Timeless (21a/?)
by Elisa P. Black

  Various devices beeped loudly in the dark silence.  From the doorway
Nat gazed sorrowfully at her old friend, Dana, who lay like a small, 
pale ghost on the bed.  Beside the bed sat Mulder, holding his 
partner's hand and putting his head down as if in prayer.  Nat took a 
step inside with Nick right behind her.  The stillness was broken.
  Mulder's head popped up and his stare penetrated Nat.  "Hello, Dr. 
Lambert."
  She swallowed.  "Hello, Mulder.  How's Dana?"
  Mulder looked at her evenly, and she tried not to squirm.  "No 
change.  And she hasn't woken up yet."
  She nodded and approached the bed.  Dana looked very close to just 
fading away against the white sheets.  The woman's breathing was 
shallow and labored.  Nat closed her eyes to say a short prayer.
  "You."
  Mulder's dangerous whisper sent chills down her back.  She opened 
her eyes in time to see the FBI agent slam an unresisting Nick into 
the wall.  A split second later, Mulder had his gun out and pointed 
straight at the other man's chest.
  "I should have brought a wooden stake, vampire," he hissed.
  "No!" Nat shouted.  "He's not--"
  "Well, I'll just shoot him in the heart and then we'll see."
  If Mulder pulled the triggger, then Nick would pretend that he was 
dead.  Hospital staff would come running; they'd take the body away.  
If an autopsy were performed, she'd be lucky to get the case.  Ten a 
'dead' Nick would leave for a new life elsewhere, leave her alone...
  "No, please don't do it," Nat begged.
  "You know what he is and yet you protect him.  Are you in his
thrall?  Did he hypnotize you, take little drinks from you, make
promises of his love?"  Mulder's voice rose higher in pitch with every
word.
  "No!"
  Bang!  Nick slid down to the floor.  Mulder looked shocked that Nick
hadn't counterattacked, or avoided the shot, or even simply remained
standing.  Nat stared in disbelief.
  "Mulder," croaked a surprised voice from the bed, "you killed him?"
  They both turned to see Scully trying to sit up.  Nat rushed over to
keep her friend from moving too much and hurting herself.
  "I-I though he was a..." Mulder trailed off.
  Nat rushed over to examine Nick.  He'd taken a bullet to the heart
but she knew he could survive it.  A moment later, she heard a number
of footsteps rushing into the room.  They were hospital staff coming
to see what had happened.
  "Was there a gunshot?" someone asked.  "Was anyone hurt?"
  Natalie's mind skimmed through the consequences.  No more Nick.  
Mulder on a full-scale rampage.  The Enforcers killing them all.  She 
knew what she had to do.
  Making sure that her body blocked their view, she spoke calmly.  
"Everything's okay.  He just fell and some stuff crashed."
  "Are you sure?"
  She stodd and turned, still blocking their view.  "He's okay.  I'm 
his doctor."
  Satisfied, the hospital staffers left.  Now it was time to face the 
others.  Mulder spoke first, his voice deadly calm.
  "So he is one.  And you're protecting him."
  "He's not evil," Nat explained.  "H'es trying to make up for past 
mistakes, and he's done so much good... He drinks cow blood, for 
goodness sake!"
  Scully jumped in.  "Right now, he's severely injured... or dead.  
You should try to get him some medical treatment."
  They both turned to stare at Scully.  She sighed.  "Whatever you 
believe, there's no such thing as vampires.  Now *please* check on 
him.  Or I'll get out if this bed and do it myself."
  Nat spun around to look straight into Nick's accusing stare; Mulder 
and Scully could not see him since shhe was in their way.  Looking 
back evenly, she reached into her purse and took out a scalpel from 
her ever-ready vampire first aid kit.  She knelt down and pried the 
bullet out.  Nick grimaced, but then deliberately blanked his face and 
closed his eyes.  She, in turn, crossed the room and dropped the 
bullet into the hazardous waste bin.  Crossing back, she nudged him.
  "Get up, Nick."
  He refused to budge.
  "Dont make me out to be a liar, Nick.  I told those people that you 
were fine, and if they have to cart your body away, then I'll look 
suspicious."
  Scully spoke quietly.  "He's not getting up, Nat."
  "Damn it, Nick!  This isn't a game!  You have a responsibility here.  
You know very well what will happen when Mulder does mpore 
investigating.  If we can't explain...  How far do you think he'll get 
before the Enforcers kill us all?  Kill not just Mulder, but Scully, 
you, all of our friends, me?"
  Nick's eyes popped open at that and he let out a low growl.  Scully 
gasped in surprise.  Mulder pulled out his gun again.
  "No!"  Nat stood her ground in front of Nick.
  "Move out of the way."
  "Don't shoot him!"
  "Why not?  It won't kill him.  Give me a good reason not to."

End of Part 21a