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Title: Once Upon A Prayer Summary: This is my contribution to the reunion challenge. Hope you enjoy it. Snow blanketed the ground around St. Peter's, as Scully cautiously made her way across the slippery concrete steps. She had debated on whether to even venture out tonight. Up to six inches of new snow had been predicted before midnight, and watching as it fell around her, she had no doubt that it would achieve the weather man's prediction. But she had made a promise, and she had no intention of breaking it, blizzard or no. Every night that she was in town she'd been coming here. Lighting a candle and asking God for the same miracle. She struggled to open the heavy oak doors of the church, but finally manager to squeeze in without crushing her protruding stomach in the process. Eight months of struggling to hold on to this precious gift, and search for its father had taken its toll. She refused to let them tell her the sex of this child, even though she was certain that everyone at the hospital must know, as much time as she had spend there. But no one intruded on her wishes. If Mulder couldn't know, then neither would she. He would come back in time to see, with her. He had to. She slipped through the vestibule and reaching out lit, once again, a candle of hope. Hope for a future. Hope for their child. Hope just to hang on too. Sliding into the last pew, she knelt on weary knees and closed her eyes. The weight of her quest seemed to lift, if only for the few moments she was here. "Please, please..." Tonight, she couldn't even seem to articulate the words. So many times she'd asked these past seven months, and still the answer seemed to be no. Oh, how she longed for a miracle. Just to open her eyes and there he'd be, that silly grin on his face, as if he'd never been gone. Sighing, she opened her eyes, but alas, no one, the same as always. Pushing herself off the kneeling bench, she slid back into the pew and closed her eyes, just for a moment. She was so tired. Hearing the doors creak open on their ancient hinges, she turned to gather her coat and gloves, her peace disturbed. Listening to the footfalls across the marble floors, there was something familiar about their cadence. She strained to turn, and saw the shadow of someone just outside the doors to the sanctuary. The footsteps continued, and as she watched a familiar form entered the church. Struggling to get up, she dropped her purse, but didn't seem to even notice. "Sir, what's happened? Why are you here?" Skinner removed his hat and scarf and reached out a hand to steady her. "Dana, he's been found." "Where? When? How? I, he..." She couldn't bring herself to ask that question. "He's at the hospital. He's asking for you." Gathering the rest of her things and trying, although not succeeding, not to weep she reached out her hand to Skinner. "Take me to him." Not a question. "The car's outside, I'll drive you." The ride to the hospital had to be the longest one in history, even though it barely took them ten minutes. Skinner had barely stopped the car before she was unbuckling and reaching for the door handle. He didn't try to stop her, just flashed his badge at the glowering security guard and quickly caught up with her. "What floor is he on?" "Six." Scully punched the elevator button, impatiently waiting, chewing on her lip so hard Skinner thought she would bite clear through it if she didn't get to him soon. With painstaking slowness the elevator inched its way up to the sixth floor. Each blink of a new floor causing the butterflies in her stomach to compete with the baby's somersaults. Laying her hand on her stomach, she absentmindedly calmed the baby with gentle circular motions. Finally reaching the desired floor she had to catch herself as she stepped out of the elevator. "Scully, are you alright?" Skinner was holding her up before she even realized she had started to sway precariously. 'Like a whale trying to balance on it's fins, out of water, she thought.' I'm fine, the elevator must have knocked my equilibrium off. Which room?" Pushing away from Skinner, she was down the hall before he could reply. Rounding the corner she stopped dead as she took in the sight before her. The door to his room was open and he was standing beside the window, staring out into the darkness. His face was turned away from her, which was good because just seeing him sapped what little strength she had from her legs. She barely made it to the chair before collapsing. Skinner rushed up and in the process nearly collided with a running Mulder. He had seen her reflection in the glass seconds before she collapsed into the chair. Skinner stood back, then walked slowly away as it became obvious that his presence was not only unnecessary, but unnoticed. Scully couldn't think, she couldn't breathe. Every fiber of her being wanted nothing more than to touch him, but she was scared to death. 'What if its all a dream? What if I reach out and find nothing?' Mulder reached out slowly toward her stomach. Awe evident in his eyes. Scully closed her eyes tightly as his hand came in contact with her belly and the child within her leapt at its father's touch. Tears slipped unheeded down her face, as Mulder leaned in close and laid his cheek against the swell of her stomach. Warmth penetrated her being as she realized his touch, and the fact that he was really here, now. No dream, no figment of her imagination. "Mulder?" "Scully." "Are you real?" The voice that came from Scully was one of a small child, soft, a whisper. A child afraid that the answer was not going to be the one she wanted to hear. Reaching up, Mulder cradled her face in his hands, thumbs gently wiping the tears away as fast as they fell. "I'm very, very real. Promise. Looks like I made it in time for my son's debut." Grinning like the village idiot, he couldn't stop the tears that now flowed freely down his face as well. "He couldn't come out without his Daddy here, now could he?" Scully still spoke in the soft childlike voice, barely above a whisper. Finally reaching out to touch him, she couldn't stop the sob that came as she felt his body beneath her fingers. Firm, warm and here, kneeling in front of her, touching her. She leaned down slowly and he rose to meet her, their lips touching softly, tentatively. Desperation took hold at that intimate touch and Mulder crushed her in her arms, his lips trailing kisses all along her face, her eyes, her cheeks, along the line of her jaw, finally coming to rest on hers once more. "God, how I've missed you." "But you're here now, you're real?" the question couldn't be laid to rest, even in his arms, safe and at home. "Yes, forever Scully, forever." The end
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