Alex headed for the kitchen, passing the table where the four expectant parents were visiting. “You guys need anything?”
“We’re fine,” Julie answered for them all, and stood up. She immediately clutched the chair. Alex’s good arm reached out for her as Jerry jumped to his feet.
“Julie?”
“I’m okay, uh, my, my water just broke.” She looked up into Jerry’s panicked face. “Are you okay?”
“What? Yeah, yeah.”
“I need to get cleaned up. Come with me?”
“Sure,” his arm went around her.
“I guess Byers is going to be busy soon. Maybe I should help him in the lab,” Becky started to rise.
“No!” It was louder than it needed to be, but Langly, Mulder and Alex had all spoken together.
“O-kay,” she eased back down into the seat.
Julie smiled at her. “Indulge them.”
Frohike chuckled and handed Louise to Walter. “I’ll go help him.”
“Good idea,” Walter said dryly, cuddling the baby to him.
“I’ll go get Scully, and - “
Suddenly Jerry was looming over him. Mulder was sure that Jerry wasn’t any taller than him, usually, but he actually backed up a step from the man. “You will not leave this house!”
“No, no of course not. Not a good idea,” Mulder agreed quickly.
Beth hurried out of the office. “What’s going on? I could hear you all yelling from in there.”
“Julie’s water broke,” Mulder explained.
“And that caused a lot of yelling?” Beth glanced over at Julie.
“You had to be there. Jerry? Come with me,” Julie took his hand. Jerry gave Mulder one more silent threat. Mulder raised his hands, agreeing with the man that his place was here.
Beth, shaking her head, led Jerry and Julie toward the office. “Should have seen this coming after MJ and Missy,” she muttered.
The pseudo-twins grinned at each other, but wisely kept quiet.
“I’ll go find Scully,” Kevin offered and headed for the coat rack.
“Yeah, good idea,” Mulder deadpanned as Walter laughed. Kevin rolled his eyes and lifted his coat from the rack.
The door opened then and Scully and Lynne rushed in. They stopped and looked around. “What?”
“We all missed you,” Kevin said as he helped Scully off with her coat.
She narrowed her eyes, but he didn’t back down, still chuckling as he turned to Lynne for her coat.
“Mulder?” Scully turned to him, demanding an update.
“Yeah, I’ll bring you up to date.” He took her arm and led her toward the back as well. “Where were you?”
“I went to the barn to talk to Lynne for a minute.”
“In the middle of all this?” he demanded.
“Looks like I got back in plenty of time.” He actually growled at her but she merely gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and preceded him into the exam room.
“You owe me more than that.”
“We’ll negotiate later,” she shot back at him and winked. Before he could respond, the door opened again and Julie and Jerry joined them. “How are you feeling?”
“Good, excited. I am having contractions, but they’re mild so far.”
*****
“Mulder, we’re going to need a basin for the cord. I think all of them are with Byers.”
“I’ll get one.” He looked over at Jerry, “I’ll just be a minute, honest.”
Jerry didn’t look in the mood for kidding around, so Mulder looked over at Scully who nodded for him to go ahead.
In a hurry he headed straight for the lab and entered without knocking. He stopped, stunned at the sight in front of him. Byers and . . . Lynne? Damn, it looked like she was going to suck off his beard. They finally seemed to notice him, though he still hadn’t spoken.
“Uh, Mulder - “
“Yeah, uh sorry to interrupt. Scully needed some basins.”
“They’re in the kitchen; they had to be sterilized,” Lynne responded, not releasing
Byers lips for longer than it took to answer. Byers met Mulder’s eyes, blushing, but not disturbed enough to stop.
“Yeah, good, well . . . I’ll see you later.”
They didn’t bother to respond, so he backed out quickly. He stood still once he was out in the hall. Byers and Lynne, that’s what Kevin hadn’t told him, and explained some of what he’d seen between Scully and Byers and why Scully had left. Later, he’d talk to Scully later; now he needed to get her basins and get back.
He hurried to the kitchen, avoiding the main room and the questions that would slow him down. He found the basins on the counter and picked them up, using the towel they were draining on.
He turned as the door opened again and Langly joined him. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, Becky just wanted some water.”
Mulder nodded. “Good, she needs to stay hydrated.” Even that seemed to worry Langly, so Mulder shut up, just patting the man’s shoulder as he left. He headed back to the delivery room, but spotted Becky sitting in a chair away from the fire. Something made him head in that direction. He spotted the white knuckle grip she had on the arms of the chair.
“Becky?” It took her a moment to respond. “You okay?”
She looked up and smiled feebly. “I guess so.”
He nodded. “Why don’t you come with me, let Scully check you out.”
“She’s kind of busy.”
“When I left a couple of minutes ago, there was plenty of time.” She nodded and he helped her to her feet. Others watched, but didn’t approach them. Langly returned from the kitchen then and hurried to her side.
Kevin took the forgotten glass from Langly’s hand, but Langly didn’t seem to notice, taking Becky’s other arm. His mouth moved, but no sound emerged.
“I’m okay,” Becky looked up at Langly.
“The, the baby.”
She nodded. He looked up at Mulder, panicked for sure then.
“She’s going to be fine. You know that. Walt will keep an eye on everything.”
The blond man nodded but didn’t speak.
“Listen, let me go tell Scully what’s going on. You two walk, just up and down here in the hall. That’s what she’ll tell you to do anyway. Don’t worry.”
He left them and opened the door to the delivery room. “Where the hell have you been?” Jerry asked immediately.
“Got the basins,” he smiled at him as he held them up to show them. “Uh, Scully, can I talk to you?”
“What?” she asked quickly.
“Becky.”
She rolled her eyes. “Beth, could you help Megan and Greg move back to their room for now. We’re going to need the space.”
Beth nodded and headed in that direction. What a day.
“Julie, you’re doing great. It’s going to be a little while, so I need to go check on Becky.”
Jerry’s head came up but before he could speak Mulder spoke up. “I’ll be right here. Becky’s gone into labor too and we’re going to handle it all. Julie is not going to have to do this alone and neither is Becky. Okay?”
Jerry seemed to calm down a little at those words, or maybe it was that Walt had moved over and touched his hand as he cradled Julie against him. Whatever, he didn’t protest as Scully left the room.
Mulder looked over at Walt, who smiled and nodded at him.
*****
Scully met Becky and Langly in the hall. “Hi. We’re going to move Greg and Megan back to their room. Corey is doing great, so it’s no problem. They’ll only be a few more steps away anyway. How are you feeling?” This last was directed at Becky, since Langly didn’t really seem capable of conversation.
“It’s not too bad so far.”
“Good. Let’s go in my office while Beth gets the room set up. I’ll give you a quick exam.”
A few minutes later Scully pulled off her glove. “You’re doing great. Only about three centimeters, so I should have plenty of time to deliver Julie before you need me. I’d like you to keep walking and let me know if your water breaks. Things can move faster after that. Okay?”
“Yes, we’ll be okay. Get back to Julie,” Becky reassured Scully. Langly looked like he wanted to protest that, but Becky squeezed his hand. “Help me up. We’ve got some walking to do.”
Langly helped her to her feet as Scully headed for the door. When she looked back, Langly was holding Becky, kissing her. Scully turned away, but relaxed a little herself. Whatever happened, Langly would be there for her; not that she expected anything bad, but she could still be on edge delivering three babies in one day.
Mulder looked up when she returned to the delivery room and his relieved smile steadied her. No, she didn’t need to worry, she was surrounded by all the support she needed. “How are things going?”
It was Julie who answered. “They’re getting stronger, but not much closer together.”
“How long are they lasting?”
Mulder responded then, “a full minute.”
“I better check.” After a moment she looked up and smiled, “won’t be long now. Can you give a push with the next contraction?”
“I was hoping you’d ask,” Julie nodded and tightened her grip on Jerry’s hand.
“You’re doing great.”
“Don’t you need Beth?” Jerry asked quickly.
“Mulder’s here. I think Beth needs to stay with Becky right now.”
“Or Langly,” Mulder whispered. Walt grinned but kept quiet.
Within minutes the baby was crowning. “Jerry, you doing okay?”
He nodded, but focused on Julie. She wasn’t able to speak now and his look of fear grew.
“Push, Julie. It’s almost over. Slow, steady, take a breath and again. Yes, the head’s out, don’t push.” Scully quickly suctioned out the nose and mouth. “Let’s do the shoulders.”
Mulder glanced up to see Jerry, mesmerized at the sight, and smiled. It was the man’s first child and he was in awe of the process. Mulder could relate.
“And there he is!” Scully held up the infant who opened his eyes and seemed to look toward his parents. Scully lay the baby on Julie’s stomach and Mulder handed the scissors to Jerry. After Scully clamped off the cord, Jerry cut it and Mulder moved it to the counter. When he looked back Jerry was kissing Julie even as his hand covered their son.
Scully massaged the baby with a towel, cleaning him a little as Jerry watched him breathlessly. “Shouldn’t he cry?” Jerry looked up.
“There was a time I’d say yes, but our kids don’t seem to need it to get the oxygen into their lungs.”
“He is doing fine, Jerry,” Walt looked up at him. “He’s happy to be here.”
“And we’re happy to have him,” Julie took him into her arms when Scully wrapped him.
“What name did you decide on?” Mulder craned his neck to get a good look at new boy.
“Harrison. It’s Jerry’s father’s name,” Julie didn’t look up, just feasting on the face of her newest baby.
“You guys stay here for a while. Let Mulder take Harrison out to greet everyone and he’ll bring him right back. I need to go check on Becky.”
Mulder carefully took the infant from Julie’s arms, winked at her and took Harrison out to the main room. Everyone gathered around, the children touching and greeting their newest brother.
“I need to get him back. Jerry might come after me again if I take too long and we’ve got one more to go,” Mulder straightened up.
“Do you or Dana need anything?” Maggie caressed the baby’s head.
“Not to deliver triplets again anytime soon,” he grinned, “No, we’re doing fine. Now if Langly can get through it . . .” He returned to the make-shift delivery room and handed Harrison to Jerry. Their eyes met and Mulder nodded. He knew those emotions. Jerry turned back to Julie and Mulder left to find Scully.
She was in the main exam room with Beth, examining Becky. Langly was sitting a little off to one side, obviously out of his element, wanting to give her comfort but unsure how.
“You doing okay, buddy?” Mulder joined him.
“What if I pass out? I don’t know if I can do this. It’s different in a lab, this is Becky.”
“Tell me about it,” Mulder agreed. “You won’t pass out, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, but you’re Mulder.”
Mulder blinked at that, “Okay, but you can remember before I attained such a lofty position and was just the fourth geek in your trio. We’re all here to support you as well as Becky. You do know she’ll be fine?”
“She’s already in a lot of pain.”
“Yeah, I know. That always the worse part for me, but it won’t last long and you’ll have a brand new daughter when it’s over. That’s what you need to focus on.”
“You think I’ll know how to handle a baby?”
At that Mulder grinned. “I did it, Frohike did it. I’d say chances are good.” At that Langly finally gave him a tentative smile; it was wiped away by Becky’s moan. Walt stepped forward immediately and laid his hands on Becky’s stomach. She visibly relaxed and looked over at Langly.
He rose immediately and took her hand. “How you doing?” Becky asked him immediately.
“Everyone can quit asking me that. It’s you I’m worried about.”
“Well, I can’t say it’s fun, but I want to do this. I can’t wait to see our baby girl.” Scully stepped away to give them some privacy and Mulder joined her, his hands going to her shoulders, massaging them lightly.
“I’ll give you a year to stop that.”
He grinned, bending over to nuzzle her neck. “More later.”
“You’re on.”
Becky drew their attention then and Beth motioned for Scully to join her. “Anything wrong?” Scully whispered, their backs to the new parents.
”Langly. If he gets any more pale he’ll be translucent.”
Scully didn’t look around; she’d seen the same thing. “Walt’s busy. Becky’s in a lot of pain. Esther?”
Beth nodded.
Scully turned to Mulder. “Would you get Esther for us?”
Mulder looked at her with some concern, but she seemed calm. “Sure.” He stepped to the door, but it opened before he could reach it and Esther joined them. Mulder rolled his eyes, but kept quiet. Esther took her place at Becky’s head, next to Langly. The frightened man didn’t even seem to notice her presence, but she moved closer and rested her hand on his leg. Some color returned to his face.
“I can’t do this!” Becky moaned. Mulder saw Esther’s hand tighten on Langly’s leg and Walt moved closer.
“Becky, look at me. It’s almost over. I know it hurts, but you’re in transition. Remember, we talked about that, it means it’s time to push. Let Walt help you relax. Langly, help her. She needs to lean against you as she pushes. Listen to me, both of you, it’s almost over.”
Mulder helped Langly lift Becky to recline against him. Langly was quiet but his eyes begged Mulder for strength. Mulder winked at him, nodding. “Just let her rest against you until she needs to push. Scully and Beth will help with that. You just help her stay on top of the contractions. If you’re focused, you can help her focus. Both of you will do better then. Believe me.” He squeezed Langly’s shoulder. “Talk to her, give her something to focus on.”
He could hear Scully talking to Becky, giving her basically the same advice.
“Becky, the baby’s crowning. I need you to push.” It took several more, but finally the head was out. Scully suctioned the child, but Mulder saw her look over and meet Walt’s eyes.
She swallowed, then looked up at her patient. “Becky, the baby’s a little big. I need to help it. The shoulder is caught on your pubic bone. Don’t push, can you hear me? Do not push.”
Mulder saw Langly go from pale to translucent and watched Esther’s arms go around him. Beth moved down to assist Scully and they exchanged some silent communication. Scully was checking the baby’s position when Mulder saw her eyes widen and then the baby slid into her hands. She recovered quickly, or appeared to, laying the infant on Becky’s chest.
“See? Everything’s fine. Look at your baby girl, Langly. Isn’t she beautiful?” His lips moved but it was Becky’s arms that went around the little girl pulling her closer. “Uh, we need to finish this up, Becky, get the cord to Byers. Okay?”
“What? Oh, yeah.”
Mulder watched Scully, she was acting strangely and doing . . . something he couldn’t see and didn’t really want to. But something had happened that had thrown her.
Once the placenta was delivered, Mulder took the baby out to meet everyone but hurried back to Scully’s side. Langly had a little more color now and didn’t protest when Mulder placed the baby in his arms, though he quickly sank into a chair beside the bed.
Beth looked over at Mulder, then turned to Scully and spoke in a low voice. “I’ll stay here with them for a little while, until they have a little more confidence. I think Mulder wants to talk to you.”
Scully nodded and looked pointedly at Walt. Without a word he joined them, leaving Esther and Beth with the new parents. The three headed for Scully’s office and Scully shut the door behind them. She turned to Walt immediately. “What did you do?”
Mulder straightened up instantly, looking between the two of them. “What?”
Scully moved to her chair then and sank into it. “The baby was too big. Becky’s pelvis couldn’t stretch that far. She needed a c-section, but without monitoring equipment or ultrasounds . . . “ She looked back at Walt. “Tell me.”
“I caused her pelvis bone to, to give a little.”
Both of his parents stared speechless at the boy. Scully recovered her voice first. “Give a little? You made her pelvis bone elastic?”
“Isn’t that what you felt?”
“Don’t . . . Walt, explain that to me,” she struggled for composure.
“She needed the help; I just made it . . . give. It’s how I used to get out of the crib when I was a baby. I just made the bars movable, so I could get out, like when Ruthie was born.”
“You remember when Ruthie was - “ Scully stopped then, that certainly wasn’t the point. “You can make things change texture.”
“Well, yeah.”
Scully looked up helplessly at Mulder.
“What would have happened if you hadn’t done what you did, Walt?” Mulder asked.
“It would have been a problem. Mom would have needed to shove Elizabeth back inside Becky in order to do a c-section, and since she was already breathing we would have had to breathe for her, or break Becky’s bone to try to get her out. I didn’t see any other way, and Becky was in a lot of pain.”
“Yeah,” Mulder spoke slowly, trying to take it in. “Look, it’s a good thing. The baby and Becky are both okay. We just didn’t know about this . . . ability and it caught your mother off guard. Maybe, in the near future, we need to go over some of the stuff we haven’t thought to ask.”
Walt nodded. “That’s probably a good idea. The girls and I can make a list.”
Mulder wasn’t entirely sure what comment to make at that and decided to go low key. “Thanks, and thank you for saving Langly’s family.”
Walt smiled and stood up to leave them alone for a little while.
*****
Scully sank down onto the bed. “Roll over,” Mulder stood over her and when she met his eyes, he reached down and rolled her himself. Once she was sprawled on the bed, he straddled her and began massaging her lower back. She moaned as he caressed the abused muscles.
“Never again,” she murmured.
“Don’t worry. No one’s pregnant right now and most of our candidates just gave birth. Unless Anne’s planning to make a move on Todd - you know Jennifer was awfully interested in Harrison, she and Will . . . “
“Don’t even think it.” She squirmed under him, trying to lead him to another area of her back. It brought up other things as well, but he decided to ignore it, or try to. She was too tired for that now.
“You know what I am thinking?” he moved to that part of her back and continued his ministrations.
“Walt?”
“No, I’ve purposely decided not to think about that right now.”
“Mmm, what then?” she finally asked.
“The guys. I’ve know them for years, I’ve counted on them for all kinds of things and they’ve always come through.”
“But?” she coached him.
“Not really a but, I just never saw this coming. Frohike is an old married man with two kids and one of the best people with babies I’ve ever seen. Langly found a woman that understands him, loves him and just gave birth to his daughter.” He shook his head. “And while I was getting that stuff for you, I walked in on Byers sucking face with Lynne. Ah, now that’s who could get pregnant tonight.”
She flipped under him. “Bite your tongue.”
“I’d rather bite yours,” he grinned.
She rose up then to meet his lips.
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