2pm, 27th December

The argument between Bill and Charlie had lasted for over half an hour - both sticking to their opinions and not allowing the other to sway them. It had stopped for about five minutes while Jess and the kids had come out to go sledging, Charlie telling them that he would catch them up later. The two men had waited for them to move out of earshot and had then begun their argument once again. Mulder and Scully had moved from the kitchen to the lounge and had been able to hear most of the brothers' quarrel. Scully had smiled in gratitude every time Charlie had stood up for them both and smirked whenever he insulted Bill. Her face had quickly fallen however, when Bill had always answered him straight back, not deterred from his hatred of Mulder. Mulder hadn't smiled when Charlie had spoken; instead he had retreated into himself and not heard the content of what they were saying. He only knew that they were arguing because of him and he had ignored the concerned glances Scully kept throwing his way, pretending that he was busy with his still-bleeding nose.

The shouting had eventually stopped and Bill had stormed into the house and gone right past the pair of them into the den. After checking that Mulder was okay and renewing his ice pack, Maggie had joined her son in the den and they had had heated words as well. Mindful of the pair sitting in the next room, as well as Mattie sleeping upstairs, they had kept the volume down which meant that Mulder and Scully hadn't been able to hear most of what was being said. They had argued for a much shorter time than the two brothers had done and it had ended with Maggie leaving the room, telling him that she was thankful that he was leaving since she didn't want anymore of his hateful attitude in her house. She had then walked through the lounge and up the stairs to watch Mattie whilst Tara packed for the trip up to her parents.

Bill was still sulking in the den, unwilling to come out and face the wrath of yet another family member so soon. Mulder and Scully were still sitting on the sofa side by side, the ice pack and towels lying on the table in front of them, no longer needed. Scully took their clasped hands and raised them over her head and across her shoulder, snuggling under Mulder's arm to rest her head on his chest. He allowed her to do so but made no move to pull her closer like he usually did. Instead he remained stiff, his arm hanging limply on her shoulder after she released his hand from hers. Thinking that he was still upset about the fight, Scully tilted her head so that she could press her lips against his in an effort to comfort him. Mulder didn't push her away but he did not respond either, keeping his mouth shut so that her seeking tongue was denied entry. Noticing his obvious lack of response, Scully pulled away slightly to look at him properly, forcing him to meet her gaze.

"Mulder are your bruises still sore? Do you need more painkillers?"

"My face is fine Scully. I don't need anything."

"Then what's wrong, Mulder? Why won't you kiss me?"

"I...I need to go Scully."

"Mulder, no!"

"I'm sorry, I...I need to leave."

"Why Mulder...what's up?"

"Scully, I can't do this anymore. I...can't be with you."

"You're leaving me? ... For good?"

"Yes...I..."

"Mulder...What about everything you said last night? ...What about the 'forever' we drank to?"

"I don't want to leave Scully...but I told you before, I don't want to come between you and your brother. Now Charlie and him are fighting as well as him and your mother. I can't split up your family, I just can't. If that means I can't be with you then...so be it. I'll request reassignment when we get back to work...I'll do profiling or something. I...I'm sorry. "

"Mulder...stop...Mulder, please."

Mulder took no notice of her pleas, walking out of the room and up the stairs, leaving her standing in the middle of the lounge frozen in shock. He made it to her room before breaking down; sinking to his knees on the floor by the bed as heaving sobs wracked his body. Burying his face in the duvet, he continued to weep in anguish as he realised what leaving Scully would mean for him. Maggie had heard him come up stairs after speaking with her daughter and, only hearing one set of footsteps, she came out of Tara's bedroom to see what was going on. After hearing muffled sobs from inside her daughter's room and getting no answer to her knock, she opened the door and found Mulder still kneeling on the floor beside the bed.
"Fox...what's wrong? What's happened?"

"I...I can't...I can't."

"Can't what Fox? What can't you do?"

"I can't le...leave her."

"Dana? Why would you want to leave her?"

"Never wanted to...I can't."

"Fox you're not making any sense."

"I didn't want to...to hurt her...thought leave...make it all better...but I can't...I can't leave her...I need her too much."

"Fox. You need to calm down. I don't understand what you're saying."

Taking a deep breath, Mulder tried to start explaining what was wrong but again he found himself unable to form a coherent sentence. As Maggie waited for him to collect himself she rubbed his back gently, trying to comfort him even though she didn't know the reason behind his grief. At last his sobs subsided, only the odd tear escaping his eyes now and then. Maggie stood up and held out her hand to him in order to get him up off the floor. He took her hand and stood up beside her but soon his knees gave way and he ended up sitting on the bed, head in hands. Maggie sat down beside him and listened to his muffled voice as he spoke of the conversation he had just had with Scully. His tears began to fall more rapidly again as he explained to her how he couldn't bear to leave her; how he felt so selfish because he couldn't do it - even to keep her family together. Maggie put her arm around his shoulders and rocked him tenderly as his grief overcame him and he was once more unable to speak.

As Maggie comforted Mulder, Scully remained standing in the lounge, mouth open as she stared in shock at the stairs that he had long since gone up. Bill chose that moment to come out of the den and, seeing his sister standing motionless in the middle of the room, alone, he smiled to himself in the knowledge that he had completed his mission to get rid of Mulder. His elation fell slightly though when, after realising that she was no longer alone, Scully turned to face him. Her expression was one of anguish and he was slightly taken aback at the level of loathing he saw in her eyes when she saw who had entered the room.

"I hope you're happy Bill. I hope you're proud of yourself."

"Dana, what are you talking about?"

"He's leaving. He's going because of you. You Bastard!"

"I can't say I'm very sorry about that Dana."

"Well I hope you're glad. You've just destroyed my life."

"What? Dana it's for the best. Your life's not ruined because he's going."

"Oh but it is Bill. Don't you see? ...Mulder is my life. Without him I have nothing."

"Dana, don't be ridiculous."

"Ridiculous? You want to talk about ridiculous? What about a grown woman being told what to do by her brother? What about you thinking that you know what's best for everyone? What about you having your head stuck so far up your ass that you couldn't see how happy we are when we're together? What about you destroying the best thing in my life because of your blindness?"

"Dana, calm down. You don't know what you're saying."

"I know exactly what I'm saying so don't tell me to calm down! I can be as mad at you as I want because you've made him leave...he's leaving me...he...I..."

Scully collapsed to her knees on the floor in floods of tears, unable to finish her sentence, just as Charlie walked through the front door. The instant he saw his sister lying in a heap, he ran to her and pulled her into his arms, cradling her like she was one of his kids. He tried to ask her what was wrong but she could barely breath through her sobs so he turned to his brother for an answer. Bill shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about her overreacting and getting hysterical over nothing. Scully struggled to shout at her brother for his comment but found that she couldn't catch her breath and instead could only gasp for much needed oxygen. Charlie sensed his sisters growing panic and, helping her to her feet and placing an arm around her shoulders, he guided her to the kitchen away from Bill. After sitting her down on one of the chairs, he rummaged in a drawer and found a paper bag for her to breathe into, realising that she was breathing too quickly and was in danger of hyperventilating. Even with the bag, Scully could not calm down enough to take deep enough breaths and she soon found that there were spots dancing in front of her eyes as her oxygen level became too low. The dots grew larger and darker until her vision was totally swamped in an inky-blackness and she fell forward, passing out into an unprepared Charlie's arms.

"Mom! Mom, I need you in the kitchen. Mom!"

"Charlie what is it. Oh my God, what's happened to Dana?"

"Jess...umm...She was crying and then she just passed out. Can you keep Peter and the girls out of here and ask Tara to find my mom. Ask her to tell her that Dana needs her down here, now."

"Sure Charlie. I'll go tell her."

"Thanks Jess. Day...Dana...wake up. Please, I don't know what to do. I need you to wake up and tell me, Day."

Confused and worried, Jess hurried out of the kitchen into the hall where she met Tara coming down the stairs with a suitcase in each hand. Giving her the few details that she had been given by Charlie, she then went into the lounge where she had left the kids to entertain themselves when Charlie had called out for Maggie's help. She ushered them all past their Uncle Bill into the den, closing both of the doors firmly and switching on the television. Tara was still standing where Jess had left her, shocked at what her sister-in-law had told her and worried that it had something to do with her husband's earlier rage. She quickly placed the suitcases beside the front door and, as she made her way quickly upstairs, she saw Bill come out of the lounge and pick them up to take them out to their car. She hurried along the corridor checking in every room for Maggie, finally hearing a quiet murmuring coming from Scully's room. She knocked gently on the door, not really wanting to interrupt the conversation but, after knocking once more, she heard Maggie call out.

"Who is it?"

"Maggie, it's Tara. Can I come in? It's important."

"Sure Tara. What's up?"

"Maggie...what's going on? Why's Fox crying as well?"

"As well?"

"Sorry, Dana needs you Maggie. Charlie's got her in the kitchen. He says she was crying and now she's passed out. He needs some help."

"Oh my goodness, go tell him I'm coming Tara - I'll be right down. Fox, I need to go - Dana's not well."

"Scu...lee! I...I need to..."

"Yes - yes you do, Fox. Come on, we need to go help Dana and get all of this sorted out."