Title:           AN ALTERNATE REALITY Posted 2/16/03

Author:          FatCat (feedback to FatCat926@msn.com)

Website:         Please visit the wonderful home Donnilee has
                 created to house my stories at
                 https://donnilee.xf-redux.com.  Just follow my name
                 to find my stories.  While you are there, take a
                 peek at the other great stories Donnilee has
                 at her site.  Thank you Donni!

Rating:          PG

Category:        MSR, S/A

Spoilers:        Takes place after The Truth and includes
                 references to my version of the future.

Archive:         As you wish, but please keep my name attached and
                 let me know where to visit.

Summary:         How many truths are there out there?  Which one
                 will be Scully's future.

Disclaimer:      They aren't mine nor anyone's but CC, Fox, 1013,
                 DD, and GA's.  These works are used without
                 permission-no infringement intended.

Author's Notes:  Most of all, a big THANK YOU to Frohike-Beta
                 Extraordinaire.  Without your honesty and talent,
                 I wouldn't enjoy this nearly as much!

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Miss Scully.  Miss Scully!"

Dana Scully startled awake and turned to face the woman behind the
desk.  "Yes?  I'm sorry, I was..."

"Yes, Miss Scully.  The Director will see you now."  The woman's
pursed lips were the only indication of her disdain.

"Uhm, thank you."  Scully rose and entered the door indicated.
What was going on?  Where was she?  Director?  Director of the FBI?
Where was Mulder?

Seated behind a magnificent desk of rare ebony wood was a man that
Scully had never seen before.  His cordial but impersonal glance
towards the chairs in front of his desk was her clue to be seated.

He shuffled through the file in front of him for several minutes,
pausing occasionally to check one point or another.  He did not
look at her directly.  He did not speak, and she had the distinct
feeling that to speak first would be a major breech of protocol.

Scully took the opportunity to surreptitiously study the man before
her.  There was nothing exceptional about the Director.  He was a
man of medium height, weight, with non-descript looks that could be
easily forgotten.  His face was not old nor young, kind nor cruel.
He was, however, a man who held a great deal of power and his
bearing indicated that he enjoyed it.  Scully decided that though
she didn't know who he was, it would not be wise to irritate him.

Finally he finished perusing the file and closed it.  He placed it
in the middle of his spotless desk and folded his hands on top of
it, before speaking.

"Miss Scully.  Thank you for responding so promptly to my request
to meet with you."

Once again Scully felt that his words were mere formality and that
her input was not required at this point.

He flipped the file open again and said, "Miss Scully, I see that
you have completed your residency in forensic pathology and have
passed the medical boards to acquire your license."  When Scully
didn't answer, he raised his eyes to her face, indicating she was
expected to verbally respond.

"Yes... Yes, sir."  Dana Scully was at a loss.  This was not news.
She had completed her studies and been employed by the FBI for
several years now.  Why was she here?  Where exactly was here?  She
instinctively knew that her best bet was to answer as simply as
possible until she had a clue about what was happening.

"Among the documents in your file is the standard Form M-123174 and
Form P-33047, is that correct?"

Scully hesitated and then decided to be truthful.  "I'm sorry, sir,
I don't remember exactly what those forms are for."

The man behind the desk looked surprised at her answer and said,
"Come now, Miss Scully.  Every citizen on Earth knows these form
numbers by heart from the time they are able to read."  His
implication that she was lacking was implicit.

"I am sorry sir, but I'm drawing a blank," Scully stalled.  "This
is all..."

"Of course.  Nerves.  I've seen even grown men terrified when
discussing Form M-123174!" he chuckled.

Scully smiled to cover her lack of understanding.

"Form M-123174, Application for Pair Bonding and Form P-33047,
License to Procreate with the Pair-bonded Male are two of the most
important forms you will ever complete.  Every young woman is
nervous on her Discovery Date."  His paternal smile turned sad.
"Unfortunately not everyone receives good news on this date."  His
expression became one of compassion.

"You have bad news for me?  Sir?"  Scully choked out.

"Yes, Miss Scully.  As you know, throughout your lifetime you have
had various tests in anticipation of this day.  You have always
done well in all your scholastic pursuits and we had such high
hopes for you.  An intelligence of your level is certainly a
welcome addition to the gene pool.  However..." he paused for effect.

"However?" Scully prompted.

"After your final testing it has been determined that there is no
registered Pair-Bond male for you."  His statement was one of
dismissal.

Scully was incredulous.  "Please... Please, Sir, what does this
mean?"

"Mean?  Come, come Miss Scully, certainly you are not ignorant in
the ways of the world."  The Director was uncomfortable now that
his duty of demarcation was over.

"My family has shielded me from influences outside my chosen field
of studies, sir.  I have spent my life immersed in pursuit of my
degree, working towards my future.  Please," Scully stammered out.

The Director sighed and closed his eyes.  He pinched the bridge of
his nose with the fingers of his left hand as he opened her file
again with his right.

"Very well, Miss Scully.  You obviously have been an exemplary
citizen, and I have received no less than three requests for a
special dispensation to allow you to procreate without a Bonded
male.  Very impressive.  However, the Board has denied all requests
for you, due to your physical limitations."

"My physical limitations, Sir?" Scully was more confused than ever.
If she could pass muster for the FBI, what could be limiting her in
this nightmare?

"Are you going to make me say it, Miss Scully?" the Director
scowled at her.

She could only nod in response.

"You height, Miss Scully.  You do not meet the height requirements
for a breeder's license," he would not meet her eyes.

"My height?  Isn't discriminating against short people against the
law?"  Scully was getting angry as the interview continued.  Where
the heck was she and how did she get here?  Who did this man think
he was to tell her she was too short to have children?

"There are no laws governing discrimination against short people,
Miss Scully.  Your height would not have been in question if there
had been a mate available for you.  But a breeder's license does
come with certain requirements and a minimum height is one of
them."

"But, I don't understand.  If I was going to be allowed to
procreate with my chosen male, despite my height, why can't I have
a baby as an unbonded female?"

"Miss Scully, you would have done well to pay more attention to
your Civics classes.  If you had, you would know the answer to this
already."  The Director was quickly losing patience with this
willful, questioning young woman.  "In a pair-bonded match, all the
genetic combinations are permutated and the risk of an undesirable
trait being passed on virtually nil before the actual individuals
are involved."

"A breeder, on the other hand is not controlled by genetics, but
rather by much more base instincts...  Power, wealth..."

"Love," Scully interjected.

The Director gave her a shocked look and then smiled, "Ah, humor!
Very good, Miss Scully."  He looked back at her file.  "I do think
I have some very good news for you career wise, Miss Scully.  You
have been chosen to serve in the government domain.  The FBI has
requested your services."

"The Federal Bureau of Investigations has recruited me?" Scully
asked.

The smile on the Director's face froze.  "Another attempt at humor,
Miss Scully?"  The glare he gave her made her stammer an apology.

"Ssorry, sir."

"Yes, well.  Fertility Board Investigations has requested your
services.  As one of the largest and most prestigious law
enforcement agencies on Earth, you should feel grateful for their
interest in you.  Now, if that's all, please step back out to my
assistant's desk and pick up the appointment card she has prepared
for you.  You will be interviewed and tested by the FBI and then
you will receive your Discovery Date ID when you pass the entrance
exams."  The director signed her file with a flourish and swept it
into a slot in his desk for completed work.

Dana Scully rose to her feet and turned to leave.

"Miss Scully!  Aren't you forgetting something?"  The Director was
clearly irritated.

Scully swept the area around her chair to make sure that she had
not forgotten her briefcase or her purse but realized that they had
been checked at the front receptionist's desk.  After drawing a
total blank, she gave him a questioning look.

"Hmmmpf!  Civics and Protocol were obviously ignored in your
education.  You would do well to brush up on both before attempting
the FBI exam."  The Director gave her a dark scowl.

Scully realized she was supposed to thank the Director for his
help.  How could she force the words through her lips?  This little
officious toad had just informed her that she was not allowed to
have a baby-ever.  It was like losing Emily all over again.  For a
moment her heart had soared, but the casually cruel words of this
man had just confirmed that she was to be childless for the rest of
her life.  Scully stared at the man as these thoughts flashed
through her mind.  She realized that if she irritated this man
enough, the rest of her life could be a very short time after all.

"Thank you sir.  I'm just overwhelmed at all the news you've shared
with me."  Scully lowered her eyes so that the Director could not
see how angry and hurt she was.

"Of course, Miss Scully.  I'll look forward to hearing great things
about you in the future."

Scully opened the door and let the nightmare wash over her.  As she
left the office of the Director, she held her appointment card in
her hand.  She was given her purse and her briefcase back at the
front desk.  She exited the building and walked a few blocks before
sinking down on a bench next to a fountain to decide what to do.

She watched several families strolling towards the park across the
street.  She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to
spill down her cheeks.  Childless.  She shook her head and decided
that she had wallowed enough in her own self pity.  She needed to
speak to Mulder.  She rose and walked toward the Metro station.

As she passed the first office building she glanced into the
windows and came to a screeching halt.  She could clearly see her
reflection.  Her hair was long and had the brown rinse she had used
when she was first at the FBI.  Her face was rounder and younger
looking and she was wearing...

She looked down at the light grey and beige plaid suit she was
wearing and realized that she was no longer in the year 2000.  As a
matter of fact, she doubted that she was in Washington.  Hell, for
that matter she could be in Kansas for all she knew.

A wave of vertigo swept over her and she staggered to the bench at
curb.  What in the world was going on?  Where was Mulder?

Blackness swept over her and she was floating.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Dana.  Dana, honey wake up.  Please, Dana.  Answer me."  Scully
heard her mother urging her to wake up and she tried her best to
comply.

She groaned and turned her head towards her mother's voice.  "Mom..."

"Oh, Dana.  Thank God!" Maggie started to cry.  "The doctor will be
here in a second honey.  Hold on."  She picked up Scully hand and
held it as she used her other hand to stroke through her hair.
"Everything will be all right, sweetheart."

"Mom?  I had the worst dream.  I was told that I couldn't have a
husband or children, just a job.  Mom, it was awful."  Dana finally
was able to open her eyes.  "It was all a dream wasn't it Mom?"

Maggie Scully laughed out loud.  "Yes, Dana, it was all a dream.
We were so worried about you.  The last contraction was stronger
than all the others combined and you passed out.  We couldn't wake
you up.  Your poor husband was frantic and took off to find the
doctor instead of using the call button."

"Mulder?  Mulder went for the doctor?" Dana asked as she caressed
her baby belly.

"Mulder?  Who is Mulder?  Ethan went to get the doctor, honey.
They'll be back in just a minute."

"Ethan?  Ethan Minnuete?  Mom, I broke up with Ethan years ago."
Scully pulled her hand from her mother's and clutched at the
covers.  "Mom?"

Maggie tried to soothe her.  "Dana!  Oh, my God.  It's... Dana,
honey.  You need to rest.  Let the doctor look at you.  Lie still
sweetheart.  We don't want anything to happen to you or the baby."

"Mom, quit talking to me like I'm insane.  I know what I know.  I
quit dating Ethan after my first case with Mulder on the X-Files."
Scully was concerned by the fear in her mother's eyes.  "You know,
my assignment at the FBI."

"Dana, you didn't join the FBI.  You went into private practice
here in Washington and married Ethan six years ago.  Sweetie, don't
you remember?"

"No.  NO!  I didn't.  I joined the FBI and my partner is Fox Mulder
and I am having his baby."

"Oh, Dana, something's happened.  Ethan was right.  Something
happened when you fainted.  Please be calm, baby.  You are very
much in love with your husband Ethan and have been married since
March 6, 1993.  Fox Mulder was that horrible man that was just
executed for treason.  It's been in all the papers, honey.  You've
never met him, but his name and face have been on every news show
for the past month."  Maggie was terrified, and didn't know what
else to do but tell her the truth.

"Treason!" Scully nearly blacked out again.  "What... what did they
say he did?" she managed to whisper.

"Honey, we shouldn't talk about this now.  You have to be careful,
the baby needs you to be calm."

"What did they say he did, Mom," Scully almost shouted.

"He was caught selling biological warfare. . . deadly viruses to
Saddam Hussein.  They had proof.  Videotapes and witnesses.  He was
executed last Wednesday."

The sound that flowed from Dana Scully was erie.  It was a roar, a
combination of keening and sheer anger.  "Nooooooooo!  Oh God,
nooooo......."

The door to the room opened and a team of medical personnel rushed
in.  Scully let her glance sweep across the group that stared at
her as she grieved.  Towards the rear of the group she saw Ethan.
He was pale and looked as if he was going to faint.

A searing pain ripped through her abdomen and the room started to
spin.  Blackness settled over her as the last thing she heard was,
"Get the crash cart, she's flat-lined."

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Scully?  Come on Scully you have to keep on top of the
contractions," Mulder gently patted her face.  "Dana, please wake
up.  You need to be awake when the next contraction hits or you'll
be caught unaware again."

"Mul...dr... Zhat you?" Dana Scully could barely speak.  "Wader."

"You know I can't give you any water, Scully, but here's some ice
chips for you."  He lifted her head and dropped a spoonful of ice
between her lips.

"Mulder?" she clutched his arm.  "You okay?" she coughed and he
slipped another spoon of ice onto her tongue.

"Yeah, baby.  I'm all right.  How are you doing?" Mulder smiled at
her.

"I'm fine."  At his grimace, she spoke again.  "I'm holding up all
right.  Just dreaming.  Horrible dreams.  Where are we?"

"We're at the hospital, Scully.  You're in labor.  You're almost
there.  They gave you a shot to help the pain and you had some kind
of reaction to it.  The baby's fine."

"Mulder.  Will is fine?  But you weren't there when he was born.
Monica was.  What's going on, Mulder?  Where's Will?" she became
increasingly agitated as she spoke.  "What the hell's going on?"

Mulder picked up the wet cloth on the nightstand to wipe her brow.
She shrank from his touch, suddenly uncertain that this really was
Mulder.

"Don't touch me.  How do I know that you are who you say you are?"

"Scully!"  Mulder's voice and face reflected his pain.  But he
quickly masked his concern.  "Scully, I am your husband, Mulder.
Our son, Will is in the waiting room with Maggie, along with most
of the people we know.  The guys are here and Skinner.  Charlie and
his family and even Tara and Matthew are here.  They're all waiting
for the appearance of our little girl...our second child."

"If everything is as you say, why haven't I had a contraction in
all the time we've been talking?" she was not giving an inch.

"Your contractions slowed when you had the reaction to the
painkiller.  Dr. Nettles said that you could be disoriented when
you woke up.  Think hard, Scully.  Just relax and try to remember
everything that's happened today."

Dana Scully wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and try to
straighten everything out in her mind, but she did not trust this
man to be Mulder.

"I want to see my mother and Will," she said.

"Scully, I can't let Maggie bring Will down here.  It's not
allowed," he tried to reason with her.

"I know you're not Mulder now.  My Mulder wouldn't let a little
thing like rules stop him from letting me see my son."

"Our son, Scully.  Our son has a bad cold.  As much as I am willing
to flaunt the rules at the drop of a hat, even I have more brains
than to expose you and all these other women and babies to his
sneezes and coughs.  As a doctor, you should know that yourself."

"Then take me to him.  I want to see my baby," she lifted her chin
in defiance, "Or I'll get up out of this bed and go down there by
myself."  She lifted her hand to remove the IV.  Mulder stopped her
from pulling it out.

"Scully!  You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met.  All
right.  Just wait right here.  I'll get a wheelchair."  He pulled
the side of the bed up to slow her down and strode from the room.

She had already lowered the side and was dangling her feet by the
time he came back into her room with the wheelchair, just moments
later.

Mulder glared at her as he maneuvered the chair into position.  A
very unhappy nurse was right behind him.

"Mrs. Mulder, this is not advisable.  You just had a severe
allergic reaction to a medication and it's not advisable for you to
be out of bed."  The nurse gave Scully her opinion and a glare.

"That's Dr. Scully-Mulder, nurse.  I want to see my son.  My...
husband will make sure I don't tumble out of the chair."  Scully
glared right back.  The nurse stepped back and allowed Mulder to
assist her into the chair and out the door.  Scully's hand snaked
out and back as they passed her.

Halfway down the hall, Scully groaned and started to list to the
side.  Mulder slowed and placed his hand on her shoulder to help
her back upright.  A sharp pain shot up his arm and he jerked his
hand back.  He was bleeding.  Scully had stabbed him with a pair of
shears she had lifted from the pocket of the nurse in her room.

"Ow!  Damn it, Scully.  What was that for?"  Mulder pulled the
handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped his bloody finger.

"Mulder!  You're bleeding!" Scully gasped.

"Of course I'm bleeding, Dana!  What the hell did you think would
happen if you stabbed me..." Mulder ground to a halt.

"Oh, God, Scully.  You thought I was the bounty hunter.  Oh, baby.
I'm sorry.  I didn't realize that you were that far out of it,"
Mulder slid to his knees there in the middle of the hospital
corridor.  He gently hugged Scully and stoked her stomach.  There
were tears in his eyes as he unwrapped the hankie and showed her
his bleeding finger.

"Dana, what did you think you could do if I started to spew toxic
fumes all over?  How were you going to save the baby?"

"I wasn't thinking, Mulder," Scully cried.  "I'm so confused.  I
had these horrible dreams.  First, I was told that I could never
marry and have children, then I was married to Ethan and you were
dead, executed as a traitor.  I didn't know what to think."  Scully
began to sob as Mulder held her tighter.  "I was so afraid when I
woke up."

"Scully, none of those things happened.  It's March 30, 2005 and
everything is going to be fine.  We beat them, Scully.  You and me.
We got Will back and he's almost five years old.  You're going to
have his sister any hour now."

"But we were running, the trial... I gave Will up for adoption," she
trembled and sobbed.  "Mulder, help me.  I don't know what's real
and what isn't."

"Scully, it's okay.  The doctor said that you could be disoriented
for a couple hours.  We almost lost you," he gently wiped her tears
with his thumbs.  "That's it, you need to stop crying now so that
you don't scare Will.  I think it's a good idea to see him before
we go back to the room.  Your contractions could begin again at any
minute and you need to rest before they do."

Scully took a couple of deep cleansing breaths and nodded.  Those
other lives had seemed so real, but this one was the one she wanted
to keep.  She wiped her tears on her bathrobe sleeves and smiled as
she said, "Mulder, let's go see our son."