Corrigenda (2/15)
by charvill

Email: charityharvill@yahoo.com 
Category: MSR, A, Post-IWTB

Summary:  Dana Scully was treating more patients than just
Christian during the winter of 2008.  This is the story about the
father of one of those patients who is awed by the miracles our
favorite former-forensics-dabbling-FBI-agent-turned-pediatric-
surgeon performs.  Drama ensues, of course :-)

Author's Note: Corrigenda is a Latin phrase meaning
"things to be corrected"
Archiving: Please ask permission. 


April 10, 2008

7:26am 

Scully's eyes fluttered open under impossibly heavy lids. Her
body laid beneath the silk and down comforter, knees tucked
beneath chin in the fetal position, trying to tell 
itself that it wasn't cold. Her years of medical training --
and previous hostage experiences-- told her that her body 
was merely shivering to try and protect itself; attempting to 
maintain a state of equilibrium. Also known as going into shock. 
Not wanting to lose any warmth --or visual protection-- the 
quilt provided, she peeked her head out from underneath just 
enough so that she could see the glowing red numbers of the 
digital alarm clock on the nightstand.  Not even seven thirty, 
she sighed. 

Less than ten hours ago, she had been forced --gun pointed to
her head-- to write Mulder a "Dear John" letter.  

The bile rose up her esophagus instantaneously. She toyed with
the idea of letting herself vomit so that Tony -- though she
shuddered against the thought of him -- would have to clean it
up, but then swallowed it down anyway to avoid having to see
him any sooner than necessary. The room was dark, no
windows to provide the natural morning light she was
accustomed. But he had provided a plug-in night light so she
could see her way to the dresser and adjacent bathroom. 

The queasiness was probably another side effect of whatever
drugs he had put in her drink, she realized. And, had it not been
for the gun aimed her direction, she would have refused it. The
idea of him touching her while she was knocked out had her
giving her body the once over; but she was still in the clothes
she changed into after her shift ended. Feeling a little more
confident knowing she was in her jeans, camisole, and
cardigan, she ventured to sit up and take in her surroundings.
Everything in the room looked brand new and right out of a
catalogue: from the modern black, white, and red striped rug
spread atop the pale, polished hardwood floor to the low-set,
black painted, king-size wooden bed frame. There was a
ceiling fan spinning lazily in the arched, wood-paneled ceiling
and two matching chandeliers all painted in a soft white.  

Just to the side, where the arch met the crown molding, Scully
saw it: a video camera, its red blinking light mocking her where
she sat. Tony had warned her that he would be watching her
this way. *So don't try anything funny.* But his tone had been
pleading, not the demanding one she expected from her captor. 

A thumping noise coming from her right caught her attention
and she immediately stiffened. She could hear the jangle of keys
as the barrel of the deadbolt clicked and the lever door handle
turned.  

"Good morning, Dana," the tall, foreboding figure said in a
voice he hoped was soothing. Nevertheless, he could see the
woman grip the sheets tighter, her spine stiff with what he knew
must be fear. It saddened him. He moved one hand underneath
the tray he carried before flipping on the two side-by-side light
switches.   

She blinked quickly, hoping her eyes would adjust that much
quicker. Tony was walking towards her with careful, measured
steps. Scully could tell he was doing everything he could not to
frighten her but his motivation was still unknown, making it
impossible not to tremble. 

He laid the tray of food beside her on the bed and remained
standing. "I brought you some breakfast before I go." At his
mention of leaving, she looked him in the eye for the first time.
Tony smiled. "I have to take Jeffrey to school, but I won't be
gone too long."  

Scully's eyes widened as he knelt down on the floor beside her.
From the moment she first saw him, two months ago in the ER,
she had secretly admired his physical beauty. He had a dazzling
smile to go with his sleek, dark hair and brilliant blue eyes.
Tony had obviously been a fan of the gym given his powerful
but lean build on such a tall frame. But the way he was looking
at her now, all feelings of attraction were shattered, replaced by
loathing and anxiety. 

"God, I know you must be absolutely terrified of me after the
way you were brought here," he began and the yearning to calm
her caused his hand to reach towards her. 

"Don't! Don't you touch me!" Her irises were blue flames as she
scooted away from him, nearly toppling off the bed as her feet
tangled in the covers. 

He was up in a flash, reaching to keep her from falling before
remembering he was the reason she had nearly hit the ground in
the first place. "I didn't mean to...I'm..."  

Scully's forehead creased in confusion as she heard him groan
in frustration. This was not how these types of situations had
played out before. He seemed genuinely concerned for her.
Well, she internally chided, despite the fact that he kidnapped
me from my home and forced me to make Mulder think I never
want to see him again. The idea of him arriving from Seattle
tomorrow to find her hand-written letter reminded her of what
she was dealing with. 

"Are you going to keep drugging me?"  

He looked stunned to hear her talk, and so directly. "No. I
only...I wanted you to be able to rest after..." 

"After you kidnapped me?" 

"After I brought you *home,*" he corrected, but with no anger
to his words. "And this is your home now." 

"Home? You are keeping me prisoner here, Mr. Patterson."
His eyes flashed when she used his last name. She had
remembered his distaste, wanting her to use the more intimate
first name. If only she had understood back then what motives
lay behind the seemingly innocent request.  

He stepped backwards, his lips pressed into a grim line. "I'm
sorry you see it that way, Dana. Hopefully one day you will
come to understand what you have here. Then, you won't need
to be a prisoner any longer." He reached for the door and
pulled down on the pewter lever. "And please call me Tony. I'll
be back in a little while." 

As he shut the door behind him, Scully started shivering again.
And while she contemplated everything that had just transpired,
she realized that not once did she try to think of a way to attack
him. He may have been completely unarmed, for all she knew.
Except for one recent event, it had been six years since she had
been in any type of hand-to-hand combat; her chest heaved as
the reality consumed her. Maybe by losing "Agent" Scully she
had lost the part of herself that remembered to look for things
that would help her survive and succeed in a situation like this.
The unbidden tears welled in her eyes and it took all her effort
not to collapse under the weight of her terror.  

**** 

"Dana? Dana can you hear me?"  

Scully's eyes opened involuntarily and she squeezed them shut
when she remembered where she was.   

"Listen, I know you're awake and I want to talk to you." At a
painstakingly slow rate, he moved until he was laying beside her
on the bed. He laughed inwardly when she attempted to jump
off, seizing the wrist and knee closest to him and sliding her
underneath his body. With their difference in weight, he easily
had her pinned. 

"Please, don't do this," she begged, forcing herself to look him
in the eye. 

"I only said I wanted to talk. If you hadn't made a run for it,
then we wouldn't even be touching," he reminded her sternly.
Then, as Tony realized just how nice she felt pressed up against
him, he shifted his torso slightly away to keep from
embarrassing himself -- and frightening her further. 

Scully's face went slightly green when he adjusted his place
above her, understanding too well what he was trying to
conceal, and she stubbornly fought against him. When he didn't
fight back, instead rolling off her, she was too stunned to move. 

"Do you believe me now?" he asked, pushing to his knees to sit
across from her atop the comforter. 

"What?" 

"I. Don't. Want. To. Hurt. You." 

Scully simply stared at him. 

"I just want to talk to you. Okay?" 

"Why are you asking permission?" 

He laughed and nodded in understanding. "I guess it must seem
a little strange. Not that I would know how someone in my
position *should* act." 

*I'm his first then,* she mused. *Great.* 

"But I am a little curious, though," he began and adjusted
himself so that he was sitting in a more comfortable,
cross-legged position. "Because you seem to be
almost...accustomed to being in a situation such as this." 

"And what type of situation would that be?" she countered as
coolly as she could manage.  From his previous behavior, she
knew he was delusional, even psychotic. Scully knew the
sooner he fully understood the depths of his actions, and that
everything he did was against her will, the sooner he might
crack and leave her a way to make a run for it.  

Tony leaned forward, bracing his elbows against his thighs, and
locked his eyes with hers. The way he gazed at her was
unnerving. Like he was reading her. Like he could see *into*
her. Reading her mind. It was far too intimate for her comfort.  

"I'm not crazy, Dana. But...I am in love with you." He dropped
his head, releasing her form his stare. "And for that, I'm sorry." 

"W-what?" 

"I'm sorry. Sorry for having to keep you here." 

*Is he letting me go?* she wondered. Her pulse raced at the
idea of walking out of that room alive and free. "So...?" 

He saw the confused, almost hopeful, expression on her face
and it nearly broke his heart. "So, I vow to do everything in my
power to show you how much you are wanted." His chest rose
as he sucked in a shaky breath. "How much you are needed." 

She watched in surprise as he rose unsteadily from the bed, his
long fingers ruffling the dark locks that fell forward as he did,
and swore she heard him sniffle. He turned around to face her,
still looking at the ground. "I, uh, just need a minute. Please
excuse me." 

And he was gone. 


*************
END Part 2