"Dad, I'm scared." William said through clattering teeth.
"I know Will. I am too but sometimes you have to push through the fear. Everything will be fine, ok?" Mulder said.
William nodded, "Ok."
Mulder dug his gloved hands into the snow behind him and pushed off.
They flew down the hill that Scully had called, 'alarmingly steep'. Said woman stood at the bottom of the hill with one arm crossed over her waist and a hand to her mouth.
She tried to hide her smile as they barreled down the hill screaming. Mulder's arms were wrapped tight around his son and his face was split with a huge smile. William in turn was holding tight to the reigns whooping happily.
They were beginning to slow when Mulder turned his body fast and the sled turned to the side and they both tumbled out and rolled through the snow.
Scully took off toward them nervously but slowed down when she heard William's laughter.
They were sprawled out in the snow on their backs laughing.
William sat up excitedly, "Mom! That was so much fun!"
"Yeah it looked like you had fun." Scully said smiling as she watched William throw some snow up in the air.
"Let's do it again!" He said jumping up in the air, "Mom you should go this time!"
Mulder shot up, "Yeah Scully you're turn!" He smiled at her and egged William on.
"No I think I'll leave that to you guys."
William ran up to her, with a pink face full of the kind of exuberant joy that only an 8 year old could show, and took her hand, "Please mom! It will be fun! It wasn't even that scary once we got started."
Scully laughed and looked at his little mittened hands, "I think I'll sit this one out but you and dad should go again."
"Mooommmmm." William wined.
"Scullllaayyyyy." Mulder said in the same tone as came up behind her and put his hands on her hips.
She shot him a dirty look, "Mulder you seemed to have fun why don't you go again?"
"I did have fun but now I want to share the wealth and see you have fun!" He moved his hands to her upper arms.
She lightly elbowed him.
"Come on mom! It will be fun I promise!" William began to drag her away and Mulder gave her a smile.
"Have fun!" Mulder waved to them, "Oh! I'll grab my phone from the bag and record this! Your mom will love it Scully!"
"Mulder no!" Scully yelled as they trudged their way up the hill.
At the top Scully sat down in the sled and held it still while William crawled in between her legs and settled in.
Scully had fought mutants, serial killers, and a shadow government but for some reason as she looked down on that hill and the flimsy piece of plastic under them she grew scared.
"Ready mom?" William asked as he bounced with excitement.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She put her hands behind them in the snow, "Ok kiddo, 1… 2… 3!"
On three she pushed off as hard as she could and they took off down the steep embankment.
Scully screamed and took hold of a laughing William.
"Mom we should turn so we fall out like dad did!" She heard William yell back to her.
"No! We are riding this down like normal people!" Scully shouted back.
Not long after the words left her mouth she noticed a fast approaching bump in the snow and she cursed herself for even speaking.
They flew over the bump and hit the ground hard causing her foot to fall off the sled and get caught in the snow. The two of them flipped of the sligh and the next thing she knew William was yelling in delight and Mulder was sticking a camera phone in her face.
"Mulder stop that!" She swatted at him.
He laughed and put it in his pocket, "You ok? That looked rough."
He put out his hand to help her up.
"Yeah I think I'm fine." As she said this a sharp pain shot through her ankle, "Dammit!" She cursed and lifted her foot off the ground.
"Mom that's a bad word." William said seriously as he watched them from the snow.
"Yes you're right Will I'm sorry."
"Where does it hurt?" Mulder asked as he lowered her back to the ground.
"I think I just twisted my ankle, nothing too bad. I'll just need to keep it up with some ice."
Mulder scooped her up in his arms despite her protests, "I think that can be arranged."
They ended the snow day curled up on the couch with hot chocolate and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. It was two weeks till Christmas and they had watched the movie ten times at least by William's request. Will sat between his parents enraptured by the movie he had seen countless times. Mulder and Scully's hands met in the middle and Scully's leg was elevated with an ice pack sitting on her ankle.
"Happy snow day my snow queen." Mulder said and kissed her hand.
She squeezed his back and smiled down at William's little light head. She placed a small kiss to the top of it and settled in for a long winter's nap.