Title: Spaceman- WIP- 5
Rating: G (for now…)
Category: case file, MSR
Spoilers: none- this fic is totally self-contained
Archive: feel free, just let me know where it ends up.
Summary: A new drug leads Mulder and Scully on an investigation of abductions, overdoses and familiar foes. While discovering the root of this new evil, they find the truth between them as well.
Feedback: please- oh pretty please... send mail to maloax@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, never were- make no profit, have no money- do not sue.

Author's Note: OK… Yes, I have some explaining to do. I have been out of the loop for waaaaaaay too long now and since the end of the series I have been, quite frankly, depressed about fanfiction. I have been trying, however, to keep on top of this WIP Spaceman that people have so kindly been asking for. So, as promised (in what feel like the land before time) I have completed another installment. By no means is the story over… but at least it’s still moving along- slow but steady. Please send feedback- good or bad- as I am in serious need of reinforcement!

Also… if anyone needs to go over any of the first four parts they are currently posted at my website at: https://www.angelfire.com/scifi/xenoprobe

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Spaceman ~ WIP 5

by xenoprobe

The Sunday morning sunlight filtered through the cracks of Scully’s window dressings.

When she opened her eyes, she was disappointed to see that Mulder was no longer in her bed. She was, however, lying in the proper direction with her head on her pillow, covered with a single white sheet. She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, looking to her bedside for a note or any indication of Mulder’s departure. She found nothing.

She got out of bed and slid into her satin robe then shuffled into the kitchen. Opening the fridge door she found fresh orange juice waiting for her. She smiled. As she poured a glass, she heard keys in her front door- Mulder emerged with a paper bag from the bagel shop and two tall cups of java in a cardboard carrier.

“’Morning Scully. I got some breakfast- thought you might need replenishing this morning. I know I do.” He smiled knowingly.

“Thanks Mulder… here, let me take that.” She took the coffee and bag from him as he locked the door again. They sat down at her kitchen table and ate in relative silence.

Scully seemed a little anxious as she sipped her coffee, shifting in her chair and tapping a finger once in a while.

“Something bothering you Scully?” Her partner asked, touching the back of her hand.

“What? Nothing.” She paused then reconsidered. “Actually Mulder I was thinking about the case. I need to know more about the unknown component in MDAX. I have a hunch that it ties in with the branched DNA you showed me.” Mulder smiled at her, a big toothy smile.

“Ah Scully, what would I do without you.” He chided. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips one by one. “We’ll shower- together, we’ll get dressed- together, and we’ll go into work. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” Scully rose to her feet and kissed him on the forehead, lingering to tickle her fingers over the back of his neck. She went off to start the shower.

*~*~*~*~*

The steady beep of Grant Ellis’ heart monitor was the only audible sound in his hospital room. His eyes were open but reflected only the emptiness of his mind. He was breathing unassisted now and the doctors had harboured hope for a while that he would make a more steady recovery, but the damage to his brain had affected too much already.

Heavy footfalls echoed in the corridor and drew nearer until a figure stood over Grant and his monitors. Alex Krycek bent over the patient and whispered.

“Open wide.” Krycek pushed a little green pill into Ellis’ mouth then took a seat at his side. “You were almost lucky Mr. Ellis. Dr.Scully nearly saved your life… but not quite.” He grinned and waited.

Grant Ellis began to sweat almost immediately, beads formed on his brow and his breathing accelerated. Suddenly, his pupils dilated to large black pools and his head turned toward his murderer.

“Why are you doing this?” He choked.

“It’s for the best.” Krycek responded unconvincingly.

Suddenly, Grant began to convulse. His body shook and a green liquid sputtered from his mouth.

*~*~*~*

A flash of white transported Grant Ellis into a cold and sterile place. He was alone, on a table- much like the one he’d been on in the ER. Only this wasn’t the hospital anymore.

All around him were strange voices, echoing in his mind. A sharp mechanical sound buzzed and Grant tried to look around to get his bearings. Everywhere he looked was the same, steel silver colour, no other tables, no doctors, no equipment. Then over the horizon of his feet, he saw a tall figure.

As it came into focus, Grant saw that it was male, extremely tall and had white blond hair in wisps all over his angular head. The being smiled at him and a quick warmth spread over Ellis’ body. It did nothing to quell the fear however. Grant opened his mouth to scream and found no sound- it was as if the volume had been turned off. The blond being raised his hands and Grant Ellis rose with the gesture until he was floating over the slab table.

Another flash of light ripped through the room and Grant found himself on the floor, curled in the fetal position, coughing up green liquids.

*~*~*~*

A nurse darted past Alex Krycek as he walked away from the commotion of Grant Ellis’ flatline. In his pocket was a small vile of green liquid he’d removed from Ellis’ nose and mouth before slithering back into the shadows.

*~*~*~*

Scully slammed the receiver down on the phone in the basement office.

“Dammit!”

“What’s up Scully?” Mulder poked his head up from the folder he was reviewing.

“Ellis is dead. Dr. Howson said it was subdural haematoma as a result of drug overdose.”

“Drug overdose? But his ingestion of the MDAX was over 24 hours ago, I thought they’d stabilized him.”

“They did… this was another dose Mulder, someone gave him more of the substance this morning.” Scully removed her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Who? Did anyone see anything?” Mulder stood up, stretching his tired muscles.

“No one saw a thing, but they’ve saved the security tapes from over the last 5 hours. I said we’d go down to go over them.” She stood in front of her partner, leafing through the report on his desk. “I was thinking maybe you could go through the video feed while I go do the autopsy. I can’t help feeling like we’re missing something here.”

“No problem Scully. Anytime you want to get going…” He grabbed his leather jacket from the back of his chair and turned back to his partner. “I have only one request.”

“And that would be?” She smiled.

Mulder looked toward the doorway to the office. It wasn’t likely that anyone would be poking around on a Sunday afternoon but he wanted to check none-the-less. He then ran his index finger up her throat until it rested under her chin. Mulder lifted her face to his and leaned in for a kiss.

He’d only intended a quick careful kiss but when her perfect lips parted, he lost all sense of time. They kissed for a drawn out moment, framing each other’s faces with their hands, wanting so much more.

“Wow.” He exhaled.

“That * was * the favour you wanted wasn’t it?” she asked coyly.

“And then some.” He confessed. “We should get down to the hospital… if I kiss you again, we’ll never get out of here.” Mulder smiled and Scully stepped away.

“There will be time later. I promise.”

She turned on her heel and gathered her belongings to leave.

*~*~*~*

The autopsy bay was quiet, only the ticking of the clock on the wall competed with the sounds of Scully readying Grant Ellis’ body for dissection.

She leaned over the cadaver and looked closely at his face. Despite his eyes being closed, his face still showed signs of distress. His lips were slightly curled and his nose was wrinkled up- an expression of discomfort was freeze framed in rigor mortis.

Scully began with the ‘Y’ incision and carefully pulled the skin back, exposing tissue and bone. She snapped away the ribs gaining access to the victim’s internal organs. His lungs were distended and the pleura was distended and smooth.

She moved at a slow pace, being careful to record all her findings. Over two hours later, Scully slipped the scrub hat from her hair and scratched her head. Nothing she uncovered was any different from the previous autopsy. All elements matched up, including the elusive eye puncture mark. Scully pulled up a stool and sat going over her notes at the end of the autopsy slab. Grant Ellis’ feet were only inches from the folder as she leafed through her notes.

“Nice, Scully.” Mulder announced as he pushed through the swinging doors. “Do you always ruminate about our cases by sniffing the corpses feet?” He chuckled to himself as his partner stood and stretched.

“I can’t find anything different Mulder. Ellis’ chart is identical to Kristen Halley’s, only I don’t understand how he could have consumed more of the drug in the state he was in. I mean, he was practically persistent vegetative.”

“I was thinking about that too Scully and it would have remained a complete mystery had the security tapes not recorded the truth last night.”

“The truth?” She arched her eyebrow at her partner.

“Krycek.” He said flatly. Scully’s lips moved but she failed to come up with anything to say. “I was surprised too Scully. Despite certain details seeming similar, I never thought this case would be connected to him or the Syndicate. Kinda makes you wonder about the unknown factor in the MDA, don’t it” he smiled.

“Did you get a copy of the tape?”

“Sure did.” He tapped the cassette to the edge of the autopsy table. “I’m on my way to the office to have a copy made. I can wait for you if you like?”

“No, its not necessary Mulder, I think I’ll be here for a while still. I can’t help but think I’ve missed something- both times.” She went to the supply cabinet and took out a fresh cap for her hair. “I’ll make my way back to the office later- I want to have something more concrete to add to this report.”

Mulder nodded, tipping his body forward and gave a little wave goodbye.

“Later then.” He reiterated.

**~~**~~**

FIN

Part six is already in the works… please do let me know if I should keep going or give up- this was a labour of love for me and quite honestly a story that was, from the start, too large to house in my addled brain. Drop me a line in email or come by my site and chat about it on the message board. I miss this community and hope I’m not so old and stale as to be totally forgotten.