From: colbysgurl@shaw.ca   
      
   Authors: Sassy and Jacquie   
      
   Category: MSR Romance   
      
   Rating: M   
      
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   Mulder awoke the next day back in the hospital. "Where am I?"   
      
   Frohike was by his bedside. "You had an allergic reaction to your meds so   
   Scully brought you back to the hospital."   
      
   "Where is she?" He asked trying to swallow. His mouth was dry.   
      
   "Nobody's sure."   
      
   "What do you mean?" Mulder was starting to get out of bed now.   
      
   "Easy, Mulder. She's talking to your doctor," said Byers.   
      
   The three men looked at each other. There was something different in   
   Mulder's demeanour.   
      
   "Did something happen to you two?" It was Frohike who asked.   
      
   "None of your business." Mulder lay back on the bed.   
      
   "That's a yes."   
      
   Mulder gave them a 'shut up now or get out' look. "Guys, just knock it off,   
   k?"   
      
   Scully came in just as he said the last statement. "It's alright, guys.   
   Thanks." She dismissed them again.   
      
   "Where've you been?" Mulder hadn't meant to sound harsh.   
      
   Scully's eyes momentarily flashed in defensive anger but she calmed down   
   again. "I was looking into alternatives for your meds."   
      
   Scully leaned over and adjusted the drip on Mulder's IV   
      
   "I'm sorry I worried you...and that I snapped." He rubbed his fingers along   
   her arms.   
      
   She rapidly blinked to avoid crying. "How are you feeling?" she asked   
   instead.   
      
   "Better than..." Mulder had no idea how long he'd been out.   
      
   "Well, I think we've got something that won't make you sick."   
      
   "Yeah because I don't want to keep coming back here."   
      
   "The nurse is working on your release papers right now."   
      
   He took her hand. "I am really sorry, Dana."   
      
   Scully managed a smile. "You didn't do anything, Mulder."   
      
   "I got shot with a poisonous dart, you have to take care of me, and now I   
   got sick and landed right back in the hospital again." Mulder was frustrated   
   at the way his life was going at that moment.   
      
   "Mulder....ssh..." Scully leaned forward and stroked his forehead. She   
   leaned her cheek against his forehead and closed her eyes for a moment as   
   she continued stroking.   
      
   Mulder lifted her chin and lightly put his lips to her forehead. "Just don't   
   walk out on me."   
      
   "I'm never leaving you," she promised softly.   
      
   Twenty minutes later, they were back at Scully's apartment.   
      
   "So home sweet home," Mulder said as he walked in with her help.   
      
   "Bed or couch?"   
      
   "Couch." He was tired and a little out of breath.   
      
   Scully gently lowered him down, propping his feet up. She began massaging   
   his shoulders and down his thighs. He hoped she didn't see his obvious   
   reaction to her hands on him. He pulled a pillow over his lap.   
      
   "You thirsty?"   
      
   "Yes," Mulder managed to choke out.   
      
   "I'll just get you some water." Scully patted his knee and began to stand.   
      
   "You look tired," was Mulder's observation as he watched her.   
      
   "I am a little," Scully admitted as she walked into the kitchen. She tried   
   to ignore the ache that came from not touching him.   
      
   He turned slightly to watch her. "Scully?"   
      
   "Yeah."   
      
   She was coming back with the glass.   
      
   "Sit down and relax." That's an order, he wanted to add, but didn't.   
      
   A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she set the glass down on   
   the coffee table in front of him and sat down in the arm chair.   
      
   "Some TV?"   
      
   It hurt when she hadn't sat beside him. "Yeah. Sure. Fine. Whatever."   
      
   Scully didn't understand what she did wrong. She flipped on the TV and put   
   it to a sci fi channel that was running old movies.   
      
   "You don't have to suffer through these, Scully. Watch a love story or   
   something."   
      
   "It's okay."   
      
   He smiled at the thought that she would do something like that for him.   
   "I'll sit up if you come sit over here with me."   
      
   Scully sat beside him, wrapping the blankets a little snugger around him and   
   leaning against the couch.   
      
   He tugged her head down to his lap. "You rest."   
      
   Scully started to protest but her exhaustion was winning out. "Don't wanna   
   hurt you," she muttered.   
      
   "You won't," Mulder assured her. "Please?"   
      
   "Kay...only if you promise you'll wake me if you need something." Scully was   
   already falling asleep.   
      
   Mulder stroked her hair gently as he watched her sleep. He could get used to   
   this. He already had gotten used to her being there.   
      
   An hour later, Scully woke up in a cold sweat. Samuel Alboa had escaped from   
   the hospital and was in the apartment. She couldn't get to Mulder in time to   
   save him. She didn't get a chance to tell Mulder she loved him.   
      
   "Hey, it's okay. I'm here." Mulder was holding her close to him. Scully   
   unconsciously held him a little tighter as she began to sob. Mulder held her   
   and rocked her back and forth. "Sssh...baby...I've got you." Scully   
   desperately tried to pull herself together, ashamed that she was crying in   
   front of him. She tried to repeat to herself 'He's okay...he's not   
   hurt...he's not dead...he's still here.'   
      
   "Hey..." Mulder took his finger and pulled Scully's face up to his. "We   
   don't hide things from each other." He pulled her back to him. "Just let it   
   all out, baby."   
      
   Scully sobbed a little before slowly sitting up and wiping her face.   
      
   "Just let me comfort you," Mulder said running a finger up her arm. Scully   
   let him hold her as she closed her eyes and was lulled by his heartbeat.   
   They fell asleep in each other's arms.   
      
   Early the following morning though, Scully moved to the bed. She didn't have   
   the heart to move Mulder so she left him there. He woke and was a little   
   disoriented. He wondered where she had gone to. He figured she was in her   
   bed...he didn't blame her. The couch was a little uncomfortable. He followed   
   the hallway to her room and watched her sleep.   
      
   Scully heard his footfalls on the carpet and reached over to turn back the   
   covers without turning over fully.   
      
   Mulder smiled. "Always can read my mind, can't you?"   
      
   "Don't know the half of it," she muttered sleepily.   
      
   Mulder slipped in and spooned around her. He placed his cold feet to her   
   warm ones.   
      
   "Gaaah!" Scully yelled when she felt his cold feet.   
      
   "What's the matter with you?" Mulder deadpanned.   
      
   "Your feet are freezing!" Scully protested, momentarily pulling her feet   
   away. Mulder pretended to pout and turned away from her.   
      
   "Never mind pouting, Mulder." Scully's back was turned to him so he didn't   
   see her tears. "Go back to sleep."   
      
   "Sadly, I'm not sleepy anymore." Mulder turned back to her and pulled her   
   back against him. "I want to talk.'   
      
   "About what?" Slowly, Scully turned over.   
      
   "You...me...this..."   
      
   Scully remained silent, waiting for him to talk.   
      
   "I know there is something between us, Scully...uh...I mean, Dana. I've felt   
   it since we met." Mulder swallowed, afraid to go on.   
   Scully smiled encouragingly. "I just need to know how you feel."   
      
   "Like I can't breathe when I'm away from you," Scully whispered.   
      
   Mulder's eyes locked with hers. "Yeah."   
      
   Scully took a breath. "I don't expect things to change over night. I   
   just...I just wanted you to know that I knew there was something between us   
   too."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)