Chapter 3

She looked him in the eye, only able to nod her response because she was trying not to cry.

He squeezed her hand. "Me too."

Scully slowly straightened and gave Mulder a smile. "Ready to get out of here?"

"Do you even have to ask?" He teased. He took her hand in his as the nurse wheeled him down to the elevator.

Scully slipped back into her previous thoughts until they were out in the parking lot and Mulder had been loaded into the back of a taxi.

He let her remain quiet most of the way to her apartment. "I'll try not to get in your way."

That statement took Scully off guard. Before she could answer, the taxi driver was in front of her building and they were helping Mulder into his wheelchair again. Scully paid the driver and then knelt down in front of Mulder as the cab pulled away.

She took a deep breath and a chance, saying what she needed to. "Mulder, you're not in the way. I need you."

He caressed her cheek gently, "Not as much as I need you."

She took a quivering breath before continuing. "Which is why I really think you should take some kind of pain medication. I hate seeing you in pain."

"For you, I will." He said as he let his finger tips touch her lips then his own. He wanted to kiss her.

Then there was a downpour. Scully gasped in surprise and hastily got behind Mulder's wheelchair and pushed him up the ramp. She cursed under her breath when she realized she forgot her keys in the cab. By the time they found someone to let them in, they were both soaked to the skin.

"Some weather we are having, ain't it?" He said as he wiped water from her face. He saw that she was torn between laughing and crying. "Hey, Scully, it's okay...I won't melt."

Scully fought against her own shivering with a dermination that she had to care for Mulder before herself. Scully then began to work, wordlessly began undressing him, gently tugging at his clothes.

His teeth were chattering slightly. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she retorted softly as she tugged off his shirt.

She walked into the bathroom for a towel and placed it on the bed before hauling the wheelchair adjacent to the bed. Then she heaved Mulder onto the bed so she had better access to his wet clothes. She found it hard not to stare as more skin was exposed.

"Let me help you." He tried to help her tug his sweats down, but failed miserably.

"It's okay Mulder." she patted his hands gently. It took some effort but he was soon in dry clothes and under the covers. Because of staying in her clothes as long as she did, Scully was chilled to the bone. She took her dry clothes into the bathroom, leaving the door open so he could see her and she could see him. Her eyes closed against the chills as she slowly peeled her clothes off. She turned to pull off her shirt and he took his opportunity to stand slowly and walk toward her. "Let me help you." he whispered in her ear.

Her first impulse was to widen her eyes and mother him. "Are you sure you're up to walking?"

She could see that his leg muscles were wobbling. "I just need to be near you."

"I'll change in the bedroom instead," she compromised as she took Mulder by the elbow,a lump was rising in her throat.

He stopped her. "Look at you. You are freezing." He helped her on with her shirt.

Scully relented and let him help her change.

He blushed when she removed her soaked panties. He handed her silky, dry pair to her. "Pink looks good on you."

She blushed a deep red as she pulled on sweat pants over top. "I mean it Mulder. Back to bed." she said in what she hoped was a firm voice. "Either that or the couch."

"Only I can make an observation and manage to get in trouble for it." He muttered as he slowly made his way back to the bed.

"A very sweet observation," Scully granted.

"And please don't make me sleep on that couch of yours..."

"Don't worry, you're not sleeping on the couch.."

"And you aren't either...I won't hear of it." He said knowing that was what she was thinking all along.

Another smile as she changed the subject. "Living room then?"

"I just want to sleep." He said with a yawn before reaching down to his legs to slowly massage them, hoping to make the pain go away.

Scully sat beside his thighs and began to massage. "Maybe you should take something?" she softly suggested.

He nodded. "Yeah."

Scully got out one of his pain pills and filled a glass with water. She supported the glass as Mulder held it to his lips. She sat the empty glass on the table and he took her hand in his.

"You've really done a lot already. Scully, how can I ever repay you?"

Her face softened. She didn't realize it at first but Mulder could see in her eyes why she did it: she was in love with him.

TBC...if you want it...do you want it ?