Rescue
Scully, Julia and Doggett crouched in the tall grasses of the prairie. They had arrived at 3:00 and had been waiting for nightfall to make their move. Just beyond them the faint shimmer of the cloaked ship could be seen.
Scully was anxious. For three months they had been tracking the ship. Three months of locating Mulder, only to discover that he was gone by the time they reached the scene.
Agent Doggett was still reeling from what he had been exposed. He'd had no time to recover from all he had seen and done since he started work on the X-files. Everything he thought he knew had been completely turned around Scully, Julia and the continues search for Mulder.
As soon as night fell, both agents waited tensely while Julia talked with Mulder.
"I'm having some trouble with him"
"Trouble? What do you mean?" Scully hissed.
"He won't tell me how to get in. He's afraid we'll all get caught, and then it will be his fault"
"Tell him that if he doesn't help, I am going to stand up and start yelling. Then we'll see how much trouble we're in."
Julia paused.
Then: "Okay, that's it"
Julia sprang from the weeds and began to run at the shimmer. She passed straight through and began firing out words in her mind, directing them at a panel in the ship.
Difn Het Yek To Uryo Dowlr Nidsei
The panel opened and metal stairs silently lowered to the ground.
"What? No tractor beam?" Agent Doggett muttered.
Once inside the ship, the agents drew their guns and Julia lead the small band though twisting corridors. In the back of her mind she could feel the rest of the aliens on the ship. None were yet aware of the intruders, a fact Julia was very much hoping to avoid.
Only once did they encounter anyone. Before the Bounty Hunter could sound the alarm Scully shot him through the neck. All three gave the green acid a wide berth as the passed it.
Finally, Julia stopped at a door.
"He's in there..."
"How do we open it?" Scully asked.
"I don't know. Mulder doesn't know either."
Scully began running her hands over the door. Taking the cue from her, the other two did the same.
I can't lose you now! Not when I'm so close! Please Mulder, I need you! Scully silently screamed in her mind.
The door slid open without a sound.
"What? How did that happen?" Doggett and Julia stared at each other in confusion. Wasting no time, Scully ran into the dimly lit room.
In the center of the room, lying on his back, stark naked, was a very badly injured Mulder. One eye was swollen shut, the other closed from exausghtion. He slowly turned his head, trying to open his good eye when Scully dropped to her knees by his side.
"Scully..." he said faintly "You shouldn't have come. It's too dangerous"
"Shut-up Mulder" Scully whispered, blinking away tears "We're going to get you out of here. Can you walk?"
Doggett and Scully tried to help Mulder get up, but the months of abuse on his body had taken their toll. Mulder couldn't stand for any amount of time, let alone walk.
"I'll have to carry him" Doggett said.
"Whatever you do, please do it quickly" Julia said from the doorway. The others on the ship were uneasy.
Doggett slung Mulder over his shoulders as gently as possible, but Mulder still moaned quietly.
"Hurry" Scully said, leading the way.
Leaving was much faster then coming inside. The rescue group ran down the corridors to the stairs, making it outside with no incidents.
Just as the closed the doors to the car, the ship's cloak evaporated, and if disappeared into the night sky.
------------------------------------------------
One week after the rescue, Scully walked from her routine doctor's check to Mulder's hospital room. He looked so much better, many of the cuts had scabbed over if not healed completely, and the bruises were fading fast.
The first thing she noticed when she entered the room was the flowers. There were tons of baskets and vases with get well cards. They covered the small bureau and most of the floor. Weaving her way through the mass, Scully carefully walked to Mulder's bed, where he was reluctantly getting his blood drawn.
"Must you people stick me every single day?" He asked, exasperated.
The male nurse just smiled.
"Don't be such a wimp Mulder" Scully said.
"Scully!" Mulder face brightened.
"How you doing?"
"Fine. Just fine. Better than fine. I'm dandy. I have no reason to stay in the hospital any longer."
"That's for the doctors to decide, and you know it."
"You could be my doctor, or at least talk doctor-talk with the other guys and convince them to discharge me. In fact...you could start being my doctor right now."
"Is something wrong? Something hurt?" Scully asked worriedly.
"No, but I've always had a secret desire to play doctor with you. Whatcha say sweetheart?"
Scully glared at him.
"Okaaaaaay, so that's a no."
"That is defiantly a no."
"Darn."
Scully shook her head, trying to look stern and trying not to laugh. It was good to have Mulder back.
"What's with all the flowers?"
"Isn't it amazing? I guess you just never know how many friends you have until you get abducted."
"I suppose. Skinner wanted me to tell you that once you get better, you have your job back."
"What about Doggett?"
"He resigned from the X-files. Said he thought someone else could do a better job, and he wanted to go back to his old assignment"
Mulder smiled a contented smile.
Both were silent. A familiar silence that hadn't been shared for too long.
"Hey Scully? Come here a minute."
"Yes?" Scully walked closer to the beside.
Mulder didn't say anything for a minute, staring into her eyes. Scully leaned closer almost imperceptibly.
"Scully, I've wanted to tell you something for a long time, and-"
"Am I interrupting something?" A bright eyed Julia walked into the room, knowing fully well she was.
Scully jumped guiltily. "No, of course not."
Mulder narrowed his eyes at Julia. Her timing seemed just a little too perfect.
"I come bearing gifts." Julia said, pulling a bouquet of flowers from behind her back."Looks like I'm a little bit late though," she said, looking ruefully at the other flowers in the room.
"Why don't you go give those to someone who doesn't have any?" Mulder said nicely, baring his teeth at her.
Julia smiled smugly.
"I think I'll just do that. See you around!"
You gonna tell her?
If you'd go away!
Sheesh! Touchy, touchy! I'm leaving already.
It's about time!
Julia sailed out the door.
"What did you want to say Mulder?"
He took a deep breath. "Scully, I-"
"I'm sorry ma'am, you'll have to leave. The patent needs rest, and visiting hours are over."
Mulder growled softly.
"All right, thank you." She looked at Mulder. "I guess you'll have to tell me later."
"Yeah"
Scully kissed his forehead. "Get some sleep."
"Good night, Scully."
"Good night. Sweet dreams." Scully said as she left.
"They will be. There always of you." Mulder murmured.