Chapter 21: Flu Bitten

Maggie woke up with her head pounding. She wasn't one to get headaches, so waking up with one surprised her. *Buck up* she thought, *Get some coffee and some pain killers and you'll feel better.* Grimacing, she shuffled downstairs to where she could hear Walter rustling in the kitchen.
"Morning." She said to his back as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Walter only grunted in response. *Great* Maggie thought, *What's he so grumpy about?*
Popping two pain killers in her mouth, Maggie took a big swig of coffee and almost choked. It was Hazelnut. She HATED Hazelnut. Pouring the rest of the mug down the sink dramatically, she said to Walter, "Where did this Hazelnut crap come from?"
Walter looked at her for the first time that morning, a deep frown on his face. "It's Hazelnut. You like Hazelnut." His voice was almost accusing in its tone.
Maggie went to the fridge, opting for juice rather than coffee, "Must be your other fiancee. I hate Hazelnut." There was not a trace of amusement in her voice.
Walter shook his head in aggravation. "I'm sorry. I thought you liked it. Next time, I will consult my little book of "Things Maggie Hates" before I buy coffee. Listen, we're having the inquiry about the operation where Agent Elkins was injured today, I don't really have time to think about your coffee preferences."
Maggie took a swig of juice. "What did happen to her anyway? Was something wrong with your operation?" Maggie thought she was forcing her tone to be civil, but her words touched a nerve with Walter.
"We obviously don't know that yet. That is the whole point of an inquiry." Walter's words were aggressive and every one sent a pain shooting through Maggie's skull. Finally, she interrupted him with a raised hand. "You know what? Just go to work Walter."
Glaring at her, he grabbed his suit coat and briefcase and stompped out the door, slaming it behind him.

Maggie would have been seething if her head didn't hurt so much. Matt had been coming down with something when they left for home and Maggie was now fairly certain she had caught his bug. She was just glad Charlie and Charlotte were on vacation in New Jersey so they wouldn't be exposed to any more germs.
As she tossed chicken stock, vegetables and pasta into her big soup pot, she replayed the telephone call with Walter from earlier in the day. She'd called him at the office to apologize for being short with him that morning, but he'd been in no mood.

****"Listen Maggie, I'm really tired. I think I'm just going to stay home tonight. " There was a long silence and when Maggie spoke again her voice was tight. "You're going to stay **home**?"
"Yeah, at my condo." His voiced matched hers.
The next thing Walter heard was the click of the receiver as Maggie hung up the phone.****

His crack about staying *home* just twisted her already hurting heart. They were supposed to be building a home together. If he didn't want that, why had he bothered to ask her to marry him? All he talked about at Christmas was "his family" and her heart had melted each and every time. Now, she felt like a fool. He was her grandchildren's Grandpa Walter now, if that wasn't home, what was? Had she pushed him to be a part of her family too quickly? Three days ago, she would have said no, but now she wasn't so sure. She poured herself some juice and popped two more pain relievers. If she could just get rid of this headache, maybe she could think this through.
*******************

Lying in bed that night, Walter was regretting the things he'd said to Maggie and his decision not to drive out to Baltimore after work. She'd had a headache that morning and heavens knew that she had dealt with him in much worse moods than what she had been in. They were fighting about flavored coffee of all things. He'd been the one who brought up Agent Elkins. But, when she'd asked about her, unbeknownst to Maggie, she'd used the same phrasing the Deputy Director had used the previous day. There had been no accusation in her voice, but he was already feeling defensive and he'd overreacted. *Home* Why had he said that? He wasn't fooling anyone that this was his home anymore. His home was in Maryland now, too far away from work and with the wrong name on the mailbox with a pretty, petite brunette who hated Hazelnut flavored coffee. He'd said it just to hurt Maggie. He was an idiot. Walter turned over and closed his eyes, and fell into a fitful sleep. wishing once more before he drifted off that he were curled up next to the woman he loved.

**************
The next afternoon, he had a meeting with several of his field agents, among them Mulder and Scully, to discuss the outcome of a case that blessedly had nothing to do with Agent Elkins' injuries. Mulder and Scully, surprisingly, were early for the meeting. Skinner poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down, waiting for the meeting to begin. Taking a swig of his coffee, Skinner coughed hard as it went down his windpipe. Hazelnut. Figured.
Scully looked at him with concern. "You're not coming down with something too, are you Sir?" Skinner looked up in surprise, "Too, Agent Scully?"
Scully blushed a little for having brought up a family matter at work. "Well Sir, Matt was sick when they went back to California and when I spoke to Mom this morning, she said she wasn't feeling well."
Skinner had a classic "ah ha" moment and his heart sank into his stomach. Maggie was sick. The love of his life was feeling bad and he had acted like a total ass because she was a little grumpy. Skinner was glad that he was not the one running the meeting because the only thought on his mind was running home to Maggie.
As the agents were leaving the conference room, Skinner found an oppertunity to confirm the suspicions that had been foremost on his mind for the entire morning. "Scully, Mulder, hang back a moment please."
The two X-Files agents exchanged a look that Skinner had seen many times. If he weren't so worried about Maggie, he would have been amused at the *What did you do now?* look on Scully's face and the feining innocence on her partner's.
"Tell me something, Scully. Your mom..." He paused, not wanting to admit he hadn't been taking immaculate care of Maggie. "She ah, she doesn't take care of herself the way she takes care of everyone else, does she?"
It was Mulder, not Scully who answered his query. "Who do you think coined the phrase 'I'm fine' Sir?"
Skinner blew out a long breath. "Yeah, that's what I was afraid of."
Scully looked intently at her boss. "I know she wasn't feeling well when I talked to her today. Is everything ok?"
"Outside of the fact that I'm an idiot? I hope so."

He strode out to the outer office, "Kim, cancel my afternoon appointments. Maggie's sick, I'm going home."