Title: Chapter 6: Loss

Author: Gillian Leigh

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Don't make me say it again!

~(X)~

Mulder mused over how his relationship with Dana had changed in the past few months. They spent more and more time together...including nights. He couldn't believe how head-over-heels in love he had fallen with Dana. She was great with his kids; she always made them all feel special. His plan was to visit her at work and surprise her with lunch. He whistled happily as he carried the bouquet of pink roses in his left hand, feeling all around the contents of his jacket pocket with his right. He stopped at the receptionist's desk, and queried,

"Hey Rose. Do you know where I can find Dr. Carver?"

"She's down in Room 307," the absent-looking receptionist replied.

"Thanks," Mulder said, heading down the hallway. The door to Room 307 was slightly ajar, and Mulder knocked briefly before sticking his head in. He was surprised to find that he didn't see Dana, only a patient, sitting a chair beside her window, her bald head uncovered.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was looking for Dr. Carver. Could you tell me where she is?" The woman offered no response, and slowly rose out of the chair, turning to face him. The bouquet of flowers fell soundlessly to the floor.

"Dana?" he asked, horrified at the sight before him. The vivacious redhead he loved was not the same woman wearing an ill-fitting hospital bathrobe in Room 307 of the Oncology ward at Northeast Georgetown. He must be mistaken.

"Mulder," she said, quietly, laying a hand on his arm. "I didn't want you to find out this way."

"Find *what* out this way?" he asked, dumbly.

"I have cancer."

~(X)~

Scully led Mulder to a chair beside her hospital bed, and he sank into it. She climbed onto the bed and covered herself with a blanket.

"My cancer has been more or less in remission since we started dating, but I passed out at work this morning, and when they ran some tests on me, they found that it's relapsed."

His only question was, "Why?"

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep this from me? I thought we were supposed to be in *love*, Dana. You can't just not tell me these things," he said, clearly angry.

"I didn't want to hurt you, or the kids," she said, defensively.

"And you thought that keeping this from me until you died would make things easier?!" he shouted.

"Mulder, please. Keep your voice down," she pleaded in a half-whisper. "It wasn't affecting my life, and I didn't want it to affect yours."

"You should've told me."

"I didn't expect to live long enough to get to know you..." He looked at her furiously.

"And that justifies not telling anyone?!?!"

"I have an inoperable brain tumor, *Fox*. A nasal pharyngeal mass, that once it gets larger, will push into my brain and kill me. There, I've said it. Are you happy now?! They've given me three to six months to live, alright?! I kept it from you because I tried not to let you get too attached. It'll be bad enough to die knowing I'm leaving friends and family behind. I don't want to have to deal with the guilt of leaving a lover behind too," she spat, tears streaming down her face.

"Maybe I don't know you at all."

"Maybe you don't," she said, crossing her arms.

"Maybe it's best that way!" he yelled.

"Yeah, maybe it is!" she yelled back. He walked over to where he'd dropped the bouquet of roses and picked them up, throwing them on her bed.

"I bought these for someone I thought I knew, but I suppose you can have them just as well. She doesn't mean all that much to me anymore. It's over, Dana," he said, walking towards the door.

"You didn't have to tell me. I figured it out for myself, thanks," she spat, throwing the roses on the floor. He stormed out of the room, closing the heavy door as loudly as humanly possible. Dana cradled her head in her hands and cried.

"So much for not losing everyone you love..."

Author's Notes: So I don't get hate mail and exploding packages, please read Chapter 7. Feedback is always welcome. xxilovedavidduchovnyxx@yahoo.com