"You wanted me?" Scully called out to Mulder as she peeked her head around the door of his basement office. She had already knocked, firmly, but had received no reply.

Not long after she had arrived at work that morning, Assistant Director Skinner had passed her in the corridor and mentioned that Mulder had requested that she visit his office as soon as possible. With nothing better to do, Scully decided there was no time to waste, therefore immediately made her way down to the basement to find her partner. Now, here she was.

"Come in, Scully. Make yourself at home." Mulder gestured for her to enter.

Glancing around at the mess of files and stationary scattered all over the floor, Scully smirked. "I'll try, but my home is a lot tidier."

"Yeah, well it's all for the greater good. Here, take a look at this." Before Scully even had a chance to take a seat, Mulder thrust a file in her face.

She raised her eyebrows at him, prompting an explanation.

"It's a case. A gang of people have been spotted breaking and entering various houses over the past week or so, in a similar area each time." Mulder went on as Scully scanned the file.

"So? How is this relevant to our work? You know we don't deal with breaking and entering."

"Until now. Read the description of our suspects."

Brow furrowed in scepticism, Scully read on. "A group of around six men, all approximately five feet tall with pointed ears, wearing red and green striped outfits. Witnesses claim to have heard the sound of bells around the time of the crimes."

"Changed your mind yet?" Mulder gave his partner a contagious grin; contagious, that is, to everyone apart from Scully.

"Actually, no. I don't see your point here." Scully replied, clearly starting to get irritated.

"Small men, pointed ears, red and green?" Mulder encouraged.

"Mulder, what are you talking about?"

"Elves, Scully. I'm talking about elves."

Catching her breath, Scully bit back a snappy response. "Of course you are," she muttered.

"Can we at least check it out?" Mulder's bright eyes bored into his partner.

"Sure. Fine. Whatever. But it's probably just some kids playing a prank."

"Mmm." Mulder murmured, half-listening as he ushered Scully out the door.

After interviewing some witnesses and having to explain to the local sheriff why the FBI were involved in a breaking and entering case, Mulder and Scully were sat in the car, discussing whether or not they should drive back to Washington.

"I just think this is a job for the local police, not us." Scully was saying.

"I've got a hunch about this, Scully, I think we should stay just a little longer and see if something surfaces." Mulder argued.

However, just as Scully was about to reply, with added irritation in her voice this time, she noticed a flash of green by one of the houses nearby. "Oh no," she muttered, gesturing to Mulder to get out of the car. After some slight hesitation, he did as she asked. The two agents jogged over to each side of the alley next to the house, pressing their backs against the wall.

When Mulder gave her a questioning look, Scully whispered an explanation. "I saw them, they're breaking in."

Scully inclined her head, and they both edged into the alley, one after the other. Near the back of the house, she spotted someone hoisting themselves up onto a window ledge on the ground floor, accompanied by the sound of bells. Drawing her gun, Scully aimed it at the culprit.

"FBI, stop right there!" she shouted.

As the perpetrator glanced at Scully, she realised he had young features, which were exaggerated by an expression of shock.

"Freddie!" The kid called to one of his friends, who was apparently inside the house. "Freddie, get the hell outta there, the cops are here!"

Freddie did as he was told, scrambling to get out of the window; in his desperation, he lost his balance and fell on top of his friend outside the house. They lay on the ground for a few moments, a mess of red and green, and bells (which Scully could now see were attached to both of their shoes) jangled obnoxiously. The two of them leapt to their feet after disentangling themselves and gazed up at the detectives, wide-eyed.

When Scully realised the culprits were only teenagers, she instantly tucked her gun away, as did Mulder. For a few seconds, the FBI agents and the kids merely stared at each other, not knowing what to say.

Freddie spoke first. "Ma'am, are you gonna arrest us?"

"No, but we will have to call the sheriff and tell him you've been breaking into houses." Mulder stepped forward, interjecting before Scully even opened her mouth to speak. "You'll have to wait here with us until he gets here, alright?"

The kids nodded furiously, still looking scared.

Scully turned to look at Mulder with an 'I-told-you-so' look on her face. "Elves?"

Mulder avoided her gaze. "It was a perfectly plausible explanation!"

Scully rolled her eyes. That was another report she'd have to somehow make sound professional.