Title: The Sky People Author: Waddles 52 Summary: A search for missing students in the Daniel Boone National Forest has UFO overtones. A new truth is revealed as the agents struggle to make it out alive. Spoilers: Very slight for Detour. Rating: Tame enough for any 12 year old. Disclaimer: Okay, here's the deal. If I ever make any money off of these fics I'll be sure to let CC, 1013 and any other persons with their finger in the pie know all about it. Until then, just let me have my fun. Archives: I'd be honored, but please ask first. Feedback: Once again, I'd be honored. Waddles52@insightbb.com Author's Notes: This will be presented in several parts due to its length. If you tend to shy away from WIP's have no fear. It is finished and future chapters are being betaed. Hopefully, I'll be able to post every few days. Special thanks to super beta Lisa. Mulder raised his head slightly to look at his watch then dropped his head back to his desk with a groan. It had been a long night and the day wasn't shaping up to be any better. It was only 7:45 AM and he felt like calling it quits and going home to crawl back into bed. He'd paid a visit to the Lone Gunmen the night before to check out Langley's new video game. They sat around and talked for a while, then watched as Langley tried to get to the next level on the game. Frohike disappeared into the kitchen and returned later with cheese steaks and beer. After half a beer and most of the cheese steak Mulder decided to call it a night and head home. He was really tired and the sandwich wasn't sitting well on his stomach. It didn't sit for very long at all really. He had barely locked his apartment door when he had to sprint to the bathroom to vomit. It tuned out to be the first of several mad dashes to the toilet that night. Just about the time he finally fell asleep the alarm went off. So, here he was with one hell of a stomachache and Scully was due any minute. Well, it was all paperwork today so maybe it would be worth enduring Scully's medical eagle eye to go home and rest. Right on cue he heard Scully's heels clicking as she got off the elevator and headed for their office. He forced himself to sit up and paste a smile on his face. No sense in setting off her "Mulder-alert radar" until he checked out her mood. The door opened and his partner came in slinging her coat over her chair. "Good morning, Mulder. I ran into Kimberly on my way in. Evidently Skinner has signed off on one of those 302s you sent up yesterday. He wants to see us ASAP." Mulder stood up and reached behind the chair for his jacket in one fluid movement. "Did she happen to mention which one it was?" "No, she didn't. Please tell me that we won't be slogging through the sewers, climbing a mountain or camping out overnight." "Well, you don't have to worry about the sewers. I can't make any promises on the other two," he grinned, putting on his jacket and smoothing his tie. "Mulderrr . . ." "Come on. Let's see what exciting adventure awaits us." Mulder held the door open for her but Scully stopped dead in her tracks. "Mulder, you look like crap." "Well, thanks Scully." "What's wrong?" "I just didn't sleep well. Nothing new there." Mulder knew that he should tell her about his upset stomach. None of the 302s were extremely urgent but one, and Skinner probably would let the local law enforcement continue to work that one, but the mere thought of getting out into the field made him feel better. It was probably a 24-hour bug anyway. "You're sure? You look awfully pale." "Haven't had a chance to work on my tan." Scully didn't budge. "Really. I'll be fine as soon as I catch up on my sleep." "All right, Mulder. I hope this new case will allow us the time to get some sleep," she sighed as she walked through the door. "So do I, Scully," Mulder thought as he closed the door and rubbed his stomach. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Scully had been characteristically silent since he picked her up at her apartment. She wasn't very happy with their new assignment. Her partner, on the other hand, was more than pleased. Skinner had received a request for the F.B.I's involvement shortly after he had received the 302, so they were on their way to Eastern Kentucky to investigate the case that Mulder didn't think they would get. They were driving this time since the latest budget constraints had dictated that most cases within a day's drive could be negotiated in an automobile. After several hours Scully felt it was time to say something. "Sky people, Mulder? I hope they aren't related to mothmen in any way, shape, form or fashion." "I don't think so, Scully." "What do you think?" "I think these campers may have stumbled onto some UFO activity." "Stumbled being the operative word, Mulder. From what I've seen of the photos that one of the campers took, they brought several cases of beer in with them. Look," she pointed out, holding up one of the prints. "A beer in each hand." "That doesn't mean they were all drunk, Scully. Besides, they weren't the only ones to witness unusual activity that evening." "Yes, but they were the only ones who saw sky people," Scully argued. "Well, something weird happened. Two campers are missing and it was in a National Forest so we have jurisdiction." "So, what's our plan?" "It's going to be dark by the time we get there, so I thought we would get a motel room in a town fairly close to the forest and the university the kids attend. I've already arranged for a couple of the campers to meet us in the morning." "What does the local law enforcement think about all of this?" "Well . . ." "Mulder, please. Out with it!" "They think that it's possible that they got drunk and may have fallen over one of the many cliffs in the area. An extensive search was conducted but no trace of them has been found. We'll talk to the locals and the Forestry Service before we go in," he promised. "Will we have a guide when we go in?" "One of the campers has agreed to take us to the site." "That's just great, Mulder. We have to depend on a drunken college student to take us in? We'll be lucky if they don't end up searching for us," Scully fumed. "Skinner evidently thought the case had some merit or he wouldn't have assigned it." "More than likely he just wants us out of the building when the Justice Department does its yearly walk-through." "That's trample through. Scully, I'm hurt. If this is UFO activity it could be the break we've been looking for." "And if it isn't we could be freezing our asses off in the brisk fall air for a couple of drunken college students who will probably wander in later when they've run out of Bud Lights and want to know what all of the fuss was about." "I don't think so. Something's up. I can feel it." Scully frowned at the characteristically excited look her partner wore on his face "Well see. How about lunch? There are several restaurants coming up in about two miles." Mulder's stomach did a little flip at the mention of food. He knew that he would be in serious trouble if he actually had to look at it, or even worse smell it. "Uh, yeah, fine. I could use a break. I'm not really hungry myself, but I need to make a few phone calls. I'll drop you off and wait for you." Scully looked at him rather oddly. "I think there's fast food too. We could just go through the drive- thru." "No, that's okay. You eat. Get yourself a nice meal. We may not have the chance to catch a decent meal if we have to be in the forest for very long." "All right. Whatever you say," she finally agreed as they pulled into a large rest area with several restaurants. "What'll it be? Cracker Barrel? Denny's or Ponderosa?" "Denny's, I think. Would you like for me to get you something for later?" "No, I'm good. Go and enjoy. I'll be right here when you're finished." He pulled his phone out and waved it at her. "All right. They don't look very busy. It shouldn't take long." "Don't hurry on my account." She gave him another odd glance but her rumbling stomach settled the issue for her. "Okay. Come on in when you get finished," she invited. "I'll try." Forty-five minutes later Mulder was awakened by a pecking sound on the window. "Unlock the doors, Mulder!" "Uh, sorry Scully," he apologized as he unlocked the doors and she slid in next to him. "Looks like I dozed off." "I see that. Why don't we switch places? I'll drive and you can catch up on that sleep you lost," she suggested. "Um, good idea." After they were situated Scully handed him a cup. "Here, I thought you might at least want something to drink." "Thanks." Mulder pretended to take a sip. "Well, let's get this show on the road. I-95 to I- 64, right?" "Sounds right. Wake me up when we get to Kentucky?" "Sure. That'll give you a couple of more hours of sleep." "Thanks, Scully." She started the car and put it in gear. Mulder was asleep by the time she had maneuvered out of the parking lot. Scully glanced at Mulder from time to time. He appeared to be sleeping soundly. She wondered how many nights he had been unable to sleep lately. He was no stranger to insomnia but he usually had more energy than he had displayed today. Something wasn't right in Mulderland but it was difficult to tell if it was physical or emotional. Perhaps it was the case. Although she hoped that one day one of these crazy events would lead him to the truth he so desperately sought, the female agent didn't think they would find it on this trip. Deep down she knew that Mulder felt that too but nevertheless he kept searching. Well, it was good that he was sleeping. He probably wouldn't get much until this case was over. It was dark when they pulled into Winchester, Kentucky. The motel was cheap but clean. In reality it was better than most in that price range. Mulder volunteered to raid the vending machines after a quick shower. They decided to meet in Scully's room to go over plans for the next day. Scully opened the connecting door to Mulder who was carrying an assortment of snacks, a diet soft drink and a bottle of water. She grabbed the soft drink and Mulder dumped the snacks on the spare bed. "Enjoy." He walked over to the table, sat down, grabbed the file and began pouring through it. "You aren't going to eat?" Scully questioned. "Not right now. My stomach has been a little off." "Oh?" Mulder mentally berated himself for letting his guard down and speaking the truth. "Uh, yeah. I had a cheese steak at the guy's place last night. One of these days I'll learn to keep Frohike out of the kitchen." "Oh, I see. I guess you've learned your lesson then?" "Oh, yes. I'll be okay. I just need a good night's sleep," he sighed, twisting the cap off the water. He tipped it toward her in a mock salute, and took a sip. "Well, at least you're drinking. I'll have to see you eat something tomorrow or this case will just have to wait until you're better," she ordered. "You've got a deal, Dr. Scully. Now, let's go over the questions we want to ask tomorrow. Two of the guys will be meeting us here at 8 AM. I figured after we talked to them we could talk to the local sheriff's department then meet our guide at around noon." "Sounds okay providing you're up to it." "I'm always up to it." He tried for a leer but didn't quite make it. Scully raised her right eyebrow. "I'm feeling better already." He took a long sip of water. "See? I'm drinking." "We'll see how you feel in the morning." Once again Mulder spent part of the night in the bathroom unable to keep the water down. It was going to be quite a feat to convince Scully that he was well enough to continue working. He looked at the bedside alarm clock. Two-thirty. At least he still had a few hours before he had to be up. If his stomach would just stop hurting maybe he could get some sleep. He sat up on the side of the bed and leaned forward. The pain suddenly eased off to a bearable level. It wasn't the most comfortable position to sleep in, but less pain made it worth a try. He quickly dozed off. At 6 AM the buzzing of the alarm clock shattered his slumber. He jerked awake and was greeted by the now familiar pain as soon as he straightened up. "Oh, hell!" Hoping a hot shower would help he lumbered toward the bathroom. By 7 AM he was feeling somewhat better and knocking on Scully's door. The pain was only a dull annoyance every now and then. The real test would be when he had to eat breakfast. The nausea was still there but it wasn't overwhelming. Maybe he could do it. Anything to appease Scully. "Morning, Scully," he greeted. "You look nice." "Knock it off, Mulder. A flannel shirt and jeans doesn't constitute nice." "But you wear them well." She rolled her eyes. "How do you feel?" "Well, I slept a lot better than the night before." It wasn't a lie. He did manage to get a few hours of sleep, even though he was sitting up. It was a great improvement over the night before. "How's your stomach?" "Much improved." Again, it wasn't really a lie. His stomach did feel a little better at present. He just neglected to tell her how rotten he'd felt a few hours earlier. "Ready for breakfast?" "Sure, let's go." Scully locked her door and Mulder hoped that he could choke down some toast and juice. Continued in Chapter 2. The Sky People- Chapter 2 Header and disclaimer in Chapter 1 Two clean-cut, young men were waiting outside Mulder's door when they returned. Mulder had to admit that he actually felt better. The toast and orange juice had gone down smoothly and hadn't tried to make an exit yet. "Agent Mulder?" one of the young men inquired. "Yes, I am, and this is Agent Scully," Mulder answered, extending his hand. The young man shook it. "I'm Casey Ford and this is Brandon Cutter." "Why don't we go inside where we can talk?" xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "Agent Mulder, I swear I was sober. I only had a soft drink and Brandon only had one beer. We didn't make this up!" Casey exclaimed, his face showing that it was not the first time he had been forced to defend himself. "Exactly what did you see and hear?" "We heard these weird noises. Kind of a buzzing sound but with a metallic quality to it," Casey started. Brandon shook his head in agreement then added, "It sort of sounded like guitar strings breaking." Scully took on her usual skeptical appearance. "We decided to check it out," Casey continued. "We all went down the hill and suddenly it got really foggy. The noise kept getting louder." "Then there was this flash of light and we looked up and saw a bunch of different colored lights. Some of them were like strobe lights. It was very hard to focus because the lights were flashing so fast. Then these two guys just appeared out of nowhere. It was like they were walking on top of the trees," Brandon related. "It was freakin' scary, man. We took off before the sky people could get us. Tyler and Zach didn't make it back. We looked for them when the sun came up, but they were just gone. Not a trace." Casey shivered. "Were Tyler and Zach intoxicated?" Scully questioned. "They were totally wasted," Brandon supplied. "Have you talked to their parents recently?" Mulder asked. "Tyler's father called me yesterday. They haven't turned up at home or at any relative's houses," Casey answered. "What do you think it was?" "At this point we really couldn't say. We'll look into it and see what we can turn up," Scully told him before Mulder had a chance to open his mouth. "Do you think they're dead?" Casey asked quietly. "Although it has been ten days, there is nothing to indicate that they have come to any harm. Let's not give up yet," Scully encouraged. "So, which one of you is going to take us to the campsite?" Mulder inquired. "I will," Casey volunteered. "I've got a lab this afternoon but I can make it up." "Great. Can you be back here at noon?" "Sure. I'll be here." "All right, guys. Thanks for answering our questions," Mulder acknowledged, standing up. "Yes, thank you," Scully added. "We'll do our best to get to the bottom of this." "Casey, we'll see you later." "What do you think, Scully?" Mulder shut the door and turned around to face her. "I don't know, Mulder. Let's see what the sheriff has to say." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "Agent, this thing has us baffled. These are good kids. We checked them out. Several of them live here in town and attend Eastern Kentucky University. The rest go to the University of Kentucky. None of them has so much as a parking ticket. They make good grades, do volunteer work and even go to church most Sundays. It looks like they just decided to cut loose one week-end and two of them didn't make it back." The sheriff continued. "We got the Forestry Service to send some men in to search. They even got hold of some cadaver dogs. Nothing." "Those young men had quite a story to tell," Scully hedged. "They sure did. The thing is, my brother-in-law was out there with his boys that weekend. They were several miles away, but he came back with a story about lights in the sky. He's not one to go in for that UFO bullshit, but it almost made a believer out of him. You all going out to the campsite?" "Yes. One of the campers has agreed to take us this afternoon," Mulder answered. "Which camper would that be?" "Casey Ford," Scully informed him. "Don't know him very well, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders. You all be careful. Lots of drop-offs up there. Don't want to have to carry you out with a broken leg or worse." "We'll keep our eyes open, Sheriff," Mulder assured him. "I'd like to check in with the Forestry Service before we go in." "Your best bet would be to talk to them by phone. They have offices in several different counties. The supervisor's office for the Daniel Boone National Forest is here in town, but I don't know how much help they would be." "Thanks, we'll give them a call." "Listen, be sure to check in with me when you get back. Are you going to be out there long?" Sheriff Chambers asked. "We're just planning on looking around the campsite today. We should be back by this evening. We might go back tomorrow if we think it's warranted," Mulder explained. "Well, hope you find more than my men did." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "Ready to go, Mulder?" Scully called. "Yeah, as soon as Casey shows up. I never did get through to the Forestry Service. No answer." "We can check in with them tomorrow, I suppose. Think we'll have time for a burger or something before we start out?" Mulder had to try very hard not to cringe. He wasn't about to tell Scully that he had lost his breakfast in between attempts to call the Forestry Service. "I got something from the vending machine earlier," he lied, "But we can make a stop. It's about thirty- five miles from here to the campsite. We've got lots of daylight left if Casey is on time." "Good. I didn't want to go tromping through the woods on an empty stomach." "Yeah, it's a good idea. I packed a few snacks and some water to take along." "As did I. I've learned to be prepared when we're anywhere near the forest," she laughed. "I also packed a huge first-aid kit." "What are you implying?" "You figure it out. How's your stomach, by the way?" "I'm okay." "You still look awfully pale," she pointed out. "I'm still a little tired. No big deal." Mulder glanced out the window. "Casey just pulled up. Gather up your pack and I'll meet you in the parking lot." Scully went to her room to get her pack and saw her medical kit lying on the bed. She mentally went over the items in her first-aid kit and decided to throw in a vial of anti-nausea medication. "Better safe than sorry," she thought as she opened her pack and brought out the first-aid kit. She added it to the items she had packed previously and put it back into her pack. For some reason she felt like Mulder hadn't been totally honest with her. She grabbed her jacket and backpack and rushed out to the parking lot so he wouldn't get suspicious. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "We pulled off the road here," Casey pointed out. Both agents were more than happy to get out of the car and stretch their legs. It had been a harrowing drive over a narrow road with steep drop-offs much of the way. There were no guardrails so a slip off the shoulder would have sent them plummeting toward the narrow ribbon of water at the bottom of the gorge, hundreds of feet below. "How far off the road was your campsite?" Mulder asked getting out of the car. "About two miles." "This will be a quick trip in, look around, and a quick trip out. There's no way in hell I want to drive this road at night," Mulder decided, looking over at Scully who was still white from the trip. He opened the trunk and pulled out their backpacks. "Let's go," he directed, slamming the trunk and nodding at Casey to take the lead. The two-mile hike began to feel like ten miles to Mulder. The fact that nothing had stayed in his stomach for two days was making itself quite evident now. His symptoms were increasing the deeper into the forest they got. His stomachache and nausea had intensified and an overwhelming weakness and chills had joined in to make him feel even more wretched. Just when he was about to call things to a halt and admit to Scully that he had screwed up, Casey announced that they'd arrived. Mulder sat down on a log in front of the fire pit with an exhausted thud while Casey looked about nervously. Scully noted that Mulder was even paler than when they'd started and breathing heavily. Much more than she liked. She was beginning to get a bad feeling about the state of his health. She decided to let him rest a few minutes before they looked for the trail. "What direction did the noise come from?" Casey pointed to the east with a trembling hand. "Uh, we went down that trail over there." "All right. Can you estimate how far you traveled before you saw the fog and lights?" "Not sure. Look . . .um, I'm getting seriously spooked here." With that he took off running in the direction they came. "Hey, come back here!" Scully yelled after him. "Let him go, Scully," Mulder sighed. "Unless he hot- wires the car he's not going far." "Well?" "That's a hole in the ground," Mulder quipped, rising slowly from the log. Scully stared at him for a second or two then threw her hands up in disgust. "Since we're here we might as well follow that trail for a bit and see if we can spot something the search teams may have missed." "Are you sure you're up to it?" Scully asked. "What does that mean?" Mulder asked tiredly. "Knock it off, Mulder. I know you're not feeling well." "I'm fine," he insisted starting for the trail. He stopped and turned around. "Are you coming or do you want to go back and wait with Casey?" "Lead the way, Mulder." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx By the time they had walked almost half a mile, Scully decided that she would have to call a halt to their little expedition. They hadn't seen a hint of anything unusual and Mulder was beginning to stagger. "Mulder, stop!" "What is it, Scully?" he asked wearily. "Sit down before you fall down." "Huh?" A confused look settled on his face. "Sit down before you pass out," she ordered taking his left arm and pulling him down. "I thought you'd never say that," he gasped in defeat as Scully helped him sit on the ground. "Scully, I'm sicker than hell." "No shit, Sherlock. Fill me in." Scully brushed the hair off Mulder's brow as he tried to slow his breathing. She could feel the heat of his skin under her hand. "Besides a rip-roaring fever what else is wrong?" "I haven't been able to keep anything in my stomach for two days now," he started. "Oh, Mulder. Nothing? Not even water?" He shook his head no. She pushed his jacket and shirt-sleeve up and felt the skin of his left arm. "Got one hell of a stomachache and feel like throwing up all the time now." "You're dehydrated as hell, Mulder. You need to try to keep some water down." "No, it won't stay. I just need to get back to the motel and rest." "No motel, Mulder. You're going to the hospital." "No, Scully! We have to find those kids. No hospital!" "Mulder, that's enough! Let's just concentrate on getting back to the car. We can argue about the hospital later." "Okay." "Why don't you lie down and rest for a few minutes? Here, you can put your head on my lap." Scully helped him get situated so that he was lying on his back. Mulder closed his eyes for a few seconds then decided it would be better to keep them open. The dizziness wasn't as bad when he could see. He stared up into the tree that was towering over them. Way up in the higher branches of a massive tree was a wooden platform. "Scully, look up in that tree." "Interesting," she commented. "I'd be willing to bet money that this is where they saw the sky people." "You would probably win that bet. We need to mark this tree so the sheriff can get some people out here tomorrow." Just as the two agents started to get up a shadow appeared over them. They both looked up at the same time to see a big, burly man blocking the trail. He was pointing a shotgun at them. "Sit back down," he ordered gruffly. The agents complied. "The sheriff's gonna have to wait a few more days to figure this out. Now, who are you? You don't look like you're from around here." They remained silent. "Cat got your tongue?" No answer. "Okay, looks like we'll have to do this the hard way. Lady, reach in his pocket and get his wallet. Nice and easy." As Scully carefully moved Mulder's jacket to get to the inside pocket, the man with the shotgun stopped her. "Is that a gun I see?" Neither agent moved. "All right, lady," he sighed. "I'll be needin' that gun. Take it out of his holster but only use two fingers." Scully did as she was told. "Now, hand it to me real slow." She followed his directions and watched as he took the gun and stuffed it into the waistband of his jeans. "You carryin', too?" She nodded yes. "Then I'll need your gun too. Same way. Nice and slow." After he took Scully's gun he asked for ID and was quite surprised to find that they were F.B.I. "You two out here lookin' for those kids that disappeared?" "Yeah, have you seen them?" Mulder answered, never taking his eyes off the gun. "Yeah, I seen 'em. All right you two. Stand up nice and slow." They followed the man's instructions. Without Scully's help, Mulder lost his balance as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He fell to his knees in an undignified heap. "What the hell's the matter with you?" their captor yelled, kicking Mulder in the back causing him to fall forward with a yelp. "Leave him alone! He's sick!" Scully screamed "That's just too bad. Get up, F.B.I., or you'll be feelin' a lot worse." "Let me help him," Scully pleaded. "All right, but don't try anything funny," the man warned. She helped her partner get to his feet. He tried to straighten up but found the pain in his stomach prevented that. "Move!" "Sorry, Scully," Mulder whispered as the two F.B.I. agents began to walk slowly in the opposite direction from where they came in. The gunman followed closely behind. Continued in Chapter 3 The Sky People- Chapter 3 Header and disclaimer in Chapter 1. "Come on, Mulder. Lean on me if you have to," Scully encouraged after he stumbled once again. "Shut-up and keep moving!" The agents had been walking for almost fifteen minutes with a shotgun aimed at their backs. The gunman didn't seem overly bright, but there was something about him that warned that he had a rather volatile temper. Scully hoped that Mulder could keep up without pushing their captor over the edge. After a few hundred feet they were directed to turn onto a deer run to their right. Mulder managed to keep going, his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. After he tripped over a fallen tree branch, Scully was forced to support him as they made their way through the forest. After walking for almost an hour, Mulder was sure that he couldn't go much farther. Once again he fell to his knees and vomited beside the trail. "Mr. Big-City F.B.I., I don't know what the hell's the matter with you, but I'd suggest you get up and get movin' before I shoot you with your own gun and leave you here beside the trail." Scully gently helped him up. "Come on, Mulder. Maybe it won't be much farther." "Why don't you just let him shoot me?" His pain-filled eyes looked at her, filling her with fear. Her partner was extremely ill and was just about beyond caring what he said or did. Scully put her right arm around his waist and he leaned into her. "Just take one step at a time. We can do this." They started back down the trail. Almost at once the trees thinned and bright sunlight exploded in their faces. They found themselves in a clearing surrounded by trees on three sides and the edge of a cliff on the other. The clearing had been taken over by rows and rows of tall, green plants. "Marijuana," Scully observed. "That's right, Red. See that shed over there? That's where you two are gonna spend the next day or two. Now, let's head on over there and get you settled." Before they took two steps, a man resembling their captor emerged from between two rows of plants. "Wilson, what in the hell have you done now?" He was clearly irritated. "Found a couple of Feds looking at that platform. Thought I'd better bring them in." "Well, shit! We've got to get this stuff harvested and get out of here! The sooner the better." "One good thing about it, Wayne. We've got plenty of labor, but I don't think Mr. F.B.I. will be much help," Wilson laughed nastily. "He ain't feelin' too good." "What did you do to him?" "Nothin'! He was like that when I found him. Kept holdin' his stomach and pukin' all the way here." Mulder's right pant leg had ridden up as he stumbled through the woods, revealing the small pistol that he wore at his ankle. "Wilson, you idiot! He's got a gun!" Wayne exclaimed, stooping down to grab it from the holster. "What? I already took one from him." "Well, he had another one. You're lucky he didn't put a hole in your head. Let me check those backpacks then put 'em in the shed with the other two." After a quick check Wayne declared the backpacks safe. Wilson pushed the two F.B.I. agents into the shed and threw their backpacks in behind them. He quickly locked the door and went into the field to join his brother. Wayne and Wilson began arguing as soon as they reached the first row of plants. "Why did you have to bring those two Feds here?" Wayne fumed. "They found the platform. What did you want me to do? Kill them?" "Of course not! It's just that we're in enough trouble if we get caught. That plan of yours to keep people away sure worked didn't it? First those two kids run right into our arms and now we could get life for holdin' those two F.B.I. agents especially is he's sick enough to die!" "As soon as we get the stuff harvested, I'll call somebody to come and get 'em. All right?" "Well, let's just hope that F.B.I. agent can hold on until then," Wayne agreed. "The next time you come up with some hare-brained idea to make money, make sure it's legal." "Think about how much we made from that first little crop. All we have to do is get this cut and dried and we can spend the winter some place warm." "As long as that someplace warm isn't a jail cell. It's your turn to feed those kids. Guess you'd better make some sandwiches for the Feds too." "Why do I always have to feed them? It stinks in there," Wilson whined. "Hey, you're the one that brought them here. Go on and take care of them. After they eat you can bring those kids out and let them help us cut some of this down while we've still got some daylight. Be sure the shed is locked. I don't want those Feds getting away." "That guy ain't goin' far." "Well, you just make sure he don't." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "Tyler and Zach I presume?" Mulder asked weakly as soon as his eyes adjusted to the dark." "Yeah, who're you?" "We're Federal agents and we've been looking for you," Scully answered. "Well, looks like you found us. Fat lot of good that's going to do," Zach replied sarcastically. "We'll figure something out," Scully assured them. "Are both of you all right?" They both nodded yes. "Just a little hungry. Two peanut butter sandwiches and some water every day doesn't exactly fill me up. I could use a shower too," Tyler chipped in. "Don't talk about food," Mulder groaned, rolling into a ball on his side. "What's with him?" "He's not feeling well," Scully explained. "That's just great. First you get captured and then he's sick. What kind of Federal agents are you?" "Shut-up, man. I'm sick of listening to you gripe," Tyler said angrily. Zach got up and walked to the far corner of the shed. "Gettin' crowded in here." "Mulder, how are you doing?" Scully asked, concern in her voice. "I'm okay." "No, you're not. I need to know, Mulder." "Scully, I screwed up. I should have told you," he stated with a shaky voice. "Yes, you should have. Now, talk to me. How's the pain?" "Bad. I thought it was a 24 hour bug, but it's more than that," he shivered. "Is there one particular area that hurts more?" "No, just my stomach in general." "Would you let me examine you?" "Kind of dark for that don't you think?" "I won't need much light," she assured him as she pushed his shirt up. "Tell me if it hurts." After a quick exam, Scully found that his left side was a little tender but not terribly so. "What's wrong with me?" "I really don't know for sure. It could be any number of things. We'll let the doctors at the hospital decide when we get out of here. In the meantime, I have something for nausea in my kit. I'm going to give you an injection and then I want you to drink some water." "It won't stay down," he protested. "You have to try. You're dehydrated and that little hike didn't help matters." "What are you talking about?" Tyler inquired. "Injection?" "Yes, I'm also a medical doctor. I'm going to give my partner something to help his nausea so he can drink. He needs fluids." Tyler processed the information. "Um, anything I can do to help? I'm pre-med at school." "Not right now, but thanks, Tyler. I'm Dana Scully and he's Fox Mulder, but he'd rather you call him Mulder," Scully smiled. "I can see why," Tyler chuckled. "Thanks, kid," Mulder moaned. "Uh, sorry." Scully brought out the first-aid kit then began rummaging in her pack until she found a bottle of water and a flashlight. "I wish I had more light," she said turning on the flashlight. "Yeah, I hear you. All we get is the light that comes in between the boards. Those cracks make it damned cold at night too," Tyler supplied. Scully found a syringe and the vial of medication. "Tyler, if you could hold the flashlight while I fix this injection I'd really appreciate it." "Sure thing, Miss Scully." She popped the seal on the bottle and drew out 25 cc's, all the while cringing at the sound of her name. Coming from Tyler it made her feel like an old-maid schoolteacher. "Mulder, I'm ready. It needs to go in your hip and it's going to sting." "Do your worst, then," he challenged, loosening his jeans just enough to bare a spot for the injection. "Oh, this is far from my worst," she laughed as she jabbed the needle into his hip. "Ow! Remind me not to be anywhere around when you do your worst," Mulder commented, trying to rub away the sting from the injection. "Rest for a few minutes and let that take effect, then I want you to drink a sip or two of water." "Waste of time." "You never know. Nothing ventured. Nothing gained." "Do you think these guys are really going to let us go?" Tyler asked hopefully. "I'm hoping they will. I don't think they were prepared for any of the complications they've encountered. I suspect this might be the first time they've done anything like this and if we don't push them, I think the odds are pretty good that they'll keep their word. They don't strike me as hardened killers." "That's a fortune in pot out there," Zach pointed out. "Money talks. If it comes down to us or the pot, you know what's gonna win." "Zach, would you just shut-up!" Tyler yelled angrily. "I'm sick and tired of listening to you whine. If anything gets us killed, it will be that mouth of yours!" The captives heard the lock on the door being opened. "Get away from the door!" Wilson hollered. They all moved toward the back wall. "Here's your supper," he announced, tossing in a grocery bag. "Damn, it smells worse than usual in here. You, college boy!" He pointed to Tyler. "Empty that slop bucket over the side of the cliff and don't try anything. My brother's out there in the field and he'll be keepin' and eye on you." Tyler made his way to the door, a large white bucket in hand, while Zach retrieved the bag with their dinner. "Go on and make it quick and be careful with that thing. I don't wanna be smellin' it outside." Tyler wasn't gone long. He placed the empty bucket in a corner and as he turned around Zach tossed him a sandwich. He tore into it greedily. "I want you two kids to finish up 'cause I got some work for you to do outside. It's about time you started to earn your keep." Wilson stood at the door until the students were finished. He motioned for them to walk in front of him then shut the door and secured the lock. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "You can have my sandwich, Scully," Mulder offered. "Thank you, but if you don't mind I'd rather save it for Zach and Tyler. Besides, you might feel like eating it later." "Don't hold your breath," he sighed. "We can watch those kids argue over who gets to split it. That'll be more fun than watching me puke." He yawned loudly. "Wow, that injection is making me sleepy." "That's exactly what it's supposed to do. I want you to take a sip of water now, then wait for about five minutes and take another one," Scully directed as she unscrewed the top of the bottle and offered it to her partner. He hesitated for a moment then took the bottle and turned it up, taking a drink. "I don't know if this will work, but that water sure felt good going down." "Think positively, Mulder." "How much marijuana do you think is out there, Scully?" "It's a lot." "If those two guys pull it off they'll be quite wealthy." "They seem so amateurish that it wouldn't be difficult for someone to double cross them," she chuckled. "I'd love a front row seat for that," he shivered. Scully felt Mulder's forehead. "You are absolutely burning up!" "Nah, just a little warm." The M.D. turned on the flashlight to search through her first-aid kit. "Ta da!" she exclaimed, holding up her prize, a battery operated thermometer. "Do you think you can hold this under your tongue?" "Yeah, but make it quick." Scully put the thermometer under his tongue and took his pulse while she waited for the beep. At the sound of the tone she quickly removed it and clicked on the flashlight. "102.1, Mulder. If you can keep the water down, I have some Tylenol to help with that fever." "I just want to sleep right now," he stated wearily. "Take another sip or two of water, then you can lie down with your head in my lap if you want." He nodded yes and took two quick drinks from the bottle and handed it back to Scully. She replaced the top and laid the bottle on Mulder's pack. When she scooted to the back wall, her partner followed her and stretched out, using her lap for a pillow. "Comfy?" "Oh, yeah. I could get used to this," he answered dreamily. "Let me tell you something, Mulder. You don't have to be sick or injured to do this." "Oh, really?" he asked, surprise on his face. "Really. I like it when we're this close." "So do I," Mulder agreed, his eyes crinkling up as a huge smile spread across his face. "Shh. Go to sleep." "Mmm, you're so soft," he muttered as his eyelids began to feel heavy. "Feels so good." Scully was astonished at how quickly he fell asleep. Her astonishment quickly changed to concern when she thought how unlike her partner that action was, even with the drug in his system. She relaxed her shoulders and tried to get as comfortable as possible, all the while thinking of the symptoms Mulder had exhibited and what she might do to alleviate his discomfort. She knew, deep down, that it was serious, but his symptoms were so generalized that a diagnosis at this point was impossible. The only thing she knew for sure was that he needed a hospital, and soon. Continued in Chapter 4 The Sky People-Chapter 4 Header and Disclaimer in Chapter 1 Scully was roused from her stupor by the sound of the door being opened. The two students were dragged in. Tyler sat beside her while Zach resumed his position in the far corner. They were hot and sweaty, adding to the already ripe smell in the close quarters. "Fee, fi fo fum I smell the . . ." "Mulder, that's enough," Scully admonished, trying to keep from smiling. "Sorry guys. Guess they worked you pretty hard." "Yeah, they were in quite a hurry," Tyler answered. "Wilson took off with what we cut down today." "How long do you think it will take to finish the job?" Scully queried. "A day, day and a half at most," Zach answered, apparently shedding his ill humor." "Are you feeling any better, Mr. Mulder?" Tyler asked politely. "No, and please call me Mulder. Mr. Mulder was my father." Mulder sighed and propped himself up carefully on his elbows. Scully hid a grin. It seemed she wasn't the only one feeling the generation gap. "Mulder, do you think you could get some Tylenol down?" "Not right now. My stomach is doing flip-flops again." "I'm sorry." She leaned over to feel his forehead. "'S okay. Not your fault." He swallowed heavily, looking even more uncomfortable. "Just rest. Perhaps you'll feel better later." "Don't think so." He sat up suddenly and looked around. "Gonna throw up! Where?" He began to gag as soon as the words were out. "Anywhere," Scully replied, putting her arm around his shoulders as he began to retch miserably. Mulder didn't bring up much, but found that the strain of vomiting made his stomach hurt all the more. He sank back weakly onto Scully's lap, drawing himself into a fetal position, shivering. "Told you drinking was a waste of time." "Yes, you did, but we had to try and you must keep trying." "Don't ask me to do that." "Mulder, you have to try." "I'll be okay. Jus' let me sleep." "All right. You rest. We'll talk later," Scully decided. Using part of a wood plank he'd found earlier Tyler turned the loose dirt over where Mulder had been sick. After finishing his task, he threw the plank toward an empty corner and sat down beside Scully. "Thanks," she murmured as Mulder began to snore softly. "How sick is he?" "He's quite ill and there's not a lot I can do for him right now. Even if we could escape I doubt that he would be able to walk out." "I know I should have asked this earlier, but did everyone else make it back okay?" "Yes, Tyler, they did. Your parents and friends are very worried about you." "Did they even look for us?" Zach asked angrily. "Of course, they did. The Forestry Service even brought in dogs but this area is pretty well off the beaten track. They probably didn't come in far enough," Scully explained patiently. "Dumb country hicks," Zach muttered. "Zach, shut-up! We were the ones who were dumb. We were so drunk that we ran right to them instead of getting away from them." "Casey should be waiting back at our car and the sheriff is expecting a report tonight. I'm hoping that another rescue crew will be in here by morning. I tried to mark the trail as we moved along, so, hopefully they will spot it and find us." "That was quick thinking, Agent Scully." "Let's just hope it works. Oh! I almost forgot! Mulder couldn't eat his sandwich so you and Zach can split it," Scully smiled, her free hand searching her backpack. "And, I just happen to have a candy bar for each of you if you're interested." Zach made his way over in a hurry, eager for his share of the unexpected bounty. "Thanks, Agent Scully. Oh, wow! A Hershey bar!" "With almonds," Tyler piped in. "Oh, this is wonderful. The first thing I want to do when I get out of here is to take a long, hot shower. Then, I want a steak dinner with all the trimmings." "Sounds like a plan, man." Zach giggled, his mood changing for the better as he crammed the last of the candy bar in his mouth. After the sun set, the autumn air became quite chilly. Mulder began to shiver anew while Scully hugged him tightly trying to keep him warm. The lock on the door rattled and they heard Wayne's voice instruct them to stand back. The door opened and he threw in a tarp and a worn-out quilt. "Supposed to get cold tonight. That's the best I could come up with. I'll try to have somethin' hot for you to drink in the morning," "Thank you," Scully voiced. "You're welcome. How's that partner of yours doin'?" "Not very well I'm afraid. He needs to be hospitalized." "What's the matter with him anyway?" "I'm not sure." "He's not catchin' is he?" "I don't think so," Scully answered, surprised that he was taking an interest in Mulder at all. "Well, if those college boys work extra hard tomorrow we'll probably be out of here by nightfall. We'll call the sheriff to come and get you then," he promised. "I'm not sure my partner can wait that long." "Looks like he'll have to." With that Wayne pulled the door shut and locked it. Tyler retrieved the quilt and tarp. "Which would you prefer, Agent Scully?" "We'll take the quilt. You and Zach can have the tarp. It's larger." Tyler helped the petite agent spread the quilt over her prone partner and herself. The movement woke the sleeping man. "What time is it?" "Time for you to drink some more water," Scully ordered. "You're not going to give up are you?" "Nope. Even if you can't keep it down perhaps your body will have a chance to absorb some of it." "Let's get it over with it then," he sighed, trying to sit up. Tyler helped him into a sitting position while Scully got the water ready. She handed it to Mulder who took a long sip and then another. "Gotta lay down again." His face was white as a sheet and his voice very shaky. Tyler assisted him again as Scully rummaged around in her first-aid kit. "I'm going to give you another injection for nausea and I'd like to include something for pain if you'd let me." Yeah, okay. My stomach is hurting more than it did earlier," Mulder gritted out. "All right. Just hang in there for a minute." Tyler grabbed the flashlight and angled it so that Scully could see. She prepared and administered the injection without any reaction whatsoever from Mulder. "I'd like to take your temperature. Can you hold the thermometer under your tongue?" "I think so." "Okay, open up." In a short time they heard the familiar beep. Scully removed the digital thermometer from her partner's mouth. "102.4, Mulder" "I've had worse," he reminded her. "I know, but I just hate to see you so uncomfortable." "I'm okay." "Yeah, sure." "I'll be okay as soon as I throw up again," he corrected as he tried to sit up. Tyler came to Mulder's rescue, helping him to sit up and supporting him until the heaving stopped and he collapsed. The sick agent felt himself being moved backward and soon felt Scully's arms around him again. "Sorry," he apologized. "For what?" "Getting sick." "That's not something you can control," she pointed out. "Should have told you before we ever left D.C." "It's okay. Just rest." "Can't. Stomach hurts too much." "Give the injection some time to work. I can give you a little more if I have to." "Um, okay. Cold," he shivered violently. "Let's get you covered up again." "Don't want to be a cover hog." "You're not. Your body heat is keeping me very warm right now," Scully explained. "Wow, I finally make you hot and I'm too damned sick to do anything about it," he grinned. "Mulderrr," she laughed, punching him playfully on the arm. "Ow! You like it rough too?" "You're incorrigible." Tyler laughed at their banter. "You two must be good friends." "Yes, we are," Scully confirmed. "We've been "Yeah, we're like an old married couple," Mulder added. "An old married couple, Mulder?" she questioned cocking her eyebrow. "Yes, and I think the honeymoon is definitely over," he quipped, observing the look on her face. "Don't pay any attention to him. I think he may be delirious," Scully cautioned. "Scully, you wound me. Oh!" "What's wrong, Mulder?" "Stomach . . .hurts!" "Is it worse?" He nodded yes, in too much pain to get the words out. "I'm going to give you a little more pain medication. Tyler, could you hold the flashlight for me?" "Sure, Agent Scully." He found the light and flipped the switch. In his haste to direct the beam where Scully needed it, he dropped it, startling Mulder as it shone directly in his eyes. Scully's heat skipped a beat when she saw his eyes. "Tyler, hand me the flashlight." "I'm sorry Agent Scully, I . . ." "It's all right, Tyler. I need to look at Mulder's eyes." "What's wrong with my eyes?" Mulder asked, trying to get away from the light. "His eyes are yellow!" Zach exclaimed "Yellow? Scully? Why are my eyes yellow?" Fear was evident in his shaky voice. "It's okay, Mulder." "How can it be okay? My eyes aren't supposed to be yellow," he gasped. "It's just another piece of the puzzle falling into place, that's all. It's just another clue to help diagnose your condition," Scully explained. "Will it go away?" "Yes, when you get treatment they'll return to their normal color." She passed the flashlight back to Tyler. "Now, let's get that extra pain medication into you." After she administered the injection she pulled Mulder close again. "What's wrong with me, Scully?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "It could be several things. Some of the things that come to mind are pancreatitis, or the bile duct leading into your liver could be blocked, or maybe hepatitis. I can't be totally sure just yet." "Is that serious?" "Yes, it could be, but don't worry. We'll get you out of here tomorrow night and get you to the hospital. You'll be fine." "Until then?" he questioned, dreading the answer. "Until then I'm afraid you won't feel any better, in fact you might feel worse. I'll try to keep you as comfortable as I possibly can." "Thanks, Scully. Feelin' really tired." "Just rest, Mulder." She adjusted the quilt over him and sat back, fingering the necklace she wore without fail, and began to pray. Continued in Chapter 5 The Sky People Chapter 5 Header and disclaimer in Chapter 1 The next morning found Mulder unable to sit up due to weakness and increased stomach pain. Wilson had roused them before the sun came up, bringing their breakfast consisting of a thermos of coffee and a bag of stale donuts. "You enjoy that now. Boys, I'll be back for you in a few minutes." He turned and shut the door, locking it as he left. "How many donuts are there?" Zach asked, hoping he would get more than one. Tyler counted them twice. "We've got eight!" he announced, excitement evident in his voice. They weren't used to getting breakfast. "You can split Mulder's and one of mine," Scully offered. "Awesome!" Zach crowded in to get his allotment "Take it easy, Zach. No one's going to take your share," Tyler admonished. "Just makin' sure I get what I deserve." Tyler muttered something under his breath. "What did you say?" Zach demanded. "I was just about to tell you what you really deserve." "And just what would that be?" Zack angrily turned to him, a menacing look in his eyes. "Hey, guys! Knock it off!" Scully yelled, pushing her way in between them. "If you want to get out of here you'll need to cooperate . . .with each other!" The two young men faced each other, anger still evident in their expressions. Finally, Tyler backed down. "Sorry, man, I guess this situation is getting to me." "Same here," Zach agreed. "Agent Scully is right. We need to work together. Who knows what these guys have planned for when they've finished. We need to keep our wits about us." "Then, let's chow down so we can get to work. Maybe we can get out of here tonight." Once the young men got their donuts and coffee, Scully fixed herself a cup of coffee and grabbed a donut for herself. She sat down beside Mulder who had been watching the entire scene. He looked even worse than before. "You would make a good high school principal," he observed. "What makes you say that?" "Oh, the way you got right in there and didn't back down. Your mere presence resolved what could have been a tricky situation." "I'll keep that in mind for my next incarnation," Scully chuckled. "How about drinking a sip of water for me?" "Don't think so," he refused. "You need to try. Please? For me?" "You're not playing fair, Scully," Mulder complained, trying to sit up. Scully put her coffee and donut down and helped her partner get comfortable. "Why am I not playing fair?" "You know that I can't turn down any request from you." "Mulder, you are so full of it," she laughed searching for the water bottle. "Name the last request I turned down." "I seem to remember asking you to drink some water several times during the night. Is that enough or do you want me to start on the previous day?" "I was thinking of other requests, you know? The ones that don't concern water." "Sorry, you didn't specify that." She handed him the water bottle. "Two sips nice and slow." "Here goes nothing," he sighed and took a short sip. After waiting a few minutes he took another swig and handed the bottle back. "I'm gonna lie down for a bit before my stomach reverses itself again." Tyler and Zach finished their breakfast. "We're going to spread this tarp out on the floor. You and Agent Mulder can use it as a barrier between your bodies and the floor. Maybe it will take some of the chill out." "Good idea. Thanks guys." No sooner had they spread the tarp out, the door opened revealing both brothers, each with a gun pointed at their captives. "All right college boys, haul your asses out here. If you work extra hard today you might be home by tomorrow," Wilson told them. When they reached the door Wilson allowed them to pass. He pointed his shotgun at their backs and ordered them to hurry. Wayne put his hand on the door handle to shut it then paused. "How is Mr. F.B.I. today?" "He's worse. He needs to be in a hospital." "If those two college boys work hard we'll be out of here tonight. We'll call somebody to come and get you." "He might not have that much time." "Well, all I can tell you is that he'd better hang on." With that Wayne shut the door and locked it. "I'm gonna make it, Scully," Mulder promised. "Just so I can catch those two idiots and put them behind bars." "And I'll be right beside you making sure their cuffs are extra tight," Scully vowed with a grin. "Let's get you moved onto the tarp. Can you help?" "Yeah," he answered summoning all his strength to push up on his elbows. Scully finally had to drag him onto the tarp when his strength gave out. "Mulder, you still with me?" "Uh-huh," he answered shakily. "Cold." "I need to check your temperature again. Can you hold the thermometer under your tongue?" "Yeah." Scully positioned the thermometer and waited for it to beep. When it signaled its completion she removed it, clicking on the flashlight so she could see. "102.6," she announced. "Do you think you could get some aspirin down?" "Yeah, I think so. Stomach hurts but I don't feel like throwing up right this minute." "Good. If you can keep them down you should start to feel a little better." "How much better?" "It should bring your temp down a bit. I can't promise any more than that." "How will you treat this, whatever it is that's making me sick?" "It depends on what's causing it. You'll have to have some diagnostic tests." "Like what?" "Blood work, CT scan, ultra scan, maybe a biopsy." "Can't wait," he said sarcastically. "You'll need an IV to replenish your fluids and maybe an NG tube." "Sorry I asked," he groaned. "I hate those things." "I know that they're unpleasant, but if you can't stop vomiting it'll help. Let me find that aspirin." She searched through her kit and quickly found them. In the space of time that she turned away from Mulder, he took a turn for the worse. "No aspirin! I'm gonna puke again." Scully began to worry as the dry heaves continued for an alarming amount of time. He finally collapsed, barely conscious. "Mulder, I'm so sorry. I'm going to give you another injection and from here on out I won't ask you to drink any more water." "Thanks," he managed, unable to even open his eyes. "Gotta rest." "You do that." He was out completely by the time she had the injection ready. She administered it and pulled him back to her lap. She smoothed the sweat-dampened hair back from his forehead and prayed that help would arrive in time. Mulder moaned and tried to shift his position. "Take it easy, partner. You're going to be okay." "Don't think so. Hurt so bad and feel so sick, I think I'm going to die." Scully tried to swallow the lump that was stuck in her throat. "Shh! Stop talking like that! You're very ill but you're going to pull through this. You're going to feel like hell for a few days but you will get over this." "Just hold me." Scully pulled him up until he was in her arms. "Anytime, Mulder," she whispered, kissing him softly on his right check, then his lips. "Now, I know I'm dying. You never did that before." "You're not dying and I've wanted to do that for a long time. You hang in there so I can do it some more." "I'll try," he sighed. "Want more kisses." "When you get better we might try something more advanced than kissing. Okay?" Mulder managed to open his eyes. "Promise?" "Promise." He closed his eyes again. "Gotta rest, build my strength up." "You do that," she smiled placing another kiss on his fevered forehead. Around 1 PM the boys were shoved unceremoniously back into the shed, their meal thrown in behind them. "Lunch time already?" "Yeah, if that's what you want to call it," Tyler answered as Zach began pulling out what passed for sandwiches. "He's worse isn't he?" he asked nodding toward Mulder's lifeless form. "Yes, he is. He's been unconscious for the past two hours. I was sincerely hoping that the sheriff might have found us by now," Scully sighed. "Oh, come on! That stupid sheriff is doing well to find his way to his car every morning!" Zach exploded. "We've been missing for two weeks and he hasn't found us. For Pete's sake! We're only a few miles from where we started out!" "Zach, that's enough!" Tyler exclaimed. "I'm sorry Agent Scully. Look, it's not going to take us much longer to finish with that field. Another couple of hours, tops. If these guys do what they've said we could be out of here by tonight. Don't give up." "I haven't given up, Tyler," she sighed. "Mulder needs medical intervention now. His vital signs are beginning to de-stabilize. He doesn't have much time left." "Wow, Agent Scully, I didn't realize it was so serious. Zach and I will just have to work twice as fast." "Shut-up!" Zach yelled. "What are you yelling about?" "Shh! I hear something." Scully and Tyler stopped talking and joined Zach in listening for the slightest sound. "It's a helicopter!" Scully shouted. As they continued to listen the helicopter came closer, then moved away again. "Damn it!" Scully cried in frustration. Outside Wayne and Wilson began to run for their truck. "Let's get out of here!" "What about the kids and the F.B.I. agents?" Wayne asked as he climbed into the driver's seat. "They'll find them, eventually. Who cares?" Wilson assured him. "Now, get us out of here before they find us too!" As soon as Wilson slammed his door Wayne floored the gas pedal and took off, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. "They're gone!" Zach exclaimed, "Tyler, help me knock this door down." As the young men began trying to kick the door down, the sound of the helicopter was heard again, sending them into a frenzy. The poorly made door was soon hanging crookedly from one hinge. Tyler and Zach pulled it off and ran outside, yelling and waving, trying to get the helicopter's attention. Scully gave silent thanks as the sound grew louder, then hovered mercifully directly overhead. Continued in Chapter 6 The Sky People Chapter Six Header and disclaimer in Chapter One University of Kentucky Medical Center-Lexington, Kentucky "Agent Scully," Sheriff Chambers greeted her, taking a seat beside her. "Any word on Agent Mulder yet?" "They've got him stabilized and now they're running some diagnostic tests." "Is he going to be all right?" She sighed. The last few days had taken their toll. "I think so, but it was a close thing." "I'm sorry. I don't know how we missed it before," he apologized. "We should have found those boys in the first few days." "Well, it was way off the trail and pretty well hidden with all of the marijuana." "That's no excuse. The good thing is that we have the McGowen brothers in custody and they're being very cooperative. Neither one of them is the brightest bulb on the string, if you get my meanin'" "Yes, Sheriff, believe me. I know what you mean." "Although, I was surprised that they were able to pull off that little UFO, alien show in the woods. Scared the crap out of a lot of people." "Well, I guess it served its purpose. It kept everyone away except the drunkest college students," Scully agreed. "Yeah, the last I heard those boys had cleaned up and were chowin' down on whatever wasn't tied down." "I can only imagine. They were a bit hungry. Thank you for driving to Lexington to fill me in, Sheriff. I realize it's out of your way." "Agent Scully, it's the least I could do after messin' up so bad on this thing. You two wouldn't have been called in if I'd done my job a little better. I've got plenty of help in town. We're just waitin' for the narcotics guys to get there and pick up the McGowens. I intend to stay here with you until you find out something about your partner." "Thank you, but you don't have to do that," Scully assured him. "Oh, yes, I do. I hope you don't mind, but I stopped off at your motel rooms and packed some things for the both of you. I thought you might appreciate a change of clothes," the sheriff grinned. Scully almost sighed with pleasure. She was hot, dirty and smelly from her time in the shed. "Yes, I would. Thank you. Maybe I can find someplace to take a shower too." "I'll tell you what. You sit right there while I run to my car and get those things I brought and I'll see about that shower on my way back up." "Thank you, Sheriff." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx When Scully finished her shower, she found the sheriff still in the waiting room. He had gone to the cafeteria and brought back an assortment of sandwiches and a salad with an array of dressings. "I didn't know what you would prefer, so I got several things." "Sheriff Chambers, you're too kind." "No, I'm not. I know you've got to be hungry. Those kids said you gave them most of your food," he explained. "Now, eat up. If you would rather have something else just let me know and I'll get it." "No, this is fine," she assured him, picking up a turkey sandwich and the salad. "Is someone here with Mr. Mulder?" a male voice asked. "I am," Scully answered, jumping to her feet. "I'm Agent Scully, his partner." "Pleased to meet you. I'm Dr. Reed. I've been called in to manage his case. Let's have a seat. I could use a break," he sighed, sitting down heavily and propping his feet up on an adjacent chair. "How is he?" Scully asked apprehensively. "He's shown quite a bit of improvement over the past hour. His vitals have stabilized and he has regained consciousness." "Thank God." "He's still very sick, however." "Do you have a diagnosis yet?" "Yes, I do. As you suspected he has acute pancreatitis. Since you said he isn't a heavy drinker we gave him a fairly thorough examination including blood work, ultrasound and a CT scan. At this time everything seems to point to gallstones as the cause of this attack. He has several and his bile duct was probably blocked at one time, although it seems to be clear at present. His color has improved dramatically and the jaundice has almost disappeared." "Great, but the gallstones are a bit surprising. He hadn't mentioned anything about feeling ill before all of this started." "The symptoms may have been mild enough that he dismissed them as indigestion or a light stomach virus," Doctor Reed suggested. "What are your plans for treatment?' Scully questioned. "Well, he's going to the ICU for at least 24 hours. Although he has improved, I'd like for him to be closely monitored. We put in an NG tube and I've prescribed antibiotics and some drugs to slow down the production of his stomach juices." Scully smiled at his use of laymen's terms. At least she wouldn't have to explain it to the sheriff. "That sounds like a good course of treatment," she agreed. "What about the gallstones? Do you think they'll need to be removed?" "Most definitely, but I'd like to wait until he regains some strength. I think he should start to recover quickly with the proper medication and rest. He can probably wait to have the stones removed after he goes home." "That's wonderful news. When can I see him?" "He should be on his way to the ICU as we speak. Why don't you give them around 45 minutes or so to get him settled in," the doctor suggested. "I would like to stay with him," Scully stated firmly. "Normally, I wouldn't allow it, but I understand you have a medical background so you should know the ins and outs of the procedures and rules in the ICU. I'll be sure the ICU staff knows to expect you. Any other questions?" "Not at this time." Doctor Reed rose tiredly from his seat. "I'm on until 10 PM. Don't hesitate to have me paged if anything comes up." "Thank you, Doctor." Dr. Reed nodded and left. "Now, that sounds like good news, Agent Scully," the sheriff smiled. "Yes, it does," Scully smiled back "We'll you'd better dig in and eat if you're gonna stay with him." "Don't mind if I do. My appetite has just improved tremendously." Forty-eight minutes later Scully was escorted to Mulder's cubicle in the ICU. She stopped in the doorway and observed him. He was lying on his back with the bed slightly raised. He appeared to be sleeping despite the NG tube in his nose, an IV in each arm and a wide array of tubes and monitor wires. "Oh, Mulder," Scully whispered. She knew that he had to be extremely uncomfortable and a tear ran down the left side of her face. She quickly wiped it away. "Scully, don't cry," Mulder ordered hoarsely. "I'm okay." She quickly made her way to his side. "How do you feel?" "Like hell," he sighed, "But if I'm not crying, you can't cry either." "I'm sorry, Mulder. I was just thinking of how uncomfortable you must be." "It's not so bad," he assured her. "I actually feel a little better." "Wonderful!" she exclaimed as she moved the chair from the corner to his bedside. "You're going to be just fine." "I know. The doc already filled me in. You look nice, by the way. Smell nice too." "The sheriff was thoughtful enough to bring us both some things from the motel, and the hospital let me use a shower in the doctor's changing area," Scully explained. "And you look like you've been cleaned up a bit yourself." She leaned over to give him a kiss on his left cheek. "Mmm, I like your kisses," Mulder grinned, trying hard to keep his eyes open. "The better you feel, the more you'll get." "I'm trying very hard to get well," he promised. "How's the stomach pain?" Scully inquired. "Still hurts, but more of a dull ache instead of the excruciating pain I was having." He still struggled to keep his eyes open. "Mulder, I want you to keep your eyes closed so you can sleep." "I'd rather look at you. They catch those guys yet?" "Oh, the McGowen brothers? Yes, they're in custody. Sheriff Chambers and his men had the drop on them before they were out of the forest." "Good," he yawned, then winced as pain lanced across his abdomen. "Sleep, partner. I'm going to stay with you until you get out of ICU, so rest. I've got your back." "Thanks," Mulder sighed as the drugs finally won the battle and he sank into sleep. Continued in Chapter 7 The Sky People-Chapter Seven Header and disclaimer in Chapter One Although he was improving slowly but surely, the next few hours were anything but pleasant for Mulder. Even though the drugs and NG tube kept him from vomiting, he could taste and smell the plastic, which kept him nauseated. The stomach pain wasn't the terrible, knifing pains he'd felt earlier, yet it was still severe enough to keep the agent from sleeping for more than a few minutes at a time, but even that wasn't the worst of it. Mulder was thirsty. His mouth and throat were parched. He wished that Scully was still nagging him every five minutes to swallow some water, but she had stopped. "When can I have something to drink?" He'd noted that the customary water pitcher and cup was missing from his bedside table. It was difficult to speak around the irritation from the NG tube and he felt that just a little water would feel so good to his throat. "I'm not sure, Mulder. The doctor wants to give your stomach a rest." "Gotta have something wet," he groaned. "I can give you a swig of water to swish around in your mouth, but you have to promise to spit it out. You cannot swallow it. Deal?" "Anything, Scully." Mulder kept his word, spitting the small amount of water into the emesis basin Scully held beneath his chin. "Better?" she asked as he sank back onto his pillow, clearly exhausted from the slight effort. "Some. Thanks." "I'm sorry, Mulder, but that's the best I can do right now." "I understand, Scully. I just didn't think that getting better would be so miserable." "I'm going to have your doctor paged. He needs to adjust your pain medication. You need to get some rest." "No, don't. Just talk to me. That will help." "Any particular subject?" she asked. "You. Us. Our future." "You don't go for the easiest subjects do you?" "I'd like for it to be easy," he said hopefully. "Then, let's analyze what we have," Scully decided. "Correct me if I'm wrong at any time, Mulder." "Okay," he agreed wincing from the pain, his fingers finding her hand. "Mulder, I don't think you should be talking. Let me see if I can get you some more pain medication." "I'm okay. If I'm not screaming my head off I'm handling it. Talking helps." "Okay," she agreed uncertainly. "We were analyzing our situation, right?" "Uh-huh." "I think we finally acknowledged that we have feelings for each other." "Oh, yeah." He squeezed her hand. "Now, we need to decide what type of feelings we have. Deep friendship?" "Yes, and no," Mulder answered, biting his lip. "Friends, but more than that." "Yes, I can agree with that. How much more than friends?" "Quit beating around the bush," Mulder said abruptly. "I love you. I'm in love with you." "Oh, Mulder . . ." Scully started. "You don't share my feelings," he sighed, closing his eyes. "Stop jumping to conclusions," Scully advised gently, caressing Mulder's stubbled cheek. "I share your feelings. Mulder, I'm in love with you too." His eyes opened in all their intensity and looked at her with love and wonder as she leaned over, gently kissing his lips. "I know I promised you more and better kisses when we were in that shed, but I think we need to wait until you get rid of that NG tube." "Now, there's some incentive. Think I'll get rid of the catheter at the same time?" "Yes, hurry up and get better. We have a lot to catch up with." "How long?" "How long, Mulder?" "How long have you loved me?" "For so long that I can't remember when my feelings changed from friendship to love. How about you?" "I think I realized it when you were taken from me. I was totally lost without you. Nothing was right until you surprised us all and came out of that coma." He looked away then, unable to meet her gaze afraid she would see the tears that were threatening. Scully acknowledged him, wiping a tear from her own eye. Mulder weakly raised a hand to help. She held his hand there against her cheek, enjoying the feel of his skin on hers. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. When he didn't speak for a time, Scully assumed he was asleep and tried to tuck his arm under the covers, mindful of all the wires and tubing. "So there is an us? I haven't been having crazy, fever dreams?" "There definitely is an us," she smiled. "Then what are we going to do about it?" "First, you're going to get well and get your strength back." "And then?" "I want you to make love to me fast and furiously, then slowly and tenderly and all speeds in between." "All in one day?" he gasped. "No schedule. However long it takes." "That could take a lifetime," Mulder suggested. "That's exactly what I had in mind." "Does that mean what I think it means?" he asked hopefully. "If you plan on us spending the rest of our lives together, then you're absolutely, 100% correct," Scully informed him with a beaming smile. "Scully, I'd get down on my knee but . . ." "That's not necessary, but perhaps you should ask Bill for my hand in marriage," Scully suggested, a twinkle in her eyes. A look of shock appeared on his face. "Couldn't I just ask your mom?" "I'm just teasing you. You don't need to ask anyone's permission but my own, and you have that." "Had me worried for a minute there," Mulder sighed, his voice beginning to weaken. "Now that we've settled the major points, how about trying to sleep for a little while? We'll have lots of time to talk over the little things later." "I'm so happy right now and so excited, but I'll try." "You need your strength for all of the little things to come now that the big things are out of the way." She kissed his hand and tucked it under the sheet. This time he didn't stir. He was finally sleeping peacefully, a goofy grin on his face. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Five days later, Mulder had recovered sufficiently to be transferred to a hospital in DC. He had barely gotten settled into his room when there was a knock at the door and AD Skinner entered. "Welcome home, agents." "Thank you, sir," Scully answered letting go of Mulder's hand and rising from her seat. "That's not necessary, Agent Scully. Agent Mulder, how are you feeling?" "Much better, sir." "I understand you had quite an adventure in Kentucky." "Yes, sir. It did turn out to be a lot more involved than we'd planned," Mulder answered, reaching for Scully's hand as she sat back down. "I've had nothing but excellent reports from the local law enforcement people on this one," Skinner informed them, looking as if he still couldn't believe the unusual praise heaped upon his two agents. "We really don't deserve any credit, sir. We literally stumbled onto the McGowen brother's little operation," Scully protested. "Yes, sir, my original theory on the student's disappearance was far from the actual circumstances." "Well, you're still responsible for their safe return and keeping many thousands of dollars worth of marijuana off the streets." "Thank you, sir," Mulder acknowledged, giving Scully's hand a squeeze. Skinner pretended not to notice as he asked, "Mulder, what's the plan of treatment now that you're back home?" "The doctor wants to remove my gallbladder and all of those pesky gallstones that I didn't know I had." "So, you're still several weeks from returning to work?" "Yes, sir," Scully piped in. "Although gallbladder surgery is now done using small incisions most of the time, Mulder may still need up to a month to get his strength back. The pancreatitis has left him quite weak." "Yes, I understand you were critically ill after your rescue." "Yes, I was, but Scully pulled me through it. I couldn't imagine anyone else staying by my side and talking me through the worst of it." "Neither could I," Skinner thought. He had sensed a change in their relationship as soon as Scully had called in her initial report. Now, it was even more evident in person. "I suppose you'll be at loose ends for a while then, Agent Scully?" "I hope not, sir. With your permission I'd like to use some personal time to stay with Mulder until he has his surgery and is over the worst of that." "I don't see where that will be a problem. If I'm not mistaken you were already scheduled for two weeks vacation time to start in seven days," he continued. Her face brightened. "Uh, yes, sir. With all that's happened I'd almost forgotten about that." "Oh, really?" Skinner smiled politely while he thought about his agents. He'd be willing to bet that they wound up spending those two weeks together. In fact, he had money in the office pool predicting when Mulder and Scully would finally make their relationship official. He'd have to get Kimberly to check his latest guess when he returned to the office. He had a feeling there might be an announcement soon. "Well, Agent Scully, other than filing the report on this assignment, I don't really see any reason for you to come in until your vacation is over." "I'll take care of that as soon as possible, sir." "That would be the best course of action. Get to it while it's still fresh in your mind." "If Scully will bring my laptop, I'll file my report before I have my surgery," Mulder volunteered. "Oh, I don't think that will be necessary. From the reports I got from the sheriff and the Medical Center you probably don't remember much." "You're right, sir. I don't remember a whole lot after we were captured." Skinner could tell that Mulder wasn't being completely truthful. From the looks of their newfound closeness, he was sure that he remembered quite a bit, although it probably didn't relate to the case. He had just one more question to ask before he went back to the office to have Kimberly look up the records on the office pool. "Where do you two plan on going for that vacation?" he asked innocently. "Oh, we're thinking about heading to Vegas, then maybe Mexico," Mulder spoke up then realized that he had been set up. Scully looked at Mulder, dismay showing. "You're good, sir," Mulder chuckled. "That's why I'm an AD," he grinned. "Agent Mulder, take care. I hope your recuperation is fast and as pain-free as possible." "Thank you." "And agents, I hope you both enjoy your time out west. I hope you'll be well rested and ready to work together when you return." "That's what we had planned, sir," Scully stated, blushing. "I'll see you in three or four weeks then." "Yes, sir," they said in unison as Skinner left Mulder's room. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Outside, Skinner was quite pleased with himself and his agents. If he wasn't mistaken, he was in line to win the Mulder/Scully office pool, which was worth over $500. It looked like the X-Files team had won the biggest prize though, a lifetime of love with each other. The End