NYU Medical Center. Another hospital. Another frantic search trying to find a nurse, a doctor, or someone capable of telling him about Scully's condition and where she was. Mulder found out that she was alive but still in surgery. He was told to wait in the waiting room.
He hated waiting rooms. To him they were torture chambers. So, what, he was just supposed to sit back in an uncomfortable chair, read the latest issue of People Magazine, grab some coffee and watch the time go by while Scully was bleeding to death in another room? But he had nowhere else to go. So Mulder aimlessly wandered down the hallway, following the arrows on the signs pointing him to the "torture chamber."
When he entered the waiting room, he noticed A.D. Kersh standing in the corner, casually sipping on a cup of coffee. Evidently waiting rooms didn't bother Kersh.
"And just what do you think you're doing here?" Mulder was ready to cause a scene.
"Agent Mulder. I should ask you that same question. I did not assign you to this case."
Mulder got up close to Kersh's face. "And that's exactly the reason why one of your agents is in this damn hospital fighting for her life. Her blood is on your hands. Agent Scully is MY partner. No one knows her better than I do. Don't tell me that I don't have a right to be here."
Kersh looked around the room and noticed that everyone was staring at them. He lowered his voice. "Agent Ritter may have made a rookie mistake, and he will be dealt with accordingly, but you, Agent Mulder, are a lost cause."
"Believe what you want, but you have never been so wrong. You think splitting us up is the answer? You think you can stop our work; stop the truth from coming out. But the truth is bigger than you. It's you who will lose in the end."
Kersh swallowed the last gulp of coffee and handed the empty styrofoam cup to Mulder. They stared each other down for a few seconds, and then Kersh walked away. Mulder crushed the coffee cup in his hand and threw it across the room in frustration.
"You may see her now, Agent Mulder. She just woke up in recovery. She's a little groggy, but she's asking for you."
"Thank you," Mulder said to the nurse.
Mulder walked the short distance to room number 1013. The wait was finally over. She had been in surgery for over five hours. There was extensive internal bleeding and complications, but she pulled through. He had wanted so badly to see her, but now that the time had come, he was shaky and hesitant. He could never get used to seeing his partner in the hospital. It brought back too many memories of abductions and cancer. Of almost losing her.
He paused at the door, trying to prepare himself to stay strong for her. But as soon as he walked in and saw her, his heart melted and his fears faded away. She was going to be fine.
She was propped up in bed by a couple of large pillows behind her back. Her waist was wrapped tightly with bandages. Her head was resting gently to the side. Her eyes were closed, but sensing Mulder's presence, she slowly opened them and smiled.
Mulder quietly pulled up a chair close to her bed, took her hand and squeezed. "You have to stop doing this to me, Scully. My heart can't take it. I hate it when you're in the hospital."
"Well it is my turn, I suppose," Scully slurred through her drug-induced stooper.
Mulder was quickly reminded of the last time he was hospitalized after the boat that he was on was blown to pieces. He was in a drug-induced stupor at the time as well, but he was coherent enough to remember his three-word confession to Scully. "It should never be your turn, Scully," he said to her tenderly.
"Well, it was finally Fellig's turn. He told me I was going to die, but he grabbed my hand and took my death. He had been searching for death for decades. You were right about him, Mulder."
"Boy, those must be some strong drugs they have you on, Scully. Did you just say I was right?"
Scully couldn't help the small giggle that escaped from within her, but her smile quickly faded due to the sheer pain she felt in her stomach from the motion. "Ow. Don't make me laugh." She closed her eyes again. "I'm tired."
Before Mulder could say anything further, she had already fallen asleep. He smoothed her hair back so he could place a kiss to her forehead. "I'll come back later," he said to her even though he knew she couldn't hear him.