Date: 26 Mar 2002 13:12:52 -0000
Walking Across Fire by Vickie Moseley


Reply To: vickiemoseley1978@yahoo.com

Title:  Walking Across Fire
Author:  Vickie Moseley
Summary:  Fill in the blank for Firewalker.  Mulder 
has to choose, but is the choice his to make?
Posted for After the Fact challenge
Category:  V A
Ratings:  opps, naughty word ahead.  PG13
Disclaimer:  I don't own Scully or Mulder.  I don't 
make money at this.  All is square :)
Started March 24, finished March 25, 2002
Archive:  ATF, then all others yes
Dedication:  Thank you to Agent L, who inspired me 
and then allowed me to tag her efforts.  Now, go read 
'Trial By Fire' by Agent L (if you haven't already)
Comments to me:  vickiemoseley1978@yahoo.com

Walking Across Fire
By Vickie Moseley

"Is there something else, Mulder?"

I'm still sitting in my chair, staring at the file 
folder in my hand.  I know Skinner is starting to get 
concerned.  First, I spend every waking minute in his 
outer office, begging for a case, any case to get me 
out of town for a few days.  Then, after weeks of 
badgering, when I finally get a case that would 
normally cause me to salivate all over his carpet, 
I'm acting like I just got a weeks after school 
detention.  No, I really haven't lost my mind.

Well, then, maybe I have.

"Mulder?"

I still haven't answered his question because I have 
no idea what to say.  Is there something else?  Yeah, 
well there is the little matter of this case arriving 
the exact same day Scully is due back at the office.  
Talk about ironic coincidences.  I wanted a case so I 
didn't have to stare at the four walls and stop 
myself from calling her every five minutes so she 
could rest and come back to work.  So here comes a 
case to take me out of town right when she's coming 
back.  Oh, that's just rich.  I couldn't have done 
better myself.

"Sir, Scully comes back today," I say and it sounds 
so lame I'm certain I'm blushing.

He looks down at his desk blotter and nods.  "Yes, I 
see that.  Does that pose a problem?"

I start to answer, but stop.  No, no problem.  Just 
that once again I'll be somewhere that Scully is not.  
I'll be a couple thousand miles away in the mountains 
of Washington state and she'll be back here sitting 
in the office staring at the four walls.  I've been 
separated from her for just over 8 months and I'll be 
damned if I'll stand for another minute more!  But I 
can't exactly announce that to Skinner.

"Agent Scully's doctor has cleared her for field 
work, or is this paperwork mistaken?"

"Sir, she just got back today!"  I'm amazed he would 
even consider such a suggestion.  What the hell is he 
thinking?

"Mulder, she's been cleared by her doctor.  I've 
talked to her on the phone.  She was anxious to get 
back to work.  Is there some reason you're concerned 
about putting her out in the field?  Are you saying 
you don't think she's fit for field agent status?"

Oh, yeah, throw it back in my face, why don't you?  
Am I afraid?  Hell yes!  I'd be a fool not to be 
afraid.  She was abducted out of her own apartment.  
Kidnapped by a psychopath I sent her direction!  She 
called out to me for help and I wasn't fast enough to 
get there in time.  Then, she just disappeared, 
vanished in to thin air for three months.  I helped 
her mother pick out her fucking headstone, goddamn 
it!  And then she just reappears, but more dead than 
alive.  They pulled life support!  I was fully 
prepared to watch her die.  I'd seriously question my 
field agent status if I wasn't scared shitless at the 
thought of losing her again.

But knowing Scully, she'd happily castrate me for 
even holding that thought.

"Sir, I know she's fit, but . . ."

"No buts, Mulder.  She's your partner.  Unless you 
can come with a reason for her to remain behind, I 
suggest you go downstairs before Dr. Pierce gets 
there.  He's going to update you on the situation at 
Mount Avalon.  I expect a full report upon your 
return.  Now, if you don't mind?"  He waves a hand 
over the pile of papers on his desk, effectively 
giving me the bums rush.  OK, Walter.  I get the 
hint.

I want to have a chance to talk to Scully before 
Pierce gets there.  Maybe I can convince her to stay 
behind, take a little time.  My fear of leaving her 
was only slightly less than my fear of putting her in 
danger out in the field.  I know she won't be happy 
with me, hell, she'll probably start a Y incision 
before I finish making my arguments, but I have to 
try.  Unfortunately, Pierce isn't just punctual he's 
presumptuously early.

As we watch the video Pierce has brought, I keep 
glancing over at Scully.  She's concentrating on the 
screen, watching it with interest.  She still looks 
tired to me.  The circles under her eyes that were so 
pronounced in the hospital have faded, but couldn't 
she do that with a little make up and the lousy 
lighting we have down here in the basement?  My 
attention is drawn back to the television and I let 
Pierce's voice bring me back to the topic.

It sure as hell looks like an X file.  One right up 
our ally.  I think back to other times, Icy Cape, the 
forests of Washington State.  Let's see, a three-day 
quarantine for the first one, two-week hospital stay 
with quarantine procedures for the second.  Oh yeah, 
what fun.   

But that shadow on the scratchy film suddenly catches 
my eye.  Worse yet, I notice it seems to intrigue 
Scully as well.  Damn it.

After Pierce leaves, she's up and making 
arrangements.  Just like old times.  But every time I 
close my eyes I'm seeing her in the ICU.  I can't get 
rid of the images of her with her eyes taped shut, 
waiting for death . . .  I can still feel the 
coolness of her skin in my hand as I sat there and 
begged her to come back to me.

Not just come back to me.  Come back to us.  To the 
work.  

I'm doomed.  We both are.

I make one more last ditch attempt to get her to stay 
behind and she deflects it with a plea.  She needs to 
get her life back.  I can understand that, it's what 
I'm worried about to begin with.  Letting her get her 
life back.  Keeping her safe.  

If this had been something less interesting, 
something more mundane, I might have pulled it off.  
But something alive where nothing can live. That's 
what Scully loves, a good puzzle.  That's why she's 
still here with me after all the crap I've put her 
through.  Almost two years now.  More time with her 
than I've spent with any other partner.  Not counting 
the time we've been separated, of course.

I still wish she'd stay away from this one.  I have a 
terrible feeling about it.  

The end