TITLE: Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate AUTHOR: aRcaDIaNFall$ FEEDBACK: arcadianfalls@yahoo.com.au RATING: PG SPOILERS: none CLASSIFICATION: H, MSR, UST SUMMARY: An accident. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, this one did start out with an actual plot, but I sort of got sidetracked along the way. It feels like a little of a waste to lose the plot together, so if you think it's worthy of a sequel... --> http://www.geocities.com/arcadianfallls/ Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate by arcadianfall$ A stupid accident. That was all it was. Not leaping onto a speeding train or jumping two stories from a fire escape but simple clumsiness, climbing out of bed, tripping over my sneakers and feeling a searing pain as I fell. Scully let herself into my apartment, the familiar jangle of her keys, her voice echoing through the rooms as she called my name. "Mulder? Where are you? Mulder?" "Bedroom," I muttered, loudly as I could through clenched teeth, turning my gaze toward the open door as I heard her coming closer. "Mulder?" She stood in the doorway, just stood there for a few long seconds as she stared at me, wondering if I was pulling a stunt. Then she moved forward swiftly, kneeling beside me. "What happened?" Her hands on me, checking me over. I exhaled, closing my eyes, already feeling better at her touch. "I tripped on my damn sneakers. My left ankle-" She reached down, but there was no time to appreciate her light touch. I howled in pain and she pulled back, carefully tugging up the hem of my pajama pants leg to get a better look. Wincing, I craned my neck to watch her face. "Is it broken?" "I think it's only a sprain. How badly does it hurt?" Only a sprain? "Badly." "It doesn't look like you've fractured or dislocated it, Mulder. I don't see any deformity, only the swelling you'd expect with a grade one or two sprain." She sat back. "We'll have to get an x-ray, though, to be sure." I leaned back against the side of the bed, a little disappointed. "I thought it was broken." "If you thought it was broken, why didn't you call 911, Mulder?" "I called you." "I know you called me, but if you'd called 911 you'd be halfway to the hospital already." I shrugged, drawing a breath and giving her a pained, sheepish smile. My effort was rewarded: she smiled back, tolerant affection. "I'll get you some ice." Her diagnosis was confirmed at the hospital. Second degree sprain, with extensive damage to the ligament with associated swelling. Handed a set of crutches I was told to go home, rest, ice, compress and elevate my ankle for the next forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Scully seemed, more than anything else, amused by the situation. "Come on, Mulder." She took my arm, helping me stand awkwardly with the crutches. "I'll drive you home." "I need to stop by the office." "Nope. No detours. Straight home. You're officially on sick leave." - She let me settle on the couch, at least, helping me stretch out and sliding a pillow under my ankle with that careful efficiency of hers. I'd been afraid that she'd take the term 'bedrest' literally, and that would surely have been the end of what little remained of my patience. "Anything you need, Mulder?" "...Anything?" She sat on the edge of the coffee table, her lips quirking up in a smile. "Yeah, Mulder. Three wishes." "I always wanted to be a cowboy." The smile widened. "If you can do this sort of damage just getting out of bed in the morning, Mulder... I don't want to see you anywhere near thousand pound animals." "Party pooper." She smiled again and leaned closer, brushing her fingers through my hair with that restrained affection she allowed herself when I looked pitiful enough. "How's the pain?" I shrugged. To be honest, the painkillers they'd given me at the hospital were still very much in effect. But tell her that? Having Scully beside me was the only up-side to all of this. "I can't believe I was so stupid," I murmured instead. She drew back, gazing at me more seriously. "Maybe this is a good thing. It might make you slow down for a couple of days." "I don't need slowing down." I stared at my ankle with real misery. There were half a dozen cases I was just itching to get started on. How was I supposed to do my job like this? "How long until I can be back at work? "A couple of days, at least. You've got to let the swelling go down." "I can put my ankle up in the office and still get work done." "No, Mulder." "I'd even be under doctor's supervision..." "I said no and I'm not changing my mind." She rose. "I'll see you this afternoon, okay?" "Wait, Scully- You're going?" "One of us has to be at work, Mulder." "But-" "I'll bring you back something, if you're good." "What sort of something?" Case files? Reference books to brush up on? News snippets passed along by my many sources in and outside of the FBI? "My surprise." She smiled ambigiously. "I'll see you later, Mulder." - She was back after work, and not a moment too soon. The day had turned miserable, dark stormclouds gathering in the sky, and my mood wasn't much better. She checked in on me, then disappeared into the kitchen. I could hear the rattle of silverware and ceramics as she opened and shut cupboard doors. Several minutes later, she reappeared. "Looks like the aliens came and abducted all your food, Mulder." I shrugged and reached for the Rubic's cube she'd just put on the coffee table for me, half-heartedly starting to manouever it. Not the sort of 'something' I'd been hoping for. If only I could remember how to solve the damn thing. "Mulder..." I glanced up to find her looking at me, amused. "What?" "You're pouting." "I am not pouting." "Yes, you are. You're pulling a pouty face." "I think I would know if I was pouting." She shook her head, giving in, then reached for her coat. "I'm going to go get you some groceries. Anything you especially want?" "Pizza." She pulled on her coat and fixed her collar, then tossed me the phone. "No anchovies for me. And Mulder?" "What?" "Don't move." - "Ohw, damnit..." "Mulder?" Concern in her voice; she'd heard me groan. The door latched closed and I heard her crisp footsteps, the rustle as she lowered down the grocery bags. "Mulder? Are you okay?" She found me in the hall propped up with one crutch, leaning against the wall. I'd dropped the second one. "I told you not to move, Mulder." "Nature called. I've gotta answer." She bent down, picking up the second crutch and hovering, ready to catch me, as I got my balance. "You need some help?" I gave her a look. There was a limit as to how much I was prepared to be mothered by Scully. She shrugged, backing up. "Okay. But call me if you need help." She was in the kitchen packing away the groceries when I hobbled back, my return journey mercifully uneventful. She glanced across at me. "Did you order the pizza?" "They said it would be an hour wait." She raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. "You want some help, Scully?" "No, I've got it. You go put your ankle up, Mulder." I hesitated, about to protest. The invalid act just wasn't me. I needed to do something. But the look she threw me quelled all protests and I retreated obediently. I heard the pizza delivery guy arrive about ten minutes later, and, craning my neck, my eyes followed Scully as she took the pizza, bringing it into the living room and putting it on the far edge of the coffee table, just out of my reach. "Don't touch, I'll be back in a minute." She was, but I'd been unable to resist the aromatic temptation of the steaming pizza and was wolfing down my second piece when she returned with plates, glasses, and a pitcher of what looked like iced tea. I wriggled along, my foot resting on the coffee table beside the pizza box, and she sat beside me. "Thanks for waiting." I grinned sheepishly. "I was hungry." I swallowed the remainder of the second piece, wiped my greasy fingers on my t-shirt, and reached awkwardly to pour myself a glass of the iced tea. It spilt. "Damnit..." Scully moved forward swiftly, righting the glass, grabbing a pile of paper napkins and mopping up the mess. "It's okay, I've got it." Managing to get it under control she glanced across at me, smiling. "This just isn't your day, is it, Mulder?" I grimaced. "The real question is," I muttered, "what's going to go wrong next?" She smiled suddenly, an impish smile. "I've got something which should cheer you up." She rose, disappearing into the kitchen, then returning a minute later balancing a stack of hired videos. "I figured you might get bored." She set them down on the coffee table and I sorted through them, impressed by the choices. The Godfather, The Fly, Planet of the Apes... "All the classics," I murmured approvingly. "I thought you'd like them. So, which one first?" Was there any question? I held out the Planet of the Apes cassette and she obligingly fed it into the VCR, switching on the TV and starting to fast-forward through the previews. It was about then I realised something. "You got the wrong video!" "What do you mean, I got the wrong video?" "You got the remake, not the original. Scully..." She stood, folding her arms. "You know, Mulder, I've got my own apartment to go home to." "You got the remake-" "Have you seen the remake?" "No." "So, maybe it won't kill you to see a movie made within the last twenty years." She was only just keeping her patience with me. Was I that difficult to bear? I wondered. I didn't think my behaviour was so unreasonable. But... I didn't want her to leave. "Okay, okay," I agreed quickly, trying to win her back. "We'll watch this one." It was only ten or fifteen minutes into it, though, before I forgot my resolution to stay silent. "Look at this? Who's that supposed to be?" "Mulder -" "There's none of the original characters! They've just thrown the plot out the window! And since when could the humans on the ape planet speak? I can't believe this, Scully..." "Mulder -!" "My ankle hurts," I muttered feebly, realising how irritable she was getting, hoping to get back to safer turf. It wasn't a lie - the painkillers had long since worn off and it was throbbing. "You should have ice on it, Mulder. And it's not elevated enough." I still had it stretched out on the coffee table. There wasn't enough room for us both when I stretched out. "You want me to get you some Advil?" I shook my head. "Maybe later." "I'm getting you some ice." She was much happier, I thought, being in doctor mode. I guess she got that whole attitude from dealing with difficult patients. She helped me put my ankle up, wrapped in the ice pack, then resettled herself on the couch, tugging me closer and, in a move that surprised me, letting me rest my head in her lap for a pillow. "Is that comfortable?" Was she kidding? Did she honestly think I'd complain about that? "Yeah." I returned my focus to the television screen, determined to stay quiet this time. But I'd lost track of the plot and characters, and the glossy action-scene had started to swim before my eyes. I closed my eyes, tired and in pain. "You okay, Mulder?" "It still hurts," I mumbled, forcing my eyes open again. "I can get you something for it.." "No, it's okay." My response was even quicker than before. I didn't want to lose this moment. Despite the pain, I'd never been more comfortable in my life. "It's not so bad." She smiled, lightly touching my face. "You sure you're not just being macho?" "Only a little." Another smile, and she eased out from under me. "I'll be right back." "I'll be okay, Scully. Scully-" "Right back, Mulder," she repeated, reassuring me. She was true to her promise. An Advil and a glass of water later and we were settled again, me and my soft, warm Scully-pillow. The movie was still playing and it seemed Scully was still watching, her gaze on the screen, fingers playing with my hair. "You like this, don't you?" "Like what?" "Mothering me." "I'm not mothering you, Mulder. If anything, I'm doctoring." "You do this for all your patients?" A smile. Her gaze was still fixed on the television screen, and I wasn't entirely sure who was getting more attention. "Only the special ones." "I'm special?" "You're needy." "I'm in pain." "You sprained your ankle. Mulder, you've survived far worse with far less whining." "Yeah, but there's something valiant about bearing intense and valid pain in stoic silence, don't you think? There's nothing heroic about spraining your ankle falling out of bed. It's just... ridiculous." "And you make it less ridiculous by whining about it?" We were silent for a few minutes, both watching the screen. I could feel every breath that she took, and the warmth of her body. I could feel her heart beating. She seemed calm, comfortable in the banter but even more so just being there with me. Not so much irritation any more as distracted amusement; she was paying attention to the movie, after all. I didn't mind. We could do that. We could fuction together in that way. We could focus elsewhere without leaving each other out. "You make me feel better, Scully." I could hear the tolerant smile in her voice. "That's what good doctors do." "Thank you for looking after me." "That's what good friends do." I paused, pondering it. "You know, we're like an old-married couple." Another smile. "Not so old." "Or married." "Or a couple." "You don't think of us as a couple, Scully?" "A couple of lunatics, maybe." "Seriously." "Seriously? It's a partnership. I guess you could call us a couple. An odd-couple, but a couple nonetheless..." That was enough for me. I smiled. "Thanks for staying." "Yeah, Mulder. You're welcome." fin. ===== = arc's domain: http://www.geocities.com/arcadianfalls = ======================================================== Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. Nobody comes to the father except through me." John 14:6 ======================================================== http://www.sold.com.au - SOLD.com.au Auctions - 1,000s of Bargains!