Title: Bad Blood 2
Author: Mady Bay - mbay@binghamton.edu
Date: June 11, 1998
Spoilers: The End
Category/Rating: S,A/ PG
Summary: The results of the blood tests are in! Cancerman's a father! But Ward Cleaver he ain't!
Author's note: Yes, I'm trying to climb out of the hole I dug at the end of Bad Blood, I hope this works!

"Well it can't be worse than what I have to tell him," Skinner said with clenched teeth.

Scully and Spender both looked at Skinner, confused. They wondered what could possibly be worse news than the death of a fellow agent. They waited expectantly.

"Sir?" Scully asked.

"Look, I'm sorry," he started, sighing tiredly. "Of course, nothing could be worse than Agent Fowley's death right now." He took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Scully, go ahead and see Mulder. Do what you think is best. Spender, I need to speak with you, down the hall," he said.

"Yes, sir," they said, almost simultaneously, and with trepidation.

Scully ducked into Mulder's room, thoughts jumbled between Skinner's statement and how to tell Mulder about Fowley.

Spender followed Skinner to the floor lounge. Skinner paced silently for a few minutes, trying to find the right words. He needed to put this puzzle together.

"Sir?" Spender asked, breaking the silence.

Skinner exhaled loudly.

"Sit down Agent Spender," he instructed.

He continued once Spender was seated.

"I've been doing some research," Skinner started, watching Spender closely. "Specifically, some genetic research on some blood samples I've obtained. Seems the Cigarette Smoking Man was telling you the truth."

Spender looked up sharply. "What?"

"The blood tests confirmed it. He is your father," Skinner told him.

Skinner looked at Spender again, trying to read his expression. He appeared to be in deep thought, contemplating something.

"Agent?" Skinner called.

"Sir?" Spender asked.

"What do you have to say on the matter?" Skinner asked.

"My mother told me that my real father left her before I was born," he said. "He didn't want to be tied down," he added sarcastically.

"Well he picked a hell of a time for a family reunion," Skinner noted.

Skinner then nodded to two agents that were standing nearby in the hall. They approached cautiously.

"Sir? What's going on?" Spender asked upon the approach of the agents.

"Agent Spender I need you to hand over your badge and your weapon," Skinner said, his hand out.

"I don't understand," Spender said. "You're taking my job because I'm related to this guy? That's absurd!"

"I'm not doing this because of who you're related to Spender," Skinner said evenly. "I'm doing this because you are under arrest for attempted murder of a federal officer."

"What?! It was an accident!" Spender pleaded, backing up.

"Not according to the security camera tapes from the parking garage," Skinner countered.

Spender panicked. He shoved Skinner into the other agents and ran down the hall.

"Spender!" Skinner yelled as the two agents ran after him.

He got up and joined the chase until he nearly knocked Scully down. She had come out of Mulder's room after hearing the commotion.

"Sir? What's going on?" she asked, confused.

"Spender - he did try to kill Mulder," Skinner started. "He just ran from me."

Skinner and Scully headed for the stairs to continue after Spender, when the two agents returned to the floor.

"Well?" Skinner asked expectantly.

"We lost him," one stated.

"He got away? How?" Skinner bellowed. He was pissed.

"There was a woman waiting with a car for him out back," the second agent stated. "We've already put out the description."

Scully went back to Mulder's room. She sat quietly, watching him sleep. He was still receiving fluids via the IV. They'd set his leg in a cast earlier this morning. The bruises on his face were a nice shade of purple now, too. Skinner's words were sinking in.

"Spender tried to kill Mulder?" she thought aloud. "Spender? He's such a whiney little wuss. How could he be capable of murder?"

"Maybe it runs in the family?" Skinner answered, walking into the room.

Scully looked up quickly, her eyes questioning the statement.

"I had some tests run," Skinner replied.

"But murder?" Scully answered.

"We reviewed the tapes from the garage's security cameras. They showed Spender talking with Cancerman just prior to him hitting Mulder," Skinner started. "We also have a sworn statement from the parking attendant. It seems that Spender was in the garage yesterday speeding up and braking sharply with his car. Told the attendant that he was checking his brakes."

"So I guess he knew just how fast he could go and when to brake so it would look like an accident when he hit me," Mulder spoke sleepily.

"Mulder, how long have you been awake?" Scully asked.

"Long enough to hear you call Cancerman Junior a whiney wuss," he said. "At first I thought you were talking about me," he added.

"You?" she replied. "Whiney, yes. A wuss, definitely not," she admonished.

"How are you feeling Mulder," Skinner asked, interrupting the banter.

"Sore. And a little sick at the thought that Cancerman actually reproduced," he said with a shiver.

Scully smiled, shaking her head. "I'll see about getting you some pain meds," she said, heading out the door.

A few hours later, after Skinner had gone, Scully had decided it was time to tell Mulder about Diana. She sat gently on his bed. She took his hand.

"Mulder," she started. "I have something to tell you."

Mulder heard the uneasiness in her voice. Saw it in her eyes. Something was wrong.

"Scully?" he asked. "Tell me."

She hesitated. Then, "Agent Fowley died this morning. There was just too much damage," she said. "I'm sorry."

Mulder sat silently. He didn't know what to say, what to feel. She'd been out of his life for so long. 'I've done okay without you,' he remembered telling her. Sure, he was upset when she'd been shot. Lot's of people were. A fellow agent was shot and a little boy kidnapped. But would he grieve for her? The hole she'd made in his life when she left had been filled, beyond capacity, by Scully.

"Mulder? Are you all right?" Scully asked, cupping his cheek.

He blinked, came back to the hospital room. He looked at Scully.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied.

Scully didn't want to push it. As much as she wanted to know about Mulder and Diana's past, about her being "his little chickadee" she wasn't going to push it. Not here. Not now.

"If you need to talk about it, let me know. Okay?" she said.

"Thanks, Scully. But really, I'll be okay," he replied.

A week later Mulder was released from the hospital. Scully picked him up at the hospital.

"Any leads on Spender?" Mulder asked.

"No. Apparently he inherited his ability to disappear into smoky air like his father," Scully replied.

"God, I still can't believe that he's Cancerman's son," Mulder said with a shiver. "Eeewww."

Scully drove them to Mulder's apartment building. She parked as close to the front doors as she could. She helped Mulder out of the car, holding the crutches for him. They made their way to his apartment, where Scully ushered him in.

"I brought groceries yesterday," she began, helping him off with his coat. "But to tell you the truth, Mulder, I don't feel like cooking tonight."

She helped him onto the couch, getting a pillow to prop up his leg. She gave him the remote.

"So how 'bout I stop and get take out after I go to the drug store?" she asked.

"Sounds good to me, Scully," he replied, already surfing the TV.

"Anything else before I go?" she asked.

"No, I'll be okay for a while," he replied.

Scully didn't believe him, but she had to get his prescriptions from the drugstore. She had wanted to stop on the way here, but Mulder was getting too uncomfortable in the car, so she decided to get him home first. She closed the door and headed out of the building, trying to decide between pizza and Chinese food for dinner.

A little while later Mulder heard the door opening.

"What'd you forget?" he called, thinking Scully was back.

He looked up and froze. He heard Scully's voice in his head. 'Agent Fowley died this morning. There was just too much damage. I'm sorry.' He took a deep breath.

Agent Diana Fowley, who was very much alive, shut the door behind her.

"Well, aren't you going to say anything?" she asked.

"Reports of our death are greatly exaggerated," Mulder cited slowly.

"Like father, like daughter, I guess," she replied.

Author's note: Don't worry folks, I'm not bailing this time. There will be a part 3. I just thought this would be a good time for a dramatic pause. And once again, get out your best Darth Vader voices and repeat after me: "Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for..... SIIISSTER! If you will not turn to the dark side then perhaps she will!"