From: "grey lady" <grey.lady@virgin.net>
Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2001 08:04:05 +0100
Subject: NEW: The Gift 1/1 by Carol Gritton (grey.lady@virgin.net)
Source: xff


TITLE: The Gift 1/1

AUTHOR: Carol Gritton

E-MAIL: grey.lady@virgin.net

DISCLAIMER:  Fox Mulder, Dana Scully belong to Chris Carter, 1013 and
Fox TV.  They are used without permission and no infringement of
copyright is intended.

ARCHIVE: Gossamer

RATING: G

CLASSIFICATION: V

SUMMARY: The last gift of a dying man.

SPOILERS: Per Manum

COMMENTS:  Feedback is greatly appreciated and will be made welcome at
the above address.

The Gift 1/1
By Carol Gritton (grey.lady@virgin.net)

     "Say something, Mulder," breathes Scully shakily, wearing an
uncertain smile.  "You're making me nervous."
     For once, I'm lost for words.  It's not every day that a man is
asked by his work partner to donate his sperm for an attempt at
pregnancy.
     I know how hard it must have been for Scully to ask that of me,
and I admire her for it.  I also know how much she wants to be a
mother, and that this might be her one and only chance to fulfil that
long cherished ambition.
    So who am I to deny her?  I'm flattered that Scully would want me
to be the father of her child but there is something she doesn't know
about me.  Something I have been keeping from her.
     I am dying.  My brain is diseased  the disease is progressing
rapidly and will eventually kill me.  Yesterday I was told that the
end will come sooner rather than later, but I keep this knowledge to
myself.

     I've never really thought about having children; of leaving
someone to carry on my family name or follow in my footsteps. I'm not
sure that bringing a child into this world would be fair, or even
sensible, given myour, enemies. I am not so naove as to think that
they would let any pregnancy of Scully's pass unnoticed.  My fear
would be that our child would never know a life of peace and
stability  the last thing I would want would be to condemn Scully and
our child to a life on the run, of constantly moving around to avoid
the clutches of our enemies.
    So who am I to deny her the thing she longs for most in the world?
It would be selfish of me to refuse - this is the last, probably the
most loving thing I could ever do for her.  Lord knows she deserves to
be happy.
     Scully's watching me  nervous and apprehensive as to my answer,
her breath coming unevenly and quickly.  I take her hands in mine and
kiss the backs of them.  Her breath stops as she awaits the verdict.
     I can't help smiling as I say softly, "I'd be honoured, Scully."

The End