A/N: Has it really been that long? Wow, I'm sorry- I've been working on my AO3 fic which is taking a lot of time, and various other things have been happening. I'm currently scouring through notebooks to find things I deem postable, and I am planning on updating more regularly. I hope no one's finding the chapter order confusing, moving chapters around into chronological order is very difficult, I apologise! As always, I don't really know what this is or if it fits into canon, and I'm guessing at dates, but I hope you enjoy! x

VIRGINIA, JUNE 1998

It's been so long. Days, she thinks, but how many exactly she's not sure. It's hard to tell in this disorientated world, where she's either hungry or tired or scared, or a combination of all three. Her surroundings are dark, a dreamland, full of shadows and spectres and loud, loud noises. When the drugs in her system render her barely conscious she can almost convince herself it's all a nightmare.

She's mainly lucid now, but that's worse- she's fully aware of the cold seeping into her bones from the metal chair she's strapped to. It's quiet, quieter than usual, and it's hard to judge time but she's sure they've never left her alone for so long before. Maybe they've given up with her, left her to die. Scully finds herself almost hoping that's the case: no more questions, no more fear.

Then the door opens with a clang. She jerks away instinctively, as much as the restraints allow, and the buckles jangle in the silence.

"Scully?"

Mulder?

It can't be. Of course, she knew he'd be trying to get to her the whole time, doing everything he could to find her, but even Mulder couldn't perform miracles. But she's been wrong before, and at this point she doesn't care either way. All this time she's been thinking of him, desperate for his presence so he could hold her and keep her safe.

"Mulder?" Her throat is dry, and her quiet voice catches painfully.

He hears her, though. "Scully, it's okay, it's me. You're safe now."

Oh, thank God.

Footsteps, the sound of fumbling- something clatters to the floor- and then the lights come on, bright and dazzling. She pulls away as much as the restraints allow, her eyes fighting to adjust as she hears Mulder's sharp intake of breath.

"Oh, Scully."

He steps towards her, carefully, as if getting to close might break her. He looks terrified, and she can imagine why- she must look terrible, strapped to the chair, wired up, bruised and pale in just her vest and underwear.

"Have they hurt you?"

That's the thing- apart from keeping her here, strapped down, and the initial struggle, they haven't. They've threatened her, sure, but never followed through. However bad she looks, she knows it could be much worse.

"I'm fine, Mulder."

"You'll be fine when I get you out of here." He undoes the strap around her neck first, pausing for a moment to cup her cheek.

His touch is so gentle, a sharp contrast to the way her captors had treated her. Although she doesn't want to admit it, Mulder's hands are warm, healing, familiar. She finds herself leaning into his palm, taking a moment to breathe. He's here. He's here and she's safe.

Mulder holds her gaze for a long moment before puling away to unstrap her right arm and her waist. As he removes the various monitors, separating her from this prison she's been in for so long, alone, the feeling of safety only increases. Each touch of his hand reminds her that it's over, that he'll protect her now.

"What's this?"

Mulder's moved over to her left arm, and he raises his eyes from the bandaged area with blatant worry in his expression.

"An IV line. They've been keeping me drugged."

"Will it come out?"

"Yes. Yeah, unwrap the bandage."

He's tender, but even so Scully's finding it hard not to cry out. The skin under the dressing is sore- the cannula site's infected, has been practically since they put it in, and the movement is only irritating it. Scully doesn't dare look- she knows it's bad, and her suspicion is only confirmed when she hears Mulder swallow as he discards the bandage.

"This doesn't look good, Scully."

"I know. It's probably infected."

"Won't it hurt if I pull it out?"

"It's got to come out, Mulder."

As it always does when he knows she's right, his jaw tenses and his eyes show his surrender. There's fear there, too, this time, fear of hurting her, of what's happened to her, of what she's not telling him. But he takes hold of the catheter all the same.

"How do I do this?"

"Just pull it out slowly, keep it in line with my arm if you can. Once it's out it might start bleeding so it's going to need pressure on it, and a Band-Aid if there is one."

He's pale, and he takes her hand, squeezing her fingers. "If it hurts-"

"Then just keep going." His lower lip turns white as he bites it, looking away. "Mulder."

He takes a deep breath and raises his eyes again.

"You can do this."

He nods, giving her hand one last squeeze before taking hold of the line again and giving it a gentle pull. The pain flares up immediately as the line drags along her inflamed skin, burning with every tiny movement. Despite her gritted teeth, a small cry still escapes Scully's lips.

"Scully-"

"Keep going," she manages to get out. "Please."

Mulder's close to tears- she can hear it in his voice. "I'm sorry."

He pulls the rest of the line out as fast as he can, and as soon as it's removed he immediately applies pressure. It's hard to be gentle, but he's still trying, and that makes Scully feel even worse about the sobs of pain that raise up from her throat.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he keeps whispering, stroking her hair with his free hand. "Can you hold it? I'll grab a Band-Aid."

Scully nods, covering Mulder's hand with her own as she tenses her jaw. Mulder hurries to find a Band-Aid in the drawers and cupboards that until now Scully has only heard, not seen. Soon he finds a dressing, and he removes the backing to press it to the exit point.

It'll hurt like hell to take it off, but for now the contact is bearable. Desperate to get out of the chair as soon as possible, she manages to unstrap her own left arm while Mulder removes the restraints around her ankles. She's finally free.

She tries to get up immediately, but her legs don't seem to agree and refuse to take her weight. Mulder catches her, hooking his arms under hers and lifting her back up to sit on the chair.

"Mulder-" she tries to protest, but he cuts her off.

"You're in no state to walk. Have they fed you?"

It's hard to work out when she last ate. The drugs make judging time and reality nearly impossible, and although her stomach is aching so is the rest of her body.

"I don't know. They might have given me something through the IV."

"Either way, you haven't been on your feet for almost four days."

Four days?

"We need to get you checked out. There are paramedics outside, I'll go get them."

Fear stabs through her spine, cold and quick, making her heart skip a beat.

"No." She's as surprised at her outburst as he looks. "I… don't leave me here."

His expression softens and he shakes his head. "I won't."

He removes his trench coat and wraps it around her- it's ridiculously big, large enough that it's like a blanket. The thick fabric traps warmth around her, a cocoon that surrounds her with Mulder's familiar scent.

He lifts her with one arm around her back and the other under her legs as if he's done it a hundred times before, or it's programmed into his genetic code.

Scully closes her eyes and allows herself to relax into his arms, her body calming as it realises she's okay, she's safe now. Mulder won't let anyone hurt her.

"It's not far to the ambulance, okay? I'll do the talking. I won't leave you alone."

The inbuilt reaction raises its head as it always does, protesting, but the words die on her lips. Instead she shuts down that part of her brain that fights against Mulder's protection, that part that always insists she's fine. This time she isn't fine. She's shaken and exhausted and pain is beginning to creep into her awareness. Through this whole ordeal the only thing that kept her sane is the thought of seeing him again, and now he's here, allowing her to let go. So she does- she accepts his support, resting her cheek against his heartbeat and letting her eyes drift shut.

There's a hum of activity and a sharp brightness as he takes her outside- she can hear sirens, running footsteps, and people shouting, but it's too much for her addled brain to understand. She tucks herself closer to Mulder's chest, seeking his calm in the centre of the storm.

She hears someone approach, and feels Mulder tighten his grip on her. His voice rumbles against her as he talks to them.

"It's okay, I've got her."

Scully opens her eyes and sees a blocky white shape in the distance- an ambulance?

"She hasn't slept or eaten properly for a while, and I think she's dehydrated- there was a drip in her left arm, they were keeping her drugged. The injection site looks infected…" Ever so carefully, Mulder lies her down somewhere soft. It must be a bunk in the ambulance. "She's in some pain from that arm."

"Okay sir, we'll take her right away." At the paramedic's voice Scully's eyes snap open, but Mulder immediately silences her fears as he takes her hand.

"Can I ride with you?"

"You're not staying for the investigation?"

"Someone should stay with her. I'm her partner."

The paramedic nods and checks Scully over before hoping out to head round to the cab. Mulder raises Scully's hand to his lips and strokes her sweat-matted hair back from her forehead with the other. He murmurs comforting words of nonsense against her skin as the ambulances rumbles to life beneath her.

"Oh, I forgot." He rummages in his coat pocket before removing a familiar chain. Scully smiles as he kisses her fingers before pressing the necklace into her palm. "Thought you might want this back."

His voice is light, deceptively carefree, but his eyes are shining with truth. I love you. Scully only hopes he can read hers, replying in kind.