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Coming into the living room because she is unable to sleep a few nights later, Scully finds Mulder watching a movie. Sitting beside him, she asks, "What are you watching?"
"The Philadelphia Story. You know I tried to get Phoebe to name Chloe Tracy after this character?"
"Have a crush on Katharine Hepburn?"
Giving a noncommittal hum, Mulder states, "I have a thing for red heads."
Scully merely smirks before laying her head on her partner's shoulder. There is a pause before she asks, "Mulder, what do you think of the name Audrey?"
"Audrey?" He parrots thinking it over and adding, "Audrey Melissa Scully has a nice ring to it."
Shaking her head, Scully states, "Mulder. Audrey Melissa Mulder."
A wide grin, her partner answers, "I like that more."
"Then it's decided, Audrey if it's a girl and William for a boy?"
With her hand laying on her stomach, Scully remarks with a yawn, "The baby agrees."
"Good. I couldn't come up with a better name if I tried. Having trouble sleeping?" He asks noting the time on the VCR. Nodding, Scully answers, "Blame your kid. If I'm not trying to sleep, I'm going to the bathroom."
"Well, just rest here. We can finish this and maybe the baby will calm down by then."
"I hope so. I have things I need to do tomorrow."
The next day, Scully spends her time both cleaning Mulder's apartment and propping her feet up. Around one she has a laundry basket on the coffee table with clean clothes everyone neglects to fold. Turning on the television for background noise, Scully absently begins her task. Close to two o'clock, the red head hears the door open and is surprised to find her boyfriend walk in.
"You're home early," Scully remarks from her seat on the couch an array of unmatched socks in front of her.
"Yeah," Mulder absently remarks as he heads to his bedroom. Awkwardly standing up, Scully follows her boyfriend only to find him packing a suitcase. Eyebrow raised, the red head jokes, "Running away?"
Mulder simply shoots her a glare before reluctantly telling her that Kersh is putting him on a top secret assignment.
"What?" Scully practically yells before her hand makes it's way to her stomach where the baby kicks as if in a similar state of protest. Sighing, Mulder explains, "Kersh is trying to prove my loyalty, and is convinced, correctly, that we are together."
He waits for his girlfriend to say something. When she doesn't, he deadpans, "By taking this assignment, I get to prove my loyalty to the bureau."
"But not to me," Scully answers her voice sounding a little more tearful than she wants. When a tear slides down her cheek, the red head knows she is in trouble. Logically, she understands he needs to go. Selfishly is another story. Throwing his toiletries in his suitcase, Mulder glances at Scully who simply stares at him. Noticing the conflicted look in her eyes. Mulder crosses over to her and embraces her. Reveling in the embrace, Scully is sad to let it end. When Mulder pulls away, he kisses Scully on the forehead and then on the lips.
"I'm going to try my hardest to make it home before this kid is born," Mulder tells her. Scully simply purses her lips in a tight smile and nods. Dropping to the floor, Mulder places a hand on Scully's stomach and addresses his youngest, "You hear that? Don't get here until I get back."
Just as he finishes, Mulder feels a kick at his hand.
"That better be a yes," He says as he stands up. Swallowing, Scully asks how long until he leaves.
"I had enough time to change and pack. Unfortunately, you'll have to tell Chloe for me," Mulder answers. Nodding, Scully smooths some hair from her boyfriend's face as she asks him to be careful.
"I will," Mulder replied kissing her palm. Scully makes sure he has everything before seeing him off with a good- bye kiss, knowing he will be gone for an undetermined amount of time.
"Where's Dad?" Chloe asks when she comes home from school that day. Over the course of her mom's pregnancy, the teenager has gotten used to her father being home at a normal time. With a sigh, Scully replies, "Your dad has been sent on assignment for the unforeseeable future."
"But, the baby."
"I know. He's hoping to get back before he or she is here," Scully remarks before quickly changing the subject for dinner. Chloe shrugs telling her she is going to start her homework leaving Scully without a clue what to make.
Dinner that night is fairly silent with both the women in Mulder's life not happy about his being gone.
"Dad was supposed to go with me so I could get my license," Chloe says while pushing the food on her plate around with her fork and effectively breaking the silence.
"I can go with you, and then you can drive us home," Scully offers earning a smile from her daughter. "All you have to do is ask."
"I know. It's just with the baby and everything, I know you want to get everything ready."
"I'll always have time for you, Chloe. This baby won't change that. Now, it's Saturday?"
"Yep! Now all I need is my own car."
"Keep dreaming."
On Saturday after being told what to wear by her daughter, Scully goes up to the DMV with Chloe who happily drives there. By the time they finish, Chloe is excitedly, if not a little too quickly telling her mom they need to leave. Confused, Scully follows her daughter out to the car where she sees the teen sitting in the driver's side.
"Can I please drive?" She asks to which Scully nods seeing no point in arguing. Settling into the passenger side, Scully watches her daughter pull out of the DMV and onto the street. However, when the teenager takes a turn that does not lead back to Mulder's Scully instantly starts to question her. Realizing Chloe will not say anything, Scully decides to figure it out for herself, only realizing a little too late that they stop in front of her apartment.
Entering the apartment with Chloe right behind her, Scully is amazed to find the living room covered in pink and blue streamers, balloons, and various other decorations.
"I think she likes it," Chloe jokes going to stand next to her grandmother. "Mom, do you want to see the cake?"
"There's cake?" She questions hearing from the other room a familiar voice call out, "Not yet! Give me five more minutes."
Finally realizing who is in the other room, Scully almost squeals, "Ellen?"
Despite her friend's still decorating the cake, the red head immediately heads to the kitchen to hug her.
"I can't believe you're here!"
"Of course! Where else would I be?" She jokes before stepping away from her friend saying, "You look great, Dana!"
Rolling her eyes, Scully dismisses the comment before asking about Trent. While the friends talk, Maggie and Chloe make sure the room looks nice before all the guests show up. Ten minutes later, Rachel and Anna show up with gifts and to lend a helping hand where needed.
Once the party starts, Scully is amazed at the friends that come. A few of her friends from church, Ellen, Rachel, Monica and other work friends are all in attendance. She even receives gifts from Tara and Kim. To say she is overwhelmed by the love is an understatement.
When the games are played, the gifts given, and all the guests but Maggie, Ellen, Rachel, and Anna are left, Scully looks around the living room spotting the gift she hid near the window.
"Chloe? Could you hand me that present over there, Sweetie?"
Surprised she never saw it before, Chloe ends her conversation with Anna and heads over toward the front window, where a green bag with tissue paper sits tucked between the wall and the desk. Walking back over to her mom, the teen hands her mother the present. Sitting next to her to see what it is, the teen is surprised when she is given back the gift.
"Open it," Scully encourages. Confused, Chloe takes out the tissue and stares at the gift.
"It's adorable. The baby will love it."
"Take It out of the bag."
Doing as she is told, Chloe is surprised to see a full length quilt inside.
"Mom, it's gorgeous!"
"Open It."
Unfolding the blanket, the teen is surprised to find her name sewn into one of the squares.
"You got me a gift?"
Nodding, Scully asks, "Do you like it?"
"I love it!" Chloe exclaims as she looks over the different squares. After a moment she asks if the fabric is from her old baby clothes.
"That and some toddler clothes. I had the woman who made it send it to Mom's. She brought it today."
"But, why?" Chloe asks trying to figure out why she is getting a gift. Hearing the words, Scully's heart nearly breaks. All these years as her mother, Scully wonders how her daughter can question why she does the things she does for her. Finding her voice, Scully explains gently, "Because you're my daughter, and I never want you to forget that. Your dad and I may be having this baby, but I wanted a way for you to remember that you'll always be my– our, first born."
By now, the rest of the women who have left the room to feign cleaning up, now stand in the entryways of living room all but sobbing as they watch the mother and daughter sitting on the couch hug.
"I love you," Chloe mumbles as she buries her face in the crook of her mom's neck crying.
"I love you too, Baby," Scully soothes as she smooths her daughter's hair.
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