Mulder sat on the front porch, his feet up on the railing, as he leaned back, enjoying the breeze of the summer day. It had not been too hot, for which he was grateful. It had been warm the last couple days, but today was good. Today was good.
Scully was inside making a late lunch/early dinner. Now that they were not working at the FBI anymore, they were home more. Scully had been back at the hospital for almost two months. Mulder was still thinking of what he wanted to do with his time. He had been writing, but he was not completely devoted to it yet. It helped him though, helped with all they had gone through.
He was content for now. Content being home with Scully. Watching her body change as her pregnancy progressed. Being there for every step of it this time. Holding her hand while they heard the heartbeat for the first time. Him crying and falling to his knees. She had murmured to him that it was okay, they were okay.
He scrubbed a hand down his face and closed his eyes. He still didn't know how this baby came to be. Well, he thought with a smile, he knew how, because he had been there and it had been amazing. Both times. And every time since.
But this pregnancy, five months in and he still was stumped. Years of no discussion, no thought, no consideration of it and they were never expecting. Then they had a discussion in a hotel room, a roundabout discussion about their lives, their hopes, and what they had wanted. Then, he thought smiling, then she had kissed him. Kissed him like she had for years, full of love and promise.
He had rolled her on her back and looked at her until she smiled, giving him the green light. He took care of her first, he owed her that. Owed her his time and devotion. She broke quickly, calling his name, and holding tightly to his hair. She had been breathing hard, whispering his name, as he kissed her and joined their bodies. It was fast, but wonderful.
He got up and stepped over to the screen door and looked in at her. She had music on, though he could not place it. She was swaying to it as she made whatever she was working on. His heart swelled watching her. At the way her body was already changing. The extra weight, the shape of her body. He loved her so much, he would do anything to make her happy. He knew that beyond anything else. She was more important to him than anyone had ever been.
He sighed and sat back down in his chair, feeling the wind blow, closing his eyes. He needed to relax, will his body to calm down, his mind to stop racing, to not start thinking beyond what was happening in the here and now.
"Hey," she said through the door, then pushed it open. She walked over to him and touched his arm. His eyes flew open and she smiled. "You hungry? Ready to eat?" She ran her fingers across his arm, tickling him, her smile widening. Her other hand was on her belly. The swell of her made him smile.
He pushed himself up and grabbed her hand, heading inside. She laughed and followed behind, squeezing his hand.
She had made a salad and chicken breasts for them. Something healthy for them and for the baby. She was determined to be better with her eating habits of late.
"This looks great," he said, as he sat down and took a big bite of chicken. "I'm even going to eat the salad." He said with a wink and a smile. "But, do we have any beer? It will make the salad taste better, I think."
She laughed as he got up to see if there was beer in the fridge. She heard the bottle open and knew he had found at least one. He winked at her again as he sat back down. She smiled at him and grabbed her knife and fork. It was quiet for a bit as they both ate their food.
Mulder looked at her as he took a drink of his beer. "How are you feeling, Scully? You okay?" He stared at her looking for any sign that she was sad or feeling sick.
"Mulder, you've asked me that at least three times today. Every time, I've told you I'm fine. Do I not look fine to you?" She said as she stared back at him, eyebrows raised, a small smile on her face.
"That's not a fair question, Scully. If I say no, it implies I don't think you're fine- which I absolutely do," he said with an eyebrow waggle, while she rolled her eyes. "But if I say yes, it implies I'm not actually sincere in my questioning. So..how are you?" He smiled and waited.
She sighed and folded her hands in her lap. "I was a little sick this morning, as you know. I'm a little tired, but other than that I am okay." She gave him a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. He reached for her hand and she took it. He threaded his fingers with her and squeezed.
"How about if we watch a movie after we eat? You pick, and I'll clean up. Any movie you want to watch. Yes, even Steel Magnolias." She chuckled and squeezed his hand back. She nodded and let go of his hand so they could finish their food.
He took their plates to the sink as she picked out a movie. He was washing the dishes when he heard the music of the movie she picked and he smiled. Mystery Men. He liked this movie and she tolerated it. Of course she would pick something he would like. As he set the dishes in the rack, he looked over at her as she sat on the couch and rubbed her belly. He loved watching her do that almost as much as he loved doing it to her.
He hurried his cleaning so he could go sit with her and touch her belly. Hopefully the baby would be awake tonight so he could feel it moving again. The first time it happened, it scared the shit out of him. They had been lying on the couch spooning, his hand on her belly when he felt it move. He pulled his hand back and shouted. She had laughed and put his hand back. For twenty minutes he felt the wave like feeling of his baby moving around inside her. He had cried into her neck as she turned to him and held him.
He joined her on the couch, put a pillow on her thighs, and put his head down, facing her belly. She smiled down at him, while she stroked his hair. The late afternoon sun was coming through the windows and his face looked beautiful in this light. He pressed a kiss to her belly and started mumbling into it, his lips warm against her shirt.
"Do you want me to turn the movie on? Or do you want to just speak to my stomach?" She scratched her nails into his scalp and his eyes closed. He loved when she did that, it felt so good. He put his head back and looked at her.
"Scully, I read in one of the numerous books I ordered, it is important for the baby to hear our voices. He, or she, hears yours all the time, but I don't get unlimited belly time. So, I have to use my time wisely. Tonight I'm telling him or her, about the Mothmen in Florida. About how we were hunted down and built a kickass ladder tower of dead bodies. So, if you'll excuse us." He put his mouth against her stomach again and started talking.
She leaned her head back against the back of the couch and smiled. She muted the television and instead listened to him tell their baby about a trip in the woods that had almost killed them. Well, another trip in the woods, as there had been many. But she could hear him telling this little miracle about how brave she had been, how she tried to light a fire with gunpowder-really smart your mom, how she had held him, kept him warm, when he was hurt.
She ran her fingers through his hair over and over, reveling in the feel of it. So soft and so familiar. She had missed him so much. Had missed nights like this, lying on the couch and watching movies. Now, his attention was on her and the life growing inside her. She loved him so much, her heart ached with love every time he laid like this and talked to their child.
She raised her head and looked down at him. He was talking about how she had sung him a song and it had been the most beautiful singing he had ever heard, when the baby moved, right against his mouth. He pulled back stunned and Scully laughed and laughed at his expression.
"Oh Mulder, I think either he or she is telling you to shut up, or calling you the liar that you are. Remember, I am with him or her all the time. My singing has been heard." She is laughing again and he puts his mouth back against her.
"Don't listen to her little bean, her voice is beautiful, because it's hers. I love everything about her and her singing voice is part of the package." He puts his hand on her belly, moving it around, trying to feel the movement again. "She didn't have to sing, but I asked her to and she did. That's how it works with us, my bean. We ask of each other and we oblige. It's a partnership. Give and take, push and pull." He put his head back and looked at Scully. She smiled at him and stroked his face.
"I got incredibly lucky when they sent your mama to me, little bean. They thought she would be my undoing, but she was what I needed. She was my saving grace. I don't tell her that enough, but it's the truth." He is telling the baby but looking at Scully. Her eyes have filled with tears, but he's not done. "I almost lost her, my sweet bean. I was so close. I made some bad mistakes and I almost lost the one person I love most in this world." He was still stroking her belly, staring in her eyes. Her tears spilled over and ran down her face.
"But, we found our way back," his voice is lower now, the one that gives her the shivers. "We fought through the bad and the darkness to find the light again. You are part of that light, my sweet bean. You would not be here if we hadn't fought like hell to get back to each other. I am so grateful for you. You are a testament of our love and our hope for the future," he put his mouth back on her stomach and she resumed stroking his hair. "We are going to have so many wonderful adventures. I can't wait to experience them with you." He kissed her belly and closed his eyes, his cheek resting against her.
As he lay there quietly, the baby moved again, right on his cheek. His eyes flew open and he looked up at her. She smiled, tear stains on her face. They both laughed at what appeared to be the baby giving him a kiss goodnight. He pressed his face against her and whispered goodnight.
The sun had set and it was the beautiful moment in the day, when the crickets and nighttime insects started their mating sounds. The males calling for their females. Mulder empathized with them tonight. He understood their hope and pain, he had felt in himself. But his female, his mate, his love, was here and his heart was happy, so very happy. They sat in the silence of the house, listening through the screen door. They began to breathe in unison.
Mulder shifted and sat up. He moved to the end of the couch, and reached for her. She went to him and laid her head on his shoulder, on her side. He shifted again, lying on his side wrapping his arms around her. He lifted his leg, allowing hers to slide between his. He pulled his leg up close to her hip, holding her close. One hand moved to her hair, the other low on her waist.
"Pretty soon we won't be able to lie here like this," she said as she nestled into his neck, smelling his scent and closing her eyes.
"What do you mean? Feels pretty cozy to me," he said as he scratched her head with his fingers. She hummed and kissed his neck. He hummed back and pulled her closer.
"Right now, we fit perfectly with, as you call it, the bean between us. Give it a month.." she trailed off and he scoffed.
"Then we will just have to cuddle like this in bed. Problem solved." He ran his hand up her back and she sighed.
"If we stay here too long, I'm going to fall asleep," she said, her eyes already feeling heavy. His fingers in her hair was like a sleep aid. She felt so relaxed, content.
"Sleep then, Scully. Sleep." He tightened his hold on her and brushed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, my angelic songstress."
He felt her laugh against his neck. "I love you too, you absolute liar." He chuckled and kissed her again as she sighed and relaxed further into him.
The crickets sang and the summer air was warm. It created a peaceful atmosphere as all three inhabitants rested in a cocoon of love. Love created on the outside in the tangle of limbs, and love created on the inside. Swirling, growing, and preparing for the adventures her father would take her on.