Full Circle
by Jeanie N


Full circle, the man mused to himself, quietly opening the door to the office in the basement. 
All his efforts, plots and plans, and yet here they were, back where they had started with
Mulder and Scully working on the X-files, Skinner as their A.D.

Some things, though, would never be as they once were.  Cassandra, his associates, all gone.
And Jeffrey – Jeffrey was -- No – he couldn’t even let himself think of that.

He sighed heavily, and began to rummage through Scully’s desk.  Might as well see what
they were up to…

The crackle of cellophane caused him to stop and open the desk draw a little wider.  Well
what do you know…   It seems Agent Scully had a sweet tooth.

He lifted the box out of the desk draw, the ghost of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

What were they called again?  Peeps.  That was it, Marshmallow Peeps. There they were, all
in a row, bright eyes looking up at him.

Funny how they triggered such memories in him.  Memories of an earlier time, rich with
promise.

He sat down in Scully’s chair – remembering one spring morning, over 30 years ago.  Bill had
invited him to spend Easter Sunday with the family.  He’d gotten there before they returned
from church.  Their car had pulled up and the children had tumbled out.  Fox and Samantha
raced in to devour the Easter goodies over their mother’s protests to wait until after dinner. 
There had been peals of laughter, delight with the plush rabbit he had brought for Samantha,
the books for serious young Fox.    He smiled a little wider. Even then, Fox had had his
theories about the Easter Bunny, that there might be some greater conspiracy involved….

The package had already been opened – he removed one Peep and chewed it slowly.

You know, come to think of it the very next spring, it had been Max and Irina that had invited
him to come for the holiday.  The house had been decorated beautifully with Ukranian easter
eggs that Irina had made so lovingly – trying to preserve a piece of her home.  They were
adjusting well to life in America.  Of course young Alex kept her busy – he was a pistol, that
one.   Always getting into some sort of mischief.

Bill Mulder.  Max Krycek.  Good men, both of them.  Both of them gone now.  If only any
of them had known what was ahead, what would be required of them all.  He removed a
second Peep.

And then there was Easter of 1969.  He was no longer the guest invited because everyone
felt sorry for him – sorry  that he was alone on the holiday.  No, 1969 was the first of the
precious few Easter’s when it had been “his” family, “his” celebration.  For once in his life,
he'd thought he understood this season of hope and rebirth.

He’d laughed at Cassandra for insisting that Jeffrey have an Easter basket – he was such a
tiny baby that year.  But he had dutifully procured the required items for his young son –
basket, plush rabbit, green crinkly grass, chocolate eggs and Peeps. 1969 to 1973.  It was
such a short time – too few holidays by far.

He’d finished the second Peep and started to take out a cigarette.

It wasn’t all going to hell.  It had all gone to hell a long, long time ago.

He put the cigarette back and gently removed a third Peep from the box. He placed the
box carefully back in the drawer and closed it.  He pulled the door behind him and left as
quietly as he’d entered.

The next afternoon Dana Scully opened her desk drawer – savoring the idea of a quick
afternoon sugar high.

“Hey Mulder – have you been eating my Peeps?”  she asked, arching her eyebrow at him
accusingly.

“It wasn’t me Scully I swear.”  Mulder winked at her.  “Maybe it was a ghost.”