The call had surprised her. Why did BJ want to see her? The guard claimed no knowledge, just passing along the message. They weren’t busy and Mulder thought it was a good idea, so they had come. Now they were here and BJ wouldn’t even acknowledge them. Scully sat beside her, as she huddled on the bed.
"BJ? Can you hear me? It’s Dana Scully, you had the guard call and say you wanted to see me. Can you hear me?" She reached out to touch her, and brushed her swollen abdomen. It felt like. . . she was hard as a rock. She was having an extremely strong contraction, and it was lasting. . .
"Oh my god! Mulder help me! Guard!"
"Help you what? Scully, is she in labor?"
"Mulder, she’s delivering! Guard!"
"I’ll. . . I’ll go get. . . "
"No, help me get this jumper off of her."
"But don’t you think I should. . . "
"There’s no time, Mulder! Help me." She had the jumper open and was trying to get it off of her shoulders. "Mulder!" BJ groaned, the first sound they’d heard from her.
Mulder lifted her so that Scully could slip the jumper off. A guard finally approached the cell. "Get an ambulance, hurry!" The guard took one look and was off running down the corridor.
"Wait, I should. . . "
"Support her back, Mulder. BJ, you need to push, bear down for a long as you can. Mulder, help her. That’s good, BJ, the head’s almost out. When I tell you, quit pushing and just pant. Okay?"
She couldn’t tell if BJ understood or not. Mulder was completely out of his element, having never been this close to an actual birth.
"Pant, BJ. Don’t push!" Scully stroked the infant’s nose and cleared its mouth. "Okay, BJ. Push, a long, slow, steady push. You can do it."
Mulder watched in horrified fascination as the child began to emerge into Scully’s capable hands. He couldn’t really see what she was doing; not that he wanted to look any more closely.
"Give me your knife, Mulder."
"It’s not sterile."
"And I am? Just give it here." He lowered BJ back against his chest and dug in his pocket for the small pocketknife the guards hadn’t known to confiscate. Scully cut the cord and wrapped the baby in the remnants of the orange jumpsuit.
"One more push, BJ. I’ll help you. Mulder, support her again."
"What?" The baby was out, what was she, oh my god. . .
"Do it. Come on BJ, it’s almost over."
Mulder was even more unprepared for this part and felt himself turning green. He damn well would not fail Scully like this. He managed to turn away from all the blood and catch his breath.
"Okay, lie her down Mulder. BJ, just try to rest." Mulder looked back to see Scully holding the child to her breast, gazing down at it with an expression he’d never seen. It took his breath away.
She looked up to see how his eyes were fixed on her. There was no mistaking his expression. It was naked hunger, like she’d never seen from him. The longing in his face paralyzed her. They stood staring at each other for what felt like eternity, but couldn’t have been more than a few seconds.
She heard the paramedics pounding down the hall. "Here, Mulder, take him." She handed the newborn to him.
"No! Scully I don’t know how. . . " He’d never been around babies, he barely remembered Samantha as an infant and he had not exactly been in demand as a babysitter growing up.
"You’re doing it, Mulder. Just relax. In here!" She felt BJ’s pulse. "We need to get a pressure cuff on her."
The medic complied. "Shit! 210 over 170."
"We’ve got to get that down. Get an IV in her."
"Doctor, her pupil." He moved slightly aside to give Scully access.
"Damn! Is the IV in?"
"I’m losing vitals."
"Start CPR."
Mulder had retreated to the furthermost corner of the cell, cradling the infant to his chest.
"Nothing. Doctor, I think she stroked out."
"Continue CPR. We’ll defib. Ready? 300, clear."
"Nothing."
"Again. 300, clear."
"Doctor. . . "
"I know. Damn it! Call it, 11:21 a.m." Scully closed her eyes for a second, then rose to her feet, and joined Mulder in his corner. His arm automatically went around her, pulling her close. It felt so right, so natural holding these people against him.
"She’s dead." It wasn’t really a question.
"Yes. She had a stroke. I should have been able to keep an eye on her blood pressure."
"Scully, look around, you delivered this baby in a jail cell with only me to assist you."
"You were wonderful, Mulder."
"No, you were. But I didn’t pass out."
"We still don’t know why she called us." This was going to haunt Scully, he could tell.
"Maybe she just wanted us here when she had the baby."
"Mulder the timing was too close, she couldn’t have. . . "
"You don’t know how long she was in labor, maybe. . . "
"We need to get in touch with Tillman. Let him know his son’s been born." She felt his arm tighten around her and she relaxed, letting her tears stain his shirt.
*****
Mulder approached the window of the nursery. "How’s he doing?"
Tillman looked up. "Good, he’s doing real good. They said we could take him home tomorrow."
Mulder nodded, his eyes on the boy. He heard her footsteps behind him and smiled slightly, he’d know those steps anywhere. She stood beside him and without even having to look his hand found its familiar position on her back.
"I’m sorry about BJ, Brian."
He nodded, "Me too. I guess you two will have to be getting back."
"Yes, we have a flight in a couple of hours."
He nodded again, "I want to thank you for everything you did. I’m very grateful that he’s. . . " He cleared his throat. "We don’t have any other children, he. . . " his voice trailed off.
"Take care of him." Mulder shook his hand and steered Scully toward the elevator.
"Are you okay?"
"I’m fine, Mulder."
"Really?" He had no idea how many times he’d come to hear that phrase, or how violently he would come to hate it.
"I just hope his wife can get past all of this."
"You’re worried about the baby." She nodded. "The file isn’t closed, Scully. We can check in, make sure things are going okay. Remember if the pattern holds true, this child should not be affected."
She nodded again and let his hand lead her out into the sunshine.