Title: An Unexpected Gift  
Author: Jamma  
Date: November 6th, 2006  
Rating: PG - DSR, AU  
Summary: "I never imagined things to be this way..."  
Spoilers: Maybe slight, slight references to Emily, Per Manum, TINH  
Disclaimer: Characters, etc belong to CC, 1013, and all the rest. Not mine.  
A/N: This just came to me out of nowhere. I kind of just let it flow, so the characters may 
be a bit OOC, or maybe a lot OOC. Not sure, but I hope it's at least bearable enough to 
get the idea of it.  
Scully was never pregnant. Mulder is no longer…  
I'm sure certain events in S8&9 conflict with the happenings in this fic, so if it messes up 
the whole DSR thing I'm going for, try not to think of it, or imagine it happened in a 
Doggett-friendly way. He deserves some love, too, y'know.  
 
Apologies for all spelling/grammatical errors. It may be about time for me to bury my 
head in some educational books.  
 
 
*** x *** X *** x ***  
 
Taking a deep breath, she opened the bathroom door. Her heart was racing, her chest so 
tight. Breathing was hard when her nerves were so on edge. She could feel her body 
shaking, her eyes blurring with tears of stress and nervousness.  
 
She wouldn't let them fall. Now wasn't the time to let her emotions get the best of her.  
 
She stood staring into the mirror, her eyes refusing to look anywhere else in the neatly 
organized bathroom. She studied the blue of her eyes – dulled slightly with the stress she 
was currently experiencing. She studied the slope of her nose, the pink of her lips. Her 
skin was a bit pale, her hair standing in bright contrast.  
 
Only when she was finished studying her own appearance did she allow herself to look 
away from the mirror.  
 
Her sigh echoed through the quiet room as her eyes closed tightly. Her fingers tapped the 
smooth countertop, slowly inching their way to its target.  
 
"Time to find out the truth," she whispered before biting her lip. She decided she would 
do it like she used to as a child, open her eyes on the count of three. Be as prepared and in 
control of things as she possibly could be.  
 
One…  
 
Two…  
 
Three…  
 
She opened her eyes and picked up the object before her. There, the truth was revealed, 
something she'd already known, but needed that small bit of confirmation.  
 
Her hands shook as she lifted the little white stick as well as the instructions that came 
with them. Her eyes stared at the little pink plus sign, the paper in her other hand letting 
her know that the pink plus indicated a POSITIVE and the blue minus was NEGATIVE. 
Despite everything she'd gone through in the past, her struggles and effort, she'd 
managed to it the natural way.  
 
Dana Scully had managed to conceive a child just like every other normal woman.  
 
The irony behind it was the fact that she hadn't even been trying this time. The whole 
situation was unplanned, unexpected.  
 
Placing the stick back on the countertop, she left the bathroom to sit on the couch. Her 
thoughts were everywhere, but mainly on how this whole situation came to be.  
 
She'd been having nightmares again, the horrific dreams appearing out-of-the-blue. Tired 
barely described her feelings regarding them, how she'd thought she'd bypassed them 
and accepted all she'd experienced thus far. Nothing was going to change what had 
happened. There was nothing that was going to erase her experiences and bring life back 
to the man she'd spent a majority of her career with. It was sad and sometimes hard to 
think of, but over time she'd come to accept things for what they were and attempt to 
move forward in spite of them.  
 
She and Doggett had been doing just that, knocking out case after case with acceptable 
solve rates. They'd even managed to get use to each other's habits and behaviors. She felt 
like they were learning more and more about how to make their work styles compatible 
to each other, and the success was more than both of them had imagined. They'd come a 
long, long way since the water-in-the-face incident and she couldn't tell who was happier 
about that, she or Doggett.  
 
The nightmares came off and on, but it had been so long since the last occurrence. She'd 
gotten so comfortable with the way things were that when the nightmares reappeared 
with such vivid and heart wrenching imagery, it threw her off more than she cared to 
admit.  
 
Even Doggett had noticed something was wrong. He took note of the dark circles under 
her eyes, the fatigue in her speech and movements, the way she jumped so easily at 
sounds like the closing of the file cabinet or his accidentally placing the files too hard on 
the desktop and creating a loud *thunk*. He'd tried to drag it out of her a few times, but 
she wouldn't open up. She wouldn't tell him what bothered her. And she noticed how 
much that, in turn, bothered him.  
 
She leaned back against the couch, grabbing a throw pillow to hug as her feet rested upon 
the coffee table. Her thoughts went back to that night. She'd awakened with a scream in 
her throat, sweat soaking her hair and making her pajamas cling uncomfortably to her 
skin. Her breathing was labored, and the harder she tried to calm herself, the more her 
body shook. Eventually, she gave into the sobs, her body shaking with the force of her 
cries.  
 
She was tired, tired of being strong, tired of putting on a front for everyone. She was tired 
of making it seem like she was okay when deep down, every thought of her lost partner 
took a piece of her soul away. She was tired of always staying in control, or at least 
giving others that impression, when all she wanted to do was be held and comforted. She 
was tired of fighting that feeling she felt growing for her new partner, the guilt that 
accompanied the thought that it was him she wanted holding her, him she wanted to 
comfort her and let her know everything would be okay. She wanted more than a careful 
work partner. She wanted him as a friend in her life, a friend that would sit and watch 
girly movies with her, a friend that would come over and eat takeout with her and make 
her laugh with silly stories and funny comebacks. She wanted more than she currently 
had with Doggett, a friendship outside of work which was something she craved since the 
loss of her own friend.  
 
Mainly, she just wanted him to hold her and make the pain go away.  
 
She took careful deep breaths, trying hard to stop crying long enough to speak. The dial 
tone came to life as she placed the phone against her ear, using that small, 
inconsequential sound to try and build up her nerve. She pulled the phone away long 
enough to dial the numbers that had become so familiar to her and placed the phone to 
her ear once again in anticipation of hearing his voice.  
 
"MmDoggett," his sleep-raspy voice nearly whispered into the phone. She felt so guilty 
for waking him, for not being as strong as he and everyone else thought she was.  
 
"A-Agent Doggett," she spoke softly, hoping that the use of their official titles would 
make her seem less weak, less pathetic.  
 
"Scully?" He was awake now, she could tell, and he wasn't buying the tough girl act. 
"What's wrong?"  
 
Her eyes closed and tears leaked through her lashes. "I just… I couldn't sleep and I-I was 
hoping that maybe… we could talk for just a little while."  
 
"Dana… are you gonna tell me what's been goin' on with you?" he asked desperately, 
and she bit her lip for a second.  
 
"I just, I couldn't sleep," she whispered.  
 
"I'm comin' over," he declared and ended the call.  
*** x ***  
 
The relief she felt when he knocked on her door nearly twenty minutes later, it was more 
than she'd expected to feel. She'd managed to stop crying, but the tightness in her chest 
still remained. She opened the door, and he waited for her to meet his eyes before he 
entered.  
 
"What's keeping you from sleepin'?" he asked as he sat on her couch. Only moments 
before, he was in her kitchen, expertly finding the tea kettle, cups and everything 
necessary for a soothing cup of tea. He did so without asking, and she couldn't help but 
hide her smile at the fact that he knew her home so well.  
 
She took her place at the opposite end of the couch.  
 
"Is it because we couldn't save him?" he asked solemnly. "I-I know I promised to help 
you find him… but I never wanted to find him like that. I'm sorry, Dana."  
 
She looked at him and noticed, for the first time, the look in his eyes. He took the loss as 
a personal failure, a failure to fulfill some promise she would never have made him keep.  
 
"It's not your fault, you know," she whispered, edging closer to him on the couch. "I had 
expected a different outcome, but that doesn't mean I hadn't considered this one. And 
never would I have blamed you for something like this, something you had no control 
over. I can only thank you for sticking with me, even through the difficult times. I know I 
wasn't the easiest to put up with."  
 
Doggett chuckled. "I've handled worse," he said with a smile, though his eyes told her 
that she had been his biggest challenge.  
 
The loud whistle of the tea kettle broke the sudden silence, and she made a move to get it.  
 
"Lemme do it," he said, taking a hold of her hand and pulling her back down to the 
couch. He returned with two cups and placed them on the table. She could feel his eyes 
on her as she lay curled against the couch, her eyes closed and her ears focusing on the 
sounds he made. She could feel the dip of the couch as he sat so close to her, his fingers 
tentatively brushing strands of hair to clear them from her face. "One of these days, Dana 
Scully, I'm gonna figure you out," he whispered. She wasn't sure if he thought she was 
asleep or not, but he continued to talk without concern. "I know we came a long way, and 
we've got a long way to go, but I hope you know I'm not goin' anywhere without you. 
I'm not too sure of how you see me and I'm sure it's nothin' compared to him, but you 
should know that I consider you my best friend, the best to come into my life since my 
son."  
 
She could feel herself slipping, her tears sliding down her cheeks against her will. She 
felt his fingers brush them away. He knew she was awake, and still he spoke.  
 
"I know how it is with you, or at least I think I figured it out. I've heard all the stories, all 
the rumors, the things people said about you. They said you had no emotion, as stoic and 
cold as they came. They said you take no crap and had no problem puttin' people in their 
place. They said you were a tough one, a little woman with a man's determination, 
whatever the hell that meant… but I figured it all out. I know the truth behind all the 
talk."  
 
He fell silent and after a few minutes, her eyes opened to meet his.  
 
"You're none of what they said." His thumb stroked her cheek and she fought not to 
close her eyes at the comfort she got from it. "You're tough, but you're a softie. You're 
stoic, but you feel everything, deeply. You take no crap, but you always give respect. 
You care about more than people believe and you try so hard to make it seem like you 
don't, like it doesn't affect you when it does. In public, you're a rock. In private, I 
imagine you try to keep it that way, so you can believe it, so it's like you're not lyin' to 
yourself. It's only while you dream when the real you comes out. It's a place where you 
have no control and you have to be yourself… and you know that underneath all that 
actin', you're really, really hurtin'. You just won't allow yourself to feel it, or others to 
see it."  
 
"What makes you so sure?" she asked in a broken whisper.  
 
"Because, I know. I can see it. I can feel it. And as time goes by, I can feel it deeper and 
deeper 'cause it's like I said… you're my best friend, even if I'm not yours."  
 
Without thought, she leaned into him, allowing herself to be wrapped in his arms. It felt 
so good to finally be there, to be engulfed by him, comforted and understood.  
 
"Listen to me," he chuckled softly. "All this stuff about 'best friends' reminds me of 
middle school."  
 
She smiled. "I never had a best friend in middle school."  
 
"Me neither."  
 
His fingers ran through her hair, his lips resting against her temple. "I just want you to be 
happy, and I don't want you to be afraid to show it."  
 
Words wouldn't come to her. All she could do was feel, and finally it didn't hurt. She felt 
the truth in his words, in his soft touch and caress. She felt it in his actions, the way he 
rushed over in the middle of the night just to comfort her.  
 
Words couldn't thank him enough. But her unexpected action did, her head tilting up, her 
lips coming to rest against his. His reaction was one of surprise, but he immediately fell 
into it, both allowing themselves to get lost in the softness and sweetness of their kiss. 
She knew she should stop it, her mind being torn between ending it and letting herself 
drown in the comfort she gained with each brush of his tongue against hers. Her mind 
screamed at her to push him away, but her body demanded she do the opposite. He 
eventually made the decision for her, separating them long enough to pull her back into 
her room, into the bed where the nightmares ruined her sleep.  
 
He asked the questions with his eyes, and she answered the same way. She wanted all the 
comfort he could give and she'd take it any way he chose to give it.  
 
Thinking back to that night, she realized maybe that wasn't the best decision she'd made. 
If having unprotected sex with your partner-turned-new best friend didn't seem like a big 
enough mistake, the big pink POSITIVE sign on the stick resting on her bathroom 
counter surely made that clear enough. She didn't even think she could be in this situation 
– an unplanned pregnancy after the struggle she'd gone through to get pregnant 
voluntarily. But there it was, as true as the symptoms that accompanied the results, and 
now it was another source of stress to add to the rest.  
 
*** x ***  
 
He looked up when she entered. She'd called him and let him know she'd be late. He 
thought maybe she'd sleep in a little later. Even though she was getting more sleep these 
days, she still had the occasional nightmare. He still got the phone calls in the night and 
on some nights she gave him permission to come over and lie with her, just until she fell 
asleep.  
 
Those nights were fewer and further between, but he enjoyed them all the same. Ever 
since that night, the night they came together, he was afraid that he'd ruined what little bit 
of trust she'd gained in him. It was unexpected and neither had been ready for it to 
happen, but when it did, they both found comfort in it. It was like the missing piece to the 
puzzle finally being found, the link to a train track being placed so that the train may 
continue on, progress on its journey forward.  
 
They went on as if nothing had changed. Neither had expected anything to change 
between them. Well, if he were being honest, he'd hoped that she would let him in a little 
more, talk to him and allow him to catch her when she falls. But other than slightly 
longer, more intimate glances at each other across their respective desks, the slightly 
more frequent calls and the rare occasions where she allowed herself to be held, nothing 
much had changed for them.  
 
He had no complaints. He took what he was given, and he was happy to receive as much.  
 
"Afternoon, Agent Scully," he greeted and received a small smile in return.  
 
"Agent Doggett." She placed her jacket on the back of the chair before heading toward 
the coffee pot instinctively. He watched her hesitate before grabbing her mug and 
walking away with it, empty. She sat at her desk, her eyes taking on a faraway look. It 
made him want to be in her mind, fighting away all that kept her happiness at bay. After a 
few seconds, her eyes spotted the bottle of cool spring water resting on his desktop. "May 
I? Have some of that, please?" she asked, holding out her mug.  
 
"You don't even need to ask," he answered with a smile, and her grin grew wider as she 
poured the water into her cup.  
 
"Thank you," she said after taking a long sip.  
 
"So, did you manage to catch up on some sleep?"  
 
"Um, no… I actually had an appointment this morning. Doctor."  
 
"Is everything all right?"  
 
"As well as they can be for now. I just picked up some paperwork. What have you been 
working on?"  
 
Doggett took note of the abrupt change in subject, but let it slide. "Nothin' much today. 
Just doin' some organizin', refilin', cleanin' things up around here. There's nothin' that 
needs our immediate attention right now."  
 
"Lucky us," she said with a grin.  
 
"Yeah, lucky us. Anyway, I'm just 'bout done here, and we have permission to cut out 
early if we want. Our rates have been just that good lately." His smile was big.  
 
"Congratulations on a job well done, Agent Doggett."  
 
"Same to you, Agent Scully."  
 
Quiet filled the office as both agents focused on their work.  
 
"Agent Doggett… John, would you like to have dinner tonight? My place?"  
 
The question surprised Doggett and Scully mistook his silence for something else.  
 
"If, you know, you have other plans… I just, I wanted to thank you for everything you've 
done, everything you've given me."  
 
"Ag – Dana, there's no need to thank me. You know that, don't you? You know I don't 
mind doin' these things for you."  
 
"I know. I just want to do something for you in return."  
 
"But you don't have to-"  
 
"Agent Doggett?" He paused and met the smile in her eyes. "I'm *trying* to do 
something nice. Please accept."  
 
"On one condition."  
 
"And that is?"  
 
"You come over to my house. We order in, find some funny movies to watch and hang 
out for the evening. That's more than enough thanks."  
 
"Are you sure I can't cook something? I'm rather good at it, if I do say so myself."  
 
Both agents chuckled. "We're hangin' out, Agent Scully. You can cook next time. And 
then I'll cook for you."  
 
Doggett felt like a grinning teenager. Scully looked like one. She looked younger and 
more relaxed when she smiled. He loved it when she smiled. It made his day that much 
better.  
 
*** x ***  
 
It was eight-thirty when he heard the soft tap at his door. He welcomed her in with an 
awkward hug and took her jacket.  
 
"Your house is bigger than I imagined," she spoke as she looked around, clutching a 
small box to her belly.  
 
"You've never seen it before?"  
 
"I'm sure I have. I just, I never actually realized how big it is."  
 
They smiled at each other before they heard another knock at the door.  
 
"Just in time," Doggett said as he opened the door and paid the deliveryman. "I have an 
old buddy that makes the best deli sandwiches. I know it's not a real dinner, but it fits for 
the night, don't you think?"  
 
She nodded and made her way to the couch. Doggett noticed the hold she had on the 
small box, still clutched to her belly. It was wrapped in a soft blue paper, almost like a 
gift one would receive for a birthday. At least that what it reminded him of. He hoped she 
didn't bring him anything; he hadn't gotten her anything in return. This wasn't even a 
special occasion, just two friends enjoying dinner and a movie together. It wasn't 
something that required gifts.  
 
"Would you like some help, Agent Doggett?" she asked. He didn't realize he'd been 
staring at her for so long. She looked a bit uncomfortable and the box in question was 
tucked by her side.  
 
"No, I got everything."  
 
A few minutes later, they sat beside each other comfortably. He had gotten her a turkey 
wrap and noticed, with a smile, how she ate it with gusto. He ate his own sandwich, 
trying his hardest not to focus on the beautiful woman beside him.  
 
It was nearly a half hour later when the lights went out, the television screen displayed a 
comedy and his normally silent partner sat beside him, giggling every so often at the 
movie. Every once in awhile, she'd let her head fall against his shoulder, but quickly 
lifted it as if she were doing something wrong. By the time the movie ended, she was 
quiet, biting her lip in that way she always did when she was nervous.  
 
"You, uh, want somethin' to drink?" he asked, trying to break the sudden tension that 
enveloped them when the lights came back on.  
 
"No, thank you. I should… I should be going pretty soon."  
 
"Already? Feels like you just got here."  
 
She smiled nervously. "We can't be promised an easy day, like today, at work 
tomorrow."  
 
"Can't be promised anything when it comes to work," he smiled back.  
 
"Agent Doggett," she said as she stood, walking over toward him. "John, I have 
something to give you," she almost whispered and he noticed her chin trembling. "But 
you have to promise not to open it until I leave, okay?"  
 
Doggett looked down at her hands and noticed the box again. Her hands were shaking 
slightly, and he brought his own up to stroke her cheeks. "Is everything okay, Dana? Tell 
me."  
 
"Just promise me, please?"  
 
"Dana-"  
 
"John, please?"  
 
Doggett took the box from her, grabbing her hand before she could retreat. He locked 
their fingers as he looked into her eyes. "I promise."  
 
"Okay."  
 
Reluctantly, they parted. Without turning back, she grabbed her jacket and left.  
 
*** x ***  
 
Doggett did everything he could think of before sitting down with the box. He cleaned 
the kitchen, vacuumed the living room, changed his bed sheets, showered, put a load of 
dirty clothes in the washer and finally came to rest with the box. He didn't know why he 
was so hesitant to open it. All night, his mind had drifted to that box, to what was inside, 
to why she held it so close to her body. She'd finally given him the object of his curiosity 
and now he was doing everything he could to push it off.  
 
It was well past midnight when he sat on his bed with a sigh, rubbing his eyes with the 
heel of his hand before focusing on the box on his bedside table. Maybe it wasn't so 
much what was in the box, but Scully's behavior as she handed it over. She looked so 
nervous, almost scared. Her eyes filled with tears she refused to release and her hands 
shook so bad, he had to grab them to calm her.  
 
Whatever was in that box had her afraid and he was more than willing to share in it, just 
so that she wasn't alone.  
 
Doggett opened to box and stared at its contents. He was confused. It looked like one of 
those pregnancy things, one of those home testing kits. On the little stick was a pink plus 
sign. He lifted the stick out of the box and set it to the side. Scratching his head, he 
decided to read the papers that accompanied it.  
 
"Must be another crazy case," he spoke aloud, his hands unfolding the first piece of paper 
he'd encountered. They were instructions, and highlighted was what the pink plus sign 
represented. "…after the time has passed, you should be able to get a clear readin'," he 
read aloud. "A pink plus sign, like the one pictured below, indicates a POSITIVE result. 
A blue minus sign indicates a NEGATIVE result. While our test remains to be one of the 
effective ways to detect pregnancy, it is our suggestion that you seek medical attention to 
verify your results."  
 
Scratching his head, Doggett lifted the test from the table, taking in the pink sign. 
"Positive result," he whispered to himself.  
 
Placing the test and its instructions aside, he pulled out another piece of paper with a 
hospital heading. "SCULLY, DANA K.," the top of the paper read, and immediately his 
mind focused on each and every word that followed. He saw she was given a blood test. 
As he continued to read, he felt himself getting lightheaded. It was coming together. He 
reached for the pregnancy test, staring at the results as if he wanted to burn a hole through 
the plastic.  
 
"Pregnant," he whispered. "But, wait… what the hell?" His mind was spinning. He 
reached for the phone, but decided against it. "She's pregnant…" he whispered again to 
himself before staring blankly at the test in his hand.  
 
He wanted to see her, needed to see her. Slipping on his sneakers and a t-shirt, he grabbed 
his wallet and keys, and left.  
 
*** x ***  
 
Scully couldn't sleep. Her stomach kept turning every time she thought about Doggett. 
She regretted giving him the test results that night when she knew she had to see him at 
work the next day. No, she regretted having given him the results the way she did, 
wrapped in a cute little box, ready to be given away in a cowardly fashion.  
 
No man deserved to find out like that. It was cruel of her, not being brave enough to tell 
him with her words. She was such a hard-ass when it came to everyone else. It was like 
John had told her that night – people thought she was stoic, strong, and capable of 
handling the hardest of tasks. So why did she feel so weak when it came to him?  
 
She flipped onto her back, her hands coming to rest against her belly. She could feel it 
hardening, the slight bump plainly visible, but only to her. She knew she was pregnant. 
She knew the symptoms, and she identified them in herself like she was reading out of a 
textbook. By the time the third month came along and she hadn't menstruated, she knew 
it was time for her to accept what she'd been avoiding.  
 
It wasn't that she didn't want the baby. She did, more than anything she'd ever wanted. 
She could feel the excitement hidden deep inside her, constantly being pushed away in 
order to deal with everything else. She was finally going to have the child she'd wanted, 
the child she'd craved since losing her daughter, since the IVF failure. Her beautiful little 
baby was forming inside of her, and just the thought made her want to smile. She just 
hoped that the other half of her child would be just as happy.  
 
She heard the knock at her door and felt her heart race. She knew John wasn't the type to 
let things be, especially something as important as this.  
 
Scully grabbed her robe, slipping it over her tank top and pajama bottoms as she made 
her way to the door.  
 
"What took you so long," she said in what she hoped was a joking tone. She stepped 
aside and allowed him entry.  
 
"Traffic out there's crazy," he replied with a nervous smile. He'd actually made it there 
in half the time since the roads were so clear. If only driving could be that simple all the 
time.  
 
"Want some tea?" she asked as she turned from him, desperate to break the awkwardness 
of the moment.  
 
"No, thanks."  
 
She froze mid-step, studying her pink-polished toenails before redirecting herself to the 
couch. He sat next to her and together they let the silence take over.  
 
"Are you hungry?" she tried again, desperate for him to say 'yes', desperate for a reason 
to leave.  
 
"Dana…" he didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to begin. Finally, he settled 
for stroking her hair. "It's gotten so long," he spoke softly as he ran his fingers through 
her hair, not meeting the ends until it was well past her shoulders.  
 
"Needs to be trimmed."  
 
"Not too much," he said with a smile. She looked at him. "I kinda like it like this."  
 
She smiled. "Me, too."  
 
Boldly, he slid his hand down her arms, touching her fingers for a few brief seconds 
before moving to place his hand on her belly. She inhaled sharply, her eyes closing as she 
turned her face from him.  
 
"Don't hide. You don't ever have to hide from me," he spoke softly as he stroked the tiny 
swell of her stomach. "So… it's, uh… true, then?" When she said nothing, her face still 
hidden from him, he continued. "You don't have to answer that. I can kinda feel it. Your 
stomach, it's a little harder, but… but not that much."  
 
She grabbed his hand, removing it from exploring her stomach.  
 
"I, uh, I don't know what to say here, Dana. You gotta help me out here."  
 
Finally, she gave him eye contact. He could see her steeling herself, her jaw set, her gaze 
all-business. "I'm nearly sixteen weeks along. The doctor says everything looks fine, but 
it may become high risk due to… past incidents."  
 
Doggett nodded. "Have you… known all along?"  
 
Scully shrugged. "I had an idea. I have to be honest, it wasn't my first thought when the 
symptoms arrived. I didn't think it was a possibility because of how difficult it had been 
in the past. But… I'm a doctor. I eventually figured it out."  
 
"…and your sure-"  
 
Her head whipped around, her eyes lit with fury.  
 
"Are you asking me if I'm sure who the father is?"  
 
"N-No, it's not like that, Dana. I just, I wanted to-"  
 
"Of course I know who fathered my child, John. Who else would it be?"  
 
"No one. No one else. I wouldn't want it to be anyone else," he spoke desperately and felt 
relief as the fire in her eyes faded.  
 
"I'm not like that, you know," her voice wavering. "I wouldn't put this on you if it were 
someone else. I-I could do this alone, but I… I wanted to make you aware of it."  
 
"Aware of what?"  
 
She knew he was asking her to confirm it, to allow him to hear the words to come from 
her mouth.  
 
"Aware of the fact that I'm… pregnant."  
 
His thumb stroked her cheek. "How do you feel about that?"  
 
"I think the question is how do *you* feel about it?"  
 
They sat resting against the couch, Scully leaning her head against the back, Doggett 
resting on his elbow high enough to face her, his thumb never ceasing from it gentle 
touch against her cheek.  
 
"You know, when Luke was born, I don't think I'd ever experienced somethin' so… 
amazin'. Never in my life had I been a part of somethin' so beautiful. The love I felt for 
him the moment I saw him, it bypassed anything I'd ever felt before. He was, he *is* my 
little boy, my son, and a part of me was in him, the best part of me. The love I felt for my 
wife, it grew so much the day he was born. I didn't know how to thank her for giving me 
the most precious thing I had ever been given. My love for her was most intense on that 
day. I loved my wife, but I'd never loved her more than I did the day Luke was born."  
 
"Then what happened? Why didn't things work out?"  
 
"I guess it was losing Luke, both of us not being able to handle the pain of it. I think after 
awhile, Luke became what held us together. We loved each other, but after awhile, it 
wasn't in *that way* anymore. And when we lost Luke, we lost that bond that held us 
together."  
 
"That's sad."  
 
Doggett nodded. All was quiet as they lost themselves in thought. Doggett's hand 
eventually made its way back to her belly. He stroked it gently, rubbing it in a circular 
motion. He heard her sigh and looked up in time to see her turn away from him.  
 
"Is it me? Do you regret that… that I'm the father… and not him?"  
 
"No!" she answered quickly. "It's not that, John. Never that. I-I don't think of this in that 
way. It's just that…"  
 
"Tell me, please. Tell me why you can't look at me when I touch you." His voice was so 
strained, his eyes so desperate. She could feel her heart splitting.  
 
"I guess I'm just… ashamed."  
 
"Ashamed? Why?"  
 
"I don't know. I guess it's just… I never imagined things to be this way. I never wanted 
to become pregnant the way it happened. I feel like I used you to, to comfort me and 
promised you something I-I wasn't ready to give. We end up having sex and I end up 
*pregnant* and how do I tell you? I give you the results wrapped in a box like a gift. 
Everything was just wrong and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got you in this."  
 
"Dana, please tell me you aren't serious." The look in her eyes told him just the opposite. 
She was completely serious. He sat up and she did the same. "Let's me ask you this – did 
I make you do somethin' you didn't wanna do? Did I force you to do somethin' you 
weren't comfortable with?"  
 
"No, not at all. What happened was consensual."  
 
"Do you regret it?"  
 
"No, I don't," she answered almost immediately.  
 
"I don't regret it either. Makin' love to you was… I can't even describe it. It was 
incredible. It was somethin' I never thought would happen, at least not yet. But now that 
it has, I wouldn't change a thing. You didn't promise me a thing more than friendship. I 
understand we were both caught up in the moment, but nothin' changes until you say so. 
We don't go beyond friendship unless you're ready to, and if it so happens that you won't 
be ready for a long time, or you're happier just bein' friends, then that fine with me."  
 
"No, that's *unfair* to you. You deserve a promise for something more than just 
friendship, John. You're a great guy and you deserve to find happiness with the woman 
you love."  
 
"…How do you know I haven't already?" The shocked look on her face was immediately 
hidden by a downward glance, and Doggett lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "I don't take 
what we did lightly, Dana. I don't do that with just anyone. With the exception of one 
drunken mistake… I haven't been with anyone since my ex-wife."  
 
"So you care about me-"  
 
"No, I *love* you. That love I spoke of earlier, the love I felt for my wife the day Luke 
was born… that's the kind of love I have for you *every day*. It's that strong, that 
intense, and I felt it from the very beginning. But that doesn't mean that I want more than 
you're willin' to give right now. It's because I love you so much that I'm happy that 
you're willin' to give me your trust and friendship."  
 
She leaned forward. "It doesn't really matter what I feel now. We're having a baby. We 
can't change that."  
 
"Would you? Change that if you could?"  
 
"No. I want this baby more than anything I've ever wanted."  
 
"So do I."  
 
She looked at him. "Really? You're okay with this?"  
 
He could see the doubt in her eyes, even after everything he'd told her. Without speaking, 
he took her hand and pulled her into her bedroom. Slowly, he removed her robe, ignoring 
the confused look on her face. He looked into her eyes, staring into them, her blue eyes 
locked to his. He ran a tentative finger across her lips, smoothing over her jaw, down her 
neck and to her shoulder. With a soft push, he edged her towards the full length mirror, 
both of them looking into it. He stood behind her, his hands at her shoulders, sliding 
down her arms and meeting to rest against her belly. The bump was more prominent 
through the tank top and just the sight, the sight of it on Dana Scully, sent a jolt of 
happiness through him.  
 
"I gotta admit, I didn't expect this," he spoke, his voice raspy in her ear. She let her head 
rest against him, her arms perfectly matched to his as they rested against her stomach. 
"As crazy as it sounds, it was the last thing on my mind. I didn't expect this outcome, but 
when you handed me that box and I opened it… it was every bit of the gift it appeared to 
be. This," he said, tightening his hold on her belly, "this is a gift. This is a miracle, and 
it's *our* miracle. It doesn't matter if it was unplanned, she's coming and I could not be 
happier. You are making me a father again. How can I not love that?" He quickly swiped 
at a renegade tear before replacing his hand on her stomach.  
 
"You're giving me a gift, too, you know. You're giving me something I've wanted for a 
long time. You're making me a mother and I'm so glad I get to share this experience with 
you, John. You're an amazing man. I couldn't be happier that you are the father my child 
and as long as you're happy," she turned, this time allowing her own tears to cascade 
down her cheeks without hiding them, "I'm ecstatic." Her smile was amazingly bright as 
laughter mixed with tears of joy.  
 
He wrapped her in a hug so fierce and for a few minutes, the two held each other though 
emotional sobs.  
 
"We're gonna figure this thing out, Dana. It seems like a lot to handle, but we're in this 
together."  
 
After getting their emotions in check, Scully led him to the bed. She lay with her back 
toward him and he fell into place behind her, cradling her with his hand never leaving her 
belly.  
 
"I have to be honest, I love you, too, John… but it's not at the level you feel for me. I'm 
sorry. I just, the love I have for you is… it goes beyond ordinary friendship, but it's… it's 
complicated and so confusing in my mind right now," she turned awkwardly to meet his 
eyes. "I love you, John Doggett, and I plan to use the time we spend preparing for our 
child's birth to get to know you even more. For so long, I've held myself back, purposely 
keeping distance between us because I felt like it was a betrayal… but I don't care 
anymore. I want to love you with as much intensity as the love you have for me, the love 
that you deserve. It just requires some patience on your part."  
 
"I'll wait as long as it takes. We've got forever now, Dana."  
 
She nodded and remained quiet for a few seconds before asking "How do you know it's a 
'she'?" Her smile was soft and sweet. Doggett couldn't help but lean over and kiss her. 
He gave a mental sigh of relief when she returned it without hesitation.  
 
"I just know. Daddies know these things."  
 
"Do they, now? Well mommies should know better than anyone."  
 
"Is that so? Then what does this mommy think she's gonna have?"  
 
Her gaze turned serious, her hand snaking up to stroke his cheek. "I think we're going to 
have a little girl, too. I think she's going to have two parents that love her and adore her, 
two parents that will eventually love and adore each other just as much. I think that… 
we're going to be each other's last… there's no more to come after you. After she's born, 
it will be the three of us against the world."  
 
"A family."  
 
"Always."  
 
"Even if it takes us a little while to get there."  
 
"We're already there, John. You, me," she reached down and returned his hand to her 
belly, "and baby makes three." They chuckled at the sappiness of the comment, but 
quickly sobered. "When I first figured it out, I had no idea how to handle it. I was 
scared… so, so scared."  
 
'Finally,' Doggett thought. 'Finally, she's startin' to open up to me.'  
 
"And now you know you don't have to be 'cause you aren't alone in this."  
 
"Now I know. I know that I'll always have you, just like you will always have me."  
 
Doggett smile before leaning over for another kiss. "I love you, Dana, so much it hurts," 
he whispered against her lips. "Now get some sleep. We have work tomorrow."  
 
She groaned as she rolled onto her side, Doggett resuming his position against her back, 
his hand resting on her belly.  
 
"Will you stay?" she asked drowsily.  
 
"I ain't goin' anywhere, sweetheart."  
 
The sound of her soft breathing filled the room. He was sure she was asleep and he took 
the time to think about how his life had changed so drastically. One night of comfort gave 
him a bond with the woman who'd captured his heart from the beginning. They had a lot 
to handle, a lot to discuss. Decisions needed to be made, and plans to welcome their 
healthy child into the world in the upcoming months would be the highlight of his 
thoughts. He couldn't wait to share this journey with Dana and, even with the mixed 
feelings she currently had, he was sure they would figure it out somehow.  
 
"Best friends, John," she mumbled.  
 
And he knew what she meant. In whatever capacity, he knew she had never spoken truer 
words.  
 
"I love you, too, darlin'," he whispered back before drifting off beside her.  
 
*** x *** X *** x ***  
 
Hoped you liked it. Thanks for reading.