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Title: I Exist Only For You Summary: Mulder and Scully are finally together with their baby. See what happens after the camera lights dim. "What are you gonna call him?" Mulder asked as he held the newborn. The child's weight felt unfamiliar yet strangely natural. "William", she replied. "After your father." His eyes smiled as he scanned her face. It touched him that she added that, especially considering that her father's name was William too. But the simple honesty of her statement struck him deeply. He was in awe of this woman. "Well, I don't know," he began playfully. "He-he's got your coloring and your eyes. But he looks suspiciously like Assistant Director Skinner." His words provoked a laugh from both of them. Scully's laughter faded as she looked at the child between them. "I don't understand, Mulder. They came to take him from us. Why they didn't...?" "I don't quite understand that, either, except that maybe he isn't what they thought he was." Mulder looked at her then. "That doesn't make him any less of a miracle, though, does it?" For a moment, as their eyes met, Scully's filled with tears. She hadn't expected to feel any of these emotions so strongly, but they were all coming at her at once. Joy, relief, love, bewilderment, elation. No matter what they'd been through, it was still just the beginning of an amazing journey. Scully was overwhelmed with it all. She wanted to explain it to him somehow. "From the moment I became pregnant, I feared the truth. About how...and why? And I know that you feared it too." "I think what we feared were the possibilities. The truth...we both know." He uttered this last part with such candor that Scully's breath stopped in her throat. After a heartbeat, she whispered, "which is what?" With deliberate tenderness, Mulder leaned in. Just before his lips touched hers, she felt it. Within her, a single word exploded into life. Yes. They did know. Scully tilted her head and pressed her lips more fully into his. This was it. Their truth. As they kissed, Scully reached out, placed a hand on his elbow and pulled him closer. Everything she'd ever wanted was right here, within the circle of her arms. And it all made sense again. After an eternity that seemed to last only seconds, Mulder pulled back, just enough to whisper, "he's our miracle, Scully." Both sets of eyes glistened with the knowledge. "Mulder," Scully began in a voice rocked by emotion, "you were my first miracle. William is a result of that. I never imagined..." She trailed off, unable to fully express what she was thinking. Mulder looked at her. His face held a rare look of contentment. "Scully, I thought I'd lost my family when my mom died and I let go of Samantha. But I hadn't even found it yet." Scully stood on her tiptoes and pulled him back down to her. She'd almost lost this forever. It had never seemed uncomplicated for them. But she'd missed him...it was as simple as that now. After several seconds, William began to whimper in Mulder's arms. With a smile, Scully rubbed her hand lightly across the thin layer of hair atop his head. He was so tiny and so perfect. No scenario she'd imagined could compare to this. Mulder placed William in the bedside bassinet. The baby's eyes closed almost immediately. Mulder stood there for several seconds, content to watch him breathe. Finally, after covering him with a blanket, Mulder turned and sat beside Scully on the bed. "Mulder," Scully began quietly, "I know you said you were having a hard time figuring out where you fit in, but --" "No, Scully, not any more." Mulder took a deep breath, and continued. "When I had just come back, I was scared to contemplate, to make assumptions. All of this was such a surprise. And I knew that the ultimate decision would be yours." "Mulder, William is your son. Maybe neither of us were ready to deal with it then, but now... It's not like before. He's not the result of some medical experiment." "No. He's a product of your faith...and the fact that I love you more than anything else on this earth." As he said this, Scully inhaled sharply, the air stumbling past her suddenly tight throat. Her eyes filled with tears, which dribbled over her lashes as she blinked to clear her vision. She needed an unobstructed view of him. With a smile, he continued. "You never gave up on me, no matter how many obstacles, including me, stood in your way. And now... You have no idea how much this means." Although her throat still felt thick, Scully whispered, "I love you so much, Mulder. And I missed you more than you'll ever understand. I thank God every minute for bringing you back to me. Will you stay?" In response, Mulder placed his hands along the sides of her face and kissed her. "I'm not going anywhere." After touching her bottom lip briefly with his thumb, he rose to turn down the lights. Scully crawled beneath the covers, watching him as he moved about the room. Finally, he lay down beside Scully under the comforter. Mulder wrapped his arm around her from behind and tucked his head into the crook of her shoulder. As he did, he released a breath that he felt he had been holding since he woke up in that hospital two months earlier. Being with Scully finally allowed him to breathe again. Scully turned her head toward him and smiled. "You're wrong," she said. Taken by surprise, he couldn't imagine what she meant. "Huh?". It was the only syllable his confused mind could utter. "William may have my coloring, Mulder," she said. "But he definitely has your eyes." Mulder smiled and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. "Sleep now, Scully. I got your back." Stifling a yawn, Scully nodded and allowed her eyes to drift closed. For a while, Mulder watched her sleep. He reveled in the joy of being this close to her again. She'd said that he couldn't understand how much she'd missed him, but he could. He'd missed her too. So much. Just before sleep claimed him, Mulder remembered Agent Doggett's question from the other night. "Where does it end?" he'd asked. At the time, Mulder had said, "maybe it doesn't". He still believed that to be true. But as he grew tired and his breathing deepened, another possibility occurred to him. Maybe this was where it ends...with the culmination of all their choices and sacrifices. Maybe William was their reward. That thought made him smile as he sunk into sleep. Early the Following Morning-- Margaret Scully let herself quietly into her daughter's apartment. Dana had no reliable help, thanks to her, so she decided to check in on her personally. She moved as noiselessly as possible, so as not to disturb the tenuous slumber of the new mother and baby. Maggie suspected that they had both been up several times during their first night back home. After putting away the groceries and supplies she'd brought, she headed toward the bedroom. As she pushed the door softly ajar, Maggie's heart smiled. The picture before her was one that she'd prayed for. And God had certainly been answering the Scully family prayers lately. Next to the sleeping form of her newest grandchild lay her daughter. Although visibly tired, a relaxed smile graced her features. The source of her contentment lay beside her. Fox Mulder's arm draped over Dana and his fingers splayed loosely across her son. *Their* son, Maggie mentally ammended. The image was so serene and -- normal -- that tears sprang to Maggie's eyes. This was all she'd ever wanted for her daughter. And she'd always believed...always known...that Fox was the one who should give them to her. Margaret Scully would never fully learn of the horrific sacrifices that they had made along the way. But she saw the outcome, and that was what mattered. She eased the door closed again and returned to the front room. Deciding against leaving a note, Maggie let herself out as silently as she had entered. The End :) send feedback to: ejv813@hotmail.com
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