Title: This Can't Be Happening: Part 2 Author: Maria O'Rourke Feedback: dk_scully_101@yahoo.com Dustjacket: http://www.geocities.com/itsnottheenofthexfiles/dustjackets/thiscantbehappening2.jpg http://www.geocities.com/itsnottheendofthexfiles/dustjackets/thiscantbehappening.jpg Archive: Anywhere it usually goes, yep. Anywhere else, I'd be honoured, just let me know? Keywords: angst, S, MSR Spoilers: none specifically, set after S9. Rating: PG Summary: She had actually believed that last Monday night had been a once off. Author's Notes: The feedback for 'This Can't Be Happening' was phenomenal so I'd just like to thank everyone who took the time to write! For those people who wanted a sequel, this is for you! For those of you who need/want to read the first part, you can find it at: http://www.geocities.com/itsnottheendofthexfiles/standalones/thiscantbehappening.htm Disclaimer: Not mine. -- Tuesday, 9th November 2004 -- She feels smothered. Claustrophobic. Feeble. She had actually fooled herself into believing that it wasn't true. That it couldn't be happening again. But it is. There is proof. She has her hard scientific evidence. The blood. Her blood. It's mixing with the water that is gushing from the faucet. She wants to get rid of the blood as soon as possible. If it's gone then she can go back to fooling herself again. But it's not going away as quickly as she hoped. The blood mixes with the water, forming a pink liquid that swirls around the plughole before disappearing. The image is burned into her mind along with the hundred other times that this has happened. She had actually believed that last Monday night had been a once off. Stupid. There had been no nosebleeds for over a week. She just felt a little dizzy now and then. She had put it down to the flu. Stupid. So here she was. In the bathroom of their motel room, washing away her sins. Her lies. She stares at her reflection in the mirror, looking into the eyes of a stranger. She leans against the basin as her stomach turns. Trying to control her breathing, she scoops up a handful of water and brings it to her mouth. Foolish. She is a trained doctor. She knows the signs and yet she had still tried to wish it all away. Had she honestly been so naïve to think that washing it down the sink would make it go away? She takes a deep breath and lifts her head away from the sink. The contents of her stomach are definitely on their way up, she can feel the bile at the back of her throat. Familiar. She wipes a stray strand of hair from her eyes as she sits on the edge of the bath, leaning her head into her hands. Awaiting the onslaught of nausea to overwhelm her once again. Deep breaths. In and out. In. Out. In. Out. "Scully?" Shit. She swallows, taking a deep breath and hoping that there is no shake in her voice as she answered. "Yes?" "You okay in there?" He sounds concerned. Worried. Anxious. Uneasy. "Yeah Mulder, I'm fine," she pauses, feeling a sudden surge of bile rise to the back of her throat. She grips her stomach as pain rips in waves inside her body. "Dana?" Get it together Scully. In. Out. In. Out. "I'm just going to take a shower Mulder." She reaches behind her and pushes the faucet for the shower. The water tumbles out from the showerhead grudgingly at first but then the spray strengthens. She slides from the edge bath onto the floor and huddles her knees up to her chest. Why has he come back so early? "My contact didn't come so it was a wasted trip," he states simply. Had he just read her mind? "Hey Scully, I have an idea…" She groans quietly. "How bout I come in and join you?" She squeezes her eyes shut, pinching the skin between her eyes. "Actually Mulder, could I ask you a favour?" She hears rustling on the other side of the door. "Sure." "Could you go to the store and get me some shampoo, I…" she pauses, groaning audibly. "Scully!?" Panic. He is panicked. "It's okay Mulder, I was just getting into the shower and it's a little cold." "Dana, you are seriously freaking me out. What's going on?" "There's nothing to get freaked out over Mulder, I'm taking a shower. Aliens are not abducting me. There is nothing going on." She stares at the white tiles beneath her and watches in horror as they become stained with red drops. She closes her eyes again. "I'd feel better if you'd let me in, even for a second Dana." She sighs. "Go get the shampoo and then you come in. I know you Mulder, once you're in, you won't leave until I scrub your back…." He laughs. "You don't give me much credit Scully." She can hear him pick up his car keys. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes and I expect to be adequately rewarded when I get back." She smiles. "Go Mulder, before I change my mind." She barely hears the door close before she turns to the toilet and begins to empty the contents of her stomach. The wave of nausea that hits her is immense and her head spins for what seems like an eternity. After the last of her stomach contents falls into the toilet she begins to violently dryly wretch. If Mulder were here he would definitely hear her. There would be no hiding. No trying to conceal the truth any longer. Her throat feels like a grater has run along it. It feels tender and shredded. Raw. She swallows slowly, trying to regain her composure. She feels better. She flushes the toilet and turns to the sink. Picking up her toothbrush, she begins to brush her teeth, rinsing the taste out of her mouth. She avoids her reflection. Avoids looking at the aftermath of the hour that she has spent in the bathroom. Lying to herself. Hiding from Mulder. Concealing the truth. She unlocks the bathroom door so that he can come into the bathroom without asking her to open the door. As the warm water runs down her back, she sighs, closing her eyes. Savouring the moment. Maybe things won't be so bad. -- He sits on the other side of the door, car keys lying on the floor at his feet. He stares vacantly in front of him, his mouth slightly agape. Tears stream from his eyes. They run down his cheeks. And join the car keys on the floor. He never left to get the shampoo. He wished he had. -- You like? You hate? dk_scully_101@yahoo.com Website: http://www.geocities.com/itsnottheendofthexfiles/ ===== My website: http://www.geocities.com/itsnottheendofthexfiles/entrance.htm Yahoo nickname: dk_scully_101 AIM: reyesgish "If today was perfect there would be no need for tomorrow"