My second time of writing this today after a computer fail. This has been floating around in my head since the finale, and is super sickly sweet, so have a bucket or something next to you while reading it.
She was beautiful their daughter, six pounds eight ounces of pure perfection. Petite like her mom and equally determined and strong in nature; dark just like her father; their genes colliding yet again to make a remarkable baby.
She was three weeks early, surprising everyone with her eagerness to be born (impatient like her mom, Mulder had argued; stubborn and unwilling to play by the rules, just like her dad, Scully had countered). But despite her early arrival, she was healthy, to the relief of both her parents, who had spent the best part of seven months worrying about the pregnancy given Scully’s advanced age. And at 3.28am on Thursday 16th September, Baby Girl Mulder entered the world, red, angry and already making her opinions known. Her parents were overjoyed, finally able to relax after months of concern. They’d tried to celebrate Scully’s pregnancy, recalling how when she was expecting William, Mulder had been elsewhere for the most part, namely six feet underground. That pregnancy had been fraught – Scully had spent months hunting for her partner, then mourning him and by the time he’d returned to the land of the living, she was fast approaching her due date. This time however, this time it was different. This time Mulder was there for every bout of morning sickness – and there was a lot of it second time round – every sonogram, every kick, roll and jab, and for every contraction. This time Mulder was there for the birth – in a clean, warm hospital in DC rather than a derelict outhouse in Georgia – whispering words of encouragement, wiping Scully’s brow, feeding her ice chips and not complaining when she squeezed his hand so hard he feared she’d broken a few of his bones. He was there to see his daughter enter the world, hear her cries, cut the cord and deliver her into her tearful mom’s eager arms. Their daughter, their beautiful miracle. It was almost enough to make him believe in Scully’s God.
Scully and the baby had been ordered to stay in hospital for a few days for observation, and Mulder too had stayed for as long as possible, until Scully had insisted he go home and shower, reminding him that at least one of them should attempt some sleep before they took the baby home. He’d obliged, even remembering to shave, but found himself both too wired and too used to having Scully back in his bed to sleep. But finally the day had arrived for him to take his girls – “his girls” – the words still filled his heart with joy and brought a goofy smile to his face – home. He’d arrived at the hospital bright and early, well aware that Scully was eager to get home. She was a brilliant doctor but a terrible patient, and was already making the medical staff’s lives a misery by trying to take over. Mulder was surprised they hadn’t tried to discharge her just minutes after giving birth.
“Scully, these clothes are drowning her.”
As she finished buttoning her blouse, Scully followed Mulder’s gaze to her daughter, her cream-colored sleepsuit clearly too big for her. She smiled, watching as Mulder carefully transferred his sleeping daughter into the baby carrier without waking her. He may have had the magic touch, but Scully suspected it was more to do with them having a very laid back baby, though how long that would last was anyone’s guess.
“This car seat is too big for her too. She looks like she’s about to fall out.”
Slipping on her jacket, Scully then approached her partner, reaching out to help him with the straps on the seat. Sleeping babies he could deal with, safety straps he could not. “Give her a few weeks and she’ll be too big for them,” she replied. “William was already too big for his newborn clothes when he was born…” She trailed off, smiling sadly. It still hurt to think of their son, wherever he was. Scully was convinced he was alive – over the past few months she’d experience a couple of visions which she believed William was responsible for. He was alive, he was safe and on the move, and Scully only hoped that one day they’d see him again. Despite what Skinner had told her that fateful evening, and what she’d told Mulder when she was deep in shock, she knew the truth. William wasn’t an experiment, he was their son, their flesh and blood, and both she and Mulder loved him with all their hearts. “If she eats like her Daddy we’ll be needing bigger clothes sooner than we thought,” she added, attempting to lighten the mood.
Mulder smirked. “Any excuse for you to go shopping. The nursery is already fit to bursting with baby clothes.” It was true, though he was partly to blame for that, unable to resist a novelty onesie. “Now Little Miss. Are you ready to go home?” The baby was dead to the world, oblivious to what was going on, or that she was about to step out into the big wide world for the first time. Mulder moved to pick up the carrier, but was stopped in his tracks as Scully suddenly stepped in towards him and wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her head into his chest.
He felt her nod against him. “Yeah.” She sniffed, squeezing him tightly, looking down at their daughter. “I just want you to know, that I’m sore and exhausted and over-emotional, but right now I’m so happy.” Relaxing, Mulder rubbed her back, kissing her crown. “I love you.”
He smiled. “Right back at you. And you think you’re sore? I think I’ve lost the ability to grip anything with my right hand after you broke it the other day, which could seriously dampen my plans for the next six weeks or– ow!” Scully pulled back, her hand connecting with his chest, breaking the moment. “Alright alright, not as sore as you, I get it.” Kissing her again, this time on the lips, Mulder reached for the baby carrier. “C’mon,” he said. “Let’s go home.”
Scully smiled to herself as she watched Mulder walk through the hospital corridors, proudly parading the baby for all to see. He was completely and utterly devoted to his daughter – they both were – and it was moments like this that made Scully’s heart contract, and realize that every moment of worry, of pain and angst was worth it to see him showing off his little girl. After they said goodbye to the nurses who’d been caring for Scully, they made their way to the elevator, Mulder gesturing for Scully enter first, he and the baby following her. As Scully pressed the button for the ground floor, an elderly woman suddenly entered the lift, carrying a beautiful, wrapped bouquet of pale pink roses. She smiled at the family as the doors closed behind her.
“Did you need to go up a floor?” Scully asked, turning her attention back to the buttons.
The woman shook her head. “No thank you dear,” she replied. “I was just on my way out.” She caught Mulder looking at the flowers in her hand. “Oh, I brought these for my sister, forgetting she was allergic to roses.” It was then she caught sight of the carrier Mulder was holding, her face lighting up as she focused on the baby. “Oh my, she’s beautiful. Congratulations.”
Both Mulder and Scully smiled proudly, their eyes darting down to their daughter, who was now wide awake. “Thank you.”
Mulder glanced down at his daughter, who appeared to be looking in the direction of the stranger. “Rose.”
“Thank you,” said Scully. She looked up at the number on the display, frowning as she realized the elevator was yet to move, so she pressed the button again.
“Is she your first child?”
They exchanged a look, before Scully spoke up. “No,” she said, her voice surprisingly steady. “We have a son.”
“He’s a teenager now,” Mulder explained, gently rocking the carrier in case his daughter decided to fuss.
“I bet he loves being a big brother,” the woman said, not realizing just how poignant her words were.
Scully smiled politely. “He’s away right now so hasn’t had the chance to meet her. But we hope one day soon he will.” Suddenly the elevator started moving.
If the woman was confused by Scully’s words, she certainly didn’t show it. “I’m sure he will.”
The elevator suddenly came to a standstill, having reached its destination, and the doors opened. “Here,” the lady said, handing the flowers over to Scully. “A rose for a Rose.” She smiled down at the baby, reaching out to run a gentle hand through Rose’s dark hair.
“Please. I’d rather you had them than they go to waste.”
“Thank you.” Scully accepted the flowers gratefully and watched as the lady walked out of the elevator.
“It was nice to meet you Rose,” she said as she turned back to face them. She then addressed Mulder and Scully. “Good to see you.”
“Thank you –” Before they could say goodbye, the woman had hurried off towards the hospital exit, leaving them in her wake.
“That was nice of her,” said Mulder, stepping out of the cart. “Although you’d think she’d know by now that her sister was allergic to…” he suddenly trailed off, turning to see Scully staring at the flowers with a shocked look on her face. It couldn’t be… “Scully?”
Wordlessly, she reached into the bouquet and pulled out a card.
She held it up for him to see. Mulder edged in closer, remembering his glasses were in the car, until the name appeared in focus for him. His eyes caught Scully’s as realization dawned on him. “Oh my god.” His heart racing, he rushed towards the exit but the lady had disappeared from sight. She could be anywhere by now, he thought to himself. She could be anyone by now.
Moments later Scully was by his side, tears clouding her eyes as she handed him the card to read.
Congratulations on your new arrival. She’s beautiful.
“See you soon,” Mulder whispered, feeling his throat tighten with emotion. Scully nodded, her tears spilling over as she leaned in towards him to steady herself.
“He was here,” she sniffed. “He was right here and he met his little sister. He’s okay Mulder, I told you he’s okay.”
Neither of them could believe what had just happened, Mulder trying to think back over the past few days, wondering whether William had been with them at any other time during their hospital stay. “See you soon,” he repeated. “You hear that Scully? We’re going to see him again soon.”
She nodded, her attention turning to her daughter. “That was your big brother,” she said, her heart full at the realization that for a few brief moments, her family was together, her two babies were together in the same room and meeting for the first time. “That was Jackson.” Standing up straight, she took hold of Mulder’s free hand, noting that he was shaking as much as she was. Smiling at one another, they then stepped out of the hospital doors, ready to make their way home, certain of the fact that one day soon, they’d see their son again.
amandla
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