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A car passes and the headlights shine through the window, fully waking him from the strange space between asleep and awake. He sighs and turns his head, expecting to see her lying beside him. She's not there. He props up on his elbows and sees a light coming from underneath the bathroom door. He lies back down and rubs his forehead, trying to figure out how she didn't wake him up when she got up. The water comes on in the bathroom and he's still so sleepy that he can't tell if it's the shower or the sink at first. Then he realizes it's the shower. He glances at the clock- 02:04. Why is she taking a shower at two in the morning? He kicks back the covers like a little boy who doesn't want to get out of bed in the morning to go to school. He knocks on the bathroom door and calls out to her.
"Scully?"
When she doesn't answer, he tries again.
"Scully, you okay?"
"I'm fine, Mulder. Go back to bed."
Now he's worried. When Scully says 'I'm fine', she's definitely not fine. He turns the knob and finds that it's unlocked. He pushes the door open slowly and pokes his head around it. He can see her shadowy figure behind the curtain. He goes to step into the bathroom and once the door is mostly opened, he spots her pajamas on the floor. He rubs his eye to make sure he has seen the evidence correctly. Sure enough, her pajama bottoms and the panties within them are stained red. The old, younger Mulder would have listened to his partner and went back to bed- the definition of partner encompassing a range of different meanings- but this older, wiser Mulder pushes the door open all the way and enters the bathroom completely.
"Scully, I'm coming in."
Her response is a quick intake of breath followed by a defeated sigh. He strips and joins her in the shower. Her back to him, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her to his chest. She tenses for the briefest of moments before relaxing in his hold. The water and the gently caress of his fingers and thumbs across her abdomen aid in numbing the pain. Not just the physical pain, but the mental pain, as well. She's a scientist, yet she struggles to understand how, after everything that has been done to her, on the rare occasion this event still occurs in her life. Sometimes it gives her hope that she still has the slightest chance of creating another life one day. That's the main reason she hasn't researched and asked question as to why this still happens. There's no rhythm. It comes and goes on it's on time. It's more painful now than before her abduction. It's more painful than before her cancer and remission, even. Maybe it has something to do with the chip? She doesn't question it, though. She never questions it. He slowly turns her body to face his. He brushes her damp hair from her face and cups her cheek. She stares at his chest, unable to meet his eyes.
"Scully? Are you alright?"
"I, um, I don't have anything. I wasn't expecting..."
"I can go out and-"
"No. You don't have to-"
"Scully, let me do this for you, please."
"I'm coming with you."
"Only if you feel up to it."
She nods and rests her head against his wet chest. His hands roam her back, massaging her spine and shoulder-blades gently.
"Are you hurting now?"
"Mm. A little, yeah. It'll probably get worse soon, though."
"I'm sorry, baby."
She sighs at his endearment. They stand in silence and let the water run over them.
"Scully, why does this still happen?"
"I don't want to know why."
Conversation and shower finished, he grabs them both clean clothes. He dresses in the bedroom and lets her do whatever she needs to do in the bathroom. When she exits, he grabs the key to the rental car and the room key and leads her out of the room with a hand on the small of her back.
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By some miracle they find a twenty-four hour Walmart in the small town. Mulder parks the car and when he unbuckles, he sees Scully grimace.
"Are you okay?"
"Mmhm. Just...can we wait a minute?"
"I can go in. Why don't you stay here?"
She shakes her head and let's out a deep breath.
"Okay. Take your time. We'll go in when you're ready."
Fox Mulder has seen a lot of things in his thirty-odd years of life, but he has definitely never seen such a grand assortment of feminine hygiene products. It's a good thing Scully felt well enough to come with him because had he come by himself he probably would have ended up buying one of everything. Scully grabs a box from the shelf and he makes a mental note for the next time, if there ever is a next time. He follows her through the store like a lost puppy. In the pharmacy section her hand ghosts over boxes of Pamprin and Midol. She grabs one of each, along with a bottle of Ibuprofen. Then a huge two liter-sized bottle of Evian in the grocery section. She looks at the bottle of water for a moment, before grabbing another one. She examines the cart and begins making her way to the check-out. Mulder sees bags of chocolate on an end cap and secretly grabs one, as he strolls behind her. After everything is scanned, he tosses the bag of chocolates on the counter and pulls out his card. Scully lifts her eyebrow at him.
"I got it."
He pays and grabs the bags and they head back to the motel.
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Back in the motel, Scully stares down at her clothes, with her hands on her hips. Mulder looks her up and down as he sets the bags on the bed.
"What is it?"
"I didn't bring an extra pair of pajamas."
She sits on the bed heavily and rubs her abdomen for second, before rummaging through the bags for medicine and water. Mulder goes to his suitcase and pulls out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. He holds them out to her.
"Here. You can wear these."
"Mulder, I don't want to ruin them."
"Don't worry about it, Scully. Go change. Get comfortable."
She takes the clothes and goes into the bathroom. When she comes back out, the room is cast in a dim light from one of the bedside lamps. She finds that Mulder has placed all of the medicine on the bedside table with her chocolate and opened water bottle. He must have put the other one in the mini-fridge. She joins him on the bed and burrows under the blankets. He pulls her close to him. His large, warm hands cover her lower stomach. It's almost like a heating-pad or a hot-water bottle, she thinks. His nose nuzzles her neck and he kisses her behind her ear.
"It's okay. I've got you. Get some rest."
"I love you."
"I love you."