Mulder eventually made it back to his apartment although he had to stop several times when he found himself too dizzy to drive. He knew in the back of his mind that he shouldn't really be driving at all in his condition but he had no one to call to pick him up so he persevered. He had considered calling the Lone Gunmen for help but, even though they were good friends, he didn't really want to be stuck with them when he was ill just as he was sure they wouldn't want to come round and play nursemaid to him. He also knew that, if he had told Mrs Scully the truth when she had asked him if he was okay then she would have immediately offered to let him stay at her house to recover. Although he would have protested, she would have insisted that he stay or at least that he didn't drive home. He hadn't want to put her to any trouble though since she already would have her hands full taking care of Scully and, although he now almost regretted his lie, he was home now. Lost in though, he didn't see the woman approaching his car nor the sound of tapping on his door window.
"Mr Mulder?"
"What...oh hi Mrs McLeod."
"Are you okay? ...you're looking a bit peaky."
"I'm fine, thanks. Just a bit of a cold."
"Oh right. Well...I'll be on my way then - I've just got a bit of shopping to do for tonight's dinner."
"Have a nice time."
"Och, I will...I always do."
Mulder forced a smile as his elderly neighbour said her goodbyes and then grimaced in pain as soon as she turned to continue down the street. He sat behind the wheel for a good long time trying to get together the energy required to get him out of the car and up to his apartment where he could get to sleep. His hand shook as he reached for the door handle and he had to tense his whole arm to keep it steady enough to open the door. Getting out of his car was a struggle as every muscle in his body ached and screamed at him to stay still. He managed to stand up straight and slam the door behind him, locking it with his remote locker. He leant heavily against his car as he began to cough, his chest aching with every forced breath he took. As he composed himself and managed to stand up straighter he once again wished that Scully were able to care of him as she had done so many times in the path. Knowing that it wasn't going to happen this time, he took as deep a breath as he could manage and began to walk. The street spun wildly around him as he forced one foot in front of the other to make his way slowly to the entrance to his apartment building.
Finally reaching the lift, Mulder slouched against the wall and closed his eyes to try and relieve the pain radiating from behind them and spreading the distance between his temples. Supporting himself with the wall, he made his way down the corridor to apartment 42 and, after a long pause while he tried to remember which key fitted in the lock, he opened the door. Sighing in relief to be home, he headed straight for the couch, divesting himself of his clothes on the way. By the time he collapsed face down on the sofa, he was dressed only in his boxers and had started to shake with chills. He tugged at the blanket that he always kept over the back of the couch and wrapped it firmly round him in an effort to cease the trembling of his limbs. Too tired to even bother to search for an aspirin, he just closed his eyes against the aches and pains and soon fell into a restless slumber.