The Checkup

Mulder sat waiting for Scully in the lobby of the hospital. Today was her six month checkup. They had an appointment at 3:00 and as he looked at his watch, again, he saw it getting closer to the time, and still no Scully.

She was still working at the hospital, but mostly desk work, reading files, and doing research. She had actually caught a few cases where something had been overlooked or a history had not been delved into further. She had been the one to take the time to look further into these cases and it helped to save some children unneeded surgeries or altered their course of care.

She told him over dinner how she had done so and seemed very nonchalant about the wonderful work she did. He had grinned and opened up a bottle of sparkling apple juice to celebrate her amazing brilliance. She had rolled her eyes as she was wont to do, but then she looked at him over the rim of her glass and her eyes thanked him. Her body thanked him later, loudly and wildly, especially for being six months pregnant. Amazing in all aspects, that was his Scully.

As if his thoughts drew her to him, she came around the corner, taking off her lab coat, and smoothing her hair down. She was growing it out again and he loved it. She looked younger and happier than she had in a long time. He loved seeing her this way.

He stood and she saw him. He tapped his watch, as he raised his eyebrows. She put her hands up and nodded her head. But then her eyes traveled down and up his body and she smiled. Okay. She was forgiven for being late.

"Doctor Scully!" A blonde haired man came running up to Scully and smiled. She turned with a surprised look, then smiled. Mulder could not hear their conversation, but he could see the smile on the man's face.

Scully patted his arm and he took her coat from her. She smiled again and walked toward Mulder. Mulder watched the man watch Scully. Too late, pal. About twenty five years too late. He grinned at her. She was his, always and forever.

She walked up to him and he leaned down to kiss her. She pulled back and then grabbed his shirt and pulled him in for a deeper kiss, her tongue running across his mouth and then his bottom lip. He straightened up, surprised at her boldness at such a public display of affection, especially at her workplace.

He felt his ego rise and beat its chest, as she stood there with her eyes closed, rubbing her lips together, before licking them and sighing.

"God, you taste like coffee," she breathed.

He laughed, his ego pouting, taking a seat in the embarrassed cheap seat section. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He looked down to where he had been sitting and she saw the two to-go coffee cups and a bag of something sitting there in a carrier.

She groaned and bent down to grab hers.

She lifted it to her nose and inhaled, closing her eyes again. God, she missed real coffee. Every drop was like precious gold. She had a been drinking decaf since she found out she was pregnant. In the morning, before work she would enjoy a cup with Mulder. They would sit on the porch, or lie in bed and enjoy the coffee and the company.

Since she was no longer treating patients, had no long surgeries, she was not rushed in the mornings. They had the time to just be together. After so long away from him, every moment was sacred to her. Even when he drove her crazy with his theories or a new thing he learned about pregnancy, she loved being with him. He was it for her; no if's and's or bees.

"Oh, you wonderful man," she said as she took the first sip and felt the taste hit her tongue. Giving up sushi had been easy, especially after the last time eating it had almost killed them. No alcohol, not a problem. But regular coffee, that had been tougher.

She had been grumpy with Mulder numerous times as she adjusted to only drinking decaf coffee. Every time he suggested she have at least one cup of regular coffee, she snapped at him. After he attempted to suggest it one last time, she had burst into tears.

He was genuinely shocked and did not know what to say. She sat at the table with her head in her hands and cried. When she was able to speak, she told him that she did not want to do anything that would jeopardize this pregnancy. She knew one or even two cups would not be terrible, but she did not want to risk it. Too many factors were already working against her.

He sat down next to her and pulled her into his lap. He held her tight as she held onto him and told him how scared and worried she was about this pregnancy. He told her that he knew and understood her worries. If it meant some grumpy days as she adjusted, he would understand. They sat there for awhile, holding onto each other.

Now, while she did not love drinking decaf, and a venti quad shot would soon be on her wishlist, she took what she could get. This baby had been worth a few grumpy headachy days. More than worth it.

She took a few more drinks, before picking up the bag and peeking inside. A cheese danish. She looked at Mulder and smiled. He truly was a wonderful man.

He put his arm out, waiting for her to take it before they walked out of the hospital. She took the danish and broke it in half, handing him some. He shook his head and she grinned. She took a bite, put the rest in the bag, and held it in her hand as she linked her arm with his.

He smiled and threw out their drink carrier and his coffee. He had finished his while he waited for her. They walked out the door and onto the busy sidewalk.

"Oof, it's hot," she said as she stepped into the warm afternoon sun. "You forget it's not cool and comfortable when you're inside all day."

"Ah yes, the lady of leisure, no longer standing on her feet all day, running from patient to patient, forgets how us common folk live, out in the heat every day." He said with a grand sweeping arm flourish.

She laughed as she put her head on his shoulder, then lifted it to take a sip of coffee. She shook her head back and the warm breeze blew her hair. She felt good, happy, content. Being there, walking with Mulder, on the way to a check up of their baby. Life had an interesting way of throwing curveballs sometimes.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts. Scully drank the last of her coffee, throwing it out as they arrived at the doctors office. Mulder opened the door for her and put his hand on her back as she walked in the lobby.

They headed to the elevator and stepped inside. Scully rubbed her stomach as she leaned against the wall. Mulder looked over at her and smiled. She looked at him and smiled back. She reached for his hand and put it on her stomach.

"She's really kicking today. More so after I stop walking. I think she's trying to tell me to keep moving. That she likes the movement." She said as she helped Mulder to find the baby.

"Hmmm," he said loving the feeling of their baby rolling around inside her. "I notice you're calling the baby "she" a lot recently. You know something I don't?"

She laughed and laced their fingers together as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. "No, and I don't want to know yet. I just feel like it's a girl. I can't explain it. I.. I just notice differences about this pregnancy. I could be wrong but, I just think it's a girl."

They arrived at the check-in desk and Scully signed them in. She sat down and closed her eyes, feeling the cool of the room cool down her warm body. It was not a far walk to the doctor, but it still was a bit of an exertion, and she was warm.

Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she still had the danish to eat. She opened the bag, grabbed out a piece, and took a bite as Mulder sat next to her. He grabbed a random magazine with a tagline "Pregnancy and Sex: Are You Doing It Right?" It caught her eye and she looked at him, as she pointed to it. "You are. Just in case you had grabbed this for that article in particular."

He looked where she was pointing and he grinned. He chuckled and she pushed her hair behind her ear as she smiled brightly at him. They stared at each other, happy in the moment.

The nurse called her name and she quickly shoved another bite in her mouth, chewing it fast, before she handed the bag to Mulder. She pushed herself up and started to walk toward the nurse. Mulder put the magazine down with a smile and followed Scully back.

The nurse was bubbly and asked Scully many questions. Mulder tuned them out, lost in his own thoughts. The amazing, almost supernatural way they had found themselves in this situation still amazed him. That they were in an obstetrician's office at all, at their age, with the belief that she was barren, still boggled his mind.

The number of times they had been here, he had felt emotional every time. That first time before hearing the heartbeat, when he had fallen to his knees and wept, so much had been going through his mind. How, being the number one question. It had rattled around until he heard that heartbeat. That fast paced heartbeat that defied so many odds. Hearing that, seeing proof of it on the monitor, watching the cells quiver and shake had been his undoing.

He relied on believing what was intangible, what could be, the possibilities. Scully relied on facts, hard evidence, something she could point to and show as truth. There were both of their beliefs, visually on a small screen monitor, while auditorily it floated in as if from the heavens. The two halves making a whole as they always did. They had found a way, again.

Scully was stepping off the scale as he cleared his thoughts. The nurse wrote down the information and led them to a room. She took Scully's vitals, blood pressure, heartbeat, a blood sample, and then handed her a urine sample cup. She reminded her where the bathroom was, said the doctor would be right with them, and walked out the door, with Scully following.

Alone in the room, Mulder looked at all the pictures on the wall. The way a baby develops, the changes it goes through in utero, it truly was amazing. Almost alien like, he thought with a smile, as he imagined how Scully would appreciate that joke for the hundredth time. He chuckled and looked at the poster that showed the sixth month stage specifically.

She weighed about two pounds, maybe twelve inches long. She. He smiled. Scully had gotten in his head. Boy, girl, he does not care. Healthy, whole, theirs. That was all that mattered to him. He started to turn away when something caught his eye. Fingerprints. The baby had visible fingerprints now. Jesus.. he blinked back tears.

The door opened and Scully came in and sat on the table. He wiped at his eyes, not wanting her to see he was a blubbering mess again.

"You okay Mulder?" She asked, seeing he was wiping his eyes.

He turned and walked over to her. He embraced her and held her as she reached up and held him. He closed his eyes, thinking of how two years ago, the thought of this happening would have been like a cruel joke. He was so thankful that she was with him. She was enough. So much more than enough. This baby.. this baby was icing on an already incredibly sweet cake.

He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. How could he tell her? He needed to find something more than simple words. Something big, momentous. But for now, words were all he had. He held her face, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I love you, Scully," he whispered. "God, it never seems like enough when I say it, that it needs more. "I love you" is so small compared to the vastness of what I feel for you. The enormity of my feelings. I just…"

"Mulder," she whispered back. "loving someone is never a "small" thing. There is no size when it comes to love. Tell me, tell me everyday. Shout it if you feel it needs more power. I'll get some earplugs so you don't cause me to go deaf."

He hummed and then chuckled. He straightened up and moved his hands up. His fingers in her hair, his thumbs on her temples. Memories of standing in a hospital hallway, her in a robe that was too big for her small frame, his feeling of hopelessness but so happy that she was going to fight, to stay with him as long as she could, bubbled near the surface. He felt tears in his eyes again. He blinked them away, shook his head, kissed her forehead and then her lips. A soft, sweet kiss, full of the love he felt for her.

"Is there something in this office that makes the estrogen in your body ramp up? You are emotional every time we come here." She said, smiling at him as she stroked his face.

He laughed again and sniffed. "I don't know what it is, Scully. But, don't worry. I have plans to go cut a tree down on the way home, with my bare hands. So, I should be back to full manliness by the time you get home."

She laughed and pulled him in for another kiss. Then wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her to him. She breathed and closed her eyes. He stepped back and she grabbed his hands. "I love you too, you know. Big, small, every way in between."

He nodded and looked at her. At the wonderful, beautiful, amazing woman before him. He thanked the powers that be for sending her to him. Every day, he was thankful for the woman who was sent to spy on him and instead, became the one person he needed. The one person he would love without question, forever. God, they must pump something in this office, he thought as he felt his emotions surface again.

There was a knock on the door and he breathed a sigh of relief as she giggled. The door opened and Mulder stepped back to the head of the table.

"Good afternoon Dana, Fox. It's good to see you two again." Doctor Reynolds said as she walked in and shook both of their hands. She walked to the sink and washed her hands before turning to them with a smile.

Mulder liked her, a lot. She was funny, kind, and most importantly, she laughed at his jokes. She and Scully got along really well, but Mulder felt a kinship to her. She was younger than them, maybe about mid-thirties. She was married and had one little girl that had woven herself around Mulder's fingers.

They had been out at a farmers market about two months ago, picking up some organic fruits and vegetables, and had run into the doctor. They had exchanged pleasantries and then she introduced them to her husband and three year old daughter. She was so adorable, Mulder fell instantly in love with her. She looked up at him with big blue eyes, assessing him, her fingers in her mouth, from behind her dad's legs.

She must have sensed something in him, because she launched herself at him and would not let him put her down the whole time they were there. She babbled about anything and everything. Mulder felt his heart beating happily, with the knowledge that he would eventually have a child this age to babble and play with every day.

Mulder grinned at the doctor and she smiled back. "How is Raina?" He asked, hoping she had something for him.

She grinned wider and reached in her coat pocket. She took out a picture that Raina had drawn for "Mr. Fox" and handed it to Mulder. He beamed and took it from her.

She had drawn a round circle with arms, legs, eyes, and a smile. "It's a potato person. She wanted me to be sure you knew that was what she drew." Mulder nodded and showed it to Scully, as he smiled at the doctor. He put it in his pocket and took out something from his other one.

He had been looking through his office and he came across a couple postcards he had bought years ago. He smiled at the memory of sitting on a rock and having an in depth conversation with Scully while they feared they would be eaten by a lake monster. He set aside one of the postcards with a picture of Big Blue to give to Raina.

He handed it to the doctor and she smiled. He had drawn a stick figure picture of her and him on the back at the farmers market. The doctor grinned and slipped it in her pocket.

Scully grinned at the interaction between them. She knew Mulder really liked this doctor. They seemed to have a special bond. And boy, did her daughter ever love him. It was the cutest thing she had ever seen, the way she had been so taken with Mulder. She had told him how it made her feel knowing what an amazing dad he was going to be, when they went to bed that night. That discussion had led to amazing sex as he told her how happy he was to have this chance again.

"Okay!" Doctor Reynolds said, clapping her hands together. "Let's get started. First off, how are you? Experiencing any nausea? Any mood swings? Sleeping okay? Any pain or contractions at all?" She walked to the computer and signed in, ready to take notes.

"Well, I am not really feeling nausea anymore. Certain smells still bother me like meat cooking sometimes. My mood seems fine," she said with a glance toward Mulder. He nodded his confirmation. "Sleeping well, but sometimes uncomfortable until I find the right position. Luckily, I have a great in house masseuse, so that works out well for me. No pain, no contractions."

"Good, good. Is the baby moving a lot? Kicking and basically playing havoc on your insides?" She asked with a smile.

"God, yes," Scully responded. "She was kicking a lot when we arrived. I must have woken her up on the walk over here. She was moving around a lot."

"She?" Doctor Reynolds said with surprise as she looked up at her. "Did you find out the sex and I didn't know?"

"No," Scully said, shaking her head. "We still don't want to know. I just, I feel like it's a girl. But I could be wrong, just a feeling. I don't like saying "it" and so, I'm going with "she" right now."

"I understand. How about food? Eating well, taking vitamins, drinking enough water?" She asked as she typed the information in the computer.

"Vitamins, yes. Drinking lots of water. Peeing all the time. Eating well." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Does eating well consist of massive amounts of grilled cheese sandwiches, in your medical opinion?" Mulder asked, looking at Doctor Reynolds.

Scully turned to him and stared at him. He ignored her and kept his eyes on the doctor. She smiled at him, enjoying the screaming eyes Scully was sending him. She had sent the same eyes many times to her own husband. She knew that look.

"Well. Cheese is good, as long as it's not unpasteurized. Calcium is good for development, so I don't see a problem with it." She said, nodding at him.

Scully shook her head as she turned her head back toward the doctor.

"I'm talking massive amounts, like middle of the night, eating two or three of them. That's okay?" He asked with his hands up, as if insinuating she ate huge sandwiches.

"Mulder!" She said, whipping her head back to him and shaking her head.

The doctor looked down at her keyboard and smiled. She licked her lips and looked up at Mulder. "It's fine," she said quietly. He nodded, satisfied with her answer.

"What about green olives, right out of the jar?"

"Mulder! Do you want to wait outside?" She asked, her eyes like laser beams on him.

He huffed and whispered that he did not. When she turned her head again and shook it upon meeting the doctors face, Mulder mouthed and pantomimed "Right out of the jar." She covered her mouth so Scully did not see her smile, but not fast enough. Scully hung her head and sighed.

"How about we get the exam part out of the way?" Doctor Reynolds asked, coming over to Scully with her measuring strip.

Scully stood up and the doctor placed it around her belly. Mulder looked over Scully's shoulder as she did. He placed a kiss on the side of her neck and she sighed. Apology and forgiveness in less than a second.

"You're doing well, gaining as you should. Let's get you back on the table and listen to the heartbeat." She rolled the machine closer to them as Scully sat and scooted back on the table. She lifted her shirt and pulled her pants down a bit. These were almost too tight. She would need some new ones soon.

She grabbed Mulder's hand and brought it to her chest, as the doctor put the wand against her stomach. She closed her eyes and waited. Mulder took a deep breath and squeezed her hand, closing his own eyes. They waited. Connected by their hands and the being growing inside her.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh. Mulder's breath came out in half laugh/half sob. He opened his eyes and found Scully staring at him. She had tears in her eyes and knew they mirrored his own.

Doctor Reynolds watched them and felt tears in her own eyes. She loved watching parents hear the heartbeat. Loved seeing their joy when that fast heartbeat came fluttering out for all to hear. But these two, they were so happy every time. It took her breath away and affected her more times than she would ever have imagined.

She pressed a button and the heartbeat was printed out on a piece of paper. She handed it to Mulder as they stood there together. He took it and stared at it. More hard evidence of the miracle they created. No, the second one they created.

Scully adjusted her clothes, wiped her eyes and sat up. The doctor rolled the machine back and made some notes. Mulder showed Scully the heartbeat and she grinned.

"Okay, everything looks great. You're progressing perfectly, right on track. Oh, last question- have you had any spotting or irritation?" She asked as she sat on the stool and slid over in front of Scully.

Scully glanced at Mulder and then at the doctor. The doctor raised her eyebrows, understanding that she did not want to worry him, but she needed to be thorough. Mulder looked at them.

"Scully?" He asked, staring at her.

"It was just once and it was no big deal. Barely anything," she said, looking at him. "I promise Mulder if it had been worse, I would have told you."

"When did it happen?" He needed to know, to know everything.

"It was a couple days ago. The morning after I told you about the cases I had been working on recently. Remember?" She looked at him, hoping he would understand she was implying it was after a particularly wild night of lovemaking. When she had taken charge and demanded from him. God, she felt her body respond instantly to that memory. It had been so good.

He stared at her, not understanding. The doctor did however, and she smiled. "The morning after you had sex?" She asked quietly.

Scully blushed and nodded. Mulder's eyes got wide as he realized what she meant now. Oh. He looked in her eyes and he saw her that night. Wild, hair falling back as she took control and rode him. She set the pace and it had been fantastic. She was like a goddess.

She saw the moment he remembered and she smiled. It had been fun. God, she was getting aroused now sitting there. Thinking about doing that again later, or a different position she wanted to try, made her flush.

"Should we not be having sex, if it caused spotting? I don't want anything to happen or cause you pain, Scully. That's the last thing I want to do. If it means waiting.."

"NO!" Scully cut across him. "No, Mulder. It was just.. a little more than what I should have done. I just need to more careful."

"Still, if it means, it could cause a problem.."

"Mulder," she interrupted again. "Do you remember Lamaze class?"

He frowned and then he nodded. Yes, he remembered that strange class. When he had to hold Scully and help her breathe. It was almost erotic and he had been very turned on when he definitely should not have been.

"Do you remember after Lamaze class?" She asked with a pointed look.

Oh.. he remembered. She had put her hand on his thigh and then on his crotch when they got in the car. She looked at him with lust in her eyes. They barely made it back to her apartment without pulling over somewhere. The fact that she was pregnant was the only reason. Straddling him in the car was harder with a baby bump in the way.

They had spent the rest of the day in her bed and she was wild and wanton. Taking from him, while he gladly gave everything he could. Yeah, he remembered Lamaze class.

He met her look, realization dawning. "That shit is going to happen again? Your insatiable need for sex?" He asked, no filter, a bit too loudly.

Scully blushed and her mouth dropped open. Doctor Reynolds burst out laughing. Mulder looked from one to the other.

"Well, fucking A.." he said with a grin and the doctor laughed harder. Scully put her head in her hands and sighed.

Doctor Reynolds managed to stop laughing and tapped Scully's knee. Scully looked up at her, embarrassment written all over her face. "Dana, I understand, believe me I do. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. It's.. it's like nothing I've ever experienced before."

"Right?!" Scully sighed and felt instantly better. Here was a fellow comrade in the trenches. Someone who had experienced the thirst of unquenchable sex. They looked at each other and grinned.

"Well," the doctor said, standing up. "Like I said, everything looks great. Just, take the lovemaking easy. As easy as you can," she said with a look to Scully, knowing it was not always easy to do. "Other than that, you are free to go and I'll see you both next month."

She turned to Mulder. "I will be sure to give your card to Raina. And I will tell her you were pleased with her potato person." She smiled as she shook his hand again.

He clasped hers with both of his, smiling in her eyes. "Tell her I hope to see her soon. And thank her for my fantastic potato person."

She smiled and walked over to Scully, shaking her hand as well, giving her an extra squeeze. A squeeze of solidarity and understanding. Then she said goodbye and walked out the door.

A beat. A second, and Scully knew it was coming. She could feel it in her bones. Two, three..

"So, insatiable sex, huh?" He asked coming to stand beside her and help her off the table.

She smiled and ran her hand down his chest. "Think you can handle it, old man?"

Her eyes sparkled and he caught her hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed it. "As long as we can do the naked pretzel again, I can handle anything. I'm Fox freaking Mulder."

She threw her head back and laughed. She met his eyes again, smiling. "We will definitely be doing the naked pretzel again."

"Then lead the way. I am here for all your needs, no matter how depraved they may be."

She laughed again and he opened the door, ushering her out. He grabbed her hand and smiled at her. They both burst out laughing and headed for the elevator. Thoughts of the naked pretzel dancing in their heads.