Oz the Knight Finds the Truth Really is Out There - An X-Files Bedtime Fable By: fatoots Rating: PG, for bad words. Category: Humor, Satire, MSR. Summary: A satire that features a young Knight who finds herself in the world of the 9th season of The X Files. Things get weird, just go with it. If you can follow along then you are as strange as I am. Spoilers: If you don't know Mulder and Scully had a baby at the end of S8, you must live with Oz. Maybe some for Trust No One. Archive: I would probably faint. Sure. Let me know so I can visit. Feedback: sure. gfatoots@cs.com Disclaimers: The following story is a work a fiction, so names were not changed to protect the innocent. Mulder and Scully belong to Fox and 1013. Oz, as far as I know, is a real live person and I have her permission to use her in my story. Whether or not Chris Carter and his production team are real people is still up in the air. I, in no way will profit from this story, except for the joy it gave me to put to paper. I do take responsibility for any damage to Chris Carter's ego or reputation. Bygones! Author's Notes. This is my first and probably only foray into fanfic. I am not a not a writer. I am, however one sarcastic phile. This story was born from an off the cuff narrative I started one night in the XFA chat room as a bedtime story for Oz before she turned in for the night. Later, on my way home from work in the car, this tale just took on a life of its own in my head, and I felt compelled to write it down. I now know what a "muse" is. With the announcement of the end of the series, this story suddenly became my therapy, my way of dealing with season 8 and season 9, and a funny look and how it might and should end. Much love and thanks to Oz and dw, for without them there would be no story. To dw for being so well read and giving me the wonderful quotes. To all the betas, especially Merey, dw, and guest. To everyone at the Haven message boards, this story is for all of you. I hope it makes you laugh. ~fatoots. "I want you to know, Sancho, that the famous Amadis of Gaul was one of the most perfect knight errants. But what am I saying, one of the most perfect? I should say the only, the first, the unique, the master and lord of all those who existed in the world... Thus my friend Sancho, I reckon that whoever imitates him best will come closest to perfect chivalry." ~Miguel De Cervantes, Don Quixote Prologue It was a warm spring evening, and Ozzie the Knight found herself wandering out in the woods beyond town, as she often did when she felt restless. "Some Knight I am," she huffed aloud. How perfectly awful of the King to leave her behind on the latest Crusade. "I don't care if he is my father," she continued, to no one in particular. She looked over at her companion, a very large Great Dane she had dubbed "Big Grey". "You and I would do just fine out there Boy, wouldn't we?" She scratched behind his ears and the big dog almost purred with contentment. "There must be more than this provincial life!" she exclaimed. She found herself at the large open field that lay beyond the woods - the one where the mysterious circles would appear in the grass. She walked out to the middle and stared up to the Heavens wondering if this was all there was. She thought of fate and fortune, and of her place in the Universe. She was about to leave when she saw a light moving across the sky. "What the..." she said aloud. The light continued to grow larger and move closer and closer. Big Grey began to whine and tried to flee, but Ozzie stood firm. She suddenly had a feeling-a feeling that this was a moment of truth. A moment that would shape her destiny and change her life forever. She drew her trusty sword, Ozcalibur, held her breath, and waited to see what would happen. The light grew larger and larger until it hovered over Ozzie and Big Grey like a great corona of fire. She had to shield her eyes from the blinding light. Suddenly, she heard a voice call out her name. "OZ" The voice shouted. Ozzie, surprisingly, was not afraid. The voice though loud, was almost soothing in nature and timbre. "Yes?" Ozzie replied. "Oz," the voice continued, "because of your pureness of heart, and your willingness to believe, you have been chosen by us to go on a great quest." Ozzie's heart leaped! "A quest? Me?" she asked, a little too meekly. She straightened herself up a little taller. "You will go to Washington DC, and find a man named Fox Mulder." the voice said. "Tell him he must abandon his search for the Truth and marry Scully." What's a Scully? Ozzie thought briefly to herself. "Where do I find this, Fox Mulder?" She asked. "Begin your search at the Hoover Building, the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Okaaaaay...Ozzie thought. This was starting to get strange. "There is more!" Ozzie jumped to attention. The voice was more commanding now. "From there you will then travel to California. To the land of Los Angeles. Find the man they call Chris Carter. You will wield your mighty sword against him!" "What??" cried Ozzie. "You will bring him to us! Dead or alive! The fate and happiness of your people and your planet depend on it!" And with a thunderous BOOM, the light was gone. Ozzie stood silent and pensive for a moment. Then she took a deep breath, turned to Big Grey and said, "Come on Grey! We got a plane to catch!" "The road leads ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some large way, Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say." --J.R.R. Tolkien The Fellowship of the Ring Part 1 Westphalia Airlines Flight 54 Oz squirmed and tried to make herself more comfortable in the airplane's seat, which was obviously not made for someone in armor. She had started to refer to herself as "Oz" since that was what the voice from the light had called her. After all, it did sound much more formidable. She took a sip of her complimentary beverage and tried to forget all the unpleasantness back at the airport terminal. To think they had made her take off all her chain mail armor! She had to walk through this large machine in nothing but her corset and bloomers! Oh, what father would have said! She got a small smile at the thought of her father enraged with little puffs of smoke coming out of his ears. Also, no matter what she had said or did, they refused to let her take Ozcalibur aboard the plane. It had to be checked in the baggage hold. She felt very unsettled without it. Not to mention being worried about Big Grey, who also was not allowed on the plane with her. Just a few more hours Grey, and we'll find this Mr. Fox Mulder and be on with this quest, she thought. And what of these People in the light? Who were they? How did they hover in the sky like that? How did they know her name? This was a most peculiar thing. Funny, how she was blindly going along with all of it. But a quest was a quest. She was a knight after all. How could she refuse? Hoover Building, Washington DC. "I told you! It's Mulder, M-u-l-d-..." The security guard held up his hand and shushed her as he spoke into his phone. "Yes Sir, yes-I know. It's a young woman. You told us to call if anyone... Well, I think you should come up here and see for yourself." The guard hung up the phone. "If you'll just wait right over here ma'am, someone will be right with you." Oz stood away from the line of people and waited. Didn't he know this was important? She was on a *quest* for goodness' sake! And the man she was looking for was named Mulder not Skinner. She watched as an elevator door opened and out walked a very authoritative looking man. He approached Oz very deliberately, nervously looking around as he did so. "You were inquiring about Agent Mulder?" he asked as he came up to her. "Um, yes," Oz replied. "Agent Mulder no longer works for the FBI. His whereabouts are currently unknown," he stated firmly. He continued to stare at her expectantly. Was she supposed to say something to this? "So," she tried to fish for more information, "You have no idea where he is?" "That's what I said isn't it?" He almost sounded angry. "No one knows where he is, no one has heard from him, and if you know what's good for you, you will leave here immediately! Do I make myself clear?" He placed his hand on the breastplate of her mailcoat. Shocked by his action, she slapped him. Oz then felt a slight motion and as she looked down at his hand, she realized he was placing something between the chain link of her armor. She nodded and backed away. "Loud and clear," Oz said, enunciating each word. Her heart was pounding in her chest from the adrenaline. She grabbed Grey's leash, rushed out of the building, and ran, not stopping until she was sure she was well away. Oz ducked into an alley and removed the folded up piece of paper from inside her armor plate. It contained an address, nothing more. "Do you think this is where we can find this Mulder guy Grey?" Big Grey looked up at her expectantly and drooled. "I thought you'd say that," she chuckled. 1122 Minnesota Ave Anacostia Washington DC Oz paused outside the dilapidated building. This simply could not be right. Who could possibly inhabit such a place? The neighborhood alone gave her the willies as they made their way along to the mysterious address on the paper the FBI man had given her. The windows were all broken. There was trash strewn about everywhere. It didn't look like anyone had lived here in a long time. She looked down at her faithful companion, who looked like he had given the place the same assessment. "Well, we came all the way here, so we might as well have look." There were no other leads to follow at the moment. She and Big Grey walked carefully up the crumbling steps and slowly pushed open the front door, which was not even latched. It was dark. Almost too dark to see. Oz entered the room a bit more. A cool burst of air suddenly surrounded her, and it was as if she was falling! Oz felt panic rush through her and she reached out for Big Grey. It was then something or someone grabbed her arm and pulled her all the way into the room and somewhere behind her she heard the door slam shut! Big Grey growled and pounced on the attacker. "OW, Hey, OUCH!" A voice cried out. "Get this thing off of me!" Oz suddenly found herself free. "Who are you? What is the meaning of this?" she called out into the darkness. "Call off your dog! Call off your dog!" "GREY! HEEL!" Oz commanded. Big Grey did as he was told. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the light, and she was able to see the figure standing up, brushing himself off. He was a sight to behold. He was one of the most handsome men Oz had ever seen! Those eyes, those lips! That nose. His features all worked together in perfect symmetry. He was wearing a gray tee shirt with faded blue jeans that hugged him, well, in all the right places. "Can I help you?" His voice startled her out of her reverie and she realized her mouth was hanging open, so she spoke. "Are you Fox Mulder?" she asked. He eyed her questioningly. "And you would be Joan of Arc?" He gave a small snort. "Are you mocking me?" Oz asked. She stood up as tall as she could "I am Oz the Knight! I am here to deliver a message to Fox Mulder." He laughed lightly. "Well you look like the kind of knight that I'd get." "I beg your pardon?" Oz did not like being made to feel foolish, and she was beginning to feel just that. She tried to force down the flush that was rising to her cheeks. "Just what do you mean by that? I assure you, Sir, that I am most capable of handling anything!" To punctuate her point, she drew Ozcaliber from its sheath. "Behold the sword, Ozcalibur!" "Whoa, hold on. I meant no disrespect, honest!" Despite his words, he was still laughing. "Then WHAT is so funny, may I ask?" "Well," he replied, "That thing, that, what did you call it? Ozcaliber? It's almost bigger than you!" Oz stood tall, and unable to contain her anger any longer, she said, "Mr. Mulder, I have traveled a great distance to deliver a message to you. So if you could manage to get yourself together long enough to hear me out, I will say my piece and be on my way. I have other matters to attend to!" Mulder stopped and became serious. "A message? Ok, fire away. I'm all ears." Oz took a deep breath. Now that she had his attention she suddenly wasn't quite sure where to start or exactly what to say. Best to just tell him the truth. "I was sent here, told to find you and deliver this message. You are to abandon your search for the truth. Your only truth is Scully. You are to marry Scully." Mulder stared at her. Suddenly, he began to laugh again. Not a "haha" funny laugh, not a "you've got to be kidding me" laugh, but a maniacal, cackling "I'm a man who's lost his mind" laugh. "Um, Mr. Mulder are you ok?" "Yes, yes." He spurted out between gasps as he wiped tears from his face. Oz was at a loss at what to do. His behavior was so strange; his response not what she expected. "May I say, sir, that I am very confused by your reaction to my message? Can you explain your behavior to me?" His expression changed so suddenly it was as someone had flicked a switch. He looked almost angry. His voice rose as he spoke. "I reacted the way I did because I would love to marry Scully! I would be with her right now if I weren't stuck here! Who gave you this message anyhow?" He crossed the room and stopped in front of her. "And how did you know where to find me?" Oz told him of the field and the light that had appeared in the sky and spoken to her. She then told him of the FBI man and his covert note. Mulder nodded silently as he took it all in. He began to pace around the room. "Mr. Mulder?" "Just Mulder is fine," he interjected. "Ok, Mulder, I am still confused. You said you want to marry Scully? What do you mean when you say that you are stuck 'here'? Where is here?" "Here?" he repeated absently, "Here is Limbo. I've been here for months. At least now I'll have some company." "Why do you not just leave?" Oz asked. "Because there is no way out. No exit. No egress. Do not pass go, do not collect $200." She was getting very confused now. "Um... Why do you need $200? Never mind. What do mean there is no way out? There has to be a way out. I came in, didn't I?" "Yes, yes, you did, that is true." Mulder pondered. "So did I at one point," he remarked. He seemed lost in thought, as he began to work through all this in his mind. Oz began to feel her way around the corners of the room, searching for an opening. There had to be a door or a window or something. "Don't you think I have done that?" Mulder asked. "I was a trained Federal Agent at one point. Face it. We're stuck. Got a deck of cards stuck in there somewhere? I don't suppose armor has pockets..." "We will get out. We have to, because there is more to my quest." Oz pulled Ozcalibur out of its' sheath once again. "This is a very special sword, Mulder. Forged from ancient iron, it was given to my father's father by the Goddess Maitreya for granting her sanctuary in our land. It was given to me, being the first woman Knight in our family. Legend holds it will perform magic in the hands of a woman with great strength and courage." "You know, I thought that sword looked familiar..." "Hush!" Oz held Ozcalibur high up in front of her and whispered a silent prayer up to whatever goddess that might be listening. Meanwhile, Mulder watched silently, as what little light was present in the room seem to focus on the sword. Slowly, a small beam began to reflect off its surface, and like a laser, it shot out across the room and illuminated a small square on the bottom of the wall. He ran over to it. "Hot damn! Oz you did it! You found what could be a way out, come see!" Oz ran over to where Mulder had begun pounding on the wall, the sheet rock giving way under his hands. Before long, there appeared a passageway. Mulder stood and ran his fingers through his hair. "You've freed me from this hell," he smiled earnestly at her. "I don't know what to say..." "You don't need to say anything. I have done what I came here to do. Now I must go and complete the second part of my quest, my journey." She put Ozcalibur back in its sheath. "Yes, so you've said. What is this quest?" Mulder asked. "I am to go to Los Angeles, California, and find a man they call, Chris Carter. I am to bring him back to the people of the light." Oz told him. "Dead or alive." she added. Mulder looked at her and smiled. "Now that is a quest, isn't it? His smiled broadened into a grin. "Don't Knight's have helpers or something?" he inquired? Oz looked at him strangely. "You wish to accompany me?" "Oh yes," Mulder said quite definitively. "You have no idea." "Well, suit yourself. You can handle a weapon I trust?" Mulder just chuckled. Ignoring her question, he said, "Hey, that thing wouldn't perchance cut through titanium vertebrae now would it?" End Part 1 "Mighty the Devil in strength and in will, Like witches in witchcraft, doing ill. With hunger and thirst he makes men a-fire And burn with many a sinful desire. His breathing allures, and men come to his face: Whatever men follow him end in disgrace. The small fish are those whose faith is unsure. The big can resist the strength of his lure. The big, I assert, are those steady and whole, Whose true faith is perfect in body and soul. --The Whale, from Medieval English Verse Part 2 Fox Studios Los Angeles, CA Offices of 1013 Productions He sat at the desk pensively, lost in a deep train of thought as he stared longingly at the poster. The waves at Malibu would be terrific today, what with that storm off the coast. Only a few more months, he told himself. A few more months of churning out "quality product" for the suits upstairs, and he'd be set for life. Once that syndication sale went through, and was combined with the money from this last year's contract, he'd have enough money to buy his own goddamn island if he wanted! Yes sir, come this June, it'd be just him, surfing, tequila and women. There was still the matter at hand though; he frowned. "The show needs something, Frank" "Yes, Chris." "Did you see the fast nationals? This is bullshit! I am not going down over ratings, not now!" "Yes, Chris." "And those goddamn message boards. Who do these people think they are? I'll show them! Stupid, hysterical fans... Frank, I want you to talk to our "friend" about this "Unnamed One" character. He's getting quite a following; things could get out of control. And find out who gave that damn annoying farm animal my home e-mail. I want them fired. If I get one more stupid "ratings decline" cartoon from this person, someone's gonna pay!" "I can do that. You want the 'usual,' Chris?" "Yes." There was silence for a few moments. Again he said, "The show needs something, Frank." Another pause. "It needs Mulder, Chris." Chris Carter looked up at his co-producer, incensed. He kept his anger slightly in check, however, as he spoke his next words sharply punctuated. "It. Does. NOT. I cannot believe you have the nerve to bring this up again..." "Chris, wait, listen to me..." he started to say. "No! You listen to me! I made this show, not Mulder!" He stood up from behind the desk. "I will have no more talk of him, do you hear me? I took care of Mulder. The subject is closed!" A knock at the door interrupted any further exchange. John Doggett poked his head in. "Sir, I brought her up like you asked." Carter took a deep breath and composed himself. "Yes, of course. Bring her in." Doggett opened the door all the way and escorted Dana Scully into the room. "Scully, how nice to see you today," Carter said. Scully did little to hide her disdain. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure, Chris?" He smiled sweetly. "Why don't you sit? We need to have a little talk." "I'll stand, thank you very much. Just get to the point." "Well Scully, Dana - "he added emphasis to her first name, "your performance lately has been, well, lackluster to say the least. Ratings are slipping. The men I answer to are asking questions." Scully felt a flush start to rise in her cheeks. "What do you expect with the stuff you are giving me?" Carter's face turned red. "Excuse me?" He said loudly. She tried to recover from her mistake. "It's just, Chris, I don't know how to do this! Letting strangers into my house, giving away my gun... I don't even know who I am anymore! But, that time I got to contact Mulder, to think of him, now that I... " "SILENCE!" Everyone in the room froze. Chris Carter rose from his seat behind the desk, raised his hands to his head, grabbed fistfuls of hair and paced, exhaling large puffs of air. He stopped in front of Scully and spoke very softly but directly into her face. "You will do as I say. You will perform to my standards. You will not mention Mulder's name in my presence, or I will turn your baby into the next E.T. Do I make myself clear?" Scully raised her chin defiantly, stared directly into his cold eyes and said, "You wouldn't dare." "Try me. Mulder's gone. Want to go for broke?" She just held his gaze. "Take her back to her set." They left the room, and Chris Carter sat back at his desk, leisurely placing his feet upon it, smiling as he did so. "That's it Frank. The baby. Turn a liability into an asset. He's gonna be my little insurance policy. Hell, he could be my meal ticket." *************************** They walked in silence as he escorted her back to set 12A-her apartment. As he unlocked the door, he spoke. "I'd listen to him if I were you, Dana." Scully ignored him, choosing instead to stare at the door as she waited for him to open it. He put his index finger to her cheek and touched it, turning her face to look at him. "You know if you're lonely, I could put in a good word with the "big guy". He seems to like a good comfort scene." Anger flashed in her eyes, and she slapped his hand away. "What happened to you John? There was a time when I thought you were a man of integrity. How did they get to you? What did they promise you?" Doggett smiled as he pushed the door open. "You." She shuddered. "Over my dead body." she replied, and entered the Set. She winced slightly as the door was locked behind her but held back the tears that threatened to fall. Mulder will come for me, she thought. He has to. He always does. End Part 2. Part 3 Los Angeles, California Oz and Mulder crouched low in the brush along the hills overlooking the 20th Century Fox Production Studios. Having Mulder come along with her had proved quite handy. His strange friends agreed to look after Big Grey, and he knew exactly where to find the man she sought, saving her time. Though she suspected he had other motives than helping her. The twilight was approaching. Soon it would be time to make their move. "How do you suppose we infiltrate their defenses?" she asked as she eyed the tall fence topped with barbed wire. She turned to look at him, as he didn't answer her and he glanced down at her sword and back up to look at her. "I just assumed you would do that... that thing with the sword," he said. "You want me to use Ozcalibur to gain access to their fortress?" "Well, yeah. It got us out of freaking Limbo after all, I think it can get us through a chain link fence!" Oz rolled her eyes. "And then what Mulder? We charge in, tap someone on the shoulder and say, 'excuse me we're looking for your boss, Chris Carter so we can drag him off to certain death.' That'll go over well." "Sounds like crap when you say it. Oz, I respect your opinion, but we don't have time for surveillance and I know my way around in there." Oz smiled at him. "I bet you did this to her, didn't you. How does the expression go? Leap before looking?" Mulder suddenly looked like he had lost his best friend. "I did, actually. Scully used to get quite angry at me." He smiled a melancholy smile. "This wasn't supposed to happen, you know. We weren't supposed to... We tried so hard not to... " He trailed off. "Fall in love?" Oz asked. "Yes." He sighed. "But we knew. Everyone knew. Chris knew, but he refused to give into it. All we could do was flirt. But eventually the love came through; there was no denying it any longer. We were still forbidden to act on it though. He labeled it a 'platonic love'. So there we were, two souls together, yet apart. Lonely, but yearning to be together. Finally, we took matters into our own hands. Used our own words instead of Chris'. And it was a wonderful and beautiful thing." He paused remembering. "That's when all hell broke loose. Chris found out, and tried to ruin everything. He had me abducted. Scully was pregnant. He brought in new characters again, and tried to tear us apart. He tried rewriting history. He even implied the baby wasn't mine. When it became apparent that it wouldn't work, he just... " Mulder shuddered, "He lost his mind, lost all touch with reality. I became frightened for my safety and for Scully and the baby. I tried to protect her but..." He paused. "He sent me away. To that place you found me." Oz was quiet for a moment. "That is horrible. This man must pay for his crimes. I think the time is at hand, don't you?" "Yes, I suppose it is. I'll let the justice system do its job. All I care about right now is getting Scully and William to safety." He paused. A worried look crossed his face. "What if she doesn't want me? Maybe... she might think I abandoned her. God knows what kind of lies she was told." "You are still such a pathetic loser Mulder, you know that? She doesn't deserve you. Never did." Mulder and Oz both turned quickly, hands on their weapons, ready to strike. Mulder was incredulous. "Krycek? Jesus, what the...? I thought you were dead? I saw you shot in the head." Oz looked back and forth between both men. She stood and drew Ozcalibur. Krycek held his hands out and up slightly, indicating he meant no threat. She looked at Mulder. He nodded that it was ok, for now. "You of all people Mulder should know that death is a relative term in the X-Files world. You spent a few months in the ground there yourself." Mulder closed his eyes at the mention of that horrible part of his life. Or death, such as it was. "Fine. You're here, alive. Why? What do you want?" "Same thing as you comrade, revenge. That bastard double-crossed me. He never meant for me to kill you. He knew Skinner would come down and pop me. He had other plans you." "That still doesn't explain how you live and breathe Krycek." "I sold my soul to the Devil long ago Mulder, you know that. I guess you can say in turn I received eternal life." Oz looked to Mulder. Whoever this man was, she didn't like him, and she certainly didn't trust him. Enough of this. What do you want? We have business to attend to." "Yes, don't we all. I believe we have a common goal here. I am here to help you." Mulder snorted. "You? Help? Forgive me Krycek given the circumstances of out last meeting I think help from you is the last thing I want." "I know where she is Mulder. I can get you to her." At this, Mulder became serious. He really knows how to push his buttons, Oz thought to herself. "We don't need his help Mulder, he could be in on it. He could be leading us into a trap." "There is no trap. No one knows Mulder is back. There is no filming today. There is trouble Mulder. You saw it brewing. Carter unleashed a monster he can't control." "The supersoldiers." Mulder replied. "Yes. They were never supposed to be. They were an idea, an experiment. When the hybridization story died, that was supposed to be the end of it. Little did he know how close his fiction was to the truth." "So they are coming." Mulder said. It was a statement, not a question. "What does Scully know?" "Enough. She has been trying to do research, in hopes of finding a means to stop them and ensure your and the baby's safety, but her time in the lab is limited to taping. Other times she is confined to her apartment." Mulder nodded, his jaw set. He turned to Oz. "Let's go. Get us in there." "Him too?" Oz asked. "What he does is not my concern." He turned to Krycek. "Don't you dare get in my way Alex, or I will kill you and find a way to make you stay dead." Krycek laughed at this, but stopped suddenly as Oz held Ozcalibur high in the air. A sudden pain roared through his head. A pressure, building so strongly that it felt like an elephant was standing on it. He collapsed to the ground, his hands pressed against his temples. Oz brought her arms down to her side. Mulder stood over him as he writhed on the ground, at a loss as to what to do. "Krycek? Jesus! What is it?" Suddenly, it stopped. He lay still for a moment, his breathing still labored. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked up to see Mulder standing over him. "Nothing. It's nothing. Just go." "If you say so, fine with me." And with that, he turned to Oz and said, "Maybe we should just cut through the metal ok? " Oz did just that, thrusting the sword through the fence, creating an opening for the two of them to slip through, leaving Alex Krycek, and whatever agenda he may have, lying in the dirt. End, part 3. Part 4 Same Location. Mulder was right. Once they were inside the building it was only moments before they were outside the set door which represented the entry for Scully's apartment. Though for all their stealth, they could have paraded down the hallways of the studio with a marching band. There was no one there to notice them. It was strange. She pointed it out to Mulder. He shrugged. "I guess it is a little strange. But they aren't filming. It isn't that unusual for the place to be deserted on those days." She looked at the door, and tried the handle. It was locked. Mulder held up a set of keys with a twinkle in his eye. "Don't you think they might have changed the locks Mulder? Really now." Paying no attention to her comment Mulder inserted his key, worked the lock, and opened the door slowly... "Scully? Hey, are you... " A loud crash interrupted him as a chair came crashing down on his head. He fell to the floor. "Oh My God! Mulder? Is that you?" Scully dropped to the ground beside him. "Oh, Mulder I'm sorry! God, are you hurt?" She ran her hands over his scalp, checking for any kind of laceration or swelling. "Get some ice!" she said to Oz, not even bothering to look up. Oz did as asked, making her way into the kitchen. When she brought back the ice, Mulder's eyes were open and gazing at Scully. He was smiling. She leaned down, and pressed her forehead to his. "Oh Mulder", she sighed, "I can't believe it. You're here. You came." Her last words seem to catch in her throat. She turned her head slightly, looking upward and closing her eyes, she seemed to be fighting back tears. Mulder sat up and took her into an embrace. "It's ok Scully, I'm fine. I'm here." He stroked her hair. "God, I missed you." Scully pulled back slightly. "Mulder what happened to you? Where were you? Mulder cringed. "Scully, I'm so sorry... " he started to say but Scully raised her had to stop him. "No, Mulder hush, I'm not blaming you. I am so relieved to see you're alive! It made no sense. You were just, gone. When I pressed Chris all he would say was, 'It makes sense in it's own way'. I became suspicious of John. He wanted to know what I knew. He was acting strangely. I told him to leave, and not come back. So he did. Then I heard the lock turn in my door from the outside. I don't know when they did it. I was set up. They had the whole thing planned. I felt like an idiot Mulder." Mulder held her tightly. "Scully you're shaking." She nodded into his chest, and pulled herself out of his arms and moved to stand up. "You're timing couldn't be better Mulder. We need to go, now. They took William. We need to find him!" "What? Mulder cried. "How? When?" "About two hours ago. Some of the production goons came by, saying something about publicity pictures. When I started to pack up some things to go, they told me my presence was not required, and pulled out guns," Scully explained. "They took an innocent child?" Oz couldn't believe it. Scully looked over to Oz, "I'm sorry, but who are you?" she asked. "Scully this is Oz, she rescued me." Mulder said. "She is a, um, a Knight" "A knight." Scully replied. "Yes," Oz said, inserting herself into the conversation. "I am Oz. I was sent by the light in the sky to find your Mulder and bring him to you." She decided it might be best to let Mulder mention the marrying part. "The light in the sky sent you?" Scully asked. She looked over at Mulder, one eyebrow raised. "Well, it's nice to know that some things haven't changed." "We need to move." Mulder said. "Do you have any idea where they might have taken him Scully?" "No, not really," Scully replied. "Chris threatened him, Mulder. He threatened to turn him into something, not human." Oz spoke up. "I think that if we search for this man Chris we might also find your son." Mulder agreed. "I like the way you think Oz. Let's start with the offices." So off they went, carefully making their way up to where the offices of 1013 were located. A quick search of the deserted rooms left them empty handed and frustrated. "Now what?" Mulder asked. "Let's try the trailers. Maybe they have someone hiding him in there," Scully suggested, although she didn't sound hopeful. They left the offices, and started to work their way down the corridors to the large soundstages, when Oz stopped suddenly. Mulder looked at her. "What is it, Oz?" he asked. "Someone is coming, I hear it. Do you?" Mulder stood silent and listened while Scully turned and looked behind them. "Oh, crap! Mulder, look!" she cried out. Oz and Mulder both turned to see what Scully saw. Approaching them were four men, their gaze focused on the trio. They walked in step, seeming like they were marching. They looked almost robotic like. Their intent was unmistakable. "Run!" Mulder yelled, and all three of them took off down the hallway running as fast as they could. They came to a juncture, and a quick glance to the right showed more men, like the first group moving in fast, so they quickly fled in the other direction. "Mulder?" Oz yelled as the ran, "Who are they? Are these the soldiers you were speaking about with that man Krycek?" They came to a set of stairs, so they took them down. "Krycek is alive?" Scully asked incredulously, "Why doesn't that surprise me?" They reached the bottom of the landing and came out of the stairwell into a tremendous soundstage. "To answer you question Oz, I believe so, yes, the people chasing us are 'supersoldiers'. They have incredible power and strength, and nothing seems to be able to kill them," Mulder told her, "We need find somewhere to hide." A quick scan of the area showed it set up to look like a rustic small town. Mulder suddenly realized with horror that it was where William was born. How ironic, he thought. He motioned to Oz and Scully, "This way, come on." They ran down a dirt road towards some buildings, intending to use one of them as cover. All three stopped dead when they saw even more supersoldiers approaching from the other end of the mock town street. Turning back around revealed the ones they had been fleeing. They were surrounded. Scully looked at Mulder, who in turn looked to Oz. Oz nodded and pulled Ozcalibur from its sheath. Holding it up to the sky once more, she began to recite an ancient incantation, to summon the power of the sword, hoping its magic might save them from this peril. However, nary a word had left her mouth when something amazing happened. "Mulder, what's happening?" Scully asked. They stared in disbelief as one by one, the supersoldiers fell to the ground as they tried to approach, clutching their heads, writhing in pain. "Scully look." Mulder whispered, and pointed to Oz. Ozcalibur was glowing red. Scully looked at the scene unfolding around her, and her disbelief turned to horror as she realized what was about to happen. "Mulder," she asked, "You don't happen to know what that sword is made of, do you?" Now it was Mulder's turn to raise an inquiring brow. "Some sort of ancient iron, why?" he replied. "Get down! Now!" was all Scully said in reply. Mulder did as he was told. A sickening noise ensued, then silence. The creatures' heads had exploded. **************************** As they made their way over to the next soundstage to search for baby William, Oz tried desperately to get the image of exploding heads out of her own, while Scully and Mulder discussed what she had learned about the supersoldiers during her days of captivity. "Really, what are the odds?" Mulder asked. "Oz, your sword is an X File in and of itself!" "Huh? What?" Oz was barely paying attention. She wasn't having much success in her endeavor. How could they be so calm and detached? They must have stomachs of iron. She cringed at her choice of words. Scratch that. "Oz, are you ok?" Scully asked. "Oh yes, Scully. I guess I am just not used to this crusading." Oz replied. They reached a door and Scully stopped Mulder from opening it. "Mulder," she began, "What are you going to do if he's in there? We have no weapons." "Scully," he answered, "We have the ultimate weapon. We have Oz." "Mulder, I think most of Oz's success has been the result of coincidence and a happenstance, not from skill, and certainly not from anything supernatural." Scully whispered in reply. "Maybe, maybe not Scully. But regardless, she's two for two, and that sword can certain cut someone in half, no magic required." Mulder put his hand on the door handle. He looked up at Scully and said, "Scully, I want you to know that no matter what happens in there, I love you, and William." Scully nodded solemnly. "I know Mulder," she said and kissed his cheek, whispering "I love you too." Mulder turned to Oz and said, "You may want to have your sword ready." Oz drew her sword again, and realized that what she thought had been a moment of truth for her a few days ago had just been a walk in the woods. The time was at hand to see what fate had in store for her. End, Part 4. "The night is dark, and I am far from home, lead thou me on." --"Lead Kindly Light" Part 5 Same Location There were many things that Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, and their armor-clad companion thought they might find on the other side of that door. They knew what they hoped to find. Young baby William, perhaps with a lone sentry or two, easy to overcome. There was the potential for more supersoldiers certainly. Mulder even entertained the notion that an entire alien race could be hovering in there. Of all the things that they imagined might be in that room, however, a giant fire-breathing dragon was not one of them. "I don't suppose he's with you?" Mulder asked Oz, starring up at the beast with fascination. It was about 12 feet tall, covered in yellow and green scales, with large wings protruding from its back. The wings were streaked with gold and red feathers. His long tail curled possessively around a small costume trailer, and smoke billowed out from two large flaring nostrils. "No, I'm afraid not Mulder," Oz answered. Scully stood with her mouth agape. "What do we do now?" She looked at Oz. "Do you have any ideas?" she asked expectantly. "Why do you assume I know anything about dragons?" Oz countered. "They are mythological creatures. I would think you, Mulder, with your knowledge of the paranormal, you would be better suited to know how to battle one." "She has a point, Mulder" Scully remarked. Before Mulder could say anything, however, the dragon chose that moment to let out a large roar and a stream of flames flew from its mouth, causing them all to jump. "I'm going to try to draw its attention away from you and that trailer. Ten to one, I know what's inside it." He looked at Scully. "When I have him far enough away you two check it." "Mulder! No!" Scully called out, "Don't do this." He ignored her and began to run across the room. "Hey! Puff! Over here!" He whistled, and clapped his hands together. "Come on you big lizard! Come and get me!" The dragon roared again, more fire darting out, this time causing a nearby background scenery to ignite. Mulder flinched. "Mulder, damnit!" Scully turned to Oz and explained, "He's afraid of fire." "It is working though," Oz pointed out, "Look!" Sure enough, the dragon was moving away from the trailer and was slowing making its way towards Mulder. "Now's our chance, and we won't have much time, let's go." She said. Scully agreed, and they ran towards the trailer. ^^^^^^^^^^^ Mulder looked around the soundstage, desperate for anything he might use to contain or incapacitate the dragon. Each time the beast opened its mouth more flames shot out. Another backdrop had caught fire, and what with the paper mache scenery working like kindling, the place was going to go up fast. OSHA ought to hear about this, he thought somewhere in the back of his mind, as he jumped back at another flash of flames. Then he spotted it. It wouldn't hold for long, but it just might buy them enough time. He moved into position, waving his arms in an attempt to get the dragon's attention, hoping to get him in just the right spot... ^^^^^^^^^^^ Scully reached the door of the trailer first, an advantage to being unencumbered with armor and sword, Oz supposed, and was trying to open it but it appeared locked. She was about to go up the steps to the trailer herself when she noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. "Scully!" she whispered, and pointed to the man carrying a baby and a duffel bag trying to scurry away unnoticed. They quickly and quietly began to approach him from behind. As they got closer, Oz cried out, "Stop right there!" Surprisingly, he did just that. They came around to face him. No one said anything at first. Then little William, who was very excited to see his mother, wriggled and began to cry, demanding to go to her. Carter clutched him tighter. "What are you doing Chris? Give him to me. Now!" Scully demanded. "No." he answered. Oz drew her sword. "Give the woman her child!" she ordered. ^^^^^^^^^^^^ The flames were spreading everywhere and the room, even as large as it was, was beginning to fill with smoke. Just a little bit further, he thought. Yes, right... there! He pulled hard on a rope, and a tangle of ropes, pulleys and lighting equipment fell upon the creature, stopping it in its tracks. He looked over and saw Scully and Oz confronting their former boss, who, from his angle of vision, appeared to be holding William. "It's all going to hell Scully," Carter said. "Your child is the key. He's my only chance. I'm not letting it slip away!" "You're insane! He's just a baby. My baby Chris, please, just give him to me, and we can stop all this." Scully pleaded. She coughed, and her eyes began to tear as the smoke grew thicker. She saw Mulder slowly approaching Carter from behind. Their eyes locked and instantly she knew what he was about to do. She gave the slightest of nods in acknowledgement, and risked a sideways glanced at Oz to see if she picked up on what was about to happen. She hoped she did. Suddenly, alarm bells rang out, and the sprinkler system activated, spraying water everywhere. Mulder didn't hesitate to take advantage of the distraction, and lunged at Carter. Scully simultaneously jumped forward, grabbing the baby from his arms as Mulder wrestled him to the ground. "Fuck! Mu-Mulder? How did you get here?" he said. Mulder's response was to punch him in the face. "That's for locking me away in hell!" He punched him again. "That's for holding Scully against her will!" He picked him up off the ground and slammed him down, hard. "That's for both abductions!"... "Mulder stop!" Oz called out. "Why? Dead or alive you said right?" he screamed through the ringing alarms and streaming water. "I'm just helping you out here Oz!" "Mulder!" This time it was Scully's voice pleading to him. "We need to get out of here!" What Mulder didn't see was that the dragon had freed itself from the tangle of rope and cables and was angrily approaching. Oz had, however, and placing herself between the danger and her friends, once again raised Ozcalibur in the air and began her incantation. Time seemed to slow, and they all stopped and looked at Oz, holding her sword high in the air. With the water raining down around her in the now darkened room, she appeared to be standing in the middle of a violent storm. The dragon stopped before her, its nostrils blowing smoke. He eyed her curiously. Mulder, feeling a sudden uneasiness, got up from his position astride Carter's chest and moved to stand next to Scully and William. Ozcalibur began to glow. It was a flaming red-orange, like that of a raw molten ore. The ground beneath them began to shake, a loud hum overcame the cacophony, and a bright light pierced the darkness through the windows of the building. Mulder put his arms around Scully and William. "Mulder what's happening?" Scully asked, and held him tightly. "I'm not sure Scully," he replied, "But I think someone's here to collect on a payment due." They watched in fascination as a beam of light entered the room over Chris Carter, and he began to rise up into it. Up he rose, higher and higher, till he disappeared into the night. The light vanished, and all was still. No one moved. Even the dragon was still. Then came the sound of footsteps, clicking along the floor, growing louder as they approached. An older gentleman stood before them, smoking a cigarette. He began to clap his hands in slow applause. "Well done. Better than I ever imagined." He exhaled, and took another drag off the cigarette. "I knew you wouldn't let us down Mulder." "Sandy? Sandy Grushow? What are you doing here? What are you talking about?" Mulder asked. Grushow took another drag and began to explain, "We realized a few months ago that Carter was losing his mind you see. He assured Us he had everything under control but, We knew that to be untrue. He had alienated all the writers, the ratings had fallen to pitiful lows, We had to do something to salvage the franchise, don't you see?" "See? See what?" asked Scully, "I still don't understand what that has to do with Mulder, or with us." "I do Scully. Don't you see? It was him, Them. They set us up. They got what they wanted! The finale to end all finales. We were used as pawns in corporate game." Mulder said angrily. "I would not be so indignant Mulder, after all you got what you wanted too, now, didn't you?" Grushow remarked. Mulder had no reply for him. Instead, turning to Scully and Oz he said, "Come on, let's get out of here." "You won't be gone long, trust me," Grushow called after them as they went out the door. "You may think you want out, but come a year a two, you'll be itching to get back in the game!" He took another drag from the cigarette, "And I have another movie to put out," he added, under his breath. He looked over at the dragon. "Let's go, Septimus. Time to get you back to Miramax before they charge me double." End, Part 5 "Understand that thou art a second little world and that the sun and moon are within thee, and also the stars." ---Origen, Homilae in Leviticum Epilogue Oz lay on her back in the tall grass of the field looking up at the stars, which somehow did not look quite the same to her anymore. Big Grey had his big slobbery head across her belly. Giving him a scratch behind the ears, she sighed. She felt profoundly changed by her journey, so much so that when her father came to her this evening with news of a new quest, and invited her along she declined, simply telling him she no longer felt the need to search beyond her own land to find adventure. Seeing Mulder and Scully reunited, able to start a new life with their baby; knowing that she helped make it possible, left her with a deep sense of accomplishment. Besides, after aliens and dragons what else is there? She pulled the postcard out of her pocket again and looked at the picture on the front. It showed a beautiful beach scene, with "Virginia Beach is for Lovers" stamped across it. One the back, a simple message was written. "Oz, having a wonderful time. Thanks again. With love, M-S-W, and ?... " End.