Chapter 7: Restoration
1996
Dana Scully’s apartment
Friday
Dana Scully opened her apartment door with a deep sigh. She’d just left Mulder at the hospital, but she had no idea what was wrong with him. The state of her apartment did not register for a moment, but when it did, all it drew from her was another deep sigh. Everything about this case had been wrong. Scully wondered absently if whoever had turned over her apartment had found what they were looking for, although she couldn’t imagine what that might have been. She ignored the mess and headed straight for the bedroom. All that mattered right now was getting a good nights sleep. Her silly little dog tailed her around the apartment, despite the fact that she ignored it.
[Scully wasn’t to know that the people who had searched her apartment *had* found what they came to find and they had taken it with them – a file, a videotape and a small polished stone with an odd inscription.]
She caught sight of herself – bedraggled and still a little damp – in the bedroom mirror and sighed once more. Stepping closer she saw a strange mark on her forehead. It looked like a fingerprint burnt into the skin, but it was already fading. Scully dismissed it because she was too tired to think. She removed her damp clothes and fell onto the bed. Within minutes she was fast asleep – when she woke up the mark would be gone and she would never believe that it had really been there at all.
XXXXXX***
The hospital
Monday.
Mulder surfaced through layers of cotton wool. The lights, although muted, seemed blinding in those first moments of consciousness.
“Good morning.” A low female voice drawled from a few feet away and he smiled. <Scully>
“Where am I, Scully?” He asked, his voice thick with sleep. He coughed to clear his throat and looked about him.
“I had you admitted to hospital Mulder, although there was no real reason for you to be here.” The mention of hospital woke him up completely and his took note of the IV drip running to his arm and the sterile surroundings of the hospital room.
“What do you mean?” He asked perplexed.
“You were asleep Mulder. For five days.” She paused to look at his confused face.
“Five days?” He repeated and she nodded.
“I had them run every test I could think of. You weren’t hurt – apart from a few bruises – you weren’t comatose. You were just asleep. The doctors tried all they could to wake you up, but nothing worked.” Her laugh was a bright sound – he liked it. “You wouldn’t believe the time I had trying to explain it to Skinner. He thinks you’re running a medical expenses scam.”
“Asleep?” He questioned, surpressing a smile.
“How do you feel?” Scully asked, concern etched into her face.
“I guess I’m not dead.” He said, this time allowing the smile, which Scully returned as she recognised his words. His smile evaporated. “What happened Scully? I remember going into the warehouse but the rest is a haze . . . apart from. . .”
“Don’t even try to remember Mulder.” She said tartly, cutting him off. He turned to look up at her in surprise. “I heard a gunshot and I went to find you, but all I can remember is a bright light. I woke up hours later lying in a pool of water but the warehouse was empty.”
“Scully that sounds like…”
“I don’t want to know what happened – whatever it was is *over*.” She swallowed, then continued calmly. “I found you unconscious and called Skinner. We took you home but when you didn’t wake up I brought you here.” She gestured at the room in general, then looked back at him seriously. “There is no official report on this and the case is closed.”
“But Scully…” Mulder began, sitting up.
“But nothing Mulder.” She said cutting him off again. She sighed. “Nothing happened. The case is closed.”
“Scully, w..w..what about Magdaline Sza….!” He exclaimed, reaching out to her.
“Magdaline Szabi died of a heart attack.” She stated firmly, avoiding his grip.
“You know that’s a lie – the water in her lungs…?”
“Maybe I do, but the case is *still* closed.” Her voice was quiet and insistent.
“But…” He tried again.
“Leave it Mulder.” She answered dismissively.
“Scul…”
“Leave it!” Their eyes locked, his angry and hers full of tears. “I have a *very* bad feeling about it. Just this once. Leave it.” Her voice dropped and held an edge which sounded like pain.
“But..”
“Please.” She said quietly and Mulder couldn’t argue with her anymore. He nodded wordlessly and suddenly realised that something was missing.
“Scully, have you seen the pendant that Amanda gave me?” He said, putting his hand to his throat.
“You weren’t wearing it at the warehouse.” Scully remarked, thankful that he had stopped arguing.
“Yes I was.” He insisted and Scully’s brow creased.
XXXXXX*******
Mulder’s Office
Mulder reached into the pocket of his coat and strew the contents across his already messy desk. He found a pen, a scattering of sunflower seeds, some chewing gum and a folded up piece of paper.
“Yearly pocket clean out Mulder?” Scully asked from the doorway. Mulder looked up at her and gave her a bright smile as she walked over to the desk. She grabbed several of the seeds and popped one into her mouth. He watched with interest as she deftly shelled it. Their eyes met and they both smiled. Scully dropped her eyes to the desk and locked on the carefully folded up piece of paper.
“What’s that?” She asked. Mulder picked it up and opened it out. His brow creased and he looked up at Scully.
“It looks like your handwriting.” He said, passing it to her. Scully read the address on the paper and shook her head.
“It does look like my handwriting but I don’t recognise the address.” Mulder shrugged and took the paper back from her.
“I better keep it just in case it’s important.” He filed the paper neatly – by throwing it into one of the desk drawers. He didn’t see that when he shut the drawer the piece of paper fell down behind it – lost forever.
A knock sounded at the office door and Mulder called the person in. The man was stocky in build, had a moustache and carried a box of slides. He also looked as if he’d recently been beaten up, a large purplish bruise covering the area around his nose.
“Agent Mulder? I need your help.” He said.
XXXXXX********
Mulder and Scully stepped out of the elevator in the underground car park and walked towards their car.
“You drive.” Scully told him.
“Control freak.” He answered with a wry smile.
“What? How can I be a control freak when I’m letting you drive.” She complained and Mulder jumped on her words.
“*That’s* why you’re a control freak – you’re *letting me* drive.”
“Fine. Then I’ll drive.” She replied calmly.
“It’s okay. I’ll drive.” He said with a smile. Scully shrugged and went to the passenger side, but Mulder followed her and stood so close that she couldn’t open the door.
“What are you doing?” She liked it when he stood this close, but it was also very disturbing to her nerves.
“You know Scully, you haven’t answered me yet.”
“Answered you about what?”
“I seem to remember telling you that I love you.” He replied casually. Scully stiffened and tried to move away.
“On seconds thoughts, I’ll drive.” She answered, but he trapped her with his body, placing his hands on the car either side of her.
“I’m waiting for my answer.” He insisted.
“Come on,” She sighed. “We’re supposed to be going on a stakeout.”
“All you have to do is say that you love me.”
“Mulder!” She said, pretending that her patience was wearing thin. In reality she was panicking. She needed to get away.
“Come on.” He mocked. “It’s not difficult; I-Love-You.” His head swooped suddenly, his lips taking hers by surprise. It was a brutal kiss that forced Scully’s head back against the car. She tried to sink lower and get away from him but he followed her downwards. He let his lips slid to her throat. “Say it.” He told her firmly. She shook her head and this time when his lips met hers they were no longer brutal. Scully wanted to respond to him but something kept telling her not to. She pushed at his shoulders, all the time his lips played caressingly over hers testing her resolve. Scully gave a hefty shove and forced him back a couple of inches. They were both gasping for breath but Scully just shook her head.
“I don’t love you Mulder.” She lied, convincing neither herself nor him. He leaned towards her and placed his lips near to her ear and kissed the lobe.
“I don’t believe you.” He whispered silkily, then moved away. Scully closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. She heard, rather than saw, Mulder go to the other side of the car and get in.
“Come on Scully.” He called after her when she didn’t get in. “We’re supposed to be on a stakeout.” There was a definite smile in his voice. Scully wanted to hit him <or kiss him again>.
XXXXXX*****
Mulder held the cell-phone to his ear letting it ring and ring. He looked over at the woman sleeping on his shoulder. He loved her so much, why didn’t she just admit that she felt the same. She *would* admit it one day – he would see to that – in the meantime, he could wait. He thought about all the bad things which had happened to her. Never again – he promised, for the hundredth time – anyone trying to hurt her would have to go through him to do it.
Tearing his eyes from her peacefully sleeping form, he looked again at the still ringing phone. With a slight shrug he gave up and stopped it. Then he looked back at Scully. He reached out and ran the hand holding the phone down her cheek. She was startled awake and he smiled.
“I think you drooled on me.” He commented wryly. She looked a little shaken. <Good>
“Sorry.” She muttered absently and put some distance between them. Physically it was only about a foot and a half, but to Mulder it was the mental distance that upset him. He forced himself to be cheerful. Their attention was grabbed by the pay phone across the street ringing insistently.