Chapter 9
Title: Strangers in a Bar
Disclaimer: See an earlier chapter.
~(X)~
The autumn breeze, colder than usual, stirs the leaves. Nearly three years have passed, the cooler months have come again. Dana stands, flanked by her daughter, Samantha, who eagerly clutches her mother's hand. In her free arm, Dana holds her son, William Fox, a task which has grown more difficult for the third child which grows every day in her womb. She breaks the stony silence which has surrounded them by saying,
"I can't believe I'm really standing here." Her mother raises her eyes, looking sideways at her grieving daughter, as she herself grieves. She gently rubs Dana's back, wishing she could find the right words to comfort your daughter. But she stops, realizing that there are no words which bring comfort in a situation like this. She knows what it is like to lose a husband. She pauses, remembering that fated Christmas holiday, just last year, when Bill had gone in an instant. She wipes away the fresh tears which have sprung to her eyes.
Beside her, Dana, too is remembering. The words of the priest are lost on her ears. She is remembering that day, just over a week ago, when Fox was late from work. She had called his cell phone, and gotten no answer. No sooner had she hung up, than the phone rang. She picked up, hoping to hear his voice, but the voice on the other end belonged to a stranger.
"Mrs. Mulder?"
"Yes," she had answered nonchalantly as she filled Will's bottle.
"I have some bad news, Mrs. Mulder," the voice had said. This had caused her to stop, and reposition her son on her hip, as her heart rate quickened. There was a pause, before the voice on the other end said,
"There was a shooting at the bank; a hostage situation, and your husband was injured. I can't tell you anything more right now, Mrs. Mulder. I'm very sorry." Tears in her eyes, and her heart in her throat, she had asked,
" W-what hospital?"
"Northeast Georgetown, ma'am."
"Thank you," she had murmured, hanging up the phone. With a numb mind, she had finished Will's bottle, and called up the stairs to her daughter,
"Samantha, come here sweetheart. We have to go to the hospital for a little while, ok?"
"Where's Daddy?" she had asked, innocently. Such an innocent question, but its implications were great. Dana wiped away the tears, saying,
"Daddy's at work, sweetie." Sam had nodded, heading to the closet to get her coat and her brother's. The three headed out the door, and to the car. With her two little ones strapped into the back seat, Dana followed the route she had taken numerous times, and they soon reached the hospital. She had been relieved to find that her mother was already there, and had gotten her message.
"Sam, you and Will go see Gramma, ok?" Her daughter, her hazel eyes shining, had pulled the tottering William by the hand to see their grandmother.
After finding that he was in surgery, Dana had sat outside the OR, her head in her hands. The hardest part had come. The wait. After what seemed like an eternity, the OR doors had opened, and Dana had lifted her head. She saw Dr. Regenski, her partner and undoubtedly one of her best friends, coming toward her. She had removed her mask, and stopped in front of Dana. As Dana's eyes had finally met Gina's, and she let out a cry after reading their expression.
"No!" she had cried, her shaking voice rising. "No, Gina, please..." she had whimpered, raising a shaking hand to her mouth.
"Dana, I'm so sorry..." Dr. Regenski began.
"No, no, no!" Dana yelled, backing away from her. She had backed into a chair, and stopped. She had stood still, breathing heavily, as Dr. Regenski put a hand on her shoulder and said,
"Dana, there was nothing we more we could do." Then everything had gone black.
Back in present time, Dana shudders, and her mother squeezes her hand, then extends her arms to take William. Dana nods, thanking her. She takes two steps forward and hesitates, taking a half step back. She takes a deep breath, bending down. Picking up a handful of loose dirt, Dana casts it over the fully lowered coffin of her late husband, Fox Mulder, bidding him one last good bye.
Title: Strangers in a Bar
Disclaimer: See an earlier chapter.
~(X)~
The autumn breeze, colder than usual, stirs the leaves. Nearly three years have passed, the cooler months have come again. Dana stands, flanked by her daughter, Samantha, who eagerly clutches her mother's hand. In her free arm, Dana holds her son, William Fox, a task which has grown more difficult for the third child which grows every day in her womb. She breaks the stony silence which has surrounded them by saying,
"I can't believe I'm really standing here." Her mother raises her eyes, looking sideways at her grieving daughter, as she herself grieves. She gently rubs Dana's back, wishing she could find the right words to comfort your daughter. But she stops, realizing that there are no words which bring comfort in a situation like this. She knows what it is like to lose a husband. She pauses, remembering that fated Christmas holiday, just last year, when Bill had gone in an instant. She wipes away the fresh tears which have sprung to her eyes.
Beside her, Dana, too is remembering. The words of the priest are lost on her ears. She is remembering that day, just over a week ago, when Fox was late from work. She had called his cell phone, and gotten no answer. No sooner had she hung up, than the phone rang. She picked up, hoping to hear his voice, but the voice on the other end belonged to a stranger.
"Mrs. Mulder?"
"Yes," she had answered nonchalantly as she filled Will's bottle.
"I have some bad news, Mrs. Mulder," the voice had said. This had caused her to stop, and reposition her son on her hip, as her heart rate quickened. There was a pause, before the voice on the other end said,
"There was a shooting at the bank; a hostage situation, and your husband was injured. I can't tell you anything more right now, Mrs. Mulder. I'm very sorry." Tears in her eyes, and her heart in her throat, she had asked,
" W-what hospital?"
"Northeast Georgetown, ma'am."
"Thank you," she had murmured, hanging up the phone. With a numb mind, she had finished Will's bottle, and called up the stairs to her daughter,
"Samantha, come here sweetheart. We have to go to the hospital for a little while, ok?"
"Where's Daddy?" she had asked, innocently. Such an innocent question, but its implications were great. Dana wiped away the tears, saying,
"Daddy's at work, sweetie." Sam had nodded, heading to the closet to get her coat and her brother's. The three headed out the door, and to the car. With her two little ones strapped into the back seat, Dana followed the route she had taken numerous times, and they soon reached the hospital. She had been relieved to find that her mother was already there, and had gotten her message.
"Sam, you and Will go see Gramma, ok?" Her daughter, her hazel eyes shining, had pulled the tottering William by the hand to see their grandmother.
After finding that he was in surgery, Dana had sat outside the OR, her head in her hands. The hardest part had come. The wait. After what seemed like an eternity, the OR doors had opened, and Dana had lifted her head. She saw Dr. Regenski, her partner and undoubtedly one of her best friends, coming toward her. She had removed her mask, and stopped in front of Dana. As Dana's eyes had finally met Gina's, and she let out a cry after reading their expression.
"No!" she had cried, her shaking voice rising. "No, Gina, please..." she had whimpered, raising a shaking hand to her mouth.
"Dana, I'm so sorry..." Dr. Regenski began.
"No, no, no!" Dana yelled, backing away from her. She had backed into a chair, and stopped. She had stood still, breathing heavily, as Dr. Regenski put a hand on her shoulder and said,
"Dana, there was nothing we more we could do." Then everything had gone black.
Back in present time, Dana shudders, and her mother squeezes her hand, then extends her arms to take William. Dana nods, thanking her. She takes two steps forward and hesitates, taking a half step back. She takes a deep breath, bending down. Picking up a handful of loose dirt, Dana casts it over the fully lowered coffin of her late husband, Fox Mulder, bidding him one last good bye.