TITLE: "New Millennium: Scenes from a Recuperation"
BY: Ten
E-MAIL ADDRESS: kristena@ocean.com.au

CATEGORY: V; Angst; MSR (Married); AU; hints of an X-File
RATING: Light R to be on the safe side - for mention of
'offscreen' consensual adult situations
SUMMARY: A time of rest and recovery before the next
storm.
TIMESPAN/SPOILER WARNING: "Requiem" and its resolution -
our version of events anyway. This is part of Vickie
Moseley and my "New Millennium" series, which goes into
alternate universe after 'Millennium'. We have definitely
gone even more alternate universe in these "Requiem"
installments than what was on screen - for example, in
our stories Mulder was only abducted for six weeks and
definitely did not get buried in a coffin for months. The
stories are on my website (see below). As self-contained
as we try to make each installment, reading the others
first would probably be a good idea ;)

Note: This story has some scenes that are set before the
last posted installment of the series (which was Vickie's
"New Millennium: Agent Michels Speaks"), and some set
afterwards <G>.

ARCHIVE INFO: It goes to Gossamer through xff. Can be
archived anywhere as long as our names, addys and
disclaimer stay intact.
FEEDBACK: Love it.
THANKS TO: Gerry, Mac, Suzanne, Debbie, Sally, Judie and
Vickie.

The stories in this series are available at Ten's
website, thanks to the wonderful Arria:
http://bitter-moon.com/tenxffic/index2.html
And a new site is currently under construction at:
http://ten.bitter-moon.com/xf

DISCLAIMER: The X-Files, the episodes referred to, Mulder
and Scully and all other characters from the show belong
to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox
Broadcasting, and are used without permission. No
copyright infringement is intended, no profit will be
gained. Characters not recognized from the show are ours.

"New Millennium: Scenes from a Recuperation"
By Ten
Written July to September 2003

xXx

A day or so after Mulder's release from the hospital
following his abduction, he and I were lying in bed, half-
watching the TV. Months ago, he promised me a 'proper'
wedding with my family present, since our first one was
so rushed. I had decided his homecoming and our impending
parenthood were ample reasons to take him up on his
offer.

"What sort of a wedding would you like, Mulder?" I asked.

"I've already had it," he replied, kissing my forehead.

"What? You and me in clothes that we'd tussled with
zombies in, the both of us injured - you in a sling - in
front of a justice of the peace after driving all night
from D.C. to Connecticut? Never let it be said that
you're not a romantic!"

"You were there and you said 'I do' in the right place.
That's all that matters to me," Mulder said firmly.

"And that's going to happen this time too," I answered
with certainty.

"Good. So this time you can have the wedding that you
want, because I kind of kidnapped you for the first one."

"Bridenapped." I looked over at the collection of framed
photos on the sideboard. One of them was from our
aforementioned wedding - a head and shoulders shot where
I had positioned myself to hide the sling as best I could
and Aunt Deb tried to take the photo on an angle to avoid
revealing the scratch marks on my neck. And I was in a
black pantsuit instead of a white gown. But all that
didn't really matter. The expressions on our faces said
it all. That this was our wedding and how happy we were.

Mulder continued, "So you can sort out all the little
details that women find so fascinating and important
about weddings, like getting napkins in a shade that
matches the bridesmaids' dresses, and I'll stay right out
of the way and save my sanity and my strength for the
wedding night."

I burst out laughing. "Mulder, you've already taken care
of the consummation part of things. Extremely well - I've
got the sonogram and the morning sickness to prove it!
Not to mention a rather devilish grin at the memories." I
was at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy.

"But if we're going to renew our vows we might as well
repeat the really fun stuff too! Instead of driving all
night I'll keep you up all night in another way." He gave
me a smouldering look.

He certainly kept me 'up' last night in our dreams -
somehow since he came home we've been able to share
dreams and have quite a time in them. Extremely real and
*extremely* pleasurable. "I'll hold you to that promise."
I gave him a matching look, then transferred it to the
lone remaining cupcake in the packet that was beside me
on the nightstand. Pregnancy cravings won out. I picked
the cupcake up and paused long enough to say, "Anyway,
wedding-wise, if we have it before the end of October, we
should get good weather. How does a rose garden sound to
you? It's something I've had in mind since I was a little
girl, from a book I read."

"That sounds great for the pictures."

"Not just for the photos, Mulder. For the ceremony
itself." I took a big bite out of the prolific icing.
Bliss.

My husband stared at me. "You want an outdoor wedding?
But - I thought you'd want to get married in your
Church?"

"We're renewing our vows and I already made you go
through the blessing of the rings."

"Well, that wasn't THAT strenuous!"

I smiled. After devouring some more icing, I told him, "I
don't have to have a church wedding. Really. Something
low-key will be fine, but this time we get to dress up
and have family and friends there. We could have it on
the Columbus Day weekend. Then we'd get the Monday for
our honeymoon. I love the rose garden at the back of the
Shakespeare Library. I think they still have an
auditorium there that would do for the reception. And the
roses would be beautiful."

Mulder nodded. "Roses are in a way fitting. We've had
some thorns in our time on our way to full bloom."

"Very true," I replied. "Stop me if there's anything you
don't agree with."

"Not so far. And what attire would you like me to turn up
in?"

"I'd like you in a tux. You look so good in one. I
remember you in a tux in Boston once, though I can't say
I approved of your dance partner at the time." He gave me
a look and I gave him one straight back. "Then I had to
wait for ages before you wore one again."

"Then you'll get to have me in a tux."

"I certainly will!" I ran my tongue around what remained
of the icing on top of the cupcake.

"Hmmm. Something tells me I'd better *buy* a tux,
otherwise I'll lose the rental deposit," Mulder muttered.

Probably a wise move. After all, when we returned to our
motel after the premiere of the movie 'The Lazarus Bowl',
I about ripped his attire off him in my haste and
desire.... Bad movie, but sexy husband!

"I'll let you go tieless," I added.

"Really? Wow, Agent Scully, you keep surprising me."

"I've got some ideas for my dress too. Something with an
empire waist that allows for baby and all these
cupcakes!" I wondered why I couldn't be craving something
healthy instead.... Oh well, in another week or so, I
could well be. Or I could end up wanting something even
more decadent.

"But would you be showing much at that stage?" Mulder
asked.

"We'll have to see! Best to be on the safe side anyway."

"Will you get Mom or Walter to give you away?"

"Actually, I'd kind of like Bill to." I watched Mulder's
face for a reaction. He did his best to hide his 'I've
just been tripped while sprinting' look, but not with
much success.

And I think he was hoping that I was joking.

"Mulder, Bill is the closest I've got to having my father
there in the flesh. I think my brother is adult enough to
do the job now, and that he's accepted us being together.
Especially since we've been married since January and
have a baby on the way. Let's give him a chance. And if
we ask, he might even be pleased at the honor."

My husband mustered a smile, but his words were sincere.
"If that's what you want, then okay."

My oh-so-clever husband didn't think that I then heard
him mutter, "If Bill gets leave," and snort. Mulder
wanted me to be happy but if fate happened to step in he
sure wasn't going to spit in its eye. However, I thought
he would come around to the idea. After all, he kept
telling me it would be *my* day!

xXx

The next day, I was going through mail and making a
grocery list at my desk in our bedroom. I had taken time
off work to be with Mulder when he was in the hospital
and was also on leave for the first part of his recovery
at home. The plan was that I'd go back to work on half
days next week for a start.

My husband was fresh from a nap, and reading the paper.
But then he put it down and I could sense that he was
watching me, wanting to talk. So I went over and sat
beside him. He put his arm around my waist.

"What's wrong, Mulder?"

"Not 'wrong'. I was just thinking... About the next
months. One thing we have to work out is what's going to
happen work-wise now that we're going to be parents."

"True. That's something I've been meaning to discuss with
Walter as well."

Mulder hesitated. "I must admit, the idea of you going on
a case while pregnant.... I don't mean anything sexist or
caveman by that - I know you can't be wrapped in cotton,
but considering how much a miracle your pregnancy is and
how much we've wanted a baby...." He tailed off with:
"You're going to shoot me again, aren't you?"

"No. I understand where you're coming from."

"I know you wouldn't do anything to risk the baby, but a
situation can suddenly turn serious within an instant
when an agent is on a case."

I replied, "And the same with you. Just like there's a
risk for me, there's also a risk that even if I go and
teach or do deskwork for the rest of the pregnancy that
something could happen to *you* while you're on a case,
and the baby won't have a father... Which was a near
enough thing recently." His other arm went around me too
and I put my hand over his. "I must admit that I've been
more focused on the here and now - looking for you while
taking care of myself, and then concentrating on your
recovery. And also being focused on keeping the X-Files
running while you were gone and while you're
recuperating. I haven't really had the luxury to think
beyond those points."

"So I guess it's time to start thinking about our
options. And what you want to do."

I said, "I'm not sure yet. I need to get used to the idea
of long-term thinking instead of just the next few weeks
at a time."

"Okay. When you come back to work after the baby is born,
the FBI has that parental program, don't they?"

I nodded. Either of us could work sixteen to thirty-two
hours a week on a prorated pay basis, to balance work and
family. We could jump in and out of the program as
needed.  "I'd get to keep my seniority and can come back
full time when I want to. So I could do part time after
my twelve weeks of maternity leave are up. And you can
cut your hours back through the program when you need to
as well."

"That will be very handy."

"And at the moment there's time to think over our options
and then decide, instead of rushing in," I said. "We
don't have to search for Sam any longer...." At that he
blinked hard. "Remember what we talked about: how we want
to spend as much time as possible with our child or
children, but we don't want the Consortium or any other
trouble brewing because no one was looking. For
everyone's sake, not just our family's. We know there are
UFOs. We know there were..." I hesitated, then continued,
"...plans for possible colonization."

Mulder nodded. "Yeah. And we'll have to do a good job of
training any help we do get. So, from what you've told
me, I gather that Michels is a skeptic?" She was the new
partner that Walter had assigned to me while Mulder was
missing.

"Through and through."

He was unconcerned. "I've always enjoyed a challenge."

xXx

Things were going well, so I started going back to work
on half days. Started is the operative word. That very
first day Mulder had two panic attacks - the first one at
home, the second in the ambulance that was taking him to
the hospital. They were so severe that the EMTs mistook
them for heart attacks. When they hit, I felt his
distress even over that distance. And we both knew it was
because I hadn't been there with him.

He ended up in the hospital again for observation. I knew
that with this setback he wouldn't be strong enough to
come with me for the appointment with my obstetrician in
a few more days. And after everything that had gone on, I
didn't want to delay it, as much as I wanted him there.
Making sure our baby was okay after all the stress was
the main priority. My doctor worked out of the same
hospital, so I contacted him and explained the situation.
He was able to get me an earlier appointment, which I
went to while Mulder was asleep, with Mom keeping an eye
on him.

Fortunately no 'separation anxiety' occurred. When I told
Mulder afterwards, he was disappointed but understood,
and was glad that everything was okay. Not to mention he
was determined to make it to the next appointment. I told
him I had a surprise for him from this one. He expected
another sonogram, but another of those would not be done
until I'm about five months pregnant. This time my
surprise was a recording of our baby's heartbeat.

Mulder's doctor pronounced my husband as healthy as a
horse - albeit a very weak horse. So when Mulder came
home, he had a cane and strict instructions to use it.
"The more you use it now, the quicker you'll be able to
get rid of it," I told him. My husband actually concurred
with the barest of grumbles. I guess what happened really
scared him, and he didn't want to give me any more cause
for alarm.

After the physical therapist came and gave Mulder a
session, I expected my husband to be exhausted enough to
have a nap. Instead I peered into our room to find him
lying on the bed, staring hard at the ceiling.

I went and sat beside him. "Mulder, are you okay?"

He nodded. "I was just wondering.... Pondering. When I
was discharged from the hospital after my abduction, I
was pretty weak, but I'd made 'remarkable' progress to
get discharged that quickly. Then after a day or so I
seemed to 'regress'. I felt weaker. Not enough to end up
back in the hospital, but definitely not as strong."

"Well, you'd had the upheaval of coming home - you were
so determined to get home that you might have pushed too
hard and then once here it all caught up with you," I
reminded him. "That's not uncommon. Plus on the day AND
night of your homecoming we discovered we had that little
psychic sex connection going on. It was so real that it
would have burned through some of your energy reserves."

I could tell from the look on Mulder's face that he
thought there was more to it than that. I've seen that
look often enough in our time. He was mentally shifting
thoughts and observations around in his head like puzzle
pieces, trying to find a pattern. He continued, "Then I
had the panic attack and ended up back in the hospital -
and needed this cane when I was discharged. How can I be
weaker from panic attacks than from the state I was in
after my abduction?"

"Mulder, those 'panic attacks' were so strong that I felt
them and they were mistaken at first for heart attacks.
You've been through a hell of a lot, and this is your
body telling you it needs rest. More rest than you
usually, grudgingly, allow it."

"Are you saying I'm getting old?" he teased, then looked
serious.

"Mulder, I know you're worried - but the likelihood of
you ending up on permanent disability from this is very
slim. You won't have that cane forever. It's just until
you regain some more strength."

"It's not just that - if I had such a strong reaction
that first time you were out of the house and away from
me, then I'm really messed up. If that keeps happening,
goodbye to me being an agent! But I think that something
is at work here, and those attacks are 'offshoots' or
'glitches' of it instead of the main thing."

"Those attacks seemed pretty real to me! What do you mean
'instead of the main thing'?"

"Well, since I was returned, I've had a rather good
success rate at 'whammying' people, influencing them to
do what I want. Some people, anyway. Walter, Mom. Though
Byers took a lot of effort and Frohike was nada. And we
know from all the hospital tests that I don't have a
brain tumor, so that rules out the 'Pusher' angle."

I couldn't really deny that something was going on. We
were definitely sharing dreams and sometimes sensing each
other's feelings while awake. Missy would have been so
proud of me! Or amused. And then there was how I was able
to feel his panic attack.... Also, he had been able to
get Mom to do things that he wanted without even having
to say anything, like bringing him a drink of a certain
flavor or a snack that was 'off limits'.

At first I thought it was simply that Mom was being Mom -
great at working out in advance through instinct and love
as to what her adopted son wanted or might need.
Especially after already raising four kids. But a few
times when Mom was downstairs Mulder asked me to think up
something out of the ordinary and when I did, he would
concentrate, and sure enough, Mom soon appeared, bearing
it. ("Here's your drink, dear. I'm not sure why I brought
this potted plant up with me, I think it was to put it in
that window where there's more sunlight." At that point
we stopped, not wanting Mom to develop a complex that she
was getting addle-minded.)

Mulder continued telling me his list of oddities: "This
power of suggestion, the shared dreams we've been having,
the fact that I'm the only survivor of the abductees,
that rapid recuperation, how you and I seemed to be
connecting at times when I was gone..."

"What do you think it is?"

"I keep thinking about that rubbing from the UFO in
Africa. It seemed to trigger something in my brain. This
feels a bit like that, though not overwhelming."

"Kritschgau mentioned it might have something to do with
the alien virus you were exposed to, but he didn't make
clear which one. There was the retrovirus and the black
cancer."

"That could be a factor. I may be the only person exposed
to both who has lived. People like Billy Miles also
experienced strange brain activity, but all those other
abductees died. Who knows whether my exposure to the
viruses saved me? And you've had a few run-ins yourself
with strange medical things. Being stung by the bee. The
cancer."

"As far as we know, I'm the only one to survive that
cancer. Thanks to another chip," I said quietly.

Mulder gently caressed my hand, and said, "When I first
started experiencing the aural dissonance after we were
given the rubbing, Chuck Burns talked about magic
squares, the trapping and storing of potential power for
a person whose name or numerical correlative exercises
that power. Since you rescued me from the DOD there have
been a few instances where that power could have come
back into play. And I'm not reaching with that - remember
my miraculous recovery from those snakebites? You said
that you saw symbols from the craft in Africa flash up on
the medical equipment I was attached to."

"I did."

"Perhaps what happened to me on the UFO set it off again.
Whatever 'it' is. Somehow I survived all those snakebites
and also whatever happened to me on the UFO, which
obviously was not any sort of health regime."

True. More like 'starve the human', from the state of
Mulder and the other returned abductees. I said, "If this
power is kicking in again, and not just in a single
healing surge, but more regularly, then the tests and the
brain scans that you had during your hospitalization
would have shown the activity. Like when the rubbing or
whatever it was started to affect you. Also, you should
be near comatose from it, like you were back then."

"The comatose part mainly came from the drugs they were
giving me," he countered. "The mental opening up of my
brain was overwhelming at first, but I got the feeling it
could be controlled. Turned off or on, and fine-tuned
like a volume dial. And there was a point where I could
control the 'frequency' - mind reading was just one of
the possibilities, but it was so.... I was too drugged up
to be able to experiment with these abilities. Then it
was gone. Or turned off. The times the tests were run
during this hospital stay, it wasn't happening. Just as
well, or I'd have become a lab rat."

"And the power is smart enough to know when to 'hide'? Or
power down?" I asked.

"Perhaps *I* was doing that. Perhaps subconsciously I've
learned how to tap into it or use it more subtly. I just
wish I knew how to do it consciously! Doing the whammy
might be drawing the energy away from healing me. That
could explain why I got weak again after my discharge
from the hospital. I could be using this power, but
healing myself takes a lot of energy, so although I heal
physically, I'm drained for a while mentally. Hopefully
these panic attacks were just due to some sort of
'hiccup' in that power and -"

"A 'disturbance in The Force'?" I said with heavy irony.

He gave me a look and kept plowing along, "- or it
amplified my anxiety to a huge degree. But now I'm aware
of that and should be able to prevent such a strong
reaction from happening again. Hopefully. What do you
think?"

"I think that life with you is never, ever dull!" I
retorted in amused awe. "The way your mind works - even
when you're just using the normal human percentage of
brainpower...."

"Or perhaps I'm not. It could explain some of my spooky
leaps."

"You were making those way before you came in contact
with that rubbing."

"Anyway, if I try to open my mind, to focus mentally on
my healing as well as physically.... And also try to
meditate and limit the whammy, then see what happens.
That could help me. It's worth a try, and I might have
another healing spurt."

If he believed in this, then it was something for him to
focus on. It would save him getting down in the doldrums
about the possibility of being on permanent disability.
And anything that would make him rest was fine by me. "If
you're going to cut down on such things, are you going to
limit our shared x-rated dreams?" I asked.

His "Noooo" was very emphatic.

"I thought not! But if you're correct, then these
nocturnal nookies might be affecting your recovery too."

"No, I think that the bond between you and me is
something even beyond that. Beyond whatever is in our
chemical makeups due to what we've been subjected to -
our bond is spiritual. Or we're so close, so connected,
that this link we have isn't really draining. It's as
natural as breathing." He had to stop to yawn.

"This should be interesting...." I said. "Now try not to
whammy anyone while I'm in the bathroom!"

Mulder watched me as I got up. I saw him concentrate a
little, and suddenly I felt a tingling, a glow. And it
felt like I was being held, despite Mulder being several
feet away.

"That's easy," he said. "But if I tried that with 
Frohike -"

"You'd better not!"

"If there was any of the Gunmen that I couldn't 'reach'
with the whammy, I'd have put money on Langly. What all
those years of heavy metal must have done to his
brain...." Mulder mused.

"Frohike has unexpected depth," I said with a smile.

"Yeah. He's the one who brought flowers to the hospital
when you were in the coma."

"And who showed up on my doorstep upset when he thought
you'd been killed in that boxcar blaze."

xXx

Due to Mulder's 'separation anxiety', I got permission
from Walter to work from home for a little while. During
that time I went out for short periods while Mom or the
guys were with him, not far at first, "to wean me off
you" Mulder joked. "Good practice for the baby!" We both
knew that I could be home very quickly if anything
happened. I'd feel it even before anyone hit the speed
dial to tell me.

Agent Michels came by to go over some files and paperwork
with me. It was the first time that she and Mulder had
met properly. He insisted sitting in on our meeting, and
he showed that he could still cut it in the profiling
department by looking through a report about bodies being
found near a crop circle and quickly concluding that
there was a human killer instead of aliens.

Afterwards, Mulder and I had a very nice joint nap (with
extras) together. Intercourse was still unfortunately in
the realm of our shared dreams (but fortunately it
certainly still felt very real!) but outside of those we
were still able to have and give very satisfying and
sensual 'stroking sessions'. My bells certainly rang.
Being able to touch him again was wonderful. And to be
touched.

After our nap and fun, I asked him, "So, what do you
think of Agent Michels?"

"If I say that she reminds me of you when we first
started working together, will I regret it?" He eyed me
like he was poised to grab his nearby cane to fend me off
with if I got mad.

"It's okay. I've already come to that conclusion myself.
Very disconcerting, let me tell you!"

"Want to place bets about how long she's going to stick
around?"

"She will for a bit. I think she figures that being given
this assignment means she's on somebody's blacklist, so
she will 'pay her dues' and avoid asking for a transfer
because of what it will do to her in the eyes of her
superiors. But once she gets the opportunity to move out
of the basement, she'll grab it. And if you don't stop
trying to whammy me every five minutes, I can't blame
her! She already thought we were weird *before* that
visit."

Mulder looked anything but guilty. "I was just trying to
help you relax. You were getting tense, and that's not
good in your condition. So I mentally soothed you. Like
giving you a back rub or foot rub."

"It had more 'za-zing' in it than a foot rub does! Or a
full body massage, in fact!"

"She probably just thinks it was your hormones and me
living up to my Spooky persona. And think of the
challenge we'll have in converting her to believe in UFOs
and the paranormal."

"You've never been one to back down from a challenge."

"Well, all those years of working away at you finally
paid off!" He tapped my wedding ring. Then he looked at
it wistfully and sighed. "I miss not having my ring."

"We didn't really get to wear them in public much
together, did we? But our renewal of vows is coming up
soon enough, and I'll have a new one ready for you then.
But as nice as they are, they're a symbol. So don't beat
yourself up about losing it, or my cross. You're what I
wanted back!" He had both with him when he was abducted.

I think he was considering buying a new cross and
necklace as his wedding present to me. I accidentally
overheard part of a furtive conversation between him and
Mom on the subject. Mom said that Melissa also got a
cross identical to mine when we were teenagers but never
wore it, and she would try to find it over the next few
weeks.

xXx

We were on Mulder's old couch in our family room in front
of our new TV. I was watching a show but Mulder wasn't
interested in it, so he was reading one of our growing
collection of books about pregnancy. After a while my
show finished and Mulder took a break, so we lay and
talked about how the wedding plans were progressing. I
was feeling so happy and content.

"Want to know something?" I asked.

"Depends what it is," he replied jokingly.

I poked him and said, "This: there isn't a word invented
yet that can describe how much I love you."

He gave a beautiful smile that turned into a grin. "Maybe
not a word, but an act," he commented.

I returned the grin and raised an eyebrow. "Sex?"

"For once, no." He gestured to the TV. "You got me a
plasma TV AND the all sports package on dish. One hundred
and forty channels, all sports, all the time. It must be
love."

"It is." I didn't want him getting bored while he was
'trapped' at home. Hopefully down the track I won't
regret buying him that TV and package - like when I want
him to do something around the house or change the baby
and he's fixated on the screen for hours on end instead.
But just as long as he is there I'll be happy even while
frustrated. Much better than not having him there at all.
After a pause, I tell Mulder, "I want to go in to work
tomorrow for a few hours."

"I'll be okay. You've been weaning me successfully."

"But those were shorter trips. Not as far. I don't want
you having any more attacks like that."

"Yeah, where not even sports on the TV could make me
forget how much I was missing you!"

"Well, that would have to be the ultimate male compliment
to a woman," I said wryly.

Mulder reassured me, "I'll be all right. I haven't had
any more attacks and I'm doing fine. And remember, I
think I've figured out what was causing it. Besides, you
have to go in to work. I want your leave time to be saved
for when the baby comes, not for looking after me. Not
that it hasn't been nice.... But I hate being so needy."
He looked down at the floor.

"Mulder, after what we've been through, I have a hard
time letting you out of my sight too. It's perfectly
natural."

He smiled and kissed me. "Things will be fine tomorrow. I
know that my family extends to more than just you now.
Mom has been great. Oh - Byers wanted to know if we want
to borrow a book of baby names. Or he can give us some
great websites to look up."

"Well, there are some obvious choices for baby names," I
told him, threading our fingers together.

"Like Sam or Melissa or William?"

"Yes. But what do you think about them?"

Mulder looked thoughtful, then said, "If you want to name
the baby any of those, then we can, but I guess I'd
prefer them as second names. I'd like our child to have
his or her own identity. Their own name. However I'm just
happy to be having a kid, and you're the one who has to
do all the carting and huffing, so it's really your call.
You're earning it."

xXx

I was able to go into work for a few hours on that Monday as
planned without Mulder experiencing any problems. We talked on the
phone once during that time anyway, just to be on the safe side.

His physical therapy was going well and he was trying to keep any
inadvertent whammying to a bare minimum and meditate instead,
trying to 'enhance and optimize' the speed of his recovery.

Though there was one point where we had a plumber around and I was
showing him the problem while Mulder watched. The plumber seemed
outwardly very professional as he listened to me, though I was
more focused on the pipes than him. But suddenly Mulder said in a
very alpha male tone: "Buddy, that's my WIFE!" Cue one beet red
plumber (and not with anger), who became very rattled. After he
left, or rather, fled, my husband insisted that he was not making
it up. "That guy was mentally ogling you - undressing you, in
fact. I know that any man's eyes would linger over your lovely
form, but this jerk was really going to town. It was coming
through to me in stereo. It's a wonder he could concentrate - I
sure couldn't!"

xXx

We were back on the couch again, cuddling and contentedly watching
TV, when Mulder suddenly said, "Scully, I think I'm well enough to
'thank you' for the TV setup."

I started to say, "Huh?" then he shifted his body and I realized -
or rather felt - the point that Mulder was making. We'd been
having regular 'psychic sex' of a night together when asleep, but
with Mulder's recovery then rehospitalization and resulting
setback, we hadn't *physically* done the full wild thing since he
was taken from me. But right now Mulder's fox was showing signs of
life while we were both awake.

"Then lie back and enjoy while I accept your thank-you
wholeheartedly," I told my husband, gently pushing at his shoulder
to move him onto his back. He tugged me to him for a kiss that got
very hot very quickly, and oh yes the fox was wanting out of
confinement.

As I started to undress Mulder, I said, "This brings back
memories...."

"Hmmm?" he replied distractedly, his hands wandering.

"Of our wedding night. Our honeymoon. This position was the order
of the day, mostly, until your arm was better. Every time since,
it's had special meaning to me."

"You're staring at me like I'm the icing on one of your
cupcakes...."

"Well, you are my ultimate craving."

Wonderful mayhem ensued. The dreams had been wonderful and
satisfying, but nothing beat the real thing! Afterwards we dozed
in each other's arms under a blanket and came back to earth to
realize that an opera was now playing on the TV.

Mulder frowned at the screen. "What the heck is this? I think
they're singing it in English, but I can't tell for sure! I hate
opera...."

"Well, if you can find the remote, we'll change the channel." I
stared at the actors, trying to work out which opera it was. "I
think it's 'Dido and Aeneas'."

The remote was not easily at hand, so we ended up leaving the show
on. As the events unfolded, I shook my head. "Of course that's all
legend or writer's license. The real Dido was a completely
different woman. No soap opera dalliances with passing Trojan
heroes. She was strong and clever. She founded the city of
Carthage."

Mulder nodded. "That's right. And Dido wasn't her real name. I
think it was actually Elissa. Is that right?"

"Yes." Suddenly we both stared at each other, thinking the same
thing.

"I like that name," Mulder said.

"So do I. But it's 'Melissa' without the 'M'," I pointed out.

"Well, that makes it different enough. And not only does it
contain some of Melissa's name but it also has an 'E' for Emily
and a 'Sa' for Sam. I think it's a perfect fit! A tribute but
individual enough at the same time. If we do have a girl, her
nickname could be Ellie or Ella."

He was winning me over. "It is a strong and lovely name...."

"Matches her mother!"

"Well, since you're on a roll, how about a middle name then?" I
asked, wondering if he would suggest the names of either of our
mothers.

"I would say 'Dana' but then you'd counter with 'Fox' for a boy
and there's no way I'm doing that to my offspring! Waitaminute - a-
ha!" He pointed to the brochure we had got from the Shakespeare
Library, of the garden we were going to get married in. "Elissa
Rose Mulder."

"Damn, you're good!" I replied, impressed.

He smirked. "I have many talents, wife. You of all people should
know that!"

"Okay, Mr Abundant In Many Forms Talent. How about boys' names?"

"You're a slave driver! Give me overnight to have a think, okay?
Actually, I've picked for a girl. You get to pick for a boy. Only
fair."

I thought for only a moment and then smiled devilishly.

"I'm not sure I like that look on your face," he told me.

I ignored his snide remark and plowed on. "How about David?"

"David? As in 'and Goliath'?"

"Or as in that really cute guy who played opposite Minnie Driver
in 'Return to Me'," I countered.

"Him? Scully, I hate to break this to you, but the guy used to do
soft porn."

"Oh, so that's how you knew him already when we saw that movie.
Mulder, he narrated 'Red Shoe Diaries'," I huffed. "And, okay, he
did a few episodes of it as an actor as well as narrator. Risque,
but hardly porn."

My husband reared back to give me a look.

"Okay, so he also did 'The Rapture' with Mimi whatshername, but
that hardly qualifies him as a 'porn star'!" I said defensively.
The man's body, especially that rear, deserved to be preserved on
celluloid.

I realized that Mulder's eyes were twinkling. "Been doing some
'remedial viewing', Scully? And we haven't even mentioned
'Kalifornia' yet."

I tried to give him a glare, but I couldn't. Mulder hugged me to
him tightly. "David it is then. David William, if you like. But I
don't think it will be an issue. I have a feeling Elissa will come
out the winner," he said, kissing my hair.

"Is that the whammy talking?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Maybe just 'Daddy Intuition'."

xXx

"Mulder, I've got a serious craving."

"What does my lady require?"

"Chocolate sauce and whipped cream."

"Sure. On what?"

"You. Your naked body."

Mulder didn't miss a beat. "Sure. In any particular design,
pattern or place, or just 'as it comes'?"

"How about writing a message: 'Property of Dana Scully-Mulder. If
lost or injured, please phone 555 -'"

"That's probably a good idea. I get the feeling you're going to be
so thorough with that tongue that I'm going to wake up without
fingerprints in the morning!"

I laughed, then started to suck provocatively on a digit.

xXx

"You reached new levels with that tongue of yours last night - and
that's saying something! I think I need that cane again!" Mulder
announced as he entered the room that will become the nursery.

I was standing in the middle of the room, picturing various colors
and themes, but I put that aside for a few minutes as I gave him a
smug grin. He engulfed me in his arms.

Mulder shook his head and said, "You worry me. Remember how we'd
been married for about a month and you hid the fabric softener so
that my silk boxer shorts had really bad static cling?"

"It wasn't 'bad' at all! Nothing left to the imagination...."

"Well, when does it get reciprocal? Because I remember you saying
that you need new bras, especially with the landscaping that's
going on up there."

"Yeah, my hills are on their way to becoming mountains." Since
I've become pregnant, my breasts have been going through
'sensitive periods'. Sometimes it is 'bad sensitive', where I
don't want them touched, but sometimes it is 'good sensitive'
where the sensations are so heightened....

Anyway, "Yes, I definitely do need new bras and I remember telling
you that you can come too and help me with my selections."

"Just say when."

"We need to get baby things too, but I think that should be a
separate trip." We'd been looking through catalogues in
anticipation. Mulder had made some short trips out of the house,
but needed naps and rest after each, which was understandable. At
his last doctor's appointment, the doctor said that he was on
track to requalify at work.

We set up our bra shopping date for the next day. Then I went into
work for a while.

That night I woke up to find Mulder was having a nightmare. Since
his return he had been averaging about one nightmare every few
nights, but nothing he could remember in any detail when he
awakened. I usually heard him starting to make distressed noises,
and I would carefully and quickly wake him up.

But this time he wouldn't wake up. He was still trapped in the
nightmare and wouldn't respond to me. Instead, he was talking,
almost yelling, in a hoarse, desperate voice.

"Let me go, you bastards!! Let me go to her!! I have to protect
her, I have to protect our child. Let me go you sick -"

Fear gathered in me. "Mulder! Mulder, it's a dream. Wake up!
You're in our bedroom! I'm here! It's over."

"Help me - help me get back to her, to them. You understand, I can
tell you do. You have to help me," he was begging someone -
something? - desperately.

Heedless of the risk of him accidentally hitting me, I pulled him
into my embrace, still trying to wake him up. But I could sense
that this nightmare - this memory - would not let him go until it
had run its course. His breathing and heart were fast, but not to
the degree of the overwhelming panic attacks he had. Still, I
wanted to break him out of this, to stop his suffering.

"No. Not without the others. I'm not leaving them here." His
voice, though weak, was iron. "Yes, *now*! There is no other time.
I couldn't live with myself if I left another human being behind
on this ship, subjected to this torture.  I'm not leaving without
them."

His body moved in my arms, and either through our link or my own
imagination I sensed a painful but desperate shuffle down a
corridor.... People so thin....

"Move. Move! Hurry!" Mulder said, eyes still closed.

Then he woke up with a start.

"Mulder, it's okay! You're safe - you were having a nightmare."

He looked relieved and clung to me, taking deep breaths. I rocked
him and kept up a stream of gentle, comforting words and sounds.

After about five minutes his grip loosened, but he hadn't fallen
asleep. He slowly sat up and said that he needed to get a drink.

Before he got out of bed I asked him, "Do you remember what you
were dreaming about?" I wasn't sure if I wanted the answer.

He thought for a moment, then shook his head and ran a hand
through his hair. "No...."

I touched his cheek. "It's okay."

He mustered a smile and went to get his drink.

Deep inside me I knew that he was getting the memories back. That
soon they were going to break through into his conscious mind....

THE END