I do not own the X-files or make any money from this writing
"So how was it?" Dana settled on Sam's sofa with a glass of wine, Sam was more of a beer drinker but since she started having Dana round more and more she'd stocked up on a nice couple of bottles as Dana often chose that over beer. In a change form the norm Dana had not been with Sam after the initial tip off about possible sabotage within NASA, whilst Scully had agreed that the case needed looking into when Fox had found out they were going to the international space centre it was clear he wanted to come along. With a certain level of amusement she pretended she had plans and bowed out allowing the siblings to enjoy the trip together.
"We got to stand in mission control" the excitement she'd felt was still within her "It was pretty awesome to be there for the launch. Both Fox and I were mad about astronauts and the space programme when we were younger."
"Something tells me I was right not to come along"
Sam had to agree it was more fun to get excited about the experience with someone as into space as she was. "We got to spend a lot of time in the space centre"
"I heard on TV the mission was successful despite all the problems"
"The machinery was sabotaged and there was some danger but it was so funny Dana"
"That men almost lost their lives?"
"No not that, Fox was like a teenage boy asking his crush to prom."
"Really?"
"Fox really wanted to be an astronaut when he was younger, ran around pretending he was in space with Belt on that big mission. When we actually met Colonel Belt he was all 'I'm such a fan. It's an honour to meet you you're my hero' it's the only time his suavity had failed."
"And you no doubt teased him mercilessly"
"Of course" picking up her bowl of pasta Sam tucked in "Look if I ever met one of my heroes I'd the be same but that won't stop me teasing him"
"And your heroes are?"
"David Bowie, I love him and Stephen Hawking"
"Bowie really?"
"He's a very talented man." Sam shrugged it off "How about you? Any childhood heroes?"
"Several dead ones like Elizabeth Blackwell and Edith Smith but I've always wanted to meet Mother Teresa, since I was a child my parents held her up as an example and she's an impressive woman."
"A catholic missionary dedicated to the poor and sick? I'm not surprised by that."
"How about you, any dead ones?"
"Daniel Douglas Horne" Sam could see the confusion on Dana's face "One of the most famous mediums of the Victorian era he was famous for being able to float around the room. He retired at about the same time photography was becoming prevalent so there are no photos of the a man ever in action only artist representation's to what they saw occurring and of course they aren't really trustworthy."
"He sure picked a good time to retire then didn't he?"
"I hear that note in your voice Dr Scully" Sam smirked as Dana tried to look innocent "I know there's a chance he used a low level of hypnotism to make people think they'd seen what he wanted them to but that doesn't mean there isn't a chance it really happened. If I ever discover a time machine he's my first point of call."
"Alright I'll agree to that, so the Colonel? What does Mulder think happened?"
"He agrees with me, that something happened to the colonel out there, more than that he thinks the colonel realised what he was doing and sent the images himself to try and get those men safely home. Maybe he was hypnotised, or infected or something like that"
"What could he have been infected with?"
"I don't know, they won't release his body so that you can autopsy it so we'll probably never know. Another mystery unsolved."
"Another X-file"
(–)
The contact from Deep throat always confused Sam, the man was so determined to remain hidden and yet was so desperate to help her. She needed him for information but he clearly needed her to do the investigating, she hadn't told Scully much about her 'Source' and given the last time she'd had help from him she'd ended up sort of mind washed she didn't really want to tell her about the meeting until she had to. She looked over the paper he had given her telling her about the train accident that had happened in Wisconsin. What she had in her hands told of a toxic cargo that was causing the immediate evacuation of 12,000 residents.
"Then what happened out there if it wasn't a train wreck?"
"Ms Mulder the continental United States is surrounded by an electronic fence that reaches 15,000 miles into space. We use it to track and monitor the 7,087 man-made objects that orbit the earth. Last night at 23-17 that fence was breached."
"And this is the cover story?"
"This morning at 0100 Operation Falcon went into effect it's led by one Colonel Calvin Henderson the Air Force's premiere reclamations expert."
"Reclamations?"
"During the cold war his job was to prevent technologies from downed US aircraft from getting into Soviet hands."
Sam nodded finally understanding "He's part of a craft retrieval unit." She guessed it wasn't the type of craft they were used to retrieving.
"Mm Hmm. They're known for their skills and quick response. I'd say you have around 24 Hours before the entire area is sanitized and after that it will be like nothing has happened."
(-)
Getting to Wisconsin and finding the site of the crash was easy, there were news crews and soldiers everywhere. Sam moved unobtrusively through the town managing to stay out of the way of the uniformed men, upon finding a truck being loaded she looked around and discovering no one watching her ducked underneath. After several minutes of driving over rough terrain they stopped and the soldiers who had piled in whilst she'd hidden underneath began to get down. She could hear them talking and over heard that they were using live rounds, she would have to be careful not to let herself get seen. It was dark when she crawled out from under the vehicle and moved stealthily into the forest. Through the dark trees Sam sees light in distance, changing direction she walked towards it crouching down low. There were men yelling and strange noises on the air and soon Sam was upon the crash site, it was lit with big white lights and men patrolling in protective gear. Pulling out her camera she starts documenting taking photos of the scene, it's going to take hard evidence to convince people that this isn't the normal crash currently being reported and for once she is determined to have it. There is a sound from behind her, before she can look around her arm is grabbed and is roughly pulled up to standing "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Would you believe I'm a lost birdwatcher?"
Arm twisted painfully behind her back she was led inside a tent that was obviously the headquarters for the teams in place, Sam was thrust into a chair while her captor walked up to an imposing figure at the other end of the tent. Behind her two men with guns stood preventing her from even thinking about attempting an escape.
Finally the man in charge headed her way a grim expression on his face "You just made the worst mistake of your life, Agent Mulder." Sam guessed this was Colonel Henderson.
"I'm pretty sure I've done stupider things in my life, ask my mom it's a long list."
Obviously the man had no sense of humour "I'll see to it you that pay the price for putting my men at risk."
"Since when does taking pictures put anyone's life at risk?"
"You violated a US government quarantine and that is a federal crime."
"That's a quarantine? Is that what you call this?" She scoffed folding her arms
"We're trying to contain an ecological disaster."
"That's a lot of firepower just to protect mother nature."
"I have my orders and a license to execute them as a I see fit. If you want to live a long life I suggest you forget what you think you saw."
"You've got a downed craft in those woods," Sam attempted to stand but a hand clamped down on her shoulder forcing her back into the chair "sir and troops carrying live rounds! We both know there's more out there!"
"I don't want to look at her any more" the Colonel signalled his men and Sam found herself being carted into a dark building and thrown into a what looked like a dog shelter repurposed into a brig.
Inside the cell she sat on the bunk that was the only thing in the cell and sighed "Fox is going to kill me" a movement in the next cell made her look over.
"Are you MUFON or CUFOS?" In the other cell a man approaches the chain link fence he was wearing a baseball cap backwards atop long blonde hair, and glasses
"Uh, neither?" she sounded unsure and it was embarrassing
"Let me guess you're with that new group CSICOP right?" Not sure what to do with that Sam shrugged and the man held up his hands "Um, say no more you're cautious, I get it trust no one. Very wise. After what happened to JFK I understand completely, let me introduce myself. My name is Max Fenig I'm with the National Investigative Committee of Arial Phenomenon...NICAP" he lifted up his hands and turned around his hat to display the initials "Pleased. to make you're acquaintance, normally we'd shake on it you know. Firm grip, look you right in the eye. You learn a lot about a person that way uh... Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Did you see anything? Did you get close? Me, I saw nothing." he turned to shout loudly to anyone who may be listening "I said I didn't see anything!" he shrugged at Sam "Hundred yards past the road block they nailed me and I have no idea how they did it. I'm telling you its like the Roswell cover up all over again."
"What makes you so sure that something's out there?" Sam asked finally warming up the man who was obviously in tune with her own thinking.
"Probably the same thing that makes you so sure."
(–)
The next morning as she lay on the bunk Sam was awoken from her doze but a door opening and light spilling in, upon seeing the short feminine figure she sat up "Oh thank God it's you Dana" Sam breathed a sigh of relief "I was worried Fox was going to be the one…" she trailed off as a taller shadow filled the doorway "Oh Damn" her brother marched to her cage with a thunderous expression and she wondered briefly if it might be safer to stay in here until the storm was over
"What the hell do you think you were doing Sam?"
"You just had to bring him along" Sam moaned looking at her partner
"You think they didn't call me? I was looking for you when I got the call, I brought Dana with me."
"I was hoping to neutralise the coming argument" Dana didn't sound too hopeful and Sam wondered what the journey had been like "But just in case I can't I brought popcorn." she shook a bag with an amused smile.
"You could have been killed, you had no idea what you were walking into!"
"Did you meet Max?" she decided it would be best to change the subject
"Who?"
"Max from NICAP." she turned to the other cell "Oh, they must have released him, Just an intrepid soul in search of a close encounter like myself."
"Is that what this is about?"
"What else?"
"Try explaining that to Section Chief McGrath! He stepped over Blevins ordering a full inquiry Samantha he wants to shut down the X-files. And he wants you out of the bureau and with this behaviour he might get his way no matter how much You've done for the FBI."
"So what else is new?"
"I don't understand you Sam! You're always defying protocol, ignoring jurisdiction! You don't even attempt to conform to what they want so that you can fly under the radar."
"Because I know what I saw! There weren't train tracks anywhere near that site how could it have been a derailed container?"
"Because it wasn't." Dana cut into the argument "What you saw was not a toxic spill. But it wasn't a UFO either."
"OK. I'm all ears. What was it?"
"It was a downed Libyan jet with a nuclear warhead." she explained "It was over US air space and they'd been picking up low grade levels of radiation indicating that a plutonium casing may have cracked. They made up the train story to avoid mass panic!"
Looking at her brother Sam smirked "Really Fox? You really believe that story..?"
"Whether I believe it or not doesn't matter, damn it Sam you just had to walk in not thinking about your job, your reputation, your life!"
Dana looked at the two of them and said "That information was given to us despite it being highly classified"
"A highly classified lie I've heard choppers going over periodically all night and morning. They're searching for someone Dana."
"If they're searching for anyone, its probably the pilot."
"All this for one Libyan fighter?"
"Like they said they don't want to cause panic"
"I'm telling you now no human walked away from the wreckage I saw out there."
"I don't have time for this" Dana stopped what was likely to become an argument between all three of them "Sam, the hearing is tomorrow morning at ten o'clock."
"That gives us 24 hours to investigate."
(–)
The three of them argued all the way back to Sam's motel, both Dana and Fox agreed that Sam should head back for the hearing straight away but disagreed on what was happening on the woods in Wisconsin. When they got back to her room things weren't any more settled and the door opened to a room that had clearly been tossed, clothing and paperwork was spilled over the floor. All three immediately pulled their guns and got ready to clear the space
"What's going on?" Dana asked confused at what she was seeing "Who did this?"
"You usually leave the place a mess and it looks like housekeeping hasn't been here yet." Fox teased his sister.
There was a noise from the bathroom and all three advanced as one unit, once inside the bathroom they find the legs of a man as he tries to escape through the bathroom window. Fox walked forward and grabbed the man's belt and yanked the man back into the room, Sam helped catch the man as he tried to escape "Max?"
"You know this guy Sam?" Fox asked keeping a firm grip on their struggling prisoner
"My apologies. Forgive me please. I'm a curious man. I had to know.."
"Know what?"
"If it was really you, and it is, all of you." he looked around at them all
"But you didn't know me." Sam argued "Last night was the first time you laid eyes on me."
"Not true. We at NICAP have been following your career really closely. Ever since you became involved with the X-files."
"Following my career? How?"
"Through the Freedom of Information Act your travel expenses are a matter of public record. So, this must be your brother and writer extraordinaire Fox Mulder, and also the enigmatic Agent Scully."
"Enigmatic" Sam teased her partner before a she turned on Max "But what do you mean writer extraordinaire Fox Mulder?"
"Well his series of articles in Omni about the Gulf Breeze sightings were really well received and there have been more based on other unexplained events."
Scully found it hard not to laugh at Fox's blush and coy smile "I've never" he denied whilst Sam's shocked expression seemed fixed on her face.
"M.F. Luder? I couldn't think of a more obvious anagram for F. Mulder. You really didn't think that would fool us did you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about" Mulder continued to deny looking at anyone but his sister
"You fink!" Sam exclaimed grinning a little about the revelation "All this time you tell me to be more careful, to keep my head down and you're doing this?"
"It's all done under a pseudonym I didn't realise anyone would notice." He admitted "And besides most people are completely unaware of those articles"
"Someone's always paying attention" Max told him with a smile
"Are the guys helping you with this?" Sam accused "Do they know about this?"
"Lets not get into it right now" Mulder argued "We've got bigger problems to deal with"
"This Is Amazing!"
"You want to see something amazing?" Max asked "Come with me."
Inside the man's trailer Max begins to search around in the mess and Scully took the time to look around, she overheard the other three talking about Crop circles and weather effects. Leaving them to it Dana took the time to look at the man's belongings with a cynical eye. It was a messy way to live and she soon noticed medication all lined up, there are several bottles all prescription and she makes note of the names recognising drugs for schizophrenia.
"Max! You said you had something to show us." Fox speaks loudly bringing her attention back to the others.
"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is the Wolf Ear 2000 you ever hear of this?"
"Of course Wolf Industries supplied the CIA with all of its surveillance equipment."
"State of the art, search and intercept. Up to 100 channels per second. Currently I'm jacked into local fire and police departments, cellular pathways, and when the weather's right sometimes even air traffic control from Whitmarsh Air Force Base." he seemed to pick up on their impatience "Listen" he pressed a button
"We got a fire of county road D7. Two miles west of the canyon ridge intersection. Suggest we dispatch fire crews, over? This is Deputy Wright. Do you copy?"
"And this was 35 minutes later. Presumably from the fire crew. Reception got wiggy for some reason."
This is unit 53. Man down. Request medivac. I said request medivac! You're breaking up!
Very. Bad. VERY bad. Wait a second. What the hell? Charlie, we've got a situation here!
Dana recognised the looks on the Mulder siblings face's and shook her head "No, no! We cannot investigate this."
"Look you need to go back if you want to save the X-files, Dana and I can stay behind and look into this" he ignored the look Dana was giving him as she was obviously letting her face say she was not happy at him for volunteering her for the job.
"I can't go back" Sam protested "Even if I do there is no guarantee they won't use this to close the X-Files down." She then turned on her brother "And don't pretend for one moment that you staying here won't damage your chance for the promotion I know you're up for."
"It's not a promotion, it's just leading a task force, there'll be others."
"Both of you go" Dana spoke decisively "Sam you need to do everything you can to keep your job and Mulder you were furious about missing on out on that taskforce. It's almost all you talked about on the plane. There is no reason for me to go, my only role here was making sure you went back and if it'll get you there in time for the hearing I will stay and investigate." Dana could see in her friend's eyes that she wanted to refuse, it should have offended Dana that her partner would not trust her to follow the case through but in some ways she understood. Dana was less determined in some ways and definitely less likely to look at the extreme options. "Look what would be your next move?" she didn't let her continued "You'd want us to learn more about the victims right?"
"It would be where I start"
"So if I said I'd try talk to the families or doctors of the injured men?" Dana suggested
"That's what I would do as well" Sam admitted and finally nodded at her friend "OK we'll head back to DC but as soon as I'm done I'm coming back here"
(–)
Much as she didn't think there was anything to investigate Dana made her way to where the deceased deputy's family were staying in a temporary shelter but they sent her away terrified so she headed on to the hospital to learn more, Doctor Oppenheim was the man in charge but he wasn't willing to talk really either. "I'm sorry, but unless you have a subpoena I can't discuss patient information."
"Does that mean Jason Wright was your patient?" Dana persisted following the man as he walked away.
"It means I have nothing more to say about this."
"Look doctor forget that I'm an agent" she begged knowing that if Sam or Fox were here they'd say a provocative or confrontational statement but that wasn't something she was skilled at "What about his wife and child? His wife was terrified like she'd been threatened, did they hold something over your head too?"
"I hate fascists." the man muttered suddenly surprising Dana "The men who came in here. The way they pushed us all around."
"Dr. Oppenheim please tell me about the deputy. You saw him didn't you?"
"Yes. And three others from the fire crew. They were all DOA with 5th and 6th degree burns over 90 percent of their bodies. Although they weren't like any burns I've ever seen. And they took the bodies away before we could perform any pathologies."
"Did you note any cadaver acute heat rigour or heat stiffening?"
"Yes, actually there was quite a bit of heat inflection in the limbs. How do you know so much about it?"
"I'm a fully licensed medical Doctor. Please in your opinion could those burns have been caused by ionizing radiation?"
"Well, I hadn't thought...I suppose its possible. If the exposure was significantly intense."
"Lets say those men died from radiation exposure. Could it have been from the cracked core of a nuclear warhead?"
"Is that what you think is happening here?" his expression was concerned
"I don't know" Dana shook her head "I feel like I'm being run around, pushed from pillar to post in an effort to keep me from discovering the truth" Dana almost laughed, she sounded like Sam. "Look I just..."
There was a sudden commotion as men in military uniform were brought in on stretchers, there was noise everywhere and all the men had severe burns and were writhing in agony. The colonel followed them in and glared at Scully as he passed Soon the ER is full and the medical personnel are moving around frantically, instructions are yelled.
"Start an IV here stat." Dana followed the doctor as he looked over a patient
"Tell us what happened out there?" she demanded of the Colonel
"Whatever happened Agent Scully, it has nothing to do with you." he glared at her "I don't know why you're still here but if you aren't out of here in the next minute."
"Agent Scully stays right here." Dr Oppenheim interrupted "We're under-manned and she's a medical doctor. She stays... if that's OK with you?" he changed his tune as he turned back to her.
The call of people in need was never something she'd been able to walk away from and she nodded "Of course."
The Colonel tried to stare the doctor down "If you don't mind, you just take care of my men, and let me do my work, OK?"
It didn't work, standing up to his full height Oppenheim refused to be beaten down "Outside this emergency room, you can do whatever you want, But in here I call the shots. Assuming of course, you want me to take care of your men."
Fighting a smile at the testosterone competition Dana simply said "I'll scrub up."
(–)
Back at the motel after putting in an exhausting shift at the hospital Dana set her alarm, she only had time for a short nap if she wanted to catch her flight out. They'd lost a lot of people and she was pretty sure they'd lose the rest in a very short time, she was in the shower when she heard the phone ringing, she ignored it knowing that it was likely Sam wanting to know what was going on but she desperately needed to finish washing off the grime that she felt covered every inch of her. She was just getting out when the room phone rang again and this time she walked to the phone and picked it up "Dana Scully"
"Finally, I've been trying your mobile for hours and your room phone almost as long. Where have you been?"
"Hi Dana, how are you?" she corrected sarcastically feeling pissed off
"Sorry, I was worried"
"I was at the hospital, they needed help, it was bad." On the other end of the phone Sam was quiet, Dana wondered if her tone of voice had silenced the other woman "The family of the sheriff have been silenced but I was questioning a doctor who had also been threatened but was more willing to talk when they brought in more victims. I pulled a seven hour shift to help but I feel like we barely scratched the surface." Laying a towel over her pillow so she could lie down without her hair soaking it Dana got herself comfortable "It was terrible. We lost all but two. And they're still in critical condition on their way to the burn unit at John's Hopkins."
"So what do you think, Scully? What's going on out there?"
"Honestly I'm too tired to even think about it. How's it going your end?"
"Not sure yet, I've reported that I'm back, they asked about you but I said there wasn't a seat on the plane which was actually true there were only two free seats when Fox and I got there."
"Well when they ask again tell them there's a medical emergency and I've been helping at the local hospital it's also the truth."
"Look I've been thinking about this whole thing, it seems strange to me that Max just happened to be there when all this occurred, I spoke to him after you left us and I think he was an abductee."
Dana closed her eyes fighting sleep as she responded "Look just because a man thinks he was abducted by aliens…"
"No" Sam interrupted her "He didn't say it, I did."
"You didn't see all the medications he's on, he's clearly mentally unstable"
"I think the whole thing is not a coincidence, I think they're there for Max."
"Look I am about a minute from completely zonking out Sam, let me sleep and I promise tomorrow before I head to the hospital I will call on Max"
"You're going back to the hospital?"
"Of course"
"I just thought you might be flying back."
"If more victims come in I might be needed." Dana prayed internally that there wouldn't be not only because of the loss of life but because she would rather head home and take a long soak in her bathtub and sleep in her own bed. Not that this one wasn't frightening inviting right now she snuggled further into the pillow.
"Ok Dana, but really Talk to Max, don't just dismiss him… Dana?" forcing her eyes open Dana muttered a quick 'sure thing' that sounded very muffled even to her own ears and then dropping the phone back on the hook she rolled over still clad in her towel and pulled the other side of the blanket over herself before she fell asleep.
(–)
It felt like she's barely slept and as Dana looked at the clock she realised that she hadn't, her alarm set for four hours after she went to sleep had given her only those four hours and she had a lot to do today. Getting herself repacked and something to eat she travelled to the hospital she was relieved to be found surplus to requirement. The two remaining patients had moved on to John Hopkins as planned and all the bodies, paperwork and samples had been taken away.
In the hospital it was almost as if it hadn't happened, Doctor Oppenheimer was apparently sleeping in an on call room so Dana merely asked for someone to pass on a message that she was heading home and goodbye before she went along to her next stop. Knocking on the door of Max's home and calling his name she had no answer, she was tempted to just head off. She was booked on a flight in just over two hours' time and she really didn't want to miss it. Looking around she tested the door and found it open, inside the RV Dana moved slowly until she spotted the drops of blood in the pillow "Max?" She called out again knowing it was likely to be useless, as she stood the scanner sprang to life and she listened carefully.
Repeat...patrol reporting unidentified trespasser at the waterfront.
This is Henderson. Move on target
It was likely Max was there and without thinking twice she threw herself out of the RV and into her car. As she drove she pulled out her phone dialling Sam, there was no answer and she wondered if that was for the best after all the woman needed to think about the hearing and nothing else. She didn't like going in without backup but she couldn't afford to have Sam dropping everything to fly out for Max. Dialling a different number she was relieved when the phone was answered "Mulder listen I don't have a lot of time"
"Scully?" the man sounded surprised but she didn't stop
"I was in Max's van and heard something on the scanner, I'm heading to the waterfront I think Max is in danger."
"What sort of danger?"
"I don't know, there was blood on his floor but I think the soldiers are after him for some reason. I can't just let him be taken by these men. He's medically not well and I have a duty to help"
"Are you on your own?"
"Yeah, I don't have anyone here I can ask for help, I just needed to report this in to someone in case..." she didn't say more, whether Sam's paranoia was rubbing off or that case in Idaho where she had literally had a hostage exchange on her hands was making her nervous she didn't know but she felt better knowing that someone knew what was going on.
"Look Scully you will be careful won't you?"
"Of course, I better go"
"Yeah" he sounded like he didn't want to hang up and she smiled
"I'll call as soon as I can to let you know what's happening" she promised and hung up.
The drive was short and soon she had arrived at a dockyard, driving down she soon found what looked like an abandoned jeep, when she got close enough she saw smoke, parking she got out and found two bodies. Just looking at them her medical training and knowledge of how the other's had suffered told her it was too late and even if it wasn't there was no way she could really do more than call an ambulance for this but she still checked the men over. Neither were breathing, their pulses were non-existent and their eyes were dilated. Standing she looked around calling out to Max, soon enough there was a cry almost like someone in pain. Pulling her gun she ran to the sound, inside a nearby warehouse Max was writhing on the floor crying out.
Arriving at his side she took his hand "Max?" he was murmuring about danger, about fear, about pain and it was all she could to examine him. He looked at her and she tried to smile reassuringly but he wasn't paying her any real attention. She tried to calm him down, tried to discover where the pain was coming from but soon there was a noise outside and she knew that the soldiers were here.
"Max" she tried to grab his attention but he lashed out striking her on the temple "Stop" she fought him but he was panicking and hit her again "Stay here" she instructed realising that in order to stop this man from doing damage to himself and others she needed to get someone else to help hold him down. The commander was not a good or easy man but once he saw that it was just one man suffering delusions she was sure he would help her to hold him down and get him help, well maybe someone would.
She was heading for the door when there was a sudden flash of light and she found herself being sent crashing into the boxes on her side hitting her head and falling to the ground. Drowsy she called out to Max again and crawled back to where she had left him and froze. Surrounded by bright light Max was suspended in mid-air shaking "Max" she whispered moving forward only to feel a force pushing her back to the ground. She stared in amazement until finally there was another flash of light and nothing, blinking Scully felt herself become dizzier the repeated blows to her head catching her up as soldiers swarmed in. Someone grabbed her by her collar his face blurred and his voice too loud asking in a demanding tone what had happened but she gave up the fight letting her eyes roll back and falling into the welcoming darkness.
(–)
"Will there be any lasting effects, radiation anything like that?" As soon as her case had been made and punishment administered Sam had flown back arriving to the news that Scully was unconscious, Dr Oppenheimer had welcomed her and had apparently taken an active part in Dana's care
"No not that we can find, maybe she didn't get close enough to whatever was hurting the others." The doctor was very concerned and Sam smirked at the man's obvious interest in her friend. Pretty red headed doctors who could kick ass obviously didn't show up often in this man's life very often, actually thinking about it Sam wondered how often they showed up in anyone's
"When can she fly back do you think?"
"Well as soon as she wakes up we'll want to get her scanned so we can make sure there's no permanent damage. I think the concussion mixed with exhaustion is the reason she was unconscious so long. It wasn't long after she left here that she came back in."
"Hey she's waking up again" Sam leaned over her friend "Dana?"
The blue eyes were alarmed as she took in the view around her "Max?" she queried "I was with him" screwing up her face she tried to remember"I don't know what happened."
"You hit your head pretty badly" Sam reassured her "I'm sure it will come back" she looked over at the doctor "She will remember right?"
"There's a chance" Dr Oppenheim came forward and smiled at his patient "How are you feeling Dr Scully?"
"I'm fine" it was an instinctive reassurance and Sam was sure the doctor realised this as well as he sat her up and put a blu-light to Scully's eyes checking her over. He was attentive and when he eventually left Sam was going to tease her friend when she realised that Scully was more upset than she realised. "Max?"
"I don't know, they say he probably took you hostage and hit you, I know it's not true" Sam reassured her as Scully made to argue "But they have decided that's the official story and apparently they found his body a little way away."
"His Body?"
"Yeah. I asked if you could do the autopsy but they said no."
"I should have stayed with him" Dana said quietly and Sam stared at her in amazement
"What?"
"I was leaving him, to get help. whatever happened to him, whatever was going on he needed help, I'm a medical professional and a federal agent." the red head was living up to her hair colour as she remonstrated herself "I should have stayed with him till the very end. Maybe he wouldn't have just disappeared if I had of course Lord only knows where he is now. There was no way out of the building and what I think I saw makes no sense." she lay heavily back onto the pillow with a sigh.
"You did the right thing leaving" Sam reassured her desperate to ask what Scully meant but realising that her friend needed rest
"I still feel responsible; I'm surprised there were no repercussions, my excuse that I had heard there was another attack and possibly patients needing help seems a little unlikely."
"I think between us we've scraped though this rather well, the X-files aren't going to close and neither of us are being punished, well I have a month off without pay but I prefer to think of it as extra holiday time."
"So they haven't taken advantage of the situation and closed us down"
"Nope" Sam shook her head "my returning like a good little girl when I was told to has been recognised and they're saying your help in the hospital was invaluable so we're just clear."
"Really?"
"Dr Oppenheim even contacted the office in DC to commend you, I'm glad he did, it certainly worked in our favour" Sam told her but she didn't feel convinced that it was her obedience or Scully's selfless heroism that saved their department "Dana I think that what happened to Max was unpreventable. I truly think he was taken again and maybe one day he'll show up from wherever he went."
"Well I hope we'll see him again one day"
"Are you agreeing with me?" Sam asked smiling, she felt surprised at Dana's statement "What happened in there?"
"Look I don't agree that Max was abducted by aliens but something weird happened out there and I'm not just going to forget about it."
"I've never been more proud!"
Apologies for the wait to my like five readers :) but work had been very busy and you know what this fanfiction thing doesn't pay so sometimes it takes a back seat to life.