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At 1:17, they reached
the hospital somewhat in one piece. She went to the passenger side and
helped Mulder out. His wound wasn’t too bad, but he had lost quite a bit
of blood, which made him lightheaded and weak. Together, they walked inside.
Fortunately,
the hospital was not busy and they were taken inside promptly. Scully sighed.
I was just here a little over 8 hours ago. For a moment, Scully
started thinking that she was beginning to hate hospitals. And I’m a
doctor. Regular patients must loathe it. She looked down at her feet.
Seeing that her right foot was swollen, Scully resisted an urge to swear.
She sighed again as she was taken to the x-ray department. Yes, it’s
going to be a long night.
She returned
to the waiting room about half an hour later, filled out some paperwork,
and sat down. Five minutes later, Mulder came back wearing the stunned
expression he always wore when he had just gone through a trying ordeal.
“So, how’d it
go, Mulder?”
“I had to get
12 stitches. You?”
“Just a sprained
ankle from falling down the stairs.” No use worrying him about her other
symptoms. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah.”
Mulder decided
to drive on the way back, seeing as Scully’s foot was injured. The ride
was silent for the most part.
“Mulder?” Scully
began softly.
“Yeah?”
“I’m really sorry
about… what happened.”
“It’s my fault,
Scully. I let her down.”
“No, Mulder,
it’s not your fault. Actually, it might be mine.”
He gaped at her.
“What are you talking about?”
“I should have
seen it the moment we got out of… of wherever we were. We were being used.
By whomever the Cigarette-Smoking Man works for.”
“What do you
mean, Scully? They wanted me to find my sister?”
“Yes. Don’t ask
me why, but they did. We were captured almost immediately. We met your
sister and the other people, met our supposed captors, and escaped. It
was too easy. I mean, if they knew exactly how to get out of there, why
didn’t they escape earlier? It doesn’t make any sense… It was much too
easy.” She stopped, then groaned. I’ve been around Mulder too long.
I’m beginning to think like him. She lay her head in her hands. Her
headache seemed to get bigger.
Mulder looked
like he was about to smile despite himself. “And where’s the scientific
proof to back up that hypothesis, Doctor Scully?” he said tauntingly.
“That’s just
it, Mulder. I don’t have proof."
This time, Mulder
really did smile. A small, almost sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. “So,
you’re saying that they let us escape with my sister, let me spend time
with her, then took her back?”
She sighed. “Yes,
Mulder. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but that’s what I think.”
Silence resumed
for a few minutes.
“So, why do you
think it’s your fault? I should have suspected something long before you.”
“Because, Mulder,
I was assigned to be your partner to keep you from doing anything stupid.”
If the night hadn’t been so grim, she would have smiled.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Silhouettes stood
still in the glowing white room. The only things clear enough to make out
were a group of white-robed people of all ages and sizes. A woman stepped
forward, her pale green nightgown a splash of color in an otherwise blank
and drab surrounding. Her brown hair hung lifeless and limp about her shoulders.
“Come closer,”
one of the silhouettes commanded.
The woman
walked forward and kneeled before them.
“Thus ends
your mission. It has been decided that you are worthy to carry your name.
Before you are dismissed, do you have any questions?”
“Yes, masters,
I do. Will I ever see my brother again?”
“Perhaps,
child, perhaps. Leave us now, Samantha Mulder.”
“Yes, my
masters.” As she turned away, a single tear fell down her cheek and landed
on a golden locket hanging from a chain around her neck. On the front of
the locket were engraved the letters “S M”. She held it tightly.
“One day,
Fox,” she whispered. “One day I will return home. One day…”
END
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