Part 43
The last suitcase has come off of the conveyor belt. Scully pulls the flaps of the baggage opening to peek inside. "Hey, you there. Yeah you. Is there anymore baggage from Flight #411?"
"No ma'am", says the baggage handler. "Everything has been unloaded. If you're missing some luggage you've got to go to the main counter of your airline to report it. They will put a trace on it, but it could have ended up anywhere." He gets into the luggage wagon and drives away.
Scully jumps when she feels a presence right behind her. She spins around. "Jesus, Mulder. Why do you have to always sneak up on me."
"I wasn't sneaking up on you. I was just wondering why you were checking out behind the scenes of the luggage claim area."
"My suitcase apparently has been lost", says Scully rolling her eyes.
"How could they lose that? It weighed a ton. It would be like losing an elephant", says Mulder.
"Watch it G-Man or you'll be sleeping in the car tonight", says Scully finally cracking a smile.
"Well I kinda have to talk to you about that Scully", says Mulder. "Actually may I comment you on how lovely you look today. That green top compliments your hair perfectly", chatters Mulder.
"Mulder, you never compliment me on my looks and just because we've decided to change the scope of our relationship I don't believe for a second that you've changed. Therefore, you are holding something back from me and since we agreed not to keep things from each other anymore I request, no demand you tell me this instant what is going on in that head of yours."
"I'm hungry. You wanna get something to eat? I just walked by a little sandwich shop. We could get it to go and go sit out in the sun or something", Mulder rambles on.
"Mulder!"
"Okay, okay. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I found a place for us to sleep and I rented us a car", says Mulder.
"That sounds promising. Now whats the bad news", says Scully.
"Well first its a great car. I rented us a red 2000 Mustang convertible", says Mulder smiling.
"Mulder, you would never rent something on your own like that. What gives?"
"I thought we should celebrate a little bit", says Mulder. "And the agent at the desk kinda thought I was too old to be renting it. I showed her a thing or two."
"So you rented us a sports car based on the fact that a kid thought you were over the hill? Mulder, you are over the hill. You are forty."
"Its April and my birthday isn't until October. I am still 39 and in fine form Scully. He flexes his muscle which causes Scully to laugh and shake her head.
"Okay enough about the state of your physique", says Scully. "What is the bad news?"
"The bad news", says Mulder putting his arm around Scully and leading her toward the escalator is that our hot sports car is going to be our love nest for the evening. I couldn't get us a room anywhere."
Scully stops in her tracks and looks up at him. "Mulder, we have to sleep in the car? In the middle of Las Vegas? Plus my bag is stolen. Where are we going to shower?"
"I hear the local Y is very accommodating Scully."
Scully laughs and shakes her head again as Mulder and her finally step onto the escalator. "As I said before Mulder. Only for you."
Part 44
Meanwhile Skinner has been rushed to the hospital and has been rushed in for immediate emergency surgery. Luckily all three bullets have missed his vital organs, but he has lost a lot of blood and every minute counts. Kate waits nervously in the waiting room. Minutes turn into hours and finally a doctor comes out to speak to her.
"Mr. Skinner is a very lucky man. I have never in my fifteen years of practicing medicine seen someone survive with the injuries that he sustained. He is in excellent health and that was a major factor in him being able to tolerate this surgery. He is not out of the woods yet. He needs to stay here at least for two weeks. Is there anyone I should call regarding his care?"
"I only met him a couple of days ago", admits Kate. "I don't know much about him, but I can tell you that he is an Assistant Director with the FBI. He works out of the Washington DC headquarters, so perhaps you should call them and fill them in. He does have a couple of favorite agents that probably should be notified. Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. They were just here earlier today, but they were leaving to return home. Well actually I don't know if they went straight home. They talked about making a side trip. Unfortunately, I don't know where, but if you call the FBI I am sure they must have a way of getting a hold of them. "
"I'll have the head nurse call Washington immediately and see if there is any family I can inform", says the doctor. "What exactly is your relationship with the patient ma'am?"
"I'm a friend", says Kate rising to her feet. "Can I see him now?"
"He is in the recovery unit and from there he will most likely be transferred to the ICU. Hopefully he'll only be there for a couple of days and then he can stay in a regular unit. Until then I can't allow you to see him. There is a strict rule here at the hospital that only immediate family members are allowed into the ICU unit. Therefore, I'm sorry to say you won't be able to actually see him until he is in that regular room."
"I have to see him", says Kate tearing up. "What if he doesn't have any family? I could be the last one to comfort him if something does go wrong. What kind of person are you to deprive a gravely ill man the chance for some companionship? I can't wait until he is transferred. It could be too late."
"You should have thought of that earlier ma'am. You could have said you were his fiancee. I would have never known. I sympathize with you. I really do, but I have to be the one to sign the papers that allow visitors into the unit. I take an oath regarding being honest when it comes to providing good medical care. I can't break the rules."
Tears roll down Kate's cheeks and the doctor puts his arm around her and pats her shoulder. "He is pretty special to you isn't he?" Kate nods and wipes her eyes.
"I just met him, but no man has been more caring and gentle than Walter. I didn't think that there was a thing as love at first sight, but there is and I've fallen victim to it. I just wish there was a way for me to see him."
"Maybe there is", says the doctor taking his arm from around Kate and concentrating on the clipboard in his hand. He flips a couple of papers and scribbles a couple of lines on a form and signs it. I have to go now, but keep up the chin and don't worry. He is going to have the best of care here and I'll be checking on him a couple times a day. He backs away to the door and turns. He quickly stops at the nurses station and talks to the head nurse and leaves the clipboard with her. He waves to Kate as he finally leaves.
Kate takes a seat and picks up a magazine. She knows there is no point of sitting there all evening as they aren't going to let her in, but she doesn't want to leave. An hour later she tosses the magazine away and rises to her feet to go get a cup of coffee from the machine. A nurse comes into the waiting room. "Ma'am, I just wanted to tell you that your fiancee has been moved to the ICU unit and he is asking for you. As long as you don't have any flowers with you I can take you to him."
Kate stares at the nurse and nods blankly. "Thank you", she says to the nurse following her into the corridor. Silently she gives a little thank you to the kindly doctor who risked his reputation and career to bring happiness into other people's lives.
Part 45
Its 10:30 P.M. and the agents have returned to their car in the parking lot of Caesar's Palace after having eaten at the buffet.
Scully arrives at the car first and waits for Mulder to unlock it. "Mulder, I can't believe how much you ate at that buffet. Don't you feel sick?"
"No I feel fine. I wanted to get my money's worth", replies Mulder patting his stomach as he gets into the car. Scully gets in and shuts the door.
She turns to him. "Don't think just because we are engaged now that you're going to let yourself go to hell. You still have to do your yearly endurance test for the bureau and I refuse to have a potbellied husband, so curb the eating binges."
"Scully, a guy has to eat", replies Mulder. "Well maybe I did overdo it a little bit." He starts to rub his stomach and then gives a burp.
Scully makes a disgusted face as she watches Mulder unfasten his belt and pants and then recline his seat.
"And you think you know someone", she says aloud.
"Oh come on Scully. Just because you prefer the salad bar doesn't mean I have to live like that. Whats wrong? Are you mad at me because we're sleeping in the car tonight?"
"No I'm not mad. Just disappointed", says Scully. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting in the backseat and sleeping there. She turns and crawls into the backseat. Mulder opens up the door of the car and gets out. He then gets in the backseat with Scully and shuts the door.
"All we need is a drive in movie", says Mulder as he pulls her to him and the two of them arrange themselves as comfortably as possible by Mulder sitting with his back against the door and Scully sitting between his legs leaning back against him.
"You do realize that we are going to end up really hurting tomorrow by sleeping like this", says Scully.
"Yeah, well we don' have a lot of choice", says Mulder. "I'm really going to start hurting if you don't turn around and let me kiss you", he whispers in her ear. Scully smiles and turns her head to kiss Mulder. Several moments later Scully has turned her body completely around and the agents are going at it hot and heavy.
"Mulder I can't believe we're doing this in a parked car", says Scully in between kisses.
"Oh come on Scully, haven't you ever fantasized a stakeout turning out this way", replies Mulder nuzzling her neck as he reaches to pull her green shirt up.
"Well, maybe. What about you?", asks Scully sitting back and allowing him to remove her shirt.
"Dana Scully? Are you saying you were having impure thoughts about your partner?", asks Mulder.
"And you weren't doing the same?", asks Scully leaning in to kiss him again.
"Guilty as charged", replies Mulder pulling Scully to his chest.
Just then they hear a scraping on the door of the driver's side. Scully glances up to see what it is, but the windows are too fogged up to see anything.
Part 46
"Mulder, what was that?", asks Scully frowning as she pulls away. All of a sudden they hear talking and then the door is whipped open. Scully is shocked to see a man with straggly hair stick his head into the car. He glances in the backseat and Scully grabs her shirt to cover up her bra clad body.
"What have I got here?", he asks as he laughs looking at Mulder and Scully. "You enjoying yourselves back there? Hey Sam, look at this." Another guy sticks his head in and then laughs.
"Sorry folks you're going to have to get out of the car. This is a stick-up", says Sam as he points a gun at them.
"Who the hell are you?", asks Mulder glaring.
"I'm the Easter bunny and this is Cupid", says the guy with straggly hair. "Now get out the car now."
"Could you at least turn your back for a moment", asks Scully with her eyes flashing.
The guys both smile and then lean out of the car. Scully pulls her shirt back on. "Now what Mulder", asks Scully as Mulder moves to get out of the car. She puts his arm on his shoulder. "Button up your pants. We don't need to serve as any more entertainment for these guys."
"I'm sorry to say Scully they have a pretty good idea what we were up to", says Mulder doing up his belt.
The agents get out of the car. "Okay give me your money and the keys to the car", says Sam pointing the gun at the two agents. Scully curses herself for putting her gun in her luggage and thus leaving themselves totally unprotected.
Mulder slowly pulls out his wallet and starts to open it.
"Never mind removing the money, I'll take the credit cards too", says Sam. "Your foxy little lady friend got any money on her?"
"I'm Foxy, shes Scully", says Mulder making a poor attempt at a joke.
"Why do you go with this guy", asks Sam motioning to Mulder. "He acts like a conceited pretty boy."
"Sometimes I wonder", replies Scully digging in her pocket and pulling out a few bills and handing them to him. He grabs the bills and her left hand at the same time.
"Ah, I'll take this too", says Sam holding onto her ring finger.
"No!", says Scully biting her lip. "You've got our money and you're taking the car. Please let me keep my ring."
"He'll get you another one", says Sam pulling it off her finger.
A couple of tears roll down Scully's cheek. Mulder reaches for her hand and squeezes it. "I'll get you another one Scully. We'll pick it out together this time", he whispers. She nods blankly.
The two men order the agents away from the car. "Now I want you both to put your hands on top of your head, lie down on your stomachs on the ground and count to one hundred. Then you can get up."
"Ah, can I at least get my clothes from the car", asks Mulder with his hands on the back of his head. Scully is already on the ground.
"You know what? I'm not feeling overly generous today", says Sam. "Get on the ground." Mulder gives him a disgusted look and sinks to his knees and then to the ground.
"I don't hear you counting says the straggly haired man as the two crooks get into the car."
"One", yells Mulder.
"Two", whispers Scully.
The Mustang peels out of the parking garage and the agents are left lying there. Mulder turns to face Scully. He pulls her up to sit next to him. "The important thing Scully is that we're alive." Scully nods as she looks down.
"I meant what I said. I'll get you another ring, I promise you", he kisses her hand and then stands up pulling her to her feet.
"Its not the just the ring Mulder. They took away something more than that. The ring is just tangible. Its the memory of when you proposed that went along with it."
"But you have still have that here", he points a finger to her head. "And in here", he presses a finger to her heart. "We have a lifetime to make new memories and I don't want you to dwell on it."
"What are we going to do now", asks Scully sniffing.
"You have a quarter?", asks Mulder.
"Yeah. Mulder you aren't thinking of winning our money back are you?", asks Scully pulling a quarter from her pocket and handing it to him.
"No, we're going to give the Lone Gunmen a collect call", replies Mulder putting his arm around Scully and leading her back toward Caesar's Palace.
The last suitcase has come off of the conveyor belt. Scully pulls the flaps of the baggage opening to peek inside. "Hey, you there. Yeah you. Is there anymore baggage from Flight #411?"
"No ma'am", says the baggage handler. "Everything has been unloaded. If you're missing some luggage you've got to go to the main counter of your airline to report it. They will put a trace on it, but it could have ended up anywhere." He gets into the luggage wagon and drives away.
Scully jumps when she feels a presence right behind her. She spins around. "Jesus, Mulder. Why do you have to always sneak up on me."
"I wasn't sneaking up on you. I was just wondering why you were checking out behind the scenes of the luggage claim area."
"My suitcase apparently has been lost", says Scully rolling her eyes.
"How could they lose that? It weighed a ton. It would be like losing an elephant", says Mulder.
"Watch it G-Man or you'll be sleeping in the car tonight", says Scully finally cracking a smile.
"Well I kinda have to talk to you about that Scully", says Mulder. "Actually may I comment you on how lovely you look today. That green top compliments your hair perfectly", chatters Mulder.
"Mulder, you never compliment me on my looks and just because we've decided to change the scope of our relationship I don't believe for a second that you've changed. Therefore, you are holding something back from me and since we agreed not to keep things from each other anymore I request, no demand you tell me this instant what is going on in that head of yours."
"I'm hungry. You wanna get something to eat? I just walked by a little sandwich shop. We could get it to go and go sit out in the sun or something", Mulder rambles on.
"Mulder!"
"Okay, okay. I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I found a place for us to sleep and I rented us a car", says Mulder.
"That sounds promising. Now whats the bad news", says Scully.
"Well first its a great car. I rented us a red 2000 Mustang convertible", says Mulder smiling.
"Mulder, you would never rent something on your own like that. What gives?"
"I thought we should celebrate a little bit", says Mulder. "And the agent at the desk kinda thought I was too old to be renting it. I showed her a thing or two."
"So you rented us a sports car based on the fact that a kid thought you were over the hill? Mulder, you are over the hill. You are forty."
"Its April and my birthday isn't until October. I am still 39 and in fine form Scully. He flexes his muscle which causes Scully to laugh and shake her head.
"Okay enough about the state of your physique", says Scully. "What is the bad news?"
"The bad news", says Mulder putting his arm around Scully and leading her toward the escalator is that our hot sports car is going to be our love nest for the evening. I couldn't get us a room anywhere."
Scully stops in her tracks and looks up at him. "Mulder, we have to sleep in the car? In the middle of Las Vegas? Plus my bag is stolen. Where are we going to shower?"
"I hear the local Y is very accommodating Scully."
Scully laughs and shakes her head again as Mulder and her finally step onto the escalator. "As I said before Mulder. Only for you."
Part 44
Meanwhile Skinner has been rushed to the hospital and has been rushed in for immediate emergency surgery. Luckily all three bullets have missed his vital organs, but he has lost a lot of blood and every minute counts. Kate waits nervously in the waiting room. Minutes turn into hours and finally a doctor comes out to speak to her.
"Mr. Skinner is a very lucky man. I have never in my fifteen years of practicing medicine seen someone survive with the injuries that he sustained. He is in excellent health and that was a major factor in him being able to tolerate this surgery. He is not out of the woods yet. He needs to stay here at least for two weeks. Is there anyone I should call regarding his care?"
"I only met him a couple of days ago", admits Kate. "I don't know much about him, but I can tell you that he is an Assistant Director with the FBI. He works out of the Washington DC headquarters, so perhaps you should call them and fill them in. He does have a couple of favorite agents that probably should be notified. Agents Dana Scully and Fox Mulder. They were just here earlier today, but they were leaving to return home. Well actually I don't know if they went straight home. They talked about making a side trip. Unfortunately, I don't know where, but if you call the FBI I am sure they must have a way of getting a hold of them. "
"I'll have the head nurse call Washington immediately and see if there is any family I can inform", says the doctor. "What exactly is your relationship with the patient ma'am?"
"I'm a friend", says Kate rising to her feet. "Can I see him now?"
"He is in the recovery unit and from there he will most likely be transferred to the ICU. Hopefully he'll only be there for a couple of days and then he can stay in a regular unit. Until then I can't allow you to see him. There is a strict rule here at the hospital that only immediate family members are allowed into the ICU unit. Therefore, I'm sorry to say you won't be able to actually see him until he is in that regular room."
"I have to see him", says Kate tearing up. "What if he doesn't have any family? I could be the last one to comfort him if something does go wrong. What kind of person are you to deprive a gravely ill man the chance for some companionship? I can't wait until he is transferred. It could be too late."
"You should have thought of that earlier ma'am. You could have said you were his fiancee. I would have never known. I sympathize with you. I really do, but I have to be the one to sign the papers that allow visitors into the unit. I take an oath regarding being honest when it comes to providing good medical care. I can't break the rules."
Tears roll down Kate's cheeks and the doctor puts his arm around her and pats her shoulder. "He is pretty special to you isn't he?" Kate nods and wipes her eyes.
"I just met him, but no man has been more caring and gentle than Walter. I didn't think that there was a thing as love at first sight, but there is and I've fallen victim to it. I just wish there was a way for me to see him."
"Maybe there is", says the doctor taking his arm from around Kate and concentrating on the clipboard in his hand. He flips a couple of papers and scribbles a couple of lines on a form and signs it. I have to go now, but keep up the chin and don't worry. He is going to have the best of care here and I'll be checking on him a couple times a day. He backs away to the door and turns. He quickly stops at the nurses station and talks to the head nurse and leaves the clipboard with her. He waves to Kate as he finally leaves.
Kate takes a seat and picks up a magazine. She knows there is no point of sitting there all evening as they aren't going to let her in, but she doesn't want to leave. An hour later she tosses the magazine away and rises to her feet to go get a cup of coffee from the machine. A nurse comes into the waiting room. "Ma'am, I just wanted to tell you that your fiancee has been moved to the ICU unit and he is asking for you. As long as you don't have any flowers with you I can take you to him."
Kate stares at the nurse and nods blankly. "Thank you", she says to the nurse following her into the corridor. Silently she gives a little thank you to the kindly doctor who risked his reputation and career to bring happiness into other people's lives.
Part 45
Its 10:30 P.M. and the agents have returned to their car in the parking lot of Caesar's Palace after having eaten at the buffet.
Scully arrives at the car first and waits for Mulder to unlock it. "Mulder, I can't believe how much you ate at that buffet. Don't you feel sick?"
"No I feel fine. I wanted to get my money's worth", replies Mulder patting his stomach as he gets into the car. Scully gets in and shuts the door.
She turns to him. "Don't think just because we are engaged now that you're going to let yourself go to hell. You still have to do your yearly endurance test for the bureau and I refuse to have a potbellied husband, so curb the eating binges."
"Scully, a guy has to eat", replies Mulder. "Well maybe I did overdo it a little bit." He starts to rub his stomach and then gives a burp.
Scully makes a disgusted face as she watches Mulder unfasten his belt and pants and then recline his seat.
"And you think you know someone", she says aloud.
"Oh come on Scully. Just because you prefer the salad bar doesn't mean I have to live like that. Whats wrong? Are you mad at me because we're sleeping in the car tonight?"
"No I'm not mad. Just disappointed", says Scully. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting in the backseat and sleeping there. She turns and crawls into the backseat. Mulder opens up the door of the car and gets out. He then gets in the backseat with Scully and shuts the door.
"All we need is a drive in movie", says Mulder as he pulls her to him and the two of them arrange themselves as comfortably as possible by Mulder sitting with his back against the door and Scully sitting between his legs leaning back against him.
"You do realize that we are going to end up really hurting tomorrow by sleeping like this", says Scully.
"Yeah, well we don' have a lot of choice", says Mulder. "I'm really going to start hurting if you don't turn around and let me kiss you", he whispers in her ear. Scully smiles and turns her head to kiss Mulder. Several moments later Scully has turned her body completely around and the agents are going at it hot and heavy.
"Mulder I can't believe we're doing this in a parked car", says Scully in between kisses.
"Oh come on Scully, haven't you ever fantasized a stakeout turning out this way", replies Mulder nuzzling her neck as he reaches to pull her green shirt up.
"Well, maybe. What about you?", asks Scully sitting back and allowing him to remove her shirt.
"Dana Scully? Are you saying you were having impure thoughts about your partner?", asks Mulder.
"And you weren't doing the same?", asks Scully leaning in to kiss him again.
"Guilty as charged", replies Mulder pulling Scully to his chest.
Just then they hear a scraping on the door of the driver's side. Scully glances up to see what it is, but the windows are too fogged up to see anything.
Part 46
"Mulder, what was that?", asks Scully frowning as she pulls away. All of a sudden they hear talking and then the door is whipped open. Scully is shocked to see a man with straggly hair stick his head into the car. He glances in the backseat and Scully grabs her shirt to cover up her bra clad body.
"What have I got here?", he asks as he laughs looking at Mulder and Scully. "You enjoying yourselves back there? Hey Sam, look at this." Another guy sticks his head in and then laughs.
"Sorry folks you're going to have to get out of the car. This is a stick-up", says Sam as he points a gun at them.
"Who the hell are you?", asks Mulder glaring.
"I'm the Easter bunny and this is Cupid", says the guy with straggly hair. "Now get out the car now."
"Could you at least turn your back for a moment", asks Scully with her eyes flashing.
The guys both smile and then lean out of the car. Scully pulls her shirt back on. "Now what Mulder", asks Scully as Mulder moves to get out of the car. She puts his arm on his shoulder. "Button up your pants. We don't need to serve as any more entertainment for these guys."
"I'm sorry to say Scully they have a pretty good idea what we were up to", says Mulder doing up his belt.
The agents get out of the car. "Okay give me your money and the keys to the car", says Sam pointing the gun at the two agents. Scully curses herself for putting her gun in her luggage and thus leaving themselves totally unprotected.
Mulder slowly pulls out his wallet and starts to open it.
"Never mind removing the money, I'll take the credit cards too", says Sam. "Your foxy little lady friend got any money on her?"
"I'm Foxy, shes Scully", says Mulder making a poor attempt at a joke.
"Why do you go with this guy", asks Sam motioning to Mulder. "He acts like a conceited pretty boy."
"Sometimes I wonder", replies Scully digging in her pocket and pulling out a few bills and handing them to him. He grabs the bills and her left hand at the same time.
"Ah, I'll take this too", says Sam holding onto her ring finger.
"No!", says Scully biting her lip. "You've got our money and you're taking the car. Please let me keep my ring."
"He'll get you another one", says Sam pulling it off her finger.
A couple of tears roll down Scully's cheek. Mulder reaches for her hand and squeezes it. "I'll get you another one Scully. We'll pick it out together this time", he whispers. She nods blankly.
The two men order the agents away from the car. "Now I want you both to put your hands on top of your head, lie down on your stomachs on the ground and count to one hundred. Then you can get up."
"Ah, can I at least get my clothes from the car", asks Mulder with his hands on the back of his head. Scully is already on the ground.
"You know what? I'm not feeling overly generous today", says Sam. "Get on the ground." Mulder gives him a disgusted look and sinks to his knees and then to the ground.
"I don't hear you counting says the straggly haired man as the two crooks get into the car."
"One", yells Mulder.
"Two", whispers Scully.
The Mustang peels out of the parking garage and the agents are left lying there. Mulder turns to face Scully. He pulls her up to sit next to him. "The important thing Scully is that we're alive." Scully nods as she looks down.
"I meant what I said. I'll get you another ring, I promise you", he kisses her hand and then stands up pulling her to her feet.
"Its not the just the ring Mulder. They took away something more than that. The ring is just tangible. Its the memory of when you proposed that went along with it."
"But you have still have that here", he points a finger to her head. "And in here", he presses a finger to her heart. "We have a lifetime to make new memories and I don't want you to dwell on it."
"What are we going to do now", asks Scully sniffing.
"You have a quarter?", asks Mulder.
"Yeah. Mulder you aren't thinking of winning our money back are you?", asks Scully pulling a quarter from her pocket and handing it to him.
"No, we're going to give the Lone Gunmen a collect call", replies Mulder putting his arm around Scully and leading her back toward Caesar's Palace.