Chapter Four: The Broken Image
"Do you want to pack a bag before we leave? I'm not letting you come back here," Mulder said in his parental tone. He had not meant to use that tone. His words just came out that way, and maybe that was the most effective approach. The Special Agent Scully would have threatened to pistol whip her partner if he had had the audacity to forbid her from doing anything. Dana, the broken woman standing before him, merely conceded. Actually, it was not so much a concession, as it seemed Dana did not see any conflict; she did as she was told matter-of-factly.
She walked silently into the apartment, making no indication that Mulder should follow her. Of course, Mulder followed her anyway. He had shifted to his Protector Mode, and there was no way he would allow her back into the apartment with that sorry excuse of a man in that living room.
Scully pulled an already-packed duffel bag out of the closet. Mulder's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but either she did not notice or she chose not to respond to it. She opened up one of the side pockets as she approached a laundry basket of obviously clean but unfolded clothes. She sifted through the laundry and picked out underwear. She grabbed her toothbrush and the bra on the doorknob and stood before Mulder. She was ready to go.
Mulder turned and walked out of the apartment and out of the building. Scully quietly followed; she left her life behind to follow Mulder, much as she had eleven years ago. Once outside, Mulder turned and gently took the duffel bag from Scully. He slowed his pace so they walked side by side. Her eyes remained downcast. His eyes remained cloudy, evidence of his perplexing thoughts.
Mulder spoke as he and Scully turned off Franklin Street. "I, uh, parked my car a few blocks from here. Do you mind walking?"
Scully shook her head.
They walked in silence.
Mulder pushed the keyless entry button on his key ring and the car responded with an out-of-place happy chirp. He walked to the passenger side and opened the door for Scully, then opened the door behind her to dump her duffel bag in the backseat.
Silently, he got in his own seat and drove out of Hampton. "The hotel I'm staying at is in Richmond, I think. It shouldn't take more than an hour, maybe an hour and a half, depending on rush hour traffic." Mulder could not stand the silence, trying to fill it with small talk. Nothing he did or could have said would have made Dana talk.
Actually, he was kind of hoping she would say something. Anything. "Mulder I am going to kill you and take everything you have, so pull over at this truck stop," would have been better than the silence he suffered now. No such luck.
Mulder pulled up to the entrance of the surprisingly swanky Holiday Inn and the valet opened Dana's door as well as Mulder's. A bellboy took the duffel bag and Mulder's own luggage. Mulder handed the first young man his valet key and guided Scully into the hotel.
"Not exactly what we've stayed in before, huh Scully?" Mulder said with a laugh. He earned a small smile from Scully. 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'
Mulder walked up to the receptionist counter. "I have a reservation under 'Fox Mulder,'" he said.
The cheery woman behind the counter pounded at the computer keys, "Ah, yes, one deluxe room, unlimited stay."
"Actually, could you change that to two king size bedrooms, preferably with a connecting door," Mulder asked politely. A small, tentative hand on his arm earned his attention.
"Could it just be one room? I don't want to stay by myself," Scully whispered. Mulder would not have heard her if she had not grabbed his attention earlier.
The young woman behind the counter also picked up on Scully's slight movements, her hands frozen right above the keyboard. Mulder turned back to the receptionist, "Okay, scratch that. One room, with two beds."
"King or Queen-size beds?"
"King."
"Okay," the woman drawled as her fingers furiously keyed in Mulder's request. She paused as the computer processed the information. "Room 314," the receptionist smiled as she handed Mulder two keycards.
The bellhop motioned that he would follow Mulder and Scully in a minute. Mulder led Scully to the elevator and eventually into the room they would be sharing.
Mulder motioned where the bellhop could leave the bags before tipping to scrawny man in the burgundy uniform. He closed the door after the bellhop and whirled around to see Scully standing in the middle of the room with a far-off expression on her face. To Mulder, she seemed lost, confused, scared, and even alone.
He gently touched her shoulder, causing her to jump. "Hey," he murmured softly, "Why don't you go take a bath or shower. It'll help you calm down. I'll order some room service for us, okay?"
Scully nodded numbly before trudging into the huge bathroom. She peeled her clothes off and stepped into the steaming hot shower. She stood still under the water that turned her skin a flaming red, not feeling a thing.
Slowly, she looked around the enormous bathtub/shower. The hospitality staff had furnished the area with all of the necessary toiletries. Scully picked up the container of lavender-enriched shampoo and slowly shampooed and rinsed her hair. The lavender scent from her shampoo filled the bathroom as she rinsed off her matching soapsuds.
She turned down the hot water and picked up the razor. Methodically, she shaved her legs: first her left, then her right. It struck her as odd that this simple task was so unfamiliar. She could not remember the last time she shaved her legs in the shower. More often than not, Scully stood with one foot precariously balanced on the edge of the bathroom sink as she reached for her husband's Colgate Brand shaving cream.
As Scully rinsed the remaining shaving cream off her legs, she shook the thought from her mind. She stepped onto the plush area rug that stood in front of the bathtub and dried herself off. Dana took in her surroundings as she put on the clothes Mulder had quietly placed on the countertop. The room was large with high ceilings, much like the rest of the suite. The walls were a brilliant white, offset by the black marble floors. Taupe accented the room, found in the towels and crown molding. The mirror, instead of being a mounted one that ran the length and height of one wall, was a large ovular, gold-framed mirror hung by a thick, regal ribbon.
The room was beautiful, tranquil even, until Scully caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. The calm before the storm had given into the fury that lies ahead.
Mulder heard Scully turn on the shower before he let out a breath. He dragged his suitcase onto the bed closest to the bathroom, which he would assume as his for however long he stayed. After emptying half the contents of his luggage, Mulder triumphantly retrieved his favorite T-shirt and sweatpants, a welcomed substitute for the khakis he donned earlier. He called room service, ordering hamburgers, French fries, and vegetable soup for each of them.
After glancing at both the clock and the bathroom door, Mulder picked up the telephone once again, this time dialing to an outside line.
"Lone Gunmen's Office," Byers voice answered the phone.
"It's Mulder. Can I talk to Sam?"
"Oh, hey Mulder. Just a second," Byers placed the phone down. Less than a minute later, Sam picked up the receiver.
"Daddy?"
Mulder relaxed at the sound of the boy's voice, reclining against the headrest of the bed. "Hey Buddy. What have you been up to today?"
Mulder smiled as the child recounted his busy day following Hickey and Langly around. Screams and the sound of breaking glass in the connecting room brought Mulder out of his reverie.
"Hey Sam, I gotta go. I love you. Good night," Mulder rushed.
"Kay. Love you too. 'Night." Sam ended, oblivious to the concern in his father's tone.
Mulder barely managed to hang up the phone as he leapt off the bed. As he opened the bathroom door, he could not help but gasp at the scene before him.
The bathroom was in shambles. The shower curtain was hanging on by only half of its closures. Towels lay scattered across the room. Toiletries littered the walls. A razor blade lying next to the edge of the bathtub caught Mulder's eye. The remnants of what Mulder could only assume was the frame of the vanity mirror hung pathetically by an ironically fancy ribbon. The shattered pieces glittered the marble floors.
And in the middle of the chaos was Scully.
"I…I'm sorry. I'll clean it up," she stammered as she picked up shards with her fingers.
Mulder did not even try to erase the shocked expression from his face as he deftly knelt down beside her. "Scully, stop," he coaxed as he saw tiny trickles of blood trail down her hands and wrists as she clenched her fists, glass shards and all.
"No, no, I'm almost done," Scully cried desperately.
In an effort to stop Scully from hurting herself, Mulder grabbed her wrists forcefully. Scully screamed, a feral animal caught in a manmade trap, and flung her body in a horrible frantic attempt to free herself. Mulder, not anticipating this reaction, struggled to regain the upper hand as she whirled her body into the cabinets of the vanity with a resounding thud. Mulder wrapped his arms around her body and lifted her off the ground, half-carrying, half-dragging Scully away from the glass and out of the bathroom. Gently, he sat her on the bed he occupied only minutes before. Her body slumped but his strong hand held her in a sitting position. Her head hung and the snake-like chunks of dripping hair hung in her face like a thick curtain. Certain that she would remain sitting, Mulder knelt in front of her and gently took her still-clenched hands in his, turning them over. Mulder opened her fists and proceeded to carefully pick the pieces of the mirror out of her hand and drop the shards in the small garbage pail.
A knock at the door and a muffled "Room Service" pulls Mulder from his concentration on Scully's open palms. Mulder looked up at Scully to realize that she did not have any clothes on besides her panties. Embarrassed that he had not realized this earlier, he stood up abruptly. He reentered the bathroom and found the hotel-issued terry cloth robe on a hook behind the door. He handed it to Scully rather awkwardly. Scully did not notice his unease, or if she did, she did not let on. Either way, Mulder decided not to dwell on it. He checked to make sure she was decent before calling for the bellboy to come in.
The bellboy wheeled in a cart filled with food. The silver platters and matching covers seemed overstated for hamburgers and French fries to Mulder, but at the same time, he didn't care. After a moment, Mulder realized he was awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. The bellboy politely looked at the wall opposite the bathroom but was expectant nonetheless. Scully seemed to have been swallowed up by a huge ball of terry-cloth fluff, making her seem even smaller. As if pushed gently from behind, Mulder kind of lurched forward before realizing his surroundings. He ushered the bellboy out of the hotel room as he drew a few crinkled bills from his wallet. As he escorted the boy out, Mulder asked for a first aid kit and a maid to clean up the bathroom.
"We had a little accident and broke the vanity mirror. Please bill me for it and have the maid bring its replacement," Mulder said wearily.
"Right away, sir," the boy answered before turning and leaving. To anyone looking in, it would look like the couple had had a fight. Even if the bellboy contemplated this, he was polite enough to feign ignorance. That was what good money for an elegant hotel bought.
Mulder returned to the hotel room to find Scully in the same place he had left her, but this time she was doubled over. Mulder rushed to her side, kneeling as he went. She was dry heaving, most likely from the trauma of the evening. Mulder rubbed her back soothingly. Afraid that this was only the precursor, Mulder gently asked if she needed the toilet or wastebasket. She shook her head. Mulder smoothed her hair back as her heaves turned to sobs. "Shh, shh," he gently rocked her back and forth. "Everything is going to be all right, all right," he cooed. As she calmed down, Mulder reached over to the room service cart and handed her a glass of milk. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before opening the door for the cleaning woman, who entered silently, neither acknowledging Mulder nor Scully. On her cleaning cart sat an identical mirror, ribbon and all. Within ten minutes, the bathroom was looking exactly as it had when they first checked into the hotel. Mulder handed her a ten-dollar bill as she handed him the first aid kit. The foreign woman, maybe German or Dutch, gave Mulder a small smile before leaving, not a word exchanged.
Scully stood expectantly behind Mulder as he closed the hotel door. Mulder turned around and took in the look on her face. He could not understand what she was waiting for. She dropped her eyes to the floor. "I..I'm sorry, Mulder. I didn't mean to."
Mulder walked over to her and placed his hand on her arm, "No, it's okay. Don't worry, it's fine. I have a first aid kit, how about we tackle those cuts?"
Scully nodded. She moved to sit on her bed, next to the nightstand closest to the hotel door. Mulder pulled over the stuffed chair from the desk and pulled her hands into his lap. He opened the first aid kit and took out the antiseptic ointment. "Do you have anymore shards in your hands?"
Scully shook her head.
Mulder held her left hand close to the light to make sure. He replaced the ointment and peeled open the alcohol wipes. Mulder lifted his eyes from her hand, as did she. "This may sting a little," Mulder warned, talking as if to a little child.
Scully nodded as if this were the first news of its kind, the irony of the situation striking neither. Her face twisted in anticipation. Mulder gently cupped her left hand in his right as he methodically cleaned her wounds, the white pad turning pink as he went. He proceeded to do the same with her right hand. Then, in the palm of each hand, he squeezed a glob of antiseptic ointment, carefully spreading a thick level over her hands. The wounds did not appear too deep, but he decided to bandage them to prevent infection. Choosing the roll of gauze over the large pads, Mulder wrapped each hand in a thick layer before taping the ends down.
"Does that feel all right?" Mulder asked soothingly.
Scully nodded, not wanting her voice to betray her. Mulder simple actions had stirred such emotions in her. Unfortunately, Mulder could see her distress anyway.
"Scully, what's wrong?" Mulder said, leaning down to study her face.
Scully shook her head dismissively as she willed herself to stop the tears that rolled treacherously down her cheeks. "It's…nothing, really. I," Scully paused and regained her composure. "I haven't had somebody take care of me in a really long time," Scully shot Mulder a shy look before concentrating on her hands. Mulder knew better than to say anything, so he just placed his hand over hers. Scully's robe dropped open at this point, and Mulder's eyes automatically shot to her chest, right above her breasts. Mulder's mouth opened slightly as Scully scrambled to pull the robe close up to her chin.
"Scully," Mulder muttered warningly. The two syllables held a thousand meanings.
Scully sighed and stood. Mulder backed away, taking the chair with him before he stood as well. Mulder loosened her hold on the robe, lowering it once again. Mulder stared at her chest. It was severely discolored. Purple and red with bruises. Mulder's stomach fell as her eyes dropped in shame. Wary, scared even, Mulder turned Scully around. He placed his hands on the back collar of the robe and pulled it down to her waist. Mulder's hands dropped in shock. Scully's hands quickly grasp the robe around her waist.
Mulder's eyes scour her back. The abuse that she must have suffered is absolutely horrific. That, and the irony of the situation scares Mulder. As his fingers trail down her spine, resting on her tattoo. Mulder zones out as he notices the tattooed blood drops at the mouth of the snake but wonders whether they were part of the original tattoo. His fingers trace the tattoo lazily.
"Mulder, what is it?"
"It's just a mosquito bite," Mulder deadpans.
Scully smiles as she wraps the robe around her body and turns to face Mulder. She allows Mulder to wrap his arms around her. "Mulder, I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too."
A/N: Literally took me a month to finish writing this chapter. I hope it was worth the wait. Whenever I think about a certain scene, it's always more angsty than it is when I actually write it. Anyway, expect the next chapter about Tuesday.