Title:  Chain Reaction
Author:  Waddles52
Summary:  A chain of mishaps makes Mulder wonder 
if he is jinxed.
Rating:  PG
Category:  MT, MSR
Disclaimer:  Not for profit, just for fun.  No 
copyright infringement intended.
Archives:  Ephemeral, Enigmatic Doctor's, others 
please ask
Feedback:  Yes, yes, yes!  Waddles52@wmconnect.com


Scully looked up from the magazine she was 
reading.

"Ready to go?" Mulder asked.

Scully observed the cane and orthopedic boot.  
"How are you feeling?"

"Great.  Nothing to it.  I don't know why I waited 
so long to get this taken care of."

"Neither do I.  You've been limping around with 
that ingrown toenail for over two weeks."  Scully 
gathered her things.  "I assume you have a 
prescription or two?"

"Yes, two," he answered.

"Then let's get you settled at my place and I'll 
get them later."

"Scully, I feel fine.  It doesn't even hurt.  
Let's just stop somewhere like Wal-Mart or K-Mart 
and get them filled.  I need to pick up some razor 
blades and deodorant anyway."

"Mulder, it doesn't hurt because the local hasn't 
worn off yet.  It will probably really start 
hurting before we get to my place.  Let me get you 
settled first," Scully protested.

"Nah, if we hurry we can get everything done and 
you can lavish me with TLC as soon as the 
anesthetic wears off."

"TLC, Mulder?  Lavish?"

"Of course, I've just had surgery here," Mulder 
grinned.

Scully sighed.  "Let's get going before I decide 
to lavish you with something that will require 
surgery."

Mulder limped to the door.  "I thought a part of 
the doctor's oath was to do no harm."

"Mulder, in your case . . ." Scully let the 
thought hang there.

"Okay, okay.  Enough said."

At Wal-Mart they turned in Mulder's prescriptions.

"Mulder, sit down and wait here while I get what 
you need.  I think I'll pick up a few things 
myself since we're here."

"I'll go with you, Scully.  It's not hurting and 
I'm picky about what type of razor blades I get."

Scully rolled her eyes heavenward and they started 
off.

"What do you need to get?"  Mulder asked.  "We 
won't need to go down that aisle will we?"  He 
nodded toward the feminine hygiene section.

"You're safe today, Mulder.  I just need some soap 
and bubble bath."

"I'll meet you there."  Mulder limped toward the 
razor blades.

He soon had what he needed and met Scully in the 
bubble bath aisle.  She was standing in front of 
some rather large bottles of scented foam bath.

"Do you buy that stuff by the gallon?"

"No, Mulder.  I do not buy it by the gallon.  I 
usually buy this inexpensive stuff for the times I 
have to rush through my bath, which is usually the 
case when we're in the field.  The nicer bath oils 
and scents come in much smaller bottles and I do 
not purchase them at discount stores.  I save 
those for special occasions.  Drat!"

"What's the matter, Scully?"

"They're out of plumeria," she sighed.

"No, they're not.  There are quite a few bottles 
in the overstock on top."  Mulder pointed them out 
with his cane.

Scully looked around.  "There's never a stock 
person around when you need one."

"That's okay.  I'll just hook one with my cane."

"Mulder, be careful."

The warning fell on deaf ears.  Mulder 
accidentally hooked two bottles.  As he tried to 
catch the first one, the second one bounced off 
his head.  The first one fell through Mulder's 
hands and landed on his just-repaired ingrown 
toenail.  He slid to the floor as Scully tried to 
catch him

"Mr. Mulder, please return to the pharmacy.  Your 
prescriptions are ready."  Mulder heard the 
announcement as his world faded to black.

Mulder opened his eyes then quickly shut them.  
The light was so bright it hurt, and damn if his 
head and neck weren't throbbing to beat the band.  
His toe, oh hell, his toe hurt like a mother.  He 
opened his eyes again, slowly this time, and took 
in his surroundings.  It didn't look like the 
doctor's office.  They must have switched rooms.  
Scully was there, standing with her back to him.

"I thought they were going to use a local," Mulder 
said.

Scully whipped around.  "Mulder?"

"Why did they have to knock me out for the 
procedure?" he questioned.

"They didn't, Mulder.  Don't you remember?"  
Scully inquired.

"I remember the nurse getting me ready for the 
procedure.  They must have given me some really 
good stuff."

"Mulder, You're not at the doctor's office.  
You're in the ER at Georgetown."  Scully filled 
him in on his mishap at Wal-Mart.

"Wow," was all he could manage to say.

"They're getting ready to admit you for 
observation.  No, don't even try to talk your way 
out of it.  You are definitely concussed."

"Okay, I guess.  Why does my neck hurt?"

"You probably have a bit of a whiplash.  Your head 
snapped back when the bubble bath hit you.  The 
other bottle landed on your toe.  I'm afraid 
you'll have to trade that cane in on a set of 
crutches," Scully answered sympathetically.

"I guess it's good that I scheduled this for a 
long weekend."

"The next time you might want to consider a week's 
vacation," Scully quipped.

Several hours later Mulder was alone in his room, 
having convinced Scully to go home.

"Scully, I'll have plenty of company. You know 
someone will be in here every five minutes shining 
a flashlight in my eyes."

She reluctantly agreed and promised to return 
first thing in the morning.

At first there was someone in and out of his room 
every five minutes, but he hadn't seen anyone for 
at least forty-five minutes.  He was pretty 
thirsty so he gingerly turned his head to look for 
the water pitcher.  There it was, just out of 
reach on the far end of the nightstand.  Deciding 
to be a good patient for a change, he rang for 
assistance.  Thirty minutes later he decided it 
was either get it for himself or die of thirst.  
He chose the former.

Ever so carefully he moved over, but still 
couldn't reach it.  He let the bed rail down and 
stretched a little further.  Just another inch or 
two and . . . thud!  Mulder's world quickly turned 
upside down.

"Mulder, what in the hell were you thinking?" 
Scully raged as she burst into the room.

Mulder was a pitiful sight, propped in bed 
sporting a band-aid on his right temple and a blue 
fiberglass cast on his right arm.

"I only wanted a drink of water," he said softly.

Scully's face softened.  "I know, Mulder.  I've 
already heard the whole story.  You know, I think 
the hospital is assuming part of the 
responsibility.  They're bringing in someone from 
re-hab first thing in the morning to make a crutch 
that you can use with your broken arm."

"They must be fearing a lawsuit to bring someone 
in on a holiday weekend," Mulder acknowleged.

"Maybe.  In the future, would you promise to wait 
for help?"

"Yes, Scully.  I promise," Mulder agreed 
contritely.

"Good.  It won't be a problem for now though.  
I've decided to stay with you until you're 
released."

"Scully, that's not necessary," he protested.

"I know, but I'd like to get you back without any 
further damage."

The door opened and a nurse came in followed by a 
young man from patient transport pushing a 
wheelchair.

"Mr. Mulder, we're so sorry, but they forgot to 
get the post-reduction x-rays when you were in the 
ER.  I promise it will just take a few minutes 
then you can rest."

Mulder muttered a few choice words as the nurse 
helped him into the wheelchair.

"Mulder, I'm going to stop by the coffee shop 
while you're getting the x-rays.  I'll meet you 
down there," Scully decided.

"Sure thing, Scully.  Take your time.  They say a 
few minutes but it will probably be more like a 
few hours."

"Now, Mr. Mulder, I promised you it wouldn't take 
long," the nurse chided.

"We'll see."

As the transporter pushed him out the door Scully 
warned, "Behave, Mulder."

Mulder just rolled his eyes.

Scully got a soft drink at the coffee shop and 
stopped by the gift shop for a few magazines.  
When she reached the corridor in front of x-ray 
she was greeted by a crowd of medical personnel 
huddled around a patient on the floor.

As the crowd moved back, she could see Mulder 
being helped onto a stretcher, blood streaming 
from his nose.

"What the hell happened?" she demanded, pushing 
her way through to Mulder.

"I'm so sorry," the transporter answered, wringing 
his hands.  "The brake must have caught and Mr. 
Mulder was thrown from the wheelchair."

"Fall down.  Go boom," Mulder sniffled.  "Ow, my 
nose!"

"We're taking him to the ER to be examined.  He 
may have a broken nose," the nurse explained.  "It 
was a freak accident."

"I'll say," Mulder agreed.  "This is beginning to 
look like an X-File."  He began to cough and gag 
from the blood running down his throat.

"Let's get you to the ER and make you more 
comfortable," the nurse suggested.

"The stretcher is in working order, I hope," 
Scully huffed.

"Yes.  It's one of our brand new models."

An hour later Mulder was awaiting the results of 
his latest x-rays.  "Scully, do you see a black 
cloud surrounding my head?"

"No, why?"

"I feel like I'm jinxed.  I keep getting hurt 
without even trying," he moaned.

"Coincidence," Scully surmised.

"I still say we should open an X-File.

"We'll see."

Their conversation was interrupted when the doctor 
entered the room.

"Well, Mr. Mulder, it seems you've had quite a 
day."

"You're preaching to the choir, Doctor."

"Well, I have good news and bad news."

"Let's hear the good news first," Mulder decided.

"The post-reduction x-rays look fine.  There was 
no further damage to you arm."

"But?"

"Your nose is broken.  You're going to need 
surgery to straighten it out."

"When?" Mulder sighed.

"First thing in the morning.  Someone from ENT 
will be by to discuss the finer points with you.  
Until then you need to rest.  We're going to give 
you some Toradol, a non-narcotic pain reliever 
that works pretty well.  I'll give the nurse the 
order, then we'll get you back to your room to 
rest."

"How long will he be hospitalized?" Scully asked.

At least another 24 to 36 hours."

By mid-morning the next day, Mulder was resting 
rather uncomfortably after the surgery to repair 
his nose.  He shifted in bed and groaned.

"Mulder, what's wrong?"  Scully asked, concern in 
her voice.

"What do they have stuck up my nose?"

"They had to sew in some plastic splints on the 
inside of your nose and you probably have about a 
foot of packing stuffed up there too."

"Sorry I asked," he winced.  "When do I get out of 
here?"

"It depends on physical therapy and your ENT 
doctor, but I'd say probably tomorrow."

"Scully, the next time you offer to do something 
for me and I refuse, remind me of this, okay?"

"Oh, I will. Believe me," she grinned.

"Thought so.  Sure you don't see a black cloud 
enveloping me?"

""No, I don't.  I'm just chalking it all up to the 
infamous 'Mulder Luck'."

"Same difference."

"No, Mulder.  This was just a chain reaction.  One 
thing led to another and here you are."

"Are you still going to let me stay with you until 
I'm better?"

"Yes, but just don't plan on getting too close.  I 
wouldn't want any of your bad luck transferring to 
me," Scully grinned.

"Ha, ha."

"Mulder, I was just teasing. I plan on taking care 
of you and lavishing you with that TLC you 
suggested earlier."

"TLC?"

"Yep, only the best for my Mulder, and when you 
feel better maybe we can investigate this whole 
thing."

"Oh?"

"I was thinking of starting a chain reaction of a 
different sort," Scully smiled, giving him a peck 
on the cheek.

"I'm all for research," Mulder agreed.  He brushed 
her lips softly.

"Yes, I definitely think this calls for some 
investigation," she said as she returned the kiss 
with a little more vigor.

"Some chain reactions can be very nice," Mulder 
pointed out.

"You're right.  I can't wait to see how nice this 
chain reaction will be."

"Let me get some rest, Scully," Mulder yawned.  "I 
think this investigation will require some 
strength and stamina."

"You've got that right G-man," Scully agreed as 
Mulder closed his eyes.  She began to plan a very 
detailed investigation for when he felt better.  
She was sure he wouldn't feel jinxed by the time 
she was finished with him.


End