This is the sequel to Sisters. It hopefully will give greater detail to
the one that went before it. You would probably want to read Sisters 1/2,
2a/2 and 2b/2 before you read this one otherwise you will be a tad lost...
sorry. If you want it E-mail me or check out at ftp.cs.nmt.edu
everyone sing along now: xfiles, scully, and mulder all belong to chris
carter, ten thirteen, and fox. No copyright infringement is intended.
Dana Scully activated the playback of her messages and dropped her
purse on the table. Continuing on back to her bedroom, she drop off her
shoes.
Having spent too long standing today, coupled with new unbroken in
pumps meant that she wanted the things as far from herself as possible.
"You have six messages," the machine voice said before announcing
the message number and time it was taken. Scully had wandered back to the
kitchen by the time she got past her own greeting.
The first was from a salesman insisting that the making of a will
should be at the top of her list so that when she was gone she could have
things done her way. He promised to call again.
The second, third, and fourth calls were from her sister, just telling
her to relax and feel her aura some more.
The fifth call was from Becky. "Hey, Dana, it's Becky. I just hate
these machines, I can never think of anything to say but I just wanted
you to know the girls are getting on nicely. They should all be going in to
surgery tomorrow morning. It's really funny, but not funny haha, you know
all of them getting sick like that. They say that happens with twins though,
goodness knows, these are inseparable. Oh!, by the way, thank that sexy
partner of yours for the flowers he sent the girls. Tell him, he's welcome
to visit again, anytime I promise not to poison him. Why don't you leave
my phone number conveniently around someplace or something or drop a hint,
he can take a hint can't he? Dana, I swear I--" the beep of the
answering machine sounded cutting the rest of Becky's statement off.
The sixth call was from Becky. "Dana, was your machine trying to give
me a hint...? Well, I can take one. Give the Fox my message. Bye now."
Scully smiled to herself when she thought of any possible matchup
between Becky and Mulder. Beyond the realm of extreme impossibility.
Sighing she got up and headed to the kitchen to make dinner. A nice green
salad perhaps with some of the smoked turkey left over from...when was it?
Opening the refrigerator she found that her once normal looking
turkey was now a mottled patchwork of greens and yellows. It hit the bottom
of the trash can soundly.
She'd been busy worrying over Mulder for the past weekend and hadn't
gotten a chance to do any shopping for groceries. And chances were he was
eating junk.
Picking up the phone she dialed MEMO 1, for Mulder's cell phone. He
picked up on the second ring. "Mulder."
"Whatcha doing?" she asked not bothering to identify herself.
"Debating which fine eating establishment to pleasure with my
business.
Something that won't make me queasy would be nice," Mulder added.
He sat behind his desk in the xfiles office. The only light in the room was
from the desk lamp shining over the open folder.
"Mulder, where are you?" his partner asked. There weren't any
pressing cases at the moment, but she had her suspicions that the office was
where he was.
"That's classified, Agent Scully." Mulder said, glancing down at the new
file he'd just created. The newly typed label read: Sisters (Murray quadruplets).
A neatly typed sheet listed a brief bio of the girls, all the available
information that he had currently and the date and explanation for the
opening
of a file.
"Well, then why don't you come over to my place in, say an hour and a
half,"
Scully said. That would give her time to actually pick up something and allow
him to finish whatever he was doing.
"Alright," Mulder said, "I'll see you then." After replacing the phone,
he consulted his computer to see what had come up in his data search. He
hadn't had much information to go on, but he'd been able to track down the
place of the girl's birth, a military hospital in Lawston, Kansas.
His eyes quickly scanned all the information about Jennifer, the girls'
mother. The names of her parents and dates and places of birth, any trouble
she got into as a teenager, school information. He made a note of the
father's
name: Jonathan Steven Abbott.
Jennifer Murray and Jonathan Steven Abbott had been married in
Chesapeake, Va. in 1974. In '72 Abbott had been transferred to Langley and
then
in '76 to Lawston on special assignment.
Jennifer became pregnant in '76 with the help of a civilian specialist,
Erwin Jocobi. Jocobi's practice had grown considerably since, 1976. He was
listed with several infertility help groups around the country.
Mulder made a note to contact him, to see if he remembered anything
unusual about Jennifer Abbotts pregnancy.
Continuing to read further, Mulder's eyes froze on a piece of
information.
Jennifer Abbott had been committed to an institution after a nervous
breakdown.
She'd claimed that aliens were after her babies and that her husband was part
of a plot to kill her.
She'd been released in '79 and gone back home to live with her husband
and
the now year old girls. There was no evidence of anymore strange behavior, so
after a year, she no longer met with the state psychiatrist.
There was no more information on their family lives until 1982 when
Jonathan
Abbott was reported missing. He'd never been found. After a year, Jennifer
went
back home to Va. to live with her family. The data search revealed no
information
on Jonathan Abbotts family.
Selecting the command to make a hard copy of the search data collected
thus
far. He commanded that the system continue searching for further information
on any Jonathan Abbott, from 1945 onward, he knew such broad parameters would
land him with a mountain of possible to sift through, but he had to start
somewhere, he would leave the modem searching overnight if necessary.
Mulder waited while the information was sent to the printer.
Perhaps there had been some validity to Jennifer's claims. He wanted to get
in touch with Dr. Jocobi as soon as possible. Perhaps even Ruby knew
something. He had to talk to her.
The computer informed him that the data would take up 5 pages.
"Printing"
flashed in the bottom corner of the screen. Mulder hadn't noticed before how
hypnotic the effect was. The edges of the letters began to blur ever so
slightly.....
"Mulder!" an irritated voice announced through a hazy fog. "Wake up!"
the voice demanded.
Mulder turned his head instinctively towards the sound. Dazed eyes
gradually focused on the figure standing over him, hands on hips.
Scully stared unrelenting at her partner. She'd been worried that
something
had happened to him, when after being an hour late he still hadn't called. He
hadn't answered his cell phone and she got a busy signal from the office
line.
"Are you awake now?" Scully asked. At Mulder's bleary eyed nod, she
continued. "Do you have any idea what time it is? What in the world are you
doing to tie up the office line for so long?"
"Sorry, Scully," Mulder said running his hands tiredly over his face. I
need to shave he thought to himself. "I guess I must have just dozed off. How
late am I?" He got to his feet and collected the data that had been printed
out
and quickly placed it in the folder, hoping Scully wouldn't catch the name on
the label.
"Two hours," Scully told him, a hint of irritation still evident in her
voice. The file qulder was trying to handle so inconspicuously had caught her
attention. His hand only half covered the names printed across the top.
The word 'SISTERS (Murr--' was all she could make out, but that was enough.
Closing her eyes in disbelief, Scully spoke the words hoping that they
weren't so. "You're investigating Becky's girls aren't you?" She had hoped
that
he was going to put the past weekend behind him. All that nonsense was over.
The young football player had recovered and the girls would be fine soon too.
Mulder gave up on trying to slip the folder past her. "There are some
unanswered ques ions, some loose ends if you will, that I'd like to tie up."
He shrugged as if it was of no importance. He already knew she wouldn't
approve.
"An Xfile, Mulder? Over bad pizza?" She shook head. "I don't understand
why you insist on going further with this," she said. "I know Ruby told you
some things. But, Mulder, you're the psychologist, you should know bettert
than
me how imaginative a distraught teenager can be."
Mulder shook his head, "No, there's something there. I've felt it.
Scully
I can still feel something...here." Mulder pointed to his heart. That gave
Scully pause. What was he talking about?
"You must have at least had some suspicion," Mulder continued, "or why
else would you have invited me in the first place?"
Sighing, Scully threw her hands into the air in a gesture of surrender.
"Okay, Mulder, have it your way, there's no use arguing with you when you're
like this. Come on, I'll nuke some dinner for you."
"Joy." Mulder responded dryly.
Virginia Monday 11 p.m.
Bayside Senterra hospital sat far back off a busy highway. Cinda sat
at the third floor window of the room she shared with her three sisters.
It was late.
Ruby and Gemma had fallen asleep. She knew they were exhausted
and needed the rest for the next day, so she'd drawn herself away from
them so as not to disturb them.
Her mind went back over the past few days. So many things had
changed for them. They were touched, no longer the same ts they had
been. It was because of him. She knew that Gemma resented him for
coming in between her sisters, but Ruby was drawn to him, almost
in an irresistible way. Cinda, one who felt the emotions of her sisters
almost in a personal way, was divided.
This man Mr. Fox Mulder was different. In the brief time she'd known
his mind she'd felt something. Ruby was a dreamer she could not have
known what Cinda had felt from him. He had a very special purpose. That
was why she had sided with Ruby and stood against her sister...to protect
him.
He had been touched by them. He knew that, only he didn't know to what
extent. But he would. soon. And Cinda could think of no way to prepare him
for that knowledge.
*****
Washington DC. Tuesday 8:30 a.m.
Agent Fox Mulder rushed out of his apartment and skidded towards the
drivers side door of his car. He was going to be late. This day had not been
going well so far.
He'd gotten up only fifteen minutes ago. He felt almost like he was
drugged. What was more he and Scully had a meeting with Skinner this
morning concerning a new case they were supposed to be starting.
Behind the wheel, he broke the record of his personal best time in
getting to the office. He flashed his badge quickly by the desk guard and
composed himself to walk calmly through the entry hallway of the F.B.I.
offices. Why couldn't he just be beamed to Skinners office? he wondered.
After the drive to work it was another ten minutes just to get anywhere in
this stupid security tight building.
Besides he needed some coffee to clear his head. Usually Scully was the
one who drank the coffee, but today he'd have to rely on the exalted powers
of caffeine.
When he stepped in the office to drop off his brief case it was 8:59 and
Scully was waiting for him. She raised her brows at his rumpled appearance,
but said nothing.
"Coffee?" Mulder spoke gruffly.
"Did you forget we have a meeting with Skinner in thirty seconds?" she
asked. She poured a cup of black coffee into one of her mugs for him anyway,
handing it to him on the way out the door.
"Mmm--unh," Mulder mumbled behind the coffee mug as he gulped a bit of
it. Then yelped in surprise as the hot liquid scalded a path down his throat.
Looking over her shoulder at him, Scully made a dry comment, "Oh, by the
way, it's hot Mulder."
Mulder didn't have a chance to respond since at that moment, his eyes
lit on Asst. Director Skinner standing outside his office door. Glancing
surreptitiously at his watch Mulder saw that it was still 9 o clock, if,
according to his watch, 55 seconds past. He actually grinned at Skinner.
Skinner almost looked disappointed. His eyes dropped to the coffee mug
in Mulder's hand which sported a green man dressed in a space suit, with the
words 'take me to your leader' wtthin a speech bubble. Stepping back he led
them into his office. When the two agents were seated he began speaking.
"Due to a pending visit from a very important official, select members
have been chosen for a special duties roster. Since the two of you are
between cases both of you have been selected from your section."
"Special duties roster, sir?" Scully spoke up. This was sounding pretty
suspicious to her way of thinking.
"Sir, we are on a case." Mulder spoke up calmly, not even glancing at
Scully. "We only began on it last night, that's way you hadn't received
official notice. It began after hours."
"Mulder are you doing this just to get out of clean up duty?" Skinner
demanded. His usual pained expression in evidence.
Scully decided to keep her mouth shut. She'd follow Mulder's lead,
anything was worth it to avoid clean up duty. Dang cutbacks.
"No sir," Mulder replied, "I have the file in the office now. The
computer has been running a data search all night." Seeing that Skinner was
looking like a mountain ready to erupt, Mulder added, "I could get the file
for you, sir."
"Don't bother, Agent Mulder," Skinner said standing up, "dismissed.
Send Leonne and Kessig in."
Well Mulder since we are on a case, mind telling me which case you speak of?"
Dana Scully asked her partner when they were safely back in the office.
Mulder gave a brief glance as he headed for the computer. Hitting any
key the blank screen came to live revealing the fruits of the data search of
the past night.
"The girls, Scully or would you rather have *special duties* for some
beaurocrat?"
Scully sighed and leaned over his shoulder to see what he'd come up with.
Mulder made a face when he saw the number of Jonathan Abbotts in the
United States since 1945. There were 513 possibilities.
"This could take all day." Mulder sighed irritably, rubbing his side.
"Couldn't we just call Becky and get some info to help us narrow the search?"
"I don't see why not," Scully shook her head. "You've done#this much,
but I won't be a party to telling her these girls are making people sick."
Glancing down at her watch she added, "You're going to have to do it later
though, the girls are supposed to be going into surgery this morning."
Mulder nodded,#"that's okay there's something else I think we should
follow up on anyway." Turning back to the computer Mulder absently rubbed at
his side again.
Scully noticed he'd done that several times that morning. A frown
crossed her brow. She vowed to watch him closer. He wasn't likely to
willingly admit that anything was wrong.
"How are you recovering from the weekend?" She asked #im gently. He
still looked a little pale and tired.
"Just great," he answered drily, removing his hand selfconsciously.
"What's to eat around this place, Scully." He hadn't had anything for
breakfast, maybe that would make him feel better.
"We can go down to the cafeter a and get something if you like,"
Scully offered too willingly. She hated the cafeteria food.
Mulder nodded his head and slowly pushed himself up from his chair.
The issue being settled about the girls' father, he shut the computer off.
They left the office and headed towards the F.B.I. cafeteria, affectionately
called the 'caged Rodent' for reasons none of the younger agents could fathom.
The elevator took them up to the 1st floor where the cafeteria was
located. Mulder leaned against the wall, hanging on to the rail. When the
elevator stopped on the first floor, his knees seemed to give a bit.
"Scully..." he whispered weakly before slumping further towards the
floor.
Scully caught him half way do n, his weight ca#ried the both of them
to the floor. Just a that moment, the elevator doors opened to reveal
Asst Director Skinner along with Kessig and Leonne waiting for the elevator.
"Agents Scully and Mulder!" Skinner roared at seeing the scene before
him. Scully laid on the floor with Mulder half atop her, a stunned expression
covering her features.
"Sir, if you could help me, please, he's passed out!" Scully yelled
back f om the floor to her superior. Embarassment and worry warred for a time
and them worry took over.
Without apology, Skinner stepped in and helped her roll Mulder over.
His face had taken on a sickly gray shade. Scully gasped. Skinners jaw
dropped, then he snapped to action. "What are you standing there for?! Get
help!" The two agents behind him hurried off. A small group was gathering
outside of the elevator.
"Has Agent Mulder shown any sign of illness recently?" Skinner
questioned Scully.
Scully was busy taking vitals. Not looking up she answered, " he got
a case of food poisoning this weekend and had his stomach pumped. He was fine
yesterday. But, this morning I did notice he was favoring his side. He said
that he just wanted something to eat, sir."
Skinner sighed. Then muttered a mild curse under his breathe.
end part one
Disclaimer: Ditto to what I said before.....
Okay, here it is the long awaited part two...Enjoy all.
Let me know what you think I have nerves of steel. (okay...jello, but I can
take it, so feel free.)
SISTERS (the sequel) part two
Asst. Director Skinner and Agent Dana Scully sat in the waiting area of
the hospital emergency room.
Scully waited tensely for the doctor's to come up with a cause for Mulder's
problems. All of the tests they'd run offered#no solution. His
white blood cell count was up, indicating an infection of some kind. Judging
from the area of his side he'd been favoring, appendicitis had been a serious
consideration, that was until Mulder's medical records revealed that he'd had
his appendics removed when he was 9 years old.
Unable to sit any longer, Skinner began pacing the room. "Agent Scully,"
he began for the umpteenth time. "Are you certain there were no other indica-
tions." He topped pacing only to watch her while she answered.
Scully shook her head. "No, sir." she answered in a small voice. She'd
gone over everything that had occurred since the past Friday, in her own mind
twice as many times as he'd asked the question. Friday had been the day they
left for Virginia. That was the last time she was absolutely sure he was
well. There had to be something the doctors were missing.
Her mind made up, she stood up from the bench, straightened her suit
jacket and walked determinedly in through the doors of the examining room
they'd placed Mulder in over an hour earlier.
On entering the room her eyes were drawn to Mulder's still figure lying
on the bed. He'd been changed into a hospital gown. His face was no longer
gray, but he was still pale and hadn't regained consciousness.
"Oh, Mulder..." Scully whispered going to his bedside. Busying herself
with routine, she began to examine him. His pulse was steady, and his
breathing was regular. If she didn't know any better she would say he was
sleeping. She paused. Something wasn't right here. Reaching under the covers
she felt for the area of his side that he'd been holding earlier, where his
origional appendectomy had been. Even though she was a doctor, she felt he'd
apprecia e a little privacy.
The spot was unusually#warm. That alone prompted her to pull back the
coverings and examine the area visually.
The area was red and bruised looking, but the skin appeared to be
unbroken. A frown crossed Scully's face as she tried to work it out. Some
niggling thought caused her to look at her watch. It was 10:57 a.m.
A sound at the door ceased her train of thought, causing her to abruptly
pull the covers back up. Looking up she saw Skinner standing there.
Then pulling herself up to her usual professional stance she spoke.
"Sir," she started levelly, "I believe Agent Mul er is recovering. His pulse
rate has returned to normal as has his breathing. It is my personal opinion
that at this time Agent Mulder is...sleeping."
Skinner locked his gaze with Scully for a moment, then nodded as if
that were the most rational explanation he'd ever heard, then calmly left
the room. Smiling.
Scully wondered if he was going to be alright. Skinner n ver smiled.
****
Wednesday 9:16 a.m. Georgetown Memorial Hospital
Agent Dana Scully watched as her partner approached in a wheel chair
with
a mutinous expression. Rising from her chair she approached the unhappy
Mulder
and the hospital escort who had delivered Mulder to the hospital exits for
release.
Scully fought to hide the laugh that threatened. Obviously Mulder was
still upset about being admitted at all. When he'd awakened Tuesday
afternoon,
he'd yawned and wanted to get up and get back to work. He would have done
some
calling around on his own but the hospital staff had confiscated his
cellular.
So he'd asked Scully to contact Dr Jocobi.
Now Scully stood there, his cellular phone tucked safely in her purse
beside her own. Mulder gave her hard look before looking meaningfully up over
his shoulder at the hospital escort.
The escort, a middle age woman, no doubt used to ill-tempers, smiled
disarmingly and gestured that he was free to go. When Mulder had stood up
from
the chair, she folded it until it was a third it's usual size and wheeled it
away to the mystical place where wheelchairs are kept.
"You might have brought me a suit, and then at least I could go straight
to
work," Mulder started, taking in Scully's pastel colored skirt suit.
"Umm hmm, But your levi's are so much#more attractive to the ladies,"
Scully said, heading out the doors towards the parking deck.
She stopped when she#saw Mulder wasn't following. Turning around, she saw
Mulder standing there hands on hips. She raised her eyebrows relaying the
silent message, "coming Mulder?"
Groaning under his breath Mulder followed. His mind went back to the
moment in the hospital room, the day before, when Scully had gathered all of
his personal belongings for 'safe keeping'. His gun, his phone, his keys
and maybe even his wallet were all in Scully's possession.
He didn't speak on the way to the car, he was trying to work out the
best
way to get all his stuff back without a fight. He had been stagnant too long
and needed to get started on this case. He felt an urgency to *do* something.
When they were in the car and Scully had pulled out of the hospital park
she turned to her still silent partner. Okay, he was trying the old silent
treatment thing. "You gonna pout all day Mulder?" she asked him.
"Actually I was hoping it wasn't gonna take that long," Mulder answered
truthfully, with a small smile. "You *are* gonna give me my stuff back this
side of eternity?" he asked.
"On one condition," Scully said.
"Which is?" Mulder asked.
"You tell me exactly how you're feeling. If you have the slightest
twinge
I want to know about it.#These orders are directly from Skinner,
but I'm inclined to agree with him. You haven't been yourself since Friday.
There was the food poisoning Saturday and that episode in the elevator
yesterday. Mulder, something is definitely not right here. So until we get to
the bottom of this we're stuck like glue."
"Glue?" Mulder asked with mock amazement. "Did Skinner really use
the words 'stuck like glue'?"
Scully smiled, "Actually he said something along the lines of 'like a
bad habit'."
"Have you talked to Becky since the girls surgery?" Mulder asked out of
nowhere. His expression had turned serious.
"Actually, no, I assume everything went fine. I'm sure Becky would have
called me otherwise."
He nodded as if he were trying to reassure himself. "Okay," he said. "I
agree to your terms."
*****
Mulder stepped out of his bedroom and entered the livingroom, dressed in
another of his gray suits. "Wow, I almost feel inhuman, again," he said
placing
his gun in it's holster.
Scully stopped in midstride on her way to the kitchen. She held an
unidentifiable food item in what looked like it used to be a carryout
container
at a distance from herself.
"Hey!," Mulder exclaimed, "I was gonna eat that!"
Scully rolled her eyes and continued on her way to the kitchen, "Mulder,
some may find your habits...quaint. But I couldn't stand to sit near this
stuff
for another second. It was grossing me out!"
Mulder raised both eyebrows, grinning, he'd have to make a note of the
time and date. Scully was never grossed out. His grin broadened when he
heard his leftover...what ever it was, bump against the bottom of the trash
can.
"Okay, where to?" Scully asked on reentering the livingroom.
"To Virginia to see Becky and the girls."
Interstate 64
"Any word yet from the good Dr. Jocobi?" Mulder asked his partner. They
were nearing Richmond Va. and weren't even half done with their journey but
Mulder was having difficulty staying awake.
"I've called several times and left messages. I wasn't able to speak
directly with him. I left the message that I was calling in regard to former
patients of his. He has yet to return my calls."
"Did you get the feeling he was out of the country or something?" Mulder
asked. "It's seems a bit odd that he wouldn't return a call to the highly
exalted F.B.I."
"The secretary said that he couldn't be disturbed."
Mulder let the subject drop there. Turning on the radio in hopes of
staying awake, he tuned in a rock-n-roll station. Then, promptly began
singing
along.
"Awaay ohhhh ye-ah, ye-e-eah, o-oh ye-ah yeah yeah...The more you suffer
the more it shows you really caaaare. Ri-ight, yeah, yeah, yeah."
Reaching over Scully turned down the volume, "Mulder, no way I'm
listening
to this stuff all the way to Becky's."
"Are you kidding, Da Offspring, you gotta love 'em," Mulder grinned
wickedly at his partner. Then turned to a station more in keeping with
Scully's
tastes. Two minutes later, he was fast asleep.
Scully awakened Mulder when she pulled up in front of Becky's house. She
beginning to get quite worried about her partner. He never slept this much.
In
fact he seemed to thrive on little sleep. He hadn't even woke up when she'd
stopped to get a gift basket and a plant.
Stretching and yawning Mulder drug himself out of the car. It was mid
afternoon, Becky's car was parked in the driveway. Slipping on his jacket, he
followed Scully up to the door.
Becky answered. "Oh Dana and Fox, hello," she gushed. "I'm glad you're
both here. Come on in." Sh# looked tired despite her cheerful attitude.
"Did the surgery go okay with the girls?" Scully asked offering her
friend
the gifts.
"Actually, we had a#bit of trouble," Becky confided when they were all
seated in the livingroom. "Originally, the doctors had planned to do all
three of the girls at the same time, the girls wanted it that way.
The doc ors hadn't seen any problem, they thought they could have three
operating rooms free, especially if they did it early. So they were scheduled
for nine o'clock surgery. Well, they prepped all of them at the same time,
but there was a very bad accident during rush hour yesterday morning and
they needed all the spare Dr.'s so they decided to go ahead and do Gemma and
Ruby and to do Cinda after the other two. It was expected to be a relatively
short surgery anyway. About halfway through Ruby and Gemma's Cinda started
to go into convulsions. They didn't know what was wrong with her. After a few
tests they found that her appendicitis had grown worse at an unexpected rate.
They rushed her into emergency surgery in the same room as Ruby. Dan#, we
almost lost her. I was so scared. Cinda is such a wonderful girl so
thoughtful and caring. It's bad enough that she has this illness..." Becky
stopped on a frustrated sigh.
"Oh, Becky I'm so sorry," Scully said. "Why didn't you call me, I
would've
come." Scully put an arm around her friends shoulder.
"I know, and I'm glad you're here now. I just didn't want to bother you.
Besides, about an hour later, the doctors had everything under control and
she
was sleeping peacefully. So I decided not to worry you with it."
Scully frowned, her eyes were drawn to Mulder's. He looked steadily back
at her.
Sentera Bayside Medical Center
When the two agents entered the room of Gemma, Ruby and Cinda all of
the girls were sleeping.
"It's the medication," Becky explained. "Even when they're awake it's as
if they can barely keep their eyes open. The doctor says he hopes they'll be
up and around by tomorrow though. They haven't been healing as fast as
expected. But, they are healing."
Mulder took a good look at all the girls. Gemma and Ruby were closer
to the door. Even, though they were identical, he *knew* Ruby was the one
closest.
Cinda occupied the bed on the far side of the room. She had the same
odd red hair that her sisters did, but her face was different. She was
softer,
prettier than her sisters. She began to stir in her sleep, so the three
visitors took their leave so as not to disturb them. Mulder was a little
disappointed, he'd really wanted to talk to Ruby.
"Are you guys hungry?" Becky asked when they'd left the hospital. "We
could go and get something to eat and then maybe the girls will be awake and
they could see you guys. I would hate for you to come all this way to see
them and they not even set eyes on you."
The group went to a small family restaurant near the hospital. "See,"
Becky teased the two of them, "I actually know places where you can get so-
called 'normal' food. I even promise not to moo when you get your burgers."
"Moo all you want, considering you'll be the one who's grazing," Scully
joked back.
"Dana! I would expect that from the likes of this one," she pointed a
thumb in Mulder's direction. "But you-You'd better be careful before I tell
what you did with Stevie McMann...."
"Disturbed and intrigued in the same breath," Mulder said wonderingly.
His voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned in, "Do tell," he glanced at his
partners red faced attempts at silencing her friend.
"Agent Scully, calm yourself," he admonished playfully before turning back to
Becky.
"It happened our Sophmore year, there was this little..." Becky started.
"Becky don't forget, I'm sure there are secrets you wouldn't want told."
Scully said with a secretive gleam in her eyes.
"*I* have nothing to hide," Becky said smugly, turning back to continue
her story. Enjoying the fact that even though they were playing, Fox Mulder
was
focusing intently on her.
"Tapes are a wonderful thing, don't you think Becky. You know the F-"
Becky cut her off before she could finish. "Well, well, Dana, how's your
sister doing? Still feeling her aura?" She changed the subject abruptly.
"Wait a minute," Mulder objected just as their food arrived. When they
were
done, Mulder was the only one who ordered desert, a strawberry shortcake with
extra strawberries and whipped cream."
Mulder noticed how Becky was eyeing his desert. He'd offered her a bite,
but she'd declined. "Last chance," he said when there were only 2
strawberries
left.
"No, I love them, but they don't love me. I'm allergic, so are the
girls.
Makes them itch something awful and break out in hives."
Mulder stopped chewing. Placing the remains of his strawberry back on
the
plate.
"Did you know much about their father?" Mulder asked.
Becky was a little surprised at the slight change of subject, but
answered
nontheless. "Jennifer was ten years older than me. So when she married
Jonathan
I was only nine or ten. I don't remember a whole lot about him.
He...disappeared
they say. Never heard from again. I think I remember Jen saying he was an
orphan."
"Do you have any pictures of him?" Mulder asked.
"Actually there is one," Becky said. "Jen said all of the pictures of
him
in the house vanished with him. The only one she had was on a roll of film in
the camera at the time. She only found it months later."
"Do you mind if I have a look at it?" Mulder asked.
Becky looked at him, confusion evident in her eyes. "Why?" she asked.
Mulder simply shrugged, "Maybe we could find him," he said. "There's
more
sophisticated equipment nowadays."
Becky looked at him. She wasn't sure that that was all there was to it.
But, she went along anyway. What could it hurt?
Back at the hospital, all of the girls were awake.
They were all complaining about some really disgusting jello with fruit
they'd
just been forced to eat.
"I see you are all feeling better," Becky commented taking them all in.
"Look whose come all the way from D.C.," she announced when Mulder and Scully
rounded the corner.
"Hello," the three of them said in unison. Ruby gave Mulder a special
smile. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better," she told him.
Gemma gave her sister an almost exasperated look. "Thank you for the
flowers," she told him politely. "It's unfortunate though that they're dead
already. The nurse had to throw them away."
Cinda spoke up from the far bed, "But, it really was a wonderful gesture
Mr. Mulder. And it is good to see you're better." She laughed in wry humor,
"I think this is where I was last time I saw you all. I call it my second
home." She spoke to both Mulder and Scully. "It's good to see both of you
again."
Mulder wanted very badly to talk to Ruby in private, but with five other
people in the room, it wasn't possible. After a short while, Scully thought
Mulder was beginning to grow restless. She began to make an excuse for them
It was getting late and they needed to get back to Washington.
When they got back to their car, Mulder tore off his jacket and began to
scratch fiercely through his shirt.
"Mulder what's the matter with you?" Scully said.
"I'm ITCHING!" he said, beginning to unbutton his shirt.
"Let me see," Scully said coming around the car to look at him. He was
already beginning to get splotches on his face. When he took off his shirt
Scully was able to view the full extent of his discomfort. Mulder had hives.
"Mulder you're having an allergic reaction to something." Scully
declared.
"In the immortal words of some valley chic I once knew *duh!*"
end part two
Thinking about hives really grosses me out so I'm gonna stop here.
Part three (hopefully) will be out by Saturday night. I know a whole
lot didn't happen it this section but the third and final chapter...
you'd better put on your seatbelts for it...you've been warned.
email me with gripes, comments, suggestions... Jackeec@aol.com
or at 74363.2566@compuserve.com
Disclaimer: M & S belong to CC and Fox and 1013 prod. No infringement is
intended.
Note: I've been informed that a person can regrow their appendics, sorry...
Anyway Mulder didn't and while we were all away at a commercial break the
wonderfully efficient folks at the hospital checked to be sure. By the way
the name of that DC hospital was Georgetown Memorial Hospital. (otherwise
known as Such and Such)
SISTERS II (the sequel) part 03
Note: this part was co-written by Anthony C.
Agent Fox Mulder sat alone in the waiting area for Scully to check in
with Skinner.He couldn't remember ever feeling so uncomfortable in his life.
He was covered liberally with a white cream the doctor's had given him.
His short hung loosely across his shoulders.
Becky had informed them that the girls were having an allergic reaction
also. It seemed that there was a possibility that there was some strawberry
juice in the jello.
The cafeteria manager had been extremely apologetic in the face of the
girls' symptoms, after initially denying that any juice might have gotten into
the jello.
Mulder sat there trying to figure out why he was sick along with the girls,
before Ruby had told him that one would accept the illnesses for the three. So
why had all of them gotten appendicitis and why had he had symptoms? And why
was he now having an allergic reaction to strawberries as well as the girls.
He didn't believe for one minute that the girls had had any strawberry juice
in their jello.
Running a tired hand over his face he wondered what was taking Scully so
long. He wanted to get on with the next step in his investigation. For some
reason he felt that it was urgent that he get to Oklahoma.
A flash of...a strange sensation caught his attention. Turning
he saw Cinda approaching him.
"Mr. Mulder," she said when she was near. She'd wrapped her robe around
herself. Her hives weren't nearly as bad as Mulder's. "I'm glad I found you
here," she added.
"Hello, Cinda," Mulder replied giving her a small smile. His eyes showed
the curiousity he was feeling. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"
"Several things," she said returning his smile. "One thing is to tell you
to layoff the strawberries." She took a seat beside him on the chairs.
Mulder laughed. "I could tell you the same thing," he responded. Watching
for any sign of a response from her.
"No you couldn't," she said. "But then you already knew that, didn't you?"
"You're very observant," Mulder said. Looking at her closer as if he
could somehow find all the answers he sought.
"You want to ask me a question," she spoke. "Go ahead."
Very, very observant, he thought to himself."I've talked to Ruby, about
the sicknesqes. It was my understanding thatBonly one becomes sick."
Mulder continued carefully, not wanting to offend her. "Be that one of you,
or...someone else."
Cinda nodded.
"Why is it that now all of you are sick?" Mulder continued. Leaving one
question unspoken.
"And why are you getting sick, right?" she spoke the question aloud.
Mulder grinned and nodded. "Yeah, that too."
"Don't you already know?" she asked. "If you look deep into yourself you
will find the answer you're looking so very hard for. Better that you find it
within yourself than I tell you."
Mulder didn't know whether to be amazed or disappointed.
"Listen, I sensed your disappointment earlier in the room. Ruby is
waiting for you." She looked off in the distance for a second. "She'll be here
in a few minutes."
"So, you can sense peoples emotions?" Mulder asked.
"No, not everyones," she answered getting up from her chair. "I've
enjoyed talking to you, Mr. Mulder. I hope you have a good trip. Goodbye."
Mulder said good bye to her back as she turned and left him. Closing his
eyes, he thought back to what she'd told him. Look deep into himself...
Opening his eyes he saw Ruby standing before him.
"Hello, Ruby," he said. "Cinda said you were coming."
"Yeah," Ruby said. She sat in the same seat Cinda had sat in.
"I never got to thank you for whatever you did to save my life," Mulder
added. Cinda had been a lot easier to talk to.
"It was something I had to do. Gemma's still mad at me. But, she'll get
over it when she sees." Ruby looked away across the room.
"When she sees what?" Mulder asked.
"Your purpose. I had a dream. I know why you are searching for the
answers to an important riddle. One you've been trying to solve for a long
time. Someone very special to you was taken away. My sisters and I, we are...
incomplete, our loss and your loss is the same."
Mulder sat listening to her words. His stomach tightened. Ruby had been
talking about Samantha. "Do you know where she is?" he asked urgently, a
breathless quality to his voice.
"No, I'm just a dreamer." With that she got up, "Scully's coming now. See
ya later."
Ruby had only just stepped around the corner when Scully rushed around the
corner at the other side of the hall. Seeing her partner sitting where she'd
left him, she relaxed.
Shaking her head, she filled Mulder in, "You know I just had the strangest
conversation with Ruby. Then, I had a similar one with Cinda."
Mulder dipped his head and hid a smile. "What? did you think they were
trying to stall you or something to keep you from getting to little 'ol me?"
he asked now wearing his usual smirk.
Scully considered him for a second then shook the idea off. It was silly.
"Let's get back," She said looking down at her watch. "If we hurry we might
actually be able to avoid rush hour."
While Scully drove Mulder closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. The
soft music on the radio faded out of his consciousness and something else
faded in. He opened his eyes and it was still there. He changed the station on
the radio, looking for anything else to distract himself and it was still
there.
"Scully," he said suddenly. "Why is peter pan green?"
"Because he was an alien, ofcourse."
"No Scully," he said in an exasperated voice, "if someone panned your
peter you'd be green too." It was still there.
Scully shrugged and focused her attention back on driving. "How is the
cream working?" she asked.
"Fine," Mulder said. "The girls didn't have any strawberries in their
jello." He stated flatly.
"So now are you making them sick? If you had said you were making me sick
I would believe you. They on the other hand don't know you like I do."
"Okay, it's obviously a two way thing. I just wasn't sick before." Mulder
argued. "And how would you explain the fact that I got hives in the first
place?"
"Simple." Scully said "The power of suggestion is a pretty strong thing.
Remember, Becky did say that they were all allergic to strawberries."
"With all the coincedences, surely you see that more is going on than
meets the eye. All three girls having appendicitis at the same time. And when
one didn't have surgery with her sisters she goes into convulsions at
approximately the same time I collapse in an elevator. When she is out of
danger I also suddenly recover. Can't you see the pattern that's beginning
to form?"
"What I see," Scully said, "is three girls all born at the same time.
They have literally, been close since the day of conception. Two of them with
identical dna. It's nothing unusual for them to experience similar illnesses
dreams or even psychosis, you already know this. Statistics show that among
twins there is a 60% chance of catching a same disorder. Where as the
general population has a 10% chance or same family 25%. If
one twin is having odd delusions, the other would have a great possibiltiy of
doing the same. From the information we got from the data files, they've
obviously had some less than stabilizing incidents in their young childhood.
They've obviously created this fantasy to protect themselves, to have a
measure of control over their lives, since they've lost so much.
There *is* a rational explanation for all this."
Mulder's eyes focused off into the distance, he could still
feel...it? Them?
" Rational or otherwise," Mulder said after a minute. "Tomorrow I'd like
to go to Sooner country and see the good Dr. Jocobi for myself."
"What do we know about this guy, anyway?" Scully asked. She hadn't even
looked at the file yet. She honestly wasn't sure what Mulder was after.
Mulder took out the file and briefed Scully on the information he'd come
up with. "Erwin Jocobi, was born Dec 11, 1932 in New York City. He lost his
parents when he was seven years old. Seems he stood out among the other orphaned
children because he was adopted by a rich merchant and his wife, a Mr. and
Mrs. Steven Niles. At nineteen he graduated from NYU. He went on to medical
school and then into genetic research, dabbling into reproductive science
as well."
"Hmm, smart guy." Scully said. "Any ideas on Jonathan Abbott?"
Mulder shook his head. Taking out the picture Becky had given them. "It's
almost like the guy dropped in got married then a couple years later
vanished off the face of the earth."
Mulder looked at the picture a while. It showed a blond man, a dark haired
woman and four red headed little girls at approximately 4 or 5 years old.
"I wonder who was taking the picture," Mulder mumbled half under his breath.
"You know, I wonder if this red haired guy is related, he looks about old enough
to be a grandfather. But, Becky said she didn't know who he was and Jennifer
didn't talk to her about him."
Scully raised her eyebrows, "Maybe Dr. Jocobi will be able to tell us
something about him. The girls would have still been in Oklahoma then, it's
possible that they may have stayed in contact. He did help her deliver
quadruplets, I'm sure that made some headlines."
Thursday 11 a.m. Watkins Air Field, Oklahoma
Agent Fox Mulder helped his partner up into the shuttle van, then hefted
both their overnight bags in before getting in himself. When he was se ted the
driver turned around to be sure everyone was settled. Besides the two agents
there was a small group of bussinessmen, two of them appeared to be foreign,
Mulder pegged them as Norweigan.
Though it was still early the temperature had climbed ne r the nineties and
the humidity was settling in. The driver apologized that the air conditioning
wasn't putting out like it should. Even though the windows in the back of
the van were opened as far as they would go the air was still heavy and
oppressive.
Scully noticed that the heavier of the two Norweigans was beginning to
look a bit redder around the gills than he should have. Turning to the driver
she explained softly to him that she thought one of his passengers was going
to faint and asked if he had anything to drink.
He'd quickly handed her a Snapple from his lunch pail. Turning to the
Norweigan she offered him the drink and asked if he'd like to remove his suit
jacket. He'd smiled very kindly, in a relieved manner before taking the drink.
After unbottoning a couple of his shirt buttons and removing his jacket he
began to look much better. Shortly they arrived to the bussiness district at
a national rental car agency.
When everyone got off the van, the other of the Norweigans approached the
two agents and handed Scully a small gold embossed case. "A small gift of
gratitude," he said in good english. He gestured over his shoulder at the
heavier man. The man waved from the distance. "His english is not very good,"
he added.
Scully smiled her thanks to the man and watched as they left with their
associates. After examining the outside of the case she looked up at
Mulder.
"What do you think it is?" she asked him. Turning it over in her hands.
It was a very nice case.
"Well, you know what they say, you'll never know until..."
Scully snapped open the case.
"Cool knife, Scully, I'll bet that's what you always wanted," Mulder said.
Scully sighed and dropped the knife into her jacket pocket.
Eastside Fertility Center
The offices of Dr Erwin Jocobi were on the fir t floor of the Eastside
Medical Complex. The two agents stepped up to the reception desk. The lobby
was otherwise vacant.
The woman behind the desk smiled as they approached the desk.
"Special Agent Fox Mulder and this is my partner Dana Scully, we are here
to speak with a Dr. Erwin Jocobi. Is he in?"
Flustered, the woman, looked around nervously before picking up the phone.
"He just stepped in breifly, I'll...um let him know you're here."
She reached for the intercom..."Dr. Jocobi, there are two federal agents here
to see you."
Mulder was watching the woman's actions, and the very flattering dress
she wore (or lack of it). Taking a mental snapshot he turned toward his partner.
Who was staring speechlessly towards one of the offices off the reception area.
Following her gaze Mulder stopped on the figure approaching him. If the
face didn't do it. The voice did.
A red headed woman with hair just beyond the color of blood, pulled back
into a tight bun approached. "My father is not in yet, perhaps you can return
in a few hours?"
The woman standing before him, was dressed much like Scully in business
attire, and just a touch of make-up. And even though the woman who stood
before him had hair that was highlighted and couldn't possibly be who he
thought he said her name anyway.
"Cinda?"
"Excuse me?"
Mulder regained his composer and flipped open his badge.
"Special agent Fox Mulder," he nodded at Scully who still had her badge
handy. "Agent Scully, we were under the impression that Dr. Jocobi
just entered the office can you tell us where he is. We have some questions
we'd like to ask the both of you. It'll only take a few minutes of your time,
Ms...?"
Just then someone bolted out from behind them and ran down the hall way
Scully screamed out for Mulder and the went in pursuit. By the time the two
enter the hallway they heard one of the doors closing, but which one...
"To the parking lot!" Mulder shouted.
They both pulled their weapons from the holster in mid stride, and
sprinted to the parking lot just in time to see a deep green Mercedes burn
out of the lot. They ran to their car and saw a surgeons scapple jammed in
the right front tire.
"The next time we should get rid of these rental tags." Mulder said with
his hands on his hips, looking disqusted.
"At least we get to talk to the dead ringer for Cinda," Mulder said
heading back into the building.
"My guess is that was our good friend Jocobi, but, why did he run?"
Scully questioned between breaths.
"And run well he did. I can't believe how fast that old man ran. Did
you get a chance to look at him?" Mulder panted.
"All I saw was the labcoat floating in the wind."
Just then they hear more screeching of tires. Turning they saw
another Mercedes, peeling out of the parking lot.
They looked at each other surprised and started to jump in the car, which
they realized wasn't going anywhere. Looking at each other a similar thought
passed through their minds. Simulataneously turning, they walked very hurriedly
and uncool like back into the building.
They burst in the office door and got the answer to their question from the
expression on the receptionist's face. She sat there leaning forward eyes
and mouth wide open, she looked terrified. She spilled her guts before they
said a word.
"Look! I don't know what is going on as soon as you two left. Ms Jocobi
said cover for me and ran out the back! I'm not covering for anybody! I don't
want to go to jail! I didn't even know we were doing anything illegal!"
"They were covering for each others escape." Scully said.
Mulder looked at the receptionist, saw she was terrified and said firmly
"Miss if you don't cooperate with our investigation you could be charged with
a felony."
The receptionist started trembling. She grabbed her purse, put her pumps
on her feet and said, "Lookit, do what you want I don't work here anymore." She headed
off towards the doorway.
Scully caught the woman before she left. "Before you do anything, why don't
you just answer a few questions? We could go sit outside and talk a bit."
Mulder, pleased with himself winked at Scully as she left with the
receptionist. Grinning gleefully, he was into the files before they were
out of the building.
When Scully and the receptionist returned, drying her eyes. Mulder was
seated in the lobby, cheerfully reading Vogue.
"What do you have, Mulder?," Scully asked when the were in the replace
ment car the rental agency had sent over.
"Well," Mulder said turning slightly towards his partner. "the plot
thickens." Reaching inside his suit jacket he pulled out a wad of photocopied
papers.
Scully scanned the pages Mulder had purloined from the doctors files.
The first page concerned one Jennifer Abbott. It was Dr. Jocobi's notes on h r
condition.
The second page listed her as a part of Case 17 and listed the fertility
drug as a designer drug Mearkoltaps, formulated for her body chemistry.
The third page included information concerning Jonathan Abbott. There was
a diagnosis of Mr. Abbotts problem. He was sterile.
Dr. Jocobi had been careful to annotate that it was irreversible.
A copy of the girls' birth certificate was included. Dr Jocobi, himself had
been the delivering physician. There was also a stack of death certificates
each signed by one Erwin Jocobi, pathologist. One was for a certain
Scarla Rose Abbott, died August 17, 1991 at age 14 from complications
resulting in heart failure. T e state was listed as Virginia. The rest of the
certificates were for other Abbotts, reportedly dying in an automobile crash.
"Mulder, do #ou know what this means?" Scully exclaimed.
"Yeah," Mulder said, "we gotta find that girl."
*****
"Father..." the girl called as she entered the front doors of the
sprawling mansion. "Father, where are you?"
A graying man of m#dium height and build with a shock of red hair stepped
around the corner from an office. He held a cordless phone up to his ear.
"You'd better honor our deal!" he said before furiously shutting down the phone.
The girl took a step back from the man who now seemed to be a stranger.
She'd never seen him so upset.
The man's expression changed, "Honey, come here. I know you don't
understand what's going on here, but it's all going to be taken care of very
soon."
Looking back at the man, she asked the question that had bothered her
all the way home. That agent at the office had given her a strange feeling
t at she knew him...somehow. And he had called her Cinda. A name that came
from a dream. A dream she had told no one about.
"Father, who's Cinda?" she asked point blank.
The man seemed to pale just ever so slightly, before his smile was back
in place. "Carla, honey, you are a very special girl, you know that. Ever since
you lost your family I've taken care of you and kept you safe from those who
might want to take advantage of your uniqueness. Cinda was not so lucky. She
died years ago."
Taking this in Carla looked down at her hands, "Why did we run away today?"
she asked. She didn't want to see his face. To hear him tell her a lie. She
wanted to trust him.
"Believe me, it's better that you don't know." He said and turned to go back
into his office.
Carla wasn't satisfied with his answer. He was hiding something from her.
Something important. Angrily she turned on her heel and headed back out the
front door. Pass the gaurd at the gate and out onto the road that would lead to
the main roads.
When she left the house Jocobi, reactivated his cordless and spoke.
"Don't let her out of your sight."
*#* * * *
"What did that#map say again?" Mulder asked, frustrated, it was far past
lunch and he was starved. They had driven around the small surburb looking for
Jocobi#s home, for nearly 90 minutes.
"Whoa, turn here," Scully said looking at side road they were coming
up on. Then looking back down at the much out of date map. They felt their way
along the road until they came upon a large black fence on one side
of the road. Every so often a sign was posted that warned that the #fence was
electrified. After that it was simply a matter of following the fence.
When they pulled up before the gate, they were informed that the Dr. had
gone away unexpectedly on urgent business. When the inquired about his daughter
they were told she had gone with him.
Sighing they headed back to town and decided to get a very late lunch.
They found a small cafe near a park. Taking a seat by the window they made
their orders.
* * * * *
Carla drove aimlessly through town. She was trying to calm herself down,
but the more she thoug t about it the angrier she got. Why couldn't he trust
her? He was the closet thing to family she had and still he didn't trust her.
Turning own main street she felt a stange sensation. Looking around she
saw the Main St. Cafe and decided to go in. The feeling died away. Shaking
her head, she parked her car and went on into the restaurant.
* * * * *
Dana Scully was bitting into her pastrami on rye when a young red headed
girl stepped into the cafe. She froze.
Mulder catching the movement turned to the door to see what had happened
There stood Scarla. She spotted him as soon as she entered the room. For a
long second Mulder and Scully thought she was going to run. Then, she seemed
to come to a decision. She pointed the waiter in the direction of their table.
Mulder and Scully watched in amazement as Scarla followed the waiter
over to their table and sat down. Picking up her menu she gave them a polite
greeting.
"Hello, again, I'm Fox Mulder and this is Dana Scully," Mulder finally
spoke up after a tense moment.
"I'm Charlotta Jocobi, I take it you h ve some questions you'd like to
ask me. I'd like to ask you a few myself."
Scully started the questioning. "Are you Dr. Jocobi's daughter?"
Charlotta looked a little surprised at that question. She'd expected to
be asked if she'd been smuggling drugs or something. "Well, no not actually.
He adopted me about four years ago."
"Can you tell us how you came to be adopted by him?"
"I have no memory beyond the time when I woke up and saw him. I was about
fourteen at the time. He'd known my mother and father...before." Charlotta
began to look a bit uncomfortable. "Listen, I've answered two questions for you
now you answer one for me."
Mulder nodded.
"Who's Cinda?" she asked, "you called me Cinda earlier."
Mulder pulled out the expandable file containing the evidence thus far
collected on the case. He pulled out a picture. The one Becky had given them.
It showed four small red headed little girls along with two men, one red headed
one blond headed and a dark haired young woman all smiling into the camera.
"I don't understand," Charlotta said looking at the picture, flipping it
from front to back and to front again. "Who are these people with father?"
"Father?" Mulder and Scully asked in unison.
"Yes," Charlotta insisted, "right there." She pointed to the red headed
man with graying temples with his arm around the young blond one.
"THAT'S #r. Jocobi?"
"Yes, but who are the kids and the man and woman, when did you take this?"
"That icture was taken in 1982. One of the little girls is Cinda, one of
them is...you. Your name was Scarla Rose Abbott."
"You can't possibly expect me to beleive that. That would have been
thirteen years ago. He hasn't aged a day."
Mulder raised an eyebrow and took a second look at the picture. Hmmm.
"Are you by any chance allergic to strawberries?"
"Yes." Charlotta gave him a confused look. That wasn't so unusual, she
didn't think anyway.
"Listen to me," Mulder said "the girls in this picture, take a good look.
Are you sure you don't know them. One of them is Cinda, one is Scarla one is
Ruby, and one is--"
"Gemma." Charlotta finished for him.
"How do you know her? How do you know Gemma and Cinda and Ruby?" Mulder
asked gently.
"From a dream..." Charlotta stared at the picture. "This can't be true.
Why would Dr. Jocobi lie to me?"
"I think you know why," Mulder said. "As far as I can tell, your three
sisters are special in different ways. Are you special in some way, Carla?"
Charlotta sat thinking this over. The doctor...her FATHER, had said that
some would use her for her unique abilities. Turning a suspicious eye on the
two agents (or were they), she decided she needed more answers before she
revealed anything else about herself.
"So, why are you two here, what's your interest in me and the dr.?" she
asked. "Are we going to be charged with some crime?" She looked from one agent
to the other.
Mulder looked to Scully for a second, she wasn't going to appreciate what
he was about to say, but what else was new?
"I believe I have been touched in some way by your sisters..." Mulder
began.
Scully sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward before excusing herself.
Mulder continued after she had gone. "Your sister's believe you died
when you all were fourteen, from a rare immune disorder. After you died, your
mother Jennifer Abbott died, then Cinda got sick with the same desease. She's
been sick ever since. They developed a way of transferring their illnesses
to one, Cinda bears all the illnesses. But Cinda, was on the verge of dying
several times. Your other sister, Gemma, somehow transfers these fatal
illnesses to the body of another. Ruby fits in there, she's the dreamer and,
I believe, provides the conduit for the transfer. They transfered
Cinda's latest illness to me. For some reason, Ruby decided I was worth
saving and she and Cinda stood against Gemma to protect me. Their protection
has somehow bonded me to them. And now all of them are getting sick. I'm
afraid that somehow I've upset some balance and that they will all die. So I
decided to begin where it all started, with Jocobi, who provided the fertility
drugs that Jennifer used when she became pregnant. That search brought me
here to you. You and Cinda are virtually identical."
Charlotta looked at Mulder, shaken by the things she had heard. She could
feel something about him, a sort of kinship, that she had not recognized
before. That and the fact that she understood what was wrong with her sisters
and she knew who the one was who had taken advantage of her uniqueness.
She took a deep breath to steady herself. "Mr. Mulder," she said,
"I won't let them die. I can save them."
Before Mulder could reply to that, his cellular phone rang. Turning slightly
away from the table he answered. "Mulder." He tensed as he listened to the voice
at the other end of the connection. Closing down the phone he stopped barely to
drop money on the table for their meal. "Come on." he told Charlotta as he headed
out of the restaurant.
Mulder told her that Jocobi had taken Scully and wanted to meet him
behind someplace called the warehouse. He asked if she knew where it was.
She nodded and told him it was across the street. They headed off on foot.
When they neared the back of the building Mulder pulled out his gun. Ordering
Charlotta to stay behind himself.
Jocobi was waiting leaning against his car one arm across Scully's
shoulder. Mulder held his gun out before him pointed at Jocobi.
Jocobi held Scully's gun casually at his side.
"Good to see you made it young man, Carla, I take it he's holding you by
force?" The man spoke with a small sarcastic laugh at his own joke.
"Throw the gun over here before I have to hurt her," he said, pointing the gun
to Scully's head.
Mulder stayed his focus on the man pointing the gun at Scully. He wished
he were a better shot, he'd try to take him. He wanted to keep possession of
his gun until he'd examined all options.
Charlotta, tried to reason with him, "Father," she began nervously, "I'm
a grown woman, I can make my own decisions, You always wanted me to be
independent. Let me make my own decision now."
Pointing the gun and aiming he shot at Mulder. The bullet grazed the hand
holding the gun. Crying out in pain, Mulder dropped the gun. Charlotta screamed.
Scully took the oppurtunity to retrieve the knife from her pocket and jab
the sharp edge of the case into his groin. He yelped in pain, releasing her.
Spinning, she got her gun away from him. Then backed away with the gun trained
on him, dropping the knife case back into her pocket. She could kiss the
Norweigans.
Scully ordered Jocobi to lay on the ground. She asked Mulder if he was
alright. His hand was bleeding but he would survive. With his good hand he took
out his handcuffs and cuffed the Dr. now laying on the gound.
When Scully was sure Jocobi was secure, she called the police. Mulder and
Charlotta were talking softly together. When she was done with the police, she
went over to check Mulder's hand up close. Charlotta was holding his hand in
both of hers. That was curious.
"Let me see it," Scully said, taking Mulder's hand away from Charlotta.
Examining it she saw that his wound was gone, completely healed. The only
evidence that he had even been hurt was residual blood smeared across his shirt
and his other hand.
She turned shocked eyes from Mulder to Charlotta. Then she looked at Mulder's
other hand. Before she was given the oppurtunity to believe or not believe the
2 police cars and a van pulled up.
Jocobi was taken away in the van, while the police finished up their final
questions for the agents and Charlotta.
"I'd like to ask Jocobi a few questions," Mulder told the officer, "will
that be possible right away at the jail?"
"Jail?!" the officer responded, "your guys took him. The black van...
remember?"
Scully and Mulder looked at one another. The familar sinking feeling at
loosing something that had brought them so close to some truth that someone
didn't want them to know came over them. They turned to be sure Charlotta was
still there. She was.
Thursday 9:39 p.m. Bayside Sentera Hospital
Becky led the way into the girls' rooms at the hospital. She had barely
had time to get over the news Fox and Dana had brought home to her. She'd been
away at school when the girls had come back home with Jenny. So she hadn't
really gotten to know them growing up. She regretted that, especially now.
But this girl who called herself Charlotta, could have been Cinda, except
for the length of her hair. Wiping back the tears that continued to come
to her eyes. She told all the girls that someone was there to see them. They'd
all wondered what was wrong with her.
When Charlotta walked around the corner, they all recognized her
immediately...
Scully and Mulder looked on as they shared a big group hug. Gemma was
no longer mad at Ruby. Cinda could feel herself being made whole again. Ruby's
plan had worked, he had been able to fulfill her purpose. The sisters were no
longer incomplete. And Mulder could no longer feel...them.
"Come on, Mulder," Scully said, dragging him from the room, "Our job is
done here."
"Yeah," Mulder said, feeling a bit choked. He would miss them.
"Mulder?" Scully said as they walked down the hospital halls.
"Yeah, Scully?"
"I wonder who's buried in Scarla's grave..."
The End...?
Notes: Thanks Erin, and thanks Anthony you both know why.
I hope everyone has enjoyed both of these stories. Comments, gripes...
email me at Jackeec@aol.com or 74363.2566@compuserve.com