"Hey." Scully said.
Mulder looked up in surprise and gave her a half smile before letting his head drop back down between his shoulders.
"Hey," he replied.
"Any news?"
"No."
She shifted feet back and forth.
She sat down next to him. She played with her hands for a moment before reaching over and rubbing his shoulder.
She withdrew her hand back to her lap and sat against the hard cushion of the chair.
She could see Mulder winding his fingers together. She wanted to wrap her arms around him. Just hold him and hide him away from this. She folded her arms.
Nurses rushed past, doctors rushed past.
Phones rang; nurses answered. "Georgetown ER, how can I help you?" played in the back of her head again and again.
The windows had darkened she realized. Somehow she had missed the sunset.
She quizzed herself on all anatomical parts of the body… the brain, the heart, the kidney, lung, ear…. knee, throat….liver…. But she wasn't out of practice enough to make it at all challenging. She leaned onto her elbows.
She looked over at Mulder. He still hadn't moved. His back must be aching even more than hers was. She stroked his back gently. He looked up at her. He looked exhausted, aged. She wished she knew what to say. He took her hand in his own and sat back. He let out a breath slowly through his nose.
She turned her gaze back to the floor. She traced the broken pattern of the linoleum tiles with her eyes over and over again. Her mind began to drift and the cracks turned into roads and the spots turned into houses. She felt her eyelids begin to droop and she fought to keep them open.
A pair of brilliant white tennis shoes walked into her view. She looked up to find a man in green scrubs and hairy arms.
"Are you two here for Diana Fowley?" he asked. His voice was neutral. It made her heart beat faster.
"Yes." Mulder answered.
"Good news," the doctor said.
Mulder let out a breath.
"She's alright. She made it through the surgery."
Mulder smiled so hard his eyes crinkled. He looked so childlike with his grin she couldn't help smiling.
The doctor gave a transient smile. "We've got her in the ICU on life support. She's still struggling to get enough oxygen. But if you ask me, she's gotten through the roughest part."
Mulder nodded. "Can I see her?"
The doctor hesitated before nodding, "If it's just for a moment."
They moved down the hall and Scully hesitated. Mulder looked back at her as did the doctor. She opened her mouth to excuse herself, to say goodbye, but her feet moved her towards them without thinking. They continued wordlessly.
The walk was long through a maze of desks and doorways. She paid close attention to the exit signs.
The glass door opened and there was the feeling of fragility and sterility. There were soft hums from machines around the entire room. The nurses were silent. Each focused on a chart, a readout, a syringe.
There was Diana. She looked pale, almost doll-like with the contrast of her dark hair against the white of everything else. The doctor was saying something as they approached, but she couldn't hear it. She saw Mulder's expression as his eyes traveled slowly over Diana's form. He slowly took Diana's hand gently into his own. He reached up and brushed his fingers along her hair.
Her throat caught though she couldn't say why. She stepped slowly away. The doctor's speech continued unabated.
She left silently. She reached for her keys following the neon exit signs.
Once outside she took one steadying breath.