Title: Who's the Father?
Part: 1/1
Author: Maria O'Rourke.
Feedback: dk_scully_101@yahoo.com
Archive: Go ahead, just let me know where it's going
so I can pop by!
Summary: Scully POV for a conversation she had with
her mother during Mulder's disappearance.
Spoilers: From Requiem up to present.
 
 

It was roughly 3 months before William's birth when I
found myself sitting in my mother's kitchen, staring
at a cup of tea that had gone cold over ten minutes
ago. I held it between my hands, staring at it as if
doing so would make it possible for me to drift off
into another world, thus avoiding this whole
conversation.

I should've known that staring at a cup of tea
wouldn't let me avoid the question that I knew was on
my mother's lips, the same question that had been
there since I'd been forced to tell her about my, em,
situation. That was the way that my family referred to
it after I refused to tell them who the father was.

So I sat in the kitchen, the open window allowing the
wind to circulate through the kitchen. I'd opened it
earlier in an attempt to relieve the hot flush that
had decided to strike at the precise moment that I'd
entered my mother's house. It must have been my body's
way of telling me to get out while I still could. But
I couldn't.

I'd already cancelled dinner three times because of
work, because I needed to do paperwork, because I was
going to a friend's. All fictional but I couldn't face
talking to my family. I knew what it would be like.

        "Do you want more tea Dana?"

It sounded like my mother's voice but it was as if I
couldn't hear her properly, as if I had managed to
somehow transport myself into the world of tea. I
looked up and saw my mother staring at me. Nope, still
there in the kitchen. It took me a moment to remember
what she said.

        "Sure..." I replied, sighing and releasing my grip on
the mug. I stared almost longingly at it as she took
it to the sink, opening the cupboard above her head
and taking out a clean one. She stared at it for a
moment before moving to the boiled kettle.

As she poured the boiled water into a teapot I saw the
mug that she'd taken from the press. "World's Greatest
Grandma" was written on it and I sighed, knowing what
was coming next.

        "Shelia had her baby the other day..." she commented
and I don't think she knew, or cared, that I knew of
nobody called Shelia, at least not someone my mother
would know. She placed the teapot in the centre of the
table and reached over and took the two mugs from
beside the sink. "A boy..."

There was a pause as I took in this piece of useless
information and nodded, pouring milk into my tea.

        "Shelia, she's Marian's daughter..." my mother added,
as if now only realising that I didn't know who the
infamous Shelia was. Come to think about it, I don't
think that I know Marian either. I sighed and nodded
again, unable to offer any conversation that wouldn't
lead to the inevitable. "It was a baby boy, just like
you..."

I smiled.

        "That's nice."

I took a sip of tea. Finding that my skin felt
increasingly hotter, despite the cool breeze from the
window.

        "Marian said that Jack was ecstatic about it," she
stated, keeping her eyes averted. I knew less about
Jack then I did about Shelia but I could guess where
this was going. I rose. "Marian said he cried as he
held the baby..."

I opened the cupboard door that held the cereal, I
just needed to hide my face from her and the cereal
cupboard was the largest one in the kitchen and when
it was opened, I could stand behind it and hide my
face. I bit my lip.

        "Will the baby's father be there when you go into
labour?" she asked and I closed my eyes, a face
flashing before them. I swallowed and closed the door,
turning to face my mother. I could see how shocked she
was when I turned around. I think the last time that I
cried in front of her was when I found out that I was
Emily's mother. I cringed at the mention of her name,
even in my thoughts. Would I ever tell this baby that
I was carrying that he had a sister once?

        "Dana?" my mother's voice brought me out from my
daydream and I realised that I was still crying. I
wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, turning to the
sink and turning on the tap, bringing a handful of
water to my face. My mother's hand was on my back
immediately, soothing me. "What's wrong?"

        "What's wrong?" I repeated, laughing despite the
tears that continued to flow down my cheeks. "What
could possibly be wrong?"

She removed her hand and I immediately felt the lack
of pressure on my back. I couldn't remember the last
time I had any human contact, apart from the football
friendly baby inside me. Despite the anger I felt, I
missed the brief moment of contact that my mother had
offered. I closed my eyes, remembering the last
memorable touch I had felt as Mulder's arms had held
me close to him.

        "I don't want to talk about it..." I replied,
swallowing, refusing to stare at my mother but I felt
her hands go beneath my chin as she forced my eyes to
meet hers.

        "You never want to talk about it. I want to know
Dana, I have a right to know!"

        "Right? *You* have a right?" I almost screamed but
held back. I looked at the ground but allowed myself
to stare at her, to show her the strength of emotions
in my eyes. "I have the right. Where did Shelia have
her child?"

        "What?"

        "Where did she deliver her baby?" I asked and she
shrugged.

        "I'm not sure..."

        "A hospital?"

My mother nodded and I could see that she was
confused.

        "I don't even KNOW where I'll be when I go into
labour. You think that the only thing that I'm not
telling you about this baby is the father?"

        "Dana, you're scaring me!"

        "Well, I'm scared too mom! I'm scared every time that
I wake up in the morning! I'm scared every time that I
feel my baby kick inside me, scared because I can't
even go to the hospital to check on him because I'm
afraid that someone or something will take him!"

        "Who would take him?"

        "I don't want to go into this." I said finally,
sitting down on the chair I had left vacant minutes
ago.

        "I don't think you have a choice Dana, it's about
time you tell me what's going on..."

        "Tell you? I'll tell you when I know."

I felt everything flood out of me. It was the first
time that I'd talked to anyone this way in months. I
needed to let go of my emotions but I needed to stop,
before I said something that I'd regret. Before I
frightened my mother, or worse, before I frightened
myself.

        "Dana! What's going on, has this got to do with Fox?"
she asked and the mere mention of his name sent
shivers down my spine and caused more tears.

        "Oh mom..." I muttered as she took my head in her hands
and held me against her shoulder as my body shook. She
rubbed my back and I closed my eyes, trying to imagine
where Mulder was at that precise moment.

        "It will be alright Dana..."

I shook my head, opening my eyes and forcing myself to
look at her. I saw something that I hadn't seen before
in my mother's eyes. Understanding.

        "I miss him..."

It was all that needed to be said. She understood now
and she simply smiled, kissed my head and nodded.

        "So..." she began, sitting back on her chair and
staring at her tea. She prattled on about something
that had nothing to do with a baby or the X-Files or
anything that she knew would cause me to concentrate
on Mulder. I looked up and smiled at her, wondering
just how long this new approach to my pregnancy would
last. I sighed, staring at the cup of tea in my hand,
glad that I had come to see my mother.
 
 
 

*

I smile as I watch my mother now. She leans over
William's cradle and picks him up, holding him up to
her shoulder as he cries. He whimpers for a moment but
soon his eyes drift closed and his head rests firmly
on her shoulder as she begins to walk towards me.

        "I've been thinking mom..." I said, as she sat on the
sofa, kissing William's cheek as she held him.

        "Yes?" she asked, not lifting her eyes from William,
she gets like that when she sees him. Once she's said
hello to Mulder, and me she goes for our son like a
bullet. I didn't answer her, lost in my own thoughts
until she stares at me. "Dana, you're day dreaming..."

I smile, watching as her attention turns back to
William.

        "Why didn't you ask me who his father was after that
day in the kitchen?" I ask, and I see her freeze. She
sighs and shrugs.

        "You said you didn't want to talk about it..." she
replies.

        "That never stopped you before."

She smiled.

        "It was different."

        "In what way?"

        "What is this Dana? The Spanish Inquisition?" she
stared at William. "When you said that you were
frightened and knew as much as I did, then I knew that
you weren't telling me things for both my own good and
yours."

        "You trusted me."

        "I never meant to upset you that day Dana..." she
stated and I smiled.

        "I never thanked you..." I stated and she looked
surprised.

        "For what honey?" she asked and I smile again.

        "For helping me..." I finally answer, sitting on the
arm of the couch and staring down at William. "For
being there when I needed you the most... But why didn't
you ever ask me again?"

She didn't answer; she didn't get a chance to. The
door opened from the bedroom and she looked up,
smiling.

        "My two favourite mommies..."

I smile as I look at Mulder crouch over my mother's
lap and tickle William under his chin.

        "And my favourite little man..."

William smiles gleefully at his father as Mulder
returns the smile.

        "You ready?" Mulder asks and I nod, watching as my
mother hands William to him. She reaches behind her
and grabs her coat, slipping it over her shoulders.
"Me and Will, will have great fun waiting for mommy
and grandma to come back from dinner won't we?"

It was as if William responded to Mulder in his own
baby language and Mulder smiled as he kissed me
goodbye.

As we stepped outside the door of my apartment, my
mother took my arm and we began to walk towards the
elevator. She stopped after a moment and turned to
face me.

        "I knew," she stated and I stared at her and
swallowed before she smiled, took my hand again and
walked to the end of the hall.

I didn't have to ask what she was referring to; I knew
that she was answering my previous question. She never
asked me about William's father after that day in the
kitchen because she knew who it was. Mulder.

4 months ago, I refused to talk to my mother about him
and now I leave our apartment, safe knowing that when
I return, both he and my son will be there.
 

=====
"A woman always has the last say in an arguement, anything a man says
after that is the
beginning of a new one."