"Missing Piece" by Recoil, from Unsound Methods

Awareness is not a gift, it is a curse.

Scully wakes up confined within the pristine walls of the sterile hospital room. Her throat is parched, her fingers are numb from inaction, and her mind reels from the overwhelming stimuli. The man who served her poison disguised by strong smell of coffee and a kind smile stands by the window, and she cannot even scream in terror.

Skinner turns around, and though he looks at her, he doesn't see the change that occurred a few short moments ago. Scully hopes that he leaves, believing her still asleep, but instead he pulls up a chair closer to her bed and reaches for her hand. She'd like to snatch it away, but she is still too weak, and her fingers only twitch in response to her desperate command.

"Agent Scully?" he whispers, at first uncertain, then more insistent. "You're awake?"

"Ummm," she croaks in response.

As if understanding how difficult it is for her to speak, Skinner reaches for a glass of water and brings it to her mouth. Yet, her lips remain stubbornly closed, and she doesn't bother to disguise the fear in her eyes. His hand shakes, and water spills on the sheets.

"Codeine, Scully," he says tiredly. "It was codeine. I'm sure you remember what the lethal dose is and how long it takes for it to be absorbed. You hardly drank any coffee that I brought you, and you collapsed right after."

"Twenty minutes," Scully calculates, and now her fingers obey her enough to travel the short distance to her throat. She pauses, and her whisper is colored by disbelief. "Agent Blair?"

"Good guess." Skinner offers her water again. "Now, drink this, because we have a lot of ground to cover before the doctors and nurses get here."

When she accepts, they both recognize the significance of the gesture. It is at once an apology and forgiveness, reaffirmation of trust that had been doubted too many times.

"Scully, there are some things you should know," he begins reluctantly.

"What is it?"

"This is a hospital in Baltimore, close to your mother's house. You're here under a false name, Jane Green. Dana Scully is officially deceased, and only your mother and I know otherwise."

"You faked my death?" she shakes her head, more alert now. "Why?"

"There are many ways to kill someone who is alive, Agent," Skinner explains bluntly. "There is no way to kill someone who is already dead."

She swallows a lump in her throat and nods in understanding. "How long have I been here?"

"Two weeks. You were in a coma, we didn't even hope.well," Skinner stands up abruptly and wonders back to the window. "It was a close call, Agent Scully. I didn't intend to be responsible for another."

Scully allows him a moment of privacy, waits until he is ready to speak again. His next words jolt her, at once rejuvenating and unsettling.

"Mulder has been in to see you."

"Where has he been? Where's Samantha?" She frowns, remembering what Skinner had told her before. "You didn't say that Mulder knew of this -" she searches for a word, "plan." When he keeps silent for too long a moment, she shifts on the bed, trying to sit up. "Please, tell me."

"Scully, you need rest - you're not well enough yet."

Recognizing the maneuver, she doesn't back down. "Please," she asks again.

"I just don't know," he admits helplessly. "I haven't been able to reach him - otherwise I would have explained. I certainly didn't wish to keep this a secret from him."

"He's back, but you haven't been able to reach him?" Scully repeats, incredulous.

"Mulder... is not exactly within my jurisdiction anymore," Skinner explains reluctantly.

The encroaching nausea has nothing to do with her poor health, and water will not quench her suddenly dry throat. "What do you mean?"

The noise that assaults her ears is dark red, and the pain that streams from a blade driven into her temple makes her scream. Scully is certain that she will not be able to stand this for much longer, but it is over just before she formulates the thought. One second, she sees Skinner's panicked face - and then, she is plunged into another room and the pain dissipates.

Samantha lies on a bed, shivering under a thick blanket, too tired to ask for another. Her energy drained, given away to another, she can only wait until it comes back. Scully reaches out, wishing to help, but she is merely an invisible spectator - impotent to influence any events that transpire within these walls. To her immense relief, someone enters a room and takes off a jacket, wrapping it around the lying woman, then sits down on the floor beside her. Soon, another dark head joins Samantha's on the pillow, and Scully finally recognizes her partner. Brother and sister, alone against the world.

Somehow, Mulder's appearance frightens her more than that of Sam. Dark shadows under his eyes are a deep contrast to the skin that's too pale, and she wonders if the wrinkles etched on his forehead had been there the last time she saw him.

"Mulder," Scully calls softly - but he doesn't hear, and her cry upsets the fragile connection, awakening the wind that returns her to another room, another reality. Not even pain is present, and she almost wishes for it to return.

"There, you're back with us." A figure in white smiles down at her. "You really scared your friend here," the doctor nods at Skinner. "Now, do you remember what your name is?" "Da..." Scully catches herself. "Jane. My name is Jane Green. I have to go, please excuse me."

"Wow, hold on a second," the doctor laughs, inviting the patient and the visitor to share his amusement. "You're not going anywhere. Not for another week, at least."

"But..." she shakes off his hand. "Mulder and Samantha - I know they're in danger -"

"Whoever these people are, they will take care of themselves. And you, Jane, are staying right here."

Scully casts a begging look at Skinner, but he remains deaf to her mute plea. Desperate, she rubs her eyes, willing the vision to come back, but all she has left is this room, this well-meaning doctor who calls her by a fake name, a body that still needs to recover - and inescapable knowledge of an upcoming catastrophe.

Back to Fire Eaters index

Look at Soundtrack