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Accountability
Chapter 14
by Pam Gamble

Mulder and Scully tapped down the long, echoing
hallway to the tiny alcove of the waiting room. So
often they were in this position alone, while one or
the other lay amid a swarm of doctors. Scully ran her
hand over Mulder's arm for reassurance that he was
there, alive and breathing. The warmth of his skin
beneath his overcoat seeped into her hand, and she
folded it within her palm, saving it in her clenched
fist.

Only glancing at the door with the makeshift label
reading "Harrison", the two settled themselves in the
little room across the hall. The droning television
suspended in the corner was their only other companion
in the muted silence.

Mulder sat for a moment, then began restlessly pacing
the worn green carpet. Scully's eyes flickered toward
the set, where an impossibly thin blond girl cried
crocodile tears and confessed that she had slept with
her husband's brother. The times she'd been home on
medical leave Scully had flipped past soap operas on
television, and never really understood the
attraction. Now she realized that was probably because
most people used these shows as an escape, while her
own real life was more complicated and bizarre than
any their best writers could create.

Mulder jumped as a door opened, and he heard his
sister's voice echo in the hallway. "Thank you so
much, I appreciate everything you did." She was
talking to the doctor beside her, tears still
glistening in her eyes.

"It's just my job, Mrs. Harrison. Why don't you try
and get some rest? She's going to be fine. She's a
very lucky little girl." Amanda nodded and began to
turn back to the door when Mulder found his voice. He
was still torn about what to call her, so he settled
for "Hey".

Samantha turned, and Scully felt her entire body
tense.  She could
practically see the pain swirling around him, ready to
pounce.

Amanda hesitated for a moment, then flew across the
hallway and into her brother's arms. Mulder seemed to
squeeze the tears from her body as he held her so
close, soaking the shoulder of his trenchcoat.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you". She pulled back and
smiled at him, then at Scully. "Both of you."

His back was to her, but Scully could still sense his
smile. Mulder pushed his little sister's hair behind
her ear, and Scully felt herself imitate the gesture.

"We didn't do anything, really," Mulder insisted,
still unable to release his hold on her. Not
surprising, since he'd been reaching for her for
years.

"But you did. You helped me get through this. And I
owe you everything for that."

Mulder shook his head. "You don't owe me anything,
Sa-Amanda. How is she?"

"She seems fine. They're running some tests just to be
sure. She doesn't remember anything, but the doctor
said that's normal for a child who's experienced
trauma." She reached for Mulder's hand. "Come on, I
want you to meet her."

Mulder pulled back on her hand, unsure. He looked over
at Scully, inviting her with his eyes. She shook her
head. "No, it should be just family now. I'm sure I'll
have time to get to know her."

Mulder smiled and trailed his sister across the hall.
Scully watched them go, then wandered down the hall in
search of a ladies' room.

By the time she got back, Mulder, his sister and her
husband were back in the hallway. A young boy she
assumed was Lauren's brother was standing with them.
David was doing his best to recount to Mulder the
doctor's exact words about Lauren's condition, when
Scully felt the floor sway beneath her, and she fell
headlong into darkness.