Subject: *NEW*: The Boy - by syn (1/1) From: SynnerX Date: 3 Nov 1997 18:00:04 -0500 Category: Short story/PG These characters are owned by Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. No copyright infringement is intended and no money may be made from this story. Spoilers: Third season. TITLE: THE BOY Author: by syn Archive anywhere. ~~~~~~~~~~~ "What about the boy? Oh, what about the boy? He saw it all!" - "Tommy" by The Who ~~~~~~~~~~~ The lighter flickered brightly, mindless and hot in her hand. "You know, John, Bill and I spoke last night," she said, her half-smile hidden underneath hair so black, it shone blue in the lamplight. She lit the cigarette of the man next to her, her fingers burning against the metal, without a murmur escaping. The thin man beside her, the one with the cigarette, had thick lips. But they moved very little when he spoke. "I was wondering how long he'd wait to do it. The day is nearly here." He took a long drag, the smoke clouding the room. "This isn't your fault, Tina, you realize that, of course." "Yes," she said calmly, the lighter still burning brightly in her hand for some unknown reason. "I don't blame myself for the inevitable. But, there are some things that I do blame myself for." The man with the cigarette, felt a small, smooth muscle in his cheek twitch sharply. "What could you possibly blame yourself for? These were Bill's choices, not yours. His mistakes. Don't be foolish, Tina. Time will heal all wounds, I promise you that. And when Samantha is old enough, even she will..." "Fox is not Bill's child," she said, clicking the lighter shut. "Never has been, never will be." The cigarette ash fell, crumbling from the man's mouth. "What?" he gasped, a small choking whisper...a deathly sound. The woman beside him did not reply. "What?" he repeated, with anger. "Don't fool with me Tina. I'm indulgent with you, but that may not always be true." But her voice grew stronger, her eyes turning hard. "I said that Fox is not Bill's child. Bill has no son. That boy...that boy, he belongs to another," she hissed, with narrow eyes. "And you know who that is." The smoking man rose, his hands shaking. "That's a lie! A lie!" he roared. The children upstairs stirred in their sleep. "A lie!" he screamed again, as Bill Mulder ran into the room. "What the hell are you two screaming about now?" he asked, a slight, inescapable slur in his voice. "What now?" "It is no lie," said Tina Mulder, rising defiantly, facing her husband. "Fox is his son, Bill. I'm sorry. But it's true. And if you take him away," she cried to the smoking man, "you'll be giving away your own flesh and blood! Yes, your own child you'll give to them! So, you have to know...to realize this, before its too late!" Bill Mulder stared at his wife and then at his partner. And said nothing. But the smoking man was enraged still. "This is a lie! How can that be? I remember that we...we..." His voice trailed off as the smoke faded from the room. "This can't be true," he finished with conviction. "It can't be." "It is," replied Tina Mulder, her voice rough and thick. "Fox is your son. And it is up to you to save him." She threw herself at the smoking man, upon his chest, into his arms. "Oh, I know you can save him, John. I know you can," she whispered ecstatically. "You have the ways, the means, I know you do. The power, it's in your hands. Save your son, John...your flesh and blood. Save the boy and he'll make you happy some day, I know it." She glanced at her husband over the smoking man's shoulder. "Well, goddamn it," said Bill Mulder hesitantly, trying to take cues from his wife. "Goddamn it, Tina! How could you do this?" The smoking man ran his hands through his hair, desperately clenching its roots. Tina Mulder brushed her hand along his cheek lovingly. "Don't listen to him just now, John. Just think of your dear son. Your boy. Your flesh and blood." "I don't know," the smoking man whispered. "I don't know what I can do." "I'm sure you can think of something," Tina whispered, nodding at her husband over the smoker's shoulder. "But they are waiting for the boy," the smoker yelled, pulling out of her embrace. "They are expecting him to be delivered to them. What can I do? We have to give them something...someone...anything." He paced the room, throwing the cigarette down into the carpet with a single, furious gesture. "Damn it. I have to give them something." "You could give them Samantha," said Bill Mulder quietly as his wife whirled around with fury in her eyes. "Wouldn't that do?" The smoker stopped pacing. "Yes. Yes, that might do," said the smoker. "One for the other, that's a possibility." "No," whispered Tina Mulder. "No..." Bill Mulder shrugged. "Better than the boy, isn't it John? A man who has to choose between his boy and his daughter, he knows what his choice is, doesn't he?" "Yes. Yes, I think so," said the smoker, carefully. "No..." Tina Mulder's face began to fall, to pale and flush, in rage, then in terror. "Samantha is a baby. No, there isn't one for the other. That cannot be." "But she is his, isn't she, Tina?" asked the smoker, pointing at Bill. "Isn't she?" Bill turned to his wife with a thin, brutal smile. "Yes, Tina. Samantha *is* my child, isn't she? Not like Fox." "No," repeated Tina, a mantra of terror and desperation. "You can't do this. You can't take my child! I won't let you! I won't let you!" "You can't do this!" she screamed at the smoker. But the smoker was already gone. Gone to change the plans of those above him. While those beneath him were left to suffer. Tina Mulder stared at the door, left ajar in the smokers haste. She saw black night and bright stars before her, while her husband's hot, strong breath surged against her neck. "Nice try, my dear wife. But as I told you always, the choice is yours. Whether you wish it to be, or not," he said, before leaving and turning off the light. "Always yours." "Damn you, "she whispered, to the darkness, even to the shining stars. "Damn you." And upstairs, the children slept still. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ synnerx@yahoo.com == ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~