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Title: Sarah Companion: Stephanie - Twins Summary: Stephanie gives birth to twins and a few complications arise. Note: Thanks to Carol Gritton for her contributions and editing expertise. Thanks to everyone who has responded to my stories, it is GREATLY appreciated and very encouraging. I am having a lot of fun with these and couldn't do it without your support. I hope you enjoy this. Stephanie lay on the table and watched the monitor as the doctor moved the paddle over her stomach. "Oh my God, look at that!" She cried out, pointing to the screen. "I want a picture of that." "Okay, we'll get one." Dr. Emily Wilson smiled. The twins were facing one another with one hand near their mouths like they were sucking their thumbs, their other hand around the other's shoulder, as if they were hugging. "They're starting to turn, Steph. It won't be long now." "Look how big they are already. Do you think it'll be soon, really?" Steph asked as the nurse started to clean things up. "I don't know. Actually, it looks like they're ready. Every thing should be right on time. If nothing happens in a week, we'll talk about inducing labor. Where's Ross, I wanted to talk to him?" "Oh, he had to attend a seminar today. He wanted to be here, but he couldn't get out of it. What did you want him for?" Steph's curiosity got the better of her. "Just to give him another list of do's and don'ts. It's getting closer, Steph and with the trouble you had over Christmas, you have to be extra careful. Now, I've worked up a list for both of you. I'd like to call Ross later and stress to him the importance. You, I'll tell now." Emily grinned and helped Steph off the table. "Twins are hard, Stephanie. You've already been having a lot of back pains and you've gained enough weight. You don't want to gain too much, it's not healthy for any of you." "But I keep having these cravings, it's driving me nuts." Steph was exasperated. "Speaking of which, you don't have any salted peanuts around here do you?" Emily laughed. "Just hang in there. It'll only be a little longer. In the mean time, no more salt! Stay away from ice cream and cookies and things like that. You can have a little, but keep it to a small portion. You know, Steph, too much and the twins may have a problem with it growing up. You don't want to do that to them do you?" "No, I don't." Play on her guilt, that always worked. Stephanie only wanted the best for her children. She didn't want to put anything on them before they were even born. "It's important, Steph. I know that Ross isn't the type to ignore instructions, but it's only for a little while, so I expect you to be strong willed." Emily smiled. "I will, Doctor, I promise." Steph was reading over the list of do's and don'ts. The nurse walked in with the printed picture from the ultrasound and passed it to Steph. "Okay, I want to see you in a week unless something comes up sooner. I'll give Ross a call tonight. If you have any problems, Stephanie, call me, okay?" "Yeah, I will. Thanks, Emily." Steph waved as she walked out. A quick stop to the bathroom then she head for the parking lot. When she got to the car, she had to sit and stare at the picture. Birth was such a wondrous thing. With a hand roaming over her rounded stomach, Steph smiled at the thought of the twins somehow comforting each other inside her. "Mom?" Steph called as she walked into her parents home. She wasn't hesitant any longer to walk right in. She felt it would always be home to her. "In here!" Scully called back to her. "Hi, how'd it go?" She kissed her daughter's cheek as she met her half way to the living room. "Pretty good. She said it wouldn't be too much longer. I'm supposed to go back next week. How'd Gracie do?" Scully had babysat for Steph that afternoon. "Great. She's napping now. I put her down about two hours ago. " Scully said as she looked at the clock. "She should be getting up any minute now. But we had fun. Your Dad let her play in the small pool out back. You should've seen them splashing each other." Scully smiled. "It was priceless." "Where is Dad? I didn't see his car." She asked looking around. "He went to pick up a couple of things I need for dinner. He should be back in a few minutes. You want something, Steph? Tea or a cold drink?" "No, thanks, Mom. Emily said I'm getting too fat! She gave me a list of things to watch. No salt, no ice cream, no good stuff anymore." Steph said with an exaggerated disgust. "God, Mother, I just want to give birth all ready. I'm ready for this to be over." Scully laughed. "You said the same thing with Gracie." "I wasn't this big with Gracie! I can hardly even get dressed anymore. Nothing fits and I hate to buy anything for just a couple of weeks. I've worn this same jumper for the past two days. It's the only thing that feels comfortable. God help me if I drop something, Mom. I can't bend down to save my life." Stephanie laughed with her mother till she had tears in her eyes. When she caught her breath she leaned back against the couch. "But Ross has been so good, Mom. He just says there's more for him to love." Scully smiled inwardly. She was so happy for her daughter. She knew what it was like to have a man love her so much, so unconditionally. Asking nothing in return but to be near and to love him back. As if on cue, Mulder called from the front door. "I'm back! Is Steph here? Her car's in the drive." He walked in with a couple of grocery bags in his arms. "Hi, Baby. How're you doing?" He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Pretty good, Dad." Scully was up, taking one of the bags. Steph struggled to get to her feet. "No, stay there! You don't have to get up. We'll just put these down and be right back." Mulder stopped her. "Thanks, I don't think I could get up without help anyway." She stopped struggling and sat back, taking a deep breath. "Is everything okay?" Mulder asked when he got Scully alone. "As far as I know. She just got here a few minutes ago. Don't say anything about her weight, though. The doctor already spoke about it and she doesn't like it." "Okay, no problem. Besides, she's supposed to gain weight. She looks all right to me." Mulder took the defensive. He always did when it came to his kids. "I know, but too much is not healthy. It'll be hard for her to lose after the kids are born." Scully smiled and closed the refrigerator door. "Come on." Stephanie had her eyes closed and her head laid back when they joined her. She was tired. This was something else she didn't have with Gracie. She always had energy with Gracie. But with the twins, the least little thing would wear her out. Her head popped up when they walked back into the room. "You okay, Steph?" Mulder asked, frowning. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." She smiled. Then she put her hand into the already straining pocket of her jumper and pulled out the ultrasound photo. "I was going to let Ross be the first one to see this, but since I'm here already and really can't wait, here." She passed the photo to Scully with a big smile on her face. Mulder leaned over and looked. "What is it?" "Mulder, look here, it's the twins." Scully exclaimed, pointing out the images. "This is great," she said, holding it close to her face, catching as much of the image as possible. "It's like they're holding each other." "I know, isn't it great?" Steph was beaming. He couldn't really see what they saw, Mulder always had trouble seeing the images. He saw the forms, but it held no meaning to him. What he did see was the twinkle in Steph's eyes. The excitement on her face. He could feel her happiness as if it extended from her like an ever expanding bubble. "Mimi!" Gracie called from the spare bedroom. When ever she awoke, she'd call for her mother or her Mimi. She knew not to get out of bed alone. "I'll get her." Mulder was up before either woman could respond. "Was Gracie good for you, Mom?" Steph worried about that. It had been almost eight months since her mother's stroke and she didn't want to add any undue stress. "She was an angel, as always, stop worrying." Scully grinned as Gracie came bouncing into the room and went straight to her mother. She began jabbering away on Stephanie's lap. Some was intelligible, some was not. "Slow down, Gracie. Give Mama a hug." She put her tiny arms around Steph's neck and hugged her tightly. "Mama missed you so much," she said as she kissed her cheek. "Miss you, mommie." Gracie was getting better with her speaking. She no longer repeated everything but she loved to be read to and would repeat certain phrases from a book. And she knew if you skipped pages. "You want to stay for dinner? Ross could meet you here? It's just going to be something light." Scully asked. "No, we better not. I've got something in the crock pot anyway. But thanks, maybe later this week. We better get going." She sat Gracie on the couch next to her and scooted to the end of the seat cushion. "Uh, Dad? Could you?" She grinned and held out a hand. A wide smile crossed Mulder's face as he took his daughter's hands and tugged, bringing her to a standing position. "My pleasure. " He gave her a quick hug. "God, if these babies don't come soon, I'm never going to make it." She joked again. Scully retrieved Gracie's things and Mulder helped her to the car. "You going to be all right, Steph?" Mulder always worried about his youngest daughter. "Of course, Dad." She kissed him before getting into the car. "I have my cell phone with me at all times. I'll call if I need something." She turned to Scully next and hugged her. "Mom, can I stop by tomorrow? I have a couple of things I need to talk to you about." "Sure, I'll be home all day. Your Dad can entertain Gracie again." They watched as she backed out of the driveway and took off down the street. "She's ready to have those kids, Scully. When is she due again?" "She's due now, her scheduled date was yesterday. So technically she's late. It's not good for her to be this late with twins, Mulder. Actually, most multiple births are early. The babies keep growing, the space gets tight, it puts them in danger. I think if she doesn't deliver within the next week, they should induce labor. " They went back inside and Scully started to work on dinner as they talked. "What are they doing with Gracie when she goes in? I know Ross wanted to be home with her." Mulder popped a cherry tomato in his mouth. "He will be, but he couldn't get out of this seminar today. If he didn't attend, his tenure would be postponed a year. But starting tomorrow, he's on family leave. School doesn't start again till late August, so he has a couple of months to be with Steph and the kids. That's why he didn't sign up for summer school this year." Scully stopped while she put a couple of carrots into the salad shooter. "Mulder, what is it about Ross that you don't like?" "Scully, I never said I didn't like him. Where did that come from?" He was taken aback. "It's just little things. Little comments. I know you, Mulder. " Scully grinned. "And it's all right to have certain misgivings. But you need to get by them, because she loves him with everything in her heart, Mulder. I think she can sense the tension when we're all together." Mulder sighed and nibbled on pieces of carrot. "I don't know, Scully." He was like a little boy that was being forced to tell the truth. "I guess I just don't feel he thinks enough of her. He didn't stay at the hospital with her when she had that scare a few months ago. He goes off to this seminar when she was due yesterday, for goodness sake. What am I supposed to think of that?" "First of all, no man will ever be good enough for your daughters, Mulder. That's a given. It's part of life as a father." Smiling, Scully put a chicken in the oven to broil. "And I suppose the way you met had something to do with it. But, Mulder, that should've shown you how much he loves her. That he was willing to die for her." "That's taking it a bit far, isn't it?" Mulder scoffed. "I doubt he would've died." "Well, maybe, but she might have. If it hadn't been for Ross, you might only have one daughter today. You know what I'm saying." She smiled and rubbed his arm. "Besides, you don't know what they talked about. Maybe he wanted to stay and she forced him to go. You know how strong the Mulder women are." A sly grin crossed her face as she patted his shoulder. "Just work on it, okay." "Yes, ma'am." Mulder replied, sporting his puppy dog look. Stephanie sighed heavily as she sat down on the edge of the bed. A bottle of lotion sat on the night stand and she dabbed a little in her palm, smoothing it over her elbows and arms. Then she dabbed a different cream over her rounded stomach. This was to keep the skin supple, hoping that the stretch marks would disappear after the birth. "What's the matter, baby?" Ross moved across the bed to sit behind her. He slipped his arms around her and kissed her shoulder. "I'm surprised you can get your arms around me." Steph said in a disgusted voice. "I'm just tired, Ross." "There's something else, Steph, what is it?" She turned to look at him and cupped his face with her hand. "Am I a good mother, Ross?" Tears formed in her eyes. Ross smiled. "Is that it?" An amusing tone voiced his reply. "Oh, Stephanie." He pulled her down to lay on the pillow. "You are the best mother in the world. Don't you know that?" He kissed her tenderly, his hand slowly moving over her stomach. "These children are going to be the most cherished ever. With you as a mother, they'll be the smartest and the most beautiful and talented and gifted. They'll have more love than they want, believe me." He leaned down and kissed away the couple of tears that had dampened her cheeks. "I heard from the doctor today." "I know, she said she was going to call. I gave you the list." "Yes, but she told me something else." His voice deepened as his eyes grew dark. "What did she tell you?" Steph asked cautiously. "Well," he said as his hand moved gently over her body. "she said that there are things we can do that might help bring on labor." He smiled devilishly. "Ross!" Steph giggled as he leaned over and flipped off the light. "Hi Mom." Steph walked in shortly after noon. "Thanks for letting me come over to talk." "Sure, honey. I'm always here, you know that. Where's Gracie? I thought you were bringing her." "Ross has her. I didn't want to have to deal with the car seats in the state I'm in now. It's hard enough just getting around by myself." Steph dropped her purse and keys on the hall table. "Can we sit in the kitchen, it's easier to get up and down." She smiled sheepishly. "Come on in, I'll make some tea. Don't worry, it's herbal tea, no caffeine." Scully smiled. She waited till the tea was on the table before beginning. "Okay, honey, I know something is bothering you. Out with it." "It's not really that big a deal, Mom. I'm just wondering how I'm going to swing things with twins and Gracie. I mean, Gracie's a little doll. She does what I tell her. She's patient and loving. I don't want to neglect her, she is only two and a half. She's not going to understand when I can't spend the same amount of time with her as I do now. She still needs attention and I'm afraid that when the twins come along I'm not going to have time for her and she'll hate me for it." Scully smiled knowingly. "You were only two when Josh was born and we found room in our hearts for both of you. It'll be hard, Steph, that's for sure, but you'll do fine. And you're not alone. Ross will be there." Scully hesitated. "Won't he?" "Yeah, of course. But I just keep picturing myself with a baby in each arm and no room for Gracie. Isn't that silly?" "A lot of women go through doubts just before birth, honey. When those babies are in your arms for the first time, you'll know instantly what to do. You're a good mother, Steph. I can see it in Gracie. I can feel the love she gets from you. You'll find the room and the time and the space. It'll all be there. And like I said, you'll have help. Ross and me and your Dad." Suddenly Scully burst out laughing. "What?!" Steph laughed with her, it was contagious. "I was just picturing your father trying to hold both new borns at the same time." "I'm going to make him do it, too, you just watch." They continued their talk for a couple of hours. Mulder sat in his den and listened to the laughter. He couldn't hear what they were saying but sometimes the laughter got a little out of hand and he couldn't help but feel that it had something to do with him. It reminded him of earlier days when Steph would share her problems with her mother. He was glad that his kids could come to them with their problems. Deep down though, he couldn't wait to find out what was bothering her. He wanted to be in there with them. He was a little jealous of the relationship between Scully and Stephanie, he always had been, but he was still glad theirs was a good one. "Well, Stephanie, they've moved a little more. I hate to take them when they're so close. We can try to induce labor now or give them a couple more days, but I wouldn't go past that point. What do you want to do?" Dr. Wilson let them make this decision. As long as no one was in danger, it would be up to the parents. Stephanie looked at Ross who had a tight hold on her hand. "Baby, it's up to you. You're the one carrying them. What ever you decide, I'm behind you." Ross whispered to her. She sighed heavily. Why were they taking their time? She didn't want to put undo stress on the twins. She wanted everything to be natural. But she wanted them safe as well. "I guess a couple more days won't hurt. I want them to come on their own. Are you sure they're okay?" Steph asked with wide eyes. "Their heartbeats are strong and regular. Here, you can listen. " Emily gave the stethoscope to Steph. Both heartbeats were strong. "Two more days will be fine, but I won't go beyond that. Come Friday morning, we make things happen. Okay?" Both agreed and left a little more nervous and anxious. Emily gave Steph a stethoscope to carry with her. She felt better having something to monitor them by. Steph took long walks in the nearby mall. Ross held her hand and walked with her. Her back ached terribly sometimes and she had to sit every few feet. Then there was the pressure on her bladder. Finally, it just seemed better to remain at home. "How do they sound?" Ross asked as he crawled into bed next to Steph the following night. "I don't know, I just picked it up." Steph listened as she moved the small metal cup over her gown. "Oh, wait, here's one. They're definitely moving." A smile spread across her face as she heard the strong steady thump, thump of the heartbeat. But the smile faded as she searched for the other. "Ross, I can't find it." Her voice full of panic. **/p "Don't get excited, you're probably looking in the wrong place. Here, let me have it." Ross placed the instrument in his ears and moved the wand across her stomach. A flinch in his expression made Steph nervous. Then he said, "Here it is." A weak smile at best. Steph took the stethoscope and tried again. Ross had moved across the bed and had the phone in his hand. "What is it, Ross?" Steph, still a bit upset. "I'm calling the doctor. I'm taking you in tonight." "What is it?" Stephanie was trying desperately to hear the heartbeat. "It's there, Steph, it just sounds weak. I think we need to go in." He connected with the hospital and gave the information, then dressed quickly. Stephanie stayed in her gown and put on a robe and a coat. The bag that was already packed and in the car held everything she needed for the hospital, so they needed nothing else. Ross called Joannie, their neighbor, to watch Gracie for them. Joannie had been prepared for days and was there in a moment. Ross and Steph had quickly become friends with Joannie and her husband Frank, and they socialized together quite often. Joannie was a stay at home Mom and kept Gracie during the day while Steph taught school. She had a three year old that Gracie played with, and they often went to the park together. "When we get there, will you call Mom for me? See if she can come up?" Steph was trying to be strong, but it wasn't going to last. She was shaking and doing her best to hold back the tears. Emily arrived shortly after Steph and Ross and was snapping on the gloves when she walked into the examining area. She listened first, then gave instructions for an ultrasound. "Take it easy, Steph. They're probably just having their first argument. You know how siblings are." Emily smiled, trying to ease Steph's mind. But as she moved the paddle over Steph's stomach, she didn't like what she saw. "Okay, folks, here's the thing. They're moving into position, but the cord is wrapped around one of them. It's cutting off the supply of oxygen. We're going to have to move quickly. You'll go in now and we'll do a cesarean. Any questions?" They were both too stunned to think of any. Steph felt a tear trickle down her face. Things were happening so fast. The nurses were prepping her, giving her a shot. She felt Ross's fingers slip from hers as she was wheeled away. He was talking to her, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Ross stood stunned and watched his wife being wheeled into an operating room. He tried to tell her that he loved her, but he didn't think she heard. Everything had happened so fast, it seemed unreal. It was when she disappeared completely that he felt alone and lost. He'd been there when Gracie was born and he wanted to be there with the twins. But now there was a problem and he'd never felt so helpless in all his life. He went to the phone in the waiting room to call her mother. The ringing was incorporated into Mulder's dream. He kept saying hello, but the ringing continued until Scully finally nudged him more fully awake. "Mulder, the phone," she said, reaching over him, trying to get it. "I got it." Mulder grabbed it and answered it as he had almost his whole life. "Mulder." "This is Ross. They just took Steph into surgery." Mulder sat up. He was fully awake now. Scully had told him months before that it wasn't uncommon for twins to have to be brought in through a cesarean. But the name of his child in the same sentence as the word 'surgery' always had a chilling effect. "Is she okay?" "Yeah, but one of the babies might be in trouble. It's caught up in the umbilical cord. They're taking the babies out now." "We're on our way, Ross." Mulder hung up the phone and climbed out of bed. Scully was already up. He told her what little he knew and they were dressed and on their way in just a few minutes. Ross paced. A half hour had gone by. It shouldn't be taking this long. He frowned at the door as he waited for the doctor to walk through. He knew everything would be all right. They'd gotten there in time. The doctor said things would be fine, but he couldn't help but be afraid. Ross loved Steph more than life itself. If something happened to her, he'd never recover. From the moment they met, he vowed to himself that she'd always be safe. He was still pacing when his in-laws walked into the waiting room. He explained what he could to them. Scully knew more than he did probably anyway. Ross felt a bit uncomfortable with his in-laws. When ever he attended family functions, Steph did all the talking. He exchanged pleasantries and he and Robin, Sarah's husband, would get together, but in three years, he never really had to sit down and talk with them. "Emily is the best, Ross. She'll be fine." Scully sat next to him and slipped her arm under his and patted his hand. Ross nodded and smiled slightly. "It's been too long, hasn't it? " Mulder looked to Scully. He was thinking the same thing, but Scully's smile made him feel a little at ease. Then he looked back at Ross and suddenly felt a great deal of warmth for the man. This man loved his daughter and would be devastated if something went wrong. As he would be. They all stood when Emily came into the room. "Stephanie and the babies are fine. She's in recovery, Ross, you can see her in a little while, when she goes to her room. In the meantime, the babies are being prepped and will be in the nursery in a few minutes. Both girls are strong and healthy." Her smiled gave them reassurance. A breath was released by all, followed by smiles and congratulations. "They're both girls!" Ross said suddenly. They suspected as much, but were never sure because of the position of the babies. Stephanie had even done their room in the traditional pinks. Ross turned to Scully and hugged her tightly, almost bringing her off the floor. Then he took Mulder's hand and shook it. You'd think this was his first child. "When can I see Stephanie?" He asked Emily. "A couple of hours. She'll be in her room then, but she needs to sleep the rest of the night. Why don't you go and see your daughters, Ross? It'll calm you down some." Emily chuckled and said her good-byes. Scully and Mulder followed Ross to the nursery where there were row upon row of cribs. It was a light night though because only a few of the cribs were occupied. As they waited at the window, a nurse brought forward two rolling cribs. The nurse motioned for Ross to step in. As the father, he could hold them. The girls were so tiny and so beautiful. They were asleep, their tiny hands brought to their mouths. Both exactly alike. Dark curls adorned their heads and Ross unfolded the tiny hands to count the fingers. Then the toes. Each one was perfect. A tear rolled down his cheek as he brought his lips to kiss their foreheads. He laid each one down and tucked the blanket around them to keep them warm. When Steph was awake, they would discuss the names. They had a couple picked out but together they would chose who got which name. Mulder slipped an arm around Scully as they watched Ross bond with the girls. "Does that remind you of anything, Scully?" Mulder asked, smiling proudly. Scully laughed. "Yeah, it does. Remember when we brought Steph home? How tiny she was? You were afraid to hold her at first." "Yeah. I never had that with Sarah. The experiences of the first years. It wasn't until Stephanie that I got to really know what it was like to have a baby around all the time." "But with all the grandkids, you're an old hand at it now, honey. And you love it." Scully squeezed him and rested her head on his chest. Ross sat back in one chair and propped his feet up on an opposite chair. His eyes were closed but he wasn't sleeping. He was too excited to be able to sleep. Sitting up, he stared at Stephanie, asleep in the bed. The twins were in a crib next to them. Ross had one hand on the crib as he peeked in at them. They were cuddled together as they'd been in the womb. Clutching each other for security. He carefully opened the blankets again, inspecting their tiny arms and legs. He smiled as he covered them back up. They were so tiny against his large strong hands. They were even smaller than Gracie had been. He'd remembered holding Gracie for the first time. How tiny she was. The twins were even more so. "Ross?" Steph whispered to him. "Hi, did I wake you?" He whispered in return. "No. I was watching you. Are they all right?" She winced as she pulled herself up to a half sitting position. "They're perfect." Ross leaned in and kissed her. The sun was coming up and light shone in through the tiny spaces between the curtains and the wall. They watched the girls start to move and when the nurse opened the door, the twin on the left started, then began to cry. The other followed suit and within a moment, both girls were crying. "I see it's feeding time." The nurse spoke rather loudly, disrupting the peaceful, serene moment that they'd been sharing. Ross shot her a disgruntled look, but held his tongue as she started to go over the feeding procedure with Stephanie. Stephanie had breast fed Gracie, but decided not to with the twins. She felt a twinge of guilt as she held one of them bringing the bottle to her tiny mouth. But when she saw Ross do the same, the guilt was gone. She loved seeing him being able to feed their child. She used to express milk for Gracie, but Ross could never get near them at feeding time. Steph just loved to do it. She couldn't help staring at the baby. Such soft skin, such tiny features. "Ross, look." A tone of wonder came from her as she pointed out a tiny red patch on her shoulder. "Do you think it's a birth mark?" "I don't know. It could be." "Rose. This one is Rose." It was decided. It was perfect. The small red patch could look like a tiny rose if you used your imagination. Ross smiled and nodded. Steph was such a piece of work. Only she could interpret a sign like that. "So that makes this Sophie." He smiled at the baby and pulled the bottle away. "Do you like that, Sophie?" He could've sworn she smiled. Ross placed the bottle to her mouth again, but something wasn't right. The baby took the nipple, but her little chest moved in and out too quickly. Without saying anything, Ross reached over and pressed the call button. "What's wrong?" Steph asked quickly. "I don't know, I think she's having trouble breathing." They didn't have time to discuss it, the nurse appeared and after Ross explained, she took over. Once again, things seemed to move in high speed. One after another, a round of people came in to check the girls. Rose seemed to be fine, but Sophie was having trouble breathing. All they could do was sit back and watch. Ross and Steph kept waiting for answers, but no one was giving any. When they took Sophie away, Stephanie was fighting. "No, you have to tell me why. What's wrong, where are you taking her? What's wrong with her?" Tears poured down her face. "Ross, don't let them take her." "Calm down, Steph. I'll find out. Please, honey. You're going to hurt yourself, lay back." She could hear Ross in the hallway. He wasn't yelling, but let's just say, most everyone heard him. Steph held Rose in her arms, trying not to shake. She knew that Rose would sense if something was wrong. Mulder and Scully could hear as well, as soon as the elevator door opened. They practically ran to the nurse's station. Scully grasped what the situation was quickly. "Ross!" She raised her voice only once. Both Ross and Mulder looked to her. She calmly directed Ross to lower his voice. "Ross, I'll find out what's going on. The nurse said that Emily was here and has everything in hand. We have to wait, she'll be up in a minute to explain. Now, I'm sure everything is fine." Scully could see the pain on his face and her heart broke for him, but she was worried about Stephanie. "Mulder, take Ross to the waiting room for me. I'll talk to Stephanie." Mulder had been quietly standing by, letting Scully do her thing. Medicine, hospitals, all of it was Scully's domain. He put a hand on Ross' shoulder and together they walked a few steps to the waiting room. Scully stepped into Steph's room. "Honey?" "Mom? What's going on? They took Sophie." Her voice broke as she couldn't hold it back any longer. Scully walked over and took Rose and held her for a moment before placing her back in the crib. The child whimpered, but lay peacefully after a moment. Then Scully hugged her daughter carefully. "It's all right, Steph. Emily is here and we'll know shortly what's going on. I'm sure she's fine." She wiped away Steph's tears and held her face in her hands. Then she smiled. "So how did you decide which one to name?" They'd known for a long time what the names would be if they were girls, so that was no surprise. "There's a small red mark on Rose's shoulder. I think it's a birthmark." Scully took a peek. "You know, I think it is a birthmark. Sometimes they go away as they grow, though." She picked up the baby again. "Let me see my new granddaughter." She cooed the baby and held her close. All the while watching Stephanie. Steph kept her eye on the door as if she dreaded what would come through. She was so nervous, her stomach was in knots, which made it all the more worse. Her stitches were killing her, she was in pain, both physical and emotional. Scully passed her the child. "Steph, here, Rose needs you. She misses her sister too." A tear fell as Steph took Rose. She gently kissed her forehead and held her close. Slowly, Steph began to rock as she stared at the baby. Ross paced, running a hand over his hair and expelling a deep breath. They'd been there for just a minute or two. "I should be with Stephanie." he said suddenly and headed for the door. "Wait a minute." Mulder's voice was deep and firm, but as gentle as he could make it. "Why don't you give her a minute alone with her mother." Ross thought about it, glanced at the door and finally nodded, coming back to where Mulder was sitting. He took a chair across from him and sat forward with his elbows on his knees. Mulder thought of how much the posture was like his own in tense situations. There was a roaring silence between them. Neither knew what to say. "How was Stephanie this morning?" Mulder asked finally. "She was okay this morning. A little sore, but ... " Ross nodded and sat back, propping one foot upon his knee. A tear suddenly formed and trickled down his cheek. He quickly wiped at his face, embarrassed to have Mulder see him cry. Mulder looked away, not wanting Ross to know that he saw. But it was silly. This man was his daughter's husband. His grandchildren's father. How could he not trust this man? How could he not care for him? "They'll be all right you know. You have to believe." Ross looked up at him, a bit surprised. "Yeah, yeah." Ross stood and started pacing again. Mulder always made him feel uncomfortable. He knew that Mulder hadn't forgiven him for the way he'd spoken when they first met. He wouldn't apologize for it either though. Ross's first and foremost concern was and always would be for Stephanie. And if her father couldn't understand that, then it was his problem. But he'd kept his mouth shut for Stephanie's sake. "I, uh, I know we didn't start out on the right foot. But I love Stephanie very much. And these girls, well ... they're my life. Without them ... " His voice broke and trailed off as he turned away from Mulder. Mulder watched this tall, strong man become almost frail and broken right before his eyes because of what may happen to his family. He had to respect Ross for the love he had for Stephanie and their children. He knew exactly how Ross felt. Every time one of the kids had gotten sick he'd worried. He'd almost lost Scully when she'd had the stroke. He knew. He began slowly. "Sometimes, I feel like I've spent my entire life in and around hospitals." Mulder watched Ross turn and return to his seat across from him. "Maybe it will be easier with girls. Josh seemed to have something broken at all times. Although the day I brought Stephanie in for appendicitis was definitely a red letter day. I've had many in my day." Mulder chuckled slightly. Then he turned serious. "I know I was a bit cool toward you during Christmas. I guess I didn't understand why you didn't stay with Stephanie that night in the hospital." A small smile crossed Ross's face. "You know more than I how stubborn she can be. She insisted that Gracie not be alone. It was the hardest thing I think I've ever had to do." He ran a hand through his wavy blonde hair. Mulder nodded. Scully was right. The Mulder women were strong and stubborn and he knew more than anyone what they were like when they banded together. A shudder ran up his spine. "Once she's made up her mind, it's very hard to change it. I think she gets if from her mother." He grinned. Ross looked directly into Mulder's eyes. "I love Stephanie very much, sir. I'd never do anything to hurt her." "I know that, Ross." Mulder interrupted him. "I'm sorry I've been such a father-in-law." He grinned again, but his grin turned serious once more as he got up and sat next to Ross. He put a hand on his shoulder. "The baby will be fine, Ross. Babies are more resilient than you think." "We named her Sophie. The other is Rose. She has a birth mark on her shoulder." Ross motioned to his arm and chuckled. "It sort of looks like a small rose. Steph took it as a sign." Mulder nodded smiling. It was so like Stephanie. "I remember when Stephanie was born. They're so tiny, I felt my hands were too big to hold her, that I might crush her." "Yeah, I know. I was holding Sophie when she ... I thought I'd done something wrong." They both looked up as Emily came in. Standing, Ross spoke first. "How's Sophie, Doc.?" "She's fine, Ross. I was heading to Steph's room when I saw you in here. Why don't we go see your wife and I can explain to both of you at the same time." Ross led the group down the hall. Scully was sitting in the chair by the bed and Stephanie was cradling Rose. Steph looked wide eyed at Ross and Dr. Wilson as they walked in. "Before anyone gets excited, the baby's fine. The air passage was damaged slightly by the umbilical cord when she became wrapped up in it. It's not bad and will heal and grow properly, but right now, in certain positions, it collapses. We're going to connect a monitor to her that she'll need to wear at all times. It's more of an alarm. It'll go off if she stops breathing. You'll need to adjust her position." Emily backed off to allow questions. "When can we see her again?" Steph asked. "I want to keep her in ICU for the day and tonight. If she does fine, then I'll bring her down tomorrow. But I want her to stay in the hospital for about a week. To make sure she's healing properly. " "How long will it take to heal?" Ross spoke this time. "Well, probably a while, I look for her to be on the monitor for maybe three months, maybe a little longer. We'll have to be patient and see. I'll instruct you and Steph on what to do if it goes off." Emily walked over to Stephanie and gently brushed Rose's fine thin dark hair. "So how's this little one doing?" "She's great. She ate well but she's been a little fussy." Steph lifted her slightly to press her lips against the baby's forehead. "Well, she's been with her sister for nine months, she misses her." Emily finished up and excused herself as Mulder took off his coat and pulled up a chair. Ross sat next to Steph on the bed and reached over to stroke the baby's arm. He noticed Steph's eyes tearing up again and he leaned down to kiss her. "Everything's going to be okay, baby." He whispered to her. Stephanie nodded and kissed Rose again. Babies were just so soft and cuddly, you couldn't help but touch them constantly. And babies need it just as much. "Dad, do you want to hold her?" Steph asked her father. Mulder looked around rather surprised. "I thought you'd never ask." He traded places with Ross and set next to Steph. He gently took the baby in his arms and held her close. "Look at this beautiful girl." He cooed to her. Smiling, he talked softly to the baby while he automatically checked for all fingers and toes. It was something a parent did instinctively. "Oh my, look at the long fingers." His voice was so light as he placed a tiny kiss on her fingers. Rose's tiny face scrunched up and her body shook with the silent cry that babies often cry before the noise erupted from their throat. "Oh goodness, sweetie, what's the matter? You want your mama? Here, Steph, you better take her back." Stephanie took the baby back and held her, slightly rocking her all the while talking softly to her. In a few moments the baby quieted. "I think she does miss Sophie." "Dad," Ross said the word and suddenly realized how close he felt to Mulder at that moment. It was the first time the word felt right. "I don't want to leave tonight. Would you and Mom mind taking Gracie home for tonight?" "Ross, we talked about this, I'll be fine." Steph began. "No, Stephanie." Ross interrupted her. "I'm staying. No discussion." His tone was so strong that she had no choice but to nod. "We'll be happy to have her." Scully spoke up as she noticed a small smile on Mulder's face. They stayed for the better part of the day. One by one Sarah and Josh, along with a few friends of Steph and Ross came up to see the newborns. By late afternoon, Stephanie was exhausted and her stitches were hurting. Ross had been quiet for the most part, but he could see the strain on his wife's face. "I hate to be pushy, but I think visiting hours are over for Steph. She needs to rest." "You're right, come on, Mulder. Let's go pick up Gracie." Scully kissed her daughter and son-in-law and led Mulder out. Ross had called Joannie to let her know the Mulders would be by for Gracie then gave Scully any special instructions. When everyone had gone, Steph laid back and closed her eyes. "Thanks, honey." He smiled down at her. "I knew you were getting tired. Do you hurt?" Steph nodded. "Just a little." "I'll get the nurse to give you something." "No, no. I don't want anything, it'll just put me out and I want to be lucid. I want to go up and see Sophie in a little while." She reached out and took Ross' hand. "I just need a couple of hours of sleep." Her eye lids fluttered as she squeezed his hand. Ross grinned and brought her hand up to his lips. He kissed them lightly, then leaned down and kissed her eyelids one at a time. "Get some rest." He whispered to her. "I love you." Stephanie slept fitfully through the night. Her incision was causing some pain and every move was agonizing. When Rose awakened around three for a feeding, Ross did the honors so Steph could sleep. He stayed by her side all night, watching her twitch with each movement, listening to every whimper. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer. When he laid Rose down again, he reached over and gently stroked Steph's face. It was burning hot. He called for the nurse. Her temperature was rising, over one hundred two at last count. "Why, Emily?" "There's an infection in her body, Ross. We'll treat her with a strong antibiotic, she'll be fine. We should see an improvement in a couple of days, the fever should be lowered by late today." His face fell when they took Rose to the nursery. Since they weren't completely sure what caused the infection, they didn't know if was contagious and with a newborn, you had to take precautions. Stephanie would be angry when she awoke, he knew that. And with all else that had occurred, he'd have to take Rose home that afternoon, leaving Stephanie and Sophie behind. That wouldn't sit too well either. When Stephanie began to stir, Ross sat up and moved to sit next to her. Taking her hand, he smiled at her. "Hey there." Stephanie half smiled, her eyes not fully open. "Hi. Is it time to feed Rose?" She slowly brought her hand to her face to rub her eyes and noticed the intravenous tube. "What's going on?" Ross brought her arm back down to her side. "You have a fever, honey. An infection. Emily's giving you antibiotics to fight it. You're going to be fine." "I'm so tired." Her voice was soft and weak and her eye lids were heavy. "Where's Rose?" "She's in the nursery, Steph, try to go back to sleep. You'll get rid of the infection faster if you stay still and rest." He brushed her hair from her face as she slipped back into a sleep, then he moved back to the chair. Ross sighed and stared out at the rising sun from the window. He was worried during a time that should be their happiest. They have two new beautiful baby girls. Gracie is a happy, healthy child as well. They loved each other and their children more than anything, this shouldn't be happening. Ross started when the nurse opened the door. "Mr. Jacobs? It's time to feed your daughter. Do you want to do it, or do you want us to?" "No, I'll do it. I'll be there in a minute." He didn't want to leave Stephanie, Ross wondered if it was too early to call her mother. He wanted someone to stay with her at all times. Deciding that it was never too early for this kind of call, he picked up the phone next to the bed. "Mulder, wake up." Scully nudged him from a deep sleep. "Just ten more minutes, Mom." He answered groggily. "Come on, Mulder, I need to go to the hospital." Scully sat a cup of coffee next to him on the nightstand and began dressing. "What's going on? Is something wrong?" "Ross called. Stephanie's sick and has to stay a few more days. He doesn't want to leave her alone and the baby needs to be taken care of and he wants to do that himself too. So I'm going to help out. Can you handle Gracie?" "Of course I can, you know that. What's wrong with Stephanie? We were just there." "I'm not sure. He said she developed an infection and has a high fever. I'll find out and give you a call later." She sat down on the bedside. "I'm sure she's fine, Mulder, I promise to call you later." She leaned over and kissed him. Ross sat in the nursery, quietly talking to one of his baby girls while she drank from a bottle. Rose's little eyes starred up at him as if she could see him clearly after only two days. He knew that if she saw anything, it was a blur of color. But she listened intently. Sophie had been doing great. Emily was going to let Ross feed her next, showing him how to hold her so that her breathing would not be obstructed. Scully opened the door slowly so as to not awaken Stephanie. The room was dark and quiet. Stephanie was asleep, an IV drip connected to her arm. She looked so peaceful lying there. Scully gently touched her face, she was still pretty warm with fever. But she'd only been on antibiotics for a few hours. It would take a day or two to take affect. Steph began to stir. "Mom?" Her eyes opened partially and she moaned as she tried to sit up. "Lay back, Steph. I'm here." Scully's voice was light yet firm. "You're running a little fever, you need to rest." "That's all I've been doing." She glanced around the room. "Where's Ross?" "I just got here, I think he's with the girls. He didn't want you to be alone. He should be back any moment now. It's been an hour since he called me." "I'm sorry to make you come up, Mom." Steph sighed and closed her eyes again. Scully patted her hand, a look of concern crossed her face. She wanted a look at her chart, to see what they had listed as cause. "Don't be silly. It's all part of being a mother, you'll find out soon enough. Go back to sleep." "I want my babies, Mom." Stephanie was feeling so bad, she became whiny. She missed her girls. She felt empty without them. "I know, honey. You'll be able to see them tomorrow, I'm sure." Steph was asleep before Scully even finished. Ross came in a few minutes later. They exchanged hugs and moved to the far side of the room to talk. "How are the girls?" "They're great." Ross smiled a father's smile. "Sophie's doing a lot better. I just got done feeding her." He sighed. "I wish Steph could've seen her." "I want to check out her chart, so I'm going to leave you for a little while. I'll be back in a half hour. Have you eaten?" Scully knew the answer before he shook his head. "I didn't think so, I'll bring you something from the cafeteria. You need some rest too, Ross." Mulder sat with Gracie on his lap. They were currently reading the latest of the Dr. Seuss books. Mulder hated those books, but Gracie had to have that book. Green Eggs and Ham. And even at two and a half, she knew if he missed a page. "I will not eat them, Sam I am." He read as he pointed to the pictures. "I am." Gracie repeated, giggling. Mulder smiled, Gracie was a little doll. She reminded him so much of Stephanie at that age. Except that she had blonde hair. He stroked the blonde curls as he read. Gracie would look at the book, then up into his face, intently, watching his mouth form each word, then she would repeat some of words. "The end. Did you like that book?" Gracie nodded and patted the book with her little hand. "Read Green Eggs, Papa?" "Honey, Papa's tired of reading that one. How about another?" "No, read Green eggs!" Her little brow furrowed. "Papa needs a hug, Gracie." That always did the trick. It would take her mind off of anything. She was such an affectionate little girl. As if she worried about people. Gracie reached up and around to hug his neck, burying her face in his neck. Then after a moment, she pulled back and put her tiny hands on both sides of his face and stared into his eyes. Looking to see if the hug did the job. The stare was so intense, Mulder just melted. Then she gave him a kiss. "I love you, Gracie." "I love you!" She answered with such a flair, tossing her head from left to right. Then his glasses caught her eye and she reached for them. "No, Gracie, Papa's glasses." He reared his head back. "No, Gracie, these are mine." "Mine." She aped. Then she put her tiny hands on his face again and turned his head left, planting a kiss on his cheek. Then she turned his face to the right and planted another kiss. This was new and it just tickled Mulder to death. She repeated the steps a couple more times, then gently reached up and grabbed his glasses. Mulder had to laugh. She was a Mulder all right, cunning, conniving and ingenious. He couldn't wait to tell Scully. He was able to get the glasses back in one piece without too much fuss by the time the phone rang. "Scully, how's Stephanie?" He asked. "I'm not sure yet, Mulder. According to her chart, her white blood cell count is extremely high, her fever isn't coming down and she doesn't stay conscious for very long. They don't know what's causing it yet. They're running a battery of tests now." She sounded worried. "Can I do something?" He didn't like the sound of it. "No, not right now. I'll let you know a little later how things are. How's Gracie doing?" Scully asked. "She's perfect, Scully. You should see her." "You know, Mulder. I might be bringing Rose home this evening." She waited for a reaction. "That's okay, Scully. I take it Ross is staying?" "Yeah, Sophie has to stay a couple more days and I don't know how long Stephanie will be. Mulder?" "What is it, Scully?" He heard the worry in her voice. "Mulder, I'm a little worried about her." "She'll be fine, honey. She's a Mulder and a Scully." Scully smiled. He always knew what to say to make her feel at ease. "Thanks, Mulder. I'll call you later." Ross sat in his usual chair and watched Stephanie sleep. The later it got the more worried he became. Scully brought him a coffee and a couple of danish from the cafeteria. He ate it mechanically, not really tasting it. Shortly before noon, he went to the nursery again to feed the girls and to spend a little time with them. When he returned a couple of hours later, he found the room empty. "Where is she? My wife, where is she?" He ran to the nurses station. Scully came up behind him. "Ross, they took her to ICU. Her fever shot up again and she went into convulsions. They had to give her an ice bath to lower her body temperature. Some of her stitches ripped." Scully explained things as they went downstairs to the Intensive Care Unit. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stood before the glass window separating him from his wife. "Why is this happening?" There were two nurses in the room, ice packs surrounded her body. He could see her shaking from where he stood. "We don't know yet, Ross." Scully reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. As always, Scully remained strong. Inside, she wept for her daughter, but on the outside, she knew she had to be strong for Ross. And now she would have to call Mulder. Mulder dropped Gracie off at Joanie's. He was grateful that they'd known Joanie and had someone they could count on. He called Sarah and Josh on his way to the hospital. He knew that Ross would need support and he wasn't sure that Scully was up to all this. It had only been eight months since her stroke and she wasn't one hundred percent yet. She may never be. And they had the twins to think about. Scully saw him step off the elevator and went to meet him. Her eyes were red from spilled tears. Mulder took her in his arms and held her. "Oh, Mulder. I don't ever want to go through that again." "What happened, Scully?" She explained the basics. Right now, Stephanie was holding her own. Her body temperature had lowered quite a bit and her stitches were repaired and replaced. "I heard her make a noise, then all of a sudden, she began convulsing. A couple of the staples came out and she began bleeding. I couldn't hold her still and more of her staples were coming out. I pressed the call button but it took a few minutes for them to come." Mulder squeezed her tighter, he could feel her tremble. "It's okay, she's in good hands, Scully. They're doing all they can." He felt her relax in his arms. "Come on, Ross needs us." Scully took his hand and led him to where Ross was seated. Ross was sitting forward with his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. Mulder wondered how much more this man would be able to take. So much had happened over the past three days. One joyous occasion after another turned into a nightmare in an instant. When Mulder placed a hand on his shoulder, Ross looked up at him. His looked mirrored many that Mulder had worn over the years. Nothing needed to be said. Both men knew what the other was feeling. Mulder and Scully sat next to Ross and together they all waited. Sarah was next to arrive. Her heels clicking on the tiled floor. Her heart dropped when she saw them sitting outside ICU. "Mom, Dad? " She hugged them both. "Where's Ross?" "He's with Steph right now. They'll only let one in at a time. We let him go first. Then he'll have to go see to the girls." "How is she? Is there any change?" Scully answered. "I think so. She's holding her own. Her body temperature is coming down and she's resting peacefully." They all turned when Ross came from Steph's room. His eyes were red, his stance was one of defeat. Sarah went up to him and put her arms around him. He buried his face in her shoulder and cried. It was the first time any of them had seen him break down completely. But it was what he needed. He'd been strung tightly since he'd first brought Stephanie in and the strings had to break sooner or later. After a couple of minutes, Ross stood tall and took a deep breath. He turned to Scully. "You can go in now. I'm going to go to the nursery." He hugged Scully and took a couple of pats on the back from Mulder. "I'll go with you, Ross." Sarah said as she nodded to her mother. Scully went into Stephanie's room. She only had a few minutes with her, as she wanted to give Mulder a chance. She placed her hand on Steph's face, instinctively, then sat down in the chair next to the bed. "You're doing better, honey. You'll be back up in no time. Don't worry about the girls, they'll be waiting for you." Scully stopped and swallow back a choked breath. "We'll see to them until you're ready. But you better hurry, they miss you." Her voice became a whisper. "We all do." When she stepped out, Mulder was waiting. "Listen, I want to prepare you, Mulder." "You don't have to, Scully." He started to open the door. "Mulder, listen to me. She unconscious, she's pale and she has a few machines hooked up to her. But it's not as bad as it looks. They're there to help her." "I know, Scully. I remember." He did. Every day of his life he remembered. He remembered the way Scully looked lying in the hospital so many times. She nodded. "Okay." Scully reached up and kissed him lightly. He walked in and sat down. She was extremely pale and it was surprising at how gaunt her face had become in just a couple of days. Steph was able to breath on her own, so there was no respirator, but she had an IV taped to her hand and oxygen on her face. Mulder took her hand and squeezed. "Hi, baby." He swallowed and tried to smile. He stared at her for a moment and remembered Gracie's intent look earlier. "Ross said Sophie's doing very well. And Rose is just fine. They're beautiful girls, Steph. But they need their mother. Emily's bringing in a specialist, so you'll be getting a new treatment. You'll be up and around soon." He sat back and took a deep breath. He knew he was limited to time but finding the right words were hard. His time was cut, however, when the nurse stepped in. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. "I love you, baby." Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead, his lips lingered and felt the too warm skin. "Dad?" Her eye lids fluttered open as she struggled to get out the word. "Hey!" He whispered to her. "I don't feel good, Daddy." Steph's voice was but a whisper. Mulder thought how much she sounded like a small child. "I know, baby. They're giving you medicine though. Be patient, you're doing better." "Where is everybody? I wake up and no one's here." Her tongue was thick and the words slurred somewhat. "You're in intensive care, honey and they won't let us in. But I'll make them change it, okay? Someone will be in here all the time from now on." He patted her arm. "Is Ross out there?" Steph was becoming more fully awake. "I was just talking to him." "He's feeding the babies. Sarah went down with him. He'll be up here in a little while. Do you remember talking to him?" "Mr. Mulder?" The nurse spoke as if to say, 'time's up'. But Mulder shot her a look that said 'don't mess with me right now'. "I'll get your mother, okay? I'll be back in a minute." He kissed her forehead again and gave her a big smile, then slipped outside. Scully was up the second the door opened. "You okay?" "She's awake, Scully. She wants to know where everyone is. I think she's getting better. She didn't feel as warm as I thought she would." Mulder spoke rapidly. "She wants you. I'm going to fix it where one of us can sit with her all the time. You go ahead in." He was excited and felt a tremendous weight lifted from his shoulders. Ross held Sophie over his shoulder, he gently rubbed wide circles over her back, trying to get her to burp. He had to be careful of the sensors that were connected to her tiny chest. Sarah held Rose, and brought the bottle to her mouth. "You never forget how to do this." She smiled at Ross. "The girls are so sweet, Ross. Do you think they'll be identical?" "They're supposed to be. Emily said she thought they would be." He'd been quiet while they were together, Sarah figured it was the situation. "Steph whispered something to me when I saw her last." Sarah waited for him to finish. He'd been so upset when he came from her room, she thought it was simply the strain of it all. "What did she say, Ross?" He chucked nervously. "She wanted you to help raise the girls." Tears began to fall. "I know it was just the fever talking, but it still ... I can't believe that she won't ... " His voice broke. "I know it was, Ross. She'll be fine, you have to believe." Ross and Sarah returned a couple of hours later. Mulder told Ross that Steph was doing better and that she'd awakened asking for him. He entered the room cautiously. When he saw Steph awake and talking to Scully, a relief washed over him. "Steph?" "Ross?" She called to him and reached out. She was half sitting and wrapped her arms around Ross when he sat next to her on the bed. Scully smiled and slowly backed out of the room. It was hard enough getting the nurses to allow one person in there all the time, she didn't want to push their luck. "Hey, it's okay. You're feeling better?" Ross pulled back and studied her eyes. They looked much better, not as dilated, more alive. "Yeah." She smiled widely. "Mom says the fever is just about gone. Emily is supposed to be in shortly. Are the girls okay? What about Gracie?" "Don't worry about them, honey. Gracie is with Joannie right now and the babies are doing fine. I fed Sophie a few times myself, she's doing great." He adjusted her blankets. "Lay back now, you still need to rest." "I'm tired of resting, Ross. And I'm hungry." A wide grin crossed his face. "Well, that's a good sign." He leaned down and placed his lips on her forehead. It did feel cooler. He let them linger before looking into her eyes. "You're not leaving, are you?" A frown appeared. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here." He held her hand in his and just smiled at her. He couldn't look away. He was afraid that if he looked away, she would fall asleep again and he'd lose her. "I forgot the blankets. The ones I made for the girls. They're still at home." "That's okay, we'll use them when we get home." Ross squeezed her hand. He wouldn't let go of her hand and as she closed her eyes, he squeezed again. Steph smiled. "I'm okay, Ross. I just find it hard to keep my eyes open." "It's all right, just rest." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. It was two hours later when Dr. Wilson came in. By then, each one of the Mulders had made their way in. The nurses finally gave up in trying to limit the number or the amount of time. Ross was seated on the bed, holding Steph's hand. Mulder and Scully sat in chairs on the opposite side and Sarah and Josh stood at the end of the bed. "Folks, folks, I know you want to see Steph, but it's late and this is not helping her at all." Emily stated firmly. "Everybody out! I'll be out in a few minutes." Emily held the door as they filed out one at a time. The only one left was Ross and he didn't move. Emily took the chair that Scully was sitting in and read over Steph's chart. "It looks like all the blood levels are normal. Except for the white cell count, but that's coming down and it's not uncommon for it to be a little high while fighting an infection. The antibiotics seem to be working. I think I'll move you back into a private room in the morning. It's getting late and I want you here for the rest of tonight. I want to make sure there's not a relapse." She took vitals and looked into Steph's eyes and throat. "But, I think you're out of the woods, kiddo." Emily smiled widely. "You gave us quite a little scare, didn't she Ross." She patted his shoulder as well. "Why don't you tell everyone the good news and send them home. They can come back in the morning when she's in her own room." When Ross stepped out, Emily turned to Stephanie. "I'm going to allow Ross to stay with you tonight, Steph. I know it's been rough on you two. Tomorrow, he'll half to take Rose home. Sophie's doing very well, you can take her home the day after tomorrow and if you're doing well enough, I'll release you at the same time." "What caused the infection? I don't understand how it can be so bad one moment and fine the next." "Well, it wasn't from one moment to the next, Stephanie. You were down for over 12 hours. I don't know what caused it. Some viruses hit harder and faster than others. Your immune system was down, it couldn't fight it off. If I do let you go day after tomorrow, I want to see you in a week. To make sure it's completely gone. It doesn't seem to be contagious, so I'm not worried about you passing it on. Tomorrow, we'll start you on some light solid food." She stood to leave. "In the meantime, get some rest, rest is the best thing for you right now. I'll be in to see you in the morning. " "Thanks, Emily." Stephanie smiled as the doctor left her alone. She laid her head back and sighed. Suddenly she felt weak and tired. Ross came in a few minutes later and sat next to her. "Did they all leave?" Ross nodded. "Yeah, they said they'll be back in the morning though. Emily said you'll be able to go home day after tomorrow." He had a tone of hope in his voice. "Did you see the girls today? I miss them." "You'll get to see them tomorrow. They're fine." Steph smiled and touched his cheek. "Did you eat anything at all today?" He covered her hand with his and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." She moved over, wincing at the pain. "Lay with me?" Ross kicked off his shoes and lay on his side, holding her hand to his chest. "Is this okay? I'm not hurting you, am I?" "No, this is fine. I just want to feel you near me." After her breathing became regular, he propped himself up on his elbow and watched her sleep. Her color was coming back, she looked so peaceful. Ross snuggled up against her and for the first time in days, allowed himself to sleep completely. Three days later, Ross was wheeling Stephanie out to the car. She cradled Sophie in her arms. The sunlight and fresh air felt good to her. After she belted the baby into the car seat, Steph buckled her belt as well. "I can't wait to get home. To see Rose and Gracie again." "I know, they'll be there." Ross smiled and took her hand as he drove. It was good to have his Steph back too. "How has Gracie been with Rose? I'm afraid she'll resent the twins. I don't know how to handle that, Ross." "I don't think you'll need to worry about it. Gracie did fine yesterday. I think she wants to help more than anything." When they arrived home, her parents were there with Rose and Gracie. Steph wasn't able to lift anything over a few pounds for the next few weeks, so when Gracie rushed up to her, she could only stoop down to hug her. She wanted to wrap her up and carry her like old times. Ross had the next two months off before school started again, she was thankful for that. She would need his help. They spent the afternoon with her family. Everyone took a turn feeding one of the girls, holding them, playing with them, talking to them. Stephanie explained to Gracie what she could and could not do with them. But when Gracie leaned down and kissed Rose on the forehead, it melted Stephanie's heart and fears. After everyone was gone and Gracie was in bed, Stephanie stood at the crib, staring down at her two little girls. Ross stood in the doorway and smiled. "What are you grinning at?" Steph asked as she walked toward him, slipping an arm around him when she reached him. "From this spot, I can keep an eye on all four of my girls." He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer. "We're lucky, aren't we, Ross." She rested her head against his chest and yawned. "Yeah, we are." He leaned down and scooped her up in his arms. "Ross!" Steph giggled as he carried her to the bedroom. He set her on the bed and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. "I love you, Stephanie." He brought her fingers to his lips. "You've given me three beautiful daughters. I don't know what I'd do without you." Steph smiled and swung her legs across his lap, putting her arms around his neck, effectively sitting in his lap. "You had a part in those girls too, you know." A wry grin formed upon her lips. "And you won't have to find out what you'd do without me, you're never getting rid of me, I'll always be with you." He smiled and kissed her. Ross didn't say it out loud, but a voice inside said, 'I hope so, God, I hope so.' The End
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