On his couch was the Smoking Man, very much alive, sitting casually as if he had every right to be there. But what shook Mulder to the core was that he was holding an unconscious Scully. He cradled her head in his lap. His fingers were caressing the softness of her hair. She was dressed in silk pajamas and was half-buried beneath a blanket.
"You owe me, Agent Mulder."
"You are not getting out of here alive," Mulder growled. His voice was feral. The rage within him was past the boiling point. Mulder's index finger twitched on the trigger of his gun.
"Is that how you treat a man who saved the life of the woman you love?"
"SHUT UP!" Mulder screamed, gun still aimed.
"She's cured of the cancer. We should celebrate!"
Mulder hated this man with every ounce of his being. What would be the best way to kill him? Shoot him in the head and get it over with so that he would shut up, or shoot him in the gut and slowly watch him bleed to death, listening to him beg to be put out of his misery? Mulder liked the latter idea better, but he would have to get him away from Scully first.
"You don't believe me, do you?" the Smoking Man asked.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
"You misjudge my intentions. I came here to return her to you."
"I SAID GET AWAY FROM HER!"
The Smoking Man carefully propped Scully's head under a pillow as he got up from the couch. She didn't stir. As he stood before Mulder, he promptly reached for his box of Morley's that was lying on the coffee table. He took a cigarette out and was about to light it when Mulder took two quick steps towards him and knocked it out of his hand with the tip of his gun. This was going to be too easy, Mulder thought. Mulder then jammed his gun into the Smoking Man's stomach, but didn't pull the trigger quite just yet.
"You've held a gun on me before, Agent Mulder," the Smoking Man said calmly. "Are you sure you really want to kill me? After all, I know the truth you so desperately seek."
"The TRUTH is that you are going to be lying on my floor slowly bleeding to death with a bullet in your gut." The vein in Mulder's forehead pulsated as beads of sweat began to form there.
"So what are you waiting for?"
"AGENT MULDER, OPEN THE DOOR!" Skinner shouted from out in the hallway. He had heard the commotion going on in the apartment. Mulder didn't move. Skinner pounded on the door. "MULDER, OPEN THE DOOR!"
Mulder's finger was just about to pull the trigger when Skinner kicked down the door and came flying into the room with his gun drawn on Mulder.
"Put the gun down, Mulder."
"Get the HELL out of here, Skinner!" Mulder yelled. Mulder turned his attention back to the Smoking Man. He stared into his eyes with intense hate. He wanted to pull the trigger so bad, but he couldn't make his finger move. The Smoking Man looked at Skinner and then back at Mulder.
Neither man let up on their weapon. Skinner glanced at Scully laying on the couch and then back at Mulder.
"Mulder, you have to put your gun down. Scully wouldn't want you to do this," Skinner pleaded.
Mulder was too nervous and distracted now. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Mulder looked over at Scully's sleeping form. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful. "Scully..." Mulder whispered. The tears in his eyes that refused to fall were starting to blur his vision. He felt dizzy as all of the rage within him slowly left his body and all he wanted to do was go to her and hold her in his arms. The adrenaline rush ceased and he was suddenly so weak that he crumpled to the floor and let his gun fall out of his hands. He crawled over to the couch and buried his face in the crook of Scully's neck, breathing her in.
Skinner pointed his gun now at the Smoking Man. "Get out before I decide to kill you," Skinner commanded him.
The Smoking Man stared at Skinner for a moment and then left quietly without a word.
AN: Not quite done yet...but hey, thanks reveiwers for keeping me on my toes. You guys are relentless with your insistence that I keep updating. You make it fun!