I'll Be Home For Christmas
Disclaimer: Damnit, I don't own them.
Rating: They totally have sex in an airport. Oh yeah, baby. HAHA. It's fine. My five year old brother could read this.
Summary: He came across the Lifetime network and stopped. Steel Magnolias.
A/N: Ha. So I came up with this idea at work, while texting Andrea. I hope you guys like it. It's my Xmas XFile fic. MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
"What do you have planned for the holidays?" Scully looked up from her laptop and smiled softly at her partner. He was reclined in his chair, behind his desk with his hands behind his head.
"Visiting my family. What about you?"
"The usual."
Oh, she knew what 'the usual' was. Him, staying home, ordering a pizza and watching old black and white movies on his television all night long. Her heart sank as she watched him.
"Why don't you come with me," she asked in a tiny voice. He laughed.
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" She sighed and slumped in her chair. She was determined to change Mulder's Christmas. No one deserved to be alone for the holidays, especially this one. "How long are you going to be there?"
"Two days," she answered, her tone a bit happier, thinking he was reconsidering her offer. "Well?"
"Scully, I don't know."
"What's there not to know? It's just two days!"
"A lot can happen in two days," he warned her. She sighed and raised her hands in defeat. If he really didn't want to go with her, then she wouldn't force him. It just pained her heart to see him alone for Christmas. Maybe she could shorten her family time and come back just in time to spend it with him. "Besides, I can't just leave my gold fish." She felt tempted to roll her eyes.
Of course. Only Mulder would stay behind for his pet gold fish.
"When are you leaving," he asked, suddenly interested in her vacation. He knew declining to go with her had probably upset her and he didn't want her to think that he'd have a miserable Christmas, which was always the case.
"Tonight. My flight is at six thirty," she whispered, closing her laptop and taking off her glasses. She gathered her things and stood from her chair, reaching for her coat. It was 5:15 in the afternoon. She was sure most agents had left for the holidays and if Mulder could, he would even come in for Christmas.
"I'll take you to the airport," he announced, suddenly aware of the fact that she would be gone for two days.
He'd be without Scully for two whole days. He started to panic.
He stood, too and walked over to the coat rack where both of their black trench coats hung. He grabbed hers before she could reach it and held it open for her. She smiled thankfully and slipped her arms into the coat before watching him gracefully slip on his own. She knew deep down inside that even for two days, she was going to miss him incredibly. It's the reason she hadn't declined his offer to take her to the airport. Any extra time she could manage with him before she left for the holidays would be very welcomed.
He held the basement door open for her and locked it behind him. She had made it to the elevator and stood with him as they waited patiently for the doors to open. When they stepped inside, she pressed the button for the first floor and stood back.
"So I'll just follow you to your apartment and take you from there," he suggested.
"Sounds like a plan." Then she realized, if he was bringing her, he'd have to pick her up too.
The bell indicating that they were now on the first floor sounded and she walked in front of him to get to the employee parking lot. They were parked next to each other. They always did, ever since her second day with him, they had parked next to each other. Even the other agents knew better than to take their spots. They unlocked their cars at the exact same time.
"So... I'll see you in a few," he called out from his car. She smiled, gave him a thumbs up and then got into the driver's seat of her car. She started her car and let the engine warm up before putting it into 'drive' and pulling out from her spot. He followed behind her and in about thirty minutes, they were pulling up to her apartment complex. He parked behind her on the side of the street and got out of his car to meet her. Together, they walked up the staircase to her floor in silence. She unlocked her apartment door and held it open for him.
"I have most of my things already packed. I just need to fit their presents in there with my clothes." He closed the door behind him and watched as she hurried off into her bedroom to retrieve her only suitcase. He smiled. His Scully was never the type to pack six hundred outfits for two days, like some of the women he had the horrible pleasure of working with in the past. She only had a few presents and they fit perfectly in the space she had left in her suitcase.
"So... why didn't you just pack everything up in your car and go straight to the airport after work," he questioned her.
"Well I wasn't going to sit at the airport alone for an hour and a half when I know my flight doesn't leave until six thirty. I was going to come back here, which I did, and make sure everything was right before I left."
"So is everything right," he asked softly, staring down at her with intense hazel eyes. Her lips parted a little and she blinked. Surely, he didn't mean what she thought he meant.
"Everything is perfect," she replied back.
"So we're ready to leave?"
"I guess so." She looked around her apartment one last time before nodding and smiling up at him. He returned her smile with a grin and took a step forward to grab her suitcase from her hand.
The ride to the airport was quiet and comfortable. It was starting to get dark and the street lights were all coming on. It only took them fifteen minutes to get there. He parked his car far away from the entrance, wanting to spend as much time with her as possible. Without a doubt, he was going to walk with her into the airport and wait with her until her flight was called. He knew he was going to miss her like crazy for those two days, but it's not like he hadn't been without her before for a short period of time. Hell, he did it every night when he went home, to an empty apartment.
Together, they got out of his car and he rolled her suitcase up the parking lot, into the airport. They stayed close together as they walked for her gate, where her flight would be taking off. They still had another twenty minutes before she would have to leave. After the security guards went through her bags and made them walk under the metal detectors, they were both sitting in a lobby that faced the runway. The walls in front of them were made of glass, letting them see just high up in the building they were.
Through the corner of her eye, she could see the guards take all the luggage to the ramp where she'd soon be walking to board her plane. She hated to fly alone, but her flight would only take her an hour. She sighed and walked up to the glass walls that revealed the beautifully lit runway. The colorful lights marking the paths for the airplanes were glowing in the night. She sighed. She truly didn't want to leave him here for Christmas, but she missed her family. If she could, she would have both, but Mulder was stubborn and her family wouldn't stop bothering her until she promised to visit for Christmas.
She wouldn't admit that she'd miss him. How completely stupid would she sound? It was just two days, after all.
Her flight was called and Mulder had to ball his hands up into fists to keep himself from touching her. If she wanted physical contact, she would enforce it first. He didn't believe in inflicting anything she didn't want upon her. Besides, it was only two days, he reminded himself.
But when she sadly smiled up at him and wrapped her coat around her tiny body tighter, that's when he realized he wouldn't be able to make it. Two days was like two years to him, and he knew it.
"So I guess I'll see you in two days," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice. She ached to touch him, to wrap her arms around his muscular chest and squeeze him until he couldn't breathe. Families and business men formed a line behind her, handing their tickets to the small woman behind the counter who smiled warmly at each and every one of them. When she looked into his eyes, she knew then and there that she would regret not taking him along with her. She would miss him terribly those two days. If it wouldn't cause a complete scene, she'd grab him by his tie and drag him onto that airplane with her, but she knew better.
"Don't worry, Mulder. I'll be home for Christmas," she reminded him with a smile.
And with everything said, she nodded and took her place in line, the last one. Mulder stood there, frozen in his spot. Would she slap him in the middle of the airport if he just ran up to her and kissed the life out of her? Probably so. He could feel his heart accelerate when she headed towards the boarding ramp. He knew Scully hated to fly, especially by herself. But now it was too late to go with her. He cursed under his breath for not jumping at the chance when she asked.
She turned and looked back at him before decending further down the ramp.
She cursed under her breath. Not touching him, not giving him a hug at least, was going to take it's toll on her for those two days.
--
"Alright buddy. She's gone. Two entire, Scully-free days to yourself."
He unlocked his apartment and the door creaked open, revealing the emptiness. He sighed. It was going to be a long, two days. He hung his coat up behind the door and threw his keys onto the nearest surface he could find. There wasn't much to eat in his apartment, and if there was, it was probably out-dated. So instead of taking the chance of giving himself food poisoning, he picked up his phone and dialed the familiar pizza restaurant down the street.
He changed out of his work shirt and slacks and into a pair of faded blue jeans and a black sweater. As he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he stopped and smiled. It was Scully's favorite- his outfit. He shook his head. Now was not the time to start thinking about her. She had just left! There was a knock at his door and he took his time fishing out his wallet from his black slacks, which he had just thrown over his bed.
When he had paid the teenage delivery boy, he grabbed his pizza and took a seat on his leather couch. He turned on his television and flicked through the channels, trying to find something to hold his interest for the night. As he absentmindedly tried to open his box of pizza while scanning the television, he came across the Lifetime network and stopped.
Steel Magnolias.
He laughed and tore apart his pizza.
Pizza.
The one food him and Scully had shared so many times, on this same couch, in this same room. He stared down at the slice he had in his hand in disgust.
Only Mulder could get mad at a pizza.
He threw the slice back into the box and shoved it away from him. He turned off the television and leaned back against the couch, dragging his hand over his face.
"Scully, come home."
--
Scully's flight hadn't been as bad as she thought it would've been. It only took her forty-five minutes to get there and when she did, her suitcase was waiting for her at the pick-up. She rented a car and was off to see her family in no time. The drive there was more complicated. Due to a wreck on the highway, every car was forced into one lane. Of course, everyone wanted to see, so it took that much longer to get the line moving. Scully sighed and picked up her cell phone, wondering if Mulder had called.
No missed calls.
"Great." She tossed her phone back onto the seat beside her and reached for the radio.
She made it to her old house in a little less than an hour. Her entire family was there. Charlie, Bill, their families, and her mother. She smiled and parked her car on the side of the street. She got her bag out from the trunk of her car and pulled it up the steps of her old house. She rang the doorbell and soon, her mother was swinging open the door with a huge smile.
"Dana! You're here!"
"Merry Christmas," she replied with a smile. The two embraced and Mrs. Scully took a step back to allow her daughter into the house.
"Bill. Where are your manners? Get that suitcase from your sister!"
"Oh, mom. I've got-" She was interrupted by her older brother springing from the couch in the living room and grabbing her bag from her hands.
"Hey, sis. Didn't think you'd make it."
"How come," she asked in confusion. Christmas music poured softly from the speakers in the front of the living room. Some of Mrs. Scully's church friends were gathered in the kitchen, laughing and sharing stories from the past year.
"Well with that crazy partner of yours dragging you off to God knows where every other week, I just didn't think you'd have time for your own family, that's all," he replied coldly. Scully glared at her older brother, happy that their mother didn't hear his response. Now wasn't the time to get into a fight with Bill.
Scully watched with a furious stare after her brother, who climbed the stairs to put her suitcase in her old room.
"Where's Fox, dear?"
"Mulder?"
"You didn't invite him?"
"I did, mom. He already had plans," she lied. She couldn't bare to tell her mother that Mulder had declined her offer, the exact reason being the dumb-ass brother she had, who was upstairs at the moment.
It pained Mrs. Scully even more to know that the man that her daughter had fallen in love with had to spend Christmas alone.
--
December 24th. It was the day she was coming home. Christmas Eve.
Mulder was pacing his living room floor, back and forth, back and forth. For the past two days, he hadn't slept, hadn't eaten, hadn't even watched television.
He was hopeless. He needed her to come back. His life depended on it.
The only reason he was still alive at the moment was because she had called only an hour ago to remind him that her plane would be landing at ten in the morning. It was 9:30. He eyed his car keys all morning. Her voice suddenly filled his head, just from that single phone call he had received that morning.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself."
"How's your vacation going?"
"Pretty well."
"That's good..."
"Yeah..." He could hear the flight names and times being called out in the background and his heart did a complete flip.
"Where are you?"
"The airport." He could hear the smile in her voice. "I'm landing in D.C. in about an hour."
He couldn't take it anymore. He ran for his door, grabbing his keys and jacket on the way out. He ran down his hallway, to the elevator and to his car that was parked on the side of the street. He was pushing the speed limit, going to the airport with a huge smile on his face. His heart was pounding in his chest, finally. Finally, he would be able to see her beautiful face again. He was itching to touch her, to sweep her up into his arms and press a kiss to her soft lips.
He made it there in record time. He turned off the engine and nearly fell out of his car as he jogged through the parking lot, dodging cars and trucks left and right. He pushed himself through the entrance of the airport. It was insanely crowded. Everyone was coming home or leaving for the holidays. Flights were being announced on the intercom above his head, making it hard for him to think. Where would she be? How would he find her? Was she even there yet?
And then he saw her.
Beautiful as ever.
She was standing not a few feet away from him, her suitcase by her side. She was standing on her toes, trying to look over the heads of the people in front of her. She was looking for him. His heart nearly busted in his chest when she turned her head and met his stare. Her face lit up instantly and he could feel himself moving through the crowds.
Before he knew it, he was running towards her. He nearly tripped over someone's luggage in the process, causing her to laugh. When he heard her laugh pouring from her lips, he lost all control. His head was spinning. He ran up to her and didn't stop. Her eyes widened, but she remained smiling as his arms encircled her waist and pulled her against his body. He stumbled away from her suitcase and into an open space next to a few chairs and benches. He twirled her around and she wrapped her arms around his neck, laughing at his excitement. He refused to let go of her this time.
"Mulder," she giggled. "Mulder, put me down!"
"Never." His lips came down on hers and she closed her eyes. All she could think about was him, him and this kiss. She couldn't hear the whistles in the background, or the business men screaming into their cell phones, or babies crying in the background for their mother- all she could hear was her heart beat, which was pounding in her ears. She felt her feet make contact with the floor and her hands slid down his neck, then up to his cheeks, where she framed his face and deepened their kiss. His hands ran up her back and tangled into her hair. She smiled into their kiss when she felt him tighten his hold around her waist. He picked her up again and twirled her one last time, reversing their positions. She now had her back to her luggage and he was facing the empty waiting section.
When their kiss ended, she leaned back on her feet and stared up at him with wide, curious eyes. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were bright and moist from their kiss. With one look at her, he moaned. She looked delicious. He couldn't believe he had stayed an entire two days away from her. His hands came up to frame her face now, and he tilted her head up to kiss her once more.
"So I guess you missed me," she asked with a wink and a sweet grin.
A/N: Haha. Okay. So how was that? 3,541 words long. I think I did pretty damn good. LOL. Anyway, if there are any grammar mistakes, I'm sorry. MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
P.S: My 17th birthday is in 4 days, guys. December 28th!
