Amorem Animalem

Matching Scars

August 2nd
South Baldwin Medical Center
Gulf Shores, Alabama
9:56

Scully's eyes fluttered open, slowly, softly, she began to focus in on a bright, white room. Her stomach was uneasy and she felt like she was about to vomit. This was paired with a horrendous headache as well.

"Good to see you awake, Miss Scully." A cheery southern accent whistled. It was a blonde nurse. She appeared to be in her early fifties.

"What happened?" Scully moaned. She glanced down and noticed that her wrist was hooked up to an IV. That was an immediate red flag that whatever happened wasn't good.

"Honey," the nurse stated with a sympathetic smile,"to put it lightly, you were hospitalized for a bullet wound to your chest. You've been unconscious for three days. I'm just very happy to see you up and talking. We were worried that you wouldn't recover."

Dana sat speechless in her hospital bed. It seemed to be a medical miracle that she woke up. She tried her hardest to remember the day that everything went wrong.

"You said I was shot?" Scully questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, ma'am. Right in the chest."

Scully peered down her gown and saw a bandage above her right breast. As she did so,
a sudden rush of memories flooded her mind. She saw Mulder's eyes filled with tears, looking down at her. She remembered his words, heartfelt and genuine. She could feel the tension and anxiety in the air, her throbbing headache, the dizziness that she just couldn't shake. She heard the rain hitting the pavement, the gunshot that changed her life. She saw Mulder screaming in pain as he fell next to her, releasing her from his arms to grasp his bleeding chest.

"Mulder!" She exclaimed," Where's my partner?" Scully feared the worst. How could she live with herself if anything happened to him? Her nauseous stomach was nearly unbearable now.

"Fox Mulder?" The nurse said as she checked Scully's vitals. The agent nodded her head nervously. "Your partner is just fine. He woke up yesterday." Scully exhaled a sigh of relief.
"He spent the whole day yesterday at your bedside. He didn't let go of your hand until he fell asleep. You're very lucky to have a man like him in your life." The nurse said with a smile.

"Oh no, we're work partners. Not-"

"It doesn't matter what you are, he cares for you Miss Scully," she spread a pink blanket over Dana, who she noticed had goosebumps on her arms. "It's not every day that you come across someone so genuine. Believe me, I'm almost fifty-three and I still haven't found the one." There was a knock on the door and the nurse went to see who it was. "Speaking of, Miss Scully, work partners or not, he's a keeper. " She grinned as she opened the door, revealing a smiling Mulder, sitting in a wheelchair. "I'll leave you two alone."

Mulder wheeled himself over to Scully's bedside. With a little laugh, Scully remarked, "Nice dress."

"You like it? I've always felt that sky blue is my color." Mulder joked as he gestured towards his hospital gown. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine Mulder, I'm more worried about you, though."

"Scully, don't worry about me. I'm okay. And hey, we both have matching scars now." He said with a laugh as he pulled down the neckline to his gown, revealing a bandage over his heart. Scully did the same and guiltily grinned.

"These put matching couple tattoos to shame, Mulder." The two shared a lighthearted chuckle and then Scully's face went serious. "Mulder, you will never know how deeply sorry I am for all of this. I could've killed you. I--I'm ashamed of myself, to say the very least."

"Scully," Mulder whispered, "You couldn't have done anything differently if you tried. You couldn't control your actions or words. You were under the influence of a harmful chemical. I don't blame you, Scully."

Scully looked at her partner with gracious eyes. "You're right," she agreed as she looked down,"I couldn't control my actions or words then, but I can now." She gently took his hand in hers, stretching her arm as far as the IV would let her. She paused to prepare herself for the next words she would say. "Mulder," she began,"I love you."

Her partner looked up and without hesitation, he replied, "I love you too, Scully."

Mulder, weak and fragile lifted himself from his wheelchair and leaned in towards a dainty Scully. He pressed his forehead to her's, their noses touching softly. Their eyes were closed as they lived in the moment. They both knew what would come next, they prepared themselves for the milestone as they opened their eyes, and stared longingly at one another. Mulder slowly pressed his lips against his partner's and she returned the gentle gesture. Softly, and quietly, they participated in their first kiss.

The two agents, partners, star-crossed lovers, expressed their undying love for one another by a few words and a simple kiss in that hospital room. No magnificent words of flattery or poetry needed to be said. Their love was as simple as that, as pure as the words they dared speak. It felt like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. They were free. Finally free.