Chapter 9: Lies

The unmarked brick building.

Mulder and Scully have entered and gone up to the third floor. The building is now deserted, no people, no furniture, nothing. Scully leads Mulder to where CGB Spender's office was. It is empty. She is very upset.

SCULLY: He was here! These were his offices. What the hell is this?

MULDER: He used you.

SCULLY: Mulder, he laid it all out for me. I recorded it. I mailed you the tape.

Mulder nods.

SCULLY: This old woman, Marjorie Butters, I met her. I saw her pictures, her birth certificate...

MULDER: You saw what you needed to see in order to make you believe.

SCULLY: Well, then what about this boy? This boy with cancer? You can't deny that. That's undeniable proof.

MULDER: Even if we could convince his parents to let us march him out how long before that chip in his neck mysteriously disappears? This was the perfectly executed conspiracy, Scully. The only thing I can't figure out is why you're still alive.

SCULLY: Mulder, I looked into his eyes. I swear what he told me was true.

MULDER: He did it all for himself- to get the science on that disk. His sincerity was a mask, Scully. The man's motives never changed.

SCULLY: You think he used me to save himself- at the expense of the human race.

MULDER: No, he knows what that science is worth, how powerful it is. He'd let nothing stand in his way.

SCULLY: You may be right... but for a moment, I saw something else in him. A longing for something more than power. Maybe for something he could never have.

MULDER: Come on Scully, the man has no feelings, he thinks love is a weakness.

SCULLY: What if he changed his mind, he might be feeling lonely.

MULDER: Well if that's the case it's too late, don't you think?

SCULLY: (sighs) Yeah, you're right.

They get out of the building and go to the car, he opens her door and she looks at him strangely.

MULDER: Don't get used to it

He has a serious expression but she smiles anyway and gets in, he closes the door and goes to the driver's side but stays outside. She waits but then she sees him, she opens his side door and call him, he looks angry, she know what he's thinking and why he is still outside so she waits.

After a couple of minutes he gets in and look at her, she turns to see him and waits for him to speak.

MULDER: Tell me everything

SCULLY: Mulder I know what you're thinking and I don't know the answer

MULDER: What do you mean Scully?

SCULLY: He treated me well Mulder

MULDER: There's something you're not telling me.

She looks down at her hands nervously, he puts his hand upon hers also nervous about what she can say,she talks still looking her hands while holding his tightly.

SCULLY: I think he drugged me or something

Mulder keeps looking at her frowning and tightening the jaw.

SCULLY: I just woke up the next morning in a hotel bed with different clothes… I know he didn't…

She can't say it and he understands, but that bastard touched her and looked at her, and who knows what else, he let go her hand and hits strong the steer wheel letting out an argghhh.

She jumps a little with fear and looks at him with concerned eyes, she knows his feelings, she has been feeling the same since that day, but he didn't harm her, she was alive and grateful, he wants to cry but stop herself, he's been mad with her, he is hurt, she broke their trust lying to him.

SCULLY: Mulder… I'm sorry

She can't help it and tears start falling down her cheeks, he turns to look at her and she close her eyes.

MULDER: Why Scully? Just tell me why?

SCULLY: I thought I was doing the right thing, I just wanted to help others. (She sobs and cover her face with her hands) I'm sorry, I'm sorry Mulder.

His heart ache seeing her, but she made a huge mistake, he's really angry, how could she lie to him? Why she trusted that bastard? He wants to hug him so badly but he can't, he just drives, he had hopes, after telling her about his feelings, she just lied, maybe he was overreacting but he just needed some time, he takes her home and continues to his own apartment, he was so worried about her, but she was fine, he just needed to rest.

Scully can't stop crying, he was so mad since she arrived with the empty disk, he barely talked to her, giving her that "I can't believe it Scully" look. He was right to be mad, she get it, they were building a relationship and she destroyed it, she felt so stupid, how could she believed in a man like Spender? What was she really thinking? She needed to rest, and try to recover Mulder's trust.

FBI Headquarters

X files office next day

7:30 am

She knows he will be there soon, she wanted to be there before him but she still didn't know how recover his trust, she just needed to see him, she waits and waits but he don't arrive, she gets nervous and call him, first his cellphone, then his apartment, but she can't reach him.

Mulder's apartment

9:20 am

She knocks the door but there's no answer, she opens with her key, it's dark inside, she calls his name twice, nothing, she goes to the bedroom, it's empty, suddenly she hears a noise coming from the bathroom, she walks towards the source with fear, when she opens the door, she finally sees him, he is lying in the floor shaking and sweating.

SCULLY: Mulder, Mulder oh god.

She says running to get him, she hold him carefully into a sitting position, he barely opens his eyes and whispers her name, she helps him stand and take him to bed, she looks at him with glassy eyes, he has a high fever, his sleeping clothes are all wet so she first change his clothes, then goes for a wet towel and a glass of water, she helps him to drink the water and then puts the towel in his forehead, his eyes are open following her every move but he is quiet, she isn't able to look at him in the eyes, when she turns to the kitchen again he grabs her hand.

MULDER: Scully stay

She doesn't turn

SCULLY: I'm not leaving, just going to make you something to eat, you need it Mulder.

MULDER: Later, just stay here with me.

SCULLY: Mulder…

MULDER: Shhhh come here

He pulls her arm dragging her closer, she sits in the bed and finally looks into his eyes, he caresses her cheek with his hand and give her half a smile, she puts her hand upon his and close her eyes.

SCULLY: I'm sorry Mulder

MULDER: Hey, you said that already, I'm not mad with you, I just wanna kill that bastard.

SCULLY: No Mulder, (she opens her eyes looking at him) I lied, I acted like a fool, I was naive, I… I broke your trust.

He manage to sit down and hug her,

MULDER: Scully I trust you as much as you trust me, I was just angry but not with you, you don't have to worry.

she hug him back and kiss his cheek trying not to cry, she feel her lips burn in his skin,he is extremely hot with fever so she pulls away looking at him with concern.

SCULLY: Mulder, you are sick, do you know what's wrong with you?

MULDER: No (he lies) Don't worry about me.

SCULLY: You need to take a bath

MULDER: Scully!

SCULLY: No, wait here while I prepare everything.

He sighs in defeat and she goes to the bathroom, he lays down again looking at himself in the ceiling's mirror, he knows he's dying, but he can't tell her, that's why he can't be mad with her, he is lying too. She comes back and help him stand and go to the bathtub, she take his clothes off and help him get inside, the contact with the water make him shake, she pours water on his head using a small bowl, he continues trembling and frowning, she looks at him with concern, what could be happening? maybe it's a virus increased by stress, he starts to squint and she helps him out to take him to bed, dresses him, lays him down and covers him with a sheet, he falls asleep, she takes the opportunity to prepare a chicken soup, thank God she has been sporadically staying with him and there is food in the refrigerator.

She stays with him for the rest of the day and night, at two in the morning he wakes up and sees her asleep at his side, his eyes fill with tears, a silent cry while looking at his perfect opposite, why life insisted on separating them, he wipes the tears away and embraces her falling asleep again.