Title: Mulder's Return
Author: Jade (CmdrJade@aol.com)
Rating: PG
Spoilers: 8th season, pretty much
Category: A little angst in this chapter
Archive: Anywhere, please let me know where so I can visit.
Disclaimer: Almost all the characters mentioned don't belong to me, with the
exception of a few. I'm not making money off this, don't sue me.
Summary: Exactly like the title says.
Author's Notes: After a bit of writer's block, this came out. I don't
really know how to classify this. It's half WIP, but it's half not. Some of
it is finished, but some is not. I'm publishing this in different chapters
(although they're not that long) but I don't know how many there will be. I
guess I'll just see what happens!
Feedback: Please! It will help determine if I'll continue posting each
chapter! Any type of feedback is read, appreciated, and responded to!! :)
***********************************************
"Agent Doggett!" A young man came running over to John Doggett, a small
sheet of paper in his hands. Doggett turned to him and held out his hand.
The young man gave it over. "That lead you sent me on? John Doe, right here
in DC. He was just admitted to DC General about ten minutes ago. They think
you need to come down there," he said, obviously excited. Doggett looked at
him, stone-faced.
"Thank you, I'll get right down there," he said, turning back to the other
men. One of them tossed a cell phone at him. "Call Agent Scully."
**************
Dr. Ben Knap looked at his latest patient's chart and sighed. Externally,
this guy was a mess. There were cuts and bruises all over the place.
Strange needle marks on his back. And he looked like he hadn't eaten or seen
the sun in a very long time.
Ben had assumed he would be even worse on the inside. But he was perfectly
healthy, save for the piece of shrapnel he had found in the guy's wrist. It
had come cleanly out and no explanation was needed on why it was in there to
begin with.
The FBI was looking for him, supposedly a missing agent. So shrapnel wasn't
all that peculiar. Agents had come in here before with that.
But as Ben looked down at the unconscious figure he had a feeling the simple
explanation wasn't the right one.
Oh, well. None of his business.
**************
Dana Scully's phone rang at exactly 3:23 in the morning. She sighed heavily
as she reached for the phone and muted the television.
"Yeah," she said into it, eyes drifting back to the TV. The glow eerily lit
up the room.
"It's Doggett. That lead we've been following? They think they've found
Mulder," he said. Scully raised an eyebrow to the TV.
"What makes this time any different? I don't want to go and see another
false lead. I can't handle it anymore," she replied. She heard Doggett sigh.
"I've been working on this one forever, Scully. I promise you it won't be a
fake."
"I've heard that one before," she muttered. She turned the TV off and
stretched. "I'll be there in a little while."
*******************
"Have you seen him yet?" Skinner demanded. Doggett turned around to face him.
"Nah, they're running some last tests on him. Just some regular check-up
sorta stuff," he answered. He glanced around Skinner. "Where's Scully?"
"She's coming. She said she wanted to stop by Mulder's place," Skinner said.
At the conclusion of his sentence, Scully walked through the hospital's
doors. She walked up to the two men, glancing down the hallway.
"So?" She asked with a sigh. Doggett gave her a smile.
"We're still waiting. It won't be long, though," he said, gently leading her
to a waiting room. She sighed again as she sat down and grabbed a magazine.
"It's been a few months too long," she answered, opening the magazine.
About twenty minutes later, a doctor appeared in the waiting room. He walked
over to the three FBI agents and stuck out his hand.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Knap. I assume you're here for the John Doe brought in?" he
asked.
Scully stood up. "Yes, we are. Can we see him?" The doctor hesitated.
"Yes, but I would advise only one at a time," he said. Scully nodded.
"Any ID on his body?" she asked. Dr. Knap shook his head.
"He was brought here only in jeans and a light jacket. Nothing else. There
are markings all over his body, but nothing to permanently damage him," he
answered.
"Not physically, anyway," Scully said. Dr. Knap nodded.
"I'll take you to his room," he offered. Scully nodded and the four walked
to a door. Scully glanced back at Skinner and Doggett. Doggett nodded at
her and Skinner raised his eyebrows. Scully took a deep breath and pushed
the door open. She silently prayed that this would be Mulder. She didn't
think she could handle it if it wasn't.
The figure lay motionless, save for the rise and fall of his chest. Scully
stood back, wrapping her arms around her body, as if to protect herself from
any more emotional pain. She walked closer, startled by a sudden movement.
He opened his eyes looking directly at Scully.
Her breathing stopped as tears began streaming down her face. His hand
instinctively reached for her as she let out a ragged breath and came to his
side. She took hold of his hand and brushed his unruly hair from his eyes.
She smiled a shaky smile.
"Oh, Mulder," she breathed out. He weakly squeezed her hand before he lost
consciousness again.
*****************
1 and a half weeks later
Mulder limped into his office for the first time since his disappearance. He
smelled coffee and doughnuts and saw both on his desk. He glanced around the
room and saw Scully working on the computer and another man watching over her
shoulder.
'Must be the new guy Skinner told me about,' he thought. Funny how Scully
never mentioned it to him.
"Hey, Scully?" he called. She looked up at him and grinned.
"Hey, Mulder. Those are yours," she confirmed, looking back at the computer.
He grabbed the doughnut and walked over. The other guy straightened up and
held out his hand.
"John Doggett," he said with a heavy New York accent. Mulder swallowed and
took his hand.
"Fox Mulder," he said and smiled wryly. "But you already knew that."
Doggett smiled back.
Mulder turned to go back to his desk, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
That had been a lot less painless than expected.