Chapter Text
The rain was hammering down onto the roof, a sharp staccato rhythm piercing the silence. He was on his third coffee of the day. He had spent the morning organising and categorising receipts for this quarters expense reports. He could already see what the outcome of the budget review would be. He looked forward to the look on the auditors face as he attempted to justify travel to and from Antarctica, a snow cat hire and their rescue by helicopter. He briefly wondered if he could cover any of these through his own expenses but thought better of it.
Take it on the chin he thought. Scully was whole, alive and here; it was worth the inevitable ticking off he would receive about his expenses. Hell, it was worth it if it cost him the division and his badge.
It had taken what seemed like forever for her to be cleared to be in the field. She had been on loan to Quantico for weeks. The office seemed enormous without her here; too quiet, too clinical. It was as if she was the beating heart of the division, the light that punctuated the darkness. Without her it all seemed clinical and cold.
He leaned back in his chair and threw a pencil at the polystyrene ceiling tile, it missed its target and fell with a clatter to the desk in front of him. It had started out of boredom, it continued because it made her laugh. After a stint away from the office, a period when she wasn’t there and returned to a cluster of pencils in the ceiling she would roll her eyes. When she cracked a joke about how busy he has been in her absence it amused him. He loved the mock exasperation he found there. He loved that he knew the idea that he was lost without her tickled her.
It was funny. It was also true.
He aimed another perfectly pointed HB at the ceiling as the phone began to ring. The sound shrill and uninvited. He briefly glanced at the caller ID expecting to see a Quantico extension instead he noticed it was an external line and more specifically a San Diego area code. He knew it would be Bill. He briefly considered allowing it to go to voicemail, but he knew how contentious their relationship had become. If he was trying to contact her then it had to be an emergency. He steeled himself as he picked up the receiver.
“Mulder,” he said curtly.
“Oh,” came a clipped response “I’m looking for Dana, It’s Bill”
“She’s not here,” he replied curtly “I can take a message”
“It’s urgent,” Bill replied “Family emergency, she’s not answering her cell. I need to speak to her now.”
Mulder sighed, a heavy feeling settling in his stomach.
“She’s not here. She’s…” he started
“Well them can you tell me where she is? Its urgent.” he interrupted “I need to speak to my sister”
Mulder drew a deep breath and tried to keep his voice impassive.
“She’s at Quantico,” he replied calmly “She’s doing autopsies all day today. Her cell will be in a locker. I can…”
“Well then can you give me the number for Quantico please?”
He sighed. “The Quantico extension is notoriously complicated. I couldn’t reach her easily and I’m internal. If it’s an emergency the easiest way to get her is if I go to her. It’ll be quicker than if you wait for a message to filter down.”
He could hear Bill’s hesitation. A government man in his own way Mulder knew he probably suspected that he was right, although the idea of asking Mulder for help was abhorrent to him. He waited as the pregnant pause on the other end of the line told of Bill’s internal struggle.
“There’s been an accident,” Bill said “Mom’s rental was hit from the side by some jackass running a red light.” His stomach dropped, this would shatter her “She’s at Georgetown Memorial, I just got a call, they’ve been trying to reach her. I’m on the next flight out.”
“Is she ok?” Mulder asked
“She’s alive, she’s in surgery,” for the first time Bill’s tone softened he could hear the vulnerability creeping in, this told him more than any words could “They said a lot of medical stuff I didn’t really understand. I think it’s pretty bad.”
“I’ll get her there,” Mulder said earnestly “She’ll meet you there.”
Xxx
She slammed and sealed the door of the morturary freezer and then moved over to the sink, washing and scrubbing her hands. She rolled her head from side to side uncomfortably. Her back was sore after spending so long on her feet and awkwardly bending over the body. Long days of multiple autopsies had been the norm since her return to work after her brief medical leave following from Antarctica. She was itching to return to the field, the X-Files had been reopened and she was stuck here. She hated the monotony of the day to day but even more she hated being away from him.
Things had been changing between them. She had felt them shifting subtly on their axis for over a year since her cancer diagnosis and recovery; maybe if she was honest with herself perhaps even longer than that. It had all culminated in that moment in the hallway weeks before with desperate declarations and that near kiss.
If she thought back carefully, she could still feel his breath on her face and the intensity of his gaze in that moment. They had not spoken of it since but the electricity sparked between them in quiet moments, the quiet subtext that was never too far from the surface. It had been coming for so long that at this point it was an inevitability. If it weren’t for that bee…
She pushed it to the back of her mind and headed to the desk to write up her notes. She was finishing up her findings when she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up as he walked into the office. It wasn’t uncommon for him to come over to Quantico if things were slow although she’d spoken to him this morning and he had told her he was prepping for the budget meeting scheduled for Monday. She hadn’t expected to see him today, it was a pleasant surprise.
Until she saw his expression.
“What is it?” she said “What’s wrong?”
“Go and get changed,” he said softly “There’s been an accident. Your Mom has been taken to Georgetown Memorial. I’ve just spoken to Bill, he’s on his way.”
“Oh my god!” she stood knocking her coffee over in her haste “Shit,” she grabbed a wad of paper towels and started trying to clean up “What happened?”
He stilled her hands, placing both of his over hers “Look at me please” he said gently, his tone reassuring. She didn’t want to, she knew one look at him and she’d crumble but she did it anyway. His eyes were soft and reassuring brimming with concern.
“Leave this, I’ll sort it,” he said brushing her cheek with his hand “Go get ready and I’ll get you there. We’ll talk more on the way.” She nodded, biting on her lower lip and trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill.
“She’s alive, she’s in surgery and she’s a Scully” he said reassuringly “She’s a fighter, I’m sure she’ll be fine. Get yourself sorted. I’ll wait here.”
She felt nothing as she removed her clogs and scrubs and placed them into the laundry bins. She stepped into the shower and quickly cleaned herself, the water scalding hot but she felt nothing. She stepped out and dried off changing back into the pencil skirt and top she arrived in this morning. She combed her fingers through her hair roughly taking a brief look in the mirror; her face didn’t look right, she was vaguely aware that this was probably the start of shock setting in.
When she returned to the office he had cleaned up the spilled coffee and her notes had been laid out to dry.
“I should go hand over to Doctor White” she said gathering her bag and her jacket and shrugging it over her shoulders.
“Don’t worry, it’s taken care of. He knows that we’re leaving and why, I just spoke to him and explained. He said to go and not worry about anything. He’s got it.” Mulder placed a hand at her back as they headed for the door. His very touch steadying the storm within as they headed to the car.