TITLE: All Along The Watch-Tower

AUTHOR: Jenna (aka DDIS2Hot / XFMnS4Ever)

FEEDBACK / EMAIL: Worshipped, adored and cuddled!

jennasxffic@lycos.com

SPOILERS: None

CATEGORY: CASEFILE; MSR; MT/SC; ANGST

RATING: PG

DISCLAIMER: Carter/1013/Fox, but you don’t

deserve ’em!

ARCHIVE: Two weeks exclusive with VS10, then

anywhere. Just drop me a line first.

SUMMARY: The ghost of Sequin Island Lighthouse

terrorizes Mulder.

AUTHOR’S NOTES / THANKS: This fic was written for the VS10

“Rainy Day Theme.” A “fishsmacking”

big thanks to the great MT-groupies at

Mulder’s Refuge. You guys are the best!

Special thanks to Obfusc8er and Vickie

Moseley for the beta jobs, and to

Humbuggie for the title suggestion. 😉

More author’s notes at the end.

WEBSITE: http://jennasxffic.tripod.com/

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

Sequin Island Lighthouse

Georgetown, Maine

Thursday, April 4, 2003

11:40 p.m.

The opalescent moonlight sifted through the cloudy sky on the

beach below. “Carson, what are you doing? We could get caught.

This property is off limits. I saw a ‘No Trespassing Sign’ back

there!”

“Oh, come on baby, let’s live a little. Besides, we won’t

get this far north again for a long time,” he said nuzzling her

into the crook of his arm.

As they walked along the beach, they could see the lantern

sweeping across the rough, pounding waves. Suddenly he let her go

and started running. “Race you. Last one there’s a rotten egg.”

“Carson! Where are you going?” she yelled at his retreating

figure.

“Follow me and you’ll find out!” as he dashed off in a

sprint across the grainy, wet sand.

She ran across the beach, following him until they reached the

door of the abandoned lighthouse. Reaching into his backpack, that

carried everything they needed that night, he pulled out a pair of

wire cutters and began to cut the lock on the door. “Carson! We

can’t go in there! What if we get caught in this place?”

“Jaden, baby, it’s going on midnight. There’s nobody around. No

one is

going to catch us doing *anything*,” he purred, raising his

eyebrows in amusement.

The hinges creaked violently as the door was forced open. Before

entering the abandoned lighthouse, Jaden reached down into the

backpack and pulled out the two flashlights she had thankfully

remembered to pack. “Here. You’re going to need this.”

As he clicked the flashlight switch, the darkness was quickly

illuminated and revealed cobwebs strung from the floor to the

ceiling of the grand room. Walking carefully into the room, they

saw old furniture covered by dusty white sheets, including one

tall skinny piece in particular. She pulled back the sheet to

reveal an old upright Baby Grand, which was in fairly good

condition from its looks. In fact, it almost looked new except for

the keys, which looked worn with extreme use. She gently stroked

the keys and the melody coming from them was still in perfect

pitch after all the years that had passed. “Weird,” she breathed.

“I wonder what’s upstairs?” he asked, grabbing her arm and

dragging her along before she had a chance to protest. She forgot

all about the piano as they ascended the stairs, and wondered what

wait for them above. Reaching the lantern room, he cut the chain

and opened the door to walk out onto the balcony overlooking the

deep blue ocean.

“Carson, isn’t this just beautiful?” she cooed, kissing his cheek

softly as he gazed across the crashing waves.

Turning to reach for his lips, she noticed a faint glimpse of

angry in his eyes. “Carson, baby, what is the matter?”

“Nothing,” he stated crossly.

“Did you hear that?” “Did I hear what?” he queried.

“That noise. Listen, there it is again.”

“Jaden, I don’t hear a damn thing.”

“Carson, what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you getting so

upset? Honey, I didn’t do anything,” she said defensively.

“Nothing. Let’s just get out of here.”

As she readied herself to turn and lead them back to the steps, a

sharp blow to her hindlegs caused her to fall forward and tumble

through the unstable balcony railing, down to beach below. A few

seconds passed before her husband realized she was missing.

“Jaden? Honey, where are you? Please answer me. Please?!” As he

looked over the edge of the railing and saw his wife below, he

felt someone shove him from behind and he followed her into the

dark abyss below.

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

Hoover Building

Washington, D.C.

Friday, April 5, 2003

8:15 a.m.

She walked into the office, glancing at his still form. He was

sitting at his desk with his feet propped up on the edge, perusing

the front page section of the Washington Post. She couldn’t see

his face, but the scent he had chosen to wear this morning

permeated her senses and made her weak in the knees. “Good

morning, Mulder,” she stammered, not yet seeing him.

“Oh, good morning Scully,” jerking his feet down off the desk like

he had been caught doing something wrong.

“Is there any…?” she groused, until she looked up and saw he had

dropped the paper. “Mulder, my God…,” she breathed.

“What?” he asked with alarm in his voice.

“Nothing. Never mind,” she smiled slightly and tried to regain her

composure. He quirked his eyebrows and turned to pick up his

coffee cup. “Your cup clean? I’ll bring you back some coffee.”

As he walked out the door, she shook her head in wonderment at how

well they knew each other. They had worked together for many

years, and it was always the same. They could always tell what the

other was thinking. People in the ‘bullpen’ upstairs weren’t far

from the truth when they called them Mr. and Mrs. Spooky. Her

thoughts began to stray back to how he had looked this morning

when she arrived. He had worn his dark blue slacks with his

standard black FBI dress shoes, but what she really focused on was

how he had carelessly strewn his jacket across the back of his

chair and was wearing his sleeves rolled up and had his wire-

rimmed glasses perched upon his nose. She had always been such a

sucker for those glasses.

Minutes had passed, but being lost in her thoughts she didn’t

notice until she felt him shake her arm. “Scully. Hello. Earth to

Scully!”

“Huh..what?” her face a little flushed from her thoughts.

“Where on Earth were you at just now?” he asked grinning.

“Oh, no where Mulder. Did you get my coffee?”

“Yes, and this from Skinner. It’ll make your toes curl,” he said,

handing her the memo and casefile. “He said they put this casefile

together quickly.”

She flipped open the casefile and began to take in the

information. “When did this happen?”

“Skinner said it happened late last night. Someone found the

bodies next to the lighthouse early this morning.”

“Who found them?”, she asked, glancing up from the pictures.

“An older couple who own the land around the lighthouse stumbled

on them this morning. From every indication, it looks as though

Carson and Jaden Clark committed suicide from the way their

bodies were found at the scene.”

“Do I detect a hint of skepticism in your voice, Mulder?” she

teased.

“Well, yes.” he replied sheepishly. As he began to pace about the

room, she became enthralled with studying the photographs of the

scene once more. “Scully, don’t you find it a little too

convenient that they landed exactly as they did from a jump that

high? Not to mention, they had no motive.” he asked, breathing

softly near her ear.

She sucked in a ragged breath and her head jerked toward him,

their lips merely inches apart. “God Mulder, what is *it* with you

today? You scared me to death! Don’t walk up behind me like that.”

“Sorry,” he said, backing slowly away from her. “Skinner had

Kimberly get us plane tickets. He wants us in Maine in the next

few hours. This case could turn into a circus. Especially if the

story I’ve heard gets out.”

She regarded him suspiciously. “What story, Mulder?”

“Well from what I’ve heard, the lighthouse this ‘supposed’ suicide

took place at is haunted.”

“Haunted?” She whipped her head up from the file, giving him an

look of incredulity.

“Yes, haunted,” he stated matter-of-factly. “There was a story

that goes a few years back where one of the lighthouse keeper’s

had recently married. The lighthouse is in an ‘out of the way’

area, so to speak. The story is his wife played the same song

over and over again because it’s all she knew, and the husband

axed her to death and then turned the ax to the piano.”

“Please don’t tell me the locals claim to hear her ghost playing

the piano,” she snorted.

Holding his coffee in one hand, he placed a hand across his heart

and gave a mock smirk. “You know me so well, Scully. It’s almost

scary sometimes how we really know one another.”

“Well, since Skinner is the one to give us this case, I guess we

better head out now,” grabbing her brief case and stuffing the

last two casefiles in. “I’ll wash out our coffee cups while you

gather your stuff,” her shoes clicking softly against the floor on

her way out the door.

A few minutes later, she returned with her lipstick refreshed,

hair smoothed and all put back together. “Ready?”

“Yes, I’ve already called Darlene upstairs and had her call ahead

and requisition us a car at the Portland Bureau.” Placing on his

suit jacket, he walked towards her and lowered his hand to his

accustomed spot low on her back, guiding her towards the door.

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

Portland Field Office

Portland, Maine

Friday, April 5, 2003

10:45 a.m.

Standing from his chair, the young agent shook Mulder’s hand with

a firm grasp. “Hello Agent Mulder, I’m Agent Groader. A.D.

Skinner said you were coming, but I didn’t think you would be here

so soon.” Agent Groader walked around from behind his desk,

staring down the corridor outside his office door.

Getting angry with his apparent disinterest in their quick

response to get to the crime scene, he asked with disdain, “You

waiting for someone, Agent Groader?”

“Uh, sorry. I understood that you were to have a partner with

you. I wouldn’t mind helping you out on this case, but we’re a

little shorthanded. We have some folks out sick this week,” he

meekly stated.

“My partner is parking the car. She will be here in a second.”

He glanced around and found Scully choosing to make her appearance

at that moment. She looked angry, which made her hair framing her

face look much more attractive. He chanced a small smile at the

younger agent. “Here she comes now.”

“Damn, what kind of place is this where you have to park a country

mile?” she huffed. She stopped herself from going any further

when Mulder pointed in the direction of the other person in the

room.

“Scully, this is Agent Groader.”

She offered her hand. “Ah sorry, nice to meet you.”

He took her hand cautiously and gripped it, letting it slide out

of his own quickly. “Yes, hello.” He quickly turned his

attention back to Mulder. He turned to pick up the file from his

desk. “Here’s the case file. I thought you might like some time

to go over the case before you head out to the site. We’ve

set aside a room back here with all the evidence at your disposal

including the pictures of the scene.” He left them to go about

their work.

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

Portland Field Office

Portland, Maine

Friday, April 5, 2003

11:55 a.m.

He looked over at Scully, who had laid her head in the crook of

her arm 30 minutes earlier, worn down from the long night before.

He didn’t have the heart to wake her, but they needed to eat

something and head on to the lighthouse. He softly fingered the

wisp of hair that had covered over her eyes and tucked it behind

her ear.

She stirred slowly at his touch and raised her head, gracing him

with a 1000 watt smile. “Sorry I fell asleep and left you with

all this,” she murmured.

“Ah, that’s okay. You needed to rest after everything that

happened about the Styler case this week.” Sighing, he stood up

and shoved away from the table. “I hate the way we have these

back to back cases without a break.” He paused for a second and

maneuvered until he was standing back behind her at the table.

Reaching his hands out, he began to knead her shoulders and she

sighed in contentment, leaning further back into his skillful

hands. “I don’t mind it so much for me, but I don’t like it all

for you, Scully.”

“Mulder, I’m…”

He spoke with a controlled fury. “Do NOT say that, Scully. This

last case did a number on you, and you know and I know it.”

She jerked away from his hands and twirled in her chair. “Mulder,

I said I am fine. I’m just a little tired.”

He sighed, shaking his head in disgust and moved away thrust the

files in his briefcase. “Let’s go Scully. We need to eat

something before we get to the crime scene.”

Realizing he was miffed, she gathered the autopsy reports and

turned to follow him out the door. The silence between them was

deafening.

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

Sequin Island Lighthouse

Georgetown, Maine

Friday, April 5, 2003

11:40 p.m.

It had been a long day. They had went over the casefiles for

hours, stitching together theories and motives of the three

couples that had committed suicides. There were no apparent

reasons behind their suicides at the lighthouse. To make matters

worse, the drive up the coast had been wrought with palpable

tension between them. She was glad when they finally arrived

at the crime scene, albeit late at night. She didn’t think

she could take much more of the silent treatment from him.

However, due to the most recent high profile suicide at

the lighthouse, that afternoon A.D. Skinner had urged them

to get to the lighthouse no matter the time of day.

They stepped over the fencing that protected the sand barrier from

erosion. She began to walk in step with him, trying to keep up

with his fast pace. “Mulder slow down please! We need to talk.”

He turned and examined her face closely. “About what, Scully? I

think you made it perfectly clear that there is nothing wrong with

you…that you were ‘fine’.” The word rolled off his tongue like

acid.

Her hair fell covering her face, but he noticed the fresh tears as

they began their descent down her face. “I’m sorry,” she

murmured. She reached up to wipe them away, but his hand stopped

hers in mid air.

“No Scully, I’m sorry. I’ve been a real jerk today. If you’re

fine, you know it. ‘M sorry I made you upset. I just worry about

you sometimes,” he declared, wrapping her in his embrace. He

could feel her tears wetting his shirt.

“No, Mulder, you were right. That Styles case did bother me.

Even a little more than I care to admit actually.”

“I don’t care, Scully. That was no excuse for me to get angry

with you.” He palmed each side of her face and delicately kissed

away her tears on each cheek, until he reached her lips. He

waited for permission, but she moved in and captured his lips in

her own time. Suddenly, he let go of her face as he heard a

scream coming from the top of the lighthouse.

Dashing towards the lighthouse, they arrived in time to see

someone falling over the balcony above. He unholstered his weapon

and waved at her to continue around the other side of the

groundskeepers shack. When he arrived at the clearing of the beach

below, there were marks on the sand, but the body was gone.

Oblivious to the crashing waves only a few yards away, he reached

into his pocket and pulled out his miniature Mag-Lite. As he

shined it to the balcony above, his mouth gaped open in shock. An

apparent apparition, an ax in hand, stood 53 above him with an

evil smile. As he looked back down towards the beach, an erriness

surrounded him and it was one like he had never known.

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

Sequin Island Lighthouse

Georgetown, Maine

Friday, April 5, 2003

11:50 p.m.

“Scully! I think you better get over here.”

She followed his muffled voice until she found him gazing down at

the marked sand on the ground.

“Take a look at this.” Her eyes followed the bright beams of his

Mag-Lite down to the sand.

“Mulder, what the hell? Someone couldn’t just fall more than 50

feet and survive. What happened to the body?”

“I don’t know, but how can you explain this?” flashing his lights

down to the marked, grainy sand once more.

“No…no I can’t, Mulder. Let’s go check inside the lighthouse.

Maybe someone pushed off whoever this was.”

They walked to the landing and found the police tape covering the

door. He took a glove from his pocket, opened the door and

entered slowly with his gun aimed and ready. Scully turned toward

the kitchen, taking the safety off her gun. Moving about the

living room, he looked down at the uncovered piano. He smiled

thoughtfully for a moment as he rubbed a gentle finger across the

wood. He remembered how Samantha used to get excited about her

piano lessons. Of course, he became bitter at the thought as soon

as he remembered the night she was taken. His father had left his

mother in charge of calling Mrs. Kalenbreckt, Samantha’s piano

teacher, to break the news that she had lost a student. His

mother had been heartbroken. He noticed the sheet music laying on

top of the piano. He pulled out the bench and sat to play, hoping

that some of his recall would come back from the times that

Samantha had tried to teach him the notes. The tune and pitch was

perfect as if someone had been to adjust it recently. The notes

continued to pour out of him.

Scully made her way to the main bedroom, which was attached

directly to the side of the lighthouse. Searching the entire

bottom floor, she found nothing out of the ordinary. She heard

the haunting sounds of music coming from the living room.

“Mulder? Is that you?” She returned to the living room to find

him sitting at the piano bench, with a far away look in his eyes.

“Mulder? I didn’t know you knew how to play the piano.”

“Yeah, Samantha taught me a little before she…”. He hung his

head in melancholy.

“I’m sorry Mulder,” she reached out to touch his shoulders.

He fled from her touch. He sighed loudly and turned to speak to

her. “I’m okay. Let’s go upstairs and see if there’s anyone here. I

thought I saw someone earlier.”

He led the way to the stairs and she joined in step behind. Once

they reached the top, he entered the lantern room alone, to ensure

no one was there. Once realizing it was safe, he lifted the door

and she climbed into the room with him. They crawled out to the

balcony in case someone was out on the other side. He figured it

was better to be safe, especially after what he had seen earlier.

Immediately sensing no danger, he stood and helped her to her

feet. They holstered their weapons and turned to glance at the

crashing waves below.

She rotated to find him staring at her with the same far away look

as earlier. “Mulder, are you sure you are okay?” she asked,

palming his cheek.

Recoiling away from her touch, he angrily spoke. “Yes, Scully. I

told you I’m fine. I really don’t want to argue with you

tonight. It’s been a long day already. There’s no one here.

Let’s just go back to the motel and get some sleep. Maybe

tomorrow will be a better day.”

“Mulder.” Her face was crestfallen and she turned back toward the

door of the lantern room. She felt something bump her legs out

from under her. Falling over the balcony, she quickly grabbed the

railing at the bottom of the lighthouse tower. Trying to pull up

was useless as her grip became weaker with each passing second.

She yelled for him, but he didn’t respond. A few seconds passed

and she stared up into his face, which had become contorted with

rage.

“Mulder! Help me up. Please, hurry I’m falling!”

Shaking the fog from his mind, he saw her barely hanging by one

hand. “Hang on Scully. Grab my hand!”

“Mulder, I can’t reach it! I can’t reach your hand!”

He stretched a little further and she grabbed on and pulled

herself up his arm. He hoisted her up above the broken railing,

only to loose his foot. She screamed as she saw him land in a

heap 53 feet below.

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

Sequin Island Lighthouse

Georgetown, Maine

Friday, April 5, 2003

11:55 p.m.

She tore down the steps of the lantern room and through the

building, feeling an odd cold chill as she made her way out to his

crumpled form below. “Mulder!” When she reached him, he was

lying on his back, but wasn’t moving. Saltwater began creeping

into the indentation his body had made on impact. In fact, she

detected no breathing sounds at all. She felt for his pulse, but

found that it was very weak. She covered him with her jacket and

proceeded to call for an ambulance.

“Mulder, everything’s going to be okay. I promise you.” She

rubbed his cheek with her finger, and felt the tears as they began

falling slowly down her face.

The cascading moonlight and twinkling stars which had cast a

bright glance on the sand were now absent. She noted dark storm

clouds in the sky, and soon the rain started. She tried to shield

his body from the pelting sheets of the heavy downpour, but to

little avail.

It seemed to take an eternity for the ambulance to arrive, but in

fact, had only been 25 minutes. When the EMT’s arrived, they

began to assess his Injuries quickly. His breathing was even more

shallow than before, if that was possible.

Placing him in the cervical collar and onto the backboard, one EMT

began to ask her questions. The other began to work on getting an

IV started. “Miss, how long has he been like this?”

Scully peered down to her watch and answered him. “Uh, I think

about 25 minutes, maybe a little longer. He’s going to be okay,”

her voice sounding more harsh than she intended.

“Yes Miss, he will be okay. We’re going to do everything we can.

Did you drive or do you want to ride in the ambulance with him?”

When she didn’t answer him immediately, he coaxed her. “Come on.

You can ride to the hospital and I’ll make arrangements for

someone to come back and get your car in the morning.”

They loaded him into the back of the ambulance and helped her up

beside him. The drive back to the hospital was quiet as the EMT

checked him over for injuries. The machines monitoring Mulder

began to beep and he started to flatline.

“Mulder? Damn it, Mulder, please don’t leave me now! You can’t

leave me. I forbid it!” Her grip tightened on his hand.

The EMT began gelling the paddles and yelled, “Clear!” He worked on

Mulder for several minutes. Finally, before pulling up under the

awning of the hospital emergency room, they got a response and a

pulse reading on the monitor.

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

Georgetown Hospital Emergency Room

Georgetown, Maine

Saturday April 6, 2003

12:30 a.m.

After Scully had given his information for admittance, the

receptionist walked her back to the curtained area where he had

been placed.

She began to break down into tears as she saw all the tubes and

lines attached to him.

Softly, the girl spoke to her. “Agent Scully, Dr. McLimore wanted

me to tell you he had to visit another patient but assured me he

would be back in a few minutes to update you on Agent Mulder’s

condition.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” She smiled, but it was contrived

for the benefit of the young clerk. The girl took her leave as

Scully returned to his bedside and grabbed his hand, testing the

weight of it, entwining with her own. She laid her head beside

his and the tears, which she thought had been spent, began to fall

once more. She raised her head a few seconds later when she heard

the door open.

“Agent Scully, I’m Dr. McLimore,” he said, offering his hand. She

lightly gripped it, unable to bring herself to do much more.

“Nice to meet you,” she murmured. She glanced down at Mulder’s

still form on the bed. “Can you tell me how serious it is?” she

whispered.

“Well, I’m not going to lie to you, Agent Scully. It doesn’t look

good. The salty ocean water the EMT’s found him in seeped into

his wound. It’s now infected. He was in shock when the EMT’s

brought him in as well as dehydrated.”

“That combination doesn’t bode well for his kidneys. In fact, I

have had to place him on renal dialysis, as his kidneys have

started failing. This, coupled with the fact that he had cardiac

arrest on the way here, I’m amazed he’s still with us. We will

have to take it one day a time. You look wiped out, Agent Scully.

I’ll arrange to have Agent Mulder moved to a semi-private

room where we can observe him around the clock. I can make

arrangements for the nurse to bring you some blankets for the

other bed in his room. You can stay there. We have a nurse’s

shower down the hall that you can borrow. Stay as long as you

need to. He will need you if he comes out of this.” The doctor

patted her hand and a sad smile appeared on his face as he walked

out the door to take care of the task at hand.

She stared at his retreating back and began to get angry. **If**

he comes out of this alive?! Not if, but when. He has come out

of it alive, she thought. If he doesn’t I’d be lost. I can’t

live without him.

She grasped his hand once more, placed a kiss to his temple and

whispered into his ear. “You hear that partner? I’m not leaving

you until you’re well again. You’re stuck with me. I’m sorry you

fell. If I could have just held on a little tighter…” As she

began to cry once more, the only thing she could hear was the

light hum of the ventilator over her sobs.

She awoke to a feeling of fuzzy softness close to her face. She

found herself lying in the bed next to his, their hands still

joined. Funny, I don’t remember getting here, she thought to

herself.

Over the next three days, the Gunmen and A.D. Skinner came to

visit him and to get her away for short periods of time. She

was grateful for the help she received from them. She knew

when the time come, she would need them even more.

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

Georgetown Hospital, Room 216

Georgetown, Maine

Tuesday, April 9, 2003

8:00 a.m.

Three days had come and gone with some improvement in

Mulder’s condition. According to his doctor, the dialysis

had helped in restoring his kidney function. They had been

able to take him off the vent as he started breathing on

his own. Pumping him full of antibiotics had helped the

infection on his back, which was almost completely healed.

However, the doctor had informed her that Mulder wasn’t

quite out of the woods yet. There were still signs of the

dehydration that had zapped his strength and, of course,

the coma which he was still in.

She awoke with a start, hearing him begin to talk. After a

few seconds of sleep-fogged thoughts, she realized he was

awake. “Mulder, you’re awake!” She jumped from the bed

and made her way in the darkness of the room to the door to

call for the nurse. She turned on the light over his

bedside. Reaching for a cloth on the table, she wiped the

sweat which coated his forehead in a

thin sheen.

“No! No, please don’t take her. Please!!!” He thrashed

against the sweat-soaked sheets.

“Shh Mulder, it’s just a dream. Wake up and come back to

me. Come on.”

As soon as he heard her voice, his eyes opened slowly and

took in her smile. Dazed and confused, he spoke roughly as

he sat up and embraced her. “Scully?! Oh God, I thought

they took you again. Please don’t ever leave me.” She felt

his warm tears drop on the back of her shirt.

“Shh…I’m here. No one is taking me anywhere.” She let

go and pulled back to look at him. His eyes had changed

colors. They were almost black. He jerked away from her

and looked suspiciously around the room before turning his gaze

back to her. “Who the hell are you? Get away from me. I know

what you did!” He began to panic, trying to scramble as

far back as the bed would allow him to.

“Mulder? Don’t you recognize me? It’s me, Scully. What

did I do?” she pleaded.

Before he could answer, the doctor and nurse came into the

room and asked her to step outside while they examined him.

Ten minutes passed and Dr. Capsan stepped out the door.

“Well, he seems stable physically other than being tired.

I asked if he would like to see you and he said no. I

think it best under the circumstances if you don’t go back

into the room right now. I’m sorry.” She stood stunned,

staring at the door as she watched the nurse leave the room.

“He wanted to make sure you got your things before you

leave,” the nurse said, handing her purse and coat to her.

She looked up at the nurse and nodded mutely. Confusion

began to set in as she made her way to the front of the

hospital. She learned the valet had already pulled her

car to the curb at the request of the nursing station.

She got behind the wheel, looking into the rearview mirror

as she drove away.

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

Georgetown Hospital, Room 216

Georgetown, Maine

Wednesday, April 10, 2003

9:00 a.m.

The shrill of the phone at her bedside awoke her with a start.

“Hello.”

“Scully where are you? I’m being discharged and I need you to

come pick me up.” he stated in confusion.

“Mulder?” She sat up with a bounce. “Give me 15 minutes and

I’ll be there.” Hanging up the phone she reached for her

clothes, and hurriedly placed them on. She combed her hair,

as she ran out the door.

Once she arrived at the hospital, she went straight to his room

and found him getting his personal belongings together.

“Mulder. Are you ready?”

He looked up and had tears in his eyes. “Why, Scully? Why

weren’t you here?”

She became concerned as she asked him, “Mulder, do you not

remember what happened yesterday?”

“What? All I know is that when I woke up the morning you weren’t

here. It hurt, Scully.” He moved away from her when she tried to

pick up his hand.

She heaved a small breath out. “When you’re ready, I’ll be in the

waiting room.” She turned and walked out the door without looking

back.

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

In the corner of the room, an apparition stood smiling and

reminding itself it’s task was almost accomplished. Almost.

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

On the drive back to the motel, the silence was heavy between them

again, just as it had been a few days before. When they reached

the intersection to go to their motel room, he headed in the

opposite direction.

“Mulder, where are you going?” she asked exasperated.

“I’m going back to that lighthouse Scully. I can’t believe that I

asked you to leave. Something more is going on here. I’m sorry

about that by the way.”

“It’s okay, Mulder. You weren’t yourself,” she said rubbing his

arm.

They reached the lighthouse and walked up to where his body had

fallen. He looked up and saw the apparition once more. “Scully

look up here!”

When she looked up, shock descended on her face. It appeared to

be an apparition pushing someone off the balcony, but no one fell

down in front of them. The woman smiled evilly down at them

before they heard the door to the lantern room close.

Reaching the lighthouse door, they heard the piano playing, but

found no one there. On the piano, laid a note in someone’s

handwriting. He snapped on his latex gloves and picked up the

note which read “You can’t keep him forever, Scully.” He stared

at her, becoming very afraid. He wondered who would know her

name. As his feelings of uneasiness came, she sensed it and they

began gravitating toward one. He grabbed her hand as they walked

out the door of the lighthouse into the pouring rain. They left

with a stronger unity than they had past, but faced an unknown

future.

–The End–

I know…I’m sorry. It’s a very cruel way to leave you hanging,

but I have to know. Did you like it enough for a sequel? If so

please send me feedback at jennasxffic@lycos.com. 😉