Chapter 21: Change of Heart.

Mulder, bandaged from his wrist to elbow, stood staring through the double pain glass of the holding cell that held his attacker, as his beautiful and saucy partner joined him in the hallway of the correctional facility.

"Well that's another notch in your bedpost, isn't it Agent Scully," Mulder stated sarcastically.

"Jealous?" Scully laughed. "I just scored myself another appearance in the X-files. I'm think that puts me ahead of the pack."

Mulder chuckled.

"This suspect had been tied to two more of our other victims. He's going away for a long time, and in the name of science, he's being quite cooperative. He's allowed some of his blood to be taken in and experimented on by Doctor McMillan and his faculty at the university." Scully stated handing the case file back to Mulder.

"Someone else is going to get rich before we do," Mulder sighed.

Scully rolled her eyes, "Well maybe, if you get on his good side, he'll give you some of that blood you need." She giggled.

"He does look kinda bored in there." Mulder stated looking back through the window.

"Maybe you should bring him some of the videos that aren't yours. You don't really need them anymore, do you?" Scully asked slyly.

"I do not," Mulder smiled. "But I don't think he'd appreciate the art in them."

"Art!" Scully laughed. "That's what you call it?"

Mulder shrugged a silence fell between them.

"You may want to think about finding a new place. Four different home invasions are a bit much." Mulder said seriously now as he looked down into his partner's brilliant eyes.

"Or I could just look for a unit that isn't at ground level." Scully stated.

"You found out how he got in?" Mulder asked. "I just don't get how we didn't hear it."

"He cut through one of my front windows, a whole big enough for his arm to fit through, and unlatched it. He climbed in, closed it and locked it, and then he waited," Scully stated.

"It's a good thing I was there," Mulder stated slyly, "or this could have been you." he added as he motioned to the massive bandage on his arm.

"No, I would have been the next victim on the coroners slab." Scully stated seriously. "Thank you for being there, Mulder."

"Well, just goes to show how great your intuition is," Mulder stated a little embarrassed by last comment. "You knew something was up."

"Lucky for you," Scully smiled noticing the blush on her partners face, "I mean, you were the one that wanted all that gold and now it's actually in your veins," she said teasingly.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be," Mulder said.

"I'm sorry," Scully smiled, "but I had to do something."

"You saved my life," Mulder smiled, "but I am still going to hold it over you for a long time. Especially considering you inflicted that much pain!"

Scully laughed at her partners whining.

"I'm just glad that sex helped you solve the case," Mulder stated his arm aching and his pride still hurt by her leadership and connection with the case. "Glad I am useful for something."

"You see 'friends with benefits' was a good idea," Scully laughed.

Mulder remained silently staring into the window of their attacker's cell.

"Don't pout Mulder you'll get what's coming to you." Scully smiled playfully as they walked out of the secured facility and back to the car. "Besides, you did save my life. I was supposed to die today."

"All in a days work." Mulder smiled and fell into the passenger seat, "now take me home and doctor me, woman! I have a pain that needs some of your expert attention."

"I beg your pardon?" Scully asked rolling her eyes. "You are going back to your office to finish your file and submit it on time, because you were the one that wanted to fly under the radar on this one. So you get to do what you initially had planned for this easy case that you dragged me into. Our new start on the X-files proved to be a success, so we had better do something right for once."

"But I'm injured!" Mulder whined motioning to the large bandage on his arm.

"Would you have rather I let your arm turn to gold by my attackers Midas bite?" Scully asked as they drove. "Because I could have, the thought did cross my mind seeing as you were so intrigued and fevered over the gold we had already found."

"I'm totally over the gold now, and I am very glad you decided to save my arm." Mulder said. "I need that arm for very important things," he added with a wink.

"I don't want to know Mulder," Scully stated and continued to drive because it was just another day in the life of the X-files.

The End