TITLE:     THE LIFE THEY NOW LEAD (PART 3 OF 4) 
AUTHOR:    ABIGAIL 
E-MAIL:    littlemiss_spookymulder@hotmail.com 
RATING:    PG-13 
CATEGORY:  MSR MSW + Other - F 
KEYWORDS:  Angst, Secondary Character Deaths, Story, 
Oh, and kjippiness for Kate (KJR). 
DISCLAIMER:  All characters from the X-Files belong 
the Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox 
Broadcasting.

Summary: Mulder and Scully's life, four years later. 
With two kids who can read minds and another on the 
way, and a happy life, what could go wrong? Only 
everything...


Xxxxxxx

Two Days Later...

Reyes passed their newborn son to Scully, who held him and cooed 
to him as he looked up at her with big green eyes.

"Oh, Reyes, he's so beautiful," She said softly.

John and Reyes smiled at each other. "We're very happy to have 
him."

Meredith suddenly appeared next to her mother, and she touched 
Samuel's soft wisps of black hair. "Auntie, may I hold him?"

But Scully answered first. "Merry, how about Daddy hold him 
first? He hasn't got to yet."

A pout entered her face for a moment until she saw a cat streak by 
the front bay window in the living room. With that, she bolted out 
of the room, William following her. The adults shared in laughter, 
but then a knock sounded at the door.

Mulder got up and opened the door. In walked none other than 
Jeffrey Spender. Tiny beads of sweat formed on his forehead. A 
slim red cut ran down the length of his face. "I...I need...help..." he 
said breathlessly.

It was then that Scully noticed a woman behind him. She was tall 
with an athletic build. She had long, dark hair pulled back into a 
sleek ponytail, and piercing, if a little jaded, blue eyes. She too 
looked exhausted and scared, but less than Jeffrey.

She walked up to them. "I'm Kate Bailey," she said, extending a 
hand. "I've been hired by Mr. Spender to protect him from his 
father, CGB Spender. He's also warned me that your family may 
need a measure of protection as well considering the recent events. 
Jeffrey told me..."

His hand went over her mouth, stopping her. "No, Kate..." Jeffrey 
said. "I'll explain it. "My father knows. He knows that I gave you 
that note and helped you. He thinks I'm responsible for Diana's 
death. He's after me...us."

Scully just looked at him. "How can we trust you?"

Jeffrey gave her a look. "Mrs. Mulder, after everything I've done 
for you, everything, you still can't trust me?"

Scully looked him up and down for a moment. She looked to 
Mulder, who nodded a little.

Then she sighed. "Okay, Jeffrey. But please, explain it from the 
top..."

Jeffrey took a deep breath and started. "When your children were 
taken, I saw their faces. I saw their fear and I heard their thoughts. 
I knew then that I had to help. So I wrote you the note. I couldn't 
stand it. I didn't tell my father, but somehow, he knows. He knows 
I helped you, and because of that he blames me for Diana's death. 
He was in love with her. And now he wants me dead. He called it 
"Justice being rightfully fulfilled.""

Kate cut in. "He also said that your family would suffer for this 
indiscretion. I guess he was going over the edge, but Diana's death 
pushed him off the cliff of sanity. You see, I was supposed to help 
with the kidnapping of your children, all for his "master plan." But 
I didn't, and now that I'm with Jeffrey, he wants me dead too."

Jeffrey nodded. "Just think of it like this. You scratch our back, we 
scratch yours."

Mulder and Scully exchanged a look, as did John and Reyes. 
Finally, Mulder nodded. "Okay. We'll help you. But what are we 
supposed to do?"

"We're assuming that they know we're here. So if worst comes to 
worst we'll have to leave." Kate answered, her eyes shimmering 
with something a mixture of fear and exhilaration.

Just then Meredith and William burst through the front door. 
Meredith stopped short and gasped. "Who are you guys..."

Kate bent down and looked into Meredith's eyes. "I'm Kate, and 
I'm going to help you. The man who took you and your brother 
wants to hurt you again. He wants to hurt your Mummy and Daddy 
and me and Jeffrey."

Meredith looked confused. "I thought Jeffrey was a bad guy. He 
was there with the scary lady."

Jeffrey stooped down next to the child and took her arms in his 
large hands. "Meredith, it's okay. I was supposed to help the scary 
lady, but I wanted to help you more."

Meredith stared into his eyes for a moment, and he knew she was 
reading his thoughts. Then she backed away and nodded. "It's 
okay, Willy. I think he's telling the truth." Satisfied, Kate and 
Jeffrey stood up.

"We should probably stay here for the night, for you, Scully," Kate 
nodded to Scully. "But if anything happens, Jeffrey and I have 
chosen a place where we will be safe."

XXXXXXX

Later...that night…

Scully and Mulder slept in their room, the children at the floor in 
front of the bed. Reyes, John and little Samuel were sleeping in 
Meredith's room, and Jeffrey and Kate slept on the floor of Will's 
room.

In the master bedroom...

Scully must have woken up a million times. She jerked to life with 
every bump, noise, or whimper from the kids. She couldn't help 
but feel scared about everything that was starting to go on in their 
lives. Why, less than a month ago, everything was perfect. Now it 
was nearly a living hell, perfect strangers in their home and 
impending danger breathing down their necks and threatening a 
dire fate.

She woke yet again, and her blue eyes searched the room. Just 
Meredith rolling over. She tried to calm her beating heart to no 
avail. So she rolled closer to Mulder and wrapped herself up in 
him. Then she heard his voice.

"Can't sleep either, huh."

She looked up at her husband in the dark. "No, I'm too scared."

He put his arms around her. "Just close your eyes and it'll all be 
okay."

As she closed her eyes in sleep, she tried to forget the fright, the 
danger and its hot breath on her neck...

In Will's room...

Kate and Jeffrey were not asleep. They sat side by side on the 
floor, each leaning on the small twin bed for support. They had to 
watch to listen. At least one of them had to be awake.

"Jeffrey," Kate whispered, her eyes shining in the dark. "I'm 
scared."

Jeffrey smiled over at her. She obviously wasn't used to running 
away from his father. "I know. I can feel it. I can feel him getting 
closer."

In reply Kate scooted closer to him, using him for warmth. 
"Jeffrey, we're going to have to leave, aren't we?"

Jeffrey just took her hand in his, calming the fear in her blue eyes. 
"I don't know."

XXXXXXX

Later that night...

Reyes started awake as the bright light crept up to her eyes. She 
blinked hard as she tried to focus. Headlights, maybe?

Maybe.

Wait a minute...

She looked over at the clock. 3:42 am. Who could be coming at 
this hour? The realization crept in slowly, and suddenly a panic 
filled her chest.

She shook John awake. "John...John...I think something's wrong..."

He muttered, "Wha..."

"John, come on! Wake every one up, please, John..."

XXXXXXX

Mulder felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes slowly to 
see John poking him. Next to him Reyes was waking Scully. The 
kids stood at the foot of the bed, in front of Kate and Jeffrey.

"Muldah, we have to get out of here..."

Scully sat up as the bright light passed by the window. "What was 
that?"

Kate spoke up, her eyes dark and cold. "Someone's out there, I 
think it's him...he's waiting for us..."

Meredith's face was scared, her eyes dilated and wide. "Mummy, 
it's the man who took us..."

William nodded, a bead of sweat running down his forehead. 
"Mom, we have to leave, Dad, come on..."

Mulder jolted up. "Come on, I know where we can go for tonight 
at least..."

Mulder got up and together the group quietly made their way to the 
living room. Only a Navaho rug covered the wooden floor, its 
bright colors coming into view each time that the light swept over 
it.

Scully muttered, "Mulder..."

He just ignored her and with one sweep of his arm, the rug was 
moved back to reveal an almost unnoticeable door in the floor. he 
lifted it slowly.

There was a short staircase leading to a small room, probably just 
big enough for all of them to fit with a little extra room.

"Everyone get inside," John said. "I'll go get a flashlight."

He soon came back with the retrieved item, along with a couple of 
blankets.

Suddenly, the light stopped moving, and all sounds ceased.

"Hurry," William whispered. "They're coming..."

Everyone made their way down the staircase. Kate got in last, 
pulling the door down as she swept the rug back into place.

XXXXXXX

He entered the home with one swift kick to the door, tossing his 
Morley butt onto the manicured lawn on his way in.

He looked around for a minute, and then he noticed the rug. It was 
slightly out of place. He grinned in the dark to himself.

This was much too easy. No fun in this, he thought.

They thought they were safe. They thought he didn't know. They 
thought he was actually stupid enough not to know.

But he knew. It was all part of the game. The game that they didn't 
know they were playing.

He lit another cigarette as he turned and walked out. He would 
wait, wait until they weren't suspecting him. This was only meant 
to scare and weaken them. Like a game of chess. Start slow. Then 
come full force with the checkmate.

It was almost time for his checkmate.

XXXXXXX

They were sitting in complete darkness now. The footsteps on the 
floor ceased and the flashlight batteries ran out.

Meredith and William clung to each other in the dark. Merry 
started singing a song.

"Somewhere, out there. Beneath the pale..."

"Merry, shut up!" Will whispered, annoyed.

"Daddy, Willy said shut up..."

"Well maybe if you would stop singing I wouldn't say it!"

Mulder silenced them both. "Be quiet you guys. Don't want the 
man to come get you!"

That shut them up quick.

Mulder put his arms around Scully and she leaned against him for 
support. They just sat there together.

Samuel started to cry and Reyes hushed him quickly.

Kate suddenly squealed. "Who just grabbed my leg????"

Even in the dark, she could practically see Jeffrey's face turn a dark 
shade of red.

Merry giggled softly. "Jeffrey..."

XXXXXXX

The Next Morning...

Kate woke up to the sounds of soft footsteps on the floor above 
her. They got quieter, then louder, then quieter again.

She moved from her position of leaning against Jeffrey, and in the 
dark, she strained to make sure everyone was still there.

Mulder and Scully were leaned up against each other, his hands on 
her stomach.

John and Reyes were in almost the same position, both of their 
hands cradling their son.

She looked for the children, to the spot on the floor that they had 
spent the night on. But they weren't there...

She almost panicked. But just as she was about to wake the others, 
a soft giggle accompanied by a door slamming quickly brought her 
into reality.

They had gotten up.

She stood up as much as possible in the small space and opened 
the hatch in the floor. Bright sunlight streamed into the hole and lit 
it up.

She stood, on the stairs, half her body sticking out of the hole in 
the floor. She could still hear the giggling, so she climbed out and 
went to see where they were.

She found them playing in the sand on the shore of the lake.

And then something caught her eye. Or rather, someone...

A man stood a while away from the children, smoke wafting from 
something in his hand.

Kate moved in a little closer to see who the man was. He looked 
middle aged, maybe, wearing a dark blue suit. Smoke wafted from 
a cigarette in his hand.

CSM?

She couldn't tell. His back was to her as he watched the kids play 
in the surf.

She withdrew a gun from her belt and held it up as she made her 
way towards the man. It was weird, the kids looked at the man and 
waved to him before continuing to play.

The man started walking towards Merry and Will.

Kate broke into a run as she yelled for the man to stop in his tracks.

He turned slowly.

It wasn't him.

He held up his hands, the cigarette falling to the ground. "Hey, I 
just saw them come out and thought I'd keep an eye on 'em. 
Mulder's kids always gettin' out early," he drawled. "I watch 'em 
sometimes when they're by the lake. I swear."

She sighed loudly and put the gun back. "Sorry, sir."

"What's going on out here?" Mulder walked out of the house and 
stretched lazily.

Scully was right behind him. "Oh, thank god. The kids."

Will and Merry came up to them, eyes shining. Merry giggled and 
said, "We came out because the man went away."

Scully pulled Merry into her arms and sighed. "Meredith Emilie, 
William Mulder, never go out by yourselves early. And thanks 
Jack, for watching them."

He smiled and walked away shaking his head.

Suddenly, Will's eyes went dark. "He knows. He's coming back. 
We're not safe here."

Kate frowned. "Who?"

Will stared at her. "The cigarette man. He knew we were here last 
night. And he's going to come back..."

XXXXXXX

A little while later...

"Where can we go?" John asked.

Jeffrey looked at a road map. "Well, there's an Indian reservation 
over here...maybe we could get in there..."

Kate shook her head. "No, we won't, Jeffrey. Smoking man has 
people everywhere."

They looked into each other's eyes. Finally, Jeffrey nodded.

Will and Merry were playing on the floor together, not really 
listening to the conversation. Scully and Mulder sat near them. 
Scully looked more tired than usual. Reyes sat with John, looking 
at the map with the others.

Suddenly, Scully spoke up. "How about we go to a hospital?"

Mulder started, "Why…"

"Because," she whispered. "I think I just felt a contraction..."

XXXXXXX

About 5 hours later...

"Daddy, why are they so little?" Meredith asked as she peeked into 
the NICU, neonatal intensive care unit.

Mulder looked in on his new daughters, Samantha Abigail and 
Audrey Marie. "Because, Merry, they were born early. They're not 
all the way developed."

"Oh." She looked on at the tiny babies, kept breathing by a 
ventilator.

Mulder left her with Kate, Jeffrey, John and Reyes. He went to go 
see Scully.

XXXXXXX

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he sat down on the edge of her 
bed.

She smiled a little. "I'm okay, I guess." She sat up and put her arms 
around him. "Mulder, I'm just scared. They're very early."

He buried his face in her hair. "They'll be okay."

She leaned back and took his hands, and they prayed together for 
the safety of their newest additions.

XXXXXXX

Kate stood by Jeffrey and they watched as Merry and Will looked 
into the glass window at their new sisters.

"They're so sweet, aren't they?" She asked.

"Yeah," he answered, looking into the depths of her blue eyes.

She sighed. "I wish I had kids like them. They're so strong."

He smiled at her.

"Jeff, I hope the babies are okay. I mean, we still need to protect 
them. I have to find CGB. I have to."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you, Kate."

She laughed. "I can take care of myself, Jeffrey."

He just smiled again and took her hand. "Just be careful, okay?"

Suddenly, Merry was at Kate's side, pulling on her shirt.

"What is it Merry?"

Her eyes grew wide. "He's here, he's here, he's here!" She took off 
running down the hall toward Scully's hospital room.

"Who's her, Will?"

He started to follow his sister. "Him.."

She followed his pointing finger down the hall...

XXXXXXX

End of part 3