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"Colonel Wharton… who is that?" Reyes said as she, Dogget & Candace trotted to keep up with Mulder's pace. "He was running a holding facility for refugees, where he was using his knowledge of Voodoo to torment them." "So… what happened to him?" Dogget asked. "I thought he was dead, when Scully & I came to, he was no where to be found. We conducted a three week long search that turned up nothing." Mulder said as the doctor, still in his surgical scrubs appeared to speak with them. "By the grace of a miracle, she made it through surgery. But we are keeping her in an induced coma, so don't expect much in way of response. You are welcomed to stay as long as you'd like, I have put a chair out for you."
Mulder hesitated a moment, preparing himself before venturing in; he always hated seeing her like this. "Scully?" He said hoarsely as he pulled the chair close to the bed & took her hand in his. "There are some doctors that believe that a comatose patient can hear what is said to them. If that is true, I hope that you can hear what I'm about to tell you. First I want to thank you for sticking by me through all of the conspiracies & cover-ups, murders & insane wild goose chases & for resisting my best ditching efforts, because it was those times that I needed you the most & didn't realize it. I know what you gave up to hunt aliens with your crack-pot partner, that's partly why I tried ditching you in the first place; I didn't want my work dragging you down." He said with a tearful chuckle as he made a feeble attempt at dry humor. "Now look where it's gotten you, again…I wish it was me that had gotten shot instead." He said, finally succumbing to his tears of grief & anguish as he hid his face in his hands. Outside the door, Reyes wiped the tears from her cheeks with her handkerchief as she looked to Dogget. "Let's nail this bastard, for them." She said.
Mulder awoke early the next morning with an uncomfortable crick in his neck from sleeping in his chair & the clammy feeling of dried tears on his face, he must have cried himself to sleep. "Ah, it's nice to see you back amongst the living, Agent Mulder. I was beginning to worry about you; there will be no changes until Doctor Raymond administers the drugs to bring her out of the coma & you should go home… but I know that you won't." She said with a knowing smile, Mulder smiled bashfully in return & excused himself to the bathroom to wash up. He returned to find that a plushy recliner-type chair had taken over the duties of its hard, plastic counterpart. "If you insist on staying here, you might as well be as comfortable as possible." the night nurse said as she left them.
There was a knock on the doorway & Candace walked in to join them. "So much pain, so much sorrow, so much grief; your soul is in such torment." She said as she gently placed her hand on the top of Mulder's head. "I deserve to be in torment." He said, tears welling in his eyes as he took Scully's limp hand in his. "As hard as this is for you to see right now, you didn't force this life choice on her, she made it herself, she was destined to make it, she is the reason you have come as far as you have. Like I said, nothing in this universe happens by chance or fluke, even though it may sometimes seem that way. Everything also has a reason, though it may not be immediately clear." She said as one of the lab techs stopped short of the doorway, clutching the stitch in his chest. "We… we found a positive match to a weapon from the bullet extracted from Scully, we have an address." He said breathlessly, Mulder looked to Candace, who smiled knowingly.
The FBI SWAT team led the way into the residence of Colonel Wharton, they found him sitting at his kitchen table, cleaning his weapon, & he was thoroughly surprised to see them as he was pushed against the wall & cuffed. "So, how does it feel, Mulder? To be this close to losing everything!" He said, Mulder advanced on him in a rage, Dogget stepped into his path. "Don't, Mulder, he's not worth it. Just get back to Scully." "How is she?" Mulder said to Candace as he sank into the plushy chair. "The doctor administered the drug that should wake her up into her IV about an hour ago, he said that we have a twenty four hour window, if she doesn't wake, then it's doubtful that she ever will." Mulder ran his hands frustratingly through his hair as they began a bedside vigil.
Mulder sat bolt upright into the waking world to find the sun streaming through the blinds, its cheerfulness mocking him in his misery. He looked to Candace, who shook her head. "It was twenty four hours as of an hour ago." She said, downcast. "Scully…please… don't to this to me! I can't do this work without you… I won't!" He said as he gently cupped her face in his hands, he then watched, astonished as her eyes slowly opened. "Gotcha." She said with the hint of a smile, her voice barely above a whisper. Mulder's face broke into a huge grin as they embraced each other. "Oh, god Scully…don't do that to me!" Mulder said as the emotional burden finally became too much & he broke down in her arms. "I was careless, I shouldn't have sat in front of the window like that." She said as she gently rocked him in an effort to sooth him. "But if you had never been shot, the FBI would have never been able to trace him to his home; it was possible because of the bullet they pulled out of you." Candace said as she stood. "Now I'm afraid I must be going, they are on to me. I' am very glad that you are going to make a full recovery, Agent Scully." She said in parting, neither Mulder nor Scully bothered to ask how she knew that.
"Mulder I don't really think all this is necessary." Scully said as he led her into her apartment with a protective, guiding hand at her elbow. "I know its not, I want to." He replied as he opened the door for her. "You know, Mulder, I think that your talking to me is what helped me get better, so I could be able to tell you how much I appreciate hearing it." She said as they sat on the couch. "I'm glad you heard, because I doubt that I could repeat it, it all kind of tumbled out." He replied as he drew her into a warm embrace. "Just don't do that to me again, okay? I don't think I could… go on without you." "Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that, I have a feeling that I'm going to be around for a long time." Scully replied as she laid her head against his chest, taking comfort in his heartbeat.
In a random small village half way around the world, Candace smiled from under her wide brimmed hat & thick, black sunglasses. "If only you knew how right you are, Dana Scully." She whispered to herself as she strolled down the narrow, bustling market street out of sight.