From: marcella schultz Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 15:35:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: new story: The Second Time Around Source: direct Title: Second Time Around Author: Girlie_girl7 EM: Girlie_girl74@yahoo.com Date: 03-03-03 Category: Family fic Rating: G Spoilers: Existence then AU Archive: Anywhere Disclaimer: Fox owns 'em Summary: The family grows...(could be considered a sequel to OB-GYN) ~ The Second Time Around ~ Fox Mulder races toward the glass doors of the emergency room. It's a good thing they're pneumatic or he would be crashing through them. He spots Maggie Scully talking to a doctor; she looks concerned but not overtly so. The doctor pats her arm and turns to take his leave as she looks up to see a suit-clad whirlwind barreling down upon her. "Where is she? What's happened to her?" Mulder demands as he shoves past anyone getting in his way. Maggie is risking certain injury but she steps into his path and braces her hands against his upper arms. "Calm down Fox! She's fine." Mulder looks over her head trying to see beyond the woman who is now holding him back. It finally registers with him just who this person is. He deflates before her very eyes. His head drops and he mumbles, "Why didn't she call me?" Maggie laughs, "Fox it all happened so suddenly." She takes him by the arm, "Come on," and leads him to an extruded plastic chair. She sits down beside him and takes his hands in hers. "Honey, we were putting the new baby clothes away when all at once Dana looked up at me with this look on her face; well I knew we didn't have much time so I dialed 911." Mulder's head snaps up. "Where's Will? You didn't leave him, did you?" His eyes dart around trying to locate his son. "Of course not! He's down the hall entertaining the nurses." Maggie smiles at the jittery man sitting before her. Mulder stares down at the floor with his shoulders slumped, "I should have been there for her," he sighs. "I get this call from some nurse that tells me Scully is in the hospital, again." "I know," Maggie pats his hand, "but it all happened so fast. There just wasn't time." She lets him sit for a few more seconds then stands up, "So Fox you just going to sit here and mope or do you want to meet your daughter?" Mulder's face goes white, his mouth drops open and his eyes grow wide. "She delivered, our daughter? You mean it wasn't another false alarm?" Maggie laughs, "No Fox, she's here, all six pounds, eight ounces of her and she's beautiful." Mulder jumps up so fast Maggie can hear his knees cracking. He heads for the nearest person wearing scrubs but Maggie manages to grab him by the arm, "Slow down Fox, they're getting her settled into her own room. They said she would be on the eighth floor. I was just waiting here for you," she says attempting to calm the man who is currently trying to bite through his lower lip. Suddenly Mulder grabs Maggie by the hand and drags her to the bank of elevators. He stabs the buttons on three of them and shifts his weight from foot to foot as they wait for the first set of doors to open. Maggie smiles at Mulder knowing full well he would love to ditch her and dash up the stairs. Eventually a door opens and Mulder ushers her in and pushes the button for the eighth floor. He paces the small cubical and mumbles, "Dammit. I should have been there. I missed Will's birth, I owed her this one." Maggie laughs, "I'm sure Dana forgives you." Mulder looks into Maggie's soft eyes, "But you see I wanted to be there this time. I missed my sons' birth." Maggie is touched by Mulder's revelation. She grabs his arm and says, "Bill never made it to any of our children's births. He was always out at sea. I'm sure you'll make it to the next one." Mulder blushes and grins down at Maggie, "I'm not sure after this Scully will ever let me near her again." "Oh Fox," Maggie laughs as the doors open. Mulder races to the circular nurses' station in the middle of the wing. He speaks to the first nurse he comes to, "Excuse me, I'm looking for my wife." The nurse glances back at Mulder as she moves around the desk, "What's her name?" Mulder leans over the chest high desk and says, "Scully." Maggie corrects him; "Her name is Dana, Dana Mulder." She glances up at Mulder; "He's a little confused." "Of course," the nurse smiles at her and adds, "it will be just a few more minutes." Mulder has a death grip on the counter and drops his head and shoulders, "I can't believe this," he mutters. Maggie rubs his back in sympathetic support as she hears tiny footsteps behind her. She turns to see William racing toward her. "Gramma!" He shouts putting out his arms. Mulder swings around to see his son and sweep him up into his arms. "Come here buddy! I've missed you," he says as he kisses his sons' forehead. Will looks confused and twist his fingers together, "I wanna see momma." "I know," Mulder says patting his back, "me too." The nurse Mulder spoke to earlier approaches, "Okay, you can see Dana now, but remember she's going to be a little sleepy." She leads them to Scully's room and pushes the door back allowing them to enter. Maggie and Mulder softly step into the room. Scully is lying on her side dozing. Her vibrant, red hair is tied back in a small ponytail; she looks too young to be the mother of two small children. Will spots his mom. "Down," he demands of Mulder. Mulder sets his son down on his feet as he looks into the small plastic bassinet that holds his daughter. He sees a perfect button nose, a full bottom lip and downy-soft, dark hair. She chooses this moment to wake up and peer up at him with deep, dark eyes, then decides to let out a wide yawn. Mulder hasn't let out a breath since he bent down to look at her; he's too enthralled with his daughter to even notice. Maggie runs her fingers across the baby's cheek; "I told you she was beautiful." "Just like her mother," Mulder whispers. Will picks this moment to race around to the side of Scully's bed. "Momma!" He yells. Scully's slowly opens her eyes and puts out her hand to ruffle her sons hair, "What is it Sweetie?" Will jumps up and down, "I wanna sit wiff you." Scully realizes where she is and blinks the sleep from her eyes, softly croaking out, "Hey, what am I missing?" Mulder turns to her and smiles, "How you doing?" "I'm fine." "Sorry I missed this one too." He sheepishly says. "Me too," Scully yawns, "but it couldn't be helped." Mulder kisses her forehead, "You did good." "Thanks," Scully says as she gives him a sleepy smile. Mulder picks up William and turns toward the bassinet. "You want to see your sister?" William chews on his fingers and looks down at the baby then over at Scully, "Wanna see momma." Mulder looks over at Maggie and they both softly laugh. "Okay buddy but just for a little while because mom's tired." Maggie first grabs Wills' feet; "Here Honey let me take off your shoes so you don't kick mom." She removes his shoes and Mulder lifts the little boy over the bed railing, gently placing him down next to his mother. Scully puts out her hand and helps William lay down next to her. He fingers the IV line that runs to the back of her hand from the bag of fluid hanging beside the bed. "Wuz dat?" He asks. Scully gently strokes his hair, "It's medicine Sweetie, momma need it." Will lays his head on the pillow next to Scully's Mulder bends over to pick up his daughter. He cradles her in his arms as a broad smile crosses his face. "Hey, little one," he whispers to her, "sorry I missed your arrival." He runs his lips over her wispy hair while she nuzzles into his neck. Fox Mulder is in love. Scully and Will quietly talk to one another while Mulder walks across the room to sit in the rocking chair and cradle his daughter. Maggie looks over his shoulder and down at her grand daughter. "You okay Fox?" Mulder looks up at her with wet eyes and a large grin, "Yeah. I'm just fine. We're all just fine." Maggie pats his shoulder and nods toward the bed. "I think we just lost those two to the sandman." Mulder looks over to see William and Scully soundly sleeping, "He always was a momma's boy," he grins at them. Maggie looks down at the bundle in Mulder's arms, "That may be true Fox but I think you have a daddy's girl on your hands." Mulder holds the baby closer and softly kisses her forehead as Maggie looks on. ~ The End ~ Notes: While I never named the child, I'll leave that up to the individual reader, but in my world her name would be Katherine. GG7