A Fall of Snow, Pacal's Tomb, and Thou; or, How We Stole Christmas Back from the Ghosts

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/60620.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Fandom: The X-Files
Relationship: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Character: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully
Additional Tags: Christmas, Episode Tag
Collections: The Spooky Awards 2004
Stats: Published: 2003-12-17 Words: 2515

A Fall of Snow, Pacal's Tomb, and Thou; or, How We Stole

Christmas Back from the Ghosts
by stellar_dust

Summary

The night - and morning - after How the Ghosts Stole Christmas.

Mulder and Scully raced toward the couch, grinning like children on Christmas morning.

All right, all right. They *were* children on Christmas morning.

They sat down, wriggling. Mulder nudged her arm playfully. "You first, Scully."

"Oh, no way, Mulder," she answered, smiling eagerly. "You first."

"Okay .. okay. Let's see ... " He leaned forward onto his knees, making a show of shaking it next to
his ear again. "Well, it sounds like a videotape ... " He turned his head to grin at her again. "Scully,
you didn't get me 'Sci-Fi Babes Gone Wild,' did you?"

"Well, it was a close thing." Scully smiled mysteriously, kicked off her shoes, and crossed her legs
on the coffee table. "I looked at it, and I thought to myself, you know, I bet he's already got that .. "

Mulder's eyebrows shot up. "You mean there really is a .. ?"

Scully laughed and swatted his arm with her gift. "C'mon, open it. I'm getting impatient here."

Mulder chuckled as he ripped the paper off his gift, then held it up to read the title. It was indeed a
videotape. He blinked in surprise.

"Scully, how'd you – how'd you know I wanted this?" It was a PBS special miniseries on "ancient
astronauts" – the idea that archaeological relics show evidence of visitation by extraterrestrials to
civilizations around the globe, from the ancient Egyptians to the Maya. "I've been trying to get a
copy ever since it aired!"

"Oh, you know." Scully shrugged. She was beaming. "I was at the video store, and it just had your
name on it."

"Wow. Thank you, Scully." Mulder couldn't stop grinning. He leaned toward Scully as though
kissing her was the most natural thing in the world to do right then – but caught himself halfway
there and turned the gesture into a stretch, draping his arm across the back of the sofa behind her.
"My Christmas plans just got a whole lot more exciting."

Scully scooted around and looked back at him, frowning. "Mulder – do you really have nowhere to
go tomorrow?"

Mulder glanced down and tugged at his ear. "Well, I-I was planning to sleep until about two,
watch depressing Christmas television and play violent video games for a few hours, then maybe
I'll let Frohike talk me into getting smashed with the boys ... but now I've got this great new movie
to keep my mind off it, and you still haven't opened your present, Scully, and why do you ask?"

"Oh, just something a hallucination said to me tonight." Scully couldn't stay serious for long as she
eased the wrapping off her short, cylindrical gift. "Mulder, you shouldn't have. An empty toilet
paper roll?"

"Well, I couldn't find a box the right size." Now Mulder's face was alight with anticipation. "You
have to look inside."

She held the tube up to her eye telescope-style. "I don't see anything, Mulder. It's all dark."

Mulder was practically bouncing with suspense, though he knew full well what was in it. "Scull-
eeee .. "

"All right, all right, calm down." She nudged him playfully, giggling, as she plucked out the
crumpled newspaper scraps one by one. Finally, she pulled out a small square of black plastic, and
turned it over.

"Oh, my God." Scully ran her fingers over the plain gold cross earrings. Inexplicably, she felt tears
start to form at the corners of her eyes. "Mulder, they're beautiful."

"I thought they'd match your necklace," he said, smiling. He reached forward to touch the cross at
her throat, and caught sight of her face. "Scully, what's wrong? I'm sorry, maybe I, I shouldn't have
–"

"Shut up, Mulder." She turned and hugged him fiercely, tightly. "It's the perfect gift and I love
them. I'll wear them tomorrow."

Mulder raised his eyebrows in bemusement and slowly, happily, put his arms around Scully and
gathered her close. "I'm glad."

Scully held his shoulders at arm's length and quirked her mouth mischievously. "Does this mean
the next time we run into somebody claiming to be the Second Coming, you'll listen to my ideas?"

Mulder grinned back and thumped his video. "May-be. Does this mean if I want us to go to Egypt
next weekend and stake out some ancient gods, you won't try to talk me out of it?"

They both laughed. "Better gods than ghosts, I guess," Scully answered.
Mulder leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, smiling, content, enjoying the
moment and the knowledge that Scully was sitting beside him. She eyed him pensively, glad that
she'd made him happy tonight, considering. She put her hand on his.

"Mulder, why don't you come to Mom's house with me in the morning?"

He opened one eye and looked at her for a moment. "All right. I'd like that. I think."

They stared at each other.

"Um," Scully fumbled. "I would have asked you weeks ago – I was sure you'd have plans. You're
welcome there any time, you know .. "

"Yeah. Your mom's mentioned that .. "

After another moment, Mulder eased his hand out from under hers, put the video on the coffee
table, and stood up. "It's after two. You probably want to go home and sleep .. what time to do we
need to leave tomorrow, anyway?"

"Well." Scully looked abashed. "Roll call's at 6 AM. Mom lives in Annapolis – it'll take at least an
hour to get there. Pick you up at - five?"

"Yipe!" Mulder chuckled. "Now I understand your lack of enthusiasm earlier ... All right, then. ...
Want some egg nog before you go?"

Scully blinked. "Uh, sure."

"I picked it up this afternoon – when I got your present," he called on his way to the kitchen. "Egg
nog's always been one of my favorite things about Christmas."

Mulder put two glasses on the counter and opened the fridge. He turned, startled, egg nog in hand,
when he saw Scully appear in the doorway. "Oh! I was gonna bring it in to you."

Scully leaned her head against the doorframe, arms crossed, and bit at her lower lip. "Mulder .. a
couple hours of sleep won't do me much good tonight. Your movie in there is two hours long. I
have a change of clothes in the car ... what do you say we just make a night of it?"

Mulder stopped mid-pour and turned toward her, slightly shocked, mouth half open. Slowly, a
broad smile spread across his face. "Scully, you are really surprising me tonight." He gave his head
a quick shake. "Yes, that sounds great. Why don't you go out and get your things, and I will make
some popcorn, and set up the movie?"

Scully smiled mischievously back. "Don't forget to finish pouring, too, Mulder."

"Oh – right." He looked sheepishly down. He was still holding the carton of egg nog poised above
the glasses. He set it down.

Scully stepped forward and put her hands on his arm. "You surprise me sometimes too, Mulder."
She quickly stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. Be right back."

Mulder watched her go, paralyzed. He was sure he had a silly grin on his face. What had she said
earlier? "Maybe I did want to be out there with you ... " Maybe she does want to be in here with me
...

xxxxxxx
When Scully came back inside, she was surprised to find almost all of the lights turned off, and the
living room looking tidy – particularly the coffee table, which instead of its usual jumble of papers
held only a large bowl of popcorn and two glasses. She put her bag down by the door. "Wow,
Mulder," she said, shrugging out of her coat. "This has to be one of the fastest cleaning jobs in
history."

"Not really." He tried and failed to catch a popcorn kernel in his mouth. "I just started a new pile."
He nodded at his desk chair, which indeed looked on the verge of collapse. Scully rolled her eyes.
"C'mon, sit down, movie's about to start." Mulder indicated the seat next to him on the couch.

Scully kicked her shoes off and sat down, curling her legs underneath her, and tucked a nearby
blanket around her body. "You cold?" Mulder asked, concerned.

"It's snowing a little." She smiled at him. "It'll be pretty in the morning. But no, I'm fine."

Scully shifted closer to Mulder and picked up her glass. "Thank you for letting me stay tonight.
Every time I close my eyes I see the two of us, dead, under the floorboards..." She shivered and
took a sip.

"Huh," Mulder chuckled humorlessly. "Me, too. Worse than that, I keep seeing you with blood
pouring down your front. ... I didn't really want to be alone tonight, either ... I'm sorry I dragged
you out there." He turned toward her seriously and looked into her eyes. "Scully, you know that
whatever happens, I would never, ever shoot you. Right?" Even if it would mean we'd be together
forever, he mentally added.

She smiled at him waveringly. "I know. I couldn't believe it tonight. Maybe that's why it wasn't
real ... But, like you said, I don't want to be alone." She leaned against him and rested her head on
his shoulder. "I'm glad we were there, though. I learned some things. But I don't want to think
about it anymore. Start the movie, Mulder."

He wrapped his arm around her, and complied.

xxxxxxx

An hour later, as the first segment ended and the Nasca lines faded into credits, Scully was snoring
loudly. Mulder smiled to himself; he loved to watch her sleep. She looked so different, no concerns
lining her face, so peaceful. He reached over to brush an errant hair off of her forehead, and as he
tucked it behind her ear, he noticed a hint of gold, and realized she was wearing the new earrings.
His smile broadened, and this time, he did kiss the top of her head, taking in the scent of her hair.
You do surprise me sometimes, Scully.

Scully must have noticed his touch, because she murmured and started shifting in her sleep.
Mulder thought he could make out the words "lie down" .. and when she was finished moving, and
smacking her lips, she was nestled comfortably on her side, head pillowed on Mulder's thigh.

He dropped his hand to her shoulder, sighed contentedly, and turned his eyes back to the television.

xxxxxxx

Scully woke when the video ended, gasped, and quickly sat up, rubbing at her eyes. "Is it – what
time is it? Oh, my goodness, I didn't mean to go to sleep. Did I – "

"Yeah, you missed it." Mulder was chuckling at her. "Don't worry, though; I'll fill you in on the
flight to Cairo."
Scully raised an eyebrow and looked at him askance.

"Kidding - kidding!" He raised his hands defensively, laughing. It's 4:30. We should get going. I'll
make some coffee." He stood up.

Scully sighed tolerantly, smiling in spite of herself. "All right. I should call Mom, then I'll wash up,
and then, we need to go."

She picked up the phone, dialed, and Mulder could hear her talking from the kitchen, as he readied
the coffee pot and brushed his teeth.

"Hi, Mom, it's me ... I didn't wake anyone else, did I? ... Good. ... No, no, everything's ok, we're
just about to leave. I wanted to let you know I'm bringing Mulder after all. ... " She laughed. "Yes,
Mom, I promise, we won't talk about work at all. ... Yeah, we're leaving in a few minutes. We'll be
there a little after six, at the latest. ... Bill and Charlie and everyone made it in all right? ... Good. ...
Okay. Merry Christmas. ... I love you too, Mom. Bye."

She put down the phone to find Mulder staring at her pensively from the doorway, a coffee mug in
each hand.

"You know, I envy you, Scully," he said seriously, passing hers over.

She smelled the coffee, and cocked her head at him. "Oh?"

Mulder shook his head. "I haven't spoken to my mother in over a year. And I can't even imagine
what Christmas there would be like. We haven't had a – we haven't a, well, a happy Christmas
together since before, before Samantha was taken." He gulped his coffee.

"Mulder .. " she looked at him. "I wondered, but I didn't want to ask."

"It's okay, Scully. It's just – you have such a wonderful family. Thank you for sharing it with me,
every so often." He set the mug down and headed into his bedroom, to find a change of clothes.

Scully sipped her coffee and stared after him, thinking.

xxxxxxx

They were both dressed and spruced up in no time, and as she waited for Mulder to pick out a tie,
Scully leaned over his desk and peered out the window. In the very early light of dawn, and the
streetlamps' glow, she could see – "Mulder, it's still snowing!"

She knew she should be annoyed, the roads would be even worse than usual, but somehow, this
morning, the snow only made her happy.

"Is it really?" He leaned over her shoulder, pulling on his overcoat. He grinned. "Great! I'll race
you to the car."

She ducked under his arm and took off, laughing. "You've gotta lock the door!"

"Oh, no way." He caught her by the waist on the threshold. "That would not be fair at all." Mulder
turned the key and released her, and they charged up the hall, laughing, and pummeled down the
stairs.

Scully reached the car first. "Ah-hah! Mulder!" She turned around to meet him – and caught a
snowball in the gut. "Oh, no, you did *not* just .. "
She scooped one up and lobbed it at him, but he ducked, grinned, stuck his tongue out, and jogged
around the corner of the building. Scully sighed and gave chase, grabbing another handful of snow
along the way.

She tackled him in a snowdrift next to the front steps, and as they tumbled, she rubbed the snow
into his hair. Scully ended up on top. Tiny snowflakes clung to every strand of Mulder's hair, and
his nose and cheeks were red. He looked ecstatic. "I win," she grinned triumphantly. "Come on,
now, let's go."

Scully stood up, brushed herself off, and offered him a hand. He took it and pulled himself up,
shook off his coat, and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeesh, that's cold. What'd you do to me,
Scully?"

"Oh, and who started it?" She grabbed his hand again, giggling, and led him back to the car. "I
seem to remember ..."

"Lies, all lies! It was the bounty hunter, Scully! He shapeshifted to look like me, and he threw a
snowball at you, and then he stuck his tongue out! It was so rude! I wanted to take him out right
there but I didn't have a .. Scully .. Scully, don't you believe me?"

She was looking at him again, with an eyebrow raised, and trying desperately not to smile. She
unlocked the driver's side and started to get in. "Merry Christmas, Mulder."

"Awww ... well .. Merry Christmas, Scully." He sat down and closed the door behind him, and
they drove off happily into the sunrise.

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