He wanted to give her plenty of time the next morning, so he waited until after nine to call. The fact that there was no answer sent his emotions all over the place. Was she okay? Had she gone to him? He was dialing for the third time when she walked into the office.
"Scully! What the hell are you doing here?" He was on his feet, taking her arm and seating her in his chair. "You shouldn’t be out. I thought you’d stay home a couple of days."
"Don’t worry, I didn’t drive. There’s something I need to do."
"Scully it can wait until you’re well."
"No, not this time. Thanks for worrying but I have to do this as soon as possible."
"Did you get in touch with your, uh, Mother last night?"
"No. I went to sleep right after you left and didn’t wake up until this morning. It was good to be back in my own bed."
She hadn’t called him? Or she didn’t want him to know?
"I’ll be in the lab." She rose from his chair.
"Scully."
"I have to do this. I won’t stay too long, I know I’m still weak. I just have to do this."
What was it? What was so damn important she was willing to risk her health? He watched her walk out of the office. She wasn’t going to let him stop her, but he’d check on her in a little while. Maybe he could convince her to go home then.
*****
He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to go see how she was doing. This was insane on her part trying to work now. He looked through the glass in the door to the lab. Where was she? Had she left without telling him?
He pushed open the door. "Scully? Are you here?" His eyes scanned the room. She wouldn’t have left all of that equipment out. Where was she? Then he spotted her, on the floor in the corner. She was huddled in on herself, shoulders shaking from the sobs she was trying to muffle.
"Scully." He was beside her, pulling her into his lap and holding her tight against him before he would allow his brain to talk him out of it. She wasn’t able to stop the tears, allowing him to rock her as though she were a child.
This was scaring him. "Scully, please tell me what’s wrong."
"I thought he was wrong. He had to be wrong."
"Who? Scully, breathe."
"At the hospital. They didn’t tell you. He said I had a miscarriage." He closed his eyes, pulling her closer to him. "You and I know that can’t be true. I can’t. . . but he said, and I had to know."
She could barely talk through the sobs, her breath hitching, as she seemed to try to burrow into him. Mulder looked at the specimens spread out on the table above them. That’s what she was doing, confirming. . . ?
"I did the DNA match, it is fetal tissue and it is mine! This wasn’t like Emily, Mulder, this wasn’t removed from me. They used my body! There was a fetus inside of me. Who did this to me, what did this to me!"
Who? There wasn’t a man in her life? Oh god, what was she thinking? She was losing her battle against hysterics and beginning to hyperventilate. Should he slap her? Oh yeah, he was going to hit Scully. How could he. . . his lips closed over hers, taking possession, forcing her to focus. It was working, she was responding. Her arms had gone around his neck and she was returning the kiss with the same passion he had.
Oxygen deprivation was the only reason the kiss ever ended. He sat with her against him, watching, waiting for her reaction.
"Mulder?" She finally looked up, into his eyes. She was calmer and puzzled, but not frightened. "Why did you do that?"
"Well, I’ve wanted to for years." He watched her eyes widen at that. "And I had to get you to calm down, you’re not hysterical anymore."
"Slapping is the accepted way to stop hysterics."
"And you think I could hit you? This felt much better." His relief was making him giddy. There was no other man! She didn’t have a lover that had gotten her pregnant. Don’t dwell right now on what might have happened, Mulder. Just enjoy the feel of her in your arms.
"Yes. It did." She drew a deep breath and started to rise from his lap. His arms tightened. "Mulder?" He could happily sit here for days, holding her like this. She however had other ideas.
"Mulder, what if someone walks in? Come on, I have to finish this."
"No." She pulled back, what had he said? "Scully, I can’t let you handle this. Yes, you’re the best there is, but you are not going to put yourself though this. You cannot be the investigator on something this close to you. I’ll have someone else run whatever tests you want. I know you. . . no, we need to find out what happened. You’re just not going to be the one."
"But Mulder. . . "
"No. I’m taking you home and putting restraints on you if you try this again before Monday."
"You knew about the miscarriage." It was a statement, but there was a question behind it that he heard loud and clear.
He settled her more firmly in his lap so she couldn’t get away. "They told me at the hospital. I didn’t know what to think Scully. I. . . I assumed you’d found someone and. . . and you didn’t want me to know. It didn’t occur to me that you didn’t know you were pregnant or that it wasn’t, you know, planned."
"Why would you assume something like that? You know me better."
He couldn’t meet her eyes. Why had he acted like that? Be honest Mulder, jealousy. You were stark raving mad with jealousy that another man had taken your place in her life. Except it’s not your place. Immediate guilt hit him. He should have been there for her. He let his own feelings cloud what he could have done to make things easier for her.
She was watching him and his thoughts were crystal clear to her. They’d both been through hell because of this. And it had been worse because they hadn’t been together. When were they going to learn? Why weren’t they bright enough to learn this?
She leaned in and this time her lips took command of the activity. His mind was reeling, Scully?
"I think we need to work on our communication skills, Mulder."
"Am I misinterpreting what you’re communicating right now?" He was taking in her face, her expression. His hand was caressing her shoulder and arm.
"If you are then we’re worse off than I thought. I need you to help me on this Mulder. When we get our answers here. . . "
He nodded, this had to be investigated and he would protect her from it as much as possible. Then. . . he wouldn’t dare assume what would happen then.