TITLE: No One Lives Forever
by The Jedi Shipper
E-MAIL: JediShipper@yahoo.com
DISTRIBUTION: If you want it, I'd be honored. Just
drop me a line telling me where it goes. :-)
SPOILER WARNING: Tithonus
RATING: PG
CLASSIFICATION: XA
KEYWORDS: MS-UST
SUMMARY: A plausible reason why Scully won’t live
forever, in spite of the events in Tithonus.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Deals with reincarnation. You’ll be
able to recognize Mulder and Scully easily. Although I
know this messes with some stuff said in The Field
Where I Died, I tried to include "Melissa" and
Samantha into the previous lives, true to form. This
also explains why the name Steve popped into Scully’s
head during Monday. I just couldn’t deal with the fact
that Scully could live forever…eventually, she’d have
to do so without Mulder.
DEDICATIONS: To Scully (not that one, MY Scully) for
an excellent first time BETA read. With Adrienne being
gone and me being so damn impatient, I didn’t know
what I was going to do. And, to the X-Files people in
general. Tithonus made me fall in love with the series
and my life hasn’t been the same since. Special wink
to Suniti
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New York City, Early 1900’s
"Katherine! Katherine!"
Katherine Williams turned toward the voice with a
forced smile. "Stephen," she said to her life long
best friend. "I am going to be late to the hospital
and your dear wife is going to worry."
With that single phrase tossed flippantly over her
shoulder Katherine whirled again, in a hurry to put
the other travelers of the busy New York City sidewalk
between herself and her best friend.
But Stephen was persistent and quick. He caught up to
her with a small grin. "It’s just been so long since
I’ve seen you Katie," he said, purposefully using her
childhood nickname. "You didn’t come to Marian’s
christening," his tone was a bit somber now, but not
admonishing.
Katherine continued walking, not missing a beat though
Stephan was sure he saw her wince at the mention of
the missed event. "I’m sorry," she said. "I was needed
at the hospital."
It was a half truth. The hospital was always in need
of extra help but she had made an excuse to stay that
day.
"It’s all right," Stephen dismissed it with a wave of
his hand. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence
as the two walked on before Stephen spoke again.
"You’ve never missed an important day in my life is
all." At that point he finally reached out to grab her
arm, halting her progress down the sidewalk. "I missed
you," he admitted almost shyly, the hand not gripped
firmly around her arm now caressing her cheek.
Very suddenly Katherine had to bite her lip against
the tears that threatened to fall. She turned away
from his hand quickly. "Stephen. I must go."
Reluctantly, Stephen let go of her arm. "All right.
But stop by soon. I miss you Kat," he said softly, now
using the tender byname he’d started calling her she’d
outgrown the childish Katie.
Again feeling the tears well in her eyes, Katherine
nodded and turned to walk up the sidewalk. When she
was sure Stephen must have turned around, Katherine
ducked into an alley. She leaned against the wall,
unable to hold back the tears that had gathered. For a
while, she let them fall bitterly to the ground.
It hurt- so badly. Katherine had not known she was in
love with her best friend until he’d come to her one
day, about three years ago, and said he was getting
married.
The dull ache in her chest was easily ignored at
first. She’d chalked it up to jealousy. Stephen, after
all, would no longer be spending so much time with
her. He’d found somebody to love while she remained
single, working as a nurse because she didn’t have her
own little ones to look after.
Then, Elizabeth, Stephen’s stunning wife, had become
pregnant. It’d been all to real all to soon. Katherine
had avoided Stephen since then, finding the thought
that he would never be hers to painful to bear.
Katherine angrily forced herself to gain some
semblance of control. Hoping that her tears had not
too badly spoiled her rouge, Katherine continued her
walk to the hospital. As she walked she vowed to visit
Stephen and his family later that week.
After all, it wasn’t his fault she’d never realized
she loved him until it was too late.
With that thought she reached the entrance to the
hospital. She was greeted, as the doors open, to the
site of hell breaking loose.
"Katherine!" Dr. James ran up to her almost
immediately. "Thank goodness you’re here. We’ve had 25
new cases of the fever in the past two hours. All
wards are filling and we’re severely short handed."
"My God," Katherine exclaimed softly.
Overnight the few bad cases of the fever had escalated
into an emergency. Doctors rushed back and forth
carrying medicines and liquids, barely able to keep up
with patients before they died.
It was a truly terrible sight. As quickly as they were
dying, patients were wrapped up carelessly in their
bed sheets, moved off to make room for another sick
person. For three days straight Katherine tended to
the ill as best she could. She didn’t sleep, rarely
stopped to eat, throwing herself completely into her
work.
The third night she had just returned to the nurses
station for another batch of cold towels- the only
touch of comfort she could offer to those burning as
if from the fires of hell- when she heard a familiar
voice. "Kat?"
"Stephen," Katherine said, knowing who it was before
she turned to look at him. As she faced him the grin
fell from his face and his eyes grew worried. "What
are you doing here?" she asked, not noticing his
concern.
"It’s Marian," Stephen started. Katherine’s face grew
pale, eyes wide.
"Oh no. Tell me she doesn’t…,"
Stephen shook his head. "No, just an ear infection.
Nothing to worry about," Stephen assured her.
Katherine closed her eyes, relieved. "Thank God," she
muttered, allowing her shoulders to sag.
His hand on her shoulder jolted her back to life.
"Katie you don’t look very well. In fact, I’d say you
look like hell. Have you been home at all?"
"I’m fine," she said firmly.
"Well you don’t look it. They say even a healthy body
can’t fight this fever. You look far from healthy."
It was true. She must have looked like the living
dead, she felt that way. She was bone tired and knew
it was showing in the way she carried herself.
"I’m fine," she insisted. "You get your little one out
of her and stay away. Do you hear me? Stay far away
from this hospital."
She began to turn away to get back to work but he
gripped her wrist, imploring her to stay.
"Katie…Washington Square Park is filling up with
bodies. Please be careful. I don’t want to see you
there. Please, promise me you’ll take care of
yourself." He spoke with an intensity she’d not known
him to posses, his eyes wide as saucers pleading with
her.
"I’m fine," she said stubbornly. "I’ll be fine. Let me
go Stephen. I have work to do."
Reluctantly he did as she asked and watched as
Katherine hurried off. She never did listen to a word
he said, never had. He would go home, he decided. Just
long enough to tuck Marian and Elizabeth in. Then he’d
come back and drag Katherine out of the hospital,
kicking and screaming if need be.
Stephen felt suddenly ridiculous. Katherine was a big
girl, more then capable of taking care of herself. He
had other responsibilities, a sick baby girl to look
after, yet here he was worried about his best friend.
Then, he just didn’t think he could stand to lose her.
********
"How are you Mr. Rice?" Katherine asked the man lying
prone in bed. She tried to keep her voice light though
the groans of the dying literally filled the room.
More then likely, L. H. Rice would soon bear the
yellow death shroud within a few hours. He was an
older man and so the Doctors had all but ignored him,
turning their attention to other patients who’d not
yet had a chance to live half the life Rice had.
"Mr. Rice? Come on now. You need some medicine," she
encouraged.
"The stove!" the man shouted "Door is open. Fire.
It’ll catch fire!"
Katherine sighed. ‘Delirium,’ she thought to herself.
‘He’s out of his mind with fever.’
Suddenly his eyes went wide. She watched them track
something only he could see across the room, as if
watching an impending evil about to descend on him.
"No," the man muttered. "Not me. Take her." He closed
his eyes against the vision.
Katherine furrowed her eyebrows and glanced over to
where Rice had last been looking.
There, standing over a patient who was breathing her
last breath, was a hooded figure.
It was tall, but hunched in away that she was sure it
wasn’t quite human. It’s very presence was somehow
dark and depth-less. Katherine’s eyes widened as he
reached out to touch the dying woman. The woman’s head
tilted back, a mist coming from her open mouth. The
mist came together, leaving two versions of the woman.
The one on the bed gave a small sigh as her head
rolled to the side, dead. The floating mist seemed to
glow and then faded.
With that the hooded figure turned it’s head.
Katherine gasped, frozen to the spot as her eyes
traveled up it’s billowing robe to it’s face. Death
itself started back at her, the very picture from
every story she’d ever heard, sans sickle. As she
stared, eyes wide and horrified, it lifted a thin
finger of bone.
Katherine heard the tray of medicine she carried crash
to the ground. She felt her legs give out from under
her and then the world faded into darkness.
********
Stephen had returned to the hospital to find Katherine
curled into a fetal position in when of the hospital’s
beds. Her knees were tucked almost to her chin as she
trembled with fever and pain.
That had been three days ago. Three days in which
Stephen had watched helplessly as the disease
tightened it’s iron grip on his best friend. The
doctors said they could do nothing. Her body was too
weak to fight.
On the fourth day, Katherine’s eyes opened. Stephen
could see that she was tired and in pain but at least
she was lucid. Her eyes did not convey the fever
induced madness he’d seen consume her earlier.
"Hi Kat," he said gently, intentionally keeping his
voice light. "You really had me worried there."
Katherine blinked several times, taking many deep
breaths before she attempted speech. "I’m sorry," she
said in a whisper. "There’s so much I haven’t told
you."
Stephen’s eyes widened at her words and he shook his
head fiercely. He’d heard, somewhere, that if you were
lucky, the dying sometimes had one final moment, a few
minutes of lucidity to say good-bye before they let
go. He was not going to let that happen, not yet. "No
Kat. Don’t start saying your good-byes. You can fight
this. You’ve always been the stronger one."
"It hurts," she said in a small voice.
"Don’t leave me Kat. Not now," he pleaded with her,
his voice dripping with only a fraction of the
desperation he was feeling.
"I’m sorry," her voice was getting weaker. He had to
strain to hear her. "I love you. I’ve always loved
you. I’m so sorry…,"
That seemed to take the last of Katherine’s strength.
Her eyelids fluttered softly, like a butterfly
hovering over a chosen flower, about to land. Oh so
slowly, her eyes finally closed.
Stephen buried his head in the pillow near hers. He
let out a cry of anguish, begging her not to leave
him. Only in her death did he realize that, though he
did love his wife, he’d always denied his love for his
best friend.
Swallowing huge gulps of air, Stephen managed to pull
himself upright. "Katie," he whispered into her ear,
hoping that wherever she was, she could still hear
him. "I know…you think it’s nonsense but…it there’s a
chance you can be reborn…wait for me."
He allowed the doctors that had been hovering over his
shoulder to pull him away from her lifeless form. As
soon as they had, nurses converged and began to wrap
Katherine’s body in the yellow sheet she’d been lying
on. As they worked, they cried for their lost
co-worker. But life had to go on, there were other
lives to save.
"Wait for me," Stephen whispered again.
Across the room, L. H. Rice was awakening from his
fevered madness. He watched the a somber orderly lift
his savior’s body from the bed. Stephen also watched
from where he’d collapsed and was now sitting, staring
blankly.
Rice leaned back in his bed, breathing a selfish sigh
of relief.
Nearly 80 years would pass before he would meet up
with the kind nurse again.
******
New York City- Jan. 1999
L.H. Rice, known now as Alfred Felig, had had more
then enough of the gift of life his nameless nurse had
given him.
Currently, he was being lead into a police
interrogation room to be harassed about a crime he
didn’t commit. Not that he really cared.
He didn’t care about much of anything anymore, besides
death.
Immediately, Felig’s eyes fell on the young male Agent
seated at the table. He sat across from the man, not
more then a child, starring forward indifferently
forward.
It was only because she shifted from one foot to the
other that he saw the female agent.
Felig was struck suddenly by her eyes. They were orbs
of pure blue, the kind of yes that could hold you
still with just a glance.
He couldn’t help but think he’d seen them somewhere
before.
His thoughts were interrupted by the male Agent’s
suddenly beginning his tirade. Felig dismissed his
earlier impression.
Days later, Alfred Felig pointed his camera at Dana
Scully’s fallen body, watching unemotionally as life
giving blood literally poured from the hole in her
stomach.
He noticed her eyes focus on something across the
room, the motion bringing back memories of the long
lost New York hospital and that fateful day.
It hit him so suddenly he nearly dropped his camera.
Dana Scully’s eyes were the same he’d seen during
those fleeting lucid moments of his fever.
And suddenly it made sense.
People don’t live forever. He’d gone against the
rules, traded his life for hers. Now was his turn to
give back the time he’d merely borrowed.
And, unbeknownst to him, give her back the time she
needed to tell a certain someone what she felt before
it was too late.
"Do you see him? Do you see him?"
Scully didn’t, couldn’t reply, but Felig knew the
answer. He saw it in her eyes, reflected in their twin
depths like his pictures could never capture.
"Close your eyes."
After a moment, she did.
Felig looked up to find a black, hooded figure
standing near him.
This time, he did not close his eyes.
~~~~~Fini~~~~~
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