Title: What He Knew
Author: Gillian Leigh
Disclaimer: Please see an earlier chapter.
Author's Notes: I owe you all so much, my loyal readers. I know you're glad to see an update, but I have a feeling... Well, just read the chapter.
-x-
"Doesn't this thing go any faster?" Walter Skinner queried impatiently, drumming his fingers on the armrest of his wheel chair. Behind him, Kimberley rolled her eyes.
"It's an elevator, Walter. We'll get there when we get there," she replied, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Why do I have to go in this stupid chair, Kim? I'm perfectly capable of walking. I'm doing well in physical therapy... my doctor said so," he said, twisting around to look up at her. She smiled at him and kissed his forehead. The door opened on seventh floor Oncology, and Skinner and Kim could see Scully, now six months pregnant, animatedly talking to three men. Kim had gotten to know them during Skinner's absence as they attempted to locate him, and Skinner knew of them.
"You're supposed to rest, sweetheart," she said, pushing his chair out of the elevator and down the corridor toward Scully. He didn't respond as he watched Scully hug each of the Lone Gunmen. Frohike's embrace lingered perhaps a bit too long, earning him a small glare from Scully, which surprisingly turned into a smile as she waved them into Mulder's hospital room. She turned and saw the two of them approaching, her smile grew.
"Sir," she said, as soon as he and Kimberley approached. "Kim."
"What is it, Dana?" Kimberley questioned, looking at Scully anxiously. Scully looked as if she was ready to burst.
"I have good news... great news actually..." she said, fiddling with her hands. There was a moment as she seemed to gather herself together. "Mulder's cancer has gone into remission." Skinner's head was spinning so much he barely heard Kim's astonished gasp, and hardly saw the two embrace.
"Dana that's so wonderful," Kim said, feeling her eyes water with emotion. Scully felt her eyes fill with joyous tears again as she hugged the woman who had become one of her closest friends in the past months. After a moment together, the two parted, and Scully wiped her eyes.
"You can go in if you'd like. He's talking to the guys, and John and Monica," she said.
"Aren't you going in?" Skinner asked, finding his voice again. Scully smiled once more.
"I'm just going down to the lobby to meet his mother and mine," she replied. "I have to make sure that they're cleared by security. I'll be back in a few minutes. Go ahead in. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you two."
As Kimberley wheeled him toward Mulder's open door, Skinner had a flashback to a very similar moment in this very hospital. He remembered then how Scully and Mulder had distrusted him, and felt saddened at the thought that he had done nothing to earn their trust, especially after his latest admission to years of acts of indiscretion. That thought was disheartening. He wanted to be able to say that he had gained their trust and respect over the years, even after a period of distrust, but now, it seemed, he was starting from square one.
Mulder looked up, and his eyes locked with Skinner's. The Assistant Director felt his heartbeat quicken.
"Come in, Sir," Mulder said quietly, looking past the others in the room. Skinner nodded, and felt his heart lighten. With that phrase, he had been given the chance to begin again.
-x-
Mulder Residence
April 1st
1:30 p.m.
Tearing the wrapping paper off of another gift, Scully held up the matching teddy bears, one pink, one blue. The pink bear was embossed with the name "Nora Katherine" and the blue with "Adam Fox". Smiling, Scully glanced across the room at Monica Reyes and smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, Monica. I'm sure the twins will love them." She put the bears back in their box and handed it to her mother. To her left, her friend Ellen passed her another present, and as she carefully removed the wrapping paper, her sister-in-law Tara spoke up.
"How are you feeling, Dana?" she asked, bouncing her two year-old daughter, Elise, on her knee. Scully smiled tiredly.
"Exhausted and ready to pop," she replied, running a hand over her belly.
"The last six weeks always seem the longest," her mother replied, gently. She patted her daughter's hand. "Especially with twins."
"Oh wonderful," Scully said, fanning her face with her hand. "I'm a little warm," she added. "Could you please turn down the heat a little, Mom?" Maggie smilingly obliged, and turned down the thermostat. She rejoined the circle of women in her daughter and son-in-law's living room, and resumed her place beside her daughter. When she moved to hand Scully a present, she noted the odd expression on her daughter's face.
"Dana, what is it?" Maggie asked, looking at Dana questioningly. Her daughter's only response was a gasp as she clutched her belly. She was clearly in a lot of pain. In a panic, Maggie slid off the couch and onto her knees before her daughter. "Dana. Dana, look at me. What's wrong?" When she got no verbal response from her daughter, only a slight shake of her head, she turned to her daughter's frightened guests. "Call 911!"
She didn't have to say it twice.
Casey's Bar
1:34 p.m.
"So how's it feel to be a married man, Mulder?" Langly said, finally approaching the subject of Mulder's marriage to Scully, a topic Frohike would rather not have to hear about. He was still sulking at his loss of any chance of ever getting with Scully. Mulder took a long look at the gold band on his ring finger.
"It's nice. ," he replied. Today he was short on words, though he wasn't totally sure why.
"What made you decide to get married now? I mean, why not wait a few more months?" Byers questioned, sipping his Coke. He was the only non-drinker of the group, and the day's "Sober Sally". Mulder's eyes met his.
"After everything that happened with my illness, we realized that time is not something we want to waste. I told Scully that I'd be fine with waiting until after the babies are born, but she said we could do it right away," he replied. "A week later, we were officially married." Frohike noted the smile Mulder wore, and scowled, crossing his arms.
"God, Frohike, get over it. You haven't had a chance with Scully in... well... ever," Langly said, rolling his eyes. "Just grow up and get over it. For God's sake, we're all going to be these kids' godfathers. The least you could do is be grateful."
The bartender, still blonde and black-vested, shouted over to their table before Frohike had a chance to snap back at his blonde counterpart. "Hey, Spooky!" she called. Mulder looked over, and she nodded toward him. "Phone call for you."
Puzzled, he got up and headed over to the bar. The bartender handed him the receiver.
"Hello?" he questioned. Who would be looking for him at Casey's?
"Agent Mulder? It's Monica Reyes."
"It's not 'Agent' Mulder anymore, Monica, just plain old Mulder, remember? I teach at Quantico," he said.
"Mulder," Reyes began again. "You need to get to the hospital. Something's wrong with Dana."
"Oh God," Mulder said, choking on the words. "What happened?"
"I'm not sure... we were having the baby shower, and she just doubled over in pain. They took her by ambulance to Northeast Georgetown. Her mother rode along..." Mulder's heart was thumping so loudly in his ears he could scarcely here what Reyes was telling him.
"By the time the paramedics got to the house she'd passed out..." He had to lean on the bar for support, earning him a startled look from the bartender. "And she was bleeding... there was a lot of blood, Mulder..." His grip on the phone grew white-knuckled.
"I'm on my way," he said quickly before hanging up. Shaking, he turned to the Gunmen. "How fast can you get me to Northeast Georgetown, Byers?"
"What is it?" Byers questioned, rising to his feet. Frohike stood up so fast he knocked his chair over, and Langly followed suit.
Mulder's mouth felt like cotton. "Something's wrong with my wife."
-x-
Author's Notes: ::ducks flying objects YET again:: Sorry about this one guys. I love that you're still reading this, and putting up with all of my crap. I apologize for the long wait, but I had to do my Senior Project... which if I don't get at least a C on, I don't graduate... so this story took a major backseat to school. But now that my project is done, my senioritis is hitting full force, so the updates on this story will be more frequent, especially with my upcoming Thanksgiving break. Look for chapter 17 very soon! And it'll be much worth the wait!
Thanks!!!!