Lisa led Scully into the exam room, her energy as infectious as ever. After a quick check, she leaned back on her stool and grinned at Scully.

"Well, Dana," Lisa said, sliding off her gloves, "looks like you're dilated quite a bit already—about eight centimeters."

Scully's eyes widened slightly. "That far?"

Lisa nodded, her grin widening. "Yep. Have you been having contractions during the shower?"

Scully hesitated, then gave a sheepish nod. "I thought they were Braxton-Hicks."

Lisa raised an eyebrow and gave her a pointed look. "Dana, you're a doctor. You should know better."

Scully shrugged lightly, her lips pressing into a small, apologetic smile.

Lisa shook her head with an amused sigh. "Alright, then. Let's stick to business. Are we sticking to the original birthing plan, or do you want to make any last-minute changes? It's not too late for an epidural."

Scully straightened slightly, her determination shining through despite the discomfort she was clearly in. "Let's stick to the original plan."

Lisa nodded approvingly. "Alright, original plan it is. Did you bring your hospital bag?"

Scully nodded.

"Perfect. Go ahead and change into your birthing gown, and then I want you to do a few laps around the birthing center. Walking will help move things along," Lisa instructed, then tilted her head toward Mulder, who was standing a bit awkwardly in the corner of the room. "And you—are you the guy who's only around for the fun parts?"

Mulder blinked, caught off guard. "Uh…"

Lisa gave him a sly smile, crossing her arms. "You know, conception and birth. None of the fun middle stuff like morning sickness, swollen ankles, or hormonal mood swings."

Mulder looked away, his face heating with embarrassment. "I—"

Lisa cut him off with a chuckle. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. But seriously, I heard that wild story about dying and coming back. How very Jesus of you…" She leaned forward slightly, her grin turning mischievous. "You think you can handle walking with Dana here until it's time to drop the load?"

Mulder opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment, Scully returned from the bathroom in her birthing gown. She looked at the two of them with a mix of curiosity and mild suspicion. "What's going on?"

Lisa stepped aside with a mock-innocent expression. "Just checking if your guy here is ready to step up to the plate."

Scully arched an eyebrow at Mulder, clearly waiting for his response.

He hesitated, then cleared his throat. "If she lets me…"

Scully gave him a long look, then shrugged. "Fine. Let's walk."

Lisa clapped her hands together. "Great! I'll check on you in a little while. Try to stay close, and keep moving. Every lap gets you closer to meeting this baby."

Mulder stepped up beside Scully, and together they started down the hallway. As they walked, he glanced at her, unsure of what to say. She didn't offer anything either, focusing instead on her breathing and the rhythmic pace of her steps.

After a few minutes, Mulder ventured cautiously, "You okay?"

Scully shot him a sideways glance, her lips twitching in the faintest hint of a smirk. "Define 'okay.'"

"Point taken," he muttered.

They continued walking in silence, the tension between them softened slightly by the shared purpose of the moment. Despite the awkwardness, Mulder found himself surprisingly steady at her side.

For the first time in months, he felt like he was exactly where he needed to be.