Disclaimer: the use of the characters in this story is without permission and with full knowledge that the rights and anything to do with the x-files is owned by Chris Carter.

Title: FBI-SHOT

Author/pseudonym: Sentarla

Rating: M 15+ or higher

Status: Not completed

Date: 17/09/98

Archive: Yes ohhhhh PLEASE do!!!!!!

Series/Sequel: Non

My Website: http://www.oocities.org/TelevisionCity/set/7340

Warnings: This story contains a lot of blood, Mulder in pain and generally torture. Please don't read is you don't like Stephen King's Misery.

Notes: Please…… Oh please be gentle with comments, I’m new at this and I hope people can understand where this story has come from, and why my muse demanded I write this. This story is also posted for my friend Jade, Hope you enjoy it. Not Beta read, <sigh> anyone want the job?

.

Tuesday 12th march 1996 2am

Washington

Bring, Bring..........Bring, Bring......

The sound of the phone cut thought the silence that had finally settled on the small cluttered apartment. A long hand reached over and grabbed the phone before it could ring again.

" Mulder"

" Hi, it's me, I hope I didn't wake you, but I need you to come over"

Looking at the time on the video recorder, Mulder answered

" Now? and yes I was asleep but that's okay, you know I don't mine waking up to you, what's so important?"

" Mulder I can't talk, but I need you to come over, I have something for you to see, please, it can't wait till morning"

" Sure, give me 10 minutes, see you soon":

"Thanks Mulder"

As Mulder hung up the phone he shook his head in puzzlement, Scully never called this late at night, and she sounded a bit upset. Getting up Mulder went in search for his car keys.

Fifteen minutes later Scully heard a light knock at her door. Looking out thought the peephole she saw Mulder's tall lean outline outside, unlocking the door she let him in.

" Mulder thank you for coming, I was starting to get worried, you said 10 minutes."

Getting a little agitated; Scully walked into the kitchen to put on some coffee. Concerned Mulder followed

" Scully what's wrong? What happened?"

Scully turned around and looked in to his hazel eyes, and could not bear to look away. Shaking her head Scully replied

" Nothing, I guess I'm just being stupid, you must be getting to me. "

She tried to finish lightly. Taking Scully by the hand Mulder led her to the couch and sat down beside her.

" Tell me about it. God Scully, you listen to my problems often enough, it's my turn now."

With a tremble in her voice Scully stared to talk about her nightmare.

" I dreamed that we were on a case, and we were staking out a house. It was night time and you were trying to get some rest while I stood the first watch, although as usual you could not sleep, and then a paper boy went past on his bike and stopped at our car, and handed me a news paper, saying that it was a special edition. I asked him what he meant and he just said look at the date, so I did. As soon as I looked up he was gone; the date was the 2nd of March. The front page was title FBI shot, I read further and it went on to say that although the Agents name has not yet been released, the agent was on a stakeout where he was abducted and then shot dead while his female partner was knocked unconscious. The picture to go with it was of a chalk outline of a body and an old house in the back ground, the house was the one that we had been at. When I went to show you the paper you were asleep, I turned to look for the boy again but suddenly my world went black, and I knew that I had been hit over the head with something, and I was going to be too late to warn you. I know that this was just a horrid nightmare, and so I thought, until I heard my doorbell ring, I got up but no one was there. The only thing I saw was a paper. I went outside and picked it up, it was dated 2nd March and the heading was FBI SHOT. The article was the same but there was no picture and it did not say where it had happened. I rang up the printers and asked them about the paper, but I was told that it must be some joke, the papers are not of the press yet, and the headline will be, MORE GOLD. I did not know what else to do so I rang you, "

Feeling drained, Scully stopped talking and leaned on Mulder for support, or conformation of existence, no one would be able to tell.

"Scully I'm here. Do you have this paper?"

Never doubting her, Mulder waited while his partner went and got the paper. After reading the paper a chill went down Mulder's back, this was very weird. Putting it on the floor Mulder turned his full attention back to Scully.

" Don't worry someone may have been playing a joke one you, but if you like, I can stay here for the rest of the night, so you can get some sleep."

With a look of gratitude and relief, Scully got up and went to fetched a blanket and pillow that was keep aside for nights when Mulder stayed over. After a cup of coffee and some meaningless talk Scully was ready to go to sleep.

The room was silent for the small space of 1 hour, then the sound of a window opening could be heard. Silently four men dressed in black entered Scully's room. As she stirred, two continued onto the lounge room where Mulder was sleeping restlessly. Taking out a thin hypodermic need they plunged it down into his arm. Feeling the sharp bite of the needle, Mulder briefly called out.

"Scully!" in warning, or in a pled for help one could not tell.

Hearing the call Scully jerked awake to see the two men dressed in black coming towards her, as the other two dragged the now limp figure of Mulder between them. Scully reached for her gun but was to slow as a fist was brought smashing down onto her temple, turning her world to black.

Sometime later a moan could be heard from the room, a dazed Scully was slowly coming back to the world of light. As the memories of the night before slowly seeped back in she become worried. Getting off the bed slowly as the pounding in the head was making movement painful, Scully went out to the lounge room to fined it empty, and a needle lying near the pillow. The paper was not on the ground and it could not be seen at all. Grabbing the phone and crossing her fingers, Scully rang Mulder's apartment, after 6 rings the machine picked up. Putting the phone back, Scully dialed Skinner's office, the dragon lady put her though straight away.

" Agent Scully, good of you to called. You would not have Agent Mulder with you by any chance, would you?"

" Sir, that's why I rang. Mulder's been abducted. "

" Scully, say that again? Are you okay? What happened? "

" I don't know, I was at home, and Mulder was with me. We where both asleep when four men dressed in black broke into my apartment and injected Mulder with some drug, and I was knocked unconscious I just woke up"

''Scully don't do anything, I will be over there in a few minutes with some men"

" Thank you. "

With the brief time given to her Scully prepared herself for visitors, leaving nothing touched that had been disturbed from the early morning ordeal. As Scully stopped to think, all she could see was the figure of Mulder being dragged out and the paper that announced that a FBI agent was shot. Knocking at the door brought Scully back to reality, Skinner was calling out to her. Going over to the door Scully opened it, and was surprised to see two agents preparing to knock down her door. Skinner later told her, that they were standing out there for a good 5 minutes and was starting worry.

While the forensic team stared looking over the crime scene, Skinner took Scully aside and found out what happened, not leaving anything out Scully told Skinner everything, from the paper to the reason why Mulder was at her apartment. At first Skinner was skeptical, but after looking at Scully for a few minutes, he gave her the benefit of the doubt. With out knowing the reason why Mulder was abducted and what the real connection was Skinner sent out a full bulletin alert to all the authorities, with a picture of Mulder attached. Calling the office back, Skinner assigned two Agents to stake out Mulder's apartment encase he was to return and one more agent to keep a watch on Scully's apartment. Reluctantly, Scully obeyed orders to go to the hospital to have her head examined, and at the same time, to have the needle analyzed to find out what exactly was given to Mulder.

Mean while skinner organised teams to door knock and search the surrounding area; Scully waited for some form of contact.

**********************8

Blackness and pain, this was Mulder's new world. Voices could be heard as rough hands shoved him into another room. Still feeling numb from the drugs, Mulder collapsed on the cold damp floor. Mulder strained to concentrate on the voices to find out where he was, after being taken from Scully's apartment all Mulder could remember was waking up in a car which traveled very fast and then being injected again, after that nothing, until now. From the pain in his body it would seem that they were not treating him very good. Suddenly a door opened and Mulder was pulled up roughly and the blind fold was taken off. A hand slapped him, and a voice roughly said to wake up.

Blinking his eyes Mulder saw that he was indeed in a small room, which was underground by the look of it, it seemed to be an old subterranean tunnel, converted into living quarters, it reminded Mulder of dungeons from English castles. A large man was holding Mulder up while a young attractive brunette was inspecting Mulder.

" Well done, you did well. Hello Mr. Mulder, welcome to my home, I'm sorry to bring you here in such a demeaning manner, but I knew you wouldn't come if I asked."

Weakly Mulder croaked " who are you? "

The man holding Mulder raised his other hand as if to hit him for asking a question, but the lady shook her head and proceeded to answer the question.

" My name is Natasha, Natasha what, it dose not matter. I have brought you here to protect me. Hired help is good, but the protection that I need only you can give. Please mind my manners, you must be hungry.

" Tanakasan, put Mr. Mulder on the bed over there while I go and get some food, but watch him, if he tried to move, don't be too rough on him"

With that she walked out, shutting the door behind her. As Mulder was put on the bed he did a brief stock take of his surroundings and himself. The small room had no windows or ways to get out except for the door. It was cold and smelt musty, as it has not been used in sometime. He had no gun, and his phone was missing. Other then a headache and a few bruises he seemed okay. Closing his eyes he waited, slowly drifting off to sleep.

The smell of food and coffee brought he awake, as a table was set up beside his bed, on the table was a bowl of hot soup, small chunks of bread and a cup of coffee. Tanaka was no longer in the room and the peephole over the door was closed. To his knowledge no one was watching him. Looking at the food, Mulder was reminded how hungry he was, slowly, with the small spoon given to him, he ate the food. Not long afterwards, Mulder began to get dizzy, then he feel face down on the bed, dead to the world. The door to the cell was opened and Natasha came back into the room.

"Good, now it can begin, Tanakasan, come and tie Mr. Mulder up nice and tight, but leave one arm free. Then I would like you to bring a chair in, and then you and your mates may leave, the money is were I said I would leave it"

"Hi, dozo" Came the reply as he went to do the tasked ordered.

****************

Across town, Agents were searching high and low, most of the day was gone and Mulder had not been sited, nor had any information come about. Not sure where else to turn, Scully went to see the lone gunmen.

After going through the usual rigmarole to get inside, the three men were quite as they listened to Scully's story. After a brief pause, Froghike looked at the other two with a questioning gaze. With a sort of telepathic agreement Froghike started talking.

" Scully, we were informed that Mulder had disappeared we were starting worry. Mulder came to see us a few days ago, he told us that he though that someone was following him, or possibly you. He received a note about a week ago under his door. The note told him to be careful, that there was someone out there that believed that the only way for salvation was to sacrifice Mulder. Taking it as a prank first, Mulder ignored it until another message came. This one had a picture of you and him in it, with the message

" I'm coming for you. " With a circle around Mulder's head and your picture crossed out. Mulder then brought the messages to us, and no, before you ask, we destroy them, per Mulder's orders. More messages followed and Mulder had a crazy notion that the person or persons were worming themselves into his head. One night Mulder called us over because he believed these people were around, we staked out his apartment but all that was around were some man delivering papers. "

" Papers, are you sure, maybe there is a connection. " Scully said

" Good idea, but it is a dead end. When we heard Mulder had gone, we looked into every thing, including the paper delivery firms, they all checked out. "

Sitting back down again Scully waited for them to continue.

" Mulder did not tell you because he thought you might think him paranoid, he was going to wait for another message, and then he was going to tell you. Although he did tell us to tell you encase something happen. The one thing he stressed was that we tell you that he thought it might have some connection with one of the old files. Cases file 26938-X the one in Westconsen. We will keep out eyes and ears open so if you check back tomorrow we will tell you if we have found out anything, and hay, don't worry, Mulder, he always pulls through. "

" Thanks guys " Scully got up and was about to leave when her phone rang, grabbing it immediately Scully answered.

" Scully "

" Scully it's Skinner, the results from the labs came back on the drug, it was MSI, and supposable a very large dose. "

" MSI are you sure, that is a very new and rear drug, the side affects are horrific for continuous users. "

" Yes Scully we are. We know Mulder was not taken willingly and we know that his time may be short. We have teams going to all known supplies and users of MSI. I suggest you go and get some rest. I will call if there is any new information."

"Thanks sir, bye. "

Scully hung up the phone with a concerned face. MSI was a new drug that was still quite experimental. The side effects on animals tested, had been, blindness, heart failure, inability for blood to clot and the inability to breath. To get the drug would be very hard.

" Scully, come here a sec " called out Langly from in front of the computer.

Going over, Scully saw a list of address on the computer

" I ran the drug and uses through the net and found three most likely sources. These places are doing experiments on rats and therefor have a large quantity. Also the first two resonantly reported a break in two nights ago. With guess what stolen in large quantities..."

" MSI " Guessed Scully

" Yes MSI " Came the reply. Printing out a copy of the addresses.

He gave them to Scully who thanked them all again and head out to the first address, a little happier with something to go on.

***********************

While Mulder was out cold, Natasha set up an IV with water and MSI going directly into Mulder's arm, saving the hassle of drugging the food.

Although Natasha knew about MSI's side affects she did not care. The outcome was all that was important, not the person that gave it. Slowly, Natasha brought a bucket and a scalpel near Mulder's arm, then she placed the arm over the bucket and cut deeply into the wrist, slicing the vein, causing blood to spurt out,

Mulder groaned in pain as the scalpel cut and slowly woke up.

" Hello again Mr. Mulder, sorry about the pain but it will go away soon. You must be curious as to what I'm doing. You see, I need your blood. Unlike you I'm not protected by people in high places, they are coming for me tonight and the only way I can stop them is by the ancient blood ritual. As you know I need the blood of a protected one, you. With your blood they must leave me alone, for now and forever. The drug that I'm giving you is called MSI; it helps to stop blood from clotting as well as a number of other things. The side affects are not very pleasant but at the rate I'm giving you the drug, the main affect like death, will not affect you until you are actually dead from loss of blood, so don't worry."

" How comforting" Mulder weakly replied.

He felt the blood slowly drain from his body. Stroking Mulder's hair, Natasha got up and left him alone with the only sound in the room being the running of blood into the bucket. And the distance laughter of Natasha.

****************88

Across town Scully was at the second address on the list, so far there had been no new leads. No one had seen the people who had committed the crime or where there had gone. It seemed that they had vanished into thin air, or if they where turtles, to have escaped down into the sewers.

Shaking her head Scully thought how Mulder would like this little problem to solve, he would probably say that it was due to some government cover up. Scully continued up to the gate where she showed her badge and was given entry into the now fortified compound. With the directions given to her from the guard, Scully reached the main building, and saw the awaiting administrator.

" My, name is Special Agent Scully, I rang earlier. "

"Yes, yes please have a sit. Would you like anything to drink while I go and get the tape? "

" Tape, what tape? Have you found anything, scene I last spoke? "

Nodding his head in a quick almost comical manner, the small round man went on to say.

" We went over the tapes again and found something interesting. It would seem that the people, who broke in, left the building in another manner then the front gate. That is why, the guards were not alerted to them leaving. One of the hidden cameras picked up a shadowy form moving around the back compound. I had one of the computer experts lighten the picture up and focus in so we can see who they are. "

The short man left Scully quickly and disappeared through a side door. When he came back, it was with a small tape in his hands that he took to a nearby VCR. The tape showed the gardens at night and then a flash of color, the next scene was the same scene but with it enhanced. Now it could be seen that the shadowy form were actually 2 men, both looking oriental. After a few more minutes of questions by Scully, She thanked the man and asked him to call Assistant Director Skinner and give him the tape. Then Agent Scully left with one place left to go, Mulder's apartment. Scully knew that if Mulder was working on a case, or it was important, he would take it home to read in the early hours of the morning. The drive to his apartment took 15 minutes, and once she arrived, Scully saw that Mulder's apartment was under surveillance. Waving to the two Agents in the car,

Scully continued up the front steps into the elevator and up to Mulder's room. After letting herself Scully had the fun task of finding the file, like the office, Mulder's room was a mess. He had no real sense of order. Concentrating, trying to block out the painful reminders of Mulder that was all around her, Scully pictured Mulder looking at the file and then placing it down, then looking around once more, Scully found it wedged in between the latest copies of playboy. Shaking her head, Scully sat down and started to read the x-file that Mulder thought to be so important.

Half-hour later, Scully got up and stretched her legs, she now understood what was going on. Two months before Scully joined Mulder on the x-files, Mulder had a case, where two men believed that they were targets, of aliens and some people high up in the government. They believed that the only way to be freed and save, would be to sacrifice another in their place. The other person thought, had to be protected, and with the sacrifice, they would pass their protection, to the two men. With this thought, the two men went out and took two children from their beds. One was an 8 years old girl and the other was a 6-year-old boy. The outcome was that the two children were found in a small, underground tunnel, devoid of blood and there captors where found dead along side them, covered in blood, their heads blown off. It was later found that the tunnel that they were in was covered in the children's blood. The blood on the two men, was also the children's. They used the children's blood like war paint. Mulder was called in to find the two men.

Once the police knew what was going on they figure that the case was a x-file, and Mulder's brilliant mind was needed to solve the case. Once Mulder found the bodies, the local police took over and buried it as deep as they could. Scully knew that a case like this would have shaken Mulder up badly. Glancing back down at the file, she saw a little P.T.O sign at the end of the file. Scully turned the file over to find a quick hand written note.

Scully,

If you are reading this, then something has happened. I have been getting messages as you now know. From the tone of the messages, and a few other things, including a hunch, I have reason to believe that we are about to add another chapter to this x-file. with me being the next victim. Points to remember,

* They for some reason like the dark cold places of the underground.

* They believe they are right and will defend themselves at what ever cost, and please, if you have a feeling or anything to do with my whereabouts them please tell someone. I DON'T WANT TO BE FOUND BY YOU! Please Scully, tell Skinner as much as he can handle, and take a partner around with you. I think this will be enough, I hope that I am wrong and you will never read this, but, if you do remember, I'm a survivor, nothing can keep me down for long, and be careful.

Mulder

Scully started to pace the floor. This sounded typical Mulder, always thinking of me as the fragile female, then Scully slowly sank to the floor slightly shaking, thinking about Mulder, if he was right, what would he be suffering right now.

*************

Mulder awoke with a start, with one thing in mind, "must keep awake, MUST KEEP AWAKE! ".

Mulder was feeling cold, shivers raked his body and he had lost all feelings in his lower body. Mulder remembered a time when he was shot, bleeding heavily. Scully was frightened that he would die of blood loss. She explained everything to Mulder, what was happening and why he was feeling like he was the use of this exercise was to keep him talking. To fall asleep would be dangerous. Slipping into a coma meant death. The brain had to remain active, to demand blood. Thinking of this made Mulder think of his red head partner, she must be tearing up walls by now trying to find him.

Knowing that Scully would find him, Mulder tried to look around and found Natasha.

Natasha was standing at the end of the bed, with a bowl in one hand, and a paintbrush in the other. She swapped the bowl near Mulder's arm, so that she had the one full of blood. Then dipping the paintbrush into the bowl, she started to paint the wall, then the floor, and then she took off all her clothes, and started to paint herself. With the room swirling around Mulder like a spinning top, Mulder hung on to one last though before he blacked out

" Oh god Scully, please don't be the one to find me, please, don't"

With that, Mulder's world became black once more.

***********

With new determination to find Mulder, at what ever costs. Scully called Skinner. Not being available, due to a conference meeting about the disappearance of Mulder. Scully left a message that she was going to start looking around the old subway tunnels. She had a clue that Mulder was underground, and that she knew that time was less abundant then they had originally thought.

Going on the hunch, Scully went to the Trains authority, and was given a map of all the underground tunnels. She was also was given an idea, of where some rooms were, and other little places that Mulder could be kept. Thanking them Scully borrowed a high powered touch and headed downtown, to the first most likely place out of the 30 given.

**********888

Mulder felt more pain as Natasha cut his wrists open again. The other cuts had finely stopped. As Mulder opened his eyes, he was confronted with darkness. Not a normal darkness that comes with the lack of light, but an eerie darkness that is present when you have a blind fold on. Trying to talk Mulder was only able to croak.

" Why? "

" Pardon Agent Mulder,..... Oh, you said why. Well as you know the last time this was tried, it did not work. The reason being, that children are not protected, they are taking just like anyone else. Look at your sister Samantha for example. Also, I found out that you were not taken, instead your sister was, which proves beyond a doubt that you are protected. That is why. I see your eyes are not focussing. Have you lost you sight? "

Mulder wondered why Natasha sounded so concern, it should not matter to her, she did not care. With the last of his remaining strength, Mulder grunted a yes

" Oh " replied Natasha, " that's no good, the drug is building up in your system, soon you will be dead. It is time to start the final stage of the ritual. "

With that, Natasha started to take Mulder's clothes off.

****************

After searching 5 different locations, Scully was starting to loose her newly found energy. Making another call to Skinner, Scully updated him and told him where she was going next. Scully found out from Skinner that men had been deployed to help her and many more to search the underground.

After the meeting, Skinner had been told that he had only 24 hours left, after that the men would have to go back to there original assignments. It would seem that the people at the top believed Mulder to be important, but not that important. Thanking Skinner, Scully set of across town to the next place on her list. An old abandoned station masters quarters. Once she arrived, there was another car there with two Agents inside waiting for her, these were the people that Skinner trusted and sent to cover her back. Nodding to them they follow Scully down into the tunnel.

Once inside, Scully notice that the tunnel had been used recently, the cobwebs had been broken and there was the footprints of three people on the floor With a closer look, Scully saw that there were tracks of someone being dragged also. Picking up the pace to a near run, Scully continued up the tunnel until she came to a door.

Underneath the door was light, pulling up, Scully drew out her gun, signaling to the two Agents, Scully counted to three and then kicked the door in. The first thing that hit Scully was the light; it was blinding after being in the dark. The second thing was the noise, it was so quite. The last thing was the smell, it was a decayed and death smell and the smell of blood.

The two Agents who where behind Scully continued to the door directly in front of them, while Scully took the one to the left. The room Scully entered was dark. With her flashlight she was able to see that the room was bare, except for a running generator for power. The two other Agents found the room with Natasha and Mulder. Calling to Scully, they got out a cell phone and called for an ambulance. Hearing the call Scully rushed into the other room, what she saw made her go pale.

The room was covered with a deep dark blotchy red substance, which was not paint but wet and dried blood. The floor had star patterns and foreign words all written in blood, and on the bed where two bodies. The first was Natasha, she was naked and covered in blood with a few symbols and a look of pure terror and surprise on her face. A large whole in her back was the most dominant feature.

The other body was of Mulder. Symbols written in blood where on his body, like those on the body of the two children. His wrists had been deeply cut in several places and blood very slowly dripped from them His naked body was a mass of cuts and incisions, all looking like they had some form of meaning. His skin was bone white and shrunken, he had also been shot, in the chest. There was so little blood from that wound that it scared Scully more then anything else.

Rushing over to him, Scully took his vitals. His heart rate was very weak and erratic, his breathing was shallow and also very slow. Scully knew that Mulder was on the edge, he had so little time. Turning to the other Agents, Scully told them to help her, they tore of strips of bedding and made bandages out of them. They wrapped Mulder's wrist's up, a yellow liquid was starting to replace the blood that was seeping out. They found some pillows to left his feet and then they took off their coats and covered Mulder, trying to keep him warm.

All the time this was happening Scully talked to Mulder, without knowing it, tears were falling freely down here face. One splashed onto Mulder's face, and like magic, this seamed to revive Mulder a little, the weigh of his arm seemed too hard to fight, so he tried to talk.

" Sc..." It came out as a whisper, but Scully heard it anyway.

" I'm here Mulder, I'm here. Help is on the way, but you have to hold on. You hear me Mulder, you have to hold on. "

Scully knew that the stress to Mulder if he was moved could kill him, so they just had to wait for the ambulance to arrive. One of the Agents nodded to Scully and then disappeared down the tunnels. She was going to wait near the car and show the paramedics where to go. Having done everything that she could with no medical resources, Scully just sat holding on to Mulder, and talking to him, trying to keep him conscious.

After a few moments, Scully noticed that Mulder was aware, but not focusing on her. Worried about concussion also, Scully asked Mulder to look at her. When he did not she became worried. Turning to the other Agent in the room she asked him to turn off the light, count to ten and then turn it back on again. While this was happening, Scully kept her eyes glued to Mulder's, waiting to see if the pupils would dilated. When they did not Scully started to panic, she knew with a sinking feeling that the drug MSI was in Mulder's body, in a large quantity.

Mulder faded in and out of conscious for the next 5 minutes. In ten, despite all of Scully's efforts, he slipped into a coma.

Scully heard the sound of running feet, looking up she saw four paramedics running with a stretcher and other equipment between them. Scully was soon pushed aside so they could work on Mulder.

Scully knew from there expressions that the news was not good. All energy was spent on Mulder, not a word was spoken as they started up a number of drips and moved Mulder onto the stretcher. They moved as quickly as they could down the tunnel with Scully travelling behind.

Once they were on the surface, Scully saw that there was not only an ambulance but also a helicopter waiting. Without any real discussion, a decision was made to move Mulder to the helicopter. The quicker he was in a hospital the more chance he had. Scully was told that she could not go, but using her rank and arguing that she also was a doctor, they let her come.

The trip would take ten minutes by air to reach the nearest hospital that could cope with a patent in Mulder's condition.

Mulder had lost 75% of his blood, at a quick glance, the bullet had hit a few ribs and punctured a lung, but worst of all, Mulder was dying.

With the hospital in sight, Mulder had a seizure. It stopped nearly as soon as it had stared. The heart monitor when wild. Mulder's heart had stopped, as well as his breathing. Scully and the doctor who was working on Mulder began CPR. When the helicopter landed, they were still trying to revive Mulder.

It had been almost two minutes. An emergency team took over, information was yelled across the rooftop. Shaking but still on her feet Scully followed. She caught up the team as they reached an emergency room.

Scully told them that Mulder had been drugged with MSI, it gave them something to work on. Scully was directed to the doctors' lounge and told to wait there, they would get word to her as soon as they were able. Scully paced up and down until finely, she sat on the floor, head in her hands and cried. Not long after, Scully felt a hand on her shoulder, it was Skinner.

Looking up with teary eyes for an answer, Skinner shrugged his shoulders, there had been no word yet. Taking a deep breath, Scully pulled herself together, she knew that she would be no help to Mulder if she was like this. Skinner had seen the doctors all rushing in and out of a room, he had been told that it was where Agent Mulder was. Skinner sat with Scully, knowing that she needed the support.

The other Agents had filled him in on the details. After what seemed hours, but really only half of one, A tired looking doctor came in.

" Hello, in the records it has one Dana Katherine Scully as the closes relative. "

" Yes that's me, how is he. "

The doctor looked down at the chart in his hand again. Scully, looked at him, and had a horrible feeling. A feeling that she wanted to block her ears, and run away. Skinner, placed a hand on her shoulder for support.

" To put it bluntly, horrible. I am not going to mince words. At this point in time, we can do no more for Agent Mulder. The next few hours will tell us if he will live or die. As you know his injuries are extensive. There was a loss of 75% of total blood, content. broken ribs, punched lung, dehydration, which was very serve. As well as all the complications due to the drug MSI. Agent Mulder is currently on full life support and is being moved to ICU, I recommend, that if he has any other family, you better tell them. A nurse will come and get you in ten minutes and direct you to Agent Mulder. "

Skinner looked down at Scully, she was holding up very well considering. He listened, as Scully asked the doctor a few questions, which, were all Dutch to him. After the doctor left, Skinner tried to talk to Scully.

" Scully, I know this is hard for you, but you can't blame your self. You did everything possible for Mulder. If you had not found him, when you did, He may have had no chance at all. You go and see him, and I will go call his Mother. "

" Sir, please, can you wait, I don't think Mulder would want his mother here, they are not on the best of grounds as you know. "

Skinner looked at Scully and weighed the discussion carefully.

" Okay Scully, if there is no improvement in Agent Mulder's condition in the morning, then I will be forced to Contact, Mrs. Mulder. "

Taking a shaky breath and pulling herself together, Scully said thank you. Not long afterwards a young nurse came into the room. Scully had been ready to walk straight out the door, needing to see Mulder, but Skinner, put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

" Tell him to get better for me Scully. "

Scully looked at Skinner, and noticed, that although he treated, Mulder with indifference, and at times, he seemed, to be on the other side, deep down he really cared about Mulder.

" Yes sir, I will, thank you. "

With a nod Skinner watched as Scully walked out of the room with a determined step.

The nurse lead Scully to a quite part of the hospital, ICU, the only sounds where the beeps of the machines as they tried to keep there users alive. If you strained your ears, you could hear a low murmur, as people talked to the ones they cared about, and the nurses, going about doing there job. With Mulder having been shot in strange circumstances, A guard was placed at his door for protection.

Showing her badge Scully was admitted into his room. The room was cold and silent. The only sound was the machines as they breath and kept Mulder's heart beating for him. There were tubes everywhere, and at first, Scully was sure she had the wrong room. When she looked to the bed, there was the still figure of her partner. He was covered in bandages, and drips where everywhere, trying to give him back some blood.

Mulder look tiny in the bed, and there was no indication that he was alive. Scully knew, that Mulder had to get better, quickly, they had both signed a card for a situation like this, and Mulder had given a period of twenty four hours, after that, if there was no improvement, then all machines would be turned, of and he would be allowed to die. Scully now wished, she could reverse the decision, but knew that was not possible. As she moved towards the bed, the nurse quietly left.

Scully reached out and placed her hand gently against Mulder's check, He felt cold. His chart and the end of the bed, said, exactly what the doctor had said. The trauma to Mulder was so great and the blood loss so severe, that the odds were stacked high against Mulder recovering.

********************

Well sorry to leave you all in suspense like that but my muse has currently packed its x-files bag and left. If enough people clap hard enough and believe, I may finish the story, other wise, anyone wanting to finish it, let me know, you just may get to. <HINT JADE>.

Email any comments to Sentarla@geocities.com