Title: Christmas Carol: She Needs Her. Author: Pattie Rated: PG Category: Post-Ep., Missing Scene Spoilers: Christmas Carol Summary: How did Bill Jr., Mom, and Mulder react to Scully's discovery of Emily Sim? Feedback: Great! trish59@444.net Archive: Gossamer, After_the_Fact. All others please ask. Disclaimer: All X-Files characters belong to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Studios, but I dusted them off, fed them, and they're fine. I returned them in mint condition for a movie. US NAVAL STATION SAN DIEGO, CA BILL SCULLY'S HOUSE 2:05 A.M. Ever since her arrival five days ago, Dana Scully had had little rest, little peace of mind, and a few big surprises. There she was in the nursery that would soon be her nephew's. She had been there lying awake for two hours, tossing, turning, asking God for answers, remembering things from Christmases past when all she had to worry about was the arrival or non--arrival of her father from the sea, and the shortness of time until school resumed. She was remembering the exciteing Christmas mornings, the church services, and the spirit of mischief she, Melissa, and their brothers often had during all the excitement. Most of all, she was reliving her feeling of emptiness during what was a happy time for Tara and Bill, and the shocking news that little Emily Sim was her biological daughter, bearing a striking resemblance to Melissa at that age, yet having been proven her daughter. Who was involved? Why did this happen? Why in the very same town she was visiting at Christmas? The restlessness was making her edgy. She needed to talk to Mulder. Even mentioning all the things that had been happening to her mother was not an option at this time. Her mother had had enough stress this year. Bill would not do as a confidant. He'd say these were coincidences, and that Mulder had finally converted her to The Outer Limits, where Mulder and the rest of the weirdos belonged. Mulder. Mulder would understand. There was definitely something going on besides the usual surrogate motherhood theory, in-vitro fertilization or sheer coincidence. No, she decided, the house phone was out of the question. She quickly dressed and grabbed her cell phone, not even daring to dial until she was outside the house. It was around 11:00 in Alexandria anyway. He'd be awake. 2360 Hegal Place, Alexandria, VA 11:20 EST Mulder lay on the couch flipping channels when the phone rang. "Mulder." "Mulder, it's me. Did I wake you?" "No. So, how was your Christmas, Scully? Was Bill surprised I didn't call you away on some alien hunt?" "No, no. Although your name did come up. Listen, I need to talk, and I can't... I don't want to make things any more complicated for my family right now." Mulder frowned. "Something's wrong... " "Well, I don't quite know how to say this... something's right and at the same time terribly wrong. Christmas Eve I got the strangest call... It sounded like Melissa, and ... " Mulder's eyes narrowed. He sat bolt upright. "Melissa's dead, Scully." "That's just it. She's dead, but the voice on the phone sounded just like hers. I had the San Diego Office trace the call, and it came from a house where a suicide had just occurred, her husband confessed to injecting her with a drug, and the little girl living in their house looked amazingly like Melissa at that age, and before you interrupt me, Mulder... " Scully was by now crying, "I had some tests done. A little girl named Emily Sim is my daughter." He couldn't find words for a moment. As he rubbed his eyes, he tried to say something, but he knew her eggs had been taken and that she hadn't been pregnant four years ago, or even ten. "Scully, stay put. I'm coming down there. We need to find out what's been going on." "I know. Mulder?" "Yeah?" "Merry Christmas. I'm sorry I didn't get in touch with you earlier." "That's okay. I mean, this... this is a big shock for you, for everyone I guess. I'll be out there as soon as I can. Get some sleep." "Thank you. It means a lot. I know you don't have to work... " "Never mind. I was getting bored, and there's nothing else happening. See you tomorrow." Mulder knew he didn't have to say any more. There was an understanding trust between them that went beyond friendship, and Scully had gone very far for him. His voice betrayed his worry. "Good night, Mulder." Scully went back into the house more at ease. She could count on Mulder, and she knew this fit somehow into his search for his sister, Samantha. She prayed she could raise this little girl who was her miracle, and feared the pain her mother's death had caused her. "Good night." After the shock wore off, he packed some essentials. His mind flashed back to everything he had discovered about the abduction, the extraction of Scully's eggs, along with those of the other women, and the clones they had stumbled upon. Clearly, the picture was disturbing. What were they doing across the country, or for that matter, across the world? How was this affecting Scully? *** SAN DIEGO NEXT DAY Mulder wasted no time in renting a car and finding a motel room. He threw his bags on the bed and called Scully, who was getting ready to leave her brother's house. "Scully." "I just got in. Are you okay?" "Mulder, there've been a few things happening here. I have a very sick little girl. Apparently, she was part of an experimental treatment program. Transgen Pharmaceuticals in Chula Vista was treating her for a rare blood disorder, autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Apparently her father was being financially compensated as part of the program. The mother, Roberta Sim, was found dead in the bathtub. She'd been injected with dortiptan, but someone slit her wrist to make it appear to have been a suicide. The father confessed to the murder. Mulder, what bothers me most is that Emily is not doing well under this Dr. Calderon she's been seeing, and I want to adopt her, take her home with me. It doesn't look like this is going to happen the way it should. Emily was going to be in a temporary children's home, but now she's deteriorating. I don't like this." "I don't like the sound of any of this. Where's she now? I'll meet you there." "She's at the San Diego Children's Home, Special Needs Ward. Mulder, she is absolutely beautiful." "She has to be. You're her mother. I'm heading out there." Tears streamed down Scully's cheeks as she started for the door. She knew there were no guarantees in this life, but she wasn't going to let anything or anyone keep her from her daughter. If she faltered in her efforts, she knew Mulder would give her the strength and help to continue. After all she had been through, she had been given a gift, and for ever how long she could hold on to her, she would make sure they weren't separated. END