Title: Safe Harbor XVI
Author: shawntaw
Category: MSR, Mulder/Scully/Skinner friendship, ProfilingMulder

Rating: R for explicit violent images!

Disclaimer: I don't own the x-files characters.  I think we may have 
established that by now, don't you? The fact that I don't have any money and 
am making no money from this has, unfortunately, been established as well. 
*L*

Summary: "The sharp retort of a gunshot sounded from the back of the house.
"No!" Scully screamed as she dashed off in the direction of the noise...."

Feedback makes me very happy at shawntaw@hotmail.com  :)

DEDICATION: To all of my feedback regulars!:) You made this possible!!!:)

AND, OF COURSE, TO DANI WHO HAS MADE A WEBSITE OF MY STORIES:

www.geocities.com/corran_14776/shawntaw.html

Thank you.:)

WARNING: BRIEF EXPLICIT GORE AHEAD!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!
******************************************************

Scully and Skinner only paused a moment as they ran up the stairs to the 
front porch.

"F.B.I.!" Scully yelled as Skinner kicked in the door with one decisive 
blow.

The door flapped inward with a loud thump against the wall behind it as the 
two agents barged in, weapons drawn.

The house was silent.

"Arlene Green?!" Scully shouted.

The sharp retort of a gunshot sounded from the back of the house.

"No!" Scully screamed as she dashed off in the direction of the noise.

Skinner ran behind her, a grim expression on his face.

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

Scully immediately saw the large wooden door hanging open in the back of the 
bedroom.

*too late...too late...too late...*

She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small flashlight 
as she approached the doorway.

Gun drawn, flashlight illuminating the narrow stairway, Scully cautiously 
called into the darkness.

"Arlene Green? F.B.I., come out with your hands up where I can see them!"

Skinner's breath puffed across her ear, causing her to shiver eerily.

"Ditch the flashlight.  You're making yourself a target."

Scully knew that, of course, but all she could think of was Mulder...shot.

He needed an ambulance.  ASAP.  He didn't have time for all of this.

She clicked off her flashlight, and tried to let her eyes adjust.

It was no use.  The basement was pitch black.

Scully clicked her flashlight back on and started down the stairs.

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

Skinner had to fight the urge to pull her bodily from the basement doorway.

*She's an F.B.I. agent, trained for this just like you, Walter.  Stop trying 
to be chivalrous.*

But it didn't stop him from breathing a quick piece of advice in her ear.

To his surprise, she took his advice and turned the light off.

Unfortunately, it became obvious to both of them that there was not enough 
natural light in the basement to see by.

He resigned himself to follow Scully down the black stairwell.

He withdrew his own flashlight, lit it, and stepped after her.

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

Whatever horrors they had expected to find, it hadn't been this.

Arlene Green was slumped over Mulder's prone figure, half her skull blown 
away.  Brain matter, bone and hair were spattered on the wall beside them.

The gun lay limply in her hand, her other on Mulder's face.

Scully holstered her gun and approached the scene carefully.

"Mulder?" she whispered, kneeling beside him.

She couldn't see his face for Arlene's hand and blood covered him in a red 
sheet.

"Mulder?" Scully said again and reached out a tenative hand to feel for his 
pulse.

She found it and turned back to Skinner, triumphantly.

"He's alive.  We need an ambulance," she gestured with her now bloody 
fingers.

Skinner pulled out his cellphone and went up the stairs to get better 
reception.

After a few seconds, she could hear his booming voice talking to the 9-1-1 
operator.

"Help's coming, Mulder," she told him quietly, resisting the urge to push 
the killer's body from him.  She knew she shouldn't disturb the scene.

"Hold on, Mulder," Scully choked back a sob, "Hold on."

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

Very, very short, I know, but my adreneline ran out!*L*

Whew!!

Don't worry, there will be an Epilogue within the next few days so we can 
visit Mulder in the hospital and maybe wrap up a few loose ends for our 
agents...or perhaps, as in life, some will be left hanging?

Tune in and see! ;)