Work Text:
June 2018
Mulder sat on the front porch, his feet up on the railing as he leaned back, enjoying the breeze of the summer day. It had not been too hot that day, for which he was grateful. It had been overly warm the last couple of days, but today was good. Today was good.
Scully was inside making them a late lunch/early dinner. Now that they were not working at the FBI anymore, they were home more, though Scully had been back at the hospital for nearly two months. Mulder was still contemplating what he wanted to do with his time. He had been writing, but he was not completely devoted to it yet. It did help him though, helped him work through all that had happened recently.
He was content for now. Content being home with Scully, watching her body change as her pregnancy progressed, and being there for every step of it this time. Holding her hand while they heard the heartbeat for the first time, had him crying and falling to his knees. She had murmured to him that it was okay, that they were okay.
He scrubbed a hand down his face and closed his eyes. He still did not know how this baby had come to be. Well, he thought with a smile, he knew how, because he had been there and it had been amazing. Both times. And every time since.
But this pregnancy, five months in and he was still stumped. Years of no discussion, no thought, and no consideration of the possibility. Then they had a discussion in a motel room, a roundabout discussion about their lives, their hopes, and what they had wanted. Then, he thought with a smile, then she had kissed him. Kissed him like she had for years, full of love and promise.
He had rolled her onto her back and looked at her until she smiled, giving him the green light. He had taken care of her first, he owed her that. Owed her his time and devotion. She had broken quickly, calling his name, and holding tightly to his hair. She had been breathing hard, whispering his name as he kissed her and joined their bodies. It had been fast, but wonderful.
Rising from his chair, he stepped over to the screen door and looked in at Scully. She had music playing, though he could not place it, and she was swaying to it as she made their meal. His heart swelled as he watched her. The extra weight from the pregnancy had made her even more beautiful, though she would have given him a look of disbelief if he had said so aloud.
God… he loved her so much, he would do anything in his power to make her happy. He knew beyond anything else, had in fact been reminded of it the past two years especially, that she was more important to him than anything in the world.
He sighed and sat back down in his chair, feeling the wind blow as he closed his eyes. He needed to relax, to will his body to calm down, and his mind to stop racing beyond what was happening in the here and now.
The screen door creaked open and he smiled softly. There were times when he thought of adding something to it to stop the creak, but he never did. He actually liked the sound, finding an odd calm in it.
“Hey,” she said, walking over to him and touching his arm. He opened his eyes and stared up at her as she smiled. “You hungry? Ready to eat?” She ran her fingers across his arm, tickling him, her smile widening. Her other hand rested on her belly, the swell of it pulling at him like a magnet, his hand joining hers, both of them smiling.
With a nod, he moved his hand and pushed himself up. Reaching for her hand, he opened the door, the creak of it bringing about a smile as they headed inside, and she squeezed his hand.
She had made a salad and baked chicken breasts; something healthy for them and for the baby. She was determined to be better with her eating habits as of late.
“This looks great,” he said, as he sat down and took a big bite of chicken. “I’m even going to eat the salad.” He gave her a wink and a smile. “But, do we have any beer? I’m pretty sure it will make the salad taste better.”
She laughed as he got up to see if there was beer in the fridge. She heard the bottle open and knew he had found at least one. He winked at her again as he sat back down and she smiled at him, grabbing her knife and fork. It was quiet for a bit as they both ate their food, until he looked at her as he took a drink of his beer.
“How are you feeling, Scully? You okay?” He stared at her, looking for any sign that she was sad or feeling sick.
“Mulder, you’ve asked me that at least three times today. Every time, I’ve told you I’m fine. Do I not look fine to you?” she said as she stared back at him, eyebrows raised, a small smile on her face.
“That’s not a fair question, Scully. If I say no, it implies I don’t think you’re fine- which I absolutely do,” he said with an eyebrow waggle, while she rolled her eyes. “But if I say yes, it implies I’m not actually sincere in my questioning. So… how are you?” He smiled and waited.
She sighed and folded her hands in her lap. “I was a little sick this morning, as you know. I’m a little tired, but other than that I’m okay.” She gave him a small smile, but it did not quite reach her eyes. He reached for her hand and she took it, threading his fingers with hers and squeezing.
“How about if we watch a movie after we eat? You pick and I’ll clean up. Any movie you want to watch, even Steel Magnolias.” She chuckled and squeezed his hand, nodding and letting go of his hand so they could finish their food.
He took their plates to the sink as she picked out a movie. He was washing the dishes when he heard the music of the movie she picked and he smiled. Mystery Men. He liked this movie and she tolerated it. Of course she would pick something he would like. As he set the dishes in the rack, he looked over at her as she sat on the couch and rubbed her belly. He loved watching her do it, nearly as much as he loved doing it.
He hurried through his cleaning so he could go sit with her and touch her belly. Hopefully the baby would be awake tonight so he could feel it moving again. The first time it had happened, it scared the shit out of him. They had been lying on the couch together, his hand on her belly when he felt it move. He had pulled his hand back with a shout and she had laughed. Bringing his hand back around, she had placed it on her belly. For twenty minutes, he felt the wave-like feeling of their baby moving around inside of her. He had cried into her neck when she turned around and held him.
The dishes done, he walked across the room to join her on the couch. Lying down, he put a pillow on her thighs and put his head down, facing her belly. She smiled down at him while she stroked his hair. The late afternoon sun was coming through the windows and his face looked beautiful in the light. He pressed a kiss to her belly and started mumbling into it, his lips warm against her shirt.
“Do you want me to turn the movie on? Or do you want to just speak to my stomach?” She scratched her nails into his scalp and his eyes closed. He loved when she did that, it felt so good. He put his head back and looked at her.
“Scully, I read in one of the numerous books I ordered, that it’s important for the baby to hear our voices. He, or she , hears yours all the time, but I don’t get unlimited belly time. So, I have to use my time wisely. Tonight I’m telling him, or her, about the Mothmen in Florida. About how we were hunted down and built a kickass ladder tower of dead bodies. So, if you’ll excuse us.” He put his mouth against her stomach again and started talking.
She leaned her head back against the back of the couch and smiled. She muted the television and instead listened to him tell their baby about a trip into the woods that had almost killed them. Well, another trip into the woods, as there had been… so many. She could hear him telling their little miracle about how brave she had been, how she had tried to light a fire with gunpowder, really smart your mom, how she had held him and kept him warm when he was hurt.
She ran her fingers through his hair over and over, reveling in the feel of it. So soft and so familiar. She had missed him so much. Had missed nights like this, lying on the couch and watching movies, talking about everything and nothing.
Now, his attention was on her and the life they had created growing inside of her. She loved him so much, always had, and her heart ached with love every time he laid like this and spoke to their unborn child.
She raised her head and looked down at him. He was talking about how she had sung to him and it had been the most beautiful singing he had ever heard, when the baby suddenly moved, right against his mouth. He pulled back stunned and Scully laughed heartily at his expression.
“Oh Mulder, I think either he, or she, is telling you to shut up, or calling you the liar that you are. Remember, I am with him, or her, all the time. My singing has been heard.” She laughed again and he put his mouth back against her belly.
“Don’t listen to her little bean, her voice is beautiful, because it’s hers. I love everything about her and her singing voice is part of the package.” He put his hand on her belly, moving it around, trying to find the movement again. “She didn’t have to sing, but I asked her to and she did. That’s how it works with us, my bean. We ask of one another and the other obliges. It’s a partnership. Give and take, push and pull.” He pulled his head back and looked at Scully. She smiled at him and stroked his face.
“I got incredibly lucky when they sent your mama to me, little bean. They thought she would be my undoing, but she was what I needed. She was my saving grace. I don’t tell her that enough, but it’s the truth.” He was telling the baby, but looking at Scully. Her eyes filled with tears, but he was not done. “I almost lost her, my sweet bean. I was so close. I made some bad mistakes and I almost lost the one person I love most in this world.” He was still stroking her belly, staring into her eyes. Her tears spilled over and ran down her face.
“But, we found our way back.” His voice was lower now, the one that gave her the shivers. “We fought through the bad and the darkness to find the light again. You are part of that light, my sweet bean. You would not be here if we hadn’t fought like hell to get back to each other. I am so grateful for you. You are a testament of our love and our hope for the future.” He put his mouth back on her stomach and she resumed stroking his hair. “We are going to have so many wonderful adventures. I can’t wait to experience them with you.” He kissed her belly and closed his eyes, his cheek resting against her.
As he lay there quietly, the baby moved again, right against his cheek. His eyes flew open and he looked up at her. She smiled, tear stains on her face. They both laughed at what appeared to be the baby giving him a kiss goodnight. He pressed his face against her belly and whispered goodnight.
The sun had set and it was the beautiful moment in the day, when the crickets and nighttime insects started their mating sounds, the males calling for their females. Mulder empathized with them tonight. He understood their hope and pain, he had felt it himself. But his female, his mate, his love, was there and his heart was happy, so very happy. They sat in the silence of the house, listening to the sounds around them coming through the screen door, as they began to breathe in unison.
Mulder shifted and sat up, moving to the end of the couch, and reaching for her. She went to him and laid on her side, her head on his shoulder, He shifted again, lying on his side wrapping his arms around her. He lifted his leg, allowing hers to slide between his, pulling his leg up close to her hip, and holding her close. One hand moved to her hair, the other low on her waist.
“Pretty soon we won’t be able to lie here like this,” she said as she nestled into his neck, smelling his scent and closing her eyes.
“What do you mean? It feels pretty cozy to me,” he said as he scratched her head with his fingers and she hummed, kissing his neck. He hummed back and pulled her closer.
“Right now, we fit perfectly with, as you call it, the bean between us. Give it a month...” she trailed off and he scoffed.
“Then we’ll just have to cuddle like this in bed. Problem solved.” He ran his hand up her back and she sighed.
“If we stay here too long, I’m going to fall asleep, Mulder,” she said, her eyes already feeling heavy. His fingers in her hair were like a natural sleep aid and she felt relaxed.
Content. She felt content.
“Sleep then, Scully. Sleep.” He tightened his hold on her and brushed a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, my angelic songstress.” He smiled as he felt her laugh against his neck.
“I love you too, you absolute liar.” He chuckled and kissed her again as she sighed and relaxed further into him.
The crickets continued to sing, the summer air warm. It created a peaceful atmosphere as all three inhabitants rested within a cocoon of love. Love created on the outside, in the tangle of limbs, and love created on the inside.
Swirling and growing, she prepared for the many adventures her father would one day take her to discover.