AD Skinner tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to stop and the doors to open. The woman standing beside him gave him a look of annoyance and he smiled sheepishly at her and stopped tapping his foot. After what seemed like hours, the lift stopped and the doors opened onto the fifth floor. Skinner politely allowed the woman off first and then hurriedly made his way towards the nurses' station at the end of the corridor. He approached the desk and waited patiently for the nurse to finish her phone conversation before speaking.
"Excuse me."
"Yes sir. How can I help you?"
"I'm Assistant Director Skinner of the FBI - I was told that two of my agents were on this floor. Dana Scully and Fox Mulder?"
"Yes yes, of course. They're in room 15. Dr Wilson is in with them now."
"And Margaret Scully? Is she with them?"
"I believe so. She was sleeping in the char in their room the last time I checked their vitals."
"Is it alright if I go in?"
"There shouldn't be a problem with that. Just go down the corridor and it's the fourth door on your left for you."
"Thank you."
"No problem sir."
With that Skinner made his way down the corridor and came to a halt in front of the door to room 15. Just as he was about to knock, the door swung open and he found himself facing a middle-aged man in a white coat.
"Dr Wilson I presume?"
"Yes, that's me. And you are...?"
"Assistant Director Skinner from the FBI - that's two of my agents in that room."
"Oh, right."
"How are they doing? - the nurse who phoned told my secretary that their condition was serious. Are they going to be okay?"
"Well -I'm afraid it's too soon to be able to tell right now. Their condition is indeed serious but it seems to have stabilised for the moment at least. They haven't improved since my last check but they also haven't worsened which, at this stage, is the best news I have for you I'm afraid."
"What exactly IS their condition? I was told it was pneumonia but this certainly seems to be a lot more serious."
"It is very serious but it is pneumonia - just not the common kind. It's a very highly resistant strain of bacterial pneumonia. It has mutated almost past the point of recognition so that the medication we are using is having little effect. It is really going to rely on their immune systems ability to fight it off - we are doing everything we can to help it fight but really the bottom line is that if they're not strong enough, if they dont fight hard enough, then im afraid..."
"We'll lose them."
"Yes. I'm very sorry."
"Thank you Dr Wilson -I know you must be very busy. I'll let you get on with your work. I presume it is okay for me to go in?"
"Go right ahead. If there is any change in their condition -any at all - make sure that you alert the nurses straight away with the call button. They will alert me and someone will be with you within minutes."
"Of course. Thank you."
AD Skinner opened the door quietly and crept into the room, mindful of the sleeping woman sitting in the chair beside the bed of his two agents. Mrs Scully's tears had long since ceased to flow as, overcome with exhaustion, her eyes had closed and she had drifted off into a restless slumber. He silently crossed the room to stand beside her and crouched down beside the chair not really wanting to wake her. Just as he had decided to leave without announcing his presence, her eyelids began to flutter and then opened. It took a few seconds for her eyes to register what she was seeing but soon she sat up straighter and brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.
"Hi Mrs Scully. Are you okay?"
"Mr Skinner....hello. Yes, I'm fine thanks - just tired, that's all."
"Well that's completely understandable."
Maggie shook her head to remove the last traces of drowsiness and made to stand up to talk to Skinner. He stopped her from rising though with a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Don't get up. It's not necessary."
"Thank you. When did you get here? Did the nurse call you?"
"Yes. She left a message with my secretary telling me what floor they were on and which hospital. I came as soon as I heard."
"And do you...I mean has Dr Wilson...has he told you..."
"Dr Wilson filled me in on the situation. He was just leaving as I arrived, you were sleeping so I decided to ask him the details."
"What did he say...have they...are Fox and Dana improving?"
"He said there's no change as yet. But that means their condition isn't deteriorating either. It's just not..."
"Getting any better."
"Yes. But they are fighting Mrs Scully. They must be -and the two of them have such strength. They'll beat this, you must believe that."
"I do...well...I think I do."
"Believe it Mrs Scully - never stop believing it."
"Thank you. I'll try. And it's Maggie."
"In that case you can drop the Mr Skinner - call me Walter."
Maggie nodded her agreement and opened her mouth to speak once more but just as she did so they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Skinner quickly crossed to open the door and stood back as an orderly carried an extra chair into the room. Placing it beside the one in which Maggie still was seated the orderly then left again without a word. Skinner looked questioningly at Maggie and she shrugged her shoulders before motioning for him to sit. Hesitating only slightly, he crossed once more to beside her and sat in the chair.
"Thank you for coming Mr...Walter. Its very good of you."
"Its the least I can do Maggie. Anything you need just let me know."
"Thank you."
The two of them sat there for a long time, the beep of the monitors and the occasional doctor's call over the tanoy system the only things breaking the silence in the room. So, when Mulder's eyes flickered opened and he moaned in pain, both of them jumped up immediately and rushed to his side. Skinner pressed the nurse's call button as they had been told to do if there was any change in either of their condition. Maggie meanwhile had taken Mulder's hand that was not entwined with her daughters and was trying to calm him. He began to cough and the two of them helped him to sit up in bed so that he could breath more easily. Just then the nurse walked in and took over from Mrs Scully in helping to prop Mulder up so that Maggie could gently move her daughter over to her own bed to give the doctor room to work when he came in.