"Stepping Into The Light" Summary: Mulder and Scully are investigating a series of robberies with possible supernatural/extraterrestrial aspects. But are things what they seem? Story, Angst, a bit of an x-file, and MSR (at least on its way there) Disclaimer: Quite a few of the characters in this story are owned by Mr. Carter and 1013. He has already reaped plenty of rewards from these characters and should learn how to share. But I don't own them and am not using them for profit. Just hoping to entertain a few people as I myself have been entertained. I would like to thank Dawn for all her editing help and encouragement. Feedback: It would be appreciated. If you have constructive criticism please send that as well. Send to Hgct73@aol.com Archival: Please archive at Gossamer. All others please ask for permission first. Stepping Into The Light by Heather Hgct73@aol.com Cory, Indiana The hardness of the floor was the first sensation that the woman noticed as she woke up. She propped herself up on her elbows and groaned. She looked around--the few others that were in the store regaining consciousness as well. Shaking her head trying to regain some sense of what happened, it all came back to her. She remembered. Washington D.C. 8 am The door to the downstairs office opened and an attractive woman with chin length red hair entered the room. Her partner was sitting behind his desk focused on the television against the wall. Will I ever be able to beat him to the office in the morning, she wondered to herself. "Scully look at this," Mulder said without once glancing up. "Mulder I am not really interested in any tape you may want to show me." This comment caused Mulder to lift his eyes to catch her face; the corners of his mouth turning up to smile at her. "Not even if I ask for your scientific opinion on the plausibility of such things actually occurring?" "It depends on if you were asking for my opinion based upon personal experience or scientific data." Mulder couldn't keep the grin from his face. Her quick comebacks were just one of the things that made Scully special to him. Her amazing wit, her intelligence, her strength. She amazed him. He turned once again to the television, hitting the rewind button. "This is a news report from a television station in Indiana." Scully moved behind Mulder and focused her attention on the television screen in front of her. He paused for a second thankful that he had already watched the tape several times that morning before Scully had arrived. Her closeness was slightly distracting. He breathed a little deeper. Scully leaned closer, as she had a habit of doing, and he inhaled the scent that distinctly belonged to his partner. He tried his best to bring his attention back to the news report. A male news reporter appeared on the screen dressed in a tan suitcoat, white shirt and sedate tie. "Several strange robberies have taken place in the past week. Robberies and crimes have become less and less strange during recent years but unusual is the term victims use to describe these recent events." The scene changed to show a woman in a gas station. "I was working my normal shift, like I do every night. Only this night was different. I heard the store door open. It has this bell on the top you know. And there was this bright light. Next thing I know it's an hour later." Scully raised an eyebrow and shifted her gaze to Mulder. He gave her a wry grin and nodded his head back to the TV. Another store was shown with a different man but telling the same story. "Yes, there was this bright light and next thing I knew I woke up, still in the store only it was 11 o'clock and I couldn't remember anything since 10:30." "Local police are currently investigating the situation. And we will continue to fulfill our commitment to you by keeping you informed. This is Paul O'Keefe for channel 9 news." Mulder stopped the tape and swung his chair around to face Scully who had taken a step back to clear him a path. She stood leaning with one hip against his desk. "Mulder," Scully said inflecting both anticipation and questioning. "Bright white lights, missing time. These are key elements of alien visitation." That earned him another eyebrow. He tried again. "Regardless, crimes happened." He got up and walked around Scully, setting a plane ticket down on the desk beside her. "How do you feel about Indiana, Scully?" American Airlines Flight 380 11:30 am Scully was sitting in the aisle seat beside her partner. Her seat was pushed forward for the fourth time that flight as the man behind her once again hit the back of her seat with his knees. I wish the bureau would splurge on business class for us just once, she thought. She removed her glasses with her right hand as she brought her left hand up to wipe across her eyes. She was tired and they hadn't even started the case yet. She glanced over at her partner who was dozing against the window. Whenever she began to question her reasons for jumping on a plane, travelling to a new city, a different hotel every other week; all she had to do was look at the man beside her. She was following him. Why? She silently harrumphed. Why? So how are you going to answer today Dana; with the truth or with the answers you give to your mother and your friends and even to Skinner. I follow him because of the quest, which has over the years become mine. I follow him because he is my partner and he needs me. Because of what I am only becoming honest about with myself. The reason that Skinner will never get and my mother can only hope to hear from me. I follow because he gives me something I don't have by myself. I will not say that I follow because I love him. That's too much like a sappy love song. That just isn't me. And that's not what he needs. No, I follow because I am better with him than without him, and I know he is better with me than without me. And I believe in him as much as he trusts me. Despite her frustration at the sentimentality of her thoughts she had to reach out a hand to touch his arm, to reassure herself of his presence. Her hand drifted down his arm to his hand. Before she could draw away Mulder's hand had grasped her own and held it firmly. Scully was anxious at first, unsure of what to do. She ended up just leaving her hand where it was; after enjoying the sensation for a few moments she put her glasses back on and continued to page through the case notes. The seatbelt sign blinked on and the pilot began announcing their approach to the airport. This brought Mulder awake. He was a little surprised to find that his hand was grasping something. A hand. A small, soft, feminine hand. His eyes followed the path of the arm up to the face of the person whose hand he was holding. Scully was so intent on the files in front of her that she hadn't yet noticed that Mulder had woken up. This left Mulder in a bit of a quandary. Did he let go of her hand, letting Scully know he was awake or did he just allow her to believe he remained asleep so he could continue to enjoy the presence of her hand in his own. The decision was made for him when Scully glanced up from her notes and noticed Mulder looking down at their hands. She quickly pulled her hand away excusing it with a "Sorry, Mulder." Mulder wanted to turn to her and let her know there was nothing for her to be sorry about but he remained silent. He allowed himself another quick glance at her then turned to look out the window. Police Department Cory, Indiana 2 pm Scully and Mulder entered the police station searching out someone in charge. A tall, well-built man in jeans and a denim shirt was entertaining a group of officers surrounding his desk with a story of a car chase he had been involved in when he had been on the police force in Indianapolis. Scully and Mulder approached the group but no one even looked their way. "Excuse me, we are looking for Detective Madsen," Scully said. The man telling the story turned to look at the person interrupting his story and the amused officers dispersed. His eyes glanced over Mulder and landed on the pretty, petite agent who had the most gorgeous blue eyes he had ever seen. "And what could Detective Madsen do for you?" he asked with a smile. Mulder didn't like the look this guy was giving Scully. He took a step forward and drew out his identification saying "Agents Mulder and Scully, FBI. You will direct us to Detective Madsen's office immediately." The amused look on the man's face never changed as he got up from his perch on the desk giving them a nod indicating they were to follow him. He led them into an office and shut the door behind them. "I am Detective Madsen and it's nice to meet you special agents Mulder and Scully." Scully decided it was time to quit playing around, "We're here to investigate the recent robberies." "Well they can't really be classified as robberies since nothing was exactly stolen." "Nothing was stolen?" Scully repeated. "That's been the confusing thing about this whole case," responded Madsen. Mulder caught Scully's eye; she knew what Mulder was thinking. This just continued to back his theory of what was happening in this town. "Detective Madsen we would like to interview the people involved. Could you provide us with a list of names?" Lazy Oak Motel 8 pm Mulder followed Scully into her motel room and sunk into the chair that was closest to the door. "C'mon Scully, you have to admit that the extreme possibilities are the best explanation so far for this case." Scully had removed her suit coat and hung it on the coat rack. She grabbed her laptop and placed it on the bed. "Mulder there is no evidence to support your theory. Lack of evidence supporting a rational theory doesn't automatically support an irrational one." "I'm hungry. Put your computer away and we'll discuss this over a hamburger and fries." Mulder said with a slight pout. Which Scully knew meant he wasn't kidding. He wanted food. Mulder grabbed the coat that Scully had just hung up and held it out for her. As they walked out the door Scully said, "Alien encounters at the kwik mart. The 24 hour gas and food stop?" "If it's good enough for Elvis why not aliens?" Police Station 5 pm Mulder and Scully were going over the notes from the interviews, frustrated that they really had nothing else to go on. They looked up as Madsen came into the room. "We had another incident. First Federal Bank of Indiana." Madsen said. I'll take you over there right now." First Federal of Indiana Twenty minutes later Mulder, Scully and Madsen were inside the First Federal Bank of Indiana. Mulder took in the setting and saw that everything was the same as in the previous cases. A few witnesses who saw nothing but a bright light before they lost time. Nothing in the bank seemed to have been touched and no one saw anything unusual. "Mulder come take a look at this," Scully called. He saw her looking at a residue that was covering a table and some of the floor by the entryway. "What is it?" "I'm not sure Mulder. It could just be something that has always been here but it's worth checking out." "Get a sample of this. I want to listen in on some of the interviews the officers are doing." Mulder walked out the door as Scully pulled a latex glove on and bent to look more closely at the residue. Police Station 9 pm The agents and the detective were sitting around a table in their makeshift office. Several discarded styrofoam cups littered the table. Mulder was trying to convince the other two of his plan. "If we look at this map of the town it's following a pattern. And according to the pattern one of these two businesses will be the next hit." Madsen couldn't think of any reason to disagree with the agents reasoning so he ok'd Mulder's request for himself and several other officers to stake out the area. They would cover it in shifts with Mulder and himself there from 2pm to 7pm the next day. "Mulder before you draw any conclusions I think we need to know what the sample is that I took from the bank," Scully said. "While we are waiting for the results there may be another incident." "Detective, I want to use your lab tomorrow to test this sample myself. I would like to take a closer look at it. But for right now I need to get some sleep." She turned back to her partner. "Let's go back to the motel and start on this again in the morning." Lab 1 pm "Mulder I can't explain right now what the victims described as bright lights and missing time but a bank will be the next place that is hit." "I think you are wrong. The detective and I are going to track after this lead while you look at that sample. I'll call you, Mulder." He stepped towards Scully and placed his hands on her shoulders. He looked down, waiting for her to look up at him. Scully looked up and tried to communicate with her eyes what she couldn't in words. That she had a bad feeling about this case. That she was certain that they were overlooking something. "Scully I have a gut feeling about this." She lowered her gaze and said softly. "Be careful." Mulder looked down upon the women whom he held in his grasp and he wanted to reassure her. He wanted to pull her close and reassure her with his arms, his touch. Yet all he could do was smile and say, "You know me I never take any unnecessary chances." This earned him a raised eyebrow but he could still see the fear in her eyes. He released his grip on her shoulders and left. Scully was left standing alone in the room. 3 pm She had spent the past two hours testing the substance found at the crime scene. She truthfully didn't know what she expected to find. Working with Mulder had caused her to expand her thinking. To think with a bit more creativity. But there were times when she was just tired. Tired of thinking without boundaries. Scully was thankful that she did have her scientific method to fall back on. And once again she was looking to discover her own answers in science. As she looked at the results she found the missing piece in the puzzle. "It all makes sense," Scully said out loud. She turned and grabbed the cell phone. "Mulder? Mulder, it;s me. I found out what the substance is. It's a type of residue from a gaseous substance. I have never seen anything like it before but it has similar elements to a sleeping gas. This would explain the missing time. "Even if that was an explanation what about the bright light." "I can't explain that. Not yet but I think Mulder, I think your theory is partly correct it's just that you have it backwards. The bank job wasn't to throw us off the track. The first three jobs were. So a bank wouldn't be suspected to be hit twice." "That doesn't make any sense. Why draw attention to an area by having fake robberies." Scully took a deep breath before asking her next question. She had a theory regarding this case and why they were called on it and she almost didn't want to be right. But she had never shied away from the truth before and she wasn't about to begin now. "Mulder how did you find out about this case?" "Scully, it falls under our jurisdiction and..." "Mulder answer my question." "I found the newspaper article shoved under my door." There was silence. Scully knew it had to be said but she was torn. Did she just lay it out? If pressed to admit it his passion was something she loved about him. But that's why they worked so well together-she was his anchor. "Mulder I think we were set up. They, whoever it is that is planning these robberies, knew who you were. They knew they could throw you off the track with these decoys, the set-up abduction scenarios." Scully said the words as her mind pleaded for Mulder to listen to her reasonably. To be listening with his mind and not his heart. To know that she was speaking the truth. The words Scully had spoken to him were like a blow to Mulder's stomach. No he couldn't have been misled. He was about to get the proof that he needed. He just needed to be patient. "Scully I am right about this." Scully knew she could only present to Mulder the facts and then her opinion. She couldn't force him to act or think a certain way. But she also had to act on the truth as she saw it. "Mulder I believe that a bank will be the next location hit. There are three more banks in town. I am going to check those locations out." Please Mulder, agree with me, trust my judgement on this one, she pleaded with her mind. "Whatever Scully." Scully had no response, she couldn't respond, so she hung up the phone. Scully fought the overwhelming urge to throw something. To pick up the glass beakers on the table in front of her and throw them against the wall. But instead she just seethed quietly for a few minutes. She was a strong woman, so why was her heart aching at Mulder's response and why were her eyes suddenly moist. I wasn't this bad when I had a crush on Jake Roberts in eleventh grade, she thought. Why, when I need Mulder do I end up just feeling alone? She took a deep breath, discarded her lab coat, grabbed her cell phone and car keys and left the lab. Stepping Into the Light 2/2 SEE PART ONE FOR RELATING INFORMATION Across town Mulder slammed the palm of his hand into the dashboard of Detective Madsen's car. The detective looked over at him. "I am going to walk around the location, see if I spot anything." Madsen never responded, just watched Mulder as he left the car. Whatever, whatever. What a jerk I am. Why do I hurt her? Why does she stay and take my harsh words. Someday Mulder, someday you are going to treat her like crap and she's just going to leave. She's going to demand a transfer and she will go to work with someone who voices their appreciation of her. Scully I need you. I trust you. I know you are always there. So I say things I shouldn't say. I don't tell you these things because I know you won't leave me. The next thought stopped Mulder in his tracks. He raked his hands through his hair. He realized that he took her for granted. He knew she wasn't being mean with her comments about the case. She was being the person he loved. A woman of truth. A woman of integrity and loyalty. His partner who would speak the truth even when it hurt. And what did I do in response. My pride made me want to hurt her as she had hurt me." "I am sorry Scully," he whispered to himself. Suddenly he had the overwhelming desire to tell her. To tell her that he was sorry. That he appreciated her. That he needed her. That he lov--. No, that would have to wait. Soon it would be said. Soon but not now. Mulder reached into his coat pocket for his cell-phone. But it wasn't there, and then he remembered that he had left it on the floor of Madsen's car where he'd let it drop after hanging up on Scully. He quickly turned around and headed back to the car, his phone and by extension his life. First National Bank Scully pulled up to the bank. Everything looked normal. She thought about calling Mulder but she just felt she'd be inconveniencing him were she too call. He obviously didn't want to talk with her anymore or hear her opinions or ideas. It's ridiculous to just sit here she thought. Besides I need to check out two more places. She left the car to enter the bank intending to speak to the manager and ask if he had noticed any suspicious behavior recently. It was four, which meant it was almost closing time. She hadn't thought about that. This would be the only bank she would get to today. She only saw two tellers; a man in his 20's and an older woman, early 50's, Scully guessed. There was one customer with a child of four tugging at his arms. He was talking with the woman. The information desk was empty so she looked towards the offices that were on the left side of the bank. An attractive man with graying hair wearing a charcoal gray suit was exiting one of the offices. She began walking over to him. She pulled out her badge and showed it to the man. "Special agent Dana Scully, FBI. I have a few questions I would like to ask you." The man glanced in the direction of the voice. He was a bit worried at first upon hearing that a FBI agent wanted to ask him a few questions but he was pleased at the sight presented to him. His gaze also noticed her serious expression and he quickly went back into business mode himself. "We can use my office." He reopened the door and stepped to the side to allow Scully to enter. "Can I ask what this is pertaining to?" "I am investigating the most recent bank robbery." "The bank robbery, have you heard of the other incidents as well." "Yes, we are investigating all of the incidents Mister--" "Bill Jacobson," he said extending his hand. "Mr. Jacobson, have you noticed any... she was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. "Excuse me, Mr. Jacobson but I need to take this call." "Of course, we'll talk when you are done." He courteously left. "Scully." "Scully, I'm sorry, I am so sorry." The words were frantic. "Mulder?" Scully responded a bit confused. "No Scully let me finish. I just.. I just need you to know how much..how much I need you." Her attention became completely focused on her partner's words, trying to grasp what Mulder was saying and the urgency with which he was saying it. He needed her. Suddenly there was a bright light and then everything was going black. Scully did the only thing she could do. "Mulder!" she yelled into the phone, panic filling her voice. "Mulder, I need you.!" Then the phone went dead. "Scully! Scully! What happened? Are you there? Scully - answer me!=" Mulder threw the phone down for the second time that day. Mulder turned to Detective Madsen yelling, "I need to get to the bank, now!" "Agent Mulder..." "Just do it," he yelled; impatient and angry that the detective hadn't gone yet. "You don't understand there are three banks in town. Which one?" Mulder's hands swept through his hair. "The lab, that's where Scully left from. Go to the bank closest to the lab." Madsen pulled the car out of its parking spot. They were in an unmarked surveillance vehicle and had no sirens but he would get them to the bank as soon as possible. "Would you mind filling me in on the situation here," Madsen asked, trying to remain as patient as possible. "Scully, she was pursuing her own lead and was going to investigate the other banks in the area. She was at the bank when I called. She yelled for help and then there was nothing." Mulder said as evenly as possible. In his mind he was remembering a time not long ago when she had said the same words. "What was Agent Scully..." He was cut off by the static of the police radio and the dispatcher saying his name. "I'm here." "We had a report of an alarm going off at First Federal Bank. Three cars were sent over." "I'm on my way there now." Mulder just sat. A tense looks on his face. He was still hearing Scully's voice. PART 2 Inside First Federal Five figures entered the building. Their features disguised by the gas masks they wore. The gas was designed to give them a half-hour time window. Three men quickly ran to the back safe while the other two, guns ready, surveyed the unconscious people who lay on the floor at their feet. They weren't aware that one of the tellers hit the alarm button before she had fallen to the floor unconscious. The two men counted four people and a child all who lay close to the cashier counter. One of the men kept his gun trained on the people lying on the floor, as the other man did a quick search of the surrounding offices. He put his head in the door of the second room and noticed red hair and a small body sprawled on the floor. He hooked his arms under her shoulders preparing to drag her out. As he pulled up on her shoulders, her suit jacket hiked up and he noticed the gun in the waistband of her skirt. "Damn," he muttered. He laid her back down, pulling the gun from the waistband of her skirt and placing it in the waistband of his own jeans. He quickly searched her for other weapons and pulled the id out of her front coat pocket. He read "Special agent Dana Scully" just as he heard the sirens. With the ID in hand he propped the woman against his chest and dragged her out to the main room. He pulled off his mask and shouted to the three men who came running out of the safe at the sound of sirens. He threw the badge at one of the men. "She's FBI." A second man yanked off his gas mask to reveal dirty blonde hair, a tan complexion and hard features. He didn't seem very upset with this turn of events. A small smile tugged at his lips as he said, "She'll make an excellent bargaining chip then." Mulder and Madsen pulled up to the bank to find three police cares already there. The officers crouched behind their vehicles, guns drawn and pointed towards the bank. Detective Madsen exited the car and ran towards the officers. "What's the situaiton?" he yelled. "Sir we were responding to an alarm call here at the bank. The bank hadn't closed yet so there are most likely people in there." "Sir," another officer had jogged to stand beside Madsen, "the station just received a call from a man claiming to be inside the bank. He wanted to speak to someone in charge. Madsen took the phone and demanded that the call be put through. "I guess you have finally caught up to us." A man's voice on the phone said. "Let's quit the game playing," Madsen said, noticing Mulder pacing wildly around, obviously wanting to have more control in this situation. He switched the phone on to speaker so Mulder could at least hear what was being said. "Oh, I'm not playing. Not now. Especially not with the FBI involved." Mulder's eyes went wide. "The FBI isn't involved, yet," Madsen responded. "So before we pull anyone else into this why don't you..." "Why don't you start by telling the truth. If there is no FBI involved then either you are lying or I am terribly confused. Why don't you help me out here. I am sitting here right now looking at Agent Dana Scully. I can touch her silky red hair, her beautiful soft cheek, the perfect red lips..." "Stop it you bastard, don't you put your hands anywhere near her." Mulder said, interrupting the man who held his world in his hands. He would give him what he wanted, just to make him stop touching Scully. "Who am I speaking to now and why are you so concerned?" the voice asked. Mulder didn't reply. He was silent; trying to think of a course of action. "Answer me," the tone of the voice on the phone tone changed. "Or I will begin describing Agent Scully's other attributes to you." "I'm Agent Mulder." "So not one but two agents are involved. Who was I speaking to at first? I want your name." "Detective Madsen." "Detective Madsen, you lied to me." Mulder took charge of the situation. "The bureau's policy is not to deal in a hostage situation." "I am familiar with policy Agent Mulder and I realize the bureau doesn't make deals to save lives, but right now I am dealing with you. No one comes close to this building or she's dead. I will give you one half hour to consider if you are willing to make a deal for Agent Scully's life." The phone went dead. Inside The hostages were slowly coming awake. All of them had been brought behind the cashier counter. Two men were holding guns on them. None of the hostages were regarded as being much trouble. Except for Agent Scully. The men figured she shouldn't be too much trouble but the blond man, Jack, knew better. He had seen women half his size kills a man before and he didn't doubt that this redhead could kill either. He had used her own handcuffs to cuff her to the leg of the metal desk upon which he was now sitting. Half of his attention was on her while the other half regarded the man questioning him. "Jack what are you doing? We didn't plan on taking hostages or having the FBI involved." "Philip, you need to be informed of some other elements to our agenda. Peter I need you too. You both need a bit more information on our plans." Jack slid off the desk and looked over at a man leaning against the wall in the far corner. He was a big man, tall and muscular. He had brown hair and his eyes took in everything that was going on around him. He was smart but not as smart as Jack and he knew it. Jack knew it too and knew that Todd was scared of him, because Jack was the only one who could beat him in a fight. Jack had worked with Todd for four years and appreciated the work he did but would never trust him. Jack spoke to him now. "Todd, I trust you can handle an unarmed, bound woman." "If you'd let me I could show you just how well I could handle her, he said leering at the woman across the room. "Keep your gun on her and your hands off." He said as he walked off to one the offices, Philip and Peter following him. "I wanted my gun in her," Todd muttered when he saw that Jack had entered the office and was shutting the door. Agent Dana Scully slowly opened her eyes. What happened? She remembered being at the bank, on the phone with Mulder. She suddenly brought her face up and looked around as she remembered the bright light. But the only thing she saw was the gun held up to her face and the man holding it. "Don't panic Dana, don't panic." Her feet were free but her hands were in handcuffs and the handcuffs were around something cold and hard. She jumped suddenly as she heard a gunshot. She tried to spin around to see where the sound was coming from but she couldn't move very far. This was too much and she was angry. "Who the hell are you," she yelled at the man in front of her. Before he could respond a second gunshot went off. "What's going on? she demanded. The man knelt down in front of her and shoved the gun against her right cheek. His right palm came to rest on her left cheek, his thumb caressing it. "You're awfully spirited for someone who's handcuffed to a desk but I like that in a woman." Scully tried to pull away from his hand but that just caused the gun to be pressed harder into her cheek. "Get away from me you bastard!" she shouted. The man just laughed. Then he was roughly jerked up and shoved to the side. "I told you just to watch her," Jack said to him. "You take care of Philip and Pete," asked Todd. "They've been alleviated of their responsibilities. You and Jake know the big picture. Don't screw it up." Before either had a chance to say anything further they were interrupted by an angry voice yelling at them "Who are you and what do you want." Scully didn't believe in wasting words. The blond man, the one called Jack turned to her and smiled saying "Todd go look after the others with Jake." When Todd left Jack addressed Scully. "Agent Scully, Dana, I am someone who will be a rich and powerful man. That is who I am and that is what I want." He crouched in front of her. "There are five other people in this bank, each one has a gun pointed to their head. One is just a little girl. You give me any problems and they die. I just killed two of my own men. Dana don't think I have a problem shooting anyone in this bank. Even if it's just a little girl." Jack stared at her a moment longer letting the seriousness of his words sink in. Then he stood up and walked to her left, towards where the others were. Outside Mulder didn't need a half-hour to make his decision. He knew he'd do anything to save her. He'd give his badge, his future. He would give his life. He knew thought that he couldn't save her on his own. He needed resources. The police were gathering information on the buildings infrastructure. A map was spread out on the roof of one of the cars. Another officer was on the phone, going over a list of employees to try to get an approximate count of how many other people were being held in the bank. Mulder was holding the cell phone to his ear while the other hand was at the back of his head. "Agent Mulder, I will be sending in our hostage negotiation team. They will be there in the next hour. This situation will be handled according to proper bureau protocol," said Assistant Director Skinner. "Sir, we are dealing with Agent Scully's life. I will do whatever it takes to ensure her safety." "Mulder, I don't want anything to happen to Scully either. We will do whatever it takes to resolve this situation but you must follow protocol. I expect you to assist the negotiation team. Be an asset to them. Not some renegade punk agent with a bad attitude." Skinner hung up and Mulder's heart stopped as a shot rang out from the bank. Followed by a second shot. Every officer stopped and looked at the building. Mulder had only one thought in his head: "Scully, please don't let it be Scully." Everything was quiet for a few minutes then Mulder's hand slammed into the patrol car. "What is going on in there!" he yelled. As he was about to slam his fist into the car a second time Madsen grabbed his wrist and spun him around. "Agent Mulder, losing control isn't going to help anyone." He pulled Mulder away from the ears of the other officers and lowered his voice. "I know Agent Scully means a lot to you. And as much as I would love to be the hero in this situation I can't be. I am not trained for this. You are. In a few minutes you will be getting a call. Use it. Use it to save Agent Scully's life." Madsen left Mulder standing there and walked back to the others. Mulder knew Madsen was right. He couldn't lose control. He took a deep breath and leaned against the car behind him. "Think Mulder, what kind of person would do this. What would there objective be..." The phone rang. He quickly moved to where Madsen stood, phone in hand, extended to Mulder. Mulder grabbed the phone, took a deep breath and answered. "Mulder do you have an answer." "I need to know she's ok first and the others." "Just to fill you in there are a total of six hostages. There were six before you heard the gunshots and there are still six. No one will die Mulder. Not if you give me what I want." "I want to talk with her." "Ok Mulder, here's proof that she's still alive." Inside the building Scully watched as Jack nodded towards the man named Todd who then moved to stand beside Jack. He was holding the little girl. His hand grasping her arm, the gun pressed into her head. Jack covered the phone with his hand and approached Scully. "I want to hear you scream." "No," she said vehemently. She didn't want Mulder to experience any more pain than he was already experiencing. "You will scream Dana. When I tell you or she dies." Scully looked at the little girl. Her brown eyes wide with fright. Scully closed her eyes and made herself stop the tears that were threatening to fall. She set her jaw and nodded to Jack. She would do it. "Good, now Agent Scully if I am not convinced by your scream she will die." Jack removed his hand form the mouthpiece and said, "Mulder you want proof, here;s proof." Suddenly Scully was kicked in the stomach. She glanced up and saw the trigger being pulled. She began to scream. With Scully's screams still in the background Jack began speaking again to Mulder. "Mulder, there's your proof. Now listen to me. You have two hours. I want three million dollars, a helicopter, and I want to be on television. There has been a wrong that must be corrected. Have a TV cameraman sent in here in two hours with the money and the helicopter waiting." Outside Madsen grabbed the phone from Mulder's hand afraid that if he didn't it would be used to pound something. He wouldn't blame Mulder though. He and all the other officers had heard the scream as well. Madsen thought he knew Agent Scully well enough to know that she wasn't the type of woman who would scream easily. If Mulder didn't beat him to it he would kill those bastards himself. Mulder had to get away from the other officers. He couldn't let them see him lose it. He walked to an alleyway across the street from where the cars were parked. The sun was setting and shadows made the alley dark. He slid down against the wall. The sound of Scully's screams reverberated in his mind. It cut his heart, his very soul. He'd never heard Scully scream before, not like that. She knew he was on the phone. She would never have screamed knowing that he could hear her, never. Unless, she was in so much pain she couldn't help herself. "I will kill them," he muttered. Mulder tried to focus his thoughts onto something that would help Scully. That would help him get into the bank and into the man's head. The man he spoke to didn't sound at all panicked. Not a small-town bank robber type. Plus the other incidents. Why? Just a diversion? Who was it that he killed, if not hostages then who? What is it that he really wants? His demands were money, transportation and media attention. Mulder worked through the puzzle for a few more minutes. Then suddenly he got up from his crouch, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He had found his way in. Part 3 "He had three demands: Three million dollars, a helicopter and a cameraman." Mulder continued to speak to the men surrounding him. His voice hard and serious; letting everyone know just who it was in charge of this operation. "I will be on the phone to AD Skinner to have the first two demands met. I need your help with the third. Get on the phone to the closest network affiliate. Get them to send a cameraman down here immediately. The cameraman needs to be a man and he must have dark hair and be around six-foot tall. Have his bring his photo id." Inside Scully was ashamed and nauseated. She had allowed herself to be used against Mulder. She leaned her head back against the hard desk. Then opened her eyes once again so she could survey the situation. The third man, Jake, was tall and wiry. He sat in a chair facing her. He was a bit more relaxed and looked almost bored. She turned her head as far as she could to the right and could just see the others. The little girl was tucked into the lap of her father. Three men each carrying guns. What could she do? She had thought about demanding to be released so she might use the restroom. This would release her from her cuffs but then what. Three men with machine guns, Dana. Five innocent people. Jack and Todd stood overlooking the hostages. They were leaning up against the far wall and Dana could just make out their conversation. "How can you be so sure that he will come." Todd asked. "I know him, I have given him the opportunity and I have something he wants, badly. He'll come." Jack responded. Todd smiled. Laughingly he replied, "Man, you're unbelievable. I believe you but how did you know. I mean this is pretty coincidental." "Perhaps but I did my research and I played the odds. And I happened to win." He glanced over at Scully and couldn't help but smile. Outside It was fifty minutes until the exchange was to be made. He saw the van with the KMLV logo on the side. The van pulled up alongside the police vehicles and a man with dark hair climbed out. He went to the back of the van and retrieved a case. He brought it with him over to the police cars. "I was told to come right here. That you needed a cameraman." He asked questioningly. Mulder looked at him and said "What I need for you to do is to teach me how to use this camera. And for you to hand over to me your vest and your press id." Madsen stared at Mulder. Mulder held up the camera and turned to Madsen. "This is my way in." Mulder said. 20 minutes later. "Where's the money and the copter?" yelled Mulder. He'd spent the last half-hour going through the intricacies of the camera. When asked if he didn't want to go through it one more time Mulder shook his head saying "No, I only needed to see it once." Mulder knew he would have to act and react without being able to think through all scenarios. It would be all reaction and instinct once he got inside. But Mulder's reactions were good, very good. Mulder spotted the helicopter coming towards the building. The only landing option was in the large parking lot to the right side of the bank. It wasn't an ideal location but it would work. Several men in suits exited the helicopter and came running towards the police vehicles. Mulder didn't pay them much interest until he recognized one of the men. Skinner immediately addressed Mulder. "Agent Mulder we brought the helicopter and the money as was demanded. Agents are setting up in their positions. When we secure the safety of the hostages and make the exchange we will make our attempt. Should something go wrong there are homing devices attached to several of the bills. I see you have taken care of the third demand," Skinner said his head nodding towards the news van. Mulder nodded and looked like he wasn't going to speak but then he brought his head up to look at Skinner. "Sir, this isn't something an AD would normally be involved in." His question was clear without him stating it. Skinner took a few steps away from the others, Mulder following. He turned and looked Mulder in the eyes. "Agent Mulder, I realize I don't need to be here, but I wanted to be. Agent Scully is an agent under my supervision. She's not only a damn fine agent but a damn fine person. I have invested a lot into securing Agent Scully's safety in the past and I will do whatever I can now." Mulder knew of Skinner's soft spot when it came to his partner but was a bit surprised to hear Skinner actually say it. And at that moment Mulder realized that his partner. A woman of strength, integrity and honor had not only become the most important thing in his life; making him strive to do and be better but she had also, somehow found her way into Skinner's heart. As a daughter or something else, Mulder didn't know but he knew that at this moment Skinner loved her. In light of this revelation all Mulder could do was look Skinner in the eyes and say "Thank you Sir." Mulder turned to begin walking back to the other agents and officers but Skinner stopped him suddenly. There was something he needed to know. "Agent Mulder, have you heard anything regarding Scully." "Sir, our last contact was two hours ago. At that time she was still alive." Mulder's face dropped with this last statement, remembering Scully's screams. Skinner decided not to push further, instead walking to the others. Mulder waited a few seconds then followed. He approached the officer who was holding the bulletproof vest that the cameraman would wear to enter the building. Mulder took the vest from his hands and began putting it on. "Mulder, that vest is for the cameraman." Skinner said questioningly. "I know" "Agent Mulder.." "Sir, this is the only way I can get inside. I have his id; I know how to work the camera. I need to be in there." Skinner acquiesced; knowing it would take all the agents there to prevent Mulder form going in. And Skinner had to admit that sending a trained agent, an agent as good as Mulder into the situation might be what they needed to diffuse this situation, and save Scully's life. The phone rang and they all stared at it. Mulder picked up the phone saying, "We have what you wanted. Now give me what I want". Inside the bank Jack was sitting on a swivel chair his legs up against a desk. Scully was still on the floor. Jake was sitting about ten feet away. She couldn't see him but she assumed Todd was watching theothers. She decided now was the time to redeem herself from her previous failure. She knew she wasn't a criminal profiler but being with the bureau had given her some training. She knew these men were planning something. And she was also certain they weren't going to let them go. She needed to help Mulder. She needed him to know to not give these men anything. As she was thinking; Jack was still on the phone with Mulder. "Mulder that's good business. If you hold something of value, a price will be paid for it. Now listen closely. If something isn't done as I say a hostage will be shot." Jack paused for a second, which gave Scully the opportunity she was waiting for. She yelled as loud as she could, "Mulder don't believe him, don't give -----" As soon as she began yelling Jake rushed toward her and whipped his gun against her right jaw. Jake thought that she was brought unconscious by this blow but just to make sure he brought down his weapon once more against the back of her head. S's head fell forward. Mulder heard Scully's voice yelling at him in the background. He heard her yell and then suddenly nothing. "Scully, Scully. If you hurt her I will kill you." Mulder yelled into the phone. "Agent Mulder, I don't appreciate threats. As a good faith gesture I will assure you that your Scully is still alive. She's not conscious but she still alive. And she will remain that way if you do what I say. Now I want the copter empty. No agents or pilots inside. Secondly send the cameraman up to the bank, we will let him in when he comes. He must be alone and unarmed. No hidden listening devices or weapons. Just him, the camera and the money. As soon as I hang up the phone send him in. When I have everything I want I will give you what you want." Jack hung up the phone and went over to Jake who was still pointing his gun at Scully's head. "You handled the situation well." Jack said. He noticed the blood caking on Scully's hair where she'd been hit. He crouched down and pulled up on her hair so that he could see her face. He saw that a bruise was forming on her cheek. Her eyes were still closed. He let her head fall forward again and stood up. "Guess we don't have to worry about Agent Scully for awhile." Jack said, smiling at Jake. Jack walked over to where Todd was standing over the other hostages. They all looked scared and were trembling. They heard the two dull thuds that had silences Scully. And they knew something was going to be happening soon. "The cameraman will be here in a few seconds. We will have the money and the transportation we need." A smile began to form on Jack's face as he continued speaking to Todd and Jake. "I need to address a few people with some concerns of mine, so I will spend a few minutes in front of the camera. Then we will go. Todd where is it you wanted to visit again?" "Anywhere as long as there are women and alcohol." Jack turned to the hostages trembling before him. He pointed to the man holding his little girl in his lap. Her head was buried in his chest. The father was afraid. Afraid for his little girl. Afraid that he couldn't help her. He wanted to kill those men that had terrorized his little girl. He stared at the blond man who was speaking to him. "Get up and go to the door. To show them that I keep my word I will let you both go. When there is a knock on the door, unlock it, open the door and let the cameraman in. Then you both may leave. We will let the rest of you go once we have the money." Jack followed the man's and little girl's progress to the door. As soon as the reached the door there was a knock. The man unlocked the door and opened it. Mulder looked at the man holding a little girl. He saw the terror and the rage in the man's eyes. Emotions that he had held in his own. These men were holding someone he loved too. He stepped inside and was surprised to see the man with the little girl leave and the door shut behind them. Mulder quickly surveyed the room. 'Scully where are you, where are you.' He saw her. On the floor, hands behind her back, her head slung forward. Was that blood in her red hair. He had to fight himself from running to her and gathering her in his arms. Cameraman Ken Louden didn't know Scully. Didn't care for Scully. Didn't love her. He pulled his eyes away from her and saw the men who had caused her all this pain. Jack stepped forward and told Mulder to step towards them and to put the camera on the desk in front of him. Suddenly a large man spun him around so he was facing the table. Hands searched his body for a hidden weapon. "He's good." Said Todd. "Leave the money and bring your camera over her and get it ready." Jack said to Mulder. Mulder noticed a third man who had his gun trained on him. The large man who had searched him had grabbed the two duffel bags and brought them over to where the blond haired man stood. The large man opened the bags and smiled. The two bags were then placed alongside the other bags that had already been taken from the bank. "Are you ready?" Jack asked Mulder. "Yes," Mulder responded. Jack stepped in front of the camera. Jack wasn't stupid. He knew that this wasn't going to be shown on any television stations. The only people seeing this were the agents and officers outside. But that was all right. They were the only ones he wanted to hear his message anyway. Them and the man standing behind the camera. Jack began to speak. "Seven years ago there was a man arrested for a series of robberies in which he killed ten people. This man who was responsible for the arrest and for his life sentence was a young agent. An agent by the name of Fox Mulder. Do you remember this Agent Mulder?" Mulder felt a gun placed to the back of his head. He knew they hadn't been fooled. He also knew that this man had known from the beginning that it would be him coming into the bank. He put down the camera. There was no reason to pretend anymore. He felt the gun pressed more firmly into his skull. His only regret was that he would never see Scully's eyes again. He would never have the chance to tell her the truth. As a man who had searched for the truth for his whole life, he would die without telling her the most important truth of all. "No, Mulder I still have more to say. I want the camera on me." Mulder raised the camera once again. "Answer my questions Agent Mulder. Do you remember? For those of you watching on television Mulder has just nodded yes. Do you know that this man you arrested died two years later, in prison? One thing you might not know is that this man was my brother. " Mulder was trying to process this information. Was this all an elaborate set-up? A set-up to get revenge on him. Again his thoughts went to Scully. She was in danger, once again, simply because she was in his life. "Now for those of you watching outside this doesn't' change anything. I am still taking the money, the helicopter and I will release the hostages." The camera was suddenly pushed from Mulder's shoulders and it crashed to the floor. "We won't be needing that anymore," Jack said. "Now we need to wait for a little while longer but we will be leaving soon." "So this was all one big set-up to get to me. To kill me." Mulder said angrily. "I am not planning on killing you yet Agent Mulder. I never did like my brother that much. But his death did cause my mother some pain. So I think I would like to cause you some pain as well. Because Agent Mulder not only did you arrest my brother but several years ago you stopped an arms sale of mine. And that cost me several million dollars. For that I want to cause you some pain." Mulder was roughly pushed into a chair and he felt rope being tied around his hands to secure them to the back of the chair. Jake still held a gun to his head. "Todd you have been quite an asset to me over the years, haven't you. I know you have been waiting for this." Jack said to Todd while tossing him a key. Todd grabbed the key and smiled. Jack picked up the phone and dialed once again the number for Detective Madsen. When Madsen answered the phone he began speaking. "One of my men is going out to the helicopter to get it started. We'll be out there in ten minutes. If you shoot or apprehend my man I will kill Agent Mulder and a hostage. " Jack hung up the phone and walked to where Jake stood behind Mulder. "Go start the helicopter." Jake nodded and left. Jack stood to the left of Mulder so that he could see his face. Jack's gun was placed at Mulder's temple. They watched as Todd walked over to Scully and released her from her cuffs. "Take her into an office. I don't need to see it, just make sure he hears it." Jack said to Todd. Todd looked over Scully grinning. He placed an arm under her back and another under her legs and picked her up. He took her into an office and shut the door. Mulder knew what was about to happen and he would kill the man with his bare hands. "Damn you, do whatever you want to me, but let her go." Mulder shouted. He tried to stand up but was pushed down and hit in the head with the butt of the gun. It was silent and he could hear the sound of cloth ripping. "I will kill you!" Mulder yelled. "Agent Mulder, we'll give them a few more minutes then you will be coming with us." Jack responded calmly as if talking to Mulder at a ball game. Suddenly they heard a crashing sound coming from the office followed by a distinctly male grunt. Jack bent over to whisper in Mulder's ear "Does she like it rough." Mulder didn't care if they killed him. He couldn't stand this. He would stop this or die trying. He pulled forward, breaking the skin on his wrists but his sudden movement broke the wood back of the chair and his hands were free. He stood up and was thrown down on the floor by Jack who placed the gun to his head. "Put the gun down." Both men glanced up to see a very conscious, very angry Scully with her gun pointed at Jack. Mulder saw the bruises that covered the left side of her face. He also noticed that she know wore the black jacket of her attacker. It was zipped up to her neck. The skirt she was wearing was ripped up the side. Mulder also noticed that despite how in control she wanted to look that she couldn't keep her hands from trembling. "Scully" He shouted, his tone conveying much more to her than words ever could. "Mulder, I'm fine. Jack take your gun off Mulder or your dead." "Dana, you are an impressive woman. No wonder Agent Mulder is so taken with you. But I am afraid that I can't let Mulder go. You can shoot me if you want. But I guarantee if you do that Mulder will be dead as well." Jack responded his voice still even and calm. Scully kept her eyes fixed on Jack. She couldn't show weakness, but she also knew she could never sacrifice Mulder. "Dana, I am going to get up with Mulder and we are going to the helicopter." "Wait!" Scully yelled. "I will make you a deal. Let Mulder go and I will come with you willingly. I am smaller that Mulder. I'll be easier to take." Jack considered this for a moment. It wasn't his original plan but the woman was right. And Jack had a feeling that nothing he could do to Mulder could hurt as much as him taking Scully. "You have a deal Dana." "No!" Mulder screamed, he couldn't let this happen. "No, it's me you want to hurt. Leave her alone. Scully don't. Take me." Scully looked at Mulder, sadness filling her eyes. "No I will go. I won't fight you Jack. Just let Mulder go." Mulder's mind was screaming. Why would Scully do this? As she took a step toward them Mulder saw his answer. He would give his life for her and he knew Scully would do the same for him. She was going to do the same for him. "Scully I love you." As soon as the words left his mouth he felt a thud on the back of his head and everything went black. "Ok Agent Scully. You said you would come with me willingly. Throw down your gun and come here." "Not until I know he's safe." "You don't trust me." "He's the only one I trust." Despite the fact that this woman had a gun pointed at his head he couldn't keep himself from respecting her and even enjoying the situation. This woman had not only taken out one of his men but she had come close to stopping all of his plans. And while Jack ranked self-preservation as a priority over self-sacrifice he knew that Scully was not only dangerous but brave. Scully interrupted his thoughts saying, "I will come to you but step away from Agent Mulder. Go to the other side of the room. Then I will come to you." Jack just nodded his reply. His initial plan to take Mulder then kill him was not going to happen. But this may be better. He knew Mulder cared deeply for his partner. He had done research on Mulder and had known of their unique partnership yet he hadn't known just how deeply Mulder cared for Scully or her for him. He knew that taking Scully away from Mulder would slowly kill him. Taking Scully would be even better than putting a bullet in Mulder's head. Jack had backed towards the wall and Mulder was now blocked from his sight by a desk. He could still shoot Scully if he had to but Mulder was no longer an option. That's what Scully had planned. "Agent Scully, I've kept my end, now it's your turn." Scully kept her gun drawn but began walking towards the blond man. She couldn't help but glance at the room where Todd had taken her. The momentary shift of her eyes wasn't lost on Jack and he knew what she was wondering. "Dana, don't worry. Todd was useful but I don't overlook incompetence." Jack suddenly took a step toward the now open office door. He quickly moved his gun and shot the man lying on the floor. He had his gun back on Scully before she could even think to respond. Her tight mask momentarily fell to show her confusion. Jack didn't respond to her unasked question, instead he ordered her to walk to the door. Scully moved slowly to the door and lowered her gun. She felt Jack's arm go around her neck as he pulled her tightly against him. He pulled her out of the building; her acting as his shield. Scully's thoughts were only on the man she had left lying unconscious inside the building. 'Mulder I am sorry I had to do this'. Then she was pulled into the helicopter and wondered if she would ever see Mulder again. END PART 4 Stepping Into The Light Part 2 Cory, Indiana First Federal Bank March 2, 1998 Skinner entered the bank with the other agents and officers behind him. Skinner was scared of what he would find upon entering. As the other officers hurried over to the hostages huddled in the corner Skinner went to the side of his agent who was laying on the floor. He assumed the worst. He had just watched Scully being taken by gunpoint onto a helicopter and knew that Mulder would have never allowed that to happen unless he was injured or dead. There was no blood, that he could see. As Skinner knelt down Mulder groaned and moved his hand to the back of his head. Then he suddenly sat up yelling Scully's name. He stood quickly looking around the room, searching for Scully. Instead all he saw were men in suits and police uniforms wandering through the bank. "Agent Mulder" Mulder turned and was a bit surprised to see Skinner and Madsen standing behind him. Where the hell was Scully. The pain in the back of his head forced his eyes closed for a second. Terrifying images flashed in his mind. An unconscious Scully being carried into a room. Then Scully, his strong partner, his savior; standing before him with a gun. She was saying, "take me instead". "Where is she? Is she here?" He asked. "Mulder what do you remember? Can you tell me what happened?" Skinner asked. Mulder glared at Skinner. His expression was one of anger, sadness and resignation. "Did they take her?" "Agent Scully was taken at gunpoint into the helicopter. We couldn't get a clear shot. I'm sorry Mulder." Said Madsen. "Why, why did she go?" Mulder started to mumble. "Mulder you need to see the paramedics and then you can tell us what happened." Skinner said. "No," Mulder replied forcefully. "I'm fine. I need to find her." Mulder started to walk towards the doors to leave. Oblivious to reality. Not thinking of his lack of a car, weapon, or even a place to start searching. All he cared about was that Scully was gone. Gone with madmen who wouldn't hesitate hurting her. And she was with them because of him. Skinner opened his mouth to yell at Mulder but stopped when he saw Madsen approach Mulder and begin speaking quietly with him. A few minutes later Mulder walked out the door and Madsen returned to Skinner. "Sir, I'm driving Mulder back to his motel room where he can get himself cleaned up. He'll fill us in on what happened there. The address is 100 Pine Forest Road. Can you meet us there." "I'll finish up here and be over there as soon as possible." One hour later Motel Mulder stood in the tepid shower letting the water wash over him. He knew that the water could never clean him where he needed it. The one thing that made him feel worthwhile, that there was something good within him, she had just been taken away. Taken from you. Be honest with yourself Mulder. There is only one reason why she's with a bunch of lunatics right now. It's because of you. His tears fell, joining the water that dripped down from his face and chest. His anger lashed out. Anger at the men who took the best part of his life away. Anger at Scully for choosing to save him over herself. Anger at his inability to protect Scully. And anger at himself for not listening to Scully when she'd needed him to listen and follow her. His fist lashed out against the tiled shower wall. He hit it again and again until the pain began to take his focus away from the anger and toward his throbbing hand. He laid his head against the cold tile and wept. Part 2 Skinner and Madsen were seated at the table by the window. They stopped their conversation to look at Mulder as he entered the room. He was dressed in blue jeans and gray t-shirt. As he approached the table both men noticed the cut and bruised left hand but as they looked from the hand to his face they decided to just let it go. "I ordered some food." Madsen was the first to speak. Seemingly unhearing Mulder continued to stand at the side of the table; staring out the window into the dark night. Skinner noticed that Mulder was only a foot from the door and he kept expecting Mulder to just bolt despite his lack of shoes. "Mulder sit down. We need to talk through this thing if we are going to find Scully." Said Skinner. "Will I officially be on the investigating team." Skinner had thought about this on his drive to the motel. He knew there was only one answer to this question. "I don't think there's a way I could keep you off. You need access to bureau resources and we need your insight into the men behind this. Mulder, don't forget I want Scully found too." Mulder's expression softened just a bit. He knew that his chances of locating Scully increased if he was getting the bureaus help. And he knew that Skinner and the bureau wouldn't be able to find her without him. "Now sit down Mulder and tell us what happened." Skinner said, his voice still carrying authority but there was gentleness there as well. He knew Mulder well enough to know this was tearing him apart. Hell, every second that passed without knowing that Scully was ok was tearing him apart as well. Skinner knew you weren't supposed to care too much for those under you. Guide them, yes; look out for their interests, yes. So how did this petite woman make her way past his hard-earned armor that had been built up after many years spent in the marines and then the bureau? Looking over at Mulder he almost chuckled. Scully had found her way into the hearts of two men who had been content in their solitude and content with not caring about anyone overly much. Scully certainly was tenacious. An image of Scully arguing about the closing of her sister's case then her rushing in to save him after he'd been shot? Mulder sat down and grabbed a cup of coffee but ignored the food that sat on the table. "Mulder can you tell me what happened?" Asked Skinner "Mulder I've already given Skinner the background on this case. At least the details I was aware of," Madsen said. Mulder nodded and began speaking. "I went with Detective Madsen to pursue a lead. Scully was at the lab looking at some samples she had found at one of the crime scenes. Based on her findings there she had a different opinion than I did of where the next crime would occur." Mulder began to lose his composure again. He hadn't listened to Scully so she went into a dangerous situation by herself. His self-directed anger threatened to overwhelm him but this wasn't the time. He looked Skinner in the eyes and proceeded telling him exactly how he screwed up. "Scully told me her opinion and I didn't listen. I didn't agree. So Scully decided to pursue the lead on her own. She went into the bank by herself because I didn't want to think I might be wrong." Skinner absorbed this information. He wanted to yell at Mulder. Scream at him 'why did you allow her to go by herself'. But he knew that would accomplish nothing and he also knew that is exactly how Mulder wanted him to respond. He wanted Skinner's wrath. Mulder wanted to hurt. "What happened next Mulder" "Less than a half-hour later I called Scully on her cell phone. We were talking and suddenly Scully screamed my name into the phone." He paused for a second but wouldn't drop his eyes from Skinner. Mulder recited to Skinner the events that transpired from the phone call until he had been hit on the head. "Now sir, I have told you everything that happened. As much as I can remember. And I will have a profile on this guy in the next hour but first I need to know what happened. What is it that I don't know? What happened after I was hit on the head." Skinner and Madsen looked at each other briefly. They were both still overwhelmed from hearing about Scully's actions. Skinner hadn't thought his respect of Scully could be any greater. He was wrong. "We had our marksmen on the rooftops of the neighboring buildings. Once we were sure the hostages were safe we were ready to shoot. The blond haired man exited the building, holding Scully to him. He held a gun under her chin. We couldn't get a clean shot and we knew if we shot the pilot Scully would be killed. We had no choice. They took Scully into the helicopter. "You put a tracking device in the helicopter." It wasn't a question. Skinner once again looked at Madsen before turning back to Mulder. "We did but these men were professionals. They knew what they were doing Mulder. We tracked them but they switched transportation. We found the helicopter. It was in a field thirty miles away. There were tire tracks leading away from the site. We have sent them to labs. We'll have results by this evening. Mulder get some rest, something to eat. Work on your profile of the men who did this. That's the best way for you to help Scully now." Skinner stood and walked towards the door. Madsen followed behind him. Mulder heard the door shut behind the two men and he was alone. Alone except for the vision of Scully saying, "take me." Part 3 Washington DC March 9, 1998 He entered the dark basement office. It was his first time there since Scully had been taken. Mulder had been back in D.C. for three days but hadn't felt up to facing the office until now. He was alone down here again. He had liked being alone before, before Scully. But Scully had entered his life and she had changed everything. He moved behind his desk and sat down. He placed the new case file on the desk in front of him. They were out of leads in Indiana and Mulder had gone back to Washington. He felt he'd have better access there to the resources that would help him find Scully. In reality he didn't even know where to start. But he had seen the face of the man who had taken Scully away from him. His picture had been sent to all the law enforcement offices in the U.S. His face had been on the television for the past two nights. But nobody had called. They hadn't been seen. Mulder opened the case file that sat in front of him. He remembered the words Mrs. Scully had said to him when he had gone to her just two days ago. Mulder had gone to the Scully house immediately upon arriving in Washington. When hearing the news about her daughter she started crying but immediately regained her composure. Like her daughter, Maggie Scully didn't like people to see her lose control. Mulder sat on the couch to answer Maggie's questions. Before he left Maggie hugged him. A reassuring embrace and as she pulled back to look into his eyes she said, "Fox, Dana has always believed in you. I have always believed in you. I believe that you can bring Dana home." Now Mulder sat remembering those words. He put his head in his hands and began to weep. Part 4 Unknown Location March 8, 1998 Scully sat on the hard mattress that had been her bed for the past five days. She spent her first few days here inspecting the room thoroughly, looking for any way to escape. Now she just sat, waiting for whatever would happen. She was surprised that she was still alive. She had prepared herself for the bullet that would end her life when they made their first switch in transportation. But nothing happened. Jack placed her in the car, her hands bound behind her back and a gun to her head but she was still alive. A second blow to the head during the car ride gave her another bump on the head and her second concussion. When she regained consciousness she was in this room. She had no idea where she was, but she was still alive. More importantly Mulder was alive. She would make the same choice again if she had too. She knew she could never have watched someone take Mulder away from her at gunpoint. Not if she could have done something to prevent it. She tried not to think about what this was doing to her mother. She hoped that her mother would understand the choice she had made. A key turned in the lock. Her heart began to beat faster. No one had come into the room before. Not while she was awake. A dark haired man entered. His eyes looked at her with disgust. He held a gun in his left hand. "So you're the FBI agent." He said as he stepped closer. Scully knew she ought to be afraid. But she was tired of this. Tired of guns being held to her head. Tired of being threatened. She was angry. Angry at these men for taking her away from her life. She returned the man's cold stare without saying a word. "I spent ten years in prison because of the FBI." He spat out at her. He lunged at her, spinning her around until her face was scraping the wall. Scully felt the gun against the back of her skull. She prepared herself for what was coming next. But instead of an impact of a bullet the pressure left her skull. She turned around to see her would-be murderer lying on the floor. Jack was standing over him. "What are you doing?" Jack yelled at the man lying on the ground. He tried to push himself up but Jack's foot was planted firmly in his chest. "I don't want to see you in here again." Jack removed his foot and watched the man leave. He then walked over to the gun that had landed across the room and left. Dana continued to stand against the wall staring at the door Jack had just left through. March 9, 1998 Jack walked quietly to the jeep that sat at the tree line. He held the three bags of money that he still had from the bank robbery. He had told his group that all the money had been destroyed. He had destroyed the ransom money, knowing it had been marked in some way but he kept the other money they had stolen from the bank. He hid it for insurance reasons. He knew he lived in a world where there was little trust or honor. He had learned to watch his back and he trusted no one. He didn't expect to be welcomed back with open arms to the terrorist group he was currently working for but he also didn't expect that they would have turned against him so quickly either. They were angry that he had made his assignment personal, that three of their men had been killed, and they had nothing to show of it. And his face was all over the news. He would be placing the group in danger as well as himself. He had overheard them talking last night. They were planning on killing him. It was time for him to disappear. He placed a hand on the gun that was in the waistband of his jeans and looked around the area to make sure no one had noticed him. He had thought about what to do with Agent Scully. If he left her there she would be killed. But that wasn't his problem. What was his problem was that every policeman in the country was looking for him. He quickly turned back to the buildings. Jack entered the room and saw Scully lying on the mattress. Her eyes were closed. As he approached her, Scully's eyes opened. She quickly sat up and tried to get into a defensive position. She opened her mouth to yell at him but was silenced by his hand coming over her mouth. "Be quiet. If you make a sound we are both dead." Scully just stared at him, her eyes wide. "I'm leaving. You can stay or come with me but I think you know what will happen to you if you stay." Jack paused for a moment letting Scully think about the situation. "We need to leave now. Dana I don't have to threaten you this time because they'll kill you if you make a sound." Jack removed his hand from her mouth and motioned her for the door with his gun. They quickly got to the jeep. "Get in." Jack growled. Scully opened the door of the jeep and as soon as she sat down Jack grabbed her hands and handcuffed her to the door. He shut the door and quickly moved around to the drivers side. He started the jeep and drove off down the dirt road. Part 4 March 10, 1998 North Dakota Scully jerked awake as she felt the jeep slide to a stop. She moved to run her hand over her eyes but she couldn't get them to move. She felt the handcuffs bite into her wrists. She looked up and saw that the sun was almost directly above them. They must have been travelling for about 12 hours she estimated. Jack stopped the jeep and looked over at her. Scully felt his eyes on her and she returned his gaze. Neither one of them said a word. Jack threw his coat over her arms to hide the handcuffs and left the jeep locking the doors behind him. Scully thought about yelling but as she looked at her surrounding saw this would be a waste of her energy. She tried her handcuffs once more but only succeeded in rubbing her wrists a little more raw. Scully sat back and looked out the window at the old motel that was in front of her. The paint was chipped off in spots and the numbers from several of the doors were missing. She could see only one other car in the parking lot and the motel was surrounded by trees. She saw Jack coming back towards her. His short hair being ruffled by the strong wind that she could hear blowing outside. He unlocked her handcuffs but she could feel the gun at her back. When they entered the musty smelling room she was immediately forced down to her knees and handcuffed to the old radiator that was against the wall. Jack left her to enter the bathroom and when the door shut she began searching the room for anything that could help her. Her eyes fell on the phone, if she could just reach it with her foot. She drew her legs back underneath her when she heard the flush of the toilet. Jack walked to the door and said to Scully. "I'm not going to be gone long." But before he left his eyes made a quick scan of the room. He took in the bed, TV, chair, phone. Could she somehow reach the phone? He wasn't about to take a chance. He quickly moved to the phone and pulled it from the wall. He placed it at the other end of the room. Scully continued to stare blankly at the wall even as she felt his breath in her ear as he said "I won't make the mistake of underestimating you again, Dana." PART 5 Her back was sore as were her wrists, legs; ok just about everything was aching. She tried to move into a more comfortable position but nothing seemed to help. She stopped moving when she saw Jack moving on the bed. He had been asleep now for several hours. When he returned he had allowed her to have twenty minutes in the bathroom then watched her as she ate the food he had bought. Then the handcuffs were back on. In the fading sunlight she could see his newly black hair. Hair dye being a purchase he made along with the change of clothing for her. Well at least if I'm going to be spending time on the floor I have a pair of jeans to do so in now; she thought grimly. "Comfortable on the floor?" Jack's voice made her immediately tense. His eyes were open and he almost looked to be grinning. Scully scowled at him. "I know about you, Dana. Medical school, top of the class; forensic pathologist; FBI; partnered with Agent Fox Mulder for five years. Not jobs for the weak of mind, spirit or stomach." Jack sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. He wanted to see her squirm. He'd lost a lot lately and wanted to feel powerful again. Wanted to feel in control. Scully bit down on her tongue as Jack moved closer to her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. She tensed as he crouched in front of her. His face only inches from her own. His hands came down upon her knees and he leaned forward coming even closer toward her. Scully continued to stare ahead, ignoring the hot breath that fell on her face and the pressure of his hands on her legs. "What scares you, Dana?" he said in almost a whisper, in a voice someone would use for a lover. "I know the thought of someone hurting Agent Mulder scares you. Does the thought of never seeing him again scare you." He smiled as he saw her eyes dart quickly to his own. He'd struck a nerve. He pushed himself back to a standing position and opened the curtain. "It's almost dark. We'll be leaving soon." Scully didn't allow herself to tremble until the bathroom door shut behind Jack. Two hours later "We're looking for my brother. He was supposed to meet us but we haven't seen him yet. Maybe he checked in already." The tall man took a picture from his pocket and showed it to the clerk. "Have you seen him?" The desk clerk looked from the two men to the picture. He probably shouldn't be giving away information like this but what did he care. The job only paid $5.00 an hour and that sure wasn't worth any trouble. And the two men that stood before him looked like trouble. "We ain't been too busy. I think your brother checked in earlier today. Let me check. Yeah, he checked in around noon. Room 5." The men quickly found room 5 and when no one answered their knock they kicked in the door. "They're not here Andy." "But they were here and they can't have gotten too much further." Washington DC March 11, 1998 "Sir" Mulder said tersely. "Agent Mulder have a seat." Mulder looked like he'd refuse, telling Skinner just what he could do with his chair. But after several seconds he sat down in the chair in front of the AD's desk. "Agent Mulder we might have a lead on Scully's abduction." Mulder was out of his chair yelling, "Where did they find her? Why didn't you tell me immediately!" "Mulder you need to calm down." "Calm down! Scully's been gone now for nine days. Taken by a man who doesn't think twice about killing someone." "Agent Mulder listen. In Northeastern Minnesota there were reports of a gas being used in some robberies. They caught two men. They have since been identified as being with a domestic terrorist group. A group that Jack Michaels has been associated with. The two men have been questioned but refuse to say anything. You're booked on a flight that leaves for Minnesota in two hours." Mulder nodded his head at Skinner and went to the door but Skinner's voice stopped him. "Let me know if you find out anything." "I will" Stepping Into the Light II" (2/4) Northern Montana March 12, 1998 Scully sat shivering in the corner. Her hands handcuffed behind her in a position she was sadly getting used to. The old cabin was cold. Much as she hated him she couldn't help but want his return because that would mean wood, which would bring heat into the room. The past two days had been spent in silence. She hadn't spoken to Jack since first entering the jeep and he hadn't said much since the first motel. Now here they were in a cabin. Whether it was broken into or belonged to Jack she didn't know. Scully felt cold air enter the room and she shivered even more intensely. Jack came in, his arms full of wood. He kicked the door shut behind him. Scully watched as he started the fire in the fireplace. When he was done he moved to the couch and sat down, shutting his eyes. "Do you like my cabin Dana?" She didn't speak. Jack picked up a coffee mug that sat on the table next to him. He threw it to land a foot from Scully's head. She couldn't keep from jumping as the mug shattered close to her head. "I'm getting tired of the silent treatment. You'll answer me when I speak to you." "You and your cabin can go to hell!" Scully spat out at him. Jack laughed, amused. "Have you ever killed a man, Agent Scully?" "Yes," she replied. "How did it make you feel?" Scully didn't want to answer Jack's questions. She wanted him to just leave her alone. But she didn't want to risk his anger or what he might do in his anger. She wouldn't cower before Jack, she wouldn't beg, but she'd do all she could to get herself home. "How does it feel?" Scully retorted, "you've killed men before, and you said you'd have no problem in killing a child. How do you feel when you take someone's life?" "Indifferent. My survival is paramount. Anyone that threatens that, I don't have a problem destroying. We're not that different are we? I'm sure you've killed to survive before. Killed to protect yourself." Anger rose in Scully at being compared to the heartless, cruel man. "I've never felt indifferent. Yes, I've killed before. To protect others, to protect my partner, and to protect myself but I've never killed without feeling it." "You've killed to protect Mulder's life. How far would you go to protect him? That's something that I have been curious about Dana. Why would you trade your life, your freedom for your partners?" Scully stayed silent this time. She didn't want to use Mulder's name in any conversation with this man. And what she felt for him, the bond they shared, this man would never understand it. Another object shattered next to her head. This time raining pieces of ceramic upon her head. "Answer my questions." He growled at her. "You wouldn't understand." "Oh, but I'd like to, Dana. Is it the sex? Does he give you something you can't live without?" Her eyes flashed in anger. "You would never understand. Our relationship goes beyond anything physical. I love him! I love his mind, his character, his passion! Our relationship is built upon mutual respect and trust. I trust only him and he trusts only me. I would never do anything to betray that. Never. Even if it meant my own life." The words came out of Scully's mouth before she had a chance to fully think about what she was saying. These were her rawest feelings about Mulder and their relationship. Jack sat staring at her. She couldn't read the expression on his face. He picked up the lamp, the last object that sat on the table. She winced as she thought it would soon come flying at her head. But instead he set it back down on the table. He grabbed the heavy coat that was slung over the back of the coach and left the cabin, slamming the door behind him. Jack wanted to hit something. He didn't know why he'd stopped himself from throwing the lamp at Scully but he did. He grabbed the ax that sat outside the door and began chopping some more wood. The words that he'd just heard were echoing in his head. "I trust only him. I would never betray that trust." He heard these words again and again. And Jack felt an emotion he'd not felt in a long time-envy. Northern Minnesota March 13, 1998 6 p.m. Mulder approached the two buildings that were just visible through the trees. His boots sinking deeper into the muddy ground with each step. He was dressed similar to the thirty other agents that were with him; jeans, dark jacket and bulletproof vest. Special Agent Daniel Sackheim was in charge of this operation. He was making hand signals for the team to stop. They would make their approach within the next five minutes. Sackheim waited patiently for his team to get in position. This would be their last opportunity to actually think. Once the approach happened there wouldn't be much time for anything but gut instinct and reaction. This was his fifth time leading such an operation and he knew all the men on his team; except for one. He was the one responsible for bringing them all here in the first place. This didn't change his mind about not wanting him there. Sackheim glanced back at the man who stood behind him. Ten minutes after refusing Agent Mulder's involvement he'd received a call from Assistant Director Skinner. The AD ordered him to allow Agent Mulder to be a part of the operation. He'd argued about Mulder's lack of training for this particular assignment, his unfamiliarity with the team. Lastly he argued that Mulder's personal involvement made him a liability. In the end Mulder joined the team. He hoped that Mulder would prove him wrong because there was no room for mistakes. Mulder pretended not to notice the glances Sackheim was giving him. Mulder knew he wasn't wanted here but that didn't matter. He had to be there when they found Scully. He needed to be there. All the frustration and hopelessness of the past nine days had melted away when he found out that Scully had been seen alive. He arrived yesterday to interrogate the two men that were suspected of being involved in the terrorist group. The men hadn't been willing to talk. Mulder wouldn't have thought twice about forcing the information out of them physically but instead he used a more valuable weapon, his intellect. The men believed in their cause but they were more adamant about their own survival and eventually Mulder got the answers he needed. Both men had seen Jack Michaels at their camp five days before being arrested. One of the men saw a red-haired woman being carried into a building. Mulder lost control at hearing of Scully. Relief that she was alive mixed with a need to know where she was caused him to rush the man who had told him of Scully. The sudden change in demeanor caused the man to give the whereabouts for fear of his life. Mulder made a few phone calls and now here he stood, ankle deep in post-winter mud and slush, a gun in his hands and the hope that he'd soon hold Scully in his arms again and see her with his eyes. The daylong wait for them to get organized and get here had nearly undone him. After the initial joy of hearing that Scully was seen alive came absolute terror with the knowledge that she had been brought to the base of operations for an anti-terrorist group. Mulder stepped forward as the team began moving ahead. He was ready and he wouldn't let Scully down again. Northern Montana 6:15 p.m. "We have followed them into Montana. We lost their trail for awhile in North Dakota but yesterday we talked to a motel manager that remembered seeing him. It's only a matter of time until we do find them." Andy said into the phone. He heard the man he was speaking to on the phone report their findings to someone else before responding. "When you do find Jack, kill him. Keep the FBI Agent alive and ?" He was cut off by the sound of gunshots. "What's going on there? What's happening?" Andy shouted. But he received no reply. The line was dead. He hung up the phone and turned to the man leaning up against the car behind him. "Something happened. There were gunshots in the background." "What do we do now?" "What we were originally sent to do. Find Jack and the FBI Agent." The two men got into their car and drove back down the deserted road. Northern Minnesota 7:00 p.m. "Where is she? Tell me where she is!" Mulder screamed at one of the men they had captured. Mulder held him by his throat against the wall. "Agent Mulder!" Sackheim yelled at him. Mulder wasn't listening. He'd gone through every room in the two buildings and there was no Scully or Jack Michaels. Sackheim walked over to Mulder and pushed him off the man. Two other agents came and took him away, leaving Sackheim and Mulder alone. "Agent Mulder I thought I had judged you wrongly. Today you were an asset to this team and we were successful. Now you are acting impulsively without thinking. Just like I said you would." Sackheim said. Mulder had kept his eyes lowered while the agent was speaking. When he'd finished Mulder lifted his head slightly and said, "It wasn't enough, was it? I still haven't found her. She's still not safe." Sackheim saw the pain in the man's eyes. "I need to talk to each one of the men taken from here today. If Scully was here I need to know where she was taken." "Agent Mulder that can wait. First you need to get some rest, something to eat. We've had a stressful day and we need rest. You can do your interrogation tomorrow. I don't want you attacking anyone else." Mulder couldn't control the disappointment and frustration that had been welling up inside of him. The anger that he felt at being told to put his personal comforts ahead of Scully's life caused him to lash out. And the only person around to lash out at was Sackheim. Mulder barreled into the agent pushing him against the wall. Sackheim outweighed Mulder but adrenaline gave Mulder the ability to fend of the defending punches. "How dare you suggest I rest, to put off this investigation. These men are the only hope I have of finding her! Finding her is more important than my own life!" With that he loosened his grasp on Sackheim and walked away. March 14, 1998 Jack watched as a light snow began to fall. The dirty black snow and mud was quickly becoming coated with the white snow, once again becoming something that was beautiful to behold. They'd been at the cabin now for two days. He knew he'd have to make a trip to the nearest town. They were almost out of food and Jack wanted to buy a radio. He saw Scully in the reflection of the window. Her eyes were closed. She was still handcuffed to the headboard of the old bed that sat in the corner. He cringed at the emotions this woman brought out in him. Things he hadn't felt in a long time. Jack was surprised at the amount of respect he had for her. He didn't respect many people. Actually he didn't respect anyone. People were only enemies, untrustworthy and worth of his suspicion. He trusted no one but himself. No one was worth trusting. Thinking about trust brought his thoughts back to Scully. She'd used the word trust the other night. She said she trusted only one person and that person trusted only her. He wanted to laugh at that proclamation. To laugh at the ridiculousness of trusting another so implicitly. Especially when you were talking about Fox Mulder. Jack had done research on Mulder. He had found Mulder to be a loner, a brilliant man who was paranoid to the extreme and trusted no one. Fox Mulder reminded him of himself. He wanted to be contemptuous of Scully's statement "I trust only Mulder and he trusts only me." But he'd seen it to be true. He couldn't deny the truth of that statement because he'd seen the sacrifices they had been willing to make for one another and the trust they had in each other. And yet Fox Mulder had been a man who trusted no one. Jack pulled an old chair next to the bed where Scully was and sat down in it. "Why does Mulder trust you?" He asked her. She didn't respond and by her gentle breathing and relaxed state Jack realized she actually had fallen asleep. It didn't matter. He wanted an answer. He was tempted to grab some cold water from the kitchen and throw it at her face to wake her but he decided to try a different approach. He let his index finger run across her cheek. Scully felt a person run their finger down her cheek. Mulder must be waking her up. Were they on a stakeout or was she in another hospital bed? She couldn't remember. She opened her eyes while asking "Mulder where am I?" She jumped slightly at the face she saw in front of her. This wasn't a stakeout and the man wasn't Mulder. "Why does Mulder trust you?" Jack asked again, ignoring the fact that she'd called him Mulder. "What?" Scully was still trying to shake herself from sleep. Her brain was still a bit foggy and she was angry with Jack for even unconsciously making her think he was Mulder. "Why don't you just call Mulder and ask him yourself." She replied without fully thinking of the ramifications. She winced as Jack struck her across the face. "Answer the question!" His tone told her that he would slap her again if she didn't do as he said. She wanted to touch her cheek where she felt the bruise forming but she couldn't because of her hands being in the handcuffs. Jack hadn't spoken to her in two days, now he wanted to know why Mulder trusted her. "Mulder gave his trust to me and it is a gift I don't take lightly. What did I do to be given this gift? Nothing but be myself. I listen to him without passing judgements. I believe in who he is as a person. I have never betrayed him and I will never betray him." Once again Jack just looked at her, taking in the words that she had spoken. He was again overwhelmed at the emotions he was experiencing. He'd learned that he could have everything he wanted if he just took it. Money, power, respect they were all his if he was willing to do what it would take to get those things. But trust was something he couldn't just take by force. Having another person believe in you so strongly that their own needs became secondary, this was something that he never had. And his life suddenly felt very empty. Scully watched as emotions swept over his face. She couldn't read them but her words had obviously affected him. There was something about her relationship with Mulder that bothered him, and he was questioning her about trust. She wasn't a psychologist but she was an investigator and she could put facts together. Even though it was never said verbally she knew what she meant to Mulder. That her trust and belief in him had saved him. Was this what was upsetting Jack? If she could make Jack believe that she was beginning to trust him maybe she could save herself. First she wanted to put some physical distance between Jack and herself. She didn't like the way he was staring at her and for a moment she wondered if he could read her thoughts. She almost laughed at the irony. Here she was worried about someone reading her thoughts and Mulder wasn't around to witness it. Scully looked at the fire and saw the blackened wood that was piled up in the fireplace. "If you have more questions then ask them but can you put some more wood on the fire I'm cold." She shivered to back-up her words. Jack got up and walked to the fire. Scully hoped that when he finished he'd sit down on the couch or would go outside, anything but sit so close to her. Jack placed a few more logs on the fire but before he could pull his hand away a burning piece of wood rolled onto his hand. He ran to the sink, screaming obscenities. The cold water wasn't helping his hand any. "I'm a medical doctor. Let me take a look at it." Jack walked over to Scully and showed her his burnt hand. "This would be easier if you took off these handcuffs." Jack pulled his hand away and said. "I'm not going to make it that easy for you to leave." "I don't like you Jack. I despise you and what you've done. Given the chance I wouldn't hesitate shooting you but right now, and for the next five minutes, I give you my word that I won't try anything. I just want to look at your hand." Jack gazed hard into her eyes. He'd give her a chance. And if she tried to run he would shoot her. "You get five minutes." When the handcuffs were removed Scully took a moment to rub her sore wrists then immediately took his hand into her own. She assessed the damage and asked for whatever first aid supplies he had. He wavered for just a moment before going into the bathroom. Scully knew this was her opportunity. She could run out the door and see how far she could get. But the chance that she'd actually get away was slim. It would be better to stay with her original plan. If she could prove to Jack that he could trust her that just might save her life. Two hours later Jack was scanning the shelves of the small grocery store. His arm still hurt but not as badly as before. Scully had told him the type of medication to get for his hand. He hoped he could find it here so he could make all his purchases in just one store and limit the number of people who saw him. Five minutes later he was loading the bag into the jeep, wincing as his hand hit the side of the door. He was just about to get into the jeep himself when a face caught his attention. He waited until the men had entered the grocery store before getting into the jeep. They had sent people to find him. He wasn't surprised except at the fact that they'd gotten so close already. As he turned down the dirt road he questioned what he was about to do. He knew that it would be smarter to just go directly to the highway and put as much distance between him and those men as possible. But he couldn't let himself do it. For the first time in his life when he trusted someone they hadn't let him down. Now he felt he had to return that trust. Stepping Into the Light II" (3/4) March 14, 1998 5 a.m. The two guards watched the FBI agent pace the hallway. He'd get to the end of the hallway, run his hands through his hair, then put his hands on his hips and pace to the other end of the hallway. After leaving Sackheim, Mulder drove to his hotel room, showered and changed then went immediately to the prison where the men were being held. He'd been waiting now for eight hours. Waited for them to be processed. Waited for the attorneys to be contacted. His frustration growing as each hour that passed was one less hour that he had to find Scully. The two guards noticed the agents pace slow. They offered him a chair in the breakroom and some coffee. They were surprised to see him take their offer. A half-hour later they returned to the room to see the agent asleep with a full cup of coffee in his right hand. 11 a.m. "Agent Mulder." He paused and waited for a response from the man asleep on the chair. When none came he called his name again. Mulder opened his eyes and sat up straighter in the chair. He was surprised to see Skinner standing before him. "I guess I should at least be happy that you are sleeping. Agent Sackheim told me that you got hostile when he suggested that you get some rest." Mulder ignored Skinner and looked down at his watch. He shook his head; guilt washing over him again as he realized how much time he had just wasted sleeping. "Some evidence was retrieved from the site. They've found something important." Skinner said. Mulder stood up facing Skinner and with clenched teeth asked, "what did they find?" "Let's move out of the lounge here. They have a room we can use down the hall." The room had a table with several chairs sitting around it. Neither man chose to sit. Instead they both stood by the desk. "When we sent people through the buildings looking for evidence an agent found several strands of red hair in one of the rooms." "Scully's, she was there." Mulder said. There it was undeniable proof that Scully had been there. The guilt that he was once again too late washed over him. "We received the DNA results from the hair sample an hour ago. It is Scully's. That does prove that she was there." Mulder walked to the door to leave. Scully had been there at some point and one of the men they had arrested would know where she was taken. Mulder knew that there was a possibility that she was dead and that's why she wasn't found but he couldn't even think about that right now. It would cripple him. "Mulder sit back down!" "I need to get some answers. They have to tell me where she is." Skinner slammed the door shut and blocked M's path to the door with his body. "Mulder there were 23 men arrested last night. It will take you days to get the answers you are looking for. If you would sit down, listen to me and take a look at the evidence we have a better chance. Now sit down!" Mulder listened to Skinner's words without emotion. He made sense. Mulder walked back to the table and sat heavily into a chair. "What else is there?" He asked. "After finding the hair, the agents dusted the room for prints and checked for other physical evidence. They found three sets of prints in that room. One set belongs to Scully, a second to Jack Michaels. The third belongs to one of the men you arrested last night. His name is Doug Larson. I'll have a guard bring him to an interrogation room so we can question him." The two men walked down the hallway. Mulder fell behind as Skinner spoke to the guards. Five minutes later they were standing outside the interrogation room. Mulder stood silently outside the door for a moment. He needed to get control of his emotions before allowing himself to enter the room and face a man who might have harmed Scully. That thought alone made him want to charge into the room and rip the man's throat out, but he couldn't do that. This man was the only clue he had to where Scully was and if she was still alive. He couldn't let rage overtake him. "Mulder" Skinner said. His tone asking if he was ready for this. "I need you to ask the initial questions. Don't ask him anything directly about Scully. Ask a few general questions then ask if he knows anything about the female FBI Agent who was brought to their location. I want to get a feel for this guy before I ask him anything." Skinner questioned Doug for about ten minutes. The man sat handcuffed to the chair answering the questions with a smug expression on his face. He wouldn't let these two agents scare him. There wasn't anything they could do to him. He listened as the bald man asked him yet another question. "Did you see a female FBI agent brought into your camp during the past week?" "No, wish I had, though. I got kind of hungry for some female affections being out in the middle of nowhere." "You never saw a female FBI agent there?" "That's what I said" "We have evidence that says otherwise. Your fingerprints were found in the same room as Agent Scully's prints. Some blood and saliva of yours was also found in the room." "That doesn't prove anything." He said, looking up at Skinner with a bored expression on his face. Mulder stepped forward. He had been watching Doug during Skinners interrogation. He thought he knew how to play this guy. Mulder began speaking. "It proves a lot. I think it proves that you got hit hard enough for spit to fly out of your mouth and to make your nose bleed. It proves that a woman beat you. An unarmed woman, who is half your size. Isn't that right. Did she make you beg for mercy? Were you on your knees trembling? You're a weak?" "She was the one trembling. She would have been begging for me to stop by the time I got done with her. She was against the wall, a gun pressed to her head. Who was in control? Me, only me! I would have killed her too if Jack hadn't lost his mind and pulled me off of her." Skinner watched Mulder try to control himself. His eyes filled with hatred and loathing for the man who had held a gun to Scully's head. Mulder was trying to hold these emotions under control. He'd control his fury until he got the information he needed from this man. Then he better hope that the guards arrived quickly because Skinner wouldn't be able to pull him off of Doug on his own. "Now you are saying there was an agent there." Doug didn't answer, realizing too late what he had revealed because of pride. Mulder leaned over the desk so his face was only inches away from the man. His voice was laced with fury as he spoke. "We haven't found the agent yet. She's missing. You are the only person we can prove had contact with her. I can guarantee that you will live the rest of your days in a dark prison cell for her murder." The implications of what he was being accused of hit Doug like a blow to the stomach. "She was alive when I left her." "Then where is she now?" Mulder demanded. "How am I to know?" "You better figure that out quick because unless we find Agent Scully you will be accused of her murder." Skinner watched Mulder. Amazed at his ability to get information from the man. For the first time in a week he actually believed that Mulder could find Scully. "Sean Barrett and Jim Dawson they were who I reported to. I know they sent two men after Jack and the woman. He left one night and took her with him. Barrett and Dawson sent two men to track them down." Skinner called the guards in and had the man taken away. As soon as he was out of the room Mulder exploded. Skinner stood against the wall until Mulder regained his composure. "Mulder I'll have the guards bring Dawson and Barrett into two separate rooms. You take Dawson. Can you do this again?" "I'll do it as many times as it takes." Before leaving the room Skinner turned back to Mulder and said, "we will find her Mulder." 1 p.m. Mulder's fist was pulled back and he was about to deliver a blow to the man's face. He'd been able to control himself so far but he was about to lose his control. Dawson wasn't talking. He just sat there looking pleased with himself. He doubted that punching the man would make him talk but he knew he'd feel a lot better. A knock on the door saved Dawson's jaw. Mulder dropped his arms and walked to the door. Skinner was there and he motioned for him to step outside. "We have what we need. Barrett made a deal. He said that Jack and Scully had been tracked to Montana. I already have you on a flight. It leaves in an hour. I'll being flying out myself as soon as possible. I'll notify the field office there that you are coming." American Airlines Flight 250 3 p.m. Mulder called Skinner while on the plane to see if they had discovered anything further about Scully. He wanted to be able to move quickly once he was on the ground. "Mulder, you're close. A gas station attendant in Briar Cliff, Montana recognized Jack from a picture he had seen in the news. You will be a two hour car drive away. There will be a car waiting for you at the airport." Briar Cliff, Montana March 14, 1998 5:30 p.m. Mulder drove through the small town of Briar Cliff. The gas station attendant had confirmed seeing Jack and said he'd driven north into town. He reached the edge of town and pulled off the side of the road to look at his map. It was difficult for him to concentrate knowing that he was so close to finding Scully. It had been eleven days since he had last seen her. Since then he'd been living on the hope that she was still alive. A black jeep sped by his parked car and Mulder was shocked when he realized he recognized the driver. It was Jack. He didn't notice a passenger. He drove off after the jeep. Before Jack could react Mulder rammed his car into the jeep sending it into the ditch. Mulder ran from the car his gun drawn. He approached the jeep and saw that it was empty except for a spilled bag of groceries. The passenger side door was open. Mulder stepped back and saw Jack standing on the other side of the jeep, his own gun raised and pointed at Mulder. They stood there, guns drawn, facing each other. "I'm going to kill you." Mulder growled. "Right after you tell me where Scully is." "Scully has bigger concerns than me right now. If you don't let me go then they'll find her and she will be the one killed." "She's still alive." Mulder said, his anger tinged with relief. "She is for the moment." "If you did anything to her I will make you die a slow, painful death. Now tell me where she is!" Neither man had changed the position of their guns. They still stood in the ditch with their guns pointed at each other. Jack saw Mulder's hand shaking, his fingers almost twitching with rage. He didn't trust Mulder to keep his control and not shoot him, regardless of the consequences for himself. Jack didn't want to die here in a ditch but more important right now was the fact that were Mulder to shoot him there was nothing he could do to prevent Barrett's henchmen from finding Scully. "If you kill me then she will die." He cut Mulder off before his yelling began again, "Mulder listen to me. Barrett sent two of his men to find us. I saw them in town. If they get to the cabin before I get there?" He didn't need to finish. Mulder knew what would happen. Mulder shook with fury over the man's words and the fact that he knew what Jack was saying was true. He'd gone to Montana because these same two men Jack was speaking of had called Dawson and Barrett. Jack knew that Mulder had heard him. He saw Mulder's finger relax on the trigger. "Tell me where I can find her." "No, put down your gun and we go together. That's your only option Mulder." "Then there's nothing to stop you from killing me." "I don't believe I'm saying this," Jack said, he would have been laughing if the situation weren't so serious. "Mulder if you put down your weapon, I will do the same with mine. I won't do anything to injure or harm you in anyway. You have to give me your word you'll do the same." "I'm supposed to believe that a murderer and a terrorist, a man who kidnapped my partner, is going to keep his word." "You don't have a choice Mulder. I guess you're going to have to trust me." Part 6 The store was small and there were only two checkout lines. Andy went up to the older man who stood behind the only open register. "I'm looking for my brother. We were going to meet here in Briar Cliff but I haven't been able to find him. Here's a picture of him?" The cashier looked at the picture. He instantly recognized the man. "You just missed him. He left about five minutes ago. Bought some groceries." "Did you notice a woman with him? He didn't tell me if he was bringing his girlfriend with him or not." "No, I didn't see a woman. He didn't come in with one and I could see his car through the glass here." The man nodded towards the glass storefront." I didn't see a woman in the car either." Andy thought through the information he was being given. If the FBI agent wasn't with him and he was buying groceries he must be staying some place close by. He'd already stopped at town's only motel and no one had seen Jack there so they must be staying someplace else. Andy took his wallet from his back pocket and placed a $20 bill before the cashier. "You've helped me a lot. I just have a few more questions." The older man was hesitant to take the money. He really wasn't sure if it was right to take it. Andy saw his hesitancy and reassured the man. "You've saved me a lot of time in trying to find my brother. I appreciate your taking the time to help me answer my questions. Take the money." The man nodded and put the $20 bill in his pocket. Wanting to earn the money he asked, "Did you have some other questions?" "Jack, my brother, he didn't tell me where he was staying. He can be forgetful at times. He said he'd be at a place just a little ways out of town." The older man's looked a bit excited. He liked to help people and he thought that he could help this man. "I bet I know where your brother's place is. Does he stay there often?" "No, he just comes out here once in awhile. To get away from the city." "I know the place then. There's an old cabin about three miles out of town. I take my son and grandson out there hunting. We pass by it all the time but never saw a person living there. Just the other day, Danny, my grandson, was going around the woods on his three-wheeler and told me at dinner that he saw smoke coming from the chimney of the old cabin." "Would you be able to tell me how to get there?" "There are two ways. There are some old dirt roads that will take you there but this time of year you can't use them, too muddy. Is that your car out there?" Andy nodded. "You sure can't make it in that. A truck maybe, but not a car. There's another way, it's a bit longer and you'll have to walk about two minutes but it will get you there. Let me write those directions down for you. Ten minutes later they parked at the side of the slush covered blacktop road. They could see the smoke from the road and they walked towards it. "We kill Jack but keep the FBI Agent alive. From the radio news this morning it sounds like Barrett's going to be put in jail and he'll be there a long time, unless we do something about it. I bet they'd make a trade, the agent's life for Barretts." Andy said. "There it is. I don't see any vehicles. What did the old man say Jack was driving, a jeep?" The two men continued to approach the cabin. Scully had spent the first ten minutes after Jack had left trying to find a way out of the handcuffs, when that didn't work she tried to break the headboard of the bed but it was metal and she only succeeded in giving her wrists bigger red welts. At least her plan to have Jack trust her seemed to be working. When he returned she'd play doctor again and try to get him to open up to her more, show him that she was worthy of his trust. Her eyes were closed when she heard the front door crash open. Jack must have had to kick it open because his hands were full. "Were you able to find the medicine for your hand, Jack?" She asked, her eyes still closed. "So Jack injured his hand." She stiffened at hearing the unfamiliar voice and opened her eyes to see two men standing in the doorway. The two men stepped into the room and closed the door behind them. "Gary wait here by the window. Let me know when you see Jack." Andy told the man he was with. Scully tried to move herself into a less vulnerable position as the man approached her. Her legs were still free and she would use them to inflict as much pain as possible on the man who approached her. "What happened to Jack's hand?" Andy asked as he stood before Dana. Scully quickly assessed that these weren't men she wanted to incite anger in so she responded quickly to his question. "He burned it." Andy decided to take her word for it and put his hands on her wrists. Scully tensed as he pulled at the handcuffs. "If you're coming with us we'll have to take care of these." He removed his hands from her wrists and walked towards the front door. Andy left the cabin but returned a minute later with the axe that had been left by Jack on the woodpile. Scully's heart pounded as she watched him approach her with the axe in his hands. All she could think about was that she was a doctor and needed her hands. How could she perform an autopsy without hands? Andy moved her hands as far apart as possible and said, "Don't move." As he raised the axe Scully shut her eyes. She could feel the movement of air as the axe swung down. She heard the clink of the metal connecting with metal. And yet she still didn't feel any pain. She was surprised when she found that she could move her arms in front of her. The chain that held her hands together had been cut but she still had her hands. The three people in the cabin went still as they heard the unmistakable sound of an engine and the crush of snow beneath tires. "He's here but he's not alone. There's a second man with him." Gary shouted to Andy. Jack sensed something was wrong as soon as they saw the cabin. He saw unfamiliar footprints in the snow and his observant eyes noticed that the axe was missing from where he had left it. "They're here." He said looking at Mulder. Both men drew their weapons. "These men are trained in using weapons. If they shoot it's not likely that they'll miss." Jack warned. "Is there a back entrance?" Mulder asked. Jack nodded his head yes. "I'll move around to the back. You enter from the front." Mulder walked through the edge of the trees circling to the back of the cabin. As he approached the back door he heard Jack kicking in the front door. Mulder already knew that Jack would find the cabin empty. There were tracks leading to the woods and the back door was open. Andy had Scully by her shoulder as he dragged her through the woods. He was angry that she wasn't able to keep up with the pace he was setting. He wrenched her arm again and shoved the gun in her face yelling at her to keep up. Scully knew she had to act before they got to their vehicle. She purposefully stumbled and fell to the ground. Her sudden drop caused Andy to stumble and he released his grip on her to keep himself from falling. Gary had been a good distance ahead of them but turned back to see what was happening. Scully acted quickly, hurling herself at the man who had gripped her arm. She knocked him to the ground and his head hit a rock as he fell. She grabbed the weapon from his limp hand. She saw the other man raising his gun to her. She shifted the weapon to aim in his direction. They fired at the same moment. She saw him drop from the bullet that landed in his right thigh at the same time she felt a burning sensation in her right shoulder. The gun dropped from her hand and she ran knowing that she didn't have the time to locate the weapon. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to shoot anyway with her injured shoulder. Mulder and Jack were running through the trees trying to follow the tracks that were in the snow. They froze as they hard two gunshots fired simultaneously. They began running again toward the direction of the gunfire. Scully was running to the cabin. At least in the direction she thought would take her to the cabin. She knew she needed to get help soon. Her shoulder was throbbing and she was losing a lot of blood. She wouldn't be conscious much longer. Terror clutched her as she heard the rush of air before a heavy weight threw her to the ground. She heard her leg crack as the man's heavy weight landed awkwardly on it. Andy had recovered quickly and grabbed the gun that had fallen to the ground. It didn't take long before he caught up to Scully. He tackled her to the ground and rolled her over to face him. He straddled her on his knees and grabbed the neck of the thin sweater she wore. He yanked up on it to bring Scully's face closer to his own, tearing the thin fabric. He hit her across the face. Scully felt the cold snow seep into her sweater. She was numbingly cold. She could feel herself going into shock. But she wouldn't give up, not yet. Her fist came up and crushed the man's nose. She felt his blood spray over her neck and face. He put all his upper body weight on her wounded shoulder as he struck her again across the face. The pressure against her wound caused her to scream in pain. Andy was so consumed in his own pain and beating Scully that he didn't hear Jack and Mulder approaching. All of the rage of the last two weeks boiled within Mulder as he saw the man on top of Scully, his hand raised to strike her and blood everywhere. Mulder charged at the man and threw him from Scully. He didn't try to control himself as he punched the man repeatedly in the face and chest. When the man no longer tried to hit back and lay unconscious in the snow, Mulder grabbed the gun and turned to Scully. He saw Jack kneeling beside her. He had removed his own coat and wrapped it around her. He looked almost tender with her that only increased Mulder's anger. "Get away from her! Haven't you done enough!" Mulder yelled as he sunk on his knees on the other side of Scully. Then tenderly he asked, "Scully, are you ok." Her face was tight with pain but she managed a small smile and said, "I'm fine Mulder but my shoulder and leg need some help." Mulder allowed himself a small smile. "We need to get you to a hospital. I'm going to pick you up and carry you to the jeep. Let me know if I hurt you." Jack was standing observing the scene. He realized that he was the only person who still held a weapon in his hand. The gun Mulder had taken lay alone in the snow. He had all the control. Yet for some reason he wasn't tempted to act. Mulder moved to the other side of Scully so he wouldn't be putting so much pressure on her injured leg and shoulder. His movement allowed Jack a view of the man who was lying on the ground. Andy was pulling a gun from his ankle and aiming it in the direction of Mulder and Scully. Jack raised his own weapon and charged at Mulder, pushing him out of the way. Mulder turned sharply, grabbing his own gun now. He saw Jack standing just a step behind him, gun in his hand and the man dead in the snow. The two men stood once again with their weapons drawn against one another. Stepping Into the Light II" (4/4) For the first time since seeing Scully, Mulder realized the situation he had placed himself in. In his concern for Scully he'd dropped his weapon and forgot that he was with a wanted criminal. And that the man who had tormented him for the last two weeks by taking Scully from him now held a gun and could kill them both. But for some reason he had saved him from getting shot. "I won't let you walk away from what you have done to me, to her!" Mulder shouted. "I'm not a changed man. I'm not going to turn myself in or anything like that. I just saved your life, in return I'm taking back my freedom." Mulder didn't loosen his hold on his weapon. He couldn't just walk away from this. He had searched for too long and gone through to much pain. All Scully had to do was look into Mulder's eyes to see what he was thinking. If Mulder didn't back down he would end up dead, and she couldn't let that happen. "Mulder, I need you." Scully said with as much force in her voice as she could gather. She knew Mulder didn't fear for his own life but if she could make him see that her life would be in jeopardy if he were to die then maybe he wouldn't act irrationally. "Take her to the hospital Mulder." Jack said. Mulder stared at Jack as he looked down at the woman at Mulder's feet. "Mulder, I hope you realize just how lucky you are. But for one thing, for one person, you could be me." Scully groaned reminding them both of the urgency of the situation. Mulder loosened his grip on his gun and put it in the waistband of his jeans. He knelt down and lifted Scully into his arms. He began to move as quickly as possible to the jeep without looking back at the man he left behind. A minute later Mulder heard the sound of the gun going off. When they got to the jeep Mulder put Scully gently down in the backseat. He removed his own coat and covered her with it. He wanted to just stand there looking at her. He hadn't seen her for two weeks and during that time he'd dreamed about the moment when he'd be able to see her again. But he knew that this would have to wait. He needed to get her to the hospital. Then when he knew she would be ok he could indulge in his selfish desire of looking at her. Mulder drove the jeep onto the curb. He jumped out of the jeep and yelled at the first person he saw that he needed help. Emergency personnel responded and came running out of the hospital. They saw the woman who lay in the backseat. When they gently lifted her from the seat onto the gurney Mulder grabbed her hand with his own and wouldn't let go until he was forced to leave her at the door to the emergency room by a burly orderly. Mulder sank down onto the hard plastic green chair outside the emergency room doors. He hadn't been too late. She was alive. He had gotten her back once again. His head slipped into his hands and he began to weep, oblivious to the people around him. A half-hour later Mulder felt a hand on his shoulder. He'd stopped weeping twenty minutes ago but he hadn't had the energy to life his head from his hands. When he felt the hand on his shoulder he simply turned his head to the side. "Miss Scully is still in surgery to repair damage done to her shoulder. She has other injuries as well but nothing life-threatening. Her leg is broken, she had some bruises and she's suffering from malnutrition but she'll be ok. We'll let you know when she's moved to her private room." "She's not going to die?" The kind faced nurse smiled gently at the man with red-rimmed eyes and tear-streaked face; "She's going to just fine." Mulder couldn't stop the smile from covering his face. The nurse left and Mulder pulled out his cell phone. He had several calls that needed to be made. After talking with both Mrs. Scully and Skinner, Mulder's thoughts returned to what had happened just hours ago in the woods and the fact that there was one maybe two dead bodies there. He called the regional FBI field office and informed them of what had happened. When he was done with the phone calls he was left with nothing to do but think of what had happened over the past weeks. He felt such incredible relief at knowing Scully was safe. She'd saved herself. She'd somehow touched something within Jack to gain his trust. "Sir", the nurse said hesitantly in an attempt to get Mulder's attention. When he raised his eyes to hers she continued. "Miss Scully has been moved to a private room." Mulder stood asking for the room number. "She's in room 125 but she'll be sleeping for a few more hours. There's a lounge if you wanted to get some coffee or something to eat while you wait for her to wake up." Mulder nodded and left to go find room 125. All he needed was to see Scully. He entered Scully's room minutes later. He stood just inside the door for a few minutes savoring the sight of the woman before him. He sat down at the chair next to the bed. He immediately noticed the white cast that covered her right leg and the thick white bandage on her right shoulder. As he looked at her face he saw bruises covering her cheek and her vibrant hair looked dull and it was matted to her scalp. Yet she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was Scully and she was here in this room with him. He wished he could make promises to her when she woke up. Promises that he would never let anything hurt her again. He knew that not only would that be a promise he couldn't keep but it wasn't a promise Scully would want him to make. Did she realize, though, how much it hurt him when he couldn't keep her safe? Did she know how he died when she sacrificed herself for him? He could have taken anything but that. Mulder was surprised at the anger he felt. It wasn't the anger so much as the person it was directed at. Leaving him and placing herself in danger Scully had hurt him worse than either Jack or the Cigarette Smoking Man ever had. He was still awake watching her when two hours later her eyes opened. He felt her gently squeeze his hand as she slowly turned her head to look at him. Mulder moved to sit on the bed to be closer to Scully. "Scully if you wanted a vacation in Montana you could have just told me." Mulder said, a tender smile on his face. "This is the only way I thought I could get you here without making up stories of aliens." Scully said in return. Mulder knew that Scully hadn't meant to accuse him with that statement. She was just teasing him as he teased her but he hadn't forgotten that it was his chasing after aliens that had put her in this situation in the first place. Scully regretted the words as soon as she said them. She hadn't meant anything by them. She just wanted to continue the banter, to prove that she was feeling better. But she saw the guilt in Mulder's face and knew he hated himself for what had happened. "Mulder." Scully said, but he refused to look at her. She tugged his hand to get his attention. With unshed tears in his eyes he looked at her and said, "I'm sorry." "Mulder this is not your fault. This was the fault of the men who committed the robberies." Scully still saw the pain in his eyes. There was something he wasn't telling her. Something he was trying to protect her from. "Mulder what is it? There's something you're not telling me." Mulder shook his head no. He couldn't tell her. He wanted to protect her from his own feelings. "Don't hide this from me. Don't protect me. I need to know." "Don't protect you. Scully that's the problem. Do you know how much it hurt me to see you go with Jack in my place? Do you know how a piece of my heart died each day you were gone?" The words had come out with so much emotion that Mulder didn't have the energy left to say more. "Mulder if you had a chance to prevent me from being taken would you have done something?" "Of course." "Would you have put yourself in danger to protect me." Why was she asking him this, Mulder wondered? Didn't she know that he would do anything for her. That he had done everything for her. "I would have done anything to protect you Scully. I went into the bank because I needed to see you, to know you were ok." "Mulder why? Why do you want to protect me? Why did you need to see if I was ok?" Mulder wasn't expecting that question. He looked at her eyes and saw that she demanded an answer. Yet his brilliant mind didn't know what answer to give. "Is it because you're trying to redeem yourself? You couldn't protect your sister so you want to protect me. I'm your second chance." Scully asked softly. "Scully?" Mulder said pleading with his tone for her to not demand an answer from him. "No Mulder, please answer my question." Mulder stood up and walked to the window. Scully thought that she had been given her answer by his actions. That must be all she was to him, a replacement for his sister. Mulder stood at the window for several moments before returning to his place at Scully's side. He retook her hand in his own. "I would be lying if I said no. It's true I don't want to fail you like I failed Samantha. I couldn't handle losing the two people that I love." Mulder moved his other hand to lightly touch her bruised face. He pulled it back and spoke again. "There's more to it than that, though. Scully, if I were to lose you, I'd lose the best part of myself." He hoped she would understand that this was hard for him to admit, because he didn't know if she felt the same. He was taking a chance here. Scully saw the enormity of what he was trying to say and tried to pull herself up so she could be more at eye level with him. He immediately moved the pillows to support her back. Scully held out her hand for Mulder to take and tugged on it, telling him without words that she wanted him closer to her. "Mulder have you ever considered how important you are to me? That it's just not me who's a part of your life but you are a part of mine? I took the same chance that you have taken over and over, and I would do it again. You can't always protect me. I don't want you to. If you want me to stay with you then you have to let me do my job." "I can't do this job without you anymore. I don't want to. But Scully I can't live without you? if something were to happen to you?if I have to watch you die?" He couldn't continue. The emotions of the last days and the fears that loving this woman brought out in him overcame him. Scully's heart ached for the man clutching her hand. It hurt her to know that she was the cause of his pain; she was aware of the hurt that love caused. She kept herself from becoming too attached to other people for that reason. When Ahab died five years ago the pain she felt was unbearable but she was thankful her bond with her father was so deep that she did miss him. She would have rather felt pain at his death than indifference. It was that same choice now--being with Mulder had caused her pain. The time when she thought he had died in that train car she felt suffocating with it. She never wanted to have to go through the experience of losing him but she knew the imperfections of the human body. Someday, whether it be by an assassins bullet or just the ravages of old age, Fox Mulder would die. She had a choice to make now. Did she want to want to experience as much life between this moment and that moment in the future as possible or did she want to walk away now and hurt every day that he wasn't a part of her life. Mulder's face was buried in her shoulder and her hand was gripping the hair at the back of his neck. She could feel her hospital gown get wet from his tears. She let her fingers trace a line from the back of his neck to his chin. In a familiar gesture Scully lifted his chin up so that she could see his face. She wiped the tears from his face with her hand, ignoring the tears that ran down her own face. She placed her thumb under his chin and let her fingers rest on his cheek. Mulder took in the woman in front of him. Her tear streaked face mirrored his own but in her eyes he saw hope, not hopelessness. When she spoke it was as hard for her to speak as it had been for Mulder-she was admitting something she had tried to keep buried inside herself. "I've worked so hard to not love you, but I do. I won't lie to you or myself anymore. I love you. I know that someday I may get a call asking me to come identify your body, but I accept that. I accept that loving you means loving all of you. I have already loved all of you. Your quest, your search, it's become my own. I have never asked you to stop looking because it hurt me to see you in danger. Now I'm letting myself tell you that I love you even though that opens me up to even more hurt and pain. Mulder nothing could ever hurt me more than not being at your side or being a part of your life." Mulder couldn't speak. He took the hand that still caressed his face and clutched it in his own. He brought it to his lips and gently kissed the fingers of her hand. "Will you let me make this journey with you?" Scully asked, her voice full of the love she felt for this man. He stared at her incredulous. She had told him what she felt, and that she still wanted to stay with him even after everything that had happened to her. The thought that she would be safer if she left now crossed his mind. But it would kill him, not having her to turn to. As selfish as it seemed he needed her with him. He looked down at their hands and tried to come up with the answer. Having her at his side was scary, she would always be in danger, but not having her would be worse. When she disappeared for those couple of weeks he was lost, because she had been removed from his life. She was what kept him grounded in reality when he couldn't see, what held him up when he couldn't stand on his own. He finally looked up. He looked into her blue eyes and said one simple word. "Yes." He removed one of his hands from hers and brought it up to her face. He caressed the familiar skin of her cheekbone and leaned in to kiss her but this time he wouldn't have to be satisfied with a gentle kiss to her cheek. He wanted more, he'd always wanted more and now he knew that she wanted more too. She wanted him. Mulder smiled and Scully's eyes were bright as her lips met his own. Jack was sitting in another motel room. It was his second since leaving the cabin. After making sure both men were dead he backtracked to his cabin to get the money. He would need it. He wasn't sure where he was going yet but he had money and he still had himself. He dumped the car he had stolen and bought a car from the classified ads in a small town in Wyoming. He paid for it in cash and not once was he asked for identification. He leaned against the headboard and continued to stare at the wall. He had survived once again. He had gotten away with the money, had hurt the man who had hurt him, at least for several weeks but he couldn't help but feel that something was missing. His gaze swept the room. He knew there was no one else there but him. He was alone. THE END