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Title: Three Visitations Summary: X-Files/A Christmas Carol crossover. Dedication~ I dedicate this to the whole group of SOT. This was my first X-Files mailing list, and so it's been great to be meet most of the people in the group. I have to apologize to them for not getting involved recently, but I've been really busy. Author's Note~ I hope everyone enjoys this story. I'm writing this while my life is hectic, so this may not be my most quality writing, but then again, I did get quite a few comments about New Year's Day, so maybe this is good! :-) My other stories include Breath of Heaven, A State of Drunkenness, I Changed, I Changed II: Confronting the Devil, I Changed III: Reunited, I Believed the Lie, and New Year's Day. It's amazing how much this list has grown since when I first wrote "This is my first ever X-Files Fanfiction" on Breath of Heaven during the summer. Hopefully it will grow much longer in the future! Well, on with the show... Well, on to the story! Dana Scully stepped into her apartment, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. Sighing, she threw her black trenchcoat onto a chair, plopping down on her couch. "What a day," she murmured to no one, "Christmas is going to suck." It had been an awful day. She had fought with Mulder all morning about a case they were working on. Dana had argued that there was no scientific way that Bailey Marks could possibly have psychic powers. Mulder had called her a hopeless skeptic. Then, they had both had to suffer through a meeting with Skinner, who was pissed off at them for not having a completed expense report from their last assignment. Scully felt another tear roll down her cheek as she stared at the wall. Why do I do this to myself? Dana asked herself What's the point of going on? Before, she felt that she should continue going on with life because she didn't want to disappoint Mulder. Even after Melissa was killed, Scully had felt assured that she would get revenge on the people responsible for her murder. Once Louis Cardinal was killed she was eased for a few months, but then her cancer appeared. Dana knew that she was going to die due to the cancer, so suicide had never crossed her mind. She had wanted to be strong. Scully had wanted to be brave and to prove to Mulder that she would be OK. "Do you feel you owe it to him to continue?" Karen Kosseff's words echoed in her mind. She had quickly told her no, but now that she thought back on the whole experience, she did realize that she had felt that she owed it to him. Dana did think that she owed it to him to continue. She didn't know why she felt that way. She just did. "...the fear of failing him?" "Maybe," Scully had laughed, but she knew it was true. She was afraid of him not trusting her. Mulder had told her numerous times that he trusted her and respected her, but she could never truly accept that. I failed dad and I failed Melissa Scully told herself What reason does Mulder have to think that I won't fail him, too? After her cancer had been cured, Scully had thought that everything would be perfect, but she had been wrong. She and Mulder had actually been fighting more during the last few months than they ever had before, and it wasn't even that they didn't feel the same respect and trust that they had since the first case they were on together. It was just that it didn't feel the same. Their relationship had changed since Scully had been in the hospital, and now Dana didn't know what she could ever do to go back to the way things were before. Scully wiped another tear from her eye before turning to look at her gun laying on the table. Taking it out of it's holster, Scully glided her hand across the smooth black surface. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I always loved you," Scully whispered, taking off the safety and raising the gun to her right temple. Just then, a bright light filled the room. Scully felt her body become paralyzed. She tried to scream, but she had no voice. Soon, she lost all awareness. Scully regained consciousness and found herself lying on the ground sprawled on her back. Shaking her head in order to clear it, Scully stood and grabbed her gun. She looked around, spying the room for any sign of a disturbance. All she could find was the fact that the window, which had been closed earlier, was now wide open. Suddenly, from behind the chair where Scully had thrown her jacket came a small girl who looked only around 6 or 7 years old. Her hair was shiny and blond. It was tied with a sparkling white ribbon. Her dress was white, and her face was cherubic and glowing... almost radiant. "I suppose that you're wondering who I am," The girl said. her voice was warm and hypnotic. All Scully could do was nod in awe. The girl grinned, "My name is Gloria. I'm the ghost of Christmas past. I'm here to show you Christmas times from the past." Scully bit her lip to keep from laughing, "There's no such thing as ghosts." Then, her voice becoming gentler, she added, "Are you lost, Gloria?" "I thing, actually, it's you who are lost, Dana Scully. I'm here to help you find your way." Scully glanced at her, puzzled. Gloria giggled and held out her hand to Scully, "Take my hand, Dana. I have much to show you." "How do you know who I am?" Scully asked, suspiciously. Gloria grinned, "All will be revealed to you in time. Now, take my hand, Dana Scully. You have much to see and only one night in which to see it." Scully hesitated for a moment. Then, she quickly grabbed the small child's hand. Suddenly, the room became pitch black, and Scully couldn't see a thing. "Whoa!" Gloria exclaimed, pulling Scully up from where she had been lying in the snow, "You must have stumbled when we touched the ground." Scully rubbed her temple trying to get a handle on what was going on. Looking around, Scully was astounded to discover that she was in front of the base where she had stayed as a kid. Examining the place on her outfit that had hit the snow, Scully was amazed to find that it wasn't cold or wet. "What the hell is going on here?" Scully thought aloud. Gloria looked up at Scully, "We've gone into the past, Dana. Your past. don't you remember this place?" "This is my old home, b-but this is impossible!" Scully stuttered, "There's no way that this could happen! I must be dreaming!" "Dreams can be answers to questions that we don't know how to ask, Dana. Surely you should know that!" Scully was about to respond but she realized that there was no point in doing so. Instead, she continued examining the scene in front of her. "Remember, Dana," Gloria said, glancing around as if looking for someone, "No one can hear or see you wherever you go tonight." As if on cue, a door opened and two girls came running out. Scully's mouth dropped open, and she whispered, "That's me." "Here I come!" A voice shouted from the open door. Out came a young Bill Scully Jr. who wasted no time grabbing a handful of snow and pegging it at his two sisters. Melissa Scully squealed with delight, "I'm going to get you back, Bill!" Bill smirked, "I'd like to see you try, Missy!" Out of nowhere, Bill was hit right in the face by a snowball thrown by a young Dana Scully. Melissa ran over to her 10 year old sister, giving her a high five. "Oh," Bill said, wiping the snow from his face while smiling evilly, "You want to double team me. Well, bring it on!" Then the war began. Scully grinned as she watched herself and her siblings. They were all so at peace and carefree. A pang of guilt hit her as she thought of her dead sister. Gloria spoke again, making Scully jump, "You had a very comfortable childhood. I mean, look at you over there! You're so cheery. Unfortunately, I can't say that about the person we are going to see now." "Who?" "Your partner, um, Fox Mulder." Scully frowned, "His sister would have been abducted by now." "A little over a year, actually. Take my hand, Dana Scully." Glancing once more towards her old yard, Scully took Gloria's hand and her world blacked out again. Almost instantly Scully recognized where she was. She was in Mrs. Mulder's home, only it looked fresher than usual. Her ears perked up as she heard arguing from the other room. Leaving Gloria, Dana went into the other room. Mrs. Mulder was younger, and Scully realized that she was quite lovely. She was standing by the staircase, and it seemed as if she was holding back tears. Mr. Mulder was a very attractive man Scully thought to herself as she studied the man in front of her. His hair was cut short, he was tall, and he had a muscular chest. Then, looking at the floor Scully saw a young boy curled up in a ball. She supposed that the boy was her partner as a young child. Gloria came up behind Scully, frowning. "Not a very pleasant sight, huh?" Scully was about to reply when all of a sudden Mr. Mulder began to yell at his son. "How could you lose her, Fox? How dare you make up this alien nonsense!" The young Fox Mulder looked up at his father, his lip quivering, "Dad, I-" Mr. Mulder would not stop, "Do you realize what you've done to this family? You are a coward, Fox! You should have fought to keep her!" "I was paralyzed, Dad..." "The only thing that I see that's paralyzed is your damn brain!" "It wasn't his fault!" Scully exclaimed, shocked by Mr. Mulder's outburst. Gloria shook her head. "They can't hear you." "Turn around," Mr. Mulder said, calmer, "and take your shirt off." At first Scully didn't know what was going to happen, but as soon as she saw Mr. Mulder undoing his belt she realized the horrible truth, as did Mrs. Mulder. Mrs. Mulder gasped, "Bill, no." Mr. Mulder paid her no mind. He pulled his belt off and glared at his son who was now trembling violently. lash Fox cried out, his back arching against the pain. Scully's teeth clenched together in anger. lash Scully gasped as a few drops of blood tickled down the boy's back. "Stop," Mrs. Mulder whispered. lash "I don't want to see this! What are you trying to tell me by showing me this?" Scully yelled, turning to Gloria in anger. Gloria sighed, "You have to realize how it would affect your partner if you were to kill yourself. Fox had never been happier before he met you. Take my hand. I have one more moment in Fox's life to show you." Not wanting to see any more of the sight in front of her, Scully quickly took Gloria's hand. "....selfish, inconsiderate bastard. That's what you are!" Scully heard an older Mr. Mulder say. He was dressed in black pants and a white shirt with the first few buttons undone. Judging by his expression, Scully came to the conclusion that he was quite stressed. He was seated at an old wooden desk and was glaring at the person sitting across from him. That person was 18 year old Fox Mulder. "Dad," Fox began, looking away from his father's cold eyes, "I really want to go to Oxford. It's a great opportunity!" "Think of your mother, Fox! You're just going to leave her?" Mr. Mulder persisted. Fox rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Mom said it was OK. I'll get a job over there and send her any extra money I get, and you know I'll come visit her every time I get off from school." Scully could practically feel the heat radiating off of Mr. Mulder as he stood up from his chair and pointed an accusing finger at Fox, "You'll probably get kicked out, you miserable piece of shit!" Fox winced at the harshness of his father's voice, "It's Christmas, Dad. I don't want to fight with you!" Scully could see tears glistening in her young partner's eyes and she wished that she could walk over to him and just tell him that everything would be OK, but she knew that she couldn't. Fox was very handsome at 18. His face had no blemishes, and his eyes sparkled, making him look younger than he really was. He was dressed in a green wool sweater and khaki pants. "Fine," Mr. Mulder muttered, "Go off to England. Just get out of here. I don't want to talk to you anymore." A small tear rolled down Fox's cheek, "Dad? Please, don't be mad!" "Stop blubbering and get out of here!" Mr. Mulder screamed. Calming himself, he added, "We'll eat together later, all right?" Fox nodded and quickly left the room, Scully following him. She watched as he turned around once more to look into his father's study. Another tear dropped from his eye, but he speedily wiped it away and mournfully walked up the stairs. Scully was so involved in what was happening that she jumped when Gloria touched her arm. Spinning around, she glared at the small ghost, "Why do you enjoy showing me these things?" Gloria was about to reply when a smooth voice called out, "Leave us, Gloria. I'll take it from here." Gloria nodded and, in a flash of smoke, she was gone. Suddenly, a beautiful woman appeared in front of Dana. She had brown hair that flowed all the way down her back. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were like sparkling sapphires. "Who are you?" Scully asked. "I am Crystal, ghost of Christmas present," The woman replied. Her voice was full of compassion, "I'm here to show you what tomorrow, Christmas Day, would be like if you kill yourself like you were about to do, Dana Scully. Take my hand." Scully did as told, slightly nervous about what she was going to see. Three Visitations Christina Ortega "Hello, Fox," Mrs. Scully said, pulling Mulder into her embrace. She was wearing a festive Christmas sweater and green pants. "Hi, Mrs. Scully," Mulder said, returning the embrace, "Is Dana here yet?" "No, Fox. I haven't heard from her all day. Actually, I was just about to call her." Mulder smiled, "She probably slept in. I'll go over there to see if she's home. Do you want to come with me?" Mrs. Scully nodded, "Sure." Turning to a woman with her back against the wall, she said, "Would you mind keeping an eye on the chicken?" "I won't mind. You go ahead, mom." As Mulder and her mom pulled up in front of her apartment, Scully turned to Crystal, "Are you saying that Mulder and my mom are going to find me dead?" "You have to keep watching, Dana." Scully watched as Mulder and her mom entered her apartment just to find law enforcement officers roaming the room. "What the fuck is going on in here?" Mulder exclaimed. A man dressed in a police uniform walked up to Mulder, hand on hips, "Who the hell are you?" "I'm Fox Mulder, Dana Scully's partner in the FBI, and this is her mother." Suddenly, the man's eyes became sad, "We were just about to try your cell phone, Agent Mulder. I'm afraid-" "What?" Mulder asked, his heart beating faster. "We, um, need you to identify to body." Mrs. Scully gasped, "No..." Another officer lifted up a white sheet. Looking under it, Scully realized that it was her own body lying there with a bullet hole through the side of her head. Her face was pale, and she was twisted in a strange direction. Mrs. Scully began to sob. Mulder closed his eyes and looked away, silently whispering, "That's her." The police officer shook his head sympathetically, "It seems as though the shot was self-inflicted. I'm so sorry." Scully, herself, was crying as she saw the guilt-filled expression on Mulder's face. "I, um-" Mulder began, his voice shaky, "I need to get out of here, Mrs. Scully. If you need more time I'll wait outside for you." Mrs. Scully wiped her tears and grabbed Mulder's hand, "No. L-lets get out of here. I should tell the family." Mulder nodded, and the two slowly left the apartment. Crystal shrugged, "I wouldn't kill myself if I had a guy like that in my life." Scully turned to the ghost angrily, "You think I enjoy seeing my best friend and my mother mourning over my death? I would never..." She stopped. There was nothing Scully could say. If she would have killed herself, this was how it would have ended up. A wave of guilt rushed over her. It seemed as if only a second had gone by before Scully found herself back in her mother's house. Mulder was sitting on the couch, his face buried in his hands. Mrs. Scully was sitting next to him, stroking his back. Bill was leaning against the wall, tears slowly flowing from his eyes. His wife was looking at the floor silently. Dana's other brother had not been able to make it that Christmas, but he had been informed. "We all have to be strong," Mrs. Scully said, smoothing down Mulder's hair. Bill looked up at Mulder, puffy eyed, "Did you fight with her?" Mulder opened his mouth to speak, but there were no words that would come, so he merely nodded in response. Bill shook his head, "She probably killed herself because of you!" Mulder absorbed his words and another tear fell from his eye. Mrs. Scully looked at her eldest son, shocked, "I don't want to hear another word from you, Bill Scully! Isn't this hard enough on all of us without trying place blame?" Bill glared at Mulder for a second before returning his eyes to the floor. Mrs. Scully looked at Mulder and a small grin tugged at her lips, "There's no way I'm letting you go to that lonely apartment of yours tonight, Fox. We have an extra bedroom upstairs, and I insist that you stay." Mulder looked up at Mrs. Scully and smiled weakly, "I couldn't impose on you like that, Mrs. Scully." Mrs. Scully patted his hand, "Shhhh...I'd actually prefer it if you'd stay, Fox." Scully wiped another tear that was rolling down her cheek away, "Crystal, have I already killed myself, or are these visitations proof that I can have another chance?" Crystal said nothing. Instead, she pointed ahead of her. Scully looked. She was no longer in the living room, but in her younger brother's old room. Mulder was seated on the bed looking down at...his gun. "No," Scully whispered, walking closer to Mulder. She squatted down in front of him and watched as he clicked off the safety, tears rolling down his face. Slowly, Mulder raised the gun to his head and pushed it hard against his temple, grimacing at the pain that the action caused. Forgetting that he could not hear her, Scully began to talk, hoping to make Mulder change his mind about what he was about to do, "Mulder...Fox, don't do this. I'm not worth it! Please, Fox, you're just tired. Why don't you get into bed and go to sleep. It's been a long day, and I'm sure you'll feel better tomorrow-" She stopped as she saw Mulder place a finger on the trigger and whisper, "I'm sorry, Dana. I let you down like I let Samantha down. I let you down like I let my father down and like I let your sister down." Now, Scully was angry, "Damn it, Mulder! You didn't let me down! You didn't let your sister down or your father, or Melissa!" Crystal looked down at Dana, amused. She could tell that she really loved this Fox Mulder. Hopefully this visitation would help her to realize her priorities, "He can't hear you, Dana, but don't worry. He doesn't pull that trigger." Scully glanced up at the ghost, "What do you mean?" Before Crystal could say anything Mrs. Scully walked into the room and gasped, "Fox, no..." "It was my fault, Mrs. Scully," Mulder moaned, "I should have just cared for her, loved her-" Mrs. Scully stepped closer, not wanting to push Mulder over the edge, "It wasn't your fault, Fox. You must know that I don't blame you." "Your family doesn't," Mulder murmured, his grip loosening on the gun. Mrs. Scully knelt in front of Mulder and placed a hand on his knee, "They don't understand how much you loved my daughter. Now, put down the gun, Fox. We have to get through this together." Mulder hesitated. Mrs. Scully placed a hand on the gun and slowly pushed it down. Mulder dropped it on the floor and wept. Pulling him into her embrace, Mrs. Scully also began to cry. "We have to stick together through this time, fox," Mrs. Scully whispered, rubbing Mulder's back. Mulder swallowed hard, "I know, Mrs. Scully." "Mom, Fox. We're family, and have been for a long time. You're like my son." "Mom," Mulder said, trying out the word. Somehow it felt natural. Slowly turning to Crystal, Scully sighed, "I want to go home. Please, just take me back!" Crystal shook her head and disappeared. A voice called out, "It's my turn." Scully shivered. Somehow the voice sounded oddly like...it couldn't be. From where Crystal had disappeared a new figure appeared. Scully looked at her in shock, "Melissa?" "It's not your time, Dana," Melissa said, "It's your decision, but I know that it's not your time to die." "I guess you're going to show me a Christmas in the future," Scully sighed. Melissa nodded, "Take my hand." Three Visitations Christina Ortega "Mulder." "This is Skinner. I have some bad news for you." Mulder sighed, "What?" Skinner cleared his throat before continuing, "I just got word from my supervisor. You've been dismissed from the FBI." Mulder rubbed his temple, closing his eyes, "Merry Christmas to you, too, Sir." "I'm truly sorry, Mulder." "Yeah," Mulder replied dully, placing the phone on his coffee table. "What happened?" Scully asked. Melissa shook her head, "Poor Fox. After you killed yourself he lost all interest in the X-Files. Mulder was put back in the VCS, but he proved to be worthless. Then, with his illness and all..." "Illness?" Scully looked up to see Mulder smoothing his hair. She noted that he looked fatigue. Mulder grabbed a tissue from the box on his coffee table and wiped his nose. Looking at it, he was not surprised to see that the tissue was now partially black. "Damn it," he muttered, shooting the tissue into his trash can, coughing. "He's been diagnosed with cancer, but it's nothing that any oncologist had ever seen," Melissa continued, folding her arms against her chest, "I know what it is, though. Black Cancer. He was exposed to it in the Tunguska gulag." "If I didn't kill myself, would he still end up with this disease?" Scully asked, glancing at her partner, worriedly. He was rubbing his face, still coughing. Melissa shook her head, "Probably not. He developed the disease after mom died." Scully looked at her sister, horrified, "Mom is dead?" "One year ago," Melissa replied, "Fox was in the room when she had a heart attack. She went into cardiac arrest. Try as he might, Mulder couldn't revive her. By the time the ambulance arrived she was gone. Some of Mulder's doctors say that the cancer in him had been dormant until it was aggravated by all the stress that Mulder had endured. A tear rolled down Scully's cheek as she looked back at Mulder. He was on the phone again. "Do we meet tonight?...Where?...All right, I'm coming." Mulder grabbed his leather jacket and left the room, completely unaware of Scully and Melissa's presence. Soon, Dana found herself in front of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of DC. Mulder was standing outside looking around for someone. Sticking his shaking hands into his pockets, Mulder rocked back and forth trying to keep warm. Just then, two figures emerged from the darkness. One of them was easily recognized by the cigarette in his mouth. Dana soon found that the other man was none other than Alex Krycek. "Merry Christmas, gentlemen," Mulder said, sarcastically. "Jerry Smith is dead. He was pushed out a window," Krycek began, his eyes concentrated on the ground. He looked up at Mulder, "How are you feeling?" "I'd feel better if there was a cure for this damn cancer. Anyway, the death of Jerry can't expose ups. We cut off ties with him a long time ago." "What about Johnson?" The CSM asked, lighting another cigarette, "Who told him of our involvement?" Mulder and Cancerman looked accusingly at Krycek. He looked at the two, surprised, "Why the hell would I tell Johnson?" Mulder sighed, "You're a blabbermouth, but I know you didn't tell him." Scully stared at the scene, flabbergasted, "What the hell is this? Are you saying that Mulder would bend to the Consortium's will if I was dead?" "I think you can answer that question yourself, Dana," Melissa replied, pushing a strand of hair away from her face. Any thoughts that Scully may have been thinking were abruptly ended as gunshots began echoing all around them. She watched as Krycek fell to the ground, gasping for air. Mulder bent down next to him, "Can you get up?" Krycek shook his head, shivering as his body became numb. "Born as enemies," Krycek whispered, grabbing Mulder's hand, "Die as friends." While Scully could not comprehend the meaning of his words, Mulder obviously could, and he rubbed Krycek's hand, "I'll be right there. My time has come." Krycek nodded, and soon he was gone. It all happened so fast after that. Scully was in a whirlwind until those three seconds came. One. "Goodbye, Mr. Mulder," The Well-Manicured Man whispered. Two. "I'm ready," Mulder said, looking straight into his eyes. Three. "Noooooo!" Scully screamed. *Bang* One shot was all it took. The CSM approached the bodies lying at his feet, and he seemed to have tears in his eyes, "You didn't have to kill them." "I'm not a cold-hearted man," The Well-Manicured Man said, "I simply do what I know is right." "Right?" Cancerman spat in disgust, "You call this right?" He pointed to the two bodies lying on the ground. The Well-Manicured Man frowned, "You are a weak man. Get over it. It's done." "They were all I had left after Elizabeth died!" "Ah, yes." The Well-Manicured Man smiled, "Mrs. Mulder. I'm sorry about her death a few years ago. Plane travel just isn't as safe as it used to be. You never told me what relationship you had with the two gentlemen lying on the ground, and since they're dead, I'm quite anxious to know." He had wanted to know what relationship his colleague had with Mulder and Krycek for a long time. The CSM sighed, "They are both my sons. Their mothers are different, but I was the father." The Well-Manicured Man smirked. Scully gasped, "That would mean Mulder and Krycek were step brothers!" Melissa sighed, "Tragic, eh?" The CSM glanced down at his two dead sons, a single tear falling from his eye. Taking in a deep breath, he turned around and walked away, the Well-Manicured Man following. As everything that had just happened hit Scully, she kneeled down next to the lifeless body of Fox Mulder. Even in death, he looked young and at peace. Scully wiped tears from her eyes as she looked back at her sister, "If I live, Melissa, please say this won't happen!" Melissa smiled and suddenly vanished. "No," Scully sobbed, "He can't be dead! NO!" "NO!" Scully screamed, sitting up in bed. She was drenched in sweat and was breathing heavily. Scully took deep breaths and looked at her clock. It read 6:30am on the dot. Smiling, she got out of bed and silently prayed to God, thanking him for the day, which was something that she hadn't done in a long time. Looking over at her desk she saw her gun laying there. "I almost pulled that trigger," Scully thought aloud while pulling fresh clothes out of her closet. After getting dressed, Scully posed in front of her mirror, smiling brightly. Grabbing a big bag filled with presents from her dining room table, Scully left her apartment whistling Jingle Bells. He looked so peaceful, just like an angel. His face was without lines, and a few strands of his hair rested on his forehead. Scully moved closer to him and kneeled next to his sleeping form. His bare chest slowly rose and fell in a soothing rhythm. Sighing, she placed her hand on him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her, puzzled. "Scully? What are you doing here? I was supposed to meet you at your mom's house," Mulder said, groggily, "Did I sleep too late?" "No, actually I underslept," Scully admitted, rubbing his hand. Mulder sat up and look at his partner, concerned, "Are you OK? Did something happen?" Scully shook her head, "No, I'm fine, Mulder. I just had a really bad dream and I wanted to make sure you were all right." Mulder tilted his head, confused, "If you want to talk about it you know I'll listen, Dana." Scully took in a deep breath, "We fought yesterday, Fox, and...well, this is hard to say." "You can tell me anything, Dana," Mulder said, looking into Scully's eyes. "I, um, I put a gun to my head last night." Mulder froze, horror and guilt filling his eyes, "I shouldn't have gone home mad, Scully. Damn, I'm so stupid, I-" Scully cut him off by shaking him fiercely, "How dare you even say that! It would not have been your fault. You are not stupid, Mulder! I was going to put that gun to my head for many reasons, not just because we fought!" Mulder reluctantly nodded, still not convinced. Scully rubbed her temple, "I must have gone to sleep because I had a dream that these 3 spirits were telling me that I shouldn't go through with it. One showed me the future, one showed me the present, and one showed me the future. The one who showed me the future was my sister, Mulder. It was Melissa, and, oh gosh, Fox. It was awful! You-shit..." "What?" Mulder asked, concern in his voice. "You had turned to the consortium, Mulder, and you lost your job. Then, I found out that you had cancer, and that Well-Manicured Man killed you. You and Krycek!" Mulder was staring at her, wide-eyed, "Luckily that wasn't true." Dana took a deep breath before continuing, "It was so real, Mulder. It seemed so real. I thought that you really were dead. The dream, though, it made me realize something." "What's that?" Mulder asked, leaning closer to her. "I love you, Fox." Mulder gasped, looking into Scully's eyes trying to see if she was joking. All he saw was love and anticipation. He smiled, "I love you too, Dana. I have for so long. Ever since our first case I just knew that I had fallen for you. I was just afraid that you didn't love me back." "I've loved you for a long time too, Mulder. It's just... I didn't truly realize how I felt until last night." The two were silent for about a minute. Suddenly, they could no longer hold back their desire. They joined together in a passionate kiss that seemed to last forever. When it finally ended, both were breathing heavily and smiling. "Hello, Dana, Fox," Mrs. Scully said, embracing the two. "Hi Mom," Scully said, "Sorry, but I'd like to just take a minute to talk to Bill." Bill Scully's ears perked up, and he stood up from where he was sitting on the couch. As the two left the room and entered the kitchen, Mulder turned to Mrs. Scully, "Thanks for inviting me to come tonight, Mrs. Scully. Margaret Scully grinned, "It's always a pleasure, Fox. Besides, we couldn't let you be all alone on Christmas. Anyway, you know you're like part of the family here." Mulder smiled, "I do know. Thank you." At that moment, Dana and Bill returned from the kitchen. Dana looked over at her mother, "I'll help you start the salad now, Mom." "Great!" Mrs. Scully said, rushing over to the kitchen. After the two left, Mulder and Bill stood in the living room not saying a thing. It was Bill who broke the silence, "My sister just told me about how you two are...getting closer." Mulder blushed, "Yeah, we are." Bill sighed, "I know that I haven't been that...nice to you in the past, Mulder, but you do realize that I have reason to be." Mulder merely nodded. Bill rubbed his neck before continuing, "Still, if you're good enough for my little sister, then you're good enough for me. Just take care of her, Fox, because if you don't, I'll hunt you down like a dog." Smiling, Bill held out his hand. Taking it, Mulder grinned, "You know I will." Dinner went smoothly, and soon, everyone was sitting down in the living room. "Whoa, I'm stuffed!" Bill groaned, fixing his belt so it was a notch looser. Dana grinned, "That's because you eat like there's no tomorrow, Bill." "My compliments to all three chefs," Mulder said, taking a seat next to Scully. Mrs. Scully, Dana, and Bill's wife all smiled. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get that," Mrs. Scully said, pushing herself up from the couch and walking over to the door. A few seconds later, Mrs. Scully returned, and held a card out to Dana, "It's for you." Scully took the card, confused, and walked over to a corner to open it. Inside, it read: 'Dana, You made the right choice and we are all proud of you. Congratulations on your new relationship. Everyone up here is sure that it will last. We'll see you again, but not for a long time. Love, Scully looked at the card, shocked. Does this mean it wasn't a dream? Looking back at her family and Mulder, Dana smiled. Who cares if it's happened or not? The important thing is that I didn't go through with it Walking back over, she sat next to Mulder and grabbed his hand. He smiled at her, and they kissed each other quickly before joining everyone else in a chorus of 'Angels We Have Heard on High' The End. So, what did everyone think? About Mulder being beaten as a child, I don't know if his parents were abusive, but I felt that I should add it to the story, so I did. Well, I'd love to know what you thought of this story. Please, E-mail me at Rkacat@aol.com Thanks for reading :-) |