Tag scene to Unruhe
The title is from a lovely piece of Celtic fiddle music.
I haven't seen most of these stories since their original airing - about as long as it's been since I've written any X-Files fic, but I'm in the middle of a grand re-watch. I think there were a great many moments like this that we didn't see onscreen. I could just see the wheels turning in Scully's head when she was writing up her report - she did not want to be alone - and I think by then, Mulder would have known it, too.
Dana Scully slipped off her glasses and massaged her eyelids gently with her finger tips. Her body demanded sleep, but the idea of turning off the lights, and plunging this anonymous motel room into darkness made bile rise in her throat. Some last remaining corner of her mind that wasn't exhausted and shaken by the day's events reminded her that Mulder was right next door; that she could reach out to him, and he would never, ever judge her.
But she was a professional, dammit, and this came with the job. She could handle it. She was a grown adult. She could turn off the light, and get the sleep her body was screaming for.
There was a light tap on her door, and Scully gasped and startled to her feet.
"Hey, Scully? You up? It's me."
She sighed with fond exasperation. "What do you want, Mulder?"
"My TV's on the fritz. Can I watch yours?" he asked glibly.
A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of Scully's mouth as she opened the door. "I'm very well aware of your late night viewing habits, Mulder. I don't really want to have to pay out of pocket to clear a bunch of pornos off my bill."
Mulder was all innocence as he stepped inside. "I'm wounded, Scully. It so happens this is a documentary about outer space. All scientific and everything. And I brought supplies," he added, waving a chocolate bar under her nose.
Scully rolled her eyes as she snatched the treat from his fingers. "All right…it's not like I was sleeping."
"You should be. You've had a rough day."
"I'm fine, Mulder."
"Well, I'm not," he muttered, stretching out on top of her bed and reaching for the remote.
"What's wrong?" Scully demanded, slipping instantly into 'doctor' mode. "Did you get hurt breaking into that camper? Did Schnauz -"
"No, nothing like that."
"Than what?" she asked gently, moving to sit beside him.
Mulder sighed. "It's…when I close my eyes…I see what would have happened…if I'd been just a moment or two later…"
Scully leaned her head against Mulder's shoulder and ran her hand soothingly down his arm. "You can't think that way. You got him - Schnauz can't ever hurt anyone else."
"What about you?" Mulder asked softly, ignoring the flicker of the TV screen.
"What about me what?"
"What do you see when you close your eyes?"
Scully swallowed hard, struggling to stay awake, despite her body's demands. "I see him coming towards me with that ice pick, and I know that I'll be lucky if I end up dead."
Mulder covered her hand with his own and squeezed. "He didn't get you, Scully. You're fine. You're right here, with me."
"Because you saved me."
"We save each other."
Scully hummed in agreement and slid down a bit against the pillows.
"Don't get those sunflower seeds in my sheets," she mumbled drowsily.
Mulder smiled and slipped his arm around her shoulders. The space documentary really was incredibly dry, and the next time he looked down, Scully was fast asleep.