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The next day was
Monday, so Mulder stopped by the flower shop before going to the hospital.
As he got to Scully’s room, he saw Charles sitting just outside. As Mulder
approached him, Charles stood up.
“Hi,” Mulder
said. “Dana’s in there right?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s she doing?”
“The doctor said
that she’s recovering faster than they thought. She can go home in a few
days.”
“That’s good.”
Charles glanced
at the bouquet of red roses Mulder was holding and smiled. “So you’re the
one who’s been giving them to her.”
Mulder nodded
and smiled back. “Yeah, and it’s been taking a huge chunk out of my wallet.
But it’s worth it, anyway. I’m just glad she’s doing better.”
“That’s nice.”
He cocked his head slightly. “You know, you’re not such a bad guy.”
“What do you
mean?”
“Just like I
said. I mean, before we met, I’d been hearing a lot about you from the
family.”
“I take it not
all good.”
“You mean from
Bill?”
“I mean from
everybody.”
“Well, there’ve
been mixed messages, but the only really unflattering things I’ve heard
were from Bill… He, well, he’s slightly opinionated. And over protective
of Dana. He’s been that way since Dad died, and since Missy was shot in
Dana’s apartment… Well, I guess he couldn’t help but get worse. Missy thought
you were slightly arrogant, but Mom and Dana really like you. Mom respects
you and I think she kinda thinks of you kinda like a son.”
“Well… I kinda
think of your mother a family too. And I’m really sorry about Melissa.”
“You had nothing
to do with it.”
“What does Bill
think about that?”
“Well, Bill just
needs someone to take the blame. You’re the most likely candidate.”
“You’re a really
honest guy, aren’t you, Charles.”
“I try.”
“Is he in there
with her now?”
“Who, Bill? Yeah.
Why?”
“It’s sunset.”
Charles had a
questioning look on his face.
“I visit her
everyday at sunset. I don’t want to be late for the first time.”
“Oh. Well, you
might want to wait a bit before going in the lion’s den, so to speak.”
Mulder smiled.
“Sure.” There was a slightly uncomfortable pause. Then Mulder asked, “He
blames me for what happened to Dana, doesn’t he?”
Charles shrugged.
“Yeah, I guess. It’s not your fault, of course, but as I said before, he
needs someone to blame. Though why he doesn’t just blame the people who
really did this is beyond me. But you’re the one who was most closely involved.
And I guess, for him, it’s easier to give credit, to someone he knows can’t
really hate him.”
Mulder nodded.
“But despite
my brother’s opinions, I have to thank you for finding her before… before
anything really horrible happened to her. Also for notifying Mom so quickly.”
“You’re welcome
but it was really me who got her into this mess.”
“Well, what could
you have done about it?”
Another uncomfortable
silence.
“Do you think
I should go in?”
Charles smiled.
“I guess, but good luck.”
Mulder knocked
on the door. Scully’s voice answered with a “Come in!” and he entered.
Scully was standing in the middle of the room with Bill holding her hand
tentatively, as if afraid she would fall. They looked his way as he entered.
Bill frowned as Scully smiled.
“Hi, Mulder.”
“Hi, Dana.” He
walked over and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek as she blinked in
surprise at the sound of her own name. “For you.” He held out the flowers.
“Thank you.”
She breathed them in and smiled.
“Hello, Bill.
How are you?” Mulder said in a tone that told it was only a formality.
“Fine, thanks.
You?” he answered in a dull voice.
“Can’t complain.”
He nodded as
if he didn’t care either way.
“Hey, Bill? Could
you excuse us for a minute? We have a few things we need to discuss in
private,” Scully said.
“Yeah, sure.”
He helped her back to the bed. “I was just about to leave anyway.” He kissed
her on the cheek and turned to walk toward the door. As he passed by Mulder,
Bill gave him a stern and disapproving look. He closed the door behind
him.
“Did you see
Charles out there?” Scully asked.
“Yeah, he’s a
nice guy.”
She smiled and
nodded.
“So, Dana, do
you want to talk?”
She nodded again.
“And, um, could you take it easy with my first name?”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.
I’m not really used to hearing it coming from you just yet. It’s slightly
disorienting.”
“Sure, Scully.”
There was another
one of those uncomfortable silences.
“So…” Mulder
said.
“So…” Scully
answered.
Another deafening
silence.
“We agreed not
to get… involved until we no longer work together, right?” Scully said.
“Right.”
“We can’t afford
to be split up.”
“Right.”
“It’s for the
best.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Neither sounded
too convinced of that last one.
“Scully?”
“Yeah?”
“What happens
if we get pulled into a relationship? With other people, I mean?”
“Well, with our
luck with dates and relationships, I’m pretty sure that’s not something
we have to worry about.”
“But what if,
unlikely as it may seem, we do?”
“I don’t know.
Don’t talk about it in front of each other.”
“You mean if
one of us gets any, we can’t brag about it?”
“Sorry, Mulder.”
“But what’s the
fun in that?”
She smiled. “I
don’t think you have to worry about it, Mulder. At least, not unless you
get a substantial raise in your paycheck.”
“What’s that
supposed to mean?”
He never thought
Scully could look evil until he saw her at that moment.
She watched and
listened from a corner of the hospital room. She smiled. He looked happy
now. The purpose of his life had widened to encompass another. It was not
only to find his sister, but now it was also to protect the one he loved.
Because he could not live without her.
They were teasing
each other now. Everything looked to be in order. She left the room through
the ceiling, into another room, and another, and more until she reached
the roof. She stood there for a moment, listening to the wind. Another
one of her charges was in trouble. She left Washington DC and floated to
a place not too far away. Somewhere in Europe, she believed. A landslide
had crushed a house with a man still inside. She entered a host, a woman
who looked quite a bit like her. A rescue worker. She carefully made her
way to the top of the wreckage where she began moving some debris. A weak
voice called from below. “Please, help me! I’m down here!”
“Are you alright?”
“I don’t know.
It’s dark and freezing cold. I think my leg is broken and I’m not sure
what else.”
“Don’t worry,
sir. Just stay calm. My name is Mercy Carroll. Everything will be alright.
I’ll take care of you.”
END
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