Title: Awakening Author: Agent X Summary: Scully wakes up Category: DSF, character death, AU (but would be a nice start to season 9) Keywords: Scully and the baby, Mulder MIA, Doggett Spoilers: Season 8 Timeline: after This Is Not Happening Disclaimer: The character in this story are the property of the genius Chris Carter, 1013 and Fox Archive: anywhere you like, just let me know please Feedback: Good or bad, to aussie_xphile25@yahoo.com.au . Flames are encouraged - I do love a good fight! Dedication: This story is entirely dedicated to the wonderful Robert Patrick, who has inspired me to write this by bringing the character of John Doggett to life! _ Also to my fellow WIB and the crew of the Doggship - love ya guys!! Author's Note: at the end * No beta reader used. Please excuse the typos * ************************* Awakening Are you trying to tell me this has something to do with Mulder? You came crashing in here. I was trying to help him too. What? What is it? It's Mulder. This is not happening! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I can't truly believe I'm standing here. He was the last. His father and motherÉ his sisterÉ Is it true? Tell me it's true. Tell meÉ I need to see him dammit! I know, but I wish you wouldn't. This is about saving a man's life. Do you have any idea what you've been through? Only what I see in your face. Anybody miss me? Mulder, you are in perfect health. I'm sorry, I just have no idea where I fit in right now. When he's older, you tell the kid I went down swinging. Call them what you want - human replacements or alien replicants. They're virtually unstoppable. They want my baby. Why? Your baby was a miracle. I've never delivered a baby. I've never had one. That makes us both beginners. I donÕt care who he is or what you think he's made of. There's no way he gonna find her. No way. It's only a matter of time before they do. All the sacrifice, all the blood spilled. You've given nearly a decade of your life. Where the hell is it going to end? They said he couldn't be stopped! I've gotta get to Scully. You've gotta tell me where she it. What's happening?! It's okay, Dana. No!! This is my baby! Please don't let them take it! It's mine!! No! My baby! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! ************************* "NO!" Scully sat bolt upright in bed, awake but still living in her dream. "Agent Scully!" She felt a hand on her shoulder. "No!" she cried. "Get away from me! It's mine1" "Agent Scully, it's me. It's Agent Doggett." Her eyes snapped to the person kneeling by the side of her bed. It *was* Agent Doggett. She blinked, disoriented in the darkened room. "WhereÉ? WhatÉ?" she stammered, still not sure where she was. Doggett took his hands off her shoulders and reached over to switch on the bedside light. A warm, yellow glow flooded the small motel room. Still shaking, Scully leaned back, resting her head on the wall. Doggett was still kneeling next to the bed, the concerned expression on his face deepening the lines on his forehead. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. She nodded, not trusting her voice. She still wasn't exactly sure where she was or what was happening. The last thing she remembered was being in labourÉ and in danger. "Where are we?" she asked when she thought she could control her voice. It still came out shakily. "Montana," Doggett replied. "Don't you remember what happened?" Scully sat up again, still confused. "Montana? What are we doing here? Where's Mulder?" Doggett looked at the floor, then back at her. "We found Mulder last night. Remember? Out in the woods?" True, Scully did remember the night they found Mulder in the woods, dead. But that had been months ago. He was alive again, wasn't he? "Scully?" she heard Doggett say. Looking around her again, she suddenly remembered everything. She was in Montana. She was in bed. She'd been asleep. Mulder really was dead. She'd been dreaming. She began to cry softly. Doggett got up from where he'd been kneeling and sat next to her on the bed. "Dana?" he said quietly. "He's dead," she choked out through tears. "He's really dead." Doggett put his arm around her shoulders and she cried into his shirt. "Shhhh," he soothed her, gently stroking her hair. "You'll be okay." She snaked her arms around his back and let go of all the emotions she'd bottled up for months. "Do you think you can sleep?" he asked after a while. "You need you rest." She shook her head. "I can't," she whispered. "I might dream again." "You were terrified when you woke up. You wanna tell me what you were dreaming about?" She let out a shaky breath. "Mulder was alive. He came back to life. He came back to me." Doggett hugged her tighter, wishing her dream would come true if only to see her smile. "They were after my baby," she whispered. "Who?" Doggett asked. "Men. I don't know. Billy Miles came back too, but he was bad. He wanted to kill my baby. I was in labour and he came for the baby and I couldn't get awayÉ" She stopped talking and started sobbing again. "It's okay," Doggett said softly. "It was only a dream. Nothing is gonna happen to your baby." Scully sighed. "As much as I loved Mulder," she said through her tears. "If having him back meant losing my babyÉ I couldn't do itÉ I couldn't give up my baby." "And you won't have to," Doggett assured her. Scully rested her head on his chest, glad of the warmth and security he brought her. "John?" she said after a while. "Yeah?" "I'm glad it was only a dream." ~The End~ Author's Note: This fic was written after someone on SHODDS suggested the whole season after TINH was only a dream. Whoever you were - thanks for the idea!