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Title: To Begin Again Time is drawing near for the newest member of the Scully-Mulder family to arrive. But will Mulder arrive in time? Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard I look around the now unfamiliar house, pausing every step or so to examine the changes more carefully. It has been completely redone since I sold it last December. Why would it be the same? No one had touched the interior since sometime in the 1970s. It needed to be overhauled. So it no longer looks like it did when I was child. Does that mean my child really has to stay here? "Fox, nothing is going to happen to her," Richard Fowley says as he stands in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. I just give him a sideways glance and he retreats to where he came. They own a house in Florida, yet this is where they choose to spend Christmas. It has been bitterly cold for the last few days, yet they spurned the sunshine to stay in this house. Luckily, the weather was nice enough today to allow us to get here at all. *The* house. "Which room was yours?" Kessie asks as she comes down the hallway. "The one you'll be staying in," I say, nodding toward the room Dick dropped her bags off in. "Cool. You ever hide anything under the floorboards or in the back of the closet when you were a kid? Something no one was ever supposed to find?" she asks curiously. I go to answer honestly but decide against it. I don't want to have to pay the Fowleys to repair any walls. Besides, I'm sure the crew who remodeled this place took care of anything a nine year old boy might have hidden away. Even though they'd be collector's items by now. "No, I never did such things," I say with a smile. "Oh, I'm sure," she says as she plops down on the couch and picks up the TV remote control. She flips through channel after channel of nothing before turning it off. If there isn't something educational on, she doesn't watch. "Would I lie to you?" I say, just in time for Carol to walk through the door. I just like to drive the point home that Diana only lied. And lied so well about something so important. "Nice to see you again, Fox. Does the place meet your approval?" Carol asks, ignoring what I had just said. "Any remnants of your boyhood tragedy that we didn't wipe clean?" "I'd never recognize the place," I say, sitting next to Kessie. She shifts over a little but we still look like we are huddling against the opposing Fowley team. "Of course, I'm still confused as to why your parents would chose to stay here in the dead of winter instead of ... where is it?" "Osprey." "Yes. Seems like it would be so much warmer there," I say, absentmindedly putting my arm around Kessie's shoulders and pulling her closer to me. "Dad says the Vineyard brings back such fond memories of vacationing with friends. Perhaps you met him before you ever ... met him," Carol says with an artificial smile. I know they aren't pleased that I had to come here with Kessie and they are upset that I find it necessary to spend the night here. Tough. "My parents had many 'friends.' Perhaps you're right," I say, trying to recall all those picnics they had. Those men my father worked with. All the faces blur into one with time. They all seemed old then and now they really are. Or dead. "Kessie, do you like what Grandma Lorraine did to your room?" Carol asks and Kessie just shrugs in that 'I don't give a shit' way kids her age have. "I'm sure you will enjoy your stay here with us. I know your dad is worried, but he doesn't have to be." "That's one of my jobs as a parent. I get to worry about everything. You wouldn't know that though, would you?" I ask Carol, standing there in front of me impeccably dressed in a suit that probably costs more than all of Scully's maternity outfits combined. "I understand well enough that you are obsessed with whatever it is that happened here years ago and that is affecting how you are raising your daughter, if not all your children. Speaking of children, did you leave the pregnant 'wife' alone?" she asks. I try to be friendly to this woman, but she is just a less honest, more successful version of Diana. I loved Diana once and won't deny it. But had she been more like this woman, I don't see how I could have. "Scully is quite fine. She has a few more weeks to go," I say, ignoring the whole wife thing. Kessie wiggles out of under my arm, but not away from me. Somehow, we have slowly fallen into an unmistakable father-daughter relationship where I feel like I need to keep her safe from everything and she lets me know when it is time for her to pull away. I never thought I'd be like this. I can only imagine what I will be like with my newborn little girl. I will probably panic every time she bumps into anything in her life. "Kessie, would you like to go to the grocery store with us?" Lorraine Fowley asks, entering the room. She has on her jacket and gloves already, and Kessie's coat is over her arm. "No. I want to stay here with my dad," Kessie says, sinking back into the couch again as if she can hide. "Come on, sweetheart. Your daddy can only stay so long before he has to get back to his ... girlfriend ... and job. We would really love it if you came with us," she says, her voice a precise combination of both of her daughters' voices. I can tell she really wants this to work out right. That she wants this child to bond to her instantly because she is her grandmother. This child didn't even bond to me instantly, and I'm her father. "Can my dad come with?" Kessie says, not yet ready to trust these strangers completely. I can see the frustration creep into every line on Lorraine Fowley's face. This is not their idea of a perfect time with their only grandchild. "Sure. Whatever. Dick, are you ready?" she asks with a wave of her hand before tromping out of the living room in annoyance. Carol quickly follows her. "Kess, they're right. I'm going to have to leave soon. You'll be fine here," I say, turning her so she's facing me. Her eyes focus somewhere past me, though, as if I'm saying something she doesn't want to hear. "I want to be at home. What if Dana has the baby? I want to see Soprano ... I want to be in my own room ... " "If Dana has the baby, you can come home. Soprano will still be there when you get back. And your room is probably better here than what you have at home. But most of all, you'll be safe here," I say, trying to convince her of everything I'm not thoroughly convinced of myself. "You'll still come with, though?" she asks, her eyes pleading with me not to leave her now. "Yes. I won't leave you yet." Fairfax Hospital "Did you find him yet?" I ask Charlie as he sits down on my bedside. He gently takes my hand in his, avoiding the IV they put in already. "Actually, his partner found him. He said he now has a lot of experience tracking Mulder down and this was the easiest time yet. Mulder is out right now, but should be back shortly. I believe someone named Carol took the message," Charlie says, his fingers rubbing over mine gently. "I know who she is. I'm sure they are anxious to get rid of him and won't forget to tell him," I say, smiling to myself. I'm sure his paranoia about that house has put them on edge by now. Actually, they are probably regretting the day they ever bought it. "Colleen is here, too. She said she'd sit with you if you don't want your little brother watching you give birth. And Mom will be here as soon as Everett shows up to watch Chris and the kids," he says, watching the monitor I'm hooked up to register a slight contraction. "Mulder will be here," I say, licking my dry lips. "But until he does get here, can you get me some ice chips?" "Sure thing," he says, rising gently off the bed. "And I'll send Colleen in." Before I can protest, he's out the door. A few moments later, his wife knocks gently before entering. "How are you doing, Dana?" she asks, her eyes showing clearly her knowledge of everything I'm going through right now. She's done it three times already. "It isn't bad. Yet," I say, as another contraction sweeps through my lower body, seeming to take hold of my lower back and not letting up. I know it is going to get worse than this. I've already been through worse once. "Are you going to have an epidural?" she asks, her hand holding on to mine as the contraction subsides. "I don't want to," I say, not wanting to do anything I did the first time around. I want to deliver VBAC. I never want to have another c-section again. "But I will if this damn back pain doesn't go away." The maternity nurse comes through the door wearing a smile that any woman in labor would find annoying and scrubs with teddy bears and dolls on them. "Hi, Dana," she says, flipping through my chart. "My name is Mary Beth. I see we are a little early but not early enough to stop it. The amnio from earlier today shows surfactant is present, so the little guy should be able to breathe." "Girl," Colleen and I both say at the same time. "Okay. Your little girl should be able to breathe," she says. She sets the chart down and looks at the strip coming from the monitor. "You've got a long way to go, darling." "Thank you," I say and Colleen rolls her eyes. "Is this your 'partner?'" she asks, looking at Colleen carefully. "This is my sister-in-law. My 'partner' will be here shortly," I say, leaving the rest to her imagination. "Okay, sister-in-law, would you like to take Dana for a stroll around the halls to see if we can get things moving?" she asks, maneuvering my IV cart so I can roll it with me. She then takes the monitoring equipment off of me, leaving the belts holding it in place on the bed. "I'd be glad you help," Colleen says, assisting me in rotating off the bed and on to my feet. "Dr. Morton said she should be here within the hour, so don't go too far," the nurse says and I assume she must be kidding. How far does she think I can make it? "Just think. Her shift will be over in twelve hours and then you can get a new nurse," Colleen says as soon as we are out of the door. "Twelve hours. I was hoping I'd be out of here in twelve hours," I say, placing one hand on my now much lower rounded tummy, urging this child on. "That is if Mulder makes it here by then." "He'll make it. I'm sure of it." Chilmark on Martha's Vineyard I hand one bag of groceries to Kessie and take two in my arms, heading toward the house. They didn't do much to the exterior yet, leaving it to look like all the other houses around it. I don't know the building codes around here anymore. Maybe they couldn't get a permit to redo the whole structure just yet. Or maybe they just like to torture me. If I get a chance, I'll drive by my dad's other house in West Tisbury. That is if the weather stays this pleasant. Or pleasant as far as the Vineyard in the winter is concerned. "Fox!" Carol calls from the front door. Her voice shakes me out of my thoughts, reminding me of how many times I heard that name shouted from that very same door in the past. "Your partner called here looking for you. An Agent Reid I believe. He said that your ... Scully ... is in labor." "What!" I exclaim, damn near dropping the bags in my arms. Instead, Dick takes them from my arms as I rush toward the house. "When did he call? How far along is she?" I can tell by her expression she doesn't have answers for any of these questions. Why wouldn't she at least ask? "She's at Fairfax Hospital, at the family something or other," she says as I come inside. Carol hands me the scrap of paper she scribbled a few notes on. Kessie trails in behind me, her eyes wide with expectation and excitement. She has been waiting anxiously for this baby to come and now it looks like we both might miss it. Scully is at the same place where we had Christopher and I grab the phone and dial the number on the note. The maternity nurse answers, informing me her name is Mary something. "Yeah. This is Fox Mulder. Is Dana Scully there?" I ask, just wanting to talk to her as soon as I can. "Who is this?" she asks and I can hear her talking to someone else in the room at the same time. "Fox Mulder. Dana Scully's ... fiance," I tell her. Damn. We really need to get married to avoid all this crap. It would be so much easier if I could just say 'husband.' "And I'm assuming you are the father of the baby?" she asks, sounding amused. "Yes. Is she there, please?" I say, not knowing how much longer I'm going to be able to stand this woman. "Actually, Miss Scully is out walking around, trying to get things moving along. Would you like me to have her call you when she gets in?" she asks. God damn it. I just want to talk to her. "No. I want you to find her. I am on Martha's Vineyard and I need to know how much time I have to get home," I say, hearing her set the phone down on something hard. She's back in a few moments. "I don't see her, but you have some time. I'll pass your message along," she says, before hanging up the phone with a clunk. "Damn! I can't believe that!" I say, slamming my receiver down, too. "I've got to get home immediately. Do you have the number to Cape Air?" Carol hands me a phone book and I flip through it quickly, looking for the airlines information. "Dad, am I coming with you?" a small voice asks from behind me. By now, both Dick and Lorraine are standing here, watching me closely. Is this really my decision to make at this point no matter what the lawyers said? Do I want to make this decision? "Kessie, we will talk about it in a minute," I say just as someone at Cape Air answers the phone. "That means no," Kessie cries, turning and running off to her bedroom. Damn it. I'm going to have to leave her here and she's not going to be happy. I'm not going to be happy. The only people who will be happy are her grandparents. "Yes. My name is Special Agent Fox Mulder. I just flew in this morning and I need to be on your next flight out to Boston. It's an emergency," I say and I hear the person on the other end of the phone line start clacking away on a computer. She lets me know when to get there and I realize I don't have much time. "Thank you." "I have to be to the airport in an hour," I say, looking at my watch. But first things first. I have to make sure Kessie's okay. I close my eyes as I walk into my old room, just like I used to do so many years ago, hoping that when I open them, Samantha will be there. I walk through the door and look, drawing in a sharp breath. There sitting on the bed is a little girl who looks more like my sister than I ever noticed or cared to realize. For a second, I can almost let my mind trick itself into believing. But only for a second. This is my daughter. Not my sister. "Kess, you know I want ..." I start to say before she interrupts. "Oh, just go home to your real family," she says, her voice as icy as it could possibly get. "You are my real family and you know it," I tell her, regretting the days I pulled this bullshit on my parents. All those times I screamed 'I didn't ask to be born!' are now going to haunt me. I'm sure of it. "Then why are you leaving me here?" she asks, turning to face me and not the window she's been staring out. Tears are beginning to flow down her cheeks and fatherhood slams down upon me faster than it has in a long time. "Kessie, you will be okay here. They will take good care of you and you can come home soon. But Dana and I won't even be home for the next few days. Chris will be with Grandma Scully. And after that, it won't be much fun for a while. Trust me. Lots of crying in the middle of the night, and not just me. The baby, too," I say, and she smiles a little before going back to looking like a sad little girl. I sit on the edge of her bed and she doesn't move away. "But I want to see her. She's my sister and I want to see her," Kessie says. I wrap my arms around her and hold her close. "You will. I will have them put you on a plane as soon as we get her home, okay? Until then, make them take you shopping. Buy you lots of things. Grandparents are supposed to be good for that. Or so I've heard," I say, letting her go. She leans back from me and shakes her head in mock disgust. "Dad! You don't want me coming home spoiled, do you?" she says, a little smile creeping onto her face. "You deserve to be spoiled for a few days. But don't expect it when you get home, do you hear me, young lady?" I say, and she hugs me tight. "Tell Dana and Christopher I miss them already, okay?" she says, her voice sounding like that of a small child. She has only had a home for a few months now and I know she's not ready for this. But what am I supposed to do? "I will. And I'm sure they are going to miss you, too," I say, holding on to her just as tightly. "But not as much as I'm going to miss you." For the first time ever, she kisses me on the cheek before letting go. She moves away from me, resigned to the fact that I have to go. More so to the idea that she has to stay here. "Bye, Daddy," she says, looking down at the floor and swallowing hard. "Bye, Kessie." Fairfax Hospital "He called and you didn't come find me?" I damn near shout at the nurse. "That is unbelievable! I was right down the hall!" You don't mess with a woman in labor. This nurse should know that. "I looked for you, Dana, and did not see you anywhere. I figured you went off the ward," she says apologetically. But she doesn't sound sorry enough. "Did he say anything?" Colleen asks as she helps me sit down in a rocking chair and moves the IV stand beside me. I don't see why I need the damn thing yet. And the pain in my lower back is intense. More intense than with Christopher, but I want to make it through this without drugs. "Not really," the nurse says, flipping through my chart. "Just to tell you he called." "I can't believe this," I say, as I breathe through a contraction that travels through my whole body, forcing my fingers to clench around the arm of the rocker, my nails digging in. "Dana, you're going to be fine. Just breathe," Colleen says, kneeling and looking me in the eye. "He's got to be here, Coll. This is *our* baby and he has got to be here," I say after the contraction subsides. "Dana?" my mother asks, poking her head in the door. "Hi, Mom," I say, knowing I look as miserable as I feel. "Oh, honey, I should have guessed by the way you looked yesterday that this is what was going on. Both you and Charlie were a little early. Not a lot, but you certainly beat your due dates. I was just so busy with the kids," Mom says, taking Colleen's place in front of me. "I'm going to go hunt down Charlie. Do either of you need anything?" she asks. "An epidural," I say and she just shakes her head at me. "Can't get those in the cafeteria. I'll be back in a few," she says, leaving us alone with the 'nurse.' "Well, Dana, you complained that Fox wasn't much help when you had Christopher. I guess this time you don't have to worry about it," my mother says, stroking my hair off of my face. "There is still time. He'll make it here yet," I say, looking into her eyes. She is so comforting. She doesn't have to say anything. She is just my mom and that is a comfort in itself. "I hope so. He missed his first daughter's birth ... and most of her life. I don't want him to miss this one," she says, taking my hands in hers, careful of the IV. "I know. I never expected this, but he had to go with her," I say. Family obligations have now taken a hold of our lives. Everything is so different than it was just a few short years ago. He had no family. Now he does and he respects everything that it means more than I thought he would. Mulder is like this because he doesn't want his children to lead the life he did as a child. "You just hold on there, little girl, until Daddy can make it home," Mom says, putting her hand on my abdomen. "Where's Christopher?" I ask. "Everett is taking care of all the kids. I hope he's still alive when I get home and not tied up in the basement while the kids have run of the house," she says, laughing. "Soprano said she'd try to get over to help as soon as she can." A moan escapes from my throat as another contraction moves across my mid-section. I squeeze Mom's hand as tight as I can and she doesn't say anything. "He better hurry," I say and she just nods. Logan International Airport "Agent Mulder, the best I can do is stand-by," the ticket agent tells me once more, her fingers moving quickly over the keyboard. "I have got to get home. My wife is having a baby. And she's having it now," I say and she looks down at my left hand. Damn it. Does she think I'm making it up because I'm lacking a ring? I never have this much trouble flying anywhere when it is official FBI business. The person who arranges this stuff in the travel department must have some great connections. "It is the holidays. We are booked. But if something comes up, you will be the first person to go on. National or Dulles. Doesn't matter, right?" she asks, looking at the computer monitor once more. "That's right. Thanks," I say, trying to sound polite and understanding, but missing it by a mile. I try to be patient. To sit in a molded plastic seat and realize that these things happen. But I can't. I begin to pace up and down the terminal, wishing that I could just be at home and not have to deal with Diana's family and their desire to see Kestrel. I never should have told them about her. "Mr. Fox Mulder, please pick up the courtesy phone. Fox Mulder, please pick up the courtesy phone," rings out overhead through the terminal. "Fuck!" I exclaim louder than I intended to, and several old women turn to look at me. She had the baby and I didn't make it. That is all this could be. Scully had our little girl and I was fucking stuck in Logan waiting for a ticket home. "Mulder here," I say picking up the phone and expecting the combination of the worst news combined with the best. "You're leaving her behind?" a voice asks sharply. "Who is this?" I ask, looking around, wondering if this was someone's way to find me in the busy airport. "We've met before, Agent Mulder. I'm just rather concerned that you would leave your daughter behind so easily," he says, his voice unrecognizable to me. Of course, it could be filtered. "Scully is having our baby. Now. I would like to be there for her. For that. Kestrel is safe with her grandparents," I say, trying to sound convincing. "She'll be safe, but her grandparents will have nothing to do with that safety. Do you know how many people hoped you never found her ..." "I didn't *find* her. Someone decided to lead me to her. Was it you?" I ask, remembering the man who ran the whole place up in Canada. Is he looking out for Kestrel again? "Agent Mulder, you've been warned," he says, hanging up. "Warned about what?!" I exclaim into the phone but am only met by silence. I hang up the receiver and lean my head against the wall. Shit. Now who is involved in this whole fiasco? Oh, just let it be someone who's been around for a while and not someone new. I can't keep track anymore. "Mr. Fox Mulder, please pick up the courtesy phone. Fox Mulder, please pick up the courtesy phone," is called out again. I don't move my head from the wall, but grab the phone. "What now?" I say, sounding none too pleased. "Um, Mr. Mulder?" a female voice asks. Probably someone from the hospital. "Yes," I reply, shutting my eyes against whatever news they might have. "Could you please return to the ticket desk as quickly as possible? I can get you on a plane to Dulles, but it is leaving in twenty minutes," she says, and I realize it was the ticket agent I was dealing with earlier. "I'll be right there," I say, hanging up the phone and breathing a sigh of relief. Please let something go right today. Fairfax Hospital "Hey, sis," Charlie says, as he sits on the chair beside my bed. "Want some ice chips?" I'm sure my glare is nothing short of evil. Ice chips are fine in the beginning, but are by now they are simply meant to placate us into forgetting our bodies are being stretched to unreasonable limits. They don't do that job very well. "I guess the answer is no," he says, smiling. "Maybe Mulder is lucky. He doesn't have to face you like this." "He'll be dead if he doesn't show up," I say, trying to will my body into believing this isn't that bad. The pain isn't that intense. Dr. Morton broke my water about two hours ago to 'speed' things along. I protested. I didn't want to speed things along. And now I have to feel that wet gush of amniotic fluid every time I have a contraction. The phone behind Charlie's head rings and he makes a grab for it. "Dana Scully's room," he answers and makes some goofy expression at me before handing me the phone. "It's for you." "Scully ... Dana ... whoever ... here," I say, cradling the phone up to my ear. They have me on my left side for the good of the baby and to keep my blood pressure down. "Scully, it's me," Mulder says, his voice sounding like he just ran ten miles. "Where are you, Mulder?" I ask, knowing I can't blame him for this. I had weeks to go yet. He had to deal with Kessie and her grandparents. But a part of me wants to scream and not just the part of me pushing a baby out. "I'm at Dulles now. I should be there in a bit. How far along are you?" he asks, and I can hear him try to hail a cab. "I was at six centimeters an hour ago and it is going faster this time. Probably because she's our second. But you had better get here fast," I say, feeling another contraction wrap me in its tight grip and squeeze. "I will. I'm trying," he says, and I hear him give the driver instructions. "Okay," I say, not able to hold the phone comfortably right at the moment. "Hey, Scully ... I love you," is the last thing I hear before he clicks off. "Let's just hope he doesn't get stuck in traffic," Charlie says, as he hangs up the phone. "Don't ... even say it," I mumble, trying to breath through my latest contraction. But I know it is probably inevitable. 9:15 p.m. There can't be this much traffic one day after Christmas at this hour. There just can't be. Everyone should be at home and eating leftovers and not on the damn road. "Looks like an accident with trucks," the cab driver says in an some accent I don't recognize, turning around cautiously to look at me over his shoulder. "Or maybe something turned over." He's listened to my ranting and raving for over a half an hour now and I'm sure if he could make this thing sprout wings and fly, he would. If only I could have gotten a flight into National, I would have had my own car. I'd be coming from the opposite direction. And I'd probably still be stuck in traffic. "Can you see how far up it is?" I say, trying to pick out the flashing police lights through the many cars in front of us. "Maybe half a mile. Or more," he says. The meter's been running this whole time and I'll be lucky to have enough cash to hand him if I wait this out. "Okay. Well, I'm going to hike up there and see if I can help. Here you go," I say, handing him the fare. "You want me to wait here?" he asks, looking confused as I open the door and get out. "Where else would you go?" I ask, slamming the door and heading down the highway. The cold air is congested with the heavy scent of exhaust and people keep blaring their horns as if that is going to make them drag whatever it is off the highway any faster. It looks like a semi jack knifed across all three lanes of highway and it doesn't look like it is moving any time soon. An officer approaches me, shining his flashlight in my face, as I make my way up the side of the road. "Sir, could you please go back to your car? There's nothing to see up here." I pull my ID out of my pocket and show it to him. "I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI and I have an emergency." Fairfax Hospital "Dana, sweetie, you're doing great," I hear my mother say. She's got a hold of my hand and I know my squeezing has probably drawn blood by now. "Is he here yet?" I ask, my voice sounding drained. It's almost over and Mulder is going to miss it. My mind is trying to will my body into holding on five more minutes, but my mind is losing. "No, honey, he isn't. I'm sure he's trying, though. But you've got to do what your body wants you to do. You know that," Mom says, giving my hand a squeeze. She's now my coach and Colleen is videotaping the whole thing for posterity. Or so Mulder can see it whenever he gets his ass home. "Dana, I think all we are going to need is two or three more good pushes and this baby will be here," Dr. Sarah Morton says from the foot of the bed. I am operating off of pure adrenaline at this point and I know I have to push. I want to push. I want this to be over. But dammit, why can't one thing just work out? "It's going to be okay, Dana," Mom says, brushing my sweat soaked hair off of my face. "Your dad was only in port when Bill Jr. was born. These things happen." "At the next contraction, your mom is going to support you and you are going to push with all you've got, okay?" Sarah says, as she messes around with something on a tray near her. One of the maternity nurses is standing at my side, helping my mom support me during the pushing. Mary, the dreadful nurse, is helping at the other end. "Yeah," I mumble. Colleen has the camera focused on me and I'm sure someday I'm going to have a good laugh about how awful I look. But just not today. I feel the next contraction coming on, and my Mom helps me sit up and get ready to push. "Okay. We are going to count to ten," I hear the nurse say and ten seems like such a long time. Or maybe not long enough. I push with everything I've got left in me, resigned to the fact that this is going to happen without Mulder. "One. Two. Three. Push with your abdomen, not your face. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. And relax." My brother comes skidding into the room, sliding halfway across the floor before coming to a stop. Everybody's eyes are on him now instead of my crotch. "He's here! I was watching out the window and the cops just dropped him off. Dana, Mulder's here." "Cops?" I say, not even able to imagine what he got himself into this time. "Charlie, don't just stand there! Go meet him at the elevator so he knows where he's going. Hurry!" Mom shouts, and Charlie goes skidding around the corner on his way out the door. "Dana, you're crowning. The next push and we should be there," Sarah says, and the pain is searing as I feel like I'm being stretched in every which way. But it will be over soon. And Mulder is almost here. He made it this far. "No. He's got to be here," I say, feeling the next contraction coming on. No, no, no I tell my body. Just a minute more. He'll be here in just a minute. But I can't fight it. I want to, but I can't. "We are going to count to ten again, okay?" the nurse says and I feel the tears begin to well in my eyes. "Okay," I say, and my mom wraps her arm around my back to support me through the last few minutes. "Dana, push," Sarah says, and I obey. "One. Two. Three ... hold on. Okay. Go ahead. Four ..." At the four count, out of the corner of my eye, I see two men come sliding into the room this time, both bumping into each other as they come to a stop. "Congratulations, Agent Mulder, you just made it in time to see the birth of your baby," Sarah says. The nurse presses against my abdomen, and starts to count again. "Five ... six ..." He's at my side without me even being aware of him walking over, supporting me just like my mother. "I'm sorry," he whispers. I can't say anything. All I can do is push and get this person out of me. "One more push and we will have the shoulders," Sarah says, and then I feel her slide all the way out. I fall backwards and the nurse hurries and puts a receiving blanket on my stomach."Well, well, well. Who do we have here? Dana, Fox ... meet your daughter." She holds her up for us to see and she is beautiful. Slimy and cone headed, but beautiful. The nurse deals with suctioning out her mouth and taking care of the Apgar score and I can't wait to hold her. I know I'm sobbing by the time Sarah offers Mulder the chance to cut the umbilical cord. They put her on me, and she looks up at me with those innocent slate blue eyes of a newborn baby. "I think she has your eyes," Mulder says and I believe this time he might be right. "But that's your hair, Fox." Mom says, looking at her new grand daughter with a head full of dark hair. Charlie and Colleen migrate to the side of the bed, Colleen still viewing the whole thing through the lens of the camera. "She's beautiful, Danes," Charlie says and he's right. I can't take my eyes off of her and I can't believe how completely and totally in love I am with her already. "Hate to break it up, but we've got to get her weighed in and take her to the nursery," the nurse says, scooping her up and toweling her off. "You want to come with, Dad?" Mulder looks at me, his eyes asking my permission "Go. Someone should be with her. Go be with your baby girl," I say, and he kisses me. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he says, as he begins to follow the nurse. "You can come, too, Grandma," the nurse says, and my mother declines. "No. That's okay. I'm staying with my baby girl," she says, squeezing my hand. "By the way, Dana, what is her name?" Charlie asks. Colleen has finally stopped video taping the event and everybody turns to look at me. Including Mulder, even though he knows the answer. "Samara. Her name is Samara Blythe Mulder." The End Author's Notes: I chose to give her the last name Mulder because that is what Kessie's last name is. No real deep meaning behind it. Perhaps Chris' last name will change someday, too. And maybe someday they might even get married.
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