Date sent: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 23:42:13 -0500 (EST) From: TxasXFiler@aol.com Subject: Father And Son (1/1) by Kelly Broughton Title: Father and Son (1/1) Author: Kelly Broughton Date: Nov 15, 1997 Summary: A young Walt Skinner makes a decision which has a profound effect on everyone around him. Keywords: Pre-XF Story Rating: PG (a couple of mild swear words) Classification: SA-Story Spoilers: None Distribution: Anywhere, as long as my name is attached. Disclaimer: Walter Skinner is the creation and property of Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting, Ten-Thirteen, and Mitch Pileggi, and has been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. Everyone else in the story belongs to me. *********************************************** Saturday, November 17, 1968 Desoto, TX 11:30 am "Son, is everything okay?" Duncan Skinner asked. Something was obviously bothering the boy. Walt had barely touched his sandwich. Startled, Walt glanced up from his plate. "I'm fine, Dad." "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I thought it was my cooking." It was a long standing joke between the two of them. Since Elena had died three years before, Duncan and Walt had split the housekeeping and cooking chores. Elena had been a inventive cook, and Walt had inherited that talent. Duncan didn't burn things any longer, but creative he was not. Walt wasn't by any stretch a chatterbox, but it was unlike like him to clam up when he had a problem. Despite the inevitable blowups over curfews, and the "Rules and Regs" as Duncan called them, they had always been able to talk most things out. Except for Walts' desire to enlist in the Marines. Walt had first mentioned it last fall. They had had a very verbal disagreement, and had almost come to blows. Why in the world he wanted to enlist at this time was beyond comprehension. Duncan had asked him why. Walt had said that he had always wanted to join the Corps. That he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it. Duncan was a former Marine. At first he had wholeheartedly supported the the effort in Vietnam. He hated Communism with a passion. Before she was born, Elena's family had barely escaped from the Soviet Union during one of Stalin's frequent purges. The stories her father told were horrific. But he had come to believe that the politicians and generals were lying. The support of the war was shrinking daily, and the country was being torn apart at the seams. It was time to pull out the troops. Nixon kept talking about "peace with honor." Duncan had a sinking feeling that meant a painfully slow withdrawal, while more kids were maimed and killed each day. Duncan had convinced him that the best thing he could do was go to college. Walt had accepted a football scholarship to Texas for next fall. He was graduating from high school a semester early, and in the spring was going to take some freshman courses at a local college. He wanted to become an F. B. I. agent. He decided to try again. "So what is it? Thinking about your party tonight?" Today was Walt's eighteenth birthday, and his Aunt Kate was throwing Walt a special birthday party. His girlfriend Beth, friends, and family were all invited. "I...I've just got stuff on my mind, that's all," Walt muttered with a shrug. "Care to talk about it?" Walt looked at him, brown eyes suddenly anxious. He took a deep breath and swallowed convulsively. "Dad, I enlisted today," he blurted. *********************************************** Walt braced himself for the explosion to come. Duncan sat stone-like, a stunned expression on his face. Thrown off by his father's silence, Walt shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Duncan rose slowly to his feet. "You did what?" he said softly, increduously. "We had this settled. You're going to college." "No, Dad. You settled it, not me. What I wanted was never considered," Walt said sharply. "I don't believe this! What kind of crap did that recruiter tell you?" Sgt. Jennings didn't have to tell me anything." he growled, teeth clenched. "All my life I've done what you wanted me to. I'm old enough to make up my own mind." He looked his father in the eyes. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. I know what I'm getting into." Duncan shook his head sadly. "You have no idea what you're getting into." "Dad, I have to do this." He wanted Duncan to understand how much his country meant to him, but it was so hard to find the right words. "Despite everything, I believe in what we're doing. Dad, this country has given me so much, and I owe something back. It's time to repay that debt. Can't you understand that?" "I understand one thing, and one thing only," Duncan Skinner said with determination, "I will *not* have my son sacrificed in LBJ's damn war. On Monday, I'm going to go down and talk to that recruiter. Get the whole damn thing straightened out." Temper flaring again, Walt said furiously, "In case you've forgotten, I turned eighteen today. There's nothing you can do." Turning on his heel, he stormed out the front door. A few moments later Duncan heard Walt floor the accelerator of his car and roar off. With an angry scowl, he began to clear the table. *********************************************** Duncan sat down heavily. He had been astonished by what Walt had said. It wasn't that he doubted Walt's courage. And it was not about him enlisting in the Marines. Duncan was a Marine through and through. Enlisting was the best decision he had ever made. He believed that his country was worth dying for. But not in Vietnam. Not dying for a corrupt Vietnamese government that its own people did not believe in. Duncan had spent ten years in the Marines. He had been sent to Korea while Elena was still pregnant. He'd fought his way out of that frozen nightmare called Chosin, where almost one half of his platoon had been lost to both the elements and the enemy. Duncan himself lost three toes from frostbite. He counted himself among the lucky ones. The survivors became known as the "Chosin Few". It was a nickname worn with honor. Only his love for his wife, and the knowledge that he was about to become a father kept him going. His son had been born during that battle. Duncan had not found out until a few weeks later, while recuperating from his injuries. He put his head in his hands. He simply did not know what to do. *********************************************** Infuriated, Walt jerked the steering wheel to the right, pulling the car roughly over to the side of the road. He had driven blindly for miles before pulling over. Walt pounded the steering wheel and grumbled loudly, "Why is he doing this?" He was confused by his father's reaction. While he was growing up, Duncan had spoken many times about duty and honor. That living in a democracy was a privilege to be treasured. But most of all he said that without honor, a person was nothing. Walt felt he was doing the honorable thing by enlisting. He knew his father was against the war, but he should at least be able to see his side of it. His dad was was treating him like a little kid who couldn't be trusted to make a decision. He had grown up a lot since his mother had died. His family, his friends all said so. Everyone but his father, he thought bitterly. He banged the steering wheel again in utter frustration. *********************************************** Duncan heard a car enter the driveway. He jerked his head up hopefully, but after a moment he realized it wasn't Walt. It had been over an hour since he had left, and Duncan was worried. Walt was a good driver, but he had never seen him so angry. Rising, he looked out the window, and saw it was his sister Kate. Maybe she'd know what to do. "Hi. I was on my way to the store. I thought I'd come by and see how the birthday boy was doing." Giving her a hug, he forced a smile. "Hi there yourself. The birthday boy's not here at the moment." Kate looked at him quizzically. His face was pinched, tight. "What's going on?" "Trouble," he said, his voice edged with tension. "I'm glad you're here. I need some advice." "Okay." Like her brother, Kate was tall and athletic. She had been an all state track and field athlete. Despite having two children she was still in good shape. It seemed to be a Skinner family trait. Walt and her two daughters had all inherited that trait. Entering the kitchen, Duncan turned to Kate. "Like some iced tea?" "I'd love some, thanks." As he was making the tea he paused and looked out the kitchen window. "Dunc, what is it?" Kate gently asked. With a strained voice he said, "Walt enlisted in the Marines today." "Oh no," she whispered, blinking with surprise. She felt her stomach contract into a tight ball. Kate had known about the disagreement between them, but she thought it was resolved. "What about the scholarship?" "We haven't gotten that far yet." He shrugged. "Guess he's giving it up." With a bitter laugh, Duncan said softly, "You know, it's ironic. I always hoped he would join the Corps. He's gone and done that very thing, and I'm trying to stop him." "You never said anything about it. I kind of thought you wanted that, though." "He's watched all those John Wayne movies, and he's got this wonderfully romantic view of what happens in a war." "I don't think that's possible. He sees it every day on the news." "It's not the same," he said flatly. The horrors he had seen in Korea still gave him nightmares. No film, no television show could ever come close to the carnage that weapons could do to a human being. "I know that. Walt knows that." "But my God, he just turned eighteen! How could he possibly know what to do?" "He's a bright, perceptive young man, who's very mature for his age. If he's decided to do this then he's thought it through. He doesn't make rash decisions. And as I recall, *you* enlisted at seventeen." He looked at Kate in utter disbelief. "You think this is okay?" "Whether or not I think it's okay is beside the point. And no, I don't want to see Walt in Vietnam any more than you do. But I think you're letting your opposition to the war affect your judgement." Rising, she went and stood next to him. "Think about this for a minute. Walt's going to do this whether or not you approve. You have a very stubborn son. He takes after his father I'm afraid." She smiled at him. Duncan shrugged. He couldn't argue with that. "But even if he won't admit it, he still wants and needs your support, your approval. You're very important to him. And it will hurt him terribly not to have it. Is that what you want to do?" He thought for a few seconds, and shook his head grimly. "No, the last thing I want to do is hurt him," he said quietly. He put his arm around her shoulders. "Kate, I love him so much. He's all I have now. It may be selfish of me, but I'm just trying to protect him." "You're not being selfish. But at some point you have to let them live their own lives. You can't protect them forever." Duncan smiled sadly at Kate. "You know, this isn't what I wanted to hear. But I guess it's what I needed to hear. How'd you get so smart?" "Experience. Mine are older than yours remember?" She sighed. "I am suddenly glad I have daughters though." She gave him a hug. "Well, I've got to be going." "Okay. Give everybody my love." "I will." Gathering up her purse, she asked him, "You going to be okay with this?" "I think so." Turning towards the door she said, "Okay, I'll see you tonight. The party starts at seven, but come over any time." "Kate?" "Yea?" "Thanks." "Anytime, little brother." *********************************************** Walt paused at the front door. His anger had spent itself, leaving him drained. He didn't want to fight anymore, but he wasn't going to change his mind. He just wanted to get to his room without another confrontation. With a deep breath, he opened the front door. And saw his father sitting in the living room. *Shit!* Just what he needed. Walt froze, then started for the hall without a word. "Walt, wait a minute," his father said quietly. He stopped but did not turn. "I owe you an apology." Walt turned and said warily, "For what?" "For a lot of things." He motioned for him to sit down. Walt hesitated for a moment, then settled on the couch. "Your Aunt Kate was here awhile ago. She opened my eyes to a few things." With a puzzled look Walt waited silently, letting his dad gather his thoughts. "Walt, I don't know when it happened but you've grown up. I guess I keep thinking you're still a little one." Duncan shook his head. "No, that's wrong. I knew it but I didn't want to admit it. Son, I just wanted to protect you." "Dad, you can't protect me forever. I know it's going to be rough if I get sent to Vietnam, but I can handle it." "That's pretty much what Kate told me. I wish you'd tell me why it's so important to you. Maybe I could understand why you're doing this." Walt hesitated. He owed his father an explanation. "When we were at your unit reunion in July, I heard one of the guys say that anybody who took a deferment was a coward. *Nobody* is going to call me a coward," he said with determination. Duncan's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my God... Who was it?" "Charley Campo." "Did he say it to you?" Walt shook his head. "He didn't know I was there." He said softly, "Dad, I felt so...so ashamed for taking the scholarship." "You don't have to prove a thing to Charley or anybody else. You have to do this for yourself. And Walt, *no* one is going to call you a coward." "Dad, for the rest of my life I'd have to live with the knowledge that someone else went in my place. What if that guy died? I couldn't let that happen. You've talked about duty and honor. Isn't this the honorable thing to do?" Duncan nodded with understanding, with approval. Perhaps seeing him as a young adult for the first time. "I think I understand, finally. You're going to make a fine Marine, Walt." His father did not hand out compliments lightly. Walt was proud, and a little embarrassed. "I'm going to do the best I can, Dad." "I know you will. I just wish you'd told me." "It was something I had to decide myself." His father looked at him levelly. "You really want this, don't you?" "More than anything else in this world." With great difficulty Duncan said, "I want you to know something. No matter how I feel about the war, no matter how wrong I think it is, you're my son. I'll stand behind any decision you make one hundred percent." Walt felt a rush of love for his father. He was excited about enlisting, but he was also nervous. Having his Dad behind him would help give him the confidence he was going to need. "When do you leave? What about the scholarship?" Duncan's voice was dull. "January 8. Since I'm graduating early, I decided to go ahead and report to boot camp. I'll call Coach Royal on Monday. He's probably going to think I've gone completely off the deep end." Walt looked at his dad with concern. "Dad, it'll be okay." Duncan smiled a wan smile. "It's hard for me, Walt. I'd hoped that my generation would be the last to have to go to war." "There's always going to be wars. It's the only way we seem to be able to solve our problems." "Seems that way, doesn't it?" "It sure does." Duncan looked at his watch. "I told Dan I was coming over at some point this afternoon. He's putting in his new kitchen cabinets this afternoon. Want to come along?" "Sure." Walt paused at the door. "Dad I want you to know how much it means to me to have your support. I really need that." Duncan nodded and gave his son's broad shoulders an affectionate squeeze. And together they walked out the door. The End ********************************************* Request: Thanks for reading this far. It's my first story published, and any and all comments, suggestions, and criticisms would be wildly appreciated. It'll help make me a better writer. Please send to TxasXFiler@aol.com. Author's note: This story has been in my head since the first time I saw "One Breath." It's taken me a long time to work up the nerve to write it down. I need to thank my Beta editors, Emu and Miki for their input and most of all for their encouragement. I learned something every time I did a revision. In my X Files universe, Walter is a Texan. For all you non-Texans, (and Texans under the age of thirty) the "Coach Royal" referred to in the story is Darrell Royal, the legendary head coach of the U. of Texas Longhorns. This is dedicated to those ultra dedicated keepers of the Skinner faith, the AOL Screamers. You've become my second family, and I wouldn't know what to do without you.