Spoilers for Orison. This is not a happy chapter.
Enjoy!
Scully takes her boyfriend on his offer, but after their latest case, she decides to head home. Over the next few weeks, the red head spends a little more time at her apartment, if only to clean it and restock her fridge. One of the nights she spends at home, the red head reads over some papers before she goes to sleep when the lights go out. Putting the papers to the side, Scully takes off her glasses, puts them away, rubs her eyes, and falls asleep. She wakes up suddenly when a gust of wind blows through her room. Getting out of bed, Scully closes her bedroom window she accidentally leaves open. Gathering the papers that have scattered, the red head notices her clock and fixes it. Just as she puts everything back, the lights turn back on prompting Scully to get ready for her day. A knock on her door as she sips her tea that morning causes the red head to jump. Still in her pajamas, Scully smooths her hair before opening the door. Finding Mulder in the hallway, Scully sighs in relief.
"You okay?" Mulder asks. Scully nods. Her boyfriend walks inside the apartment and is offered coffee. He declines knowing what he has to say makes him jumpy enough. Reluctantly, Mulder tells Scully that Donny Pfaster is out of jail. Scully's breath hitches as she listens to Mulder tell her she can stay out of the case.
"No," Scully answers determindly. "I'll go. Let me get dressed."
Mulder lets her go, but continues to hover when they enter the prison later that morning. Over the next few days, Scully trudges through her case with as little nonsense as possible. However, as Mulder continues understandably hover over her, she offers to spend the last day's evening at her home. Reluctantly, he agrees. Deciding to spend her evening pampering herself and forgetting about the case for a while, Scully heads to her room where she changes into a pair of gray flannel pajamas. Unfortunately, she is interrupted when Pfaster attacks her. Fighting him to the best of her ability, she is promptly gagged and tossed into her closet. She can hear Pfaster running water and rifling with whatever is in her bathroom. Not wanting the situation to get the best of her, the red head uses her FBI training. Figuring out a way to escape, Scully takes it, but soon hides under her bed once Pfaster comes in. He leaves again, and she inches toward her gun. Almost to her gun, the red head stops in fear when Pfaster comes back. He leaves again and she grabs her gun. Unbinding her hands and taking her gag from her mouth, Scully stands and exits the bedroom knowing this may be her only chance to escape. She barely registers Mulder in her living room when she shoots her attacker.
Cautiously, Mulder waits for Scully to react when he asks again, "Did he hurt you?"
She shakes her head deeming physical injuries the least of her worries compared to what the killer can do. Slowly, Scully lowers her gun and Mulder walks toward her.
"Put it on the floor," He softly demands knowing his fingerprints do not need to be on the murder weapon. Realizing his girlfriend is in shock, Mulder grabs a blanket and wraps it around her. She flinches at his touch, so any hug is off limits. Instead, he calls the cops. Mulder stays with Scully when the cops arrive and when the medics offer to assess her injuries. She declines a physical knowing all the wounds she has are superficial. As she is interrogated, Scully absently reaches for Mulder's hand and continues to hold it when Skinner arrives.
"You called Skinner?" She whispers to Mulder. He nods.
"I had to. He's our boss."
"Agents," Skinner nods knowing he cannot act in a friendly capacity just yet. Instead, he tells them that he will handle the rest of the investigation. Scully excuses herself to her bedroom where the scene is already assessed. Mulder sees the last policeman out an hour later and enters his girlfriend's bedroom.
"'If you want to pack some things, we can get out of here'," Mulder offers. Softly, Scully replies, "'Yeah.'"
She makes no move to leave her bed, but grabs her Bible instead. Noticing her actions, Mulder reassures, "'You can't judge yourself.'"
"'Maybe I don't have to'," She responds. Knowing she is blaming herself, the other agents says, "'The Bible allows for vengeance.'"
"'But the law doesn't.'"
Leaning into his girlfriend, Mulder supplies, "'The way I see it... he didn't give you a choice. And my report will reflect that... in case you're worried. Donnie Pfaster would've surely killed again if given the chance.'"
Definitively, Scully explains, "'He was evil, Mulder. I'm sure about that, without a doubt. But there's one thing that I'm not sure of.'"
"'What's that?'" Mulder asks. He waits until she answers, "'Who was at work in me. Or what... what made me... what made me pull the trigger.'"
"'You mean if it was God?'" Mulder adds.
"'I mean... what if it wasn't?'" Scully asks. Her boyfriend has no answer, but gently prompts, "Get some clothes and we'll get out of here."
Scully nods. Emotionless, the agent grabs her clothes, but stops short at the bathroom. Noticing his girlfriend's hesitation, Mulder softly asks, "What do you need?"
She answers him, and as soon as the police are gone, the pair is out the door.
Scully enters Mulder's apartment to find a worried Chloe standing awkwardly in the doorway. She does not know whether to hug her mother or let her mother hug her. A small smile from the red head prompts the fifteen year old gives Scully a huge hug.
"I'm glad you're okay," Chloe murmurs as Mulder puts Scully's bag in his bedroom.
"Mulder," Scully lightly chides once she pulls away from the teen who is still apprehensive about letting her go. Scully squeezes the brunette's hand as she yells to the other room, "I can sleep on the couch!"
In all honesty she is afraid she will wake up Mulder with a nightmare, and has easier access to both the kitchen and the front door.
"Dad's not going to let you do that. You know that, right?" Chloe says imagining the pair actually married and situations like the present one occurring sometimes. She smirks a little causing Scully to narrow her eyes at the teen just as soon as her boyfriend comes into the living room.
"You're sleeping with me. No complaining," Mulder states as his daughter merely shakes her head walking into the other room. Scully looks longingly at the couch as Mulder reaches out to her. She flinches slightly causing Mulder to put his hand down.
"Why don't you get ready for bed," He offers. Scully nods before leaving the room. Deciding his girlfriend is more than likely still in pain, he goes to the kitchen and grabs a bottle of aspirin and a cup. Coming back from the kitchen with a cup of water and the aspirin, Mulder enters his bedroom, and notices his partner awake. Placing the water on the bedside table and handing over the medicine, he asks, "You need anything else? I couldn't find any of the good stuff. Aspirin will have to work tonight."
Scully smiles weakly as she takes the aspirin, "I'm fine, Mulder. I just really want to sleep."
He knows she is far from okay, but also knows she will talk when she wants to. Nodding, Mulder tells Scully good night before saying good- night to his daughter.
Waking up suddenly a few hours later, Scully's heart races. Calming down, she sees Chloe enter the room.
"Are you okay? Where's Dad?" The teen questions sitting on the side of the bed. Seeing her daughter's worried expression, Scully nods as she motions for the teen to crawl into the bed with her.
"He's on the couch tonight," She replies not wanting to explain how any touch from her boyfriend causes her to tense up.
"Was it scary seeing him again?" Chloe asks from her place under the covers. Scully shakes her head as best she can with a pillow between her and the mattress sheet.
"Let's talk about something else. How was your day?" Scully questions. She does not want to delve into a tender topic so soon after the events occur. The teen takes the hint and begins to talk. Scully smiles as she closes her eyes listening to Chloe explain her day. Once the brunette sees the woman is asleep, she whispers, "Night, Mom."
Hearing the teen's reply, Scully smiles softly grateful for the acceptance she cannot fully give herself. At least to one person, she is not a monster.
Review!