Summary: Years later, when she finally found the letter, her hands shook as she opened it. Teena Mulder.

Disclaimer: Alas, alack, they are not mine. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Title: Letter
Author: Dryad
Rating: G
Archive: Shure. A note where would be nice.
Spoilers: Blessing Way, Paperclip et al.
Summary: Years later, when she finally found the letter, her hands
shook as she opened it.


Years later, when she finally found the letter, her hands shook as she
opened it.

Beatrice -

It's come to our attention that your brother is intent upon marrying
this girl in Raleigh. Is there nothing you can say to dissuade him
from this endeavor? Surely you realize the whole project could be put
in jeopardy by this action - while the girl's family is in no way
involved with the project itself, her father was actively involved in
key areas of experimentation during the war.

Should this ever come to light, it would be good to remember that the
Dutch have long memories, and that the trials at Nuremberg would be as
nothing by comparison.

Do what you have to do to make it not happen.

Keep in touch.

Dr. Caroline Porter
(xxx)xxx-xxxx


Teena crumpled the thick, cream-colored paper in her fist before
clutching it to her chest, trying to stifle the scream rising in her
throat. She heard his footsteps coming up the stairs and hastily
stuffed the letter into her trouser pocket for further perusal when
she was alone.

"Mom? Where are you?" he called.

"Over here," she said, stretching her legs out. She had been sitting
on the little footstool for too long now, and her knees ached. Maybe
John was right, maybe she should start taking those shark cartilege
pills he was always raving about.

"I couldn't find any tea, so I made some instant coffee instead.
There's a slug of Kahlua in it."

She took the proffered cup and saucer, watched her living legacy
settle himself on the dusty floor next to her. "Thank you for coming
up for this, Fox. I thought I'd be able to do it by myself, but..."

"I'm glad you called. I wouldn't have wanted you to be alone," He
squeezed her forearm. After a moment he chuffed softly. "Besides,
Scully would have put me in handcuffs and driven me up here herself if
I hadn't."

"Oh."

"Not that I wouldn't, I mean, we didn't - shit."

"Language, Fox," she chided, not that she really cared anymore.

He nodded. "Sorry. I don't mean to sound as if I was forced to come
here - "

Teena shook her head and passed her hand over head, the hair just as
silky as it had been when he was a little boy. The blink of an eye
between then and now. "I found one of your report cards in that box
over there. There's a note from Coach Sodergren, he said you were the
best athelete on the island apart from Debbie Wiltse."

"And look what happened to her," Fox murmured, even as he reached for
the box.

Yes. Look what happened to you.

"God, I can't believe Dad kept all of this stuff. I thought he'd
gotten rid of it all when we moved to the mainland."

If only he had. Then she wouldn't be hiding a letter her son could be
killed over. "Would you mind going to the market to get dinner? If
I'd known you were coming up I would have gone yesterday, made
something special."

"Sure. How about a chicken, some potatoes, something simple that I
can cook. I don't want you to hurt your knees anymore."

She stared at him. "How did you - "

He grinned. "Mom, you never sit like that unless you're in a world of
pain. Why don't I go the store now while you get cleaned up. We can
go through more of this after dinner or tomorrow, if you prefer."

"Tomorrow would be best, I think," she said, wondering how much she
could get through before he came back. How many more secrets she
might uncover.

"You'll be okay if I leave you here?"

"Sore knees and all," she said with a smile. "Go on, I'll be fine."

Once Teena heard the screen door slam downstairs, she removed the
letter and reread it. How odd, that after all this time, it should be
Beatrice who had the power to wound anew. Beatrice, who had
befriended a lonely, newly married Southern girl fresh to Yankee
culture. Beatrice, who had introduced her to Carl Spender. Beatrice,
who had never spoken to Fox again after Samantha had gone.

Why on earth had Bill kept the letter? Had he really thought the
truth would set everyone free? Or had he simply hoped Fox would find
it and stop his quest because of this new truth? Hadn't he realized
that after her failure with Samantha, she would never allow her son to
be taken from her, no matter what she had to do?

Would there never be a time when she could stop lying?

End.


Note: I couldn't remember if I'd put this up on atxc or not, so, this
might be a repost. Heck if I know!

Written for a WhyIncision Challenge.

Dryad
--
http://www.puritycontrol.co.uk - XF rec's at The Grove, updated 5/18/03