Krycek moves slowly and silently through the hallway, walking on the balls of his feet. As he nears the door, he slows even more, and listens intently for a full five minutes upon arriving.

Hearing nothing, he kneels and carefully pulls his lock picks from a pocket in his sleeve and quietly goes about unlocking the door. One tumbler falls into place, then another, and another until finally the lock pops back into the unlocked position.

He grimaces at the sound and waits another two minutes before moving. Finally he gently turns the knob and inwardly curses as the door creaks open. He waits, but there's no movement. He looks into the darkened apartment.

No one's home.

Taking a steadying breath, he crosses the threshold and shuts the door. Walking silently on the balls of his feet, he makes his way to the desk and retrieves the disk. He slips it into his jacket pocket and then looks at the little decorated tree sitting atop a side table. Metallic wrapping paper glints in the moonlight.

He walks to the tree, curious, and finds three wrapped gifts with his name on them. One is bigger than a shoe box, one the size and shape of a book and the last ...well, it's very small. He picks up the largest and gives it a shake, but though it's weighty there's no noise.

Hmmm.

Setting the gift on its side, he carefully begins pulling the tape away.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Krycek jumps, nearly throwing the gift in the air. "Mulder?"

A light flicks on.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do."

Krycek swallows and fidgets nervously under the stern glare. At least he didn't add 'young man' to that, he thinks to himself. "I can explain!"

Mulder stands there and waits.

"I..." Krycek starts and stops.

Mulder raises an eyebrow.

"There was..."

Mulder folds his arms.

"...I can't explain this," Krycek admits, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"Why'd you take the disk?"

"To sell it," he answers glumly.

"You don't get to pout right now," Mulder scolds. "Who were you going to sell it to?"

"Some Eastern Russians," Krycek admits, pulling the disk out of his pocket and setting it on top of the gift.

"I should return all your gifts."

Krycek's eyes fill with tears as he looks up at Mulder.

"But I won't," Mulder grins. "You didn't get enough Christmases as a kid for me to do that to you."

Krycek sniffles and wipes at his eyes.

"You are getting a spanking, though, and you're grounded until New Years. No TV, no computer, no nothing."

Letting out a long groan, Krycek tries pleading with his eyes.

"C'mon, let's get this over with," Mulder says tiredly as he turns to go into the kitchen.

Krycek follows him and watches as Mulder sets a kitchen chair in the middle of the floor.

"You're not mad?"

Mulder turns to face him, "Yeah. Mostly disappointed, though."

Krycek winces and looks down.

"Why were you going to sell the disk?" Mulder asks.

"Christmas money," Krycek answers quietly. "I wanted to get you a new computer, and I thought it was time Scully got a new dog."

Mulder smiles, feeling what little anger he felt slip away. "What about Skinner?"

Krycek shoots him a playful glare, "He can go fuck himself."

Laughing, Mulder shakes his head and sits down. He pats his knee.

"Instead of this can't you give me chores?"

"No, I have a cleaning lady," Mulder tells him. "Don't try bargaining, get over here."

Krycek shuffles over slowly, and Mulder grabs his hips and undoes his pants.

"Mul-derr," Krycek whines.

"This one's serious," Mulder says, baring and then pulling the unhappy Krycek over his lap.

"How did you know?" Krycek asks, hoping to forestall his punishment. "Ow!"

It didn't work.

"I was using a self hypnosis cd with headphones," Mulder admits as he spanks.

"Ow - of course you were," Krycek grumbles.

Mulder spanks every inch of Krycek's bottom and then moves on to the tops of his thighs.

"Oh! It hurts," Krycek whimpers.

"Try to remember that," Mulder tells him, not letting up.

"Please," Krycek whimpers, putting a hand back.

Mulder catches his hand and holds it in the small of his back, then he tips him forward.

"NO! I'm sorry!"

"So am I," Mulder says, tearing into Krycek's sit spots with harshly landed swats.

Krycek kicks and cries, then tries pulling himself away, but it's no use. Just when he starts to cry hard, and thinks he can't take any more, Mulder stops.

Mulder pulls his underwear and then his jeans up for him, and pulls him up off his lap. He pulls Krycek into a one-armed hug. "Think you can be good now, brat?"

Krycek nods into Mulder's shoulder.

"Why don't you take a nap. Scully will be here soon to cook us dinner and fuss over you," Mulder smiles.

Krycek smiles back, but then his face drops, "Are you gonna tell her?"

"Of course."

"Will she..." Krycek doesn't finish his question.

"You've already been punished, so I doubt it," Mulder says. "But you did do something illegal again, she's not gonna be happy to hear that."

Krycek gives a pitiful sigh and nods, then walks to the bedroom to take a nap.

"Could you at least hide the wooden spoons?"