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Rated: G
Spoiler: The Truth.
Category: Post-The Truth, AU (Only as long as they're in
limbo), Companion Piece to Close To Christmas and Heck It
Is Christmas.
Feedback: patfiler2016@outlook.com
Archive: Gossamer. Others please ask and tell me where
my baby is.
Disclaimer: They all belong to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen
Productions and Fox Studios, I made no money, and the
copyright is safe.
Author's Note: Okay. So I wrote it on Boxing Day of 2005.
My cable TV and Internet were on hold until I could afford
to have them activated again, but Mulder and Scully are
still active in my heart and in the hearts of other fans.
So, Happy New Year! At least Carter gave us another
movie and a six-part re-boot in 2016. He just has to keep
us hanging. Aww! (Updated September 13, 2017).
LI'L ALE'I INN
ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO
DECEMBER 25, 2002
They were still on the run, and they didn't have much. Much
in the way of material things and the feeling of 'Home Sweet
Home', but they had each other, the kindness of a couple
of fellow agents, and one scared yet prayerful mother.
Mulder and Scully were far from home, believed to have died
in the destruction of a pueblo far away by helicopters, and
they were intent on fighting for their world and the people
in it. They had a son to find and they had their resolve.
Monica Reyes and John Doggett had covertly engineered
Christmas in a box for the renegade X-Files Agents, with
some help from Margaret Scully. Two personalized stockings
were hanging from a window sill, there had been jams,
jellies, assorted crackers, cheese and champagne for Mulder
and Scully to celebrate Christmas Eve.
Dana Scully took great care when she ventured from the motel
room early Christmas Eve, braving crowds and possibly
shielded by crowds as she searched for just the right gifts
for her partner, best friend, father of her son. It was a
risk she needed to take in order to fend off that cloud of
despair over his head.
Later that day, Fox Mulder had driven out to a small plaza
under the guise of doing the couple's laundry. He, too,
knew Scully was sharing that cloud with him. Hadn't she
been though enough in the past few years? Yes. Too much.
That evening they sat beneath a small tree with their party
feast and small packages, thankful for the mere fact that
they were alive. They didn't need 'Miracle on 34th Street'
or 'It's a Wonderful Life' to remind them they were rich
beyond compare while they were together.
Sometime in the night, Mulder had stealthily gone to the
kitchenette and tried to be ever so quiet as he wrapped
his partner's presents. Scully knew the precise time he
did the sneaky little deed, but merely smiled and closed
her eyes. After all, she had managed to have his presents
wrapped at the stores. Yes, money was something they were
watching very carefully, *it's the thought that counts*,
and she had prayed to God that no one who could have been
searching for them was hunting even in Roswell, but the
little packages just had to look perfectly beautiful.
Mulder was first to awaken. He smiled as he watched Scully
sleep. The soft sounds of her breathing and a hint of
peace on her face assured him she was feeling somehow more
hopeful and secure as she rested. He kissed her on the
forehead. "Wake up sleepy head. I heard Santa slip in last
night."
Scully smiled and opened her eyes. "He couldn't have come
if you were awake. You know the rule on that one."
"So let's go check out the coal he left me, then. Merry
Christmas, Scully."
"Merry Christmas. Race you to the tree!" She was smaller
and faster to jump out of bed, and the first thing she did
was plug in the tiny tree lights. Then, she spied Mulder
over at the stockings.
"I think your Mom was in cahoots with the guy in the red
suit. It seems she not only made the stockings, she helped
the jolly fat man stuff them."
Scully smirked and sat on the floor beside him. "What makes
you think that?"
"Well, I doubt that Santa wears the same scent as she does.
Okay, let's get to the goodies." Mulder pulled a candy cane
from his stocking, an orange, five twenty dollar bills and
a small box of toffees. "Wow! Santa has the right idea:
give the candy and partially cover the dental bill."
Scully found a box of toffees and the same amount of money,
an orange, a candy cane, and a tiny book of prayers with a
little hand written note. "My Dearest Little Girl: Let this
help you and comfort you. Come back to us safely. My love
and prayers for both of you. Love, Mom." She wiped a few
tears from her eyes. "Oh my. I think we'll need them."
"They can't hurt. So, let's go see what's under the tree!"
Mulder began rummaging through the few packages that
were there. "Anybody here know a Dana Scully?"
"Well, I think Maggie Freeman can accept the presents in
her place." Scully made her way to the tree and read the
tag. " 'To Dana Scully, from John Doggett and Monica
Reyes'. Hmm. It's too small to be a sweater. Too square to
be any item of clothing. This bears further investigation.
Shall we go through channels?"
"Heck no. You know how Skinner and Kersh were about that
sort of thing. Open it. We can report to them some other
time, Mrs. Freeman. After Agent Scully returns."
Scully opened her present. It was a small replica of the
Liberty Bell. "We never did see that, did we? Was this
your idea, Mulder?"
"Uh, no. And it's Billy to you. Son of a gun, someone must
have known I wanted to take you there at one time. Let's
see what we have here... " Mulder opened one of his gifts.
" 'To Fox Mulder, From Doggett and Reyes.' A radio. 'Now you
can catch those games while chasing down aliens, Doggett'.
See, he does like me. So what else is here? Why this one's
for you, from Mulder."
The package was small yet beautifully wrapped. Scully opened
it ever so slowly to find a small, velvet covered box. Her
eyes shone when she opened it. "A gold necklace with a
gold heart pendant. And is that a diamond on the top?"
Mulder nodded.
"Mulder, you shouldn't have. This must have cost a... "
He placed a finger to her lips. "Yes, I should have. Ages
ago. I took a big chance getting Doggett to wire me the
money from my account. Now, I want to open another
present." Mulder looked for his gift from Scully. It was a
small, square box. Like a little boy, he tore at the paper and
opened a plain cardboard box, and found a baseball. A very
familiar baseball. He had seen Scully pocket it as part of
her early birthday present after a very memorable morning
on a baseball field. "For me? But this was yours, Scully."
"Memories are made to be shared, Mulder. And since you
were such a kind, patient coach, I autographed it for you,
and had it mounted. There wasn't a better time to give it
to you, till now."
Still in their night clothes, Mulder and Scully sat under
the tree, remembering Christmases of the past, and
enjoying each other's company. They gently kissed as the
sun rose to greet another Roswell day. But it wasn't just
another day. Indeed, it was Christmas.
END
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