Title: A New Life Author: Erin M. Blair E-Mail: eblair@sonic.net Classification: SRA--Story, Romance, Angst Content: Mulder/Scully Romance. Mulder/Other? Character Death? Rating: PG Spoilers: Pilot. Fire. Ascension. One Breath. Paper Clip. Memento Mori. Patient X. The Red and The Black. Archive: OK to archive at: Gossamer, FanficX, EMXC, Xemplary, and SEFAMSRN. Others: ask me first. Please forward to ATXC. Disclaimer: They're not mine. Chris Carter owns them. Summary: Cloning. Group abductions. A life taking over another life? Secret identities. Can love survive? -------------------------------------------- A NEW LIFE Written by: Erin M. Blair -------------------------------------------- Skyland Mountain, VA March 17, 1998 Mulder stood at the charred ruins of Scully's car and noticed a glint of gold on the driver's seat. He bent down and picked it up carefully: it was Scully's beloved cross necklace. Mulder watched as Skinner walked purposefully towards him, and he saw the AD look at him as Mulder dangled the the golden cross in his hands. "Is she?" asked Skinner as he reached Mulder's side. With tears in his hazel eyes, Mulder nodded. It was hard to look at Skinner with the tears blurring his vision. "She's dead." Although it was his job as an agent, telling Skinner the truth was incredibly difficult. He had to deal in the facts of the case, and without showing his emotions. "No bodies have been found. It's impossible to find the remains in this heat." He told himself to be brave. Taking a deep breath which he let out with a sigh, he continued. "No one can identify anyone but I found her cross." "Are you giving it to her mother?" Mulder shook his head. "I want to keep it as a memorial to her. I think Mrs. Scully would understand that - I hope." He could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks; he was still in a great deal of shock. Danielle Scully's Apartment Alexandria, VA Same day and time Danielle turned on the news to hear about the recent "group immolation" at Skyland Mountain. With a shudder that rang through out her body, she felt her muscles tense up as the segment went on, only to break down when she saw the names roll down on the television screen. About fifteen names rolled by, and Danielle's blue eyes were misty with unshed tears when she saw Dana's name. She couldn't see the report anymore, but she did hear the newscaster say, "The FBI's still identifying the immolation victims." With all the pain from hearing about Dana's death, she thought of one person who would be devastated. The one person whom she still cared deeply about. With both sadness and longing in her low voice, she finally spoke in a whisper: "Mulder." Margaret Scully's Residence Baltimore, MD Two Hours Later Danielle went over to Margaret Scully's residence as fast as she heard the news. She wanted to be near her in case Mulder or Skinner called. Although she was fearing for her life, Danielle wanted to come out to see her real mother with her daughter, Kaitlin. "Hi Danielle and Katie," said Margaret. She looked at both of them with concern in her eyes. "Is there something wrong?" "Did you hear about Dana?" asked Danielle. She held her daughter's hand to lead her in the house. "It was on the news this morning." "No, I didn't see the news. I was watching this science fiction show on FOX," said Margaret. She was helping Danielle with Kaitlin by taking out a doll for her to play with. "Your daughter has gotten so big. She looks so much like Dana...when she was little." "I know. There's something about Dana that I need to tell you. The local television station in Alexandria broke in. There was a group abduction at Skyland Mountain and....Dana's name was among the victims." "There's something about that I need to ask you, Danielle." "What about?" "I remember Dana told me how she was pregnant with her partner's child, but when she came back...she wasn't pregnant. She didn't even remember being pregnant..." "That's because she was never pregnant, Aunt Maggie," said Danielle gently. "I was." "Then you're Dana. I had a feeling something was up when you came back with Kaitlin." "Did you ever believe she -- the other Dana - was really Dana?" asked Danielle. "A mother knows her children. She looked like you, but she wasn't you. She didn't have your memories. I knew you were pregnant and had Kaitlin. I remember you telling me. A mother doesn't forget her own children, Dana." Maggie paused. "Does Fox know about you and Kaitlin?" "I haven't exactly seen him during the last several years. Mom, I was told to step away from him and let that imposter to take over my life. I'm sure I'll see him eventually because Skinner is actually calling me into his office." "Maybe you can come back being Fox's partner as Dana Scully?" said Maggie Scully with hope in her eyes. Danielle shrugged. "I hope I can return to my life, Mom. It's hard. When I think about ...seeing Mulder with my imposter -- it makes me sick, Mom. I keep thinking of all the years that I missed!" AD Skinner's Office FBI Headquarters Washington DC Two Weeks Later Monday, March 23, 1998 As Danielle walked into Skinner's office she noticed him eyeing her strangely. She knew she had the same physical features as Dana with shoulder-length auburn hair, blue eyes, and creamy complexion. "I'm Dana's cousin," she said in a low voice. "We look alike." "That explains it, Agent Scully." He motioned for her to take a seat. "I was reading your personnel file and was quite impressed with your background in forensic medicine. You have been in the FBI since 1990, right?" Danielle nodded. She looked around the office with fondness as she remembered being there before. "Yes, Sir. I have been teaching forensic medicine at Quantico for several years now." "As you may already know, Dana Scully was killed at a group abduction site near Skyland Mountain." He saw her shudder a bit and he knew she was related to the late agent. "I'm sure you were aware of her death." "Yes," Danielle said softly. She looked at Skinner. "Sir? Why do you want to see me?" "How well do you know Fox Mulder?" Danielle almost choked when she heard him mention Mulder. She remembered what she had said about him long ago, and decided to play it safe. "I've heard of Fox Mulder, Sir. He has this nickname at the Academy, they call him...'Spooky.' 'Spooky Mulder.' He was a criminal profiler at the Behavioral Science Unit. Um, he'd written a monograph about Monty Propps." Skinner nodded. "You're going to be Fox Mulder's partner. I expect you to write reports on the various cases, and help him using your scientific background." Danielle's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe this. She was finally going to be close to him. "Sir, do you want me to debunk him?" "Absolutely not. We want you to write reports on the investigations, and to try to find the scientific solutions. Also we need for you to ground him to reality," Skinner said. He paused quietly. "Just like she had done. From your personnel file, I sense you'll do the same." He paused. "You're free to go, Agent Scully." Danielle nodded. She walked towards the door until she heard Skinner's voice and she turned around to face him. "Aren't you going to ask me where his office is?" Danielle already knew from before where his office was. "Dana told me. It's in the basement, right?" Skinner nodded. "Good luck." "Thank you," Danielle said with a whisper. *I have a feeling I'm going to need all the luck I can get.* Basement Office Same day and time Mulder was looking at photos of the charred Skyland Mountain victims when he heard a knock on the door. "No one's down here except the FBI's most unwanted." Danielle opened the door, and noticed he hadn't turned into her direction yet. "Agent Mulder? I'm Special Agent Danielle Scully, and I've been assigned to work with you." Mulder looked up at her with disbelief as he took notice of her shoulder-length auburn hair and her azure blue eyes. *It's like looking at a ghost,* he thought, as he looked at her features. She looked so much like Scully. "Scully?" Danielle thought she'd never heard his voice again and calling her 'Scully' every day, especially waking her up in the middle of the night. She missed him so much, and it hurt to see him in so much pain. It'd had been so long since she'd seen him since... She'd rather not remember that time. She wondered if he knew the truth about her as she walked towards him to greet him. "I'm Dana's cousin, Danielle. I've heard a lot about you." She held out her hand in greeting and she watched him solemnly take it in reply. "Isn't nice to suddenly be so highly regarded?" Mulder asked. He sighed. "I told Skinner I didn't want a new partner." "Skinner wanted to make sure you have someone to help you since..." Danielle said, her voice trailing away. She looked away from him, not wanting to see the tears which were threatening to fall. Mulder could tell his new partner was suffering too. *I'm an idiot,* thought himself, as he looked at Danielle. *She lost so much, and now, she has to deal with me.* "I'm sorry." He handed her a tissue from his desk. "I shouldn't have said that." "It's OK. I'm fine." "Are you sure?" Mulder inquired. He remember Scully had stated "I'm fine" whenever she wasn't all right. If Danielle was anything like her cousin... "I'm positive, Mulder." "Mulder?" "You hate the name 'Fox' - Dana told me that. I couldn't imagine why," Danielle said with a smile. "I always liked the name." "Really?" Danielle nodded. "If you don't want me to call you 'Mulder', I can always call you 'Fox.' You can either call me 'Danielle' or 'Scully.' It's fine with me." "You don't mind if I call you, Scully? Wouldn't you regret it? Aren't you afraid I might think you're her?" "No. I'm not afraid." "You're amazing, Scully." "I take that as a compliment," Danielle said, and her smile deepened. She decided to change the subject. "Can I see the photos?" Mulder nodded. He picked them up, and handed three photos of the grisly immolation scene to her. He watched her face turn ashen when she saw the charred ruins of Scully's car. "Are you all right?" "I'd never...seen this type of thing before," Danielle said in a low voice. "There was a time when I had a case...before I taught at Quantico...where there was a man who erupted in flames. It wasn't anything like this." "You were a field agent before teaching at Quantico? I haven't read your personnel file very thoroughly, but I thought you had been there since 1990." "At first, I was. Then in 1992, I was doing some field work for a couple of years. In 1994, I came back to Quantico." Mulder nodded. It was similar to Scully's history at the FBI, but he decided not to say anything. "That's odd. Who was your partner?" "Nobody you'll have heard of. I was in the Behavioral Science Unit at the time," Danielle said. She wanted to move the topic away from her before Mulder investigated *her*. "Mulder, tell me what happened the last time you saw Dana?" "I don't know..." "Please?" Mulder sighed. He didn't want to confront the memory of the fateful day of the group abduction. It all seemed so unreal. He knew she was waiting for him to tell her what happened. "We had an argument, Danielle." "What about?" "It doesn't matter. Nothing matters." "It does for me." "But why?" "Why do you think?" Danielle asked. She wanted Mulder to trust her like he used to. She wanted him to feel close to her and recapture their love. Her mind replayed one of their earliest times when they were both young and innocent in their feelings. Before the abduction which changed their lives forever. X-Files Basement Office FBI Headquarters February 16, 1993 "Mulder, that's crazy!" Scully exclaimed as her partner related another wild theory of alien abduction. She was watching him sitting behind his desk, and then she fingered his nameplate. *What do I need to do to get that damn desk? It's almost been a year since we became partners.* "Do you mean that *I'm* crazy or this case is crazy?" "No, I just don't believe your theory that Carol Richardson was abducted at age fifteen." "Then what's *your* theory, Scully?" Mulder asked. She saw his hazel eyes were twinkling, and she knew he was looking at her to continue with her theory, and she could hear him call out to her. "Earth to Dana Katherine Scully. Come in, Scully." Scully looked up with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I had a nightmare last night. It was spooky." "That's my name." "You know what I mean," Scully said with a sigh. "I had a very vivid nightmare, Mulder, and it seemed so real." She noticed how Mulder looked concerned for her, and she knew he wanted her to confide in him. "Do you want to talk about it?" Mulder asked, quietly. Scully nodded. She wanted to show Mulder what took place in her realistic nightmare. "It was so unreal, and I felt as though I was watching myself." She paused, and then drew a deep breath to continue. "I saw someone who looked so much like me, and she was undergoing all of these...medical experiments. What does this mean?" "I don't know, Scully." "But what could this mean? Will I be abducted?" Scully asked, as she was puzzled by the deep meaning of the dream. She wanted to learn the answers to what was buried in her mind. "It could mean anything, but I doubt you'll be abducted." Scully drew a deep sigh. The possibility of that happening to her in reality frightened her to the core. "I hope not." She paused. "I know I don't believe in alien abduction, but I do know what I saw in my dream. I was looking over a woman who looked so much like me, and I couldn't do anything to help her. I never felt so helpless in my life." Mulder gently stroked her flame colored hair to assuage her. "Scully, it was just a horrible nightmare. It's not going to happen to you..." "How?" Scully inquired. Her eyebrows lifted skeptically, and her blue eyes narrowed with a questioning look at Mulder. "How do you know it's not going to happen?" She paused. "And how can you be so sure it won't?" "I'll do anything to protect you." With all of her heart, Scully wanted so much for Mulder to be right. X-Files Basement Office Monday, March 23, 1998 "Danielle?" She turned around to face Mulder, and she saw his concerned expression. "What?" "You looked so faraway... I kept calling your name, but you didn't answer." "I guess my mind was elsewhere," Danielle said with a sigh. "Mulder?" "I know this will be hard for us, but I think you should see the site." Danielle nodded. "I want to see where she died." "Are you sure?" "I'm sure," Danielle said. She wanted to know the exact nature of what had taken place on Skyland Mountain. Seeing it on the news did nothing to help her get a grasp on what could possibly have happened to Dana. "I need to know what happened to her. You understand, right?" Mulder nodded. "I do understand, but it would be so painful for you." Danielle looked away from him, and sighed. "I have to know." Skyland Mountain Tuesday, March 24, 1998 Danielle and Mulder walked towards the charred ruins of Scully's car. "Are you all right, Danielle?" Danielle sighed. She was stunned looking at the ruins, and she saw Mulder bending down to inspect the broken glass of the rearview mirror. "It's one thing to see it on the news, but to see it in person..." "I understand. I had the same reaction when I was investigating what happened here." "You said that no one found her body?" Mulder nodded. Danielle knew some of the facts hadn't sounded right to her. "Then how come her name was listed on the news? Is she or isn't she dead?" "I found her cross necklace on the ground by her car," Mulder replied. "She was here - I know it." "It could mean anything, Mulder. If she's alive, wouldn't she contact you?" Mulder nodded. "Yes. That's why I know she's gone." Danielle frowned as she put on her latex gloves, and saw something on the ground. It was the ash on the driver's seat. "I'm going to have this analyzed at the FBI labs. Perhaps they can identify this." She bent down to scoop the ash into a plastic evidence bag. "What do you think it is?" "My scientific guess, you mean? Well, I think it could be her." "Danielle, this happened a couple of weeks ago. The remains were found at the scene and we'd identified the victims." "I know that, Mulder. You told me a couple of hours ago. I bet you think its combustion." "To tell you the truth, I don't know what to believe anymore." Danielle's eyes were cloudy with tears, and she wanted to comfort him by pulling him close to her into a warm embrace. Danielle stroked his back as she could smell his after shave. "You have to believe, Mulder. I know it's painful, but you have to believe. I need you to." "Why?" Mulder asked, shocked. He paused for a second, and then he whispered. "You barely know me." "Dana told me everything about you. We're close." "How close?" "She treated me like a sister," Danielle said with a sad smile. She looked down at her shoes, thinking of her not seeing Melissa before she was killed. "That's how close. After Missy was shot, she spent a lot of time with me." She looked up at Mulder with sadness in her eyes. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love." *Like, for example, my life with you. If that abduction never occurred, who knows what would have happened?!* "You do?" Danielle nodded. "Yes, I do. I knew someone very well and he was taken from me. It's basically why I worked at Quantico." "You fell in love with your partner?" She looked away from him as she didn't want to reveal her true feelings. "Yes, I did." "Did he love you?" "I wouldn't know. He left me for someone else." Mulder frowned. "That's awful. Who was he? You never told me who was your partner." "I don't want to tell you. He's not in my life anymore. He's so happy with Diana and I didn't want to intrude." "Diana who?" Danielle sighed. She didn't want to reveal anything to him. She didn't know why she said the name of Diana. "Diana Fowley." She saw a look of recognition pass on his features, and she frowned. She remembered hearing about Special Agent Diana Fowley when she was at Quantico before she was assigned to partner Mulder. "What's wrong?" "I know her." "You do?" Mulder nodded. "She was the subject of my last fight with Scully. She found out that I actually dated her when I first had the X-Files." He paused. "I don't want to talk about her, Danielle. If I do, I'll lose you too." "Why would you lose me?" "I don't know. I blame her for Scully's death. She also took your partner from you." "Ex-partner," Danielle added. "I don't even think of him anymore. If he wants to be with her, then let him." * * * Mulder wanted to know everything about his new partner, especially the man who destroyed her life. *Destroyed?* Mulder thought, *You want to go over there and have it out with him. Don't you?* He dialed Danny Valodella's phone number. "Danny? How are you? I know I haven't contacted you for a long time. I have this new partner named Danielle Catherine Scully, and I wondered if you could...um...find anything you can about her, especially who her previous partners were." He paused. "Thanks Danny." He turned off the phone and he saw Danielle standing at the doorway of their office. "How long have you been standing there?" "Long enough," Danielle said with a sigh. "Can you please tell me why you want to investigate me? Do you think I'm a spy?" "A spy? I don't think you're a spy, Danielle. Who told you you're a spy?" "I heard from Dana you'd think all of your new partners are spies." "That's bullshit. Scully knows the truth about that." "Really? Tell me why you're investigating me." "I want to know who your former partner was so I can do two things. First, I'll tell him the truth about Diana and then I'll tell him what a prick he is for losing you." "I can defend myself to him." "I'm sure you could, but I want to do it. Let me." "Why?" "It's what I promised to Scully a long time ago, but I failed her." "I'm sure she doesn't believe that, Mulder." "I promised her I would protect her from everything, but look what happened! She told me about her dream of her abduction long before it happened and then it occurred. She blames me - I know she does." "She doesn't blame anyone, especially you. You've got to know that. Why do you think she blames you?" "We were very close before her abduction, Danielle." "Were you lovers?" Mulder nodded. "In every sense of the word. After she got back, she seemed to withdraw from me. She also had no memory of our love. She blamed me for her abduction. She never really said it, but I know she did." Danielle shivered as she couldn't believe Dana had done that to him. She remembered their love, but she never blamed Mulder for what happened. "You're *not* to blame." "But I am. If I was there - " "Don't blame yourself for what couldn't be prevented," Danielle said with reassurance. "She doesn't blame you." "I ruined her life, Danielle." She gave him a questioning glance, and she wished to tell the truth. She closed her eyes briefly as she remembered what they had told her. She couldn't do that to him or anyone who loved her. She opened her blue eyes and focused on him. "How? You don't really believe that, do you?" Mulder whispered. "Yes." He heard the phone ring, and reached for it. "Mulder." "Mulder, it's Danny," Danny said. "I've got some information for you about your new partner." "Oh," Mulder said, as he wasn't looking at Danielle. "Go ahead." "Danielle Scully doesn't have a consistent record." "What do you mean?" Mulder asked cautiously. "That's not possible, is it?" Overhearing this, Danielle bit her lip in nervousness. *He couldn't find out the truth this way.* She became very worried as to what his reaction would be. *I don't want him to find out. If they find out he knows, they'll run the tests...* "No partners were ever assigned to her," Danny replied. He sighed. "She doesn't appear in the files until 1994." "1994?" Mulder repeated. "That doesn't make any sense, Danny. It stated in her career file she's been in the FBI since 1990." "I'm just stating what I found out," Danny said with a sigh. "I know it doesn't explain her personnel file though, but I thought you wanted to know." Mulder sighed. This wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to learn everything about her, but then he had an idea. "Danny, does she have any PCRs?" "Why yes, she does. What do you want me to do?" "I know they're cousins, but I was wondering if you could have the FBI labs run a PCR tests on both Danielle Scully and Dana Scully. Scully had a PCR test taken during our first run-in with Tooms. That was in July 1993." "I'll do that," Danny replied. "I'll get right on it." After saying goodbye to him, Mulder hung up the phone and he noticed Danielle's sad, worried expression. "What's wrong?" Danielle sighed. "I guess you found out everything about me... I can explain - " She heard the phone ring, and saw Mulder answer it. "Mulder." A few clicking noises were heard until whoever was online hung up. Mulder's jaw dropped in stunned disbelief. This was how Deep Throat had contacted him. Could this person be another informant? "Mulder," Danielle said with concern. "Are you all right? You looked as though you'd heard a ghost." "It was just some clicking noises," Mulder said, with wonderment. "Maybe this is my new informant?" "I understand. Go," Danielle said with a nod. She remembered, in her previous life as Dana Scully, of all the times Mulder had ditched her to see Deep Throat. * * * A Deserted Alley September 1, 1999 Three Hours Later Mulder walked toward a small figure. "Who're you?" Up close on arrival, he noticed his new informant was a female. Darkness surrounded them, and he couldn't see her features as a thick, beige scarf hid most of her face. "My name doesn't matter to me anymore," remarked the young woman in a low, crisp tone. She wanted to remain anonymous. "She didn't follow you?" "No," Mulder said. "Do you have any information for me?" "Not yet, but I will. I can provide you with information to help you...fight the future...and especially on her." "Her?" Mulder repeated. He detected a note of jealousy. "Who do you mean?" "Danielle Scully." "She's my new partner." "Don't trust her. Trust your instincts. She's a liar," said the woman. She wanted Mulder to trust only her, but knew this was the only way. "And why would you say that?" "Because I know her." "Tell me why I should believe you over Danielle?" "I'm Scully," the woman said. She took off her scarf, and it fell to the floor. "That's impossible... I saw your car. It was burnt to the crisp," Mulder said, disbelieving. "That wasn't me. It was someone else." "Who?" Mulder asked, shocked. He didn't know what to believe. The woman before him looked so much like Scully, but he didn't know for sure. "I can't tell you, Mulder. I wish I could, but I can't." "They'll get you..?" The woman nodded with a whisper. She couldn't give him the reasons for not revealing the identity of who died in the car. "Yes. I wish I could tell you, but my life's in jeopardy." "I understand." * * * End of Part One of Two Author's Notes and Dedications in Part 2. Feedback: Much appreciated and welcomed. Send to: eblair@sonic.net