Disclaimer: I do not own anything mentioned in the fic below. All
characters belong to those people who own them, namely, not me.
Spoilers: Mainly "Deadalive", but let's say any other time that one of our two favourite agents were in hospital, so I suppose there's a mention of about every second episode, from eight seasons...
**********
As he watched the two sleeping forms, Skinner smiled. He had been watching them for years, admiring their strength, studying their interactions with each other and marvelling at how they managed to deal with everything that had been thrown at them. Now he was watching them through the small window in a hospital door, trying to remember how many times he had come across one of them lying in a similar bed while the other hovered anxiously nearby.
This time however, was different. This time Mulder was in a state that neither Scully nor the Assistant Director had ever expected to see him in again - bruised and sore, but alive.
He had scarcely been able to believe it, when Agent Doggett had told him earlier of Mulder regaining consciousness. After rushing to the room in which two of his agents now lay asleep, Skinner found Doggett's earlier remark coming back to him.
"I couldn't go in." He could understand that now, as he leaned against the doorframe, unwilling to break the peace and content that had settled over the hospital room. It was not just that they were asleep, there was something else. Maybe he didn't go in because it was too much of an ingrained habit. Perhaps it was a stance that he was too familiar with- watching his two most intriguing and complex agents from a distance, to not being allowed into their inner- circle of trust. Admittedly, things had begun to change before Mulder's abduction, and he knew that both people in the room before him trusted him implicitly. Yet, old habits are hard to break and so he didn't break into the peace that pervaded the scene in front of him.
Slowly, Scully raised her head from the bed. Rubbing her neck with one hand in a somewhat absent manner, she searched Mulder's face before turning her attention to the machines that stood near the bed. Skinner drew back from the window slightly, so as not to startle her. As she had searched Mulder's face, now Skinner searched hers for exhaustion. So intent was he insuring that his agent didn't make herself ill with over-exertion that Skinner almost missed Mulder opening his eyes to smile at his partner. Smiling back, Scully pulled her chair nearer to the bed and put her head back down before closing her eyes. Mulder slowly ran his hand over her hair before saying something quietly. Scully raised her head long enough to raise an eyebrow, drawing a chuckle from Mulder.
Soon both agents were asleep again and Skinner turned away, nodding in satisfaction. Both of his agents were doing fine, content as always to be together without any outside force to contend with or disturb them.
Spoilers: Mainly "Deadalive", but let's say any other time that one of our two favourite agents were in hospital, so I suppose there's a mention of about every second episode, from eight seasons...
**********
As he watched the two sleeping forms, Skinner smiled. He had been watching them for years, admiring their strength, studying their interactions with each other and marvelling at how they managed to deal with everything that had been thrown at them. Now he was watching them through the small window in a hospital door, trying to remember how many times he had come across one of them lying in a similar bed while the other hovered anxiously nearby.
This time however, was different. This time Mulder was in a state that neither Scully nor the Assistant Director had ever expected to see him in again - bruised and sore, but alive.
He had scarcely been able to believe it, when Agent Doggett had told him earlier of Mulder regaining consciousness. After rushing to the room in which two of his agents now lay asleep, Skinner found Doggett's earlier remark coming back to him.
"I couldn't go in." He could understand that now, as he leaned against the doorframe, unwilling to break the peace and content that had settled over the hospital room. It was not just that they were asleep, there was something else. Maybe he didn't go in because it was too much of an ingrained habit. Perhaps it was a stance that he was too familiar with- watching his two most intriguing and complex agents from a distance, to not being allowed into their inner- circle of trust. Admittedly, things had begun to change before Mulder's abduction, and he knew that both people in the room before him trusted him implicitly. Yet, old habits are hard to break and so he didn't break into the peace that pervaded the scene in front of him.
Slowly, Scully raised her head from the bed. Rubbing her neck with one hand in a somewhat absent manner, she searched Mulder's face before turning her attention to the machines that stood near the bed. Skinner drew back from the window slightly, so as not to startle her. As she had searched Mulder's face, now Skinner searched hers for exhaustion. So intent was he insuring that his agent didn't make herself ill with over-exertion that Skinner almost missed Mulder opening his eyes to smile at his partner. Smiling back, Scully pulled her chair nearer to the bed and put her head back down before closing her eyes. Mulder slowly ran his hand over her hair before saying something quietly. Scully raised her head long enough to raise an eyebrow, drawing a chuckle from Mulder.
Soon both agents were asleep again and Skinner turned away, nodding in satisfaction. Both of his agents were doing fine, content as always to be together without any outside force to contend with or disturb them.