VIVA TOWER, CRYSTAL CITY, VIRGINIA Skinner's Apartment Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. "Mulder, Andrews, come on in." Mulder was surprised at how pleased his boss seemed to see them. "Did you have a good flight, Agent Andrews?" the AD continued. "Yes, Sir, it was fine, thank-you." "Good, good." Skinner said, nodding. "Have you had time to familiarize yourself with the case?" Mulder was amazed. Making small talk was so unlike the Skinner he knew so well, he almost sounded nervous. Mulder immediately banished the idea. Skinner all but grabbed the take out bags from them as they came in through his door. "Would you like a beer, Kenny? Come through to the kitchen and give me a hand serving this up." Kenny started up the hallway. Mulder stood in the hallway needing to see his partner, and wondering how to go about it. "I need to...." He bit his lip, not knowing how to go on. Skinner hooked a thumb towards the other door. "Go ahead, she's in there," he said, gently. Skinner was cutting the pair of them some slack. "Yeah, thanks." Smiling gratefully, if a little embarrassed, Mulder opened the door and stepped into the living room. Skinner's furniture was dark wood - a desk, bookcases. All very pristine. Mulder remembered the curved balcony that this room led out on to. The white railings were just visible in the dark night outside, as was the panorama of the lights of Crystal City and its surroundings. He turned his head to the center of the room. Scully was on the sofa, her face ran a gamut of expressions as she looked up and saw who it was that had come in. "C'mere, Scully." He opened his arms to her and she was in them, clinging to him as if her very life depended on it. "Oh, Scully. I've missed you." Normally she'd never allow this anywhere outside their homes. He wasn't sure if she would now, but he needed to hold her. Though she was not one for public demonstrations of affection, now was different. For a moment, she was silent and burrowed against him. He held her close, savoring the feel of her in his arms, while inhaling her fragrance. "Just hold me, Mulder, that's all I need." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "Always, Scully, always. It'll be okay. We'll sort this thing out." "I wish I could believe that. I'm really trying, Mulder." "You *do* trust me on this?" "Only you." "The Kid's here to give us a hand. Another few days.... I promise." She lifted her fingers to his mouth. "Shh, Mulder, don't say anything. This is enough for now." Her fingers stroked his face. "You're a good man Mulder." There was a discreet coughing outside the door, and they sprang apart as Skinner and Kenny walked in bearing filled plates. "Look Scully, matching crockery." Mulder said in mock amazement, trying to ease her embarrassment and his own. Scully couldn't help the smile. "Agents? The joke?" "'Fraid you'll have to excuse my partner, Sir, he's got no finesse. Or matching plates," she added, grinning. "Scully?" Mulder whined, managing a theatrical puzzled look. "Have I got *any* plates?" The ice was broken. They spent the next few hours eating, talking, making plans and going over what they'd come up with so far. Mulder didn't say anything at all to anyone about his nightmares. No point worrying Scully, she had problems enough of her own. That Scully got on well with Kenny made Mulder glad. Some of Kenny's tales brought a smile to her lips. Mulder looked at the twenty-five year old agent, and wondered if he'd really ever looked as young and guileless as Kenny looked now. He must be getting old, someone had once said that was how you knew -- when policemen started looking as if they were still in high school. He couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips. Mulder and Skinner, and Scully to a lesser extent, filled Kenny in on all their non-findings. Mulder noticed how their boss's eyes kept roaming over to where he and Scully sat next to each other on the sofa. Being in each other's presence was an unexpected bonus, they shouldn't have touched each other but nevertheless, every now and then their hands would meet on the no-man's-land between them, and their fingers would twine. Mulder was surprised to see an indulgent smile on the older man's face. Skinner surprised them with the information that the video tapes from Lowry's building showed nothing at all, literally. At the time they assumed the attack was taking place there must have been some sort of an electrical disturbance. The video film merely displayed a 'snow' effect. Later, Mulder went out to the kitchen with Skinner to help bring in the coffee. "By the way, Sir, thanks for easing Kenny in. I thought we'd have grief at the crime scene, but the local PD was expecting him." "It's the least I could do in the circumstances, Mulder." "Truthfully, Sir, how's she doing? I, umm...." "I understand. She's restless. She didn't sleep very well last night either. I suspect Scully's never been one to enjoy being cooped up with nothing to do. Hopefully this won't be for much longer. She's even started cleaning the place." Mulder felt his eyes rolling upwards and a grin threatened to split his face. "Yes, *that* can be quite trying," he said nodding in sympathy. They all knew this time out of time was over. They had to get back to dealing with the realities. When it was time for them to leave, Skinner took Kenny out with him, giving Mulder and Scully a few moments on their own to say goodbye. "Skinner's getting very thoughtful in his old age, don't you agree?" Scully asked softly. "Mmm. Yes, he's definitely mellowing." Mulder hugged her fiercely to him. Her arms wound around his waist as he gently tilted her face up to his and kissed her softly on the mouth. He traced a path over her cheeks with his fingers and, while still cupping her face in his hands. Finally, he closed her eyes with his thumbs. "Hold that thought, Scully," he whispered and then dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose as an afterthought. Breathing unsteadily, he eased back from her. Scully stood in the center of the room, her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes tightly shut as he left her. MULDER'S APARTMENT Wednesday, 12:15 a.m. No matter how hard he tried, the thoughts of Scully couldn't hold his demons at bay. Her words kept running through his head over and over like stuck record. "I had this dream... awake or asleep.... I had this awful feeling of emptiness, of loss as if something very precious had been taken away from me...." In deference to Kenny, who was now softly snoring in the bedroom, Mulder didn't switch his TV on. It had been a very long day for the fledging profiler, and he didn't have Mulder's odd inner body clock. Mulder squirmed around on the couch, trying to make himself comfortable. He was physically and mentally exhausted. He'd kept a front up during the evening for Scully's sake. Now alone, in the semidarkness, he wished more than anything, for a restful few hours; that and her in his arms. But then, the two things were synonymous. A soft swishing sound in the corner of the room caught his attention, like cloth dragged along the floor. A patter, as if there was a mouse or a rat in the corner. The scrabbling got louder, coming nearer, a small dark shape, or was it a shadow, flitted around the room, first here, then over there. It seemed to grow in intensity, in darkness. He couldn't judge now if it were just a shadow, or a growing shape with illogically no shadow at all. Could it be an animal. Part of his brain was questioning this statement. What would an animal be doing in his apartment? How can a black object increase in darkness? He could make out the black shape. He started to get up to investigate, but his legs felt leaden. He couldn't stir. He was unable to move at all, not even his head. He could see the shape only when it flitted across his field of vision, getting nearer and neared to the couch. Fear spiraled, clutching at his throat, his ragged breath felt icy against his lips. Something was pulling on the blanket, the shifting weight moved up the cushions, crawling up toward him. The sound was getting louder, more intense, more menacing. His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to suffocate him. He couldn't move, he couldn't throw the weight off his chest. Its fists against his shoulders, it held him down. He saw the misshapen face looming over him, its breath rancid, coming in gasps that scorched his cheek, made his stomach turn. The pressure around his neck, squeezing, throttling, the misshapen fingers, clawing at his throat. His eyes threatened to pop from their sockets. Darkness overpowered him, the breath sucked out of him. Scully! Oblivion threatened to crush him and he fought the malevolence with all the strength he had left in him. He felt his fist connecting with something, then he heard the grunt of pain in the darkness, followed by gasp. In the semidarkness he saw the shape again, scuttling with a crab-like gait. Mulder twisted around on the couch to try to reach his gun. It was all around him, he could sense it, smell it, taste it. This presence was evil personified. It made his gut heave. An arm closed around his wrist like a vise, dragging him back. The body that held him down was solid, heavier than before. Suddenly it rolled and a light snapped on. "Dammit, Mulder! Wake up! Ya gotta wake up!" Kenny pleaded. Kenny's frustration evaporated as he saw Mulder's helpless panic. Seeing Kenny standing to the side of him, nursing a bloody nose brought Mulder back to the present. "Kenny? Shit, I'm sorry." "I heard you screaming and came in to see what the matter was. So, it seems all I ever do is get assaulted for my troubles. Jeez, Mulder," he said, with a rueful smile, "I'd hate to be your enemy, if this is how you treat your friends." Kenny looked at his former mentor. Mulder felt the terror receding, gradually ebbing away but apprehension still lingered, even now with the light on. Kenny instinctively seemed to know. "Wanna talk about it?" "Nah...yes...I don't know. It's only some damn fool nightmare. Been overdoing it, that's all." "Yeah, like I believe you. Look, Mulder, it's 'Spooky, Junior' you're talking to here, so cut the crap and talk. What did you dream? Something was here. I thought it was you when I first came in...but there was something else in here, I swear....I felt it, it gave me the creeps. It's cold in here!" Kenny shivered. "Leave it, Kenny, we're both overreacting. I've been under a lot of strain recently, and you're ready to drop with fatigue. Not very good witness material, either of us." But Mulder knew better than to try to BS his friend, so he explained what he'd been experiencing over the past week. "So you mean that this started *before* your partner's arrest?" "Yeah, a couple of days before, but it was never as bad as this. It's escalating. It seems so real... It scares the living daylights out of me." Mulder couldn't help the shudder that shook him. Kenny took a long look at the older man. "Hey, Mulder, What have you done to your neck? You've got scratches all around your throat." Mulder's fingers went up to touch the sore area. They came away spotted with blood. It took a while for them to clean themselves up and try to fix the damage Mulder had done to Kenny's nose. It was sometime later before they managed to settle back into their respective sleeping quarters. ACT III WEDNESDAY, 3:46 a.m. In the hours before dawn Mulder woke from a deep sleep. He saw the room was still dark, and shuffled back until he felt the back of the couch comfortably press against the small of his back. He did not know why he had awakened until the phone rang a second time, startling him back into consciousness. He fumbled in the semi- dark to find the instrument. "This had better be important," he snarled into the receiver. "It is. I'm sorry to wake you." Mulder recognized Walter Skinner's voice. He also recognized the deadly urgency in his tone. He sat on the edge of the couch and rubbed a hand over his rough chin. "What's wrong? His tone became concerned. Silence hummed over the line, broken by intermittent static. "There's a problem," Skinner said, breaking the silence. "What problem? Scully?" Mulder's hand gripped the receiver so tightly the plastic nearly cracked. "Scully's fine, she's asleep." "So what's happened? What do you want me to do?" "I need for you and Agent Andrews to get over here, now. There's been a development." "Sir?" "Just get over here, I can't discuss this over the phone." "We're on our way," he told his superior. VIVA TOWER, CRYSTAL CITY, VIRGINIA Skinner's Apartment Wednesday, 4:30 a.m. The AD was waiting for them at the door when they arrived. Skinner looked hard at the agents as they entered. Almost imperceptibly his piecing gaze shifted from Mulder to Kenny and back to Mulder. Skinner let out a sigh, a questioning look on his face. He eyes never left Mulder. "You look like hell, Mulder," Skinner said as he led them into his living room. "Thank you, Sir." "Having trouble sleeping?" "Try not sleeping at all." "Hmm. You and Andrews had a disagreement?" "Sir?" Skinner looked pointedly at Kenny's swollen face and then at Mulder's neck. "You know the Bureau's policy on agents brawling?" "It's not what you think, Sir." "I sincerely hope not, Agent." "I was dreaming, Kenny came in to see what the noise was about, and I'm afraid I overreacted." Skinner appeared to have lost interest in that conversation. They entered the room. "Please, take a seat. Would you like coffee? I've just made some." Mulder took a sip of his coffee as he sat on the couch. He used the movement to surreptitiously glance at his companions who sat on dark wood chairs at the side of him. Skinner looked as though he'd got dressed in a hurry and Kenny... well, the Kid just looked tired, bruised, and battered. "So, Sir, what's come up? You said when you called, there'd been a development. Is Scully finally off the hook?" "No, I'm afraid things look as if they're escalating." Skinner unhooked his eye glasses and polished them vigorously on the edge of his white t-shirt. For some reason, this action always made Mulder anxious. He'd learned that the man only ever did this when he felt stressed. It was almost as if his superior was buying time, trying to find the right words. Skinner's eyes without the glasses were blind, unwavering and surprisingly compassionate. "Escalating? How so?" Mulder asked. "Annelise Gates, the girl you interviewed yesterday." "Yes?" "She's dead." "Dead? How...? Why...?" "She died under the wheels of the 11:50 Metro train on her way home at the end of her shift tonight. Thank your lucky stars that you had Kenny with you when you interviewed her. It could have looked bad as the prime suspect's partner being the last to see her alive. "The local police force is covering the station, interviewing the witnesses. The platform was crowded. That was the last train out; a lot of people were trying to get home. At the moment the opinion seems evenly split between her jumping and being pushed. Get yourselves down there and see what else you can pick up." The telephone at Skinner's elbow rang. As he listened, his face was grave, his comments terse. When the receiver clattered back into position, he addressed the men who waited. "We might have a break. They're looking to see if the security cameras picked anything up." Kenny and Mulder turned to leave. "You're a good agent, Mulder- trust your instincts. But Mulder, for the sake of us all, especially your partner, keep a low profile. We don't need any more attention focused on us. Am I making myself clear?" "Crystal." Mulder paused for moment. "Umm, I was thinking about what you said earlier. Would you do something for me?" Mulder ground to a halt, unsure how to phrase his request. "You need me to do something," Skinner prompted with surprising patience given the circumstances. "Uhm...yeah...er...would you to give this to Scully when she wakes up...it may cheer her up." Mulder took out a small rectangular package, wrapped in a green plastic sack out of his coat pocket and held it out to Skinner. Skinner's face softened as much as it could as he nodded. "I'll see to it that she gets it, Mulder." "Thanks." "Sure thing." J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING VIDEO PROCESSING DEPT. Wednesday, 8:45 a.m. They'd returned from the train station with little more information than they'd arrived with. But it seemed they'd finally caught a break. The incident was recorded on camera, but the images were not as clear as they would have liked. The two agents were on their way to see Mulder's technician friend to see if he could improve on the imaging. "Hey, Danny, long time no see. We really need the favor. Wonder if you could help us out on this." Mulder handed over the video cassette. Danny had managed to create miracles on previous occasions, especially that time Scully had been abducted. He was a whiz with computers, digital enhancement, the works. If anyone could pull clear pictures off this, Danny would be the guy to do it. "Look, guys, this may take an hour or two, I'll need to get this freeze-framed, enlarged, whatever. The pair of you look bushed, why don't you go get yourselves cleaned up, grab something to eat. I'll call your cell phone just as soon as I've got anything." "Yeah, right. What's it gonna cost us this time?" "The Redskins are playing at the Jack Kent Cook Stadium in two weeks time, I could sure use a couple of prime tickets for that." "Okay Danny, you're on, but for that, this had better be good." MULDER'S APARTMENT Wednesday, 9:15 a.m. His phone rang in the living room just as Mulder and Kenny stepped through the door. Mulder moved swiftly across the room to get to the phone before the machine picked up. "Mulder?" "Right here, Scully." "I just wanted to say thanks. I appreciated the loan." "You're welcome, Scully." It always amazed Mulder how even just the sound of his partner's voice could lighten his spirit. "You shouldn't have done it, Mulder, but thank you. I know how much that video means to you. I mean, Caddyshack *is* your favorite, along with some of those videos that aren't yours." He grinned before answering her. "I didn't think you'd appreciate *those* ones. I just thought.... Thinking about it, I'm too tired to remember what I thought, other than it seemed like a good idea at the time." All of a sudden he felt a little shy. He changed the subject. "How you doing, Scully?" "Other than being bored and going stir crazy? I think I'm doing just fine. How much daytime TV can a person watch before finally flipping out? You know, I'd even be happy to do some expense reports right now." "Mmm. Things are *that* bad, are they?" "Yeah, even flukemen are beginning to be appealing. Mulder? Skinner told me about Annelise. I'm getting a bad feeling about this. And yes, I know that's usually your department, but just be careful, 'kay? I can't be there to cover your back. I-I wish there was something I could do. Being confined is doing my head in and Skinner is so organized that there isn't anything for me to do. I even thought I'd help out a little by cleaning up a bit, but I get the impression I'm beginning to drive the guy nuts." "I'll be careful, I promise. I'm even gonna have breakfast and a rest before I get back to the grindstone, how about that, hmm? As to flukemen, I'll see what I can find for you." He heard her laugh. "Gotta go, Scully. Talk to you later." After he and Kenny had eaten, Mulder showered. He was dragging a razor around his face when the call came through on his cell. "Danny here, I've got it looking as good as it gets. Come over and take a look." FBI BUILDING. VIDEO PROCESSING DEPT. Wednesday, 1:10 p.m. "I have to admit, usually at this point in the investigation, I'm a little more secure in what it is that we're supposed to be investigating. I'm hoping you'll be able to throw some light on all of this, Danny." "I've done the best I can with this, boss. It's freeze- framed, digitally enhanced, blown up, slowed down. You name it, I've done it. Here, let me show you." Danny ran the video via the computer onto a large overhead screen. "Look, there she is, the train comes in, she lunges forward; she's down." "Let's see that again. Look, look just there. That shadow. See? It seems to move towards Annelise. Just before she goes into the lunge, it recedes. Just there! Do you see what I mean?" Danny ran the clip over a few times. Kenny shivered. "Hey, Kid? You cold?" "No, just felt like someone walked over my grave. Guess it's the lack of sleep getting to me that's making me jumpy. It's no big deal." "Danny, can you blow this up further, slow it down some more?" "Comin' right up, Mulder." He fiddled with the settings, muttering to himself. "What do *you* think happened, Mulder? Did she jump, or was she pushed?" Kenny inquired. Danny was finally finished with the adjustments. "Jeez!" Mulder couldn't believe what he was seeing here. "Run that again!" He all but shouted at the technician. "Look, Kenny, are my eyes deceiving me? Do I think I see what I think I see? At this magnification and speed, the shadow had materialized into a shape, a familiar shape, a shape that haunted him in his nightmares night after night. They could clearly see it approaching Annelise, just as the train was drawing level with her, they could see her propelled forward by the black draped form, before it turned and retreated. "Christ!" gasped Kenny. "I don't believe this! What the hell is that?" "She was pushed! It pushed Annelise under the goddamned train! It's out and out murder! Kenny that's what I keep seeing, at night. That's the thing, the crone. Shit! Kenny I can't get my head around this." "Mulder? Hey, are you okay, you're as white as a sheet." Mulder ignored him. "Danny, can you print off a hard copy of that image for me?" "Sure thing, Mulder. Do you want me to record the clip at this speed and magnification?" "Is that possible?" "For you, Mulder, anything." Mulder managed to get the AD on his private line and explained to Skinner what Danny had found. "Sir? Listen, you've just got to get down here and see this. You're not gonna believe it. I barely can. I think this case has just graduated from plain homicide to an X-File. Please get over here and take a look for yourself." As they waited for Skinner to come down, Kenny asked Mulder quietly, "Have you told anyone about your dreams?" "Nah. It's not like anyone else would believe me." MULDER'S APARTMENT Wednesday, 10:15 p.m. Mulder lay on his couch. Kenny had already hit the sack. Ahh, these youngsters, they just haven't got the stamina, he thought, grinning. It had been an extremely busy afternoon and evening. In the light of the new evidence, strange as it was, a lot of things had been re-examined. Suddenly Mulder wasn't quite the persona non grata he'd been before. It's nice to know I'm so highly regarded, he thought to himself. He had no illusions as to the reason for his suddenly elevated status. All this had deepened the mystery further, but at least they couldn't try to lay the blame for Annelise's death on Scully. This in turn put a different slant on the original killing. He and Kenny had done a lot of legwork during the afternoon, revisiting the various locations. Signing and resigning for various bits of evidence. There was one surprise for them when they went back to Lowry's apartment. Mulder had overlooked it before as it didn't seem to have any bearing on the case at the time. In he living room there was a framed etching on the wall. The print, when it caught his eye, stopped Mulder dead in his tracks. Kenny looked up at the print. "Henry Fusili, 18th Century Italian painter. One of my professors of psychology was very heavily into art. I remember having to listen to his lectures. He'd illustrate much of his lessons with various paintings. This was one of his favorites. He had this theory that this showed our subconscious fears. The demon, crone, whatever that is sitting on the young woman's chest is a presentiment of death. See how the girl appears either unconscious or dead? He said it was fear that caused such dreams." He looked over at Mulder who was feeling physically sick. It must have showed. "Mulder? Is something wrong?" "I'm not sure I'm awake." "You think this is a dream?" "That's it, Kenny. This is what I see in my dreams, it's what I *feel*. But it's evil, Kenny, pure evil. Why do I keep seeing it? Why me? There are too many coincidences, but I can't see what my connection to all this is. I feel that somehow it knows me. I feel as though it's stalking me." Kenny hadn't known what to say to that, but his face had told Mulder all he needed to know -- he was finally losing it. Now, as he lay on his couch trying to rest, Mulder thought back to the incident with Skinner years back. There was a woman in his dreams too, an ancient elder, a crone; but strangely enough that one had seemed oddly protective of the man. Maybe he should talk to Skinner about this, but he couldn't see his boss opening up enough to discuss this with him. There was nothing protective about the images that haunted Mulder's nights and intruded into his days. This was pure malevolence, something he was sure would enjoy taking his life if he let his guard slip. He left the desk light on. It softly illuminated his living room, chasing his fears away. Maybe tonight he would be able to rest. Mulder shot up on the couch, the air was filled with Scully's cries, cries of pure terror. His heart raced, and it took him a moment to grasp where he was. He was in his living room, lying on his couch in an uncomfortable position. Scully wasn't here, Scully was safe in Skinner's apartment. The darkness hovering over Scully was just a dream, a figment of his imagination. The light was still on, and for a few seconds he lay motionless, trying to recapture the moments just before he'd woken up. He rubbed the waffle pattern the cushion had left on his cheek. As he remembered, his breathing accelerated. Scully was in danger. He could feel her panic, so close, so close. Mulder wasn't sure what had happened. The sense of dread that had come over him steadily grew. Something was desperately wrong. He *had* to get to her. He got up and quietly started to pull his clothes on. His cell phone sounded. He picked it up after the first ring. "Mulder." "Sorry to wake you." "Scully? Is she all right? I dreamed...." "My God," breathed the A.D. "That's impossible!" For a moment Skinner seemed to stunned to continue, then he appeared to think better of it. "How...? Y-you'd better get over here Mulder. She needs you, and you're the only one she's likely to listen to." "What?" "I'll explain when you get here, she's safe, but she's very upset." Skinner sounded distressed too. This more than anything else troubled Mulder. "I'm on my way." He stopped for only long enough to leave a note for Kenny. ACT IV CRYSTAL CITY Skinner's Apartment Thursday, 2:10 a.m. As Mulder squinted against the glare of the headlights as he drove along the Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway toward Skinner's apartment, he couldn't help worrying. Worrying? Shit, he was frantic. He looked down and saw his hands, white knuckled on the steering wheel. He hadn't even noticed the speed he was doing until he looked at the gauges to see the speedometer wavered between 85 and 90. What was he doing, he chided himself. He eased his foot off the gas a little and slowed down. All he needed now was a run in with the police. For once his good fortune held. Luckily, at this time of night there was not much traffic. He pulled off the JD Highway in front of Skinner's glassy tower building. It took him minutes to park the car and like forever to get up to the AD's front door. An uncharacteristically flustered Skinner opened the door to him, dressed in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. Mulder could see something was seriously wrong. Skinner's jaw was so tight, Mulder could almost see him grinding his teeth. There was a scratch mark on his cheek; the one on his arm was oozing slightly. "Mulder, she's through there." Relief was evident on Skinner's face. "Sir, what the hell happened here?" Mulder saw Skinner's Sig Sauer lying on the small table in the hallway. "Are you okay, Sir? You don't look too well." "I just can't stop shaking. I must have been in a deep sleep, when I heard her screaming. My first thought was that there was an intruder, I drew my weapon automatically. She was standing outside my bedroom, it was dark and she just screamed, and then something brushed past me, black, soft. I felt...I-I can't describe *what* I felt. Danger, revulsion?" Skinner paused to catch his breath. "Scully was totally out of it. She didn't seem to recognize me or know where she was. That's when I called you, Mulder. She's calmer now. At first, when I tried to lead her back to her room, she just went for me. She fought me, she was afraid of me. Then she sort of sagged and crumpled. I had to carry her back to her bed. She's been whimpering in the corner ever since. I don't understand what happened here.... I don't know what to do. She doesn't seem to know me." Mulder was shocked to see the fatigue and anxiety evident in his boss's body posture, and for once he didn't try to mask it by assuming the A.D. mantle. Mulder could see how very uncomfortable Skinner was with the situation. Was there something he wasn't telling Mulder? He kept fiddling with his eyeglasses, taking them off to polish on his t-shirt, before replacing them again only to remove them to rub his eyes. "Uh, I need to see her, I need to talk to her..." "It's okay, Mulder, do what you need to do. I'll leave the two of you alone. She'll be better with you. To be honest she scared the shit out of me." This admission in itself was enough to push Mulder's anxiety a few notched higher. "Look, if you need anything, you know where the kitchen is, just make yourself at home. I'll make myself scarce. I'll most likely only upset her again if she sees me again tonight. I'll see you in the morning." Mulder could have sworn his boss added "Good luck." Outside her room, Mulder ran a hand through his hair And tried to work out what had happened here. Scully was rarely out of control, practically unflappable, as was their boss. Whatever had taken place here tonight had really shaken them both up. Softly he tapped on the door. Not waiting for an answer, he went in. He was stunned by the state of his partner. She was huddled up, cringing in the corner of the bed but at least the whimpering had stopped. "Hey, Scully. I'm here now. It's going to be all right." He tried to keep his voice quiet and reassuring. She nodded as she recognized him, but her quivering lower lip and tear-filled eyes told him that she didn't yet share his believe that every thing would be okay. He knelt beside her, by the side of the bed and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Feel like talking, Scully?" She didn't answer him at first. He saw the lone tear break free and trail down her cheek. She shook her head. There would be plenty of time later for talk, explanations. At this moment, all Scully really needed was to be held. He couldn't deny her that. He moved over onto the bed and gathered her trembling form into his arms. At first she resisted his touch, almost as if she were afraid of him, then slowly, slowly the tension in her eased. He sat down, pulling her gently towards him and rocked her. He wasn't sure which of them needed this contact more. He could feel all tension leaving him as he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled. He didn't know how long they sat like that. Finally she moved in his arms, pulling away. "You're going to be okay," he assured. He was loath to let her go, but she needed her space, needed to put the veneer of composure around herself. It was just the way she was. "Yeah, I'm just...I'm just going to take a shower and then, well, try to sleep." He looked down at her upset face, but wasn't surprised at her denial of the situation, they were masters of it after all.. "Scully, let me in, let me help you." But it was as if she hadn't heard nor wanted to hear. He decided not to pursue this tonight. "You want something hot to drink, Scully?" She nodded. "Thanks, Mulder." "Always... you know that." He smiled at her as he headed toward the kitchen. ACT V "Easy, Scully. Relax. It was just a dream." His fingers gently stroked her cheek, bringing warming blood back to the icy flesh. Still swimming towards consciousness, she turned towards his comforting touch. After an age she opened her eyes. Mulder sat on her bed wearing only his jeans, his eyes red from lack of sleep. He pulled her into in his arms. It had just turned four when the sound of her voice roused him out of the heavy dreamless sleep he'd been in. He'd rushed in from the couch in the living room, glad she hadn't woken Skinner up. She continued to whimper, trapped in her dreams. "C'mon, Scully, it's okay, I have you now." She pulled him tighter to herself. She began to shake, her teeth chattering. "Can you tell me, Scully? Tell me what's upsetting you." Slowly she shook her head against his chest. She was well and truly spooked, but she wasn't ready to share with him, and he couldn't, wouldn't push her. "I'm not u-usually like this," she murmured. "I'm always so g-good at ...at coping, but this..." She broke off, her gaze clinging to his. "S-sorry. This isn't your problem." "You're okay. It's okay," Mulder repeated over and over as he rocked her slowly in his arms. "You're safe, now, I'm here, and it *is* my problem. I won't let anything hurt you." "Don't go," she pleaded. "I won't leave you, ever," Mulder answered. He hesitated, then loosened his hold slightly so he could scoot underneath the blankets next to her. She clung on to him. "Shh, It's okay, it's okay. Come on, put your head down, you need to sleep." "I saw it Mulder," she whispered. "I saw the blood, it was everywhere. I-I think I was g-gonna hurt S- Skinner." This disclosure sent an involuntary shiver through him, compounding the chaos that reigned in his head. "Shh, Scully it was a dream, it was only a bad dream, that's all." He gathered her close to him, the soft cotton of her pajamas brushed against his skin. Right, this felt so right, the feel of her against his body. He lowered his mouth to her and felt her hands move into his hair, pressing him closer to herself. "I need to hold you, Scully, to touch you." "I need you too Mulder, but Skinner... we can't... not here..." she began to edge away from him. Mulder shifted, then lifted her, leaning her back against his chest, trapping her between his spread legs. "But I...." "Shh, " he said nuzzling her neck. "Let me touch you Scully, let me hold you, please. Let me make you feel better." His hand trailed down to the waistband of her green plaid pajamas and she made a soft mewing sound. He let his fingers roam over her, caressing, reassuring. She jerked as if startled. It was so good touching her. For now this was enough for him. His mouth on hers absorbed the little sounds she was making. And still he held her, enjoying the weight of her as she covered him like a blanket. Finally she craned her head so she could see his face. He smiled up at her. "Go to sleep, Scully," he ordered in a gruff voice. "I'll keep the nightmares away." She smiled. "Mmm." She slept. Mulder lay on his back, one arm flung across his face, grateful for the darkness. Scully's cheek was a gentle weight on his shoulder, as she lay against him. He breathed in, filling his lungs, aware of the faint musky rose scent of her body, that delicious womanly scent that was intrinsically Scully. Strangely, he felt it shroud him, protect him. Maybe she could keep him safe too, keep *his* nightmares at bay. He started worrying about what had happened before he got there, what she'd seen. There was no way she could have killed Lowry. And what had spooked Skinner? Did he believe himself in danger from Scully? How did it all fit together? That was the mystery. He wasn't leaving her alone tonight. To hell with precedence and protocol, and if it came to that, to hell with Skinner. Let the Bureau do its worst. His last coherent thought was, together they would be safe. THURSDAY, 7:15 a.m. It was the smell of fresh coffee and toasted cinnamon and raisin bagels that woke him up. He looked down at Scully, still peacefully asleep in his arms. Had last night really happened, or was it just a dream? He moved to slide out of the bed. He'd compromised his partner enough as it was. What they did in their own time was their own business and he wasn't ashamed of it, but this was Skinner's home. He might be their friend, but Mulder didn't want to put their superior in an untenable position. As he got up, Scully opened her eyes. Although she still looked a little dazed, the look of fear had gone from her face. He grazed his knuckles gently across her cheek. "It's all right, Scully, I'm just going to the kitchen, Skinner seems to be in breakfast mode." Stepping into the kitchen, he knew that there was no way that Skinner couldn't know where Mulder had spent the night. "It's okay, Mulder, this is all strictly off the record." The older man tried to put him at ease, and Mulder couldn't quite contain the sigh of relief. He could have sworn he heard his superior say, "Last night never happened, Agent Mulder." Skinner's remark surprised him. There was something different about their boss this morning. Although he seemed very understanding, he also seemed ill at ease, nervous somehow. "Sir, about last night, before I got here, exactly what happened?" Mulder was taken aback at Walter Skinner's reaction. The man turned pale. "If you don't mind, Mulder, I'd rather not discuss the matter at this time. I need to get it straight in my head first." Walter Skinner hesitated. "I think the pair of you need to talk, Mulder. Scully will find it a lot easier if I'm not here. I'm going into the office to catch up on the paperwork and there are a number of reports I need to review. I should be done by late afternoon." "Thank you, Sir. I appreciate everything you're doing for Scully, for us." "It's the least I can do for friends, Mulder." Mulder felt strangely touched by that remark. For just a moment there, Skinner had seemed both very alone and envious at the same time. This lack of sleep was definitely getting to Mulder's thinking patterns. Skinner had already left the apartment by the time Scully came into the kitchen. "Come and eat, Scully, and then we need to talk." Scully drank her coffee but only toyed with the bagels. Mulder understood how difficult this was going to be for them both. "Come on, Scully, you trust me don't you? Tell me about the dream last night. What did you see? What happened that frightened Skinner?" "How do you know that, Mulder?" "It was something you said last night, that and Skinner's reaction to all this. I've...umm, I've looked into it recently. I've been in contact with Dr. Cardoso at the Bethesda Sleep Clinic. Do you remember? They helped us when Skinner was having sleep problems." "You think that's what my problem is? That I'm likely to.... That I.... Is that why Skinner isn't here this morning? God, the one thing I *do* remember from last night was the look of fear on his face. Jesus..." "Scully, it's not...." "Last night Mulder, last night I woke up outside Skinner's room. It's been playing through my head, over and over.... Was I going to do to him what I must have done to Marcus Lowry? Or was I going to take his life some other way? Was that why he was so scared, Mulder? Was it all a bad dream, or did I really do that to Marcus? I can't remember... but I saw the photos. Am I capable of doing something like that to a total stranger? Mulder, my necklace was found in his bed." Mulder heard the rising panic in her voice. "I didn't know him, Mulder, I don't know where he lived. How could I...?" He came around the table and took hold of her. She was trembling. "Scully? Calm down. I can't believe you're saying this; that you're even considering going down that path. Skinner doesn't believe you're capable of anything like that. I certainly don't." "That's just the point. I feel I'm on borrowed time, waiting for something dreadful to happen." "I'd have said the worst has already happened." "Am I crazy, Mulder? Are you afraid of me?" "I'm afraid of where you're going with this, but no, I could never fear you. I trust you with my life." "Even after you saw Marcus, even after what might have happened last night?" "I trust you with my life. I always have, and I always will, no matter what." She pulled away from him. "I need to try to make some sense of all this, Mulder. I think I want to check myself into that sleep clinic. Would you take me over there, will you do that for me?" "Scully, you didn't do it; you couldn't do it. It's not in your nature." "Please Mulder, I need to do this. I need to know." He couldn't deny her this. He could never deny her anything. BETHESDA SLEEP DISORDER CLINIC Dr. Cardoso's office Thursday, 11:28 a.m. Skinner had been all for the idea and it had taken surprisingly little time to get Scully an appointment. Mulder couldn't help wondering what strings had been pulled. She asked Mulder to come in with her to see the doctor. He moved to sit next to her as the procedure was explained to them. "After consultation with, and comprehensive evaluation by a sleep specialist, each patient is diagnosed and he appropriate therapy is determined. As part of the consultation and evaluation, a sleep study may be performed during a period of one or two nights. You understand, Dr. Scully, that hospitalization is not necessarily required?" "I think I'd rather the tests be done here." Mulder surreptitiously took Scully's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze. She did not pull away. "That's not a problem, Dr. Scully, we can accommodate you on that. Overnight tests are completed by 7 am. During a sleep study, you will be monitored by painless, non-invasive technology." Dr. Cardoso took them both to see one of the suites where the testing would take place. "Apart from the recordings of all the monitors that the patient is attached to during the test, we also keep a video record of the patient. The actual observation booth is situated a little up the hall, away from the suites where the patients stay. It lessens the chance of patients being disturbed by the comings and goings of the technicians. There is continuous monitoring of course, but most patients prefer this setup. It's not quite as if we were in the room with them." She smiled. "A sleep test, the polysomnogram, simultaneously records heart rate, brain waves, breathing, oxygenation and eye and leg movements. As you can see, this suite is state-of-the-art. Treatment for sleep disorders may include a prescription for a device to aid the patient's breathing while sleeping, medication or light therapy as well as neuropsychiatric interventions, including biofeedback. Don't worry, none of that is as daunting as it sounds. If indicated, referral to, or consultations with other specialists might be recommended to aid in diagnosis and treatment." The doctor smiled at them, "Is there a problem with any of that?" Scully even managed a weak smile as she shook her head. Scully was to report back by half past eight that evening. It would give the doctor and the technician a chance to run preliminary tests and get her 'wired up'. Now that it was all set up, she relaxed a little. "Do you mind if I come with you, Scully? I can sit with the technician in the observation booth. It won't be the first time I've watched you sleep, and at least this time you won't be drooling all over my shoulder," he quipped, and was glad to see a corresponding smile on her lips. "Never let it be said that I'd deprive you of scintillating entertainment, Mulder." "Well," he tried giving her his best leer. "There's only reruns on TV for the next few nights. There isn't even a decent game anywhere." "Oh, well Mulder, that *definitely* settles it then, doesn't it." "Well, if watching you sleep becomes too tedious, I could always catch up on writing some of those reports." "What, and run the risk of giving our superior a heart attack?" BETHESDA SLEEP DISORDER CLINIC Friday, 3:30 a.m. Scully settled for the night, and judging by the monitors and viewing screen, she was enjoying normal restful sleep. Mulder found it very soothing, watching his partner sleep. It gave him plenty of opportunity to sit and just think. As he repeatedly turned the events over in his mind, he began to realize that nothing was as clear to him as the fact of his own confusion. He thought he knew what he'd seen, what he'd experienced. But now, seeing how deeply these revelations had affected his partner... he wasn't sure what to think. His normally ordered, precise mind was in total chaos. This case was really bugging him, so many anomalies. Had it been anyone else but Scully involved it would have been pretty much open and shut, but regardless of how things appeared, this couldn't possibly be so here. He knew his partner too well. Mulder chewed his lip as he considered the possibilities. How had the blood got onto her pajamas? There was no way she could have traveled the distance between the two buildings -- could there? No, he wasn't even going to entertain that theory. But if it hadn't been her, then who? His own dreams worried him. He couldn't work out why they had started when they had. Were they some sort of a portent, or just the figment of his overactive, exhausted mind. He'd always accepted that evil existed per se, but the idea of a struggle between the forces of good and evil fitted better between the lines of some gothic novel than into his life. Men were good, men were evil, evil thoughts, evil deeds. Yet he'd never really considered either good or evil as being a creature in its own right, a being self contained, self motivated. Up till now, he had come face to face with an entity that threatened to take over his entire being, but this creature was self- contained. It seemed now to be behind much of what they'd seen in their work on the X-Files. Blowing out a frustrated breath, Mulder muttered. "There's something I'm not getting. Something's missing.... Why her, why me? Is there a link, and if so what is it?" He cast his mind back to a week before when they were working on their last case. What was it she'd said about God choosing his own tools? With her bias towards scientific proof and logical explanations, he was surprised in the past at her ready acceptance of the concept of evil. He would have expected her to shy away from this exotic idea, that it would make the scientist in her uncomfortable. But then, she believed in God. You had to have good if you were to have bad; it was just the way things worked. To Scully it had been so simple, there was something out there, trying to make her do things, had maybe made her do things, waiting to get her. It terrified her, but she was prepared to go down that path to try to discover more, to resolve the problem. She had the belief. He on the other hand was so much in denial that sometimes he feared he'd never ever extract his head again. Their roles here had been reversed, she the believer, he the skeptic. He had seen it, felt it, smelled it, yet part of his mind was still trying to rationalize it, to find reasons, to find excuses. He felt that somehow his dreams and what Scully had been experiencing were somehow connected, but how? That was the big question. Shit, it was way too late at night to be going into self-analysis and psychology. What wouldn't he give for a night's uninterrupted sleep? Last night's rest, although short, was the most he'd had for days. There was something about just being with Scully, she always chased his demons away. He must have dozed off then. Seven o'clock came, and the smell of the technicians coffee woke him, ending his vigil. He'd take her back to Skinner's and then go on home to try to catch some sleep during the day. Somehow that felt safer than trying to sleep in the dark. He was going to have to try to talk to Kenny. The Kid was open minded enough not to shoot him down in flames as he tried to work a theory out. ACT VI BETHESDA SLEEP DISORDER CLINIC Saturday, 1:15 a.m. Kenny had insisted he come to keep Mulder company tonight, although Mulder could see that the guy was bushed. "Look, Kenny, much as I appreciate the show of solidarity, you'll be a lot more use to me tomorrow if you're not asleep on your feet." He finally persuaded Kenny to stretch out on a bench in the hallway outside Scully's room. Only Mulder's promise to wake him, should the need arise, finally persuaded Kenny to rest. It had been one of the longest weeks in Mulder's life. He spent some time in the observation booth, talking with the technician on duty. George recounted some of the funny and bizarre things he'd seen here while on duty. It helped to pass the time. Saturday night here, unlike other medical departments, tended to be very quiet; in fact Scully was the only one in tonight. It looked like another routine night. The sound effects of the monitors got to be irritating, and after a while George turned the audio off. The visual would alert them to any thing. By two-thirty, the technician had gone for a break, promising to bring Mulder back a coffee when he returned. "Not that the coffee here is anything to write home about, but at least it's hot and wet, with enough caffeine to jump-start a truck on a cold morning. A cup of *that* in you and there's no chance of you nodding off." He laughed as he left the booth. Mulder sat on his own, watching the screens as various CCTV cameras panned both Scully's room and other areas of the department. He could see Kenny asleep in the hallway. Mulder thought he really should tell Andrews to go to bed. The monitors were recording Scully's vitals, her brain wave patterns, eye movement. At least she was getting some rest, Mulder thought enviously. Maybe he should call it a night too. She was safe enough here with all the hi-tech surrounding her. He must have dropped off himself for a minute or two, when George Hanover's gasp woke him up. "Jeez, she's moved, she's gone. Look at the printout on that monitor! She was into an episode. Where the hell is she?" With that, George was flipping through all the cameras, trying to get a fix on where she might have strayed. As he did so, he activated the Security measures. On the monitor, Mulder saw the room Scully had been in was now empty. The leads that had not so long ago been attached to her lay scattered. "Shit!" "Yeah, looks like we've got a walker..." George continued flipping through the monitors. "There. Is that her? Looks like someone's just left the building by the fire exit at the end of the hall, I can see a shadow moving away." Mulder could see his young disciple still asleep on the bench outside her room. Scully must have walked right past him as he slept. Mulder called Kenny on his cell phone, and grabbing his coat, moved to get after Scully. Kenny had gotten a head start over him as he was nearer that exit. By the time Mulder arrived at the bench, Andrews was already gone. Mulder stepped out of the fire exit door onto the sidewalk into the chilly night air. He turned and surveyed the empty streets. At quarter to three in the morning, not much moved. Where the hell was Kenny? And why the hell had he himself chosen that moment to doze off, Mulder riled. He stood for a moment looking around trying to work out which way she might have gone. He found it hard to believe that this could have happened. He saw a movement to the left, someway up the street. Was that her? He decided to chance it and broke into a run to try to catch up with her. Should he call out to her? He'd heard somewhere that it was dangerous to wake up a 'walker' abruptly. Hopefully Kenny was somewhere close by, and between them they could head her off. Shit! She was going to cross the street. Scully was moving slowly. She seemed to be oblivious to her surroundings and to the cold. She paused for a moment under a street lamp. He ran hard to catch up with her, but it was as if he was running through deep, sticky mud. Everything was in slow motion and taken on a dreamlike quality. For a moment he thought he might have been dreaming, and then he prayed that he was. Mulder knew what was going to happen even as he heard the revving of an engine and saw the car bearing down towards her. He knew before its headlights pinioned her in their glare and realized that there was nothing on this earth he could do to prevent the tragedy that was about to unfold. He called out a warning that was too late. Like a film in slow motion, clip by silent clip, Scully teetered on the edge of the sidewalk, her bare toes curling over he curb. Then it cut to the speeding vehicle as it bore down towards her. "Scully! Scully, for God's sake, STOP!" For a split second he thought she'd heard him, thought she'd understood. She shook her head as though coming out of a dream. He saw her startled look, her expression frozen in shock that was drawn in stark relief by the unrelenting blaze of light. Her realization, too late, of the inevitability of what was about to happen. Then he saw the black shadow, as it appeared to enclose her like a cloak, to propel her forward straight into the path of the oncoming SUV. "No, Scully! NO!" In the beam of the headlights, he saw the terror in her face, saw her tumbling like a rag doll; then a black shape launched itself into the beam of light knocking Scully out of the path of the wheels, followed by the sounds he never forget. The squeal of brakes, the scream, the sickening thud of soft body contacting hard metal and the sound of splintering glass seemed to be amplified out of all proportion, as it shattered the quiet of the night. Finally he was able to move, the thick cloying feeling had gone. He raced down the street to her. His cry distorted with anguish "SCULLY!" Lights flashed on in the building across the street, faces appeared in windows. "Scully! Oh my God! Scully." He was on his knees, a finger at her pulse. He was grateful beyond measure for the telltale signs of life. The beat against his fingertips was thready, but all he cared about was that it was there at all. With the stench of oil and gas rising around him, he forced himself to look for the worst. She lay so still as he knelt down beside her on the asphalt, the light of the headlights accentuating her pallor, clearly showed the small cut that marred her temple. His fingers automatically went to tuck the stray strand of hair behind her ear. Short of more abrasions and contusions, his careful, fearful search found nothing. No trails of blood warned of cranial injury, no arteries spurted, no veins trickled. There were no bones twisted at odd angles. Her breathing was slow but not labored. "Scully." He hardly recognized the anguished whisper as his own voice. Mulder pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed 911. As he covered Scully with this coat, the driver of the SUV approached them. "I'm sorry, God, I'm *so* sorry. I didn't see her; she just fell out in front of me. I tried to brake, I swear...." He turned away gagging, only to throw up in the gutter a few yards away from them. To be honest, Mulder wasn't concentrating about the driver who'd done this to Scully, he was far too concerned about how still she was, how pale. "Scully, please be all right. Hold on, please, just hold on, help's coming. Hang on, Scully." Tentatively he stroked her face. He wanted so badly to hold her, but didn't dare move her in case he made her injuries worse. He heard her sob even as he wondered what he should next. "Mulder...?" "Hush Scully, I'm here, it's gonna be okay. The ambulance is on its way. Hang on, they'll be here in a minute. No! Don't move!" he gasped, as she tried to grasp his hand. His fingers trailed across her cheekbone. "Gentle," she murmured. Her gaze was blurring, her lashes fluttering. "An angel." She was making no sense to him. His only thought was that she was lapsing into confused gibberish. There was no reason, nor time to think differently as she moaned softly against his palm. Shock. She was shivering. He gently pulled his coat closer around her trembling body. "Hush, Scully, help's coming." "Mulder...what happened? I saw a bright light, falling...then something cannoned into me, pushed me out of the way. Mulder...I felt the hand of an ang..." Her voice shuddered on the sob. "No, you were pushed. Right under the wheels of that SUV. I saw it, Scully. I stood frozen, I couldn't move, I couldn't help you. There was nothing I could do to stop it." There was a faint, weak moan from the darkness beyond the range of the headlights. Mulder turned to investigate and pulled his penlight out of his pocket. The sight that his eyes beheld froze him. "Mulder... what is it, Mulder?" He heard his partner's voice cut through his horror of the sight illuminated by the faint, narrow beam of light. "God, Kenny!" The kid's crumpled, bloodied body lay in a heap on the asphalt, his arm and leg at unusual angles. "Mulder, is he all right?" "I don't know, Scully, I don't think so. Christ, what have I done?" He turned to see Scully struggling to sit up. "Scully! No!" "But I'm a ..." "Don't move Scully please," he begged her. "We don't know how badly you're hurt." The sense of what he said must have overridden the doctor instincts in her. "Take the coat Mulder, he needs it more than I do...." Mulder couldn't remember when he'd prayed so hard before in his life. Please let the paramedics be quick, please let them both be okay. Someone came out of the building carrying blankets. They covered Kenny over to keep him warm. "You okay?" a voice asked. Mulder felt himself led back to the curb. As the adrenaline rush dissipated, he felt his legs crumbling beneath him. Someone made him sit down next to Scully, pushing his head down between his knees before they wrapped a blanket around him too. The movement made him feel light-headed. Then reaction set in, he was shaking like leaf. The deepening chill of shock, racked him from head to toe. He had to fight this, he had to be strong for them. They needed him. He had to let their boss know what had happened. He took his cell phone out again and dialed Skinner's number. "Sir? Sir, you'd better get down here, there's been an accident...yeah, it's looking pretty bad. Scully's hurt, but the k-kid.... I-I don't know...no.... Gotta go, Sir. I can hear the siren, so the paramedics are on their way." Then he turned away to heave and part company with his last meal, and some of the fear went away with it. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL Saturday, 4:46 a.m. Skinner and Mulder has been pacing the hallways for the past few hours. The doctor had taken his own sweet time checking her out. God, how long could a set of x-rays take? That Scully hadn't been killed or at least severely maimed was thanks to the hand of fate in the guise of Agent Kenneth Andrews. They could only presume that, somehow, in the extra few moments head start Kenny had over Mulder, he'd circled around and was approaching from the other side of the street. Had he not positioned himself where he had, Scully's injuries would have amounted to a great deal more than grazes, contusions, sprained ankle and slight concussion that the doctor finally confirmed she'd suffered. She was resting at the moment, best let her sleep the nurse had told them. Skinner was surprised that Mulder did not insist upon seeing his partner no matter what. When he mentioned this to Mulder, he'd replied that at least they knew that Scully was safe and not in pain, "Kenny, on the other hand...." Mulder hadn't been able to finish. No, their biggest worry was Kenny. In the best case scenario he'd suffered a broken arm and leg. In the worse.... He was still in surgery and there was nobody there who was prepared to commit themselves to any sort of opinion at all. Mulder wasn't sure if that was in spite of or because of the A.D.'s presence. No amount of badge waving would elicit any further information. The waiting was killing them both. Neither of them knew what to do. In the end Skinner took matters into his own hands. "Come on, Mulder, let's get some coffee into you, you look like shit." "With all due respect, Sir..." "Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before; now move it, Agent." Mulder was too tired to argue. The two of them nursed bad hospital coffee as they sat in hard hospital chairs waiting for word on Kenny. MULDER'S APARTMENT Saturday 5:32 AM He got back to his apartment by a confused, circular route and fell onto his couch without taking off his coat or his shoes. The lights were on and he felt weirdly exposed and vulnerable, but he didn't want to turn them off. The couch seemed to be rocking a little, like a raft, and he kept one foot on the floor to steady it. Then he fell asleep and slept soundly for a couple of hours until he was awakened by a knock on the door. Seized with fresh panic, he fought to sit up in the tangle of his coat, as the knocking became more insistent. Then Mulder hear Skinner's voice calling his name. He momentarily lay back on the cushion, so relieved he felt like laughing. "Are you okay?" Skinner asked once he gained entry. Upon seeing the younger man's nod, the A.D. said, "Come on, I'm driving." BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL Private room Saturday, 8:29 AM Both Mulder and Skinner knew that when hospital authorities put you in a private room to break the news to you, that news is usually of the worst kind. Mulder, having seen Kenny at the site of the accident, had no illusions about how seriously hurt his friend might have been. Now, as they stood in the center of the antiseptic room, they were both growing increasingly concerned that the young agent might not survive. Mulder was mentally preparing himself to hear the worst when a doctor stepped in to join them. The list of injuries was horrific. Apart from head injuries, Kenny suffered a bad break to his femur, his left arm, and his nose. There was also damage to his pelvis. "He must be the luckiest man alive," the doctor said, "It was touch and go for a while. It's as though someone up there is looking out for him." BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL Side room Saturday, 9:20 AM As Mulder sat by Scully's bedside, he marveled on the nature of love and friendship. They were in a relationship, but when was the last time he'd said those words to her and told her how much she meant to him? "Mulder?" Scully's voice echoed around the small hospital room, bringing him back to the present. "Who else were you expecting?" Mulder tried to joke. He went over to sit on the side of her bed and grasped her hand in both of his, so relieved that he had her back safe and sound. "How are you feeling partner? You had me scared back there." "Don't worry Mulder, I had *myself* scared back there. How's?...Is Kenny?...T-They wouldn't tell me, Mulder. Did-did he get through the surgery?" "Kenny's one tough agent, although I can't see him ever wanting to work with me again. He was *so* lucky. The doctors said it was almost as if he were protected, you know. At first they suspected skull fractures, major internal trauma, the works. "He looked real bad when they brought him in. He got away with a broken arm, leg, and pelvis, as well as some minor head injuries, which included a broken nose. His poor nose certainly took a beating on this case. His condition is serious, but the prognosis is good. He had a good team working on him." Mulder turned her hand over in his and appeared to find the lines on her palm extremely fascinating. "Scully, umm...Do you remember what happened out there? It's just that what I think I saw and what you said just after you got hurt, well umm...there are differences. I was following you, Scully. I just could never seem to catch up. I saw you poised on the edge of that curb with the SUV coming directly towards you. "The driver seemed to be traveling too fast, but I found out later the poor guy was going the speed limit; it just seemed too fast. From where I stood, you seemed to still be a safe distance away, but then suddenly you were covered by blackness, and I saw you being hurtled towards the vehicle. You didn't step out, you were pushed with a great deal of force." Mulder could hardly bear to go on. The memory was too painful. He'd stood by impotently watching his partner face death, and he couldn't move nor do anything to save her. "And then you seemed to fall backwards towards the curb, and the next thing I see is Kenny lying badly injured in the street. I saw it all, Scully, I just don't understand it." He felt her cover his hand with her own, gently stroking with her thumb. He finally looked up at her. "What happened, Scully? Do you remember? I need to know. You said something strange back there...." "I remember," she began hesitantly, "seeing lights to the left of me, and as their intensity grew, I felt myself falling. But at the same time, I kept hearing my name being called, yet it seemed so far away.... And then I looked up and the car was just there. I knew that was it, that I would never see you again. It made me feel very sad, but there didn't seem to be any urgency to anything, like everything was happening in slow motion. "Then I felt it on me. There was a bright white light and a black shape, not horrifying like before, not evil at all, but sort of warm and good like a gentle hand. For a moment I thought I saw an ange_, I-I thought I saw something. But then suddenly I felt pain as the car slammed into me, and I was falling backwards. I must have hit my head as I landed. "Mulder, it was Kenny who saved my life. He saved my life and came so close to-to losing his own." As Mulder pulled her into his arms and held her close, he rested his head on her hair. He acknowledged to himself how close again he'd been to losing her. Thank God for Kenny. The kid was almost like a gift from God. He couldn't stop the self-deprecating smile. Scully must have felt it, for she pulled away to look up. "Mulder? What is it?" "I don't know how I even entertain the thought, Scully. Guardian angels?" But she didn't laugh, didn't even smile. Perhaps that's where he needed to look. In a strength beyond his own. To a source higher than Scully's science or his logic. To a source of faith, grace and power. But was he ready for such a journey? Scully had invited him to join her. The very notion was difficult for him to comprehend. Scully had been traveling that path for a long time now, although she was loath to admit it either to herself or to him. He saw it in her eyes now, heard it in her voice and felt it in her touch. She, unlike him, had no problem with the idea. Maybe it was this faith of hers that protected her, them, that ultimately kept them both safe, even in the greatest of perils. He could see where her hope stemmed from. "What happened to you, Mulder?" her voice was soft as she asked him after a while. He was silent for a moment, not wanting to revisit his experiences of the past week for the moment. He settled down next to her on the bed, shivering a little at the thought. Scully pulled him back into her arms, he was thankful that she was still here to be able to do it. He took a long breath. "I don't know where to start, where to go with this. We owe Kenny a great debt, Scully. And Skinner, he's a better friend to us than we'll ever know." "I know that," which surprised him. He had to tell her, had to explain about the dreams he'd been having, but he needed time. This was as near as he could go at the moment. There was a soft knock at the door and Skinner walked in interrupting what Mulder was about to say. "I think we need to clear up some lose ends here, Agent Mulder." "What do you mean?" "Jeff Jackson has just been in to see me. He's been feeling very bad about something." "Jeff?" Scully was puzzled. "Yeah, something he didn't say when he was first interviewed. He was in shock at the time; he thought he was hallucinating. Later he kept quiet because he didn't know what he'd seen or what he'd imagined. He didn't think it was important, but it kept niggling at him, till he had to do something about it." "I don't understand," Scully said. "Where is this leading?" "It's something that he believes he saw, believes he felt when he came into your room." "The black shadow, the presence," Mulder filled in. "Mulder? Sir? What are you talking about?" Mulder went on as if she hadn't spoken. It all came out; his nightmares, the black shape he thought he saw, no, that he *knew* he saw during the day and when Kenny was at his side during the night. "It's over, Scully. Somehow this ties in with everything else. I don't know how or why, but I can't feel that feeling of dread any longer." For once both Scully and Skinner didn't refute his theory, didn't ask for scientific proof to back what he'd told them. Later, when they stopped by the precinct station, they were both surprised to learn that Scully was now officially off the hook. The blood on her pajamas was not the perfect match as was thought at first, further DNA testing had shown that the two samples were not a match. There were no fingerprints on the assault weapon. Both Mulder and Skinner looked perplexed, and the officer on duty looked extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable as he explained that it had been a rookie who'd run the fingerprints through the FINDER. He apologized profusely for the mistake. There was a ton of paperwork to fill in. The only thing about it that made Mulder smile the was that Skinner had more than his fair share of it to do. EPILOGUE BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL Side room A week later. All three of then came in to visit with Kenny. His recovery rate had astounded both the doctors and his friends alike. Although he would be out of action for a few months yet, his predicted stay in hospital was now down to three weeks. Kenny could remember nothing after seeing Scully teetering on the edge of the curb. But he *did* remember what happened immediately before. He remembered the wizen face of the black crone as she appeared behind Scully. "I must be the luckiest man alive. I still can't remember exactly what happened or how- maybe it's just as well," Kenny confided to Mulder. Mulder smiled when he saw Andrews blushing as Scully placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Kenny." There was nothing else she could say. "You're welcome, Dana. I'm glad I was there." Mulder came over to him and shook his good hand. "I'll always owe you one, pal, you know that, don't you? Though I'm sorry you got hurt again, you're a good man to have on a team, and I'm proud to have worked with you." Kenny smiled as he said, "Remind me to up my insurance if I ever work with you again, Mulder. In fact next time, email me first, and I'll make sure I head off in the opposite direction. Besides, I don't think Kerry would ever okay another team-up." All of the agents remembered fondly Kenny's long time girlfriend. "No, I don't suppose she would, but if there's ever an emergency, you just let me speak with her, okay?" Scully assured them confidently. Skinner spoke up. "There's no getting away from it, Kenny. You're a hero. I've made recommendations that your bravery be rewarded in a fitting manner. Your contribution to this extraordinary case will be noted in your files." Kenny, as seen by the color of his face, was more embarrassed then ever. A nurse pecked at the glass. Mulder smiled. "We've got to go. Guess they just don't respect credentials around here. They just throw you out when the time's up. See you later, Kid. Take care, you hear me?" As they went out to the car, Scully stopped and touched the tiny cross around her neck. "Mulder, I didn't lose this at the club. I still had it around my neck when I undressed that night." "How can you be so sure Scully?" "Because a thread from my shirt caught in the chain and I had a job to untangle it." FIN 28/07/01 Finally!!! So. What did you think? ewa@whatewa.com 'I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly for you tread on my dreams.'