***Chapter Five***

Saturday Morning
Barryville Howard Johnson's

Someone was pounding on the door.  I didn't know where I was
at first.

"Dr. Dana!  Wake up!"

Keesha.  Barryville.  Right.  I stumbled out of bed and
dragged on a robe.

"Coming.  Who is it?"

Walter Skinner, wearing only pajama pants, was on the other
side.  

"Thank God you're awake.  Dana, it's Fox.  I think...I think
he's got it."  I never thought I'd hear Walter's voice crack
that way.  I grabbed the room key and my medical bag.

"Keesha, you stay right where you are!"

Walter had indeed gotten a king-sized bed.  Mulder was lying
on the left side of the bed, in a fetal position.  He was
covered only by a sheet.  I took out my stethoscope.  His
heart was beating very, very slowly.

"What happened?"

Walter sat down on the other side of the bed and buried his
head in his hands.

"Walter, I need details."

"Starting when?  And how much?"  He glanced at the night
table.  I saw a crumpled condom wrapper and a squeeze tube. 
I blushed. 

"Starting from when we parted.  And you can leave out the
gorier details.  But...it's probably a good thing that there
are gory details."

"I know.  I'm grateful we took the time.  Very well.  We
went back to the room and got ready for bed - you know,
tooth brushing, things like that.  Fox really was tired, so
I figured we'd just sleep last night, which would have been
fine."  He grinned ruefully.  "Mulder has a mind of his own,
though."   

"I know.  What he doesn't have is common sense."

"That's where we come in, except that mine flies out the
window around him.  Anyway, no sooner are we in bed than
he...well, you can guess." I could, indeed.  I forced that
picture to the back of my mind.

"And...afterwards?"

"He fell right to sleep.  I put back on my pajamas and
curled up next to him - sort of the way Keesha treats that
rag doll of hers.  I could hear him breathing and feel his
heart beat.  He was just fine.  I went to sleep.  I don't
know how long it was but I started having a nightmare - Fox
was calling on me to hold on.  It's a common enough dream,
but usually I have it when you two are across the continent
chasing God knows what, not when he's in my arms.  As soon
as I recognized it, I forced myself awake.  The three of us
and our nightmares.  Someone should do a case study."

"Maybe Mulder, if - when - he wakes up."

"Fox use his PhD?  That'll be the day.  And he will wake up. 
After all, Dr. Dana is on the case."

"I think he really believes it."

"So do I.  I *have* to."  I didn't know whether there was
challenge or trust in his face or his voice.

 "Anyway, when I woke up, he was like this.  I couldn't wake
him at all, and his skin felt cold."

"His metabolism has been lowered.  They all feel cold.  We
have to get him to the hospital.  I'll call an ambulance."

"You'll do no such thing.  No one is touching him except me
or you.  Call the hospital.  I need to get him cleaned up."

I didn't ask what he meant.  

When I called the hospital, I got Nurse Janice.  She sounded
exhausted.

"Dr. Scully!  I was going to call you in a few minutes.  I
just wanted you to sleep a little longer.  We have had an
explosion of cases.  There are at least a hundred people
down last night.  We're moving them all to the high school."

"Agent Mulder's down.  Should we take him there directly?"
 
"Oh my God.  Yes.   Come quickly, and bring that friend of
yours.  We need every pair of hands we can get."

"Any new deaths?"

"Just one - one of the first patients.  She was already ill,
though."

"Ill?"

"Cancer."  I will always hate that word.

"We'll be there as soon as we can.  What are the directions
from the Howard Johnson's?"

By the time I had thrown on some clothes and dressed Keesha,
Walter had Fox cleaned up and wrapped in a blanket.  

"Are you sure you don't want to get some help taking him
down?" 

"No.  Not for him.  Are we ready to go?"

"Change in plans.  There's been many more victims.  New ones
are going to the high school."

"So long as there's a place for him.  Let's go."  With that,
Walter gathered Mulder up in his arms, Mulder's head leaning
on Walter's shoulder.  I took Keesha's hand and my bag and
followed them down to the car.

There was no room for the length of Mulder's body in the
back.  Finally, we propped him up next to the door and
buckled him in.  Walter sat next to him to hold him steady. 
Keesha, too little to sit in front, sat next to him, her
supplies for the day on her lap.  That left me alone in
front.

I could hear Walter murmuring to Mulder all the way to
hospital.  He didn't say anything of substance, just
reassurances and gestures of hope and trust in me.

The high school was an old-fashioned brick building.  It
still had doorways marked "boys" and "girls."  I parked in
front, and Walter wrestled Mulder back into his arms.  

We found the gymnasium (marked Boys).  Walter carried Mulder
in and placed him on an empty cot.  There was no paperwork
to fill out - just a list of names.  

An older doctor seemed to be in charge.  

"Can you fill me in on what's going on, sir?"

"We're busy, miss.  Why don't you stay with your husband or
brother or who ever that is?"

Great.  "Sir, I'm *Doctor* Dana Scully of the FBI.  The man
my *supervisor*, Assistant Director Skinner, and I brought
in is my partner, Agent Mulder.  We're here to investigate
this epidemic." 
His manner changed instantly.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Scully.  I remember you from yesterday.  You
obviously know about the increase in victims.  Dr. Miller
and his wife are among them now.  I'm a pediatrician."

"I'm a pathologist, so this isn't quite my area, either."

"What was your partner?"

"He *is* a psychologist.  Assistant Director Skinner is not
a scientist at all, Doctor..."

"Dr. Vincent Grass.  Very well.  The situation, Dr.
Scully...we have decided not to use any more IV glucose
since the patients are not metabolizing anything.  We are
administering IV H2O on the grounds that it couldn't hurt. 
We have not tried any new medication."

I nodded.  "The bodies I autopsied did not die of starvation
or dehydration.  For all I know, these people could be like
this for days or weeks...or longer."

A clearly harried nurse came to start Mulder's IV.  She
noticed that he was naked, but said nothing.  I saw Skinner
talk to her for a moment.  She pointed to a door.  Skinner
disappeared inside of it and came out with a folded hospital
gown and a blanket.  Gently, he dressed Mulder and covered
him up.  He then folded the hotel blanket to return it.

Keesha stood looking lost.  Then she seemed to come to a
decision.  She hugged the rag doll hard and then put it on
Mulder's bed.  Walter smiled at her and wrapped Mulder's
arms around the toy.

I nodded to Dr. Grass and went to them.

"Mr. Raggs will take care of Fox, so he won't be so scared." 

"And you, Keesha?"

"I won't get scared.  You and Mr. Skinner will take care of
me until you get Mommy and Daddy and Fox better."  I just
gave her a hug.  

We dropped her off in one of the home ec rooms, with a bunch
of other semi-orphans.  She found a friend almost
immediately and was soon playing quite happily at a table. 
At least we wouldn't have to worry about her for awhile.

I caught a ride to the hospital, where the forensic van was
waiting for me, while Skinner did what he could at the
school.  He was organizing paperwork and teams as he called
Columbus for extra supplies and help and tossed me the keys
so I could get into the van and drive it back to the school.


***Chapter Six***

The van had everything I needed, from a centrifuge to a
small electron microscope.  I soon lost myself in analyzing
blood samples.  I've always enjoyed detailed work like this
- it's one of the reasons I went into pathology in the first
place, and why I majored in physics in college.  I've always
liked numbers and theories.  It helped to get my mind off my
worries, and it was certainly constructive.

It took a few hours to begin to correlate all the data, even
with my laptop, but it became clear that there was an
organism to blame for the strange coma.  I wasn't quite sure
what it was.  It wasn't viral in nature, as I could make it
reproduce on a growth medium, but it resembled no bacteria
or other known disease organism.  It didn't seem to respond
to standard antibiotics.  I ended up faxing a picture to the
lab back home so that someone more familiar with
microbiology could look at it.  I also faxed one to Mulder's
three friends in case they could find something out.

It was well past noon by the time I'd done all that, and
well past time I'd had lunch.  I had to report to Walter
anyway, so I drove the van back to the high school.  

Walter was where I'd expected him to be, sitting next to
Mulder's cot and talking to him.  There was something else
that I didn't expect to see.

"Walter?  When did this happen?"

"A couple of hours after you left.  One minute she was
finger painting; the next she was like this.  I didn't know
where her parents were, so I put her next to Fox."

Keesha looked so tiny even on the narrow cot.  She'd been
such a bundle of energy before, just like her playmate, my
partner, his lover.  Her arms were wrapped around her rag
doll.

Walter followed my glance.

"I thought she would need it more than Fox."  I nodded, not
daring to speak.

He must have noticed, because he became all business.  "Do
you have anything to report, Agent Scully?"  

It was exactly what I needed.  "Yes, sir.  I'd like to
discuss my findings with you - perhaps over something to
eat."

"They have the school cafeteria working.  We'll go there." 

For a moment, I felt like I was back in high school myself. 
There was the same noise level and the same cafeteria smell
of overcooked vegetables and milk, and behind the serving
counter were the same ladies in hairnets.  Even the hot
lunch looked the same, except they also offered coffee and
they didn't charge us money.  I was inwardly amused to see
that Walter had opted for chocolate milk.

We found a table to ourselves.  As I ate mystery meatloaf
and gray peas, I told Walter about my findings.

"So we know there is a specific causative agent, but we
don't know what it is, how it's spread or how to stop it."

"Correct, sir.  However, just knowing there is an organism
is a good first step.  That's more than we knew this
morning.  I now recommend that no one come into this town. 
We don't know how it is spread.  I don't understand why it
wasn't quarantined already."

"Something's wrong about that.  It's spreading, Dana.  We've
had to open the girl's gym for patients and we'll probably
spread out into the classrooms."

"We need to stop this.  We'll run out of support people. 
What else?"

"We're getting emergency supplies of food and medical needs. 
I've organized teams to search houses for families who have
disappeared.  This is a small town, so everyone knows
everyone.  Most of those who can are working here, too."

"Good.  We'll need all of them."

"We're staying here.  The motel isn't charging us for our
rooms anymore, since they'd be empty anyway, but I took the
liberty of packing your things as well as mine and bringing
them here.  With Keesha ... there isn't any need to stay in
those rooms, and I...we need to be available in case..."

"Where are we staying?"

"Some classroom or other.  There are single-sex only
accommodations, but most folks here just don't care.  I'd be
happier if you stayed close to me."

I thought about it for a moment.  I'd probably be sleeping
in my scrubs anyway.  "I can see why.  I'd rather not be
with strangers right now, either.  Yes."

There wasn't much more I could do in terms of research.  The
computer was compiling our findings.  We needed Mulder's
brain and intuition to make some wild leap and solve the
problem.  Without him, I'd have to go step by step.

So I made myself useful the rest of the day by checking on
IV's and starting new ones for the new arrivals.  I did
start to take blood from those who weren't ill.  If the sick
ones had nothing in common - and I could think of nothing
Keesha and Mulder had in common no matter how hard I tried -
maybe the well ones did. 

Walter made himself indispensable.  Other than at lunch and
later dinner, I never saw him still.  If he wasn't helping
to organize matters, using skills honed in bureaucracy, he
was doing whatever job had to be done then.  He changed
catheters and hospital gowns, he turned patients so they
wouldn't get bedsores.  Some were getting them already just
because of their low heart rates.  He even lent a hand with
cleaning and with cooking.

Dinner was turkey and soup, as if it were Thanksgiving. 
There were less people even now, and the classrooms were
filling up.  People were dropping as they sat.

Nurse Janice joined us at our table.  She looked exhausted. 
Even her bright scrubs looked faded.  Mine were stained with
blood.  Walter looked impeccable, of course.

"Mr. Skinner, you are amazing.  I don't know how we could
manage without you, or Dr. Scully."

"I have to do something or go crazy worrying..." He stopped
short.

"About Mr. Mulder?"  She smiled.  He looked at her.  "Don't
worry, Mr. Skinner.  It doesn't matter anymore."  She rubbed
her eyes.  "It's good he has the two of you to take care of
him.  Some people don't have anyone here at all.  We lost
two more this afternoon, you know."

Skinner nodded.  He'd helped with the paperwork.  "They
didn't have family?  Or friends?"

"Not really.  Angie had been kicked out of her house when
she got pregnant, and even when she miscarried they didn't
let her back in, and Jim...Jim was just nasty.  I'm worried
about the people like that.  I'm even more worried about the
kids like Keesha.  I don't know, I get this feeling she's at
risk.  Maybe because the only people she has are her
parents, and they're out, too." 

"Speaking of out, Ms. Barry..."

"It doesn't bother me. I saw enough in country that nothing
bothers me anymore."  Walter snapped to attention.  "You
were a Marine, right?  Joined as a kid, became a non-com
early, went to OCS and did another tour as an officer."

"Is it that obvious?"  

"Oh, yes.  Just as I can tell that Dr. Scully here was some
kind of military brat."

"What makes you think that?"

"Something about you.  I'm right, aren't I?"

"My father was a captain in the Navy."

"And Mr. Mulder would not have lasted a day."

We both laughed over that image.  

"Mulder would have spent his entire tour either in the
hospital or the brig."

Walter smiled, but then became serious.  "Fox survived his
own battles.  He'll survive this."

I squeezed his hand.  "Yes, he will.  My partner is too
stubborn not to."

"Excuse me."  Skinner picked up his tray (quite empty, I was
glad to see) and left.

Janice nodded at his back.  "He's hurting badly, isn't he?" 

"He loves him.  God help him."  She'd figured it out
already, so I knew I wasn't betraying him.

"And you?"

"Mulder's my partner.  We've been together for years now. 
He was with me when I had cancer and I've helped him fight
his demons - the real ones as well as the ones inside his
head.  I shouldn't be saying this, Ms. Barry.  Excuse me." 
My own tray was empty.  Well, mostly empty.  Just as well I
wasn't wearing any makeup, since it would have been ruined
by the time I left the girl's room.

That night, before I went to sleep, I started analyzing the
blood work of those still functioning.  Nothing was
conclusive when I finally gave up.  

I don't know how it happened, given that most of the town
was either at the school or the hospital, but Skinner
managed to get us a room to ourselves.  It was a special
education resource room and the two cots filled it, but
there was no one else there.  I was grateful.  I needed to
decompress badly.

Walter came in as I was drifting off.  I don't think he
noticed I was awake, because he undressed right in front of
me.  All I could see was his back, though, as he put on a
pair of scrub pants.  I knew he had broad shoulders and
strong arms - I'd watched him carry Mulder just that morning
- but I didn't know just how well built he was.  

The cot creaked a little under his bulk as he lay down.  I
heard him toss a bit, and then it was silent.  Just as I
thought he'd gone to sleep, though, I heard him talk.

"He's been through so much in his life.  I think I was
making him happy.  I know he was making me happy even though
he was driving me crazy.  I love him.  Please, let him get
well.  Him and Keesha and her parents and all the others. 
Whatever it takes, I'll do.  We only just found each other. 
I know that some say You don't approve of us, but You made
us.  He deserves to be happy, and alive.  Please, give Dana
the knowledge she needs and help her.  Help me, too.  Give
me some of that strength you gave her.  I wish I could cry. 
I know this isn't making sense, God, but, well, read my
heart."  He was quiet again, and then his breathing became
regular.  He didn't snore. 

The night before, when I heard Keesha's prayer, I felt
honored and happy.  This night I felt like a peeping tom -
which I hadn't felt when he undressed.  He had a right to
privacy.  I thought about telling him the truth in the
morning, but decided against it.  Instead I rolled over and
sank into sleep.

And there was Mulder.  He was strong and healthy in a
rumpled suit and a loud tie, and he had Keesha by the hand. 
He was smiling, and saying something but I couldn't quite
hear it.  He was too far away.

I moved closer, but it was hard, like walking through snow
or sand.  As I did, I could see his lips move, saying my
name over and over again.  "Scully!  Scully!"  How often had
I heard that shout?  Mulder lost, Mulder hurt, Mulder in
danger, Mulder just excited and not able to see me.  And I'd
come and find him or heal him, or save him or listen to him. 
He'd call and I'd be there.  And I don't think he understood
why I didn't call him very often.  Why I didn't let him know
when I needed him even when I did.  Why I couldn't call for
help.

I could hear him call now, in my dream.

"Scully!"

"Mulder?  Where are you?"

"Here.  Where we all are."

"All?"

"We're all here, all of us, except for those who didn't want
to stay.  Or couldn't stay.  We want to go back, Scully. 
Help us." 

"I don't know if I can, Mulder."

"You can.  I believe in you, Scully."

"What if...what if I go, too?"

"You won't.  Walter won't.  I figured out about your
insurance, Scully.  That's the clue.  This is hard, talking
to you.  I'm getting tired.  Tell Walter...I miss him.  I
need him.  Take care of him.  He needs your strength."  He
began to move off. 

"Mulder, wait!  What do you mean?"

"Check the water out, Scully..."  He was too far away.

"Mulder! Mulder!"

"Dana, wake up!  Wake up!"  I was confused at first. Why was
Skinner in my room?  And where was this room with the bright
letters on the wall?  Barryville.

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Mulder!  I was just talking to him!"

"Dana, Fox isn't here.  He's in the gym with the others."

"I know what...Ohhh, my head.  What time is it?"

"Just a second."  He fumbled for his pants.  He shined a
tiny light on his wrist.  "It's 4 AM."

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.  "I was dreaming.  I saw Mulder
and Keesha.  He was talking in riddles.  Why do people in
dreams always talk in riddles?"

"I have no idea, Dana."  He sat down on my cot.  "Are you
sure it was him?"

"It looked like him and it sounded like him.  He had Keesha
with him, but she was quiet."

"What did he say?"  I think Walter believed me.  

"He said that he figured out about the insurance, and that
it was important.  He said we weren't going to get sick."

"Did he say that?"

"He said that everyone was 'there', wherever 'there' was,
except for some who didn't want to stay.  And that we
wouldn't be going 'there.'  And something about water."

"Did he...did he..."

I took his hands and looked him in the eye.  "Walter, he
said for me to tell you that he missed you and needed you." 
He smiled tightly at that.

"That's Fox.  Even now he can't say...Okay.  Let's see if we
can figure this riddle out over breakfast."

I nodded.  We weren't going to get any more sleep that night
anyway.

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