House of Cards - Chapter 11 By Jennifer T. Brooks E-Mail: Jenntou@excite.com ********************************************** Georgetown University Hospital April 19, 1999 5:00 pm Dana Scully had slept most of the afternoon away. Walter Skinner, Fox Mulder, Maggie Scully and Blake Maxwell had been in the room to check on her several times but she was dead to the world. Walter and Maggie tired to ignore each other while wandering the hallways while Fox was trying to size Blake up in the visitors lounge. Fox was arguing with Blake about which color looked best on Scully when he noticed that Bill Scully, Jr. was standing in front of him. "Were is she Mulder?" Bill asked rudely. "Room 321, but she's sleeping," Fox Mulder said as he stood up to greet Dana's brother. "What the hell have you gotten my sister into now?" Bill asked. "Nothing. She was out jogging and got shot." "Probably for someone after you. What the hell are you doing here?" He asked Blake. "Same reason you are here Billy." Blake said to the larger man. Mulder was astonished to see that Bill hated Blake more than he hated him. Blake might just be alright in his book. "It's Bill, you little weasel. Why the hell are you here. I thought I made it clear that I wanted you out of my sisters life. You've caused enough problems for my family. I'm going to see her now and when I get back I expect for both of you to be gone. Have I made myself clear?" He asked harshly. "Billy, this is a public place, and as a public place I have as much of a right to be here as you do, if not more. So play your concerned brother act in front of a crowd that cares," Blake seethed back to Bill. Bill left the waiting room quickly. "What the hell did you do to piss him off Blake?" Mulder asked. "Oh just the usual. I showed his little sister that there was more to life than the Catholic church and the ten commandments. Didn't make me very popular in the Scully household." "So you were the one that made Scully a skeptic." "I might have something to do it. When I met her she was young and naive, but very strong in her convictions at the same time. I didn't make her disbelieve in what she had been taught, I just made her question the reason why she believed. Up until that point she had pretty much believed because it was what the church taught, she never questioned the church and the validity of worship." "So Bill hates you because of this?" "No, Bill hates me because Dana moved out of her parents house and in with me." "Oh, I bet that went over well. How old was she?" "She must been around 16 or 17 years. It was after she finished her freshman year at Stanford. She was only going to live with me for the summer but then decided to transfer to Maryland and ended up staying with me until she went to Medical school and claimed that I was putting a damper on her studying." Mulder was fascinated with this tale of Scully's past. "What was she like then?" He asked genuinely interested in the facet of Scully's life that she had never discussed. "Much the same as she is now, without the hardness. She's the most caring, loving, and generous person that I have ever met. I owe her my life. She has saved me from myself a thousand times over." "I used to feel the same way about her, but she changed. I know that you know what I'm talking about. You probably don't want to or can't talk about it due to some sense of loyalty to her, but what happened to make her change?" Mulder asked. "Some stories aren't mine to tell," Blake replied letting Mulder know that this line of questioning was over. "That's fair. So when am I going to meet Claire? Is she like anything like Scully?" Mulder asked changing the subject, knowing that he wasn't going to get anything else out of Blake Maxwell. "Claire should be here sometime tonight and she's nothing like Dana. You'll just have to wait and see." *********************************************** Georgetown University Hospital April 19, 1999 5:30 pm "Dana, I got here as soon as I could," Bill said upon entering his sisters hospital room and seeing that she was awake. "Thanks for coming Bill, " She replied as he kissed her on the cheek. "Did you see mom? She's somewhere in the hospital," Dana said not knowing what else to say to her brother. Their relationship had always been strained and she tended to stick with the safe subjects with him; Tara, Matthew, and Mom. "No, but I ran into Mulder and Blake Maxwell in the visitors lounge. What the hell are they doing here? I told you I didn't want you having anything to do with Blake. He's agnostic, he can't be trusted. Fox Mulder is a whole other matter," Bill said raising his voice. "Bill, they are here because they care. Just because Blake is an agnostic doesn't mean that he's going to hell and he isn't tainting my mind. I'm quite capable of forming my own opinions. I don't need a man or a church to tell me what I should believe," Dana argued back. "You know the church is right Dana," Bill said emphatically. "You may think the church is right Bill, and that's your prerogative." "But you don't believe the church. You don't believe in God anymore?" "I do believe in the concept of God, Bill, and I probably always will. But, do I believe in all the teachings of the church? The answer would have to be no." "Don't let mom hear you say that Dana." "Mom will just have to deal with it. I'm thirty four years old. If I can't believe what I want at this age something is seriously wrong." "So you think I'm foolish and stupid for believing what the church and mom and dad taught us?" "No, I didn't say that Bill. Look, if you believe it and it works for you that's fine. Who am I to say what you believe is wrong or right. I don't want to get into a religious debate with you right now Bill, " Dana said as she tried to change the subject. "So how is the prognosis?" "Fine. I will be here for another week and then I can go home." "You are going to stay at Mom's?" Bill asked but it sounded more like an order. "No, I'm going home to my house." "Are you sure that's a wise decision?" Bill asked. "Bill, I'm a doctor. I know how to take care of myself." "You don't seem to be doing a very good job of taking care of yourself Dana. Listen, I don't mean to be a nag. I'm just concerned about you." "I appreciate your concern Bill, I really do. I'm fine. In a couple of days I will be back to normal." Dana tried to reassure him. "If you say so. Listen I'm going to go and get something to eat. Do you want anything?" "No, I'm fine." She said as she watched him leave her room. ************************************************* Georgetown University Hospital April 19, 1999 7:00 pm Fox Mulder stopped in Dana's room for one last time before he left for the night. He wanted to check in on her to see if she needed anything. "Scully, what the hell are you doing?" Mulder asked as he entered her room and discovered her trying to get out of her bed. "I'm going to take a shower," She said as she tried to get into a sitting position. The bandages on her chest were making movement difficult. "Are you sure that's a wise decision?" "Mulder, I have been in this bed for more than a week. Look at my hair, does it look like wanting to wash it is a bad decision? Dr Sinwain said I could shower if I wanted to," She said as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Okay, but at least let me help you into the bathroom," He said as he helped her into a standing position. Her legs started wobbling and she had trouble keeping her balance. "Scully this would be a lot easier if you let me carry you," Mulder said to her. "No way, Mulder. I can walk on my own," Scully said shaking her head. "It's your choice. It will just take a lot longer." When they made it to the bathroom Mulder looked at her questioningly. "What do you want me to do now." "I can shower without assistance, if that's what you are asking Mulder." "Damn, well is there anything else that I can do?" "Do I have any of my own clothes here?" She asked as she looked around the room for anything familiar. "No, although Blake said something about him having to get you the perfect hospital wardrobe before he left. That man is strange but I really like him Scully. You shouldn't have kept him hidden from me for the last 6 years." "Well I'm glad that you like him but I didn't keep him hidden. You never asked to meet him," Scully said as they reached the shower stall. "While I'm showering do you think you can procure a clean hospital gown for me?" "Sure, but do you think it is wise for me to leave you alone in here." "Mulder, there's a bench in the shower that I can sit on if I get tired." Mulder nodded at her statement and left the room to find her a clean gown. Dana stepped into the shower took off her clothes. She was too tired from the walk into the bathroom to care where she threw her gown. She would kill for a pair of underwear about now. She turned on the shower and started to wash her hair. As the steam filled the shower stall her mind wandered to the events of the last day. She was tired of lying in bed and tired of all the visitors questioning her about mundane things like why Mulder and Blake were there. She wanted to he laying in her own bed, in her own house, not in some hospital room. She started feeling dizzy from the heat and steam and grasped the shower rails for support. She thought to herself. Dana quickly sat down on the bench as she felt the stall spinning around her. She put her head between her legs to try to stop the movement of the room but felt herself beginning to dry heave. She wasn't aware that Mulder had returned to the bathroom with a clean gown and had heard her. "Scully are you alright?" He asked as he heard the sounds of her retching.. "I'm fine, Mulder," She cried out weakly "You don't sound fine to me. I have your gown here. Do you need me to help you get out of the shower." "No Mulder, I'll be fine once the room stops spinning. I'm just a little dizzy." "I'm coming in Scully." "No Mulder." "Then you had better put this gown on now and come out. I don't think it is advisable for you to be in there alone if you are dizzy," Mulder said as he draped the gown over the shower door. Scully tried to stand up to get the gown but felt herself losing consciousness. "Mulder, help me," She cried out as she lost consciousness and fell to the shower floor. Mulder jerked open the door to see her hit her head on the corner of the shower bench on her way down. Mulder quickly turned off the hot water and got a towel to place over Dana. He didn't know if he was supposed to move her or not. Mulder was too busy checking her head and arms for further trauma that he didn't notice that Blake, Walter and Bill had entered the bathroom. "What the hell did you do to her?" Bill asked upon seeing his sister laying unconscious on the bottom of the shower stall. "I didn't do anything Bill. She was taking a shower and she passed out," Mulder explained. "You let her take a shower?" Walter asked. "You know Scully, she can't be stopped," Mulder said. "Listen guys, lets get Dana into some clothes and back into bed. She isn't going to be happy if she wakes up naked on the bathroom floor with us staring at her," Blake said trying to calm everyone down. "I'll get her dressed," Mulder said. "The hell you will. She's my sister, I'll do it," Bill said. "No, she wouldn't want that. I'll do it," Blake said. All three men then looked over at Walter to see if he would object and say that he should be the one to do it. Walter shook his head and started to walk out of the bathroom when Dana started to stir on the shower floor. All four men looked down at her as she opened her blue eyes up at them. "What happened?" She asked. "You passed out in the shower Dana. We were just voting on who got to dress you and put you back into bed," Blake told her. "I'm fine. I can dress myself." "The hell you can Dana. One of us is going to help you so either you make the choice or we will," Bill told his sister. Dana looked around the room at her options. Walter was her ex-lover and she was still pissed over how he had treated her over the years that she didn't want to be naked anywhere near him. He knew her body and how to arouse it too well. She didn't trust herself enough not to become aroused in front of him. Bill was her brother and although she was sure that he had seen her nude dozens of times he was still her brother. Blake was her best friend and she was totally comfortable being nude in front of him. Mulder was another story. She was attracted to him and wanted him badly. But, she knew that she didn't have a chance with him. He was getting married in a couple of weeks to Natasha. Any chance that she might of had with him as long gone. She figured she may as well accept the inevitable. She wanted to be desired and loved like Natasha was. Bill and Blake could and would never love her more than a sister, but Walter Skinner could love and desire her. She decided that she wanted Walter Skinner to be the one. "Okay, I chose Skinner then," She said as they all looked at her wondering why he was the choice. Walter Skinner was horrified at the thought of having to see her naked again. "Well okay then" Bill said as he led Blake and Mulder out of the bathroom. "Walt could you help me up off the floor?" Dana asked as she tried to sit up herself. "Sure Dana." He grabbed her arms and pulled her to a standing position. It was then that he noticed that her towel had come off and she was standing in front of him buck naked. He quickly averted his eyes until he saw the scar. "Oh Dana," He said as tears welled up in his eyes. He reached out and traced the scar that ran under her right breast. "Walt," She moaned. She was becoming aroused by his touch and was embarrassed when she felt her nipples harden. He lightly ran the tip of his thumb over her nipple then quickly jerked his hand away. "No, this is wrong," He said remembering that this wasn't just his ex-lover, this was his daughter that he was touching.. "What is wrong Walt. You touching me and desiring me?" She asked as she looked up at him with desire in her half hooded eyes.. "Yes. We can't be doing this," He said avoiding her gaze. "I don't see anything wrong with two consenting adults wanting each other Walt," Dana said as she stoked the length of him through his trousers. Walter Skinner moaned and leaned into her. She quickly lowered his zipper and freed his penis. She kneeled down on the floor and took the length of it into her mouth. Walter was instantly hard and losing control. She slid her mouth up and down the length of him. He gabbed her head and pushed himself deeper into her mouth. She held onto his thighs as he rocked in and out of her mouth at an increasing speed. He felt his climax building and all rational thoughts about what he was doing flew out of his mind as he exploded into her mouth. She held onto him as he trembled. "Walt, please fuck me," Dana said to him as she wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand.. "Oh god, Danie," Walter said as he grabbed her by the shoulders and lowered his mouth to her breasts. Danie was a term of endearment that he used to call her. Dana threw her head back and moaned as she felt moisture pooling between her legs. "Touch me, Wally," She cried out using the name she used to call him. He lowered her to the ground and knelt between her legs. He spread her lips with his thumbs and gently lowered his mouth over her core. He started to gently lick her clitoris in circles when he heard a knock on the door. He quickly sat up and threw a towel around Dana. "What is taking you guys so long? Is everything alright?" Blake asked through the door. It was at that instant Walter Skinner realized what he was about to and what his daughter had just done to him. "This did not and cannot happen Dana. I'm sorry," Walter whispered to her as he helped her off the floor of the bathroom. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. "Blake, can you come in here for a minute," Walter Skinner called out through the bathroom door. Blake quickly entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him. One look at Dana and he knew what had been going on in the bathroom. "Just like old times. I leave you two alone for a minute and you go at it like dogs in heat," Blake joked, "Walter, you had better wash the evidence off your face or you are going to have to answer some questions from her partner and brother. I'll take care of Dana," Blake said as he steered Dana back into the shower. Walter quickly washed his face and straightened his clothes and left the bathroom. Blake took off his shirt and leaned into the shower stall to help Dana wash her hair. He had noticed that when she had passed out that not all of the shampoo had been washed out of her hair. He assumed that was why Walter and Dana were taking such a long time in the bathroom. When he didn't hear the shower turn on he knew that they were up to other things and decided to interrupt before Dana got really loud and everyone knew what they were doing. "Dana," Blake started. "Don't Blake. I know what you are going to say." "What the hell do you think you were doing. You've just undone 5 years of therapy." "I know Blake. I'm sorry," She said as she started to cry, "I just wanted someone to love me." "I love you Dana." "I know but you don't desire and want me. I want to be wanted Blake. I want to make love to someone every night and know that they will be there in the morning. I want to feel as the whole world does revolve around me. I want tulips and daisies and roses. I want candlelight dinners and walks in the park. I want all of it Blake. I want companionship, desire, lust and mind blowing sex." "You can have that Dana, you just need to open yourself up to the possibility that there's someone out there for you." "And that person is getting married in three weeks." "You have two choices. You can either tell him how you feel now and hope that he feels the same way and at least you would know, or you can continue on this path of not admitting your feelings and watch Mulder marry someone else." "I have to learn to let him go Blake. He doesn't feel the same way about me and telling him my feelings is only going to strain our relationship. We've finally gotten back to where we once were and I can't risk ruining it again. I can't." "Okay, so you don't tell him. Are you ready to accept him as only a friend?" "I already have Blake," Dana said as Blake turned off the shower and helped her off the bench. He decided that she didn't need a lecture as he helped her into the clothing that he brought for her. She was surprised to see that he had brought some of her clothes from her house. He helped her dress in the Adidas track pants and sweatshirt and walked her back to her bed. He saw that Walter was no longer in the room but Maggie Scully now was. She didn't look happy that she wasn't the one to help her daughter in the shower. "You should have waited until I got here, Blake. I would have helped my daughter in the shower. It is improper for an unmarried woman her age to be nude in the shower with a man that's not her husband." "Please mom. I'm 34 years old, I think I'm old enough to decide who I want to take a shower with. There was nothing sexual about it,." Dana said to her mother trying to reassure her. "I find that highly doubtful. Anytime that a man and a woman are together and one of them doesn't have their clothes on, a sexual situation is going to arise." "Your right mom, you figured it out. I was having wild passionate sex with a gay man in the shower. And before that AD Skinner and I were going at it," Scully said as she noticed that her mothers face paled. "Dana that's nothing to joke about. It would be highly unprofessional for you to be in the bathroom with your supervisor." "You say that like I had a choice in the matter. I fainted in the bathroom. When I woke up they were all standing around me. I had no control over who saw what?" "He isn't a family member. Bill or I should have been the one to help you." "It wasn't a big deal. It over and done with, no sense in dwelling on it," Blake said trying to change the subject. "Stay out of this Maxwell. You've fucked with my sisters head one time too many and I'm not going to stand by this time. You and your lesbian friend Claire are probably turning her into one of you. You guys are probably into threesomes," Bill yelled at Blake. "Leave him alone. It is a little too late to play the concerned brother Bill. You have not been a part of my life for the last 18 years, it is a little too late to start playing the concerned brother routine. Blake is more of a brother to me than you ever will be." Dana could not believe that her family was having this argument again. Every time Bill, her mother and Blake were in the same room the conversation somehow turned to accusations that her friends were turning her into a heathen lesbian. She was getting sick and tired of the constant bickering in her life. She was beginning to wonder if her dense mother and brother would ever understand the reason that she kept them out of her life was they were not accepting of anyone that wasn't exactly like them. She swore many times over growing up that she had been born into the wrong family. Maggie and Bill Scully could not have been here parents or she could have grown up narrow minded like them and their three other children. "The hell if I'm going to stand by and bury another sister. He'll probably give you AIDS or something like that." "Bill, your ignorance continues to astonish me. You can go back to San Diego and play your concerned brother routine with Tara or someone else who will buy it." "When the hell did you become a psychotic egotistical bitch Dana?" Bill asked as Mulder continued to make himself as small as possible hoping that he wouldn't be dragged into this conversation. "Bill Scully, we don't use that kind of language," Maggie said as she scolded her older son. "I'm sorry mother, I apologize for using that language." "Apology accepted. Now Dana, when you get out of the hospital I want you to come home and stay with me,"Maggie said changing the subject. "The hell I will Mom. I'm planning on recuperating in my own house. You don't have to play the concerned mother. I know that the only reason why you want me to stay at your house is out of your catholic guilt and what the other ladies in the parish would say if they found out that the great Maggie Scully's daughter was not recuperating at her house. Don't worry mom, I won't tell them." She had finally had it with her mother. It had taken 34 years for Dana to stand up to her mother. She wasn't going to take any more shit from her mother or brothers. Dana Scully had had enough. "Dana, I'm your mother, you had better treat me with respect. I don't appreciate your attitude or tone of voice." "Deal with it," Dana said as she sat back in her bed. "Scully, Blake and I are going to get something to eat in the cafeteria. We'll be back in a little while," Mulder said as he and Blake left the room. The conversation had heated up too much for their tastes. Bill, Maggie and Dana never even noticed that they had left the room. "How dare you treat mom like that Dana. She has always wanted nothing but the best for you and you treat her like this." "I'm sorry, am I being a disappointment to you?" Dana asked sarcastically. "Grow up, Dana," Bill yelled at her, "No wonder you can't get a man. Who the hell in their right mind would want you. It is probably a good thing that you aren't able to breed because heaven knows the world doesn't need more people like you," Bill Scully said with contempt in his voice. He didn't understand why his sister made the choices that she did. "I'm sorry that I was never able to be perfect like you. Heaven knows I tried hard enough. You would think being valedictorian would have been enough for my parents," Dana said to no one in particular. "You were enough Dana. I just wished that you had gotten married. You are such a pretty girl, you could have had your choice in men. But now that you are older you don't have as many options." "Mom, have you ever thought to consider the fact that maybe I didn't want to get married. I'm happy with my life and career and I don't need a man to make me happy." "Every girl wants to get married Dana." Maggie said truly believing with she had said to her daughter. "Maybe in the era that you grew up in mom." Dana was growing tired of her family. She just wanted them to go away. Couldn't they see that they were never going to agree of her lifestyle choices. She wished that Melissa were alive so that there would be someone else that they could express their disappointment in. "I'm glad that your father isn't here to see what you've become Dana. He would have been so disappointed. We tried to give you everything." "You gave me nothing. All I wanted my whole life was to please you but nothing I ever did was good enough. You've always treated me differently." Dana Scully was annoyed, but now she was fuming mad. How dare they bring her father into this and say that she was a disappointment. "That's not true Dana." "It is true mom. I studied as hard as I could thinking that if I got all A's you and dad would be proud of me. All you were concerned about was my appearance and who I was dating. Melissa failed 8th grade and you lavished attention on her because she was a cheerleader and had lots of boyfriends. When Bill made captain of the football team it was all you could talk about for weeks. Did it matter that Bill had a C average? No, you rewarded him. You ended his curfew and raised his allowance. Precious Bill the football player needed to concentrate all his time on football so that he could go to a good college. Did Bill have to work a part time job? I don't seem to recall that he ever did. Then there was Charlie. He was the baby so we shouldn't expect much out of him, right? He never had to do chores or work. I don't recall him doing much of anything besides hanging out behind the school smoking. Why was it that I never got the love and attention mom?" Dana asked. "We gave you plenty of attention Dana. You know it wasn't easy rasing four kids." "You never gave me the attention I so desperately craved. I must have been five or six when I realized that you and Daddy were never going to love me for who I was. I thought that if I excelled in academics that you would care. When that didn't do it I decided that if Bill got attention by being the big football star I would do it by being the track and cross country star. I was the state cross country champion for four years in a row and you never noticed or attended one meet." "Dana, I'm sure that we must have gone to one of them. You know with four kids we pretty much had our hands full." "I would have remembered. I know that you were much too busy attending every single one of Bill's football games to take time out for a little track meet. Why was I the only one that had to have a job in high school?" "Your father and I felt that having a job would be good for your social skills." "I didn't have a problem with my social skills. But none of this really matters anyone to me. I have come to terms with the way that I was treated growing up and no longer blame you. I don't think I will ever understand why I was never good enough for you and dad. It doesn't matter anymore. I no longer need nor want your acceptance or recognition. You had the last 34 years to be my mother, please don't insult my intelligence and act like you want to start being my mother now." Maggie Scully was stunned by Dana's version of her childhood. She thought that she had done a wonderful job raising Dana. She was bright and articulate and had a good job. Wasn't that a sign of parental success? "Mom, it is clear that Blake has been messing with Dana's head. She's acting jealous and spiteful once again. Lets come back when she's acing like her old self again," Bill Scully said as he led his mother out of the hospital room. Dana Scully laid back in her bed and looked out the window as the tears began to flow. End of Chapter 11