Title: Empty Hearts Can’t Be Broken II

Author: Angel

Rating: NC-17 all the way

Classification: MSR, Smut, Fluff, Case file, yadda yadda yadda

Spoilers: I guess through season 6 or so. The only thing you need to know is that Mulder’s mother is still alive.

Archive: Please! Anywhere is fine, just drop me a note so I can take a look at the site.

Disclaimer: Umm.. no. Not mine. CC, 1013, Fox Network own the x-files and all characters. Except the ones you have never heard of… those are mine, not that anyone wants them. ‘Jurassic Park’ isn’t mine either. No money made, no infringement intended. Please don’t sue me I don’t have much.

IMPORTANT: You must read the first of this series or you will be lost. I tried to keep this fast moving so you wouldn’t get bored. Let me know if I did ok. WARNING: I think I got a little sappy during this one… oh well I got it out of my system so I can go back to writing ‘normal’ fanfic… maybe =).

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Scully and Mulder waited nervously in AD Skinner’s office. Today was the day. They were going to tell him they were getting married. They had told everyone else already, they put him off last, and it had almost been a week. Everyone was excited and couldn’t wait for them to set a date. Margaret was over all the time with Modern Bride and other wedding magazines for them the look through. They settled to plan for a state wedding. Scully always wanted to be married in a church but Mulder couldn’t do it. For many reasons. At first Scully was upset about it, it was her dream. She and Melissa had their church weddings planed by the time they were both 14; her mother and father had funds saved for such a thing. But it didn’t matter to Scully anymore. It was just a church. She believed in God with all her heart, but she loved Mulder with her soul.

"Agents, Mr. Skinner is ready to see you." Kimberly called politely.

Mulder looked at Scully and gave her a nervous smile. Her stomach just tied into a knot the size of Texas.

"Come on. Don’t be shy." Mulder teased as he rose from his chair.

"I’m not shy Mulder, I’m scared shitless." She hissed at him.

Mulder chuckled. "Me too." He lead her towards the door which Kimberly held open for them

"Agents. Please sit down." Skinner motioned from his chair to the others across the desk. He was glancing over a file in his hand. Once seated he continued. "You wanted to speak with me?"

Scully opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She looked over at Mulder.

"Agents?" Skinner looked unimpressed.

Mulder cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. "Sir Scully and I have a personal issue we need to inform you of."

Skinner leaned back in his chair and let out an annoyed breath. "If it’s about you two living together I already know that. Just because you still rent your apartment Mulder it hasn’t fooled anyone."

Mulder nodded without eye contact. "It’s not about that." He glanced over at Scully for support but she just bit her lower lip and looked down at his tie.

"Ok… I don’t have all day you know."

"Scully and I are getting married." Mulder spit out in a rush of air. Once the words were out he leaned back into his chair.

Skinner’s jaw dropped open. He closed it, then opened it again. After a few long moments he spoke. "Married?"

Scully nodded quickly realizing she hadn’t helped Mulder at all.

"Uh huh…" Skinner nodded. "Well… First of all congratulations."

"Thank you Sir." They said together.

He nodded slowly. "Second of all…" He started to shake his head. "I don’t even have a second of all, at least not yet. Um… I’m sure you know this is going to cause… a problem. The bureau is NOT going to allow a married couple to work together."

"Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt." Mulder broke in. "Scully and I have been talking about this and we think we can work it out."

"Oh really?" Skinner asked unconvinced.

"Yes." Scully broke in. "We can do it. We’ve worked together without a problem for sometime. We have a high success rate. We can separate the x-files slightly. Work together but with some distance. Separate investigations on the same case." She used her best professional tone.

Skinner leaned forward interlacing his fingers and resting his hands on his desk. "In other words, fake it."

Scully tried to hide her smile. Mulder looked away nervously.

Skinner let out a sigh. "Here’s what I’m going to do." Both agents looked up at him quickly. "I’ll talk with people. See what I can work out. Maybe separate into two divisions. But no promises. And I suggest you pretend you aren’t getting married until the day you actually do." Both nodded in understanding; he was trying to buy them time. "By the way when will that be?" He asked with true interest.

Scully smiled. "We haven’t set a date yet. But Sir, you will be receiving an invitation."

Skinner smiled a little. "I would hope so. I did help save his sorry ass." He pointed to Mulder then slowly stood up, the agents followed. He walked over to the door and opened it for them. "Again I am happy for you two. Now get some work done."

They walked out the door in a daze. They didn’t speak until in the elevator, after the few other passengers got out.

"Well… That was interesting." Mulder said confused.

"Yeah." Scully answered.

"Not quite what I thought would happen, but it went well."

"Very well." Scully agreed.

They walked into their office and sat at respective desks, silent for some time before Mulder said anything. "So you think this will work? Separate divisions?"

Scully let out a snort of laughter. "Are you kidding Mulder? The bureau isn’t going to buy it, unless they want to that is."

Mulder nodded and started to laugh. "Well how long do we have before we have to worry?"

"Huh?"

"The date Scully? You better set that date soon."

"Mulder WE are going to set it, not just ME." She said seriously.

He smiled at her and looked at his watch. "I’m ready when you are."

She let out a long breath. "I’ll talk my mother tonight, we’re planning on sitting down and figuring out as many details as we can."

Mulder smiled happily and pick up the latest file to work on.

Margaret let out an annoyed sigh. "Well what do you want then Dana? Roses are romantic." She turned to look at Mulder who sat on the other side on the kitchen table looking through tuxedoes. "Fox what flowers do you like?"

"Huh? Oh…" Mulder furrowed his brow for a moment. "Um… I’ve always liked Lilies." He said with a shrug. "But I’m no expert."

Scully and her mother looked at each other for a moment then smiled. "Lilies would be nice." Scully said flipping through the florist’s catalogue. "There!" She pointed to some arrangements. "Those are beautiful! And they don’t look all funeral like."

Margaret nodded in agreement and started to write information down. "Lilies it is!"

Scully leaned across the table and kissed Mulder’s cheek. "Good job."

He grinned. "I do what I can."

Margaret leaned back in her chair. "Ok we have the judge, the flowers, the gown and tux are being worked on, hoping for less then a month’s date away, now the main attraction; location."

Scully nodded. "Ok where then? Someplace that can take us on a semi short notice and will cater so we don’t have to worry about that detail."

Mulder picked his head up from his catalogue again. "How about that hotel in the city. What’s it called…? The Starlight Theatre or something. I was in there once; it’s really nice. We could rent a ball room and have the whole shebang in there, then get a honeymoon suite."

Scully and her mother’s mouths dropped open. "Fox! That is a wonderful idea! I was there once with your father, Dana. It was years ago but the place was breathtaking!"

Scully leaned forward and took Mulder’s face in her hands and kissed him soundly on the lips. "You are amazing!"

Mulder smiled proudly.

"Well that wasn’t too bad! I’ll call The Starlight in the morning and see what dates they have open. Shoot for three weeks?"

Scully nodded and looked to Mulder who shrugged. "We could just hop on a plan to Vegas if you want Scully." He winked at her to let her know he was joking.

"Alright!" Margaret smiled happily. "In the morning I will call and hopefully they will have a date open. Dana we are going to look at dresses tomorrow, if we have a date we will go to the printers and get the inventions printed up and place the flower orders. So it’s just about settled."

"Hey baby, we have to go get the rings soon you know." Mulder chimed in.

Scully shot him a look for calling her baby in front of her mother looked quite amused by that. Mulder just smiled innocently. "When Mom and I get back from looking for a dress… Did you find a tux yet Mulder?" She slid over to his side on the table and sorted through the catalogue.

"No…" He leaned back in his chair with a yawn. "You pick one out Scully. I can’t decide."

She looked though for a second, the catalogue was huge. "Mulder you haven’t found any?" she asked in disbelief.

He took it from her and flipped through to a certain page. "I kinda like that one." He pointed to a simple well-cut black tux, very traditional, very Mulder.

"Mulder that one is perfect."

He shrugged. "Ok then I’ll get that one."

She slapped his arm. "I swear you shrug about one more detail that has to do with this wedding and I’ll kill you."

He smiled innocently and pulled her into his lap. Scully felt her cheeks grown red from him acting like this with her mother in the room.

They all sat lost in their own thoughts before every one of them yawn in unison.

Margaret stood. "Ok I’m going to bed now, we have an early day Dana.

"Mom are you sure you want to take the couch?"

She nodded. "I’ll be fine Dana, don’t worry."

Scully laid in bed deep in thought about all the things at still needed to be done, especially since they wanted to be married as soon as possible.

"Mulder?"

He rolled over onto his elbow. "Yeah?"

"I really don’t want to bring this up but I have to. Are we sending an invention to your mother?"

Mulder cringed. "Yeah, I doubt she will show up but yeah." Scully nodded. "Well since we are brining up questions we don’t want to, I’ve got one for ya." She raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you changing your name?"

Scully let out a breath and looked at the ceiling. "I think… not for professional issues, but everything else yes and some things I’ll hyphenate."

Mulder chuckled. "I think you have all the basses covered then."

Scully smiled at him and they stayed silent for some time. "Don’t you think we are tempting fate?"

"What’d you mean by that?"

Scully took a breath and turned from his gaze. "I don’t know. Should we be doing this?"

"Yes." He said quickly. "I’m not living by their rules anymore. They can’t take this away from us Scully."

She turned back to him. "Yeah but they can take one of us away again."

He shook his head. "Scully I’m not living how they want me too anymore. I am living how I want to." He paused and searched her face for a minute. "Unless, maybe this isn’t how you want to live." He tried to hide the painful thoughts he was having.

"No. No Mulder that’s not it." She let out a sigh. "I’m living how I want to. We will live how we want to."

He nodded. "There it is then. We live how we want."

Scully smiled and pulled his face down to kiss him. Mulder immediately slid his hands under her top.

"Mulder." She said in a warning tone.

"Mmm?" He asked as he kissed her neck.

"Cut it out. My mother is in the other room." She hissed at him.

He raised his head for a second. "Then you better keep quiet."

Scully took the opportunity to roll out from under him. "Stop." She couldn’t help but smile.

Mulder flopped back down on his side of the bed. "Fine. You better stay far away on your side though. You little tease."

Scully sank back to the bed. "Fine." They lay on complete opposite sides of the bed in silence for a few minutes. "Ok Mulder game over! You are way too far away!"

Mulder laughed and slide over to center of the bed and spooned up against her. "Better?"

"Much, thank you."

He chuckled and settled himself around her.

Next Morning

Scully awoke to a blaring alarm. "Mulder turn it off!" She cried unhappily.

He grumbled and reached over her to hit the button then laid back down. "Scully I’m moving that damn thing to my side. Every morning you yell at me to turn it off and I have reach over you." He paused and looked at her with fake suspicion. "Or are you just trying to feel me up?"

She ignored his last question. "Mulder we can’t move it to your side because in the middle of the night when I wake up and want to know what time it is I won’t be able to see behind your big fat head."

Mulder’s eyes took on a wicked glint. "Oh that’s it." He lurched forward to grab her. Scully shrieked and jumped out of bed and ran into the kitchen. Her mother looked at her in shock as she ran behind the kitchen chair she was sitting in. Mulder came flying out into the room. "Oh sure hide behind your mother." They started to circle the chair, Scully managing to stay just out of reach. "Scully what are you afraid of? Come here and kiss me good morning."

"No way!" She said laughing. "Mom tell him to leave me alone."

Margaret laughed. "I’m not one to interfere."

Mulder jumped forward and grabbed her by the waist. He pulled her into his arms and tickled her sides.

"Stop!" She yelled through laughter. "Mulder, stop or I’m going to pee on the floor!"

He stopped tickling her and pulled her back up against him. "I knew you would smile when I tickled you." He whispered in her ear.

She looked up at him and smiled for a moment. Then kissed him softly. "There’s your kiss, now I need to go take a shower so my Mom and I can go." She turned to her mother. "Isn’t that right Mom?"

Margaret nodded. She smiled smugly at Mulder then went into the bathroom. Mulder was still smiling as he poured himself a cup of coffee and turned, leaning against the counter top turn to Margaret.

"Fox, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see Dana like this. I can’t remember that last time she was so happy. You either for that matter."

Mulder nodded his agreement, not knowing what to say.

"I know honey. But try it on, try them all on. They always look different off the hanger."

Scully sighed and started shedding her clothing once again. They had spent the morning creating the inventions, luckily The Starlight Theatre had an opening in a ballroom for three weeks from today. The judge agreed to the date and time. They were on their way to having everything set up.

"Mom this does not look better off the hanger." Scully said turning to her all dressed up in sequins.

Margaret had a disgusted look on her face. "Oh Dana, please take that off."

Scully laughed and reached behind her to pull the zipper down. It wouldn’t budge. "Mom! It’s stuck!"

Margaret jumped up from her chair and fiddled with the back of the dress with no luck.

"Oh great. Not only am I going to have to get married in the dress for hell, I’m going to have to wear it for three straight weeks!"

"Stop moving Dana and I’ll get it undone."

Scully’s phone rang in her purse. She reached down and dug it out.

"Scully."

"It’s me."

Scully couldn’t help but smile. "How’s everything going?"

"Great. I ordered the tux. I just got back from The Starlight and I picked out our honeymoon suite."

"Oh you did, did you?"

"Yep. You’ll love it. How’s it going with you?"

"Ha!" Margaret yelled as the zipper slid down. She stepped away proudly and Scully shimmied out of the dress.

"What was that?" Mulder asked confused.

"Oh nothing. A dress zipper got stuck and my mother finally got it undone. Good thing too cause it was…bad. To put it mildly."

"So… You are just standing there wearing, what? Your bra and panties? Pantyhose? Oh! Heels?" He asked eagerly.

Scully let out an annoyed sigh even though she was smiling. "Nice talking to you Mulder but I have things to do."

"No! Wait!" Mulder yelled laughing just as Scully was about to hit the off button.

"Yes?"

Mulder kept laughing. "I actually called you for a reason. The hotel’s restaurant, the one that will cater, gave me a whole bunch of food to sample. It has to be reheated but it will still be good. So don’t eat anything. Ok?"

"Sounds wonderful, I’m starving already. We’ll be home sooner or later. I think we are going to have to do the ring thing tomorrow."

"Ok baby. I’ll talk to you later."

Scully hung up the phone and continued with the dresses.

He smiled. "No, go ahead."

"Mmm." Scully said happily as she shoved pasta and chicken into her mouth.

Margaret and Mulder watched in shock. "Jeez Scully. You don’t have to eat your weight in food you know." Mulder teased.

"I know. I know. When I am worked up I eat." She took a long swig of wine.

"Dana, I really hate to say this and don’t take it the wrong way. But the dress you tried on is the only one in the store. You need to fit into it."

Scully blushed as she started eating the beef sirloin off Mulder’s plate. "I know, don’t worry Mom. I’ll eat salad for lunch the next few weeks."

"So if I ask what this dress looks-"

"Sorry Fox, tradition." Margaret interrupted.

"It was worth a shot." Mulder said pushing this plate to Scully.

"Thanks." She mumbled around a mouthful of food.

Margaret brought her plate to the sink. "Well I’m going to get heading home before it’s too late. I think I am going to start looking up recipes for the wedding cake."

"You sure you don’t want to stay the night?"

"No Fox. I’d like to get going." She picked up her overnight bag and hugged him.

"Bye Mom." Scully said after swallowing a large bite of rice. She stood and hugged her.

"Bye Dana. I’ll be talking to you soon." She kissed her cheek and showed herself out.

Scully popped the last shrimp into her mouth as Mulder poured her another glass of wine. "Trying to get me drunk Mulder?"

"I don’t know, will it help my chances of getting laid?" He asked as slyly as he could.

Scully raised her eyebrows at him. "Give me an hour to digest and a long bath, then ask me again."

Mulder stood up and kneeled behind her chair, wrapping his arms around her. "Why don’t you go start the bath, I’ll get the bottle of wine and meet you in there."

Scully smiled in a surprised way at him. "You want to take a bath with me?"

"Mmm…. Sex with Scully fanatasy # 357 I believe."

Scully laughed and walked into the bathroom. Minutes later she slide shoulder deep in bubbles. She sighed and leaned back closing her eyes. She opened her eyes later when Mulder walked in. He winked and handed her a glass of wine then walked away. "I thought you were joining me."

"I will, give me a minute." He turned off the lights and lit a few candles and set them randomly around the room.

"Nice." She said with a smile. The heat of the bath and the wine made her feel wonderfully lightheaded.

"Glad you like it." Mulder said as he moved to take off his clothes. "Sit forward." He nudged her shoulders and slide in the tub behind her. Scully sighed happily and leaned against his chest. In moments his arms where around her waist, his face in neck and their legs a tangle.

"So exactly how many ‘sex with Scully fantasies’ are there?" She asked after some time.

Mulder chuckled and leaned back; he gently moved her forward and massaged her shoulders. "Lots."

"Lots and lots?"

He kept chuckling. "You bet."

Scully slid back slightly and nudged his erection with her back causing him to grunt slightly. "What exactly does this particular one involve?"

Mulder let his hands travel from her shoulder to the front of her body; he took her breasts in his hands and ran his thumbs over her nipples. She shuddered and leaned back pressing his hardness against her firmer. "Actually there are many versions of #357."

"Oh good, we’ll have to try another one sometime soon."

"Mmm Hmm." He mumbled as he started to suck on her ear lob. He hands slowly drifted to her inner thighs, silky from the bath oil. He massaged slowly.

"Now you are the tease." Scully mumbled as she started a slowly rhythm of sliding back to cause friction of her back against Mulder’s cock.

He chuckled as he started to meet her thrusts and slid his hands between her legs. Scully moaned an encouragement. His fingers quickly found her clit and rubbed in time with her thrusts. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him faster. Scully responded by sliding a hand into the water and placing it over his and directing his hand to the perfect spot.

He groaned. "I think you just added part of fantasy #134 into this."

"Stop talking and touch me harder Mulder." She breathed out.

"Yes ma’am." He pressed against her clit firmly and she cried out.

Scully reached behind her with her free hand and clutched his hair violently. Her breathing became harsh as she yelled out his name and came, Mulder pulled her firmly against his hardness a few more times before he released into the bath water. Scully leaned back against his chest.

"Baby, you’ve gotta let go of my hair." He breathed heavily into her ear.

"Oh sorry." She released her death grip and placed her hand on the back of his neck. "Which fantasy was that Mulder?"

"I don’t think I had one exactly like that Scully." He chuckled. "That was… Interesting. In a good way of course."

"Mulder the water is getting cold." Scully said, but made no move to get out.

"I know." Mulder stood slowly with an arm around her waist to help her stand. He pulled her out of the tub and wrapped her robe around her shoulders, then a towel around his waist. He gave her a shove out the door as he blew out the candles. Gathering the wine he placed it back in the kitchen then he went into the bedroom. He laughed when he saw Scully sprawled on her back on the bed.

"Don’t laugh at me, I ate too much." She whined.

He just kept laughing and pulled on a pair of flannel pants and slid into bed.

Scully sat up on her elbows all of a sudden. "Oh my God Mulder!"

"What?" He sat up quickly ready for some monster to be in the doorway.

"What if we get called on a case the weekend of the wedding?" She asked wide-eyed with worry.

Mulder flopped back down on the bed. "Scully will you just stop worrying?"

She lay down with a sigh. "Sorry I can’t help it." She was quiet for a few minutes. "Mulder are there any of those potatoes left?"
He burst into laughter and pulled the blankets around her. "Scully you eat anymore tonight and you’ll explode. Go to sleep."

Next day

They stood starring at the case of wedding bands in deep thought.

"What do you think Scully?" Mulder asked cringing as he saw a set of silver and gold braided bands. He pointed to them with a look of disgust.

Scully looked where he was pointing and matched his expression. "Simple is better Mulder." She pointed to a set of plain gold bands.

"Look good to me." Mulder waved down the sales clerk who had taken their sizes. "Those right there."

"Good choice." The woman said. "Would like engravings?"

Scully looked at Mulder. "I didn’t think about that."

Mulder grinned. "Yeah I want to, but I don’t her to see it." He gestured to Scully when he spoke to the woman.

"I want to also." Scully said smirking at Mulder. "And he can’t see either."

The woman laughed lightly. "That’s usually how it goes." She turned to Scully. "You can go talk to that woman and she will take care of it." She handed Scully a paper and pointed to an elderly woman by the register.

They both leaned back against their respective counters starring at each other for a moment. Slowly both smiled and turned to the sales clerks to place the engravements.

Two weeks and six days later

"Hello?" Scully answered the phone lying in bed.

"Hey sexy, wanna go for a little romp in the sack before you tie the knot?"

Scully smiled. "You aren’t supposed to be talking to me Mulder."

"I thought I just couldn’t see you… Anyway I couldn’t sleep and judging by your voice you weren’t either."

"Nope. This bed is too big alone."

"Yeah I’m back on a couch and it isn’t any fun anymore, not that it was much fun to begin with."

"So were the Lone Gunman good to you tonight?"

"Oh yeah. The usual bachelor party. Lots to drink, lots of naked women, and the husband to be unable to think about anything else but the wife to be." He said softly.

She laughed lightly. "I don’t want the details."

"Nothing too interesting don’t worry. What about you?"

Scully sighed. "It was fun. Lots of gifts, lots of food, lots to drink. But not really my style."

"Mmm. Get anything sexy to wear tomorrow night?"

"You bet."

Mulder groaned. "Don’t tell me anymore or all I will be doing tomorrow is trying to get a look at your ass to see if you are wearing a thong."

"I’ll save you the trouble, I will be."

Mulder groaned again. "You’re killing me here Scully."

"Sorry I couldn’t resist." They stayed in comfortable silence for some time. "You nervous Mulder?" She asked softly.

"Naw. I think it is more anxious then anything else. You?"

"I dunno. Maybe a little. It’s a good nervous though."

"Yeah I know what you mean. I should let you get some sleep." He whispered.

Scully leaned back and closed her eyes. "I don’t know if I can sleep."

"Me either." He let out a sigh. "If I don’t hang up right now baby, I wont at all." He laughed. "So I will see you… tomorrow."

"I love you."

"And I love you." Mulder hung up the phone quickly before he lost the nerve.

Next day

"Relax man." Frohike slapped Mulder on the back.

Mulder smiled. "I’m relaxed… Just anxious." It took all of his will power not to start pacing in front of the judge. All he could do to stay calm was not look out at all the guests. He knew barely half of them, friends of the family as Scully called them. He glanced at his watch.
"Mulder stop looking at your watch. She is only 90 seconds late." Frohike rolled his eyes to Byers and Langly who sat in the second row of chairs.

Mulder jumped when the wedding march started and Frohike choked back laughter. Margaret started to cry the moment she heard the music at her place across from Mulder and Frohike were she waited for Scully.

Mulder’s heart stopped when Scully walked into the room on her Charlie’s arm. Bill had refused to even come to the wedding. Said he wouldn’t dignify her mistakes with his presence. Mulder came home after working with the Lone Gunman earlier in the week to find Scully sitting her in her bed crying. She told him what Bill had said Mulder held her while she cried for over an hour before she suddenly calmed. She looked up at Mulder and said, "Dad would be so disappointed in him." And her tears stopped and didn’t return. They hadn’t uttered a word about it since.

Her dress was plain white satin, empire cut with a low-neck line; it was cut full around her legs and flowed as she walked. They decided not to go with a veil so her hair was pulled back slightly in large loose curls.

Wow. He thought looking at Scully.

That’s all he thought about while the ceremony went on. He repeated his vows only half paying attention. Mostly all he could think about was the fact that this beautiful, intelligent woman that has risked her life countless times to save his, was going to marry him.

Mulder jumped back to reality when the judge said, "You may now kiss the bride." He and Scully turned to each other. Scully bit her lip slightly as Mulder placed one hand on the side of her neck and the other on her waist. She took hold of his upper arms as he leaned into her and placed a long gentle kiss on her lips. He pulled back and wiped away a tear that fell from Scully’s eye with his thumb.

‘I love you.’ He mouthed to her as the guests clapped.

"I love you.’ Scully smiled and pulled him down and kissed him again. The guests laughed and cheered at them.

Mulder pulled away laughing started to walk them out the doors. The guest followed where they had to wait in the bar as the hotel rearranged the ballroom with tables and food. The new couple walked right by everyone and into the thankfully empty elevator. The moment the door closed Mulder wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately.

Scully pulled away laughing. "I can’t believe we actually did it!"

Mulder nodded for a moment then looked her up and down. "You look amazing."

Scully blushed and squeezed his arms. "You’re looking pretty sexy yourself." The doors opened onto their floor.

Mulder placed a hand on the small of her back and led her to the right door as he fished around for the key. "Sexy enough to forget about the reception and go straight to consummating the marriage?" He waggled his eyebrows as he opened the door for her.

"Yeah I’m sure no one will notice we aren’t there." Scully teased as he opened the door. Mulder quickly scooped her up in his arms giving her a I had to do it look. Then set to softly on her feet. "Oh Mulder. This room is gorgeous."

He smiled. "I thought you would like it."

Scully looked around in awe. Everything was a champagne white color, a large canopy bed and a whirlpool tub in the bathroom. "I like it a lot." She nodded.

Mulder wrapped his arms around her waist from the back. "Enough to forget the reception?"

Scully laughed and turned in his arms to kiss him. Suddenly she pulled back. "I almost forgot!" She broke from his embrace and ran to the dresser and turned on the lamp. "I want to see what you had written." She said as she pulled off her wedding band.

Mulder was at her side and doing the same in a moment. "You first." He said once they both had them off.

She nodded and angled the band so the light caught enough to read the fine print. "’I see the future in you.’" She read out loud. "That’s beautiful Mulder." She whispered as she reread the message a few times. She kissed him softly as she slid the ring on. "Now you."

He grinned excitedly and moved to the lamp. "’Our life is ours now and forever.’" He read while nodding. He slid his ring on and took her face in his hands. "You better believe it." He kissed her deeply for a few minutes.

Scully pulled away and held up a hand. "Cut it out. I don’t want to have my Mother sent up here so she can help me back into the dress."

Mulder laughed and glanced at his watch. "We should head back down anyway. It should only have taken them a minute to set everything up."

"I just want to freshen up real quick." She said as she walked towards the bathroom. "My God Mulder! This bathroom is bigger then your whole apartment."

He laughed and walked in where she was reapplying makeup. "Smells better too."

"Lots of things smell better then that place Mulder." She teased.

He walked behind her and wrapped his arms once again around her waist and buried his face her in hair. "Like you."

Scully relaxed back into him. "Ok we really need to go down there now."

Mulder stepped back. "Yes. Yes we do."

They rode the elevator in comfortable silence; they didn’t speak until they walked back into the ballroom. Everyone turned around to see them and clicked spoons on their glass.

"I think they want us to kiss." Mulder said as he leaned down to Scully.

"I think you are right." Scully leaned up the rest of the way and kissed him deeply.

Hours went by. The newlyweds talked with everyone kissed every four minutes due to glasses being clicked. They stood talking with a second removed step aunt of some sort that Scully had only met once before when Mulder looked up at the doors.

"I’ll be right back." He whispered in Scully’s ear and walked over.

"Fox… You look so handsome." His mother said softly.

He smiled and hugged her gently. He didn’t know what to say. Why? How? What were you thinking? Didn’t seem like the right thing at the right time.

"Scully looks breathtaking." She said with a soft smile.

Mulder looked over to where she was desperately trying to end the conversation with her aunt. He couldn’t help but smile. "Yes she does." He turned back to his mother. "I wish you made it to the ceremony."

She nodded and looked away.

He cleared his throat. "But… I’m glad you are here now." He wasn’t sure if he really meant it or not.

Scully walked up next to him and slipped an arm around his waist. Once she saw Tina her eyes widened for a moment before she got control of her reactions.

"Dana. I was just telling Fox how beautiful you look." She smiled shyly.

"Thank you. I’m glad you made it."

"Well I should be going. I can’t stay." She kissed both of their cheeks and left before they could think of anything to say.

After a moment Scully looked up at Mulder. "You ok?"

He nodded. "Yeah… I think." He laughed a little. "Good thing I’ve been drinking a lot of wine tonight, otherwise I might… I don’t know. I might do something other then stand here with my mouth hanging open."

Scully smiled sadly and squeezed him tightly.

He stepped out of her embrace. "I’m going to go get some air. Hold down the fort?"

She nodded. "I think I can handle it. Unless you want me to go with you?"

He shook his head. "No… I’ll only be a minute." He kissed her quickly and walked out of the hotel and into the cool night air. He leaned back against the side of the brick steps vaguely aware that he was most likely getting the rented pants dirty.

"Congratulations Agent Mulder."

Mulder jumped at the voice and looked up to see the Cancer Man standing the shadows. He let out a long breath. "What do you want?" He took a step towards him and held his hands out in a plea even though he used a strong voice. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"I am hurt… You don’t even invite your old friend to your wedding."

Mulder let out a snort of laughter. "Fuck you." He turned and started to walk away.

"I’ll be seeing you soon." Mulder heard behind his back as the Cancer Man turned and walked away. He took a deep breath and walked back into the hotel and into the ballroom. The moment Scully saw him she walked over and pulled him to the side.

"You ok?" She searched his face with concerned eyes.

He nodded. "Just had a visit from Old Smoky that’s all."

Scully visibly slumped. "What did he say?"

"Nothing really." Scully looked at him unconvinced. "I mean it. He didn’t say anything important."

Margaret walked up beside them. "You two ready for the cake?"

They both nodded. "We’ll be right there Mom."

Margaret smiled and walked away as she announced to everyone.

"Listen Scully." Mulder leaned down to her. "Don’t worry about this. Ok? Don’t let it ruin the night."

Scully nodded. "Come on." She smiled and pulled him over to the table.

Moments later they stood face to face with a small piece of cake in hand. "Mulder… be good." Scully warned.

"Oh of course." He said as they held the cake to each other’s mouths. They each took a small bite. "See I can behave myself." He said proudly.

"Yes you can… too bad I can’t." She shoved the rest of her piece into his mouth.

Mulder laughed around his mouth full and wrapped an arm around her waist and did the same to her.

"Mulder!" She cried once she swallowed.

"Hey you started it!"

A few hours later Mulder unlocked the door to their suite and scooped Scully up in his arms.

"Mulder don’t drop me, you’ve had a lot to drink." She said giggling.

"Oh look who’s talking ‘Miss I bet I can dance the hokey pokey on the table and not fall off in my three inch heels and alcohol filled mind… Opps good thing my husband was there to catch me.’" He said and he placed her gently on her feet with his arms around her waist.

Scully blushed. "Yeah I meant to thank you for that, it was Langely’s fault anyway, he requested it."

He chuckled. "Don’t mention it Mrs. Dana Katherine Scully-Mulder." He paused to laugh then slowly leaned down and kiss her.

She pulled away and turned around. Looking over her shoulder; "Unzip me?"

"My pleasure."

3 months later

Sunday

"You missed lunch." Scully informed Mulder as he walked in. "Why are you grinning like that?" she asked suspiciously.

"You busy right now?" He asked after hopping up on the countertop.

"Get off the counter. And no I’m not. Why?"

He hopped down and directed her to the door where he put her coat over her shoulders. "I have something I want to show you."

"Should I be scared?" She asked seriously.

He laughed. "No it’s perfectly harmless. Come on." He led her to the car and they drove for some time in silence.

"Mulder where have you been all morning?" She looked over at him. He just had a secretive smile on his face and stared at the road ahead. "Mulder?"

"Hmm?" He asked looking at her with an innocent expression.

"You aren’t going to tell me are you?"

"Tell ya what?"

She let out a sigh and turned back to her window. They drove for another fifteen minutes before Mulder pulled to the side of the road and parked next to a large brink building about twenty stories high. Mulder jumped out of the car and opened hers for her. She stepped out and looked around. "What are we doing here?"

"I told you… I have something I want to show you." He took her hand and led her into the building.

"Hello Mr. Mulder." A middle-aged man who was obviously the doorman said. "This must be your wife."

"Hi Jerry. Yeah this is Dana." Mulder signed a few papers and Jerry handed him a key. Scully just watched in confusion. Jerry pressed a code into a panel and the doors to go into the lobby opened.

"Take your time." Jerry said smiling as they walked through the doors and into the lobby.

"Mulder are you going to tell me what we are doing here?" Scully asked as she looked around the marbled-floored room. There was a couch and front desk to the right, mailboxes on the left and two elevators on the far wall. Mulder brought her to them and hit the up button.

"You’ll see soon enough, Scully."

The doors opened to an empty elevator and Mulder hit the 23 button, the top floor. Moments later the doors opened and Mulder led her to the left and opened a door marked number 76. He led her into a small foyer with high ceilings and a closet to the side. After she looked around he took her to the left and down a few steps into a sunken living room with a brink fireplace and white carpeting. Then through the room and up a few steps into a large open dinning room type of area with wood floors and large windows on the far wall. After she looked out at the view for a moment he brought her into the kitchen. It also had wood floors, small but practically designed. Once he was sure she had a good look her took her hand and led her back to the foyer where they went down the hallway. He opened the first door of the left to a full bathroom. Then he turned her and stopped her the first door on the right and opened it. It was a long rectangle shape with a large window at the very end. Then he pulled her back into the hallway and opened the second door on the right and showed a similar room only this one had a larger window with a seat. After that he led her to the door at the end of the hall and opened it to the show what was obviously the master bedroom. With an attached bathroom with and old fashioned tub like her own and a shower stall in the corner. The room itself was perfectly square with the far wall fully windowed like the dinning room. He guided her there and showed it opened to a fire escape that doubled as a patio. She looked out at the view for a long moment before turning towards him.

"You like it?" He asked softly.

"Well yeah, it’s lovely Mulder… But I don’t know why we are here."

He let out a sigh. "Yes you do. Don’t play stupid…." He smiled so she wouldn’t take it the wrong way. "I want us to move in here."

Scully immediately shook her head. "Mulder it’s beautiful and I appreciate the thought. But… we can’t afford this." She waved her hand around the room.

Mulder took a deep breath. "Yes we can." He held up a hand so she wouldn’t interrupt. "Hear me out ok?" When she nodded he continued. "Ok… Yes this place is worth a lot. It’s a corner apartment, fireplace, top story; no one gets in here without going through the front doors. Great security system through out. Everything is on camera. It’s safe here Scully… It’s someplace that we can start over in. No bad memories of psychos and murders. Anyway it’s to buy, not rent. So once we buy it we have it. It needs work… new paint everywhere and little things like that so its semi reasonable."

"Mulder I understand that but we cant come up with how ever much they are asking! We work for the government remember?"

He laughed. "Let me finish. When my father died he left me everything as you know. So when his house sold I got the money for it. We can BUY the place Scully. That will be all the money that I got from his place but then we don’t have to pay rent on your place, and my lease is up this month so I need to get the rest of my things out the there. We CAN do it Scully."

She took a deep breath. "Ok… But how are we going to furnish it? My stuff and yours won’t even slightly fill it up."

"All my Dad’s things are in storage. He had a lot of beautiful antique furniture that you will love."

"Mulder…" She said unconvinced.

He took her hands in his and met her eyes. "Scully it’s already worked out. The only thing that needs to be done is to walk downstairs to the main desk and sign the papers… Its up to you."

She was speechless for a minute. "Mulder… I just have a hard time believing it’s as simple you are making it sound."

He laughed. "I swear to you Scully. Its ready for us to buy, papers are all set. We can fill this place up with beautiful furniture. It’s the safest building I can find. You say the word and it’s ours."

Suddenly she laughed. "I can’t believe I am saying this… But ok. Lets do it."

"Yes!" Mulder wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly.

3 weeks later.

Mulder plopped down on the couch in front of the fireplace and starred at the unlit hearth. The apartment was full of boxes and unorganized furniture.

Scully walked over and sat next to him. "You look like I feel… Actually I probably look as bad as you."

He looked over at her. "At least everything is in here, I can’t believe we got it all done in one day."

"Mulder we are far from done…" She said as she looked around at the mess. "All the boxes are in the right rooms, but that’s about it."

"Well we have our nights planned for the next week or two." He pulled her over so her head rested in his lap. He pulled her hair out of the ponytail and combed his fingers through it. "You know Scully… I’ve heard its bad luck not to make love in a new house the first night."

Scully let out a breathy laugh and closed her eyes. "Tell you what… Draw me a hot bath and maybe I’ll be up to it."

"Deal." He stood and picked her up in his arms.

"Mulder?!"

"I want you to save your energy." He replied as he carried her into their bedroom and placed her on the bed. He walked wordlessly into the bathroom and turned on the bath, pouring in some lavender bath oil. He then went back to Scully and started to pull her clothes off.

"Is this the full spa treatment?" She asked as he tugged her jeans down her legs.

He smiled and pulled of her panties to leave her naked on the bed. He looked her up and down with dark eyes. "You sure that bath is necessary?"

She nodded and held her arms up. He took them and flipped her over his shoulder. "Mulder!"

"Don’t worry… almost there." A moment later he flipped her over and placed her in the hot water. "Take your time." He leaned down and kissed her forehead then walked out into the bedroom.

Scully smiled and leaned back into the water as she looked around their new home. Wow, she thought, I never thought this would happen. She closed her eyes and relaxed.

A while later she got out of the bath and walked into the bedroom wearing warm flannel pajamas and found Mulder laying on his stomach on their bed wearing only his boxers with one arm hanging off the side of the bed. She crawled up next to him and leaned over to look at the side of his face. His eyes were closed and he looked very close to sleep. "Hey sweetie?"

"Mmm?" He said without opening his eyes.

"I thought we had plans for tonight?"

"Mmm." He said again.

Scully smiled and kissed his naked shoulder. "In the morning. Ok?"

"Mmm Hmm." He mumbled.

She laughed softly and pulled the blankets up around him and curled up against his side and they fell asleep happily in their new home.

3 weeks later

Scully woke curled up in one of Mulder’s discarded t-shits and a thick pile of blankets. The t-shirt she tore off of him last night before they made love. Smiling she rolled over to find Mulder but just landed on cool empty sheets. Slowly she opened her eyes, it was early morning and the bedroom door was closed, they always left it open. Taking a deep breath she smelled fresh paint and heard a gentle thump of a hammer.

She sighed and slid out of bed and into the hallway following the noise and smells into the bedroom on the very end of the hall. They had decided to turn it into a den. She leaned against the doorframe and looked into see Mulder wearing just his old jeans covered in numerous paint stains and a few small holes. His back was covered in a fine sheen of sweat as he leaned over hammering the shelves of his father’s old bookshelves together.

Wordlessly Scully walked into the center of the room and pulled back one end of the sheet covering Mulder’s leather couch and sat down. The slight creak of the leather caused Mulder to turn.

"Hey. Did I wake you?"

She shook her head.

Mulder let out a grunt as he pulled the heavy oak shelves upright. He stepped back proudly when they were in position on the opposite wall of a twin pair. He turned toward her. "I um… finished the painting." He gestured toward the dark gray wall. "Then I put the shelves up. So..." He looked around the room nodding. "I think this room is done."

Scully nodded as she looked around. "It looks great. Now we just need to decide what to do with the other bedroom."

Mulder looked away from her quickly.

"You ok Mulder?" She stood up and walked over to him, stopping in front she placed her hands on his biceps. "It’s awfully early to be awake on a Sunday morning, even for you." She tried to search his eyes but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

"I… I’ve just had something on my mind, that’s all."

"Want to talk about it?"

He took a small step away from her then met her eyes and nodded. "Yeah… Um, I’m going to go take a shower first then we’ll talk ok?"

"Ok."

He nodded again and walked by her running a hand through his hair.

Scully waited patiently with a glass of orange juice at the dinning room table looking out the window. Mulder came out after the longest shower Scully has ever known him to take and leaned against the wall looking at the floor.

Scully put down her glass with a thud. "Ok Mulder. Tell me what is bothering you so much that you can’t even look at me."

He glanced up at her for a quick second then out the window. He remained silent for a minute longer before he began to pace in front of Scully. "Ok… This isn’t bad. I don’t want you to think this is bad." He stole quick glances at her as he spoke.

"Mulder, honey you are making me dizzy." She said seriously.

"Sorry." He said quickly and turned a chair to straddle in front of her. "Ok… Remember the night that Penny died?" He shook his head and turned away. "Of course you remember…"

"I remember." She said anyway. "You were waiting in the hallway for me."

"Yeah… Um… The Gunmen and I had just got back from this fertility clinic were I saw all these things. I um…" He tailed off with glazed eyes.

Scully reached out and took his hand. "Mulder just tell me." She spoke softly.

He starred at the hand that she held and spoke quickly. "I found, I have a sample of the ova that were taken from you. I wanted to tell you that night in the hallway. I really did, I was planing on it. I held it in my hand just starring at it after you left. If I had known everything that I know now I would have told you then, I would have. I swear to you." He looked up at her with honest urgent eyes.

Scully starred unseeing at the floor in front of her. Her jaw worked trying to force words out. "You… You have my… my eggs?" Her voice was a shaky whisper.

He nodded watching her face closely. "Yes. The Gunmen have them, safe. I had them tested, they are yours. Perfectly preserved."

Scully stood and let his hand slip from hers. She placed her hands over her mouth and paced the path Mulder has formed minutes before. Tears slipped from her eyes. "You, you had them. You knew this and you didn’t tell me." Her voice was a whisper that Mulder had to strain to hear. "After," She choked. "After Emily and everything you didn’t tell me."

Mulder stood quickly, his own tears falling. "Baby, I wanted to. It’s been eating me up inside. I… I just didn’t know how. I wish I had that day, but you were hurting so much already."

"I… I have to get out of here." Scully looked around for her keys oblivious to the fact that she was still only wearing Mulder’s t-shirt.

Mulder jumped up and took her arms lightly to stop her. "No. No Scully." He stepped away from her and picked up his jacket. "I’ll go. You stay here. You understand that Scully?" She nodded mutely as she starred at the floor. He held up his phone. "Call me when you are ready for me to come back." He turned and walked into the middle of the living room then stopped and turned to her. "I love you Scully."

Her body shook with tears. "I love you too." She whispered.

Mulder was visibly relieved and he walked out of the apartment and onto the street. And that’s where he would stay until she called, walking the same few streets that bordered their building. Always close enough to be with her in a few minutes.

Scully wandered back to their bedroom and crawled into bed. Her throat ached with tears. She buried her face in the pillows. The bed smelled of her shampoo, Mulder’s clean scent and sex. She rolled over and starred at the ceiling above her. I can have a baby… With Mulder. Why didn’t he tell me?! Oh God… A baby. I should be furious with him for this. I know I should, but I love him too much. She lay for some time wrestling with her thoughts and emotions before she felt ready to see him again.

Mulder paced impatiently as the elevator made its way up to his floor. ‘Mulder… Come home.’ Scully’s words played over and over in his mind. He walked for at least four hours waiting for her call.

The doors binged open and he jolted out and jogged down the hallway. He had to take a deep breath and stand still for a moment before he could get his key into the lock. Finally he stepped back into their apartment.

"Scully?" He called as he glanced into the living room. He called her again as he made his way down the hall intended to go into their bedroom, but a flash of red from the empty bedroom caught his eyes. He looked in to see Scully curled up on the window seat looking out the window. "Scully?"

She turned towards him and held out her hand. He strided over and took it as he sat beside her. "We could have a baby." She whispered through gentle tears.

Mulder smiled and nodded as his own tears started. He pulled her into his arms and sighed into her hair. "Yeah we can."

"A baby." She whispered in astonishment.

Next day

"Run this by me again." Skinner said as he leaned forward and rested his arms on his desk.

Mulder cleared his throat and sat more upright. "Ok… Long story short. Scully was left barren due to her abduction. I came across her ova sometime ago. We are now going to try invitro to have a baby." He nodded to himself in satisfaction and sat back.

"I see…" Skinner’s brow furrowed. "Ok, so Agent Scully." He turned to her.

"Yes sir?"

"When is this all going to take place?"

"Well, we have a doctors appointment tomorrow, and if the timing is correct pretty much as soon as possible."

"That seems to be how everything has been with you two lately. As soon as possible. Making up for lost time?" He didn’t wait for them to answer. "Ok well this is fairly simple. Scully you will be taken off any sort of dangerous activity whatsoever immediately. You are allowed to back down from any assignment or situation that you think may be harmful. And best of luck to you both." He sat back with satisfaction.

"That’s it?" Mulder asked with raised brows.

Skinner nodded. "Yeah. Dismissed." The agents stood and made their way to the door. "Actually Agent Mulder could I have a word with you?"

Mulder turned slowly. "Of course. I’ll meet you down stairs Scully."

She nodded and gave him a look that said ‘good luck’ and closed the door.

"Have a seat Mulder." Skinner said as he stood up and leaned against his desk.

"Yes Sir." Now that I feel about the size of an ant. He thought uncomfortably.

"Mulder… I don’t know how you do it." He said shaking his head.

"Excuse me?"

"How you get a woman like Scully when you do all these stupid…" He struggled for the right words. "Dumb ass stunts and get away with it." He stood there shaking his head.

"Sir… I don’t know how I do it either, but let me tell you I don’t get away with anything." Mulder shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Well… The reason I wanted you to stay here is to tell you not to screw this up." He pointed a finger at him. "You’ve got everything going for you right now. You can go now." Skinner sat down and picked up the phone and started to make calls.

Ok… Thanks for the pep talk, DAD. Mulder stood and left the office not sure what to make of their talk.

One month and one week later

Mulder ran around to the other side of the car and opened the door for Scully then held out his hand to help her.

"Mulder I’m not going to break." She said trying not to laugh.

He smiled nervously. "I know. Just let me do something ok?"

She patted his cheek. "You have done a lot of things for this."

He directed her through the parking garage and to the door to their building. "Yeah… Like what? As far as I know all I did was jack off into a paper cup."

Scully couldn’t help but laugh.

"Sure laugh at me." He said with a mock hurt tone. "It’s ok. My ego can handle it."

"I’m sure it can." She leaned her side against the wall of the elevator.

Mulder pouted his lower lip out and leaned back across from her.

The doors binged open and Scully shook her head at him and walked out with Mulder following like an obedient puppy.

Once inside Scully plopped down on the couch and toed her shoes off, Mulder sat next to her a moment later and placed a hand on her belly. "Feel any different? Wait-That’s a stupid question."

He smiled shyly at her.

She sat up and Mulder’s hand rested lightly on her hip. "Well medically I don’t feel any different. I mean… I don’t even know if I’m pregnant yet." Mulder nodded knowingly. "But I have one hell of a case of the butterflies." She laughed lightly. "So we just have to wait till morning to take the test."

Mulder grumbled and leaned back against the couch looking like a little kid who was just told he couldn’t go the circus if he didn’t clean his room.

The phone rang Scully jumped up. "That’ll be my mom. Hello?"

"Hi Dana." Margaret said in an excited voice. "How’d it go? Do you know anything?"

Scully laughed. "It went great mom. Very easy; feet in stirrups, insert eggs, go home and wait till morning to see if the large amount of money you just spent will turn into anything."

"Morning… This is going to be a long night. How’s Fox doing?"

Scully looked over at Mulder. He leaned far back into the couch with an arm thrown over his eyes and one leg bouncing up and down and at a high speed. Scully turned away trying not to laugh. "Well…"

Margaret laughed. "I’m picturing your father when I thought I was pregnant with Bill. Well I’ll let you go now sweetie. Call me in the morning."

"I will mom. Bye." Scully sat back down and looked at her watch. "Well it’s dinner time but I can’t eat."

"Me either." Mulder mumbled from under his arm. He shifted and lay down with his head in Scully’s lap. She smiled down at him and she ran her fingers through his hair. "So how do we pass the time?" He looked up and winked at her.

Scully laughed and bit her lip as she looked away in thought. "Scrabble."

He laughed and sat up. "Ok. Scrabble it is." He stood and went to the hall closet to get the box. They sat on the floor and played the mindless game for hours before going to bed.

Mulder laid on his side propped up on his elbow as Scully slid into bed. He pulled her up next to him and placed a hand on her stomach stroking lightly.

"Mulder it might take a few tries." She said softly speaking of the invitro.

He looked up at her and smiled slightly. "I know." He settled down next to her with his hand still on her. "If you are pregnant would you mind if I locked you in some sort of lead volt for nine months."

She laughed. "Yes I would mind."

He smiled a wicked smile at her. "Even if I was locked in there with you?"

She smiled and took his face in her hands. "Well that IS tempting." She pulled him down and kissed him. He settled himself down against her wrapping his arms around her body to hold her to him. He pulled away after quite a few minutes.

"Can we do this?" He took a glance down her body to her waist area.

She kissed him again as an answer. Mulder slipped his hands under her flannel nightshirt and lifted it over her head. He tongue gently bathed her nipples as she shoved down his boxers and her panties.

"What’s the hurry?" He whispered in her ear as he settled between her legs.

"I want you in me." She whispered back.

Mulder bit back a groan at her words and slide into her body in a long smooth stroke. Scully wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him against her. He leaned his weight on his forearms on either side of her head and looked down at her as he slowly began to move in her body. They held eye contact as they made love slowly.

Next morning

Scully woke up slowly with the feeling of being watched. Months ago she would have panicked and reached for her gun, but she had gotten used to Mulder waking up hours before her and just laying next to her and watching. Once in awhile he would go get a cup of coffee then settle down in a chair to watch her. But he stopped that, at least to her knowledge, after she told him that it was really creepy, even for him.

She opened her eyes and was met by Mulder leaning up on one elbow with a nervous smile on his face. "What?" She asked taking in his expression.

He looked amused. "What?" He repeated with a teasing tone.

"Oh my God!" Scully sat up straight in bed when she remembered the significance of this morning.

Mulder laughed and sat up as she jumped out of bed and pulled her robe on. "Ok Scully so what does this test entail?" He reached down on the floor for his discarded boxers and pulled them on.

Scully struggled to focus her still half-asleep mind on opening the pregnancy test the fertility clinic gave them. "Well…I place a urine sample on the test surface and in five minutes the results are in."

Mulder took the test out of her hand and waved it at her. "So basically you pee on the stick."

Scully took a deep breath and looked at him unamused. "Basically…. Listen Mulder… If this test doesn’t come back positive it doesn’t mean I’m not pregnant, it might take a few days for the hormones to get into my system." She took the test back from him.

"Yeah, yeah. Just pee on the damn stick Scully." He ushered her into the bathroom.

"Whoa!" She turned around and placed a hand on his chest. "Mulder there is no way you are watching me pee."

He was going to argue then got a disgusted look on his face and backed away. "Sorry, I wasn’t thinking."

"Gee that never happens." Scully quickly shut the door so he couldn’t say anything to her teasing. "And don’t stand there and listen or I won’t be able to go!" She shouted through the door.

"Ok, ok." Mulder walked over and flopped face first onto the bed.

Scully walked out a moment later and sat next to Mulder as she glanced at the clock. "Five minutes."

Mulder rolled over on his side fingered the opening of Scully’s robe. She sat starring at the far wall twirling her rings. Mulder grabbed her waist and pulled her down next to him and lightly kissed her neck. "You’re tense."

"And you are unusually calm."

"It’s all about maintaining a cool exterior baby." He slipped his hand under her robe and rested it on her belly.

"Mulder if the test doesn’t come back positive we can just try again tomorrow morning." She ran her index finger over the top of his wedding band absentmindedly.

"You already said that." He whispered in her ear.

Scully sat up suddenly and retied her robe. "I can’t handle this anticipation."

Mulder sat up next to her. "How much longer?"

"About 2 minutes." She turned to him. "Mulder you look at it, ok? I don’t think I can do it."

He nodded. "Ok. What am I looking for?"

"It’ll either be blue or red-"

"Don’t tell me which is which or I won’t be able to look either." He interrupted.

They both starred at the clock until it clicked over. "Time up." Scully whispered.

Mulder stood quickly. "Here goes… I swear if its purple or something I’m going to flip out." He walked over to the bathroom door with Scully right behind, he stole a quick nervous glance at her and chuckled lightly. "The last time I was this nervous was when I asked you to marry me."

"Well that turned out well so let’s hope it’s a lucky streak."

Mulder nodded and walked in and out of the bathroom quickly. "Blue." He stated.

Scully’s hand flew to her mouth and landed with a smacking sound.

Mulder tried to read her expression but couldn’t for the first time in years. "What? Scully what?" He asked frantically.

She dropped her hand and moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I’m pregnant." She whispered in his ear.

One Month Later

5:00 Wednesday morning

"You ok?" Mulder asked carefully.

Scully was sitting up in bed with her hand over her mouth and slowly shook her head.

Mulder felt his own nausea building in his stomach; he hated listening to Scully retch every morning.

"Oh God." She jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom.

Mulder slowly followed her in. He had a system of coming in just as she was finished to hand her a glass of cold water and help her sit on the closed toilet. "Better?" He asked kneeling down next to her and after handing her the water.

"I think so." She took a slow sip.

Mulder heard the phone ring. "I’ll get that." He patted her thigh and stood up.

"Hello?"

"Mulder, it’s Skinner. I hope didn’t wake you?"

Mulder let out a laugh. "No, morning sickness kicks in a half hour ago. I’m up. What can I do for you?"

Skinner let out a soft chuckle. "There’s some… sort of goat mutilation and kidnapping that I need you two to look into. You can pick up the files as soon as possible in my office and get over there."

"Is it in the city?"

"Yeah. Better get moving Mulder, the press is gonna be all over this one any time now. Let Scully rest some if she needs to."

"Yeah, you try and convince her that. We’ll be out of here right away."

Rice residence

Later that morning

"Scully, you sure you don’t want to sit this one out for a while? You still look a little green." Mulder asked as he physically pushed through press to get to the front of the house.

"I’ll manage." She mumbled as they flashed their badges and stepped under the police tape.

"Agents:" Skinner said as he walked over to them. "Scully you feeling alright?" Skinner looked at her with a furrowed brow.

"I’m fine. Where’s this goat?" Scully asked firmly.

"Um… right over here." Skinner led the two to the side of the house were a dead goat lay on its side. "Maybe it’s a trade mark or cult symbol." Skinner said scratching under his chin thoughtfully.

Mulder pulled on a pair of latex gloves and kneeled down beside the animal. "Sir, why did we get called out here? If you think it’s just a kidnapping with a trade mark." He spoke curiously as he fingered the goats wound. Scully stayed back slightly looking over the file on Mary Rice. "This certainly isn’t any Mexican goat sucker." Mulder stated as he stood up and looked up the side on the house to the trellis that was already identified as the way the kidnapper took Mary.

"Well Agent Mulder, I’m trying to do you two a favor and not send you off on cases so you can be here for doctors appointment."

Mulder nodded slowly. "Sorry Sir, I appreciate that. But this isn’t the work of any cult." He said matter of factly and he stepped away.

"Care to explain?" Scully asked as she looked up from the file.

Mulder shrugged. "Doesn’t feel right."

"You think it’s a kidnappers trade mark then?"

He nodded. "Most likely. I goat obviously wasn’t killed here, hardly any blood at all. Killed clean, single knife wound…" He rubbed his jaw with his hand. "Were there any other kidnappings or missing person reports from last night? After this one, this happened at about midnight."

Skinner nodded. "There was a middle aged man who disappeared from his office parking lot. People saw him leave the building but the car was left, he worked late and left at about 3:45."

He nodded again. "Same guy."

"Mulder? What are you talking about?" Scully asked stepping in front of him and trying to catch his eyes.

"I don’t really know. Just a feeling." He rubbed his forehead and let out a long sigh. "Sir, can I get information from this and all other kidnappings and missing persons from this point on?"

"Of course. I’ll have them sent to your office."

"What are you thinking Mulder?" Scully asked slowly.

He shook his head. "I don’t really know…"

Later that night

Mulder rubbed his face in his hands as he sat at his desk when Scully walked in and stood behind him rubbing his shoulders lightly. "It’s getting late honey, you coming to bed?"

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the heel of his hand. "I’m just not seeing something here."

Scully leaned over and rubbed her smooth cheek against his stubbled one. "Why don’t you sleep on it for a bit? Get some rest and try again in the morning."

He sat up straighter. "No. You go on and get some sleep." He ran his hand through his hair. "I’m waiting for a call if anything else happens. Turn the phone off in the bedroom, you need your sleep sweetheart. I think I’m going to spread these out on the dinning room table." He motioned to the pile of files in front of him.

She nodded and kissed the side of his neck. "Stay with me Mulder." She whispered.

He turned to her quizzically.

She gave him a soft smile and smoothed his hair away from his forehead. "Don’t travel to far." She tapped his temple. Then place her palm over his heart. "I know this is here, but I don’t want the rest of you getting lost in this case."

He nodded and turned his chair so he was facing her, wrapping his arms around her waist her nuzzled her belly. "I can’t wait until you are showing." He mumbled against her skin.

She let out a little laugh. "Why’s that?"

He looked up with a sheepish smile. "I want to parade you around all the time. With a ‘this in my wife carrying my baby’ smile."

She shook her head amused and leaned down to kiss him. "Try and get some sleep tonight." She whispered.

He smiled and closed his eyes. "Go, sleep." He kissed her stomach through her shirt. "Good night little baby." He whispered so Scully could barely hear.

She felt a twinge of tears that she always got when he did something like that. She tilted his face up to her. ‘I love you’ she mouthed.

He did it right back then turned her around and gave her and little push in the direction of the hallway.

Scully woke to muffles sounds from through the wall. Listening closely she could hear Mulder’s voice but no others; he was on the phone. She slid out of bed and padded out and down the hall. Hearing her coming he looked over his shoulder from his seat at the dinning room table. Scully walked by him and into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of milk.

"Fuck!" Mulder hung up the phone with a loud slam.

Scully sat down next to him and placed her hand on the back of his neck as his head lay cradled in his arms. "What happened?" She gently massaged the tense muscles under her hand.

His head rotated on his arms to he was facing her. "There was another one about three hours ago, just found all three of the them dead in a field." He pulled his head up and rested it in his hands.

Scully stroked his hair. "It’s not your fault Mulder. You’ve been working nonstop for 18 hours. You did the best you could." Mulder didn’t say anything so Scully stood and tugged his arm. "Come on. You are getting some sleep. We can pick it up in the morning." He was about to argue but Scully put her hand over his mouth and shook her head. She let go of him and gulped the rest of her milk as he clicked off the lights.

Minutes later Mulder curled up around Scully in bed. His head on her breast and his hand on her stomach stroking lightly.

"Mulder stop thinking and go to sleep."

"I’m missing something Scully… It’s right there but I can’t see it. This guy is just going to keep going. He’s gotten away with this one, all the scenes are clean. How long is it going to take him to do it again? I just can’t get in his head. I don’t have enough on him. I need more. I just-"

"Shh." Scully interrupted him. "Stop Mulder. Don’t think about it anymore. Think about something else."

He let out a sigh. "Ok. What should I think about?"

She placed her hand over his on her taught belly. "Our baby."

She felt him smile against her skin. "You sure you don’t want to find out if it’s a boy or a girl?" He asked for the hundredth time in the last month.

"I’m sure."

He grumbled and readjusted himself with his head level to hers and his arm wrapped possessively around her waist. Scully turned in his arms and nestled her face into the crook of his neck. Their breathing slowly evened out and they drifted off together.

Two days later

FBI building

Mulder’s eyes blurred involuntarily as he starred at the pictures before him. Crime scene after crime seen and he wasn’t getting anywhere. He leaned back in his chair and looked over at Scully who was going through the autopsy reports. "I don’t get this guy Scully." She looked up at him as a signal to keep going. "It’s all too random…" He picked up the photo of the location of the bodies. "Worst part is he got away with it and its not going to take him long to start again." He tilted the photo in his hands as if doing so would unfold all the mysteries of the case. Mulder rubbed his chin with his hand then tossed the photo back on to the desk. "I don’t have enough… I don’t have enough to profile this guy."

The phone rang and Scully picked up quickly. "Scully." She let out a long sigh and nodded as she wrote an address down. "We’ll be right there."

Later that night

Scully watched in silence as Mulder spread everything he had about the last murders and the newest kidnappings with care on to the dinning room table. He stepped back after everything was laid out, then moved a few pictures silently and tilted his head to the side as he looked at them. "Scully know much about Greek tragedies?"

Scully gave him a confused look. "Not really. I read the usual in college, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Oedipus. Why?"

"You know where the word tragedy came from?" When she shook her head he continued. "It means goat song… Greeks would sacrifice a goat at the beginning of a play; a tragedy. Those plays would take up to four days to be completed…" He trailed off as he squinted at the table full of photos.

Scully walked over and stood beside him starring down at the bloody crime scene. She picked up the file on the missing woman from today, a dead goat picture included. "What are you thinking?" She looped an arm around his waist.

He shook his head slowly. "I don’t know… Maybe this guy is acting out Greek plays, or maybe he just likes to kill goats!" Mulder ran his hands angrily through his hair and stepped away from her. "There’s no evidence of anything like that. I don’t know, it’s just a thought. A crazy thought." He sat heavily in a chair, tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

"Why don’t you run it by the rest of the crime team and see what they think." Scully suggested as she sat next to him.

He looked over and laughed. "No thank you. I’d like to keep what little respect I have for the time being."

"Since when does it matter to you what others think?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Or now that we married you don’t want Mrs. Spooky to be made fun of any more?" Again she didn’t wait for him to answer. "Well don’t worry about it Mulder. Listen," She took one of her hands in hers and handed him the phone with the other. "If this is theory you have nothing bad is going to come of making others aware. I think sometimes you don’t even know you have it figured out when you do. I’m not saying this Greek thing is right, but it something. Now call." She sat back in her chair to signify that the conversation was over with.

He looked at her for a moment before letting out a long sigh. He dialed quickly. "Berderman, its Mulder… Yeah can you guys do me a favor?…. Run a search on any English professor, writer, play director, anyone like that who has a background in any violent crimes and let me know… Thanks. I’ll pick up the results in the morning but call me if anything looks suspicious." He hung up and gave her an ‘ are you happy now?’ look.

Scully smiled and took his face in her hands and kissed him. "You should have more confidence Mulder." She murmured against his lips. "You are good enough for me after all." She teased.

He smiled and kissed her back. "Sweetheart, I think that’s the other way around."

She laughed against his mouth. "Whatever you say darling." She mocked.

He pulled away with an amused expression. "I don’t think you meant that." He picked up a file and started to reread it for the umpteenth time today.

Scully trailed a finger down his neck, starting at his ear and ending at the collar of his tee. She watched in fascination as his skin involuntarily broke into goose bumps. Leaning forward she smoothed them away with the flat of her tongue.

"Scully." Mulder said in a low voice. "Honey, I need to work on this." As he said that he tipped his head to the side to allow her better access.

Without her mouth leaving his neck and maneuvered to straddle him, her feet barely touching the floor. "You need a break." She said as she sucked at the hallow of his throat.

He slid his hands up under her shirt and stroked her smooth stomach. "I guess I could be persuaded."

Scully pressed herself against his hardness. "I think you already have been." She kissed him hard.

They pulled each other’s clothes off messily and kissed for some time before Mulder stood from the chair taking Scully with him. He set her on wood floor and settled against her. "You ok here?" He panted out.

"Yes." She growled as she pulled his lips down to hers. He kissed her hungrily as his hand traveled down to her swollen folds. Dipping his fingertip gently into her opening he pulled the thick hot moister to her swollen clit and stroked lightly. Scully gasped and threw her head back, arching her chest up to Mulder. He dipped his head down and took a nipple into his mouth. She involuntarily jerked from the unaccustomed tenderness. He laved over her gently as a silent apology. Mulder pulled his hand away from her with a small whimper of disapproval and ran them along her lips, covering her with her own wetness. Licking his own lips and kissed her, pulling the taste away from her.

"You taste a little different." He whispered as he thrust into her body with familiarity. "You feel a little different too." He said as he cupped one of her breasts becoming heavy and full with pregnancy. "I love it." He whispered against her neck and he suckled possessively. Scully didn’t respond, she just breathed heavily through a slack jaw. Her body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat as she started to whimper slightly as she came closer to releasing. "Come on baby." Mulder whispered and he sped up his movements pushing her roughly against the hard floor, she didn’t even notice. She came with a harsh gasp and rolled her head side to side on the floor. Mulder grimaced in a pleasure/pain sensation as he pushed into a few more times before releasing. He shuddered and relaxed against her spent.

A few minutes later Mulder refocused on the world around him and rubbed Scully’s belly lightly as he kissed her temple. She cuddled up against him with a soft smile.

Mulder let out a breathy laugh. "Don’t fall asleep on the dinning room floor sweetheart."

"Mmm…" She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Take me to the couch." She requested softly.

He kissed her forehead and shifted to lift her up. "I’ll take you to bed."

"No. The couch." She insisted in a sleepy voice.

Mulder nodded even though she couldn’t see as her eyes were closed. He took the few steps down into the living room and set her down on the couch. Kneeling beside her he pulled the blanket from the back and laid it over her. She rolled her head to the side and looked at him through heavy lids and smiled. He leaned down and kissed her belly softly through the blanket. "I’d do anything for you…" He looked up away from her belly to her face. "Both of you. Anything. Anything in the world."

Scully cupped his cheek in her hand. "I know that. There’s no doubt in my mind."

Mulder smiled softly and rested the side of his face on her belly and closed his eyes as Scully stroked his hair.

"If it’s a girl Mulder, I want to name her Samantha."

Mulder’s eyes shut tighter for a moment and a few tears slipped out. Slowly he opened his eyes and met her own teary gaze. "Thank you."

She smiled and closed her eyes as the sleepiness took her over.

Mulder moved off of her and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep baby." He tucked the blanket around her and walked back into the dinning room to go back to work.

Three weeks later

Mulder stood, arms folded angrily over his chest, starring out at the abounded warehouse room where the bodies of four people lay. He found them, but too late. About two hours too late judging by the time of death that Scully just heard about.

"Special Agent Fox Mulder, an Oxford educated top profiler was able to locate the were abouts of the murder scene but not is time. This killer’s trademark is a slaughtered goat at the location of the first kidnap victim. There is much talk that perhaps the FBI is not putting enough effort into this case as needed. This is the third such murder that looks to be mocking Greek plays…"

Scully blocked out the newscaster as she tried to get a better look at Mulder in the background of the live news broadcast. He looked angry, withdrawn, alone, and on the verge of a mental breakdown. Scully hadn’t seen him on over ten hours after he made her go home to get some rest while he worked on his profile.

‘He’s random. Thinks himself a casting director. He just waits and watches for the right person to come along. Sooner or later he will develop a pattern… but right now he is getting what he wants; rave reviews on the news. Everyone is waiting to see what he deals out next… I just need to get one step ahead of him’ He had said before he told Scully she looked pale and needed sleep. She wanted to argue. She wanted to say she was going to stay with him and help. But she was exhausted. Her body couldn’t handle a pregnancy and an all nighter. So she went home, took a long hot bath, ate dinner then curled up in bed just as Skinner called to tell her Mulder figured out which play the murderer had chosen and tracked down were he thought he would have gone. ‘A few hours earlier and we would have had this sick bastard.’ Skinner had said. ‘But Mulder is on the trail now, he’s got him.’ Skinner made Mulder sound like a reading, speaking bloodhound. Well if he is a dog then I am his shewolf and I want him back in the den before I have to rip the jugular of anyone in my way. She curled up in the center of her lonely bed and propped her head on some pillows just as Mulder came up to give his statement to the press. Everyone knew his face now. Every time Scully turned on the news she would see a repeat of part of an interview with him. He had the perfect ‘talk to press’ look about him. Calm, cool, collected, vengeful and determined as hell.

Scully listened as he repeated everything he had said for the past week and a half, after the second set of victims were found. "He’s careful and clean…" Those words echoed in Scully’s head. They couldn’t even find a damn hair at any of the scenes. Scully would have been impressed with the killer’s abilities to be so perfect, if she wasn’t so disgusted with him.

She watched as Mulder said that was all he had to say and literally pushed through the press and towards his car. She sighed at the fact that he would be home soon. If he didn’t go back to the office to go over all the information that is. But most likely he would come home and Scully would do the autopsies in the morning and then it would be back to work.

Scully slowly drifted off into a light sleep as she waited.

She woke a while later to Mulder’s usual sounds in the bathroom. The tapping of his toothbrush on the sink edge, flushing of the toilet, soft splashes of water. A moment later he spooned up behind her and squeezed her tightly against him. "I didn’t mean to wake you." He whispered into her neck. "How are you?" He asked as he hand grazed her belly.

Scully turned in his arms to face him. "I’m fine. How about you?"

He gave a little shrug. "Tired. Very, very tired."

She nodded and burrowed herself up against him. Getting as close as possible. Hoping that maybe their skin would melt together so he wouldn’t feel alone ever again. "So what do you think?"

He sighed. "I think we are in the clear for a little while. I was too close this time. Unless he wants to get caught he is going to back off for as long as he can. Unless he is totally out of control, on a high for all the publicity. What else would a director want? He’s got it all, news coverage, TV coverage, stupid kids copying his goat fetish."

"The police caught them right?"

Mulder nodded. "Yeah. But this next one… He’s gonna plan it. It won’t be like these other. He will work it out, pick someone for a reason. No more of this random victim stuff. He must be somewhere where he can find all these people. He doesn’t have a plan, he just waits until they strike his fancy. Most killers pick victims subconsciously. But not him, he is too random. No pattern at all. If I could just figure out the pattern of the plays he chooses. But maybe that’s random too." He let out another sigh, this one longer and heavily laced with exhaustion. He kissed her temple and settle into the bed. Tell tale sighs that he was about to fall asleep. "I love you."

Scully kissed his chest. "I love you too."

He gave her a squeeze then quickly fell asleep.

Two weeks later

Scully gripped the edge of her desk as a wave dizziness came over her. Mulder jumped up from his desk and took the files from her hand. "Sit down."

"I’m ok." She said as he sat her in her chair.

"I’m sure you are." He said sarcastically. "Put your head down." He pushed her head down towards her knees.

"I think I can handle myself Mulder."

He ignored her and rolled his chair over next to hers and handed her a small bottle of orange juice. Her rubbed her back lightly as she sipped it.

"Mulder I’m fine. Really, it was just a little dizziness."

"I know. But you need to take it easy Scully. You are up and down that elevator, running to forensics, going back and forth all day."

Scully pushed away from him slightly. "I’m fine."

Mulder felt the frustration building in the back of his neck. "Well we’ll just ask the doctor at the appointment today."

"What! Are you going to tattle on me?"

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "No I’m not Scully. But when she asks you how you have been feeling and you don’t tell her about this I will. This isn’t about you its about the baby." He said in a calm voice.

She put her juice down and rubbed her face with her hands. "I’m sorry." She mumbled. "I didn’t mean to get so defensive."

He pulled her head to him and kissed her temple. "Don’t worry about it. Just take it easy for a few minutes." He glanced at his watch. "We have to leave in a half hour anyway." He looked at her closely. "You look pale, drink your juice."

"Yes sir." She said deadpan.

"Come in." Mulder called when someone knocked at the door.

"Agents." Skinner greeted as he walked towards them. He focused on Scully and his brow furrowed. "Are you feeling ok Agent Scully?"

"I’m fine Sir. What can we do for you?"

He reluctantly looked away from her and turned to Mulder. "I have some suspects for you to look through Mulder." He handed Mulder a file.

Mulder sat back in his chair. Scully and Skinner watching in silence for ten minutes as Mulder read through the papers. He then looked up and handed it back to Skinner. "Not any of them."

Skinner let out an exasperated sigh. "Any reason for that?"

Mulder frowned and shook his head. "Just isn’t right. I don’t think we are going to find this guy through old records. He started too random, he’s too clean. He had been toying with the idea of doing this for some time, he knew how to be careful. He got over excited after the first two went so well, we got close on the third so he is taking a break. Planning the next one. It’s going to be more planned. A bigger play, one well known. He’s letting the media get worked up, then he’ll give them something more to talk about."

Skinner frowned and leaned against the desk. "I don’t understand why he is the killing the people that didn’t die in the play…" He said thinking out loud.

Mulder sat up in full profiling mode. "I think he interacts this his actors closely. He can’t just let them go. That’s why he just slits their throats when he is done with them. Because he is literally done with them. He is good though, he doesn’t kill them sloppy. He has a gun, that much we know from the blunt contusions on some of the victims. He threatens them with it but doesn’t use it. He knows well enough that once he does that we can trace him." He shook his head lost in his thoughts. "He will slip up soon enough. I know it. After this next one, he will be on a big time high. If he pulls this one off how he is planning to… he will be anxious to do it again. Get more news coverage. He is proud of what he does." Mulder stood up and aimlessly paced the basement floor. "He is proud… He has wanted to do this for a while, acting, producing, casting, directing… all of it. Maybe he already has and it didn’t go well. Or it could be the complete opposite. He could be popular on the play scene." Mulder stopped and leaned against the far wall and starred at Skinner and Scully.

Skinner nodded and stood up straight. "Well… I’ll have the team run some checks on anyone with play and crime history." He shook his head and he walked to the door. "At least it is something new to look into. Have a good evening Agents." He left with a frustrated expression.

Scully watch Mulder as he stood looking at no certain spot on the floor lost in thought. After a moment he closed his eyes and shook himself back to reality. Glancing at his watch he looked up at her. "We better get going."

"Mulder if you think that is bad you aren’t going to make it through labor, maybe you should hang out in the waiting room and send my mother in."

Mulder looked at with mock shock. "Thank you for your vote of confidence Scully." He flipped the page just to be met by close up of an umbilical cord. "Oh man." He groaned and tossed the magazine back onto the table.

Scully tried to stifle her laugh as the nurse called them. "Come on, if you think you can handle a simple exam." She took his hand and tugged him upright.

"I think I’ll manage."

"Dana." The nurse said politely. "Right this way." She led them into an exam room. "Could you step on the scale please." Scully nodded and handed Mulder her jacket and she stepped out of her heels and onto the cool metal scale. After the nurse took her blood pressure and blood sample she told her to get undress and that the doctor would be in shortly.

"Mulder… turn around." She said as she started to unbutton her blouse.

He laughed. "You have to be kidding me! I’ve seen you naked a million times Scully." Scully just starred him down. "Oh fine." He turned his chair around and looked at the chart of phases during pregnancy on the wall. "I wonder if this is here because the wives always make the husbands turn around." He commented.

"You can look now." Scully said as she hoped up on the exam table in her cloth grown with a snap front.

"Oh that’s a nice look for you Scully." He teased.

She glowered at him. "I can throw you out of here Mulder."

He just grinned and scooted his chair over the head of the exam table.

Scully looked up at the poster Mulder was studying a moment ago. "Oh God… Look how big that woman is. How the hell can people walk like that?"

Mulder chuckled and leaned down to kiss her knee. "I’ll just carry you around all the time. Don’t worry about it."

Scully gave him a ‘what the hell?’ look when the doctor opened the door. "Hello Dr. Heart." Scully said politely to the woman.

"Dana. Mulder." She smiled and walked over and picked up Scully’s chart. "I’ve been seeing a lot of you on the news these days Mulder." She commented.

Mulder nodded solemnly.

Dr. Heart turned to Scully. "How have you been feeling?"

Scully opened her mouth and took a quick glance at Mulder. "Fine actually, except this afternoon I felt a little dizzy."

The doctor nodded. "Well we’ll see what your blood work shows when that comes back, but you shouldn’t worry if it only happens once in a while. Just take it easy, sit down for a while. You are a very active woman, it’s going to be a big change. Why don’t you lay down and we’ll get on the exam, we’ll discuss this more after your tests."

Scully shifted to lay down and Mulder took her shoulders to support her. She and the doctor exchanged knowing glances. Anxious father to be. Scully put her feet up in the stirrups and settle back against the paper covered pillows. Mulder took her hand with a nervous smile.

"Any spotting or cramping?" The doctor asked as she started the exam.

"None." She tried to not squirm under the uncomfortable sensations.

Dr. Heart nodded as her focus was directed towards the exam. Mulder started to play with Scully’s fingers. Running his own along the length of them and studying each with great concentration.

"Ok you can lay your feet down." Dr. Heart said after a moment. Scully settled down as she moved to unsnap the front of the gown for a breast exam. Mulder was polite enough to look at Scully’s face instead of her chest. She gave him an appreciative smile and he kissed the back of her hand. "Any tenderness in your breasts?"

"Yes." Scully said sharper then she meant to.

Dr heart let out a little laugh. "That’s normal." She resnapped the gown and moved her hands to her abdominal area. Scully squeezed Mulder’s hand tightly and pressed her forehead into his arm as Dr. Heart felt around. "Almost done." The doctor assured knowing the uncomfortable pressure she was placing on her. "Ok." She stepped back. "You can get dressed, I’ll go get your test results and be back in a few minutes." She smiled politely and left the room.

"You ok?" Mulder asked as he helped Scully upright. "That didn’t look like the most pleasant thing."

"Don’t worry Mulder." She said with a smile. "Can you hand me my clothes?"

He did. "Want me to turn around again?" He asked with a little pout.

Scully laughed. "No it’s ok." She finished dressing just as Dr. Heart knocked on the door and stepped in.

"Here’s your blood work." She handed Scully a copy knowing she would want to look it over.

Scully frowned. "My sodium in low."

"That’s probably what made you feel dizzy. My suggestion would be to drink a bottle of Gatorade or other sports drink when you are having busy day. That will help with your sodium, but it’s really nothing to worry about at the moment." She looked down at her chart. "Your weight gain could be a little higher, but not enough to worry about. Other then that I think everything is going fine. As long as you aren’t having any problems. Is sexual intercourse comfortable? Not having any pains or discomfort?"

"No complaints." Mulder chimed in quickly.

Scully blushed and turned to him. "I think she was speaking to me Mulder." She turned back to Dr. Heart to see her trying to smother her laughter. "Everything is fine."

"Are you sleepy comfortably?"

"No problems there."

"Ok. Well you can make your two month appointment on your way out and if you have any questions to hesitate to call." She shook both their hands and stepped out of the room.

Scully turned to Mulder sharply. "Remember I can kick you out of here."

He laughed and kissed her cheek. "You love me and you know it."

"That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t kick your ass." She stated as she hopped off the table.

"I’m counting on it baby."

She just shook her head and led him out of the room.

Three weeks later

Mulder sorted through some random files that Skinner has sent down. There had been nothing new with the Greek play write killer, Mulder was waiting. ‘Any day now. He’s not in the news and he won’t like that. He is still planning, or maybe waiting for the right time… But any day now. I know he isn’t done." He had said to Skinner just the other day.

Mulder yawned and stretched his arms over his head just as Scully wordlessly came over and leaned against his desk in front of him. He looked at her with raised brows waiting for her to say something. She didn’t. She just looked at him for a moment then reached into the open bag of sunflower seeds sitting on his desk. She popped one into her mouth and struggled to open it for a moment. She gracefully took the shell out of her mouth and dropped into in the garbage. She chewed the meat of the seed slowly looking behind Mulder at the wall. She swallowed and thought for a moment before she nodded to an unspoken question, picked up the bag of seeds and walked without a word back to her desk. Mulder watched as she settled herself back onto her chair and pulled the garbage closer as she dropped in another set of shells.

He shook his head in amazement and went back to reading his files.

"I better get going." Scully said as she stood up a few hours and a bag of seeds later. "I’ll be back not too late tonight." She said as she started to gather her things.

"Ok. Say hello to your mother for me." Mulder said as he tapped a pencil on his desk toying with the idea of spending an evening throwing pencils into the ceiling instead of eating home alone.

Scully walked over and kissed him quickly. "Do some laundry if you get a chance tonight, don’t just sit here and feel sorry for yourself that I am going out with my mother."

Mulder gave her a ‘shut up’ smile.

Scully pulled on her coat and grinned at him as she stepped out of the office.

Mulder leaned back into the couch as he flipped through channels. He had only been without Scully for a few hours but was already bored. He decided on the history channel figuring it would put him to sleep shortly.

He groaned when the phone rang and reached blindly to the table beside him. "Hello?"

"Fox, its Margaret. Has Dana left yet?"

Mulder shut his eyes as his stomach twisted and his heart pounded in his ears. "She not there yet?"

"No… I’ve been waiting. Did she get held up at work."

Mulder didn’t answer. "Where are you? Where were to going to meet her?" He choked out around the painful lump in his throat.

"Kelsey’s. What’s wrong Fox?" She asked slowly.

"I’ll be right there. Don’t leave." Mulder hung up the phone without another word and pulled on his shoes and jacket as he stumbled out the door. The moment the elevator opened he opened his phone and called Scully. No answer. He stepped into the car, turned the ignition and gunned the engine out of the parking garage as he dialed Skinner’s cell phone.

"Skinner." He answered gruffly.

"Sir it’s Mulder. Scully is missing." He said in such a calm voice it didn’t even sound like him.

There was a pause.

A long tense shocked filled pause.

"Where are you heading?"

"Kelsey’s. The restaurant, she was supposed to meet her mother over three hours ago."

"I’ll leave right now." Mulder heard a click then dial tone. He drove in a serene calmness to the restaurant. He didn’t think, he barely breathed. He just drove like hell.

He pulled into the popular restaurant’s parking lot and drove scanning for Scully’s car. There it was. He stomach tied in a nervous knot. Maybe she just got here. Maybe she is safe inside with her mother eating for two like she should be... Who the fuck am I trying to kid?!

He pulled up next to her can just as Skinner did. They both exchanged a look and Mulder walked to the driver’s side of the car. He turned away sharply with his eyes tightly shut. But it didn’t help, he still saw the dead goat in his mind’s eye. With his eyes still shut he heard Skinner make a few phone calls, he felt Margaret come up beside him and ask what was going on. But he just stood there, sorting out in his frantic brain what needed to be done. How he needed to get Scully back quickly.

"Ok." Mulder said aloud to himself and walked towards his car.

"Mulder! Where are you going?" Skinner called.

Mulder turned just as he was about to sit in the car. "To find where Scully is. I’ll call you when I know." He got in and drove off with Margaret standing in tears talking about her poor baby girl and her baby. And Skinner’s jaw agape.

A little bit later Mulder walked back into his dark apartment and into the den. He kicked off his shoes and tossed his jacket to the floor and lay down on his couch and closed his eyes.

"Ok Scully. Tell me where you are baby." He whispered out loud as he left stress, darkness and the comforting smell of leather lull him to sleep.

He opened his eyes slowly a small length of time later and cursed softly. He was still in the dark. He sighed and shut his eyes.

"Mulder." It was just a whisper.

His eyes flew open and it hit him. There should be light from the street shinning in, but there wasn’t. It was complete darkness. "Scully?" He called softly. The sound bounced back quickly and he had a sudden claustrophobic feeling.

"I’m here Mulder."

"Where?!" He reached out but only found air.

"I’m in a trunk."

Mulder’s breathing was ragged against the quiet the surrounded him. "Are you hurt?" He asked with calmness.

"No I’m ok, he didn’t touch me. I have to go."

"Ok." He said quickly understanding that at any moment she may be woken up at any moment. "Tell me what you know Scully. Is he any of the suspects?"

"No. I’ve never seen him before. But he keeps calling me Antigone."

"Antigone… that was written by Sophocles. Ok Scully anything else?"

"No. He just surprised me. Had a gun to my head, tied my hands and shoved me in his car."

Mulder took a long breath. "Ok. I will find you. I’m going to go now and find you. I love you." He said with a determined voice.

"I love you too."

Mulder opened his eyes and was met by a faint blue light reflecting off the shinny oak bookshelves. He stood and walked over to them scanning the books for the title her remembered seeing when emptying his father’s collection weeks ago. ‘Sophocles’ Greatest Works.’ He pulled the faded burgundy book from the shelf and sat down at his desk pulling on his glasses and switching on the light. He flipped through until the found the section.

A few hours later Mulder leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath. "Ok." He said to himself for no reason in particular. He jumped when his phone rang. "Mulder." He answered dully.

"Just found a man’s body." Skinner said as a greeting. "A grave dug but he was just laying beside it. Killed in our guys single knife wound to the throat."

Mulder rested his forehead on the heel of his hand. "He’s doing Antigone by Sophocles. You know it?"

"It sounds familiar, but no I don’t."

"Its about a young woman, Scully, who gives her brother a proper burial and in turn goes against the king’s wishes. Of course that guy wasn’t Scully’s brother, but there is no doubt in my mind that he would have gotten one of them if he could of."

"What’s coming next?" Skinner interrupted.

"Here’s my thinking; the guy has been watching us, you, me and Scully. He knows Scully is not a weak woman, either was the Antigone character. He did some serious casting this time, I knew he would. In the story she was brought to the king, Creon, which I think is you." Mulder continues even though he knew Skinner wanted to say something. "But I don’t think that will happen, no way he can pull it off and stay safe. I think I am playing the part of Haemon, the man who was to marry Antigone. She was to banished in a way to a mountain, Haemon followed her and found that she had hung herself so that she wouldn’t starve to death. Haemon killed himself when he saw her. Moments later Creon, who was Haemon’s father by the way, came and found them. After a blind prophet told him that if he didn’t find them in time bad things would happen. It goes on but I think that’s were it’s going to stop, he doesn’t do the play when it’s too hard for him. He wants to get back at me for figuring him out last time. He planned this one because he wants me dead, and if Scully dies he gets that. Then he can keep making his damn plays." Mulder finished in a bitter tone. He looked out the window and noticed the sun was just coming up.

"Ok…" Skinner paused. "Where did Creon find them?"

"A cave."

"Where’s the nearest cave?"

"The new zoo. It has a manmade cave. Reconstructed to show how the cavemen lived. She’ll be there."

"Ok. I’ll pick you up right now. Meet me outside your building." Skinner hung up immediately.

Mulder sat restlessly in Skinner’s car as they drove.

"I’m having a team meet us at the zoo."

"They can’t go in." Mulder said as he starred out the window letting his thought brew in his head. "Better just you and me. We are characters. He will be mad that we are messing up his play… If we aren’t too late." He whispered the last part.

Skinner pulled into the mostly empty parking lot a few minutes later. A few cars were parked in the employees only area and a three government vans waiting for them, headlights turned off.

Mulder stepped out and into the warm early morning air. He took a deep calming breath as Skinner informed the team that they were to wait out side the ‘cave’ entrance until told. He walked up next to Mulder.

"Ready?"

Mulder nodded and pulled his gun out. Just give me a reason asshole. He thought as he adjusted the gun comfortably in his hand. They walked carefully and in silence down the path and into the cave. Listening carefully Mulder could hear the mumbled ramblings of their killer.

"Now Antigone, you wait for Haemon. Do you understand? I will have you all set up for when he walks in. I want you to wait. Look sad and withdrawn. You know you must end your life but you don’t know yet that your true love will follow you."

Mulder and Skinner crouched around the corner, shielding themselves with the cavemen replicas that were skinning a fake tiger with their primitive knives. They could see Scully as the madman paced frantically, babbling away about his directing clues. She was leaning back against the far wall, unharmed and bound only at the wrists. Her eyes never left the man pacing with a gun in his hand. The killer was oblivious to the fact that Scully was slowly but steadily loosening the ropes around her slim wrists. Mulder moved slightly out with Skinner right behind. Catching the movement Scully looked up just as the ropes slipped loose, she held them against her still so that it looked like she was still tied. She held eye contact with Mulder for a moment before he had to look away and focus on the killer. She was visibly relieved and reading his intentions with the experience of a long time partner and soul mate.

Mulder motioned for Skinner to stay behind and stepped out into the small opening of the cave room. The fake fire light in the middle shone off the walls exposing the replicated cave drawings of prehistoric animals.

The killer swung around to face Mulder in shock. For the first time Mulder was able to see him clearly. He was a normal looking man, average height, dark hair, common features, but possessed eyes.

"NO! Haemon you are not to be here yet!" He looked over at Skinner. "Croen!! I haven’t even sent Teiresias to you yet!" He gestured to the body of a man in a zoo uniform with his eyes pulled out.

"It’s over! Put your gun down and lay on the floor!" Skinner yelled loudly.

No no no no no! Not like this! Mulder thought frantically.

The killer looked back at Mulder with his gun raised. "NO! You are ruining all of it!"

Mulder pointed his gun at the madman. Face to face. Gun to gun. Looking much like an old western stand off. Mulder hand jerked with a bureau inherited reflex when he saw the man’s finger flinch. The rock walls bounced the sound on gunfire like a pin ball machine as a the force of a freight train in the form of a close range bullet hitting a bullet proof vest hit Mulder’s chest.

The air was forced out of his lungs, the world when bright with pain as he fell backwards the world went black and a ringing went through his ears.

All this focus went to breathing against the pain like the weight of an elephant sitting on his chest.

"Mulder!" Scully kneeled down next to him and touched his face. "Oh thank God you are wearing a vest." She leaned down and pressed her cheek against his.

"Sc-" Mulder tried to force out questions.

"Shh. Mulder its ok. I’m ok. He barely touched me. Shh." She murmured as he heard Skinner yell for an ambulance.

"Is he dead?" Mulder managed after catching his breath somewhat.

Scully glanced over he should at the slumped body of a man with a bullet between the eyes. She turned back to Mulder and stroked his hair away from his face. "Definitely."

Mulder fought the pain and raised a hand to her stomach in a silent question.

"We are fine. Don’t worry." She started to unbutton his shirt as the paramedics came in.

"I want you to go to hospital." He gasped as the vest shifted on his bruised body.

Scully opened her mouth to protest but quickly shut in a nodded. "Don’t move anymore Mulder. You probably broke a rib or two."

"All of them." He mumbled.

"What?" Scully asked with a furrowed brow.

"I broke all of them. Every damn one."

Scully laughed lightly. "I don’t think its that bad." She said as the vest was slowly cut away. "It just feels that bad."

"Shit!" Mulder hissed out as the vest was pulled away from his body slightly. He felt a needle go into his arm.

"Don’t worry Mulder. In a moment you won’t feel anything." She said with slight humor.

She was right. A moment later the world swirled around Mulder and he felt like he was floating. But he managed to hold onto Scully’s hand the whole time.

She smiled at them. "Well you two are all over the news." She informed as she rolled the sonogram machine over and motioned for Scully to put her feet up in the stirrups. "Are you feeling all right? Spotting? Cramping? Anything not normal?"

Scully shook her head. "No. I feel fine, but better safe then sorry." Mulder kissed the back of her hand then held it to his cheek as he watched Dr. Heart anxiously.

"I agree." She did a quick exam then pulled off her gloved and motioned for Scully to put her feet down. "Everything looks fine, let’s see if we can find a heartbeat."

Scully took a deep calming breath as Dr. Heart lifted her gown away and placed the sonogram attachment to her belly. They were all silent as she moved pieces around and adjusted dials. The room slowly filled with a thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. "There you are." She smiled happily.

Scully and Mulder both let out a breath and smiled.

Scully listened for a moment. "That sounds uneven."

Dr. Heart nodded and jelled the sonogram attachment and ran it over her belly as she angled the screen for them to see well. "And that would be why." She pointed to a slightly different colored blur on the display.

"That’s the baby right?" Scully asked searching her memory for what little prenatal medical experience she had.

"Mmm Hmm." The doctor nodded and moved the attachment more then pointed to another area. "And so is that." She turned to them with a smile.

"Whoa." Mulder said softly. "What are you saying?"

"Looks like you too are having twins, not uncommon at all for invitro patents."

Scully let out a laugh as relieved tears streamed down her face. She stole a quick glance at Mulder before looking at the screen again.

"Wow." Mulder said softly and he kissed her forehead, never taking his eyes off the vision of their tiny babies.

Mulder grunted as he lay down in bed. Every movement made his chest constrict in pain.

"Here." Scully held one of his pain pills to his lips. She placed it in his mouth then tipped his head up with a hand at the back of his neck at he sipped water. She placed the glass down and crawled over him and into bed. She clicked on the TV, they had gotten home in time for the noon news.

"Early this morning Edward Philips was arrested for murders of several people. He worked at the a local supermarket as the manager." The news station flipped over to a tapping of Mulder being wheeled to the ambulance with Scully by his side. "Special Agent Fox Mulder, who has been profiling the case tracked him here to the-" Scully flipped off the TV with a yawn.

"Well Special Agent Fox Mulder, profiler extraordinary you look stoned."

Mulder laughed lightly. "I feel stoned. Whatever the hell they are giving me, it’s working."

"I think over thirty hours with no sleep might be part of that too." Scully said as she settled down next to him. Placing her head on his shoulder she wrapped an arm loosely low over his stomach. "Is this ok?"

"Yeah. Don’t worry I can barely feel a thing."

"That’s a shame." She stated as she kissed his shoulder and pulled the blankets up over them.

"Don’t tease me Scully. I just better be feeling like usual when that increase in your libido kicks in." He was interrupted by the phone.

"I’ll get it." Scully said as she leaned over him.

"That’s good because my body melted into the bed." Mulder said as he closed his eyes.

"Hello?" Scully said trying to stifle a yawn.

"Dana! I can’t believe you are still there! Get out and go to mom’s, what else is it going to take for you to leave that bastard?" Bill screamed into the phone. "Ever time I turn on the TV I see a clip of you or that asshole you married. It’s worse enough that you are running around where ever he takes you. But Jesus Dana you are pregnant! I’ve been calling for hours, where have you been?"

Scully took a deep breath and placed her forehead on Mulder’s shoulder. "Bill I’m not up to this. I just spent hours in the hospital waiting for my doctor, I haven’t slept in a long time and I just don’t feel like listening to you whine about how you think I’ve made a mistake. Good bye." She clicked off the phone and threw it off the side of the bed. She settled back against Mulder and closed her eyes.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I’m just tired." She gave him a very slight squeeze.

"Ok." He kissed her head even though it hurt to move and they both feel asleep quickly.

Next day

4:30 pm

Margaret unlocked her daughter’s apartment door after her knock went unanswered. She walked in as quietly as she could and into the kitchen to set down her grocery bags. Then she made way through the house looking for Mulder and Scully. She looked in their open bedroom door to see Scully laying on her stomach as close as possible to Mulder. Her head rested in the crook of his neck, one arm wrapped high around his neck and one leg rested in between his. Mulder’s head leaned against hers, his lower body tilted into her direction slightly but this upper body was straight and unmovable.

Margaret smiled and shut the door slowly. She walked into the empty bedroom and placed her wallpaper, fabric, and paint samples on the center off the wood floor and looked around to get started.

Margaret was measuring wall length when Scully walked in wearing one of Mulder’s t-shirts, her hair mussed from sleeping, and starving. "Hi Mom."

"Hi sweetie." Margaret walked over and hugged her. "Honey go put your robe and sleepers on."

Scully smiled. "I’m going to go shower in a minute."

Mulder practically limped in behind Scully rubbing his face with his hands.

"Fox! You aren’t feeling well, you should definitely not be walking around. And definitely not half naked!" Margaret exclaimed at Mulder wearing only his boxers.

He squinted at her. "Huh?"

Scully laughed. "Don’t mind him mom, he’s drugged up." She walked over and kissed his cheek. "Good morning."

"Evening actually. I know that much." He responded and he pulled her back up against him and rubbed her stomach. "How you feeling?"

"Hungry."

"Why don’t you two get dressed and I’ll get dinner ready."

Scully nodded and turned Mulder around. "Come on big guy, let’s get you cleaned up and rewrap your ribs." She escorted him back into their bedroom and into the bath. Slowly she untapped his abdominal area.

"Ow." He said clenching his jaw and shutting his eyes.

"I know. Hang on." She unwound the rest and turned on the shower.

"I think it hurts more unwrapped."

"Come on, let’s shower together." She pulled off the t-shirt and panties then pulled down his boxers.

"For some reason I don’t think this will be as much fun as usual." He said as he stepped under the water with her.

"Not at all." She said matter of factly.

A little while later Scully helped Mulder down into a chair in front of a table full of pasta and salad.

"Oh Margaret, I love you." Mulder said as he helped himself.

She laughed and served Scully. "Thanks mom." She took a large mouthful and chewed thoughtfully. "Any thoughts on the nursery?"

"Well all my pervious plans are shot since you are having twins." They all smiled for a moment. "But we can work around it. Let’s just get the colors down then worry about space."

"I don’t think it will be a problem." Mulder informed. Then he focused on his food again.

"You know Mulder, you can chew. I’ve seen you do it before."

Mulder looked up at Scully and blinked a few times. "Shut up and eat woman." He said with mock sternness.

"You’re lucky you are wounded already." She looked back at her mother. "I think we should paint clouds on the ceiling."

"That would be lovely. We could just paint the walls white, to be safe. But we need to decide on crib furnishings."

"Oh!" Mulder said to get attention while her chewed. "Oak. I have my great grandmother’s rocking chair that my father had still in storage. I’ll call them tomorrow and have them deliver it."

Next day

11:30 am

Scully put her hand over her mouth. "Mulder. That’s… beautiful." She whispered looking at the wooden rocking chair just dropped off in the foyer.

He gave her a little push to it. "Try it out Scully."

She bit her lip and sat in the smooth wood rocking gently.

"Perfect fit." He said leaning against the wall to support his painful frame.

"Oh Dana! That is gorgeous!" Margaret said as she stepped out of the nursery with blue and white splotches of paint on her.

"I love it." She said running her hands up and down the smooth armrests. "We’ll just leave it here until the painting is done." She looked up at Mulder smiling but it turned into a frown. "Mulder, lets get you in bed." She stood up and took his arm.

He let out a breath and nodded. "I just got out of bed but I’m not going to complain."

She walked him into their room and stood him by the bed unbuttoning his jeans and pulling them off before sitting him down. "You’re teasing me aren’t you?" He said with much less enthusiasm then he wanted.

"Two times in one year you have me waiting on you." She commented as she stacked pillows by the headboard for him. When she stepped back in front of him he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her belly. He slowly nuzzled back and forth as Scully ran her fingers through his hair for a few minutes. "You need to lay down Mulder." She gently pushed him back and he grimaced as he lay against the pile of pillows.

"It hurts." He said not in his usual Mulder whine but in a soft pain filled voice.

Scully sat down beside him. "I know. Another day or two and you should be able to at least move around some more." She handed him a painkiller, which would knock him out in a few minutes.

"You promise Dr. Scully?" He asked in the same voice laced only slightly with humor.

Smiled softly. "Get some rest, I’ll check on you later." She leaned over and kissed him lightly.

Mulder woke up hours later to Scully walking around the bedroom. "Hey you." He murmured as loud as he could make his voice go.

"Hey yourself." She was wrapped up in a pale blue short satin robe he noticed as she sat down on the edge of bed. "Mom left a while ago." She stated as she squirted a brown paste into her hand and began to spend it over her face. "Mud mask." She said in response to Mulder’s questioning gaze. When she finished she eyed Mulder for a moment.

"Scully…" He said warningly as she smile wickedly and squirted more into her hand. "No way! Scully cut it out!" He cried as she moved to spread the mask on his cheek.

"Oh come on. Let me play." She pouted her lip out in and attempted to mimic his lost puppy eyes.

He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "Fine… go ahead. Have your way with me." She grinned happily and spread the thick goo over his face. "Its cold!… and it tingles!"

"I know. Pretty cool huh?" She wiped her hands on a towel and climbed over Mulder to sit Indian style beside him.

He reached over and fingered her robe. "Little tease… Running around in this short clingy thing when I can barely walk and am on muscle relaxants." He sniffed the air. "Just out of the bath too." He untied her robe and pushed it open as he placed his palm flat on her belly. He starred at his hand in calm amazement. He stayed like that for sometime before he wrinkled his nose.

Scully smiled. "I’ll go wash mine off then get you cleaned up." She hoped off the bed and returned a minute later, clean faced with a wet towel. She slowly wiped the dried mask from his face with care, tossed the towel back into the bathroom and crawled back into bed with Mulder. She gently cuddled up against him running her fingers over his bandaged ribs. "Feeling alright?"

He kissed her forehead. "Never been better."

One month later

Tuesday 6:50 am

Uh oh. Mulder thought as he pulled on his slacks and looked across the bedroom to where Scully was trying to zip up the forth pair of pants she had pulled on in ten minutes. She let out a long breath, blinked back tears, and dropped her pants then laid down on her back in bed. She lay there with closed eyes in black panties and bra.

Mulder crawled onto bed with her and kissed the swell of her belly then kissed his way up to her lips. He smoothed back her hair then kissed a tear that fell from her closed eye as he rubbed her belly. "What’d you say we play hooky today?"

She opened her eyes filled with frustrated tears and looked at him. "What?"

"I’ll call Skinner, tell him something came up and we need a personal day. Be right back." He kissed her and jumped off the bed to make his call. Scully knew she should stop him, but she wanted nothing more then to go back to bed and wake up later able to fit into her pants. She could go in a little late without feeling guilty. Sighing her rubbed her belly. Nothing personal guys. Mulder moved back onto the bed and she wiped away tears.

"Shh. Don’t." He pushed her hands away from her face. "It’s ok." He had taken off his slacks and undershirt. His almost bare body felt wonder to Scully’s and she rolled into him.

A few minutes later after her hormones were under her control she rolled back again and smiled shyly. "So what are we going to do today?"

He waggled his eyebrows at her and started to suck her neck lightly.

"Oh I see…. We skip work so we can fool around all day."

He worked her way to her ear. "Not all day. I have a plan."

"Oh please share." She began drawing random patterns on his bare back with her fingertips causing him to shiver slightly.

"Well after we ‘fool around’ as you put it some nicely I plan on taking you out for a big breakfast then we’ll go shopping."

She pulled his head away from her to look in his eyes. "Shopping? Fox Mulder wants to take me shopping?" She placed her palm over his forehead. "Are you feeling alright?"

He laughed and shook off her hand. "I’m feeling fine. Any way we need to get some baby stuff." He poked her belly lightly. "Get you some maternity clothes." She groaned. "And I can handle the mall on a weekday morning… Enough talk, more fooling around." He kissed her thoroughly so she couldn’t answer as he fingered the front clasp of her bra and pushed the material away. He looked at her breasts for a moment then took one her hands and made her cup herself. "Do they feel different to you?" He placed his hand over hers and massaged lightly.

She nodded simply.

"Tell me how they feel." He requested softly.

"Umm… Heavy, swollen. A little sore, but almost in a good way."

He brushed her hand aside and kneaded lightly for himself. "This hurt?"

"No." She moaned. "No… That’s good." He replaced his hand with his mouth and her hips jerked up against his thigh involuntarily. He moved away from her enough to push her panties away from her body enough to slide his fingers into her swollen folds. "Mulder." She whispered arching her chest closer to him and struggling to open her legs wider for him. She wiggled her hips lightly. "Take those off." She reached a hand to his boxers and pulled at his waistband. "And those." Once he stripped them of the remaining clothes he returned to kissing her neck while his hand lay on her belly tracing slow circles around her navel with him thumb. She pushed his hand down until his fingers tangled with her damp curls. "Touch me again." Her voice of was just a whisper as she turned her head catching Mulder’s lips as he slipped a finger slowly into her. She broke off the kiss in a gasp as he arched his finger up inside of her pressing firmly against her pubic bone. After a moment he pulled from her and left her with a pleasantly frustrating ache. He situated himself above her in a familiar position. Scully had come to learn Mulder’s sexual moods, at times he wanted to be inventive, sometimes he basically wanted Scully to do all the work, and like this time he wanted to be in control. Scully raised her knees slightly for Mulder as he supported his weight on his forearms with a slight cringe due to his still sore ribs. In a moment he slide into her body in a long stroke. He was still. Just looking down at Scully.

"You’re so soft." He moaned softly as he started to move slowly. He was agonizingly but wonderfully slow. Scully leaned forward and nipped at his chin and bottom lip as he closed his eyes in concentration. She reached up and stroked his cheek until he looked down at her.

"I love you." She whispered when she saw an expression of devotion and love in his eyes.

He couldn’t find his voice so he leaned down and kissed her gently. Scully felt her organism building steadily and wrapped her legs around his waist in an effort to speed him up. But he ignored her and suckled her collarbone. She whimpered softly as a slow but intense orgasm came over her. Mulder groaned and left the pace he had and thrust in a few sloppy strokes before his own orgasm hit him. He relaxed his weight just to the side of her with his head in the crook of her neck. Scully pushed his sweat-dampened hair from his forehead with one hand and rubbed the back of his neck the other. After a moment he nuzzled her skin and kissed the sweat from her neck before pulling his head up to look at her.

"I’m hungry."

He burst out laughing. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Later that day

"Hey Scully, look at this!"

Scully turned from the rack of baby nightclothes to see Mulder holding up a fake leather baby jacket that look like the one he was wearing. "Aww. Father-son jackets. Very cute Mulder." She turned back around.

"We’re getting this." He said throwing it into the cart among piles of unisex baby clothes and maternity wear.

Scully picked it up. "Mulder what if they are both girls? Then what are you gonna do with it."

Mulder looked shocked. "Are you saying that women shouldn’t wear leather jackets? I seem to remember you have one."

Scully walked over and stood in front of him. "Do you like that jacket Mulder?"

He grinned. "Yeah you look really hot in it."

She nodded knowingly. "So if we have a daughter or two you won’t mind if they are wearing jackets like that?"

He took the jacket from her and hung it up quickly. "Point made." He turned back to her. "But… If we have any boys I am coming back and getting that."

"There’s no doubt in my mind." She turned to the cart. "Well I think we are all set. Mom told me to wait until after the baby shower to get too much." She yawned and stretched. "And I’m ready for a nap."

Two weeks later

Friday 8:45 pm

Scully leaned against the wall between the dinning room and the living room and looked at Mulder. He was partaking in his usual Friday night activity, sitting on the couch, a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. He aimlessly flipped channels, only staying on certain ones for a minute or two before flipping again. He always ended up going back the same movie as when he first turned the set on, he just had to surf through all seventy a few times.

Scully walked over and sat next him, she took the practically empty beer from his hand and set it on the table before pushing her way underneath. She wrapped her arms low on his waist and buried her face in his t-shirt inhaling his scent mingled with laundry detergent. She glanced over at the TV. He was back on ‘Jurassic Park’, she reached over for his hand holding the remote.

Mulder grunted and held it out of her reach.

"I don’t want the remote, I want your hand." She said with amusement.

He placed the remote a safe distance from her and she took his hand in hers interweaving their fingers. She sighed in contentment as he rubbed her palm with his thumb. After a moment she pulled her hand from his and it dropped to his lap. She smiled to herself; he was trying to make her think he wasn’t paying attention to her. One of his many games. She pushed both of her hands under his shirt and pulled it over his head. He settled back into the couch like she had done nothing more then turn on a light. But Scully knew better, without that the bulge in his pants being any indication.

Scully eyes him for a moment, he just starred at the TV relaxed. She started to pull off all her clothes watching him out of the corner of her eye. He was doing the same. She settled back against him as if she were still wearing her clothes. She pressed her ear to his chest hearing his heart pounding ferociously and his breathing labored. Cool exterior my ass. She thought as she started to suckle at his nipple. His breath caught. With that encouragement she worked harder on him until he groaned softly. Smiling his shifted and straddled his lap purposely pressing into his groin.

"I was wondering how long you could keep that up." She whispered as she took his earlobe between her teeth and bit down lightly as she unbuttoned his pants.

"Well… Mmm… you’re such a tease I-" His voice caught as she took him in her hand after ridding him of the rest of his clothing. "I figure I should get you back." He finished in a rush as she moved in to kiss him deeply.

"Lay down." She ordered after pulling away.

"Yes ma’am." He swung his legs, taking Scully with them, onto the rest of the couch.

Scully leaned down and kissed him again as she aligned her body over his. Quickly she dropped her weight down taking him inside her. He gasped in surprise and thrust his hips up involuntarily to meet her.

"You don’t waste any time." He commented as she kissed his neck and rocked on top of him. He let her pick a comfortable pace as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back in pleasure. Scully watched him closely as his skin flushed slightly and his breathed turned even more ragged. She leaned down and captured his adam’s apple with her mouth, sucking softly. His groan vibrated through her body and she increased her pace ignoring the burning of her thigh muscles. She jerked her body upright in surprise as he began to rub his thumb along the side of her clit. He started to meet her with thrusts and they quickly established a pace. Scully’s orgasm hit her sharply and she yelled out. Mulder’s head rolled side to side for as he took over and thrust up into her yelling out her name, and god’s before exploding inside of her.

Scully collapsed onto his chest feeling his sweaty skin beneath her cheek and their mingled fluids seep from her body. After a long moment Mulder pulled the blanket from the back of the couch over them and Scully cuddled up with him still inside on her after a few moments of shifting to accommodate her belly. She ran her fingers lightly over his chest as he run one through the hair at the base of her neck and the other gently rubbed the small of her back working out the weeks tension. They watched the movie with little focus and foggy eyes.

Scully sat up and he slipped out her body as the helicopter sailed over the ocean at the end of the movie. She reached down and pulled on his t-shirt. She looked down at Mulder. His eyes were partially shut as he looked back up at her. Leaning down she kissed him gently for a few moments before sitting up in thought.

"Do we have any swordfish?"

His brow furrowed together as he tried to place what she was talking about. He shook his head in confusion.

"You know, swordfish. I’m hungry."

"Oh… No we don’t." He said as she moved off of him and he pulled on his boxers. "I think we have a can of tuna fish though."

"O!" She cried in joy and jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen.

Mulder followed laughing lightly. When he caught out with her she was already eating her meal straight out of the can with a fork. He opened the fridge. "What anything to drink?"

"Milk." She requested through a full mouth.

"Milk and tuna fish… Yum." He said as he poured her a glass.

"Oh!" She said through another bit. "I bought some of that strawberry syrup stuff, its in the fridge door, put some of that in there too."

"Are you serious?" She nodded with an eager expression. Mulder made a disgusted face as he poured the bright pink gel like goo into the glass. He sat down next to her and gave her the glass. "You know Scully some of your cravings are just plain gross." He commented as she took a large gulp.

"It’s good. Want some?" She held the tuna and the pink milk toward him.

He held up his hands and leaned back slightly. "No thank you."

She shrugged and dug back into her food.

Two weeks later

Wednesday 10:45 am

"Ok. Where’s this month’s expense report?" Skinner asked looking up at the agents from across his desk much like a judge looking down at criminals.

Scully looked over at Mulder expectantly.

"I’ve got it." He said defensively as he sorted through his briefcase.

Scully rolled her eyes and gave Skinner an apologetic smile. Skinner just sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Here. There you are Sir." He handed the papers over to Skinner who checked them off his list and started to read through them. Mulder tapped his leg impatiently. He hated these monthly progress meetings. Scully sat examining her fingernails thinking about how well they were going since she started prenatal vitamins as Skinner read.

"Oh!" Scully exclaimed jumping suddenly placing a hand on her belly.

"Scully? You ok?"

She turned to Mulder and smiled. "A baby just kicked."

"Are you serious?!" Mulder’s hand flew from his lap to hers where she placed it over the same spot. They waited in silence for a moment. Mulder gave a little jump when he felt another kick and laughed.

Scully suddenly looked up at Skinner. "I’m sorry Sir." She reluctantly pushed Mulder’s hand away.

He held up a hand. "No. Please its ok."

Mulder quickly replaced his hand just in time of another kick.

"Wow. All of a sudden can’t stay still." She said laughing. She looked up at Skinner. "Sir? Do you want to feel?" She asked a little nervous.

"Would you mind?" He raised slightly from his chair.

Mulder pulled his hand away as Scully said, "Please."

Skinner walked over then crouched down by her said placing his palm where she directed. A moment later he smiled. "What a kicker."

Scully wiped a tear from her eye just before it fell. "You’re telling me." She couldn’t seem to stop laughing.

One month later

Scully struggled to get comfortable in bed. Her days of sleeping on her stomach were over, she never slept very well on her back.

Mulder sat down at the end of the bed. "You ok?"

"No." She said bitterly. "My feet hurt, my back hurts, I have indigestion and I feel fat."

Mulder smiled a little. "Well let’s see. I can help with the first one." He picked up one of her feet and started to rub firmly with his thumbs. "I can take can of the second one after I take care of the first one." Scully smiled in thought of one of Mulder’s back rubs. "That third one, well nothing I can do about that. Sorry. And that fat thing. You aren’t fat. You are pregnant and beautiful and I love it." He nodded in satisfaction of his own words.

Scully sighed and rubbed her belly as he switched feet. "And someone has been kicking me all night long."

Moments later Mulder finished with her feet and move to the head of the bed. "Sit up." When she did he slide behind her with a leg on each side of her body and gently worked the muscles of her lower back. Scully sighed in appreciation.

"Women my size aren’t meant to carry twins." She mumbled.

Mulder laughed lightly. "Could be worse. How many eggs were put in you? Eight? Could be having eight babies. Wouldn’t be the first time."

Scully groaned. "I can’t even imagine having sixteen little legs kicking at me."

After some minutes of silence Mulder let out a breath and wrapped his arms around her resting his head on her shoulder. "Better?"

"Much. Thank you."

"I do what I can." He said as he slid out from behind her. "Lay down sweetie."

She laid herself on her side as Mulder pulled the sheets around her and tucked her in. "You coming to bed?"

"In a minute." He walked out of the room and Scully heard him check the lock on the front door. He came back in and checked the door at the patio from their bedroom before sliding in behind her and pulling her back slightly. "Good night baby." He said in her ear before kissing her neck.

"’Night." She whispered as she settled comfortably with him behind her to support some of her weight.

One month and one week later

Scully stepped out of the bath and into her terry robe just as she heard the phone ring. She walked out of the bathroom with her hairbrush in hand and met Mulder.

"It’s Bill." He said taking her brush from her as she sat on the bed. She smiled as he moved behind her and started to brush her hair.

"Hi Bill." She said into the phone.

"Dana how are you?"

"Other then feeling like a mother hippo pretty good. How are you?" Mulder chuckled softly behind her.

"I’m good. Are you still working?" He asked quickly, too quickly Scully noticed.

"I have one week of desk work left then I’ll be home. Bored out of my mind I am sure, but home."

"Have Mom come stay with you. You shouldn’t be alone." Bill said in a stern voice.

"Don’t worry Bill. Mom will be visiting and Mulder is going to work from home whenever possible when I get close to my due date. But I’ve got almost two months left so don’t worry." Scully used her calm voice, like when reassuring crime victims.

"Dana you should go stay with Mom." He ordered.

Scully let out laugh. "Why would I do that Bill?"

"Dana… Don’t argue with me, just go stay with Mom after next week."

"Oh yeah? Until when? The babies are living on their own? Is that when I’m ALLOWED to live with my husband?"

Mulder moved away from the bed feeling like he was eavesdropping.

"I’m serious Dana."

Scully took a deep breath. "Listen, Bill, I have hormones running like crazy. But I have been really good lately. So I’m going to hang up the phone before you cause me to ruin my luck. I love you and if I don’t talk to you soon I’ll be sure to call you when the babies are born." She clicked off the phone and dropped it to the bed. "Bastard." She mumbled as Mulder walked back in from the hallway.

"Considering you just got off the phone I take it you are talking about Bill and not me." He said as he pulled back the covers on the bed and motioned for her to get in.

She just sighed and pulled off her robe and leaned against the head bored. "Thanks." She said as he handed her a glass of milk. He pulled the sheets up over her but she kicked them away like a little kid. "I’m too warm."

He took the empty glass from her and lay down with a sigh. Rolling over he rubbed her belly lightly. "They’ve been quiet tonight." He said feeling for kicks.

She let out a snort. "To the bystander yes, me to, definitely not."

He chuckled and curled up around her. "You still seem so small to me… Maybe a baby hippo but not a adult hippo."

Scully slapped his arm. "Mulder!"

He leaned over and kissed. "I love you." He said still laughing.

"Yeah you better." She kissed him back. "I love you too."

One month later

Wednesday 6:30 am

Scully lay in bed listening to Mulder as he stepped out of the shower. They had a morning ritual, Scully would wake up when he did but stay in bed, after his shower he would make her breakfast, then she would stay up as he got dressed and left for work, after that she would go back to bed for a few hours.

A few minutes later Mulder walked out in his boxers towel drying his hair. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her. "What do you want for breakfast?" He asked as he chucked the towel in the direction of the bathroom ignoring Scully’s glare.

"I’m not hungry."

"You feel ok?" He asked furrowing his brow and placing his palm over her forehead.

She sat up. "Yeah fine, I’m just not hungry."

He shook his head and stood up. "Well there’s a first time for everything."

"Ow!" Scully yelped.

Mulder was back at her side in a second. "Are you ok?"

She let out a long breath and nodded. "I think I just had a contraction."

"Whoa. Wait. You aren’t due for almost three weeks."

"I know that." She said sharply. "But it certainty felt like a contraction." She mumbled rubbing her belly.

"Ok." Mulder said slowly. "Let me get dressed and we’ll go to the hospital." He walked over to the closet and pulled on a pair of jeans.

"Well Mulder let’s just wait a while. Maybe it’s false labor."

He turned to her as he pulled on a sweater. "Yeah like I’m going to just sit here and wait to find out. I don’t think so Scully. Come on, get dressed."

Scully stood nervously and started to pull on clothes. "Mulder you are too calm about this."

He dragged the prepacked suitcase from the closet to take to the hospital. "Cool exterior." He stated simply.

Scully turned to him once dressed. "Mulder this is crazy! I’ve had one contraction, which for all I know could be gas and we’re heading to the hospital. Can we at least wait until I have a second one?"

Mulder just looked at her for a moment. "I’m going to see if I can get a hold of Dr. Heart." Scully rolled her eyes and sat back down on the bed. As Mulder dialed and started to pace up and down the hallway. He walked back in a minutes later. "Come on. She thinks we should go in, she’ll meet us there in an hour."

"Fine." She let him led he out into the foyer and she pulled her shoes on. "Mulder stop taping your foot its driving me- Ow!" She placed a hand on her stomach.

Mulder reached over and took her arm. "Breath Scully."

"I know!" she bit out at him between deep breaths. After a moment she let out a long breath "Ok."

Mulder nodded and looked at his watch. "That was what? 25 minutes? Let’s go." He took her arm in one hand and her suitcase in the other and dragged her out of the apartment.

Mulder swung Scully’s car door shut and hopped in the driver’s side. "Mulder… maybe this is false labor. I mean I’m not due for a few more weeks."

He reached over and rubbed her thigh. "It’ll be ok Scully." He knew she was nervous and was just making excuses. "Shit!" He pulled out his phone as he pulled onto the highway. "I better call Skinner… and your mom, and my mom."

"Assistant Director Skinner’s office." Kimberly answered in her chipper polite voice.

"This is Agent Mulder, is the AD in?"

"On moment please."

"Skinner."

"Sir, it’s Mulder."

"Agent Mulder I was just about to call you. There’s a case that I need you-"

"Sir, Scully is in labor." Mulder interrupted.

There was a long silent pause as Skinner digested the information. "Oh… Ok. Well… Um… Good luck and let me know how it goes."

"Thank you Sir." Mulder hung up the phone and let out a laugh. "Scully if you could have heard him. He was actually speechless."

Scully gave him a nervous smile and swallowed roughly.

"I’ll call your Mom." He said taking in her tenseness. He looked over at her. "Answering machine." He left a quick message then called his mother and let out a groan. "She’s not home either." After leaving a similar message he hung up and reached for Scully’s hand. "You ok?"

"I’m so damn scared." She admitted.

He nodded in agreement. "You’ll be ok." He reassured as he pulled into the hospital just as Scully had another contraction. He was silent through it as she breathed regularly. "Still 25 minutes apart." He stated as he moved to help her out of the car.

Three hours and nine contractions later Margaret came running into Scully hospital room were Mulder sat nervously by her side.

"Mom!" Scully exclaimed and wrapped her mother in a hug.

"Hi sweetie. What is it about becoming a mother that makes a woman want her own mother?" She asked with laughter as she pulled back. "Oh Dana it will be ok." She said as she wiped Scully tears away.

"I’ll go get you some ice chips." Mulder said as a way to give them time alone. He leaned over and kissed Scully’s forehead before walking out.

Margaret smiled at Mulder and sat next to Scully on the bed smoothing her slightly sweaty hair back. "I’m so excited." She beamed.

"I’m so scared."

"That’s normal honey. This is a big event." She hugged her again. "But it will be ok." She pulled away from her. "How far are you contractions?"

Scully sniffled and wiped her eyes. "About 15 minutes."

Mulder walked back in and sat on the other side of Scully and handed her the cup of ice. He reached up with a soft smile and wiped away a tear. "You ok?"

"Mmm Hmm." She mumbled around some ice. She swallowed the ice as a contraction hit her, squeezing her eyes shut Mulder took her hand.

"Jesus, 10 minutes apart. Margaret do you think you can go have Dr. Heart paged?" Mulder asked as he stroked Scully’s back with his free hand.

"Of course. I’ll be right back."

An hour later

"Ok Dana, we’re going to push on the next one." Dr. Heart called to Scully.

"Oh God." Scully breathed out in nervousness.

Mulder smoothed her sweat soaked hair away from her eyes and smiled at her. "Ready?"

"I’m gonna wish I got an epideral." She muttered.

He chuckled and squeezed her hand. "You can do this."

She nodded just as the next contraction began. She barely listened to what Dr. Heart and Mulder had to say and relied on instinct to get her through labor. She started to give one last push even before the doctor told her too and the room’s organized noise filled with a baby’s cry. Scully let out a relieved sob and collapsed into the pillows behind her.

"It’s a boy!" Dr. Heart announced happily as she quickly wrapped the baby from Scully to hold.

"A boy." Mulder whispered in amazement as he kissed Scully’s temple.

"You can relax for a bit, the second amniotic sac broke during delivery but you should have a while before birth."

Scully nodded to the doctor as she handed her the baby. "Hi there." She said softly to the crying red baby. She turned to Mulder and kissed him tasting the salt of their shared tears. "He’s beautiful." She said turning back to him.

Mulder nodded because he was at a loss for words.

The nurse walked back over and Scully reluctantly let them take him to clean him up.

"We need a name." She said looked at Mulder.

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Jacob." He suggested.

Scully smiled and nodded. "I like that. Jacob William."

"Well of course." He leaned in and kissed her softly. After Scully breathed through another contraction she leaned back and closed her eyes ready to sleep for a year or two. "Hey." Mulder called softly stroking her hair back. "You with me?"

She opened her eyes just in time to see a nurse wheeling Jacob out to the nursery until after the second labor. "I’m tired." She whispered leaning her head against his shoulder.

He kissed her forehead and moved away. "I’m going to go tell your mother. Will you be ok for a few minutes?"

"I’ll be fine. Go ahead and tell her."

He nodded and kissed her quickly before walking out the door. Just as he was leaving Scully felt another contraction but didn’t stop him.

Mulder stepped out into the waiting room and Margaret jumped up and came over to him. "Jacob William Mulder." He said proudly.

"Oh Fox!" She hugged him hard. "How’s Dana?"

He nodded. "Good. Tired, but good. The second baby’s water broke but she should have some time to rest. But I want to get back in there with her."

She nodded quickly and hugged him again. "Yes. Go."

He smiled as he backed away. "Hopefully I’ll be out again soon."

Margaret smiled and wiped away tears.

"We were just about to find you." Dr. Heart said when Mulder walked back into Scully’s room. "She’s setting a record."

Mulder sat back down next to Scully. "Of course she is. Has to do everything better then everyone." He said winking at Scully.

She gave him a strained smile.

"You can do this baby." He leaned to whisper in her ear.

She closed her eyes and nodded. Less then ten minutes later the room once again filled with the cries of a healthy baby.

"And now you have a little girl." The doctor said once again wrapping a baby.

"Yes." Mulder said softly resting his forehead against Scully’s head.

"Hi Samantha." She said softly as the baby was delivered into her arms.

"She’s beautiful." Mulder said running his finger over the back of her impossibly small hand. They watched in silence for a minute or two before she was taken away to be cleaned. "You pick a middle name." Mulder said softly.

Scully bit her bottom lip in thought. "Hope. Samantha Hope Mulder." She said smiling at him.

Mulder opened his mouth to say something but it didn’t work. Instead he just nodded his head and kissed her softly.

Mulder stood up from his chair with a stretch at the knock at the door. He glanced over at Scully. She was still asleep, she was out shortly after nursing the babies. Her mother left telling Mulder to get some rest but all he did was stare at the two babies in awe. When he pulled the door open he smiled. "Hi Mom. Come on in." He stepped aside and Tina walked in.

"I came as soon as I got your message Fox."

He grinned. "Come here. Take at look at your grandchildren."

Tina walked over and looked down at the sleeping babies. "Oh, they are beautiful"

Mulder nodded. "This is Jacob William." He said picking up his son.

She shook her head in amazement as she stroked his little leg. "He looks just like you when you were a baby."

Mulder stared at him for a moment before gesturing to the second crib. "And that is Samantha Hope. Go ahead and pick her up."

Tina slowly picked up the small baby. She ran her fingers over the dusting of light brown hair. "She is going to be gorgeous." She stated as she gently traced the girl’s face with her fingertips.

"She’s not dating until she’s thirty." Mulder said with mock seriousness.

She smiled sadly. "That is exactly what your father said with our Sam was born."

Stirring from Scully’s bed caught Mulder’s attention. "Hey, sleeping beauty." He teased.

"Hi, Tina." Scully pushed her sleep-rumpled hair from her face.

"Dana, they are beautiful."

Scully smiled and held her arms out to Mulder. "Can I have him?" He nodded and sat down next to her easing the baby into her waiting arms. She smiled down at Jacob as he slowly opened his eyes. "Hi sweetie." She whispered.

"Fox, I should go. You’ve had a long day." She walked over and Mulder took Samantha from her arms.

"Mom you can stay for a while."

"No I better get going." She insisted as she walked to the door. "Congratulations." She said to the both of them as she shut the door.

Mulder let out a long sigh and looked at Scully. "At least we are talking more."

She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. "They are beautiful." She said after some time.

"Just like their Mom." He whispered as he kissed her forehead.

Two months later

Mulder stood from the couch, balancing a sleeping Samantha on his arm when he heard Scully open the front door. She stumbled in trying to handle three grocery bags, her purse and her keys. When she saw him she laughed slightly.

"You spoil her Mulder. When ever you let her fall asleep in your arms she wakes up the minute you put her down." She leaned up and kissed him as he took one of the bags in his free arm.

"A lot like you." He said smugly.

She shot him a glance over her shoulder as she walked with her bags into the kitchen. "There are still some bags in the car."

"I’ll get them in a while." He said as he put away the contents of his bag away with one hand.

"I’ll go get him, he’s probably wants to eat." Scully said as Jake’s cry sounded over the monitor.

Mulder was sitting on the couch with his head back and eyes closed when Scully returned to nurse Jake.

"You’re going to have your daddy’s nose." She said looking down at the baby after some time of comfortable silence.

Mulder opened his eyes and looked over. Jacob was nursing quietly staring up at his mother with big soft eyes. "Sorry about that pal." He called over.

Scully just laughed softly as she stroked the baby’s side with her thumb. After a while longer she lifted him onto her shoulder and rubbed his back lightly.

"I’ll switch with you and get the rest of the bags." Mulder said sliding over the couch. They exchanged babies in a practiced balancing act. He set Jake down in the crib they kept in the living room and picked up his keys. "I’ll be back in a few minutes." He called as he pulled the door closed.

Mulder balanced the last two grocery bags on his hip and kicked the car door closed. He turned around and was met with the last person he wanted to see.

"Congratulations on the new arrivals Agent Mulder." The Smoking Man said.

Mulder took a deep breath and silently cursed himself for not having his gun. "What the hell do you want?"

"Samantha Hope. A beautiful name. And Jacob William is it? Is that after your father or Scully’s?"

Mulder took a step closer to him. "Listen to me very closely you son of a bitch. If I ever find you near Scully or my children I will kill you in a second. And I’ll do the same if you ever come to me and the first words out of your mother aren’t that you are bringing Samantha back to me. Do you understand?" He said in a slow deliberate voice.

"Of course Agent Mulder." He said with a smirk as he took a long drag off his cigarette. Mulder knew he didn’t take him seriously but he didn’t care. He meant it and that was all that mattered. He turned on his heel and made his way back into the building.

Two and a half years later

Friday 5:45 pm

"Daddy?" Samantha tugged on Mulder’s sleeve.

"Yeah sweetie?" He turned from the file he was working on to look at her.

"Can I have some milk please?"

Mulder stood up from the kitchen table. "Sure." He suddenly grabbed her and carried her like a football.

"Daddy!" she shirked through laughter and he walked over to the refrigerator.

Jacob came charging into the kitchen carrying a toy car. "Daddy what are you doing to Sam?!"

Mulder turned to him. "Who?" He asked innocently.

"Sammy! What are you going to her?" He pointed to the giggling girl under his arm.

"Oh nothing." He said and quickly reached out and grabbed Jake tucking his under his arm.

"Daddy! Don’t drop me!" He scratched.

He flipped them both around and placed them on their feet. "You want some milk too?" He asked Jake who nodded quickly. "Ok go sit at the table." He set a cup of milk in front of each on them a moment later and sat back down to his file. Samantha slid down from her chair and crawled onto his lap.

"What’s that word Daddy?" She asked pointed to a random spot on his paper work.

"Bureau." He answered as Jake rolled his toy car over to him. Mulder rolled it back acting like he didn’t notice it.

"That’s where you work." She said proudly. "What’s that word?" She pointed again.

Mulder rolled the car back once again. "Trial."

"What’s a trial?" She asked fiddling with his shirtsleeve.

"It’s a place people go to um…" Jake answered slowly. "For a um the judge to tell them if they have to go to jail. They have to um… hired people called lawyers to help them if they aren’t the bad people." Mulder had come to understand how annoying his memory could be to Scully. Jake had inherited it and often repeated as much as he could word for word. "That’s what Mommy told me." He turned his attention back to his car.

"Oh." Sam said as she lost interest and started to fold Mulder’s sleeve over and over. "Daddy can we go to the park?"

"It’s raining out and your mom’s going to home for dinner any minute now."

"Can we go tomorrow?" She asked quickly.

"Yep." He said as he rolled Jake’s car back to him. Sam smiled happily and leaned back against his chest just as Scully walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Mommy!" Jake yelled.

"Hi sweetie." She leaned down and kissed him picking up his toy at the same time. "No toys on the kitchen table." He took it from her. "Selective hearing, just like your father." She muttered and moved to kiss Sam’s cheek.

"Don’t I get a kiss?" Mulder asked pouting out his lower lips.

"Get any work done?" She asked after filling his request.

"Do I ever when I work from home?"

"Daddy said we can go to the park tomorrow." Sam stood one Mulder’s thigh to look over his shoulder at Scully. "Will you go with us Mommy?"

"Yep. You two go wash up for dinner."

"Ok." They said in unison and scampered off the bathroom.

Scully sat down on Mulder’s lap. "That office is a disaster area Mulder."

He chuckled. "I know where everything is."

She just rolled her eyes at him as the kids came back in.

"Mommy I was sitting on Daddy’s lap." Sam said tugging on her pant leg.

Scully wrapped her arms tighter around Mulder’s neck. "You got him all day, it’s my turn."

"Oh you want to play?" Mulder whispered in her ear.

"Let’s play cars!" Jake yelled when he heard Mulder.

"Yeah... Let’s play cars." Scully smiled mockingly at him.

"What else would I be talking about?" He asked innocently.

Next day

Scully tucked her legs under herself and leaned against Mulder on the park bench as she read a book. Mulder watched as Jacob and Samantha played in the sandbox with a few other kids.

A minute later Jake came running up to them. "Mommy I’m thirsty." Without looking up from her book Scully reached into her bag and pulled out a juice box. He struggled with the straw for a moment before shoving it towards Mulder. "I can’t do it."

"Here you go." Mulder said handing it back to him. "Come sit up here." Mulder leaned down and picked the boy up plopping him in between him and Scully. He looked back up toward the sandbox. "Fuck!" He hissed out. Scully and Jake’s heads popped up to look at him, Jake’s jaw was open in shock, not knowing the word but knowing the tone. "Scully stay with Jake." He said quickly walking towards Samantha who was talking to The Smoking Man. "Sam! Sam come here right now!" He called as he walked to the edge of the park. Sam turned and ran over to him. Mulder dropped to his knees in the grass looking her up and down quickly. "Sam what did I say about talking to strangers?"

"It’s ok Daddy. That man knows you." She said smiling fondly over at The Smoking Man.

Mulder turned her face back over to him. "No Samantha. You don’t talk to strangers I don’t care what they say. Do you understand?" He said firmly.

Her lip quivered as tears ran down her face. "I’m sorry Daddy." She whispered.

Mulder let out a sigh and leaned his forehead against hers. "It’s ok sweetie. Jake’s having some juice, why don’t you go over there with him and Mom ok?"

She gave him a hug and kissed him cheek. Even though he was furious Mulder couldn’t help but smile. "Ok." She went running off to the bench.

"You asshole." Mulder said turning to The Smoking Man.

"I thought you were going to shoot me next time you saw me Agent Mulder." He said smugly.

"Fortunately for you I don’t carry my gun with me on family outings to the park." Mulder spat out at him. "But that’s going to change from now on." He held up a finger. "You stay away from her. She’s not yours."

"Whatever are you talking about?" He asked lighting a new cigarette.

"You stay away from all of us. Because next time I will have a gun."

The Smoking Man turned and started to walk away. "I’ll see you again soon Agent Mulder." He called over his shoulder.

Later that night

11:45 pm

"Daddy." Jake called from the side on the bed.

Mulder let out a sigh into Scully’s neck and rolled away from his spooning position with her and onto his back. "What’s wrong?"

"We heard something outside our window." Sam whispered. Suddenly they were both crawling into bed with them. "Daddy go see what it was." Sam said pushing her way between him and Scully. "It was at the window. It was loud."

"Ok." He said reaching to the bedside table and messing with the trick drawer to get his gun out. He grumbled under his breath as he finally forced it open. "I’ll be right back."

Scully yawned and nodded as Jake curled up on her side. "I like your pajamas Mommy." He said stroking the satin of her nightgown.

Mulder walked silently down the hallway and into the kid’s bedroom. He listened but heard nothing. He walked over the window seat and pulled back the curtain. Nothing. He rubbed his face with his hand and walked back to the bedroom. Stowing away the gun he moved under the covers. "All clear guys."

"Daddy I want to sleep here." Samantha whined.

He let out a breath and looked at Scully. "Jake’s already asleep." She gestured down the little boy pillowed on her belly.

"Ok just for tonight." He told Sam as he settled back down. She smiled happily and cuddled up against his chest. Mulder reached his arm over her and settled it on the inside on Scully’s thigh.

"’Night Daddy." His chest muffled her whisper.

"Good night sweetheart." He said to both Sam and Scully.

Two months later

Friday 7:45 pm

Scully yawned and leaned against the door jab as Mulder unlocked the door. "We should really leave the kids with Mom more often. I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow."

"No kidding." He held the door open for her then followed her in.

"Good evening,"

They both jumped at the sound of The Cigarette Smoking Man’s voice.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Scully hissed at him.

"Agent Scully, no building is completely impossible to get into. But I have to say it wasn’t easy." He lit a cigarette.

Mulder drew his gun and aimed it at the man’s chest. "Have anything to say about Samantha?"

The man looked at him innocently. "No not a thing Agent Mulder. I just wanted to see your home. I’ve missed you two, its been quite a while since we have spent time together. Maybe you’d like to come stay with my friends and I for a while like you did years ago? Take a little vacation."

"Look Scully there’s a burglar in our house." Mulder said in a cool controlled voice. She looked at him in confusion. "What’s he doing with the butcher knife from our kitchen? I think he is threatening us." Mulder pulled the trigger and Scully jumped in surprise. They watched as in silence for a moment as the blood from a direct chest wound spread along the floor and put out the cigarette.

After a moment Mulder handed Scully his phone. "Call the police. Tell them we just found a robber in out house and shot him in self defense." Scully just nodded numbly as Mulder went into the kitchen and picked up the butcher knife with a tissue. He moved back to the body and molded it around the dead man’s hand and stepped back.

Next morning.

3:25 am

Scully stepped out of the shower after finally cleaning all the blood from the foyer. She pulled on a large flannel shirt and walked out into the bedroom to be met by a cold breeze. She walked out onto the patio were Mulder was leaning against the railing in his boxers, hair still damp from his own shower after dealing with the police, and a half full glass of tequila in his hand. Scully walked up behind him wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing his shoulder. "Its freezing out here, come inside." He nodded and let her lead him to the bed. She took the glass from his hand as he took a long swallow. "Don’t get drunk."

"I’m not getting drunk, just numb." He explained letting her pull the sheets over his body. She leaned over and kissed him lightly once settled in on her own side. "You think I made a mistake?"

"No." She answered quickly. "Go to sleep. We can talk about it in the morning." She cuddled up against him and quickly drifted off.

Scully woke slowly and smiled. The breeze was warm and smelled sweet and she looked out over the field. She was sitting between Mulder’s legs with her back up against his chest.

"I haven’t felt this free in years." Mulder whispered as he kissed the side of her neck. "I had to do it. He wouldn’t have ever left us alone."

"I know. I’m glad you did." She tipped her head up to look in his eyes. "Now we can have our future to ourselves, no one else."

He smiled and kissed her. "That’s right. It’s ours. Our future."

THE END

Wow! I can’t believe I actually finished this one! Now I know I got a little carried away. But oh well. The case file was a little iffy because I didn’t want to bore anyone with the details on the other murders. And I apologize for not doing anything with the wedding night but I didn’t think I would do it justice. So this was just a result of the over active imagination of an insane shipper and too many Literature and Human Development courses. Please tell me what you think! I NEED feedback to live!… You think I’m kidding don’t you?