Part 5/8
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Over the next two months, Scully learned what sleepless nights and constant attention meant. Thankfully, once or twice a week, Reyes took care of Akila so Scully could get some rest. Frequently, despite his vow to stay away from the little girl, Mulder was found lulling the baby back to sleep with his head propped up on the rail of Akila's bassinette. The few times he held Akila, she didn't cry or fuss like she did frequently when Reyes held her. Scully reasoned one night as she fed the baby with Mulder hovering nearby that Akila was comfortable with Mulder because she was wrapped in his shirt as a newborn, so she knew his scent.
"Mulder, what are you doing up?" Scully asked sleepily from her bed. Mulder looked up from his unwavering gaze down at Akila. He had sat down in Scully's rocker and settled Akila against his chest.
"Akila was whimpering, but you were out cold and I didn't have the heart to wake you. So I gave her a bottle with the remainder of the milk you pumped today and then she zonked out on me."
"Thanks Mulder. Give her here and go get some rest."
"Okay Scully, night." Mulder handed the baby over and kissed her head sadly. He gently kissed Scully and rubbed her cheek. "I got a call from Skinner. Things aren't going well. D.C. is in disarray. The negotiations are at a standstill. I'm gonna leave to take the vaccine to them to reproduce and hopefully get somewhere."
"When?" Scully asked. "When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow. Another reason why I was in here was I was coming to say goodbye." Mulder ran his hand over Scully's face. She set Akila in the middle of the bed and found her way into Mulder's arms.
"How long will you be gone?" Scully gripped Mulder tightly. He stroked her hair.
"A month. Two maybe."
"Okay. If you feel that you have to go."
"I don't want to."
"So don't." Scully murmured burrowing her face into Mulder's warm chest. He wasn't wearing a shirt and she delighted in the feel of his skin.
"Scully you know I have to."
"I know. It's just the last time you had to go somewhere, it was six months of pure hell before I saw you again."
"This is different Scully. I'll stay in constant contact with you if you want. And Skinner and Doggett will keep me out of trouble. Cause after all, Akila's gonna need an ally when you have PMS." Mulder smiled into her hair as Scully chuckled.
"Wake me before you leave. Okay?" Scully murmured.
"Sure Scully." Mulder settled Scully back against her pillows and lifted her sleeping daughter onto her chest. "Night you two." Mulder spoke softly, his voice thick with love. He kissed both his partner and her child before pulling the blankets up to Akila's waist and leaving the room.
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The next morning, Scully awoke to hear Reyes cooing to Akila. The baby was crying and from the way Scully's chest ached, it was clear that she was hungry. Scully slid from bed and was pulling on pants when Akila's cries ceased. After she'd finished dressing, Scully rushed into the other room to see Mulder sitting at the table with Akila in her bouncy seat, gnawing contentedly on Mulder's fingers. Scully felt her heart swell with love for the both of them. Mulder gently pulled his hand away when he saw Scully and Akila began to whimper again. Mulder quickly gave her his hand and Scully walked over to them, already unbuttoning her blouse.
Mulder looked away as Scully offered Akila her breast. He tried to take his hand back, but Akila kept a tight grasp on it as she raised her short arms to attempt to grip Scully. Mulder found his fingers in an embarrassing spot and they rubbed rhythmically up and down Scully's chest as Akila moved.
Scully must have sensed his discomfort because she tenderly reached down and freed Mulder's index finger. He took his hand back with a muttered thanks and Scully nearly laughed at how red he was.
"So, I guess this means you're leaving now." Scully spoke sadly, wincing as Akila bit down with her toothless, yet powerful gums.
"Yeah. I probably should go. It'll take me a few days to get back."
"Alright." Cautious of the baby, Scully stepped forward and hugged Mulder tightly. "I expect either a phone call or an email everyday. Do you understand?" She whispered in his ear.
"Yes ma'am." Mulder kissed Scully's nose and bent to brush a fatherly kiss over Akila's brow. Scully pretended not to notice when Mulder's face brushed against her breast. "Don't you dare grow any while I'm gone. You hear me Akila?" With that, Mulder straightened and kissed Scully goodbye before turning and walking out the garage door.
Scully walked to the front window and peeled back the curtain to watch Mulder drive off. He turned and looked back at her and uncharacteristically, she blew him a kiss. Sighing, Scully allowed the cloth to fall shut before cleaning the breast that Akila had just released. She offered the other one to Akila, but the baby refused it. Scully covered herself and settled Akila against her shoulder. After Akila had let out a burp that would have impressed Mulder, she happily accepted Scully's breast.
It had been nearly a week since Mulder left and both Scully and Akila were moping around. Despite the fact that Mulder called every night, Scully missed him terribly, even if she didn't let on. Akila barely ate, much to Scully's dismay. Eventually, Scully found that Akila would eat only if she was wrapped in one of the shirts that Mulder had left with Scully.
Scully had just settled Akila down for a nap when her cell phone rang. She knew it had to be Mulder. Scully covered Akila with a blanket and placed some pillows around her so she wouldn't fall off the couch. Scully picked up the phone breathlessly.
"It's me." Mulder spoke.
"Hi Mulder."
"So, you miss me yet?"
"As a matter of fact. Yes. Akila won't eat unless she's in your shirt."
Mulder sucked in a breath. "Scully, don't tell me that. Do you really want me to turn my car around and drive all the way back?"
"Well, I wouldn't mind it, but I wasn't telling you that to make you feel bad. Would you?" Scully asked curiously.
"In a heartbeat." Mulder assured her. "Unfortunately, I have bad news. Doggett's on the ICU after his car flipped on the highway. He's still on life support."
"In D.C.?"
"No, Indiana. Doggett and Skinner transferred base a few weeks ago."
"Alright. How far are you?"
"About an hour outside of base."
"That's good. When are you coming back?"
"I'm not." He answered softly.
"What?!" Scully practically screamed into the phone. Akila opened her eyes at the disturbance. Scully quickly leaned over and rubbed her stomach to get her to return to sleep. After a few seconds of rubbing, Akila's green eyes slid shut again. Scully had marveled at how quickly Akila had begun to resemble Mulder. Her eyes had changed into the exact shade of green that Mulder's were when he was aroused. "Mulder what the hell do you mean you're not coming back?" Scully hissed angrily.
"Just what I said Scully. Things are going really badly here. I'm needed more here at the negotiations then I am there. You have Reyes to help you with the baby."
"What were you smoking when you came to this decision Mulder?" Scully asked. "Of course you're needed here. What happens when the things you left here stop smelling like you? Akila will probably stop eating all together. And what about me? Doesn't what I want matter?"
"Scully, just stop it. I'm a danger to you and Akila. The invasion began when I was returned. If I get away and stay away from you, Akila will be safer. Isn't that what you want?"
"Yes." Scully answered. "No. Mulder, I don't want that if you're not there. Akila will be safer with both of us here. Not just me."
Mulder sighed in exasperation. "Look Scully, I have to go, I'm catching heavy traffic. I'll call you soon." Before Scully could speak, Mulder had hung up.
End of part 5.
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Over the next two months, Scully learned what sleepless nights and constant attention meant. Thankfully, once or twice a week, Reyes took care of Akila so Scully could get some rest. Frequently, despite his vow to stay away from the little girl, Mulder was found lulling the baby back to sleep with his head propped up on the rail of Akila's bassinette. The few times he held Akila, she didn't cry or fuss like she did frequently when Reyes held her. Scully reasoned one night as she fed the baby with Mulder hovering nearby that Akila was comfortable with Mulder because she was wrapped in his shirt as a newborn, so she knew his scent.
"Mulder, what are you doing up?" Scully asked sleepily from her bed. Mulder looked up from his unwavering gaze down at Akila. He had sat down in Scully's rocker and settled Akila against his chest.
"Akila was whimpering, but you were out cold and I didn't have the heart to wake you. So I gave her a bottle with the remainder of the milk you pumped today and then she zonked out on me."
"Thanks Mulder. Give her here and go get some rest."
"Okay Scully, night." Mulder handed the baby over and kissed her head sadly. He gently kissed Scully and rubbed her cheek. "I got a call from Skinner. Things aren't going well. D.C. is in disarray. The negotiations are at a standstill. I'm gonna leave to take the vaccine to them to reproduce and hopefully get somewhere."
"When?" Scully asked. "When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow. Another reason why I was in here was I was coming to say goodbye." Mulder ran his hand over Scully's face. She set Akila in the middle of the bed and found her way into Mulder's arms.
"How long will you be gone?" Scully gripped Mulder tightly. He stroked her hair.
"A month. Two maybe."
"Okay. If you feel that you have to go."
"I don't want to."
"So don't." Scully murmured burrowing her face into Mulder's warm chest. He wasn't wearing a shirt and she delighted in the feel of his skin.
"Scully you know I have to."
"I know. It's just the last time you had to go somewhere, it was six months of pure hell before I saw you again."
"This is different Scully. I'll stay in constant contact with you if you want. And Skinner and Doggett will keep me out of trouble. Cause after all, Akila's gonna need an ally when you have PMS." Mulder smiled into her hair as Scully chuckled.
"Wake me before you leave. Okay?" Scully murmured.
"Sure Scully." Mulder settled Scully back against her pillows and lifted her sleeping daughter onto her chest. "Night you two." Mulder spoke softly, his voice thick with love. He kissed both his partner and her child before pulling the blankets up to Akila's waist and leaving the room.
~ * ~ * ~
The next morning, Scully awoke to hear Reyes cooing to Akila. The baby was crying and from the way Scully's chest ached, it was clear that she was hungry. Scully slid from bed and was pulling on pants when Akila's cries ceased. After she'd finished dressing, Scully rushed into the other room to see Mulder sitting at the table with Akila in her bouncy seat, gnawing contentedly on Mulder's fingers. Scully felt her heart swell with love for the both of them. Mulder gently pulled his hand away when he saw Scully and Akila began to whimper again. Mulder quickly gave her his hand and Scully walked over to them, already unbuttoning her blouse.
Mulder looked away as Scully offered Akila her breast. He tried to take his hand back, but Akila kept a tight grasp on it as she raised her short arms to attempt to grip Scully. Mulder found his fingers in an embarrassing spot and they rubbed rhythmically up and down Scully's chest as Akila moved.
Scully must have sensed his discomfort because she tenderly reached down and freed Mulder's index finger. He took his hand back with a muttered thanks and Scully nearly laughed at how red he was.
"So, I guess this means you're leaving now." Scully spoke sadly, wincing as Akila bit down with her toothless, yet powerful gums.
"Yeah. I probably should go. It'll take me a few days to get back."
"Alright." Cautious of the baby, Scully stepped forward and hugged Mulder tightly. "I expect either a phone call or an email everyday. Do you understand?" She whispered in his ear.
"Yes ma'am." Mulder kissed Scully's nose and bent to brush a fatherly kiss over Akila's brow. Scully pretended not to notice when Mulder's face brushed against her breast. "Don't you dare grow any while I'm gone. You hear me Akila?" With that, Mulder straightened and kissed Scully goodbye before turning and walking out the garage door.
Scully walked to the front window and peeled back the curtain to watch Mulder drive off. He turned and looked back at her and uncharacteristically, she blew him a kiss. Sighing, Scully allowed the cloth to fall shut before cleaning the breast that Akila had just released. She offered the other one to Akila, but the baby refused it. Scully covered herself and settled Akila against her shoulder. After Akila had let out a burp that would have impressed Mulder, she happily accepted Scully's breast.
It had been nearly a week since Mulder left and both Scully and Akila were moping around. Despite the fact that Mulder called every night, Scully missed him terribly, even if she didn't let on. Akila barely ate, much to Scully's dismay. Eventually, Scully found that Akila would eat only if she was wrapped in one of the shirts that Mulder had left with Scully.
Scully had just settled Akila down for a nap when her cell phone rang. She knew it had to be Mulder. Scully covered Akila with a blanket and placed some pillows around her so she wouldn't fall off the couch. Scully picked up the phone breathlessly.
"It's me." Mulder spoke.
"Hi Mulder."
"So, you miss me yet?"
"As a matter of fact. Yes. Akila won't eat unless she's in your shirt."
Mulder sucked in a breath. "Scully, don't tell me that. Do you really want me to turn my car around and drive all the way back?"
"Well, I wouldn't mind it, but I wasn't telling you that to make you feel bad. Would you?" Scully asked curiously.
"In a heartbeat." Mulder assured her. "Unfortunately, I have bad news. Doggett's on the ICU after his car flipped on the highway. He's still on life support."
"In D.C.?"
"No, Indiana. Doggett and Skinner transferred base a few weeks ago."
"Alright. How far are you?"
"About an hour outside of base."
"That's good. When are you coming back?"
"I'm not." He answered softly.
"What?!" Scully practically screamed into the phone. Akila opened her eyes at the disturbance. Scully quickly leaned over and rubbed her stomach to get her to return to sleep. After a few seconds of rubbing, Akila's green eyes slid shut again. Scully had marveled at how quickly Akila had begun to resemble Mulder. Her eyes had changed into the exact shade of green that Mulder's were when he was aroused. "Mulder what the hell do you mean you're not coming back?" Scully hissed angrily.
"Just what I said Scully. Things are going really badly here. I'm needed more here at the negotiations then I am there. You have Reyes to help you with the baby."
"What were you smoking when you came to this decision Mulder?" Scully asked. "Of course you're needed here. What happens when the things you left here stop smelling like you? Akila will probably stop eating all together. And what about me? Doesn't what I want matter?"
"Scully, just stop it. I'm a danger to you and Akila. The invasion began when I was returned. If I get away and stay away from you, Akila will be safer. Isn't that what you want?"
"Yes." Scully answered. "No. Mulder, I don't want that if you're not there. Akila will be safer with both of us here. Not just me."
Mulder sighed in exasperation. "Look Scully, I have to go, I'm catching heavy traffic. I'll call you soon." Before Scully could speak, Mulder had hung up.
End of part 5.