All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No infringement intended on any part...I like being poor, really... The character of Jackie St. George belongs to me though... Comments, complaints and just plain talk to smartin@goodmedia.com Dragons of A Star by Sheryl Martin "We Three Kings of Orient are..." Fox Mulder turned the radio off as he manoeuvred the car along the snow-covered road. Beside him, Dana Scully opened her eyes suddenly as she jolted awake from a half-sleep. "Mulder?" "We're fine." He mumbled. "Just didn't want any more Christmas songs." She nodded in response, turning to look at the woman in the back seat. "You alright?" "Well, a good eggnog and rum would go down nice right now..." Jackie St. George smirked. Chuckling, Dana turned her attention back to the road as the Canadian watched her two friends closely. Here it was, only two days to Christmas and they were driving back through Pennsylvania from a supposed abduction case that had turned out to be a runaway with a vivid imagination. Mulder must have suspected that it was bogus from the start; or he wouldn't have managed to drag her along for the ride. She suspected that he just wanted to avoid being alone with Dana, and that scared her. For that matter, Dana scared her too right now. The two agents had gotten more and more depressed as Christmas had approached; to the point that Margaret Scully had even called St. George's office to ask what she could tell her about their latest cases... some explanation for their behaviour. "Mom..." Jackie perched herself on the edge of the desk, swinging her feet over the edge as she balanced the phone under her chin. "It's just a bad time of year for Mulder. His father's gone, and he's still not really talking to his mother. I know he's going out there for Christmas Day, but..." "I don't want to think of him being alone for Christmas Eve, Jaclyn..." Her tone had changed. "And what are you doing?" Jackie hopped off. "Oh... ah... Marty's coming in on Boxing Day from England. He couldn't get out of the assignment any earlier..." "So you're going to be alone as well?" The question held an accusation. "I don't think so..." It hadn't taken long for her to give in; as she did every time Margaret Scully asked her for something. For the first time in many years she had actually looked forward to the holidays; for the first time having friends to celebrate it with - and a man she loved as well. But she heard the underlying tone in Maggie's voice as well... This would be the first Christmas without Melissa. And though she would never replace the elder sister, Jackie knew that her ties to the Scully family were never so important as they were this holiday season. Dana, on the other hand, was being a real bitch about the entire thing. First she had argued with St. George about going out there Christmas Eve and staying over the night; stating that she had paperwork piling up at the office and the only quiet time she ever had was when Mulder wasn't there. Then she had tried to get out of it by finding this abduction case that hopefully would take them over the holiday to solve; Mulder not really putting up too much of a fight. But the case had turned to smoke, and now they were slowly making their way to the Scullys; luggage in the trunk amid bags of presents. And if they showed up at Margaret's like this; she'd probably shoot them all with Bill's old pistol just to put them out of their misery. Sighing, Jackie looked up into the night sky. "Clear night, Mulder." She had to say something. "Yep." He grunted. "Geez, Mulder, cut me some slack." Jackie groaned. "At least pretend to be joyful and all that Christmas stuff. If we get to Mom's like this, she's going to kill us all." This was enough to get a smile out of the two agents. Dana's mouth twitched as she held back a laugh. "I see she's got the same effect on you that she's had on the rest of us..." "Basic terror? Oh, yes..." The Canadian snickered. "Though I understand that it wasn't enough to stop you from cuddling in front of the fireplace on that last bit of downtime you had..." Mulder turned his head to the left, probably to make some snide comment when suddenly Scully grabbed his arm and yelled. "Mulder!" She pointed upwards into the sky. He stared at the thin pinpoint of light zipping across their view. "Mulder!" Jackie grabbed the front seat with both hands. With a gasp of horror he jerked his view back to the road in front of them... ... and the car coming at them head-on... ************** The first thing Scully felt when she opened her eyes was the thick weight of a body slumped in her lap. Reaching down, she gently felt the left side of Mulder's neck; relaxing slightly at the strong pulse pounding under her fingertips. Pushing him to her left, she propped him back against the seat as she quickly undid her own seat belt; feeling no injuries on her own body. The air bags hadn't even gone off; despite the crash. Struggling to look over the seat, she spied St. George on the floor just behind the front seats. "Jackie..." She put a hand down, brushing the edge of her thick white Irish sweater. The dark haired woman stirred. "I wanna sleep some more, mom... just five minutes more..." The slurred words faded as she turned her head to stare at Scully. "Oh, man... remind Mulder that he's the one who declined the extra collision on this rental..." With a smile Scully nodded, watching her carefully as she scrambled back up onto the rear seat. Mulder's eyes flickered once, twice, and then slowly opened. The egg-sized lump on his forehead was already turning a deep purple, and he winced as he touched it. Pushing the door open, Scully made her way to the other car. It had spun around on impact; sitting across the road. A light snow had begun to fall, and she cursed as she slid on the ice to the front door. "Hello?" She knocked on the fogged glass. "Hello? Are you alright?" The door slowly opened to reveal a panicky man, rubbing his glasses on his flannel shirt. "I'm fine... but my daughter..." He gestured beside him. "She's going into labour, I think... premature..." "Oh, wonderful." Jackie snorted as she leaned on the hood of the car. "If she's a virgin, I'm outta here..." Ignoring her, Dana pulled open the trunk of the car and reached for her medical bag. "You two either call for an ambulance or get me some place warm for her." Her voice held that no-nonsense tone that had them both scrambling for their cell phones. Fox held up his battered receiver. "Dead battery." He looked over the seat at Jackie; who nodded as she gestured at her own phone and Dana's. She raised a finger in warning. "If you even hum the initials EMP I will hurt you..." He smiled. "Well, if our batteries are all dead and the cars as well, it would be a probable explanation..." "Mulder!" Jerking his head up, he smacked it on the top of the car door. Jackie snickered as he rubbed the back of his skull. Dana looked over the top of the car. "I need to get her inside now!" Jackie pointed towards a small house on the horizon. "Ask, and ye shall receive..." ********** Carrying the young teenager between them, the two men huffed their way up the small path to the front door, Jackie leading them. She knocked once on the thick oak door, then tried the handle. The unlocked door opened easily, admitting them to the small cabin. "I don't like this..." She muttered as Dana rushed to put the woman on the single bed in the room; the nervous man clutching at her hand as she moaned in pain. "I don't want to die..." The blonde-haired woman whimpered. Dana smiled, taking her hand tightly. "No one's going to die. You're just going to have an early Christmas present for your family." She looked up at the man. "You're her father?" The man rubbed a hand over his white hair. "Yes... she's not due for another few weeks, at least. My wife is waiting for us at home..." Dana briskly set about the small room; setting out what little medical equipment she had packed in her kit. Letting out a slow breath, she tried to stay calm. It had been a long time since she had ever even seen a delivery; much less be the main physician... "Scully?" She turned to look into Fox's face; unable to suppress a grin at the purple spot on his forehead and the dazed expression on him. "The phones are dead... St. George is bringing in the luggage in case we have to stay here overnight..." The young woman on the bed moaned as another contraction hit. "Are we in trouble here?" "Nothing except the most natural thing in the world, Mulder." She stared at him, noting his paleness. "Don't tell me that you can deal with alien-human hybrids; liver-eating mutants and flukemen and can't deal with a woman giving birth?" "Each to their own, Scully..." He ducked out of the cabin as the young woman let out another low cry. Colliding with St. George as she struggled with the bags, Mulder looked up into the night sky. "I think there's a storm coming in." He took one of the suitcases from her. "Could be jamming our signals." "Oh, so we're not on a landing path for any UFO's this evening?" She joked nervously, handing him the unfamiliar luggage she had taken out of the other car's trunk. "I hate to ask..." "Any time now..." "Oh, man... I hate this..." He raised an eyebrow. "I thought all you women loved this birthing stuff..." "I fainted during that particular first aid training segment in the Academy, Mulder..." ************ "Hmm..." Dana tried to look comforting, not knowing if she could hide her nervousness totally. "My name's Dana Scully... the man with me is Fox Mulder, and the other woman's Jackie St. George. We're both FBI agents, and she's with CSIS." Flipping open her badge, she showed it to the two frightened people. "We were on our way home when we hit you. But I'm a doctor, so we'll get some medical help as soon as we can..." The woman nodded, her sweaty face tense. "I think... I think it might be coming early..." Her father frowned. "My name's Jim Adderston and this is my daughter Annie..." Wiping his face again with the flannel sleeve of his shirt, he sighed. "Her husband... he was killed last week..." "Oh..." Dana cursed him silently for perhaps upsetting his daughter; who really didn't need a lot more help. "Well, I'm sure the baby will be fine..." She patted the stomach gently. "Looks like you're coming along fine..." "I hope so..." Annie panted. "Because she's coming now..." Dana felt like she was about to faint. At that moment the two agents burst into the cabin, the wind and snow whipping around them as Fox forced the door shut. "It's turning into a blizzard out there." He helpfully commented. Dragging him into a corner, she tugged on Jackie's sleeve. "The baby'll be here in a matter of an hour or so." "Don't look at me." Jackie held up her hands. "I don't know nothing about birthing no babies, Miz Scully..." Dana smiled, feeling a bit of the tension leave her body at the joke. "I think we'll be fine. But we're going to need an ambulance or at the least a working car to get them to a hospital if we end up here overnight." "Miss... Agent Scully?" They turned to see Jim staring at them. He shuffled his feet anxiously. "I think I should tell you something..." "What?" Fox beat them to the punch. "Someone's... there are these men who are going to come for us... to kill Annie and me..." "Oh.... wonderful..." Jackie muttered under her breath. "Merry Christmas, indeed..." The young woman let out a muffled scream, bringing Dana to her side. Jim looked nervously at the two agents in front of him; clenching his hands into fists. "Her... her husband was this idiot; this jerk who thought that if he just played the horses enough that he'd win..." His breath came in short jerks as he spat out the words. "I got a phone call from her last week; we'd heard nothing from her for months... when she married John we disowned her. Didn't even know she was expecting..." He looked down at the floor. "They came for him while she was out at the doctor, they hurt him so badly that he hardly had a face left. And she called me; asked me to come and get her and take her home so the baby could be born someplace safe..." "Did you notify the police?" Fox became the professional again, reaching for his note pad. Jim shook his head. "No reason to. He owned them so much money and he was bad to start with... he hit her once or twice, and he was a bad man. Doesn't matter anyway; these type of people don't ever go to jail." Jackie raised an eyebrow in silent agreement, staring at Fox. "So they're following you?" Fox asked quietly. "They must be... Annie said that they wanted to hurt her too; maybe the baby... I don't know what to do..." His voice became a low plea. "I need you to stop them." Jackie opened her jacket, showing the shoulder holster sitting snugly atop the thick sweater. "This we can do..." "No." The older man's voice was firm and steady. "No blood, no killing. I won't have my grandchild born into a world where the first thing they hear or see is death..." He looked at Fox. "Please... promise me this..." "We'll try..." He heard himself saying, knowing Jackie was staring at him in disbelief. She sighed. "We'll try... but Jim... if we have to save you and the baby, we might have too..." He nodded. "I know. But he can't be born into a world like this. Not like this." He repeated the words over and over; as if he were praying. "Mulder..." Dana called out softly, bringing them away from the worried man. She stared at them. "That child is going to be here in maybe an hour... possibly less." "Can you handle it?" Fox asked. She nodded. "I think so... as long as it's nothing complicated - I don't see any indications of a breech birth or anything out of the ordinary." A stray lock of hair fell into her face, and she brushed it away hurriedly. "But I want to know what you're going to do about those men..." "We'll just talk to them." Mulder smiled. "Convince them of the errors of their ways..." "I love to chitchat." St. George volunteered. Scully frowned at the pair of them. "I'm not getting into this. I have to take care of a patient. But I remind you both that if what Jim says is true, they will try to get through you to us." "It won't happen." Mulder said confidently. St. George nodded. "Without any blood?" She stared at St. George. "No killing?" Mulder shrugged. "We'll do our best..." "I know you will." Putting a hand on Fox's shoulder, Dana squeezed it tightly. "I just don't want anything to happen to them..." "It won't." Jackie announced. "And no blood. I swear." She sighed. "Though it would make it a lot easier..." Mulder looked at her closely. "Do you have a headache?" She stared at him, suddenly afraid. "No. I feel just fine." A shiver ran through her body. "I feel great, actually..." **************** Looking down the driveway, they could see the two abandoned cars; one still in the centre of the road. St. George sighed. "I think they'll know where we are." "Hmm." Mulder nodded. "Well, I have an idea..." "Oh, now I'm scared. Remind me to ask Santa for a new set of brains for you." "Hey, the women at the Bureau don't complain..." "That's because it's not your brains that they look at..." ***************** Dana mopped the forehead of the young woman; trying to look as calm and comforting as she could. Jim had gotten up on the bed to hold her tightly; after scrounging as much laundry as he could from the cabin. Running water; a full cupboard... well, if this child had to be born, at least it wasn't in a cold car in the middle of a snowstorm. She looked quickly out the window at the increasing flurries swirling around them. ***************** The black sedan slowed at it passed the dented car in the middle of the road; the driver frowning at the rental car sitting beside it. Pulling into the long driveway, the two men in the back of the car; along with the driver, checked their pistols. "Dum de dum dum." Jackie patted the last handful of snow on a large snowman; adjusting the Blue Jay cap atop the huge mound. She grinned at the car as it came to a stop a few feet from her as she brushed some snow from her combat jacket and the thickly knit white sweater under it. "Hello..." Getting out, the driver looked at her closely. His long dark trench coat just touched the top of the snow at their feet, and she pointed down. "Going to get your coat dirty." She added a broken broomstick to the snowman's side; the jagged wooden edge pointing down into the snow. The two men from the back moved to stand behind the shorter driver; all three eerie imitations of each other in their dress and demeanour. "Where is she?" The driver asked in a gruff voice. A hand moved to push down a lock of dark black hair on his head. "Just give her and the old man to us, and we'll go." "Nope, nope, nope." Jackie shook her head. "I don't like that game. Wanna play snowball fight?" Picking up a thick ball, she threw it at the driver. It thudded against the front of his coat; sliding down slowly to the ground as his face reddened. The two men behind him didn't move; though one released a small sharp smile. "I don't have time to play." The leader took a step forward as she stepped back, behind the snowman and closer to the house. "I don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to. Just give us the girl." "You know, I don't think you're really showing the Christmas spirit." She frowned, wagging a finger at them. "I really don't..." "Take her." The order was short and crisp to the two thugs. They moved out from behind the shorter man; trying to move the short distance to St. George. A scream came from the house behind them; shattering the cold with it's ferocity. Grabbing the broomstick from the snowman, she swiftly swung low; clipping one behind the knees. Buckling; he fell to the ground as the second reached for her. "Hold it." A thick voice stopped him as his hands settled on the worn green fabric. The leader swallowed nervously as he felt the pistol at his throat. Mulder shook one leg, trying to get the last of the snow off his body as the baseball cap still sat askew on his head. "I think you're definitely not being nice." Fox smiled at Jackie as she leaned on her stick; one foot firmly placed on the prone man's chest. "I think you need a lesson in charity..." They heard another, shorter yell. Jackie shivered. She prodded the broken tip of the stick into the leader's chest. "Man, you're lucky that I'm playing handicapped today..." ****************** "I like this." St. George proclaimed; tossing the pistols in the trunk of the sedan. Mulder smiled. "I thought you would." He gestured at the three men with his own weapon. "Come on, the faster you move, the faster you get out of here." Standing there in the snow, the three thugs grudgingly removed the last of their clothing; stopping at their underwear. Jackie snickered approvingly. "Jockeys. I like." Fox raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll remember that." "Only in your dreams, Mulder..." "More likely my nightmares..." "Gonna pay for that one." Lifting the bundle of clothing, she dumped it in the trunk, shoes and all. Slamming the lid shut, she pulled off the key from the ring and put it in her pocket. Tossing the remaining single key to the short leader, she smiled. "Now you can drive to the nearest locksmith and explain this one to him..." He snarled, very aware of Mulder's pistol on him. "You can't do this..." "Oh, I think we can." Mulder flashed his ID with his free hand. "And we've got your wallets. And I plan to pass on the information to the proper authorities when we get out of here." "And..." Jackie moved in close to the dark face, seeing his hands move to his torso protectively. "If I even hear a hint of anything happening to these people; you'll have no mercy from me." She growled. "This is a promise." "Get out of here." Fox gestured. Scampering quickly into the car, the semi-naked men drove quickly down the lane and out of sight. Jackie pursed her lips. "Wonder if you can get frostbite..." "Ask Scully." Mulder jerked his head back towards the cabin as a last, drawn-out scream met their ears. "But I think she's busy right now..." They stood in the snow, looking at each other for a long moment. Jackie poked holes in the thick snowbank with the stick, silent. "So... you want to go back?" Fox re holstered his pistol. She shrugged. "Oh, whenever... I'm in no rush. Make sure those goons are out of here." "I think they are." Fox clapped his hands together to shake the last of the snow off. "Let me guess - you're not wild on seeing this." "That's you, Mulder; always the keen observer." She smiled. "Let's just say that there are some things that aren't meant to be captured on camera; shared with the world; displayed on CNN..." "I have to agree with you there." Trudging back towards the cabin, he leaned on the fence post lining the porch. "Can't say that I'm eager to charge in right now..." "Unless she calls us." "Unless she calls us." He repeated. "Mulder! St. George!" "Oh, man..." Jackie groaned. "I hate when you do that..." Putting his hand on the doorknob; Fox took a deep breath and opened the door. "All the way in, Mulder. And hurry up." Dana admonished him as she leaned over the sink on the other side of the cabin. Wiping her hands on a towel, she tossed it onto a pile just out of sight behind a thick trunk near the bed. Swallowing sharply, Fox moved towards her, feeling Jackie close the door behind her. His eyes roamed to the bed; and the two people occupying it... and a small, pink bundle wrapped in a thick blanket. "It's a girl." Dana smiled shyly. "And it was a perfect by-the-book delivery." Taking his hand, she led him to the large oversized bed. Ann looked up from the pillows, her face still sweaty but beaming proudly; but not as proudly as the man sitting beside her. In her arms she cradled a tiny baby; the wrinkled skin and fat fingers twitching in the air. Fox let out his breath slowly, unaware that he had been holding it. "Oh." "Oh?" Dana arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh?" "Oh." "Oh." She repeated with a smile. Jim looked up from his granddaughter's cherubic face with his own grin. "Thanks for taking care of those men. Do you think they'll be back?" Caught with something he could handle, Fox shook his head. "No, I don't think so - we'll turn the information we have on them over to the Bureau when we get back to Washington and then to the local authorities. I think they'll give you a very wide berth." His eyes drifted back to the tiny bundle. "She's alright?" "Perfect." Ann whispered. "Totally perfect." She sighed, laying her head back on the pillow. "John would have loved her..." A tear broke loose from her eye, rolling down her cheek. Jim patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Your mother will be thrilled. Another one to spoil." He whispered. Ann smiled and laughed weakly. "For a minute." She offered the baby to Dana. "I just want to get comfortable here..." Placing the child into the agent's arms, she shuffled back and forth in the bed; Jim adjusting the comforter and pillows around her. Dana looked down at the tiny face, and felt again the sudden loss of her own sister. Mel would have loved this; the naturalness of the entire thing. Maybe she would have had children of her own; nieces and nephews for Dana Scully to spoil and play with, as she did with the other Scully children... "She's cute." Jackie tentatively poked her face over Fox's tall shoulder, straining to see. Dana grinned. "Think you'll ever want one?" As the words left her mouth she could feel Fox's gaze on her, searching her face. Jackie shook her head sharply. "No. Not ever. I couldn't do this to anyone else." Stepping back, she moved to the door. "I'm just going to go check the cars and make sure those goons are gone." Opening the door, the woman went back out into the storm. Dana stared at Fox, her face a picture of confusion. "I... I didn't think..." Turning back, she carefully put the baby back into the waiting arms of the mother. "Dammit... I always chose the wrong thing to say and do..." "I don't think so." Fox's soft whisper floated to her ears, just loud enough for her to hear. "And I think you do just fine, Doctor Scully..." ******************** Jackie shifted the Adderston's car into neutral and got out; moving to the back to gently push it along the ice. "Might as well clear the road for the plows to get through." She grunted, leaning hard on the bumper as it moved slowly and painfully to the side of the road. Stopping suddenly, she slid down to sit on the ice, staring back at the cabin. "Dammit." Jackie whispered to the night air as the snow whipped around her. "Dammit..." ******************* Fox stepped outside onto the small porch to see Jim light up a cigarette; exhaling the smoke into the chilly air. He turned to the agent; offering the pack. "No thanks." Fox shrugged. "I don't smoke." "Disgusting habit." Jim inhaled deeply. "I've wanted to quit for years, but never found the right reason. I probably will now, with Mary and all..." "That's what you're going to call her?" "Well, one of the names. Ann still can't decide how or if she should work Dana or Jaclyn into the mix." He looked at Fox. "Do you have a special name you'd like to add?" "Well..." Fox kicked at a pile of snow. "Maybe Samantha... if you think she's open to the idea." Jim coughed. "Right now I think she's open to naming her Madonna if you asked her." He sighed. "I don't know if I'm ready to be a father again... You have any kids?" "None that I know of." Mulder grinned. Jim chuckled. "Good answer." The older man smiled. "I just... I tried so hard to bring her up the right way, you know? And then she goes off and gets into trouble like this, and I almost lose her again." A deep drag on the cigarette. "Being a father means you're so afraid of making the wrong choices; of making a bad decision and seeing the consequences." His shoulders fell. "Maybe if I had paid more attention to her earlier; told her how much her mother and I loved her... All those things that you want to say and can't because it's not proper. Wasn't for my generation, you know. You didn't say what you felt; you just did what you were told." Fox nodded in response. The thick smoke hung in the air between them; interspersed with the falling snow. "I mean, there's no Father's Manual. And what do you do when something happens that you don't know what to do about; something out of the ordinary like this? Sure can't write Ann Landers and wait for the papers to print her answer..." He stubbed out the cigarette in the snow. "I guess the best you can do is hope that it works out in the end. And if it doesn't... you pray for forgiveness." Turning on his heel, he headed for the door. "Should tell your friend that she's going to freeze to death if she stays out there too long..." Mulder stared out at the figure at the end of the driveway; his mind spinning... ***************** Dana passed the tiny bundle back to the proud mother, smiling. "She's just fine. But I still want to get you to a hospital as fast as we can, just to make sure." Ann nodded. "I know..." She took a sip of water from the glass sitting by the bedside. Looking over at Jim, who was busy building a fire in the enormous fireplace that took up almost an entire wall of the cabin, she sighed. "Dad's thrilled... I guess that he's going to be happy to have me back home again." "Well, I'm sure that you'll appreciate having him and your mother around when you want to get some rest." Dana sat on the edge of the bed lightly, trying to not jostle the pair. "I guess... funny, it's going to be like having a sister, you know." She looked down at the yawning child. "I mean, going home and all... and I'm only twenty and I have a baby to take care of." Her words held a trace of amusement. "Going to cause a stir at the hairdresser's, I suppose." Scully smiled. "I guess so. I've got both brothers and sisters, and you never end up being alone." "Oh." Ann's face lit up. "I always read about large families... how many?" "One older brother, one younger. And a sister..." Biting her tongue, Dana tried to not show her discomfort. "What's her name?" "Melissa... well, we called her Missy, or Mel." Dana suddenly wanted to be far, far away from this cabin. Ann frowned. "I'm sorry... is this bad?" "No, no..." No need upsetting a new mother. "Missy just died a few months ago in... in an accident. But I still miss her." "Well, I would think so." Ann smiled sheepishly. "I mean, you loved her and all that. Makes sense to me that you'd only miss her if you cared for her. If you didn't; then you wouldn't." She looked down at the baby, sleeping quietly. "I'll miss John but I'll always remember the good times. Maybe that's what keeps the love alive; remembering the good times." She yawned. "I'm tired, Dana." Snapping out of her reverie, the doctor part of Scully took over. Reaching down, she pulled out a cardboard carton from under the bed, layered over and over with the thick quilts and blankets that seemed to be everywhere in this place. "Already ahead of you. We'll put this right here, by the bed where you can watch her. And you call me or Mulder if you even think something's wrong, alright?" She smiled. "I mean it. If you suspect anything, you call out." As the tired woman nodded, Dana carefully took the little girl from her; placing her tenderly amid the wrappings. "Anything." She repeated as Ann closed her eyes. *************** Brushing the last of the snow from her jacket, Jackie slipped inside the cabin. Dana looked up from the oven where she had reheated a can of stew she had found in the pantry. Fox poked at the fire with a long piece of wood while Jim curled up on the edge of the bed, not far from the sleeping woman and the baby in the makeshift crib on the floor. "Well, the cars are both dead. And the phones too. So I'll hike out in the morning to get someone to come and boost them both and then get her to the hospital." Dropping her jacket by the fire, she knelt down by Mulder. "So, any ET's drop by looking for their long-lost brother?" "No, but they asked about you. Something about an inferior species of human..." He laughed as she pushed him to the ground playfully, away from the front of the fire. Dana appeared, handing her a bowl of stew. "Eat. You're the last one. And then we all better get some sleep - this storm should be over by morning, and I really want to get Ann and the baby to some proper medical care." "What's she decided to call her?" Jackie mumbled through a mouthful. "Nothing yet. Though I think she's becoming attached to Mary..." Dana smiled. Jackie nodded. "Well, as long as it's not anything like Muffy, or Bambi. Imagine going through your life named after an animal." **************** The fire burned low; the faint glow illuminating the people in the room. In one corner of the single couch in the room, Dana curled up against Fox's chest, her head rising and falling with his steady breathing. The heavy blanket covering them had fallen to one side, revealing his tight hold around her waist as they both slept. Jackie turned away from the fire; the striped Hudson's Bay blanket she always carried with her suddenly too warm to keep on. Tossing it to one side, she tugged at the thick white sweater sleepily. Across the room; Jim snored lightly as he lay next to his daughter on the top of the quilts; holding her hand gently as she rested her head on his shoulder. Her face was peaceful and showed nothing of the day's events. Jackie rubbed her eyes. Something was making noise... Getting to her hands and knees, she crawled slowly towards the side of the bed, stopping at the small box. The baby looked up at her; tiny fat fingers clenching and unclenching as she let out a deep yawn. St. George smiled. "You should be asleep." She admonished the little one. "Been a big day for you." The pink face looked at her in disbelief. "Don't you be asking me for any lullaby." Getting to her knees, the woman stared down. "'Cause I don't know any. Least none that I remember. And with no one else in my family; never learned any other ones." The small bundle moved restlessly against the blankets. Jackie sighed. "Alright, something from the season, then. But..." She wagged a finger at the baby. "Dragons sing as well as foxes drive. Remember that." The child exhaled; blowing a bubble at her. "Right." Taking a deep breath and a furtive look around the room, she began to hum in a low tone. "...I have no gift to bring, pa rom pa pom pom... I am a poor boy too, pa rom pa pom pom... I'll play my drum for you, pa rom pa pom pom... I'll play my best for you, pa rom pa pom pom; rom pa pom pom, rom pa pom pom..." The baby smiled at her; the deep blue eyes opening fully to stare into hers. And suddenly she had no voice to finish the song... ******************* "Jackie!" She moved groggily to the hand shaking her shoulder, sitting up slowly. "Jackie!" "What..." Rubbing her eyes, she focused in on Dana's anxious face. "Whatta matter..." "They're gone. Ann, Jim... the baby." Pulling St. George to her feet, she pointed at the bed beside the Canadian; to the empty box beside her. "Mulder's out to see if he can see which way they drove off, but the snow is still falling." "They drove?" Her mind was clearing as she could see the panic in Dana's face. "The cars are dead..." "Guess not." Fox slammed the door behind him. "Must not be too far ahead of us - the tracks lead onto the main road and then go east. We could catch up to them if we leave right now." He shook a cell phone at them. "Batteries are still dead in these." "Right." Dana reached for her jacket. "I know that she's probably going to a hospital; in fact I'm sure of it. But I should at least give a medical record to the emergency doctors about the delivery and document the birth." "Okay." Shaking her head still, Jackie stared at the bed. "How the hell did they get by all of us without waking us up?" "Magic?" Fox grinned. Dana shot him that look. "Come on. At least we can try to catch up to them." Scribbling a quick explanation on a business card, Mulder tossed it on the main table. "Give the owner a chance to call and bill us for the place. Especially the laundry." ************** Dana peered out the front window, noting that the storm had turned into no more than a dusting of big, thick snowflakes that stuck to everything and everyone it touched. "Well, I hope they'll be safe." She mumbled. "Jim seems like a pretty smart man, and you told me that she was determined to get to a hospital." Fox offered. "Besides, at this rate we could catch up to them anytime." He sighed. "But I would love to know where we are, actually." "There." Jackie tapped him on the shoulder. "Pull over there and I'll wipe off the sign." She motioned to the dark blur coming up on their right. Hopping out of the car, she waded through the snow to the sheet metal sign, raising a gloved fist to pound on it. The freed snow fell atop her jacket and face, but she didn't even feel it as she looked at the sign. Dana watched as St. George sat down on the front bumper of the car, her face in her hands. And she couldn't tell if her friend was laughing or crying... "Scully..." Fox gestured towards the sign. BETHLEHEM - 5 He swallowed. "I think they'll be just fine." Her mouth slightly open, she nodded. Reaching over, Fox took her hand and squeezed it. "Peace on Earth..." "Goodwill to men. And whoever else is out there." Dana held his hand tightly as she smiled. He raised an eyebrow. "Think your mother's going to have the mistletoe up?" "Bet on it." "Merry Christmas, Scully." "Merry Christmas, Mulder. Now go get St. George back in the car before I have to deal with another medical emergency." *****************************