TITLE: Sacrificed II: Crucify
AUTHOR: XRae
FEEDBACK: welcomed at XRae1013@webtv.net

RATED: R for strong language and violent content
KEYWORDS: Angst, MSR, character death
SPOILERS: Nothing major.

ARCHIVE: Ephemeral, yes. Gossamer, yes. Anywhere else, you bet! Just let me know, please.
DISCLAIMER: Never had'em. Never will.

AUTHOR NOTES: This a follow-up/sequel to my story "Sacrificed" which can be found at: http://www.oocities.org/xfanfic1013/stories/xrae/sacrificed.html
I would encourage you to read this one first but with the strong caution that it *is* listed as a character death piece. Having said that, I was amazed by the amount of positive feedback I received about the story despite the subject matter. To all of you who begged for a sequel, I so appreciated your words of encouragement...You know who you are, and this one's for you. (I apologize in advance for all spelling errors. No spellcheck on .html. E-gads!)


SUMMARY: Two unlikely allies band together to help Scully obtain closure...and in the process find purpose and peace for continuing on.


SACRIFICED II: CRUCIFY
------------------------------

She understood.

She never questioned why. She already knew the answer. And she understood.

She raged. But never against him.

She blamed. But never condemned him.

Fury and anguish tangled knots in her soul. Pain fused to every cell in her body. Tears would come in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a silence, in the middle of just trying to go on. Loss burned in her chest, turning her heart to ashes.

But she understood.

The complete sense of devastation. The absolute certainty of solitary anguish. Add these to his crippling fear of abandonment, to his helpless sense of failure to protect those he's loved the most...God, it hurt to think of what those last few moments must have been like for him.

Blinded by his grief, he saught the only solution he could still see clearly. Their enimies no longer mattered. His quest no longer mattered. He was consumed with finding her.

And for him, existence had narrowed to encompass only that. He had to find her. By any means necessary.

This thought alone tormented her above all else. Was he seeking her even now?

Was his spirit, restless and alone, wandering the afterlife, searching for her?

Was he able to understand why she wasn't there?
------------------------------


Even as he sat watching the screen, he felt sick to his stomach. Why him? Why the hell give *him* this sad, sorry detail?

She hadn't moved from her couch in over five straight hours. She just sat there, unmoving, silent tears cascading down her cheeks.

What the fuck did They think she was gonna do? As far as she knew, Mulder had offed the man she thought was responsible for her abduction.

Was he here just so the Big Man In Charge wouldn't miss how the rest of his orchestrated little tragedy played out? Surely his boss wasn't actually worried she might go off on some revenge fueled rampage.

She was clearly too devastated to look that far ahead. Any idiot could see that.

This was bullshit.

He was the last person on earth who should be watching her.

But Alex Krycek was finding it very difficult to look away.
------------------------------


"I dreamed about you again last night, Mulder," she said as she sipped her morning coffee. Her voice floated through the previous silence of the room and made her watcher jump in his seat.

He was drinking coffee with her. Granted it was from a building away, but in the last couple of weeks, it was becoming part of the strange string of daily rituals they shared. He woke with her. Ate with her. Showered with her. Slept with her. All from a distance. And all without her knowledge, of course.

The only thing he didn't do was cry with her.

"I miss you. I miss you so much..." She stopped, unable or unwilling to continue.

Krycek breathed a sigh of relief.

She did this all the time, had one sided conversations with Mulder. She would even make comments to him during movies, like he was there, sitting right next to her, watching the TV.

He hated when she talked to him. He always found himself insanely wishing the bastard would answer her.
------------------------------


He was going stir crazy. Seriously. Much more of this and he was gonna go postal.

She never deviated much from the well worn path of grief she followed from day to day. He kept waiting for that Scully fire to suddenly ignite, to blaze, for her to at least start to remember who and what she was all about.

Where was her knowledge of a truth even he recognized? Didn't she know she was supposed to avenge him?

He wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her.
------------------------------


**You have to, Krycek**

"Are you fucking nuts? They'll kill me."

**You know you had a part in this. It was wrong and you know that, too.**

"I can't. I can't!"

**You owe it to her.**

"Bullshit!"

**You owe it to me!**

Krycek lifted his chin high. "Fuck you, Mulder!" he said defiantly to the empty air.
------------------------------


Weren't there supposed to be seven stages of grief, or some horseshit like that? Yeah, seven stages on the way to acceptence. Psychology's attempt to lump together the very individual process of wishing you were as dead as the person you lost.

Whatever.

As far as he could see, Scully was stuck, that's all there was to it. She wasn't moving through any god damn stages of anything. She sat in the dark, mostly. Which really sucked if you happened to be the unfortunate bastard that had to spy on her.

His eyes hurt. His head hurt.

And the more he thought about why he was stuck babysitting this pale, shriveling Scully-shell, the more pissed off he became. Pissed that she couldn't seem to Cowboy Up. Pissed that Muder bailed on her in the first place. Pissed that Strunghold got off enough on this shit to want it witnessed.

And most of all, pissed that he actually gave a good god damn about any of it. Why should he care that senseless Mulder had died senselessly? That Scully the Ice Queen was now a melted puddle of fucking grief over it? That his own seriously whacked boss was still getting his ya-yas from the whole bullshit thing?

He was a free agent, by God. Wasn't he? He didn't form loyalties and he sure as hell wasn't supposed to have a fucking conscience.

Scully hardly ever cried anymore.

Why did this seem to piss him off the most?
------------------------------


**Ever been in love, Krycek?**

"No, Mulder," he sighed impatiently, "I've never been in love."

**That's pathetic.**

"No, it's lucky. Christ, man, look at what it's done for you."

**Yeah. Here I am, a dead man, and I'm more alive than you are.**
------------------------------


She walked slowly, her head bowed, the bright Autumn sun above turning the strands of her hair into wisps of fire, the flames obscuring her face. One small step at a time. The wind created a billow of fabric behind her, her black trenchcoat doing little to hold of the chill in the air.

It didn't matter. Inside, she felt colder than the air.

Her mother had offered to come. Skinner had offered. The Gunmen, too. They just didn't understand why she needed to be alone with him here. Or why this place of sorrow was now the only sanctuary she had left.

She came here when her apartment could no longer contain the building presure of her grief. She came here when her own skin could no longer contain the building presure of her lonliness.

She could feel him here. When the breeze stirred the blades of grass beside her. When the trees waved to her with their branches. When the cold marble beneath her hands finally warmed under them.

"Hi, Mulder." She sat infront of the stone marker, placed her hand against his name. "I'm a little early today."

**Hey, Scully. How was your appointment?**

"I've actually just come from my doctor's office. He had the results of my internal scan and wanted to discuss them with me. He didn't find anymore implants...but..." She shook her head, almost as though she couldn't quite believe what she was about to say. "I'm, um, I'm missing a kidney."

**Oh Scully. I'm so sorry.**

"Weird, huh? That I can feel the loss of you so acutely, yet not even miss one of my own internal organs."

**You're so calm it's scaring me, Scully.**

"I know I seem very calm about this. And, do you know what, Mulder? I am. It's like no matter what I find out now, about what was done to me, it doesn't matter."

**It does matter!**

"It really doesn't. Nothing I learn now could possibly compare to waking up in that hospital and finding out you were gone..."

**I'm so sorry I deserted you, Scully**

"I'm so sorry I deserted you, Mulder."

"It wasn't your fault." **It wasn't your fault**

"I know I tell you this all the time, but I don't blame you for the choice you made. And I understand it as only another person faced with the same bleakness can..."

**Oh Scully. I played right into Their hands. They knew my greatest fear and They destroyed me with it.**

"I don't blame you, Mulder."

**I know you don't. But you have to stop blaming yourself, Scully. You didn't choose to be a part of what happened. You were used, just like I was.**

"Do me a favor, Mulder. If you happen to run into that chain smoking son of a bitch..."

**Nah, he took the elevator down.**

"No. I'm sure you two took very different paths wherever you are now."

**Not according to other Catholics.**

"I miss you, Mulder."

**Scully, listen to me. Don't give up. You have to keep fighting the fight. The man responsible for this is still out there. I didn't see this. But you have to, Scully.**

"I miss you so much."

He leaned in close to her and placed his hand on her cheek, his thumb carressed her bottom lip reverently. **I love you.**

Her eyes closed of their own accord, a soft gentle breeze danced slowly around her. "I love you too, Mulder."
------------------------------


Krycek lowered the mike, wishing for the hundreth time he hadn't decided to point that reciever toward Scully. He'd never felt uncomfortable while listening in on any of countless conversations he'd had to hear over the years. And he'd heard some pretty insane personal shit. But he felt uncomfortable now having listened to this one and wasn't even sure why.

He leaned forward in his seat and put his head on the steering wheel. What the hell was happening to him?

The air beside him suddenly shifted and it felt as though the very molecules in the car changed to make room for the arrival of his passenger. He leaned back and nodded toward Scully. "She doesn't hear you, does she. I mean, not in the same way I hear you."

**No.**

"Why not? Out of all the people you knew, who were a part of your life, you were closest to her. I don't get it."

**She hasn't made peace with my death. She can't accept the reality of my presence until she does...When she comes here, it's the closest she comes to doing this. She can feel me here. That's enough for now.**

Krycek shook his head. "So why me? We weren't exactly friends before. We never would have sat in a car this long together while you were alive without you knocking a few of my teeth loose."

The air rippled with Mulder's soft laughter.

"No, seriously."

**Because through you, she can set things right. She can find closure and move on with her life.**

"I've already told you, I'm not going to help you, Mulder. And you can't force me to. You got the wrong guy."

**Hey Krycek, you ever seen that movie "Ghost"?**

"Yeah. Where are you going with this?"

The cabin of the car filled with Mulder's offkey crooning...

**I'm Henry the Eighth, I am, I am.
Second verse, same as the first.
I'm Henry the Eighth, I am, I am...**

Krycek groaned.
------------------------------


He clutched the phone in his sweaty palm.

**Relax Krycek.**

"That's easy for you to say, Mulder, you're already dead."

"Alex, my friend!" a voice suddenly boomed in the earpiece. "Is it true?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure who tipped her, but she's hot on your ass."

"Yes, I suppose this was inevitable. Unlike her partner, this one is not so easily brought down by suffering." Strunghold expelled a long breath into the reciever. "Well Alex, it would seem your current assignment is almost at its end."

"It would appear that way, yeah. So now what? You, ah, you want me to off her?" Krycek closed his eyes, and hoped Mulder was right in his belief that Strunghold would choose to do this himself.

There was a long pause. Finally, the other man spoke. "No Alex. I was planning a trip to the States to check on the progress of our new crops. I'll take care of this. I'll be in touch. Until that time, keep close tabs on Miss. Scully."

The line went dead. Krycek ended the call with a shaky press of a button. "OK. It's done. Now what?"

**Now we go to Scully.**

"She's in no shape for this."

**She's stronger than you think.**

"She'll never trust me, Mulder. You know that. And once Strunghold makes his way here to 'take care of this', he'll kill her for information she doesn't even know."

**You have to make her believe.**

Krycek shook his head in disbelief "Christ, Mulder, you don't ask for much, do you."

**When this is over, your slate with us is clean.**

"When this is over, I'm as good as dead, so stuff your slate up your ass."

**Alex, listen to me. You are going to pick up where I left off. And you will save them all.**

Krycek barked a bitter laugh. "Bullshit! Don't forget that I'm only helping you so you'll stop haunting my ass. Once this is over, I'm disappearing and the world can go fuck itself. When the colonists arrive, I'll be the one to sell them god damn condos."

**You asked me once, 'why you', remember?**

Alex nodded, wary.

**Because you are the only one who can. You are the only one who will.**

Krycek actually laughed. "You are so full of shit. You really get off on this Obi-Wan Kenobi crap, don't you."

**It's the truth, Alex. And a part of you already knows it. You have the power to tip the scales. Is it really a question of who's side your on? Or are you just afraid?**

Krycek found himself wishing he could see the other man just so that he could glare at him. He settled for stating what he felt was the obvious: "I'm not on anyone's side but my own."

**Then I guess humanity is in luck, since they just happen to be on your side, too. You told me once that resistence was within our grasp. You were right. And you'll be the one that grabs it by the balls, Krycek.**

Alex closed his eyes. "I don't believe you," he whispered.

**It doesn't matter. Some things are beyond our control.**
------------------------------


He let himself carefully into her apartment. He'd watched her long enough to make sure she was fast asleep, but he still didn't believe in taking chances.

He had to be cautious. He was assigned to watch Scully. He had little doubt that someone else was assigned to watch him watching her.

Strunghold trusted no one. He covered every base. And usually with more than one player.

He quietly made his way to the bedroom and eased her door open, mindful of every small creak it made. He didn't think sneaking up on her was such a good idea, but his choices were very limited as far as how he could handle this.

He took a few steps slowly into the room and was about halfway to her bed when he realized she wasn't still in it.

Paniced, he turned around just in time to hear the door slam closed. He was trapped. And when the room was suddenly bathed in light, he wasn't quite prepared for the sight that greeted him.

She stood infront of the door, clad in her black satin pajamas, her hair a wild mass of red. Eyes blazing, chin set, and her gun leveled. He could hardly believe it was her. There was little trace of the grief stricken, sallow woman he'd been watching so diligently over the last three months.

She was Scully, avenging angel with a gun and night cream. And Jesus, he really had no right to be this happy to see her.

He watched as her lips curled up in a sly smile. "Well, well, well...Something told me if I played mouse long enough, the cat would come. Come here to do somebody's dirty work, Krycek? I may only shoot one of your balls off if you tell me who sent you."

"You'd never believe me," he answered, knowing full well it was true. Dana Scully did not believe in ghosts. Hell, neither did he until a couple of months ago.

"Try me."

He shook his head, still not quite over the change in her. "What the hell happened to you?"

"You want a list?"

"No, I mean..." He was flustered, completely unprepared, he had no idea of what direction to take. "Fuck, even this morning...You were a mess. Jesus, you layed in bed till almost 2:30. It's the most I've seen you bawl since..." It was too late. He smiled ruefully at his own stupidity, even as he heard her gun click.

"So, you have been watching me. Why? Alex, Alex, Alex...I think maybe you should start talking." He stared at her, dumbstruck. "NOW, Krycek!"

**You better do what she says.**

He whirled toward the voice coming from beside her. "You son of a bitch, you set me up!"

She narrowed her eyes. "What the hell do you mean, I set you up?"

"Not you!"

"What?!"

**Alright Alex, settle down. I didn't set you up. She's just got her groove on. You knew this wasn't going to be easy.**

"You're right about that, you dumb-ass. I knew it was going to be impossible."

"Who the hell are you talking to?"

**And you sure as hell better stop talking outloud to me, dip-shit! She's about one second away from 'shoot first, ask questions later'**

"I'm about one second away from 'shoot first, ask questions later', dip-shit! So start talking!"

Krycek sighed, exasperated. "OK, OK! Let's just start this all over."

"Oh, you mean you'd like to take this back to when you first broke into my apartment?"

"Yes! No! Damn it, just let me tell you why I came here."

Scully rolled her eyes. "This should be rich."

**Come on, Scully. Relax a little, G-woman. Listen to the man.**

"OK." She took a deep breath. "Fine. I'm listening."

"You think maybe you could lower that gun?"

"Don't push your luck." **Don't push your luck.**

"Can I at least sit down?"

"Krycek!" **Krycek!**

He put his hands out infront of him. "Alright, alright, alright!" He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "I have some information for you."

Scully cocked her head to the side. "Really. And why on earth would I believe anything you have to say? You're a liar and a murderer, Krycek. I may not have any real proof that you were involved with what happened to Mulder and I, but it has your stench all over it."

Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

**No, no. This is ok. She's hearing you out. Now, just let her know the truth.**

Krycek tried to collect his thoughts, knowing that everything depended on the next words that came out of his mouth. "You're right. Or at least you're right about what I am. But it's because of what I am that I'm here tonight. Regardless of my questionable loyalties, I do have my limitations for what even I'm willing to tolorate. I'm not here to excuse my part in all this, and I don't really give a shit whether or not you believe that. What I'm here to do is offer you the man responsible for yankin' all our chains. The one who planned and executed your abduction and the tests. The one who sent Mulder the tapes."

Scully swallowed visibly and paled at his words. "Mulder found that man."

"No. Spender was guilty of a lot of shit, but this was one operation he was completely innocent of. Mulder was purposely lead to the Smoking Man, with the specific intent of causing the very outcome he'd been manipulated into pursuing. The man truly responsible for this doesn't just have connections to the top, he *is* the top. You bring him down, you leave a bunch of squabbling halfwits scrambling for control of something that's already far beyond anyone's control. You bring him down, and you'll have justice. I can deliver this man to you, Scully. I can end this for all of us."

Scully was quiet for a long moment, merely looking at Krycek with careful scrutiny. "Why would you do this?"

"Because it's bullshit. You don't fuck with a man's soul just to get your rocks off."

**You should write poetry, Krycek. That was truly a moving sentiment.**

Alex bit his tongue and continued to keep Scully's hard gaze.

"So, I'm supposed to buy this load of crap because you suddenly have a case of conscience?"

"Look, you can think whatever in the hell you want to, but I have my reasons for doing this and I couldn't give a good god damn what you think of them."

**Ease back, Alex.**

"I know what I'm doing!"

"Really?" Scully raised her brow.

Krycek actually laughed, the preasure of the situation finally taking some toll. "No, Scully. Not really, no." He stopped for a moment and then grew serious. "All I do know is that everything I've done in the past, I've done because I thought it was leading to something. The methods were extreme, the outcomes sometimes less than morally favorable, but I followed those men because I believed in what I could do through my loyalties with them. I went to Mulder once and tried to explain this to him. He didn't trust me either. But he knew I was telling him the truth. And I'm telling it to you now, too."

**Come on, Scully. Let's finish this.**

She was quiet, contemplating what was surely about to be a serious lack of better judgment on her part. She could hardly believe what was happening, yet she somehow knew in her heart that it was right.

She lowered her gun. "Come on, Krycek. Let's finish this."
------------------------------


When Krycek first suggested this, she was agast by the idea. So much blood had found its way to Mulder already, the chance of bringing it here seemed almost obscene to her. But, this Strunghold had to believe what he'd been told, that even though she had information connecting him to her abduction, she was still far too entrenched in grief to offer much resistence. And here, wouldn't he be confident that her resistence would be at its lowest?

In the end, Krycek was right. This was an open space that also happened to offer perfect cover for the rest of the team.

"All's quiet on the western front," AD Skinner's voice crackled in her ear. "Still no sign of the mystery man."

"He'll show," she heard Krycek whisper.

They were close by and she took some comfort in that, though she would be hard pressed to admit that any of it derived from the presense of Alex Krycek. Skinner wasn't entirely convinced this wasn't all just an elaborate setup. Even after his own reluctant acceptance of Krycek's place in all of this, her boss still insisted that he head up the operation when the time came. And she knew it was primarily so he could watch her back.

"I don't know, Krycek," she heard Skinner say. "If this guy is so all powerful why would he come himself to do something any number of his henchmen could do for him?"

"I think he sees this as some big climatic end to all his bullshit and wants to witness the effects of his handiwork close up."

"Twisted sack of shit, I ought to just--"

"Wait! Quiet! That's him! Coming in from the back."

"I have visual contact," another voice informed them.

"I got him," Skinner said. "Stay sharp, people. Scully, he's heading your way."

She took a deep, calming breath. This was it. One way or another, the events set into motion that rainy night so long ago, ended here.

And as it should be, Mulder was there to see it through with her. She carressed the headstone with a gentle sweep of her fingers. "Well partner, this is it."

**Let's get this show on the road, Scully.**

"Keep tight, Scully. He's about thirty yards behind you," Skinner said quietly.

"To your left," Krycek added.

"He's taking his time, but get ready."

She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She willed herself to stop shaking. She had to keep it together, just long enough to get this son of a bitch. She owed it to Mulder. She owed it to herself.

No mistakes. No mistakes. No mistakes.

"Miss. Scully, please forgive me for intruding," a heavy accented voice said from behind her. She guessed about 10 to 12 feet away.

She stood and turned slowly to face him, this man who had stollen her life, her future. Though she screamed inside at the sight of him, her face remained cool and impassive. She looked him over and as she expected, could see the gun he held casually at his side. "Do I know you?"

"Not directly, no. But I am quite familiar with you. And also with the unfortunate soul for whom you mourn so terribly. Such a tragedy, his death."

"And obviously," she nodded toward the weapon in his hand, "you intend to add to this tragedy?"

He smiled an oily smile and shrugged. "Truly that depends on your point of view. It could be argued that I am here to free you from the grief that so consumes you and reunite you with the man you love."

Scully's stomach clentched, his words deeply affecting her.

**It's a lie, Scully. I'm already right beside you.**

She eyed him with contempt. "So you've come here to kill me?"

Skinner's voice whispered low in her ear. "Good, Scully, good. Get him talking."

The man infront of her took a careful step toward her. "I would think you would welcome death. What is your life now but a daily lesson in misery?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"To the point as ever. Alright, I will answer you plainly. It has been brought to my attention that you have obtained information that it is in my best intrest to keep secret. I will protect this need for secrecy at all costs and with lethal intent."

She swallowed. "Fine. But you answer this, you son of a bitch, did you kill Mulder?"

"Need I remind you of the rather graphic details of his death? Fox Mulder died by his own hand."

"He was used and manipulated in order to serve an agenda," she practically snarled at him. "Now answer me. Was it you? Did you orchestrate my abduction? Did you torture Mulder by sending him those tapes?"

"I believe you are already quite capable of answering those questions for yourself."

"Don't fuck with me! I wanna hear you say it!"

"Ease back, Scully, we need a confession, you're leading him," Skinner soothed softly.

**It's alright, Scully. You can do this.**

Strunghold assessed her with careful eyes. "You have been through quite an ordeal. Do you think knowing the truth, in light of all your suffering, all of Mulder's suffering, truly matters now?"

She lifted her chin defiantly. "The truth *always* matters. Always."

"A noble sentiment. Noble, yet flawed. If this were one truth you chose to ignore, it would not now come to sacrificing your life for it."

**If he levels that gun, Alex...**

"Listen," Krycek said in a hushed tone, "if he levels that gun at her, I'll shoot him where he stands."

"We've been over this," Skinner broke in. "If we can, we take him alive. Don't loose your cool."

Scully blinked slowly, trying to focus on the man infront of her, not on the voices buzzing in her ear.

Strunghold watched with wry amusement.

**Oh shit. He knows. He knows you guys are out there, Krycek.**

Scully felt cold suddenly. Something wasn't right. She tried to school her features, intent on keeping Strunghold focused away from the others.

She caught a fleeting look of...something...from him.

**Scully, listen to me. He knows. He knows this is a setup. He's got guys closing in on the team.**

She felt her hands twitch, the need to reach for her gun all at once overwhelming.

"What the hell was that?" Skinner's voice sounded in her ear.

"I'm hit!" another said.

"Shots fired!" Krycek broke in urgently. "Skinner, they just moved past the outer perimeter. They're making a sweep, these guys are pros."

**Scully...Come on, Scully. Draw your weapon.**

"Officer down!" a voice exploded in her ear.

She flinched. Strunghold smiled.

"Keep your heads, people," Skinner said urgently. "You guys in back, keep sharp! We need to make a move."

"We'll compromise Scully," Krycek said frantically.

**She's already compromised, Krycek!**

"We don't have much choice here! Men are getting shot!" the AD bellowed.

"He's gonna kill her and disappear while you dumbfucks play cop and robbers with his lackeys. I'm telling you, for Christ's sake, hold off and--"

"There's no time!"

Another voice. "Sir, watch out!"

And another. "Officer down!"

**Scully, draw your weapon!**

"ENOUGH!" The sound of her voice echoed across the cemetary. Stunned silence filled her earpiece. It took her all of about three seconds to draw her weapon and aim it at Strunghold.

He brought up his own weapon immediately in response.

**You go, girl!**

"FBI! Mr. Strunghold, you are under arrest for the kidnapping and assult of a federal officer, conspiracy to commit the murder of a federal officer, and high crimes against the national security of the United States. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney--"

The man infront of her laughed. The audacity of it just enough to break her stride.

She glared at him. "Does this amuse you, Mr. Strunghold?"

"Absolutely," he chuckled. "Though I must say, I do admire your effort. I should not have underestimated you. Mulder, he was far easier and weaker," he sneered.

"No, you son of a bitch. You know nothing of Mulder. And you know nothing of me."

Somewhere, off in the distance of the cemetary, she heard the sound of shots, closer now. She gripped her gun tighter.

"That would be my associates."

"Or mine," she countered, her bravado wilting slightly when the static in her ear suddenly went dead.

"You must realize the futility of this," Strunghold said smoothly.

**Don't worry, Scully. He's bluffing. Our guys are all over this. He wants to intimidate you, to throw you off balance enough to give him an opening. It's ok, you're doing fine.**

The air around her seemed to settle her, though she could never have explained how or why. "Mr. Strunghold, do you not realize that you are surrounded by federal officers? That your apprehension was given top priority by the State Department? There are enough officers within a five mile radius of this cemetary to start a convention. And if by some miracle you do escape me and attempt to leave these premisis, it will result in trained sharp shooters taking extreme measures to subdue you, that these men have clear instructions to shoot on sight if we are unable to take you alive. You were set up."

For just a second, she thought she saw a flash of real fear cross his face. Then it was gone, replaced by a relaxed air of superiority. "Tell me, Miss. Scully, how sure are you of the true loyalties of the men you speak of?"

She refused to take the bait. "More certain than you should be."

"Really? You can't mean you base your confidence on the loyalties of Alex Krycek?" he smiled as he saw her waver slightly. "Yes? Perhaps you *are* as gullible as Mulder."

**It's a lie, Scully!**

"I don't believe you. And I'll tell you this, one way or another, your ass is mine. Whether I haul you off in cuffs or a bodybag doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me."

"Charming to the last," he spat at her.

He cocked his gun, the sound of the click trailed only seconds ahead of Scully's weapon doing the same.

**Krycek! Get over here.**

"I got your back." She heard a voice say to her left. She didn't dare chance to look, but she recognized Krycek and relaxed marginally.

"I was beginning to think you were gonna stand me up," she said, hiding her nervous smile as best she could. "Where's Skinner?"

"Hit, but ok. EMTs were just called."

"Alex," Strunghold said carefully, "explain this."

"Your a smart man figure it out."

Scully couldn't resist herself, "Well, he couldn't be too smart if he didn't see this coming, Alex. But still, he responded just as you said he would."

"More predictable than Pavlov's dog," Krycek sneered.

She watched as Strunghold's eyes darted quickly toward the direction of Alex's voice, then came immediately back to settle on her again. His anger was evident. "Do you dare point a gun at me, Alex Krycek? What's the meaning of this?"

"The meaning is, you sir, are fucked. Lower your weapon."

Strunghold smirked.

**Wait a second. Wait--!**

His movement was sudden and quick, the second weapon in his other hand before either of them could respond. Their reaction time was little more than half a second, but it was enough of a delay to allow him to bring the gun up toward Krycek. Scully fired her weapon. The impact of her bullet caused Strunghold to jerk back, the guns in his hands going off simutaneously.

Then another shot.

**NO!**

The three of them dropped, Strunghold and Krycek to open grass, Scully against the front of Mulder's headstone.

**Oh no, no, no.**

"Scully?" Krycek called weakly. "Are you hit?"

"Yeah," she answered with some difficulty. "You?"

"Just above my hip. It's bleeding like a son of a bitch."

"Put pressure...on it." She struggled to sit up against the hard marble behind her. With the new vantage point, she looked down at her chest, and knew then that her own advice would do little to help her. She faught against the wave of dizziness that washed over her at the realization and layed her head back to rest on Mulder's headstone. She tried to take a breath. It sounded wet to her medically trained ear. "What about...Strunghold?"

"My bullet ended what yours started, Scully. He's dead. It's over."

"Thank...God." She smiled.

As if from a distance, she heard Krycek start speaking again. "I can't get to her...I can't move. The bone's shredded...I'm sorry, man..."

"Krycek, who...are you...talking to?"

"No, I'm sorry," he went on. "I don't think I'm gonna make it. I'm loosing way too much blood."

"Krycek...?" She stopped suddenly, a sharp, hot pain tearing through her chest. She coughed. The taste of blood filled her mouth. Her eyes closed.

"No, Scully's the one. *She* should do it...Oh God...OK. I promise. I will...Mulder? Mulder? Where'd you go? Mulder...?"

At the sound of Krycek calling out Mulder's name, Scully willed herself to focus enough to open her eyes. It took her a moment, but when she finally managed it, she could hardly believe what she saw infront of them. She opened her mouth, but no sound would come. Tears filled her eyes.

**Hey Scully.**

"Mul...der???"

**Yeah.**

She managed to lift her head and looked up at him, her gaze swimming with wonder and disbelief. "How...?"

**I was always with you, Scully. Do you honestly think I'd go off to solve the biggest of all X-Files without you by my side?**

"I can't...believe this."

**Nice to know some things never change.**

She tried to smile through the weight of her pain. "Oh...Mulder..."

**Everything is going to be fine, Scully.**

Tears slid down her cheeks. "No, Mulder...it isn't. If I...don't get...medical attention...I'm...done for. The bullet...shattered my ribs...My lungs are pierced."

**It'll be ok. Do you trust me?**

Another pain tore through her, her eyes began to droop.

**Scully, open your eyes.**

She struggled to obey him, the effort almost too much for her. But she did as he asked, and opened her eyes, able to deny him nothing.

**Scully, do you trust me?**

She nodded, the movement so small it could almost be missed.

He reached out his hand to her and smiled. "OK, then take my hand and get up."

**Can't move...Hurts...**

"Scully, take my hand. Take my hand." He tried to reassure her, his gaze full of understanding and love. He stepped closer to her and lowered his offered hand. "Take it, Scully. Don't be afraid."

Her eyes never left his as she faught against the agony coursing through her. With all of her remaining strength, her arm lifted and her questing hand met his.

Solid. Warm.

And as his hand closed over hers, the pain disappered completely.

"Come here, Scully." He pulled her to him and she felt his arms close around her.

She threw herself into his embrace, wrapping her own arms around him tightly. "It's you. It's really you. But...But, how???"

"Shhhh." He placed his long fingers under her chin and tilted her face to his. He smiled softly as his lips lowered to hers.

When the kiss finally ended, he steped back and took her hand in his again. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," she smiled, unable to take her eyes off of him.

Slowly, they began to walk away. The cemetary, the rush of officers and EMTs, all just sights and sounds fading into the background.

Hand in hand. Step by step.

She never noticed she left her body behind them...



END


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