Chapter 9

Mulder lay in the darkness, listening to the sounds of the forest for a long time, just like he had for the past 10 days in a tent, on a cot.

But he wasn't in a tent. And he definitely wasn't on a cot.

He puzzled over this, as he became aware of a monstrous headache. Then, suddenly, he remembered the car crash.

(Scully!)

His eyes flew open - terror consumed him. "Scully!" he cried out, even as he struggled to pull himself to a sitting position. There was no answer. Pain in his back and neck pulsed through him and he groaned as he reached a hand up to his pounding head. His exploring fingers found a cut at the hairline over his left eye. He cringed at the feeling of congealed blood. He felt completely confused and disoriented.

(Why am I on the ground - not in the car?)

(Where was the car?)

(And where the hell was Scully?)

(And do I smell smoke?)

A quick glance at his watch gave him more disturbing news. 12:45am. Almost 6 hours gone! Refusing to succumb to the numbing effects of shock, he pulled himself to a standing position and came face to face with the burned hull of their car. Desperately felling off the darkness that pooled up behind his eyes, he struggled to understand.

(Where was Scully?)

He refused to believe that she had been in the car when it blew. (She just couldn't be. How else could I have ended up behind a boulder that had obviously shielded me from the blast? Where was she?)

His vision clouded by pain, Mulder almost didn't see her. When he did, he felt as if an ice-cold fist had plunged through his chest and had seized his heart in an arctic grip. For a moment, couldn't swallow, couldn't breathe, and couldn't think. Then he saw her head move slightly and he could breathe again - became aware.

Hobbling, slowed by the pain in his back that flowed through him in nearly debilitating waves, he stumbled down the embankment to where Scully lay.

His head was swimming, threatening his balance as he made his way to her, sinking to his knees. "Scully?" he said hopefully. "Scully, can you hear me?"

A soft moan indicated that she seemed to be regaining consciousness. Tenderly, he brushed away the strands of reddish-gold hair that covered her face.

"Scully," he murmured. "Come on, Scully, you can do it."

Another moan escaped her lips as her eyes slowly fluttered open. They glazed momentarily before focusing on Mulder's worried face. His satisfaction at seeing his partner alive and conscious was tempered by concern. Her upturned left cheek was swollen and abraded and there was dried blood on her lips.

"Mulder," she gasped, her arms pulling in as if to push herself up.

"Wait, Scully - stop," Mulder admonished her. "Wait. We wrecked. The car blew up. Do you remember that?"

Scully started to shake her head but thought better of that idea. Her entire body was stiff and sore and moving anything didn't hold any appeal.

"Scully?" Mulder watched her closely.

"The car exploded." She licked her lips, grimacing at the taste of dried blood.

"Yeah. You apparently went flying. Before we move you, can you tell if anything is broken? I don't want to cause further damage," he added.

"I - I don't know," Scully whimpered, biting back her tears. "I can't tell. Just - just let me get up."

Mulder rocked back on his heels. "Hold on." First he carefully ran his hands over her arms and shoulders. Finding nothing amiss, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, Scully, I'm going to reach under your arms and lift you up. Let me know if I hurt you," he instructed her.

Scully nodded once. As Mulder gently but firmly gripped her upper arms, she braced herself. She remembered her broken ribs, but knew there was no other way out of the trench. True to form, she kept quiet.

Mulder took a deep breath and pulled. As light as Scully was, his back and neck screamed in protest. When a sharp cry burst from Scully's lips, he nearly lost his grip on her. "What's wrong? What is it?" he cried, freezing with her halfway out of the trench.

She gritted her teeth. "Just - just a spasm. It'll pass."

Panting with the exertion, Mulder still hesitated. Scully bit her lip and put more strength in her voice. "Don't worry. Just get me out of here," she begged him.

Mulder knew she was hiding something and as soon as he got her up, he intended to find out what it was. Carefully, he adjusted his hold on her and pulled. Another lance of agony stabbed her in the chest and she again cried out, but somehow managed to get her feet under her. Mulder stepped in front of her and she held on to him with both hands, shaking with cold and torturous pain. Mulder took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"Where are you hurt, Scully?" he demanded. (Don't you even think of hiding anything from me,) his look plainly said.

She struggled to catch her breath as he stood before her, hunched slightly because of his aching back. She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"Breathe, Scully." Mulder pleaded. "Come on, talk to me."

"I - I've got some broken ribs," she said almost too softly for him to hear. "I - I need to catch my breath. I'll - I'll be okay." She was shivering violently now.

He led her to a fallen log and sat her down. "Scully, I'm sorry." He knew it must be worse that she would admit. As usual. He looked up at their car. "We had a first aid kit in the glove compartment. Let me see if anything is salvageable." Scully simply nodded, panting.

When Mulder returned a few minutes later, he proudly displayed an elastic wrap, one bottle of water, 2 gauze wraps and one banged-up but functional flashlight. He was pleased to see that Scully was breathing a little easier and the panicky look in her eyes that comes with air-hunger was almost gone.

She managed a wry grin. "Not bad, Mulder. I was hoping you'd find something for me to wrap on that cut you've got. Come here and let me see."

Mulder allowed her to examine him, knowing it gave her something to focus on beside herself. He would do that for her for now.

"Well, Doc, my vision has cleared considerably and I only feel nauseous if I move too quickly." He let her clean the cut the best she could and wrap the gauze around his head securely.

Scully's movements were slow and awkward as she finished examining her partner. "I'm hopeful that you only have a concussion and not a skull fracture. I saw on my watch that we were out for a while." She stared at him closely. "You're really pale."

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" Mulder retorted good-naturedly.

Scully managed a wan smile and shook her head.

"Don't." he said trying not to worry her. "But your cheek is really swollen. Can you tell if it's broken?"

Gingerly, Scully ran her fingers along her cheek and jaw. "I don't think so," she finally answered as Mulder breathed a sigh of relief. She checked Mulder's bandage to make sure there was no more active bleeding. "Well, I guess it will have to do. How bad is your back?"

"Nothing a little stretching won't cure," He replied lightly, refusing to add to her worry.

Scully looked up at him sadly. "I wish I had something to give you for the pain. I can tell it's pretty bad."

"Thanks, Doc. But now it's my turn," he said with a playful smile to hide his apprehension.

He helped Scully as she pulled herself up on wobbly legs, bracing her chest with her right arm. She gingerly shrugged her coat off as Mulder unwrapped the elastic wrap. She saw it was only a 4 inch and for once was thankful to be petite. A 6 inch would have been better. "You're going to have to make it tight - smooth," she instructed him.

"Got it," Mulder confirmed as he reached forward and prepared to envelope Scully's torso, but she stopped him.

Despite the pain, she managed to tease him. "Get ready, G- man, I'm about to make your day." Mulder stared up at her in confusion. "I've got to get the shirt off, too. Otherwise the wrap will slide on the silk and not do any good."

Then he saw what she meant. Her hands shaking with the cold, she fumbled with the buttons until she was able to get the blouse off. The site of the massive bruise covering Scully's lower chest instantaneously erased any thoughts of her fulfilling his fantasies by undressing before him. Scully gasped even as Mulder's eyes widened in horror. The sight of the black and blue mark marred the creamy perfection of her skin.

"Ouch. God, Scully, are you sure you don't have any internal injuries?" he asked, tentatively reaching one hand out to explore the injury. He knew that the pain must be excruciating.

"Ouch doesn't even begin to cover it," Scully said, feeling a little sick as she resolutely turned her eyes away. "And I don't know about internal injuries," she continued, her teeth chattering, "but if you don't hurry, I'm going to be frozen solid."

"Oh - sorry," Mulder muttered in apology, his own fingers cold and numb. He knelt before her and got the elastic wrapped snuggly a couple of times. "How's this?" he asked.

Despite the cold, Scully had suddenly broken out in a sweat, her hands on Mulder's shoulders holding on with a death grip. "G-g-good," she stuttered, "k-k-keep g-g-going."

When he was finished, the elastic wrap provided a firm brace from just below her bra to her waist. Mulder quickly got Scully back into her blouse and coat. He carefully pulled her close, rubbing her arms, trying to generate some heat. She groaned softly.

"Scully?" Mulder stepped back, never letting her go and watched her closely.

She, in turn, focused on his eyes. She stared deep into their hazel depths; so filled with pain and fear. She went deeper; drawing on the strength and determination she knew to be there. She took a slow deep breath. The movement sent a fresh surge of agony through her chest causing her to grimace. She took another hesitant breath, her eyes never leaving Mulder's, who worriedly held her gaze.

He felt her pain as acutely as if it was his own. Wishing he could do something - anything, he simply held on.

Finally she spoke, "I'm okay," she managed through clenched teeth. "Thanks."

"That's a lie," he whispered without malice. Scully looked sheepish.

"You know what I mean," she murmured. Mulder nodded.

Scully knew her lung capacity was severely diminished, but the pain was somewhat more bearable and the feeling of her bones grinding together almost gone. She felt relatively stable but she knew it was a fragile stability: a house of cards that could tumble at any moment. She took a step and looked over, seeing for the first time what was left of their car. "I guess we should be thankful that we're alive."

Mulder came up behind her and wrapped his arms tentatively around her. "I know I am. In fact, if you hadn't pulled me out..." He was nearly overcome with gratitude that she continued to risk her life for his and he felt totally unworthy.

Scully shook her head. "Just doing my job, Mulder. You would have done the same thing."

Mulder turned her around and tipped her chin up. "That's not the point and you know it."

Scully dropped her gaze, her bottom lip trembled. She was becoming overwhelmed as she realized how close she had come to losing him. "I - I thought you were going to die. I - I know how fire - I -I couldn't let you - but I didn't know if I could get far enough away - in time -and - you - you-" She was nearly incoherent, hysterical and she knew it, but felt impotent to fight it. Her breath hitched painfully in her chest.

Then, Mulder dipped his head and impulsively kissed her. Scully froze when she felt Mulder's lips brush hers, feather-light. Her eyes wide, she stared up at him as his eyes met hers. He had a faintly bemused look on his face.

"Now what were you saying?" he asked innocently.

"I - I forget," Scully replied, weakly, her thoughts in a turmoil. She didn't know if the difficulty she had in catching her breath was related to the trauma or the kiss.

"Good," he said with a grin. "If I'd known I had that effect, I'd have tried it a long time ago."

Scully shook her head, her lips quirked, wondering if he was serious and trying to decide if that would be a good thing. (I can't think about that now,) she thought. (I can't.) The pain she was fighting continued to occupy her thoughts, leaving little room for anything else. Unable to stop her tears, she eased her arms back around Mulder, who after a moment's hesitation, carefully held her.

He ignored the dull pain that throbbed the length of his back, concentrating instead on how small and frail his partner seemed in his arms.

(My partner.) He would never take back that kiss, but how did Scully really feel about it. (This wasn't the time or the place,) he thought regretfully. (Later.)

"Scully," he whispered with a catch in his voice. He wanted to say more but held back.

For several minutes, they stood there, wrapped in each others arms until Scully felt herself fading. "I.. have . . . to sit . . down.." she said thickly.

Alarmed, Mulder guided her back to the ground. Scully leaned gingerly back against the log, her eyes closed and her face so pale in the moonlight. As Mulder watched her closely, she tried to reassure him, but he wasn't buying it. Not when her breathing came in short ragged gasps. "Don't you want to lie down, Scully?" he suggested.

"I can't," she said simply.

Mulder clenched his jaw. He was able to get a fire going while Scully cleared an area for them to try and sleep. He caught her moving slowly and carefully, protecting her chest wall.

Searching through the wreckage in hopes of finding anything that would help them, he was disappointed to find nothing of use. He had brought his cell phone and while it was functional, the signal was too weak to send a call. Scully's had been in her suitcase that was demolished.

"Mulder," Scully called breathlessly.

He turned quickly, but stumbled when he became dizzy by the sudden movement.

"Mulder!" Scully cried.

"I'm okay, Scully," he said as he moved to her side. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

In response, she simply pointed up to an area behind him. The pain in his neck flared as he looked up and saw a large branch dangling above the spot he'd been standing. The explosion had nearly broken the massive limb that would have surely crushed him had it fallen.

"Thanks, Scully," he said, stunned, even as the branch suddenly chose that moment to let loose. He bent protectively over her as the limb rolled past them to the bottom of the embankment.

They carefully scanned the tree and surrounding area before staring at each other. (What else?) Their expressions said as clearly as if they'd spoken.