Written some years ago for @CatherineGlins2 on Twitter. Her prompt, Mulder buys Scully a tree
Set in season 2.
Friday December 23, 1994.
A "quick" after work drink on a Friday afternoon before the Christmas holiday is not only appropriate, but a socially normative approach to celebrate the special, and yet professional, bond between two law enforcement partners.
So is sneaking away from the office an hour early. Scully drinks a white wine and Mulder a beer. Twenty minutes-quick, easy, done- until Mulder asks why Scully is so distracted.
"Tis the season, Mulder. I still have shopping to do for my sister and my mom and then a bunch of wrapping tonight. I told my mother I would come over early tomorrow."
Mulder frowns. Scully seems tired. He is still protective of her since her return from death's door. He suggests he could come with her. Walk the mall to do his own Christmas shopping and then help Scully carry her bags upstairs.
Scully wonders how Mulder survives in the world with such poor boundaries. She simply is not in the seasonal mood; yet alone in the mood to deal with Mulder in a mall, but doesn't have the strength to protest over his insistence. So Scully shops and Mulder lurks and only when she explains she is going into Victoria Secret to shop for her sister does Mulder walk away for his own shopping. At least he says so but has no packages or bags when they come together 30 minutes later.
She is happy though as he takes her bags, grabs her hand and walks through the crowds. His size and commanding air moves them through the mall crowds better than she could navigate on her own. When he takes the keys to her car, drives her home, and carry the bags upstairs, she is relieved.
She doesn't want to admit how tired she is.
"Scully? No tree?"
"I'm going to my mom's so decided not to bother." Scully' small smile is forced. Mulder nods, pus his hand out and cradles her cheek just briefly. "Merry Christmas." With Mulder gone, Scully pulls out her plastic bins with her organized ribbons, name tags, scizzors, boxes and gift bags.
She sits at her kitchen table and begins to wrap; although she would much rather just go to bed.
Sat. Dec. 24, 1994
Noon time and the Scully women -Dana, her sister Melissa and their mother, Maggie- are making cookies. The smell of coffee, cinnamon and chocolate fills the kitchen. The house is decorated fully for the season. Outside snow is lightly falling. When Maggie leaves the room, Melissa opens up the fridge sneakily and pulls out a can of whip cream. She puts some on top of her coffee and then some in Scully's cup and then quickly sneaks the can back in the fridge when she hears Maggie walking back into the kitchen. The doorbell saves her from being busted as Maggie goes to answer.
"When we run out of whip cream for the pumpkin pie tonight, mom will be giving us the evil eye." Scully says but smiles as she drinks the now sweet and milky coffee.
"It feels more like Christmas with whip cream in our cups, like when we were young drinking hot chocolate on Christmas Eve night."
The joy of this day is not forced. It is real happiness these sisters feel having this time together but there is another feeling, a sadness, tapping the merry down a little.
"Girls, come look."
Maggie carries into the dining room the delivery from the doorbell. In her hand is a beautiful centerpiece of white flowers. She puts it in the centerpiece of the table.
"Who sent it?" Melissa asks. When Maggie shrugs, Melissa takes the card addressed to Mrs. Scully and hands it to her mother to read.
"Fox" Maggie said. "What a thoughtful thing to do." Tears glistening in her eyes, Maggie hands Dana the card and touches her shoulder with a light touch before going back into the kitchen. Dana reads the card out loud so Melissa can hear.
"In this joyous time, I know there is a loved one missing. May the love of the children you had together comfort you as you grieve your husband. My best, Fox Mulder" Melissa and Dana locks eyes. " Don't start, Melissa". " Dana, he remembered that dad died a year ago around Christmas.”
Maggie brings into the room two red candles in silver holders and places them on either side of the centerpiece.
"When Dana was missing, Fox and I talked a lot about how much I missed your father. This really is so thoughtful."
Monday December 26, 1994
Nearly five pm and it feels even later. Scully bets she made 11 trips from the car, up the stairs to her apartment, with her over night bag, Christmas gifts and left-overs. She stands with the refrigerator open wondering where to put all the leftovers when she hears a knock on the door.
Really, the man has no boundaries, she thinks. The point of vacation is that you don't see your coworkers and it is only the first actual day of vacation. She opens the door.
"Mulder?"
He is smiling broadly. "I brought you a gift, Scully."
"Mulder, we said no gifts". She turns around exasperated and walks into her living room. She hears Mulder enter and the sound of the door closing. She hears him says, " This is different, Scully." Without turning around, she says, "you already sent that centerpiece." "That was for your mother, though." "She was really touched." "She called yesterday to thank me." Scully sighs. What kind of boundaries could she impose if her mother and her partner have become friends?
She turns now to face him.
Mulder, small table top tree in hand, looks around the living room and then places the tree on her coffee table. He gestures to the tree with his hand. Smilingly foolishly he says, "There, now you have a tree."
"Mulder, thanks but...Christmas is over." Under her breath she adds " and good riddance".
"But,". Mulder ups a finger " This is a New Years tree." He waits for a beat, but when Scully just stares he goes back to explaining. "There are no Christmas related ornaments. | mean snow flakes and skaters but look, champagne bottles, and this one just says happy new year and then here's a little disco ball like the time square ball. "
Scully smiles only slightly. Mulder becomes more uncomfortable. "I'm not suggesting we spend New Years together" Mulder says although it was exactly his plan to ask when he got the tree, " I know it would be inappropriate. I have some boundaries, but I just…” Mulder throws up his hands resigned to being embarrassed "thought you should have a tree.”
Scully says "Mulder, my father always made us take down the tree the day after Christmas." She bursts into tears.
Mulder embraces her. Scully sobs into chest. He pats her back awkwardly while berating himself mentally. Stupid, stupid, insensitive!
Scully pulls away from Mulder. She grabs a tissue out of a nearby box and blows her nose. Mulder looks dejectedly from her, to the tree, to his shoes. Then he hears Scully start to laugh.
" Are those noisemakers stuffed in the tree? And Mardi gras beads?"
"I'm sorry, Scully."
"Mulder I love this tree."
Mulder lifts his eyes from his shoes to her face. What?
Scully speaks in a soft voice. "My family spent this morning arguing. I mean screaming at each other, over a tree and whether we should take it down, as Dad would have, or leave it up because he's". Scully's voice breaks "not here any longer and so we could. I mean Melissa and Bill screaming and my mother in tears. Then, we spent the afternoon taking down the tree. I haven't been in the mood this year at all, tired and depressed, I guess, but taking down that Christmas tree and realizing the season was over and was ending like that, The family together taking down the tree because my father would have was just so sad.”
Scully sits down. Mulder stares at her for a bit and kneels down beside her saying softly. " I know it must be hard without your Father but, for me this season, I'm just so glad you're here. I just wanted to celebrate a little because New Years is about the future and I am just glad you are here."
" I don't want every Christmas to be sad because we lost my father this time of year. Instead I just want the season to be...." Scully can't find the words.
"About the miracle of life and the hope inherent in a New Year and new beginnings?"
Scully smiles at Mulder. He is such a believer in so many different things, but she says only. "You know I have a bunch of left overs. Are you hungry?" Mulder smiles and nods "I can eat."
"Find something on television and I will get us plates."
Scully realizes that for the first time this Holiday season, her mood is light. She glances at the tree before going into the kitchen. She is humming a tune. " What are you doing New Years Eve?”