Date: Thu, 14 May 1998

Author's Note:

This actually not a slash story per se. It's an X-Files set in a slash universe. While the relationship between Mulder and Skinner is very much part of the story (this relationship began in my earlier story "Lasting Consequences", as did the friendship between Scully and Skinner, but this story pretty much stands alone. Think of it as an episode in a series with actual continuity), it is not the focus of the story. In fact, the story is Scullycentric and she tells it herself. Since Mulder and Skinner behave in her presence, this is only PG-13 for extremely mild language.

I believe it's actually non-slasher friendly.

***Prologue***

I had been Fox Mulder's partner for five years. I had seen
him asleep on motel room floors, in cramped airline seats
and beside me in parked cars. I had seen him unconscious
because of injuries, fever or shock, and I had seen him
drugged in hospital beds and his own couch, and sometimes by
my own hand. Even then, even when he was so deep he
couldn't react to pain, I could see his questing, restless
spirit move in him, and make it impossible for him to be
completely quiet, completely at rest.

He was completely still on that cot in the makeshift ward.
Only the slow beeps of the EEG told us he was alive. I
stole glances at him as I worked my way down the rows of
silent, unmoving patients. Every so often, I could see
Skinner, Walter, steal time from his own tireless labors to
go to Mulder and just hold his hand for a moment, or stroke
his forehead, or kiss his cheek with a tenderness that would
have made me cry if I had any tears left.

Then, he would get up and bathe more patients, check more
IV's, comfort more survivors, and make more phone calls.
Meanwhile, I administered yet another experimental drug and
prayed for all of us, and wondered at the people who let all
this loose on the world, or at least on this small town.

***Chapter One***

Mulder's hair was wet when he entered the office that
morning, and his eyes were bright. I knew he'd spent the
night by himself because he'd called me three times - once
to talk about Voyager, once to make certain I was watching
Babylon 5 and once just because he was lonely.

"Did you two have a good workout?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "People are used to us being in the
gym at the same time. And I get to watch Walter pump up
without anyone noticing."

"Other people use the gym."

"We don't do anything out of line. It's not like we're
necking in the parking garage."

"Ah, yes. Steamed up windows on a Thursday morning in the
JEH garage. No one would suspect a thing. I could see
*you* doing this, Mulder, but I'm glad you couldn't talk
Walter into it."

He got out his coffee cup - the new one Walter had given
him. "Me talk him into it? There have been times I've
been the voice of reason."

"You, Mulder? I'm surprised you don't jump him in the
gym."

He looked at me in shock. "Scully! That would attract
attention."

"At least you're keeping your heads." One day, my partner
and my boss might be caught, and that would be the end of
their careers. It wasn't just that they were both men. We
all know that's time-honored here in the FBI. It was also
that Walter was our supervisor, and that isn't permitted.
Frankly, I was worried, but better this than watching them
pine for one another.

"Good. Now I can tell you about our plans for the weekend."

I rolled my eyes. "Do I need to know what you and Walter
are doing this weekend?"

"Actually, Scully, I was talking about you and me. Take a
look at this file." He handed me a folder.

In it were photographs of what looked like dead bodies -
twelve adults and children of both sexes. There was an
autopsy report attached. I began to read it.

"Mulder - these people aren't dead."

"No. A few days ago, all of these people were healthy and
active. Then, out of the blue, they became like this. No
one knows why, and at least one was almost dissected before
they realized that they were alive. Their metabolism is
down to almost nothing, but their brains are functioning.
No one knows why."

"Do you have any theories?"

"I think something has forced their spirits to travel the
astral plane." He said it with all seriousness. Mulder may
have had his doubts about aliens, but never about the
supernatural - unless the supernatural was God. My partner
was the king of contradictions.

"I have feeling it's something a lot more mundane, like
sleeping sickness."

"Not that many tsetse flies around Barryville, Ohio,
Scully."

"Is that where we're going?"

"Yep."

"Why isn't the CDC handling this?"

"I don't know. I got this from other sources. We're
flying to Columbus this afternoon. Pack your doctor
stuff."

"Does Walter know?"

He fidgeted with a pencil. "He signed off on the 302, so I
guess he does. I'll have to find some reason to see him
before we go. We've been apart before."

"It doesn't get easier, does it?" I reached for his hand.

"No. The day it does is the day I'll start to worry. I'm
beginning to think that maybe...I'll call him."

I shook my head as he went to the phone. He still wasn't
certain of his feelings. He could believe in vampires, but
that he could be in love or that someone could love him?
That was impossible.

"Hi, Kim? It's Agent Mulder. Is AD Skinner available? A
meeting? Okay. No, it's not an emergency. No need to
page him. Tell him that Agent Scully and I will be heading
for Ohio in a few hours. Great. Thanks."

Mulder had no idea that Kim knew their secret. I thought
that Skinner suspected that she did, but he wasn't about to
find out for certain. Skinner's secretary was the best ally
I had in the effort to preserve their jobs.

We spent the rest of the morning cleaning up paperwork, and
then went home to pack. He picked me up at one thirty,
looking a little forlorn.

"You okay, Mulder?" I tossed my suitcase and my laptop into
the back seat of his car.

"I'm fine. I just didn't get a chance to say good-bye to
Walter."

"He never returned your phone call?"

"We played phone tag. I'll call him from the motel
tonight."

The flight was pretty uneventful. Mulder even napped on
the plane while I reviewed the notes. There were some
delays at the Columbus airport, but we were in a rental car
for the two hour trip to Barryville soon enough.

We got into Barryville about 8PM, and checked into the local
motel - an actual Howard Johnson's for a change. He got on
the phone before he unpacked, while I unpacked and hung up
my things.. After five years of this, I had it down to a
science. I was finished when he finally reached Skinner.

"Walter? It's me. I'm in Ohio, at the Barryville HoJo's."
Did everyone start a phone conversation with Mulder by
asking where he was? "It was an easy trip. I tried to
reach you all day. I know, meetings. Yeah. I know.
Weekend's probably gone. I'm going to miss you, Walter. I
wish I could have, too."

"Mulder, you're not alone in here."

"Scully sends her love. What? If you want. Scully, he
wants to talk to you."

I put down the file and took the phone. "Walter? Hi."

"What are you doing?"

"Not much."

"Playing mommy?"

I grinned. "I guess so. He needs one."

Walter's voice was serious. "I know, Dana. That's because
he never really had one. Take care of him for me."

"I will, sir. But he should be fine here. No evidence of a
killer - at least not a human one."

"Good. Maybe I can sleep tonight. Put him on?"

"Take care, Walter. Mulder, it's your turn again."

He put down the tv remote. "Hi, Walter. Yeah. I'll be
okay. I'll call you tomorrow. Miss you. Bye."

He looked sad for a moment, but the mood passed.

"Hey, Scully, there's a diner across the way. Want to get
some grease for dinner?"

"Sure. Just let me get my purse."

***Chapter Two***

The ward held thirteen beds, and there was room for two or
three more. A nurse pulled a sheet over the head of one of
the patients as a couple standing by the bed cried. A blond
man in blue scrubs and a lab coat had his hand on the man's
shoulder.

I glanced at Mulder. "There was no mention of deaths in
your file."

He frowned. "This is something new." He spoke louder.
"Excuse me? I'm sorry to intrude."

The man in the scrubs gave the other man a reassuring
squeeze and came to us. His eyes were red and there were
dark circles underneath.

"Can I help you?"

"We're from the FBI." We held out our badges. "I'm Agent
Mulder and this is Agent Scully. *Doctor* Scully."

"Doctor? MD? You mean the government sent someone useful?"

He looked hopeful. I hated crushing those hopes.

"I'm a pathologist, not an epidemiologist. I wish I could
say otherwise. And you are?"

"That's still one more doctor than we have. I'm Dr. Peter
Miller. I'm chief internist here. And I don't mind telling
you I'm in over my head. You can see this is a small
hospital - not much more than a clinic. Normally we deliver
babies and set broken legs here. Anything bigger goes to
Columbus."

"I understand, Doctor." I looked at the grieving couple.
"Is there some place private where we could talk?"

"Of course, of course. My office is just down the way.
Janice!" A woman in colorful scrubs looked up from the
chart she was annotating and walked towards us.

"Yes, Peter?"

"I'm taking Agent Mulder and Dr. Scully to my office. I'll
be there if anything changes or needs my attention."

"I'll take care of things." Janice nodded at us and went
back to her charting.

Miller's office was indeed just down the hall. He ushered
us into a room not all that much bigger than the basement
office, but much, much neater.

"Sit, sit. I'll get some coffee started." As he clattered
around the coffee maker, we sat down in the chairs facing
his desk and Mulder retrieved the file folder.

Instead of sitting on his chair, Miller perched on his desk.
"Now, what do you want to know?"

"When did people start dying, Dr. Miller?" Mulder
apparently didn't want to waste any time.

"Mr. Gray was the first one we've lost here, Agent Mulder."

"How did he die?" I took out a pad.

"We don't know. It's as if he decided he didn't want to
come back. Mr. Gray was one of our oldest citizens. That
couple you saw was his grandson and his wife. He'd been
living with them for the past few years. It's hard on
Larry, the grandson. They thought he was dead three days
ago when they couldn't wake him from a nap. It's been a
roller coaster since then."

"Three days ago. Then he'd be one of the first."

"Yes, Dr. Scully. And it's growing. That ward you saw was
one of two, and there are more coming all the time. We're
going to run out of facilities soon." He rubbed the hair
out of his eyes. "I don't know just why you're here, or
what you can do to help, but whatever it is, we need it. We
already have one doctor in those wards. Coffee's ready."
He got up from the desk. "How do you take it?" Miller
fixed three mugs and brought them back.

"Thank you." I sipped my coffee. "Were they all found like
Mr. Gray?"

"Some were - those with families. Kids wouldn't get up for
school, wives would wake up next to comatose husbands. My
baby girl just stopped crying this morning."

"I'm sorry, Doctor." I touched his hand. "We'll do our
best."

"My wife is with her now. I think she blames me a little."

Mulder put down his mug. "How do you mean?"

Miller shrugged. "If it's infectious, I could have brought
it home. But then why is she ill and not me? Or Amy?"

"Dr. Miller...earlier, you said that Mr. Gray was the first
to die *here.* Have others died elsewhere?"

"Again, Agent Mulder, we don't know for certain. We don't
know anything for certain. However, we have found a couple
of bodies that were absolutely dead. Both lived alone,
although neither were particularly antisocial. The young
man was in good health like many of the other patients."

"And the other?"

"She was a middle-aged woman, fairly overweight and out of
shape. It could have been a heart attack, except I saw no
signs of it."

"You think that living alone was a factor?" Mulder was
beginning to look intense.

"Yes. Perhaps if they'd had someone living with them, they
might have been helped in time. Or not, since there is very
little we can do."

"I noticed IV lines."

"It's a gesture." He got off the desk again. "Output is
about equal to input. It just makes us feel better to run
glucose through their bodies. They don't seem to be
metabolizing much of anything."

"Have there been toxicology studies?" I finally spoke up.

"We don't really have the facilities here, but I've sent
samples out to the state university. We haven't gotten the
reports back yet."

"What about autopsies on the suspected deaths and on Mr.
Gray? Would that be possible?"

"I'll set you up as soon as possible with that, Dr. Scully."

"Dr. Miller?"

"Yes, Agent Mulder?"

"Has anyone reported odd dreams?" I gave him a look. He
ignored it.

"Dreams, Agent Mulder?"

"Have people, family members, mentioned any of the patients
coming to them in a dream?"

Miller looked at me. I shrugged.

"He has his own theories, Dr. Miller. Sometimes they work
out." He looked at me again.

"I'll get you those autopsies, Dr. Scully. Why don't you
have a look at the living patients in the meantime."

We stood up and shook hands. As Miller picked up the phone,
we left the office and found our way back to the ward.

Janice gave us a smile.

"Which one of you is Dr. Scully? Peter wasn't exactly
clear."

"I'm Dana Scully. I'm not practicing, though. I'm not used
to the title anymore."

"Yeah, but you love it, Scully. I'm Fox Mulder." He smiled
and shook her hand. Mulder was at his most charming. I
could see Janice eyeing him up and down. I just kept my
grins to myself. Mulder flirted with anyone and anything.
It was a game, nothing more.

"I'm Janice Barry."

"Barry? As in Barryville?" Janice sighed.

"My great-great-great grandfather founded the place. How
can I help you?"

"I'd like to see the other ward and examine some of the
patients, if I may."

"Of course, Doctor." Mulder grinned at me behind her back
as she led us away. I ignored him.

The other ward was just as strange - beds filled with
unmoving people, surrounded by distraught family. There
were also cribs here, with silent children surrounded by
stuffed animals.

"The kids are the hardest ones to look at. Do you see that
crib over there?" She pointed to one with a tall brunette
woman next to it. The baby looked Asian. "That's my cousin
Amy, who's married to Peter. They just adopted the little
girl. They only brought Colby home a couple of months ago."

"So not everyone in this ward was born here?" Mulder
stopped being charming and started collecting data.

"No. Others came from out of town. We don't get a lot of
newcomers, though."

"If it's not too much trouble, can you get me a list of
newcomers?"

"I can find out something, Agent Mulder." I sighed and went
to the first of the beds. Mulder and the nurse tagged along
behind me.

This patient was a young black woman. There was a little
girl, about five, standing next to her, clutching a rag doll
and crying.

Mulder immediately crouched down.

"Hi. My name is Fox."

She looked at him. "That's a silly name."

Mulder put on a hurt face. "I guess it is. What's your
name?"

"Keesha." She was suddenly shy.

He nodded solemnly. "That's a much nicer name. Can I have
it?"

She actually laughed. "You can't be Keesha! You're a boy!"

"Oh. I guess I am. What's your friend's name?"

"Mr. Raggs. Mommy made him for me." She looked like she
was going to cry again.

"Is that your mommy, Keesha?"

She nodded. "Mommy's asleep. She went to sleep before
dinner last night and she won't wake up. I'm scared."

"Scared of what, Keesha?"

"That Mommy won't wake up."

"Do you see that pretty lady over there? The one next to
Nurse Janice?"

"Yeah."

"She's a doctor. She's the best doctor in the world.
She'll find a way to make your mommy better."

"Mulder!" It's hard to shout and whisper at the same time.

"Don't listen to her. I know her. She's the best." The
frightening part was that he truly believed it. I could
hear it in his voice.

"Keesha, sweetie? Where's daddy?" Janice looked worried.

"He went to the bathroom. A long time ago."

Mulder smiled at the little girl. "Keesha, I want you to do
something for me. First, do you know your daddy's name?"

She nodded.

"What is it, Keesha?"

"Daneel."

"That's wonderful. I want you to stay here with Nurse
Janice and Dr. Dana while I go look for your daddy. Can you
do that?" She nodded.

"Good girl. I'll be back soon." He looked at Barry, who
pointed the way to the men's room. He stood up and ran out.

She turned to me.

"You are very lucky, Dr. Scully."

"You're not his partner. Janice, I have to warn you. He's
taken."

"I didn't see any wedding ring on his finger. Or yours, for
that matter."

I tried to imagine Fox Mulder with a wedding ring. It would
be easier to believe in shape-shifting aliens.

"He's not mine, Ms. Barry. And it's very new."

Her eyes grew wide. And then she smiled at me. "Who ever
it is, is very lucky."

I returned her smile. "Depends."

Just then, we heard some shouting down the hall. It was
Mulder.

"We need some help here!" Two orderlies ran down to the
men's room. Someone else fetched a gurney. Mulder came out
of the men's room half-carrying a limp black man. They
transferred him to the gurney, and within minutes, he was
lying next to his wife, while Janice and I hooked him up to
various monitors and tubes and Mulder sat on the floor and
held the little girl, who in turn was holding her doll. She
wasn't crying. She was just staring at all the things we
were doing to her daddy.

***Chapter Three***

While Mulder sat in the waiting room telling Keesha stories
(I was afraid to find out exactly what he was telling her.
I know I heard "Flukie" at least once.) I examined her
parents thoroughly.

Both were barely functioning. There was no detectable pulse
or blood pressure, but there was a faint and extremely slow
heartbeat, and both were breathing extremely slowly. The
EEG's showed minimal brain activity.

There was no reaction to pain or any other stimulus. Limbs
stayed where they were positioned. Both would have to be
turned regularly to prevent or at least limit bedsores.

I took blood and fluid samples but did not send them out to
the University lab. Instead, I called the Columbus office
and asked them to send me a forensics van with all possible
equipment. It wouldn't have the resources of a university
lab, but it would be here.

By then it was noon, and I was starving. I went to the
waiting room. Mulder and Keesha were on the floor playing
with puppets. Keesha was obviously in charge, because I saw
her point and Mulder obey. I wanted a video camera. I
also wished there had been more for Mulder to do at that
point. He was wasted as a babysitter.

"Dr. Dana! Do you want to see our puppet show?" He held up
a rather dilapidated king puppet.

"Later, Mulder." I was *not* going to call him Mr. Fox.
He'd sound like a cartoon character. "Why don't we take
Keesha out for lunch? I'll buy."

"Whaddaya say, Keesha? Want something really *bad* for
you?"

"McDonald's? Mommy says it's pure junk."

I considered. This little one was having a very bad day
indeed. No contest. "Happy meals it is. Just don't argue
over the prizes, kids."

"Yaaaay! Thanks, Scully."

We stopped by to tell an increasingly harried Janice where
we were going, and got directions to the nearest McDonald's.
This was emphatically *not* one of the modern hospitals with
fast food built right in. She seemed happy someone was
taking care of Keesha.

Keesha was just tall enough that she could hold Mulder's
hand without forcing him to stoop, although I knew he would
have if he had to. She clutched Mr. Raggs in the other.

We ended up ordering two Happy Meals because they had two
sets of toys, one for boys and one for girls. Keesha, of
course, was perfectly satisfied with her chicken nuggets,
but Mulder had an extra Big Mac and fries. I watched them
play with the prizes as I ate my virtuous salad - and stole
Mulder's fries when he wasn't looking.

"Keesha? Sweetie, can I ask you a few questions?" We had
come down to the frozen yogurt. Keesha was happily getting
fudge sauce all over her face.

"I guess, Dr. Dana."

"Did your mommy or daddy go on a trip recently?"

"We visited Grandma for Easter. I had a new dress."

"Easter's fun. I remember looking for Easter eggs and
getting all dressed up to go to church in my new clothes."

"I had lots of chocolate."

"Did you eat the ears off the bunny first?"

She nodded. Score one for the grown-up in the bunch.

"Sweetie, did mommy or daddy go on a trip without you?"

"No. It's the school year."

"Are your parents teachers?"

"Uh-huh. Mommy's a principal, and Daddy teaches big kids.
I can't go to Mommy's school next year 'cause she's a
principal. Fox said you were going to make Mommy and Daddy
better." I gave Fox a look, but he was too busy holding
Keesha's hand to notice.

"I'll do my best, Keesha. I want to make your Mommy and
Daddy better."

"Look at you, Keesha! Are you eating that ice cream or
wearing it?"

"Daddy says I absorb ice cream through my skin."

"Come on, Keesha. Let's get you cleaned up. And as for
you, Mr. Mulder; you're no better." His tie was a mess of
butterscotch.

We drove back to the hospital - there was no place else to
take Keesha, since she had no family in town. She was
settled in the nurse's lounge in front of cartoons, with a
pile of coloring books. We took over an empty treatment
room with the day's findings.

Janice had found the time to compile the backgrounds of all
the patients as of lunch time.

Mulder took out a pile of index cards and we began to sort
what we had. An hour later, we discovered we had nothing.
The only thing any of the patients had in common, besides
the condition, was that they were all in Barryville. They
were all ages and races, they came from everywhere - from
the Miller's adopted Korean daughter Colby to the late Mr.
Gray, who'd never left Barryville. Keesha's parents were
the only two from the same household, and they had different
blood types.

My cellphone rang.

"Dr. Scully? That lab van you asked for is here. The
driver is coming up to give you the keys."

"The driver?"

"He insisted, Dr. Scully."

Five minutes later, the door behind me opened. Mulder went
through the most remarkable transformation. He'd always
been beautiful, but now he was glowing. I had never seen
such pure happiness in his face. It was dazzling. I turned
around, and sure enough, there was Walter Skinner wearing
decidedly non-regulation jeans and sweater. And he was
dazzling, too, in his own way. One day, I'd meet someone
who would make me look like that, and who would look like
that for me. After seeing this, I could settle for nothing
less.

"Walter. What are you doing here?"

"I'm delivering Dana's van, of course. The request was
sent to Washington for confirmation, since there aren't that
many of these vans available. If Dana needed something like
that, then you two might need an extra investigator, so I
flew to Columbus and drove the van here."

"I'm glad you're here. You may be right. Now, if you two
will excuse me, I have some autopsies to perform.
Mulder..."

"I'll bring him up to date, Scully."

I made sure to close the door as I left. I did manage to
catch a glimpse of a clinch, but I stifled my voyeuristic
impulses and went down to the hospital morgue. They had few
enough moments to be together.

The autopsies were interesting. There were no signs of
trauma anywhere - no heart attacks, no strokes, no signs of
disease other than the normal difficulties of old age, or
being out of shape or; well, it did turn out that our single
young man was HIV positive, but he had almost no virus in
his system. There was nothing that could have killed those
people. It was as if they'd just stopped.

I had help from a couple of technicians, but three autopsies
take time. When I was finished, it was late in the evening.
That salad and the stolen fries were long gone. I gathered
up my specimens and my notes and cleaned myself off before
going to meet Mulder and Walter, who were trying to find out
from the families where people had traveled and what their
occupations were. I knew Mulder had good interviewing
skills. So did Skinner. If it hadn't been so heartbreaking
and I hadn't been so tired, I might have enjoyed watching
them work around the room, stealing glances at each other
when they could.

Walter looked up after shaking a man's hand and saw me. He
went over and tapped Mulder on the shoulder. When Mulder
responded, Walter gestured to me with his head. I could see
my partner wrap up the interview and gather his notes.

"What did you find out, Scully?"

I was about to tell him when Skinner interrupted.

"Look at her, Fox. She's dead on her feet. I propose we
pick up some dinner and take it over to the motel, and talk
there."

"Thank you. It's been a long day." Mulder nodded. He
looked a little worn himself.

Janice stopped us as we were leaving.

"Dr. Scully, Mr. Mulder, we have a problem. It's Keesha. I
don't know where to put her. I suppose she can stay in a
private room in peds, but that's not really a good place
right now."

"Isn't there a social services agency that could take care
of her?"

"Right now, Mr. Skinner, our town's social worker is lying
three feet away from you. Keesha seemed to bond with Mr.
Mulder..."

"There *is* an extra bed in your room, Scully." How could
he turn those puppy-dog eyes on me when my resistance was so
low? Well, I liked Keesha, too.

"Are you certain of this, Dana? I mean, are you ready to
take care of a little girl right now?"

I thought about it. "Yes. Yes, I am. Besides, it's only
for the nights. We'll find something else during the days."

"Days are no problem, Dr. Scully. We have an onsite day
care center. Peter's given you hospital privileges, so you
are entitled to use it. Provided the workers are all right,
I mean. I'll get you directions to her house so you can
pick up some clothes and toys."

Keesha was fast asleep in the nurse's lounge. She stirred
slightly when Mulder picked her up, but then settled down
again. I took her doll. We must have made an odd
procession down the corridor - Mulder in his suit, carrying
Keesha, me still in scrubs, carrying the doll and my data
and Walter in casual clothing, carrying everything else.

She woke up while I was buckling her into the back seat.

"Mommy?"

"No, sweetie. It's me. Mommy's still asleep."

"Dr. Dana? Where's Mr. Raggs?"

"Right here." I gave her the doll.

"Is Fox here?"

Mulder was in the passenger seat. "I'm right in front,
Keesha. Would you like to stay with us until Mommy and
Daddy get better?"

She was silent for a moment. "With you and Dr. Dana?"

"And our friend, Mr. Skinner. That's him right now."
Walter, having deposited our stuff in the trunk, was coming
to the driver's side of the door.

"Hello, Keesha. You're very pretty."

"You're Fox's friend?" I watched them exchange a glance.

"We're very good friends."

"Fox is a policeman. So is Dr. Dana. Are you one?"

"Walter is in charge of policemen like us."

"Okay. I'll stay with you."

"I guess we've passed the interview, guys." We all laughed,
which confused Keesha, but laughter was laughter, so she
joined in.

***Chapter Four***

Keesha lived in a small house a few miles away from the
hospital. Mulder and I went with her to pack - the hospital
gave us the keys from her parents' personal possessions.

It didn't take us long. She filled a pink ballerina duffel
with pajamas and play clothes, and another bag with books
and some carefully selected stuffed toys out of a huge
collection. When I asked about them, she said her mother
and grandmother made most of them.

It took us so little time that we had to wait for Walter to
come back with dinner and pick us up. I got to hear
Mulder's versions of storybooks.

"Once upon a time there were three bears named Langley,
Byers and Frohike..."

"Which one was the mama bear?"

The doorbell interrupted that one, unfortunately. I was
betting on Byers. We gathered up Keesha and her things and
went to the motel.

By the time we got there, Keesha was falling asleep. She
wasn't hungry - the nurses had fed her - so I put her into a
nightgown and tucked her and Mr. Raggs into the other bed in
my room. She looked so tiny in the middle of that double
bed, and so all alone. She wanted to know if I wanted to
hear her prayers.

"Of course, sweetie."

She sat up and folded her hands.

"Now I lay me down to sleep. God bless Mommy and Daddy and
help Dr. Dana make them and everyone else better. God bless
Dr. Dana and Fox and Mr. Skinner and Nurse Janice and Dr.
Peter and Miss Anderson - she's my teacher - and make me a
good girl. Amen."

"Amen, Keesha. Sleep tight." I hesitated for a second,
remembering my daughter and that I'd never been able to do
this with her, and kissed her good night.

"Good night, Dr. Dana." She lay down again. I smiled at
her.
Walter and Mulder were moving Mulder's things from the room
adjoining mine to Walter's across the corridor. I could
hear them talking and joking through all the open doors. I
went out into the hallway.

"Guys, hold it down."

"Is she asleep, Scully?"

"Not yet."

"Good. I wanted to kiss her goodnight."

We followed him into my room.

He sat down on Keesha's bed.

"Hi, princess."

"Hi."

"If I kiss you good night, you won't turn into a frog, will
you?"

"No!"

"Promise?"

She nodded. He planted a big kiss on her forehead.

"See you in the morning. How do you take your coffee?"

She giggled for a moment, and then, finally, drifted off.

I turned to look at Walter. He looked sad.

"Mulder's good with kids."

"Yeah. I wonder if it's because he's still one himself?"

"I don't know. Bill was no prize at twelve."

"Okay, you two. Let's eat." We took the food into Mulder's
old room. That way we could keep an eye on our charge.

I took my steamed chicken and vegetables to the desk.

"Walter, where are the chopsticks?"

"Chopsticks? Dana, I was lucky they had hot and sour soup."
He was sitting up on the bed with a tub of murky liquid.
"Use the forks like God intended." I shook my head. "Or
you can do what Fox is doing, and ignore utensils entirely."

There was no room on the bed for Mulder, so he sat
cross-legged on the floor next to it, gnawing on an eggroll.
He turned slightly to grin up at Walter.

"Wait till you see me eat my lo mein."

I found a fork.

We talked about the town and the case and what we'd found.
With all the interviews they'd conducted, they still found
very little in common with the victims.

"We've done everything but check their auto insurance
companies. And we might do that tomorrow."

"What would we learn from that, Walter? I just pick
whoever's cheapest."

Walter smiled and touched Mulder's cheek. Mulder leaned
into it slightly, reached up to squeeze Walter's thigh.

"We could tell something. I can guess Dana's insurance
company, for example."

"It wouldn't be much of a guess, Walter. It's probably the
same as yours."

He named it. I was right.

"How did you know that?" I'd never seen Mulder look so
bewildered. Walter just laughed.

"If you don't figure it out by tomorrow, we'll tell you
then. It's a good company. It's a shame you can't use it."

"I can't? Why not?"

"Think of it as a clue, Mulder. And that's the last one
you'll get."

He kept at us the rest of dinner, even after we'd read out
our fortune cookies, but we didn't relent.

I spent a lot of that time watching the two of them. It was
rare that the three of us could be so relaxed in each
other's presence. They had so few moments together outside
of the Hoover, so little time that they could be close. I
didn't want to intrude on what they had.

Perhaps I should have been bothered by their display of
affection, and perhaps I would have been if the
circumstances had been different. This relationship of
theirs had truly begun in a moment of crisis, when Mulder
was possessed by the suggestions of two psychic Pushers, and
Mulder had needed all the closeness Walter could provide. I
never had a chance to be bothered.

I was jealous, though. I watched the two of them. They
didn't hug or kiss around me; they didn't even sit on the
same bed. Instead, Mulder maintained his position on the
floor next to Walter, and they'd exchange gentle touches,
and once I saw Mulder brush his lips against Walter's hand.
It was sweet and tender and spoke volumes that more overt
displays would not. I suppose I just wanted a relationship
like that myself. Or I missed being the central person in
Mulder's life. We were still best friends, and now Walter
was my friend, too, but things had changed. Walter seemed
to be taking my place in his life.

I gathered up the debris and checked on Keesha, who was fast
asleep. Her breathing pattern was normal, so I knew she was
still with us. When I got back to the other room, Mulder
had his head down on the bed next to Walter, who was
stroking his hair. I'd ruffled that hair. I knew how silky
it was.

"Walter, I think maybe it's bedtime."

He checked his watch. "Midnight, huh. Come on, Fox. It's
time for bed."

Mulder looked up. "Yeah. I could go for bed right now.
I'm glad you got a king-size, Walter. I'd hate to have to
spend the night like this." He struggled to his feet.

"I think you'd be more comfortable like that, Mulder.
Anything but a bed." They laughed as they left the room.

Ten minutes later, I was in my own room, fast asleep.

***Chapter Five***

Saturday Morning
Barryville Howard Johnson's

Someone was pounding on the door. I didn't know where I was
at first.

"Dr. Dana! Wake up!"

Keesha. Barryville. Right. I stumbled out of bed and
dragged on a robe.

"Coming. Who is it?"

Walter Skinner, wearing only pajama pants, was on the other
side.

"Thank God you're awake. Dana, it's Fox. I think...I think
he's got it." I never thought I'd hear Walter's voice crack
that way. I grabbed the room key and my medical bag.

"Keesha, you stay right where you are!"

Walter had indeed gotten a king-sized bed. Mulder was lying
on the left side of the bed, in a fetal position. He was
covered only by a sheet. I took out my stethoscope. His
heart was beating very, very slowly.

"What happened?"

Walter sat down on the other side of the bed and buried his
head in his hands.

"Walter, I need details."

"Starting when? And how much?" He glanced at the night
table. I saw a crumpled condom wrapper and a squeeze tube.
I blushed.

"Starting from when we parted. And you can leave out the
gorier details. But...it's probably a good thing that there
are gory details."

"I know. I'm grateful we took the time. Very well. We
went back to the room and got ready for bed - you know,
tooth brushing, things like that. Fox really was tired, so
I figured we'd just sleep last night, which would have been
fine." He grinned ruefully. "Mulder has a mind of his own,
though."

"I know. What he doesn't have is common sense."

"That's where we come in, except that mine flies out the
window around him. Anyway, no sooner are we in bed than
he...well, you can guess." I could, indeed. I forced that
picture to the back of my mind.

"And...afterwards?"

"He fell right to sleep. I put back on my pajamas and
curled up next to him - sort of the way Keesha treats that
rag doll of hers. I could hear him breathing and feel his
heart beat. He was just fine. I went to sleep. I don't
know how long it was but I started having a nightmare - Fox
was calling on me to hold on. It's a common enough dream,
but usually I have it when you two are across the continent
chasing God knows what, not when he's in my arms. As soon
as I recognized it, I forced myself awake. The three of us
and our nightmares. Someone should do a case study."

"Maybe Mulder, if - when - he wakes up."

"Fox use his PhD? That'll be the day. And he will wake up.
After all, Dr. Dana is on the case."

"I think he really believes it."

"So do I. I *have* to." I didn't know whether there was
challenge or trust in his face or his voice.

"Anyway, when I woke up, he was like this. I couldn't wake
him at all, and his skin felt cold."

"His metabolism has slowed down. They all feel cold. We
have to get him to the hospital. I'll call an ambulance."

"You'll do no such thing. No one is touching him except me
or you. Call the hospital. I need to get him cleaned up."

I didn't ask what he meant.

When I called the hospital, I got Nurse Janice. She sounded
exhausted.

"Dr. Scully! I was going to call you in a few minutes. I
just wanted you to sleep a little longer. We have had an
explosion of cases. There are at least a hundred people
down last night. We're moving them all to the high school."

"Agent Mulder's down. Should we take him there directly?"

"Oh my God. Yes. Come quickly, and bring that friend of
yours. We need every pair of hands we can get."

"Any new deaths?"

"Just one - one of the first patients. She was already ill,
though."

"Ill?"

"Cancer." I will always hate that word.

"We'll be there as soon as we can. What are the directions
from the Howard Johnson's?"

By the time I had thrown on some clothes and dressed Keesha,
Walter had Fox cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket.

"Are you sure you don't want to get some help taking him
down?"

"No. Not for him. Are we ready to go?"

"Change in plans. There's been many more victims. New ones
are going to the high school."

"So long as there's a place for him. Let's go." With that,
Walter gathered Mulder up in his arms, Mulder's head leaning
on Walter's shoulder. I took Keesha's hand and my bag and
followed them down to the car.

There was no room for the length of Mulder's body in the
back. Finally, we propped him up next to the door and
buckled him in. Walter sat next to him to hold him steady.
Keesha, too little to sit in front, sat next to him, her
supplies for the day on her lap. That left me alone in
front.

I could hear Walter murmuring to Mulder all the way to
hospital. He didn't say anything of substance, just
reassurances and gestures of hope and trust in me.

The high school was an old-fashioned brick building. It
still had doorways marked "boys" and "girls." I parked in
front, and Walter wrestled Mulder back into his arms.

We found the gymnasium (marked Boys). Walter carried Mulder
in and placed him on an empty cot. There was no paperwork
to fill out - just a list of names.

An older doctor seemed to be in charge.

"Can you fill me in on what's going on, sir?"

"We're busy, miss. Why don't you stay with your husband or
brother or who ever that is?"

Great. "Sir, I'm *Doctor* Dana Scully of the FBI. That
over there is my *supervisor*, Assistant Director Skinner,
and the man we brought in is my partner, Agent Mulder.
We're here to investigate this epidemic."

His manner changed instantly.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Scully. I remember you from yesterday. You
obviously know about the increase in victims. Dr. Miller
and his wife are among them now. I'm a pediatrician."

"I'm a pathologist, so this isn't quite my area, either."

"What was your partner?"

"He *is* a psychologist. Assistant Director Skinner is not
a scientist at all, Doctor..."

"Dr. Vincent Grass. Very well. The situation, Dr.
Scully...we have decided not to use any more IV glucose
since the patients are not metabolizing anything. We are
administering IV H2O on the grounds that it couldn't hurt.
We have not tried any new medication."

I nodded. "The bodies I autopsied did not die of starvation
or dehydration. For all I know, these people could be like
this for days or weeks...or longer."

A clearly harried nurse came to start Mulder's IV. She
noticed that he was naked, but said nothing. I saw Skinner
talk to her for a moment. She pointed to a door. Skinner
disappeared inside of it and came out with a folded hospital
gown and a blanket. Gently, he dressed Mulder and covered
him up. He then folded the hotel blanket to return it.

Keesha stood looking lost. Then she seemed to come to a
decision. She hugged the rag doll hard and then put it on
Mulder's bed. Walter smiled at her and wrapped Mulder's
arms around the toy.

I nodded to Dr. Grass and went to them.

"Mr. Raggs will take care of Fox, so he won't be so scared."

"And you, Keesha?"

"I won't get scared. You and Mr. Skinner will take care of
me until you get Mommy and Daddy and Fox better." I just
gave her a hug.

We dropped her off in one of the home ec rooms, with a bunch
of other semi-orphans. She found a friend almost
immediately and was soon playing quite happily at a table.
At least we wouldn't have to worry about her for awhile.

I caught a ride to the hospital, where the forensic van was
waiting for me, while Skinner did what he could at the
school. He was organizing paperwork and teams as he called
Columbus for extra supplies and help and tossed me the keys
so I could get into the van and drive it back to the school.

***Chapter Six***

The van had everything I needed, from a centrifuge to a
small electron microscope. I soon lost myself in analyzing
blood samples. I've always enjoyed detailed work like this
- it's one of the reasons I went into pathology in the first
place, and why I majored in physics in college. I've always
liked numbers and theories. It helped to get my mind off my
worries, and it was certainly constructive.

It took a few hours to begin to correlate all the data, even
with my laptop, but it became clear that there was an
organism to blame for the strange coma. I wasn't quite sure
what it was. It wasn't viral in nature, as I could make it
reproduce on a growth medium, but it resembled no bacteria
or other known disease organism. It didn't seem to respond
to standard antibiotics. I ended up faxing a picture to the
lab back home so that someone more familiar with
microbiology could look at it. I also faxed one to Mulder's
three friends in case they could find something out.

It was well past noon by the time I'd done all that, and
well past time I'd had lunch. I had to report to Walter
anyway, so I drove the van back to the high school.

Walter was where I'd expected him to be, sitting next to
Mulder's cot and talking to him. There was something else
that I didn't expect to see.

"Walter? When did this happen?"

"A couple of hours after you left. One minute she was
finger painting; the next she was like this. I didn't know
where her parents were, so I put her next to Fox."

Keesha looked so tiny even on the narrow cot. She'd been
such a bundle of energy before, just like her playmate, my
partner, his lover. Her arms were wrapped around her rag
doll.

Walter followed my glance.

"I thought she would need it more than Fox." I nodded, not
daring to speak.

He must have noticed, because he became all business. "Do
you have anything to report, Agent Scully?"

It was exactly what I needed. "Yes, sir. I'd like to
discuss my findings with you - perhaps over something to
eat."

"They have the school cafeteria working. We'll go there."

For a moment, I felt like I was back in high school myself.
There was the same noise level and the same cafeteria smell
of overcooked vegetables and milk, and behind the serving
counter were the same ladies in hairnets. Even the hot
lunch looked the same, except they also offered coffee and
they didn't charge us money. I was inwardly amused to see
that Walter had opted for chocolate milk.

We found a table to ourselves. As I ate mystery meatloaf
and gray peas, I told Walter about my findings.

"So we know there is a specific causative agent, but we
don't know what it is, how it's spread or how to stop it."

"Correct, sir. However, just knowing there is an organism
is a good first step. That's more than we knew this
morning. I now recommend that no one come into this town.
We don't know how it is spread. I don't understand why it
wasn't quarantined already."

"Something's wrong about that. It's spreading, Dana. We've
had to open the girl's gym for patients and we'll probably
spread out into the classrooms."

"We need to stop this. We'll run out of support people.
What else?"

"We're getting emergency supplies of food and medical needs.
I've organized teams to search houses for families who have
disappeared. This is a small town, so everyone knows
everyone. Most of those who can are working here, too."

"Good. We'll need all of them."

"We're staying here. The motel isn't charging us for our
rooms anymore, since they'd be empty anyway, but I took the
liberty of packing your things as well as mine and bringing
them here. With Keesha ... there isn't any need to stay in
those rooms, and I...we need to be available in case..."

"Where are we staying?"

"Some classroom or other. There are single-sex only
accommodations, but most folks here just don't care. I'd be
happier if you stayed close to me."

I thought about it for a moment. I'd probably be sleeping
in my scrubs anyway. "I can see why. I'd rather not be
with strangers right now, either. Yes."

There wasn't much more I could do in terms of research. The
computer was compiling our findings. We needed Mulder's
brain and intuition to make some wild leap and solve the
problem. Without him, I'd have to go step by step.

So I made myself useful the rest of the day by checking on
IV's and starting new ones for the new arrivals. I did
start to take blood from those who weren't ill. If the sick
ones had nothing in common - and I could think of nothing
Keesha and Mulder had in common no matter how hard I tried -
maybe the well ones did.

Walter made himself indispensable. Other than at lunch and
later dinner, I never saw him still. If he wasn't helping
to organize matters, using skills honed in bureaucracy, he
was doing whatever job had to be done then. He changed
catheters and hospital gowns, he turned patients so they
wouldn't get bedsores. He even lent a hand with cleaning
and with cooking.

Dinner was turkey and soup, as if it were Thanksgiving.
There were less people even now, and the classrooms were
filling up. People were dropping where they sat.

Nurse Janice joined us at our table. She looked exhausted.
Even her bright scrubs looked faded. Mine were stained with
blood. Walter looked impeccable, of course.

"Mr. Skinner, you are amazing. I don't know how we could
manage without you, or Dr. Scully."

"I have to do something or go crazy worrying..." He stopped
short.

"About Mr. Mulder?" She smiled. He looked at her. "Don't
worry, Mr. Skinner. It doesn't matter anymore." She rubbed
her eyes. "It's good he has the two of you to take care of
him. Some people don't have anyone here at all. We lost
two more this afternoon, you know."

Skinner nodded. He'd helped with the paperwork. "They
didn't have family? Or friends?"

"Not really. Angie had been kicked out of her house when
she got pregnant, and even when she miscarried they didn't
let her back in, and Jim...Jim was just nasty. I'm worried
about the people like that. I'm even more worried about the
kids like Keesha. I don't know, I get this feeling she's at
risk. Maybe because the only people she has are her
parents, and they're out, too."

"Speaking of out, Ms. Barry..."

"It doesn't bother me. I saw enough in country that nothing
bothers me anymore." Walter snapped to attention. "You
were a Marine, right? Joined as a kid, became a non-com
early, went to OCS and did another tour as an officer."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Oh, yes. Just as I can tell that Dr. Scully here was some
kind of military brat."

"What makes you think that?"

"Something about you. I'm right, aren't I?"

"My father was a captain in the Navy."

"And Mr. Mulder would not have lasted a day."

We both laughed over that image.

"Mulder would have spent his entire tour either in the
hospital or the brig."

Walter smiled, but then became serious. "Fox survived his
own battles. He'll survive this."

I squeezed his hand. "Yes, he will. My partner is too
stubborn not to."

"Excuse me." Skinner picked up his tray (quite empty, I was
glad to see) and left.

Janice nodded at his back. "He's hurting badly, isn't he?"

"He loves him. God help him." She'd figured it out
already, so I knew I wasn't betraying him.

"And you?"

"Mulder's my partner. We've been together for years now.
He was with me when I had cancer and I've helped him fight
his demons - the real ones as well as the ones inside his
head. I shouldn't be saying this, Ms. Barry. Excuse me."
My own tray was empty. Well, mostly empty. Just as well I
wasn't wearing any makeup, since it would have been ruined
by the time I left the girl's room.

That night, before I went to sleep, I started analyzing the
blood work of those still functioning. Nothing was
conclusive when I finally gave up.

I don't know how it happened, given that most of the town
was either at the school or the hospital, but Skinner
managed to get us a room to ourselves. It was a special
education resource room and the two cots filled it, but
there was no one else there. I was grateful. I needed to
decompress badly.

Walter came in as I was drifting off. I don't think he
noticed I was awake, because he undressed right in front of
me. All I could see was his back, though, as he put on a
pair of scrub pants. I knew he had broad shoulders and
strong arms - I'd watched him carry Mulder just that morning
- but I didn't know just how well built he was.

The cot creaked a little under his bulk as he lay down. I
heard him toss a bit, and then it was silent. Just as I
thought he'd gone to sleep, though, I heard him talk.

"He's been through so much in his life. I think I was
making him happy. I know he was making me happy even though
he was driving me crazy. I love him. Please, let him get
well. Him and Keesha and her parents and all the others.
Whatever it takes, I'll do. We only just found each other.
I know that some say You don't approve of us, but You made
us. He deserves to be happy, and alive. Please, give Dana
the knowledge she needs and help her. Help me, too. Give
me some of that strength you gave her. I wish I could cry.
I know this isn't making sense, God, but, well, read my
heart." He was quiet again, and then his breathing became
regular. He didn't snore.

The night before, when I heard Keesha's prayer, I felt
honored and happy. This night I felt like a peeping tom -
which I hadn't felt when he undressed. He had a right to
privacy. I thought about telling him the truth in the
morning, but decided against it. Instead I rolled over and
sank into sleep.

And there was Mulder. He was strong and healthy in a
rumpled suit and a loud tie, and he had Keesha by the hand.
He was smiling, and saying something but I couldn't quite
hear it. He was too far away.

I moved closer, but it was hard, like walking through snow
or sand. As I did, I could see his lips move, saying my
name over and over again. "Scully! Scully!" How often had
I heard that shout? Mulder lost, Mulder hurt, Mulder in
danger, Mulder just excited and not able to see me. And I'd
come and find him or heal him, or save him or listen to him.
He'd call and I'd be there. And I don't think he understood
why I didn't call him very often. Why I didn't let him know
when I needed him even when I did. Why I couldn't call for
help.

I could hear him call now, in my dream.

"Scully!"

"Mulder? Where are you?"

"Here. Where we all are."

"All?"

"We're all here, all of us, except for those who didn't want
to stay. Or couldn't stay. We want to go back, Scully.
Help us."

"I don't know if I can, Mulder."

"You can. I believe in you, Scully."

"What if...what if I go, too?"

"You won't. Walter won't. I figured out about your
insurance, Scully. That's the clue. This is hard, talking
to you. I'm getting tired. Tell Walter...I miss him. I
need him. Take care of him. He needs your strength." He
began to move off.

"Mulder, wait! What do you mean?"

"Check the water out, Scully..." He was too far away.

"Mulder! Mulder!"

"Dana, wake up! Wake up!" I was confused at first. Why was
Skinner in my room? And where was this room with the bright
letters on the wall? Barryville.

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Mulder! I was just talking to him!"

"Dana, Fox isn't here. He's in the gym with the others."

"I know what...Ohhh, my head. What time is it?"

"Just a second." He fumbled for his pants. He shined a
tiny light on his wrist. "It's 4 AM."

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "I was dreaming. I saw Mulder
and Keesha. He was talking in riddles. Why do people in
dreams always talk in riddles?"

"I have no idea, Dana." He sat down on my cot. "Are you
sure it was him?"

"It looked like him and it sounded like him. He had Keesha
with him, but she was quiet."

"What did he say?" I think Walter believed me.

"He said that he figured out about the insurance, and that
it was important. He said we weren't going to get sick."

"Did he say that?"

"He said that everyone was 'there', wherever 'there' was,
except for some who didn't want to stay. And that we
wouldn't be going 'there.' And something about water."

"Did he...did he..."

I took his hands and looked him in the eye. "Walter, he
said for me to tell you that he missed you and needed you."
He smiled tightly at that.

"That's Fox. Even now he can't say...Okay. Let's see if we
can figure this riddle out over breakfast."

I nodded. We weren't going to get any more sleep that night
anyway.

***Chapter Seven***

A few minutes later, I was in the girl's locker room
showering. At least there was plenty of hot water. Water.
Mulder was so emphatic about water.

How was the water processed here? I couldn't smell any
chlorine. We'll have to check. This I could manage. And
there has to be something else I can check. What did Walter
and I have in common besides our insurance that Mulder
didn't also share? And that Janice Barry did?

All of these questions were spinning around my head as I
dried myself off and got dressed. Once again, I didn't
bother with makeup or doing more than combing and tying my
hair back. I grabbed a fresh set of scrubs and a pair of
sneakers and I was set.

Walter was waiting for me outside the boy's locker room.

"I keep waiting for the coach to show up and tell me to stop
dawdling."

A man his age in sweats walked by. "I would at least tell
you not to wear shoes on my floor."

"You're the coach?"

"Yeah. Most of my kids are here someplace, with their
folks. Football?"

"Football."

"What about your boyfriend? It's hard to tell with him
lying down like that, but I'll bet basketball."

Walter stood for a second. Then he nodded. "Fox was a
varsity basketball player."

"Small town like this?"

"Place up in Massachusetts. I only went there once, on
business."

"Must have been hard on a boy like that. Someone like you -
you're big. No problem. Skinny ones - they get beat up
sometimes."

"Coach? Is it written on our foreheads?"

"Might as well be. That pretty little doctor sure isn't
involved with him, and you...you watch him like he was glass
or something. And you touch him, too. Don't worry. I saw
things like that in 'Nam - some boys just needed to be with
each other. You were a Marine. I can always tell the
Marines."

"Yes. You were..."

"Air Force. Rescue. I have some medic training, so I
figured I might as well be of use while I wait. That's my
wife over there." He pointed to a comatose woman.

"What unit?"

"Sir? We have to talk." I knew that if I let them, they'd
be trading stories for hours.

"That's right. You two get yourselves some breakfast. It's
going to be another long day."

"We'll talk later, Coach."

Something nagged at me. "Coach?"

"Yeah, little lady?"

I held my temper. "Has anyone taken your blood? At this
point, I'm more interested in why folks don't have it than
why they do."

He pointed to a puncture mark on his elbow. "That Janice
girl took some yesterday."

"Thank you, sir. And, sir?"

"Yes?"

"We'll get your kids back. Next year, your juniors will be
leading the league."

"I pray you're right, young lady. I pray you're right."

The halls were lined with patients - and they'd run out of
cots, so they were lying on blankets. It looked like a
scene out of a Civil War movie.

Walter insisted that I pile my plate high with the eggs and
sausages and toast the lunch ladies were serving. I use the
term extremely loosely - one "lunch lady" needed a shave.

"If I know you, Scully, as soon as we're done you're going
to disappear inside that van for hours. You need your
strength."

The place was not empty, but it wasn't full, either. The
odd thing was that so many were in their forties or so -
with only a few my age. Was it something about boomers?
Couldn't be - Mulder was a boomer, if barely. It was one
more piece of data to add to the mix.

We sat down and began to eat. I didn't know I could be so
hungry at five in the morning.

"I've been thinking about what my dream said."

"You mean what Fox said?"

"Walter, it was only a dream - it was my subconscious.
Mulder isn't somewhere communicating with me. Wouldn't he
have gone to you last night?" I couldn't keep that edge out
of my voice.

"Dana, I think you are jealous."

"I'm not in love with Mulder. What sort of idiot woman
would fall for a man she knows is gay?"

"He's very good looking."

"He's damned beautiful. But I'm not that shallow."

"He's also damned brilliant."

"And he's also nuts. Don't forget that." I shook my head.
"I love him, I think. He's a good man, and he has the
courage of his convictions, despite what those convictions
are." I snorted. "He's a good partner when he doesn't
ditch me. He's honest. And he doesn't mind that I'm a
better shot or that I know things, or that I cut people up,
or that I disagree with most of his theories. He's probably
the best friend I have. He was there for me when my...Emily
died, and I pushed him away, and he respected that."

"You pushed him away?"

"I needed to be alone. Mulder...Mulder can cry in public.
Not many men can. Not many can cry in private. The men in
my family can't. And I can't. I can't be weaker than my
brothers, you know? Missy could - Missy wasn't driven to be
anyone but herself, to prove anything. Why am I telling you
this?"

"Because you need to? Because I'm a friend?"

"Are you a friend? Not so long ago, I was telling Mulder to
accuse you of being part of the conspiracy. He didn't
believe me. He believed you. Even at the time I could
guess why. And I was jealous that he didn't believe me.
And I was glad to be wrong."

"I'm a friend. I've always been a friend, even before I let
myself fall for Fox. I do care for you, Scully. I've never
had a finer agent work for me, or a more competent one. I
once told Fox I respected you, and I do. You should
be...your assignment is holding you back."

"I don't care. Mulder used to joke that I'd be heading the
FBI. He stopped awhile ago. I know you make him happy.
I...just wish...I don't know. Maybe I want him to make me
happy; maybe I want to be the one that makes him smile."

"No one smiles like him."

"No one does. Or maybe I want someone as in love with me as
you are with him. You should see your face right now. It's
glowing."

"Men don't glow, Dana."

"You are. Everyone here sees it."

"Everyone. Everyone seems to have served in 'Nam, too."

"Not me."

"No...but we do share the same auto insurance. The one that
only officers and their children are eligible for. Didn't
Fox say something about that?"

"Yes, he said he figured it out..." I sat upright, nearly
spilling my coffee. "Everyone here is about your age,
Walter, and many are men. Look around - there aren't many
women. Even the 'lunch lady' has been replaced."

He looked at me. "Was Captain Scully on active duty during
Vietnam?"

"We didn't see him for years. I have to get to the van
now!"

"Finish your breakfast, Dana."

"Yes, sir. Walter - do me a favor. Check on the water
supply here - find out how it's processed."

"Yes, ma'am." There is something nice about Walter's rare
smiles.

We finished our breakfasts - I cleaned my plate like a good
girl - and we went our separate ways.

***Chapter Eight***

May 10
Barryville High School

It took time to collect the blood from a refrigerator in one
of the home ec rooms, bring it down to the van and get it
ready for testing. I took all the time I needed. I knew
that the answer had to be here - both here and in the fact
that so many of those seemingly immune were connected to the
military in Vietnam.

"Dr. Scully! Lunch!"

It was Janice Barry with a tray of something I'd rather not
think about and coffee. I let her in.

I cleared some room for the tray. "Lunch time already?"

"Past. This place is amazing. I wouldn't even know how to
work some of this equipment."

I took a sip of the coffee. "I know most of it. Sometimes
I'm the only person on the scene who can do lab work."

"A doctor doing lab work. I haven't seen that since I
became a civilian. We're lucky you're here, Dr. Scully."

"I'm still trying to figure out what it is."

"Eat first. No one can think with low blood sugar." I
smiled.

"Yes, Mom."

"I'm probably old enough to be your mother, young lady." I
began to eat. "Your parents must be very proud of you."

"My mom says she is. My dad was not happy I chose to be in
the FBI instead of in practice, but Mom said that even so,
he was proud of me."

"Your father is dead?"

"He's been gone a few years now. He was a captain in the
Navy. I grew up on bases all over."

"See. I knew you were a military brat."

I nodded, my mouth full. She was right. A little food and
caffeine made things a lot better.

Something pinged. I got up to check on a test I'd begun.

"Oh my God!"

"What is it, Dr. Scully?"

"This is my own blood. I needed multiple samples for some
tests and I was available. I have *antibodies* to the
organism. See?" I showed her the test results, but she
waved them off. "Ms. Barry, since you're here anyway, may I
take another sample of your blood?" She nodded and pushed
up her sleeve.

I asked her to get some blood samples from Walter and Mulder
and to pick a couple of victims and non-victims at random
and bring them back. Meanwhile, I gave her blood the same
test I gave my own. She had the antibodies. And I finished
my lunch. It didn't taste any better lukewarm.

"Dana? I have those samples. And some information."

I let Walter in. He had a tray of test tubes, all neatly
labeled and color coded, in his hands and a file folder
underneath his arm. He looked at my empty lunch with
approval.

I took the test tubes from him. "What did you learn?"

"The water comes from a tower, it's mostly rainwater, and
they don't do more than filter it. I have someone
collecting water samples now from the tank itself, and
people going to random houses and faucets to get more." I
nodded as I worked on the blood samples.

"What's this about antibodies?"

"So far, Janice Barry and I have antibodies. Barry has been
here for years, except for a stint in the Army, and I've
been here only since Thursday night. Neither of us are ill.
And both of us have military connections. I wish I had
Mulder's memory. Walter, do you know if any of the victims
have military connections?"

He looked thoughtful. "Some do. I recall some World War II
vets, and some kids from the Gulf War. Some are in the
national guard. No one currently active and here on leave."

"But no one from Vietnam and that era?"

"Not that I can recall. There are folks who didn't serve,
of course."

"What about wives and dependents? Any of them?"

"We didn't ask. I'll get the information."

"Thank you." As he left, with my lunch tray, I turned back
to the samples at hand.

By the time he came back with the information, the water
samples *and* a thermos of coffee, I had the results
correlated. I was staring at the printout as he walked in.

"Dana? What's wrong?"

"According to this, you and I and all the other survivors
tested have antibodies, while none of the victims do. I
suspect the organism is carried by the water, and we've all
ingested the local water. I'll test the water to be sure,
of course. We still can't lift the quarantine because I
can't guarantee that it can't be gotten by contact or
transmitted by air yet. Walter, do you know what it means
that the victims don't have antibodies?"

"Something to do with immunity?"

"When we get sick, our bodies begin producing antibodies to
fight the infection. These people aren't fighting the
infection at all. I should be finding either antibodies or
increasing amounts of the organism corresponding with the
length of time the victim has been out. I'm not finding
either. It's as if it's meant to induce this coma and then
stop. This is like no other disease I've ever seen."

"It's still killing people. We lost two more this morning."

"Who?"

"A little girl with a genetic heart problem and a very
healthy young man."

"Was the young man alone?"

"No. But his wife had already fallen victim when he went.
There is some record of depression."

"New victims?"

"No. I have a feeling we've reached the end there."

I sighed. "Let's see the information you have."

"I can enter it in your computer, and get it correlated.
You can go to our room and take a nap."

"Walter! People are dying. I can't take the time..."

"Dana, I'm letting you run this investigation because you
are the expert, and Fox's best chance, but I'm still your
boss. Get some rest. I'll get you in an hour or so."

"Yes, sir." I thought about gathering up my things, but
decided I didn't need to. "Walter, have you contacted the
Lone Gunmen?"

"Fox's lunatic friends? Not yet. Should I have?"

"Yes, I think you should. Ask them about secret biowarfare
experiments in the late sixties." He nodded, already at
work at the keyboard. I left him, and the coffee thermos,
there.

I didn't go straight to our room, though. After a stop in
the girl's room, where I had an automatic urge to smoke a
cigarette, I paid Mulder a visit. I brushed his hair back
from his face.

"Mulder, you hang in there. Do it for him. He loves you,
and you know you love him. You don't want to go away
without telling him that, do you? If you do, I'll hunt you
down myself, anyway I can. Oh, God, Mulder, if you knew how
much I needed you right now, you'd jump right out of that
bed." I shook my head. Yelling at him wasn't going to do
any good.

I gave Keesha a pat as I walked past her.

I half expected my partner to pay me another visit during my
nap. Instead, I dreamed of little green organisms and
little girls with rag dolls. It was a relief to wake up.
Walter was there when I did. He looked pale.

"What is it?"

"Dana, do you remember getting inoculated when you were
about six or so?"

I rubbed my eyes. "I think so. We were always getting
shots, you know. All the vaccines were coming out then -
rubella, measles, mumps."

"Even your older brother?"

"Bill? He got the measles, but he had the other
inoculations. What's this about?"

"Listen. Do you remember a time when your whole family,
even your mother, was inoculated against something?"

"Let me think. Yeah. I remember - it was some flu thing, I
guess. Daddy was away, of course. It wasn't very
successful. We all had low grade fevers right afterwards."

"You felt bad for a day or so, and then were back to
normal?"

I sat up. "Exactly. Walter, what's going on?"

"Fox's friends found evidence of mass inoculations around
1970 for everyone in active service and the families of
officers. They're trying to track down the exact dates and
times, and what was given now. Everyone walking around this
town today was either in the service in 1970 or was
connected to an active duty officer. And everyone I spoke
to remembers a shot that gave them a low grade fever."

"Oh, dear God. I need to confirm this. I need a sample of
my mother's blood. And I need to know how they managed to
make us immune if it doesn't produce antibodies, and what it
was meant to do. And how to bring Mulder and the others
back."

"Slow down, Dana. I'll arrange things with your mother.
I'll have to use the lunatics again. Damn."

"I can call them. Frohike will do anything for me - or at
least my phone number. I'll need blood from someone who
wouldn't have gotten inoculated, too. I'd enjoy bleeding
Frohike."

"I don't mind dealing with them. Fox is only marginally
saner." His smile was sad. "If I can deal with him, I can
deal with that trio. The government, the same government
that might have had a hand in this disease, is the one
giving us supplies. They know exactly what's going on
because I've kept them informed every step of the way."

"That's your job."

"I know. I just wonder how much danger we're in. Did you
know that we haven't made the news? I've been listening to
the local news stations and watching CNN when I have a
chance, and there is no mention at all. Byers tells me that
they haven't heard anything either. We have an epidemic
that has taken out most of a town, including a visiting
federal agent, and no one knows about it."

"No one knows. We're being covered up." I closed my eyes
briefly.

"Okay. We have to work outside the government. I should be
used to that.

"Well, at least you and Fox have the contacts."

"I'm going to call my mother. She should know what's going
on."

"Good idea. Do you have the results of the water testing?"

"No. They are simple enough tests, so I have one of the
science teachers doing it in a school lab. If I could get
the equipment out of the van, I'd set it up...I'm a fool.
There are enough strong arms I can borrow for that."

"At your disposal, Dr. Scully."

I grinned. "Round them up and I'll direct."

Within a half hour, I had the closest thing to a laboratory
I could get - a nicely equipped chemistry lab, with Bunsen
burner jets and sinks and more electrical outlets than I
could ever need. Walter looked around and said that he'd
drag me out at 11PM, kicking and screaming if need be. And
then he'd lock the door and hide the keys.

I smiled and dug out my cell phone.

"Hi, Mom? It's me, Dana."

***Chapter Nine***

The food was getting better. Maybe the "lunch lady" guy was
just a better cook, maybe it was that he had so few people
to cook for. I don't know. Maybe I was just hungry.

Walter didn't wait until eleven to drag me out of my lab.
He let me pay a visit to Mulder and Keesha, and then took me
to the cafeteria.

He sat me down at a table and brought me my dinner. Someone
else got me a cup of coffee - and put real cream in it.
People kept stopping by the table and saying things.

"God bless you, Dr. Scully."

"Dr. Scully, I know you'll bring my boys back to me."

"Dr. Scully, I thank God you and Mr. Skinner are here for
us."

"When we get through this, Dr. Scully, it will be because of
you."

"I tell you this, little lady. I'll never say a bad word
about the government again. Not after what you and Skinner
have been doing for us."

I don't know which was worse: that I was doing nothing
except for puttering around in a lab while people were
*dying* or that it was the government that may have gotten
them into this.

I must have been exhausted. That's the only explanation I
can find for my loss of control. I just couldn't keep the
tears from flowing. I felt a hand on my shoulder. For a
moment it felt familiar, and then I remembered where my
partner was.

"So slender to carry the world." I don't think he meant for
me to hear those words, he said them so softly. Almost
magically, the people around us disappeared. I don't know
how he did that.

Then the tray was in front of me and Walter was sitting next
to me. He took my hand. His hand was warm.

"Dana, do you need to leave?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine."

"You are not fine, Dana Scully."

I wiped away the tears with my free hand and took a deep
breath.

"No. I'm not fine. I'm scared. I'm scared that I'll fail
and let all those people down. That I'll let you down.
That I'll let Mulder down, and he and Keesha and all the
others will spend the rest of their lives like that."

He nodded and squeezed my hand. "I'm scared, too. I'm
scared that we won't do our job and help these people. I'm
scared that forces within our government may have made this
situation. I'm scared that someone is keeping this a
secret. I'm scared of the uses the military might find for
this disease."

I had never thought I'd hear Walter Skinner say things like
that. On the other hand, if someone like him could admit he
was frightened, then maybe it wasn't so bad that I was
frightened, too. I squeezed his hand back and tried to
smile.

After dinner, I went back to my lab. Mr. Grange, the
science teacher, was already there.

"Just in time, Dr. Scully. I have a report all ready for
you."

To my amusement, it was in an old-fashioned graph paper
notebook, exactly like I'd used myself in high school.
Unlike the one I'd kept, though, the handwriting was
beautiful and each number was crisp, clear and figured out
only to significant figures. The nuns had despaired of my
handwriting early on. Laptop computers are a godsend.

"I see you used bottled water as a control."

"Yes. If you notice, all the municipal water has the
organism, but not the well water."

"I see. You did manage to infect the bottled water. Why
isn't it in the water table. Do we need to warn other towns
around us?"

"I don't think so. The well water should have been
infected, but it isn't. I do see what looks like dead
organisms. It looks like only the initial infection lasts
any time - if you check the bottled water I infected, you'll
notice that there is a significant reduction in the amount
of the organism now."

"Yes. I see that, Mr. Grange. This is good news. There
might be some growth medium infecting the water at the
tower. It also means no other town is in danger. Thank
you."

"I ran some other experiments using the tap water. I'm
testing for some element that is in the rainwater but not in
the ground water that might be sustaining the organism."

"Let me know if you find anything. Have you tried killing
the organism in the tap water?"

"Yes. Bleach works. Boiling for ten minutes works. Lower
temperatures don't work at all - I've tested hot tap water
as well as cold. Soap works. I'm still waiting for the ice
cubes to test freezing. It's all there."

"So normal water processing would take care of the
pathogen."

"I'd say so."

"There's nothing else, then."

"Not really. Dr. Scully, you have been an inspiration to
all of us. This is the first time I've done any real
scientific work since grad school."

I just smiled.

"Good night, Dr. Scully. I'm off to dinner."

"Thank you, Mr. Grange. I'll see you in the morning."

I sat down to read the report. Everything was indeed there.
He even charted the reduction in the amount of organisms in
the control groups.

He'd also exposed the organism to air - it died. This meant
that it was transmitted by water and there was probably no
need for a quarantine - not that anyone should take any
chances.

Until I received a sample of my mother's blood, I was stuck.
I needed the blood of someone I knew for certain had gotten
the inoculation but who had never, ever, been in Barryville.
Mom was perfect.

There was nothing else I could do until I had those samples.
I went to the wards.

Walter was there. He was turning patients. He seemed happy
to use his muscles for a change. He was so gentle with them
- gentle in the way only a strong man could be. And he
spoke to them. I didn't hear what he said because it was
too far away and he was speaking too softly, but his lips
only stopped moving between patients. He kissed all the
children before he left them.

This was not Walter Skinner the assistant director, nor
Walter Skinner my partner's lover. This was the friend I'd
discovered one night in my partner's apartment. He was my
friend. And as much as I missed Mulder's insight, I was
glad Skinner was here.

Walter finally noticed me. He touched his patient on his
shoulder and came over.

"How are you doing, Dana?"

"Stuck. We need those samples."

"So you came here instead of going to bed?"

"I needed to be reminded that there are humans involved."

"You never forgot."

"You look worried about something."

"Whoever did this is keeping it a secret. We know this
secret. All of the people in the town know this secret.
I'm worried that Barryville will disappear, and take us
along with it."

"You sound like Mulder."

"Sometimes Fox has the right idea."

"I don't know what to do about this. I'll leave that to
you."

"Good thinking. Go to bed, Dana."

"Not yet. I want to talk to Mulder."

He nodded and went back to his work. As I walked to
Mulder's cot, I spied a rosary draped over another patient.
I touched the woman lying there to ask permission and took
it.

I held the beads in my hand as I told Mulder everything that
had happened - the findings, the possible involvement,
Walter's worries, my worries. For once, he listened. Last
time he did, he was someone else.

Then I prayed. I said a novena - the first novena I'd said
since my cancer went into remission. When I finished, I
felt better, as if I'd accomplished something. Maybe I did.
I took Skinner's advice and went to bed.

Feeling a lot like a child, I crossed myself and said a
paternoster before going to sleep. It certainly couldn't
hurt. My mother and her priest would have been proud of me.
Mulder would have been tolerant.

Then I settled down, half fearful of what, or whom, I might
see in my dreams.

I saw Mulder. He had Keesha in his arms, and he was
shouting my name. I couldn't hear it, but he was shouting
all the same. Once again, I fought my way closer. I tried
to see where we were, but all I could get was an impression
of *nice.*

"Scully!" I could hear him.

"Mulder!"

"It's hard, Scully. We're losing our way. People are
starting to drift. Hold me here."

"How?"

"I can hear you talk to me. I can feel Walter. We know who
is with us. Anchor us."

"Come back to us."

"We can't get back in. Like a genie, you let it out and you
can't put it back. Let it out."

"Let what out? Mulder!"

"Tired. So tired. Watch the sick ones, they go first. And
tell Walter...I know when he's there. I'm glad he's there.
Tired."

They were gone. And I had more questions than answers. And
I understood what an anchor was.

I don't remember waking up, exactly. Walter said he heard
me murmur "anchor" as he walked in, and then I was asleep
again.

***Chapter Ten***

There was no sunlight in the tiny classroom. Walter's alarm
watch woke us up.

Everything was finally clear. Perhaps my brain had
processed it after my dream.

"Walter, I know what we have to do."

He was wide awake. My father was like that, too - alert as
soon as he opened his eyes.

"About what?"

"Have you received any orders to keep this quiet?"

"No." His eyes widened. "No, I haven't. Would this start
a panic?"

"Panics start at the oddest things. I couldn't predict. If
you make it clear that the organism can be killed by boiling
or regular water processing, there should be no problem, but
who knows? Tell them that the disease is a mystery we are
on our way to solving, and that very few people have died.
Don't even hint that one group of people are immune, or why.
Be visible. Do you have a suit with you?"

"Not really. Does it matter? No one will see me. I'll
conduct the interview by phone. Anything else?"

"Yes. All the things you did last night? Keep them up.
Get other people to do the same when they can spare the
time."

"What things?"

"Talk to the patients, pat them, kiss the kids. I had
another dream last night. Mulder told me something about
anchors. Keep them anchored, Walter. You can do it."

"If you say so. Meanwhile, before I leak something to the
press and you get those samples, let's get the day started."

"Yes, sir."

I don't know how they did it, but they managed to send both
blood samples - and it was Frohike's blood - via the medical
supply airlift.

By this time, I could set one of those tests up in minutes.
My mother had the antibodies; Frohike did not.

Janice Barry came to my classroom with a portable radio.

"Listen to this, Dr. Scully."

It was a county level news station. I could hear the tag
end of a local commercial.

"And remember, Big Tom is your friend when it comes to
buying a pre-owned automobile. That's Big Tom on Temple
Road."

"And we're back with Assistant Director Walter S. Skinner of
the FBI on the phone from Barryville, which is in the middle
of a strange and deadly epidemic.

"Mr. Skinner, what is the FBI's involvement in this?"

"Two of my agents form a unit that investigates strange
occurrences such as this epidemic. They received word of
the situation last Thursday."

"What is the situation?"

"People are falling into strange comas, and some are dying.
One of the agents, Dr. Dana Scully, has isolated the
organism that causes the coma, and has determined that it
will not go beyond this community. It seems to live in the
water tower used only by Barryville, and nowhere else. We
have been unable to successfully infect other sources of
water, and believe that the disease is not carried either by
air or contact."

"What are the symptoms?"

"Onset is sudden and complete. The victim looks dead at
first, but careful examination will reveal a slow heartbeat,
and EEG's will pick up minimal brain function. These people
are alive, and we will bring them back. Dr. Scully is a
determined woman and I have every faith in her."

"What are her plans now?"

"She is working on a cure or a vaccine. We have evidence
that a vaccine is possible."

"This is WBCR, Barry County Radio, with Assistant Director
Walter S. Skinner of the FBI."

"Turn that down, Ms. Barry." Thank the Lord it was now in
the open.

"Why is he doing this, Doctor?"

"There is no need to keep it a secret, and maybe we can get
some extra help." Something was bothering me.

"Janice, did anyone else die recently?"

"Two more in the Girls' Gym and one in the hospital. No one
in the Boys' Gym."

"Anything odd about them?"

"Mrs. Henry was an 85-year-old widow, and her kids and
grandkids are all on cots somewhere. Her kidneys were
starting to fail. Mimi Jones was new in town. Don't know
much about her, except that her boyfriend had just dumped
her and she wanted to make a fresh start. Little Tommy
Perry was eight months old and healthy. He's the one from
the hospital."

"We need to correlate this. We have information on the
victims and on the survivors. We need information on the
dead. I want ages, sex, occupations, if they have family
and where the family is, how long until they were found if
that information is available, where they were when they
died and illnesses, if any."

Barry wrote all of this down. "It does seem as though an
awful lot of them were sick."

"Oh, my God. Are we treating existing ailments? Or have we
been blinded by the coma?"

"I don't think we have been taking care of pre-existing
conditions." She looked shocked. "What were we thinking?"

"Some of the illnesses might not be present now - high blood
pressure, some metabolic disorders. We have to check.
Janice - are there any pregnant women?"

"Yes. Several. They are all on monitors in the hospital
maternity ward. The babies seem to be still alive."

"Thank God!"

"Amen. I'll get right on those things, Doctor."

"Janice...thank you. I don't think I could have done this
without you."

"I'm a Barry, Dr. Scully. This is my town." There was
something very old and familiar in her voice. It made me
think of my mother and of Sr. Mary Josene, my elementary
school principal, and, oddly enough, of Kim, Walter's
assistant.

"This is a fortunate town, then."

"Yes. You're here." She left with her notes.

Walter in walked shortly thereafter, with lunch and that
thermos.

"Will no one leave me in peace to think?"

"Nope. Someone has to take care of the doctor. Nurse Barry
is busy interrogating dead people, so I figured I'd do
lunch.

"Actually, I'm glad you're here. I heard you on the radio
this morning."

"I also made it to CNN. They can't hide it now."

"All I need to do is find a cure." I shook my head. "I
can't do miracles, Walter."

"What do we have?"

"In terms of being sick and not sick, we have antibodies in
the group that isn't ill and none in the group that is ill."

"So all we have to do is transfer the antibodies from one to
the other?"

"Yeah. I have to start making a serum. I don't even know
if it will work, or if we will have enough, or even why we
have them and they don't."

"You'll need more blood?"

"From everyone still standing. I feel like a vampire."

"Do blood types matter?

"No. We filter that out."

"Start with me. And start with Fox."

"If I didn't, he'd kill me. Walter, I noticed something.
Remember I told you about touching the patients?"

"Yes."

"Have you been in the Girls' gym at all?"

"That's not where Fox is."

"Last night, two people died in the Girls' gym. No one died
in the Boys'. I think the difference is you. Tell the
people in that ward to talk to the patients, to touch them.
They are still alive and still human, and deserve to be
treated that way."

"I'll tell them. And they'll do it. Dr. Scully's word is
law at the moment."

I never wanted power. Now I had it and it galled.

"Good. Ask Mr. Grange and any one else who can handle a
test tube to come up here, please. But first...roll up your
sleeve."

He grimaced, but complied. I was getting rather good at
taking blood, too. I hadn't taken so much since I finished
my internship.

Shortly thereafter, I had the first dose of serum ready. I
checked to make sure that the antibodies were present and
filled a syringe. The Boys' gym was a flight down. People
joined me as I walked. I felt like I was leading a parade.
I hate working with audiences.

Walter was standing next to Mulder. I injected it directly
into my partner's IV port. Now, all we could do was wait to
see what it would do. And pray. I found myself beseeching
St. Luke for his help. My mother would be proud.

We only had one centrifuge available, and it was going at
full capacity to separate the blood so that we could make
serum. I still didn't know if it would work, but I wanted
to be prepared in case it did.

I was checking on blood and syringe supplies when Walter
came into my lab with a handful of fax sheets. His eyes
were blazing. I'd seen that look before, of course, but
usually Mulder was on the other side.

"It's all here, Dana. Everything the three of them could
dig up, plus whatever other information my own contacts
could get.

"We were experiments. All of us - you and your family, all
of us standing here. All experiments. And we were the
lucky ones."

"Let me see those." He handed them over. I glanced through
the reports. As I read, I felt the blood drain from my
face. Walter guided me to a chair.

"Biological warfare, tested on our own soldiers. To be used
on whole countries. But the first try didn't work. It was
carried by air, and it was too close to diseases we were
familiar with. No one got more than ill, and we all
developed antibodies. We didn't have the skills then to
make it more effective." There was no emotion in Walter's
voice. I buried my head in my hands as he continued.

"We have those skills now, and we have the AIDS virus to
help us out. They learned to suppress the immune system for
this one bug. Damn. So they went back to work. This would
knock out an entire city if they can get it past the water
processing plants."

"They can. All they need to do is add the nutrient to
plastic bottles. And it's perfect - it's based on
pollution. Acid rain is the perfect medium. Mr. Grange
figured that out. Oh, God, Walter! The ground filters it
out before it hits the water table. They were using this
town as guinea pigs. Who?"

"The military. The consortium, maybe, to fight the aliens.
They were surprised at the coma. Now all they need to know
is how to bring the victims out, just in case our boys get
it. We were just fortunate that the earlier antibodies work
for us. We're doing their dirty work and we have no
choice."

"If you hadn't gone public this morning...we'd be dead. The
people who did this don't care about human life. But they
can't touch us now."

"I hope you're right, Dana. For all of our sakes."

I stood up. This was no time to cry. "We have work to do.
I need to test Mulder's blood. Are you coming with me,
Walter?" He looked at me and shook his head.

"Coming, Dana."

The blood results were good. The pathogens, whatever they
were, were dying. Mulder himself had a low grade fever.
However, there was no other change. He was still in a coma.
We decided that getting rid of the bugs would be a good
first step anyway, so we began injecting serum into all the
victims, stopping only to make more.

One of the history teachers was a fan of a series of books
about dragons. She suggested a primitive centrifuge -
swinging a test tube in a circle. An auto mechanic and a
shop teacher came up with a mechanized form. And we got
more medical supplies from Columbus - thanks to Walter's
publicity.

By the next day, we had wards of people without any trace of
the organism, all lying as still as death. But no one had
died in the night. And Mulder left me alone. I didn't know
what that meant.

***Chapter Eleven***

We had been in Barryville a week. The organism was gone and
the quarantine was lifted, and no one else had died, but
that was the only change.

No one was neglected any more. Everyone got a kind word, a
touch, a kiss, something, all day long. Those who needed it
had their normal medical treatment. The death data had
painted a clear picture - no one who had any family or
friends around them had died, unless they were already
seriously ill. None of these had died of their illnesses,
or anything else. It was as if they'd decided they didn't
want to return. Mulder had told us that in my dream.

I spent my time trying to revive them. I tried L-Dopamine,
I tried stimulants, I tried anything I could think of. I
even yelled at Mulder. He was hooked up to an EEG - I
wanted to know if anything changed in him. Walter kept
stealing time to caress him. He never stopped, but he was
looking exhausted. We all were.

It was too much. I dropped my tray of useless medicines and
ran to our little, windowless room and let myself rage. I
couldn't do anything, make anything work. Mulder and Keesha
and all the others would be like this forever. Maybe they
wouldn't even age. Wouldn't that be a kick? Mulder
beautiful forever while Walter and I crumble to dust? I was
so useless!

"Dana?"

"Walter, go away, please!"

"Dana, the EEG is moving. Something's happening! Come,
see!"

I jumped off my cot and came running. Sure enough, there
was the beginnings of higher brain functions. Walter
grabbed Mulder's hand.

"Come on, Fox. Come back to us all the way. I need you,
lover. Come back home. This is Walter. I know you've
never obeyed an order in your life, but listen to me now. I
love you, Fox and I'll bring you back with main force."

"Mulder, don't ditch me now. You know I'll come get you.
Come back!"

Mulder's eyelids fluttered, and his mouth twitched. I could
see him trying to make words. I clutched at Walter, who'd
also seen this. He bent closer to hear the tiny whisper.

"He says...he says you can't get rid of him...He's back."
There were tears running down Walter's face. I'd never seen
him cry before. "He says... Oh, God. He says he loves me.
Why'd you wait until now, you bastard?" Walter buried his
face in Mulder's chest, unable to contain himself.

As for me - I spent the next few minutes crying on Janice
Berry's shoulder. For once, I wasn't ashamed to cry in
public. She was crying, too. Everyone was - especially
when first Keesha and then the others started to move. They
were back. All of them were back. Within a few minutes, we
heard shouts from the other ward and the hallways and
classrooms, and there were phone calls from the hospital.

The next few days were a blur. Miraculously, almost no one
needed physical therapy, and there was no harm done by the
interrupted medical treatments. Even the pregnancies were
fine. As people groaned and moved and got back into life,
we moved them home. The gym emptied rapidly. I did a few
random blood tests, and everyone had the antibodies in their
systems.

The army built the town a new water tower and the old one
was emptied and destroyed. Walter made certain the whole
country, the whole world, knew it was over, and he made
equally sure I wrote a detailed report. He also made rather
too much of me. I read what he wrote.

"It was only due to the untiring efforts of Agent Scully and
to the depth and breadth of her medical skills that we were
able to succeed in this. I recommend that she be cited for
her work. She is perhaps the finest agent I have ever had
the privilege of serving with."

I was doing my job and fulfilling both of my oaths. I could
do no less.

Mulder moved next to me on the plane ride home. We were
traveling first class for a change - and we were all alone
in the cabin. He and Walter had begun with some discreet
snuggling, but Walter was asleep now.

He had to pick up the rag doll that Keesha had given me "so
I wouldn't forget her." Barryville was a part of me now. I
wouldn't forget any of them. Even so, it felt good to put
the toy on the seat next to me. It was the only gift I let
them give me. Mulder unselfconsciously cuddled the doll.

"The famous Dr. Scully."

"Stop it, Mulder."

"That was me in your dreams, you know. I needed to reach
you."

"You did. But I thought it was my subconscious talking to
me."

"The ever skeptical Dana Scully."

"What took you so long to get back?"

"I had to find the way. Scully, I can't describe what it
was like. We were all in this place - the whole town. We
were like balloons - tethered to the Earth with ribbons. As
time went on and more people joined us, the ribbons got
thinner. I had the strongest ribbons. I had you and I had
Walter and you were both always thinking about me, talking
to me, keeping me there. Other people ... some removed
their ribbons and floated away. Others were just too weak.
The ribbons snapped.

"I kept trying to get back, but when I tried, the way was
closed. I could feel Walter, but I couldn't get back. I
could see it, but I couldn't reach it. And then the way was
open, but I didn't have the strength to use it until you two
shouted at me. Then I could lead the others. I don't know
how long we could have waited. It kept getting harder. You
did save us, Scully."

I didn't say anything. He was wrong, but I didn't say
anything. He smiled that smile and went back to Walter,
leaving the doll behind.

---
Copyright 1998 Debra Fran Baker and NightRoads Associates.