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Title: And Baby Makes Two
Written by: Jamalyn Rascher
Disclaimer: Everything X-Files, including
characters belongs to Chris Carter and 1013.
Rating: PG
Spoiler: Requiem and 8th season
Email: stdjdr13@shsu.edu
Summary: Mulder is returned to his Scully,
and they receive a beautiful Christmas surprise.
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And Baby Makes Two (Part 2)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WA
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mulder wasn't dead. Mulder isn't dead. It just didn't make
any sense. Despite the fact that she had always vowed never to give up looking
for him, the actuality of having him back was just too much. Scully desperately
wanted to run to him and find him awake, waiting for her, but a fear held her
back, a fear that this was just all some horrible trick her mind was plying.
Then before she had even begun to sort this out, they were there. The doctor
stopped at the door, pushing it open and smiled. Scully looked through at the
darkened room. No, Mulder wasn't there looking for her. She moved a few steps
into the room and could hear Frohike shuffling in behind her. She realized he
had yet to say anything since they had met the doctor in the hall. Not much actual
time had passed, but it felt like an eternity.
Scully couldn't bring herself to actually check the form on
the bed. She cursed herself for her insanity, her weakness. Somehow how Frohike
sensed her inability to continue and so moved past her to find out the truth
himself.
Scully turned her head away as he lifted the blanket a bit
to get a better view of the person underneath.
Scully's head snapped back as Frohike let out a short laugh
and a "That's the G-man, alright." The little man was grinning from
ear to ear. It was Mulder, Frohike said it was Mulder, but somewhere inside,
something still stalled. Then she heard it, her proof undeniable.
"God…Frohike, get out a my face." Scully knew she
would recognize that voice anywhere. That was her Mulder.
Scully ran as well as she could to him, as Frohike stepped
aside and pretended in intense interest in Mulder's charts, which lay clipped
to the foot of the bed, in an attempt at offering them some privacy.
At first, Scully didn't say anything. She really didn't know
how. She just looked at him and from somewhere deep inside began to cry.
Mulder immediately became animated, worried about his Scully
and looking for any reason to touch her and hold her close. He couldn't even
remember the number of times he had come up yearning for her. He really
couldn't remember anything, besides a few feelings—yet. But at his movements,
Scully made to quiet him, still unsure of his true condition.
Frohike gave a small cough and excused himself, mumbling
something about a cafeteria style coffee and left. Scully smiled after him and
then at Mulder who was still trying to sit up in the bed.
"I'm fine." Mulder complained, but Scully's eyes
still ran over him, checking everything, finding emotional strength in her old
scientific training.
Scully sat down on the chair pulled next to the bed. Luckily
despite his protests, he still seemed a bit unaware, the room was dark, and the
chair very low. She wanted to tell him her news herself, not shock him into a
heart attack with sudden reality. She smiled at Mulder, reaching up to take his
hand in her own, staring at his eyes unable to get enough.
Finally, after what had seemed yet another eternity, she
began to get her wits in order. Scully reached for her phone and at Mulder's
inquiring look said, "I'd better call Skinner. I know he'd want to know
immediately."
Mulder smiled, "Let's hold off on letting him in for a
while." He cocked his eyebrows, pouting, quietly asking for a few more
minutes, which Scully was more than willing to give. For a while they just sat
in their comfortable silence, each unable to get enough. Finally, Mulder broke
the silence.
"So tell me about work," he suggested, "Any
new X-Files I should know about?" Mulder's eyes lit up with his typical
exuberance but, Scully began to chew on her lip, a sure sign of distress.
"I think you'll find work a little changed," she
finally started, after a long pause, "There's been a new agent, Agent
Dogget, assigned … to me," she finished quickly when he began to look
worried.
"He's good," she added softly when Mulder didn't
respond, "But it has never been the same." She looked up at Mulder,
the tears threatening once more. At his look of concern, however, she smiled,
asking forgiveness, trying to make him believe her.
"I've missed you," she whispered, "a
lot." By now her voice was almost to soft to be heard, even in the
sleeping hospital.
"I've been thinking about you, especially since Skinner
decided to put me on mandatory administrative leave." Scully smiled again
to soften the bitterness in her last remark. Mulder's mind raced with possible
reason for this, but he just didn't know. He had missed too much. He wanted to
beg her for the information, wanted to hear everything that had happened, but
he knew better than push her. It would all come out in good time.
But, despite his patience, she didn't continue. She seemed
lost in her own world, desperately searching for the words. Finally Mulder
softly pried, "Why?" Scully's attention immediately snapped back to
him.
"Mulder?" she queried, "There's something you
should know." When she didn't continue, yet again, he asked, "So
you've finally, actually quit the FBI to become a spokes person for the ab
roller? Or perhaps you married Charles Nelson Reilly?" She let out a small
laugh.
"Oh God! No, Mulder."
"Good" was his only reply, then "Nothing can
be worse than that. Come on, out with it." He smiled at her encouragingly.
Funny, Scully thought, she never imagined it would be harder to tell Mulder
than it was her mother. Finally she decided that shock was the only way. She
stood up, motioning to her full body and let his eyes trace over her before
stating the very obvious.
"Mulder, I'm pregnant."
For a moment she thought she had gone too far. She wondered
if she could live the fact that she was the one who killed Mulder. But no-he
was still breathing.
For a moment, Mulder was flat out scared-witless. Scared it
wasn't his. Scared she'd found someone else. But then he knew, knew in the very
depths of his being that it all was right with the world.
"Oh, Scully" was all he seemed to be able to say,
but he reached out with his arms to her, as best as he could anyway with the IV
and trappings.
Scully smiled at his acceptance, possibly the best smile of
the night, but said, "Mulder, there is no way both of us would fit in that
bed.
Scully stepped up next to the bed again and smiled down on
Mulder. Just then, Frohike stepped back in the room. He had to clear his throat
to get their attention. Even then, though, Mulder continued to finger the
pocket flap on Scully's jumper.
"I, ah, spoke with your Dr. friend," he started,
looking over Mulder to Scully. Mulder's interest instantly peaked. "He
says that theirs really nothing wrong with Mulder. In fact, he, ah, seems
perfectly healthy. So, umm, if we wanna check him out and head home, we
can." Still though Scully was unsure. She decided to actually talk with
the good Dr. herself. It's not that she didn't trust Frohike…
As Scully left the room, Frohike leaned over his friend and
whispered, "I think your doctor has a crush on Scully." Frohike let
out a short laugh as Mulder tried to give him a punch.
Soon however Scully returned with a nurse who began to prep
Mulder to leave. It was already nearing
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Scully's Apartment
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had taken them much longer to get back to Scully's
apartment than they had thought. Rush hour on the freeway had nearly proven to
be deadly. When Scully walked in and caught the clock, she let out a groan. Her
mother had been expecting her over an hour ago. Oh well, she thought, I'll just
call mom and tell her I won't be able to make it over there. Mulder came in
behind her, wrapped in an emergency blanket from the car as protection against
the icy December winds just in time to hear an even louder groan.
"What is it?" he asked, casting a worried glance
around the apartment. "My dress, my beautiful, expensive dress." She
let a little ironic laugh. Mulder was still confused. Scully gave him a smile
and explained in as few words as possible. He just smiled back at her. "We
could go to your mother's dinner." he said. "I'm not a fragile doll.
Anyway, I want to see that dress." Scully blushed at those words, cursing
her Irish heritage. "But first I need to change." Mulder said, "I
don't think I'm dressed for the occasion. Do you still have one of my spare
suits over here?" Scully led him to her spare bedroom where his entire
apartment lay in boxes. Mulder looked around at all the neatly labeled items
with a bit of disbelief.
"I couldn't afford to keep up with both rents, so I
just moved your stuff over here. Frohike and the guys helped." Scully felt
a little embarrassed, like she might have stepped over the line, but Mulder
didn't seem to mind. In fact, he was actually rather pleased. This was the best
way he could side step the issue of ever leaving her alone again. Mulder began
checking each of the boxes looking for his clothes.
"Everything's there somewhere, err, except your, ah,
tapes." Scully told him. Mulder looked up, "I guess I kinda knew
Frohike'd step in for those pretty quickly." he said with a smile. Scully
let out a small cough.
"Ah, it wasn't Frohike." she said, "It was
Byers."
"Byers?" Mulder laughed. "I never
guessed." Mulder shook his head in disbelief. Mulder found the large box
of clothes and began to dig through them.
"I've hung a few of your dress shirts and pants in the
closet. Well," Scully paused, "I guess you can figure the rest
out." And with that and a smile Scully left the room and shut the door.
Frohike was waiting by the front door. She had forgotten he
was even there, and now felt a little bad. But he didn't seem to mind. He was
still grinning like a fool.
"I guess I had better be getting back." Frohike
said, "The guys and I are hopping online to spread a little Christmas cheer."
Scully smiled at that remark. Frohike turned to leave, but paused just before
he was gone and said, "I'm glad he's back."
"Me too," was all Scully could say.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
En route to Maggie's House
9:15 AM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mulder was driving. He seemed to relish the sensation, and
Scully wasn't able to anyway. Really they were making excellent time. Scully
had phoned her mother before they left, saying she had overslept and that she
would be there as soon as possible. She really didn't understand why she hadn't
just told her the truth. But she kinda liked the idea of showing up on her
mom's doorstep with her very own Christmas surprise.
Scully looked over at Mulder, who was happily tapping along
with the "Little Drummer Boy" that was playing on the radio and
couldn't help but grin. He turned towards her with a ba-rum-da-bum-bum and a
smile.
"I really like your dress," he said fingering the
silky gray shoulder strap. Scully brushed his hand off with a pretended
impatience.
"Just watch the road," she said, "I don't
want to die on Christmas day." His only response was to smile and return
to his steering wheel drum.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maggie's House
11:06 AM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mulder pulled up beside the mailbox, as the driveway was
already blocked by four other cars. Mulder climbed out as Scully began to pull
her coat on to block the chilly wind she knew would hit her the moment she
stepped out. Then before she could get the door, Mulder was there, offering his
hand. Scully raised her eyebrows questioningly at this foreign courtesy. Mulder
just shrugged, his hand still there for her to take, and Scully thought she
detected a slight reddening of his cheeks not due to the cutting wind. She
accepted his hand and allowed him to help her out of the car and lead her to
the front door. He rapped lightly on Maggie's door and stood back to wait.
Suddenly Scully let out what could best be described as a
cross between a cough and a gasp, or at least that's what Mulder thought. He
turned towards her and was surprised to see her eyes wide and some of her color
gone. "Bill," she silently mouthed, and then a bit more audible,
"I forgot about Bill." Just then, as if summoned by some evil spirit,
presumably the devil, the door opened and there he stood.
Bill and Mulder had never really gotten on together. In the
good times, they tolerated each other, but underneath the surface there was
always the knowledge that Bill blamed Mulder for everything that had happened
to Scully. Needless to say, he blamed him for the whole pregnant
sis/disappearing act.
For a moment Bill just stared, as if nothing made any sense.
Scully took a step closer to Mulder, lightly touching his arm laying her
support where she felt it belonged. Mulder's only response was to continue to
study Bill, although Scully didn't think he felt very defensive, just curious.
By now, several moments had passed and Scully was beginning to notice how cold
it was.
Finally she heard their respite from inside.
"Bill," Maggie called, "Who is it? Tell them to come
inside." At that moment she made it to the door, and standing on her toes
to see over Bill, who blocked the entire doorway, she beamed one of her great
mom smiles. A particularly cutting gust caught Scully off guard and she gave a
small shiver. Maggie smiled again, when she saw Mulder's protective arm go
around her daughter's shoulder.
Maggie stepped back, pulling Bill with her as if everything
was perfectly normal, and people who had who had been missing for months just showed
up on her doorstep regularly.
"Hurry in," she said, "You'll catch your
death of cold on a day like this." Scully immediately took her advice,
Mulder following behind. Bill stalked down the hall. Scully could read the
anger that seemed to flow over him, and she still wasn't sure that everything
had passed, but Mom seemed to have it all in hand. Scully often sat and
wondered over the differences between her mother's and her personality. Maggie
began to help Mulder remove his coat.
"Hello, Fox," she said, "Long time, no see,
eh?" Scully had long since given up on trying to get her mother to call
Mulder, Mulder. Mulder just smiled somewhat sheepishly.
"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Scully," he said, "I
hope you don't mind me crashing your party."
"Of course not!" she declared, "It's really
good to see you." Maggie reached for Scully's coat. "You see, I told
Dana to invite you," she said with a wink in Mulder's direction.
"Mom…really," was all Scully said. Maggie hung the
coats on the rack and ushered them into the living room where a small group of
people had already gathered.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maggie's House
4:00 PM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dinner had been absolutely wonderful, as it always was. By
now, most of the guests had left, and the house that had been on the verge of
too full now seemed a bit empty. That was when Scully realized that Mulder had
gone missing. She hadn't seen him since she had gone to help her mother and
sister-in-law with the dishes.
Scully began a through search of the house, going through
all the rooms on the bottom floor first, then the tops. Just as she was
beginning to get frantic, she nearly collided with her sister-in-law as she was
leaving the last bedroom.
"Whoa," she said, then catching to frightened look
on Scully's face, "Hey, what's the matter?" It took Scully a few
minutes to focus in on what was being said. When she did, she asked, "Have
you seen Mulder? I can't find him anywhere." Scully immediately began
chewing on her top lip, glancing down the hall.
"Sure," Her sister-in-law answered, "He is in
the back yard with Bill." Scully shot off down the hall, intent on getting
to Mulder before Bill did.
"Dana, sheesh," her sister-in-law called,
"Your gonna hafta learn to slow down."
Mulder hadn't been very excited about the way that Bill had
approached him, but he understood where the man was coming from. He imagined he
would be just as protective of Sam if he had ever been given the chance.
Scully saw Mulder and Bill through the big picture window
the minute she stepped into the living room. So far, it didn't look like they
had come to blows. Still, Scully didn't like the idea of the two of them alone.
She quickly made her way to the back door over near the breakfast nook.
Bill was coming back inside just as Scully was starting out
there. She didn't even bother with grabbing a coat, just scooted out to Mulder,
who was still standing on the patio watching the first few flakes begin to
fall. He didn't even notice her until she said, "So what were you and bill
discussing?" He turned toward her with a smile, then a frown.
"Scully, your gonna freeze," he said, taking off
his coat and wrapping it around her. "You better learn to pay attention to
these sort of things." She frowned at him in return, but then just shook
her head with a sigh. Leave it to Mulder to start talking like he had always
been the mature responsible one.
"Lets go inside," he said, rubbing his arms with
his hands, "I'm freezing." He ushered her back towards the door, his
hand now in the small of her back. When they got inside, they were immediately
called over to the kitchen table, where someone had set up a game of trivial
pursuit. Well, Scully thought, it wouldn't be Christmas without trivial
pursuit.
The game lasted late into the night, when Maggie and the
girls finally pulled ahead and won. They were all trying to think of something
cruel to make the guys do for losing when everyone headed up to bed.
It wasn't until Scully went to crawl into bed that it sunk
in that her mom had placed Mulder in another room. Now her mother readily
acknowledged that Scully was carrying Mulder's baby, but she could bring herself
to let them share a room. But Scully didn't want to be away from him for even
one more night. She knew she'd never be able to sleep anyway. Scully sat on the
edge of the bed, waiting for the house to go to sleep so that she could sneak
down to Mulder's room.
Finally, the house was quiet enough and Scully felt safe
enough to try and make it down the hall. She grabbed her pillow and began to
tiptoe across the floor. As she reached for the door it began to silently open.
She jerked back immediately, holding the pillow to her stomach. Mulder's messy
head peeked around the door and when he saw her standing there, he smiled.
"I got lonely," he admitted quietly. Scully
reached for the door, opened it the rest of the way and reached for Mulder's
hand. She pulled him into the room, and quietly closing the door again, led him
back to her bed where they both curled up. "You realize this means I've
got to marry you," he whispered into her ear. She turned her head slightly
trying to see him, but his arms prevented her from turning over. "I'm not
going to sleep in another room every time we visit your mother," he
finally explained. Scully let out a quiet chuckle. "Good," she
whispered back. Mulder turned out the light over the bed and they both fell
asleep.
Scully woke up later and immediately knew something was
wrong. She could place the time as after midnight by the weight of the
darkness. What woke me up, she thought. Mulder's arm was still wrapped around
her; she was warm, and comfortable. But she didn't feel right. She gently
slipped out from under Mulder's arm to sit on the edge of the bed, trying to
remember what she had been dreaming about. But then she felt it, a pain from
deep, deep inside her. One of her hands instantly went to her distended belly,
the other to shake Mulder awake.
Mulder awoke with a start. "Scully?" he asked,
"What wrong?" Even in the dark room he could see how pale she looked.
He sat up and scooted over beside her.
"Go get mom," she said, "Go get mom and tell
her I need to go to her hospital." Mulder looked at her for a moment, his
mind trying desperately to grasp reality. Then Scully blanched slightly again,
biting her lip, her eyes closed tight. Mulder jumped up and throwing open the
door, ran down the hall and began banging on Maggie's door. Scully began to
breath deeply as the pain passed, and began to actually hear how much noise
Mulder was making. He would wake the entire house. Next she heard her mother's
worried voice and then they were both in the room. Mulder was fidgety, switching
his weight from foot to foot. Maggie on the other hand was the perfect calm.
She gently helped Scully up from the bed, and began to lead her towards the
door.
"Fox," she quietly said, "go and bring us her
coat and then get the car warmed up." Mulder turned and ran to the
staircase, taking the stairs in twos and threes. Scully hoped he didn't fall.
Bill came out of his room, an old trophy held menacingly in his hands just as
Mulder came bounding back up the stairs with their coats.
"Everything's fine, Bill," Maggie called as she
took the coats and helped Scully into hers. "You wait here and I'll call
you later." Bill lowered the trophy and watched Mulder hurry back down the
stairs and Maggie and Scully follow at a somewhat slower pace.
Mulder had the car going by the time Scully and her mom made
it to the bottom of the stairs. He sat behind the wheel, his feet and hands
nervously tapping. Maggie opened the passenger side door and gently helped
Scully in.
"Back seat, Fox," she said, motioning with her
thumb. Mulder unbuckled and jumped in the back as Maggie sat behind the wheel,
pausing to pull the seat up so she could reach the petals.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
MD Hospital
8:00 AM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"She's absolutely beautiful," Mulder said, looking
down on his new baby girl. Scully looked at the misshapen head, and the mottled
newborn skin, and smiled at Mulder.
"Well, maybe she's not beautiful, yet," he
whispered into Scully's ear, "but I'm sure she'll be soon. Scully smiled
at her young daughter, and cooing at her, kissed her nose. She couldn't get
enough of her tiny Christmas miracle. Scully rubbed her thumb over the tiny
little knuckles, silently marveling at how absolutely perfectly miniature everything
was.
"When are you guys coming home?" Mulder asked.
"Well," Scully said, "The nurse said that they'll probably
release me in the afternoon."
"That soon?" Mulder asked, surprised. "Hey,
it's the fast '00's," Scully joked, "And this is a busy hospital.
They've gotta keep us running through." Then she narrowed her eyes,
"Why?"
"Scully!" Mulder replied, hurt, "There's no
ulterior motives here." It wasn't working, and Scully still looked
suspicious. "Well, maybe the guys came over last night to, ah, celebrate
out Christmas present, and I might need a few moments to pick up the, umm,
streamers." At any other time, Scully might have been up set, but she just
couldn't be anything other than happy.
Soon Maggie arrived, along with the rest of the family, and
Mulder slipped out with a kiss on Scully's cheek to go and clean up the
apartment. Everyone ohhed and awwwed over the baby until the nurse came to take
her to rest. Soon it was obvious that Scully was about to fall asleep, so
Maggie ushered everyone out, and let her rest.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Skinner's Office
9:00 AM
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mulder was pretty sure Skinner was just about the only
person who came in on January 1st. The halls were absolutely empty. Skinner's
assistant wasn't even in, which made things easy for Mulder and Scully, who
just sneaked into the inner office to await his arrival.
You know, this could count as some seriously cheap irony if
this is the first time he doesn't show up for work on New Year's Day. Scully
leaned over again to check Samantha, who was still sleeping in her little car
seat/carrier. At the moment, Scully was in a bit of a quandary. She didn't want
to leave her baby with a sitter day in and day out, but she didn't want to stop
working with Mulder either. She knew little Sam would be the one who won in the
end, but for a while, she could come along for the ride. Scully wouldn't miss
this reunion for the world.
She had her mother call Skinner after Samantha was born and
tell him, but he arrived at the hospital during one of the few pockets of time
that Mulder hadn't been there. And she knew that Mulder wanted to give him a
big surprise. The only thing she didn't know was if it was because he had a
secrete death wish for the AD. So in the end, she had forgotten to mention
Mulder. She felt a little bad, but her intentions were good.
Just then, she heard the doorknob creak a bit. She felt a
shiver run up her spine, whether from nervousness or anticipation she did not
know.
Skinner walked into his office, for a moment surprised to
see the light on. But Mulder gave a soft cough, drawing his attention. For a
while, Skinner didn't say a word. Mulder mused over the fact that he had seemed
to have this effect on people a lot lately.
Skinner shook his head, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
There was a flesh and blood Mulder sitting in his office. And it had to be him
because Scully was there too. Still he couldn't resist poking him in the
shoulder to make sure he was real.
This was honestly the first time Mulder had ever seen
Skinner speechless without his being incredibly angry. He waited for the AD to
make the first move. Skinner moved around his desk and sat down. Then he turned
towards Scully.
"Agent Scully," he began, "You were given a
direct order to halt your search for Agent Mulder." He took a short pause
to re-gather his wits then added, "And you were forbidden to return to
work until I judged you ready."
Mulder watched Scully's face, trying to figure out what was going
on. When Skinner didn't seem as if he was going to continue, Scully began,
"Sir, I haven't continued my search for Agent Mulder, he found me. And I
don't want to return to work," she smiled down at little Sam,
"yet."
Finally Skinner let out a laugh, one of the first Mulder had
ever heard from him. "God, Mulder," he said, "Just where the
hell do you think you've been?" he asked.
"I don't know," Mulder finally said. He looked up
at Skinner, who was still sitting behind his large desk. "I don't
know," Mulder repeated, glancing this time at Scully, "But I know
that this time I'm going to find out." Skinner just nodded, everyone
already knew that this was going to be a tough road.
Finis
