Chapter Twenty
"Ohhh, Mulder, you have GOT to be joking!" Scully cried out when she saw the place where Mulder intended for them to have their honeymoon. "We are staying in a haunted mansion?"
"No, Scully, this isn't just ANY haunted mansion; this is the infamous Dresden Mansion, the home of Tom and Anne Dresden. Their love story was so full of tragedy that both are said to haunt this location even till this day..."
"EXACTLY. So, why would you and I want to be here, having our honeymoon?!" Scully cried out. "And that's MRS. Mulder to you!"
Mulder laughed. "You'll always be Scully to me." He paused when she gave him a chastising look. "Okay, Mrs. Mulder, we are here because that is what we do. We solve X-Files."
"This isn't an X-File. This is our honeymoon!"
"But you know how I LOVE haunted places."
"I thought you loved me more."
"I do, darling," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. "Just go with me on this. You're going to love this..."
"Yeah, right..." she scoffed.
"You might just get an erotic massage out of the whole deal.'
"I better," she said as they grabbed their luggage and headed inside the mansion.
Scully was unsettled by the creepy fog which hung around outside as though it were lurking. She had a bad feeling about the whole thing, but Mulder seemed quite pleased with himself. It was that way about her pregnancy, too. Mulder was on cloud nine and happy as could be with the shocking news, but Scully was worried. How in the world had she gotten pregnant?! HOW was it possible?
"Welcome to the Haunted Honeymoon Hotel," said the guy at the desk as Mulder handed over his credit card. "We hope you'll enjoy your stay."
Scully said something under her breath and Mulder asked, "What was that, dear?"
"Nothing," Scully denied.
It wasn't long at all until they were settled into their Victorian honeymoon suite. Scully tried to relax, but she just couldn't. She was a bundle of nerves as she sat down on the bed, looking greatly upset.
"What is it, Scully?" Mulder asked with concern as he sit down next to her, drawing her close. "You don't look like a happy bride."
"How could I be? Mulder, do you know what happened to the couple's baby?"
"What couple?"
"Anne and Tom Dresden."
"No, I don't know. Tell me," Mulder urged.
"He died. Their baby died. I don't want something awful to happen to our baby."
"What are you talking about?"
"I heard all about this mansion. The tragedy was that the Dresden's lost their infant son... then Anne Dresden took sick and she died, too."
"Nothing is going to happen to our baby. Scully, you heard the doctor - everything is fine."
"Well, I don't believe the doctor. I am a doctor myself and I know when something's not right."
Mulder pulled Scully into his arms, caressing her hair as he attempted to comfort her. She let out a tiny sob. "Mulder, there is something I didn't tell you about...something about that mission I went on before- before I found out I was pregnant."
"What is it?" he asked with concern.
She let it out as tears fell from her eyes. "I went on a mission for the Smoking Man and during that mission, something happened... something strange."
"Tell me, Scully," he urged.
"I blacked out. I think he drugged me. I know he did something."
"How long of time frame do you not remember?"
"I lost 36 hours of time," Scully said sorrowfully. "And now I am mysteriously pregnant... in which we both know CANNOT be a possibility. I had no ova. We know the IVF didn't work. The pregnancy test came back negative. We know that the baby was not conceived in the natural way. So, how is it I am pregnant?"
"The pregnancy test after the IVF was wrong. You were pregnant," Mulder insisted. "And Scully, why didn't you tell me about the Smoking Man, that mission, and everything that happened?"
"I don't know. I guess I thought it wasn't important then. I honestly don't know what I was thinking, but now..."
"Stop second guessing this pregnancy. Our baby will be fine. YOU will be fine. But I want some answers from Skinner. WHY did he send you on that mission?"
"The Smoking Man lied to me. He said he had developed a cure for all illnesses. He said he'd only see me. It turned out to be some sort of wild goose chase. Then I came back to you...and days later, we discovered that I am pregnant."
"As soon as we get back from our honeymoon, we'll pay a visit to Dr. Parenti. You can have an ultrasound. Then you'll know our baby is perfectly healthy. And I will pay a visit to Skinner. I need to know why he'd send you anywhere with the Smoking Man."
Scully nodded, her eyes damp from crying. "Mulder, I do want our baby to be healthy... and I am sorry I didn't tell you about the Smoking Man."
"I don't want you to worry, Scully. I want you to be happy. This is our honeymoon."
"I know, but why did you have to pick such a creepy place?"
"Because you know stuff like that turns me on," he said with a smirk.
Scully couldn't help it. She laughed. "You're in so much trouble," she said as they sunk down on the bed together.
