Title: "Blind", by Vered Gilad-Friedman
Category: VA
Rating: Harmless stuff
Spoilers: "Theef"
Summary: Scully's reaction to having been made blind.
Disclaimer: The usual bla, bla, bla... Not mine. Not gonna earn a 
single agora outa' them. Please don't sue me...
Feedback: Please send me feedback. You know that's the only 
thing us, fanfic writers, get out of this, and it's the only thing we 
really want. Email: royvered@netvision.net.il
Archive: Anywhere. If not in the major archives (Gossamer, 
Xemplary, etc.), please just let me know, OK?

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   "BLIND"
   -------

   Dark. Black. Charcoal black.
   The world had gone.
   "I can't..."
   "I can't see."
   Her heart beat with hysteria. Fear pumping adrenaline at full 
blast. She was blind. The beautiful world she had gotten so 
accustomed to ignore was now gone. At least as far as she was 
concerned. 
   But she had no time to succumb to self pity and misery.
   A door burst open.
   Instinctively she turned around and aimed her gun at what she 
hoped was her assailant. She pulled the trigger and shot blindly. 
She knew it was pointless. She breathed hard, and barely 
suppressed the urge to cry.
   Before she could even gather what was left of her senses, a brutal 
hand knocked her down, her gun taken away from her possession.
   She was blind. She was helpless. She was terrified.
   Her instincts were fighting against each other. The FBI Woman 
knowing it was her duty to protect the helpless people above. The 
Blind Woman wanting safety and protection and to just get away 
from the cruel murderer who had just robbed her of her sight.
   She could hardly catch her breath from all the adrenaline washing 
through her. Her body trembled as she crawled across the room's 
floor in frenzy. 
   You have to fight this, The FBI Woman ordered The Blind 
Woman. You are only as crippled as you make yourself. 
   The fear was threatening to overwhelm her, but she didn't relent. 
Even when she toppled backwards she did not give up.
   Dr. Wieder and his daughter were begging for mercy. She had no 
such luxury.
   Finally she felt the cold metal object she had searched for. Now, 
if she could only find her way around this room.
   But then, before she could even walk a single step, a strong hand 
grabbed her hand.
   As if it were a reflex, she pulled the trigger... 
   At that very same moment her sight returned to her. Just in time 
to see a shot Mulder lying in a puddle of blood on the floor...

   "Hey..."
   "No... Mulder..."
   "What?"
   "Mulder?..."
   "It was just a dream, Scully."
   She looked up and saw her partner's face before her. She could 
still feel the pounding of her heart - a remnant of the dream. "I was 
blind..."
   "Shshsh... You're OK now."
   "I shot you... I thought you were him... and I shot you..."
   He gave her a sympathetic look. "It was just a dream."
   "I know, but still... I could have killed somebody that day, I could 
have shot you... or Dr. Wieder, or his daughter..."
   "But you didn't. You did what you could under terrible 
circumstances. There aren't that many people I know who could 
have done what you had done on that day. The fact that you 
somehow stayed in control, despite the fact that you were blind... 
You never cease to amaze me."
   "Mulder, I was terrified."
   "Who wouldn't be?"
   "I know, but still..."
   "You're being too hard on yourself, Scully."
   She fell silent. She thought back to those few dreadful moments 
when she was blind. The helplessness. The horrifying blackness. It 
all came back to her in flashes. She shuddered at the memory.
   Mulder was still holding her hand, but now he moved closer and 
pulled her into an embrace.
   "I know it's not much," he told her. "But I'm sorry I wasn't there 
with you."
   He fell silent.
   She held on to him. Drawing from his warmth and strength. Using 
the feeling of protection to chase The Blind Woman out of her 
heart. Making space once again for The FBI Woman.

      THE END