The paramedics had placed Mulder on a heart monitor and were
hanging the second liter of lactated ringers as they pulled
up to the ambulance bay. They quickly removed him from the
ambulance and were met at the door by Dr. Andrea Meadows.
" Hey Mulder. Dana called me and told me that you were coming.
You been playing with the bad boys again?"
Mulder smiled a small pain filled grin, then replied in a
low whisper, "Anything to see you Andrea."
" Flattery will get you everywhere Mulder. Keep it up." She
smiled and called out to the other personnel, "Trauma room
one!" Then she looked down at her friend's partner and
grinned, "Only the best for you Mulder."
The paramedics quickly gave their report and as they started
to leave they patted Mulder on the shoulder and wished him
luck, "I will need it." He moaned as Dr. Meadows pulled off
the first sandbag then the second.
Mulder reached up and pulled down the oxygen mask and looked
around for Dr. Meadows. She noticed and tried to pull the
mask back up but Mulder had a firm grip. "Andrea, my leg
hurts. It's killing me." A fine sheen of sweat had developed
above his lips and across his forehead.
She knew his leg was hurting and called out for the nurse to
give Demerol 100 milligrams intravenously. She knew Mulder
had a high tolerance for pain meds due to his multiple
injuries. After ordering the medicine she looked back down
at her friend's partner. "Hey we're getting you something
for pain now. I really need to take a look at that leg." She
knew that Mulder had to be in a lot of pain to admit that he
needed some pain medicine.
He was getting more uncomfortable and was starting to beg
for some relief," Please Andrea make it stop hurting." His
voice was shaky and his eyes were filled with tears.
Her mood changed from playful to serious," Hey FBI man, let
me take a look at that leg." She pulled away the pressure
bandage and a loud moan escaped Mulder's throat. She cut
away the material covering the wound then loosened the belt
that Scully had placed earlier. Mulder's eyes slammed shut
and he was biting his lip now. She assessed the wound and
noted that the wound was jagged and measured at
approximately six inches and was very deep. There was
possible damage to the femur, blood vessels and muscle. She
was about to roll Mulder over when Dr. Harriman entered the
cubicle. The nurse was inserting the Demerol into the
intravenous line. Andrea motioned for the nurse to help roll
Mulder over to his side. The nurse finished the med and
together they rolled him.
Dr Harriman walked over and assisted in turning a now
screaming Mulder over to his side. His eyes were shut
tightly and sweat was beading up and rolling down his face.
" What happened Dr. Meadows?" He asked his tone of voice
conveyed great concern he assessed the wound, it was
definitely a gunshot wound.
" Evidently it's more than what Scully or I thought. It was
reported as a tear caused by a falling crate but he
evidently was shot." They rolled a now almost unconscious
Mulder on his back and Dr. Harriman started shouting out
orders. After he made sure he was going to be able to take
Mulder straight up to surgery due to the nature of the wound
and the large amount of blood loss he looked down at Mulder,
who was trying to open his eyes." Mulder, I'm sorry you are
having so much pain but I need to talk to you for a few
minutes. We need to take you to surgery. You have a gunshot
wound and I believe you may have a lot of damage in there.
We need to see what that bullet did to the nerves and bone.
Do you understand?"
" Where is Scully? She knows what to do now." he groaned. He
tried to open his eyes but they were failing him, he had to
get something else for pain though because his leg was
killing him. " Please give me something for pain. I am
hurting. It's bad."
Both Dr. Meadows and Dr. Harriman looked at each other and
she spoke softly," Mulder we gave you something for pain.
Did it help any?"
He became quiet, as in thought and then answered," It still
hurts but it's not as bad as before the medicine. But it
burns like fire." He answered, the grimace on his face told
the rest.
Dr Harriman ordered Morphine 10mgs intramuscularly and then
went out to schedule a surgical suite for Mulder. The nurse
was hanging a unit of plasma and a unit of blood. She then
turned and drew up the Morphine. She proceeded to pulled
down the sheet and rub Mulder's upper thigh and before
Mulder could say anything he felt the sting of the needle in
his upper leg and it added to his pain. " Sorry , I'm not
allowed to move your other leg. Hopefully you will get some
pain relief in a few minutes." He kept his eyes closed and
hoped that he could get relief soon.
Dr Harriman reentered the cubicle and Mulder seemed more
relaxed. He went over with the chart and noted that the leg
was still oozing. He was ready to take him to surgery. "
Mulder we need to do a couple of things before we take you
to surgery."
Mulder nodded but did not open his eyes.
"Is the medicine helping some with the pain?" He asked as he
and the nurse started gathering his IV's and tubes.
" Some. It doesn't hurt as bad as it did before." His voice
was slurred and groggy. The effects of the drugs were more
evident.
"Mulder, when is the last time you ate?" he asked, already
knowing that Mulder had been working on a case due to the
fact he could count each one of Mulder's ribs.
Mulder hesitated for a few seconds as in thought, "Maybe
yesterday. I don't remember." He mumbled.
Dr Harriman nodded, he had guessed correctly. He knew Mulder
and his propensity to neglect his health when working on a
stressful case. " Okay we are ready to take you to surgery
Mulder. I will assist with the surgery so I need to go on
up. Dr Meadows will bring you up soon." He placed the chart
on the table beside the bed. Before he could exit the room
he heard Mulder clear his throat. He looked down at his
suffering patient and wondered where his partner was at,
"Mulder, where is Agent Scully?
"Is she not here yet?" His voice sounded childlike and he
was very groggy from the medicine.
He instinctively knew that if she were here then she would
be at his side, " No Mulder she's not here yet or we would
all know, trust me. She is definitely one to make her
presence known. I'm sure she will be here soon."
The lab tech entered and was soon followed by the xray
technician. Dr Harriman gently rubbed Mulder's shoulder. " I
will see you in a few minutes Mulder. They will bring you up
to surgery once they get what I've ordered."
Mulder nodded and soon afterwards he felt a stick in his arm
and then they were clearing the room for the xray. The next
thing he felt was the movement of the gurney down the
hallway. The lights were bright so he kept his eyes closed.
A smoothing voice came down over his head," Mr. Mulder we
are taking you to surgery. Are you doing okay?"
He nodded his head and tried to face the brightness of the
lights but was unable to open them. He felt heavy with the
drugs but the pain in his leg was ebbing through the drugged
haze.
The next awareness that he had was the movement from the
gurney to the operating table. It was hard and cold and they
were removing the warm blankets. He could feel the chill of
the room and the people in the room were quiet but they were
attaching monitors and clipping something to his finger. A
voice came from overhead, "Mr. Mulder we are going to give
you something to help you relax. We also need to start a
central line that will go into your chest. You will feel a
small bee sting and then it will feel numb. You may feel a
little pressure but not much."
An oxygen mask was placed over his nose and mouth and he
reacted by opening his eyes. A cold liquid was going over
his collar bone and the bite of the needle hit his chest.
He cringed but within a few seconds he was feeling numb. The
room was filled with masked faces. They had his arms now
restrained to two arm boards and he felt anxious. The
familiar feeling of the drugs were hitting his system but he
knew that he could not go to sleep until Scully arrived.
"Where is Scully?" His voice sounded frantic even to his own
ears.
Dr Harriman looked down and saw that his patient was pulling
against he restraints. He was trying to get to the mask but
was being stopped by the soft cloth around each wrist. " The
restraints are to keep you from pulling things out and
messing up the sterile field Mulder. Lie still and let us do
our job." He sounded impatient with his tone but it was more
out of concern for Mulder's increasing agitation.
" The line is in and secured." The voice announced above his
head.
" Mulder we are going to let you sleep so we can work on
your leg. Quit fighting the drugs and go to sleep." Dr
Harriman's voice was more soothing now but Mulder did not
want to sleep, he needed Scully.
A few seconds later Mulder could feel a heavy pull of drugs
but even through the drugs he could feel the familiar
snaking of the foley catheter as it entered his bladder. He
wanted to try to move away from the torturous device but
they had him strapped down tight. He could not go to sleep
without Scully. She would tell him what to do, because she
was his best friend and his doctor.
The anesthesiologist looked up at Harriman and shrugged his
shoulders," He's fighting."
" Get Scuwy. Pease get Scuwy." His voice slurry from the
drugs and muffled by the mask.
The cold liquid was being painted on his open wound and more
pain was seeping into his drugged mind. What were they
doing? They were suppose to make the pain go away, not
making it worse. He needed Scully and nobody was listening
to him. "Scully. Get Scuwy now!" He begged the doctors.
Dr. Harriman could no longer allow his patient to be in such
an agitated state. He approached Mulder and bent down close
to Mulder's face so that he could hear and not the rest of
the room, "Mulder, I know you want Scully but she is not
here yet. We need to take care of that leg. I promise that
she will be in recovery when you wake up." He hesitated a
second and repeated, "I promise Mulder."
"Noooooo!" He yelled through the mask. The drugs were taking
away his fight but he needed Scully.
Dr. Harriman looked up to the anesthesiologist," Let's get
him under. That leg can't wait."
The anesthesiologist nodded and pushed a large dose of
Valium and soon Mulder was out and being intubated.
Dr Harriman shook his head and started working on the
injured leg. As he made the initial cut he could tell there
was a lot of damage. " Looks like this is going to take a
while." He muttered through his mask. " This is going to
hurt like Hell when you wake up Mulder." He shook his head
and continued to work on the damaged leg.
Five hours later Recovery Room Post Surgical
The sounds of low beeps and the constant humming of the
machines were the first sounds he heard as the drugs began
to fade from his system.But as the drugs started to fade the
pain started to edge back into his tired mind. He found that
he was unable to speak due to a tube in his throat and then
he was overcome by the need to gag. He wanted the tube out
of his throat but his wrists were still restrained and he
started to struggle against the bindings.
He started to gag and sputter. Bells and alarms were
sounding and the nurse was trying to calm her patient down.
He wanted to get the tube out of his throat. They were
trying to tell him something but all he could feel was the
tube in his throat and the need to expel it.
Dr Harriman entered the recovery unit and saw that his
patient was in distress. " Hey Mulder. You need to calm
down." He instructed his now writhing patient.
He wasn't understanding the voices but he was gagging and
choking on the tube in his throat. He seemed to be in his
own little world of agony.
Dr Harriman looked around and found the nurse trying to keep
Mulder from moving the heavy dressing on his leg. "Go and
get his partner, Dana Scully. She is out in the waiting
room." The nurse left immediately.
Upon hearing the name of his partner and best friend he
started trying to gain control over the need to gag. He
wanted to see Scully. He wanted to hear her voice so he
attempted to stifle the gagging feeling.
" Mulder, Mulder." Her voice was calm and controlled. She
gently called his name to let him know that she was there
and to hopefully calm her partner's struggles.
He continued to fight the tube in his throat and tears were
flowing from his eyes and down his face. The gagging also
continued and Scully was getting concerned about his
agitated state.
Again she tried, "Mulder, its me Scully." She spoke in a
firmer tone of voice.
That did the trick and Mulder almost immediately stopped
struggling. He opened his eyes and stared up at her big blue
eyes. He could feel her hand squeezing his shoulder and her
eyes spoke a multitude of the concern he had caused his
partner. She looked tired, more like exhausted. He was
relieved that she was with him though. She would have them
remove the damned tube from his tormented throat.
Dr Harriman was saying something now to Scully. He felt
drugged and was having difficulty understanding what the
doctor was saying until he started talking about the tube.
" Dr. Scully, I am going to have to keep the tube in
probably the rest of the day due to low sats. We have turned
down the respirator but his Oxygen levels drop. He had to
have a lot of medication for the pain and some heavy duty meds
to keep him under. Probably decreased his respiratory ability
to a certain extent. We will try later tonight to get the tube
out."
Scully nodded as in understanding of the fact that Mulder
would require more medication due to his history. She knew
as a medical doctor that drugs could suppress the
respiratory system. She hated this for Mulder. He was not
able to understand this was for his own good.
Mulder waited for his partner to tell the physician that he
could not handle the tube but instead she was agreeing to
let him keep it down. Mulder did not like the idea of the
tube staying and he was feeling the anxiety build up inside him
due to the doctor's words. Again he started to struggle against
the restraints but suddenly felt hands on his leg and on his
upper body. His hands were still restrained and all he
wanted to do was to reach up and remove the torturous tube
from his aching throat. He was gagging again and there were
orders being given and they were trying to talk to him
through his drugged haze. Scully was also trying but all he
could do was fight.
' Just take out the damned tube and I will calm down. I will
be fine.' He thought to himself as he felt the feeling of
the drugs coursing through his veins. His struggles were
weakening, as the drugs grew stronger in his system. Within
minutes he was sleeping with the help of the medicines and
the soft lull of Scully's voice.
" Go to sleep Mulder." Her voice was soft and comforting. And he
did.
Part three
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