|
Title: Santa Left Me Under the Tree. Really!
Author: Pattie
Rated: G
Category: Kid fic, post series, movies and reboot.
Summary: The family finds James sleeping under
the tree this year because he stayed up all night
waiting for Santa, unbeknownst to the family.
Feedback: patfiler2016@outlook.com
Archive: Gossamer. Anybody else, just ask nicely,
please.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Chris Carter's,
1013 Productions or Fox Studios. I do, however,
lay claim to the kids after William. <VEG>
See Author's Note at end.
Another Challenge Fic.
MULDER RESIDENCE
WASHINGTON, DC
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016
As with every other year, the advertisements were all
over the radio, crammed into mail boxes, playing
on any and all television stations, excluding PBS, of
course. The stores and malls were decorated with
ornaments, Christmas trees and garlands. In some
neighbourhood people were on ladders putting up
the lights, wondering if it was really affordable in this
day and age, with the price of electricity. Of course,
Mulder always waited as long as possible. Yes, Mr.
"Wait Until the Last Minute", well, that went for
shopping as well.
Meg and Samantha Ann were writing and rewriting
their "Dear Santa" letters. Mandy was arranging the
room she shared with Alison, knowing she would be
back in town for two weeks. Mandy had to do it after
work. As for little pre-schooler James, he couldn't
write, only hint constantly, just like big brother William.
William was doing well at University, and making
money through snow shovelling and his paper route.
At supper, James just couldn't wait any longer to ask
when the Christmas tree would be found and set up.
"Please, Mommy and Daddy? Can we go pick out a
tree?"
"Be patient," Mulder told him, "I have a lot of work to
do. We'll see. Maybe next week, and the house lights
and tree lights go on on Christmas Eve. We have to
save on electricity.
"Saturday would be good," James insisted.
"It is Saturday.That's my day to do the lights. Please, just
wait. We'll do it. I promise. So what would you like for
Christmas?" Maybe changing the subject would put an
end to the nagging, which had started three days
previously.
"Aww..."
Scully tried to help Mulder out. "Hey, you inherited your
Daddy's pout! Don't worry, just color a Christmas picture
for us and don't worry."
"Yeah, Meg advised her baby brother. I'll help."
Samantha Ann played interference, "You can't color a
straight line."
"That's enough," Mandy told her. "It's always the same.
You two fight and you're flesh and blood. It's almost
Christmas, the store I work at is making me work so
hard, I try to sleep, and I hear the bickering just when
I try to relax, even after your bedtime. I'm going to work
and doing overtime on my day off."
Mulder was trying to calm down. "I'm down to my home
office. This is like a Chipmunks Christmas."
His wife's patience was wearing thin as well. As she
cleared the dinner table she muttered something that
sounded like "Chipmunks Christmas in repeats."
William snickered. "I have a physics paper to finish. So
much for 'Peace on Earth, Good Will to men.' Best bet
was to get out of the line of fire and up to his room.
By Saturday the 17th, Mulder took James into the woods
to choose the tree, but then thought better of it. James
couldn't make up his mind.
Mulder was at the boiling point. "Okay, we're going to
Target for an artificial tree, and don't look at me like that.
It'll save your Mommy from constantly cleaning up the
darn needles."
"Aw, rats." Pouting did not do the little guy any good.
"Get running to the car. I don't have time. The store
closes soon, and it's close to your bedtime. Oh, before
you get started, the tree goes up tomorrow.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2016
The tree was set up and decorated by 3:00 PM, and
James glanced at is as Scully decorated it. The others
were playing music, building a snow fort (Samantha Ann
and Meg), and Will was out with his buddies playing road
hockey, since the roads had been cleared. Mulder
and Scully started going through the wish lists by 4:15,
occasionally shaking their heads, then nodding. As
for William's wish, it had been granted already years
ago.
James decided on a train set, after hearing Mandy playing
the Grass Roots version of the song and learning the
meaning of 'locomotion'. How he loved watching freight
trains and passenger trains.
"Okay," Mulder decided. "A passenger train."
Meg wanted a sewing machine, as she had see her
grandmother making a dress for her.
"Manual sewing machine," Scully decided. "Maybe at "Toys
R Us. By the way, Mr. 'Last Minute', Have you even started?"
"This may come as a shock, my dear lady, so brace yourself,
I began after work yesterday. What does Sammy Ann want?"
"A cactus."
"A cactus. Yes, low maintenance. I already have Will the
physics tutorial CD. He needs it." Mulder knew it.
"Yes, he most certainly does. He may be brilliant, but his
professor called last Wednesday and sees the grades
slipping and told him so."
For several days on end, Mulder, Scully and even Mandy
had to pick James up from beneath the tree and tuck him
into bed.
However, Christmas Eve, for some reason it was not
necessary. Everybody laid their gifts underneath the tree
and retired for the night.
December 25, 2016
As usual, Scully was first up even after doing Christmas
Mass. She and Mulder showered and dressed. The rule
was breakfast before opening gifts.
Much to their chagrin, there was a surprise they never
thought of. Fast asleep, under a blanket was one James
Charles Mulder. Even the other offspring were surprised.
"Hey, I thought you finally learned to stay in your bed! How
did you manage to do this?" Scully had to giggle.
Stretching and yawning, young James told his family,
"Santa Left Me Under the Tree, Really!"
END
Authors Note: Written for Pic Fic Challenge 8 C,
Nursery Files.
|
