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Title: Unexpected Chances Summary: What if when Scully was returned in One Breath, she was returned with a little surprise? Part of the What if Universe, a group of stories that ask the ever intriguing question, What if... And I thank you for choosing me, Mulder walked in and smiled at her. She looked good, color was back, she was smiling as I handed her necklace back, Mulder thought. Her mom and sister on the other hand looked at me strangely, slightly hurt. "Why didn't you tell us Dana?" "Hmm, what do you mean, Mom?" Scully asked confused. "Why didn't you tell us you and Fox were seeing each other?" "Were seriously seeing each other," Melissa chimed in, throwing a knowing glance at Mulder. "What are you talking about Mom? Mulder and me aren't seeing each other." "You don't know?" "No, I don't know what?" Scully asked thoroughly confused now. "You're pregnant. You're 12 weeks pregnant with Fox's child." "WHAT?!" Mulder and Scully said at the same time in shocked amazement. "This can't be, I never..." Mulder started. "No way, we've never even..." Scully started. "I've haven't so much as kissed her, there is no way this child is mine!" Mulder finally managed to stammer out. Scully nodded in agreement. "How do you know, Mom?" "They did an amniocentesis when they discovered your pregnancy to make sure the toxin hadn't spread to the baby. I had them do a DNA test also. I hope you don't mind, I know you would have wanted to have a clue as to who the father was if it wasn't consensual. The child is yours and Fox's, 99.9% sure." Mulder nearly fainted into the chair beside Scully and looked at her dumbfounded. "Now what?" "What do you mean Mulder?" "Well what are we going to do Scully? How are we going to tell Skinner and the rest of the bureau heads how you got pregnant?" "Well, they could pinpoint date of conception and we weren't around each other at that time, I can prove that I was a victim of medical rape. We won't be reprimanded or separated," Scully said in a cool analytical manner. "How can you explain my involvement?" "Easily. Remember Idaho, when you vanished and they did that brainwashing thing to you?? They could have gotten a sample from you then." Mulder nodded at the reasoning. Boy she's calm about this, he thought. That's my Scully cool and calm under the extreme pressure. "What about work?" "I'll work till I'm physically unable to Mulder, then I'll take maternity leave like every other pregnant woman," Scully said with a smile. "What about me?" Scully locked eyes with Mulder. His hazel eyes were clouded with confusion, worry and fear. "Mulder..." "I want to be a part of my child's life, Scully. Please this is important to me. Don't shut me out." Scully reached over and petted his spiky hair tenderly. "I won't Mulder, I won't." Two Months Later "That went better than I thought. See what a little science can do, Mulder?" Scully said as she walked triumphantly out of the OPR board room. "So..." "They accepted my explanation, wished me luck. They said I'd need it with a child with Fox Mulder genes." Mulder chuckled softly, pulling a key out of his pocket and handing it to her. "Here." "What's this?" "The key to my new apartment." "You moved?" "Yeah I needed to be closer to our child and I needed a bigger place with an extra bedroom when ever she stays over." Scully smiled. Mulder was really getting into being a parent; reading parenting and baby care books, what to expect when you're expecting. He was attentive and alert to everything I was doing and saying. He's going to make a great father. Wait a minute, did he just say when SHE stays over? "Mulder," Scully said teasingly. "What?" "She?" "Well, um or he," Mulder added quickly, blushing at the Freudian slip. "Mulder?" "Yeah?" "Did you want to come to the doctor with me today?" His ears perked up, a smiling forming on his lips. She's never asked me before, alright! "I could use the company. They're doing an ultrasound today, so it's going to take a little longer than usual. I could really use..." "I'd love to Scully." OBGYN "Well hello, this the baby's father?" the doctor said, quickly appraising the man before her. "Yes, Fox Mulder, this is Nick my OBGYN and my best friend since med school." "Hi, nice to meet you," Mulder said, shaking Nick's hand firmly. "Oh this kid is going to be the cutest Danes!" Nick said excitedly, making Mulder blush slightly "What you hoping for Mulder?" Nick said, setting Scully up for the ultrasound. "Huh?" "Boy or girl?" "Oh, it doesn't matter." Scully and Nick gave him THE LOOK. "Man, do they teach that look to you guys in med school or something?" Scully smiled at him, saying teasingly. "Well he keeps slipping up and calling the baby she and her, so I think he wants a girl." "Well the baby's in a good position to tell, you want to know?" Scully looked up at Mulder. "Doesn't matter to me Mulder, you want to know?" Mulder nodded excitedly as he watched his child moving ever so slightly in Scully's womb. "Well, I think you got your wish, Mulder." Two Months Later "Scully! It's me," Mulder said as he walked into her apartment. "Back here Mulder, in the nursery." "Nursery?" Mulder asked, following her voice to where Scully was and gasping in amazement. "Wow this is beautiful." A cloud pattern was painted on the ceiling, other heavenly bodies painted on the walls. The baby furniture was set up and arranged in the room. "Who did all this?" Mulder said with slight disappointment in his voice. He had been planning to put everything together this weekend. "My brother Charlie came down and did it. He can't wait to be an uncle. I just finished putting up her curtains so everything is ready for her when ever she decides to show her little face." Mulder smiled brightly at Scully and tentatively placed his hand on her stomach. He knew how much she hated it when people just took free license to touch her stomach. "Just cause I'm pregnant, doesn't mean I want people touching my stomach all the time," she would mutter every time some one would do it. Scully placed her hand over his gently and they locked eyes. Electricity flowed through the gaze and Mulder started to move towards her lips, when he felt the baby kick. He laughed excitedly. "She kicked! You feel that?" "Yeah I felt it, she has great leg muscles." "I brought Chinese and baby name books, we need to decide, two more months," Mulder said grabbing Scully's hand and leading her to the kitchen. "You are so spooky, I have been having a craving for Chinese all day." "I know so have I. Even weirder I've been having a craving for pickles and peanut butter at the weirdest times of the night. It's... what?" he asked when Scully burst into laughter. "Sympathy pains, oh my god, your having sympathy pains. Oh wow, we are a weird couple. Well come on Dad let's eat," Scully teased as she opened the bag of Chinese. "Ashley Kate" Mulder suggested. "No too common I want something different. Unique child, unique name. Rub my feet," Scully said leaning back on an arm of the couch and placing her feet in Mulder's lap. "Jacari Rhayne, Xada Stephan, Jade Chambray, Brennan, Meira, Gabri, Japel." Mulder rattled off. "I want to be able to use your first name as her middle name." "Why?" "Because I want to that's why. Don't argue with a pregnant woman Mulder," Scully warned. "I like Jacari," hesuggested. "I like Brennan. Brennan Fox." "Brennan Fox," Mulder said softly and nodded in agreement. "Settled." "Scully?" "Yes?" "When will I be able to see my daughter?" "Whenever you want." "You know what I don't like?" "What?" "That I won't be here when she wakes up during the night." Scully gave him a sad smile, then grinned evilly. "I'll make sure to call you when she wakes up, that way you don't feel left out." Mulder woke up cradled against something warm and hard. He turned to see Scully's stomach behind him, his head in her lap on the couch. Scully was zonked out, snoring happily. Mulder turned towards her stomach and kissed it lightly. "Hey Brennan. Hope you like your name, at least it's better than Fox. I love you. You know who this is, don't you? This is your Daddy. Has mommy been reading to you like I asked? You are going to be so perfect and special, so loved and wanted. Your going to have the best parents in the world who love you so much, even if we don't live together, don't ever doubt that we love you darling." Scully smiled down at Mulder as she eavesdropped. This child will give him a new lease on life. A new beginning, hopefully he can find peace though her. Two Months Later "Push Scully, Push." "I am pushing Mulder, dang it! Why didn't you convince me of the epidural!!" "I tried." "The baby's almost out, one more push," Nick said cleaning out Brennan's mouth and nose as Scully pushed hard and the baby squealed from shock. "EWW!! She's one ugly booger." "Mulder!" Scully said, slapping him hard in the chest. "What?! She is." "She's beautiful!" Scully said, reaching for her daughter, giving Mulder the evil eye. "Don't pay your daddy any attention, he wouldn't know beautiful if it kicked him in the face." "We need to weigh and clean her up Dana," Nick said smiling at the new mother. "Here," Scully said handing Brennan to Nick," Go with them Mulder, I'll be fine." Mulder kissed her on the forehead quickly and followed Nick out. 12 Hours Later Mulder knocked softly on the door as he entered, a bouquet of roses in his hand. "Oh my, those are lovely Fox," Her mom said, taking the flowers and arranging them by Scully's bed. "Hey Dad, I'm Charlie, Dana's little brother. You got a cute one there." "Thanks Charlie, nice to meet you," Mulder said, shaking Charlie's hand firmly then turning to Scully. "Hey, how you feel?" "Tired." Mulder smiled and lightly ran his fingers over Brennan's face as she slept. She opened her eyes and looked back at him with mystical hazel eyes. He ruffled her plentiful wavy red hair. "Hey Brennan, remember me?" Her eyes widened slightly as she flashed him a toothless grin. "Yeah, your recognize my voice huh? It's daddy." She started to fuss slightly and he placed a finger to her lips. "Ssh, go back to sleep." She closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. "Oh you are definitely keeping her till she sleeps through night, Mulder. That was spooky." "That's my name, isn't it?" Scully giggled and handed Brennan to him. "Hold her a while, I want a nap." "Ok," Mulder said, holding Brennan to his chest and leaning back in his chair. "So you guys ever find the people responsible for this? I mean..." Charlie stammered out. "Haven't found them, but we know who they are." "So why'd they..." "That we haven't quite figured out yet. Scully believes... she believes that they were doing experiments with in-vitro fertilization, and that she and Brennan weren't supposed to survive. That's why the toxin was in her system." "Ha! They didn't know that we Scully's are tougher to kill than roaches." Mulder laughed at the analogy and cuddled his daughter closer. Four Weeks Later "Mulder?" "Scully? Scully, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" "I'm so tired Mulder, I can't get her to quiet down. I've tried everything, Mulder." "Ok Scully hold on, I'll be there in 5 minutes ok?" She had never sounded so helpless before, she must really be at her wits end, he thought as he unlocked the door and found a sobbing Scully, and a howling Brennan on the couch. "I got her Scully. I got her," Mulder said, taking his daughter into his arms, quieting her in minutes. "She just wanted her daddy, that's all." Scully wiped her eyes and threw him a weak smile. "Mulder?" "Yeah Scully?" "Can you... will you stay with me? Please, I can't do this all by myself and ..." "Of course Scully, of course. Just for the night?" "No, move in please?" Scully begged. Mulder sat next to her and hugged her tightly, placing a gentle kiss in her hair. "Of course, I'll move in." Two Days Later Mulder pulled up in front of Scully's building, smiling when he saw Scully and Brennan waiting for him. "Hey, here put this in your back window so you can park here legally," she said, handing Mulder the parking sticker. Mulder nodded, placing the sticker in the window and grabbing boxes out of the back of his car. "Is that all your stuff?" "No, the gunmen should be coming with the rest of my stuff in a minute or so. They want to wire us up with the latest in baby monitoring systems." "What did Skinner say about you taking time to..." "Nothing, I'm on paternal leave." "Huh?" "Yep it's the 90's, Dads can get 'maternity' leave too, Scully," Mulder teased, reaching for his daughter. "Well 90's dad, first things first, Diaper change." Mulder shrank back a second, then reluctantly grabbed Brennan and went to change her diaper. Twenty minutes later, Mulder emerged triumphant from Brennan's room. "I did it! Hey guys." "Hey Dad," Langley teased. "We got more info on the people responsible when you get a chance." Byers said as he and Frohike moved Mulder's bed into the guest room. "Man, she's cute. Told you red hair, hazel eyes, pay up Langley," Frohike said, as Langley handed him a twenty. "We'll have your monitor set up in an hour or so, we got audio and visual surveillance equipment so you know what's going on every minute. Plus we can feed in and keep an eye on everything when you're not here." "Our own personal Lone Gunmen ADT security system." The phone rang and Mulder picked it up quickly. "Scully's-" "Fox? Hi, this is Maggie." "Hello Mrs. Scully, how are you?" "Fine, just checking on my girls." "They're doing fine hold on, no the basketball hoop goes on the porch, the couch in my room. Sorry about that, Mrs. Scully." "No problem, sound busy." "Yeah Scully asked me to move in with her to help her with Brennan. Want to talk with her?" "No, I just wanted to check and see if you'd be home. I wanted to come by and take Dana out, she needs a break." "Sure, she'd love that. Bye." "Hey Scully, your mom's coming by to take you out," Mulder said to Scully as he hung up the phone. "Great, let me get changed. I really need to start getting back into shape." Mulder answered the door, Brennan sleeping contentedly in her infant carrier on his chest. "Hello Mrs. Scully, she'll be right out, come on in." Mrs. Scully walked in and eyed the other three men with interest, that's an odd looking bunch. "These are my buddies, Frohike, Langley, and Byers. This is Scully's mom Margaret." "Ah so you do know my first name," Mrs. Scully teased. "I just choose not to use it," Mulder said with a smile. "Scully!" "Coming, you know the routine Mulder, everything is ready. I should be back later ok." "Ok we'll be fine, go have fun," Mulder said, placing a guiding hand at her back, urging her out the door. "Wave bye to mommy Brennan," Mulder said, picking up his sleeping daughter's hand and waving it at Scully. She smiled and blew her a kiss. Her mother looked at her with a secret smile. "OH grow up Mom, that was for my daughter," Scully said when she turned and saw her mom smiling at her. "Sure sweetheart, just keep in mind that Fox is a very nice young man and you two have a daughter together." "I will mom," Scully said rolling her eyes. "He's handsome too." "Mom!" Twelve Weeks Later "How was I supposed to know they had a whooping cough epidemic at daycare Scully? Your mom is out of town and I am NOT leaving her with the gunmen," Mulder said as Scully parked the car. "We have a series of meetings, we can't just leave her in the office. What if she starts to fuss during a meeting?" "We don't have any other choice, we really need a nanny or something." Scully sighed as she pulled the keys out of the ignition. "Use her backpack carrier and her car seat," Scully said grabbing the carrier and transferring diaper bag items to it. "Ok come on Bren." "Brennan," Scully corrected. "Whatever," Mulder said, locking the door behind him and grabbing his briefcase from Scully. Scully anticipated the stares, they had been starting ever since they came back from leave. Everyone knew the circumstances of Brennan's birth, but they needed more gossip so they could fuel Mr. and Mrs. Spooky rumors. Now they get a glimpse at little spooky, Scully thought, smiling slightly. Office "Switch everything to my briefcase and you carry her, how about that?" Scully said, opening her briefcase and stuffing files in it. "Sounds good," Mulder said switching files into her case, while Scully situated Brennan into her carrier. "Ok let's go, meeting with Skinner, then OPR, then Finance, then VCS, then home," Scully said closing the briefcase "OK, we got everything bottles, pacifiers, diapers, wipes, food," Mulder said, putting the carrier on his back and securing it to him. "And if all else fails, that face thingy you do always works." Mulder smiled. "Strange, it never worked on you." "I'm resistant to your charms Spooky, let's go." Mulder walked up the hall oblivious to the stares and whispers, he enjoyed them actually. Having THEIR daughter with them as they walked down the hall together, his hand along her back possessively. It sent off a distinct air of possession, ownership was emitting from every pore in his body as they arrived at Skinner's office. "Agents hello, oh look who we have here, Brianne?" Skinner's secretary Kim said, looking at Brennan. "Brennan," Scully corrected as Kim played with Brennan on Mulder's back. "She's a doll," she said, then pushing the intercom, "AD Skinner, Agents Mulder and Scully are here." "Send them in." boomed back as Mulder and Scully headed into his office "Hello agents oh! And little agent-to-be, she's adorable." "Last meeting, then home. How's she doing?" "Asleep," Mulder said, quietly so he wouldn't wake her. "Great you change her yet?" "NO." "Better do it, she just had a bottle." "OK be back." VCS Meeting "Well it's the whole Spooky family." Laughs abounded at the bad joke "This is going to be a long meeting," Mulder whispered to Scully. She elbowed him gently, giving him the 'play nice' look. "Man she's cute!" An agent said taking a peek at Brennan "Yeah I know, thought she'd look like bigfoot or something." "So did I," Mulder said sitting her next to him, placing her pacifier in her mouth. "Ok there are the preliminary path reports. We were able to decide . . ," Scully started. Mulder fidgeted after an hour. Man, why is this taking so long? He thought as he looked down at Brennan, who looked back up at him smiling. She reached for him and he picked her up. He smoothed her hair and kissed her quickly, refocusing on the agents speaking. Scully looked at him amused and started playing hand games with Brennan when, "Agents Mulder and Scully, if you can't focus on the meeting..." "Sorry, but we would prefer to be dismissed, listening to financials is not practical for us. We've given our part, we need to leave," Mulder said bluntly. ""What little spooky needs changing?" "Actually yes," Scully said, "But since we aren't on the task force and are auxiliary staff, listening to the financials of this case is not beneficial to us and pulls us away from our own cases. Now if you will excuse us," Scully said matter-of-factly, closing her briefcase and walking out. Mulder followed quickly with a smirk. "Yes!" he said as he emerged from the room. "Let me change her and we can get out of here." "Deal," Mulder said handing Scully Brennan and the carrier and grabbing her briefcase. He closed his eyes trying to relax and mentally plan the rest of his day when"Fox? Is that really you?" Mulder cracked open his eyes and saw her. "Lara, hey um . . what are you doing in town?" "I'm helping with the Grinders case, since you're not profiling anymore. What's up with that?" "I...it was getting to me. If I stayed, I would have gone nuts. I found something else to capture my interests." "Yeah I heard. I never would have thought little green men." "Gray." "Huh?" "You said green, but the reticulan skin tone is gray." Lara double blinked and smiled."Still the same sense of humor too, so how about dinner tonight. We could catch up?" "I can't, not tonight, maybe another time," Mulder said looking back and seeing Scully emerge from the bathroom. "Excuse me, gotta go. Nice seeing you again Lara." Lara watched him leave quickly, catching up with Scully. "Hey, come to poppa," Mulder said, swinging Brennan into his arms. "Here's your case," he said handing it to Scully. "Who was that?" "Old friend." "She's pretty. How's Chinese sound?" "Perfect, we can see if Brennan can hack some rice." Lara shook the forming ideas out of her head about the scene she just observed, and went back to her office. Three Days Later "Scully's." "I must have the wrong number, I was looking for Fox Mulder?" "No you have the right number hold on, Mulder! Phone!" "Got it hello?" "Fox, um hi this is Lara." There was a long pause. "Hey what's up Lara?" "How about dinner tonight, we could talk." "Um sure hold on a sec. Scully grab Brennan's bottle off the stove!" "Got it!" "Sure meet me here you know the address?" Mulder gave her the address quickly. "Ok see you later Fox." 7 p.m. "I'll be home no later than 11." "Mulder, go out and have a good time. Don't worry about me and Brennan, we'll be fine." "Remember when she starts crying and won't stop..." "Sing American Pie and go up and down in slow soothing motions." Mulder smiled and went back to grab a jacket. Scully answered the door, Brennan gurgling happily in her arms. "Hey you must be Lara. I'm Mulder's partner Dana Scully and this is Brennan. Come on in." "Thanks, nice to meet you." "Mulder! Come on, get out of here!" Scully yelled teasingly. "Ok, remember..." "I know, slow up and down, Paramedics on TLC at 8 then Dexter's lab on the Cartoon Network." "Great, bye. Hey Lara." "Hi," Lara said smiling amused at the interchange. "Keys," Scully said throwing him his keys. "Thanks Scully. So where are we going Lara?" "I was thinking the Italian Villa, great pasta." Restaurant "So how you been Lara?" "Great, I've written a few books." "No one special?" "Not since you left," she said placing her hand over his. He smiled slightly. "Lara, I..." "Fox, I think we should start over. I made a mistake, I pushed you too much. We could..." "I can't Lara. I ... can't." "Why not?" "I... Lara... I'm in love with my child's mother." "Whoa, whoa child?" "Yeah, Brennan is my child." "Wait, wait, you and your partner are involved?" "Well not exactly. It's a long complicated story of medical rape and kidnapping, but Brennan's mine, even if I didn't participate in the usual way." "Ok, now I'm confused." "I'm in love with Scully. I have been for a while and... I want to be with the mother of my child, understand?" "Yeah, but you two haven't..." "No." "But you live together?" "Yes." "But you two aren't... together?" "Right." "Fox," she said, laughing slightly. "What?" "I've never seen you shy about pursuing someone you want. You really have changed." "This is different Lara. For once I can actually see being with her for the rest of my life, you know?" "Yeah I know, why don't you tell her?" "I don't want her to think it's cause of Brennan." "Yeah, but you better tell her soon." 12 a.m. Mulder came in and smiled when he saw Scully asleep on the couch, Brennan clutched to her chest. He hovered over them he petted Brennan's soft red hair and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He looked at Scully's sleeping profile and touched her cheek gently letting his fingers slide down her jaw-line. "I love you," he whispered and her eyes opened, she looked deep into his hazel eyes and smiled. "Enjoy your date?" "It was nice. I hadn't seen her for awhile. I couldn't wait to get home to you two though," Mulder said leaning his head against her side as he sat on the floor. "I hate to encroach on your personal life." "You're not encroaching, I don't have much of one." Scully laughed. "What? It's true. I don't date really, now I have a daughter to think about. I want to spend as much time as possible with her. I... I want to be a good father." "You're a great dad, sweetheart." "Sweetheart?" Mulder teased. "Yeah, I just noticed I called you that. I'm tired, don't mind me." "No, no I liked it. I liked it a lot. We..." "I just want you to know Mulder, that you don't have to feel tied down, ok?" "Yeah, but I don't feel tied down. I love you and Brennan and I'm not going anywhere," he said leaning up and kissing her gently on the lips. Scully smoothed his hair away from his face, smiling at him. "Ok, here put her in her crib for me Superdad. Good night." Three Months Later "Mulder! Hurry she's walking by herself hurry!" Mulder ran into the room and watched Brennan's hesitant first steps towards the couch. "Oh wow! Daddy's big girl!" Mulder said running over and swooping her up in his arms, swinging her gently and hugging her tightly. He kissed her on the forehead as Scully snapped a picture. "Did you get a picture of her walking?" Mulder asked excitedly. "Of course, I have to call mom." "Daddy's so proud of you Brennan," Mulder cooed to his daughter, who smiled at him happily. Scully smiled and reached for Brennan. Mulder placed her into Scully's arms and quickly cupped Scully's face, kissing her soundly on the lips. Shocked for a minute, Scully reveled in the kiss. It had been too long since a man's kissed me like this, she thought as she brought her free hand up to keep him in place. Her hand caressed his silky tresses as he slanted his mouth over hers. His tongue invaded her mouth when they heard a soft tap on the glass patio door. They broke away for each other quickly and Scully opened the door for her beaming mom. She threw Scully a knowing glance and wrestled Brennan from her arms. "How's my grandbaby?" "She was walking a second ago, you missed it. Scully got the pictures to prove it. Excuse me," Mulder said quickly running off to his bedroom. "Well, I see you took my suggestion." "Mom, that just...that just happened. He was excited about Brennan." "That wasn't the only thing excited. That hard-on looked painful." "MOM!" Scully said in shock, blushing wildly. "Well it's true. I've learned to notice things like that. He obviously likes you, put the man out of his misery." "He's probably taking care of that as we speak," Scully said when she heard a muffled groan come from Mulder's room. "Check out the pictures, Mom. You were right about a Polaroid, invaluable." 9 p.m. Mulder was flipping through channels aimlessly when Scully came and sat next to him. Mulder smiled and put down the remote, turning to her. "Hey," he said, leaning in for a kiss when Scully stopped him. "Don't." "Why not?" "Cause you're not doing it cause you love me, just cause I'm Brennan's mother." "No, I'm doing it cause I love you. I've loved you for a long time Scully. When you were taken from me, I thought I would die, it hurt so bad. Like someone ripped my heart out and held it just out of my reach. Then when you were returned, and we found out you were pregnant, I... I felt like I had a second chance. You were returned to me, and we had a child. I had a beautiful child with the woman I love. I was proud, I was happy and I still am. I want to be more than your friend, and Brennan's daddy, but only if you let me." Scully brushed tears of joy from her eyes as she pulled Mulder into a tight hug. "I love you too Mulder." "Daddy!" They broke their embrace and looked at each other in amazement, as they rushed into marvel at their daughter's first words.
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