Title: Bad News
Author: Mady -mbay@binghamton.edu
February 8, 1998
Rating PG
Category: mild A
Spoilers: Schizogeny

Summary: My thoughts during and after the episode Schizogeny. The tree took its toll on Mulder and he gets an unexpected answer from Scully. The real torture is at the end....

Bad News

Scully found him as he was helping the boy out of the mud pit.

"Mulder? Mulder are you okay?" she asked as she tried unsuccessfully to brush the mud off him. The boy's mother was attempting the same with him.


"Mulder?" she asked again, concerned when he didn't answer the first time. She'd seen what was left of the rental car. "Come on, let's sit you down."

She started to guide him away from the pit when he collapsed to the ground.


"Mulder!" She had tried to catch him, but was only brought down to the ground with him. "Mulder? Can you hear me?" She saw the gash on his forehead, still bleeding, and already starting to bruise. She pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance. She checked him over for other injuries, finding some nasty cuts on his hands and a strange wound going all around his ankle. It was bruised all around and was quite swollen.

"Scully?" Mulder's eyes fluttered open. "Scully?" he rasped again.

"I'm right here Mulder, I'm right here" she answered, taking his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, being careful of the wounds on it.

"I don't feel too good. I think I'm gonna be- " He didn't get to finish the sentence as he proceeded to roll to the side and vomit.

Scully moved quickly out of the line of fire, but moved back over to hold onto him, one arm around his waist, the other with a hand supporting his head. After he was spent, Scully helped Mulder to lay back down. She brought out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth
and face.

"I'd say you've got yourself a nice concussion, Mulder" she said.

"Gee, another brilliant diagnosis from the enigmatic Dr. Scully," Mulder replied with a moan.

Scully just smiled and got out another handkerchief to blot the wound on Mulder's forehead. The ambulance crew arrived and Scully filled them in on Mulder's condition. They proceeded to bandage him up, splint his ankle and strap him down to a backboard before starting an IV and oxygen. Scully got into the ambulance with him for the ride to the hospital. She was a little worried about him. He didn't give the ambulance crew a bit of trouble - very un-Mulder-like. At the hospital Scully stayed by his side, talking to him, reassuring him as he was wheeled into an exam room. The doctors and nurses were awaiting his arrival.

One of the nurses approached Scully. "Ma'am?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm Special Agent Dana Scully, Agent Mulder's partner."

"Well, Agent Scully, you're going to have to leave the room, we're going to take some x-rays, now. "I'll show you to the waiting room." the nurse told her.

"Sure," Scully answered, "let me tell him where I'll be." She went to Mulder's side. "Hey. They're kicking me down to the waiting room now, while you get some snapshots taken. I'll see you later, okay?" She gave his arm a gentle squeeze and gave him a big smile.

"Yeah, I'll see you later Scully." Mulder answered tiredly.

A couple of hours later Scully made her way up to the private room they had settled Mulder into. Between the painkiller and sedative they had given him on top of the concussion, he had been pretty much out of it. She'd had time to talk with the local police about the incident and get a bite to eat. She settled down into the chair next to his bed.

"Hey G-woman, wondered when you'd make it up here." Mulder greeted her with a half smile.

"You're supposed to be asleep still. I just got off the phone with Skinner." Mulder's smile faded. "How are you feeling?" she continued.

"Lousy. Didn't the doctors fill you in?" he answered.

"Well, let's see," she started counting on her fingers, "one, a concussion, with no physical activity for at least a week. Two, a bruised
ankle, which you have to stay off for a week or two. You'll have to explain how you did that one to me too. Three, the cuts on your hands got infected, so you've got to keep them bandaged and stay on antibiotics for a few days and a week, respectively. Four, the rental car is totalled. Five, Skinner's pissed, as usual."

"Okay, so I'm sidelined for a while. Any more bad news to add to the list?" he asked, getting agitated at just the thought of being sidelined.


"Weeell," Scully started, "I could tell you the answer to your question as you were climbing that tree outside the girl's house."

Mulder didn't catch the mischief in her voice. "So you weren't turned on by my youthful display of agility, huh," he replied.

Scully leaned in close to Mulder. "On the contrary, Mulder," her eyes were locked with his, "until our friend with the axe showed up, I was VERY turned on by the view I had of your ass."

Mulder swallowed. "And that's bad?" Mulder asked, slowly, cofused, now.

Scully got even closer now, leaning over him, face to face. "No, that isn't bad. What's bad, is that you can't do a thing about it, except
think about me thinking about your ass, for at least a whole, entire week."

She then abruptly got up and went to the door. Looking at Mulder, wide eyed and open mouthed, she said "See you later, Mulder." and walked out.

As she got near the end of the hall she heard him scream, "Scuuullyyy!!!"