CHAPTER FOUR

They passed burnt out cars, people crying and screaming on the streets. Some people lay dead or dying, their loved ones crying around them.

Scully turned her face away from the chaos outside and tried to focus on Mulder. He lay still, his eyes closed. She sighed with worry and checked his pulse. She was relieved to find it was steady.

"Sir, are you infected?"

"I was, but I went to the hospital." Skinner responded from the front seat. "I was looking for you. I saw Agent Einstein and she gave me an IV."

"And you're fully recovered?" She asked in confusion.

"I guess I have a good immune system right?" He said as he turned left past a burnt out fuel station. Scully looked in shock as they passed.

"The city is getting out of control. We need to do something." She said.

"Your main priority is saving lives Scully. Let me sort out the unrest. The army are on the way into Washington."

"They will all need vaccines." She said in a low voice, the huge weight of the task ahead looming over her. She sighed heavily and looked back at Mulder with concern. She had no idea how she was going to save the world and Mulder at the same time, but she had to try.

"What the hell happened out there Dana?"

"A spaceship came over us." She said in a whisper, keeping her eyes on Mulder as he slept. "It was incredible. Unbelievable.."

"A spaceship came over you and Mulder?"

"Yes, on the bridge. I ran to Mulder and Miller and then it just appeared, right above us." She said as the memory of the bright lights came back to her.

"And then what.."

"It was getting hot, so hot that it hurt. I could tell that it was going to attack, so we had to get off the bridge. Miller and I.." She started, her voice breaking off with sadness at the thought of Miller, "-We managed to carry Mulder to safety, and we got off the bridge, but not before the spaceship attacked. The light turned into a weapon and it hit the bridge, right where we had been standing." She rambled, her own words shocking her as they came out of her mouth. "So many people died…so many innocent people…" She said sadly, her heart breaking. She closed her eyes as the horrific memories came back to her. "It's the end of the world."

"We are going to get through this Scully, you and Mulder are going to get through this."

"Mulder is dying." Scully said, her voice breaking with emotion.

"It's going to be all right.." Skinner started, trying to calm her

"He needs stem cells. I need to find William, it's the only way to save him." She said sadly. Skinner paused. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but he would do everything in his power to help.

"I will get right on it. You just focus on keeping him alive." Skinner said as they finally pulled up in front of the hospital.

Scully nodded in thanks and then got out of the car. Skinner jumped out and ran around to Mulder's side. He opened the door as Scully joined him and they pulled him out together.

Scully felt panic hit her as no one was coming out to help them.

She looked down at Mulder and saw that he was motionless. He needed help fast.

She ran up to the doors of the A&E and pounded on them with all her strength, her fists banging against the glass.

"HEY! HEY WE NEED HELP!" She shouted, tears threatening to fall again.

She saw a couple of nurses that she recognised in the bustling lobby, but didn't know by name. They turned to her in shock as she banged against the doors and one came running towards her. Scully pushed on the door handle and realised that it was locked. She gasped in shock and horror as she couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

"FOR GODS SAKE HELP! I HAVE A MAN WHO IS DYING!" She screamed, and the nurse finally reached her and opened the door.

"Dr Scully, what's going on!" The young blonde nurse said to her with wide eyes.

"I need an IV and a gurney right now, I have a man who is dying!" She pleaded, tears streaming down her face. The nurse looked over Scully's shoulder and saw that Skinner had Mulder over his shoulder. He was struggling with him as he staggered towards the door.

"But.. We don't have any spare beds! And we don't have any IVs at the minute.. We are totally full Dr Scully!" The nurse said in panic. Scully felt her heart skip a beat and she felt rage and frustration flow through her.

"I DON'T CARE!" She snapped, every fibre of her being going into overdrive. "GET ME A BED RIGHT NOW!"

"I.. I… Ok.." The nurse said helplessly, then ran towards the ambulances.

Scully turned and faced Skinner, her eyes wide with determination. She helped him carry Mulder into the lobby. Skinner brought him down and was about to rest him on the floor against the wall, but the nurse ran towards her with another nurse, pushing a gurney.

"Thank you." Scully breathed with relief, and with Skinners help, they placed Mulder on it.

Scully grabbed onto his hand and he appeared to be waking momentarily. She saw his eyes flutter in confusion.

"Dr Scully, there's no space.." The blonde repeated again sadly.

"We will have to make space! Help me get him up to my surgery." She said forcefully. Skinner nodded in response and started to push Mulder towards the elevator. Scully squeezed his hand and watched as he moved his head side to side in confusion, the bright lights of the hospital waking him.

"Mulder, listen to me. You're in the hospital. It's going to be all right." She said softly as they pushed into the busy elevator. They just about managed to get in.

Scully glanced around as nurses and doctors held masks to their faces, their eyes sad and shell shocked. She looked at Skinner and she could tell he was thinking the same thing.

"Has the vaccine been passed around?" She asked the young blonde nurse. She nodded solemnly.

"Agent Einstein has been working hard to get it to everyone, but with the demand it's impossible to keep up. Not everyone has had it. It's carnage Dr Scully. That's why we locked the doors.." She said, her head lowering in shame. Scully shook her head in disbelief as a wave of anger flowed over her. This was a hospital, how dare they lock the doors?

"Those doors need to stay open, for gods sake there are innocent people out there who are frightened and dying." She said in a low voice, trying to keep her anger under control. She understood that this was an unprecedented situation.

"Yes Dr Scully." The nurse said, blushing.

The elevator stopped at Scully's floor and she pushed Mulder out with Skinners help.

Turning the corner towards her office, she saw that it was already busy with people in beds. Mulder was waking again and she glanced over in panic at his now empty IV. She needed to get him another one. She heard him groan in pain as they pushed on through the floor, and finally she found a space.

"OK, let's put him here." She said to Skinner, and he nodded. "He's going to have to stay on the gurney until we get a bed. Sir, could you please go and find Agent Einstein. We need another IV for Mulder desperately." She said, her voice breaking off again. Skinner nodded silently as he knew that he was going to have to explain where Agent Miller was..

He left them and the nurse helped Scully get Mulder more comfortable. They got him some pillows and a new sheet. Scully pulled it up to to his chest and tucked him in, knowing that his temperature was going down again.

"Stay with me Mulder.." She gushed as she placed a hand on his face and stroked back a few strands of damp hair from his eyes. She bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

"Scu.. Scully.. I'm freezing.." He said to her weakly. Scully frowned with concern then looked up at the nurse.

"We need another blanket." She said, but the nurse shook her head in defeat.

"I don't think we have any spare.." She said apologetically.

"Go find one!" Scully snapped, and the nurse nodded silently and left the room.

Scully let out a breath and felt her chest tighten anxiously. She closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to regain herself and then looked back at Mulder who was lying still, his eyes closed again. She felt his pulse again and looked around at what she had. There were no instruments here. She would have to look after Mulder as best as she could for now..

"Mulder.." She breathed as she pulled up the nearest chair and placed it beside him. She lowered herself down into it, taking his hand again. "Mulder?" She asked, but he didn't respond. She felt her lip tremble with tears as she looked at him. She saw his chest rise and fall slowly, and she kept her fingers on his wrist so that she could feel his heart beating.

"Mulder?" She asked again, louder this time, but again he didn't respond. She knew that his body was shutting down. He needed that IV, fast.

She closed her eyes and lowered her head down onto his chest and rested there, listening to his lungs inhale and exhale. She prayed silently, begging for his life.

After she said had said her Amens, she felt the racking sobs erupt from her.

She wasn't even aware of herself anymore, only him. It felt as if she was watching herself from above, her heart breaking more and more with every breath that he took, fearing that it would be his last…

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