Author's Notes: Just a fun little fluff piece; I've been searching for something else to do since I enjoy writing stories from Skinner's POV so much. He is a very enjoyable character to write; Mitch Pileggi gives him such a distinct voice it's easy to hear him saying the lines as I write them.

Spoilers: Small for Young at Heart, Avatar, Tunguska, Terma, Paper Hearts.

The Christmas Party
By Suzanne L. Feld
Rated PG for mild language

December 21, 1996

I knew that some of the agents invited were annoyed that this party was mandatory, but I also knew how much Sharon was looking forward to having a big blowout at our new house and if I had to force people to come to make her happy, so be it.

As eight o'clock came and went I stood in the bay window by the front door watching for the last few arrivals. I glanced around the large, airy living room which was brightly decorated for the holiday although we'd eschewed a Christmas tree this year, seeing no one who looked unhappy or put-upon to be here. Everyone had a drink, there were no wallflowers that I could see, and best of all Sharon was deep in a group of women with their heads together. I only recognized one from my workplace, several I didn't know at all, and two others were her personal friends. She looked happy, and that was all I cared about.

Except my two absent agents, that was. I had made it loud and clear that they were to be here, no exceptions. I didn't care if Mulder was not long back from Russia and both of them still recovering from the strong emotions of the Roche case. I cared about the agents who worked under me, but I was more concerned about reconciling with my wife and making her happy. Which was as it should be—at long last on my part.

Just then something caught my eye and I looked outside to see a man and woman disembarking from a taxi. I caught a flash of shoulder-length red hair and since Arlene was already here I knew it had to be Dana Scully. Going to the door and opening it, I was surprised to see that Agent Mulder had not accompanied her—instead she was with a very tall African-American man in pressed blue jeans, a white button-down dress shirt and tan herringbone sport jacket beneath his topcoat. He looked like a professor or doctor or other college-educated type despite his height and clear muscularity that brought to mind a professional athlete. "Welcome," I called, extending an arm into the house as they approached. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas to you too," Dana smiled as she passed me, then paused in the foyer as I closed the door behind them and took their coats, handing them to one of the rent-a-maids who stood nearby. "Walter Skinner, Jody Molino. Jody, my boss Walter Skinner."

The taller man smiled down at me which was a change since I'm 6'1". He had to be 6'4", maybe 6'5". "Nice to meet you," he said with a slight British accent, giving me a strong but not challenging handshake. I hoped I got to talk to him later because there had to be some kind of story here between his height, the conservative way he dressed, and that accent.

We paused, then Dana took his arm. "Let's go find the punch and have some holiday cheer, shall we, Jody?" she said brightly, smiling back at me as she drew him away. I looked after them for a moment, enjoying the sight of her in a pair of dark blue slacks and a snug long-sleeved white sweater with tiny red flowers and green leaves on it, though she was wearing her usual three-inch heels. Even so, the top of her head barely reached her date's broad shoulder and she looked even tinier in comparison to him.

I'd never have guessed that they'd come separately… but Mulder wasn't here yet and I was beginning to suspect that that was because he wasn't coming at all. I certainly couldn't punish him in any official capacity, but he knew I could make his life miserable in many other ways so I was quite surprised that he hadn't shown up yet.

But just as I turned away I heard a car door slam and went to the window again. Another yellow cab was pulling away from in front of our house and coming up the sinuous brick walk towards me was Mulder, walking beside a slender brunette who appeared to be taller than Dana but was still a good bit shorter than the man next to her. It wasn't until they reached me that I recognized her; I rarely forgot a face. I couldn't remember her name but this was Dana's friend who played in the National Symphony Orchestra who, four years ago, had been briefly taken hostage by John Barnett and rescued by the man now standing in front of me. I'd had no clue that they were seeing each other and found it interesting that they were. I briefly wondered if Dana knew and then realized she must—and if she didn't she was about to find out.

"Walter! Merry Christmas," he said jovially, no trace of sullenness or annoyance on his face as I'd expected. "Do you remember Cathy McMaster?"

"I do," I said, taking their coats. She was wearing a flattering, form-fitting dark green dress and low heels, Mulder in black jeans and a navy blue turtleneck. They made a handsome couple but not quite as good as he and Dana, I had to admit to myself. It did seem odd not to see that auburn hair next to him. "Nice to see you again under better circumstances."

"Ditto," she smiled at me, then looked around. "Lovely home you have here. I've always liked Arlington; these old houses are just beautiful."

"Sharon would love to give you the grand tour," I said, leading them across the room to her group and snagging flutes of champagne for all of us from a passing tray. I made the introductions and then moved away again, wandering through the crowd to make sure all was well. Once a cop always a cop, I thought with a slight grin to myself as I headed for the kitchen.

As I meandered through the crowd I overheard some conjuncture regarding Dana and Mulder from the other agents here. It was regarding the fact that they'd each brought a date; already there had been some talk about the two of them being more than partners but now the consensus seemed to be that everyone had been mistaken. Perhaps she wasn't Mrs. Spooky after all, though the rumors about those two attractive people alone in the basement would probably never quite die away as long as they worked together at the Hoover.

Some time later I came out of the den to find Mulder and the tall guy who was Scully's date sitting at the bottom of the stairs talking rather intently. As I watched Mulder mimed a basketball shot with his arms so I had a pretty good idea of what their topic of conversation was—it didn't take a trained investigator to figure that one out. I didn't think much of it until I later saw Dana and her friend Cathy sitting on the loveseat in the den chatting away. How was it, I wondered, that each ended up with the other's date? There was more here than met the eye I was sure. And if Dana hadn't known that Mulder and Cathy were dating she hopefully did by now.

I got to talking with a small group in the living room but when I moved on, I heard what sounded like raised voices coming from the hallway outside the kitchen. Knowing that any group of alcohol-imbibing people can get rowdy, even and often especially cops, I made my way over to discover Mulder in the middle of a loud and voracious but not mean argument about this year's basketball season with several other men. One of which, I noted, was Dana's date whom I hadn't seen her with since they'd arrived.

Upon discovering that the reason for the noise was that there were Knicks, Pistons and Bulls fans in the group who had healthy opinions on each others' teams and players I managed to get the noise level down. This by informing them that they could continue the discussion out in the backyard in the thirty degree cold if they didn't keep it down, which worked well. Then I moved on.

I didn't see either of them for a while; midnight came and went and the party showed no signs of slowing down. Every so often I went looking for Sharon, usually finding her either in the kitchen with the caterers or surrounded by a group of people—holding court as I thought of it—always looking happy and content. Good enough; if I saw her appearing to be anything but I was kicking everyone out but until then the party was still on.

Then, as I was coming back from the upstairs bathroom (the lower floor one had a line but few knew about this one and it was a fact I kept to myself) I heard voices coming from the spare bedroom next door, which I could see was dark inside as the door was just not quite closed. My first thought was that a drunken couple had taken refuge in there for a bit of private partying but as I got closer I could hear that it wasn't that. Just two voice, male and female, talking quietly.

I sidled closer to the slightly open door until I could hear clearly, then stopped and flattened myself against the wall. It was my damn house so I honestly didn't care if I was eavesdropping.

"—retty good. Skinner came by and broke up a great discussion on b-ball, but other than that we've had plenty of time to hang out."

"You know, Cathy and I hadn't seen each other in months with our schedules so this worked out great. Thanks again, Mulder."

"You are perfectly welcome, Scully. It was your idea and a good one at that. So, you heading home soon?"

"Yeah, Cathy already left as she has rehearsal tomorrow. Think we should go separately?"

"Probably best, although I doubt anyone'll notice with how late it is so we may as well all share a cab. I hate this subterfuge but I also hate that your reputation's getting slandered all over the Hoover building."

"Mulder, I keep telling you, I don't care what they call me or what they think of us as long as we're left alone to do our work. We're friends both at and outside of work and if people don't like that they can kiss my lily white ass."

Admiring low laughter. "Miss Scully! Your mouth!"

"I'm a Navy brat, Mulder. You have no idea."

The voices were coming closer and I cast around desperately for a place to hide, then realized how stupid that was. I simply stepped back and continued down the hall towards the staircase, passing the open door even as it opened. I paused and looked at my two agents, both of whom suddenly looked guilty as sin. If I hadn't heard that conversation I would honestly have believed that they were in there making out—or worse. "Agents?" I said, raising my eyebrows at them. "Seeking a bit of privacy, are we?"

Mulder's hand was in its usual spot in the small of her back as he followed her out of the room and closed the door behind them. "Uh, actually, yeah," he all but stammered. "But not for what you might think, sir."

I looked them over but saw no signs of anything untoward other than the fact that Dana was no longer wearing the bright red lipstick she'd had on when she'd arrived. But then I knew that stuff eventually wore off since it was one of the things Sharon always complained about so that wasn't a real clue.

"Agent Mulder wanted to talk to me," Dana said, lifting her chin, eyes flashing and daring me to argue. High spots of color still decorated her cheeks, however. "It is quite loud down there."

"Hmn. Yes." I said, then shook my head and turned away. "I wonder what your dates would think if they came up here right now." God, I was a bastard sometimes.

"I doubt they'd mind," Mulder said from behind me. "Seeing as how Scully's date is my friend and my date is her friend."

I turned to face them, biting the inside of my lip to stop from guffawing. God, these two never failed me. "Oh, I get it," I said. "A couple of beards, eh? To keep people from figuring out what's really going on here?"

Dana's arms were akimbo, curled fists on curvy hips. "Sir, I find your insinuations insulting," she said, every inch the angry and affronted wronged party. "You have no reason to think—"

Mulder interrupted her, looking just as annoyed and glaring at me. "The truth is, sir, that neither of us have many friends anymore. Setting each other up with a date was a good opportunity for us to get to spend time with our friends and do each other a favor at the same time."

I couldn't hold it anymore and collapsed against the wall, laughing. "Oh my God, the look on your faces," I said when I could get a hold of myself, removing my glasses and rubbing my eyes with one hand. They were both staring at me dumbstruck, Dana with her hands still on her hips. "Don't you think that if I even suspected that there was something going on between you two, I know you both well enough to assume you'd pick a better spot for a tryst than my spare bedroom during a party with plenty of fellow agents here?"

They were both glaring at me now but it lessened my amusement not one bit. "Well that's at least nice to know," Mulder finally said as my laughter dried up. "Any particular reason for yanking our collective chains, sir?"

I shrugged, hooking my glasses back over my ears. "Just because I could and because, Agent Mulder, you've done it to me enough," I said honestly. "Opportunity knocks and all that. Besides, I overheard you talking right before you came out."

"So you already knew we weren't doing anything other than talking," Dana said, glaring up at me with narrowed eyes. "Very funny."

"I thought it was," I grinned down at her. Just then I heard Sharon's voice calling up the stairs for me. "Oops, gotta go. If I don't see you again, thanks for coming. Glad you both made it. No matter with whom or why."

Mulder snorted and Dana huffed as they followed me down the stairs. I noted right away that the house was now three-quarters empty; it seemed like over half the guests had left in the short time I was upstairs.

Downstairs I saw that Dana's date was sitting on the couch talking to Sharon and there were only a half-dozen or so people still scattered around the living room. I saw that most of the party flotsam had already been cleaned up, the buffet table empty but for a clean snowy white cloth and suspected that the caterers had likely left already. I went over and glanced into the kitchen to see it empty, although they had thoughtfully left the remaining guests' coats on the loveseat near the front door.

"Ready to go, Jody?"

I glanced over to see Dana standing by the couch, Sharon and Jody rising as the tall man nodded. Mulder came over with their coats, and I noted that he helped Dana on with hers rather than Jody. We all made the usual post-party chitchat on the way to the door and when I opened it I saw that it had snowed. Only lightly, but there was enough to cause a slip or accident if not careful. "Didn't you take a cab here? Do you need to call one?"

"I called already from my cellular," Mulder said. "They said ten minutes so it should be here any time now." I noted that he, not Jody, took Scully's elbow and steadied her down the two cement stairs. The taller man followed behind, waving back at us as they went down the twisting brick walk. I stood in the doorway and watched until the cab pulled up just a few minutes later and all three of them piled in, Scully first and Mulder next, then Jody. Hmn.

I closed the door as the cab drove off, relieved that the party was over. I didn't mind holding them but it was definitely more for Sharon than I. Turning, I found my wife standing just behind me, smiling up at me. "Don't they make a lovely couple?" she commented, taking my arm as we went into the living room.

"Who, Dana and Jody?" I said. "Isn't he a little tall for her? Man's got to be six-four if an inch."

"He's an ex-NBA player turned entrepreneur," she informed me. "He owns that new string of couples' gyms I've noticed cropping up around town."

"I still think he's too tall for her," I grinned. One mystery solved, anyway, even if I hadn't managed to talk to him during the party. "But yes, they do make a nice-looking couple otherwise."

"No, I meant Dana and Fox," she grinned up at me. "Come on, Walter, tell me you don't know they've got something going."

"Actually they don't," I said, then told her what I'd overheard. "Although I wasn't sure before now," I finished as we sat down on the couch. There was still a few knots of people standing around talking but I figured if we ignored them they should get the idea and leave. If not, well, I had been a Marine and knew how to give them the boot.

"I'm surprised," Sharon said, raising her eyebrows. "I've always assumed they were a couple. Most married couples aren't as close and don't communicate half as well as they do. I know, I've sent them in action."

I didn't want to be reminded of that and changed the subject, remarking on how well the party had gone. Fifteen minutes later, seeing that the stragglers were showing no signs of leaving I chased them out as politely as possible, and we closed up the house and headed for bed. Although it was nearly two a.m. I did my usual walk through the house to make sure it was securely locked up and all was well.

As I went back upstairs, already wondering how tired Sharon was—I wasn't—I passed the closed guest room door but, after a few steps, stopped in my tracks as something occurred to me. Wait a minute…

I went back and opened the door and turned on the light. Sure as hell, the covers on the bed were rumpled as if two people had been laying together on it, though I didn't think any actual sexual activity had gone on—the pale yellow spread wasn't that messed up nor were there any stains. I then realized that Mulder and Scully must have heard me coming and started talking to deflect my suspicions and had enough time to straighten themselves up. The upstairs bathroom was right next door to this room and they certainly would have heard the toilet flush. Well, their misdirection had worked—at least until I saw this.

So it was likely that they were involved and had been unable to resist sneaking off for what I guessed was a make-out session; I couldn't believe they were stupid enough to do anything more in my house. Right off the bat I wasn't sure how I felt about that; rules and regs aside I didn't want to have to worry about those two having a romantic fallout that would damage their valuable partnership. They had one of the highest solve rates in the Bureau for standard cases—and a not inconsiderable one for what I thought of as solvable X-Files—and I didn't want to lose that.

On the other hand… what if I was wrong? I had no proof; the rumpled bed could have been caused by someone else earlier in the evening since I knew no one other than Sharon and I had come up here since the three of us had gone downstairs. I had noticed Dana's lack of lipstick but that really didn't mean anything as I hadn't seen any traces of it on Mulder. But then he had been wearing a dark shirt…

I had about as much proof as those two presented to me in most of their X-Files. In that case I wouldn't do or say anything though I was going to be watching them like a hawk from now on. There seemed to be no end to the grief those two put me through but on the other hand I was glad that they were at least taking measures to deflect any question of them being involved whether or not they were.

Putting any and all thoughts of my possibly wayward agents out of my mind for now I headed for bed. And if that was where the two of them were, together, then I wished them nothing but the best right now as I finally went to mine.

finis