From: leighchristine@hotmail.com   
      
   TITLE: Elvery   
   AUTHOR: Christine Leigh   
   E-MAIL: leighchristine@hotmail.com   
   RATING: G   
   CATEGORY: V   
   SPOILERS: None.   
      
   SUMMARY: Christmas tree shopping.  Seventh   
   of a series of stand-alone vignettes centering around   
   Mulder and Will that may also be read as a stand-   
   alone. Set two to three years roughly after the end   
   of the show.   
      
   DISCLAIMER: All characters are the products   
   of Chris Carter.  They also belong to Ten-Thirteen   
   Productions and the Fox Network. No copyright   
   infringement intended.   
      
      
   Elvery   
   By Christine Leigh   
      
   "It's too tall.  They'd have to cut a foot off the   
   top, at least."   
      
   "But it looks like my picture."   
      
   Mulder looked at the tree in question.  True, it   
   was very symmetrical as was the picture that his   
   little artist had drawn last night.  Its branches,   
   however, were not orange.   
      
   "Daddy, it's our tree."   
      
   "Will, do you know how tall it is?  It would take   
   nearly four of you to equal its height.  Mommy   
   might find different elves to send on this errand   
   next year if we bring this tree back."   
      
   Will laughed.  As was their habit, they'd done more   
   of that than anything else since arriving at the   
   tree lot.  But this *was* some serious business   
   they had been entrusted with, and the partner   
   elves, as they had taken to referring to   
   themselves, needed to succeed in their mission.   
      
   "How about this one?"  Mulder turned to look at a   
   shorter, rounder version of the other tree.   
      
   "No."   
      
   "Will, this is a good tree.  The branches are nice   
   and even all the way around.  And we won't have to   
   cut a hole in the roof to make it fit."   
      
   "A hole in the roof -- the red bird will fly in.   
   Daddy, you won't do that."   
      
   "Not a good idea, I agree.  So, partner elf, what   
   do you think we should do?  Or will the cardinal be   
   joining us for dinner from now on?"   
      
   Will pondered that.  At the sight of the curly   
   headed little boy with his brow now furrowed in   
   deep thought, Mulder wanted nothing more than to   
   scoop his son up in his arms and hold him tight,   
   but he held back.  The past three days had been   
   eventful in the most wonderful way, but time was   
   passing fast, and the one thing they needed to do   
   now was select and haul a tree home tonight.   
   Christmas was only a little over a week away.   
      
   "Daddy, if we cut the top off the tree we'll have a   
   big tree and a little tree."   
      
   "That's true.  Two trees.  Do we really need two   
   trees, Will?"   
      
   "The big one can be for Mommy and me.  And you."   
      
   "And the little one would be for?"   
      
   "For Kaylie."   
      
   "For Kaylene?"   
      
   "That's what I said, Daddy."   
      
   Mulder couldn't resist any longer, and crouched   
   down.  "Come here."  Will ran into his Dad's arms   
   and for a few minutes all elvery was put aside as   
   father and son shared a good hug.   
      
   "Will, are you happy about your new sister?"   
      
   "Uh huh."  Will nodded his head accordingly.   
   "She's little.  Mommy likes her a lot."   
      
   "Will, you know that Mommy likes you a lot also,   
   don't you?  You're her very special boy.  Mine,   
   too."   
      
   "Am I Mommy's special elf, Daddy?"   
      
   Mulder grinned.  "That, too.  The most special elf   
   of all."   
      
   "Daddy, is Kaylie an elf?"   
      
   "I'm sure she will be.  I think we need to give her   
   a year at least, though.  She can be an elf-in-   
   training.  How's that sound to you?"   
      
   "Good.  I can help her draw a picture."   
      
   "When she's ready, you'll be the best teacher, I've   
   no doubt.  Now, are you sure Will, that this tree   
   wouldn't be best?"  Mulder motioned once more to   
   his choice.  "You know what I think?  I think that   
   Santa would see this tree and would decide that   
   we'd picked the best tree in the world.  It's kind   
   of round and jolly looking, just like him."   
      
   "Daddy, would he come to our house first?"   
      
   "I think there is a very good chance of that   
   happening."   
      
   "I like that tree, Daddy.  Get that tree."   
      
   "Partner elf, I think we've made a wise choice."   
      
   "What about Kaylie?"   
      
   "Well, let me think about that."  Mulder looked   
   around.  There was a pile of greens for the taking   
   by the entrance to the lot.  There were also   
   bunches of mistletoe tied festively with different   
   colors of ribbon for sale.  He caught the attention   
   of a worker and motioned to have the tree taken to   
   be netted and tagged for the ride home.   
      
   "Will, why don't you go over to that pile and find   
   a Kaylene-size tree.  I'll bet there's something   
   that's just right for her there."   
      
   Will was happy to comply with that suggestion.   
   He'd only had his sister for two days, but so far   
   all was good, and he wanted to give her a tree of   
   her own.  And Santa might come to their house   
   first!  This was going to be the best Christmas   
   ever.  He didn't have to dig too deeply in the pile   
   -- there were plenty of smaller cuttings and he   
   found one that was just shy of a foot and looked   
   almost like a real tree.  He picked it up and   
   walked over to where his dad stood at the checkout   
   counter.   
      
   "Daddy.  Here."  Mulder finished writing his check   
   and looked down.   
      
   "Will, that's just right.  I think Kaylene will   
   love it."   
      
   "I want Santa to see her.  I don't want him to miss   
   Kaylie."   
      
   "Santa knows, Will.  He knows about both of you."   
      
   "Daddy, I have a sister."   
      
   "That you do, Will."   
      
   "Do you have a sister, Daddy?"  Mulder crouched   
   down again.   
      
   "Once, I did.  Yes."   
      
   "Did she have a tree?"   
      
   "I don't know that she ever had her own special one   
   like this one you've picked for Kaylene, but we   
   certainly shared a few very nice ones."   
      
   "Was she an elf?"   
      
   "Yes, I believe she was."   
      
   "What was her name, Daddy?"   
      
   "Samantha."   
      
   "Samtha?"   
      
   "Sa-man-tha."  Mulder spoke the syllables slowly.   
   "I called her Sam, though, most of the time.  Kind   
   of the way that Mommy and I call you Will most of   
   the time."   
      
   "Was she a good elf?"   
      
   "Yes."   
      
   "We're good elves, Daddy."   
      
   "Good?  We're the very best.  Partner elf, I think   
   it's time to head for home.  Can you hold onto this   
   and Kaylene's tree?"  Mulder handed Will a bunch of   
   mistletoe tied with red ribbon.   
      
   "Yes."   
      
   "We did good work here tonight.  I think we'll be   
   asked back next year."   
      
   "And maybe Kaylie, Daddy."   
      
   "Very possibly."   
      
   "And Mommy."   
      
   "Of course.  Always Mommy."  Not for the first time   
   in the last two days Mulder was struck with awe at   
   the thought of *his* family.  Now they were four.   
      
   "Merry Christmas, Daddy."  Mulder felt a little   
   hand slip into his.  If hearts were really able to   
   melt, his chest would contain a big, warm puddle   
   right now.   
      
   "Merry Christmas to you, Will.  You're my special   
   elf.  Don't you ever forget that."  The expression   
   on the little face that looked up at Mulder upon   
   hearing that was priceless.   
      
   "You're mine, Daddy."   
      
      
   - end -   
      
      
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