From: "Joylynn Wing" <aljoyw@a-znet.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:51:28 -0400
Subject: New: Irresistible II; the Evil Within

 Part 11a of 19a and b


" Okay, " she replied, trying to make her voice as steady as 
possible. 

" One more time, " Mulder said softly.

She felt his firm touch, and his arms turning her hips with more
confidence. Scully felt another rush of moisture fill her panties.
This was too much... She wanted to throw him to the ground and
show him how she could hold a bat.

" Hips... before hands, all right? " Mulder says again, the 
visions that his words were providing her, once again plaguing 
her.

" Yeah. " she said, her mind no longer on playing baseball.
She had know that the tension between them had been stronger than
ever, but she hadn't really thought that it had gotten this far.

" What is it? " She heard Mulder ask, her mind screaming...
' More hips... More hips... ' The heat that she had been feeling,
was now replaced with something hotter and much harder that she
had felt in a long while...

Scully felt a soft, questioning touch on her shoulder. In her drug
enhanced hallucination, it was Mulder touching her, so she rolled
over and whispered imploringly, " Mulder... " In her dreams, Mulder
wasn't dead. He was as alive and vibrant as he was always. She 
didn't want to leave her self-created universe. Here she was safe,
only love and light existed. No one died. No one suffered. It
was heaven, well at least what she believed heaven to be here on
this earth.

From the swirling, comforting visions that her mind was providing
for her, a dark foreboding voice called for her, which seemed to
herald her impending predicament. " No, I'm afraid not, Dana. "
Suddenly the dream was shattered. Her memory came rushing back
to her in heated waves, burning the flesh that it touched. ' Mulder 
is dead. You killed him. You will die soon also. There is no joy, 
there is no peace, this is your reality... '

Scully immediately rolled from the perceived presence as quickly 
as she could. She struggled with every last ounce of strength that 
she possessed and got up on top of her haunches, her weight 
swaying precariously upon her perch. " Pfaster, " she spat as she 
stared into his cold hazel blue eyes. She could see hell's very 
fires burning within his soul.

" I am so sorry Dana... You claim that he meant nothing to you,
yet you speak of him often in your dreams. I believe that you have
been trying to deceive me. " Pfaster smiled evilly. He knew that
he had her. Drag the fight out of her and she would be his. He
knelt down beside her, the smell of his cheap cologne filling the 
air about him. " You will never leave this place. Not alive anyway. 
You are mine, body and soul. Forever. "

Scully felt tears come to her eyes. For the first time, she 
believed what he said was true. She would only leave this place 
after her death; when he discovered her inability to have children. 
She had not planned her death to be so undignified. Reliant upon
a basic biological function which she couldn't provide, helpless 
until God's merciful hand finally reached down and freed her soul 
from its earthly confines. She would rather be dead now, by her 
choice then left to the fates to decide. " Please, " Scully begged, 
she never begged so she meant it. " Just kill me now. " She had no 
will to live, Mulder was gone, and this life she had now was not a 
life worth living.

" No, " Pfaster said as he reached out to touch her arm. She moved
away from his touch, and he smiled brightly as she did this. " I'm
sorry but you cannot die... You are my redemption. You are my 
salvation. I am evil, and my only hope is through you. " He could
see the life ebbing from her eyes. He wouldn't let her physically
die, just the life, which existed within her. Then he would fill
her up with his own life, a vessel by which he would be reborn.

Scully closed her eyes, her hallucinations threatening to drag
her soul away once again. " I'm tired, " Scully said in the
softest voice, as she fell down to her bottom, " so tired. You
have killed them all because of me. You have taken away the only
person that has ever meant anything to me... " Her upper body
fell to the mattress, her voice trailing off as a phone began to
ring upstairs, " I have nothing... I am nothing... Let me die... "

Pfaster brought the rest of her thin shivering body upon the 
mattress. He dropped the thin blanket over her slight figure and 
chuckled as he began to walk up the narrow stairwell up to the next 
level.  ' Soon, Dana soon. You will have no need for such desires. 
You will also find completeness in the union, which we will share. 
You will forget about what you once were, and you also be reborn, 
whole and perfect, untainted once again. '

Scully allowed the soothing black velvet of the night to envelop
her. She found herself a float upon that sea, weightless and
free, not tethered to earthy confines. Within that curtain of
nonexistence, from the darkest recesses of her innermost thoughts,
came a voice. A voice, so soft almost inaudible to the
unaided ear, came forth. Yet even in that whisper of Truth, she
recognized something. Something intangible, but that simple
voice spoke directly to the essence of her being. It flooded the
empty vessel, which was her soul and breathed new life to her
being. For one brief shining moment, she felt Mulder's presence
within her.

As the voice became more audible, the swirling clouds of darkness,
converged, until they coalesced into a vision which matched the
voices character.

" Scully. I know that you are afraid. I know that you feel that
you are now alone without any hope to cling to. But sunshine, I
will prove you wrong. I am here with you... In you... I live
through you. Please don't give up what remains, please be
strong. I need you to live for me, Scully. If your eyes cannot 
bear to envision the horror before you, let mine. If your heart 
cannot bear to beat a single beat more, let mine. If your mind is 
clouded, and cannot focus, let mine. If your soul is just too 
tired too take another step more, let mine.

You are my way, my Truth, my light...
Let me be yours... "

And from whence the apparition came, it returned.
The visitation imparted newfound resolve and focus.

Deep blue once again took in the surroundings before her. Her 
limbs now renewed, slowly brought her up until her tired, drug 
addled body once again was seated upon the permanence of the 
earth. Her mind, once befuddled with the chemicals designed to 
hamper her thought processes, reached forth from the darkness, 
seeking the light which reached out for her.



                         
                      *~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*



Day 4
Syracuse Regional Office
FBI 
1800hrs 


Mulder slowly looked up blankly at the man talking to him. He had
been listening for all about one minute, and once again found 
himself lost in his swirling thoughts. Nothing seemed to reach his 
inner musings, even the loud droning of the agents around him in 
the bull pen. 

Even after all of his training in school and years of experience
with VCS, he still to this day marveled how individuals with 
similar circumstances could turn out in vastly differing ways.

Mulder looked about the room, as he caught bits and pieces of
different agents conversations. As first, after Scully's abduction,
tension had kept personal dialogues under control, but now
with time and consideration, the other agents went about their
way. The human condition dealing with the atrocities which it had
to deal with every day.

Mulder glanced at Skinner, still expounding as if he wasn't aware
of Mulder's lack of attention. Skinner had been breaking down the
investigation until then, knowledge which Mulder had already 
gathered over the course of his time with the case at hand.

What Skinner was telling him was useless for he knew that between
he and Scully, they would pull through. He knew that Pfaster had 
been to careful to make a stupid mistake now, so it would be up to
Mulder, thinking Pfaster out and Scully, working on her end for 
this nightmare to end.

The nightmare which Pfaster was, created as a product of his 
environment; the emotional result of years on constant verbal, 
physical and possibly even sexual abuse. His world had been forged 
from the pain, anger, and confusion of a child lost, of a child 
never quite good enough even with all that he would do to prove 
otherwise.

In spite of the twisted heinous acts which Pfaster had committed 
upon others, and also in spite of the fact Pfaster currently held 
Scully, Mulder felt a slight pang of empathy for the truly man 
made monster. For what Pfaster had suffered through a child had 
mirrored in many ways what Mulder had experienced.

As Skinner continued to speak, Mulder picked up Pfaster's folder,
and he glanced at the seemingly ' normal ' man which looked back
at him. The face of a victim and of a perpetrator.

Abuse, whether committed by a stranger, or even worse by someone 
you have loved and trusted with your very existence, was a very 
life altering course of events which leaves no one untouched in 
its wake...

Mulder leaned over the desk, and closed his eyes, trying to will
the tears which threatened to fall in a torrent at bay. Scully,
was paying the ultimate price for the sins of others. These sins,
passed down through the generations, were now effectively
destroying the lives the innocent... He himself included.

Skinner looked troublesomely over at the dark man across from him.
For a man so very worried about his partner, he seemed awful 
distracted. For the last few moments, he had been updating Mulder
on the case, and Mulder had been lost in a world of his own.

Skinner dropped the coffee cup which he had been holding onto the
desk, the resounding thud drawing Mulder's eyes up towards his
gaze. Skinner arched his brows and narrowed his steely gaze,
as if to say, ' get with the program ' and then continued to
speak, Mulder's attentions guaranteed by his unwavering stare.

" I have requested and have been granted five more agents to 
assist with the case, which will be arriving on the seven o'clock 
flight in from DC. I have surveyed through the DMV, all driver's 
licenses registered from out of state, within the last 6 months. 
However, there have been no photo matches as of late. He needs 
some sort of proof of identification, so I have been trying to 
track that down. "

" We have teams going over the SU campus with a fine tooth comb.
They are questioning all people who could have had any contact
with Pfaster, during his time there. Agent Barton is leading that 
arm of the investigation. "

" I have the 6:00 and the 11:00 local news on 68, 3, 5, and 9 
showing his and Agent's Scully's pictures, and descriptions at the 
top of the hour. Routine traffic stops have been stepped up on the 
SU campus and in the surrounding area. "

Mulder shook his head, his thoughts finally totally with Skinner's
train of thought. " No, Skinner. He is too smart. He would 
never put himself in a position for a need for ID. He was, and 
will continue, to lie low. He doesn't want to attract attention 
to himself. He knows that stealth and anonymity will be his saving 
grace. "

Skinner reached down and grabbed the mug, and took another sip of 
his coffee. The bitter fluid was way too hot, but his fatigue kept 
him from really knowing it. Hr rubbed his callused thumb over the 
smooth surface of the rim, the ceramic glaze almost like silk. 
" No one is perfect, " Skinner retorted firmly, " he will make a 
mistake. He is too smug, and that will be his down fall. " Skinner 
believed it, or rather hoped it with all of his heart. Until then, 
he had been so very careful that without him making a grave 
mistake, and soon, the chances were slim.

Mulder dropped the folder on the desk, and brought his hands up 
to cover his stubble graced visage. " That I agree with, " Mulder 
said ominously, " however when will he? When it's too late? I need
to get there before... " His voice had been dark and full of worry, 
but his body language was telling a different tale. He was 
concerned, that wasn't an option, but he somehow knew that things 
would be all right. Fate, or whatever had spoken to him had told 
him as much.

Skinner cut him off, hoping to save Mulder from himself, " You 
said that he will be careful; methodical even with his preparation 
of Scully. That will buy us time. He has prepared to carefully,
to screw that up. " Skinner put his cup down once again and looked 
over at Mulder. Mulder seemed different. He had seemed that way 
since he had taken his rest. To Skinner, a man who had seen many 
sides of Fox Mulder, this side was new. He appeared calm. Calm in 
the face of adversity. This was too weird.

" Yes, that is true also. I know that we will find her, I feel it.
I just want it to be sooner rather than later... " Mulder then 
walked over to the window, his feet dragging on the carpet below 
his feet. He looked outside, gazing at the world beyond. Ever 
since his 'dream' he swore that he could feel her. He swore that 
he could smell her on himself. She was near, and that gave him 
strength. Mulder spoke quietly to Skinner, his voice full of awe, 
" I had a dream about her... "

" A dream? " Skinner retorted softly, his brows raised in interest.
He leaned back against the desk, bringing his muscled arms across
the broad expanse of his chest.

Mulder tilted his head, his attentions deep in thought. " Maybe 
the word dream is inaccurate. Vision, is more appropriate... I was 
in her head; in her heart... " Mulder closed his eyes, the 
darkness of his lashes in stark contrast to the almost ghastly 
pallor of his translucent skin. " I saw her dreams, her ideals; 
through * her * eyes. The way her life, might be. * If * she had 
her way. She was so happy. She had herself surrounded by the ones 
that she loved, hell still * loves * even though they are no 
longer in her life. I even saw myself, saw the way that she sees 
me, through the love which she feels for me. She is waiting sir, 
she hasn't given up hope. She nearly had, but she is now strong 
once again. "

Suddenly the high pitched ring of a cell phone broke the moment of
silence which had hung between them. Both men reached for their
phones in tandem, but with a nod, Mulder realized that it was 
Skinner's phone which had ringed. Mulder leaned against the sill,
his thoughts once again centered on Scully, as Skinner spoke to
the caller in hushed tone, " Skinner... Yeah... " Suddenly 
Skinner's eyes grew wide, his face graced with a broad smile, 
" Yes! Oh  yeah... Yes... Oh God... Thank you so very much... " 
Skinner hit the end button with a flourish. He slapped his hand 
firmly against thigh, letting out a large relieved sigh. Finally 
something to work with. The waiting game was over and now it was 
time for action.


See part 11b of 19a and b


" What? " Mulder exclaimed loudly, turning to walk over to Skinner
quickly, his interest peaked by Skinner's obvious relief. 

Skinner composed himself quickly, now wasn't the time to lose it.
" Good news. One of the students questioned, had some information 
that we have been looking for. Pfaster as his alias asked for a 
ride after class, to a car repair shop just off campus. It seems 
his late model, four door black cutlass got a flat tire on the way 
to school that day. He had to have it towed. A conversation 
resulted as they waited for the vehicle, and she learned that he 
worked for an in home carpet cleaning service to pay the bills. 
After he received the car, after paying cash, he asked to follow 
her back to campus because he wasn't familiar with the area. He 
admitted that he lived somewhere near the southern end of campus. 
He asked her to come home use with him for coffee, after they 
arrived back at campus, but she declined since she didn't know him 
very well. I guess that probably saved her life... "

Skinner took in Mulder's visage. What he saw there he wasn't
expecting. Peace... Pure centered unadulterated peace, and
strength, like the strength he often saw in Scully's eyes.

Mulder smiled slightly to himself, his soul strangely quiet. He
reached up and gently fingered the warm metal which laid there,
the heat strangely soothing. " No, from the sounds of things, "
Mulder said almost stoically, " I don't think that he would have
hurt her. She was too close, too much of a risk... " Then his 
train of thought shifted suddenly, finally addressing the 
situation at hand. What have they done to follow up on this 
lead? " Mulder looked directly into Skinner's eyes, and tilted his 
head. Even Mulder himself was perplexed by his own behavior for he 
had never been the calm one in his and Scully's relationship, but 
then he realized. He was fulfilling a role, just as always. He was 
to carry the load until she was to return. This was his 
concession.
 
" They are following up with the mechanic and with the DMV, "
Skinner said firmly, " They are also doing a search of the deeds, 
of the houses in the area, and they will update us as soon as they 
have anything. "

Mulder absently reached over and grabbed his coat which had been
draped over the back of the hard backed wooden chair. He tossed it
over his broad shoulder and grabbed the file which sat upon the
desk. She was there. He could feel it. He needed to be where she
was, to have a better connection to her. " I going to go out there, 
I can... "

Skinner walked up briskly, to stand in front of the lanky man 
before him. He brought his hand onto Mulder's shoulders and 
squeezed firmly, "  No you can't, " Skinner said as he narrowed 
his eyes and leaned forward slightly, " You said it yourself, he 
will call you again. We * need * you here in the office, for the 
equipment. We might have a chance at a trace, and at least a copy 
of the call itself. When we have anything concrete, we will 
* both * go out. Until then, you are better suited being here. For 
when he does call. Is that understood? "

" For now, " Mulder replied with resignation, as he dropped the 
coat back to the chair, and it slid to the floor with a soft thud 
as he gently placed the file once again back on the desk with a 
flick of his wrist.

Once again, the shrill ring of a cell phone broke the underlying 
dim of the crowded room. From the pitch, they both knew it to be 
Mulder's and he reached for it gracefully, putting it to his ear 
and said, Mulder... "

" Mr. Mulder... " A familiar voice chimed, filling Mulder's ear 
and soul with dread. Mulder began gesturing wildly, pointed to the 
phone for Skinner to take the lead. Skinner dialed his phone, 
softly requesting a trace while Mulder attached the mic to the 
earpiece, and turned on the tiny micro cassette recorder.

" How is she? " Mulder asked softly, turning from Skinner to 
concentrate upon the words being spoken. He sat down silently
in his chair, lowering his face to touch his chest.

" She is resting comfortably, " Pfaster said with a chuckle, his
voice firm and victorious. 

Skinner hit the end button, and began to walk about the swirling 
sea of suits, talking quickly and succinctly to the agents about. 
The room became soundless, some of the agents walking quickly out 
of the room, going about their appointed duties, some themselves 
picking up their phones, making silenced pleas for assistance. 

" May I speak to her, I... " Mulder pleaded, needing to hear the
sweet alto tones which would let him know irrefutably that she
was all right.

" I don't think so. In fact this will be my last phone call to 
you. Even though I must admit that I love rubbing it in your face 
that you have been bested; I have much to much going on that I 
have to take care of which has a higher priority. "

Mulder closed his eyes, now knowing that he had very little time
left to fully understand the monster behind the man. " Dana is 
this higher priority? " Mulder reflected back, leaning back into 
the chair, grateful for the firm support which he found there. He 
could feel his strength wavering, Scully once again drifting away 
from him.

" Yes, yes she is, " Pfaster replied as he sighed audibly. " Dana 
has been finally prepared. Soon we will be as one, and I will be 
redeemed. "

Mulder knew that Scully wouldn't allow him to just ' be ' with her,
and this thought worried him. How far would Pfaster go to get what 
he most wanted from her? " You said that you wouldn't rape her, 
how do you plan to be with her when I am sure that she will never 
consent willingly? " Mulder asked as he brought his feet up onto 
the desk, and tried to will himself to centralize his reflections. 
He could feel his control once again slipping away, and he needed 
to keep it together for Scully's sake.

" She will... She * is * aware of her place and will comply. It is 
her destiny, and mine. After the life that she has lived with you,
she will finally find peace... " Pfaster replied softly, as he 
took a deep breath.

Mulder listened carefully, he could hear quite distinctly in the
background, the sound of bells. Similar to church bells, to be
precise. The bells were clear, even down to the vibrato which
accompanied the longer tones.

" I must go now, " Pfaster finally said as he chuckled slightly.

" Wait... " Mulder replied desperately, his voice high pitched and
breathy. He dropped his feet to the floor, with a loud thud which
did not escape the attentions of others in the room. He needed to
keep him on the phone for as long as he could, the more 
triangulation the better for pinpointing the area which she was 
being held in.

" I want to thank you Mr. Mulder... " Pfaster whispered softly, 
his voice low pitched and resonant.

" For what? " Mulder asked as he listened further. He could no
longer hear the bells, the background silent except for rustling
of soft material and the deep even breaths of his caller. Mulder
reached down and fingered the fine weave of the pants which he 
wore. The material sliding effortlessly between his fingers.

" Without you bringing her here with you, I would have never
seen the dawn of my salvation. Thank you Mr. Mulder, you have
given me so much. You have kept her somewhat safe until now,
and now I will take over. I will cherish her as she ought to
be... " With that the line went dead, Mulder jumping up and 
smashing his closed fist against the desk before him.

" Damn it, Skinner... Bells, I heard bells. I couldn't recognize
the song, but I heard a carillon. " Mulder ripped the wire off the
phone and flicked the rewind button on to listen to it once again.
He leaned over the desk, listening and fast forwarding to the 
place where he had heard their first tangible clue, his heart 
racing in time with his breaths, both to determined to finish 
first.

Skinner walked over briskly, his steps heavy and determined. He
pulled out a piece of paper which he had secured in his breast 
pocket of his suit jacket. " The trace revealed that the call was 
received from the city of Syracuse tower. They couldn't pin point 
it further, due to Scully's phone being on roam. "

From across the room, Mulder could hear the sound of high heeled
footsteps, crossing across the bull pen in earnest. Mulder and
Skinner looked up, noting the dark haired woman whom was walking
quickly towards them.

" The DMV proved to be a dead end, " Barton said as she stepped
up in front of the two men, smoothing her gray skirt into place.
" The three cars fitting that general description, are accounted 
for. He must have stolen it at some point. The plates also must be 
stolen, since he hasn't registered any vehicle. We are doing a 
search of stolen vehicles fitting that description nationwide but 
that will take some time. "

She then tucked a long strand of dark hair behind her ear and 
leaned forward, putting her hands down palm first on the desk.  
" We are still running through the titles for the entire area 
where she said he drove into, however as of yet we have no 
leads. "

" He called, " Mulder stated matter of fact, as he continued to
fiddle with the recorder, fast forwarding it to the part and 
playing the bells once more, and said, " and we do not have much 
time left. He is ready to proceed. " He leaned forward and 
listened intently to the tones which he heard there.

" Wait a minute... " Barton exclaimed loudly, drawing both 
Skinner's and Mulder's attention, " I know those bells. " She 
closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, undertaking to converge 
her thoughts. She was tired. It had been a long couple of days, 
and she was at the end of her energy surge.

" What? " Skinner replied, his face full of hope, as he leaned 
towards her, putting his strong hand on her shoulder. 

" Those bells... The campus... Graham Dining Hall. The bells are 
* right * behind the dining hall on the southeast corner of the 
campus. I heard them when I was on campus yesterday, " Barton
replied as she looked up confidently, her face full of confidence.
She pulled her jacket hem down, and with a quick movement brought
her hands up to cross her chest.

" Shit... " Mulder exclaimed " He has gotta be near by. Do you 
have a map of the area? " He searched her face, his drawn features 
lit up brightly at the thought that this nightmare could be over. 
He took a deep breath and smiled happily at the thought...
' Scully, we are coming... Please hold on... '

" Of course... " Barton said smugly, as she swung her briefcase up 
on top of the desk top, flipping it open and shuffling through the 
massof papers which resided there. " Ah ha... " Barton exclaimed 
as she started to open up the carefully folded diagram.

Mulder swept off all of the objects which rested there. Coffee
cups, pencil holder, case files, and various other sundries fell
upon the floor with scattered thuds, as he reached for the now
opened map, spreading it carefully across the now cleared desk.

Barton leaned over, her dark hair falling down her face as she
traced a path across the paper before her. " Here are the bells, "
her dark eyes glittering with excitement, " right behind the hall. 
Now there are a lot of trees and other sound barriers around that 
area so, I would say for it to be that pronounced, it has to be in 
an area approximate to the bells themselves. Let's say... 
Comstock... Ostrom... and the intersection of Stratford. That is a 
heavily residential area. Mainly older houses, rented out. Or 
older residents who have lived there for ages. "

Skinner stood up, clearing his voice loudly, " Ladies and 
gentleman," He said with a loud, commanding voice, " we have a 
location. I want to convene a briefing, at 2030 hours. By then the 
other relieving agents will have arrived, and we can begin our 
sweep of the area. "



                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Day 4
Syracuse Regional Office
FBI 
2030hrs.

" Ladies and gentleman, here is our situation. From Pfaster's last
phone call, we have been able to determine that he and Agent 
Scully are hold up somewhere within a 5 mile radius of the 
southeast corner of the campus. The streets involoved are Comstock, 
Ostrom, and their intersection with Stratford. "

" Now we are all going to break up into teams of two, and with the
grid that we have provided you, along with the list of titles for
that grid, you will search house to house, north to south. Our 
guise will be that Niagara Mohawk Power is looking for a gas leak, 
and that we need to test all houses. We will post Ni Mo trucks at 
all points in and out of the area, under the same premise. Now we 
have a late model, four door black cutlass which has been linked to 
him, so please be on the look out for that vehicle. Once you have 
located the vehicle, or suspect that you have found him, hold your 
ground. Do not proceed. Call it in. Wait until the field commander 
contacts you in person. Then we will question and evacuate the 
occupants of the area. Then and only then will we attempt contact.

" Now we have contacted the local police and sheriffs. They will
spare us every available officer that they have, and they will
assist us out in the field. "

" Once we have all of the cover and vehicles in place, about 2230
we will begin. Maintain radio silence until suspect is sighted 
except for scheduled check ins. Remember, he has Agent Scully's 
firearm, and he is mentally unstable. Do not give him any latitude. 
Be very careful. Please go to Agent Barton and receive your 
assignments... Dismissed. "

Part 12a of 19a and b

With that Skinner stepped down from the podium, running his hand
over the smooth surface of his forehead. He could tell that this 
was it. Even after all of these years, he still had the intuition 
which he had honed back in the military. Skinner could feel his 
heart beginning to do that familiar tympani which accompanied the
thrill of the hunt. That was what the FBI was all about. He 
reached over and picked up his coffee, taking one last sip of the 
bitter surface. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Mulder's 
determined approach. ' Jesus, Mulder. You don't even need to ask. 
I can read what you want written all over your face... '

" Mulder? " Skinner asked softly, as he replaced the mug to the 
desk, reaching for and picking up the tactical diagram for the 
approach. He hated to be the one to tell him this, but it was 
necessary for all those concerned.

" I want to be out in the field, sir. " Mulder said firmly, his 
face painted with evidence of the state of his mind. He wanted to 
be there when they found her. That wasn't an option, which he would 
give up easily. Who knew what kind of condition that they would 
find her in. Once he approached her, and she fought his advances, 
his anger could surface, leaving her at the mercy of his less than 
kind personality. Pfaster was a time bomb for Scully, just waiting 
to go off. She would need him, whatever the outcome.

" Yes, but you can't be in any of the teams... " Skinner retorted 
as he placed Pfaster's file and the diagram into his duffel bag for 
the field. Skinner had already changed into his field gear, black 
pants and shirt with the familiar FBI breaker. He himself wouldn't 
be in the field, he would be at the tactical command post until 
the confirmed sighting, when he would take over the surveillance. 

" What? " Mulder said as he leaned over towards Skinner. He brought
his hands into his trouser pockets, and shot him a lost puppy dog
look. Garner enough pity, and nearly anyone would fall for what
you ask. " I need to be there, Skinner " he retorted firmly,
she needs me. I need to be there for her. I owe her so much, if
I can do this one little thing for her... She is everything to me.
I... "

"If Pfaster recognizes you, it is all over. " Skinner said as he 
looked into Mulder's swirling now murky green eyes. " Your 
presence could jeopardize the whole operation.  You will stay at 
the communications post until alerted. Then you move in. Got it? " 
They were too close to have Mulder going off and ruining all of 
their carefully paid plans.

" Yes, sir... " Mulder said softly, realizing Skinner's point.
For this plan to work, Pfaster had to be unsuspecting at all
times. The element of surprise was their best ally. Mulder watched
for a moment as the room began to clear, the agents preparing for
the maneuver. He then walked with them, his heart praying that
they were not to late.


                    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Unknown time
Unknown place

' The light is on Dana. The light is on. He is coming. Wake up
and get off your ass. Now is the time... ' 

Scully moaned softly, and nestled further into the thin blanket
which she found herself curled up in. She was loath to leave the
nest which she had created for herself, for the first time since 
she had first awakened there, in the cool dampness of the 
basement, she actually felt warm. The warmth encircled her like a 
long lost lover, safety being its gift.

' Dana. What would Dad say? He never raised a quitter, so do not
start now. I know that it is hard, but you are the only one that
can do it. Get up! '

Dilated blue eyes met bright, blinding light.

In a flash, they were gone. Only to awaken once again, but this 
time swirling hues of grays, browns, and flashes of  silver filled 
her brilliant eyes, focusing her environment before her. Scully 
shook her head slowly, shaking the dusty corners of her mind free, 
as she still felt Mulder's presence all around her.

Scully wasn't a quitter. That just wouldn't be she. So with a deep
breath, she rolled herself over on her side and brought herself up
on her bottom.

' Jesus. When I get out of here, I think that I am long over due 
for a nice vacation. Preferably someplace warm. '

Scully unify her swirling deliberations, attempting to what was
happening. She couldn't tell how long that she had been out, so
it could have been eons but that didn't matter. She could just 
make out the heavy footfalls of Pfaster up above. She wasn't sure 
of how long that she could hold out for she knew that her physical
condition was quickly deteriorating, so she knew that if she was 
to make a move it would have to be soon.

She heard him playing with the lock above, so in an act of self
preservation she rolled back over and decided to play possum, just
as she had played with Bill whenever he was bothering her.

Scully knew that with his superior size and strength, she was no
match for him sickly and unarmed, so she knew that cunning was
her only way out. She kept her eyes closed, trying to deepen her
breaths as she heard the door swing open loudly with a groan. As 
she heard him step slowly down the stairwell, she steeled herself 
for whatever was to happen. Fear drove her body's rhythms, and she
fought that instinct with everything that she had.

' He needs to think that I am unconscious, still under the 
influence. Then he just might let his guard down. I only need one 
chance to get at the gun, and then he will wish that he hadn't met 
me in the first place. '

" Dana? " Scully heard Pfaster ask softly. She remained still,
death being her partner for this most * serious * of dances. She 
sensed him walking about her, attempting to ascertain her 
condition. She actually felt a breeze as he knelt next to her, his 
breath foul and biting upon her sensitive flesh. 

" Damn it. She should be awake by now. The dosage was correct, 
maybe her physical state isn't allowing the drug to clear her 
system fast enough. " 

Scully nearly jumped out of her skin, as his cool hand met the 
warm flesh of her brow. She forced her overwhelming desire to rip 
his eyes out way down into the depths of her strength. The thought 
of him touching her, nearly driving her to distraction. Scully 
could swear that her heart, which was beating so loud that it 
actually was hurting her ears, had to be able to be heard by him. 
However she knew that couldn't be true. That just wasn't 
physiologically possible.

" Dana, help me out here. You are the doctor. Shit, what have I 
done? You are of no use to me like that. I need to sober you up. "

Scully wasn't sure what he meant by that but she knew that any
time after he unlocked her, she would have a chance, so it had
to be good. Suddenly out of nowhere, she heard his voice once
again, but this time its inflection and carefully chosen words
drove fear into the very heart of her soul.

" Donnie, you fucked up. I told you that you were no good. You
couldn't even calculate a simple dosage correctly. I should have
put you out of your misery when I had the chance. You were a
mistake by the start. "

' Oh shit. Schizophrenia... His psychosis is deepening. '

" Mommy. I am sorry. I will be good, I promise. Just don't hurt
me any more. I promise to fix this. I know I can. Just give me
a chance. "

' Oh great. He is totally lost. Unpredictable. Ok... I can deal 
with this. All that much better to trick him when he is so 
obviously impaired. ' Scully felt him walk past, and she opened her 
eyes and sneaked a peak. Pfaster was pacing wildly, his eyes bright 
and unfocused. His tension wafted off of him, its heat almost 
palpable. Scully noted his very agitated state. Since he had 
brought her here, she had not seen him like this, frantic and 
variable. Scully shut her eyes, focusing her every sense upon the 
man before her. If he was going to make a mistake, she was going 
to be ready...

Pfaster looked angrily at the woman before him. He wasn't angry 
with her, for it was his mother who was to blame. His mother was 
always with him, mocking him. She had been quiet since his conquest 
of Dana Scully, but just as quickly as she disappeared, she had 
returned. Pfaster wasn't sure what to do. Tomorrow morning his 
plan was to commence. With her, in this condition, he knew his 
plans would be delayed. Delay wasn't an option. Salvation was so 
close at hand, he wasn't going to wait a moment longer.

Pfaster sniffed deeply, his nostrils burning from the noxious 
fumes. The basement was rank, the smell almost intolerable. He 
knew that Dana couldn't stay down here much longer. For her to be 
an appropriate vessel, she needed to be healthy, and this smell 
couldn't be healthy.

" I have got to clean you up, Dana. You need to bathe. " With that
Scully felt Pfaster drag the thin blanket from under her feet.
As she remained silent she felt the cold hard grip of cuffs 
encircle her wrists, sending a dash of disappointment surging 
through her. Scully remained still, fighting the urge to shake his 
grip loose, as he took the blanket and literally wrapped her slight 
body up tightly in it. So tightly in fact, she could barely catch 
her breath. ' So much for escape, for now. However he does have 
to unwrap me to wash me, so that maybe my out. '

Scully then felt him pull on the shackle, which held fast to her
bruised ankle. A loud click filled the heavy breathing which
accompanied the stillness which had invaded this man made hell of
hers. Then a blast of cool air caressed the tender skin lying 
beneath, and a surge of relief shot through each and every cell of 
her corporeal body. ' Yes, this is my chance. Please, God give me 
the strength. You have given me this chance, and I will take it. 
Just give me some of your faith... '

Pfaster let out a deep breath, and as he bent over he lifted Scully
into his arms. Her body remained as still as death, the pale flesh
barely visible under the soiled visage before him. As he held her,
he could feel the very light but quick beating of her heart. This
percussion momentarily provided him some respite from his worries.
She would come around, and when she did, his plans would commence.

Pfaster began to climb the stairs, precariously balancing the 
slight woman wrapped tightly in his arms. With each step that he 
took, he found his ultimate salvation coming that much closer...

Scully fought of the waves of overwhelming nausea which being that
close to Pfaster was eliciting from her. Since her stomach was
empty, it was oily, scalding, and bitter bile which threatened to
spill over and give her cover away. She took slow even breaths in
through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to quell the
violent quaking within her abdomen.

She tried to open her eyes slightly, but the way that he had her
wrapped within the scratchy blanket, she only saw swirling 
darkness in her vision. 

Her nausea was made that much more challenging by the fact that he 
smelled of a cheap, now faded cologne and pungent sweat, long 
cooled and well fermented. But layered above that, was something 
more insidious. An essence which Scully was well versed with, but 
fought to believe. Death; Rancid, rotting, and musty. She could 
smell the lingering smell of a putrid corpse. Scully squeezed her 
eyes tighter, willing away the revulsion which washed over her 
like heated waves of burning lava.

Pfaster stepped into the large spotless ancient bathroom. His 
apparently lifeless bundle tucked carefully in his arms. His mind
now on auto pilot. He had been fighting his mothers presence for 
so long that he found himself weakening fast. He needed to get her
cleaned up and then he needed to lie down and rest. Since leaving
the institution, he had been off of all the meds which he had been
taking. That was when she had came back. She had been dead and 
silent for so long, that when she began to haunt his very thoughts, 
it nearly scared him to death. Now, she came and went, less since
Scully had arrived but still quite present. Enough so that her 
incessant ranting was enough to distract him from his goals.

' No more distractions. No more failures. I am going to prove
you wrong mother. I am worthy. '

Pfaster gently lowered her bundled body down to the gleaming
white tiles of the floor, making sure that her head would not
be harmed by its descent. He reached in his pocket and pulled out
the syringe which he had sequestered there, its nagging presence
a constant reminder of his failure. " You will be all right Dana.
I promise you. Once I get you cleaned up, and you get a good
night's rest, all will be as it should in the morning. "

Pfaster turned from her, and walked slowly over to the gleaming
tub which stood at the back of the room. He reached over and 
turned on the spigots, steam rising almost immediately from the
rushing water. Pfaster then walked over to the vanity, and as he 
reached for a blue bottle which lie upon the top shelf, he doubled
over, clutching the pedestal sink before him. A sharp pain cut 
through his skull, from his mother's voice screeching loudly, 
drowning out all other rational thought.

' You are an ass. You are such a failure. She can never redeem 
you. No one can. You are a hopeless piece of shit. You should take 
her gun and shoot yourself with it. You are a waste product which
should be eliminated before more are contaminated by you '

" Shut up... Just shut up... " Pfaster found himself fighting
the very formidable demons which resided within him. His thoughts
so wrapped up in his private war, his senses oblivious to the
stirrings under the blanket and the flash of red which emerged
from its cocoon, to rise like the phoenix and once again be 
reborn in the light...

Scully peaked out from under her coverings. Pfaster's lack of 
close proximity and speaking to himself drawing her out from her 
entombment. Her bright blue eyes met the soft blues and whites of
the antique bath, the elegant refined surrounding quite different
than she would have pictured of Pfaster.

She could see him hunched over the sink, his hands firmly planted 
upon the porcelain. She could hear him muttering incomprehensibly 
to himself, his voice hushed and strained. She could see her
weapon tucked into his waist, the grip facing her. Scully glanced 
about, seeing the white stool which sat next to her.

Scully slowly brought herself up to her knees, fighting with
every ounce of strength left in her body. The rough stiff material
of her skirt brushed painfully across her chaffed slender thighs. 
She knew that the time was now. She knew that this chance might not 
come again. She grasped the chair next to her, and stood up with 
all the height that she possessed. She stalked slowly over, trying
to keep the swinging chain of her cuffs as still as possible, 
lifting the chair up as high as she could...


Part 12b of 19a and b

Pfaster grasped the hypo firmly in his palm, a futile effort 
against the unseen forces which threatened to tear him apart from 
the inside out. He wasn't sure of how much longer he could hold 
out. She was getting stronger, becoming more controlling in his 
life, just as she had been in life. He knew that without Scully 
and the hope which she gave him, he would have killed himself long 
ago just to shut her voice out of his head. Her voice continued 
to drone on, the sound flowing clear down to his curled toes until
a blinding flash of light mated with a dull throb and a loud thud 
caught his attention.

As he spun around, he caught a flash of red, bright and glimmering
like burnished sunshine, he knew it was Scully. Even before 
getting a good sight of her, he brought up the needle that he was 
brandishing, feeling the resistance as it met soft flesh.

Scully winced as she felt the sharp prick, which caught her off 
guard. She pulled away, the needle tearing delicate flesh as she 
worked herself free. With her hands, she grasped the gun, which 
was tightly tucked in his waistband. As she stepped back, she 
pulled the gun free, attempting a lopsided isosceles stance, her 
balance quickly failing due to the newly inducted drugs in her 
system. Even as she stood there, she felt the drugs powerful pull 
upon her. The room seemed to darken, her vision tunneled. Her 
thoughts began to twist, facts and beliefs converging as one; long 
lost memories now floated as real as life before her.

' Keep it together Scully, " she mused as she took in through her
blurred vision, the visage of Pfaster bathed in copious amounts of 
blood, dripping in a thick carpet down the sloped lines of his 
physiognomy. His eyes met hers, locked in a struggle as old as 
time.

" S-s-stay where y-y-you are, " Scully uttered as she clicked the 
safety off. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog from her 
swirling thoughts. She widened her stance, hoping the broader base 
would shore up her wavering balance further. She could see the 
shadows which threatened to assault her. The drug was working 
quickly, she soon would be non functional so she knew that she had 
to be quick.

" You cannot leave, " Pfaster spit out, his mouth filling with
hot thick coppery tasting blood. " You are my only hope to free 
myself of her. " Pfaster dropped the hypodermic needle, his hand 
now laying limply by his side due to his whole side now being numb
and weak. He brought up his other hand, running his fingers 
through the slick red-tinged hair that he encountered there. His 
fingers then found a huge gash, which was just inside his hairline. 
He winced and swayed with his prodding. He couldn't let her go, 
that was not a option.

" You are under arrest, " Scully managed to say as her thoughts 
began to fail her. She closed her eyes and shivered slightly, the 
drug that she was given now starting to take its toll. Swirling 
colors of red, blue, and green played like fireworks behind her 
eyelids.

When she reopened her eyes, she could see Pfaster take a step 
near her, his hands reaching out to her. " Stay where you... are ", 
she warned as she brought back the trigger to prove her point but 
he took another tentative step, his gait unsteady and exaggerated. 
She stepped back clumsily, gripping the gun that much tighter in
her impuissant embrace.

Scully knew what she had to do. This wasn't an issue. Pfaster
wasn't going to let her go. He was going to keep her here forever,
his slave to his needs. He didn't know and couldn't acknowledge
anything else. It was either Pfaster or she. Two lives, as fragile 
as the palest of blossoms on a storm tossed sea, were locked in
a struggle where only one could win. His or hers.

Pfaster also knew what fate had in store for him. Dana Scully had
bested him, and the game was up. Without her, he was nothing. She
was his redemption, his release. Now faced with a life without
substance, he chose the opposite of life. The darkness would be
a welcome friend, silencing the hate filled voice which haunted
him everyday of his life. He consciously took a step forward, 
fully knowing the consequences of his actions. A loud bang 
resounded through the high ceiling room, followed by another bang, 
which accompanied a sharp undulation of burning pain, than the 
darkness.

The comforting loving darkness which the universe exists in.

Scully held the hot firearm in her hands. The scalding gun metal
burning into her very soul. Pfaster was now dead, lying in his
own pool of blood, his head now a nonexistent memory...

As she had pulled the trigger, she also had felt the darkness 
claim his immortal soul. She had seen death before, and knew it for 
what it was. For her it had been the light, bright and loving. For 
him it had been the darkness... Two paths made as one now once 
again diverged. 

Scully blinked, her deep blue meeting the light. Dropping her
hands down in front of her, her gun still clutched in her hand, 
she reached up with the edge of her shoulder and pushed the mass 
of hair which had fallen into her vision out of the way. As she 
brought it down, she noted the copious amounts of blood and other 
foreign materials which she found there. In her quickly spiraling 
drug induced psychosis, she felt dirty, even culpable. Mulder had 
died for her, his blood just as much as Pfaster's, was on her 
hands.

She looked down at herself, her dark jacket glistening with the
blood of the dead. She could feel her rational thought slipping 
away like a rip tide, and could do nothing to stop it but just sit 
back and watch. She looked about, her thoughts disconnected and 
confused. She couldn't remember how she had gotten there, or where 
she was to go. All that she knew was that she felt dirty and she 
needed to get away.  

She tried to slide the jacket off, the now damp material reeking 
of blood, but due to her cuffs she couldn't get it off. She set the 
gun down for a second and began to work on her sleeve, pulling at 
the now ratty strings there until a rip filled the air. She 
struggled with it for a moment until she managed to free herself, 
and tossed it onto the floor. 

She then glanced back at Pfaster, his lifeless body lying on the 
now bloodstained tiles of the bath. What she saw there, struck 
fear into the very heart of her being. Pfaster's face was no 
longer there, true. However, in its place were the swirling images 
of evil incarnate. The visions were fuliginous, colorless. The 
faces amalgamating into one another; blending as one shifting 
image, but this time other ones joined the familiar, Cancer Man, 
Hitler, Tooms, the men which had abducted and tested upon her, 
Satan, Mengele; True evil. Evil based in fear, from fear. Fear 
incarnate. Evil born from lack of control. She closed her eyes and 
shook her head, her hysteria mounting. In her mind, evil was still 
out there, and she was still at risk.

' I gotta get out of here... They still can find me. ' She thought
desperately, as she turned quickly and ran out of that room where
she had faced evil and won. She raced down the stairs, her vision
still filled with the evil which she knew as well as she knew 
herself. She continued running, precariously into the chilled 
night air, her bare feet slipping on the damp frigid grass, her 
whole being seeking the succor which it so urgently desired.





                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*

Day 5
0115am.
Corner of Comstock and Stratford.
Syracuse, NY.


They say silence is golden but for Fox Mulder, silence wasn't.
For each and every tick of his wrist watch and the advancing 
silence which it annotated, it was a nightmare born from hell.
Through the small opening in the crystal clear, rain slicked 
window, Mulder could just make out the delicate essences of 
freshly mowed grass and the newly laid mulch which often 
accompanied it.

Mulder sat stoically, in the front seat of the communications
van. He jiggled his left leg in nervousness, the nubby material
sticking quite uncomfortably to his inner leg.  The forced 
sedentary state which he was forced to exist in, more than he 
could handle.

" Grid 10 clear, " the blond dispatcher replied loudly, as he
checked off a place on the clipboard before him. He rolled his 
head, attempting to relieve the knots which resided there.
" Jesus, we have nearly three fourths of the search area covered
and still no contact, " he supplied as he reached over and picked
up the small Styrofoam cup of rapidly cooling coffee.

Mulder closed his eyes, trying to will away the sequential 
negatives which the man was noting. Since losing Scully once again,
he found himself oftentimes slipping back; his photographic memory 
supplying him memories of better days between them. From the 
gossamer threads of time, a memory surfaced which for at least one
moment, allowed him to escape the hell which was now his life.

" Sorry, nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted, " Mulder 
remembered saying as he heard the soft knock at the door. He 
continued to look at the slides, knowing that he should greet his 
new partner on one hand, and on the other resenting his new 
babysitter. As he felt her, rather than heard her look about, he 
turned to look at her.

" Agent Mulder. I'm Dana Scully, I've been assigned to work with 
you, " he remembered Scully saying, offering her small hand to him. 
Mulder reached for it, its small size deceiving of its great 
strength

" Oh, isn't it nice to be suddenly so highly regarded? So, who did 
you tick off to get stuck with this detail, Scully? " Mulder 
remembered saying sarcastically, as he searched her face. Blue eyes 
met his hazel, and at that very moment, he knew that he had seen 
heaven framed in the fires of hell. Sure she was blatantly 
arrogant, dangerously intelligent and seriously scientific, but 
those blue eyes, speaking of the passion within spoke volumes to 
his soul.

" Actually, I'm looking forward to working with you. I've heard a 
lot about you, " she replied pleasantly, her face full of 
sincerity. He remembered her voice, honey over ice. It pierced 
down to the very heart of his soul.

Where she remained until that very day...

" Agent Mulder, " a strong male voice called out, his tone soaked
with excitement and enthusiasm. " the local Sheriff's received a 
call of reported shots fired. Because of the proximity to the area 
in which the shots were heard, the call was routed to us. A team 
was dispatched to the scene, and a car fitting Pfaster's was 
spotted in the driveway... "

Mulder let out a gasp of relief. He moved to the next seat, 
gesturing to the man to get up front. Mulder turned his face to
the window, the glare of the headlights burning like fire in the
still of the night.

 
                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unknown time...
Unknown place...

 
Scully shifted slightly under the prickly branches of the bush
she was sequestered under. The cool wet ground added to the 
biting evening wind as it cut though the thin material of her 
T-shirt, chilling her straight through to the bone. She drew 
herself closer together, as she tried to shelter herself, along 
with making herself less of a vulnerable target. As she tried to 
peer from within her safe haven, her vision remained altered, her 
hearing diminished.

The drug Pfaster had managed to administer to her before she had
gotten free, was clouding her mind and limiting her judgement.
She found it hard to focus, her thoughts swirling in a misty gray 
haze of long forgotten memories and painful regrets.

Scully rubbed the smooth metal of her handgun between her palms,
the friction caused her hands to become suddenly much warmer.
Unruly tendrils of golden red tresses fell down upon her face and
they obscured her vision. Her bare feet were numb from the biting
winds and from the abuse she had inflicted upon them in getting
here. Scully suppressed a vicious shiver, which threatened to 
assault her, her mind trying to construct a formed thought.
 
She thought that she had shot him, but the blurred vision and
lack of concentration had prevented her from really knowing the 
truth. As she had ran down the quiet, unfamiliar neighborhood, she
could hear distant, urgent voices coming her way. In her delirium
she had crawled under the nearest cover, and that happened to be
a burning bush. She knew that she needed help, she was injured
and quite doped up, however her less than rational mind precluded
her from taking any proactive actions.

As Scully looked down the street dimly lit by a residential
lamppost, she could see several people walking towards her. The 
clicks of their heels and the lilting sounds of their quiet voices 
echoed among the quiet modest homes. Their shadows cast eerie 
flickers of lights, which danced gracefully among the old, twisted 
maples.

From her vantage point she couldn't see who they were, their 
nameless faceless visage, to her blurred vision, and muted 
paranoid thoughts made her believe that they maybe after her. In 
her mind, Pfaster could be still alive and she wasn't taking 
chances.

She crouched even lower to the ground, her irrational fear 
drowning out all logic. She quieted her angry breaths, the loud 
sounds which were emanating from her enough to give away her 
seclusion.


                        *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Day 5
0130hrs
234 Ostrom Ave.
Syracuse.

Mulder sat crouched between two evergreen bushes. He pulled his
heavy trench coat tighter around himself in an attempt to ward off
the chill that was setting in. A stiff cool breeze was blowing
in from behind him, and in the cool drizzling rain which was 
running down the back of his neck, he found himself shivering 
violently. The sweet smell of early spring flowers mingled softly 
with the earthly essences of damp ground, causing his nose to 
react involuntarily to its subtle caresses.

Out of the corner, of his eye, he saw that Skinner was silently
directing a swat team to take up scattered positions about the
heavily landscaped yard. Silence; thick and deafening was the only
spectator which was watching the events unfold about it. As Mulder
followed the groups silently progressing to the back of the house,
he saw Agent Barton, dressed from head to toe in gear, following
along in succession. The groups crept from bush to bush; tree to
tree, finding the obscurity desired from the flora scattered about
the property.

Mulder looked at the silent house before him. It was as black as 
the night which he found himself clad securely in, except for the 
lone lit window which was located at the top of the stairwell.
Spotters had been placed in secure places but as of yet no 
sightings had been made.

As Mulder knelt there, the wind whistled softly through the newly
clad trees which reached up to the heavens in supplication, trying
to intercede upon the prayers which were being said by the 
officers which lie in wait there.

Mulder wiped the back of his slender hand across the furrowed 
expanse of his heated furrowed brow. The perspiration which he 
felt there was not due to intolerable heat since he found himself 
encased in a slow frigid drizzle but was due to the almost 
unbearable amount of stress which he was experiencing.

In the headset that he was wearing, he could hear literally dozens
of voices; every timbre and every inflection possible, a chorus of
salvation for Mulder's lamenting.


Part 13a of 19a and b

Mulder blinked slowly as he rolled his shoulders to release the
knotted muscles which bothered him there. He raised his arm and
looked down at his watch. ' Soon, Mulder... Soon... The teams are
almost in place. ' Mulder drew in a deep breath, and said once 
again another string of prayers directed to whatever God's were
present to greet his silent musings. 

He knew that Pfaster wasn't a real threat to anyone, including 
the teams of law enforcement personal which were about to storm 
the house. His personality was such that anyone who wasn't 
inferior to him, wasn't in danger. He was too weak and too 
confused to best anyone else. His only strength was felt by 
tormenting those smaller than he, of the female persuasion.

' All clear. No sighted targets, no signs of movements. All teams
in place. Move in... ' A disembodied voice whispered gently in his
audio. Mulder could feel the adrenaline rush through his veins,
the thrill of the hunt once again setting him on fire.

Mulder rose quietly, following the words of Reynolds. He 
stealthily moved from his seclusion to the end of the line which 
had quietly congregated at the foot of the porch. His breaths rose 
and fell, not doing anything to relieve the pain which had taken up 
residence there.

With a tense, whispered " Go... " The officer in the lead, reached
for the door and pulled it open, thus was the storming of the
abode commenced.

" Federal Agents... Stay where you are... We have you surrounded. "
A low, rough voice called out into the eerie silence, piercing the 
thick fabric which it created. As soon as the voice retreated, the
silence once again closed in, accented only by the soft humming
of crickets and the occasional calls of night birds.

As they rushed through the porch, Mulder noticed the front door
already open, and the determined procession halted. " Evidence, 
steer clear. Have the crime scene technicians standing by... "
Mulder looked about, the porch was empty, clad only in off white
walls, the floor covered in cheap thin carpeting.

With those words, the procession continued. Mulder followed suit,
his heart racing wildly within the tight confines of his chest,
his breathing was ragged and labored. At once, he saw the reason 
for the delay. Small barefooted prints, bathed in dusky sanguine 
blood, clearly visible even in the dim light afforded at the top 
of the stairs. The prints crept in desperation down the stairs, 
and across the floor where they disappeared silently into the 
carpet where he stood.

Mulder continued on, the hollow footfalls of boots ringing loudly
as they group split up and went about their appointed directions.
Mulder began to climb the stairs, careful not to touch anything
which would be tested later for evidence. Out from the corner of
his uninvolved ear, he began to hear a litany of voices call out,
their voices mingling and coalescing, " Kitchen clear... Living 
room clear... Dining room clear... " With each and every voice's 
report, Mulder found himself falling further and further into a 
pit of despair, his dread compounding by the second. As Mulder 
approached the landing, the stairs groaned painfully under his 
determined attentions.

Suddenly, " Clear. Dead body. Request coroner and crime scene 
techs, " a clearly female voice called out, as he heard a auditory 
body begin to mumble softly in succession. Mulder rushed to meet 
the other stragglers which had split, one continuing down the dark, 
dusty hall, the other massing in shock in front of the upstairs 
bath.

Mulder pushed his way through the crowd, the black uniforms parting 
like the red sea before him...

The first thing that caught his eyes...

Blood.

Thick, warm and bright.

Gleaming against shining white tiles...

The life giving substance was pooled in a puddle of about an inch
or so, trapped inside the elevation of the threshold.

It was swirled about in an impressionistic haze, the crimson 
fading into a soft pink where the edge met the geometric tiles.

Mulder blinked and looked about once again, this time his eyes 
caught the sacrifice offered up to their attentions. It was 
propped up against the wall, flaccid and quiescent.

Death...

Clad in the thick reminder of life once vital... A towering 
figure... Once a life existing, now the headless pillar of a 
grotesque version of a Victorian waterfall, twisting and curling 
its way down the steep verdant slope of human flesh...

The collective breathing of the team blended with the quickly
filling ancient bathtub, the shock very evident in the electricity
which filled the atmosphere. The once pristine waters, now 
speckled with bits of dark hair floating gently in the ripples of 
pink, enhanced with grayish bits of brain matter. The pink tides 
crashed delicately against the stark white porcelain liner of the 
claw footed tub.

' Shit... Where is Scully? ' Mulder thought as the last voices
called out from the colors of the night. " All clear, only one 
occupant present and accounted for. Crime scene techs move in. " 

' She must have shot him, at point blank range. Those prints 
appeared to be about her size. " Shut the main off in the 
basement, " Mulder called out to no one in particular, the 
impending flood would destroy any evidence.

Mulder glanced wildly about; the gleam of silver caught his eye.
A single hypodermic needle graced the floor near the corpse, 
nearly obscured by the thick carpet of life lost. The plunger 
appeared to depressed more than half way, the cap clearly 
discarded. 

A stool lie broken, shattered into irregular frequent shards of 
white wood. The violence demonstrated, indicated a piece of 
woman's clothing, carelessly piled nearby. The fabric was quickly 
absorbing the bodily fluids around it, its occupant long 
vacated...

' She hit him over the head, and managed to get a gun, more than
likely hers and then shot him. He shot her up once more, but not
enough to knock her out. She got the hell out of here, probably
actively hallucinating... '

Mulder reached up and fingered the necklace which rested against
his chest. The metal was searing, almost painful against the
cool damp flesh of his fingers. " Secure the scene, " Mulder said
softly to the team leader to his right, the rest of you... follow
me. As Mulder tuned around slowly, he noticed the smudged bloody,
very delicate handprints carelessly smeared down the waist high 
wood paneling and down the banister.

As Mulder and the entourage descended the stairs, Skinner spoke
to them through their headsets, " We have a confirmed sighting
of a small woman fleeing from the scene after the gunshots were
reported. She was last seen going north on Ostrum Ave. Crime
scene techs take possession. All teams report to your team 
commanders. 


                       *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Day 5
0300hrs
234 Ostrom Ave.
Syracuse.


" Sir, there are a few things that we would like for you to see. "

Skinner blinked his eyes slowly, drawing his acute attention from
the horror which lie before him. He brought his trembling hands 
into his pockets, trying to disguise the tension which he was 
feeling. The room was very cold, but his body was drenched in a 
cool sweat derived from the anguish which he could see in every 
inch of this room.

He watched, his mind numb with disgust, as a technician dressed in 
field gear descended the stairs and walked towards him. The 
technician lowered the cooler marked as evidence carefully to the 
cold floor.

" We found these upstairs in the kitchen when we were exercising
probable cause, " With that the young man opened up the lid,
and stood back, displaying the contents for Skinner to see. 
The man stepped back, his familiarity with the objects inside now
driving him away from experiencing more. All he wanted to do was
to do his job and get out of here. Never again to look back. He
wanted to take his wife and children into his arms and forget 
the worst experience of his life.

Skinner looked over at the young man, and instantly felt sorry for
him. Skinner could see the thinly disguised abhorrence and ire
which the swirling tawny eyed expressed. Skinner stepped forward 
and looked inside, preparing himself for whatever he might find 
there. As he did, his heart sank that much lower into the bowels 
of his tormented soul.

" Jesus... " Skinner said vehemently as he glanced up into the
visage of the pale, dark haired gentleman before him. " Just when
you think you have seen it all, " Skinner finished as he bent over
and reached in, pulling one of the sealed bags to the side. 
Skinner scrutinized the tagged bags carefully, committing each of 
the contents to memory as he went along. He began counting 
mindlessly, trying to focus at the gruesome task at hand and not 
at the life that it once held.

" All of the limbs that had been excised are present and accounted
for, " the technician shared helpfully, " He kept them in the deep 
freezer, above all of the frozen goods which he also kept in 
there. "

Then the guy paused, thought to himself and said, " Sir, I don't 
mind telling you this... this has been the most disturbing case 
that I have ever worked on... Up here, other than the occasional 
single homicide, we don't get to see the true evil which exists in 
the world. I have lived here, all of my life, and my wife and I 
are raising our children here. We have always considered it safe, 
at least until now. I guess that I know that nowhere is safe any 
more. "

Skinner nodded and glanced at the gleaming nametag which adorned
the black tactical garments, " Higgins? " Skinner asked softly,
as he closed the lid to the cooler and stepped back, effectively 
blocking out the disturbing objects which lie within.

" Yes... " Agent Higgins retorted as he leaned over to pick up
the object, his balance carefully centered as he brought it
up into his arms. 

" For all of the inhumane things that I have had the misfortune
of experiencing in my life, this also ranks pretty high on the
list of things that I would never want to see again, " Skinner
said as he brought his hand up to pat Agent Higgins on the 
shoulder, trying to reassure the man. " I cannot tell you that
this will not happen again. Unfortunately until the world takes
each and every one of us seriously as a human being and treats
us as such, monsters like he will continue to walk the earth,
very much the creations of our own making. "

Higgins nodded as he turned and walked away leaving A.D. Skinner
once again alone in the dusty cellar of Pfaster's residence.
Skinner suppressed a shudder, which threatened to make its way
through his muscled physique. Before he left to search on foot
for Scully, he had wanted to come and see for himself where she
had been forced to live for nearly a week. He wasn't sure why,
but he had to know what she had been through, first hand. To
walk in someone's shoes was the highest form of flattery he knew.

Skinner walked over towards the off white futon, bare and lumpy
which sat before him. A small pillow was off to the side, lying
near a small pair of battered size 6 women's shoes he knew to be
Scully's. Next to the chain which was anchored into the wall were
a pair of torn and bloodied nylons.

Skinner turned his head, closing his eyes momentarily. A flash 
of revulsion shooting through his heart like a hot poker. ' Jesus,
Scully... What did he do to you? ' Skinner walked about slowly,
attempting to get a feel of the ambience which existed as real as
he. Skinner continued to take the shallow panting breaths that he
had been taking since coming down here, the action almost 
effectively eradicating the stench, which permeated the air. 

This was how it smelled in the POW camps back in 'Nam which he
had liberated from time to time. The smell, even today, still 
elicited the same terror which it did then. Skinner needed to
get out of here. He had only been here for a few moments, and
he could feel the walls closing in on him... He turned slowly, 
his heart bleeding for the woman who had had to undergo this most 
dehumanizing of experiences. He stepped slowly up the narrow 
stairs, rising out of the darkness which could lurk within men's 
souls, into the light of freedom and grace. Skinner could feel the 
hair stand up on the back of his neck, the evil which existed 
there attempting to claim one last victim.

Out of the depths of his memory a poem surfaced. It circled his 
heart like a silent prayer, and he found himself reciting it to 

chase away the very real monsters which he found himself plagued 
by...

' You may shoot me with your words, 
You may cut me with your eyes. 
You may kill me with your hatefulness, 
But still, like air, I'll rise... 

Out of the huts of history's shame I rise... 
Up from a past that's rooted in pain I rise... 
Leaving behind night of terror and fear
I rise 
Into a daybreak that's wondrously dear
I rise. ' 


                        
                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*


Stratford street.
Eastbound
Syracuse...
0330


" Unit five... No contact... "

Mulder listened intently to the broadcast, his heart once again
hearing the worst. Scully was out here somewhere, in this cold
neighborhood, drugged to the very tips of her hair and possibly
injured. They were so close, he could feel it. He knew that after
what she had been through, with the chemical in her system, she
would be very hard to find. With her years of training and her
handgun she would be a formidable prey to quarry.

Hazel eyes carefully searched the night, looking for any sign
which could lead him to the one that he couldn't live without.
Tall trees, silent sentinels of ages gone by, lined the closely
packed residential area. The once proud trees now stood as injured
testimony to a weather pattern gone awry a year ago. With the
house to house search which was going on, nearly all of the
lights were on in the neighborhood, casting a eerie hazy with
the reflection of the blowing gray clouds which loomed overhead.


Part 13b of 19a and b

Mulder looked silently over at the others that were teamed with
him. Their faces also bore the signs of exhaustion, which he 
found himself plagued with. Mulder turned his eyes skyward, the 
sounds of propellers distracting him at the moment. The bright 
search lights of the dark helicopters sent him back into time
to when the helicopters were not the ally but were a foe which
to contend with. A cornfield with bee domes a lifetime ago.

Mulder relished the chilling drizzle, which fell down his face 
like delicate angels' wings. The contrast of the sudden coolness
against the heated expanse of his aspect a welcome visitor in
the night.

Other than the scattered few which were left behind to collect
evidence, all of the teams were now conducting a ground search
for the missing agent, but as of yet, had not came up with any
hard evidence of her location. Mulder and a group of three were
following the house to house contingents, making sure that they 
hadn't missed anything. The fogginess coupled with the cover of
night made the pursuit very abstruse to say the least.

Gillespie, the police officer which stood nearest to him,
said softly, " This is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
She could be anywhere... " He brought his hand up to tip the
front of his hat down further over his exposed flesh, trying to
ward off the rain which accompanied their journey. As he did this,
he swept the yard once again with the wide beam of his light,
attempting to find the objective that they sought.

From behind them a soft, bass tone retorted, " They called for the
dogs, they will be here within the hour. " With that the bass 
voice coughed loudly, the sound echoing loudly off the houses which 
lined the street on either side.

" Let's hope that we do not need to resort to that, " Mulder
stated as he drew his coat closer around himself, the stiff
breeze which accompanied the weather front quite strong. Mulder
kicked a stone which he stepped up to across the road, his anger
and frustration sending it nearly into a darkened window.

" Why? " Gillespie asked as he brought his free hand into his
pocket, wishing silently that he had brought his gloves out here
in the first place. He had hoped that the dogs from the state
troopers had been out sooner, but they had to be brought in from
Utica, a good hour and a half by interstate.

" She is quite drugged, I suspect. The dogs would just further her
potential psychosis. She is armed and well trained, she could hurt
herself... " Mulder stated dispassionately as he turned his head
to spy a rabbit which rushed out of a newly awakened peony bush
across the way. Everything that he had seen tonight since the 
search began set his heart pounding.

" Or someone else... " The bass voice said firmly as he reached to
make sure that his weapon was unsecured by his holster and that
the safety was disengaged. Mike Wren had been a Trooper for nearly
10 years and he had jumped at the chance to get out of his vehicle
and assist on this little endeavor. When he had heard of the 
situation with the missing agent and Pfaster, he knew that he had 
to be here. He had waiting his whole life to participate in 
something this big.

Mulder shook his head abruptly, " She would never... " He uttered
as he again looked up to the heavens as another chopper flew 
overhead going west. Of these words that he had spoken, he was 
quite sure. Scully would never hurt anyone with out just cause, 
even if she were under due influence. She just didn't have it in 
her. Mulder flashed his flashlight over towards a movement out the 
corner of his eye, but this time it was just a tabby cat making 
its nightly rounds.

" How do you know that? " Wren asked as he stepped up to the group
to stand by them as they walked side by side down the street, 
their footfalls echoing in spite of the soft soles which they were 
wearing. He wiped the sweat off his brow, the beads gliding 
effortlessly down his brawny caliginous features.

" I know her, " Mulder rebutted. " She would never draw her weapon 
except for a good reason. For God's sake she is a physician first 
and foremost. " Mulder then closed his eyes, willing the instant
flood of tears which had just taken up residence there. Mulder did
know her, probably better than anyone. She had been there for him,
through everything that life had thrown at them both and had 
remained strong. A deep pang of guilt flooded his soul for he 
blamed himself for all of the wrong which had transpired in her 
life.

" How long have you known her, Sir? " Gillespie asked softly,
sensing the anguish which Mulder was feeling. There had been 
rumors that Mulder and Scully shared a bond that was deeper than 
mere partners. What Mulder felt for her was quite evident to 
everyone involved. However what kind of relationship they shared 
was still a mystery.

" Seven years... She is the best thing that had ever happened to
me, " Mulder replied as he searched the distance for any sign that
she might have been there. He knew that she was out there. And
after seven years of going to the end of the earth to bring the
other back, he wasn't going to let her down now.




                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Comstock Street, 
Northbound.
Syracuse
0400

Skinner walked steadily down the street, the night birds now 
singing their chorus of life. The rain had stopped suddenly, the 
clouds dissipating as quickly as a bad dream. The bright full moon 
shined brightly off the glistening pavement, the little beads of 
water reflecting like fine crystal in the forgiving light. He 
pulled his windbreaker around himself tighter, and took a deep 
breath. His frustration at not finding Scully as of yet eating 
away at him like a cancer. All teams had reported in; they had 
canvassed most of the hill area, but had not found a single clue 
to point them in the right direction. The dogs were do at any 
minute, but even with that knowledge he was still disconcerted.

As he looked toward his right, the agent closest to him stopped 
dead in his tracks and pointed over to his left. " Sir, I saw 
something move over in those bushes. " The agent directed his 
flashlight in the direction of the movement, and with that added 
illumination things appeared a lot clearer.

Skinner looked over to where the speaker was pointing and noticed
a slight refection of light of a metallic object hidden deep
within the shrubbery. Skinner gestured with his free hand and
directed the other agents to walk along with him to investigate.
Skinner took a deep breath and prayed that this nightmare was
over. They had had quite a few false sightings as of late and
the level of tension was growing exponentially.

As they walked closer, he swore that he heard the click of a
safety release. Skinner dropped towards the ground as the others
followed suit, drawing their firearms and adopted a defensive
posture. This was it. The time had come. The quest was over and
now it was time to bring her home.

From the bushes just a few paces ahead, emanated a soft familiar 
voice, " Don't move. Stay right there. " The voice was shaky,
full of fear but very recognizable. It was low and husky, like
a fine whisky, sending chills up Skinner's spine.

" Scully, " Skinner said softly, " it's me, Skinner. Please put 
down your weapon. " As he spoke, he slowly crept closer to the
voices hiding place. The cold hard surface of the pavement rubbed
painfully against the thin surface of his dress pants. He could 
feel the moisture from the previous rain seeping through, his skin
becoming that much more infuriated. ' What I wouldn't give for a 
pair of fatigues, ' his mind mused almost amusingly.

For a few moments silence was the only sound that greeted his sore
ears, then the same voice spoke falteringly, its fear and utter
confusion very evident. " Stay where you are, don't come any 
closer. " Suddenly the bush began to shake violently and they could 
see a slight figure; move to a better vantage point. The barrel of 
the Sig she was brandishing flickering brightly in the street lamp 
light.

Skinner remained still, the breathing of his subordinates and 
himself filling the now still air with clouds of water vapor which 
surrounded their faces and swirled about their necks. Skinner 
replied softly, almost patriarchal " Scully it's ok. We are here 
to help you. Pfaster is dead, He cannot hurt you anymore. Come out
here and come with us. We were all so worried about you. Please
trust me..."

Scully heard those painful words that she had heard so many 
different times in her life. They cut like a hot knife into the 
very focus of her essence. She drew back the trigger of her gun 
and the sound filled the empty street with it's presence. " I 
trust no one, " the paranoid drug hazed mind mused into the wind.  
She rather shakily drew her gun up to her sight a little further,
her vision impairment making it hard for her to get a clean line 
of sight. As she brought her foot under herself further, a stab
of pain rushed through her thigh and she cried out in pain,
tears filling and obscuring her already impaired ocular 
abilities.

Skinner's heart hell on to the pavement below his bent knees.
Scully's cry had tore a deep rift within himself, which he felt
profoundly. He wasn't sure what drugs Pfaster had given her, but
it was very clear she wasn't in her right mind. She was a trained,
drug crazed agent, a loaded gun ready to go off. He spoke firmly,
as he tried to get her to focus upon him, " Scully it's me,
Skinner. You can trust me... You know that. "

" What about them? " Scully retorted angrily. Scully wasn't sure 
of what to believe. She recognized the voice; it was so familiar,
yet she couldn't quite place it. It had told her Pfaster was dead.
But she knew that you couldn't kill the devil. Of this she was as
sure as she was of life. The cool wind blew against the thin 
material of her tanktop, her nipples become harder than they were 
before. ' I am so tired. I wish I could close my eyes and sleep. I 
wish that this would go all away. ' Her teeth began to chatter her
body shudder in order to generate body heat. ' If it starts 
raining sleeping bags... Oh God. Mulder. What have I done. You are 
dead. Because of me... ' Tears fell harshly upon her smooth 
chilled skin, and she wiped them away with her forearm.


Part 14a of 19a and b



Skinner gestured slowly to the contingent surrounding them, as he
moved a bit further forward for her to see min more clearly.
" They will leave... " He could see her shake her head in
confusion as she listened to his words.

The agent next to him interrupted curtly, " Sir ", his voice full
of warning and a touch of consternation. This was against protocol,
clear and simple. Out in the field one didn't just leave the
one that you are partnered with alone. Backup was always essential.
Taking unnecessary risks wasn't an option.

" Agent Warner, you will do as I say. You all will do as I say.
Go. Get help. Call Mulder. I will stay here... " Skinner warned
softly, as to not upset Scully more. He sat down on his cool
bottom on the glistening black pavement. He glanced over at the
agent, his mouth pursed with determination. " You heard what I
said, get Mulder. If any one can get through to her, he can "

Warner nodded his head in affirmation, and gestured toward the
other three agents. They fell back slowly, carefully, fully aware
that this situation was far beyond their ability to control. Once
they had reached a safe distance, they ran for suitable cover,
speaking in hushed tones into the head gear, trying to notify the
man which they knew could bring her in safely.

Skinner brought his hands down in front of him and rather
trepidatiously put his gun down upon the pavement. ' Gain her
trust. Appear non-threatening. ' Her crossed his hands in front of
his muscled legs, and entwined his fingers, trying to appear as
calm and non invasive as possible. " They have left Scully... It
is just us... They are going to get Mulder..."

" NO, " Scully screamed loudly, " he is dead. Pfaster killed him.
Killed * us * because of me... A fresh onslaught of tears fell
down her cold tight cheeks. Who was this man? She knew
instinctively that she could trust him, but how she didn't know.
She was confused. This man putting down his weapon in complete and
utter trust of her, is telling her that they are going to bring
Mulder? Scully drew in a breath and yelled rather emotionally,
" Oh Mulder... it's all my fault. I tried to fight, but he was
stronger. Oh God, if I only had listened you would be still
alive... "

Skinner was in shock. ' What the hell did Pfaster do to her... '
' She thinks Mulder is dead. Oh, God, no wonder she is so crazed.
Mulder hurry up and get here. She needs you. She needs to know that
you are OK. ' " Scully, Mulder is here. He is alive. Pfaster is
dead, Mulder isn't..."

" Yes he is... " She interrupted harshly. " Pfaster told me so. "
She dropped the gun slightly and brought her face down into her
forearms. " He killed Mulder because he knew that I was in love
with him. " Tears fell from her drug hazed eyes. " He told me that
I should do everything that he said. I tried. I really did. But
when he wanted... Oh, God... Why didn't I? Oh God I wish that I
could die... "

" No Scully. Don't. You do not want to die, " Skinner said
lovingly. He knew that this situation had gone from bad to worse,
Now not only did he have to gain her impaired confidence, he had
to convince her Mulder was in deed alive and well and that she
couldn't hurt herself. " Mulder would lose it you know, if he
thought that he were the reason you hurt yourself.  You would kill
him then. Just as sure as I am sitting here. "

" I already did. It's too late. I loved him so very much. He was
my everything. My whole life. My soul. My faith. He will never
know. He will never know the truth. I know that he didn't feel
the same way, but that doesn't matter. I should have told him.
He deserved to know. Now... there is no more. " Scully's voice
trailed off, her tone filled with defeat and resignation. She
knew what she had to do. She knew how this would have to end.
However she needed some time to focus and to rest. She took a deep
breath and closed her eyes, the soft cool wind now no longer a
chill, just the soft caress of a long lost lover.

Skinner felt tears come to his eyes. The pain she was feeling
was as real to him as it was to her. " Scully...Dana... " He
wasn't sure how to reach her. She obviously was too impaired to
function in any rational capacity so it wasn't going to be easy.

" You know, I can probably count on one hand the number of times
that I heard him call me that. I always wanted him to call me that.
To get beyond that facade of mine and to get to know me, the woman
beneath. He never did, you know... Know me. He never wanted to. "
Scully squeezed herself tighter, that knowledge driving the
pain deeper within herself.

Skinner's heart skipped a beat once again, he had never really
been privy to how deeply hurt she had been over the relationship.
After what he had seen over the years, he knew that Mulder cared
deeply, even loved her. But obviously she wasn't privy to that.
He had seen the ebbs and flows that they had shared over the
years, but had never really gotten deeply into the matter. Skinner
clenched his hands tightly, trying to fend away the chill
beginning to set in. ' Where the hell are you Mulder... She needs
you... '

As Skinner sat there on the cold hard surface of the road, a cold
drizzle began to fall once again, covering the lush green earth
with promise of new life to come...




                      *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Comstock Street
0415
Syracuse, NY.


Mulder slammed the door of the squad car as he stepped out onto
the cold hard road below. The sound of the door reverberating
loudly amongst the close older residential houses. The stiff spring
wind whipped his trench around his slender legs, and mussed his
already tussled hair. He walked briskly, his heart pounding
violently with in the confines of his tired chest.

As he made is way through the massive convention of law enforcement
personal, vehicles and interested onlookers, his mind tossed about
like rolling breakers against rocky shore.

' Oh, God... Scully, what did that psycho do to you? If he has
laid a single hand upon you, I will personally hunt him down in
the afterlife and kill him all over again. ' Ever since getting
word that they had found Scully, a weight had been lifted off of
his broad shoulders. In its place had been settled a eerie sense
of calm, which in itself was probably just as frightening. Now
that he had her back, what were they in store for? What had
Pfaster done to her during her captivity? ' Don't even think that
way. Expect the best and prepare for the worst. We can handle it.
We have in the past, and we will now also. '

Once he finally made it to the yellow 'do not cross' line, a
younger looking man, wearing a local enforcement uniform, rushed
up to him and cut him off. The young man was pale, blue eyed and
blond, appearing to be more of a surfer type than a serious
professional. He lifted his arms up in a gesture of restraint,
" Sir, you cannot go beyond this point without proper I.D. " This
was the young man's first assignment and he took his job seriously.

Mulder flashed him a rather disgusted leer and as he pulled out
his I.D. and displayed it to him said angrily, " Look son, I don't
have time for this... " He tapped his foot in frustration on the
ground, his only thought revolving around getting to Scully.

The young man examined the object carefully and said softly, in a
very an apologetic tone, " I'm sorry, sir. Right this way. " He
lifted up the tape and allowed Mulder to enter unobstructed.

Mulder followed the squeaking of radios past the rest of the
throngs, and finally found himself walking upon an empty, dark
residential area of older two story houses. By now the place had
been evacuated, and the only sounds heard were the winds whistling
trough the leaf laden trees, and the faint sounds of city traffic
in the background. The first snow crocus of spring, white, and
purple were just starting to come forth from their cold suspension.

AS he turned the corner to his left, suddenly the street changed
and smaller, one story houses emerged, their lawns more spacious
and covered with older dense foliage. Just a head of him, sitting
on the side of the road, sat a broad shouldered individual, whose
smooth skinned countenance reflected the dim light of the barely
functioning street lamp.

As he walked towards the figure he knew to be Skinner, the gentle
clicks of his dress shoes tapped gently upon the wet pavement. The
figure got up and slowly trudged towards him, never once allowing
his vision to stray from the bush on his left. He walked carefully,
thoughtfully, as if not to disturb anyone within any distance.

Mulder quickly marched up to Skinner, his tired countenance full
of relief and said very faintly, " Where is she sir? Is she all
right? If he hurt..." Mulder drew his hands out of his trench
pockets and clenched them angrily in front of himself. Mulder was
becoming acrimonious once again. It had taken every ounce of
strength on his part to remain calm and collected for Scully's
sake. However, he was falling sorely short of his intended mark.
' Scully, you have always been our strength. I don't know how much
more I can hang on... I need you... '

Skinner ran a broad strong hand across the furrow of his brow. His
eyes were dark and thoughtful in appearance. He spoke softly, his
deep tones soothing and caring, " Scully is over there, beneath
that burning bush. She has a gun and I think it's hers from the
appearance of it. She is very disoriented and quite impaired. She
is obviously exhausted and between that and the hallucinogens that
bastard dosed her with, she is barely focusing. Skinner then
looked back once again, the shadow to which he was referring still
as a deep lake, with a forlorn look gracing his countenance,
 " She thinks that you are dead... "

Mulder's eyes grew large, appearing to almost be a dark green
in the faint light." What? She thinks..."

Skinner interrupted him curtly, " Your dead. Apparently Pfaster
told her that he killed you as retribution for her having
feelings for you... " Skinner looked down at his feet, his
frustration and anger at the situation, not lost upon him,
rather tempered and directed into matters at hand.

" Feelings for me, he punished her for that? " Mulder asked, very
afraid of what his answer might be. He steeled his heart for the

works to utter forth from the man in front of him, his heart was
breaking literally into two.

Skinner looked him straight into the eye, willing Mulder to find
the courage to accept a very real possibility, " He did want her
to have is child, maybe when he had told her that you were
deceased, he planned to executed his plan. " He delivered the word
carefully, as he studied Mulder's face intently.

Tears came to Mulder's eyes. He clenched his hands tightly, his
knuckles turned white from his effort, " Oh, God... Did he? "

Skinner shook his head in ignorance, " I don't know. She has been
pretty out of it since we found her. She doesn't seem to know who
I am, or where she is. She is so unnerved because she blames
herself for your untimely demise, that in her mind, she doesn't
want to live anymore. "

" That is the drug sir," Mulder said strongly. The woman they
were about to deal with was not their Scully. This was the drug
induced possibly physically abused result of Pfaster's sick
little games.


Skinner began to drift back towards where Mulder had come from,
his breaker damp and heavy from the falling drizzle. " I am very
aware of that, however the problem still stands. She is armed and
psychotic. She is a danger to herself and to others. Now, * I *
have been able to now to keep the locals under control, but the
are loosing patience. You are the only one who can reach her, and
do it quick, time is of the essence... "

Mulder took a deep breath and began to walk over towards the
shrubbery. Just out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a very
slight figure slouched up into a ball under the landscaping. As
he walked up toward Scully, a shaky paranoid toned alto voice
emanated from his goal, " Stay right there...* Don't' * come any
closer. I am armed and not afraid to use it. "

Mulder couldn't help but chuckle a little. Just hearing Scully's
voice speaking to him after all of these days being enough to
celebrate, but just those simple words also had brought him back
to a time where she had shot him. " I am very aware of that fact
Scully, very aware. Remember when you shot me? "

The bushes moved just a little, as the figure adjusted herself.
Scully peered out at the tall dark stranger. He also seemed to
be very familiar to her. An understanding that came from the very
depths of her soul, which caused her feel an overwhelming sense of
caring and comfort about him. She asked quietly, her alto tones
soft and questioning, " Who... are you? "

Mulder took another step forward and took his hands out of his
deep pockets. He brought them forward in a gesture of trust and
understanding. " Don't you know, after all of these years? "
Mulder asked softly, trying to gain her trust.

Scully shook her head, she couldn't honestly for her life remember
who it was but she knew, somehow that he was once very important
in her life. His soft low tones inspired such a trust from her
that she almost felt safe, " You will have forgive me, I am a
little... forgetful at the moment. "

" That's ok, I will * forgive * you that this once. Are you ok
in there? You must be quite uncomfortable. " Mulder said with a
dry wit. From the tone of her voice, he could tell that she was
calming down and possibly could be even coming out of her haze.

Scully couldn't help but chuckle softly, she liked this man. She
scratched an itch caused by the sap of the plant sitting on her
tender, pale thigh and said, " Well, the bush itches and I am
freezing my ass off but other than that, I guess I'm ok."

"Why don't you come out from there? " Mulder entreated as he
gestured with his hands in an inviting motion. " I know a really
nice place that has the greatest Scungilli Marinara. It's only a
few minutes from here. You would really love it. "

Scully sucked in a deep breath. ' Italian Food. Yup, I can really
go for that. ' She hadn't eaten anything since being kidnapped.
His voice sounded so familiar, almost just like... ' Now it can't
be. It just... Mulder is dead. Get a hold of yourself, Starbuck,
you are really loosing it. ' " Uh. Uh." Scully retorted teasingly,
her wit was just beginning to return, but her memories and
emotions still ragged and volatile, " I don't think so. I don't
even * know * you. I trust no one. "


Part 14b of 19a and b

Mulder answered softly, his voice so soft as if non existent, " As 
you shouldn't. But you have always trusted me. Just like * I * 
have trusted you. " ' That's it. Bring her out. Get her to focus. ' 
He slouched his shoulders and lowered his head, in order to appear
less of a threat to her.

Scully lowered her voice, her eyes filling with tears. " I... 
trusted only one. He is dead. I am now alone. Cold, so cold. " She 
pulled her arms around herself, still clutching her SIG tightly. 
In spite of the seemingly familiar man in front of her, she felt 
so alone and empty.

When she had said those last few words, Mulder found himself 
flashing back to an another time that she had pronounced them. 
Memories of Scully immersed in the greenish fluid, the umbilical 
firmly planted between her rose bud lips, sending shivers of pain 
through him just as if they had happened yesterday. As he spoke 
his voice reflected his anguish, " Scully..."

Scully shook her head, her mind just starting to focus, " Only 
* he * calls me that. * Scully *. That was all I ever was. 
Scully. " She lifted her azure blue eyes skyward as if searching 
for a sign of solace.

Mulder's heart was dying a slow and painful death. Her words had
cut through him like a hot sliver of glass. ' Does she really
believe that? Is it the drugs, or is it the woman behind those
words? Jesus, will I ever be able to make this right? ' He spoke
quickly, his heart behind his words, " I'm sure that you were more 
than that to him. "

Scully blinked her eyes slowly, and tilted her head to the side,
her focus lost in thought, her vision swirling and her equilibrium
still off. She said hesitantly, her immense sadness dictating her
thoughts methodically, " No, not his type. Tall, gorgeous, and 
elegant... Like Diana, Phoebe... He told me once that I had short 
legs... "

Mulder found himself being drawn into her feelings. He knew that
even though she wasn't truly lucid, the feelings had to be coming
from within her somewhere, " I'm sure he was just joking, " Mulder 
uttered reassuringly, " I'm sure that he didn't mean it... " He 
tried to look through the obscuring overgrowth, but his vision 
still only met a very vague shadow.

Scully chuckled slightly, her memories giving her hazy mind 
something to hold on to. " Sure, and * I * am Eleanor Roosevelt. 
No wait I couldn't... Too boring. That is what he told me. I am 
too boring. " She adjusted her weight once again, the muscles in 
her legs and back, beginning to throb rather painfully from their 
very confined status.

Mulder inched up closer as he uttered, " Is it alright if I come 
up there? I find it hard to have a nice discussion with anyone, 
when I am so distant from them. "

Scully arched her slender auburn eyebrow; her voice spoke 
warningly, " Sure... Just remember... " She finally managed to get 
herself situated to where she could unfold her legs slightly. She 
winced from the jolt of pain and gasped slightly.

" Oh, don't worry I will, " Mulder proclaimed as he rambled up 
closer, his feet clicking gently upon the pavement. In the process, 
he began to make out more of the form hidden from his sight. 
Scully hair gleamed brightly through the hazy branches, and he 
could see her profile as she looked about her unfamiliar 
environment. " Are you sure that you do not know who I am? " 
Mulder added softly, trying to get her more focused, " We have 
been together a long time, I should sound very familiar to you 
Scully... "

" I'm not... exactly sure. He gave me... drug... hallucinogenic,
I think... memory impaired. Vision affected. Jesus, I'm just 
falling apart. " Scully shook her head chuckling huskily, as she 
methodically tried to regain the memories of her past few days 
with a little more clarity. ' Think Scully. Focus... '

" You are not falling apart. I am here to catch you. As we have 
always been for each other. Scully do you remember Antarctica? How 
I came for you? How cold it was? Do you remember what I told you 
before they took you away from me again?  You make me whole, 
Scully. You owe me nothing, I owe you everything... " Mulder mused 
loudly as he walked up, flush with her hiding place.

Scully closed her eyes, her warm memories cloaking her safely
within herself. Scully mumbled softly along with Mulder's voice 
inside her head, " I don't' want to do it alone. I don't think I 
can... " A single crystal clear tear fell from deep azure eyes, 
and it slid slowly down her dirt stained face.

Mulder knelt down, his knees instantly becoming wet from the rain
soaked road. As Mulder looked into the bushes, he finally got a
good look at her, her face was flushed, covered with dirt. Her
hair was mussed and full of twigs. She was wearing her T-shirt
that she had been wearing last, the material which glowed almost 
ethereally in the light. He reached forward, extending his hand 
towards her, " That's it Scully... Remember... We almost kissed. 
God, how I wanted to. You did also. Your eyes told me so. Your 
beautiful blue eyes. "

Scully gasped loudly, ' How the hell??? No one knew that 
happened. ' She began to shiver violently, not out of hypothermia, 
which she was suffering from, but from shock... " How do you know 
those things? I never told anyone, only... " She gasped softly, 
her voice full of perturbation.

Mulder smiled brightly, his teeth gleaming faintly in the dim 
light. He nodded affirmatively, and retorted, " Mulder and 
yourself knew... "

Scully closed her eyes, his face from their hallway confrontation
still gracing her memories, they touched her soul sending forth
heated tears of regret to fill her eyes. " Yes... "

Mulder reached into the bushes and touched what he thought to be 
her shoulder gently, " Do you remember Scully, the iced tea in 
that bag on that stake out? It could be love... " He squeezed 
gently, trying to reach her. He could feel her tremble slightly 
under his touch.

She felt the warmth of his hand through the thin material of her
shirt. As she looked at the profile of the man before her, she
tried to focus her blurred vision. ' He seems so familiar...
He sounds familiar... He even smells familiar... ' Scully mumbled 
softly, her memory flashing back to that night when they were on 
that stakeout," I guess it must be fate... "

Mulder continued speaking, his voice getting lower and lower,
forcing her to concentrate upon each of his syllables. As he spoke
he continued to kneed her shoulder gently, reassuringly, ' Listen 
Scully. You know who I am. Listen to me. " Yes... Who else would 
know that... ' " Who else would know that you love chocolate, hot 
bubble baths, classical music, and creme... no sugar in your 
coffee... "

Scully's eyes grew wide, her jaw slackened slightly, " How do... " 
Scully interrupted curtly, " I don't... " She shook her head once 
again, her golden red hair falling gently about her face. She 
reached up with a hand, the other raising lightly due to the cuffs 
and tucked a strand which was hanging in her vision behind her ear.

Mulder could see her apprehension and her confusion. He was 
finally getting through to her. He could see it written across her 
tired physiognomy. Mulder lowered himself further, so that he was 
seated upon the pavement before her, " It's ok, Scully. I am here. 
It's me Mulder. "

Scully's delicate features twisted in pain, her eyes filled with
warm stinging tears. ' This cannot be happening. This isn't really 
Mulder, he is dead ' Her denial wasn't cutting it now. Somehow, 
someway, she knew deep within her that he was right, he was Mulder. 
However her less than rational side, pushed the acknowledgement 
aside and cried emotionally, " No, you are dead... He told... "

Mulder shook his head; a lock of dark hair fell across his 
furrowed brow. His eyes almost glowed with love and understanding 
as he answered softly, " What he told you was wrong... He did 
it... To control you... So you would acquiesce to his demands... "

" But... " Scully exclaimed as tears, hot and indignant fell down 
her cheeks, ' This cannot be happening... I must really be losing 
it. '

Mulder knew that it was time to go in for the kill. ' Fish or cut 
bait old man... ' " But nothing, Dana Katherine Scully... * Dana * 
do you know why I never really ever called you by you given name, 
beginning from the first moment in that basement office? "

' Oh my God... ' She finally believed. It was Mulder. The man
whom she had thought had left her life for good. The man whom she
loved most in this hostile and distant world, " You called me 
Scully then... Mulder? Is that... you? " She lurched forward just
a mite, trying to get a better look at him.

Mulder's eyes filled with tears also, they fell in a torrential 
downpour down his face, catching on the days old stubble and 
cooled in the cool moist wind, " Yes, angel it is. I have come for 
you. I want to take you home. Let me protect you. Let me... "

Scully rolled her eyes, her denial still holding on tenuously,
"  Oh Geesh... What kind of stuff did he put in that syringe... 
I am so far gone that I am having auditory hallucinations. "

Mulder chuckled softly, as he smiled brightly, " I assure you I'm 
not a hallucination, besides I am the only one who gets all the 
good drugs in the relationship. However I am sure that you have 
wished it was a bad dream several times. " He said these last
words with a hint of sarcasm.

" Mulder... I have never wished such a thing, well not much 
anyway... Scully smiled slightly, her eyes finally becoming clear 
and focused. She dropped her gun on the bare cold ground, the 
metal clanking slightly on the stones which lie there. She arched 
a slender brow and looked about slightly, " Mulder? " She 
questioned as she gestured about herself, " Where am I, and why am 
I huddling under this bush? "

Mulder laughed brightly and grasped the hand that she was waving 
about. The tears continued to fall freely down his face, his utter 
joy and relief taking over, " I don't know Scully, a sudden need
to get back to nature? "

" Mulder stop laughing like a madman and help me get out of 
here? " Scully asked as she struggled to free herself of the 
complicated maze of branches, " Jesus, the places that you take me. 
Why can I just have a normal job like anyone else, and not have to 
crawl about in shrubbery, in the middle of the night, in the 
freezing rain, " She fought weakly, thus her progress was 
non-existent.

Mulder pulled her hands gently and between the both of them, they
liberated her from the thick tangled mass of branches. Mulder 
noted that her hands were cuffed in standard issue cuffs, probably 
her own. The pale skin underneath, raw and bleeding. Small rivulets 
of the crimson substance, ran down her forearms where they met her
elbow. Mulder caught her as the momentum of their efforts 
propelled her forward. Her slight body gently thudded into his, 
and as he looked down, what he saw made him want to vomit.

The clothes that Scully were wearing were painted crimson in the
blood which Pfaster had shed. The pale expanse of her skin was
likewise hued, except for the dirt, scratches and bruises which
were clearly evident upon her. Mulder could see her nipples, tight 
and small, straining against the wet, clinging material of her
shirt. Her hairline and upper forehead were mottled an 
impressionistic mixture of purples and blues, with a touch of 
yellow.
 
 
As his hazel eyes finally came up to hers, her glassy azure eyes 
were filled with bewilderment and questioning, " Mulder, what is 
wrong? " Scully asked as she trembled slightly. She looked about,
her memory failing to release her of her confusion. 

Mulder just shook his head his eyes filling with tears which then
fell down his face once again. ' Oh God Scully, what has that 
animal done to you... ' Mulder took her by her now trembling 
shoulders and massaged her muscles slightly, his face full of pain 
and anger.

" What? " She questioned exasperatedly, as she finally gazed down 
at her self, his eyes leading the way. Scully's eyes grew wide, 
her jaw dropped several inches revealing her perfect white teeth. 
" Oh, my God... What the hell happened? " Scully was scared. She 
was covered in cold glutinous gore and she couldn't remember how 
it had happened.

Mulder took her hand and squeezed tightly, his apprehension at the
situation very evident in his face. Her hand felt, soft and very 
cold even in the light her could see that her normally red lips 
were blue. He spoke quietly, asking in a soft loving voice, " Did 
he hurt you? " He implored as he squeezed her hand tighter and 
searched her face.

Scully shook her head; her thoughts still not completely focused.
" I... " ' Who is he? Where the hell am I? ' She glanced about 
once again but this time noticed a group of people which was 
advancing fast from behind Mulder. From their appearance, they 
appeared to be law enforcement personal, but in this lighting with 
her sensitive vision, she couldn't be sure.

" Scully? " Mulder begged once again. He grabbed her slight  
shoulders in his strong broad hands and clenched her tight. She 
seemed to be staring off into the distance beyond his shoulder, 
her thoughts thousands off mile away.

Scully's face remained blank, her eyes full of confusion and 
frustration. Suddenly Scully's eyes fluttered slightly, the night
now spinning wildly about her, her vision dimming. She could hear
Mulder's voice calling faintly, as if from across a great chasm
which was separating them, but her voice faltered as she tried to
answer. She pitched forward, her slight weight falling into
the swirling blackness which came like a thief in the night to
free her once again.


Part 15a of 19a and b


                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


University Hospital
SUNY Health Science Center
Level 1 Trauma
Syracuse, New York.
0530


Quiet hushed the sterile, well-lit hallway. Artificial lights
gleamed brightly off of the well-polished light tied floor. Large 
neat metal shelves of medical supplies lined the deliberately 
empty hallway. The walls were a sterile white, empty except for 
the occasional sign which graced the seemingly endless expanse.

Suddenly the pair of large automatic doors swung open, and from 
outside of the entrance a gurney was rushed in. The gurney was 
surrounded by a large group of health professionals, each of them 
part of a light blue sea of scrubs. As the gurney was rushed forth, 
in the calm din, voices loud and strong were muttering forth, 
reporting each of their own very responsibilities, a veritable 
symphony of teamwork at its best.

B/P 80/58 palp.
Pulse 110 rapid and thready.
Resp 26 and steady.
Accu chek 58

As they spoke, they hovered above a flash of matted red hair,
immersed in a multitude of blankets. The figure lay deathly 
still, as they worked furiously trying to determine her plight.

Fox Mulder trudged behind the entourage, which was attending to 
his partner. His mind was in a hazy fog, induced by low blood 
sugar and shock. He was exhausted and frustrated. From the scene 
where EMS had responded, he had been pushed aside and rather 
rudely treated. He knew logically that they had a job to do and 
that they needed to concentrate upon the patient at hand, but it 
still annoyed him to no ends. Every attempt on his part to 
ascertain her condition had gone to no avail and he wanted 
answers.

As the throng of orderly health professionals propelled the pale
unconscious body of Dana Katherine Scully forward, the verbal
tide continued, of very little comfort to his ears.

" 35 year old female, apparent lacerations, abrasions, and 
contusions. Possible head trauma untreated from at least 5 days 
past. Victim was given multiple drug injections during captivity,
evidence of dehydration, and starvation. Questionable sexual
assault. Victim unconscious since evaluation, suffering from
exposure. "

As they wheeled Scully onto the trauma room to their left, Mulder
found himself restrained by a thin, dark haired woman, who was
similarly attired to the others. The woman gripped his forearm
firmly, the heat of her hand permeating through the material
of his coat. Mulder took a deep breath, noting that she smelled
like vanilla and cinnamon, soft and sweet.

" Whoa there sir, I am afraid that you cannot go in there. "
The woman said firmly as she pulled as his arm gently, trying
to lead him away from the group attending to Scully. She looked
up into his face, her bright eyes searching his face. This was
the part that she hated about her job, keeping people from the
ones that they loved.

Mulder attempted to pear through the clear glass of the door,
but a set of off white blinds was drawn shut upon him. He angrily 
spun around and spat at the top of his voice, " That's my partner 
in there, I need to be with her. " After all of the time that 
they had been separated, he wasn't going to go willingly.

The nurse nodded her head and gently led him over to a small
brightly lit waiting room directly across from the room which
Scully was brought in. As Mulder numbingly followed her lead,
he could vaguely hear her barking orders to others just out
of his sight. Out of no where a soft, thick blanket was wrapped
around his damp shoulders and he was gently steered to a large
sofa at the far wall. As he sat upon the soft coffee brown
couch, he felt a cup of hot liquid pressed into his literally
lifeless hand.

The nurse sat next to him, and drew the blanket tighter around
his shoulders. " They will take very good care of... your
partner... " She could see that he was very worried about her, 
but from the looks of things he needed attention also.

" Scully, Dana Katherine Scully " Mulder mumbled as he took a sip 
of the steaming hot liquid, the fluid scalding his sensitive 
tongue and burning a slick tingling path down his parched and sore 
throat. The warmth of the liquid began to thaw him from the inside 
out, the feeling not an unpleasant one.

The nurse rubbed the blanket roughly against him, attempting to
provide some artificial warmth through friction. She asked softly,
making sure that he words were clear and precise, " Are you going 
to be ok, Sir, I could get someone to look at you if you... "

" No it's ok, " Mulder curtly interrupted, " I'm fine. Just a 
little tired that's all. I just need to know if Scully is going to 
be all right. " Mulder gazed longingly at the door. His mind 
focused only on one intent, making sure that he wasted no more 
time.

The woman looked at him, her deep brown eyes full of sensitivity
and thought, " Let me see what I can do for you as long as you 
promise you stay right there and don't move. " She brought a long 
slender hand to his trench clad forearm, and squeezed gently.

Mulder looked at her and smiled slightly, " I will try to behave 
myself however I am well known for not following the rules. " 
Mulder chuckled softly and turned to look into his hands.

The nurse chuckled in return and said softly, " I would have never 
guessed that. " With that she stood up and walked over to the exam 
room and opened the door. As she walked in, Mulder could see 
Scully lying on the gurney, as the team worked diligently around 
her.

Mulder sat back and closed his eyes drawing his wet trench around 
him, the soft sound of the unit lulling him into a state of deep 
contemplation.

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, Mulder heard a firm bass voice
speak into his right ear, " We have the crime scene documented 
there, Mulder. How is Scully? Skinner sat down next to Mulder, 
pulling out his cell phone from his pocket. He hazarded a glance 
at him. Mulder looked like hell. Days without sleeping, eating, or 
basic hygiene had taken its toll. His hair was greasy, matted. 
His normally smooth cheeks were graced with too much stubble. The 
suit that he wore was wrinkled and soiled, and he reeked of sweat 
and rain water.

Mulder looked over at him with the most lost look in his eyes,
" They haven't told me anything. I have been here all of this time
and I don't know a damn thing. " Mulder brought his hands up to
his face and continued; " I don't know what I will do if that
bastard assaulted... "

" We will handle it, " Skinner replied as he sat back against the 
cold chair, " We will remain strong for her. She will need us 
regardless of the outcome. She is strong. She is a fighter. We are 
a team and will work as such to bring her back, whatever it takes. 
Is that understood? " Skinner asserted forcefully.

" Yes, " Mulder answered despondently, his heart once again full
of anguish. He wasn't sure how they would manage but he knew that
they would. As a team, they were invincible.



                      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



University Hospital
SUNY Health Science Center
Level 1 Trauma
Syracuse, New York.
0615



Mulder caught the sound of a door being pushed open and the 
melodious, tranquil tones of voices from his inward deliberations. 
He opened his eyes, hazel embracing the bright artificial lighting 
causing his eyes to ache. He rubbed his face against the sleeve
of his coat, trying to bring his idle mind to life.

As he looked up from his forearm, he caught the door open once
again, but this time he saw a sight which made his stomach turn
violently in his taunt abdomen. Bile, bitter and burning, swirled
like a monsoon in his stomach.

Scully lay prone on the exam table, her pale slender legs up in 
exam stirrups. She was covered from head to thighs, with a thick 
white blanket, her feet covered in thick white socks. The only 
color visible was the bright shock of red gold against cold white, 
since her face was turned from him. Even from there, he could see 
the deep abrasions and contusions which dotted the normally smooth 
skin of her legs. Just as quickly as the door had opened, it 
closed leaving Mulder quavering in its revelations.

Mulder closed his eyes, willing the memory now etched upon his
mind to quickly fade away. 

" Mr. Mulder? " A disembodied voice implored softly, as a hand
was brought to rest upon the firm surface of his shoulder. Mulder
opened his eyes once again, the woman whom had helped him earlier
stood there silently, her other hand resting gently on her slight
hips.

" How is she? " Mulder asked as he leaned back, trying to work out
the kinks which had settled in his spinal column from his awkward
position. 

" She is dehydrated, hypoglycemic, and shocky. However her vital
signs are stable, and she is responding well to IV hydration and
glucose supplementation. She has many cuts and bruises, but none
serious. Her head injury, is minimal. No sign of concussion.
All and all she is quite well, and resting comfortably, " the 
nurse replied professionally, as she sat down next to him and 
crossed her legs at her small ankles.

" Was she... " Mulder managed to murmur out as he looked over at
the closed door, praying that Pfaster hadn't had a chance to get
his hands on her. He closed his eyes again, the image of Pfaster
lying lifeless on the bathroom floor not enough to erase the
tremendous anger which brewed deeply within him.

" Not as far as we can tell, A rape kit was done and with the 
exam, " she replied resolutely, " no sign of trauma was noted. 
Given the state of her muscle tone... "

" Excuse me... " Mulder exclaimed as he looked her directly in the
face, and then glanced at her nametag noting that her name was 
Carol de Curzio. This was something that he clearly didn't need to 
know. Sure he loved Scully with all of his heart, but this 
discussion wasn't necessary. 

" She has never had children vaginally and is obviously not very
sexually active, so it is safe to say that she did have 
intercourse, she would have some trauma present if not consensual. 
The slides revealed no sperm, vaginally, anally, or orally. No 
bruising or irritation either which is consistent with sexual 
abuse. However, it would be best to question her further when she 
is awake and lucid. To be safe, " she added further, as she 
crossed her arms in front of her chest and let out a deep breath.

" Thank God, " Mulder proclaimed as he jumped up and stood straight 
at attention. Mulder smiled as he thought quietly for a moment that
at least for now, Scully was going to be all right. She would have
a great deal of issues to deal with concerning her captivity and
her escape, but at least she didn't need to deal with rape on top
of all that, " May I see her? " Mulder beseeched as he nodded 
towards her door.

" Give them a few more moments and you can see her for a 
minute, " Carol answered as she stood up and stepped from him to 
look down the hall towards the nurse's station.

" Has she became conscious at all? " Mulder inquired as he brought 
his hand up to touch the chain which peaked out from beneath the
collar of his dress shirt. He needed to talk to her for listening
to her voice earlier was clearly not enough.

" She was momentarily and she was mumbling your name, " Carol 
responded as she brought up the clipboard that she had been 
holding at her side, and jotted something down quickly upon it. 
" You two must be very close, " she finished as she looked up 
towards him, a sly smile creeping across her delicate features.

" We are... " Mulder nodded brightly as he smiled in return.
Funny, after all of these years of denying how he felt about her,
admitting it wasn't that hard after all. It felt fitting.

" We did have to sedate her for the exam, " Carol added as she 
stepped out into the hall, turning to walk down to the station to 
give morning report. The bright light shined brightly off her 
chestnut hair, the red highlights glimmering softly. " It was for 
her own good. It was very light, she should be coming around very 
soon. "

" Thank you... " Mulder stated softly, as he gestured with his 
hand, " for everything. " He and Scully owed so many people so much 
for all of the assistance which they had provided. With everything 
that he and Scully had seen and experienced, he sometimes grew 
jaded about the inherent good in people. At times like these, his 
faith was renewed, even if only for a while. 

" No thanks necessary... " Carol replied as he strolled down the
hall, her mind now upon the fact that she would soon be home with
her family, graced by the light of day...


Part 15b of 19a and b

                         *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


0645
University Hospital
SUNY Health Science Center
Level 1 Trauma
Syracuse, New York.



Mulder quietly walked into Scully's room. The room was silent 
except for the sound of her IV machine and the deep even breaths 
that the slight figure in front of him was taking. Those very 
breaths soothed his soul and eased his anguish. ' She is really 
alive. She is really here. ' He walked across the floor, the hem 
of his gray trench swishing gently behind him. 

Scully's slight figure was curled up on her side in the fetal 
position, her bruised and abraded arm tucked gracefully under her
pillow. He could just make out the cling bandage which he knew to
grace both of her wrists from the too tight handcuffs. He knew 
rationally that she was going to be all right, her injuries were 
minimal and she wasn't raped from what they could tell, but seeing 
her like this, in her favorite position to sleep was reassuring to 
say the least. 

Mulder studied her scratch graced, blanched face. Even those
deterrents did nothing to diminish the breathtaking beauty which
he so admired.  She appeared just as he remembered. The golden 
freckles that she worked so hard to hide were quite evident upon 
the ivory skin, as was the beauty mark which enhanced her upper 
lip. Her blue eyes were closed, the dark auburn lashes fluttering 
like gentle butterfly's wings under her dream laden rest. 

Mulder reached over with a trembling hand and brushed a strand of 
fire from her face, just as he had seen her do so many times 
before. Her hair was tangled and matted with the leaves and twigs 
which had became imbedded there from her excursion.

 ' Jesus, Scully. Aren't we a pair. We certainly are not the 
poster couple for romance. ' He took her slight hand in his, the 
cool pale skin there giving him cause for worry. He stroked it 
gently and to his surprise, she mumbled softly and tightly grasped 
his grip. Her eyes darted to and fro beneath the translucent skin 
of her eyelids. Her rosebud lips parted slightly and she smiled 
slightly, the action causing her eyes to get those little laugh 
lines that he so loved. They had been through so much, that the 
little moments like these, meant the most. Mulder leaned over and 
brushed a kiss upon her brow and Scully smiled once again, but this 
time he could make out the words very clearly, " hips before 
hands..."

Mulder smiled brightly and squeezed her hand once again.  That 
moment spent on that baseball field had been there epiphany. He 
knew from the way that she had reacted to him that it would not be 
much longer before they would be together. Seven years of 
sacrifice and sexual repression had seen to that. 

Mulder squeezed her hand once again and whispered softly, " I love 
you Scully. I promise that soon, we will both say those words.
You are * my * Truth, you are my life. Please get well soon so
that we can go on. I cannot live without having you fully in my
personal life anymore. You are my everything, and I only hope that
I can be that for you also. "

Scully stirred softly in her sleep once again before muttering 
softly, " I love you too, Mulder. " She snuggled her pale face 
into the starched pillowcase of her bedclothes and sighed softly. 
Her breathing returned to normal and her face grew slack once 
again.

Mulder stood straight in shock. He knew how she felt, but to hear 
those words from her, even when asleep, was more than he expected 
this soon. He had feared hearing those words from her for so long 
that he had tried to drive her away from him on more than one 
occasion. 

He had used everything that he could think of to deny what they so 
obviously felt for one another. But as all things in life, his 
best laid plans had failed. Consciously or subconsciously, he 
needed her in his life, and she needed him also. This bond, 
transcended all differences between them and made them strong. A 
bright smile broke across his dark features. ' Maybe that little 
talk should come sooner than I thought? ' He mused seriously. 

Mulder pulled up the sheets further around her delicate features. 
He knew that she needed to rest above all else right now and he 
planned not to disturb that. Mulder slowly walked from her room, 
her gentle breaths filling his heart and healing his soul.



                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



University Hospital
SUNY Health Science Center
Level 1 Trauma
Syracuse, New York.
0700


Mulder walked out into the hall, and brought his forehead to the 
cool smooth surface of the hospital corridor wall. He steadied his
breaths and focused his thoughts. As he stood there, he could 
hear the staccato footfalls of dress shoes. As he looked up,
Skinner walked up to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

" You saw her? " Skinner asked quietly as he shifted his weight
side to side. He was just beginning to feel the sheer exhaustion
that was setting in. When he was on the hunt, he could deny the
bodily calls for rest and for sustenance. That life saving 
ability had saved his ass more times than he could count.

" Yeah, " Mulder mumbled his fatigue threatening to claim him also.
He ran his slender hand through his hair, and bowed his face back
upon the wall. He could barely keep his eyes open, the contacts 
that he was wearing were dry and stuck to his eyes. He blinked,
trying to tear to relieve the itchiness which plagued him. However
even with his best efforts, it didn't work.

Skinner narrowed his eyes and said with assertion, " Go back to 
the hotel, Mulder. " Skinner tried to avoid taking too deep of
a breath for Mulder was quite * ripe * at that moment.

" Excuse me sir? " Mulder retorted as he stood up and faced his
superior. He was shocked. How could he ask him to leave, after
he had just gotten her back?

Skinner steeled his back and leaned over slight to him. He knew 
how stubborn Mulder was. But he also knew how Scully would react 
to seeing him like this. " You heard me, " Skinner spat forcefully, 
" you don't want her to wake up and see you like this. She doesn't 
need to see that. How can she rest if she has to start worrying 
about you? You look like shit, you can barely keep you eyes open. 
You smell like a barn and you haven't even shaved in God knows 
how long. Trust me it isn't a pretty picture. "

Mulder shook his head, trying to unite his quickly dwindling 
concentration, " But what if she wakes up and needs... " He 
couldn't bear the thought of being away from her just yet. He 
had just gotten her back. He didn't want to lose her so soon. 

" I will stay here, " Skinner offered softly, " I will call if she 
needs you. Go take a shower, get a nap and eat something for 
heaven's sake. " Skinner smiled reassuringly as he put his hand
on his shoulder. 

" But..." Mulder offered weakly. He knew that Skinner was right.
His logic was flawless. Scully didn't need to see him like this.
He needed to be resolute and supportive for her. That then meant
he needed to get his act together before she awoke.

" No, buts. Go. " Skinner retorted firmly. He put his hands in his
pockets and gave him a stern look. 

Mulder nodded and smiled slightly. If he hurried, he could do all
of that plus contact Mrs. Scully and let her know that Scully was
fine. He knew that she was safe, and that Skinner would see to it 
that she would remain that way until his return. " Sir, I want to 
thank you, " Mulder retorted genuinely.

Skinner arched a brow and his face filled with questioning,
" For what? " 

Mulder brought his hand up to his furrowed brow as if in thought,
and then spoke carefully, " You have done so much for us over the 
years. You have always been there for us, when others would have 
left us at the wayside. I... "

Skinner took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose,
" There are no need for thanks, Mulder. Like I said once before,
you are the one who is truly the brave one. You face those ideas
which others of us would rather forget. Your work is important.
It is essential. You and Scully are the only ones standing 
between us and Them. "

Mulder " Well, that isn't entirely correct sir, " Mulder added as
he turned to leave the building. He brought his arms up over his
head and stretched. The nightmare was indeed over and life could
begin once again. A nap was starting to sound good right about now.
" You also stand there with us, beside us. You are part of this
team also. "

" Get going Mulder, you stink. " Skinner replied as he brought out
his rolled up morning paper to read for the interim. 

" Yes, Sir. " Mulder replied as he walked out the automatic doors,
the bright sunshine filling the darkest corners of his soul.
Today was a brand new day, and with that came the hope and promise
of a new life. A new life that he was determined to share with
Scully.

 
                     
                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


University Hospital
SUNY Health Science Center
Level 1 Trauma
Syracuse, New York.

1000


Skinner sat outside of Scully's room in the trauma center. The 
hard plastic molded for a much smaller body than his, causing his 
back to ache with the pressure that it exerted upon his stature. 
The soft, footfalls of staff, accompanied the whirring, beeping, 
and clicking mechanical sounds the corridor. He leaned back 
against the hard, cool surface of the wall and brought his hand to 
his deeply furrowed brow.

' I am so damn glad that it turned out as it had. If Scully had not
came back to him, Mulder would have been lost forever. '

Skinner drew his trench coat tighter around his dress gray suit.
His new black shoes, though very suited for field work, did nothing
to dissuade the languor which plagued his very essence. He looked
about him, the artificial lights reflected brightly off of the
light tiles of the floor. 

Mulder had been gone for several hours, and Skinner had been 
faithfully keeping vigil since he had left, as promised. As he 
went to stand up, the chair a pathetic excuse for a medieval 
torture devise for the nineties, he heard the door to her room 
open and he turned to look.

An IV tech walked out clad in hospital whites. Her blonde hair was
pulled sternly back from her face, the effect causing him to 
experience pain just from the observation. She glanced about, as
if looking for someone, but being that it was before change of
shift, all staff was in report.

She looked back to Skinner, and asked firmly, " Are you a friend of
Ms. Scully's? " She brought her IV tray just before her and brought
it from her right to her left hand as she looked up at him.

" Yes, I am. Is there a problem? " Skinner rolled his shoulders
and took a deep breath. He put his hands into his deep pockets
and shifted his weight from side to side, his worry beginning to
grow. The doctors had said that she would be all right, but being
that she wasn't completely out from under the drug's side effects,
anything could happen.

The tech flashed him a bright smile and shared, " Oh no. Nothing
is wrong. I just thought that you would like to know that she has
woken up. I'll go tell the staff, why don't you go on in. "
With that she turned and walked down the hall, her new shoes 
squeaking loudly upon the shiny surface, her lab coat swaying
gently behind her in the breeze from the air conditioning.

Skinner turned and smiled brightly, taking his cell phone out
of his pocket. Before he went in, he wanted to make sure that
Mulder was on his way over. He knew that the best medicine for
them both was to see one another. He hit speed dial and as soon
as Mulder's familiar voice answered he said quickly, " She just
woke up. I know that she would like to see you. "

A disembodied voice replied firmly, " I am on my way over. "
With that the call went dead, and Skinner put his phone back to
whence it came.

Skinner took a deep breath and centered himself. The momentary
flash of worry replaced by a rush of tremendous relief. ' Scully
is going to be all right. The case is all wrapped up. Pfaster
will be six feet under before the end of the week. What more
could a man want. ' He braced his weight against the glass and
metal door and walked in.

Scully sat slightly upright, her back just barely against the 
pillows. The back of her stringy reddish gold hair meeting his
gaze as she looked out at the parking lot from her room window.
Her slight hands were drawn into her lap, her white, starched
blankets twisted firmly into her grip. Even from his vantage
point her could see that her knuckles were white from the effort
she was putting forth. 

" Scully? " Skinner inquired softly as he stepped forth. The
bright morning sun's rays, a kaleidoscope of reds, golds and
oranges gleaming through the window,  met his tired gaze with 
the promise of a new day. The antiseptic smell of the suite, 
filled his nostrils and as Scully turned to met his challenge, the 
bright blue of her azure eyes eclipsed the glory of nature's 
promise.

" Hello, Sir. " A most professional voice greeted his ears. She
smiled weakly, her pale physiognomy covered in fine, reddish
scratches. She brought her trembling slender hand up to push
the thick curtain of hair out of her face.

Skinner quickly walked over to her, taking her hand in his. Here,
in the light, he could see just how frail she appeared. In her
captivity, she had obviously lost weight, her small delicate 
bones very obvious beneath the opaqueness of her ivory skin.