Title: How the Grinch saved Christmas
Author: Cattuesmountain
Category: X-Mas Fic, MSR, Challenge (at least it had been a challenge once upon a time)
Rating: QH (quite harmless) – K
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Neither Mulder, nor Scully, nor her family or the Grinch himself belong to me. This little story neither, since I gave it away as a Christmas gift many years ago.
Short-Cut: Christmas, what are you? A short story about a man on the search for the meaning of Christmas.
Comment: This had once been a challenge: Write a short Christmas fanfic and use the following words: grinch, mistletoe, hostage-taking and hole. Yep, all done, bye bye!
Remarks: like all my other fanfiction, this story has been written in my native language (over a decade ago) and I've translated it myself. So please have merci.
How the Grinch saved Christmas
Stand up for what you believe in,
even if you stand by yourself.
Chanya Lioness
Frustrated and mumbling some unintelligible words, Special Agent Fox Mulder pushed past his partner and threw the mistletoes he was carrying into the overfilled wastebasket, all the while wearing a disgusted expression on his face. He could feel Scully's questioning gaze on his back and turned around to see his partner staring at him with her eyebrow raised.
"I swear, this is a conspiracy, conceived and executed on the highest level of our government." The tall man complained and walked around his desk. Sighing heavily he flopped down on his chair.
"Mulder, you're acting worse than the Grinch himself!" Dana Scully teased her colleague and friend with a whiff of humor in her voice. Then she took a disapproving look at the wastebasket that was filled with numerous twigs of mistletoes.
"What is it going to be next? Are you going to steal all Christmas decoration as well? Or maybe the Christmas tree at the main entrance? Mulder, I know you don't like Christmas; you're not even celebrating Hanukkah. But why won't you just let others enjoy their Christmas holidays? There's no need to snap at people wishing you a Merry Christmas."
Frustration was written all over Scully's beautiful face. It was Christmas Eve, a holiday she valued and loved because of the ancient traditions associated with it. And imagining Mulder - sitting all alone in his apartment, feeling depressed and frustrated - felt like a stake in her heart while she would enjoy a lovingly prepared meal with her family this evening or watch her niece and her nephews unwrap tons of presents tomorrow morning.
Shouldn't everyone find joy or solace at Christmas time? Normally everyone did.
On the other hand, Mulder could be described by many words, but normal wasn't one of them. And although she loved that very quality about her partner, she wished that at least on such a holiday like Christmast he would be able to repress some of his darker shadows.
"Christmas isn't what it's used to be. Our society has made a commercial spectacle out of it. I would bet my salary on the fact that nowadays not even half the children know the true meaning of Christmas. And you can't even blame them. From an early age on they are pressed into the role their parents want to see them in. For some, Christmas is the ultimate business, for others it's nothing more than a mega event consisting of shopping marathons and holiday stress. Everyone is caught up in their own problems, being on the hunt for the greatest and most expensive gifts, backing the neighborhoods best Christmas-pastry or installing the most glamorous lighting.
Yesterday I've been in the city center, Scully. An old woman's shopping bag dropped on the floor because a passing man bumped into her. Not even one person tried to help this lady, no one paused in their haste. I was the only one helping her picking up her purchases. I guess these bargain hunters didn't even notice that little old lady. What does this say about our society?" Mulder had talked himself into a rage. Finally he had found means of release for all his frustration that had accumulated over the years.
"I agree with you on some degree. For many the commercial aspect of Christmas has been growing in importance, but don't people make their own luck? I love Christmas because it means reuniting with my family. It's this special time of the year where we can pause for a moment, as you've so nicely put it. You finally get a chance to let go and find new energy. Meeting up with family members you haven't seen for a while in our stressy daily routine. It gives us the opportunity to spend a few days with our loved ones.
Because Christmas means more. It's a memory. A memory of all the happy holidays of my childhood, a memory of my sister and of my father."
Scully fell silent for a moment. Mulder knew of what, or rather who, she was thinking about. Sighing softly, he rose from his chair and reduced the distance between them.
"Scully, you are the last person I would accuse of forgetting the true meaning of Christmas. But just take a close look at the J. Edgar Hoover Building. They are going sheer crazy. Most male agents are sneaking around the corridors, hoping to catch one of the female agents under the mistletoe. It's almost like a competition. Who's kissing who... To be completely honest, I'm actually afraid of finding myself under one of these damned mistletoes with an asshole like Tom Colton... Or even worse – with Skinner!"
Scully started grinning at him, imagining Mulder and Skinner, while her partner grimaced at the very same image. But truth be told: Mulder just didn't want to see Scully standing under a mistletoe with any other man. That was the main reason why he had removed all branches on their floor. Should jerks like Colton accuse Mulder of being a bourgeois and a spoilsport for all he cared. They've already stamped him a spooky loser. The end justified the means after all.
"Yes, Christmas is a family celebration, but what about all the other people, Scully? The suicide rate is usually terribly high at the end of the year. People feel lonely and abandoned. And apparently they are. Otherwise, not nearly as many suicide attempts would succeed. Because there's no one out there who cares for their lonely neighbour or who listens to the worries a despaired colleague might have. We live in a state of spectators and gazers. The number of those who intervene courageously is damn low.
And it is precisely this holiday season, a season many declare as the time of giving and of love, where the real poverty of our society uncover: loneliness.
Everyone is caught up in their own things, only few manage to see beyond the end of their nose. And it's not only the singles or widowed people who suffer. There is always a crisis or a dispute in most families during holidays and Christmas is in the front line. Due to the enormous pressure we put on ourselves, tensions arise. And these tensions often end in full-grown or violent arguments. Many family members gathered together, who in most cases haven't seen each other for a long time, cause additional stress. Not even two days ago a special force ended the killing spree and the hostage-taking of a desperate family father in California. They shot him after he'd killed his whole family and in-laws. And do you know what put him on edge: His divorce and that he wasn't allowed to see his kids on Christmas."
Silence fell over them. Hesitantly, the red-haired agent rose and went over to her partner.
"And what about you? My mum invited you over. So did are part of my family. Are you feeling sorry for yourself, Mulder? If Christmas annoys you so much, why don't you change what bothers you? But you know what? I'm calling it a day. I will go home, load my car with presents and drive over to my Mum's place. Your invitation is still open, you know that. Although I won't hold my breath."
Mulder clearly saw disappointment in her sad blue eyes was well in her body language. Something deep inside him urged him to say something. He opened his mouth, silently moved his lips and idly closed it again. Scully turned her back to him and reached for her bag.
In just a moment she would leave him, feeling alone and lonely.
With a small smile on her lips, Dana pulled a colorfully wrapped gift out of her bag and handed it over to her partner. Then she leaned in and breathed a gossamer kiss on Mulder's right cheek.
"Merry Christmas, Mulder."
Before Mulder could shake off his shock or even come up with a clever response, the office door already thunked shut. Completely stunned, the male agent looked at the gift in his hand. His curiosity got the better of him and Mulder impatiently tore at the colourful paper. What came to light was a DVD. Not just any DVD. It was "How the Grinch stole Christmas".
Involuntarily Mulder flinched. Was Scully right for a chance? He just looked at his gift in irritation. Damn, she was right!
Suddenly feeling determined, Mulder turned around and shut down his computer. Then he put on his coat, turned off the light and left the J. Edgar Hoover Building while trying to avoid any remaining mistletoes. A brilliant idea was already taking form in his head.
Feeling sated and content, Dana Scully leaned back in her chair. She had already opened the top button of her trousers to find some relief. She hadn't eaten that well since a very long time. Her mother had surpassed herself this year. And like every year there were still lots of turkey and side dishes left. Maggie Scully always seemed afraid of not being able to feed her family properly.
Gracie, Dana's five-year-old niece, was the only one who didn't seem past bursting yet. The little red-haired girl tirelessly scooped one spoon full of chocolate pudding after another onto her plate. The adults threw amused looks at each other.
"Granny, this desert is the best thing I've ever eaten," the little one announced with her mouth full. Anne, Charlie's wife, lectured her daughter about how ill-mannered it was to speak with one's mouth full. But that didn't seem to bother the child, since she prefered eating over talking anyway.
"I'm glad you like it, Gracie," Maggie asserted with an amused wink in her eyes. She had spent hours in the kitchen, ensuring this feast being perfect. And nothing warmed her heart more than the praise of her five-year-old granddaughter.
"I don't want to sleep in the same room with Gracie," her older brother Andrew whined, theatrically rolling his eyes.
"Andy, we've already discussed our sleeping arrangements," Charlie tried to talk some sense into his eldest. But Andy only sulked while biting on his lower lip and looked at his father with a reproachful look only a seven-year-old could manage.
"Yes, but now she's gonna puke after all that desert! I don't want Gracie puking in our room. Can't she sleep with you and Mummi?" With the big eyes of an innocent child he looked at all adults present in the room.
"Not true. Not gonna puke!" Gracie mumbled clearly offended, nevertheless shoving another spoonful of her chocolate desert into her little mouth. Then she reached for the large glass bowl to help herself once again. Anne resolutely grabbed her daughter's hand and shook her head in denial.
"That's enough, Grace. You've had more than enough, darling." Now it was up to Gracie to sulk by pushing the lower lip up.
"But Granny allowed me to eat as much as I'd like," the insatiable little girl complained. Dana saw a sign of despair in her sister-in-law's face. But Maggie was already dashing to her rescue.
"If you emty it now, sweetling, you won't have any left for tomorrow." This argument seemed to convince Gracie. She tried to memorize the exact contents of the bowl so no one would be able to secretly pinch a bit, then she nodded at her grandmother.
Maggie smiled at her and grabbed a napkin to lovingly clean the girl's chocolate smeared face.
Charlie looked at his children and then at his watch. It was getting late and the two have had an exciting and long day. But he didn't want to send them to sleep right after dinner.
"What do you say, if I take Gracie and Andy for a short walk and then take them to bed while you girls do the dishes?" Scully's younger brother first looked at his wife, then at his sister and finally at his mother with a hopeful expression on his face. All three of them started grinning broadly.
"You haven't changed, Charles Scully. You're still doing everything you can to avoid doing the dishes," Dana couldn't resist giving him a mild reprimand.
"Just go ahead, get out before we change our minds." She shooed her brother and the children into the hall to get their coats. Then the women carried the dishes into the kitchen, laughing at the male Scully.
Maggie was literally glowing, she enjoyed spending some quality time with only Dana and Anne.
"Finally this house seems as alive as it used to be. Once Bill and Tara arrive tomorrow morning with their little ones, the house will burst at the seams, but I wouldn't want it any other way."
Feeling truly happy, Maggie started to clean the dishes. The younger women did the drying. Meanwhile Anne told them the story about Gracie's adventure in the mall, where she got lost because she'd followed a woman who had bought a little bunny. Once she had been found all by herself and brought to the information desk by a security guard, the little Miss Smarty-pants had explained that her Mum had run off on her.
Maggie couldn't remember the last time she'd heard her otherwise so quiet and reluctant daughter laughing like that. It was like music to her maternal ears.
Soon the three strollers returned. The children wished them a good night and disappeared upstairs. Half an hour later Charlie joined the women in the living room, where the candles of the Christmas tree and a crackling fire in the fireplace swathed the room into a soft light.
But they didn't stay up for too long, knowing the children's energy on the coming Christmas morning and retired early into their bedrooms.
But Dana wasn't able to fall asleep. Too many thoughts and worries keept her mind racing; beyond any doubt they all concerned her partner's well-being.
Was he feel lonely right now?
No, Mulder wasn't the type for holiday depression. She hardly knew anyone who had more demons to fight, but a man who didn't care about Christmas at all couldn't feel lonely now, could he?
Secretly she had wished for him accepting her invitation, even though she knew it was just wishful thinking on her part. But Mulder was an substantial part of her life, her best friend, the man she entrusted her life with and on the other hand would put her own life on the line without even batting an eye. But he was so much more, she couldn't even find the right explanation for. Her soul mate? Yes, that's what he was. Her perfect opposite. The person who completed her.
She also came to the conclusion that she loved Mulder unconditionally, even if she was not ready to either analyze nor verbalize those feelings.
PLONG
Startled she drove around in her bed. That sound appeared to come from the window. Dana straightened up and looked at the window that was quenched in pale moonlight. Nothing.
PLONG
Someone was throwing little stones against her window. Irritated, she got out of her bed and stepped towards the window to peer outside. The sight of her partner standing on the lawn and looking up at her didn't surprise Scully at all. Who but Mulder would come up with such a childish idea in the middle of the night?
"Mulder, what are you doing here?" she whispered with some irritation in her voice once she'd opened her window.
"Get dressed and come out, Scully, I'll wait for you by the van."
And then the dark figure disappeared from her mother's garden as sudden as it had appeared. Scully closed the window in confusion. What was Mulder up to?
"Dear Lord, please don't let it be another wild goose case," she whispered, not even believing her own words. Why else would Mulder show up at her Mum's, in the middle of the night? She didn't quite understand why he was throwing stones, but maybe he didn't want to wake up or worry her family.
Sighing heavily, she took off her pyjamas. She knew from experience that it was better to accompany Mulder instead of letting him go alone, all by himself without any backup. Usually these kind of cases ended in disaster. So she put on some jeans and a blue wool pullover and silently sneaked down the old stairs.
As a precaution, she left a message on the kitchen table in case her family would notice that she's missing and put on her shoes and coat. She had left her gun in her car since there were children in the house. She quietly closed the front door behind her and stepped into the dark night.
Did Mulder say van?
When she reached the sidewalk next to her mother's estate, she saw Mulder casually leaning against an old VW van. Although the vehicle looked worn out, it still seemed too neat to belong to the Lone Gunmen.
"I'm almost afraid to ask what exactly you're up to, Mulder," was her only greeting.
Mulder, however, only casually tapped against the car and looked at his partner unabashed.
The casual outfit she was wearing was lovely on her, he thought; it emphasized her petite figure.
"Well, first of all, I need to thank you for your gift and secondly, I have a question for you: Do you trust me, Scully?" Dana stared at her partner, irritation was written all over her beautiful face.
"What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I trust you. But I don't understand the meaning of all of this, to be completely honest. And no matter what case you've dug up, the answer is no. It's going to be Christmas in a couple of hours." She paused for a moment. "And Mulder, you're welcome!"
"Huh? What for?" Now confusion was written over Mulders face.
"Your gift, you're welcome," Scully explained, while a tentative smile was forming on her lips.
"Oh, yeah, thank you. And you're misunderstanding me. I won't tell you what this is all about, at least not yet... but I can promise you that it has nothing to do with a case. I swear."
She skeptically looked at the man in front of her. Was he serious or was this some kind of a trick? But she wanted to give hime some credit, it was Christmas after all.
"Okay Mulder. But I hope for your sake that whatever we're going to is gonna be good! Damn good, because you're keeping me from my well-deserved sleep." Secretly she was dying to know what was going to happen. What was Mulder up to?
"Well, ma'am, get in the car, buckle up and hold on. The Grinch Express is about to depart!" Laughing, Scully complied with his request. Silently she was watching the passing houses with growing excitement. Where was Mulder taking her?
They left the district. At this time of the night the streets were almost vacant.
After a forty-five-minute drive, Mulder stopped the car. Dana looked around with growing suspicion. This area didn't look very trustworthy, it seems they were in a rather poor areas outside DC. Foreboding overcame the female agent. Had Mulder tricked her?
But he didn't say anything, just opened his door and stepped out into the night. With a brisk step he walked around the car and opened the back door. Scully's curiosity suppressed her apprehension, and with a gut feeling she also got out of the car to see exactly what Mulder was doing. Scully climbed into the van where Mulder was having a rummage for something.
"Mulder! What are you doing?" The whole deck was loaded. Loaded with beautifully wrapped gifts of all shapes and sizes.
"Our conversation made me think. Scully, who loves Christmas the most? Whose happiness is the main reason we are celebrating this holiday for?" This question puzzled the red-haired woman.
"For children, Scully. Children love Christmas." Without further explanation he grabbed some of the presents and stepped out of the van. Then he looked at Scully expectantly. Feeling resigned she did the same.
"Where does all these packages come from?" Dana wanted to know while unlocking.
"I bought them. From my Christmas allowance." Mulder explained and headed for a wire-mesh fence. Behind it were some shrubs and a couple of smallish trees. Scully followed him expectanty but stopped once he pointed at a certain spot at the fence.
"There's a big hole in the fence. We can both fit through." Carefully he balanced his presents through the opening and waited impatiently for his partner on the other side.
"Mulder, this is illegal! What kind of premise is this?" Dana was still standing on the other side of the fence, glaring at her partner in concern.
"An orphanage, Scully. And now come on, we don't have all night." Once again sighing heavily, Dana squeezed herself through the fence and followed Mulder, who was resolutely walking through the garden and towards an imposant yet weather-beaten building. Next to the entrance he carefully put his valuable burden on the dark tiles. Wordlessly Mulder turned around and headed back to the hole, with Scully close on his heels. Both had to walk this way a few times to bring in all the presents Mulder had bought.
A pleasant silence had spread over them, both partners were lost in their own thoughts.
Scully was impressed by his actions. And surprised.
Mulder on the other hand was just feeling good.
Feeling tired but happy all the same, the agents let themselves fall into the seats of the VW once they were done. Only then Mulder started to explain his trains of thought.
"That's it, Scully, this is how Christmas is supposed to feel!" A satisfied sigh filled the van. From the corner of her eye, the female agent looked at the man behind the wheel.
"As you've said, I don't care about Christmas. But children do. Especially children. And here we have kids who live on the very edge of poverty. These kids may no longer believe in miracles or Christmas or humanity itself. They have been pushed around far too often by adults, who don't want them. Maybe they will become criminals because they think that might be their only chance of survival. If anyone deserves a Christmas miracle, Scully, then the poor little souls living here." Touched by his words, Scully stroked a strand of hair out of her face.
"Mulder, this is the most wonderful thing you've ever done." A tiny tear was fighting its way down her cheek.
"No, it's something that should go without saying for all of us. But thank you, Scully, hearing that from you means the world to me." Not only his partner was touched at that moment. They looked at each other, feeling slightly embarrassed. Then Mulder raised his hand and gently stroked Scully's cheek and lovingly wiped the moisture off her skin.
"Thank you, Scully... Dana," he whispered in a hushed voice.
"What for?" Scully ask gently.
"For kicking this old Grinch's behind. You let me look behind those facades that close around Christmas, making all the little details visible that are so important. That means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me." She already known that, but hearing it from him made her tremble.
"The feeling is mutual." Mulder nodded tentatively. A lump formed in his throat and he was unable to put all his feelings into words.
So he just smiled at Scully warmly. His reaction promted her to do the same and everything that had to be said was said at that moment. Partly in words, partly in emotions.
After what seemed like half an eternity, Mulder started the van to bring her back to her family. There was a pleasant silence during their trip and they were both still smiling.
Mulder only broke their silence when they reached the block where Scully's mother lived,.
"There is one remaining parcel right beneath your seat. Open it." Surprised by his words, Dana turned reached under her seat and found a small gift. She looked at it awefully. It had been sloppily wrapped into red paper without much refinement. Mulder must have packed it himself.
Carefully, without damaging the paper, she opened her gift. An old and worn out book .
"A Christmas Carol. Oh my God, is this a first edition? Thank you, Mulder!" She was exuberantly happy, not only because of the book, but also because of the gesture itself.
"Yes, it is. And you don't have to thank me," he said immediately.
Slowly the car came to a halt in front of Maggie Scully's residence.
"Well..."
"Well..."
The two agents chuckled since they've both started to speak at the same time. Mulder let Scully go first with a wave of his hand.
"Thank you, Mulder. You've surprised me tonight and I've had a lot of fun." She turned to Mulder and kissed him goodbye on the cheek. Mulder quickly got out of the car, walked around and opened the door for Scully.
"The joy was all mine. Now I finally understand what they call the magic of Christmas."
Together they walked the short distance until they reached the front door. There they stopped and looked deeply into each other's eyes. Slowly their faces moved closer to each other until Scully could feel Mulder breathing softly against her lips. Then his lips finally touched hers in a gentle and loving kiss.
A kiss new lovers shared but it also manifested the familiarity of many years working closely together. It was intense and sweet, excitingly new and intimate. It was a perfect kiss.
They only separated from each other due to lack of oxygen.
Fox Mulder lovingly drove his fingers through the hair of the woman he had just kissed.
"Good night, Scully."
"Good night, Mulder."
Backwards he walked down the stairs, not letting Scully out of his sight for even a second. She tenderly smiled at him one last timeand started searching for her keys. Only then did he make his way back to his car.
"Oh and Mulder, I'm counting on you this afternoon," she called after her partner. He didn't turn around, continued to walk towards the car.
"You can bet on it, Scully!"
Happy and willing to embrace the whole world, Dana entered the house and quietly sneaked to her room. This had been the perfect end to a perfect day.
Deeply lost in thought she almost bumped into Gracie, who sleepily yet excitedly roamed the upper floor of her Grandma's Hous.
"Gracie, darling, you've scared me. Is something wrong?" The child didn't even seem to notice that her aunt wasn't wearing her pajamas.
She just pointed at the stairs and murmured, "I think it's Christmas now, I want to open my presents." Carefully, as not to wake the others, Dana took Gracie into her room and closed the door.
"It's still too early, sweetie. The others are all still asleep. You'd better try to sleep some more as well."
"But I can't. I'm not tired at all! Could you tell me a story instead, Aunt Dana?" Big and innocent eyes looked at her expectantly, eyes Scully couldn't resist.
"Well, come on over here, we'll cuddle up in my bed and I'm going to tell you a story." Still wearing her cloth, Scully made herself comfortable in her bed with Gracie in her lap. Smiling dreamily, she played with a strand of the girl's red hair.
"Is it going to be a Christmas story? How is it called?"
"Yes, it's a Christmas story. And it's called How the Grinch saved Christmas."
The End!
So here it is, my very own little Christmas story. To be honest, sometimes I feel a bit like Mulder when it comes to Christmas, or more like the Grinch? Who knows.
Merry Christmas to you all!