Hi everyone! This series is related to the episode "Paperclip", part three of the season opener/closer. Melissa Scully helped me to write this story - to let all of you guys know what really happened to her... It is hereby dedicated to all of the Melissketeers out there ( you know who you are!!!) Oh- Missy told me to say hello too!!!! So hello!! And she says that she would love to know your comments on her experiences!! So would I!! So E-mail us at Patric1354@aol.com and let us know what you think!!! Ok - here goes... Disclaimer.... I have borrowed several situations and the characters Mulder, Scully, Melissa, Mrs. Scully, Skinner, Albert Holstein, the man walking past the doorway ( hee hee), and others for this story. They are the property of Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, Twentieth Century Fox, and whoever else owns them. I have borrowed them to play, in the spirit of fun.... No copyright infringement is intended!! Ok- here goes...Shawn is mine... as are the assorted nurses, orderlys, and supporting characters... Well? I had to claim something huh? If you pass this around, please just keep my name stuck to it somehow... Missy and I worked for several weeks on this!!! Other than that... no restrictions apply- no expiration date- etc... you get the idea!!! Now, on with the story- 'cause the truth is out there, and so is Melissa! Separations - Part 1 By: Tridee Patric1354@aol.com Her mother's voice sounded so soft, so warm, so comforting. God, how she had missed it. She wished suddenly that she hadn't been quite so headstrong and stubborn, hiding away from her mother for so many years. They had only just renewed their close relationship, trying to catch up and make up for lost time. And now this had happened. "And I remember the time that you dragged your sister into that Fortune tellers tent at the fair , " her mother continued, vividly retelling a story from Melissa' s youth. She smiled, although she could tell that her body was not. It was a strange sensation that she was experiencing. An out of body experience, she had decided, but somewhat different. She could actually lift herself up, seeing at first in shock that her body still lay flat underneath its maze of tubes and bandages. She could survey the entire room; hear things, watch her visitors, smell the medicines and cleansers. And she could speak, although she had discovered early on that no one seemed to be able to hear her. She also could touch. Her fingers rested firmly on objects, allowing her to stroke them, to feel them. But from what she could see of herself, she was much like a ghost seen on late night movies: an ethereal being who seemed to be colored in deep shades of grays and blues. "You always liked to try new things," her mother continued, squeezing her hand. Melissa sighed. She hadn't felt her mother's tender touch, just as her mother couldn't feel hers. "New things..." She whispered, reflecting on her present state. Well, this definitely qualified. This whole experience was kind of creepy, but it didn't really bother Melissa as much as it might have bothered most other people. Somehow she realized that her spirit had been awakened from her body, and had some way found a way to free itself, well partially. She could lift out of her body, but not completely. Some sections of the ethereal part and the physical part had to be joined. She hadn't been able to totally separate herself yet. She wasn't worried about that either. Instinctively she knew that she would know what to do when the time came. Right now all she could do was wait. She settled back, her own hand lightly touching her mother's in comfort as she continued with the story. She knew that her mother couldn't feel or hear her, but she sent out waves of positive thoughts and love, trying to support her mother as best she could. It seemed to be working. Margaret had suddenly stopped a moment, tilting her head thoughtfully. "I love you, Missy," she whispered softly. "I love you too, Mom," she answered. In a twisted way, Melissa was sort of enjoying this, being able to experience herself and the world in a whole different way. She had always known that things like this were possible, but now she had the chance to examine them first hand. Emotions and feelings were so intense to her in this state; she could feel what the others around her felt, almost as strongly as if their feelings were her own... She could see their auras so clearly; see who they really were under their public image. And her sense of herself was so clear this way. Her own feelings, her dreams, her beliefs, her fears, she knew them all for what they really were, and she could sense everything about herself. She could remember all the way back to being born, suddenly able to access all the memories that she had ever stored up. Sounds, smells, sights... Sights. The sight of her mother like this hurt her deeply. Her mother had not left her bedside since Melissa had arrived at the hospital, suffering brain trauma as a result of taking a bullet in the head. As soon as Melissa had become aware, she had heard her mother's voice, talking softly, praying, crying. It had comforted her to know that she was there, at her side, loving her with all of her heart. But now it was three days later, and her mother still hadn't left the hospital for more than a few minutes at a time. She slept in the room, ate there, panicked whenever the doctors came in. And Melissa just had to sit and watch. And worry about Dana. Obviously the bullet had been meant for her. But why? Where was she? She understood the work that she and Mulder did with the FBI, well part of it anyway. She understood enough to know that the two of them had gotten in way over their heads. Whatever they had discovered had gotten Mulder killed. And now someone was after Dana. Her mom was thinking of the youngest daughter as well, apologizing for her absence, wondering out loud where she was and if she was okay. Melissa knew that she was alright; she could sense it. And perhaps her mother could too. "Are you expecting any visitors?" The nurse's voice asked, popping into the room. Her mother perked up, peering around the corner of the high-backed chair that she was sitting in. "Oh, is it Dana? Is Dana here?" "No. It's a man," was the reply. "He says he was asked to come here." A wizened old face popped into the doorway, silky gray hair hanging over his shoulder. He tapped the door open, slowly entering the room. "My name is Albert Hosteen," he began. "I was asked to come here and help with your daughter." "There must be some mistake." "Is your daughter the FBI woman?" "Dana?" Her mother asked anxiously. "Yes, she is very sorry that she can't come here to comfort you." "Do you know where she is?" Mrs. Scully asked, eyes hopeful. "Is she okay?" "Yes," he answered with his smooth voice, almost smiling. "I believe so." Her mother turned as he moved towards the bed, and Melissa leaned nearer, peering at the man. He was a Native American, dressed in comfortable clothes, a light plaid shirt and a worn pair of jeans. His face was weathered and care worn, deep colored and smooth. He seemed peaceful, and eager to help. Where had Dana met him, she wondered. Albert? Was that his name? Wherever she had found him, she was glad that Dana had sent him. He was so calming, so serene. His commanding presence had helped to calm her mother, reassuring her that Dana was okay. He accompanied her with the watch beside the bed. And he had prayed. Melissa had watched, somewhat awkwardly, as he had first taken her body's hand, feeling it and declaring her weak. It hadn't surprised her. She had already guessed that she was dying when she discovered that she could separate her body. She had tried to will herself back together, lying back down within her body, and trying to wake herself up. She had hoped that she could heal herself and hang on to life that way, but all of her attempts had been unsuccessful. The doctors had said that the brain trauma was severe. Her body probably couldn't support her life anymore, and that was why she had become separated somehow. She had decided to let it go. Life and death were a natural part of life. If it was her time, then she would go. But when Albert chanted over her, praying, she felt drawn back to her body again. As his words rolled on, a warm feeling grew within her, and she felt an urge to lay again within herself. Love, hope, and peace were what surrounded her, filling the room, filling every inch of her being. Oddly, enough, she suddenly remembered hearing a soft chanting voice when she had first woken up. But Albert hadn't been here then. His chanting was so freeing, so light and yet so deep. She felt a warmth surround and envelop her, feeling as familiar and comfortable as the old security blanket that she had had as a child. It started small, and grew, widening and lifting her spirit higher than it had ever known possible. She was completely content and at peace. But then something changed, ever so slightly. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but several minutes after the praying had started, something was different. The warm feelings were the same, as were the emotions that she felt, but the pull to return to her body diminished noticeably. Instead she suddenly was content to hover outside of her shell, enjoying the healing warmth that surrounded and nourished her. And although her ears were largely untrained, she could have sworn that his prayer too had changed somehow. The old ways of the Native Americans had always fascinated her, and she suddenly wished that she had tried to study them. Her mother dozed off in the chair at the foot of the bed, and Melissa smiled as Albert covered her gently with the white cotton blanket. He was a good man, a gentle man, and someone that they could trust. After making sure that her mother was comfortable, he moved back to his seat next to her bed, taking her hand in his own once more to begin his prayers. She sat nearby, studying him intently: his wise, worn face, his weathered hands, his sharp dark eyes. His wispy grayish hair was held back from his face by an old red bandana wrapped around his forehead. She closed her eyes, concentrating on his deep, smooth voice as he mumbled softly, keeping watch over her and her mother. When he stopped the chanting the second time, she was almost disappointed. There were lingering effects of Albert's work, but the feelings when he was actually praying were so much more developed and strong. She had opened her eyes, trying to send out a message of thankfulness when she saw him. It was Assistant Director Skinner, Dana's boss. She knew who he was almost immediately, picturing him from her sister's description. He stood out in his deep gray suit and tie, blocking out the hall as he hesitated momentarily in the doorway. The look on his face was strange somehow, and Melissa sensed uneasiness. What was he doing here? Albert released her hand, turning and rising to study Mr. Skinner as he took a hesitant step forward. "I'm here to see Melissa Scully," he started. Her mother rustled from the chair, roused from her light sleep. He moved closer, eyes quickly glancing toward Melissa and then away again. "My name is Walter Skinner. I'm an Assistant Director at the FBI," he continued, flapping open his identification. "I'm very sorry about your daughter." He looked around uncertainly, then settled on her mother. "Dana asked me to come here and deliver a message." "Dana?!" Melissa leaned closer. "You've been in contact with her?" Mrs. Scully snapped up, heaving the blanket off onto the bed and rising to her feet. "Yes." "Well, I want to know where she is and if she's okay," her mother continued, an edge of authority sounding in her voice. Melissa couldn't help but inwardly smile as she watched her mother "laying the ground rules" for the Assistant Director that towered over her. Her mother had never allowed herself to be intimidated by anyone, not even the stuffy military men that her father had associated with. Melissa had always admired her for that. "She's okay," Skinner answered gently. "She's in a very serious situation that prevents her from being here." "What kind of situation?" Her mother tilted her head nervously. "One that we hope to reverse so that Dana can come back to work." The sharp click of footsteps sounded suddenly from the hall. Skinner turned, as did everyone else. A dark haired man, also dressed in a suit, passed by the doorway yet again, peering casually into it as he drifted by. "That man you just saw has been very curious about this room," Albert explained, looking towards the door. And he had been. Melissa had noticed him at least four or five times just today, striding past and making a note of the people in her room. She had no idea who he was, but she knew that he had to be looking for Dana. What had she gotten herself into? Mr. Skinner walked to the door, looked into the hall, and then turned back and looked at Albert, sizing him up warily. "Who are you?" "I am Albert Hosteen," he answered. "I was asked to come here." "Alright Albert," Skinner continued, "do not leave this room. Do you understand?" "Yes." He waited only a moment for the answer before he hurried out the door. She heard his quick footsteps sound as he disappeared down the hallway. Apparently he knew something about the man, either that or he had also realized that the man was looking for Dana. Either way she hoped that he would take care of the problem. He had seemed nervous about leaving her mother alone in the room, and that didn't sit well with her. She was glad that Albert was here, and she hoped that Skinner would find out what was going on. If her mother was in danger too, then this problem had to be stopped. Now. Mrs. Scully looked doubtfully at Albert, who nodded his head. "He is a good man," he said with his wizened old voice. "He will take care of your daughters." She looked at him a moment, not sure what to say. She sighed, slumping back down in the chair at the foot of the bed. "At least he knows that she is okay," she whispered softly. "And right now that is the most important thing." Melissa agreed silently from her place on the bed. Although vague, due no doubt to his precious bureau protocol, his message had at least confirmed that her sister was still alive, and for now was safe. Damn FBI protocol! It was as bad as the stupid crap that her father had always quoted, saying that he couldn't discuss certain things because he had sworn not to. She wanted to know what was going on, what dangers were threatening her little sister. She had a right to know! She could see the frustration in her mother's eyes too, as she knotted the corner of the blanket in her hand. This was tearing her up again. She knew her mother well enough to know that she was remembering the time last year when Dana had been missing. All of the horrible possibilities were playing out again in her mind. What could happen? Who might be involved? But not all of the thoughts were negative. Melissa could sense a mixture of emotions and feelings. Hope and relief emanated from her as well, probably the result of Mr. Skinner's recent message. Positive thoughts were the key, and she silently tried to send more to her mother, hoping to help comfort her and encourage the positive emotions. They would all three make it through this. "Change is in the air," Albert sighed, again taking up Melissa's hand. Both Scullys looked at him, his cryptic message still echoing in their ears. "It is all around us, and it will come to us soon." Mrs. Scully opened her mouth, then bit back her words. There was something in his voice that discouraged a reply, and she decided just to think about it instead. All of this was such a change, and she hoped that things would continue to change for the better. Melissa would heal, Dana would come back. Her family could get back to normal. Why did things always have to shatter like this? Melissa settled back. Walter Skinner was a good man, she could sense it, and he would help Dana, in whatever ways that he could. That was good, since Fox , um Mulder, was gone, Dana could use all of the support that she could get. A sudden beeping sounded from her monitors nearby. Then another. "Here I go again," Melissa thought to herself, watching the flood of nurses flowing suddenly through the door. Her mother, now on the verge of tears was escorted out of the room, Albert taking her arm and following one of the nurses into the hall. But Melissa had to stay near her body, watching with a bit of disgust at the flurry of movement that had suddenly burst into being over her body. She heard the call for her doctor over the hospital's paging system. The beeping suddenly stopped, but someone was screaming about blood pressure. Melissa sighed, wondering what had gone wrong this time. End Part 1 ----------------------------------------------- Separations - Part 2 By: Tridee Patric1354@aol.com The emergency was over. She had been stabilized, and the room had returned to the status quo. Mrs. Scully sat near the bed, and Albert was close by- standing and gazing thoughtfully out the window. Melissa turned to look back at herself, suddenly relieved that she couldn't feel her body and all of the needles and instruments poking into it. She shuddered. She looked awful. She was dying, and she knew it. She tried again to pull herself apart, standing up on the bed. She stretched upward, trying to pull out of herself. It wasn't working. Just as she thought that she might do it, she realized that she couldn't move her left foot. She looked down. The ethereal part of her left leg disappeared under the covers out of sight. It was still stuck to the physical foot. "Guess that I still have something to experience," she sighed, slipping back down on the bed. But what? What did she still have to wait for? Her eyes drifted again to her mother. She sat serenely in the chair at the bedside, eyes glazed over, staring at a scene that only she could see. She knew that her mother was weighing possibilities, making decisions that she had hoped that she would never have to make. Mrs. Scully hadn't immediately come back after the medical crisis, and Melissa intuitively knew that her doctors had probably held a conference with her mother concerning her condition. Knowing that the prognosis couldn't be good, she guessed that they had been discussing just how far that they would go to keep her alive. Melissa looked at herself again, listening to the soft, steady beeping of her monitors. Even if she survived, she would probably be paralyzed, or brain dead, or something equally as horrible. Melissa knew that her mother knew what she would want. They had been through this when Dana had been hovering near death in her coma last year. "She's dying. That's perfectly normal. We have machines prolong a life that should end. That's a much more unnatural circumstance than any cause for death." That was what she had said both to Mulder and to her mother. It was sad and wrong to trap someone, to cling to them selfishly when they were destined for other places. Her mother knew what Melissa's wishes would be, and she knew what was right. If their positions were reversed, her mother would have wanted the same things. But knowing that didn't make it any easier, and Melissa knew it. She understood her mother's feelings. "Let me go, Mom," she said softly, reaching out to lay an ethereal hand on her mother's arm. "Just know that I love you, and let it go." Margaret Scully sat a long moment, eyes glassy. She sniffled suddenly, fidgeting slightly. With a whisk of her hand, she brushed the moisture of a forming tear from her eye as a nurse wandered into the room. "Mrs. Scully?" She asked, wandering over to check on Melissa's condition. Margaret looked up. "Why don't you go home and rest and freshen up?" She suggested gently. "No," she answered, shaking her head. "I need to be here." "Melissa's condition is relatively stable for now, Mrs. Scully. She is resting comfortably. Now I think that she would be concerned for your welfare as well. You need to go home and freshen up. You're going to make yourself sick this way." "I..." "We'll give you a call if anything changes," the nurse interrupted firmly. "I will stay with her," Albert added, turning slowly from the window. Margaret sighed, and Melissa smiled faintly as her mother stood to leave. It would do her some good to step away from this for a while. It would give her a chance to work through her decisions and make the right choices. Maybe it would be easier to let go if she wasn't staring right at her daughter's body. She needed to have a hot shower and a hot meal anyway. Those cups of coffee and teeny sandwiches from the cafeteria weren't going to sustain her forever either. The nurse was right; she was going to get sick or at least weak from this constant vigil. "Go and rest, Mom," Melissa said again softly as her mother squeezed her hand. "I love you, Melissa," she whispered. "I won't be gone long." Then under the approving eye of all three people in the room, Mrs. Scully gathered her coat and wandered out, turning only once in the doorway to look back. The nurse went on about her business, and Melissa settled back down to continue her waiting, although she still had no idea what she was waiting for. Albert wandered back to the bedside, settling himself back into the chair vacated by Mrs. Scully. "Change is near," he mumbled softly, almost as if he were reading her thoughts. Melissa looked over at him suddenly. His eyes looked as if he were actually looking at her- the ghostly part of her. His eyes looked directly into her own. "Can you see me?" She asked urgently, leaning nearer. He smiled, but gave no answer. "Albert?" She repeated, slightly infuriated when he only smiled again in reply. He could see her, or at least he was aware of her; she knew it. But why didn't he answer? Was he not able to hear her, or did he just not want to? "Why do I get the feeling that my second guess is the right one?" She asked herself as he began another of his prayers. She watched with a touch of amusement as the nurse, looking a bit confused, wandered out of the room. The woman didn't understand; the look on her face had said it all as she had replaced the charts and wandered out. She listened patiently, closing her eyes as before and concentrating on his words, and herself. She still marveled at the feelings that he could invoke within her. They were broader and yet more intense than any she had ever achieved through mediation or any other means. Her spirit felt so loved, so free... "You have been tending to her," a deep voice suddenly spoke. Melissa's eyes snapped open. Albert hadn't moved. His eyes were still closed, and he still leaned up against the bedside. It hadn't been his voice. It was then that she noticed the other man. He too looked as though he could be Native American. His skin was deep toned, but although it had the same tough look about it, his skin was much smoother than Albert's. He was dressed comfortably in a worn pair of jeans and a dark colored flannel. His jet-black hair was cropped short, hanging just around his ears. But it really was his eyes that caught Melissa's attention. They were large, bright, and sharp gray in color, almost like glassy pools of silver. They too, looked directly into her own eyes. "Yes," Albert answered, opening his eyes and turning to greet the visitor. "It is almost time," the other man continued, moving over to stand beside the chair. Melissa watched him take her hand, closing his eyes and placing it between his own two palms. "I have been watching her," Albert continued. "Her spirit is strong." "As I had hoped that it would be." Melissa watched the two of them lock eyes. "You know what has happened?" Albert nodded. The man ran his hands back through his ebony hair. "I have been entrusted with this woman's life. Her spirit is indeed strong. You have nourished her better than I could ever have hoped to." "We do what we must," Albert answered, rising from the chair, and gesturing for the younger man to sit down. "Albert?!" A broad-shouldered figure burst into the room, fixing his piercing gaze on the older man. It was Assistant Director Skinner. Melissa gasped when she saw him. His coat was striped with patches of dust, and his face was reddened and bruised, bleeding slightly on the left side. What had happened to him?! "Where is Mrs. Scully?" He asked, eyeing the younger man suspiciously. "She has gone home to rest," Albert answered, stepping nearer. "What has happened to you?" "I'm fine. Has anyone else been in this room since I left?" "No. Only the nurses and my friend." Skinner poked his head back out into the hallway a moment, then stepped back into the doorway and moved right up to Albert. "I need to know why you are here." "The FBI woman asked me to come here," he answered. "You were with Agents Scully and Mulder in New Mexico?" Skinner asked again, his voice just barely audible as he stepped right up beside the older Indian. Albert nodded. "I need you to come with me, Mr. Hosteen. We may need your help again." "I will come," Albert answered resolutely, turning to pick up Melissa's hand and stroking it lengthwise one last time. "And who are you?" Skinner asked the other man. "My name is Shawn," Melissa noticed all of the tension that had suddenly built up in the room. What was going on now? What had happened to Mr. Skinner? And who was this man? Skinner was looking at the younger man suspiciously, but she noticed that Shawn was staring at the director just as intently. Skinner was obviously looking out for her best interests, but it seemed that the other man felt that he needed to protect her as well. From what? For what? Damn. She wished that she could ask her questions. She was tired of being a silent observer! "I will stay here with her until the mother returns," the younger man continued, answering Skinner's question before he had even asked it. The assistant director seemed satisfied with the answer, and turned to Albert expectantly. "I will return as soon as I can," Albert spoke as he turned to leave. Shawn nodded, and watched the two of them depart. Melissa watched too, her eyes dawdling several moments on the doorway, even after the two figures had disappeared into the hallway. "I know that you must have questions," the man spoke suddenly, looking down at her body. "In time they will all be answered." His voice too was soothing, calming. His touch on her hand was tender and gentle. And the look in his eyes was so intense, and so sad. "Know this. I will protect you as best I can," he continued as she leaned nearer. "This will all be strange for you, but know that you will be safe. I have helped to separate your spirit from your body, but you cannot leave this room yet. Albert has helped to nourish you, better than I ever could. I am sorry for this, but it is the only way." "Helped to separate my spirit?!" Melissa's eyebrows lifted. Was that why she had remembered hearing chanting before she had awoken? Had this man been here then? What the hell was going on? *What* was the only way? The man began a prayer of his own. Words and sounds began to roll together, and Melissa felt the warmth begin to grow within her again. The feelings were slightly different this time, but every bit as pleasant. She watched, somewhat uncertainly as he continued. She could sense that he was a good man, that his heart was true and that he could be trusted to follow his word. She heaved a sigh of relief. All of the mystery was exciting, but she suddenly was beginning to feel like she was caught between forces fighting for her life and her soul. Who was he, and what was he trying to do? Had Dana sent him as well? The words continued, melding and flowing together in a steady stream of pleasant sounds. His voice was deep, smooth, and firm, so lulling as it escaped from his lips. His eyes sparkled from within their places, gray pools intense as he concentrated on his work. As she watched, he lifted his head, and pulled something out of his pocket. He kept his hand folded tightly around it; Melissa never got to see what it was. But with a swift motion, and a sudden deep, emphasis on a syllable, he extended his hand outward. Then stuffed his hand between the mattresses on her bed. When he pulled his hand back out, it was empty. "It is done," he said suddenly, falling silent. "What?" "The waiting is almost over," he answered, releasing her hand... "Then what?" She asked. "How do you know?" Melissa heard her mother's voice ask. Melissa sighed in frustration as Shawn turned to face her mother, who was coming back into the room. She had freshened up and changed, but the dark circles were still under her eyes; Melissa knew that she hadn't gotten any rest. She had been gone for barely over an hour. Shawn looked up, rising to his feet. "I can sense it. Nothing more solid than that." His answer was vague, and yet somehow the tone in his voice made it seem as though he had explained everything. Margaret sighed, studying the latest unexpected visitor to her daughter's room. "Who are you?" She asked gently, too tired to be anything more than just curious. "My name is Shawn, and I was asked to come here." "You know Albert?" He nodded. "He left a short while ago. He promised to return soon." Melissa loved her mother dearly, but she was beginning to feel a bit like she had as a child when her mother had interrupted a phone conversation at a critical point. Shawn had been looking directly into her eyes. His answers might actually have been in response to her questions. Maybe he could see her! Maybe he would have been able to answer some of her questions now. Or maybe not. Worrying about it was useless. The moment had passed. She took a deep breath to calm herself, letting the irritation melt away. Positive thoughts. They all needed to feel positive thoughts. Mrs. Scully moved to the seat at the edge of the bed, sitting herself down to resume the vigil. "How is she?" He looked at Melissa's body, looking this time past the spirit and at the weakening body laying passively in the bed. "There has been no change since you left," he answered. Her mother made no reply, and the far-off look slowly returned to her face. Shawn said nothing more, and after hesitantly watching for Mrs. Scully's reaction, finally decided to settle himself down in the chair at the foot of the bed. Silence too, settled itself into place, broken only by the faint sounds of the bustling hospital that filtered in through the doorway. All three of the room's occupants became lost in their thoughts, and Melissa's were primarily concerning what both her mother and the strange man were thinking. But as much as she pondered the situation, no revelations came to her. She had no idea who had sent him, or why he felt as if he needed to protect her. Or what it was that he had shoved into her bed. Although she could touch solid objects, she had also discovered that she couldn't move or affect them in anyway. She could touch her mother's arm, touch her own body, and touch the bed and the blankets around her, but she couldn't move them. It was almost as if everything were glued into place. No matter what she tried, she couldn't lift the blanket or poke her hand between the mattresses to see what might be in there. So again she settled back to wait. She knew now that something was going to happen shortly. Albert had mentioned change, and Shawn had told her that the waiting would soon be over. Part of the frustration was just the feeling of knowing that, and knowing that it was just going to happen, that she wasn't going to be able to affect it in anyway. Shawn seemed to be the key. She satiated her curiosity by watching him during the next few hours, listening to his comforting words to her mother, and studying the expressions on his face. It was hard to read his emotions that way; it was so smooth and unlined. Its squarish shape and contours gave him an illusion of strength and power, but yet it appeared gentle as well. It was a handsome face, and Melissa felt herself enjoying every inch of it as she watched him, watching her. But it was his eyes that always drew her attention. They were so bright, and so intense. They were like a well-spring of knowledge- like a window to his very soul. She almost felt that if she stared into them long enough that she would learn everything, everything about him, herself, and the world all around them. He never approached her again as the hours went forward. He kept his seat at the bedside, his face calm, and his body still. Her mother whispered stories sometimes, sat quietly at others, and eventually drifted off to sleep. Melissa watched her quietly, admiring her gentle countenance, the soft wisps of dark hair that brushed her face, and the tiny care-worn wrinkles that crossed it. She traced every inch of it over and over in her mind, for some reason suddenly feeling the need to create a vivid and detailed memory of it. She was so beautiful, and looked so peaceful there, with her chin resting lightly on her chest. To her surprise, Shawn slipped out when her mother fell asleep, rising and quietly making his way towards the door. He said not a word, and never even looked in Melissa's direction before he left. He simply got up and disappeared. She chalked it up as just another strange event in the day. He had said that all of her questions would be answered at a later time. If there was a later time. She looked back down again at herself. It had been a relatively quiet afternoon, no beeping monitors, no serious problems of any kind. But yet Melissa still knew that her body was weakening. She had overheard the doctors talking of course, but she also could just sense it. She didn't feel any different herself, but she knew it instinctively. End Part 2 ----------------------------------------------- Separations - Part 3 By: Tridee Patric1354@aol.com Several hours later a familiar figure appeared in the doorway, hesitating for a moment as she gazed into the room. Margaret heard the footsteps slow, then stop, and she turned expectantly to see who had come. "Mom." "Dana!" Her mother's eyes lit up, and she came to her feet. Her expression was a picture of both relief, happiness, and sadness. Scully moved forward, embracing her mother warmly. "Before you ask, I'm fine," she said, pulling back and meeting her mother's eyes. Mrs. Scully gave her best attempt at a smile, nodding and leaving the questions unasked, as Melissa had somehow known that she would. Dana wouldn't give them any specifics anyway. It wasn't what was important right now. "I was with Mulder," she continued, "He is alive." "Alive?!" Melissa leaned nearer unconsciously at the good news. As cynical as he had been when she had last seen him, he too was a good man, and had a heart of gold at the core. Somehow she had hoped that it had all been a mistake. "Fox?" Margaret asked in disbelief, eyebrows lifting. Dana nodded. "It is a long story, but he is alive and well. The Navaho people rescued him." "Albert was here until only a short while ago," Mrs. Scully said softly, suddenly remembering. Scully nodded, blue eyes finally finding the courage to seek out her sister on the bed. Melissa intently watched her little sister's face, and the sadness and guilt that formed there during the long moment that her eyes looked at the motionless figure in the bed. Watching her standing there like that broke Melissa's heart. "How is she?" Scully whispered, feeling her breath catch in her throat. Margaret didn't answer the question. Melissa knew that her sister already knew the answer. Dana was a doctor for God sakes; she knew what the situation was. Margaret moved closer and took her daughter's hand, clasping it in her own. "Missy has had a quiet afternoon," she said softly, reading the quiet look on Scully's face as her blue eyes started to glass over. Dana didn't say anything. She couldn't. She couldn't swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. "She is still here," Mrs. Scully continued, turning her face upward to meet Dana's as she turned. She gazed at her warmly, her own eyes a bit watery as she comfortingly squeezed her daughter's hand. "Why don't you talk with her? Let her know that you are here." She shifted her gaze momentarily to Missy's body, and then drew away slowly, drifting out of the doorway to give her daughters some time alone. Melissa smiled at the gesture. She knew how hard it was for her mother to stay away. And yet, she had always allowed her daughters their space. Scully looked a bit lost for a moment, her face still a mixture of shock and grief, almost as if her eyes couldn't be seeing what they were seeing. "Oh, Missy...." she whispered, sliding slowly down in the chair beside the bed. Melissa sighed, leaning closer to her sister. She was relieved to see her here, to see that she was alive and well. Her beautiful, little sister... Her choice to join the FBI had brought her trouble from the beginning. Her father had been against it, but being strong-willed and trusting of her instincts, she had done it anyway. It had made her happy. But still it complicated her life... Dana closed her eyes, sighing and trying to collect her thoughts. Missy smiled comfortingly, despite the fact that she knew that her sister wouldn't, couldn't see it. She tried to send out positive thoughts, hoping that maybe some would break through Scully's skepticism and touch her somehow. Although Melissa was quite familiar with her sister's skeptical, rational, scientific approach to reality and life, she also knew that Dana had the ability to believe, to take a more mystical view of life and experience. She just needed to let herself. "Missy," Scully began, opening her eyes and then stopping again to hesitate. "It's Dana. I am here now." Another long pause followed. Scully grunted softly, clearing her throat again and turning her face upward towards the bed. "Oh God, Missy, I don't know what to say. I can't believe that this is happening. To me, to Mom, to you.... Missy I know where you are. Know that. I do understand. It is not a bad place; its quiet and peaceful..." "To a point, " Melissa interrupted sarcastically, mumbling over her sister as she spoke on. This annoying hospital seemed to be the farthest thing from ever being peaceful, physically or spiritually. People were always bustling this way and that, wide spectrums of feeling filled the building, people were born, and people died here. But she understood what her sister was trying to say. She didn't ever talk about it, but last year in her coma, she must have had a similar experience. "I made my choice," Dana continued softly, reaching out for her sister's hand across the bed. Melissa watched their fingers interlock, wrapping around each other and creating a bond. "Only you can make your choice. But I am here Missy..." Melissa sighed, leaning closer. She could feel anguish, fear, and irrevocable sense of guilt emanating from the small figure at her bedside. Somehow she had the feeling that Dana blamed all of this on herself... The room fell quiet again, as Scully struggled with her own words and feelings. Melissa waited patiently, silently. She knew how hard it was for her sister. But Dana had things that she needed to say, and Melissa had things that she needed to hear. "I suddenly know how you must have felt," she admitted suddenly, breaking through the silence, "watching me lay there like that last year. It is such a helpless feeling from this side." She stopped again abruptly, turning her eyes downward. "We... we never really talked about it. I knew that you would understand, but I never wanted to. It was a personal experience, something that I had heard about but had never really quite believed in. Until it happened. Suddenly I was there, and it was real, and happening to me, Missy." "It was peaceful, and quiet, and I could somehow tell that you were there, and Mom, and Mulder. And Dad came too. He talked to me, told me he was proud. He said that he loved me. Everyone did. I felt all of this love, and it was so powerful..." "Ultimately I had the power there," she continued, gathering her thoughts once again. "And so do you. You can choose. I don't know if your experience is just like mine, but I have a feeling that the look from this seat is the same. I have to sit and wait, wait for your decision. And talk... talk to you." "Why do I suddenly feel like I should have told you some of this before?" Scully suddenly interrupted herself, looking back at Melissa's body. "Why do people always wait until times like this to open up to people. You are my sister..." "Oh Dana," Melissa whispered, reaching out to stroke her sister's soft red locks of hair. "I am sorry, Missy. So sorry." Dana continued on the verge of tears. "This is all my fault. That bullet was meant for me. You shouldn't even be here. You shouldn't have to make your choice now." "Damn those bastards," she cursed, biting her lip as a tear escaped, drifting slowly down her left cheek. "It isn't fair. It isn't your time." Missy sighed, gently brushing her sister's smooth cheek, feeling the wetness of the salty drop. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair what had happened to her. But life wasn't always fair, or at least it didn't always seem to be. Missy was confident that whoever had done this to her would ultimately suffer an equally as horrible of a fate later on. Darkness always followed the dark. But it was not her sister's job to decide. Missy looked over at Dana again. "Let it go, Dana," she said slowly, speaking to her sister's heart, where she might actually be heard. "The guilt is not yours. I know that you love me. Let that love allow you to grieve and realize those feelings that you try so hard to keep all bottled up inside. Focus on the sadness, the happiness, and the hope. Let the anger pass; it will only bring more darkness. Let your experiences strengthen you, but do not let them harden you into a cold, unfeeling person." Scully sobbed softly, brushing the tears from her eyes. Melissa looked on, mentally creating a picture of her sister in her mind. The blue eyes, the pale skin, the auburn hair, the petite figure...They all made her who she was. She too was so beautiful, and for the moment, looked so fragile, gentle. Here she didn't have to be professional. Here she didn't have to hide how she felt. "You are my little sister, Dana," Melissa continued, smiling wistfully, "and I know you, even through all of your little walls. You feel. You have emotion. You care. That helps make you what you are. Try and forget your reasoning and logic sometimes and *feel* who you are. It makes you human. It makes you Dana Katherine Scully, not Special Agent Scully. Dana knows how to love. Let her show you how." Missy moved back, staring deeply into her sister's glowing blue eyes, feeling their connection, feeling the mutual love flowing between them. Melissa felt no hate, no bitterness over what had happened. She felt only the love. "I love you, Dana," she whispered softly. "I love you, Missy" Scully whispered softly. As if on cue, the monitors began to beep frantically. Scully jumped back, jaw dropping in shock. "Oh," "Melissa?!" Mrs. Scully burst through the doorway, the beeping echoing in her ears like a siren. "Dana, Mom..." Melissa stood up, wanting them to stay, wanting to shut out the customary flood of nurses that began streaming through the door. "Oh," she gasped to herself as she looked down. In her sudden movement, she had jumped to her feet and stood up on the bed. She lifted first one foot, and then the other. She could lift them both. She jumped up on the bed a moment, at first not sure that she had fully realized what had happened. Both feet rose easily out from her body under the blankets. She had become fully separated. "Call the doctor!" A nurse murmured frantically. Melissa looked up again. Dana and her mother were gone, nowhere in sight. In fact, she could barely see herself through the flurry of activity above her body. She cursed softly, deciding that she had had enough. She took a step forward. But to her dismay she found that she couldn't leave the room yet. Or get off of the bed for that matter. She discovered that her ethereal form was now tied somehow to the hospital bed that she had been lying in for the past few days. She had finally separated from her body, but now a part of her had to be on the bed; an ankle, a hand, just something. A gurney moved into the room, and she had to slide to the opposite side of the bed as they loaded her body onto it. As it rolled away, the people trailed out after it, leaving her alone in the room. Alone with her thoughts. Confusion was what she felt now. She perched herself on the edge of the bed, dangling her legs over the side. "Still waiting," she thought to herself, sighing as she flopped her back flat on the mattress and let her hair cascade around her face. "Still waiting..." End Part 3 ----------------------------------------------- Separations - Part 4 By: Tridee Patric1354@aol.com The orderly pulled on the sheet, yanking it so tightly that a quarter could have bounced off of it. Melissa watched idly, with an air of disinterest. The whole bed-changing process was boring, dull, and unremarkable, and yet she had nothing else to do. No one had come back to her room, and she couldn't leave. The woman grunted in satisfaction as she tossed the pillows back up at the head of the bed. "Congratulations," Melissa spoke, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "You have wonderfully changed yet another bed. You must be so proud." The woman, as expected, made no reply. She gathered her things and wandered back out into the hallway. The forbidden hallway. The one that Melissa could only see. Things appeared and disappeared from that one magical hallway, almost as if it held everything in the world and was just deciding what it would spit out next. But she couldn't explore its contents. She just had to wait and see what would happen next. "Ultimately I had the power there. And so do you. You can choose." Melissa sighed, her sister's words from earlier in the day still echoing in her mind. She had no idea how much time had passed since the doctors had dragged her from the room, but it seemed like hours ago. "Oh Dana, if only you knew," she sighed. "I am powerless to choose here. I can do nothing," she said in disgust. "Forces are at work all around me, but I can only wait. It seems as though everything has already been decided for me." She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes, blocking out the drab, empty room around her. Everything was neat, spotlessly clean, and sterile. But the typical brightness of the hospital room was no more. The only light was the soft orangeish-yellow glow from a single swinging lamp perched near the head of the bed. Shadows abounded on the outskirts of the room, but Melissa was bathed in full light, almost as if the lamp were acting as a spotlight for her in the darkness. "Stop it, Melissa," she told herself. "Shawn told you that everything was taken care of, and that he would answer all of these questions later. Things just take time." She knew what had happened to her had a great deal to do with whatever he had hidden in the mattresses. She had tried to discover what it was , but to no avail. She had even hoped that the orderly might find it when she changed the bed, but that hadn't happened either. It was a mystery, and would remain that way until he came back. The other part of her was insanely curious about what was happening to her body. Before she had always been able to see what was happening, but now she was as in the dark about it as the rest of her family. She suddenly thought that Dana might find it funny to know that she was completely wrong about the waiting being hard from where she was. It was even worse when it was yourself that you were worried about. The sign that the bed had been changed, and the charts removed was not a good sign. Everyone had been gone for a long time, and suddenly she wondered if her body had finally died. It had been weakening for some time... Then what happened? Questions. More questions. She could keep coming up with better and better ones. What had happened to Skinner? To Albert? To Dana? Who had shot her? Why? Who was Shawn and why had he sworn to help her? And what had he done? They were endless, but stewing about them wasn't going to help anything. Positive thoughts. She needed to focus on the positive thoughts, to keep up her spirits and keep her mind sharp. She closed her eyes and focused deep within her, bringing back pleasant childhood memories of her brothers and sisters. Playing together, feeling close and loved.... A lonely figure appeared in the doorway. Missy smiled as she drew nearer, glad for the company of her sister. She had just been thinking about her... "I don't know where you are now, Missy," Dana's voice said softly, just barely above a whisper, "but I was just thinking of you..." "Connections," Missy thought to herself, marveling a bit at how similar her sister's thoughts had been to her own. She knew that they had always been connected on a psychic level, whether or not both of them realized it or not. Apparently their recent separation hadn't done anything to change that. "I remember... I remember when we were lost that one day at that old cemetery near Grandpa's house," Scully continued, moving forward towards the empty bed. "You said that you could just feel the presence of that little boy strongly in one spot, but following you to it got us both lost." She paused a moment -smiling to herself. "You always said strange things like that... but it made you- you." She stopped a moment, tilting her head sideways and shaking it from side to side. "I can't believe I'm saying this... talking to an empty room. But for some reason I was drawn back here... maybe this is where I can feel you..." "I don't know..." She stopped again, breaking off the train of thought as the logic broke through again. Melissa sighed. It had always been that way with little Dana. Logic and reason overruled everything, interfering in things that they had nothing to do with. Dana *could* feel her, she could sense that she was here. She must have. Why else would she have come back like this? Melissa grinned in spite of herself. She had always known. She was glad that the feelings at least broke through sometimes. Dana did have good instincts; she always had. Maybe she was finally learning to trust them, at least a little. "Maybe it was Mulder's influence," she thought amusingly. "Missy, how can you be gone?" Scully whispered slowly, shuffling over and running her hand over the back of the chair. Her gaze rested sadly on the neatly made bed, looking right through the ethereal form of Melissa, who looked back wistfully. "There was so much that we never got to do..." So that was it. She was officially dead. She must have finally slipped away. Odd that she hadn't felt anything. She had always assumed that she would at least intuitively know if she was dead somehow. But she felt the same as she had yesterday... "It isn't your fault," Melissa replied. "What was meant to be was meant to be. We can't change our destinies." "I love you, Missy" Scully continued, consciously oblivious to the presence just inches away from her. "Wherever you are, I always will." She paused a long moment, sliding down on the edge of the seat. She fiddled a moment with her hair, tucking loose strand behind her ear, struggling with the flood of thoughts as they rushed through her mind. "Say 'hi' to Dad for me," she whispered, with a touch of light-heartedness in her voice. " I promise," Melissa replied. The two Scullys sat quietly after that, both lost in thoughts. Scully sat with her hands folded in her lap, eyes looking sadly at the floor. Melissa watched her sister, wondering about her, but truly just happy that she had come. Dana was growing and changing. Maybe some of her experiences had helped to change her, to open her to possibilities. Or maybe Melissa had just never really noticed before. Maybe this whole spiritual experience had sharpened her own senses. Dana's presence here was at least comforting. They could both be there for the other, in one way or another. Dana kept Missy company, and Missy tried to send her love to her sister in her own ways. When another figure popped into view several minutes later, Melissa was genuinely surprised. It was Mulder. He hesitated a moment in the doorway, but then the dull thud of his boots sounded as he moved forward. Scully turned slightly. "It happened three hours ago," she spoke softly. "She went into surgery. The damage to her brain was worse than they had hoped..." Mulder squatted down next to her, listening. "Her blood pressure started to rise... and uh... she slipped away..." Melissa could hear the waver in her voice, the waver that signified that Dana was on the verge of tears. "She died for me, " Scully continued, struggling with her grief. "I tried to tell her I was sorry, but I don't think that she'll ever really know..." "Oh, God, Dana" Melissa whispered, feeling tears well up in her own eyes. "Oh, she knows," Fox said, eyes wide, voice tender. "Melissa knows." Scully drew in a breath. "You were right," she continued, turning to look at him. "There is no justice..." Her tone was so flat, so devoid of all hope. Melissa felt a tear run down her cheek. "I don't think that this is about justice, Scully," Mulder countered gently. "Then what is it about?" Scully asked sadly, sounding almost desperate. "I think that it's about something we have no personal choice in. I think it's about fate..." They both held their gaze for a long moment, and Melissa watched them, brushing her salty tear away. Fate. It could be a cruel master; it could be a kind master. But master over all it was. And fair or not, all of its decisions were final. The two partners turned away from each other finally, but Melissa kept her eyes locked on Fox. She found herself suddenly overcome with joy that he was alive. He understood. His instincts helped him to understand the workings of the world. He would be there for Dana, protect her, care for her. He could help her to understand, to go on. "Skinner told me that he talked to you, " Mulder continued. "That you were insisting on coming back to work." He paused, taking a breath before he looked back at his partner. "Now if Melissa's death is..." "I need something to put my back up against," she interrupted. " I feel the same way. We've both lost so much. But I believe that what we're looking for is in the X-files. I'm more certain now than ever that the truth is in there." "I've heard the truth, Mulder," she replied, eyes never blinking. "Now what I want are the answers." Mulder instinctively moved nearer to her sister at that moment, hearing her sniffle ever so softly. He put his arm around her right shoulder, cradling her head beneath his chin as she leaned on him. He hugged her tightly, rubbing her arm comfortingly as she broke down and sobbed softly in his arms. Melissa cried softly too, warm tears flowing freely down her face. She listened to her sister's grieving, and saw the tears in Fox's eyes, although they never made it to his ruddy cheeks. It was a touching scene, and although Melissa felt a bit guilty for intruding on what should have been a private moment, she was happy to be a witness to it. Dana and Fox had a bond between them; an implicit capacity for understanding. Each trusted the other, could guess at the other's true inner self, knew their true feelings and needs... They could communicate a thousand words and emotions with a single glance. They were best friends, their spirits connected them, made each a part of the other. It was a connection that few found. "Don't lose what you have," she whispered softly. "Nourish it, and let it grow...." Scully pulled away then, brushing the last tears from her eyes. Mulder sighed, coming to his feet, eyes still filled with concern as he waited patiently for his partner to make her peace with what had happened. Each could help the other to heal. Each would help the other focus on what was ahead, as Mulder would put it, on "What was out there." The grief would remain, but it wouldn't grow and twist into dark thoughts, into evil motivations. It would strengthen them. And their work could help them focus, let go of the anger and channel the energy into something positive... Melissa suddenly noticed that her sister's gaze had found its way to the bed, to the exact spot where the lamp shone like a spotlight on Missy's position. "Good-bye, Dana," Melissa whispered, not caring if her sister was aware of her or not. Dana smiled suddenly, a light glow finding its way out upon her face as she softly shook her head a moment. Mulder noticed the gesture, and moved a step closer. "What is it, Scully?" He questioned. She paused a moment before coming to her feet. "It just doesn't feel like she's gone," she tried to explain. Mulder said nothing, but the look that passed between them revealed both to Missy and Dana that he understood. He came up behind her, gently guiding her from the room. Neither one of them ever looked back as they disappeared back into the depths of the hallway. For Melissa, it was symbolic in a way. The two of them walking off together into the future, into a time and a place that no one could see but them. They were going off into a place where the two of them together could support each other, and tackle whatever obstacles might come. "Miss Scully?" It was Shawn. He too had abruptly appeared in the shadowy room, making his way quickly across the floor on his way to the bedside. "It is time," he continued, as she eyed him curiously. She watched him feel between the mattresses, fingers searching for the hidden object. "What does that thing have to do with what has happened to me?" Melissa questioned, mild irritation sounding in her voice. She knew that he was aware of her, and she was pretty sure that he could hear her if she spoke. Now she wanted some answers. His fingers folded securely around whatever-it-was again, blocking the object from her view. "I sense your confusion," he spoke, voice mild and so mystical-sounding to her ears. "And I can understand. But you must trust me." "Time is of the essence," he continued, whispering. "You must come with me now. We must leave this hospital." He started towards the door, and she slid off of the bed, not surprised that she could now take steps to move towards the door. At last, something was happening! Her curiosity drew her forward after the strange man, each step taking her closer to discovering the answers to some of her nagging questions. She followed him out into the hall, allowing her senses to take in the bustling chaos around her: the people, the machines, the voices, the noise. The unit was so full of life that she couldn't ever hope to interpret or understand everything that assailed her senses within those short moments. She felt so alive, and so real... as though death couldn't possibly touch her. He turned left, pushing open the glass door to ICU, dawdling a moment to allow her the time to slip out after him. Suddenly realizing that she was powerless to affect the objects around her, she picked up her pace, bare-feet lightly brushing the floor as she slid into step directly behind him. He was so strong, and his figure was so solid, as though every inch of him was pure muscle. And yet he moved like a cat, feet stepping lightly, every inch of him moving forward fluidly. His thick black hair stirred slightly from his motion, but although they were moving at a brisk pace, she heard not so much as a raspy breath find its way past his lips. As they moved down the hall, Shawn stopped abruptly, and Melissa pulled up just short of crashing into him. He turned to a water fountain on the right wall, turning to whisper to her as he bent over to drink. "When I bend down, I want you to wrap your arms around my neck. Cling to my back, or else we may become separated. I cannot support you, but you must stay with me." The instructions were clear and precise, but of course he didn't explain why- where they were going-or why it was so important. She understood that objects coming down the hall could pin her, and perhaps separate her from Shawn, but she didn't quite see the need for her to climb onto his back. Things had worked out well up to this point. But arguing was futile. She obediently wrapped both of her arms around his neck when he knelt, and when he stood up, she dug her knees into his side. She wondered if he could feel her. She hoped that she was squeezing him maybe a bit too hard, it would serve him right for being so secretive. Suddenly though, she was glad that no one could see her. She probably looked ridiculous this way. He straightened up, keeping his arms at his side, and silently made his way to the elevator at the end of the hall. Melissa clung to him, finding that his motion was indeed almost fluid. The ride was almost perfectly smooth. He hardly bounced her around at all. But that was probably a good thing, because with no support beneath her legs, it was hard to hold on. She squeezed him tightly, hanging on for dear life as people pressed up against her in the crowded elevator. God, he was solid! His arms, his neck... A sweet scent wafted from a bouquet of deep, red roses that a grand fatherly man clutched in the far back corner of the elevator. A little boy brushed up against the dangling part of Missy's dress as he fidgeted by his mother's side. The rippling of the light dress material against her legs tickled, and Melissa couldn't resist a giggle. "I can't be dead," she thought to herself as the ticklish sensation faded from her skin. Her senses were so sharp; every sight, smell, touch, and sound. She could feel it all, sense it all, and everything almost seemed more rich and developed than it had ever been before. Blessedly, the elevator soon reached the lobby, and the people began to file out. God, she hoped that this trip was almost over. She was beginning to feel the strain in her arms. As Shawn maneuvered through the crowds, Melissa drew in sharp breath, digging into his sides with her knees in an attempt to hold on. "Sorry," she whispered to him. He continued down the hall, steps smooth and light as he navigated through the chaos. Melissa gave up her observations and concentrated on clinging to him to avoid becoming separated. Shawn moved through the doors and out into the parking lot, quickly moving over to a black Chevy pick-up truck. As they approached, the passenger side-door opened and a middle-aged man with dark hair popped out. End Part 4 ----------------------------------------------- Separations - Part 5 By Tridee Patric1354@aol.com "Is everything alright?" The man asked as he stepped out of the black pick-up truck. Shawn nodded. "You can drop down now Miss Scully," he said. She gratefully unclasped her arms and slid to the ground. "Ok, into the truck. Time is wasting." He beckoned to the vehicle, and sighed with contempt. She climbed in. He paused outside a moment longer than he should have, and Melissa got the distinct impression that he couldn't see her exactly. As she thought it over, she realized that that might explain why he hadn't answered any of her direct questions earlier. Maybe he couldn't actually see or hear her... Maybe he could only sense her presence somehow. She watched Shawn nod to the other man and walk to the far side of the truck, admiring him as he made his way around the back. So handsome, and so strong... and those eyes!!!! He slid in beside her, and the other man moved onto the passenger seat, pinning her in between them. Why did she suddenly feel like she had two huge burly bodyguards protecting her? She giggled to herself. She didn't even have her real body anymore. Maybe she should call them her 'spiritguards'? The engine started, and the trio sped away into the heart of Washington D.C. Neither of her companions spoke a word, so Melissa sat quietly, watching the scenes speed by outside the windows. It was a beautiful evening. The moon was full, bathing everything in its soft, glowing light. And what it couldn't or didn't touch was illuminated by the bright, myriad of lights flowing out of the city's buildings. A light, cool breeze wafted in through the window, carrying with it the soft scent of greenery, the harsh odor of smoke, food smells, and other scents of the city. It was a gorgeous early summer evening, one to spend outdoors. "Not traipsing off to who-knows-where with men that snuck you out of a hospital at night," she thought to herself. Where were they taking her anyway? She might actually have been uneasy with all of this, except that 'her guards' probably couldn't do anything to her, and even this beat sitting around in the hospital waiting endlessly. The truck pulled up finally at a small house on the outskirts of Alexandria, Virginia. Melissa wasn't sure how much time had passed, but it must have been a goodly amount. The man on her right side immediately hopped out and disappeared into the house. Shawn dawdled a moment, and she turned to him expectantly. "All should be ready," he said, turning to face her direction. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight, in his proud face. "As I have explained before, this will be strange for you. I promise to keep you safe. Now we will go back into the house, and there you can find your way back into your body." What? He was going to join her spirit and her body again?! It hadn't really died?! Her mouth practically dropped open. " I cannot truly see you, but I can tell if you are nearby," he confessed, voice soothing. "You must willingly help us with this. In truth, it is your struggle. I will tell you what you must do, but it is your choice." "Choice? To return to life?" She asked, forgetting that he couldn't hear her. She was reminded of Alice's famous line, "Curiouser and Curiouser." She had faith in him, but all of this was so strange. He obviously was telling her that she could choose whether to take her body back or not. "But we must make haste. If we wait too long, the choice will be made for you. Please come, Miss Scully." Her eyebrows lifted as he stepped out, holding the door open for her. This was it. It was the moment of choice that Dana had told her about. She could go back, or she could go on. She really had no idea what either choice would mean for her. But she had no time to ponder it either. She slid across the seat, her bare-feet feeling the soft cushion of the dewy grass as they hit the ground. The wind rustled her hair, filled her nostrils with the light scent of early summer. Shawn looked towards her warmly, gray eyes sparkling in the moonlight. The sweet song of a bird echoed in the distance. She felt so alive, as though the world still held so many possibilities. What could it hurt to try? If it failed, she would move on anyway. But what if fate had meant for her to survive? She had come this far already... He closed the door, moving across the shadowy lawn and into the house. She followed behind him, not knowing what to expect, but excited all the same. The doorway opened into a neat little house, with a long hallway which stretched off before her. A flight of stairs began just to her right, and a wide living room opened off to her left. Shawn stopped only long enough to close and lock the door before he started up the steps. Melissa followed behind. At the top of the stairs, Shawn beckoned to a doorway, the first one off to their right. Taking a deep breath, she turned the corner. Before her eyes was a sparsely furnished bedroom, lit primarily by the glow of candlelight. Three men, one middle-aged and two older, occupied the room, sitting around the bed. Candles were everywhere, lighting the center of the room, but leaving the outer rim bathed in misty shadows. A figure lay stretched out upon the bed, and Melissa drew in a sharp breath as she realized that the body was her own. Her head was still bandaged up, but other than that she looked okay. Her skin was still smooth, although extremely pale. She lay perfectly motionless in the bed. What were they going to do? Somehow they had managed to steal her body from the hospital and bring it here. Now it looked as if they were going to try and join her spirit back to her body. Was that possible? She turned to look at Shawn. "You are going to try and join me," she said, deciding finally that must be his goal. "This is where you must ultimately choose," he said softly. "If you chose life, then you must go and lay again within yourself. You must close your eyes, and take whatever comes. But if you choose to continue your journey, then all that you must do is wait for your body to take its final breath." "But I thought that I had already done that," she said in awe, looking back at herself. She was still breathing, if ever so faintly. How had they done that? How had they gotten her away from the doctors? How had she been pronounced dead? None of it mattered, but it did explain why she hadn't felt any different after she had "died". She hadn't. But she still could. She had to choose. The future could hold possibilities on this path, journeying into the unknown, with all that it might hold. Going back would probably mean pain, and hardship... But it would also mean hope and experience and chances to enrich her life. And see her family again... She had been given a chance to come back for a reason. If she had been meant to die now, then she would have. Melissa Scully was not meant to die now. So that only left her one thing to do. She took a step forward into the room, catching smiles from the men as she moved nearer, and nearer to the bed. It was so strange to see herself like this, stretched out lengthwise across the bed, with her hands laying by her sides. Her face was ghostly white, and her lips were almost white too. But she looked so peaceful. Her lips were fashioned in just the slightest curve of a smile, almost as if she was having a pleasant thought. "And perhaps I am," Missy said to herself. "Here I close one door, but the other is wide open, and filled with possibilities. I will live. I will go and discover what the possibilities hold for me. My separation is ended." Taking a deep breath, she slid onto the bed, smiling down at herself. "Here I come, Missy," she said softly, closing her eyes and laying her ethereal spirit back down within the shape of her physical body. The men in the room, smiled approvingly, although Melissa couldn't see them. She heard them shuffle into position around the bed, heard them muttering back and forth in what she guessed was their native language. She could pick out Shawn's voice, and was somewhat comforted as he moved right up close to her. "Try and relax, Miss Scully," he said soothingly. "Melissa," she thought, wanting him to know her name suddenly. "This will all be over soon," he continued. Missy kept her eyes closed, filling her mind with positive thoughts and future hopes and dreams. She still couldn't feel her body around her, but somehow she could sense that it was there. She tried to keep herself still, although it was difficult. Despite the courage that she was trying to convince herself she had, this was scaring her to death. Inwardly she cringed as a soft chanting began around her. It was similar to the ones that Albert had said for her in the hospital, but they had a different feel to them. It was almost as if immense power was seeping out of them, filtering into the air around them as each word and accent were spoken. Melissa listened, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. Time became non-existent. She lost track of how long ago anything had been. She lost track of everything. All that existed in her world was the steady drumming of a chant, rising and falling around her. Voices, deep and mellow filled the room, filled her ears, filled her spirit. She wasn't sure when it first happened, but she slowly became aware of her body. She felt it surrounding her, trying to keep her alive. She felt the warm blood pulsing through her veins, felt the beating of her heart within her chest. It was so warm, and she felt so safe and comfortable. And so tired. Melissa opened her eyes to see the bright summer sunshine streaming through the open window. She sat up and stretched a moment, unsure of where she was and how she had gotten there. Then slowly it all came back; the shooting, the hospital, the darkened room at night, the chanting... On a sudden thought, she took her hand and ran it across her arm, smiling as she noticed that the hand and the arm both were solid. The ethereal spirit form was gone, probably integrated back into herself. A further check revealed that she was almost exactly as she had remembered herself from the dark night. She was clad in a thin gown, but now had only a single strip of gauze on her forehead. She sighed and leaned back on the pillows, trying hard to convince herself that it all hadn't just been a dream. It had happened, the entire strange experience. She had been separated, and then rejoined somehow. Those thoughts brought her up to the present moment, to here, wherever here was. The bedroom was decorated in cream and soft minty green colors. The bed was in the center of the room, a dresser and a desk were pushed up against the far wall. A small table sat near the bedside. The tiny digital clock on it read, "9:05." "The flowers awaken with the sunrise," a mellow voice spoke as its owner popped through the doorway. Shawn's face was smooth, his expression happy as he stepped closer. Melissa blushed. "I think that this flower is probably a bit wilted," she offered, grinning in spite of herself as he moved over and seated himself on the end of the bed. He shook his head, gray eyes sparkling in the bright sunlight. "Flowers need the sunlight to nurture them. Your dark time is over now. The bright promise of a new day lies before you." She turned her eyes down, grinning at his poetic words. "How do you feel this morning?" he asked. "Alive," she answered, turning towards the window. "I can't say that I feel wonderful, but I do feel good." He nodded approvingly. "Are you hungry?" "Now that you mention it, I am a bit," she confessed, turning to look into his eyes. They were so clear, so sharp, so vibrant. So perfect. Suddenly she felt as if she could stare into his eyes forever, and never get enough. "It has been at least two days since you have eaten anything,"' he continued, staring back a moment as silence took over the room. But then he smiled and looked away. "Two days?!" Her shock was apparent. "You needed to rest and regain your strength. You haven't missed much. It rained both days while you slept. The sun came out just this morning." Again a blanket of silence fell across the room, broken only by the whistle of a songbird outside the window. "Can you stand?" He asked. She shrugged, sliding her feet over to the side of the bed. He rose and offered her his hand as she dropped her feet to the floor and tried to stand. Much to her relief, she could feel her legs, and the rest of her as he helped her slowly move across the floor. She could still talk and walk, although she was a bit shaky. There appeared to be no permanent damage done. "You are a strong woman," he offered, walking slowly and steading her as they moved into the hallway. "I am going to turn a permanent shade of red if you keep that up," she joked, referring to his profuse words of praise. He shrugged, and caught her in his arms as she suddenly faltered a step and stumbled forward. God, he was solid, and yet so gentle as he caught her and helped her to gain her balance again. Melissa blushed furiously, then looked up at him a bit perplexed when she noticed the stairs. "Allow me," he said, sweeping her gently off her feet and carrying her down the stairs. "You didn't have to do that," she protested weakly, secretly enjoying the attention, and his burly arms. "Next time you can carry me," he joked lightheartedly, and they laughed. He carried her down into the kitchen and set her down in a comfortable spot at the table. Sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows, and she enjoyed the warm tingle of it on her face. While she watched, he pulled glasses out of a cabinet and poured juice for them. "Would you like some coffee, Miss Scully?" He asked. "Melissa, or Missy," she answered, noting the hint of a grin on his face. He had already known what her name was. He was being polite to a point of absurdity. "Very well, Melissa," he said, setting out two mugs. He also set out a tray of muffins, and a selection of fruit arranged beautifully on a plate. On his last trip to the table, he brought napkins and a plate for each of them. "Alright," he began, watching her absently whirl her spoon around in her coffee. "Let's get to work on those questions of yours." She looked up at him, and he began his story before she even had a chance to ask one. "My name is Shawn Celsteet, and I work for the government. I used to work for the FBI, like your sister, but now my boss can vary. At the present time I am working for you." She looked at him questioningly, but he motioned for her only to listen until he was finished. "Your sister and her partner, Mulder, were involved with some very sensitive government documents, documents that were never supposed to be seen. They weren't even supposed to exist. But they do exist, and somehow your sister and Agent Mulder got a copy of them." He paused again, turning his eyes downward to the table. "The government wanted to recover the files, at all costs. Agent Mulder was supposedly killed on a reservation in New Mexico, and next they moved in on your sister. The men who shot you were most likely trying to kill your sister." "Dana," Melissa whispered slowly. "But call it fate or what you will, you were the one in the apartment that night. And you took the bullet for her. And of course the government knows nothing about it, and doesn't care if innocents get mixed up in their dirty business. But some of us do care, and we support the work that your sister and Agent Mulder are doing." "What are they doing?" Shawn sighed. "Agent Mulder and Agent Scully are determined to make our government answer to some of the horrible crimes that they have committed. They want them to own up for their mistakes, and expose their covered-up secrets to the public. We all have a right to know." "What was this information that was so worth killing for?" She asked bitterly. "Information concerning what many claim to be the greatest conspiracy of all time: the truth about what our government knows about the existence of extraterrestrial life." "Extraterrestrial life?!" Her voice was so faint. *That* was what was so important... "I believe that their work is very important, but we can not always protect them. You on the other hand, were involved purely by chance. We had to step in to help you. Both for you and Agent Scully." "Does my sister know you ?" Shawn shook his head. "There are many of us that watch from the wings, but neither your sister or Mulder knows of our exact identities. They may not even know of my specific group's existence. But we will continue to help them, and you." "How did you bring me here?" She asked, changing the subject. "We had you pronounced dead, and then took your body from the hospital and brought it here. It really was no problem." "So was I dead or not?" He shook his head. "No. We had you pronounced dead, but in fact you were not." He stopped, noting the odd look on her face. "We have many connections in the hospital. For all practical purposes, you are dead Melissa. Your body's disappearance from the morgue will be explained as a mix-up. The story will say that your body was cremated. The ashes will be given to your family, along with profuse apologies." "Dana and Mom are going to be furious," Melissa added suddenly, grinning as she pictured how angry her mother and sister and brothers were going to be about all of it. Shawn caught her smile. "But you will have to stay that way, at least for now," he continued, locking eyes with her to be sure that she understood him. "Only a handful of people know that you are alive, and it will have to stay that way." "But why do I have to be officially dead?" She questioned. "There are many reasons. But the main ones involve protecting you and your family." Melissa sighed. It appeared that she had hit a sensitive subject. Well, at least she had started to get some of the questions answered. The rest would come later, she knew. Shawn was here to stay with her. He would be open and honest about everything. She trusted him fully and completely. But she was so tired, and didn't feel like drilling him for answers right now. After all, she had all the time in the world. She was dead! She giggled inwardly, her eyes catching the glimmer of a light as they looked up from her mug. A single, teardrop-shaped crystal hung from the window, splitting the sunlight into groups of tiny rainbows that dotted the kitchen. Melissa sighed, thoughts wandering as she gazed at its beauty. The single crystal could take the white sunlight, and separate it into an entire spectrum of colors. It could take one thing and break it apart into all of its beautiful possibilities. But it could also work in reverse and put all of the colors back together to recreate the white light. Melissa suddenly felt akin to the crystal prism in the window. Her life had been taken from one straight course and been separated into possibilities. But she had seen them all, experienced new things, seen beautiful things, and done mystical and wondrous things. And now all of her rainbows of experience had been joined to recreate the single white light which was her life; the life which still held within it all of those rainbows of possibility. Part of her was still separated. She was now isolated from her family and friends, and probably most of her old life. But in time those separations could be mended as well. She was sure of it. She just had to focus on the future, and trust in herself and the man named Shawn who had sworn to protect her. She was still alive. Although the old possibilities were closed for now, the new ones glimmered in the distance. And as soon as she was stronger, Melissa intended to discover what they were. The END!!!! Hoo- yah!!! Look for the further adventures of Melissa Scully to follow.... And please let me know if you are interested...