Title: Remember When?: A turn in their favor

Author: Jen Zoromski

All other info is in first chapter.

Author's Note: Hope everyone is having a happy holiday! Sorry that its been so long! I've been busy. Lol…well I foresee another three chapters in this epic. Hopefully I'll get those up quicker for you all. Thanks so much for the continued support. This has been an interesting ride and I'm trying to find a way to end the fic. Well anyways -- thanks for the continued feedback.

Enjoy!

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October 12, 2002

6:13 a.m.

Somewhere in Virginia

"My name is Dr. Joe West," a forty-something year old obstetrician extends his hand to Scully who is laying on an examining table wearing a hospital gown.

"Kate Mantle," Scully replies coolly as she holds onto Mulder's hand. Even when they were among others on the same quest they could never be too careful about who was listening and who wasn't.

"Well, Ms. Mantle we are just going to do a simple procedure with the amniocentesis, but you'll have to take it easy for at least the next twenty-four hours."

"I had one with my previous pregnancy," she tells him.

"And there were no complications?"

"None."

"All right. I'm just going to go and get everything prepped and I'll be back with you in a few moments."

Dr. West leaves the room. Scully closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in -- scared, nervous. Mulder protectively puts his hand over the bump on Scully's abdomen feeling the baby move around underneath.

"Scully --"

"Mulder, I know, but I'm still worried. This is everything right here -- everything on the quest."

Mulder smirks, "If I would have known that this was the quest I would have gotten you in the sack a lot sooner."

She playfully slaps him on the shoulder as he continues to laugh -- she smiles at this, "That's not the point!"

"Who would have thought when we started out on the X-Files all those years ago that everything we were looking for was within ourselves?"

"I don't think anyone would have even given it a second thought."

Mulder leans in and catches Scully's lips with his. They share a deep kiss for a long moment before the door opens and Dr. West walks back through the door followed by an assistant.

"All right -- everything's set."

They break apart -- embarrassed like two teenagers caught by their parents.

Dr. West turns on the ultrasound machine and squirts some gel onto Scully's exposed abdomen before placing the mechanical roller in the same spot. Seconds later a grainy image appears on the screen the perfect child in profile. The little arms and legs continue to kick and wave.

"Your baby looks great," Dr. West responds.

Mulder and Scully continue to stare at the grainy image -- amazed that that is their child on the screen. Everything they've been through and fought for is worth that tiny image waving back at them.

"Everything's fine?"

"For twenty weeks the baby is growing nicely."

"Good," Scully smiles with tears glistening in her eyes. Mulder squeezes her hand gently and continues to stare.

Dr. West pulls a large needle from the tray of instruments and has his assistant hold the roller in place so he can determine where to draw the amniotic fluid from.

Mulder catches sight of the needle and swallows, "You're going to put that in her abdomen?"

"I'll be okay," Scully replies trying to reassure Mulder who is starting to turn white next to her.

"Maybe you'd like to wait outside until this is over?" Dr. West suggests.

Mulder just nods his head and limply walks out of the room, sinking down against the wall and taking deep breaths in. A nurse walks through the room that Scully is in.

"Nurse, want to go and check on Mr. Mantle?" Dr. West asks.

The nurse nods and heads out into the hall leaving Scully alone in the examine room with the doctor and the large needle.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just get this over with," Scully tells him looking away as he puts the needle into her abdomen. She focuses her attention on the baby that is still furiously waving its arms and legs on the screen. A small smile comes to her face.

"I can't believe I'm seeing this baby."

"How long did it take you to get pregnant?"

"Too long."

"Infertility drugs?"

"You wouldn't even believe it," Scully says.

The man pulls a amber-like liquid out in the needle and takes the needle out of her abdomen, cleaning up a small drop of blood. This amber liquid had the DNA to save the world. Amazing.

"All done."

"That's it?"

"Yep. But you need to stay put for awhile. I'll send your husband back in here."

"I've never seen him get queasy."

"It's different when they see that big of a needle going into someone they love."

"Thanks."

Dr. West leaves the room with amniotic fluid accompanied by a few other officials -- who are going to make sure that liquid makes it to the destination it is intended to go to.

Mulder weakly walks back into the room with a small grin on his face.

"You okay?" Scully asks.

"I should be asking you the same thing after they took that needle to you."

"It wasn't that bad, Mulder. You're just a baby," Scully replies sarcastically.

"I suppose," he responds kissing her on the lips and taking a seat next to her. The events of the past day start to catch up with them. Lack of sleep makes them both tired as they drift off into their own worlds -- ready for a change. Any change.

October 13, 2002

1:19 a.m.

A dull ache in the back of Mulder's neck causes him to sit up, quickly, looking around the room. They are still in the examining room -- or as Mulder dubbed it the 'room with the huge needle that Scully was insane to let them stick in her.'

Scully is holding on tightly to his hand -- it's dark -- morning. He looks at the clock and grins.

"So this is what I get for my birthday," he whispers into the darkness staring down at Scully who is peacefully sleeping with her hand protectively over her abdomen.

He smiles at the prospect. He'd take this any day over an impersonal card with feigned condolences on another year gone by. Forty-one. He's amazed he's made it this far. And the first birthday he'd actually been with someone he loved in two years. The last birthday he celebrated with her was in 1999 when he turned thirty-eight. Ever since he had given her a key chain for her birthday -- she'd do the same for his. Birthday '99 was an alien key chain.

His thirty-ninth birthday he didn't remember -- he was being tortured by aliens. What a way to celebrate. When he was returned to her she had given him a key chain with two hearts with their initials engraved on the back. Always something simple, yet he still had that one hidden in his wallet.

On his fortieth birthday last year all he had wanted was to be with Scully and William -- but he didn't get that. He was in the desert with Gibson Praise running for his life. She didn't give a key chain last year -- he didn't want one. He wanted her.

Forty-one. He's gotten everything he's wanted. Scully, William and now another baby on the way. The cure to save the world was already in production -- the world was starting to make sense -- everything they'd ever been through and sacrificed has meant something.

"Mulder," Scully whispers looking up at him.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"You looked lost in thought."

"I was."

"Is it morning?"

"Yeah."

"Happy birthday, Mulder," she says as she draws his head down to hers and kisses his lips.

"Thanks."

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"I've got everything I've ever wanted. I've got you."

"Are you saying you didn't like the key chains?"

"I loved those, but this is all I ever wanted."

They kiss again.

Footsteps echo outside the room and Monica Reyes walks through the door.

"Are you guys ready for something unbelievable?"

Mulder and Scully give her a blank stare as she rolls up her sleeve to show them a bandaged spot. She gives them a huge grin.

"The vaccine."

"It's done?"

"All they were waiting for was the DNA. Everyone in the building has been vaccinated. The vaccine will be out by Christmas."

"Oh my God," Scully whispers.

"It can't be--"

"How's it feel?" Monica asks.

"Feel?"

"To know that the child you both created will save everyone."

"Unbelievable," Scully responds.

"I have a confession to make," Mulder says quietly.

Scully gives him a blank stare.

"This has been the best birthday I've ever had."

They all laugh and Scully and Mulder embrace again. It's all coming together. All coming together for them and for the future. The fight has taken a different turn -- a turn in their favor.

TBC

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More to come! Please R&R

~Jen