One hour into our trek and I am just about ready to chew my leg off. I can feel sweat dribbling between my shoulder blades. Droplets pool on my top lip then every few minutes trickle over the edge, winding a path under my chin and onto my chest, soaking the neck of my t-shirt. It occurs to me that perhaps I was a little hasty in my decision to forego the Tylenol. It is taking every ounce of will power I have to not throw myself at Scully's feet and beg for painkillers. If that were to happen I know my chances of finding this child would amount to zip. Scully would have me whisked off to the nearest Emergency room quicker than you can say 911. So I bite down on my bottom lip to stop myself groaning and fight valiantly to keep the limp out of my walk. "Mulder, the ranger was right. This is truly beautiful country. You know, it is so easy to forget how to appreciate nature, to only focus on the hustle and bustle of city living. Always rushing to meet deadlines...I'm really glad you brought me with you. Even if this turns out to be a wild goose chase, I just want you to know that I'm having a good time." I'm glad someone is. Scully stops and turns to face me. Her cheeks are bright and a fine layer of perspiration graces her brow. She looks beautiful. The picture of good health. "That's...great...Scully..." My leg feels as if someone is squeezing the thigh muscle and twisting it inside out. While I may have had a minimal amount of success at hiding my limp from Scully during her preoccupation with Mother Nature, I realise that the strained panting that accompanies my words has just set off Scully's 'med-alert' alarm. "Mulder? Are you all right?" I pause to consider her question, trying to decide what my chances are of admitting to the pain and then convincing Scully that a couple of Tylenol will do the job just fine. I almost have the answer formulated in my mind when the throbbing stops. For about two seconds. "AArghhh!" I clutch desperately at my thigh as the muscle contracts into a tight and extremely painful cramp. I hop blindly towards the side of the path and collapse in a tangled heap on the ground. "Mulder? What is it?" "Cra...aaarggh! Shit!" Another spasm hits. I curl over my leg and try to massage the knot. "Cramp?" Scully asks. I nod my head, not trusting my words to come out in anything resembling intelligent speech. I feel Scully's hands on my chest, gently pushing. "Lie back" And in a scene reminiscent of what happened yesterday in the office, Scully unclasps my hands from around my leg and replaces them with her own. For a small woman Scully has remarkably strong hands. I feel the force of that strength flowing through her fingers and digging into my flesh. It hurts. I brace my good leg on the ground and lift my hips, pushing myself backwards as if by doing so I can somehow distance myself from the source of agony. "Hold...still...Mulder!" I ease back onto the ground, cover my eyes with the heels of both hands and concentrate on trying to relax. Gradually the spasms stop and so does Scully's massage. When I eventually get my breathing back on an even keel, I lift my hands and squint at Scully, who is straddled in a most unpartner like manner across my right knee. Her hair is hanging about her face in untidy tendrils, and she is puffing with the effort of working on my leg. "Hey, Scully." I venture, testing the water. She glares at me. "Thanks." I offer. She leans back, hands on hips, her weight resting on my knee. Any other time I would find this rather...well...rather enjoyable. But now, while the spasms have eased up, the ache is till pounding away in my thigh, which as a consequence is making the rest of my leg kind of uncomfortable. "Um, Scully. Could you get off me? Not that you're heavy or anything it's just..." "Just what, Mulder?" At least she's speaking to me. "My leg hurts." There! It's out. I said it. "Really? You're kidding me, right?" She climbs off and stands up, hands still resting defiantly on her hips. She appears a lot taller from the ground up. "That's twice in two days, Mulder. What the hell's going on?" "I got a cramp, Scully. It could happen to anyone." I shuffle up into a sitting position, not quite ready to brave standing and putting weight on my leg. "That may be true but when it happens to you, it's more than just a simple cramp. So, come on, out with it. What's going on?" Not only does she look tall from the ground up but the word menacing also comes to mind. "Okay. I might have hurt my leg yesterday while apprehending Cantlon. But it's nothing, really. I think I just bruised the muscle. So...no big deal, now if you'll just give me a hand up, we can be on our way." I stretch out my arm, expecting Scully to help me to my feet. However, she doesn't move. She just stands there, staring at me. Fine. I'll get up on my own. I roll over onto my hands and knees then push myself upright. Ah, shit. I balance on one leg for a second then put my full weight on both feet. I feel a cold sweat break out on my forehead and under my arms. Hoo, boy, this is not looking promising. "Mulder." Scully takes me by the arm. "You're in pain. Come and sit for minute and let me examine you." "I'll be fine." I reach inside my pocket, pull out the packet of Tylenol and hold them up for her to see. "I've got the magic remedy right here." I smile at her as I swing the backpack off, rest it on the ground and dig around for the bottle of water. "Have you been taking painkillers since yesterday?" "No, I haven't. I took a couple this morning and they worked fine. Give me another couple of minutes and I'll be fine again." I slide the blister pack from the box and push two capsules into my hand. The pills slide easily down my throat with a little of the water. "How exactly did you hurt yourself yesterday, Mulder?" I heave a weary sigh. She's not going to quit. But...if I play my cards right... "I tackled Cantlon and fell on a baseball bat." I close my eyes and shake my head. When I say the words out loud, what happened to me sounds so...so...stupid! Scully folds her arms across her chest and gets a look on her face. Do I detect a hint of amusement mixed in with her concern? "A baseball bat? You fell on a baseball bat? Dare I ask *how* you happened to fall on a baseball bat?" "Sculleee, when you say it like that you make it sound like a scene out of the 'Three Stooges'. Cantlon was using the bat as a weapon. I..." Oh, boy, here we go again, "he hit the gun out of my hand, and when I tackled him the bat came between us and jammed into my leg. See? Simple. It is not something to get all worked up about!" "Well, Mulder, for something so simple you seem to be in a lot of pain." "Only because the muscle cramped. Now that it's stopped, I'm as good as new." "I could do with a break, how about we sit for few minutes and let those pills do their work." Oh, God, yes, that's the best idea I've heard in a long while. "If you're feeling tired, Scully, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a rest." I pick up my backpack and sling it over my shoulders. Now that the cat's out of the bag I don't bother hiding the fact that I'm favouring my right leg. We wander a little further up the path, looking for a suitable place to rest. "Here, Mulder, this will do." Scully leads me to one of the wooden barricades beside the walking trail. Perhaps barricade is too strong a word. My guess is that the fence-like structure is there to remind hikers not go wandering off into unchartered wilderness. Anyway, right now, the barricade is going to serve as a seat. I ease myself down and swing the pack from my shoulders. Scully does the same then sits back, watching me. "What?" I ask. "Mulder, why didn't you tell me that you were in pain this morning?" I drop my head momentarily before meeting her eyes. "It's not that bad, Scully. Really. I'm okay." Her eyes linger a little longer, as if summing up my answer before deciding whether to accept it or not. I guess she rules in my favour, her eyes leave mine and her attention turns to the backpack wedged between her feet. "Hungry?" She asks. "You brought food?" "Sure. I picked it up from the deli while you were still eating breakfast. If we're going to put in a full day's hiking we have to eat. Unless you were planning to go 'Caveman' on me, Mulder, and hunt down a wild animal for lunch?" "Very funny. What did you bring?" I hadn't really given food much thought, but now that the subject has come up, I guess I am feeling hungry. "Sandwiches." "I'm not really in the mood for bean sprouts and tofu on rye." I whine at her. "Just as well." She hands me a paper bag. "Peanut butter and jelly," she announces like she's just presented me with the Nobel prize. "Ooh, Scully, splurging out!" "You may not know this, Mulder, but peanut butter is a very nutritious food staple. It contains protein, fibre, vitamin E, niacin, folate, vitamin B6, B1, B12, magnesium, phoserous, iron, copper, zinc, and calcium..." "Sort of a brown, gooey vitamin pill." I finish for her. "It's more than that, Mulder. One ounce of roasted peanuts provides 10% of the daily value of folate recommended for lowering the risk of heart disease." For some reason she looks pointedly at me while making this statement. "And you gained all this rivetting information from where? The back of a peanut butter jar?" I ask while releasing this amazing cure for all human ailments from the confines of the paper bag. "No, no. I've read about this in at least two leading medical journals. As you know I like to keep up to date and abreast of new developments. And in the past seven years, I must say, I've had ample opportunity to catch up on my reading while waiting in various emergency rooms throughout the country." Her eyes hone in on me again. "I'm glad to have been of service to you, Scully." "A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is an excellent energy source. The sugar in the jelly gives you an instant energy hit while the carbohydrate in the bread releases energy into your body gradually over time. Did you know that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread contains almost no cholesterol and less saturated fat than other items such as a chicken fillet burger, hot dog, a slice of pepperoni pizza or a hamburger?" Suddenly the peanut butter and jelly isn't looking as appetizing as it was. "And...Did you know, Mulder, that there are actually web sites dedicated to peanut butter?" "Well, well, the secret life of Dana Scully. You actually surf the net in search of peanut butter web sites?" She purses her lips and fixes me with an icy glare. "I read it in a medical journal." No kidding. "Scully, tell me something. Do you ever eat food simply because you enjoy the taste of it?" "I like the taste of everything I eat. Just because it's good for you doesn't mean it has to taste bad." "Really? I was under the impression of the exact opposite. If it tastes good, then it has to be bad for you." "That depends..." A low growling sound rumbles over the top of Scully's words. My hand automatically reaches for my weapon, but I hold off on drawing it. I drop the bag and what's left of my sandwich into the backpack. "What was that?" Scully whispers, tossing her uneaten lunch beside mine. I put my finger to my lips and slowly stand up, adjusting my stance a little when my right leg almost gives out from under me. Scully stands beside me, her hand hovering at her back, finger-tips brushing the top of her holster. Another burst of growling, this time a little louder and a little more insistent. The undergrowth behind the fence rustles, but I see nothing to tell me what is causing it. "Wait here," I tell Scully. "Mulder, stop. We don't know what it is." Her words are quiet, features strained. "That's why I'm going to take a look," I hiss back at her. She pulls her weapon and holds it in both hands, ready to cover me if it should become necessary. A sound resembling that of a distressed animal screeches through the peaceful tranquillity of the woods. My heart jumps into my throat and I steal a quick glance at Scully. She's moved from passive observer to trained investigator in a matter of seconds. Her arms are stretched out in front of her, the gun cocked and ready to fire. I nod my approval at her, swallow hard, then make my way along the path towards the sound. The painkillers have taken the edge off the ache in my leg, but the prospect of finding the Jersey Devil child has done an even better job of taking my mind off it. I climb the guard rail, and pause, listening. The woods are strangely quiet. I creep closer, the skin at the back of my neck prickling in anticipation of what might be waiting. A rustle of bushes behind me. I swing around. Nothing. A quiet, slow growl to the left of me. I rub my fingers together, the skin on my hands clammy, nerves twitching, anxious to draw my weapon, but still I hesitate. I'm not sure what to expect, but if it is the child, I don't want to risk accidentally hitting it with a stray bullet. "Mulder!" A harsh plea from my partner. I move again. SWOOOOSH! A figure leaps from the bushes, running away from me. I am momentarily stunned. For all the world, the thing that erupts from the scrub is an animal, but it stands on two legs. I catch only a fleeting glimpse of the creature and in that split second it is impossible to tell exactly what it is but I do know one thing: it doesn't resemble any animal I've ever seen before. Its small stature enables it to move quickly and almost undetected through the bushes, the only clue that it is on the run are the rustling of leaves and branches as it cuts a path through the woods. Without hesitating any longer I break into a run and give chase. This may be what we came to find. If not...well, it's something and I want to know what. My mind is fully occupied in negotiating the terrain and not losing sight of the creature. In the back of my mind I am aware of my leg twinging in protest each time my right foot hits the ground but I refuse to give into it, not now, not this close to maybe discovering one of nature's true anomalies. I vaguely wonder if Scully is following behind me. Whatever this thing is, it's fast. The effort of remaining upright and ducking under low hung branches is beginning to take it's toll. My leg is more insistent about reminding me that all is not well and my chest is heaving with the added strain of fighting to maintain my balance while running. I stop. The moving branches and soft rustle that I had been following no longer offers me guidance as to where the creature is heading. My breathing is loud in my ears and I strain to hear, listening for any unusual sounds. But the forest is still and quiet. Too quiet. Once again the silence screams at me that something is not right. I hold my breath and listen harder. Nothing. Then... THWACK! Something slams into my side, knocking the wind out of me and sending me sprawling to the ground. My head bounces off a rock or a log or something, a swirl of lights dance across my vision. With trembling arms I push myself to all fours, pausing to catch my breath and fight back an overwhelming urge to decorate the forest greenery with peanut butter and jelly. WHAM! Whatever hit me before has decided to come back for a second go. Caught off guard and already dazed, I am an easy target as the creature crashes into me again. Lurching sideways, I hit the ground with my right shoulder and hip. The force of impact jars my leg and sends a bolt of agony from thigh to toes. The thing moves with lightning speed. For a creature that I deduced to be only around five feet tall, it's doing a damn fine job of kicking my ass. Nice to know that some things never change. I wonder idly why it hasn't come in for the kill. "Mulder!" Then the answer arrives in the form of my partner. "Mulder! Are you all right?" Scully doesn't rush to my side. Not exactly. She kneels beside me and with one hand edging along the side of my neck, does what has almost become a routine act of greeting for us- she checks my pulse. The other hand is stretched out in front of her, moving her weapon in a slow arc around the surrounding forest. I brush her hand from my neck. "I'm not dead, Scully." "What the hell happened, Mulder? What was it?" "What was it? That's a very good question. I didn't actually get the chance to take a good look. I was too busy getting my ass kicked." "Are you hurt?" "Only my pride." I sit up a little straighter, wincing when my head reminds me that more than just my pride suffered in that little encounter. I reach up and feel the back of my skull. No blood, but already there is a decent sized lump forming. "Did you lose consciousness?" Hoo, boy. Here we go, Dr Scully, Medicine woman performing amazing feats of medical prowess out in the wilderness. And as much as I love the way she cares for me, I really can't afford to have her look me over too closely. Not if I want to keep Scully on my side while we search for the 'wolf child.' "No." "Are you nauseous, dizzy?" She pries my eyelids open a little wider and stares at my pupils. "No and no." Not anymore. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" "No." "Okay then, Mulder. All things considered, you seem fine." That's it? No 'track my finger,' 'do you know what day it is?' 'What did you eat for breakfast?' Hmm. I got off lightly this time. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I decide to climb to my feet before she changes her mind. Arrrrggh. Shit! As soon as I stand my leg goes into total rebellion. A sudden burst of pain shoots through the thigh muscle radiates down my calf and into my foot. I scramble for support clutching at Scully to prevent myself from hitting the ground again. Before I can gain control it a groan slips past my lips. I bend over and close my eyes, waiting for the worst of the pain to subside. *Now* I feel nauseous and dizzy. In the background, Scully's voice floats around me. I'm not really paying much attention to what she is saying, but the tone is soothing, encouraging, and it helps to know she is with me. Eventually the pain drops to a bearable level. Enough so that I can stand up straight again. I realise that my left arm is draped around Scully's shoulders. Funny, I don't remember doing that. "Mulder, do you think you can make it back to the path? The backpacks are still there and I need the medical kit." I nod my head and draw a deep breath to steady myself. "I think I'm okay now." But even to me my voice sounds husky and anything but okay. "Sure you are G-man. Let's go, I want to see for myself." I wonder how she plans to do that. X-Ray vision? Because if she thinks I'm going to drop my pants in the middle of the New Jersey State Forest, along a public hiking trail...well, she can think again. *** Wells Mills county Park Saturday 11:30 a.m. ************************ "Okay Mulder, lose 'em!" "Excuse me?" I know damn well what she's referring to. "I want to see the damage you've done to your leg, and in case you hadn't noticed, I can't do that unless you drop your pants." She rummages around in the backpack as she speaks. We've manged to make it back to the trail and our backpacks without any further close encounters of the 'wolf boy' type. Scully currently has me perched on the wooden barricade while she squats at my feet searching for the medical kit. "Scully, you have no idea how tempting an offer that is, but let me just remind you that we are in the middle of a public park and not in any official capacity as you were so quick to point out. How do you think Skinner is likely to react if two of his agents are arrested for indecent exposure in New Jersey? Let me tell you in case you have any doubts. Do the words wiretap duty or suspension mean anything to you?" "Mulder there's no one around for miles. I only want to take a look." She pulls out the medical kit and rests it on the ground. "I promise that when we get back to the motel, my leg is your leg, to do whatever you want with. Although I can think of more interesting parts of my anatomy that deserve a little attention." I raise my eyebrows in a suggestive leer. "Well, Mulder, if you happen to injure yourself in that more deserving part of your anatomy, I promise to give it plenty of attention." She doesn't face me but I'm able to see the corner of her mouth turn up in a smirk, and for a second I am scrambling for a comeback of my own. "I'd really prefer it didn't come to that, Scully, I'm kind of protective about the family jewels." Scully studies the medical kit for a second, looks at me, scans the area, glances back at the medical kit again then puts it away in the backpack. "Do you think you can make it back to the car?" She asks, squinting up at me before peering back along the path. "No. I..." "Dammit." She thinks for a moment then slides her hand inside the front pocket of the backpack, pulls out her cell phone and gets ready to punch in a number. "Um...Scully? What are you doing?" I rub my hand along my thigh, working at keeping the ache away. "If you can't walk out of here, Mulder, I'm going to call for help," she tells me matter-of-factly. "Whoah, just a minute. First off, I don't think your cell phone will work out here and secondly, when I said 'no', I meant that I had no intention of walking back to the car. Scully, I've *seen* what we came out here to find. I'm going back in there," I indicate the thick forest behind us, "to track it down." "Mulder! You can hardly walk, how the hell do you think you are going to keep looking for this thing when you can barely put one foot in front of the other?" "I admit that my leg hurts..." "...well that's a start," she chimes in. "But, only when the muscle cramps and that may not even happen again. I'm sure I can keep going. I have to. We may not get another opportunity to find it." "I'm not so sure that's a good idea." I heave a frustrated sigh. "I'm fine now, look at me." She does. "Yes, at the moment you are okay, but I wasn't referring to that. I don't think it's a good idea to mess with nature. What are you going to do if you catch this...this...so called 'wolf child?'" "Scully, there have been numerous documented cases of feral children being captured and taken back into society. Look at the case of 'Victor the wild boy' found outside of Lacaune, France in 1800. This boy was discovered in a wolves' lair when he was approximately 12 years old. He lapped water like a dog, refused to eat anything but raw meat, bit anyone who got too close to him, spent his nights growling, and his days grunting inarticulate sounds..." "My point exactly. Where would a child like that fit into society?" "Look, if a child like that can be rehabilitated back into civilisation in the 1800's, I'm sure with today's modern medicine and advances in psychology, there would be one hell of a good chance that the child we are seeking could be taught to adapt." "I read that story too. Only I remember it as a dismal failure. A French doctor worked with that child for ten years. Everyday he was tickled, massaged, bathed in hot and cold water in an attempt to stimulate his senses. It took that long before any kind of meagre communication between the doctor and Victor developed. Apparently it was another 5 years again before he could be trusted in a normalized environment. At 30 years old he still whimpered like a child when separated from the doctor, sat rocking himself staring at walls and avoiding all eye contact. Eighteen years after being found the boy was no better off than when he was discovered with the wolves." "I'm impressed, Scully. You did do your homework. Did you also read that Victor had a three inch wide, six inch long scar on his larynx? In all likelihood someone had tried to kill the boy then dumped him in the woods." "Because they thought he was intellectually disabled," she states. "Yes. Don't you see, Scully. That boy never had a chance from the start. The child we are chasing is in the woods alone because its parents were killed. Not because it was an idiot and abandoned. I still believe he or she has a chance to be rehabilitated into normal society. I'm not saying it will be easy, but what's the alternative? Let the child be hunted down and killed?" "It's already killed two innocent people, Mulder, and attacked you." "It was acting out of self defense. It was scared and saw me as a threat. It could have killed me but it didn't." "Only because I arrived and scared it off." "Scully, please. We have to at least try. Where's your sense of scientific adventure?" I rub my hand lazily up and down her arm. She stares long and hard at the ground. "You do this all the time, Mulder. You talk me into going along with your crazy ideas and nine times out of ten all it amounts to is a whole lot of trouble and a stack of paperwork." She pauses then looks up at me before continuing. "Look, I'll do this on one condition. That you are totally honest with me about your injury. If it gets too bad, you tell me and we turn back. I am NOT, and I repeat NOT spending one single night out in the woods because you didn't know when to call it quits. Do we understand each other?" "I promise. If it gets so bad that I can't go on you will be the first to know." I hit her with a look so innocent that I almost feel guilty pasting it on my face. "And no bullshit, Mulder!" "Scully!" She checks her watch. "Okay, its 11:45 now. We've still got plenty of daylight left and I want to be back at the ranger station with some of that daylight still up our sleeve. Two hours out and two hours back plus another hour to make it to the car. Agreed?" Is she kidding? She's the one calling the shots right now. "Agreed, Scully. Indian guide's honor." I hold two fingers up to my forehead in a salute. "Okay, let's go." She hoists the backpack over her shoulders. I stand up and grab my own pack at the same time as a knife seems to cut straight through my thigh. I give my botton lip a good work out with my teeth to stop myself from crying out. Scully is watching me suspiciously and I offer her a weak smile. "I'm ready, let's move it out." ****************************** Somewhere in Wells Mills County Park 1:36 p.m. ****************************** The going is not as easy now as when we were following the marked path. I have taken to snapping small branches in half to leave a trail for us to follow back. Scully is marking our route on one of the maps the ranger gave us, using a compass to guide her. I feel pretty secure in the knowledge that at least we won't get lost. As the noon sun forces it way higher into the sky, the rays creeping through the overhead branches are making the forest underneath as hot as a sauna. The sweat no longer beads on my forehead or lip but runs a steady course down the side of my face, pooling momentarily at the base of my neck before running off and soaking into my t-shirt. I reach up and undo the front buttons of my denim shirt. Scully has long discarded her checked one and has it tied neatly around her waist. I marvel at the way her hips swing ever so slightly as she steps out, the back pack bouncing off her nicely rounded ass. A welcome distraction from the pain building through my leg and the constant nagging throb in the back of my head. "Mulder." She snaps me out of my quiet appreciation of her physical attributes and I feel like a kid who's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "What's the matter?" She looks at me, puzzled. "Nothing, you just startled me." "Oh. I've been thinking, when or if we do find this child. What then?" "What do you mean?" I ask wiping my sleeve across my brow in an effort to stave off another river of sweat from making its way down to my clothing. "I mean, how the hell are we going to get it out of here?" She stops walking and daintily dabs at a drop of perspiration weaving a damp trail along the side of her cheek with a white lacey handkerchief magically produced from the pocket of her jeans. She is a contradiction of determination, mental toughness and pure femininity all rolled into one. A perfect package. "That's a good question, Scully. I think the answer is fairly simple though. We don't. I want to find it first, find its lair then get someone who knows what they are doing to come out and rescue it. This time I want proof positive that the child is real and not some kind of monster. I want photos to back up what we find and then if necessary I will go to the press and present my case. Never underestimate the power of the media, Scully. The Atlantic City Police Department wouldn't dare allow the child to be killed once the discovery of what really is lurking in the woods is made public knowledge." Scully does something that really surprises me. She takes my right hand in both of hers and caresses the back of my knuckles. "You know, Mulder. Sometimes your childlike propensity for attracting trouble and putting yourself in danger...well...it really pisses me off." I go to pull my hand free but she grips it tighter. "Don't, Mulder. I'm not finished." She smiles up at me, her eyes misty and her mouth a soft pink curve. "I know I don't always agree with the way you do things, and that will probably never change, but I want you to know how much I admire the way you fight for what you believe is right. The way you defend the weak from being manipulated by forces stronger than even they can contemplate. I thought this idea of yours, chasing after what I believed to be a fictional character from a long held local legend was just another waste of time and effort. I guess...what I want you to know is, that I respect your determination and I support what you are trying to do. You're right, this child will be allowed to be killed by the authorities. You are a good man, Mulder, and I'm proud to call you my friend and my partner." I automatically search through my repertoire of smart ass comments, but my mind is totally devoid of anything but stunned shock. I know there has always been an unspoken mutual respect between Scully and myself, but to hear her actually say it out loud has left me with a sudden tight and painful lump in my throat, and I'm really not sure how to get the words out around it without betraying the fact. I am left with the ability to say little more than one word. "Thanks." I smile back at her and squeeze one of the small hands surrounding my larger one. "Thanks, Scully." We look at each other for a few more seconds, then the moment is lost. We both puff out an awkward sigh. "How about a drink break?" Scully suggests, back to her practical self. "Sounds good." I reply, shuffling my feet like a 14-year-old who's just had his first kiss. We find a relatively smooth rock and perch ourselves on that. I pull out the brown paper bag containing the peanut butter vitamin pill and offer it to Scully. "Still hungry?" I ask. "It would be a real shame to waste an energy boosting health food like this, especially one that actually tastes good." She takes the bag from me and opens it, passing me my earlier discarded sandwich before unravelling her own hastily rewrapped lunch. "You may scoff, Mulder, but later on you'll be glad to have this in your stomach." She takes a bite to punctuate her statement. I give my tattered sandwich a quick inspection, it's a little worse for wear, but Scully is right, we are both going to need the energy to keep going. As I chew the sandwich, I unscrew the lid of my water bottle and wonder if I have any chance of sneaking a couple of Tylenol out of the pack without Scully noticing. Not likely. I have them stored in the front pocket of my denim shirt. Then I get an idea. "Oops. Nature calls. I'll be back in a minute, Scully." She nods at me. "Be careful, Mulder. We don't know how the survival instincts of this kid work. He may be waiting to separate us before attacking." "This is a 'wolf boy,' not a mothman." "Just be careful." She reminds me. I slip the bottle of water up under my arm and head off taking cover behind a large pine tree that is surrounded by some smaller bushes. The pain in my leg is a solid ache again and I'm a little anxious that I'll be hit with another cramp. This time I push three of the little white pills from their blister pack and swallow them down with a long swig of water. I take a quick look around, unzip my pants and do what I said I was coming here to do in the first place. Might as well try and stick to the truth as much as possible. Just as I finish fastening the top button on my jeans I hear a noise behind me. I swing around but see nothing. The prickling feeling at the back of my neck has returned and with it a new release of adrenalin rushes through my veins. It's probably nothing, but I've come to trust my body's instincts over the years. I step out cautiously and start walking backwards towards the rock where I left Scully, glancing back over my shoulder to make sure I don't lose my footing. I hear nothing else that gives me cause for concern so I turn around and face the front. "AAAARRGH! Shit!" My leg erupts in an explosion of pain as something blindsides me. It catches me right across the muscle on my bad leg, before scampering off amongst the trees. "SCulleeeeeeee." Pain reduces me to a whimpering mess on the ground. I wrap my hands firmly and protectively around my right thigh. I can feel myself rolling around on the ground but nothing relieves the fire in my leg. "Aaarggh." I groan helplessly into the dirt. "Mulder! God, what's wrong? Another cramp?" I hear Scully beside me and shake my head. "Shit." I half gasp, half sob. Tears leak unbidden from the corners of eyes. I feel Scully's arms wrap around me, holding my upper body tight while I grip my leg in an effort to find relief. "Mulder. Shhh, it's okay, I'm here." I feel my breathing rasp through my nose, my lips locked in a death grip between my teeth. I consciously try and open my mouth so I can breathe properly but have only minimal success. The air whistles through my teeth. "Scully," I gasp. "...it hurts." "Shh, I know Mulder, try and relax." I can feel her hand rubbing across my shoulders as she holds me. Gradually I am able to suck in deeper breaths. It seems to help. The pain is slowly receding to a level where I no longer feel as if I'm going to die. I lay in Scully's arms, shivering and gasping. Her hand brushes across my brow, fingers weaving through my hair. My eyes relax, no longer squeezed tightly shut, and my breathing calms. Scully continues to stroke my brow as she speaks to me. "What happened, Mulder?" "Don't...know...think it...was...the...kid..." Another wave of pain washes over me. I curl tighter into a ball. "Okay, don't talk yet, don't talk." "Hurts." "Shhh." I lay there another couple of minutes, huddled in Scully's embrace. "It...hit...me.." "What hit you, Mulder? The kid?" "Yeah...caught me...in the...leg. Same...place...as Cantlon." "Do you think you can sit up for me?" Scully pulls under my arms, manouvering me into a sitting position. I push myself upright, using my hands as leverage and being very careful not to jostle my leg. Scully supports my back. "Okay, we've gotta get you out of here. I want you to see a doctor." "No! No, Scully... just give me... a few minutes, I'll be all right... caught me by surprise, I'll be fine." "Uh-uh. Not this time. You are not weaseling out of this. You promised, Mulder." "I promised if I couldn't go on then I'd let you know. I don't believe I've met that criteria yet." I tell her, pulling myself up a little straighter. I turn my head as I feel the comfort of Scully's body disappear. She is standing up, hands on hips, shoulders heaving up and down as she fights to control her temper. I roll over onto my hands and one knee -- my right leg I keep straight out behind me-- and push myself up, hopping on my left foot. For a few seconds my head spins a little but the dizziness passes quickly. I rest the toes of my right foot on the ground to maintain balance. "Scully?" She turns to face me, her expression surprisingly calm, then walks to where I am standing. "You look terrible, Mulder." I feel terrible so her description is probably accurate. "I'll be okay." I say quietly. Scully pulls my right arm across her shoulder, "Let's get you back to the rock. I want to look at your leg, and no arguing!" "Just a second, I dropped my water bottle around here somewhere." I pull my arm from her shoulders and half hop, half stagger to where I think I dropped it. "There it is, Mulder, I'll get it." Scully strides past me and squats down to retrieve the plastic bottle from under some bushes. As she reaches for the bottle her hand seems to freeze in mid air, then with both hands she starts to push some of the branches to the side. I watch her, wondering what the hell she is doing, but before I have a chance to ask, she disappears inside the bush. "Hey, Mulder. Take a look at this," she calls. I stumble to the place where Scully has vanished and drop awkwardly to one knee. "What is it, Scully?" "I think you need to come in here and see for yourself." I push the bushes to one side and slither in on my left side to join Scully, who is crouched in a corner of a small cave-like dwelling. Her brow is creased in a confused frown, she does a quick scan of our surroundings then turns her gaze to me. "You were right, Mulder." This statement is made in much the same tone of bewilderment she used when admitting to me that the artifact from Africa might be alien in origin, holding all the secrets to the existence of human life. The bush enclosure is made of tightly woven tree branches, camouflaged by a thick covering of green foliage. Just to the left of where Scully is squatting there is what could only be described as a nest. Dried leaves and small twigs have been piled into a corner. One or two primitive looking tools made of stone lay on the ground by the 'bed'. "What's that, Scully?" I pull myself a little further inside and point to what looks like a piece of blue material, dirty and mottled with brown stains, laying partly buried under the pile of leaves. Scully scoots a little closer and puts out her hand to pick it up. "Wait!" I yell. She nearly jumps out of her skin. "You got latex, Scully? That could be evidence." I nod towards the scrap of material. She blows out a slow puff of air. "You're right, Mulder, I guess I wasn't thinking of this as being a case. I do have some gloves but they're in the backpack." "Try pulling it out with a stick." I suggest. She finds a small twig and scrapes at the piece of cloth, edging it out from under the leaves. As she gets it all the way out it becomes obvious that something is attached to it. Oh god! My stomach jumps into my throat and it's all I can do to stop myself from throwing up. I turn away and cover my mouth and nose with my hand. "Jeezus, Mulder. I think it's part of a human hand, there, this bone here, it looks like the metacarpal bone in the thumb. In fact the base of all the fingers are still intact but the tops are missing. God, Mulder, they look like they've been chewed off. And look at the wrist bone..." "I'd rather not." "I need to examine it in a lab to be sure, but it's possible that these marks here, " she points to a particularly battered looking piece of bone, "could have been made by human teeth." "Well, Scully, I guess we've found our proof. Let's go get the evidence kit and the camera, I want photos of this. Cold, hard evidence that the 'wolf child' really exists. And...and we need to search the area, there might be other bones lying around." Scully leans over and touches my hand. "Mulder...I...I owe you an apology. I really didn't think we were going to find this child. I don't know what I thought was responsible, but this...this is amazing." "I know, Scully. Now comes the hard part; convincing the authorities to take it into custody alive." ************************************** Half an hour later, Scully has the bones safely tucked away in an evidence bag and I have the photos I need to at least make people sit up and take notice. My first step to prove the existence of the New Jersey version of the 'wolf child'. We found more bones buried in the leaves; part of a foot and some smaller fragments that Scully identified as toes. Scully did most of the scooting in and out of the 'cave', insisting it wouldn't do my leg any good crawling around on the ground. I had to agree with her. My feelings were that the ground and I had spent enough time together for one day. Finally, it feels as if the Tylenol has kicked in, dulling the pain down to a managable level. "Mulder, before we head back to the car I want to check your leg. We've still got a lot of walking ahead of us and I think it will be easier on you if I strap your thigh and you take some more painkillers." Scully speaks to me and pulls out the medical kit from the backpack yet again. Oh, shit. I guess this is where I fess up about the three Tylenol already swimming around in my system. "Um, Scully...before, when I went to... you know... went to the bathroom, I took some Tylenol at the same time." "Really? And you were going to share this little piece of information with me, when?" "Now?" I answer hopefully. "So you're feeling pretty good at the moment?" "Yes. Yes I am, much better in fact." "Sit, Mulder!" "What?!" "You might think you're pretty clever hiding behind the Tylenol, but let me tell you something, the level of pain you are experiencing suggests to me that you have done something more serious than just bruise a muscle. I've seen you in pain before Mulder, under a number of different circumstances. What I saw when I found you on the ground earlier is one of the worst I've had to witness for a long time. Now drop your pants and let me examine you!" "Any other time, Scully, I'd be happy to..." "NOW, Mulder." "I wonder if this is what my mother envisaged when she warned me about wearing clean underwear." I mumble to myself as I unbuckle my belt and work at the button on my jeans. "Mulder, I bet this was the last thing your mother had on her mind when she was worried about clean underwear." Scully has a bandage out of the medical kit and is standing next to me waiting for me to expose my wares. "Can you at least turn your head away? Don't I deserve a little privacy here?" I whine at her. "I'm going to see you anyway, Mulder, just get on with it." I lower my jeans to just below my knees and sit back down on the rock. "Cute, Mulder. Marvin the Martian has always been one of my favourite cartoon characters." She smirks, gazing appreciatively at my boxers before squatting by my side. I flinch as she gently runs her fingers over my thigh. Oh God, pain or not, it is going to take every mundane, boring, thought I can draw on to act as a distraction so I don't completely embarrass myself. She presses a little harder on the sore spot and I nearly launch myself into space. "Sorry. You've got quite a bit of swelling here. I'm surprised there's not more bruising. Could be a tear in the muscle and it's bleeding internally." She lightly massages along the top of my thigh, edging towards my groin. Hoo boy! Just as I start to feel an all too familiar --and in this case very unwanted-- tell tale stirring, slightly south of my belly button, I grab her hand and move it back towards my knee. "It hurts down *there*, Scully." I grind out through clenched teeth. "Just checking." She looks up at me innocently. "And I'm just helping you. We wouldn't want to waste anymore time than necessary." I glare at her. "I can't make a definitive diagnosis out here Mulder, but I'm going to err on the side of caution and assume you've torn the muscle. I'll strap it, that should make you a little more comfortable till we get back to the motel, then I want you to rest, elevate the leg and apply some ice packs." Do I argue now or wait till we get back? Can't see the point in spending the next hour and a half or so in stony silence, so I agree with her and decide to work on a counter attack on the way back to the car. "You're the doctor, Scully, whatever you say." "Yeah, right, Mulder." I have a very strong feeling she doesn't trust me. "Here hold this in place." She hands me the edge of the bandage and places my hand over the swelling, then proceeds to wrap my leg securely. "Hows that? Not too tight?" "It's good. Thanks." "Okay, you can pull your pants up now." She grins at me and sneaks one more peek at Marvin. "Thank you." I tell her injecting a little sarcasm into my tone. *** Wells Mill County Park Walking Trail Saturday 3:50 p.m. ********************* "How are you holding up, Mulder?" Scully looks up at me from under my arm where I have had it draped over her shoulder for the past 30 minutes. I know she must be struggling under my weight and however unfair it may be, I have found myself gratefully leaning on her, depending on her small frame to take most of the weight off my right leg. "I could do with a break actually." It's the least I can do. She turns her head sharply and gives me a long look. "Okay. We'll stop when we reach the next barricade." A smile plays about her lips but doesn't quite reach her eyes. We stagger on another hundred yards or so until one of the wooden guard rails comes into sight. I remove my arm from around Scully and the backpack from shoulders then limp the last few steps under my own steam, easing myself down on the rounded edge of the fence. I wriggle my toes. For some reason my right foot is tingling with pins and needles. This day just keeps getting better and better. "What are you doing?" Scully asks as she pulls her drink bottle from the pack, opens it and takes a quick sip. "My foot's fallen asleep." I bend over and attempt to massage my toes through the thick hiking boot. It seems a fairly useless exercise. "Hmm. Maybe the bandage is too tight. You better let me check it." Scully screws the lid back on her bottle and studies me for a few seconds. "And how to you propose to do that? We're no longer 3 or 4 miles off the beaten track, and there is a very strong likelihood that we are not the only people traveling along this trail. Sorry Scully, you've had your fun for today. The pants stay up until we get back to the motel room. Then...and only then do you get to see Marvin again." I pull my own drink bottle from the side pocket of my backpack, unscrew the lid and take a long draught emptying the bottle without taking a breath. She watches me, chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip. "How's the pain, Mulder?" "Honestly? While I'm sitting it's not too bad. Walking is a bitch, though." I replace the empty bottle in the side pocket of the backpack. "Not much further now," Scully reminds me, her tone sympathetic. "Yeah, we should be back at the Ranger station in another half hour or so." I check my watch for confirmation. "I really think I should check the bandage, if it's too tight it might be cutting off the circulation and doing more damage than good." "It feels fine." "Seriously, I think I should make sure. I can't think of any other reason why you would have pins and needles. It's not like you've been sitting in one place for any length of time." "Sculleeee." "Come on, Mulder, there's no one about." She swivels her head left and right, peering up and down the path. I puff out a long breath of air, pinch the bridge of my nose, then drop my hands to my belt buckle in defeat. "You've got thirty seconds." I warn her. "You'd be surprised what I can do in thirty seconds, Mulder." She grins cheekily. Once again, I present Marvin the Martian to the New Jersey State forest and Scully gets up close and personal with my right thigh, slipping her fingers inside the edge of the bandage and giving it a little tug. I mean, really, can it get any more embarrassing than this? "Urr..hmm." Both Scully and I swing around at the sound of a throat being cleared and come face to face with a giant of a man. His rugged features are scrunched into a puzzled frown, eyes squinting suspiciously at Scully and me. A wispy fluff of brown hair pokes out from underneath a New York Yankees baseball cap which sits haphazardly angled to one side of his head. Like me his flannel shirt is unbuttoned at the front, exposing a slightly rounded belly hanging lazily over the top of his blue denim jeans. He could be my age, maybe a little older, he is definitely taller and wider than me. Attached to his right hand is a little girl with long, blond hair, braided neatly into two plaits that hang almost to her waist. Her dark brown eyes peer tentatively up at Scully and me from a safe place just behind the man's hip. Oh, Shit! Not now. I really don't need this. "Everything all right here?" His voice matches his build and I am a little surprised he didn't start his question with ' fi fie fo fum'. Scully pulls herself up to her full height. Her chin jutting out just in front of the man's sternum. Nice try, Scully, but I think you're slightly mismatched. "Yes...thank you. My...uh...partner injured himself and I was just checking his bandage." She reaches into her back pocket and whips out her ID. I reach for my pants and whip them back up to their rightful position at my waist. "Uh...huh." The guy looks unimpressed. "I'm a doctor." Scully tells the man. He squints at her badge. "Says here you're an FBI agent." "I'm a forensic pathologist with the FBI." Scully replies as she returns the ID badge to her pocket. "Official FBI business, eh?" The man nods in my direction. I fiddle with the belt buckle trying to force the end of my belt through the loop, an exercise I can usually achieve in 1.5 seconds flat-- with my eyes closed. But under the intense scrutiny of a 6 foot plus, 250 pound man and his bewildered ten year old daughter, suddenly all my natural flair and dexterity for doing up belt buckles flies out the window, along with the tattered remnants of my dignity. "No...I just told you...oh, never mind." She almost stamps her foot. Almost. "How far is it back to the ranger station? My partner is hurt and needs to see a doctor." "Didn't you just say you were a doctor?" Jeezus, Scully. Just get rid of the guy and let's get going. Scully's hand slips automatically to the top of her right hip, fingertips gently caressing the butt of her gun. "How far back to the ranger station?" Scully snaps out again. "Oh... you're looking at maybe one and a half, two miles." The guy scrapes a large calloused hand along the stubbly five o'clock shadow outlining his jaw. "Thank you." Scully scoops up her pack, swings it over her shoulder and turns to me. "Come on, Mulder, let's go." I nod at the man as I pass him by and avoid all eye contact with his daughter as I head off after Scully. When I catch up to her I open my mouth to make my feelings known. "Don't say it, Mulder. Just don't say a word." I clamp my mouth shut again and heed Scully's advice. ************************************************************** Scully sets a scathing pace for all of 100 yards until she realises she is walking alone and I am lagging further and further behind. Her Irish temper seems to have got the better of her again. And thankfully, this time I'm not to blame. She waits up and eventually I limp my way to her side. "Hey, Scully? Are you trying to set a new race walking record?" She glares at me. "Mulder! Why didn't you say something? You must have seen him coming along the path." "I...I...ME? I'm the one who told you to wait until we got back to the motel! How the hell did this become *my* fault?" Pain and embarrassment have sent my temper soaring to match my partner's. Scully loops her thumbs behind the straps of her backpack, does a quick turn on her heel and stalks about five or six paces down the trail. With her back still to me, she stops abrubtly and turns her face to the sky. I can imagine what she is doing. Her eyes will be closed and she will be breathing very slowly...in through her nose and out through her mouth, continuing this exercise until she feels herself slip back in control. She drops her head to her chest, waits a couple of seconds then turns and walks back to me. "I'm sorry, Mulder. That was unfair." Do I know this woman or what? She looks up at me and puffs a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. My heart clenches tightly in my chest. For a second I am overwhelmed with the desire to take her in my arms and kiss her. Fortunately I have enough sense of self preservation to know that now is neither the time nor the place. I settle for a smile instead. She returns it and then giggles. I guess we must have looked pretty strange. Scully kneeling on the ground with her head only inches from my naked thighs. Scully's giggling is contagious and I find myself joining in with her laughter. "One thing I'll say about being partnered with you, Mulder; it's never dull." "I aim to please." I tell her with a wink. "I think we've had enough excitement for one day, let's get back to civilisation. C'mere." She tugs on my arm and wraps it around her shoulder. "Let me help you." I do. One, because right now, the way my leg feels, I could really use some help. And two, well, lets just say any opportunity to have Scully's body this close to mine is an opportunity not to be wasted. *********************************** Wells Mills County Park Ranger Station Parking Lot 4:40 p.m. ************************************** "Oh Crap!" I stop short just as the parking lot and our rented Taurus come into sight. "What the hell...?" Scully echoes my own thoughts exactly. No. This can't be happening. "What do you think they want?" Scully whispers at my side. "I don't know." I reply, running my hand through my hair and massaging my forehead. "Only one way to find out." I remove my arm from Scully's shoulder and, willing my leg to hold me up, step carefully towards the patrol car parked a few yards from our vehicle. Scully takes up position by my side. A Ford Crown Victoria displaying the emblem of the Ocean County Sheriff's Department is pulled up behind our car. Two uniformed men--one on either side of the patrol car--are leaning casually with their arms hooked over the open doors of the vehicle. From here, I can just make out another figure seated in the back. As I approach, both men stand up straighter, shut the front doors and each take a step away from the car. All their moves perfectly choreographed. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up on end in a basic, primal, act of warning. Adrenalin pours into my blood stream as my body automatically prepares itself to fight or take flight. I paste a non-threatening expression on my face and force a friendly, casual lilt into my voice. "Hello,officers. Is there something I can help you with?" The two men take a few more sauntering steps in our direction. "Is this your vehicle, sir?" I glance quickly at Scully. Her puzzled expression reflects my own confusion. I decide to play nice until I can find out what the hell is going on. "Yes. Is there a problem?" Both men look behind them, it only takes a second for me to register that they are peering into the back of their car, seemingly seeking guidance from the shadow hiding within. Instinctively, my stomach clenches into a tight ball. Men hiding in shadows have had that effect on me over the past few years. My spine tingles as I watch the back door of the car ease slowly open and the shadowy figure steps out into the late afternoon sunlight. Recognition flashes through my mind and so does a detached form of relief. I had been running off a mental checklist, trying to come up with a feasable identity for the person hiding in the back of the car. I have to admit, the man facing me now hadn't quite made it to the top ten list of possible suspects. Although in hindsight he should have been number one. "Detective Thompson." I say evenly. "It's *Captain* Thompson, Mr Mulder." He nods his head non-committedly in my direction. "Uh huh," I reply. "And it's *Special Agent* Mulder." I say, emphasizing my title. Okay, so it's probably the last thing I should have said under the circumstances but my alpha-male tendencies are racing to the surface, leaving common sense and reasoning in their wake. And the man standing in front of me just happens to do an excellent job of bringing out what Scully refers to as my 'testosterone-loaded' responses. "Really? And you would be here for what purpose, 'Agent' Mulder?" He succeeds in spitting my rank out as if it were something nasty that has found its way unbidden into his mouth. "Just getting back to nature, enjoying the great outdoors and taking in some of the New Jersey country side. Of course, I had no idea these activities were worthy of police investigation, *Captain* Thompson." I inject a note of sarcasm into my own voice and despite the fact that I know I am displaying the completely wrong attitude to have this turn out right; I just can't help myself. "I didn't realise the FBI was encouraging holy matromony between its agents now." He looks pointedly at Scully before returning his gaze to me. I don't bother answering him. Instead I try to figure out how the hell he came to know of our cover story. The look on my face must have told him of my surprise. "Not as smart as you think you are? You should check who you're speaking with before you go around opening your big mouth. I believe you met my brother-in-law, Jeffery, this morning." I groan inwardly. Well, that would explain a few things. "I haven't forgotten you, Agent Mulder. I had a feeling this case might..." "And I haven't forgotten you, either, Captain. I remember very clearly you giving the order to murder an unarmed woman in cold blood..." Thompson takes two steps forward and his face hovers inches from mine. "How would you like to spend the rest of the weekend in the lock up, Agent Mulder?" His jaw tenses as he poses the question. I feel a certain childlish delight in having incited him to anger. "Hmm, I believe you actually have to have a justifiable reason before you can throw someone in jail. Or is my law enforcement training letting me down? So, unless taking a walk in a state forest has become a criminal offence I just don't see that happening. Now, if you'll excuse us, Agent Scully and I will be on our way." I push past him and only take three steps before two pairs of hands grip me tightly on each arm. One of the hands forces my right arm up behind my back, the backpack digging into my elbow on the way. I grimace painfully as the tendons in my shoulder crack in protest. I bend over slightly trying to relieve some of the strain. "Hey! Let him go! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Atta girl, Scully. You tell them. Struggling against these two 'apes' proves fruitless and all I manage to achieve is having my arm pulled further behind my back. I stifle a moan. "Taking a walk in the State forest may not be a criminal offence, Agent Mulder, but I'm sure you'll agree that interfering in a police investigation is a whole different ball game. It sure as hell is enough to buy me some time to check out just exactly what it is you've really been doing out here." My head is forced down until all I can see of Captain Thompson is the tops of his black dress shoes. "What the hell are you talking about, you son-of-a-bitch?" I spit at him. This earns me another solid yank on my arm before my body is propelled forward towards the Taurus, the two big gorillas pushing me showing no sign of letting up. Not until my body slams into the side of the car. Agony shoots through my right leg as it takes the brunt of impact and this time I make no effort to stifle anything. A scream tears loose from my throat. Vague sounds hover around me. I press my cheek into the smooth metal of the car hood--still warm from the afternoon sunshine--and fight to stay conscious. As inviting as the thought is of giving up and letting myself drift into a pain-free sleep, the fear of what these bastards might do to Scully forces me to stay awake. Although just how much use I can be as the 'great protector' in my current predicament, and if my recent track record is anything to go by, then Scully is probably better off handling this without me. The deputies release their grip on my arms and with their loss of support my body slides freely from the car hood and heads towards the ground. But pride steps in and I push myself upright, balancing on one leg just as Scully appears by my side. She puts her arm around my waist for support; and I gratefully accept her assistance. "I won't tolerate your interference this time, Mr Mulder. Get back in your car and go home." I don't answer him. Can't answer him. My throat is tight and I find myself swallowing hard, trying to stop myself from vomiting in front of these assholes and further disgracing myself. "You've just assaulted a federal officer, Captain Thompson. An unprovoked attack. If I were you, sir, I'd be more concerned with the repercussions of your..." "Don't preach to me, little lady. This is my territory, my investigation, one word in the right ear and you two will be censured so damn fast your heads will be spinning. Now get the hell back to D.C. and mind your own damn business." Thompson's face is an ugly mask of rage. "Why?" I challenge him, finding my voice again. "What are you so afraid of? What are you hiding in the forest, Captain?" He stares at me long and hard, his expression gives every indication that he'd like to kill me, or at least hurt me very badly. Yeah, take a number and get in line, Thompson, you're not Robinson Crusoe there. Instead of committing murder, Thompson decides to answer my question. "Afraid, Agent Mulder? I'm not afraid of anything. I'm trying to conduct an investigation and I don't appreciate uninvited interference by the FBI. Especially from the likes of you..." "I know what killed those hikers. And I know how you plan to bring the perpetrator to justice. You're hunting down a child, a child who has killed for survival, who has no idea that he or she has committed an unlawful act. This child needs..." "A child? You think a child killed those hikers?" He snorts a sharp burst of humourless laughter. "Where the hell did you come up with that crazy idea?" "You know as well as I..." "I know that I've been more than patient with you, Agent Mulder. I suggest you and the little lady here get in your car and leave this park while I'm still feeling generous." I open my mouth to continue my argument, but Scully's fingers wrap around my hand and give it a little squeeze, the quiet warning I hear in her voice as she whispers my name stops me from continuing the argument. A self-satisfied grin spreads across Thompson's face. He turns on his heel and strolls back towards his car,deputies in tow. Scully and I stand in stunned silence as the police car speeds off, leaving a flurry of exhaust fumes and dried leaves swirling in its wake. "That went well." I concede to Scully. Then nearly collapse against her as the adrenalin rush leaves my body and the pain in my leg becomes so intense that I wonder if staying conscious is even an option now. "Mulder!" "Give me a minute, Scully." I bend over, both hands gripping my leg as I wait out the relentless thud pounding through my thigh. "Mulder, come and sit down." Scully's suggestion sounds pretty good right now and I start to lower myself to the ground. "No, not there, come and sit in the car." Her arms wrap around my waist, helping me to straighten. She guides me towards the passenger seat with one hand and unlocks the car with the other. How she manages to stay on her feet with me leaning most of my body weight on her is an X-file in itself. The backpack is stripped from my shoulders and I collapse gratefully into the soft plush seats of the rented Taurus, my right leg still dangling outside the door, heel resting on the ground. I've just about reached the limit of voluntary movement, which is okay because Scully lifts my leg for me and gently eases it into the compartment. She reaches under me and adjusts the seat so I have more room. "Thanks." I offer in a quiet whisper. The pain is rendering me almost incapable of thought or speech. I squeeze my eyes shut and dig my fingers into the upholstery then lean my head back and concentrate on breathing. I'm not sure how long I remain like this before I become aware of Scully moving around inside the car. She taps me on the shoulder. "Here, take these." Her voice is close to my ear, her breath warm against the side of my face. I lift an eyelid to see what she is offering me. Pills. Tylenol no doubt. And a bottle of water. My stomach rolls around itself, queasiness doesn't even begin to explain the sensation. I give my head a quick shake. "I can't." I gasp out and slam my eyes shut again. "Do you feel nauseous, Mulder?" "Mmm." A quick nod this time. "Can we go, please?" I'm really doing my best not to toss my cookies but I'm not sure how much longer I'll be successful. Scully's hand brushes gently across my forehead then glides down my cheek, coming to rest on my left shoulder. She gives it a quick squeeze then settles back into the driver's seat and starts the engine. I hunch down deeper in my seat and pray for light traffic. ***