Gossamer | Story: "Generations 29: Melissa (3/3)" by Evenstar, Eowyn & MacspookyThe Gossamer Project Author - Title - Date - Spoilers - Crossovers - X-Files - Adventures - Stories - Vignettes Other stories by: Evenstar, Eowyn - Macspooky All disclaimers still apply. "Melissa" by Eowyn and Macspooky Chapter 8 As he watched the tall, broad shouldered, bald man scan the restaurant, spot him and then make his way over towards him, Fox Mulder smiled. Walter looked a bit tired and in his casual attire he looked out of place among the suits. He'd called his boss and suggested that they meet for lunch, both he and Scully had made it back to work today, having survived the flu, but she'd gotten stuck doing an emergency autopsy and hadn't been able to come. That had been fine with Fox, he needed to find out how things were going and considering his wife's current attitude towards her sister it wouldn't have been a subject that he could have brought up. He greeted his friend, teasing him, "You look like you could do with a few more hours of sleep. Melissa giving you problems?" "No, actually today she seems to be cooperating. Wills was not happy with all the changes, plus Meg thinks that he's been neglected so that now that he's actually getting some attention he's trying to make up for lost time. We were up half the night with him or Fox. The little Squirt does not appreciated his sleep disturbed and complains quite loudly every time he gets woken up." Walter sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Do you go through this with the twins?" Fox laughed. "Probably not as bad. They are sort of used to each other complaining so they tend to sleep through a brief crying session on the part of their sibling... 'course if it goes on too long we get it in stereo. So has Melissa made any plans?" "We've convinced her to hold off doing anything for at least a week. Give her time to think straight and the medicine time to start working. It doesn't look like she'll be going back to McNeely though." "That's going to be a bit hard on you isn't it, Dad? I mean both Mel and another baby... especially indefinitely." "Actually it shouldn't be too bad. Aislinn has informed Melissa that she's going to feel lonely in that two bedroom apartment all by herself so the two of them are down there now getting it ready to move into by the end of the week. The move or the medication seems to be working, Mel is showing more energy than she has in months." "That sounds like a decent arrangement." The waitress came up and they placed their orders. Fox also ordered a sandwich to go for Scully. "So how'd it go last night, Fox. Was Dana very upset that you insisted on going with Bill and I?" "Actually no... she'd cooled off and realized that I needed to go help you. She hasn't, however, said word one about Melissa. Not even to ask if she's going to be all right. This little fight has been simmering for a long time." "I got the feeling from something Dana let slip that Mel had stolden most of Dana's boyfriends?" "Yeah, and it hurt Scully a lot. So Mel's attempt at me isn't likely to be forgiven or forgotten anytime soon." "Meg and I figured as much." At the look of discomfort that crossed his son-in-law's face Walter went on to reassure him. "Don't worry, Fox. Meg doesn't blame you. Melissa admitted to her that it was all her doing. She said and I quote, `All he did was to be sweet and loyal and sexy.' Meg was just upset that all this had resurfaced again." At the releaved look on Fox's face, Walter briefly squeezed his hand. "Don't worry, son. The situation between Mel and Dana might not resolve itself anytime soon but she hasn't managed to come between you and Margaret." Fox smiled and they proceeded to talk work and family and to eat their lunches. Towards the end of lunch another subject occured to Mulder. "You got me in big trouble yesterday." "I thought you said Dana forgave..." "Not about that. How the hell did you find out Scully was a virgin when we got married and why'd you have to let on you knew? She swears that I had to be the one to tell you, that I can't keep anything from you." "Oops." "Don't oops, me. She beat me up with a pillow last night. Wouldn't believe that I hadn't told you, until I pointed out that you had it wrong." At Walter's questioning look he elaborated, "You told Mel that she saved herself for me till the wedding night. Well that wasn't quite accurate. I.... ummm... let's just say that the last few months of waiting were my idea. I wanted to honor her father's wishes because I knew how much he meant to her. Scully didn't want to wait." Walter chuckled, "I take it she tried to change your mind?" "Oh god, Walter, blue balls are nothing by comparisom. I didn't have a hot shower for three months. But don't change the subject. How the hell did you find out?" "Meg let it slip. And damn, I promised her that I would never let either of you know that I knew. She's not going to be happy with me now but I was so mad at Melissa and what she had tried to do to you and Dana..." "What were you and Mom doing talking about our... I mean... I wouldn't think it was something that would come up in casual conversation." Remembering how the subject came up Walter blushed. Seeing Fox's quizical look he decided to explain. "Meg and I were debating the merits of waiting...?" "For her kids? Why would you...?" "Don't be dense, Mulder. Didn't have a thing to do with the kids..." Fox grinned when he realized what Walter was implying. "I take it you're familiar with cold showers as well." "Yes." The answer was short and Walter changed the subject. "I pointed out that she didn't seem to mind when her kids hadn't waited and she replied that she minded but had realized that she had to let them live their own lives. She then went on to point out that she and Bill must not have done too badly since one of her daughters had made it to the alter a virgin. Well I knew it wasn't Melissa. And it certainly explained that shit eating grin you wore on your face for at least a month after your marriage." Here Mulder's grin just got larger and he laughed. "Well I've been gone over an hour for lunch... don't want someone reporting to my boss that I'm taking advantage of his vacation." "You think Colton's going to start telling tales out of school?" "He seems to think it's an unfair advantage that we married into the same family." "The man always was dense." "Let me know if you need any help okay? And you and Mom come over and visit. Please. I don't think Dana's going to be up to seeing Melissa anytime soon." "Don't worry I won't let Melissa come between our families." Fox Mulder headed back to work and Walter headed home to see what kind of havoc was being wrought. Several Weeks Later Melissa sat at the small kitchen table with the magazine open and smiled at the photos. They had turned out quite lovely after all. To think she had almost turned down that shoot... hadn't wanted to go... had felt too tired. Well, as much as she had been annoyed at Aislinn at the time for lecturing her about getting up off her "bloody ass" and doing something, she had to admit her younger cousin had been right in insisting that she accept the job, her first modeling gig since Wills. They had needed a red head, and once she had gotten on the set, she had gotten right back in the swing of things. Lis kissed the check in her hand. This job hadn't paid as much as she had been accustomed to getting in the past, but it was still a nice sum of money when all was said and done. A few more like this and she wouldn't have to hit her savings again for quite some time. Things were looking up. Aislinn came breezing in. She and mom had been out shopping. Bending over the magazine, she oohed and aahed over the pictures envious of Melissa's lovliness. She was pretty enough in her own right, of course, but quite a bit rounder and not at all, in her humble opinion, photogenic. "Oh, now don't you look lovely.... and that check! You see, Missy, no one would even know you you'd been ill.... or had a baby.... I'm going to take this and show your mom...." She snatched up the magazine.. "Oh no you're not..." "Oh, yes I am....." and with a giggle Aislinn was out the door. Missy picked up Wills and carried him upstairs. She really wouldn't mind her mother seeing the pictures. Unfortunately, when she got there Walter was there too. She was getting used to him, but still tried to avoid him whenever possible. "Oh, hello Melissa," smiled Margaret at her older daughter. "My, you do look beautiful here." In truth, Meg was a little disappointed. She had hoped that Melissa would not go back to her modeling career but would find something that would make her happy the rest of her life. Her dad had never approved of it and it was such a shallow fleeting sort of thing. She had learned not to say those things outloud though. They only made Missy more determined, and she had been very successful amassing a lot of money, a fact that she had never failed to rub in her father's face. "Thanks, Mom. I almost didn't take the job, but Aislinn talked me into it. She said it would make me feel better and it did." "Don't you think it's wonderful, Walter?" asked Margaret smiling at her husband. "What I think is that she should finish college," said Walter bluntly, "and find a career option that isn't so dependent upon transitory good looks." He didn't think it wonderful at all. Melissa had met Chuck modeling. Margaret sighed. He sounded just like Bill. Her late husband had been so angry when Melissa had quit during her last year at Maryland, and that was before he had found out about the abortion. Melissa just gave him a dirty look. She wasn't going to let him ruin her entire evening with his negative vibrations. Maybe she would never get another modeling job again, but on the other hand, this could be the start of a real comeback for her. "And, Melissa," added Walter very quietly, "don't be thinking that you are going to leave Wills here while you go galivanting all over the country on photo shoots because it is not going to happen. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, Sir...." she muttered. Well, there went that possibility. She wouldn't be eager to leave Wills of course, but if the job were right and her mom could look after him....She looked at Walter once again and feeling suddenly annoyed, said with a certain degree of sarcasm, "And by the way, Walter, I did finish college. I got my last nine credits in anthropology in night school." Margaret cast her husband an unhappy glance. He certainly was being premature. On the other hand, he was only doing what she had advised in the beginning, taking a firm hand with Melissa right off the bat. She sighed. She hated being caught in the middle of everything, hated the fact that over the years, Melissa had left said so much unsaid. Lately things had been really wearing on her, and because of this stupid feud between her daughters, her birthday party had proved most uncomfortable. Dana was being very unforgiving and would not talk to Melissa or be in the same room with her if she could help it. Why couldn't Dana just realize that Melissa had been very ill and very drunk that 4th of July day and then they could have peace again? Course it hadn't helped that Walter and Fox and taken Dana's side. Chuck paced the big empty house nervously. He had to come up with some money and he had to do it soon. Things were closing in on him. He had borrowed money to cover what he had taken from the corporation to cover the audit, but he hadn't been able to pay it back, and then "they" had moved in, people you never wanted to deal with, people who didn't have any compassion for anyone. Melissa had taken all her money with her when she'd gone. Stupid of him to let her leave it in her own name. He had thought it a way to keep funds away from his creditors... should have known better, should never have borrowed from those men. He had the house on the market, but there were five other homes in the immediate area up for sale and nothing was moving, and then, Missy's lawyer was moving in for the kill. She wanted half of any profit, plus the downpayment. They had used her money for it. Then there was the child support he was supposed to come up with, and Kathy had already gotten a lawyer and was going to sue him for support for her bastard. He couldn't even try to deny that it was his. DNA testing would prove that it was, and he knew the court would order it. His eyes lit on the cover of the magazine that had come in the mail. He saw his wife's face smiling out at the world as though nothing had happened. Thoughtfully he opened it and gazed at the spread of photos before him. Fashions for the redhead. Melissa was working again and that meant nice big fat checks... A plan began to form in his mind. If she were well enough to work... yes... there were people who owed him favors. A phone call here, a hint dropped there, and perhaps Melissa could be steadily employed once again. Hmm... he had won her heart once, and if he played his cards just right... maybe he could do so again... perhaps all was not lost after all. Knowing Melissa, by this point she was probably horny as hell and they had always been good together, great in fact. If he'd been getting any at home, he might not have strayed, but what the hell was a guy supposed to do? For the first time in a long while, Melissa was feeling almost happy. Wills was sitting contentedly in his playpen. Once they had moved in with her mom and Walter, he had turned into a different baby, no longer always fussy and crying. Melissa had come to realize that the tense atmosphere at home had been having a negative impact on her baby. She had tried to care for him responsibly but it had all gotten to be too much, and she had ended up not giving him the care that he needed. She looked from the baby to the plants hanging in the window. Despite the fact that the apartment was a basement apartment, it still seemed to have plenty of light and between she and Aislinn they were turning it into a greenhouse of hanging plants and flowers and her dangling crystals cast lovely colorful dancing shadows on the hard wood floors as the sunlight struck them. It was strange how her mom's old furniture for all its wear and tear seemed so much homier and more comfortable than all the expensive new things that she had Chuck had bought to furnish their "dream house." The only thing she really had from that house now was Will's baby furniture. Getting it had been a fight, but it had been a gift from her mother and she hadn't been about to leave it. Bill, Chris, Mulder and Walter had gone with her and Chuck had argued only minimally. Mulder! Wouldn't even let her call him Fox. Only mom, Walter and Dana got that privaledge... heck, even his own Aunt called him Mulder. She'd been surprised when he'd tagged along but she guessed she shouldn't be. Living with her mom and new husband had only served to enforce what she'd suspected about Walter, Dana and Mulder. They were a tight nit threesome that stuck together. So while Dana wouldn't unbend enough to come along Mulder came to give Walter support. Dana! Why couldn't she just forgive and forget? She always had before. She sighed at the thought. Walter hid it... Melissa wasn't even sure her mother had noticed... but one thing she'd come to realize over the last several weeks was that Walter seemed to have a sixth sense about when Dana and especially Mulder were in trouble. Whenever he was at his most uptight word would come back that 'Scully' and Mulder had had another close call. Sometimes he reminded her of Gran for spotting problems. she pushed those thoughts aside. The doorbell rang and she wondered who it could be. Maybe it was Mulder's Aunt Sophie. The woman was totally eccentric, but gradually Melissa had started enjoying the woman's visits. She had actually lived in Africa once and her stories were entertaining, especially the ones about the native medicine men and women. It turned out to be a delivery of flowers. They were very beautiful, all her favorite colors in riotous profusion. She set them on the table and took out the card. "Melissa, I've made a big mistake. I'm so sorry, baby. I miss you and Wills more than I can say. Love Chuck" Tears came to her eyes. She remembered the first time she had gone out with Chuck. It hadn't been long after Dana's return from the dead. She had kind of hoped that perhaps she might begin to date Fox Mulder, but in the end he had been so dark and angry and had had eyes for no one but her sister. That had really shaken Melissa because no man before had ever prefered Dana to her. Chuck had been pure light and so much fun... good looking, sexy and charming and had shared so much of her New Age philosophy... She had even, not too long thereafter, talked about her sister and the arguments she had had with Fox Mulder about turning off the respirator. Chuck had believed as she had, that it was wrong to prolong a life unecessisarily. This had reassured her that she hadn't been too hasty in backing her mother's decision. Aislinn came in and when she saw the flowers told Melissa she ought to toss them in the trash, but Melissa didn't have the heart to do it. Later that evening, she showed them to her mother. "Oh, my..." said Meg, "they are lovely. I wonder if he truly could be having a change of heart." Margaret wasn't really comfortable about the idea, but one never knew. Sometimes people did reform, and she knew Missy. Melissa wasn't always easy to live with. "Watch your back, Melissa," growled Walter. "Men who cheat and hit don't normally reform for long." He went back to trying to read the paper with Squirt sitting in his lap. Lis just cast him a dirty look and took the vase back downstairs. "That was a little harsh, don't you think, Walter?" asked Meg. "Chuck McNeely is a sorry son of a bitch. He wants something," snapped her husband. Life had taught him that most people did and though he tried to restrain his cynicism, he had been a law enforcement officer too long to take things at their face value. He stopped himself from saying more. Meg's Catholic beliefs he knew conflicted strongly with her daughter's desire for divorce but in his experience men who cheated this early in a marriage and with more than one person were not likely to stop. When the invitation to dinner came, Melissa wasn't certain she wanted to go, but Chuck had practically begged her and he had made the very valid point that they had a lot to discuss. Reluctantly, her mom agreed to watch Wills that evening, knowing her husband would not be pleased. Chuck took her to their favorite restaurant and gazed into her eyes just as he had before they had started sleeping together. She found herself remembering more and more what it had been like during those early times together, and what a wonderful lover he had been, wild one moment, tender the next... Then her mind would race to the other women that he had had. She would grow angry all over again, but she repressed it. He was telling her he wanted to spend time with Wills... that he missed his son, and that she hadn't been entirely fair in the days after he had first been born either, clinging to the baby and not letting him take more part in infant care. She knew he was right about that, and he was being so sweet... At home, Walter glared at his wife when he found out she was baby sitting so Melissa could see Chuck. "You shouldn't be encouraging this, Margaret. I realize that divorce is against the teachings of your church but men like Chuck don't change." "They are both young and strong willed... maybe he's learned his lesson?" "They only learn until they get their wife or girlfriend back then they start all over again. Trust me on this. Has he been to counseling? Did he do anything during Melissa's ordeal. No to both... he doesn't really want to change. Hell, I don't believe he wants her back. You weren't there when we went to pick up hers and Wills things. You didn't see the way he looked... his pride and ego had been wounded nothing more. If he ever loved her it's over now." "He could be holding it all in. You're not exactly the most expressive..." "I'm aware that I hold a lot in... maybe that's why I can spot when someone else is repressing how they feel. Been able to read Fox for years. Trust me, I'm a trained observer... it's part of my job and Charles McNeely wasn't feeling the least bit devestated by Lis's departure. "If he wants her back it's going to lead to no good. Your daughter is vulnerable right now and Chuck is not trustworthy. And, if she wants to go out, tell her to find her own babysitter. Don't encourage her to go back to him. At least not if you want her to have any chance at happiness and a good home life for Wills." "It's only one evening," said Margaret, "and besides, maybe it would be better for Wills if they could settle things amicably, don't you think...." Reluctantly Walter conceded that she had a point, but in his heart he felt that Melissa was being set up. He sighed and reminded Meg that Melissa hadn't married Chuck in the Church anyway. Maybe that would make Meg think. He was sick of being caught in the middle of a bad situation. Still maybe he should have McNeeley looked into. Couldn't hurt unless Margaret or Melissa found out. He'd talk to Fox about it tomorrow and get his opinion. Maybe even see if he had some more 'unofficial' connections than what Walter was planning on using. Wills was starting to walk and pulled himself up onto the couch next to his grandpa and nestled down by Walter's side. Walter sighed. Now he had one perched on either side of him. It was hard to read this way. Melissa slipped out of bed. She had to get home. She had been seeing her ex-husband whenever she could for several weeks, not saying much about it to anyone, even her therapist. He had been behaving wonderfully and she was starting to think perhaps he was sincere in his wish that they become a family again. Missy wanted that very much... a family, like Fox and Dana and their twins. Chuck had taken her dancing while her Mom watched Wills and somehow they had ended up making love. If Walter ever found out... Ith ad been wonderful, like the old days, better in fact. He had used a condom without even being asked, and then to her surprise had begged her to come back permanently. He said he'd made a terrible mistake, especially with Kathy and that he wasn't certain the baby was even his. He promised that he would go for aids testing and would never do anything to hurt her again. He had been sweet and gentle and now she didn't know what to do. "Where are you going, Lis?" he murmered. "I have to go home," she said softly. "I can't leave my mother with the baby all night." She didn't confess to him that she had lied to her mother about what she was doing, but she had a feeling that her mom had known. She kissed him goodbye and dressing quietly tiptoed out of the bedroom that they had once shared. She would, she supposed, have to talk to Dr. Shandy before making any final decision, and discuss it with her mother, but she really had loved Chuck and she thought that Chuck really had loved her. His arguments for reconciliation were compelling. On her way home, she thought about Dr. Shandy. Melissa liked the woman. She was non judgemental. The family therapy was okay too, except that there was no real cooperation. Her mother tried, but Walter had a way of sitting there with his arms crossed glaring. He didn't say much, but when he did it was often hurtful. He just couldn't seem to see that she was really trying. She could hear his voice in her head... "The fact remains that his daughter dyed her hair green and acted in promiscuous fashion which her father found unacceptable. Had she been my daughter, I'd have held her head over that ice cold water and washed the green out too." Those words spoken to Dr. Shandy, "Watch and see if I don't do the same to my son if he tries it." "I don't blame your sister for refusing to come to therapy Melissa... Your sister loves you and you came on to her husband. She's hurt and she's grieving and I'd say it's time you paid the consequences for you actions... Not to mention that she understands the consequences, if your actions had been successful, a lot better than you did or do. What would have happened to Fox if his marriage had broken up..." Walter had glared at her here and shut up, and Melissa had thought to herself, Walter's chastizing voice continued in her head, "Oh, your dad loved Dana better did he? Well, you are a grown up now, Melissa. Get over it... Parents don't love more or less they just love differently." "How the hell do you know since you've only got one son." She had angrily replied. At that statement Walter had tilted his head and acquired an ironic smile before replying, "Don't be dense, Melissa." She could just imagine what he'd say about tonight. "If we let you, you'd foist Wills off on your mother every chance you got. Well, you aren't going to get away with it.... Especially if you're foolish enough to be dating Chuck again." Melissa tiptoed into the house to discover that her mother had waited up for her. The expression on her face was sad. Briefly the younger woman wondered if something had happened. "Wills is downstairs asleep with Aislinn," said Margaret quietly studying her daughter. "Thanks, Mom," said Melissa quickly. "I'd better go check on him...." She turned to flee quickly. "Oh, Melissa," said Margaret softly, "You aren't 16 anymore, not that lying suited you back then either. I can see you had a wonderful time with Chuck, but it was not clever of you to lie about where you were going, and it was not at all clever of you to wait until Walter was out of town." "I couldn't tell the truth. You wouldn't have watched him." "You're right, Melissa," "You never understood. Any of you... ever... You always made me lie... always..." she burst out and with that she raced downstairs to the apartment. Margaret sighed. Maybe Melissa was right in some ways. Maybe they hadn't understood, but then again, at every turn she had acted irresponsibly. Then again, she had to keep reminding herself, no one made a person lie. Melissa has chosen to do so frequently to get her own way. Her mind turned to the last family therapy session that they had just attended. Walter had been very tired and had to leave early in the morning for a meeting in Phoenix, but had dutifully attended. Dana of course, hadn't come, but Fox had, at Dr. Shandy's request. Margaret was annoyed with her youngest daughter over that. She understood Dana's pain, but Melissa was still her sister after all, and she was at least attempting to help herself. It had been a very unpleasant session. Fox too had been very hard on her daughter when the topic had turned to her relationship with her sister. Melissa had been complaining to Dr. Shandy about how everyone always fussed over Dana because she was so smart, about how Dana was allowed to do things when she was a younger age than Melissa.... It was a recurrent theme, apparently a problem not uncommon with siblings born so close. She had gone on for awhile and Margaret had been about to say something to her daughter about the difficulty of balancing parental responsibility and knowing the right thing to do, when suddenly Fox, who had remained silent throughout, said very quietly, "Is that why you couldn't wait to pull the plug on Dana, Melissa?" All hell had broken loose at that point. This had been something that Meg had never even considered or thought about. When her younger daughter had been in a coma, she had been called upon to make a very difficult decision based on Dana's wishes at a time when she was still grieving deeply for Bill. Fox had disagreed with her out of love for her daughter, but they had respected each other. Fox had never held her decision against her, knowing what she was going through and she had always been sorry that she had had to hurt him as she had that day in the hospital when they had turned off the respirator. At the time, she had viewed Melissa as being wonderfully supportive, returning to be with her sister during Dana's time of need and supporting her every decision, helping her choose the questions to ask the doctor. Melissa had denied it vehemently breaking down in tears about how she could never do such a thing to her sister. Fox had gotten up very quietly, looked down at her and said, "Let us know when you are going to tell us your true feelings, Melissa. In the meantime, I'm going home to my wife." Margaret hadn't known whether to be angry at Fox or not. At first, she was, but then she realized that he had planted a seed in her mind, a seed of concern that all along their family hadn't been as close as they had seemed. End Chapter 8 "Melissa" Chapter 9 by Eowyn and Macspooky When Walter got home from work, Margaret wasn't there. Melissa was watching Little Fox and Wills. She explained that since he hadn't been expected until very late, Meg and Aislinn had gone shopping together for a birthday gift to send to Aislinn's mother back in Ireland. He had rather hoped that Melissa would take Wills and go downstairs so he could have some peace with little Fox, but she didn't. She insisted on giving him the dinner that Margaret had prepared and left for later warming, and in fact ate with him. It wasn't an entirely comfortable meal. Then, she brought Wills into the living room and sat him down. In truth, he didn't want a repeat of the night before. When he had gotten back from Phoenix and Meg had told him reluctantly that Missy had lied to her, he had hit the roof. It was fortunate that the house was sound proof and unattached. "Walter... I... um... want to apologize...." she said, "I mean about last night... and lying to mom... It's just that... well..." "Okay, Melissa, apology accepted," he said quietly. "Understand this. You are an adult who may do as she pleases, however, your mother is not a babysitter. I suggest you begin looking for someone suitable to watch Wills on an occasional night out." "But....." "No buts, Melissa. If you were ill, or something happened to you, we would be the first one there to take care of your baby, but you had him and he is not our responsibility while you go out gallivanting around." "I know that... I... didn't plan to stay out as long as I did." Her response was defensive. Under his scrutiny, her lip began to tremble. The crying fits that she had had in the beginning of her depression had eased off a great deal, but sometimes she still felt overwhelmingly sad, although less often. "That isn't the point," he said more kindly. "It wasn't even the babysitting. It was the lying." She nodded miserably. "Sometimes I do that... I... daddy never wanted me to go out with anyone. He was so strict and old fashioned. I had to lie. I don't know why he couldn't just accept me for what I was... am...." "If your father hadn't loved you, Melissa, he would have let you do whatever you damned well pleased. The fact that he was trying to save you from making decisions with consequences you weren't prepared to handle as a young girl says a lot about his character. I think you need to see that. I think you need to see a lot of things." "Like the way I really feel about my sister?" she asked. "How do you really feel about her?" "I... I..." quite suddenly Melissa did break down, "I love her... no... I hate her... always miss goody two shoes... always the apple of everyone's eye... always... but I do love her, too. She's my sister." Quite suddenly Walter found Melissa in his arms sobbing uncontrollably. "We were right to turn off the respirator, Walter..." she burst out. "We were right. I was trying to help mom. Fox fought her at every turn and it was none of his business. He was no one. He was just someone she worked with and he made it difficult for her. We WERE right, but a part of me... a part of me hoped that she would die, and I'm ashamed of that part... I'm so ashamed... I even... I even went and got him that last night... told him he needed to go to Dana because she wasn't going to make it... I was terrified she was going to die, but a part of me wanted her to, and I didn't want to be there when it happened. I wanted someone else to be with her... I thought... let him do it... He thinks he knows it all..." "And your mom?" "I never told her about the doctor's call. I didn't lie. I just didn't tell her... and I'm ashamed of that too." "Then I would say, Melissa, that you are very lucky that she didn't die. And as for Fox... even way back then he loved her, more than his own life... but you had to have sensed that. Meg did. Which is probably why she wouldn't listen to his advice. She knew he was too close to it. But Melissa from the moment that you encouraged your mom to have them turn off the respirator... well you never stood a chance with Fox after that. He loved her but hadn't admitted it to himself so you might have got him to date you, but when you were willing to let her go. Well he'll never forgive that. Whatever your motives... he loves her too much." PARAGRAPH He sighed and held her closely. What she really wanted was her daddy, her daddy to say he loved her and forgave her, but Bill wasn't here anymore. A pattern was emerging here. Although she didn't like him, he recognized that she was beginning to see him as a substitute for Bill. Finally she sniffed and pulled herself together. "When we were little," she said with a faint smile, "Dana and I used to have fun together. We used to play hopscotch. I remember the first time she made it all the way through... we were living on this naval base and daddy was out to sea. I was so proud of her, and we jumped up and down and hugged. I don't know what happened." "All siblings fight," he said quietly. "My brother and I had some humdingers... but we loved each other, Melissa." She nodded drying her eyes. "Chuck wants us to get back together." "Not a good idea, Melissa. Don't rush to make any..." "I knew you wouldn't like the idea... I just knew it..." She jumped up and got Wills who was playing contentedly with some blocks. "I hoped you'd understand..." "Melissa.... I do understand. At least in part but try to understand where I'm coming from... the kind of work I do... When I worked in VC there were so many women who'd been killed by their husband or boyfriend. Admittedly we'd get the worst ones, the ones that had crossed the * state lines and committed other crimes. But we also had to take classes and one of the things we learned is that men who hit their wives don't change unless they work really hard. And I haven't seen Chuck at even one of your therapy sessions." "He doesn't believe in counseling, and talking about his feelings. He thinks it's not manly. Besides he says it's all my problem." "Damn it, Melissa, get a clue. Do you think I enjoy these things, having to listen to everybody * dissecting their feelings. Shit. I'd rather get a root canal done than to sit through a counseling session. God knows I've got better things to do. But I go because I love your mother and know that she needs my support through this. So I'm there. Now when Chuck decides to show up and do all that no matter whose problem it is. And the fact that he was the one who cheated and hit doesn't put the blame solely at your door, in my book. Well then I might believe that he's trying to change. Until then..." Walter shrugged here and let his voice trail off. "Oh, hell... just like daddy all over again... and... and you've just admitted you don't want to be there for me. I don't know why my mom ever married you." She left him alone finally. Skinner sighed. He picked up his son and hitting the remote turned on the nightly news. "Women...." he muttered, "I'll tell you something, Fox. There is simply no way to understand them, and I'm very pleased that you were a boy." The baby merely looked at him and gurgled. Time for a nice game of pat a cake.... Walter Skinner thought to himself. Meg's birthday party had been one close call after another. And the holiday picnic planned at Bill and Maureen's house was bound to cause trouble unless Melissa left Dana alone, which unfortunately she didn't appear willing to do. Sighing he looked over at Meg in the car beside him. Missy's complaining was starting to drive a wedge between Dana and her mom and Walter wasn't going to allow it. He had began to grasp over the last six weeks just what Dana had had to put up with while she was growing up and it hadn't been pretty. No wonder she was so insecure about Fox, even when a blind man could see that he wouldn't be able to survive without her. Well hopefully tonight would help. They were going to dinner at Fox and Dana's. Dr. Shandy sat quietly in the back seat of their car. She would attend the meal with them. This was their compromise for Scully's refusal to attend family therapy sessions, especially with Melissa. Wednesday had been one of the worse bitch and moan sessions Walter had seen. Mel was probably feeling guilty about being so anxious to pull the plug on Dana and about having confessed that to him the previous week. So she'd gone back on the attack, playing up to Margaret telling her how sick she had been, and how mean it was of Dana not to forgive her, to give her a chance to apologize. She whined that she had tried to telephone Dana and Dana had hung up on her. Walter had gotten tired of arguing by this point and he wasn't going to let Melissa put a wedge in between the Mulder family and his own. It would hurt Dana and Fox so he had called Mel's bluff. "I've got a suggestion, Dr. Shandy. Why don't I set up a dinner for Margaret and myself and Dana and Mulder and you can come and hear Dana's side of the story." Melissa got pouty and backed off a bit. "You tell her Dana's side all the time. If Dana wants to tell her side then she can come here with me, but she won't. She doesn't care about this family." "I do think it's best to keep the sessions in the office." Dr. Shandy had thrown in. "Dana isn't coming in but you can go to her if you truly want an honest perspective." "I don't see why Dana would agree to dinner with the four of us, if she won't come in for counseling." Margaret had added. "Point one. It won't be with the four of us, Melissa isn't invited. Point two, it will be at Dana's and Fox's house and on her terms and territory. Point three, I'm tired of listening to Lissa bad mouth her sister, and I think Dr. Shandy should hear the other side, and I will tell Scully that. Also, I know for a fact that Fox has been wanting to invite you Dr. Shandy, as a friend." "And Dana's just going to do it because you ask her too, just like that, when she won't listen to any one else, even Mulder." Melissa had been down right disdainful in her questioning. Walter had replied calmly and quietly, "That's right, Melissa. She'll do so because she respects me and my opinion and trusts me. Respect for others is a trait you'd do well to cultivate." he had thought. But Walter Skinner believed in Dana and he hoped she had the same faith in him. Besides he knew that he could get Fox to support him in this and with both of them supporting her and asking her, she would do as they asked. He'd talked to Fox first who wasn't fond of the idea, although he had been wanting to introduce Dr. Shandy to his wife for a long time. He was reluctant to push his wife, however, since getting her to go to Margaret's birthday party with Missy there, had been a major ordeal. And having to remain quiet while the family * quizzed them about what was wrong had added to the stress. Walter had replied that he knew that and felt the same way but that Melissa was manipulating Meg and trying to get her angry at Dana and that his hands were tied becauseanything he said just sounded like he couldn't stand Melissa. "You were right about Melissa having some major problems, Fox. She's so insecure and needy and downright self destructive that I'm amazed that she's holding it together as well as she is. But the only way to get her to change is to get Margaret and Dr. Shandy to see the real truth and since Margaret won't listen to me, or you, for that matter, I think the only one who can tell her that she'll believe is Dana." "Agreed. I just hope I can convince her." "Let me do that, Fox. She's way to close to it with you, but I think she'll listen to me. I talked to you first because I wanted to let you know what was going on and I may need your support." Fox had nodded and Walter had called Dana into his office. "Scully... Dana... I need you to do something for me." "Yes, sir?" "I'd like you to have your mom and me and Dr. Shandy over for dinner this Saturday night." "NO!" "Scully, hear me out." He sat forward in his chair trying to get her full attention. "Very well." Dana sat back her arms folded across her chest. "You are no doubt aware that Melissa is in counseling." She nodded her agreement but said nothing. Walter continued, "Well, up until the last two or three weeks progress was being made but since your mom's party all she's been harping on is your unwillingness to talk to her, to forgive her." Dana had had enough and exploded at her boss, "Why the hell should I? This isn't the first time she's tried this shit, nor the second, nor the third... Hell, I doubt I could even give you a count there have been so many times." He reached out and squeezed her hand, stopping her tirade. "I never said that I thought you should forgive her. In fact, it's my opinion that she's been forgiven way to often for the stunts she's pulled and not held responsible for her actions. But your refusal to state your side and what you've been through... well your mother and Dr. Shandy are getting the wrong impression. All they hear is woe is me from Melissa and how mean and hard you are. If you don't speak up then they can't hear the truth. "I've tried to present an unbiased view but Margaret isn't listening to me anymore... hell she knows I'm not unbiased when it comes to you and Fox. I don't want you hurt by Melissa's complaints going unanswered, Meg's losing perspective and you're the only one who can give it back to her." Here Walter took both her hands in his and looked at her, "Little One, I'm asking this not for Melissa but for you and for Meg. I know you've been avoiding this because you don't want to hurt your mother, but if there is any lesson that I've learned from you and Fox, it's that in some cases the truth, even thought it hurts needs to come out. Margaret needs to stop being manipulated by Melissa. Letting her get away with it isn't going to do anybody any favors in the long run." "I don't know, Walter. Missy needs mom so much. She doesn't have anybody. I've got Fox and I've got you, the truth is only going to hurt both of them." "It will hurt at first but in the long run it'll be better for Meg, and maybe for Lis if she faces herself and decides to change." He paused here before continuing genuinely impressed by Dana's concern for her mother and her sister. Dana did love Melissa. This must be eating her up inside. He sighed. "I think you should know that if Melissa starts ragging on you at the Labor Day picnic at Bill's that I'm determined to tell your brothers what happened. I'm not going to let her get away with isolating you and Fox and playing the victim. The only reason I haven't done it before is because of Wills. If it wasn't for him I'd publish and Melissa could go hang but even as much of a pain as she is, she's a good mother to Wills and one hell of a lot better for the boy than McNeely is. If the truth about what happened on the Fourth gets out it will weaken her * custody position. "Dana do this for me, please?" "Alright, Walter, but you make sure that Melissa doesn't show up." "Don't worry, she'll stay away." Meg and Dr. Shandy had been surprised at Dana's agreement but Fox hadn't. He'd just smiled when he joined them and said, "Thanks, dad." Pulling up and parking in front of Mulder's house * brought Walter out of his reverie. He turned to his wife and said, "Meg, I want you to know that I love you very much and I'm only doing this because I think it's best for you and the family. But what you are going to hear tonight is going to hurt." "Walter, I grew up with them fighting. I don't think anything Dana has to say is going to shock me." "I hope you're right, but for the last six weeks all you've been hearing is Melissa's side. And when they were growing up I think you might have been too close to really see all of it. I just want you to know that I'm there for you." He'd kissed her gently and they had proceeded into the house. Dr. Shandy was surprised by Dana Scully Mulder. She entered what was a lovely home to see a petite redhead who came and hugged her mother and even gave Walter's arm a squeeze. Dana shook her hand and welcomed her if not with a smile, then at least with sincerity, and then just as they entered the living room they were accosted by three dogs... one a gorgeous Pomeranian, the other a poodle and a third something that resembled a mutant species from space. Dana laughed warmly. "Meet Mr. & Mrs. Thing and their progeny, It. Normally Fox's aunt watches them but she had to go away. It... get down. You'll rip Dr. Shandy's stockings. Thing, Mrs...." Dana started out to send them to bed but when Walter and Margaret sat, the dogs jumped up and found a lap, all except It. He waited for Dr. Shandy. Just as he was settling himself in the therapist's lap, Mulder entered... He had a baby dangling from each arm, a boy and a girl... obviously the twins. The boy was without a diaper. Dana, where did you put the goddam dia..." Patrick peed on the floor just as Krycek started to scream "Open you legs, Scully." Roberta started to choke back the laughter. "I'd suggest you tell whoever that was that she already has, Mulder. Is this what happens to Oxford scholars when they become domesticated." "Fox," sighed Dana, "the diapers are right next to the bed if you had looked. Why don't you dress YOUR children, bring them down and we can try this again while I get the mop." "Unh... yeah... right..." he said, "Unh... hi, Roberta. You didn't see this. I'll be right back." Roberta Shandy smiled. Somehow she had never pictured Mulder with a house, three dogs, a parrot with a dirty mouth, a wife who was not a tall thin brunette and a set of twins. It simply wasn't the way one pictured the obsessive Fox Mulder ending up. Setting the dog down carefully, she went to the mantel and looked at pictures. Yes, there was his sister in a prominent place. Fox Mulder would never forget his sister, but it was good to see that she was no longer the only photo there. She spent most of the meal wondering how the cool and reserved woman named Dana Scully could give her former pupil the love and support he needed and seemed to have blossomed under. She certainly wasn't the type of woman that Fox Mulder had dated throughout the years that she'd known him. The roast chicken was truly delicious and Dana was the first to admit that as she had gotten older she had been glad that her mother had taught her to cook. It was difficult to play hostess with a set of twins in high chairs nearby, but somehow this very competent woman managed it with a flair, and watching Fox interact with the children had been fascinating. He simply adored them. Dana explained that since her work schedule was so busy, she tried to keep the children with her at meal time as much as possible and she hoped Roberta didn't mind. Roberta had, in fact, approved. It seemed that the Mulders were attempting to build a strong family structure in a society that often made that difficult. After dinner as she went to take a few plates into the kitchen she stumbled on an embrace in the kitchen between them and got a brief glimpse of the warm loving side of Dana Mulder before her reserve had returned. It had been more than a brief embrace actually, more like a passionate hug, and she had heard Fox whisper "thank you" to his wife. If seeing is believing thematurity and security of her old friend certainly indicated that she did. Dr. Shandy also came to get a glimpse of perhaps why Melissa was jealous of their relationship in light of her own failed marriage. When they had returned to the living room Dana Scully took the lead over coffee and cake. "Both Walter and Mulder think that you should hear about how I feel and what I experienced growing up with Melissa. They don't think you're getting an accurate picture. I dislike strongly discussing my feelings and what I went through, especially since it's all in the past." Dana looked at Dr. Shandy. She did not wish to come across as hostile because she liked the woman, but was very uncomfortable about this situation. Here Dr. Shandy interrupted, "But it's not in the past. Your refusal to forgive your sister proves that." Dana's jaw tightened and she looked very angry. She went to join Fox on the couch and Dr. Shandy was surprised when rather than taking an arm chair Walter moved to sit on Dana's other side. In all of their previous sessions he had remained aloof and reserved sitting as far away from any of the participants as possible but * here he was joining Mulder and his wife on the couch... almost unconsciously showing his support of them. Dr. Shandy cast another glance at Fox Mulder and thought to herself, From the sessions that Dr. Shandy had had with Meg and Melissa, she had ascertained that Dana had always been regarded as a bit of an outsider in her family. It must have shaken up the family dynamic to suddenly have Dana on the inside with two very strong male figures supporting her. Dr. Shandy shook herself and turned her attention back to the problem at hand. "So you don't agree that the past is affecting the present?" "Of course it's affecting the present. I just don't agree that my problem is that I won't forgive Melissa. Why the hell should I? She's done this since we were little and not just with boys but girlfriends too. I've had enough... this was my husband and my marriage that she decided to play her games with and she has absolutely no idea of what the consequences of her actions would have been if she'd succeeded. She didn't even stop to think about them. Well if I've been bitten by a snake once I'm certainly not going to put myself in a position to be bitten again." "Dana, how can you call your sister a snake? She was sick and not in control. Besides what consequences are you so upset about?" "You mean besides my marriage breaking up. If this had been the first time then I wouldn't be taking this position, what happened wouldn't have bothered me so much." "Both you and Walter have hinted about dire consequences if your marriage broke up. I'm afraid I don't understand. Aren't you being overly dramatic, I agree the break up of a marriage can be devastating but people survive it everyday." Dr. Shandy questioned. Dana and Walter exchanged looks but said nothing. Finally Fox spoke. "They're protecting me. They know that I'd be dead within a year if my marriage broke up." He took a deep breath and continued. "I wouldn't even have to kill myself... hell it might not even be deliberate... but in my job, well it's just too easy to die if you aren't careful." Here he pulled Dana back into his embrace and they turned and shared a kiss before he concluded, "Without Dana there, I just wouldn't be careful." He shrugged. "I'd try for the kids sakes, but it wouldn't work." Dr. Shandy wanted to believe that Mulder was exaggerating but from the looks on both his wife's and boss' faces they believed every word he said and agreed with him. She turned to look at Margaret Skinner and realized that although she was shocked by what she heard she didn't doubt the truth of it either. She sighed, Melissa McNeely was going to be difficult. "I tell you what, Roberta," said Fox. "Why don't you come upstairs with me and we'll check on the little monsters in bed. I'll drive Roberta home." "Thanks," said Dr. Shandy. "My * night vision problem is a real pain in the butt. I hate not being able to drive at night. Let's peak in and see how they are doing." "Mom," Dana was saying, "there was always Gran and Gran understood. She said that some people are born needier than others, so needy that you could never give them enough. I've had to draw a line in the sand that I can't cross, but Melissa does need you right now, and I want you to stop feeling guilty about any of it." "But I just feel like my family wasn't close as I thought....." "That isn't true. It was a wonderful family, mom." Dana hugged her mother. "Now go home and give little Fox and Wills a kiss for me... okay... You've always been there when I needed you and I know you always will be." She hugged her Mom. "I tell you," said Roberta quietly, "in any large family there is usually one child that proves to be extremely difficult. I mean, it isn't uncommon. Your daughter is right. It doesn't mean you weren't close." Meg nodded as Walter handed her her purse and they left. "Dana, the critters have been fed and are ready to go back to sleep I'll put them in bed and drive Roberta home. She can't drive at night," explained Fox. "That will give us a chance to get caught up on old times. Cone on, monsters... Let's show Aunt Roberta the rest of the house." "Okay, sweetie. I'll go clean up the kitchen." She smiled at him, "I hope you'll come again Roberta, as a friend next time." "Help murder... help murder... rip em off me... rip em off me... Does that feel good Fox... does that feel good Fox...." Dana threw a cushion at the bird's cage. "A little birthday gift from Mulder," she giggled. "Thank God Aunt Sophia is coming home tomorrow." She kissed her babies goodnight and headed for the kitchen. End chapter 9 --=====================_838138159==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="MISSY10.TXT" Melissa" Chapter 10 by Eowyn and Macspooky "It's kind of you to drive me home, Fox," said Roberta in the car. "No trouble. I'm glad you came." "She's lovely, Fox. Dana I mean. How did you meet?" "She was sent to spy on me," he chuckled and explained briefly. "Only in the end, instead of debunking my work, she made it better, made me better." "You fell in love and proposed." "Well, we fell in love," he laughed. "I made this joking proposal one day... really stupid... nothing that anyone would take seriously, and don't you know the damned woman said yes. After that, I couldn't get out of it." "Did you want to?" "Nah... Dana is... she understands about Sam. She puts up with me. Don't know how. That Wally Wolf... I mean Patrick... he sure was a surprise. We were expecting one little girl and got a bonus in the delivery room." Fox smiled. "I nearly passed out. Walter caught me on the way down." "He's a good friend?" "Like a father even though he isn't really old enough." "That kind of surprised me." Fox looked at her questioningly so she continued. "You've always resented male authority figures, even ones that tried to be nice to you, kept them at a distance. You don't seem to be keeping Walter at a distance." Fox shrugged, "I'm not. We're close. I respected him from our first meeting and then over the last couple of years... well times were tough, but always before the men I looked up to wanted something from me. Whether it was for me to follow in their footsteps or to use my mind or training they used me, but only helped me when it suited their purpose. I got so I always felt like a puppet on someone's string." Fox paused here thoughtfully. "Walter didn't come taking; he came giving and all he demanded in return was that I give him the same respect that he gave me. One time I really goofed up, should have been censored, maybe even suspended. Walter reamed me up one side and down the other, and in front of someone else, too. I felt so humiliated, even more so because I knew that I deserved it. I'd let another person use me, set me up, and leave me hanging out to dry when they were done. But the other man who was watching this, watching me be humiliated, he stepped in and started to ball me out as well. Suddenly Walter was there by my side and told the smoking SOB to get lost, and he stood close beside me and gave me his silent support. Even though we both knew that I had been wrong to do what I'd done." Fox broke off here and collected himself before finishing. Some of this was difficult to talk about. Those days when the Xfiles had been closed had not been a good time for him. "Most of my bosses didn't even support me when I was right, and here Skinner was backing me up when I was wrong... when I didn't have a leg to stand on... when he could have gotten in trouble for not punishing me if I'd left my post again. I don't know, after that something changed for me, for us. Now, next to Dana he's the best friend I've got. You know something else, he lets me help him too. I like that give and take... never had it before. "Life's good, Roberta, sometimes almost too good to be true... but at least I know that no matter what happens I've got wonderful memories now, memories that no one can ever take away from me." Dr. Shandy smiled at him in the dark of the car. "I'm glad, Fox, pleased you have found happiness. You deserve it. I always suspected that eventually you would find someone who loved you, and I'm glad you are close to her family." Then, she could help but add, "I just never expected it to be a tiny redhead with a small bra size." She laughed aloud. Mulder couldn't help but laugh in reply. "Well, Roberta, it has fluctuated a bit with the twins and all, but that doesn't matter to me. I just love her." They arrived in front of Dr. Shandy's house and he watched her go in the door. He drove home quickly wanting to be with Dana. Dana was getting ready for bed. God she looked beautiful in the butter colored cotton nightgown she wore with her hair hanging long and loose. He put his arms around her and started to ease her over to the bed. Three little heads came up from atop the mattress and Thing started to growl. Remembering the last time he had tried to make love to her in the presence of the dog and the painful result, he led her into the extra bedroom, the one that would be Wally Wolf's one day when the twins were separated, and closing the door behind him lowered her down onto the brightly colored alphabet rug that covered the hard wood floor. She muttered about bruises on her back, and so did he before compromising on laying on their side. Dana closed her eyes and let him fill her feeling his shudder and smiled slightly in the dim light. Sometimes she liked to do that, just let him take pleasure in her without having to worry about anything but himself. He caught his breath and pulled away from her. "Why are you smiling, beautiful?" he asked her. "Just thinking about what's wrong with this picture." "So what's wrong with this picture? Feels fine to me." "Yeah... right... two dogs and a mutant are comfortably ensconced on our expensive king sized bed," she giggled, "while you and I are making it on the hard floor." "Like I said... felt fine to me," he laughed his hand slipping to where he wanted it to be, or rather where she wanted it to be. "Besides, Scully, I know you. You don't care where you get it, just so long as you get it frequently...." "Nuh unh...." she replied making a great effort to hide just how good what he was doing was making her feel. "Whaddyamean nuh unh..." "I mean I don't care where I get it so long as I get it frequently from you." She pulled his head down and kissed him. "And if you stop," she murmured, "I'll shoot you." "Better yet, I'll shoot you... again..." "It's a deal." Finally she pushed him off her, her body relaxed, uncaring about any bruises on her back. "Okay, big boy...." she said tugging her nightgown down. Any leftover tension from the dinner was definitely gone. "Okay, what?" " To paraphrase Krycek, up and at em...." "Aw jeez... Scully, give me break." He moaned. He didn't think he could if his life depended on it. "Get your mind out of the gutter. I didn't mean that." "Well, that's a relief." She laughed and got to her feet. "I'd say you'd had plenty of relief tonight. I meant, I'm tired. It's time to go be firm with the critters." "Oh, you mean show what stern parental stuff we are made of?" he laughed. "Tell em who's boss... Kick canine butt..." "Right...." They marched off to their bedroom and scattered critters waking them from a sound sleep. Fox went to pull Dana into his arms, but Thing got there first curling up like a little fur ball against his chest. Mrs. and It nestled between the two of them. Dana closed her eyes exhausted... when suddenly in stereo... wah.... "I'll get them," she muttered. "Wouldn't want to disturb fuzzball...." "That's it, Scully," he said half asleep. "Show them what you're really made of." He was very nearly asleep when two more critters got dropped in the bed next to him. He heard Dana sigh softly, and automatically slipped an arm over Patrick in case he decided to roam in his sleep. His last thought was of the words he had spoken to Roberta. No one could take these times away from him... ever... Meg had been silent on the way home, thinking about all that she had learned. She wanted to deny the truth of his statement about not surviving a year but she remembered the lost young man that had often called her just to talk when Dana had been gone and knew that he was telling the truth. Poor Dana... but maybe not really? She hadn't let those hurts and slights damage her but had used them to make her stronger. Heaven knew that she could take on Walter and Fox toe to toe and not blink an eye. Poor Melissa, what am I going to do about her? Melissa was so insecure but Walter was right she was still being manipulative in trying to get her own way. Margaret thought back to what her mother had once said you give them all the love in the world but don't let them get away with a thing. It's the best that you can do, after that it's up to them. "Come on, Meg, we're home." "Sorry, I was thinking about Dana and Melissa. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you when you told me what Lis was up to. You were right, even if you're not objective where Fox and Dana are concerned." "Being involved doesn't mean that I can't see the truth, only that I have a special interest in seeing that certain people don't get hurt. For me those people are Fox and Dana. I'm sorry that you had to hear it like this. None of us had said anything because we didn't want you hurt but I just couldn't let Melissa come between us and the Mulder's." "I know dear. I'm just going to have to take a firmer stand with Melissa." He nodded his agreement but added, "I just hope that doesn't drive her back into Chucks arms. That is not a condition to be wished." Margaret sighed as they locked up and headed up to bed. She'd been hoping that Melissa and Chuck would get back together but if Walter was so adamantly against it he was probably right. Sometimes he reminded her a bit of her mother with his intuition. And it had never been wise to ignore Mary McBride's warnings. When they got up to their bedroom Walter took her in his arms and kissed her lingeringly. Little Fox was spending the night with Aislinn, Melissa and Wills and he planned to take full advantage of the situation. "We could get ready for bed first dear." Margaret had teased. "We can get ready later. I have other plans for right now." Walter replied steering her back towards the bed and pushing her onto it when they arrived. He followed her down. "You seem a bit over dressed to me. Let me help you out of these cumbersome clothes." Margaret Skinner chuckled but did not protest. She decided that Lis and her problems could wait for the morning. Chuck sighed. He was getting desperate and his plan was not working. He wondered where he had gone wrong. He had done everything that he could think of to win her back and nothing had worked. Maryland was a community property state and there was a chance he might have gotten hold of half Melissa's money that way, but he couldn't wait that long. He needed some cash and he needed it now. He sat quietly and watched the house. Walter Skinner had left for work. He knew because the sports car was gone. A few minutes later Margaret came out with that crazy aunt of Mulder's. They had the three babies with them. The weather was lovely and that meant they would spend the entire morning at the park. Lastly Aislinn came out. She had some books in her hand. She would be off to classes. That would leave Melissa alone with the baby. As soon as the way was clear, he picked up the bouquet and went around the back of the house where the apartment she shared with her cousin had its own entrance. Had anyone been home, he would never have dared to show his face. He only hoped that he would have enough time to do what he had to do before any of them returned. Melissa put Wills down for a nap and while she was gone, he opened her purse and grabbed her checkbook and a little bonus, her American Express Card and slipped them into his briefcase. When she returned, he was sitting on the couch. She smiled tentatively and sat next to him. Studying her thoughtfully, he decided that he had been wise in waiting a week between visits. She would be ready. He slipped an arm around her. "I miss you, Melissa," he said softly. "I'm surprised you came here, Chuck... I mean..." "I sat outside awhile, love. I mean I made sure everyone was gone. I had a meeting this morning, but I * canceled it. I couldn't resist seeing you again." He pressed his lips to hers. Melissa found herself melting into his arms. When she was away from him, she was able to think rationally, to questions his motivations, but when she was with him, she didn't seem to be able to resist him. It had been wonderful once, really wonderful, and when they made love, it still was, so she let him. It felt good and it felt crazy doing it there on the couch in HIS house. Chuck was at his wildest and most enjoyable. She couldn't help but snicker at the thought that Walter had told her Chuck was never to darken the doorstep of HIS house, and here they were on the couch doing the wild thing.... strange though, when it was over and he had gone, she realized that it hadn't felt so good after all. It felt kind of like it had when she had lied to her dad about being with a girlfriend and made it with some guy in the back of a car, and she realized, he had not even asked her about coming back to him this time... hadn't pressured her... hadn't once said, "I love you." Melissa sighed. When she thought about, the very fact that she had been satisfied hadn't had a whole lot to do with anything sweet and tender that Chuck had done, but more because he had incredible endurance. Things had seemed to be going well. She had done a great shoot yesterday.... well, it should have been great, only the director knew she was separated and had tried to put his hands all over her.... and now she had let Chuck come into the house, and that hadn't felt so great either, not really. Maybe, she thought for perhaps the very first time, maybe Walter isn't crazy. Maybe daddy hadn't been so crazy either and Dr. Shandy and Aislinn were right when they said she needed to find something within herself that was going to have to make her happy. Walter sat in the living room skimming through some files. Meg had been tired and had gone to bed. In truth, she had been annoyed with him and had gone to bed. She had asked him about the computer again wanting to play with it, but he had made some excuse. He needed to do a bit of work on a report and didn't want to have to wait until she was done. Maybe they should get a second computer? Heck for what she wanted he could pick up an old 286 or 386 for a song. Meg was being stubborn about wanting a pentium though. He didn't understand why she needed to mess with it and if she wanted to play she didn't really need all that power. For heaven's sake, all she wanted to do was to read silly stories that neurotic housewives who needed to get a life wrote about that TV show UFO chasers. Heck, he had even read one to see what the appeal was. It had left him blushing. It had left nothing to the imagination. Complete waste of time. So, she had taken her book in a snit and gone upstairs to read and when he had tiptoed up to check on her she had been asleep. He heard someone enter and looked up hopefully. Maybe Meg and awakened after all and he would have a chance to apologize. He hadn't changed his opinion, but wanted to make peace with her. After all, he had his copy of Playboy hidden carefully behind all the extra toilet paper Margaret kept under the bathroom sink. That had been Fox's latest gag gift for his birthday last April. A subscription to his office...That boy had a wicked sense of humor but he doubted that his step daughter had been in on this gift. No, this one they kept to themselves and if Fox wandered up to his office around the time of the month when it was due... Well it always made for a interesting lunch hour or two with them cracking jokes and laughing. Unfortunately, it was not Margaret, but Melissa. He worked carefully at keeping the scowl off his face. He still had a lot of files to read before retiring and was in no mood for a "father/daughter" talk in which she let it be known how much she disliked him and stomped off in a huff. "You look busy, Walter," she said quietly sitting down next to him. "Always, Melissa. Work never stops." "Yeah... I... won't stay long. I sent Dana a card the other day... it came back with return to sender written on it. She hadn't even opened it." He put the file down and looked at her. "I guess she's never going to forgive me." "Maybe not." "I... Chuck came here today..." "He what?" exploded Skinner. Melissa physically moved away. "Yeah... I'm sorry, Walter... I mean... I let him in... downstairs. We...well... we made love on the couch... and..." "Why are you telling me this, Melissa? You know the rules. Are you rubbing it in my face or what?" "No, Walter... I'm not..." she burst out. "I'm apologizing. It didn't feel very good... it... I realized... I don't love him anymore. I thought... I thought it would be good... like I was putting something over on you... but it made me feel cheap just like when I was a kid and I'd lie to daddy and go make it with someone in the back of the car." He looked at his step daughter a little more kindly. "Can I tell you something, Walter... something I've never told anyone...." "What?" "I didn't even enjoy it. I was just doing it to spite dad most of the time and... I didn't even realize it." "I'm not surprised that you didn't enjoy it, Melissa." said Walter quietly. "Without love something is missing. You shouldn't sell yourself so short. If you don't respect yourself no man will either." "Yeah... took me until today to figure it out," she sighed. "It wasn't like that with Chuck at first. I mean, we really did love each other. I don't know what happened. I don't know what changed." She sighed. "Anyhow, I won't be going back to him, but I wondered... well... his mother has been calling about seeing the baby. Would it be alright if she came for a visit?" "That would be fine, Melissa." he said. He was relieved. It seemed as though Missy might be growing up. "Night, Walter." "Night, Lissa," he said quietly turning his attention back to the files. "Oh, Walter." He looked up. "You or mom haven't seen my checkbook today have you? It and my Am Ex card have disappeared. I've cleaned my purse out twice and combed the apartment." "No, we didn't. Have you called the bank?" "Thought I'd check around first." "Don't wait. Call first thing in the morning." "But I still have my purse and all the money in it." "I know but with Wills as squirmy and grabby as he's gotten it's just possible that he dumped them out somewhere in public. You really can't afford to risk it. Last week I found him playing with my handcuffs and I have no idea how he managed to get hold of them. That's why I've taken to locking my gun up the minute I walk in the door. Fox isn't too far behind in his development so I imagine I'll be doing that for years to come." "I wondered why you always insisted on going into your study before picking up the babies. I never realized." "I'll pick them up but not for long. I don't relax until my gun is put away, then I can play with them. When you're in law enforcement and have seen what a gun can do... Well it's one of my few nightmares that one of the kids gets hold of it accidentally. Anyway, with little grabby hands it's best to be sure. In fact why don't you call Am Ex now and report the card as lost. They have a twenty-four hour hotline." "I don't have the number." Walter sighed. "Come on, Lis, I do." He got up and helped her take care of reporting her card as lost or stolen. That done Walter thought for a minute. "Don't you have twenty-four hour banking, with transfers to and from your savings account." "Yeah. So?" "So call now and clear out your checking account and report that your checkbook's lost. You can transfer all or at least most of your cash to your savings account and put a hold on both accounts. You'll still have to go in and hassle with it in the morning but this should stop anything from clearing first thing." "But think of all the hassle. Especially if it's just misplaced." "You are irresponsible in many ways, Melissa, but I've never known you to be careless with how you handle money or your checkbook. Guess that comes from being out on your own so early. If you've looked and it's missing then my bet is it's because little hands have been 'helpful'. And if I remember correctly Meg said that you ran a lot of errands this afternoon. Did you have it then?" "Don't remember. I didn't need it for anything. It was all the piddlely little stuff and so I paid cash. You know dry cleaning, a couple of items for dinner, not worth writing a check for." "So it could have been lost at anytime?" "Okay, I'll call," she sighed and did as he suggested. The twenty-four hour banking number did come in handy. It was one of the reasons she'd gone with this particular bank. Heck they even had Sunday lobby hours. The teller on the phone said that there wasn't much she could do but that she'd put a hold on both accounts and nothing would clear until Melissa came in in the morning and straightened things out. Mel sighed that was going to be a hassle but at least Aislinn would be home and could watch Wills. She didn't relish the idea of trying to get this mess taken care of and having to deal with busy little hands and feet at the same time. Thanking the clerk, she told her that she would be in around ten and take care of the problem. So far her balance seemed to be near to what it should be depending on how many checks had or hadn't cleared. "Thanks, Walter, it's all taken care of for now and I'll go in the morning and open a new account. That's what they suggest as the best solution. Cept now I've got to go back and try to remember what checks are still outstanding. This is going to be one big pain... hope I find that checkbook soon." "So do I, but at least your money's safe." He patted her awkwardly on the back before saying goodnight and heading up to bed. Thinking that having a family certainly did cut down on the amount of work he was able to get done at home. "Skinner." He was not happy having his meeting interrupted but since Angela had been told he didn't want to be disturbed she wouldn't be buzzing unless it was important. "Melissa McNeely is on the phone to speak to you, sir." "Angela." His voice held a warning, he really did not want to deal with his step daughter right now. Hassling with her problems last night had already left him poorly prepared for the current meeting. "I think you should talk to her, Sir. She seems to be upset." He stopped at that thinking about Fox. "Okay put her through." He sighed and wished for once that Angela was given to exaggeration but he knew she wasn't, that meant that Missy was at it again. "Skinner." He got an earful and not a word of it made sense. "That SOB... the bank called... you wouldn't believe... well you would, YOU had him pegged all along. Am Ex too from what I hear... Dirty rotten lousy mother... And now they don't want to press charges... But I want them to... They need to. Then in court I won't have any problems... You've simply got to talk to them, Walter. Make them press charges. Damn it you work for the FBI that ought to be good for something...isn't good for much else for heavens sake. Will you come down with me... make them see...?" The two agents in Walter's office waiting for him to finish his call got to see something that normally only Mulder and Scully got to see at work, and the X-file pair got to see it only because they normally caused it. Agents Sisko and O'Brien got to see the AD lose his cool. "Damn it all to hell, Melissa. Shut the f*ck up, take a few deep breaths, and start at the beginning for heaven sakes." Apparently she managed to do as directed because his look got grimmer the longer he listened. Finally he concluded. "Alright... Alright already! I'll meet you there in about forty-five minutes. Yes, by all means call the bank back and insist that they hold him. Yes, what he did was illegal and yes, they can prosecute him. No since it's a first time offense I doubt he'll get jail." He listened awhile longer before interrupting, "Melissa, they are not going to give him the chair for forgery, sheesh. Okay, goodbye." Hanging up he resisted the urge to lay his head on his desk. Instead he asked the gentlemen if they could work with what they had now and postpone the rest of the matter til later. They'd left quickly, neither really wanted to continue the meeting with AD Skinner in what was now an obviously bad mood. He sighed and dialed an extension. "Mulder." "Melissa's in the middle of a hornet's nest again. I need you." "Shit, Walt. What is it this time?" "Seems Chuck stole her checkbook and American Express card, tried to forge her signature, clean out her account and get a large cash advance on the card. Unfortunately for him, Melissa told me that she'd lost them last night and I made sure that she called and reported them as missing or stolen. We'd thought that Wills had managed to get them out and lose them... had no idea that Chuck was behind it until she got a call from the bank this morning that he was in trying to cash a check and get a cash advance. Seems he thought that he could get in and out quick and no one would recognize him and they wouldn't be able to trace it back to him. "Then when the bank manager and security guard confronted him he tried to bluff it out that he was her husband and had her permission. Well they called Liz who said no way and wants them to press charges. But now the bank is viewing this as a family dispute and doesn't want to get involved. Well not only is Lis out for blood, can't say that I blame her. But this will give her the edge she needs in the custody and property battle, so she wants the charges pressed. She called me to come down and put the heat on. Well, it's the last thing I want to mess with right now but if it will get McNeely out of my hair for good it will be worth it. Anyway that's it in a nut shell but I want you along." "Jeez, I don't want to get in the middle of all this. Melissa is not going to appreciate me there. Chuck hasn't been able to stand me since I suggested that lighting up a joint in front of the Assistant Director of the FBI was not the brightest thing he'd ever done and Dana will probably get in another snit at me for being near Melissa again. And a lowly special agent isn't going to provide any more authority than a damned AD is so what's the point." Walter thought about letting him out of coming but realized that that would be a mistake. He lowered his voice and replied. "Fox, I need you there. I am so pissed at both McNeely and Lis that I'd let the cops take both of them away if I could. Do you know how he got access to her checkbook? Last night Melissa calmly confessed that he waited until she was alone yesterday to sneak into the house and that they f*cked on the couch down in the apartment. Shit. I guess I should be thankful that she didn't sneak upstairs and use Meg's and my bed. She did show enough sense to apologize and say that she realized that she wasn't in love with him any more and was through with him but in my book she's getting exactly what she deserved. "Now because she decided to be rebellious and break the house rules, I've got to go deal with a surly and obnoxious McNeely, a bank manager who doesn't want to get involved and a step daughter with the emotional maturity of a rebellious sixteen year old. Meg's off in Maryland visiting friends and you're the only other person I know that can help me keep my cool through all this. So will you come or not?" The AD ended up snapping at Mulder. Fox tried to contain himself. He was well aware that in the AD's current mood his reaction was liable to get him in trouble but he couldn't help himself, finally he lost it and started laughing. He laughed til the tears rolled down his face and he couldn't breath and then he laughed some more. "What the hell's so funny, Mulder?" Walter saw nothing amusing in the situation. Mulder collected himself and finally managed to answer. "Never in my life did I ever imagine that you'd want me along to help you keep your temper. I'm normally the one who makes you lose it." Walter smiled to himself at the irony of the situation. "Not any more, Fox, not any more. So are you coming?" "Of course. You want me to meet you at your car or come to your office?" "I'll see you at my car in five minutes." Walter stood up and put on his suit coat and headed out the door. He realized as he went out the door. End chapter 10 --=====================_838138159==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="MISSY11.TXT" "Melissa" Chapter 11 By Eowyn and Macspooky All disclaimers still apply. Melissa came out of the courtroom with her attorney, her mom and Walter, pale and shaken, but at least she had the custody agreement that she wanted. Soon her divorce could be finalized. She had not asked for child support and it had not been given. She was to have sole custody of Wills and all visits were to be supervised. He was, after all, a convicted felon and on probation. She doubted it would be a problem. Chuck wasn't interested. He had arrived with his mother, and Melissa had been startled at how terrible he looked. He was no longer the tall handsome man she had fallen so in love with and married on the spur of the moment, no longer the same person that had bought and furnished a house with her, created a home. He seemed extremely hyper and nervous and couldn't seem to concentrate. It made her feel very sad to see him that way. It wasn't that she loved him anymore. That had died. It just felt sad for what could have and should have been and now would never be. The one she had truly felt sorry for was his mother. Although frequently bossy and at times annoying, she had been a fundamentally decent person who had had a hard life raising her sons alone with very little money. If she was guilty of anything, it had been of loving her children too much and being blind to their more negative traits. She looked as though she had aged 10 years. Melissa managed a kind word for her encouraging her to come and see her grandson before giving her former husband a filthy look and leaving the courthouse. "Thank God that is over with," sighed Margaret as they got in the car. "What a relief." "Yeah," said Missy. "One more round in the courts and I'm finished. I don't know what I'll tell Wills as he grows up." "It isn't going to be easy, Lis," said Walter quietly, "but he has a mother who loves him and plenty of good male role models to follow. Wills will do just fine." "Yeah... I guess he does. Thanks, Walter," she said suddenly and found herself meaning it. "Wills is lucky... I mean... he has a good grandpa...." She had never spoken to Walter like that before. Suddenly she wished that she had been able to speak those words to her own daddy before he had died. "He's a good boy, Lis... my pleasure..." mumbled Walter. Meg looked around at her daughter in the back seat and smiled. "Missy," she said softly, "your daddy would have been proud of you today... lately... I mean with you starting your own business and... the way you are caring for Wills... I'm proud of you too." Margaret was. Missy's decision to develop something other than her modeling career to fall back on had made her happy. Missy had decided to open a shop. It had really been Aislinn's idea when she had seen a small store vacant on a main drag a couple of streets over. They would turn it into a shop that sold New Age books and tapes, perfumes and aromatic oils, crystals and candles and all the things that Missy loved so much. They might even carry a small line of clothing. And Missy hoped to start yoga classes in the back when the new year started. The storage room in the back could easily be divided into a storage space and a yoga room with mirrors. Aislinn would help with child care, and a friend she had met at college would help part time with the clerking. Margaret thought it was going to work out wonderfully. Even Sophia had gotten into the act, providing a source of rare and extremely beautiful crystals and gemstones. And hinted that she might like to do a little clerking as well, when she wasn't watching the twins that is. Walter hung up the phone with a sigh and then hit his intercom. Damn and double damn, just when things had been going well too... The answer to what he was going to do first didn't take long. "Angela, can you tell Agent Mulder I need to see him right now." "Yes, Sir...." responded the older woman promptly. Fox arrived swiftly. For a brief instant Walter smiled. No matter what, his son-in-law always seemed to enter his office when summoned looking like he was expecting to be chewed out for something, a reminder of the old days. Hell, he hadn't had to do it in a whole week since the younger agent's last expense voucher had come in. And even then it didn't work much anymore. Mulder would sit and just smile at him. It wasn't his usual cocky grin... oh no, that would have gotten AD Skinner down his throat at Mulder. No, now Fox's smile was just happy and relaxed, like he was glad to see him even if Walter was trying to get him to behave. Disciplining Fox had become impossible of late... Skinner felt it was fortunate that he didn't really need to do it much anymore. For the last year Fox stayed on his best behavior, so most visits to the AD's office were just to straighten out the facts. Or because they just wanted to talk. But still, when summoned, Mulder came in like the cat caught with yellow canary feathers in his mouth. "You wanted to see me, Sir." "Yeah," he sighed. "I just got a phone call from the DC Police. Thought I'd want to know. They just found McNeeley dead of an apparent drug overdose... cocaine they think... They want someone to id the body. I want to check it out, Fox. Their divorce isn't final yet. This could have implications." "Let me call my aunt and tell her I might be late," said Fox, "and I'll get my car." "Thanks. You coping okay with Dana away with Agent Bothrington?" "Coping is the word for it," he grinned. "Thank God for Sophia and Aislinn. Meet you downstairs." Neither man had much to say about McNeely, but then neither of them was overly surprised either. Margaret knew the moment Walter came home that something was very wrong. He looked pale and tired. Things had been going too well. He picked up Little Fox and gave him a big hug and then put his arms around her, the three of them hugging together... a family. "Margaret, could you ask Melissa to come upstairs," he said softly. "It's important." "Okay... I'll get her, sweetheart." "Melissa," he said quietly, "I don't know how you are going to feel about this... but I just came from the morgue. Chuck is dead... an overdose of cocaine, apparently. There is no foul play suspected." Missy stared at him for a moment and then averted her face. She didn't know how to feel. She hadn't had a clue, but then suddenly so many things fell into place... "I... I... guess it makes sense... I mean... the changes... his personality... I didn't know.... had no idea..." She felt her eyes tear up, but refused to let them fall. "Do I need to identify the body?" "No, Missy, I've already done that..." "Will there be an autopsy?" she asked. "Yes..." "I want Dana to do it... please, Walter, ask Dana to do it. Then I know it will be done right... It's Will's father after all..." "I'll ask her, Melissa..." "But you can order her to... I mean..." she felt herself starting to grow hysterical but seeing the alarmed look on Will's face pulled herself together. "I'll ask her to volunteer, Melissa, but it's not under our jurisdiction, and I wouldn't order her if I could." "Okay... okay... thanks... I... sometimes it seems as though this is never going to be over... His poor mother..." She took Wills. "I'm going to go downstairs. I need to think." Dana Scully Mulder looked at the body and sighed wondering how she had gotten suckered into this. It wasn't what she wanted to be doing her first day back from a harrowing case. It was, after all, the city coroner's job and she hated working in this morgue. It was filthy. The city had no money to make repairs and the heating and air conditioning hadn't worked properly in ages. Half the time the drains backed up bodily fluid splashing the pathologists in the face. The City Morgue could almost pass as an X-file in itself. She studied her brother-in-law's face in death. What a fool! When had he developed this addiction? How had he managed to hide it from everyone for so long? The young doctor who was to assist her came in. Dana picked up the scalpel for the initial incision remembering how happy her sister had seemed after marrying him. God, that had seemed a lifetime ago. Dana slipped quietly into the back of the funeral home with Fox by her side. Her whole family was there. Somehow, giving him a funeral had seemed to her sister, to all of them, the decent thing to do. The man's poor mother was devastated, and judging by the appearance of the other two sons, she could see why. They looked like vultures ready to try to pounce on the estate. Dana hoped that no one would see her, wasn't even certain what her motivation had been in coming. That was not to be however. Bill saw her. She would have to say something. "I'm sorry, Melissa," was about all she could manage. "This was a terrible thing to have happen." "Does that mean you have forgiven me, Dana," asked Missy hopefully. "No, Melissa... it just means that I never wanted to see you go through something like this." With that she turned and left cursing herself for having come in the first place. Fox looked after her, nodded quickly and followed her. Melissa turned away sadly. God, she had been so stupid. She only had one sister and she had ruined it. She only had one father and she ruined it. Now she was a widow to a man she had stopped loving... "Don't worry, Mrs. McNeely," said Melissa quietly, "I'll see to it that you are taken care of." Maybe she could atone for her sins in settling some of the estate on his poor mother. She'd have to make sure that the money was in trust to keep those two brother's of his from getting their hands on it. If she was a betting person she'd bet that one of them was responsible for Chuck's addiction. "I... need to go home now. I'm.... I have to go." She couldn't stand it any longer. Suddenly she wished for her sister with all her heart, but she had driven Dana away. Angela offered her condolences in gracious fashion although she was well aware of the situation before granting Mrs. Skinner, Melissa and her cute little boy entrance into the Inner Sanctum as she and Agent Mulder jokingly called it. Walter looked up and smiled. "Everything go okay?" he asked getting up and kissing his wife. "Yeah..." said Melissa. "It's going to take awhile to sell the house. Funny... he had a lot of life insurance... bastard had screwed up just about everything else but..." She stopped, she had vowed not to talk like that. "Anyway, Wills has his Harvard College Fund and I made certain his grandma was taken care of... Now maybe I can put the whole nightmare behind me." "I hope so, Melissa," said Margaret. "Anyway, Walter, we are here to take you to lunch." "That sounds good." He slipped his jacket on and they headed out of the building. Suddenly, a young agent came careening around the corner and bumped into Melissa full force. "I'm so sorry," he said grabbing both her arms. He looked down at her. For a moment he thought he had run into that bitch Dana Scully, but the realized that there was no comparison. This woman was an incredible beauty in a way that Scully never could be. "Oh, uh... that's okay," she said thinking that he had the most beautiful blue eyes. Then the agent looked up with horror. There stood Assistant Director Walter Skinner with a young child in his arms, scowling. "Oh... uh... Assistant Director Skinner... Sir..." "Agent..." he acknowledged. "I believe you have met my wife. This is my grandson, Wills and my stepdaughter, Melissa... Tom Colton." "Good to see you again, Mrs. Skinner," he said smoothly, "and nice to meet you too Wills and Melissa...." As the family walked away, Tom Colton stared after them. Melissa was incredibly beautiful... a widow... and that jolt of electricity that had gone between them... Tom Colton was very thoughtful... "Such a nice young man," said Margaret as they hit the street. "Um... yes..." said Missy her head turned backwards... "Very polite." Walter Skinner didn't say a word. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and got that strange niggling sensation, the one that had earned him the nickname The Clairvoyant. The end....for now We just love feedback so feel free to contact either one or both of us. Eowyn - 72620.3447@compuserve. com or eowyn7@ix.netcom.com macspooky@erols.com The Gossamer Project Author - Title - Date - Spoilers - Crossovers - X-Files - Adventures - Stories - Vignettes Other stories by: Evenstar, Eowyn - Macspooky Please let us know if the site is not working properly. Set story display preferences. Do not archive stories elsewhere without permission from the author(s). See the Gossamer policies for more information.