Chapter 5

"Go unlock the door, Red," the thief nervously commands, keeping a careful eye on his renegade hostages. He unties her to allow her to do his bidding. "Then step back over here to me. I don't want no funny movements, is that clear?"

"Perfectly," she says, doing just as he asked. She's able to make brief eye contact with Mulder through the shop door, sending him a mental message that she's okay. She's not happy to see that he's putting himself on the line like this, but she's relieved not to have to endure the situation alone anymore.

She steps behind her captor, out of Mulder's way in case he needs a clear shot. She hopes it doesn't come down to that, though. While Mr. Alan Boon might be a little desperate and unbalanced, he doesn't necessarily deserve to die. He just needs help.

Mulder opens the door, being careful to make slow, non-threatening moves to avoid spooking the perp. Once he's inside all the way, he's instructed to lock the door and step away from it.

"What do you want?" Alan warily asks, casting a suspicious glare in Mulder's direction. "They said you were some sort of negotiatior. You here to tell me how much money I'm getting?"

"Something like that," Mulder says with a gentle smile. "I'm just here to make sure nobody gets hurt and that this situation is ended peacefully."

"I was working on that. But some people in here think they're some kind of hero or something. They keep on attacking me and making me get angry." He turns his heated stare on the troublemakers, both now knocked unconscious.

"Well they don't look like much trouble anymore," Mulder observes with a little amusement. He saw on the video display how the two of them almost got everyone killed with their foolish actions.

"No. I guess they ain't." Alan lets out a hearty chuckle, surprising all of his hostages.

"The rest of them haven't given you any trouble, have they? Why don't you let them go. Then the two of us can talk," Mulder suggests. He steadily ignores the looks of panic coming from Scully.

"You'd do that? For people you don't even know?" Alan wonders in amazement.

"I don't have to know them to know that somewhere in this world, there are people who love them and care for them. People who are very worried about them right about now. They're worried you're going to harm them. Like this red-haired lady. I met her big brother outside. He's terrified that something bad is going to happen to her."

"You got a brother, Red?" he asks, concern evident in his voice, remorse visible in his eyes. "He take good care of you?"

"He's a little bossy, but he does his best. We don't always get along, though," she says with a sad smile. "He apparently hates the guy I'm going to marry."

"He's probably just looking out for you."

"Like you're trying to look out for your sister?" Mulder asks, surprising them all with the question that seemingly came from nowhere. But Mulder knows what he's talking about. This guy is like a lot of other people in this very same situation. Understand their motive, then you understand them. This guy's motivation just happen to be a very sick sister.

"How do you know about my sister?"

"It doesn't matter. Just know that what you're doing here won't help her at all. It's only going to make her sad that she can't spend whatever time she has left with you."

"She has cancer," Alan says, tears starting to run down his face. "The doctor said we caught it too late. I just figured with the money, I could buy whatever it is they won't give her to cure her."

"So who's taking care of her now? You're her big brother, Alan," Mulder reminds the man. "What are you doing in here away from her? She's probably scared and lonely waiting for you. And if you kill somebody in here and go to jail, then you'll probably never see her again."

"I can't believe I left her all by herself," Alan gasps, his hand lifting to his mouth. "I . . . I need to get to her."

"We know you do, Alan. But you can't walk out of here with those weapons. Why don't you put down the gun and knife," Scully says, nodding towards a spot the floor away from the others. He eagerly complies, pulling out a few knives she didn't realize he was carrying.

"Okay, that's good. Now why don't you let all of these people go, just so the police know you aren't a danger to them anymore," Mulder suggests.

Again Alan agrees, instructing Scully to cut away everyone's bindings. She quickly sets everyone loose and guides them to safety, leaving him alone with Mulder.

The wait outside seemed much longer than it actually was. Scully nervously watched the door, waiting and praying for Mulder to make it out safely. She briefly looked for her brother earlier, but didn't see him and assumed Mulder made that part of his story up.

She makes a few more restless paces across the parking lot before the sound of loud cheers startles her, making her jump. She looks towards the door and sees the man she loves escorting his prisoner to the waiting authorities.

After handing the man over, she watches him scan the crowd, looking for her. Her heart starts to beat faster, and she knows how foolish a move it is, but she can't stop her feet from carrying her into his arms.

"Scully, I was so scare for you," he whispers into her ear, holding her close. "When I found out you were in there . . . "

"Shhh. It's okay. I'm safe," she assures him. "Thanks to you. You're my hero."

She pulls away slightly and gives him a proud smile, unable to resist placing a kiss on his lips. They're interrupted by the police officer in charge and the press.

"Here he is. The man of the hour. Agent Mulder, a few words for the reporters?" Officer Simmons asks.

"I'm no hero," he demures. "This lady here, Agent Dana Scully, is the hero. She's the one who first established a rapport with our suspect. She made my job easy." He smiles at her, then steps back to allow her a moment in the spotlight.

"That was real nice what you did," Bill says, having finally made his way back to the scene after being banished earlier by the officers.

"She doesn't get this enough. Working with me doesn't always get her the good kind of attention. She deserves the accolades whenever she can get them," Mulder smiles, watching with awe as his woman works the press.

"I may have been wrong about you, Mr. Mulder. Perhaps you care for my sister after all. You risked your life for hers. I at least have to thank you for that," Bill offers.

"I told you before, Bill. Without her, my life means nothing. Either we both walked out of there or we both died trying. I wouldn't have accepted anything less."

"I believe that now. That doesn't mean I like the idea of my baby sister walking so willingly into danger, but I understand now that it's her choice to do it."

"Oh my goodness," Scully gasps in mock surprise. Neither of the men noticed her approach. "I may have to get this on video. My brother actually admitting that I have the ability to make my own decisions?"

"Come on, Danes, you know I was trying to look out for you," Bill whines.

"Yeah, Danes. He's your big brother. He just wants what's best for you," Mulder agrees with a big, teasing grin.

"Great," she huffs, rolling her eyes. "And I thought it was bad when you two hated each other. What am I going to do now that you two are best buddies all of a sudden?"

"Well, I wouldn't say we're best buds, Sis. Mulder and I have just come to an understanding."

"Yeah, he knows that I would die before I let anything happen to you."

"Mulder!"

"And he knows that if he doesn't, then I'll kill him."

"Bill!"

She stares at them both, eyes wide in shock at their statements. It's not until they start laughing that she realizes they're teasing her.

"You two are incorrigible," she sighs, stomping off towards her house, deciding to walk the few blocks back.

"She's really mad," Bill observes after their laughter dies down. "I think we're in trouble."

"Yeah, a little bit," Mulder nods.

"Should we go after her? Give her a ride home?"

"If we value our lives," he laughs, nodding again. "That last time she shot me was a little too close for comfort."

He laughs even harder at the look on Bill's face. Although they both know up close and personal the wrath of Scully's anger, Mulder gets the feeling that Bill has never felt the full brunt of said rage.

"She shot you?" Bill asks in disbelief.

"Just in the shoulder," Mulder explains. "And only because she cared about me."

"She shot you, and you're still in with her for the long haul?"

Mulder just grins and says, "It's what I've been doing for the past 6 years. It's what I want to do for the rest of my life."

"More power to you, my friend," Bill says with a chuckle, slapping him on the shoulder, suddenly feeling a new respect for the man. "She's a force to be reckoned with when she's like this."

"Yeah," Mulder sighs, another grin gracing his face, the one reserved for when he thinks about how much he loves Scully. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Mulder realizes it's as close to a blessing as he's probably going to get from the man. They may not have exactly buried the hatchet today, but they made a start. Perhaps dinner with the family won't be so bad after all.

The end.