Chapter 9: Insidious

Hospital

Skinner, Margaret, Bill, and Scully arrived at the hospital together. Mulder had just finished surgery and they nearly lost him a couple of times. He was now in a coma at the moment, but was still weak. He could still easily slip away. Scully slowly walked into his room alone. Memories from the beginning of first meeting him flooded through her mind like a movie as tears pierced her eyes. She was trembling when she stepped inside and found him motionless, prolonged by advanced medical machines to keep him going. His chest rose and fell at a slow pace from the machine. She saw his clipboard on the end of his bed, picked it up and analyzed everything. The alcohol content level in his blood stream was high. She looked to Mulder again as she sat the clipboard back down and grabbed his cold hand into hers.

"Oh Mulder," She breathed.

Tears fell down her pale cheeks as she started to cry. She towered over him as she plumped down on the bed next to him. She buried her face into his broad chest and held onto him as tight as she could. This was all her fault.

Scully's Apartment
Few Days Later

Mulder was still hanging on in the hospital. He has shown no improvement. She learned that he had been out on a blind date with Sarah, set up by Bill. She was furious with Bill. Since she learned of Mulder's accident she hasn't said a word to Bill. She loved him, but sometimes being his little sister was a pain in the ass. He was way too controlling and over protective of her that it was at times, sickening. Tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at a picture of her and Mulder she held in her right hand. She was sitting at her dining room table. She had gone back to her apartment to be alone. There was a knock on her door. It took her a few long seconds to respond. She sat the picture down, stood up and slowly slid her feet against the floor as she moved to the door. To her surprise, she found the trio standing before—The Lone Gunmen—Frohike, Langly, and Byers.

"Scully," Frohik frowned, "Hey lady, how are you doing? We came by to check up on you. We heard what happened."

She let them inside. She closed the door and looked over to them. They could tell she hasn't done much in days since they all learned of Mulder's accident.

"We looked into it, it turns out Mulder had a bit to drink and wasn't paying attention in the car. The lover with him, Sarah, wasn't buckled. She was flown from the car…anyway, if Mulder does survive this it is possible he can be charged for the accident," Langly explained.

"But we spoke to Skinner, Skinner said he's dealing with it," Byers added, "The FBI is a bit dumbfounded and embarrassed by his actions."

Scully looked between the three of them.

"How is this supposed to help me cope?" Scully asked.

Frohike presented a bag of alcohol.

"I know the accident involved drinking, but we have alcohol,' Frohike said.

Scully rolled her eyes and walked away. Langly hit Frohik upside the head and looked to him.

"What?" Frohike whispered.

Byers walked over to Scully and gripped her left shoulder as she was seated back at the table.

"He'll pull through this, we have faith," Byers spoke up, "It'll be alright…"

In one swift movement, Langly turned around and rested his back against the table with his elbows rested on the surface, looking to her.

"We thought you might turn down the alcohol," Langly said, "In that case, would you care for something to eat? Chinese food? On the house."

Scully looked back down to the picture of her and Mulder and sighed. She propped her right elbow on the surface of the table and rested her chin to her right hand. She was in no mood for food. She was far from hungry. It was nice of the three to stop by and check up on her, but she had many emotions flowing through her that it was unbearable and she couldn't think of choking down food at the moment or alcohol. She tried sleeping, but she couldn't even sleep without having nightmares.

"No thanks…" She trailed off.

Frohik then moved in front of Langly setting the alcohol on the table.

"You should eat woman," Frohike ordered, "Byers give that Chinese place a call."

Byers removed his phone out of his pocket and ordered anyways. Scully rolled her eyes.

"Guys…I appreciate the kindness and hospitality, but I really would rather be alone at the moment," Scully said, "It was my damn fault for this to begin with anyways…if Mulder and I hadn't gotten into a fight in the first place we would have never split up and my stupid big brother would have never had set up these blind dates to begin with…"

"Scully, you're getting ahead of yourself there," Langly interrupted, "It wasn't your fault…it was an accident…"

"No, you're right I am getting ahead of myself, it wasn't my fault and it wasn't Mulder's fault, it was Bill's fault," Scully growled.

She stood up and paced back and forth as Byers flipped his cell phone and put it back in his pocket.

"Chinese food is on its way boys and lady," Byers smiled.

Byers then stopped smiling and looked over to Scully.

"Scully….talk to us…." Frohike said, "What's going through that head of yours?"

Scully was muttering to herself as she continued to pace, counting with her fingers with her left hand. The boys exchanged looks. She turned around and faced them.

"Do you guys know any good ways in assassinating someone without being noticed and or getting caught?" asked Scully.

"Um, well is this hypothetical?" Frohike asked.

She laughed a little with a shrug.

"Oh yes, very hypothetical," Scully lied.

She looked between the three of them when Langly jumped in.

"Well there's been many classic assassination's that have taken place throughout history," Langly explained excitedly.

Frohike then stepped on his left foot. Langly yelped in pain and nearly fell over. Frohike stepped forward and looked to Scully.

"Scully, whatever you're feeling it's not worth it," Frohike said, "Things will get better soon, I promise. Mulder will get through this."

Scully frowned, "I suppose you're right, I am thinking a bit irrational right now."

She pulled a bottle of bud-light out from the bag and snapped it open for a drink. She wouldn't kill her big brother, especially as an FBI Agent. No, she would do something far more insidious for the hell she's been through the last several weeks from Bill interfering between her and Mulder. Nobody messes with Scully. Victory will be hers and she and Mulder will be back together again no matter what it takes—She loves him.

To be continued...