The X-Files - 5.

Finnish title: Paluu 2/2
translation: Return 2/2

Italian title: Redux (Part Two)

 German title: no change

 Japanese title: Kikan Part 2
translation: Redux Part 2

Spanish title: Reducción II
translation: Reduction II

US Airdate: November 9, 1997

writer: Chris Carter

director: Kim Manners

STARRING:

David Duchovny as Special Agent Fox Mulder

Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Dana Scully

Mitch Pileggi as Assistant Director Skinner

Guest Cast:

William B. Davis as Cigarette Smoking Man

Ken Camroux as Senior Agent

Charles Cioffi as Blevins

Brent Sheppard as Doctor

Bruce Harwood as Byers

Dean Haglund as Langly

Tom Briadwood as Frohike

Don S. Williams as The First Elder

Sheila Larken as Mrs. Scully

Pat Skipper as Bill Scully

Robert Wright as Dr. Zuckerman

John Finn as Kritschgau

Megan Leitch as Samantha Mulder

Arnie Walters as Father McCue

With Scully lingering near death and the future of the Xfiles in danger, the Cigarette Smoking Man comes forward with a surprising offer to save Scully's life - and more -in the series' 100th episode.

"Where do I begin

To tell the story of how great a love can be

The sweet love story that is older than the sea

The simple truth about the love she brings to me

Where do I start?"

lyrics ripped off from "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story"

the theme from the movie "Love Story"

special thanks to Wayne Garvin and his fab Lyrics Library

<http://www.kw.igs.net/~wgarvin/lyrics.html>

Don't even bother sending me nasty mail and telling me these two don't love each other, did you see this ep?! Okay, I'll agree, not physical, sexual love, but darn it, Mulder loves this woman, and I shall not be swayed!

Where *do* I begin? If I had a rating system, this one would be a 10 out of 10, it had drama, comedy, tension, intrigue and a whole lotta heart. Some answers, more questions, and a reminder of why Gillian Anderson is still the best actress on TV and Sheila Larken needs more airtime. Over the course of an hour, my heart was in my throat, beating like a rabbit and glowing like a hot coal. Mulder's sister returns, but is she real? Cancer Man is killed, or is he? Scully is cured, but for how long? Blevins is murdered, but what about his killer? For the answers to these and other questions, stay tuned for tonight's episode of .... As The X Turns ...

Plotline

Our story opens at Trinity Hospital in Washington, D.C., 5:13AM, as Mulder walks briskly into the building. He attempts to ask various nurses where Scully is, with no luck or response, until he yells "Where is she?!" and a doctor finally comes to help him, telling him that she's in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). As the doctor begins to lead Mulder there, Skinner appears with some FBI henchmen, his teeth firmly clenched as only he can. He says that Mulder's "moving pretty good for a dead man" and that he has a lot to answer for, but Mulder could care less if the whole world now knows he's alive, he needs to see Scully. He pushes past Skinner and the boys, going through a door as he continues his search. Skinner soon follows, on his own. Mulder's face drops as he comes upon Scully, unconscious and hooked up to machines, looking pale. He asks Skinner what happened to her, why she's in the hospital, and he answers, "She's dying." Mulder loses it, and a struggle ensues as he tries to get to her (reminiscent of One Breath, as is the whole opening scene, interesting to note that Scully's cancer was contracted in that ep), Skinner tells him not to do this, he doesn't want to have to arrest him. With lingering looks at Scully, Mulder quietly leaves the hospital room and the camera focuses on her sleeping face. Cue the music, our drama has begun!

Mulder walks into Blevins' office, accompanied by Skinner, the Senior Agent is already there (watch him, he's important later!). Blevins and the Senior Agent make it clear to Mulder that they're ticked, the body in his apartment will have to be identified and murder charges laid, they want answers and they want them now. Why did Scully lie to them? Who's protecting whom? If Mulder doesn't start talking, he's going to damage himself in the formal inquiry. Not saying a word, he leaves Blevins' office, and Skinner follows him.

A heated exchange commences in the hallway after Skinner tells him to "keep playing it the way you have been". Mulder sarcastically calls Skinner his "buddy" and asks him where he was when he needed him, why offer advice now? Skinner tells him he's been sitting on forensic evidence on the Dod Guy in Mulder's apartment, the proof that he was shot point blank in the temple by a handgun, then in the face with a shotgun. Scully will verify all this (or so he says, Mulder has no idea yet that Scully thinks Skinner is a mole). Mulder wants to know how Skinner can help him, but Skinner needs to know why Scully lied for him. Mulder tells him that her cancer was given to her by a mole within the FBI, one he hasn't been able to identify yet, which is all a bit of a shock to poor Skinner, as he now knows Scully believes it's him. Skinner tells him not to forget who his friends are, his face showing concern about his own fate.

We see the 1st Elder (also becoming known among the online fans as FIG, for Fat Italian Guy, and FIGBT, Fat Italian Guy with Bad Teeth, among other things; for the sake of clarity I'm sticking with the official cast listing) watching a small TV at the racetrack, engrossed in the Hearing On Human Cloning on WWN (the hearings are real, the network is not), as Cancer Man arrives to confirm that Mulder is indeed alive. Cancer Man seems pleased, reminding him that he told him not to underestimate Mulder. The Elder blames him for letting Mulder escape, and is angry that he was able to enter the Dod complex. Cancer Man explains that Mulder is much more valuable to them alive, and with him in trouble now, he could use their help, in exchange for his loyalty. With a smirk, he leaves, then the Elder says to a man standing behind him, "You can proceed now."

We now see Scully, pale and weak in her hospital bed, the TV by the nurse's desk tuned to the cloning hearings, as Mulder enters her room. Scully is shocked to see him, concerned that his cover will be blown, but with a smile, a clutch of her hand and a kiss on the cheek (*sigh*),

he tells her not to worry, he's officially undead and will be testifying before the panel to everything he knows and believes. It doesn't matter now who the mole was, Mulder says, as he tries to keep off topic by saying "How about them Yankees?", but Scully tells him that Skinner is "dirty" and he will use Mulder's testimony to ruin him, she pleads with him to not testify. Mulder won't have it, if he doesn't, they'll continue to bury The Truth, so Scully tells him to blame her, tell them she shot Ostelhoff, "if I can save you, let me." With another beautiful Mulder-smile, he refuses. As Mrs. Scully and Bill Jr. arrive, he kisses her hand and leaves the room.

As he walks out, he shakes Bill Jr.'s hand, introducing himself for the first time. Bill Jr. is not pleased, and asks that "business" be kept at bay and that Dana be allowed to die with dignity (such a pessimist!). He goes into Scully's room, as Mulder watches the family scene through the

window.

As we look down on "Vertigo"-style winding steps, a man walks up the stairs and stops to open a briefcase. The man is the same one the Elder spoke to, his briefcase contains a high-powered rifle in various pieces!

Back to the hospital, as Mulder turns a corner in the hallway, Cancer Man appears and Mulder says "Please tell me you're here with severe chest pain" (my favorite line in the whole hour, cracked me up!). Cancer Man tells him he's there to congratulate him on finding the cure for Scully in the DoD complex. Mulder says he didn't find anything of use, but Cancer Man insists he did, step outside and he'll explain. Mulder hesitates, Cancer Man says "I'm here tonight as a friend, Agent Mulder", looking rather friendly, I must say, and Mulder finally walks out with him.

We now see Mulder with the Lone Gunmen as they investigate the vial again, shaking out a micro-chip that had been protected by the deionized water (what are you guys, slipping?! It was there all along, you gits! Sheesh!). The boys are confused, have they found a cure for cancer? No, explains Mulder, just Scully's cancer, as she only contracted it when the micro-chip she'd had implanted at the back of her neck had been removed. As Frohike so eloquently puts it, "Too freakin' amazing!".

Kritschgau arrives at the FBI panel room, as the questions begin about his knowledge of the DoD Guy's murder. He admits that he was in contact with Mulder and Scully, and when he's asked why he handed over classified information to them, he says he has knowledge of a government conspiracy against the American people. Everyone on the panel looks at each other, is this guy for real? The Senior Agent sidetracks that query, and asks if Kritschgau knows who killed the Dod Guy, he answers that he doesn't. He's then asked if his death has any connection to Mulder and Scully, to which he says, no, but he is aware of one death in connection, his own son that died earlier that morning. No one bothers to offer condolances, the questioning continues. Is he employed by the DoD? Yes, technically, but he also recieves money from another source, a

congressional lobbying firm called Roush. Skinner asks him if he knows what this Roush is, which he doesn't and Skinner writes the name down (interesting that he didn't ask how to spell it, hmmmm?! More Roush stuff in the Notes).

Scully is holding the vial with the micro-chip, as Mulder, her mother, brother and doctor stand around her hospital room. Bill Jr. is furious that Mulder actually thinks this will cure his sister, it's just "science-fiction", the doctor's never heard of it, how dare he presume to know what's good for Scully?! She quietly states that although everyone has their heart in the right place, the final decision is hers, and she doesn't think Bill Jr. has all the facts. Her doctor, when Mulder asks if she'll have to stop conventional treatment, tells them that he only has unconventional treatments to use on her cancer now, they've done everything else. Scully wants to try the micro-chip, everyone looks at each other, concern etched in their faces.

The scene cuts to the assassin putting together his rifle (boy, how long has he been working on that?!), and checking his watch, it's 10:30, whatever *that* means.

Mulder is now seated outside Scully's room, as Bill Jr. walks out. He quietly, but surely, tears a strip off Mulder, blaming him for Melissa's death and what's happened to Dana, all because of his search for "little green aliens". Resisting the temptation to correct him (see Squeeze), Mulder sits back and takes it as Bill Jr. calls him a "sorry son of a bitch" and walks away. Mulder's phone rings, it's Cancer Man checking on Scully's progress. Mulder doesn't know yet if the micro-chip will work,

thus he still doesn't trust Cancer Man, so he has one more thing to offer Mulder, a meeting he has arranged.

Cut to a small diner somewhere, Mulder is the only customer seated at the counter. The waitress is laying out some condiments, she puts down a bottle and says to him, "Tobassco, cures anything" with a knowing nod (cuff her, Mulder, she knows something we don't!). Mulder looks at the clock which reads 9:32, getting antsy about this "meeting". A car's headlights flood the room as it pulls up. Mulder walks to the door, his eyes squinting at the light as it covers him (eerily similar to how the car's passenger "left" him in the first place), and as the lights are turned off, he sees Cancer Man in the driver's seat (figuratively and literally). The passenger is Samantha! She gets out of the car, and through tears, tells him she didn't think she'd ever see him again, that he had always told her something had happened to him that night. When Mulder asks who told her that, she nods toward the car and says, "My father". Mulder's face contorts into a look of shock and confusion.

The clock now says 10:13 and they're inside the diner, talking about her life as she has known it. The memories of what happened when she was 8 are vague, and she has tried to forget them, being told she was an orphan, being taken to meet Cancer Man as her father by her foster parents. She was told that it had all been a secret, that her mother and Cancer Man had tried to protect the family. Mulder questions why she believes him, and she says he had been so kind to her and that he was the only one she could remember from before it happened (odd, I thought, as Mulder has no childhood memories of Cancer Man). He asks her what she remembers from The Night, and through tears she tells him she remembers him, something about men, then nothing. Mulder wants to help her remember that she was abducted, but she doesn't want to. So why come

here? he asks. Because her "father" (still gives me chills to think about!) told her he had found Mulder, that he had been looking for her for a long time, was it true? Mulder begins to cry and tries to explain that That Man cannot be trusted, he has "known where I've been for a very long time". She doesn't understand and refuses to believe him, he's been a good father to her, gave her a life and was there for her when noone else was. Mulder says he wants to take her to see Mom. Samantha is shocked, thinking she was dead. This is all too much for her and she wants to go, she'd been afraid to see him, she has a life now, children of her own. Fox grasps her hand, begging her to at least tell him how to contact her, but she says she needs time and promises to think about it, "please ... let me go". He reluctantly releases her hand, watching her with tears in his eyes as she gets back in the car, Cancer Man tenderly caressing her cheek.

We see Scully being injected with flourodeoxyglucose (sp?) by her doctor, it will show up on the PET scan and tell them right away if her cancer is subsiding. Scully asks him if he's ever seen a miracle, and he says he has seen people recover when they were so far gone as to be a write-off, but he doesn't dare call them miracles.

Mulder is walking down a street, his head in the cross-hairs of the assassin's rifle, as Cancer Man meets up with him. He apologizes to Mulder for having to leave so quickly after the previous evening's meeting. Mulder wants to know why he has been given pieces of what he wants and Cancer Man says he is ready to offer him The Truth he has been desperately seeking, that Kritschgau has told him nothing but "beautiful lies", made him think that all he's ever believed about the existence of extraterrestrial life is untrue. Cancer Man can show him The Truth. Mulder wants to know what it will cost him, Cancer Man tells him to quit the FBI and come work for him, all his problems will disappear. Just when we start to think maybe Mulder will go for it, he tells him to shove it, in so many words :-). He's given Mulder nothing, and he blames him for Scully's cancer, Melissa's death, his own father's murder, global warming and the hole in the ozone layer! Well, just about anyway. If Scully dies, "I will kill you! I don't care whose father you are, I will put you down!". He walks away as Cancer Man tells him the offer's still open if he reconsiders and we see the assassin put down his gun.

In what is, to me, the most beautiful, touching, heart-breaking scene of this entire episode, Scully talks to her mother about her faith, holding her cross necklace and asking "why do I wear this?". She's had the micro-chip implanted and gone through the doctor's "crazy treatments", but feels she's doing nothing, that she's pushed her faith away when she needs it the most. Her mother tries to convince her that she still has her faith, and she will get better, but Dana says her tests have, so far, shown no improvement. Her mother knows Dana is afraid, but she has to tell someone.

Next we see the Elder watching the cloning hearings. He is shocked (I'm guessing, the man has no emotional range) to see Skinner settle into one of the seats and he calls someone on the phone, telling them Skinner is there collecting information for someone. Why wasn't the FBI problem cleared up? he asks. Handle it now, and he will fix it for good.

NOTE: This is merely my opinion of what Mulder is thinking in the following scene.

At a loss concerning his sister's return and disappearance (again), churning over the deal Cancer Man has offered him, Mulder goes to seek comfort with the only person left in his life, Scully. He quietly enters her room in the night as she sleeps. He sits next to her and lays his head beside her on the bed. He holds her hand, using it to stifle his silent screams as he cries (killer scene, even if he does appear to be biting her at first).

Mulder has been called to Blevins' office. They're alone, just the two of them, which should send alarm bells ringing for Mulder in the first place! Anyway, Blevins tells him he has ballistic reports which prove Mulder's gun fired the "kill shot" on Ostelhoff, is Mulder prepared to testify that someone else did? Mulder asks why he's there, to which Blevins replies that Ostelhoff worked for the DoD, and Mulder says "the man was spying on me!". But for who? No answer. Blevins says Scully was prepared to name the mole inside the FBI that was plotting against them, namely Skinner, who they have since learned has been working with a secret agenda, they have factual evidence against him. But when Mulder asks to see all this so-called proof, Blevins tells him to name Skinner in his testimony today and the charges against himself may be dropped. Name Skinner and clear myself? asks Mulder. Yes, Blevins tells him, he is suggesting this, "as a friend". As soon as he says this, you can see the hesitation in Mulder's eyes. "I'll see you at the hearing", he tells Blevins, and walks out.

Mulder goes to see Scully, she's surprised to see him so close to his scheduled hearing and he tells her he came by the night before, not having the heart to wake her. "I was lost last night", he says, prepared to make a deal that could save his life, (the one with Cancer Man) but after Blevins asked him to name Skinner, he decided against making the deal and he has no intention of naming Skinner. "We all have our faith, and mine is in the truth." Even if it means being charged with the Dod Guy's murder. Scully asks "Why'd you come here if you'd already made up your mind?" and Mulder grins, saying "Because I knew you'd talk me out of it if I was making a mistake." As Father McCue enters her room, she tells Mulder, "You'll be in my prayers" and with a kiss on the cheek, he whispers, "Have the Father say a few Hail Mulders for me, okay?". Hail

Mulders! Cracked me up!

We see the FBI panel waiting not so patiently for Mulder, he arrives and things REALLY start heating up! Blevins lays out the facts, that the dead man was killed with Mulder's gun and Mulder interrupts stating that he's ready to name the guilty parties and put this whole thing to rest. Skinner nervously asks for a recess, but Mulder looks at him saying that he's ready to proceed. Mulder begins his testimony. He speaks about Scully's integrity in *not* debunking his work, as she had been ordered to, Blevins interjects that Scully lied to this panel regarding his death, but Mulder counters that she lied on his instructions. Mulder begins talking about the conspiracy within the government, we see the assassin lining up Cancer Man in his sights as he walks down the street,

Skinner beginning to sweat and look nervous, Scully saying prayers with Father McCue, Skinner sweating some more, his eyes bulging in fright. Both the Senior Agent and Blevins ask Mulder whether he shot Ostelhoff, Mulder says he will answer the question after he names the man responsible for Scully, the man responsible for the surveillance on his apartment, the man he wants to see prosecuted for his crimes, a man in this very room. Skinner looks like his sweat glands will explode! The Senior Agent yells that Blevins has asked Mulder a question, he must

answer, but Mulder says he can't because ... Blevins is the man he's going to name!

All heck breaks loose now. Cancer Man stands up by his window, the framed picture of the young Fox and Samantha in his hands, we see a red light on his tie, he appears to see the light in front of it (this is the tracking beam from the rifle), a shot rings out. We now see a man with his back to us, on the phone, Blevins enters the room (it appears to Blevins' office), terrified and out of breath, the man turns around and hangs up the phone. It's the Senior Agent. He stands up as Blevins rushes towards him and shoots Blevins in the heart. Down he goes and the Agent wipes off the gun, placing it in Blevins' hand as he leaves the room. Cancer Man is face down on the floor, he pulls the cracked picture towards him (looks like a hole in the middle of the glass frame), we can see blood on his cuff, he closes his eyes and lets out a final breath.

It's now midnight, Mulder is seated outside Scully's room at the hospital as Skinner approaches. "The Smoking Man is dead", he tells him, shot through his window. Skinner hands him the picture, minus any frame, with blood streaks on it, saying that they assume its his blood, no body was found but there was too much blood loss for anyone to have survived (yeah, right, Cancer Man's NOT dead, I tell ya!). Skinner asks Mulder how he knew about Blevins, but Mulder says he merely guessed, a darn good guess as it turns out, Blevins had been on the payroll with Roush, a bio-technical company, for 4 years. Skinner's not sure how they're connected to all this, and Mulder says all those connections are right now being erased anyway. Skinner says they're cleaning up, taking everything away and Mulder smiles, saying "not everything", Scully's cancer is in remission, the best news he could have heard. When Skinner asks what caused the remission, Mulder says they'll never know for sure. Skinner goes into Scully's room, where she's surrounded by her family,

they smile at each other. In the hallway, Mulder looks down at the picture and begins to cry (probably because with Cancer Man gone, he'll never know where his sister is).

Notes

I love the explanation Maggie Dorsey <122girls@lightlink.com> gave for this trilogy. In her own words, used here with her gracious permission: "the title of the episodes -- Gethsemane and Redux -- are Catholic "things". Gethsemane was the garden in which Jesus was betrayed by Judas; Redux is the Latin term for the resurrection, the term used in/by the Catholic church up until the 2nd Vatican Council, in which mass & other stuff was said in the language of the people (in America, English) instead of Latin. Chris Carter, who I assume from all this was raised Catholic, would have been raised during the time when "Redux" was still used. I think that Gethsemane was the betrayal of Mulder & Scully, Redux I+II their 'resurrection'." I agree wholeheartedly.

Boy oh boy, did the name Roush cause a fuss, huh? Online xphiles, being the diligent lot they are, rushed to their computers and typed in www.roush.com, just to see where they ended up. Turned out to be the homepage of pastry giant, Pillsbury! As we started pointing our fingers at the Pillsbury Doughboy as the evil kingpin we had long suspected, the story earned an article in the Wall Street Journal, of all places, and tickled the funny bones at Pillsbury. Bless 'em, they changed the front page to a black background with the slogan "Believe The Pie". Give the Big Boys some points for that and go buy some pastries, will ya?

In all seriousness though, what's the deal with the X-Files' Roush? They seem to be involved with human cloning, which we couldn't help but see throughout the ep, was it a red herring with regards to Samantha? Or is there some Truth to the "beautiful lies" Kritschgau told? And did you know that the word "rauch" means "smoke" in German?! Hmmmm..

I must say that although the reunion with Samantha was darn touching, I kept begging Mulder to stab her with a fork, see if her blood was red or green! Why, after seeing all those clones in Colony and End Game, which were played by the same actress, did he find it so easy to believe this one was real? Her reaction certainly rang true. If she really had believed she'd been an orphan and this character suddenly appears saying he's her brother and her mother is indeed alive, I'd be scared out of my boots as she was. For what it's worth, strong rumour has her signed up for 12 eps this season, so we just may meet some Mulder nieces and nephews, stay tuned.

Interesting to hear that Samantha has children, probably a husband as well. As a joke, I speculated that she may be married to the missing Scully brother, Charles. Where *is* this guy, anyway? Your only sister is dying, fella, show yourself!

More similarites to "The Godfather" here, especially the ending. My fellow Cult of the Smoking Alien member, Terri, explained to me, as I haven't seen it, that the ending showed Michael Coreleone (Al Pacino) at his son's christening (reflected by Scully saying prayers with her priest) as various mob figures get "whacked" (see Blevins and Cancer Man). In the movie, the priest asks Pacino, "Do you renounce the devil and all his works?" and, as the camera closes in on Pacino's eyes, he looks into the camera and says, "Yes". We then hear another gunshot as someone gets murdered. Spooky stuff!

I really loved the scene where Samantha begged Mulder to "let her go", sent shivers down my spine. I do believe that he finally did, both physically and emotionally. Also couldn't help but note a parallel between this scene and the one right before Mulder's hearing, where Scully appears to *not* want to let Mulder go.

If you have the three eps on tape, and the time, I suggest watching them together. The first two really come into focus when viewed with the third. I'm not what's called a 'shipper, really, as I have no desire to see Mulder and Scully together as a couple until the final scene of the final episode, whenever that may be, but I *do* have a heart and this one touched me. The intensity of Mulder's affection for Scully was palpable. Yup, I'll admit it, I cried, so sue me for being a softie.

Quotes

____________________

Skinner: "You're moving pretty good for a dead man."

Mulder: "I'm only half dead."

____________________________________________________________

Skinner: "Word of advice from a friend, keep playing it the way you are."

Mulder: "Thanks, buddy."

Skinner: "Hey, right now, you need a buddy, you need all the help you can get."

Mulder: "You should have mentioned that at the hospital when you were hauling my ass off!"

Skinner: "Hey, I saved your ass, Agent Mulder! I've been withholding forensic evidence about the

body found on your apartment floor. Until you showed up last night, I was the one

keeping your secret, I had no choice but to bring you in. Scully'll verify all that."

Mulder: "That's a good place to lay it, considering her condition."

Skinner: "You want me to lay it where it belongs, Agent Mulder? Pathology turned up two gunshot

wounds to the dead man in your apartment. One fired point-blank through the left temple

from a handgun, the second a post-mortum wound to the face to remove the man's

identity. Now, I'd be happy to verify the ballistics on that first shot."

Mulder: "How can you help me?"

Skinner: "Tell me why Scully lied for you."

Mulder: "The disease she has was given to her by somebody connected to the FBI, to a mole

working here."

Skinner: (looking concerned) "Who?"

Mulder: "I failed to find that out, sir."

Skinner: "You don't want to forget who your friends are, Agent Mulder. To remember who you can

trust."

____________________________________________________________

Cancer Man: "I trust you've heard."

The Elder: "Mulder is alive."

Cancer Man: "As I said, he's not to be underestimated."

The Elder: "Yes, as you said. Though I hear he has you to thank in some part for his new

freedom."

Cancer Man: "Using a stolen ID, Mulder was able to get inside the Advanced Research Project

Facility."

The Elder: "And you allowed him to escape."

Cancer Man: "Yes."

The Elder: "We're too vulnerable. Our man in the FBI is exposed, what Mulder may have seen

could expose our plans."

Cancer Man: "What Mulder's seen only serves us. Serves to ensure our plans. Mulder's in trouble,

he needs help, and we can give it to him."

The Elder: "In exchange for?"

Cancer Man: "His new loyalty. To us. As I've said all along, Mulder's much more valuable to us

alive."

____________________________________________________________

Scully: "Mulder, what are you doing here?"

Mulder: "I heard you were being moved out of the ICU, that you were feeling better."

Scully: "Mulder, somebody's going to see you here."

Mulder: "It's okay. (he clutches her hand, kissing her on the cheek) I'm officially among the

undead."

Scully: "What happened?"

Mulder: "I did not come here to talk about that."

Scully: "Mulder, don't try and protect me. I need to know."

Mulder: "Well, there's not much to talk about anyway, I'm going to testify to everything I know in

front of the FBI assembly. The conspiracy, the men behind it, what I believe is its purpose."

Scully: "Did you find out who in the FBI is involved?"

Mulder: "No. But that doesn't matter now."

Scully: "Yes it does."

Mulder: "Hey, Scully, how about those Yankees, huh?"

Scully: "Mulder, Skinner has evidence against you. He knows that you killed that man they found in

your apartment."

Mulder: "Yeah, Skinner's withholding it."

Scully: "Mulder, Skinner's dirty. He's not your friend. I'm almost certain that he's the man inside on

this."

Mulder: "I don't believe that."

Scully: "If you testify, he will use it to ruin you."

Mulder: "No, not Skinner."

Scully: "He's been in a position to know everything from the beginning, everything that we've done

over the past four years."

Mulder: "But, if I don't testify now, they'll start to bury the truth."

Scully: "Well then, you have to lay it on me. You have to tell them that I was the one who killed that

man."

Mulder: "I can ... I can't do that."

Scully: "Yes, you can. Mulder, if I can save you, let me. Let me at least give some meaning to

what's happened to me."

____________________________________________________________

Mulder: "Hi, I'm Fox Mulder, I don't think we've ever met."

Bill Jr.: "Bill Scully."

Mulder: "I'm sorry about your sister."

Bill Jr.: "Mr. Mulder..."

Mulder: "Yeah?"

Bill Jr.: "I know something about you, about what Dana's been through with you, so, let's leave the

work away from here, okay? Let her die with dignity."

____________________________________________________________

Mulder: "Please tell me you're here with severe chest pain."

Cancer Man: "You should be glad for why I'm here, pay you some respect."

Mulder: "Go to hell."

Cancer Man: "For your cleverness, and your resource, what you managed to do for Scully."

Mulder: "What are you talking about?"

Cancer Man: "Well, breaching the security at the Defense Department Facility. Finding the cure for

her disease."

Mulder: "What I found was useless."

Cancer Man: "On the contrary, it's essential to her survival. If you like, we could step outside and I

might explain myself? (Mulder hesitates) I'm here tonight as a friend, Agent Mulder."

(Mulder follows him outside)

____________________________________________________________

Frohike: "Too freakin' amazing!"

Mulder: "Watch your language, Frohike, and grab me some tweezers."

____________________________________________________________

Bill Jr.: "You really believe this crap, don't you?"

Mulder: "Yes, I do."

Bill Jr.: "You see, she's your big defender, but I think the truth is, she just doesn't want to

disappoint you."

Mulder: "If it works, I don't care what you think she thinks."

Bill Jr.: "You're a real piece of work, you know that, Mr. Mulder."

Mulder: "Why is that, because I don't think the way you think? Because I won't just sit passively

back and watch the family tragedy unfold?"

Bill Jr.: "You're the reason for it. And I've already lost one sister to this quest you're on, now I'm

losing another. (fights back tears) Has it been worth it? To you, I mean, have you found

what you've been looking for?"

Mulder: (quietly) "No."

Bill Jr.: "No. You know how that makes me feel?"

Mulder: "In a way, I think I do. I lost someone very close to me. I lost a sister, I lost my father, all

because of this thing I'm looking for."

Bill Jr.: "That's what? Little green aliens?"

Mulder: (looks away, a tiny smirk on his face, looks up and says in a whisper) "Yeah. Little green

aliens."

Bill Jr.: "You're one sorry son of a bitch. Not a whole lot more to say." (he leaves)

Mulder: (his phone rings) "One sorry son of a bitch speaking."

____________________________________________________________

The reunion scene, beginning with Samantha's arrival at the diner, lots of tears I won't clutter up the quotes with

Mulder: "Samantha?"

Samantha: "I was afraid I'd never see you again. He always told me something had happened to

you that night."

Mulder: "Who? Who told you that?"

Samantha: "My father." (she turns, indicating Cancer Man in the car as he lights a cigarette,

Mulder looks confused and upset, the scene picks up 41 minutes later, don't ask me

what they talked about in the meantime!) I never really knew what happened. I could

never put the memories all back together. But, as much as I tried to remember, I tried

more to forget."

Mulder: "Why?"

Samantha: "I was 8 years old, and frightened to death. And they told me that I was an orphan."

Mulder: "But you called that man your father?"

Samantha: "Some time later, I don't know how long, my foster parents took me to a hotel room and

said that I was gonna see my father."

Mulder: "But you knew who your father was?"

Samantha: "I thought I knew. But, he told me that it had all been a secret, and that he and Mom

hadn't told anyone to protect the family."

Mulder: "And you believed that."

Samantha: "He was so kind to me, and he was the only one I could remember from before what

happened."

Mulder: "You don't remember anything about that night?"

Samantha: "I remember ... you ... I remember something ... men and ... and then nothing."

Mulder: "I can help you. You were abducted, Samantha, I can help you to remember."

Samantha: "I don't want to, Fox. I don't."

Mulder: "Then why come here at all?"

Samantha: "My father told me that he'd found you, you wanted to see me very badly, that you'd

been looking for me for a long time. Is that true? (Mulder begins to cry) I'm so sorry,

Fox. And I wish that I'd known how to find you."

Mulder: "What you've been told ... I want you to listen to me, okay? What you've been told by that

man may not be true."

Samantha: "Why do you say that?"

Mulder: "Because the man that brought you here has known where I've been for a very long time."

Samantha: "I don't understand. Why wouldn't he tell me?"

Mulder: "I don't know, but I think he's kept a lot of things from you."

Samantha: "I don't believe you. He's been a good father to me. He's given me a life and he cared

for me when there was no one else."

Mulder: "Then I want you to come with me, come with me to see Mom."

Samantha: "Mom is alive?"

Mulder: "Yes. And I know she'd like to see you very very much."

Samantha: "I can't."

Mulder: "Why not?"

Samantha: "It's too much. I didn't want to come here at all, Fox. I was afraid to see you. I have

another life now, I have children of my own." (she stands and Mulder grabs ahold of

her hand)

Mulder: "No, please, don't go."

Samantha: "I can't stay here right now."

Mulder: "All right, just tell me how I can find you."

Samantha: "I need some time."

Mulder: "Just ... just tell me where to find you."

Samantha: "Please don't, Fox!"

Mulder: "We will do this on your time, just..."

Samantha: "Please? Please let me go. (he reluctantly lets her hand, and her, go) I promise you, I'll

think about it."

____________________________________________________________

Cancer Man: "My apologies for the rather hasty departure last night."

Mulder: "What do you want from me?"

Cancer Man: "Want from you?"

Mulder: "You give me these things, the only things I ever wanted and I can't think of any reason for

you to do so."

Cancer Man: "Well that's true, no act is completely selfless. But I've come today not to ask, but to

offer. To offer you the truth that you've so desperately sought. About the project,

about the men who've conspired to protect it."

Mulder: "I know the truth."

Cancer Man: "Do you?"

Mulder: "I spoke to one of your men."

Cancer Man: "And you know that he's not a liar."

Mulder: "I've seen enough to know he's not a liar, yeah."

Cancer Man: "He's seen but scant pieces of the whole."

Mulder: "What more can you show me?"

Cancer Man: "This man you spoke to, Michael Kritschgau, he has deceived you with beautiful lies.

He's told you that everything you've ever believed about the existence of

extraterrestrial life is untrue."

Mulder: "What are you saying?"

Cancer Man: "As I said, I'm offering you a chance to know the truth."

Mulder: "In exchange for what?"

Cancer Man: "Quit the FBI, come work for me. I can make your problems go away."

Mulder: "No deal."

Cancer Man: "After all I've given you?"

Mulder: "What have ... what have you given me? A claim of a cure for Scully, is she cured? You

show me my sister only to take her right back. You've given me nothing!"

Cancer Man: "I intend to keep my promises, I just need something from you."

Mulder: "You murdered my father, you killed Scully's sister, and if Scully dies, I will kill you. I don't

care whose father you are, I will put you down."

Cancer Man: "Well, you're certainly capable, so I've been told. I understand you have a hearing

tomorrow where you'll have to testify to these murderous impulses of yours. (Mulder

looks shocked, a little nervous, he walks away) When you reconsider, the offer still

stands!"

____________________________________________________________

Scully: "I've come so far in my life on simple faith, and now when I need it the most I just push it away. I mean, why ... why do I wear this? (she picks up the cross necklace around her neck) Why do I wear this, Mom? I put something that I don't even know, or understand, under the skin of my neck. I will subject myself to these crazy treatments, and I keep telling myself that I'm doing everything I can, but it's a lie!"

____________________________________________________________

Mulder: "Good morning."

Scully: "What are you doing here? You have a hearing."

Mulder: "Yeah, I came by last night, but I didn't have the heart to wake you."

Scully: "Came by for what? Mulder, what is it?"

Mulder: "I was lost last night. But, as I stood here, I thought I'd found my way. I've been ... ah ...

I've been offered a deal, a deal that could save my life, in a way. And though I'd refused

the deal earlier, I left here last night with my mind made up to take it."

Scully: "A deal with who?"

Mulder: "It doesn't matter, I'm not taking the deal, I'm not taking any deal. Not after what happened

this morning."

Scully: "What happened this morning?"

Mulder: "Section Chief Blevins directed me to implicate Skinner. To name him as the man inside in

the FBI. Who may have deceived us both. And if I name him, they'll protect me."

Scully: "Are you going to name him?"

Mulder: "No."

Scully: "Then they'll prosecute you."

Mulder: "Yeah, they have evidence against me, they know I killed that man."

Scully: "Mulder, even with the ballistics evidence, I can still be the shoot..."

Mulder: "Scully, I can't let you take the blame. Because of your brother, because of your mother,

and because I couldn't live with it. To live the lie, you have to believe it. Like these men

who decieve us, who gave you this disease. We all have our faith, and mine is in the truth."

Scully: "Then why'd you come here if you'd already made up your mind?"

Mulder: (huge heart-melting grin and laugh) "Because I knew you'd talk me out of it if I was making

a mistake."

Scully: (smiles, priest enters her room, she grabs Mulder's hand) "You'll be in my prayers."

Mulder: (leans in towards her ear) "Have the Father say a few Hail Mulders for me, okay?" (he

kisses her on the cheek and leaves)

____________________________________________________________

Skinner: "The Smoking Man's dead."

Mulder: "How?"

Skinner: "Shot through his window. (he pulls out the blood-streaked picture of a young Fox and

Samantha, intact, no bullet hole through it, and hands it to Mulder) Forensics found it at

the scene. We're assuming it's his blood."

Mulder: "Assuming?"

Skinner: "Well, no body was found, but there was too much blood loss for anyone to have survived.

This afternoon, when you named Blevins, how did you know?"

Mulder: "I didn't, I just guessed."

Skinner: "Well, it was a hell of a guess. Blevins had been on payroll for four years to a

biotechnology company called Roush, which is somehow connected to all this."

Mulder: "I'm sure whatever connections there were, they're being erased right now."

Skinner: "They're cleaning up, taking everything away."

Mulder: "Not everything. (he smiles) Scully's cancer's gone into remission."

Skinner: "That's unbelievable news."

Mulder: "It's the best news I could have ever heard."

Skinner: "What turned it around?"

Mulder: "I don't know. I don't think we'll ever know."

Skinner: "Can I see her?"

Mulder: "Yeah, she's in there with her family right now, but I'm sure she'd love to see you."