Part 2
Mulder's Little Dividends

by Emily Sim

Mulder's reaction to Scully's news




Rating: PG
Classification: V
Keywords: Mulder POV, UST
Spoilers: Per Manum
Disclaimer: Still don't own them and I always put them away dry after playing with them.
Feedback to: xf_emily_sim@yahoo.ca
Beta Kudos: to xdks and Tali - who always encourage, support, and keep me from embarrassing myself. Any left over mistakes are mine.

Thanks bellefleur - for taking the first step in this collaboration.

This is the second installment of Great Expectations, co-authored with bellefleur.



Mulder's Little Dividends

The shock must have shown on my face because I found myself being forcibly pushed to the sofa. My feet were hastily pulled onto the coffee table and a cushion was shoved underneath. Scully was making all sorts of comforting sounds but for the life of me I couldn't make out the individual words.

"Take a deep breath, Mulder. Come on, relax."

I shook myself out of my stupor. "It's okay, really, I'm fine." Then I noticed her worried expression and pulled her down beside me. "I think you're the one who should be sitting with your feet up." I replaced my feet with hers on the cushion, giving it a little fluff first.

"Mulder, I'm pregnant, not sick. And I'm only three months along." She moved her feet off the table and turned to face me.

"Twins?"

"Yes, twins."

"Two for the price of one?"

"Don't be a brat." She playfully swatted me.

"Wow. How do you feel about that?"

I watched her smile fade a little as she recovered and hid her anxiety.

"There are some additional risks involved where twins are concerned."

"Risks? What kind of risks?"

"Well, compared to facing down fluke-men and unknown assailants I'd say it's a piece of cake. I'll be fine, Mulder."

I found myself a little frustrated with her casualness, but I realized that dealing with anything out of the ordinary with denial was a Scully trademark. I was still a little uncertain about the whole risk thing. I hadn't reached that part yet in my copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting.

"Mulder, any pregnancy has risks."

I wanted to tell her that this wasn't just any pregnancy; that I was part of this too. Then I wondered if I really had the right to demand more than we'd agreed to. I wasn't sure that I'd be able to keep things strictly platonic.

"There's a chance of early delivery with multiples, but Dr. Parenti has assured me they will be taking every precaution."

"How early?" I had visions of ambulance sirens and emergency doctors.

"Relax, will you? I've got quite a ways to go. It'll be fine."

"So, how're you feeling about all of it? Are you happy?"

I watched her fiddle with the edge of her sweater. "How could I not be?"

I noted her hesitation and sensed something other than joy hidden behind her stiff smile. "It's just that you didn't plan on having two to deal with at once. It must be a bit of a shock." I was trying for gentle and understanding, hoping I might get an honest response about her feelings, but I wasn't surprised when she was less than forthcoming.

"It's everything I ever wanted."

She still seemed to be hiding something, or at least not being completely straight about how she was feeling. I guess I figured that contributing half of the necessary genetic material entitled me to at least a modicum of honesty, but then again, she wouldn't be Scully if it were that easy. I decided to let it drop for the moment and move on to other concerns.

"What about work?"

"Mulder, I told you. This will not affect my work. Women have babies and work all the time. You don't need to worry."

I took a deep breath. I knew the work issue was going to be a sensitive one. Scully had an unhealthy need to always be on top of her game regardless of her health. I could recall her cancer days and her dogged determination to be the perfect agent, perfect partner despite her failing health. Even when her father died she only took the half-day for the funeral. She had a tendency to push herself and ignore both her emotional and physical needs.

"Did the doctor say anything about working?" I felt a need to push her on this.

"Mulder, I'm only 14 weeks along."

I watched her smooth her jacket over a noticeable bump and had a flash of a very pregnant Scully, walking - no, make that waddling - arm in arm with me, coming back from lunch at Pete's Deli. I quickly pushed the image down. This was an arrangement between friends. I had to be careful I didn't make it more than it was, despite how possessive I was beginning to feel.

"What are you grinning about, Mulder?"

I laughed softly. "I'm imagining you at nine months."

She groaned. "I'll be the size of a small whale. I just hope the nausea is gone by then."

"Throwing up for two?" I chuckled.

"It feels like it. It's mostly in the morning and late afternoon."

"Do you need someone to hold your hair back?"

"I can manage just fine. Here -" she threw a pillow at me. "Put your feet up, I need to see to the rest of the dinner. It should be just about ready."

"Need any help?"

"The table's all set, so just sit."

I watched her move to the kitchen, the grainy black and white picture clutched in my hand. Twins. I traced the outline of the heads that she had pointed out to me. I could hardly get my own head wrapped around the fact that she was even pregnant, but now twins? My twins, my babies. Scully was pregnant with my babies. Not one, but two little Scully-Mulders. The thought thrilled me and scared the shit out of me at the same time. I wasn't sure what she expected of me now. I could see the advantages of IVF with an anonymous donor. Get off; catch it in a cup; feel good handing it over knowing you've helped someone. Done. Walk away. No responsibilities for any offspring you've helped create. Then again, I wasn't sure if I was the kind of man who could contribute my genes and walk away. This was a dance neither of us knew how to do. I had all sorts of questions around my role in her life now, and the life of my children. Seeing the image of those two little beings had touched something in me. These were my babies. I didn't know if I could play the part of concerned, involved but uninvolved friend.

That's when it hit me; I wanted to be the daddy.




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Part 3