Fic: Exhale
Title: Exhale.
Author: kaitmaree77
Fandom: The X-Files
Shipping: Mulder/Scully
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Post-ep for 2x08 One Breath (whatever spoilers before and during it)
Summary: Requested by enigma731 . This is my first X-Files piece, and it's a short one. Please review!
(Thanks to spyndisguise for keeping me going!)
-
You go home and you cry, and it’s not something you’ll tell anyone about or let anyone know about except the walls that confine you and the memories you always wanted to erase.
You always wanted to believe.
When she awakens you go to her side and you think how small she looks, delicate like the cross she caresses with her thin fingers. She makes you smile which inexplicably makes you want to cry.
-
It’s after visiting hours when he goes to see her, and Mulder is certain Scully will be asleep after spending the entire day with her family, reassuring them of her health and evaluating everything she had (or hadn’t) seen.
She proves him wrong, of course, perfectly conscious and busily reading through newspapers for things that she’s missed. Mulder smiles as he stands in the doorway, contemplating whether to stay or go. He hadn’t intended to catch her awake, just wanted to see if she was okay. He turns to leave, but Scully catches his figure through the glass of the door and waves him over.
“Hiding, Mulder?” She puts down the newspaper and smooths her hands over its creases.
He shakes his head. “Aren’t you supposed to be asleep? You must be exhausted.”
“First chance I’ve had to breathe since I woke up. Trying to catch up on current affairs and whatnot.”
Mulder smirks. “Any illegitimate love children we should know about, this time?”
Scully rolls her eyes but smiles as she points out the fact that she’s reading the Science pages. She’s missed this, even if she can’t remember, she knows she’s missed this.
“Nice cover, Scully.” Mulder pulls a chair to the side of her bed. “So how are you feeling?”
She exhales gently and reaches to push her hair out of her eyes, wishing she had something to tie it back with. “Honestly? Tired of that question. I really feel fine. Just, tired of this bed and ready to go home.”
“You should take all the time you need. You - you came close.”
“I know. I know they were going to take me off life support.”
“They told you?”
Scully shakes her head. “I just knew.”
Mulder nods and reaches to fiddle with the hem of her blanket before he realises what he’s doing and the fact she’s watching him intently.
“What?” He asks, pulling his arms back to his sides.
She opens her mouth as if to speak, but something in her eyes changes as she swallows words unsaid. “It’s nothing. I’m just thinking...I could really go for some tea. Could you get me some?”
“Oh, sure.” Mulder nods and shakes his head all at once, in agreement to the request but denying the gnawing curiosity at the back of his head. “Anything else?”
Scully shakes her head and smiles as she shoos him away. “Just the tea, please.”
Mulder takes his time, figuring that it’s space that Scully needs. He laughs at himself as he makes his way to the newsagent, picking her up copies of Weekly World News and People, already anticipating her expression before he enters her room again.
She’s either asleep or pretending, but the newfound fear within Mulder pushes him to gently squeeze her hand. Scully opens her eyes wearily, moving to sit up and look at him, but he shakes his head. “Go back to sleep...I just wanted to see that you were still okay.”
“You’ll send yourself mad with all of this worrying, Mulder. I’m fine.”
Mulder smiles again. “You say that as if I were ever sane.”
“You’re right. What was I thinking?” Scully smiles tiredly.
Mulder laughs again as he places the magazines and tea on the table at Scully’s bedside, before turning back and meeting her eyes. “You should sleep, so I’m going to go. But I’ll be by in the morning.”
“Okay, Mulder. Thank you for the tea...and the...literature.” She gestures at the magazines, smiling again. “Good night.”
“Good night, Scully.”
He makes his way out but pauses at the door, hesitating with his hand over the handle and taking a moment to exhale. He turns back once more, again, just to see that she’s still there.
“Go home, Mulder.” She’s facing away, but she knows he’s still there.
-
You think of the first day you met her, and how wrong she seemed for the job. A joke at the expense of you and this ‘Scully’, on behalf of the colleagues who mocked your curiosity for everything they denied.
You feel breathless as you think how impossible she would have been to replace.
Author: kaitmaree77
Fandom: The X-Files
Shipping: Mulder/Scully
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Post-ep for 2x08 One Breath (whatever spoilers before and during it)
Summary: Requested by enigma731 . This is my first X-Files piece, and it's a short one. Please review!
(Thanks to spyndisguise for keeping me going!)
-
You go home and you cry, and it’s not something you’ll tell anyone about or let anyone know about except the walls that confine you and the memories you always wanted to erase.
You always wanted to believe.
When she awakens you go to her side and you think how small she looks, delicate like the cross she caresses with her thin fingers. She makes you smile which inexplicably makes you want to cry.
-
It’s after visiting hours when he goes to see her, and Mulder is certain Scully will be asleep after spending the entire day with her family, reassuring them of her health and evaluating everything she had (or hadn’t) seen.
She proves him wrong, of course, perfectly conscious and busily reading through newspapers for things that she’s missed. Mulder smiles as he stands in the doorway, contemplating whether to stay or go. He hadn’t intended to catch her awake, just wanted to see if she was okay. He turns to leave, but Scully catches his figure through the glass of the door and waves him over.
“Hiding, Mulder?” She puts down the newspaper and smooths her hands over its creases.
He shakes his head. “Aren’t you supposed to be asleep? You must be exhausted.”
“First chance I’ve had to breathe since I woke up. Trying to catch up on current affairs and whatnot.”
Mulder smirks. “Any illegitimate love children we should know about, this time?”
Scully rolls her eyes but smiles as she points out the fact that she’s reading the Science pages. She’s missed this, even if she can’t remember, she knows she’s missed this.
“Nice cover, Scully.” Mulder pulls a chair to the side of her bed. “So how are you feeling?”
She exhales gently and reaches to push her hair out of her eyes, wishing she had something to tie it back with. “Honestly? Tired of that question. I really feel fine. Just, tired of this bed and ready to go home.”
“You should take all the time you need. You - you came close.”
“I know. I know they were going to take me off life support.”
“They told you?”
Scully shakes her head. “I just knew.”
Mulder nods and reaches to fiddle with the hem of her blanket before he realises what he’s doing and the fact she’s watching him intently.
“What?” He asks, pulling his arms back to his sides.
She opens her mouth as if to speak, but something in her eyes changes as she swallows words unsaid. “It’s nothing. I’m just thinking...I could really go for some tea. Could you get me some?”
“Oh, sure.” Mulder nods and shakes his head all at once, in agreement to the request but denying the gnawing curiosity at the back of his head. “Anything else?”
Scully shakes her head and smiles as she shoos him away. “Just the tea, please.”
Mulder takes his time, figuring that it’s space that Scully needs. He laughs at himself as he makes his way to the newsagent, picking her up copies of Weekly World News and People, already anticipating her expression before he enters her room again.
She’s either asleep or pretending, but the newfound fear within Mulder pushes him to gently squeeze her hand. Scully opens her eyes wearily, moving to sit up and look at him, but he shakes his head. “Go back to sleep...I just wanted to see that you were still okay.”
“You’ll send yourself mad with all of this worrying, Mulder. I’m fine.”
Mulder smiles again. “You say that as if I were ever sane.”
“You’re right. What was I thinking?” Scully smiles tiredly.
Mulder laughs again as he places the magazines and tea on the table at Scully’s bedside, before turning back and meeting her eyes. “You should sleep, so I’m going to go. But I’ll be by in the morning.”
“Okay, Mulder. Thank you for the tea...and the...literature.” She gestures at the magazines, smiling again. “Good night.”
“Good night, Scully.”
He makes his way out but pauses at the door, hesitating with his hand over the handle and taking a moment to exhale. He turns back once more, again, just to see that she’s still there.
“Go home, Mulder.” She’s facing away, but she knows he’s still there.
-
You think of the first day you met her, and how wrong she seemed for the job. A joke at the expense of you and this ‘Scully’, on behalf of the colleagues who mocked your curiosity for everything they denied.
You feel breathless as you think how impossible she would have been to replace.