TUESDAY
"Coming." Scully blew her hair out of her eyes and rose to answer the knock at the door. Mulder stood on the other side bouncing on the soles of his feet.
"I thought we were meeting for breakfast?"
"Sorry." She said, moving back into the room and towards her computer. "I just wanted to check my email, before I came down."
"Anything interesting?" He asked, as he settled himself on the edge of the bed.
"I don't know, I'd only just opened it." She clicked on the first message, blushed, and closed it quickly.
"What was that?" Mulder asked craning his neck to try to peer over her shoulder.
"Nothing." She answered quickly, then sighed. "Just a message from Frohike."
Interested and more than a little amused that Scully was still blushing, he leaned forward. "What'd it say?"
"Nothing." she repeated, more firmly this time. "So Mulder what's the plan for today?" Distraction was the best tactic she had.
Not giving up, but deciding that if he couldn't get the information out of her later, he'd just ask Frohike, Mulder conceded the subject change. "I'm not sure, I want to have a talk to Bobby a little later this morning, see if there's anything new from that angle. I've already contacted the field office, the guards there said no clue's were dropped off overnight, but since we only have one day left I'm sure Ed'll find some creative method to get one too us. I'm halfway expecting an ad in the newspaper but that seems a little too extreme even for him. Maybe…"
He trailed off when he noticed Scully wasn't paying any attention to him. "Am I boring you already Scully?"
"I think I discovered his method, Mulder." She turned the computer around until the message was visible.
Agent Scully,
We haven't officially met, although I am aware of the fact that you've spent the entirety of your time in Boston searching for me. Know that I've spent equal time following your progress and unlike the colleagues that Agent Mulder teamed up with during our last encounter, I have found you to be every bit the adversary he is.
Your interpretation of my clues so far has been interesting to watch unfold. Your investigation of the universities while unfruitful for you at the time, may still provide valuable information. I'm aware that you contacted the prison and spoke to Warden Sweeney, I hope he spoke highly of me, however I should point out that you wasted that day trying to track Martin down. Did you really believe I'd let you find him? You should have been focussing on the clues I'd provided.
Regardless of that, all is not lost, as time has not yet expired I offer you this final photograph and clue to assist in your investigation:
The place you need stops with an End
It contains a place where people tend.
I've given you the clues to help Lindsay survive,
Find her before tomorrow or she won't be alive.
In the unlikely event that you can decipher it's meaning, I'll look for you tomorrow. If not there's always another city and another challenge, maybe we can meet personally next time.
Yours sincerely,
Edmund Harrison
P.S. Please give my best regards to Agent Mulder, I bet he's not laughing now.
She scrolled down further, a picture of Lindsay filled the screen.
"She's awake." Mulder murmured. "We haven't had a picture where she's been awake before."
"That's a positive sign at least."
He nodded, his gaze fixed on the screen, taking in the bruised face and worried eyes. "Yeah, she looks a little worse for wear though" He scanned through the message again, then a third time. "Something's not right here, Scully."
"I know." She'd been rereading it herself. "Where's he getting his information from?"
"That's what I was thinking. It couldn't just be from Martin. Not all of it anyway. He knows Agent Griffin contacted the prison, how could he have known that?"
"Phone tap?"
He raised an eyebrow. "On the F.B.I. phones?"
"I don't know Mulder. What other choices are there? Maybe he has an inside source?"
Eyes narrowed, he considered the possibility. Then shook his head. "If he had an inside source, he'd hardly have any reason to use Martin in the first place. Not to mention that everyone was assigned the case after we arrived. So how could they have any connection to Ed?"
She shrugged. "Well he's getting it from somewhere. He can obviously get access to our emails…." She paused when the colour drained from his face.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he sent this one to me. And I, like everyone else on the case apart from you, wasn't around the first time."
A headache started to form behind his eyes. "I've been emailing my progress reports to Skinner, Scully. What are the chances he could have got access to them?"
She frowned. "I don't know enough about it Mulder. I'd imagine there'd be some security measures in place, but it's a better question for the experts." She cast a worried glance at him. "But if he's been reading your reports then…."
"Then he really is a few steps ahead of us. I know." Even rubbing, couldn't reduce the pain. "This is just speculation Scully. We don't know if he's been reading the reports or if he's just a really good guesser."
"Mulder, he'd have to be a great guesser to know that stuff."
"Thanks, that's really helpful." Standing, he ran a hand through is hair, Edmund was right, he definitely wasn't laughing. "We should head over to the field office." He gestured towards her notebook computer. "You should bring that with you."
Nodding, she shut it down, and with deft movements packed it in the carry case. "When was the last time you sent through a report?"
He considered a moment. "Um, Saturday night. I didn't bother sending one on Sunday because I didn't think Skinner would be working. And he called me yesterday, so I didn't send one then either."
"So even if that is how he's getting his information, he'd be behind now. He wouldn't know what we're working on at the moment."
"Maybe. We can only hope so anyway."
Holding the door open, he waited until she walked past him and followed her into the corridor. "This could really screw things up Scully."
She recognised the look in his eye, the tone of his voice, and stopped in the middle of the hallway to turn and face him. "Don't do this Mulder, not now."
"What?" He took a few steps past her, and pushed the button for the elevator.
"Don't start blaming yourself for things we don't even have answers to yet. This isn't about you Mulder, it's about him, if we're going to find Lindsay we need to remember that."
He didn't turn around, just reached over and pushed the button a few more times. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do." With her free hand she reached out and took hold of his elbow, spinning him towards her. "You think I don't know what this case is doing to you Mulder? You think I don't understand? I do." The lift arrived and was mercifully empty. She walked in ahead of him, waited for the doors to close and continued. "Every time we take a case like this it takes a piece out of you. She's not your sister Mulder, it doesn't have to end the same way."
He suddenly found the pattern of the carpet very interesting. "My sister was abducted by aliens Scully, I hardly think it could end the same way."
The doors slid open, when he would have taken a step forward she held out her hand to stop him. They slid closed again. "Your sister was taken and never returned. That doesn't have to happen here. We can find her Mulder, no matter how many steps he is in front of us, we can still find her, but not if you're too busy blaming yourself to keep looking."
He did look at her now, and in his eyes she could see every emotion he was feeling, but his voice when he spoke was light. "Scully if there's one thing you should know about me after all this time it's that I never stop looking."
This time when the doors opened they stepped out together.
* * *
The light was on when she woke, the low wattage of the bulb casting a dim pallor on the room. She understood somewhere in the recesses of her mind that the light signified daytime, but that was as far as her understanding allowed. How long had she been unconscious? It was hard, oh so hard, to keep track of the days. But with every one that past, she knew she was one step closer to death.
The thought caused an involuntary shiver to run up her spine, and goose bumps broke out across her skin. She wondered, as she'd only allowed herself to do when she was alone, about Bobby and Rob. And she worried. It had helped her earlier, to think of them and remember all the good times, all the joy. It had given her strength, conviction that she would see them again. But with each passing moment, each prayer she sent for release that went unanswered her conviction faltered. She'd tried to be strong, to keep the fear from showing when Edmund was in the room, but with each act of violence, each demonstration that he truly meant to carry through with his plan, she was pushed just that bit closer to the brink of despair.
Bobby would be blaming himself for the situation. Though it had nothing to do with him, she knew him well enough to know that. He'd place the questions and the blame squarely on his shoulders, because that was his way. And if she died, today or tomorrow or two days from now, the burden would be that much greater. She didn't want that for him, she didn't want that for their son.
Tears pricked in her eyes and momentarily forgetting the bruising she lifted her hands to wipe them away. When they came in contact with the swelling she jerked her head back in pain. Her heart ached for the family she loved, for the friends. And it ached for herself. It wasn't right that through some fluke of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, she might never see her son grow up. To miss his first step, his first day of school, his successes and failures. And she wanted all that, she wanted it so badly.
It wasn't fair!
She wanted to scream that, to cry and rant and rave. They were going to have more children, they'd talked about it, planned for it, looked forward too it. The image of Bobby's hopeful look as he'd tried to talk her into having four, swam into her mind. Her counter offer of two, and his cheerful grin as they'd settled for three. She clung to the memory of the way his arms had wrapped around her, and the soft, playful suggestion he'd whispered in her ear about practice making perfect. Followed soon after by the groan of frustration, as Rob had started crying.
Even as she brought herself back from the thought, she could feel the love and happiness they'd shared, and it made her just that bit more lonely. Lying there in the poorly lit area, on an uncomfortable bed, in a room where nobody could hear her scream, she gave in to the tenuous grip she'd kept on her emotions. She could only open her right eye a sliver, and there was no vision there, just a swimming sea of grey, but it was room enough for tears to pour out. She let them run down her face unheeded, she let her body wrack, and her throat still bruised from Edmunds assault, clog.
And when she heard Edmund open the door, she turned the left side of her face as far into the pillow as it would go, and damned him straight to hell.
* * *
"You think what?" Adam asked, from his perch opposite Mulder.
"I think that Edmunds been hacking into my email account. Intercepting the reports I've been sending to A.D. Skinner."
"Based on what?"
"This." Mulder turned Scully's laptop around until it was facing the others. "Read the message, he's getting his information from somewhere. The only place I can think that would be is in the reports." He gestured to the machine behind him. "I want the techs to go through both these machines. Pull them apart if they have too…."
"What?" Scully said, clutching at her laptop protectively.
Adam smiled at her. "I'm sure it wont come to that."
"Okay, tell them to start with that one then. They can do whatever they have to do, but if Ed's in there I want him out."
Mike was looking at the photo of Lindsay. "That eye looks bad."
Mulder's voice gentled. "We knew he wouldn't go easy on her."
"I guess. But knowing and seeing are two different things." He looked away from the picture and over to Mulder. "Are we going to show this to Bobby?"
"Not yet, lets wait and see what results today's investigation brings."
"Where do we start?" Doug asked.
"We start by pulling down every bit of information we've managed to collect. I want it all on the table, we're going to go through it with a fine tooth comb." He looked at each of them in turn. "If we've missed anything, it's time we find it."
* * *
The room was dark when Eugene opened the door, even though it was mid morning. "Bobby?" He asked.
"I'm awake." Came the quiet reply.
"What are you doing?" Taking a few steps inside the room he left the door open, so the light from outside illuminated it.
"Thinking." The sheets rustled, as Bobby sat up, leaning against the headboard.
"What about?" Walking over to the window, Eugene pulled the curtains apart and watched as sunlight flooded in. When Bobby didn't answer he turned back around. "Did you have another dream?"
"No." There was such desolation when he spoke, such heartache, that Eugene could almost hear the tears in Bobby's voice.
"You don't remember it?"
He looked over, blinking against the morning light. And his eyes when they met Eugene's were bleak. "There's nothing to remember. There was no dream."
Over the last few days Eugene had watched Bobby run through an entire array of emotions, from anguish to despair, to wild grief, and he hoped he'd helped with them all. But he had no idea how to help with the empty look Bobby gave him now. "I think she's dead." He heard Bobby say.
Because they were words he'd said himself less than twenty four hours ago, he found it just that bit harder to offer support. But still he tried. "You don't really think that Bobby. You're upset and you're scared, and maybe you're over reacting to the situation. But don't start thinking the worst. You have to stay positive."
"How?" His hair, already unruly was made more so when he ran his fingers through it. "You don't believe in my dreams, I know that Eugene. You, Helen, and probably everyone else think it's just something I've come up with to keep Lindsay close to me. But I know what I saw." Pulling his knees up he wrapped his arms around them and rocked. "I know what I felt. Lindsay was asking me for help, she was reaching out to me, and I've tried everything I could to connect with her and I can't."
There was self recrimination and misery lacing his voice. "I don't know how to reach her. I don't know how to help her."
"I think you're trying too hard, Bobby. Let the F.B.I do their job. Let them find Lindsay. But don't give up hope." He looked at the calendar on the far wall. "They still have time."
"Time?" A note of hysteria bubbled in Bobby's throat, his first real show of emotion since Eugene had entered the room. "It's been six days. Six days Eugene." The emotion left him as quickly as it had arrived and his body slumped in defeat. "Time's nearly out."
Not knowing exactly what to do or say, Eugene reached out and gave Bobby's shoulder a quick shake. "Listen to me Bobby." He gave another shake when he didn't get a reaction, and waited until Bobby's eyes met his. "You can't do this, not to yourself and not to Lindsay. When you went missing a few years ago, when you were taken by Patrick Rooney, Lindsay didn't give up on you. She was scared, and she cried and occasionally she yelled, but she always believed you were going to be alright." He watched tears enter Bobby's eyes. "You owe that to her as well."
Sick at heart, Bobby leaned his head back against the headboard. "But why didn't I dream? That has to mean something."
"I don't have any answers for you one that." Eugene sighed. "Why don't I give Agent Mulder a call, see if he can help you out?"
"Okay."
It took Eugene a few moments to locate Mulder's business card and the portable phone, he found the first on the coffee table, the second was wedged behind the cushion of the couch. He waited the three rings it took for the call to be connected.
"Mulder."
"Agent Mulder, it's Eugene Young."
"Hey." Mulder stepped away from the noise of the conversation going on around him. "Is everything alright?"
"Well…. Not exactly." Wandering over to the window he looked outside, at the people below and wondered why life had to be so complicated. "Bobby didn't have a dream last night. About Lindsay." He clarified. "And now he's worried that she's…. Well that she may not be alive."
"Oh." Mulder turned his back to the room as he felt a wave of disappointment. He'd been hoping Bobby could supply another piece to the puzzle they were trying to assemble.
"I was hoping you could talk to him." Eugene continued, oblivious. "Maybe reassure him?"
"Sure, put him on."
Closing his eyes in relief, Eugene nodded. "He's just in the other room, I'll get him." Quickly he walked up the hall and back into Bobby's bedroom. "It's Agent Mulder." He said, holding out the phone.
There was trepidation in Bobby as he reached for it. "Hello?"
"Eugene told me you didn't have a dream."
He clutched the receiver until his knuckles turned white. "What do you think that means?"
Mulder heard the plea, and he answered it. "It probably doesn't mean anything."
"But…" People kept telling him that, but how could they know?
He heard Mulder sigh. "We received another clue today. There was a photo in it. Lindsay was alive in the picture Bobby, her eyes were open."
"Really?" The first trace of a smile, appeared on his face. For the first time that morning he allowed himself the luxury of hope. "Was it taken today?"
"We can't tell that. But it's my opinion that it's recent. Very recent." He moved the phone to the other ear, and turned to watch everyone pouring over the information they'd gathered, looking for anything they might have missed. "We're still looking Bobby. So hang in there."
"I will."
"That's good. I have to get back to this, but we'll call you if we turn up anything alright?"
"Thank you."
"No problem."
When he heard the dial tone, he reached out and hung up the phone, dropping it on the bed beside him. Eugene was staring at him, silently asking the question. "They received another photo Eugene. Just this morning, he said not to give up hope." He paused, then looked down at the bed. "I just don't know how much longer I can stand this. The not knowing."
Eugene reached out a comforting arm, and thought to himself that one way or the other that wasn't going to be a problem for very much longer.
* * *
Putting the phone back in his pocket, Mulder reclaimed his seat. The table in front of him was a mess, filled from side to side with notes, and maps and photos. Emails, surveillance tapes, interview transcripts and autopsy reports, all vied for space. It was a lot of information, gathered over a short amount of time, and yet still not enough. The key to the mystery had to be in there somewhere, he believed that, and because he did he felt the weight of guilt settle on him. If it turned out they'd been staring at the answer the entire time…. Well, he shook his head, and purposely cleared his mind. Thoughts like that weren't going to help bring Lindsay back any faster.
"Let's sort this out" He said, motioning to the collection in front of him. "I don't want to look at it in days anymore, like we've been doing. Sort it into like groups, all the notes from Ed in one, the photo's in another, etc. We'll each take a pile and see what we make of it." When the evidence was sorted, he watched as everyone grabbed for a pile, and was mildly bemused when he found himself left with the autopsy report. He looked over at Scully, who had claimed the interview transcript. "Shouldn't you get this one?"
"I've already read it." She said, without looking at him.
A small sigh escaped. "Okay, fine." Looking to everyone, he continued. "If you find you aren't getting anywhere with your pile swap with someone else. Take notes, and don't be afraid to offer suggestions, the littlest thing may help." When everyone nodded their understanding, he clapped his hands together. "Alright, lets get to work."
* * *
Edmund regarded Lindsay from his vantage point on the chair. She'd kept the same position as the one she'd been in when he'd entered, face half buried, her body turned towards the wall. He wondered how long she could ignore him, and then decided he wasn't feeling patient enough to find out.
"You broke my nose." Lifting a hand up to it now, he checked to make sure there was no additional swelling and cursed softly when he felt the puffy area just below his eyes. The two ice bags he'd kept applied all night had reduced the worst of it, but hadn't taken away the deep purple bruising that spread from his nose to his cheeks.
When she finally turned towards him he took consolation in the thick finger shaped bruises on her throat.
Her own eyes were puffy from crying and ringed in red. He would have taken pleasure in the fact that she'd finally bent enough to lose control, but for the defiant set of her head. Even with the tear tracks still staining her cheeks she didn't look weak, she didn't look broken. The heated gaze she sent him and the glimmer of satisfaction that caused one side of her mouth to turn up slightly as she took in his bandaged features had him gritting his teeth. Her own face now bare from where he'd ripped away the dressing, looked calm and gave away none of the emotions she must have been feeling when she cried. If she was sad or scared at that moment he couldn't tell.
When she opened her mouth to talk, her voice was hoarse but steady. "What day is it?"
Even after all this time, he never knew what to expect from her. "Tuesday."
Her heart sank at the news, and the constant pounding of the headache that was always present, kicked into higher gear. There was tension in every muscle in her body, but she was determined not let him see it. If she was to die tomorrow, and she was beginning to believe she would, he'd never know how scared she really was. There was so little of the situation that she could control, but she could control that.
Raising her chin a notch she struggled to keep her voice even. "What time tomorrow?"
She was asking him when she was going to die, and staring daggers at him at the same time. God he admired her! "Do you really want to know?"
When she thought about it she decided she didn't. "No."
Inclining his head to acknowledge her answer, he changed the subject. "What would you like for dinner tonight?"
How was she meant to think about food now? Really, how was she meant to think about anything. Lifting a shoulder in what she'd hoped to be a casual gesture, but because of the awkwardness of her position, instead came across as clumsy, she replied. "I'll leave that up to you."
"Really?" His own discomfort at his injury forgotten, he leaned forward. "No last request?"
"Sure, let me go."
He let out high pitched chuckle. "I meant for food."
"Then no."
Leaning back he regarded her intensely. "You're an intriguing individual Lindsay. I must say under different circumstances I would have really enjoyed getting to know you better."
Her skin crawled and her teeth clenched. "I wouldn't want to know you under any circumstances."
Slapping a hand on his knee in delight, he beamed at her. "I knew you were going to say that."
"So tell me." Waving a hand at her he settled more comfortably in the chair. "If you could say anything to your family before you die, any message that you'd want passed on to your son or your husband what would it be?"
That she loved them, that she missed them, that they lit up her life and made everything she'd ever done, everything she did now worthwhile. That she would wait for them forever. "I'd tell them to watch where they were walking."
His eyebrow quirked, and something dangerous flashed in his eyes as they met hers. "Well maybe I'll tell them for you."
* * *
Adam looked up from the photos he'd been staring at and tried to refocus his eyes. "Maybe Lindsay's trying to communicate with us through these pictures. You know send us a silent message or something." He didn't direct the comment at anyone in general, just looked around the room.
Doug paused the surveillance tape he'd just started watching. "That would be an interesting trick considering she's unconscious in two out of the three of them."
"Well maybe she isn't really unconscious. Maybe that's part of the message."
Mike, who'd been rereading the notes he'd made about the interview transcript looked up. "Why would she pretend to be unconscious? What sort of message are we meant to get from that?"
"I don't know." Adam let out a frustrated sigh, and pushed the photo's away. "I can't get anything out of these. Who want's to swap?"
Mulder looked up and quickly raised his hand, but Mike beat him too it, by grabbing the pictures and pulling them in front of him. He handed Adam his sheets of paper. "I will, I'm not having much luck with that either, but I made some notes."
Mulder glared at both of them, and then at Scully for good measure, who had moved on to Edmund's clues. When everyone ignored him he went back to reading the autopsy report.
* * *
Helen tapped a pen against the surface of her desk, and tried to concentrate. The words on the sheet of paper in front of her blurred as she rubbed at her tired eyes. Part of her knew that she shouldn't even have bothered to come into work today, the other part knew that if she didn't at least make the effort, it wouldn't be that much longer before she didn't have a job to come into. Still how did anyone expect her to be productive when her best friend was now down to a 24 hour countdown?
She wondered for a moment, as her mind continued to drift, just why it was that Lindsay always seemed to be in the midst of such potentially harmful situations. She'd been stabbed, she'd been stalked, now she was kidnapped. Realistically she understood that sometimes bad things happened to good people, but at what point did it become too much? Not just for the person involved but for those they loved.
Live or die, would any of them ever be the same again?
Shaking her head, she once again looked at the work in front of her, but there were no words there, only lines of ink she had no immediate interest in. Could any of this have been prevented? Bobby said Lindsay had been spooked the day before she'd been taken, the last time Helen had seen her, she'd been preoccupied about running into someone. Were all the signs there and they'd ignored them? Would Lindsay be safe at home now if everyone including herself had just paid that little bit more attention? Was asking herself any of these questions solving anything?
Probably not, she conceded.
Reaching up with one hand she rubbed the bridge of her nose, her chair gave a warning squeak as she leaned back in it, she didn't want to think about maybe's and what if's. Thinking of better possibilities, just made it that much harder to return to the reality of the situation. As a D.A. nobody knew better than her that good didn't always win out in the end, and after her conversation with Eugene yesterday, one she was really beginning to wish she'd never had at all, she wasn't quite as successful at convincing herself that it would now.
She wanted to do something, the inactivity on her behalf was driving her crazy. Mike got to assist in the investigation. Eugene and Rebecca practically had full time jobs looking after Bobby. Lucy and Jimmy got to keep the firm running and Ellenor was doing a bang up job of looking after Rob. Meanwhile she got to go to the office and pretend to work. She was used to leading the charge, used to knowing what was happening, she wanted to be able to participate, to feel she was doing something to bring her friend home, instead of waiting around for the phone to ring, or worse for it not to.
Flipping the file in front of her closed she gave up even the pretence of doing anything. She couldn't be here any longer. She didn't know exactly where she should go, or what she would do when she got there, but she knew she had to leave. She grabbed her coat as she circled her desk and locked the door as she left to go ….. somewhere.
Anywhere, she thought, that wasn't here.
* * *
"Okay that's it." The tech, who'd been working in the background the entire time they'd been researching walked over and tapped Mulder on the shoulder.
"What'd you find?" Grateful to be focusing on anything else, Mulder threw the file on the table in front of him and turned around.
"You were right. He attached a virus to your email, he's been able to read everything you sent out."
It was exactly what he'd been expecting but still managed to feel a wave of disappointment in himself for not anticipating the move. "Can you get rid of it?"
"Already done." He crouched down to pack up his tools. "The whole systems clean now. You're fine to send anything out."
"Thanks but I don't think…." He paused when Scully interrupted him.
"Mulder, can you look at this."
Giving the tech a smile of thanks, Mulder rolled his chair closer to Scully. "What have you got?"
She pushed the map of Boston that Adam had arranged for them, a little further away to allow him some space. "I've been studying these clues." Sitting back slightly, she pushed her glasses further up her nose. "We mostly just took them on a day to day basis, but I've been playing with putting them all together, mixing up the order, that sort of thing."
"I tried that too." Mike said. Looking up from the photo's he'd been staring at.
"Yes." She acknowledged Mike with a nod before turning back to Mulder. "I didn't get anywhere with that. So I started breaking them down piece by piece and I think I've been more successful." She pushed them towards him. "Read them as if they were one message." She said.
"Okay." He pulled the pieces of paper closer.
"As I sit and wait, the clock hand turns,
You'll find me near where the grad student learns.
An institution located on the Charles River, or near,
Borders a suburb, you'll find me here.
To assist in your attempts I offer this clue
We're located in plain site, but she's hidden from view,
She can scream and scream but you'll hear no sound
You'll have to pay attention if she's to be found.
The time draws near and no sign of you yet
Drive to far to the north and you'll get wet.
To far to the east and you're on the wrong track
Keep going South and you'll have to turn back.
The place you need stops with an End
It contains a place where people tend.
I've given you the clues to help Lindsay survive,
Find her before tomorrow or she won't be alive."
He finished reading and looked up at her. "What have you come up with?"
"Right." She pulled the map closer to her. "I think we were on the right track with the first verse investigating the universities." She used a black marker to circle the ones they'd visited. "And Bobby's dreams, if we factor them into the evidence we've collected support the theory that Lindsay's being held in a sound proof basement of a house. So that's the second clue."
"Alright." Mulder agreed.
"But here's where I think we went wrong." With the end of the marker she tapped the third clue. "I don't think he was telling us to go west at all."
"Why." Adam asked, giving up on the interview transcript in favour of their conversation.
Turning the pages to the centre of the table so that everyone could see them, she asked. "Do you see anything different about today's clue?"
Adam scanned down the text. "No."
"I didn't at first either, because I was so busy focussing on what the words said that I wasn't looking at the words." Still using the marker as a pointer she touched it to the top line. "See how the last word of this line starts with a capital letter?"
"It could just be a typing mistake." Doug suggested.
"No, Edmund's too particular to make typing errors." Mulder said, shaking his head. He turned to Scully. "What's your theory, Scully?"
"Well I really do think he's given us all the information Mulder, we just needed the last piece of the puzzle to put it all together." She tapped the fourth clue. "Clue one points us to the universities." She pointed to the circles she'd drawn. "Clue three tells us directions. Drive north and you'll get wet. Which means it's south of the river, so we can cross out these two." She put a cross through, MIT and Cambridge. "That leaves us with Boston University and Suffolk. Now it also tells us not to go east or south, which is when we decided we should be heading west. But if you look back at clue number one, it says he's in a suburb bordering a university. Not the university itself. So lets widen the area around these two." She drew two larger circles and sat back. "Does anyone else see anything in the circle that contains the word End?"
"West End." Doug murmured. "God." He banged his fist on the table. "It's so easy when you have the answer."
Scully nodded. "The rest of today's clue says it contains a place where people tend. Massachusetts General Hospital is in West End. He has to be there Mulder. I think we had the right idea yesterday when we canvassed all the surrounding streets near North Eastern, we were just canvassing the wrong university."
"I think you're right Scully." He looked down at the evidence in front of him and could find no flaws in her logic. "We need to get out there. Canvas every street in that suburb. Everybody goes in pairs, one drives the other looks for all the signs Bobby gave us." He looked at Mike. "Can you get us some more men?"
"Sure."
"Great, no uniforms and unmarked cars only." Borrowing the pen from Scully, he started to draw lines through the map. "We'll each take a section, drive at a steady pace, if Ed has security monitoring the street we don't want him to get suspicious. And lets all keep radio contact open." Holding up the map, this time he addressed Adam. "Do you have any more of these?"
"I can get some."
"Okay then." Taking the one on the table with him, he stood. "Lets get moving."
* * *
"Helen." Eugene opened the door wider and moved aside so she could enter. "What are you doing here?"
She shrugged out of her jacket. "I couldn't concentrate on work. Thought I'd go for a drive and ended up here." She looked around the apartment. Eugene had obviously been doing some cleaning. "Where's Bobby?"
Eugene closed the door and then lead the way into the kitchen. "You want some coffee?" She nodded and he set the kettle to boil. "He's in the shower. He's having a difficult time getting moving today."
"Well that's understandable I guess."
"Yeah." He sighed, and pulled out two mugs from the cupboard beside the sink. Adding coffee and sugar he waited for the water to boil. "It's more than that. He didn't have a dream about Lindsay last night. He's got himself convinced that means something's already happened too her."
Her eyebrows rose. "Really?"
Nodding, he passed her the now full cup. "He was pretty out of it this morning. Agent Mulder had a talk with him over the phone that seemed to cheer him up a bit. But the later it gets in the day, the more he starts to worry."
She blew over the rim of the mug, before taking her first sip. "What'd Agent Mulder say?"
"Apparently they received another photo of Lindsay. Agent Mulder's convinced she's still alive."
"What about you Eugene. Do you still think she's dead?"
"I don't know what to think." He leant against the kitchen bench holding his mug in both hands. "I guess if they've got a new photo that's good news, if it was taken today. But even if she is still alive now, Helen, times really running out. There's not getting past that."
"I know. It's all I've been able to think about all day. Which is why I'm no longer at work." She set her cup down and linked her hands together. "I don't suppose you'd mind if I hung out here for awhile?"
"Truthfully." Eugene looked up the empty hallway. "I'd appreciate the company."
* * *
Taking a right turn, Adam drove down the sixth street in his assigned area. Doug looked from side to side at each house they passed. They were moving at a steady pace, not too slow that it looked suspicious but not so fast that they'd miss any details. They were three houses from the end when Doug reached over and tapped him on the arm.
"How about that one?"
Adam looked at the small brick house, with it's front hedge of white roses and tidy lawn. Careful not to slow down at all he looked to the other side of the road, and the house surrounded by a white picket fence. "Looks promising."
Doug nodded. "You'd better keep going. Turn into the next street." He waited until Adam made the turn and pulled the car over before reaching for the radio. "Agent Mulder, it's Agent Griffin. I think we've found it."
* * *
Mulder focussed the binoculars on the house in question and nodded. "That's it Scully, I know it is."
She reached over and took them from him, leaning on the hood of the car as she looked through them. They were gathered in the adjoining street, six houses down from the corner. "I does fit the descriptions we were given. But we have to be sure Mulder. We cant just go around breaking down innocent peoples doors." She sent him a mild look when she anticipated an argument, and handed him back the binoculars. "Besides, if we go in there sirens blazing and it is the wrong house, if Edmund's anywhere in the proximity and he heres what's happening he may act before we find him."
"I hadn't planned to go in sirens blazing, but I get your point." Signalling to Mike, he called him over. "I want you to go and get Bobby Donnell. Bring him down here, drive him right by the house, don't slow down, he's only going to get one chance to look at it." He turned back to Scully. "If he identifies it we're going in. We can't afford to wait forever."
When she nodded, he turned to Adam and Doug. "I want SWAT teams and paramedics on stand by, make sure nobody uses the siren. Everyone wears vests when we enter, we're not taking any chances with this guy. Suit up now, I want us to be ready."
When everyone ran off to jump in cars or make calls, he picked up the binoculars and making them to zoom in, prepared to wait.
* * *
"That's the one." Opening the door before Mike had come to a complete stop, Bobby clamoured out of the car. Momentarily losing his footing as his feet his the ground, he stumbled for a couple of steps, righted himself and hurried over to Mulder and Scully. Eugene and Helen were right behind him.
"That's the house I saw in my dream. Lindsay's in there you have to get her out."
"That's the plan Bobby. Are you sure it's the right house. We need you to be certain before we go in."
"I'm positive, it's the one."
Mulder took a moment to look him in the eye, then nodded. "Alright." Turning he called over the leader of the SWAT team, who was standing a few meters away. "Do you have a plan of attack?"
"We can get access to the back of the house from the property behind it. Give my men a couple of minutes to get in position and then when they give the signal, we'll hit the front and the back simultaneously. Surprise will be the key."
"Okay." Mulder turned to Doug and Adam. "You two go through the back as well. Let the SWAT guys go in first. We'll go through the front."
Bobby stepped forward and grabbed Mulder's arm. "I want to go with you."
"No." Mulder's voice was firm but understanding. "It's too dangerous. We don't know what we'll be walking into." He pried Bobby's fingers off him. "If Lindsay's in there we'll bring her out to you. But you need wait here." There was a group of officers that had helped with the search mulling around near the cars, Mulder caught the attention of one, a huge mountain of a man, and called him over. Scanning the name tag he said. "Officer Cleary, nobody is to approach that house until we give the all clear. I'm leaving you in charge of making sure everyone stays here, can you do that?" Cleary nodded, and Mulder turned towards the SWAT commander.
"Get your men in position."
* * *
As quietly as they could they surrounded the house. Crouching over the front lawn, and jumping back fences they approached. Halfway to their destination the alarm sounded in the house. Caught in the short hallway between the living room and the kitchen, Edmund blinked in surprise and then realising what was about to happen, darted for the first weapon that was available to him. The knife block on the kitchen counter.
His hand drew around the hilt of the closest knife to him and he pulled it free of the wood. It was smaller than he would have liked, and certainly if he had more time to choose he might have gone back for the carving knife, but time was a luxury he could ill afford now. Straining his neck he peered towards the front of the house and wondered at his ability to reach the trapdoor to the basement, just as the door behind him was pounded open. Wood splintered with the force of the ramming rod and Edmund hunched his back and turned away from it to shield his body. Noise was all around him, footsteps stampeding from in from the front as well as behind, as he bent low at the knees shielding the knife. Then there were voices, edgy, commanding voices telling him to remain still, and to bring his hands out where they could be seen.
Taking the only opportunity he thought he would get, he moved quickly, hooking the knife in the loop of his pants, and still bent over he held both hands out, keeping them close to his side, as if in surrender. Then just as the first officer stepped closer he swivelled, using his right hand to reach for the weapon, his sight was obscured and his knife was small but his aim was direct as he lunged, felt the blade tear material and hit the strong sturdy surface of Kevlar. Though uninjured, the man he'd attacked at took a step back out of reflex, away from the knife and Ed kept his hand on the hilt in an attempt to retrieve it. When he felt the cold metal of the gun barrel at his temple he froze.
"Let it go."
He couldn't see the person who had given the command, but he knew the voice. Not moving his hand or his head a millimetre, he countered. "And if I don't?"
The definitive sound of the safety being flicked back was his only answer.
Edmund widened his fingers as he let go of the knife, moved his hands away from his body in a show of defeat. "You've got me Agent Mulder." He felt the slight movement of the gun away from him and couldn't resist one last barb. "For now."
The gun was placed very firmly back against his skull. "Are you going to shoot me Agent Mulder?" There was a taunt in Edmund's voice. A challenge. "Is this how it ends between us? With you becoming me?" Nothing would have delighted him more. He wanted to turn his head, look Mulder in the eye, but the barrel of the gun prohibited the movement. He settled for a quiet snicker.
He was still half bent, half crouched in his original position, and if he rolled his eyes upward he could just see the faces of three officers in front of him, weapons drawn. They waited, as did he for some sign, some action from Mulder, a decision to be made. But it wasn't Mulder who broke the silence.
"Mulder." Stepping forward, Scully wrapped her fingers around Mulder's wrist, she felt the tension in the arm beneath hers. Could see the strain in the fingers that curled around the trigger. "Don't."
She could see as no-one else in the room could the battle that raged inside him. Knew that this case more than any other had reminded him of his never ending search for his sister. Realised that part of him wanted to punish as he hadn't been able to then. And understood the consequences such actions would have for him.
Tightening her grip on his wrist, she gave it a light squeeze. "This isn't you." Beneath her hand she felt some of the tension drain, but it wasn't until he took a small step back that she allowed a breath of relief. She watched as he carefully lowered his weapon and then she nodded to Doug and the closest officer to him. Immediately Edmund was pushed roughly to the ground, and with orders of 'Lie still'; 'Don't move'; and 'Keep your hands where we can see them', was handcuffed and searched. Scully's eyes never left Mulder.
Pulling something out of Edmund's pocket, Doug turned towards them. "It's a key." He said to Scully as he handed it too her. And then when they didn't turn up anything else, he was pulled too his feet and held securely. For the first time in nine years, Edmund and Mulder came face to face.
Cold blue eyes, met stormy hazel ones.
Neither spoke a word, but messages were conveyed on both sides. Mulder was the first to look away, he looked at Scully drew strength from knowing she'd pulled him back from the edge, before turning towards the other occupants in the room. "Take him away." He said. "I want this house secure. Have we found the access to the basement?"
With a heavy rug pushed aside at his feet, one of the officers piped up from his left. "I think it's down here."
Mulder nodded as he walked in that direction, Scully fell in step beside him, and he waved his hand at Mike. "Detective, you'd better come with us." He looked at the trapdoor carved into the floorboards beside his feet and finding the latch pulled it open. Stepping down on the stairwell below, he looked over at the officer. "We're going down, you'd better get the paramedics in here."
"Yes sir."
"And can someone please turn off that alarm?" When the officer nodded, he started his descent.
It was dark at the bottom of the stairs, he moved to one side to allow Scully and Mike a place to stand on the small landing, and started to feel the wall in front of him for a door handle. Scully produced a small flashlight, and began her own search in systematic movements. They both found what they were looking for at the same time. Handing Mulder the key, Scully kept the light fixed on the lock. It turned easily and pulling the latch, Mulder released the door and took a step inside.
* * *
"What's taking so long?" Straining to see and not even attempting to hide his impatience Bobby whirled on Eugene and Helen.
"I don't know Bobby. I'm sure they're just being careful." Eugene lay a sympathetic hand on Bobby's shoulder only to have it shrugged off.
"I can't stand this. I need too….." He broke off as the radio of one of the police officers crackled to life.
"The suspect has been apprehended. I repeat the suspect is in custody."
A general cheer arose from the accumulated group. Bobby tuned it out. He turned towards Cleary, and demanded. "How's Lindsay? My wife, how is she?"
"I don't know Sir. If you could just be patient I'm sure they'll let us know as soon as they can."
"No I'm through with waiting. Ask them about Lindsay."
"Sir, I…."
Near breaking point, Bobby reached out and gripped the front of the Cleary's uniform. "Pick up the radio and ask them now."
Waving away the officers who were stepping in to assist, Cleary reached over to unhook Bobby's fingers and after a brief moment of considerations pulled out his radio. "Captain, this is Sargent Cleary. Mr Donnell's asking about the status of his wife, do we have any information?"
There was a brief pause, that to Bobby felt like a hundred years, then finally. "Negative, the F.B.I.'s down there now. Paramedic's have been requested, send them over."
"Roger that."
"I'm going too." Bobby was already moving forward before Cleary's large hand reached over and held him back.
"Captain, can Mr Donnell come over?"
Another pause, more static, then. "Affirmative, but to the front yard only. Do not enter the premises."
Cleary looked at Bobby, his restraining hand remaining in place. "You heard the man, you're not to enter the house, do you understand that Mr Donnell?"
"Sure. Okay." Bobby would have agreed to anything to get him closer to Lindsay. "Can we go?"
Cleary gave him a measuring look and then nodded. "Yes you can, I'll walk you over myself."
* * *
They saw her immediately as they entered the dimly lit room. She was where Edmund had left her, propped up against the headboard, hands and feet still bound together. Scully watched Lindsay's head jerk with surprise on their entrance, saw the expression in her eyes turn from wary to shocked and then fill with relief when comprehension dawned. She nudged Mulder to the side and moved closer to the bed.
"Lindsay, my names Agent Scully, this is my partner Agent Mulder, and I believe you already know Detective McGuire?" She spoke softly, keeping her voice reassuring. As carefully as she could she started to untie the ropes binding Lindsay's wrists together, while Lindsay's eyes darted between the three of them, then came back to rest on Scully. "We've come to take you home." Scully said. "You're safe now."
Scully's words finally managed to penetrate the shock in Lindsay's mind. "Is he dead?"
"No." With more understanding than Lindsay could ever know, Scully gave her a sympathetic smile. "He's been taken into custody." Finally wrestling the knot undone, she carefully peeled away the ropes, wincing a little at the broken skin beneath them.
Lindsay did her best to ignore the pain. "Bobby?"
"He's right outside Lindsay." Taking a small step forward and feeling utterly useless in the wake of his friends condition, Mike continued. "We'll take you out to him. He's right outside." He repeated.
"I need to see him." Tears, some of relief, some of pain, and some of exhaustion, tracked silently down her cheeks. "Please, can I see him now?"
Freeing the knot at Lindsay's ankles, Scully unwound that rope as well. "We're taking you out now." She turned to Mulder who'd been standing silently off to the side. "We're not going to be able to get a gurney down those stairs."
"Maybe a stretcher." He suggested.
"No." Lindsay interrupted them as she moved carefully to the side of the bed. "I don't want a stretcher, I can walk." She stood slowly, swayed a little, then lent on Scully until she got her bearings. "I'm alright." She said, when Scully tried to ease her back down. "I can't be in this room any longer. I can walk." She said again.
Not entirely convinced, but understanding completely, Scully nodded. "Alright."
But when she went to move into position, Mike took another step closer. "It's alright I'll help her." He wrapped his arm lightly around Lindsay's waist, and gently started moving her towards the open door. "Come on Lindsay, lets get you out of here."
Scully watched their slow progress and then turned to Mulder. "You've been unusually quiet."
"Have a look at this room Scully. It's exactly as he described it. Exactly." Careful not to touch anything, Mulder used his toe to nudge the blue chair. "I didn't really believe it until I stepped in here."
Scully reached out and lightly touched the back of his hand. "Yes you did." She gave him a small smile, and then turned and followed Mike and Lindsay up the stairs.
* * *
The sunlight hurt her eyes as they wheeled her outside. She'd been placed on a gurney as soon as she'd reached the top of the staircase despite her protests. She'd wanted to walk outside, to hold Bobby as she'd been dreaming of doing for days, and hear him tell her everything was going to be alright. She thought she might believe the words if they came from him.
Her good eye blinked against the harsh light, a sea of faces that greeted her in the crowd that gathered outside, but she was only interested in one. Then she saw him break through, watched him run towards her, with worry and relief both so plainly etched in his expression and she wanted to cry again.
"Lindsay." He didn't know where to touch her, where it was safe too, she was so battered and bruised, so he settled for her left forearm. "I'm right here, honey. I'm here."
"Bobby." The restraints on the gurney meant she could only lift her head a fraction, but it was enough. "Don't leave me."
He kept pace with the paramedics as they walked towards the waiting ambulance. He knew Eugene and Helen were somewhere behind him, but he didn't think of them now, only of Lindsay. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I'm so tired." Now that she'd seen him the full shock of her rescue was starting to settle in, her mind was going fuzzy, her bones felt like jelly.
When they stopped to load her into the ambulance he placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "Go to sleep Lindsay, I'll be here when you wake up."
"Promise?"
The quiet plea in her voice broke his heart. Swallowing back tears he nodded. "I promise. Everything's okay now." She'd been right, was her last cohesive thought as she tumbled into sleep, she did believe it when he said it. Bobby watched her eyelids flutter closed as they slid the gurney inside and locked it into place, then stepped inside after her, careful to keep out of the way of the paramedic beside him, and watched her sleep.
* * *
"When can we see him?" Mulder stopped fiddling with the little flashlight, as Scully entered the room.
"We can't." Scully answered. "At least not straight away." She carried a medical file that she opened and referred to. "Edmund's nose has been broken, there was no sign of a fracture on the x-ray that was taken, so at the moment the best guess is it's either in the upper nasal cartilage or the nasal septum."
"Best guess?" Mulder asked. "We're in a hospital and all you can give me is a best guess?"
"You can't x-ray cartilage Mulder, and at the moment there's too much swelling to do a proper examination. There's also been some bleeding, which if it continues may result in a septal hematoma. But again until we get the swelling down it's impossible to tell."
"How long will that take?"
She sighed and was again reminded that patience had never been his strong suit. "They've packed it so hopefully by tomorrow morning they'll know more. In the mean time they also gave him something for the pain, so he wont be in any condition to answer any questions at the moment."
"So we can't question him until tomorrow?"
"Yes."
He let out a huge sigh. "That bites, Scully."
Smiling at him, she closed the folder. "He's not going anywhere Mulder. The answers will still be there tomorrow."
"I know." But he didn't have to be happy about the delay. "So how's Lindsay?"
"I just checked on her before coming in here. She's still asleep, most of her injuries where fairly minor, but they're keeping her overnight for observation as well."
"So basically we have nothing to do now until tomorrow?"
"Basically." She agreed.
"What do we do now?"
She looked down at her watch. "Well considering it's nearly seven, and I haven't eaten anything all day, you could buy me dinner."
"Isn't it your turn to buy?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side.
"No."
His eyebrows rose in surprise. "That's it? Just no, you're not going to give any supporting evidence to back it up?"
"No."
"Alright." He shrugged.
"Great. I'm starving, lets go back to that place that served the big steaks."
"You're going to send me poor, Scully." Mulder complained, half heartedly.
"I think your budget can stretch to a steak, Mulder."
He reached for the door, but paused before opening it. "You did good work today Scully. Analysing the clues, putting them all together….. Well it was really good work." He finished.
She smiled up at him. "Thanks."
"So." Slightly uncomfortable, he pulled open the door and stepped through. "A steak, huh? Sure you don't just want a burger?"
Still smiling, Scully shook her head. "I'm sure."
* * *
He'd kept his promise.
She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision, and focused on his face. He was staring at her, gently holding her newly bandaged hand, his cheeks covered with five o'clock shadow, his hair tousled, and his eyes warm.
"Hey." He lifted the hand that he held higher, and kissed the tips of her fingers. "I missed you."
Could she possibly love him any more? She didn't see how. "I missed you too." Still groggy she looked around the room. "What time is it?"
"Nearly eight. You've been out for a couple of hours."
"Really?" It felt like she'd barely slept at all.
He nodded and she could see the worry still shadowing his eyes. "How do you feel."
That was a good question, she wasn't really sure of the answer. "My head hurts a little."
He nodded. "The doctor said you had a slight concussion, you've also got ten stiches in your wrist." He gently touched the edge of the bandage. "They put butterfly clips on the cut beside your eye, apart from that they think all the bruising should go down in a few days. They want to keep you overnight."
She nodded, and because the movement caused more pain, winced.
"Careful" He said, then stopped when his voice cracked. Closing his eyes he fought the battle for control and finally won. "I was so scared." He said, when he trusted himself to speak again.
"Me too." She could admit it now, to him, even when she hadn't been able to admit it to herself while she'd been captive. "He was going to kill me."
The way she said it so matter of factly, nearly broke him. "I know." And because he couldn't hold back anymore, he gathered her into his arms and held her tight, breathing in the scent of her. "I know." He repeated.
She clung to him, burying her face in his neck and savouring the feel of his arms around her. It wasn't a feeling she'd ever again be able to take for granted. "I love you Bobby." She'd been so scared she'd never get to say those words again.
Or to hear them. "I love you too. So much." They were both crying when they pulled apart.
She brushed a hand over his shoulder. "I got your shirt wet."
"Doesn't matter, I've got more." Reaching for the box of tissues beside her bed he offered her one, and then took one for himself. "I don't suppose you're up for some guests? The whole gangs out in the waiting room."
"Really?" She dabbed at her eyes, then blew her nose.
He nodded. "Yeah as soon as they heard you were here, they shut up the office, Ellenor packed up the kids, they've been in the waiting room all afternoon."
"Robbie's here?" She'd resigned herself to not being able to see him until she was released, just the idea that he was here lifted her heart. "Can I see him?"
"If you're feeling okay, I can send them all home if you're too tired."
"I'll be okay." The need to hold him overshadowed her fatigue.
"Alright." Not really convinced, but unwilling to deny her anything, Bobby headed for the door. "I'll just go and get them, but I won't let them stay long."
Moments later the sound of heels clicking on the linoleum floor broke the silence. Helen came bursting through the door. "You're awake, finally. I was so worried." Grasping Lindsay by the shoulders she pulled her in for a hug, then released her quickly. "Ooh, ooh, I didn't hurt you did I? Do you need a nurse. I can get the nurse."
"Helen, slow down. I don't need a nurse, I've just got a bit of a headache." More amused by her friend than anything Lindsay leant back against the pillows. "Just sit down."
"Okay but you tell me if you need anything." She sat on the edge of the chair and rested her hands on the bed. "You've got to stop doing this too me Lindsay my heart can't take it."
"Mine either."
"And Bobby…." Helen trailed of as more footsteps approached. "We'll talk later." She whispered.
Suddenly the room was full of people, all talking at once.
"Quiet everyone." Helen said, louder than all of them combined. "Lindsay has a headache."
"Well you yelling right next to her ear is hardly going to help that." Jimmy complained.
"Oh." Helen turned towards Lindsay and whispered. "Sorry."
Shaking his head at all of them, Bobby stepped forward with Rob in his arms. He looked ruffled like he'd just been woken up. "Look who I've got."
"Hey baby." Her eyes filling with tears again at the sight of her son, Lindsay reached out as far as she could without affecting the IV tube. Bobby placed Rob in her lap and she pulled him close for a hug. "Mommy's missed you." Recognising the feel and sound of his Mother, Rob curled his head on her chest and closed his eyes.
"Oh my God, that's so sweet. Has anybody got a tissue?" Sniffling loudly Helen looked around the room.
"Here." Eugene plucked up the box from the bedside and held it out to her. She took three and blew loudly.
"How are you Lindsay?" Rebecca stepped forward until she was at the foot of the bed. She wondered how someone could look so bruised and battered and content at the same time.
"I'll be alright." Running her hand down Rob's hair, Lindsay lent forward and pressed her lips to his forehead. "He's tired." She murmured.
"He's had a big day." Ellenor said.
"Everyone has." Eugene added. "We should let you get some rest Lindsay, we just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Thanks guys."
"When will you be discharged?" Lucy asked.
"Hopefully tomorrow." Bobby answered, shooting Lindsay an encouraging smile.
Eugene clapped his hands together lightly. "Okay everyone say goodnight."
A chorus of 'Goodnight' and 'I hope you feel better' echoed around the room and one by one everybody filed out. When Ellenor reached down to take Rob, Lindsay didn't want to let him go.
"You'll see him tomorrow." Bobby told her gently, as she watched them leave. "But you need to rest now."
Helen was the last to leave. Still sniffling she leant down to kiss Lindsay's cheek. "I'll come by tomorrow." She promised.
When they were alone, Bobby claimed the seat Helen had been sitting in, and reached out for Lindsay's hand. "You should get some sleep."
"Will you stay?"
With his free hand he smoothed the hair from her face. "Of course I will."
Settling more comfortable into the pillows she turned her head to look at him. "You're going to be uncomfortable in that chair."
"I don't care."
She squeezed his fingers lightly. "Talk to me?"
"What about?"
"I don't care, anything. I just want to hear you your voice."
"Alright, close your eyes." He waited until she did, and keeping his voice low began to speak. He didn't stop even when her breathing evened out, and her features relaxed in sleep.
* * *
"Coming." Scully blew her hair out of her eyes and rose to answer the knock at the door. Mulder stood on the other side bouncing on the soles of his feet.
"I thought we were meeting for breakfast?"
"Sorry." She said, moving back into the room and towards her computer. "I just wanted to check my email, before I came down."
"Anything interesting?" He asked, as he settled himself on the edge of the bed.
"I don't know, I'd only just opened it." She clicked on the first message, blushed, and closed it quickly.
"What was that?" Mulder asked craning his neck to try to peer over her shoulder.
"Nothing." She answered quickly, then sighed. "Just a message from Frohike."
Interested and more than a little amused that Scully was still blushing, he leaned forward. "What'd it say?"
"Nothing." she repeated, more firmly this time. "So Mulder what's the plan for today?" Distraction was the best tactic she had.
Not giving up, but deciding that if he couldn't get the information out of her later, he'd just ask Frohike, Mulder conceded the subject change. "I'm not sure, I want to have a talk to Bobby a little later this morning, see if there's anything new from that angle. I've already contacted the field office, the guards there said no clue's were dropped off overnight, but since we only have one day left I'm sure Ed'll find some creative method to get one too us. I'm halfway expecting an ad in the newspaper but that seems a little too extreme even for him. Maybe…"
He trailed off when he noticed Scully wasn't paying any attention to him. "Am I boring you already Scully?"
"I think I discovered his method, Mulder." She turned the computer around until the message was visible.
Agent Scully,
We haven't officially met, although I am aware of the fact that you've spent the entirety of your time in Boston searching for me. Know that I've spent equal time following your progress and unlike the colleagues that Agent Mulder teamed up with during our last encounter, I have found you to be every bit the adversary he is.
Your interpretation of my clues so far has been interesting to watch unfold. Your investigation of the universities while unfruitful for you at the time, may still provide valuable information. I'm aware that you contacted the prison and spoke to Warden Sweeney, I hope he spoke highly of me, however I should point out that you wasted that day trying to track Martin down. Did you really believe I'd let you find him? You should have been focussing on the clues I'd provided.
Regardless of that, all is not lost, as time has not yet expired I offer you this final photograph and clue to assist in your investigation:
The place you need stops with an End
It contains a place where people tend.
I've given you the clues to help Lindsay survive,
Find her before tomorrow or she won't be alive.
In the unlikely event that you can decipher it's meaning, I'll look for you tomorrow. If not there's always another city and another challenge, maybe we can meet personally next time.
Yours sincerely,
Edmund Harrison
P.S. Please give my best regards to Agent Mulder, I bet he's not laughing now.
She scrolled down further, a picture of Lindsay filled the screen.
"She's awake." Mulder murmured. "We haven't had a picture where she's been awake before."
"That's a positive sign at least."
He nodded, his gaze fixed on the screen, taking in the bruised face and worried eyes. "Yeah, she looks a little worse for wear though" He scanned through the message again, then a third time. "Something's not right here, Scully."
"I know." She'd been rereading it herself. "Where's he getting his information from?"
"That's what I was thinking. It couldn't just be from Martin. Not all of it anyway. He knows Agent Griffin contacted the prison, how could he have known that?"
"Phone tap?"
He raised an eyebrow. "On the F.B.I. phones?"
"I don't know Mulder. What other choices are there? Maybe he has an inside source?"
Eyes narrowed, he considered the possibility. Then shook his head. "If he had an inside source, he'd hardly have any reason to use Martin in the first place. Not to mention that everyone was assigned the case after we arrived. So how could they have any connection to Ed?"
She shrugged. "Well he's getting it from somewhere. He can obviously get access to our emails…." She paused when the colour drained from his face.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he sent this one to me. And I, like everyone else on the case apart from you, wasn't around the first time."
A headache started to form behind his eyes. "I've been emailing my progress reports to Skinner, Scully. What are the chances he could have got access to them?"
She frowned. "I don't know enough about it Mulder. I'd imagine there'd be some security measures in place, but it's a better question for the experts." She cast a worried glance at him. "But if he's been reading your reports then…."
"Then he really is a few steps ahead of us. I know." Even rubbing, couldn't reduce the pain. "This is just speculation Scully. We don't know if he's been reading the reports or if he's just a really good guesser."
"Mulder, he'd have to be a great guesser to know that stuff."
"Thanks, that's really helpful." Standing, he ran a hand through is hair, Edmund was right, he definitely wasn't laughing. "We should head over to the field office." He gestured towards her notebook computer. "You should bring that with you."
Nodding, she shut it down, and with deft movements packed it in the carry case. "When was the last time you sent through a report?"
He considered a moment. "Um, Saturday night. I didn't bother sending one on Sunday because I didn't think Skinner would be working. And he called me yesterday, so I didn't send one then either."
"So even if that is how he's getting his information, he'd be behind now. He wouldn't know what we're working on at the moment."
"Maybe. We can only hope so anyway."
Holding the door open, he waited until she walked past him and followed her into the corridor. "This could really screw things up Scully."
She recognised the look in his eye, the tone of his voice, and stopped in the middle of the hallway to turn and face him. "Don't do this Mulder, not now."
"What?" He took a few steps past her, and pushed the button for the elevator.
"Don't start blaming yourself for things we don't even have answers to yet. This isn't about you Mulder, it's about him, if we're going to find Lindsay we need to remember that."
He didn't turn around, just reached over and pushed the button a few more times. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do." With her free hand she reached out and took hold of his elbow, spinning him towards her. "You think I don't know what this case is doing to you Mulder? You think I don't understand? I do." The lift arrived and was mercifully empty. She walked in ahead of him, waited for the doors to close and continued. "Every time we take a case like this it takes a piece out of you. She's not your sister Mulder, it doesn't have to end the same way."
He suddenly found the pattern of the carpet very interesting. "My sister was abducted by aliens Scully, I hardly think it could end the same way."
The doors slid open, when he would have taken a step forward she held out her hand to stop him. They slid closed again. "Your sister was taken and never returned. That doesn't have to happen here. We can find her Mulder, no matter how many steps he is in front of us, we can still find her, but not if you're too busy blaming yourself to keep looking."
He did look at her now, and in his eyes she could see every emotion he was feeling, but his voice when he spoke was light. "Scully if there's one thing you should know about me after all this time it's that I never stop looking."
This time when the doors opened they stepped out together.
* * *
The light was on when she woke, the low wattage of the bulb casting a dim pallor on the room. She understood somewhere in the recesses of her mind that the light signified daytime, but that was as far as her understanding allowed. How long had she been unconscious? It was hard, oh so hard, to keep track of the days. But with every one that past, she knew she was one step closer to death.
The thought caused an involuntary shiver to run up her spine, and goose bumps broke out across her skin. She wondered, as she'd only allowed herself to do when she was alone, about Bobby and Rob. And she worried. It had helped her earlier, to think of them and remember all the good times, all the joy. It had given her strength, conviction that she would see them again. But with each passing moment, each prayer she sent for release that went unanswered her conviction faltered. She'd tried to be strong, to keep the fear from showing when Edmund was in the room, but with each act of violence, each demonstration that he truly meant to carry through with his plan, she was pushed just that bit closer to the brink of despair.
Bobby would be blaming himself for the situation. Though it had nothing to do with him, she knew him well enough to know that. He'd place the questions and the blame squarely on his shoulders, because that was his way. And if she died, today or tomorrow or two days from now, the burden would be that much greater. She didn't want that for him, she didn't want that for their son.
Tears pricked in her eyes and momentarily forgetting the bruising she lifted her hands to wipe them away. When they came in contact with the swelling she jerked her head back in pain. Her heart ached for the family she loved, for the friends. And it ached for herself. It wasn't right that through some fluke of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, she might never see her son grow up. To miss his first step, his first day of school, his successes and failures. And she wanted all that, she wanted it so badly.
It wasn't fair!
She wanted to scream that, to cry and rant and rave. They were going to have more children, they'd talked about it, planned for it, looked forward too it. The image of Bobby's hopeful look as he'd tried to talk her into having four, swam into her mind. Her counter offer of two, and his cheerful grin as they'd settled for three. She clung to the memory of the way his arms had wrapped around her, and the soft, playful suggestion he'd whispered in her ear about practice making perfect. Followed soon after by the groan of frustration, as Rob had started crying.
Even as she brought herself back from the thought, she could feel the love and happiness they'd shared, and it made her just that bit more lonely. Lying there in the poorly lit area, on an uncomfortable bed, in a room where nobody could hear her scream, she gave in to the tenuous grip she'd kept on her emotions. She could only open her right eye a sliver, and there was no vision there, just a swimming sea of grey, but it was room enough for tears to pour out. She let them run down her face unheeded, she let her body wrack, and her throat still bruised from Edmunds assault, clog.
And when she heard Edmund open the door, she turned the left side of her face as far into the pillow as it would go, and damned him straight to hell.
* * *
"You think what?" Adam asked, from his perch opposite Mulder.
"I think that Edmunds been hacking into my email account. Intercepting the reports I've been sending to A.D. Skinner."
"Based on what?"
"This." Mulder turned Scully's laptop around until it was facing the others. "Read the message, he's getting his information from somewhere. The only place I can think that would be is in the reports." He gestured to the machine behind him. "I want the techs to go through both these machines. Pull them apart if they have too…."
"What?" Scully said, clutching at her laptop protectively.
Adam smiled at her. "I'm sure it wont come to that."
"Okay, tell them to start with that one then. They can do whatever they have to do, but if Ed's in there I want him out."
Mike was looking at the photo of Lindsay. "That eye looks bad."
Mulder's voice gentled. "We knew he wouldn't go easy on her."
"I guess. But knowing and seeing are two different things." He looked away from the picture and over to Mulder. "Are we going to show this to Bobby?"
"Not yet, lets wait and see what results today's investigation brings."
"Where do we start?" Doug asked.
"We start by pulling down every bit of information we've managed to collect. I want it all on the table, we're going to go through it with a fine tooth comb." He looked at each of them in turn. "If we've missed anything, it's time we find it."
* * *
The room was dark when Eugene opened the door, even though it was mid morning. "Bobby?" He asked.
"I'm awake." Came the quiet reply.
"What are you doing?" Taking a few steps inside the room he left the door open, so the light from outside illuminated it.
"Thinking." The sheets rustled, as Bobby sat up, leaning against the headboard.
"What about?" Walking over to the window, Eugene pulled the curtains apart and watched as sunlight flooded in. When Bobby didn't answer he turned back around. "Did you have another dream?"
"No." There was such desolation when he spoke, such heartache, that Eugene could almost hear the tears in Bobby's voice.
"You don't remember it?"
He looked over, blinking against the morning light. And his eyes when they met Eugene's were bleak. "There's nothing to remember. There was no dream."
Over the last few days Eugene had watched Bobby run through an entire array of emotions, from anguish to despair, to wild grief, and he hoped he'd helped with them all. But he had no idea how to help with the empty look Bobby gave him now. "I think she's dead." He heard Bobby say.
Because they were words he'd said himself less than twenty four hours ago, he found it just that bit harder to offer support. But still he tried. "You don't really think that Bobby. You're upset and you're scared, and maybe you're over reacting to the situation. But don't start thinking the worst. You have to stay positive."
"How?" His hair, already unruly was made more so when he ran his fingers through it. "You don't believe in my dreams, I know that Eugene. You, Helen, and probably everyone else think it's just something I've come up with to keep Lindsay close to me. But I know what I saw." Pulling his knees up he wrapped his arms around them and rocked. "I know what I felt. Lindsay was asking me for help, she was reaching out to me, and I've tried everything I could to connect with her and I can't."
There was self recrimination and misery lacing his voice. "I don't know how to reach her. I don't know how to help her."
"I think you're trying too hard, Bobby. Let the F.B.I do their job. Let them find Lindsay. But don't give up hope." He looked at the calendar on the far wall. "They still have time."
"Time?" A note of hysteria bubbled in Bobby's throat, his first real show of emotion since Eugene had entered the room. "It's been six days. Six days Eugene." The emotion left him as quickly as it had arrived and his body slumped in defeat. "Time's nearly out."
Not knowing exactly what to do or say, Eugene reached out and gave Bobby's shoulder a quick shake. "Listen to me Bobby." He gave another shake when he didn't get a reaction, and waited until Bobby's eyes met his. "You can't do this, not to yourself and not to Lindsay. When you went missing a few years ago, when you were taken by Patrick Rooney, Lindsay didn't give up on you. She was scared, and she cried and occasionally she yelled, but she always believed you were going to be alright." He watched tears enter Bobby's eyes. "You owe that to her as well."
Sick at heart, Bobby leaned his head back against the headboard. "But why didn't I dream? That has to mean something."
"I don't have any answers for you one that." Eugene sighed. "Why don't I give Agent Mulder a call, see if he can help you out?"
"Okay."
It took Eugene a few moments to locate Mulder's business card and the portable phone, he found the first on the coffee table, the second was wedged behind the cushion of the couch. He waited the three rings it took for the call to be connected.
"Mulder."
"Agent Mulder, it's Eugene Young."
"Hey." Mulder stepped away from the noise of the conversation going on around him. "Is everything alright?"
"Well…. Not exactly." Wandering over to the window he looked outside, at the people below and wondered why life had to be so complicated. "Bobby didn't have a dream last night. About Lindsay." He clarified. "And now he's worried that she's…. Well that she may not be alive."
"Oh." Mulder turned his back to the room as he felt a wave of disappointment. He'd been hoping Bobby could supply another piece to the puzzle they were trying to assemble.
"I was hoping you could talk to him." Eugene continued, oblivious. "Maybe reassure him?"
"Sure, put him on."
Closing his eyes in relief, Eugene nodded. "He's just in the other room, I'll get him." Quickly he walked up the hall and back into Bobby's bedroom. "It's Agent Mulder." He said, holding out the phone.
There was trepidation in Bobby as he reached for it. "Hello?"
"Eugene told me you didn't have a dream."
He clutched the receiver until his knuckles turned white. "What do you think that means?"
Mulder heard the plea, and he answered it. "It probably doesn't mean anything."
"But…" People kept telling him that, but how could they know?
He heard Mulder sigh. "We received another clue today. There was a photo in it. Lindsay was alive in the picture Bobby, her eyes were open."
"Really?" The first trace of a smile, appeared on his face. For the first time that morning he allowed himself the luxury of hope. "Was it taken today?"
"We can't tell that. But it's my opinion that it's recent. Very recent." He moved the phone to the other ear, and turned to watch everyone pouring over the information they'd gathered, looking for anything they might have missed. "We're still looking Bobby. So hang in there."
"I will."
"That's good. I have to get back to this, but we'll call you if we turn up anything alright?"
"Thank you."
"No problem."
When he heard the dial tone, he reached out and hung up the phone, dropping it on the bed beside him. Eugene was staring at him, silently asking the question. "They received another photo Eugene. Just this morning, he said not to give up hope." He paused, then looked down at the bed. "I just don't know how much longer I can stand this. The not knowing."
Eugene reached out a comforting arm, and thought to himself that one way or the other that wasn't going to be a problem for very much longer.
* * *
Putting the phone back in his pocket, Mulder reclaimed his seat. The table in front of him was a mess, filled from side to side with notes, and maps and photos. Emails, surveillance tapes, interview transcripts and autopsy reports, all vied for space. It was a lot of information, gathered over a short amount of time, and yet still not enough. The key to the mystery had to be in there somewhere, he believed that, and because he did he felt the weight of guilt settle on him. If it turned out they'd been staring at the answer the entire time…. Well, he shook his head, and purposely cleared his mind. Thoughts like that weren't going to help bring Lindsay back any faster.
"Let's sort this out" He said, motioning to the collection in front of him. "I don't want to look at it in days anymore, like we've been doing. Sort it into like groups, all the notes from Ed in one, the photo's in another, etc. We'll each take a pile and see what we make of it." When the evidence was sorted, he watched as everyone grabbed for a pile, and was mildly bemused when he found himself left with the autopsy report. He looked over at Scully, who had claimed the interview transcript. "Shouldn't you get this one?"
"I've already read it." She said, without looking at him.
A small sigh escaped. "Okay, fine." Looking to everyone, he continued. "If you find you aren't getting anywhere with your pile swap with someone else. Take notes, and don't be afraid to offer suggestions, the littlest thing may help." When everyone nodded their understanding, he clapped his hands together. "Alright, lets get to work."
* * *
Edmund regarded Lindsay from his vantage point on the chair. She'd kept the same position as the one she'd been in when he'd entered, face half buried, her body turned towards the wall. He wondered how long she could ignore him, and then decided he wasn't feeling patient enough to find out.
"You broke my nose." Lifting a hand up to it now, he checked to make sure there was no additional swelling and cursed softly when he felt the puffy area just below his eyes. The two ice bags he'd kept applied all night had reduced the worst of it, but hadn't taken away the deep purple bruising that spread from his nose to his cheeks.
When she finally turned towards him he took consolation in the thick finger shaped bruises on her throat.
Her own eyes were puffy from crying and ringed in red. He would have taken pleasure in the fact that she'd finally bent enough to lose control, but for the defiant set of her head. Even with the tear tracks still staining her cheeks she didn't look weak, she didn't look broken. The heated gaze she sent him and the glimmer of satisfaction that caused one side of her mouth to turn up slightly as she took in his bandaged features had him gritting his teeth. Her own face now bare from where he'd ripped away the dressing, looked calm and gave away none of the emotions she must have been feeling when she cried. If she was sad or scared at that moment he couldn't tell.
When she opened her mouth to talk, her voice was hoarse but steady. "What day is it?"
Even after all this time, he never knew what to expect from her. "Tuesday."
Her heart sank at the news, and the constant pounding of the headache that was always present, kicked into higher gear. There was tension in every muscle in her body, but she was determined not let him see it. If she was to die tomorrow, and she was beginning to believe she would, he'd never know how scared she really was. There was so little of the situation that she could control, but she could control that.
Raising her chin a notch she struggled to keep her voice even. "What time tomorrow?"
She was asking him when she was going to die, and staring daggers at him at the same time. God he admired her! "Do you really want to know?"
When she thought about it she decided she didn't. "No."
Inclining his head to acknowledge her answer, he changed the subject. "What would you like for dinner tonight?"
How was she meant to think about food now? Really, how was she meant to think about anything. Lifting a shoulder in what she'd hoped to be a casual gesture, but because of the awkwardness of her position, instead came across as clumsy, she replied. "I'll leave that up to you."
"Really?" His own discomfort at his injury forgotten, he leaned forward. "No last request?"
"Sure, let me go."
He let out high pitched chuckle. "I meant for food."
"Then no."
Leaning back he regarded her intensely. "You're an intriguing individual Lindsay. I must say under different circumstances I would have really enjoyed getting to know you better."
Her skin crawled and her teeth clenched. "I wouldn't want to know you under any circumstances."
Slapping a hand on his knee in delight, he beamed at her. "I knew you were going to say that."
"So tell me." Waving a hand at her he settled more comfortably in the chair. "If you could say anything to your family before you die, any message that you'd want passed on to your son or your husband what would it be?"
That she loved them, that she missed them, that they lit up her life and made everything she'd ever done, everything she did now worthwhile. That she would wait for them forever. "I'd tell them to watch where they were walking."
His eyebrow quirked, and something dangerous flashed in his eyes as they met hers. "Well maybe I'll tell them for you."
* * *
Adam looked up from the photos he'd been staring at and tried to refocus his eyes. "Maybe Lindsay's trying to communicate with us through these pictures. You know send us a silent message or something." He didn't direct the comment at anyone in general, just looked around the room.
Doug paused the surveillance tape he'd just started watching. "That would be an interesting trick considering she's unconscious in two out of the three of them."
"Well maybe she isn't really unconscious. Maybe that's part of the message."
Mike, who'd been rereading the notes he'd made about the interview transcript looked up. "Why would she pretend to be unconscious? What sort of message are we meant to get from that?"
"I don't know." Adam let out a frustrated sigh, and pushed the photo's away. "I can't get anything out of these. Who want's to swap?"
Mulder looked up and quickly raised his hand, but Mike beat him too it, by grabbing the pictures and pulling them in front of him. He handed Adam his sheets of paper. "I will, I'm not having much luck with that either, but I made some notes."
Mulder glared at both of them, and then at Scully for good measure, who had moved on to Edmund's clues. When everyone ignored him he went back to reading the autopsy report.
* * *
Helen tapped a pen against the surface of her desk, and tried to concentrate. The words on the sheet of paper in front of her blurred as she rubbed at her tired eyes. Part of her knew that she shouldn't even have bothered to come into work today, the other part knew that if she didn't at least make the effort, it wouldn't be that much longer before she didn't have a job to come into. Still how did anyone expect her to be productive when her best friend was now down to a 24 hour countdown?
She wondered for a moment, as her mind continued to drift, just why it was that Lindsay always seemed to be in the midst of such potentially harmful situations. She'd been stabbed, she'd been stalked, now she was kidnapped. Realistically she understood that sometimes bad things happened to good people, but at what point did it become too much? Not just for the person involved but for those they loved.
Live or die, would any of them ever be the same again?
Shaking her head, she once again looked at the work in front of her, but there were no words there, only lines of ink she had no immediate interest in. Could any of this have been prevented? Bobby said Lindsay had been spooked the day before she'd been taken, the last time Helen had seen her, she'd been preoccupied about running into someone. Were all the signs there and they'd ignored them? Would Lindsay be safe at home now if everyone including herself had just paid that little bit more attention? Was asking herself any of these questions solving anything?
Probably not, she conceded.
Reaching up with one hand she rubbed the bridge of her nose, her chair gave a warning squeak as she leaned back in it, she didn't want to think about maybe's and what if's. Thinking of better possibilities, just made it that much harder to return to the reality of the situation. As a D.A. nobody knew better than her that good didn't always win out in the end, and after her conversation with Eugene yesterday, one she was really beginning to wish she'd never had at all, she wasn't quite as successful at convincing herself that it would now.
She wanted to do something, the inactivity on her behalf was driving her crazy. Mike got to assist in the investigation. Eugene and Rebecca practically had full time jobs looking after Bobby. Lucy and Jimmy got to keep the firm running and Ellenor was doing a bang up job of looking after Rob. Meanwhile she got to go to the office and pretend to work. She was used to leading the charge, used to knowing what was happening, she wanted to be able to participate, to feel she was doing something to bring her friend home, instead of waiting around for the phone to ring, or worse for it not to.
Flipping the file in front of her closed she gave up even the pretence of doing anything. She couldn't be here any longer. She didn't know exactly where she should go, or what she would do when she got there, but she knew she had to leave. She grabbed her coat as she circled her desk and locked the door as she left to go ….. somewhere.
Anywhere, she thought, that wasn't here.
* * *
"Okay that's it." The tech, who'd been working in the background the entire time they'd been researching walked over and tapped Mulder on the shoulder.
"What'd you find?" Grateful to be focusing on anything else, Mulder threw the file on the table in front of him and turned around.
"You were right. He attached a virus to your email, he's been able to read everything you sent out."
It was exactly what he'd been expecting but still managed to feel a wave of disappointment in himself for not anticipating the move. "Can you get rid of it?"
"Already done." He crouched down to pack up his tools. "The whole systems clean now. You're fine to send anything out."
"Thanks but I don't think…." He paused when Scully interrupted him.
"Mulder, can you look at this."
Giving the tech a smile of thanks, Mulder rolled his chair closer to Scully. "What have you got?"
She pushed the map of Boston that Adam had arranged for them, a little further away to allow him some space. "I've been studying these clues." Sitting back slightly, she pushed her glasses further up her nose. "We mostly just took them on a day to day basis, but I've been playing with putting them all together, mixing up the order, that sort of thing."
"I tried that too." Mike said. Looking up from the photo's he'd been staring at.
"Yes." She acknowledged Mike with a nod before turning back to Mulder. "I didn't get anywhere with that. So I started breaking them down piece by piece and I think I've been more successful." She pushed them towards him. "Read them as if they were one message." She said.
"Okay." He pulled the pieces of paper closer.
"As I sit and wait, the clock hand turns,
You'll find me near where the grad student learns.
An institution located on the Charles River, or near,
Borders a suburb, you'll find me here.
To assist in your attempts I offer this clue
We're located in plain site, but she's hidden from view,
She can scream and scream but you'll hear no sound
You'll have to pay attention if she's to be found.
The time draws near and no sign of you yet
Drive to far to the north and you'll get wet.
To far to the east and you're on the wrong track
Keep going South and you'll have to turn back.
The place you need stops with an End
It contains a place where people tend.
I've given you the clues to help Lindsay survive,
Find her before tomorrow or she won't be alive."
He finished reading and looked up at her. "What have you come up with?"
"Right." She pulled the map closer to her. "I think we were on the right track with the first verse investigating the universities." She used a black marker to circle the ones they'd visited. "And Bobby's dreams, if we factor them into the evidence we've collected support the theory that Lindsay's being held in a sound proof basement of a house. So that's the second clue."
"Alright." Mulder agreed.
"But here's where I think we went wrong." With the end of the marker she tapped the third clue. "I don't think he was telling us to go west at all."
"Why." Adam asked, giving up on the interview transcript in favour of their conversation.
Turning the pages to the centre of the table so that everyone could see them, she asked. "Do you see anything different about today's clue?"
Adam scanned down the text. "No."
"I didn't at first either, because I was so busy focussing on what the words said that I wasn't looking at the words." Still using the marker as a pointer she touched it to the top line. "See how the last word of this line starts with a capital letter?"
"It could just be a typing mistake." Doug suggested.
"No, Edmund's too particular to make typing errors." Mulder said, shaking his head. He turned to Scully. "What's your theory, Scully?"
"Well I really do think he's given us all the information Mulder, we just needed the last piece of the puzzle to put it all together." She tapped the fourth clue. "Clue one points us to the universities." She pointed to the circles she'd drawn. "Clue three tells us directions. Drive north and you'll get wet. Which means it's south of the river, so we can cross out these two." She put a cross through, MIT and Cambridge. "That leaves us with Boston University and Suffolk. Now it also tells us not to go east or south, which is when we decided we should be heading west. But if you look back at clue number one, it says he's in a suburb bordering a university. Not the university itself. So lets widen the area around these two." She drew two larger circles and sat back. "Does anyone else see anything in the circle that contains the word End?"
"West End." Doug murmured. "God." He banged his fist on the table. "It's so easy when you have the answer."
Scully nodded. "The rest of today's clue says it contains a place where people tend. Massachusetts General Hospital is in West End. He has to be there Mulder. I think we had the right idea yesterday when we canvassed all the surrounding streets near North Eastern, we were just canvassing the wrong university."
"I think you're right Scully." He looked down at the evidence in front of him and could find no flaws in her logic. "We need to get out there. Canvas every street in that suburb. Everybody goes in pairs, one drives the other looks for all the signs Bobby gave us." He looked at Mike. "Can you get us some more men?"
"Sure."
"Great, no uniforms and unmarked cars only." Borrowing the pen from Scully, he started to draw lines through the map. "We'll each take a section, drive at a steady pace, if Ed has security monitoring the street we don't want him to get suspicious. And lets all keep radio contact open." Holding up the map, this time he addressed Adam. "Do you have any more of these?"
"I can get some."
"Okay then." Taking the one on the table with him, he stood. "Lets get moving."
* * *
"Helen." Eugene opened the door wider and moved aside so she could enter. "What are you doing here?"
She shrugged out of her jacket. "I couldn't concentrate on work. Thought I'd go for a drive and ended up here." She looked around the apartment. Eugene had obviously been doing some cleaning. "Where's Bobby?"
Eugene closed the door and then lead the way into the kitchen. "You want some coffee?" She nodded and he set the kettle to boil. "He's in the shower. He's having a difficult time getting moving today."
"Well that's understandable I guess."
"Yeah." He sighed, and pulled out two mugs from the cupboard beside the sink. Adding coffee and sugar he waited for the water to boil. "It's more than that. He didn't have a dream about Lindsay last night. He's got himself convinced that means something's already happened too her."
Her eyebrows rose. "Really?"
Nodding, he passed her the now full cup. "He was pretty out of it this morning. Agent Mulder had a talk with him over the phone that seemed to cheer him up a bit. But the later it gets in the day, the more he starts to worry."
She blew over the rim of the mug, before taking her first sip. "What'd Agent Mulder say?"
"Apparently they received another photo of Lindsay. Agent Mulder's convinced she's still alive."
"What about you Eugene. Do you still think she's dead?"
"I don't know what to think." He leant against the kitchen bench holding his mug in both hands. "I guess if they've got a new photo that's good news, if it was taken today. But even if she is still alive now, Helen, times really running out. There's not getting past that."
"I know. It's all I've been able to think about all day. Which is why I'm no longer at work." She set her cup down and linked her hands together. "I don't suppose you'd mind if I hung out here for awhile?"
"Truthfully." Eugene looked up the empty hallway. "I'd appreciate the company."
* * *
Taking a right turn, Adam drove down the sixth street in his assigned area. Doug looked from side to side at each house they passed. They were moving at a steady pace, not too slow that it looked suspicious but not so fast that they'd miss any details. They were three houses from the end when Doug reached over and tapped him on the arm.
"How about that one?"
Adam looked at the small brick house, with it's front hedge of white roses and tidy lawn. Careful not to slow down at all he looked to the other side of the road, and the house surrounded by a white picket fence. "Looks promising."
Doug nodded. "You'd better keep going. Turn into the next street." He waited until Adam made the turn and pulled the car over before reaching for the radio. "Agent Mulder, it's Agent Griffin. I think we've found it."
* * *
Mulder focussed the binoculars on the house in question and nodded. "That's it Scully, I know it is."
She reached over and took them from him, leaning on the hood of the car as she looked through them. They were gathered in the adjoining street, six houses down from the corner. "I does fit the descriptions we were given. But we have to be sure Mulder. We cant just go around breaking down innocent peoples doors." She sent him a mild look when she anticipated an argument, and handed him back the binoculars. "Besides, if we go in there sirens blazing and it is the wrong house, if Edmund's anywhere in the proximity and he heres what's happening he may act before we find him."
"I hadn't planned to go in sirens blazing, but I get your point." Signalling to Mike, he called him over. "I want you to go and get Bobby Donnell. Bring him down here, drive him right by the house, don't slow down, he's only going to get one chance to look at it." He turned back to Scully. "If he identifies it we're going in. We can't afford to wait forever."
When she nodded, he turned to Adam and Doug. "I want SWAT teams and paramedics on stand by, make sure nobody uses the siren. Everyone wears vests when we enter, we're not taking any chances with this guy. Suit up now, I want us to be ready."
When everyone ran off to jump in cars or make calls, he picked up the binoculars and making them to zoom in, prepared to wait.
* * *
"That's the one." Opening the door before Mike had come to a complete stop, Bobby clamoured out of the car. Momentarily losing his footing as his feet his the ground, he stumbled for a couple of steps, righted himself and hurried over to Mulder and Scully. Eugene and Helen were right behind him.
"That's the house I saw in my dream. Lindsay's in there you have to get her out."
"That's the plan Bobby. Are you sure it's the right house. We need you to be certain before we go in."
"I'm positive, it's the one."
Mulder took a moment to look him in the eye, then nodded. "Alright." Turning he called over the leader of the SWAT team, who was standing a few meters away. "Do you have a plan of attack?"
"We can get access to the back of the house from the property behind it. Give my men a couple of minutes to get in position and then when they give the signal, we'll hit the front and the back simultaneously. Surprise will be the key."
"Okay." Mulder turned to Doug and Adam. "You two go through the back as well. Let the SWAT guys go in first. We'll go through the front."
Bobby stepped forward and grabbed Mulder's arm. "I want to go with you."
"No." Mulder's voice was firm but understanding. "It's too dangerous. We don't know what we'll be walking into." He pried Bobby's fingers off him. "If Lindsay's in there we'll bring her out to you. But you need wait here." There was a group of officers that had helped with the search mulling around near the cars, Mulder caught the attention of one, a huge mountain of a man, and called him over. Scanning the name tag he said. "Officer Cleary, nobody is to approach that house until we give the all clear. I'm leaving you in charge of making sure everyone stays here, can you do that?" Cleary nodded, and Mulder turned towards the SWAT commander.
"Get your men in position."
* * *
As quietly as they could they surrounded the house. Crouching over the front lawn, and jumping back fences they approached. Halfway to their destination the alarm sounded in the house. Caught in the short hallway between the living room and the kitchen, Edmund blinked in surprise and then realising what was about to happen, darted for the first weapon that was available to him. The knife block on the kitchen counter.
His hand drew around the hilt of the closest knife to him and he pulled it free of the wood. It was smaller than he would have liked, and certainly if he had more time to choose he might have gone back for the carving knife, but time was a luxury he could ill afford now. Straining his neck he peered towards the front of the house and wondered at his ability to reach the trapdoor to the basement, just as the door behind him was pounded open. Wood splintered with the force of the ramming rod and Edmund hunched his back and turned away from it to shield his body. Noise was all around him, footsteps stampeding from in from the front as well as behind, as he bent low at the knees shielding the knife. Then there were voices, edgy, commanding voices telling him to remain still, and to bring his hands out where they could be seen.
Taking the only opportunity he thought he would get, he moved quickly, hooking the knife in the loop of his pants, and still bent over he held both hands out, keeping them close to his side, as if in surrender. Then just as the first officer stepped closer he swivelled, using his right hand to reach for the weapon, his sight was obscured and his knife was small but his aim was direct as he lunged, felt the blade tear material and hit the strong sturdy surface of Kevlar. Though uninjured, the man he'd attacked at took a step back out of reflex, away from the knife and Ed kept his hand on the hilt in an attempt to retrieve it. When he felt the cold metal of the gun barrel at his temple he froze.
"Let it go."
He couldn't see the person who had given the command, but he knew the voice. Not moving his hand or his head a millimetre, he countered. "And if I don't?"
The definitive sound of the safety being flicked back was his only answer.
Edmund widened his fingers as he let go of the knife, moved his hands away from his body in a show of defeat. "You've got me Agent Mulder." He felt the slight movement of the gun away from him and couldn't resist one last barb. "For now."
The gun was placed very firmly back against his skull. "Are you going to shoot me Agent Mulder?" There was a taunt in Edmund's voice. A challenge. "Is this how it ends between us? With you becoming me?" Nothing would have delighted him more. He wanted to turn his head, look Mulder in the eye, but the barrel of the gun prohibited the movement. He settled for a quiet snicker.
He was still half bent, half crouched in his original position, and if he rolled his eyes upward he could just see the faces of three officers in front of him, weapons drawn. They waited, as did he for some sign, some action from Mulder, a decision to be made. But it wasn't Mulder who broke the silence.
"Mulder." Stepping forward, Scully wrapped her fingers around Mulder's wrist, she felt the tension in the arm beneath hers. Could see the strain in the fingers that curled around the trigger. "Don't."
She could see as no-one else in the room could the battle that raged inside him. Knew that this case more than any other had reminded him of his never ending search for his sister. Realised that part of him wanted to punish as he hadn't been able to then. And understood the consequences such actions would have for him.
Tightening her grip on his wrist, she gave it a light squeeze. "This isn't you." Beneath her hand she felt some of the tension drain, but it wasn't until he took a small step back that she allowed a breath of relief. She watched as he carefully lowered his weapon and then she nodded to Doug and the closest officer to him. Immediately Edmund was pushed roughly to the ground, and with orders of 'Lie still'; 'Don't move'; and 'Keep your hands where we can see them', was handcuffed and searched. Scully's eyes never left Mulder.
Pulling something out of Edmund's pocket, Doug turned towards them. "It's a key." He said to Scully as he handed it too her. And then when they didn't turn up anything else, he was pulled too his feet and held securely. For the first time in nine years, Edmund and Mulder came face to face.
Cold blue eyes, met stormy hazel ones.
Neither spoke a word, but messages were conveyed on both sides. Mulder was the first to look away, he looked at Scully drew strength from knowing she'd pulled him back from the edge, before turning towards the other occupants in the room. "Take him away." He said. "I want this house secure. Have we found the access to the basement?"
With a heavy rug pushed aside at his feet, one of the officers piped up from his left. "I think it's down here."
Mulder nodded as he walked in that direction, Scully fell in step beside him, and he waved his hand at Mike. "Detective, you'd better come with us." He looked at the trapdoor carved into the floorboards beside his feet and finding the latch pulled it open. Stepping down on the stairwell below, he looked over at the officer. "We're going down, you'd better get the paramedics in here."
"Yes sir."
"And can someone please turn off that alarm?" When the officer nodded, he started his descent.
It was dark at the bottom of the stairs, he moved to one side to allow Scully and Mike a place to stand on the small landing, and started to feel the wall in front of him for a door handle. Scully produced a small flashlight, and began her own search in systematic movements. They both found what they were looking for at the same time. Handing Mulder the key, Scully kept the light fixed on the lock. It turned easily and pulling the latch, Mulder released the door and took a step inside.
* * *
"What's taking so long?" Straining to see and not even attempting to hide his impatience Bobby whirled on Eugene and Helen.
"I don't know Bobby. I'm sure they're just being careful." Eugene lay a sympathetic hand on Bobby's shoulder only to have it shrugged off.
"I can't stand this. I need too….." He broke off as the radio of one of the police officers crackled to life.
"The suspect has been apprehended. I repeat the suspect is in custody."
A general cheer arose from the accumulated group. Bobby tuned it out. He turned towards Cleary, and demanded. "How's Lindsay? My wife, how is she?"
"I don't know Sir. If you could just be patient I'm sure they'll let us know as soon as they can."
"No I'm through with waiting. Ask them about Lindsay."
"Sir, I…."
Near breaking point, Bobby reached out and gripped the front of the Cleary's uniform. "Pick up the radio and ask them now."
Waving away the officers who were stepping in to assist, Cleary reached over to unhook Bobby's fingers and after a brief moment of considerations pulled out his radio. "Captain, this is Sargent Cleary. Mr Donnell's asking about the status of his wife, do we have any information?"
There was a brief pause, that to Bobby felt like a hundred years, then finally. "Negative, the F.B.I.'s down there now. Paramedic's have been requested, send them over."
"Roger that."
"I'm going too." Bobby was already moving forward before Cleary's large hand reached over and held him back.
"Captain, can Mr Donnell come over?"
Another pause, more static, then. "Affirmative, but to the front yard only. Do not enter the premises."
Cleary looked at Bobby, his restraining hand remaining in place. "You heard the man, you're not to enter the house, do you understand that Mr Donnell?"
"Sure. Okay." Bobby would have agreed to anything to get him closer to Lindsay. "Can we go?"
Cleary gave him a measuring look and then nodded. "Yes you can, I'll walk you over myself."
* * *
They saw her immediately as they entered the dimly lit room. She was where Edmund had left her, propped up against the headboard, hands and feet still bound together. Scully watched Lindsay's head jerk with surprise on their entrance, saw the expression in her eyes turn from wary to shocked and then fill with relief when comprehension dawned. She nudged Mulder to the side and moved closer to the bed.
"Lindsay, my names Agent Scully, this is my partner Agent Mulder, and I believe you already know Detective McGuire?" She spoke softly, keeping her voice reassuring. As carefully as she could she started to untie the ropes binding Lindsay's wrists together, while Lindsay's eyes darted between the three of them, then came back to rest on Scully. "We've come to take you home." Scully said. "You're safe now."
Scully's words finally managed to penetrate the shock in Lindsay's mind. "Is he dead?"
"No." With more understanding than Lindsay could ever know, Scully gave her a sympathetic smile. "He's been taken into custody." Finally wrestling the knot undone, she carefully peeled away the ropes, wincing a little at the broken skin beneath them.
Lindsay did her best to ignore the pain. "Bobby?"
"He's right outside Lindsay." Taking a small step forward and feeling utterly useless in the wake of his friends condition, Mike continued. "We'll take you out to him. He's right outside." He repeated.
"I need to see him." Tears, some of relief, some of pain, and some of exhaustion, tracked silently down her cheeks. "Please, can I see him now?"
Freeing the knot at Lindsay's ankles, Scully unwound that rope as well. "We're taking you out now." She turned to Mulder who'd been standing silently off to the side. "We're not going to be able to get a gurney down those stairs."
"Maybe a stretcher." He suggested.
"No." Lindsay interrupted them as she moved carefully to the side of the bed. "I don't want a stretcher, I can walk." She stood slowly, swayed a little, then lent on Scully until she got her bearings. "I'm alright." She said, when Scully tried to ease her back down. "I can't be in this room any longer. I can walk." She said again.
Not entirely convinced, but understanding completely, Scully nodded. "Alright."
But when she went to move into position, Mike took another step closer. "It's alright I'll help her." He wrapped his arm lightly around Lindsay's waist, and gently started moving her towards the open door. "Come on Lindsay, lets get you out of here."
Scully watched their slow progress and then turned to Mulder. "You've been unusually quiet."
"Have a look at this room Scully. It's exactly as he described it. Exactly." Careful not to touch anything, Mulder used his toe to nudge the blue chair. "I didn't really believe it until I stepped in here."
Scully reached out and lightly touched the back of his hand. "Yes you did." She gave him a small smile, and then turned and followed Mike and Lindsay up the stairs.
* * *
The sunlight hurt her eyes as they wheeled her outside. She'd been placed on a gurney as soon as she'd reached the top of the staircase despite her protests. She'd wanted to walk outside, to hold Bobby as she'd been dreaming of doing for days, and hear him tell her everything was going to be alright. She thought she might believe the words if they came from him.
Her good eye blinked against the harsh light, a sea of faces that greeted her in the crowd that gathered outside, but she was only interested in one. Then she saw him break through, watched him run towards her, with worry and relief both so plainly etched in his expression and she wanted to cry again.
"Lindsay." He didn't know where to touch her, where it was safe too, she was so battered and bruised, so he settled for her left forearm. "I'm right here, honey. I'm here."
"Bobby." The restraints on the gurney meant she could only lift her head a fraction, but it was enough. "Don't leave me."
He kept pace with the paramedics as they walked towards the waiting ambulance. He knew Eugene and Helen were somewhere behind him, but he didn't think of them now, only of Lindsay. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I'm so tired." Now that she'd seen him the full shock of her rescue was starting to settle in, her mind was going fuzzy, her bones felt like jelly.
When they stopped to load her into the ambulance he placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "Go to sleep Lindsay, I'll be here when you wake up."
"Promise?"
The quiet plea in her voice broke his heart. Swallowing back tears he nodded. "I promise. Everything's okay now." She'd been right, was her last cohesive thought as she tumbled into sleep, she did believe it when he said it. Bobby watched her eyelids flutter closed as they slid the gurney inside and locked it into place, then stepped inside after her, careful to keep out of the way of the paramedic beside him, and watched her sleep.
* * *
"When can we see him?" Mulder stopped fiddling with the little flashlight, as Scully entered the room.
"We can't." Scully answered. "At least not straight away." She carried a medical file that she opened and referred to. "Edmund's nose has been broken, there was no sign of a fracture on the x-ray that was taken, so at the moment the best guess is it's either in the upper nasal cartilage or the nasal septum."
"Best guess?" Mulder asked. "We're in a hospital and all you can give me is a best guess?"
"You can't x-ray cartilage Mulder, and at the moment there's too much swelling to do a proper examination. There's also been some bleeding, which if it continues may result in a septal hematoma. But again until we get the swelling down it's impossible to tell."
"How long will that take?"
She sighed and was again reminded that patience had never been his strong suit. "They've packed it so hopefully by tomorrow morning they'll know more. In the mean time they also gave him something for the pain, so he wont be in any condition to answer any questions at the moment."
"So we can't question him until tomorrow?"
"Yes."
He let out a huge sigh. "That bites, Scully."
Smiling at him, she closed the folder. "He's not going anywhere Mulder. The answers will still be there tomorrow."
"I know." But he didn't have to be happy about the delay. "So how's Lindsay?"
"I just checked on her before coming in here. She's still asleep, most of her injuries where fairly minor, but they're keeping her overnight for observation as well."
"So basically we have nothing to do now until tomorrow?"
"Basically." She agreed.
"What do we do now?"
She looked down at her watch. "Well considering it's nearly seven, and I haven't eaten anything all day, you could buy me dinner."
"Isn't it your turn to buy?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side.
"No."
His eyebrows rose in surprise. "That's it? Just no, you're not going to give any supporting evidence to back it up?"
"No."
"Alright." He shrugged.
"Great. I'm starving, lets go back to that place that served the big steaks."
"You're going to send me poor, Scully." Mulder complained, half heartedly.
"I think your budget can stretch to a steak, Mulder."
He reached for the door, but paused before opening it. "You did good work today Scully. Analysing the clues, putting them all together….. Well it was really good work." He finished.
She smiled up at him. "Thanks."
"So." Slightly uncomfortable, he pulled open the door and stepped through. "A steak, huh? Sure you don't just want a burger?"
Still smiling, Scully shook her head. "I'm sure."
* * *
He'd kept his promise.
She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision, and focused on his face. He was staring at her, gently holding her newly bandaged hand, his cheeks covered with five o'clock shadow, his hair tousled, and his eyes warm.
"Hey." He lifted the hand that he held higher, and kissed the tips of her fingers. "I missed you."
Could she possibly love him any more? She didn't see how. "I missed you too." Still groggy she looked around the room. "What time is it?"
"Nearly eight. You've been out for a couple of hours."
"Really?" It felt like she'd barely slept at all.
He nodded and she could see the worry still shadowing his eyes. "How do you feel."
That was a good question, she wasn't really sure of the answer. "My head hurts a little."
He nodded. "The doctor said you had a slight concussion, you've also got ten stiches in your wrist." He gently touched the edge of the bandage. "They put butterfly clips on the cut beside your eye, apart from that they think all the bruising should go down in a few days. They want to keep you overnight."
She nodded, and because the movement caused more pain, winced.
"Careful" He said, then stopped when his voice cracked. Closing his eyes he fought the battle for control and finally won. "I was so scared." He said, when he trusted himself to speak again.
"Me too." She could admit it now, to him, even when she hadn't been able to admit it to herself while she'd been captive. "He was going to kill me."
The way she said it so matter of factly, nearly broke him. "I know." And because he couldn't hold back anymore, he gathered her into his arms and held her tight, breathing in the scent of her. "I know." He repeated.
She clung to him, burying her face in his neck and savouring the feel of his arms around her. It wasn't a feeling she'd ever again be able to take for granted. "I love you Bobby." She'd been so scared she'd never get to say those words again.
Or to hear them. "I love you too. So much." They were both crying when they pulled apart.
She brushed a hand over his shoulder. "I got your shirt wet."
"Doesn't matter, I've got more." Reaching for the box of tissues beside her bed he offered her one, and then took one for himself. "I don't suppose you're up for some guests? The whole gangs out in the waiting room."
"Really?" She dabbed at her eyes, then blew her nose.
He nodded. "Yeah as soon as they heard you were here, they shut up the office, Ellenor packed up the kids, they've been in the waiting room all afternoon."
"Robbie's here?" She'd resigned herself to not being able to see him until she was released, just the idea that he was here lifted her heart. "Can I see him?"
"If you're feeling okay, I can send them all home if you're too tired."
"I'll be okay." The need to hold him overshadowed her fatigue.
"Alright." Not really convinced, but unwilling to deny her anything, Bobby headed for the door. "I'll just go and get them, but I won't let them stay long."
Moments later the sound of heels clicking on the linoleum floor broke the silence. Helen came bursting through the door. "You're awake, finally. I was so worried." Grasping Lindsay by the shoulders she pulled her in for a hug, then released her quickly. "Ooh, ooh, I didn't hurt you did I? Do you need a nurse. I can get the nurse."
"Helen, slow down. I don't need a nurse, I've just got a bit of a headache." More amused by her friend than anything Lindsay leant back against the pillows. "Just sit down."
"Okay but you tell me if you need anything." She sat on the edge of the chair and rested her hands on the bed. "You've got to stop doing this too me Lindsay my heart can't take it."
"Mine either."
"And Bobby…." Helen trailed of as more footsteps approached. "We'll talk later." She whispered.
Suddenly the room was full of people, all talking at once.
"Quiet everyone." Helen said, louder than all of them combined. "Lindsay has a headache."
"Well you yelling right next to her ear is hardly going to help that." Jimmy complained.
"Oh." Helen turned towards Lindsay and whispered. "Sorry."
Shaking his head at all of them, Bobby stepped forward with Rob in his arms. He looked ruffled like he'd just been woken up. "Look who I've got."
"Hey baby." Her eyes filling with tears again at the sight of her son, Lindsay reached out as far as she could without affecting the IV tube. Bobby placed Rob in her lap and she pulled him close for a hug. "Mommy's missed you." Recognising the feel and sound of his Mother, Rob curled his head on her chest and closed his eyes.
"Oh my God, that's so sweet. Has anybody got a tissue?" Sniffling loudly Helen looked around the room.
"Here." Eugene plucked up the box from the bedside and held it out to her. She took three and blew loudly.
"How are you Lindsay?" Rebecca stepped forward until she was at the foot of the bed. She wondered how someone could look so bruised and battered and content at the same time.
"I'll be alright." Running her hand down Rob's hair, Lindsay lent forward and pressed her lips to his forehead. "He's tired." She murmured.
"He's had a big day." Ellenor said.
"Everyone has." Eugene added. "We should let you get some rest Lindsay, we just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Thanks guys."
"When will you be discharged?" Lucy asked.
"Hopefully tomorrow." Bobby answered, shooting Lindsay an encouraging smile.
Eugene clapped his hands together lightly. "Okay everyone say goodnight."
A chorus of 'Goodnight' and 'I hope you feel better' echoed around the room and one by one everybody filed out. When Ellenor reached down to take Rob, Lindsay didn't want to let him go.
"You'll see him tomorrow." Bobby told her gently, as she watched them leave. "But you need to rest now."
Helen was the last to leave. Still sniffling she leant down to kiss Lindsay's cheek. "I'll come by tomorrow." She promised.
When they were alone, Bobby claimed the seat Helen had been sitting in, and reached out for Lindsay's hand. "You should get some sleep."
"Will you stay?"
With his free hand he smoothed the hair from her face. "Of course I will."
Settling more comfortable into the pillows she turned her head to look at him. "You're going to be uncomfortable in that chair."
"I don't care."
She squeezed his fingers lightly. "Talk to me?"
"What about?"
"I don't care, anything. I just want to hear you your voice."
"Alright, close your eyes." He waited until she did, and keeping his voice low began to speak. He didn't stop even when her breathing evened out, and her features relaxed in sleep.
* * *