"Mulder." Her voice was just a whisper, seeing such a familiar face laying there helplessly. The nurses automatically grabbed his gurney, jumping into action.
"Dr. Scully, where do you want this one?" She shook herself from her thoughts.
"Uh, OR 2 is prepped. I'll be there soon." They began to wheel him by her, but she heard him mumbling something. They had told her that he was losing consciousness, so she leaned in to hear him better.
"Reggie, check on Reggie." He managed to mumble. He was incoherent, voices around him mixed as they buzzed by. The only one that he heard was hers, at least he wanted it to be hers. He hadn't spoken to her in months, having no idea where she decided to start her new life. His eyes only opened a slit, to follow the sweet sound. The glimpse of red hair was what confirmed his dreams. Mustering up enough energy to get out his request, he only hoped that it made enough sense for her to understand.
"I need to operate on you, Mulder." Her hand rested on his shoulder, avoiding the wound. He shook his head.
"Reggie, please."
"Let me check where they took him, and then I'm coming to fix that wound of yours. No arguments." She was firm, but he managed a small smile before losing consciousness again.
She rushed back to the emergency area, checking the board as the nurses updated. She scoured over the names that poured in, asking the nurses station if they had anything on Reggie.
"Uh, Doctor Menendez has him in OR 5." Someone answered, rushing by. She ran back to the operating rooms, attempting to get an update before making her way to her own. Relieved to find out that his wound hadn't hit any major organs or arteries, she rushed back to scrub in.
"Dr. Scully, he lost consciousness, but his vitals are strong. He's going to need a transfusion, he lost a lot of blood." She nodded, thanking the attending as she prepped for surgery.
It was different, operating on someone close to her. Not that Mulder was particularly close, but that never stopped the lingering affection she felt for him. He was a good friend, someone who was there for her during the darkest time of her life. She looked down at his face, a tube down his throat, and wanted to do the same for him. She was going to get him through this.
"Dana, thanks for today, we managed to save them all with your help." Terri sat down beside her in the doctor's lounge. They were both exhausted. After Dana operated on Mulder, she managed to help patch up some of the lesser wounds.
"That's what I'm here for." She smiled sleepily.
"Are you heading home, or are you going to check on your cute patient for the thousandth time tonight?" Terri teased, causing Dana's cheeks to tinge with color.
"He's - a friend."
"Oh, so we know the handsome agent. Do tell."
"There's nothing to tell, Terri. He was a good friend to me recently, before I moved here."
"Well, if he wakes up, I say go for it. You've practically lived at the hospital since you got here. You need to get out, enjoy your life. Especially with him." She teased a final time before going to finish her charts for the evening.
Dana checked on Reggie before heading to Mulder's room. His was practically a flesh wound, though he was still knocked out from the anaesthesia. She wanted to have an answer for Mulder in case he woke up while she was in the room.
She snuck in, checking his chart and monitors. Everything seemed fine, though some of his levels were lower than she would like. The bullet hit just to the right of his heart, in the center of his chest. It missed another organ, but was still lodged deeply inside him. He'd have a tough recovery, but hopefully it wouldn't keep him out too long.
Oh, Mulder...what happened to you? She had somewhat been filled in on the bust, but had no idea how it had gone so wrong. He looked so lonely as he slumbered on, the lines harder on his face. She reached out to stroke his hair, regretting the distance she put between them. The exhaustion taking over, she reclined in the small seat beside his hospital bed, letting sleep take over her.
"Dana, wake up." She felt someone nudging her arm. Disoriented, she slowly opened her eyes, seeing a familiar face smiling back at her.
"Jeff? What are you - oh." She was more tired than she thought, waking up in the recliner in Mulder's room. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Well I'd say he was lucky to have a personal doctor right next to him all night." He smiled at her. He had asked her out a few times since she arrived, though dating was not something on her radar. She came to work, personal life aside. The hospital had practically become her home, throwing herself into working as much as possible.
"He's a friend."
"Oh Dana, I'm so sorry." He rubbed her arm in a friendly gesture. Mulder made a small sound, interrupting the moment. She jumped from her seat, running her hand through his hair.
"Mulder? Can you hear me?" He began coughing, wanting to get the tube out of his throat. "We can take it out, but you need to relax or you'll pull your stitching, okay?" He blinked several times, attempting to shake off the grogginess of the anesthesia as he met her eyes. She smiled at him, his eyes returning the gesture, slightly confused.
She called in the nurse assisting with him, wanting to make sure she had more hands if she needed them. "When I say so, I want you to cough." He nodded slightly, signaling for her to continue. She pulled the tube from him, handing it off to the nurse as she laid him back down gently. Her hands were doing wonders for him and he didn't want it to end. "You're a good patient."
"Lots of practice." He rasped out, causing her to huff out a laugh.
"I'm sure I don't even want to know." She readjusted everything, taking notes of his levels. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I was just shot in the chest." He winced, moving to get more comfortable in the hospital bed. He lunged forward, his eyes wide. "Reggie, where's Reggie?"
"Mulder, calm down." She pushed him back gently, knowing he didn't have enough energy to fight her. "I checked on him earlier, his was a through and through. A couple of stitches and some physical therapy and he should be good as new." She watched him sigh in relief, all the energy being drained from him.
"He shouldn't have been there. It was all my fault."
"Dana, I can take over from here, you've been on for two days. Go home." Jeff interrupted, coming back into the room after the patient was taken care of. Mulder glared at this man, how dare he try to take her away.
"It's okay, Jeff. Everything's been done, I'm just here as a friend." He looked between the two, seeing her hand resting knowingly on his shoulder, the other on the back of his neck. He excused himself, understanding why she declined every invitation he's ever given.
"If you're tired, you should go." She looked back at Mulder, hurt that he would dismiss her so quickly. Sighing, she plopped back into the seat beside his bed, this separation was her fault.
"I'm here for a bit." She curled her legs under her, turning to face him. "What happened?"
"I don't know. We had a lead, and went in with the first unit, but the guy trapped the place. There were automatics that just started going off as soon as we entered. I pushed Reggie out of the way, but then the next thing I knew I was down."
"You're damned lucky it didn't hit your heart."
"I'm more concerned about Reggie being okay." She could see the guilt building on his face. It was unnecessary, she knew that. "We never go in on first unit, but I insisted."
"It's not your fault, Mulder." He scoffed, settling further into bed as the exhaustion began to wash over him.
"What are you even doing here?" He wasn't angry, he sounded more hurt. There was a hope that she would have called him at some point while she was getting her life together, but he hadn't heard from her in months.
"I moved back about a month ago. I've been here at the hospital working the trauma unit, and occasionally helping in pathology when they need me."
"Oh, I see." She sighed, seeing the thoughts running through his mind.
"I tried to call." She added quickly. "Your phone was disconnected." She shrugged, looking down and avoiding his eyes.
"Yeah, that happens sometimes. I tend to lose a lot of phones in the field." He smiled sheepishly, relieved that she didn't just move on, leaving him in the past. "Why D.C.?"
"As weird as it may sound, I felt safe here." Her eyes flickered to his, leaving his gaze quickly as she saw the eagerness in his. "I also wanted to do those women some justice, and I figured I'd be able to do that the most coming back to where it all began."
"That's very noble of you."
"Plus, I had a friend here." She smiled at him.
"I - I thought I dreamt you, being here when I was first brought in." He blurted out. Damn those drugs. He winced, not wanting to reveal that piece of information. She jumped quickly, seeing his reaction and checking his monitors.
"Are you in pain?"
"Not physically." She huffed a small laugh, understanding now the embarrassment on his face.
"I am here." Her hand settled gently over his, resting next to his leg. He gave her a gentle squeeze, silently thanking her. "I figure it's my turn to be here for you during a bad time."
"Thank you." He was overcome with emotions, never having someone genuinely care about him the way she did. There was a strange feeling, that he wanted to trust her implicitly, and it scared him. Trust was not something that came easy, there were even things that Reggie still had yet to discover, and they had been partners for 3 years. He felt himself wanting to share his entire soul with her, let her wash away the pains of his past. She was offering friendship, but he was eager to take so much more.
"You're here early. Wouldn't have anything to do with your special patient, now would it?" Terri teased, catching Dana changing into fresh scrubs in the lounge. She avoided her eyes, burying her face as far into her locker as she could.
"He's -"
"A friend, yeah, so you've said." Terri mocked, causing Dana to glare at her. She had put in extra efforts in her appearance while getting ready, as well as arrived 4 hours prior to her shift. Her mother had asked where she had to be, to which she replied 'errands,' and made a brisk escape. She really needed to find a place of her own.
She made her way to Mulder's room, suddenly nervous, not knowing if her presence would be welcome. He seemed happy to see her the day before, however he was completely doped up on a lot of drugs and just coming off the anesthesia. She could always keep it professional, but he would see right through her, she was sure of that. Without thinking, she diverted her route to head towards another patient's room instead.
"You're awake." She smiled warmly.
"It's good to see you again, Dr. Scully." Reggie returned the warm greeting. Dana's eyes flickered to the woman sitting beside him, a question in her gaze with a raise of her eyebrows. "Oh, um, this is my - uh, this is Rachel. She works at the bureau, too." He fumbled through the words. Dana could instantly tell that whatever this was, it was new. Perhaps tragedy did always bring people together.
"It's nice to meet you." She smiled, turning her attention back to the man healing from a bullet wound. "I just wanted to see how you were doing, get a progress report since I'm sure Mulder's going to ask."
"You've seen him? Is he okay?" Reggie suddenly was completely sober, not having any word on his partner's condition.
"The bullet hit directly in his chest, but he's recovering nicely. I haven't been by to see him yet today."
"I'm sure he's been happy to see you again."
"What do you mean?" Her brows furrowed, there was something about the way he said it that confused her. He almost seemed relieved that they had reconnected.
"He's just been - down, since you left. He usually keeps to himself, but he hardly even talked to me about anything more than work in the last few months."
"Spookier than usual." Rachel chimed in.
"I'm sure that doesn't have anything to do with me." They barely knew each other, and yet she knew the exact feeling that Reggie was describing.
"Oh, so you're both going to be stubborn." He rolled his eyes dramatically, causing her to interrupt from her thoughts with a chuckle. "I tell you what, if he doesn't ask you out by the time he breaks out of the joint, I owe you lunch myself."
"Deal, but keep in mind, I am an expensive date." She winked at him and parted from them both.
There were many things running through her mind as she walked at a glacial pace to Mulder's room. It was down the hall from Reggie's, however, her trip seemed longer with the annoying thoughts bouncing around sporadically. Was she ready to date again, after everything that Daniel put her through? It was different with Mulder, he was purely interested in being her friend above all else, but could that grow into something more? She definitely admired him, though doubted that those feelings were reciprocated. It was an appreciation that she's never quite experienced with anyone else before. She wanted to see where it might lead, knowing that it was some kind of fate to put him in front of her again. The only trepidation she had was that she felt like she hardly knew him at all.
"Please tell the nurses to stop poking me every hour." He whined the minute she walked in the door. They were past the casual greetings, that was somewhat comforting to her. She rolled her eyes at the puppy dog look he had on his face. He was definitely in better spirits.
"Mulder, they're only taking the tests that I ordered. You better be nice to the nurses, they'll bring you all the reject food." He smiled at her teasing, not sure where their conversation from the day before left them. He had been somewhat fuzzy on everything that happened, but her face was the clearest image in his mind.
"You need to work on your bedside manner, Dr. Scully."
"Most of my patients are not this much of a headache." She mock glared at him, checking his chart hanging from the end of his bed. "Everything looks good. I want to check the wound and see how it's healing." She moved towards him, her doctor persona taking over her mind. He watched her with interest, seeing as she untied the corner of his gown and brought it down to reveal his bare chest. Her face was close to his as she pulled back the dressings and began to examine her work.
He loved watching her like this, it was a completely different person than the Dana he had first met. She was precise and highly critical in her movements. There was a deep concentration on her face, and it was as if she blocked out everything else around her, putting all of her attention on the work at hand. He supposed that's what made her such a good doctor.
She changed the bandage, placing a new one gently over his stitching. As she began to retie the gown, she broke her focus and realized that she had sat beside him in the hospital bed as she leaned over him. Her face was inches from his, seeing the hazel eyes staring intently into hers. His face was still, almost waiting for her to make the move. She cleared her throat, finishing the ties as she stood and smoothed out the invisible wrinkles in her pants.
"All check out okay?" There was a slight smirk on his lips as he watched her fluster.
"I'd say you'll be out of here in two weeks if there's no infection."
"Two weeks?!" He groaned, leaning back into his pillows forcefully.
"And no sooner." She pointed him with a glare. "You might need to take it easy once you're home, too. Do - uh…" She cleared her throat again, not sure how to ask this question. Not sure if she wanted the answer. "Do you have anyone at home, that would be able to help with the post care?"
He regarded her for a moment, seeing the genuine wonder in her eyes. She was curious about what he had been up to in her absence, not knowing the impact she had made on his life in those short few days. He had thought about her nonstop. Wanting to give her an appropriate amount of time to figure out what she needed to, given her current status. He realized that he didn't have her number, only giving her his. He prayed to whatever god was out there that she would call, at least once.
"No, there's no one at home." His voice was confident, waiting for her to meet his gaze. After pursing her lips in thought, her tongue came out to wet the bottom one nervously before she met his eyes. He smiled at her, wanting her to understand what he was silently telling her. She nodded, breaking the contact and moving to check on the rest of his charts.
There was something about this man that was pulling her in. She had never felt like this with anyone, not even Daniel. Her ex husband fascinated her, and she admired his work, but there was never this kind of connection with him. Mulder knew her soul, and she was completely comfortable with that. The thought that a man could consume every part of her was thrilling, when thinking of him as the person doing so. Anyone else, she'd be running far away from, but she found herself not wanting to be any distance from him anymore.
"I suppose I could make a few home visits." His eyebrows raised in surprise, the grin on his face growing. "If you wouldn't mind, just to see how you're healing." She quickly amended, seeing where his thoughts were already wandering to.
"If it's not too much trouble for you."
"Not at all." She smiled, both of them settling into a comfortable silence as she found herself sitting in the same chair beside his hospital bed.
"So fill me in, Scully. What have you been up to?"
"Well -" She huffed, thinking about how everything changed so drastically for her in the last few months. "I went back home to pack my things, that was a lot harder than I thought. Being back, in our house, it was a surprise how much it affected me."
"I wish I was there." He blurted before he could catch the words. Damn those drugs. Her cheeks tinged with color at his confession.
"Me, too." Her voice small, but loud enough for him to hear and smile at the reciprocated feelings. "I made my decision to come back to D.C., hoping to find some justice for all those women. I've been staying at my parents' house still, just looking for a place of my own."
"I'm sure they don't mind."
"Oh no, my mother has been loving it, but I'm ready to move out. I know they're making up for lost time, but the coddling has been a little much." He chuckled, enjoying her simple humor.
"Nothing else?" He was asking about her personal life, she knew this. The divorce went through without any further objections from Daniel. She was a free woman. A beautiful, single woman in a new city, Mulder mused.
"Apart from practically living at the hospital, no. I work as much as possible. Mostly to earn enough to leave and because throwing myself into work is how I've been coping I suppose." She shrugged, knowing that the hospital had become her escape. When everything felt heavy on her chest, she worked through the pain, letting the cases take over her mind instead of her own thoughts.
"Well, maybe when I'm released, I can show you more of the city." She raised an eyebrow questioningly, silently asking if he was asking what she thought he was. "I don't know though, my doctor's kind of a hard ass, so we'll have to get her approval first." She swatted at him playfully.
"She's not so bad." Reggie's voice came from the doorway, a nurse pushing him in as he sat in a wheelchair. Mulder sat up a little straighter, Scully helping to adjust him.
"Reggie, I -"
"I'm going to stop you right there, this wasn't your fault." Reggie held up a hand, shaking his head in dismissal of Mulder's attempted apology.
"We shouldn't have been in there."
"It's our job. If I'm going to blame anyone, let's blame the assholes who set the traps." Reggie wheeled closer to his partner's bedside, positioning himself between Mulder and Dana. He leaned in closer to her. "Looks like you owe me lunch, then." He winked at her, causing Mulder to furrow his brow.
"I don't remember that being part of the agreement." She smiled back, a slight blush covering her face.
"Did I miss something?" Mulder hated feeling left out, seeing them teasing between each other.
"Nah, we'll tell you another time." Reggie could sense Mulder's need to know, taunting his partner as much as he could handle before he exploded. Scully excused herself from the room, promising to check on them both later while she was doing rounds.
"Reggie, I really need to tell you how sorry I am." Mulder began, Reggie giving him the look he knew too well. It told him to stop apologizing, and that whatever else he had to say wouldn't be accepted.
"I don't want to hear it." He situated the wheelchair as much as he could with one arm, facing Mulder more clearly. "But what I do want to hear, is about you and Dr. Scully."
Dana found her day lagging, though not physically. She was itching to check on Mulder again, but she was tending to the 5 car pile up that rolled through around lunch time. They were able to save all but one, which meant she was heading down to the morgue.
She didn't understand where this need to be near him was coming from. If she allowed the possibility, it's almost as if she were becoming dependent on him. That's never happened to her before, and she didn't know whether to be excited or terrified. Sure, she had become fond of him, but they haven't explored anything more than that. They didn't have the opportunity. As she began slicing into the body in front of her, she realized just how quickly everything could change. She wanted to give them that chance. Now, she only had to figure out if he wanted that, too.
After multiple traumas, and an autopsy, she was ready to collapse. Finding the couch empty in the doctor's lounge, she did just that. Her head fell back against the harder cushions as her eyes closed briefly.
"Dana." She felt someone nudging her arm, groaning as she tried to swat them away. "You're not getting rid of me that easily." Terri's voice became clearer as she began to rouse.
"Oh, no. How long did I sleep?" Suddenly, Dana was wide awake, realizing she had only meant to take a small nap to recover from the exhaustion.
"Probably not long enough." Terri reprimanded, knowing this one would spend every waking hour at the hospital. She practically did. "You have a visitor."
Dana's eyes questioned her, brow furrowing as she tried to figure who would be here. She knew Mulder was confined to his hospital bed, well, he was supposed to be anyway. She would have something to say if he decided to venture elsewhere. Terri shrugged at the silent question, directing her towards the nurses station.
As she made her way down to the main desk, she slowed in her stride as she saw Josh standing there with Jamie. Josh was an old high school friend, someone who lived across the street from their house. They were close, always finding time to hang out with each other even though they ran in different social circles. His parents had recently passed, both within the last year. His wife, now ex-wife, didn't want to move with him to the area to take over the house, which was what ultimately lead to their separation. He had full custody of Jamie, their 4 year old son. Dana was happy to see a friendly face when she made her way back to D.C., finding a small ounce of the comfort she had found only a few months prior.
"Well, to what do I owe this pleasure." She smiled, seeing them both standing there with take out bags in their hands.
"We brought dinner!" Jamie exclaimed, holding up the bag he was carrying proudly. She took the offered food, smiling as she hugged him.
"I ran into your mom when I was getting back from picking up Jamie from day care. She said you've been here for days. We thought we'd give you a little break." He was handsome, but not overly so. He had light brown hair, and piercing green eyes. He was lean, and tall in stature. If she had been ready for him, he would have had a chance. The thought passed through her mind as her attentions turned to the door just across the hall. There was no doubt who consumed her mind now.
"Thank you, for my treat." She smiled sweetly at them. "I have been swamped, but I appreciate the meal." Josh nodded, understanding that she would be eating alone. He hadn't wanted to rush her, but he was infatuated with the woman. Jamie had taken to her easily, and he loved watching the two of them together.
"Maybe soon, we can take you to eat a proper meal, outside of the hospital." Josh tried, causing her cheeks to tinge with color. She appreciated the attention, though it's no longer who she desired it from. Another time, another life, perhaps.
"I'll let you know." She gave him a parting smile, hugging Jamie before making her way to Mulder's door.
He had been awake, hearing her voice so close to his room. When he realized she was in the middle of a conversation with someone, he tried not to eavesdrop, but he never really had that kind of willpower. His heart plummeted, hearing a small child's voice and the joy in Scully's when talking to them. He realized that he had missed quite a few months of her life, not that they really knew each other before then. But he had felt something. He had only hoped that she felt it, too.
"How's my favorite patient?" She asked with a sincere smile. He couldn't help but return the gesture.
"I'm sure you say that to all the handsome FBI agents." He teased, though she could tell there was something wrong. His good natured joking didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I see that being cooped up is doing great things for your ego." She rolled her eyes, checking his charts and monitors. There was something standoffish about his demeanor, and she felt suddenly awkward. "I need to check your bandage." Her voice was soft and he felt like an ass. He didn't mean to be pushing her away, but he couldn't help think that maybe there was more to her life than she was letting on.
Mulder remained quiet as she checked his dressings, cleaning up around the area and applying a new bandage. He was trying to not watch her today, she could tell. It was almost disappointing, more so because she didn't know what happened. One minute he was inviting to show her around the city more, almost like a date. Now, it's as if he didn't want her around.
"It's healing nicely. You're still on track for leaving after two weeks." He simply nodded as she tied the top of his gown again. "I guess I'll come back later before I head home."
He sighed, internally groaning at his actions. Before he fell down his usual route of pushing away before he could feel pain, he had to know.
"You have a lunch date?" His tone was only slightly accusing, watching her stop at the end of his bed on her way out of the room. She winced, now knowing that he obviously heard her conversation earlier.
"Mulder."
"It's okay, I guess I should have assumed." He shrugged, feeling sorry for himself. She wanted to roll her eyes at the apparent jealousy on his face, but she found it absolutely endearing.
"Josh is a friend, I knew him in high school. He moved back into his parents' house, which happens to be across the street from mine. It was nice to see a familiar face once I got back." He frowned slightly, he could have been that familiar face. His facial features relaxed, he was glad she had someone. As if reading his mind, she added, "I tried to call, Mulder."
"I know, I'm sorry." He shook his head, dismissing the apology between both of them. "I don't have any right to -"
"I'm glad you're here now." She smiled, taking in their surroundings. "Well, not here exactly, but you know what I mean." He chuckled, nodding his head.
"I'm happy that we were able to reconnect, no matter how it happened." He assured.
They settled into a normal routine for the rest of his time in the hospital. She checked on him as often as she could. Even more after hours, which only the night nurses and Terri knew about. Her family had noticed a change in her. She had more energy, even though she spent most of her time at the hospital. It was like she had a spring in her step, happier to be there than before. Maggie noticed the subtle changes about her daughter, though chose not to comment until Dana was ready to tell her. She thought it might have to do with the occasional visits from Josh, but it was a different kind of joy than when he was around.
Mulder was falling for her, even more than the first time. Reggie had called him on it when he stopped by after being released from the hospital. He knew there was something between them, anyone who had seen them together could sense it. Except for, apparently, these two.
"So when does the love doctor come back?" Reggie teased, causing Mulder to throw an empty water cup at him.
"Stop calling her that. We are just friends, I've told you that." Mulder grumbled, settling back into the bed further. He had been there for almost his two weeks that he was sentenced to, and was ready to break out.
"Yeah, right, I just don't believe you."
"She doesn't -" His voice was cut off by the presence of the person herself. She smiled at both of them, happy to see Reggie up and out with a full recovery.
"I hope you're not here to help him escape as he's threatened so many times already. He still has a few days before I discharge him." She said pointedly at them both, though there was a teasing smile on her lips.
"Please, I wouldn't want to then have to take care of him once we broke out. I'd say I've done my fair share of that already."
"How is your shoulder feeling?"
"Great, it's a little sore, and I'll be in PT to get my range of motion back, but I can't complain." She smiled, happy to hear that he was doing fine.
"How are you today?" Her attention turned back to Mulder as she began to check his charts.
"Whiny, as usual." Reggie chimed in, causing Mulder to glare at his partner mockingly. Scully chuckled, turning to hide her amusement.
"I'd say visiting hours are over for you."
"Fine, fine." Reggie held up his hands in surrender. "I will see you in a few days, Mulder. Dr. Scully, a pleasure as always. I hope I see you around as well." He winked at both of them, leaving them alone as the color rose to both of their faces with the implications of his parting.
"Always such a charmer." Mulder mumbled, attempting to break the silence.
"He's a nice guy. It's nice to have more friends in the city." She realized what she said, seeing Mulder's face fall slightly. He was definitely more than a friend, her best friend in such a short time. She just didn't know if that's all he was willing to offer her. In her hopes for what they would eventually be, she failed to consider that maybe that's not what he wanted. Starting a relationship following what they had been through together would be tricky. They had come together in both of their times of need, it had not been a chance meeting under normal circumstances. Maybe they only found solace in the comfort of each other, and nothing more. Her father always told her that there was a light at the end of every tunnel, but their tunnel seemed to be never ending.
"So when can I break free?" He asked as she finished checking on his wound. She was thankful for the change of subject.
"Everything's healing amazingly, you had a great doctor." A small smirk appeared on her lips. "Maybe by the end of the week."
"Scully…" He whined, groaning at his confinements.
"Reggie was right, you are whiny."
"I just hate being in hospitals."
"Maybe you shouldn't end up in them as often then." She said jokingly, though there was some truth and concern behind her statement.
"Sometimes, it's just the job."
"If you had someone at home, I'd release you earlier, but you don't, so I need to monitor you here until I'm okay with you being on your own." She gave an exasperated sigh at his puppy dog face, one hand on her hip. "Do you have any friends you could stay with?"
"Reggie would take me in, but he's still recovering, too. I don't want to imposition him anyway, he was also right about doing his fair share of having to take care of me." She furrowed her brow, wanting to know more of what he meant. He just shook his head, he would tell her another time.
"Then I guess you're mine until the end of the week." She smiled triumphantly, finishing her notes on his chart and placing it back at the end of his bed.
"Just until then?" He didn't know what prompted his question, but it caught them both by surprise. Her eyebrow quirked in response, leaving the room without another word. He chose to take it as a positive answer.
"You really didn't need to help me home." He had tried to assure her that he could get home on his own, but she insisted. He was a little slow moving, but recovering from a gunshot wound to the chest would do that to you.
"Mulder, I sure as hell wasn't going to let you just take a cab from the hospital." She sighed, exasperated with this man. This had been an ongoing argument for the past 2 days. But Dana Scully always gets her way.
She observed his living space, it screamed bachelor pad. It was almost mysterious, decorated with a dark leather couch and darker furniture. There was no womanly touch, she made sure to note. The kitchen looked bare, she was positive that the fridge was even emptier. She might have to fix that. Her thoughts were broken as Mulder groaned in attempt to make himself comfortable on the couch.
"It's probably best if you're in bed, Mulder."
"Uh, actually, I usually sleep here."
"You can't be serious." Her hands were on her hips, looking at him with shock horror on her face at the prospect of the idea. He wanted to smile at how much she cared.
"It's cool, Scully, I'm used to it." He wiggled himself further onto the couch, grinning up at her. She rolled her eyes, making her way into the kitchen. Just as she suspected, the fridge was bare.
"You need real food. Nothing heavy, but soup and soft foods."
"I don't think the pizza place has soup." She huffed out a disbelieving laugh, though she wasn't entirely surprised. His entire life screamed bachelor, it only fit that he lived up to the stereotype.
"I'm going to run to the store, pick up a few things." He attempted to sit up again, shaking his head.
"Please don't bother over me. You're using your day off to still work, you should be home or out doing something else. Anything else."
"Mulder, really, I don't mind. This is just me helping you when you need it. Returning the friendly favor." She smiled, gathering her purse and jacket.
"Take the spare key on the table by the door. I can already feel the meds kicking in again, so ignore the snoring when you get back." He smiled sheepishly at her, a slight shrug.
When she returned, sure enough, Mulder was passed out on the couch. She smiled at the sight, the past few days she had spent many hours next to his hospital bed as he slept. It had become a comfort for her, to be close to him again. They shared something that no one else did.
He roused to a smell that had never entered his apartment. It smelled better than his usual delivered chinese food. He rubbed his face with his hands, attempting to shake the grogginess. Yawning, he sat up slowly, wincing slightly at the pain. She was next to him immediately.
"Where does it hurt?" Concerned Dr. Scully was out in full force.
"It's just a little stiff." He smiled at her reassuringly. "What's that wonderful smell?"
"Real food." She teased, seeing him mock glare at her. "It's homemade soup, nothing too big."
"You really didn't have to do that."
"I don't mind, Mulder. Let me do this." She made sure that her words were actually getting through his head. She wanted to be here.
After she fussed over making sure he ate and that he was settled on the couch, which he was adamant about, she began to gather her things to leave. He didn't want her to go, but there was nothing justifiable keeping her here. Mulder was able to move around on his own, albeit a little slower than usual, but he didn't need the assistance.
"I'm going to get out of your way. I'll be by tomorrow to check on you before and after work if things don't run too late." They smiled at each other sheepishly. "I brought your mail in for you as well. There was a stack on your table, so I added it to that." She handed him the bundle as he sat up straighter on his couch to retrieve it. He plucked a large envelope out with purpose, staring at it as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. It arrived the morning before he stormed into a trapped location and left with a bullet in his chest. One of the worst days of his life.
That was until Scully appeared again, when he needed her the most. He could feel her watching him, a question on her face as to what was causing him to be so distraught. How the hell was he supposed to explain this one to her? It was never mentioned in their time together, not that it was something he was proud to talk about. He chose to forget about it, run away from the reality of what was happening in his life.
"My divorce papers." His voice broke both of them from their thoughts. She was startled, he had never said anything of the sort. His apartment looked like it had only been him for a long time. The brooding, mysterious persona he carried with him would have led her to believe that he had been lonely. Apparently, they shared more than she thought.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know." He huffed out a chuckle, shaking his head.
"I hardly knew." She laid her purse and coat on the edge of the couch, sitting beside him, wanting to know more. "Diana and I, we met and married fast. We didn't even live together at the time, we were still working out the logistics. Then, one day, she got an opportunity to work counter terrorism in Europe, and her bags were packed later that afternoon."
"She just left?" Scully couldn't fathom some woman just leaving without a word. Sure, her marriage wasn't picture perfect before Daniel was found to be a murderer and rapist, but somehow the hurt that she felt didn't amount to what she could see on his face.
"Yeah, I got this the morning I was shot." He shrugged, tossing it on the coffee table in front of him. "It's just a matter of signing and finalizing. I've been a little busy." He felt her hand cover his, squeezing gently as she smiled at him. Whatever guilt he was feeling for himself was diminishing at her touch. Their eyes met, holding each other's gaze, slightly leaning towards each other.
They didn't know how it happened, but they found each other when they both needed a friend the most. Mulder wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want to ruin whatever was beginning between them. He was absolutely captivated by her mouth, watching as her tongue peaked out to lick her lower lip. She wasn't resisting, wasn't pulling away. There was a surprised look on her face, predicting what was about to happen. He also saw fear in her eyes, not understanding where it was coming from. She didn't know if she was ready for this, but she desperately wanted it, wanted to know if she could feel something. The knock at the door made them both jump.
"I'll get it." She cleared her throat, removing her hand from his. He pouted at the loss of contact, closing his eyes as he exhaled deeply from what almost happened between them.
"Oh, uh -" A man in a plain, brown suit look startled, seeing a woman answering Mulder's door.
"Well, you're not what we usually see here, but it's a nice improvement." The smaller one leered at her.
"Leave her alone, Frohike." Mulder's voice came from behind her. He seemed to know these strange men, so she moved aside to allow them entrance. "These are the three stooges. You've met Frohike and Byers, the other one is Langly." He introduced as they all nodded their greeting at her. The shock on their faces that Mulder had female company was not lost on her.
"It was nice to meet you all." She gathered her things, signaling her exit. Mulder stood, wanting to escort her to the door. He ignored the shaking of her head, not wanting him to bother, he really needed to rest. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He simply nodded, not sure whether or not to address what almost happened. He could sense that she was uncomfortable, so he rubbed his hand gently up and down her arm, making her relax. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his waist, a familiar gesture that they had both become fond of. She was careful to avoid his wound, but that didn't stop him from pulling her in closer.
"Thank you." He smiled down at her, a heavier meaning in his words. It wasn't lost on them both that they had an audience, so she separated from him quietly, making her exit.
"Well, it looks like you came home with more than a nice scar." Frohike teased, causing Mulder to smile. He hoped he had her.
It had been a month of Scully checking on Mulder, making sure his recovery was in full progress. They had grown closer, stolen moments between each other, but never anything more. He still hadn't kissed her, not finding the nerve to try again, not wanting to ruin what they were building. She spent a good portion of her off time at his apartment, cooking for him and having random movie nights. He appreciated her company, and she hadn't gone running.
Everything changed when he went back to work. Patterson threw him into cases, even though he wasn't cleared for field duty yet. He only needed his mind. It was taking a toll on him, putting a slight strain on his relationship with Scully, if you could call it that. They hadn't had much time to see each other, with her hospital hours, and his physical exhaustion at the end of each taxing day.
"Maybe we'll see each other this weekend." Was always the response, left on a voicemail message. He missed her, it was as simple as that.
"Mulder, you've been requested by Senator Matheson." Patterson grumbled, calling him into his office. He hated when other people took a liking to his best agent, it meant harder work for their team. "It's an undercover assignment."
"I'm not cleared for field duty." He said insistently.
"It's not so much a field assignment. You won't even need your weapon. He wants you to pose as someone on his staff. He thinks there's a leak, and he trusts you to be the person to find out who it is." Patterson shrugged, handing him the file.
Mulder sighed, this assignment could take weeks. Undercover meant being away from home, being away from Scully, even more than he has been. He never wanted to burden her with the person he became when he profiled. Diana couldn't handle it, and she worked alongside him, understood what he was going through without really understanding it. He needed to call her.
"Woah, dude, where's the fire?" Reggie asked, seeing Mulder throwing some things in a box from his desk. "I know Patterson didn't can you, so what's going on?"
"I've been requested from Matheson, I have to go undercover. I don't know how long I'll be gone." Mulder shrugged, rushing to gather his things.
"Did you have to be there yesterday? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I wanted to stop by the hospital before I go home to pack." He mumbled, hoping Reggie would just drop it.
"Oh, I see." He said in a teasing voice. "A certain appointment with the love doctor?"
"We're just -"
"Friends. Yeah, I know." Reggie chuckled, shaking his head as he left his partner to pack some of his things. "I'll see you when you're back then." He clamped his friend on the shoulder, wishing him a wordless good luck.
Mulder had limited time before he was supposed to report to Matheson. He was cutting it close, but he had to see her before he just disappeared. Their last conversation was short, her yawning disrupting the late night phone call. He felt bad, calling her so late, but he missed her. This was too big for a message on an answering machine.
He approached the nurses station, asking for Dr. Scully. They had said she was with a patient, but he was welcome to sit in the waiting room. He didn't have much time, waiting for them to become distracted so he could slip down the hall to her office.
He should have bought flowers, something, but he would make it up to her later. He smiled as he neared her office, hearing her voice from down the hall. The other voice was what made him slow his stride. He's heard it before, now mixed with her laughter. Something he rarely heard. He knew she enjoyed spending time with him, but it wasn't as carefree as what he was experiencing right now. They had something deeper, something more. Or so he thought.
"Josh, I really am swamped right now." She said with a slight chuckle to her words.
"Dana, I'm just asking for a lunch date. You've turned down dinner, so I need to lower the bar a little. Coffee, even." She laughed again at his eagerness.
"I can do coffee."
Mulder's heart sank, this was another part of her life that he never even bothered to ask about. He was so selfish, just assuming that all of her free time was spent with him. They hadn't seen each other as often, but he didn't think that she would just move on. Not that they had a relationship, he didn't know what they had. She had become his best friend, he trusted her.
He panicked, knowing they would be exiting the office soon. Maybe it was best this way, that she not know where he was. Maybe the space was what they both needed to figure out what they wanted. She had other prospects, and he never wanted to be the person to hold her back from something that made her happy. He left a note at the nurses station for her, ignoring their accusing stares since he clearly snuck away from them.
"Dr. Scully, this was left for you." A nurse handed her the note as she was leaving with Josh. She thanked her, puzzled as she opened the scratch paper. Her heart clenched as she read the words, Josh forgotten as her mind clouded.
'Scully, I have to go away. I wish you the best. -Mulder.'
