From: erinmblair@gmail.com   
      
   TITLE: Softball Accident   
   AUTHOR: Erin M. Blair   
   E-MAIL: eblair@sonic.net / erinmblair@gmail.com   
   FEEDBACK: Yes, please.   
   DISTRIBUTION: Exclusive at VS13 for two weeks. OK to   
   Gossamer, Ephemeral, and MSR Fanfic Cheerleaders Archive.   
   RATING: PG   
   CATEGORIES: SRA -- Story, Romance, Angst.   
   KEYWORDS: Mulder/Scully Romance.   
   SPOILERS: Up to JeSouhaite. VS 12 episode: Displacement.   
   DISCLAIMER: Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter; Agent   
   Jim Rodgers belongs to me.   
   SUMMARY: Nothing could go wrong while Mulder plays softball... Or   
   does it?   
   NOTES:  This story was written for the Sports Challenge fic at the Virtual   
   Season 13. This story wouldn't have been written if it wasn't for helpful,   
   supportive emails from Sally Bahnson. She provided me with the research,   
   tips, and looking over my story. Both Sally and Lisa helped me with the beta   
   reading and the revisions to the final version. I couldn't have done   
   it without the   
   both of them. I would like thank Sally & Lisa for beta reading my fic and this   
   story is dedicated to the both of them.   
      
   + + + + + + + + + + + + + +   
      
   At noon, Mulder decided to play softball with his fellow agents.   
   He reasoned that he was in the best shape ever in his life. After   
   going through a horrifying case while barely escaping injury, he   
   needed to kick back and enjoy himself. Usually, he was too busy   
   with cases to take part, but this time he was free. He waved to   
   Scully, who was sitting in the stands, not wanting to take part.   
   She agreed to come and watch him play.   
      
   Just a simple game - what could go wrong? He thought to himself as   
   he ran to first base. Nothing could go wrong, right?   
      
   But nothing was simple for Mulder.   
      
   On that day, everything turned out so wrong that a few simple   
   calls did not pan out for his team. When he was sliding onto third   
   base, he got his foot caught on the base and twisted his ankle.   
   Although the ball gently hit his ankle, it still made the matter a   
   lot worse for him. He was still in pain. The first thing he heard   
   as he hit the ground was Scully's screams to let her onto the   
   field. He writhed into a ball on the ground holding his leg,   
   grimacing as the pain reverberated in and around his ankle.   
      
   Scully arrived at his side. Her doctor bag ready in her hand - the   
   one she always carried with her - for emergencies. "I think the   
   game's over for you."   
      
   He carefully got up and nodded. "I know. It's very hard to walk."   
      
   A pale-faced young FBI Agent Jim Rodgers stood by, looking on   
   helplessly with concern lining on his face. He was the second   
   baseman who had accidentally hit Mulder with the ball. "I'm sorry,   
   Mulder. I hope you'll feel better. I... feel bad about this."   
      
   "Don't be, Rodgers. It could have happened to anyone."   
      
   He turned towards Scully who was carefully helping him walk off   
   the field. "Do you need help?"   
      
   She nodded. "Thank you."   
      
   The young agent quickly got on the other side of Mulder. With his   
   assistance, Scully was able to help him off the diamond while   
   bystanders looked on with worry. They took him to the team's   
   clubhouse and sat him down on the bench.   
      
      
      
   Scully inspected the injury, sighing. She put her doctor bag   
   underneath his foot for elevation. "Mulder, you've certainly done   
   a number on this."   
      
   "It's not broken, is it?"   
      
   "No. It is tender to the touch but I think we should get this   
   checked out at the ER - just need to be sure that you didn't tear   
   any ligaments. It's probably an ankle strain," she said, carefully   
   placing ice to his ankle to stop the swelling. After that, she   
   carefully wrapped an ACE bandage around his ankle after putting on   
   a protective brace for support.   
      
   Jim sighed. "This game was the first that I'd played. I graduated   
   from Quantico last month and this was the first chance I was able   
   to play." He paused. "I played college softball."   
      
   Mulder nodded thoughtfully. He sighed, wincing as he limped along   
   with them. "I played cricket at Oxford. However, I always loved   
   baseball."   
      
   Scully smiled. "And basketball."   
      
   "Yeah," Mulder said.   
      
   Scully and Rodgers helped him to Scully's car. His car wasn't   
   working and he'd left it at the duplex. Besides, they enjoyed   
   commuting together to work. "I guess it was a good idea that I   
   arrived with you, Scully."   
      
   "It makes things a bit easier, that's for sure. Besides, we saved   
   a lot of gas money."   
      
   "What kind of treatment will you be giving him?" Jim asked, as he   
   helped to put the seat buckle on Mulder.   
      
   "I'll be taking him to the ER and taking it from there. Probably   
   RICE. I am hoping that he didn't tear anything, but his ankle   
   looks badly bruised and very tender to the touch."   
      
   "I hope nothing's broken," Mulder said. He winced with the pain   
   throbbing from ankle to his brain. It was so hard for him to walk   
   and took almost all his strength to try.   
      
   "Call me with updates, Agent Scully," Jim said. He looked at   
   Mulder, sighing. "Again, I'm so sorry. You're in my prayers."   
      
   "Thanks, Rodgers."   
      
      
   *   *   *   
      
   Scully arrive with Mulder at the ER. The on staff doctor took an   
   X-ray of his ankle. They waited in Mulder's examining room for the   
   results. He was the first one to speak. "How bad do you think it   
   is, Scully?"   
      
   "I'm hoping for the best, Mulder. I think we need to wait and see   
   what your X-ray shows." She paused. "I already know what the   
   treatment there will be."   
      
   "You do?"   
      
   Scully nodded. She was about to say something when the doctor came   
   in with Mulder's file in hand.   
      
   Dr. Kennedy smiled at them. "Agent Mulder has a tiny tear in the   
   ligaments of his ankle."   
      
   "Grade 2?"   
      
   He nodded. "We'll give him crutches and a prescription for a pain   
   reliever. He'll need to be on crutches for a week and he has to   
   keep it elevated. He'll need some physio."   
      
   Mulder nodded. He didn't like it, but knew it could have been a   
   lot worse.   
      
   "It's recommended that you follow RICE protocols, Agent Mulder.   
   And don't walk on it for a couple of days."   
      
   "RICE means rest, ice, compression, and elevation."   
      
   "If you're still in pain, come back in a couple of days so I can   
   reevaluate you."   
      
   "Just two days of elevating my ankle?" Mulder asked. He wanted the   
   doctor to reaffirm the length of time.   
      
   To his relief, the doctor agreed. He gave the prescription for a   
   pain reliever and crutches to him. After the doctor left, he   
   turned towards Scully. "I guess there won't be any cases for   
   awhile."   
      
   "Mulder, you have to take it easy."   
      
   Although he was in pain, he smiled at her remark. "Oh, don't   
   worry, Scully. I'll be a model patient."   
      
   Scully smiled at him. "Why do I think you won't be?"   
      
   *  *  *   
      
   After going home with Scully to their duplex, Mulder wondered how   
   he was going to let himself rest his ankle. He'd always been a bad   
   patient, but this time he vowed that he'd do anything to speed up   
   the recovery process and let Scully take good care of him.   
      
   After she propped up his foot with pillows on their bed, Scully   
   looked at him. He was finally listening and following doctor's   
   orders. "Wow, Mulder. I'm impressed. You're actually doing the   
   whole RICE protocols without any fuss."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)