Title: Amoureux [2/3]
Author: Alien_925
Disclamer: The X-Files and its characters belong to the creator Chris Carter and 1013. I'd never dream of stealing them, unless Chris Carter desperately wanted me to, in that case I wouldn't really mind. But, bear in mind, when I'm really rich and famous, which'll probably be three lives from now, I plan to buy 'em all off you Chris... *evil laugh*
Classification PG-15
Authors Notes: This fic is set in the past of the X-files. By this I mean before Mulder got abducted, Scully got pregnant, Dogget and Reyes came and skinner lost even more hair. Its not normally my nature to make Diana Fowley into a reasonably nice person as normally she's well hated in my fics, but this ones different. So sorry to the ones that hate the fowl. Oh and Amoureux, means ' in love' French. This story doesn't really portray Scully how she really is, but for once I just thought, I'd write her in like this...
Summary: Things change when misunderstandings happen.
Spoilers: The Sixth Extiction II - Amour Fati and One Breath.
AMOUREUX [2/3]
Mulder sat at Scully's kitchen table staring into the depths of his cold, untouched mug of coffee. The tears that had started to fall when he first
found out hadn't stopped. For the millionth time in an hour he looked towards Scullys bedroom door, which was ajar.
He had told her to sleep and decided that they'd talk about what had happened later. He hadn't been able to read her emotions as well as he could have done, say, a year ago. Before that stupid kiss ever happened.
" Mulder?" Scully voice came from her bedroom. Her voice sounded small and vunerable. He guessed she had been awake ever since he had left the room.
" Yeah Scully." he walked towards the door, not caring about the tear tracks on his unshaved face.
Scully sat on the bed in the same position as he had left her. Hunched up in a ball huddled against the headboard, her face in the dip of her knees. Mulder heart melted towards her as it had always done. He forgot all the bitterness that had surrounded them since he had kissed her.
He forgot it all. All that mattered now was Scully. She sobbed, each sob shaking her body. Mulder crawled up to her on the bed and sat behind her. Enveloping her in his arms, he felt her body relax a little and the sobs stopped.
" Why did he do this? Why am I blind?" her voice was thick with confusion.
" Lie down a minute it won't hurt as much." Mulder tried to push her back down on the bed.
" It doesn't hurt, Mulder. It just.. aches." A fresh tear traced a path on Mulder's cheek.
" I'm sorry Scully. He was one of them. He was using you to get to me. To make me leave the X-Files. To stop me from finding the truth. "
He took a deep breath.
"I was a fool for even thingking about giving up on you aftere and treating you so badly. If you didn't want the kiss to mean anything then I should have accepted it. And not have thought that there would have been something more to it."
Scully turned around. He saw her now hollow, blue eyes clearly for the first time. They were looking, but at nothing in particular. His tears began to flow.
" Mulder," Scully moved her hand around in a vain attemp to find his face. She felt the tears. She didn't say anything just shut her eyes.
" What did you mean when you said I didn't want the kiss to mean anything?"
He stammered, " Well, you didn't say anything and you shut yourself up afterwards. I just assumed that you hated me for kissing you and that you had never imagined having together what I had imagined. And now this has happened and I_"
He watched Scully's reaction and was surprised by the result. Still keeping her eyes closed she traced his jawline with her finger. " Mulder, I would have never hated you for kissing me. I had been waiting for that kiss for seven years of my life. Afterwards I was thinking about how our relationship could have changed. Lame wasn't it? I guess I went all quiet because when I tried to talk to you afterwards,
you became at the very least icy towards me. I assumed that you regretted doing it. I never regretted it for a moment. Not one. I thought it was the best thing that could ever have happened to us at that stage." She rubbed her thumb over his bottom lip, feeling the texture and then making tiny
little patterns on his chin with her finger.
" I love you." He said. Scullys blue eyes snapped open in a reflex action even though it was pointless doing so.
Mulder watched as her brain processed the information.
" I love you too." Scullys new found smile faded as she realised not that her fantasy had just come true, but the consequences that had to happen before it did. She sighed and struggled out of Mulder embrace, standing up and walking straight into the nightstand. She sank to the
floor in defeat.
" You're only saying you love me out of pity Mulder. You would never *love* me like that when I was forensic pathologist Scully, cutting up corpse after corpse just so I could have some kick out of debunking your theories with my scientific explanations. I *loved* you but you didn't *love* me.
Mulders voice came through the darkness and she could hear the tears that choked his words without having to look at him.
" Do you want to know when I first loved you Scully?"she stayed silent. He continued, " When you said, " 'I wouldn't put myself on the line for anyone but you Mulder.' That made me think. It made me realise how much I cared for you already and how I wouldn't put myself on the
line for anyone but *you* Scully. I *loved* you then. I *love* you now."
" Mulder.." Scully clambered up off the floor and onto her bed where she was met with Mulder's embrace once again.
" I love you." he murmed into her hair. And she accepted it.
XxX
Scully sat on her couch. She had sent Mulder home after his hours of protesting that she would be hurt again, to get some clean clothes for the
next day. Realising that he was not going to leave her tonight, she had offered him the couch dispite their newly admitted love. Not really listening to the knicks game on TV she battled with her feeling instead. It still hurt her inside that she had been used as a weopon against
Mulder. She regretted ever meeting Robin and realised she should have admitted her feeling for Mulder after the kiss instead of getting wrapped up in her own fantasy world. And now this.
I am blind.
The phrase repeated over and over in her head What had happened? She didn't remember anything. She remebered Robin comming to pick her up for their second date. She then remebered a lot of white light and then she remebered being in her bedroom, alone, scared and crying, wondering why she couldn't see.
She sought the TV contol and switched the box off. The silence of her apartment enveloped her and suffocated her in her own, dark black world. Colors swam before her eyes when she moved her head, only to dissapear again and leave her with her blackness again. She wished for her gun which was in her bedroom.
Not daring to move though, she sat still, listening to the faint tick of the clock and the buss of the water pipes and thermostat.
She felt vunerable without her sight. Scully hunched herself up on her couch and prayed for Mulder to come back to her. She counted as the clock ticked away its seconds and minutes. She wished she hadn't believed she would be
'fine by herself for a hour'. She wanted to feel safe. She wanted Mulder.
She sat hunched up it a fetus position until her body went numb, but still she refused to move.
How long does it take Mulder to pick up a change of clothes. I should never have let him go. I need him. I always have.
Scully's ears pricked up as she heard what sounded like a key in the lock of her front door.
He's back.
She heard her door swing open with a barely audible creak. She heard not one, but two pairs of footsteps, creeping stealthly around her
apartment.
" Mulder?"
The footsteps immediately advanced towards the couch.
"Mulder?!" Scully panicked. She coundn't take it. Never before in her life had she felt more scared or usless than she did now. She knew she was in danger, but she couldn't do anything.
" Agent Scully, what a surprise to find you here." a voice came out of the blackness that surrounded her. She recognised the voice.
" What are you doing here Krycek? Why did you do this to me?"
" I didn't do this to you, not me, personally." he bantered with her.
" Why did it happen and where is Mulder?" she yelled.
" I'm impressed. Even when you're in the greatest danger, you never fail to worry about your ass of a partner."
Scully stayed silent as she picked up on the menacing edge in Krycek's voice.
A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders from behind.
" How are you Dana? We just need to go and do some tests, nothing that you haven't experianced before, don't worry." she heard Robin's voice, sickly sweet and sugary in her ear. He kissed her neck. Scully immediately reacted. Swinging her body round, she caught him unaware.
Robin recieved a well aimed punch between the eyes. He put his hands back on her shoulders to stop her. She bit him hard, wishing she now had gone to get her gun from her bedroom. She heard the men move back from her and she cold sense them moving around her in her bedroom as she thrashed about like a mad woman trying to reach them.
" Stand up Agent Scully." Scully remanined on her couch.
She sat in silence which was interrpted after a few seconds by the noise of a safety catch being unlocked on a sig. Scully stood immediately.
" Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to blind her, " she heard Robin say. " she sure responds quicker this way." Both men laughed and Scully made a lunge for them. Only to be stopped by the barrel of a gun being poked in the small of her back.
"How about we three take a walk Agent Scully." Krycek ordered.
Scully bravely stood up and the two men 'escorted' her out of her apartment.
XxX
Mulder parked his car outside Scully's apartment complex. It screeched due to the sudden speed decline.
I hope Scully's managing OK. I never thought that there'd be this much traffic at this time.
He slammed the car door and ran up to Scully's apartment. Before entering the building, he noticed a silver, government tagged car speeding down the road in the opposite direction to the way he had come.
Being his paranoid sef, he ran up to Scullys apartment, only to have his hope of seeing her sitting where he had left her dashed. She was gone and there were signs of struggle. Clothes were strewn around the floor in her bedroom and two vases were smashed by the couch.
Mulder sank down in the mess.
God Scully, I've failed you again.
XxX
" Fox?" Maggie Scully opened her door to a very much defeated Mulder.
" Mrs Scully.. I'm sorry." Maggie watched as the tears started to cascade down from Mulder's already red and puffy eyes.
" Come in Fox." she welcomed him.
Guiding Mulder towards the living room, she sat him on the overstuffed sofa.
" Whats happened to Dana, Fox?" she asked immediately, worried, knowing that something had happened to her daughter.
"She's blind. they took her because of me and they blinded her and now shes gone again." her
sobbed with his head in his hands.
" Blind?" Mrs Scully had no reason to doubt Mulder's words as she was stabbed in the heart at her daughters condition.
" Where is she Fox. The hospital?" Maggie moved to grab her purse but was stopped by Mulder's hand, gently pushing her down towards the
couch again.
" They've taken her. Her apartments a mess.... I.. I should never have left her. She was begging me, so I figureds that I'd just be gone about a
half hour.. I never thought.. Skinner's got a team on it at the moment. I had to come and tell you first since.."
Maggie silenced him by pulling her head down towards her.
" Fox..." she smoothed his hair down. " Nothing that has happened to Dana is your fault, not this, not anything. You need rest." she moved to take him upstairs but he protested, no, I can't rest. If I rest I can't help her."
" Skinner'll take care of it all." Maggie was stubborn against Mulder's idea. " You need rest. If you're going to help her, you need to be rested."
Mulder gave in and allowed Maggie to lead him upstairs to the guest bedroom. After leaving for a minute she returned with a pair of Bill's pyjamas in her arms. Placing tham on the foot of the bed
" Thanks Mrs Scully. I'm sorry." Mulder replied in return to her guesture.
Maggie moved to Mulder and embraced him a motherly hug. " Mom, Fox. Mom or Maggie, I won't have Mrs Scully. And don't be sorry, we've been through this before we can make it again Fox."
" Thanks Mom." Mulder replied and hugged her back reassured that Scully would be alright. She had returned after her abduction, she would always come back. Even though being reassured, a glimmer of unsure flickered in the bottom of Mulder's soul, growing every minute he spent alone.
The next morning saw the Mulder and Mrs Scully rise before dawn. Mulder, so he could get started and help in the already running search for
his partner.
" You should stay here whilst you're looking for Dana." Mrs Scully suggested as they sat around her table drinking coffee.
" But..." Mulder started to protest.
" Fox.. Dana has gone, my sons are away from home for months, years on end.. I don't want anything to happen to you next."
Mulder's heart warmed to the woman sitting opposite him at the table. She had always welcomed him to her house no matter what Scully's brother Bill had said to her. Now, she had asked him to call her 'mom'. Mulder smiled in spite of the situation at hand. He wan't a pyscologist for anything. Mulder could tell that Mrs Scully was nervous and scared to be by herself at this time. It would make him feel better being with someone who understood his pain as well. Who was he to refuse?
" Sure Mom. I'd love to." He smiled warmly, grabbed Mrs Scullys hand over the table and squeezed gently. I'll bring some stuff by later tonight, if its Ok with you. I don't know when I'll be back though. I've got to find her, for herself and both of us."
With that he gently kissed Scully's mother and left in search of her daughter.
XxX
Scully sat up. The pillows beneath her were soft and the bed was comfortable. She sniffed
the air. It smelt unfamiliar. Running her hands over her body she noted that someone had undressed her and put her into her favourite blue silk pyjamas.
Her first thought was that she was in a motel. Sitting up, she cursed her inability to see
for the millionth time. She was scared now. She had been in tough situations many times before,
some of which she was lucky to get out of, but none of them were anything compared with this. She couldn't see now. It was as if someone had put her in a small dark room, locked the door and thrown away the key.
She felt like sobbing. Throwing herself down on the bed and crying, kicking and screaming.
Struggling up, she stood on the carpeted floor. Her bare feet sank straigh into the fibre and she felt surrounded. Hearing foorsteps approch the room she quickly jumped back onto the bed.
" Dana!" a womans voice sounded as Scully recoiled against the headboard. She banged her head. Hard. " You shouldn't do that. Not after what they've done to you. Sit back and rest. I'll be back in a minute. You need an ice pack for your head."
With that, Diana Fowly walked out of the bedroom.
Scully tried to dissapear into the bedclothes. She hated this. Why did they take her again, to perform tests? Diana died after she helped Scully find Mulder, didn't she?
Scully gave up and collapsed down on the bed. She felt a cool pack of ice being held gently to her head.
" Am I dead?" she asked.
"What!?" there was a trace of laughter in Diana's voice.
" You're dead. Am I?"
" Dana..." Diana smoothed some hair away from Scully's forhead, Scully cringed at her touch, Diana must have noticed her dicomfort because she pulled her hand away.
"...never believe everything you hear. A lot of people you think are dead, are actually alive. Its a lie." Scully heard the other woman sigh.
" Everythings a lie Dana, don't believe any of it."
Scully nodded weakly. To her, Diana's voice seemed to have aged a thousand years.
" Why are you looking after me? You took me. Where's Mulder, what have you done to him?" Scully fought against Diana's touch.
"Ssshhh, Dana. Lie back down on the bed." The ice pack was removed from Scully's head.
Scully knew that the other woman could easily overpower her so she obeyed.
There was a long silence. The only clue Scully had to tell her Diana was still in the room, was the other womans light breathing.
" Diana? Explain." Scully said her last word in a demanding tone. She heard a rustling by her side and the ice pack was replaced on her head.
"Hold the ice pack to your head for a second." Scully did so and heard Diana get up and shut the bedroom door.
Diana returned to her side and resumed her holding of the ice pack.
" Dana," her voice was a barely audible whisper, "before I begin, I want you to know that I am being used in a game against Mulder, yourself and the X-Files. Never, never, would I
have even wishedfor you to end up.." Scully cold tell she was serching for an appropriate word other then 'bind'. "...like this. Never. " she lowered her voice even more. " Remember Dana, I helped you before, I'm capable of doing it again, if you stay quiet." When Scully did not react to this piece of information Diana continued, " They're using you as a guinea pig Dana. You are their test subject and have been for some time." Scully had long since guessed this piece of infomation and so she let Diana to speak on,
" It was no accident on Robin's part that you are blind. It was no sheer coincidence that you met him. It was all set up from the start. From the very beginning. From the day you met Fox." Diana rubbed Scully hand with her own, dispite her previous feeling of puure hatred towards Diana, Scully found this guesture somewhat comforting.
" They planned to use your blindness as a way to shut down the X-Files, as a way to get Mulder out of the way forever after Spender made sure he found his sister. They've tried to use you to get to him many many times before, your cancer, for example."
Diana smooothed Scully's hair down. "I will help you Dana. You may not think I'm helping you at the time. But I am. Trust me. I'll look after you."
Scully relaxed as much as she could under Diana's soothing guesture.
The two woman sat in companiable silence togeher for the first time since they had met.
Scully heard a door slam.
" Diana! Where the hell are you woman?!"
Diana gave Scully hand one last squeeze and went out of the room to join the owner of the voice. Robin George.
" Rob!" Scully could tell Diana was putting on an over-cheerful voice, but Robin didn't seem to notice.
" Did they bring her here?"
" Yes Robin."
" Where is she."
"In the bedroom."
" Don't leave her in there, bring her in here where we can see her."
" But I don't think she'll want - "
" Just do it Diana."
Scully heard the bedroom open and Diana led her out into what Scully supposed was the living room.
" Don't touch her Diana. God knows what shes caught off that other Fed."
Scully felt Diana's hand tighen on her arm.
" Don't say that Robin. Hes a human being and she is too." the icy tone in Diana's voice seemed to have an affect on Robin because Scully heard him move away from them.
Duana guided Scully towards the couch. Scully heard her move away and over to Robin. What was she meant to do now? She had to let Mulder know she was Ok. He'd be out of his mind with worry by now. Would Diana really help her?
She heard the clinking of plates and her stomach rumbled. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten.
XxX
Mulder sat back in the chair. Skinner looked at him.
" They're doing their best Mulder." he explained. " Every trace on Robin George is being checked out."
" I want to help."
"Its best if you stay here." he offered no further explanation.
Mulder sighed. The only reason they were keeping him here, was because if he were with them, he might bring even more danger to Scully if her kidnappers saw him.
He hated just sitting here, doing nothing, sure that every minute he did nothing, her life was dissolving.
Memories of Scully's abduction flashed by in his head. The relief he'd felt when he saw her lying in that hospital bed, although, in a deep coma, she was still there, materially. In the time she was lost, he hadn't known where she was. He did have a faint notion that she hadn't been abducted this time though. He had seen that government car speeding away from her apartment block the day she'd dissapeared.
Please don't let them have taken her again. She couldn't cope. I couldn't. Deep down he knew they already had.
Mulder closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for Scully.
The chirping of a cell phone interupted the deathly silence that had fallen over the room.
Mulder snatched for his cell phone.
" Scully?" he asked hopefully.
" Mulder." came the whicpered reply. " Its me." Mulder had to smile in spite of the situation, how many times had she phoned him and said that.. too many to remember.
" Mulder. They took me hoping to get to you. I'm in Diana's apartment I think. Robin's here too. They've got it. I'll try and get it for you. I've got to go before they find me. I love you." the line went dead and Mulder's tears began to fall. What did George and Diana have? She would bring it for him. That meant they'd see each other again didn't it? Yes. Yes it did. He got up from the table and grabbed his jacket.
Welcome to the search Mulder. He spoke silently to himself.
XxX
Scully sat on the floor of the motel wishing she hadn't phoned Mulder. Robin had found out and he had taken them here. Except she didn't know where here was. Mulder was probably in the apartment now. She'd left her cross there, for him. Knowing he'd keep her faith for her when she couldn't. He'd done it so many times before. All she wanted now was security. She wanted Mulder. She wanted warmth and food.
Scully listened to the two people on the bed carefully. She had calculated the Diana was sleeping on the side nearest the part of the floor she was sitting. Robin was sleeping on the other side. She couldn't tell whether they were asleep or not. Their breathing sounded regular and even. They both sounded asleep.
She lay down so she was out of sight of the two people on the bed. She ran her hand over her chest and felt the minidisk secured in the side of her bra.
Scully lay in the dark for a few more minutes listening. She stood up.
" Get back down Scully." Robin's voice stopped her in her tracks. He sounded so cold, so unfriendly. How could she have even thought she could fall for him?
Obediently she sat down.
" Robbie?" Diana had endless names for Robin that ranged from Robbie to Smuchums. Scully hated very single one of them.
" Whats up Pussy Cat?" Robins voice now had a seductive purr to it. Scully new what was comming next.
" Come find out baby." Scully heard the rustling of the sheets and moans comming from the occupants of the bed. Scully heard Diana murmuring something to Robin George. She heard Diana walk over to her and felt the touch of the other womans hand on her back.
" One minute baby," Scully guessed she'd blindfolded Robin. " I can't find the handcuffs."
" Ask the Fed for some then." Robin leered.
Diana quickly unlocked the door and Scully was gently pushed out into the hallway after friendly being kissed on the cheek.
" Good Luck." Diana murmured softly. " I know you have it. Robin doesn't. I won't tell."
Scully was alone in the hallway.
XxX
Mulder threw a vase against the wall in his anger and tightened his hold on Scully's cross. Fastening it around his neck he strode into the kitchen of the ransacked apartment. Laying on the counter was Scully's green sweater. The last thing he had seen her wearing. He picked it up and lifted it to his face. Scully.
A piece of paper fell out of the sweater 'International Falls Motel - Ms'. Written in Scully's handwriting. The writing sloped upwards on the torn fragment of magazine. Mulder had to guess the word motel.
He casually walked out of the apartment, then ran wildly to his car, got in and started the long trek to Minnesota. Not giving a damn that he didn't have a clue where in International Falls the hotel was.
The jorney there was a long one even though he drove on the quiet stretches of highway at speeds excelling 100mph. There was no time to go by any other form of transport. The radio didn't help calm him. He had something. Something elso to work on. He just hoped that they were at International Falls.
Please be safe Scully.
He dialed a number on his celluar and waited for an answer.
" Mom?"
" Fox! Where are you? I've been worried." Mrs Scullys voice held love entwined with worry.
"Dana phoned me. She's ok. I've got a lead. I'm going to check it out. Shes ok, Maggie. I'll get her back. I promise." Mulder was trying to reassure himself as much as he was trying to assure Scully's mother of her daughters life.
" Be careful Fox." Mrs Scully, somehow knew it wasn't over yet. Nothing would be 'alright' until Dana was found. Both of them knew, neither one admitted it to the other, or themselves.
Mulder continued to drive, tapping out a beat to the lousy pop song playing on the radio. He saw a turnoff for International Falls Motel. Getting ready to turn, he noticed a figure in the headlightes of his car at the side of the road.
The figure stumbled along the road, bumping into the undergrowth, hands partially stretched in
front of her. The womans red hair blew back in the wind. She wore nothing except jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt reading, " I believe."
Her partner had bought it her last christmas.
END of Part 2
Continued in Part 3
Thanks for reading, please r&r...
Author: Alien_925
Disclamer: The X-Files and its characters belong to the creator Chris Carter and 1013. I'd never dream of stealing them, unless Chris Carter desperately wanted me to, in that case I wouldn't really mind. But, bear in mind, when I'm really rich and famous, which'll probably be three lives from now, I plan to buy 'em all off you Chris... *evil laugh*
Classification PG-15
Authors Notes: This fic is set in the past of the X-files. By this I mean before Mulder got abducted, Scully got pregnant, Dogget and Reyes came and skinner lost even more hair. Its not normally my nature to make Diana Fowley into a reasonably nice person as normally she's well hated in my fics, but this ones different. So sorry to the ones that hate the fowl. Oh and Amoureux, means ' in love' French. This story doesn't really portray Scully how she really is, but for once I just thought, I'd write her in like this...
Summary: Things change when misunderstandings happen.
Spoilers: The Sixth Extiction II - Amour Fati and One Breath.
AMOUREUX [2/3]
Mulder sat at Scully's kitchen table staring into the depths of his cold, untouched mug of coffee. The tears that had started to fall when he first
found out hadn't stopped. For the millionth time in an hour he looked towards Scullys bedroom door, which was ajar.
He had told her to sleep and decided that they'd talk about what had happened later. He hadn't been able to read her emotions as well as he could have done, say, a year ago. Before that stupid kiss ever happened.
" Mulder?" Scully voice came from her bedroom. Her voice sounded small and vunerable. He guessed she had been awake ever since he had left the room.
" Yeah Scully." he walked towards the door, not caring about the tear tracks on his unshaved face.
Scully sat on the bed in the same position as he had left her. Hunched up in a ball huddled against the headboard, her face in the dip of her knees. Mulder heart melted towards her as it had always done. He forgot all the bitterness that had surrounded them since he had kissed her.
He forgot it all. All that mattered now was Scully. She sobbed, each sob shaking her body. Mulder crawled up to her on the bed and sat behind her. Enveloping her in his arms, he felt her body relax a little and the sobs stopped.
" Why did he do this? Why am I blind?" her voice was thick with confusion.
" Lie down a minute it won't hurt as much." Mulder tried to push her back down on the bed.
" It doesn't hurt, Mulder. It just.. aches." A fresh tear traced a path on Mulder's cheek.
" I'm sorry Scully. He was one of them. He was using you to get to me. To make me leave the X-Files. To stop me from finding the truth. "
He took a deep breath.
"I was a fool for even thingking about giving up on you aftere and treating you so badly. If you didn't want the kiss to mean anything then I should have accepted it. And not have thought that there would have been something more to it."
Scully turned around. He saw her now hollow, blue eyes clearly for the first time. They were looking, but at nothing in particular. His tears began to flow.
" Mulder," Scully moved her hand around in a vain attemp to find his face. She felt the tears. She didn't say anything just shut her eyes.
" What did you mean when you said I didn't want the kiss to mean anything?"
He stammered, " Well, you didn't say anything and you shut yourself up afterwards. I just assumed that you hated me for kissing you and that you had never imagined having together what I had imagined. And now this has happened and I_"
He watched Scully's reaction and was surprised by the result. Still keeping her eyes closed she traced his jawline with her finger. " Mulder, I would have never hated you for kissing me. I had been waiting for that kiss for seven years of my life. Afterwards I was thinking about how our relationship could have changed. Lame wasn't it? I guess I went all quiet because when I tried to talk to you afterwards,
you became at the very least icy towards me. I assumed that you regretted doing it. I never regretted it for a moment. Not one. I thought it was the best thing that could ever have happened to us at that stage." She rubbed her thumb over his bottom lip, feeling the texture and then making tiny
little patterns on his chin with her finger.
" I love you." He said. Scullys blue eyes snapped open in a reflex action even though it was pointless doing so.
Mulder watched as her brain processed the information.
" I love you too." Scullys new found smile faded as she realised not that her fantasy had just come true, but the consequences that had to happen before it did. She sighed and struggled out of Mulder embrace, standing up and walking straight into the nightstand. She sank to the
floor in defeat.
" You're only saying you love me out of pity Mulder. You would never *love* me like that when I was forensic pathologist Scully, cutting up corpse after corpse just so I could have some kick out of debunking your theories with my scientific explanations. I *loved* you but you didn't *love* me.
Mulders voice came through the darkness and she could hear the tears that choked his words without having to look at him.
" Do you want to know when I first loved you Scully?"she stayed silent. He continued, " When you said, " 'I wouldn't put myself on the line for anyone but you Mulder.' That made me think. It made me realise how much I cared for you already and how I wouldn't put myself on the
line for anyone but *you* Scully. I *loved* you then. I *love* you now."
" Mulder.." Scully clambered up off the floor and onto her bed where she was met with Mulder's embrace once again.
" I love you." he murmed into her hair. And she accepted it.
XxX
Scully sat on her couch. She had sent Mulder home after his hours of protesting that she would be hurt again, to get some clean clothes for the
next day. Realising that he was not going to leave her tonight, she had offered him the couch dispite their newly admitted love. Not really listening to the knicks game on TV she battled with her feeling instead. It still hurt her inside that she had been used as a weopon against
Mulder. She regretted ever meeting Robin and realised she should have admitted her feeling for Mulder after the kiss instead of getting wrapped up in her own fantasy world. And now this.
I am blind.
The phrase repeated over and over in her head What had happened? She didn't remember anything. She remebered Robin comming to pick her up for their second date. She then remebered a lot of white light and then she remebered being in her bedroom, alone, scared and crying, wondering why she couldn't see.
She sought the TV contol and switched the box off. The silence of her apartment enveloped her and suffocated her in her own, dark black world. Colors swam before her eyes when she moved her head, only to dissapear again and leave her with her blackness again. She wished for her gun which was in her bedroom.
Not daring to move though, she sat still, listening to the faint tick of the clock and the buss of the water pipes and thermostat.
She felt vunerable without her sight. Scully hunched herself up on her couch and prayed for Mulder to come back to her. She counted as the clock ticked away its seconds and minutes. She wished she hadn't believed she would be
'fine by herself for a hour'. She wanted to feel safe. She wanted Mulder.
She sat hunched up it a fetus position until her body went numb, but still she refused to move.
How long does it take Mulder to pick up a change of clothes. I should never have let him go. I need him. I always have.
Scully's ears pricked up as she heard what sounded like a key in the lock of her front door.
He's back.
She heard her door swing open with a barely audible creak. She heard not one, but two pairs of footsteps, creeping stealthly around her
apartment.
" Mulder?"
The footsteps immediately advanced towards the couch.
"Mulder?!" Scully panicked. She coundn't take it. Never before in her life had she felt more scared or usless than she did now. She knew she was in danger, but she couldn't do anything.
" Agent Scully, what a surprise to find you here." a voice came out of the blackness that surrounded her. She recognised the voice.
" What are you doing here Krycek? Why did you do this to me?"
" I didn't do this to you, not me, personally." he bantered with her.
" Why did it happen and where is Mulder?" she yelled.
" I'm impressed. Even when you're in the greatest danger, you never fail to worry about your ass of a partner."
Scully stayed silent as she picked up on the menacing edge in Krycek's voice.
A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders from behind.
" How are you Dana? We just need to go and do some tests, nothing that you haven't experianced before, don't worry." she heard Robin's voice, sickly sweet and sugary in her ear. He kissed her neck. Scully immediately reacted. Swinging her body round, she caught him unaware.
Robin recieved a well aimed punch between the eyes. He put his hands back on her shoulders to stop her. She bit him hard, wishing she now had gone to get her gun from her bedroom. She heard the men move back from her and she cold sense them moving around her in her bedroom as she thrashed about like a mad woman trying to reach them.
" Stand up Agent Scully." Scully remanined on her couch.
She sat in silence which was interrpted after a few seconds by the noise of a safety catch being unlocked on a sig. Scully stood immediately.
" Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to blind her, " she heard Robin say. " she sure responds quicker this way." Both men laughed and Scully made a lunge for them. Only to be stopped by the barrel of a gun being poked in the small of her back.
"How about we three take a walk Agent Scully." Krycek ordered.
Scully bravely stood up and the two men 'escorted' her out of her apartment.
XxX
Mulder parked his car outside Scully's apartment complex. It screeched due to the sudden speed decline.
I hope Scully's managing OK. I never thought that there'd be this much traffic at this time.
He slammed the car door and ran up to Scully's apartment. Before entering the building, he noticed a silver, government tagged car speeding down the road in the opposite direction to the way he had come.
Being his paranoid sef, he ran up to Scullys apartment, only to have his hope of seeing her sitting where he had left her dashed. She was gone and there were signs of struggle. Clothes were strewn around the floor in her bedroom and two vases were smashed by the couch.
Mulder sank down in the mess.
God Scully, I've failed you again.
XxX
" Fox?" Maggie Scully opened her door to a very much defeated Mulder.
" Mrs Scully.. I'm sorry." Maggie watched as the tears started to cascade down from Mulder's already red and puffy eyes.
" Come in Fox." she welcomed him.
Guiding Mulder towards the living room, she sat him on the overstuffed sofa.
" Whats happened to Dana, Fox?" she asked immediately, worried, knowing that something had happened to her daughter.
"She's blind. they took her because of me and they blinded her and now shes gone again." her
sobbed with his head in his hands.
" Blind?" Mrs Scully had no reason to doubt Mulder's words as she was stabbed in the heart at her daughters condition.
" Where is she Fox. The hospital?" Maggie moved to grab her purse but was stopped by Mulder's hand, gently pushing her down towards the
couch again.
" They've taken her. Her apartments a mess.... I.. I should never have left her. She was begging me, so I figureds that I'd just be gone about a
half hour.. I never thought.. Skinner's got a team on it at the moment. I had to come and tell you first since.."
Maggie silenced him by pulling her head down towards her.
" Fox..." she smoothed his hair down. " Nothing that has happened to Dana is your fault, not this, not anything. You need rest." she moved to take him upstairs but he protested, no, I can't rest. If I rest I can't help her."
" Skinner'll take care of it all." Maggie was stubborn against Mulder's idea. " You need rest. If you're going to help her, you need to be rested."
Mulder gave in and allowed Maggie to lead him upstairs to the guest bedroom. After leaving for a minute she returned with a pair of Bill's pyjamas in her arms. Placing tham on the foot of the bed
" Thanks Mrs Scully. I'm sorry." Mulder replied in return to her guesture.
Maggie moved to Mulder and embraced him a motherly hug. " Mom, Fox. Mom or Maggie, I won't have Mrs Scully. And don't be sorry, we've been through this before we can make it again Fox."
" Thanks Mom." Mulder replied and hugged her back reassured that Scully would be alright. She had returned after her abduction, she would always come back. Even though being reassured, a glimmer of unsure flickered in the bottom of Mulder's soul, growing every minute he spent alone.
The next morning saw the Mulder and Mrs Scully rise before dawn. Mulder, so he could get started and help in the already running search for
his partner.
" You should stay here whilst you're looking for Dana." Mrs Scully suggested as they sat around her table drinking coffee.
" But..." Mulder started to protest.
" Fox.. Dana has gone, my sons are away from home for months, years on end.. I don't want anything to happen to you next."
Mulder's heart warmed to the woman sitting opposite him at the table. She had always welcomed him to her house no matter what Scully's brother Bill had said to her. Now, she had asked him to call her 'mom'. Mulder smiled in spite of the situation at hand. He wan't a pyscologist for anything. Mulder could tell that Mrs Scully was nervous and scared to be by herself at this time. It would make him feel better being with someone who understood his pain as well. Who was he to refuse?
" Sure Mom. I'd love to." He smiled warmly, grabbed Mrs Scullys hand over the table and squeezed gently. I'll bring some stuff by later tonight, if its Ok with you. I don't know when I'll be back though. I've got to find her, for herself and both of us."
With that he gently kissed Scully's mother and left in search of her daughter.
XxX
Scully sat up. The pillows beneath her were soft and the bed was comfortable. She sniffed
the air. It smelt unfamiliar. Running her hands over her body she noted that someone had undressed her and put her into her favourite blue silk pyjamas.
Her first thought was that she was in a motel. Sitting up, she cursed her inability to see
for the millionth time. She was scared now. She had been in tough situations many times before,
some of which she was lucky to get out of, but none of them were anything compared with this. She couldn't see now. It was as if someone had put her in a small dark room, locked the door and thrown away the key.
She felt like sobbing. Throwing herself down on the bed and crying, kicking and screaming.
Struggling up, she stood on the carpeted floor. Her bare feet sank straigh into the fibre and she felt surrounded. Hearing foorsteps approch the room she quickly jumped back onto the bed.
" Dana!" a womans voice sounded as Scully recoiled against the headboard. She banged her head. Hard. " You shouldn't do that. Not after what they've done to you. Sit back and rest. I'll be back in a minute. You need an ice pack for your head."
With that, Diana Fowly walked out of the bedroom.
Scully tried to dissapear into the bedclothes. She hated this. Why did they take her again, to perform tests? Diana died after she helped Scully find Mulder, didn't she?
Scully gave up and collapsed down on the bed. She felt a cool pack of ice being held gently to her head.
" Am I dead?" she asked.
"What!?" there was a trace of laughter in Diana's voice.
" You're dead. Am I?"
" Dana..." Diana smoothed some hair away from Scully's forhead, Scully cringed at her touch, Diana must have noticed her dicomfort because she pulled her hand away.
"...never believe everything you hear. A lot of people you think are dead, are actually alive. Its a lie." Scully heard the other woman sigh.
" Everythings a lie Dana, don't believe any of it."
Scully nodded weakly. To her, Diana's voice seemed to have aged a thousand years.
" Why are you looking after me? You took me. Where's Mulder, what have you done to him?" Scully fought against Diana's touch.
"Ssshhh, Dana. Lie back down on the bed." The ice pack was removed from Scully's head.
Scully knew that the other woman could easily overpower her so she obeyed.
There was a long silence. The only clue Scully had to tell her Diana was still in the room, was the other womans light breathing.
" Diana? Explain." Scully said her last word in a demanding tone. She heard a rustling by her side and the ice pack was replaced on her head.
"Hold the ice pack to your head for a second." Scully did so and heard Diana get up and shut the bedroom door.
Diana returned to her side and resumed her holding of the ice pack.
" Dana," her voice was a barely audible whisper, "before I begin, I want you to know that I am being used in a game against Mulder, yourself and the X-Files. Never, never, would I
have even wishedfor you to end up.." Scully cold tell she was serching for an appropriate word other then 'bind'. "...like this. Never. " she lowered her voice even more. " Remember Dana, I helped you before, I'm capable of doing it again, if you stay quiet." When Scully did not react to this piece of information Diana continued, " They're using you as a guinea pig Dana. You are their test subject and have been for some time." Scully had long since guessed this piece of infomation and so she let Diana to speak on,
" It was no accident on Robin's part that you are blind. It was no sheer coincidence that you met him. It was all set up from the start. From the very beginning. From the day you met Fox." Diana rubbed Scully hand with her own, dispite her previous feeling of puure hatred towards Diana, Scully found this guesture somewhat comforting.
" They planned to use your blindness as a way to shut down the X-Files, as a way to get Mulder out of the way forever after Spender made sure he found his sister. They've tried to use you to get to him many many times before, your cancer, for example."
Diana smooothed Scully's hair down. "I will help you Dana. You may not think I'm helping you at the time. But I am. Trust me. I'll look after you."
Scully relaxed as much as she could under Diana's soothing guesture.
The two woman sat in companiable silence togeher for the first time since they had met.
Scully heard a door slam.
" Diana! Where the hell are you woman?!"
Diana gave Scully hand one last squeeze and went out of the room to join the owner of the voice. Robin George.
" Rob!" Scully could tell Diana was putting on an over-cheerful voice, but Robin didn't seem to notice.
" Did they bring her here?"
" Yes Robin."
" Where is she."
"In the bedroom."
" Don't leave her in there, bring her in here where we can see her."
" But I don't think she'll want - "
" Just do it Diana."
Scully heard the bedroom open and Diana led her out into what Scully supposed was the living room.
" Don't touch her Diana. God knows what shes caught off that other Fed."
Scully felt Diana's hand tighen on her arm.
" Don't say that Robin. Hes a human being and she is too." the icy tone in Diana's voice seemed to have an affect on Robin because Scully heard him move away from them.
Duana guided Scully towards the couch. Scully heard her move away and over to Robin. What was she meant to do now? She had to let Mulder know she was Ok. He'd be out of his mind with worry by now. Would Diana really help her?
She heard the clinking of plates and her stomach rumbled. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten.
XxX
Mulder sat back in the chair. Skinner looked at him.
" They're doing their best Mulder." he explained. " Every trace on Robin George is being checked out."
" I want to help."
"Its best if you stay here." he offered no further explanation.
Mulder sighed. The only reason they were keeping him here, was because if he were with them, he might bring even more danger to Scully if her kidnappers saw him.
He hated just sitting here, doing nothing, sure that every minute he did nothing, her life was dissolving.
Memories of Scully's abduction flashed by in his head. The relief he'd felt when he saw her lying in that hospital bed, although, in a deep coma, she was still there, materially. In the time she was lost, he hadn't known where she was. He did have a faint notion that she hadn't been abducted this time though. He had seen that government car speeding away from her apartment block the day she'd dissapeared.
Please don't let them have taken her again. She couldn't cope. I couldn't. Deep down he knew they already had.
Mulder closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for Scully.
The chirping of a cell phone interupted the deathly silence that had fallen over the room.
Mulder snatched for his cell phone.
" Scully?" he asked hopefully.
" Mulder." came the whicpered reply. " Its me." Mulder had to smile in spite of the situation, how many times had she phoned him and said that.. too many to remember.
" Mulder. They took me hoping to get to you. I'm in Diana's apartment I think. Robin's here too. They've got it. I'll try and get it for you. I've got to go before they find me. I love you." the line went dead and Mulder's tears began to fall. What did George and Diana have? She would bring it for him. That meant they'd see each other again didn't it? Yes. Yes it did. He got up from the table and grabbed his jacket.
Welcome to the search Mulder. He spoke silently to himself.
XxX
Scully sat on the floor of the motel wishing she hadn't phoned Mulder. Robin had found out and he had taken them here. Except she didn't know where here was. Mulder was probably in the apartment now. She'd left her cross there, for him. Knowing he'd keep her faith for her when she couldn't. He'd done it so many times before. All she wanted now was security. She wanted Mulder. She wanted warmth and food.
Scully listened to the two people on the bed carefully. She had calculated the Diana was sleeping on the side nearest the part of the floor she was sitting. Robin was sleeping on the other side. She couldn't tell whether they were asleep or not. Their breathing sounded regular and even. They both sounded asleep.
She lay down so she was out of sight of the two people on the bed. She ran her hand over her chest and felt the minidisk secured in the side of her bra.
Scully lay in the dark for a few more minutes listening. She stood up.
" Get back down Scully." Robin's voice stopped her in her tracks. He sounded so cold, so unfriendly. How could she have even thought she could fall for him?
Obediently she sat down.
" Robbie?" Diana had endless names for Robin that ranged from Robbie to Smuchums. Scully hated very single one of them.
" Whats up Pussy Cat?" Robins voice now had a seductive purr to it. Scully new what was comming next.
" Come find out baby." Scully heard the rustling of the sheets and moans comming from the occupants of the bed. Scully heard Diana murmuring something to Robin George. She heard Diana walk over to her and felt the touch of the other womans hand on her back.
" One minute baby," Scully guessed she'd blindfolded Robin. " I can't find the handcuffs."
" Ask the Fed for some then." Robin leered.
Diana quickly unlocked the door and Scully was gently pushed out into the hallway after friendly being kissed on the cheek.
" Good Luck." Diana murmured softly. " I know you have it. Robin doesn't. I won't tell."
Scully was alone in the hallway.
XxX
Mulder threw a vase against the wall in his anger and tightened his hold on Scully's cross. Fastening it around his neck he strode into the kitchen of the ransacked apartment. Laying on the counter was Scully's green sweater. The last thing he had seen her wearing. He picked it up and lifted it to his face. Scully.
A piece of paper fell out of the sweater 'International Falls Motel - Ms'. Written in Scully's handwriting. The writing sloped upwards on the torn fragment of magazine. Mulder had to guess the word motel.
He casually walked out of the apartment, then ran wildly to his car, got in and started the long trek to Minnesota. Not giving a damn that he didn't have a clue where in International Falls the hotel was.
The jorney there was a long one even though he drove on the quiet stretches of highway at speeds excelling 100mph. There was no time to go by any other form of transport. The radio didn't help calm him. He had something. Something elso to work on. He just hoped that they were at International Falls.
Please be safe Scully.
He dialed a number on his celluar and waited for an answer.
" Mom?"
" Fox! Where are you? I've been worried." Mrs Scullys voice held love entwined with worry.
"Dana phoned me. She's ok. I've got a lead. I'm going to check it out. Shes ok, Maggie. I'll get her back. I promise." Mulder was trying to reassure himself as much as he was trying to assure Scully's mother of her daughters life.
" Be careful Fox." Mrs Scully, somehow knew it wasn't over yet. Nothing would be 'alright' until Dana was found. Both of them knew, neither one admitted it to the other, or themselves.
Mulder continued to drive, tapping out a beat to the lousy pop song playing on the radio. He saw a turnoff for International Falls Motel. Getting ready to turn, he noticed a figure in the headlightes of his car at the side of the road.
The figure stumbled along the road, bumping into the undergrowth, hands partially stretched in
front of her. The womans red hair blew back in the wind. She wore nothing except jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt reading, " I believe."
Her partner had bought it her last christmas.
END of Part 2
Continued in Part 3
Thanks for reading, please r&r...