Title - Return To Me
Author - Spooky Norton
E-Mail - LLNortonJr@worldnet.att.net
Rating - PG
Classification - SRA
Spoilers - Requiem
Keywords - Mulder/Scully Romance
Summary - Scully searches for Mulder
Disclamer: Unfortunately I don't own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek, Missy, or Maggie Scully. Chris Carter does. *cries and whimpers*
Author's Notes: Well, applaudes to cast and crew for another great season and I'm looking forward to the next. I'd like to once again thank my Eve, Abby, for beta reading this and fixing my errors. I had lots of them, no wonder I got a C in English. Anyway, feedback would be VERY appreciated if you could send me some. Thanks =).
*~*
Return To Me
1:
Everyday I blame myself. For not stopping him, not keeping him here with me so he wouldn't be taken. I know I really shouldn't blame myself. I didn't know he'd be taken until after he and Skinner had gone to Bellefleur. I can't help it though. I completely blame myself. I just had a feeling I shouldn't let him go, but I let him go anyway. To think that I will walk in that office and not see his face peering at me from behind a file breaks me. I need to find him, not only for me but also for our child. I will not live without him. I will find him, no matter what.
2:
Scully looked at the poster hanging from Mulder's bulletin board. The UFO had new meaning to her now. It had taken her partner, best friend, and true love. And she hated it. She more than hated it; she loathed it. Who could blame her?
Since the abduction, Scully had been depressed. Mulder had been gone for two weeks now. She was miserable. She didn't know where to start looking. The day she had gotten out of the hospital, she had gone back to Bellefleur, but everyone was gone. She looked around the site where Mulder disappeared, but saw nothing. She stood where the energy field threw her back, but felt nothing. It was like it didn't happen at all. Except for Skinner, Scully didn't have any hard evidence -- like Mulder had with her abduction. Even then...that was far spread. Scully sighed and looked through the window at the sky, her eyes full of questions.
She came out of her reverie when she heard a knock on the office door. She turned and saw Skinner standing there. He looked at her for a minute before stepping in the office.
"Scully..." He started. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah. This isn't easy, but I am determined to find him." She said. She was lying of course; she wasn't really fully there. But Skinner wasn't going to bring her down more so he didn't say anything.
"Any leads?"
"I don't even know where to start." Scully sat down in the desk chair. "I went back to Bellefleur, but nothing was there. It was like a ghost town. I have the gunmen looking for the smoking man, I've been looking for Krycek and Marita, with no luck on both ends. It's like all of it is gone. Everything connected with why he was abducted and where he might be is gone. I don't know anything, it's like I am completely in the dark. He wasn't taken by a deranged maniac like me so I can't even send out an APB on that. I'm just so lost."
Skinner could tell she was about to break down in tears. He pulled a paper out of his pocket and tapped it against his fingers as he walked closer to the desk. He held it out in front of her and she looked up. She eyed it curiously for a minute before slowly taking it out of his hand.
"What is it?" She asked.
"It's the last known whereabouts of the smoking man. Odds are, if Krycek really was trying to fill out his last wish, he might be there too."
Scully looked at the address for a minute, as if the words he just said weren't registering. When they did, she stood up and hugged Skinner, taking off without a word. He knew that she was grateful and a million thank yous would come later, but for now he just wanted her to find Mulder.
3:
Scully pulled up outside the Watergate Apartments and checked the address. It was right and she wondered why he'd be here. Getting out of the car, she quietly shut the door behind her and touched her hand to her stomach, as if reaching for support. She would have played with her cross necklace too, but she gave it to Mulder before he left. That thought made her stop in her tracks and once more almost break down in tears, but this wasn't the time for that. On the way up to the penthouse floor, she composed herself and reminded herself that she needed to find him and she wasn't weak. She walked in front of the penthouse door he was in. Knocking on the door, she stepped back sighing slightly. A woman with blonde hair answered the door.
"Um, hello. Is Mr. Spender here?" She asked cautiously.
"Oh, um no. I'm sorry but Mr. Spender isn't here. I hate to be the one to say this, but he died a couple of weeks ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you happen to know an Alex Krycek?"
"That bastard, he's the reason Mr. Spender is dead. He pushed him down the stairs. I wouldn't know where him and the blonde girl went...Marita I think her name was. They just left after Krycek killed him."
"Oh. Thank you. I'm sorry to have bothered you." With that Scully stepped away from the door and went back to her car as fast as she could. She practically threw herself in the car but didn't even try to make a move and start it. She just sat there for a minute, running her hands over the steering wheel. It was a dead-end, figuratively and literally. Slowly, she was running out of ideas. She took a deep breath, to keep herself from crying, but failed and fell against the back of the seat, letting her tears fall.
'Please come back, Mulder, please.'
4:
Scully stood in her apartment, looking out and the night. She felt kind of empty. Like something inside her was missing. No luck on finding Krycek as word from the gunmen. She tried to think of where he might be. Tunguska might be a safe bet, but knowing that rat he'd stay around for a while until he was sure that nothing else would go wrong. He'd lurk around in the shadows then disappear to wherever he went to. Little rat.
Scully shivered slightly and went into her room to grab a sweatshirt. Opening her drawer and pulling out a thick shirt she unfolded it, and realized what it was.
It was Mulder's Knicks sweatshirt. He'd left it over there one night when him and her were watching movies and he got hot. The material was really thick. She slipped it on over her t shirt and almost immediately stopped shivering. She could swear she smelled his aftershave. Some had probably gotten on the collar. She pulled the edge of it up to her nose and smelled at the strong smell. Sure enough, now she didn't want to take the shirt off, ever. She sat down on her bed and laid back, curling up in a little ball and holding the collar of the shirt near her nose and one of her hands over her stomach. There she drifted to sleep.
~*~
Scully looked around her surroundings. She was at the reflecting pool, but wasn't sure how she got there. Her mind overridden by curiosity she didn't even hear someone come up behind her.
"Scully..." Someone said softly. She turned around and her jaw dropped as her eyes caught sight of Mulder.
"Mulder?" She said, practically whispering. Shock was written in her eyes.
"Dana, you have to stop this?"
"What?"
"Stop wishing I'd come back and make it happen. I know you miss me. I miss you too. But I know you; you don't fall into oblivion like this. You don't just sit back and take things; you fight for what you want. Well then do it. If you really want me back then fight for me."
"But Mulder, I don't even know where to start."
"Find Krycek." With that, Mulder faded away like a cloud of mist.
"Mulder? Mulder?!"
~*~
"Mulder?!" Scully jerked awake and sat up quickly, breathing heavily. She looked at the clock...10:13 PM. It was all a dream, all of it. She thought she had him back but it was just in her head. At that instant, she jumped out of bed, pulling off the sweatshirt and dropping it on the bed. She had to find Krycek, and was going to do it.
5:
It had been a week and no sign of Krycek. Not even a sign of Marita. Skinner volunteered to go back up to Bellefleur with her to search one more time for anything. She was pretty sure there wasn't anything there, but they were going to spend a really long time searching the forest. As long as it took to comb the spot where he vanished. The lone gunmen promised they would keep searching, and they were simply amazed that Krycek could stay this well hidden.
Skinner and Scully tromped around on the dead leaves that remained from the previous fall. They followed their way through the underbrush and finally got to the scene. Scully eyed the surroundings curiously as she stopped walking for a minute. Skinner looked back at her.
"What is it?"
"I don't know. I just got this strange feeling."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, its nothing." She walked and caught up with him and they started looking through the site.
~*~
After a good few hours, they had found nothing. They sifted through the leaves. They tried to use the lasers again, but all they hit was trees. Scully's hope was fading again. It was when she bumped one of the lasers with her knee that something caught her eye. It was a small glint hidden among the leaves and grass. She walked over and picked it up. It was a small gold ring. She sighed and smiled slightly, walking back over to Skinner. She chuckled slightly. "I almost thought it was my necklace." He smiled slightly. But they looked into the far woods when they heard something crackling. Scully walked towards the sound slightly, both of Skinner and her pulling out their guns. Scully caught sight of something she wasn't sure if she would ever find. "Krycek." She whispered as she ran after him. She slowly, but surely, caught up with him and tackled him down into the leaves. She pinned him down. "Where is he you son of a bitch?!"
"I don't know, Scully. I really don't know."
"Yes you do, don't lie. Where is he?!"
"I don't!" He insisted.
"Oh stop hiding Krycek, I know you know. Just say it!" She said as she tried to hit him but he blocked her punches.
"I'm just as clueless as you are Scully! Really! I used to know but they aren't there anymore! Stop!"
"You are such a rat!" She screamed as she hit him.
"Hey, stop it." Skinner said, pulling her off of him. "As much as I hate to do this, he's not going to be much help in the hospital." He pulled her back and pointed his gun at Krycek. "Now, where is he?"
"I don't know!" He said holding his hands up in defense. "But I know where they used to be."
"Where is that?" Skinner asked, pulling the safety off.
"Westmont, North Carolina."
"Where's Marita?"
"I don't know. That's why I was here."
"What?" Scully asked, wiping angry tears from her eyes, unsure of what he meant.
"She disappeared out of the blue the other day. I've been looking for her."
"Come on." Skinner said harshly. He pulled Krycek up by the collar and held him off the ground. "You're going to show us where this place is."
6:
Scully, Skinner, and Krycek stood in a field. There was nothing around for miles, save for grass and road. Scully looked impatiently around her than to Krycek. "No more games, Krycek. Where is this place?"
"You're standing on it."
"What?" Skinner asked.
"Look." Krycek said as he walked a little farther into the field. He pulled up the grass and there was a small glass door, beneath which was a ladder. "You're standing on it." He pulled something from his pocket and pried at the door. Scully watched him closely as it opened. "Come on." He called as he started down the ladder. Skinner started over to the door but looked back at Scully when she didn't follow.
"What's up?" He asked.
"I don't trust him." She said.
"I don't either but for Mulder's sake we have to."
Scully sighed and walked with him to the trap door and they went down the ladder. Krycek let them down a dimly lit hallway that got brighter with the deeper into the Earth they were. Finally they reached a large room that was really bright. Scully realized where they were.
"God, déjà vu." She muttered under her breath. Something wasn't right though. She could feel it. She didn't know what it was, dismissed it from her mind as paranoia, and went with Krycek and Skinner as they started down another hall. Krycek pulled a nail file from his pocket and pried open an office door.
"Smoking Man's office. Maybe there is something here." They walked in and Krycek turned the light on. They sifted through drawers and cabinets; desperately searching for anything that would lead them to Mulder...and Marita. Scully got to a drawer that was locked, and scowled slightly.
"Hey Krycek. Toss me that nail file." She said. He fished out of his pocket and gave it to her. She put it in the lock of the drawer and fished around until she heard the lock click. A small smile crossed her lips as she opened the drawer, but it fell away when she saw something.
A file called Purity 2. She pulled it out of the drawer and sifted through the papers. She passed named like Billy Myers, Theresa Nemman, and Marita, but her eyes stopped when she saw Fox Mulder. Now knowing he really was a part of this and probably with the others, she read closely for a location. "I think I found something." She said quietly. Skinner and Krycek kneeled next to her and read over her shoulder. Before they could read too much, the heard a noise from down the hall. Krycek swore under his breath and quietly closed the door and turned office lights off. They lay low as the footsteps clumped down the hall and got closer. Their eyes drifted up to the window as the couple of flames passed. Krycek reached into an open drawer and pulled out a stiletto.
"Lay as low as you can and get the hell out of here." He said, making a move to the door. "I'll take care of them." Before they could object, he opened the door and left. Scully ripped the page that had Mulder on it out of the folder and folded it into her pocket. Her and Skinner got to the door and watched for flames, but them and Krycek were gone. Him and Scully quickly and quietly went down the hall, making their way towards the ladder. They passed a narrow side hall and Scully stopped on her tracks. There, the flames were dead and Krycek was holding his leg to his chest, and expression of pain straining his face. Scully went down the hall and kneeled next to Krycek. She lifted him, balancing him by her shoulder, and took him to the ladder, where Skinner was already waiting. They hoisted him out of the lab, got to their car by no easy means, and took off.
7:
Scully finished wrapping the burn on Krycek's leg and started to walk out of the room.
"Why'd you save me?" He asked
"Huh?" Scully said, turning back to look at him.
"You could have left me there. Those two weren't the only flames there and even if they were, I would have died eventually anyway. Why'd you save me?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, I need you right now. You may be my only link to finding Mulder. And I couldn't let you die no matter how much you piss me off."
"Oh." With that, Scully left the room. She sat down next to Skinner outside and starred into the sky.
"We will find him, Scully."
"I hope so." She said. She looked at him for a second but then got up and walked to her hotel room, leaning against the door as it closed behind her. Her hand wandered to her stomach randomly. It had grown some and was getting harder and harder to hide. She started wondering if the baby would look like her or Mulder, blue eyes or hazel eyes, red hair or brown. She slumped against the door as she slid to the floor, tracing her fingers over the small life inside her. She let her mind wander a little while she sat there.
~*~
Scully sat on a sunny deck, reading a book. She adjusted her reading glasses and flipped the page, but her reading was interrupted by the laughter coming around the side of the house. She looked up and saw a small brown haired girl, no more than 3 years old with ringlets just like Missy used to have, come bounding around the side the corner of the house. And Mulder was right behind her, running slowly so that she could be ahead of him. He purposely caught up with the girl and grabbed her, lifting her up and turning her to look at him. She laughed harder as he blew against her stomach, making raspberry noises.
"Mommy! Save me!" The little girl squealed. Scully giggled and set her book down on the deck, getting up and walking over to them.
"Just what do you think you are doing to my sweet baby?" She said, smiling.
"Giving her a taste of her own medicine." Mulder said, blowing more raspberries. "That'll teach you for being so cute." The little girl laughed as he tickled her more.
"Is he being mean to you?" Scully said smiling at her daughter. She just laughed and squirmed. Mulder let her down and she toddled off, giggles still escaping her. Before Scully could react, Mulder had his arms around her pulling her to him.
"Now, to teach you a lesson for being cute too." He said smiling. He put his lips to hers and kissed her passionately.
~*~
Scully was yanked from her reverie by the sound of thunder clashing, but it didn't phase her. She curled her knees to her chest, which was getting harder to do, and cried. Meanwhile, the paper with Mulder's name on it sat out in a field, becoming blurred and illegible in the rain.
8:
Scully awoke that morning to the sound and feeling of someone knocking on the door. She stood up, rubbing the sleep and dry tears from her eyes, and opened the door. Skinner was standing there.
"Hey, come on. Krycek has an idea." He said.
Scully sighed. "I'm not sure I want to listen to his ideas." She said, turning into the room. Skinner looked at her curiously. He'd never seen her like this, just give up on any idea for what she wanted, even if it was her enemy's. He stepped into the room after her and saw her sit down on the edge of the unused bed.
"What is it?" He asked, looking at her.
"I don't know. Maybe it's kind of hopeless. I mean, I was so close and he slipped through my fingers. I learned a while back, that everything happens for a reason. Maybe I lost that paper for a reason. Maybe God was trying to tell me to give up, he's not coming back."
"Scully..." Skinner said, looking right at her. "You can't think that way." He'd never seen her this depressed. Even when she was mourning Emily she wasn't this down. He now realized how deep her and Mulder ran. They were true, and the thought of Mulder never coming back killed Scully. It killed her spirit. Skinner had always admired her rush for life, living each day to the fullest, or at least trying to. But now her reason for living was gone, and the light in her eyes had been dimmed. He knew that if it wasn't for the baby, she would have killed herself long ago, but he or she had turned into her reason to go on. That and the hope that Mulder would come back to her kept her going. Skinner looked on to her sad face and wished he could get Mulder to her that instant, but he couldn't. And it tore him up.
"Why? Everything that could lead me to Mulder is gone. Smoking man is dead. I lost the paper. Save for Krycek, which I am pretty much afraid of his ideas, I have nothing. Maybe I should just give up."
Skinner was getting angry. "Fine, you do that. Sit and sulk, but its not going to bring him back. If you really want him back then get up and look for him. You can sit idle by if you want to, but if you do you're killing him, not just yourself." Her eyes moved up to look at him and he saw the pain there. She looked like she was about to cry...or had been. Maybe both. She sighed and randomly ran a hand through her hair, pushing some loose strands away from her face. She felt very vulnerable, and knew Skinner could sense it.
"But I can't go on like this. Every time I step ahead I take two backwards. Maybe it's the smarter thing to stop looking. Mulder said there has to be an end, maybe it's here."
Skinner sighed frustratedly and looked away from her. "Listen to yourself. Is that what you want? Just to give up and let them do whatever it is they are doing to him? Mulder would have never given up on you, I can tell you that from seeing it for myself. What happened to the Scully that wanted directions to the Bermuda Triangle?"
"I...I don't know." She said, almost losing control. She felt strange, like she was in a mind that wasn't her own. Everything that had been coming at her lately was leaving her left in a loop and she didn't know what to make of it all. She knew Skinner was trying to get her to get off her butt and get going but she was numb to his words. She stood up and walked to the window, looking outside at the now clear sunny sky, attempting to hide the tears that were threatening her. Honestly she didn't know why she was crying so much; it wasn't like her to cry. Little Mrs. Tomboy rarely cried. She bit back the tears so Skinner wouldn't see her, but it was too late, he knew. He slowly walked over to her and touched her shoulder. Without even thinking about it she turned to him and fell into him. His arms folded around her back as she tried to find some form of comfort.
No matter how much of a hard ass he could be at times, he was her friend. Both of them knew that. For her sake, he needed to help her with this. It was hard, and some days were going to be a lot worse than others. As long as he was there when Mulder couldn't be, she'd be okay.
"We'll find him, Scully."
"I hope you're right." She said quietly.
9:
~7 months later~
Scully watched as her mom held up a light green baby blanket and gently spread it over the crib mat. She smiled. "This was really sweet of you, mom, but you didn't have to pay for all this."
"I wanted to. It's my grandchild and your first, let alone the Dr's thought you couldn't have kids. Besides, he or she is coming soon and you need somewhere to put it."
Scully tried not to laugh, and suppressed a giggle. She watched as her mom perfected everything. She moved toys around and straightened blankets, and straightened anything else that needed to be straightened. "I'll be right back Dana. I left something in the car." She said as she started to leave the room. Scully suppressed another giggle and watched her mom leave. When she heard the door close she walked to the crib and looked at the blanket. She didn't notice it before, but three little initials were stitched into the corner, BSM. Scully had already decided on names, Brea Samantha if it was a girl and Bryan Scott if it was a boy. She really didn't know how she ended up with two names that had the same initials, but she liked the names. The B and S weren't what was getting to her though, the M was. Whatever the baby's first name, it was going to have Mulder's last name. She missed him, more than he could ever know. She felt even more hopeless now that she was on forced maternity leave. Her Dr's were making her do it for the health of her and the baby. Krycek had been caught and killed by flames a few months back. Skinner said he would keep looking, but she wondered how much he could do on his own. Lone Gunmen could only go so far, and all though they wouldn't say it, they had pretty much stopped searching. Scully couldn't blame them. They tried. She rubbed her belly and got a satisfied kick from her child. She smiled. Her attention was averted when her phone rang. She walked out to the living room and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Scully, it's Skinner."
"What's up?"
"You need to come down to Georgetown right now."
"Why?"
"Dana, I..." Her mom said but stopped talking when she saw the phone.
"You just really need to be here before I say anything."
Scully furrowed her brow. "O...kay. I'll be right there." She hung up. "Mom, Skinner needs me down at Georgetown Memorial for some reason. I'll call before I come back."
"Okay." Maggie said. Scully hugged her mom, kissed her cheek, grabbed her purse, and left.
10:
Scully walked into the lobby of Georgetown Memorial. She looked around and saw Skinner pacing. She made her way over to him. "Sir, what is it?"
He looked at her. "Mulder is upstairs." He said softly. Scully stared at him for a minute and as if they were moving in sync, they went to the elevator. The doors opened and they bolted in. Skinner hit the floor number Mulder was on and the elevator surged up. They rode in silence. Skinner looked at Scully and could see the disbelief in her eyes. He knew she never thought she'd see this day. Finally, just before they got to the floor she spoke.
"How did he get here?" She asked quietly.
"I don't know. I was here with a couple of agents from VCS helping them with a case and I saw him being wheeled in. No one will tell me how he got here." The elevator doors opened and she rushed out ahead of Skinner. "Where?"
"The left." They went down the hall, just a step under running, towards the one thing Scully was sure she'd never see again. She finally saw his face, his eyes covered, a breathing tube taped to his mouth, and all sorts of wires and tubes coming out of him. It took her a minute to be sure it was really him. Slowly she walked beside him, watching his face. It really was him, he was back, but she wondered about one thing - if he was going to survive. She had heard the story from Mulder about how she almost died, so it was a real chance he could.
"Sir?" She said not taking her eyes off Mulder.
"Yes?"
"Can you call my mother? She's at my apartment."
"Sure. I'll be right back." He said as he left. Scully turned her head for just a second and watched him walk down the hall. She turned her eyes back to Mulder, unsure what to make of this. After all the months of searching he was back. She felt kind of shell shocked right now. She sat down on a stood by the bed and pushed a tear away from her eye. She moved some his hair away from his forehead and traced her fingers down his cheek, down his arm, and touched his hand. "What did they do to you?" She whispered, on the verge of crying. "God what did they do?" She picked up his hand and kissed it, holding it to her cheek and feeling the warmth that told her he really was there, this wasn't another dream. Slowly, tears started to fall from her eyes. She knew one thing -- she would never know how he got there. Not the truth anyway. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered was that he lived. That was all she cared about.
~*~
Scully kept watching Mulder; she couldn't get enough of it. She wished that his eyes would open and he'd look back at her, but she knew it wasn't that easy. Could be, but she knew deep in her heart it wasn't going to be that way.
"Dana?" Scully turned to see her mom and Skinner standing there. She just looked at them for a minute, not knowing what to say.
Maggie looked at her daughter, and new that all the pain that had surfaced right after Mulder's abduction had come up again. Except now it was fear he wasn't going to make it, instead of that he wouldn't come back. She watched as, without a word, Scully's eyes went back to looking at Mulder. Maggie looked to Skinner, and the exchanged glances, knowing it would be better to leave her alone.
11:
Oh Mulder, please wake up. Please. What did they do to you? Where have you been? Why did they take you? I want to know these answers, but what I want most is for you to open your eyes. Please, open your eyes and look at me. I'm scared, Mulder. Scared that I will never see that bright hazel color, scared that I will never see you awake again, and scared that our child will grow without their father. But most of all, scared that I will have to live without you. I have survived nine months, but I don't know how much I can bear now that you are here in front of me. We are so close now. Please, just wake up, and be okay. Just be okay.
12:
Scully watched Mulder as he lay in the bed. He hadn't gotten any better than when he had arrived. They had taken his breathing tube out, and he was breathing on his own so that was a good point. But she knew he wasn't out of the woods, and that made her worry more. She hadn't left his side in days unless she had to, and that was only to go to the bathroom. She hadn't been eating well, most of the time one meal a day, and she hadn't been sleeping, just watching Mulder.
Maggie was really worried about her, but knew that it was simply because she cared so much about him. If Bill had been in this situation she would have done the same thing. But she wanted Dana to take care of herself and that baby. She prayed that Fox would be awake in time for the birth. He wouldn't be strong enough to sit with her, she knew that, but at least her daughter wouldn't be worrying about him so much. But if she knew Dana and Fox, it wouldn't happen. Nothing was ever easy with them. She prayed just once it would be.
Skinner had had little time to see Scully and Mulder. He had other obligations at work that couldn't be avoided but he got over to Georgetown any chance he got. Mulder had been there for almost a week, and no change. Every time he saw Scully she looked more and more worn. Understandable for how much stress she was under but she needed some rest. He knew better than that though, he knew she wasn't going to get it. He leaned against the wall near Maggie Scully and watched Scully at Mulder's bedside through the glass.
"Poor thing." Maggie said. "Both of them. Quite honestly Walter, I don't know how much more I can see either of them this way."
"I know what you mean, Mrs. Scully. Scully has been through so much the last few months. Hopefully, the baby will be healthy and he will wake up and everything will be okay."
"Hopefully, but why do I get the feeling it won't be that easy?"
"Because it never is."
~*~
Scully stroked Mulder's hand lightly, moving her other hand to touch her stomach where the baby moved. It was kicking the hell out of her, probably leaving her insides bruised because heaven knows her outsides would be. It was never this active and she couldn't explain it. Maybe it was just being active, and that was all well and good with her. She just wished it didn't hurt so much. Of course she knew this was the easy part. Her eyes fixed on Mulder and she kissed his cheek. As she pulled back to sit in the chair, a different pain shot through her middle. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. She settled back in the chair and touched her hands to her stomach, wondering what the hell that was. She didn't feel it again and thought that maybe the baby kicked something else, and shrugged it off. She looked back at Mulder. She watched him for a few minutes and the discomfort rushed through her abdomen again. Keeping her eyes on Mulder, her brow furrowed slightly. She wished that the baby would hold still for just a little while. Another few minutes passed and the pain came back, but this time it was enough to stir an 'Ouch' from her. It now struck her what was going on. Her hands went to her stomach and she grasped the swollen part of her body. She knew she needed to get to maternity but didn't want to leave Mulder. Her rational part told her she was going to have to. She stood up and kissed his cheek again.
"I'll be back, I swear. As soon as I can, I'll be right here." She said. Just as she was about to leave the room and tell her mom and Skinner that this was really happening, the pain went through her abdomen again, pulling a louder ouch from her and forcing her to sit down. She heard the door click open and knew they had seen her.
"Dana?" Her mom asked kneeling next to her daughter.
"It's coming, mom." She said.
"Oh my. Okay, come on sweetie. Lets get you upstairs." She said helping her daughter out of the chair. Skinner held the door open for them.
"Good luck Scully." He said as they passed him. He watched them get on the elevator and then turned to look at the other patient.
'I knew it wouldn't be that easy.' He thought.
13:
Scully sighed in sleep, slowly waking up but not wanting to open her eyes. It had been a painful labor that lasted 18 hours. She still hurt, but thank god for Ibuprofen. She stirred slightly and thought it better to open her eyes. She looked to the window and saw the sunlight streaking in, and smiled slightly. She sighed and turned her head to see something that she the one man that her dreams had been about. She sat up looking at him, a shocked expression on her face.
"Mulder?" She whispered.
"In person." He said from his wheelchair, smiling at her. She looked into his eyes for a minute, not knowing if it was real, or just another dream. She reached out and touched his face, making sure it was real. When it was, she couldn't stop herself and reached to wrap her arms around him, wincing slightly. But the hug far outweighed the discomfort and she never wanted to let him go. Tears slowly streaked down her cheeks as she hugged him tightly.
"I missed you so much." She said softly. In response his arms tightened around her. After a minute she pulled away.
"Scully, I need to know. Skinner wouldn't tell me and made me wait for you to do it. He even made me close my eyes on the way up here. What are you doing up here?"
She looked at him for a minute and smiled slightly, settling back into the bed. "I don't know how you're going to take this."
"Tell me Scully, you can trust me."
"It's not that I am worried about. Here we go. Um, honestly, I can't explain this. I have tried, and all I can figure out, is that it is a miracle. Mulder..." At the door to the room clicked open and nurse came in holding a small baby in a pink blanket. Mulder looked at the baby curiously then at Scully as the nurse handed it to her.
"Scully?" He said softly, unaware that the nurse was leaving the room to wait outside.
"Mulder, this is your daughter, Brea."
He was speechless. He looked at the small girl cooing and moving in Scully's arms, trying to say something but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. He didn't know what to make of it. The fact that Scully had a baby was shocking him, and that the baby was his threw him over the edge. He didn't know how he could have a doubt in his mind that Brea wasn't his, Scully would never cheat on him, but it was still shocking. He was a father. He looked at Scully and smiled, pulling him to her and kissing her softly. He sat back into the wheelchair and reached to touch the little life.
"Here Mulder, put your arms out."
He looked at her for a minute and then put his arms out carefully as she set the baby in his arms. He looked down into Brea's face, pushing the blanket away from her eyes. He watched her for a minute and smiled.
"She's beautiful Scully." He said softly. She smiled and lay back against the head of the bed, watching them. She had dreamed of this, and now her dreams were coming true.
Mulder looked at his child and knew that she was going to have Scully's blue eyes, and he hoped she would have Scully's red hair and be a little mirror image of her. He watched the baby for a minute, but when he turned to say something to Scully, she had fallen asleep again. He smiled and carefully stood up. Watching not to crush Brea, he leaned forward and kissed Scully on the forehead. "I love you." With that, he and Brea left.
14:
8 months later
Dana Mulder picked up Brea as she tried to play with a bow on a Christmas present. "Nuh uh young lady. Those are for later." She sat down on the couch, putting the little girl in her lap.
"Yeah Brea Bug, you always go after the ones in the back, that way mommy doesn't notice." Mulder said, chuckling evilly.
"Don't listen to him, he's a moron."
"Hey!"
Scully chuckled and bounced the baby. "Well Mulder, our first Christmas. How's it turning out so far?"
"We're surviving." He said. "Considering us and our track record, I think that's pretty good."
"Yeah, I think its pretty impressive we haven't burned the apartment down yet." She said, looking at the fire in the fireplace.
"Be optimistic Scully, wasn't it you who came to my hotel room on our first case with a candle?"
"Yeah, but you had one too, besides, look how THAT turned out. We lost everything and the case was ruined."
He thought for a minute. "True, but that really wasn't our fault."
"Brea, don't ever try anything your father does. That might be the end of the world as we know it."
"Ouch, that hurt both of us."
Scully chuckled. "I'm going to put her to bed." She said, getting up. Mulder watched her as she turned down the hall. A few minutes later, she came back sans baby.
"Now, where were we?" She asked flopping down next to him.
"I believe, we were about to notice the mistletoe." He said, pointing up.
"Oh, well then, we'll just have to notice that." She said. She scooted closer to him and kissed him. Merry Christmas indeed.
~ The End ~
Author - Spooky Norton
E-Mail - LLNortonJr@worldnet.att.net
Rating - PG
Classification - SRA
Spoilers - Requiem
Keywords - Mulder/Scully Romance
Summary - Scully searches for Mulder
Disclamer: Unfortunately I don't own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Krycek, Missy, or Maggie Scully. Chris Carter does. *cries and whimpers*
Author's Notes: Well, applaudes to cast and crew for another great season and I'm looking forward to the next. I'd like to once again thank my Eve, Abby, for beta reading this and fixing my errors. I had lots of them, no wonder I got a C in English. Anyway, feedback would be VERY appreciated if you could send me some. Thanks =).
*~*
Return To Me
1:
Everyday I blame myself. For not stopping him, not keeping him here with me so he wouldn't be taken. I know I really shouldn't blame myself. I didn't know he'd be taken until after he and Skinner had gone to Bellefleur. I can't help it though. I completely blame myself. I just had a feeling I shouldn't let him go, but I let him go anyway. To think that I will walk in that office and not see his face peering at me from behind a file breaks me. I need to find him, not only for me but also for our child. I will not live without him. I will find him, no matter what.
2:
Scully looked at the poster hanging from Mulder's bulletin board. The UFO had new meaning to her now. It had taken her partner, best friend, and true love. And she hated it. She more than hated it; she loathed it. Who could blame her?
Since the abduction, Scully had been depressed. Mulder had been gone for two weeks now. She was miserable. She didn't know where to start looking. The day she had gotten out of the hospital, she had gone back to Bellefleur, but everyone was gone. She looked around the site where Mulder disappeared, but saw nothing. She stood where the energy field threw her back, but felt nothing. It was like it didn't happen at all. Except for Skinner, Scully didn't have any hard evidence -- like Mulder had with her abduction. Even then...that was far spread. Scully sighed and looked through the window at the sky, her eyes full of questions.
She came out of her reverie when she heard a knock on the office door. She turned and saw Skinner standing there. He looked at her for a minute before stepping in the office.
"Scully..." He started. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah. This isn't easy, but I am determined to find him." She said. She was lying of course; she wasn't really fully there. But Skinner wasn't going to bring her down more so he didn't say anything.
"Any leads?"
"I don't even know where to start." Scully sat down in the desk chair. "I went back to Bellefleur, but nothing was there. It was like a ghost town. I have the gunmen looking for the smoking man, I've been looking for Krycek and Marita, with no luck on both ends. It's like all of it is gone. Everything connected with why he was abducted and where he might be is gone. I don't know anything, it's like I am completely in the dark. He wasn't taken by a deranged maniac like me so I can't even send out an APB on that. I'm just so lost."
Skinner could tell she was about to break down in tears. He pulled a paper out of his pocket and tapped it against his fingers as he walked closer to the desk. He held it out in front of her and she looked up. She eyed it curiously for a minute before slowly taking it out of his hand.
"What is it?" She asked.
"It's the last known whereabouts of the smoking man. Odds are, if Krycek really was trying to fill out his last wish, he might be there too."
Scully looked at the address for a minute, as if the words he just said weren't registering. When they did, she stood up and hugged Skinner, taking off without a word. He knew that she was grateful and a million thank yous would come later, but for now he just wanted her to find Mulder.
3:
Scully pulled up outside the Watergate Apartments and checked the address. It was right and she wondered why he'd be here. Getting out of the car, she quietly shut the door behind her and touched her hand to her stomach, as if reaching for support. She would have played with her cross necklace too, but she gave it to Mulder before he left. That thought made her stop in her tracks and once more almost break down in tears, but this wasn't the time for that. On the way up to the penthouse floor, she composed herself and reminded herself that she needed to find him and she wasn't weak. She walked in front of the penthouse door he was in. Knocking on the door, she stepped back sighing slightly. A woman with blonde hair answered the door.
"Um, hello. Is Mr. Spender here?" She asked cautiously.
"Oh, um no. I'm sorry but Mr. Spender isn't here. I hate to be the one to say this, but he died a couple of weeks ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you happen to know an Alex Krycek?"
"That bastard, he's the reason Mr. Spender is dead. He pushed him down the stairs. I wouldn't know where him and the blonde girl went...Marita I think her name was. They just left after Krycek killed him."
"Oh. Thank you. I'm sorry to have bothered you." With that Scully stepped away from the door and went back to her car as fast as she could. She practically threw herself in the car but didn't even try to make a move and start it. She just sat there for a minute, running her hands over the steering wheel. It was a dead-end, figuratively and literally. Slowly, she was running out of ideas. She took a deep breath, to keep herself from crying, but failed and fell against the back of the seat, letting her tears fall.
'Please come back, Mulder, please.'
4:
Scully stood in her apartment, looking out and the night. She felt kind of empty. Like something inside her was missing. No luck on finding Krycek as word from the gunmen. She tried to think of where he might be. Tunguska might be a safe bet, but knowing that rat he'd stay around for a while until he was sure that nothing else would go wrong. He'd lurk around in the shadows then disappear to wherever he went to. Little rat.
Scully shivered slightly and went into her room to grab a sweatshirt. Opening her drawer and pulling out a thick shirt she unfolded it, and realized what it was.
It was Mulder's Knicks sweatshirt. He'd left it over there one night when him and her were watching movies and he got hot. The material was really thick. She slipped it on over her t shirt and almost immediately stopped shivering. She could swear she smelled his aftershave. Some had probably gotten on the collar. She pulled the edge of it up to her nose and smelled at the strong smell. Sure enough, now she didn't want to take the shirt off, ever. She sat down on her bed and laid back, curling up in a little ball and holding the collar of the shirt near her nose and one of her hands over her stomach. There she drifted to sleep.
~*~
Scully looked around her surroundings. She was at the reflecting pool, but wasn't sure how she got there. Her mind overridden by curiosity she didn't even hear someone come up behind her.
"Scully..." Someone said softly. She turned around and her jaw dropped as her eyes caught sight of Mulder.
"Mulder?" She said, practically whispering. Shock was written in her eyes.
"Dana, you have to stop this?"
"What?"
"Stop wishing I'd come back and make it happen. I know you miss me. I miss you too. But I know you; you don't fall into oblivion like this. You don't just sit back and take things; you fight for what you want. Well then do it. If you really want me back then fight for me."
"But Mulder, I don't even know where to start."
"Find Krycek." With that, Mulder faded away like a cloud of mist.
"Mulder? Mulder?!"
~*~
"Mulder?!" Scully jerked awake and sat up quickly, breathing heavily. She looked at the clock...10:13 PM. It was all a dream, all of it. She thought she had him back but it was just in her head. At that instant, she jumped out of bed, pulling off the sweatshirt and dropping it on the bed. She had to find Krycek, and was going to do it.
5:
It had been a week and no sign of Krycek. Not even a sign of Marita. Skinner volunteered to go back up to Bellefleur with her to search one more time for anything. She was pretty sure there wasn't anything there, but they were going to spend a really long time searching the forest. As long as it took to comb the spot where he vanished. The lone gunmen promised they would keep searching, and they were simply amazed that Krycek could stay this well hidden.
Skinner and Scully tromped around on the dead leaves that remained from the previous fall. They followed their way through the underbrush and finally got to the scene. Scully eyed the surroundings curiously as she stopped walking for a minute. Skinner looked back at her.
"What is it?"
"I don't know. I just got this strange feeling."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, its nothing." She walked and caught up with him and they started looking through the site.
~*~
After a good few hours, they had found nothing. They sifted through the leaves. They tried to use the lasers again, but all they hit was trees. Scully's hope was fading again. It was when she bumped one of the lasers with her knee that something caught her eye. It was a small glint hidden among the leaves and grass. She walked over and picked it up. It was a small gold ring. She sighed and smiled slightly, walking back over to Skinner. She chuckled slightly. "I almost thought it was my necklace." He smiled slightly. But they looked into the far woods when they heard something crackling. Scully walked towards the sound slightly, both of Skinner and her pulling out their guns. Scully caught sight of something she wasn't sure if she would ever find. "Krycek." She whispered as she ran after him. She slowly, but surely, caught up with him and tackled him down into the leaves. She pinned him down. "Where is he you son of a bitch?!"
"I don't know, Scully. I really don't know."
"Yes you do, don't lie. Where is he?!"
"I don't!" He insisted.
"Oh stop hiding Krycek, I know you know. Just say it!" She said as she tried to hit him but he blocked her punches.
"I'm just as clueless as you are Scully! Really! I used to know but they aren't there anymore! Stop!"
"You are such a rat!" She screamed as she hit him.
"Hey, stop it." Skinner said, pulling her off of him. "As much as I hate to do this, he's not going to be much help in the hospital." He pulled her back and pointed his gun at Krycek. "Now, where is he?"
"I don't know!" He said holding his hands up in defense. "But I know where they used to be."
"Where is that?" Skinner asked, pulling the safety off.
"Westmont, North Carolina."
"Where's Marita?"
"I don't know. That's why I was here."
"What?" Scully asked, wiping angry tears from her eyes, unsure of what he meant.
"She disappeared out of the blue the other day. I've been looking for her."
"Come on." Skinner said harshly. He pulled Krycek up by the collar and held him off the ground. "You're going to show us where this place is."
6:
Scully, Skinner, and Krycek stood in a field. There was nothing around for miles, save for grass and road. Scully looked impatiently around her than to Krycek. "No more games, Krycek. Where is this place?"
"You're standing on it."
"What?" Skinner asked.
"Look." Krycek said as he walked a little farther into the field. He pulled up the grass and there was a small glass door, beneath which was a ladder. "You're standing on it." He pulled something from his pocket and pried at the door. Scully watched him closely as it opened. "Come on." He called as he started down the ladder. Skinner started over to the door but looked back at Scully when she didn't follow.
"What's up?" He asked.
"I don't trust him." She said.
"I don't either but for Mulder's sake we have to."
Scully sighed and walked with him to the trap door and they went down the ladder. Krycek let them down a dimly lit hallway that got brighter with the deeper into the Earth they were. Finally they reached a large room that was really bright. Scully realized where they were.
"God, déjà vu." She muttered under her breath. Something wasn't right though. She could feel it. She didn't know what it was, dismissed it from her mind as paranoia, and went with Krycek and Skinner as they started down another hall. Krycek pulled a nail file from his pocket and pried open an office door.
"Smoking Man's office. Maybe there is something here." They walked in and Krycek turned the light on. They sifted through drawers and cabinets; desperately searching for anything that would lead them to Mulder...and Marita. Scully got to a drawer that was locked, and scowled slightly.
"Hey Krycek. Toss me that nail file." She said. He fished out of his pocket and gave it to her. She put it in the lock of the drawer and fished around until she heard the lock click. A small smile crossed her lips as she opened the drawer, but it fell away when she saw something.
A file called Purity 2. She pulled it out of the drawer and sifted through the papers. She passed named like Billy Myers, Theresa Nemman, and Marita, but her eyes stopped when she saw Fox Mulder. Now knowing he really was a part of this and probably with the others, she read closely for a location. "I think I found something." She said quietly. Skinner and Krycek kneeled next to her and read over her shoulder. Before they could read too much, the heard a noise from down the hall. Krycek swore under his breath and quietly closed the door and turned office lights off. They lay low as the footsteps clumped down the hall and got closer. Their eyes drifted up to the window as the couple of flames passed. Krycek reached into an open drawer and pulled out a stiletto.
"Lay as low as you can and get the hell out of here." He said, making a move to the door. "I'll take care of them." Before they could object, he opened the door and left. Scully ripped the page that had Mulder on it out of the folder and folded it into her pocket. Her and Skinner got to the door and watched for flames, but them and Krycek were gone. Him and Scully quickly and quietly went down the hall, making their way towards the ladder. They passed a narrow side hall and Scully stopped on her tracks. There, the flames were dead and Krycek was holding his leg to his chest, and expression of pain straining his face. Scully went down the hall and kneeled next to Krycek. She lifted him, balancing him by her shoulder, and took him to the ladder, where Skinner was already waiting. They hoisted him out of the lab, got to their car by no easy means, and took off.
7:
Scully finished wrapping the burn on Krycek's leg and started to walk out of the room.
"Why'd you save me?" He asked
"Huh?" Scully said, turning back to look at him.
"You could have left me there. Those two weren't the only flames there and even if they were, I would have died eventually anyway. Why'd you save me?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, I need you right now. You may be my only link to finding Mulder. And I couldn't let you die no matter how much you piss me off."
"Oh." With that, Scully left the room. She sat down next to Skinner outside and starred into the sky.
"We will find him, Scully."
"I hope so." She said. She looked at him for a second but then got up and walked to her hotel room, leaning against the door as it closed behind her. Her hand wandered to her stomach randomly. It had grown some and was getting harder and harder to hide. She started wondering if the baby would look like her or Mulder, blue eyes or hazel eyes, red hair or brown. She slumped against the door as she slid to the floor, tracing her fingers over the small life inside her. She let her mind wander a little while she sat there.
~*~
Scully sat on a sunny deck, reading a book. She adjusted her reading glasses and flipped the page, but her reading was interrupted by the laughter coming around the side of the house. She looked up and saw a small brown haired girl, no more than 3 years old with ringlets just like Missy used to have, come bounding around the side the corner of the house. And Mulder was right behind her, running slowly so that she could be ahead of him. He purposely caught up with the girl and grabbed her, lifting her up and turning her to look at him. She laughed harder as he blew against her stomach, making raspberry noises.
"Mommy! Save me!" The little girl squealed. Scully giggled and set her book down on the deck, getting up and walking over to them.
"Just what do you think you are doing to my sweet baby?" She said, smiling.
"Giving her a taste of her own medicine." Mulder said, blowing more raspberries. "That'll teach you for being so cute." The little girl laughed as he tickled her more.
"Is he being mean to you?" Scully said smiling at her daughter. She just laughed and squirmed. Mulder let her down and she toddled off, giggles still escaping her. Before Scully could react, Mulder had his arms around her pulling her to him.
"Now, to teach you a lesson for being cute too." He said smiling. He put his lips to hers and kissed her passionately.
~*~
Scully was yanked from her reverie by the sound of thunder clashing, but it didn't phase her. She curled her knees to her chest, which was getting harder to do, and cried. Meanwhile, the paper with Mulder's name on it sat out in a field, becoming blurred and illegible in the rain.
8:
Scully awoke that morning to the sound and feeling of someone knocking on the door. She stood up, rubbing the sleep and dry tears from her eyes, and opened the door. Skinner was standing there.
"Hey, come on. Krycek has an idea." He said.
Scully sighed. "I'm not sure I want to listen to his ideas." She said, turning into the room. Skinner looked at her curiously. He'd never seen her like this, just give up on any idea for what she wanted, even if it was her enemy's. He stepped into the room after her and saw her sit down on the edge of the unused bed.
"What is it?" He asked, looking at her.
"I don't know. Maybe it's kind of hopeless. I mean, I was so close and he slipped through my fingers. I learned a while back, that everything happens for a reason. Maybe I lost that paper for a reason. Maybe God was trying to tell me to give up, he's not coming back."
"Scully..." Skinner said, looking right at her. "You can't think that way." He'd never seen her this depressed. Even when she was mourning Emily she wasn't this down. He now realized how deep her and Mulder ran. They were true, and the thought of Mulder never coming back killed Scully. It killed her spirit. Skinner had always admired her rush for life, living each day to the fullest, or at least trying to. But now her reason for living was gone, and the light in her eyes had been dimmed. He knew that if it wasn't for the baby, she would have killed herself long ago, but he or she had turned into her reason to go on. That and the hope that Mulder would come back to her kept her going. Skinner looked on to her sad face and wished he could get Mulder to her that instant, but he couldn't. And it tore him up.
"Why? Everything that could lead me to Mulder is gone. Smoking man is dead. I lost the paper. Save for Krycek, which I am pretty much afraid of his ideas, I have nothing. Maybe I should just give up."
Skinner was getting angry. "Fine, you do that. Sit and sulk, but its not going to bring him back. If you really want him back then get up and look for him. You can sit idle by if you want to, but if you do you're killing him, not just yourself." Her eyes moved up to look at him and he saw the pain there. She looked like she was about to cry...or had been. Maybe both. She sighed and randomly ran a hand through her hair, pushing some loose strands away from her face. She felt very vulnerable, and knew Skinner could sense it.
"But I can't go on like this. Every time I step ahead I take two backwards. Maybe it's the smarter thing to stop looking. Mulder said there has to be an end, maybe it's here."
Skinner sighed frustratedly and looked away from her. "Listen to yourself. Is that what you want? Just to give up and let them do whatever it is they are doing to him? Mulder would have never given up on you, I can tell you that from seeing it for myself. What happened to the Scully that wanted directions to the Bermuda Triangle?"
"I...I don't know." She said, almost losing control. She felt strange, like she was in a mind that wasn't her own. Everything that had been coming at her lately was leaving her left in a loop and she didn't know what to make of it all. She knew Skinner was trying to get her to get off her butt and get going but she was numb to his words. She stood up and walked to the window, looking outside at the now clear sunny sky, attempting to hide the tears that were threatening her. Honestly she didn't know why she was crying so much; it wasn't like her to cry. Little Mrs. Tomboy rarely cried. She bit back the tears so Skinner wouldn't see her, but it was too late, he knew. He slowly walked over to her and touched her shoulder. Without even thinking about it she turned to him and fell into him. His arms folded around her back as she tried to find some form of comfort.
No matter how much of a hard ass he could be at times, he was her friend. Both of them knew that. For her sake, he needed to help her with this. It was hard, and some days were going to be a lot worse than others. As long as he was there when Mulder couldn't be, she'd be okay.
"We'll find him, Scully."
"I hope you're right." She said quietly.
9:
~7 months later~
Scully watched as her mom held up a light green baby blanket and gently spread it over the crib mat. She smiled. "This was really sweet of you, mom, but you didn't have to pay for all this."
"I wanted to. It's my grandchild and your first, let alone the Dr's thought you couldn't have kids. Besides, he or she is coming soon and you need somewhere to put it."
Scully tried not to laugh, and suppressed a giggle. She watched as her mom perfected everything. She moved toys around and straightened blankets, and straightened anything else that needed to be straightened. "I'll be right back Dana. I left something in the car." She said as she started to leave the room. Scully suppressed another giggle and watched her mom leave. When she heard the door close she walked to the crib and looked at the blanket. She didn't notice it before, but three little initials were stitched into the corner, BSM. Scully had already decided on names, Brea Samantha if it was a girl and Bryan Scott if it was a boy. She really didn't know how she ended up with two names that had the same initials, but she liked the names. The B and S weren't what was getting to her though, the M was. Whatever the baby's first name, it was going to have Mulder's last name. She missed him, more than he could ever know. She felt even more hopeless now that she was on forced maternity leave. Her Dr's were making her do it for the health of her and the baby. Krycek had been caught and killed by flames a few months back. Skinner said he would keep looking, but she wondered how much he could do on his own. Lone Gunmen could only go so far, and all though they wouldn't say it, they had pretty much stopped searching. Scully couldn't blame them. They tried. She rubbed her belly and got a satisfied kick from her child. She smiled. Her attention was averted when her phone rang. She walked out to the living room and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Scully, it's Skinner."
"What's up?"
"You need to come down to Georgetown right now."
"Why?"
"Dana, I..." Her mom said but stopped talking when she saw the phone.
"You just really need to be here before I say anything."
Scully furrowed her brow. "O...kay. I'll be right there." She hung up. "Mom, Skinner needs me down at Georgetown Memorial for some reason. I'll call before I come back."
"Okay." Maggie said. Scully hugged her mom, kissed her cheek, grabbed her purse, and left.
10:
Scully walked into the lobby of Georgetown Memorial. She looked around and saw Skinner pacing. She made her way over to him. "Sir, what is it?"
He looked at her. "Mulder is upstairs." He said softly. Scully stared at him for a minute and as if they were moving in sync, they went to the elevator. The doors opened and they bolted in. Skinner hit the floor number Mulder was on and the elevator surged up. They rode in silence. Skinner looked at Scully and could see the disbelief in her eyes. He knew she never thought she'd see this day. Finally, just before they got to the floor she spoke.
"How did he get here?" She asked quietly.
"I don't know. I was here with a couple of agents from VCS helping them with a case and I saw him being wheeled in. No one will tell me how he got here." The elevator doors opened and she rushed out ahead of Skinner. "Where?"
"The left." They went down the hall, just a step under running, towards the one thing Scully was sure she'd never see again. She finally saw his face, his eyes covered, a breathing tube taped to his mouth, and all sorts of wires and tubes coming out of him. It took her a minute to be sure it was really him. Slowly she walked beside him, watching his face. It really was him, he was back, but she wondered about one thing - if he was going to survive. She had heard the story from Mulder about how she almost died, so it was a real chance he could.
"Sir?" She said not taking her eyes off Mulder.
"Yes?"
"Can you call my mother? She's at my apartment."
"Sure. I'll be right back." He said as he left. Scully turned her head for just a second and watched him walk down the hall. She turned her eyes back to Mulder, unsure what to make of this. After all the months of searching he was back. She felt kind of shell shocked right now. She sat down on a stood by the bed and pushed a tear away from her eye. She moved some his hair away from his forehead and traced her fingers down his cheek, down his arm, and touched his hand. "What did they do to you?" She whispered, on the verge of crying. "God what did they do?" She picked up his hand and kissed it, holding it to her cheek and feeling the warmth that told her he really was there, this wasn't another dream. Slowly, tears started to fall from her eyes. She knew one thing -- she would never know how he got there. Not the truth anyway. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered was that he lived. That was all she cared about.
~*~
Scully kept watching Mulder; she couldn't get enough of it. She wished that his eyes would open and he'd look back at her, but she knew it wasn't that easy. Could be, but she knew deep in her heart it wasn't going to be that way.
"Dana?" Scully turned to see her mom and Skinner standing there. She just looked at them for a minute, not knowing what to say.
Maggie looked at her daughter, and new that all the pain that had surfaced right after Mulder's abduction had come up again. Except now it was fear he wasn't going to make it, instead of that he wouldn't come back. She watched as, without a word, Scully's eyes went back to looking at Mulder. Maggie looked to Skinner, and the exchanged glances, knowing it would be better to leave her alone.
11:
Oh Mulder, please wake up. Please. What did they do to you? Where have you been? Why did they take you? I want to know these answers, but what I want most is for you to open your eyes. Please, open your eyes and look at me. I'm scared, Mulder. Scared that I will never see that bright hazel color, scared that I will never see you awake again, and scared that our child will grow without their father. But most of all, scared that I will have to live without you. I have survived nine months, but I don't know how much I can bear now that you are here in front of me. We are so close now. Please, just wake up, and be okay. Just be okay.
12:
Scully watched Mulder as he lay in the bed. He hadn't gotten any better than when he had arrived. They had taken his breathing tube out, and he was breathing on his own so that was a good point. But she knew he wasn't out of the woods, and that made her worry more. She hadn't left his side in days unless she had to, and that was only to go to the bathroom. She hadn't been eating well, most of the time one meal a day, and she hadn't been sleeping, just watching Mulder.
Maggie was really worried about her, but knew that it was simply because she cared so much about him. If Bill had been in this situation she would have done the same thing. But she wanted Dana to take care of herself and that baby. She prayed that Fox would be awake in time for the birth. He wouldn't be strong enough to sit with her, she knew that, but at least her daughter wouldn't be worrying about him so much. But if she knew Dana and Fox, it wouldn't happen. Nothing was ever easy with them. She prayed just once it would be.
Skinner had had little time to see Scully and Mulder. He had other obligations at work that couldn't be avoided but he got over to Georgetown any chance he got. Mulder had been there for almost a week, and no change. Every time he saw Scully she looked more and more worn. Understandable for how much stress she was under but she needed some rest. He knew better than that though, he knew she wasn't going to get it. He leaned against the wall near Maggie Scully and watched Scully at Mulder's bedside through the glass.
"Poor thing." Maggie said. "Both of them. Quite honestly Walter, I don't know how much more I can see either of them this way."
"I know what you mean, Mrs. Scully. Scully has been through so much the last few months. Hopefully, the baby will be healthy and he will wake up and everything will be okay."
"Hopefully, but why do I get the feeling it won't be that easy?"
"Because it never is."
~*~
Scully stroked Mulder's hand lightly, moving her other hand to touch her stomach where the baby moved. It was kicking the hell out of her, probably leaving her insides bruised because heaven knows her outsides would be. It was never this active and she couldn't explain it. Maybe it was just being active, and that was all well and good with her. She just wished it didn't hurt so much. Of course she knew this was the easy part. Her eyes fixed on Mulder and she kissed his cheek. As she pulled back to sit in the chair, a different pain shot through her middle. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. She settled back in the chair and touched her hands to her stomach, wondering what the hell that was. She didn't feel it again and thought that maybe the baby kicked something else, and shrugged it off. She looked back at Mulder. She watched him for a few minutes and the discomfort rushed through her abdomen again. Keeping her eyes on Mulder, her brow furrowed slightly. She wished that the baby would hold still for just a little while. Another few minutes passed and the pain came back, but this time it was enough to stir an 'Ouch' from her. It now struck her what was going on. Her hands went to her stomach and she grasped the swollen part of her body. She knew she needed to get to maternity but didn't want to leave Mulder. Her rational part told her she was going to have to. She stood up and kissed his cheek again.
"I'll be back, I swear. As soon as I can, I'll be right here." She said. Just as she was about to leave the room and tell her mom and Skinner that this was really happening, the pain went through her abdomen again, pulling a louder ouch from her and forcing her to sit down. She heard the door click open and knew they had seen her.
"Dana?" Her mom asked kneeling next to her daughter.
"It's coming, mom." She said.
"Oh my. Okay, come on sweetie. Lets get you upstairs." She said helping her daughter out of the chair. Skinner held the door open for them.
"Good luck Scully." He said as they passed him. He watched them get on the elevator and then turned to look at the other patient.
'I knew it wouldn't be that easy.' He thought.
13:
Scully sighed in sleep, slowly waking up but not wanting to open her eyes. It had been a painful labor that lasted 18 hours. She still hurt, but thank god for Ibuprofen. She stirred slightly and thought it better to open her eyes. She looked to the window and saw the sunlight streaking in, and smiled slightly. She sighed and turned her head to see something that she the one man that her dreams had been about. She sat up looking at him, a shocked expression on her face.
"Mulder?" She whispered.
"In person." He said from his wheelchair, smiling at her. She looked into his eyes for a minute, not knowing if it was real, or just another dream. She reached out and touched his face, making sure it was real. When it was, she couldn't stop herself and reached to wrap her arms around him, wincing slightly. But the hug far outweighed the discomfort and she never wanted to let him go. Tears slowly streaked down her cheeks as she hugged him tightly.
"I missed you so much." She said softly. In response his arms tightened around her. After a minute she pulled away.
"Scully, I need to know. Skinner wouldn't tell me and made me wait for you to do it. He even made me close my eyes on the way up here. What are you doing up here?"
She looked at him for a minute and smiled slightly, settling back into the bed. "I don't know how you're going to take this."
"Tell me Scully, you can trust me."
"It's not that I am worried about. Here we go. Um, honestly, I can't explain this. I have tried, and all I can figure out, is that it is a miracle. Mulder..." At the door to the room clicked open and nurse came in holding a small baby in a pink blanket. Mulder looked at the baby curiously then at Scully as the nurse handed it to her.
"Scully?" He said softly, unaware that the nurse was leaving the room to wait outside.
"Mulder, this is your daughter, Brea."
He was speechless. He looked at the small girl cooing and moving in Scully's arms, trying to say something but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth. He didn't know what to make of it. The fact that Scully had a baby was shocking him, and that the baby was his threw him over the edge. He didn't know how he could have a doubt in his mind that Brea wasn't his, Scully would never cheat on him, but it was still shocking. He was a father. He looked at Scully and smiled, pulling him to her and kissing her softly. He sat back into the wheelchair and reached to touch the little life.
"Here Mulder, put your arms out."
He looked at her for a minute and then put his arms out carefully as she set the baby in his arms. He looked down into Brea's face, pushing the blanket away from her eyes. He watched her for a minute and smiled.
"She's beautiful Scully." He said softly. She smiled and lay back against the head of the bed, watching them. She had dreamed of this, and now her dreams were coming true.
Mulder looked at his child and knew that she was going to have Scully's blue eyes, and he hoped she would have Scully's red hair and be a little mirror image of her. He watched the baby for a minute, but when he turned to say something to Scully, she had fallen asleep again. He smiled and carefully stood up. Watching not to crush Brea, he leaned forward and kissed Scully on the forehead. "I love you." With that, he and Brea left.
14:
8 months later
Dana Mulder picked up Brea as she tried to play with a bow on a Christmas present. "Nuh uh young lady. Those are for later." She sat down on the couch, putting the little girl in her lap.
"Yeah Brea Bug, you always go after the ones in the back, that way mommy doesn't notice." Mulder said, chuckling evilly.
"Don't listen to him, he's a moron."
"Hey!"
Scully chuckled and bounced the baby. "Well Mulder, our first Christmas. How's it turning out so far?"
"We're surviving." He said. "Considering us and our track record, I think that's pretty good."
"Yeah, I think its pretty impressive we haven't burned the apartment down yet." She said, looking at the fire in the fireplace.
"Be optimistic Scully, wasn't it you who came to my hotel room on our first case with a candle?"
"Yeah, but you had one too, besides, look how THAT turned out. We lost everything and the case was ruined."
He thought for a minute. "True, but that really wasn't our fault."
"Brea, don't ever try anything your father does. That might be the end of the world as we know it."
"Ouch, that hurt both of us."
Scully chuckled. "I'm going to put her to bed." She said, getting up. Mulder watched her as she turned down the hall. A few minutes later, she came back sans baby.
"Now, where were we?" She asked flopping down next to him.
"I believe, we were about to notice the mistletoe." He said, pointing up.
"Oh, well then, we'll just have to notice that." She said. She scooted closer to him and kissed him. Merry Christmas indeed.
~ The End ~