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Title: Requited Reverie Summary: Scully bands together with some people to bring Mulder home. Author's notes: OK, right off the bat, my temporary beta JENNIFER rocks my world. I seriously couldn't have done this without her late night chat sessions and endless e-mails...AOL baby yeah! Also, to all the people that I have asked and bounced ideas off of, thank you very much! You know who you are. Sitting by the window, I watch as the last ounce of light disappears, and darkness looms in, embracing the night. The light, though no longer existing, has not gone out. Not for me. These darkened days, seeming like a blur, are going on in monotonous ways. You still seem to drift into my thoughts, staying there for what seems to be an endless time. Familiar faces have been paying their dues, coming to visit me during my pregnancy, sharing their condolences. They all sound the same. While I sit here, watching, waiting, like a sequence from an old movie, I think I can see a face, illuminated by the stars. That face belongs to you, the man of my thousand-and-one night dreams. You pledged your love to me long ago. Long before you went away. You promised me that you would come back. Don't turn back on your word. Don't leave me again. It seems like I've been sitting here, waiting for an eternity, for you to return. The stars in the ominous sky fall. They fall for me. I wish upon every one, hoping that just one will come true. Every now and then, thoughts and memories flood my mind. They drift back to me, like debris in a running stream. I catch glimpses of my life as reflections in the muddied puddles on the city's dirty streets. The moments we've shared keep me company. But they are fading so fast, from vivid to blurred, from colored to gray. You and I will always be like a wish, blown by a morning breeze that caresses my face in so many ways, as if to chase away my melancholy, my thoughts of you. Recently, I've gotten caught up in the past, in the moments that we have shared. Sometimes, when the phone rings, my breath catches, my eyes water, all in the hope that it is you, calling to tell me you are all right. Sometimes, all I can see when I close my eyes are the memories, thoughts of what once was. I am reminded of you daily. Pieces of you are in everything around me. I can still smell your hair. I can still feel your touch. I can still taste your lips. I can still see your smile. I can still sense your closeness. These things I will treasure forever. My memory of you may fade, but shall never be replaced. My body waits, waiting to be held. My heart waits, waiting to be loved again. My ear waits, waiting to be serenaded by the sound of your voice. My lips wait, waiting to be kissed. My eyes wait, waiting to gaze upon you. I wait, I wait for love. Staring out my window, it is now 3 in the morning. The night storm has nestled. I watch it in slumber, it's unsightly head cradled between the trees. I wait, sitting here, longing for the sun to rise. It has not shone for days. I have not felt warmth upon my face, upon my heart. Loneliness has settled in there. It seems comfortable, waiting in oblivion. Loneliness is like a dark cloud, smothering, choking, asphyxiating. I put my journal down, my hand aches from the weight of the pen, the pressure I put upon it, trying to force my emotions out through the pen and onto paper. I have found that keeping a journal, much similar to my first attempt during my cancer trials, lets me put things I don't know how to express onto paper, even if they don't make any sense. But every day is harder than the one before. Every day that passes by is one more day that he hasn't come back. I have this old t-shirt that Mulder left here one night. I forgot to give it back to him a long time ago, but now it brings me solace. It smells just like him, even though it hasn't been worn by him in quite a while. I wear it sometimes, when I am feeling particularly sorrowful, when I can't get him out of my mind. I wish I could cry. I wish I could let my tears fall, let them pour like rain, washing over me, making me whole again. Let them pour and wash the pain away, let them cover me to wash away my fears. I wish they would rage in a torrent to keep the loneliness at bay. But they don't. They don't fall; my eyes are a dry well. Beside me, my baby sleeps somberly. Hannah's head is turned towards me, her beautiful eyes closed. A sigh escapes her lips as she dreams. God, she's so beautiful. Her lower lip is protruding slightly, just like her father's. This is the first night in quite a while that she has slept for more than a few hours. Hannah Elizabeth Mulder. That's my girl, my baby girl. God I wish Mulder was here. I wish he was here to hold her, to clutch her to his chest, to breathe in her sweet smell, and to fall in love with her with just as much intensity as I have found possible within myself. My new partner, Agent Tyler McCormick, has been very cooperative and sympathetic. A very green agent to the core, Agent McCormick is a big fan of Mulder's work. He, too, has lost friends to them, to those that took Mulder. He is a good agent, very strong. But he isn't Mulder. Not even close. Sleep eludes me tonight. It is the winner of a frustrating game of hide-and-seek, a game I no longer have the energy, or the willpower to play. I have gotten accustomed to Hannah's sleeping habits, though they are rather disarrayed and quite irregular. My tired hand rocks her bassinet softly, gently. My head rests upon the pillow, my eyes feeling weighted and massive. Maybe sleep will come to me after all. Dana Scully's Apartment My much needed slumber is awakened by a loud shrill. My motherly instincts tell me to check on Hannah. I check her crib, and she is still asleep. The irritating noise is persistent. I finally recognize it as my cell phone. I grab the infuriating object hastily out of my coat pocket on the chair, and take it out of the room, so that I don't wake Hannah. "Hello?" My voice has that all too familiar tired quality to it. Probably because I have only been asleep for an hour or so. "Agent Scully, it's Frohike. I'm sorry to call you at such an hour, but this couldn't wait." "No, it's all right Frohike. What's going on?" "It's about Agent Mulder." My stomach began to churn, my heart started racing. We had chased down every random lead and tidbit of information we could get our hands on after Mulder's disappearance, but nonetheless, Mulder never was found. Still, after about a year of waiting and wondering, I get my hopes up when we find something new. "What did you find, Frohike?" "We've been trying everything we can, Scully, but we haven't found anything." With every new piece of information we find, my hopes get raised, only to be crushed in the end. I have felt many types of pain in my life, all stemming from the tragedies I have seen. This pain is different, new, agonizing. "What do you mean? If you haven't got anything Frohike, then why did you call me at 4:30 am and wake me up?" "I said that we hadn't found anything. But we were contacted by someone, Scully. This man has." My stomach somehow found its way into my throat. "Who is this informant? Can he be trusted?" "Trusted isn't the word I'd use to describe him, Agent Scully. But I am positive that he is telling us the truth." "Who..." "We received a knock on our door a bit ago. Usually we wouldn't have let anyone inside our place, but we know these people, Scully. They've been tracing the electromagnetic activity in Oregon, where Mulder disappeared. For the past year, nothing significant has been noted." "I know this, Frohike. Did they find something anomalous?" "Our informants did. I can't get into detail on the phone, your end may not be secure. Just get here as soon as you can. There are some people you need to see." "I'm on my way." As I hung up my phone, my thoughts started to run incessantly wild. I quickly get dressed, carelessly putting on some old comfortable blue jeans and a blue cardigan. I slow down and cautiously pick up Hannah, trying not to jostle her or wake her, place her in a warm coat and pants, put her tiny slippers on and place her in her car seat. My hand grabs my phone on the way out the door. I hit my mother's number by memory, not even looking at the numbers. I hate to wake her, but she knows that I wouldn't wake her unless it was important. I hope this is. The Lone Gunman's Before I can even knock on the door, Byers swiftly opens the numerous locks on the inside of the door and ushers me into the apartment. I look around the room, searching for anyone, anything that did not belong. I could not see anyone, yet I knew that someone was there, lurking in the shadows. "Agent Scully, I'm glad you could get here so quickly." Langly nodded his greetings, and started working on the computer in front of him. "All right guys, what do you have for me." I want to see what it is this time, what they have found. After about a year of desperation, of hurting, of the pain and agony of not having him here, the information they can provide may help piece together what little we have to go on. "Well, Scully, we don't have anything new to tell you, unfortunately. As I told you on the telephone, we were contacted by some people who knew things, who wanted our help. Now, granted these people are not always ones that can be trusted, I think they can offer us some help, Scully." "Frohike, who are you talking about? Who has this information?" With the people we deal with in our line of work, I see some very strange, and detestable people. But Frohike seems to imply that I know these informants. Out of the shadows of the Gunman's apartment, a figure approaches me. Not only do I know this man, but I detest him, and all he's done to me, and to Mulder. "Hello Agent Scully. It's nice to see that you are recovering well. And how is your little one? Hannah?" "Krycek, you son of a..." "Agent Scully." Another figure steps out into the lamp light, preventing me from speaking any further. "Ms. Covarrubias? What are you doing here? What are either of you doing here?" "Agent Scully, contrary to popular belief, Krycek and I are here to help you, to bring Mulder back." "Why would you help us? How can you help bring Mulder back? No one else has been able to find him, what makes you so sure that you can?" "Scully, how can you doubt us so profusely? There are things you don't know, things that have happened that have changed the scheme of the Project." Krycek's voice oozed, as if he were trying to slide through my defenses. "What things?" "Cancerman is dead. The Project is finished, contradictory to the smoking man's last wish. But there are loose ends, Mulder being one of them. That, and the impending colonization of the planet." "Wait. The smoking man is dead? When did he die?" "Oh haven't you heard Agent Scully? He died shortly before Agent Mulder disappeared." Krycek seemed to rub that in my face, that I was out of the loop. "Agent Scully, the Smoking Man's last wish was to put the Project back together, to take the remaining few members and create a new, revitalized group to take on the colonization." Marita's explanation provides me with no sense of understanding. "And you want Mulder to work with the Project." "No, my dear Scully, no. You've got it all backwards. We don't want the project to be reborn, don't you see? With the Cancerman out of the way, he can't monopolize anything anymore. I am in control. And now that I am in charge, I have...new ideas." "What new ideas, Krycek? How does this help Mulder?" "Patience is a virtue, Scully. I'm getting to that. Now that the Consortium is gone and dead, for the most part, we can rebuild a group, to stop the colonization before it starts. Don't you see, Scully? That's why I need Mulder. He knows what these people are capable of, better than I do. And I am sure as hell that he doesn't want to see the Earth colonized by aliens." "Scully, Krycek and I have been dealing with the aliens for the past six months or so, trying to get the abductees back, with no avail. But now, we have a surefire plan to get them to agree. They can't decline this time," Marita insisted. The look of determination in her eyes, so strong and unwavering, frightens me. I looked at the Gunman, at Krycek, at Marita. Can I trust them? How can I be sure that they are telling the truth? Honestly, I can't. But he has helped us in the past. And he seems genuinely interested in getting Mulder back, and stopping the colonization. Man, I hope I don't regret what I'm about to do. "All right, Krycek, what do we do? How do we get Mulder back?" "There is only one way we can get all of them back, Scully. We hit them were it hurts. When you were in Antarctica, you were injected with a biological agent, while weak in it's early stages, that has now been strengthened to the maximum. And our top scientists have been working on it since our discovery of your success. The aliens know that we have a weak vaccine. But they don't know that we have one that has the power to kill one thousand of them in one shot. We go to them, and tell them that if they don't give us our people back, if they refuse yet again, we will administer the vaccine to the population, making colonization impossible." For once in the last half hour I am speechless, and awestruck. There is another vaccine? One that works? I am filled with hope, and strength. "What if they still don't concede, Krycek? What if they still refuse?" "Well, we just have to hope, for our sakes, and Mulder's, that they don't." "So what if we do get them back, then what?" Byers asks questioningly. I look at Marita for answers, and find none. "We release the vaccine anyways. It is potent enough to kill as many as one thousand with one dose. Now, it will be entirely impossible to vaccinate everyone on the planet. We've surpassed that problem. This new vaccine, while much more potent and lethal, is able to be released in the air, and survive. It has no affect upon human life, other than saving it eventually. That way, if they still try to colonize the planet, they will fail miserably." My heart is pounding, doing a marching band's serenade in my chest. The thought of getting Mulder back is exciting, but knowing the risk we take to do so is frightening and alarming. "Let's do it. Let's get them back. Let's get them all back." Three days later Bellefleur The air is chilly, the wind picking up its speed, pushing against the forest trees like a tornado. The Gunman, Marita, Krycek and I have been sitting here for over 45 minutes, waiting. Two days ago, Krycek contacted the aliens. He told them they had only one option; give us the abductees, and live. Otherwise, a now much stronger, more potent and lethal vaccine would be released to the masses, providing our world with the biological agents necessary to fight the colonization. We were instructed to return to Bellefleur, Oregon, and await an answer. My eyes have been transfixed upon the skies for the last hour, unwavering. This time, silent from conversation and mild small talk, has given me time to imagine the possibility of seeing Mulder again. Granted, I have had this opportunity a few other times when the Gunman's leads have led to us waiting, I still sit here, thinking, hoping, praying. The wind begins to shift, the leaves rustle in its power and fly with its current. I search the sky, for a sign, for anything. For Mulder. I can't get my hopes up. Not again. Every time that I do, every time that I let myself believe, I always fall. My heart falls to my feet, my tears fall from my face, like waterfalls. I don't want to be hurt again. So, I just wait. Bellefleur, Oregon "Look!" Frohike yells from the other side of the clearing. My hand goes to my brow, shading my eyes from the glow of the sunlight through the trees. It's so bright. It's as if the sun had positioned itself directly over our position in the clearing of the forest. Where are my sunglasses? Then, the world began to spin, the wind, like a cyclone, swirls around me, so cold, so fast. I can't stand up, my eyes feel so heavy. The light is so luminescent, so incredibly brilliant. And then, nothing. Darkness. Bellefleur, Oregon "Scully, Scully?" "Agent Scully, are you all right?" "Oh my God, check on the others!" "Somebody call an ambulance, I don't think she's conscious!" My head throbbed, my eyes painfully trying to open. I hear the Gunman. And Marita. So much noise. "No, no, I'm all right. Just give me a second." I squinted, trying to adjust to my surroundings. My hand traverses the ground, searching for my sunglasses. Everything is so incredibly bright. I can hear voices, Krycek, or Langly, maybe, but the wind and the noises inside of my head make it impossible to decipher what they say. My fingers grasp something, something warm, soft. I grasp it, lacing my fingers within it. I open my eyes, and turn to see what I've located. I find another set of fingers holding mine captive within them. I know those fingers. A warm feeling races through my body, and I let out a large sigh that I didn't know I was holding in. I smile. Mulder. I look up, into his eyes, and find him smiling back at me, a little unshaven, but not worse for the wear. "Looks like they finally listened to our side for a change." My eyes travel up to Krycek, standing over Mulder's body. "Yes, yes they did." The sight of Mulder is beautiful, so very beautiful, just like a valley's shining landscape, as delicate as the petals of a daisy, and as free as the eagle soaring against the blue sky. His eyes are as mysterious as the calm sea, everything about him is so very precious, more precious than all the gems in the world. He is beauty as I define it. He is perfect, his imperfections make him so. He is my best friend, and I love him. And I would give up all the things which I think are wonderful if only I can hold his beauty within me. For he is everything in this world, and I have found my world in him. I can't stop looking at him, taking him in. It's been so long. As I glance at his eyes, a lock of hair falls from his head. He brushes it away, with his free hand, and my attention goes with it. The ache I feel to run my fingers through his hair. He looks at me, right inside of me, and smiles. I love to see him smile, and I love knowing that I caused that smile. I love to look into his beautiful eyes, and I love the way I fall straight into them. I love it when he holds my hand, and I love having the courage to grab and hold onto his. I love it when he touches me, so soft, and I love to touch him, the palms of his hands, the spine of his back. I love rediscovering how beautiful he is each time I see him, and I love realizing how attractive he makes me feel. I love wanting so badly to kiss him. I love the fact that he is my best friend, and I love that I am his. I love so many things about him. But the most important thing is that I am in love with him. That, and he is back. I can see, through the collar of his shirt, that he still has my gift, my cross. I remember that day, the day this all started. I asked him not to leave, I didn't want to let him go. But I could see that he needed to go, to find some answers to the questions that he sought. But I wanted to go with him. So badly. So I sent with you a piece of me, symbolic of our past and our future. And there it is, dangling from his neck. God, thank you for bringing him home. I can't wait for Hannah to meet him. Hannah. My baby. Our baby. Oh God, he doesn't know about Hannah! How am I going to tell him? He left me, a little dizzy but mostly fine, and he comes back to find himself a father? I don't know if this news is going to sit well with him. "Scully, let's get you up." Frohike helped me stand, making sure I had balance. And for the first time, I looked around. There were about thirty people, all in the same state as Mulder, laying on the ground, disoriented, and somewhat confused. But they are all back. All of them. Scully's Apartment Hannah nuzzles her small round face into my neck as I pat her back, rubbing it in small, gentle circles. A small, yet noticeable burp passes her lips, and a sigh of contentment follows. These quiet times, directly after her evening feedings, are my favorites. She is such a good baby, not too loud, but loud enough to be completely adorable and lovely. But then again, I am biased. Yesterday, Krycek gave word to release the vaccine. Many government owned stations were instructed to wait upon command, and then release what they were told was excess gas, pollution. Ironically those chemicals and toxins are the very thing which would save the world, not help destroy it as the workers thought. Such is the life. After we recovered Mulder, and the rest of the abductees, they were all transported to a private hospital. Surprisingly enough, most of them had minor, to no injuries. Of course, the most serious of injuries were to the mind. Mulder fared reasonably well, for what I'm sure he's been through. He has a few scars on his stomach, though, without direct scrutiny, would be completely hidden to the rest of the world. He was unbearably exhausted. I sat through the first night with him in the hospital, watching full of content, knowing that I had my Mulder back again. I almost told him about Hannah, but I couldn't. He needed to heal first, both physically, mentally, and emotionally, before I could load something like that upon him. It hurt so incredibly much not to share the news with him. He has a 4 month old baby girl. I want so much for him to fall in love with her at first sight, to pick her up, hold her, and never let her go, much like he did with me. But I couldn't. It wasn't the right time. Which is why he's coming over tonight. I told him that I wanted to spend some time with him, to talk with him. But what he doesn't know is going to shock him, how much I don't know. Only time will tell. Hannah's movements have lulled, her natural baby noises have quieted. I get up out of my chair and place her in her bed, slowly, delicately. A knock at the door breaks me from my reverie, bringing me back to what I'm about to do. "Come on in," I call, knowing full well who it is. "Jeez Scully, after all we've been through, you'd think you would have learned to lock your door." He leans over and places his arms around me, tightly. I squeeze him, kissing his brow, as if my life depended on it. It does. "Do you know, Mulder, that it's been over a year since we've done that?" He looks deep into my eyes and shakes his head, smiling. "A year too long, and too unbearable." "How are the dreams? Any better?" I'm just making small talk, avoiding the issue. But his dreams as of late have been an issue, causing him to remember horrible parts of his experiences. "Well, if you count the parts that I don't remember, much better. I'm getting about three or four hours a night." I nod my head, taking his hand within mine, leading him to the couch. "Mulder, I have something to tell you." "What is it Scully? Tell me." His voice soothes my nerves, but my hands tremble and my voice quivers. "Mulder, after you left, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't function. I never slept, I hardly ate. I wouldn't let myself cry, because if I did, it meant that I couldn't stay in control. And it hurt so much, Mulder. I missed you so much." "I know you did, Scully. What you must have been through was horrible. I know." I smile, remembering parts of past conversations about my disappearance. "Something happened, Mulder, while you were gone.""Were you assigned a new partner?" His voice was silent, his hands tight within mine, his gaze averted towards his shoes. "Yes, Mulder, I had a new partner. But he wasn't sent to continue your work. An agent by the name of Tyler McCormick was sent to help me find you, to bring you back. And for the few months that I did work after your abduction, he helped a great deal, tracking down leads, hunting after anything that would bring you to me." I could tell that he was hurt, his pride damaged. He had the wrong idea. "Mulder, he was just that, an agent that I was assigned to work with, not by choice, believe me. I protested profusely. But I didn't work with him for more than only a few months." His face seemed to brighten somewhat, his eyes taking on a concerned front. "You only worked for a few months? Why?" This is the part I dreaded, the part that makes me shake and shiver with nervousness. It's hard to breathe. The room is spinning. I can't speak. "Scully? Scully?" Mulder puts his arms around me in support, helping me slide off of the couch and onto the floor. "I'm fine, Mulder, just a little dizzy." "Scully are you still getting dizzy? When I left, from what I can remember, you were dizzy and cold all the time. You were shivering, like you are now. I think we should take you to the doctors, Scully, right now." "No, Mulder, this is different. I'm just nervous." "Oh Scully, why do you have to be nervous? Just talk to me." Mulder takes my hand to his lips, benevolently kissing each finger. "Before, when you were here, I was experiencing some very strange things." "Oh God, Scully, is it the cancer?" Mulder's mind was working overtime, thinking of the worst possibilities that might cause my symptoms. "No, Mulder, It's not the cancer." "God, Scully, you scared me." He smiled, and sighed. "Mulder, just listen. I think I need to show you." "Show me?" His eyes questioned me. I took his hand, and placed it to my lips, and kissed his fingers as he had done to me just before. Then, when he smiled, his eyes shining, I took his hand away from my lips, and placed his palm to my stomach, where the swell of my pregnancy had been. He looked confused, bewildered, and even stumped with what I was trying to tell him. But then his eyes grew huge, his hand started to tremble as much as mine was. He looked up at me, into my eyes, seeking to find answers within them. I stood up, and let go of his hand, walking towards Hannah's and my bedroom. I stood over her crib, admiring my child, our child. "Mul..." I started to speak, and looked over my shoulder for him, to show him our child. Our Hannah. He wasn't there. He left me. Again. Scully's Apartment After Mulder left, I felt horrible. It was as if he was missing all over again. I just got him back, and he's gone. He left. A thought riveted me. For the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is written by the most wonderful writers, sung by the most beautiful singers, and proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth is that love is the ultimate, the highest goal to which man can aspire. I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart; the salvation of man is through love and in love. Those are enormous thoughts, full of deepness and wonder. I have had a long time to ponder them, since the birth of my baby. I need him. I want him. I love him. Hannah awoke a few hours ago, crying like I've never heard her. I think she knew something was wrong. My mother says babies can sense when things are not right. I chuckle. Baby extra sensory perception. Mulder would laugh at that. I don't think anyone would have been able to deal with what was forced upon him tonight. Honestly, I don't even know what I expected him to do. I just have to give him his own time, let him get used to the idea. I just hope that time is somewhere in the near future. I can't do this alone anymore, not when he is so close, and yet so far away. It has started to rain again, the thunder clapping like cymbals, the lightning striking in the distance. The weather fits my mood. Lonely. Sad. Confused. Again, in the background, the smack of the thunder emphasizes the power of the lightning. Hannah usually sleeps through storms like this. She's so wonderful. I can't help but smile while thinking of her; her baby giggles, her small tuft of auburn hair, her brown soulful eyes. She's a perfect, gorgeous combination of Mulder and me. I wish he could be here to see her, so notice how perfect she is, in every way. Sitting here on my couch, looking out my window, I can see the sky pouring, the wind thrusting itself upon the trees, and the figure of a man, standing in the rain. Oh my God, Mulder? I knock on the window, motioning for him to come inside, but he doesn't seem to hear me over the cry of the storm. I run outside, in my bare feet and blue jeans, and stand before him. "Mulder, what are you doing? Come inside right now!" He just stands there, not hearing me. He stares at the ground, soaking wet. "Mulder you are going to get sick! Come inside, please?" I cup his cheeks in my palms, forcing his eyes upon mine. He nods, taking my hand when I offer it to him. He is silent in the elevator, shivering, teeth clattering together. He just stares at the same spot on the ground, as if it is the most fascinating thing he's ever seen. I pull him inside my apartment, shivering myself from being outside only a few moments. I quickly strip his sopping wet clothes, and turn on the hot shower. He is shivering so much, God only knows how long he has been outside my apartment complex. "Mulder, what were you doing?" I grab one of my terrycloth bath towels and start drying him. "Never......left." His teeth clatter, his body seizes against mine. God, he's been outside for over two hours. It's a wonder he hasn't fainted from the effects of hypothermia. I touch my hand to the water. It stings against my cold hands, a good sign of recovery. I take the towel off of his legs, and stand him in the shower. He jerks against the heat of the water, but then relaxes as his body warms. I take my clothes off, and join him in the stream of scalding water. I take his hands within mine, and rub them together, to heat them up. His fingers thread mine, and he pulls me towards him, embracing me as the water cascades upon our bodies. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I shouldn't have told you about her so soon. It was too soon." He looked at me, as we stepped out of the shower, toweling off with the spare towel. "May I see...her?" His earnest request made my body warm, all the way from my cheeks to the tips of my toes. "Let's get some clothes on, and then we'll go in." I had some spare clothes of Mulder's in the spare bedroom, left from countless nights of paperwork and research on my computer. I pulled on another of his old Oxford University shirts, a pair of his baggy black cotton sweats, and a set of white fluffy socks. As soon as I was dressed, I looked over at him, sitting in my desk chair, dressed and ready to go. "Are you sure, Mulder? Are you ready to do this?" I didn't want to push him farther away. "Yes, Scully, I'm ready." We walked slowly, hand in hand, to my bedroom. He stopped at the bedroom door, and I was afraid he wouldn't come in, but he followed when I went to my bedside. Asleep, in her bassinet, Hannah lay softly. Mulder looked down at this little creature, his baby, with a look of awe. He reached his hand in, but pulled back right before touching her small head. "It's ok, Mulder. You can touch her." He sighed, looking at me. "What's her name, Scully?" I realized that I hadn't told him that before. "Her name is Hannah. Hannah Elizabeth Mulder." He looked back at the baby, eyes wide open. "Hannah." He smiled, reaching all the way to her head, stroking the side of her face lightly, like a feather. She shook in her sleep, and Mulder pulled away, frightened he had hurt her. I smiled, picking her up, placing her close to my heart. "Give me your hand, Mulder. It's ok." He tentatively put his hand within mine outstretched, and I placed it upon her back, and showed him how to rub her back, in slow, soft, gentle circles. "Would you like to hold her?" He seemed startled at my question, but smiled. "Yes. I would." I held the back of her head carefully, supporting her neck, and handed her to Mulder's arms. He set her within his arms perfectly, as if his arms were made to hold a baby. He rocked back and forth, staring at this wonder he held in his hands. "God, Scully. She's mine." I smiled, tears welling up uncontrollably. "Yes, Mulder, she's yours. She's ours." He looked at me, eyes shining and bright. I told Mulder of all that had happened while he was gone, of Krycek coming to save him. Of course, he questioned Krycek's motives, the people behind it. I told him I didn't care, that if it brought him back, it didn't matter. I told him of the airborne vaccine, the alien killing virus that will protect our planet for the time being. He just smiled. Lying here in bed with, listening to the rain, with Hannah asleep in her bed beside us, I can't help but feel some closure. I smile, just to see the smile grace his face. It's these kinds of moments that make me thank God that I'm alive. It's these times that I will remember all of my life, all of our lives. I have all that I want, all that I need, right here, right now. Looking in his eyes, I see all the love I thought that I had lost, all that I thought I would never see again. I see myself reflected in him. All of my prayers have been answered, all my dreams have come true. Right now, right here is the proof of my love to one man. This man, finally asleep next to me. I'm meant to be right here, in this moment, with him. I could not ask God for more than the love this man has given me. Me and our incredible daughter. Finally, I have him back. And this time, I'm not letting him go. FINIS!
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