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Mulder sighed with relief as he heard the doctor tell Scully that everything with the baby was fine. He was just as worried about the baby as she was - Maggie had only convinced him moments earlier that his pacing wasn't doing anyone any good. He knew how upset she was, so he wasn't surprised when she went straight to Scully after the doctor left. He had hoped to have a minute to talk to Scully but Skinner was due to arrive now any minute. The two men had parted about an hour earlier, Skinner leaving to try to find out more information about the supposed baby nurse, while Mulder accompanied Scully to the hospital.
He and Scully were both eager to hear what Lizzie had to say - despite her doctor's reassurance, Mulder was fairly certain that there was more to this than just giving her an iron supplement. He glanced at Scully for no more than a few seconds before following Skinner. Their ability for silent communication had come in handy over the last several weeks, especially since they had agreed it was best to keep everyone guessing as to who the father of the baby was. He knew Scully understood why he was leaving with Skinner for the time-being.
The two men walked down the hallway swiftly, both eager to figure out what was going on with the so-called baby nurse that Skinner had taken into custody. Skinner's initial conversation with her had him even more frightened for Scully and her baby. He knew that they had a very limited timetable to figure out exactly what was going on and what their motives were in regards to Scully and the baby.
Just as Skinner was about to push the down button of the elevator, Mulder reached out and stopped him.
"Before you do that sir, I feel like there's something I need to say in regards to our conversation earlier."
"Sure, we can talk about it on the way to question this nut job". Mulder shook his head no and motioned towards a waiting area located next to the elevators.
"This has to be something just between us and I think this is the best place to say it. There's no way this place is bugged and we can just move if think someone is getting close enough to hear what we're saying."
"You're being paranoid again, Mulder." He just shrugged in response as he sat down in one of the plastic chairs.
"I don't think so, sir ... and I think you know by now that there's no way I am taking any chances when it comes to Scully or the baby." Skinner nodded, silently noting that for once he hadn't described it as "her baby".
"You mentioned earlier that you heard I had questions about Scully and this pregnancy. I do have questions but it really has nothing to do with who's the father...it's more like making sure we weren't unwilling participants of something far more sinister than simply wanting to become parents."
"Come on Mulder, you can't really think..." Mulder held up his hand, wanting him to stop.
"Before you think I've gone off the deep end again, hear me out." Skinner sighed but nodded.
"Several months before the trip to Oregon, Scully had gone to Dr. Parenti for a consultation. Scully had learned from her own doctor that it was very unlikely she would ever be able to conceive naturally." Mulder paused for a moment, quickly deciding it would be best if parts if he only shared parts of the story. Skinner didn't need to know to what lengths he had gone to for Scully.
"After he ran some tests, he told her that there was a slight chance that she could conceive through in-vitro fertilization. It was a long shot, but he was very encouraging and felt that he could help. She had done a lot of research and had a lot of faith in him and his work, so it was a risk she wanted to take." Mulder stopped and drew in a long, deep breath. When he began again, his voice was softer. "We were told we only had the one chance for it to work. Dana was devastated when she learned that the procedure didn't take...We both were."
Skinner sat silent for a minute. "I ...I had no idea," he said finally, not really sure what else there was to say. He continued to sit there for a few seconds, then asked, "But considering the fact that Agent Scully is about to give birth, there must have been a way for you to try the procedure again..."
Mulder couldn't help but smile a little as he replied. "No, ahhh...let's just say even the best doctors can make mistakes."
He knew that he needed to be upfront with Skinner, since there was so much at stake. "Scully filled me in on what I missed, including how worried she has been over the last nine months. But now that I am back, her fears -well, our fears really - have continued to grow as we move closer to her due date."
"So who all knows exactly? About you being the baby's father I mean..."
"Other than her mother and now you, no one. I missed out on so much of the pregnancy, I let Scully take the lead on this one. I just want her and the baby to be safe, so if she thinks it's best no one knows the identity of the baby's father, then I am going to go along with it."
"But you told me."
Mulder nodded. "We discussed it in the car, on the way to the hospital. We agreed that it was best you know, after everything that went on today. "
The two sat there in silence for several seconds.
"A few days before Scully and I flew out to Oregon, she had a follow up appointment with Dr. Parenti. Based on her due date, Scully calculated when the baby was conceived. As we were driving over here, Scully told me that he should have been able to tell her then that she was pregnant, but he didn't."
"Maybe she just wasn't far enough along yet," Skinner supplied. "Or because he wasn't looking for it, he just missed it."
The two men sat there in silence for several seconds.
"So what are you saying here Mulder?" Skinner asked. "Despite having firsthand knowledge that this baby was probably conceived the old-fashioned way, you still think that there's something more sinister going on here?"
Mulder shrugged. "I'm not saying that at all." He stood and began to make his way back over to the elevator. "But let me make this clear right now - if something happens to Scully or the baby, there's going to be hell to pay."