Mulder tapped the door lightly with his knuckles and pushed it open quietly, trying not to wake her in case she was asleep. She'd been awake half an hour ago when she called him to ask him to come see her, her voice shaking ever so slightly, but she slept a lot these days, so he couldn't count on her being awake now. He was petrified. What was so horrible that she couldn't tell him over the phone? How much time did she have left? How much time did they have left? Did they have any left?
"Come in, Mulder," she called weakly.
"It's past visiting hours, Dana." He quipped with a gentle chuckle. "You wouldn't want to get me killed by one of your nurses, now, would you? I think you'd miss me."
She rolled her eyes affectionately. "Shut up and sit with me."
He pasted a grin on his face, determined to remain positive for her, regardless of what news she had for him. She smiled back gently.
She patted the bed beside her, sitting up gingerly. "Sit down, Mulder."
He sat down cautiously beside her, looking anywhere but the dark circles around her eyes and the ribs he could see through her hospital gown. She was so thin, so frail. He forced himself to maintain eye contact, although he could already feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he braced himself for more bad news. A pit settled in his stomach. He thought he might vomit.
"Mulder," she murmured, squeezing his shoulder. "The cancer...it's in remission."
His eyes widened as he searched hers for assurance, for surety. She nodded faintly. His breath hitched. He buried his face in his hands, shoulders heaving as he sobbed. She pulled him close to her, letting him rest his head against her shoulder. He desperately clung to her, finally letting himself cry for the first time since her diagnosis. He had tried so hard to remain upbeat and brave for her, but he had finally reached his breaking point. He cried for all the things they almost lost, the midnight phone calls, the coffee breaks, her feet up on his desk in the mornings as they sipped their coffee in companionable silence. He clutched the back of her hospital gown until his hands cramped. She tenderly ran her fingers through his hair soothingly as she rubbed his back.
"I thought I was going to lose you," he muttered into her shoulder.
"You can't get rid of me that easily, Mulder. Who else would follow you to the ends of the earth to investigate things she doesn't even believe in?" She smiled easily, ruffling his hair.
He let out a shaky laugh, pulling back to look at her incredulously. "We have time, then."
"We have time."