Part 4/8
*~X~ *~X~ *~X~ *~X~ *
Work on the vaccine progressed smoothly over the next few weeks as reports of the spreading contagion reached the trio. Reyes has begun to drive to the nearby town to help the residents fend off anyone who had been overtaken by the alien being.
Despite the fact that her due date was near, Scully still worked tirelessly on the cure that would benefit the world. What added stress to her load was the fact that her estrangement from Mulder was ever growing.
Neither of them had initiated any type of intimate contact since Mulder had put a stop to their kissing session after the baby had kicked. Mulder felt stupid about the fact that he had choked and possibly ruined any chances of renewing his relationship with Scully because of a movement from the child that Scully had wanted for so long. Where Mulder's heart once ached for the woman he loved, now his heart ached for his own lost chances; he thought Scully was carrying another man's child.
He wanted to ask Scully about her pregnancy. About who the father was. He wanted to know about where he stood in this child's life, and in Scully's life. He could just never form the words when they were together. He knew that even if the baby wasn't his, but was indeed someone else's, that he would learn to love it as his own if Scully would allow.
That was his other question. What was the baby's sex? Scully hadn't mentioned it, but he knew that with the difficulties that Skinner had told him about, Scully would have wanted to know. Of this at least, he was determined to ask her.
~ * ~ * ~
They were eating dinner together, like they ate all their meals. Mulder kept sneaking sideways glances at Scully who would lean forward every so often to rub her back.
"You okay Scully?" Mulder asked, concerned.
"I'll live." Scully grunted. "My back just hurts, that's all."
"Alright." Mulder spoke reluctantly. "Scully."
"Yes Mulder."
"Your baby, what is it?" He asked timidly.
"Human." Scully smiled smally at Mulder. "Possibly a girl."
"But you don't know."
"No."
"Then it must be hell waiting."
"It's hard. But for most of my pregnancy, I was worried about finding you. It's only really sunk in that I'm actually having a baby in the last few months." Scully looked over at Mulder curiously. "Why were you asking?"
"No reason. Just curious."
~ * ~ * ~
After dinner Mulder cleared the table and washed the dishes while Scully wandered back into the lab. When Mulder finished, he followed Scully and found her working.
"Alright Scully. It's time to leave the work for the night. Especially if the kid is giving you trouble." Mulder told her, not meaning to sound as bitter as he did about the baby. "And more importantly, I need the company." Mulder added hoping Scully hadn't caught his anxiety. Apparently she hadn't because she stretched and smiled gently at him.
"Okay. Help me up." Scully held out her arms and instead of taking her hands, Mulder bent and allowed Scully to wrap her arms around his shoulders. Mulder lifted Scully to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist.
They were walking back into the living room when Scully groaned and clutched Mulder tighter to keep herself upright. Mulder stopped walking.
"Scully, what is it?"
"I just went into labor." Scully told him breathlessly. "And that wetness you no doubt feel is my water that just broke."
"So that means…" Mulder trailed off and Scully nodded. "Okay, I'll um, carry you to my bedroom and then I'll go find Reyes."
"Mulder, you can't carry me."
"Shh. Don't argue with me. The next time a contraction comes, you wont even be able to walk Scully." Mulder bent and lifted Scully easily into his arms, despite the weight that she'd gained in her pregnancy.
After settling Scully down, Mulder went off in search of Reyes. He wandered outside and found Agent Reyes outside with a shotgun pointed at something he felt rather than saw.
"Agent Reyes. Forget about them." He called and she fired at warning shot at the approaching figures. She lowered her weapon as Mulder ran toward her.
"What is it Agent Mulder?"
"Scully just went into labor." Reyes passed him the gun and took off in a run into the house.
Mulder continued to stand guard outside until something made the figures retreat. He waited a few moments to make sure that none of them would turn around before running back into the house to be with Scully. He grimaced when he heard Reyes yell out. "Push Dana!" Followed by Scully's pained cry. Steeling his courage, Mulder rushed into his bedroom and sat on the edge of his bed next to Scully. He took Scully's hand in his and kissed her quickly despite Reyes's presence.
"How're you holding up Scully?"
"I can't do it Mulder." Scully whimpered.
"Sure you can. You're doing just fine. Just breathe and push when Reyes tells you to."
"Well gee, since it's just so damn easy, why don't you do it Mulder?" Scully tightened her grip on Mulder's hand.
"Alright Dana. When the next contraction comes, I want you to push as hard as you can. I can see the baby's head."
"See? I told you that you were doing great Scully." Mulder spoke encouragingly. With his free hand, Mulder wiped the sweaty hair away from Scully's face. A second later Scully's features molded into pain.
"Okay Dana. Moment of truth. Push!" Reyes commanded. Scully grunted and Mulder moved behind her to support her back.
"Come on Scully. You can do it. Remember what we learned in Lamaze." Mulder cooed. With a yell Scully pushed as hard as she could and Mulder saw the baby's shoulders spring free, followed by its torso and lower half. Scully relaxed against him as Reyes lifted the baby up for Scully to see.
"It's a girl. A little girl." Mulder whispered in Scully's ear. Her chest heaved as she opened her eyes to see Reyes cutting the cord.
"Is she okay?" Scully asked in a trembling voice. The placenta was delivered effortlessly while Reyes cleaned the red squirming bundle and wrapped her in the closest soft thing she could find, Mulder's gray t-shirt. Reyes passed Scully the mewling baby and cleaned Scully up. Scully gazed at her daughter in awe. "She's so small." Scully whispered as she ran her index finger up the shell of the baby's ear, along the forehead, over her eyes and nose and tiny lips that kept opening and shutting. Then Scully offered the baby her finger to grasp and Scully counted the child's ten tiny fingers and toes. Her daughter whimpered and Scully looked into the smoky aqua eyes of the newborn. "I get it, you're hungry."
Scully sat up with Mulder's assistance and slowly slid her gauzy top down and Mulder gently lifted her bra strap and slid it off her shoulder, exposing her breast to the hungry child. Scully offered herself to the baby and sighed as the tiny girl began to suckle. Reyes turned away to give Scully some privacy and Mulder rested his chin in Scully's hair, gazing down thoughtfully at his partner's child.
Mulder watched the baby clasp and unclasp her small fist against Scully's skin as she made huge gulping sounds that filled the room. He wanted to reach out and touch the child, but was afraid Scully would be angry with him for disturbing the baby's meal.
"She's fine Dana. From what I can tell, she's perfectly healthy. What are you going to name her?"
"Good." Scully breathed. "I don't know. You'd think after all this time, I'd have some idea as to what to name her." Scully chuckled. "Of course, up until this moment, I wasn't sure whether I was having a boy, a girl, or a goldfish."
Mulder kissed the top of her head. "Please tell me you're joking."
"If only I was. While you were gone, there were so many times I just doubted everything. Myself, you, this little one." Scully whispered as she took Mulder's hand and guided it to the baby's downy, soft, wispy dark auburn hair. The baby had fallen asleep at Scully's breast and Scully gently peeled the baby away and raised her to her shoulder to burp. Mulder followed the baby and stroked her head once again.
Mulder felt something inside him stir. Anger. Anger that the beautiful little girl nestled against Scully's shoulder was not part of him. Anger that he'd never get the chance to have a part of him grow inside Scully. That he'd never get a chance to feel that sort of happiness.
"Let me go get some clothes for you both from you room." Mulder fixed Scully's clothes before sliding out from behind her.
"Just get something for me Mulder. She looks like she's okay for now in your shirt. Just bring her a diaper."
"Only if you start thinking about a name for her."
"Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, and nag. I hope I never nag you as much as Mulder does me." Scully whispered to the child against her shoulder. "Alright, a name for you. Hmm. Monica, what sorts of names would you suggest?"
Reyes looked up. "Me? I'd pick something unusual. Either that or I'd think back to when I was a kid and would play with dolls. Or something."
Scully thought for a moment. "When I was a kid, my sister and I used to think about what we wanted to be. Melissa wanted to be a famous movie star and have a rich handsome husband and then have a few kids. She told me once that she wanted her daughter's name to be Akila, god only knows why. My best friend Tristin and I thought she was loony." Scully spoke softly. "I think that's who you're gonna be little one, Akila Tristin."
End of Part 4.
*~X~ *~X~ *~X~ *~X~ *
Work on the vaccine progressed smoothly over the next few weeks as reports of the spreading contagion reached the trio. Reyes has begun to drive to the nearby town to help the residents fend off anyone who had been overtaken by the alien being.
Despite the fact that her due date was near, Scully still worked tirelessly on the cure that would benefit the world. What added stress to her load was the fact that her estrangement from Mulder was ever growing.
Neither of them had initiated any type of intimate contact since Mulder had put a stop to their kissing session after the baby had kicked. Mulder felt stupid about the fact that he had choked and possibly ruined any chances of renewing his relationship with Scully because of a movement from the child that Scully had wanted for so long. Where Mulder's heart once ached for the woman he loved, now his heart ached for his own lost chances; he thought Scully was carrying another man's child.
He wanted to ask Scully about her pregnancy. About who the father was. He wanted to know about where he stood in this child's life, and in Scully's life. He could just never form the words when they were together. He knew that even if the baby wasn't his, but was indeed someone else's, that he would learn to love it as his own if Scully would allow.
That was his other question. What was the baby's sex? Scully hadn't mentioned it, but he knew that with the difficulties that Skinner had told him about, Scully would have wanted to know. Of this at least, he was determined to ask her.
~ * ~ * ~
They were eating dinner together, like they ate all their meals. Mulder kept sneaking sideways glances at Scully who would lean forward every so often to rub her back.
"You okay Scully?" Mulder asked, concerned.
"I'll live." Scully grunted. "My back just hurts, that's all."
"Alright." Mulder spoke reluctantly. "Scully."
"Yes Mulder."
"Your baby, what is it?" He asked timidly.
"Human." Scully smiled smally at Mulder. "Possibly a girl."
"But you don't know."
"No."
"Then it must be hell waiting."
"It's hard. But for most of my pregnancy, I was worried about finding you. It's only really sunk in that I'm actually having a baby in the last few months." Scully looked over at Mulder curiously. "Why were you asking?"
"No reason. Just curious."
~ * ~ * ~
After dinner Mulder cleared the table and washed the dishes while Scully wandered back into the lab. When Mulder finished, he followed Scully and found her working.
"Alright Scully. It's time to leave the work for the night. Especially if the kid is giving you trouble." Mulder told her, not meaning to sound as bitter as he did about the baby. "And more importantly, I need the company." Mulder added hoping Scully hadn't caught his anxiety. Apparently she hadn't because she stretched and smiled gently at him.
"Okay. Help me up." Scully held out her arms and instead of taking her hands, Mulder bent and allowed Scully to wrap her arms around his shoulders. Mulder lifted Scully to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist.
They were walking back into the living room when Scully groaned and clutched Mulder tighter to keep herself upright. Mulder stopped walking.
"Scully, what is it?"
"I just went into labor." Scully told him breathlessly. "And that wetness you no doubt feel is my water that just broke."
"So that means…" Mulder trailed off and Scully nodded. "Okay, I'll um, carry you to my bedroom and then I'll go find Reyes."
"Mulder, you can't carry me."
"Shh. Don't argue with me. The next time a contraction comes, you wont even be able to walk Scully." Mulder bent and lifted Scully easily into his arms, despite the weight that she'd gained in her pregnancy.
After settling Scully down, Mulder went off in search of Reyes. He wandered outside and found Agent Reyes outside with a shotgun pointed at something he felt rather than saw.
"Agent Reyes. Forget about them." He called and she fired at warning shot at the approaching figures. She lowered her weapon as Mulder ran toward her.
"What is it Agent Mulder?"
"Scully just went into labor." Reyes passed him the gun and took off in a run into the house.
Mulder continued to stand guard outside until something made the figures retreat. He waited a few moments to make sure that none of them would turn around before running back into the house to be with Scully. He grimaced when he heard Reyes yell out. "Push Dana!" Followed by Scully's pained cry. Steeling his courage, Mulder rushed into his bedroom and sat on the edge of his bed next to Scully. He took Scully's hand in his and kissed her quickly despite Reyes's presence.
"How're you holding up Scully?"
"I can't do it Mulder." Scully whimpered.
"Sure you can. You're doing just fine. Just breathe and push when Reyes tells you to."
"Well gee, since it's just so damn easy, why don't you do it Mulder?" Scully tightened her grip on Mulder's hand.
"Alright Dana. When the next contraction comes, I want you to push as hard as you can. I can see the baby's head."
"See? I told you that you were doing great Scully." Mulder spoke encouragingly. With his free hand, Mulder wiped the sweaty hair away from Scully's face. A second later Scully's features molded into pain.
"Okay Dana. Moment of truth. Push!" Reyes commanded. Scully grunted and Mulder moved behind her to support her back.
"Come on Scully. You can do it. Remember what we learned in Lamaze." Mulder cooed. With a yell Scully pushed as hard as she could and Mulder saw the baby's shoulders spring free, followed by its torso and lower half. Scully relaxed against him as Reyes lifted the baby up for Scully to see.
"It's a girl. A little girl." Mulder whispered in Scully's ear. Her chest heaved as she opened her eyes to see Reyes cutting the cord.
"Is she okay?" Scully asked in a trembling voice. The placenta was delivered effortlessly while Reyes cleaned the red squirming bundle and wrapped her in the closest soft thing she could find, Mulder's gray t-shirt. Reyes passed Scully the mewling baby and cleaned Scully up. Scully gazed at her daughter in awe. "She's so small." Scully whispered as she ran her index finger up the shell of the baby's ear, along the forehead, over her eyes and nose and tiny lips that kept opening and shutting. Then Scully offered the baby her finger to grasp and Scully counted the child's ten tiny fingers and toes. Her daughter whimpered and Scully looked into the smoky aqua eyes of the newborn. "I get it, you're hungry."
Scully sat up with Mulder's assistance and slowly slid her gauzy top down and Mulder gently lifted her bra strap and slid it off her shoulder, exposing her breast to the hungry child. Scully offered herself to the baby and sighed as the tiny girl began to suckle. Reyes turned away to give Scully some privacy and Mulder rested his chin in Scully's hair, gazing down thoughtfully at his partner's child.
Mulder watched the baby clasp and unclasp her small fist against Scully's skin as she made huge gulping sounds that filled the room. He wanted to reach out and touch the child, but was afraid Scully would be angry with him for disturbing the baby's meal.
"She's fine Dana. From what I can tell, she's perfectly healthy. What are you going to name her?"
"Good." Scully breathed. "I don't know. You'd think after all this time, I'd have some idea as to what to name her." Scully chuckled. "Of course, up until this moment, I wasn't sure whether I was having a boy, a girl, or a goldfish."
Mulder kissed the top of her head. "Please tell me you're joking."
"If only I was. While you were gone, there were so many times I just doubted everything. Myself, you, this little one." Scully whispered as she took Mulder's hand and guided it to the baby's downy, soft, wispy dark auburn hair. The baby had fallen asleep at Scully's breast and Scully gently peeled the baby away and raised her to her shoulder to burp. Mulder followed the baby and stroked her head once again.
Mulder felt something inside him stir. Anger. Anger that the beautiful little girl nestled against Scully's shoulder was not part of him. Anger that he'd never get the chance to have a part of him grow inside Scully. That he'd never get a chance to feel that sort of happiness.
"Let me go get some clothes for you both from you room." Mulder fixed Scully's clothes before sliding out from behind her.
"Just get something for me Mulder. She looks like she's okay for now in your shirt. Just bring her a diaper."
"Only if you start thinking about a name for her."
"Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, and nag. I hope I never nag you as much as Mulder does me." Scully whispered to the child against her shoulder. "Alright, a name for you. Hmm. Monica, what sorts of names would you suggest?"
Reyes looked up. "Me? I'd pick something unusual. Either that or I'd think back to when I was a kid and would play with dolls. Or something."
Scully thought for a moment. "When I was a kid, my sister and I used to think about what we wanted to be. Melissa wanted to be a famous movie star and have a rich handsome husband and then have a few kids. She told me once that she wanted her daughter's name to be Akila, god only knows why. My best friend Tristin and I thought she was loony." Scully spoke softly. "I think that's who you're gonna be little one, Akila Tristin."
End of Part 4.