Taking Care of You

Part 7

by Trycee

Time-Line: Season 7, after the New Year's Kiss but way before All Things.

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, this is written for fun not profit.

An Alternative Universe Story..

One Month Later:

Scully was trying to rush home so she could soak in the tub before Mulder arrived for their movie night date. Work had been stressful and ever since his stint in the hospital and recovery, they'd spent less time together as a couple because of their caseload. They could find the time when out on a case far from home and they'd take advantage of it, spending as much of their time wrapped in each others arms. But when they were home they were either too exhausted or needed space or were too busy. And with Mulder needing to take care of his deceased parents estates and having to finalize several winter and vacation homes between both parents and those they had inherited including one in North Carolina where Mulder began taking trips on the weekends to 'Settle the estate' and 'See his mother's grave' as he had told Scully, they needed the date nights to connect, not as partners on assignment, not as lovers...but as a couple. But what awaited Scully when she entered her door was a man sitting in her armchair, smoking a cigarette and sitting on her coffee table was a VHS tape.

"I'm sure you weren't expecting me so soon...", he said, exhaling. "But a deal is a deal...Now I saved Mulder's life...He's well...So now its your turn to pay up for our exchange..."

Scully moved slowly into the living room and sat down on her couch, her heart racing as she stared at the tape. CGB smiled. "The tape...could be very damaging...On it there are two different versions...The first is an actual taping of you and Mulder...'together'," he smirked. "The other is you and a digitized enhanced mystery man. One could end both of your careers...the version other could end your relationship..."

Scully was stunned. "You taped us?", she said astonished, nearly out of breath.

"You seem surprised?", he said, as he inhaled deeply. "Surely you'd know by now we'd stop at nothing to get our way..."

Scully looked mortified. "Mulder...", she said, trying to sound confident. "Mulder would never fall for that..."

"I seem to recall not too long ago a certain little trip of ours together and that it didn't end too well between the two of you, now did it?", he smirked. "He wasn't too happy with you...", he said, staring at her. "He was extremely angry with you..."

"You have no right to bug our apartments...our lives!", she said, as she stared at the hated man before her.

"I agree," he smirked. "Mulder would not be fooled by our tape...but the real tape of you and Mulder together might end up on Kursh's desk..."

"What do I have to do?", she asked, as she rung her hands. "What is it that I must do?"

He smiled meekly. "You are a doctor...and I am dying...The vial I gave you did not work for me...", he said, in earnest. "Your life was spared by the chips we developed...just as Mulder's was spared by the vial. I want you to place a chip in the back of my neck to save my life..."

"Don't you have henchmen for that?", she said, barely able to contain the rage within her.

"They're all gone...dead...And the dealers of the New Syndicate...they're not concerned with our interests...", he said, pulling out a second cigarette and lighting it.

"When?"

"Now would be nice..."

Scully shook her head. "No...not tonight...Mulder leaves for North Carolina in the morning...I need to do this while he's gone...and he's to never know...I have to be back before he gets back from his trip..."

"North Carolina?", CGB asked.

"He visits his mothers grave...", she said and then her eyes lifted as she remembered that she was staring at the man that was Mulder's biological father.

She could see a look in his eyes that surprised her. A look that reminded her of the trip that she'd taken with CGB when he told her he wished for more in life. At that moment, she understood that what his wish had been was Teena Mulder...and his two children with her, who'd lived under the false guise of Bill Mulder as their father their entire lives. She turned her gaze away from him. CGB stood up and crushed his cigarette into a cigarette tray she used as decoration on her coffee table. "Well then...Tomorrow morning...you will operate on me...place the chip into my neck...and you'll be back before Mulder..."

He reached down and grabbed up the tape. "My insurance...", he smirked, and let himself out of her apartment. Scully sat there a moment, wanting to cry, wanting to scream but she glanced at the clock instead and saw that it was nearing the time of Mulder's arrival. She snatched up the cigarette tray and threw the entire thing into the garbage. She sprayed the air to get rid of the potent smell of cigarettes and then quickly showered, changing into some light clothes, a t-shirt and some sweat pants. She tried to act normal when Mulder knocked on the door but the moment he looked at her he knew something was wrong. She kept her eyes low as she opened the door and escorted him in.

Mulder looked around the apartment suspiciously and then turned back to her. He could smell the faint scent of cigarettes. "Scully, what's wrong?"

"Nothing...", she lied, sitting down on the couch, her eyes still cast down.

Mulder walked over to her and then lifted her chin so she would look him squarely there. "What is it?"

"Nothing...", she lied again.

Mulder knew all of her tricks, all of her habits and he could tell from her body language that she was hiding something and that she was frightened, but in true Scully fashion, she was trying to handle it herself. He decided to let it slide for now and instead popped a movie into the VCR and then sat on the couch. Scully immediately buried her head under his chin and he snaked his arm around her. He knew from the moment the movie was on that she wasn't paying attention. She didn't laugh at the funny parts, or connect with him through her eyes as she always did. She didn't even move when the pizza man delivered their dinner. She ate a few less slices than she normally did and barely sipped on a glass of wine. When the movie was finally over, he clicked off the remote and turned to her. She immediately jumped up to grab up their garbage in an attempt to keep busy.

"I've got to head out to North Carolina in the morning...", he said, to break the awkward silence between them.

"I know...", she said, as she took her time in the kitchen.

"I'll call you when I get there...", he said, watching her carefully.

"Ah...", she said, glancing up. "I might not be here..."

Mulder was surprised. "Where will you be?", he said, rising up and walking into the kitchen. "Scully? Where are you going?"

She stared down for the longest time and then finally her gaze lifted until her eyes met his and in it he saw a pleading...'for him to understand...for him to not push her...for him to not be angry with her.' And as if he could hear her thoughts, he knew it had to do with CGB and her part of the deal for taking care of him and saving his life...She had made a deal with the devil and it was now time to pay. Mulder could see also that her main fear was not CGB but him. She was afraid that he would get upset like he had when she went off with CGB alone.

He wrapped her tightly in his arms to reassure her that he would not react the same way he had before and to let her know that he understood that this was something she had to do.

"Stay with me tonight...", she said, as a few tears threatened to fall but she held them in.

Mulder kissed the top of her head. "Of course I will...I'll hold you all night...I never want to let you go..."

She nodded. They stood there in each other's arms for awhile until Scully grabbed his hand and walked with him to her bedroom. She threw off her clothes and with only her bra and panties, she climbed into the bed. Mulder stripped out of his clothes with only his boxers on, and slipped in spooning behind her. He kissed her on the neck, ear and cheek as he held her as tightly as he could. "I love you so much Scully...", he whispered. "All of your sacrifices for me...all these years...How could I ever repay you?"

She smiled and snuggled in closer. "Just love me...", she said with a gulp.

"That's easy...", he said, turning her cheek to face to him. "That's the easiest thing I've ever done...", he smiled.

He pressed his lips to hers and she opened her mouth to him as he slipped his tongue in deeper. They're kiss turned quickly into a passionate kiss but Mulder broke away, staring deeply into her eyes. He then turned her towards him and cradled her in his arms until she fell asleep. He stayed awake the entire night, cursing his luck, cursing the circumstances that had her endangered, and cursing himself because he knew he had to let her go and he wasn't sure he could. He cried silently as he watched her sleep snuggled up against him.

There were other reasons for his tears as well...his fate had been sealed...he hadn't been cured and his trips to North Carolina were more than to settle his mother's estates...he was visiting doctors, trying to access how long he had left. He was having headaches and he couldn't tell her. He watched as the night turned to day and then he sat up, waiting for her to wake. They made love and it was slow, sensual and sweet as they tried to stave off the day's events, trying to hold onto each other for as long as possible.

With a heavy heart, Mulder left her to face the unknown. He was torn...If he didn't let Scully pay off her debt to CGB, he might kill them both or ruin them somehow. But if he himself didn't let her go, he could lose her but in letting her go, Mulder felt he was losing more...He had kissed her a hundred times until Scully had made him leave and they had said one last goodbye, just in case. It took all of Mulder's strength not to collapse in her hallway. Instead, he retreated like a coward back to his car. He stared up at her apartment until he saw CGB's arrival in a black car driven by an unknown man. He watched as Scully climbed into the back seat of the car with CGB and his heart dropped. His chest tightened and he thought his heart might explode. And after they had gone, he walked back into her apartment and fell onto her bed and cried himself to sleep, clinging to her bedding, praying that she would come back to him. Hours past as he slept in a near coma-like haze but soft hands awakened him. "Mulder...", she said.

Mulder jumped up and grabbed her in his meaty arms. "Scully... Scully...", he said like a whispered prayer, kissing her softly. "Are you okay, Scully? DID HE HURT YOU?", he screamed.

"No...", she said, shaking her head. "I'm fine...I performed a simple surgery...I placed an implant in his neck...that's all...", she said, looking deeply into his eyes. "Its over...my debt is paid...You're alive...I'm alive...we're fine..."

Mulder smiled as he showered her in kisses. "Its over...", he smiled.

"It is...", she said.

They're lips locked as they held each other tightly. "I'm never letting you go again...I don't think my heart could take it...", he sighed in relief.

She smiled against his neck, "You've been here the entire time?"

He nodded and then held her away from him so he could look her over. She knew he was assuring himself that she was real, that she were fine. It was something that she did whenever Mulder was hurt. She'd run her fingers through his hair, touching his face, even if there was nothing wrong. She needed that reassurance. But as they looked into each others souls, she knew that every thing would work out between them and she relaxed. She had Mulder back from the brink of death and he had her back and that was all that they needed. She pressed her forehead against his and he returned the gesture, breathing together the same air, as they had done for so long...The love was there...stronger than ever.

THE END