Title: What if? Part Two.
Author: M & S Shipper
Rating: R
Genera: Action Adventure / Romance
Disclaimer: Don't own any of them, never claimed to. Anyone you may recognise,
remains the property of Chris Carter, Fox and 1013.
Summary: See Part One.
Archive: Sure, just let me know where so I can come and see.
Feedback: Please, please, please!!! Just make it constructive and I can take anything.
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Part 2
Searching for the other part of the plane was easier than I had first thought. A plane certainly leaves a distinctive trail of destruction. Following the trail, which included uprooted trees and squashed foliage, I made slow progress. I seemed to have been walking forever until finally I came to a halt.
Getting back to the plane wasn't going to be easy at all. I stood looking over the precipice, almost overwhelmed by the sheer drop. In the far distance you could see the final resting place of the plane, still a good few miles away. Despite the destruction it had left behind, the plane looked relatively in tact, minus of course the section I was in.
The way down did not look easy at all, but there was no way I was staying up here on my own. I flexed my leg gauging it's usefulness and reared back at the white hot pain that shot out in all directions, making me instantly nauseous again. The throbbing inside was just as bad, if not worse than before.
A decision had to be made.
Taking in a deep breath I took my first hesitant step down. That wasn't so bad. I moved my injured leg down to the same level as the other and almost doubled over. Oh, god! I had spoken way to soon. There wasn't a choice though I kept telling myself sternly, and pressed forwards, biting down so hard on my lip that it bled.
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The midday sun had gone, which meant a crispness had returned to the air. I looked upwards noticing that the clouds had begun rolling in from the sea, looking threatening. Great, that's all I needed. For the moment though the breeze was a treat.
After walking upwards for nearly an hour, I had worked up quite a sweat. The incline was getting more and more severe, which meant I began to stumble quite a bit. Silently wishing I'd worn jeans instead of slacks, I stopped to inspect my throbbing knees. The top layer of skin had been completely grazed off, leaving an angry red sore below. This was now caked in a fine layer of dirt. Excellent, I was now probably going to get blood poisoning.
Realising my own selfishness, I cursed myself. Scully may be dead and here I am worrying about a bit of a grazed knee. I pushed onwards, past the pain, singular in my purpose. Scully was going to be fine. Tonight we would be warm, in our hotel rooms, all of this a distant memory.
The sudden thought of us making love in front of a blazing fire entered my mind. Shit. Where had that come from. I must have hit my head a darn sight harder than I had originally thought. This is the woman who is trying to shut down the x files, I reminded myself. My enemy.
I said the words out loud but it still didn't make them ring true. The instant connection I felt with her was as unmistakable as the nose on my face. She was beautiful, but anyone who looked at her saw that, this was something more.
It didn't matter though, we were now partners, and almost adversaries at the same time. Working together to achieve opposite goals. There was no way we could ever be anything more.
Looking upwards I psyched myself up to continue, there was still a long way to the top.
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Looking down I psyched myself up to continue, there was still a long way to the bottom.
My slacks were already shredded in so many places it was a miracle they were still holding together, unlike the body below which had had enough. The sun was getting ready to go down, which scared me even more. Alone in the forest is scary. Alone in the dark in the forest is worse.
"No stop it Dana." I said out loud, Mulder will find you. Where had that come from? I thought he was cute but that doesn't mean that he's looking for me. Probably forgot he even has a partner. Now I was saying he was cute. Where would this end? The thought of us snuggled up together in front of a burning fire entered my mind. As quickly as it had come, I shoed it away. This was no way to start a professional partnership.
Taking an unsteady step down, I felt the gravel beneath my feet shift suddenly, sending me sliding. Unable to keep my balance I fell and began sliding downwards. There were new scratched and bruises forming with each roll, combined with the repeated contact of objects against my already injured thigh. I cried out at the pain, the only relief coming when my head hit against a rock, sending me into blissful oblivion.
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What the hell was that? I almost thought I heard a cry of pain. I was about to dismiss it as my imagination when a whole pile of gravel came cascading down the hill landing at my feet.
"Scully?" I called out with hesitation waiting for a reply. Everything was silent again, except for the wind. "Scully!" I called again, with more strength, unconsciously picking up my pace.
I came up over a lip of the hill to find her sprawled out against a rock. Momentarily stunned I took a second to look her up and down, evaluating her condition. She was unconscious and injured. Or at least I hoped she was unconscious. I reached down running my fingers along her smooth neck looking for a pulse. It was strong. Thank goodness. I let out the breath I had not known I'd been holding, and turned her over carefully.
"Scully, can you hear me?" I asked gently, cradling her in my arms. She looked so delicate I was afraid I'd hurt her, but she didn't move.
"Dana?" Please wake up.
I looked about trying to discern what had happened. There was no wreckage lying near her, so I was about to conclude she'd been thrown from the plane when I noticed her leg had been roughly bandaged. She must have been walking on it. I looked up the hill at the great distance she'd covered, probably in an extreme amount of pain, and nodded to myself. This was a woman of great strength and courage, and I would never forget that.
She groaned quietly, snuggling further into my arms. I smiled. A man could certainly get used to this.
As if on cue the clouds overhead began to grumble threatening rain. Great. That's just what I needed. Sitting out here we're completely exposed to the elements, so I made an executive decision, scooped her up, and made for the shelter of the trees off to the right.
Once I was satisfied that we were far enough into the forrest for it to be of benefit, I placed her gently on the ground and set about looking for something to make a shelter. I just had to have one last look at her. She looked so helpless lying on the ground, nestled amongst the leaves and twigs, almost like a character from a fairy tale, just waiting to be awakened by the kiss of a handsome prince.
I looked down at my haggard appearance, yep, no chance of that happening any time soon.
It was getting dark quickly, the sun had just dropped and I had to move fast. Leaving her sleeping peacefully, I headed off.
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For the second time today I was awakened by pain. It was not a pleasant experience. Nor was the fact that I was in the dark, in the forrest, completely disoriented and alone. The thought made me shiver.
I tried to sit up but soon gave up on that, when the dizziness became overpowering. I'd be ok, I kept telling myself, I'll just wait here til morning then figure out how to get out of here. Yes, good plan, I liked that.
A twig snapped close by. And not a natural sound either, this one was being squashed. I stopped breathing entirely. Panic went though me making me shiver. Something was coming closer.
I screamed, half through fear, half hoping to scare away whatever it was.
"Scully? Are you ok?" He said obviously panic stricken.
"Oh, shit Mulder you scared me."
"No kidding, well you scared me more. You were supposed to be unconscious."
"Sorry to disappoint you."
"That's not what I meant." I knew it wasn't, but I was literally a bear with a sore head. "How are you feeling?" His voice held genuine concern, so I let it go, now just revelling in the fact I was not alone.
"Umm fine." I said, not willing to sacrifice my dignity for a little sympathy.
"Look, lets get something straight, if we are going to be partners we have to trust one another, and for that to happen you need to tell me everything." It was to dark for him to see me raise my eyebrows at him, but I did it anyway. "No 'I fines', 'it's fine', 'everything's fine'. I want real answers, the truth, only ever the truth."
'I'm fine' had been working for a great many years now, with no one ever calling me on it, and in one day that particular little wall maker had been caught. Damn it. I guess in this kind of situation keeping secrets only complicated matters, but if he thought for one second this would continue when we returned, he was sorely mistaken.
"Sure, ok, whatever. If you must know I have a bump on the head, a few scratches and my thigh hurts like the devil. Satisfied?"
"No, worried actually."
"Well there's nothing you can do? In the morning I'll see if I can wash it out."
"Ok, why don't you try and get a bit of rest then."
"Are you?" I said suddenly getting an attitude. What was he up to, trying to make me out to be weak.
"Yes, I'm going to try and get some sleep."
Ok, maybe I was wrong about him.
"Ok then, well goodnight."
"Goodnight."
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End Part 2.
Oops sorry have to make a part 3 as well.
Not far off.
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