After the Future 4 - (R)

There wasn’t a comfortable chair in the whole clinic. Oh face it, there wasn’t a comfortable seat on the whole planet right now. Her back had been hurting even more today. She looked up when Beth stuck her head in the door.

"Dana? You want some juice or anything? I know you didn’t eat breakfast."

"How many mothers do I have to put up with?" Dana groused.

Beth smiled at her and watched as she struggled up from the chair. Her hands twitched to help Dana, but she’d been forbidden.

Scully was on her feet, but hadn’t let go of her desk when she felt the strangest sensation, a gush of warm water and an immediate tightening of her stomach muscles.

"Dana!"

"I’m okay, really I am. You better go get Mulder. He’ll go ballistic if he doesn’t know immediately."

"Will you be all right?"

"Yes. I’ll clean up. Go on." She nodded reassuringly to Beth, who headed out the door.

When Beth got to Mulder’s office, Kevin was not at his desk. She assumed he must be in with Mulder. She tapped on the door, but stuck her head in without waiting for a response. Everyone looked up, but she had eyes only for Mulder. His eyes locked with hers and he was on his feet. "The baby?"

She nodded. He was already around the desk. "Is she okay?"

"She’s fine." And stepped out of his way. He caught the jacket Skinner threw to him and was out the door.

He fairly burst into her office and froze. She was sitting on the very edge of her chair, her eyes closed concentrating, breathing deeply with her fingers gripping the edge of the desk.

"Scully." It came out as a whisper.

She opened her eyes then and smiled at him. He found he could move again and was at her side. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine, Mulder. I just sent for you because I knew you’d be upset if I didn’t."

"You’re right there. What do we do?"

"I want to go to the house."

"Okay. Do you want Beth to go get Mom?" He helped her to her feet and into her coat.

"No. I want her there in a little while, but I think I’d like to be alone with you for now. This is so personal, Mulder, a child coming from my body. I just want this time, before I need the others, to be private - just the two of us."

He pulled her against him. "You know how much I love you?"

"Yeah." He had his arm firmly around her. "Mulder, you’re not planning to wrestle me to the ground, are you?"

"Oh, sorry." He loosened his grip slightly and they headed toward the house. They were nearly there when he realized her steps were lagging. "Scully?"

"Just a minute." She sounded a little breathless.

"Another contraction?" She nodded. When she was ready they went on to the house. He took her coat and tried to head her toward the bedroom.

"No Mulder. I need to stay up; walk. Keep gravity on my side."

"The baby’s already lower."

"Good eye. It dropped when my water broke."

"It’s early." He couldn’t keep the concern completely from his voice.

She nodded, "Three weeks. That’s not too bad. Everything should be fine." That didn’t cause the strained look to leave his face. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah. I just feel kind of helpless right now."

She held out her hand to him. "There’s no one more necessary to me. Especially now. You need to relax, so that I can."

"Sorry. I’m a little keyed up here." She smiled up at him.

"Walk with me." She put her arm around his waist and he reciprocated. He walked at her pace, at first around the back of the house down to the lake and back. As the contractions became more severe they returned to the house. She chose to try to nap for a while and did actually fall asleep with him wrapped protectively around her, his hand softly rubbing her stomach. The contractions were five to seven minutes apart now, and he was more than ready to head back to the clinic. His one suggestion to that affect was dismissed out of hand; so he dropped it temporarily.

She kept moving, trying to find a comfortable position. She knew it wasn’t possible, but the movement itself helped. She would perch on the side of the bed for one contraction, then let herself be supported by Mulder for the next. She wasn’t aware that she had begun moaning with the contractions until she saw his face.

"Maybe you better send Beth for Mom now."

"We need to get you over to the clinic." He half turned to reach for her coat again.

"No. I’m staying here."

That stopped him for an instant, "We don’t have time. . . ?"

"We have plenty of time Mulder, more than I really want right now. I’m having the baby here."

"Scully – "

"We can fight about this later. Right now, I really think you ought to send for Mom." She was doing her breathing again, more for something else to think about besides the pain than for any real relief.

He waited until the contraction had crested then settled her again on the side of the bed and headed for the door. Beth was in the kitchen, she’d been so quiet he hadn’t realized she had taken up her post. "She wants Maggie."

"I’ll be right back."

Beth hadn’t had to go far to find Maggie. She’d been waiting with Walter in the office where she’d been doing almost as much pacing as Dana. She and Dana had discussed this and she did understand her need to be alone with Fox for a while. At the sight of Beth she turned to Walter.

"Go on Maggie, she needs you."

"Aren’t you coming?"

"You want me there?" He looked surprised and a little uneasy. He’d never been in this kind of situation.

"Yes. I do. I’ll just feel better if you’re there."

"Okay." He rose to his feet, all debate over if she wanted him there.

*****

"Dana, Honey, how are you doing?" Maggie entered the room to see Fox bathing her face with a cool cloth.

"Okay I guess." Maggie smiled, an answer she expected from her Dana. "I am ready for it to be over. I think. . . " She stopped talking and Mulder began the breathing to guide her, his hands on her lightly rubbing her abdomen trying to help ease the tension.

"That’s the way Sweetheart. Deep cleansing breath. Okay, try to relax." His voice was soothing to her, and she knew without his hands on her the pain would be more than she could bear.

"That was a good one, Dana." Maggie looked up from her watch. "If they’re lasting that long it shouldn’t take much longer. Has Beth examined you?"

Scully lay her head back against Mulder, conserving her strength. He answered for her. "Not yet, but I think it’s time." Scully nodded wearily.

"I’ll try to be gentle Dana." Beth was pulling on her gloves. She’d been listening quietly while assembling the supplies they needed.

Scully didn’t bother to answer. At this point she wasn’t sure she’d notice being stabbed. "You’re doing great, Dana, eight centimeters."

"It won’t be long Sweetheart." Before she could respond she could feel the now familiar tightening in her belly. "I’m right here, let me help you. Breathe with me." He winced at the moans coming from her but made certain she didn’t see. When the contraction ended he looked up to see Maggie watching him with sympathy. He shrugged; no matter what, he couldn’t possibly be anywhere else. This was both better and worse than he had imagined it – her pain was worse, but he hadn’t fainted or otherwise disgraced himself, yet.

He realized she was struggling to sit up and automatically helped even as he questioned her, "Don’t you want to stay – "

No, I need to move." He glanced at the other two women in the room and at their nods lifted her to her feet, not allowing her to bear her own weight.

"Thanks." He supported her on his chest for the next contraction, feeling it against his own body and marveling at her strength. He could feel her begin to get agitated, she who had been so calm through this process. Her hands roamed his body, plucking at his shirt, his arms as she swayed and moaned, unable to be still suddenly. Mulder looked over at Maggie puzzled.

"It’s time." She mouthed, not wanting to speak and distract her daughter from her concentration. His eyes widened, was he truly ready for this? Yes, anything to bring a stop to this pain she was enduring.

"Sweetheart?"

"I need to push." She spoke clearly, calm again, drawing on him to sustain her as she had for as long as she could remember. He placed her back in the bed and started to settle himself behind her, to hold her as she pushed.

"No, Mom will do that."

"What?" Was she sending him away? She didn’t want –

"I want you to take the baby."

"You want. . . but Beth?"

"Please Mulder, you deliver. . . " Again her body took over, robbing her of speech.

Maggie took his hand, "I thought she’d told you. She wants you to deliver the baby Fox. Beth and I are here to help you."

"But I – "

"You can do this Fox. It’s what she wants, and I think you need to hurry." Beth handed him the pair of gloves she was holding as Maggie moved to her daughter’s side.

"The baby’s crowning, Mulder." Beth spoke quietly, as always, but the words sounded like screaming in his ears. She wanted him to do this?

"Like Callie, Mulder." She managed to say before her body took control of her again. Like Callie, yeah he remembered that, watching Scully so competent and assured. He closed his eyes for a second, visualizing the scene, then steadied himself. If she wanted this. . . well, at least Beth was right here with him.

"Dana, push with the contraction, that’s right. The head’s nearly out. Mulder’s got it, That’s good." Beth had taken over the coaching now.

"Scully, stop pushing, just for a minute." He remembered how she had suctioned out the mouth and nose of the infant Callie had delivered, and checked to make sure the cord wasn’t entangled around the baby’s neck.

He and Beth hurried to complete this work as Scully panted. "Go ahead Sweetheart. It’s almost over. I promise. Push."

Scully groaned complying with his instructions, feeling his hands assisting her, wanting this to be done as much as she did. She pushed again, a shoulder finally emerging. Before Mulder’s fascinated stare the child rotated in his hands and the second shoulder appeared. One more groaning push and the child was in his hands. Scully’s trembling from the effort turned to full-fledged shaking and she collapsed into her mother’s arms.

"Scully! Scully are you okay?"

She managed to smile at him. "What is it?"

"A girl, Scully. We have a daughter." Beth clamped the cord and Mulder accepted the scissors, separating the two. Then he laid their screaming daughter on her chest. The baby quieted immediately.

"Oh Mulder." Tears overflowed from her eyes. Mulder was speechless staring at a sight he’d never thought to see. Even these months of knowing it was really going to happen hadn’t prepared him for this sight. This woman, the only woman he’d ever really loved, holding their child was too much for him to absorb. "Mulder?"

He hadn’t realized he was crying too. She took his hand and laid it on the baby, just being silent together. The others in the room were forgotten.

Beth allowed it for a few moments, then, "Dana, we need to finish this up." Scully nodded not taking her eyes from Mulder. Maggie took the tiny girl to clean her up, leaving Mulder to help with the afterbirth. His eyes followed the baby for a second, then were back on Scully. She nodded to him and he eased her up for a final push.

Beth took the placenta away, finally giving them some privacy. They held each other, not needing words. She took a deep breath, pressing her face into his chest. He tightened his hold on her, kissing her hair. When she finally looked up at him he asked "So when did you decide you were going to have the baby here and have me deliver it?"

"The night I found out she was coming. While I was out walking."

He gaped at her, "That night? I wasn’t even sure you were coming back that night. Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I wasn’t sure you could handle knowing for too long. You’d worry and try to change my mind."

"Well yeah."

"Go get her Mulder, I need to see her." He grinned and nodded. He kissed her again and rose from the bed.

*****

Maggie had come out of the bedroom carrying the newest Mulder, all clean and ready for company. She stopped and let Charlie and Mary see her. Then she headed over to Walter where she placed the child in his arms against his protests. He’d never held a baby, much less one fifteen minutes old.

"What do you think, Uncle Walt?"

Walter smiled down at the sleeping baby, obviously secure in his arms. "I think I’d rather be her grandfather."

Maggie looked up at him, eyes wide. "Are you. . . ?"

"Marry me Maggie."

Before she was over her shock enough to answer, Charlie spoke, "Let’s get out of here Mary. Watching my Mom kissing my new Dad could warp me sexually when I grow up."

"If you grow up." was Mary’s comment as they headed out the door.

Walter was blushing slightly, he’d honestly forgotten they weren’t alone.

"Walter, I come with a lot of baggage, not to mention the age thing."

"Then don’t mention it. Maggie between Viet Nam and my job at the FBI, you’ll never be as old as I already am."

"You’d never have children of your own."

"Like I could trust Mulder to raise this child without my help. Please Maggie."

"Yes." She laughed, "Yes, I will marry you."

"Let’s practice warping Charlie’s psyche."

That’s what they were doing when Mulder emerged from the room looking for the baby. "Hey guys. Not in front of my daughter. Don’t you have a car you can go park in?" But he was grinning.

"Mulder, I’ve asked Maggie to be my wife. Do we have your blessing?" Mulder stopped dead still, had he really heard that? A smile began growing on his face. "Is that a yes?"

"Yeah. Oh yeah! Hot damn!" He hugged Maggie to him. Skinner as father-in-law? If Bill ever found his way here, that would really ring his chimes.