Title: The Wait Author: Joey R. Rating: PG. Category: Angst, MSR. Very short vignette, Scully POV. Disclaimer: Mulder and Scully and their medical health expense bills are CC’s, 1013’s and Fox's. No infringement is meant, I’m just lending them for a while but they will be returned with no memory of anything that I type. Spoilers: None, story just assumes Mulder’s been injured. Again. Summary: As Scully waits for Mulder to come round after being hurt yet again, she makes a decision on the future of their relationship. Scully POV. Archive: Please do. Let me know where, though. Feedback: All welcome at Joey@Ram32.freeserve.co.uk or Joey_r83@yahoo.com - feedback cherished and will be rewarded with a yummy Mulder clone. Flames: If you can find the time to write them, I'll try to find the time to read them. Dedication: Thanks to Traci for Beta reading and Tanja for putting me in touch with her. Note: This story has nothing to do with any other stories written by me. Visit my fic@ www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Park/1240/ ==================== The Wait. By Joey R --------------- I can’t believe I’m here again. In a hospital. Waiting, as usual. I can’t do this anymore, I don’t think I could stand it again. The agony and suspense of not knowing builds up around me. The helpless feeling I get whenever I can’t do anything to ease your pain or discomfort. The fear that grips my heart when I think this could be the last time. This could be the last time. I’ve thought that many times. I’ve almost lost you, more times than I want to remember and more times that I actually care to remember. It hurts the same every time. I hate thinking that this time could be the last time I ever sit holding your hand. I don’t want to face the fact that one of these days, I might actually leave the hospital without you. Without you. Alone. For ever. You’re going to have to get well again, Mulder. I need you to get well. Oh, Mulder. You look so pale and helpless lying next to me as I sit in the uncomfortable chairs I’m becoming accustomed to. By your side. I’m always by your side, Mulder. I hope you know that. Even when it doesn’t seem like it, I’ve never once left you. Ever. I could never leave you. You don’t seem to know that yet. You will know soon. I promise you that. As soon as you’re out of here, I’ll tell you. There are so many things I want to say to you but I’ve never been able to. You never seem interested, though. Unless the topic is your sister, a conspiracy theory or some other unexplainable phenomena. It wasn’t always like this, our relationship wasn’t always this strained as it has been recently. It used to be comfortable, a relationship with affection and teasing and flirting. It isn’t anymore. It changes when she arrived, when I began questioning your trust. I’m sorry, Mulder. I should never have questioned your trust or challenged it. I know you trust me. Deep in my heart, I’ve always known. You’re going to be all right. I can’t express how relieved I am. The doctors brought good news back from the CAT scan. You’re going to be fine. Someone somewhere must be looking over you, over us. I’m still waiting for some sign from you when you lift a finger and touch the back of my hand. It’s a feather-light touch and I probably wouldn’t have felt it if I hadn’t been waiting anxiously for it. I move my hand and hold onto you as stubbornly as you’ve held onto life. You slowly turn your head towards me, your beautiful hazel eyes searching. “ Scully.” It’s my name you struggle to say. My name you use your strength on, pronouncing ever syllable. My heart lifts as your eyes lock onto mine. It seems like I’ve been waiting an eternity to hear you say my name again and have you look into my eyes, to have you look at me. You squeeze my hand, seeking reassurance. You knew I was here, you always do. I don’t know how but we always know. “ Shh,” I whisper as you try to say more. “ It’s okay, Mulder.” I tenderly stroke a lock of hair from your brow as we communicate with our eyes in the way we’ve learned and perfected over the years. You don’t want me to leave although you know I wouldn’t. You just want me to say it. “ Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.” “ Always. From now on,” you murmur before closing your eyes and drifting off into a hopefully peaceful sleep. Your grip on my hand has not loosened, I smile to myself as I begin to feel drowsy. Yes, Mulder. I’ll always be there when you wake up. There’ll be no more waiting, the time has come. We’ll be together from now on....until forever. The End.