Scully: I can't believe you are going! You won't make it anywhere out there. And you are definitely not going alone. I am going with you. Don't waste your time trying to talk me out of it because we both know I am going to end up going anyway. Last thing we need is you going out and getting your ass kicked by a 65 year old man and his minions. It would take weeks to get your ego back to its larger-than- life size again.

Mulder: Very Funny. Fine, hurry up and get your coat back on, we haven't got much time anyway.

The agents retrieved their coats and hurried to the address the mysterious voice had given Mulder. He was a little worried because they had told him to come alone, but Scully insisted that she would shoot him before letting him go out in a snowstorm to face an unknown informant. And Mulder thoroughly believed that she would do just that.

They arrived there at exactly 7. Mulder went in ahead of Scully and they pulled out their ($4,000) flashlights and their guns. They saw two flights of stairs, one on each side of the vast hallway. The warehouse itself was a dump, abandoned long ago and probably infested with every type of pest imaginable. Mulder and Scully both remained silent and signaled they were to take opposite stairs, Mulder on the left and Scully on the right.

They walked up their respective stairs, which led to separate corridors full of storage rooms. Scully looked into each room and moved to the next, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198, 200. She found 210 further down on her side of the building. She turned around to get Mulder. Before she could get two feet, a hand grabbed her by the throat and pressed a sharp object into the side of her back. She dropped her gun and started to scream but the hand went over her mouth. This always seemed pointless to Scully, she saw all those horror movies when a person got a captured and a hand over their mouths rendered them silent.

Scully: That won't work on me you stupid son of a bitch.

Scully made the highest pitch noise she could with her mouth closed and the attacker pressed the object (which Scully had assumed, correctly, was a knife) harder into her back. She felt it break the skin and the bit of blood trickle down her back. She shut up stood still. She heard Mulder call her name as she was pulled into one of the rooms. She craned her head around so she could see who was holding her but the person removed the knife and knocked Scully twice on the side of the head to keep her from looking. After she had stopped the room from spinning, she opted to talk to the person.

Scully: (muffled) I am an FBI agent; you will be in prison for the rest of your life once I get out of here

Adrienne: I know exactly who and what you are Agent Scully. You are not supposed to be here. If anything happens to you, it is your own fault because you had to follow Fox here like a love sick little bitch. And who said you were leaving?

Scully: I recognize that voice, but who is it? What are you talking about? Did you honestly think that Agent Mulder would come all alone? He's not a stupid man.

Voice: One can always hope, right?

Just at that moment, Mulder came running through the door. He had picked up Scully's gun but almost dropped both of them when he saw the two people. Mulder's voice was incredulous.

Mulder: Adrienne? What the hell are you doing? Get the hell away from her! What the hell is going on?

Adrienne: Why hello Fox, Merry Christmas Eve. This was supposed to be a private party. But the little one decided to tag along. But no worries, I'll be rid of her in a moment, just a minor setback. Then we can get to us.

Adrienne pushed into Scully's back right on top of one of her kidneys. Scully didn't cry out but stiffened and squeezed her eyes shut as a small tear managed to escape. Mulder figured that Adrienne had a knife in Scully's back and had just used it. He watched Scully trying to be brave against the pain. He wanted to shoot Adrienne right then but she had pulled Scully's head in front of hers and Mulder barely had the presence of mind to not take the risk of hitting Scully.

Back to the Present time. Jade warehouse Room 210 7:15 p.m.

Mulder snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Scully's sharp yelp. Adrienne had taken advantage of Mulder's unawareness and had plunged the knife into Scully's lower back. Puncturing a kidney and leaving the knife there, Scully turned pale and her head rolled forward as she resisted the urge to faint. or vomit. Both feelings had rushed upon her as the knife fully entered her. She could feel the warm sticky blood pooling out of her and drenching her back, her thick pea coat had offered minimal protection against the sharp knife and now only served to hold it there. Mulder gripped his guns tighter and regarded Adrienne with a look of hatred.

Adrienne: Admit it. Admit that you love her. That way we all know the truth and you can helplessly watch the woman you love die on a cold floor on Christmas and we can be done with it. If I can't be with you Fox, and believe me, it would have been good, but if I can't be with you than this little tramp sure as hell won't be. Even if I die, at least I get to see your face as she dies. Or we can just leave her here and
get out together. You know I'll be better to you. Either way, I win.

Mulder: You sick twisted excuse for a human being. I would never choose to be with you over Scully. Or anyone for that matter, you are disturbed, certifiably insane. And yes, I do love Scully. I am in love with her, my partner. She is everything that you are not. She is loyal and intelligent, brave and strong, beautiful beyond reason, even now; after all you are putting her through. She is more of a woman, more of a person then you will ever hope to be. And if she dies tonight, you'll wish I had killed you, because where you're gonna go sister, is worse than death.

Scully's head rose slowly to stare at Mulder with wide eyes. He gave her a comforting smile and a nod. Through all the intense pain, Scully accepted his words and weakly smiled. Adrienne in the meantime had processed Mulder's words and a large frown had formed on her face.

Adrienne: I see. Well then, say goodbye, lover.

She gripped the knife and twisted it slightly as Scully's smile dissipated and the strangled cry that tore from her throat rang out through the warehouse.

Adrienne: Merry Christmas, bitch.

She pulled the knife out and Scully slumped to the floor. Mulder yelled "NO" as she collapsed in a heap on the dusty floor, bleeding profusely and writhing in pain. No sooner had she fallen then two shots rang out in the air. Mulder had shot Adrienne Braun twice in the thigh and knee as she was fleeing the room. She fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Mulder rushed to Scully's side and pulled out his cell, calling 911 for help. He finished as quickly as he could and pulled off his coat and long scarf. He gingerly raised Scully's back and removed her blood soaked coat and sweater. She lay there shivering in her thin shirt Mulder kissed her pale forehead and wrapped his scarf around her stomach and back, applying pressure to the wound. Scully grimaced as he pushed on the lesion and placed his oversized warm coat around her, buttoning it up and cradling her to his chest. He grasped her clammy hands and placed kisses on her palms, eyes, forehead, nose and cheeks. Scully looked up at him with unabated fear in her eyes, struggling for breath and letting the tears flow freely down her gaunt face. She spoke with great difficulty but managed to keep her voice somewhat steady.

Scully: Did you mean what you said before, Mulder? Were you serious or were you just trying to save me, ahem, again?

Mulder: No, Scully, I meant every word that I said. I wish I had told you before. I love you. I am in love with you Scully. And all those things that I said about you were sincere. I was just too afraid to admit it to myself, much less you.

Scully: Afraid of what, Mulder?

Mulder: That I would tell you and you would reject me. Or not be able to look at me without pity. I don't want your pity Scully. I was scared that you would, laugh or something. There is. one. other thing that I have to tell you. Last night when I kissed you, that meant more to me than just a stupid demonstration. I realized how much I loved you a long time ago, but I didn't know what to do about it. That champagne excuse that you gave was perfect because I thought you regretted it and that it meant nothing to you.

Scully: I would never laugh at you Mulder. Especially when your feelings are concerned, you know that. I. have . something to tell you, too. That's exactly what the champagne was; an excuse. I feel the same way you do. I love you Mulder, so much that it scares me. I just.figured that you. didn't feel the same- (sharp intake of breath).

Scully was cut off as her back had a spasm and she gasped for air and then slipped into blackness as she lost consciousness. Mulder continued to whisper into her ear, as she lay still and colorless against him. Finally, around 8: 40, he heard the sounds of an ambulance in the distance and smiled against Scully's hair. He was joyful despite the situation. She loved him back and he didn't have to hide from her anymore. He thought of their future together.

The future. The word snapped him out of his happy daydream and he remembered that they might not have a future. Not if Scully did not make it through this. He hoped beyond hope that she would be okay but he knew there was a very real possibility that she might die. That terrified him and he knew that he could not allow that to happen. He heard the E.M.T.'s park the ambulance outside and rush in.

He called out to them and heard their footsteps coming closer. After that, everything became fuzzy but he dimly felt Scully being taken from him and himself being brought into the bitter cold to the ambulance. Then he let himself to succumb to the lull of sleep, knowing that Scully was beside him the ambulance. He knew that she would wake up and that they would continue their conversation.