Title: Too Late (1/1) Author: Kalynn Email: kalynn95@juno.com Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/5579 Shameless feedback plug: Please, please, please write me with your feedback. And if you have a moment, check out my homepage... Rating: PG (I guess, it's really mild) Spoilers: mild Redux II Classification: VA Keywords: M/S friendship, Samantha Summary: Samantha's thoughts when it's too late for her and Mulder to meet again. Disclaimer: Ain't mine. Gee, ya think? :-) Anyway, Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Samantha, etc are the property of Chris Carter, FOX television, 1013 Productions, 20 th Century Fox, and probably a few others. Melody, Stephen and Matthew are mine. No profit is being made from this story. You know the rest. Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at trying to write about Samantha as a main character and not just mentioning her. The idea popped into my head while I was re-watching the Redux pair earlier tonight. Someone dies, but give it a chance anyway. Enjoy!!! Too Late The lone woman looked down at the small hands she held in each of her own. Her daughter, Melody and her son, Stephen each stared wide-eyed into the large room before them. Samantha paused before entering the nearly empty room, for she feared who was at the other end. Tears brimmed her hazel eyes, years of doubt and uncertainty formed indecision. At the front of the room Samantha could see only a few people. A petite red head seemed to stand out among those gathered, although she had no idea why she seemed so important. Finally, her gaze fell onto the long wooden box that was centered along the far wall. Closing her eyes, she steeled herself against an onslaught of memories. Flashes of sitting in an empty diner talking to a brother she didn't really remember, or care to get to know. The look in his eyes at her rejection as she ran from the room. She hadn't sought him out, until now. She had meant to eventually, but always convinced herself to wait. Matthew, her husband, had been reading the paper the morning before when she had glanced at the front page. 'FBI Agent Killed, Suspect Apprehended' the headline read. Unsure of why, she felt compelled to read further into the article. It was the third line that snagged her attention. "Special Agent Fox Mulder, 38, was among the first to enter the building. After an altercation with the suspect, he was taken to Trinity Hospital where he was pronounced dead." Collapsing into a chair, she clutched the newspaper to her chest and cried. Not just for the brother she didn't know, but the chance to know him that she would never have. Matthew had rushed to her side, asking what was wrong but the words wouldn't come. Throwing her arms around his neck, she whispered "It's too late" over and over. Later in the day, a few discrete phone calls had helped her to find out which funeral home he was at. That night, she tried to explain to Melody and Stephen about their uncle Fox. She wasn't sure how much they understood, but it seemed important that they go with her the following day. Samantha got up early the next morning and saw Matthew off to work. For ten minutes she sat silently in the kitchen attempting to calm her nerves enough to make it through the day. At some point it occurred to her that she might even see her mother that day. But she'd face that bridge when she came to it. "Mommy?" Melody's small voice broke Samantha from her reverie. Kneeling down beside Melody, she asked, "Yes, honey?" Innocent eyes looked up at her, "Are we going to see Uncle Fox now?" She stood, nodding her head. "We sure are, honey. Let's go, alright?" Melody nodded her head, and Stephen continued to suck his thumb quietly. The three of them walked slowly down the center aisle of the room. As they neared the front, the red-haired lady that had first caught Samantha's attention, turned to look at the group. She stopped walking when she saw the recognition in the woman's eyes. Suddenly she felt ashamed, like she didn't belong there. Her concentration was broken when she felt a small hand pulling on the hem of her jacket. Leaning over, she picked the four-year-old boy up. When she looked back over at the other woman, she found that she wasn't there. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard her move up next to her. "Samantha." It wasn't a question, it was a statement and the venom dripping from the word was almost scary. "Ah, yes. You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Mrs...." "Agent Dana Scully," she responded, emphasizing the word agent. "I was Mulder's partner for the past five years. And his best friend." She paused for a moment, looking at the woman who stood before her. It brought a pang of jealousy to her heart that Samantha had been able to go on and have what appeared to be a normal family, so unlike Mulder and herself. "I was also his best friend." Scully found it hard to look her in the eye, the color was so like her lost partner's. "I'm curious why it is that you've come now. Isn't it a little late for a family reunion?" Samantha realized that the hostility had faded, only to be replaced with a quiet sadness. "Agent Scully, you must understand. I regret much of what I said to Fox that night. I wish I could take back a lot of it. There were so many times I started to pick up the phone and call him. I just couldn't, I was afraid to face him. I feared he would hate me for turning my back on him that night. When I saw the paper yesterday, it was if my heart broke. I had lost any chance whatsoever I might have had to know my brother, for my children to know their uncle." Scully could see the regret etched into her face as she spoke. More importantly she knew Mulder wouldn't want her to hate Samantha for his sake. "Could you help me to know my brother, Agent Scully?" Samantha could see the conflicting emotions battling in Scully's eyes. Loss, pain, distrust, pity. Silently she wondered which might win. Pity seemed to take hold for the moment. "Why don't you go see your brother for a little while, I'll be here when you're finished." Samantha walked up to the casket, and looked down at the man who lay within. He looked peaceful. The way a lock of hair fell across his forehead made him appear to be a boy stealing a catnap. Tears filled her eyes at the endless list of what if's that crossed her mind. She couldn't believe she'd waited until it was too late. "Too late," she whispered to the still form in front of her. Turning, she saw Scully talking to a tall bald man she assumed to be a fellow agent. After she walked to stand beside Scully, she was introduced. "Samantha, this is Assistant Director Skinner, our boss within the Bureau. Sir, this is Mulder's sister, Samantha." Samantha could see the doubt and shock filter across Skinner's face. "I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am. Now if you'll excuse me, there are several matters that I need to attend to." Skinner turned to leave, pausing to speak to Scully softly, "I'll see you later, let me know if you need anything." Scully nodded, "Yes, sir." She watched the retreating figure, wishing for an instant that it might be her partner, not her boss she was watching. "If you'd like, we can go somewhere to talk," she offered to Samantha. "I'd like that," she whispered. "I'll be back in just a minute then," Scully said and walked across the room. She retrieved her coat from a seat in the front of the room, and then turned to Mulder. Crossing the distance in three long strides, she stood beside him. Samantha watched as Scully went to Fox's side. Even without ever seeing them together, she could sense the connection they shared. Even in death. Samantha felt like a voyeur watching as she tenderly brushed the stray lock of hair away from Fox's forehead. She could see her speak something to him, but couldn't make out the words. For a moment, Scully didn't move nor speak. She simply looked down at Mulder. Occasionally, she had to convince herself that he really was gone. This time, he didn't manage to cheat death. She smiled softly when she noticed how his hair had fallen across his forehead again. Unconsciously, she brushed the lock of hair off of his forehead. As she lightly touched his cheek, she spoke. "Why'd you have to be so heroic, huh? Samantha's here. She want's to know about you. I'll do my best, partner. But I do so wish you were still here." Just before she turned to walk back over to where Samantha was, she whispered, "I love you, partner." Quickly, Samantha averted her observant gaze when Scully turned to leave. In her watered blue eyes, Samantha could see the pain that her brother's partner was feeling. Melody removed her hand from her mother's and walked over to where Scully was standing. Again Scully found herself facing Mulder's eyes. "What's your name?" Scully asked. "Melody." Samantha watched as her little girl spoke to the hurting agent. "Hi, Melody. I'm Dana." She kneeled down in front of the little girl, willing her tears not to fall. "Dana, did you know my Uncle Fox?" Samantha was relieved when a sad smile appeared on Scully's features. "Yes, Melody. I knew you're Uncle Fox. Would you like me to tell you about him?" She watched as Scully took Melody's hand and as they walked, began to tell her stories about Fox Mulder. Just before leaving, Samantha turned to look toward where Fox was. Up ahead of where she stood holding Stephen, she could see Scully talking to an enraptured Melody. Hurrying, she caught up to them in time to hear her daughter's laughter. She thought. As the four walked out of the building, she found herself happy to know that Fox had found someone like Dana to be his best friend. And she hoped that maybe they could be friends, too. fin