Title:Love 
Author:nikbait
Rating:R to NC-17 for extreme violence and colorful language.
Spoilers:none, its a stand alone story
Disclaimers:I don't own these characters. I just
wanna use them for my own story. I don't profit from this
story.
Archives:XFMU, DTA, ADT anyone else, ask.
Comments:This is a challenge story to DoggettTorture about
having John shot in a bank and scully finds him. Very angsty
and lots of colorful words used. You are warned:)




Dana Scully had gone to the X-Files office in the basement of the FBI
field office in D.C. She had some stacks of paperwork left over from
two previous cases that were still unsolved. Agent Doggett walked in
not too long after she had arrived.

"Good mornin Agent Scully." he said.

"Good morning to you Agent Doggett. How are you doing today?"

"Not too bad. How's the paperwork comin? Do ya need some help with it?"

"Sure, I could use your help. What are your plans for lunch today?"

"Plans?" he asked. This didn't sound like the Dana Scully he knew. He
knew she loved Fox Mulder and would never ask him on a date.

"I was kinda hoping that we could go over some of this paperwork over
some food."

"Sure. What time?"

"How about 12? You could meet me at the cafe on the corner after you 
get your stuff done."

"That would be great. I have to stop by the bank beforehand though." he
said. Agent Doggett so looked forward to having lunch with beautiful
Dana. He'd told himself that he wasn't in love with her, for she was his
partner. But his instincts told him otherwise. John knew he had fallen 
hard for Agent Scully, but he could never tell her. Her heart would
always be with Fox Mulder, and John knew he could never compare to Fox.
Lunchtime finally came, and John had set out to go to the bank. Before
he went in, however, he got an uneasy feeling in his gut telling him 
something wasn't right. 'Stop this idiot.' he told himself. 'You're only
nervous because of your lunch date with Dana.' He shoved the feeling off
and headed into the bank.

As John Doggett walked into the bank, a man in a ski mask and his sidekick
started shouting to the clerks to open the money safes.

"Do it bitch before I kill you!" the masked man yelled.

Agent Doggett dropped to his knees in hopes that they didn't see him enter
the building. He dialed Scully's cell.

"Scully."

"Agent Scully. It's John." he whispered.

"Agent Doggett? Why are you whispering?"

"I'm at the bank. I just walked into a robbery in progress. Send some backup
down here! The men are armed and are killing people as I speak!"

"Ok Agent Doggett. Stay calm and collected. I am coming to get you."

"NO! Don't come down here! It's not safe!"

"Agent Doggett, you are my partner."

"I know that Agent Scully. I just..." the line went dead. Agent Doggett was
knocked over by the masked man.

"Who you callin fool?" he said.

"Uh, nobody."

"Wrong answer." he said. He pointed his pistol at John. "Move it fool!"
He pointed to the corner of the building. John did as he was told, for his
service weapon was unloaded.

"Everyone shut the hell up or we'll kill you all!" the other man said.
"You!" he pointed at John. "Who were you callin? The cops?"

"Nah man. My wife called me." John lied.

"Fool! Whatcha gonna do now? Have her come save your sorry white ass?"

"Nah man. She's at home." he said, his voice starting to waver. John had
a very bad feeling he was about to become dead.

Dana Scully had gotten down to the bank in a matter of seconds. She knew John
was in danger. He didn't have any rounds in his service pistol and he 
didn't have a vest on. She was at the door to the building when she heard 
the yelling. She snuck inside, hoping everything was ok.

John was trying to shield one of the female clerks from the man with the 
pistol.

"Move it or I will shoot your white ass fool." he said to John.

"Please, don't kill anyone else." John replied. "They did nothing to you."

The bloodshed was already enormous and he didn't want this clerk to be 
next.

"John!" Dana cried. "FBI! Freeze!" she yelled. The man put his gun to John's
head.

"Move and I will kill him bitch!" he said.

"Dana, get the fuck out of here!" John said, the fear etched in his eyes.

"Shut up John! Put the weapon down now!" She said to the man.

"Don't come any closer!" he said, the gun's barrel aimed now at John's chest.

"Dana!" John cried.

"Ah man, whateva. Come on man." he said to his partner. "Kill these 
assholes and grab the cash."

"Man, why? Killin these guys ain't gonna get us away faster!"

"Do it!"

The man with the automatic rifle started shooting randomly, killing
everyone in the bank. The other man then pointed the pistol back
at John, who was shielding one of the clerks. 

"Ah man, don't do this." he said.

"Shut up fool." he said. He fired all 9 rounds, 5 of them hitting John
in several places.

"John!" Dana cried. She started shooting the attackers as she rushed to
John's aide. She bent to feel for a pulse on both attackers, finding none,
she rushed to John. She knelt beside him, feeling his neck for a pulse.
He had one, but it was weak and thready. Two bullets had grazed his neck,
slicing his carotid artery. He was bleeding profusely.

"John. Oh God John, hang in there John." she cooed as she tried to stop the
bleeding. She examined his other wounds. Two other bullets grazed his
right side, and the last bullet had gone straight into his chest. He was
having a hard time breathing.

"John, listen to me. I am sending for an ambulance. Stay with me please."
She said, as the puddle of blood continued to form around his still body.
Dana cradled John in her arms.

"Dana." he said. "I...I love you." he said, before collapsing.

"Oh John, no!" she said. "Don't you die on me!"

She knew he didn't have much time before he died. She couldn't carry him
for he was far too heavy. She could only hope the ambulance got there
in time.

Moments later, the calvary arrived. The ambulance arrived seconds later.
The paramedics rushed to Dana's side. John wasn't breathing and he
didn't have a pulse. He was dead. "No, John. Don't leave me." she cried.

"Excuse us ma'am. We've got to get him to the hospital."

"He's dead."

"No ma'am. He will be fine." the man tried to soothe her. The paramedic
could only soothe her, for he knew that John was already dead.

"JOHN!" she yelled. Assistant Director Skinner arrived just as the 
EMT's were hauling John away.

"Dana! What the fuck happened?"

"He's dead sir. John's dead. They shot him." she said, pointing to the 
two gunmen.

"He's in good hands Dana."

"He's dead. He didn't have a pulse. No breathing. Look at the blood." she
whispered, pointing to the huge red puddle beside her.

Skinner gulped as he realized the puddle was from one of his own friends.
"Oh God, John." he whispered.

So, Skinner drove Dana to the hospital where John had been taken. They
both sat in the waiting room, hoping for some good news on John's condition.
Dana knew he would be on life-support, for he was dead before the ambulance
had arrived. He had died in her arms, telling her he loved her. Now, she
would never get the chance to say goodbye. Dana started to cry. Her tears 
fell like rain. She knew she could not face losing another partner. Mulder
was gone, but she would never forget him. Dana never thought that she would
ever come to love this man that she knows now. He was a real jerk when
they first met, and he didn't make things easy. He was hard to know, hard
to try to please. He was also very kind, passionate and sweet. She didn't
think she could take losing him like she lost Mulder.

"Dana?" Skinner asked. He saw the look in her eyes. John wasn't going to
make it. "How did this happen? How?"

"John tried to negotiate. He tried to save the clerk's life. He..."

"Agent Scully?" came a voice from the hallway. It was the surgeon.

"Yes? How is he? Is he...?"

"Sit down." he pointed to the recliner chair. "I've got good news and
bad news."

"Bad news first."

"John was hit five times. The first two bullets slit
open his carotid artery. The second two hit his right side and the last...
It was a full bullet. It hit his chest and stopped 1/4 inch from his 
heart."

Dana could only sigh. John's heart was in danger.

"John broke his right arm and his femur in his right leg.
Dana, I cannot begin to describe to you the extent of his injuries."

"The good news?"

"He's not dead." he softly replied. "It's amazing that he's even to
the point at where he is. Unfortunately, I've had to put him on full
life-support."

"So, he's not doing so good doc. He's not living on his own support."

"No, but Dana, you have to look at it in the best way. You possibly 
saved him."

"I didn't. He's clinically dead. My John is dead."

The doctor could only put his hand in hers, to comfort her. He couldn't
do any more for John than he already did. John's body just couldn't take
the beating. He sighed, and he had to let her go. "I will be on call and
monitoring his condition. If you need me, you can call me, ok?"

"Thanks Doc." Skinner said. He sat down by Dana. "Dana, you can't give
up the hope that he will make it. John is a strong man. He can pull 
through this."

"He told me he loved me, then he collapsed. John loves me sir. He can't
die." Dana's emotions were letting loose. "He cares for me. How could I
have let this happen to him?"

"What happened to John is NOT your fault Dana. John was in the wrong 
place at the wrong time. He's gonna get better! You have got to believe
that for his sake!" 

"Dana Scully? Walter Skinner?" said a young woman who had entered the room.

"Yes?" they both said.

"I am Rosa. I am John's ICU nurse. Can I talk with you?"

"Yes."

"How is John?" Dana asked. She knew he wasn't good, but she had to ask anyway.

"Well, your John is quite the fighter. He's on full life-support but it 
looks as if he might be trying to fight. His vital signs are improving
greatly, however, we can't get too excited."

"I need to see him." Dana said, with no question in her voice.

"I will take you to him, but I must warn you, he is not the prettiest
sight right now. He is hooked to many machines and he's all bandaged up."

"I don't care. I need to see John." she insisted. If there was any chance that
John could hear what she needed to tell him, she needed to do so.

"All right, but only for a few minutes."

The nurse led Dana to the Intensive Care Unit. At room number 102, she stopped. 
She pointed to John's nametag. Dana nodded. She was shaking. Her hands wouldn't
open the doorknob. Her tears tried to fall but she knew she had to be the strong
one, for John's sake.

She went inside the room, it was dim. The only light on was a bedside tablelamp.
Dana sat down beside John's still form. She clasped her hand in his. 

"John, it's me, Dana. I don't know if you can hear me, but I am here."

No movement or sign that he could hear her. She didn't expect him to, but 
a part of her hoped he would wake up. 

"John, I am so sorry about this. If I'd only known that this was gonna 
happen, I'd never have sent you to get money for lunch. I know that 
things between us have been rough in the past, but I hope that we can
get over that part of our relationship."

Then, a moan came from John. "John?" No more response. She knew it was
probably just his body reacting to what had happened. She stayed there
for what seemed like forever when the nurse came to get her. "Can't I 
stay?"

"Sorry Dana. Hospital policy states family only."

"He is my family. He's my partner. I am all he has left. He has no
other living relatives that I know of. Please, don't make me leave
him."

"I am sorry, I didn't know. I will make sure that a cot will be put
in here for you."

"Thanks."

Dana made herself at home, for she would not be leaving his side anytime
soon. She felt she owed him at least this much. She had fallen asleep 
sometime after 9.

AD Skinner tried to concentrate on the report he was going to give
the Director Kersh, for Dana was staying with John and someone needed
to clear up just what had happened to John Doggett. He couldn't keep
his mind focused on anything, for his best agent was comatose in a
hospital bed because of some punk ass kids who thought they would 
get away. He didn't know Agent Doggett very well, but he knew enough
of his background to know that Agent Doggett was not one to take things
lying down. But circumstances proved to be otherwise. Skinner only
hoped that John Doggett would pull out of this alive.

Sometime after Dana had fallen asleep, John Doggett had awaken. He 
didn't know where he was or why he was there, but all he knew was that
he was in pain all over. He tilted his head to see Dana lying on a
cot in what appeared to be a hospital room. He remembered what had 
happened to him. He had been shot five times by some crazed kid from 
the inner city trying to rob his bank. The pain in his chest was
excruciating. He choked back sobs, not wanting to awaken Scully.
That was short-lived, for Scully woke as soon as she heard his heart
monitor beep louder.

"John?" she whispered as she approached his bed. She sat down. She
saw that he was awake. "John?"

He could only blink to her response. The pain was so bad, he wanted
to cry. 

"You're awake. Thank God."

Then, the nurse came in. She checked John's vitals. "Mr. Doggett, hello."

"Hi." he said, his voice almost inaudible.

"Do you know that you are one lucky man? You've got one great partner
here watching over you."

"Yes." he said.

"Dana, we need to talk."

"John, I will be right back ok?"

"Don't leave me."

"I will only be a few minutes."

"OK."

"So, he's awake." the nurse said.

"Yeah. It's a miracle. Can they pull the life-support now that he's 
awake?"

"No, not yet. He's not out of the woods. The surgeon just confirmed
to me that he needs surgery to remove that bullet next to his heart."

"Isn't that dangerous in his condition?"

"Very. John could die on the table. He's already lost so much blood, 
the doc wants to wait and see if John will stabilize more before
he does the surgery. He needs your two's permission to do so."

"Yes, go ahead. I know he's not in a talking position right now."

"OK, I will let him know of your decision. Now, you are wanted back
in that room."

"Yes ma'am." Dana said.

She walked back to John's room. She sat down beside him and could only
look into his beautiful blue eyes.

"I almost lost you John. You almost died on me."

"I know Dana. I am sorry. How are you holding up?"

"You don't worry about me at all mister. You just concentrate on getting
better so we can go have our lunch date." she said, smiling. "I 
really wasn't looking forward to spending our first date in the 
hospital."

"Me neither. Look, Dana..."

"John, don't speak. You need to rest. I will be back later to check on
you, I have to let Skinner know that you're awake."

"OK."

"Oh, and John, I love you too."

"I love you Dana."

"I'll be back John." she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Dana arrived at the field office 20 minutes later. She went to Skinner's
office. "Come in."

"Sir? Hi." she said.

"Hi, Dana."

"He's awake."

"What? How is he doing?"

"Well, he's not out of the woods yet, but he's getting better."

"Great news!"

"Ya, well, there's just one more thing. He needs surgery to remove 
the bullet near his heart. Doc says he's not near strong enough right
now. There's always the chance..."

"Don't think about it Dana. He will pull through fine."

"Ya, but if that bullet so much as moves 1/4 inch, John will die. It
is only 1/4 inch from his heart."

"As I said, he's a fighter."

"I know that Sir. I was hoping that you would give me some time away
from the Bureau so I could take care of John."

"Take as long as you want to Dana. I know how much he means to you.
He will never be Mulder, but he's great in his own way."

"That he is Sir. Thank you so much."

Dana made her way back to the hospital that night. She was still worried
about how John was going to make it through another surgery. He was
already in the fight for his life, he didn't need another major catastrophe.
She went into his room, and he was asleep. He was no longer hooked to the
ventilator, for he was finally breathing on his own.

"John?"

He opened his eyes. He smiled. "Dana." He clasped his hand into hers. He
felt so warm to her.

"Hi there yourself John. You're off the ventilator."

"I asked them too. I saw what these things do to you. They scare you."

"Yes, they do John. You scared me. I thought you were dead."

"I am sorry. Look Dana, when I get out of here, I will make you the
best damned dinner you've ever had."

"John."

"What?" he saw the look in her eyes. "Oh no Dana. What is it?"

"Can you still feel that terrible pain in your chest?"

He didn't like where this conversation was going. He gulped. "Yes."

"The fifth bullet lodged in your chest, 1/4 inch from your heart.
The doc says he can't operate until you are much better."

"That's not so bad Dana. I thought I had a bad heart or somethin. I
will be ok sweetheart."

'Sweetheart?' she asked herself. "John, this surgery is not a piece
of cake. One wrong move and you die."

His heart fell to his knees. Still, he had to be strong for both 
of them. "Look at it this way, at least I will be a better man when
all this is done."

"John, I am not joking. The doc says you could die very easy."

"Dana, I have to joke about this, for it is all that gets me by. I hate
seein ya in such agony over me. I never wanted to burden you with anything."

"I love you John, you could never be a burden."

"Thanks for the support Dana. I love you too." he said, pulling her to
him so he could kiss her.

The next several weeks were hard on both of them. John had a couple setbacks
that nearly landed him back in ICU, but he got better. The time had come to
where the bullet had to be removed. John was not looking forward to it.
He had just felt like he had gotten done recovering. He wasn't looking 
forward to more surgery.

The long 8 hour surgery went by without a hitch. John was going to be ok.
Dana had been waiting for this news for weeks since John had been first shot.
Eventually, he was released to the regular surgical unit, where then on,
he got better.

When John had gotten home, he was excited. He never felt so glad to be home
than he did that day. Dana had taken him home, and helped him get reaquainted
with everything. He would have a long haul ahead of him, being as how he
had died twice and come back, but John was going to be just fine.

"Dana?"

"Yes John."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not deserting me, for being there for me when I needed someone the
most."

"John.."

"No, Dana. I need to say this. I know that I put you through hell thinking
that I was dead, but I hope that you will forgive me. I never met anyone
quite like you. You are definitely my guardian angel."

"John, I love you with all my heart. I don't know what I would do without
you."

"I would be dead if I hadn't had you. You were my lifeline. You didn't give
up on me. For that, I will forever be greatful."

"You are my love now John. I will always love you."

"What about work? We can't surely work the X-Files as lovers."

"No, but we can do something about that...I was thinking I should finish
my medical degree so I can become a real doctor."

"What a fine idea. I would love it if you became a doctor."

"It all sounds great, but what will happen to the X-Files? They will
shut it down without me there."

"Dana, sometimes things are better left undone. Maybe its time to close
them down."

"I don't know John. You do such a good job down there."

"I don't know about that anymore Dana. I think I am done with the FBI.
I just don't have the strength anymore to keep going there."

"Well, you just do what you have to do, as long as I am part of those
plans."

"Anytime Dana. I love you." he said, smiling.

"I love you too John Jay Doggett."


The End.


Comments, feedback to nikbait@yahoo.com, but no flames please.










=====
Tammy Lidyard
nikbait@yahoo.com