After Scully and the baby had fallen asleep, the room was quiet except for the soft hum of the heater and the occasional murmurs from the newborn. Mulder sat in the armchair for a while, watching them both. Scully's face, relaxed in sleep, looked younger somehow, though there was still an undeniable weariness from the day's ordeal. The baby, nestled securely in his bassinet, let out a tiny sigh that tugged at Mulder's heart in a way he hadn't expected.
He exhaled quietly, running a hand through his hair. The enormity of the day began to settle in—everything they'd been through, and everything that was still to come. He stood, stretching his legs, careful not to make any noise as he stepped out of the room to give himself a moment to breathe.
In the dimly lit hallway, he almost collided with Lisa, who was carrying a clipboard and seemed to be wrapping up her evening shift. She stopped when she saw him, her expression shifting into one of mild curiosity.
"Everything okay?" she asked, keeping her voice low.
Mulder hesitated for a second, then gave a small, almost shy smile. "Yeah, everything's fine. They're both asleep."
Lisa nodded, her smile warm. "Good. Dana did great, and the baby's as healthy as can be."
Mulder shifted awkwardly on his feet, his hands shoved into his pockets. "So, um... now that the baby's born, Scully—she can... eat whatever she wants again, right?"
Lisa raised an eyebrow, amused. "Within reason, yes. Why?"
"Well," Mulder began, his words a little rushed, "I heard her mention at the baby shower that she'd been craving sushi. I mean, I didn't think much of it at the time, but now... I thought maybe I could get her some. You know, she's probably going to be hungry after everything she just went through. It feels like the least I could do."
Lisa's smile widened, and she tilted her head, clearly charmed by his demeanor. "You're thoughtful, I'll give you that. And yes, sushi's fine now. In fact, you're not the first dad to ask about it. There's actually a 24-hour sushi place across the street. They used to be ten blocks away, but they moved after getting so many late-night orders from here."
Mulder's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?"
"Seriously. It's practically a tradition at this point. New moms bring life into the world, and dads make late-night sushi runs."
Mulder chuckled softly, his nerves easing a little. "So it's really okay if I go grab some?"
Lisa nodded. "Absolutely. Just make sure you get back before they wake up. And maybe throw in some miso soup or something warm—it'll be comforting."
"Got it," Mulder said, already turning toward the elevator. "Thanks."
Lisa watched him go, shaking her head fondly. There was something undeniably sweet about the way he was trying to take care of Scully and the baby, even if he was still finding his footing.
As Mulder stepped out into the crisp night air and crossed the street to the sushi place, he found himself smiling. It felt good—doing something small but meaningful. It was a start. And when he got back to the room, he hoped he'd see Scully's face light up, just like it had during the party when she opened those thoughtful gifts.
It wasn't much, but it was a step toward rebuilding whatever it was they'd lost along the way.