Here goes nothing! lol (The final chapters! Yay!)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ChApTeR 9 (Mulder's pov)

When I open my eyes, I find her at my bedside. Her elbows are on the bed next to me, and her face is buried in her hands. "Dana?" She looks up at me, and her cheeks are red where her hands have been.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Like I was shot in the chest. You?"

"Mulder, I'm so confused. What are we doing here?" I look around to see just where here is.

"I don't know. Did you wish for us to be back in the hospital room?" She shakes her head to tell me no. "I don't know, then," I say. Behind her, Maggie and Skinner enter the room.

"We have a surprise for you," announces Maggie, stepping to the side of the door.

"Daddy!" scream two toddlers (a boy and a girl) cheerfully as they run through the door. My eyes dart to Scully, who is looking at them with equal uncertainty. Daddy?

"They've been asking about you ever since Mom got the call," says another voice. I look up to meet the gaze of one very alive Melissa Scully. "Don't look so surprised to see me, Fox," she teases. "You knew I couldn't stay away while my dear sister is here in the midst of so much negative energy. Besides, the kids were bouncing off the walls."

Again, I look at Scully and notice that her bottom lip is quivering, and she looks like she is about to cry. "Dana," I whisper to her. She looks my way, and I see more clearly the mix of horror and amazement in her eyes.

Melissa must have noticed it, too, because she orders everyone out of the room until it is just the three of us. "Hi, Dana," she greets Scully in her sweet, Melissa way. "Don't be afraid. I'm here to explain everything."

"What?" Scully inquires, her tears now falling freely.

"It's okay. Just hear me out. You aren't crazy; everything you remember really did happen."

"Missy?" Scully whimpers. "Is that really you?" Melissa nods and welcomes her sister into an embrace. Dana sobs joyful tears, her body shivering with fear that this is all just a dream. I watch uncomfortably and wish I could have a moment like that with Samantha. It doesn't seem fair that my sister isn't here.

"So, why are we back, and why are you here? Who were those kids?" I ask.

Melissa smiles, and Scully pulls away, wanting the same answers. "It is my job to explain this to you both on behalf of He who makes these decisions. You didn't lead the lives you were meant to lead," she shrugs. "He had shown you both so many signs along the way, but you just kept avoiding them…or missing them completely. All along, you were supposed to be together and have the lives you wanted, but you waited too long. You chose not to give in to the desires of your hearts, and instead yearned for each other in secret. You bottled up your emotions, fearing that if they were to ever be released, you would be reassigned."

"But we would have been," I insist.

"You weren't in this life," Melissa smiles. "In Heaven, every thought is a prayer. I knew, Dana, that you were in good hands without me. You are my sister, and I love you, but I had no unfinished business. I knew all along that Fox was the man for you, and I had hoped you would one day allow yourself to see it too."

"But if you didn't have unfinished business, why are you back?" Dana asks perplexed.

"Because your prayers were answered. God gave you both a second chance because you did have unfinished business, but as far as why you would be given such a magnificent gift while not all others do, I cannot answer that. He works in mysterious ways and has always had His own reasons…reasons that are not always obvious to us. I can, however, say that it has something to do with Mom, and Bill, and everyone else you saw. They had regrets too."

Scully paces the room, overwhelmed by disbelief and question. "So, we are together?" she finally confirms. "And everyone knows it?" Melissa nods and gestures to her sister's wedding bands. "We're married? Are we still partners?" Again, Melissa nods. "But how?"

"There had been a hearing, and you were able to prove that you have a flawless partnership, and that a relationship outside of the office would not have a negative effect on it. If anything, it has strengthened it."

"So, they just changed the rules…just for us?"

I sit quietly and take it all in, watching our new pasts unfold before me.

"You two are an exception to the rule. I know it doesn't make sense now, but give it some time."

In an effort to fill the deafening silence that has fallen between the two women, I ponder, "That must be confusing if we are both 'Agent Mulder' now."

"Skinner called me 'Agent Scully,'" Dana interjects.

"That's right," Melissa verifies. "You decided that for that very reason, it would be better if you used your maiden name for work purposes, but legally, you are 'Dana Katherine Scully Mulder.' And you have two beautiful children: William and Samantha, twins, age four."

"Four?" Scully gasps. I probably would have gasped in unison with her, but no sound is coming out of my mouth. I can barely breath, for that matter. Dana looks at me and smiles through her tears. "It all came true." She approaches my bed eagerly and captures my body in a hug, kissing my temple lightly.

"There's one more thing," her sister grins. "Dana, whatever you do, don't drink any beer for at least nine months." Both our chins drop, and Melissa lets out a tremendous laugh. "So, how are you feeling? A little overwhelmed?" Scully's knees weaken, and she has to sit on the bed next to me. "I thought you would be."

"Do we know the sex?" I ask.

"Not yet. Technically, you don't even know you are pregnant yet, but I know my sister," Melissa teases. "I've seen how you two celebrate, and I figured better safe than sorry. But that means no one else knows yet either."

"Ah, gotcha," I smile, pointing my finger at her. Then, I look at my beautiful wife and shake my head. "Who would have thought, huh?" Scully giggles delightfully and rests her head on my shoulder.

"I guess we've got our hands full," she says nervously, "but I have a feeling we'll be just fine."

I look to Melissa and ask, "What about Samantha?"

"Unfortunately, your sister was your main reason for joining the FBI and your search for her is what caused you to become so obsessed with the X-Files. If she hadn't been taken, there is no way to ensure Dana would have still become your partner, and you may have never met. However, that doesn't mean that yesterday's future and today's future are the same. Already, they are very different, so have faith. You will find her. Don't give up."

"I have one more question," Scully mumbles into my neck. Then, facing me but talking to her sister, she asks, "What do we call each other in this life?"

"Well, at work, you are still Mulder and Scully. In private, I guess that is up to you. When you are among family, though, Mom has trained you both to use first names. She says it's more personal that way. But if you don't have any other questions for me, I think Grandma is getting a little tired."

I look out the ICU window and see a little boy and a little girl crawling on and off of her lap and running in circles around the bench where she is sitting. "Are they always this energetic?" I cringe.

"Dana was right on when she said you two have a handful. Luckily, you have an awesome sister-in-law who loves to baby-sit." She starts to leave the room, but turns for one last thought. "Don't name the third one after me. I'm flattered, but at least one of your kids should have a name that is original to our family."

"So, it's another girl?" I beam. She doesn't answer. She simply winks and walks out of the room.

ChApTeR 10 (Scully's pov)

I toss and turn in our bed, unable to sleep. Melissa offered to keep the kids at her place for the night to allow Mulder and me to get used to our new lives gradually. (She told Mom it was because tonight was Mulder's first night back home, and she wanted to be a good sister.) Oh, Melissa, I sigh inwardly as I recall the embarrassment her comment had caused me. "Pretty soon, you two will be popping out a third one," my mother had responded jokingly. All I could do was turn a shade of red and offer my best attempt at a laugh. I hope that didn't give anything away. I still have to figure out how to even tell them. I roll over to find Mulder fast asleep beside me, not a care in the world. How did I tell them about the other pregnancy?

I glance at the digital clock on the nightstand behind him. A quarter after two. How can he sleep? I am exhausted, and I can't even sleep with all this excitement. I cuddle up next to him, and his body stirs. I use the opportunity to wedge myself between his arms and bury my face into his chest. What could I have possibly done to deserve any of this? What makes me so much more entitled to such happiness than the so many whose prayers never seem to be answered? Mulder and I had been considering different names for our future daughter before he had fallen asleep. It seemed like no matter what one of us thought of, it was never good enough for our third miracle.

I can feel a hitch in Mulder's breathing, and he awakens in a sudden jerk. "What's wrong?" I ask nervously, trying to relax him by rubbing my thumb across his cheek, little stubbles of hair already sprouting. God, he looks so sexy with a five o'clock shadow.

"Where are we?" he gasps. His eyes dart around wildly until he remembers everything. Then, he resettles around me, placing his head on my chest. I love it when he does this because it temporarily shifts him to an inferior, child-like role, emphasizing my natural, God-given maternal instincts to take care of him in his time of uncertainty. Don't get me wrong; it doesn't necessarily make me feel superior, but more importantly, it makes me feel needed.

"We're home," I answer, combing my fingers repeatedly around the back of his head. "Nightmare?"

"Hope so," he answers. "As opposed to a premonition."

"What happened?"

"My mom…she killed herself."

"What?"

"All I know is that it had something to do with Samantha. I woke up before I could figure out the details."

"Do you want to call her just in case?" He looks like he is having trouble making up his mind. I don't blame him, though. What would he say? "Mom, are you ever going to commit suicide?" Probably not the best approach.

"I'll give her a call in the morning. Maybe we can take her out to lunch or dinner."

"That would be nice," I smile. "As long as you're awake now…" He gives me a suggestive leer. "…not where I was going with this, but sure sounds good to me," I laugh. He nuzzles back into his spot on my chest and wraps his legs around mine. "Anyway…I was thinking, trying to figure out this whole second chance thing, and I couldn't help but realize how many memories we've missed out on by not just starting over completely. Mulder, we don't know anything about our kids. Doesn't that bother you?"

He quietly considers this, while unconsciously massaging my hips. With every passing moment and every caress, fooling around a little is sounding more and more appealing. But no. This matter is important to me, and it must be discussed. "Maybe that is something we can ask Melissa about," he shrugs. "She seems to have most of the answers."

"Yeah. We can bring it up tomorrow night when we pick up the kids." A mischievous grin forces its way across my face. Now that that's settled…for now anyway…onto more appealing things. I start to rub my hands up his T-shirt, and I feel his muscles thoroughly. He looks up at me with raised eyebrows, and I nod. Leveling his face to mine, he straddles my hips and kisses me powerfully. Now this is life. Here we are, married, and marriage means never having to deny our desires again.

A little after four, I finally succumb to sleep.

I awaken to find that I'm alone in bed. Glancing casually at the clock, I have to do a double take and almost have a heart attack when I see that it is already almost noon. He let me sleep in this late? I jump out of bed and put my pajamas back on, just for the sake of wearing something, before I leave the bedroom. "How long have you been up?"

He looks up from the paper and smiles. "Not too much longer than you. I probably got up an hour ago."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"I didn't see that it was necessary. You needed your sleep, and we don't have plans until later."

"Okay," I shrug. "Did you call your mom already?"

"Yeah. I called her after I got back from my jog. We're picking her up around four for dinner."

"I guess I should call Melissa about the kids."

"Oh, yeah, I did that too. She said she'll drop them off a little after eight, but if we aren't going to be home until later, to call her, and she can bring them by at nine instead." I look at him in disbelief. "What?"

"I thought you said you've only been up an hour?"

"Or two…or three…" he admits while biting his lip. "But you looked so peaceful. I couldn't wake you."

"That's okay. Actually, I'm glad. I was so tired." I sit at the table with him and stare blankly at the back of his newspaper. Beneath it, he has a half-eaten sandwich on a plate, and just as he starts to reach for it, I snatch the plate. "Thanks," I tease, taking a bite of his lunch. He neatly folds the paper and sets it on the table, only to stare back at me until I start laughing. "I'm sorry, were you going to finish this?" I chuckle as I take another bite.

"So this is how it's gonna be, huh?" I nod playfully. "Okay, then." He waits a second before lunging forward and grabbing onto my wrists. Pulling my wrists toward himself, while I try to keep them in place, his strength overpowers mine, and he takes a bite of the sandwich between my hands. But when he lets go of my wrists without warning, my arms slingshot back, and I smack myself in the chest.

"Ow!" I hide my face in embarrassment as he laughs, but then he tries to move my hand out of the way.

"Sorry," he whispers, still wearing a taunting grin. Sure. Then he offers, "You can finish that, but if you're still hungry, I can fix you something else." Momentarily taken aback by his sudden transition from his immature self to his new caring husband role, I feel my heart skip a beat. His eyes dance as he awaits my reply, but I am speechless.

I think I am finally able to speak again, but my attempt is interrupted by the phone ringing. "Mulder," he says into the receiver. "Oh hey. Yeah, that's fine. No problem. Not at all. I'll tell her. Okay. Bye." He hangs up the phone, and I eye him curiously. "That was your sister. She was just calling to say that Bill's gonna be in town tomorrow, so your Mom wants to have lunch at her house."

"Oh. Okay." I rub my eyes and stare at the sandwich with another blank gaze.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised to see how naturally this all comes to you. I never would have thought…"

"That I'd be husband material?"

"No. It's not that."

"What then?"

"Well, this transition seems to be a lot easier for you than it is for me. I'm still lost here, trying to figure out why this is even happening, and you…there you are being…just so…natural and perfect."

He gives me a skeptical grin. "Natural and perfect? Dana, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm just trying to go with the flow. And as far as why, stop worrying about why this has happened, and just be thankful it has."

"I am thankful, but…"

"But you are a scientist. You always need answers." I nod disappointedly at myself.

"Then maybe you should ask Him."

ChApTeR 11 (Mulder's pov)

I am just running the lint roller down my sleeves one last time when she walks into our room and collapses on the bed. She is wearing a pair of kaki jeans and a brown button-up blouse, and her hair is twisted up in the back, held in place by a brown clip. Wow. She catches me staring at her gives me a quizzical look.

"Sorry. I was just…nice outfit."

"Thanks." She gets up and grabs a pair of brown sandals that have about a two-inch heel on them and straps them on. "Do we know where we are taking her?"

"Applebee's," I grin. "I wanted it to be a place with good food, reasonable prices, and casual attire."

"Mission accomplished," she chuckles, giving me a 'what am I going to do with you' glare.

"So, did you find any of your answers on your little walk?"

"Don't be facetious," she lectures, taking the lint roller from me when I'm done. "And no. But I did decide you were right…that I'm focusing on the wrong aspect of it all." She sticks the roller in a dresser drawer, and we walk to the elevator together. I still think it's funny that we ended up keeping her apartment, but then I think about the condition I kept mine in, and I'm suddenly glad. Her place is more spacious anyway.

"So, you're okay, then? You feel ready to just 'go with the flow,' and 'roll with the punches?'" I grin.

She rolls her eyes and then reflects my smile. "Yeah."

"Good. Then, let's do this." The elevator doors open to reveal the lobby, and we walk out to our car. The drive to my mom's place is very relaxed, and it isn't until I pull into her driveway that I realize we are in the suburban area surrounding D.C. This is close. Scully looks around at the odd surroundings and then furrows her eyebrows in thought. "How did I know how to get here?" I ask, both of us aware I had never gotten directions.

"That's weird," she responds. "Did she mention it when you called her this morning?"

"No. Wait a second! How did I even know what number to call? She obviously wouldn't be answering her old one in Martha's Vineyard." We shake our heads as if to clear our thoughts. That's strange.

"Maybe you remembered it," she offers. "You called Melissa this morning, too, and she never gave us her number either." Suddenly, the back car door opens behind me, practically scaring the crap out of us both.

"Hi, Fox," my mother greets as she nonchalantly gets into the seat.

"Hi, Mom." Breathe. Breathe. "How are you feeling?"

"Good, dear. How are you both?" Dear? Since when does she call us dear? Oh, right. This is different now. Now, we are a close-knit family. I really like this.

"We're good," Scully answers when she realizes I am too lost in thought to do so myself. The best part is knowing my nightmare was not a premonition. It can't be now…maybe if we had still had the same lives as before, but now things are different. It's like Melissa said: "…that doesn't mean that yesterday's future and today's future are the same." Maybe my dream would have been a premonition before, but not now. Now, it's just a nightmare.

Dinner goes seamlessly, and I am in awe, the whole time, at how casual the atmosphere is. Scully makes delightful conversation with Mom, and apparently, my mom loves her to death. So, that's really great! After dessert, we take Mom home and stay with her to visit for a while. At about seven-thirty, we look at the clock and decide we should be going. "Well, thank you, Fox. This was fun," my mother smiles. Scully and I are headed for the door when she adds, "I'm still taking the kids next weekend, right?"

"Yeah," Scully answers automatically, continuing with, "Melissa has the kids until we get home at six on Friday, and then we'll bring them over after dinner so that you don't have to cook." I give her an impressed expression, and she suddenly seems impressed with herself. My mom nods her head and thanks us again before we leave.

"Looks like you're getting your memory back too," I point out, once back on the road.

"Yeah," she sighs. "Sure looks that way."

ChApTeR 12 (Scully's pov)

We beat Melissa home but only by seconds. "Hey," she calls from her car as we are getting out of ours. "Meet you upstairs?" We nod and head up. When we get inside the apartment, Mulder leaves the door cracked open and heads for the bathroom. I lie on the couch and rest my eyes. Before I know it, I have two little bodies crawling all over me, and my sister appears behind the couch. "Hey," she grunts, looking down at me.

"Hey." I turn to the kids and greet each one of them affectionately, and then they cuddle between my body and the couch…Sammie practically already asleep. "They seem tired," I observe quietly.

"They should be. They had me up all night long." I give her a grateful smile and turn my head when I hear Mulder enter the room. He stops to take in the scene before him, and if I didn't know any better, I'd swear that his heart had melted on the spot. He loves this. I love this. It is everything we've ever wanted. Only now, we don't have to hide it. "Hi, Fox," Melissa says.

"Hi," he whispers, trying not to disturb the kids. "Thanks for bringing them home."

"My pleasure," she laughs. "Besides, I wanted to see how things are going. Do you have anymore questions, or do you pretty much have everything covered?"

Mulder looks at me, and I nod. "We pretty much have everything covered," he answers, "but we do have a couple questions."

"Sure. What are they?"

"Well," I begin, allowing my partner the chance to find a seat and get comfortable, "we've noticed that we are starting to remember things from this life. Little details and whatnot. I'm assuming we will eventually remember everything?" She nods thoughtfully. "Does that mean we will forget our old lives or anything about the thereafter?"

"No. It may be confusing at first, not being able to distinguish between the two, but eventually you'll get the hang of it. The purpose of this is so that you can always remember the significance of a prayer and that everything happens for a reason. It's a reminder to watch for God's signs and take advantage of them while the opportunities are there. Lastly, He doesn't want you to forget your old lives because, as Fox pointed out before, it was things like your abduction and your illness that had brought you so close together. Dana, in this life, you were never abducted. You were never barren, and you've never had cancer. He didn't think it was fair to take the effects of those events away from your memories because they have so much to do with who both of you are today and the love and friendship you share."

"So, if Dana was never abducted or had cancer, and you were never murdered," Mulder muses aloud, "does that mean Bill doesn't hate me?"

Melissa laughs and replies, "Far from, actually. He thinks you are the best thing to ever happen to his little sister." He looks from her to me and makes another 'well, what do ya know' face. "Yep."

"Thanks, Missy," I say, trying to shimmy out from under the two sleeping children. As I give her a hug, Mulder scoops up William and Samantha and carry them to their beds. He comes back into the room to say bye to my sister, and then we collapse back onto the couch. "Mulder?" I whisper, putting my feet on the cushion next to me and laying my head in his lap.

"Hmmm?"

"I love you."

His grip tightens possessively around me, and he runs his fingers through my hair. "I love you, too," I hear him whisper back. We stay like that for another hour, and then we migrate to bed, asleep the moment we hit our pillows.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, I get up before Mulder and run out to buy a pregnancy test, just so I have some evidence. I get home and find him sitting at the table feeding the kids breakfast. "Where were you?" he asks in a monotone voice.

I hold up the box, and he suddenly shows interest. "Care to join me? I've been holdin' all morning, and I don't know how much longer my bladder can handle it."

He grins widely, makes sure Sam and Will are all set, and then pushes me into the bedroom playfully. "I don't know why I'm so excited," he laughs. "We already know it'll be positive." He sits on the bed and grabs my wrist before I can go into the bathroom. "Dana, hold up."

I shift my weight uncomfortably from side to side. "I'm serious, Mulder. I haven't gone yet today because it's best to do the test right when you get up." He brings my hand to his lips and places a sweet, open-mouthed kiss beneath my wedding ring and then holds it against his cheek. "It's exciting because it feels like we are experiencing it for the first time still," I tell him. He releases my hand and lies down on the bed while I rush to the bathroom.

"How long do we have to wait?" he whines as we sit on the edge of our bed in each other's arms. He has been staring at the timer ever since I set it.

"It should only be a couple more minutes."

"What are we waiting for again, Mommy?" questions Will, who is doing summersaults and bouncing on the bed impatiently behind our backs. He gets it from his father, I muse, though I know I can be impatient at times as well.

"Mommy has a test, remember?" shouts Samantha.

Will topples off the side and lands on his feet thanks to Mulder's new paternal reflexes. "Oh," he replies with a shrug. Then he turns to me and grins. "I hope you do well."

"Thank you, baby," I chuckle. Just then, the timer dings. Mulder and I look at each other and let out a long, heavy breath. "Here we go," I announce, getting up to check the results. The kids fall silent and each takes a seat on one of their daddy's knees. I give him a smile, and his eyes light up. "Positive," I say in a sing-song tone. He coaxes the kids off his lap and gives me a hug.

"Did you win?" Will wonders as he jumps up and down.

"You don't win on a test!" Samantha informs him boldly. Then, she turns to me and asks, "Did you get a better score than Daddy?" egocentrically missing the point that her question is also insinuating there is a winner.

"Now why would you ask that?" I grin, having to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"Because Aunty Missa says you and Daddy try to beat each other at work," she answers with a series of nods.

"Oh, is that right?" I inquire, giving Mulder a smug grin. "Does she ever say who usually wins?"

"Daddy," they giggle simultaneously. My face drops into a look of mock sadness, and Mulder chuckles.

"Well," I pretend to mope, "obviously I'm just a big loser, huh?" Both toddlers shuffle forward to grab a hold of my legs in hopes of making me feel better. They tell me what a good mommy I am and insist I am a winner. "Thank you, you guys, but actually this test is different and very important." They look at me curiously. I squeeze Mulder's hand and get down on one knee, leveling my face to theirs. "This is a test that Daddy couldn't take because it's for mommies only." How the hell do I do this? Will they even understand? "This test tells us that Daddy and I are going to have another baby." They stare at me with blank faces, and my stomach begins to stir nervously. Am I doing this right? "What do you think about having a baby sister around?" I ask, remembering we technically don't know the sex yet. "Or a baby brother?" Cover our bases just in case. The kids exchange glances, and I still can't read their emotions.

Finally, Sam says, "We can pick?"

Mulder furrows his eyebrows quizzically, but I already know what she means…and it takes everything I have not to laugh. "Pick what?" he asks her.

"A sister or a brother." He is just about to chortle when he notices I've been holding my tongue, so he tries to do the same. "What'd I say wrong?" Sam wonders innocently, unable to comprehend our odd behavior.

"Nothing, baby," I reassure her, ruffling her hair carelessly. "You're just so adorable. That's all." I pucker up to give her a kiss on the forehead, but she pecks me on the lips. At that moment, I have to try to restrain myself from scooping her into my arms and smothering her to death, and it's all I can do. I have never felt a love so strong and pure for anything in my life as the love and adoration I feel for my kids. And suddenly, I understand what my mother has been saying for all these years. How lucky I am to have the absolute most perfect life God could ever offer.

Will comes over to me for some attention of his own and clarifies, "So we don't get to pick?"

Again, Mulder chuckles to himself and answers, "No, Will. We get what we get…"

"And we don't have a fit!" they yell. Not expecting this reaction, he raises his eyebrows in an impressed manner. "That's what Aunty Missa says," Samantha explains. Oh. Okay.

All in all, the kids seem eager enough about the eventual addition to the family, but now I have to figure out how to go about telling everyone else. I hope it's not poor taste to bring it up while Bill is visiting because I would hate to steal the spotlight from him. On the other hand, if I don't tell him with the rest of the family, that will surely hurt his feelings. Worries finally aside and the plan to "just do it" decided upon, Mulder and I keep our eyes on the clock, knowing it will soon be time to go. "What if I take a salad?" I ask from the kitchen.

"I don't know, Dana. Don't you think your mom would already have plenty of salad to serve?"

"Well, what should I take, then?"

"Nothing," he suggests. "Hell, you're giving her another grandchild. What more could she possibly want?" I try to look dissatisfied, but then a girlish giggle escapes me as I get excited about the baby. "That's right," he teases.

"Oh, stop it. You're excited too," I toss back as he finishes putting together a bag for Samantha and Will's travel goods. I figure he's right and give up on the side dish, with little guilt. "She's going to be so happy," I beam. He drops the bag carefully by the door and peeks in at the children who have worn themselves out and are now asleep on our bed. "So, is this better than our old lives?" He closes the space between us, and I can feel his hands on my stomach.

"So much better," he whispers from only a breath away. Our noses brush against one another, and I can feel myself getting lost in his stunning hazel eyes, so beautiful and intense that they can actually retard time. Moments expand as the beating of my own heart decelerates immensely, making me wonder if time can in fact stand still for just two people. And when our lips touch, it is only slightly. Parted and hovering only millimeters short of contact, until he takes me into his mouth, tasting me thoroughly. I want to taste him back, but my mind is whirling. All I can feel is the new presence within me, distracting me from the very passion that had led to its existence in this life I have yet to remember.

ChApTeR 13 (Mulder's pov)

The four of us enter Mrs. Scully's house and announce our arrival above the busy chatter. "Oh, come in! Come in, Fox," Maggie welcomes, hurrying to our aid and yelling over her shoulder, "Bill, your sister's here!" She then takes Sam and Will, their bag hanging on her arm, into the other room to join their cousins.

"Hi, Dana," Bill greets, pulling her into a bear hug. I watch her hand cover her stomach protectively as he does so, and it reminds me just out cut-out for motherhood she is. "Fox," I hear him say in a deliberately deeper voice. He has his hand out, and I accept it with a hardy shake.

"Welcome back," I smile.

Bill shrugs wearily and adds, "For the time being. You are a lucky man, Fox Mulder, to be able to spend as much time with your family as you do." He turns back to the crowd of people, all of whom are here for his visit. I consider what he has said, but it doesn't take consideration to agree. I am a lucky man. What takes consideration is the fact that I wouldn't have believed so only a few short days ago.

About an hour later, everyone sits at the table, and Maggie leads the family in saying Grace. For lunch, we are having four kinds of salad: fruit, potato, macaroni, and (what I like to call) "original." I give Scully a taunting grin the moment she notices them. Next on the menu is homemade lasagna, which will probably be filling enough to call this an early dinner. We all pick at the various other available dishes, and soon all plates are full… and all stomachs growling in anticipation of the same fate. The only one who hasn't dug in yet is Dana. "You okay?" I whisper so that no one else would hear. The last thing she needs right now is her mother getting all worried.

"It all looks so…"

"Delicious?" I offer, noting the grimace I get in response.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." I drop my silverware, and they cling against the plate on their way to the wooden table. This gets, perhaps, more attention than I had meant to capture.

"What's wrong, Dana?" Maggie asks worriedly.

Scully looks at me, her eyes pleading for so many things I can barely decide on what issue to address first. However, her stomach makes the decision for me as her cheeks inflate, and I rush her to the bathroom. "Sorry," she whimpers, her voice made scratchy by the hydrochloric acid from her vomit. "I swear I wasn't aiming for you."

I can tell she is embarrassed, but even as I look down at the soiled cuff of my sleeve, I assure her there is no reason to be. "Are you feeling any better?" I ask, already starting to clean her mouth with a cool washcloth.

"A little bit. I don't know if I can go back out there, now, though." She forms a weak smile, but it disappears quickly. "This isn't exactly the 'welcome home' speech I had prepared."

"Sure it is," I grin. "No better intro to our great news than a little morning sickness." Getting an actual chuckle out of her, I allow my muscles to relax. I don't like seeing her in such a state, but at least this is normal, and there is no need for concern. I worry about her too much, and I know that, but I can't always help it.

We walk back into the kitchen where her whole family is quietly waiting to know what happened. "Go ahead," I whisper in Scully's ear, still supporting her weak and tired form.

"Mom, Bill, Melissa…everyone," she smiles, "Fox and I have some news." For Maggie, that's all it takes. The excited mother is up and pulling her daughter into a gentle embrace before she could even finish. Of course, Melissa already knows, so that just leaves Bill to draw his own conclusion.

"You're pregnant?" he gasps in delight. Dana nods her head, and by natural response, tears begin to stream down her face. "More mood swings, eh?" he chucks at me with a grin.

"You better watch it," she scolds him, causing everyone in the kitchen to laugh.

"Oh, Dana, I'm so happy for you," Maggie murmurs, still holding her daughter in her arms.

"Thank you, Mom."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well, that went well, don't you think?" I poke fun as we get ready for bed.

"Mulder…shut up." I gaze at her lips, anticipating their transformation from mock seriousness to a playful smirk. Watching those lips is like watching a sunset. God's masterpiece. And those eyes, piercing blue like the ocean to where the sun descends, both growing darker and darker as the sunset takes its romantic stance. Our daughters will have those same features, and I just know they will have the same strong currents behind them.

She tucks the kids into their beds as I crawl into our own. "So, I've finally thought of a worthy name."

"Oh?" she yawns, joining me under the covers. We get all cozy in each other's arms and relish the moment.

"Yeah. What do you think about Christa?"

"That's beautiful, Mulder, but what makes it a such worthy name?"

"Because she is our gift from God…this life is a gift from God. And I thought a nice way to say thank you would be to give her a name that, to us, symbolizes Christ, his son. People use names with religious roots all the time, especially the Hispanic culture: Jesus, Maria, Joseph. But, see, ours is special because it's more subtle." She stares at the ceiling in thought. Then, I notice a tear glistening beneath her eye. "It's perfect isn't it?" I smile.

"It's perfect. Everything is perfect." I rest my chin on her head and let my body relax around her. Perfect.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Okay, that's it! Please please please tell me how you liked it…or if you didn't like it, tell me why. Thanx much! (I guess I'll get back to working on "Art Class" now. lol) Oh, and if any of you were reviewing my re-post of "Spoiled Water," the next series of chapters is up now, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it as well. I don't add to it tillI know people are reading it.Thanx again.

Amanda :-)