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Christmas Day, 8:00 a.m. The Scullys’ residence
“Mom, you set an extra place at the table,” Dana says to her mother.
The redhead is at the table, adding the cutlery to the place settings. She privately thinks it far too early to be setting the table. However, her mother has a tradition, and Dana respects it.
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you about that,” Margaret Scully says, appearing from the kitchen.
She dries her hands on her festive themed apron; a large gingerbread man covering the entirety of it. Dana instantly notes the look on her mother’s face. It’s a look of cautious mischief.
“Oh Mom, what did you do?” the redhead whines.
She knows she sounds like a teenager again. Yet, she knows she is not wrong.
“Well,” her mother says, pointedly avoiding looking into her eyes, “I called Fox yesterday and invited him to our dinner.”
“Mom! You said it would be just family this year!”
“Dana, what was I supposed to do? That poor boy lost his mother. He shouldn’t be all alone,” Margaret says.
Her daughter knows that voice quite well. This is non negotiable. Not that she would try to; her mother is right. She feels guilty for not thinking of it herself.
“When did you start calling him Fox?” she retorts, resetting the place at the table.
She does not see the smile on her mother’s face before the older woman heads back to the kitchen.
12:00 p.m.
Bill stops mid way kissing mother’s head. He stares at Dana with a look of horror. The thought comes to his younger sister’s mind before she can stop it. Bill is a dick.
Dana had chosen this moment to tell her older brother that Mulder would be joining them. It is as good a time as any. There was not going to be any time when it would not upset him.
“What is wrong with you? Why would you betray our sister like this?” he thunders.
“The sister in question thinks this is a good idea,” Melissa says, taking a sip of something. Dana suspects it’s hard liquor. It’s how she survives these get-togethers.
Bill just glares at her. He knows better than to reply; Melissa shrugs good naturedly. She is completely unaffected.
“Melissa was shot! In his apartment! Do you care more about this nut than your own sister?” He continues his assault on Dana.
Dana opens her mouth. Probably to tell him he is a dick. Most likely to tell him to stick it where the sun does not shine.
“I invited him,” their mother says, intervening before her enraged daughter can say anything.
“Mom? Why would you?” Bill says softly, partially out of shock; mostly out of respect. He knows better than to raise his voice at his mother.
“Because he lost his mother this year. And because he did not shoot my daughter. I forgave him, and you were raised to give forgiveness too,” Margaret reminds him of their faith steely.
Bill nods, looking chastened. However, the look he gives Dana tells her this is not over between them. Regardless of who did the inviting, he still thinks his opinions to be tenable.
Dana rolls her eyes and storms off. She has had enough of Bill for now. She searches for a place to cool off, and finds herself in her old bedroom.
She sighs, and sits on the bed. Her mom has kept all of their rooms in pretty much the same condition they left it in, just cleaner. She is examining an old teddy bear of hers when Melissa walks in.
“Hey you,” her sister says softly, joining her on the bed.
“Hey,” Dana manages a feeble smile as she replaces the stuffed animal.
“So. Fox is coming for dinner. Were you planning on telling me?” Melissa asks.
“I was. But I was so worried about Bill finding out,” Dana admits.
She admits things to Melissa she will never tell anyone else. Growing up, everyone always considered Dana the strong one. Her older sister was the only one who could tell when something was bothering her.
And she almost lost that. She does not need to look at the side of Melissa’s head to know the scar is still there. Her sister’s hair has grown out enough now for it to be barely noticeable, but it's there. A constant reminder of the terror they went through. Her coma; her certain death. Then rehabilitation. Melissa once remarked to her that the hair never grows quite right around the scar.
“Bill is a dick. Stop worrying about him. If that’s really what you’re worried about,” her sister says, using her otherworldly sixth sense.
Dana knows better than to lie. “I don’t know Missy. Isn’t a family dinner just a little bit too, you know?”
“No. I don’t know,” the older woman says with a mischievous grin.
Dana rolls her eyes. She knows Melissa wants her to say it. “Intimate,” she finishes.
“And what’s wrong with being intimate? He’s a hottie,” Melissa bumps shoulders with her.
The teenage gesture; as well as hearing her older sister refer to Fox Mulder as a ‘hottie’, is too much for Dana. Her sullen mood breaks, and she falls back on the bed, giggling.
Melissa joins her, “Made you laugh,” she says, sounding far too pleased with herself.
“Yeah, whatever,” Dana says, still tittering.
“Seriously,” the older woman says, sitting up suddenly, “You have feelings for him. And you should just enjoy it.”
“That’s so unprofessional. And Bill hates him.”
“Even more reason to like him. And Fox is the sweetest teddy bear around you. Who cares if it’s professional? You only get one life, Dana.”
“You really think I should?”
“It’s Christmas. Why the hell not? Some liquor, some mistletoe,” Melissa says in a sing-song voice.
Dana laughs, “You know Mom hates when we get drunk.”
“How will she know? I got good stuff. And Dana?”
“Hm?”
“He’s a good guy. And you know how far and few between those are. Not like you can meet the others anyways seeing as you are always working.”
Dana mock glares at her sister, “Is that your pitch? That I’m going to die alone?”
“No. My point is you deserve nice things. And he is a very nice thing,” she says so sincerely, Dana melts.
“Thanks Missy. For everything,” she says, hugging her sister.
Tears blur her vision as she can not help but think how lucky she is. To still have Melissa for Christmas. And every other one she has had for the past 5 years.
“Anytime,” Melissa says, hugging her tightly.
She knows her baby sister is feeling emotional. She has called out enough of her proper, reserved little warrior’s emotions for the day, however. So, she just puts everything she wants to say into a hug.
4:00 p.m.
Maybe he should not have come. Fox had been so excited about not spending Christmas alone, he forgot all about Bill. The man in question is glaring at him, his expression changing to a genuine smile every time Maggie walks in. And people think he is the crazy one.
The brunette shifts uncomfortably, keeping his eyes on his drink. He fights the urge to go stand in the corner. For the first time in his life, he curses his height. It makes it harder for him to be invisible.
His eyes dart up towards the sudden sound on his left. Melissa had plopped herself on the couch.
“Are you doing okay there, sport?” she asks.
She follows his gaze to Bill’s scowling face. Her brother, quick to avoid her eyes, turns around and begins studying the Christmas tree intently.
“Don’t mind him. I promise you he has a sweet side. Deep, really deep down,” she says.
“Oh, I’m more worried about the couch. If he keeps glaring like that, it might get scorched,” he quips.
Melissa smiles, in that charming way that makes her instantly likeable. Out of the two siblings he knows, he definitely prefers her.
“Have you seen Dana?” he asks suddenly.
Melissa’s eyes narrow, and Fox feels as though he has betrayed his partner. It’s an odd sensation, but it’s there.
“I’m sure she’s just busy. I saw her at the door. And she gave me this drink,” he tries to backpedal.
“Give me a moment,” Melissa says.
There is a smile on her face still, but her voice has gone all steely. She walks away, leaving him with his mouth agape.
8:00 p.m.
Dinner is downright awkward for him. He is actively avoiding Bill’s gaze. It is quite the feat, considering he is sitting across from him. He is sandwiched between the Scully sisters, with Margaret at the other end of the table.
Fox finds himself uncharacteristically silent during the dinner table conversation. He is not sure exactly what Melissa said to Dana, but he is almost certain it has to do with his indiscretion. He can tell the younger sister is avoiding him.
She has managed to be distant, regardless of the fact that she is right beside him. That, coupled with her refusal to look at him; it is not rocket science. He is far too grateful when the entire affair is practically over.
“I’ll be on the roof if anyone wants to join,” Melissa announces. She does not wait for an answer.
The brunette looks around. The dishes are done; Margaret nominated him to help. Dana is nowhere to be found. The roof seems to be his only viable option.
He heads upstairs, finding Melissa easily. All he had to do was follow the feel of cold air.
“Is that-” he asks her, smelling a familiar scent as soon as he sticks his head out the window.
“Yup,” she answers.
“How?”
“I got a prescription. Want a hit?”
“Hell yeah,” he says, scrambling through the window.
He does a double-take once he gets out on the roof. Dana is sitting beside Melissa. If her looks are anything to go by, she’s been reaping the benefits of Melissa’s prescription too.
“I knew you would show up,” Melissa says to him, as the two take in each other. She takes a long draw before heading the joint to him.
“Are you going to talk to me?” Fox addresses Dana, after a few drags.
She looks at him for a bit. Sighing out loud, she gets up and walks over to him. She sits beside him and rests her head on his shoulder, looping her arms through his.
“I’m sorry Mulder,” she says, sounding exhausted even to herself.
She had not meant to avoid him all night. Despite her conversation with Melissa, she was so worried about Mulder being here. But her anger at Bill easily took precedence.
“What happened?” he asks softly.
There is no use avoiding it. She saw the looks her brother had been giving him at the table. She is sure it did not start there either.
“Bill kinda got upset when he found you were coming to dinner,” she admits.
“More like he lost his shit,” Melissa offers.
Dana rolls her eyes, while Fox laughs.
“I just feel so bad that he is being like this. Especially at Christmas time. Especially after the year you’ve had,” she says mournfully. “You probably wished you had just stayed home.”
“Scully, to spend Christmas with you, I’d let him target practice on me,” he says, resting his head on hers.
Dana is grateful he is not looking at her. Her face is red; even the tips of her ears are burning.
“Aw!” the older Scully exclaims, before Dana can overthink on what he just said.
“Missy, fuck off,” she says while giggling. She knows that she is far too giggly, and she is probably high. After the strained night she has, she welcomes it.
Melissa produces mistletoe from what can only be thin air, and holds it over their heads. She was not kidding about the mistletoe earlier.
“You know the rules. Go on,” she urges.
Dana glares at her, completely mortified, “No! Missy!”
Her sister, completely used to Dana’s glares, is unfazed, “You have to. It’s the rules.”
Mulder leans over, cupping her face in his hands softly. Dana’s indignant response to her sister dies in her throat, replaced with her pounding heart. He leans down…
And kisses her forehead gently. Melissa groans in defeat as he grins, triumphant. But Dana just stares up at him.
They are no strangers to forehead kisses. But this one felt, different. Somehow, he had managed to make it more intimate than locking lips.
She stares into his eyes. Yes, there is something there. Something to be explored when they are alone. His thumb caresses her cheek as his hands fall away.
“You cheated,” Melissa says, sounding like a disappointed child.
Mulder laughs; loud and joyful. A sound that makes Dana’s heart skip a beat, in a way it never did before. She would definitely explore that look when they were alone. She leans into him, enjoying everything that is him as she impatiently awaits privacy.