Title: To Breathe Again Author: Maddict e-mail: maddict@jcn1.com Webpage: http://www.stas.net/maddict Rating: PG Spoilers: Requiem, small one for Home, tiny one for my story, 'Maybe After This'. Archiving: Anywhere just let me know! Disclaimer: Je Souhaite. =)~ Summary: A Reunion, some Domestic Bliss, A Tragedy and the Aftermath Feedback: Duh! It's heroin for writers. Author's Note: This is dedicated to Tina, who is not only a fab beta, but the only other RL XF super freak I've ever met. Thanks for everything and sorry you couldn't eat your M&M's. =) And to Lyss, who showed me that you do need to use proper grammar, even when writing fic. Thanks again. ********************* To Breathe Again By Maddict ********************* Dana Scully burst onto the hospital ward, her face awash in concern and elation. She spotted the nurse's station instantly and despite her added bulk, descended upon it in three swift strides. "Fox Mulder," Scully barked at the nurse behind the counter. "Where is he? What room?" Marjorie, a fresh-faced blonde, flushed bright red and began to ruffle through the papers on the desk. Scully, growing impatient, began to tap her fingers on the counter, while glaring at the young nurse. "Um..," Marjorie stammered. "Um.." "Today!" "Hello, I'm Dr. Marks. How can I help you?" A middle-aged man in scrubs asked from Scully's right. "I need to see a patient and your under-trained staff seems to be having extreme problems locating his room number!" "Marjorie, I'll handle this from here. Why don't you go get some coffee?" Dr. Marks offered and waited until she had left before turning back to Scully. "What's the patient's name?" "Fox Mulder." "Are you friend or family?" Scully, amused by this, swept her trench coat away from her petite form, revealing her pronounced stomach while at the same time flashing her badge. "Both. Now, will you let me see him?" "You must be Scully. His room is right this way," Marks said, pointing down the hall. Scully hung her head, instantly humbled by nervous anticipation, as they turned together to walk the short distance. "Are you his doctor?" She asked with a shaking breath. "Yes, would you like to discuss his condition?" "No, not at this time. I would like to review his chart, but if it's all the same to you, I'd really rather just get in there and see him as soon as possible." "Of cour..." "Scully?" A weak, but very recognizable voice asked, interrupting the doctor. At the sound of his voice her head whipped up, her eyes instantly locking with those of the man standing in a doorway no more few feet away. "Mulder," She whispered. Without hesitation, he closed the gap between them, kissing her in sheer desperation. Oblivious to the world around them, they parted slightly and stood staring into each others eyes; Each searching for permanent damage, each find only love and relief. Scully began to run her hand over his beautiful face and through his spiky hair, relishing the feel of him. "Hi," Mulder said softly as he began to trace the new worry lines on her face with one finger. "Hi," Scully replied. "We've got to stop meeting like this." "Wh..," Mulder began, looking confused until realization hit. "Oh, I don't know...some of my favorite memories have taken place in hallways," Smiling sheepishly, he bent down and kissed her again before leading her into his room. He sat down on his bed and still holding her hand looked up into her face. Scully, blushing at the intensity she saw in his eyes, dropped her head again. "Mulder, I uh..," She started but lost her nerve. "I should call Skinner. And the Gunmen. And my mother...yeah...I should..," She turned to go but couldn't. He wouldn't let her go. "Mulder..." "Scully, what's wrong?" He asked, looking up at her with true concern. "I don't want to sound like an egotist, but I'm okay. Really. Ask the doc. And what I've seen, Scully. I have so much to tell you. So much to share with you. You'll never believe what I've seen. What I've learned." "Oh...I have a lot to share with you too, Mulder. And I don't know if you'll believe what I have to say either." "What is it? Did you get a new partner? Is that it?" Mulder asked his face ashen. "Yes, I did get a new partner. But I'm sure she is off doing something sickening like implementing a revolutionary new filing system at the office," Scully said with a disgusted tone and roll of her eyes. "Then what is it? You're scaring me," His brilliant mind began to spin out of control and suddenly it hit him. "This is about the vertigo isn't it?" "Yes," Scully replied solemnly, more nervous than she could ever remember being before. "No, Scully. No. I can't lose you now that we finally have a chance to have something resembling a normal life. The chip...the chip was supposed to be the cure." "It's not the cancer, Mulder. I'm completely healthy," She kept her head hung but knew that his face would be full of confusion. Biting her lip, she let her trench coat fall to the floor as she stepped back into his embrace. She then reached for his hand, placed it on her stomach and looked him in the eye. At first he didn't understand. His face and eyes told her that much. They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity and then it hit him all at once. He jerked almost as though she had struck him and shot an amazed look at his hand. His face split into a wide smile and his eyes, which had only moments before darkened with thoughts of her demise, giddily asked if this news could be true. She nodded in reply and placed a hand on top of his. "But, how?" Mulder asked, unable to wipe the grin from his face. "Best not to question it. But all the tests confirm that the Mulder genes pass muster after all," Scully quipped, allowing herself to enjoy the moment. "I don't think I've ever loved you more than I do at this moment," Mulder sighed and hugged her close, his head resting gently against her abdomen. "Thank God I didn't miss this. Thank God whoever abducted you wasn't a perfectionist. But most of all, Thank God your new partner was a woman." Scully laughed at this and allowed herself to be held, breathing for the first time in months. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~ "I don't know if you should be driving." "Mulder...," Scully said glaring at him from across the kitchen table. "Well, I just don't think it's a good idea. Can't I give you a ride?" Mulder asked pleadingly. "You could, but I want to drive. I have an autopsy this morning and then I'm meeting my mother at the mall at 2." "What if I drive you then I just take the rest of the day off when you're ready to go?" He asked hopefully. "No, I want to drive and you are already an hour late today," She countered, staring him down. "Like I care. Shopping for baby supplies would be the highlight of my paperwork filled day. You'd be doing me a favor." "Susannah getting on your nerves again?" Scully asked with a smirk as she sipped her orange juice, knowing all to well what Mulder was going through. When he had disappeared just 6 months ago, Scully's search reached Mulder-esque proportions. So much so that Skinner assigned her a new partner to reel her back to reality. The young agent who could just barely be called a woman, was not at all what Scully expected. Susannah Gilbert promptly whipped the neglected office into shape; mastering paperwork left undone when leads arose, organizing all of Scully's travel plans, and never once arriving without muffins or bagels for the two of them. Worst of all, Susannah was the kind of person that was so perfect that you desperately wanted to hate her, but couldn't because she was so sweet. And Mulder, consigned to a desk until he passed his psych and firearm reviews, just happened to be caught right in the path of Hurricane Perfection eight long hours a day. "The girl is too perfectly perky. AND she took down my pencils!! Are you SURE that's she's not Krycek in Chanel No. 5?" "For the fifteenth time, aside from the fact that she was hand-picked by Skinner, in five months she has yet to meet with any shady, trench-coated characters in a so much as a lit department store, let alone a underground parking garage. Let it go. It's not an act. She's an innocent," Scully said with finality as Mulder rose from his seat to place his mug and dish in the sink. Sighing, he turned and walked around to her side of the table. "okay. okay. I'll trust you," he said before leaning down to kiss her gently. She returned his embrace, capturing his lips passionately with hers. With reluctance, Mulder pulled away and stared down at the radiant woman before him. "You keep that up and I'm going to be more than an hour late," Mulder said with a mock warning tone. Scully smiled devilishly in response and rose clumsily from the table to walk him to the door. "Have a good day, dear," she said in her best June Cleaver voice. Mulder's face split into a wide smile in before he bent to kiss her swollen abdomen. "Try and keep your mom outta trouble for me, kay?" He whispered. "Mulder, I'm eight and a half months pregnant. What kind of trouble am I going to get into shopping for baby furniture with my mother?" "You never know with a dare devil like you," Mulder replied returning to eye level. Laughing, she threw her arms around his shoulders, kissing him again. As the kiss deepened, she held her right hand to his cheek while he ran one hand up and down her back and laid the other gently against her bulging midriff. "Mulder...," She mumbled against his lips. "Hmmm?" Scully pulled away, face flushed and lips swollen, holding his face in both hands now. "You'd better go before you make us both late." "As I recall it wasn't me that kicked the alarm clock off the night stand last night," Mulder said matter of factly and was rewarded with a rare Scully-blush. Smiling, he kissed her goodbye, then bent to her stomach again and whispered, "Remember our deal, no milestones without me." He turned, grabbed his coat and disappeared down the hallway. ********* "Scully." "Hey Sexy. What are you wearing?" Mulder purred into her ear. "A lab coat, latex, and a smile," Scully replied, not missing a beat. "I wish," Mulder replied with a enthusiastic chuckle. "Well, it's almost true...I just happen to have scrubs under the lab coat. So, what's up?" "I thought I'd call and see if you were free for lunch." "You're in luck, I finished Mr. Spanalzo early. Usual spot?" "Yeah. I'll see you at 12:30." ********* Fox Mulder sat on their bench by the reflecting pool and stared at the body of water before him. He checked his watch and looked in the direction Scully would enter the park. <> The fidgets began to course through him as he checked both watch and entrance in three second intervals. She was now just over thirty minutes late. "Come on, Scully," He muttered under his breath and watched the entrance to the park with growing fear. Finally fed up with waiting he decided to go look for her. "Maybe she has a flat," He told himself. < > "Shut up," he said to no one as he frantically scanned the route she would have taken for any sign of her car. Then, up in the distance he saw what he feared most. Police cars, ambulances and a fire truck blocking off the street. He drew in a shaky breath, parked the car and ran faster than he ever thought possible towards the flashing lights. ********* Later, Mulder would not remember punching the rookie who refused to allow him past the yellow police tape or the stench of alcohol on the other driver's breath as he asked him if he could bum a cigarette. No, all that he would remember of the scene would be the puddle of her blood slowing staining the pavement while everyone around him yelled and ran by in slow motion. But even that image was far away now. It seemed as though it was years not hours ago that he sat in the waiting room gripping Maggie Scully's hand while a doctor told them about the success of Scully's surgery and the tragedy of her subsequent coma. Now, as Fox Mulder stood in Scully's hospital room staring down at her seemingly lifeless body, none of that even crossed his mind. Instead, he clutched his newborn child closer to his chest and wondered when it would be safe to breathe again. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~ "Mulder, you're crazy," Scully said, laughing. "I know, but you love me anyway," Mulder replied, pressing his partner against the door of her apartment with a deep kiss. ********* "Mr. Mulder?" The nurse asked the man passed out in the hard, hospital issue chair. ********* "Okay, now the gel is going to be a little cold," Dr. Matthews said. Mulder gripped Scully's hand tight as he watched the doctor pass an ultrasound wand over her abdomen, then as the black and white screen filled with his first glimpse at their child. Somewhere far away the doctor was saying something but Mulder, overcome with the weight of the moment merely stood staring at the flickering image with awe and joy. ********* "Mr. Mulder?" The nurse asked again, this time resting her hand on his shoulder. ********* "She's losing too much blood! We've got to go in and get this baby!" The surgeon shouted before noticing Mulder standing trance-like in a corner away from the frenzy. "Get him out of here NOW!" "No!" Mulder shouted, snapping of his reverie as two nurses pushed him into the hallway. "That's my baby! SCULLY!" "Stay here," The larger of the two instructed before rushing back into the OR. Feeling more alone than he ever had before, Mulder pulled the surgical cap from his head and threw it on the floor. Hanging his head, he turned and walked down the hall to the waiting room where Maggie Scully sat frozen in fear; her rosary beads clutched in white-knuckled fists. Mulder did not move from the center of the room but heard her gasp and soon felt her hand on his arm. He lifted his head to tell her it was not going well, but found it impossible when his eyes met hers. Instead, he collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "It's all my fault. I should have driven her," He cried into Maggie Scully's mothering embrace. "It's all my fault. It should have been me." ********* "MR. MULDER?" The nurse asked finally raising her voice while giving him a hard shake. "Scully?" Mulder asked, bolting up. "No, Mr. Mulder. I'm sorry. It's time to feed your daughter," The nurse said with sympathy. "Oh, of course," Mulder replied, watching as the nurse reached into the bassinet next to him and handed him his daughter. "Hey, you," he said looking down into the baby's angelic face. He brought her close, kissed her forehead, inhaled that wonderful baby scent and felt his heart ache. He accepted the bottle of formula the nurse was holding out for him, thanked her and watched her leave before turning his attention back to the baby in his arms. "Are you hungry, little one?" Mulder asked while gently placing the nipple of the bottle to her lips. He watched solemnly as the infant began to suck greedily from the bottle and felt tears begin to cloud his vision. Blinking them away, he looked up at the woman lying motionless 5 feet from him. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Do you know that?" He asked the baby. She responded by continuing to drink from the bottle. "Of course you do. You're a very smart girl. What was I thinking?" "Fox?" Maggie Scully asked from the doorway of the room. "Hi, Maggie." "How is she today?" Maggie asked walking over to where he was sitting and ran a hand over her granddaughter's feather-light wisps of red hair. "Good. She's such a good eater...," Mulder said trailing off as he looked up at Scully again. "Fox, why don't I take her while you go for a walk? I think you need some fresh air." "NO," he said urgently and clutched the baby tighter, startling her and making her whimper. "Oh, I'm sorry. Shh...It's okay...it's okay," He soothed and sighed with relief as the child went back to suckling the bottle. "Fox, when was the last time you got some sleep?" "Actually, I was sleeping when they woke me to feed her. I'm fine, Maggie. Really. Thank you for the offer. It's just that I look at her and see Scully. Ya know? I can't be away from her just yet." "She does look just like Dana doesn't she?" "She's got Scully's eyes," he said fondly. "All babies have blue eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if they turned hazel like yours," Maggie sighed. "But she has Dana's smile." "I just glad she didn't get my nose. She's so perfect," he said tearing up again. "You know, maybe you should take her. I think I do need some air," he said as he gently passed her the baby. "I'll be back soon." "Take your time, Fox. Actually, I brought the car seat and baby clothes from your place, but forgot them in the car. Can you go and get them? My keys are in my bag." "Sure," Mulder said, kissing the baby's head once more before leaving the room. Once in the hallway, he felt a maddening wave of sadness sweep over him and bolted out of the hospital. It wasn't until he was actually standing beside Maggie Scully's car, keys in hand, baby supplies in plain sight, that he started to cry. In Scully's room, he would tear up, but he could always control it, push it back and carry on. But here, seeing his daughter's car seat, knowing that Scully would not be there today when he laid their daughter in the crib they'd so carefully chosen, it all suddenly became to overwhelming to handle. He sobbed as deeply as he had when Scully lay comatose after her abduction or when he would visit her bedside when she was battling cancer. He sank slowly to the pavement and wondered, not for the first time, why tragedy couldn't have forgotten them just this once. ********* Fifteen minutes later, Mulder walked back into Scully's hospital room, face still red and swollen from crying, but feeling better and aching to hold his daughter again. What he saw when he entered the room made him stop short and go pale. Maggie and the baby where not in the chair by the bed where he had left them. In fact, Maggie and the baby were not in the room at all. He was just about to yell down the hall when he heard the toilet flush in the private bathroom and the faucet run. Moments later, Maggie emerged. Alone. "Oh, you're back so soon. Do you feel any better?" Maggie asked, noticing the redness of his face and thinking that how good it was that he was finally able to cry. "Maggie, where's the baby?" He demanded. "Oh, a nurse came in and said that they needed her for a moment," Maggie said, smoothing a crease in Scully's blankets. "When was this? And did you recognize this nurse? Was it one of the regular ones? Because Scully and I do have enemies," Mulder informed her, thinking of Krycek and the supposedly dead C.G.B. Spender. "It was Trisha, the blond one and she said she would be back with the baby in a few minutes. Stop worrying, Fox." "'Stop worrying?'" Mulder laughed. "That's a good one. Which way did they go?" "Fox..." "Maggie, I've lost enough this week. I can't lose my daughter too. Which way did they go?" "Dana isn't dead, Fox." "Which way did they go?" He demanded again, ignoring her statement. "I believe they're in the nursery," Maggie sighed and watched him rush off in that direction. ********* "Isn't she gorgeous?" Trisha asked, holding the baby up so that Janice, another nurse on the ward could see. "Beautiful," Janice replied. "Whose is she?" "It's the Mulder baby. Her mother is in a coma. Car accident," Trisha replied in a hushed gossipy tone. "Oh, how tragic." "Yeah, she never leaves the mother's room because the father wants her close. The parents are FBI agents. You wouldn't believe the characters that have been coming by to visit." "So how did you get her out?" Janice asked incredulously. "I told the grandmother that we needed her for a moment. Actually, I should bring her back," "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS? ONE OF YOUR NURSES CAME AND GOT HER, SHE'D BETTER BE HERE SOMEWHERE!" Mulder's panicked voice boomed through the walls of the nursery. "Well, if you'll come in back with me, maybe one of the nurses has her, sir," The head nurse's voice followed almost immediately. "Whoops," Trisha said watched as the door leading to the nurse's station opened and Mulder rushed in. He spotted them instantly and rushed to where the two nurses stood frozen in fear. "There you are. Thank God," Mulder said to the baby, lifting her from the nurse's arms. Clearly relieved, he looked up at the pair of nurses and asked, "Is it okay if I take her back now?" "Yes, I'm sorry. She's so pretty that I just had to show her to my friend here." "Oh. Thank you. That's very sweet. I'm sorry if I seemed crazed." "No, sir. It's completely understood. Why don't I go back to the room with you and help get her ready to go home?" Trisha asked and mentally kicked herself when she saw his pained expression and ashen face. "Okay," Mulder said, looking down at his daughter, who had already snuggled close to him and fallen asleep. ********* "Alright. It looks like you're good to go," Trisha said, buckling the baby in to the car seat. She turned, picked up the clipboard beside the car seat and scanned it. "It looks like all that's left is for you to name her. I'm sure you have a particularly special one picked out for this angel," she said and kicked herself again when she saw Mulder go pale. "Uh...Uh..," Mulder stammered and looked to Maggie in desperation. "We hadn't even talked about that," He turned back to the nurse and began to explain. "I was gone, away for a good part of her mother's pregnancy. I didn't even know about it until I was returned and..." "Returned?" Trisha inquired. "I was abducted. Long story." "Oh you poor dear. You're finally back together and this happens? I'm so sorry," Trisha said, touching his arm. "It's just that I can't name her without Scully. I'm going to have to wait. I'm sorry," "No need to apologize, Mr. Mulder," Trisha said as she handed the car seat to him. "You just take good care of this beauty and when you come to visit her mom, maybe you'll bring her by to see us." "Sure. Thanks for all your help." Mulder said warmly. "Come on, Fox. Let's get this precious girl home," Maggie said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Mulder gave one last look at Scully for the day, nodded in agreement and allowed her to lead him out of the room. ********* "Do you need to stop for anything? Do you have everything you need?" Maggie asked once they were all buckled in and heading towards Scully's apartment. "I don't think so. I don't know what we have. Is there anything you can think of?" Mulder replied despondently. "No, it appeared that Dana had everything you'll need for now. But how 'bout after I drop you off, I go and pick up some food for the two of you? I don't know what I was thinking, the grocery store is the last place you need to be right now." "Maggie, I'm not the only one who has been effected by this. We're both in pain. You shouldn't have to do take care of me." "Actually, it takes my mind off of...things. So, don't worry. I want to do it," Maggie said, offering Mulder a warm smile while giving his hand a quick squeeze. "Besides, Dana is going to pull out of this." "I wish I had your optimism," Mulder replied, looking out the window. "Fox, do you remember when Dana was abducted I told you that I had dreamt that she would be taken?" "Are you trying to tell me that you've had another vision and that she'll be okay because she pulled through last time?" Mulder asked incredulous. "Because as I remember it, I ended up waiting with you while you had her headstone carved." "No, Fox, I don't think she will pull through because she did the last time. I think she'll pull through because this time dream is not of the accident, but of you, Dana and that little girl." "I'm sorry. It's a beautiful thought, but I don't see how you can pin all your hopes for Scully's health on a dream." "I'm shocked at you, Fox. I thought you believed in everything," Maggie said, giving him a Scully look. "And for your information, I've been having that dream for two weeks. That's 10 days longer than that baby has been alive. How could I have dreamt of someone I'd never even met?" "Again, it's a beautiful idea, Maggie. But I think I'll wait and see what the doctors say." "And I thought Dana was supposed to be the skeptic," Maggie said and gave him a sideways glance. "What are you going to do about work?" She asked, trying to change the subject. "Officially, I'm on a leave of absence," Mulder sighed. "However, if anything big comes up the new girl, Susannah, will brief me of the situation and we'll go from there." "I know you don't think so, but the FBI has been good to you. You're lucky you have such an understanding boss." "I guess I do," Mulder replied, thinking that Skinner had probably made the offer out of guilt more than anything else. "Well, here we are. Let's get this cutie upstairs and in bed," Maggie said parking the car and getting out, leaving Mulder to stare at the building before him with dread. ********* "There you go, sweetie," Mulder said laying the baby in her crib. He then reached up and switched on the mobile of planets and comets dangling over it. "It's perfect, you know," Maggie said from behind him. "What is?" Mulder asked turning to see her standing solemnly in the doorway. "The nursery. The clouds and open sea on the walls, the galaxy of stars on the ceiling. Science and imagination. It's you and her." "Did you help her do it? It was all done before I came back," Mulder asked looking up at the painted ceiling. "No. I had no idea. The first time I saw it was this morning when I came for the baby's things." "She didn't have the furniture. Just the rocking chair. she said she was waiting for me. Just like I'm waiting for her," Mulder confided, tearing up. "She'll be okay, Fox," Maggie soothed, stepping into the center of the room. "She went through so much while you were gone that this coma is just her body resting after running non-stop for so long." "But comas can last years. I can't leave my child nameless that long," Mulder sighed, looking down at his sleeping daughter. "What did Scully want to name her children when she was a child? She once told me that she had it all planned with Melissa. Do you know what she wanted?" "Well," Maggie said with a cryptic smile. "Opinions, wants and desires do change with age. But let's say that if in six months Dana isn't better, I'll tell you." "I guess I can live with that," Mulder said, more than a little disappointed. "It's a deal then," Maggie said, moving back to the doorway. "I'm going to go and see what you have in the fridge and then head out to the store. Is there anything in particular that you desperately need?" "The store doesn't have what I need," Mulder said not looking up from his careful study of his daughter's features. "But sunflower seeds and iced tea will do, I guess. "Okay, then. I'll be back in an hour or two. Get some rest. If not for me, for the baby. She needs you healthy," Maggie said, in her best mothering tone. "I'll try," Mulder said turning and smiling to her. "Thanks again. "It's the least I can do for the man that makes my daughter smile. That's no easy task, as I'm sure you know," Maggie said and disappeared down the hallway. A few minutes later Mulder heard the front door open and close. Sighing, he flicked on the baby monitor and carrying the receiver, walked into the bedroom he shared with Scully for such a short period of time. He opened closet and was instantly greeted with the sweet smell of her. Aching for more, he stepped inside and pressed his nose to one of her black tailored suits. That was better, but still not enough. He stepped deeper into the closet and wrapped his arms around as many articles of clothing as he could. But that still was not enough. Sobbing uncontrollably, he sank slowly to the floor, bringing all her sensible black suits with him. Moments later, he didn't know how long, Mulder realized that the baby was crying. Quickly wiping tears from his face, he rushed into the nursery and picked up the wailing child. "Hey, it's okay. Did Daddy leave you alone?" Mulder asked of the child whose screams were now no more than a whimper. "I'm sorry. Come on, we'll go lie down in Mommy and Daddy's room. You need your rest you know. He carried the now calm child into the master bedroom and set her in the bassinet Scully had set up in one corner of the room. Mulder then picked up bassinet and child, moving them next to his side of the bed. He was just about to go back into the nursery for an extra blanket when inspiration struck. Smiling to himself, he walked over the Scully's bureau and got one of her old t-shirts out of the middle drawer. He brought it to his nose and was once again greeted with her all-too-familiar scent. "Perfect," Mulder said to himself and walked back to cover the sleeping child with the garment. Pushing back the covers and kicking off his shoes, Mulder finally climbed into bed. He lay there for a long time, lazily stroking his daughter's back before falling asleep himself; his hand resting gently over the faded words 'University of Maryland.' ********* An hour later, when Maggie returned with two arm loads of groceries she was surprised to find that Mulder was not camped out on the couch watching TV or on the phone to the hospital. She set the groceries on the counter and walked down the hall to the nursery. Finding it empty, she then tried the master bedroom and found he'd listened to her after all. Maggie stood there and watched them sleep for awhile, equal parts awed and saddened by the beautiful sight; wishing that it could be Dana and not her who was standing here to witness it. Deciding quickly, Maggie walked to the hall closet, instantly finding what she was looking for. She then returned to the bedroom, aimed the Polaroid at the occupants and snapped the perfect picture. "There. Now she's not missing it," Maggie said to herself, walking over and setting the picture on the night stand on Mulder's side of the bed. She bent, kissed the top of her granddaughter's head and walked out of the room and into the kitchen to unload the groceries. ~~~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~~~ -FOUR MONTHS LATER- Fox Mulder sat at the desk in Dana Scully's apartment and sighed. A large, leather-bound journal lay open before him, already bulging and well worn after only four months of use. He smiled as he flipped through the pages, watching his daughter grow all over again through pictures and detailed entries. Reaching the last page, he ran a hand over his face, plucked a pen from the pen jar and began to write. Wednesday, May 9th, 2001 ~4 months and 5 days old~ More and more I see who our daughter is becoming; the person she will someday be. She is giggling more than ever and every smile reminds me of you. You'd be amazed, Scully, if you could see how like us she is. I swear she gave me 'the look' the other day. She is playing by herself more and even trying to sit up. Dr. Patterson told me it would be okay to try and feed her baby cereal. Let me tell you, that is an experience. We only do it once a day, at lunch, but the mess is unbelievable. I doubt if she gets any more than a tablespoon full actually IN her mouth, but we have a fun time trying. They want me to go back to work. Susannah came by last night with a case that I would have been chasing rabidly six months ago, but I told her it wasn't possible. She left disappointed but that's not my problem. Well, I hear someone's up from her nap and calling my name. But before I go, I have to tell you that I'm hoping more than usual that you will wake up soon because I'm running out of things that smell like you. Almost all of your shirts and sweats have been spit up on and at this rate, I'll be dipping into your Donna Karan Collection by next month. So please, come back to me. M. ~ Mulder set the pen back in the pen jar and marked his place with a picture of his daughter covered in baby cereal, taken just yesterday. As he got up to answer the child's cries, he made a mental note to glue the picture in place later that night. ********* In Scully's sun drenched kitchen, Fox Mulder ducked mockingly as his daughter spat out another mouthful of baby cereal. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," Mulder said in a serious tone. "The truth is I'm worried about you. I think you've let yourself go. I mean look at you. You have more cereal on you than in your mouth," The little girl in the bouncer looked at him as if she understood perfectly, mirroring his 'panic' face. "I think there's only one solution." he said, shaking his head before reaching out and tickling her pudgy stomach. He was instantly rewarded with a squeal and giggle and felt his face split into a wide smile as he laughed along with her. Mulder had just gotten up to wet a wash cloth when a loud knock thundered throughout the apartment. "It's open!" Mulder called, turning back to the table where he'd set the bouncer. He stopped short and smiled to himself when he saw she was joyfully smearing more cereal on her face. "Ya know what, kiddo? I don't think that's your color," Mulder told her as he moved the tray of food out of her reach. "Hello?" Walter Skinner said meekly from the doorway. "Hey, Skinman. What's up?" Mulder asked jovially, not looking up as began to wipe the baby's face and hands clean. "I told you not to call me that," Skinner said without conviction. "I assume you know why I'm here." "Yeah, I suppose I do," Mulder said, turning to his boss and staring him down. "And I told Susannah my answer. So unless you've come to see Haley, I'd say there's nothing more to discuss." "Haley?" Skinner inquired, confusion consuming his stoic features. "I thought you weren't naming her until Scully..." "Yeah, well...it turns out that the state and the doctors like kids to have names. Have you ever read 'Moby Dick'?" Mulder asked, walking back to the sink to rinse out the wash cloth. "Yeah...in high school." Skinner replied, wondering where this synaptic misfire would lead. "Well, I was calling her Stubb, after the fun-loving second mate, but Maggie said that it would give her a complex." Mulder said, leaning against the counter. "So, I was looking through one of Scully's baby name books and I happened upon Haley. It means unexpected gift, as well as 'thinking of the sea.' It also refers to a pseudonym I used a few times, George Hale," he said, smiling wistfully. "I kinda became a code, an inside joke between Scully and myself." "And the Moby Dick theme?" "Well, Scully's dad always read to her from that book. It was very important to her. She was Starbuck and he was Ahab. She even named her dog Queequeg after the harpoonist," Mulder explained. "If it means anything, I think you made the right choice," Skinner said, thumbing through a stack off Polaroids on the kitchen table. "Oh, now you're just sucking up because you want something," Mulder said, lifting the baby from her bouncer. "About the case..." "I'm on a leave of absence," Mulder said with finality, walking past his superior into the nursery. "Mulder, it would only be a few days. A week tops," Skinner rationalized from the doorway. Mulder, who had been dressing his daughter to go outside, counted backwards from ten to prevent his temper from flaring up and turned towards the man occupying the doorway. "What part of 'no', don't you understand?" "Look, Mulder. I understand that you don't want to be away from the baby, but you could take her with you. Have Mrs. Scully come too, so that someone can watch her during the day." "The FBI would be willing to pay for that?" Mulder chuckled as he turned back to the changing table. "I don't think that would go over well in our next audit." "Um, I know you and Agent Short don't exactly see eye to eye, but when did you start caring about that?" Skinner asked, amused. "Probably about ten minutes after I realized Scully didn't come to my hospital room alone seven months ago," Mulder replied, picking the baby up off the changing table. "Look, if the kid is so green, assign her a partner and have her e-mail me everything. I'll come into the office and talk to her via satellite one hour a day, but I will not be leaving the state. Understood?" "Yes," Skinner sighed with relief. "Thank you so much for doing this." "Now, Haley and I are on our way to the park and you are welcome to join, but we'd be making you late, so..." Mulder offered, walking into the living room. "Late?" Skinner asked, looking baffled. "It's Wednesday," Mulder replied plainly. "Scully's expecting you." "How d...?" Skinner stammered. "Well, it was the flowers," Mulder said, placing the baby in her stroller. "Every Wednesday there are fresh flowers in her room. Now, normally, I would never have noticed them. But, uh, one day I held Haley up so that she could smell them and realized that I had no idea where they were coming from. Trisha, Scully's personal nurse, told me about your visits." "She, uh...always came to see me on Wednesdays when you were gone," Skinner said softly, hanging his head and noticing a very recent picture of Mulder and Haley on top of a stack on the couch table. "It was just progress reports, but it was also lunch. I guess I just began to think of it as our day." Mulder reached out a hand and gripped the large man's arm. "Then you'd better not keep her waiting," he followed his boss's line of vision and handed him the picture. "Take it. I have piles. Literally." "Thank You," Skinner said before bending down, giving the baby a kiss on the forehead and walking out the door. ********* While Fox Mulder sat by the reflecting pool entertaining his daughter with a thrilling X-File, Walter Skinner stood looking out the window of Washington Memorial Hospital room 425. He sighed and wondered what things would have been like if he had caught Dana Scully's eye; if that baby were his. Would Mulder feel the mixed feelings he did? The pain of losing a love to another; the happiness that comes with seeing two friends finally find each other. Who was to say? "Don't tell me you actually got him to go home," a sleep-hoarse voice said from behind him. Skinner gasped and froze in place for a moment, before slowly turning toward the voice. What he saw tested his tough Marine exterior, left his mouth gaping and rendered him momentarily speechless. What he saw was Dana Scully looking back at him and smiling for the first time in four months. To Be Continued...
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