All Eyes Lead to the Truth | Emily (5x07)
He doesn’t remember much after he hits the floor. The FBI agent yelling his name, something about not using his gun. Confusion, regret, fear. There were fleeting moments of lucidity: being loaded into an ambulance, being hooked up to machines and IVs. He doesn’t know what happened, he doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. He can’t remember any of it, really.
But he remembers her.
He moves in and out of consciousness as the doctors explain what happened (or attempt to), but he isn’t listening. He thinks of her, wonders about her. More now than he did yesterday. Funny how that works.
His eyes open slowly, painfully, and although there’s sunlight streaming through the hospital window he has no earthly concept of time. But she’s here at his bedside, finally. In the flesh. She’s standing over him with concern painted across her beautiful features.
“Detective Kresge,” she says, a relieved smile on her face. He realizes it’s the first time he’s actually seen her smile since she arrived in San Diego.
“Scully, FBI,” he replies weakly.
“How’re you feeling?”
He groans. “Like the precinct coffee that’s still at the bottom of the pot around lunchtime.”
She grins. “Well, you look better than I expected.”
“That’s a relief.” Her expression doesn’t indicate as much, and he presumes she’s just being kind. Damn , he should’ve just asked her out before all of this happened, when he maybe kinda sorta had a shot.
“My partner tells me you were really put through the wringer.”
Partner. Everything had happened so fast back at that house where he’d followed Dr. Calderon, he hadn’t even had time to put it together. Of course that guy was her partner.
“You never told me your partner was in town.”
“Yeah, well…” she shrugs. “I was off duty. Technically.”
“Would have been nice to get a heads up.”
She says nothing. Her reluctance to explain, though, has his head spinning. Sure, he’s irked by the omission, but even after all of this, he realizes that what he actually wants to know is if her partner —that really good-looking guy she must spend every waking hour with— might be more than just her partner.
“He, uh… tried to warn me. Not to use my gun.” He wants to ask her what the fuck happened. His doctors’ explanation was basically a non-explanation; they had no idea what had caused his injuries. He could only be grateful they hadn’t been fatal. But she’s a doctor too, and she’s smart. Smarter than most of the people on his squad.
Luckily, he doesn’t have to ask. “You were exposed to an unknown contaminant,” she explains. “Mulder was once exposed to the same thing. What he told the doctors may have saved your life.”
Dammit. Now he can’t even hate the guy.
“And… the little girl?” he then asks, but immediately wishes he hadn’t. Dana looks down at her lap. She doesn’t have to say anything. He knows how attached she was to that child.
Fuck. The things he sees, the things she’s seen… sometimes he really hates this job.
“I’m sorry, Dana.”
He wants to reach out and take her hand, something to give her comfort, but he can’t help but feel like it’s not his place. She looks down at him, her eyes glassy. He recognizes her toughness, her resilience. The very thing he’d fought against at the start is exactly the thing that makes her a good agent. But in this moment he can see her humanity, something he knows makes her a good person, too. He wishes he’d had the chance to get to know her better.
“I’ll be okay.” She regards him for a moment. “I’d better get going. You should get your rest.”
He nods. He knew this visit would be brief, considering she hasn’t even sat down. He can only hope she’s here out of desire rather than obligation. “Okay.”
“I, uh…” she stops, collecting her thoughts. She glances out to the hallway, where he can see her partner milling around on his cell phone. So he’s here, too. “I just want to thank you for your help on this. For letting me turf your case.” She gives him a wry grin.
“Any time.”
But then she looks him directly in the eyes. “And… for believing me,” she says emphatically. “We wouldn’t have gotten as far if you hadn’t.”
“You’re welcome. And if you’re ever in town again and need a break from holiday time, give me a call.”
She smiles back. “I’ll do that.”
They look at each other, and for the first time in her breakneck pace since he met her, he can see her take a pause. Really consider him. He wonders if maybe, in another time, another situation– in another life – this could have really been something. And he could just be imagining it, but for a split second he thinks that maybe she’s wondering the same.
“Take care, Detective Kresge.”
He gives her a weary salute. “So long, Scully, FBI.”
She turns to go, giving him one last tiny smile at the door. And when she walks through, she leaves it open a crack. He doesn’t believe in signs, but he takes this as one. He hopes she meant it. Maybe he’ll see her again someday.
He turns on his side to get more comfortable; he really could use some rest. In his periphery, however, he sees Agent Mulder out in the hallway, hanging up his phone and stepping close to her, concern etched onto his face. He puts a hand on Dana’s shoulder and she bows forward, falling against his chest.
He knows what this means. The emotion she’d held at bay in here with him is overflowing out there, with him .
Something about this gives him comfort. Because it isn’t his face, or his rank, or the fact that he lives three thousand miles away. None of that matters. Because Detective John Kresge never actually had a shot.
Read the rest of All Eyes Lead to the Truth on AO3!
@admiralty-xfd
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This magnificent 1914 mansion in Detroit, Michigan belonged to Sebastian S. Kresge, the 5 & 10 store mogul.. The huge estate has 14 bds. & 8 baths, plus an in-law suite, and 2 carriage houses w/apts. But, here’s the kicker- it’s being sold completely furnished for $3M. (Do the cars come with it, too?)
How elegant is this? Can you imagine floating down this staircase?
Now, remember, all these statues come with it? Isn’t this beautiful?
It’s a very sun-filled home, for such a large mansion.
What a fireplace in the sitting room. Look at the millwork.
In the library. That fireplace is incredible and those built-ins. Love the ceiling, too.
Beautiful music room. Every room has different wood features.
The formal dining room is gorgeous. It makes you want to dress for dinner.
Even the breakfast room makes you want to dress up. What a bright room, and it opens to the garden.
The conservatory is stunning. Wow.
The kitchen is lovely, but we don’t care b/c we’re rich and don’t do the cooking and cleaning up.
What butler wouldn’t love this pantry?
Oooh, this desk comes with the office, too.
The pool room- that lamp must be an antique.
Around the corner is this sunny area with another lovely fireplace.
These lacy railings are so pretty.
Stunning.
The main bd. has an en suite office.
And, look at the cool black & white vintage bath.
There’s also a little kitchenette for snacks.
And, what a sophisticated closet/dressing room.
All of the bds. have bright natural light and some open to a balcony.
All the baths are pretty and restored in vintage style.
The attic has this large room with wonderful storage.
I think that this is the in-law suite.
Mr. Kresge had a safe hidden in this small niche.
There’s a nice tennis court.
The gardens are amazing.
Here’s a koi pond.
Here’s a cute little guest house.
Isn’t this fantastic?
The carriage houses have 2 bd. apts. above them.
What a property.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/70-W-Boston-Blvd-Detroit-MI-48202/88686972_zpid/
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Photograph of Shirley Woodson, Detroit Free Press, 1979; in Ellen Lupton, Broadside Press and Black Graphic Design, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, NY, February 24, 2021
Paintings are my diaries.
Drawings are my prose.
Collage is my poetry.
Assemblages are my dialogues.
All the threads of my life have been about art and its ability to connect and create ways of showing the beauty, the history and the necessity of all art but particularly Black art.
This journey has been my life, and it continues to move me.
I’m still creating and discovering.
– from A Palette for the People. The Vibrant World of Shirley Woodson, [2021 Kresge Eminent Artist], Edited by Nichole Christian and Patrick Barber, The Kresge Foundation, Detroit, MI, 2021, p. 9 (pdf here)
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