Chapter 7
By the time they arrived at the halfway point, Scully was barely able to keep her eyes open. Although she had slept well last night, it wasn't nearly enough. She caught sight of a diner that looked clean and homey and a gas station on the opposite corner. She decided to get the gas first and was surprised when Mulder slept on. With an almost maternal smile, she got out, pumped the gas and went into the station to pay. She got some ice for their small cooler and some bottles of water, then on impulse, a bag of sunflower seeds for Mulder. He was probably suffering from serious withdrawal by now. When she got back in the car, Mulder, unbelievably, continued to sleep on. Shaking her head in amazement, she pulled into the diner. Again, she stopped the car and turned off the engine. Shifting around in her seat to face her partner, she reached over and touched his shoulder.
"Mulder - Mulder, wake up." Nothing. She nudged him. "Come on, Mulder, let's go." Still, no response. Pouring one of the bottles of water on him briefly came to mind. She rejected that idea almost instantly: paybacks were hell.
"Mulder!" She called out. "Mulder - wake - up!" She took his face in her hands and awkwardly pulled him up. "Come on, Mulder!"
Finally, he came around. "Okay - okay. I'm up," he mumbled groggily.
"Open your eyes," Scully demanded.
"I'm working on it," he said drowsily and yawned.
Scully rolled her eyes.
Finally he looked out the window, squinting at the bright sunlight. "Where are we?" he asked as he rubbed his face.
"Half way there," she announced. "It's your turn to drive.'
He peered out at the diner. "Looks like a nice place. I'm starved!" Quickly he got out of the car, leaving Scully to catch up.
Scully's feet dragged as she followed him in. She was so tired; more tired than she could ever remember being.
When they entered the small diner, a pleasant-faced woman in a frilly white apron greeted them. "Welcome to Harvest Home. Will it be just the two of you?" she asked.
"Yes, Ma'am,' Mulder answered, his mouth positively watering as the aromas from the kitchen filled his senses.
Even Scully found herself waking up at the thought of sampling one of the pies on display.
For once, Mulder didn't tease her when she ordered what was for her a large meal. He was too happy to see her eat. They had both lost weight since coming out here and could really use a real home-cooked meal.
While their food was prepared, Mulder went to put some coins in the jukebox and Scully excused herself to freshen up.
She returned to their table to find him absently tapping in time to the music. Frowning slightly, she tried to figure out what they were listening to. It was definitely western, but old.
"I didn't know you liked this type of music," she commented. "Is that Patsy Cline?"
Mulder shrugged. "Beggars can't be choosers. Besides, it was this or Willie Nelson."
Scully wrinkled her nose. "Okay. I take it back. This is great."
"I thought you might see it that way," Mulder stated, matter of factly as their food arrived.
No words were spoken as the 2 agents dug in, polishing off more food in one sitting than 5 or 6 previous ones combined. The food was absolutely delicious and their waitress couldn't help but smile as she watched them eat.
Mulder returned from the men's room to find his partner asleep sitting up; her head propped on one arm.
"Am I going to have to carry you to the car?" he inquired as he sat down, actually hoping that he could.
Scully's head snapped up. "I'm awake."
"Yeah, right," Mulder laughed. "I thought you were going to drown in your pie."
Scully blushed. "Sorry," she muttered, as she reached for her iced tea.
He just grinned, relishing the fantasy of Dana Scully in his arms. "Finish up and we'll head out. Lake Tahoe awaits." He was really looking forward to hitting the open road.
She managed a couple more bites before sleep threatened to overtake her again. Mulder quickly paid the bill and guided her out to the car. She literally crawled into the front seat and got her seatbelt fastened.
"Here," Mulder offered her his folded coat. "It makes a pretty good pillow."
"Thanks," Scully said with a smile that caused Mulder's heart to beat just a little faster. She curled up in a ball; the scent of her partner filled her nostrils. A small secret smile touched her lips as she fell asleep almost immediately. Mulder reached into the back seat to retrieve Scully's coat and tenderly draped it over her before continuing their journey.
As he drove along the desolate mountain road, Mulder realized that he had not seen a single car since leaving the diner over 2 hours ago. He checked the odometer and by his calculation, figured it was another 100 miles to Lake Tahoe.
As Scully continued to sleep, he daydreamed about all the things he'd like for them to do at the beautiful resort. While he knew they wouldn't be staying at a 5-star hotel, almost anything would be a major improvement over a drafty tent and lumpy cot. He intended to make this a vacation to remember since it was something they both needed in the worst possible way.
He looked over at Scully and smiled. The sight of her sleeping soundly drove all the shocking memories of the past ten days away. With the setting sun now shining through his side window, Mulder was able to get a good, uninterrupted look at her. He was troubled, seeing her porcelain skin pale to the point of translucency, emphasizing the dark circles under her eyes that spoke volumes of her exhaustion. (Then again, I don't look so great myself,) he muttered softly. A quick peek in the rearview mirror confirmed that observation.
It was almost dark now. The trees cast long shadows on the ridge road. Mulder did not see a pothole on the right and the resultant jolting of the car make him hiss in frustration. He looked over and saw to his dismay that Scully was awake.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly, as his partner stretched, unable to hide her discomfort.
"It's okay," she said, none too convincingly. "Are we almost there?"
Mulder groaned inwardly and said a silent prayer that she wouldn't kill him. "Depends. Do you call 75 miles 'almost'?" he asked hopefully.
Scully rolled her eyes, but literally bit back the sharp retort that almost crossed her lips. She knew Mulder didn't intentionally wake her. Though she was still half-asleep and not thinking completely clearly, she did know that she wasn't up to an argument.
Mulder noticed her restraint and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling even more guilty.
"Are you thirsty?" Scully questioned him. "I picked up some water earlier."
"That would be great," he said eagerly. "If it's not too much trouble," he hastened to add. "And before I forget, thanks for getting the sunflower seeds."
Scully smiled warmly and Mulder felt the familiar tug at his heart that her smile never failed to elicit. He knew he'd move heaven and earth to see that smile every day for the rest of his life. She reached behind, into the backseat, but was unable to get a hold of the small cooler. With an exasperated grunt, she undid her seatbelt, pushing herself up and partially over the seat.
"Can you get it?" Mulder asked. He still felt guilty for waking her and was honestly trying to be helpful. He could hear rustling behind him. "Do you need me to pull over?"
In response, Scully slid back into her seat and proudly displayed 2 small bottles.
"Thanks," Mulder said, with a grin as he relished the memory of Scully's petite frame draped over the seat. He reached over to take the bottle she held out for him.
Suddenly, Scully shouted, "Mulder - WATCH OUT!"
Mulder jerked his gaze back to the road and saw the large blurred figure of a moose and the flash of a pair of eyes frozen in the headlights directly in front of the car. He slammed on the brakes and the tires on their rental car skied across a slick coating of fallen leaves. The car slewed, slowed, but continued forward like a racecar, barely under control.
Next to him, Scully had locked her arms on the dash; silent in horror. As the car continued to fight for traction, she glanced to her right and instantly broke into a terrified, icy sweat. Mulder was riding the edge of a drop-off; a high slope of rocks and trees. The brakes and tires screamed loud enough to hurt their ears. The acrid smell of burning rubber filled the car, nearly choking them.
The huge animal tried to leap away at the last instant, but the Taurus bumper struck it with a bone-jarring crunch. It sent the car over the embankment and it flipped end over end, sliding down the steep slope before smashing into a massive spruce.
