TITLE: On Christmas Day in the Morning AUTHOR: Maureen S. O'Brien DATE: 12/7/97 RATING: G CATEGORY: SPOILERS: "A Christmas Carol" SUMMARY: Scully and Mulder's post-episode phone conversation. DISCLAIMER: CC owns it; I just play with it. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I liked this episode. Oh, yes. So before it all turns into a tragedy.... ------------------------------------------------------ And what was in those ships all three On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day? And what was in those ships all three On Christmas Day in the morning? The Virgin and her little baby On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day. The Virgin and her little baby On Christmas Day in the morning. -- "I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In", English trad. --------------------------------------------------------- "So that's what's happened," Scully concluded wearily. "What's been done to this child, perhaps because of me, is bad enough; and I'm afraid they're not finished with her. I only wish I knew what is really going on." "How are you holding up? Because except for the, um... unexpected existence of Emily, your holidays sound like they were much worse than mine." "I'm...." She couldn't say it. Too many bad memories. "I don't know how I feel. Emily is a gift I never knew to ask for. She's bright, shy, very sweet...." "A lot like you as a kid?" "Maybe. Although I don't remember being sweet." "Ooh, Confessions of a Redhead," Mulder teased. "How's the rest of the family handling it?" "DNA's not conclusive evidence," she said wearily. "They know more about it than I do, don't you know? But I wouldn't mind if Bill and Mom would just quit looking at me like...." "Like you're crazy?" "Yeah." They were both silent for a moment. Then Mulder cleared his throat. "If we had videophones, I could be giving you a speaking glance right now." Scully smiled. Mulder could hear it. "And what would it be saying?" "That I'm sorry you had to go through that. I know the feeling all too well myself." "Then my eyes would have to tell your eyes not to look so guilty," she replied gently. "Bill always thought I was weird." "This from a man who willingly lives on a boat?" She chuckled appreciatively. "I've missed this, Mulder. There must have been thirty times this week when I thought about calling you, just to hear your voice." "That was you, Christmas Eve?" Scully shook her head at yet another spooky guess. "Guilty as charged. But I did hear your voice." "No fair. I didn't hear yours." "I'm sorry. But I suddenly realized how unfair it would be to drag you all the way out here during Christmas. It might have been nothing." "I still would have come." "I know. That's why I didn't talk to you." "Well, I'd rather be in sunny San Diego than cold Connecticut, El Nino or no El Nino," Mulder whined. "And believe me, my mother is still not in the warmest of moods toward me." "Gee, Mulder, I wonder why." "Well, I could have dragged her onto Jerry Springer...." "Don't even mention that man!" Scully rolled her eyes as she spoke and saw her mother looking in on her. "Hold on a second, Mulder. I think my mom needs to talk to me." "Tell her she's still the love of my life." "Mulder says you're still the love of his life," Dana reported dutifully. Her eyes sparkled. Margaret Scully had spent the last four days worrying about her daughter's low spirits, workaholic habits, wishful thinking and general lack of a life. She had come upstairs to nag Dana into joining the family for some semblance of a celebration and heard her laughing for the first time since they entered Bill's house. It was her partner on the phone, of course. He was flying in today. Bill was furious. Margaret smiled tiredly. "Tell Fox I don't believe in robbing the cradle." Mulder heard, of course, and started laughing. "Tell her she's broken my heart on Christmas. That means I get extra gifts." Dana reported his words back to her mother. "Tell him he can dream," Margaret replied dryly. "Come back downstairs when you get off the phone, Dana." "All right." Then Dana was back in her own little world, talking to Fox. Margaret walked out of the room and went into her own. She needed to think. Bill still blamed Fox for Dana's cancer and Melissa's death. The fact that Fox now seemed to have been right about the implant, and that Fox had been there for Dana so many times when he couldn't, had only made him more resentful of his sister's partner. Ten to one, Bill thought Fox was sleeping with her, too. Nothing so normal for her, Margaret thought almost ruefully. Not my little Dana. Tara thought her sister-in-law had a glamorous, exciting job, so she'd give Fox no grief. But she'd have to have a little talk with Bill, and Dana, and Fox. Because ten to one, this 'case' with the little girl would take until after New Year's, and she didn't want a family feud on her hands. "See, I told you I could put your mom in a better mood," Mulder was saying. "By the way, you didn't say how your mother was." "She was fine. Looking pretty strong, actually. Oh, and you must have made an impression on her back in April. She said I should have brought you up." "Maybe next year," she allowed. "Emily and you and I could have Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at Mom's, and then we could go up to Connecticut with you. Or we could go up earlier in the week and then drive back down...." "You're planning that far ahead?" "It's a luxury, isn't it? But I'm her mother. They have no reason to deny her to me. And I'm going to do a good job for her." "I know you will. And Scully? You...." He broke off, and Scully heard an intercom blaring on the other side of the phone. "That's my flight boarding. I'll have to get off the phone soon." "I'll have to save the rest till you get here," she said, hearing Mulder picking up his bag and terminal noises starting to move past the phone. "Stay on the phone a little longer," he said. "I need to ask you a favor. Frohike was so busy chasing down a plane ticket for me that I forgot to ask him to get me a motel room. So could you...." "No, Mulder. You are not staying in one of your fleabag motels," Scully informed him sternly. "My brother has a perfectly good couch. I should know. I tested it out last night." "I wish my couch came with that kind of diagnostic," Mulder leered. "Um, are you sure your brother's okay with this?" "Yes, Mulder." "Well, I mean, he could have confused me with some other partner of yours. Because he's not exactly fond of me, Scully." "He offered. So either Mom leaned on him, or he wants to keep an eye on you. Either way, you'll like Tara. And if you bring something for the baby, you might even win Bill over." "I should have thought of that when I bought Emily's Ernie," Mulder said, annoyed. "Maybe we can run by a store and get something giftwrapped on the way from the airport...." "You got Emily a Christmas present? Mulder, that's really...." Another muffled noise on the other side of the cell phone. "Sorry, Scully, I gotta go." "Have a safe flight, Mulder." "Thanks. Be seeing you." She hung up, a rush of affection running through her. Leave it to Mulder. Hell, leave it to me. Skinner'll never believe this one. Merry Christmas, X-Files.