Title: Retrieving the Future Author: Elizabeth L. Iacono Rating: PG Category: Story, Angst Keywords: Pre-XF, Alternate Universe Spoilers: None Summary: Elizabeth tries to get her son back. Sequel to 'The Last Generation'. I highly recommend reading The Last Generation first. It'll be reposted at the same time this story is. On a side note this story is technically a crossover, being in the same universe as The Dark Is Rising books, but seeing as none of those characters make an appearance in here, this is categorized as just a plain old story. Archive: Anywhere and everywhere, Gossamer, Spookys, and Xemplary especially. Disclaimer: Anyone XF related is not mine. Anyone else you don't recognize is mine. Feedback: Makes me very happy. RhiaRamsay@aol.com Started 8-8-00 Finished 8-12-00 Retrieving the Future Elizabeth L. Iacono February, 1974 Martha's Vineyard Elizabeth Mulder drove her battered old car down the rural and very deserted roads of Martha's Vineyard. From her childhood life there she knew that in the off-season the island's population decreased largely, and the year rounders were left there to battle the winter. Granted, her memories were a little fuzzy seeing as was such a long time since she'd been there, but there were some things that just stood out. She wished though that the reason she was there now was different. Instead of showing up for the occasional family visit every few years or so as had been her tradition, her urgency had been spurred on by a far worse event. An event that shouldn't have happened. Her older brother William Mulder, had given in to the demands of his work and virtually sacrificed his daughter to forces unknown, leaving behind a heartbroken wife and a son who felt more guilt than he should have. Elizabeth knew she couldn't do much for Teena, but she could help with Fox. She wondered if Bill's coworker's had found out the truth about Fox. His birth was well covered up. There were only a handful of people who knew that Fox was not really Teena and Bill Mulder's son, but Elizabeth Mulder and Arthur Evans' son. But the people Bill worked for seemed to be able to find out whatever they wanted about anyone, so she had watched her steps. That wasn't the point right now though. The point was Fox, and making sure that he grew up right. Samantha's disappearance would leave a definite scar on his life, but Elizabeth was going to try her damndest to make sure the rest of it was good. The first step to that was taking him out of the household he was in. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to accomplish it, but she had to try, which was what lead to the impulsive trip to the Vineyard. Elizabeth pulled the car into the driveway and killed the engine. She wondered if Fox would even recognize her. All he knew about her was that she was the weird Aunt Ellie, who rarely showed up on the island but always managed to send Christmas gifts with an exotic postmark on the box. She didn't feel very exotic today though, dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater, with a belted leather jacket and her hair rather messily piled on her head. She got out of the car and walked up the path towards the house, hearing her footsteps click on the stones. Without stopping to think about it she climbed the stairs two at a time and jabbed the doorbell in with her thumb. Half a minute later the door opened, with Fox's wary face poking out from behind it. As soon as he saw her though his face broke out into a weak smile. "Hi, Aunt Ellie," he said quietly. She noticed that he was almost as tall as she was now, and she wondered where the years went. "How you been lately, kid?" she asked him, and he shot her a look. "Okay, stupid question," she sighed, knowing the stories of the past few months. "Is your dad home?" Elizabeth hoped like hell he was. "Yeah, he's back in his study," Fox said. "Just a word of warning though, he's had a bit to drink." Elizabeth bit back a groan. "I'll sober him up," she muttered, and marched back to Bill's study. She knocked on the closed door and without waiting for an answer pushed it open. Bill was hunched over his desk and she heard him say, "Go away, Fox!" "It's not Fox," Elizabeth said, leaning against the doorframe. Bill turned around to look at her, his face blank. "Elizabeth. So what brings you back to the island?" he said, and she tried hard to ignore the sarcasm lacing his voice. "How could you do it?" Elizabeth asked. "How could you sacrifice your own daughter to those bastards?" Bill stood up and walked over to the small cabinet that held his stash of liquor. "Samantha was kidnapped from the house. We don't know who took her." "Oh, cut the crap, Bill!" Elizabeth said, trying not to shout for the sake of Fox in the next room. "You and I both know that's not the case." "You know nothing about my work," Bill said, taking a long draught from the fresh glass he poured. "I know enough to know that you all but handed her over to them, because of their wishes," Elizabeth shot back. Bill didn't dignify that one with an answer, he just leaned back against his desk. "What are you doing here, Elizabeth? Why did you choose now to grace us with your little seen presence?" "I'm here because of Fox. I wanted to see how he's been holding up." "Ahh. Even after all these years there's still the emotional connection," Bill said with a sneer. "You're damn right there's an emotional connection, he's still my son!" Elizabeth said in a harsh whisper. She would have been yelling for all she was worth, but for the sake of what little innocence was left in the boy in the next room she could keep her voice down. "I want to take him to live with me. You've just proved that you're not suitable as a parent--" "And you are?" Bill cut her off. "You forfeited the rights to his welfare when he was a week old. You've spent the last twelve years doing God knows what and you expect me to think that you would make a better parent to him than me and Teena?" "At least Teena accepted him as her own son. And I could be a hell of a lot better parent than you are." Elizabeth also neglected to mention to him that due to certain circumstances her and Arthur were forced to settle down, to lead somewhat normal lives in order to blend in. Even though they was always on the lookout for anyone from The Dark, settling down had its benefits. Like the three daughters they now had, each one beautiful and special. But distancing herself from her birth family meant they wouldn't be told about them. But it also told her that she could be a damn good mother to Fox now too. "That may be, but you won't get the chance to find out. I'm not letting that boy out of my sight." "Why not? You've already gave up one child, why not send the other one somewhere you know he'll be treated right at least?" "I don't have to dignify my actions to you of all people, a flighty young girl who has turned her back on her family since she was eighteen years old," Bill said coolly. Elizabeth scoffed. "Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black. At least I care enough to try and do something to make them happier. All you do is give away your children for work of all things." Bill's hand suddenly shot out to slap her across the face, but she blocked it with a quick hand of her own. "Don't even touch me," she growled. At that moment, she saw something in his eyes. Fear. "I just have one question for you. What are you so afraid of? Why are you so damn scared that you have to have him in your line of sight every day?" Bill suddenly seemed to deflate and he leaned against the desk once more. "In my work I've seen some frightening things, things that no man should have to ever see. The only way I can keep Fox safe from them is by keeping him near me. He's staying with me, and that's final." And with that Bill Mulder stormed out of the den. Pausing for only a second to let the feeling of failure set in, Elizabeth ran after him only to see his car speeding out of the wide driveway. "Damn it," she swore. "Is everything okay?" she heard Fox ask, and she spun around on her heel. "Just peachy," Elizabeth muttered, running a hand over her face. "Sorry. You know me and your dad don't really get along." "It seems that Dad doesn't get along with anyone lately," Fox sighed, sitting down on the couch. "Has he been that bad lately?" Elizabeth asked, perching herself in the armchair facing him. "Well, ever since..." Fox used a wave of his hand to substitute Samantha's name that he couldn't get out. Elizabeth nodded sympathetically. "He's just been horrible. Spends most of his time either drinking or working." He sunk back into the couch, looking extremely tired. "Do you think he's going to do anything?" she questioned. "I hope not," Fox muttered. Elizabeth sighed heavily, knowing that if she even dared to take him with her now Bill would have her arrested for kidnapping. She rummaged around in her jacket for a second, finding a pen and paper. "Okay, look. If anything ever happens, just give me a call and we'll see what we can do." Fox looked down at the paper that she had just given him. "You're living in New York now? What happened to Europe?" he grinned at her. "It got boring," she smirked playfully. "I better get going," she sighed. "If your dad finds me back here when he gets back he'll have my head." Fox looked at the small clock on the mantle. "If you leave now you'll just be able to make the ferry off the island." "I guess that settles it then," Elizabeth said, pushing herself off the armchair. Fox got up himself and walked her to the door. "I'll see you soon, kid," she said, giving him a quick hug. "See you soon, Aunt Ellie," Fox said back, watching her as she walked out the front door. "And remember," Elizabeth called out as she walked across the lawn, turning around to look back at him. "If you need anything at all, just call me!" XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Elizabeth couldn't remember exactly how she got home, it all pretty much became a blur. She assumed she took the ferry and then drove, because seven hours later she found herself standing at the front door to the Manhattan apartment they lived in now. She jammed her key in the lock and pushed the door open to an empty apartment. That wasn't a surprise to her though, it was late, long past the girls' bedtimes. She walked inside and locked the door behind her. She made her way across the darkened living room, careful of her steps, knowing that the potential to trip over a stray toy was especially high in her home. Heading towards her bedroom, she saw the sliver of light coming from under the door told her Arthur was still awake. She pushed it open to see Arthur laying on the bed, dressed only in a pair of jeans and watching television. He looked up at the sound of the door opening. "I'm guessing by the crestfallen look on your face that it wasn't a success," Arthur said as she tossed her jacket on a chair and collapsed on the bed next to him. "Nope," Elizabeth said, leaning back into the pillows. "You should have seen that coming, you know," Arthur said, looking over at her. "After heading up there so impulsively and from what you know of your brother." Elizabeth suddenly mused that while Arthur's Welsh accent had certainly faded after all his years traveling, it still retained the faint traces of it, and those traces comforted her. "I know," she sighed. "I just can't stand seeing Fox in pain like that." "Do you ever wish that we hadn't given him over to your brother?" Arthur asked her. "Hmmm. Sometimes I do wonder what it would have been like, to have kept him with us. But then I think of what it was like back then, before we were told to settle down. The constant moving around, what evil we had encountered...it's no way for a child to grow up," Elizabeth said softly. Arthur wondered if the slight sadness he heard in her voice was real or only in his head. "I would like him to know the truth someday," Arthur sighed. Elizabeth looked over at him. "The truth? You mean about us and the Dark and everything?" Arthur nodded. "Someday he will. I left that note for Teena to give him after she dies, although I'm hoping she flakes out and gives it to him sooner. And as for the Dark, Merriman should be taking care of that. By now, even though he doesn't remember it, Merriman should have shown him the Book of Gramarye, remember him telling us about that?" "Yeah," Arthur said, recalling the conversation. "Even though he won't remember it now, it'll still be in his head for when he needs it." "Exactly. The book'll have been destroyed by now though, Will Stanton's finally read it." Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and three little heads peeking around the frame. "What is it?" Arthur asked their daughters. "We can't sleep," the oldest one said, carrying the littlest one in her arms. "The thunder's scary," the middle one said. Elizabeth looked over towards the window and saw the sudden streak of lightning going across it. "Get up here," Elizabeth said, waving the three kids towards the bed. The girls smiled and scrambled onto the bed. Elizabeth looked over the three dark haired girls as they buried themselves under the covers. Iris Branwen was their oldest daughter. She was seven years old and just as headstrong as her mother was. Sylvie Calla was the middle child at three, almost four, years old and a little quieter than Iris, although she could make herself known when she wanted to. Bella Rowan was the baby, who was not quite one year old yet, but had all the makings of being a mischievous child. Sylvie burrowed herself into Elizabeth's arms while Arthur scooped Bella up and Iris made herself at home between them. They didn't know that they had an older brother, and Elizabeth hoped the day would come that they would find out about him. They had a very interesting family, one that they should be very proud of. Her thoughts were distracted by the sound of Sylvie, Iris, and Arthur arguing about what they should watch on the television, and Elizabeth decided to turn herself to a problem that could be resolved, at least for the moment. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The end...for now. More stories in this series will be coming. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 'True love, it's the greatest thing in the world.' Miracle Max The Princess Bride XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 'Men will fight bravely and be heroes, but for a last ditch defense against any odds, get a mother.' The Defender High Wizardry XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 'This is the Fish Patrol in 201. Our flying fish has flown away. In fact, things are so rotten around here that even the pigs won't stay! But we'll fight to the bitter end! Beware The Fish!' Bruno Walton Beware The Fish XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- The X-Files Creative Mailing List Archived at http://www.xemplary.com To subscribe, go to http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/xfc-atxc To unsubscribe, write xfc-atxc-unsubscribe@onelist.com Check out the XFC Feedback list http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/xfc-fdbk ---------------------------------- Imported to ATXC courtesy of NewsGuy news service http://newsguy.com