EMXC 1st Year fanfic- October 1, 1994 thru October 1, 1995 Archived: 10/01/95 ============================================================== This is my first attempt at posting so here's hoping..... This story is based on characters created by Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, and Fox Broadcasting. Used without permission, No copyright infringement intended. Comments welcome. Friends There were just so many things a man could do at five a.m. At least while he was alone. And without having the neighbors calling the police. Agent Fox Mulder had flipped through the channels for twenty minutes without stopping. He'd played Nerf basketball. He'd checked his computer knowing full well that no one would have sent any messages since he'd logged off the night before. He was beginning to drive himself nuts. Suddenly he had a fierce desire to talk to someone. Not just anyone but to the one person he *could* talk to... Dana Scully. With that thought blocking out all others, he left his lonely apartment and jumped into his car. Now with a purpose, his spirits lifted. He drove through the silent streets at a casual pace. Only when he arrived did he question his actions. "Oh well, too late." He walked up to her door and let himself in with his key. As always, the first step inside brought him one step closer to peace. He slipped off his shoes and crept through to her bedroom. He opened the door, wincing as it creaked loudly in the quiet. Dana lay on her side, one hand curled against her cheek. He stood in the doorway watching the moonlight play over her hair. A genuine smile rested on his face as he returned to the living room. He sat down on her sofa and tried to think of an excuse as to why he was there. After a few minutes, he started thinking about how soft the pillow looked as it rested on the arm of the sofa. He wrapped himself in the afghan from the back of the sofa and laid himself down on that pillow. Wrapped up in that warm softness, surrounded by her... her things, her scent... Fox Mulder did something he hadn't done in a long time, he fell back to sleep. ------ At first, he was disoriented. That wasn't his floor or his table... Or his... kid?!? He pushed himself up until he faced the boy who glared at him and held a video game above his head like a weapon. "Who are you?" the boy threatened. "I'm Mulder." The boy lowered the game slowly. "Aunt Dana's partner?" "Yes," Mulder nodded with relief. "Where is your Aunt Dana?" "Giving my sister a bath," he replied. "I'm Trenton. My sister's a baby. She wet the bed last night." "Happens to the best of us." Mulder rose and followed Trent down the hall. He grinned at the sight presented to him. Dana was on her knees next to the tub. It was hard to tell who was wetter, the little girl or Dana. "Who are you talking to Trent, is your Daddy here?" Scully called. "It's me Scully," Mulder said. Dana jumped, "Oh my. You startled me!" "Sorry" "He was sleepin' on the sofa," Trent reported. "Can I go watch TV?" "Sure sweetheart," Dana smiled. She waited until he wandered back down the hall playing with the game. "What's wrong?" "Not a thing," he answered. "Who's the fish?" Dana turned, "This little one is Taylor, I kept them last night for my friends, Ellen and Scott." She let out a groan as she lifted the child. Taylor giggled and shook like a puppy, spraying both of them. Dana laughed and wrapped her in a large fluffy towel. Taylor grinned up to Mulder, "Who are you?" "This is Fox Mulder. He's my friend." "Hiya Foxy!" she said extending a hand from the towel. "Call me Mulder, kid," he took her hand. "Pleased to meet you." "Peas to meet you too," she nodded then shrieked as the towel fell. "DON' LOOK!" She yelled with all the energy of a three year old. "He's not looking," Dana soothed. She rose and tucked Taylor on her hip. "Let me get her dressed, then we can talk." "I was kinda hoping we could do something today." Mulder confessed as she went into her room. He sounded for all the world like a little boy who'd just been denied an expected treat. Dana turned back. "We can, I can drop these two off at ten." Mulder reached out and touched Taylor's head where she had snuggled against Dana's neck, thumb in place. "OK." Scully emerged a short while later, a dry Taylor firmly in her arms. It was her turn to chuckle. Mulder and Trent sat head to head over Trent's game. "Come on, come on.... Damn!" Mulder swore. "AWWWW!" Trent and Taylor chorused. "He said a BAAAD word," Taylor informed. "Aunt Dana you need to punish him." "Yeah, Scully punish me," Mulder grinned cockily. "Don't be so quick, Mulder. Remember, I went to med school!" she warned. That shut him up. The scene they presented in the kitchen was extremely domestic. Mulder sat at the table sipping coffee, and chatting with the kids. Scully stood at the stove fixing pancakes. "So where are your Mom and Dad?" Mulder asked. "Home making me a baby brother," Trent replied with all the innocence of the young. Mulder choked on his coffee. Scully proceeded to drop two pancakes onto the floor. "Out of the mouths of babes." he laughed. "Was it too hot Foxy?" Taylor asked climbing onto his lap. She knelt on his legs and wiped the coffee off of his chin. Mulder was hit by a pang of something that he couldn't and wasn't ready to identify. He gently extracted her and sat her back on her own seat. Scully patted his shoulder as she sat a plate of pancakes on the table. ----- Scully directed him to the driveway. Dana got out and unbuckled Taylor from her carseat. She lifted her up with a groan, "You are getting big, little one." Trent stood by the door watching them pensively. Mulder suddenly flashed on a forgotten memory. He'd been about the same age, and he'd been jealous of all the attention Samantha always seemed to get, just because she was younger. He'd been told "You're too old, too big." With a grin he scooped Trent up, over his shoulder. Trent's shriek brought his parents to the door, and a smile from Dana. "My partner," Dana said to her friends. "That's Foxy," Taylor added. "Ah, the notorious Fox Mulder," Scott nodded. "Were they OK for you Dana?" Ellen wanted to know. "Tay wet Aunt Dana's bed and Aunt Dana!" Trent laughed from his upside-down perch. "Yes, but Aunt Dana remembered the plastic sheet this time," Dana soothed. "We're fine." ----- "So you going to tell me why you slept on my couch last night?" "It wasn't all night, just since about five thirty." Mulder pulled out from the curb. "I just... needed to see you." A quip rose to Dana's lips but she silenced it as she looked at his face. She reached over and covered his hand. "So what are we going to do today?" Mulder shrugged. then they passed a stand selling scrawny Christmas trees. "Hey! You don't have a tree yet!" Dana's smile fell. "I... wasn't...." Mulder looked at her. "You have to," he whispered. She met his gaze. Confusion in her eyes. He looked back to the road. "I never put one up. Haven't for years. The best thing about last year, was that I knew you had one. Your place was my Christmas. I know that your father... That this is your first Christmas without him." "I still have you. You'll have to spend Christmas with me," she decided. "Can I sleep over?" he grinned. "Sure," she met his eyes. "You fit on the couch." They laughed their way through the day. They went to tree farm. And bickered over the tree until the finally found one they could agree on. Mulder had chopped it down himself then tied it to the car. Then he groaned about his back and shoulders. They went to a small cafe for lunch, where Mulder overrode her request for a salad and ordered them both the most fattening things on the menu. Back at her place, they pulled out all of her Christmas decorations, and covered everything in sight. Then they collapsed on the sofa with cups of hot cocoa. Dana gave him a strong, effective back massage that completely relaxed his aching muscles. Then they sat shoulder to shoulder, listening to Christmas CD's and staring at the tree. Mulder let out a long shuddering breath. Scully drew his arm around her and twined her fingers with his. "You OK?" "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm perfect." he smiled. She smiled back. "I've got the makings for a pot of soup. You hungry?" He nodded. She'd been in the kitchen for four minutes before he followed. He sat silent. Watching her. She smiled warmly. "I feel comfortable here. Safe," he confessed softly. She reached over and ruffled his hair gently. "I'm glad. You make me feel safe too." He shifted under her smile, "Finish the soup, woman. I'm hungry." She let out a laugh and turned back to the stove. He rose and went back to the living room. "How about a movie?" "Sure," "I'll be right back." ------ The credits rolled on "It's A Wonderful Life". "This is my favorite Christmas movie," Mulder said into Scully's hair. They'd settled on the sofa after dinner. Dana rested back against him, both of them under the afghan. "Mine is Miracle on 34th St.," she answered. "I must be psychic," he grinned opening the bag of videos. She smiled back, "Must be." She rose and stretched, "Set it up. I'll be right back." ----- The tape started to rewind automatically. Dana shifted up from where she was resting against Mulder's chest. His head had fallen back and he slept soundly. "Mulder?" she whispered, not really wanting to wake him. He mumbled softly. Staring at him she wondered how long it'd been since he felt comfortable... safe. And how long it had been since he slept in a bed. She was familiar with his nights on his couch. She rose, decisive. She reached out and caressed his cheek. "Mulder? Fox?" she said gently. "Don't wake up... Come on. I need you to walk for me." She slid an arm around his back and pulled him to his feet, praying that it would work. She gently urged him to step across to her bedroom. She opened the bed one handed, thankful that she'd changed it after Taylor's mishap. She laid him down and tucked him in . "Sorry about the clothes, but you're not that sound a sleeper." She moved away from the bed to grab her nightclothes. She closed the door gently and went into the bathroom. Mulder was comfortable. The voice which should have been an intrusion, wasn't. So he'd done what she said. It was worth it. He sank into even more comfortable softness. He was surrounded by warmth.... love. He smiled in his sleep. Content. ----- He woke up slowly. Slightly disoriented. He rolled over, not willing to leave the warm place that seemed only vaguely familiar. The clock on the nightstand met his eyes. 8:43....8:44 End Jennifer Sweeney 09-27-94 aka Hope17017