Healing (2/7)
Mulder was sitting at home, vaguely trying to occupy his restless mind and body, dribbling a basketball and trying not to think of Scully. Giving up, he picked up the phone and dialed her number, glancing at the clock. 'It's after midnight and I said I'd call her tomorrow.' He smirked, imagining the raised eyebrow she'd give his explanation.
"Hi, this is Dana. I'm not available right now. Leave a brief message and I'll return your call as soon as possible. Bye. ... Beep."
Mulder grimaced at the phone. "Hey Scully, it's me. Pick up if you're there. ... Okay, I guess not. I'll call you later." He hung up.
He picked up the basketball again, a bad feeling in his stomach. 'She must've gone out, that's all. Stop being so paranoid.'
Giving up on the basketball, he sat on the couch and started flipping through the channels. Still, the gnawing feeling at the back of his mind would not go away. 'I'll just drive over there and wait for her to come home...and then what?'
He didn't know what he would say to her when she came home, but he knew he had to go. He wouldn't sleep tonight until he saw her.
Mulder arrived at Scully's building surprised to find her car in the parking lot. 'She must've just run out for something,' he thought to himself. He started to dial her number on his cell phone, but changed his mind. 'I drove all the way here. Might as well see her in person.'
Reaching her apartment, he knocked softly at her door. After a couple of minutes, he knocked again, a little louder. Getting worried, he fished his keys out of his pocket, finding the key to her apartment. He was about to unlock the door when the handle turned under his hand.'Scully always locks her door.'
He opened the door, rushing into the room and nearly tripping over her clothes at the door. He surveyed the heap of clothing, her keys and the bag from the video store, all lying on the floor. The sound of water running was coming from the bathroom and confused, he headed in that direction.
"Scully, it's me. You left the door unlocked. Uhmm..." He hesitated in the hallway as he realized the bathroom door was open. "Scully, are you okay?"
He strained to hear her, anything, but couldn't hear any sounds over the water running. His worry was taking over again. "Scully, if you don't say something soon I'm going to keep on walking right into that bathroom," he threatened jokingly. Still no response. He hesitantly took the last few steps to the bathroom door and turned the corner and stopped, frozen by the scene before him.
Scully's naked body huddled in her bathtub, its skin reddened by the water assaulting it. Bruises were beginning to show on her wrists, the side of her body and her face. Blood was streaming from a jagged cut on her cheek and there were countless small cuts on her back. As he moved nearer, he could see blood pooling beneath her hunched frame and running down the drain. She was still wearing her shoes and there were remnants of clothing around her ankles.
Mulder knelt beside the bathtub. "Oh, Sculleee..." She didn't turn to acknowledge his presence, but just stared dully at the tiles in front of her. He could hear her breath catch each time she inhaled.
He reached out and pulled her against his chest. "Scully, what happened? Who did this to you?" His voice was a hoarse whisper, but she heard him.
"Mulder?" she whispered and then tears started flowing down her cheeks. The strength of her tears increased from silent weeping to gut-wrenching sobs, making her breathing even more difficult.
Still holding her battered form, Mulder pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, dialing 911. "Scully, I have to get you to a hospital, okay?" Then, after a short pause, he spoke into the phone: "I need an ambulance right away. Federal agent down -" His voice broke on the last words and tears started streaming down his face. 'Shit Mulder. Don't do this now. She needs you to be strong for her.' He took a long, steadying breath and continued to give the operator all the pertinent information, angry at the time it was taking away from his tending to Scully.
All along, he held Scully as her tears slowly abated, but her breathing was still coming in harsh gasps. "What the hell is taking them so long?" His voice was louder than he had intended, but he was worried.
Scully whimpered after hearing the loud words. 'Easy Mulder. You're supposed to comfort her.'
In a softer voice, he spoke to her, stroking her hair. "Scully, I don't know what to do. I don't know what's wrong with you, what needs to be fixed. You're not supposed to get hurt. That's my job because you know how to fix me up. I'm going to turn the water off now, okay?"
No response.
"Let's get you into some clothes before the ambulance gets here." He reached over for a towel. She hadn't moved and in fact was still leaning against his chest. Mulder draped the towel across her shoulders. "I'm just going to the other room to get you some clothes."
He started to get up, but then Scully grabbed the front of his jacket and screamed: "NOOO!" Her body was wracked with sobs and her breaths were so short she was near hyperventilation.
Mulder quickly knelt back down. "Okay, okay. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here. I won't leave, I promise." He continued whispering soothingly, while stroking her hair. Her sobs slowed, while her breathing continued to worsen.
"Come on, Scully. Just hang on a little longer."
Her head slumped against his chest, hanging low.
"Scully?" He lifted her head, expecting to see her dull, staring eyes, but they were closed.
"Scully?" He shook her, but she didn't respond. His hand shaking, he felt for a pulse, hoping.
It was there. He breathed a sigh of relief. Then he cursed the slow ambulance again. Lifting her unconscious form from the bathtub, he rose, carrying her into the bedroom, intent on covering her somewhat before the ambulance arrived.
Reviews are anticipated and appreciated. Please let me know what you think. Scarlet.