Ok, I know I said that I would be finishing this soon but I keep finding places that I want to go with this. Tell me if this is getting ridiculously long and I just need to end it now. I do enjoy Mulder/Scully Angst though :) Anyway, thanks to those still with me on the story. I greatly appreciate the feedback! Please, keep it coming and let me know what you think about it. I'd like to know where you want me to go with this:)

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

They arrived at the hospital a few short moments later and Scully, not waiting for the car to completely stop, jumped from the vehicle and ran upstairs to Mulder's room. Skinner sighed and took his time getting himself together to go in. She would see to it that he was taken care of so Skinner had no reason to rush to see his agent in turmoil.

Scully ignored the elevator and darted up the stairs and down the hallway that led her to Mulder's room. She knew she really didn't have a need to rush because his sedative, if they called her right after they administered it, still had quite a bit of time to wear off yet. She just wanted to make sure she was there when he woke up.

When she opened his door she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. He was asleep, the only trace of the incident was ruffled hair and sheets and the restraints still out in plain sight. She watched his features as she moved closer to his bed. He was relaxed and peaceful. She couldn't believe that this was the same man that she watched, horrified, on a tape as he had an emotional break.

She sat down in the chair beside him and settled in for what planned on being a long night. Skinner walked over to the door and looked in. He saw her sitting in the chair, hand reached across to hold his, and her eyes never leaving his face. Deciding against going in he turned to leave stopping only to leave a message with the nurses that he was getting a room for the night and to inform him if anything about his Agent's condition changed.

Three hours later...

Scully had been asleep for close to an hour when Mulder began to come around. His eyes fluttered open and he looked around the room in confusion. His eyes locked onto the face of his sleeping partner next to him and smiled at the feel of her hand clasping his. He squeezed her hand involuntarily and she moaned slightly as her head came up and eyes opened.

"Hey, you're awake." She whispered to him.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you." He said sheepishly. She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I'm glad you did. How do you feel?" She moved to check his dressings on his incision. When she was satisfied that nothing was damaged she sat back down awaiting his answer.

"A bit confused, actually." He admitted shyly.

"What's the last thing you remember?" She held her doctor composure hard, determined to show strength through his weakness.

"I was dreaming, reliving it actually. I remember being held down, the bastard taunting me through the two sided mirror, telling me that I had to choose between saving you and killing your brother, letting him kill me, or helping him. I remember how real the ropes felt. I could feel it again." He sighed heavily and every wall Scully was struggling to keep up fell down with each tear that slipped down her cheek.

"You were dreaming and combative. They put you in restraints." Scully whispered. He nodded knowingly.

"Well that's a relief." He smiled. She looked at him, eyebrow raised in confusion. "At least I know that is why it felt real. I can deal with the dreams as long as it doesn't happen like that."

"Mulder, you're suffering for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, you need to see a therapist about this. You can't 'live' with the nightmares. You shouldn't have to." She absentmindedly stroked his cheek as she spoke to him. His smile faded at the idea of seeing a therapist. "I know how you feel about therapists-" he pushed her hand away.

"No, I refused to see some doctor that believes he can solve all my problems by laying me down on a couch. I think you could do that." He smiled at his innuendo but her features didn't mirror his. "What?"

"Do you have any idea what this could do to you?" She whispered as her voice breaking as she spoke. "Mulder, please" He sighed heavily.

"I- Scully, I just…" He didn't have a chance to finish his rebuttal as a nurse walked in for her rounds.

"Oh, Mr. Mulder, you're awake." She smiled and walked over to the machines that were connected to his body and made notes on his charts. Once she was done she headed to the door, leaving Mulder and Scully to only watch her movements in awkward silence. She noticed and finally spoke. "I'll let the doctor know you're awake. He'll want to speak to you." She left before they could respond.

"I'm going to call Skinner. He will want to know how you're doing." Scully stood and walked from the room leaving him completely speechless.

Once outside the room she slide down the wall next to his door and broke into an uncontrollable sob. She knew what another traumatic experience would do to him, adding more nightmares to what he already had. She could already hear the screams through a paper thin hotel wall as he thrashed in his bed, screaming for her or Samantha, asking his dad or Baker to leave him alone.

A few minutes into her emotional trail Mulder's doctor walked up to her.

"Dr. Scully? Is everything ok?" He was instantly worried about is patients condition and made a move to enter his room.

"He's fine, physically." She stated quickly. Dr. Preston stopped and stooped down to her level.

"You're worried about his emotional state?" He asked.

"Yes, he refuses to speak to a therapist. He hates the idea because he believes, after a many involuntary trips due to past experiences, cases, and yearly check ups, that they are completely useless. He suffers from night terrors almost every night. His sister was abducted right in front of him when he was only twelve and he lived within an abusive household for many years after that. His father blamed him for the… abduction." She chose her words carefully for fear of putting them both in the nuthouse. "He beat him in drunken rages, his mother was physically present but not emotionally and he deals with the pain in his sleep, reliving the pain each night. Now he has this to add to it." Scully sighed, breathlessly.

"So he confides in you?" Dr. Preston asked, his curiosity peaked.

"No, I had to find most of this out through internal investigation and then having to listen to his screams in the night through hotel walls. I can't let him add this to his list of scars but the refuses to seek help." Scully rubbed her hands over his face to wipe away the tears that had fallen as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Well, I know that we can not force him to seek professional psychological help with what he had been through and, yes, he is suffering from PTSD so he will have nightmares and difficulty in certain situations that will cause him to relive what he has been through. I think that is apparent from his outburst earlier, and I do apologize about that. I have reprimanded the staff for their actions. But, this is something that we need to take one day at a time. In the short time I have had to spend with him I know his is an incredibly strong person with the will to live, it seems, for you. If you don't mind me being bold. Give him time and help him through this. It may turn out that you might be the key to helping him get over this. Not a therapist." She moved her eyes to his with a look of shock. "At least not right away."

"What should I do?" She asked completely helpless.

"Let him heal. That is the only thing we can do at this point. And until he is out of here he is my responsibility. Once he is able to go home, then we will talk about his after care procedures." She nodded, smiling weakly wishing she could believe his words. Even though he was here and under Dr. Preston's care, she would still feel responsible for everything that has happened to him. If not for her he would not be in this situation now. "I need to check on him. Go and get some coffee and rest in a real bed. I'll let you know if we need anything." He didn't wait for a response, rose and walked into the hospital room. Scully stood slowly and looked through the window and watched Dr. Preston talk to her partner.

Mulder's eyes wondered and caught hers and she felt ill. She could not look at him without feeling an uncontrollable feeling of guilt. She needed to get out of there. She needed to talk to someone. The only person she could think of was Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Her cell phone was out before she reached the end of the hall.

"Skinner."

"Sir, I need to speak with you." Scully spoke with a sorrow tinted voice.

"I'm at the Motel 6 on Burton Rd. Room 514. Come on over." The line went dead as Scully ran downstairs to arrange transportation.