Chapter Twenty One

Mulder paced forward slowly, the bullets flying past him. He held his breath for a moment as he felt one nearly graze his forearm dangerously, but thankfully it missed. He paused for a moment and glanced over at Scully's small, limp body. His brow furrowed in deep concern, fearing the worst. He pulled his gaze away from her with difficulty and faced Wesley, his heart racing with rage and vengeance.

Thankfully, the shooting stopped. Wesley had his back to him and was looking up at the helicopter, laughing madly. Mulder was so sick of that prick.

The search light still shone brightly on them, now illuminating Mulder. He took this opportunity to reach into his back pocket and grab the bag of magnetite. He wasn't sure how he was going to do this, but he raged on, nothing could stop him. He would defeat him, he had to.

Glancing back over at Scully nervously, he felt his heart rise into his throat as he saw her move slightly. A wave of relief washed over him at the sight and he blinked back desperate tears. She was still alive. It was ok.

'HEY!' He barked suddenly, wondering why he had chosen to do it this way. But he wasn't thinking, he was letting his body do the work here – adrenaline pumping deep inside him.

Wesley paused. Mulder kept his breath as steady as he could, considering his body was still recovering. He had to keep calm, he needed to concentrate. He watched as Wesley's back arched with tension then he slowly started to turn around to face Mulder.

'I know where my son is.' Mulder said, his voice trembling. He didn't know why he was saying this, but he figured it would get Wesley's attention. He had to play along with this. He had to.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Scully move again, this time with more intention. She must have heard him. Mulder begged her with his mind to stay still – to play dead.

Scully drifted in and out of consciousness as she struggled to get up. She needed to stop Wesley – she couldn't let him win. She had always been determined, and she wasn't going to give up now…

'HEY!'

A voice drifted over to her like a dream. It was so familiar – so comforting. She closed her eyes and frowned in thought as she tried to hear the voice again… she begged to hear it once more.

Please… speak again..

'I know where my son is.'

She knew now. It was him. It was Mulder. He was alive!

She gasped out in shock, tears streaming from her eyes. Clutching her wound in her stomach she struggled against her pain and weakness to get up to see him, she had to see him to see that this was real…

That he was alive!

The tears of happiness and relief poured out of her uncontrollably as she tried to turn her head to see him, but she was too weak to see. She grunted in sad frustration and pain as her body tried to give up and force her out of this world…

Skinner felt all eyes on him in the copter as he watched them below. He needed to act fast, Scully was dying.

'GET DOWN THERE!' He shouted, turning to them. 'NOW! AGENT SCULLY NEEDS MEDICAL ATTENTION!' He shouted.

The agents scrambled with their gear and got ready to descend.

Wesley faced Mulder and glared into his eyes in deathly silence. Mulder struggled to remain upright as his vision clouded over again, he was weak.

'Agent Mulder.' Wesley drawled angrily. 'You had me fooled.'

'I've always been a good joker.' Mulder mumbled weakly, blinking his eyes, forcing himself to stay focused. He edged towards Wesley threateningly, his magnetite in his hand.

'You don't give up do you.' Wesley said with another sickening smile.

'There's no- where to go Wesley.' Mulder shouted over the whipping of the copter's blades. 'The FBI is all around.'

'They can't stop me.' He said.

'No.' Mulder replied, advancing further. Wesley looked at him playfully, seeming to enjoy Mulder's torture. 'But I can.'

'Aha!' Wesley let out a sarcastic laugh. 'You do tickle me.'

'I know where my son is.' He said again, his voice heavy with emotion. Wesley frowned in thought.

'So you said, why should I believe you?'

'Let Scully go… and I will take you to him.' Mulder said, tears lacing his throat. Wesley smiled again.

'I told you, I need them both.'

'You don't need her. She's dying. You've done your job.' He said, glancing down at her again sadly, and he saw that her eyes were closed once more. His heart raged against his chest. He couldn't control it anymore, he was livid. This mad had killed her, his Scully.

Before Wesley could reply Mulder launched towards him, tears blinding his vision. Wesley laughed again as Mulder fought against him. But Mulder was heartbroken now and had nothing to lose.

He cried out in emotion as he grabbed Wesley by the shoulders and raised his knee hard into his stomach, temporarily winding him. Mulder was finding strength he never even knew he had. He quickly took advantage of Wesley's momentary weakness and punched him hard over the back with both his fists in a strong blow, knocking Wesley down to the ground. Mulder raged on and punched him hard, beating him and kicking him as he lay on the ground. He felt all of his anger and sadness, grief and despair come out of him and onto Wesley as he beat him harshly. He had never hit anyone like this before. It was uncontrollable.

After a moment, Wesley coughed and Mulder towered over him, pinning him down. Wesley's face erupted into another smile as Mulder leered over him with mad, desperate eyes.

'I will always win Mulder… I…' He started, but Mulder stopped him – he didn't want to listen to another word.

Mulder cried out in anger in a long, heart wrenching sound as he raised his fist, the bag of magnetite in his hand. He brought it down and emptied it into Wesley's mouth, forcing it all down his throat.

Wesley choked as the crushed metal filled his mouth, he tried to force Mulder off him but he was suddenly hit with a weakness he wasn't expecting. Mulder felt Wesley struggle against him and he eyes opened wide with a mixture of determination and horror as he forced it all down him. When the bag was empty he shoved his hands over Wesley's mouth, holding it shut. Wesley's eyes suddenly grew very large, shock etched across his face. Mulder let out an angry sob and tears rolled down his face as he felt the horror of the situation take over, but he had to carry on.

His grief was toiling inside him, making him do this – but it was so unlike him to kill anyone, he felt troubled at this, but he carried on, the rage burning a hole in his heart as he shoved his hands over Wesley's nose and mouth as if suffocating him.

Mulder closed his eyes as he felt Wesley's last few struggles under his weight. Slowly, he raised his eyes from the horror beneath him and over to Scully, who was lying still across from them.

He needed to get to her – he needed to hold her.

Mulder tried to regain his composure and felt everything go to slow motion.

Wesley was finally still underneath him and everything went silent.

'AGENT MULDER!'

He heard the sounds of voices erupting from behind him, calling his name and he was forced back into the reality of the situation. Everything crashed back to normal and he felt the fear and worry tower over him like a ton of bricks.

'Yes… yes…' He breathed weakly in reply to their shouts, scrambling off Wesley and crawling across the wet grass towards Scully's body. He felt agents rush towards them and he wanted to push them away. He wanted to have a moment with her by himself.

'No…' He begged as they reached Scully and started to check her. Mulder let out a deep sob and felt a wave of nausea hit him as he saw her limp body in their arms. He heard a heart breaking noise escape from his chest – from somewhere he hadn't even known he had inside him. 'No… no! Don't touch her!' He begged as he watched them checking for her pulse and she was still, lifeless.

Finally he reached her and managed to push his way through.

'Agent Mulder please! Give us space!' An older medical agent with glasses asked him desperately, but he wasn't having any of it. He reached over to her, placing his arm around her neck and shoulders, pushing another agent away who was already propping her up. He pulled her into his chest and kissed her forehead softly, crying desperately as he felt her cold skin against his lips. His heart ached painfully as he held her.

'Please! Agent Mulder we are trying to do our jobs here!'

'She's dead…' He sobbed, not listening to them. 'She's dead isn't she?' He asked fearfully, his heart breaking.

'She will be if you don't let us work!'

Mulder opened his eyes with shock suddenly. Had he heard that right?

'What!?' He asked hopefully, now glaring at the agent who was working on her. The man looked at him with wide, urgent eyes.

'She's got a pulse, but she needs a hospital now!' He shouted over to him. Mulder gasped in shock and disbelief and looked down again at Scully's still body. The relief and hope that hit him was over powering.

'Oh god…' He breathed, a smile escaping his lips. The agent lowered their head, feeling slightly embarrassed at the strong display of affection Mulder had for his partner. 'Scully.' He gushed gently, and kissed her forehead again, then her hair. Burying his face in it he held her close for a moment then finally let her go.

'I'm coming with you!' Mulder said forcefully as they swept her up onto a stretcher and got ready to lift her into the copter. Another agent ran over to him and placed a hand on his wrist as if to get him out of the way. Mulder didn't take his eyes off Scully as they hurried around her. He felt the need to stay with her. He had to stay near her…

'Ouch…' He exclaimed under his breath as his mind slowly started to re-register his own body. He had been so focused on Scully he had forgotten about his own broken wrist. The agent frowned in confusion then let go of him, realising what was wrong.

'Agent Mulder! You need medical attention!' The agent shouted over the commotion. Mulder shook his head.

'I'm fine.' He said, gazing at Scully and then walking towards her to follow. The agent followed closely behind him and started to put the gear on him to go up into the copter.

'I just want to be with my partner.'

When the straps where finally taken off him, Mulder pushed through the copter and towards her. He didn't take his eyes off her as he made his way towards her side. The copter was up in the air and on it's way to Washington D.C. They were going to be safe – she was going to be ok.

Mulder kept these thoughts in his mind as he sat down beside her. The agents were now sympathetic, the urgency of the situation not as apparent now they were on their way to safety. They moved out of the way for him and he thanked them as they worked on Scully. He frowned with heavy concern as he took hold of her little hand. It was still cold and weak. He didn't feel her holding him back, which made him worried.

'Scully?' He said gently, wondering if she could hear him, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand. He squeezed it gently.

'Agent Mulder, let me take a look at you.' One of the medical agents said to him, glancing over Mulder's bruised and battered body. Mulder shook his head.

'I'm ok.' He said in a low voice. He couldn't feel any pain at the minute – he was too focused on her.

'No you're not. You're in shock. Please, let me take a look at your wrist, and put this on.' The agent said forcefully, getting Mulder's attention for a moment with the tone of his voice. A silver thermal blanket was wrapped around his shoulders and he felt the heat flow over him, and he was relieved for it.

'Thanks..' He said in a small voice, then turned back to Scully, focusing on her.

'She's going to be ok.' The young agent said, aware of Mulder's concern. Mulder nodded and let out a small, grateful smile.

'Thank you.' He said in a low voice, squeezing Scully's hand again.

'Mulder?'

Skinner was by his side suddenly. Mulder turned to him in surprise and relief.

'Sir? You're here. You're ok.' Mulder said with a smile.

'It's good to see you Mulder - both of you.' He said, with a sad glance to Scully. 'Wesley tried to get it out of me, but I didn't tell him anything, I swear.' Skinner said hurriedly. Mulder nodded.

'I know. It's ok.' He said.

'How is she?' Skinner asked urgently, looking again at Scully. Mulder sighed and glanced back at her.

'She's…. alive…' Mulder barked, tears blinding his vision again. Skinner nodded in silence then raised a hand to Mulder's shoulder.

'She's going to be fine. And that asshole is dead. We watched him dissolve into a pile of mush after you did whatever you did…' Skinner said with a grimace, remembering the sickening sight. He knew they would discuss the details later, but now was not the time.

'Thank you Sir, for everything.' Mulder said with sincerity. Skinner nodded then quickly brushed off his soft side as he always did, then stood up and made his way back to the front of the copter.

'Let's take a look at your wrist, I can give you something for a pain.' The medical agent said, now by his side again.

Mulder gave in and nodded and let the agent examine him, but he didn't take his eyes off Scully, not for a moment.

I hope it wasn't too violent.

Mulder is a bad ass.

My heart hurts!

Please review :)