~October 8, 1994 (32 weeks)~
"Scully, wanna hand me that screwdriver?"
"I would if my body would allow me to physically reach it."
"I set it down just where you would be able to reach it."
"Mulder, look," he turned around from his place on the floor of his old bedroom where he and Scully were assembling the new crib to look at his very pregnant friend reaching out her arms as far as they could go, missing the offending screwdriver by only inches. It came to his attention that he should have never let her sit on the floor.
"Excuses, excuses," Mulder shook his head and grabbed what he needed himself. Fiddling around with a few more pieces left them completely finished with the task, which was a huge relief to Scully. Less than two months remained until they would meet their daughter, and the thought of not having a plan while she continued to expand and her baby continued to grow and develop worried her even more nowadays. One night she had just shot up in bed, sweats wracking her body because they hadn't yet gone furniture shopping. Mulder tried to assure her that everything would work itself out—that she still had plenty of time and everything would be ready for their baby to arrive, but she still let the stress get to her. She hadn't told Mulder, but for the past three weeks she'd been having dreams about the baby arriving early. They would always start out the same, she'd be in bed, she'd go into labor, she'd be at the hospital and all the doctors would say it wasn't time. But it would be time and her baby would make its way into the world before they were ready.
Her doctor had said dreams about giving birth were normal for pregnant women, as well as some other strange dreams. But that particular dream made Scully uneasy about her future. She wanted to feel secure.
"Think she'll like it?" Mulder asked, sitting down next to Scully and placing his hand on her rounded belly. On their little girl. A very active and alert little girl who knew her parents' voices by now. And she seemed to know Mulder's touch. Every time he put his hand on Scully's stomach, she'd greet him. He couldn't wait to meet her.
"I think she'll love it." Scully had to give herself credit, she'd made some good selections when they'd went shopping. Ellen and her mother had wanted to throw her a baby shower, but Scully insisted that they didn't need to go through the trouble. Now, looking through their almost complete nursery, Scully felt a great sense of accomplishment in what they had done. The walls were creamy yellow and all the furniture was oak. Now that the crib was complete, she knew she would spend days rearranging things, sometimes merely centimeters, just to make everything perfect. Mulder didn't entirely understand why she was so worried about the details of the nursery. A bassinet sat already in their room, and he knew it would be a matter of months before Scully would feel comfortable sleeping away from her, even if she was just down the hall.
As the two were gazing around themselves in wonder, they heard the doorbell ring. That confused Scully. It was Saturday, she hadn't been expecting anyone, and Mulder would have let her know if he had any plans. She hoped that Anna, who they had left downstairs with Sadie and her dolls after she decided she didn't want to help them put the crib together, would not answer it herself, but her hopes were for naught when she heard the door swing open. Mulder did not seem concerned, though, as he helped her off the floor, making Scully wonder whether or not he was up to something.
"Mommy, Grandma and Aunt Ellen are here!" Anna said as her mom waddled, definitely waddled, down the stairs, Mulder smirking not far behind her.
"That's great honey, but remember what I said about not answering the door?"
"I looked through the window Mommy."
"Well, wait for either me or Mulder next time," Scully brushed Anna's long hair from her shoulders when she finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Then, turning her attention toward Ellen and her mom, she greeted them, "Hi. What are you two doing here?"
Seeing the two women together added another level of confusion for the situation. It was Saturday, and thought it wouldn't have been totally out of the realm of possibility for either of them to show up unannounced, it was strange to see them there together. Her mom and Ellen definitely knew each other, but they didn't do things together without Dana.
"We were wondering if you'd like to go out for lunch," Ellen started, though she couldn't hide the devious look on her face.
"Uh… I've been helping Mulder put the baby's room together all day…"
"You mean you watched Mulder put the baby's room together all day," Mulder added. Scully rolled her eyes.
"Come on Dane, you're not going to have time for your old mom and your best friend in a few weeks. At least come out with us today," Maggie smiled. She knew her daughter couldn't resist her when she spoke like that.
"I'll go, I'll go. Just let me go get changed."
She left Ellen, her mother, and Mulder at the foot of the stairs to talk about whatever they pleased as she went to change her clothes.
The three women arrived at a tea house not a half hour later. There were many cars outside, making Scully wonder whether or not they were going to be able to get a table, but Maggie and Ellen weren't worried at all.
Scully's suspicion was heightened even further when a hostess came for them right away, almost like she had been expecting them. There were other people waiting for spots in the dining room, but the hostess led them right past it and to a small courtyard. Having never been to the place before, Scully just assumed they were eating outside. It was a nice day, not too warm, but definitely not as chilly as it could have been for October. Then she saw the people though the French doors. And the presents. And the banners.
And she knew.
"Surprise!" 30 or so family members and friends shouted once Ellen and Maggie walked her into the courtyard. Scully blushed violently. She hadn't wanted them to throw her a shower, but now that they had surprised her with one, there was no way she could have been upset. What was even more of a surprise was when Anna, dressed in a different outfit than she had been when she left, ran up and threw her arms around as much as she could of her mom.
"Surprise," she giggled.
"You knew about this?" Scully asked, leaning over to kiss her cheek.
"Yup. I helped," she explained. This led Scully to one conclusion. If Anna knew ahead of time, that meant…
Mulder was not far behind Anna and made his way to them both, smirking with the knowledge of his actions.
"You could have warned me," she hit him softly once he was within arm's reach.
"Aww, but then I wouldn't have been able to see your face once you walked out here. Priceless."
"Yeah, well you've got it coming to you."
"Oh, no. I think this makes us finally even. This is payback for my 30th birthday surprise."
Remembering that day, and realizing that if even one thing had been done differently all that time ago, they may not have been standing there in the present, Scully blushed again.
"Come on Mommy, we gotta go open your gifts!" Anna interrupted.
Everyone who attended had really gone overboard, in Scully's opinion, with the gifts. Some of the more notable ones she had received were an expensive stroller from her parents, a mechanical swing from Melissa, and hundreds of diapers from her fellow residents. The cake was delicious, the games were fun, and everything seemed perfect. That was, until Mulder's cell began to ring. Scully watched him excuse himself and answer it in an isolated corner of the courtyard. She thought it was probably a case, judging by his actions, but the urgency in which he moved once he got off the phone was alarming and suggested otherwise. He wouldn't have just left her baby shower for any old case.
"Mulder," she started once he got closer. The man bent in to kiss her cheek, and she could see the fear in his eyes.
"I have to go," he whispered, "my dad's been put in the hospital."
"Let me go with you," she said right away, without even having to think.
"No. You stay here and enjoy your party."
"I'm not going to be able to knowing what you're going through."
"Please," he kissed her head, "do it for me."
He didn't even give her a chance to respond before he was off, leaving Scully there at her baby shower, very close to tears herself.
It was 13 hours until Scully heard from Mulder again. He called her from the airport on the vineyard. Since the call came at almost three in the morning, Scully knew who it was.
"Hey Mulder," she answered, prepared for the worst news. Her hand was running through Anna's hair. She'd let her sleep with her when bedtime came and Mulder wasn't there. Her cheek was leaning up against her mother's belly. Scully could only hope that no matter what the situation, Mulder knew that his family was at home waiting for him.
"Hey," he sighed. She could physically feel his hand running over his face and through his hair.
"Are you okay?"
"He's still alive, Scully, but he doesn't have a lot of time left. The doctors at the hospital gave him a few weeks at best."
"So what are you doing at the airport? Aren't you going to stay there with him for a few days so he's not alone?"
"No—"
"Mulder!" Scully interrupted him, fearing that despite the strides Mulder had seemingly made in his relationship with his father, that he was going to abandon him during his time of need.
"I'm not staying on the vineyard, Scully, and neither is my dad. I'm bringing him home."
Scully was rendered completely speechless once it clicked with her that "home" meant their home. As much as she admired Mulder for accepting his duties and taking care of his sick father, she didn't know how she felt about a dying man living in her home with her six-year-old child. Not to mention that they had one on the way.
Mulder rightly took her speechlessness as uncertainty.
"I've already made the arrangements, Scully. I'm taking off work to take care of him, I'm hiring a nurse to help with the things that I can't do… all I need is for you to say yes. You won't have to take on anything."
"Mulder…"
"Please, Scully. I can't let him die in a hospital and I can't let him die in that house alone."
She was still unsure of this decision, knowing it was a big commitment. But then she thought to her own father, and she knew that if the tables were turned, there would be no question for Mulder. He'd roll out the red carpet for her dad, and she couldn't do any less for his.
"Bring him home. He can stay in the nursery."
"Are you sure Scully? Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes. He needs you, and you need us."
I'll be there for you.