To Save the World
PART THREE:
2 months later:
Nothing has happened. Not a thing, no developments in the destruction of the Super Soldiers. Nothing interesting coming from the LG's liaisons…nothing. Just three women getting fat. Monica looks about ready to burst, and im just a little bit over 5 months now, getting larger everyday. It's only a matter of time before I can't see my feet, which--by the way--are swollen.
Ah the joys of pregnancy.
Mom and Skinner have announced engagement, they said that once this is all over it's the first things they're going to do. Even if they have to change their names.
I have made sure everybody knows its no longer Dana Katherine Scully, but now Dana Katherine Mulder. Now the only one who can call me Scully is Mulder. I was going to make it so that nobody could call him Mulder but me but I know how much he hates Fox. Except when it comes to mom, his only exception besides me. But I only call him Fox when he's in trouble.
He gets in trouble a lot.
William has learned to climb. He now gets into everything, be it cabinets or bookcases, if it has something he can pull his little body up on he will. And he gets scolded frequently for it but continues to climb. Mulder thinks its all hilarious.
"Come on Scully, he is just a little boy. He doesn't know any better." He had argued with a smile on his face.
"He does know better--Fox--I've told him day in and day out. No climbing. He could hurt himself. Do you want our son to hurt himself?"
"NO Scully, I don't. But boys will be boys."
"Fine. Whatever. But when he hurts himself don't think I wont take every pride in saying I told you so."
That day Will fell while climbing Mulder's office desk. Now; why he was down there in the first place I have no earthly idea but. After tending to my sobbing sons wounds I sent him to be watched by Tru and went into Mulder's office. Where I said to Mulder, 'I told you so, I told you so, I…told you so.' in a singsong way. "Boys will be boys my ass." I huffed before going back to work.
He came into the office later that day, wrapped his arms around my swollen belly, laid his chin on my shoulder and told me that he was sorry, he should have been watching Will more carefully. After a moment of pretending to think about it I forgave him.
Today is beginning to be a good day however. Mulder and I took the dogs out for a walk then came back inside to find will was playing a round of 21 questions with Gibson.
"Now?"
"Ice cream."
"Now?"
"Dogs."
"Now?"
"Your mom and dad."
Will giggled and clapped his hands. I stood there wondering what the world was going on and Gibson turned to face Mulder and I. "Im guessing what he's thinking about."
"Gibs good guess." Will squealed running to me. I bent to pick him up but had a bit of trouble and had to hand him to his father.
"Looks like my days of lifting are over for now." I sighed running my hands over my stomach. "Little one's taking up all mommy's energy."
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Gibson asked as we sat down on the couch.
"Were still deciding. It all depends on if it's a girl or boy."
"What do you want?"
"Either is wonderful. But seeing as we already have a little boy, I'd love to have a little girl. And I just might, this pregnancy is much different than Will's. I asked mom if there was a difference between carrying a boy and carrying a girl. She gave me many differences."
"Like?" Mulder asks, bouncing Will on his knee.
"Her morning sickness for one. With Bill and Charlie she had morning sickness around 6 in the morning, same with Will. With Missy and I it was later, around 8. Same with this one. She got bigger quicker with her boys, so did I with Will. Her feet would swell with the girls. Mine do now."
Tru came into the room and she and Gibson took Will outside to play, leaving Mulder and I alone to finish our conversation.
"Well, we shouldn't get our hopes up over having a girl. Although im sure if we had one she'd be a daddy's girl. If we do though, I think we should name her Melissa."
"Are you sure Mulder? We could name her Samantha. I think Samantha is a beautiful name."
"No Scully, if it's a girl we should name her Melissa, at least let me do that for you."
"Fine, but if it's a girl her middle name will be Ann, after Sam's middle name, ok?"
"Melissa Ann Mulder. Sounds good. Now all we have to do is figure out what to name it if it turns out to be a boy."
"Well can't name him William. We could name him Fox Jr."
"I wouldn't do that to my son. Fox is such a horrible name."
"I happen to like the name Fox. I don't see what's wrong with it. It's good for you."
"Well, anyway, the baby's not going to be here for months. We have plenty of time to figure something out. And that's if it's a boy, you could be right about it being a girl you know."
"It feels right, Mulder. Call it ESP, but this, this baby is a girl. Im absolutely positive."
"I really have made a believer out of you Scully haven't I? All this talk of ESP, gotta say, its turning me on."
"Well, you'll just have to turn it off. Im over 4 months, that's where I draw the line. Sorry."
"Come on Scully, I'll do that thing." He says leaning in closer to me. "You know, that thing that makes you--"
"Mulder, behave, were not the only one's in the house you--" He cuts me off with a passionate kiss, I struggle under him for a minute before giving in and deepening the kiss myself. He smiles through the kiss and gets off the couch, never breaking our contact. He pulls me up with him and towards the bedroom.
So I gave in uncharacteristically quick. It's these damn hormones. And anyway, its safe up until the end of my second trimester. I've still got well over a month until then.
Oh, yea. Today is beginning to be a very, very good day.
3 months later:
Oh my gosh. That's it. I got it. Wait until I tell Mulder. I figured it out, ha! I am women hear me roar! In a moment of victory the baby kicks, "Oh, mommy didn't mean you sweetheart. 'Me' hear 'me' roar." I lay a reassuring hand over my stomach and rub it and the baby is soothed and stops. I rush--well waddle--into Mulder's office to tell him the news.
"Mulder! Mulder. I figured it out. I figured it out."
"What? What are you talking about Scully?"
"The vaccine, I figured it out. God im on such an energy high. I did it Mulder."
"You figured it out? Scully that's amazing. Tell me everything, how did you do it? Are you sure it'll work?"
"Remember how I was trying to find a way to blend it in with oxygen? Well, I found out how. I broke down its main components and mixed them in with water. Then turned the water into steam and bottled it. The vaccinated air is in a large can similar to a fire extinguisher. So that you can release the air into the environment. Now all we have to do is test it."
"And you can do this in large quantities?"
"Yes."
He jumped out of his seat, as if just realizing the extent of what I was telling him, and wrapped his arms around me. He laid his hand on my stomach and talked down to the baby, "you hear that little one? Your mother is a genius."
"Thank you very much. Now to celebrate. We need to go tell everybody. Come on you can take the rest of the day off work. I plan too."
The first people we came in contact with were John and a very pregnant Monica. We told them the news and Monica tried hugging me but our two large bellies wouldn't allow it. We laughed and the four of us went to find everyone else. After telling everybody the news we all gathered in the living room and those of us who weren't pregnant drank wine, for the three of us that were, we had soda.
We stayed up until 2 o'clock that morning, many of us drunk out of our minds (Mulder and John being the drunkest) and our celebrating period ended when Mulder passed out on the couch, then moments later John passed out on Monica's shoulder. Everyone went to their rooms and the only one's left in the living room were me, Monica, John, Mulder, and Will. Knowing I couldn't pick Will up and trying to wake Mulder would be impossible I left them where they lay, Will curled up in his daddy's arms. Monica knowing she too could not wake John left him where he lay on the couch. We both smiled silently at the picture of our drunk husbands and walked back to our rooms. Where I fell asleep once my head hit the pillow.
The next morning:
I woke up to the distinct feeling that I was being watched. Two small hands pressing lightly against my stomach. I opened my eyes slowly knowing who I would see. My son smiled when I opened them and kissed my cheek.
"Morning mommy." He said happily. "Daddy won wake."
I laughed at my son who looked at me perplexed. Swinging the covers over my body I climbed out of the bed. He jumps off after me as I make my way into the living room where Mulder is still passed out on the couch. An evil thought enters my mind and I waddle into the kitchen where the pots are, I take out a frying pan and a wooden stirrer, I walk back into the living room, where Will is trying to shake his father awake. I smile at the picture and then lightly take Will away from daddy. "Will honey, cover your ears."
Without question he puts his small hands above his even smaller ears, "ok mommy…they cover."
I bring the pan next to Mulder's ear and bang on it repeatedly. After minutes of this he jolts awake and stares at me in shock. "Scully what in the fu…"
"Hey your son is in the room, watch your language."
His gaze travels over to where Will stands his hands still covering his ears.
"Oh honey, you can take your ears away now." I say with a chuckle. Then I turn back to Mulder, "you passed out last night, actually if you look to your right you'll see John did too, but he's still awake. I'll give Mon the satisfaction of waking him. But I couldn't really wake you up or move you and Will. And Mon is far worse than I. So the three of you slept out here last night."
"Where's everybody else?"
"Probably still asleep. I would be too but Will woke me up. Now your going to need some aspirin or something because you got pretty smashed, and if you don't have a killer headache already it'll come in a few minutes."
He rubs the sleep out of his eyes and stumbles off of the couch, immediately falling back down again. I laugh as he stands up again gaining his composure. He staggers to the bathroom to find some aspirin. Then he makes his way into the kitchen and I hear the water running. I tell Will to go wake up Monica the same way he woke up mommy and he runs back to her and Johns room. 5 minutes later he emerges with a very sleepy Monica.
"What time is it?" She asks groggily.
"Just a bit after 7. I already woke up Mulder, but I thought that maybe you'd want to wake up John yourself. It was very fun."
She looks at me mystified, "Dana. What are you talking about?"
I lift up my hand to show her the pan and she understands immediately. She takes the pan and stirrer and like I did with Mulder brings them close to John's exposed ear and starts banging. Im surprised we haven't waken anybody else up yet. But then again they were all pretty drunk as well. John bolts forward and looks around just as confused as Mulder had been not only moments before.
Mulder comes out of the kitchen and hands John a glass of water and aspirin. "Take these, you'll have a real bitch of a headache."
"Fox William Mulder!" I scold, "Hello, did you forget what I said about your language when Will's in the room?" I swing my arm around to where Will is standing. "Did you forget that quickly?"
"Oh, sorry Scully."
"Whatever. It's too early for this--" the telephone cuts me off and I pick it cautiously. I don't speak into the receiver but instead wait for the person on the other end to address me.
"Hey its Becky, who's this?"
I breath a sigh of relief, "Its Dana. What's up? Why are you calling so early in the morning?"
"Remember that doctor I was telling you about? Well, im bringing him tomorrow. I know Monica's getting really close to her due date and your not to far behind. After Kim has her baby he's going to get back to work. He made up a story about having a sickly uncle that he's going to look for. Now forwarded address or telephone number so nobody can try and contact him. His name is Nathan Smalls. I'll see you tomorrow ok?"
I blink confused, "Are you sure that its safe for him to come?"
"Trust me Dana, were taking all the security procedures. It's extremely safe. I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early."
"Ok. We'll be here."
"Where else would you be?"
"Your right. Bye Becky."
"Talk to you later Dana."
I hang up the phone and turn to Monica, "the doctor will arrive tomorrow. To tell you the truth I was getting a bit scared that I'd have to deliver your child. I've done it before, and I don't think I'd like to do it again."
"Oh your right." Mulder slurs, "that case in Florida, with the Latino lady. That thing that lived in the salt water. When Arthur Dales told me that I would've died if it wasn't for you, but in all truths I figured it out before you did…that cat Scully, it tipped me off."
"Mulder, your hung-over. You don't know what your talking about."
"Oh but I do Scully, I do. You just want to take the credit for it. Yep, that's it, you want ALL the credit." He stammers and falls on the couch earning laughs from everybody in the room, mostly his son. "Im telling you Scully it was the cat."
"Sure Mulder, the cat saved your life. Not the one who tended to your wounds, after delivering a baby no less. Yep, you would've been fine because the cat was the one who saved your life."
"Well, im not saying that. Im just saying I figured out that that thing was a part of the saltwater and couldn't live in fresh water. That's why it didn't get to the cat in the washing machine, or died in that jar of yours, and why the cop only died in the tub after that salt stuff fell into it. The cat, it was sitting out in the rain. That's when I figured it out. Then, then you came and doctored me up. And I thank you for that. But I figured it out."
"How about we both figured it out, but neither of us knew that the other knew? That good enough? Because im really not in the mood for another 'the cat made me realize' speech."
"Yeah Scully, whatever. But who's going to tell Arthur Dales that?"
I sigh, "your impossible Mulder."
"Yea, well, im glad you think so."
The next day the doctor came. He was a young doctor, couldn't have been older than 32. But nonetheless he had a great record, or at least that's what Becky tells me. Now its only a matter of waiting for Monica to pop.
That day occurred a moth later.
1 month later:
"AHHH!" Monica screamed in her bed, she breathed deeply and exhaled. Then continued in that fashion. John right by her side trying to sooth her with nothing but his words, which wasn't working to much.
"Ok Monica, your contractions are 8 minutes apart, you still have a little while to go. Do you want an epidermal?"
"What the fuck do you think I want? Cotton candy? Yes, give me the damn epidermal." She shot at him.
From the far side of the room I turned to Mulder, "just wait honey, that's me in one month."
"Wonderful." He said sarcastically.
11:43am:
"Ok Mrs. Dogett. Your going to have to push. You think you can do that for me?"
She grimaces and nods her head, squeezing tightly on John's hand, John looks like he's in as much pain--if not more--than Monica is. Memories of William's birth come flooding back.
'Don't let them take my baby!'
'Come on Dana, your going to have to push.'
"Push Monica!" The doctor screams.
Monica leans forward and pushes as hard as she can, then falls back on the bed.
"I can see the head!" Dr. Smalls screams. "Just one or two more pushes Monica, you ready."
"NO!"
"That's too bad, you gotta push."
Again she leans forward and pushes, again she falls back in sheer exhaustion.
"Ok, last push. Ready, three, two, one. PUSH!"
She pushes with all she has and a large and painful scream fills the air. Then the wails of a newborn. I remember those well. Dr. Smalls cuts the chord and cleans off the baby, which I have yet to see the gender of. He wraps the baby in a blanket and hands him/her over to Monica. "It's a boy."
Monica signals for us to come over and looks down at her first child. Her eyes tired but full of love for her and John's creation. "The best and worst qualities, right." She says amazed at the small life in her arms. She gently counts his fingers and then his toes. Then she looks under the blanket. "Everything's in place." She jokes.
John pushes the hair sticking to her sticky skin away and looks down at his son. "What should we name him?"
"I think John Jr. is appropriate. What do you think? John Richard Dogett Jr."
"It's perfect."
"Why Richard?" Mulder asks.
"Richard was my father's first name. Monica met him once while we were looking for Luke…"
"Oh, im sorry man, I didn't mean to drudge up old memories."
"Don't be sorry. Like I said once before, these memories are mine, I'll take the bad with the good. But when I think about it, if what had happened to Luke had never happened I wouldn't be here right now, its selfish of me, and God knows I would love to have him here with me right now, but who am I to question fate?"
"I couldn't have said it better myself." I reassure him.
We all take one last look at the new family of three before leaving to let Monica rest. John takes Jr. into his arms and sings softly to him. I smile at the picture and rub my stomach. I look up at Mulder holding back tears, "Only one month left Mulder."
"Wonderful." He says, but this time the sarcasm is replaced with happiness.
6 weeks later:
Im a week overdue. My water could break at any moment, were thinking about educing labor at this point but I don't want to do that, I want to have this baby naturally. Well, naturally with the help of an epidermal of course. I've felt what its like to give birth without one, and that's not going to happen again. Some crazy people say it's a wonderful experience to give natural childbirth. Wonderful experience my foot, it hurts like a mother. Literally. Uh, bad pun. Sorry, won't do anything that again.
Well, Nathan (Dr. Smalls) suggested walking. So today Mulder, William, Monica, John, and John Jr. all went out for some fresh air. He's such a precious child, although he cries a lot, but that's expected of all newborns. He's got a full head of Monica's dark hair and his eyes are the crystal blue of his fathers. It's too early to figure out who he'll resemble the most but I have this feeling its going to be John.
Call it woman's intuition, just like the feeling that this little one--who's being very stubborn at this point-- is a girl. And the fact that this baby doesn't want to do what its suppose to just makes my feelings confirmed. I didn't get a ultrasound because I wanted to be surprised just like with Will. And mostly because Mulder wanted me to get one and I just wanted to ruffle his feathers. Make him squirm in anticipation. But anticipation of this magnitude is not what I was hoping for. Even I am impatiently waiting for this child to hurry up and come, although I know the pain she or he will bring.
Oh well, its late, im going to bed.
1:18am
"Oh, shit!" I scream realizing what the warm wet feeling underneath me is. "Mulder." I say shaking him. When he doesn't wake I scream out, "FOX WAKE UP!"
Worked like a charm. He jolts forward and looks at me bewildered. He knows somethings going on because I only call him Fox when he's in trouble and when well…we won't go into the details of the other exception. Let's just say the latter hasn't been heard in a couple of months.
"Scully, what's wrong?"
"What do you thinks wrong Mulder?" I snap, "my water just broke. We need to go, now."
His eyes widen as if facing his biggest fear, he scrambles out of bed and wakes up Will, telling him to go get grandma and grandpa (Will calls Skinner grandpa). A very confused Will rubs his eyes and runs to wake his grandparents. Mulder helps me out of the bed and we start on our walk to underground. I can hear Mom and Skinner coming up behind me, and I turn slightly to see Mom carrying Will her arms. Skinner helps Mulder with me.
"You know I can still walk. My water only just broke, it won't be hours until I actually have the kid."
"Just let us take care of you ok, Dana?" Skinner says.
"Sure dad, whatever you say."
He smiles at me and I realize this is the first time that I've called him 'dad'. I squeeze his arm and again slightly turn to Mom, "uh, mom you think you can do something for me? Will you wake Monica? I promised her I'd wake her when the time came and well I don't think they'll let me do that."
Mom nods and with Will still in her arms goes to wake up Monica. In a haze we're down underground and waking up Dr. Smalls. Immediately he's in Dr. mode and treating me like a small child who just fell off of her bike.
"Will you just quite this? I've had a child before, in way worse conditions. And im very well not going to let you treat me like a child just because my water broke, all three of you. Im a doctor I know how long it takes for the delivery to actually take place after the water breaks. I've got plenty of time."
Skinner and Nathan back off but Mulder still holds onto me, "Dana, I'll be damned if I let you go."
I sigh knowing that this battle with Mulder cannot be won. "Ok. Ok. You can take care of me, but only because you got me in this position in the first place, but please, treat me like a 39 year old instead of a 4 year old? You think you can do me that much?"
"Sure Dana, whatever you say."
2 hours later:
"Her contractions are 5 minutes apart. Looks like this one's coming sooner than expected."
"What are you talking about? She's well over a week late. I'd say that's later than expected." I snap.
"Your right, your right. Later but expected but at the same time sooner than expected. I give you an hour before your going to have to push, you know the drill. From both points of view, so you think maybe you can cut me more slack than Monica over here did?"
"I'll try. But do you think I can have another epidermal?"
"No. One's the limit. You know that, Dr. Mulder, only one."
I sigh and grab hold of Mulder's hand. "Sorry honey, im forewarning you. This is going to hurt like the dickens. I apologize ahead of time."
"Hey, you never did that with me." John exclaims while holding a sleeping John Jr.
Monica slaps him playfully on the arm, "Shut-up John, cant you see this is a moment."
I laugh, but quickly regret it as another contraction sears pain throughout my body, the laugh quickly turns to a scream. Mulder winces at the level of my voice but I really don't give a damn at this point. It hurts so bad.
4:32am
"Ok Mrs. Mulder, get ready…" he pauses of a second, "push Dana, push!"
I lean forward the same way I had with William, the same way Monica had with Jr., grabbing onto my knees, and push as hard as possible. I grind my teeth through the pain and let a scream. I squeeze as hard as I can on Mulder's hand whose face twist with pain of its own. I highly doubt his pain is anything like mine.
I fall back onto the make-shift delivery bed after I can't push anymore. Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out, is all my mind registries. Nathan looks at me again and the breath in, breath out chant turns to a push chant. No, not chant, more like yell. My mind yells--along with Nathan-- 'push Dana push!'.
Another scream of pain and I fall back onto the bed again. "How…many…more?"
"2 or 3. You ready for the next push."
"As ready…as…I'll ever be." I say.
He nods, "Ok then Dana, push!"
And I obey, pushing harder this time, desperate to get this kid out of me and delivery done with. My teeth are starting to go numb from the pressure im putting on them while grinding. Damn, why can't everything else go numb? Why does it have to be the teeth? Can teeth even go numb? Well, I guess they can.
"Ok Dana, there's the head. Only one more push. Get ready for it." He pauses once more, "Ok Dana, now. Push!"
I push harder than I ever imagined I could and continue to push until I hear the now familiar sound of a newborns cry. I fall back onto the bed tears escaping my eyes, im not sure if they're tears of joy or tears of pain but they're tears nonetheless.
Mulder places his forehead and rubs my arm comfortingly. He tells me over and over that he loves me and I reply to him with an I love you too. He kisses me gently before pulling back still rubbing my arm. Nathan looks at Mulder and I with a wide smile, "congratulation, it's a girl."
He puts the tiny bundle into my arms and I run my hands through the full head of brown hair she inherited from her father.
"Thank God." Mulder breaths, "She's got your nose."
I laugh and just as Monica had count the fingers and toes on my beautiful, slightly blue, baby girl.
"She's not going to stay that color is she, Dana?" Mulder jokes.
I smile at his inane attempt to make me laugh and take hold of his hand. I look down at the little girl in my arms, "happy birthday Melissa Ann Mulder. Im your momma." I place Mulder's hand over her small, frail body, it scares me how vulnerable they are at this age, "this is your daddy." I say tears once again running down my cheek.
Will comes rushing up to the bed and Mulder takes his hand away to scope him into his arms, "hey there big boy, you want to meet your little sister?"
He nods his head, "Yes daddy, meet sister."
"Ok. But promise me something first ok? Promise me that no matter what you do you'll protect her, watch out for her, and make sure she's always safe? Can you do that for me?"
He nods his head, "uh-huh, I do that."
Whew, open the floodgates, I don't think I've ever cried this much before. Mulder places Will gently onto the bed. Will's little fingers come in contact with Melissa's now pink cheek.
"Will, meet Melissa. Your little sister. You can call her Missy ok?"
He smiles, "I Will."
Her lips curve in what looks like a smile but can't possibly be, newborns can't smile. But this very well looks like a smile.
I smile myself and Mulder's fingers curve around my arm lovingly.
Life just can't get better than this.
A/N: Im such a sap, I know. I hope you liked this chapter. I'll try and get the next one up as soon as possible, and I already know the twist im going to throw in…*evil laugh*…haven't started on the next chapter yet but the weekend is soon, so hopefully by Tuesday I'll have it posted. Still working on the next one of Return to Me, oh and im working on a new story, not sure if im going to post it or not, im still not even sure where im taking it. Anyway, please review. I love, love, love feedback.
PART THREE:
2 months later:
Nothing has happened. Not a thing, no developments in the destruction of the Super Soldiers. Nothing interesting coming from the LG's liaisons…nothing. Just three women getting fat. Monica looks about ready to burst, and im just a little bit over 5 months now, getting larger everyday. It's only a matter of time before I can't see my feet, which--by the way--are swollen.
Ah the joys of pregnancy.
Mom and Skinner have announced engagement, they said that once this is all over it's the first things they're going to do. Even if they have to change their names.
I have made sure everybody knows its no longer Dana Katherine Scully, but now Dana Katherine Mulder. Now the only one who can call me Scully is Mulder. I was going to make it so that nobody could call him Mulder but me but I know how much he hates Fox. Except when it comes to mom, his only exception besides me. But I only call him Fox when he's in trouble.
He gets in trouble a lot.
William has learned to climb. He now gets into everything, be it cabinets or bookcases, if it has something he can pull his little body up on he will. And he gets scolded frequently for it but continues to climb. Mulder thinks its all hilarious.
"Come on Scully, he is just a little boy. He doesn't know any better." He had argued with a smile on his face.
"He does know better--Fox--I've told him day in and day out. No climbing. He could hurt himself. Do you want our son to hurt himself?"
"NO Scully, I don't. But boys will be boys."
"Fine. Whatever. But when he hurts himself don't think I wont take every pride in saying I told you so."
That day Will fell while climbing Mulder's office desk. Now; why he was down there in the first place I have no earthly idea but. After tending to my sobbing sons wounds I sent him to be watched by Tru and went into Mulder's office. Where I said to Mulder, 'I told you so, I told you so, I…told you so.' in a singsong way. "Boys will be boys my ass." I huffed before going back to work.
He came into the office later that day, wrapped his arms around my swollen belly, laid his chin on my shoulder and told me that he was sorry, he should have been watching Will more carefully. After a moment of pretending to think about it I forgave him.
Today is beginning to be a good day however. Mulder and I took the dogs out for a walk then came back inside to find will was playing a round of 21 questions with Gibson.
"Now?"
"Ice cream."
"Now?"
"Dogs."
"Now?"
"Your mom and dad."
Will giggled and clapped his hands. I stood there wondering what the world was going on and Gibson turned to face Mulder and I. "Im guessing what he's thinking about."
"Gibs good guess." Will squealed running to me. I bent to pick him up but had a bit of trouble and had to hand him to his father.
"Looks like my days of lifting are over for now." I sighed running my hands over my stomach. "Little one's taking up all mommy's energy."
"Have you thought of a name yet?" Gibson asked as we sat down on the couch.
"Were still deciding. It all depends on if it's a girl or boy."
"What do you want?"
"Either is wonderful. But seeing as we already have a little boy, I'd love to have a little girl. And I just might, this pregnancy is much different than Will's. I asked mom if there was a difference between carrying a boy and carrying a girl. She gave me many differences."
"Like?" Mulder asks, bouncing Will on his knee.
"Her morning sickness for one. With Bill and Charlie she had morning sickness around 6 in the morning, same with Will. With Missy and I it was later, around 8. Same with this one. She got bigger quicker with her boys, so did I with Will. Her feet would swell with the girls. Mine do now."
Tru came into the room and she and Gibson took Will outside to play, leaving Mulder and I alone to finish our conversation.
"Well, we shouldn't get our hopes up over having a girl. Although im sure if we had one she'd be a daddy's girl. If we do though, I think we should name her Melissa."
"Are you sure Mulder? We could name her Samantha. I think Samantha is a beautiful name."
"No Scully, if it's a girl we should name her Melissa, at least let me do that for you."
"Fine, but if it's a girl her middle name will be Ann, after Sam's middle name, ok?"
"Melissa Ann Mulder. Sounds good. Now all we have to do is figure out what to name it if it turns out to be a boy."
"Well can't name him William. We could name him Fox Jr."
"I wouldn't do that to my son. Fox is such a horrible name."
"I happen to like the name Fox. I don't see what's wrong with it. It's good for you."
"Well, anyway, the baby's not going to be here for months. We have plenty of time to figure something out. And that's if it's a boy, you could be right about it being a girl you know."
"It feels right, Mulder. Call it ESP, but this, this baby is a girl. Im absolutely positive."
"I really have made a believer out of you Scully haven't I? All this talk of ESP, gotta say, its turning me on."
"Well, you'll just have to turn it off. Im over 4 months, that's where I draw the line. Sorry."
"Come on Scully, I'll do that thing." He says leaning in closer to me. "You know, that thing that makes you--"
"Mulder, behave, were not the only one's in the house you--" He cuts me off with a passionate kiss, I struggle under him for a minute before giving in and deepening the kiss myself. He smiles through the kiss and gets off the couch, never breaking our contact. He pulls me up with him and towards the bedroom.
So I gave in uncharacteristically quick. It's these damn hormones. And anyway, its safe up until the end of my second trimester. I've still got well over a month until then.
Oh, yea. Today is beginning to be a very, very good day.
3 months later:
Oh my gosh. That's it. I got it. Wait until I tell Mulder. I figured it out, ha! I am women hear me roar! In a moment of victory the baby kicks, "Oh, mommy didn't mean you sweetheart. 'Me' hear 'me' roar." I lay a reassuring hand over my stomach and rub it and the baby is soothed and stops. I rush--well waddle--into Mulder's office to tell him the news.
"Mulder! Mulder. I figured it out. I figured it out."
"What? What are you talking about Scully?"
"The vaccine, I figured it out. God im on such an energy high. I did it Mulder."
"You figured it out? Scully that's amazing. Tell me everything, how did you do it? Are you sure it'll work?"
"Remember how I was trying to find a way to blend it in with oxygen? Well, I found out how. I broke down its main components and mixed them in with water. Then turned the water into steam and bottled it. The vaccinated air is in a large can similar to a fire extinguisher. So that you can release the air into the environment. Now all we have to do is test it."
"And you can do this in large quantities?"
"Yes."
He jumped out of his seat, as if just realizing the extent of what I was telling him, and wrapped his arms around me. He laid his hand on my stomach and talked down to the baby, "you hear that little one? Your mother is a genius."
"Thank you very much. Now to celebrate. We need to go tell everybody. Come on you can take the rest of the day off work. I plan too."
The first people we came in contact with were John and a very pregnant Monica. We told them the news and Monica tried hugging me but our two large bellies wouldn't allow it. We laughed and the four of us went to find everyone else. After telling everybody the news we all gathered in the living room and those of us who weren't pregnant drank wine, for the three of us that were, we had soda.
We stayed up until 2 o'clock that morning, many of us drunk out of our minds (Mulder and John being the drunkest) and our celebrating period ended when Mulder passed out on the couch, then moments later John passed out on Monica's shoulder. Everyone went to their rooms and the only one's left in the living room were me, Monica, John, Mulder, and Will. Knowing I couldn't pick Will up and trying to wake Mulder would be impossible I left them where they lay, Will curled up in his daddy's arms. Monica knowing she too could not wake John left him where he lay on the couch. We both smiled silently at the picture of our drunk husbands and walked back to our rooms. Where I fell asleep once my head hit the pillow.
The next morning:
I woke up to the distinct feeling that I was being watched. Two small hands pressing lightly against my stomach. I opened my eyes slowly knowing who I would see. My son smiled when I opened them and kissed my cheek.
"Morning mommy." He said happily. "Daddy won wake."
I laughed at my son who looked at me perplexed. Swinging the covers over my body I climbed out of the bed. He jumps off after me as I make my way into the living room where Mulder is still passed out on the couch. An evil thought enters my mind and I waddle into the kitchen where the pots are, I take out a frying pan and a wooden stirrer, I walk back into the living room, where Will is trying to shake his father awake. I smile at the picture and then lightly take Will away from daddy. "Will honey, cover your ears."
Without question he puts his small hands above his even smaller ears, "ok mommy…they cover."
I bring the pan next to Mulder's ear and bang on it repeatedly. After minutes of this he jolts awake and stares at me in shock. "Scully what in the fu…"
"Hey your son is in the room, watch your language."
His gaze travels over to where Will stands his hands still covering his ears.
"Oh honey, you can take your ears away now." I say with a chuckle. Then I turn back to Mulder, "you passed out last night, actually if you look to your right you'll see John did too, but he's still awake. I'll give Mon the satisfaction of waking him. But I couldn't really wake you up or move you and Will. And Mon is far worse than I. So the three of you slept out here last night."
"Where's everybody else?"
"Probably still asleep. I would be too but Will woke me up. Now your going to need some aspirin or something because you got pretty smashed, and if you don't have a killer headache already it'll come in a few minutes."
He rubs the sleep out of his eyes and stumbles off of the couch, immediately falling back down again. I laugh as he stands up again gaining his composure. He staggers to the bathroom to find some aspirin. Then he makes his way into the kitchen and I hear the water running. I tell Will to go wake up Monica the same way he woke up mommy and he runs back to her and Johns room. 5 minutes later he emerges with a very sleepy Monica.
"What time is it?" She asks groggily.
"Just a bit after 7. I already woke up Mulder, but I thought that maybe you'd want to wake up John yourself. It was very fun."
She looks at me mystified, "Dana. What are you talking about?"
I lift up my hand to show her the pan and she understands immediately. She takes the pan and stirrer and like I did with Mulder brings them close to John's exposed ear and starts banging. Im surprised we haven't waken anybody else up yet. But then again they were all pretty drunk as well. John bolts forward and looks around just as confused as Mulder had been not only moments before.
Mulder comes out of the kitchen and hands John a glass of water and aspirin. "Take these, you'll have a real bitch of a headache."
"Fox William Mulder!" I scold, "Hello, did you forget what I said about your language when Will's in the room?" I swing my arm around to where Will is standing. "Did you forget that quickly?"
"Oh, sorry Scully."
"Whatever. It's too early for this--" the telephone cuts me off and I pick it cautiously. I don't speak into the receiver but instead wait for the person on the other end to address me.
"Hey its Becky, who's this?"
I breath a sigh of relief, "Its Dana. What's up? Why are you calling so early in the morning?"
"Remember that doctor I was telling you about? Well, im bringing him tomorrow. I know Monica's getting really close to her due date and your not to far behind. After Kim has her baby he's going to get back to work. He made up a story about having a sickly uncle that he's going to look for. Now forwarded address or telephone number so nobody can try and contact him. His name is Nathan Smalls. I'll see you tomorrow ok?"
I blink confused, "Are you sure that its safe for him to come?"
"Trust me Dana, were taking all the security procedures. It's extremely safe. I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early."
"Ok. We'll be here."
"Where else would you be?"
"Your right. Bye Becky."
"Talk to you later Dana."
I hang up the phone and turn to Monica, "the doctor will arrive tomorrow. To tell you the truth I was getting a bit scared that I'd have to deliver your child. I've done it before, and I don't think I'd like to do it again."
"Oh your right." Mulder slurs, "that case in Florida, with the Latino lady. That thing that lived in the salt water. When Arthur Dales told me that I would've died if it wasn't for you, but in all truths I figured it out before you did…that cat Scully, it tipped me off."
"Mulder, your hung-over. You don't know what your talking about."
"Oh but I do Scully, I do. You just want to take the credit for it. Yep, that's it, you want ALL the credit." He stammers and falls on the couch earning laughs from everybody in the room, mostly his son. "Im telling you Scully it was the cat."
"Sure Mulder, the cat saved your life. Not the one who tended to your wounds, after delivering a baby no less. Yep, you would've been fine because the cat was the one who saved your life."
"Well, im not saying that. Im just saying I figured out that that thing was a part of the saltwater and couldn't live in fresh water. That's why it didn't get to the cat in the washing machine, or died in that jar of yours, and why the cop only died in the tub after that salt stuff fell into it. The cat, it was sitting out in the rain. That's when I figured it out. Then, then you came and doctored me up. And I thank you for that. But I figured it out."
"How about we both figured it out, but neither of us knew that the other knew? That good enough? Because im really not in the mood for another 'the cat made me realize' speech."
"Yeah Scully, whatever. But who's going to tell Arthur Dales that?"
I sigh, "your impossible Mulder."
"Yea, well, im glad you think so."
The next day the doctor came. He was a young doctor, couldn't have been older than 32. But nonetheless he had a great record, or at least that's what Becky tells me. Now its only a matter of waiting for Monica to pop.
That day occurred a moth later.
1 month later:
"AHHH!" Monica screamed in her bed, she breathed deeply and exhaled. Then continued in that fashion. John right by her side trying to sooth her with nothing but his words, which wasn't working to much.
"Ok Monica, your contractions are 8 minutes apart, you still have a little while to go. Do you want an epidermal?"
"What the fuck do you think I want? Cotton candy? Yes, give me the damn epidermal." She shot at him.
From the far side of the room I turned to Mulder, "just wait honey, that's me in one month."
"Wonderful." He said sarcastically.
11:43am:
"Ok Mrs. Dogett. Your going to have to push. You think you can do that for me?"
She grimaces and nods her head, squeezing tightly on John's hand, John looks like he's in as much pain--if not more--than Monica is. Memories of William's birth come flooding back.
'Don't let them take my baby!'
'Come on Dana, your going to have to push.'
"Push Monica!" The doctor screams.
Monica leans forward and pushes as hard as she can, then falls back on the bed.
"I can see the head!" Dr. Smalls screams. "Just one or two more pushes Monica, you ready."
"NO!"
"That's too bad, you gotta push."
Again she leans forward and pushes, again she falls back in sheer exhaustion.
"Ok, last push. Ready, three, two, one. PUSH!"
She pushes with all she has and a large and painful scream fills the air. Then the wails of a newborn. I remember those well. Dr. Smalls cuts the chord and cleans off the baby, which I have yet to see the gender of. He wraps the baby in a blanket and hands him/her over to Monica. "It's a boy."
Monica signals for us to come over and looks down at her first child. Her eyes tired but full of love for her and John's creation. "The best and worst qualities, right." She says amazed at the small life in her arms. She gently counts his fingers and then his toes. Then she looks under the blanket. "Everything's in place." She jokes.
John pushes the hair sticking to her sticky skin away and looks down at his son. "What should we name him?"
"I think John Jr. is appropriate. What do you think? John Richard Dogett Jr."
"It's perfect."
"Why Richard?" Mulder asks.
"Richard was my father's first name. Monica met him once while we were looking for Luke…"
"Oh, im sorry man, I didn't mean to drudge up old memories."
"Don't be sorry. Like I said once before, these memories are mine, I'll take the bad with the good. But when I think about it, if what had happened to Luke had never happened I wouldn't be here right now, its selfish of me, and God knows I would love to have him here with me right now, but who am I to question fate?"
"I couldn't have said it better myself." I reassure him.
We all take one last look at the new family of three before leaving to let Monica rest. John takes Jr. into his arms and sings softly to him. I smile at the picture and rub my stomach. I look up at Mulder holding back tears, "Only one month left Mulder."
"Wonderful." He says, but this time the sarcasm is replaced with happiness.
6 weeks later:
Im a week overdue. My water could break at any moment, were thinking about educing labor at this point but I don't want to do that, I want to have this baby naturally. Well, naturally with the help of an epidermal of course. I've felt what its like to give birth without one, and that's not going to happen again. Some crazy people say it's a wonderful experience to give natural childbirth. Wonderful experience my foot, it hurts like a mother. Literally. Uh, bad pun. Sorry, won't do anything that again.
Well, Nathan (Dr. Smalls) suggested walking. So today Mulder, William, Monica, John, and John Jr. all went out for some fresh air. He's such a precious child, although he cries a lot, but that's expected of all newborns. He's got a full head of Monica's dark hair and his eyes are the crystal blue of his fathers. It's too early to figure out who he'll resemble the most but I have this feeling its going to be John.
Call it woman's intuition, just like the feeling that this little one--who's being very stubborn at this point-- is a girl. And the fact that this baby doesn't want to do what its suppose to just makes my feelings confirmed. I didn't get a ultrasound because I wanted to be surprised just like with Will. And mostly because Mulder wanted me to get one and I just wanted to ruffle his feathers. Make him squirm in anticipation. But anticipation of this magnitude is not what I was hoping for. Even I am impatiently waiting for this child to hurry up and come, although I know the pain she or he will bring.
Oh well, its late, im going to bed.
1:18am
"Oh, shit!" I scream realizing what the warm wet feeling underneath me is. "Mulder." I say shaking him. When he doesn't wake I scream out, "FOX WAKE UP!"
Worked like a charm. He jolts forward and looks at me bewildered. He knows somethings going on because I only call him Fox when he's in trouble and when well…we won't go into the details of the other exception. Let's just say the latter hasn't been heard in a couple of months.
"Scully, what's wrong?"
"What do you thinks wrong Mulder?" I snap, "my water just broke. We need to go, now."
His eyes widen as if facing his biggest fear, he scrambles out of bed and wakes up Will, telling him to go get grandma and grandpa (Will calls Skinner grandpa). A very confused Will rubs his eyes and runs to wake his grandparents. Mulder helps me out of the bed and we start on our walk to underground. I can hear Mom and Skinner coming up behind me, and I turn slightly to see Mom carrying Will her arms. Skinner helps Mulder with me.
"You know I can still walk. My water only just broke, it won't be hours until I actually have the kid."
"Just let us take care of you ok, Dana?" Skinner says.
"Sure dad, whatever you say."
He smiles at me and I realize this is the first time that I've called him 'dad'. I squeeze his arm and again slightly turn to Mom, "uh, mom you think you can do something for me? Will you wake Monica? I promised her I'd wake her when the time came and well I don't think they'll let me do that."
Mom nods and with Will still in her arms goes to wake up Monica. In a haze we're down underground and waking up Dr. Smalls. Immediately he's in Dr. mode and treating me like a small child who just fell off of her bike.
"Will you just quite this? I've had a child before, in way worse conditions. And im very well not going to let you treat me like a child just because my water broke, all three of you. Im a doctor I know how long it takes for the delivery to actually take place after the water breaks. I've got plenty of time."
Skinner and Nathan back off but Mulder still holds onto me, "Dana, I'll be damned if I let you go."
I sigh knowing that this battle with Mulder cannot be won. "Ok. Ok. You can take care of me, but only because you got me in this position in the first place, but please, treat me like a 39 year old instead of a 4 year old? You think you can do me that much?"
"Sure Dana, whatever you say."
2 hours later:
"Her contractions are 5 minutes apart. Looks like this one's coming sooner than expected."
"What are you talking about? She's well over a week late. I'd say that's later than expected." I snap.
"Your right, your right. Later but expected but at the same time sooner than expected. I give you an hour before your going to have to push, you know the drill. From both points of view, so you think maybe you can cut me more slack than Monica over here did?"
"I'll try. But do you think I can have another epidermal?"
"No. One's the limit. You know that, Dr. Mulder, only one."
I sigh and grab hold of Mulder's hand. "Sorry honey, im forewarning you. This is going to hurt like the dickens. I apologize ahead of time."
"Hey, you never did that with me." John exclaims while holding a sleeping John Jr.
Monica slaps him playfully on the arm, "Shut-up John, cant you see this is a moment."
I laugh, but quickly regret it as another contraction sears pain throughout my body, the laugh quickly turns to a scream. Mulder winces at the level of my voice but I really don't give a damn at this point. It hurts so bad.
4:32am
"Ok Mrs. Mulder, get ready…" he pauses of a second, "push Dana, push!"
I lean forward the same way I had with William, the same way Monica had with Jr., grabbing onto my knees, and push as hard as possible. I grind my teeth through the pain and let a scream. I squeeze as hard as I can on Mulder's hand whose face twist with pain of its own. I highly doubt his pain is anything like mine.
I fall back onto the make-shift delivery bed after I can't push anymore. Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out, is all my mind registries. Nathan looks at me again and the breath in, breath out chant turns to a push chant. No, not chant, more like yell. My mind yells--along with Nathan-- 'push Dana push!'.
Another scream of pain and I fall back onto the bed again. "How…many…more?"
"2 or 3. You ready for the next push."
"As ready…as…I'll ever be." I say.
He nods, "Ok then Dana, push!"
And I obey, pushing harder this time, desperate to get this kid out of me and delivery done with. My teeth are starting to go numb from the pressure im putting on them while grinding. Damn, why can't everything else go numb? Why does it have to be the teeth? Can teeth even go numb? Well, I guess they can.
"Ok Dana, there's the head. Only one more push. Get ready for it." He pauses once more, "Ok Dana, now. Push!"
I push harder than I ever imagined I could and continue to push until I hear the now familiar sound of a newborns cry. I fall back onto the bed tears escaping my eyes, im not sure if they're tears of joy or tears of pain but they're tears nonetheless.
Mulder places his forehead and rubs my arm comfortingly. He tells me over and over that he loves me and I reply to him with an I love you too. He kisses me gently before pulling back still rubbing my arm. Nathan looks at Mulder and I with a wide smile, "congratulation, it's a girl."
He puts the tiny bundle into my arms and I run my hands through the full head of brown hair she inherited from her father.
"Thank God." Mulder breaths, "She's got your nose."
I laugh and just as Monica had count the fingers and toes on my beautiful, slightly blue, baby girl.
"She's not going to stay that color is she, Dana?" Mulder jokes.
I smile at his inane attempt to make me laugh and take hold of his hand. I look down at the little girl in my arms, "happy birthday Melissa Ann Mulder. Im your momma." I place Mulder's hand over her small, frail body, it scares me how vulnerable they are at this age, "this is your daddy." I say tears once again running down my cheek.
Will comes rushing up to the bed and Mulder takes his hand away to scope him into his arms, "hey there big boy, you want to meet your little sister?"
He nods his head, "Yes daddy, meet sister."
"Ok. But promise me something first ok? Promise me that no matter what you do you'll protect her, watch out for her, and make sure she's always safe? Can you do that for me?"
He nods his head, "uh-huh, I do that."
Whew, open the floodgates, I don't think I've ever cried this much before. Mulder places Will gently onto the bed. Will's little fingers come in contact with Melissa's now pink cheek.
"Will, meet Melissa. Your little sister. You can call her Missy ok?"
He smiles, "I Will."
Her lips curve in what looks like a smile but can't possibly be, newborns can't smile. But this very well looks like a smile.
I smile myself and Mulder's fingers curve around my arm lovingly.
Life just can't get better than this.
A/N: Im such a sap, I know. I hope you liked this chapter. I'll try and get the next one up as soon as possible, and I already know the twist im going to throw in…*evil laugh*…haven't started on the next chapter yet but the weekend is soon, so hopefully by Tuesday I'll have it posted. Still working on the next one of Return to Me, oh and im working on a new story, not sure if im going to post it or not, im still not even sure where im taking it. Anyway, please review. I love, love, love feedback.
