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Title: And Baby Makes Two
Written by: Jamalyn Rascher
Disclaimer: Everything X-Files, including
characters belongs to Chris Carter and 1013.
Rating: PG
Spoiler: Requiem and 8th season
Email: stdjdr13@shsu.edu
Summary: Mulder is returned to his Scully,
and they receive a beautiful Christmas surprise.
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And Baby Makes Two
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Basement Office
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She sighed.
Scully found herself becoming more and more irritable as the
days passed. Irritable, and tired. And honestly, she understood why. She laid
her pen on the desk, which now took both coordination and a good reach.
Scully knew she shouldn't have snapped at the new agent the
way she did, but she was just so frustrated. Too few leads and too many dead
ends had passed by lately. Despite her exhaustive search, she could only
determine that Mulder was nowhere on Earth.
She smiled a small bit at that thought. Mulder would be
proud. But no matter what she had seen, what she had come to believe, the idea
still sounded funny to her.
Suddenly Skinner was at the door. She gave him her best
effort at a smile, but it was not returned. "I know, I know." Scully
sighed. He was worried. About her, about Mulder, about the baby. Sometimes she
appreciated his father-like devotion to her safety. Other times, like now, it
became annoying. She instantly thought back to her conversation with her mother
two nights ago, as she was packing for her latest trip. Mom was worried, too.
As Scully watched Skinner, his face changed from the
oh-so-common lets be reasonable look, to the more business-like, unpleasant
task frown.
"Agent Scully," he intoned, "I've asked for a
mandatory leave of absence…paid…" he noted the concern on her face, the
growing inquiry. "For you." he finished.
Scully immediately grew livid. "You can't do
that!" she exclaimed, "You've got no due cause."
"I have." He said, grimacing slightly at her tone.
"I feel that your health and your life are in danger. That you should step
away."
"I won't…I can't...Mulder…" Scully stuttered, her
impending defeat already apparent.
"Agent Doggett will, of course, continue his
investigations into Mulder's disappearance, I can assure you." Then more
softly, Skinner added, "Dana, what if we find Mulder, but your already
gone…?" As he spoke, Skinner reached out to Scully, but she pulled away,
as if stung.
"That's not going to happen." she replied, her
voice harsh, then softly, "I'm going to find him."
"Not any more." he said. Skinner gave her a soft
smile, but her only response was to fall, slumped into her chain. She slowly
laid her head on her desk. Skinner turned with out another word and quietly
exited the small basement office. He assured himself he was doing the right
thing.
When Scully opened her eyes again, it was already dark
outside, which wasn't too upsetting because it was December. She reached for
the desk clock, bringing it close to her face to read in the dim light.
Quietly she entered the office, again, this time remembering
to turn on the light. It was never really bright enough in here. There wasn't
much here she really wanted to keep. And she should be coming back here when
everything was all said and done, she hoped. When Skinner could be convinced
that she was putting no one at harm by working. She laughed a little to
herself, that might take awhile. What was it about a pregnancy that turned
normal, modern thinking men, into worrying, worrisome, simpletons? Skinner
worried, Bill worried (but he always had), and she was sure that if Mulder
knew, he'd be the worst. But she knew everything was all right. Again, she
looked around the room, looking for things she couldn't live without, things
she couldn't bear to loose. She took down Mulder's I want to believe poster,
rolled it up with a rubber band and placed it gently in the box. Next she
grabbed her only real picture of Mulder from the desk. She loved this picture.
He was standing next to her mother on the front porch at her mother's home.
Scully had taken it herself, after Mulder had spent his last Christmas with
them. Maggie had given it to her after Mulder had disappeared. Scully grabbed
the box and turned to go, but then, at the last moment, set the box down again
and went to rustle through the bottom desk drawer, which in her condition
required her to drop to her knees. Finally, she found what she was looking for,
Mulder's id clip, which he had forgotten when he left on the ill-fated Oregon
trip. Scully quickly dropped that into the box, and left, pausing only to turn
out the light and lock the door.
She traveled home.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scully's Apartment
9:13 PM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
By the time Scully arrived home she already had a few ideas
on how to get back to work sooner. In fact she had decided to go visit Skinner
tomorrow morning, Saturday or no. Scully propped the box against the door with
her hip as she searched for her house keys. After finally finding them, and
performing a few finger olympics maneuvers to get the correct one in a workable
position, she made to enter her house. As she went to push the key into the
lock, however the door fell open. Scully immediately dropped the box and
reached for her gun, slowly moving the rest of the way into the house. Scully
made her way down the short hallway to the kitchen. As Scully stood at the
kitchen door, preparing her pounce, she couldn't help but think, with a small
grimace, "Now this is bad for the baby."
Just then, Maggie came around the corner and face to face
with a gun, let out a soft cry and dropped her slotted spoon.
"Oh God, mom." Scully sighed, leaning back against
the wall with relief. "I forgot you were coming over tonight. You scared
me out of my wits!"
"I scared you?" Maggie queried with pretended
exasperation. Maggie leaned over to pick up the spoon she had dropped,
motioning to the red mess now splattered everywhere.
"I was making some spaghetti.", she offered, when
Scully eyed the mess, then, "Come sit down Dana, and tell me what possible
reason you could have for being so very late." Maggie led them both into
the kitchen and poured two tall glasses of iced tea. She placed one in front of
Scully and then reached across the small kitchen to the sink to get a damp rag.
"Mom…" Scully called, "Don't worry about that
now. I'll get it in a minute."
"No you won't." Maggie returned, "And anyway,
the longer it sits there, the sticker it's gonna get." With that Maggie
walked out of the kitchen, only to come back a few seconds later and catch
Scully pouring herself a glass of milk, the iced tea still sitting on the table
untouched. Scully sheepishly sat back down and Maggie joined her across the
table. Maggie looked from the milk to the tea and back to the milk. Scully's
only answer was a sigh.
"You know I'm not supposed to have any caffeine, Mom,
and your tea definitely qualifies as containing caffeine." Scully added.
"I know your the doctor, Dana," Maggie stated,
"but I also know that I had plenty of tea…*my* tea every day I was
pregnant. And look, none of you were harmed." Scully just smiled at her
mom, without response.
"Oh have it your way," Maggie finally gave in.
"It's amazing the human race ever survived this long." Then she gave
a little chuckle.
"You've always been my hard-headed one." she said
affectionately, reaching across the table to pat Scully's hand.
"So tell me Dana, what's been going on?" Maggie
questioned, and then hastily added, "at work." Scully's easy smile
dropped. For a moment, everything had seemed right in the world. Then, as it
invariably did, the truth of the reality came crashing back down around her.
Scully just closed her eyes for a moment, the deep fatigue returning.
"Unfortunately nothing." was Scully's only reply.
She looked up at her mom, begging reprieve from the topic, but it wasn't
coming.
"Skinner came to tell me today that I was on a
mandatory leave of absence. He's worried that I'm working to hard." Scully
finished, raising her hand in a dismissive movement. Maggie just watched her
eyes. When she was sure that Dana was going to confide no more in her, Maggie
just put on her happy face.
"Well," she said, "at least now you'll have
more than enough time to do some shopping for the baby. You know that's way
over due." Maggie finished with her best smile. Scully smiled back, but it
wasn't entirely convincing.
"You know, I could move in here with you." Maggie
suggested, "Then you would have company, some one to help around the
house, and I wouldn't be so far away if you ever needed me." For a moment
Scully seemed too stunned at the suggestion to say much. Finally she began to
shake her head no.
"No, mom, I can't ask you to do that. I won't keep you
from your church and your friends…" Scully paused, "I mean, whose to
say how long this will be." Maggie just smiled. She understood, or at
least thought she did. What she didn't realize was that her daughter saw her as
an effective barrier in what Scully hoped would be a continuing search for her
partner.
They both sat in silence for a while until the sauce on the
stove began to boil. Scully's stomach growled and Maggie smiled in
appreciation. "Soup's on!" she called, and the both sat down to the
late supper.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scully's Apartment
11:42 PM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The room was warm and Scully couldn't quite get to the
quiet, restful sleep she had been hoping for. Everything felt uncomfortable or
just plain wrong. Add to that, that she had these horrible frightening dreams
every time she wandered in to sleep. Mulder was here, she knew that for a fact,
but try as she might she just couldn't make it to him in time.
Finally, Scully gave up on any real sleep and went into the
kitchen for a glass of water. As she passed through the living room, she was
startled to remember that her mother had decided to spend the night, rather
than start home so late. Maggie was sleeping peacefully to the fold out couch.
Jeez, she thought, I've got to start paying more attention to what's around me.
Everything seems to be taking me by surprise lately.
After getting her cup of water, Scully made her way back
towards her bedroom, but was struck with the urge to look out the front window.
She knew what she expected. She expected to see Mulder come bounding up the
stairs, a case file held loosely in his hand, and his expectant, excited look
that he always wore at the beginning of a new case filling his entire face. So
she looked, she had to. Somewhere in the illogical part of her mind (which
Mulder didn't always believe existed) she knew this fairy tell ending was
coming true. But all that met her was a dark blankness. No one was out there.
Scully knew from experience that if she waited long enough, a car would pass,
or a couple would walk by, but none of them ever had any reason for stopping or
even pausing by her window. The disappointment that was always waiting nearby,
filled her again. Some times it just felt so useless to even try. Scully looked
down at he office box by the door, still where she had dropped it; though she
had remembered to come close the door itself. Scully reached down into the box
for her picture of Mulder. Perhaps this was all she needed, a good spirit to
watch over her and stave off all the lonely feelings that crept so close at
night. So Scully carried the picture back to her room and propped it against
the lamp closest to where she slept. She set the cup she still carried next to
it and crawled into bed. Somehow, even in the hot room, the bed felt cold.
Tomorrow, she promised herself. Tomorrow I will talk to Skinner, make some more
inquires, anything to help find Mulder.
And with that, she was finally able to drift off into a
semi-peaceful sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Babies 'N More
2:30 PM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Scully panned through the racks of infants clothing, she
peered around the store. Everywhere there were happy couples and smiling
mothers and for a moment she wished she had agreed to her mom coming along. But
no, this was something she would have to get use to. And to think some women
actually planed on having children alone on purpose. Scully couldn't imagine.
There were times, especially late at night, when she felt so alone and afraid.
That was it! Looking at all the cute baby clothes was making
her dopey. She was going to break into tears any moment. Scully hung the tiny
jumper back on the rack. There would be time for this later, when she was a bit
calmer. Right now it was more pressing that she find a nice dress for her
mother's Christmas dinner party.
Scully glanced across the isle at the maternity section the
baby superstore also included. Nothing looked appealing. Just over sized
jumpers and coveralls. Scully wanted to look her best, even classy. I'll go
elsewhere she thought with a shrug and left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scully's Apartment
5:00 PM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scully looked at the gown she just spent the good part of a
month's salary on and smiled. Even laid out across the bed it looked good.
Scully's mood had improved a hundred fold. She knew she'd probably never wear
the dress again but didn't care. Carefully she re-hung the dress, pausing to
pull the plastic wrapper over it and admire it again. She couldn't help her
small thrill of anticipation.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Christmas Eve
2:02 AM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scully was sleeping peacefully, her mind on tomorrow's fun.
All her family was coming to her mothers house and there would be presents, the
great dinner (prepared as only her mother could), and she would get to see some
old friends she hadn't seen for quite a while.
She had thought about driving down to her mothers tonight,
but by the time she had packed, it was already very late and she knew that
Maggie's house was already full to the gills. Better to get a good sleep in her
own bed, and drive down there early she had thought, then to risk falling
asleep on the highway only to be relegated to a couch.
And so she slept. Her mind was in a state of peacefulness
she had almost forgotten. Scully could feel the blackness around her, but
instead of the usual cold emptiness, it felt more like a soft comforter. It was
so calm and warm that it took her a long time to figure out just what the
increasingly shrill ringing was, and even where it was coming from.
The phone rang, and it rang again. Slowly Scully roused, for
a moment confused at her surroundings. But then the phone rang again and she
realized someone was desperately trying to get a hold of her a two in the
morning. Scully grabbed for the telephone, her mind instantly becoming more
awake, the product of years of FBI training (and working with Mulder).
The voice on the other end was garbled, sleepy sounding. It
took her longer than it should to understand what was being said. But in the
end it wasn't any easier to believe.
Something, no someone had arrived. He fit a missing person's
description and the number to call was hers. Would she please come down and
confirm if this was indeed Fox William Mulder.
For a moment Scully couldn't speak, and so just kept nodding
her head into the phone until the person on the other end cleared their throat,
waiting for an answer. That shook Scully out of her disbelief. This was for
real. No more bad dreams, no more wondering. She had found the truth, but it
was of no comfort. She attempted to ask questions about the state the body was
found in, where, etc. But the voice on the other end was just an orderly who
had been given the unpleasant task of finding and informing loved ones of their
losses at the busy Washington hospital.
Scully hung up the phone and began to dress. She debated on
weather or not to call her mother, but Maggie's hands where full with everybody
else and their plans for tomorrow. And Scully knew that if she told her mother,
Maggie would insist on being there. There would be time enough to explain it all
later.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WA Memorial Hospital
3:21 AM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the end, Scully had ended up calling Frohike. She really
wasn't able to drive herself safely anymore and he was one of Mulder's closest
friends.
As Frohike parked the car, Scully jumped out and immediately
began making her way to where she needed to be. Her years of medical training
had allowed her to negotiate just about any hospital corridor, but she had
never imagined herself on a mission like this.
Scully rapped on the glass separating her and the front desk
of the morgue, waiting impatiently as the sleepy medical student climbed out of
his chair. Despite the earlier call, there had been no one ready to meet her or
explain how things came to pass.
By the time the student had shuffled over to her, she was
ready to run. Scully felt sick, tired, and most of all scared. This was the
unfathomable possibility she had *never* thought of tom many times. But even
so, even in her worst nightmares, he had never actually believed this day would
come.
"Hey," the student broke into her thoughts, now
the impatient one.
"Umm," Scully stalled, then biting her lip.
"I was called down to id a body-presumably Fox Mulder, I believe."
"And no one was upstairs to meet you?" the student
queried as he began shuffling through his newest files. Scully shook her head
no as the med. student continued to flip through the papers.
"Well…" he paused for a moment, studying the
papers. The student sucked on his bottom lip as he flipped through the folders
a third time. Frohike began to dance behind Scully, even more uncomfortable
here than she.
"No, no, no," the student let out and exhausted
sigh. "Look lady. I don't have anyone admitted under that name, and so far
only one John Doe. Your guy blond?" Scully shook her head Mulder wasn't
here. Surpassingly that didn't offer her any relief.
"You sure you've got the correct hospital?" the
student asked. He was obviously ready to return to his studying or his nap.
Scully smiled as best she could in her frustration.
"Yeah, this is the place." She paused a moment and then walked off to
go check upstairs again.
"Gee, thanks," the grumpy desk clerk mumbled as he
watched her leave. Frohike just turned with a smile and a simple hand gesture in
the direction of the desk to express both Scully and his thanks.
Scully made her way back through to the lobby. She turned
towards Frohike, but he didn't have any pearls of wisdom either. But still, she
was glad he was here. Strangely enough his weird ideas and adoration had become
more of a comfort than an annoyance. Mulder would be shocked!
Suddenly she heard her name called from across the vast
lobby. She looked up to see a slightly balding man who appeared to be one of
the resident physicians at the hospital.
"Dana Scully," the doctor said, and let out a
surprised laugh. "Dana Scully," he repeated again, then, "I
never imagined you were the Dana on my list. He gave her a big smile and
reached for her hand. Frohike immediately assumed a protective position. Scully
almost laughed at her ridiculous predicament. Here she was, experiencing what
was, to date, one of the worst nights of her entire life and she was about to
see a cock fight. She touched Frohike's arm, willing him, silently begging him,
to calm down. She didn't need a good reason to become hysterical; she was
almost there already.
"I haven't seen you for years." he said, finally
grabbing her hand and giving it a health shake. "It's me…" he tried
again, "Ron Greensburg…" It was fairly obvious to everyone that
Scully still hadn't a clue as to who he was. "We had our anatomy lab
together, back in med. School." he finally told her with a smile.
"Oh…hi Ron." Scully started, then, "Gee, it's
been, well, years." Scully didn't want to be rude, but she didn't have a
clue who he was and she just wanted to get on about her business.
Ron seemed to take the clue. "Well," he said,
"I guess you anxious to see your…" he flipped through the charts in
his hand, "partner." He looked up and smiled again. "You'll be
glad to hear that he woke up about 15 minutes ago. We're still waiting on the results
of a few tests, but to the best of my knowledge it looks like he's going to be
more than all right. However, there are a few oddities…" he looked up at
her again and smiled. "Those don't really concern us. I'll let you take a
look at them later. I'll take you to his room." With that, he turned and
began to walk towards the bank of elevators on the far wall.
Scully stood for a moment trying to make her mind understand
what her ears had heard. In the end, she just gave up and followed him over to
the elevator, which was just arriving with a pleasant chime.
End Part One