DISCLAIMER: The copyright of X-Files belongs to Chris Carter. Mulder and Scully are just my playthings.

Switcheroo

Chapter 1

Monday morning, 8:30 am, Washington DC

The petite, redhead woman hurriedly ran for the bus just as it was about to close its doors. She was the last passenger to go onboard. Even if the bus was already full of people standing along the aisle, she can't afford to be late today. There will be a meeting with the higher-ups concerning the case she and her partner were investigating.

FBI Agent Dana Scully entered and stood in the aisle near the driver. She reached for a handrail and tried to keep her balance as the bus was in full motion. It helped that she wore her black high-heeled shoes. She checked her watch. 30 minutes before 9. Good, I won't be late today, she thought.

She had thoroughly prepared all her findings and was ready to report it. She reviewed in her thoughts the summary and the conclusion. Immersed in her concentration, she was oblivious to everything around her.

The bus overtook on the right side of the lane, to get ahead of the slow-moving car in front. But it proved to be a wrong move for the bus driver. The vehicle swayed side wards in a violent, jolting manner.

"Oh my God!" Somebody exclaimed. Shrieks could be heard. Agent Scully began to fear for her life as well as the others. "Slow down!" she shouted at the frenzied bus driver.

The driver lost control of the brakes. The bus skidded forward uncontrollably, knocking the other vehicles on its path. Scully fell side wards to her right, next to an Asian-looking girl. The passengers on the aisle fell on each other. Some who were seated clutched tightly on the backseat in front of them.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Scully asked frantically while she shielded the teenage girl, who now looked scared to death.

Next thing she knew, the bus collided forward. It crashed into a porcelain figurine store, smack into the glass display window. Scully wrapped herself tightly around the young girl to protect her. She felt bits of broken glass slicing against her skin. Warm blood oozed at the back of her head. She then forgot everything as she lost consciousness.

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"Where is Agent Scully?"

Agent Fox Mulder walked briskly to the emergency room, where the injured bus passengers were being treated. He was with the Director, Walter Skinner. Mulder approached a nurse.

"Where is Agent Scully? How is she?" he demanded. Mulder inched closer towards a hospital bed, where doctors and nurses were in frenzy over a patient. He caught a glimpse of a woman with red hair. He knew it was her.

"Sir I'm sorry, you can't see the patient yet," the nurse apologized. She tried to block his path.

"Agent Mulder, clam down," Skinner told him. He firmly grasped his arms from the back. The nurse said, "Sirs, we're doing all the best we can to revive her. Please wait outside. The doctor will give an update later."

"All right", Skinner agreed. The nurse left them. Skinner led Mulder out of the ER. They waited at the hallway and sat down at the waiting chairs.

"I can't believe it's happened to her again," Mulder lamented, resting his forehead on his hand. He got teary-eyed. Scully was always on the brink of death; once she was abducted by a UFO and became very sick after being found in a hospital under unknown circumstances. Then she had the battle with brain cancer.

Thankfully, she managed to survive those two dark chapters in her life. For the third time around, Mulder feared that he might lose her for good. He regretted again that he couldn't do anything for her. 

If only his car didn't break down last week, then he might have been able to fetch her and go with her to the Bureau.

"Don't lose hope, Agent Mulder," Skinner assured him. "She'll make it through. Have faith." He tapped his shoulder gently. Mudler was shaking as he sobbed. Right now, he couldn't think of anything. He held on to the frail grain of hope that she will survive this ordeal.

A/N: To be continued! This is not a sad story. Wait 'til the next chapters! Reviews please! Thanks!