A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews and for your birthday wishes of course :)

I'm glad you like Mulder's theory...I got the idea after I watched a Smallville episode ("Crises" 3x16) :D

Chapter 8

"A tattoo." Scully says, quietly. "Mulder, I think I remember something." She says, loudly.

"I'll be right there, Scully." She hears him say. Seconds later Mulder comes in with a glass of water in his hand, which he hands over to Scully before sitting down beside her on the bed again.

"Thank you." She says. Mulder nods.

"So, what do you remember, Scully?" He asks. She puts the glass down on the nightstand beside the bed and turns towards Mulder.

"I think one of them has a tattoo on his left hand...a dragon." She tells him.

"Are you sure?" He asks her.

"Yeah...I'm sure. I saw it when he strangled me..." She says, smiling weakly. Mulder looks at her with a frown. He reaches over and squeezes her hand.

"I'd love to tell you that it's over but-" He says but Scully interrups him.

"I know...It's okay, Mulder." She just says, not looking at him.

"What do we do about it now?" She asks him.

"You'll just relax, Scully and I'll call Skinner." He tells her.

"Okay."

"What? That's it? No argument? No 'Mulder, I don't need your help.I'm fine... I can take care of myself and I can get through this alone.' ?"

"I know I can't... and I really don't want to argue with you, Mulder." She says, lying down on the bed suddenly feeling very tired. Mulder sighs, lying down beside her.

"I'm sorry." He says, staring at the ceiling.

"Mulder, you don't have to apologize all the time. It's okay." She tells him with her back to him. With that Mulder leans closer to her so that their bodies touch. He wraps an arm around her middle and leans close to her ear.

"You deserve so much better." He whispers.

"Scully?" He says, quietly. He doesn't get an answer. Instead he hears soft snoring, she has fallen asleep. He chuckles and presses a kiss to her cheek. He stays in bed for a while, wanting to hold her just a little longer. Ten minutes later he climbs out of bed and walks into the livingroom to call Skinner.

I'm sitting against a wall in a dark room I somehow know, I don't know from where though. I can't move. I'm so weak and tired. My head hurts and I taste blood on my lips. I look around...no windows. The room is big and cold. Maybe a warehouse or some sort of factory? Suddenly a sound echoes through the darkness and I feel my blood run cold. Dazzling light blinds my eyes. I cover them with my hands as I hear steps coming closer. Suddenly it's dark again and I can't see anything at all...or anybody. I swallow and wipe away the blood on my lips. In the blink of an eye I find myself being strangled by a man. He pushes my head hard against the wall, making me feel very dizzy. Everything starts to blur before my eyes and I don't know why but suddenly I have the urge to look down at his hands, who are causing me so much pain...a dragon...

Scully awakes with a start, breathing heavily. Sweat covers her body, she begins to tremble violently. She reaches for the glass of water on the nighstand beside her but she fails at holding onto it so it falls down and shatters on the floor.

In the livingroom Mulder startles when he hears a loud chinking noise. He can tell that it comes out of the bedroom. Worried he runs into the bedroom to find Scully sitting on the bed, terrified and deathly pale. He sees shards on the floor beside the bed.

"Are you okay, Scully? What happened?" He asks and rushes to her.

"Scully." He says.

"Scully, talk to me." He begs with his hands on her cheeks, looking deeply into her eyes.

"It was just a bad dream..." She says, quietly with closed eyes.

"Just a bad dream? About what?" He asks, gently.

"I don't even remember..." She lies, her eyes still closed. Mulder sighs.

"Look at me, Scully." She shakes her head.

"Come on, Scully, look at me." He pleads. Finally she opens her eyes and stares right into Mulders.

"I lied." She just says.

"I know."

"In the dream a man strangled me just like he did in real life... or will do in real life. I saw the tattoo...it is a dragon on his left hand. I was sitting in a big and cold room...a warehouse or a factory or something..." She tells him.

"Okay. Anything else?" He asks, gently.

"Umm...no."

"I called Skinner...we know who that man is, Scully." He tells her.

"Who is it?"

"It's a man called Ron Little. He got out of prison a month ago."

"Are you sure it's him?" She asks.

"Yes...I'm sure" He says.

"What did he do?"

"Attempted rape...someone was able to stop him back then." He tells her, softly.

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know...he's nowhere to be found." He sighs.

"Oh god..." She says, her voice breaking.

"Hey...he's not going to hurt you. It'll be okay." He tells her, softly and pulls her towards him. Scully looks up at his face for a moment. She stares deeply into his eyes and wraps her right arm around his neck. With her left hand she careses his by now stubbled cheek. She leans forward and their lips meet...

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A/N: Like it? Hate it? Do you want me to continue...? Please review :)