Title: Chip Off The Old Block IV: Duplicity Author: mimic117 Email: mimic1172@gmail.com Rating: R, for potty mouths and disturbing references to rape, although not to any of the main characters and not anything graphic. Category: X, S, A Spoilers: Everything up to the point where Mulder was drummed out of the Bureau. Then it diverges into my own universe where he's still employed, and still a part of Scully and William's lives. Plus this is the fourth in a series of stories, so you should really read those first in order to understand this. They all have the same first part in the title, so they should be easy to locate. Summary: Mulder and Scully are finally coming to terms with the truth about William and Charlie. Now they just have to keep Bill Jr. from finding out. Keywords: MSR, AU, LMNOP, Charlie fic, William fic, Bill fic Archive: I'll beam like a little ray of sunshine if you do. I'll make sure it gets to Gossamer and Ephemeral myself, though. Thanks for the offer. Disclaimer: Dis is my claimer - I ain't claiming dis. Dey is not mine. Dey is his. But I wishes dey was mine, cause I treats 'em better dan he does. Author's Thanks: To all the people who have sent me encouragement to continue writing in this series. So it's not my fault, y'all. Thanks also to my Big Guy, who had the original idea for Charlie. I don't think he quite understands what he started, but I appreciate the way his mind works. Beta thanks: To Jake, for being the top-notch nitpicker you are. I appreciate your honesty and constant refusal to let me get away with less than my best. Extra Special Thanks: To carma, Kel, Sdani, and XochiLuvr for helping me hammer out some of the details in the wee hours of the morning. They gave me new things to consider, enabling me to finally get this story finished. Any inaccuracies are my own fault, although I will hold them responsible for making me laugh so hard I couldn't type. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chip Off The Old Block IV: Duplicity by mimic117 Sunday 3:50 PM "Hey, Charlie. Taste this." Charles Scully cast a dubious eye on the bubbling mass of ham, beans and spices in the pot on the stove. He reared his head back, away from the spoon being poked toward his face. "It smells fine, Mulder. Why don't you taste it yourself?" The spoon followed his retreat at mouth level. "I never taste while I'm cooking. How do you think I keep my girlish figure?" Charlie hopped back a step, not taking his eyes off the spoonful of soup. "I wondered whose lacy bras were hanging from the shower curt --" The spoon darted between his lips before Charlie could get them closed on the last word. He was forced to either swallow or spit. He chewed and swallowed. "Now I suppose you'll want me to share my lingerie." Mulder sighed. "But you're not touching the black set. Those are for special occasions." Nodding, Charlie took the spoon Mulder still held and licked it. "This is good," he stated. "I've never had ham and bean soup. Where did you learn to make it?" "Old family recipe. It's warm and filling on cold New England days. I'm hoping it'll put Bill into a full-stomach stupor before he can start to catalog all my offenses against your family." Mulder took a clean spoon from a drawer and went back to stirring the pot. "You don't think it has too much thyme, do you?" "Can't say, since I don't know what it's supposed to taste like." Charlie shrugged. "It's got a good flavor, if that helps." He reached out with his spoon and tried to scoop more from the pot. Mulder parried with the stirring spoon and drove him back. Charlie countered by making the pot rise off the stove and hover in the air. "Cut that out," Mulder protested. "Didn't your mother teach you not to play with your food?" Charlie couldn't help but grin as he let the pot settle back onto the stove. It still gave him a jolt of happiness when he thought about how readily Mulder had accepted his gift. Charlie didn't get many chances to openly play with his ability. Dana was still thrown off balance by any deliberate display of telekinesis, but she was coming around as well. She'd have to, considering William had the same talent. As if in response to Charlie's thought, a shriek sounded from the bouncy seat in the kitchen doorway. Both men turned to look at the red-faced baby, kicking his feet against the floor in frustration, toys scattered around him like a fairy ring. "There goes the supper whistle," Mulder said. He took a moment to turn the heat off under the soup and gather jars of baby food before plucking his son from the harness. Will stopped crying, but the fist he crammed in his mouth was getting a good gumming. Charlie never grew tired of watching his sister and her partner as parents. He'd been living in the area for two months and made the most of his opportunities to visit. He could detect Dana's efficient thought processes in the rigid organization of the mealtime ritual. Everything in its proper order, accomplished with a minimum of fuss, all of it completed within a very short span of time. In fact, he'd been there often enough to know the routine every bit as well as Dana and Mulder. First, a diaper change, accompanied by music on the radio. If Mulder was pulling duty, it was sure to be rock and roll. Dana usually chose classical or soft jazz. The music acted as a distraction for the hungry baby, especially when Mulder was in the mood to bop along and cut up for his son's amusement. After Will was clean and dry, it was off to the kitchen for fun with food. In spite of the fact that he wasn't able to feed himself yet, that didn't stop him from trying. When his parents figured there was the same amount of food in the baby as on the floor, one of them would clean up while the other fed Will his bottle until his eyes drooped shut. Since Dana had run out to the store for last-minute necessities before Bill arrived, Charlie took over the cleaning up portion of that day's routine. When Mulder got up from the rocker and headed toward the bedroom with his limp son on his shoulder, Charlie decided to put his feet up and recharge before the big confrontation. He'd barely settled in and closed his eyes when there was a knock on the door. Groaning, Charlie pushed himself back off the couch. The knock sounded again before he got there. He was gearing himself up to tell off whatever soliciting pest was in the hallway, until he looked through the peephole. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. "Hey, Bill." Charlie hoped his voice didn't sound as unwelcoming to his brother as it did to him. "Come on in." Bill Scully, Jr., walked past Charlie, glancing around the room as he entered. "How come you're here? Where's Dana?" "Nice to see you, too." "Hey, Charlie." Bill stopped and turned, smiling ruefully. "It is good to see you, I was just expecting Dana to be here." "She had some last minute errands to run. You're a bit earlier than we figured." The brothers moved farther into the living room. "Then I'll have to wait to meet my nephew, I guess," Bill said. "Or are you baby-sitting for her?" "Mulder's putting Will down for a nap, so I guess you'll have to wait anyway." Bill's brows drew down over his eyes in a scowl. "She left him alone with her baby?" "He's Mulder's son, too, Bill." Charlie glowered right back at him. "Mom said you were giving Dana a hard time, but she never told me you were being such a pig. He's a lot more comfortable around his kid than I remember you being with Matthew." The indignant retort on Bill's lips was stalled by the sound of a voice murmuring in the distance. Charlie followed as the singing drew Bill down the hallway to the nursery. The door was half open, Mulder's back framed in the aperture. He swayed from side to side as he stroked his son's back and head, crooning in a gravely tenor as William's sleepy eyes blinked over his father's shoulder. May each day in the month be a good day. May you make friends with each one you meet. And may all of your daydreams be mem'ries, And may all of your mem'ries be sweet. William yawned. The weeks turn to months and the months into years. There'll be sadness and joy, there'll be laughter and tears. But one thing I pray to heaven above, May each of your days be a day full of love. Sleepy-baby eyes blinked closed and stayed that way. May each day in the year be a good day. May each dawn find you happy and gay. And may all of your days be as lovely As the one you shared with me today. Mulder dropped a soft kiss on William's head and laid him in the crib. He stayed for a few moments, tucking in the blanket. When he turned and saw the two men standing in the doorway, Mulder jumped. "Thanks, guys," he whispered, shooing them out the door and closing it behind them. "Now I'm gonna be jazzed on adrenaline for the rest of the day." Mulder strode off down the hallway, Charlie and Bill trailing in his wake. "I recognized that song you were singing," Bill said. "Tara sings it to Mattie a lot. I didn't realize you knew it." Leading the way to the kitchen, Mulder grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and handed it to Bill, then passed another one to Charlie. Taking one for himself, Mulder twisted off the cap and took a swig before speaking. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me." Bill took a large swallow of his drink, too. "Like what?" They locked eyes for several seconds. Charlie could feel the tension in the air ratchet up a notch. "Like I want the best for my son, the same as any other father. Just like you." Bill's gaze dropped first, and he took another pull at his beer. Mulder sighed. "Look, Bill, you just got here. Let's not start a pissing match right away, okay? I know you blame me for the death of Melissa, probably your father as well, every awful thing that's ever happened to Scully, and global warming. You may even be right. But I want Scully to have a pleasant visit with both of her brothers for once, so how about we lay off the blame game until we can do it in private?" "What the hell's with all this 'Scully' crap, anyway?" Bill smacked his beer bottle down on the counter and scowled. "She's got a perfectly nice first name. Why can't you use it?" Charlie had often wondered that, too, but it hadn't seemed important enough to fight over. Apparently, nothing was too insignificant for Bill, though. Mulder snorted, and took a gulp of his beer before answering. "Why don't you try listening to how it's said sometime? You might be surprised by what you hear." "Yeah? Well, why don't you surprise me even more by telling me that you've finally talked her into a safer job?" As tight as Mulder was clenching his jaw, Charlie was afraid he'd end up with a mouthful of broken teeth. "What makes you think I have any control over what your sister does, Bill? She's a grown woman. One trained in the use of firearms and hand-to-hand combat, I might add. I'd like to see the man who could make her do anything against her will without walking like Quasimodo for a week." Bill barked a derisive laugh. "You don't believe me?" Mulder made an expansive gesture with his beer bottle. "Be my guest. Piss her off. I just hope you and Tara have had all the kids you want, because it'll be a moot point when she gets done with you." Drinking his beer in silence, Charlie's eyes flicked back and forth as he waited for the fireworks. They never exploded, because just then, he heard the front door open, and a soprano "Mulder?" Shooting the two other men a "shut-up" glare, Mulder called back, "We're in the kitchen, Scully." He jumped to assist as she struggled through the doorway with a paper sack in each arm and a plastic bag dangling from one hand. "I thought you were just picking up a few things for supper," he said as they set the bags on the counter. "Did you shop for the neighbors, too?" "You know how it is." She shrugged, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "You always find things you forgot you needed." Turning, Scully beamed a smile at her older brother and opened her arms. "Billy, it's so good to see you." He engulfed her in a hug, then stepped back to look her over. "You're looking well, Dana. It's good to see you, too. Charlie says I'm early. Is that a problem?" "Nope." Scully stood on tiptoe to kiss Bill's cheek. "That just means we'll have more time to talk. Smells like you came at just the right time for supper, too." She turned to Mulder and cocked an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't going to start the soup for a while." "Everything must be accomplished according to the whims of the boy king, Scully." Mulder turned the heat back on under the pot and gave it a stir. "After he woke up earlier than usual this morning, I deduced that he'd be needing an early lunch and nap. Good thing I got supper started or it would only be half done by now." Scully began unpacking the groceries and smiled as Charlie moved to assist. "Where is Will?" "Out trolling for babes with Frohike." Mulder gave an unrepentant grin in reply to her disgusted eye-roll. "Sleeping, of course. He conked out just before you got back. I know it's a little early, but if we sit down to eat in the next ten minutes, we might even get some food in our stomachs before he realizes that we're having fun without his permission." At a nod from Dana, Charlie opened a cupboard and got out bowls. He turned to find Bill watching him with a surprised look on his face, but Charlie ignored it and just held out the bowls. When Bill took them, Charlie turned back to the cupboard for glasses. He pulled spoons and napkins from the drawers, then directed his brother to the dining area. As they set the table, Charlie waited for the inevitable question. "You seem awfully at home here," Bill remarked. Charlie wasn't fooled by the casual tone. He knew how his brother's mind worked, and he knew what was coming. "Do you spend a lot of time with them?" Charlie shrugged. "Sure. I don't have any friends here, so I spend my free time with either Mom or Dana. I'm really at home at Mom's house, too, just in case you were wondering." "It's good that you get to spend time with them, after being far away for so many years." "Yeah. I've had a chance to reconnect with Dana, and I'm getting to know my new nephew. He's a really sweet kid." "So what do you think about Mulder?" There it was. Just tossed out into the conversation, as though it didn't matter to Bill what he answered. Charlie knew better. Checking to make sure Dana and Mulder were still busy in the kitchen, Charlie finished setting the table and drew his brother into the living room, where they were less likely to be overheard. "You don't want to know what I think, Bill." "If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have asked." Straightening his shoulders, Charlie looked Bill in the eye. "I think he's a great guy. He's not perfect, but he adores Dana and dotes on their son. He's a good man and a good father. He'd do anything to keep them both safe and happy." Bill let out a sarcastic "HA" that made Charlie's hackles rise. "I knew you really didn't want the truth, Bill. You never do unless it conforms to your own narrow viewpoint." Charlie moved over to the fireplace, turning his back on his brother's startled face. He heard Bill cross the floor to stand next to him, but Charlie didn't dare look at him. They'd played this game many times before. This time, he wasn't the same little brother who would give up his own opinion just because Bill said he should. He'd spent too many years on his own to fall back into that habit again. "How can you say that, after everything that's happened to her since they started working together?" Bill's words were a hissing whisper, inaudible to anyone except Charlie. "He's not good for her, or for the baby. Who knows what might happen to Will? His father attracts trouble. You need to talk to Dana, since she seems to listen to you more than me. Mulder is a Jonah, and he's going to get both of them hurt if she doesn't leave." Charlie's temper flared, and he spun around so fast they would have collided if Bill hadn't stepped back in surprise. Jabbing a stiff finger into his brother's chest, Charlie hissed right back at him. "If that's true, then it must be your fault that Mattie broke his arm last summer, huh? I heard all about it from Mom. You were there, but you didn't do anything to protect him. He shouldn't have been hurt because it was your job to keep him safe. It doesn't matter that he fell out of the tree after you told him not to climb it. It was your fault, wasn't it?" Bill's mouth hung open for several seconds before he could find the words to respond. Then his eyebrows drew down in annoyance. "I tried to keep Mattie out of that tree, Charlie. It was an obsession with him. I even considered putting a fence around it, but he was absolutely determined. All it took was a few minutes in the house to fetch something, and he'd already climbed the tree and fallen out of it. It wasn't my fault. I did everything I could to protect my son." Charlie's finger jabbed at Bill again. "And Mulder has done everything he can to keep Dana and Will safe. Danger happens to be a part of their jobs, and Dana loves her job. She chose to do this, Bill. Mulder didn't talk her into anything. She was already in the FBI before they met. In fact, I've heard him try to talk her out of an assignment twice since I moved here. She's chosen to stay and work with him. Yes, it's dangerous. Yes, awful things have happened because of what she does. But that's not Dana's fault, and it's not Mulder's fault. It just IS. And now that they have Will, they're both being more careful. They have too much to lose now. So do you, if you can't accept that she's a grown-up and able to run her own life." Dodging around Bill's body, Charlie strode off to the kitchen, leaving his stunned brother behind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8:00 PM To Charlie's surprise, Bill behaved himself for the rest of the evening. It certainly didn't hurt that Mulder kept as low a profile as possible, but Charlie could see that his brother was putting forth a definite effort not to upset Dana. They were currently sitting in the living room, engaged in a spirited but friendly argument over who broke Great-Grandmother Scully's Waterford crystal vase over twenty years ago. Charlie wished he could tell them it had happened during one of his early attempts to control his talent, just to see the looks on their faces. From the thoughtful gleam in Mulder's eye, though, Charlie knew he suspected the truth. A wail from Will, bouncing on Mulder's knees, broke into the conversation. "He's getting tired again," Scully said. "Time for a bath, little man." She stood and walked over to take him, arms outstretched, but Mulder stopped her with a shake of his head. "Why don't I do the bath tonight so you can visit with your brothers a bit longer? You can do bottle and story time instead." Scully lowered her arms. "That's a nice gesture, Mulder, but Will likes your stories much better than mine." He grinned. "That's because I do all the sound effects and squeaky voices, Scully. You'll just have to put forth a little more effort tonight." He stood with Will in his arms, but hesitated for a moment before turning and walking toward the bathroom. Charlie had a good idea what Mulder had wanted to do. When he'd first arrived in DC, Charlie had been rather surprised by how little his sister and her partner touched each other. He'd often caught them gazing into each other's eyes for long moments, but never any physical show of affection while he was there. He'd recently come to realize that was Dana's doing. She'd never been a demonstrative person, even as a child, preferring to keep her private emotions private. Mulder, on the other hand, was a toucher; a sniffer; a kisser. It took a few weeks, but Mulder had gradually resumed what was probably a necessity for him. A caress of her cheek as he walked by. A touch on her hand to draw her attention. A kiss when he left the apartment, or sometimes just the room. Charlie had seen all of these little signs of their love for one another many times over the last few weeks as Mulder's persistence had paid off in a more-relaxed Dana finally allowing his little displays in her brother's presence. Now, he could see the effort it had taken for Mulder to *not* kiss Dana as he and Will left the room. Nothing would have ruined the current cheerful atmosphere more quickly. Charlie was thankful for Mulder's tact and restraint. He just hoped Bill wasn't any more perceptive these days than he'd ever been. The three siblings sat in companionable silence for a few minutes until Bill finally spoke. "How's the new job going, Charlie? Mom said you're working at a bar somewhere?" "Yeah, I got a job bartending not too far from here. Washington is well supplied with bars, and they always need good bartenders to keep the customers satisfied." "I thought you gave that up years ago. It's not much of a job for a grown man." Charlie couldn't help but catch the condescending tone in Bill's voice. It irked him that after all the years they'd been apart, he could still be angered so easily by his brother. "Well who do you expect to serve you when you want a drink, Bill? They don't let children into bars as a rule, so I guess it would have to be someone who's a bit more grown up. It's a perfectly good job, and it pays a hell of a lot more than you might think. Plus it gives me time during the day to spend with Mom and Dana and Will." Charlie took a deep breath in an attempt to get his temper under control before he was tempted to hit his brother with something levitated off Dana's mantelpiece. "Besides, it was either that, or bulk up and become a Chippendale." "A big bean pole like you?" Bill laughed. "You're probably better off tending bar. I sure can't imagine you strutting around on a stage while women hoot and throw their underwear at you." Charlie waggled his eyebrows. "Don't knock it until you've tried it." He wasn't about to tell his amused siblings that he was bluffing, just as long as the reduced animosity kept him from doing something he'd definitely regret later. It seemed like a good idea to change the focus of the conversation. "Mom says you're here on business, Bill. Anything you can discuss?" "Nothing top secret," he replied. "I've been on desk duty ever since my appendectomy two months ago. I'm just checking in to be cleared for active duty and to tender my report on the last few weeks. Damned boring it was, too, pushing paper all day. I can hardly wait to get back to an assignment. I have a meeting at 0900 hours tomorrow, but then I expect to be free by noon." "Why don't we meet somewhere for lunch?" Scully asked. Bill's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Tomorrow's Monday. Don't you have to work?" Scully shot him a smug grin. "When Mom said you were coming to DC, I took a couple days off, just in case you had time to visit. So, no. I don't have to work tomorrow." Before Bill could reply, the pause in the conversation was filled by the sound of baby squeals coming from the bathroom. Mulder's voice could be heard over the top of Will's chortles, shouting, "Oh no! It's Big Blue! He's gonna capsize the boat! AHHH!" followed by vocal depth-charges and loud splashing. Scully closed her eyes and shook her head as Charlie turned a guffaw into a coughing fit. Letting Mulder give Will his bath usually meant giving the bathroom a thorough cleaning afterward to make it usable again. Charlie gave his sister credit for agreeing to the change in routine, even just for one night. Bill snorted. "Is Mulder going to join us for lunch?" Charlie winced at the distinct sneer in his voice and waited for Dana to explode. Instead, she sighed and chewed on her lip for a second before answering. "He doesn't have to if you'd prefer, Bill. I'm sure he'll understand." "Yeah. Right," he growled. There was a definite glint of aggravation showing in Dana's eyes this time. Playing the part of peacemaker was starting to wear on Charlie's nerves, but he jumped into the fray once more. "How about we meet Bill at the Hoover Building, Dana? I've been in DC for two months and I still haven't seen where you work yet." Charlie wondered if that had been the wrong thing to say, considering the incredulous stare his brother was wearing. His sister seemed to think it was a good idea. "Sure, Charlie. I can give you the private tour and we'll meet in the office when Bill gets done. I'll leave his name at the desk and directions on where to find us, then we can all go out to lunch from there. How does that sound, Bill?" He was most certainly trying to be on his best behavior. Otherwise, Charlie was sure Bill would have already singed his ears with his exact thoughts. Instead, he appeared to be giving the idea careful consideration. "It's a good plan, Dana, but who's going to watch the baby?" "We could leave him with Mom for the day, but if you don't mind, I'd like to bring him along. Will is usually pretty good in restaurants, and you really haven't had a chance to spend much time with him. I'd like you two to know each other better." Bill nodded. "Well, it's not like I don't have any experience with kids of my own. If you don't mind bringing him, I don't mind either. But if we meet at your office, won't Mulder want to tag along, too?" "If I ask him not to, Bill, he won't. You don't understand him because you haven't bothered to try. He only wants whatever makes me happy, and if that means going out to lunch without him, he'll agree. He might not be thrilled about it, but he's not going to make a scene in the middle of the Hoover Building." "You're sure about that?" It was hard to tell if Bill was being deliberately provocative, or if he really believed what he was asking. Scully shot him an exasperated glare. "Maybe you haven't seen Mulder under the best circumstances in the past, but I assure you that he won't. Mulder is an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations. He may be prone to flying off the handle when he's upset, but when the occasion calls for it, he's a consummate professional." Just as Scully finished speaking, Mulder appeared in the living room doorway. Wet hair plastered to his head, his soaked t- shirt clung to his chest, and the front of his jeans were water- darkened from waist to knees. He offered up Will, wrapped head to toe in a towel, for Scully's approval. "One baby, newly scrubbed and ready for a story. Just watch your step if you need to use the bathroom. There's a little water on the floor." When Bill and Charlie burst out laughing, Mulder looked down at the wiggling baby in his arms, and shrugged. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Edgar Hoover Building Monday 11:45 AM "Well if it isn't Junior G-Man! And with an addition to the entourage." The guard at the front desk smiled at Will, receiving a gummy grin in return. They were old friends, comrades of many a late-night run to the office to retrieve a forgotten file or late-working family member. The guard turned his smile on Scully next. "Nice to see you in the daylight, Agent Scully." She smiled back. "They change your rotation, Eddie? Mulder swears you're really a vampire, you've been on nights so long." "Yeah, I finally hit enough seniority to get day shift until I retire. 'Course, I'm driving the missus crazy, being home and awake in the evenings. Keeps complaining I'm underfoot all the time." He gave Charlie a good looking-over, then turned his attention back to Scully. "What can I do for you today, Agent Scully?" "I'm taking my brother Charlie on a tour, Eddie." Charlie received a smile from the guard as well. "But my other brother, Bill, is going to be meeting us in the office later," she continued. "I told him to check in here. Could you give him directions on where to find us?" "Last name, please?" "Scully, Eddie, like mine." She raised her voice slightly to get the point across. "Bill Scully. I appreciate your help." "No problem, Agent Scully. You two have a nice visit." Reaching out, the guard shook Will's little hand between two of his fingers. "And you stay out of trouble, Junior G-Man. No running up and down the halls, scaring the other agents." Will gave a bubbling chortle that earned him smiles all around. Walking toward the metal detectors, Charlie couldn't help gawking at his surroundings. People of all races strode through the spacious lobby, carrying briefcases, satchels, and dispatch pouches, dressed in suits, casual clothes, ethnic outfits, and uniforms of every description. It was like the huge terminus of a multi-cultural ant hill -- each well-dressed ant intent on its own individual business. He watched as a tour group finished their turn through the electric portal and headed off. "Place all the items in your pockets in this basket, please, sir." Charlie tried to remember if he'd brought anything embarrassing with him. He emptied his pockets and stepped through the archway. When it remained silent, he gathered his belongings and watched his sister. Scully emptied her pockets and placed the diaper bag next to the basket. She displayed her ID as a matter of form, and indicated that she wasn't armed, while another guard looked through Will's accessories. She and Charlie had held a minor argument over the prudence of bringing her weapon on a casual visit with the baby in tow. Charlie had won, convincing her to leave it at home. The trump card turned out to be a casual mention of Bill's possible reaction to packing heat on a lunch outing. Dana shut up and left without it. Duly checked and cleared, the little party moved off toward the rear of the lobby. They hadn't gotten very far when a familiar voice sounded clearly above the hustle and noise. "Scully!" They turned to see Mulder striding toward them, suit coat flapping, looking very much like a man on a mission. The huge smile on his face informed anyone who cared to look that the mission was a pleasure. He caught up to them and placed a kiss on Will's fuzzy head in passing, not quite stopping his headlong rush completely. Walking backward toward the bank of elevators, Mulder kept talking as he went. "I'm glad I checked to see if you were here. Skinner needs to see me for a few minutes, and I didn't want you to find the office empty. Wait here for me, okay? You can show your brother the Ten Most Wanted display. With all the traveling he's done, maybe he knows someone." The closing elevator doors obscured Mulder's face as the last word left his mouth. Charlie grinned at Dana's exasperated look. They hadn't even gotten a word in edge-wise while Mulder had announced their business to any interested bystanders. So much for the "consummate professional." Tugging on his sister's arm, Charlie pulled her toward the ragged end of the tour group. He looked closely at the list of wanted felons, but none of them seemed familiar. He was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be able to affect the capture of a dangerous criminal, but he brushed it off as not having spent time with the right people. Or the wrong ones, depending on your point of view. They'd just reached the exhibit about American gangsters when Mulder returned, a tall, bald man right behind him. Noticing the way Dana straightened up and pulled down her professional mask, Charlie deduced that he was in the presence of Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Mulder made some rapid introductions, then reached to take William. The baby, however, was intent on leaning over far enough to grab Skinner's glasses. Mulder intercepted his son at the point where he overbalanced out of Scully's arms and scooped him up. "The AD needs to speak with you for a minute, Scully. Something about a line item on the last expense report. I tried to explain it to him, but he said it sounded like nonsense coming from me. Why don't you give it a try? You speak the language better than I do." Plucking the diaper bag from her shoulder, Mulder drew Charlie to one side, giving the AD and Scully some privacy. "Look, Will," Mulder cooed, pointing to a portrait on the wall, "that's a picture of a very bad man." Charlie snorted. "Mulder, that says it's a picture of J. Edgar Hoover." "Does it?" His brow furrowed in mock concentration as he stared at the prominent historical plaque. "Well then, maybe not a *bad* man, but certainly confused." "Mulder, if Will fails history in high school, I'm holding you accountable." They turned to see Skinner disappearing down the hall and Scully standing behind them, eyebrow cocked. She reached to take Will back, but stopped when Mulder held up a hand. "This young man is starting to emit noxious fumes, Scully. Why don't you two go on ahead? There's a family bathroom with a changing table down that hall. I'll clean him up and catch you in the basement." He turned and walked away, leaving a grinning Scully behind, shaking her head. "He's a really good father," Charlie said, watching the look on his sister's face soften in response. "Mulder's a wonderful daddy," she replied. "He gets so much enjoyment out of everything having to do with Will. Sometimes I think he's trying to rewrite his own lonely childhood now that he finally has someone to play with." As they headed for the stairs, for a moment, Charlie wondered why they weren't taking the elevator. When the doors at the end of the hall opened and revealed a car-load of chattering agents, he understood. The other agents they'd passed since their arrival had provided a constant background of stares, whispers, and soto voce sniping. There wasn't anything that he could point his finger at in solid proof, but the sound of snickering seemed to be loudest while Mulder was present. Charlie wished Dana didn't feel the need to spare him more of the same while in her company. He would have enjoyed using his power to smack a few of them with their own folders and briefcases. One flight of stairs after another led farther and farther down without let-up. It finally struck Charlie exactly where they were headed. "Your office is in the basement?" He couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice, but Dana just smiled over her shoulder at him. "It has its advantages," she replied. "Like?" Charlie couldn't imagine anything lonelier than being stuck in the bowels of the building. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Scully gestured toward the office door. "Like, when someone comes down here, at least we know they didn't just make a wrong turn somewhere. And it's quiet. We like it that way." Scully grabbed the doorknob and turned, to no avail. She shrugged and patted her pockets, then frowned. "Damn, he locked the door and I left my keys in the diaper bag. We'll have to wait until Mulder gets down here." Charlie looked around at all the shelves and boxes in the hall. It looked like they were in a giant storage closet. He'd heard of utilizing the budget to its fullest extent, but this seemed ridiculous. Spotting a box that had clearly tumbled off a shelf onto the floor, he picked it up with his mind and put it back in place. Dana smacked him on the arm. "Stop that," she whispered. "Bill could show up at any minute. Do you want him to find out about you?" "Gee, Sis, you make it sound like I stand on street corners selling naked pictures to little kids." "I don't think he would understand either activity very well." Before Charlie had a chance to reply, something must have caught Dana's attention, because she turned toward the stairs. Charlie followed her gaze. Expecting to see Mulder and Will, he was surprised to find a stranger in a security guard's uniform standing on the second step. In fact, he looked like one of the guards that had checked them through the metal detector. Dana's eyebrow rose in inquiry. "Can I help you?" They both gasped when the man pulled his gun and pointed it at them. "Don't make any sudden moves, either of you," he instructed. Continuing down the stairs, he maneuvered Scully and Charlie so their backs were to the office door. They were trapped. Even with the stairs right next to them, there was nowhere to go that didn't give the gunman a clear shot. Scully broke the silence. "What do you want?" "I need to talk to Commander Scully." Charlie glanced around the small space, expecting to see that Bill had snuck up on them, too. He looked back at the gunman and realized that the man's eyes were on him. Charlie cleared his suddenly dry throat. "Commander Scully isn't here right now. He'll be sorry he missed you." The guard's face turned red and the gun shook in his hand. His eyes grew dark with anger. "Don't fucking lie to me!" He spit the words into the air between them. "I've never so much as seen your face, but I've hated you for months. When I heard your name in the lobby earlier, I knew it was fate. I'm finally being given a chance to even the score for Alan." In the tense silence in the basement hallway, a voice echoed down the concrete steps. "If you eat green peas, why don't they come out green? That's what I'd like to know. Or maybe we'd be happier living in ignorance. What do you think, buddy?" Charlie mentally slapped himself for convincing Dana to leave her gun at home. Not that it would have helped at the moment, with someone else waving one in their faces. But it was beginning to look like they were up shit creek, and not only didn't they have a paddle, but the boat was leaking. Footsteps rounded the landing and Mulder came into view, Will perched in the crook of one elbow. His face lit up when he saw Charlie and Scully by the door. "What are you doing out in the hall? I didn't leave my girlie magazines laying around again... did... I...?" Mulder stopped short when he was halfway down the last flight of stairs, having finally gotten a look at the situation. He glared at the guard and covered Will with his large hands as much as he could, pulling him in tight to his shoulder. The gunman wiped the sweat off his face on his shirt sleeve and gestured for them to continue down the stairs. The look on his face plainly showed his displeasure with this new development. Charlie wasn't exactly thrilled about it, either. Walking the rest of the way down, Mulder scooted in behind Charlie and Scully, between them and the door. He clutched Will to his chest, positioning him so he was protected to a certain extent by Scully's body. All three stared at the gunman, holding their breath. When the man made a move to step closer, Mulder's lip curled and Charlie actually heard him snarl. The gunman must have heard, too, because he stopped. It was Mulder who spoke first. "You won't get out of this building." "I know I won't get out. I'm in the middle of the damned headquarters of the whole god damned FBI." The gunman gave a wild bark of a laugh. "I know all about the damned security. I don't care. My life means nothing to me after what *he* did to Alan." The movement of a hand against his back caught Charlie's attention, but it didn't appear that the gunman had noticed anything. There was a very soft and Charlie realized that he was hearing a holster being unsnapped. Dana might not be armed, but Mulder was. To cover his actions, Mulder continued to talk. "I don't understand what's going on here. You're one of the front lobby guards. I've seen you at the metal detectors before. What do you want with us?" "I don't want anything from you or her. All I want is Commander Scully. He owes me." "You've got the wrong man." Mulder's voice was a soft, soothing monotone. "This isn't Commander Scully." The gunman didn't appear to be especially soothed by his words. "She gave his name to Eddie at the front desk. I KNOW he's Commander Bill Scully! I heard her, so don't play games with me!" Looking around the hallway behind the guard, Charlie desperately searched for a way out of their dilemma. It didn't look like Bill was going to make an appearance anytime soon, and it didn't seem likely the gunman would believe any more denials. In fact, it just made him more pissed. It appeared to Charlie that he was going to be forced to play the part of Commander Scully. He just hoped he could bluff his way through until help arrived. And maybe he could manage a small telekinetic assist. If he could concentrate well enough with another gun in his face. A wave of deja vu swept over him, taking him back to the would-be robber in the parking lot. Being threatened at gunpoint was getting to be an annoying habit. "Why don't you let these other people go first?" Charlie asked. "Your beef is with Commander Scully. They haven't done anything to you. Let them go, and maybe I can help you." Dana went rigid next to him, and Mulder poked him in the back. Charlie shook his head slightly to tell them he knew what he was doing. He'd just spotted their salvation -- all he needed to do was stall. There was an old ashtray on a heavy iron stand, sitting up against the wall, on the far side of the elevator. Thank god for the insect bureaucracy that never threw anything away. Charlie kept one eye on the gun barrel as he started the process of focusing his thoughts. The gunman's wild laughter wasn't reassuring. "HELP? Haven't you 'helped' enough already? Alan's *dead*! Maybe if you'd actually done something when he came to you for 'help' he'd still be alive." Scully turned her body slightly, catching the guard's attention, although his gun remained trained on Charlie. There was a definite feeling in the air that something was going to happen soon. Charlie used the slight distraction to narrow his concentration, listening without responding. "We don't understand," Scully said. "What did Commander Scully do?" The gunman huffed a laugh that sounded far from amused. "Okay. Sure," he said. "Why not? You wanna know what he did? He turned his back on someone who needed his help, because the Navy doesn't like to know if you're gay! He refused to help another human being who was hurting, so Alan killed himself! How's that? HUH?" The man's voice rose louder and louder until he was shouting. Will whimpered in preparation for crying, but Mulder's soft "shh shh shh" calmed him again. It wasn't as effective on the gunman, who continued his tirade. "You're not allowed to be gay in the military, did you know that? Don't ask, don't tell, they say. Bullshit! The minute one person finds out, they make your life a living hell. Little things, stupid things, but every one of them building toward the grand finale. Touches and whispers, shit in his bed and condoms in his food. Kissy noises as he went about his duties, trying to serve out his assignment so he could come home to me. All those assholes treating him like dirt, just because he loved me." The guard held up his left hand, where a gold band glinted. "You see that? Alan gave it to me last year when he was home on leave. And he would have worn one just like it when he was done serving his tour. But instead, a bunch of them jumped him on shore leave one night." His voice broke on a sob. "They raped him! One right after the other! He didn't even know how many there were, they did it so many times. And when he went to *Commander Scully* afterward, he told Alan there was nothing he could do about it! NOTHING! He was told to return to duty and forget about it. Instead, Alan wrote me one last letter, then slit his wrists with a kitchen knife. They found him the next morning, on his blood-soaked mattress. The only reason I got his letter was because he put it in an envelope to his parents and they sent it to me. I didn't even know he was dead until they told me! I wasn't there when he needed me and nobody else cared enough to help him!" Charlie felt the moment his mind connected with the ashtray. It was heavy, but not much heavier than the pot of soup he'd lifted the previous day. He was finding it hard to concentrate with the harsh words of the gunman ringing through the basement hallway. He'd always known Bill was an asshole, but he'd also hoped to be proven wrong someday, not right. Blocking the voices of Dana and Mulder as they tried to keep the guard's attention, Charlie gently levitated the ash-stand and prepared to brain him with it. When Charlie thought about the events that followed later, they seemed to move slower and last a lot longer than they actually did. As the stand rose off the floor, the elevator chimed and the doors opened to reveal Bill. The sound caught the gunman's attention. He turned, and Charlie heard the swish of Mulder's gun leaving the holster as Dana pulled it free. The guard swung back just in time to see Mulder curl himself around Will and drop to his knees as Dana brought his gun up and yelled "Freeze!" Charlie watched Bill dive back into the elevator as two guns discharged at once. The sound was so deafening, it took a few seconds for the pain in Charlie's right shoulder to register. His concentration well and truly broken, the ashtray clanged to the floor as he folded to the ground in pain. Time resumed its normal pace. "Shit shit shit fuck shit oh fuck it hurts goddammittohell..." Charlie could hear his own voice just fine, but the other sounds around him seemed to fade in and out. Snatches of shouted conversation overlaid the shrill crying of a baby. His ears were ringing. Must remember not to be in an enclosed hallway the next time a gun goes off, he thought. "Shots fired in the basement! We need two ambulances. One security guard and one civilian down. Situation under control." ....................... "Keep the cuffs, Mulder. He's not going anywhere right now." ....................... "So who the hell did you piss off this time, Mulder?" ....................... "Don't try to get up, Charlie. Help will be here shortly. Shh, Will, shh, it's okay now." ...................... "You even put your own son in danger, you asshole!" "Bill..." ..................... "The paramedics are here, Scully." ..................... "This one's in bad shape, Brian. Let's take him first. The shoulder wound can wait. Go ahead and keep the pressure on it for now, Agent Mulder. The other ambulance was right behind us." The shoulder wound. Charlie realized that was him. His head was clearing. He was still in pain, but feeling more numb as well. Probably going into shock. Wasn't that what they always said on those medical shows on TV? You'd think something called "shock" would wake you up instead of making you sleepy. "Stay awake, Charlie." "Shleepy..." Great. Now he sounded drunk, and he hadn't even had anything to drink. No point in talking like you've been drinking if you haven't been. "I know." Dana. Being a doctor instead of a gun-pointing FBI agent. He liked Doctor Dana, except when she pinched his earlobe like that. "Ouch!" "You need to stay awake for a little longer." "Okay. 'm 'wake." "Is he gonna be okay, Dana?" "Yeah, Bill. It looks like the bullet went through without hitting any arteries. He's bleeding pretty bad, but it could be worse." "Good thing 'm lef'-handed." Charlie felt fingers patting his face and realized that his eyes were closed. He opened them to see Will in Mulder's lap, right next to his head, little fists bopping him on the cheeks. They were sitting on the floor, and Mulder was pressing something against his shoulder, very hard. No wonder it throbbed. He smiled tiredly at them and got matching grins in return. "You're gonna be okay, Charlie," Mulder said. "Doctor Scully has spoken." "No thanks to you, Mulder." Good old Bill. No situation so bad that he can't find a way to make it worse. "He couldn't even take a harmless little trip to the headquarters of the damned FBI without running into someone with a grudge against you." "Bill, not now." Dana again. She sounded pissed. Well, she should be. Bill was pissing him off, too. "How can you defend him, Dana? How many members of our family have to suffer before you'll admit --" Charlie'd had enough. "For Christ's sake, Bill, he was looking for YOU!" Will started to sniffle again. "What?" Attempting to sit up just resulted in more pain as Mulder pushed him back down. Charlie took the hint and didn't try again. "He was angry at you," he explained, "something about one of your seamen committing suicide because he was gay and you not doing anything when he needed help." Bill's pale face hung within Charlie's line of vision so he didn't have to move after all. "That guy thought I was Commander Scully. I think he was planning to kill you and then maybe kill himself." Bill's face moved away, which was just as well, because Charlie was tired of looking at it. "Is that true, Dana?" Trust Bill not to believe his younger brother. Some things never changed. "Yes." Good, clear answer, Dana. Don't let him off the hook. There was a roaring noise in Charlie's ears, almost like waves at the ocean, but not quite. It was getting louder, so he almost missed Bill's reaction. "Oh my God..." The roaring swallowed up anything else he might have said. Charlie regretted not being able to stick around and hear more. It wasn't every day he got to see Bill eat crow. Unfortunately, his body had had enough excitement for one day, and his brain decided that would be the perfect time to shut down. He hoped Dana didn't pinch his ear bloody before she realized he wasn't waking up for a while. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Georgetown University Medical Center Monday 5:35 PM Charlie swam up from the depths of sleep to the sound of hushed voices hanging over his bed. "He was right, you know. I should have done something." Bill. With a very uncharacteristic note of sorrow and regret in his voice. Charlie decided now was not the right time to wake up. "But there wasn't much I *could* do for Alan without it getting back to the higher-ups. Then, of course, he would have been kicked out, which might not have been a bad thing after all, considering what actually happened. I just thought it would be better to bury the whole... awful... ordeal -- try to pretend it hadn't happened, so he could finish out his assignment. The brass is very good at hiding their heads in the sand when they don't want to know something. Maybe I am, too. But there *should* have been a way for me to help Alan." A throat cleared. "Finding him someone to talk to might have helped, but then again, it might not." Ah. Mulder. "There's no way to know how a different reality would play out under the same circumstances. We can only guess. And guessing won't accomplish anything." Bill sighed. "It hurts so much, knowing what I did, or didn't do, led to Charlie being shot." "I know." "Is... is this how you feel when something bad happens to Dana?" "Every damn time. Because even though you know you couldn't have done anything to stop it, there's still this nagging doubt that says you should have tried." "I just don't understand..." "Probably not, but you're getting there." "Yeah." Charlie couldn't ever remember hearing his brother sound so contrite. It was a unique and miraculous occurrence, as far as he was concerned. Clothing rustled and chairs squeaked in the quiet room. Charlie was just getting ready to announce his conscious state when Mulder spoke again. "So does this mean you're gonna kiss me on the lips every time we meet?" Bill snorted. "Hardly." "Good. 'Cause I don't want your sister getting jealous after all this time." More rustling and squeaking. A chair scooted back across the floor. "I'm going to see if Dana and Mom are back yet." Bill again. "I'll watch Will so they can come up for a while, then maybe you and I can go get some supper. You'll be okay with him on your own?" "I've had practice, Bill, but thanks for the concern. Don't let your sister browbeat the nurses or they'll decide someone needs an enema, and they won't be particular about who they grab." Charlie couldn't believe his ears when Bill chuckled. "You're a real smartass, Mulder." The sound of shoes walking out the door, then silence. "It's safe now," Mulder said. "He's gone." One of Charlie's eyes cracked open to find Mulder grinning at him. "How did you know I was awake?" "Your eyes shifted toward whoever was speaking. I'm a trained investigator -- I notice little clues like that. You want some water?" Charlie nodded, but before Mulder could reach for the pitcher and glass on the nightstand, they rose off the table and came to him. Mulder snatched both objects out of the air, glaring at Charlie's smirking face. "You like living on the ragged edge, don't you?" Mulder poured some water into the glass, but didn't hand it to him. "I should dump this on your head to shock some sense into you. Bill has enough to think about right now without adding a telekinetic brother to wrap his mind around. Behave yourself for once." "Isn't that a bit hypocritical, considering the source?" Scully stood in the doorway, an amused smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth. She walked over to the side of the bed and grabbed Charlie's arm, giving it a little shake for emphasis. "But just to clarify, if I hear any stories about levitating bedpans I will be forced to take extreme measures in curbing your little hobby." A mock sneer curled Charlie's lip. "Oh yeah? You and what SWAT team?" The smug look on Dana's face made his spine tingle. "I'll just tell Mom." Charlie raised a hand in surrender, the one without the IV, and Mulder stuck the glass of water in it. A few sips went a long way toward clearing out the taste of anesthetic. He handed the glass back with a look of thanks and turned to his sister. "How's the guard? Did he make it here?" Scully raised the head of the bed, making his shoulder twinge and ache, but it was nice not being flat on his back anymore. Then she sat down in Bill's chair and stared at her hands wrapped around his arm. The answer came from Mulder. "He's in critical condition." Charlie turned his head and took in the sorrowful look on Mulder's face. "They're not sure he'll live, but he's holding his own so far." Charlie sighed. "I wish there had been something we could have done for him. It just seems like such a waste." Scully patted his arm, drawing his attention back to her. "It is a waste, Charlie. But I doubt if we could have changed his mind. He was in too much pain to see beyond the loss of someone he loved. I think he knew exactly what the outcome would be. He was willing to accept that if he could take the person he hated with him. I'm just sorry you had to get hurt in the process." "Yeah, me too," he quipped. "In hindsight, talking you into leaving your gun home wasn't the best idea I've ever had. We could have been in real trouble. I'm glad Mulder was armed. That was quite a shot you made, Sis." "Scully doesn't miss when she's got your back." The pride and love in Mulder's voice would have been crystal clear, even if it hadn't been shining from his face. Charlie finally understood what Mulder meant when he told Bill to listen to *how* he said their sister's name, instead of what he called her. Companionable silence reigned for a few minutes while Charlie completed the process of waking up. It suddenly occurred to him that Dana hadn't said anything about his wound. He opened his mouth to ask a question, only to find that he was no longer the focus of attention. Instead, Dana and Mulder were sitting on opposite sides of his bed, gazing into each other's eyes with such intensity that Charlie was surprised the blankets didn't combust. While he was lying in a hospital bed, shot through the shoulder and currently girlfriend-less, his sister and her lover were engaging in a smoldering mental conversation over top of his abused carcass. Not only was Charlie unlikely to find someone to spend his nights with while he was out of commission for several weeks, but it looked like Mulder was going to get laid as soon as they got home -- provided they even made it that far. The thought rankled. "Would you two cut it out?" Charlie snapped. He shrugged one shoulder peevishly in response to the startled, questioning looks turned on him. "My arm hurts. How long do I have to stay here, anyway?" Scully picked up the call button and pressed it. "You'll probably be able to go home tomorrow if there's no sign of infection. There wasn't a lot of muscle damage, but they had to stitch the exit wound back together, so you'll be sore for a week or two." A nurse knocked on the open door. "Did you need something, Dr. Scully?" "Yes. Mr. Scully is feeling some discomfort in his arm. Could you find out if he's allowed to have any pain medication yet?" The nurse nodded and walked back out. So Dana had established her credentials. It was nice to have a doctor in the family, even if she did usually work on dead people. Maybe they'd let him go home early on her say-so. When there was another knock on the door less than two minutes later, Charlie was surprised to see a supper tray instead of his expected medication. He took in the pretty woman's tall, slim figure and long blonde braid before reaching the sparkling green eyes that laughed back at him. When she smiled, two dimples indented the corners of her mouth. Tracy. Her name tag said Tracy. And she wasn't a nurse -- she was a hospital volunteer. And she had the loveliest hands, and such soft looking arms. She moved the tray table into position and set his meal down. His situation seemed to be improving. Maybe they'd let him stay an extra day or two, just to be safe. He looked into her bright, open gaze and realized he wasn't really all that hungry. "Thank you, Tracy," Charlie whispered. Why was he whispering? "You're welcome," she whispered back. Her dimples reappeared and Charlie found himself grinning like an idiot. "I hope you feel better very soon." Tracy removed the cover from his food tray, then removed herself from the room, much to Charlie's dismay. He sighed, eyeing the rather bland looking meal in front of him. Wait. Had she placed a special emphasis on "very"? Things were *definitely* looking up. He was brought back to his surroundings by a throat being cleared. Shit. He'd forgotten about his audience. Dana and Mulder were looking at him like indulgent parents about to send their first child off to the prom. "Do you want me to have the guys hack into the hospital volunteer records and get her phone number for you?" Mulder asked. Charlie shot him a withering glare. "I think I can find out what I need to know on my own, thank you very much." He took a nonchalant sip of his apple juice. "Assuming I'm interested in the first place, of course." "Uh huh." The amusement in Mulder's voice made Charlie's skin crawl. His mind raced in circles, trying to find a way to deflect their unwanted speculation. It didn't take him long to hit on the most obvious means. Appetite miraculously restored, Charlie used his mental ability to scoop some peas into a spoon and lift it toward his mouth. He shot his sister a gloating glance, only to be stopped in mid gloat by the sight of his mother standing in the doorway. Fists planted firmly on hips, she glowered her annoyance. His concentration destroyed, peas scattered everywhere as the spoon dropped to the bed. "Charles Andrew Scully, how many times have I told you not to play with your food?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE END Duplicity: The fact or practice of speaking or acting in two ways in relation to the same matter with intent to deceive; double- dealing. Author's Notes: Thanks for visiting my little universe. While I'd planned this as the last story in the series, I'm sure there will be readers who want to see more of these characters. Abject begging for sequels will simply cause me to laugh maniacally until I hurt myself, and I don't think you're that mean, no matter what anyone else says. Still, I never say absolutely never anymore, so who knows when my muse will bite me on the butt with a great idea. I appreciate all the support and encouragement y'all have shown me. As for the Hoover Building, I've never been there but I've done a lot of online research. I honestly don't know what the lobby looks like, but the site I found said they have displays of the Ten Most Wanted and gangsters and such. I'm hoping those are in the lobby. Apologies to anyone who actually knows the building if I got it all wrong. Feedback: is printed out, fawned over, and stroked to tatters at mimic117@yahoo.com My homepage, built and maintained by the ever-adorable XochiLuvr, can be found at http://www.mimicsmusings.com Your depravity levels may vary.