Fox�s
unexpected arrival threw Dana�s plan off. He had gone to the hospital as he had
almost every day since the shooting, found Walter�s room empty and shouted at a
doctor until he was told Walter had discharged himself. He had driven as
quickly as he could to Walter�s apartment, letting himself in with the key
Walter had given him a few days into his recovery. �Walter?
Are you here?� Dana�s
unexpected appearance in the kitchen doorway startled Fox and he stared at her.
She
smiled. �Hello Mulder. Walter�s still in bed. If you hurry, there might be some
food left.� �Scully�um�never mind.� Fox took the steps two at a time
and stood in Walter�s bedroom doorway, looking at the empty plate on the tray
over Walter�s lap. �Um�hi�Walter.� Tiredly,
Walter smiled. �Hello Fox.� �So�what�Scully�s
been taking care of you?� Walter
nodded, carefully watching Fox for his reaction to the news. �Yes. Since yesterday.� Pouting,
Fox said crossly: �You should have called me.� Walter
nodded. �I know. But Dana offered�� Understanding
dawned and Fox�s eyes widened. �You and Scully?� Walter
smiled shyly. �Yes.� Fox
took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. Eventually he managed. �Wow.� Dana�s
soft laugh and her gentle hand around his waist distracted Fox from his
thoughts. �Walter needs to rest. Go into the kitchen and I�ll make you some
breakfast.� Fox
turned obediently, hearing the two voices, too low to make out the words, but
clearly comfortable in each other�s company, as he descended the stairs. Dana
came down a few minutes later. Fox immediately sensed Dana was uneasy, and
instantly imagined himself to be the cause. �Do you want me to go?� �Actually, just the opposite. Walter really wants some company,
but I need to pick up some groceries. Would you stay? Please?� Fox
hesitated. �I don�t wanna intrude.� Dana
put a hand on Fox�s shoulder. �You�re not Fox, okay?� Sulkily,
Fox muttered: �Feels like it.� Sighing,
Dana put the plate of eggs and toast in front of Fox and dropped a gentle kiss
on the top of his head. �Fox, Walter needs us. Don�t make this hard on him,
hmm?� Her
ploy worked, and Fox leaned back, looking up at her, reaching round to pull her
towards him. �Okayyyy.� Dana
carded her fingers through Fox�s hair, first one hand then the other, and Fox
leaned back, sighing happily. His eyes opened suddenly and he smiled. �What?� �Couldn�t
do this with Walter, huh?� Dana
laughed, closing her fingers suddenly, pulling sharply at the thick brown hair,
eliciting a yelp of pain and surprise from her partner. �Be nice!� Fox
finished his breakfast and got to his feet, hugging Dana tightly to him. �Am I
*ever* anything else?� �Upstairs!
Now!� Dana shook her head as she watched Fox get up. ******************** �Dana!�
Walter�s
panicky shout carried down the stairs and Dana dropped the plate she had been
holding back into the sink, pulled off her gloves and hurried up the stairs.
She ran into the bedroom and took in the scene � Fox�s horrified look, Walter�s
pained face � and crossed the floor quickly. �What happened?� �It
was an accident.� Walter said quickly. �I
have to go!� Fox didn�t look back, ran from the room, down the stairs and a
moment later Dana and Walter heard the door slam. Dana
peeled the sheet back from Walter�s abdomen, sighing crossly at the bloodstained
dressing. �What Happened?� �Fox
lifted the tray off my lap and he lost his grip. The tray scraped my stomach.� Pulling
on gloves, Dana stretched Walter�s skin as she peeled the tape, conscious of
his sharp intake of breath as she pulled. �Almost done.
Now, let�s see�it�s okay. It�s not that bad. I think
it�s a cut that�s reopened, not one of your stitches. Lay still.� Walter
lay still, reassured by Dana�s words, but needing to be sure before he relaxed
completely. He looked up at her as she cleaned the blood from his stomach,
smiling as his stomach muscles contracted under the cool sting of the
antiseptic wipe. �You know, I think we could leave it uncovered for a while. If
you don�t move or drop anything on it.� Walter
looked away, focussing on Dana�s eyes. She realised he was staring and met his gaze.
�Have you seen it?� Walter
shook his head slightly. �No. Thanks.� Dana
took his hand and held it. �It�s almost healed. It�s not too bad to look at.� Walter
pulled his hand away. �I said no!� Dana
frowned. �Walter, it�s okay.� Walter�s
jaw muscle clenched. �No, it�s not. I�m tired.� He
turned his shoulder away and Dana put her hand on it, feeling the tense muscle
under her fingers. �Walter, if you want to sleep, we need to cover it up again.� �Just
leave me alone!� Stung
by the words, and startled by the sharp tone, Dana moved away, walking to the
chair under the window. She sat quietly, waiting. After a few minutes, she saw
Walter�s shoulder shake. Getting up, she replaced her hand on his shoulder,
stroking gently. �Walter, talk to me.� Walter
remained stubbornly silent. Dana
sat gently on the edge of the bed. �Walter, don�t shut me out. Please?� Walter
turned over suddenly, gasping at the discomfort, looking up at Dana. �Why Dana? Why do you care?� Dana
leaned down, kissing Walter, a smile on her face. �I love a challenge.� Walter�s
hand found Dana�s. �Is that what I am?� Dana
sighed as Walter�s thumb stroked her hand. �Walter, yell, throw stuff,
whatever. But don�t go silent on me, okay?� Walter
nodded, embarrassed. �Sorry.� Dana
stood up slowly. �Do you want to rest? How about coming down and laying on the
couch?� �Sounds good. I just need to call Mulder.� ******************* Fox
sidled into the house, waiting for Dana to open the door rather than use the
key they both knew he had. �Um�hi�is Walter okay?� Dana
nodded. �He�s fine. Go on in.� Slowly,
Fox dragged his feet and walked into the living room. �Hi
Walter.� Walter
smiled. �Fox. Where have you been?� Fox
blushed, his head dipping. �Um�walking.� �Fox,
I�m fine, really.� Fox
walked in and sat in the armchair opposite Walter. �But you were bleeding!� Walter
heard the shake in Fox�s voice, saw his panicky face and nodded. �Yes, but it
was nothing. Really.� Fox
heard the firm reply and looked up, making eye contact with Walter for the
first time since he had walked in. �Okay.� ********************** Dana
walked in, the smell the first thing she noticed, the voices in the kitchen the
second thing. �Hello?� Wiping
his hands on a towel Mulder came out of the kitchen. �Hi
Scully.� �Are
you making dinner Mulder?� �Yeah,
it�s almost ready. Sit down.� �Where�s
Walter?� Slowly,
leaning on the cane, Walter followed Fox in. �Good day?� �Walter!
You�re supposed to be resting.� Surprised
at the concern in Dana�s voice, Walter defended himself. �I was sitting at the
kitchen table peeling vegetables.� Dana
pulled a disbelieving face but pulled off her coat, hanging it up.� �Now I know you�re fibbing. Mulder and a meal involving vegetables? I don�t think so.� Mulder
accepted the teasing, rolling his eyes, walking back into the kitchen. Dana
smiled. �I�m starving. What is it?� �You�ll
have to wait and see.� Walter came up behind Dana, putting an arm around her. �You�re
feeling better.� Dana smiled, turning in Walter�s grip. �Oh yeah.� Walter kissed Dana�s hair gently, breathing in
deeply. He let out a long breath. �Mmm�I could jump you right now.� Dana
looked up at him. �You *are* feeling better.� She smiled and shook her head
gently, nodding at the kitchen. �Later.� Leaning
down, Walter whispered: �Eat fast.� Dana
giggled and guided Walter backwards down onto the couch. �Sit while I see if
Mulder needs a hand with anything.� To be continued soon
in Part Three... |