Weak in the Knees; chapter thirty-nine
Title: Weak in the Knees
Author: Dhamphir
Fandom: X-Files
Pairing: Scully/OFC
Rating: NC-17
Please see previous posts for disclaimer/summary/notes. As always, thanks to celievamp for the beta!
Chapter 39
Dana’s eyes closed at the momentary pain that gave way to the peace and arousal that suffused her entire being. A low moan escaped her lips as she felt their hearts beat as one. Time seemed to bend and stretch. Then Jess stopped, and time snapped back into place. Dana felt Jess’s tongue and lips lightly teasing the pulse point at the base of her neck. She sank her fingers in dark, silky hair, then pulled Jess’s head back and claimed her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. She tasted a faint coppery tang on Jess’s tongue, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
When their lips parted Dana gazed into fathomless, obsidian eyes. They exchanged breath as they panted. Dana rested her forehead against Jess’s, closed her eyes and drew in a slow, deep breath.
Jess tenderly took Dana’s face in her hands and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. “I love you, Dana. And when I get out of here, I’ll show you just how much.” She leaned back against the bed, feeling sleepy. “Just give me a few hours of sleep and I’ll be ready to get out of here.” Her eyes drifted shut.
Dana stood up. She kissed Jess’s forehead. “I need to go to work, but I’ll be back. Sleep well.” She lowered the head of Jess’s bed.
Before leaving, Dana used the bathroom. She was surprised when she checked her appearance in the mirror - the first bite mark was completely gone, and the new bite mark was already well on the way to healing. She simply had two small, inconspicuous marks already scabbed over. Her shirt collar easily hid them.
When she stepped back out into the room Dana stopped and gazed at Jess sleeping in the hospital bed. She didn’t know why Jess had come into her life, but she was infinitely grateful. She grabbed the paper bag containing the pig’s blood, which she dropped into a biological waste receptacle on the way out.
***
Scully was surprised when Casper arrived at work about half an hour after she did. She arched an eyebrow at him. “What are you doing here?”
“We still have work to do. We need to identify our Mr. Russell Schiff,” he replied and pointed at the picture on one of the boards.
“You should be resting; you were shot.”
“My arm’s fine. I’m taking Motrin and keeping my arm in the sling. I’m right-handed anyway.”
Scully shook her head. “You sound like Jess.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I went by to see her this morning and she said she’d be ready to leave the hospital later today. Then she fell asleep,” she finished with smug amusement.
“I wouldn’t bet against her, Dana. She survived an attack by Neil Croskey that would have killed anyone else, and she was out of the hospital in record time.”
“She almost died during surgery yesterday, John.”
Casper started to argue the point but then stopped when her words sunk in. “What the hell do you mean she almost died during surgery?”
Scully closed her eyes a moment as the painful memory played in her mind. “When I went into the surgical area I watched Jess’s surgery from an observation room. They were struggling to get her heart going again. I stayed until they stabilized her.”
Casper reached out and gave Scully’s shoulder a squeeze. “She’s alright, Dana.”
She nodded.
“Casper, Scully, come into my office.”
The two agents went into AD Taylor’s office. “I’ve got an assignment for you.” He eyed Casper. “Are you sure you’re up to it, Casper?”
“I’m fine, sir. As I told Agent Scully, I’m right-handed anyway.”
“Take Barker, Kennedy, and Jackson and go to Philadelphia. We may have a lead on this Russell Schiff guy.”
Both Casper and Scully perked up.
“Scully, you’re to report to the Director. He's waiting to speak with you.”
“Yes, sir.”
They both left Taylor’s office.
“I’ll call and let you know if we come up with anything in Philadelphia.”
“Alright.”
***
The Director’s assistant, Stacy, greeted Scully when she arrived. “Good morning. You can go on in, Agent Scully, they’re waiting for you.”
“Thank you.” Scully was surprised when she entered and found AD Skinner and a third man with the Director.
“Agent Scully, come in. Have a seat.”
“Director, Assistant Director,” she greeted them both as she took a seat.
“This is Dr. Carl Harkin. He’s the psychiatrist that’s going to be examining Mulder. He and I both want to talk with you to get some background,” the Director explained.
“Yes, sir.”
***
Scully’s phone rang around 1:20 in the afternoon. “Scully.”
“Agent Scully, this is Dr Harkin.”
“What can I do for you, Doctor?”
“I’m here at the prison to evaluate Mr. Mulder. He’s been extremely disruptive here and uncooperative; however, he says he will cooperate if he can see you. Would you consider coming and talking with him? I’ve already cleared it with the Director, but it is completely up to you.”
Scully pinched the bridge of her nose. Did she want to talk to Mulder? It had been almost a month since she’d last seen him on her birthday. For three weeks he had tormented Jess with his notes and messages, he tried to kill Jess, and he shot at her at the safe house. “Alright, Doctor. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
***
After Scully passed through the rigorous security of the Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center in Baltimore, Dr. Harkin was waiting for her. He took her into the visitation room which was empty. There were a number of visitation stalls which were separated from the prisoners by glass windows. They would have to communicate via one of the telephones built into a stall.
“I did make arrangements to meet with Mr. Mulder in a private room, but he attacked me. So, they will only allow him visitation this way,” the doctor explained. “He’s been so disruptive they’ve placed him in solitary confinement.”
When Mulder was led in, in shackles, Scully was surprised by his appearance. He still had a bandage around his head covering the gouge above his left ear, and his left arm was in a sling. He had a cut above one eyebrow, a swollen, black eye, a split lip and visible bruises on his face. The guard pushed him down into the chair on his side of the window.
With trepidation Scully picked up on the handset on her side.
Mulder gave Scully a cocky smirk as he picked up the phone. “Hey, G-Woman.”
“Mulder.”
“I haven’t seen or talked to you in almost a month, Scully. Is that all you’ve got to say?”
“And you’re a liar. You saw me just fine a week ago Monday when you were taking shots at me!”
“I wasn’t shooting at you! I was trying to shoot Morgan!”
“Why?”
“Why? WHY?! I told you working with her could get you killed! I had to show you! I told you she didn’t know how to back off. It was the same way with Toni Jeffers - that’s why she’s dead!”
“Mulder, you are the only one who put my life at risk during this case.”
“But I would never hurt you, Scully. You’re the only one I trust!”
“Bullshit! You don’t trust me. You’ve always kept secrets from me.” She ground her teeth as the years of being lied to, dismissed, deceived, ditched and betrayed boiled over. “You weren’t even honest with me about me! You knew what was done to me and you kept it a secret from me!! A friend doesn’t betray someone like that.”
“But, Scully, I did it for you, to protect you.”
“No. You did it for yourself. Everything you do is for and about you! It’s just one more thing you won’t take responsibility for. You believe every crackpot that crosses your path, but you dismiss my beliefs. You ditch me and run off half-cocked. Your actions have directly threatened my career and my life time and time again - but you never think about that. You don’t give a damn about the consequences to others!”
“Scully, you don’t understand.”
“You’re right, I don’t. I don’t understand at all.”
“I love you, Scully!”
She couldn’t believe he had the nerve to actually say that after everything he’d done and put her through. “No, Mulder. You don’t love me; you don’t know meaning of love.” She slammed the receiver down, stood up and walked out. She never wanted to lay eyes on him again.
***
Scully was too upset to drive back to DC, so she drove to her mother’s house.
When Maggie opened the door she knew immediately that something was very wrong. “Dana? What’s wrong? Why didn’t you use your key?” Then the tears spilled down her daughter’s face. Maggie reached out, pulled Dana into her arms, and held her. After a minute or so Maggie let go of Dana, slipped her arm around her waist, and led her into the living room. They sat down on the couch together.
Dana snagged a tissue from the box on the end table and wiped her eyes as she sniffed.
“What’s wrong, Dana?” Maggie asked gently.
“I just left the state prison... where I visited Mulder.”
“What?! Fox is in prison?”
“Yes. I told you he’d been suspended for assaulting Jess.”
Maggie nodded. “I remember.”
“Well, he’s spent the last three weeks interfering with our investigation, and he tried to kill Jess the other night.”
Maggie couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Mom. He shot Jess and John Casper, another agent. He was arrested at the scene after I shot him.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s a selfish bastard!” she snapped angrily. “Jess almost died in my arms, Mom.” Tears began rolling down her cheeks again. “And they almost lost her during surgery to remove the bullet from where it lodged in her spine.”
“Is she okay?” Maggie had really liked the young agent that had come to dinner with her daughter.
“She will be, thank God. John’s okay; he was shot in the arm.” Dana shook her head. “I just don’t understand how he can do such hateful things and then turn around and tell me he loves me.”
“He what?”
“He said he loved me. But he doesn’t know the meaning of the word.”
“What’s going to happen to Fox?”
“I don’t know, Mom. He shot two agents, made terroristic threats, and interfered with a federal investigation which may have contributed to the deaths of more than one victim.” She wiped her eyes again.
“Could he be sick?”
Dana shrugged. “I know he doesn’t regret what he did. He was proud of himself today. He’s being evaluated by a psychiatrist, but if he knows right from wrong, it won’t make a difference. That’s all that’s required to be legally sane.” She paused. “I’ve disliked people before, but I’ve never really hated anyone.” She looked at her mother. “Right now I hate him, Mom. I hate him and never want to lay eyes on him again. I hope they lock him up for the rest of his life and throw away the key.”
Maggie put her arm around Dana’s shoulders and pulled her close. Dana laid her head on her mother’s shoulder. After several minutes Maggie broke the silence.
“Why don’t you stay here tonight?”
Dana sat up straight. “I can’t. I have to go back to the hospital to see Jess; I promised her I’d be back tonight. She doesn’t have any family, Mom; no brothers or sisters and both of her parents are gone. She’s all alone.”
Maggie put her hand over Dana’s and gave it a squeeze. “Then go be with her. And when she gets out of the hospital bring her here.”
Dana looked at her mother in surprise.
Maggie smiled. “Everyone needs someone to care about them. I like her and she can stay here while she gets better.”
“I’ll make the offer, but don’t be surprised if she doesn’t take you up on it.”
“Well, either way, both of you need to come for dinner at the very least.”
Dana smiled. “That I can arrange.”
“Good.”
***
Scully was halfway back to DC when her phone rang. “Scully.”
“Hey, it’s me, John.”
“What’s going on? Have you found our Mr. Schiff?”
“I’m in Boston. And I think we’ve got a really good lead on this guy. Someone recognized his face but didn’t know from where. What he did remember was that this guy was wearing a brass rat.”
“A what?”
“A brass rat. It’s a class ring from MIT.”
Chapter 40...
prologue| ch 1| ch 2| ch 3| ch 4| ch 5| ch 6| ch 7| ch 8| ch 9| ch 10|
ch 11| ch 12| ch 13| ch 14| ch 15| ch 16| ch 17| ch 18| ch 19| ch 20|
ch 21| ch 22| ch 23| ch 24| ch 25| ch 26| ch 27| ch 28| ch 29| ch 30|
ch 31| ch 32| ch 33| ch 34| ch 35| ch 36| ch 37| ch 38|