X Files: Demons
Recovery...
Agent Mulder lay in his hospital bed as he watched America's Most Wanted on the TV set. He was relaxing and trying to come to terms with what he had done the last week.
He had been witness to the deaths of two people, and had somehow wound up with their blood on his shirt. Mulder didn't think he'd ever remember what happened to them.
Of course, he was innocent, Scully proved that to him. But he still didn't know why. A nurse entered the ward and smiled at him as she handed out dinner trays. "Hope you're feeling up for dinner," she said, and Mulder nodded his thanks at her. "As ready as I'll ever be for hospital food," he said with a small grin. The nurse grinned back before carrying on and handing out trays to the patients next to him.
Just as he was about to start eating the steak and kidney pie, a familiar figure walked in. "Scully," Mulder said, and looked up at her eagerly. Scully smiled at him. She could see he was on the mend, but as she looked in his eyes, she could see the burden and strife that still lingered there after his memories had come flooding back, nearly killing him in the process.
"Mulder. Your doctor says you're doing really well. He says that all you need now is another weeks' worth of rest, then you'll be able to go back to work after that," Scully said with a smile.
Mulder smiled back. "Thanks, Scully. I do need to get out of here. The food tastes the same everyday, no matter what it is," he told her, as he empathized his point by holding up his fork which had a piece of a runny looking steak and kidney pie.
Scully grinned at her partner's sense of humour. Then Mulder looked at her seriously. "So what are they going to do to that doctor who treated me?" He asked. Scully shrugged as she sat in the chair next to his bed. "They're going to put him on trial in the next few weeks, but it doesn't look good for him, Mulder. He's been charged with manslaughter as the police are now saying the two people's deaths are linked to him as a result of their memories flooding back, so much so that it lead to them shooting each other, like it nearly did to you and me," she explained.
Mulder nodded and gazed deeply into her eyes. "I'm sorry, Scully," he said. "I was meant to watch your back, and I let you down. I will never forgive myself for it," he said. "I'd understand if you don't want to work with me anymore. In fact, you're probably better off and more safe if you quit the X Files, and go and be a doctor. You don't need me holding you back and letting me put you in danger," Mulder said ruefully.
But Scully shook her head defiantly. "I'll never leave you, Mulder," she said. "I won't have you thinking about such a thing. We are a team, and I know it wasn't your fault what happened," she said, as she leant over and brushed his hair away from his eye. "I mean it," she said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."
With that, she kissed him on the forehead, before tenderly gazing into his eyes. He returned her gaze, admiring her strength and beauty, her ability to look after herself if he let her down. "OK," he said softly, and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Scully smiled.
"Right," she said. "I'm going home now, is there anything you need from your place?" She asked him. "Maybe a weeks' worth of clothes and some bathroom things please, Scully," he replied. Scully nodded and smiled. Just as she was about to leave, Mulder held her hand. "Oh, and, uh, please call my mom and tell her I'm alive and well please, Scully," he said. "Of course," Scully told him. "And tell her, tell her I'm sorry," he added.
Scully nodded. "I will," she said. With that, she squeezed his hand one more time before leaving the ward. She stopped at the door, looked behind her and smiled at him before leaving the hospital. Mulder watched her leave. He would count down the hours until she would be back again. He needed her. He vowed to himself that he would never put her in danger again.