Title - I Know What You Did . . .
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Classification - TRA
Keywords - Mulder/Scully Romance, Angst, Charlie Fic
Spoilers - The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati
Summary - Mulder and Scully help her brother Charlie and end up with more trouble than they bargained for.
Disclaimer - The characters don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for my own therapeutic purposes. They will be returned relatively unharmed to Chris Carter, or whoever wants to borrow them next, when I'm done.
Chapter 3
Mulder checks his watch for the fourth time and then shoots Skinner another apologetic look. His partner is officially late for this meeting. And he can't think of any other excuse to make for her.
"Sir, I'm really sorry. I don't know where Agent Scully could be," he says, looking at the door, almost willing her to come in.
"We'll start without her," the assistant director grumbles, clearly annoyed by the other agent's absence. He looks to the door to give her one final chance to show up before continuing. "I called this meeting to talk about that kidnapping case in Tulsa you and Agent Scully investigated last month. I was a bit surprised at your conclusions."
"Well, Agent Scully and I decided that the case wasn't an X-File. We weren't really needed there. It was a matter for the local authorities to handle," he says quickly, feeling much like he's rambling. He really wanted to stay and do more investigation into the matter, but Scully seemed so sick and tired that day. Dropping the case just seemed like the best thing to do.
"What about the cases you two have investigated in the month since then?" Skinner asks, skimming through a file on the desk on front of him. "Six out of the eight were also turned over to local authorities."
"Sir, we're not trying to shirk our responsibilities . . . "
"That's not what I'm suggesting, Agent Mulder," Skinner interrupts. He shocks Mulder by pasting on a small smile. "You're not in any trouble today. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"Excuse me?" Mulder asks, clearly confused.
"That's really what I was trying to wait for Agent Scully to show up. This is a meeting to commend the two of you on the way you've been handling your work lately. You're not running off half-cocked after any and every report of lights in the sky. You seem to be putting more effort into to discerning between cases that truly need your expertise and ones that are just hoaxes. All of the cases you decided to drop were solved within a few days once the local police started doing their jobs instead of calling for the, no offense, 'Spooky Patrol' when things get a little hairy."
"None taken, Sir," Mulder says with a smile, still relieved that he's not in trouble. These types of meetings with Skinner usually end up with him apologizing profusely for some reckless act that almost got him and Scully both fired. It's nice not to be yelled at for a change.
The feeling, however, is bittersweet. Because the reason they've been dropping so many of the cases the past month has been because of Scully and her seemingly declining health. Mulder has tried not to mention anything to her so she won't think he's hovering. But enough is enough. It doesn't appear like she even made it in to work today. He's decided that she's going to see a doctor to find out what's wrong if he has to drag her there himself.
His plans to do such a thing are momentarily put on hold when the door bursts open. He looks up and finds his partner standing there, looking not much better than death warmed over. She looks weaker than he'd seen her since her cancer. Well, at least in this state she won't put up much of a fight when he takes her to be examined.
"Sorry I'm late," she mutters with a hoarse, raspy voice. "Something came up."
"It's okay, Agent Scully," Skinner says kindly, his previous anger at her tardiness gone after also noticing her sickly pallor. "Agent Mulder and I were just finishing. I'll let him fill you in on our discuss- Agent Scully, are you okay?" He stops midsentence when he notices her pale complexion suddenly turn greenish in hue.
"Sorry, Sir," she groans. "It's just your aftershave. Do you wear that everyday? Because today it's making me kind of nauseous." She covers her mouth with her hand, barely stopping herself from gagging.
"Sir, Agent Scully and I will be leaving now," Mulder says quickly before Skinner can react to the Scully's unwitting insult. He grabs onto the woman's arm and leads her out the door and down the hall to the elevators, somehow knowing her sudden desire to be out of that office as quickly as possible.
"Thanks for getting me out of there," she says with a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, well if I didn't, we might both be looking for new jobs," he chuckles. "It's not usually common for employees to tell their bosses they stink."
"I couldn't help it, Mulder. I thought I was going to puke." She closes her eyes and rests her head in his hand that is now somehow cupping her cheek.
"You really are sick, aren't you?" he asks sympathetically even though he can practically hear the obvious answer blaring in his head. "Are you sure you're up to work today?"
"I'm fine," she says, stepping suddenly away from his embrace. "But I do think I should go home right now. Can you come over later? There's something I want to talk to you about."
"How about I drive you now?" He offers, worried not only about her well being, but also about what she has to tell him. He knows he won't be able to wait until the end of the day to find out.
She tries to protest, but he quickly wins the argument, leading her out to her car and taking her keys. The drive to her apartment is made in complete silence. By the time he's seated in her living room, his heart is beating so fast he's sure she can hear it. He's terrified now about what she's going to say. It's obviously very serious.
"Would you like something to drink?" she offers as he takes a seat on one end of her couch. She sits on the other end, a cushion separating them.
"No thanks. I'm good," he manages to say. A drink is the last thing on his mind. He somehow knows it's just a stalling tactic, though. He decides to cut to the chase and ask Scully directly the question that's been plaguing him for the past two months. "What's going on, Scully?"
"You're getting right to the point, aren't you?" she chuckles nervously.
"I figure this is the best way. The quick approach is usually less painful. At least it was when I was eight and practically lived with bandages on my knees." His heart soars for a moment when a small smile tugs on her lips.
"Okay. I'll get right to it then," she says, taking a deep breath before continuing. "For the past month or so, I haven't . . . well, things haven't been quite right with me."
"I've noticed," he nods, encouraging her to go on.
"You have? What kinds of things have you noticed?"
"You've been tired. More tired than usual. Sick. I know you've tried to hide it from me, but I know there are times when the nausea gets the better of you. I think you've been in the bathroom more than our office," he smiles briefly. "You look like you've lost some weight. But I guess that's normal since you haven't been able to keep much down. Not for lack of trying, though. I've also noticed how much more you've been eating. If I didn't know you better, I'd wonder if you had some sort of eating disorder."
She looks at him and notices his expression is half joking, half questioning. She decides not to keep him guessing any longer.
"You've been very perceptive. You're wrong about the eating disorder, but you're right about everything else. I had all those symptoms and then some. I thought it was the flu. But after it lasted a few weeks, I realized it had to be something more serious. So I made an appointment with my doctor."
"Is it . . . is it the cancer?" he practically whispers, partially afraid that by speaking it aloud, it will become true.
"No," she shakes her head vehemently. "It's not that, trust me. My cancer is still in remission." She smiles a little at the noticeable relief on his face.
"You're sure? They did tests to be sure?"
"Yes, Mulder," she smiles. "They ran every test I could think for them to run. Then they ran some that I never would imagine I'd ever need."
"So do they know what's wrong with you?" he asks warily.
"Nothing, Mulder. I told you before, I'm fine. I'm perfectly healthy," she assures him. But it only seems to add to his confusion.
"Then what's making you . . ."
"I'm pregnant," she says, cutting him off.
The room is deadly quiet for long moments. She's not even sure Mulder is still breathing.
"You're what?" he finally says just as she wonders if he heard what she said.
"I'm pregnant, Mulder," she repeats.
"But . . . how? I mean, I know how things like that usually happen. But . . . Scully, I thought they said . . . that you . . . but now you're . . . I don't understand how . . . " He gives up trying to put his thoughts into words and just stares at her with his mouth wide open.
"How something like this could happen?" she asks, managing to verbalize his question. At his wordless nod, she continues. "This is going to sound strange, but I don't know either. I mean, I honestly have no idea."
She's been asking herself the same question, but voicing it out loud makes it sink in. She has no clue how she came to be pregnant. That thought terrifies her. The tears she's been trying to hold back finally make their way to the surface and begin to drench her face.
"Scully, I'm sorry," he whispers, leaning over to hug her. She jumps up before he can embrace her, pacing the floor with a wild, nervous energy.
"Mulder, I'm pregnant," she says. "A child is growing inside of me and I can't for the life of me figure out how it got in there."
"I'm assuming the usual way," he offers helpfully. But the thought of her being with another man is slowly killing him. Not that she owes him anything. He just thought she was being as faithful to him and he has been to her.
"The usual way?" she asks incredulously. "Let's for a minute just ignore the long standing medical fact that I am physically incapable of conceiving a child. I learned a long time ago, Mulder, about the birds and the bees. A very significant event usually takes place before a baby. And it's been . . . " She stops suddenly, looking down to hide her flushed cheeks. She flops back on the sofa, her face hidden behind her hands.
"It's been what?"
"Well, it's been a while since I've um, participated in said event," she mumbles.
"You're a beautiful woman, Scully," he says reverently, gazing at her for a moment with silent wanting before shaking himself mentally and forcing himself to continue the train of thought. "I'm sure you've had to fight the guys away."
"If only that were true," she chuckles lightly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "The guys have long stopped coming after me."
"I doubt that," he says in disbelief, his look turning to shock when she nods her head. "So you're really trying to tell me that there isn't a guy? No candidate for fatherhood?"
"Like I said before, Mulder. It's been a while. So I think I would have remembered if it had happened recently. Besides, the only guys to even cross the doorway to my apartment recently have been you and my brother, Charlie."
"That time he came to visit a few months ago," Mulder says as a thought suddenly comes to him. "When he brought the rubbing from that artifact."
"Yeah," she nods. "But even before that, Mulder. I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I don't think I've gone out on a date in years. Except for that fiasco in Philadelphia. And we all know how that turned out."
She pauses to sigh, not noticing that he's barely listening to her.
"I guess I just . . . I don't know. I just haven't met the right guy. Nobody seems to give me what you already do," she says with a blush at what she's about to admit. "Especially these past few months. We've been closer than usual. It seems like you know me better than anyone ever has. Like you know exactly what I'm thinking."
"Exactly," he says, jumping up off the couch and running hand through his already messy hair. "It *has* been like that. Ever since Charlie came with that rubbing. Maybe it affected me more than we thought. Maybe it affected both of us."
"What do you mean, Mulder?"
"It's like you just said. For the past few months, it's been like . . . I don't really know how to explain this. I've just known so much about what you were thinking without you telling me. It's like I heard your voice in my head. I thought that we've just known each other so long that I'm now able to have both sides of our arguments," he laughs. "But maybe it's something more."
"Like what happened to you the first time you came in contact with those rubbings and could read minds?"
"Sort of. But this time it's different. It's not as loud. And I don't hear the voices all the time."
"How about now? Can you hear what I'm thinking?"
"I don't know. Think of a number and I'll try to guess it," he tells her. He closes his eyes for a moment and throws out a guess. "49?"
"No," she sighs, not sure if she more relieved he can't hear her thoughts or disappointed because she wants him to. She pats his shoulder, about to tell him the correct answer when his eyes suddenly pop open in shock.
"72," he says with a shaky voice. "That's the number, isn't it?"
"How did you . . . "
"It happened when you touched me. All of a sudden, I could hear your voice inside my head as clearly as when you talk out loud to me."
"And you think the rubbing did that? Made you able to read minds again?"
"What else could it be?" he asks with a shrug. "And I think it also has something to do with your current . . . predicament. Maybe it somehow made it possible for you to conceive again."
"Maybe. But that still doesn't explain how I got pregnant," she points out.
"No. It doesn't," he sighs, biting his lip in frustration.
"And that's what's scaring me more than anything. Mulder, what happened to me? And when? Why don't I remember?"
"I don't know," he whispers, pulling her into his arms. This time she allows it, tucking herself eagerly into his embrace. "But we have to figure out. For your sake . . . and for this baby."
"What if it isn't my baby?" she wonders aloud. "What if this isn't even a baby at all? I don't know which option is more terrifying. And more terrifying than the what is the how? How did whatever it is get inside of me? Was I taken again? Was I attacked? Raped? And just blocked it all out?"
"I don't know," he whispers, trying hard to hold back his own tears as he comforts her. "I just don't know. But we'll find out. We'll do what we do best and investigate this. Treat this like a case. We'll start with the evidence we have on hand. And right now, the only evidence is inside you."
"Since I couldn't give them an approximate conception date, the doctors and I came up with the estimate that I'm about 8 or 9 weeks along based on the ultrasound and description of my symptoms. So we unfortunately won't be able to get much viable evidence for at least another 6 weeks when an amniocentesis can safely be done. What should we do until then?"
"Then we go back even further. We find out what we can about that rubbing. I have a feeling it's the key to this whole thing."
She silently agrees with him, snuggling as close to him as she can get. She feels safe with him. And she finds herself wishing he'd never let her go. Hoping he won't ever leave her.
"I'll take care of you the best way I can," he promises quietly, giving her a quick peck on her forehead. "I know you're confused and scared. I'm scared too. But we'll get through this just like we get through everything - together. I'm not going anywhere, Scully."
That promise makes her feel better than she would have ever imagined. She knew Mulder would never leave her, but hearing it makes all the difference. She breathes a sigh of relief and allows the beating of his heart under her ear to lull her to the first peaceful sleep she's had in weeks.
To be continued . . .
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Classification - TRA
Keywords - Mulder/Scully Romance, Angst, Charlie Fic
Spoilers - The Sixth Extinction: Amor Fati
Summary - Mulder and Scully help her brother Charlie and end up with more trouble than they bargained for.
Disclaimer - The characters don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for my own therapeutic purposes. They will be returned relatively unharmed to Chris Carter, or whoever wants to borrow them next, when I'm done.
Chapter 3
Mulder checks his watch for the fourth time and then shoots Skinner another apologetic look. His partner is officially late for this meeting. And he can't think of any other excuse to make for her.
"Sir, I'm really sorry. I don't know where Agent Scully could be," he says, looking at the door, almost willing her to come in.
"We'll start without her," the assistant director grumbles, clearly annoyed by the other agent's absence. He looks to the door to give her one final chance to show up before continuing. "I called this meeting to talk about that kidnapping case in Tulsa you and Agent Scully investigated last month. I was a bit surprised at your conclusions."
"Well, Agent Scully and I decided that the case wasn't an X-File. We weren't really needed there. It was a matter for the local authorities to handle," he says quickly, feeling much like he's rambling. He really wanted to stay and do more investigation into the matter, but Scully seemed so sick and tired that day. Dropping the case just seemed like the best thing to do.
"What about the cases you two have investigated in the month since then?" Skinner asks, skimming through a file on the desk on front of him. "Six out of the eight were also turned over to local authorities."
"Sir, we're not trying to shirk our responsibilities . . . "
"That's not what I'm suggesting, Agent Mulder," Skinner interrupts. He shocks Mulder by pasting on a small smile. "You're not in any trouble today. Quite the opposite, in fact."
"Excuse me?" Mulder asks, clearly confused.
"That's really what I was trying to wait for Agent Scully to show up. This is a meeting to commend the two of you on the way you've been handling your work lately. You're not running off half-cocked after any and every report of lights in the sky. You seem to be putting more effort into to discerning between cases that truly need your expertise and ones that are just hoaxes. All of the cases you decided to drop were solved within a few days once the local police started doing their jobs instead of calling for the, no offense, 'Spooky Patrol' when things get a little hairy."
"None taken, Sir," Mulder says with a smile, still relieved that he's not in trouble. These types of meetings with Skinner usually end up with him apologizing profusely for some reckless act that almost got him and Scully both fired. It's nice not to be yelled at for a change.
The feeling, however, is bittersweet. Because the reason they've been dropping so many of the cases the past month has been because of Scully and her seemingly declining health. Mulder has tried not to mention anything to her so she won't think he's hovering. But enough is enough. It doesn't appear like she even made it in to work today. He's decided that she's going to see a doctor to find out what's wrong if he has to drag her there himself.
His plans to do such a thing are momentarily put on hold when the door bursts open. He looks up and finds his partner standing there, looking not much better than death warmed over. She looks weaker than he'd seen her since her cancer. Well, at least in this state she won't put up much of a fight when he takes her to be examined.
"Sorry I'm late," she mutters with a hoarse, raspy voice. "Something came up."
"It's okay, Agent Scully," Skinner says kindly, his previous anger at her tardiness gone after also noticing her sickly pallor. "Agent Mulder and I were just finishing. I'll let him fill you in on our discuss- Agent Scully, are you okay?" He stops midsentence when he notices her pale complexion suddenly turn greenish in hue.
"Sorry, Sir," she groans. "It's just your aftershave. Do you wear that everyday? Because today it's making me kind of nauseous." She covers her mouth with her hand, barely stopping herself from gagging.
"Sir, Agent Scully and I will be leaving now," Mulder says quickly before Skinner can react to the Scully's unwitting insult. He grabs onto the woman's arm and leads her out the door and down the hall to the elevators, somehow knowing her sudden desire to be out of that office as quickly as possible.
"Thanks for getting me out of there," she says with a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, well if I didn't, we might both be looking for new jobs," he chuckles. "It's not usually common for employees to tell their bosses they stink."
"I couldn't help it, Mulder. I thought I was going to puke." She closes her eyes and rests her head in his hand that is now somehow cupping her cheek.
"You really are sick, aren't you?" he asks sympathetically even though he can practically hear the obvious answer blaring in his head. "Are you sure you're up to work today?"
"I'm fine," she says, stepping suddenly away from his embrace. "But I do think I should go home right now. Can you come over later? There's something I want to talk to you about."
"How about I drive you now?" He offers, worried not only about her well being, but also about what she has to tell him. He knows he won't be able to wait until the end of the day to find out.
She tries to protest, but he quickly wins the argument, leading her out to her car and taking her keys. The drive to her apartment is made in complete silence. By the time he's seated in her living room, his heart is beating so fast he's sure she can hear it. He's terrified now about what she's going to say. It's obviously very serious.
"Would you like something to drink?" she offers as he takes a seat on one end of her couch. She sits on the other end, a cushion separating them.
"No thanks. I'm good," he manages to say. A drink is the last thing on his mind. He somehow knows it's just a stalling tactic, though. He decides to cut to the chase and ask Scully directly the question that's been plaguing him for the past two months. "What's going on, Scully?"
"You're getting right to the point, aren't you?" she chuckles nervously.
"I figure this is the best way. The quick approach is usually less painful. At least it was when I was eight and practically lived with bandages on my knees." His heart soars for a moment when a small smile tugs on her lips.
"Okay. I'll get right to it then," she says, taking a deep breath before continuing. "For the past month or so, I haven't . . . well, things haven't been quite right with me."
"I've noticed," he nods, encouraging her to go on.
"You have? What kinds of things have you noticed?"
"You've been tired. More tired than usual. Sick. I know you've tried to hide it from me, but I know there are times when the nausea gets the better of you. I think you've been in the bathroom more than our office," he smiles briefly. "You look like you've lost some weight. But I guess that's normal since you haven't been able to keep much down. Not for lack of trying, though. I've also noticed how much more you've been eating. If I didn't know you better, I'd wonder if you had some sort of eating disorder."
She looks at him and notices his expression is half joking, half questioning. She decides not to keep him guessing any longer.
"You've been very perceptive. You're wrong about the eating disorder, but you're right about everything else. I had all those symptoms and then some. I thought it was the flu. But after it lasted a few weeks, I realized it had to be something more serious. So I made an appointment with my doctor."
"Is it . . . is it the cancer?" he practically whispers, partially afraid that by speaking it aloud, it will become true.
"No," she shakes her head vehemently. "It's not that, trust me. My cancer is still in remission." She smiles a little at the noticeable relief on his face.
"You're sure? They did tests to be sure?"
"Yes, Mulder," she smiles. "They ran every test I could think for them to run. Then they ran some that I never would imagine I'd ever need."
"So do they know what's wrong with you?" he asks warily.
"Nothing, Mulder. I told you before, I'm fine. I'm perfectly healthy," she assures him. But it only seems to add to his confusion.
"Then what's making you . . ."
"I'm pregnant," she says, cutting him off.
The room is deadly quiet for long moments. She's not even sure Mulder is still breathing.
"You're what?" he finally says just as she wonders if he heard what she said.
"I'm pregnant, Mulder," she repeats.
"But . . . how? I mean, I know how things like that usually happen. But . . . Scully, I thought they said . . . that you . . . but now you're . . . I don't understand how . . . " He gives up trying to put his thoughts into words and just stares at her with his mouth wide open.
"How something like this could happen?" she asks, managing to verbalize his question. At his wordless nod, she continues. "This is going to sound strange, but I don't know either. I mean, I honestly have no idea."
She's been asking herself the same question, but voicing it out loud makes it sink in. She has no clue how she came to be pregnant. That thought terrifies her. The tears she's been trying to hold back finally make their way to the surface and begin to drench her face.
"Scully, I'm sorry," he whispers, leaning over to hug her. She jumps up before he can embrace her, pacing the floor with a wild, nervous energy.
"Mulder, I'm pregnant," she says. "A child is growing inside of me and I can't for the life of me figure out how it got in there."
"I'm assuming the usual way," he offers helpfully. But the thought of her being with another man is slowly killing him. Not that she owes him anything. He just thought she was being as faithful to him and he has been to her.
"The usual way?" she asks incredulously. "Let's for a minute just ignore the long standing medical fact that I am physically incapable of conceiving a child. I learned a long time ago, Mulder, about the birds and the bees. A very significant event usually takes place before a baby. And it's been . . . " She stops suddenly, looking down to hide her flushed cheeks. She flops back on the sofa, her face hidden behind her hands.
"It's been what?"
"Well, it's been a while since I've um, participated in said event," she mumbles.
"You're a beautiful woman, Scully," he says reverently, gazing at her for a moment with silent wanting before shaking himself mentally and forcing himself to continue the train of thought. "I'm sure you've had to fight the guys away."
"If only that were true," she chuckles lightly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "The guys have long stopped coming after me."
"I doubt that," he says in disbelief, his look turning to shock when she nods her head. "So you're really trying to tell me that there isn't a guy? No candidate for fatherhood?"
"Like I said before, Mulder. It's been a while. So I think I would have remembered if it had happened recently. Besides, the only guys to even cross the doorway to my apartment recently have been you and my brother, Charlie."
"That time he came to visit a few months ago," Mulder says as a thought suddenly comes to him. "When he brought the rubbing from that artifact."
"Yeah," she nods. "But even before that, Mulder. I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I don't think I've gone out on a date in years. Except for that fiasco in Philadelphia. And we all know how that turned out."
She pauses to sigh, not noticing that he's barely listening to her.
"I guess I just . . . I don't know. I just haven't met the right guy. Nobody seems to give me what you already do," she says with a blush at what she's about to admit. "Especially these past few months. We've been closer than usual. It seems like you know me better than anyone ever has. Like you know exactly what I'm thinking."
"Exactly," he says, jumping up off the couch and running hand through his already messy hair. "It *has* been like that. Ever since Charlie came with that rubbing. Maybe it affected me more than we thought. Maybe it affected both of us."
"What do you mean, Mulder?"
"It's like you just said. For the past few months, it's been like . . . I don't really know how to explain this. I've just known so much about what you were thinking without you telling me. It's like I heard your voice in my head. I thought that we've just known each other so long that I'm now able to have both sides of our arguments," he laughs. "But maybe it's something more."
"Like what happened to you the first time you came in contact with those rubbings and could read minds?"
"Sort of. But this time it's different. It's not as loud. And I don't hear the voices all the time."
"How about now? Can you hear what I'm thinking?"
"I don't know. Think of a number and I'll try to guess it," he tells her. He closes his eyes for a moment and throws out a guess. "49?"
"No," she sighs, not sure if she more relieved he can't hear her thoughts or disappointed because she wants him to. She pats his shoulder, about to tell him the correct answer when his eyes suddenly pop open in shock.
"72," he says with a shaky voice. "That's the number, isn't it?"
"How did you . . . "
"It happened when you touched me. All of a sudden, I could hear your voice inside my head as clearly as when you talk out loud to me."
"And you think the rubbing did that? Made you able to read minds again?"
"What else could it be?" he asks with a shrug. "And I think it also has something to do with your current . . . predicament. Maybe it somehow made it possible for you to conceive again."
"Maybe. But that still doesn't explain how I got pregnant," she points out.
"No. It doesn't," he sighs, biting his lip in frustration.
"And that's what's scaring me more than anything. Mulder, what happened to me? And when? Why don't I remember?"
"I don't know," he whispers, pulling her into his arms. This time she allows it, tucking herself eagerly into his embrace. "But we have to figure out. For your sake . . . and for this baby."
"What if it isn't my baby?" she wonders aloud. "What if this isn't even a baby at all? I don't know which option is more terrifying. And more terrifying than the what is the how? How did whatever it is get inside of me? Was I taken again? Was I attacked? Raped? And just blocked it all out?"
"I don't know," he whispers, trying hard to hold back his own tears as he comforts her. "I just don't know. But we'll find out. We'll do what we do best and investigate this. Treat this like a case. We'll start with the evidence we have on hand. And right now, the only evidence is inside you."
"Since I couldn't give them an approximate conception date, the doctors and I came up with the estimate that I'm about 8 or 9 weeks along based on the ultrasound and description of my symptoms. So we unfortunately won't be able to get much viable evidence for at least another 6 weeks when an amniocentesis can safely be done. What should we do until then?"
"Then we go back even further. We find out what we can about that rubbing. I have a feeling it's the key to this whole thing."
She silently agrees with him, snuggling as close to him as she can get. She feels safe with him. And she finds herself wishing he'd never let her go. Hoping he won't ever leave her.
"I'll take care of you the best way I can," he promises quietly, giving her a quick peck on her forehead. "I know you're confused and scared. I'm scared too. But we'll get through this just like we get through everything - together. I'm not going anywhere, Scully."
That promise makes her feel better than she would have ever imagined. She knew Mulder would never leave her, but hearing it makes all the difference. She breathes a sigh of relief and allows the beating of his heart under her ear to lull her to the first peaceful sleep she's had in weeks.
To be continued . . .