Ok but William showing up on Mother’s Day with flowers with card that says “for mom” as his first time calling her that and a pink onesie that says “mommy is smarter than daddy” and she just cries the whole time because pregnancy hormones
Thank you so much for this prompt, anon. It got really long, so more under the cut. It may not be exactly what you asked for, but this is where the muse took me. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone! Set, of course, after MSIV.
He's been thinking about it for weeks.
There was no question which flowers to get his mom, the woman who raised him, for Mother's Day. 16 long-stemmed red roses for every year that she was part of his life. One is missing, is reserved for his other mother, and always has been. This year she has a face and a name. The idea had been his mom's, back when he was still a child. He'd always known he was adopted and whenever he'd asked about his birth mother, his mom had said that she, too, loved him very much. She, too, deserved to be honored on this day for giving him life, for caring for him in his first year on this earth. So one rose was hers, always.
This year everything is different. The 16 roses don't find their home in a vase, in the middle of their dinner table where everyone could see them. That home doesn't exist anymore. Jackson puts them on his mom's grave now, traces her name with an unsteady finger before he rests his palm there against the sun warmed stone. He does the same for his dad, before he pushes his hands into his pockets and trots off.
Mulder, trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing, asked him if he needed a ride. That was last week. Jackson declined saying he needed to do it alone. Now he wishes he'd taken Mulder's offer. Jackson climbs into his car. The single rose is on the passenger seat, waiting. This year it's just not enough. He starts the car and hopes for a flower shop along the way; Mulder and Dana live in the middle of nowhere, far away from the busy living in the city.
They told him he could stay there, too, with them. If he wanted to. These days Jackson doesn't know what he wants. He feels as if someone has thrown him into an ice cold pool, his hands bound behind his back, expecting him to stay over water. They, his birth parents, just want to help him. They give him money, call him, feed him. They care for him. Jackson does, too. He cares for them, deeply. He doesn't want to, not at all. He's tried to stay away only to find himself steering towards their house, staying longer and longer, unwilling to leave. He knows they love him, a version of him anyway. But there's a new baby coming. One they both assure him is not a replacement for him. They want him in their life, in his sibling's life. He's going to be a big brother.
The thought scares him, humbles him, too. He's always wanted a little brother or sister. Now that dream, albeit a bit late, is coming true.
The only flower shop Jackson knows is in the mall and so he drives there even though it's a detour. He doesn't want to be late, though he fears he is going to be anyway. He should have thought about this earlier. Should have considered getting Dana a real gift and not just a single rose. She is not part of this tradition, doesn't know anything about it. The mall is packed. There are flowers everywhere, balloons, too, in red, pink and white. As he rushes through the crowds, his hands hidden in his pockets, he passes posed pictures of mothers and their children of all age groups. He's never even asked Dana if there are any of them together. Of him and her, of all three of them together as a family.
In his rush, he almost doesn't see the baby store. His sneakers squeak as he comes to a stop right in front of a huge store window. More pink, more mothers holding babies grinning back at him. But he doesn't really see any of it this time. His eyes are fixated on what the fake baby is wearing. It might not be a gift for Dana per se, but he knows he needs to buy it. Babies gurgle and cry in the store and Jackson, stepping from one foot to the other, just wants to get out of there.
He's clinging to the onesie wondering how his little sibling will fit in there. It's that tiny. But so is Dana. Mulder, however, is not. He makes a mental note to ask Dana if she has any pictures of him as a newborn, if there's anything she can tell him. She said he could ask her whatever he wanted, whenever he felt like it. He's planning on cashing in on that promise and soon.
The flower shop is even worse. His nose tickles, the humid aroma too rich. He doesn't know much about flowers. Or, rather he knows nothing. He should have asked Mulder what flowers Dana likes. Jackson doesn't know. There are so many things he doesn't know about these people that he, at least in his mind, sometimes, calls his parents. He decides to go with tulips. They're beautiful, graceful and remind him of Dana.
"How about a card for your mom?" the vendor, an elderly woman, asks as he's paying, wrapping the flowers up.
"Sure." Jackson answers uncertainly.
"What do you want it to say?" His face feels warm as he stares at the woman. Her hands work without looking, her eyes are on him. She seems taken aback by his obvious discomfort. He can't exactly tell her about his complicated family life.
"For mom," he croaks out. He hasn't said it yet, not out loud. Today, he thinks, is the perfect day. If it doesn't work, if somehow he decides to take a step back, he can blame it on this day. It works. Jackson smiles at her, still a bit hesitantly.
"Your mother will love these flowers," the woman promises with a wink. Jackson nods, thanks her. It's all he can do.
There's something on his mind as he steers towards the big farm house. He can't quite put his finger on it, can't tell what it is. Something is bothering him. He reaches far inside, relaxes. It's not Dana. She's not in distress, she's fine. So it's him.
Jackson parks the car and doesn't get out. For all he knows Mulder is watching from a window, waiting. He does these things, sometimes. Jackson takes the small onesie in his hand, feels the soft cotton against his skin. He smiles. He grabs the flowers and adjusts the card on the paper. That's it. It's the card.
It says "For mom" in beautiful gold letters, but it's not enough. Jackson rummages through his backpack in search of a pen. He doesn't even think as he scribbles words on the card, knows exactly what he wants to say all of a sudden.
The door opens the moment Jackson gets out of the car. Mulder gives him a sheepish look and Jackson tries not to grin, but fails.
"Hey, kid," he greets him, patting him on the back. He knows he wants to hug him. Both he and Dana always want to hug him. It's as if sometimes they're not sure he's even real.
"Hey," Jackson replies back, looking around nervously, but Dana is nowhere in sight.
"She's inside, trying to cook. I hope you've eaten already, because I can't promise that whatever she's making is edible." Mulder chuckles and his eyes fall on the gifts in Jackson's hands. He feels silly and considers hiding the onesie. Mulder gives him a smile and ushers him inside, not commenting on the flowers or the tiny garment. Jackson is thankful for that.
"Look who I found," Mulder says loudly and Dana turns around. She looks good, Jackson thinks. Happy. He doesn't know her, not really. But he feels her inside of him; she is part of him, as he is part of her. Jackson smiles and shyly walks towards her. Dana wipes her hands against the apron she's wearing. It's not hiding the small baby bump that's steadily growing. Her cheeks are pink, her lips are curled upwards in a warm smile. She doesn't hesitate and takes him into her arms, hugging him tightly and almost squishing the flowers Jackson is holding.
"I missed you," she breathes into his hair. Jackson swallows. Dana has never been cold towards him, but this is new. Mulder is the one who is more tactile. She tends to ask him first, testing the waters before she touches him. Not today, apparently.
"I have a gift for you," Jackson says hoping she'll let go of him. She does. Her eyes grow bigger in surprise.
"A gift? You really didn't have to-" Jackson shoves the flowers towards her and she makes a sound he's never heard before.
"Oh Jackson." Her voice crumbles, sounds close to breaking.
"Mulder, look." Dana gently touches a finger to one of the tulips. She sniffs them, sighs happily, if a bit shakily. The card peeks out and Dana takes it. Then, without warning, she starts crying.
"I'm sorry," Jackson says, apologizes with his words and his hands, "I didn't mean to make you sad. I didn't mean to." He turns to Mulder, lost and confused. He joins them and takes Dana into his arms. He throws Jackson a look that's apologetic.
"She does that a lot lately," he says silently, glancing down at Dana and kissing her head.
"I'm sorry," she sobs, laughing and confusing Jackson even more, "it's the hormones. Thank you, Jackson. Thank you so much. I love it. I love you." He's back in her arms, sandwiched between her and Mulder.
"'For mom'", his father's deep voice says, reading from the card, "'thank you for never giving up.'" Jackson hears another sob and this time he can't even tell if it's Mulder or Dana. They're holding him tighter as if never wanting to let him go again.
"I have something else," he says, but this time they don't let go, "Another gift."
Dana's eyes are red-rimmed, but she doesn't look sad. Jackson brushes a lock of hair out of his eyes. She blinks at him, still smiling, and he nods. He unfolds the tiny pink onesie and regrets it immediately. There's that sound again and before he knows what's happening, Dana is crying anew.
Mulder mouths 'hormones' at him, then hugs Dana close to him. Together they look at the garment.
"'Mommy is smarter than daddy'," Dana says and giggles, hiccups and sobs. "It's true."
"Hey," Mulder protests, but grins. "It really is true," he admits, looking at Jackson and putting his arm around Dana's shoulder.
"I know it's not really a gift for mo- Dana, but I thought it was cute." Jackson shrugs, blushes when he almost slips up. It's one thing to write it on a card. It's another to actually call her that to her face. Her lip quivers again and Jackson searches Mulder's face, not sure what to do.
"Please don't cry again." Both his parents laugh and he finds himself smiling, too.
"Thank you, honey. Your sister is going to love it." Mulder hauls him towards them again and this time he lets it happen, doesn't try to find a way out of it.
Jackson closes his eyes and puts his head against Mulder's shoulder as he soothes Dana, who can't stop crying. He reaches inside himself just to make sure she really isn't sad. Just hormones, nothing more. Jackson sends her happy thoughts anyway, wishes her a happy Mother's Day in his head.
"Thank you," she whispers again and kisses his hair. She's heard him. She always does.
"How about we eat and then we talk a bit, hm? Maybe look at some pictures, too."
"Sounds like a great idea." Mom. He adds it in his mind, knowing she'll feel it.
