Title - Borne Lucky
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Classification - MSR, MT
Summary - Mulder gets a simple flu shot . . . or so he thinks. Things go down hill from there.
Notes - I didn't make this stuff up, folks. Based on actual events, though highly dramatized for your pleasure.
Disclaimer - The characters aren't mine. They're being used for entertainment purposes. No harm intended.
Borne Immediate Care Clinic
Falls Church, VA
Second day on the job and I'm already going to be fired.
That's a thought echoing in Liv Bryerson's head as she nervously examines the mess at her feet. It's the only thought, in fact. But self preservation gets her synapses firing again, prompting her to take action. Almost without thinking, she scoops up the vials, quickly replacing them on their respective carts before disappearing around the corner just as the sound of approaching foot steps get louder.
"Why is this still here?" a deep voice booms, chilling Liv to her bones. Dr. Lewis has always frightened her. She feels sorry for the intern now cowering before the man. "I told you before, those are the tainted tetanus shots that need to be disposed of immediately. Please take care of them as well as returning this tray of flu shots back to storage. This was my last patient. I won't be needing them anymore."
"Yes, Sir," Liv hears the terrified intern say.
"And don't get them mixed up. They look similar, but they couldn't be anymore different," the doctor throws over his shoulder while walking away.
Liv watches the intern take the carts the other direction before realizing with much horror that the contents of the vials, as well as the vials themselves, do in fact look almost identical. She says a quick prayer that her hurried actions returned everything to the proper place. But something tells her she's not that lucky.
* * * * * * * * * *
J. Edgar Hoover Building
Basement Office
Washington, DC
"Fox William Mulder!" Scully yells into the seemingly empty office. The hidden Mulder flinches, having only been victim of Scully using his complete name once or twice. He knows what that means - she's angry. Very angry by the sounds of it. He wonders briefly if he should continue hiding or just face the music.
"Get your coward butt out here now," she yells again. "I know you're down here."
Hiding may not be the best option in this case, he realizes. Especially since she knows he's here. He may as well turn himself in. But he's not going down without a fight.
"My butt's been called better things, Scully," he says before stepping from the shadows. "Maybe if you got a closer look you'd find something nicer to say about it?" He risks giving her that cute smile he knows she can't resist.
"Don't try to be cute," she snaps.
He wipes off his smirk, but can't help smiling on the inside at the tiny victory. She may still be mad, but at least she's acknowledged his cuteness. That's at least something. He decides to keep trying this particular strategy.
"Cute? Me? You've got it mixed up. You're the beauty to my beast, in this partnership."
This time he can't hide his smile at the slight flushing of her cheeks.
"Mulder, this is serious," she admonishes, but the harshness has left her voice. In fact, she's downright sweet right now. "This is for your own good. I'm just trying to look out for you."
'And that folks, is how it's done,' he rejoices inwardly at his mental touchdown. He really should patent his techniques for calming the raging Scully. He only has to decide now whether to go for the field goal or the two point conversion.
"I know you are, Scully," he smiles, deciding to go all out and get the extra points. "That's what makes you such a good partner and the best friend I've ever had."
He sees her visibly melt before him and can't stop thinking how good he's becoming at this.
"You're a good friend too, Mulder," she says, a shy smile on her face. "Better than I've probably ever had. And you want to know why?"
"Yeah," he nods, only just now noticing how close she's gotten to him. A warning goes off in his head, but for some reason, he can't think of anything other than those huge, impossibly blue eyes drawing him in.
"You're such a good friend because you'd do anything for me, isn't that right, Mulder?"
He just continues to nod, completely mesmerized by her calm and soothing voice. Too late he realizes she's turned the tables on him.
"Even go get that itty bitty little flu shot?"
'And that folks, is REALLY how it's done.' He shakes his head, chuckling at the power this woman has over him.
"You're good," he laughs.
"You're not so bad yourself," she admits. "You almost had me for a minute."
"Yeah, but you've always had me, Scully," he says almost quietly, shocking a gasp out of her.
"Mu-,"
"Let's go do this shot thing," he interrupts her. "Then we'll talk. I promise. Over dinner maybe?"
"Dinner sounds good, Mulder. So it's a date?"
"I guess it is," he nods, grinning from ear to ear. A date with Dana Scully. Perhaps his strategy is better than he realizes.
* * * * * * * * * *
"But first, you have a date with a little needle," she says, waking him from the haze he seems to be in. She can hardly blame him, though. She can't believe he finally asked her out. But first, they have to get him through this flu shot. "Let's go, G-Man."
He just groans, following her out of the office and to the elevator. They get off on the floor with the cafeteria, where the flu shot clinic is being held.
"It's not so bad, Mulder. Besides, I'll be there to hold your hand."
"And kiss my boo boo?" he asks hopefully.
"If that's what you really want, Mulder," she giggles at the ridiculous phrase coming out of her partner's mouth. That luscious, juicy and oh so kissable mouth that has been a focus of many a fantasy. She can almost guarantee that she'll be kissing more than his 'boo boo' after their date.
"You should have just said that to begin with, Scully. With an offer like that, I would have been the first in line for my flu shot," he grins, making her realize she's been speaking out loud. She can literally feel her cheeks flush, partly from embarassment and partly from something else she doesn't want to think about right now.
"Let's just go in there. It looks like you're just in time. I think they're cleaning up to go."
She leads Mulder over to the nurse and explains the situation to her.
"I apologize we're so late, but my partner needs a flu shot."
"Just a second. We may be all out. Let me check," the nurse says while scanning the paper in her hands. "There were so many people in here today. This flu scare has everyone a bit paranoid, I'm afraid."
"The flu doesn't scare me," Mulder interjects. "It's this shot I'm not so sure of. So if you don't have any, then . . ."
"Rebecca, you have any more shots over there?" the nurse calls out to her young assistant across the room, ignoring Mulder's protests. The young woman comes over and brings a vial with her.
"Last one, Nurse Hopkins."
Mulder frowns in disappointment at hearing the news.
"Lucky guy," the nurse smiles, winking at the grinning Scully. "How about I let you do the honors, Rebecca? I'm sure this gentleman wouldn't mind being your guinea pig since he's our last customer of the day." She smiles again before walking away to help clean up one of the other stations.
"Guinea pig?" Mulder's voice squeaks out, . "But . . . but . . . "
"Relax, Mulder. I'm sure Rebecca has given shots before. Nurse Hopkins is just teasing you," Scully assures him. "Isn't that right, Rebecca."
"Yes, Ma'am," the girl smiles nervously, trying hard to hide the shaking in her hands as she draws the liquid from the vial into the needle. "I've given many shots before."
"See, Mulder. She's a pro."
"Of course, you're my first live patient," the girl admits. "But the cadavers never seemed to mind my technique very much."
"You're kidding, right? Scully, please tell me she's kidding," Mulder panics, about to start a full blown fit when he feels a slight prick of pain followed by a wet swab on his arm.
"All done," Rebecca smiles, tossing the used needle and alcohol pad into the biohazard bin.
"Not bad," Scully grins. "You didn't even give him a chance to cause trouble. I should try that method."
"Surprise and conquer. It's what works on my little boys," the woman says. "I figured this one wouldn't be that much different."
Scully laughs again, but tries to stifle it when she notices the less than amused look on Mulder's face. She takes the bandage from Rebecca's hand and sends her on her way to avoid the wrath of her petulant partner.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asks, covering the injection site with the bandage and then placing a little kiss on top, immediately taking the wind from Mulder's sails.
"It actually wasn't," he admits. "She's pretty good at what she does. But you're even better. How about another kiss on account of my good behavior?"
"How about we save something for the date, Mulder?"
"But, Scully, if we get the kissing out of the way, that just leaves . . . other stuff we can do after the date."
"Oh, Mulder," she laughs. "Keep thinking like that, and we'll never get to the other stuff. Kissing is more than just something to get out of the way."
"But . . . "
"No buts, Mulder. I'll see you tonight." She flashes one last smile before leaving him in the cafeteria.
* * * * * * * * * *
Scully glances at the clock one more time before letting a sigh escape. She's not exactly angry at Mulder, but if he doesn't show up in the next five minutes, she might have to go after him with her gun. She's nervous about this date as well, but she never expected him to stand her up. The more she thinks about it, though, the more she realizes that that's just not like him. He wouldn't stand her up. Worry begins to replace the anger and she picks up the phone with a slightly shaky hand. It rings several times before the machine picks up. That could mean he's on the way, but something tells her to try again. She calls four more times before it's finally picked up.
"Hmmm," a sleepy groan greets her.
"Mulder?"
"Scully? What time . . . Oh no. I'm late," he gasps. "I'll be there in a few minutes, Scully."
"Slow down, Mulder. What's going on?"
"I must have overslept. I sat on the couch and closed my eyes for a few minutes. I guess the time got away from me."
She notices that he's still trying to catch his breath and her worry level bumps up a notch.
"Are you sure you're all right? You don't sound like yourself. Did you have a nightmare or something?"
"No. The phone just scared me. And I'm a little stiff from sleeping on this couch."
"Mulder, I think you should just stay in. Sometimes the flu shot will make you feel a little sick. If you're achy and tired then . . ."
"You may be right," he mutters reluctantly. "I'm not feeling my best. I'm sorry."
"No, don't worry about it. You just get better."
She hears him hang up the phone and can't shake the feeling that something is really wrong with him. She wants to believe it's just mild flu symptoms that sometimes normally come as a side effect of the flu shot. But something about the way he sounded is bothering her. For her own peace of mind, she decides to go over and check on him.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hey there, partner."
He blinks open his eyes and cringes at the bright light shining in them.
"Too bright," he tries to say, but discovers how difficult it is to barely open his mouth. So he doesn't try to anymore. He just groans instead.
"What's wrong, Mulder?" he hears Scully ask, but he's finding it harder and harder to speak. He doesn't answer her so she asks him another question. "Are you in pain?"
He nods his head once, groaning again at the pain that erupts in his temple. He's aching pretty much from head to toe now. But the worst is the tightness in his chest. He can barely breathe.
"Can't . . . breathe," he manages to say, forcing the words breathlessly from his locked jaw.
"I know you don't want to hear this, Mulder. But I should take you to the hospital. The fever and aches I could simply attribute to the flu shot. But I'm concerned about you not being able to breathe."
He had a fever too? That would explain the chills. And she's right about one thing. He's had the flu before. This is definitely not the flu. If she's worried enough to take him to the hospital, who is he to argue? Of course, he can't say all of that so he just nods his head.
"You're agreeing with me? You must really be sick," she tries to tease. But he can hear it in her voice. He's is really sick. Sicker than she wants to let on. And that terrifies him. His heart starts to beat even harder, putting more pressure on his chest. He's not sure if it's due to his increased anxiety or to whatever is ailing him. But the next thing he knows, the blackness overtakes him again and he's rendered gratefully unconscious.
* * * * * * * * *
Scully paces nervously across the waiting room floor, having long ago been banished from the hospital room. Mulder passing out at his apartment terrified her. It let her know she was dealing with more than just the flu. And if it isn't the flu, then she doesn't know what it is. Apparently, neither do the doctors.
One of said doctors comes out of Mulder's room and stops her pacing, gently offering her a seat.
"Dr. James. Do you have any idea what's wrong with my partner?" she asks. "This seems to have come out of the blue."
"We're still checking. Right now, we're just giving him something for the fever that will hopefully alleviate some of the pain he's experiencing. We checked his heart, and it doesn't appear to have been a heart attack. I know you were concerned when he indicated pain in his chest."
"It wasn't so much as him saying he had chest pains, Doctor," she interrupts him. "In fact, now that I think of it, he didn't mention much of anything. He appeared to be having some trouble speaking."
"Hmm. Well I'll be sure to ask him about it when he regains consciousness. For right now, I've sent his blood to be looked at. Due to the unusual nature of your job and the sheer number of times he's been hospitalized this year, I told them to run any and every test I could think of."
"I appreciate that," she nods, giving him a weary smile. "Do you mind of I sit with him?"
"I don't see why not. I'll check back in when I get his test results." The doctor pats her hand before standing to walk down the hall, probably to see other patients. But there's only one patient she's concerned with. And she'll do anything to make sure he survives this.
She walks into the room, taking his hand in her own as she sits next to him.
"Mulder, can you hear me? I must say that this is, by far, the most original excuse a guy has given me to get out of a date," she says with an uneasy chuckle. But the situation is far from funny and she soons finds herself trying to hold back the tears.
"You have to get better. I feel like this is my fault somehow. If I hadn't insisted on you getting that flu shot . . . oh, Mulder. I'm so sorry."
The sobs fully take her over now. She lays her head on his chest, her tears almost soaking the gown. Pretty soon, she's all cried out and finds herself drifting off to an exhausted sleep.
"Agent Scully." The voice penetrates through her sleepy state, but she doesn't fully awaken until she feels a hand on her shoulder.
She blinks her bleary eyes and tries to bring the person standing next to her into focus.
"Dr. James. Back so soon?"
"Not quite. It's been a few hours, Agent Scully," the doctor chuckles.
"I must have fallen asleep," she yawns, trying to shake off the sleep still trying to cling to her. "Did you get the blood work back?"
"We did. And I must say that I'm confused. You said that your partner had a flu shot today?"
"We both did," she confirms. "There was a walk in clinic set up at our job."
"And you aren't displaying any of the symptoms that Agent Mulder has?"
"No, Doctor. I feel fine. Do you know what's wrong with him?"
"Well, it's not the flu. And from what I can see in his blood work, the shot he received today was not a flu vaccination. I actually saw signs of tetanus. Possibly from a contaminated needle when he received his shot today."
"That can't be. As often as he's been in the hospital, I'm sure he's had a tetanus booster."
"Actually, he hasn't. I've spent the past hour or so going through his medical records. The last known shot he had was right after he graduated from the academy and became an active field agent. He probably didn't think he'd need another one for ten years, which was this past May."
"Okay, assuming this is tetanus, what are we looking at as far as treatment is concerned?"
"That's the thing," the doctor sighs. "While you were sleeping, we starting him on the usual tetanus treatment. But so far he hasn't been responding. I'm running out of options because I really don't know what I'm dealing with."
"What does that mean?" she asks, trying to shake the ominous feeling that's suddenly shrouding her conscience. "If the usual treatment doesn't work, what will happen?"
"Let's just keep up the treatment, Agent Scully. Then I'll rediagnose . . ."
"Just tell me," she quietly demands.
"He's still having difficulty breathing," the doctor confirms. "There's only so long before . . . permanent damage occurs."
"The toxin produced by C. tetani could reach the central nervous system and cause irreversible neuromuscular damage. That's what will happen, isn't it?" She just smiles somberly at the doctor's shocked expression.
"I'm a medical doctor," she explains.
"Then you should also know that your partner still stands a good chance since we caught it so early, Agent Scully," he reminds her. "He was very lucky. C. tetani only shows up in the cultures for only about 80% of tetanus cases. He just so happened to be in that 80 percent. But I still wish I knew exactly what I was dealing with. That would help us come up with a more specific course of treatment."
The doctor makes a few more notes in Mulder's chart before leaving the room. Scully looks down at the pained expression on the patient's face, despite the drugs being pumped into him. She has to do something to help him.
"I'll find out what did this to you," she promises, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I'll help you get better, Mulder. There's no way you're getting out of our date."
She pulls her cell phone from her jacket pocket, dialing a number after a few moments of hesitation.
"Hey Byers. It's Agent Scully. I need your help. It's about Mulder."
That's all the explanation she needs to give. Hopefully, they'll be able to help Mulder. Before it's too late.
* * * * * * * * * *
An annoying beep wakes him. He tries to look around to see what's causing it, but only succeeds in awakening the pain in his head. He lets out a groan, which lets Scully knows he's coming to.
"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty."
He tries once more and is able to open his eyes fully to see his own beauty sitting next to him.
"As I recall, Sleeping Beauty was roused with a kiss," he rasps, his throat a little sore for whatever reason.
"What do you think I've been doing in here with your vulnerable, unconscious body? You've been asleep a long time, Mulder. I had to do something to entertain myself. Besides, you promised me a date. Lucky for me, I didn't need you to be awake for it," she teases.
"Should I be worried about my virtue?"
"Only if you had any virtue to begin with, Mulder," she giggles. Mulder can't help but smile at the happy sound.
"Oh, Mulder," she sighs when the laughter dies down.
"It was bad, wasn't it?"
She just nods, a lone tear making it's way down her cheek.
"What happened?
"Can you believe it was the flu shot?"
"Seriously?"
"Mulder, only you can take an activity as simple and mundane as getting a flu shot and turn it into . . . "
"An adventure?" he offers helpfully.
This time, she just shakes her head. But the tears come just the same.
"I was so frightened, Mulder. This could have turned out so badly. There was a mix up with the flu shot."
"A mix up? So did everyone who got the shot that day get sick too? Are you okay?" he adds quickly, suddenly afraid for her health.
"I'm fine," she assures him. "You were the only unlucky one. Apparently, your Nurse Rebecca was such a newbie that she didn't realize that the last flu shot was actually a tetanus shot. The shots look very much alike. She didn't notice a difference because she didn't have another flu shot to compare it to."
"So I got a tetanus shot? But those are harmless. Why did I get so sick?"
"Because it just so happened that the tetanus shot was tainted and supposedly sent for disposal. Unfortunately, before that happened, a cleaning woman with the poor misfortune of having a clumsy moment at the wrong place and time, knocked over all the vials and while replacing them, didn't notice that they weren't the same. Some of the tainted tetanus got mixed in with the flu shots."
"So out of all the flu shots in the DC area, I just so happened to get the one that was mistaken for a tetanus shot gone bad? I must have the worst luck! Seriously, Scully. What are the chances of that happening?"
"I don't know," she shrugs. "But your luck wasn't entirely bad. The Gunmen were able to track down the error pretty quickly. They found the nurse who gave you your shot. She ended up being the sister of the cleaning woman who initially started this whole thing. The cleaning woman explained her part in the whole fiasco, the doctors were able to find the tainted tetanus, and they were able to give you something to directly combat it. You weren't responding to the usual tetanus treatment and was sort of circling the drain."
"I guess I am lucky, then," he nods. "I'm lucky to have you. If you hadn't kept on looking, I probably wouldn't be here."
"I wasn't going to let you die on me, Mulder. We made a date, remember?"
"Well, you'll have to tell me how our first date went, since you were the only one conscious for it," he laughs.
"Good enough for a second date. And who knows, Mulder. Your luck might continue to hold out."
"Agent Scully," he gasps in mock horror. "Are you planning on compromising my virtue again?"
"Only if you compromise mine," she retorts, drawing a painful laugh from him.
"Give me a few days. I think that can be arranged. But for now, how about we start here?"
He struggles to sit up, and seeing his trouble, she ends up meeting him halfway. The moment his lips meet hers, he knows that if he could, he'd spend forever there. With any luck, he might just be able to work that out. Maybe his luck isn't so bad after all.
The end.
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Classification - MSR, MT
Summary - Mulder gets a simple flu shot . . . or so he thinks. Things go down hill from there.
Notes - I didn't make this stuff up, folks. Based on actual events, though highly dramatized for your pleasure.
Disclaimer - The characters aren't mine. They're being used for entertainment purposes. No harm intended.
Borne Immediate Care Clinic
Falls Church, VA
Second day on the job and I'm already going to be fired.
That's a thought echoing in Liv Bryerson's head as she nervously examines the mess at her feet. It's the only thought, in fact. But self preservation gets her synapses firing again, prompting her to take action. Almost without thinking, she scoops up the vials, quickly replacing them on their respective carts before disappearing around the corner just as the sound of approaching foot steps get louder.
"Why is this still here?" a deep voice booms, chilling Liv to her bones. Dr. Lewis has always frightened her. She feels sorry for the intern now cowering before the man. "I told you before, those are the tainted tetanus shots that need to be disposed of immediately. Please take care of them as well as returning this tray of flu shots back to storage. This was my last patient. I won't be needing them anymore."
"Yes, Sir," Liv hears the terrified intern say.
"And don't get them mixed up. They look similar, but they couldn't be anymore different," the doctor throws over his shoulder while walking away.
Liv watches the intern take the carts the other direction before realizing with much horror that the contents of the vials, as well as the vials themselves, do in fact look almost identical. She says a quick prayer that her hurried actions returned everything to the proper place. But something tells her she's not that lucky.
* * * * * * * * * *
J. Edgar Hoover Building
Basement Office
Washington, DC
"Fox William Mulder!" Scully yells into the seemingly empty office. The hidden Mulder flinches, having only been victim of Scully using his complete name once or twice. He knows what that means - she's angry. Very angry by the sounds of it. He wonders briefly if he should continue hiding or just face the music.
"Get your coward butt out here now," she yells again. "I know you're down here."
Hiding may not be the best option in this case, he realizes. Especially since she knows he's here. He may as well turn himself in. But he's not going down without a fight.
"My butt's been called better things, Scully," he says before stepping from the shadows. "Maybe if you got a closer look you'd find something nicer to say about it?" He risks giving her that cute smile he knows she can't resist.
"Don't try to be cute," she snaps.
He wipes off his smirk, but can't help smiling on the inside at the tiny victory. She may still be mad, but at least she's acknowledged his cuteness. That's at least something. He decides to keep trying this particular strategy.
"Cute? Me? You've got it mixed up. You're the beauty to my beast, in this partnership."
This time he can't hide his smile at the slight flushing of her cheeks.
"Mulder, this is serious," she admonishes, but the harshness has left her voice. In fact, she's downright sweet right now. "This is for your own good. I'm just trying to look out for you."
'And that folks, is how it's done,' he rejoices inwardly at his mental touchdown. He really should patent his techniques for calming the raging Scully. He only has to decide now whether to go for the field goal or the two point conversion.
"I know you are, Scully," he smiles, deciding to go all out and get the extra points. "That's what makes you such a good partner and the best friend I've ever had."
He sees her visibly melt before him and can't stop thinking how good he's becoming at this.
"You're a good friend too, Mulder," she says, a shy smile on her face. "Better than I've probably ever had. And you want to know why?"
"Yeah," he nods, only just now noticing how close she's gotten to him. A warning goes off in his head, but for some reason, he can't think of anything other than those huge, impossibly blue eyes drawing him in.
"You're such a good friend because you'd do anything for me, isn't that right, Mulder?"
He just continues to nod, completely mesmerized by her calm and soothing voice. Too late he realizes she's turned the tables on him.
"Even go get that itty bitty little flu shot?"
'And that folks, is REALLY how it's done.' He shakes his head, chuckling at the power this woman has over him.
"You're good," he laughs.
"You're not so bad yourself," she admits. "You almost had me for a minute."
"Yeah, but you've always had me, Scully," he says almost quietly, shocking a gasp out of her.
"Mu-,"
"Let's go do this shot thing," he interrupts her. "Then we'll talk. I promise. Over dinner maybe?"
"Dinner sounds good, Mulder. So it's a date?"
"I guess it is," he nods, grinning from ear to ear. A date with Dana Scully. Perhaps his strategy is better than he realizes.
* * * * * * * * * *
"But first, you have a date with a little needle," she says, waking him from the haze he seems to be in. She can hardly blame him, though. She can't believe he finally asked her out. But first, they have to get him through this flu shot. "Let's go, G-Man."
He just groans, following her out of the office and to the elevator. They get off on the floor with the cafeteria, where the flu shot clinic is being held.
"It's not so bad, Mulder. Besides, I'll be there to hold your hand."
"And kiss my boo boo?" he asks hopefully.
"If that's what you really want, Mulder," she giggles at the ridiculous phrase coming out of her partner's mouth. That luscious, juicy and oh so kissable mouth that has been a focus of many a fantasy. She can almost guarantee that she'll be kissing more than his 'boo boo' after their date.
"You should have just said that to begin with, Scully. With an offer like that, I would have been the first in line for my flu shot," he grins, making her realize she's been speaking out loud. She can literally feel her cheeks flush, partly from embarassment and partly from something else she doesn't want to think about right now.
"Let's just go in there. It looks like you're just in time. I think they're cleaning up to go."
She leads Mulder over to the nurse and explains the situation to her.
"I apologize we're so late, but my partner needs a flu shot."
"Just a second. We may be all out. Let me check," the nurse says while scanning the paper in her hands. "There were so many people in here today. This flu scare has everyone a bit paranoid, I'm afraid."
"The flu doesn't scare me," Mulder interjects. "It's this shot I'm not so sure of. So if you don't have any, then . . ."
"Rebecca, you have any more shots over there?" the nurse calls out to her young assistant across the room, ignoring Mulder's protests. The young woman comes over and brings a vial with her.
"Last one, Nurse Hopkins."
Mulder frowns in disappointment at hearing the news.
"Lucky guy," the nurse smiles, winking at the grinning Scully. "How about I let you do the honors, Rebecca? I'm sure this gentleman wouldn't mind being your guinea pig since he's our last customer of the day." She smiles again before walking away to help clean up one of the other stations.
"Guinea pig?" Mulder's voice squeaks out, . "But . . . but . . . "
"Relax, Mulder. I'm sure Rebecca has given shots before. Nurse Hopkins is just teasing you," Scully assures him. "Isn't that right, Rebecca."
"Yes, Ma'am," the girl smiles nervously, trying hard to hide the shaking in her hands as she draws the liquid from the vial into the needle. "I've given many shots before."
"See, Mulder. She's a pro."
"Of course, you're my first live patient," the girl admits. "But the cadavers never seemed to mind my technique very much."
"You're kidding, right? Scully, please tell me she's kidding," Mulder panics, about to start a full blown fit when he feels a slight prick of pain followed by a wet swab on his arm.
"All done," Rebecca smiles, tossing the used needle and alcohol pad into the biohazard bin.
"Not bad," Scully grins. "You didn't even give him a chance to cause trouble. I should try that method."
"Surprise and conquer. It's what works on my little boys," the woman says. "I figured this one wouldn't be that much different."
Scully laughs again, but tries to stifle it when she notices the less than amused look on Mulder's face. She takes the bandage from Rebecca's hand and sends her on her way to avoid the wrath of her petulant partner.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asks, covering the injection site with the bandage and then placing a little kiss on top, immediately taking the wind from Mulder's sails.
"It actually wasn't," he admits. "She's pretty good at what she does. But you're even better. How about another kiss on account of my good behavior?"
"How about we save something for the date, Mulder?"
"But, Scully, if we get the kissing out of the way, that just leaves . . . other stuff we can do after the date."
"Oh, Mulder," she laughs. "Keep thinking like that, and we'll never get to the other stuff. Kissing is more than just something to get out of the way."
"But . . . "
"No buts, Mulder. I'll see you tonight." She flashes one last smile before leaving him in the cafeteria.
* * * * * * * * * *
Scully glances at the clock one more time before letting a sigh escape. She's not exactly angry at Mulder, but if he doesn't show up in the next five minutes, she might have to go after him with her gun. She's nervous about this date as well, but she never expected him to stand her up. The more she thinks about it, though, the more she realizes that that's just not like him. He wouldn't stand her up. Worry begins to replace the anger and she picks up the phone with a slightly shaky hand. It rings several times before the machine picks up. That could mean he's on the way, but something tells her to try again. She calls four more times before it's finally picked up.
"Hmmm," a sleepy groan greets her.
"Mulder?"
"Scully? What time . . . Oh no. I'm late," he gasps. "I'll be there in a few minutes, Scully."
"Slow down, Mulder. What's going on?"
"I must have overslept. I sat on the couch and closed my eyes for a few minutes. I guess the time got away from me."
She notices that he's still trying to catch his breath and her worry level bumps up a notch.
"Are you sure you're all right? You don't sound like yourself. Did you have a nightmare or something?"
"No. The phone just scared me. And I'm a little stiff from sleeping on this couch."
"Mulder, I think you should just stay in. Sometimes the flu shot will make you feel a little sick. If you're achy and tired then . . ."
"You may be right," he mutters reluctantly. "I'm not feeling my best. I'm sorry."
"No, don't worry about it. You just get better."
She hears him hang up the phone and can't shake the feeling that something is really wrong with him. She wants to believe it's just mild flu symptoms that sometimes normally come as a side effect of the flu shot. But something about the way he sounded is bothering her. For her own peace of mind, she decides to go over and check on him.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hey there, partner."
He blinks open his eyes and cringes at the bright light shining in them.
"Too bright," he tries to say, but discovers how difficult it is to barely open his mouth. So he doesn't try to anymore. He just groans instead.
"What's wrong, Mulder?" he hears Scully ask, but he's finding it harder and harder to speak. He doesn't answer her so she asks him another question. "Are you in pain?"
He nods his head once, groaning again at the pain that erupts in his temple. He's aching pretty much from head to toe now. But the worst is the tightness in his chest. He can barely breathe.
"Can't . . . breathe," he manages to say, forcing the words breathlessly from his locked jaw.
"I know you don't want to hear this, Mulder. But I should take you to the hospital. The fever and aches I could simply attribute to the flu shot. But I'm concerned about you not being able to breathe."
He had a fever too? That would explain the chills. And she's right about one thing. He's had the flu before. This is definitely not the flu. If she's worried enough to take him to the hospital, who is he to argue? Of course, he can't say all of that so he just nods his head.
"You're agreeing with me? You must really be sick," she tries to tease. But he can hear it in her voice. He's is really sick. Sicker than she wants to let on. And that terrifies him. His heart starts to beat even harder, putting more pressure on his chest. He's not sure if it's due to his increased anxiety or to whatever is ailing him. But the next thing he knows, the blackness overtakes him again and he's rendered gratefully unconscious.
* * * * * * * * *
Scully paces nervously across the waiting room floor, having long ago been banished from the hospital room. Mulder passing out at his apartment terrified her. It let her know she was dealing with more than just the flu. And if it isn't the flu, then she doesn't know what it is. Apparently, neither do the doctors.
One of said doctors comes out of Mulder's room and stops her pacing, gently offering her a seat.
"Dr. James. Do you have any idea what's wrong with my partner?" she asks. "This seems to have come out of the blue."
"We're still checking. Right now, we're just giving him something for the fever that will hopefully alleviate some of the pain he's experiencing. We checked his heart, and it doesn't appear to have been a heart attack. I know you were concerned when he indicated pain in his chest."
"It wasn't so much as him saying he had chest pains, Doctor," she interrupts him. "In fact, now that I think of it, he didn't mention much of anything. He appeared to be having some trouble speaking."
"Hmm. Well I'll be sure to ask him about it when he regains consciousness. For right now, I've sent his blood to be looked at. Due to the unusual nature of your job and the sheer number of times he's been hospitalized this year, I told them to run any and every test I could think of."
"I appreciate that," she nods, giving him a weary smile. "Do you mind of I sit with him?"
"I don't see why not. I'll check back in when I get his test results." The doctor pats her hand before standing to walk down the hall, probably to see other patients. But there's only one patient she's concerned with. And she'll do anything to make sure he survives this.
She walks into the room, taking his hand in her own as she sits next to him.
"Mulder, can you hear me? I must say that this is, by far, the most original excuse a guy has given me to get out of a date," she says with an uneasy chuckle. But the situation is far from funny and she soons finds herself trying to hold back the tears.
"You have to get better. I feel like this is my fault somehow. If I hadn't insisted on you getting that flu shot . . . oh, Mulder. I'm so sorry."
The sobs fully take her over now. She lays her head on his chest, her tears almost soaking the gown. Pretty soon, she's all cried out and finds herself drifting off to an exhausted sleep.
"Agent Scully." The voice penetrates through her sleepy state, but she doesn't fully awaken until she feels a hand on her shoulder.
She blinks her bleary eyes and tries to bring the person standing next to her into focus.
"Dr. James. Back so soon?"
"Not quite. It's been a few hours, Agent Scully," the doctor chuckles.
"I must have fallen asleep," she yawns, trying to shake off the sleep still trying to cling to her. "Did you get the blood work back?"
"We did. And I must say that I'm confused. You said that your partner had a flu shot today?"
"We both did," she confirms. "There was a walk in clinic set up at our job."
"And you aren't displaying any of the symptoms that Agent Mulder has?"
"No, Doctor. I feel fine. Do you know what's wrong with him?"
"Well, it's not the flu. And from what I can see in his blood work, the shot he received today was not a flu vaccination. I actually saw signs of tetanus. Possibly from a contaminated needle when he received his shot today."
"That can't be. As often as he's been in the hospital, I'm sure he's had a tetanus booster."
"Actually, he hasn't. I've spent the past hour or so going through his medical records. The last known shot he had was right after he graduated from the academy and became an active field agent. He probably didn't think he'd need another one for ten years, which was this past May."
"Okay, assuming this is tetanus, what are we looking at as far as treatment is concerned?"
"That's the thing," the doctor sighs. "While you were sleeping, we starting him on the usual tetanus treatment. But so far he hasn't been responding. I'm running out of options because I really don't know what I'm dealing with."
"What does that mean?" she asks, trying to shake the ominous feeling that's suddenly shrouding her conscience. "If the usual treatment doesn't work, what will happen?"
"Let's just keep up the treatment, Agent Scully. Then I'll rediagnose . . ."
"Just tell me," she quietly demands.
"He's still having difficulty breathing," the doctor confirms. "There's only so long before . . . permanent damage occurs."
"The toxin produced by C. tetani could reach the central nervous system and cause irreversible neuromuscular damage. That's what will happen, isn't it?" She just smiles somberly at the doctor's shocked expression.
"I'm a medical doctor," she explains.
"Then you should also know that your partner still stands a good chance since we caught it so early, Agent Scully," he reminds her. "He was very lucky. C. tetani only shows up in the cultures for only about 80% of tetanus cases. He just so happened to be in that 80 percent. But I still wish I knew exactly what I was dealing with. That would help us come up with a more specific course of treatment."
The doctor makes a few more notes in Mulder's chart before leaving the room. Scully looks down at the pained expression on the patient's face, despite the drugs being pumped into him. She has to do something to help him.
"I'll find out what did this to you," she promises, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I'll help you get better, Mulder. There's no way you're getting out of our date."
She pulls her cell phone from her jacket pocket, dialing a number after a few moments of hesitation.
"Hey Byers. It's Agent Scully. I need your help. It's about Mulder."
That's all the explanation she needs to give. Hopefully, they'll be able to help Mulder. Before it's too late.
* * * * * * * * * *
An annoying beep wakes him. He tries to look around to see what's causing it, but only succeeds in awakening the pain in his head. He lets out a groan, which lets Scully knows he's coming to.
"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty."
He tries once more and is able to open his eyes fully to see his own beauty sitting next to him.
"As I recall, Sleeping Beauty was roused with a kiss," he rasps, his throat a little sore for whatever reason.
"What do you think I've been doing in here with your vulnerable, unconscious body? You've been asleep a long time, Mulder. I had to do something to entertain myself. Besides, you promised me a date. Lucky for me, I didn't need you to be awake for it," she teases.
"Should I be worried about my virtue?"
"Only if you had any virtue to begin with, Mulder," she giggles. Mulder can't help but smile at the happy sound.
"Oh, Mulder," she sighs when the laughter dies down.
"It was bad, wasn't it?"
She just nods, a lone tear making it's way down her cheek.
"What happened?
"Can you believe it was the flu shot?"
"Seriously?"
"Mulder, only you can take an activity as simple and mundane as getting a flu shot and turn it into . . . "
"An adventure?" he offers helpfully.
This time, she just shakes her head. But the tears come just the same.
"I was so frightened, Mulder. This could have turned out so badly. There was a mix up with the flu shot."
"A mix up? So did everyone who got the shot that day get sick too? Are you okay?" he adds quickly, suddenly afraid for her health.
"I'm fine," she assures him. "You were the only unlucky one. Apparently, your Nurse Rebecca was such a newbie that she didn't realize that the last flu shot was actually a tetanus shot. The shots look very much alike. She didn't notice a difference because she didn't have another flu shot to compare it to."
"So I got a tetanus shot? But those are harmless. Why did I get so sick?"
"Because it just so happened that the tetanus shot was tainted and supposedly sent for disposal. Unfortunately, before that happened, a cleaning woman with the poor misfortune of having a clumsy moment at the wrong place and time, knocked over all the vials and while replacing them, didn't notice that they weren't the same. Some of the tainted tetanus got mixed in with the flu shots."
"So out of all the flu shots in the DC area, I just so happened to get the one that was mistaken for a tetanus shot gone bad? I must have the worst luck! Seriously, Scully. What are the chances of that happening?"
"I don't know," she shrugs. "But your luck wasn't entirely bad. The Gunmen were able to track down the error pretty quickly. They found the nurse who gave you your shot. She ended up being the sister of the cleaning woman who initially started this whole thing. The cleaning woman explained her part in the whole fiasco, the doctors were able to find the tainted tetanus, and they were able to give you something to directly combat it. You weren't responding to the usual tetanus treatment and was sort of circling the drain."
"I guess I am lucky, then," he nods. "I'm lucky to have you. If you hadn't kept on looking, I probably wouldn't be here."
"I wasn't going to let you die on me, Mulder. We made a date, remember?"
"Well, you'll have to tell me how our first date went, since you were the only one conscious for it," he laughs.
"Good enough for a second date. And who knows, Mulder. Your luck might continue to hold out."
"Agent Scully," he gasps in mock horror. "Are you planning on compromising my virtue again?"
"Only if you compromise mine," she retorts, drawing a painful laugh from him.
"Give me a few days. I think that can be arranged. But for now, how about we start here?"
He struggles to sit up, and seeing his trouble, she ends up meeting him halfway. The moment his lips meet hers, he knows that if he could, he'd spend forever there. With any luck, he might just be able to work that out. Maybe his luck isn't so bad after all.
The end.