From: leighchristine@hotmail.com   
      
   TITLE: Santa Scully   
   AUTHOR: Christine Leigh   
   E-MAIL: leighchristine@hotmail.com   
   RATING: G   
   CATEGORY: V   
   KEYWORDS: MSR   
   SPOILERS: Reference to "Fire."   
      
   SUMMARY: Season one.  Christmas time.   
      
   DISCLAIMER: All characters are the products of Chris   
   Carter. They also belong to Ten-Thirteen Productions and the   
   Fox Network. No copyright infringement intended.    
      
      
   Santa Scully   
   By Christine Leigh   
      
   December 17, 1993   
      
   He had to admit that it was a cute tree.  It wasn't a Charlie   
   Brown by any measure, but he sensed that her loyalty to the   
   two-foot evergreen in the back seat could match that of   
   Charlie's for his little tree any day.  Mulder wasn't much of a   
   celebrator of Christmas, but this small detour into the world   
   of someone who was, actually made him feel somewhat full   
   of cheer for a moment.  He looked at Scully.  Yep, she was   
   definitely in the spirit, and if he were to be completely honest   
   with himself, it wasn't just the tree that informed his present   
   mood.    
      
   It was one week before Christmas eve and all the roads into   
   D.C. were clogged as they drove home after a long day.  The   
   clock had been striking seven when she'd mentioned that   
   tonight she was going to get her tree.     
      
   "You do a tree?"   
      
   "Yes."     
      
   "A real tree - lights, ornaments, all of it?"   
      
   "Yes, Mulder."   
      
   "Well, well.  Santa Scully."   
      
   She smiled.  Mulder looked like a little boy.   
      
   "Just a small tree - a tabletop."   
      
   They were quiet for a stretch of highway.  As they crawled,   
   he remembered other trees. He'd last been home for   
   Christmas his first year back from England.  After that year   
   the holiday had gradually fallen off his map.  Diana hadn't   
   been a traditionalist and other than his time with her, he'd   
   been alone during the holidays.   
      
   "Scully, there have to be several tree lots between here and   
   home."   
      
   "I imagine so."   
      
   "Do you have a special place you go?"   
      
   "No. There's a lot at the grocery store near me that I was   
   going to head for tonight.  They're usually open late.   
      
   Mulder had an idea, but didn't want to make the mistake of   
   insinuating himself into a situation where he didn't belong.    
   With almost anyone else, this wasn't an issue.  He'd come to   
   like and respect his new partner over their months together,   
   though, and he didn't want to overstep.  He stole a quick   
   glance.  That did it.  She was checking a list.  All she needed   
   was a Santa hat to complete the picture.  He leapt.   
      
   "Scully, how about dinner and a tree?"   
      
   "Hmm?"   
      
   "Food and a tree lot.  There's no reason for you to get home   
   and have to go back out for a tree when there are plenty of   
   places between here and there to find one."   
      
   "Mulder, that's very nice of you to offer, but I don't want you   
   to go to any trouble."   
      
   "Scully, aren't you hungry?"   
      
   "Well, yes."   
      
   "And tonight's tree night."   
      
   "It's a week before Christmas."   
      
   "And it's no trouble, Scully.  If you don't mind the company."   
      
   She didn't mind.  In fact, she liked the idea.  The flower went   
   right on unfolding.  He really did look like an eager little boy.   
      
   "Mulder, thank you. That is a terrific offer, and I think I can   
   handle the company.  How about dinner first?"   
      
   "Sounds like a plan."   
      
   They chose the first coffee shop where they could find a   
   parking space.  The decorations were plastic, but the food   
   was good, and amazingly they didn't have to wait long.  They   
   probably smiled more while consuming their meal than they   
   ever had before in each other's presence.  Anyone observing   
   them probably thought they were a couple out for a quick bite   
   before heading out to finish their shopping.  Possibly two   
   children were at home.   
      
   "Do all your family gather for the holiday?"   
      
   "Almost.  This year it will be my brothers Bill and Charlie,   
   and my aunt and three cousins on Christmas Day at my   
   parents' house.  And, Bill is bringing his fiance, Tara."   
      
   "First time meeting Tara?"   
      
   "Yes.  Bill's over the moon.  I'm very happy for him."   
      
   "Sounds like a full day."   
      
   "It will be."   
      
   "You love it, I can see."   
      
   "I do, Mulder.  Christmas has always been a very special time   
   for my family."     
      
   "That's nice.  I'm glad to know someone who's celebrating the   
   traditional way."   
      
   "Do you go home for Christmas, Mulder?"     
      
   "I have, but not in recent years."  He saw Scully looking at   
   him and wondering.  She knew about Samantha; he'd shared   
   that bit of his family history with her on their first case, and   
   he heard the compassion in her voice as she asked this.  There   
   wasn't anything more to say on the subject.  It was what it   
   was, or wasn't in this case.  Neither his father or mother had   
   called yet this year.  He'd call his mother next week if he   
   hadn't heard from her.  "It's all right, Scully.  It's what I know.    
   A couple of days off work is a fine gift.  How about some   
   eggnog before we go?"   
      
   "Mulder, I don't think I could eat or drink anything else right   
   now.  That was a delicious club sandwich and I ate it all."   
      
   "Okay."  He motioned for the check. "Tree time.  Shall we   
   check that big lot we passed finding this place?"   
      
   "Yes.  I'm sure they'll have my tree."   
      
   *****   
      
   "This one."    
      
   "It's so small."   
      
   "It goes on top of a table, remember?"   
      
   "What about that one?"  Mulder walked over to a five foot,   
   practically perfect, tree.   
      
   "It's beautiful, Mulder, but my table would collapse.  Another   
   year, perhaps."  She picked up her little tree to carry to the   
   cashier.  Mulder looked at *his* tree.  They'd had an eight   
   footer one year, as he recalled.     
      
   "Ready to go, Mulder?"   
      
   She stood there amidst all the trees and cut boughs of pine   
   that were tossed in piles all around and looked for all the   
   world like the true spirit of Christmas Present.  He'd carry   
   this image with him to pull out during his solitary holiday.   
      
   "I'm holding you to it, Scully.  Some year, a big tree."   
      
   "We'll see."   
      
   Yes, it was a cute tree, as was its owner.  Mulder wondered   
   what she'd say if he told her that.  Scully didn't seem like the   
   type of woman who would appreciate being called cute, but   
   the fact was that this was how she had been tonight.  An hour   
   and a half later and they were at the curb outside her   
   apartment.  She got out of the car and retrieved her tree from   
   the back seat.  This had been the most fun she'd had buying a   
   tree in many years.  Ethan had tried to join her the year they   
   were together, but then had to work late, so she'd gone alone   
   that night as she always had.  No, tonight had been special.  It   
   was an unexpected gift - one that she wanted to hold and   
   savor as long as possible, and she hoped she knew how to do   
   that.  She leaned over and tapped on the window.  He   
   lowered it.   
      
   "Mulder, about that eggnog. Would you like to join me for a   
   cup?"   
      
   "Are you sure?  I mean, don't you want to get to your tree?"   
      
   "I want to share a cup of eggnog.  With you."   
      
   "Thanks.  I'd enjoy that."  He turned off the ignition and got   
   out.   
      
   "Scully, I think it might snow."   
      
   "That's what they say.  And it's much colder."   
      
   "It's a cute tree."   
      
   "I think so."   
      
   "Thank you for sharing your tradition."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)