Thu Jan 16 1997
This is another great story by Danielle Culverson smythja@aston.ac.uk and she

would love to read your comments.

Remember - I DID NOT WRITE THIS.

This is a fiction story based on the characters created by Chris
Carter. No infringement of copyrights held by 10/13 Productions,
Twentieth Century Productions, or Fox Broadcasting is intended.
All unrecognised characters and plot-lines belong to me. Names,
characters, and places exist solely within my imagination, or are
used fictitiously. No connection to any person, living or dead, is
intended, and any resemblance is entirely coincidental. Feel free
to distribute, but please keep me as the author.

This story is a follow-on to Gerry Hill's "Killer". Gerry's stories have
been an inspiration in a lot of my work, and our correspondance has
improved my writing considerably. For anyone who hasn't read "Killer",
it's not necessary to have done, but you should read it first if you're
going to read it eventually.

Rated - 15.

Classification - S (X).

Summary - Having previously been injected with an experimental drug
that made him psychotic, Mulder is again visited by men in his
apartment in the middle of the night.

No spoilers.

Danielle Culverson.

Lover. Part 1/2.

A dark haired man sat at a desk in the basement office of the J.
Edgar Hoover building. The desk was scruffy, with papers strewn
haphazardly across it, an open bag of sunflower seeds resting on
top of a document marked "Level four security.", an empty
polystyrene coffee cup on it's side in the "In" tray, and a few
memos rolled up into balls here and there. The man himself was
also far from neat, although he gave the impression that he could
be, and had been. His age could be estimated as anywhere between
mid-twenties and mid-thirties, depending on the mood he was
caught in. His brown hair was neatly combed to one side, and his
eyes were fixed and intent on the file he had open in front of
him. There was a deepness to his eyes that spoke of having seen
many things, and been through much pain. - His eyes seemed very
old for a man so young. - His light grey suit jacket was slung
across the back of a nearby chair. His shirt was neatly pressed,
the top button undone. His tie, - a little flamboyant compared
with his otherwise conservative clothing, - hung loose around his
neck. Without lifting his eyes from the document he was reading,
he picked up a pencil, and wrote a few words at the side of one
of the passages. Then he put the pencil down again, and reached
for a sunflower seed from the open bag.

The room was warm and stuffy, - the air conditioning hadn't
worked properly for a long time. - Three filing cabinets stood
against the wall on the man's left. Between him and them was
another desk, unoccupied. The desk was a lot neater and more
organised than the one at which the man sat. In front, and
slightly to the right of where the man sat, was another desk with
a computer on it.

The door to the basement room opened, and an auburn-haired woman
came in. She wore a maroon skirt and jacket, with a pale pink
scoop-necked top. Over her outfit she wore a brown overcoat,
which she shrugged off, and hung on the coat tree which stood
inside the door. She had a briefcase with her, which she took
over to the unoccupied neat desk. She put the briefcase down,
and looked across at the man, who had looked up when she entered.

"Morning, Mulder." she greeted him. He smiled.

"Morning, Scully."

Special Agent Dana Scully watched as her partner returned to his
work. She opened her briefcase, and took out a report she had
completed the previous night. Then she went over to the filing
cabinets to file it properly. She slotted it into position in
the second drawer of the right-hand filing cabinet.
Straightening up as she closed the drawer, she turned and went
back to her desk. She sat down, and reached for the first piece
of work in her "In" tray.

Fox Mulder glanced across at his partner as she started her work,
and not for the first time he was grateful that Scully had been
assigned to work with him. Although she had originally been
partnered with him to debunk his work, they had become the best
team the Bureau had had for many years. - The "shadow government"
had made their biggest mistake in assigning level-headed,
logical-minded, Dana Scully to the X-files department.

X-files, - the cases which fell to Mulder and Scully were cases
which often seemed to defy rational and scientific explanation.
They were cases which didn't fall under any other area within the
Bureau. They were cases which some people would rather have left
unsolved. Cases involving the paranormal, cases involving
conspiracies, cases which seemed to have no leads. - Cases filed
under "X".

Mulder realised he was still staring at his partner as his mind
drifted, when she spoke sharply without looking up from her work.

"Mulder..."

He looked back at his work, hanging his head. Tossing the file
he had just completed into his "Out" tray, he picked up a new
piece of work, and started to read through it. - It was the
results of a test he had requested for one of the X-files cases
he and Scully had worked on. Getting to his feet, he took the
sheet over to the third filing cabinet, and opened the top
drawer. Without turning round, as he searched through the drawer
for the correct file, he spoke to his partner.

"Scully, the fourth button down on your jacket is missing."

Scully glanced up from her desk, startled. Looking down at her
jacket, she saw that he was right. She sighed. - This would mean
sewing a new one on. She had never been keen on sewing.

"Hey Mulder, you any good with a needle and thread?"

"In combat?" he quipped. Scully rolled her eyes, and went back
to her work as her partner closed the filing cabinet drawer and
returned to his desk.

* * *

Fox Mulder lay on the couch in his apartment. Across the room,
the television was on, and a late-night film was showing. The
sound was turned down, and the apartment was silent apart from
Mulder's quiet breathing. Two empty chinese take-away cartons
lay on the coffee table in front of the couch, along with an
empty beer can. Mulder, dressed in creased sweat-pants and a
t-shirt, muttered in his sleep.

A faint noise came from the door to the apartment. The door
opened slowly, and three men came in, closing the door behind
them, and switching on bright flashlights. They trained the
lights on Mulder, who awoke to feel two of the men holding him by
his arms and legs. The third shone a flashlight in his face so
that he couldn't see anything from squinting at the light. He
struggled against the grip of the men holding him, and then felt
a hypodermic needle entering his arm.

No, not again! - The thought ran through his head in an endless
cycle. He thrashed and kicked, but could not break free. He
felt the injection go into him. His body grew weak, and he no
longer had the strength to fight. - That must have contained
sedative, he thought vaguely. - He lay limp on the couch, and
heard the men talking amongst themselves as they released him,
and moved away towards the door.

"Was that the same stuff as last time?" the first voice asked.

"No, this was a new preparation especially for Agent Mulder." a
second replied.

"What will it do?" a third voice asked.

"It'll make him unable to control his romantic and sexual
emotions. - Turn him into the Don Juan of the FBI."

Three voices laughed, and the apartment door closed behind them
as unconsciousness stole over Mulder.

* * *

Fox Mulder sat at his desk in the X-files office, a newspaper
cutting in his hands. He leaned back in his imitation leather
swivel chair, and crossed his right leg over his left, his ankle
resting on his left knee. His gaze was fixed on the picture of
the small boy on the cutting. His eyes were full of pain as he
remembered what had almost happened the last time he had been
visited in his apartment and injected in the middle of the night.

The experimental drug he had been given had caused him to become
violent, having dangerous mood swings, blackouts, homicidal and
suicidal tendencies. He had woken up after one blackout on the
steps of the Lincoln Memorial, covered in blood, with the memory
of his gun firing, and the little boy in the photo being shot.
Distraught, he had tried to kill himself, but had been found by
the police, and restrained before he could complete the act. It
had turned out that he hadn't killed the boy, but had been
returning fire at a deranged teenager who had shot the child. -
Still, the few hours during which he thought he had murdered
under the influence of the drug had been the worst of his life.
The memory of the feelings he had experienced still lingered in
him, and he was terrified of what effect this new drug might
have.

The door to the office opened, and Scully came in. She was
wearing a beige skirt and jacket, with a cream blouse beneath. A
leather handbag hung from her right shoulder, and she carried her
briefcase in her left hand, and her overcoat over her right arm.

"Morning, Mulder." she greeted him brightly, and then saw the
expression on his face. Dropping her overcoat, briefcase, and
handbag on the chair by her desk, she went over to him. "What's
wrong?" She saw what it was he was holding, and crouched down by
her partner, looking up into his haunted eyes. "What is it?"

"They came again." Mulder replied quietly, indicating the photo
with an almost imperceptible nod of his head.

"The people who gave you the experimental drug?" Scully asked.
Mulder nodded. "They gave you it again?"

"They injected me, but I heard one of them say this was something
different to last time." Mulder's eyes were still fixed on the
photograph of the smiling child.

"Do you know what they think it will do?"

Mulder shook his head, not wanting to tell her what he had
overheard. He swallowed, "What am I going to do, Scully?"

"You're going to come to the hospital with me." Scully decided.
Mulder shook his head.

"No, please. - I can't. - I... I just can't."

"Mulder, we'll need to get blood samples to do tests on, - we
need to know what it is they've injected you with."

He shook his head again. "Can't we do that somewhere else? - I
really don't want to go back to the hospital, Scully."

"Mulder, I..." she stopped, seeing the pain in his eyes, and
shook her head slightly, "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

He took her hand in his, and squeezed it gently. "Thank you.".

* * *

The two agents walked across the ground floor of the J. Edgar
Hoover building in silence. Mulder walked slightly behind
Scully, his head lowered, his thoughts confused. Scully marched
along with her head up, paying no attention to the people around
them who stopped and stared at them, and the comments being made
around them.

"There goes "Spooky" and Agent Scully." Agent Greeber commented
loudly. Mulder raised his head to look towards the agent, but
Scully, sensing that the remarks would be likely to upset him in
his current mood, put one hand on his arm, urging him onward.
Mulder glanced down at his arm where she had touched him. - His
skin felt like it was on fire. Just one touch like that...

"I don't know why she puts up with him." Agent Walbrook muttered
as the two agents went past, ""Spooky" is one lucky guy getting
to spend that much time with Dana Scully."

The partners reached the elevator, and it's doors closed between
them and the other agents, just as the group watching broke into
a rendition of "The Outer Limits" theme tune.

Mulder watched as his partner lowered her hand from pressing the
"B" button at the bottom of the column of buttons at the side of
the door. He was standing just behind her, and his eyes strayed
to the back of her neck, and traced down the outline of her body.
Something deep inside him stirred, and he bit down on his lower
lip as his right hand rose slightly towards her.

Silently ordering himself to get a hold on himself, he lowered
his hand again, and wished desperately for the elevator ride to
be over.

"Hopefully we'll have the results to the blood test by this
afternoon." Scully told her partner, "Then we'll have an idea
what we can do to treat you."

Mulder nodded silently, not able to trust himself to speak. He
closed his eyes, and battled with the feelings inside him. - Was
this the effect of the drug he had been given? This desperate
longing he was feeling? - Then his right hand was rising again,
and he gently touched Scully's arm.

The elevator doors swept open, and Scully stepped out, leaving
Mulder with a horrible sense of loss and emptiness inside him as
his hand fell away from her, unnoticed. He followed her down the
corridor, and towards their office.

Mulder entered the office, closed the door behind him, and went
over to his desk. Scully was already at hers, and was sitting
down. He tried to keep his eyes off her as he sat in his chair,
and lifted a file from his "In" tray, but his gaze kept straying
towards her. He was painfully aware of everything she was doing,
and he couldn't seem to concentrate on anything else. At her
desk, Scully didn't seem to notice his immobility, and carried on
with the report she had started to write.

The phone on Mulder's desk rang. He picked it up.

"Mulder... Yes, I did... Okay, send it down later, and I'll take
a look... No, I don't think so, - I'm kind of busy down here...
Yeah, okay. Bye."

Mulder disconnected. Busy, - well he did have a lot of work, but
he wasn't getting very much of it done. - He turned his head to
look at Scully again. She had just finished her report, and was
getting up to put it into the filing cabinet. She opened the top
drawer of the third filing cabinet, and shuffled through the
files it contained in search of the one she wanted. She had her
back to him, so Mulder allowed his gaze to linger slightly.

Barely realising it, he got to his feet, and walked over to her.
Standing just behind her, he put his right hand forward onto the
top of the filing cabinet. He wanted so much to touch her again,
- to kiss her... He whispered her name.

"Dana..."

"Hmm?" she turned around, a file in her hands, and a question on
her face. She looked up into his eyes, and saw something there
that startled her. "Mulder? What is it?"

"Dana..." he whispered again, and wrapped his left arm around
her waist, drawing her close to him. He lowered his lips to
hers, and kissed her. Vaguely, in the back of his mind, he could
hear a voice telling him that what he was doing was wrong, that
Scully didn't want it. Faintly, he was aware of the pressure of
her hands against his chest as she tried to push him away.

Suddenly Scully ducked down, and slipped out of his embrace.
Mulder stumbled forward against the open drawer of the filing
cabinet, and put his hand up to catch himself by grabbing hold of
it. The drawer slid neatly shut, and he fell to the floor. He
sat there for a moment, dazed and confused.

"Mulder?" Scully asked, her voice giving away her concern. He
lowered his head, unable to meet her eyes. - What had he just
done? "Mulder?" She crouched down beside him, and lifted his
head with her hands. There was a frown on her face as she looked
at him. He shook his head slowly.

"I'm sorry, Scully... I didn't mean to. - It's the drug, I
think."

"The drug? - I thought you didn't know what it would do to you?"

"I'm sorry, I... I didn't want to tell you. - I overheard the men
talking as they went out of my apartment last night. One of them
said the drug would make me unable to control my romantic and
sexual emotions." Mulder gave a small, sardonic smile, "He said
it would make me the Don Juan of the FBI."

"Oh Mulder..." Scully didn't know what to say to him. She
supposed this was better than being homicidal. - But how far
would it go? "We'd better get you home. - You'd be best getting
some rest until we know exactly what it is they injected you
with."

Mulder nodded his head slowly in agreement, and then caught hold
of her hand, and squeezed it. "I'm really sorry, Scully." he
told her.

"It's okay." she replied, and helped him to his feet.

End of part 1.

I'd greatly appreciate any comments or constructive criticism from fellow
X-Philes. Email me at <smythja@bravo.aston.ac.uk>.

Danielle Culverson

From ghill52695@aol.com Thu Jan 16 09:46:44 1997
Here is the second and final part of "Lover" by Danielle Culverson
(smythja@aston.ac.uk). She would love to read your comments. I am
sending this to the newsgroup for her, as she doesn't have access.

This is a fiction story based on the characters created by Chris
Carter. No infringement of copyrights held by 10/13 Productions,
Twentieth Century Productions, or Fox Broadcasting is intended. All
unrecognised characters and plot-lines belong to me. Names,
characters, and places exist solely within my imagination, or are used
fictitiously. No connection to any person, living or dead, is
intended, and any resemblance is entirely coincidental. Feel free to
distribute, but please keep me as the author.

Danielle Culverson.

Part 2/2.

* * *

Mulder produced his key-ring from his pocket, and unlocked the
door to his apartment. He opened the door, and went inside, with
Scully just behind him. She closed the door, and headed over to
the kitchenette.

"I'll get you a drink," she told him, "you sit down on the
couch. - Put the t.v. on or something."

"No, Scully, I can get drinks." Mulder protested.

"Listen to your doctor, - sit."

"Yes, ma'am." Mulder dropped into the seat she indicated.
Scully smiled sympathetically, knowing he was going through a
lot, and went into the kitchenette. A moment later Mulder heard
the kettle being filled up at the sink. He glanced around the
room, and his eyes came to rest on the fish tank. He got up
again, and went over to it, picked up the pot of feed, and tipped
a little into the palm of his hand. Lifting the lid, he threw it
onto the top of the water, and watched as the fish came up to the
surface to eat.

"I thought I told you to sit down." Scully had put her head
around the door to check on him. He looked back guiltily.

"Sorry doc, - I had to feed my fish. - Besides, watching fish is
relaxing."

"For normal people, yes. - You're not normal." Scully retorted,
"Sit!"

Mulder obediently sat. He picked up the t.v. guide, and glanced
through it, hoping for something to watch which would take his
mind off what was happening. He could hear every sound Scully
was making in the kitchen, and his thoughts kept wandering
towards her.

Mulder recognised the drug starting to take effect again, and
tried to fight it, but before he could even say anything to warn
Scully, he lost control to it. He felt himself stand up. He
could see, hear, and feel everything around him, but he couldn't
stop what he was doing. He walked into the kitchenette, and his
eyes fell on Scully. - God, he wanted her so much. - Not that
that was something particularly new to him.

A wave of guilt washed over him. - Perhaps he hadn't tried hard
enough to fight the drug. After all, did he really mind what the
drug was making him do? - But Scully did, and it was that he had
to worry about.

Scully heard Mulder come into the kitchenette, and turned around,
saying,

"I told you to sit down..." The words died on her lips as she
saw the vacant look in his eyes. "Mulder?"

"Dana..." he breathed her name, his hands reaching for her,
catching her wrists, and drawing her to him. She struggled
against his grip, but he didn't seem to notice. He kissed her
briefly on the lips, and then lifted his right hand to touch her
face. His left arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her
against him.

Finding her hands free, Scully slapped his face, hoping to bring
him to his senses. When that didn't work, she tried to push him
away from her far enough for her to bring her knee up. He seemed
to believe she was encouraging him, and obligingly enough took a
half-step back. She brought her right knee up swiftly, with a
muttered,

"Sorry, Mulder."

"Oowfff!" Mulder gasped as her knee connected. He released her,
and stumbled backwards, his eyes widening as the drug released
it's hold on him. Leaning against the fridge, half doubled up in
pain, he looked up at her.

"Sorry..." he said shakily. Scully helped him back into the
main room, and sat him down on the couch.

"I'm going to go back to the office." she told him, "I want you
to stay here. - I'll call you as soon as I get the results. -
Okay?"

"Okay." Mulder nodded. He met her gaze, and opened his mouth to
apologise again. Scully put a finger over his lips.

"It's alright." she told him, "I understand." With that, she
turned, and left the apartment. Mulder switched on the t.v.,
hoping that there was more on during the day than there was in
the early morning when he watched t.v. while trying to fight his
insomnia.

* * *

The door to the X-files office opened, and Scully looked up to
see her partner coming in.

"Mulder, I told you to stay at your apartment." she scolded.

"I couldn't." he shrugged, "I felt like such a spare dinner,
doing nothing. - I must be able to control this if I really want
to."

"Are you sure?" Scully felt doubtful, after seeing the look in
his eyes when the drug had taken hold of him at his apartment.
Mulder nodded.

"I'll be okay." He sat down at his desk, and looked at the file
that was still open there. A few minutes later he was deeply
engrossed in his work.

Scully looked at her partner with an expression of concern on her
face. She hoped he knew what he was doing. Turning back to her
desk, she signed the report she had just completed, and slipped
it into it's case-file. Then she took another case-folder from
the pile waiting to be done. With a quick glance across at her
partner, she allowed her concentration to return to her work.

Completing the second to last of her reports half an hour later,
Scully tossed it onto the "Out" tray, and rolled up the piece of
scrap paper she had been using. She tossed it towards the waste
paper basket near the door, but missed her target.

"It's a good thing you're a better shot with your gun than that."
Mulder remarked dryly. Scully got to her feet, and went to put
the paper in the basket. Turning back to her desk, she
discovered that Mulder had come up behind her, and he had the
vacant look in his eyes again.

"Mulder..." she warned. He took no notice. Scully stepped away
to her left, but Mulder caught hold of her right arm, stopping
her progress.

"I love you, Dana." he murmured, his left hand rising to caress
her cheek. Scully wrenched her arm from his grasp, and moved
away. He was standing between her and the door, so she had to
move back towards the desks. He followed her, backing her into a
corner. Again he tried to draw her close to him. She tried to
pull away, but he was stronger than her, and didn't seem to feel
the strikes she got in with her hands and feet as she kicked and
punched at him. Pressing her against him, Mulder lowered his
lips to his partner's. Scully bit him when he tried to kiss her,
and he drew back, giving her the chance to move away again a
little. - But this time the pain didn't snap him out of it, and
he still had hold of her left wrist.

Walking backwards, Scully didn't see the small pile of folders
left on the floor at the side of Mulder's desk. She tripped over
backwards, and fell to the floor. Mulder dropped to his knees
over her. Now he didn't even need his hands to hold her, she was
pinned under him. - He was 70 pounds heavier than her, and she
couldn't move him. - She tried to kick, but she couldn't reach
him with her legs. She rained blows on him with her fists, but
he didn't seem to notice, as he caressed her hair and face with
his fingers. He was so gentle that she didn't think he meant her
any harm, - in his state he didn't understand what he was doing
to her.

"Mulder!" she yelled, "Think! - What are you doing? Mulder!"

He didn't seem to hear her words as his hands came to the collar
of her cream blouse, and started to undo the buttons. He had
most of the blouse undone when the door to the office opened.

"Agent Scully?" It was Agents Greeber and Walbrook. They had
brought a case-file down for Mulder to look at, and had heard
Scully's yells from outside the office door. Seeing what was
happening, they rushed forward, and pulled Mulder off his
partner. He fought against their restraining hands, and Walbrook
snapped a pair of handcuffs over his wrists, securing them behind
his back. They pushed him down into the chair at his desk, as
Greeber went over to Scully.

Scully was sitting up, fastening the buttons of her blouse with
shaky fingers. She gratefully accepted Greeber's hand to help
her stand up.

"Agent Scully?" Greeber asked, "Are you alright?"

She brushed the dust from her skirt, and nodded, "Yes,... I'm
fine."

"What was going on when we came in?"

"Umm... nothing. - It's okay. I'll sort it out."

"It didn't look like nothing." Greeber said carefully, "I know
Mulder's your partner, but you need to tell Assistant Director
Skinner what happened. - This is a matter for him to deal with."

"No, - you don't understand..." Scully began.

"If you can't talk about it, we understand." Walbrook said,
hustling Mulder to his feet again, "We'll tell the AD what
happened."

And with that the two agents pushed Mulder, still handcuffed, out
of the door. Scully stared after them in shock, and her knees
gave way, spilling her into the chair by the computer.

* * *

Mulder sat in the outer office of Assistant Director Skinner. His
hands were no longer handcuffed, but Agent Walbrook stood nearby
to keep an eye on him. Agent Greeber was talking to Skinner, and
Mulder didn't like to imagine the course of their conversation.

The drug had released it's hold on Mulder again by now, and he
sat staring at the floor, his thoughts tormented by what had
almost happened, - what might have happened, if the two agents
had not arrived when they did. - His body was sore and bruised by
the blows Scully had inflicted on him. His wrists were chafed
from the handcuffs. But his mind was hurting the most. He kept
remembering the look on Scully's face after she fell over,
knowing that she wasn't strong enough to break free again. He
swallowed, and the action hurt his dry throat.

The door to the inner office opened, and Greeber came out.
Mulder looked up to see the Assistant Director standing in the
doorway, his hands on his hips. He looked very angry. Mulder
lowered his head, ashamed.

"Get in here, Agent Mulder." Skinner ordered harshly. Mulder
got to his feet, and went into the inner office. He stood in
front of the Assistant Director's desk, his head lowered, his
shoulders hunched forward. Skinner closed the door to the outer
office, and returned to sit at his desk. He sat for a moment
looking at the agent, before speaking. He took in Mulder's
creased shirt, open at the collar, the lack of tie, the dusty
patches on the knees of his trousers, and the marks on his face
where Scully had hit him.

"So," he said finally, "I've spoken to Agent Greeber and Agent
Walbrook, and they have told me what they saw. I shall speak to
Agent Scully in due course, - although I think it is probably
best she is allowed some time to recover first, considering what
appears to have happened. - Perhaps you would like to explain
what happened now, Agent Mulder?"

Mulder continued to look at the floor, unable to raise his head
and meet the eyes of his superior. He opened his mouth to speak,
but then closed it again, unable to find words to explain what
had happened.

Skinner frowned, "Agent Greeber and Agent Walbrook told me that
when they came into your office earlier today, they saw Agent
Scully on her back on the floor, with you kneeling over her,
undoing the buttons of her blouse. They said she was screaming
and hitting out at you. - Is that true?"

Mulder nodded slowly, still not speaking or raising his eyes.

"I presume then, from Agent Scully's actions, that the situation
you were in at that time was not agreeable to her?"

Mulder nodded his head.

"Were you responsible for the two of you being in that
situation?"

Another nod from Mulder.

"Would you care to explain your actions?"

Mulder just stared at the floor, still unable to speak in answer
to Skinner's questions.

"Agent Mulder, have you any idea how serious this matter is? You
are looking at not only losing your job, but also being tried for
attempted rape. Even if Agent Scully does not wish to take
action against you, I can assure you the Bureau will."

Skinner paused at the sound of raised voices outside. Mulder
glanced towards the door, recognising Scully's voice. A moment
later the door opened, and Scully walked in.

"... and I need to speak to him now." she told the secretary,
who had been trying to stop her going into the inner office. She
looked at Skinner and her partner. Mulder had a look of fear on
his face, and he stepped backwards as she came towards him.
Scully guessed he was afraid to be near her in case the drug took
hold of him again. A moment later, he bolted for the door,
pulled it open, and was gone.

"Agent Mulder!" Skinner yelled after him.

"It's alright, sir." Scully said quietly, "Let him go. -
There's a good reason why he's acting like this."

Skinner raised an eyebrow, and gestured for her to sit down. "I'd
like to hear it."

* * *

Mulder sat at the corner of the top set of steps outside the
Jefferson Memorial, looking west across the Potomac River. It
was cold, and quite quiet around the memorial. He stared across
the river without really seeing anything.

Vaguely, he was aware of footsteps approaching behind him. Then
a voice spoke.

"I thought I'd find you here."

He didn't look around. "Go away, Scully, please."

"No." she replied, "You need to talk."

"I need not to hurt you again. - Please, leave me alone."

"Mulder, I'm not leaving you. - What happened back at the office
wasn't your fault, and I understand that. Now we have to get
things sorted. I've spoken to Skinner, and he understands what's
happened now. The results of your blood tests should be back any
time."

"Scully, please..." There was something in his voice which
sounded like a sob. Scully shook her head, and pulled out her
cell phone from her handbag. She dialed quickly.

"Sir... I've found him. - We're at the Jefferson Memorial... Yes,
sir... No, sir, I'll be alright." She put the phone away again,
and sat down beside her partner. "I've called Skinner. - He's
sending a couple of agents over to pick us up, and take us to the
hospital. - You must know that that is the best place for you
until the drug wears off, don't you?"

Mulder gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Scully, if I hare out
again, promise me you'll do whatever you have to to stop me
hurting you. - If I... If I try to rape you, shoot me if you need
to."

"Mulder, you wouldn't rape me." Scully said gently, "I'm sure
of it." Mulder didn't answer. They sat in silence for a few
minutes. Scully could feel her partner's sadness, and she put
her left arm around him to comfort him. He stiffened at the
action, afraid it would bring on the drug's effect again. "It's
okay, Mulder." she said softly. He relaxed slowly, unwillingly.
When he spoke to her again, she could hear the tremor in his
voice.

"I'm sorry, Scully. - I should never have come back to the
office. I know you won't want to work with me after this..."

"Nonsense!" Scully exclaimed, "There was a perfectly good
reason for what happened."

"Yeah? - What if I didn't fight it as hard as I could have done?
- It's not like it was going against all my wishes. - Just how
much can you resist something you want to do, when you have the
perfect opportunity to get away with it?" Mulder bit down on his
tongue, afraid he had already said too much, afraid he had put a
barrier between them.

"Mulder, I'm sure you fought it just as hard as you could,
because whether you wanted what the drug was making you do or
not, I can see in your eyes that you would have done anything you
could to keep from hurting me. - You musn't blame yourself for
this. It *was* the drug."

Mulder looked up at her, grateful thanks in his eyes.

"So there you are, "Spooky"." the voice of Agent Greeber came up
the steps. The partners turned to see Greeber and Walbrook
ascending towards them.

"I'm surprised you want to sit next to him like that, after what
happened, Agent Scully." Walbrook commented.

"Something new to add to the legend of "Spooky" Mulder," Greeber
quipped, "- The infamous encounter with Agent Scully on the
floor of the basement office."

Scully felt Mulder shudder beside her. She got to her feet.

"Shut up, Greeber, you don't know what you're talking about."

Greeber opened his mouth to make a smart come-back, but then
thought better of it. - No-one argued with Scully when she spoke
in a tone like that. Walbrook glanced at his partner.

"Umm... The car's just down there." he pointed back the way they
had come. Scully gave Mulder a hand to help him to his feet, and
led him over to the car. With the partners in the back, and
Greeber and Walbrook in the front, they set off for Saint
Elizabeth's hospital.

* * *

Scully opened the door to the room Mulder had been put in at the
hospital, and went inside. The room was small, and white, with a
wooden chair at the side of the bed, and blinds at the window,
through which the sun came in slanting rays. Scully's jaw
dropped when she saw her partner. He was lying on the hospital
bed in the middle of the room, and his arms and legs were tied
with velcro restraints.

"Mulder?" she asked, as she walked over to the bed. He turned
his head to look at her. "Why are you restrained?"

"I asked them to do it." he replied, "I don't want to hurt you,
or anybody else, like I did earlier."

"Mulder, we've been through this..."

"I know, - but I don't want it to happen again."

Scully sat down on the edge of the bed, and looked at her
partner's face. He had to meet her eyes now, unless he turned
his head away. She saw the pain in his eyes, and released his
right hand, taking it in both of hers, and squeezed it
reassuringly.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it any more." she told him,
"The results of your second blood tests came back, - the drug has
been metabolised by your body. - It won't cause you any more
problems now."

"But we still don't know what it was." Mulder said quietly.
Scully shook her head.

"No, we don't. - But it doesn't matter now. - You're okay, and
you've been discharged." Scully smiled, "Relieved?"

"So much I feel like hugging you." Mulder replied, and grinned,
"And that's not the drug talking."

Scully leaned over to free his other hand. "It's time to go
home." she said.

The End.

I'd greatly appreciate any comments or constructive criticism from
fellow X-Philes. Email me at <smythja@bravo.aston.ac.uk>.

Danielle Culverson.