Title: Maturity
By: Merlin, merlin@hpoint.com
Category: MSR, Everyone Angst
Keywords: MSR
Rating: PG-13 for now

Spoilers: Basically, everything up to and including the Movie, Season 6 never happened.

Summary: Mulder is Growing up and maturing, getting ready to be a player, but a Serial Killer causes some Scully Angst.

Disclaimer: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Walter Skinner, Maggie Scully, and the other regulars belong to 1013. I am just borrowing them for a short adventure. Johnny Nokamura, and the other Anaheim agents, Doctors, etc. are mine.

Maturity

FBI Field Office
Anaheim California,
Tuesday June 8th, 1999, 9:30am.

Chapter 1: Impact

Special Agent Fox Mulder was pissed! He had arrived late to the temporary office that he and special Agent Scully were using, only to find her gone. He had stayed late last night to finish the profile of the serial killer that he and Scully had been sent here to help capture. And then when he got here late this morning, he found out that ASAC Anderson was staking out the probable area that the UNSUB would hit, this time using Scully as bait.
"I know what you stated in your profile Mulder, but I hardly think that the perp will be able to out muscle two swat teams and our own FBI team."
"Maybe not, but you are not counting on how focused he is, or the fact that he is willing to sacrifice everything to accomplish his goals. The man is extremely dangerous, not to mention totally out of control. And you have set Agent Scully up to be the target of his anger when he fails. I am not saying that did not send enough people, but you did not allow for how desperate he will be when he is captured."
"Everything is under control Mulder." Dismissed ASAC Ben Miller. "Go back to your UFO's."
Agent Johnny Nokamura stood up from his desk, disgusted at his superiors' behavior. "Agent Mulder, I will drive you to the scene if you wish, my partner is part of the team."
"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."
* * * * *
As the two agents headed to the location of the stakeout Mulder's cell phone rang.
"Mulder" he said. "You did? When? How bad is she hurt? Yea, I am on my way now, should be there in," he looked at Johnny.
Johnny held up all the fingers on one hand."
"Five minutes. Okay. 'Make sure you watch him'." He put the phone away, and turned to Johnny.
"They caught him as he made a grab for Scully.
It took seven guys to hold him down, and they had to dislocate his shoulder to do that. Looks like Scully got a broken wrist out of it when she was knocked down."
"There it is." He said as they came into view of the mass of flashing lights. Mulder jumped out and immediately headed to the ambulance.
Instead of a petite redhead he found a large bald headed man with a strangely out of place shoulder.
"Where is the injured agent?" he asked one of the paramedics.
"Over there," he pointed across the parking lot " at the other aid unit.
Mulder clapped him on the shoulder and thanked him.
Scully was sitting in the door of the ambulance, her left wrist wrapped to a brace, talking to a fellow agent.
"Scully" he called out to her.
She looked up, and seeing him, graced him with a sheepish smile.
"Hey Mulder. We got him."
"I know you did, but what the hell were you thinking. I told you how dangerous he was. You were lucky that you did not get killed."
"Calm down Mulder, I knew what I was getting into. Two full teams covered me. Besides, I can take care of myself."
"Yes, I can see that." he said, pointing to her wrist.
"This happened when agent Winslow got knocked into me. I fell back onto some stairs."
As she stood up, Mulder gently touched her shoulder. "I worry about you, you know." He said.
"I know" she replied, knocking on his chest. "Wearing your 'protection' I see."
"Yea, well, I thought I would be going out on a stakeout, you know, but then I overslept"
"Overslept my ass Mulder, I turned your alarm off. I heard what time you came in. You don't get enough sleep as it is."
"I do okay." He said defensively.
"Yea right, look, go see if he's said anything yet will you."
"Sure Scully, be right back."
* * * * *
Mulder walked toward the other ambulance, saw ASAC Anderson talking to a TV Reporter then pointing at him. The reporter, a tall attractive blonde headed toward him. He cursed Anderson for pointing him out, and looked around at the scene, feeling uneasy about something.
"Agent Mulder, I'm Sabrina McKay, Action news. I would like to know how you were able to profile the killer, and to figure that he would try here next? Our own Police have been able to do nothing."
"Well I" he started, but was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot…

* * * * *
What happened next seemed to play out in slow motion to the surviving witnesses. An FBI swat team member was leading the suspect, his arm hanging loosely in a sling toward a squad car. When he swung back with his bad arm, catching the agent off guard. He then manhandled the agent, ripping the agents sidearm out if its holster. He fired one shot at the agent, who was struggling to get up. He fired another shot at Anderson who was talking to another reporter, hitting him in the face. He then turned toward the redhead.

Mulder saw him turn toward himself, but knew that he was really looking past him at Scully, who was behind him. He was focused only on the redhead.
Scully heard the two shots, looked up toward the sound then heard Mulder scream her name.
Mulder, seeing that he was between Scully and the Killer, turned and pulled the reporter into a bear hug, turning and bending her toward Scully, his back to the Killer.
He was trying to protect both women with only seconds to spare.
Scully saw what Mulder was doing, and met his gaze. She saw Agent Johnny Nokamura draw and fire at the killer. Then the killer fired. One, two, three, then something hit her in the head and everything went black.
The killer, his arm in the sling, thought only of killing the redheaded woman, he was trying to get a good shot at her but the tall dark haired agent was in the way. He felt a couple of bullets hit him, but all he could think about was killing the red headed woman. He fired at her, hoping to hit her, but the tall man was in the way. He fired four shots, and then fell when something knocked his leg out from under him. He was screaming inside with frustration as he tried to fire at the oriental man who was shooting him. Then all went black, and he didn't know if he got the red headed woman. He was sad.
Johnny had fired three shots, all hitting the huge killer; none of them were doing any good. Then he got angry. He fired twice more, kneecapping the big man. As he fell, Johnny could see the insanity in the big mans eyes as the gun barrel swung toward him. He stopped the firefight with a bullet in the huge mans left eye.
As the shooting stopped, Sabrina McKay found herself underneath the tall lanky FBI agent. She started to ask him to let her up, but the blood that was dripping on her face caused her to panic, and start screaming.
Agent Nokamura ran to Mulder. There were three holes in his jacket, and Johnny knew how bad it could hurt when you took a hit in a bulletproof vest. He rolled Mulder off the now sobbing TV reporter gently. His first thoughts were confused when he saw all the blood. Blood was running out of Mulders vest, and was bubbling out of his mouth as he tried to breathe.
"Medic" yelled Johnny, "Get over here, now!"
He eased Mulder on to his side, and then let the paramedics take over.
Johnny helped the reporter to her feet, and was shocked when she started to cry on his shoulder. He silently watched the paramedics work.
Scully came to feeling someone holding something on her head. It was a wad of gauze. In a flash she remembered what had happened, and she tried to turn toward Mulder.
"Stay calm Agent Scully" said one of the paramedics.
"Mulder" she called out. "Mulder where are you?"
"Take it easy agent Scully, the other team is taking care of him."
That was not the thing to say. Scully stood up, fixing the paramedic with a withering glare. "Back off" she said, her voice icy, and hurried unsteadily over to where Mulder was.
She arrived about the same time that the female paramedic opened the bulletproof vest. The young woman turned away, vomiting. Scully could not believe what she saw, three massive wounds in his chest and abdomen. She dropped to her knees by Mulder's head. He was conscious, and saw her. He tried to talk, but only bloody bubbles came out of his mouth.
"Oh man," he said gasping. "Oh, Jesus, Goddamn it, what a freakin' mess," cried the lead paramedic Angel Morales.
Angel Morales was a veteran Medic who had served in Viet Nam, and had twenty-five years in on the streets, and had only once seen such a mess.
But that had been when a grenade had accidentally gone off inside a buttoned up APC. He made a snap decision, threw a shock blanket over Mulder's chest then zipped up the vest.
"Lets roll now, no time for anything, gotta get to a trauma center, Dammit Amy, quit puking and help me! Hang an IV of ringers, and start pumping albumen in him, now…"
Amy turned to him, looking sick. "Can't, sick." She replied, turning away and heaving again.
"Mike, called Angel, give me all your Albumen and Ringers, we're going to roll now, you drive…."
Scully turned to the Paramedic. "I'm a doctor, I can help"
"Lets go" he replied as they lifted Mulder onto a stretcher.

In the ambulance, the paramedic, Angel, put a pair of IV's in and turned them on full. Next he pulled a cell phone from the wall. He hit the auto-dial and waited.
"Mercy, this is Medic 7. We have a male, thirty something, weight about 175. Three gunshot wounds to the back, massive exit wounds, possible explosive bullets.
I am flooding him with ringers and albumen. We are going to intubate him …" he paused to look out the window. "We are about 3 minutes out." He listened then hung up the phone.
"Hang on guy." He said to Mulder. He then turned to Dana, "How are you doing?" he asked Scully.
"Holding it together." She replied.
She felt Mulders hand squeeze hers, and she turned to him. "Hang on Mulder, Please, for me Partner."
Tears burned her cheeks as she felt him trying to pull her closer; he was trying to speak. She leaned over him.
"I love you Scully!" he whispered then his eyes glazed over.
Scully helped the paramedic intubate him, holding his head steady as the ambulance swayed. Angel checked for a pulse as the ambulance pulled into the hospital.
"He's just unconscious, he is still alive!" he told a stunned agent Scully.
The Mercy Hospital trauma Team swung into action as soon as the ambulance stopped moving. They unloaded the stretcher and rushed down the hallway of the hospital.
Angel stopped Scully when she started to follow them. "They won't let you in with them, they're a team, like you and your partner, and you would be in the way. Lets get your head looked at, it's still bleeding, and we will get that wrist looked at too."
He led her into an exam room, sat her on the table, then left. He returned a moment later with a doctor.
"This is Dr. Adams, he's a good guy, and he will fix you up."

As the Doctor looked at the wound, Angel tried to talk to Scully to keep her distracted, he had seen too many law enforcement officers have a partner injured, some had a bond closer than that of a married couple. These two seemed to share that type of bond, something that others could not understand.
"What did your partner say to you?"
Scully winced as the doctor wiped the wound, then turned to Angel and answered "He said that he loved me…" tears started flowing, and Angel held her hand as she cried.

* * * * *

Back at the scene, Johnny Nokamura walked around in circles shaking his head. "What the hell happened here, this was supposed to be a simple bust, how did this turn into a fire fight."
He walked over to the suspects' body, and lifted the gun from his hand. He ejected the clip and looked at the bullets. Turning to the body of the agent that the killer had disarmed, Johnny spoke "you poor dumb fuck, if you weren't already dead, I'd kill you myself. Collins", he shouted to another agent. "Call the hospital and tell them that Mulder was shot with Teflon Coated bullets." He stood looking at the dead agent. "You poor dumb fuck."

* * * * *

J Edgar Hoover Building
Washington DC.
Tuesday June 8th, 1999, 1:47pm

Assistant Director Walter Skinner was going over the latest budget reports when he heard his office door open. He looked up and saw his secretary Kim standing there, tears brimming in her eyes.
"What is it Kim?" he asked, starting to stand.
"Sir…. Agent Mulder was just…. Turn on CNN", she said.
Skinner turned on the TV in his office.
"This is Boyd Fletcher, CNN News with a breaking story. An FBI stakeout that was set to capture the Raggedy Ann Serial killer was completed successfully earlier this morning, only to have it turn into a bloodbath after the suspect was in custody.
Two FBI agents and the suspect are dead, and two agents are in the hospital, no information on their condition is available. Local news teams were on the scene, and we are now showing the scene as it happened."
Skinner watched the action unfold on the screen, his jaw clenching tighter and tighter. He found himself clenching his fist in frustration. Damn! He'd never liked Anderson, and now that idiot's failure to manage the situation had killed two agents and put Mulder and Scully in the hospital. He could feel his gut clench as he pondered the phone call he had to make.

He was transfixed, staring at the TV when he heard whispering behind him. He took a deep breath, and then turned.
"Sir, agent Nokamura on three." Said Lucy Myers, the bullpen secretary.
"Thanks." He said, picking up the phone.
"Skinner. Uh Huh. What! Okay, I will be out on the first available flight. I will call you back with the details."
He hung up the phone and turned to the gathering of agents.
"Mulder is in surgery. He is in critical condition; Scully was just grazed.
Agent Simpson whose gun was taken away from him and used by the suspect in the firefight, was killed, ASAC Anderson was also killed. Simpson had loaded his gun with Teflon cop killer bullets, Mulder was wearing a class one vest when he was shot."
"Kim!" he called.
Kim poked her head inside the door.
"I've already booked you a flight to Anaheim, two seats. Margaret Scully is holding on line one. Here is Mrs. Mulders phone number."
"Lucy, let the director know what has happened, since Kerch is on Vacation, and I am acting AD for his group. Let him know that I am going to Anaheim.

* * * * *
A Private Clubroom
New York City

In a private clubroom in New York City, two old men sat and watched the same scene unfold during a late lunch. A third joined them, an ever-present cigarette in his hand. He ground it out as one of the others spoke. "I see Agent Mulder has been injured, and in fact he may die."
"Yes, I saw the same newscast. If he survives he will become even more dangerous. I fear Agent Mulder is growing up. And becoming a hero on National TV will give more people reason to believe him. He is no longer as reckless as he once was. Where he used to blindly rush in like a fool, he now gathers facts, proof, information that can be verified. We can no longer afford to have him alive."
"Yes, this is yet another high profile case he has solved, and by playing as a team player. If something 'suspicious' were to happen to him now there would be trouble."
"I agree." Replied the smoker. "Even though he is no longer assigned to the X-Files it would still not be wise for him to be injured suspiciously."
"Well, as long as he is not snooping around, we have no need to 'bother him' do we?"
"No, of course not. But this new found "Maturity' of Mulders bothers me. If he ever manages to get the X-Files back, I fear he could be more dangerous to us."
"Well then, make sure that he doesn't get them back."
"As you wish." He said, lighting up another cigarette.

* * * * *

The flight out of Dulles had been rather hectic, getting a bag packed, getting an agent to pick Mrs. Scully up and take her to the airport.

Mrs. Scully had not felt like talking, for which Walter had been grateful, he had too many things on his mind.

Even though he was no longer in charge of Agents Mulder and Scully, he still kept his eye on them. Reports from the Bullpen and some of the other agents had said that Mulder had been working quite well with the other agents that he had been trying hard to get along with everyone. Since coming back from Antarctica, something in Mulder had changed. He was no longer a loose cannon, determined to do everything alone, he had even offered to back up agent Killian during a sudden drug bust when they were short handed.
Yes, something had happened that caused Mulder to change. He had helped train two new profilers, his reports were clearer and on time, his evidence carefully cataloged, and his expense reports made sense now.
Scully had also changed, she was no longer so quick to shoot his theories down, she was more open-minded. But it was Mulder who had really changed! He was actually making friends in the Bureau again, where before he shunned everyone.
It was hard to get used to. Mulder was not out sucking up to everyone, but he was not avoiding them either.
It was really weird. From what he heard through the coffee pot rumor mill, three agents had been in the cafeteria arguing about the MO that a particular perp was using. "Spooky" had joined into the conversation and steered them to a totally different conclusion. One that was very successful. It took awhile for many of the other agents to accept the change, but they did. Oh, there were still a lot that called him Spooky, but many of those used that term as a friendly nickname now. There were still a few that used it as a derogatory comment and made other rude comments, but the number was smaller now. He had even heard Mulder answer the phone using the nickname.
As hard to believe as it was, as he was leaving the building, a group of agents had come up to him with a message. "Tell Scully that we are praying for the Spook." And it was from the heart.

When he thought back at the problems he had had with agent Mulder in the past, it was amazing how much the change stood out. Kersch was such a prick, wasting Mulders talents by having do background checks, and not getting them involved until everyone else had failed.

In the next seat Margaret Scully was doing some thinking of her own.
Why couldn't Fox and Dana ever catch a break? If it was not one thing, it was another. She don't know what she would have done after Dana had been abducted if it wasn't for Fox, he helped her through the rough times, and was there when she needed some one when Dana was lying in a coma.
Fox had gone with her when she had gone to pick out Dana's headstone, he disagreed, feeling that she had given up, but he had still gone with her.
And Dana. She had almost come unglued when it was suspected that Fox had died in New Mexico. She would never admit her feelings, but Dana had been in love with Fox Mulder for a long time, Maggie just hoped that they would admit it to themselves soon, before it was too late.
God it had been a rough few years, first Bill, then Dana's abduction, then her cancer, then Melissa was killed, then she disappeared again, now this.
In her own mind she wondered what it was that they were doing that put them in so much danger. Why were Dana and Fox were risking theirs, and others lives.
She put her hand on Mr. Skinners arm, and when he looked at her she asked him.
"Is what they are doing worth it Mr. Skinner?"
He looked at her for a second, then looked right in her eyes and answered. "Yes it is, it is important to all of us."
Margaret Scully felt a great sense of relief as Mr. Skinner replied to her question.
"Then we will get through it all then."

* * * * *

Dana sat in the surgical waiting room staring at the doors to the operating theater, a cup of cold coffee in her good hand. She had been here for hours after being discharged from the ER. Agent Nokamura had left to go to the airport to pick AD Skinner and a passenger up. A few agents had stopped by to see if she had heard any news, but most of the them were still at the scene trying to piece together what happened.
She was alone. Just sitting here waiting to hear something about Mulder, anything.
As it was her mind was in constant turmoil. What did he mean by that. Did he mean that he loved me as a friend instead of a lover? God I hope not. Did he love me as a friend? God I hope not. Did he love me the way that I hope he loves me? What did he mean, will I ever find out?
She gripped the cross hanging at her throat and silently prayed. Please God take care of him. Keep him alive. For me. Alone in her thoughts she waited.
The sound of heels carried down the hallway. They stopped next to her, and she felt the couch dip as some one sat down next to her.
"Have you heard anything?" Asked a quiet feminine voice.
Dana turned and looked into the red eyes of Sabrina McKay, the reporter. She looked around for a camera, but found none.
"I came alone. This was not something I could allow anyone to intrude on. He saved me didn't he?"
"Yes, but he was trying to save me too." Replied Dana. "He could have dived out of the way, and protected himself and you, but he chose to stand there and take it. To make sure we, I was safe."
"I heard he was wearing a bulletproof vest."
"Yea. He was, that is why he wrapped you up the way he did, to use the vest and his body to shield you. But the gun that the shooter used was loaded with Cop Killer Bullets."
"Oh."
Dana sat up a little straighter and looked over the woman next to her. She was a tall attractive blonde, with a few too many wrinkles around her eyes. And the eyes themselves looked like they had seen a bit to much horror.
"This was my last story." She said flatly. "I can't deal with it, with the pain anymore. I can't ask people how it feels that their loved ones have been shot, knifed, or killed. I just can't do it anymore."
Dana gave her a gentle, sympathetic smile and nodded.
The two women sat quietly, watching the doors.
A bustle of noise distracted them and they glanced up at the sounds. Dana saw her mother and Walter Skinner walking towards them followed by Agent Johnny Nokamura. She stood and ran into her mother's outstretched arms.
"Oh Dana" her mom tearfully asked. "How is he?"
"I don't know mom," she answered quietly. "He is still in surgery, but it was bad, real bad." And she buried her face in her moms shoulder sobbing quietly. Dana could no longer be "The Ice Queen". Too many times she had held things in, she reached her limit. She just couldn't hold any more.
Agent Nokamura introduced Skinner to the reporter, and asked her how she was feeling.
"I'm okay." she replied, "I was just waiting to see how Agent Mulder was. He saved my life, and hers. He never thought twice about it. I mean to him there was no thought was there? He had to save her, and me, even if he died. I just don't understand why. Do you?"
"I gave up trying to understand him a long time ago." Sighed Skinner. "He has always been the most self sacrificing person I have ever known."
Mrs. Scully was leading Dana over to the couch, and talking to her gently.
"Dana, he has been injured before, why are you acting like this, this time."
Dana lifted her face slowly and looked at her mom.
"He has never been hurt this bad before. He kept trying to talk to me, then he told me that he loved me." She said with emotion.
"Of course he does sweetie, he has loved you for a long time"
"But this was different, he was talking about a different kind of love, not like friends."
"I know." She answered.
Dana looked at her moms face closely, and could see that her mom was telling her the truth.
"How long have you known?"
"Ever since your disappearance, Fox used to talk to me every day, and we would sometimes have lunch and visit, or I would invite him to dinner, and we would talk about you. I could tell even then how much he loved you. Then when you were in a coma, and they were expecting you to die, I went to his apartment to try to have him help me pick out a headstone for you, his door was open a crack and I looked in. He was sitting on his couch, in the dark, with his gun in his hand. I have no doubt in my mind that if you had of died, he would have followed you."
Dana looked at her mom, seeing how serious she was. Suddenly in her mind, many things fell into place. You're my one in 5 billion. If there's an Iced tea in there it could be love. I owe you everything. You make me whole.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into the face of Walter Skinner.
"I've known it for a long time Scully, I always wondered when you two were going to realize it."
Dana sat stunned. He loves me as much as I love him?

* * * * *

The five of them sat quietly in the waiting room, Agent Nokamura had made a run to a nearby deli and returned with coffee, soda, and some sandwiches, but the food sat mostly untouched.
A surgical nurse had come out once to tell them that all was going well, but that was the last that they had heard.
Dana glanced up at the clock; Mulder had been in surgery now for five and a half hours. As she was stretching, the doors opened, and a tall man in surgical scrubs came out.
"Dr. Scully"? He asked.
Dana replied yes then looked at the surgeon as he sat across from her.
"The surgery went without further complications. Most of the damage was to the left lung. I preserved as much tissue as I could.
There was some minor damage in the abdominal area, but I believe we've been able to repair it 100%. We cleaned out as much foreign debris as we could, and I think we did a good job with it. Obviously, there was significant blood loss, and we had to give him a large amount of blood products. An orthopedic surgeon was called in to repair the damaged ribs." There was some muscle and tissue damage at the exit wounds, but it was sewn up cleanly. He paused to take a breath.
"He's not out of the woods yet. Of course there's a great risk of infection, even more with all the debris from the vest. Considering the amount of trauma and the amount of blood he's gotten, he's also at greater risk for pulmonary (lung) complications and bleeding problems. We'll be monitoring him closely. I'm going to keep him sedated on the ventilator overnight, and then we'll see. He is in good health, so that is in his favor. If all goes well he should recover 100%."
"And if all does not go well?" asked Skinner.
"Lets just not go there." Answered the Doctor.

United States Naval Base
San Diego California
Tuesday June 8th, 1999, 6:00pm

Tara Scully had just sat down on the couch with her after dinner coffee and turned on the TV when they rolled the tape for the evening news.
"BILL!" She screamed "Come HERE!"
Bill, fearing some major catastrophe came running into the living room. He stopped shocked when he saw his wife pointing at the TV. As he watched the tape roll, this time in slow motion, he saw the suspect tear the gun away from the agent, who was leading him away, fire into the agent, then turn and fire at still another agent. The suspect then turned and looked around for something. He seemed to have found what he was looking for and he was shown bringing the gun up to fire. The view jumped to another camera, and from a different angle Bill saw Fox Mulder talking to a reporter. Suddenly he jumped, looked around, and then pulled the reporter into a protective hug. Bill stood transfixed as dust on Fox's jacket jumped as bullets hit him. In the background, a petite red headed woman fell.
Bill whispered "Noooooo!"
The camera jumped and went out, and then the anchorman came back on.
"That was the scene earlier this morning as an FBI stakeout to capture the Raggedy Ann serial killer went terribly wrong. Two FBI agents are dead, one is in critical condition, and one was treated for minor injuries and released. We will now show this afternoons press conference held at Mercy Hospital."
FBI SAC Marcus Hart stood in front of the podium, flanked by the hospital spokesman, and a man Bill Scully recognized, Walter Skinner. Bill listened carefully as he spoke.
"Earlier today, two FBI Agents, ASAC Todd Anderson, and Special Agent James Simpson were killed by suspected Serial Killer Boyd Fletchly, who was also killed. Special Agent Dana Scully received a minor wound, and has been treated and released. Special Agent Fox Mulder was shot three times in the back and is in surgery at this time. Agent Mulder, was injured because he stood in between the killer and his real target Agent Scully, who was instrumental in the suspects capture. It must be noted that one of the reasons that he stayed blocking the path is the fact that he was wearing a protective vest at the time.
It is still under investigation as to why the agent's gun that was used by the killer was loaded with Teflon coated bullets. We will have a further statement later when we have more information."
Then the announcer came back on with the rest of the National news.
"Tara" stated Bill Scully, "We have to go to see Dana, she's going to need us."

TBC