Hello all! I am Lindsay. . . NOT Chirs Carter. If, in fact, I *were*
Chris Carter, then I would own the rights to Mulder, Scully, and the whole
X-Files idea. Alas, I am only Lindsay. . . so I own NOTHING! :) (Well,
maybe not *nothing*, but certainly not Mulder, Scully, and the X-files
concept. :)  For those of you traditionalists out there, here is a standard
please-don't-sue-me copyright paragraph:
          The X-files and everything associated with them belong to Chris
Carter, 1013 productions, and the Fox network. I am using the whole thing
without permission in the hopes that I won't get sued.
          OKay? OK.

          The following story is an idea I've been kicking around since they
came up with the idea that Mulder's father had chosen which child would be
taken. Everyone assumed he had chosen Mulder as his favorite. . .thus Fox was
spared.
          Not me. =)


          No disclaimers. Rated PG.
      ***************************************************************
          A thin tedril of smoke entwined itself around his head. He blew
at it, attempting to dissapate the smoke. . . or at least make it easier to
breathe.
          "So you've made your decision?" The cause of William Mulder's
discomfort, both physical and mental, sat in front of him. A man, aging
decidedly ungracefully, blew another smoke ring and leaned against the
back of his chair. Only a mahogony desk separated them.
          "I won't do this." William Mulder gave up on the smoke, letting
tendrils drift around his face like a thin haze.
          "Don't tell me you've gotten a conscious, Bill. We've discussed
this."
          "I won't do this," William Mulder repeated, coughing slightly.
          The man paused, looking William Mulder up and down. He caught
William Mulder's gaze and held it. They stayed that way, locked in a silent
battle of wills.
          Until William Mulder looked down.
          "Yes, Bill, you will do this." He took a drag off the cigarette.
"What is your decision?"
          William Mulder looked up, narrowing his eyes against both the
smoke and his own self-hatred.
          "Fox."
          The other man nodded thoughtfully. "Your eldest. Why?"
          "He's the man, the strong one. He can. . . handle being away.
I don't know what Samantha would do-- dammit! I gave you my answer, you
don't need a reason too."
          The man nodded once more. "Quite right, Bill. I had no right to
make you explain yourself. Young Fox then. You've made your decision."
          William Mulder turned and walked out of the dark, smoke filled
 office without a word, cursing himself the whole way.
          The man picked up the phone after William Mulder had gone.
          "He has chosen. The girl appears to be his favorite, so her loss
will keep him quiet. Pick her up-- Samantha Mulder."