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Title: My Partner, the Devil Summary: Scully has a near death experience where she meets a familiar face and has an interesting conversation. Author's Notes: This is my very first story so please be kind and send me lots of feedback. I'll take good and bad, and all advise you may have to offer. The opinions expressed here on in are not those of the author but of the characters. "Scully? Scully, you okay?...damn it! Come on, open your eyes..." Dana Scully found herself suddenly standing in their basement office. But something was terribly, terribly wrong. Everything was... .*red*. It was like viewing the world through the right side lens of pair of cheesey 3-D glasses. The filing cabinet, the floors, the ceiling, the walls, that ridiculous poster, had all lost their pigment. Everything was darker and lighter shades and hues of that horrific bloody red colour. Her first thought was that something had gone wrong with her eyes but then for the first time she saw Mulder. In technicolour, standing behind his messy desk. He was dressed in a black suit, black shirt, and solid red tie. A pair of sparkling plastic red horns were on the top of his head. He smiled at her. Wickedly. "Hi Dana, welcome to Hell." "1, 2, 3." "Scully! Scully, is she going to be okay?" "Will someone get that guy out of here!" "I'm FBI...she's my partner." "I'm sorry sir, you're going to have to wait outside." "She's crashing!" "SCULLY!" "Wha." Scully, felt her head spin at the rising temperature and she closed her eyes briefly, putting a hand to her head. What was going on? The last thing she remembered was the alley.the man they were chasing, and Mulder calling her name. But she must of been remembering wrong 'cause here she was. Mulder had now sat back down and was typing on the red laptop computer, the blue screen reflecting off the glasses that sat on his nose. He looked at her sideways with a half interested look, half amused look, and gestured for her to sit in the chair in front of the desk. He went back to the computer, and Scully looked at the screen and saw that some sort of personal file had been called up. A long one. It read "Dana Katherine Scully" she felt her heart fell into her pumps. "Feeling better?" he asked nicely, his voice light. "Mulder, this is some sort of weird joke right? You're sick sense of humour?" Scully asked. "I don't have a sick sense of humour." Mulder pouted. "And believe me that this is not a joke." "So you're telling me that you are the Devil." Mulder smiled. "My friends call me 'The.'" He chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. "Sorry, stupid joke I know, I tell it every time." He turned to face her, and took of the glasses and plopped them down on the desk. "Yes, I'm the Devil. No, I am not Mulder. I just look like him, I thought that it would make you feel a little more comfortable if I looked like someone familiar. Can we move on now?". "So I'm dead?" Scully asked tentatively. "I know what you're thinking." MulderDevil said knowingly "Why are you in Hell? You think you are a decent human being and deserve to be in Heaven. Trust me, everyone thinks that way when they first get here." He sighed and typed something more on the computer and frowned slightly. "Now before you start getting all worried, you're not dead. Yet. You are having a Near Death Experience. Wether or not you will actually die this time...that's up the Big Guy." "The Big Guy?" Scully asked dumbly. MulderDevil sighed and looked upwards. "You know.the *Big* Guy. The Man upstairs. Don't be dense," he walked around the desk to sit on the edge directly in front of her. "Okay, I know you're confused so let me clear some stuff up for you. This is probably not what you expected a Near Death Experience to be like. They have this story floating around up there about white lights and tunnels and that sort of pish posh.or in your case: row boats, forests and dead people talking to you. You see, the thing is, people who aren't dead can't perceive Heaven, Hell, or any other aspect of the afterlife or anything out side the *living* world." "I don't understand," Scully said. "I obviously can perceive these things if I'm talking to you, sitting in this room, having this conversation. Of course more then likely this is all some sort of coma induced hallucination." MulderDevil shrugged. "Hey, it's your eternity Dana, if you don't want to believe that's your problem not mine. Unless, of course, judgement rules in my favour," he smiled in a way that the Mulder she knew never would. It sent shivers down her spine. "This," he gestured around the room "is just a..representation of Hell, of the afterlife. Your perception of it as you are able to comprehend it. Same goes for me, you wouldn't be able to recognize me in my true form, but you do recognize your partner's form which is why I chose it," he stood and looked to his right where a full length mirror suddenly materialized out of nowhere. "Not a bad form either, if I do say so myself. Actually, you'd be surprised how much use it gets down here," he turned away from the mirror and it promptly disappeared. "Anyway, I'm getting off track here. The point is, everything you are seeing here is plucked out of your own little mind. This most definitely is Hell, but only as you are capable of seeing it. For now." MulderDevil walked around the desk and sat down in his own chair, waiting for Scully to talk. "How long do I have to wait to see if I'm going to die or not?" she finally asked. He shrugged. "I really have no way of knowing. Like I said, it's not my decision. And the Big Guy tends to get pretty busy. But time here is irrelevant. A few minutes here can equal years out in the real world, and vice versa. You're just going to have to be patient." "But why did I come to this place? Why not a representation of Heaven?" Scully asked. MulderDevil sighed wistfully. "Heaven is too glorious a place, and God too glorious a person to be reduced to such properties. But nothing's going to hurt you here, even if this is Hell. Consider this a waiting room of sorts. We use to have a *real* waiting room between Hell and that Other place but it got too complicated." MulderDevil frowned slightly in thought. Scully paused for a second. "Okay, let's just say for a second that you *are* the Devil, and that this *is* Hell, and that I am not dreaming all this up..." "Oh *lets*." MulderDevil said with sarcastic joy. "Surely I'm not the only one that has been here. before, why does everyone else have the Near Death Experiences with the tunnels, the light and the dead loved ones?" Scully finished. "Because everyone has a different perception, a different view then the other guy on just about everything." MulderDevil said logically, he leaned forward slightly. "For example, it is obvious to most that 6 + 6 + 6 = 18, correct? But different people might approach, or look at the problem differently. Some gent might see apples in his head, another oranges, or someone else little dancing monkeys. But 6 + 6 + 6 is a constant and something that only has one answer. And no matter what your perception on the matter everyone should come to the same answer because there is only one. "Just as is this whole afterlife thing. Just as you. can't see Hell, Heaven, or this room, you can't meet anyone from those places either. Not in their real form. Myself, and the Big Guy are exceptions for, well, obvious reasons of course. Anybody that Near Deathers meet are purely from their own minds. They fabricate them as they remember them. In a sense, when you talk to the dead while still alive, you are talking to yourself without realizing it. When the dead give you advise, your just giving yourself advise from knowledge you didn't know you possessed. If the dead forgive you for something that you might of wronged them with, you are forgiving yourself because you know that they would of forgiven you and so on. "As for all those other Near Death Experiences, anyone hardly ever remembers what really happened,just that they had a Near Death Experience, and so their mind recalls what they heard on the television, or read in some book and the fictions substitutes for a memory. And those few that do remember, just assume that it was a dream and keep it to themselves. Understand?" She considered a moment before nodding. Then sighed. "Actually, yes. I *do* understand." MulderDevil rolled his eyes. "Oh goody. Now that Dana Scully understands we can move on..." he began but Scully quickly interrupted. "Wait a minute! Who passes judgment? God?" The sound of a delighted laugh filled the room, and the Devil, who was beginning to become less and less Mulder like with each passing moment slapped the desk in amusement. "No, no, no. Of course not, God, the good Ol'Chap is far to biased to pass judgment on anyone. And that old kook St. Peter is too old fashion to do anyone any good. You won't believe some of the 'evil' people he sent down here. I mean, Joe Piscapo? Come on, he wasn't *that* funny but." "But..Joe Piscapo isn't dead." Scully interrupted. A flush over came MulderDevil's features and he quickly went over to the computer. He clicked on the "close" button of the Scully file and went to the Joe Piscapo one. Scully didn't know what she found more disturbing, that there were probably files on everybody in the living and dead world in that one little computer. Or that it was done up in Window's '95 format. "Well, damn if you aren't right," Mulder said. "Aw, I hate it when this happens. Now I gotta send him back. Who's going to play golf with me on Sundays now?" he turned off the computer with a swipe and festered for a moment before continuing. "Okay, back to the point. God loves everyone, and he forgives everyone, so we decided that after that whole Adam and Eve incident that he should just leave the Judgment up to one of his Angles. St. Peter is a lovely fellow, don't get me wrong, we play golf on Saturdays, but he's a little slow witted. I." Mulder smiled. "on the other hand, don't care one way or another about you people. So I'm totally impartial, and therefor, the perfect Judge." "I have a hard time believing that *you* are totally impartial," Scully snapped. "There you go, just like everyone else. Judging *me* before you even give me a chance. Haven't I been perfectly nice to you since you came in? Have I done anything awful and terrible like cutting off the heads of babies and drinking their blood? No, but just because I'm the Prince of Darkness, everyone automatically assumes that I'm *not* a nice guy! I want to be here about as much as you do doll face. This is the about the time I usually reek havoc on a small, non-suspecting town. I just want the benefit of the doubt, that's all." MulderDevil threw his hands up in there air. "I betcha Clarence never has this problem." "Doctor, is she going to be okay?" "We successfully removed the bullet, but your partner is not out of the woods yet. We moved her to intensive care, and now it's just a matter of waiting and seeing how things go." "But what are her chances?" "I won't lie to you Agent Mulder, it doesn't look good. She should be awake but it's like something is keeping her from coming back to us." "Ice Tea?" he offered. He gestured to the space of desk in front of her and suddenly a cup of ice tea appeared, filled to the brim with ice and the glass was sweaty and slick. "Lemon and lime, you're favourite Dana." "I think I'll pass," Scully said after a brief hesitation, even though the cold drink was practically screaming obscenities at her as she said no. Talk about temptation. MulderDevil shrugged and downed the glass himself, finishing it in no time, and wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "We have to be going anyway," he said as he stood. He adjusted the glittering horns on his head and ran hands down the front of the jacket, straitening non-existent creases. "Where to?" Scully asked standing reluctantly. "Ted Bundy's supposed to be pushing a rock up a hill for eternity but apparently he got away again, so I gotta go pick him up," he went over to the elevator and pressed it, the doors opened quickly for him. He gestured for her to enter first. "I go away for *one* minute, to see Euro-Disney and this is what happens. Everything goes to shambles. So I'm going to drop you off at the Real world for a while and you can wait for word on your fate there. If I show up, it means you're dead and have to be judged. If one of the Big Guy's boys shows up, he'll guide you back to life and you'll have your second, or in your case, third chance at life. Don't worry, there's no limit on how many chances you get. Like I said, that's all up to You Know Who." She stepped in cautiously and MulderDevil danced in right after her. "Going up," he chirped, and the elevator started to move. The elevator ride lasted just long enough for the U2 song "Pride" to finish and Scully stepped out quickly, feeling more then a little spaced out. She vaugely heard her companion say something about his ears popping. MulderDevil had sung along with the song comically well, as he tried to get her to dance with him in the cramped space. The doors opened into a darkened room. The sounds of life support machines, and the smell of medicine gave it away as another hospital room. And even though she had been expecting it, even though the man who looked like her partner had warned her, it was still a shock to see her own comatose body lying on the hospital bed in front of her. Tubes attached to her nose, and an IV drip attached to her wrist. She approached the bed slowly and started to reach out with a shaky hand to touch the body, but MulderDevil reached out to stop her. His hand was chillingly cold on hers and she snatched it back a little quicker then necessary. "I would advise against that," he said. "It ain't ever a good idea to cross worlds." Scully was about to protest, she wanted to proof. She wanted to see if she could touch her own body, or if her hand would simply past through. Or if she would be sucked into the comatose Dana Scully lying on the bed, and indeed be in the human shell of a coffin. But she stopped when the door to the room, a room she realized that she alone occupied, opened and light poured in. She knew it would be him. Mulder. The real Mulder. *Her* Mulder. He looked bad. Rumpled, like he had been stepped on. His shirt, jacket and tie had been replaced with a surgeon's green scrubs, and there were damp spots of red on his pants. Blood? Her blood? Scully watched as Mulder stood awkwardly over the bed, before finally reaching over to turn on a small pink lamp by the bedside. Scully wondered what strings her partner had to have pulled to get her such accommodations. The room was small, and looked a lot like her bedroom at home. Bookshelves lined the walls, the hospital bed was a canopy and the TV a thirty inch, with a cable box on top. Sweet smelling plants were placed around the room. It was a room that was usually reserved for mothers in labour. The life support equipment was nestled in oak shelves and surrounded by vases of tulips. A very surreal sight indeed. The steady beep was a reassuring sound, and Scully watched Mulder study it briefly before going to sit in the arm chair next to the bed. He paused before reaching out and putting both hands over hers, squeezing it tightly. He seemed transfixed by the intertwined fingers, then said gently, with a bit of that famous dry sense of humour. "We got to stop meeting like this Scully." Scully felt a lump grow in her throat at the soft voice and she almost reached out to put a hand on his head, wanting to feel his hair through her fingers but stopped herself, biting her lip. "You two make me want to gag." She looked up and to her right to see MulderDevil staring down at her with no expression on is face, expect maybe that same, cold amusement that was there when she first saw him. No, this definitely wasn't Mulder. "Why did you show me this?" she demanded. "To torture me? Do you get a kick of watching my partner go through this and me standing here helpless to comfort him?" "Stop staring at me like I just clubbed a herd of baby seals." MulderDevil said, a tad bit impatiently. "Controlling fate is not my department, it's you peoples. And as much as I would like *him*." MulderDevil jabbed a finger at the real Mulder "to come join me.from what I heard he has a heck of a jump shot.somebody up there likes him. Which is why he was allowed to come back on such numerous occasions. So I have nothing against him. Or you for that matter. Like I said, humans don't concern me, until I get their souls that is. So stop getting all mad at me just because I'm Satan and enjoy your time with your partner. It might not last," he stopped for a second to study his look alike before going on. "I may be the source of all evil, but I would like to think that I picked up a thing here and there in my existence," he said. "Like how guilt and love go hand in hand. How no matter how much devotion you may feel towards someone, it's never a substitute for actual feelings. "He may have this obsession with finding that sister of his, but he doesn't really *love* her. Not the way that he loves you anyway. How could he love someone that he doesn't know? But his devotion, his obsession must turn to love because no matter how open minded a person is, their goal has to be grounded in some way. Some way other then the mere need to accomplish that goal. The alternative is something that even the most strongest believer refuses to grasp. So stay with him, enjoy his company, and stop looking at the black and white of things." With these words there was the sound of the elevator opening, and "Pride" filled the room. Scully watched as MulderDevil stepped into the elevator and pressed a button. As the doors started to close he winked. "See you around Dana Scully. Maybe sooner then later." The elevator descended into the floor and disappeared. Scully watched and listened as Mulder talked to her comatose body, keeping hold of her hand the hold time. He went on about the troubles he had been having with that "arrogant, prick bastard" in white collar crimes. How his land lady kept trying to force food on him whenever he happened to run into her or when he dropped off the rent. And how he had once swallowed a live worm because of a dare in the third grade. She felt closer to him then she ever had, and it ached that she couldn't do anything about it, other then just stand there and watch him, hands twitching at her sides. "Oh Scully." Mulder's voice broke slightly and he took a deep breath, trying to hold back guilty tears. "I'm so sorry. I should of gotton to you sooner, we never should of split up to begin with. I was profiling the bastard, I should of known that he would follow you. But it came to me to late and now you're here, like this. Again. And it's all my fault..." She wanted to kill him. How *dare* he. How DARE he take guilt and blame for this too. Something completely beyond his control, when she could only stand by helplessly by and watch as he fell into some sort of dark, loveless pit of his own making. "Don't be so hard on him. He can't help it." Scully spun at the voice and saw with dread, that MulderDevil had returned. Or had he? The.person that stood in front of her, was once again the spitting image of his partner, but something was different about him this time. He no longer had that sinister air about him, and he was smiling in the warmest way. She felt safe and comfortable with him, when she had felt the exact opposite with the other. This Mulder was dressed in a completely white suit, from tie to wingtips. And he had a tin foil halo attached to his head on a stick. He reached out with a hand and she took it without hesitation. It felt warm and big over hers. "I'm not God, if that's what your wondering," he said. "I'm one of his angels. We met before in fact, I was Nurse Owens at the time, but it was me none the less," he paused. "Would you prefer it if I took on her form?" The air around him started to shimmer but Scully quickly shook her head. "No, please don't. This is just fine.I - I kind of like seeing Mulder so at peace with himself. Even though you really aren't Mulder." MulderAngel smiled warmly at her, a look of adoration and love so pure and full that Scully felt herself smiling back, despite the situation. "Since the other one isn't here does this mean that I'm not going to die?" "Not yet," MulderAngel said. "Your time on Earth is not yet over, and he needs you just as much as you need him," he said gesturing to her partner. "I heard what the Devil said to you, and he's right in a way. But also remember that the human spirit needs something to hope for, not matter how impossible that hope may be, and no matter how illogical. Just support him, like you always have, and try to be more open to him. Openness does no equal weakness Dana." Mulder Angel nodded once happily. "Well, then. If you would just kindly close your eyes, I can send you back." "Just close my eyes? that's it?" "That's it sweetie," MulderAngel said. "I doubt that you will really remember anything, but if you do remember know that whatever you make of it.it's your own. No one else can take it away from you. Wether a dream or a real experience, just know that someone will always be watching over you Dana. Some good, some bad, but you're never alone." Scully smiled. "I'll remember that," she said and closed her eyes. When she opened them, a pounding headache greeted her. She felt sore all over, and the pain was particulary great in her left side, where she could feel tight bandages wrapped around it. *I was shot* she remembered. She also remembered her dream. That damn bizarre dream. Or was it a dream? Scully looked down and saw the top of her partner's head, nestled on top of their hands, snoring quietly. She felt warmth rush all over her and with her other hand, reached over to touch his hair gently. It made him wake with a start, and soon a pair of wide hazel eyes were staring up at her. "Dana? Scully?" he murmured, still drowsy and in shock. "That's me. Dana Scully," she said with a smile. "Oh.thank God, they didn't know if you would ever wake up I was so worried," he rambled and gripped her hand tightly. ".if you didn't, and I - the gun man. We got him Scully, after, after the ambulance left with us, Skinner saw him and brought him in. By then I was gone - but I'm just so glad that you.and." "Shut up and hug me Mulder," Scully said with a laugh, and Mulder quickly obliged. After a minute they parted, and Mulder looked at her with sad, guilty eyes. "Don't say it," she warned. "Don't you dare blame yourself, or apologize, Fox Mulder. I won't hear it," she took his hand and squeezed it. "Life's too short for that sort of thing to take up our time." Mulder smiled slowly. "Whatever you say Scully," he watched her as she watched him intently for a moment, before he finally asked, a tad bit nervously. "What?" "It's just good to see you again," she said and lazed back comfortably on the pillows. As she drifted off to sleep she added. "The real you." Her dreams were sweet. The End. *Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it. Please let me know what you thought of it. |