From: xf_emily_sim@yahoo.ca   
      
   Title: Great Expectations 8: When I Grow Up   
   Author: Emily Sim   
   Rating: Mature   
   Classification: V   
   Keywords: UST   
   Spoilers: Per Manum   
   Disclaimer: Still don't own them and I always put them   
   away   
   after playing with them   
   Feedback to: xf_emily_sim@yahoo.ca   
   Beta Kudos: to xdks, - who keeps me from embarrassing   
   myself.   
   Any left over mistakes are mine.   
      
   **********   
      
   "Mom, I don’t really want to get into all this right   
   now."   
      
   "Dana, these are some things you need to get settled,   
   the time will go quickly."   
      
   "I just don't --"   
      
   "Dana Katherine Scully. Honestly. I don't know how the   
   two of you manage to arrive at the same place at the   
   right time with the way you communicate. I think if   
   you'd give Fox half a chance --"   
      
   "Mom, I love you so don't take this the wrong way.   
   Butt out."   
      
   "Dana!"   
      
   "Look, we're talking. I need to go, okay?"   
      
   "Will you be over for dinner tomorrow?"   
      
   "Yes, we will. Bye, Mom."   
      
   "Bye, honey."   
      
   She set the phone down a little more forcefully than   
   necessary.   
      
   "That your mom?" Mulder set a glass of milk on the   
   coffee table.   
      
   "You couldn't tell?"   
      
   He chuckled. "Just making sure."   
      
   She reached for the milk awkwardly. It was starting to   
   become difficult maneuvering around her growing bulge.   
      
      
   "She has a point you know."   
      
   Scully groaned. "She always has a point, lots of   
   points. She tells you, she tells me. I don't need both   
   of you hassling me."   
      
   "This is not hassling you." His tone was sharp. "I've   
   come up with an idea."   
      
   "Oh?"   
      
   "One that would make things a lot easier on both of   
   us."   
      
   "Easier. On both of us."   
      
   "I could move into the extra bedroom, just until we   
   find a house." His words coincided with her taking a   
   sip of milk. It formed a white trail down her chin as   
   she sputtered and choked. Mulder patted her back in an   
   attempt to calm her.   
      
   "Where the hell did that come from?" She wiped her   
   mouth with the napkin he held out to her.   
      
   "It makes a lot of sense."   
      
   "Sense for who?"   
      
   "Scully, what do you think I'm going to do? I'm   
   suggesting we share space. It would make it much   
   easier on all of us."   
      
   "Share space?"   
      
   "Is there an echo in here? Yes, share space. God,   
   you'd think I was asking you to live with me or   
   something."   
      
   "You're not?"   
      
   "Well, yes, but not exactly like that. I never planned   
   on walking away, leaving you with all the work. If I   
   were here full time it would make a lot of things   
   easier. I want to help out. Will you just think about   
   it?"   
      
   That was part of the problem, she thought ruefully.   
   She thought far too much. She wasn't sure if it was   
   the influence of hormones -- maybe some rogue   
   mothering gene had gotten loose -- but she was once   
   again close to tears.   
      
   She spent too many nights with her hands cradling her   
   abdomen as the babies somersaulted in their watery   
   home, wishing she could share the feeling with   
   someone. Well, not just any 'someone.' Mulder. She   
   wanted her babies’ daddy to be there beside her, his   
   hands alongside her own, experiencing all of it. She   
   wanted to feel him wrapped around her, she wanted --   
   God, the books weren't kidding when they mentioned   
   that second trimester increase in the sex drive. Not   
   that she had first hand experience with anything other   
   than frustration.   
      
   "Mulder, wait." She had broken from her reverie to   
   find him poised at the door, ready to leave.   
      
   "Look, Scully. I think I'm finally getting it, but I   
   don't know if I can do this. I know you only asked for   
   my genetic contribution, but I guess I'd hoped that   
   something more might come from it. I didn't realize it   
   would feel like this. I don't want to have to fight   
   you over it -- over them -- but I want this, Scully.   
   All of it. Surprise, surprise, Fox Mulder a daddy."   
      
   "Mulder, you confuse me." She managed to get herself   
   to her feet, swaying awkwardly. At seven months, with   
   the twins and her short stature, she was a fair size.   
   Mulder moved from the door to grip her arm, helping to   
   steady her.   
      
   "_I_ confuse _you_?"   
      
   "Yes. I don't know what to think about anything." She   
   pushed his hand away and put some space between them.   
   "What happens if you meet someone? What then?" What   
   happens to me is what she really wanted to know. She   
   had no doubt about his commitment to the children they   
   had created. It was the rest of it she was having a   
   hard time with. She could just imagine the scene now.   
   Mulder inviting his date in for coffee, while she hid   
   in whatever part of their house was designated as her   
   space. The woman would be perfectly coiffed, tall and   
   busty while she would be still carrying around extra   
   baby weight and saggy boobs. She sniffed back another   
   tear.   
      
   "What happens if I meet someone? Scully, are those   
   hormones interfering with your hearing?"   
      
   "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" The woman   
   would be a brunette, no split ends, whereas she would   
   probably be lucky if she managed to comb her hair   
   between feedings. Never mind the bags she'd have under   
   her eyes from being up all night. She was losing the   
   battle with her tears, and damn it if she wasn't still   
   horny.   
      
   "Scully, where did you get the idea that I'd be   
   looking for someone else?"   
      
   "You wouldn't necessarily be looking, it could just   
   happen."   
      
   "You think I'd agree to all this," he gestured towards   
   her abdomen, "and then leave you? Why do you think I   
   want to move in with you?"   
      
   "Mulder, I know you'd never abandon the babies --"   
      
   "They're not 'the babies', Scully. They're our   
   children. Ours."   
      
   She swiped at her face. "I'm sorry. It's just --" she   
   took the Kleenex he held out and blew her nose. She   
   was crying in earnest now.   
      
   "Oh, Scully." He pulled her into his arms, laughing as   
   the babies protested he tight confines.   
      
   "Can you feel that?"   
      
   "First and second basemen, Scully."   
      
   "Ballerina and a gymnast."   
      
   "Maybe a baseball player and a ballerina?"   
      
   "I'm sorry."   
      
   "Shhh. Nothing to be sorry about."   
      
   She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. He smelled   
   good. One hand held her head firmly against him while   
   the other stroked up and down her back. She groaned.   
   Her lower back ached.   
      
   "You okay?"   
      
   "Yeah, sore back."   
      
   "I could help with that, you know. Come here." He   
   maneuvered them over to the couch and she found   
   herself lying with her head resting on a pillow   
   propped on his lap. It felt heavenly when he increased   
   the pressure and began massaging. She swallowed   
   another groan, one that had less to do with the back   
   rub and more to do with how it was affecting her   
   libido.   
      
   "Will you think about it?"   
      
   "Think about what?" She was having a hard time   
   focusing. God, she needed to move before she   
   embarrassed herself.   
      
   "The house. Think about what I suggested."   
      
   His hand strayed lower, keeping an even pressure.   
   There were definite disadvantages to having an   
   unconventional relationship. She forced herself to   
   move, sitting up awkwardly. "Mulder, I don't know if I   
   could. Afford it that is. Two babies cost a lot more   
   than one."   
      
   "I can afford it."   
      
   "But I can't."   
      
   "Are you going to argue with me every step of the way?   
   Don't I get a say in things?"   
      
   "My mother is right." She rubbed her eyes. "You're   
   just going to wear me down."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)