DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL
By Jacquie LaVa and Tess
Category:  MSR, post-col
Rating:  R to NC-17
Disclaimer:  These characters belong to CC and company -
We're just using their clones to show how we think the
mytharc will play out -
Spoilers:  Up through Season 7 "All Things", and FTF

Author Notes:  At the end of the story!


~ Chapter Thirty Five ~


Scully had cautioned the rest of the villagers that she would be
placing Sophie under a strict quarantine until she was sure that the
vaccine had not caused any lasting ill effects on her patient.  After
the vaccine was administered, she kept careful watch over the old
woman, alert for any signs that she had infected her with, rather
than protected her from the virus.  By mid-afternoon Sophie was
running a low fever and she told Scully that she felt mildly achy. 
Scully helped her into bed and kept a close eye on her vital signs. 
Her blood pressure was slightly elevated but her temperature did not
rise past one hundred degrees and she did not complain of dizziness
or nausea.  

The two women passed the day by talking of friends andfamily and 
Scully entertained her with some of the most colorful cases that 
she and Mulder had investigated during their careers with the FBI.  
She steered clear of talk of consortiums and alien invasions, 
choosing instead to regale the old woman with stories of
flukemen and vampires.  When Mulder - the only other person permitted
inside the quarantined cabin - arrived late in the afternoon, he
found both women dissolved in tears of laughter as Scully recounted
the look of studied casualness and barely repressed panic on Mulder's
face as he tried to shake a yellow bilious substance from his fingers.

Scully was heartened as Sophie's temperature continued to hold
steady, never climbing above the hundred degree mark. The old woman's
eyes sparkled as Mulder brought their dinner into the bedroom.  She
sat, comfortably propped up against a mound of pillows and ate the
soup and sandwiches he had prepared with gusto and watched with a
glad heart as he tended to his pregnant wife with gentle hands and
loving eyes.  He offered to keep watch over Sophie through the night
as he guided Scully into the small second bedroom and helped her
settle onto the bed for a much-needed rest.

And when morning arrived, Scully's heart beat furiously in her
breast as she read the thermometer, which told her that Sophie's
fever was gone.  The older woman was spry and was moving quickly
about her home, declaring one day spent in bed 'quite enough, thank
you.'

Scully drew a vial of blood from her patient and kissed her papery
cheek, promising to let her know the results of the blood test as
soon as possible.  An hour later, Scully lifted shining eyes from the
microscope to meet the concerned gaze of her husband.  She nodded
slowly and stepped forward to wrap her arms around his waist,
whispering softly into his flannel covered chest.

"It worked."

********

Scully quietly allowed Mulder to fuss over her as he buckled her
seatbelt low across her belly.  She knew that he would have preferred
that she stay in Mt. Vu'luk and let Mary oversee the inoculations of
the survivors living in Barrow and the surrounding villages, but when
she had stated that she would be going along to supervise the
distribution of the vaccine, he had only asked if she was sure that
she was up to the trip.  When she assured him that she was, he had
yielded to her decision.  The flight to Barrow was a short one and
although she was almost always tired now, the nausea was thankfully a
thing of the past.  She smiled and patted his hand reassuringly as he
dropped into the seat next to hers and buckled himself in.  

Skinner twisted in his seat to look over his shoulder at them.
"Ready?" he asked.  Mulder nodded and gave him a thumbs-up signal. 
Skinner glanced toward Mary in the co-pilot seat and at her nod, he
flipped a number of switches, powering up the helicopter and sending
the powerful blades overhead into motion.  

Scully had tested the vaccine on two more volunteers after it had
produced the necessary antibodies in Sophie's blood.  When the
vaccine had yielded similar results in all three cases, Scully felt
confident enough to vaccinate the entire population of Mt. Vu'luk. 
She wouldn't know for certain that the vaccine was completely
effective against the virus unless and until an inoculated person
became infected with the virus and successfully managed to fight it
off.  Scully knew that she would be content never to put the vaccine
to that test.

Sophie and Scully had contacted the survivors in Barrow over the ham
radio and Scully had explained to them that a vaccine against the
virus would be available when she and Mary were able to produce a
large enough quantity.  And as soon as the necessary quantity of the
vaccine was prepared, plans were set into motion for the four of them
to make the trip to Barrow.

The survivors were waiting for them when they arrived at the
community center.  Mulder noted that there seemed to be a number of
faces that he didn't recognize from his previous trip to Barrow.  Joe
Manno explained that survivors from some of the more remote, outlying
areas and smaller villages had fled to Barrow over the long, winter
months seeking refuge and security in a larger community.

Scully and Mary set their equipment out on a table and Mulder smiled
gratefully when one of the men dragged a high-backed stool across the
hall for Scully to sit on.  He and Skinner collected the used needles
and bagged them for disposal as Mary and Scully inoculated every
resident of Barrow against the virus.  Although the process should
not have taken longer than a couple of hours, the pace was slowed as
the people of Barrow stopped to thank Scully or lay a hand on her
burgeoning stomach, offering prayers and blessings for the baby's
health and long life.  Scully blushed and stammered as she tried to
deflect the praise away from her, explaining that she could never
have done it without Mary and the help of all of her friends and
family in Mt. Vu'luk.  

Mulder's heart was bursting with love and pride as he watched his
wife efficiently administer the vaccine to each person patiently
waiting in line.  Her hands were gentle and her smile was quick and
genuine as she put each of her new patients at ease, quietly
explaining the vaccine and how it would work to those who inquired.  

When they were finished and Scully and Mary were packing up the
remaining vaccine and unused needles and discussing babies with some
of the women, Mulder and Skinner spent a few minutes talking to a
small group of men.

"We're running low on basic supplies," Mulder said.  The men nodded
and Joe offered a solution.

"There is a supermarket/general store about four blocks from here,"
he said.  "It was well-stocked before the invasion began last August.
You should be able to find what you need there."  Mulder thought it
over quickly.  

"We have money, but I don't know that it's worth anything any more,"
he said honestly.  Joe glanced over his shoulder.  Scully's bright
hair stood out as she was surrounded by a small group of Inupiaq
women.  The petite white woman was one of them now, Inupiaq by choice
and by heart.  Joe smiled as he turned back to Mulder.

"We can never pay you enough for what you have given to us today,"
he said slowly.  "You will take what you need.  Nobody here has
needed to use money for months and I don't see where that will change
for us in the future.  Please, help yourself to whatever you want." 
Mulder smiled gratefully and the two men shook hands.

Thirty minutes later the foursome made their way to the North Slope
General Store and Marketplace.  Skinner twisted the doorknob and
found it unlocked.  Bells tinkled overhead as they pushed the door
open and stepped into the darkened store; Mary located a switch on
the wall.  Light flooded the store to reveal well-stocked shelves of
dry goods, clothing, shoes and other basic supplies.  Skinner and
Mulder found several empty boxes under the counter and they carefully
began to make their selections, taking only what they absolutely
needed.  Toothpaste, deodorant, soap and other basic necessities were
placed in the boxes along with flour, sugar, salt and other staples
that they felt they would need.  

Mary and Scully moved to the clothing department and selected
several outfits for Michael, Matthew and Meggie who were rapidly
outgrowing their clothes.  They chose several toys as well.  Balls
and bats, board games and a baby doll were packed into the box.  Mary
was browsing through a rack of shoes, looking for a pair of sneakers
for Michael to wear during the approaching summer months, when she
saw Scully stop before a display of baby goods.  She watched her
friend's hands drift over the tiny clothes and she glanced across the
room to see Mulder watching his wife.

"Go ahead and take what you need," Mary encouraged.  Scully
wistfully fingered a beautifully stitched blanket and patted a pile
of adorable little outfits in pretty pastel blues and greens and
yellows, cheerfully decorated with smiling animals.  Instead she
settled on several one-piece rompers and a large stack of cloth
diapers, putting them into the box before resolutely moving away from
the display.  Mary's eyes met Mulder's... he nodded and winked at her
and she quickly snatched up the blanket and grabbed a number of the
gaily-adorned outfits and several plush, stuffed animals, pushing
them into the box and covering them up with their other selections. 
Her broad grin was echoed in the one her best friend's husband
flashed at her.

Seven hours after they had arrived, they exchanged farewells with a
small group of people who had come to see them off.  Scully promised
to come to Barrow on a more regular basis after the baby was born to
see to its residents' medical needs.  After a round of hugs and
profuse thanks, they climbed into the helicopter and buckled
themselves into their seats for the short trip back to Mt. Vu'luk.

********** 

Mary awoke later that night to a terrible pounding on the door to
her cabin.  Throwing off the blankets, she ran to the door and yanked
it open to find a wild-eyed Mulder waiting.  He was shivering in the
cold, night air and she grabbed him with both hands and pulled him
into the cabin.

"What is it?" she demanded, glancing over her shoulder as her father
and Michael poked their heads out of the bedroom they shared.  Mulder
clutched her hands in both of his.

"It's Scully," he said in a desperate voice.  "Something's wrong
with the baby!"  His eyes pleaded with her to hurry.  Mary yanked her
hands from his and ran toward her room to get changed.  

"Mulder, go back and wait with Dana," she said.  "I'll be there in a
minute."  He nodded and fled back toward his cabin.  "Michael," she
called and her nephew looked up in surprise.  "Go get Sarah," she
ordered.  "Tell her that something is wrong with Dana and the baby." 
Michael jammed his feet into his boots and yanked his parka from a
peg on the wall, racing to do as he was told.  Mary ripped her
nightgown over her head and dragged on a pair of jeans and a sweater.
Stuffing her feet into her boots, she hurried back into the living
room to grab her own parka.  She spared a helpless glance toward her
father.

"I don't know how long I'll be," she told him.  Her father nodded
knowingly.

"I'll pray," he said quietly and pressed his lips to her forehead. 
"Now hurry," he told her.  She could see the light come on in Sarah's
cabin and she heard Michael's urgent voice carry across the silent
village as he explained the situation to Sarah.

She burst into Mulder's cabin and found Scully curled up in the
center of the bed.  Mulder was wrapped around his wife's body and he
was whispering to her soothingly.  Scully looked up when she heard
Mary enter the room and she held out her hand, her voice breaking on
a sob at the sight of her friend.

"Mary... oh God.  The baby!"  Mary hurried across the room and
clutched Scully's hand in her own.

"Are you in labor, Dana?" she asked as her fingers settled over the
inside of Scully's wrist, checking her pulse.  Her eyes widened as
she felt the frantic throbbing beneath her fingers.  Scully shook her
head and watched her with wide, frightened eyes.

"No," she gasped tearfully.  "But I have some cramps.  And I'm
bleeding."  Everyone looked up as Sarah rushed into the bedroom.  She
sized up the situation quickly and firmly pulled Mulder away from
Scully's side.  He backed up against the wall, his worried eyes never
leaving his wife.  Sarah laid a soothing hand on Scully's shoulder.

"I need you to lay down on your back, Dana," she said softly.  "I
need to examine you."  Scully nodded and her eyes were dark with fear
but she made no attempt to move.

"Come on, sweetheart," Sarah encouraged.  She looked across the bed
at Mulder and he leaned over his wife, crooning to her softly to
stretch out on the mattress and allow Mary and Sarah to examine her. 
She tugged him down onto the bed beside her and buried her face
against his thigh as the two women gently pushed her nightgown up
around her hips and pulled her underwear down her legs.  Their eyes
were grim as they studied the spots of blood staining the cotton
panties.

Sarah hurried into the bathroom and quickly scrubbed her hands under
near-scalding water.  She knelt between Scully's legs and called
softly to the frightened woman, demanding her attention.

"I'm going to examine you," she said gently but firmly.  Scully
nodded and turned her face away again, pressing into her husband,
whose hand stroked her head soothingly.  Mulder's eyes begged the two
women for help.  After everything they'd been through and triumphed
over this past year, he couldn't lose Scully and the baby.  Not now. 
It would surely kill him... 

Mary watched, feeling helpless, as the midwife slid gentle fingers
inside of Scully, probing carefully.  She watched the older woman's
eyes shut as she called on years of experience and skilled hands to
make a diagnosis.  After what seemed an eternity, Sarah withdrew her
fingers and wiped her hands on a towel.  

"The sac has not been ruptured," she announced.  "When was the last
time you felt the baby move?"   

Scully tried to clear her jumbled thoughts.  "About two hours ago,"
she said.  Mary grabbed a stethoscope out of Scully's medical bag and
everyone held their breath as she listened for the baby's heartbeat. 
She closed her eyes in concentration as she counted the rapid beats
of the baby's heart.  

"Sounds good," she declared as she straightened up.  "Do you want to
hear?" she asked.  Scully nodded tearfully and Mulder helped her to
carefully sit up as Mary fit the rubber tips of the stethoscope into
her ears.  A tiny smile trembled on Scully's lips as she heard the
baby's heartbeat.  Mulder looked up at Sarah with concerned eyes,
feeling some relief at the apparent health of their child but still
scared as hell about Scully.

"What is it?"  he asked.  "Why is she bleeding?"  Sarah shrugged,
not unkindly, and put away the stethoscope.

"Tension... stress, change of diet... take your pick."  She affixed
stern eyes on Scully's frightened face.  "You've been overdoing it
for months now," she said.  "And your body is rebelling."  Scully
hung her head and nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks.  Sarah's
face softened and she slid closer, gathering the younger woman's
hands into her own.

"You've taken care of everyone else.  Now you need to take care of
yourself and your baby," she lectured gently.  "Bed rest," she
pronounced.  "Until the baby is born, you are not to go near the
clinic.  Stay off your feet as much as possible."  Sarah smoothed a
tender hand over Scully's bright hair, waiting for her reply.

Scully's mind rebelled at the thought of spending the next month
lying in bed, but she knew she would do whatever was necessary to
ensure the safe delivery of her child.  She nodded dejectedly.

"I know... I will," she said softly.  Glancing up at Mulder, her
eyes filled with tears again.

"I'm so sorry, Mulder," she whispered.  He shook his head and
gathered her into his arms, holding her as if she would shatter into
a million pieces.  He whispered lovingly to her.

"Shh," he murmured into her hair.  "It doesn't matter.  We'll just
do whatever we need to do."  Mary cleared her throat, shaky with
relief herself.

"Let's get you into some clean clothes and change these sheets," she
suggested. Mulder nodded, lifting Scully into his arms and setting
her down on the chair in the corner of the room.  While the two women
put fresh sheets on the bed, he pulled clean underwear and fresh
pajamas from the bureau and helped Scully into the clean nightwear.

When she was settled back in bed, Mary sat down next to her and
placed a warm hand over her stomach.

"I know you're going to go crazy lying here in bed for the next
several weeks," she said knowingly.  "I promise I'll come by every
day." She pressed a kiss to her friend's forehead.  Scully nodded
tearfully and whispered her thanks to both women as they prepared to
take their leave.

"I'll see you out," Mulder said.  He walked them both to the door
with his arms over their shoulders, then took turns hugging each of
them with grateful affection.

"Thank you," he whispered fervently.  "Thank you so much!"  He
kissed them both on their cheeks and watched from his door until they
were safely in their cabins before turning off the lights and
climbing back into bed, curling his body protectively around his wife
and child.   Scully sighed, already in a light doze, exhausted from
the draining anxiety of the day and the panic of the evening.  Mulder
rested his hand underneath the swell of her stomach and smiled into
her hair when the warmth of his palm permeated her skin and within
the comfort of her womb, their child kicked.  Nose buried against
Scully's soft hair, Mulder whispered to their child, "Daddy loves
you, Little One... I'm counting on you to take good care of Mommy..." 

He fell asleep with his wife warming his body and the reassuring
movements of their son calming his soul.

*****************



~ Chapter Thirty Six ~

Scully was bored.  Only midway through the second week of enforced
bed rest, she was ready to tear out her hair.  Mulder would rise up
from their bed every morning and get dressed for the day before
bringing breakfast to her.  After breakfast, he would quickly clean
up, gently remind her that she was to rest and then sweetly kiss her
goodbye before leaving the cabin to go about his daily chores. 
Spring was upon them and the residents of Mt. Vu'luk were taking
advantage of the lengthening days by making repairs to the buildings
before the heavy spring breakup began.  Busy hands were at work in
the greenhouse, sowing the crop that would be harvested in early
summer.  Although Scully did not claim to have a green thumb, she
itched to bury her hands in the loamy soil of the greenhouse;
desperate to breathe in the pungent fragrance of the fertile dirt and
feel the heat of the sun intensified through the glass panels of the
greenhouse roof.  Beverly had explained that there would be a second
planting in about two months' time in which Scully's assistance would
be more than welcome, but that was of little comfort to her at the
moment.

To everyone's delight and no one's surprise Skinner had proposed to
Mary, right in the middle of a Sunday Gathering lunch.  He had jumped
to his feet during dessert, staring down at Mary as she laughed with
Patrick and Beverly seated across from them... and with high color in
his cheeks and no advance warning had grasped her wrist, pulled her
to her feet and dragged her off to the empty schoolroom two doors
down.  Tara, reporting back later that day to Mulder and Scully, had
recalled the shocked Mary with glee, hooting, "They were gone a full
twenty minutes before Walter finally brought her back in, both of
them beet-red."  Mary's eyes had been wide with wonder; she'd opened
her mouth twice to speak but nothing had come out.  Skinner had
finally taken pity on her and had blurted out in a gruff voice.

"We're getting married!"  The room had exploded with excitement,
Skinner caught right in the center of it and turning redder by the
minute... Scully would have given anything to see it.  But she was
missing out on the Sunday Gatherings, as was Mulder who refused to
leave her alone and spent the entire day with her.  

Now a wedding was in the works and the women of the village were
busy with the details as the menu for the reception was discussed and
refined and plans were made to decorate the chapel for the big event,
while Mary patiently stood still and allowed Tara to fuss over the
alterations being made to her dress.  She faithfully stopped in to
visit Scully every day, reporting to her the smallest details of the
wedding planning and while Scully rejoiced in her friend's happiness,
she couldn't help but feel a little left out.  Her own wedding had
been such a rushed and frantic affair... now she worried that her
well-meaning friends and overly-protective husband would not even
allow her out of bed long enough to attend the festivities.

Scully was determined to attend that wedding at any cost.

Winter was over and the village was rousing, bursting to life, while
Scully lay still and the world passed by without her.  The days were
long, with only Nanook for company, and there was little in the form
of entertainment.  She would place a stack of records onto the record
player and the sad, sweet strains of the oldies would whisper through
the room.  Her eyesight had been badly strained over the last several
months as she had spent hours squinting at the computer, pouring over
research manuals and studying her notes without the benefit of her
glasses.  A forgotten novel lying open at the second chapter bore
testament to the fact that reading only produced a headache now.  

Scully sighed and shifted in the bed, drawing a pillow close and
resting the burden of her belly against its soft weight.  The four
walls of the bedroom were closing in on her as she calculated the
time left until her due date.  Scully had too many hours each day on
her hands to think.

And worry.

The day after she had awakened terrified by the sight of the blood
spotting her underwear, Mulder had taken her to the clinic for an
ultrasound.  Mary was waiting for them and with Mulder, helped Scully
to climb onto the bed in the examination room.  Her clothes had been
pushed aside and rearranged and Mary had slathered the gel over her
seemingly enormous belly.  The wand floated over her gel-coated skin
and the baby's heartbeat filled the room.  There was something odd
about the heartbeat, Scully had thought - but then she was
distracted, her attention riveted to the grainy black and white image
displayed on the monitor to her left.

Mary moved the wand slowly over her stomach and pointed to the
screen with her other hand.

"There," she said with a note of relief in her voice.  "You can see
for yourself that everything is fine.  You have a very active baby,"
she smiled, watching the baby's limbs lazily push and twist in
Scully's womb.  Mary glanced over at Mulder's enraptured, but
confused face and she grinned again and began to trace her fingers
over the image on the screen.

"Here you go, Mulder," she said softly.  "Can you see the baby's
feet?" she asked.  He nodded and leaned closer to the screen, his
hand clenched tight around Scully's while Mary continued to point out
his child's features.

"That's the cord," she said, pointing.  "And there," she exclaimed. 
"The baby is sucking his thumb."  A wide smile broke over her face. 
"There's the other arm," she continued.  "And that's..." A puzzled
frown crossed her face and she leaned closer to the screen, moving
the wand over Scully's distended stomach, trying to gain a different
angle and a better view.  

"What is that?" she murmured.  Scully propped herself up on her
elbows as she strained to see the screen. 

"What?" she demanded.  "Mary, what is it?"  Her friend rocked back
on her heels and turned toward the couple looking anxiously at the
monitor.  She licked her lips and turned back to the image on the
screen as she puzzled out what exactly it was that she was seeing. 
Finally, she raised her eyes and a brilliant smile lit up her face.

"Twins!" she exclaimed happily.  Mulder's face registered shock and
then hesitant joy as he peered at the monitor, while Scully's
features were indeterminate and guarded.

"Look," Mary said, pointing to the screen.  A spindly arm and
another head with indistinguishable features peeked out from behind
their baby, its face turned away from them.  Mary smiled again as
Mulder gathered his wife into his arms and buried his face in her
hair.  She quickly typed several commands into the ultrasound's
keyboard, freezing the picture on the screen and printed out a hard
copy.  She eased the door closed behind her as she left to give her
friends some privacy; consequently she did not see the agitated look
on Scully's face as she stared intently over Mulder's shoulder at the
frozen image of the tiny lives growing inside of her.  

Twins... Sweet Jesus.  Mulder was holding her so tenderly and
whispering his awe and wonderment - and unending love for all three
of them - into her hair. And all Scully could hear was Krycek's
taunting voice playing over and over in her head...  

"Is this Agent Mulder's child or something unspeakable growing
inside of you?"

Now, almost ten days later, Scully waited and worried.  A twin? 
What were the chances, even with Spender's interference, that she who
had been previously barren, could suddenly bear not one, but two
healthy babies?  She wondered many things, starting with the
possibility of twins in Mulder's genetic makeup, to the uncertainty
of random fertility anomalies brought on by the procedure
involuntarily performed on her almost two years past. In the lonely
hours of her confinement, she was helpless to put a halt to the
maddening thoughts swirling through her head.  Did this second being
have the same features that she had already memorized of the first? 
The same tiny toes?  The delicate nose and teensy fingers?

Or did her child share the protective environment of its mother's
womb with an abomination, and if so, what would they do?  This second
life was part of her - biologically hers, feeding from her body and
receiving nutrition and life in the same manner as its womb-mate. 
The obvious difference in size worried her to no end, not to mention
the inability to see its little face... 

Scully shifted again in anguish and Nanook raised her head from her
resting place on the floor to climb onto the mattress.  She burrowed
her warm body against the distraught woman and Scully wrapped
trembling arms around the dog, burying her face in the soft, white
fur and sobbing out her fears.  Hours later, when Mulder returned
home, he found Nanook curled up in the center of his bed.  The dog
opened liquid blue eyes and whoofed softly in greeting, careful not
to disturb the woman who had dried her tears on her fur. Mulder
smiled at the peaceful picture they presented, unaware of the
turbulent dreams plaguing his wife's sleep.  He clucked softly at the
faithful dog and pointed to the door, knowing Nanook in her
dedication to Scully would not have moved a muscle.  The poor
sweetheart had to be bursting... the big Husky whined gratefully as
Mulder let her out, and she completed her business neatly and
quickly, loping right back in and climbing up on the bed so gently
and carefully that Scully never stirred.  Mulder sat on the edge of
the bed and made a fuss over Nanook as she settled down once more
close to his wife's side, quite willing to sacrifice the rest of her
day in protective care.  With a sigh of ecstasy at the scratching
behind her ears and a thankful lick of her master's hand Nanook
stretched out and went back to dozing, leaving Mulder free to begin
dinner.

********** 

"Tara!  Wait up!"

Tara spun on a heel and waited for Beverly to catch up with her. 
The glare off the snow made her wish for her sunglasses, but since
they were still sitting on the dash of the Explorer they left in
Deadhorse...  Tara shielded her watering eyes and smiled as Beverly
got closer, almost running in the loose snow.   

"Morning, Beverly!  Just in time.  Come help me gather eggs. Walter
can't do it today; he's helping Manly at the treatment plant."  The
two women fell into step together and walked in the brisk spring
morning.  Sunshine in the AM hours... it was a wonderful thing, Tara
decided.  Small things made her very happy these days - like gaining
ten minutes of daylight a day.  This was a good thing.  She grinned
at Beverly as they walked along, and gestured at the bright sky,
sighing, "Don't you just love it?  Spring is finally here, even if we
still have mounds of snow."  Beverly nodded and smiled at her
friend's enthusiasm.

"Yes, May is the beginning of it.  In just a few weeks we will enter
into the endless day of the summer season.  It is a true celebration
for us.  And speaking of celebrations," she stepped ahead to the barn
and held the door open for Tara, "I wanted to ask you if you'd given
any thought to having a baby shower for Dana.  She's got to be going
nuts, flat on her back in bed all day!  I think we need to entertain
her, if only for one day."

Tara nodded as she walked over to the wall and pulled down the egg
basket, finding a clean cloth to cushion the eggs.  "Yes, I was just
talking to Bill last night.  He spent yesterday afternoon with her
and I gather she really tried his patience - what there is of it!"
she laughed.  "You can certainly tell they're brother and sister. 
They played cards and took turns cheating and bickered so loudly that
Nanook got to barking!"  The women began working their way down the
line of clucking hens, Tara taking their eggs with minimal pecking
and squawking.  She added,  "I would love to have a shower for her; I
think it would really make her feel good.  I had about a week of bed
rest with Meggie and I truly thought I'd flip put before it was all
over.  And Dana's in bed for a month, poor thing!  I think it was
sweet of Michael to give her Nanook for the duration.  That is one
devoted dog.  She even sleeps on the bed with Dana; Mulder says he
comes home and finds them all curled up together, dozing."  

Beverly nodded as she held on to the basket and followed Tara. 
"Michael is a very intuitive boy - and Huskys are known for their
loving disposition."  

Tara suffered a mean peck from one of the older hens but still
managed to steal an egg or two, placing them gently in the basket, as
Beverly voiced her thoughts on the shower.  "Well, if we are going to
make this happen let's plan on doing it toward the end of the week. 
I crocheted her a baby blanket and matching sweater - I'd bought the
prettiest baby yarn the last time I was in Kenai visiting my mother."
Beverly swallowed a small lump in her throat as she thought about her
beloved mother, then determinably continued, "I had bought it with
the thought of making a receiving set for my cousin in Prudhoe.  But
the poor child suffered a miscarriage before I could even get
started.  I began working on the blanket set for Dana last month and
just finished it a few days ago.  Thank God I originally bought
enough for more than one blanket.  Just think of it... twins!" 

Tara nodded and smiled, remembering her surprise and joy upon
hearing the good news from first Mary, and then Scully.  Her smile
faded a bit as she recalled her sister's worry.  Oh, Dana had hidden
it well, but Tara could tell.  She was worried.  The other twin was
tiny in comparison to its brother and they could not establish its
sex with the ultrasound. And although she couldn't be sure exactly
why Dana was so worried - for she kept much of it to herself - Tara
was smart enough to know it had to center around her fear of the
virus.  And Tara was determined to keep her thoughts to herself and
not burden Dana or Bill - or Mulder, whom she had grown to love
dearly.

Now Tara collected eggs from the last hen and motioned Beverly over
to the goats' pen, both women cooing at the newest kid, a mottled
billy with the longest eyelashes they'd ever seen.  The tiny baby was
nestled in the curve of his mother's body, nursing like a fiend while
the nanny chewed her cud contentedly.  Tara leaned against the pen
and smiled at the sweet sight mother and baby made.

"Dana wanted so much to come over and see this little tyke.  But
Mulder won't let her out of bed.  I think the sooner we can organize
a shower the better. It shouldn't be hard to put together and we can
have it right at her bedside.  She won't even have to get up.  Mary
gave me a stack of baby things that she nabbed when they were in
Barrow doing the vaccinations.  I guess Dana had seen some cute
clothes and other things at the general store but refused to pick up
more than the bare necessities.  I'm going to wrap it in a big box or
two and it can be from all of us."  

Beverly smiled as she thought of how surprised Dana would be when
she opened the box.  She ticked off shower items on her fingers as
she thought of them.

"We need a few simple decorations, and food - little appetizers
would be nice, although we are severely limited.  I am sure I can
come up with some ideas!  And I will make my potato skins.  They are
to die for - made from blue potatoes."  Tara's eyebrows shot up at
the mention of colored vegetables, and Beverly chuckled at the look
on her face.  She added, "That's right - blue.  You'll see.  They are
very hardy and do well up here, growing any time of the year in the
greenhouse. A quarter of the smaller house is boxed off with dirt
that goes down three feet.  Plenty of depth for tubers and carrots. 
And Patrick made a platform for it a few years ago, to keep it off
the ground and safe from freezing."  

"But blue potatoes!"  Tara was amazed.  "Why haven't I seen them
before?  Doesn't anyone eat them?  Nobody has brought blue potatoes
to the Gathering lunches!"  Beverly shook her head as they walked
back to the chicken pen to pick up their outerwear.

"Would you believe I am the only one who likes them?  Everyone else
just looks at them and shudders, seeing only the color.  Patrick
won't even eat them.  I just grow them in a small patch of the tuber
box, and eat them at home.  I have never brought them to the
Gathering because I cook for everyone and I know they would not be
enjoyed."  She grinned at the thought of bringing her blue potato
skins to the shower and imagining the look on Dana's face when she
saw them.

Tara collected the egg basket and walked out of the barn with
Beverly, locking the barn behind her and assuring her friend that
she'd crate and distribute the eggs later that day.  Beverly left her
at her door with a promise to take care of all the food for the
shower.  Tara thanked her and entered her cabin, grinning at the
sight of Bill rolling around the floor with both Matty and Meggie
climbing all over him trying their best to tickle him.  Tara placed
the egg basket safely on her kitchen table and wriggled out of her
parka, commenting, "Under Daddy's arms, Matty - he's real ticklish
there!"  Matty whooped in glee and burrowed his little fingers under
his father's arm, digging all ten digits in and causing Bill to
screech with laughter and not a little pain.

"Tara, that hurts!  Matty, Son, don't hurt Daddy; you're supposed to
love me..."  Matty immediately stopped gouging him and his little
face crumpled with worry as he regarded his father.

"I hurt you, Daddy?  I'm sowwy!"  The child's chin wobbled, and Bill
was quick to reassure Matty, embracing him and snuggling him close.

"No, it's okay, Matty!  You didn't hurt me, Son - honest.  Daddy
likes to be tickled, really!"  Tara snorted at the blatant lie, and
mumbled under her breath as she filled the kitchen sink with hot
water and egg wash.

"That's not what you said last night, Bill..."  


*****************

Although Bill had cautioned her to warn Scully in advance of her
impending baby shower, Tara decided to surprise her sister-in-law,
figuring it would do Dana good.  She did tell Mulder who thought it
was a wonderful idea and promised to make himself scarce that day. 
In their village, with so many spring repairs and much planting to
accomplish, keeping busy and making oneself disappear all day long
would never be a problem.   

With the help of Mary, Tara broke into the clinic and swiped a
handful of thin rubber surgical gloves, determined that Dana would
have balloons.  Granted, balloons with fingers... but somehow that
was fitting for a doctor, she thought.  Michael begged to help her
blow them up and he and Tara spent a hilarious afternoon doing just
that.  Bill had watched them struggle to stretch the rubber enough to
force air into the palms and fingers of the gloves; Tara's face was
bright red before she managed to get her first glove stretched and
full of air.  She tied it off with a bit of string and fell back
against the sofa, gasping for air.  Bill guffawed loudly and she
swatted at him with one weak, slow hand which he avoided easily.

"Well, let's see, Darlin'... that only took you twenty minutes..." 
Tara flashed him a dirty look and flung a handful of the gloves at
his face.

"Bill, stop poking fun at me, and help us out here!  You can start
by stretching these damn things out using those big paws you call
hands."  Bill obligingly began stretching the fingers and palms of
the gloves, laying them aside in a neat pile, as he fought to keep
from laughing at Michael who was struggling to blow up one of the
stretched gloves.  He kindly deigned to blow up a few himself and
completed the task in half the time, much to Tara's disgust.  Bill
held up the silly looking balloon and regarded it seriously.

"You know, this is one boring-as-hell balloon, Tara.  It needs
something.  Maybe draw a happy face on it.  What do you think,
Michael?"  he addressed the thin boy, who blushed profusely at being
asked his opinion.  He gazed at Bill earnestly as he voiced an idea
that had been knocking around in his head ever since he'd asked Tara
to let him help out.

"Well, Dana and Mulder don't have names picked out for the babies,
do they?  I got a Magic Marker pen set; all different colors.  Maybe
we could write names all over the balloons, in different colors.  You
know - some good names and some silly ones, too.  So she'd laugh.  I
think Dana needs to laugh."  At the amazed looks on the adults'
faces, Michael blushed again, then turned absolute crimson when Tara
reached out and gave him a hug.  

"Michael, that's a great idea.  Very creative!  And you're right -
Dana needs to laugh.  Go get your pens, okay?  And start making a
list of names.  Bill and I will finish up these balloons. Won't we,
Bill?"  She threw a 'don't-even-think-of-saying-no' look at her
husband, who signed with loud resignation.  He winked at Michael as
he whined to Tara.

"Gee whiz... I always get to do the fun things..."

***************

On a sunny Thursday in the morning the women of Mt. Vu'luk met in
secrecy.  They gathered in the schoolhouse where they had some table
room, and laid their bounty down to exclaim over.  There were tiny
little rompers and sleepers in pale blue, yellow and soft aqua,
pattered with sweet little kittens and playful mice cavorting back to
front.  There were tiny booties, one pair knitted to look like saddle
shoes, and several caps and bonnets.  Tiny sweaters and shirts; a set
of sweats with adorable baby blue whales swimming in a rainbow sea. 
All compliments of the North Slope General Store...

Mary had found four empty boxes and the women split up the clothes
and the blankets and stuffed toys Mary had also grabbed.  They
wrapped the boxes in leftover Christmas paper, knowing Dana wouldn't
mind at all.  The packages still looked pretty and it was more
important to have something to rip open, as Sophie laughingly
remarked.  Then she opened up the bag she'd carried in, and showed
everyone what she had made... and there was utter silence before the
'Oohs' and 'Ahhs' filled the room.

Two identical parkas made of mink and fox, the mink shaded from pale
brown to almost cream and the fox slightly reddish in color.  Each
had a row of carved ivory buttons dancing down the front in the shape
of orca whales, and each little hood and sleeves were trimmed in
colorful braiding.  A ruff of softest mink edged the hood and had
drawstrings to pull the hood closed for maximum face protection. 
Tara had never seen anything more precious - and she voiced out loud
in amazement the amount of time that went into something this minute
and perfect.  Sophie had waved away the praise, explaining that she'd
begun working on the first one as soon as Dana had announced her
pregnancy, and then setting a world record for fastest stitching when
it was discovered that there would be twins.

"Ah, this is nothing.  When I was younger my fur parkas and kuspuks
always won awards and blue ribbons when I entered them in the Tanana
State Fair in Fairbanks.  They were much fancier than these.  My son
Jim lived there for many years and I would send him my entries every
year.  I will show you all my ribbons someday." Sophie fingered the
fox on the little sleeves gently before placing the parkas into an
empty box.  Reaching into the bag she withdrew two pair of tiny
mukluks made of spotted ermine and trimmed in mink.  Upon seeing them
Beverly whooped and hugged her.

"Sophie!  I KNEW you'd give these to Dana!  I remember these well...
even though I was just a little girl myself.  You made them years and
years ago, for your twin girls!"  Tara's head jerked around and she
stared at Sophie, shocked that in all these months of living here
she'd not heard more about Sophie's children.  She had to ask.

"Sophie, you had twins, too?  I had no idea!  Where do they live?" 
In her eagerness to know more about Sophie's children Tara never
stopped to think they might have passed on or not made it through the
colonization.  Sophie's wrinkled face creased into a sad smile.

"Oh my dear - they passed away years ago.  Both of them, within a
month of each other.  They could never stand to be apart and never
married, preferring each other's company to anyone else.  Pammy and
Patsy, my girls.  Thirty years old when they died, Child.  Pammy
developed ovarian cancer and I swear Patsy found a way to follow her
into death."  Sophie held the little boots in her gnarled hands and
her smile was full of remembered love for her girls.  

"I want Dana to have these - she will need them when her little ones
start toddling around out in the snow.  I would have given her one
pair - how lucky that I had two!"  With one last tender touch of her
fingers Sophie laid them on top of the parkas and taped the lid on
the box, and her memories.

With arms full of gaily wrapped gifts and balloons shaped like
surgical gloves, trays of appetizers and three bottles of sparkling
cranberry cider, the women of Mt. Vu'luk prepared to ambush Dana
Mulder, Pregnant Lady.  With Tara leading the way they tiptoed
through the snow in the afternoon sun, trying their best not to
giggle.  Tara reached the front door of Dana's cabin and opened it
soundlessly; from the bedroom Nanook woofed very softly and padded to
the door, wagging her tail.  From the bedroom they heard Dana's
sleepy, "Nanook, come back to bed Sweetheart..." Tara grinned and
pointed to the bedroom door - and they followed the dog back to her
bed - and right into the face of one very surprised Dana.

*******************

Tara watched her sister-in-law smile and laugh at the silly
balloons, pretending to take some of the baby names written on them
seriously.  

"Fartquart and Booboola... don't tell me.  Bill thought those up,
didn't he?"  Dana glanced at Tara with a lopsided grin and Tara
nodded back, shaking her head at her husband's silliness.

"Oh, yes.  Bill had several choice names picked out.  I had to
restrain him - Michael was the one writing the names on the
balloons!"  Scully cupped one of the inflated gloves in her hands,
admiring it - and her expression was stern as she met Mary's laughing
eyes.  She pretended to lecture her friend.

"And how many poor innocent gloves had to sacrifice their rubber to
make me laugh, Mary?"  

Mary choked on her cider and wiped it off her chin, exclaiming,
"Coming from you, Dana - that question sounds downright obscene!" 
Everyone laughed, which roused Nanook and set her off barking loudly.
Sarah flipped her a cheesepuff and she shut up in a hurry, chomping
in delight at the tasty treat.

Tara watched through the next hour or so, as Dana opened her gifts
and sighed over the lovely clothes and blankets.  She teared up when
she opened Beverly's hand made blankets and sweaters; but she almost
lost it completely when she dug into Sophie's gift and pulled out the
little parkas and mukluks.  Those tears pooling in her eyes ran down
her cheeks as she held up the tiny, furry clothes; it was clear she
was overwhelmed.  She laid them on her lap and held out her arms to
Sophie, who hobbled over to the bed and sat on the edge, cradling her
and whispering, "Now, don't take on so, Child!  It was nothing,
truly.  I have a lot of fur and much of it was already pre-cut into
shapes, ready to sew.  It was my honor and pleasure to make this for
your babies.  They will still be very tiny when our winter hits again
- you will need to keep their little bodies warm!"  

Tara watched Sophie wipe away Dana's tears and saw something much
more than just awe in her sister-in-law's eyes.  She saw worry there,
too.  Dana hid it well, over the rest of the shower.  She ate
some of the appetizers, seeming to enjoy the blue potato skins that
Beverly made; sipping her cider and listening to the gossip.  She
joined in when it became Mary's turn to receive the good-natured
teasing about her upcoming wedding.  Yet Tara could see Dana's heart
wasn't in it.  Doubtful anyone else noticed it, but Tara knew her
sister as well as she knew herself, despite the sparseness of their
visits before the world had come unraveled.  Tara sighed under her
breath as she poured more cider into empty glasses.  Whatever it was
Dana would not let anyone in until she was ready.

********************

Scully turned off the shower and pushed back the shower curtain. 
She squeezed the excess water out of her hair and reached for a towel
hanging on a hook outside of the shower stall.  Blotting the moisture
from her skin, she carefully stepped out of the shower.  Looking up,
she saw Mulder standing in front of the sink, shaving.  In the last
remaining weeks of pregnancy, her center of gravity was way off and
Mulder worried that she would lose her balance and fall.  She
indulged his concerns by agreeing to take her shower before he left
the cabin in the mornings.  She was sure that if the shower stall
wasn't so small, he would insist on being in there with her.  As it
was, he contented himself by performing his morning rituals of
shaving and brushing his teeth while she was bathing so that he could
remain close at hand should she need him.

As she slid her arms into her robe, she saw his eyes run over her
lush form in the mirror and a quick glance downward showed the
evidence of his desire rising beneath the towel wrapped around his
waist.  He cleared his throat and lifted the razor, cutting through
the lather covering his face in a long, smooth stroke.

"I'll be done in a few minutes," he mumbled and Scully nodded,
sidling past him on her way out of the room.  She climbed onto the
bed and rubbed the towel briskly over her hair.  She was reaching for
her brush on the table next to the bed when she heard Mulder groan
softly.  Concerned, Scully awkwardly slid out of the bed and padded
carefully across the room to peer through the half open door of the
bathroom.  

Mulder's towel was pooled around his feet and his back was bowed
over the sink as he stood with one hand braced against the smooth
porcelain.  His other hand was wrapped firmly around his hardened
flesh.  Another low sound slipped from his throat and his face was
tortured as he slid his hand roughly over his swollen length.  The
muscles of his back rippled as his hand moved on himself.  Scully
watched him for exactly four seconds, feeling the tingle of desire
pooling soft and deep.  It felt good... felt like enough for her.  

But not enough for Mulder... he'd been deprived of the assuage of
his needs for weeks now, since before she went on bed rest.  Scully
moved toward the bathroom door, smiling to herself.

Mulder's head was bent, his eyes tightly closed as he imagined
Scully's tight wet sheath enclosing him, instead of his hand... hell,
her hand would be equally wonderful - but she needed her rest, not a
humped-up husband demanding his rights.  He concentrated harder on
working himself toward release; so focused that he jumped in shock
when Scully settled one hand on the damp skin of his back and
cupped the fingers of her other hand lightly around his pumping hand.
Her lips pressed into his shoulder and she spoke into his skin.

"Let me," she whispered as she trailed her hand over his spine. 
Mulder shuddered and shook his head.  She was sweet and generous and
he was so tempted... but she was too far along.  It wasn't safe for
her.

"No, Scully," he whispered and took a step back.  "We can't," he
reminded her.  She shook her head and moved close.  Her robe hung
open and her heavy breasts brushed across his arm.  The feel of those
satiny globes made him tremble anew with desire, and he clamped down
hard on it.  Scully kissed his chest and trailed a wet tongue lightly
across each nipple, before she replied.

"I can't," she said softly, "but you can."  She brushed his hand
aside and wrapped her own fingers gently around his straining penis. 
He shivered and shook his head again, even as his hips thrust forward
helplessly, reacting to the amazing feel and warmth of her small hand.

"No," he whispered again.  "You're supposed to be in bed," he
protested, but his voice lacked conviction - and she smiled softly as
she stroked him.

"We could move this to the bed if you prefer," she suggested.  "But
Mulder, it's all right for me to be out of bed for a little while
every day.  I promise not to overdo it," she vowed.  She trailed her
fingertips lightly up and down over his quivering flesh and swiped
her thumb over the velvety head once.  Twice.  Each time his body
clenched and jerked in response to the caress.  He needed this, so
much...  Her lips brushed against his ear as she whispered again.

"Let me."

Mulder shivered and he nodded as he dropped his head onto her
shoulder.  Scully's fingers tightened around him and she began
stroking him firmly from root to tip.  Her other hand slid over his
neck and she buried her fingers in his hair, lightly raking her nails
over his scalp; he quivered and moaned under the dual caress.  His
hips began rocking forward, pushing his throbbing flesh into the warm
fist of her hand.  She could feel his lips moving against her throat
as he whispered her name over and over and his hands slid under her
robe, cupping her rounded hips securely, ever mindful of her safety.

Scully's movements sped up as his breathing hitched and changed. 
She would have liked to have taken him in her mouth and love him
properly but she'd never be able to get down on her knees and she
knew Mulder wouldn't let her anyway.  A hand job would have to
suffice... judging by the soft groans coming from his throat and the
way he whispered her name, her hand was more than enough for him. 
Her fingers slid over him, matching the rhythm of the gasping pants
below her ear.  When he began to tremble her arm tightened around him
and her fingers clenched in his hair as he stiffened against her. 
His mouth opened against her shoulder and a low growl was ripped from
him as he shuddered and shook, spilling himself over her hand and
burgeoning stomach.  Her hand slowed and gentled as she wrung every
drop from his body and she released him from her grasp, sending one
final loving caress over his damp penis.  

Wrapping her arms around Mulder's body, Scully pressed her swollen
breasts and belly against him, cradling him to her and whispering to
him soothingly as the tremors wracking his body slowed and stopped.

Mulder lifted his head from her shoulder and she tilted her head
back as he drew himself to his full height.  He wound his arms low
around her back and pulled her up against him, on her tiptoes.

"Thank you," he murmured before covering her mouth with his.  Their
lips met in a slow kiss that spoke of sated desire and tender
affection.  Mulder pulled away from her clinging lips and he turned
back to the sink, running a washcloth under warm water. Dropping to
his knees he gently cleaned the sticky residue of his semen from her
hand and stomach.  Before he tossed it in the sink he swirled it over
his abdomen and still somewhat swollen penis, ridding himself of the
last of his fluid.  He discarded the soiled washcloth, then closed 
his eyes and rested his cheek against the fertile mound of his
wife's stomach.

"I love you," he whispered.  Scully's heart burst with love as she
watched Mulder press kiss after gentle kiss into her belly, up to her
breasts; with featherlight lips he kissed each tender nipple.  His
soft mouth and gentle tongue felt so good... and when he stood and
led her back to their bedroom, crawling into the bed and curling
his body around hers, she sighed, reveling in the quiet contentment
of the moment.... so glad to be able to give him this.

Almost as much as he'd given to her.

************************



~ Chapter Thirty Seven ~

Somehow the day kept running through his mind like scenes from a
movie, while he was making slow, exquisite love to his bride. 
Snippets of the day, some verbal and some just images, floating in
and around the fine mist of desire which soaked him to the skin as
his body moved on hers, and the connection between them pounded
through his blood.  

Walter Skinner was enjoying the hell out of his wedding night...

All day long he'd been in a haze of longing anticipation, already
flipping his mental journal pages to the night and their bed in their
very own cabin; possessive 'they' in all aspects.  He'd awoken alone
in the new cabin, on this his wedding day; missing the warmth of Mary
but understanding the importance of some traditions.  She'd spent the
night with her father and Michael.  This was right and proper,
Skinner conceded.  It had given him an opportunity to put the
finishing touches on the cabin that used to belong to Sarah - and
who'd given it to Skinner and Mary as a wedding gift. The
conversation was forever etched in his mind as one of the most
unselfish acts of kindness anyone had done for him...

"Sarah, we can't take your home!"  Mary had been adamant and Skinner
had nodded, sitting side by side in this very room.  Sarah had smiled
and squeezed Mary's hand.

"And why not?  What do I need with two cabins?  I should have moved
years ago, but I never got around to doing it.  Patrick always said
he'd help me but I hung onto the cabins, thinking someday maybe he
would have need of them. Well, that did not happen, and now I have
just what you two need.  A place for you and a place for Jon and
Michael."  Mary had sighed softly and squeezed Sarah's hand in
response, and then she and Skinner had both looked around the unusual
cabin.

It had been built with a guest in mind, Skinner realized.  On the
outside actually two cabins, sitting close together and connected by
a heated breezeway, each cabin was completely private and each had
two bedrooms and a full kitchen and bath.  The larger cabin had a
living area, while the smaller cabin's living room had been
sacrificed for an extra bedroom.  Sarah's mother-in-law had occupied
the smaller cabin; it had been built specially for her.  Together the
two cabins were much more than the widowed Sarah needed, and Patrick
had built his own cabin three years ago.  

Sarah had cleared her throat, bringing Skinner's attention back to
her.  She had smiled at him gently, and reached out her other hand to
clasp his reassuringly.

"I do nothing unwillingly, Walter.  You should know that about me,
by now.  This cabin is too big for my old bones to rattle around in. 
Patrick worries about me; keeps thinking I'll fall."  She shook her
head indulgently.  "He thinks I'm going to break, I guess.  But it is
good for a son to worry about his mother; he honors me with his worry
and concern.  The least I can do is respect his wish, and find a
smaller place, nearer to him.  And that empty cabin next to his only
needs a piece of the roof fixed.  I will move there.  And you will in
turn honor me, by accepting this place for you and your family.  You
will need the room, Mary - for Jon and Michael."  Sarah's smiling
eyes had locked on to Mary's, who had nodded and smiled back,
blinking tears out of her vision.  She had impulsively leaned forward
and kissed the old woman's face, whispering to her.

"Sarah, Walter and I would be honored... wouldn't we?"  Mary's
imploring gaze had caught Skinner and he had nodded as well, and had
grinned at both women.

"You bet, Sarah - and thank you."

And so it was done - the roof on Sarah's new cabin was fixed in no
time, and she moved the very next day, Manly and Patrick helping her
with the furniture and heavier things.  It had not taken very long...
Beverly had spent half a day cleaning the empty cabins, refusing to
let Mary lift a finger to help.  And then Manly and Patrick had moved
Mary and Skinner's belongings right in, waving away Skinner's help as
well.  Mary and Skinner had spent the day cuddled in the gathering
hall, planning and laughing and just enjoying their free time
together, for Scully had refused to let Mary into the clinic the day
before her wedding...

The fire in the stove crackled and threw heat into the cabin, but
that heat had nothing on the intensity of what sparked between the
two bodies entwined in the bed.  The quilts and blankets had been
tossed to the floor; they were not needed.  The filmy nightgown Mary
had borrowed from Beverly had landed on top of the blankets. As
lovely as she'd looked in the pale blue confection Skinner had wanted
her skin against his.  She had been clothed all day, was indeed
gorgeous beyond belief in her mother's wedding gown.  Skinner had
been amazed to see it - then discovered Jon Honea had packed it in
with his belongings, unable to bear leaving it at the rectory.  Mary
had broken down and cried in her father's arms when he'd brought the
gown to her...

Mary had walked to him with her head held high and her long black
hair pouring down her back like a sable banner, and Skinner's throat
had closed up with emotion.   In the glow of the tiny chapel his
bride was as lovely as anything he'd ever beheld in his entire life. 
Skinner's eyes had locked upon hers and everyone else had ceased to
exist for him; the soft sniffling of Tara and Scully, seated on the
first pew closest to the door in case Scully had to beat a hasty exit
to the bathroom.  He'd been especially overjoyed to see Scully up on
her feet; it had meant everything to Mary and to him, having her at
their wedding.

Walter Skinner had adored Mary clothed in creamy antique satin...
now he adored her a hundred-fold more, clothed in nothing but her
equally creamy skin.  He'd pulled the nightgown from her body with
barely-disguised urgency.

Mary hadn't minded his urgency... not a bit.

In the dim room her hair swung over him in a midnight shimmer of
silk; it had grown in the past six months and now hung past her
waist.  She pressed him down into the tangled sheets and her hair
cascaded over one shoulder and dripped down onto his chest as she
took one of his small hard nipples in her mouth and bit down gently. 
He shuddered and his big hands gripped her waist, hard.  Mary's eyes
never left her husband's as she nipped at his sensitive skin, working
her way over hard pecs and a muscled stomach with her slippery hair
caressing him in the wake of her eager mouth and kneading hands. Down
his chest and over his tight abdomen... body slipping out of his grip
and moving steadily south until she reached her goal, and her fingers
strove to enclose all that lovely hard flesh on display between his
heavily muscled thighs.  

She sat back a little on his legs and stared at the sight of her
small hands running the length and breadth of his erection; dusky
fingers against darkly reddened flesh as hard as marble...  She could
look at him, admire him all day.  His male beauty was beyond compare.
Mary released him and used both hands to pull her heavy hair over her
shoulders, then she smiled as she reached out one tender index finger
and traced it down the throbbing skin, to the base and back up,
swirling one teasing nail around the broad tip.  And when her husband
gasped out a hoarse, "What are you doing to me, Mary..." she had a
ready answer.  She fluttered her fingers over the silky skin and her
reply left him reeling.

"I'm admiring a true work of art, Husband... I have always been a
lover of beauty."  She bent forward and her mouth grazed him in a
most sensitive spot, followed by her tongue, accompanied by all ten
fingers and two warm palms...

Skinner wound his hands into her hair and groaned.

Against his burning skin her mouth burned even hotter, her lips and
tongue gliding up and down his ridged length but never settling in
one spot.  Teasing him... stretching out the need until Skinner's
head was thrashing on the pillow and his breath hissed between his
teeth in one long sibilant exhale.  His fingers knotted and clenched
in her hair, fighting the urge to push her face into him, to make her
take all of him instead of just bits and pieces.  Mary looked up at
him with eyes as hot as her mouth, which hovered just over the satiny
head, waiting for him to lose it... daring him.  She darted out a
small pink tongue and let it barely touch him, feeling his entire
body tighten under hers - and when she blew a breath over the wetness
she'd left behind, his hips bucked into her face and his hands
grasped her hair and he pushed against her mouth, groaning harshly
when her mouth opened wide and took him inside.  

For Skinner the unselfish act was one more reason to adore her, for
Mary was one of the very few women he'd known in his life that really
enjoyed the giving of it.  Her mouth and throat felt incredible and
he could do nothing but lie back and let her take what she wanted,
and hope he lasted long enough to return the favor...

Her hair cascaded around him like a black waterfall as she made love
to him with her mouth and her hands.  Skinner held the silky strands
up and away from her face to watch the sensual by-play.  And he
thought back to a few short hours ago, when he'd slid his hands
underneath her heavy hair and grasping two fistfuls of it, had
brought it to his lips and kissed the fragrant skeins of it. Mere
seconds later he'd used it to pull her lips close enough to cover
with his own as her father had pronounced them man and wife...  when
he'd kissed her hair, Mary's eyes had filled with tears and her lips
had trembled.

Now he watched those full lips stroke him, and feeling her throat
enclose him and her tongue caress him this way was almost more than
he could handle; Skinner brought her hair to his face and pressed it
to his mouth as his hips rocked slowly, slowly...

When he could hold back no longer Skinner lifted her head and
extricated himself as carefully as possible, then tilted her face up
to his so he could see her heavy-lidded eyes and rosy, swollen mouth.
She took his breath away... what little he had left to take.  He
started to move her onto her back but Mary pushed against him and her
low, firm, "No," stopped him cold.  Skinner stared at his new wife in
confusion.  Her answering grin was reassuring, as she instructed him,
"Sit on the edge of the bed, Walter."  She tugged at his arm until
she had him positioned to her satisfaction, then she slipped off the
bed and opened the closet door, rooting around for a second until she
found what she wanted, and propped it directly across from the bed,
against the wall.

A full-length mirror...

Mary approached the bed, and Skinner; insinuating herself between
his legs she bent down and covered his mouth with hers, kissing him
deeply as he sighed into her mouth and his hands moved restlessly
over her body.  He began to push his fingers inside her and Mary
pulled her hips away from his roving hand, again with a firm, "No. 
Not yet - not that way..."  Skinner obediently removed his hand,
slipping his arms around her and kissing her, waiting to see where
she would lead him next.

When she suddenly broke their kiss and spun around to face the
mirror, leaned back against his broad chest and curved a hand behind
her to maneuver his hard length underneath and to the front of her
wetness, Skinner got the picture.

The full-length picture... and it was the most erotic sight he'd
ever beheld.  Between her thighs and pressing up against her soft
curls Skinner saw the darkly-flushed tip of his penis jut forth like
a piece of living sculpture; the look and feel of it nestled there
forced a gutteral moan from his throat.  God... the way she looked...
small and fragile, but looks were deceiving.  The power she had over
him was formidable... 

Her hair rippled over his arm and down his side to pool on his
thigh, and in a graceful splay of slender legs she opened herself to
him and lifted her hips up and away from his erection, the better for
him to observe.  In the light coming in from the open bathroom he
could see her, glistening, ready for him.  Inviting... arousing. 
Skinner stared at her and he couldn't stop himself from groaning
aloud.  Mary slipped an arm up around his neck and drew his head down
for a kiss, her eyes never leaving his as he put his hands on her
hips and lifted her higher, while she repositioned him and guided him
inside.  They watched each other shudder with the impact of flesh
absorbed within flesh...

Skinner was fascinated by the sight of them together in the mirror,
his eyes glued to their reflection as he saw his hands raise Mary's
hips and then bring her down upon him, again and again... each time
forcing a gasping breath from her lungs.  She anchored her arm around
his neck and her other hand reached into her thicket of dark curls
and toyed with her swollen clit, fingers occasionally brushing
against him as he moved faster, and deeper within her.  Mary watched
her hand giving herself pleasure as her husband's driving strokes
coiled her tighter, and tighter - the intensity of his stare burning
her in the mirror, as hot as the flesh that impaled her.  Knowing she
was on the edge of her release - wanting it to never end -

Screaming when it broke over her and inside her and the full body-
shudder she experienced pulled strongly at him... until with three
final hard thrusts he was right there with her...

His shout as he climaxed was loud enough to break a mirror... 
fortunately for them, theirs held together.  Mary lifted eyes gone
heavy with satisfaction, her stare devouring the sight of her
husband's reflection; his entire body flushed with the force of their
coupling and his chest heaving beneath her back.  She leaned in
against his shoulder and her voice was low and vibrated with emotion.

"God... look at us.  Look.  Do you see what I see, Walter?  I see
love.  I see endless need and spent desire and I see my husband, whom
I adore beyond all else..."  

Skinner's arms tightened about Mary's damp body and he pressed his
mouth into her shoulder as he stared at the picture they made, here
in their new bedroom at the beginning of their new life together.  It
was a sight he knew he'd never tire of seeing.  Still trapped within
her indescribable warmth, touching the very womb of her... Skinner
could think of only one other gift that would make his world
complete.  His hoarse rumble against her ear made her shiver.

"I want a child with you, Mary..."   The sweet words brought tears
to her eyes and she turned her head and caught his mouth; kissed him
tenderly, feeling him still so far within her and sending a prayer
heavenward that locking him inside for these few precious minutes
would give him his wish...  Against his lips she was affirming.

"Yes.  I want it, too - so much I ache, Walter."  She stared up into
his dark eyes and her own filled with tears that dampened her cheeks
as she made a vow for them to keep.

"Soon.  Maybe tonight... maybe it has already happened.  But I'd
like to think you gave me a son, or a daughter tonight, Love..."  

In the mirror the newlyweds pressed themselves close to one another
and whispered of their future.

*************
~ Chapter Thirty Eight ~


June

Scully felt the first contraction shortly after Mulder left the
house in the morning. The sun was shining brightly both day and night
now but with black shades and heavy curtains over the windows, the
bedroom was cool and dark. She had been experiencing Braxton-Hicks
contractions for several days as her uterus began preparing to expel
its tiny passengers. Scully blew out a breath she hadn't been aware
she was holding as the pain faded; she smoothed a hand over her
rounded belly, relaxing back into the pillows. That one had been
different from any contraction she had felt so far and she had been
caught unprepared for its intensity.

Long moments passed without another contraction and her eyes
fluttered shut. Boredom and enforced bed rest had combined to make
her lethargic over the final weeks of her pregnancy and she had found
herself taking frequent naps during the day. She was startled out of
a comfortable doze when the second contraction hit, curling low and
hard in her womb. Gasping, she sat up and looked at the clock. She
guessed that roughly thirty minutes had passed since the first
contraction. She rubbed a hand over her stomach. Scully found her
watch on the nightstand and strapped it around her wrist. She had
things to do and she had to get them done before the pains began to
come with more frequency. She struggled out of bed and cautiously
stood, holding onto the bedpost for support. When she was sure her
legs would hold her, she began to make her way slowly toward the
bathroom. 

Grabbing a towel, razor and a can of Mulder's shaving cream, she
lowered the lid of the toilet seat and sat down, clumsily propping
one foot on the sink. Squirting the shaving cream into the palm of
her hand, she began to smooth it over her leg. Reaching across the
broad swell of her stomach, she awkwardly began shaving. As she
dragged the razor along her leg, she remembered a story that her
mother had always told about how she had calmly and insistently
painted her toenails while in labor with Melissa, as her husband
paced and raged that it was time to leave for the base hospital. 
Somehow that trivial yet calming little chore had made absolute sense
to her and Missy, although Bill, Charlie and their dad would always
roll their eyes in pretended disgust...

Mulder, she knew, would be worse. Scully had briefly considered
sending for him after the second contraction, but had quickly
discarded the idea. He had never been able to handle seeing her in
pain and she knew that this delivery would be as difficult on him
emotionally as it would be on her physically.  It was best to get the
worst of the more sporadic contractions out of the way and spare
herself an over-abundance of Mulder-angst.

She finished shaving, then washed her face and brushed her hair
back, securing it into a neat ponytail. She went back into the
bedroom and changed out of her pajamas and into a clean nightgown.
She was stripping the bed when the third contraction washed over her.
This one was stronger than the other two and she braced her hands on
the mattress for support as she waited for the pain to subside.
Huffing out a steady breath, she looked at her watch. Still almost
thirty minutes between contractions, she noted; she finished making
the bed with fresh linens. Scully looked around the room and her eyes
fell on the two cradles sitting side-by-side in the corner of the
room. Mulder had spent every spare moment working on the second
cradle after the ultrasound had shown the twin lives growing inside
her womb. Her troubled eyes traced over the tiny bed with its fresh
coat of varnish lovingly applied by Mulder only two days earlier. She
determinedly pushed the disturbing thoughts out of her head. She
would know soon enough.

Scully pulled open a drawer and gently lifted out two soft receiving
blankets and two impossibly small diapers along with tiny pajamas in
pale shades of blue and yellow and laid them in the waiting cradles.
Lastly, she laid clean towels and washcloths by the bed. Between
contractions, Scully straightened up the bedroom and cleaned the
cabin, nervous energy preventing her from sitting still.

Four hours after her labor had begun, she was hit with a
particularly strong contraction. Caught off-guard, she leaned
forward, clutching the table for support and gasping for breath as
the sudden pain curled through her belly and spread low in her back.
It was at this moment that Mulder chose to come home for lunch and he
found Scully in the middle of the sun-filled room, eyes squeezed shut
and with a white-knuckled grip on the edge of the table.  Mulder
dropped the small tool kit he'd been carrying; it narrowly missed his
foot.

"Scully!" he cried as he raced to her side. She blew out a long
breath as the pain receded and looked up into her husband's worried
face. 

"I'm alright," she assured him quickly. He reached out to brush her
stomach with tentative fingers.  Through the nightgown he could feel
the hard knot as their babies shifted and prepared to drop into
birthing position.  Taking several deep breaths Mulder forced himself
to remain as calm as possible.

"Is it...?" he asked. Scully nodded and laid her hand over his.

"The contractions started about four hours ago," she said. Mulder's
eyes rounded and a look of anger crossed his face.  Four hours -! 
Jesus!

"Why didn't you send for me?" he demanded. Scully laid a restraining
hand on his arm and looked up at him with a reassuring smile. 

"It's okay," she said softly. "First babies can take a long time.  I
wasn't planning on giving birth without you," she promised. Mulder's
eyes were turbulent and he swept her into his arms, carrying her on
swift legs toward the front door.

"Mulder?" she asked with a bewildered look. "Where are you taking
me?" Mulder glanced down at her face in astonishment.

"Where am I...?" he spluttered. "I'm taking you to the clinic!" he
said, stating what he thought should be obvious. Scully shook her
head and began to squirm in his arms.  Mulder blew out an impatient
breath and tightened his grip.

"Stop that," he demanded. "You're going to fall!" She looked up at
him challengingly.

"I'm not going to the clinic," she said resolutely. "I'm going to
deliver here, at home."  Her husband's jaw dropped in shock.

"Here?" Mulder demanded. "But... but all of the equipment is..." He
broke off as she pursed her lips and shook her head slowly back and
forth. 

"No," she said stubbornly. Mulder began to argue again, but he
recognized the determined set of her jaw and he knew she wasn't going
to budge.  With a loud sigh he retraced his steps, her nightgown
fluttering around her bare legs.

"Fine," he huffed in exasperation as he carried her into the
bedroom. "But you aren't supposed to be on your feet," he declared as
he set her down in the center of the newly made bed. "I'm going to
get Mary and Sarah."  He turned to leave the room.

Scully grabbed his hand quickly. "No, wait!" she exclaimed as she
pulled him back toward the bed. "It's too early to call them," she
said. Mulder's face was a combination of fear and disbelief.  He sank
down onto the bed and grasped one of her hands, feeling the panic
begin to set in.

"Scully, you're in labor!" he said. "Please, let me get them!"  And
with a sigh, Scully acquiesced. The pains were still coming every
thirty minutes or so now and she knew Mulder would not rest until 
she had been examined. She nodded and he raced out of the cabin. 
She was blowing out short breaths and counting her way through the 
next contraction when she heard the door slam open and Mulder's 
feet pound across the living room.

"We're back!" he called unnecessarily as he hurried to her side. He
sat down on the bed next to her and smoothed his hand down the column
of her spine as she bowed forward through the pain. When it subsided,
she looked down at her watch and then up into Mary's smiling face.

"How far apart are they?" the nurse asked as she sank down onto the
mattress. She lifted Scully's hand into her lap and calmly wrapped
her fingers around her wrist, quickly checking her pulse.

"That one was about twenty-five minutes after the last one," Scully
told her. Mary nodded and urged her to lean back against the pillows,
tugging on a pair of latex gloves. Scully struggled to raise her hips
as Mary pulled her nightgown up her thighs so that she could examine
her. A few moments later, the younger woman looked up and met
Scully's expectant gaze.

"You're just a little more than one centimeter," she said as she
tore the gloves from her hands. "You should rest while you can," she
said quietly. Standing she looked into Mulder's anxious face. "You
should both get some rest," she suggested before turning to leave.
Mulder leapt to his feet, in a panic.

"You're leaving?" he asked incredulously. He caught the hem of
Mary's shirt between his fingers. "How can you leave?" he asked.
"She's in labor!" Mary wrapped strong fingers around his and squeezed
gently. 

"Mulder, she has hours to go before she delivers these babies," Mary
told him. "Labor usually takes a long time," she said. "First time
mothers can sometimes labor for up to twenty or thirty hours before
the baby is born." Mulder paled and she laid a reassuring hand on his
cheek.

"She's strong and healthy and I don't think it's going to take that
long," she said comfortingly. She led him out of the bedroom and
stopped near the front door. "There's nothing I can do for her right
now. But you can help her," she said, hoping that by giving him
something to do, she could help to calm him. "Rub her back, bring her
something to drink," she suggested. "Talk to her. SING to her. Help
her to rest." Mary smiled and pulled her friend forward, wrapping her
arms around his lean frame. 

"It's going to be okay," she told him bracingly. "Sarah and I will
stay close and we'll come by to check on you. Soon," she promised.
Mulder nodded jerkily and as the door closed behind her, he scrubbed
his hands over his face and turned back toward the bedroom.  Mary
knew what she was doing, he told himself.  He was the one with no
prior birthing experience with which to compare.  He walked back into
the bedroom and found Scully lying in the middle of the bed, peeking
at him from beneath her lashes. Mulder managed a shaky smile and a
silly, falsetto, "Miz Scarlett, Ah doan' know nuthin' 'bout birthin'
no babies!"  

Scully snorted out a tired laugh that ended on a squeak as the
chuckle rode out on the coattails of another contraction.  She
groaned.

"Mulder, don't you dare make me laugh..."  She held out a hand to
him and her husband climbed into bed, curling his body behind hers
and rubbing a warm, soothing palm over her belly.

********* 

The afternoon passed slowly. Scully's labor varied in both frequency
and intensity and Mulder marveled at his wife's ability to nap in
between contractions. Sarah and Mary stopped in regularly throughout
the afternoon and early evening to check on her progress and they
were pleased and upbeat with each examination. By eight o'clock in
the evening, Scully's cervix had dilated to approximately four
centimeters. Sarah looked up and met Scully's tired eyes with a smile.

"Four centimeters," she declared. She laid a hand on Scully's thigh
and squeezed softly. "The contractions are going to start coming
faster and they will be more sustained now," she told the younger
woman. Scully nodded and her hand tightened around Mulder's as the
pain began building once again. She hung her head and panted softly
and Mulder whispered into her ear until the pain had receded
slightly. Still panting, she smiled shakily at Sarah.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "That one was strong." She swiped a trembling
hand over her brow, pushing back the hair that had long ago escaped
its ponytail. "What was the time on that one?" she asked. Sarah
looked at the clock on the nightstand. 

"About eight minutes," she told her, taking a glass of water from
Mary and offering it her. "Small sips," she instructed and Scully
nodded, gratefully allowing the cool water to moisten her dry mouth.
She handed the glass back to Sarah and leaned her head against
Mulder's shoulder. She reached up with one hand and pulled his face
close to hers.

"How are you doing?" she asked gently, brushing her lips over his.
Mulder smoothed his hand over her tangled hair and smiled against her
mouth, determined to lie to her if necessary.

"I'm doing just fine."  Outwardly, he struggled to maintain a calm
appearance but deep inside, he was a mass of jumbled nerves. Scully
shook her head ruefully. She was all too familiar with the look of
studied calm on his face that she knew was a front to cover the panic
within. She was about to call him on it when her hand involuntarily
tightened around the back of his neck as another powerful contraction
swept through her. She could feel Mulder's heart thundering against
her back as he wrapped protective arms around her until the spasms
had subsided once more.  He dropped his cheek on her bright hair and
prayed for enough strength, not only for her but for him as well.

Scully's labor continued like that for another hour or more and she
was becoming tired and tense as the contractions began to move closer
and closer together. Suddenly, when she was approximately seven
centimeters dilated, her contractions began to slow and then they
seemed to stop.

"What is it?" she demanded as Sarah sat between her parted legs to
examine her again. "What have the contractions stopped?" Her eyes
were large with fear and every muscle in her body was rigid with
tension. Sarah smoothed the nightgown back down over her legs.
Grasping Scully by the hands, she glanced up at Mulder, whose face
had lost all pretense of studied calm and looked out-and-out
frightened.

"Help me," she said as she eased Scully's feet onto the floor. Sarah
smoothed her fingers over the backs of Scully's hands. "Sometimes,
when the mother has been laboring for a long time, she becomes too
tense and that can cause labor to stop," she explained. Scully
nodded. Medically speaking, she knew all of that, but she had long
ago stopped reacting to what was happening to her body like a doctor.
She was tired. She was in pain and she was afraid. Sarah looked into
Mulder's eyes.

"You need to help her relax," she said and she began to pull Scully
to her feet. "A warm shower might help," she said. Mulder shook his
head.

"How does that..." he began to ask in confusion. Mary spoke up from
where she had been watching worriedly from the doorway. She pasted a
calm look on her face as she met his troubled eyes.

"Climb into the shower with her and hold her," she said. "A warm
shower and the comfort of your arms will provide a physical and
emotional timeout for her," she explained. "It might help her body to
readjust and recommit to the job before her." Mulder nodded and
wrapped his arm firmly around his wife's waist, helping her toward
the bathroom. Mary had moved into the small room ahead of them,
turning on the water and adjusting the temperature. She laid out
towels and a fresh nightgown and as she slipped out of the room, she
laid one hand on Mulder's arm.

"Stimulation of the nipples can encourage the uterus to contract,"
she told him softly. Mulder flushed and his eyes darted away from
hers but Mary just tightened her grip on his arm, forcing him to meet
her gaze.

"We need to get the contractions started again," she said firmly.
Mulder nodded and tried to slide past her but she wasn't finished.
"Don't overdue it," she cautioned, "or it can cause contractions to
last more than two minutes in duration. The babies need more time to
rest between contractions." Mulder's mind swirled with a combination
of embarrassment, confusion and fear.  He didn't want to talk to Mary
about something this intimate.  And yet, who else could he talk to? 
Mulder blew out a shaky breath as he faced his and Scully's best
friend with bright red cheeks.

"How do I know if I'm..." He broke off, unable to continue this line
of conversation. Mary smiled sympathetically and patted him on the
arm.

"Just be gentle," she advised as she pulled the door closed behind
them. Scully was leaning tiredly against the sink and Mulder hastened
to pull her sweat-soaked nightgown over her head. He quickly stripped
out of his own clothes and climbed into the shower stall. He
carefully helped her into the narrow stall with him and backed up
against the wall, pulling her against his chest and wrapping his arms
around her.  There wasn't enough room in the tiny box but they made
do as best they could - Scully was weary enough not to care how tight
the fit was.  Her head found its favorite resting place below
Mulder's chin and she slumped against him as his hands swept up and
down her back in long, smooth strokes. 

The warm water sprayed over her aching limbs and she began to relax
by slow degrees as the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear and
the warmth of the water trickling over her body began to lull her.
Mulder fought down his body's natural response to having his wife wet
and naked in his arms and he concentrated on helping her to relax,
whispering encouragingly to her as his fingers stroked and caressed.
She felt his hand settle on the back of her head and she tilted her
face, blinking against the fine spray of the water. His mouth lowered
to hers in a gentle, oh so gentle kiss as he cupped her breasts
in his palms, sweeping his thumbs delicately across the sensitive
tips. They stayed that way for what seemed like hours; she lying
heavily in his embrace; he awed by the responsibility entrusted to
him as his hands moved with gentle purpose over her body. The
peaceful interlude was interrupted when Scully's body grew rigid in
his arms as her uterus began to tighten once again in a powerful
contraction.

Mulder held her securely until it had passed, and then he quickly
turned off the water and helped her out of the shower stall. He ran a
towel over both of them and eased the clean nightgown over her head,
sitting her down on the closed lid of the toilet while he rapidly
dressed. Then he picked her up gently in strong arms that reacted to
her extra weight as if she were no heavier than a feather - and
holding her closely to his heart he took her back to bed, settling
her against the pillows and kissing her soft mouth in tiny sweet
kisses, before taking his place beside her and curling himself around
her again, supporting her sore back.

********************

Sarah let them rest for several minutes before leaning over the bed
and rousing them.  "Come on, Dana," she said firmly.  "It's better
for you to keep moving right now."  She stroked a strand of wet hair
off of Scully's face and smiled as the younger woman briefly nestled
her cheek into Sarah's warm palm.  "We don't want the contractions to
stop again," Sarah finished and she slid her fingers down Scully's
pale cheek.  Mulder stood and helped his wife to her feet.  Firming
his grip around Scully's waist, he laid his other hand on top of her
belly, noting for the first time how her burden had dropped over the
last few days.  

Leaning heavily on her husband's arm, Scully let him lead her in a
slow walk through the cabin.  She was beginning to focus on the
internal workings of her body and Mulder's voice was a low murmur of
comfort in her ear.  Mary and Sarah melted into the background as the
couple moved from room to room and despite her worry, Mary couldn't
help but smile at the picture they presented - the tall, dark-haired
man bent protectively over the small woman curled so trustingly
against him.

Scully stopped in her tracks as another contraction caught her in
its powerful grip.  She leaned forward over Mulder's arm, gritting
her teeth and trying to breathe through the pain as it radiated across
her middle, pushing into her back and spreading down into her legs. 
A low moan of distress escaped her lips and as the pain briefly
faded, she tilted her head back and looked up at him.

"Mulder, please," she said as she clutched his arms with her hands. 
"I'm so tired.  I want to lie down for a little while."  Mulder
nodded as he studied the small face turned up to his.  With one hand,
he pushed the damp hair from her cheek.  Her face was deathly pale
and heavy bruises ringed eyes that were wide and dark with pain and
fear.  Mulder's heart clenched as he gazed into her frightened eyes. 
She had been so calm and brave over the many long hours since he had
come home for lunch and he had forgotten that she had confessed to
being terrified of giving birth only a few short months earlier. 
Mulder cupped his wife's face and thought about how small she was;
how narrow through the hips.  And he was so worried... he'd been a
big baby - nine pounds and almost twenty-two inches long.  His mother
had always joked that her Fox had spilt her just about in half when
she'd delivered him.

Mulder never discovered until years later that his mother had almost
died giving birth to him.  And as he supported Scully and kept her
weight off her feet Mulder remembered the difference in size between
their babies...  Their son would cause his mother a lot of pain - and
history could repeat itself...

He bent down, intent on carrying her back to bed, but a startled
gasp from Scully stopped him.  She was staring sightlessly at a spot
on his T-shirt and her lips were rounded in a perfect "O" of surprise.

"What is it?" he asked worriedly.  Scully's eyes moved slowly up
along his chest to meet his wary gaze.

"Something's... something is happening," she whispered as first a
trickle and then a warm flood of liquid poured from between her legs,
pooling on the floor at their feet.  Mulder looked down in shock at
her small feet standing in a puddle of fluid then he burst into
motion, scooping her into his arms and hurrying toward the bedroom.

"Her water just broke," he announced nervously as he shouldered his
way into the room and laid her in the middle of the mattress.  Mary
settled on the bed between Scully's legs and examined her while Sarah
used a towel to dry her legs and feet.

"It sure has," Mary confirmed.  "You are fully dilated," she crowed.
Sarah leaned over the tired couple and stroked gentle hands over
their heads.

"It won't be long now, my dears," she assured them.  

Mulder used a cool, wet cloth to wipe Scully's face as she writhed
on the bed when another contraction assailed her body.  One after
another they came, giving her little to no rest in between.  Gasping,
Scully struggled to sit up and Mulder helped her, slipping behind her
to support her back, his hands shaking.  Scully looked wild-eyed at
Sarah.

"I need... I need to push," she panted.  Sarah nodded and rose from
the edge of the bed.  Mulder looked up in surprise.

"Where are you going?" he asked as she moved away from the bed and
into the other room.  He craned his head to see what she was doing.

"Bring her over here," Sarah directed, pointing to a small stool
that was set up near the fireplace in the living room.  He had been
so focused on Scully that he hadn't noticed it earlier when they were
walking through the cabin. Mulder looked around the bedroom and then
peered back at Sarah through the doorway.  His arms tightened
protectively around his wife as she moaned softly against the pain of
another contraction.

"Why can't she just stay in bed?" he asked in confusion.  "It's got
to be a hell of a lot more comfortable than that thing," he
protested, eyeing the wooden stool.  Mary shook her head.

"It will be easier for her in the birthing chair," she told him.
"Sarah has been a midwife for many years," she reminded him.  "And
she has used this chair for almost every delivery she has
participated in.  Squatting will increase the flare of the pelvis
allowing the baby to slide through easier," she explained.  "Besides,
we want to have gravity working for her, not against her."  Mulder
nodded doubtfully, still worried - but he lifted Scully into his arms
and carried her out of the bedroom. 

The birthing chair was set low to the ground.  It had a curved seat
and back, against which she could lean comfortably.  Two handles
jutted up from the seat and Scully immediately clutched them with
both hands as the next contraction bore down on her.  Sarah was
waiting near the chair and she stripped the sweat-soaked nightgown
over Scully's head, replacing it with one of Mulder's oversized T-
shirts, tugging the soft cotton over Scully's breasts and giving her
the illusion and comfort of modesty, although she realized that the
younger woman was far from caring about such things at this moment. 
She pointed to the floor behind the chair and Mulder knelt down and
placed his hands over his wife's on the handles, watching with
frightened eyes as Mary settled into place on the floor between
Scully's spread legs.

"I'm too old to be sitting on the floor," Sarah explained under
Mulder's questioning look.  "But Mary has delivered several babies
and I will be right here the entire time," she said reassuringly. 
Mary set warm hands on Scully's ankles and lightly chafed the skin of
her calves as she sought her attention.

"Okay, Dana," she said in a low, soothing voice.  "When the next
contraction peaks, I want you to push."  Scully tightened her grip on
the wooden handles and nodded.  Mary rose to her knees and set one
hand on Scully's stomach so that she could feel the contraction as it
built.  Scully locked her eyes on her friend's face and saw her nod.

"Now, Dana!" she exclaimed.  "Push.  Push now!"  Scully closed her
eyes and drew in a deep breath and bore down with all of her
strength.  The contraction subsided and she could hear Mulder's voice
near her ear, praising and encouraging her.  

Mary set a hand on one of Scully's quivering legs.  "Good, Dana,"
she said.  "Now, here it comes again," she warned.  "Can you feel
it?"  Scully nodded and braced herself again.

And on it went for almost another hour.  Scully knew, or thought she
had known how painful this would be, but nothing she had read or
heard had prepared her for the pain and utter exhaustion of
childbirth.  Each contraction swelled and peaked and she bore down
every time, straining and grunting with her efforts.  Her focus
narrowed and the other occupants of the room faded into background
noise as her body struggled to deliver itself of the tiny creatures
within.  She collapsed back into Mulder's waiting arms and he wiped
her face and neck with a cool cloth.  She could feel his heart
thundering in his chest and she heard the low rumble of his voice
whispering words of love and praise in her ear.

For Mulder the reality of seeing a woman give birth was frightening
enough - but that it was his wife, delicate and small-boned... Scully
was strong but contractions like these would have decimated anyone
else.  He didn't know how she'd hung on this long.  And he was beyond
worried and beyond afraid for her and their babies.   Mulder fought
against the taunting voice in his ear that whispered to him of all
that could go wrong with the birth...

Breech delivery.  Massive tearing, especially as her body struggled
to expel their much-larger son.  Umbilical asphyxiation.  Arterial
clotting.  Mulder knew enough of them, stored in his damned memory,
to keep him in endless panic for days and weeks to come.  He could
feel himself breaking up and ruthlessly pushed it way down.  Now
wasn't the time to come unhinged.  His wife needed him to be strong
for her...

After what seemed to be endless pushing sessions Scully struggled to
open her eyes and she looked first into the beloved face of her
husband and then down into Mary's earnest one.  "I can't," she
panted.  Mary shook her head and leaned closer.

"Dana, you're doing so great," she told her encouragingly.  "I know
you can do this!"  Scully rolled her head against Mulder's chest and
licked dry lips.  Mulder held a cool wet washcloth to her mouth and
let Scully moisten her lips with it.  She sighed brokenly and the
weary tears slipped down her cheeks.

"No, Mary," she protested.  "Something is wrong.  I can feel it,"
she said, lifting beseeching eyes to Sarah who was sitting in a chair
just behind Mary.  "Sarah, please," she said pleadingly.  Sarah
looked up at the clock on the mantle and then down into Scully's
exhausted face.  She had hoped that Scully would have been closer to
actually delivering by now, but things had not progressed as quickly
as she had anticipated.  There were a number of reasons for the
length of the labor.  Scully was a first time mother; she was
pregnant with twins and she was a small woman.  All of these things
could and most likely were contributing to the lengthy delivery and
Sarah was not inclined to panic yet.  But Scully was tiring.  She was
not getting much of a break between contractions and she was
convinced that something was wrong with her babies.  It wouldn't hurt
to check, just to be sure, Sarah reasoned.  She looked down and set
her hand on Scully's knee.

"All right, Dana," she said quickly.  "Let's take a look."  She bent
low and quietly gave Mary instructions on how to proceed with the
examination.  Mary slid a gloved hand into Scully's vaginal opening,
probing as gently as possible.  Scully moaned softly and turned her
face into Mulder's chest.  Her fingers locked around his wrists and
she tried not to tense against the invasion of Mary's hand.

"I can feel the baby's head!" Mary exclaimed, turning to look to her
mentor for further instructions.

"Be very careful," Sarah cautioned, "You should be able to feel the
baby's forehead and nose," she advised.  Mary did her best to block
out Scully's low exclamations of pain and the way her hips jerked,
instinctively trying to dislodge her hand.  She closed her eyes and
concentrated, probing gently with upturned fingertips.

"No," she said, turning again to Sarah.  "I can feel the back of the
baby's head," she told her in a low voice.  Mulder glanced up
sharply, alert to the note of anxiety that had entered Mary's voice.

"What is it?" he demanded tensely.  Sarah leaned forward to speak
with the distraught couple.

"The baby is facing the wrong way," she began.  Scully's eyes closed
in defeat and a tiny "No..." escaped her lips, but Mulder was more
vocal in his anxiety.

"Breech?  It can't be breech!" he exclaimed.  "Mary just said she
could feel the baby's head."  His eyes darted wildly between the two
women as he searched for an explanation.  Sarah shook her head and
tried again to explain.

"No, Mulder.  The baby is not in the breech position," she assured
him.  "But the baby is turned on its side."   Mulder rubbed
a hand over his bristled jaw and shook his head in confusion.

"I don't understand," he said.  "Can she deliver the baby this way?"
Sarah nodded and paused, thinking for a moment. 

"This happens sometimes and usually the baby turns into the correct
position before birth," she explained.  "But it slows the delivery
and Dana is so tired already.  I'm reluctant to let her labor
continue much longer.  It's stressful on Dana and the babies." 
Mulder's eyes were terrified as he looked down into his wife's
exhausted face.  

Jesus... if Sarah was suggesting Caesarian - if she was even
remotely contemplating the idea... Mulder could feel himself break
out into a cold sweat.  They were in the middle of nowhere, with a
nurse and a midwife - and a scared shitless former FBI profiler who
didn't know nothin' about birthin' no babies....  The only true
doctor in the room was fighting not to lose consciousness from the
body-wrenching contractions she'd been forced to endure in her quest
to give life to their children.  They were in a tiny cabin three
blocks away from a small clinic and there wasn't a way in Hell they
could even move her there.  

All of Scully's worries and anxieties of several weeks ago... every
word she'd cried out on his shoulder came pouring through his mind
harder than an avalanche.  They whipped themselves up into a dervish
of panic unlike anything he'd ever felt and as that panic-twister
churned over him Mulder had to bite his lip until it bled to keep
from yelling it aloud, and chance frightening his wife further.  It
stayed lodged in his chest and spilling from his eyes; luckily Scully
could not see the expression on his face.

But Sarah could... and she knew exactly what he was thinking.  She
had been a midwife for many, many years.  She had come across this
type of situation before... and she knew the first thing some fathers-
to-be thought of - especially the more educated ones - was
Caesarian... thinking that if a child couldn't be born with ease and
alternatives were mentioned that surgery was the only recourse. 
Sarah shook her head and sent a reassuring smile Mulder's way, and he
latched on to that smile the way a drowning man would clutch a life
preserver.  He took a deep, fortifying breath and fought to keep his
voice as evenly-pitched as possible. 

"Is there anything you can do?" He stroked shaking fingers over
Scully's pale cheeks.  Sarah nodded and laid a hand on Scully's
belly, calling to her.

"Dana," she said softly.  "Dana, look at me now, sweetheart.  I need
you to pay attention."  Scully roused slowly and lifted heavy eyelids
to meet the older woman's comforting gaze.  

"We're going to have to turn the baby, Dana," Sarah continued. 
"It's the fastest way to get these children born," she said gently. 
"I won't lie to you, Dear - it will hurt.  You are very small and
that is one big boy you have in there - just like his daddy."  Sarah
raised her head and winked at Mulder, who managed to smile even
though Sarah had just given credence to all the guilt with which he'd
been lashing himself.  

Big boy... just like him... his mother kidding around about Mulder's
delivery splitting her in half... the sudden paling of his father's
cheeks when she'd said those words - as if he'd been forced to
remember that day... shit.  Mulder could feel the dampness of his
face as his tears slipped down and dripped into Scully's sweat-soaked
hair.  He pressed his trembling lips into the top of her head and
prayed, hard.

At the thought of yet more pain, Scully began to sob quietly,
leaning back into Mulder's arms.  Mary moved to slide out from
between her legs, but Sarah laid a restraining hand on her shoulder. 
Mary looked up at the older woman in surprise, and a little panic.

"Oh, Sarah," she said.  "I don't know... maybe you should do this." 
Mary's eyes were unsure but Sarah shook her head and gave her a
small, confident smile.

"You're doing fine, Mary," she told her.  "Your hands are smaller
and more steady than mine, Child.  It's best if you do this.  Just
follow my directions, and you'll be okay."  Mary blew out a cautious
breath, nodding,  and resumed her position.  Mulder shot a concerned
look at Mary and then up at Sarah, but the midwife returned his gaze
calmly.

"We won't let anything happen to your family, Mulder," she promised.
"Now," she said to the room in general.  "Are we ready?"  Mary nodded
grimly and waited for Sarah's directions and Mulder turned his face
into his wife's hair, unable to watch.  Scully's hands convulsed
around the wooden handles in her grip as she braced herself once
again.

Sarah laid a calming hand on Mary's shoulder.  "We'll wait for the
next contraction," she began.  "You have to wait until it is over,"
she cautioned.  "Otherwise, the spasm of the muscles will make it
impossible for you to move the baby."  Mary nodded again and slid her
fingertips back inside of Scully so that she would be able to move
quickly when the contraction was over.  

"Cup the back of the baby's head completely with the palm of your
hand," Sarah continued, "and place your thumb on the forehead.  The
baby's head is soft, so you need to be very gentle," she reminded the
nurse.  "Move quickly, but you should only use your hand as support
while you twist your wrist and turn the baby.  As soon as the baby 
is in position, pull your hand back out."  

Mary blew out three quick breaths.  "Ready?" she asked Scully, who
nodded tiredly.  Everyone tensed as the next contraction built,
rippling across Scully's midsection and wringing a weak moan from
her.  As soon as the contraction lost its intensity, Mary was moving,
sliding her fingers the necessary few inches inside of Scully and
gently but firmly cupping the baby's head in her hand.  A scream was
torn from Scully's throat as pain exploded through her body.  Her
vision swam and blurred and she briefly lost consciousness.  Vaguely
she registered Mulder's hoarse curse as her head lolled and her body
slumped in the birthing chair.  So tired... God.  Just let me sleep...

Mary fought back tears and quickly righted the baby, sliding her
hand free and panting softly in relief.  She leaned forward and
lightly slapped Scully's cheek, rousing her friend.  Scully moaned,
as weak as a day-old kitten.

Scully was dimly aware of her husband frantically calling her name
and she blinked to clear her vision.  Mulder's terrified face swam
into view.  She tried to smile reassuringly but her face contorted
into a grimace as she was caught in the grip of another contraction. 
She could hear Mary urgently coaching her.

"Push, Dana. Come on!"  Scully's head fell forward, hanks of wet
hair swinging into her face.  Sweat dripped from her nose as she
strained to bring her baby into the world.  Exhausted, she collapsed
against the chair back as the contraction diminished in intensity.  

"That was great," Mary cheered.  "I can see the baby's head!"  She
reached out with one hand and tugged on Mulder's arm.  "Come here,
Mulder," she said.  "You don't want to miss this."  Mulder shifted a
bit and Scully clutched his arm with desperate fingers.

"Don't leave me," she cried, leaning heavily against him.  Mulder
stroked his hand over her hair and shook his head at Mary, content to
stay where he was.  But Sarah gently pushed on his shoulder.

"Just move to the side of the chair," she suggested.  "You can still
hold Dana, but you'll be able to see the babies, too."  Mulder
shifted on his knees until he was kneeling next to Scully instead of
behind her.  At this angle he could see enough to watch his
children's births and still comfort their mother.   Scully leaned
forward again to push and he ran one hand down her back and tightened
his grip around her fingers.  A low shriek was ripped from her as the
baby's head pushed insistently against her opening, her perineum
tearing slightly as the head slid through.  The pain of the tearing
just added into the jumble of agony her poor body had already endured
and Mulder's muscles ached for her, sympathy pains wracking his frame
as he held fast to Scully and whispered broken words of encouragement
to her.

"Don't push!" Sarah cautioned.  "Just a minute, Dana.  Stop
pushing."  Mary changed her grip on the baby's head and then nodded
to Scully who grunted, struggling to push the child out of her body. 
The shoulders popped free and the baby turned again, face up before
sliding in a long, liquid rush into Mary's waiting hands.  Mulder
stared, transfixed by the sight of his wife's body producing a real
live baby - his baby... he found himself thanking God and Allah and
Mohammed all in one fell swoop...

Mary looked up to see Scully fighting to hold her head up to see the
baby and tears shining in Mulder's eyes as he stared in wonder at his
child.  Those tears poured down his face when he saw which child had
been born first.

"It's a boy," he cried, reaching out with tentative hands.  Mary
lifted the baby into his arms and he held the baby close to Scully so
that she could see him while Mary clamped and cut the umbilical cord.
Scully lifted a shaking hand to skim her finger over the baby's soft,
wet cheek and Sarah stepped forward and took the baby from Mulder's
hands.

"I'll take care of him," she promised Scully, smiling at her.  "Your
work isn't finished yet."  Scully's lips moved silently as the pain
began to build once again.  Mulder threw a glance over his shoulder
to where Sarah was fussing over his son, before turning his attention
back to his laboring wife.  His love and pride for Scully swamped him
and he could barely speak for the emotion clogging his throat.

"Almost there, baby," he rasped, smiling through his tears.  "You're
almost there. Just a few more pushes and you can rest."  

Scully's breath escaped her in a long, determined exhale as she
steeled herself again.  Her focus was split now between the soft
snuffling wails of her son across the room and the pain centered
between her legs.  Gritting her teeth, she bore down again and with a
pop and a slide, felt the second life make its entrance into the
world.  She looked up frantically when neither Mary nor Mulder made a
sound.  Mulder's eyes were wide with amazement and tears were
tracking silently down Mary's cheeks as she moved quickly to cut the
second umbilical cord.  Their silence was the most frightening sound
Scully had ever heard...