Take 2 - Part 20, Abite's Version
Disclaimer: The characters of Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Walter Skinner, et al
belong to 1013 Productions and I will make no money from their use.
Spoilers: None
Setting: Sixth Season. Many details and characters come from previous stories
Cadillac Red has written.
Rating: PG. No discipline, no slash.
Title: Take 2 - Part 20, Abite's Version
Author: Abite (and a tiny bit by Cadillac Red). Thanks for letting me play in
your universe again!
Cadillac Red's note: This series was inspired by Xanthe's story "Red" and is
loosely related to an unfinished work by Mangst and Xanthe called "Reset". I
appreciate their generous approval to go ahead with my version of the same
scenario.
Summary: After Fox's near-fatal medical crisis, Skinner gives the boy a day
to remember. . .
Walter Skinner's Apartment
Crystal City, Virginia
Friday evening
6:36 p.m.
Skinner put his finger to his lips to shush Agent Delaney's greeting as he
entered the apartment. He pointed in the direction of the kitchen, a question
on his face. The young agent grinned and nodded, sensing what his superior
had in mind. He quietly closed the front door behind himself.
Skinner crept through the living room to the kitchen trying not to make the
slightest sound. Fox had his back to him, completely engrossed in a book at
the table. He didn't hear his father's approach.
"BOO!"
Fox jumped, and spun around in shock.
"Daaad! You scared me!"
The AD grinned, and dropped a kiss in the 11-year-old's hair.
"Were you good for Sean today?" He asked his son, bending to get a pitcher of
homemade lemonade from the refrigerator and two glasses from a cupboard.
"Uh-huh!" Fox said, watching his father pour the refreshing drink.
The child had been released from hospital exactly one week earlier, following
a near-fatal medical crisis. He was recovering well, but was still too skinny
for the AD's liking. Luckily, though, since his return home, he'd been eating
like the proverbial horse. Skinner wanted to celebrate Fox's miraculous
recovery in style, and felt the boy was now well enough for what he had in
mind.
"Well, since you've been a good boy, guess where we're going tomorrow."
"Where?" The child's hazel eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Valley Fair Theme Park."
Fox jumped up from his chair and leapt into his father's arms.
"Thanks, Dad!"
The AD lifted the boy into a warm embrace and kissed his forehead.
"It's a long drive, though. So that means dinner, bath, then bed for you,
young man. No arguments."
"Okay," Fox sighed, resting his head on Skinner's shoulder, glad that his
father was finally home.
Highway 92
Charleston, West Virginia
Saturday morning
10:47 a.m.
Buckled up in the back seat, Fox was playing with the Gameboy his Uncle Andy
had bought him the previous week as a 'get well' present. Unfortunately, the
repetitive electronic beeping was beginning to grate on Skinner's nerves, and
he wished the child would listen to his new portable CD player instead. The
AD was just about to suggest this, when he saw through the rearview mirror
that the boy was already listening to music, too. Skinner smiled to himself. *Typical Mulder, doing a hundred things at once!*
"Dad, are we almost there yet?"
The child's voice broke the AD's reverie. He sounded bored, despite his
multi-tasking.
"About another five miles," Skinner answered patiently.
"Can we stop at McDonald's?"
"No, we're almost there. And we've stopped twice already."
The AD smiled, remembering another long road trip not so long ago, when Fox
was only two, going to see his mother for the first time. They'd made
several stops at McDonald's on that trip as well. The AD was determined not
to be tricked again this time!
Valley Fair Theme Park
Charleston, West Virginia
Saturday morning
11:27 a.m.
Fox gripped his father's hand tightly and looked around in awe. He'd never
been anywhere like this before. There were so many people. And the rides he
could see looked huge, bigger than anything he'd ever seen in his life. He
felt his father gently pull him towards the ticket window, and he was
suddenly overcome with anxiety.
"Dad?" he asked, tremulously.
The AD was paying for their tickets, but bent to answer the boy, concerned by
his tone.
"What is it, Fox?"
The child pointed towards the biggest rollercoaster he could see, The Wild.
"Do I have to go on that one?"
Skinner chuckled and hugged his son. "No, honey. We'll only go on the rides
you want to go on. This is your day, remember?"
Fox sighed with relief, his anxiety slowly turning into excitement.
"Okay."
They walked towards the entrance of the park hand in hand. Fox had not yet
reached an age where holding his father's hand in public embarrassed him,
Skinner mused. The child's lingering innocence warmed his heart.
"What ride do you want to go on first, pal?" the AD asked, trying to unfold
the park map with his free left hand.
"Are there any space rides?" Fox asked eagerly, scanning the park keenly.
Skinner let go of his son's hand to hold the map with both hands.
"I see "Space Mountain," "Trip to Mars,"... and... "The Black Hole." Those
sound like space rides."
"Yeah! Let's go!" Fox said hurriedly, already running.
"Fox! Get back here!" Skinner called, "You don't even know the way."
The child stopped and turned around, a sheepish smile on his young face.
"Uh, oh yeah." He started walking back towards his father.
" "The Black Hole" looks like it's the nearest. Let's do that one first,
okay?"
"Okay."
The two made their way towards the ride, the child chatting animatedly,
looking around, and pointing at the many things that caught his attention.
It lifted the AD's spirits to see the little boy he loved as his own son so
full of life and energy. It was a far cry from how he had been just one week
earlier.
They joined the long line for "The Black Hole" ride. Fox stood in front of
Skinner, and the AD immediately draped his arms over the boy's shoulders
protectively. The child turned to look up at his father, a cheeky grin on his
face.
"Are you sure you won't get scared, Dad? You are kinda old."
"I'll give you 'kinda old,'" the AD growled, reaching down to tickle Fox's
belly.
The boy giggled and squirmed, and eventually surrendered.
"Okay! Okay! You're not old!"
A few people in line had been watching the scene, and they smiled when Fox
gave in.
One man, unseen by father and son, smiled darkly for very different reasons.
"Dad? You still there?"
The AD smiled in the pitch-black darkness as the rollercoaster car ascended.
Fox had insisted he wouldn't get scared, had refused Skinner's offers to get
out of the line. Now though, less than ten seconds into the ride, it seemed
the child had changed his mind.
"Still here, pal," the AD reassured his son. "How are you doing?"
"Can I sit on your lap?"
The AD did his best to suppress a chuckle. "Fox, you're buckled in. I can't
undo it 'til the ride stops. Relax. It'll be fun."
"Okay," the boy answered nervously. He wasn't convinced about the fun part.
"Wow! That was so cool!"
The AD smiled, and ruffled Fox's hair as they walked down the exit steps from
"The Black Hole."
"Told you it would be fun."
"Can we go on it again?" The boy was practically bouncing up and down with
energy.
"Fox, if we go on everything twice, we won't have time to go on all the
rides. How about "Trip to Mars" next?" The AD suggested, one hand on the
boy's back, guiding him down the last few steps.
"Okay!"
Fox suddenly jumped from the third step.
"Fox! Slow down!"
Skinner knew the boy was excited, but he didn't want him hurting himself in
his hurry to get to the next ride. *Always chasing the next big thing,* the
Assistant Director thought wistfully, unintentionally thinking of the adult
Mulder. He reached the bottom of the steps, and took his son's hand.
The pair walked towards the "Trip to Mars" ride, the AD half-listening to
Fox's happy chatter, half-scanning the park around them. He was starting to
get an uneasy feeling. Although he tried to dismiss it as any parent's normal
fears for their child in a large crowded place, he just couldn't.
But he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary either.
He suddenly realized Fox had asked him a question and was waiting for an
reply.
"What's that, honey?"
"I said, can I have an ice-cream?"
The AD shook himself mentally and focused on his son.
"How about we have lunch first? What would you like?"
"Burgers!"
Skinner looked around and saw a large food court about 100 yards ahead of
them.
Fox spotted it at the same time.
"Look, Dad!" the child said excitedly, pointing towards the restaurants, "I
bet they have burgers there!"
"You sound like you haven't eaten for a month!" Skinner laughed, a rush of
affection surging through him. He put his arm around Fox's shoulders, and led
the boy to lunch.
The Burger Shack
Valley Fair Theme Park
1:07 p.m.
"What would you like today?" The pretty Hispanic teenaged girl at the counter
asked Fox for his order.
"Um, can I have a cheeseburger, large fries, a strawberry ice-cream sundae,
and, what kind of shakes do you have?"
The girl, Concepta, according to her red cap, smiled, wondering where a boy
as slender as the one in front of her would put away all that food.
"We have chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and banana."
Fox looked up at Skinner for help, but the AD simply shrugged and smiled.
"Your stomach, your choice."
"I think I'll try banana," Fox said finally, nodding his head, "but Dad, you
have to drink it if I don't like it."
"Well, considering I'm paying for it, I don't think that'll be a problem,"
the AD teased. He ordered his own lunch, a chicken salad, and an iced tea to
drink, paid for their meals, then went to join Fox at the table he'd chosen
in the crowded open dining area.
The lights in the theater began to dim slowly.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to enjoy the show!"
The announcer finally finished her long preamble, and Fox wriggled in his
seat restlessly, waiting for the ride to start. "Trip to Mars" turned out to
be one of those simulated rides, complete with moving seats and huge
surround-screen, and Fox was anxious to see what would happen next.
Skinner looked down at the boy sitting to his left, thinking that his adult
counterpart would have enjoyed this ride, too. Scully, on the other hand,
would have scoffed, and said that trips to Mars were not yet humanly
possible. The AD smiled softly.
The astronauts on the screen were waving and stepping into the space shuttle
as the crowd cheered.
Doors were locked.
Systems were checked.
The countdown began.
Suddenly, the theater seats tilted back. Fox gasped. He reached his hand
towards Skinner. The AD took it instinctively.
"It's okay, son. I'm here."
Within a few moments, though, the child had recovered, and was enjoying the
ride as much as everyone else.
"Dad, look how far away we are from Earth!" Fox said, pointing at the screen,
his voice filled with awe.
"Amazing, isn't it?"
"Yeah!" The boy said, with a child's sense of wonder.
At the back of the theater, a man with binoculars smiled.
"Dad, we don't really have the technology to go to Mars yet, do we? I mean,
we can send space shuttles there, but not men, right?"
Skinner and Fox were exiting the theater, the AD holding the boy's hand
tightly as they moved with the crowd. He was impressed by Fox's knowledge.
"That's right, Fox. The journey takes too long. About four years each way, I
think. Scientists haven't figured out how to carry that much fuel and basic
necessities so humans could survive that long."
"When they do, can I go?" the boy asked eagerly.
The Assistant Director chuckled at Fox's enthusiasm. "You'd have to be an
astronaut, son. You might want to be something else when you grow up."
Skinner smiled inwardly; the adult Mulder probably *would* like to be an
astronaut.
The child was silent for a few seconds, thinking.
"I want to be an astronaut when I grow up," he said, resolutely.
Skinner laughed softly and put an arm around the boy's shoulders. "We'll
see."
They made their way outside, and Skinner automatically began scanning their
surroundings. Fox noticed.
"What are you looking for, Dad?" He asked, puzzled.
"Nothing, I hope," the AD answered quietly, completing his search. He decided
to change the subject, not wanting to worry the boy.
"How about "Space Mountain" next?"
"All right!" Fox shouted, punching the air with his right fist. Skinner
turned his back to the boy, and crouched down.
"Hop on, partner!"
Fox loved piggyback rides. Especially from his dad. He quickly climbed onto
Skinner's back and held on tightly.
"Why is the line moving so slowly?" Fox whined for the umpteenth time.
"It must be a long ride. Or maybe only a few people can go at a time."
Skinner had given a similar explanation at least a hundred times already. Now
even he was wondering what was causing the delay. This was the longest wait
so far. Well over an hour. *It had better be one heck of a ride*, the AD
thought, annoyed.
"Can we sneak up the line?" the boy asked, looking up at his father
hopefully.
"That would be dishonest, Fox. The sign said no line-jumping, remember?"
"No one would tell," the boy sulked, hanging his head, rubbing one sneakered
foot into the dirt.
Skinner looked down at the child standing next to him with a mixture of
exasperation and fondness.
"Do you want to leave the line? We could always go on a different ride."
"No, Dad," the boy answered, irritably. "We've waited this long. We may as
well just hang in there."
The AD decided to ignore Fox's tone, not wishing to spoil the boy's day by
scolding him. Instead, he rubbed gentle circles on his son's back to calm him
down.
"Okay, but no more whining," he said, firmly.
The boy leaned against his father, enjoying the closeness, his irritation
gone as quickly as it had flared up.
"Okay," he sighed.
"So, was it worth the two hour wait?" Skinner asked Fox as they walked away
from "Space Mountain."
The AD was holding his son's hand, leading the way through the crowd. The
ride had indeed been quite long, and because there were only two cars, the
wait had seemed to take forever. Skinner had enjoyed the ride though, two
"spaceships" racing around a "mountain." He was curious to hear what Fox
thought of it.
"Fox?"
He looked down at the boy. The child was holding his stomach, looking
slightly green around the gills.
"Fox, what's wrong?" Skinner asked anxiously.
"I feel sick."
The AD felt the boy's forehead. It was cool. Just a regular case of too much
food and too much excitement. They had eaten lunch about four hours earlier,
and the AD thought that enough time had elapsed between then and the "Space
Mountain" ride. But maybe the huge meal the boy had eaten still hadn't
digested yet.
"Do you think you can make it to the restroom?"
"I'll try," Fox said weakly, still clutching his stomach.
The AD wanted to carry the boy, but feared the jolting movement might upset
his stomach further. He pulled out the park map from his jacket pocket, and
quickly unfolded it. Luckily, there were some restrooms located about fifty
yards from where they were standing.
"Come on, son. This way," the AD said gently, taking Fox's hand.
As they walked, the boy began to whimper in pain.
"My stomach hurts, Dad."
"I know, honey," Skinner soothed, "we're almost there."
The AD kicked himself mentally. He'd wanted to indulge the boy today, not
make him sick. He pushed his guilt aside as they reached the entrance to the
almost empty restroom building. Skinner held the door open and Fox rushed
into one of the stalls.
It sounded as if he was throwing up everything he'd eaten in the past six
months.
Skinner waited until Fox's heaving had subsided.
"You okay in there?"
"Yeah," Fox said unconvincingly, then resumed heaving.
Skinner sighed, and walked over to Fox's stall. When there was another pause,
he knocked gently.
"It's me. Open up."
Fox obeyed. He looked miserable. His face was flushed and his eyes were
watering and he looked like he was about to fall over.
"Sorry I got sick, Dad."
Skinner pulled the boy into a hug, and rubbed his back gently.
"Nothing to be sorry for, honey. It's my fault. I shouldn't have let you eat
so much food."
The child clung to his father, the pain in his stomach gradually subsiding.
"I feel a bit better now."
Skinner was relieved. "Sure you don't need to be sick again?" he checked.
"Don't think so," the boy mumbled, nestling his face against his father's
midsection.
"Let's get you cleaned up then."
The AD extracted himself from Fox, and used toilet paper to wipe the toilet
seat. He flushed, then led Fox out of the stall towards the row of sinks.
Skinner pulled a handful of paper towels from the nearest dispenser and wet
them with lukewarm water. He wiped Fox's face, then wiped off a few drops of
vomit on the boy's t-shirt.
"Rinse your mouth, son. I'm just going to use the restroom."
Fox nodded and turned towards the sink.
A slender middle-aged man waited until he heard Skinner lock his stall. He
emerged from another stall, and walked over to the sink next to Fox's. He
turned on the faucets and began washing his hands.
"Hello there, son. Having a nice day?" He spoke in almost a whisper, as if he
didn't want to be overheard.
Fox looked up at the man, water still in his mouth.
The man's accent was decidedly foreign, German or Russian maybe. Like in a
James Bond movie, Fox thought. His features were handsome and weathered.
Fox spat out the water in his mouth.
"My dad says I mustn't talk to strangers."
"Oh, I'm no stranger, son," the man whispered kindly. "I was friends with
your real father. I can prove it. Come, I'll show you."
Fox hesitated. The man sounded nice enough. Maybe he could go with him for a
few minutes. On the other hand, his dad had always told him to never go off
with anyone he didn't know. He was already shaking his head to decline the
man's offer when he heard Skinner's voice.
"Fox, who're you talking to?" The AD could hear Fox's voice, but could only
barely make out the voice of the person he was speaking with. He zipped up
his jeans, and reached to flush the toilet.
Fox's scream stopped him cold.
Skinner rushed out of the stall to see his son sobbing on the floor. He
dashed outside and looked around. He saw a man in a black trenchcoat running
through the crowds.
He was torn. Give chase or comfort his son?
He chose the latter.
The AD rushed back into the restroom and picked Fox up.
"Shhh. It's okay. Daddy's here. Daddy's here now."
The boy sobbed into his father's neck. "He g-grabbed me, Daddy. 'Cos I didn't
want to g-go with him. H-he said he knew my r-real dad, b-but I d-didn't
believe him."
The AD rubbed Fox's back soothingly, and tried to calm down himself. He could
feel his heart pounding in his chest as if it would explode.
Two minutes. He'd left Fox alone for two minutes. And he'd almost lost him.
Again.
Something dawned on the AD then. How had the kidnapper known they'd be in
this particular restroom? He must have followed them all day, Skinner
realized. That would explain the uneasy feeling he'd had all afternoon. The
AD knew it had to be someone from The Consortium. It seemed They wanted Fox
back for more testing. *They'll never get him,* Skinner thought angrily. *Not
if I have anything to do with it.*
The AD suppressed his anger and focused on the boy in his arms.
"Are you hurt?"
Fox shook his head and buried his face in his father's neck, just like he
used to do when he was much younger. Skinner continued to rub the boy's back
soothingly. His own breathing was slowing down, relief flooding him. He could
ask Fox more questions later. The child was safe and unharmed and that was
all that mattered right now.
Fox gradually quieted, and began sniffling into his father's neck. The AD
held him a few moments longer, then tried to put him down.
"No!" The terror in the child's voice was palpable.
Skinner sighed sadly, a sense of guilt washing over him. He carried the boy
out of the restroom and spotted a nearby bench. He walked over to it and sat
down next to a young park employee. Heather, her nametag read. She seemed to
be taking a break.
"Is he okay?" The brunette asked with genuine concern, watching the AD cradle
the quietly sobbing child in his arms.
"He just had a bit of a scare," Skinner reassured her, and himself, rubbing
Fox's back. "He'll be okay."
"Hey, sweetie," Heather addressed Fox, "Want a free ice-cream?"
That got the boy's attention.
He sat up from his father's chest and nodded, wiping his nose with the back
of his hand, as 11-year-olds do. Heather smiled, remembering her younger
brothers. She got up from the bench.
"I'll be right back."
When she'd left, Skinner pulled a white cotton handkerchief from his right
jeans pocket, and wiped Fox's tear-streaked face, and his hands. He put the
soft cloth to the boy's nose.
"Blow."
When the child looked more presentable, Skinner put the handkerchief away. He
gazed down at the little boy he thought of as his own son.
"You were very brave, you know. You did the right thing not to go with that
man. I'm proud of you."
The child smiled shyly. "You are?"
The AD gently kissed the boy's forehead. "Very proud."
Fox snuggled back against his father's chest, giving in to the urge to suck
his thumb. He still did that, very occasionally, when he was sick or scared.
"And now I'm getting free ice-cream," he mumbled around his thumb, quietly
proud of himself.
"Just eat it slowly," Skinner chided gently, smiling, "You don't want to get
sick again."
"No way!" The boy said, sitting up, removing the thumb from his mouth
quickly, as he watched Heather approach with an ice-cream cone. Two vanilla
scoops. Fox's favourite. As were most other flavours!
Administrative Office Building
Valley Fair Theme Park
7:27 p.m.
Fox and the Assistant Director walked out of the theme park's main office,
the man's arm draped over the boy's shoulders. Both were relieved that the
interview was over. Skinner had called Agents Carney and Delaney on his
cellphone while Fox had been eating his ice-cream, and they'd just finished
interviewing the boy about his near-kidnapping.
Skinner realized it was probably an exercise in futility, but Carney and
Delaney were excellent agents, and the AD knew that they and their team would
do their best to find Fox's would-be kidnapper. And even if they didn't,
Skinner mused, the kidnapper's failed attempt would probably make him very
unpopular with his own kind. Either way, he would suffer harsh consequences
for attempting to harm Fox. That realization made the AD feel a little
better.
Fox had given a detailed description of the kidnapper, including that he had
a foreign accent. He had seemed fairly relaxed during the interview, probably
because he knew the two agents well. Now though, Skinner could feel the boy
trembling. He walked him to the nearest bench and they sat down.
"You okay, honey?" Skinner asked. He feared the boy might be going into
delayed shock.
"Y-yeah," Fox replied uncertainly, unconsciously leaning into his father. The
AD lifted the boy into his lap and held him close.
"It's okay. Daddy's got you," he soothed, gently stroking the back of Fox's
head, knowing from past experience that the motion had a calming effect on
the boy.
Fox's trembling gradually subsided, and he looked up from his snuggled
position against his father's chest.
"Dad, can I go on the Go-Carts? I won't get sick, I promise."
Skinner smiled. He remembered the Go-Cart Fox had had when he was about six.
It had been a present from his Uncle Joe to celebrate his safe return from
his kidnapping ordeal. Fox had long since outgrown that particular Go-Cart,
but it seemed he still enjoyed driving them.
Skinner gently brushed the boy's hair off his forehead.
"Okay, but this has to be the last ride. It's getting late, and we have a
long drive home."
The child nodded, climbing down from his father's lap, and standing in front
of him.
"Can I get another piggyback ride?" he asked, hopefully.
Skinner ruffled the boy's hair, happy that he seemed to have recovered, at
least for now.
"You bet." The AD rose from the bench and crouched down.
"I saw it first!" yelled Fox.
"No, I did!" yelled Jessica, equally loudly.
"Did not!"
"Did, too!"
Skinner and the girl's mother, Karin, both sighed, and gave up on the hope
that their children would be able to settle their disagreement by themselves.
They'd met in the line for the Go-Carts, and the adults and children had hit
it off immediately. Jessica was almost 12, and being an oldest child with a
younger brother, she had quickly taken Fox under her wing. Karin, a tall,
muscular African-American woman in her thirties, was a police officer, and he
r and Skinner had discussed the finer points of law enforcement while they'd
waited for their children's turn to ride.
Now though, both Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner and Officer Karin
Martina Jackson hoped they wouldn't have to use their skills and training on
their offspring. They both rose from the bench they'd been sharing and walked
towards the Go-Carts and their respective children.
"Fox, have you never heard of 'ladies first'?" Skinner asked sternly,
approaching his son.
"Jessica Louise, what did I tell you about being bossy?"
Skinner reached Fox, and put an arm around his back to hold him in place.
"Keep this up, young man, and you won't be riding at all," the AD said,
quietly but firmly.
Apparently, Karin was having a very similar conversation with her daughter a
few feet away, because both children whined, almost simultaneously,
"But I saw the red car first!"
The two adults looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Karin recovered first. "Walter, let Fox ride the red car. Jessie's older; she
can choose another one."
The AD disagreed. "No, Karin. Fox has to learn to respect other children. Let
Jessica ride it."
Meanwhile, the two children were reaching their own agreement. Fox suddenly
realized that the cart was probably big enough to hold both of them. It
would be a tight squeeze, but it might work.
"Jess, why don't we ride together?" Fox suggested tentatively.
"Good idea!" Jessica agreed, putting an arm around the boy's shoulders,
argument forgotten.
They giggled as they both got into the last red Go-Cart, Jessica squeezing in
behind Fox.
9:36 p.m.
The AD shifted the exhausted child from his right to left arm and shoulder as
he walked towards the park exit. Fox had been tired and cranky for the past
half hour but had steadfastly refused Skinner's suggestions to call it a
night. It was way past the boy's usual bedtime, and the AD knew how much this
child needed his sleep.
"But I'm not tired, Dad," Fox whined, a yawn overtaking him.
"Yeah, I can see that," Skinner chuckled, rubbing the boy's back. "We can
come back another weekend. How about the next time Brian and Haley visit?"
Fox didn't answer. The AD felt soft, steady puffs of breath against his neck,
and he smiled.
"Worn you out at last, kid," he thought triumphantly.
Skinner continued walking towards the exit, trying to negotiate the quickest
route through the masses of people moving in the same direction.
The explosion of the first fireworks caught him by surprise, and he felt Fox
startle in his arms.
"Shh, honey. It's only the fireworks," he whispered into the boy's ear
before he became fully awake. Fox murmured something incoherent, and fell
back asleep against his father's shoulder.
Walter Skinner's Apartment
Crystal City, Virginia
Late Saturday night
12:23 a.m.
Skinner lay awake on his back in the dark bedroom, unable to sleep. The
events of the past twelve hours were playing through his mind in an endless
loop. Overall, the day had gone pretty well, and Fox had had a lot of fun.
And he didn't seem to be suffering any lasting effects from his
near-kidnapping. *Must be getting used to it,* the AD mused sadly.
But Skinner was still worried the child might have nightmares tonight, and
his anxiety was making it difficult for him to fall asleep. The AD still
blamed himself for Fox's ordeal, even though there was no way he could have
predicted it. He rolled onto his side, and tried once again to relax his mind
enough to sleep.
2:24 a.m.
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO! DAAAAD!"
Skinner was awake instantly. He leapt out of his bed and ran into Fox's room,
and turned on the light. The child was fighting his tangled bedcovers and
sheets as if trying to escape their clutches. The AD walked over to the bed
and sat down on the edge. He began to gently unravel the writhing boy from
his bedclothes. Fox gasped and opened his eyes.
"Dad?" he asked, unsure whether it was really his father he was seeing, or
his kidnapper.
"You're safe, Fox. You were just having a bad dream," Skinner soothed, gently
brushing the boy's sweat-soaked hair off his forehead.
"That man tried to take me, Dad. But I was too strong. He couldn't get me."
The AD couldn't help but smile. It seemed that Fox had somehow interpreted
the failed kidnap attempt as a victory on his part, and his nightmares
reflected that. Skinner wasn't about to tell the child any differently, and
he was pleased with Fox's growing self-confidence.
But he didn't want the boy to have any more nightmares at all, not even ones
where he won. Skinner could tell Fox was only half-awake, but he also knew he
would go back to sleep much more quickly in the comfort and security of his
father's bed. And the AD knew *he* would sleep better if Fox was close by.
He stood up and held out his arms.
"Want to sleep with me tonight?"
Fox scrambled out of bed immediately, and jumped into his father's arms.
Skinner hugged him closely for a moment, just enjoying holding his son. He
kissed the boy's forehead.
"Come on, pal," he said, carrying the child out of the room, shutting off the
light as he passed the door, "why don't you tell me all about how you beat
that bad man?"
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