New Years Superstitions

by Trycee

Time-Line: Season 6, New Years Eve, After The Ghost Who Stole Christmas but Before Arcadia

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files, this is written for fun not profit.

Mulder spit a few sunflower seeds across the coffee table unto the floor. He twirled one around in his mouth, staring at the television screen in front of him. '9 pm on New Years Eve', Mulder thought to himself. 'And I'm here all alone'. He reached for the cold unopened beer beside him. He twisted off the top and toss it to the garbage can not far from his television. The top went in with a clanking sound. He could hear the neighbor's above him who were already drunk, screaming out of their windows. Something had fallen past his window. Though Mulder hadn't seen one in person for a very long time, he knew them to be bras. He shuttered at the thought of his two gay male neighbor's wearing bras and tossing them to the sidewalk below. There was only one person Mulder wanted to see in a bra and she was at her own place.

"You going out?", Maggie asked her daughter on the phone.

"No...I'm cleaning," Scully said, straightening up her couch cushions. "You know the saying...The way you bring your home into the New Years dictates how it will be the rest of the year..."

"Maybe they should change it to If your alone on New Years Eve that's the way you'll be all year long..."

Scully stood rod-still as she paused on her end of the phone. "What?", she said as her face reddened and her mouth twisted up angrily.

Maggie could sense that she'd made Dana upset. "Don't you and Fox have plans tonight?"

"Mulder and I aren't together every second of the day," she said irritated.

"Maybe you should be," Maggie said at nearly a whisper.

"Mom, if you have something to say, say it!"

There was a pause on the other end. "Look Dana...I'm not trying to interfere but enough is enough...Don't you think it's time you told Mulder how you feel about him?"

Scully's shoulder's tensed up so tightly they ached. "Mom!"

"Dana, Let me finish..."

Scully threw up her hands, shaking her head. "Okay...Fine..."

"Honey, I love you. You know that and I only want to see you happy. And there is only one person that makes you happy, Dana. You couldn't even sit and enjoy your family this Christmas because you were worried about Mulder...even though you'd just left him that morning. You even showed us the gift he gave you for Christmas and you were beaming from ear to ear, at first. But then you couldn't concentrate on anything but Fox and we all knew looked miserable without him..."

Scully gasped but was silent. Maggie continued. "I remember the Christmas right before your dad died. When we spent it at your place,remember?"

"Yes..."

"You had a spark in your eye. A spark every time you mentioned Fox's name."

Scully gasped again. She felt dizzy so she sank down onto the couch cushions, listening to her mother on the phone.

"That spark in your eyes is there whenever you mention Fox. Ever since the first year you worked together, its always been there...that spark when you or anyone mentions his name. And every holiday that comes when you're not with him, you look sad...like another part of you is missing...and you and I both know who that half is..."

Scully closed her eyes. "Is it that obvious, Mom?"

"Yes it is...And you know he loves you...don't you?"

Scully nodded her head. "Yes I do..."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"I'm not ready...he's not ready...", Scully said sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"He needs to find his sister or find out what happened to her before he can move on...until then...there's no point...Because he couldn't be fully attentive or dedicated to anyone else...Until he knows the truth about Samantha...nothing else matters to him."

"Something has to give, Dana...One of you will have to make the first move and you'll have to work out whatever life throws your way...But do me a favor, as your mother...don't spend New Years cleaning your apartment..."

Scully glanced over to her clock over her fireplace. It read 9:40. "I won't...I'll spend it with Mulder..."

"Happy New Year's Dana..."

"Happy New Year's," Scully stammered. "Are you staying up tonight?"

Maggie laughed on the phone. "No...I'm going to bed in a second."New Years dinner tomorrow?"

"Yes...Corned beef and Colcannon?"

"Of course," Maggie smiled. "Your place this time...And you supply the wine."

"Alright, deal..."

"Love you Dana," Maggie said.

"Love you...See you tomorrow around 3..."

"Okay, Bye," Maggie said, hanging up.

Mulder had moved on to beer number 2, as he twisted the sunflower seeds in his mouth. He was deep in a depression by now and was cursing someone for yet another New Years spent on the same damn leather couch when he could be enjoying a nice warm fire with Scully's eyes blazing as the fire cast her soft face in a golden glow. He could be kissing her just as he had with her on the ship, though it wasn't the current her, it was the Scully trapped in another dimension that he'd kissed but the kiss was still electric and he'd craved it ever since. But his memory was tainted because of what she'd done after he'd been rescued and was laying in the hospital bed. What she had done had hurt him ever since and caused distance once again between them. At least he'd withdrawn inwardly, storing his heart away. He wasn't sure if she'd noticed.

As much as Mulder thought he knew Scully, she still gave him so many mixed signals that it left him even more confused. She had even bought him a bed even though she denied it and he was almost truly convinced that she was just as shocked as he was about it. But even though she denied buying it, There had to be the reason she bought him a bed right...so they could be together, or so reasoned. This was not an act of a best friend. It had to mean more. Finding the bed had perplexed him. The fact that there was a mirror on the ceiling and a water bed pointed to Froehike buying it though he wasn't quite sure who had given him the bed.

There were many instances when he got mixed signals from her. One minute he'd see her staring with longing in her eyes for him and the next she'd run away from him like when he'd gathered enough courage from his kiss with 'The Other Diminsional Scully 'and told her he loved her. But she had run off after saying, "Oh brother...", and he knew then that she hadn't believed him. He'd been truthful with her and laid out his heart and she'd run from it. Yet, Christmas had given him a glimmer of hope. She'd spent that morning with him unwrapping gifts they'd given and even snuggled up to his side as they watched the video tape she'd given him in the early morning hour until she had to leave to join her family. He wanted to go with her or ask her to stay but he hadn't wanted to push his luck and so he was content to just enjoy her company for as much as he was given. That had been five days ago and she had spent a few days with her family, which made him feel even more insane than it did with knowing she was spending the holidays with her family and he was not able to be there, to see her smile even more, to see how she acted amongst her family...he could only imagine and so that time she had stayed at her mom's was brutal on him though he'd never tell her that.

But the moment she returned, she had called him and Mulder was sure that Scully knew he missed her and he could've sworn that she missed him just as much. They hadn't seen each other for a few days, though they did call and he was dying to see her. He needed to see her. Mulder glanced over to the clock. 10:40. He stood up and grabbed his jacket, slipping it on. He opened the door and to his surprise Scully was standing with her fist raised ready to knock on his door. He looked down into her beautifully highlighted blue eyes and he couldn't help but stare.

Scully had jumped slightly when the door had opened, she was caught off guard when the most beautiful sight she had ever seen appeared before her, Mulder standing in a blue mock turtle neck and black jeans with a black jacket on, his hazel eyes had darkened and he was staring directly into her eyes. There was something there and she couldn't help but drink it all in as she locked into his gaze. Her other hand began to lose its grip on the paper bag full of wine and liquor bottles she had brought with her but Mulder caught them. They were mere inches from the other's face as he slowly stood back up having caught the bag. "I was just heading over to your place...", he said, bashfully.

A small smile spread across her lips. "I guess we had the same idea..."

"Come in, come in," he said, moving aside so she could enter. He placed the bag down on a side table and then helped her take off her jacket.

Scully could feel the warmth of his body heat as he slipped her jacket off of her from behind. She stood there motionless, listening to his movements and feeling sensations she couldn't describe though he hadn't touched her in any way. Without looking back she made her way over to his couch and sat down. She flicked the station until it came to a New Year's Eve party broadcast from some place she didn't recognize. Mulder brought the bag in after stripping out of his own jacket. He smiled and then dialed the Chinese restaurant placing their usual order. "I'm glad you came..."

"Me too," she grinned. "Well...since we spent Christmas Eve in that haunted house and Christmas morning here, I guess bringing in the New Year together wouldn't be so bad..."

Mulder nodded. "No, it wouldn't be so bad..."

Scully locked eyes with his again but she broke from it and reached for the bag. "I bought everything...Champagne, Rum, Wine...Guinness...even a few of your beers..."

"Whoa, we'd die of alcohol poisoning if we drank all that..."

"I just...", she stammered. "Wasn't sure...what you'd like..."

I got what I like, You came... he thought to himself. "Thank You...it's...it's fine...", he smiled. "I may even have some ice...", he said, heading for his fridge. He opened it to find a bag of ice stuffed in the corner of the empty freezer.

He filled two glasses with ice and returned. "What should we start with?", he said, looking at the array of alcohol.

"I guess I shopped like we were having a frat party," she blushed.

"No, no...no...", he said, reassuringly. "I like variety in most things..."

Scully blushed again, turning her head from him. She rebounded and turned back to see a twinkle in Mulder's eye and a smile on his face. "Mulder...", she said, rolling her eyes. "I've been wanting the rum...actually."

Mulder opened the Bacardi and poured her a glass. He poured the rum into his glass as well. They clanked glasses and then took a sip, enjoying the feel of the cool liquid as it traveled down their throats. There was a knock at the door and Mulder stood up and looked out of the peep hole. He opened the door and paid the delivery man. He brought their treasure into the living room and spread it out on his coffee table. He then went into his barely used kitchen and grabbed two dusty plates. He blew off the dust and quickly wiped them off with his shirt bringing them back into the living room and a few forks.

"Eat so when you get drunk and take advantage of me you can't blame it on an empty stomach!", he said with a grin.

"Ha, Ha!", Scully said, taking another sip of the rum. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"After I wake up from the alcohol induced coma?", he shot a look to Scully. She smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't a clue," he said. "How about you?"

"Having New Year's Dinner with my mom..."

"People still do that?", he said surprised.

"Yes...Yes actually. And they clean their homes so that it doesn't stay a mess all year..."

Mulder looked around at his own apartment. "I don't have to worry about that, Scully. "My place is in tip-top shape!"

"Tip top, huh?", she grinned. "Mulder...When was the last time you cleaned it?"

"The last time you cleaned it," he said, taking a sip on his drink. "Besides...We're never here Scully. It's not that bad, really...I've seen worst."

"I bet you have...", she laughed.

""Really...I think its neat and cleaned."

"Just like your side of the office?", she said cocking her head. "If it weren't for me Mulder...there would be cobwebs and disarray everywhere...You need me..."

Mulder turned to her and stared deep into her eyes. "I do need you...", he said sincerely.

Scully was taken aback. She could see the deepness of his eyes. They were darker than normal, almost black. His tone was serious as he looked deep into her soul. She gasped as she saw the depths of his eyes which told her that he meant it, He needed her. "I need you, Mulder...", she said quietly.

Mulder blew out the air he was holding in his lungs and grabbed up his glass, ready to clank them with hers. She followed suit and clanked her glass with his but this time they both took a deep gulp of the sweet but strong liquid. Scully could feel the effects of the rum already. A warmth had gone through her body but she was unsure if it was due to their conversation or the alcohol.

Another knock on the door startled them. Mulder grabbed his gun this time giving her a look. She took out her gun and followed behind him. He walked over to the door and peered through the keyhole again, his gun aimed towards the door. He dropped his hand down and put his gun back in his holster. He opened the door to the Lone Gunmen who were carrying a paper bag of their own.

"Mulder...thought you'd needed a party," Langley said, as he pushed past Mulder into the living room, followed by the other two Gunmen who were surprised to see Scully standing behind Mulder.

"Did we interrupt something?", Byers asked.

"No...", Scully said quickly.

Mulder's cast his eyes down and she could see the pain in his eyes from her quick response. She reached out and touched his hand. "I mean...we were just about to celebrate the New Years."

"You weren't gonna invite us?", Froehike said, picking up the bottles of liquor that sat on the coffee table.

"We brought some champagne and liquor too...Tequila!", Langley announced.

"We weren't having a party...I just kind of bought everything," Scully said, following the Gunmen into Mulder's living room.

She turned to see him still standing by the door. She cocked her head with concern. "Excuse me...", she said, walking back into the front entrance of his apartment. "You okay Mulder..."

Mulder shrugged. "I'm fine..."

She knew that answer. He was upset and was trying to hide it. "I didn't meant it the way it came out...", she explained. "That's not at all what I meant..."

Mulder nodded. He could see the sincerity in her eyes. She grabbed his fingers and pulled him into the living room. His fingers grazed her waist and he smiled inwardly at the contact. Mulder sat down on his couch and Scully sat closely next to him. Froehike seized the opportunity to sit as closely as he could to Scully which made her move in even closer to Mulder. Mulder gave Froehike a stern look and Froehike backed off.

"We thought you might be alone this New Years, Mulder," Byers informed him. "We came to cheer you up!"

"I'm not suicidal Byers!", Mulder said, grabbing for their glasses. He handed Scully back her glass but she put it back down. She was a little tipsy and that was the last thing she needed sitting next to Froehike.

"We know that," Langley said, snatching up an egg roll. "We just wanted to make sure you weren't alone..."

"I wasn't alone," he said, gesturing to Scully.

The three Gunmen smiled to each other. "You got glasses in that nuclear testing dump you call a kitchen, Mulder?". Byers asked.

Mulder smirked. "Help yourself..."

"Don't mind if we do," Froehike said, grabbing an egg roll for himself.

Mulder looked irritated with the Gunmen there. Scully could see it in the tenseness of his face and in his tone. She leaned in closer to him and he seemed to relax. Langley who was seated in one of Mulder's living room chairs next to the TV was watching them closely. He could see what they could not, that they were seated mere inches from each other while Froehike was seated at least a cushion away. Byers returned with a tray filled with Champagne glasses and three more glasses with ice that Froehike filled with Tequila. "It's almost time...It's 11:40..."

"What's your New Years wish, Mulder?", Scully said, turning to him.

She could see Mulder's hazel eyes turn instantly dark. She was mesmerized. There was desire in his eyes, longing and fear. Fear of what she wasn't sure. And there was love there. She knew it was. He loved her, she'd known that for some time but he was still not capable of giving her what she needed, not until he knew the truth about Sam. Until she knew for certain that Mulder could give her his love and be willing to be with her completely, she wouldn't act on it though she loved him completely, so much that it hurt her heart. She loved Mulder, She needed Mulder. But she had to be content in being his partner and friend until that day came.

"I want a lot of things," he said hoarsely.

"Ten, Nine, Eight," the Gunmen began to count down with the television.

"Like what?", Scully said as she leaned into him, their arms touching. She was staring up at him, her eyes locked onto his.

"Things I'm not sure I'll ever have...but I want...", he continued.

"Six, Five, Four..."

"Its a wish I've wished for...for a long time..."

"Your sister?"

"That's only half of it," he said, turning his head to stare at the screen.

"Three, two, one...HAPPY NEW YEARS!"

"Happy New Years!", Byers said, enthusiastically.

Scully swallowed hard. Her throat was dry so she reached for her glass of rum. Byers handed her a Champagne glass instead and shoved one into Mulder's hand. After passing out the drinks, they all clanked their glasses as the song, Auld Lang Zyne was being played in the background with shots of Las Vegas and New York's New Year's celebrations being broadcast on the television screen.

"WOOHOO, GIRLS!", Mulder's neighbor screamed.

They all turned to see the flurry of clothes being tossed past Mulder's window.

"New Neighbors?", Froehike asked with his eyes arched.

"Yeah...", Mulder said, shaking his head.

"Want us to check them out?", Langley asked.

"Sure...", Mulder said, sipping on his drink.

"Well...We've got to go...", Froehike said, snatching up the bottle of Tequila they had brought. "We've got a party to go too."

"A bunch of our friends are all playing D and D and enjoying a few herbals," Froehike smiled.

"This you tell two FBI agents...", Mulder said still irritated.

The Gunmen shrugged their shoulders. "Anyway...Mulder," they said, heading for the door. "Happy New Years to you both."

"You two...", Scully said, waving as they closed the door behind them.

"Finally they're gone," Mulder said, stretching out his legs.

"They're not that bad," Scully giggled. "That was nice of them to make sure you weren't alone bringing in the New Year."

"I guess it irritates me that they think I'm so pathetic."

"I don't think you're pathetic," she said, reaching for the cold Chinese food and scooping some on both of their plates. "I think we better nuke it." She grabbed up both plates heading for his kitchen.

"You don't think spending New Years alone is pathetic, Scully?", he said calling after her.

Scully was silent a moment. "But your not alone and neither am I...", she said, punching the buttons on the microwave.

Mulder waited until she returned to continue his thoughts. "We're not pathetic when we spend it together," he said, with a smile.

Scully smiled back and sat the food down in front of him. She then returned to her seat but she had moved a few inches away from Mulder this time. "No...You should bring the New Year in with good friends and people you care about and that's what we did. The Gunmen are good friends to us both but especially to you...and they are people we care about."

"Don't forget you or I...", he said, with his head cast down as he picked through his food. "We're best friends...We care about each other," he said in a small voice.

"We do!", she said firmly. "Yes...we do..."

"Just how drunk are we gonna get?," he said leeringly.

Scully smiled. "Not that drunk, Mulder."

"Damn," he chuckled as he stuffed the noodles into his mouth. They ate in silence, sipping occasionally on either they're leftover champagne or rum that Mulder had refreshed in their glasses.

"Scully...you never did tell me what you wanted as your New Years wish?"

Scully started to choke a little on her food and Mulder patted her back lightly but firmly, trying not to leave any bruises on her pale and delicate skin.

"You okay?", he asked concerned.

"Yeah...I'm alright," she said, taking another sip of her champagne. "I...I guess a noodle went down the wrong way...", she said, not looking at him.

"Well..."

"Well what?"

"What is your wish?"

"There's things I want...", she sighed. "Things that I may never have...but I want them just the same...", she said, avoiding his eyes. "Who knows what the future brings?"

"Yeah...who knows...", he said, clanking his glass against hers.

He turned up the volume on the TV and they sat in comfortable silence, listening to the drunken screams of his neighbor's and the firing off of fireworks throughout the city that made them jump. Scully found herself sitting closer to Mulder. Each time a gun shot or a fireworks went off they would catch her by surprise. Mulder would wrap his arm around her shoulder just briefly and then pull away. She couldn't help but react on purpose so she could feel his arms around her even for a second.

"I better head home," she said turning to face him.

He could tell from her eyes that she didn't want to leave. "Why don't you take the bed...I'm not used to sleeping in it yet anyway...I'll take the couch..."

"Okay..."

"Grab one of my t-shirts...You already know which drawer."

She blushed and nodded. "Okay..."

She stood up and was a little wobbling on her toes. Mulder quickly stood up and grabbed her around the waist. "You okay, Scully?"

"I guess all the alcohol kind of hit me at once..."

"You are a light drinker...", he laughed.

"Yeah I guess so..."

He removed his hands when she was steady and she bit her lip, missing the feel of his hands around her waist. "Good night, Scully...", he said, looking down into her eyes.

"Good night Mulder," she said, moving past him to the bedroom door.

She stopped at the door and turned to look at him. He was watching her.

"If you need to use the bathroom, Mulder...Don't worry about waking me...", she said, as she opened his door and closed it quickly.

He sat back down with a thud on the couch. He poured himself another glass but then put it down. He'd had enough, so he pushed it back and then grabbed up his blanket he kept on the couch and then laid down. He could still smell the scent of Scully and her light perfume mixed with the scent of her fruity shampoo that he loved so much. He muted the TV and then settled down into the couch, closing his eyes and actually drifting off to sleep.

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