Scully sat on her couch still in her coat and heels with her head in her hands. Mulder was gone. She had arrived at the hospital the day before yesterday to find Skinner barking orders at anyone within earshot of him. Everyone was flinching under his stony glare. She had felt the panic rise in her as she had glanced into his room to find the bed in disarray but all the monitors and equipment still there.

The nurses were explaining to Skinner that Mulder had been discharged by his mother. She had listened in disbelief and had argued that it wasn't possible. That Teena Mulder would not have discharged her son from the hospital against medical advice. And where the hell would she have taken him and how! He needed medical attention at all times as he was unresponsive. She had stood dumbfounded as she watched the blacked out security camera, watched her signing discharge papers. She was talking earnestly to someone in the blacked out part of the shot. Scully had felt a cold creeping over her as she had seen out of the corner out of the darkness smoke unfurl.

CSM had Mulder. And she didn't have the first clue as to where to start looking for him. The only lead she had had was his mother and she had gone to both the houses that she had visited previously. She was at neither. She had exhausted her only lead within a couple of hours. She couldn't think straight.

"Agent Scully," a soft voice came from behind her. She jumped and stood up quickly from the couch anticipating an attack. Her shoulders slumped forward as she sighed with relief.

"Albert?" She asked confused, "How did you get in here?"

" I am sorry I startled you Miss Scully," he intoned in his deep, soft voice. "I have come to tell you that agent Mulder is in danger. If you do not find him in time then he will die."

She looked at him with frustration as she walked around her sofa to stand in front of him," How do you know he's in danger? Do you know where he is? Tell me, please!"

He looked at her with sadness and reached for her hand. She allowed him to take her hand, " Come Agent Scully let us pray." He knelt down and pulled her down with him. She looked at him warily but conceded and came down to her knees. Together they prayed for Mulder.

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Scully woke to find herself on her on her apartment floor. Albert was gone. She tried to shake off her grogginess and shakily got to her feet. She felt stiff she didn't know how long she had been there but the light had changed from full sunlight to a subdued hue coming through her blinds. She realised that she had been woken by a knock at her door. Another less patient knock resounded through the living room.

She opened the door to find Diana standing there. Scully's body reacted unconsciously and she could feel her stance change as she measured herself up against this woman. Diana was looking at her nervously and she could see the small woman almost grow in stature as her body language changed with hostility.

"Diana." Scully spoke cordially. She was surprised that she was here and that she knew where she lived but kept her face passive. She didn't want to give this woman any indication that she was thrown by her visit.

Diana glanced nervously down the corridor and silently handed her something. Scully took it without looking at it and narrowed her eyes. There was no way she was going take her eyes off this woman and make herself vulnerable by bowing her head to look at the item in her hand. She didn't trust her.

"What is this?"

"Access." Diana's eyes glistened as she pleaded with her, " They're going to kill him. He is dying. Please save him."

"You treacherous bitch!" Scully stepped forward and slapped the taller woman across the face. Diana winced as her head snapped to the side and closed her eyes. Scully could feel the sting in her hand as she tried to gain control of her emotions. She could hear her own voice shaking with anger," He trusted you. He ruined his friendship with me to protect you. And this is what you do? You betrayed him!"

"I know," Diana whispered still with her eyes closed. Scully could see the remorse on her face and felt her anger abate a little. Diana looked down at her. " He knows."

"Who knows?" Scully was still talking to this woman in spite of herself.

"Fox." She said quietly," Before he was taken we established that he had some kind of telepathic ability. He heard and understood everything that I had done."

"I'm sorry for everything that has happened but if anyone can save him. It's you." With one last sigh she retreated and walked away. Scully watched her walk away and then slowly closed the door. She shakily looked down at her hand. It was an access card. Stuck to it was small post it note with a neatly scrawled address. Scully grabbed her car keys off the table and ran out of her apartment.

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Scully could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she tried to stealthily move down the empty stone corridor praying that she didn't get caught. She had found the underground bunker quite easily despite it being in the middle of nowhere. She had been so surprised that there had been no guards at the entrance. She had managed to park her car close to the side of the building in the shadows and had held her breath at the door as she had swiped the card. She had felt a wave of relief as the light had switched to green and she had heard the door mechanism click.

She approached a set of heavy doors with another access panel and swiped the card. Slowly she pushed the door open into a large observation deck. She walked to the other side of the room which consisted only of large glass panels and looked down onto a large operating theatre. She felt a strangled scream leave her as she saw Mulder strapped down to the operating table. She spotted the connecting door that lead down to the theatre and frantically ran down the stairs.

"Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead." She pleaded under her breath as she burst into the theatre. She approached the table with her heart in her throat. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ears in the silence of the room. She felt nauseous and almost light headed as she reached out her hand to his throat to feel for a pulse. She almost cried out in relief as she felt a very faint threading pulse.

She quickly assessed him. He had had some form of neurosurgery. Who ever had done the surgery had been a surgeon as she turned his head to assess the wounds lifting the bandages slightly. There was still blood all over his neck and pooled on the table which she tried to ignore.

She had to get him out of this facility but he was a dead weight. She could feel the tears spilling over her eyelashes as she gently stroked his soft hair away from his sweaty brow. "Mulder you have to help me," She pleaded, "Please get up. You have to help me get you out of here."

Mulder was lying in on his deathbed listening to the never aging Spender assure him that it was time to let go. He felt his heart breaking in response to learning that Scully was dead. He had watched Diana die, endured having his three beautiful children unnaturally die before him and all his closest friends. But he had believed that Scully was alive. He realised that knowing that she was safe and well and above all happy somewhere in the world had allowed him to let go of her. To live in peace and no longer chase monsters. The other deaths had not felt real and he had somehow felt detached and able to cope. With Scully's death he had nothing to live or fight for. He might as well give up.

He blinked as he felt something warm land on his cheek. He shakily put his hand up to his face and touched his cheek. It was a tear. He felt another hit his cheek. And another as Spender smoothly smiled down at him. "Mulder." He heard his name whispered softly by a voice he had not heard in over 50 years.

Suddenly Scully burst into the room and stared down with contempt at the withered old man in his bed. She was still as young and beautiful as when he had last seen her 50 years ago. She was angry with him for giving up for abandoning her. She pulled back the curtains to show him as the world fell into ruins outside his window.

"Fight!" She demanded glaring at him. "Fight now." Mulder felt her conviction give him new strength. He decided to fight one last time.

"Scully?" He whispered. Scully gasped as he reacted. His eyes stayed unfocused as he reached his hand up." Help me."

He felt her small hand grab his as he fought to get up. It taxed him, used all his strength and energy to try to move. He could feel her strength, he felt her prop him up and he pushed his reserves to try not to hinder her. He felt her lead him, she half dragged and half supported him back down the corridor. Back into the car. He could not focus properly and his whole body quaked as the last of his strength left him. He felt movement underneath him and knew that they had made it to the car. He blissfully allowed the darkness to envelop his tired body.