Title: Mistletoe

Author: Shazza777

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Very vague reference to How the Ghosts Stole Christmas

Category: MSR

Disclaimer: Not mine. No infringement intended.

Author's Note: My friend and I decided to do a Prompt word every week. This week for me was 'Mistletoe' so for the first time in over 10 years I am back to writing fan fiction. Check out my friend Pereybere and her prompt word which is 'Candles'

Mistletoe

The mood was merry and relaxed. Christmas was over and all that was left to do was New Years Eve. It had been a pleasantly quiet Christmas and for that Dana Scully was thankful. No haunted houses this year, no getting shot. Just silence. She had only agreed to go to the office party at the last minute because her partner Fox Mulder had pleaded with her. 'Come on, you will have fun'. 'What's the worst that could happen?'. He wasn't going to let it drop so she reluctantly obliged. His damn puppy dog eyes making her gullible.

By the time she had arrived around 10ish, the party was already in full swing. Music was playing, although she had no idea who it was, and the disco lights were swinging even though the overhead lights were on, making it pointless. Taking a deep breath she scanned the room looking for her partner. Too many people. She was going to have to walk through to find him. Pushing her way past people while politely saying, 'Excuse me' and 'thank you' was not as easy as she had hoped. No one could hear over the music and her petite frame made it harder to be noticed.

Finally, what looked like an opening through the crowds appeared. As she geared up to take her chance, a tall, slender figure appeared in front of her. From where, she had no idea.

"Hey there!" he exclaimed swaying heavily on his feet. With a beer being grasped tightly in one hand, she could see him trying to maintain his focus.

Scully looked up to see Agent Dawson staring intently at her. Immediately, she groaned. He had been asking her out on a date for what seemed like a life time. She had declined politely every time but he was pretty insistent.

"Hi." she said making a move to the left of him. It was no good, he matched her move. She sighed. Best just to make pleasantries. She continued scanning the room for her partner.

"So Dana," he drunkenly slurred. "When are you going to put me out of my misery and say yes to a date with me?"

"Tom, it isn't going to happen. You're not my type."

She tried again to make a move away from it but he blocked her again. She rolled her eyes. What was it going to take? She hoped Mulder would make an appearance and rescue her.

"Aww come on," he said, crestfallen. "Not even a kiss? We are after all standing under the mistletoe." She followed his gazed up to where he was looking. There it was. Mistletoe.

As the party continued around her someone bumped into Agent Dawson and made him spill his drink.

"Shit!" he cursed, spinning round to see who was to blame.

Scully jumped at the distraction and made her way round Agent Dawson. Far enough away from him, she studied the room. It was everywhere: mistletoe hung from every point. There was no escaping it. She groaned moving forward in search of Mulder.

As Scully neared the corner of the room, through a small gap in the crowd she could see her partner in the corner. Sitting on the window ledge with a drink in hand. He looked sullen. Talking to nobody and gazing out the window. Making a dash for it through the crowd, Scully finally caught up to him.

"Hey," she spoke placing her hand on his shoulder. A shoulder she had held so many times before, but this time was different. It was tense. Almost like he was agitated.

He turned to face her with what looked like a smile of relief. He was glad that she had agreed to come, it wouldn't have been the same without her. Her eyes danced with the swinging of the lights. Oh how he loved getting lost in them. Feeling like he was seeing through to her very soul.

"Thought you weren't going to show up," he looked back out the window, "Was getting pretty lonely over here."

"You begged me to come, remember? If you weren't going to enjoy it, why did you bother?"

He pursed his lips, as though not quite knowing how to answer. He didn't really have an answer. He just thought it would be good for them to try and socialise with other agents instead of being locked up in the basement.

"I thought we could try something different, you know, instead of ghosts." he smirked.

Before Scully could respond, he jumped up and grabbed her hand.

"Come on," he shouted, "There's a food cart across the street and I'm in the mood for a hot dog!"

He made his way through the party goers with ease. With his 6ft frame and muscular build, people noticed him and moved. Scully followed behind, making sure she wasn't going to bump into Agent Dawson again. As Mulder opened the door and chauffeured her out he grabbed the mistletoe hanging from the door. His height made it easy to do without anyone noticing.
Walking out in the crisp night air, they both stopped and soaked in the silence and freshness. A fresh layer of snow had recently fallen, covering the ice. Scully looped her arm through his and they headed towards the food cart.

There was something refreshing about walking through the streets near midnight. Everybody else was indoors, drinking and keeping warm, waiting for the ball to drop at midnight. Mulder and Scully slowly walked eating their hot dogs. No words were spoken, just enjoying each others company. They had been working together that long now that they could communicate through facial expressions.

Mulder was the first to break the silence after scrunching up his hot dog wrapper and slam dunking it into the litter bin.

"Do you ever have any regrets?" he looked at her sullenly.

"Regrets?" she repeated curiously. She eyed her partner suspiciously, wondering what it was about.

"Yeah, regrets." He fiddled with the mistletoe in his pocket. Waiting for the perfect moment. "Do you wish you could go back and change anything?"

She thought for a moment. How she would have loved to settle down and to have a family, a normal life, so to speak. Looking up at Mulder though, she knew that given the chance, she would not change anything. They were partners, best of friends, the only person the other trusted. She would never give that up. Not for anything.

"No," Scully replied honestly, "I wouldn't change a thing."

For a moment, Mulder looked like he had been taken by surprise. Was that not the answer he was expecting? He give her a reassuring smile. His eyes lit up as he opened his mouth to speak. Interrupting his chain of thought, huge cheers chorused up from all around them. That could only mean one thing. It was midnight and the ball had dropped. Scully looked up at him.

"Happy new year." she whispered.

He seemed momentarily startled by the distraction. She shivered and pulled her collar closer round her neck.

"You cold?" asked Mulder.

She responded by nodding her head and shoving her hands into her pockets, trying to keep warm. He moved closer and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. He held her tight.

"Happy New Year, Scully."

Scully felt like he hadn't held her long enough when Mulder pulled away. There was something so nice, so loving being wrapped up in his arms. She had felt the pulsating of his heart as her head rested against his chest. His smell. She could breathe it in all day. Feeling the cold creep through the gaps in the collar she moved closer to Mulder hoping his body would provide some shelter from the cold breeze.

"Scully..." he trailed off. He fiddled in his pocket more. Uncertain if this was the right time, yet he knew, it couldn't be put off forever. He nibbled the corner of his lower lip as he contemplated what to do. Butterflies flew about in his stomach. Looking down at Scully, she stared at him expectantly.

The moonlight shone down on her, giving her eyes a beautiful twinkle. Losing himself in them, he thought of all the things he would love to say to her. How stunning she was. How he would want to give her everything she could possibly wish for.

"Mulder? What is it?"

Pulling the mistletoe from his pocket, he took in a deep breath. He studied her face as he lifted it over their heads. This was it, the final moment of truth and he couldn't have been more nervous.

"I was hoping that I might, er," suddenly his mouth was dry and he was having a hard time putting his words into his mouth. She continued to stare at him, waiting expectantly on the rest of his sentence. Giving himself a silent scolding, he attempted to continue. "Can I kiss you?" he asked tentatively as he shook the mistletoe.

Her eyes widened. Mulder started to panic. Maybe she was going to say no?

"We are under the mistletoe after all," he offered.

"Mulder," she smiled putting a reassuring hand on his cheek, "You don't need mistletoe to kiss me."

Standing on her tip toes she pulled him towards her and as their lips met, they closed their eyes with fireworks going off in the background. Mulder would never need mistletoe to feel her lips on his. Scully had made that clear as she teased open his mouth to play with his tongue.

End.

I haven't written fanfiction for more than ten years. Please send me comments and (on Archive of Our Own) some kudos! Thank you!