The Domino Effect-Part 4
Headers and disclaimers in part 1
Skinner rushed into Mulder's room to find him on the
floor beside his bed, trying to push himself up and
cursing under his breath. He knelt beside him.
"Mulder, you okay?"
"Um, think so."
"Let me help you up," Skinner offered, taking his
elbow.
"'Kay," he agreed, groaning loudly when his stomach
muscles began to protest.
The AD helped him up and sat him on the side of the
bed. "What were you doing trying to get up, anyway?"
he inquired, looking Mulder over for any obvious
injuries.
"Bathroom. Guess I'm weaker than I thought."
"It appears that way. Let me help you, all right?"
"That might be a good idea," Mulder admitted,
breathlessly.
Skinner helped him up, holding onto him until they
reached the bathroom door.
"I can take it from here," Mulder assured him.
"Sorry, Mulder, but there are too many sharp edges
for you to hit your head on. I'm going in with you."
"Suit yourself," Mulder shrugged.
Skinner stuck to him like glue until he had Mulder
safely back to the side of the bed. "How about some
water?"
"Not now," Mulder answered, turning even paler.
"What's the matter?"
"Feel sick."
Skinner hastily pulled a wastebasket in front of
Mulder who was suddenly seized with dry heaves. By
the time he finished retching, Scully was at his
side. "Better?" she asked, pushing back a stubborn
lock of hair back from his forehead.
"Yeah, just weak from walking. I'll be okay. Just
need to rest."
"You do need to drink something, though. Do you
think you can keep it down now?"
"Let me rest, then I'll try."
"Scully, should I call the doctor?" Skinner looked
worried.
"No, not yet. I think Mulder's right. The exertion
of walking to and from the bathroom probably caused
this. Let's let him rest a bit and then see if he
can keep some water down."
"Just need to lie down for a few minutes," Mulder
groaned.
"All right, I'll stay with you for a few minutes,"
Scully agreed.
"Thanks," Mulder groaned again loudly as he lay back,
grabbing his stomach. "That does hurt."
"I'm sorry. You'll start to feel better whenever you
feel like getting up and moving around more."
"I'm afraid that might be awhile."
"It will probably be a few days before you're up and
around very much, but don't get discouraged. You've
been quite ill. Just give it some time," Scully
soothed.
"I'm going to get some cold water for both of you
while I'm up," Skinner decided.
"Thank you." Scully watched him leave before turning
her attention back to her partner.
Skinner went to the mini-bar where he could be heard
preparing their drinks.
"Can't even take a piss by myself," Mulder grumped.
"Well, the good news is that you feel the need to
urinate. That means you're not dehydrated like
before. You may even feel like sitting up a little
bit by this afternoon, but in the meantime don't feel
bad about needing help."
"I hope you're right," he sighed. "I hate being
sick!"
"I know. I feel the same way. I was really looking
forward to spending some time in the sun."
"Maybe we still can in a few days. You're getting
better a lot faster than I am. If you feel okay,
don't stay inside because of me."
"Mulder, it will be another day or two before I feel
like doing any sunbathing, and I don't mind staying
inside with you, really."
"Thanks, Scully." He haphazardly patted her arm.
"Agents, I have your water," Skinner announced as he
stepped back into the room. "Drink up."
Scully took both glasses and put one on the
nightstand. "Mulder, don't try to get up. Let me
hold this for you while you take a few sips."
"Too tired to sit up anyway," he agreed.
Scully held the glass while he took two sips.
"That's it?" she asked.
"For right now. Need to sleep."
"All right, I'm going to put it on the nightstand.
Be sure to drink more when you're ready."
"I will. Thanks Scully, Skinner. Sorry, I woke
you."
"That's okay. Give a shout if you need to get up
again," Skinner directed.
"Okay."
"Scully, let's get out of here and let him rest.
Don't forget your water."
Mulder's eyes were already closed as Scully and
Skinner quietly left the room. Once they were in the
living area, Scully took a seat in the armchair and
began to sip her water.
"How do you think he's doing, Scully? Should we be
concerned about his continued weakness?"
"Well, I'd feel better if he seemed to be gaining his
strength back, but we have to remember how ill he was
just twenty-four hours ago. It's going to take some
time. We have to be careful not to rush him."
"I'm just not used to seeing him like this. I'm
afraid I'm not a very good nurse."
"You're doing just fine, sir," Scully encouraged.
"You're doing all you can. You need to get back to
sleep. You have a busy day today."
"Yes, I do and you need to get some more rest too."
"I'm afraid you're right. I am pretty tired."
"The nurse should be here by 8:30 and Dr. Lamas wants
to examine you two again. She will leave orders for
the nurse. I'll try to be up by 6:30 or 7:00 to
check on you two and get ready for the day."
"Sounds like a plan," Scully agreed wearily, getting
up slowly from the chair. "I'll see you in a few
hours then."
When Dr. Lamas arrived at 8:00 AM, Skinner greeted
her and filled her in on her two patients. She
examined Scully first and was pleased with her
progress. She even gave her the okay for a switch to
a bland diet.
Mulder was sleeping restlessly when she entered his
room, followed by an anxious Scully. Scully sat on
the side of his bed and gently shook his left
shoulder.
"Mm?"
"Mulder, Dr. Lamas is here and she wants to examine
you."
"Morning already?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Yes, you slept like a log after you drank the water.
You need to drink a little more when Dr. Lamas is
finished."
"I'll try," he promised. "Morning, Dr. Lamas."
"Good morning to you too, Mr. Mulder. How are you
today?"
Scully gave him a look that let him know he needed to
tell the truth. He groaned inwardly.
"Honestly, I don't feel all that great," Mulder
ground out. He was shocked at how exhausted he
sounded even to himself.
"Well, let's see what's going on, shall we?"
The doctor opened her bag, taking out her stethoscope
and an aural thermometer. She put the thermometer in
Mulder's right ear, a concerned expression on her
face as she studied the read out when she removed it.
"100.4," she announced. "That's up a little from
last night. Okay, I'd like to listen to your heart
and lungs. Dr. Scully, could you help him sit up
please?"
Scully helped him to a sitting position. The pain it
caused was evident in the way his face tensed up.
"Stomach muscles not any better?" The doctor slid
the cold bell of the stethoscope under his t-shirt.
"Not that I can tell," Mulder answered, wincing at
the contact.
The doctor took her time listening to his heart and
lungs and then took his pulse. Scully continued to
hold him up and rubbed his back in a reassuring
gesture.
"Well?" Mulder asked, the examination exhausting him
further. He just wanted to be left alone.
"I'm afraid I don't see a lot of improvement yet, so
it's going to take some time. I'd like to draw some
blood and send it to a lab. I want to check your
electrolytes and your white blood count."
Scully had been listening to every word. "Do you
suspect a secondary infection?"
"I want to rule that out. In the meantime, continue
on water only until lunchtime, and then you can try
some broth and jello. Continue the bed rest. I'm
going to give you another injection of Demerol and
Phenergan and I'll leave the bottles with
instructions for the nurse to inject you every four
hours if needed. Any questions?"
"How long do you think I'll have to stay in bed?"
Mulder asked in a tiny voice that worried Scully.
"If you don't have a problem keeping the broth and
jello down, I'm hoping that you can begin to sit up
for short periods this evening. To tell the truth,
Mr. Mulder, it will probably be at least a week,
maybe more, before you completely regain your
strength," Dr. Lamas smiled confidently as she packed
up her bag.
"Damn! That long?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I wouldn't recommend traveling
for at least a week either. If you push it, you'll
just have a relapse and end up in the hospital for
several days at the very least."
"Listen to her, Mulder," Scully emphasized, helping
him lie down again.
"All right, Scully, I promise not to push it." He
settled back slowly on the pillows while Scully made
him comfortable, enjoying her care despite his
exhausted state. He blew out a weary breath.
"I'm glad you want to cooperate, Mr. Mulder. I can
see that we're tiring you. Let me get that blood
drawn and give you the injection. After that, I want
you to drink some water, then rest."
A few minutes later Dr. Lamas and Scully left
Mulder's room. Skinner was in the living room going
over his notes. "How's he doing?" he queried as
Scully took a seat on the couch next to him.
"I'm a bit concerned," the doctor stated. "I'm
leaving directions for the nurse to take his
temperature hourly and I'll also leave some Tylenol
suppositories in the event it goes over 101. I drew
some blood that I will send to a lab as soon as I
leave here. I'll get back to you as soon as I get
the results."
"What about his pain?" Skinner asked.
"It is still quite intense. I'm leaving enough
medication so that the nurse can inject him
throughout the day, as he needs it. I'll be back to
check on him around 6PM. Dr. Scully, I'll write all
of the directions for the nurse, but don't hesitate
to call me if you think his condition warrants it."
"I will. Thank you."
"Dr. Scully, you need to take care of yourself too.
You are doing quite well, but you must not push
yourself. I know you're concerned about him, but
please let the nurse attend to Mr. Mulder."
"She's right, Scully. Don't wear yourself out trying
to take care of Mulder," Skinner ordered, sternly.
"I don't intend to wear myself out, but I would like
to check on him from time to time," she huffed.
"We're not asking you to ignore him. Just let the
nurse do her job," Skinner said gently, realizing
that he'd been too harsh before.
"I will."
"I'll be back at around 6:00 then," Dr. Lamas said as
she walked to the refrigerator.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The nurse had been there for two hours and had
already threatened to quit twice. Scully decided
that it might be time for a prolonged visit to
Mulder's bedside. She found a new tube of Chap Stick
and fixed some ice water. After taking a deep
breath, she entered Mulder's room.
"Thank goodness it's you, Scully," Mulder enthused as
he breathed a sigh of relief. "Where's Nurse
Ratchett?"
"The last time I saw Mrs. Waters, she was eying the
wet bar, trying to decide if it was too early to have
a stiff drink. She's already threatened to quit.
What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I'm sorry, but I just don't feel like having that
damned thermometer jammed into my ear every hour on
the freaking hour."
"I saw a nice, big rectal thermometer in her bag. I
wouldn't push my luck, Mulder," Scully chuckled.
"Too late. I've already been threatened with her
devices of torture."
"Why does that not surprise me? I have a new tube of
Chap Stick here and I thought you might be able to
use it."
"Thanks, Scully. My lips are really cracked."
"A side effect of dehydration. So, are you feeling
any better?"
"Honestly, no. Is that iced water?"
"Yes, just for you." Scully handed him the frosty
glass.
"You're going to spoil me if you aren't careful." He
gave her a half smile and took a sip. "Mm, good and
cold."
"Maybe you need a little TLC."
"What did you have in mind?" Mulder asked, waggling
his eyebrows.
"Mulder . . ."
"Sorry."
"What I had in mind was helping you get washed up and
into some clean clothes. You've been wearing the
same thing for a day and a half and I just thought it
might make you feel a little better."
"I can't take a shower?"
"Not as weak as you are."
"I guess I'll have to settle for what I can get. A
bed bath sounds great," Mulder stated. Actually he
was glad he didn't have to take a shower. There was
no way he'd be able to stand up long enough to
actually get clean and toweled off.
"I'll get Mrs. Waters to fix some water, then I'll
try to find something comfortable for you to wear in
bed."
"I think I have another pair of sweats and some
shorts in my bag. I should have a couple of t-shirts
too."
"All right. Let me get Mrs. Waters started on the
water and I'll be right back."
After helping Mulder with part of his bath, Scully
waited patiently outside his door while he finished
up and changed clothes. When he indicated he was
decent again, she went back into his room. "Better?"
"Well, cleaner anyway. Thanks, Scully."
"You're welcome. Now, you need to drink some more
water and rest a little more. It will be time for
Mrs. Waters to take your temperature again pretty
soon."
"Oh, joy. Couldn't you take it and give her the
results?"
"Nope. I think one of us needs to stay on her good
side. She was giving me the evil eye while I was
helping you, so I think I'd better go back to my room
like a good little patient and rest a bit too."
"I'm sorry, Scully," he sighed. "Don't wear yourself
out over me."
"I'm not, Mulder. I'm feeling much better now," she
assured him. "But I do get a little tired from time
to time, so I'm going to take the doctor's advice and
sleep for a while."
"Will you eat lunch with me, such as it is?"
"I had already planned on it," she smiled, ruffling
his now clean hair.
"Great. You know where to find me," he grinned back.
"Finally, a little smile. You must be feeling
better," Scully said happily as she headed for the
door. "See ya, later."
As soon as Scully left, Mulder lay back on the
pillows and closed his eyes. He wished he did feel
better. He decided not to tell his partner about the
pains he'd been having in his back from time to time.
They didn't last long, and they weren't totally
unbearable. Maybe he'd strained another muscle. He
made himself as comfortable as possible and tried to
ignore all of the aches and pains that were
assaulting his body. Another hour and Scully would
be back for lunch. Just being with her would make
him feel better. He could make it until then.
End Part 4
Headers and disclaimers in part 1
Skinner rushed into Mulder's room to find him on the
floor beside his bed, trying to push himself up and
cursing under his breath. He knelt beside him.
"Mulder, you okay?"
"Um, think so."
"Let me help you up," Skinner offered, taking his
elbow.
"'Kay," he agreed, groaning loudly when his stomach
muscles began to protest.
The AD helped him up and sat him on the side of the
bed. "What were you doing trying to get up, anyway?"
he inquired, looking Mulder over for any obvious
injuries.
"Bathroom. Guess I'm weaker than I thought."
"It appears that way. Let me help you, all right?"
"That might be a good idea," Mulder admitted,
breathlessly.
Skinner helped him up, holding onto him until they
reached the bathroom door.
"I can take it from here," Mulder assured him.
"Sorry, Mulder, but there are too many sharp edges
for you to hit your head on. I'm going in with you."
"Suit yourself," Mulder shrugged.
Skinner stuck to him like glue until he had Mulder
safely back to the side of the bed. "How about some
water?"
"Not now," Mulder answered, turning even paler.
"What's the matter?"
"Feel sick."
Skinner hastily pulled a wastebasket in front of
Mulder who was suddenly seized with dry heaves. By
the time he finished retching, Scully was at his
side. "Better?" she asked, pushing back a stubborn
lock of hair back from his forehead.
"Yeah, just weak from walking. I'll be okay. Just
need to rest."
"You do need to drink something, though. Do you
think you can keep it down now?"
"Let me rest, then I'll try."
"Scully, should I call the doctor?" Skinner looked
worried.
"No, not yet. I think Mulder's right. The exertion
of walking to and from the bathroom probably caused
this. Let's let him rest a bit and then see if he
can keep some water down."
"Just need to lie down for a few minutes," Mulder
groaned.
"All right, I'll stay with you for a few minutes,"
Scully agreed.
"Thanks," Mulder groaned again loudly as he lay back,
grabbing his stomach. "That does hurt."
"I'm sorry. You'll start to feel better whenever you
feel like getting up and moving around more."
"I'm afraid that might be awhile."
"It will probably be a few days before you're up and
around very much, but don't get discouraged. You've
been quite ill. Just give it some time," Scully
soothed.
"I'm going to get some cold water for both of you
while I'm up," Skinner decided.
"Thank you." Scully watched him leave before turning
her attention back to her partner.
Skinner went to the mini-bar where he could be heard
preparing their drinks.
"Can't even take a piss by myself," Mulder grumped.
"Well, the good news is that you feel the need to
urinate. That means you're not dehydrated like
before. You may even feel like sitting up a little
bit by this afternoon, but in the meantime don't feel
bad about needing help."
"I hope you're right," he sighed. "I hate being
sick!"
"I know. I feel the same way. I was really looking
forward to spending some time in the sun."
"Maybe we still can in a few days. You're getting
better a lot faster than I am. If you feel okay,
don't stay inside because of me."
"Mulder, it will be another day or two before I feel
like doing any sunbathing, and I don't mind staying
inside with you, really."
"Thanks, Scully." He haphazardly patted her arm.
"Agents, I have your water," Skinner announced as he
stepped back into the room. "Drink up."
Scully took both glasses and put one on the
nightstand. "Mulder, don't try to get up. Let me
hold this for you while you take a few sips."
"Too tired to sit up anyway," he agreed.
Scully held the glass while he took two sips.
"That's it?" she asked.
"For right now. Need to sleep."
"All right, I'm going to put it on the nightstand.
Be sure to drink more when you're ready."
"I will. Thanks Scully, Skinner. Sorry, I woke
you."
"That's okay. Give a shout if you need to get up
again," Skinner directed.
"Okay."
"Scully, let's get out of here and let him rest.
Don't forget your water."
Mulder's eyes were already closed as Scully and
Skinner quietly left the room. Once they were in the
living area, Scully took a seat in the armchair and
began to sip her water.
"How do you think he's doing, Scully? Should we be
concerned about his continued weakness?"
"Well, I'd feel better if he seemed to be gaining his
strength back, but we have to remember how ill he was
just twenty-four hours ago. It's going to take some
time. We have to be careful not to rush him."
"I'm just not used to seeing him like this. I'm
afraid I'm not a very good nurse."
"You're doing just fine, sir," Scully encouraged.
"You're doing all you can. You need to get back to
sleep. You have a busy day today."
"Yes, I do and you need to get some more rest too."
"I'm afraid you're right. I am pretty tired."
"The nurse should be here by 8:30 and Dr. Lamas wants
to examine you two again. She will leave orders for
the nurse. I'll try to be up by 6:30 or 7:00 to
check on you two and get ready for the day."
"Sounds like a plan," Scully agreed wearily, getting
up slowly from the chair. "I'll see you in a few
hours then."
When Dr. Lamas arrived at 8:00 AM, Skinner greeted
her and filled her in on her two patients. She
examined Scully first and was pleased with her
progress. She even gave her the okay for a switch to
a bland diet.
Mulder was sleeping restlessly when she entered his
room, followed by an anxious Scully. Scully sat on
the side of his bed and gently shook his left
shoulder.
"Mm?"
"Mulder, Dr. Lamas is here and she wants to examine
you."
"Morning already?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Yes, you slept like a log after you drank the water.
You need to drink a little more when Dr. Lamas is
finished."
"I'll try," he promised. "Morning, Dr. Lamas."
"Good morning to you too, Mr. Mulder. How are you
today?"
Scully gave him a look that let him know he needed to
tell the truth. He groaned inwardly.
"Honestly, I don't feel all that great," Mulder
ground out. He was shocked at how exhausted he
sounded even to himself.
"Well, let's see what's going on, shall we?"
The doctor opened her bag, taking out her stethoscope
and an aural thermometer. She put the thermometer in
Mulder's right ear, a concerned expression on her
face as she studied the read out when she removed it.
"100.4," she announced. "That's up a little from
last night. Okay, I'd like to listen to your heart
and lungs. Dr. Scully, could you help him sit up
please?"
Scully helped him to a sitting position. The pain it
caused was evident in the way his face tensed up.
"Stomach muscles not any better?" The doctor slid
the cold bell of the stethoscope under his t-shirt.
"Not that I can tell," Mulder answered, wincing at
the contact.
The doctor took her time listening to his heart and
lungs and then took his pulse. Scully continued to
hold him up and rubbed his back in a reassuring
gesture.
"Well?" Mulder asked, the examination exhausting him
further. He just wanted to be left alone.
"I'm afraid I don't see a lot of improvement yet, so
it's going to take some time. I'd like to draw some
blood and send it to a lab. I want to check your
electrolytes and your white blood count."
Scully had been listening to every word. "Do you
suspect a secondary infection?"
"I want to rule that out. In the meantime, continue
on water only until lunchtime, and then you can try
some broth and jello. Continue the bed rest. I'm
going to give you another injection of Demerol and
Phenergan and I'll leave the bottles with
instructions for the nurse to inject you every four
hours if needed. Any questions?"
"How long do you think I'll have to stay in bed?"
Mulder asked in a tiny voice that worried Scully.
"If you don't have a problem keeping the broth and
jello down, I'm hoping that you can begin to sit up
for short periods this evening. To tell the truth,
Mr. Mulder, it will probably be at least a week,
maybe more, before you completely regain your
strength," Dr. Lamas smiled confidently as she packed
up her bag.
"Damn! That long?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I wouldn't recommend traveling
for at least a week either. If you push it, you'll
just have a relapse and end up in the hospital for
several days at the very least."
"Listen to her, Mulder," Scully emphasized, helping
him lie down again.
"All right, Scully, I promise not to push it." He
settled back slowly on the pillows while Scully made
him comfortable, enjoying her care despite his
exhausted state. He blew out a weary breath.
"I'm glad you want to cooperate, Mr. Mulder. I can
see that we're tiring you. Let me get that blood
drawn and give you the injection. After that, I want
you to drink some water, then rest."
A few minutes later Dr. Lamas and Scully left
Mulder's room. Skinner was in the living room going
over his notes. "How's he doing?" he queried as
Scully took a seat on the couch next to him.
"I'm a bit concerned," the doctor stated. "I'm
leaving directions for the nurse to take his
temperature hourly and I'll also leave some Tylenol
suppositories in the event it goes over 101. I drew
some blood that I will send to a lab as soon as I
leave here. I'll get back to you as soon as I get
the results."
"What about his pain?" Skinner asked.
"It is still quite intense. I'm leaving enough
medication so that the nurse can inject him
throughout the day, as he needs it. I'll be back to
check on him around 6PM. Dr. Scully, I'll write all
of the directions for the nurse, but don't hesitate
to call me if you think his condition warrants it."
"I will. Thank you."
"Dr. Scully, you need to take care of yourself too.
You are doing quite well, but you must not push
yourself. I know you're concerned about him, but
please let the nurse attend to Mr. Mulder."
"She's right, Scully. Don't wear yourself out trying
to take care of Mulder," Skinner ordered, sternly.
"I don't intend to wear myself out, but I would like
to check on him from time to time," she huffed.
"We're not asking you to ignore him. Just let the
nurse do her job," Skinner said gently, realizing
that he'd been too harsh before.
"I will."
"I'll be back at around 6:00 then," Dr. Lamas said as
she walked to the refrigerator.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The nurse had been there for two hours and had
already threatened to quit twice. Scully decided
that it might be time for a prolonged visit to
Mulder's bedside. She found a new tube of Chap Stick
and fixed some ice water. After taking a deep
breath, she entered Mulder's room.
"Thank goodness it's you, Scully," Mulder enthused as
he breathed a sigh of relief. "Where's Nurse
Ratchett?"
"The last time I saw Mrs. Waters, she was eying the
wet bar, trying to decide if it was too early to have
a stiff drink. She's already threatened to quit.
What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I'm sorry, but I just don't feel like having that
damned thermometer jammed into my ear every hour on
the freaking hour."
"I saw a nice, big rectal thermometer in her bag. I
wouldn't push my luck, Mulder," Scully chuckled.
"Too late. I've already been threatened with her
devices of torture."
"Why does that not surprise me? I have a new tube of
Chap Stick here and I thought you might be able to
use it."
"Thanks, Scully. My lips are really cracked."
"A side effect of dehydration. So, are you feeling
any better?"
"Honestly, no. Is that iced water?"
"Yes, just for you." Scully handed him the frosty
glass.
"You're going to spoil me if you aren't careful." He
gave her a half smile and took a sip. "Mm, good and
cold."
"Maybe you need a little TLC."
"What did you have in mind?" Mulder asked, waggling
his eyebrows.
"Mulder . . ."
"Sorry."
"What I had in mind was helping you get washed up and
into some clean clothes. You've been wearing the
same thing for a day and a half and I just thought it
might make you feel a little better."
"I can't take a shower?"
"Not as weak as you are."
"I guess I'll have to settle for what I can get. A
bed bath sounds great," Mulder stated. Actually he
was glad he didn't have to take a shower. There was
no way he'd be able to stand up long enough to
actually get clean and toweled off.
"I'll get Mrs. Waters to fix some water, then I'll
try to find something comfortable for you to wear in
bed."
"I think I have another pair of sweats and some
shorts in my bag. I should have a couple of t-shirts
too."
"All right. Let me get Mrs. Waters started on the
water and I'll be right back."
After helping Mulder with part of his bath, Scully
waited patiently outside his door while he finished
up and changed clothes. When he indicated he was
decent again, she went back into his room. "Better?"
"Well, cleaner anyway. Thanks, Scully."
"You're welcome. Now, you need to drink some more
water and rest a little more. It will be time for
Mrs. Waters to take your temperature again pretty
soon."
"Oh, joy. Couldn't you take it and give her the
results?"
"Nope. I think one of us needs to stay on her good
side. She was giving me the evil eye while I was
helping you, so I think I'd better go back to my room
like a good little patient and rest a bit too."
"I'm sorry, Scully," he sighed. "Don't wear yourself
out over me."
"I'm not, Mulder. I'm feeling much better now," she
assured him. "But I do get a little tired from time
to time, so I'm going to take the doctor's advice and
sleep for a while."
"Will you eat lunch with me, such as it is?"
"I had already planned on it," she smiled, ruffling
his now clean hair.
"Great. You know where to find me," he grinned back.
"Finally, a little smile. You must be feeling
better," Scully said happily as she headed for the
door. "See ya, later."
As soon as Scully left, Mulder lay back on the
pillows and closed his eyes. He wished he did feel
better. He decided not to tell his partner about the
pains he'd been having in his back from time to time.
They didn't last long, and they weren't totally
unbearable. Maybe he'd strained another muscle. He
made himself as comfortable as possible and tried to
ignore all of the aches and pains that were
assaulting his body. Another hour and Scully would
be back for lunch. Just being with her would make
him feel better. He could make it until then.
End Part 4