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"The X-Files" Characters depicted in this story are property of Ten Thirteen^M^JProductions and Fox Broadcasting. All used without
 permission and no^M^Jinfringement is intended.^M^J^M^JMany thanks for story consultation to FancyKatz and MelTaylor   ^M^J^M^JBUMPS IN TH
E NIGHT^M^Jby Rhoda Miel aka ZeusStorag@aol.com^M^J12/2/94^M^JPart three.^M^J^M^J  This time it was her father's turn to remain quiet, but
 he looked at the^M^Jground rather than the stars, then studied his daughter sitting beside him.^M^J"I'm sorry I can't keep your fri
ends around you, honey," he said. "But I'm^M^Jgoing to keep everything else together. The whole family, and that's^M^Jimportant."^M^J 
 They sat in the dark together a little longer before her father leaned^M^Jover, kissed the top of her head, then stood to go back
 inside.^M^J  "Good night Starbuck," he said.^M^J  Dana sat alone that night for a long time, until her mother came out and^M^Jsent he
r to bed.^M^J  Even then, she sat with the room dark and the window open wide to the^M^Jstars.^M^J  ^M^J  "Penny for your thoughts."^M^J  
Scully jumped at the words and glanced over to see Mulder standing beside^M^Jher. "You should save your money for better investmen
ts," Scully said.^M^J  "Hey, I'm splurging," Mulder grinned.^M^J  "It's nothing. I'm, um, just stargazing."^M^J  Mulder leaned over an
d glanced out her window.^M^J  "Scully? Uh, that's not a star."^M^J  Scully looked over at Mulder. She didn't bother asking the ques
tion.^M^J  "I think it's Mars." he continued.^M^J  "Well then, I'm planet gazing. It's not important, Mulder. Just forget^M^Jit." Scul
ly wandered back toward the kitchen. The cups hanging below the^M^Jshelf rattled as the house let off another crack and boom. One 
fell from^M^Jits hook. Scully picked it up and found a chip missing from along the top^M^Jand a small crack running through the word
s "Soaring Eagle Casino."^M^JAnother crash followed -- louder this time, almost like a sonic boom^M^Jechoing through the house -- an
d a two-foot section of plaster fell from^M^Jthe ceiling onto the dining room table, knocking the tape recorder onto the^M^Jfloor.^M^J
  The house was silent.^M^J  Scully looked up at the ceiling and could hear herself breathing -- fast^M^Jand shallow -- just before 
the world shook.^M^J  The floor buckled beneath her, knocked her to her knees. The coffee mug^M^Jshe was holding smashed beneath her
 hand. The paint-by-number picture on^M^Jthe wall across from her fell and its glass and plastic frame cracked apart.^M^JJars of ket
chup, mustard and two bottles of beer smashed on the floor from^M^Jthe refrigerator as the door flew open.^M^J  The house ripped its
elf apart, the nails screeching as they tore out of^M^Jthe wood and the night went dark. The lights flicked themselves back on.^M^JD
ust hung in the air and Scully choked as she pulled herself to her feet.^M^J  Her hand stung from the mug's ceramic splinters and 
blood clung to two^M^Jcuts in the palm. "Mulder!?" Scully ignored the cuts. There was no answer.^M^J"Mulder?"^M^J  She walked around t
he edge of the kitchen, shoving the smashed tape^M^Jrecorder and an overturned chair out the way. Scully could barely see the^M^Jcar
pet. Plaster, family portraits and debris covered the floor.^M^JPart of one wall had collapsed. Broken bits of lumber and drywall 
lay in^M^Ja heap, covering the floor and Mulder.^M^J  "Mulder!" Scully moved to him as her partner stirred, pushing a 2-by-4^M^Joff fr
om his side.^M^J  "Let me help," she said, picking up pieces of the drywall and shoving the^M^Jother debris away.^M^J  Mulder scooted 
out from the mess.^M^J  "You OK?" Scully eyed him, trying to judge for herself regardless of^M^Jwhat he might say.^M^J  "I've had bett
er days," he replied as he shoved himself to his feet.^M^J  Scully guided him toward the dining room and kitchen, righted a chair^M
^Jand pointed him toward it. "Sit," she ordered, and walked into the kitchen^M^Jfor a cloth. Water still flowed out of the taps and
 she dampened the^M^Jwashrag.^M^J  Dust covered Mulder's face and hair with gray and Scully saw from her^M^Jreflection in the window a
bove the sink that it had masked her as well.^M^JScully reached out to wipe off Mulder's face, but he took the rag and did^M^Jit him
self.^M^J  A large bump was beginning to swell above his left eye and Mulder paused^M^Jgingerly over the bruise.^M^J  "Let me see," Sc
ully ordered, pulling up another chair. Mulder flinched^M^Jas she brushed her finger across the swelling. "That looks nasty."^M^J  "
So does *that*," he replied, nodding toward her hand.^M^J  She ignored the remark, instead turning his face more toward the light.
^M^J  "I'd say our ghosts have a little attitude," he continued. "They're^M^Jdefinitely not very sociable."^M^J  "I'd say that was mor
e like an earthquake than the spirit of some^M^Jlong-dead warrior," Scully commented. "Now look this way." She held out^M^Jone finge
r and had Mulder follow it from one side of his head to another.^M^J  "Do I get to guess how many fingers you're holding up next?"
 Mulder^M^Jjoked, but Scully could see he'd had the wind knocked out of his sails.^M^J  "Not unless you want to." Scully stood and w
ent back to the sink, rinsed^M^Jout the washrag and wiped off her own face before rinsing it again in cold^M^Jwater.^M^J  "Here," she 
handed the cloth back to Mulder. "Keep this up against that^M^Jbump. It'll help with the swelling. You hurt anyplace else?"^M^J  "No
t really," Mulder answered.^M^J  Scully looked him in the eye.^M^J  "Where 'not really?'"^M^J  "It's just a couple of bumps, Scully," 
he paused, then changed the^M^Jtopic. "What time to do you have?"^M^J  If Mulder wasn't going to cooperate, Scully wasn't about to p
ush the^M^Jsubject. She glanced at her watch. "3:20. Why?"^M^J  "The majority of all ghost-related paranormal events occur around^M^J3
 a.m.," he answered. "Looks like this one is following the pattern."^M^J  "I thought midnight was the witching hour, Mulder," Scul
ly walked over^M^Jto the sink and rinsed out the cuts on her hand. Scully was suddenly tired.^M^JShe wanted to get out of there -- j
ust find somewhere she could sleep for^M^Ja day.^M^J  The house was quiet around them. The silence had taken hold and Scully^M^Jjumped
 as the pipes creaked and groaned. She turned off the water, leaned^M^Jagainst the counter. She closed her eyes, collected her tho
ughts.^M^JScully sighed, looked at the darkness outside the window and saw her own^M^Jreflection. "Come on Mulder, let's go."^M^J  He 
looked up.^M^J  "Whether it's angry Iroquois or a collapsing mine shaft, I think I've^M^Jseen enough for one night," Scully said.^M^J 
 "Scully, this is just the beginning. I think we could have something^M^Jhere -- something substantial to prove the paranormal, no
t just anecdotal^M^Jevidence," Mulder walked over to Scully, holding the wash cloth in his^M^Jright hand. "We can't quit now."^M^J  "I
'm not talking about quitting, Mulder. I'm talking about getting out^M^Jof here in case whatever it is returns and decides to brin
g the rest of^M^Jthe house down." Scully paused, then looked straight at Mulder. "And^M^JI'd say you've got a mild concussion -- alo
ng with any other 'bumps' you^M^Jmay have experienced."^M^J  "Scully, I'll be all right," Mulder looked away, leaned back against^M^Jt
he counter. "Besides, there *is* a doctor in the house."^M^J  "Dammit, Mulder. I did not join the FBI to be your nursemaid. I don'
t^M^Jplan to spend the day worrying about whether you'll be able to keep^M^Jup," Scully regretted the words as soon as she said them
.^M^J  The silence hanging in the kitchen was more intense than the sounds ever^M^Jhad been. Scully stared at the sink, watched the 
drops of water slide^M^Jtoward the drain.^M^J  "I'm sorry..." she started.^M^J  "No," Mulder interrupted. "You're right. You can handl
e this on your^M^Jown for awhile. You don't need me hanging over your shoulder. Here,"^M^JMulder tossed the car keys on the counter.
 "You drive."^M^J  The town of Paradise didn't offer much in terms of medical care, but^M^Jthere was a nurse practitioner and a youn
g doctor at a business called^M^J'RediMed' -- a place Scully's medical school classmates had termed a^M^J"Doc In A Box."^M^J  The nurs
e practitioner cleaned up the cuts on Scully's hand, bandaged^M^Jthem and led her to the next room where the doctor was checking M
ulder.^M^JMulder's left arm had turned stiff and sore on the drive into town.^M^J"Sprained," the doctor announced. "And a hyperexten
ded elbow." He gave^M^JMulder some anti-inflamatory medication and warnings to take it easy.^M^JThe arm would heal naturally with re
st. For the headache, he recommended^M^Jacetaminophen.^M^J  "You should try to stay awake for another six to eight hours," the docto
r^M^Jsaid. "But if you need to sleep, someone should wake you every hour or so."^M^JMulder was silent as they walked out to the car.
^M^J  Dawn still was about an hour away and he slouched in the darkness as^M^JScully drove the short distance back to the motel.^M^J  
He kept his elbow bent, his arm stiff, next to his body as they walked^M^Jinto the rooms. There was a message taped to Mulder's do
or. Scully pulled^M^Jit off and snapped on the lights. Mulder plopped down in a chair, not^M^Jbothering to take off his coat.^M^J  "To
ivo Johnson's got a map of the mines in the area," Scully announced,^M^Jfolding the note back up. "He'll be here at about 10 o'clo
ck."^M^J  Mulder scratched the back of his neck, then leaned down with his good^M^Jarm on the arm of the chair.^M^J  "You should get s
ome sleep," he finally said. "I'll watch some TV.^M^JMaybe catch up on some reading. I'll be OK."^M^J  Scully sat on the edge of the
 bed.^M^J  "Mulder," she took a breath, let it out. "I'm sorry..."^M^J  "What for? Nothing here is your fault."^M^J  "No. I was angry 
back there. I was nervous," Scully said. "I was scared.^M^JI took it out on you instead of dealing with it."^M^J  "Yeah, well, that'
s OK. I probably needed it," Mulder grinned to himself.^M^J"I've been told I can be a pain in the ass sometimes."^M^J  Scully smiled
. "Only sometimes?"^M^J  The silence was gentle, comfortable now.^M^J  "I should get some sleep," Scully stood up. "You sure you're 
going to be^M^Jall right?"^M^J  "Yeah. Don't worry. It's just..."^M^J  "What?"^M^J  "I feel like I'm missing the party."^M^J  "All you're 
going to miss out on is some old mines," Scully opened the^M^Jdoor and cold air seeped past her. "I'll check on you before I go, O
K?"^M^JMulder nodded in agreement and Scully breezed out, tugging the door shut^M^Jbehind her.^M^J  She lay there for a long time, the
 motel bed feeling stiff,^M^Juncomfortable. Exhausted, but unable to sleep. Scully's mind wouldn't shut^M^Jdown. She'd drift off to 
sleep, only to hear the sounds of the house^M^Jinterrupting her dream. Finally, she dropped into sleep, only to dream of^M^Ja home c
aving in on her.^M^J  Scully woke feeling as tired as when she'd gone to sleep. Barely three^M^Jhours had passed and the world looke
d fuzzy. She stood in the shower,^M^Jwilling the water to sharpen her mind.^M^J  Mulder could be right. She knew that. He had a sens
e about things that^M^Jmade no sense --- things that no one else could see.^M^J  Scully had learned to trust that -- rely on it.^M^J  
But she couldn't live by it.^M^J  Scully couldn't accept by faith. She needed proof. She needed to explore^M^Jthe known before she c
ould grasp the unknown.^M^J  Mulder accepted too easily -- so anxious to find proof of the paranormal^M^Jthat he'd risk ostracizing 
himself, living alone in a crowd.^M^J  Scully knew she needed others, her family, her friends, even the people^M^Jin her apartment b
uilding she knew by face, but rarely by name. She knew^M^Jthe way to prove to them that there was something other than logic was t
o^M^Juse logic.^M^J  Mulder had proved it to her. Now she had to keep him anchored so he could^M^Jprove it to others.^M^J  The televisio
n was on in Mulder's room when Scully walked in. Two men^M^Jwere on the screen, seeking donations for their public television stat
ion,^M^Jbegging the children who were waiting for Sesame Street to ask their parents^M^Jto give.^M^J  "These two haven't gotten a pled
ge in 45 minutes," Mulder commented.^M^J"I'm tempted to call them just to put them out of their misery."^M^JInstead, he switched the
 set off.^M^J  Sunlight that had hidden from them the day before now came blasting^M^Jthrough the windows, filling the room with bri
lliant rays.^M^JMulder looked awful. The lump on his head had turned several colors of^M^Jblack, blue and a few shades of green. The
 circles under his eyes had^M^Jdarkened and spread against his pale skin. At least he'd showered and^M^Jshaved.^M^J  "How are you feel
ing," Scully said, moving Mulder's coat off a chair to^M^Jsit down.^M^J  "Useless," he replied.^M^J  "How's the arm?"^M^J  "Stiff," he s
aid. "I could go with you though. I'd rather head over to^M^Jthe mines than spend the day in here."^M^J  Scully shook her head. Muld
er didn't have the energy to argue with her.^M^J  "Are you ready to head out?" he finally asked.^M^J  "As soon as Johnson gets here.
 Let me get you some ice for that arm.^M^JIt'll help with the swelling."^M^J  Scully grabbed an ice bucket from the bathroom, headed
 out into the^M^Jmorning, squinting against the bright sunlight as she turned the corner^M^Jtoward the vending machines and ice make
r. She pushed a few coins into a^M^Jslot, grabbed a granola bar out of the machine and filled the bucket.^M^JJohnson was waiting at 
the room when she returned.^M^J  "I brought a couple of copies of the map," he was saying. "Bennie didn't^M^Jhave anything newer tha
n 30 years old, but it's the best we've got."^M^J  Scully placed the ice bucket on the table, next to Mulder's arm.^M^J  "So where d
o we start," she said.^M^J  Scully waited behind for a moment as Johnson headed out to his truck.^M^JMulder leaned against the door 
frame as she pulled on her coat.^M^J  "Sure you're going to be all right?" she asked.^M^J  "I'd be better if I could go with you," h
e said, then shrugged.^M^J"Yeah," Mulder tried to look disinterested and failed. "I figured I'd head^M^Jto the library later, see if
 they've got any local history -- Indian or^M^Jmining. It'll give me something to do."^M^J  "Just take it easy, OK? I've got the chi
ef getting someone to check out^M^Jthe house, see if it's safe to visit."^M^J  "Visit the scene of the crime again?" he gave Scully 
a half smile.^M^J  ^M^J  The roads out to the mine didn't offer much in terms of modern^M^Jtransportation. The pavement turned to grav
el, then to dirt and finally to^M^Ja muddy two-track. A wooden shack and rusting machinery waited at the end^M^Jof the trail.^M^J  "Di
dn't pay to haul the stuff out," Johnson said. "Everybody kept^M^Jfiguring the mines would open again, then more closed. Before lo
ng, everyone^M^Jhad some old machines in their back yard."^M^J  He pulled a pack from behind the seat. Scully reached for the backpa
ck^M^Jshe'd borrowed from Mulder, filled with a flashlight, extra batteries,^M^Jnote pads, a camera and the granola bars.^M^J  "This i
s the closest mine to the house," Johnson was saying. "There's^M^Jno tunnels on the map going under the property, but you can neve
r tell.^M^JMine owners weren't too particular about property lines if they could get^M^Jaway with a little extra cash."^M^J  The mine 
entrance itself was open to the elements. "Not too many people^M^Jwould bother coming back to the mine, so they didn't worry about
 sealing^M^Jit.", Johnson told Scully.^M^J  "Of course, the township never did anything to force the mine owners to^M^Jseal them up.",
 he added. "No one wants to tick off the people who still^M^Jmight reopen the town's biggest industry."^M^J  "Technically speaking, 
we're trespassing," he said as Scully walked^M^Jbehind him into the darkness, the light at the entrance turning small^M^Jbehind her.
 "Of course, it'd take four days to figure out who owns this^M^Jnow, and another two days to get permission."^M^J  The air was cool,
 damp. Scully turned her collar up and shrank down into^M^Jher coat. She turned on her flashlight.^M^J  Johnson stopped, rummaged in
 his pack for a can of spray paint, marked^M^Jan arrow on the mine wall. "Better than bread crumbs," he said, then moved^M^Jon, to t
he right, following some internal sense of direction.^M^J  They followed one tunnel only to find a dead end. Another took them dow
n^M^Jand down, but water seeped up from the floor of the mine, growing deeper^M^Jand finally blocking their way.^M^J  Scully checked h
er watch. It was a little before noon. In the tunnels,^M^Jshe could barely see the walls for the darkness all around. Johnson made
 a^M^Jcomment, but she didn't catch the words as they echoed past her.^M^J  "Excuse me?" she said.^M^J  "I was just wondering how a li
ttle lady like you got into this kind of^M^Jwork -- not the kind of thing I think a pretty little thing like you could^M^Jhandle," J
ohnson was saying.^M^J  Scully bit her tongue, grateful for the darkness that the deputy couldn't^M^Jsee the look on her face. "I've
 seemed to handle it just fine, up to now,"^M^Jshe said. The 21st century was closing in, Scully thought to herself, but^M^Jsome peo
ple just couldn't grasp the concept. No use pointing that out to^M^JJohnson though. The deputy knew his way out of the tunnels bet
ter than she^M^Jdid.^M^J  "My granddaughter, she's not too much younger than you," he said,^M^Jsloshing past a puddle. "She's smart as
 a whip, studying at the beauty^M^Jschool so's she can earn her own 'till she gets married. She was homecoming^M^Jqueen last year."^M
^J  "I'm sure she was," Scully said, wishing the old man would revert back to^M^Jhis habit of silence.^M^J  "Now what would you have 
done if the FBI hadn't gotten in the way? I'm^M^Jguessing there's a good man who'd love to have you for his wife," Johnson^M^Jmade a
 sudden right turn into a tunnel Scully hadn't seen lurking in the^M^Jdarkness.^M^J  "I'd probably be a pathologist actually," she r
eplied, then changed the^M^Jsubject. "Do you know where we are?"^M^J  Johnson stopped, turned his flashlight beam down to a compass.
 "We should^M^Jbe getting pretty close," he said. "Not tired, are you? We could take^M^Ja break."^M^J  "No. I'm fine," Scully had no i
ntention of mentioning her growling^M^Jstomach, or her tired legs to Johnson if she could help it.^M^J  ^M^J*\(^M^JEnd part thr
ee.^M^J
