Chapter 5: Mulder’s Truths
Sometime in the future.
Scully’s Apartment
<Mulder didn’t die..hang on..> Scully’s half-smile faltered. <..He deliberately lied to me and made me think that he was dead! *His* decision. He ditched me again! This really beats every time he’s done it in the past. This even beats the time he left me screaming after him. Dammit! He lied to me!>
Scully was fuming as she stepped into her apartment. She was distracted by her train of thought. She didn’t see the shooter in her apartment until a split second before the muzzle flash. Rational thought disappeared but instinct took over.
Pain ripped through her as the bullet tore into her flesh.
********************
Outside Scully’s Apartment Building
Mulder held his gun loosely in his palm as he crept along the wall of Scully’s building towards a suspicious looking black car. A man was seated in the drivers seat looking nervous. Keeping the gun out of sight, Mulder casually crossed to the car and knocked on the window. The man inside wound the window down and stuck his head out.
“Look, fu..!” He said to the barrel of Mulder’s gun.
“Get out of the car!” Mulder ordered him. The man went for his gun but Mulder fired a shot into the car which shattered the rear view mirror and blasted out through the front windshield, sending a shower of fragments into the air. The man in the car froze and stared at Mulder in shock. “Get out of the car.” Although his voice was calmer than the first time it held more authority and the man scrambled out of the car. Mulder grabbed his shoulder and dragged him towards the building, where he threw him against the wall. “What are your orders?” He demanded. The man just glared at him. Mulder hit him with his gun, then pressed him up against the wall and put the gun under his chin. “Your orders?” A trickle of blood ran out of the mans mouth as he tried to speak. “Tell me!” Mulder yelled.
“You’re Mulder!” The man exclaimed, with a rush of saliva and blood.
“You have a problem with that?” Mulder demanded ironically.
“You’re dead.” He gasped.
“If I’m dead then I can’t blow your head off can I?” He forced the gun more firmly under his chin. “What were you here to do?”
“I’m just the driver man, my partner is up in the woman’s apartment.”
“You mean Scully’s?” Mulder demanded.
“Yeah, Scully’s.”
“Who sent you?” The man tried a laugh that didn’t really work because of the blood coming out of his nose. Mulder’s finger curled around the trigger, torn between the need to kill him and to go and see if Scully was okay. Scully won in his mind but he didn’t get a chance to act on it. He was dragged bodily off the first man and thrown against the hood of the car. The first assassin recovered quickly and joined his partner in attacking Mulder with fierce kicks and punches. For them, *this* was too good an opportunity to miss.
***********************
Scully’s apartment
Scully was amazed that she awoke at all. Her left arm was killing her and when she looked down all she saw was the blood. Her stomach lurched violently as a wave of shock hit her and she had to fight not to vomit. Her mind whirled as she recalled the series of events. She’d seen the flash from the gun and had swayed to the left, automatically acting to get out of the path of the bullet. Then all she recalled was pain as the bullet had cut a path across her left arm. She forced herself to examine the wound and found that the level of blood was giving a false impression. The bullet had passed through the soft tissue of her arm, ripping it to shreds on the way, but it should heal just fine. Three inches further right and she could have been dead.
Standing up was not an easy task but Scully persevered and, after staggering around a little, she made to the bathroom. Once there she began the painful task of bandaging up her arm.
*************************
Outside
Mulder could scarcely see through the mist which seemed to be covering his eyes. Pain ripped through him again and again but he could no longer place the source. For a moment he did not seem to be in contact with anything solid, then a wave of heat seared along his spine and became too much for his mind to comprehend. Luckily his head must have connected with something, because consciousness began to slide away from him.
**************************
Scully’s apartment
Scully bit her lip but could not contain the scream of pain as she tightened the bandage around her arm. Her mind swam again as the pain increased rather than receded and Scully began to lose consciousness. The black void began opening up welcomingly before her.
**************************
< “Scully!” Mulder yelled. The blackness around her was unending and Scully could see nothing, not even herself.
“Mulder, I’m over here!” She called in return.
“Scully, are you okay?”
“I’ve been shot but I’m okay. Where are we?”
“Inside our minds.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I can’t explain now. I just wanted to make sure you were alive. You *are* okay, you’re not lying to me?”
“Honestly. My arm’s a bit of a mess but I’ll live.”
“Good, just get to your mother’s and I’ll meet you as soon as I can.”
“Are *you* okay Mulder?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
“It’s not a problem. Just get to your mom’s house.”
“But Mulder..”
“Go quickly..before they realize you’re not dead.” >
***************************
Scully’s bathroom
She drifted back to reality slowly, then the pain registered again and she sat up to find herself on the floor. Mulder..she’d been talking to Mulder, but how..? Simple enough answer, it hadn’t been real. Still, she needed to get to her mom’s house and she needed to hurry. Clambering to her feet, she went to the cabinet and took out some strong painkillers. Quickly she washed them down with some water, taking care to sip the water rather than gulp it all back in one go. As an after thought she took her small first aid kit from where she’d dropped it on the floor. Feeling slightly steadier, she went to her bedroom and pulled on some jeans and a tee-shirt, covered them with a loose jumper and put on some sturdy shoes. She securely fastened her holster at her waist and checked that her gun held it’s full quota of rounds. Throwing some similar clothes into a bag took only a couple more minutes. The first aid kit joined the clothes, as did her second gun and plenty of ammunition.
Moving into the kitchen; she grabbed her torch from under the sink and placed that in the bag too. Now she paused, unsure why she felt the need to get survival rations. Once before she and Mulder had nearly become fugitives, but then they had not planned it in advance. Was that what she was doing now? Was this really the only option left open to them? “I think it’s about fate.” Mulder had said to her when they got out of that situation safely. Had they cheated fate then, was this what fate had wanted all along? And was she, Dana Katherine Scully, really allowing herself to think along these lines?
Scully shook her head, clearing it, and picked up the bag. <Stop thinking and just go with it. Mulder may not always know what he’s doing but you have to trust him on this. After all, despite him always ditching you, you do love him. And he loves you..> Scully took a longing look around her apartment, God only knew if she would ever see this place again. She could see into the bathroom where they had caught Tooms, see the window where the face of Duane Barry had appeared like a spectre before her, the spot on the carpet where Melissa had been found bleeding from a bullet wound that had been meant for her and the patch of her own blood to show where they had nearly succeeded *this* time. Bad memories, but all were important in their own way. Good memories too; sitting and gently arguing with Mulder over countless pizzas, playing with Queequeg on the rug in front of the TV, laughing with her mom and Missy over something completely unimportant. She gave her bandage a hard pull to check it, and to cause herself enough pain to snap her out of the reminiscences and get her mind focused. She took a family picture – one taken before her father’s death – from it’s place on a shelf and grabbed her holdall from the kitchen.
She stopped with her hand on the doorknob. Placing the holdall on the floor, she turned and crossed to the window. It was painful to grab the chair and pull it underneath the window, but she accomplished it quickly. She climbed onto the seat and reached up to the curtain rail. The knob on the end took several tugs, and a lot of pain, before it came off. The chair swayed violently beneath her and she braced herself against the wall. She reached into the hollow space inside the rail and withdrew the object that had been hidden inside. Metal scraped against metal and caused a sound which was painful to her ears. Ignoring the object for now, she replaced the knob and climbed down. It was only then that she allowed herself to look at it. <”It will be the only way to kill them. The colonizers.”> Mrs Mulder had said. She couldn’t help herself. She pushed the button and jumped as the object revealed it’s true intent. The sound as the point sprang up was horrible, the worst sound Scully had ever heard. The point itself glinted dangerously in the moonlight streaming through the window. Could she ever bring herself to use it? Did she really believe in what it was meant to do? It hadn’t killed the man hunting Jeremiah Smith..
With determination, she reset the weapon and tucked it into the pocket of her jeans, where she would constantly be able to feel it’s presence. It was oddly reassuring.
Forcing herself not to look back, Scully left the apartment. The closing click of the lock sliding home was as decisive as the closure of a coffin lid.
**************************
Outside
When Mulder managed to open his eyes the assassins and their car were gone. Only a scattering of glass fragments remained to show that they had ever been there at all. The pain in his side was indescribable and he could barely move from the spot on the concrete were he found himself. His right eye was clouded with blood and the tissues of his face throbbed with a dull ache that was echoed through most of his body. Still, Scully was alive and that was the most important thing, even if it had been pure chance that had kept her that way. Maybe his own bad luck had been caused by him putting that bullet through the rear view mirror.
He flopped over onto his front, a gasp of pain escaping him, and tried to push himself to his feet. It didn’t work. His arms collapsed underneath him and the manoeuvre merely added to his pain. As he lay there he became aware of the sound of running feet and forced himself to look up. The diminutive figure of Scully ran lightly out of the building and across to her car.
“Scul..” He managed to croak weakly but it was barely audible to his own ears let alone to hers on the other side of the road. < “Scully!” > He called inside his head, hoping against hope that she would understand. He saw the silhouette of her stop and look around, but he was hidden from her view by several cars. He saw her hand move under her jumper – towards her gun, he assumed – but she must have reassured herself that nothing was amiss because she returned her attention to the car door. After a few seconds she was inside and starting the engine. The car drove slowly off into the night. < “Good luck.” > Mulder whispered and knew that she heard him but did not understand.
With that avenue of help closed, Mulder set about standing up. It took many attempts and a of pain, but he made it back across to his car. Reaching into the glove compartment, he withdrew a blister pack of painkillers.
“Be prepared.” He murmured to himself and he dry-swallowed them.
************************
Margaret Scully’s Residence
Scully parked her car a long way away from her mother’s house, for safety, but it meant that she had to walk some distance. The change of shoes was proving to be her best decision of the day. At the back of her mind there was a nagging suspicion that something was wrong with Mulder. Back at her apartment she’d been convinced that she heard him call her name, then when she was the car she’d heard his voice wish her good luck. Either it had finally all got too much for her and she had tipped over the line into insanity or she was going to have to start accepting other possibilities and if *she* was preparing to accept other possibilities then she had *definitely* lost her mind. Scully laughed out loud at her own stupidity. What she really needed right now was Mulder with a wisecrack that would make the world around her seem normal again. Scully knocked lightly on her mother’s front door and waited, glancing around nervously. There was nothing obviously amiss, but the kind of people who might be here had succeeded for so long by being anything but obvious.
Margaret Scully opened the door and took in the bloodless face of her youngest daughter. <Only daughter now> She corrected herself. All this time and she still hadn’t gotten used to Missy not being around.
“Dana, Thank God!” Maggie exclaimed and ushered her daughter inside.
“Hi mom.” Scully answered in a little girl lost voice as mother and daughter embraced. Maggie didn’t want to let go of her daughter ever again. She didn’t want her to ever have to face any more danger. Her hands found the bandage on her daughter’s arm and a frown creased her brow. Maggie drew back a little, but still kept her arms around her daughter.
“Dana what’s wrong with your arm?” She asked.
Scully faked a reassuring smile.
“It’s fine mom. I got shot, but I’m okay.” She hurried to explain, as if she could gloss over it.
“Dana!” She stepped back. “Come on, take this top off and let me take a look at it.” She started fussing around in a motherly fashion and Scully’s face took on the expression of a child who doesn’t want to do what their parent tells them to.
“Oh, mom..” She complained, but, reluctantly, the top was removed and the bandage examined. Blood was now saturating the bandage and it looked a ghastly sight. The wound had partially sealed by the time the original bandage had been put on but the seal had been ripped apart again during the car drive over here. Scully found herself pushed into the bathroom, where her mother cleaned and dressed the wound. Scully watched as her mother looked deep into the wound as if she would be able to see something important inside it. The expression on her face was worrying Scully, but she said nothing about it and joined in instead with her mother’s meaningless small talk.
**************************
The Offices of The Lone Gunman
Mulder strolled casually up the stairs, secure in the knowledge that he was being watched. He could just imagine the reaction of the men in the office upstairs when they’d seen him on their little security monitor. An over the top security system for their offices perhaps, but anyone who knew these guys would not be surprised by it. They could set up their own chapter of Paranoiacs Anonymous.
“You know, I cried for you.” Frohicke’s voice sailed down to him.
Mulder looked up to see Frohicke leaning casually on the rail above him. Mulder gave a lazy smile, as best he could past the bruises developing on his face.
“Did you use it as an excuse to come on to Scully again Frohicke?” He continued his painful walk up the stairs. He reached the elder man and stepped into the light of the doorway. Frohicke opened his mouth to return a sardonic answer but his words got caught in his throat when he saw Mulder’s face.
“Jesus..” He exclaimed instead. “..Who’ve you been upsetting this time?” Mulder attempted another smile.
“Oh, everyone, as usual.” He replied lightly and they walked together into the office.
Langley gave a low whistle when he saw the state that Mulder was in. Then he clapped him lightly on the shoulder and smiled fondly.
“Been exercising your well-known tact Mulder?” Byers asked with a barely concealed grin. He was glad to see his friend alive, but found the emotion difficult to express. Frohicke had no such trouble, his arm was firmly around Mulder’s shoulder and a broad grin was plastered across his face.
“Did you think they couldn’t hurt a ghost?” Langley asked with a genuine smile. Mulder managed to spread the smile a little wider without too much pain.
“So how come you’re not dead?” Frohicke asked jovially.
“Just like the King.” Mulder answered with a laugh. “I faked my own death.”
“Cool.” Langley replied.
“Unbelievable.” Frohicke grinned. Byers just nodded with an approving smile.
“So what is it you need from us?” Byers asked seriously after a moment.
“Well,” Mulder began. “I’m in need of your considerable talents in acquiring me and Scully some fake ID and a car.”
**************************
11PM
Margaret Scully’s Residence
Scully lay sleeping on her mom’s couch, dressed in her pajamas and wrapped in blanket. An Ester Williams movie was playing quietly on the TV and some actor was singing about how “..easy to love..” she was, as they sailed off into a picture-book sunset. Mulder smiled sadly, if only real life was like the movies. Mulder stood looking down at the woman *he* loved. He wanted to wrap her up and carry her off somewhere safe, but this was real life and there was no where safe. There was no walking off into sunsets and no happy ever afters. A sound in the doorway alerted him and he turned warily. Maggie Scully smiled and gestured him into the kitchen. He turned off the TV and followed her.
Maggie handed him a steaming cup of coffee.
“From the look of you, you could use more than just coffee.” She told him. “What happened?” He took a sip from the cup, it was very hot. “Nothing to worry about.” He said dismissively and Maggie laughed bitterly.
“I’ve been expecting this for a long time Fox.” They exchanged a look that spoke volumes.
“How’s her arm?” He asked, over the rim of the cup.
“It was bad, but it’s healing at an astonishing rate. Whatever they did to her was certainly incredible.” Maggie said softly, in a tone that reminded him of Scully.
“So you still think that they were wrong about the tumours?” He asked her gravely. She looked up at him and sighed.
“I can’t be sure, the accelerated tissue growth and regeneration could also apply to cancerous tissues. That might lead to a rapid spread of tumours or it could have an opposite effect and lead to perfect health, I suppose. If they weren’t aware of all the facts – and I don’t think they are even now – then they could be judging her from effects on the regular abductees. Just because He knows, doesn’t mean that they all do. You know, this isn’t really my area, Fox. I wish that it was.”
“Don’t you have connections?” Mulder asked her.
“Don’t you?” She countered with a small smile, then her face became serious once again. “You’re sister would..”
“I’m not contacting Samantha.” Mulder cut in, then deliberately changed the subject. “Have you told Scully the truth yet?” Maggie looked shamefaced.
“I wanted to, but I can’t do it to her Fox.”
“She *has* to know Mrs Scully. She’s important and she has to know it.”
“What good would it do?” She asked softly
“What good would it do?” He echoed incredulously, placing the cup on the counter top. Scully’s mother looked up at him seriously.
“Yes. How would it help her?”
“She’d know that..” Mulder began.
“..That I’d lied to her.” Maggie interrupted. “Fox, she’s going to need all her strength, just as you are. If I tell her now, that’ll just confuse her when her mind most needs to be clear.” She swallowed with difficulty. “You’ll have to tell her, but not until you feel the time is right.” She smiled reassuringly and touched his sleeve. “And no guilt, it’s not your fault.” He smiled back down at her.
************************
Mulder knelt down next to the sleeping figure and touched a finger to her cheek, pushing a strand of copper hair back behind her ear. She woke up gradually and opened her eyes to look straight into his. Her lips curved into a smile, then she registered the cuts and bruises.
“Mulder!” She exclaimed, sitting up. “What’s happened?” He shook his head gently.
“I ran into some trouble outside your building. I didn’t know that the other man was already inside.”
“The man that shot me.” She said through gritted teeth and he nodded. “Mulder, why didn’t you just come inside with me?” He shrugged and she put on a indignant expression. “You were trying to do everything without me again. Do you think that I’m completely incapable of taking care of myself?”
“I *don’t* think that Scul..” He tried to interject, but Scully was on a roll. All the pain of the past weeks was transferred into anger.
“You make decisions about my life without even consulting me! Why do you assume that you know what’s best for me? I’m not a child, I don’t need to be ‘looked after’ by you, or anyone else!”
“Dana..” Mulder placed his hands on her shoulders and tried to placate her but she hadn’t finished.
“Dammit Mulder. How could you do that to me?” Her intensely blue eyes were locked firmly onto his. “In one go you deprived me of two of the most important things in my life. You and the X files. You didn’t even leave me with my self-respect, when I think of how people must have been laughing at me.”
“No one was laughing Scully.” He added softly.
“No?!” She exclaimed. “Not even Them?” Mulder had to look away, he couldn’t answer that honestly without hurting her more. “See.” She said, trying to make him look at her. When he finally looked back she was smiling wistfully. “What am I going to do with you?”
“I’m open to suggestions.” He teased with a smile. She kissed him lightly.
“I have something important that you need to know.” Scully told him after long moments of intimacy.
“I love you too.” He said into her hair, but she drew back.
“I do love you, but that’s not it.” She answered seriously and he frowned.
“What then?”
Scully moved away from him and went to her where her purse was lying on a table. She opened her purse and searched for something as she spoke.
“Do you know anything about your uncle Gerald?” She asked flatly. Mulder relaxed against the couch but frowned at her question.
“Not much. He was my mother’s brother, but she never spoke about him. Not an unusual thing, she didn’t say much about the family. Why, what do you know about him?” Scully found what she was looking for and sat down next to Mulder, letting her eyes meet his.
“I went to see your mom.” She said and he smiled sheepishly.
“I know. I was following you.” Scully shot him a disbelieving look and rolled her eyes. “What did she tell you?”
“She told me a lot of things about you and Samantha and about..how you came to be born.” She wasn’t sure what he knew so she was tiptoeing around it.
“I know about how she went to Cancerman because she couldn’t have kids.” Mulder answered flatly. “And I know how he helped her.”
“Then you know about the project, about you and Samantha. What your mother did.” He nodded gravely, then frowned.
“But what about my uncle?” He asked, confused. Scully held out a photograph of a young man and woman cuddling and smiling at each other. The woman was obviously Mulder’s mother but Mulder’s gaze fell onto the man. His eyes widened and he looked up at Scully in shock.
“That’s your uncle Gerald.” She said, pointing at the picture. Mulder looked back at the picture disbelievingly. “Trust no one.” Scully muttered. Mulder just stared at the smiling figure.
“Deep Throat.” He murmured, awe-struck.