From: colbysgurl@shaw.ca   
      
   A/N:  made a boo-boo on chapter two heading.  Should be "Teliko" not "Post   
   Modern Prometheus."  *Blushes*   
      
      
      
   Authors: Sassy and Jacquie   
      
      
      
   Category: MSR Romance   
      
      
      
   Summary: A post epi for "Teliko"   
      
      
      
   Rating: M   
      
      
      
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   Scully? Scully?" He was gently shaking her shoulder a few hours later.   
      
   "Hm?" She was embarrassed because she had been dreaming about him. Her   
   cheeks were slightly pink as she sat up.   
      
   "I don't want you to think of me as half a man, but could you help me go to   
   the bathroom?"   
      
   "Yeah, one sec." She rubbed her eyes and sat up, trying to get her composure   
   back. Then she pulled back the covers, momentarily staring at Mulder's legs.   
   'Get a grip on yourself, Dana'   
      
   "Don't worry about squashing me." Scully didn't know why she said it, but it   
   was already out."   
      
   "Scully, are you calling me fat?"   
      
   "Never mind..." Her blush turned darker.   
      
   He touched her cheek. "I'm teasing."   
      
   Scully smiled and concentrated on putting his feet down on the floor. They   
   were half way there when he was sure his legs were going to give out on him.   
   "I'm gonna fall."   
      
   "I've got you. I promise." She tightened her arms around him and shifted him   
   a little. They barely made it to the toilet when Mulder fell rather   
   ungracefully onto it. Scully head onto his hand to keep him from really   
   hurting himself.   
      
   "Damn", Mulder muttered. "I hate this. I hate feeling weak around you."   
      
   "Mulder..." was all Scully could say for a second. She made him look at her.   
   "You are one of the strongest people I have ever met."   
      
   "Not today."   
      
   "Hey...seriously, it doesn't bother me." Scully touched his face to make   
   sure he was seeing her eyes. "Okay?"   
      
   Yeah." Now it was his turn to redden in the face. "Could you turn away or   
   something?" He wasn't sure he could 'go" with her watching him.   
      
   "I'll be outside." She closed the door behind him. She was glad he couldn't   
   see the tears on her face.   
      
   He finished a few moments later. "Scully?"   
      
   "Yeah...okay." She tried to keep her voice calm. She wiped her face. He felt   
   horrible and a shower sounded good to him, but could he ask her?   
      
   "I was wondering..."   
      
   "Mulder, you can ask me anything. You know that."   
      
   Feeling horrible...and well sweaty. I was wondering if I could talk to you   
   into helping me take a shower." Mulder said softly.   
      
   Scully's eyes widened a moment behind the closed door. She took a breath and   
   opened it slowly.   
      
   "I could get a nurse..." Mulder continued.   
      
   I'll do it." Scully sat Mulder on the toilet seat before turning on the   
   water. She flexed her hands a couple of times under the running water to   
   calm herself down. It didn't mean anything...   
      
   "It's okay if you peek," Mulder teased.   
      
   When Scully was sure she had it at a temperature where he wouldn't scald   
   himself, she turned her attention to helping him with his gown. She had   
   trouble with her composure when she got a good long look at his physique.   
   She managed to calm, but not before he caught the flicker of admiration   
   behind her eyes.   
      
   He blushed again. "Now how can I talk you out of your clothes?" The pain   
   meds were making his tongue loose   
      
   "Will you be okay for a minute? Maybe you can brace yourself against the   
   bar." Scully was thinking "Logically" about holding him up...well, for about   
   a millisecond.   
      
   Then the nurse arrived to take over for her. Mulder was disappointed and   
   pouted as he got a bath instead of a shower. Scully on the other hand walked   
   out of the bathroom, still chiding herself. No, kicking herself. Mulder was   
   only saying the things he was saying because he was under pain medication. A   
   few hours later, he was released into her care.   
      
   "Scully, why are you so quiet?"   
      
   "Just thinking about whether my place is more practical or yours"   
      
   "Yes" Scully helped him into a wheelchair. "Are you mad at me?"   
      
   "Why would I be mad? You didn't do anything wrong."   
      
   "You've been distant since this morning."   
      
   Scully knelt down in front of Mulder. "I didn't do it on purpose...I guess   
   I'm just worried."   
      
   "About me being at your place? If it makes you uncomfortable...I can hire a   
   nurse...or something."   
      
   "No...that part's fine," Scully said slowly. Mulder wasn't so sure she was   
   being honest with him now. The pain medication had worm off and he had   
   refused more. "I'm worried I'll disappoint you. That I won't be able to look   
   after you properly." Finally Scully wrapped her arms around him whispering   
   "I was so scared I'd lose you."   
      
   "You didn't...You won't...You could never disappoint me." He kissed her   
   forehead.   
      
   "Why does it always take a mutant to make me figure this stuff out?" she   
   murmured more to herself than to Mulder. She was unaware at first that he   
   could hear her.   
      
   "That you care about me?" Mulder needed to hear her say it.   
      
   She looked him in the eye, only able to nod because she was trying to keep   
   from crying.   
      
   He squeezed her hand. "Me too."   
      
   Scully slowly straightened and gave Mulder a smile. "Ready to get out of   
   here?"   
      
   "Do you even have to ask?" Mulder teased. He took her hand in his as the   
   nurse wheeled him down to the elevator. Scully slipped back into her   
   previous thoughts until they were out of the parking lot and Mulder had been   
   loaded into the back of the taxi.   
      
   He let her remain quiet most of the way to her apartment. "I'll try not to   
   get in your way."   
      
   The statement took Scully off-guard. Before she could answer, the taxi   
   driver was in front of her building and they were helping Mulder into his   
   wheelchair again. Scully paid the driver and knelt down in front of Mulder   
   as the cab pulled away. She took a deep breath and a chance, saying what she   
   needed to,"Mulder you're not in the way. I need you."   
      
   Mulder caressed her cheek gently. "Not as much as I need you."   
      
   Scully took a quivering breath in before continuing. "Which is why I really   
   think you should take some kind of pain medication. I hate seeing you in   
   pain."   
      
   "For you, I will" Mulder let his finger touch Scully's lips and then his   
   own. He wanted to kiss her.   
      
   Then there was a downpour. Scully gasped in surprise and hastily got behind   
   Mulder's wheelchair and pushed him up the ramp. Then she cursed under her   
   breath when she realized she forgot her keys in the cab. By the time they   
   found someone to let them in, they were both soaked to the skin.   
      
   "Some weather we're having, ain't it?" Mulder said as he wiped water from   
   her face. He saw that she was torn between laughing and crying. "Hey,   
   Scully, it's okay...I won't melt."   
      
   Scully wordlessly began undressing him, gently tugging at his clothes. She   
   flexed her own shivering hands as she drove herself on with the thought that   
   she had to take care of Mulder before she looked after herself.   
      
   Mulder's teeth were chattering slightly. "What are you doing?"   
      
    "What does it look like I'm doing?" Scully retorted softly as she tugged   
   off his shirt. She walked into the bathroom for a towel and sat it on the   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)