House of Cards - Chapter 10
By Jennifer T. Brooks
E-Mail: Jenntou@excite.com
*******************************************
Georgetown University Hospital
April 19, 1999
8:00 am

Walter Skinner walked up and down the hallway outside of the 
chapel deep in thought. He could not believe that he was a father,
much less her father.  He remembered the first day that he met
her in the cafeteria in the FBI building.  He thought that she was an
intern for she looked about 22 years old.  She was sitting with Jack
Willis, a man had been friends with for years. 

"Hey, Willis," Walter Skinner said as he approached their table. "I
don't believe I have met you before," He said to Dana.

"Dana Scully," She replied coolly as she shook his hand.  

<Oh that Dana Scully.> He thought.  He had heard a lot about her
from Jack but he never realized what she looked like.  Jack and
Dana had been dating for 6 months and Jack wouldn't stop
raving what a phenomenal woman she was in bed.  Walter knew
that Dana was probably 20 years younger than Jack and used to
tease Jack endlessly about robbing the cradle.  Jack had always
said that if he ever got at look at the cradle in all her glory he
would rob it also.  Looking at Dana, Walter Skinner decided that
she was definitely attractive and he could see why Jack went for
her.  

Now to realize his friend Willis had been fucking his daughter.  
He
was disgusted, repulsed at the notion.

Maggie had told him about his being Dana's father five days ago.
He had spent the last four days drinking himself into oblivion.
This morning he woke up with an awful hangover and the
realization that he was going to have to see her sometime. He
knew
each time he raised the bottle to his lips that alcohol wouldn't
bring a cure to the relief of the anger and disgust that he felt.  He
knew that he could not erase their relationship.  He knew that
eventually he would have to stop drinking and face reality, face
Dana.  He figured that he may as well prolong the truth as long as
possible.

Someone deep down inside his soul he knew that he was going to
have to face her.  He wished that she never had to find out the
truth, 
but he knew Maggie Scully and her Catholic guilt.  Dana was
going
to find out and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As he dressed he thought back over the years.  Surely somewhere
along the line he would have known that she was his daughter.  
Hoe could he not have made the connection with her last name? 
Why had he never asked or looked into her personnel file to see
what he parents or siblings names were?  Once he knew who her
mother was why had he never asked her about her sister Mary?  If
only he had asked about Mary he would have discovered that she
didn't exist.  He liked to think that he would never have started a
relationship with her and they wouldn't be in this awful mess.

Looking back over their time together he found himself looking for
glimpses of himself in her.  Sure, they discovered that she shared a
lot of things in common, things at they time they attributed to their
compatibility.  He now saw them as pieces of himself manifest in
her.  

<Stop torturing yourself, Walter,> He said to himself. He finished
dressing and grabbed a cup of coffee on his way out of his
apartment. 

*************************************************

Walter Skinner slowly made his way to her hospital room.  He
tried
to stop the endless thoughts about her, but could not get her out of
his head.  He wondered if when he saw her he would feel fatherly. 
Or if the longing for what could have been between them would
still be there. He damned the day that Maggie Scully came into
their lives.

He paused outside the door to her hospital room, hoping that
Maggie Scully wasn't inside.  Once he saw that the room was
free from visitors he slowly made his way to the bed.  He was
surprised that he didn't feel fatherly toward her.  He felt more fear
and apprehension of what would happen once she opened her eyes. 
He approached her bed and noticed that she looked a little better.

He didn't know what he should do.  Should he act concerned? 
Could he hold her hand without her thinking that he was a former
lover coming to pay a visit.

He decided that touching her was probably not a good move and
instead opted to sit in the chair beside her bed and watch her
sleep.

Dana Scully awoke to find Walter Skinner sitting besides her
staring at her. 
  
"Sir, I didn't expect to find you here," She said amidst half closed
eyes.  She still refused to call him Walter in front of anyone
except Claire and Blake.  Walter was too personal for her liking.
Sir was much more removed.
  
"I'm sorry to disturb your sleep Dana," He replied to her. 

<Dana, how long has it been since he has called me Dana,> She
thought. 

"How long have you been here?" She asked.
 
"You were brought in five days ago.  The doctors put you into a
coma to give your body more time to heal.  How are you feeling?" 

"I'm fine, just a little groggy.  What is the extent of my injuries?
All I remember is being shot by some man that tried to mug me
while I was out jogging.  Guess I should have just given him the
money and not fought back." Dana was surprised that she was
able to form a complete sentence in his presence. She felt strange
talking to Walter Skinner. Ever since he ended their affair he had
not had much contact with her that wasn't business related.
She found it strange that he was visiting her in the hospital.  
  
"That correlates with what the eye witnesses said.  They were
impressed at how long you fought the guy before he shot you."
  
"So, what's my prognosis Sir?"
  
"I'll let the doctors tell you that."
  
"Well since they aren't here can you get me my chart so I can see
for myself?" She asked.
  
"Dana. I really think it is better that you wait for them."
  
"Fine, I'll get it myself," Dana said.

"You've just had surgery.  I don't think that it is a good idea for
you to be moving around. I'm surprised that you are even awake. 
Relax, let the doctors do their jobs." Walter Skinner tried to
assure her. 

"Okay, fine. Do you know where my personal items are?" She
asked him.

"I have your gun and badge, but your clothing was a loss."

"What about my cell phone?"

"Mulder has your cell phone."

"What did you guys do, divide up my belongings?" She joked.

"The hospital gave me to gun and the badge and when the cell
phone kept on ringing the nurses got sick of hearing it and gave it
to Mulder."

"He's been answering my phone?" She asked.

"I assume so.  For your sake I hope that he hasn't been calling 976
numbers on it. Speaking of Mulder I need to find him.  Is there
anything I can get for you besides your chart?" He asked.

"Can you bring me that phone?" She said pointing at the phone
sitting on the bedside table.

She waited until Walter Skinner left the room before she called
Blake Maxwell.

"Blake, this is Dana."

"Oh my god, I thought you were dead.  I saw some report on the
news about some FBI agent that was shot and in critical
condition.  The physical description they gave matched you
exactly. I have been trying to reach you for days.  Every time I call
your cell Mulder answers.  What is he doing with your cell and
why aren't you returning my messages?" Blake Maxwell asked.

"That FBI agent was me.  Before you get all upset know that I'm
fine.  I'm in Georgetown University Hospital right now and I
really need a visit from you."

"My god Dana, are you okay?"

"I guess.  Right now I'm on some serious medication to
minimize my pain and movement. But I'll be fine."

"Let me grab a few things and I'll be down in few.  I assume that
you haven't called Claire yet.  I'll take care of it while you rest. 
Love you." He said as he hung up the phone.

***********************************************
Georgetown University Hospital
April 19, 1999
11:00 am 

Blake Maxwell rushed into Dana Scully's hospital room carrying
a bouquet of roses.   

"I saw these and knew that you just had to have them," He said as
he placed them on her nightstand and leaned down to kiss her.

"You are looking well for a woman that the media portrayed as
partially dead," He said while looking her over, "All these wires
and tubes going in and out of you are making me nervous."

"They are just making sure that I pee and eat on their schedule."

"Well at least someone is making you eat.  It probably beats what
they are serving in the cafeteria, anyway."  Blake said as he sat
down in the chair beside her bed.

"Hey, I eat enough."

"Yeah right.  And that would be why I could probably tell you
exactly how many ribs there are in the female body by just
counting yours?" he asked her.

"Look, you think I'm too skinny.  I think I'm alright.  I have
been working with Susan and a nutritionist on getting my weight
back up."

"Well I'm glad to hear that.  So can I see your scars?" He said as
he leaned closer trying to see if he could see any scars or marks of
her attack.

"Why do you have a fascination with my injuries?" She asked as
she
tried to back away from his peering gaze.

"I need to see how your latest medical catastrophe it is going to
affect your swimsuit choices this summer," He said being totally
honest.

"Only you would be so vain Blake. I'm sure underneath the
bandages I look like a surgical patient.  Anyway, I'm supposed to
meet with a plastic surgeon in a couple of weeks.  He should be
able to minimize the scars."

"I sure hope so because if you are all covered with ugly scars it is
really going to limit the selection of men this summer at the
beach house."

"Heavens forbid my life threatening injury and disfigurement ruin
your summer fun," Dana joked.  She was glad that Blake had
come by to cheer her up. 

"So are there any cute doctors of orderlies worth mentioning?" He
asked her.

"Why do you want me to feign an emergency where you can
summon them and play the concerned friend?"

"Now that you mention it,"He started. 

"No Blake I'm not going to pull that number for you again. 
Besides,  I just woke up this morning and I haven't seen an
orderlies or many doctors.  The only person in my room this
morning worth mentioning was Walter," She said while avoiding
his gaze.

"Walter, he was here?" Blake asked astonished as he leaned in
closer to Dana.

"Yes.  It was strange too.  I couldn't figure out why he was here. 
When I woke up he was sitting in the chair you are now sitting in
and he was staring at me like he was studying me or something.  It
was creepy."

"Dana Scully creeped out.  Now that's a thought. What did he
want?"

"I'm really not sure. He didn't say why he was there.  It is
customary for AD's to visit their charges when faced with life
threatening injuries, but did he really need to be there when I woke
up?"

"Strangeness.  Where are your mom or Mulder?  I would assume
that they would be the ones at your bedside, not Walter."

"Oh Skinner was the first one you say when you came to?" Mulder
asked as he entered her hospital room, "That would have
made me go back to sleep for at least another week." He walked
over to her hospital bed and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  "Glad to
see you decided to join the living."

"Mulder, this is Blake Maxwell.  Blake this is Fox Mulder," Dana
said introducing them.  The men shook hands and looked each
other over.

"So, you are the infamous Fox Mulder, ex-partner of Dana." Blake
said impressed by what he saw.  He had seen pictures of Fox
Mulder but the pictures didn't do him justice.

"And you would be the best friend Blake who Dana does things
with all the time, but whose existence I doubted much like her
mythical brother Charlie, because she could never produce a
picture of you when I asked." Fox Mulder responded not expecting
Blake to be as tall or good looking as he was.

"Dana has lots of pictures of me," Blake said looking over at
Dana.

"Blake, I couldn't show him any of those because I look really bad
in them," Dana tried to explain.

"Well at least I look good in them which is what counts," Blake
replied.

"Blake, before I forget, thank-you for your help in finding the
bridesmaid's dresses.  Natasha is really pleased with them."


"It was my pleasure."

"Natasha said you owned a clothing store.  What is it called?"
Mulder asked expecting it to be a really small store.

"Chaz," Blake replied.

"Chaz as in the chain of upscale stores?" Mulder asked.

"Yes, I own the chain.  All 47 stores."

"When Natasha said that you owned a clothing store I thought she
was mistaken.  I thought you found the dress at a store, not that
you
owned the store.  I had always assumed that you were a friend that
Scully met in medical school along with the mythical Claire who I
have also never met," Mulder said as Blake started to laugh.

"I don't think that you would ever find Claire or I in medical
school."

"How did you meet?" Mulder asked as he looked over at Scully
for her reaction.  Blake also looked over at her to see if she would
mind if he told Mulder.  Dana nodded her head to give him the go
ahead.

"I met Dana when she was an obnoxious 16 year old who came to
work for me."

"You've known Dana for that long.  Do you also know Claire?"
Mulder said somewhat upset that this stranger occupied a much
larger part of  Dana's life than he thought.  Mulder realized that
Blake probably knew Dana much better than he did or ever
would.

"We also met Claire at the store.  I have known them both for
around 18 years."

"Is Claire also in the clothing business?"Mulder asked.

"No, Claire is an attorney.  She works for some big firm in New
York City.  It has too many names for me to remember and she
always gets mad whenever Dana or I butcher the name so we all
refer to it as  The Firm'."

"You know Mulder, you are allowed to ask me questions," Scully
spoke up interrupting the friendly conservation between the two
men in her life..

"I know Scully. This is all to fascinating.  It's like you've been
leading a secret life.  I have worked with you for years and never
once have I met your friends.  Why do you think that's?" Mulder
asked her.

"Could it be that I like to keep my private life and work separate. 
Besides, it is not like you didn't know of their existence.  I have
told you about them."

"Yeah, but you never mentioned that Blake was mister
multi-millionaire and Claire was an attorney.  I just assumed that
they were doctors like you." Mulder said as he started to raise his
voice  in an argumentative manner.

"You never asked what they did for a living Mulder.  It wasn't an
issue," Scully said raising her voice defensively.

"Dana, sweetheart, you are awake." Maggie Scully said as she
entered Dana's hospital room and interrupted the brewing
argument between Dana and Fox Mulder.  She then noticed that
Blake Maxwell was also in the room.

"I have been awake for a couple of hours now, Mom."

"It is good to see you again, Blake," Maggie said as she went over
and hugged him.

"I'm just sorry we had to meet over Dana's sick bed," Blake
replied.

"How are things with the store?" She asked.

"Things are going well.  We're expanding overseas so I'm
having to put in a lot of extra hours.  It is thrilling but also
exhausting.  Did you get the invitation to the Palm Beach
opening?"

"I did, but I don't know if I will be able to make it.  When was it
again?"

"June 10th.  Plenty of time for you and Dana to go and be back in
time for Fox's wedding," Blake said not aware that Dana had not
told her mother that Fox Mulder was getting married.

"Fox is getting married?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm getting married June 12, didn't Dana tell you?" Mulder
said.

"No, she didn't mention it Fox.  I guess congratulations are in
order," Maggie said and she went over to Mulder and gave him a
hug. "Have you been engaged long?"

"Since January.  Didn't Dana tell you that she was a bridesmaid?"

"No, I'm sure that's one of the many things that she has
neglected to tell me this past year," Maggie Scully said as she
looked at her youngest daughter.  She noticed that Dana avoided
her eye contact.

"Mom, I was sure I told you," Dana said trying to cover for her
omission..

"I think I would have remembered that, Dana.  Fox, I would love to
come to your wedding, that's if I'm invited." Maggie said irritated
that her daughter had embarrassed her like that.  Dana should have
told her the news. 

"Maggie, you should see Dana in her dress, absolute perfection,"
Blake said as he tried to steer the direction of the conversation
away from Dana not telling her mother about Fox and Natasha's
wedding. He knew of Maggie famous temper and dislike for being
the last one to know.

"I would have liked to have been told about the wedding before
now.  Four weeks isn't a lot of time to shop for a gift."

"What difference does it make?" Dana asked irritated at her
mother for only being concerned about wedding etiquette.  Here
she was just out of a coma and all anyone wanted to talk about
was Fox and Natasha and their little wedding.  She realized that in
a couple of  weeks he was going to walk down the aisle and pledge
his love to another woman and that there wasn't a damn thing she
could do about it.

"This is all so sudden.  I didn't even know that you were dating
anyone, Fox.  I thought with your and Dana's jobs there was no
time for a personal life.  At least that has been what Dana has
been telling me.  How is the wedding going to affect your work
and partnership with Dana?" Maggie asked.

"Dana and I aren't partners," Mulder said surprised that Dana had
not told her mother about him reassigning her.  He then realized
that was why Maggie Scully was being so nice to him, she had no
reason not to dislike him.  Dana never told her mother that he had
asked for her transfer.

"You are no longer partners? Did they dissolve the X-Files
division again?" Maggie asked genuinely confused as to why her
daughter had not told her that she and Fox no longer worked
together.

"No mom, the X-Files is still there, I'm just no longer a part of it. 
I now work in violent crimes," Dana said irritated at everyone in
the
room.  She wished that her mother and Fox Mulder would get out
of
her room and leave herself and Blake alone. "I'm getting tired,
could you please have this discussion somewhere else?" Dana
asked.

"Sure, well I'm glad to see that you are looking better Dana. 
Fox, would you care to join me for a bite to eat in the cafeteria? I
would love to hear about this lovely woman you are marrying and
all about your wedding plans," Maggie said to Fox Mulder.

"Sure, Mrs. Scully.  See you later Scully," Fox Mulder said as they
left the room.

"Blake, please shut the door," Dana asked him as soon as Mulder
and her mother left the room.  Once she saw that the door was
closed she said to him, "Can you believe her? And she wonders
why
I don't tell her anything."

"Dana, I'm sure she was trying."

"Well she ought to try a little harder.  She would rather discuss
wedding plans that my personal health."

"Maybe she didn't want to talk about your personal health because
you never want to talk about it to anyone, me included."

"Why are you defending her Blake?  She was barely civil to you." 


"I'm not defending her.  I'm merely pointing out a fact that her
not asking you about your health is completely normal."

"Stop defending her, you are my friend. You know that she can
barely stand the sight of you, why are you taking her side?"

"I'm not on anyone's side Dana."

"Yes you are."

"Dana, get a grip.  So your mother and I don't get along.  I know
that she has a deep aversion to homosexuals even though she
denies it, it no longer bothers me.  I don't obsess about it and you
shouldn't obsess about other things she says and does."

"Easier said than done.  I don't think my mom dislikes you
because of your sexual preference."

"Please Dana.  She gave me that whole homosexuality is a sin
speech several times."

"Yeas, but it was followed by the  we love the sinner but not the
sin' speech," Dana said, "I think the reason she doesn't like you
has more to do with the fact that I moved out of that oppressive
household when I was 17 and in with you and Claire.  I don't think
my parents approved of my living with a man."

"Whatever the reason, there's no sense in dwelling on the past. 
You have some major butt kissing to do with your mother to get
her
over this hump.  I can understand you not telling her about Mulder
getting married because of her fantasy of the two of you having a
large church wedding as all, but I  can't believe that you didn't tell
her that Mulder had you reassigned."

"What good would that have accomplished?  She would have
ended up accusing me of doing something to cause the
reassignment and would have given me the  I told you that you
had no business being an FBI agent speech'."

"You don't know that she would have blamed you."

"The hell I don't.  Every time in my life when I have gone to her
with a problem somehow she has always managed to turn it
around and blame me."

"You mother loves you more than anything, Dana."Blake tried to
reassure her.

"I know that she does, and I know that she would do anything she
could to protect me."

"Dana, you would be a lot happier if you would just accept your
mother for who she is.  Sure, she could have done things
differently and been more supportive of you, but she was the best
mother she knew how to be to you and your siblings.  She wasn't
perfect and she never will be.  She loves you and cares for you the
best way that she knows how, accepting that will make your life a
hell of a lot easier.  Accept Maggie for who she is, not for who
you want her to be."

"You have spent way to much time on Susan's couch," Dana said.

"Well her advice works.  I'm much happier now that I have come
to terms with my parents wanting nothing to do with me. They are
who they are and no amount of hoping is going to change that."

"I know that I need to accept many things, one of them being that
Mulder is going to marry another woman in a couple of weeks."

"Dana, have you ever told him how you feel about him?"

"No, I'm sure that he knows that I care."

"Caring and loving someone aren't the same."

"I know.  Susan has made me realize these past few months how
incredibly destructive and self centered my behavior has been for
the last year.  I have loved Fox Mulder for years but it was only 
when he tried to kiss me that one night in the hallway and my
subsequent rescue from Antarctica that I began to realize how
strong my feelings for him were.  I pushed him away by acting
cold and ultra professional.  I didn't want for him to get close to
me.  He wasn't supposed to realize what I felt for him.  I vowed
after the WSF (Walter Skinner Fiasco) that no man would ever
make me lose control of myself again.  The harder I pushed him
away the more pissed off he became and the less that he cared for
me.  Yes, my behavior had it's desired effect.  At the same time I
was pushing him away I wanted him to want me and when he
didn't it made me even more mad and I pushed him away harder. I
am a mess." Dana said as she stared out the window.

"No, you are human," Blake said taking her hand and holding it.

"I can't repair what I have done."

"Yes, you can.  You have already started repairing it.  Mulder is
talking to you again.  He wouldn't have been here if he didn't
care about you."

"But he's marrying another woman."

"You could always tell him how you felt on the chance that he
feels the same way."

"No, that's wrong.  He deserves this chance at happiness.  He
wouldn't have asked Natasha to marry him if didn't love her.  I
can't interfere with their happiness.  I had my chance and blew it."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.  Before they could
respond Dana's doctor entered the room.

"I heard that you were awake.  Sorry that it took us so long to get
to you this morning.  We're a little understaffed today.  My name
is Doctor Sinwain.  I need to ask you to leave sir that I can
complete my examination," Doctor Sinwain said to Blake.

"No problem.  I'll be back later Dana," Blake said as he kissed her
on the cheek and left the hospital room.

"Dana, I don't have to tell you how lucky you are.  You were
brought in five days ago with a gunshot wound to the chest.  Upon
initial examination is was presumed that the bullet was lodged in
your spine, but upon removal of the bullet that wasn't the case.
There was trauma to the spinal cord due to the bullet being lodged
in such close proximity.  Damage to your lung was minimal.  We
induced a coma to help your body heal.  You were experiencing
slight paralysis at the time you were brought into the ER which
was part of the reason why it was thought that the spinal cord was
damaged.  I expect a complete recovery at this time."

"Great, how soon can I get out of here?" Dana asked.
 
"It is going to be at least another week before you can leave the
hospital and another week before you can return to work.  I need
to check the wounds now," He said as he lowered the hospital
gown.

"Dana, I know that you are a doctor and should know this, but
since I'm a doctor also I feel that it is my responsibility to inform
you that your body show the classic signs of anorexia."

"I know Dr. Sinwain.  I'm currently under treatment for it," Dana
said while avoiding his eyes. 

"Who is your doctor?" he asked..

"Dr. Susan Lowenstein.  She used to practice in New York City,
but
now has a practice in downtown DC."

"I know Susan, I used to date her cousin Cheryl.  She's a great
woman.  I'm sure you are in excellent hands.  As for your
wounds, they are going to heal much more slowly than if you
were in excellent health. This is part of the reason why your
hospital stay is longer than one would normally have to stay for
these kinds of  injuries.  We tried to minimize the scaring and
were able to extract the bullet from your chest," He said as he
pulled her hospital gown back up, "I'll be back later on to check on
you. Feel free to take a shower, but ask for assistance first."  Dr
Sinwain then left the room leaving Dana alone with her thoughts.

End of Chapter 10