From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org Date: 3 Oct 2004 22:21:44 -0000 Subject: Complications by Jenna Source: direct Reply To: jennasxffic@lycos.com Title: Complications Author: Jenna jennasxffic@lycos.com Spoilers: None Classification: MT/SC, SA/MC, MSR Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: All characters belong to 1013 and no infringement is intended. Author's notes: I know that sometimes memories come back quickly and sometimes they don't. This story may seem like a stretch for some, but I felt it needed to be told. Plus, I created a new category! SA/MC Thanks to Lisa for the quick beta job on this story...which won Third Place in the September 2004 Mulder's Refuge Golden Gurney Fic Contest. Summary: Mulder, I'd love to have a relationship with you, but it's complicated... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Chirping crickets, tree frogs and the occasional passing car could be heard throughout the early evening sounds. Mulder picked this particular weekend to get away for a while. He couldn't afford to be "let go" from the FBI due to not taking a vacation again. Mulder had promised Scully and Skinner once the paperwork from their last case was completed, he would take a few days off. Deciding something to drink was in order, he pulled into the convenience store just a few blocks from his mother's house. He knew he was just trying to prolong the inevitable. The relationship between he and his mother had been strained for years and hadn't improved much with time. He sighed as he stepped in through the doorway of the relatively small store which didn't have a lot of customers for such an early, pleasant evening. Heading toward the drink section, he picked up a Nestea with Lemon and a package of cheese crackers to help settle his nervously churning stomach. "Hi, Dirk. How's business been treating you here?" Mulder asked as he threw down his purchases and a five dollar bill on the counter. "Agent Mulder, good to see you again! Business is good. Are you here visiting your old haunts?" "Yes, I had a few days to myself and decided to come back to the old home place and check it out." "So do you like what you see so far?" Dirk asked him. "Yeah, sure...just like I remember it," he whispered under his breath and smirked to no one in particular. Picking up the crackers and his drink, he headed for the door, in no particular hurry. "Nobody moves!" Mulder froze at the door, unyielding. "You...at the door...turn around where I can see your hands and walk back into the store. Get over there with the others in front of the counter." Mulder turned slowly and placed his hands in front of him. The man began waving the gun aimlessly around in the air, pointing the barrel at no one in particular. When Mulder didn't comply with the gunman's request, he twisted Mulder's arm behind him and shoved him against an aisle display of cans, scattering cans everywhere. "I *said* get over with the others. What part of that don't you understand man?" As Mulder began to reach for his gun, the gunman took the butt of his own gun and struck Mulder against his skull. After a few seconds of gaining his sense of balance again, Mulder attempted to rise up. The gunman hindered his progress by kicking him, causing small droplets of blood to splatter from his mouth across the floor of the store. The voices he heard were distant and unnoticeable. He tried to focus on a single person or object but was unable to comprehend what the distorted voices around him were saying. Suddenly he felt the pressure intensify around his head and he passed out into blessed, dark oblivion. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A soothing voice brought him back from the darkness. "Sir?" Mulder blinked, and the woman beside him began to come into view. His hand went up to his head, and he groaned. A woman in white stood beside him. The blood had left an abominable taste of iron in his mouth. "Where am I?" "You're in a hospital near Quonochontaug, sir. Do you remember what happened to you? " "No." He leaned back down on the gurney and winced in pain as his head hit the pillow. "Easy there, sir. We are going to take good care of you," the nurse said as she carefully fluffed up the pillow behind his head. "Right now, we have you scheduled to have a CT scan of your head. We need to make sure you haven't fractured your skull. Just relax, I'm going to give you something for the pain." She thumped a needle full of Demerol to remove the bubbles, and slid it gently into his waiting arm. "Mmmmm..." He was feeling the effects of it immediately, sinking into a deep sleep, not particularly caring who or where he was at the moment. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The ringing of her cell phone woke Scully up. "Hello," she mumbled, still half asleep. "Agent Scully, I'm sorry to call at such a late hour, but I've received some news that I wanted to pass on to you." "Sir, what is it? What's wrong?" Scully bolted up in the bed, a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. "It's Agent Mulder. There's been some problems. They have taken him to Adcare Hospital near his mother's home. I thought you should know. His mother is there now, but doesn't know enough about his medical history. They need you up there as soon as possible." "I'm on my way." She jumped off the bed, rushing around, gathering enough clothing to last a few of days. She knew could always have her mother bring up more later if it was necessary. "And Agent Scully, if there's anything I can do..." She stopped at the calming sound of his voice. "Thank you, Sir. Mulder and I both appreciate it very much. I'll call and keep you updated." "I'll expect nothing less. I'll be up in a couple of days to check on you and make sure you don't need anything." "Thanks again. Goodbye." As she hung up, Skinner stared at the phone on his end, hoping she could survive it should anything happen to her partner. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The walk down the hospital corridor to the ER was the longest walk of Dana Scully's life. She reached the nurse's desk, and the nurse behind the desk looked up and smiled. "May I help you?" "Yes, Fox Mulder. Did they bring him in?" "Let me check for you, Miss." The nurse searched through the latest admits on the paper in front of her. "Ah, yes, he's been here for about two hours. We have done performed all the necessary tests to check him for any major injuries. They are just waiting for the lab work to come back. You can go back and visit him if you like. He is in Trauma 2. We will come back to his room and obtain any medical and insurance information." "Miss Scully?" At the aristocratic sound of the woman's voice, Scully immediately knew it belonged to Teena Mulder. She turned and acknowledged the woman in front of her. "Mrs. Mulder." She gripped her hand lightly in a handshake. "I came as soon as I heard. I was just going to go back and see if I can learn anything about his condition. Do you know what happened?" "No. I haven't heard any news. The doctors have been taking him from test to test and haven't given me any ne...news." She began to pale considerably and tears formed in her eyes. Scully put a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulled her down into a chair in the waiting room down the hall. "What am I going to do? I can't lose Fox. I haven't told him things. He needs to know how much... He needs to know." Dana Scully was in awe of how much Mulder's mother had broken down over his injuries. Despite her own concerns, she reassured Teena Mulder as best as her own hope would allow. "He knows, Mrs. Mulder. He knows that you love him. Despite all the past years. He is going to be fine. I'll make sure of it. Can I get you anything? Coffee or something to eat?" "No, just please go find out something about Fox. I need to know..." She dabbed her eyes with a Kleenex she had removed from the small purse she carried. "Okay. I'll be back with news as soon as I can...and Mrs. Mulder, he is going to make it. He has to. I need him to." Scully surprised even herself by declaring to his mother how much she needed Teena Mulder's son in her life. As she started to walk away, Teena Mulder stood and embraced her quietly. "Thank you. Fox would be lucky to find a woman like you." She smiled at Scully as she walked back to the nurse's desk to obtain the room number Mulder had been placed in. Scully waited as the nurse pushed the button to allow her entrance to the back of the ER She was directed by a volunteer on early morning duty to Mulder's room. When Scully entered his room, she saw his head covered in thick bandages. Pulling the chair at the corner of the room up to his bedside, she grabbed his hand in her own. "Damn it, Mulder. You can't even go on vacation and be safe. What am I going to do if I lose you? I can't think about that. I won't think about it. You are going to be fine." However, despite her optimism earlier with his mother, the tears began to flow freely against his hand. The door creaked behind her and she quickly wiped away all traces of the tears that had fallen. She turned and found a tall older man in a lab coat entering the room. "Oh, excuse me. I didn't realize anyone was with this patient. Are you a family member?" "No, I'm Special Agent Dr. Dana Scully. I'm Agent Mulder's partner." She offered her hand and shook his hand. "Well, I'm Dr. Rigali. I've been on Agent Mulder's case since they brought him in late last night." Scully stepped aside as Dr. Rigali picked up Mulder's chart at the end of the bed, flipping through several pages. "I see that Agent Mulder has been shot before...in the shoulder. Any complications from that?" "No, I...uh...No." Scully turned and moved back to Mulder's bedside, grasping his hand again. "What is his prognosis, Dr. Rigali?" "Well, I'll be honest Dr. Scully, your partner will no doubt be physically healthy again. However, we cannot be 100% sure that his memory will return to normal. He may not remember even little things." "Are you saying that he may not even remember that he has been searching for his sister all these years? Or his time with me?" "Yes, it could be temporary or it could be permanent. We have no way of telling until he wakes up. Until that time, continue talking to him about past events. It might help him if he can remember one little detail. It might be the catalyst that brings all the memories back. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you better news." He took Mulder's pulse while scribbling notes in his chart. Finally, satisfied with all the results, he placed the chart back at the end of the bed. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. If Agent Mulder should wake up at any time during the night and is in pain, I've given orders to give him more Demerol in small doses. Feel free to use the extra bed in here. I'll have the nurses bring you some bed linens. And don't worry, Agent Scully. Agent Mulder will make it through this. I've seen worse cases that have turned out okay." He took his absence from the room and left her to wonder what would take place when Mulder finally awoke and possibly had no memory. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ He awoke with a feeling of someone staring at him. He noticed it wasn't the nurse from earlier, but another lady standing at his bedside. He attempted to raise up, but felt a wave of nausea pass over him and decided it would be in his best interest to lie still. "Where am I and who are you?" He reached up to swipe his face and felt bandages surrounding his head. He paused and looked around at his surroundings. Her face fell at his questions as it was apparent that he didn't know who or where he was. She decided to proceed cautiously. "You are at Adcare Hospital. My name is Dana Scully," she paused awaiting any response to her name. When she received none, she continued, "Do you know what day it is? Your name?" He thought for a moment and finally spoke softly. "No, actually I don't." "It's Wednesday, August 11, 2004 and your name is Fox Mulder. You've been out a long time. How do you feel?" He allowed the information to seep into his aching brain before speaking. "Tired," he yawned, "and hungry." "Let's see what your chart says about solid foods. However, I doubt that Dr. Rigali will allow them so soon after awaking." The tears pooled in her eyes, but her lashes refused their passage down her face. He quietly watched her as she looked over his chart. She felt like a germ under a microscope. "Do I know you, Agent Scully?" Mulder asked hesitantly. "I haven't gotten myself into trouble with the FBI, have I?" She almost laughed at how amused he sounded. He was definitely Mulder. The funny personality was still there, even in the wake of this terrible news. "No, nothing like that." She smiled slightly and placed the chart back on the end of the bed. "Well, it appears you get nothing but liquids right now. I'll go see if I can't find you something to eat. You have company, if you feel up to a visitor." "Who is it?" He wondered how many people had been distraught over his current health status. "Your mother. She is anxious to know how you are doing. Do you want to see her?" "Sure. Maybe it might help me feel better to have another friendly face, even if I might not recognize her." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ After a few minutes of Dana Scully getting her up to speed on Mulder's injuries and his current state of amnesia, Teena Mulder entered the room with the grace of a panther, sleek and unnoticed. She stared at her son's unyielding form on the bed. "Fox...are you awake?" She whispered. He stirred slightly and opened his eyes. "Yes, I'm awake. You must be..." Before he could finish, she spoke out. "I'm your mother, Teena." Her fear must have been etched on her face as he asked her to come closer and took the hand she offered him, clutching it at his side. He seemed unwilling to let her go to get the chair and bring it back to the bedside. However, it didn't matter to her. Just knowing that he was physically okay, she would stand up no matter how tiring as penance for all the lies she had told him throughout his life. Any pain she had at this moment was so insignificant. She thought of no one but the man laying in the bed in front of her. She and Bill had caused this wonderful human being so much grief in his life, and he wasn't worthy of any of it. He groaned momentarily and shifted slightly in the bed. "Fox, are you hurting? Are you in pain?" She rushed out the words, feeling guilty that she had never been much of a mother for him during his youth. "No, I just...well, yeah, maybe a little." Just as she pressed the nurses button to get assistance, Scully made an entrance, bringing with her wafting smells of chicken soup and hot tea. "Are we having a problem? I noticed the nurses button as I walked up." She placed the food tray on the table beside his bed. Helping him get readjusted in his bed, she checked his chart and called the nurse in and asked for another shot of Demerol to be administered. By the time his food was all eaten, the shot had taken effect and his eyes closed, sending him into a deep sleep. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Scully and Teena Mulder turned the overhead lights out and exited the hospital room to give him some rest. "Miss Scully, please feel free to use my guest house on the property while you're here. I had Rosaline come and do a thorough cleaning last week when I received a call from Fox saying he was coming up." In a look of confusion from Scully, Mulder's mother explained what she had meant. "It's no secret Miss Scully that Fox and I didn't get along all that well. I was having the cleaning done just in case Fox wanted another place to stay so we wouldn't get into an argument about his sister. However, please feel free to stay there. It's been well-stocked with food and fresh linens, so you shouldn't want for anything." "Mrs. Mulder, I appreciate the offer, but I'm not leaving Mulder's side. I can't. He needs me." Teena Mulder smiled at the woman standing in front of her. In that moment, she had wished she could have been so supportive of her son. However, in her own eyes, she had been a failure. "I understand, Miss Scully. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be back to check on Fox in the morning." Scully watched her walk down the hall to the elevator back to the parking garage. Once she was no longer in her sight, Scully turned back into Mulder's room and pulled the chair out and covered up with the blanket that had been provided by the nurses last night, falling into a restless sleep. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ After the first couple of days, Mulder began to show signs of physical improvement. Skinner and the Gunmen came and made Scully take some time to herself at Teena Mulder's adamant request. Scully had to admit that it was nice to sleep in a soft bed, though she missed hearing the soft hum of the Mulder's breathing beside her at night. She had begun to get used to him keeping her awake in the late evening hours. However, she was thankful that he will still here to do such minute things. The unfamiliar sounds of the room around her revealed each settling creek of the old stately home. She had drank a couple of warm milk earlier in the evening hoping it would lull her into a peaceful sleep. However, the ticking of the clock at her bedside proved to be a nuisance. It seemed she was on edge. Feeling like she needed to get away, Scully stood and slipped on her robe and house slippers. She made her way back down the stairs, grabbed her cell phone and decided a short walk on the beach might be just what the doctor ordered. She walked until she reached the dock a couple of homes down, and sat down on the bench. The gentle, foamy waves lapped at her heels. Her eyes slowly closed, and she felt her head bob as the incoming crashing waves created a tantalizing, hypnotic effect. She headed back to the bedroom in hopes of some sleep, but after a couple of hours of a sleepless night, the phone's shrill ring early the next morning awoke her with a start. "Hello," she mumbled. "Agent Scully, it's A.D. Skinner. I have some business that I need to attend to back in D.C. The Gunmen had to leave last night as did Mulder's mother. Can you come back this afternoon? I'll stay until you can get a little more rest." Skinner could hear the fatigue resonating in her voice. "Sure, Sir. I can come right now if you need to leave." "That won't be necessary, agent. This afternoon at around 4:00 p.m. should be sufficient." "I'll see you then sir." An audible sigh escaped from her lips. "Agent Scully, he is getting better. He has the best care possible. I have every faith that he will be fit and ready to return to duty within two months." "Don't you think that's pushing him a bit too quickly, Sir?" Scully's apparent concern was showing through the surface. Skinner backed off realizing all the stress she had been under as of late. Mulder had been unable to remember her, his mother, but especially his sister. This had hit Scully hard and he knew it. "Agent Scully, I have every faith in Agent Mulder. He has you. You are all the medicine he needs." Skinner said quietly. "I'll see you at 4:00 p.m., agent." "Yes, Sir. I'll be there." She hung up the phone and turned over in the bed, thinking back on all Skinner had said. She smiled as she thought of the day that she would bring Mulder home to his apartment and he would see his fish...or maybe not. She hoped they would all still be alive. She had sent Frohike to make sure Mulder's fish didn't die a horrible death. Fixing the alarm clock to awaken her at 3:00 p.m., she finally fell asleep before daylight emerged. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Five days later, declared physically able to leave the hospital, Mulder dressed into the sweats that Scully had brought him. His mother had been to visit him several times during his hospital stay including this morning before he was to be discharged. He stood and made his way to the bathroom, ready to face himself in the mirror for the first time since his ordeal. The reflection staring back at him was an unfamiliar man. This man had no past, no recollection of his life before or the people that he might have touched or loved. One thing he was certain of, however, Scully must have cared for him. She had been by his side from the first day. He walked back to his hospital bed and put away the few toiletries he had accumulated during his stay. She stepped into the room as he was zipping up the duffel bag. He sensed her presence behind him and spoke, "I'm ready to go home...wherever that may be." The wheelchair was rolled in by the attendant and he sat down without argument. Scully was surprised that Mulder had not given her and the attendant any flack about being wheeled out instead of walking out of the hospital on his own. The car was waiting at the front entrance and Mulder had no problem getting in the car on his own. On the drive home, he turned on the radio and flicked the buttons from station to station, finally settling on a soft rock song. Suddenly feeling tired, he laid his head back against the cool window and sleep claimed him. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Do you, William Fox Mulder take Dana Katherine Scully to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health so long as you both shall live?" "I do." "And do you, Dana Katherine Scully take William Fox Mulder to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health so long as you both shall live" "I..." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ He was startled awake by the blaring horn behind them. He chanced a glance in her direction as he realized what had occurred. He had been dreaming about them getting married. But how could that be? He couldn't remember anything before the convenience store ordeal. She had told him everything about that night, but hadn't offered anymore information regarding his past life. He quickly turned away as he knew he had been caught staring at her. "A penny for your thoughts, Mulder." She sounded slightly amused as she asked the question. "It was just a dream. Are we almost there?" "A dream? About what?" She looked sideways in his direction, not taking her eyes from the road. "Um...us." He mumbled. "Us? What about us?" He could tell she appeared confused. "We were getting married in my dream." She choked on the water she had been drinking. "Married?" She asked incredulously. "Mulder, we don't have that kind of relationship. We never have." She tried to sound reasonable, she supposed for her own benefit. However, secretly she was thrilled that he could have been thinking that...even if it had been in a dream. "Mulder, you are a Oxford-trained psychologist. Even you should know that dreams are often symbols of problems in our lives. Perhaps you had this dream because of all the trauma you have experienced over the past few weeks. I mean you can't remember anything previous to the past two weeks!" "Yes, I thought about that, but I don't know why I would remember your full name, Scully. You've never told me this information before." "My full name?" She asked, scared of where the conversation was headed. "Yes, your full name is Dana Katherine Scully." When she didn't answer him, he asked her again. "Isn't it, Dana?" His voice took on a seductive tone. Ignoring him, she turned her blinker on and turned into the empty parking space in front of her apartment building. "We are here. You are going to stay at my apartment for a while, just to get a slow start at getting reacquainted with things. After killing the engine, she turned toward him. "Mulder, I'd love to have a relationship with you, but its complicated. We just can't." "But why is it complicated? Give me one good reason why I keep seeing you and I getting married in this dream. Why I see us growing old and gray together with a lot of kids." Her face saddened and she turned away from him, sighing loudly. "I can't have children." There, she had said it. She hadn't meant to break into part of his memory so quickly, but it had to be done. She couldn't risk their partnership. He needed her as a friend at the present time. Nothing could jeopardize that, and she knew a relationship would only lead to hurt that neither of them needed. "Oh God, Scully. I'm sorry...I'm so..." The realization in eyes dawned as thousands of memories came rushing back in an instant. He could see her standing at Emily's coffin filled with sand. The images of her learning about being barren flashed through his mind. When she realized that he had remembered a part of his past, she broke down, leaned against the steering wheel and let the tears fall. He scooted towards her in the seat and gathered her in his arms, murmuring words of comfort in her ear, including telling her that he loved her. Realizing that he couldn't ever forget loving her, no matter how many times anyone or anything took his memory away, he whispered "Scully, will you marry me?" He knew they were destined to be together. The overwhelming desire to kiss her couldn't be denied. He begin to place gentle kisses against the soft skin of her face, moving from her eyes and nose down to her mouth. She knew it was inevitable and sighed as he moved closer into her lips, cradling her head and applying slight pressure at the first contact. She finally made the move to deepen the kiss and after a few seconds, it left them both breathless. He pulled back only long enough to get some air in his lungs and dove in against her lips again, which were soft and pliant. She broke contact, leaving his lips feeling cold. "You never answered my question, Scully." "I know, but I want to take this inside. People are beginning to stare." He looked panicked at the thought of disturbing the moment. Mulder knew this opportunity may never come back again. When he looked out the steamed window of the vehicle and laughed at the people staring back at him, he realized that she was ready to continue where they had left off. "Yeah, Scully. Let's go inside." -The End-