From: billiereid@yahoo.com   
      
   Title: The Season is just beginning   
   Author: Billie Reid   
   Summary: MSR Shopping together leads to lots of things when Santa is    
   around.   
   Disclaimer: The characters are not mine although I wish they where at    
   times. They belong to CC and 1013 productions.   
      
   December 23 2002   
   J. Edgar Hoover Building FBI   
   1:05 p.m.   
   Scully's POV   
      
   We're just getting out of work when I realize that I still have some    
   shopping to do. I guess I can do it before I go home tonight. It's    
   going to be packed at the mall though. I pack a few things into my    
   purse and make sure everything on my desk is turned off since I wont    
   be back until after Christmas. I look over at Mulder. It looks like    
   he's just going to keep working through the holiday. Not over my dead    
   body I think. "Mulder.. I still have a few things to get for    
   Christmas' care to join me at the mall?" I ask him.   
      
   "No thanks Scully.. I rather finish this up." Great, I was right. Do    
   nothing but work.   
      
   "Mulder.. your coming with me!" I tell him and walk over to his desk    
   and take the file he was working on and put it in my briefcase. He    
   looks up at me and then follows me towards the door.   
      
   "I can't believe your doing this to me Scully. You know I don't like    
   the mall!" He wines to me. I give him my `I-don't-care-what-you-think-   
   your-doing-it-anyway-' look and he says no more.   
      
   December 23 2002   
   Washington D.C. Mall   
   2:14 p.m.   
   Mulder's POV   
      
   I can't believe she did that to me. When she pulls into the parking    
   area I look around and its what I thought it would be, packed. That    
   last minute shopping for everyone. We soon find a parking spot and    
   are on our way to the front doors. I'm not sure what she's looking    
   for so I just follow her where she goes. Looking at everyone else run    
   around getting what they need too. Maybe I should get something for    
   Scully while we're here. She stops by the men's shirts and I wait as    
   she looks through them and picks out two. I can only guess those are    
   for Charlie and Bill. She hangs on to them as we continues walking.    
   We go over to house ware next and she looks at a few things and    
   finally picks a bedspread . I think that's for her mother.   
      
   After she pays for those she turns to me. "Now.. we have to go to a    
   different store." She tells me and hands me the bags with the shirts    
   and bedspread.   
      
   I look at her. "Is this the only reason you wanted me to come here    
   with you.. is to carry what you buy?" I ask her jokingly. She laughs    
   and we keep walking. Just then I see a small line of kids getting    
   ready to see Santa and tell him what they want this year.   
      
   "Hey.. Scully.. have you been a good girl this year?" I ask her.   
      
   "I'd like to think so.why?" She reply's.   
      
   "And have you told Santa what you'd like for Christmas?" I ask    
   nodding towards the big guy in the red suite sitting on the chair    
   over there. She looks over and sees him and then back at me.   
      
   "Oh.. No. I'm not doing it Mulder! "She tells me.   
      
   "But come on.. humor me! Hey, I came here and am carrying your bags    
   around.. it's the least you can do. Plus I bet the picture will be    
   cute. Look.. just do this I'll even do it! Ok?" I tell her and give    
   her my puppy dog look. I know if I use it now there's no way she can    
   refuse.   
      
   Scully's POV   
      
   I thought this would have been a fun after noon with Mulder. But he's    
   insisting I go see Santa. Oh uh.. He's using that puppy dog face. I    
   can never refuse it. I wish he didn't know that. "Fine.. I'll do it..    
   but I want your picture with Santa." I tell him. He looks at me and    
   nods.   
      
   "Deal!" He says. Great. We walk over to get in line and a few kids    
   look up at us. I smile at them and then stand and wait.   
      
   About twenty minutes later it's my turn to go tell Santa what I want.    
   I walk up and smile at him and he smiles back. I think he's going to    
   like this more then I am. I sit on his lap.   
      
   "Hey there pretty lady,have you been a good girl this year?" He asks    
   me. I glance over at Mulder and he smiles at me. I turn back to    
   Santa. "Yes.. I'd like to think I have been." I tell him what I told    
   Mulder.   
      
   "What would you like for Christmas?" He asks me. I don't even have to    
   think about this one. I lean over and whisper in his ear. When I sit    
   back up I nod and smile. We both look at the camera and the elf takes    
   our picture. I thank him and then take the bags from Mulder as I wait    
   for him to talk to Santa.   
      
   Mulder's POV   
      
   She looks so cute up there on his lap. I wish I was Santa just then.    
   When she tells Santa what she wants, it only makes me wonder what it    
   is so I can get it for her. She takes the bags from me and I walk up    
   and sit on his lap. "Sorry but it was the only way to get her up here    
   to tell you what she wanted." I tell him so he wont think we're to    
   crazy.   
      
   He nods. "Have you been a good boy this year?" He asks. Which I'm    
   guessing he has to ask everyone.   
      
   "Um.. I hope so." I tell him.   
      
   "What would you like for Christmas?" He asks. I look over at Scully    
   and nod. I then whisper in his ear the one question I`d like to know.    
   He smiles at me and tells me as we're getting our picture taken. I    
   thank him and pay for the pictures and I take Scully's and she takes    
   mine.   
      
   The rest of the day isn't that bad. We stop at a café and get a drink    
   and rest for awhile. The whole time I remember what I asked Santa and    
   what he told me. I smile as I plan my idea out in my head. I hope    
   this works. If it does.. It will be one Christmas I will never forget.   
      
   We go to leave the mall and we pass this candle store. "Um.. Scully.    
   Can you wait here for a second. I need to run in here and get    
   something." I say and go into the store. I know she likes vanilla and    
   cinnamon. I get a few candles of each and pay for them. I hang on to    
   the bag and walk back out to her.   
      
   "Sorry about that. They didn't have the kind I wanted." I say to her.    
   We walk back to the car and head back to the FBI building.   
      
   J. Edgar Hoover Building FBI   
   6:00 p.m.   
   Scully's POV   
      
   I wait as Mulder gets out of the car. I roll down my passenger    
   window. "Hey, Mulder.. Thanks.. And Merry Christmas." I tell him.   
      
   "Merry Christmas Scully." He tells me and smiles. He then gets in his    
   car with a bag in his hand. I wonder what he got if I didn't see him    
   buy anything. I shrug my shoulders and drive home to wrap my gifts    
   for my family.   
      
   Mulder's POV   
      
   I wait for Scully to drive off and then I pull out and head back to    
   the mall. I get there and find a parking spot. Once I get in the    
   store I go right over to the men's underwear. I finally find a pare    
   that are black and silky, I look for my size and then I hold on to it    
   as I walk over and get a new robe. I grab a large and then I go to    
   pay for them. Once I've done this I go back out to my car and head    
   home. I see a flower shop on the way and pull over and go in to look    
   around. I see nice red roses that will work for this. I go up front.   
      
   "Can I buy something now and pick it up tomorrow?" I ask the lady.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)