WRITTEN BY
Vince Gilligan
&
John Shiban
&
Frank Spotnitz
DIRECTED BY
Peter Markle
AIRED ON
December 7, 1997
RUNTIME
45 minutes
STARRING
VIEWS
453
LAST UPDATE
2024-08-13 08:30:06
PAGE VERSION
Version 3
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SUMMARY
Agent Scully returns to her family home for the holidays, only to become embroiled in a deeply personal and mysterious case. She receives an anonymous phone call that leads her to investigate the apparent suicide of a woman named Melissa Riedal, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her late sister Melissa. As Scully digs deeper, she uncovers startling connections between the deceased woman, her own past, and a young girl named Emily who might be linked to Scully in unexpected ways. The episode is a poignant exploration of family, loss, and the quest for truth, blending emotional depth with the series' trademark supernatural intrigue.
STORY
No story yet.
BEHIND THE SCENES
- A Christmas carol (also called a noël) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, or the winter season in general. They are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas. The tradition of Christmas carols hails back as far as the thirteenth century, although carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols began to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas.
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REVIEWS
Weak
Written by
Pike on 2017-10-01
★
★
Weak
___________________________________________
Just pay attention to music in this episode
Written by
DuaneB on 2018-03-06
★
★
★
★
★
Love this one. For once we have a full immersion into the Scully familly. The investigation witch brings Scully to Emilly is well conducted. This episode is also a big occasion to show more than any other the complete wide of Gillian's playing. Finaly, this is one of the most touching concerning the music. One of my favourite... 9/10
TRANSCRIPT
SCENE 1
US NAVAL STATION
SAN DIEGO CA
DECEMBER 21
BILL SCULLYS HOUSE
A hand reaches to a manger scene and adjusts the baby Jesus The hand pulls back and caresses her baby in her body It is Bills wife Tara very pregnant She takes a Christmas card from a table and puts it on another table We hear Scully in the distance
SCULLY Hello Merry Christmas
TARA Hello She smiles and goes to greet Scully and Mrs Scully at the door
MARGARET Oh my God Look at you She hugs Tara
TARA Can you believe it
MARGARET How am I going to get my arms around you Bill is behind Scully with suitcases Mrs Scully walks into the living room
SCULLY Youre huge They hug
TARA Oh I know Welcome Welcome Kisses Bill Oh hi Sweetie
BILL Lets get you two settled Sorry about the digs Mom I know you hoped like hell you didnt have to spend another night in base housing Scully walks into the living room
MARGARET Are you kidding This is wonderful
SCULLY This is the exact same layout as our old house
BILL Thats the Navy for ya
TARA Yeah Bill tells me Mom that youll be staying in your old room And the nursery is going to be in Dana and Melissas room
BILL Thats right He struggles with the suitcases up the stairs
TARA I got it Bill She takes a suitcase from him
BILL Thanks He goes upstairs Tara behind him Margaret looks at the tree Scully joins her
SCULLY Mom You okay
MARGARET oh yeah I was just thinking about your Dad and Melissa and how much I miss them She walks past Scully to the stairs Scully is about to follow her when the phone rings She looks upstairs
SCULLY Bill No answer the phone rings again She answers it Scully residence
WOMAN Dana Pause it sounds like Melissa
SCULLY Yes sorry who is this
WOMAN Dana she needs your help She needs you Dana Go to her
SCULLY Who who is this She hangs up Dana hangs up and calls a number
MAN ON PHONE FBI San Diego
SCULLY This is Special Agent Dana Scully My badge number is 2317616 Can you transfer me to your sound agent please I would like to trace the last number that was dialed into this phone
OPENING CREDITS OPENING CREDITS OPENING CREDITS OPENING CREDITS OPENING CREDITS
SCENE 2
SIMS HOUSE
They have a pleasant home There are people mingling and an ambulance parked outside Bill and Dana drive up Scully shows her badge to a cop and walks into the house A photographer is taking pictures of a phone off the hook Scully walks upstairs She walks past the photographer to the bathroom where there are policemen
KRESGE Whoa whoa whoa Who are you
SCULLY Scully FBI Can you tell me whats going on here
KRESGE Well no offense Scully FBI but whats it to you
SCULLY I received a phone call from this address It was a womans voice She said that somebody here needed help
KRESGE When was this
SCULLY About 20 minutes ago
KRESGE Ive been here 30 minutes Guarantee you no ones called out to you or anyone else Phones off the hook Scully is confused She looks to the bathroom
SCULLY Please can you tell me what happened here
Kresge brings her into the bathroom A photographer is taking pictures of the crime scene Kresge allows Scully to pass to the body A woman in a bathtub Wrists slashed blood pooled on the floor and in the tub
KRESGE This is Mrs Roberta Sim Age 40 Suicide Shes been dead at least three hours If you got a call from her she must have dialed 1800the great beyond
SCENE 3
OUTSIDE
Scully leaves the house There is still a lot of activity Scully walks to Bill on the porch
BILL Dana whats going on Theyre joking that you got a call from a dead woman
SCULLY I thought it was a dead woman just not the one in there
BILL What are you talking about
SCULLY I know its not possible Bill but it sounded just like her
BILL Who
SCULLY Our sister Melissa
SCENE 4
INSIDE HOUSE
A latexed gloved hand puts the phone back on its cradle and walks by Scully who walks further into the house There is a man holding a little girl in the kitchen Scully stops and looks at them Kresge come up to her
KRESGE I dont know what to tell you Pac Bell confirms that a call came in from this address to your brothers house but from this end they show no outgoing call Plus they confirm that the phone here had been off the hook for the last three hours
SCULLY What was their explanation
KRESGE Records mixup software glitch It was obviously some kind of mistake Anyway Ive got to wrap this up Talk with the husband Listen weird phone calls aside this is looking pretty straightforward A lot of people check themselves out around Christmas time
Kresge goes into the kitchen Mr Sim puts the little girl on a stool
MR SIM Why dont you sit here
KRESGE to girl Hi
EMILY Hi
MR SIM Can we get some privacy here He looks at Scully Kresge shuts the kitchen door
SCENE 5
BILL SCULLYS
The family is sitting having dinner There is small talk around the table
SCULLY Excuse me She gets up and goes to the hallway She dials the phone
SCENE 6
MULDERS APARTMENT
Mulder comes into the apartment as the phone is ringing He is wearing the most ridiculous hat
MULDER Hello No answer Hello Scully doesnt say anything Hello Scully hangs up
SCENE 7
BILLS HOUSE
Scully comes back to the table and sits down
BILL Everything okay He hands her the rolls
TARA Oh They all look at her
BILL Is he kicking
TARA Oh hes kicking kickboxing Well you had both boys and girls so which ones kicked more
MARGARET Oh I had some pretty tough little girls
TARA You know what I cant believe Im going to say this As big and fat as I am right now I cant wait to have more This is our baby our son It kind of gives everything new meaning I cant help but think that life before now was somehow less Just a prelude Scully is devastated during this monologue
SCENE 8
KITCHEN
Scully and her mother are washing dishes
MARGARET Whats the matter
SCULLY Nothing Mom Im very happy for Bill and Tara
MARGARET You dont seem to be
SCULLY Oh Mom Several months ago I learned that as a result of my abduction of what they did to me that I can not conceive a child Margaret is sorry and hugs Dana
MARGARET Im so sorry
SCULLY Its okay I just never realized how much I wanted it until I couldnt have it
SCENE 9
NURSERY
In Dana and Melissas old room The layout was like their house growing up Scully is trying to sleep She turns over in bed and the camera pans to the door The door opens and young Dana and young Bill run in
YOUNG BILL Dana where is it Where is that rabbit
YOUNG DANA Im not telling
YOUNG BILL Im going to find that rabbit and cook it Im going to turn it into stew
YOUNG DANA No youre not
YOUNG BILL Rabbit stew here I go
YOUNG DANA Youre not going to find him Young Bill leaves
SCENE 10
BASEMENT
Young Dana creeps down the stairs through the mess of the unfinished basement to the corner where she takes out an old lunch box She opens it The dead rabbit is inside Maggots have taken over Danas eyes go wide She slams the lunch box cover and moves away from it She sees Emily sitting on the stairs The phone rings
SCENE 11
NURSERY
Dana wakes up and answers her cell phone
WOMAN She needs your help
SCULLY Who is this Why are you doing this
WOMAN Go to her Click
SCENE 12
SIMS RESIDENCE
254 AM
Scully walks up to the front door and rings the door bell A light comes on and Mr Sims opens the door Hes still dressed in a suit and tie
SCULLY Mr Sim my name is Dana Scully Im sorry for your loss and Im sorry to disturb you at this hour
MR SIM What do you want
SCULLY I received a phone call less than an hour ago I was addressed by name and told that I needed to help someone a woman I traced the call and it came from your house
MR SIM I have no Earthly idea what youre talking about
SCULLY This is the second time this has happened and Id really like to get to the bottom of it
SIM You were here earlier
SCULLY Yes
SIM Yes a detective told me something about a screw up with the phones Im in the middle of a meeting Scully looks into the house There are two suited men in the house No ones called you from here Not earlier today and certainly not tonight You can imagine how bad a day this has been for my daughter and myself
SCULLY I understand
SIM Well if you understand then youll stop coming around upsetting me with this nonsense Please He shuts the door and shuts off the light Scully goes back to the car and drives off
SCENE 13
POLICE STATION
Scully is waiting when Kresge comes
KRESGE Scully FBI What can I do for you at this ungodly hour
SCULLY Id like everything you have on the Roberta Sim case
KRESGE The Roberta Sim case She nods There is no Roberta Sim case It was a simple suicide We sort of went through this before you and I didnt we
SCULLY Whatever you call it Id appreciate seeing everything that you have Pause In the spirit of the season
LATER
A box of materials is placed on a desk Scully goes through it She looks at a picture of Robertas slashed wrist A police report
KRESGE So what are you looking for Can you even tell me
SCULLY It says here that your precinct visited the Sims before Two weeks ago A domestic disturbance call
KRESGE We sent a unit cause the neighbors were complaining They were screaming at each other It wasnt a happy household Happy people dont kill themselves Scully keeps reading the report
SCULLY They ran a tox screen
KRESGE Yeah its just procedure
SCULLY It says they turned up high levels of doritriptan
KRESGE Some kind of new migraine medicine Apparently you take enough of it youre wearing a cloud for a hat I figure she anesthetized herself and then makes a slashing sound We found a bunch of empty sample packets in the bathroom trash A couple more in her purse Scully takes her purse out of the evidence box and goes through it She sees the packets She takes out a picture of the little girl Emily posing with a birthday cake
SCULLY Id like to borrow this Kresge nods okay
SCENE 14
BILL SCULLYS HOUSE
Scully enters the darkened house She goes to the bookshelves and pulls out two photo album books She sits on the couch with them and goes through the first In the photo album are pictures of the Scully siblings as babies She gets to a photo of Melissa in Nagoya Farmers Market Japan 1966 Scully pauses on the page She takes the photograph from the evidence box of Emily Sim Melissa as a little girl and Emily are identical
SCENE 15
NEXT MORNING
Scully is typing on her laptop Shes on the Internet looking up a Record of Live Births She types in Sim Emily and searches Emilys birth records are sealed
SCULLY Shes adopted Scully sighs and makes a cell phone call Danny its me Dana Yeah Merry Christmas to you too I ah Im wondering if you can do me a favor I need the complete case files on my sister Melissa Scully Yeah crime scene and autopsy along with the PCRs that we ran Right but I need you to send them to the San Diego field office As soon as possible Ok Thanks Danny
Scully hangs up takes off her glasses and rubs her eyes She sets her glasses down A beam of light reflects on the lenses The screen turns white and a cross forms We pan down and we see a little red headed girl holding the hand of a man walking in front of the cross She walks up the aisle of a church full of people in the pews There is a casket at the end of the aisle They walk toward the casket There is bloody water dripping from the casket onto a ceramic tiled floor like the Sims floor of their bathroom They walk closer to the casket The little girl Dana walks up the three steps to the casket and looks inside It is Roberta Sim Under water with flower buds floating on the surface Robertas eyes open The little girl jumps back and down the steps She looks up at the man Its Mr Sim
MANS VOICE Dana Present time Dana jerks up from her sleep head on the desk
SCULLY What Scully looks behind her and sees Bill
BILL This is where you stayed the night
SCULLY Some of it She closes the cover of the laptop
BILL Its supposed to be a vacation What are you working on that could be so important
SCULLY Just some unfinished business
BILL So are you up to joining us
SCULLY Ive got a little work to do Can I join you guys later
BILL How are you going to get around
SCULLY Ill Ill rent a car
BILL Well all right Lunch Well hold you to that Scully smiles and he leaves A little later she does too with her laptop and briefcase
SCENE 16
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Scully walks among the desks in the busy office She walks into the Detectives office He is at his desk He looks up and sees Scully
KRESGE Agent Scully its been what 4 hours I was getting worried
SCULLY Id like to order an autopsy on Roberta Sim Theres a possibility she was murdered
KRESGE What You got another phone call
SCULLY I think that it may have been the husband
KRESGE Where did you get that idea You want coffee
SCULLY No Thanks
KRESGE Hes got an ironclad alibi Mr Sim was at the doctors office with his daughter He was there all morning I checked
SCULLY I took another look at the police photos this morning There were no hesitation cuts on Roberta Sims wrists Suicide victims seldom make the fatal cut the first time
KRESGE Seldom but not always Is that all you got
SCULLY No Why was the phone off the hook when you got to the Sims house
KRESGE The wife took it off Im guessing she didnt want to be interrupted
SCULLY Your report says the husband called the police after he discovered his wife dead
KRESGE Yeah
SCULLY But if the phone was off the hook when you arrived how did he call you Did he find the phone off the hook call you then have the presence of mind to return it to the way that hed found it Does that make sense to you
KRESGE What are you suggesting
SCULLY I am suggesting that there are questions that beg for further investigation Order an autopsy
SCENE 17
AUTOPSY ROOM HOSPITAL
Scully is over a bowl of internal organs talking to an off screen medical examiner
SCULLY Stomach contents appear to include coffee whole wheat toast and cantaloupe No medicine tablets Empty sample packets of doritriptan succina were found but I find no evidence that any of the pills were ingested
MEDICAL EXAMINER Well obviously they were doritriptan showed up on her tox screen
SCULLY Then why didnt it show up in her stomach
MEDICAL EXAMINER It was absorbed into her bloodstream
SCULLY No I dont believe absorption would be that complete not that close to her death
MEDICAL EXAMINER Then how did the doritriptan get into her blood stream Ms Scully
SCENE 18
POLICE STATION
Cut right to Kresges reaction to Scully
KRESGE A needle puncture
SCULLY On the heel of her right foot Extremely tiny and easy to miss It was meant to be overlooked The medical examiner is also there I believe that this woman was injected anesthetized so he wouldnt fight back Then her suicide was staged
KRESGE To medical examiner What do you think
MEDICAL EXAMINER Its a possibility Then again its possible this woman simply stepped on a tack and the rest is blue sky conjecture
SCULLY I say it justifies opening a murder investigation
SCENE 19
SIM HOUSE
Mr Sim walks into his living room as men in policemen are going through everything He sees Scully and Kresge
SIM This is your doing isnt it You didnt have the decency to leave me and my daughter alone
KRESGE Mr Sim please Now youre going to want to calm down and let us do our business ok
SCULLY Mr Sim where is your daughter now
SIM Why Scully just glares at him Shes at a friends house Thank God shes not here to see this A female cop comes up
FEMALE COP Detective this was in the trash out back She hands a syringe in a bag to Scully She takes out a latex glove and puts it on
KRESGE You got an explanation for this
SIM Yes My daughter has a severe form of anemia She requires daily injections
SCULLY Well check that out Scully and the female cop walk away I want you to analyze this Get a PCR on the blood We need to identify whose it is The female cop takes it and leaves Scully turns back to them She sees out the window two men sitting in a car looking at the house They drive away
SCENE 20
BILL SCULLYS HOUSE
Dark Scully walks in and turns the light on in the dining room Theres a manilla envelope on the table She opens it and sits down She takes the PCR screen of Melissa out of the report and matches it to Emilys PCR results from the lab Scully is on the verge of crying when she sees they match
MRS SCULLY Dana Are you alright Its two oclock in the morning Where have you been all day We were expecting you at lunch
SCULLY Mom sit down She does The woman who committed suicide has an adopted daughter a three year old named Emily I got a sample of Emilys blood and I had the lab run a test on her DNA Its called a PCR test This she hands her one of the screens is Emilys She hands over the other one And this is Melissas which we ran during her murder investigation They match
MRS SCULLY What does it mean they match
SCULLY It means that this little girl Emily is Melissas daughter
LATER
Mrs Scully and Dana are in the dining room Mrs Scully is sitting and Dana is hovering over her We see the pictures of Emily and her birthday cake and Melissa in 1966
MRS SCULLY Its impossible
SCULLY You cant deny that there is a remarkable resemblance
MRS SCULLY Melissa was three years old when this picture was taken She was practically a baby All kids can look the same at that age
SCULLY Mom its uncanny Emily looked exactly like Melissa Thats why I ordered the PCR test Because her face may change but her DNA cant
MRS SCULLY And the test is accurate
SCULLY Theres a 60 chance that Melissa is Emilys mother Ill order a more comprehensive test a RFLP Itll take a couple of days then well be sure
MRS SCULLY Well Im already sure your sister did not have a baby She would have told me
SCULLY Mom remember about four years ago and Melissa took off She traveled up and down the west coast we didnt know where she was half the time
MRS SCULLY Youre saying she was pregnant and she didnt want us to know
SCULLY That was 1994 Emily was born that November She could have given it for adoption and none of us would have ever known
MRS SCULLY Dana listen to me I know what youre going through
SCULLY Mom this has nothing to do with what Im going through
MRS SCULLY It has happened to me When your father died it was a long time before he left me I saw him in my dreams The phone would ring and just for a moment I was sure it was his voice Youre doing the same thing with Melissa Youre seeing her in this child but that doesnt make this child my granddaughter Were still connected to them Dana Even after theyre gone
SCENE 21
PAST IN SCULLY HOUSE
Christmas Young Dana early teens walks into the living room
YOUNG DANA Look at all the presents
YOUNG MELISSA Dana quiet they might hear us They both walk to the tree and sit amongst the presents and shake them Dana holds one up
DANA This ones for me
MELISSA You wish Thats for Billy you dope Dana looks and holds up a wrapped LP
DANA This has got to be it This has got to be Hotel California
MELISSA SH Youll wake everybody Dana picks up another present long and narrow
DANA I wonder what this is
MELISSA I dont know but I got one too
MRS SCULLY You dont have to shake it Dana You can open those now The girls smile and they do They got identical gold cross necklaces
MELISSA Thanks Mom
MRS SCULLY Your grandmother gave me a cross just like that when I was about your age She puts it on Dana
DANA Its pretty
MRS SCULLY It means God is with you Hell watch over you wherever you go Young Dana looks up to see current Dana Scully looking at her and smiling
SCENE 22
SCULLYS BEDROOM NURSERY
Theres a knock on the door It opens Its Tara
TARA Dana Hi Sorry to wake you but theres a detective here to see you
SCULLY Ill be right down
SCENE 23
DINING ROOM
Tara is at the counter The detective is sitting at the table Mrs Scully serves him a cup of coffee Dana enters They notice Dana and the detective rises and walks with Dana away from the others
KRESGE I know its early
SCULLY Not a problem
KRESGE We came up with an interesting tidbit on Mr Sim
SCULLY What
KRESGE Bank deposits Large ones 30000 a pop Three in the last 18 months All the checks had been made out to his wife The last one was deposited yesterday apre morte
SCULLY From where
KRESGE Pharmaceutical firm in Chula Vista
SCENE 24
TRANSGEN PHARMACEUTICALS
Day Outside There are various people walking around the courtyard
SCULLY Dr Calderon
CALDERON Yes A man turns as Scully and Kresge walk up to him
SCULLY extending her hand to him Im Agent Dana Scully with the FBI this is Detective Kresge with the San Diego Police Department
CALDERON What can I do for you
KRESGE Were investigating the death of Roberta Sim
CALDERON When did this happen
SCULLY You knew Mrs Sim
CALDERON Her daughter Emily was a patient here
SCULLY What were you treating her for
CALDERON She was a subject in one of our clinical trials Were developing gene therapies here for several blood disorders Emily suffers from a rare form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia Shes a very sick little girl
SCULLY Whats her prognosis
CALDERON Im afraid I really couldnt say These are ongoing doubleblind trials It could be years before we have any results
KRESGE Youve been paying the Sim family compensation for this
CALDERON Emily is a very special case we were lucky to find her
KRESGE How did you find her
CALDERON Her father brought her to our attention
SCULLY Then why were the checks made out to her mother
CALDERON How should I put this These payments are a gesture of good will to Mrs Sim She wasnt completely convinced that our experimental treatment was the way to go
SCULLY She wanted to pull Emily from the program
CALDERON She filed the paper work but her husband later withdrew it
SCULLY Dr Calderon did you ever prescribe doritriptan injections to Emily during her treatment
CALDERON No No I prescribed them for the husband
SCENE 25
SIM HOUSE
Night A knock on the door Mr Sim comes around the corner drinking a cup of coffee He answers the door At the door are Scully Kresge and some uniformed officers
KRESGE Marshal Sim youre under arrest for the murder of Roberta Sim Kresge pulls Sims hands behind him and handcuffs him
SIM What Scully and the others enter
SCULLY Wheres Emily
SIM Are you out of your mind
KRESGE You have the right to remain silent
SIM I didnt kill her Scully walks through the house
KRESGE Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law Scully sees Emily standing at the top of the stairs You have the right to an attorney If you cannot afford an attorney
SCENE 26
OUTSIDE SIM HOUSE
A woman opens the back door of a minivan Scully and Emily are walking hand in hand down the walk from the house Scully helps Emily into the van and the car seat
SCULLY Lets get you right in there She locks the car seat Lets get you buckled in here nice and safe ok Emily sees her cross necklace Emily touches it as Scully touched Emilys head You like that huh Emily smiles Scully takes it off and puts it around Emilys neck The woman puts her hand on Scullys shoulder Its time to go Scully looks at Emily again Ill see you again soon ok Emily nods Scully gets out of the van and the woman shouts the door Scully and Emily connect with each other are the woman gets in the drivers seat starts the van and pulls away
SCENE 27
BILL SCULLYS HOUSE
Its Christmas Eve day and theres a party going on Scully sits in a chair by the window alone Everyone is mingling Mrs Scully is sitting with Tara on the couch
MRS SCULLY Every year my husband insisted on putting the angel on top of the tree by himself Bill walks to the couch
BILL Mans work They laugh Bill looks at Scully in her own world Ah Dana could you give me a hand in the kitchen She follows Bill to the kitchen
SCENE 28
KITCHEN
Bill and Scully enter
SCULLY Whats up
BILL pouring himself a glass of punch I need you to tell me whats going on
SCULLY What do you mean
BILL Youre not here youre a million miles away I thought you came to see the family
SCULLY I did
BILL I thought this other thing was resolved I thought you caught the guy that murdered that woman
SCULLY We did
BILL Then its about that little girl isnt it Mom told me You really think Melissa had a baby
SCULLY Yes I do
BILL She called you from beyond the grave to tell you that Sounds like something your partner would say
SCULLY It does not matter where that phone call came from What matters is that there is a little girl who needs my help
BILL This isnt about any little girl Dana This is about you Its about some void some emptiness inside you that youre trying to fill
SCULLY Bill I dont expect you to understand but I am not going to stand here and justify my motive Mrs Scully interrupts
MRS SCULLY Dana theres a telephone call for you
Dana leaves and answers the phone in the hallway
SCULLY Hello
KRESGE on phone Merry Christmas Agent Scully Hes in his office I have a little present for you Marshall Sim just confessed
SCULLY He admitted to being in the house that morning
KRESGE Ive got a signed statement
SCULLY What about the witnesses who said they saw him in the doctors office at the time of the murder
KRESGE I guess they were mistaken
SCULLY Maybe they werent Where is he now
KRESGE County lock up
SCENE 29
SAN DIEGO COUNTY JAIL
A car pulls up Scully and follows another car through the gate She sees the two men parked in front of Sims house and gets out of her car as they drive past
SCENE 30
INSIDE JAIL
Scully Kresge and a deputy are walking down the hall
SCULLY Did they identify themselves
DEPUTY They said they were his lawyers
SCULLY How long were they here
DEPUTY Ten 15 minutes tops They stop at a cell Marshall Sim is hung from the top cell with sheets Damn it The deputy fumbles with the keys to open the door as Scully looks in the cell Sim is still alive hes choking and gasping Kresge and the deputy lift and untie him
SCENE 31
BILL SCULLYS HOUSE
Dana walks in The party is over The fireplace is still going She looks at the manger scene
BILL When did you get back
SCULLY Just now
BILL Well youre just in time I was on my way over to the neighbors Mom and Tara are already there What What happened
SCULLY Marshall Sim Emilys adoptive father is dead They made it look like a suicide just like his wife
BILL My God Do you know who did it
SCULLY No
BILL Do you think it has something to do with that little girl
SCULLY I think it might
BILL Dana I have to show you something
SCENE 32
NURSERY
Bill opens a drawer and takes out a picture He hands it to Scully Its a picture on Melissa looking like she did in Anasazi
BILL Look at the date on the back Scully turns it over Oct 7 94 Does Melissa look pregnant to you in that picture Its about four weeks before the girl was born
SCULLY Bill that doesnt prove anything Melissa didnt have to be pregnant to have a baby Theres theres in vitro fertilization theres surrogate motherhood
BILL Dana listen to yourself Youre creating this whole scenario to fulfill a dream
SCULLY What dream
BILL To have a child Look I understand I know the need God knows Tara and I tried for years But making this girl into Melissas daughter is not the way Youre going to end up hurting yourself Doorbell rings
SCENE 33
FOYER
Bill answers the door Its the woman who took Emily away
SUSAN CHAMBLISS Hi Im here to see Dana Scully
BILL Ah may I ask
CHAMBLISS Im Susan Chambliss from the county Its about the adoption She walks in as Scully comes down the stairs
SCULLY Hi Thanks for coming in on Christmas Eve
CHAMBLISS Oh not at all
SCENE 34
LIVING ROOM
Scully is about to cry
SCULLY I dont understand I mean I think I have a right to know why youre rejecting my application
CHAMBLISS Its not mine to accept or reject Dana We only make recommendations to the judge But at this point Id advise against you becoming an adoptive parent Youre a single woman whos never been married or had a longterm relationship Youre in a high stress time intensive and dangerous occupation One I sense you are deeply committed to and one which would overnight become a secondary priority to the care and wellbeing of this child Im not sure this is a sacrifice youre prepared to make
SCULLY Well its one Ive given a great deal of thought to I mean to be honest Ive started to question my priorities since I was first diagnosed with cancer Scully starts crying I feel like I was given a second chance Ever since I was a child Ive never allowed to let myself get too close to people Ive avoided emotional attachment Perhaps Ive been so afraid of death and dying that any connection just seemed like a bad thing something that wouldnt last But I dont feel that anymore
CHAMBLISS I know you are a trained physician and are aware of Emilys medical condition I want to stress to you Dana Emily is a specialneeds child According to her doctors her condition is incurable She requires constant care both medical and emotional The good news is you have first hand experience of grave illness The bad news is youd have to relive it through the eyes of a child
SCULLY I realize that And I feel like Im ready
CHAMBLISS Well review your final application and make our recommendations I wish you luck Merry Christmas
SCULLY Merry Christmas They shake hands
CHAMBLISS Ill show myself out Scully sits on the couch A hand reaches for her shoulder
VOICE Dana Scully turns around and its Melissa
SCULLY Melissa
MELISSA I didnt know anyone else was up
SCENE 35
IN THE PAST
Scully is sitting on the couch wearing a robe
SCULLY I couldnt sleep Melissa walks around and sits on the end of the couch with Dana
MELISSA Why not You worried about Quantico or who gets the most presents this year
SCULLY I guess Im afraid of making a big mistake I could tell Dad sure thinks I am
MELISSA Yeah well Its not his life Dana
SCULLY Her hair is longer like when the show first started I know that You know when I first started med school it felt so right It seemed like that was where I was supposed to be And then by the time I graduated I just knew it was wrong But now the FBI feels right And what if thats wrong too
MELISSA There is no right or wrong Life is just a path You follow your heart and it will take you where youre supposed to go
SCULLY God You sound like a greeting card I dont believe in fate I think we have to choose our own path
MELISSA Well just dont mistake the path for what is really important in life
SCULLY Which is what
MELISSA The people youre going to meet along the way You dont know who youre going to meet when you join the FBI You dont know how your life is going to change or how youre going to change the life of others
TARA Hey
SCENE 36
PRESENT DAY
Tara walks to the couch Scully is laid out on the couch with a blanket over her
TARA Good morning sleepy head
BILL Did Santa come
TARA Santas right here
BILL She always was the first downstairs at Christmas Couldnt wait to get those presents Bill hugs Tara from behind Mrs Scully goes to Scully on the couch and kisses her on the cheek
MRS SCULLY Hey Merry Christmas
TARA Ok ok enough pleasantries Im dying to know whats in this box Tara and Bill go to the tree Ive waited for a month
BILL Well open it Scully is leaning against Mrs Scully on the couch when Bill hands her a gift This ones from Charles The doorbell rings Excuse me Ill be right back He goes to answer the door Scully gets up and goes to the door
COURIER FBI Courier Package for Agent Dana Scully
BILL Ill sign for it
COURIER No no I need Agent Scullys signature Sir
BILL Oh all right Scully gets to the door
COURIER I need you to sign for this Scully does as Bill goes back to the living room Merry Christmas He goes out the door Scully is more interested in whats in the package
SCULLY Merry Christmas She opens the package and stumbles to the living room The others look at her
MRS SCULLY What is it
SCULLY Its the DNA test on Emily Sims blood
BILL What does it say
SCULLY It says definitely that Melissa is not Emilys mother but that they found striking genetic similarities between Emily and Melissa so many that they ran a test against another sample that they already had
MRS SCULLY What sample
BILL What are you trying to say
SCULLY According to this I am Emilys mother
TO BE CONTINUED
No history.
