Title: Remember When?: Incentive
Author: Jen Zoromski
All other info is in the first chapter.
Author's Note: Thanks everyone for the feedback. Sorry that its taken so long -- but I've been busy with school. Thank you so much for the continued interest in this story! You guys are awesome!
Enjoy!
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October 11, 2002
Somewhere in Northern Virginia
10:06 a.m.
The Ford Explorer flies across a state highway, winding through small towns. The kind of towns where you know that you shouldn't stop at because of the massive amounts of gift shops and tourist traps -- ones that you know you can live without, but buy anyways. October's foliage is already very apparent on the trees making an arrangement of dark red and orange a picture perfect drive.
Mulder is driving the SUV, always looking in his rearview mirror at anything or anyone that might be following them. As always there is nothing. Scully is asleep next to him in the passenger seat with her hand placed protectively over the small, but prominent bulging abdomen. She's nearly nineteen weeks pregnant.
Behind them sits Monica and Amy, both of whom are still asleep. It was a long night the night before. No one slept -- so Mulder volunteered to drive. Doggett is in the back with William, keeping an open eye at what is going on around him.
The ride is silent. A little too silent for the likes of this crew. Mulder glances over at Scully and smiles at the form of her sleeping figure. He reaches over and places his hand over hers -- she opens her eyes and looks over at him, groggily smiling.
"Sorry I woke you," Mulder whispers.
"I wasn't really sleeping. I was just trying to rest my eyes, take a breather."
"How are you feeling?"
Scully looks back at the two women sitting behind her -- especially the very pregnant Amy Fitzgerald.
"I'm not the one who's ready to pop."
"Was she having contractions?" Mulder inquires still whispering.
"I think that she's been having them, but really hasn't said anything."
They're quiet for a long while. Scully looks out at the colorful landscape.
"Hey, Scully what are you going to get me for my birthday?" Mulder asks playfully. He grins at her.
"Mulder, when was the last time you ever remembered my birthday?" Scully replies sarcastically.
"But Scully, this is different."
"How is this different?"
"Well, for one thing it's the big four-one --"
"Usually you only celebrate the fortieth birthday --"
"Scully, I was now here last year --"
"I know," she replies softly, her mood changing drastically as she remembers the nights that she spent alone. The long nights that would then turn into equally long days. Everyday thoughts of what might be happening to Mulder went through her head -- thoughts of him coming home this time really dead, instead of infected with some alien virus.
Mulder reaches out for her hand and takes it -- holding onto it reassuringly.
"I'm sorry, Scully."
"You were only trying to keep William and I safe."
"And I failed," Mulder responds softly.
"We're together, aren't we?" Scully makes the point, "You didn't fail."
He looks straight ahead at the road, but with a small smile on his face. Smiling at the fact that even after nine years of working with her and being her partner, her friend, her confidant, and finally her lover -- she was still able to make him feel important. Even if that importance was only felt between just the two of them. Feeling that importance made the work easier, made the days worth trying to get through.
"Ouch!!!" Amy wakes up with a start, immediately placing her hand onto her very large stomach.
Everyone in the car is now awake. Monica looks over at her confused for a brief moment and then it registers.
"Did you just have a contraction?" Monica inquires.
"Yeah -- I think I just did."
"Damn-it!" Mulder replies under his breath.
"Look, Agent Mulder, I don't have a choice when I want to go into labor or not -- so just back off!" Amy screeches.
Mulder rolls his eyes and continues on driving.
"Aren't you going to stop?" Doggett inquires, sitting in the back of the vehicle -- not particularly in favor of delivering a baby in the car.
"Where, John? Do you see a good place to stop?" Mulder sarcastically asks.
"A hospital would be good unless of course you want to deliver Amy's baby in the backseat of the Explorer."
"Would you all just quit fighting?" Scully interrupts, "We'll get her to a hospital and everything will be just fine."
Mulder smirks.
"What?" Scully asks starting to get irritable and just as angry as everyone else in the vehicle. Combing a lot of stress with hardly any sleep is not a smart thing to do and this is exactly what is going on the Explorer: too many emotions and not enough rationality to deal with it.
"Always the one to take charge, Scully."
"Oh shut-up, Mulder!"
Amy grimaces again, grabbing onto her abdomen as another pain burns throughout her entire midsection. She rocks back and forth trying to ease the pain.
"How far apart was that?" Scully asks.
Monica looks over at the clock in the front of the Explorer with its green digits reflecting the time.
"Four minutes."
"Why don't we find that hospital now, Mulder."
"I want Walter!" Amy says through clenched teeth.
"Let's try and get you to a hospital first."
"I need him now!"
"Amy, you've got to listen to me. We have to get to a hospital and make sure that your baby will make it safely into the world."
"Its easy for you to say, Dana," Amy snaps.
"I delivered William in the middle of nowhere without Mulder -- with hardly any support."
"Hospital next exit," Mulder says.
Mercy Hospital
October 11, 2002
5:09 p.m.
Mulder and Doggett sit in the bland waiting room with William who has just fallen asleep on the brown upholstered chair. The two are very quiet -- and almost asleep themselves having been in the waiting room for nearly seven hours. Doggett leans his head back on the couch and sighs, clearly bored out of his mind.
"I hate waiting rooms," Mulder says breaking the stillness of the dull room.
"Yeah."
"You think that at least they'd offer you a different wall color instead of off white -- its kind of depressing."
"Most hospitals usually are."
They are silent again. All that can be heard in the room is William's rhythmic breathing as he falls deeper into sleep dreaming of a safe world -- a dream place where only children retreat to. The clock on the wall ticks simultaneously with every breath the child takes.
"I hope Scully's labor doesn't take this long."
"Usually with the first child it takes a lot longer."
"Yeah," Mulder pauses looking over at his sleeping son, "Were you there when Luke was born?"
Doggett doesn't respond right away and Mulder thinks that he's pried too far -- dug too deep into John Doggett's soul.
"I nearly missed it."
"You did?"
John smiles remembering the day when his son was born all of those years ago -- great memories, "I was on a stakeout in the Bronx when Barb went into labor and they couldn't get a hold of me for the longest time because I had been inside when the police dispatch was trying to contact me. By the time they got me the message that Barb was in labor I had just enough time to get to the hospital and hold her hand as Luke made his entrance into the world," Doggett pauses tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes, "It was the happiest day of my life when I got to see my son -- a screaming, red, bundle -- the creation of my wife and I come into the world. It was amazing."
"I missed out," Mulder replies softly.
"You've got another chance."
Loud, booming, footsteps echo down the hallway as the door to the waiting room opens and in walks a frazzled and very nervous Walter Skinner.
"Where is she?"
"Room 524," Doggett tells him.
"Did I miss it?" Skinner panics.
"No, sir --"
"I don't know what to do."
"Just go and hold her hand -- watch your child come into the world."
"Thanks, Mulder."
Skinner starts to head out the door.
"Oh and sir, don't worry, she's still in one piece."
Skinner turns around and grins at them.
"That's good to know."
5:45 p.m.
Mulder and Doggett are both passed out -- the long day of waiting, coupled with the late night driving has finally taken its toll on the two men.
Monica opens the door a crack and peeks through it. She turns back to Scully who stands behind her in the hallway -- looking exhausted as well.
"They're asleep," Monica whispers.
"Well if I haven't been able to sleep in the last seven hours -- they're not going to sleep now," Dana replies with an edgy tone.
Scully pushes her way past Monica and heads into the waiting room. She stops where her son is sleeping and sweeps away a piece of his strawberry blond hair as she leans down and kisses him on the forehead. Scully stares at her son a moment longer, taking in the perfect ness of him -- taking in the innocence that is only found in sleeping children. Forgotten are the days when the child runs around the house screaming or telling his mother 'No,' forgotten are the long hours of labor to bare the child -- and the pain that went along with it.
She moves over to Mulder and gently shakes him awake as she places a kiss on his lips.
"Scully," he says groggily.
"Come on, Mulder, time to wake up."
"But I don't want to," he whines like a two year old.
Monica does the same to John placing kiss after kiss on his lips until he finally opens his eyes, laughing.
"What do you think I am?" he retorts, "Sleeping beauty?"
"I suppose," Monica replies placing another kiss on his lips before she pulls him out of the chair.
"You guys are no fun. You've got to come and meet Amy and Skinner's baby."
"What is it?"
"A boy. Seven pounds, five ounces, perfect in everyway," Scully tells them.
Mulder scoops up William and the couples walk down the hallway to the recovery room where a new family has been created.
Walking through the door it would seem that Walter Skinner was a different man -- he no longer wore the burdens of the world so much on his sleeve -- he seemed more at ease as he cradles his son in the crook of his arm.
Amy is sitting up in the hospital bed, also beaming at the interaction already between father and son.
"Sir, I don't mean to sound insensitive, but I never in my life thought I'd see a baby have that kind of affect on you," Mulder tells him as he shifts William from one arm to the other.
"Well, Agent Mulder every man has to have an incentive to fight for the future. You have your family and now I have mine," Skinner tells him as he proudly beams down at his son.
"Does he have a name yet?" Monica questions.
"Sergei James Skinner."
For once the world seems to be a little bit better -- well for now at least. The thoughts of what they must do in the coming months, the sacrifices that they will still have to make are out of their minds for now as they realize that there is a new life in this room, a new life that renews the fight. Renews what the powerful men of Mulder, Doggett, and Skinner's generation are fighting for. They have incentive now -- they have a reason to fight -- for their children and for the future.
TBC
*****
More to come!
Please R&R
~Jen
