Title: The Unexpected Announcement
Author :The Schizo Pyro
Rating: PG
Classification: MOR
Email with feedback: schizopyro@yahoo.com
Summary: Vixen discovers some interesting news and doesn't know how to tell Mulder.

Part I
Vixen and Echo's dormroom
College
December 14, 1999
9:45 am

Echo leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, watching silently as Vixen washed her face with cold water. She squirted a large quantity of toothpaste on a yellow toothbrush and brushed vigorously, then rinsed her mouth well with scope. She drank a large glass of water, loosened her hair from the tie and began to brush it thoroughly.
"Are you going to be ok?" Echo asked, concern coloring her voice. Vixen nodded almost imperceptibly and stopped brushing her dark brown curls to look at her friend. Tears brimmed at the corners of her golden eyes and began to spill down her face.
"What is wrong with me?" she asked, her voice tight with frustration.
Echo shrugged. "If I were to guess I would have to ask you a few questions. Ok?"
Vixen nodded. Being sick like this was a new experience to her, she had never been ill like this before, only the dreadful exhaustion that came after the tests.
"You usually feel sick in the morning, correct?
Vixen nodded yes, when she woke up. It was always the same nauseous feeling.
"And you have had cravings for weird foods lately, right? Cause you ate all my jalapeƱo poppers."
She grinned sheepishly, "Yeah."
"Headaches?"
"Yeah."
"Backaches?"
"Yeah."
"For how long?"
"Uh, two weeks."
"M'kay," Echo shifted her position and stalled a bit on her last question.
"When was your period due?"
"Ummm, last week." Vixen said quietly.
"And are you late?"
"Yeah."
"Are you usually?"
"No."
"Well dear, I think you're pregnant."
Vixen's eyelids fluttered and she started to fall backward, slumping onto the cold tile.
Echo rolled her eyes, "Sheesh. You'd think she'd never been pregnant before."




Part II
Mercy Hospital
December 16, 1999
3:46 pm

Vixen sat on the edge of the examining table and stared at her socks. A million things were running through her head and she couldn't keep them all straight. What was she going to tell him? How was she going to tell him? She hadn't planned on this, and she knew he was definitely not planning this. She rubbed her hands together in frustration.
"Miss Riely?" A young man with a clipboard asked entering the room.
She looked up at the doctor, not much older than herself, "Yes?"
"Congratulations, you're a month pregnant."
Vixen could feel the cold knot of dread rise from her stomach into her throat. She forced a smile. "Thank you doctor."
He grinned at her. "This is the best part of my job. It makes so many people happy. Now, I'm going to get you some literature on correct prenatal care and I'd like you to schedule your first prenatal exam soon."
She nodded, dark curls bouncing around her flushed face. She bit her lip hard, trying not to cry.
"I'll leave you alone to get dressed now, you can stop at the nurses station to make an appointment on your way out. I'll be back in a little while with some pamphlets on good nutrition, exercise, ways to prepare, ect..."
"Thank you." she whispered.
He smiled reassuringly as her and left the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She wrapped her arms around her waist and tried not to cry. She wasn't ready for a baby. How had this happened? Well, she knew how it happened, but why did it happen?
She sighed deeply and began to pull her clothes back on, straightening her t-shirt and making sure her jeans fell over her shoes just right and her hair wasn't mussed. She looked in the mirror and adjusted her smeared makeup. The doctor knocked and came in just as she finished and handed her an armload of paper work and brochures.
"I wanted to say Miss, that it will be ok. I noticed that you weren't exactly thrilled, but its ok. My wife just had of first baby and it was the most fantastic thing I have ever seen. You'll be alright."
She looked into his grey eyes and was surprised to see sincere concern. Her face softened and she smiled at him, at least someone cared.

"So?" Echo said as Vixen entered the waiting room.
Vixen nodded in affirmative, still feeling like this was a bad idea and that she couldn't handle this. But she tried her best to keep face, especially because Echo thought this was so wonderful. She had no idea what it was like.
"You're serious? Oh my god! That's fantastic!! We have to go shopping!!!"
"Ok," Vixen said softly, rubbing her hands together nervously. What would he say, what would Fox say?
"Come on," Echo said, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her out of the hospital. "You look horrible. Lets get something to eat."

Part III
Vixen and Echo's dorm Room
December 17, 1999
01:27 am

Vixen tossed and turned in the dark. She could hear the click of the keyboard and the mouse as Echo surfed the net and sent Frohicke more loser porn. What was she going to do? She didn't know how she could have a baby, she was only 19. And Fox... she couldn't think of a way to tell him. Maybe it would be best to abort; she couldn't raise a child and keep it a secret from the Syndicate. Once they knew about the child he would be in danger, with the DNA he would inherit he would be too much of a liability to their project. She crossed her arms solidly. That would be best, she would have to abort, there was no other way unless...

She drifted off to sleep curled up in a fetal position, dreaming that Fox took her away from the world to somewhere where she could be safe and they could have the baby and they would always be together.

Part VI
Planned Parenthood
December 20
02:36 pm

Vixen sat in the clinic filling out paper work. She hadn't told anyone what she was going to do, and Echo was the only one who knew she was even pregnant. She could say she miscarried, it was early enough that the physical pain wouldn't be to great, even if emotionally she would be drained. Her hands were shaking and she felt cold. Something in the back of her head was saying 'No! Stop, this isn't right. The world is in your hands!' but her rational mind assured her that it was the only way to keep Fox safe.

Echo held the phone in a death grip, she knew that Vixen was at an abortion clinic, and she had to stop her. She wasn't going to listen to the advice of a friend though, the only voice who counted was his.
"Mulder," a deep slightly monotone voice answered without interest.
"Dude, this is Echo. You need to get down to the abortion clinic on the south side, Vixen is there."
"What? What the hell is going on?" He said confused.
"Dude, just get down there and stop her." Echo tried her best to convince him, it wasn't working. "You have to stop her, she won't listen to me!"
"What are you saying, what is she doing at an abortion clinic? Is she doing volunteer work or something? Why would I stop her?"
"By Spock! Are you hearing me? You have to stop her from getting an abortion. How dumb are you? Couldn't you tell?" What the hell is wrong with him? Echo thought to herself.
"Abortion!? What do you mean, is she pregnant?" Mulder's voice rose with disbelief and confusion.
"Dude, if you love her get down there now. If you don't she... she will never be able to live with herself." Echo sighed heavily, praying to everything that was holy that he would go, and go now before it was too late.
Mulder dropped the phone and ran out of the office with Scully gaping at him in amazement. What had he said? Abortion. Who was getting an abortion? That thought just rankled her. As a catholic she was prolife, even though she supported a woman's right to choose she couldn't imagine someone actually ending the life of an infant when she so desperately wanted one. It just seemed too cruel.

Vixen was lead into a small examining room where a nurse took her blood pressure, height, weight and asked her some idle meaningless questions. The doctors at the Place used to do that too; ask her how her sessions were going, if she was eating well, were there any bad side effects from the latest round of testing? No, no more than usual. Well that's nice. It had always bored her out of her mind and this time was no exception. She felt horrible, knowing this wasn't really wanted but what was best for Fox. She gave to nurse a fake smile as she left the room for a moment and began to cry.

"Let me through!" Mulder shouted at the women blocking his way. "I have to get to her. Please. She doesn't know she's making a terrible mistake. She doesn't think I'll help her. She doesn't know..." he trailed off and opened the door of the examining room. Seeing her there weeping tore his heart and he couldn't bear it. He went to her and put his hand under her chin lifting it up to look deep into her golden eyes, swimming with tears. Without thinking or saying anything he kissed her hard on the mouth and held her shaking body to his. He pulled his mouth away from the softness of hers and she buried her face in his chest. "I love you." she whispered in his ear.
Pulling away she looked at the crowd that had gathered around the doorway. She looked into his ever changing eyes and then back at the crowd. "Um, I think I'll be ok. I want to keep the baby." For the first time since she heard the news she really smiled, and felt a gladness in her heart. She allowed him to help her off the table and he modestly left while she got dressed. When she left the room she held onto his hand and followed him like a little child as he led her to the car and he helped her in. He pulled out his cell phone and called in a 'personal emergency' and drove home, helped her out, led her upstairs and into the apartment, into the bedroom and sat her down on the bed. He looked at her and held her hand to her abdomen. She nodded and pulled at his shirt, wanting so much to be held and kept safe from all that threatened her fragile psyche. He would do anything she asked of him and held her in his arms, kissing the top of her head and holding her so tight... like he was afraid she would slip away. And she was warm and safe and loved and she fell asleep with his strong arms around her. He watched her breathing ease and become regular and her body become lax against his but still he held her and kissed her and prayed to her, for she was his goddess and she was the only one who could really safe herself. And he loved her.