Fanfic: New Beginnings

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Chapter 1

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August 1st, 2001
20th Century Fox Studios

Gillian Anderson walked slowly onto the noisy set. Stagehands were rushing about, assistants coming around with drinks and sandwiches for the cast and writers, and cast members shaking hands and asking each other how they'd been. This was familiar to her, first days back on the set were always warm, friendly, busy. But today had a separate feel to it. Someone was missing. She saw Chris Carter talking with Kim Manners, the director, and Vince Gilligan talking to her newest co-worker, Annabeth Gish. She noticed Robert Patrick laughing with Nic Lea in a corner of the room. Almost everyone was here on the first day of set.

Almost.

She glanced around the set, looking around for the same friendly face that she had longed to see all summer. But he was no where to find. She didn't hear his gentle laugh, his soft voice, or smell his sweet scent, not a trace of him.

"Gillian! It's so good to see you!" a voice broke though her thoughts as she saw Robert Patrick standing in front of her. Giving him a small smile, she hugged him.

"It's good to see you too, how was your summer?" she asked as she pulled away.

"It was okay, very relaxing. Couldn't ask for more," he answered, sticking his hands in his pockets. He looked around the set for a moment and looked back at Gillian. He knew that she wasn't herself. 'She looks so lost', he thought. He knew why too.

"I know you miss him," he said softly.

Gillian looked back at him, pretending she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Don't act like that I don't know... I know you miss David, we all do. But we'll manage."

She nodded and looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. Gillian bit her lip, she wasn't going to let Robert and everyone else see her cry over David's absentence.

"Gillian! It's good to see you! Welcome home!" Chris Carter said as he walked toward Gillian and Robert. He gave her a quick hug and smiled at her brightly. 'Well, he looks to be in a good mood', she thought bitterly.

"We have work to do, I have a feeling that this season will be great!" Chris said as he handed them both their scripts. Gillian sighed softly as she looked at the title of the season 9 premiere:

"New Beginnings".

~~~~~~~~~~~

David Duchovny's Home
California

David Duchovny sat outside in the middle of his backyard in a beach chair. He was at complete ease, totally relaxed and calm. 'This is the life', he thought as he took a sip of iced tea. 'Just me, the dog, and iced tea. No worries, and no wife to-'

"David! Sweetie! I'm home!" a voice cut in his thoughts. 'Damn,' he thought. 'That shopping trip was short.'

He looked over to see his wife, Tèa, coming down the steps of the back porch with his little girl in her arms. He rose up, taking off his sunglasses and met Tèa in a gentle kiss on the lips. Maddy giggled and reached out for her daddy to take her. David took her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He looked back at Tèa.

"That was a quick shopping trip," he pointed out.

She smiled at him and sat in the grass beside his chair.

"I heard the set went back today," she said.

David closed his eyes for a brief moment, remembering what it was like going back to set after summer break. The day was always busy, but it was nice to see everybody. He wondered how things were now without him being there. He knew that Chris Carter would be in some what high spirits, knowing that his biggest problem out of the way. The others would try to be in high sprits too, like Mitch and Robert and the others. His thoughts turned to Gillian.

Gillian.

He sighed at the thought of her. She had not taken the news of him not returning well. She wouldn't be in be high spirits like the rest, probably hurting inside...

"David, is something the matter?" Tèa's voice broke his thoughts again. He shook his head.

"I feel like I'm letting the show down or something, I mean-"

"Davie, sweetie...you're doing what is best. You've been working on that show for 8 years. You need a break...you can't play the same character day in and day out. You have a family now, you belong here...you're needed here..." Tèa said softly as she leaned over to kiss him. David sighed, leaning into her kiss, vaguely aware that Maddy was still in his arms. They broke apart, and smiled at each other.

"I guess this is my place," he said, leaning back in the chair playing with Maddy. "I guess I am needed here."

Tèa smiled and took his hand. "You are needed here...you need to be a husband and a daddy now, not an actor playing some FBI agent on TV."

David looked at her, thinking over what she just said. True, he needed a break, playing Mulder could be a pain in the ass, and he wanted to spend more time at home and with Maddy. But there was something that kept him wishing that he was on the set.

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Conference Room 1013

"Okay everyone, now I know that the first few months of this season will be a little rocky, so to speak, due to some..um..re-writes, but we can make it. I have faith that this season..."

Gillian sat in the chair, gazing out the window, and not paying attention to Chris. She wasn't in the mood to hear about the new season. Chris could talk all he wanted about the new season being a door opened to new possibilities, but Gillian was thinking that the door being opened would just bring in more problems. She wasn't all that sure the show would even live without David. The fans had protested all summer about it, that the show would be on the road to cancellation. But Chris, he had hopes. It was going to be their biggest season yet, he said. Talk all he wanted, but she just wasn't seeing it.

"Gillian? Gillian have you heard a word I just said?" a voice called out to her. She slowly drifted back into reality, seeing the concerned looks on her co-workers faces. Chris sighed sadly and looked to her.

"Gilly, I know it's hard, first day back and all, but I need you to be with us. The cast, the crew, the show...we're depending on you," he spoke softly. She nodded and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry Chris, I guess I didn't get much sleep last night," she lied.

He nodded, and continued to talk about the upcoming season.

Gillian sighed softly and leaned back in her seat, trying to focus on what Chris was saying, but each time she tried, her thoughts drifted to David. She remembered the day he told her that he wasn't coming back for another season, how that day had broke her heart. She had begged him to stay, but he insisted it was for the best, that his family needed him to be home. She told him she understood, but part of her wished that he would stay on the set anyway.

"...which I will write in the middle part of the season that a romance will happen between Doggett and Scully, which should take care of..."

Gillian gasped and sat up straight. Did Chris say what she thought he said?

"Chris, did you say that Doggett and Scully were going to get together romantically?" she asked, her heart pounding against her chest. Chris nodded at her and continued to talk.

Gillian looked over at Robert, but his face showed no emotion. He just smiled softly at her, and turned his attention back to Chris.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

~~~~~~~~~~

After the meeting was over, Gillian bolted out and ran outside, seeking fresh air. She couldn't believe what she was hearing in there. Scully's child was to be taken from her, the main theme for Season 9. Mulder would be the one to take the child from her and keep it safe with him. Chris explained it was for the best, since this would be a Mulderless season. Scully, Doggett, and Reyes would continue with the X-Files, and search for Mulder and for Scully's child. Later on in the season, Doggett and Scully would get together romantically. The ending of the season was uncertain, whatever happened would lead into the movie.

She sat down on one of the bench chairs and gazed up in the sky. It was beautiful. The sun was shinning, clouds filled the light blue sky, and the temperature pleasant. Calm and peaceful.

Gillian put her head in her hands and started to cry. Why was this hard? First days were supposed to be happy, not depressing. She knew she missed David, but she never thought she'd act like this. Then again, yes, she could see herself crying over him. She had done it millions of times before, so this was no surprise.

She didn't noticed the young girl, who had a tray of sandwiches and drinks, walk toward her. The girl looked at the actress curiosity. Why was she crying? Had something happened? The girl cleared her throat and saw Gillian raise her head up. Her eyes were blood shot, her nose and cheeks red. Gillian sniffled and looked at the girl with a small smile.

"Do you want a sandwich or something to drink?" the girl asked in a soft spoken voice. Gillian looked at the girl and shook her head. She wasn't in the mood to eat.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

The girl let out a sigh and put the tray of food and drinks down. She sat down on the ground and took out her pony tail. "Well," she began, "I hope you don't mind me sitting here, but goin around givin ya'll food and stuff is tiring. My feet are sore from walkin and my arms are tired of carrying that heavy thing."

Gillian nodded, and leaned back again the bench chair. The girl who sitting on the ground kept looking at her. She looked to be about 15 or 16, with short reddish hair and gray eyes. She reminded Gillian a little like herself, only without the hairstyle that Gillian had when she was at that age.

"I guess you're new here, I didn't see you around last year," Gillian spoke, breaking the silence between them.

"Nah, I'm new here. It's just for the rest of summer, before school, I didn't think I'd work here though. I first though that I was going to be working indoors in those offices, but I guess not," the girl answered, putting her hair in a pony tail. After she straightened it up, she looked back at Gillian.

"I know you, you're Gillian somethin, right? You play that one girl on X-Files."

Gillian nodded and stuck out her hand. "You're right, my name is Gillian Anderson," she said. The girl gently shook hers and stood up. "The name's Meredith, and it's a pleasure to meet ya. Now I remember you, you play Scully right? I watch the show sometimes, but I think I might stop ya know, since Mulder ain't comin back. I think that's awful too, Scully had that baby and now Mulder's off again. Shesh."

Gillian nodded and leaned back in the bench. Meredith looked at her and tilted her head.

"Looks like you're havin a bad day or somethin."

She sighed and bit her lip. She wasn't going to cry in front of this girl, but was tempted to tell her what was wrong. But the girl probably wouldn't understand.

"I guess I am," Gillian answered. Meredith nodded and picked the tray of food and drinks off the ground and dusted herself off.

"I better be gettin back, boss will be mighty pissed if I don't, nice meetin ya Miss Anderson, hope your day gets betta." With that, the girl walked off, leaving Gillian alone.

She watched the girl turn the corner and back into the set. Gillian sighed and put her face in her hands again, feeling the tears coming to her eyes. She wanted to talk to someone, someone who would understand what she was going though. But who? She didn't want to talk to Chris, he would just say "Get over him, you have work to do" or if she told Annabeth, she'd probably ask to many questions about it. Robert wouldn't understand either. No one would.

She never felt more alone in her life.

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Chapter 2

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"David! Honey! Maddy and I are going to visit my mom and dad for a few hours, are you sure you're going to be fine?" Tèa asked as she ran down the stairs. David walked over to the edge and looked over. "Yes, I'll be fine. Just be careful."

Tèa smiled and took Maddy in her arms. "Okay, I'll bring us something home to eat, bye sweetie!" She blew him a kiss and walked out the door.

David sighed loudly and made his way down the stairs. 'Thank God that she left, she can drive me crazy sometimes' he thought to himself. Now he could get peace and quite, just like how he liked it.

He walked outside and went toward his beach chair to relax. Before he could sit down, his cell phone rang. Cursing under his breath, he answered it.

"Hello?" he asked curly.

"Just want to say, I love you," the voice of his wife said. David rolled his eyes. She could be so annoying sometimes. "I love you too," he said. Tèa make kissing noises and hung up the phone.

David turned off his phone and leaned in the beach chair to relax. He thought at first that not coming back to the show would be fine. He could spend time with his daughter and lay in his beach chair in the back yard, sipping iced tea from a cold glass. He hadn't thought much about his wife, but part of him did want to spend time with her. Tèa was a wonderful woman, she was a great listener, was very caring and was the best mother that Maddy could ever have.

It was just the fact that she could be so...childish. Calling him on the cell phone to tell him she loved him? He wouldn't had done that. He knew she loved him, he knew that plenty. He didn't need to be told every 5 seconds. But he would much rather have her to deal with than the show to deal with.

It wasn't like he hated work. He enjoyed every minute of working on The X-Files. But he was tired of Mulder. He didn't hate his character, but it was like Mulder was never to be happy. Never to enjoy the simple things in life. David and Mulder were two different people, and he couldn't play him much longer. Besides, he hated being labeled as "that guy on X-Files". He wanted to make a different name for himself and make more movies. Not just spend the rest of his acting career as Mulder. David thought he would be more happier.

In truth, he was. He liked going to bed late, and waking up to a cooked breakfast. He liked spending time with his daughter and work on his golf game. But he still missed the show. He missed spending time with everyone, playing jokes, laughing, and everything.

Most of all he missed hanging around with Gillian.

Yes, he knew that she was a friend, but they were more than that years ago. They secretly had went out with each other after Gillian and her husband had separated. But it ended after his agent had gotten him hooked up with Tèa. That was the last of it. When season 7 rolled around, they were back to where everything was supposed to be.

Closing his eyes, David thought back to day he told Gillian goodbye...

He had walked back from the set to her trailer. He had already told everyone that he was leaving, but before he left, he need to talk to her. She had came to the going away party, but it was after Chris pointed out to them that David was married and that he had no right in kissing Gillian in the middle of the dance flood that she had ran off.

He came to the door of the trailer and gently knocked. "Can I come in, Gill?" he asked. All he got was the sounds of sobbing from inside the trailer. David walked into the darken trailer, noticing her laying face down on the couch. He walked over to her slowly, and sat on the edge of the couch. He closed his eyes, trying to block the pain that this whole day was causing him. David laid a hand gently on Gillian's back, but she jerked up and looked at him. Her eyes were red and salty tears streamed down her face.

"What do you want?" she asked him.

David turned his face away for a moment, fearing that the site of her would make him cry. He hated hurting people, especially if they meant a lot to him. It pained him to see Gillian cry, it hurt worse whenever it was about them. "Gill, I'm sorry for-"

"You know, you shouldn't be sorry. I should be. I mean, you're married, got the kid, have everything, and I shouldn't-"

"No, Gillian...I'm sorry..." David said, standing up, He turned his back to her and sighed. God, he hated this, they had been down this same road time after time, but he had a feeling that they were going to choose different directions this time.

Gillian laid there silent. David finally turned around and looked at her.

"Listen, I gotta go...I have a feeling that if I stay here much longer...things between you and me won't be the same..." Gillian stood up and looked into his face. She opened up her mouth to speak, but he had put a finger to her lips.

"No, it's not your fault that I'm leaving. I have to...I can't stand it here. It's becoming where I come here and I...I go crazy...I feel drained...aggravated. And you and me...we can't do this...if I were stay on...things might change." There. He had it in the open. He watched for her reaction.

She stood there silently for a few moments before walking into his embrace. They stood in the living area of her trailer hugging each other good-bye. David pulled back and kissed her forehead. He walked toward the trailer door and looked at Gillian one last time before walking out the door.

David's eyes opened and closed again as he thought back to that night. So, it was a little fight, but ever since then, they hadn't spoken. He really wasn't sorry for kissing her either, he had wanted to. He felt like he need to. And David knew that Gillian felt the same way. But, had he stayed, their relationship could reach new heights, which would cause serious problems for the both of them, and they didn't want that.

Leaning over and petting his dog's head, David sighed and shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about things on the set. This was the vacation that he was asking for. He wouldn't have to worry about waking up in the morning, memorizing scripts, making sure he got to work on time. No worries. He had his wife, their child, and their life.

But still, he wished he could be on the set.