Chapter Text
There was blood everywhere. The floor slick with it. Its coppery smell polluting the air. Splatters covering the walls to create what would be a macabre abstract art piece if not for the medium. It takes every bit of willpower he possesses not to hurl his stomach contents all over the floor.
“What happened here …?” The fact that he even managed to get the sentence out surprises him. When the answer is not provided fast enough, he repeats the question. Louder this time and with the apparently required expletive to ensure that someone would realize that an answer is expected: “What the FUCK happened here!”
A figure comes out from one of the shadows and it takes him a minute to recognize the person. “Agent Mulder, what are you doing here?”
The responding question is surprisingly gentle considering his outburst. “You shouldn’t be here”. The older man places a gentle guiding hand on his shoulder trying to steer him away from the horrific scene in front of him. “Lets talk outside. Come on”.
He allows himself to be steered outside. The sudden cold air hitting him like a punch in the face. Skinner gives him a minute before tilting his head to the side, clearly expecting an answer to his earlier question. “Was she here? Is … is she here?”.
Skinner sighs. Takes a moment to answer. “Yes … she was here”. For a moment he thinks that the man in front of him is going to collapse. His knees visibly buckling. But he pulls himself together and looks back at his superior waiting for him to elaborate. “She was taken to George Washington … She … Its … Its not good”.
Given the circumstances having to convey the news to his Agent feels like the worst kind of punishment. But he owes him the truth. He owes her the truth. Even if it hurts.
“I can take you there … if you want”.
The fact that Mulder merely nods speaks volumes to his mental state. Under normal circumstances he would have made a mad dash to his car and driven like a bat out of hell, but the Mulder in front of him is not that man now. If he was honest with himself, Mulder has not been that man for months. Not since that ill-fated day 6 months ago when Mulder made a decision so uncharacteristic of him, that Skinner himself called him in to question his motives. But now was not the time to dwell on that. Now he had to get his agent to the hospital and hope that he isn’t delivering him to his former partner’s death bed.