Reyes and Skinner were transported to Our Lady of Sorrows hospital. Scully wanted to ensure they got the best care. Mulder and Scully were tired. He knew he needed to get Scully home where she could rest. Her advanced maternal age made her a high risk patient. On the drive back home, Mulder continued to look over at Scully as she slept. Her expression was pained and her hands curled protectively around her abdomen. Mulder thought about how he wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone who tried to hurt them. Just as he mercilessly killed people at Purlieu and even his own bastard of a father for shooting William. The son he thought was his the past seventeen plus years.
He thought back to when he talked with Scully while on the road. There was a tremor in her voice each time she spoke. "Just come back alive," she had said. Even when he left the house, it was strange and unlike her to not go with him to find William. Would he have left had he known she was pregnant?
When they pulled up on the long graveled driveway, Scully was still fast asleep. He looked to see that his own phone had blown up with messages from Kersh. He hadn't bothered to check it earlier.
"Scully, we're home," he finally whispered. He hated to wake her.
She roused and took in her surroundings once he said the words.
Without a word, she reached for the door handle and let herself out before he could get out of the car.
He hurried to her side, placing his hand on the small of her back as they walked up the footsteps.
"Let's get some sleep and then we can figure everything out."
Scully woke up to the soft morning light that filtered in through the window. It took her a moment to realize she was in the warm, familiar bed she and Mulder had once shared for so many years. She turned to see him fast asleep beside her, on top of the blankets. He had shed his bloodied coat, but remained in his long sleeved shirt and jeans.
Was he so busy making sure she was comfortable that he forgot to care for himself? Mulder generally had bad insomnia. This morning though, it looked like he had passed out shortly after he brought her to bed. She couldn't recall their trip home. The baby...William, Skinner and Monica. William's paternity. It was all too much. She couldn't help it as the tears came flooding back as she remembered the events of last night.
They had suffered so much loss, as if they hadn't already lost enough. They had gained something though. She was having a baby and she and Mulder would be a family again. She brought her hands to rest on top of her abdomen, feeling the familiar unmistakable bulge. "Hi baby," she whispered as she caressed the small bulge. It was unreal.
She couldn't help it as the tears came flooding back. She was startled by the voice next to her. "Hey," Mulder whispered. "You okay?" He looked at her worriedly.
Scully turned towards him, releasing a slow breath and forced a nod. He just found out he wasn't a father after seventeen years and witnessed their son getting shot, but he was always concerned for her. "You slept all night like that?" Scully asked.
Mulder shrugged. "I'm used to it. How is the baby?" He asked, moving closer.
Scully took Mulder's hand and guided it to her lower abdomen. "Fine, I think." Scully knew she had overdone it yesterday with all that running. "I can't feel any movement just yet, but I'm nauseated and hungry."
Mulder smiled. "Did you know for very long?"
Scully shook her head. "No, I just found out and honestly, it still doesn't feel real to me. I just thought I was gaining weight."
Mulder nodded, he was still in awe that there was a tiny life growing inside of Scully. She was supposed to be barren and they were in their 50's. "How far along are you?" He asked.
Scully smiled. They had only been intimate a few times in the last couple months. "If I had to guess," she said with a smirk, "Thirteen weeks, since I'm already showing some. I will find out for sure next week. It's common to show much sooner the second time around. The uterus doesn't completely return to its original size. Births also tend to be quicker, but then again, that was over seventeen years ago." She watched as Mulder's features started to depress again at the mention of William. "Mulder...I need to tell you something," she insisted.
He nodded at her to continue.
"After last night, nothing else you say will have the same shock value."
Scully smiled and took Mulder's hand into hers. "William is alive," she said.
"Scully..."
"No, Mulder. I know he is. I can feel him. He's not gone. Despite my vision, I never believed he was dead."
Mulder hoped she was right and that if William was still alive, he would come back to them. He didn't care about paternity. William was Scully's child and therefore his child too.
They were startled by the sound of Scully's cell phone downstairs. Scully looked over at Mulder and hopped out of bed before he could say anything further. She rushed down the stairs and recognized the familiar number of her hospital on the phone screen. "Hello?"
"Hi, Doctor Scully?"
"Yes, this is Doctor Scully."
"This is Doctor Joyet, I wanted to let you know that the patients whose transfer you arranged, a Walter Skinner and Monica Reyes are in stable condition."
"Oh, Thank God," Scully breathed a sigh of relief as she paced the living room.
Mulder walked down the stairs behind her, checking his own phone.
"I just thought I'd let you know in case you'd like to see them. Mr. Skinner has a broken leg, fractured pelvis along with a concussion, but he's going to make a full recovery in time with proper rehabilitation. Ms. Reyes had a bullet wound that fractured the skull. It's amazing she survived."
The doctor didn't need to elaborate that it could have been a clear shot. Scully had seen her fair share of miracles. The one inside of her was a testament to the impossible being possible. "Well, I've seen my share of improbable recoveries, Doctor Joyet. Thank you. I'll be there as soon as I can." Scully hung up the phone and looked over at Mulder. "Skinner and Reyes are going to be fine," she felt the tears coming on. Damn hormones. "It could have been worse."
Mulder nodded. "In not so great news, Kersh is demanding answers for all of this. Including for what happened to Skinner and the sudden reappearance of Reyes. I think he blames me."
"Kersh isn't going to let this go, Scully," he continued.
Scully sighed. "When is he expecting us?" Mulder shook his head. "Right now. But I can go, it's me he wants anyways." Truth was that he didn't want Scully to bear Kersh's wrath or take the blame for his actions. She had been through enough.
"Okay, I need to check on Skinner and Reyes." She moved to grab her keys, but was startled as Mulder grabbed onto her.
"Scully, wait." She turned as he pulled her back to him. He cupped her face and kissed her deeply, the intimacy bringing a familiar sense of comfort amidst all the chaos and darkness in their lives. They savored the moment for a minute before Mulder pulled back. He stroked her cheek gently with his thumb."I love you both."
Scully's eyes began to water. He hadn't kissed her quite like that since they had separated. Now wasn't the time for hormones. She had to get going before she lost it. "I know, I love you too."