Mulder had been sitting on the cold floor of a cell for hours. He could have sat on the tiny bench provided for him but he refused. At this point, he wanted to have no comfort for himself until he knew Scully's condition. He could still see her lying on the hospital bed with medical personnel all around her struggling to stabilize her. If Scully died, he truly didn't know what he would do. Without Scully by his side, he knew he couldn't go on investigating the X-Files on his own and a new partner was completely out of the question. If she died, his entire lookout on life would go with it. He had grown so close to her over the past year. He had almost kissed her in the hallway of his apartment a year ago and now that she was in the hospital near death, he wished he had. She had changed him so much and in ways that others wouldn't understand. He had contemplated a romantic relationship with her but had been too afraid to risk their friendship. And now there was the possibility that he would never know if she would have agreed to it or not. But that wasn't what bothered him the most. It was the fact that he would be losing his best friend.

God Scully

He placed his head between his legs and let out a soft whimper. He had lost so many people close to him over the years and now his partner was going to be added to the list. She was going to die because of him. Boy this was all her brother Bill needed to get wind of. He had already blamed him for her getting cancer and with this he would have a field day. He would be forever shunned from the Scully family and most likely from the FBI. An FBI agent was definitely not popular when they were responsible for the death of their own partner. He raised his head as Skinner opened the door. "How is she?"

"She's been stabilized but is in critical condition." He paused. "She's…gone into a coma."

Mulder closed his eyes and shook his head. "Oh god." He folded his hands. "What about Jeremy?"

"As I told you, his death was ruled as accidental due to his injuries. And right now, I would advise you not to speak on that issue again unless you want them to find out about your assistance in that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean where you are now, Agent Mulder the walls have ears. And the only one who is on your side here is me. Don't give them any more firepower than they already have."

Mulder looked straight ahead. "They're going to try and pin this whole thing on me, aren't they? Scully's abduction and rape along with shooting Jeremy."

Skinner sighed. "As I stated to you last year when the explosion of the federal building happened in Dallas, blame has to be placed somewhere. But you are right, they are going to try and take you for everything if they can. You are an agent who doesn't follow protocol and is considered a pain in the ass to the FBI. It won't take much for them to find you responsible."

Mulder ran his hand through his hair. "Sir, whatever happens to me I want you to promise me that you will look after Scully. I want you…to make sure that she gets the proper psychiatric or medical care that she needs. I'll provide whatever funding I can."

"I promise she will get the best possible care I can find. But Agent Mulder, I have to warn you that this meeting with OPR is going to be different then what happened in Dallas. They are going to treat you like a criminal until you are proven innocent."

Mulder looked down at his orange jump suit. "Yeah, I kind of figured that after the wardrobe they provided me when I got here."

"I'm serious, Agent Mulder. Right now your saving grace is that Scully is still alive. The important thing is that you tell the truth and not lose your temper otherwise they will hang you out to dry. Do you understand?"

"All too well, Sir."

The door then opened again and a man stepped in. "Agent Mulder, I need you to come with me."

Mulder turned to Skinner. "Guess they got the pyre ready for me for my burning."

"Just remember what I said, Agent Mulder. Good luck." Skinner answered before stepping outside.

Mulder slowly rose from the floor and followed the man out the door. He did know that Skinner was right, the FBI would try their hardest to point the finger at him. And he already had enough strikes against him as it was. Not to mention the fact that the Director had been trying to get him out of the Bureau for the past six years. He followed the man through some double doors and into a large room. As he made his way to the front, he swore it seemed like he was really on trial in a courtroom. And in a sense, he was.

"Please state your full name for the panel."

Mulder cleared his throat. "Fox William Mulder. I'm a Special Agent for the FBI and work in the X-Files division."

A man sitting in the panel leaned forward in his chair. "Agent Mulder, you have been brought before this panel in regards to your behavior during a recent FBI undercover operation. You are also currently being detained for the shooting of the suspect Jeremy Reinsfeld as well as the circumstances leading to the condition of your partner, Agent Scully. Are you aware of these charges?"

"I am."

"We have written testimony from five agents that say you chose to interfere with the undercover operation when you were instructed by your superior not to. Is this true?"

"Yes, Sir."

"May I ask why you chose to ignore a direct order from a superior?"

"Well, Sir as you know when the riot occurred outside of our surveillance van, things were in major chaos. All of the agents outside were dealing with the crowd and so could not keep their eye on Agent Scully. And…since she was out there all alone, I thought it would only be best if someone was out there with her with the suspect having been spotted earlier."

"But Agent Scully was not there when you arrived?"

"No. When I arrived at the spot where she had last been seen, all that remained was her earpiece, which also showed signs, that there could have possibly been a struggle due to its state. So, I chose to walk a little down the alley to see if there was any sign of her. And it was there that I found an earring that she had been wearing. It was then that I determined our suspect Jeremy Reinsfeld had abducted Agent Scully and taken her somewhere near by."

"And you informed Assistant Director Skinner of this?"

"No, Sir. No, I did not." Mulder paused. "I thought under the circumstances that it would take too much time to catch up with the suspect since he already had much up on us already. I was only concerned for Agent Scully's safety and that she might be victim number six."

"So you chose to not tell Assistant Director Skinner of your intent and instead directed some agents to canvas the area. Even though you had absolutely NO authority to give them an order like that and they were already taking care of something else?"

Mulder sighed. "Yes, Sir but I was only thinking of Agent.."

"So you went into a secluded building on your own with no back up whatsoever to catch a serial killer who had killed five victims? A suspect who had eluded the FBI for months even with dozens of agents on his trail? What made you think that you as a single agent would make that different?"

"Well, I.."

"And if you were so considerate for Agent Scully's safety why did you risk it barging into a suspect's residence not knowing what to expect? How did you know it wasn't some kind of trap?"

"The only reason I went inside in the first place was because I found a thing of chloroform outside the door. And remembering back in FBI school, I figured it was there because someone had taken someone in there against their will. Chloroform is used for…"

"Everyone on this panel knows what chloroform is used for, Agent Mulder. There is no need to remind us. And so you went into the room and…"

"I used force to enter the room as I felt that Agent Scully was somewhere in there and in immediate danger from the suspect."

"So, you broke into an individual's residence without any authorization whatsoever and no warrant?"

"I felt under the circumstances it was important for me to get inside and ignore the minor details."

"Minor details? Agent Mulder, you going in that way is considered illegal! The suspect would have had every right to sue you and come after the FBI!"

"Sir.."

"So you break into someone's residence and then in the end shoot them in cold blood? Nice touch, Agent Mulder."

Mulder stood up. "Dammit, I shot him because of what he did to Agent Scully!"

"Regardless of that fact, you shot the suspect unarmed and when he was away from Agent Scully! There were two agents who witnessed your deed Agent Mulder. It was the two agents that you sent away AGAIN with absolutely NO authority!"

"You have no idea what he did to her! I know because I was there!"

"And let's talk about your partner, Agent Mulder. Right now, Agent Scully is lying in a hospital comatose. If she dies, it will be because you chose to shoot the suspect rather than attend to her!"

"What?! Are you kidding me? I told the agents in the room to get medical help!"

"And you shot the unarmed suspect out of revenge!"

"Did Assistant Director Skinner tell you what I told him? Did he tell you about what I witnessed? About what Jeremy Reinsfeld did to Agent Scully?!"

"What the Assistant Director said in his testimony is irrelevant to you, Agent Mulder. Not to mention it is confidential in nature."

Mulder slammed his hands on the table in anger. "He raped her, dammit! He cut her and beat her right in front of me and made me watch showing no remorse whatsoever!"

"That's enough, Agent Mulder."

"He fondled her and laughed at me while he did it!"

"I said, that's enough, Agent Mulder! Now, you will refrain yourself now or face the consequences! Do you understand?"

Mulder sighed and took his seat once again. "Just go ahead and pass me my sentence."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, it's obvious you've already decided I'm guilty, isn't it?"

"You are facing very serious charges, Agent Mulder. You do realize that Jeremy Reinsfeld died in the hospital last evening after succumbing to the injuries that you gave him. That changes your charge from attempted murder to murder."

Mulder swallowed. He had to admit he hadn't thought of that instance when he killed Jeremy. Oh god they are going to hang me with this. "No, Sir. I wasn't aware that the suspect had died in the hospital recently."

"Due to the circumstances surrounding this incident as well as the testimony from Assistant Director Skinner, the charge of murder has been lessened." The man paused. "However, due to your acts against protocol along with endangerment of your partner, we have no choice but to dismiss you from the Bureau."

Mulder looked back at him. "What? You can't do that! There should at least be a suspension! And I didn't put Scully's life in danger, I saved her!"

"This is not the first time you have gone against protocol is it, Agent Mulder? Nor is this the first time you have been before this panel."

Mulder rose from his seat again and walked up to the panel. "You son-of-a-bitch! I will take the fall for not following protocol! But I will NOT take it for endangerment of my partner's life! You will not blame me for what that bastard did to her!"

"Agent Mulder, I advise you to restrain yourself immediately! For if you do not then this panel will reconsider adding back on that murder charge and getting rid of that particular testimony which prevented you from ending up in prison! I'm sure you would prefer the life of a civilian over prison, would you not?"

Mulder gave a chuckle.

"Something amusing, Agent Mulder?"

"You have been trying to nail me and get me fired for the past six years. And now you've finally accomplished that act through the simple device of playing a serial killer's game. I congratulate you."

"You will leave your badge and gun with the Assistant Director once you leave this room. If there is any indication that you have attempted to continue your work on the X-Files then the murder charge will be brought against you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Mulder replied turning away from the panel and walking toward the door.

"Oh and keep something in mind, Agent Mulder."

Mulder turned back around. "What's that?"

"Should Agent Scully die, you would be responsible for two murders. One of a civilian and the other of a federal officer. That would not hold up very well for a civilian in court now would it?"

Mulder gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe they had the gall to bring up such a thing. They were right though with a case like that and him as a civilian, he wouldn't stand a chance in hell. "No, it wouldn't, Sir."

"I hope for your sake that Agent Scully lives."

"Then we wish the same thing, Sir. Although not for the same reasons." Without another word, Mulder walked out of the room where he found Skinner waiting.

"Well?"

"The murder charge has been lessened thanks to your testimony."

Skinner breathed a sigh of relief. "I was hoping they would listen to me."

"But I have been relieved of my duty from the Bureau."

Skinner's face fell. "What?"

"I've been ordered to leave the Bureau or the murder charge for Jeremy will be put back on me only as a civilian. They did that to make sure there was no possible way I could fight it as an FBI Agent."

"Mulder, they can't do that."

"It's done. And if Scully dies, they'll have me as the murderer of a federal officer as well."

"Those bastards." Skinner muttered. "They can't get away with this!"

"Sir, I know you did everything you could but this has been a long time coming. This was just the opportunity they needed to get rid of me. They're probably grateful that I shot Jeremy and that he eventually died. But not because I got a serial killer off the streets. No it was because it caused Fox "Spooky" Mulder to be kicked out of the Bureau." He watched as a guard walked up with Mulder's badge and gun, handing them to him. He put them in Skinner's hands. "I believe these belong to you now, Sir."

Skinner looked down at the items and then back at Mulder. "I can't believe this is actually happening."

"Well, think of it this way. You won't be called in front of your superiors anymore for something that "Spooky" Mulder did."

"I won't know how to react." Skinner answered with a half smile.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, Sir I need to collect my clothes and go home and feed my fish. Catch ya later, Walter." Mulder replied with a smirk before walking away with the guard.

Skinner stood in absolute shock as he held Mulder's FBI credentials in his hand. He couldn't believe how calm Mulder was taking his dismissal. I mean he did realize that with Mulder no longer in the FBI that the X-Files would be shut down right? And what would happen to Scully now should she survive?