Title: Shalom Haver: Relaxing Author: Rotem Shahar Feedback: LaughsR@prodigy.net Rating: PG Category: SAR Keywords: MSR, Character Death, AU Spoilers: None Summary: Part of the Shalom Haver series. It can be found at http://rosfics.tripod.com/rosfic/id10.html Disclaimer: The characters from The X-Files are not mine. They belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and FOX. No money is being made and no infringement is intended. ~~~~ Friday 5:31 p.m. Dana Scully gathered her things and got ready to go. "Bye Mulder," Scully said as she headed out the door. Mulder replied, "bye," not fully registering that Scully was leaving. ~~~~ Scully got home and dropped her things by the door. The past week had worn her out more than she liked to admit. She walked into her room and lay down on her bed, promptly falling asleep. ~~~~ 6:48 p.m. "Hey, Scully, look at this," Mulder called out, but a response never came. He looked around the basement, not seeing any sign of her. "Scully?" he asked the empty room. Mulder picked up the phone and dialed her cell number. Worry coursed through him when she didn't answer. After trying her home number and not receiving an answer, he ran out of the office. ~~~~ 7:27 p.m. "Scully!?" Mulder yelled as he banged on her door. He'd been standing out there for almost ten minutes, constantly knocking. Scully hadn't answered. "Would ya stop the bangin' already? She don't wanna talk to ya!" a grumpy old man shouted and slammed his door shut. Sick of waiting for an answer, Mulder deftly picked the lock - Scully had yet to make duplicates of her new keys. Mulder hoped Scully was okay. "Scully?" he called out, hoping for an answer. He got none. Drawing his gun, Mulder cautiously made his way through the apartment. After searching the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, he'd found nothing. He carefully made his way towards Scully's bedroom. Nudging the door open, he peered inside. Upon seeing Scully lying in bed sleeping, he put his gun away and rushed over to her. "Scully?" Mulder asked, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. She sighed and rolled over, not waking from her slumber. Mulder sighed in relief, knowing she was safe. He smiled, kissed her forehead, and walked into the living room. He turned the TV on and flipped through the channels, looking for something to watch until Scully woke up. He checked in on her periodically, more to reassure himself that she was really there than to make sure she was sleeping peacefully. ~~~~ 8:34 p.m. Scully woke up and stretched, feeling much better after her nap. 'How long was I asleep?' she wondered as she looked at the clock. She walked into the kitchen to get some water but stopped short when she realized the TV was on. Walking into the kitchen she saw Mulder lying on the couch, staring blankly into space. "Hi," Scully said, her confusion as to his presence evident in her voice. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Mulder asked, shaking himself out of his daydream. "Better than before, but I'm still a bit tired," she replied honestly. "How long have you been here?" "Almost an hour." Scully raised her eyebrow, asking why exactly he was there. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said sheepishly. "Mulder, I'm fine." "Why don't you go back to sleep? You said you were still a bit tired," Mulder suggested, not moving off the couch. "I think I will," she told him. "As soon as I call my mom, I want to make plans to see her this weekend." Mulder nodded and walked into the kitchen as Scully picked up the phone. ~~~~ Mulder found some spaghetti in the pantry and some sauce in the fridge. As he waited for the spaghetti to boil he thought. About Scully, about her illness and how it was affecting her. ~~~~ "Mulder?" Scully wearily asked, stepping into the kitchen. "What are you doing?" "Taste," he commanded, holding a spoon out to her mouth. She eyed him cautiously before opening her mouth and allowing him to place the food on her tongue. "Mmm, this isn't bad." Mulder grinned at her. Her stomach grumbled as she set the table. "You need to relax, Scully," Mulder told her, the true meaning of his words obvious to Scully: 'I don't want to lose you.' "I'm fine Mulder," she stated, knowing it wouldn't reassure him. "Scully?" Mulder asked as she felt something trickle onto her upper lip. Slowly, she brought a finger up to her nose, already knowing what she'd find. Quickly lifting a napkin to her face, she tried to stop the blood. Unsteadily, she stood up; Mulder was at her side in an instant, helping her. "I'm fine Mulder," Scully tried to argue. "Damn it Scully, you're not fine! Your nose is bleeding, you can barely walk straight, and you expect me to believe that you're fine?!" he angrily shouted, tired of the games they played. "Lay down," he told her, speaking in a much gentler voice as they entered her bedroom. "You need to rest." She complied, too weak to argue with him. "You're not going to work tomorrow, Scully," Mulder informed her. "Neither am I," he continued, before she could protest. "We're both going to stay home and relax." "Okay," Scully said, already drifting off into sleep. "Night," Mulder whispered, turning off the light as he took residence on her sofa for the night. ~~~~ The End.