From: Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 10:00:17 -0500 Subject: Baptism (1/1) by Nicolette Source: direct Title: Baptism Author: Nicolette Rating: PG Feedback: Send to: cheri@tiac.net Category: V Summary: Mulder's neighbor needs some help. Dynamic Duo to the rescue. Spoilers: None Archive: Only by permission, with my e-mail, name, and these credits listed. Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. Many thanks to my beta readers, Justin and Jori. I could never do this without your help and encouragement. XXXXX Baptism It began as a small pull. A tiny rope tugging across my lower abdomen. Strange, I thought, and shifted my legs with one folded under me. A sharp kick under my rib cage assured me all was right with my baby. I went back to my book. Five minutes passed, and the small pull became a dull cramp. A long, drawn out ache that grew outward and sharpened. This one had duration. I looked at the clock, fear rising, a panicky voice at the back of my skull. Why did you decide to do this alone? You must be nuts. You don't need a man to have a baby? Ha! Four minutes, and again. The pain was so strong it blurred my vision. A crushing fist was closing around my huge stomach. Only four minutes between. This was too fast. Sweat dampened the creases of my palms. Had to get to the hospital. Out the door and into the hallway, bag in one hand, keys in the other. Kerchink! My keys fell to the floor as the third contraction hit. Everything went white as I grabbed for the molding jutting off the wall at waist level. Then I felt it. A warm hand at my elbow. Gentle green eyes came into focus. "Are you okay?" It was the guy in number 42. I didn't know his name. I had avoided him. He's trouble. A bloody man dead in his doorway, his neighbor dead in the basement. I prayed he would believe my lie. "I'm fine. Thank you. Just dropped..." He knelt down and picked up my keys, placing them in my open palm. Just had to get to the elevator. Nearly away, nearly there.. and then it hit again. I doubled over as he caught my biceps. I leaned heavily onto him. Couldn't help it. I couldn't see anything but blue. The vast expanse of blue. His shirt- picture the sea, smell the salt, breathe the air, breathe, breathe... "Breathe." He was saying, echoing my voice in my head as the contraction faded. I looked at my watch. Two minutes since the last. Might not make it. I took a step back from him as my mind raced with panic. "You're in labor." A genius. Why wouldn't he get out of my way? I took another step toward the elevator and my water broke. "Jesus." He was popping open a cell phone, dialing. "Scully, it's me. Where are you? Great. My neighbor's in labor and I don't think she's gonna make it... Okay. See ya in a minute." He was touching my arm again. "Ms. Sinclair, my partner's on her way here. She's just parking downstairs. She's a doctor. I don't think you're gonna make it to the hospital. Let's get you into my apartment and I'll call 911. My partner can help you until the ambulance gets here. Okay?" He was trying to get me to walk with him, but every step was speeding along the pain. My legs started to shake as a wave of nausea hit. "I'm at... transition... can't..." I tried to push him off and sit down, but I was really scared. I half hoped he would leave me to die in the hall, and half wished he would hold me up again. I felt my head fall back as he lifted me up. He carried me into his apartment and lay me down on his couch. I closed my eyes as the contraction subsided, grateful for a moment's relief. "Ms. Sinclair?" A woman's voice, far away. I opened my eyes and a beautiful red haired woman was leaning over me. Her eyes were like jewels, her voice calm and strong. "I'm Dr. Dana Scully. Ms. Sinclair, my partner's called the paramedics, but," I heard nothing after this. The pain rushed through me, ripping across my thighs, tearing into my gut. I couldn't breathe. I was desperate. "Too soon... I'm early, 10 days ah! AHHH!" "Do you remember your breathing? Breathe with me..." She started hissing and panting, her red lips making a perfect "O". She was so in control- it made me want to slap that beautiful mouth. Wanted to kill them both, hurt them, so I wouldn't be alone in my pain. But instead I breathed with her. And got through it. I could feel my hair sticking to my face, nasty, wet and hot. "Thank you." I still wanted to hit her, but I was also grateful she was there. Something about her voice was so calm, it gave me a little control. Just enough to get me through. I forgot about my happy place on a tropical beach. I started focusing on her eyes with each contraction. So blue, so clear, so calm. I wanted to drown there. Disappear inside all that blue, where no pain could touch me. Suddenly I saw my belly rise up on the contraction, as if my baby was coming through my belly button. I felt I had to push. Now! The doctor saw it, too. She snapped on some gloves, checked me, then looked at her partner. "It's time to push, Ms. Sinclair. Mulder, hold up her leg, like this." She demonstrated how he was to hold my thigh against my chest, and give me some leverage to push against. I was grateful to this woman for keeping this strange, handsome man away from seeing my exposed parts. The doctor settled back between my thighs. "Okay, next contraction, I want to you push for a count of five, then breathe, then push again. Ready? Tell me when it comes." I looked up to the man holding my leg. He was looking at me, and then to the doctor. "What's your name?" I needed something to call him. "Mulder." He took my hand. "Thank you, Mr. Mulder. Thank you for this." I never meant anything more in my life. His eyes melted and he smiled at me. It was the sweetest smile I'd ever seen. Then the world exploded inside me. "Push!" the doctor was shouting. I did, and the relief was wonderful. Tight! Tight- and then I felt the baby crown. It WAS fast. The pain was awful, but all I heard was her commanding voice, telling me when to push and when to stop. And all I saw was his angelic green eyes, full of fear and hope. Nothing else mattered but these two souls, guiding my destiny, freeing my child. And then I heard it. A sharp, craggy cry. One final push and it felt as though I had released the world. The doctor brought my baby's bright pink, screaming face to mine. "It's a boy. Congratulations, Ms. Sinclair." Her voice was measured, her smile sincere, but I saw her eyes were glassy. So did he. There a moments you never forget. In that instant, I saw my beautiful child, my new life stretched out before me. For the first time in my life, I felt joy. I looked to them both. She was still smiling as she looked on my new son. His eyes were fixed on her, full of tears. He took her hand and squeezed tight, until her fingers went white. "You did good, Scully." "Thanks, Mulder. So did you." She turned to him then, just as my son found my breast. The sudden silence was strange. An odd calm after all the excitement. As I drifted, half asleep, I saw the look between them. There was love and joy there, but distance, too. I saw it in the way she stood a bit away from him, her arms crossed. He smiled a tender smile, but he was looking down. It made my heart ache. Tears fell down my face, in love for my child, in relief for the effort, and in sadness for them. The paramedics came in the door then. The doctor broke away to tell them whatever details they needed. He stood to the side, head hung, watching her with sad eyes. "Mr. Mulder?" I called to him. He shook his head lightly and put on a smile for me. As he came up to me, he took my hand again. "Yes, Ms. Sinclair?" "What's your name?" "Oh, you can just call me Mulder..." "No," I cut him off, "your first name." He looked confused for a moment. "My son needs a name." He looked genuinely worried. "Oh, no, please. Not that." "Well, do you have any suggestions then?" He thought a long minute. Then his face opened into a wide smile. "How about Sam? Sam would be a very nice name." "Sam it is, Mr. Mulder." As the paramedics wheeled me out into the hallway, I pressed my lips to my son's forehead. Watching the ceiling tiles roll by, I started to say a little prayer for my neighbor. But I couldn't finish it. I still didn't know his name. And it didn't sound right, asking God, "Please help Mulder." End