Title: The Secret Box Author: Erin M. Blair E-Mail: eblair@sonic.net Classification: SRA--Story, Romance, Angst. Content: Mulder/Scully Romance. Time Span/Spoilers: Emily. Set in Season 7. Rating: PG. Distribution/Archive Statement: OK to archive at Gossamer, Xemplary, FanficX, Basement Office, Fanfic For Shippers. Other archivists - please ask me first. Thanks! Disclaimer: The characters of Fox Mulder, Dana Scully,and Emily doesn't belong to me. However, Julianna Scully belongs to me. Summary: What's inside the box? Could the discoveries change Mulder and Scully's lives for good? ------------------------------------ THE SECRET BOX Written by: Erin M. Blair ------------------------------------ The mailman dropped off a heavy, large box, which looked like it has been around the world several times over, to Dana Scully's apartment. Then he walked off. When Scully arrived at her apartment, she noticed the brown box in front of her door along with her mail. She looked at the box suspicously and inspected it. *It's not ticking,* she thought, *but it's addressed to me. I wonder what this is.* Scully contemplated whether or not to open the box. Her curiousity was peaked and she decided to open it. Inside the box was a small bundle of letters addressed to her, but Scully didn't know who sent the box. Scully picked up her cell phone and called Mulder. "Mulder." "Mulder, it's me. I was wondering if you could come over." "Why?" "I received this strange box - it's addressed to me." "Do you know who's its from?" "No." "All right - I'll come over," said Mulder. * * * Scully, dressed in casual clothes - a violet top and blue jeans - saw Mulder in the peek hole. She said to him as she answered the door, "I'm so glad you could make it. I didn't look at everything, Mulder. I decided to wait until you arrived." "You weren't the least bit curious?" inquired Mulder with a big grin. "Somewhat curious." Scully led him to the dining room where the box was sitting on top of the table. "Let's go look what's inside." "Looks like a bunch of letters and photos," observed Mulder. He picked up a photo and saw himself with Scully and a baby version of Emily. It was at a birthday party for Scully. "Scully? Look at this." "It's a picture of us with Emily. So?" Scully watched Mulder turn over the photograph and she read the inscription. "Fox, Emily Christine, and me. February 23, 1993." A short pause. "That can't be right, Mulder. We're not married and I didn't have Emily in 1993!" "There's wedding rings too," said Mulder. "Scully, we were married and I don't remember anything about it. Much less having a child with you." "What do you think happened?" asked Scully, looking at the photographs of the two of them with Emily. "I don't know but we have to find out," said Mulder with a sigh. "Someone wants us to find out the truth about us and Emily." "I think the...answers are in this box." Mulder nodded. "We have to find out the truth." * * * Emily Christine Mulder headed towards the vistor entrance of the FBI building. She knew her real parents worked there, as she was told by her foster mother as well as her second cousin, Julianna Scully. She watched Julianna talk to the guard. "Hello, we're looking for Special Agent Dana Scully. I'm her cousin, Julianna, and this is Emily." A short pause. "It's kind of urgent." "I'm not supposed to let people in through that area - it's restricted ever since the fire." "What fire?" inquired Julianna. "A few years back," said the guard. "Your cousin didn't tell you." "No. She's busy, you know." decided to change back to the subject at hand. "I know it's not a good idea to show up at Dana's work but it's important. Long story short, I want to reunite Emily with her parents - Dana and Fox hasn't seen their daughter in years." Emily looked up at her auburn haired cousin and then at the guard. She heard him tell Julianna, "All right but be brief." "Thank you," said Julianna as took hold of Emily's hand to walk towards the elevators. "We're gonna surprise your parents, Emily." Emily nodded. "I hope they remember me." "I'm sure they will," assured Julianna. "We sent the box - that should help." "I hope so, Julianna." * * * "You still haven't found anything about the box, Scully?" inquired Mulder. He watched Scully sat down at her desk and she sighed. "No, I've tried getting some fingerprints but nothing worked. There's some other tests I'm running as I speak,' said Scully as she handed him the results. "That can't be right," muttered Mulder. "We've got to know who sent that package." "I know," said Scully. "I've looked at the box some more." "And what did you find?" "Julianna." "Who is Julianna?" Scully sighed. "Mulder, Julianna is my cousin - her name's Julianna Scully. She looks like me, but her hair is a bit of a darker red." "You have a ton of cousins who looks like you, Scully." "I know that," replied Scully. "However, she's the one who sent the package a long with Emily." "How can that be? Emily's dead." A new theory drifted into Scully's mind and she realized the truth. "I think I know what's going on, Mulder. They cloned our daughter and they took Emily some place. Julianna raised her. That would explain the box." Mulder nodded. "It's a good theory - why did they took our memories of our marriage and of Emily?" "I don't know. That's what we should find out." "I agree." "Scully, you actually agree! It's the first time you actually agreed with me!" "Mulder, it's not the first time we agree and it won't be the last," replied Scully. "I do think you're right - we should find the truth of what happened to us." * * * "AD Skinner, a Julianna Scully and a Emily Mulder is here to see you," said Kimberly Cook into the telecom. "Send them in," replied Skinner. He watched Scully's cousin and daughter walk into his office. "How may I help you?" Julianna sighed. "I don't know how you can help but I would like to somehow reunite Emily with Fox and Dana." "How were the torn apart?" inquired Skinner. "Someone took them and took their memories. I know - I know, it sounds strange but that's what happened." "I want to see Mommy and Daddy," said Emily. "I haven't seen them for a long time." "I thought you saw them in San Diego, Emily," inquired Skinner. "No," said the little girl. "That wasn't me, Sir." "Then who was it?" inquired Skinner. "It was a clone to replace me," said Emily. "A clone?" Emily nodded. "But she was made to look like me." "This is something I would have expected from your father." "Do you believe me?" asked Emily. Skinner nodded. "I do believe you, Emily." He paused and he looked up at both Jullianna and Emily. "I'll help you." * * * "Scully, we were married." Scully nodded. "I know this is a shock, but the documents don't lie." "It could be a lie -- " "These pictures don't lie, Mulder. I know I should be skeptical about this, but what would they have to gain?" "I don't remember her, Scully." "We saw her, Mulder. Emily is our daughter. I wish we had all the facts, but we don't. We don't know why they wanted to clone our own daughter." This story's still being written and edited. Feedback: Sure! I love some. Send to: eblair@sonic.net Author's Notes: This story (or at least the first five or six paragraphs) was tucked away in my X-Files fanfic writing book for quite some time. It wasn't finished by any means. Although I didn't particularly liked "Christmas Carol-Emily" all that much, I felt there was some unanswered questions that needed to come to light. Like who was Emily's father? Was Emily a clone? Was Scully really pregnant in Season One, like I always believed? =) Then I thought about a box -- a Pandora's Box -- if you will. What happens if the contents of a box change the things in your life forever? Dedications: To Rom - a very good writer. Hey, when are you going to finish "Slumber"? To Joey - my favorite friend, co-writer, and another very good writer. To Tanja - my other favorite friend, co-writer, and of course, a very good writer. All of you are my reason to write shippy MSRs.