Title: Hello Young Lovers Author: Tess E-mail: tnv099@aol.com Distribution: If you archive it, I'd like to know where Spoilers: Blink and you'll miss "3" - also Blessing Way, Redux II, FTF, One Son, maybe others Rating: G (twice in a row, can you believe it) Content: SAR Keywords: MSR, Maggie Scully POV Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned herein. They belong to CC, 1013 and Fox. Please don't sue Summary: Progression of MSR through Mrs. Scully's eyes This is the 7th story in a series of stories inspired by the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein. If you like this, you may like the others. They can all be found at ephemeralfic.org or x-files.webjump.com: If I Loved You We Kiss in a Shadow Something Good You'll Never Walk Alone Something Wonderful This Nearly Was Mine Hello Young Lovers Hello young lovers whoever you are I hope your troubles are few All my good wishes go with you tonight I've been in love like you Be brave young lovers and follow your star Be brave and faithful and true Cling very close to each other tonight I've been in love like you I know how it feels to have wings on your heels And to fly down the street in a trance You fly down the street on the chance that you'll meet And you meet, not really by chance Don't cry young lovers whatever you do Don't cry because I'm alone All of my memories are happy tonight I've had a love of my own I've had a love of my own like yours I've had a love of my own Rodgers and Hammerstein - The King and I Hello Young Lovers By: Tess I have lost count of the number of times I have been in a hospital room, offering comfort to Dana and worrying about her. I am slumped in a chair at her bedside. After so many hours of keeping watch, my eyes flutter shut in exhaustion. A loud cry escapes my usually stoic daughter and I spring up in alarm only to ease back into my chair. Fox is there. He hasn't left her side since she was admitted to the hospital. Now he is leaning over her, long fingers stroking her cheek as he whispers soothingly. Dana slowly relaxes against the pillow, nodding as she listens to the low murmur of his voice... I met Fox in the midst of a tragedy. Dana was gone and we were frantic to find her. He offered me comfort and, I hope, found comfort with me. We met many times while Dana was missing, bolstering each other's lagging spirits and keeping hope alive. He arrived at my home unexpectedly one day, his white dress shirt darkened with soot, Dana's cross glinting against the skin of his throat. His eyes were desolate as he collapsed to the floor burying his face against my legs. "I miss her," he sobbed. "God, Mrs. Scully, I miss her so much. I just want her back!" As I stroked his hair and murmured wordless comforts, I understood why my daughter was so drawn to this man. Dana claimed that he drove her crazy and of that I had no doubt; yet my instincts told me that no other man would suit her so well as Fox. His unconventional good looks would draw any woman's attention and Dana would certainly not be immune to the obvious charms of a tall, well-dressed man with a pouting mouth and haunted eyes. I also knew that it was his wry humor and intelligence that beckoned her. He would be a constant challenge for her, and my little girl was never one to step away from a challenge. Add to that mix the broken, aching boy inside the man and I knew - even if Dana did not - that she would accept no other man in her life. I also knew that if Dana were returned to us, it would be a long road ahead before she would accept the love that I was sure was bubbling inside her. From early childhood, Dana had learned to protect her heart. Countless moves from one military base to another taught her not to offer her heart or her friendship easily, lest they be snatched away and she be left broken-hearted. Somehow, I felt sure that Dana had spent a great deal of time patching holes in the wall she had erected against this particular man. Barely a week later, Dana was returned to us. My baby girl was dying and on Fox's face I saw a reflection of my own emotions. Joy at her return; hope for her recovery and fear that she would leave us. On the night I felt her slipping away, I went to the chapel to pray for the strength to let her go. When I walked back to her room, I found Fox keeping vigil. He held her hand and talked to her all night, and as the early morning light crept into the room, he pressed his lips to her forehead, whispered something into her ear and left. A joyous Melissa summoned me from the chapel a few hours later. "Mom, she's calling for you. Dana's awake!" I raced to her side. "I'm here sweetheart," I whispered. "Mama's here." Dana's lips moved again and this time I could hear her words. It was not my name she was calling. Not Mom for whom she was asking. It was his name - Fox's name. Her name for him. "Mulder." She had fought her way back and whether she knew it or not, she had come back for him. Dana recovered and returned to work. I am sure she was never aware of how many times she mentioned Fox's name in casual conversation. I quickly learned to hide any matchmaking tendencies I might have had after I suggested that she invite him over for Sunday dinner. "Mom! Please. We're just friends. We have to work together!" "Friends eat together don't they?" I asked innocently. "Please, Mom. Just get that idea out of your head right now. Mulder and I are friends and partners and nothing more!" I looked at her unbelievingly but nodded in agreement. She relaxed and quickly changed the subject. I was content to have planted the seed. I remember opening my door to find Dana in tears. "Oh Mom, Dad would have been so ashamed of me," she wept against my shoulder. She sobbed as she told me a crazy story about drugs in Fox's tap water; of shooting Fox to save his life; of his disappearance and her fear that he was dead. I led my broken-hearted daughter to my bedroom and helped her settle on my bed, just as I did when she was a little girl and something had hurt or frightened her. I stroked her hair and hummed lullabies until she finally slipped into an uneasy sleep. And as I kept watch, I prayed for the safe return of the man we had both come to love. Days later he stood behind Dana and me, his hands planted securely, protectively, comfortingly on our backs as we stood at Missy's gravesite. I was at times amused and irritated by the pace of their 'courtship'. I didn't see Fox much over the next several months but he was the sole driving force in my daughter's life and by extension an important part of mine. Without fail, whenever Dana and I would make plans to spend the day together, her phone would ring. She would answer it, looking at me in supposed irritation. Her voice was filled with feigned, long-suffering patience. But her eyes would soften as they spoke and throughout the rest of the day, she would be unaware of the tiny grin playing over her lips or the sparkle in her eyes. Still, I feared it would take a near tragedy to make them acknowledge what they meant to one another. It was agony to be proven right. "All right, Dana needs to get some rest." I shooed Father McCue, my son and Dana's boss toward the door. Crossing the room to her bedside, I took her face in my hands and studied it closely. Her cheeks were gaunt, dark circles rimmed her eyes and there was a pallor of sickness to her skin. But her blue eyes sparkled with life and the promise of returning health. "Sleep well baby girl," I whispered. "I love you." "I love you too Mom," she murmured. I pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned to leave. "Mom?" I turned back to face her. "Yes, honey?" "Would you ask Mulder to come back in here?" "Oh sweetheart," I sighed. "I'm sure he's gone home already..." Dana shook her head slowly. "Just ask him to come in before he goes, please." I nodded and wondered if I should call him and ask him to come back to the hospital. As I stepped into the hallway, I saw him curled up on the bench outside of her room, asleep. Dried tears left tracks on his face and he was clutching a photograph in his hand. I bent down to him. "Fox?" He sat up, startled, looking around wildly. "Scully! Is she..." his voice was frantic. "She wants you to stop in and see her before you go." I cupped his face in my hand. "Don't stay long," I admonished gently. "You both need some rest." Fox unconsciously nestled his cheek into my palm and nodded before standing. "Good night Mrs. Scully." He hesitated for a moment and then leaned down and kissed my cheek softly. "Drive safely." "Go home and get some sleep," I ordered around a lump in my throat. He nodded absently as he pushed open the door to Dana's room; his attention already focused on the woman within. I was halfway to my car when I realized I had left my jacket on the chair in Dana's room. Sighing in frustration, I turned and made my way back. I pushed open the door and froze. Dana was sitting up in bed, her cheek resting against Fox's chest, her arms wound around his waist. Her eyes were closed and the expression on her face was soft and peaceful. He was cupping her head with one hand and his lips were buried against the back of her neck, directly over the place where the doctor had placed that chip. They didn't speak. Finally, Fox began to pull away. "I should go and let you get some rest." Dana tightened her arms around him. "Stay until I fall asleep?" He sat down on the bed next to her and began to ease her against the pillows, but she resisted. "No, I'm comfortable like this." She rubbed her face against his chest. He rocked almost imperceptibly and his fingers stroked her hair until finally I saw her body slump against his. I pulled the door closed with a soft snick, leaving my jacket behind. I don't know what healed Dana. Maybe it was prayer or science. Maybe it was the magic of a piece of unexplainable technology. Maybe it was love. Or maybe it was the faith to believe in the healing power of all of those things. I stayed at home the morning that Dana was discharged from the hospital getting her old room ready and cooking her favorite foods. Fox picked her up from the hospital and brought her to my house where she would spend a couple of weeks recuperating. I heard a car engine and opened the front door. Fox helped Dana out of the car and wrapped an arm firmly around her waist, supporting her on their slow walk up the front path. They were about halfway to the door when they stopped. Dana was out of breath from the slight exertion and needed to rest. Fox scooped her into his arms and Dana raised her head in protest. "Please," he said quietly. She dropped her head against his shoulder and relaxed in his arms. He carried her the rest of the way into the house and directly up to her room. I followed them, intent on helping to make my daughter comfortable. Fox had set her on her feet and she was leaning tiredly against him. They stayed that way for a moment and then Fox helped her into bed. Dana returned to work on a limited basis a few weeks later and after that it was easier to invite Fox over for dinner...still they clung stubbornly to their claims that they were no more than best friends and partners. Then something happened over the following summer. To this day I don't know what it was but something had definitely shifted in their relationship. Several months later Dana and I went out for breakfast. She was quiet and agitated, opening her mouth as if she wanted to tell me something, only to quickly close it again and look away. "Dana, why don't you just tell me what's on your mind." She looked at me and her expression was a mix of elation and misery. She was playing with the packets of sugar on the table and I closed my hands over hers to still her nervous movements. "Honey, just tell me what's wrong," I urged. She took a deep breath. "Mulder told me he loves me." Her eyes met mine and I saw a spark of pure joy light up her face. "Well that's wonderful Dana!" Her face fell into an expression of despair. "I know you love him too Dana. So what's the problem?" "Oh Mom! He was in the hospital and pumped full of painkillers. He kept telling me a crazy story about how he traveled back in time to 1942. About how he met me on the Queen Ann and we saved the world from Nazi tyranny!" I gaped at her incredulously. "How can I believe anything he said under those circumstances? Besides, I'm not even his type. Mulder prefers tall, busty brunettes!" Her eyes darkened and a scowl wrinkled her brow as she started to viciously tear a paper napkin into shreds. I pried the napkin out of her hands and forced her to look at me. "Dana Scully, that man would travel to the ends of the earth for you," I began. Dana snorted and laughed. "Well he would!" I exclaimed indignantly. "I know Mom. He has followed me to the ends of the earth. That doesn't mean he's in love with me." "Dana, I think you know very well that Fox loves you. That he is in love with you. I think the problem is with you." Dana looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "I'm scared," she whispered. "Oh sweetheart. What are you so afraid of?" Dana's lips trembled and she pressed them together. When she spoke, her voice was choked with suppressed tears. "I don't know Mom. I really don't know." "Dana, I don't know why you always found it so hard to open your heart to anyone outside of the family. Maybe it was because we moved so often. Maybe it was because your father was away so much. But what I do know is that you are in love with Fox. And until you stop denying it, you will never really be happy." "I don't know how, Mom." "Well, first you have to accept your feelings. And then you need to act on them. But Dana, don't wait too long. Life is short and the people you love can be taken from you so quickly." We didn't speak of it again, but Dana seemed happier and more relaxed. She spent Christmas Eve with Fox. I had great hopes that Dana was becoming more comfortable with accepting her feelings for him. So I was stunned when she called me, sobbing so hard I could barely understand her. "Mul...Mul...Mulder..." She was gasping his name and I was terrified that he had been killed. "Dana, honey. Where are you?" I was finally able to determine that she was home and I rushed over to her apartment. She met me at the door and crumpled into my arms. I led her over to the couch and she curled up with her head in my lap and I held her as she wept uncontrollably. Finally, the storm of weeping seemed to pass and she was quiet, trembling in my lap. "Now, Dana. Please. Tell me what happened." "He never loved me," she whispered so softly that I almost didn't hear her. "Why do you say that?" Between hiccuping sobs Dana told me about Fox's former partner and, she suspected, former lover, having come back into his life. She told me that she suspected that this woman was their enemy and she told me that Fox trusted this woman implicitly - possibly to the exclusion of Dana. She told me she had an investigation into this woman's background conducted and that when she presented her 'evidence' to Fox, he dismissed her fears as groundless and unfounded. I felt a motherly moment of anger that someone would hurt my daughter so badly, but the story Dana was telling me did not fit with the man I had come to know and love. And so I tried appealing to her sense of reason. "Dana. I don't know who this woman is or what her relationship with Fox was at one time. What I do know is how he looks at you." Dana made a disgruntled sound and kept her face turned stubbornly away from mine. "He dismissed me like you would a child," she began petulantly. "Well Dana, in all fairness, you did catch him off guard. And you did confront him in front of his friends." "I thought he would listen to them," she said defensively. She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. "Besides, he's always telling me that I'm the only person he trusts! That's obviously not the truth. He defends her with every breath he takes and accuses me of being narrow-minded and stubborn. He's angry because I don't blindly believe in what I don't see. If all he wants is someone to nod and look adoringly at him, then he's welcome to her!" "Dana, you aren't being fair. Fox has a history with this woman. One of which you know very little. He doesn't want to believe that she is the enemy. And she very well may not be. But that doesn't mean that he's in love with her and not you. That doesn't mean that he trusts her and not you." I grasp both of her hands in my own. "Dana, that man adores you. It's so evident to everyone else. I don't know how you don't see it. And I am telling you that a love like that doesn't come along more than once in a lifetime. I had that kind of love with your father and I miss him every single day. But I have many happy memories of my life with him and I take them out when I miss him too much. Do not throw away the chance to make memories of your own in a fit of jealousy." Dana rocked back and forth on the sofa, mumbling to herself as long minutes passed. Finally she took a deep breath and turned to me. "The world is falling down around my ears and I have more important things to worry about than the state of my love life or lack thereof." She snatched up her car keys. "I know what I have to do." Bending down she brushed her lips across my cheek. "I love you Mom. Thanks." I watched my daughter straighten her shoulders and stride determinedly out of the door. In the weeks that followed that night she was subdued and did not mention Fox often in our conversations. Yet I knew they continued to work together and I hoped they would mend the rift that had developed between them. Now as I sit in this hospital room watching Fox tend to Dana, it seems those trying times were ages ago. In reality it has been almost two years since that February evening when I held and counseled my inconsolable daughter. I jump to my feet as Dana cries out and the hospital monitors begin beeping loudly. The room is suddenly filled with hospital personnel bustling about. The doctor strides in and quickly examines her. "All right, Dana. It's time to push." He settles himself at the foot of her bed and a nurse guides Fox into position. He climbs into the bed behind Dana. "Mulder, remember you're gonna lift Dana when the contraction hits so that we can let gravity help. You're going to help Dana and encourage her, but not annoy her, right?" Fox laughs nervously and wraps his arms around Dana, settling his hands on her swollen stomach. Everyone's attention is riveted to the machine monitoring Dana's contractions. Everyone that is, except for Dana. She is staring inwardly, her body all too aware of when the contraction has hit its peak. She has been in labor for over 20 hours and I'm worried that she is too tired, but she is determined to deliver this baby naturally. The doctor continues to watch the monitor. "Okay on the count of three. One. Two. Three. PUUUSHH!" Fox helps Dana to sit up and she grits her teeth as she bears down. The contraction fades and she slumps back into his arms, waiting for the next one. Soon the contractions are hitting her one after another with seemingly no break. The nurses are muttering quietly about the size of the baby and the fact that delivery is not progressing as quickly as they had hoped. Fox is whispering words of praise and love to Dana. "You're doing so great Scully. Just a few more minutes and our baby will be here. You're going to be such a wonderful mother." The doctor speaks again. "Okay, Dana, Mulder, here we go again. One. Two. Three. Puuussh. Push, that's right, push!" I can see the baby's head and I look up excitedly. Dana is slumped exhaustedly in her husband's embrace and she closes her eyes, biting her lip as she bears down again, struggling to bring their child into this world. "That's good...that's real good," the doctor praises. "One more push like that and we'll have the baby's head and shoulders free. Now push!" The baby's head pops free and the shoulders slip out seconds later. The doctor adjusts his hold on the slippery baby and urges Dana to push again. "One more time, Dana. Just one more good push and we'll know whether your baby is a boy or a girl. Are you ready?" Dana nods and bears down again, groaning loudly as the baby finally slips from her body and into the waiting hands of the doctor. "It's a boy!" he grins over his mask. "Mulder, do you want to come down here and cut the cord?" Fox begins to nod but then looks at his wife who has collapsed into his arms. He cradles her close and strokes the sweaty hair off her cheeks. He looks at me and smiles. "Mom, would you like to..." he nods toward the doctor. The doctor turns to me and the nurse holds out the scissors for me. I hesitate and then step forward and accept the instrument from the nurse, cutting where the doctor tells me. He hands the baby to me to hold while he ties off the umbilical cord. My grandson blinks dazedly at the bright overhead lights and tears roll down my cheeks. All too soon a nurse takes him from me. She quickly weighs and measures him and cleans him up before diapering and bundling him into a blanket and handing him back to me. I cradle him close and walk over to his waiting parents. "He's beautiful," I tell them, sniffling. Dana reaches out eager arms to accept her son and Fox lowers his cheek to hers so that they can both admire their beautiful boy. Dana opens the blanket and strokes gentle fingers down his chest to his belly and Fox plays with his tiny toes. "What are you going to name him?" the nurse asks, holding a clipboard and pen in her hands. Fox looks up distractedly. "Jacob. Jacob Patrick Mulder." "Hi Jakey," his mother coos softly before turning adoring eyes on her husband. "I love you Scully," he murmurs softly. She lifts her face to his and he drops a gentle kiss on her waiting lips. "I love you too." I push open the door to her room quietly, determined to get one last peek at my grandson before leaving. I stop and lean against the door, smiling. Fox has climbed into bed with Dana. She is curled up on her side, her cheek pressed against his shoulder, deeply asleep. The baby is lying on his father's chest, a tiny fist tangled in his mother's hair. Fox has one large hand splayed against the baby's back and the other hand is curled possessively around the back of his wife's head. He and the baby stare intently at the woman sleeping in his arms. I walk quietly across the room. "I just wanted to say goodnight," I whisper, bending over and pressing kisses first to Dana's cheek and then to Jacob's. I ruffle Fox's hair affectionately and drop a kiss onto his forehead. I stroke my finger across the baby's downy head. "He's beautiful," I say again. "Thank you." Fox looks at me with shining eyes and then down at his sleeping wife. "No Mom. *Thank you*." The End Author's notes: Thanks to Karyn for taking an early peek and liking it. Thanks to Teresa for doing the same and encouraging me. Special thanks to Char for giving me the idea in the first place and then taking the time to do the beta. My apologies if the birth scene was unbelievable - but I've not yet had any children. So I know not of what I speak. Can you believe it? I actually like this one which is unusual. I hope you do too and that you will let me know what you think at tnv099@aol.com