**Final chapter…sniff sniff **

Mulder sat on the edge of her bed and faced the broken window.  His guilt was all but overwhelming at the sight of the tousled sheets and shards of glass.  Skinner stepped softly up to him afraid to call him but loathe seeing him so despondent. 

"Agent Mulder…"

"If they were all killed in spots where they met their lovers…isn't it possible that he has taken her somewhere she knows?" he said his voice low and quiet.

"But Agent Scully wasn't cheating on anyone…"

"But he thinks she…she and I…" he continued.

"So where would she be meeting the other person?"

"The only other person she went out with was Danny…and he took her to the Hilton for the awards ceremony."

"Anywhere else?"

"We went to the ball park.  To see the cubs game and I had to leave…so that's the first time they were alone," he said louder now and he stood to turn around to Skinner who recognised the look in his eyes.

"Right, lets get going."

            The squad was split into two with one team going to the Hilton and the other going to the baseball stadium.  Mulder followed the second team in the car with Skinner and Agent Lynch.

"Are you sure about this?" Lynch asked.

"No," Mulder said, "but what else do we have?"

            The silence in the car spoke volumes of their desperation and Skinner drove faster to compensate for his lack of control on the situation.  When they finally pulled up outside they rushed over to collect the bulletproof vests from the swat van.  Skinner set out routes for everyone and the teams split up in all directions.  Mulder and Skinner went directly for the main entrance and found it to be unlocked; the chain that usually kept the gate shut was tossed in a corner on the inside.  Silently Skinner signalled at him to stick to the wall as they approached the open doors.

            Mulder jumped across the doorway and slammed against the wall, peering round the corner as he did.  He shook his head quickly at Skinner to tell him he couldn't see anything.  Bending low Skinner carefully made his way forward his eyes constantly watching the stairway before him.  The stairs went up to the third base seats on the ground level and as he approached the top step he lay down on his chest his gun held out in front of him, he signalled for Mulder to join him.

            Mulder silently made his way up in time to see Danny walking to his car.  It was parked by the wide maintenance gates facing out of the park.  He watched Danny as he slammed the car door and walked back towards the pitch.  Mulder's eyes scanned the field for where Danny might be going when his eyes fell on her.  His breath caught in his throat and he nudged Skinner to get his attention pointing with his head he showed him where to look.  Skinner made a gesture with his hand that Mulder didn't understand but unable to take his eyes off her he didn't notice that Skinner had crept down to the stairwell again to contact the other teams.

            He watched as Danny mounted her again and it was all he could do not to run out there and tackle him straight away.  But he didn't know if she was dead already.  He felt Skinner lie beside him again and glanced over to him.

"Alpha team is circling around the bleachers, Beta are coming out of left field."

"We have to get down there," Mulder whispered as loud as he dared.

"Agent Mulder…she could be dead…we cannot endanger the lives of any more Agents."

"She could be alive and sitting here is only endangering her life."

"Mulder, stay here, you are not to get involved," Skinner said angrily, knowing that if she resembled any of the bodies they had already found it was not an image he should see.  "When the teams go in you have to remain here, and that's a direct order."

            Mulder looked away angrily, part of him knowing Skinner was right the rest of him not caring and needing to rush out to her…dead or alive.  Then he saw her move.  Her head lifted off the ground for a moment before falling back into place.  Her body bucked beneath Danny's but it was weak and did little to move him.

"Did you see that?" Mulder said grabbing Skinners arm.

"Yes, she's alive."

"Then we have to-," he began but as he saw Danny lift his arm up high in the air his other hand holding something against her chest he all but screamed.  Ignoring Skinners insistence he jumped up and ran towards them, his gun out of its holster already.  As Danny's hand slammed down towards her he yelled at him to freeze but it was too late.  Mulder bounded over the barrier and ran onto the pitch his gun aiming directly at Danny's head.

            When he screamed Danny turned and quickly fumbled for another nail.  But a crack sounded through the air and Mulder watched as his body slumped fully over hers.  Running closer he noticed she was naked and he already began to pull off his jumper.  He could hear Skinner running up behind him and quickly pushed Danny's body off her.  He carefully placed the jumper over her covering her as much as he could before he started to untie her arms.

"We need and ambulance," he shouted at Skinner who was knelt by her head.

"I already called one."

"She's hurt," he said as he gently positioned her arms down by her side and felt for a pulse.  "It's weak but still there."

            Lifting the side of the jumper up Skinner spotted the nail that was piercing her chest.  Wincing her replaced the jumper and shouted for the men who were running towards them to open the maintenance gates for the ambulance.  Mulder took her hand and gently rubbed her hair away from her face.

"Hang on Scully…hang on," he whispered to her ignoring Danny's lifeless body that lay next to them.

            When the ambulance arrived he was firmly shoved aside as they worked on reviving her and transporting her to the hospital.  He tried desperately to get in to the back with her but they pushed him aside and told him to follow by car.  By the time he arrived at the hospital she had already gone into surgery, doctors telling him so little as he wasn't family, he had nothing left to do but pace.

            Skinner appeared shortly angrily questioning him about his lack of procedure but he sat silently taking whatever Skinner had to dish out, his mind on the operating table with her.  Soon after Skinner left her mother appeared.

"Mrs Scully, I'm…I…"

"Hello Fox.  Any news?" she asked as she walked fully into the room and he stood to greet her.  Taking both of his hands in hers she looked up to him.

"No.  They wont tell me anything.  I'm not family."

"Not to them…"

            He smiled a little at her and hated himself for the look in her eyes.  They both sat down on a couch in the private waiting room and she held their hands on her lap.  Silence engulfed them both as he struggled for words to comfort her but he said nothing feeling only blame.

"I don't blame you Fox," she said quietly, amazing him at the depths of her insight.  "Dana choose a life in the FBI, with the X-Files, with you.  She wouldn't leave it for anything."

"I should have been there.  I shouldn't have left," his voice said cracking under the weight of his emotion.

            She saw the tears in his eyes that he refused to release and felt the guilt in his voice.  But it was something that he would have to give up himself and no words of comfort from her would help.  Just then the door opened and a surgeon walked in.  Mulder and Mrs Scully stood up greeting him with anxious faces.

"Mrs Scully?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes. Is Dana okay?"

"She has just come out of surgery.  Her left lung had been punctured and a few of her ribs damaged but we were able to stop the internal bleeding and it looks like she will be fine."
"Oh thank god," Mrs Scully sighed; finally able to release the tension she had been holding in place so carefully.  She reached round to Mulder and hugged him tightly, feeling his smile.

"She'll be in ICU for a while and we'll transfer her to a ward soon, you can see her then."

"Thank you," she said glancing up at Mulder whose face was blank except for the torrent of emotion that played behind his eyes.

            When the surgeon left she sat down again onto the couch but he remained standing rubbing his face with his hands as if he could hold back the tears with hid fingers.

"I had better get back and finish up my reports.  Will you be okay?" he asked, his eyes darting around the room.

"I'll be fine Fox.  Thank you for waiting with me."

"No problem.  I'll be back to see her later."

            She let him leave without any more excuses knowing that he needed his own space to relax in his own way.  Mulder escaped the confines of the hospital quickly and made his way over to her apartment.  The forensic teams were gone and only one police car sat outside.

"Hey guys, you can leave now," Mulder said as he passed the car.

"We got our orders, stay here till morning."

"Well I'm changing them," he showed his badge and the officer shrugged before starting his car and pulling away. 

            Mulder walked through the apartment clearing up the police tape and evidence markers and he went.  He finally made it to her bedroom and started to clean up the dust left over from the fingerprint kits.  Usually after going through a crime scene he took note of whatever he thought important took prints and left.  He never saw this side of it and it scared him how much it was effecting him.  After taking away any shards of glass that stuck out of the window frame, he searched the phone book for someone that would still work this late at night to come out and fix it.   Finally he found a small company based near her building that said they'd be there within the hour so he continued cleaning, changing her sheets and trying hard to get rid of the blood stain from her carpet.

            While the windowpane was being replaced he sat silently in the living room, unable to continue with their idle chat he left them to work and paid them as they left.  Glancing at the clock he saw that it was half twelve and he realised it would be too late to go visiting at the hospital.  But his conscious wouldn't let him put it off any longer.  Slowly he ambled out to his car and took a deep breath before driving through the empty roads to the hospital.  He stood at the nurse's station for a long time before they finally acknowledged him.

"Can you tell me what room Dana Scully is in?" he asked.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over sir," she replied.

"I'm her partner, I've been working on the case all evening, can I just go in and see her?"

            The nurse looked at this tall handsome man that stood before her and saw clearly the pain in his eyes and worried expression on his face.  She crumpled under the weight of his need and slowly nodded her head as she searched the files for the room number.

"213, down the hall and round to the left."

"Thanks."

            Mulder all but ran around to her room and stopped short out side the door.  Pulling the handle down slowly afraid in case she was asleep he warily opened the door and stepped through, closing it behind him with a loud click.  His eyes darted over to her motionless body and relaxed when she didn't move.  Grabbing a chair from against the wall he placed it next to her bed but before sitting down on it he leant over her still form and gently kissed her cheek.

"Hey Scully," he whispered and stayed over her for a moment as he took in her relaxed features.  She seemed to be sleeping soundly and he promised himself he wouldn't wake her so he sat back into the chair and sighed.  Taking her hand gently he rubbed soft circles into her skin watching her carefully, reassuring himself that she was okay.  At that moment her blue eyes fluttered open catching his brown ones and she smiled.

 "Hey," she said softly.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he asked sitting on the edge of the bed, resting his free hand across her.

"Not really.  I was waiting for you," she said slightly breathless.

"I had some stuff I needed to do.  Sorry," he uttered vaguely avoiding her gaze.

"It's okay, you're here now."

"How do you feel?"

"It hurts like you wouldn't believe," she said then took a shaky breath.

"Scully…I'm so sorry…I shouldn't have left you, I should have stayed," he blurted out quickly, his guilt tripping up his words.

"Mulder, stop, it's not your fault," she said but needed another breath to continue.  "Is Danny…"

"He's dead," Mulder said firmly trying to hold her eyes but finding he couldn't he looked away, staring down at their hands as their fingers intertwined.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Hey…that's my line," she said with a small smile squeezing his hand.

            Before Mulder could answer the door opened and a nurse entered, whispering harshly that it was time for Mulder to leave. 

"I guess that's my cue.  I'll come back in the morning."

"Goodnight Mulder."

            He watched her for another moment then leaned in and kissed her again, this time catching the corner of her lips and the shine in her eyes. 

"Goodnight."

***

            Mulder sat in Skinners office at listened to the words as they flew angrily from his mouth.  Unable to argue with Skinners logic and the fact that he had disobeyed a direct order evident he simply sat in silence and waited to be excused.  Frankly he couldn't care and Skinner knew it.  It was almost as if he was simply going through the motions of a reprimand to save face rather than an actual anger at being disobeyed.

            Finally Skinner stopped and sat back into his desk.  He shuffled with a few files and removed his glasses for a quick clean before looking up to Mulder again.

"She's coming home today?" he asked.

"Yes sir.  I'm picking her up at 4.30.  She said she would report in on Monday morning as usual."

"Tell her to take her time."  He looked down and replaced his glasses. "Have you spoken to Agent Keane?"

"Yes sir, she came down to my office this morning."

"And she asked you to rejoin the VC?"

"Yes sir."

"You have release from the X-Files if you wish to pursue a career in the VC department.  I understand that she made a generous offer."

"Yes sir, but like I told Agent Keane this morning, my work with the X-Files is far from complete."

"That's all."

            Mulder stood and left heading down to the basement office he'd occupies on his own for the past week.  It seemed as if his clock wasn't moving and after watching it turn past two o'clock he could take it no longer and he left.  The drive to the hospital was quiet and his heart beat erratically in anticipation of finally being able to take her home.  He nodded a smile of acknowledgement at the nurses he'd been passing every day over the last week and entered Scully room.

            Her mother sat on the edge of her bed and spoke softly with her, their heads were bent close and he tried not to intrude, but Scully had spotted him and smiled.  Her mother turned to him a knowing smile on her face and stood to greet him with a hug.  He took it awkwardly and stood back for a moment.

"You're early," Scully said a laugh behind her voice he hadn't heard in a while=e

"Am I?" he said checking his watch as if he didn't know.

"So you'll take care of her?" her mother said as she slipped her jacket on.

"Yes, I will."

"Good, then in that case I had better get home.  I'll see you next weekend Dana," she said as she bundled her daughter into her arms for a long hug.  "Goodbye Fox."

"Goodbye Mrs Scully."
            The door shut slowly behind her closing with a resonate thud that seemed to echo around the small room.  He'd been thinking about this moment all day and now that it was upon him he struggled for things to say.  He didn't usually find himself short of words but sitting with her now his mind was blank.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Relieved to be able to go home.  I already saw the doctor and he filled up my prescriptions so we can leave straight away."

"It might be an idea to get out of that gown, it's a bit cold out."

            She smirked at his comment and pushed the blankets off her legs.  He stood to help her out as she held one arm across her chest and climbed out of the bed.  She tried not to wince, knowing he was watching her carefully and every grimace or flinch she made brought his guilt to a new level. 

            Slowly she made her way to the bathroom and tried as quickly as she could to change into clothes he'd brought for her earlier in the week.  Thankfully he had thought to bring her simple clothes with no buttons or zips as she found it hard to reach with her ribs strapped up and stitches on her chest.  Returning to the bed she sat on to it and pushed herself back leaving her legs dangling over the edge.  He noticed that she wore no socks or shoes and wondered why until he saw her holding her chest again. 

"Give them to me," he said as she pulled the socks from the small bag and tried to drape them over her feet.

            With a sad smile she handed them over and he reached down for her foot, resting it on his knee.  His hands were warm against her feet and his fingers brushed her ankles gently as they pulled her sock up.  He slipped on her sneakers and tied the laces firmly. 

"If I give you a dollar will you shine them for me?"

"A dollar? Aw Scully don't go cheap on me now!"

"Okay, okay, 2 dollars but that's my final offer," she said smiling, a small shiver racing up her leg as he reached for the second foot.  "But you have to throw in a foot massage for that!"

            He laughed at loud and tied her second lace.  She smiled at the sound and hoped he'd do it again soon.  She knew he was destroying himself with guilt and although she had tried to tell him it wasn't his fault he didn't listen.  He helped her gather her things mumbling things about his week gone by and how quiet the office was.  The door burst open and a nurse entered with a wheelchair.

"Here you go Dana."

"That's okay, I can walk," Scully mumbled.

"No, hospital policy I'm afraid," she said, "Sure that strapping husband of yours should be able to handle it!" she handed the wheel chair over to Mulder who took it smiling and turned it towards Scully.

"Come on love, don't fight, just let me take care of you, for once!" he added throwing his eyes to heaven exaggeratedly making sure the nurse could see.

"Thanks Darling, but I'm sure I could manage," Scully muttered through gritted teeth.

             But he came round to her and gently pushed her towards the chair making sure to stay away from her tender areas he sat her into it and covered her legs with a heavy blue hospital blanket.  The nurse watched them smiling at Dana and throwing her a wink before leaving.

"Gee Mulder, thanks."

"It's the least I could do for my wife!" he replied and he pushed her through the hospital and out to his car.  She refused help sitting into his car but the pain that shot through her torso when she reached for her belt made her sorry.

"You okay?" he asked sitting in beside her and catching her wince.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"Fine as in just about bearable pain or fine as in too much pain to formulate more words?"

"Little of column A and little of column B."

            He shook his head with a little laugh and drove them to her place. Careful not to jolt the car aware of how raw her wounds were the journey was long and silent.  Finally he parked and ran round to help her out.  She let him take her elbow and gently lend a hand as she struggled to make it across the lawn to her apartment.  He opened her door and let her enter first noticing how she made straight for the bathroom.  He switched on the kettle to make some coffees and was sitting in the living room with two hot cups when she returned.

"I made you some coffee," he said without looking up but when she didn't join him he turned to see her standing behind the couch, her head hung so low he couldn't make out her expression. 

"Scully?" he said softly as he rushed over to her side. "What's wrong?"

            She made no sound and when he lifted her face up to look at him he caught the tears that had been falling silently.  He bundled her into his arms and swayed slowly with her, the repetitive motion reminding him of the dance they shared in the lobby of the Hilton.  A memory that was once so delicate was now tainted by the events that followed it.  He wanted to run over to the stereo and turn on some music and make new memories with her but he couldn't leave her, her sighs deep and ragged, her voice finding her cries and she wept.

            He didn't know how long they had stood like that and when one of her arms reached around his waist to hold him tighter he smiled into her hair.  Her other arm lay trapped between them on her torso, carefully protecting her wounds.

"Hey…Scully…it's okay, you're safe now," he whispered against her head dropping light kisses into her hair as he spoke.  With a small shudder her quiet weeping stopped and she pulled away from him to look up into his face.

"Thank you Mulder…for being here."

"You know I'm always here for you." He cupped her face with his hands and looked into her eyes.  She looked back at him through red rims and with damp cheeks wishing she could convince him of those words that he had always been there and there was nothing he could have done to save her. 

            Without thinking she reached up onto her tiptoes and aimed for his lips but before they could connect a searing pain ripped through her upper body all but doubling her up.  Knowing what she was about to do Mulder had frozen and it took a moment to register that she hadn't kissed him.

"Shit Scully, you okay?" he placed an arm around her and lightly led her to the couch.  "Does it hurt? Can I get you anything?"

            Through her pain she nodded quickly and gestured towards the bag that had her painkillers in it.  He leapt up and grabbed her bag and a glass of water before joining her again and rummaging through her things to get the right pills.

            Delighted that he thought her red colour was from her pain it was almost worth the discomfort.   She swallowed the pills and took some water throwing her head back to help it go down.

"You okay?"

"Yes, just a sharp pain when I stretch," she mumbled gently rubbing her side where the bandage was taped.

"Well I guess you'd better stop stretching," he said smiling and moving off the couch to sit on the table so he was straight in front of her.  "And leave it all up to me."

            Confused she frowned and looked up to him in time to see his arm move over to her shoulder as he leaned in closer and caught her eyes so she was trapped in his.

"Besides I thought we decided I was going to be the controlling one for a while?"

"I don't remember agreeing to that…" she mumbled unable to believe her voice sounding the way it did.  Was that husk deliberate? She thought.

            He paused for a moment relishing the silky sound of her voice and the so-real look in her eyes.  A small smile crept across her lips and he saw the flirting lilt it held.

With his eyes on her slightly parted lips he moved closer still, lingering as her breath caressed his own lips and warmed them, before closing the gap and kissing her lightly.  The pain she suffered disappeared with the hot sparks she took from his lips and she swallowed the moan she felt deep into her throat but he could feel it too and took the step to deepen the kiss leaning closer and dropping his other hand onto her leg, running it up her thigh and resting it on her waist just beneath the cuff of her jumper.       

            Against her skin his fingers sent waves of warmth with every move they made and she tried not to squirm but the feather light touches tickled and she smiled into their kiss.  But as she squirmed to the left her ribs reminded her of their injuries and she gasped through the pain.

"Ouch…" she pulled away from him and gritted her teeth until the pain subsided.

"Oh I'm sorry I shouldn't have…" he began.

"No Mulder you defiantly should have… but I should have warned you how sore I really am."

"How bad is it?"

"Very."

"Pity," he said smiling and reseating himself beside her on the couch.

"That's okay, it wont last forever, and the pain will fade."

"Good."

He pushed himself to the end of the couch and placed a small cushion on his knee where she lay down and rested her head.  She snuggled down into him and he carefully draped an arm along her body, the other coming up to gently caress her hair and face.

"Maybe it was a good thing that I let you take control every now and then," she muttered, unable to hold her smile back.

"Maybe, but I have a feeling once your ribs are better I'll have to fight for the position."

"Only in a good way Mulder, only in a good way."

** I'm not sure about this ending but it will have to do for now. Do you think it works well?  I may change it at a later date. **