before
leaving and getting the sleep she had missed from attending the early
morning birth.

"Congratulations on a healthy baby girl." She spoke with the slight
Hispanic accent Monica had become used to during the past five months.

"Thank you, she's beautiful." There were tears forming in Monica's
eyes, the events of the last ten or so hours paying their toll and
then the overwhelming joy of receiving such a precious gift. All the
agony had been worth the end result. To have a healthy child and to
the man she adored the most in the world was her every wish come true.

"He's going to make a good father." Her head tilted to the door
through which John had briefly departed.

"I know," Monica blinked back the tears remembering the sessions she
had felt at ease to talk about her family and her concerns and joys.
Judith had been more like a friend than a doctor and was more than
happy to hear about the loss of John's son Luke and how he had found
it hard to cut the strings of guilt.

When Monica discovered that Judith had also been adopted as a baby
that's when the friendship blossomed further. It was the main reason
she went into medicine and then obstetrics. She wanted to see the
children being born to their natural birth parents. She had never
known her origins, so naturally wanted to be eyewitness to others'
beginnings.

"Your baby girl will be back here soon and as we've discussed you can
try and start breastfeeding."  Judith lightly squeezed Monica's
fingers as if to hand over the confidence and assurance she had
expressed and bestowed at their previous meetings. "The nurses will be
able to assist if you need it. I'll be back tomorrow to check on you,
all three of you," she gave a knowing smile as she headed to the door.

However, something stopped her in her tracks and she spun around and
moved back to be by Monica's bed.

"What is it?" Monica frowned a margin but immediate calmed her face
when Judith shook her head and smiled.

"It may be nothing but I owe it to you to pass it on." The doctor took
a moment to respond making Monica's mind race one hundred fold. "Don't
worry, it's a good thing." Taking another instant to express her words
clearly, she took a breath. "This has been the simplest pregnancy and
childbirth I have experienced in all my years."

"Simplest?" Monica needed to confirm and to express her interest in
where the conversation was headed.

"Well apart from mothers-to-be anxious about weight gain, the swollen
ankles, possibly urinary tract infections, back ache. I don't want to
bore you with the long list at a time like this but you have had none
of those." Her voice lightened at the end of the sentence.

"What are you saying Judith?" Monica looked into her eyes for more
truth. "My pregnancy has been problem free? I assumed I would be like
a thousand others."

"There have been a few unproblematic pregnancies but not so often
combined with childbirth." Judith straightened her spine as if she was
going to come to the point. " Look Monica, I'm a medical doctor and
deal with facts and what I see, but my senses tell me more here."

"More?" Monica looked her square in the face for the details.

"You have had not one thing go wrong!" Judith emphasized. "Even your
baby girl came into the world without crying and yet seemed content as
though appearing here from your womb was the most natural thing to
do."

Not having the medical expertise and experience of the doctor Monica
could only surmise what she meant, that she was one of the lucky few
to go through the nine months without a hitch.

Judith patted her friend on the arm, smiled and then made as though
she was about to leave again.

"What I'm saying is you have something special there, more special
than you both realize." Another arm pat and she was really out the
door. Only moments later a glowing, proud John entered the room, in
his arms carrying the small bundle of precious human life, John
Doggett's and Monica Reyes' new baby.


Chapter Two
Falls Church, 12.30pm

"John, switch that thing off now?" Monica called from across the room
in the Falls Church house kitchenette where both she and her baby's
father lived. "You've seen it about twenty times already."

"Twenty-one," he grinned and deliberately pushed the pause button on
the VCR remote control. Walking over to Monica and his live in partner
she looked up from her lunch preparation to see his lop sided smile
and the living room's big screen television showing a still image of a
mother breastfeeding her tiny charge.

"John, why do you have so much of a fascination with my breasts?"
Monica returned the grin as she broke up the lettuce and added it to
the salad bowl.

"Because," he deliberately strung out the conjunctive word to give him
time to reach her. "They are about to be mine again." From behind he
seductively slipped his arms around her and held her firmly but not
enough to stop her from rotating in his embrace to face him.

Placing her arms over his shoulders she pursed her lips in mock
disdain and softly exclaimed,

"Just because Lana is temporarily using them doesn't mean they're just
hers." As her lips moved closer to his she knew where it would lead.
More and more her libido was returning after the birth of their baby
daughter. John had been patient in the post partum period and now four
months down the track their sex life was in full bloom again. Well, in
bloom enough to also cater for a thriving, wakeful yet adorable
four-month-old baby girl.

"Oh? You can share?" He whispered on her mouth as his mouth just
barely touched hers. They lapped teasingly at each other's lips as
John's hand crept up between them. Knowing exactly where it was going
she allowed access.

Breastfeeding their baby girl Solana had made the experience of him
touching her breasts quite stimulating. As long as all images of
motherhood escaped her thoughts then he could get her to new heights
of enjoyment just with a simple touch.

"They're yours if you want them John," she sighed contentment as he
lifted her t-shirt and ran fingers over the warm flesh.

As if reading that there was something on her mother's mind Solana had
been just put in her crib for one of her rare midday naps and even
though Monica had thought it a ripe opportunity for some alone time
with her life partner she had decided to gauge his mood and make lunch
first.

When the hospital birth video came out once again she sighed but
accepted that John needed some relaxation time too. Looking after a
wakeful baby was tough work on both parents, day and night, but they
were both confident in the fact that they were doing the best for
their baby girl and she would eventually settle into a more acceptable
sleeping pattern when she was ready.

"Oh I want them." His fingers lingering over the nipple through her
bra sending signals to more than just her brain. She had wanted this,
needed it. There had been no time for sex the last few days, each
slumping into bed at night exhausted from work and/or family life.

As he unclipped the front bra fastener his hand ran gently over the
soft rounded flesh sending her into waves of delight. When his lips
slipped over hers and his body grew closer she knew he was just as
aroused as she. Their kiss was filled with passion collected and
stored after all the soulful glances they had given each other as they
watched their daughter play.

"Let's go up to the bedroom," Monica was breathless, pining for his
skin to be close to hers, for him to physically express the deep love
he had for her. Her fingers were through his hair, tousling it from
its neat grooming. To not move her hips into his would have been
painful. Both hips in rhythmic unison and both sets of arms by
pressured movements demonstrated the heated condition their bodies
displayed.

Still entwined in a kiss,. John lifted Monica's light frame and
carried her to the hearth rug.

"We don't want to wake her," John whispered and then gently lowered
his lover to the spongy floor covering. "When was the last time we
made love here?" He lifted her T-shirt over her head before removing
his own.

"Hmm, can't remember." Monica enjoyed him taking control and this was
no exception. As he slowly removed their clothes he kissed her
sweetly, touching the parts of her body he had come to know excited
her. When he licked around her swollen nipples she shuddered with
passion willing him breathe his warm breath all over her, anywhere,
everywhere.

Even before he removed the rest of his clothing he had slowly peeled
off her casual daytime attire kissing every patch with tenderness. She
welcomed his every move writhing her body this way and that to give
him easier access and to tell him without words what aroused her the
most.

John had been so wonderful with his acceptance that it was taking
Monica time to feel normal again after the toll on the body pregnancy
and childbirth inflicted. With never a selfish compliant he would do
what was required to look after a child and mother, and never having
to be asked. That was the beauty of him being a second time father,
knowing what needed to be done. He probably had sex on his mind more
often than he let on, that was part of being a normal healthy male but
he waited for her, knowing that if he was patient then their sexual
relationship could be the best ever.

"I know I don't say this enough but I love you Monica." The lips found
hers again as his naked skin touched her ready flesh from above.
Instinctively her fingers trailed through his hair while the others
wandered down his back to his butt and lingered feeling the muscles at
work.

The words of professed love seemed to infuse through her body adding
to the already peaked passion between them.

"John, you tell me every day," she managed to whisper as she bodily
gave permission for her lover to go that next step. Even though their
sex life was not back to the frequency it was before their angel came
into their lives, each time they felt free to take their time, there
was no need to hurry, worrying that there would be a small gurgling
reminder that there was also someone else living in the house.

"But I love you more than just once a day." Fondly he looked into her
eyes for the impact. They were not just words but a heart felt
emotion.

"And I'm madly in love with you too." They kissed deeply after their
devoted exchanges knowing that lovemaking was so much more profound
when they were both in such affectionate moods. "Love me John."

Those were the final words before she felt his hand slip down her
thigh and lift her willing knee to give him the access she so craved.
He pushed in slowly, using his seemingly unlimited strength to hold
himself up on one arm while the other played along his lover's thigh.
The way his fingers searched just touching her inner thigh as he
repeatedly yet deliberately thrust inside made their union all that
more intense.

There was nothing about their lovemaking that was mundane. Each
movement on both their parts seemed perfectly matched and
tantalizingly addictive.

Wanting even more action Monica began to sit and rolled her lover over
onto his back trying not to break their merger. Astride his hips it
was her turn to show how much she loved him and how making love to the
man she adored was so precious and highly craved.

Tugging at her hair tie her hair sprang free and fell over her face as
she moved downward to capture John's lips.

"This is so good," she found herself saying inadvertently. With John
she could express her innermost feelings without being made to feel
silly or be judged. He had proved that he loved and admired every part
of her. The dark hair fell around his face as she parted his lips with
her tongue and then went into another round of kissing.

John's ample hands slipped slowly down her back to her thighs where
they rested, feeling their hips thrash in adoring bliss. When Monica
lifted her head for the air she needed, John elevated both their
bodies to a sitting position on the floor's soft surface, continuing
the fluid motion that had their emotions in an alter reality and their
corporeal beings in chemical mayhem.

Monica relaxed, letting her mind go inward. She never had cause to
worry that John wanting more than she could give would break her
concentration. As their bodies interweaved John held her close sensing
she was coming to a climax. He gently kissed the rapid, hot pulse on
her neck as her breathing became more ragged.

When the edge of Monica's release began was when her lover began
moving more quickly, perfect timing, he was perfect. The coinciding of
mutual release made their lovemaking so much more intense and
memorable. As they both let their bodies share the mutual rewards of
sex neither of them thought about the impractibility of the location
when their small charge was mobile.

A shrill squeal came from somewhere outside their cacoon of shared
love and afterglow.

It took another before John's head moved from the warm, comfortable
nest that was Monica's neck.

"She's your daughter," Monica laughed and then kissed the bridge of
his nose.

"My daughter!" John shot her a sideways glance as he reluctantly began
extracting his limbs from his lover's.

Shaking the hair away from her face she sweetly looked into his eyes
of blue.

"She has your eyes," she began as a lone finger traced over an eyebrow
and then over his cheek.

"But she has your hair," he mentioned in a low sexy drone as his
fingers spreadeagled through her thick locks. "And your smile." He
looked down to her lips which were forming an even bigger grin."

Suddenly there was an even louder squeal that had them both laughing.

"And your personality." Monica added the trait she had intended from
the start and then moved her head back a little to gauge his reaction.

"I don't yell that loud to get attention!" He knew what she meant but
he loved talking about their daughter together with all the reminders
that she was indeed his.

"You don't? You don't have to listen to yourself talking on the
telephone sometimes at work and me hearing it all the way from the
elevator." Her fingers went behind his neck allowing some extra
sensuous strokes before having to get back fully into reality.

He showed a sideways smile of understanding.

"So you think she might be one of the next generation X-Files agents
when we move on?" He had secretly imagined his daughter following in
her parents' footsteps but shrugged it off as only distant
speculation. Her life choices would become apparent as she grew and
thrived. This time he would savor every moment with his child. Work
was a necessity for income and also a needed distraction from
domesticity but family was the most important. He had come to learn
that by one of the hardest ways of all, through the death of his first
child.

"I can just see it now," Monica gestured in the air with thumb and
forefinger. "'Special Agents John and Solana Doggett' on the plaque on
the FBI basement office door."

"So what will you be doing then?" John questioned, enjoying the
conjectures. "I can't see anyone other than you being my partner," he
added in a softer, genuine voice.

"Me neither," she added, giving him a kiss on the lips, her face
changing to more pensive.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you." John's arms found their way
around his lover's body and into a firm, protective hold. "Having
second thoughts?"

"No it's not that," Monica returned his embrace continuing her
thoughtful repose. "I want to return to work, I need to come back."

"It's Lana, you can't leave her?" John had a way of reading her
emotions. He had been doing that more lately. "It'll only be two days
a week until you're ready for more."

"Before she was born I thought it would be easy to return to work but
now that I know I love her so much it's just hard." Monica poured out
her thoughts.

"You're Mom and Dad will take good care of her for those first four
weeks," John reminded, feeling over her back with his consoling hands.
"And it's still two months away."

Monica begrudgingly smiled and nodded. John was right. Solana would be
in good hands and thanks to a sympathetic boss she could add working
days as she became ready.

"So you don't mind them staying here?" Monica asked for the umpteeth
time as the backs of her fingers felt over the smooth skin of her
lover's cheek.

"As long as they stay away from the marriage topic," John chuckled as
they heard another squeal from upstairs. This time they knew they had
to move. From previous experience if by the baby's fourth squeal they
were not showing that they were at her mercy all hell would break
loose.

"They're just traditional people John," Monica extracted herself from
the body with which she had shared so much communal pleasure. "They
still understand that we can have a commitment without the piece of
paper."

"All I can say is we'll need to get in some serious loving before they
come." His eyebrows raised and his lips formed a smirk as he proceeded
to clothe his lower body.

"They'll give us our space."  Monica slipped on her track pants over
her underwear.

"So you're not uncomfortable making love to me when your parents are
under the same roof?" John grabbed a squeaky toy giraffe from his
daughter's downstairs collection on the side table. "Be back soon." He
didn't need a verbal response to his question. Back in Mexico inside
her parents' home where he had followed her all those months back,
they had made love over and over in Monica's bedroom, not caring that
the main bedroom was only a wall away.

Monica smiled up to him as he climbed the stairs, loving him even more
for being so caring towards their daughter. She gave an extra smile
for being blessed with such an adorable child.

After fully dressing, she made her way back to the kitchenette to wash
her hands before continuing the lunch that lay neglected in favor of a
little fun.

"Hmm," Monica sighed, remembering the words of her doctor at her
daughter's birth and how she had remarked about her sensing there was
something more to the baby than just the normal.

Day by day Monica was sensing it too. The time was approaching where
she would need to confront her child's father with her suspicions.
Would he be as understanding as he had been with his partner's
talents?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Here's our little ray of sunshine." John appeared at the bottom of
the steps with a happy, gurgling baby in his arms clearly having been
diapered upstairs. "There's Mommy." Lana pointed a wobbly arm over to
her smiling mother. The other arm clutched the rubbery yellow giraffe.

"Hello sweetie," Monica rubbed a finger over the velvety chubby cheek.
Lana stretched her arms out to her Mom with a gurgle and gesture that
told her mom it was baby's lunchtime.

"Go on, feed her," John relinquished the possessive hold of his
daughter. " I'll finish up here." It was good to have her partner
there knowing he'd be around for the whole weekend. AD Skinner had
made special arrangements for Agent Doggett not to be disturbed on
weekends save for emergencies. These arrangements had been in place
from the birth until Monica was due back at work when their daughter
turned six months.

He had only been called out twice but both knew that it was his
expertise that was essentially needed. Neither occasion took more than
a day. It had been difficult at first for John to come to terms with
separating his work and family life. He had been too used to following
up leads immediately instead of prioritizing, which he had learnt to
do with Monica's help.

He smiled as he watched his wriggling daughter latch onto her mother
as she lay in the comfortable lounge chair. Monica was a natural
mother. Even for the first time she seemed to know what was right for
her daughter and was calm in her every approach with her baby girl.
This seemed to be rubbing off on their daughter. As far as he could
remember Luke had been a wakeful but fussy child. There were often
crying bouts that tested both Barbara's and his patience.

For Lana to be so content they must have been doing something right.
Monica had read the books and related to him the month-by-month
development phases of babies. The average four-month-old child was
sleeping nine hours through the night with a morning and afternoon nap
but Lana was taking only one small unpredictable daytime nap and would
wake a couple of times through the night. There would be no crying,
just the squeal to announce her important existence. Most of the time
she would settle back to sleep but on occasions she would want her
parent's attention, thus the fourth squeal. All it would take to get
her sleeping again was a pat on the bottom by either parent.

Monica had laughed it off as a sign that the more she was awake, the
more she would be learning about her environment. It made sense and
was a way to make the worry and the disturbed sleep short lived.

Reaching over to the radio he put on some gentle background music. He
was not used to so much silence. Sprinkling the salad bowl with olives
and then a little dressing that Monica had made he went for the well
and truly heated quiche in the oven.

The music changed to news headlines as he cut a wedge each of the
cheesy egg pastry dish and placed them on clean white plates.

As he was accustomed in his profession he listened to the usual doom
and gloom of the daily news line-up.

'A train disaster in Connecticut has claimed the lives of three
people, as predicted the eye of Cyclone Lucy has missed major towns on
the coast of Florida and it appears to be heading for sparsely
populated areas in the south-east of the country, the bomb that was
allegedly planted by a newly formed middle-eastern group has been
reported comprising materials gathered here in the United States.'
John just rolled his eyes. He could never get used to why terrorists
would want to harm anyone but why Americans, his fellow citizens would
aid and abet, was too difficult to fathom.

He was collecting the plates to take into the living room for lunch
when the final part of the news caught his ear. It made him stop in
his tracks, a chill vibrating through his body. Placing the plates
back on the bench he listened as the news hit his ear.

'On a funnier note folks, a series of UFOs with a difference has been
reported in Maryland.' John shifted uneasily as each revelation by the
newsreader hit home, he was certainly not taking it as light-heartedly
as the reader. 'Wait for it! Ever seen a star-shaped spaceship? What
about a flying wheel? Maybe a soaring four-leafed clover? That's what
Joan Walsh witnessed last night in her home just outside Preston,
Caroline County.'

Hearing enough of what was meant to ironically make the news a little
lighter he pulled the folded note from his jeans pocket and opened it
up to read the familiar hand-writing. His stomach churned more as he
reread the note that had been left for him the previous day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The previous morning John had been feeling in a better than better
mood as he went about looking through the files for an X-File that
caught his attention. At least the night beforehand, his daughter in
the other room had only woken him once.

On the spur of the moment deciding to go out for morning tea to a
newly opened caf he had been more than surprised when the attendant
asked him if he was John Doggett and that that morning a note had been
left for him.

After looking at the handwriting he understood immediately who had
sent it. It was the only person he knew who would have known his
actions even before he knew them himself.

Looking at the message again he was slowly coming to believe he
understood what it meant and it wasn't good.

They are here. Wait for the call.

He read the message over three more times and then thought back to the
news report from Preston, Maryland. What did it all mean exactly? Was
it the start of the alien invasion that Mulder had said would happen
in 2012? Had the timeframe shifted? Maybe he was just overreacting, a
characteristic that was not like him. That's why he had decided to
keep it all to himself until he knew the facts.

He so wanted to tell Monica and show her the note. Even though on
maternity leave she was still his partner and had a right to know what
he knew but what did he really know? Taking a deep breath and slipping
the note back in his jeans pocket he decided to wait for the contact.

"Hmm, that smells great." With a warm smile Monica looked up from a
feeding, contented daughter.

"Looks like you've got your hands full. Want me to feed you?" John
chuckled as he placed the plates together with the cutlery on the low
table in front of the couch. Holding back the urge to spill all he
took a moment to look at mother and daughter and smiled at how
comfortable Monica was with motherhood. He always knew she would make
a good carer but to see a contented, healthy daughter and an equally
relaxed mother was better than in his dreams.

Monica chuckled, "She'll be done in a moment."

John took the chance to begin eating. There had been many a time that
Monica had had to wait to begin her own meal but he knew she was
putting her daughter's needs ahead of her own. The small form in his
partner's arms was still such a tiny, dependent bundle.

Sitting up groggily in her mother's lap Lana gurgled contentment. With
one hand Monica adjusted her clothing.

"Look, she wants her daddy." Lana's little arm was pointing to John.

"Come here pumpkin." John temporarily replaced his cutlery and took
his daughter while Mom did up her buttons and then also began on her
first morsels of salad. Sitting her on one knee and in the crook of
John's arm, with the other hand his lifted a fork to continue eating.

A few quiet moments passed as they enjoyed the delicious tastes, Lana
watching her dad's every move with the fork. He had to dodge her solid
grip a few times as a hand darted out to the capture the free
entertainment.

"This is not for you," he mentioned playfully as firm fingers took a
grip of the fork when he wasn't paying attention. Lana just chuckled
and gave one of her big smiles that had her mom and dad tied around
her little finger.

"Here," Monica stood and reached over to another of her favourite
toys. "Lana, here are your bells." Handing her the bright pink plastic
ring the customary jingle sounded from within. After a few excited
shakes she held the musical instrument in both hands and brought it to
her face for closer inspection. John took the distraction as a chance
to finish his meal.

"This is good. What's in the dressing?" John took a piece of lettuce
into his mouth.

"I added a little lemon juice and tarragon." Monica was looking at her
daughter as she spoke and felt internal warmth that the tiny being
loved her parents equally. It took a little of the pressure off her
that she was happy to also go to her father for comfort.

"It's good," John nodded popping more salad into his mouth.

"John?" Monica paused until she knew she had his attention. There was
something she needed to discuss with him. As an active father to his
daughter Monica wanted to know if he also had been wondering
something.

~~~~~~~~~

 "Let me take Lana and give her some play time on the floor." Monica
lay out a play rug and placed a few of her toys at one end.

"Okay, what's on your mind?" John relinquished his contented daughter,
not nearly ready to let her go but knew there was something on his
partner's mind.

"Lana, come to Mommy." Holding out her hands Lana leant forward to go
to her. Scooping her in her arms she carried her to the floor rug the
other side of the table. "Here are your toys." Monica's voice was
higher pitched and light as she placed Lana on her stomach near the
brightly colored objects. Coos and gurgles came from the small kicking
bundle on the floor as she reached out for her first toy. It was a
ball that rolled a little and she squealed with delight as she tracked
it with her eyes.

"So what's up?" John could see Monica's look of love for her daughter
but also a mixture of something more.

"Have you noticed how our daughter rarely cries?" Monica began slowly.
She wanted also to gauge if he had experienced anything remarkable
with his daughter like she had. The experience she'd had the previous
day churned over in her mind and there was no doubt what had occurred.

"She's a happy baby." John shrugged it off.

"John, it's normal in the first three months of life for babies to be
unsettled as they get used to their surroundings but Lana hardly ever
showed fussiness that way." Monica looked across to John's frown of
concern.

"You think there's something wrong with our daughter?" He looked
across to the picture of health and happiness cooing and gurgling as
she rolled over onto her back clutching the ball she had eventually
conquered.

"No! It's not that." Monica quickly dismissed any doubt about
abnormalities. "She's not exactly like other babies her age. In
physical development she is on track and according to her maternal
nurse this week she is in perfect health."

"I don't see the problem, she's healthy." Monica could tell that John
wanted to go retrieve his daughter but stopped him by moving closer
along the couch and resting a hand lightly on his.

"There are no problems with Lana and that's just the point." Monica
linked fingers with her partner hoping the contact would keep his mind
open to what she was saying. "She is in perfect health and has been
since birth."

"There's something else." John clutched Monica's fingers not entirely
sure where the conversation was leading. "You gotta tell me what's on
your mind."

"You know I've been seeing Judith Ramirez as a friend a few times
since the birth. She rings me when she has some spare moments and we
catch up." Monica wanted to word the next part carefully because
knowing the doubt John had without seeing things for himself he would
probably not believe.

"And?" John looked at her with the concentration she had seen so often
as a partner on a case. It was almost as though he predicted he would
not be able to believe what she was going to say.

"Judith has always thought our daughter was special, as do we." Monica
smiled hoping to lighten the mood. "But something happened John. I
can't explain it but I did see it with my own eyes."

"What?" The look in his eyes was becoming impatient so she decided to
quickly get to the point.

"Judith was holding Lana on her lap yesterday when we met at our usual
caf in the mall. We both know how Lana loves people and is always
content to go to Judith." Monica moved a little closer rubbing along
John's thigh then linked fingers of both their hands. "She was showing
me her swollen finger where she had stubbed it on a door that had
unexpectedly got stuck halfway."

"Monica!" John was becoming even more impatient.

"John, I wouldn't have believed it either if I didn't see it with my
own eyes. Lana reached and grabbed the finger. Judith winced at first
but then let her keep hold." Taking a deep breath she continued,
"Before my eyes and Judith's the swelling went down. When Lana let go
of her finger it was normal just like all the others."

At this point Monica decided to wait for John's reaction. She looked
into his eyes that were slowly absorbing the enormity of what he had
just heard.

"You're kidding right?" John's natural instinct was to test if it was
a joke. "Our daughter healed Judith's swollen finger, is that what you
think?"

"John, I knew you would have doubts but you know me. That's what I
saw. You can even ask Judith herself."

Just at that moment there was a shuffle from just outside the window
and both adults went into agent alert.

"Who's that?" Monica whispered and in protection mode got up to
approach her daughter.

"Stay here, I'll check." The conversation about Lana and what really
happened would have to go on raincheck.

~~~~~~~~~~~

John immediately made for the front door. It was probably a couple of
neighbourhood boys who liked to dare each other to look into 'FBI
Agents'' windows to see if they could see any 'guns'. John had caught
them recently and they had confessed. Boys being boys of that age,
flippant apologies often were short lived. The lure of the dare was
far more fun than the possible consequences.

Still with Monica's conversation in the back of his mind he opened the
front door to find the area empty, as also was his yard. Even a look
along the street proved fruitless. With a huff of frustration he was
heading back to the front entrance when something caught his eye.
Others may not have seen it at first but when John Doggett's curiosity
was piqued he noticed things others would possibly overlook.

He bent to pick up the pale brown piece of paper roughly torn in the
shape of a dead leaf. In familiar handwriting on the underside was
written the simple message:

The back door

'Gizelle,' he thought, and pictured the petite young lady they had
first met in Buckland, Pennsylvania nearly nine months previously. He
still found it difficult to fathom her talents and yet she had proved
them on a number of occasions. To be able to predict with such
accuracy what another person would do in the future was startling yet
a little unsettling.

After reclosing the door he went back to Monica who was standing
rocking their wide-eyed baby daughter within protective arms.

"Here," John gave the paper to a puzzled Monica and then went for the
back door. In the past it would have been second nature to also have
his gun at the ready but since having a family they had decided that
their guns, even though a necessity of their profession, would remain
hidden, locked away and unloaded.

Cautiously he opened the rear door and saw someone he had half
expected.

"Gibson, you could have used the front door." John ushered him inside
his home.

"It's still not safe." Gibson replied in a monotone and walked past
John, past the kitchenette and into the living room.

Suddenly John regretted not having told Monica about the note he had
received the previous day. This way could be another bombshell. He had
to admit his life had become a lot more interesting and unusual since
his time on the X-Files.

"Gibson!" Monica smiled and held her hand out to shake his. Her
natural instinct was to give him a welcoming hug but her arms were
already full of a gurgling, relaxed baby. Knowing he would have sensed
her intension comforted her. "It's good to see you again."

"Can I get you anything? Soda? Coffee? Have you eaten?" Really filling
his father role, John also felt an affinity with this boy. As much
hardship as the former marine and cop had gone through in life Gibson
had endured so much more in his yet short existence.

"Soda, thanks," he half smiled. John jumped to attention and headed
for the fridge.

Monica was about to ask why he was there but noticed the faraway look
in Gibson's eyes. It was as though he had never seen a baby before.

"This must be Solana." Gibson moved a little closer and lifted a hand
to touch her tiny chubby hand, which provided the action of her
immediately latching onto one of his fingers.

With a gurgle and a delighted squeal she swung his finger around
giving no sign she would ever relinquish the digit.

"Lana, this is Gibson." Monica introduced in a higher pitched voice.
It was after another happy squeal and a wide smile that Monica noticed
a different look on the teenage boy's face. Was he reading her mind?

.....

She mentally shook her head. It was not something over which she
needed to be concerned. She had come to accept Gibson and his unique
ability and knew that he would never use it to harm or embarrass any
of them.

"Can I hold her?" It was a moot question because Lana was already half
out of Monica's grasp and reaching out to the boy.

"I think she likes you." Monica beamed and handed over her daughter.
As Gibson cocooned the baby there was certainly a hint of a smile on
his face. It was so refreshing to see Gibson look as though all his
worries were momentarily locked away and he was free to live for a
change.

"I know," Gibson looked up to Monica with a different expression.
"There's something else too."

Just as he spoke the words, John came back with the drinks.

"Monica, here's yours," he handed her a bottle of mineral water and
then opened soda cans for him and Gibson. "I'll put yours here pal."
Seeing that the boy's arms were full he placed the open can on the
coffee table that still held their empty lunch dishes. Without
direction John began piling up the plates.

"John, wait!" Monica placed a hand on his forearm urging him to leave
the dishes for the moment. "Gibson has something to tell us."

John immediately thought about the note he had in his pocket and
instinctively placed his hand there. He mentally kicked himself for
not broaching the topic sooner. There would need to be apologies.

Choosing to sit, Gibson took Lana with him to the nearest sofa that
happened to be a single seater. Taking the cue the parents also
decided to sit.

Lana raised a wobbly hand and began playing with Gibson's mouth as he
spoke.

"What is it Gibson?" John decided to let the boy start the subject but
was surprised at the topic.

"I can tell you sense it too." He tried to dodge Lana's tiny fingers
but they kept finding their fascinating destination. "Lana is
different."

"Different, how?" Monica wanted to know exactly what Gibson sensed.
Maybe he could provide them with some answers.

"I'm not exactly sure yet but I feel an energy from her, in her mind
and in her body." Gibson reached for a soft toy that was on a nearby
side table and attempted to distract the curious baby. It worked and
with a few bubbly gurgles she was playing with the new diversion.

"Energy?" John needed clarification. He could sense no 'energy' from
his daughter except when she needed a diaper change.

"Gibson, what's this energy like?" Monica used her gentle
interrogative tactics. "Does it say anything to you?"

"When she held my finger before, I felt a warmth travel up my arm."
Lana played happily in Gibson's lap seeming oblivious to the talk of
which she was the center of attention.

"Warmth?" John confirmed.

"She knows." He looked across to Monica.

"I've told John what I saw yesterday but I don't know what to make of
it." Monica bore a slight frown. "Lana belongs to John and myself.
She's our baby. I can't imagine how this could have happened."

"You're thinking of William too." Gibson mentioned plainly.

"We know that William has some sort of alien DNA and he could control
objects with his mind." John added. "What's that got to do with our
girl?" He turned to Monica. "You absolutely sure of what you saw
yesterday?"

"Yes John, I know what I saw. Just ask Judith." A gasp was almost
audible from Monica's mouth.

"She mustn't tell anyone!" There was no need to give Gibson any more
details about the miraculous healing of Judith Ramirez's swollen
finger. "You could be in danger."

Monica immediately picked up the cell phone and clicked the fast dial
number to reach her doctor and friend.

~~~~~~~~~

"She's not there!" Monica dialled the hospital number and anxiously
waited out the chimes. "This is Monica Reyes, I urgently need to talk
with Doctor Judith Ramirez."

<<Hold on while I check her schedule,>> came the distant officious
voice on the other end of the line.

The moments were ripe with anxiety as the three waited for
confirmation that the secret had not been spread further. Lana was
still insensible to any urgency on her behalf. She had thrown her toy
on the floor and was looking at her hands as though it had
miraculously disappeared.

<<Doctor Ramirez is in a delivery at the moment, can I get her to call
you back?>>
Monica's thoughts were racing.

"Give her a vital message for me." Monica's mind formulated how she
would phrase the words without giving too much away. "Tell her that
yesterday never happened."

<<Yesterday never happened. Monica Reyes.>> She replied slowly as she
wrote it out. <<And she'll know what this means?>>

"Yes, she should but I still want her to call me back as soon as she's
free." Monica clicked off the phone and visibly slumped her shoulders.
Lana must have sensed something in her mother's demeanor because she
began one her squeals for attention.

Also sensing that Lana had had enough of his lap Gibson stood and
carried the baby to her mother's arms. Sweetly looking at her daughter
she brushed a little of the wispy dark hair away from her face and
kissed her forehead.

"I'm not sure I like what's happening here." John stood and started to
pace the room. "Do you think Judith can be trusted?" he turned his
attention to his partner.

"Yes John, she can." Monica was in no doubt that the past nine months
of seeing her friend regularly had given her a deep understanding of
the trust that had developed between them.

John just nodded knowing that the mother of his baby was a good judge
of character.

"Well I'm not sure about you Monica, but I want some answers here."
John was adamant. "If this is our daughter's and our safety we're
talking about I'm not sure I want to go through the uncertainty."

"Gibson, if you can tell us anything about our daughter we don't know
already then please do." A mother's fear and protectiveness was
beginning to show.

"It's too soon," Gibson's said simply and then turned his gaze to
John. "She doesn't know yet."

John's eyes grew wide with understanding and self-consciousness and
again he went to the pocket with Gizelle's note.

"What don't I know?" Monica shot an exasperated look to her partner. 

~~~~~

Chapter Three
J.Edgar Hoover Building 1pm

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, I don't like this Monica,"
John reiterated his concern over the growing situation after he and
his partner had sailed through FBI security. He still didn't know what
to believe. He as yet had seen no sign such as the healing of Dr.
Ramirez's finger that Monica had witnessed and yet he knew his
daughter was unique in some way, and more than just the 'special' that
comes with having a second chance at being a father.

"So you think these UFO sightings in Maryland are connected to us in
some way to us?" Monica followed her partner as he strode to the
elevator that would lead to Assistant Director Walter Skinner's office
for the meeting at his request.

"That's a big assumption. Why should we be so unique?" His eyes were
icy and his teeth gritted frustration as he hit the up button, not
looking to see if Monica was beside him or not.

"Because Gibson thinks so." Monica brushed up next to him hoping that
her touch would somehow melt his arctic mood. "He thinks they're here
for a reason to scout around or at worst to possibly bring the
invasion date further forward."

John suddenly turned, his eyes narrow and jaw clenched,

"You really believe all that crap about aliens taking over the world."
 His voice suddenly dropped twenty decibels, remembering the possible
prying eyes from security above them. "You believe Mulder and his
crazy theory?"

Monica's eyes watched him intently. She had seen him mad before, she
had seen him angry and sceptical but this time was different. With his
own eyes he had witnessed things that would have given him plenty of
doubt over his long-standing non-believing convictions. Monica saw
that atom of mixed emotion and played on it.

"Why would Mulder risk his life to break into that government facility
to gain that end game date?" Being used to having to explain herself
Monica stood her ground. "Why would he not reveal that information
during the trial if it could have saved his life?"

"Because he's relentless to find something there when it may all just
be a government game to misdirect us, to play with us. That's what's
probably happened all along." He softened his voice again realizing
that he was being harsh on Monica when he should have been punishing
himself for actually beginning to believe the possible conspiracy.

"You've seen the super soldiers for yourself John. Shannon McMahon,
you knew her as a marine and then a changed woman, a super soldier."
Monica saw the cogs in John's brain begin moving but still needing
convincing. "You know they cannot die. Knowle Rohrer, you said you saw
him killed in the parking garage and yet he came back to life."

"It's a miracle for sure and don't ask me to explain it but how do you
know this government objective has anything to do with aliens coming
to take over the planet?" As the bell sounded for their destination
floor, John turned towards the door. He'd had enough of super soldiers
and government conspiracies and alien invasion. He wanted to get on
with a normal life with his lover and new daughter. Anything else was
an intrusion on the every Americans' dream.

Monica placed a hand on John's elbow silently urging him to slow down.

"John," she wanted him to stop and look her in the eye before reaching
Skinner's office. "Wait up."

He turned again, knowing what she was going to say and beating her to
the punch.

"I don't know what all this is about, X-File or just something made
out to look like one but I want answers just as much as the next
person." His voice was a low whisper. "I want definitive answers about
my daughter."

"And we'll get them John, I promise." Monica stroked his arm believing
that her touch would calm his demons. "We can go see Judith today and
ask her discretely to examine Lana."

John's ire began to fill the hallway, "No way is she touching our
daughter!"

"But John she's my friend. We can trust her."

"Can we?" John's annoyance was returning. "I trusted Knowle Rohrer and
look where it got me. How do you know she's not a super soldier
planted to keep an eye on us?"

"I just know John," Monica linked fingers with his. She didn't want to
go into the meeting with Skinner having the air of just stepping off a
battlefield. "Trust me."

"I trust you, I trust Scully and that is why if any doctor is going to
examine our daughter I want it to be her." He waited until her face
softened and a smile appeared like a colorful rainbow signalling the
calmer weather ahead.

"Okay, when we go to pick Lana and Gibson up from Dana's we'll broach
the subject." Monica conceded, smiling as she slipped her arms around
his warm waist inside his suit coat. As she felt his arms travel
around her body they both squeezed and then each peered into mutually
soulful, forgiving eyes. "I do love you John."

Their lips joined in a kiss, not caring who saw. The couple had
already weathered the storm of colleagues finding out they were a
couple. A small hug and a kiss on company time would be overlooked.

"Me too," he whispered, all anger having been temporarily forgotten,
as he gave his lover another soft kiss to the lips.

"Agent Doggett, Agent Reyes?" Kim's apologetic voice broke their mood.
"He'll see you now."

~~~~~~~

"Sir, you wanted to see us?" Agent Doggett was the one to open the
door to the assistant director's office. Agent Reyes followed on his
heels.

Without turning, Skinner placed a finger on the map that was displayed
on one wall. It was a large chart of some states of east coast of the
United States, spotted with colored pins. North Carolina, Virginia,
West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Delaware, Maryland and other
surrounding states had multiple pins. His finger specifically lay in
Maryland and John immediately knew where the meeting topic would head.

"Glad you could make it." He finally turned and made his way to his
desk. "Take a seat Agents."

"I don't get it sir, why are we here and why Monica?" To comply, John
took one seat and Monica the other. "You said I could have the weekend
free."

"And I had every intention of keeping that promise John but something
has been brought to my attention that needs to be checked out." As yet
unnoticed, his eyes looked up and over the two agents' shoulders.

"I need to be with my daughter sir," Monica added. "Isn't there
someone else who can handle this?"

"There is no better person than you," came a quiet voice from behind.
Startled, the two agents turned to see a familiar face. She was not
yet twenty, mousy brown hair fell to her shoulders and the clothing
she chose could have been more flattering to her petite frame. Both
agents knew that beneath the unassuming features lay gold, a still
largely untapped talent.

"Gizelle!"  Monica smiled as her head followed the girl as she came
between them and the assistant director. John just looked on with
curiosity, a slight furrow in his brow. "It's good to see you again.
Is it safe?" Her head turned towards her boss.

"Gizelle is under FBI protection," Skinner stood to pull over another
chair for their visitor. "Tell them what you told me."

Sitting forward a little in her seat there was a moment's pause that
seemed to last an eternity.

"They're here and they're early." The statement was a simple one but
it sent sparks of terror through the agents' bodies.

........

"Who's here? Who's early?" John knew what she meant but wanted it to
come from her mouth not his.

"That's what we want you to check out and you two are the best agents
for the job." Skinner called from behind his desk.

"What happened to the end game date of 2012?" John's brow had a
permanent furrow. "Agent Mulder risked his life for that information.
Are you saying it was wrong, we were all suckers for a lie?"

"That's not what is being said here John." Monica's soft voice came
from beside him. Was he the only one in the room not comprehending?
"That date probably has some significance but it's only one date. I
don't think we're having an 'Independence Day' here." She stood and
made her way to the wall chart and lightly ran her fingers over the
spanse of the pins resting on the black pin of the initial Roswell
find. "If these suggest other UFO sightings on the east coast then I
say that they're sending out scout ships."

"Scout ships!" John huffed and uttered a sarcastic laugh.

"Mulder and all those others being abducted, they are learning about
us." Monica moved back to the listening three. Gizelle knew exactly
what Monica was going to say but let her speak. "Why attack Earth
unless they know our vulnerabilities first. We all know that the end
game date is when the ancient Mayans predicted would be the end of the
world. They didn't say the world would go up in a ball of flame. Maybe
it all happens slowly over time."

"So what we're seeing now is the start of the alien invasion," John
confirmed, his mind still in confusion. "So what can we do? How are us
two going to stop what must be something probably a million times more
powerful than us?"

"There have been precedents for it in history," Monica continued.
"Whole armies being tricked and defeated by a handful of men. Maybe if
we worked out a way for us to communicate that we are not as
vulnerable as they believe, they might decide to leave us alone and go
back home."

"So what would be our Trojan Horse?" It was John's turn to stand and
move to the map. He hovered there just taking in the multitude of
pins. If that was a representation of their small part of the planet
then what would a globe of pins be like? "Any suggestions?" He
swivelled, his hands resting on hips.

"Agent Doggett," Gizelle's voice was almost a whisper. "There is a
way, I feel it deep down, we just have to find it."

"That's why I suggest you all go to Preston, Maryland to interview the
person who witnessed the latest event just this morning. I want Gibson
there too." Skinner stood to indicate the meeting was almost over and
that time was of the essence. Moving towards Gizelle he placed a light
hand on her shoulder. "Take care of yourself."

John knew at that point that his boss must have also been given a
demonstration of Gizelle's gifts.

Could it be possible that with Gizelle's talent for accurately
predicting people's future actions and Gibson's ability to read minds
that somehow they could provide the tilt that would sour the aliens'
taste to conquer Earth?

It was all too much consider.

~~~~~

Chapter Four
Preston, Maryland 4pm

"Monica, I know you're not happy about leaving Lana but we'll be back
tonight." John drove into the Walsh property that was situated past
the city limits of Preston, Maryland. "She's in expert hands."

"Dana's a good person," added Gibson from his position in the rear
seat.

"I know all that. I'd trust Dana with my life." It certainly wasn't
like Monica to worry so much. "I just would have liked to have had a
conversation with Judith first."

"Well, if she has told anyone about Lana, what are the chances of it
being the 'wrong' person?" John made his way up the long driveway to
the Walsh residence. He had a point but her excuse was that she was
naturally more in mother mode than agent mentality since being on
maternity leave.

"And would that person actually believe it without seeing evidence."
Gibson also contributed.

"Thank you Gibson," Monica turned with a smile. "You're right. You're
both right." She turned back to face the front. "I still say we should
have told Dana."

"Plenty of time for that when we get back." The car pulled up outside
the white weatherboard residence that looked like it was due for a
coat of paint. "I just think that we need to be there when Dana
examines our daughter. There wasn't time for that then." As he turned
the ignition off he looked across to his partner with a calm
expression that Monica was getting used to from when they had been
living together, since shortly after John found out about the
pregnancy.

"Okay," Monica half smiled and then exited the FBI issue vehicle,
waiting for the other two to do the same. "Let's find whatever's
happening here and get home."

The three investigators looked around at the vast expanse of property
as they made their way to the front entrance. The fields appeared to
spread right up to the distant hills. A few houses similar to the
Walsh's could be seen spotted around for miles, indicting the area was
shared between a number of landowners.

"Anything Gibson?" John glanced across to the teenager who seemed to
be in deep thought as he scanned the horizon. His gaze fixed on one
point in the distance and he just stopped rigid and stared.

"Gibson?" By this time Monica stopped and looked behind her to also
witness Gibson's sudden change of bearing. Both agents slowly turned
to fixate on the same piece of land on which the boy's eyes lay. "What
do you see?"

John squinted and blinked barely making out what seemed like a
shimmery haze in the distance and then it was gone as though it had
never existed in the first place.

"What was that?" Monica's whole body turned to the boy. 

"I told you. They're here." Was his simple reply.

"Who's here?" John's brow was quick to become serious.

~~~~~

As if on cue there was a sound from the house, breaking up the tension
that had frozen the three investigators in their tracks.

"Well hello there." It took a few moments for their thoughts to focus
back on their current surroundings. It was too late to immediately act
on what had seemingly just happened. "You must be the agents that nice
man on the phone said he was sending."

John turned to see an elderly but healthy looking woman who was
beckoning them to enter her abode. He was the one to lead and the
others followed, Monica giving Gibson a furtive glance as she took up
position beside him. The strange discovery would need to go on hold.

"Mrs. Walsh, I'm Agent Doggett and this is my partner Agent Reyes and
assistant Gibson Praise." John aired his not too serious side, the one
he showed when he did not want to press but to find answers by making
the person more at ease.

"Your assistant? What a nice boy!" She reached out her hand and
ruffled his short hair. Resisting the urge to pull away, with a rigid
head he just looked from one agent to the other as though the show of
affection he knew he would have to endure for the sake of the
investigation. "Come inside, I've made us some afternoon tea."

"Mrs. Walsh, with all due respect we are here to find out what you
know and maybe have a look around." John followed her into the house
explaining that there was no time to spare.

It smelt softly of freshly baked cake and coffee and to the visitors
it immediate felt like a warm and inviting old country abode. The
lighting was soft hues of orange as though they had just woken to the
morning light streaming through the window.

"Come, follow me." It was as though the elderly woman had not heard a
word John had said. "I hope you like chocolate cake. Come on, please
sit." They had walked into a country kitchen with the large family
table in the center, set with crockery, cutlery and adorning the
middle was the most delicious looking cake Gibson had ever seen.

"Really Mrs. Walsh, we can only stay a moment." John reminded but
looked across to a wide-eyed boy. Relaxing a little and letting him
past, the male agent relented, especially after Monica's silent body
language telling him to lighten up.

"I'll hear none of it! Now sit! It is much more conducive to talk if
we are drinking coffee and eating," smiled the woman as she busied
herself piling cake wedges onto a few plates. John was the only one to
reluctantly sit but was resigned to the fact that he would need to
endure the ritual just to get to the facts of the case.

The male agent was the only one who decided not to partake. When in
agent mode he rarely ate until he at least was making some headway. He
was the type who never slept until he was satisfied that no one was in
danger if he did so. Just waiting until the women seemed ready to
talk, he sat back in his chair; hands resting on his slightly parted
thighs.

"So Mrs. Walsh." Monica was the first to speak seeing her partner was
getting nowhere and looking decidedly uncomfortable as the moments
piled into more.

"Please dear, call me Joan." She took another mouthful of her cake and
then took a sip from her cup.

"Joan, how long have you lived here?" Monica used a soft tone, the one
she utilized to get people to relax and open up.

"All my life. I was born and raised here." She took a moment's respite
to sit and ponder. "Mama and Papa died ten years ago about two months
apart leaving us to run the property and my children have all grown up
and left the place."

"You say us?" Monica questioned as she took a sip of her herbal tea
that she had requested in lieu of the coffee.

"Allan's my faithful husband of fifty-five years now." She smiled and
took another sip from her cup. John nervously shuffled in his chair.
All the small talk was causing him to become more irritated and
impatient. "He'll be home soon."

"Any grand children?" Monica continued much to John's growing
uncomfortable stance.

"Ten and another two on the way." Her head swivelled to the wall where
many pictures of the Walsh's extended family were displayed. "The
little 'uns are so innocent." Her voice trailed off as she became deep
in thought.

Meanwhile Gibson had finished his cake and coffee and was sitting back
just listening to the conversation. As the elderly woman's thoughts
went internal so did Gibson's making him sit more upright in his
chair.

"They're very handsome," Monica continued leading the way for John to
have his piece.

"Mrs. Walsh, Joan, tell us again about what you saw this morning." He
began slowly, sensing out her readiness to talk.

"Just what I told the press." Her manner seemed to change with the
topic of conversation. "There were a number of them all hovering over
the field out back."

"Can you describe exactly what you saw?" John had waited long enough
to ask the question for which they were there.

"I can do more than that," she mentioned as she stood from the table.
"I have something that I haven't shown the press yet. Wait here." With
the help of the table as an anchor she stood and began shuffling
towards the door. As she briefly left the room, the agents were well
aware of Gibson's change in character.

"Gibson, what is it?" Monica's voice was soft so as not to attain the
woman's attention. John steely eyes just looked in the boy's
direction.

"She knows!" 

~~~~~

Georgetown, DC 4.30pm

"Lana, want to come and see William?" Dana Scully bent down to pick up
John and Monica's baby from the floor where she had been happily
playing with some toys. Dana had been keeping an eye on her while
catching up on some relaxing reading on the couch. Looking after an
active, inquisitive two year old was tiring work. Her son's naptime
was the only time she could indulge in the written word, a time where
she did not have to follow his every move.

Dana smiled at how easy it was to look after the four-month-old girl.
Only on one other occasion had she been asked to babysit, when John
had taken Monica out for her birthday one evening. Other times the two
women had got together for coffee, a chat, also a time for the two
children to interact with each other. Lana was always happy to come to
her and Dana appreciated that. She was an honorary aunt.

It wasn't always like that though. Two weeks previously, the last time
she had looked after baby Lana there had come an unforeseen knock at
the front door. Balancing Lana on her hip and putting her leg up as a
barrier to save William bounding out the door she opened up after
looking through the peephole to the seemingly harmless woman.

There had been someone asking for a donation to a neighbourhood
charity. When Lana had unexpectedly tensed in her arms and begun to
cry she was caught off guard, causing the polite knockback of the
donation for the calmer interior of her apartment.

All it had taken was for the door to be closed and the crying ceased.
Dana had been confused at the time, never having seen Lana so upset
but shrugged it off as her X-Files imagination getting the better of
her.

"Here he is." With one hand Dana unlatched the side of the crib to let
the high side lower enough for her son to climb out. "William, say
hello to Solana." She bobbed herself down to her son's height.

"Lana," his small voice echoed and he reached out to touch her smiling
face. "Cuddle!"

"You want to cuddle Lana?" Dana questioned and took William by the
hand, leading him to the living room and to the couch. "Sit here first
then."

As he had a few times previously, William climbed onto the soft
surface and waited for his mother to lower Lana onto his lap. Wrapping
his chubby arms around her tiny body he cuddled her like she was his
little sister making Dana smile and then go thoughtful. Would she ever
have a chance to have another child? She had always been grateful
having had siblings and would hope that another miracle would occur
and she could become pregnant again.

"Mommy, take her." Just like a toddler his attention span was short
but he'd been granted what he needed and Lana was also the cheerier
for the interest.

"So William, let's get that diaper changed, will we?" Lifting Lana
carefully out of William's arms she propped the gurgling baby up to
peer over her shoulder and went for the diaper bag. "You first and
then Lana." Dana lay the baby on her stomach just next to where
William was standing, already trying to pull his pants down over the
cloth bulge.

Before helping him off with the rest of his pants Dana gave Lana a pat
on her back as assurance that she was still being cared for.

"I go potty." William began stamping his little legs.

"You're dry." Dana mused as she began undoing the first pin of
William's cloth diaper. That was a good sign that potty training was
well under way. "What a good boy!"

"Mommy, potty!" His voice and body were becoming more active. 

"I'll just take out the last pin and...," It was a chore, especially
with the urgency of her son's actions. Just as she had undone the
safety pin William suddenly began moving away causing the point of the
pin to stab deeply into his mother's finger. Using the restraint
learnt by being around children's ears she held in her expletives by
biting her bottom lip and tightening her eyelids.

"Mommy, Mommy!" William must have run into another room but Dana still
needed to get back her bearings as the wound pulsed pain and blood
began to ooze down her finger.

Rocking her body she didn't see Lana's tiny wobbly arm reach up to her
until she was touching. Dana's eyes opened as the baby girl latched
onto a finger on her other hand.

Even though she felt like pulling her hand away, not needing any
distractions until she could cope better, she left it there.

Then something happened that had Dana's eyes widening in disbelief.

Instead of the blood dripping down her finger, like a movie going
backwards, it stopped and then began moving up again. The fingers of
her wounded hand splayed she watched in further awe, as the blood
seemed to go back into the gash in her finger and the wound close up.
In no time her finger was back to normal and all the pain dissipated.

Just as she realized that her finger was completely healed, with a
squeal Lana let go of her other hand causing her to look down to the
smiling, cooing four month old. Looking from her finger to the baby
the synapses in her brain did a few connections. Did all that just
happen?

Frowning a little in deep thought she hadn't noticed that William had
brought his potty out and was already sitting on it.

~~~~~

The Walsh Residence
Preston, Maryland 4.30pm

"She knows what?" John was careful to keep his voice down low.

"She knows about your baby." Gibson's monotone voice sounded.

"What about our baby?" The furrow in John's brow deepened. It was a
strain to keep his sound quiet when he was hearing all this
incongruity.

"That Lana is special." The agents could tell it was hard for him to
come out with it. So much in the past he needed to keep to himself for
fear of reprisal but he trusted his friends and knew if he was to have
any chance of a normal life he would need to tell all and be honest
with them.

"How could she possibly know that?" Monica was clearly irritated as
well as curious but her mood was broken by the seemingly oblivious
voice coming from the doorway.

"I took these." Walking back to the table, Joan split the number of
pictures in two and handed a pile to each agent.

"Polaroids of what you saw?" With concentration Monica poured through
the few photos and then handed them to Gibson as she finished with
each. With growing concern John did the same.

"This is what you saw?" John needed to confirm the sights before him.
They appeared just as the news report had described, three different
crafts of varying shapes hovering above the horizon. In the distance
were the same hills that were in their vicinity. He knew photos could
be doctored but what would the elderly woman before them achieve by
deceiving them and the public?

"At first light this morning. Each morning I take a walk to the front
gate to pick up the newspaper we get delivered. On the way back I saw
these." She collected the photos back up and organized them into a
neat pile. "As fast as these old legs could go I grabbed the camera
before they disappeared."

"I'd like to take one or two of them as evidence if I may." John's
first thought was to analyze them for incongruities. "I'd also like to
have a look around here."

"My husband will be home soon, he can take you there." Joan Walsh
handed John the top two photographs.

"Joan," Monica had been deep in thought. "Did anyone else also see the
UFOs?"

"They must have or why would the press have believed me without
evidence?" Joan sat once again in her chair. "They were as plain as
day. Anyone for miles around could have seen them."

Monica made a mental note of possibly talking to a few of the sparsely
populated neighbors.

All this time Gibson was very quiet. The vibes he was getting from the
woman were not right. He could see that she was telling the truth but
there was something more. It wasn't until there was a sound behind
them that his suspicions were confirmed.

"Good afternoon all." The elderly gentlemen seemed cheery enough but
all was not right. Stiffly, Gibson stood and moved to a position just
behind Monica. "You must be Agents Doggett and Reyes, and you must be
Gibson." There was an evil twinkle in his eye that seemed directed
solely towards the boy.

~~~~~

"This is my husband." Choosing not to notice Gibson's display of
distrust Mrs. Walsh stood and moved over to be beside the man who
would have been a similar age to her. "We've been married for
fifty-five years."

John and Monica shot each other confused glances but they could not
speak freely in front of the elderly couple. It was John who spoke
first.

"Looks like our reputation precedes us." John made his face as cool as
possible. He didn't want to waste any charm on someone who according
to Gibson's actions may not be trustworthy. "You wanted us here Mr.
Walsh?" This time it was John's turn to stand. He'd had enough small
talk. They had a reason to be there. He wanted to do his job and go
home.

Monica also stood and rested an assuring hand on Gibson's shoulder,
reminding the boy that he was in the company of two trained FBI
agents.

"So you knew we'd come and bring Gibson?" Monica also spoke out,
moving her hand to draw small involuntary circles on the boy's back.

"Asked for you in person in fact," admitted the elderly man who stood
a deal taller than his wife beside him. "Heard of the division some
years back when I was in the police force in DC. I did a little
research and found that two new agents had taken over from the
original pair. Quite impressive!"

"Impressive?" John was becoming more agitated by the second. "The fact
that you lured us out here on false pretences? What is it you want Mr.
Walsh?"

"Impressive in the number of cases you've solved and nothing false
about asking for you by name. UFOs is your business is it not?" His
arm lay across his dear wife's shoulders.

"He's lying!" Gibson's voice was barely heard.

"Gibson?" Monica couldn't believe the growing strength of character in
the boy. He was finally plucking up the courage to speak his mind.

"What are you two not telling us?" John laid it on a platter. "There
are no UFOs are there!"

"In a way you're right," mentioned Mrs. Walsh to the agents' surprise.
"To us they are not UFOs because they are not unidentified. "And we
have a good reason for wanting you three here."

"Oh, cut the crap!" John began moving to the door that the elderly
pair was occupying. "Agent Reyes, Gibson, let's search here and then
get outta here."

"John, watch out!" Gibson called but it was too late. Allan Walsh held
up a firm hand and as if by some unseen energy he was forced back with
such speed and vigor that he was solidly hurled into the table sending
it and his whole body hurling to the floor.

"John!" Monica rushed to his side. He was dazed but seemingly unhurt.
"What did you do to him?" She turned angrily to see Joan holding
Gibson back with a similar force. "Who are you?"

"Monica!" Gibson was slowly being pushed towards the wall by the same
unseen force. "They are not human!" Just then the boy was hurled into
the wall. With a whimper he slid down and lost consciousness.

In agent mode Monica whipped out her gun and trained it from one to
other of the couple.

"Stay right there!" she said with authority. "Hands to the side where
I can see them." Her attention but not her line of vision briefly
turned to her partner. "Agent Doggett are you all right?"

There was a groan but she felt him move to stand beside her.

Just then the people before her began to change. As John stood,
holding his sore head, his eyes also went wide at what he saw.

If Gibson hadn't been on the floor unconscious he would have told them
all to get out of the house somehow. That way it would give them time
to think about possibly retaliation.

It was too late. As if someone had thrown a blanket over their heads
all went suddenly dark as each agent slipped into unconsciousness.

~~~~~

Chapter Five
Georgetown, 9pm

"Where could they be?" Dana was feeding the last of Monica's expressed
breast milk to her godchild. If John and Monica were any later then
she might have to give her baby formula milk but she knew Monica would
have none of that.

William had been put to bed two hours earlier after having a pleasant
afternoon with his 'cousin'. He had been great company for Lana. There
had been lots of shared laughter and fun. Lana's giggles were becoming
quite alluring. It had made Dana yearn more for a sibling for William.
Also it would be hard to give her over when her parents finally came
back for her. She was such an easy, delightful baby.

There had been no call from the agents and no signal the other end
when she had tried to phone them. If they were a no show after one
more hour then she would need to call the assistant director.

As Lana lay in her arms almost asleep, her little mouth involuntarily
sucking the last of the white droplets, Dana began thinking back to
her injury. The image had replayed over and over in her mind and there
was no doubt that it had been the little baby who had healed her. Did
her parents know of this gift? If so they were probably just as
stunned as she and understandably keeping quiet until there could be
more proof.

She knew that William was also a special child. She had to work on him
not demonstrating his ability in public for fear the information would
reach the wrong quarters. The times when toys mysteriously flew
through the air and landed in the supermarket trolley she explained
away to amazed onlookers as <just a trick>. It seemed to work. Who
would believe what he was really doing?

Sighing she lifted the sleeping baby and took her to her portable crib
that Monica had set up just in case her baby slept. After wrapping her
securely, for a moment she smiled and just watched how peaceful her
godchild looked. When John and Monica returned she would need to bring
up the subject of her ability. With a finger feeling the soft, velvety
texture of the baby's cheek she sighed again and stood. Hopefully she
could get a few winks of sleep before her parents came back for her.

A soft knock was heard at the door. It did not seem like the knock of
either agent but must have been from someone who knew not to use the
doorbell.

.....

Looking through the peephole her face went a little more urgent and
then she opened the door.

"Walter?" Dana produced a frown of concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Can I come in?" Skinner just stood at the door his usual self,
sticking to protocol.

"Oh sorry," Dana hung her head a little thinking how remiss of her to
make him stand there. "Please come in." Closing the door she ushered
him to a couch.

"So how are they?" Skinner's head pointed towards the bedroom area and
Dana knew whom he meant.

"They're fine. William's been in bed a couple of hours, Solana just
went to sleep."

"Dana, I'll get right to the point."  He shifted uneasily in his
chair. "John, Monica and Gibson are missing."

"Missing?" The news hit her like a brick. "How?"

"When they didn't report in as expected I asked the local PD to check
the farmhouse." The next words were even harder to say. "Looks like we
should have checked with the locals before blindly sending in two of
our agents."

"Blindly?" To Dana, the situation was seemingly more worrying by the
second.

"According to Sergeant Falco of the Preston PD there is no Walsh
family living on the outskirts of town and never was." He paused again
letting Dana take in all the bad news. "There is no farmhouse, just
open fields."

"Walter, this looks serious!" She turned her head towards the bedrooms
and then slowly back to her superior.

"Let's not think the worst just yet. They are fine agents and have
scraped out of far worse. A team is on it and doing a search of the
area." As if on cue Skinner's cell phone sounded in his pocket.
"Skinner." He listened for a moment and then turned off the device.
"That was Falco. They've not found the agents or Gibson but a locket
has been at the site. It has a picture of John inside."

"That's Monica's. John gave it to her when she was a few months
pregnant." Out of habit Dana stood. She was still not used to just
sitting back and letting others do the work that she so wanted to be
part of.

"Dana, we're on it." Skinner also stood resting a comforting hand on
her arm. "You have two small children to care for." He lowered his
voice not wanting them to absently overhear any urgency. "John and
Monica, wherever they are would be comforted by the fact that their
daughter is safe with you."

There was another soft knock at the front door causing them to stiffen
with alarm.

Looking through the peephole revealed a familiar face but she still
wasn't sure whether to open the door so under the circumstances she
decided to play cautiously.

"Who is it?"

"Dr. Scully, I need to speak with you," came the quiet feminine voice
from the other side.

"What about?" Dana looked over to Skinner who was hanging on every
word.

"About your friends the FBI agents."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Dana had to hear it with her own
ears.

"You have to trust me, I know how you can find them," came the muffled
reply.

.....

Dana paused and looked across to Skinner wanting his permission to
open up to possible danger. After he nodded, she turned the knob and
pulled. There stood a petite female possibly in her late teens, early
twenties, the same girl who had visited her apartment a month back
asking for donations.

"I'm sorry to walk in you like this." The unassuming girl flowed into
the room and noticed the company. "My name's Gizelle, I'm a good
friend of Gibson's."

"You have information about the agents?" Dana got straight to the
point. There were so many more questions she wanted to ask of the girl
especially why baby Lana cried uncharacteristically the first time
they met.

"I knew they were heading for danger but I had no choice. It's the
only way to defeat them."

"Defeat them?" Skinner queried.

"I cannot tell you who they are yet but I can say that they're not
human. All I can mention is that they plan to take over the world by
December 22, 2012."

"The End Game date Mulder was keeping to himself all that time?" Dana
questioned. "How do you know this?"

"I have always known it. It was always meant to be," she spoke in
enigmas.

"What do you mean, it was always mean to be?" Skinner interjected.

"There is no time to explain now except that we must remember we are
all God's children. We are all part of God's plan for us."

Gizelle was starting to sound kookier as she uttered each new
sentence. Dana's faith was strong but even she didn't go round
preaching that way.

"Why should we trust you? We hardly know you." Skinner needed to ask
before being duped for a second time that day.

"Because if you don't then the world as we know it will end at the
hands of these aliens. We have at our disposal the means to defeat
them. We must go now or else we could be too late." Gizelle made her
way to the front door.

"Wait!" Dana put up her stop sign hand. "I can't just up and leave.
There are two sleeping children in this apartment."

"Then bring them." Gizelle said simply.

"You have to be kidding! You want us to go into a probable dangerous
situation with two young children in tow?" Skinner stated.

"Assistant Director, you don't understand." Gizelle turned her
waif-like body towards the tall balding man. "They must go. It's their
destiny."

.....

William and Lana were asleep in their child and baby seats in the rear
of the vehicle with Gizelle between them. Skinner drove so that Dana
could keep an eye on the back seat inhabitants.

"So tell us again." Dana broke the silence that had endured until
safely out of the city limits and on the highway to Caroline County,
Maryland. "You make accurate predictions of the future. You can tell
what I am going to do next?"

"I see that Agents Doggett and Reyes were true to their word." Gizelle
calmly looked out the window of the vehicle into the black of the
night. By this time there were only spasmodic lights and a few night
travelers. "I asked them to keep it quiet. It's not all as it seems
though."

"Look Gizelle, we need more to go on that that." Skinner looked in his
rear view mirror at the girl. "I only agreed to go along with this if
all was perfectly safe for the little ones."

"And all will be safe for them and us only as long as we do go, and we
find Gibson and the agents."

"And if we don't?" Dana was becoming even more curious about the
mysterious girl in their company.

"That is not in question here." Gizelle mentioned with a confidence
smile. "You do and you will."

"Because you know what we're going to do in the future." Dana needed
more convincing so decided to test her. "What if we stop the car and
go back now. What then?"

"Go ahead if you wish but that is not wise. More than just our friends
need our help." The girl looked down at the sleeping children and
mused in a soft voice, "I was like them once."

"Like them?" Again Skinner broke into the conversation. "What are you
talking about?" He knew about William's ability to shift objects with
his thoughts. Dana had yet to tell him of her suspicions about Lana.

"You know," Gizelle deliberately looked at the female front seat
resident.

"How do you know?" Dana asked, preferring Gizelle to explain.

"At your door last month. Immediately I knew how special these two
children were. People like this are difficult to forecast. I have
never been able to predict Gibson well either. You may have wondered
why baby Lana cried when you opened your apartment door to me."

"She is usually such a peaceful child. Yes I had wondered."

"She must have sensed me in her thoughts." Gizelle again looked out
the window into the night. "To make my calculations, most of the time
I must get into the head of the person. Not reading their minds as
such but their psyche, their mindset. That way I can be more
accurate."

"Isn't that a form of personal invasion?" Skinner offered. "You're not
exactly asking permission here."

"True, but it is in no way harmful to the person and I only resort to
it if really necessary." Gizelle remained her calm self no matter what
questions were thrown her way. It had the effect of drawing Dana and
Skinner more into her trust.

"What's this about special children?" Skinner asked but didn't see the
silent communication between the ladies.

"There is something different about Lana," Dana began.

"You're saying alien DNA like William!" Skinner's voice suddenly
lowered half way through the statement realizing his tone could be
waking the young ones.

"I won't know until I test her with her parents' permission but I
cannot see how. As far as I know their baby was conceived through
natural means." Dana felt a flush come to her face. It was something
she had dearly wanted to experience herself. Instead she'd had two
children, both from artificial fertilization of her ova, one of them
without her permission.

"It's not that." Gizelle spoke up.

"Then what is it?" Dana didn't appreciate information being kept from
her even though it was information about a baby that wasn't hers.

"That I cannot tell you yet. You must trust me. I will explain
everything after tonight." Gizelle stayed quiet for the remainder of
the journey. Somehow it seemed clear after her last statement that no
amount of questioning would make her explain. It was too soon. Dana
would have to be content with knowing she would learn all eventually
but not yet.

Dana had been in some tricky situations with her time on the X-Files
but something in her bones told her that this would be a night of
reckoning.


Chapter Six
Preston, Maryland

"We're here!" Gizelle touched Skinner lightly on the shoulder.

To Skinner 'here' looked like in the middle of nowhere. They had
passed through the Preston township and were on the way to where he
had directed the two agents previously that afternoon.

"Where to now?" Except for the vehicle's headlights all was dark
outside.

"To the right there's a narrow track." Gizelle sat forward on the seat
pointing out of the front windscreen.

The car made its way up the bumpy track, a little too turbulent for
Lana because she began to stir and whimper in her seat.

"We'll be there soon," Gizelle comforted as she patted the baby
lightly on the chest. This time instead of crying Lana settled. She
must have sensed Gizelle's good intentions.

"She must be hungry. We're going to have to find Monica soon or we'll
have a starving baby on our hands." Dana had only been able to
breastfeed William for a few months but she knew that any significant
time away from him had caused her discomfort. How would Monica be
feeling?

"We'll find them." The girl seemed confident, which put Dana a little
at ease but they were all still going into the unknown. What if they
were indeed found but were seriously hurt or even the unthinkable.

The track seemed to go for a few miles through various fields that
were probably used for cattle grazing. No animals were spotted,
probably asleep for the night somewhere away from the track.

"How far now?" Skinner questioned.

"Stop the car and headlights off!" Gizelle was out the door as soon as
the driver complied. The front seat passengers watched with curiosity
as the girl stood in front of the vehicle as though getting her
bearings, then she moved back the open door. "They're here," she began
undoing the Velcro belt around Lana's middle.

"You really think we should take them with us?" Dana had to make
certain it was the right thing to do. Not just anyone would lead his
or her children into the unknown and possible danger.

"I told you they will come to no harm." As Gizelle lifted Lana from
her baby seat William began to stir from sleep and then stretch.

"Mommy, where are we?" He was trying to undo his seatbelt when Skinner
opened the rear door from the outside and helped him.

"We're just going to stretch our legs a little," Skinner explained
which was half true.

"Uncle Walter?" William's trusting face looked up at his pseudo uncle
as he was extracted from the seat and lifted onto the man's hip.
"Mommy?" The boy twisted around to see his mother taking a restless
baby Lana from Gizelle.

"Mommy's just going to find Aunt Monica and then I'll give you a big
cuddle, okay?" She moved over to the boy and gave him a reassuring
kiss on the forehead.

"This way," Gizelle beckoned, finding a break in the fencing running
alongside the track. After closing all the car doors Skinner with
William followed close behind Dana and Gizelle. The further they made
their way from the vehicle the more their eyes adjusted to the dark.

"I can't see anything. How far is it?" Dana questioned after ten
minutes of walking on bumpy sod being careful not to stumble with the
baby.

It was then that Gizelle stopped and moved her body around in a
circle.

"Right here." Her voice indicated her wonder but Dana and Skinner saw
nothing. It was as though they each saw something different than being
in the middle of a field at night with not anything around for miles.

Lana was becoming wrigglier in Dana's arms. It was clear that she was
missing her mommy and daddy and her stomach was calling out for
nourishment.

"Gizelle, there's nothing here." Skinner pointed out the obvious.

"Oh but there is. You just need to clear your senses." She closed her
eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again and approaching
the other four beings. "Hold my hands and I'll show you."

With their spare hands Dana and Skinner obeyed.

"What now?" Skinner was becoming impatient. They had come all that way
to meditate in the middle of a field?

"Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and relax." Her last words
were soft and breathy conveying the required relaxation level. "Now,
open your eyes."

Even before Dana's eyes focused on her surroundings her nasal senses
smelt something quite different. It was an aroma she couldn't quite
put a handle on but she knew why. As their eyes adjusted and their
brain kicked in they couldn't believe where they were.

Instead of the field out in the open, they had seemingly materialized
inside a small dark room. The only lighting came from small pinpoints
dotted over the entirety of one wall.

Were they indeed inside a spacecraft? Every part of Dana's being told
her it was so.

~~~~~~~~

"What is this place?" Wanting William to stay close, Skinner kept him
on his hip and moved around the room feeling the walls. If it were
Dana she would have had to put him on the floor by then. He was a
growing boy and becoming a lead weight to carry.

"I believe you know." Gizelle said simply, waiting for the two to
finish orientating themselves.

"Is this leather?" Dana also felt the walls but more importantly
searched for a way out. Covering a pinpoint of light with a finger had
her marvelling. Seemingly covering the light with a flat hand had her
more in awe. She looked to the others who were also staring. It was as
though her hand was not even there. The shafts of light went straight
through the bone and skin.

Lana squealed and put a tiny hand on top of her godmother's and the
same phenomenon occurred. The light permeated through both sets of
hands.

"A form of leather found nowhere on earth." Gizelle mentioned as
though she knew all there was to know about their surroundings. "There
is much to see here but come, we must move more quickly."

Just as she spoke a doorway appeared and the girl began moving off.

"Wait!" Dana was not finished. Gizelle turned but this time there was
a hint of exigency in her stance. "How do you know all this? Have you
been here before?"

"No, this is my first time just like you." She moved up and took Dana
by the arm and began walking her out the door with Skinner not far
behind. "I will explain more later but for now we must hurry, your
friends are in need of urgent help."

Dana was expecting a series of corridors with rooms off to the sides
but they had entered a similar room to the last. This time the
pinpoint lighting was on a different wall and with blue hues instead
of yellow. Also the smell of the room had subtly changed.

"What the hell?" Skinner looked around him and then across to Dana.

"What the hell!" William repeated and then wriggled free from the
assistant director's arms. There was no time for reprimands about his
language rubbing off on the boy. William went straight for the wall
but before bumping into it a doorway opened.

"I think your William has got the idea," Gizelle half smiled and
followed.

"What idea?" Dana was puzzled but more concerned that her son would
wander off in the completely alien environment. "William!" She called
after him but there was no response. "Walter?"

Skinner was the first out the door and just in time to see the boy
slip through another hole in the wall.

"William, hold up there!" He was too fast for the older man.

"He'll be all right." Gizelle placated a worried mother as they
hurriedly followed the human pathway from room to room. The chambers
were all very similar except each had different colored lights on
varying walls. One even had light emanating from the floor. "He knows
where they are."

"How does he know that?" The frown on Dana's face indicated her
incredulity. Lana was once again becoming restless in her arms. She
must have sensed the worry. "People back at the bureau will think
we're all nuts for taking children with us."

"They will come to understand." Just as Gizelle finished the words
they spilled out unexpectedly into an area that would have been
comparable to a basketball arena. They all stood on the lit part of
the court while the surrounds were in darkness. Above them the time
pale orange lighting was brighter and shone through saucer-sized holes
in the ceiling like spotlights.

"Mommy, Uncle Walter, here!" William called from the shadows.

Skinner was there before the ladies and was just standing not sure of
what to do.

On an elevated platform under what looked like a softer form of the
leather that covered the walls of the spacecraft chambers was an ashen
looking, very still Monica Reyes.

~~~~~

"Take William and look for the others!" Being the doctor, Dana took
charge. Handing Lana over to Gizelle she quickly moved to Monica's
lifeless side and took her pulse. It was an excruciating wait while
her fingers felt around for some sign that her friend and work
colleague was still alive.

A few stray tears came to her eyes as she went from one pulse point to
the next feeling over the cold, blue tinged skin.

Lana gave a squeal from Gizelle's arms and tried to wriggle free. She
was heavy and lopsided in her arms as she stretched out her hands to
her mother.

Dana's head flopped forward as though she had given up, her hands on
the side of the platform, holding herself upright. She could sense
Gizelle moving to the other side of the dais and looked up.

"What are you doing? She's gone." Dana looked with a mixture of
annoyance and confusion.

"She's not dead, it's a test." Not complying with Dana's protests she
lowered Lana to lie next to her mother.

"Gizelle, this is insane!" No sooner had the protest escaped her lips
when there seemed to be a change in Monica. As Lana gurgled happily
beside her form some pinkness began replacing the bluish flesh. Dana's
eyes widened with awe. Never before as a doctor had she witnessed such
a miracle.

"Just a little longer." The girl stood beside the dais watching that
the baby was secure.

There was movement on Monica's face and then her eyes opened slowly,
eliciting a squeal of delight from her baby daughter.

"Where am I?" A croaky sound came through Monica's parched lips and
then she looked down and smiled as her daughter was trying to get at
one of her breasts.

"Never mind that now." Dana remarked. "How are you feeling? Can you
sit up?"

"I think so." As Monica tried to sit, Gizelle held onto the baby who
obviously wanted her mother. "Come here sweetie." Monica smiled, also
clearly happy to see her daughter.

"Do you know what just happened?" Dana enquired, still in shock over
someone alive and well before her who had been diagnosed as lifeless
just moments previously.

"I will tell her," came Gizelle's soft voice. "Go! The others need
you."

At that moment she could hear Skinner distant voice calling to her.

~~~~~

"We've found the others!" The assistant director was once again
holding William but put him on the floor and held his hand when he saw
her. "It's not very hopeful."

Dana hurriedly followed Skinner, her son running quick steps beside
him. On the other side of the stadium they found John and Gibson lying
side by side on matching platforms. She had feared the worst. They
looked in the same condition as they had found Monica.

Thinking quickly Dana once again organized her boss. 

"Can you go get Monica and the others?"

"She's all right?" Skinner questioned with disbelief.

"She seems to be in perfect health, I'll explain later." Dana busied
herself feeling for any sign of a pulse on the two lifeless looking
bodies while Skinner moved off.

In no time they were all back, Monica holding a bubbling baby, looking
as though she had just finished a session at a health spa. The light
material of the covering tied around her body.

"Monica knows what she must do." Gizelle explained as Lana's mother
stood beside her prone partner.

"John," Monica's eyes visibly teared up as she placed their baby
daughter on top of his unmoving chest. One hand held Lana in position
as the other held John's hand.

The expected recovery was taking a little too long this time. Perhaps
it was John's size or maybe he was in worse shape than his partner, as
if one death was worse than any other. When Lana began to whimper it
was time to hold her again. Some pink had returned to John's
complexion but he was not making the recovery most had anticipated.

"I'll take her," Gizelle offered and Monica sat next to her lover
holding one hand in both of hers, waiting for a sign of recovery.

Gizelle calmed Lana enough to make her comfortable to lie beside
Gibson. It was obvious that her energy reserves were low, not from
lack of nourishment but that she was still a tiny being. As she grew
so would her gifts. Even the powers she possessed at so you an age
were well beyond any predictions of Gizelle's.

"Monica," a low rumble came from John's throat.

"John!" His lover's face lit up seeing the promising results.

"Gibson." He managed to ask but was still quite weak. Monica looked
across to a teenage boy who seemed to be recovering just as slowly as
John but appeared as though he would make it.

"How?" John's body was motionless. Just his face moved, reserving
energy for his body to heal enough to be able to stand as soon as
possible.

"Our daughter John. Lana healed us." Monica explained to a man who
never in a million years would have believed it when they had first
met.

"So it's true!" There was a booming voice behind them and all turned
to see something unexpected out in the spotlight of the 'basketball
court'.

~~~~

The voice seemed to be coming from a ball of golden luminosity
brighter than the surrounding spot lighting. It took most of the
visitors a little time to adjust to the oddity. In all their haste to
find Gibson and the missing agents they hadn't stopped to think that
they were intruding in a place where they were more than likely being
watched.

"Yes, it's true." Gizelle confidently stepped forward just as the
golden glow diffused and took up human shapes. "But you didn't have to
harm these people to prove it. That's not the way we work here."

As the shapes also stepped forward it was clear they were back to
being Joan and Allan Walsh.

"Not how you work?" The male alien spoke first. "That's not the way we
see it."

"Then how do you see it?" With a burbling baby on her hip Monica
decided to step into the conversation. If these were indeed a sample
of the beings that had targeted Earth for final take over in 2012 then
this was a time for them to get the message loud and clear that they
were not wanted. The first reaction could have been to run but that
would show a weakness that was uncharacteristic of earthlings as an
entirety.

Skinner and Dana holding William's hand looked on with commonality.
They could see the enormity of the moment, the importance of giving a
message of pride, independence and ownership.

"We see a world in turmoil, of war, conspiracies, man pitted against
man, sickness, poverty, a world also in climatic flux. Why would you
want to live in a world such as this?" It was Mrs. Walsh's turn to
speak.
"Then you see only the bad." John's vocal chords and body were weak as
he hobbled up next to his partner but his message was strong. "The
good far outweighs the bad."

"Then why don't you fix the bad? You have an example here in your
midst, a healer." The being that was Allan Walsh spoke.

"Because without the bad we would not see the good." Dana spoke up as
she moved forward with William. "Don't get us wrong though. We work on
our misfortunes remedying some, rallying alongside others but we see
them as challenges and not as pitfalls. Without challenges we would be
weak. We are not weak, we are strong."

"We do not see strength here but a handful of pitiful humans." As
Allan Walsh's voice became more aggressive the outline of his body
began to distort, as did his wife's. Were their human forms all just a
trick of the eye? It did seem far-fetched that aliens possibly from
another galaxy would look and talk just like them.

"There's nothing pitiful about us." Gizelle's quiet yet determined
voice responded. "Each person here is representative of the talents of
which every human is capable. "Baby Lana is a healer but there are
many more out there spread across the continents who have similar
talents. Gibson here can read people's thoughts." As she spoke Gibson
took up a position next to her. "Just like him there are many others
with that potential."

"Can you read my thoughts?" Mrs. Walsh tested.

"I know that you are deceiving us." Gibson retorted just as the
shimmer around the elderly couple's bodies became more pronounced.
Skinner as well as the other saw the pattern that was emerging.

"Do you get the message? We don't want you here!" The assistant
director's announcement was firm but not aggressive. "We want you to
go home and never come back here! Earth is ours to make the best of
what we have. We don't need anyone else taking over and we will fight
with all our strength to keep it that way."

"See?" Gizelle decided to keep up the barrage to back up the point.
"Skinner here is a warrior, John is a doubter but one that every world
needs to get us thinking and solving problems." As she spoke, the
beings were becoming increasingly agitated. "Monica is an empath, Dana
a teacher."

"We can take care of ourselves. We are all special in our own way. We
are all God's children." Dana added to the solidarity of the moment
finally understanding Gizelle's earlier comment back in her apartment.

That final statement seemed the last straw. Both beings had merged
into one big ball of violent gold light. All eyes watched and wondered
what would be the outcome. No matter what, they had said their piece
and were proud they had done the ultimate show of cohesion.

"You will not be allowed to leave!" Came the booming voice from the
luminous eruption. Just then they felt an overwhelming force shifting
their bodies back. Trying to stand was all too much. As a result of
the massive force each of the seven visitors ended up on the floor and
sliding towards the side of the vast gallery room.

But then it stopped just as quickly as it started.

"Go away you mean people!" It was William's tiny voice. He was
standing in front of the now massive sphere of lava-like flares, his
tiny body silhouetted against the reds and oranges.

"William!" His mother called but was interrupted by what happened
next. With his tiny hand pointing to the seething radiance it began to
move back. William was not only counteracting the power the being was
emitting but was more forceful. Slowly the room was filled with the
most piercing sound making everyone except William cover their ears.

"Go back home and don't come back!" he yelled as the ball of light
began to retreat and diminish. All of a sudden at an astonishing speed
the remaining fireball flew backwards and hit the far wall with so
much force that it disintegrated sending sparks of light throughout
the arena just like a fireworks display.

Then all went quiet and black.

~~~~~

As their eyes adjusted to the pinpoints of light they came to realize
they were in fact stars of the night sky.

A cool breeze brushed over their bodies as one by one the group picked
themselves up off the cool ground. They were once again in the field
with no sign of the spacecraft they had just been on.

"What just happened?" Dana was the first to query.

"I think we suitably pissed them off." Monica smiled giving Lana a
kiss on the cheek and a cuddle before moving over to be with her
partner who was also picking himself off the ground.

"Are they dead?" Skinner enquired as he carefully stood brushing
himself down.

"Not dead but bruised a little, and not just their corporeal being
either." Gizelle moved over to Gibson to help him up.

"They won't be back." Gibson mentioned as he accepted Gizelle's hand
in his and looked up into the night sky.

"Won't be back ever?" It was John's turn to question as he took Lana
who was holding her arms out to her father. Even he was starting to
doubt that anything they had just seen actually happened. "Not even in
2012?"

"We put on a suitable demonstration for them." Gizelle looked around
at each member of the group and smiled. "It may be millennia before
they even think of conquering another world."

"Just to think," Monica smiled at the way Lana was cooing and playing
with John's ears. "This is probably one of the biggest events in
history and yet it won't even appear in the News or even history
books."

They all nodded and chuckled understanding the irony.

"Mommy look!" William pointed into the night sky. Up in the darkness
there was a light brighter than the other stars, just hovering.

"They're saying goodbye." Gizelle offered. Then like a shooting star
the light swooped out into the dark expanse of space.

"I could go a hot dog right about now." Skinner lifted William off the
ground and gave him a twirl in a circle. "How about you?" The boy
squealed with delight securing the attention of baby Lana, who pointed
a wobbly arm and squealed along with him.

"I'm not sure there'd be a place open in town." John offered just as
Monica began moving towards their vehicle that was still parked where
they had left it that afternoon.

"Then let's keep driving until we do."

The group happily agreed and made their way to their respective
vehicles.

As the vehicles drove off along the lone country track all was quiet
again in Preston, Maryland.

All was also quiet in the hundreds of locations throughout the world
where other scout ships had been and now had departed.


The End