Chapter 14: Christmas Party

"Walter, what is this?" Maggie pulled a red and gold embossed envelope from the pile of junk mail on his kitchen counter. Skinner, who had his back turned cooking on the stove, glanced at the paper she held in her hand and waved his own dismissively. "It's an invitation to this muckety muck Christmas party. Nothing interesting."

Maggie smiled at him indulgently. "I know what it is Walter, I got one too. Robert and Dolly are cohosting this year." She said, referring to their mutual friends, Senator Matthews and his wife. "Why is it with your junk mail? Don't you want to go?"

Skinner turned and looked at her like perhaps she had suggested they accept an invitation for an orgy. "You want to go?"

Maggie rolled her eyes, "An excuse to dress up, drink good wine and hang out with my best friend? Yes, I do want to go. Plus..." She sauntered up to him and ran a finger down the buttons of his shirt. "I hear that one of the FBI Assistant Directors is going to be there and that he is very handsome."

Walter raised an eyebrow, suddenly very serious, "Alvin Kersh is married, Margaret." Maggie burst out laughing as Walter bundled her against his chest. "I hadn't even actually considered going, but if you want, we can." He considered for a moment, "Most of our mutual acquaintances will be there, right?"

"Probably." Walter nodded, satisfied with his decision, "Perfect time to stake my claim on you then."

"Stake your claim?" Maggie whacked him playfully on the chest. "Just pee on my leg why don't you?"

Skinner laughed releasing her to finish dinner. "Is that an option? Easier than spending a whole night in a tux."

"You are incorrigible." Maggie shot him an exasperated look as she moved to set the table. "Men." She muttered in amusement.

So, despite his initial reluctance, Skinner donned his tuxedo in preparation for the party. Standing in the foyer waiting for Maggie, he turned as he heard her enter. His breath caught as his eyes laid on her and he looked her up and down. She looked radiant in a long, silver skirt and a black, long sleeved, carefully cut bodice. Her hair was curled and the top pinned back to frame her face. She looked damn sexy, but completely classy enough to spend the evening rubbing elbows with Washington society people.

"Wow." Skinner took her hand and spun her around slowly, exaggeratedly looking her over. "Good god, I don't think I can take you out looking like that."

Maggie blushed fiercely, "Walter, don't you think you're a little bit biased?"

Skinner shook his head, grinning. "I may be biased, but I'm still going to keep my eye on you. I want to make sure that I bring you home with me tonight."

Laughing, Walter escorted Maggie out to the car, looking forward to showing off his pretty date to the other party guests.

Outside, Skinner's mirth was tempered by the sight of Maggie's neighbor, John, out walking his dog. Maggie had confided in him that John was the first person that she had gone out with, once, just slightly more than a year after Bill's death. Their date hadn't been bad, it had just been much too soon for her and she politely turned down his offer of a second date.

"Maggie." John lifted his arm and waved from the sidewalk.

"Hello John." She waved back and climbed in the car, just a friendly encounter between neighbors.

Walter, who had held the door for Maggie so she could arrange her skirt, walked around the back of the car.

"Warren? Right?" John said to him, a slight challenge in his voice. Walter dismissed the thought. "Walter." He corrected the man. "Yeah, Walter, right." John motioned toward Walter's attire. "You guys going to a wedding?" "Nope, Barnstable Brown Christmas party in the city."

John raised an eyebrow, "Really, that's fancy."

Skinner nodded, opening the car door, "Yep, should be fun. See ya, Joe." The entire conversation, though polite on the surface, was actually alpha male posturing at its worst.

Two can play that game. Skinner thought as he backed out of the drive way, glancing in the rearview mirror at John still standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

Maggie, as usual, missed nothing and regarded Walter with a raised eyebrow. "What?" He shrugged an shoulder at her, trying to look innocent.

Entering the mansion where the party was held, Walter took their coats to the coat room and went to find drinks. He was waylaid by a few people he knew and by the time he reached the bar, Maggie had wandered off in the crowd. Snagging a drink for himself from the bar, Walter scanned the room, taking a moment to find Maggie greeting Dolly across the room. Her skirt moved around her like liquid silver, accenting the smooth curve of her hips. He was contemplating what a damn lucky man he was when he heard a voice to his left call his name. "Walter?"

It was the Robert and another man. Walter shook both their hands and Robert introduced his companion. "This is James Holmes, he's an old friend."

The three men chatted for a few minutes until Robert turned to Walter questioningly, "Have you seen Dolly?"

Skinner pointed with a finger toward where the two women were standing, "She's over there." He turned to the bar tender to order a glass of wine for Maggie, deciding he had spent enough time away from her.

"Is that Maggie Scully she's talking to? She hasn't been to any of these parties in a few years, has she? I've been looking forward to having to opportunity to ask her out to dinner, she's quite a woman." He turned to Robert, "She's friends with Dolly, right? Do you know if she's seeing anyone?" Robert looked uncomfortable and didn't answer.

"Yeah." Skinner took a long drink and emptied his glass, "me." The other man sputtered an apology and assured Walter of his ignorance of Maggie's relationship status, but Walter just signaled to the bartender. "Excuse me gentleman, Maggie's waiting for her drink." Snagging Maggie's drink, he made his way across the room to the two women.

"Hello ladies." Walter, well aware the men he left at the bar would he watching, dropped a kiss on Dolly's cheek and a lingering one on Maggie's lips.

"Hi Walter, having a good time?" Dolly enjoyed teasing him and grinned at the flush that rose in his cheeks. "I should go find Robert."

"He's at the bar." Skinner murmured, his eyes on Maggie. Forgetting he had just handed her a glass of wine, he pulled her close. "Want to dance?" Walter suddenly felt desperate for all of these people to know that Maggie Scully was his and that he was hers. It wasn't so long since their short break up that Walter had forgotten how bad it felt to lay in bed alone, remembering how good it had once felt to lay in bed with her. There were other men after her and Walter was feeling like a dog protecting his favorite bone.

Maggie, sensing the shift in his mood, agreed to dance and Walter led her by the hand to the dance floor.

Being nestled in his arms on the dance floor felt so right to Maggie. For a long time, she had known that she was in love with Walter, but it still surprised her sometimes when she realized how content she was with him as "her man." They danced without talking for two songs, simply enjoying one another's proximity, not caring who observed them.

Once, even after Maggie and Walter had begun seeing each other, it had felt a little traitorous to Maggie when they were seen together. Now, It didn't seem strange anymore for the public to know that she was with Walter Skinner. Which is why, when they retreated from the dance floor and she excused herself to the bathroom, returning to find Sheila Anderson saddled up to Walter, Maggie's ire was raised immediately. Sheila, Admiral Anderson's trophy wife had once pursued Maggie's husband and the woman left a bad taste in her mouth. Now, she had her skanky paws on Walter, leg poked out suggestively from the too high slit in her too tight dress.

"Walter," the woman purred, putting her hand suggestively on his arm. "I heard that you led the task force that caught that horrible serial killer. Can I just say that I find law enforcement to be the bravest profession. So brave." She ran her hand down his arm while her other hand fingered a button on his suit jacket. Slut! Maggie thought as she approached them. Walter cleared his throat and took a step back. He didn't need to try to rescue himself any further because Maggie was right behind him.

"Sheila." Maggie's voice dripped with barely masked venom as her arms went possessively around Walter's waist. The woman turned and regarded Maggie with surprise. "Maggie, I didn't know you would be here." "Well, Walter and I thought a night out would be fun, so, here we are."

"Oh, you and Walter are seeing each other?" Sheila's voice sounded surprised, but in her eyes Maggie saw different.

"Yes, we are." Maggie's voice pushed through her teeth, hardly containing her anger. "I saw the Admiral, your husband, looking for you by the bar."

Walter, amused that Maggie was staking her claim on him, put his arm around her shoulders. "Excuse us, Mrs. Anderson, if you don't mind." He led Maggie around the edge of the party and into an abandoned sitting room.

He immediately pulled her into his arms, his hands smoothing over her waist. "Margaret, anyone ever tell you you're cute when you're jealous?"

Maggie was unapologetic, "That little tramp needs to learn to keep her hands off my man."

"Ummm, I like that." Walter nuzzled her chin with his nose. "But, she would have realized in about three more minutes that I'm just a tight ass, boring, Fed. It's you I've had to keep my eye on."

"Me?" Maggie was momentarily distracted from her hatred of the woman in the other room by the small, teasing kisses Walter was laying on her jaw.

Skinner pulled back slightly to look at her. "Maggie, every unclaimed man in that room who has ever met you was watching you tonight and a few of the married ones. Three separate people asked me if you were seeing anyone. Your neighbor John almost didn't let me take you out of the driveway. You are one of a kind, Maggie, and I'm not the only one who sees that."

Maggie's arms snaked around his neck, "You're jealous? Over me?" Skinner nodded incredulously, "Yeah, sorry but I get a little territorial when every unattached man in the room is after my girl."

"Your girl?" It was an old fashioned sentiment, but it warmed Maggie's heart. "Walter, you know you're the only one I want." She ran her hand down the front of Walter's vest, tugging him down to meet her in a slow kiss. "Do you want to go home?" She murmured as his hands wandered down past her waist to squeeze her backside through the smooth satin of her dress. Skinner kissed her again, "I haven't heard such a good idea in a long time."

They hastily said their goodbyes, careful to avoid Sheila and anyone else who had been causing them issues that night and quickly made their way to the car. Walter started the engine, but turned to her before moving. "Where are we going?"

Maggie giggled, "Well, I would say your condo, because it's closer..." "You little minx." Walter teased her.

"But, I didn't bring a change of clothes." She gestured down to her formal dress.

Walter leaned in toward her suggestively, "What I have planned for you, you won't need a change of clothes." Dispute his teasing, Walter maneuvered the car through the Washington streets and out of the city.

Halfway through their trip home, Walter voiced something he'd been wondering about. "Maggie, how come you never dated more after Bill died?"

Maggie looked surprised at the question, "Well, I went out three times before I started seeing you. John, Richard," she shuddered at the name of her one time stalker, "and a friend of Dolly's who never even called me afterward."

Walter realized she wasn't understanding his question. "Maggie, you could have gotten three dates TONIGHT. Don't tell me other people didn't ask you out."

Maggie shrugged, "I guess they did. I turned some people down before I went out with John. I couldn't even entertain the idea within the same year I lost Bill, plus that was while Dana was missing, so I was really preoccupied. The rest, I suppose I compared them to Bill and they didn't measure up. The only dates I really went on were because of pressure from Dolly or Constance. I really had no desire to replace Bill and I felt like that is what they all wanted me to do."

"Maggie, why is it different with us?" Skinner wasn't sure he was ready for her answer.

She considers him for a moment. "I've wondered that myself. I guess it's that you never made me feel like our relationship had to be better than mine and Bill's. We were friends and then one day I turned around and realized I was in love with you. I realized it was possible to love you and still keep Bill in my heart. You remind me a lot of him you know. Stern and gruff on the outside, but inside, you're all fluff." Maggie broke the serious of the moment by reaching out and poking him in the ribs.

"Fluff, huh?" Skinner said in mock offence as they pulled into Margie's driveway. "I'll show you fluff."

Maggie, laughing, jumped out of the car before he had even turned off the engine. Walter jumped out a second after her.

"You think you can get away from me?" He chased her as she tried to run up the drive in her long skirt and heels. "I'm going to catch you, and you're going to kiss me." He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her backwards off of the porch steps back out into the yard.

She taunted him, "You keep your hands off me Walter Skinner." Pounding playfully on the arms that held her off the ground she said, "Let me go!"

Walter grinned at her and tightened his hold on her, "Not until you give me what I want."

Before Maggie could respond, a voice behind them bellowed, "Baltimore police, let her go!" Followed by the distinct sound of a revolver hammer being cocked.

Maggie's head whipped up but Walter didn't move a muscle. "John!" Maggie admonished, "put that gun away! He isn't hurting me."

Realizing what was happening, Walter slowly turned toward the sound of the voice. Sure enough, it was Maggie's neighbor, the same one from earlier, in nothing but his boxers and a ratty t-shirt, holding his service weapon.

"Officer, John." Walter put Maggie down and pushed her gently behind him. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. We were just playing around. I'm sorry if we were loud. We'll go in the house and everything will be alright."

John looked unconvinced. "Maggie, are you sure this man isn't assaulting you? He had his hands all over you."

"No John. Walter is a very kind and gentle man and he would never hurt me."

John lowered his gun, suddenly aware he was only half dressed. "Ok. But, I'm just next door, so if you have any trouble, I'm right next door." He repeated himself in a lame warning aimed at Walter. His gaze still suspicious, he turned and walked back toward his house.

John, feeling glum, walked slowly down the sidewalk. Maggie had told him after their date that she wasn't ready to date yet. He had assumed that this meant once she was ready, she would give him a call. Initially, he hadn't been worried when he saw Walter around a lot, thinking him just a friend or relative. Now, he had to admit to himself that Maggie had moved on, and it wasn't with him.

He heard Maggie giggle from her front porch, "But I like it when you have your hands all over me."

Oh brother. John entered his house and sat heavily down in his Lazy Boy and flipped on the tv.

Inside the bathroom, Maggie donned her prettiest nightgown. At her age, she wasn't about to put on the super sexy get ups that very young women would go for, but, looking at herself in the mirror, she was satisfied with the way she looked. She thought that Walter would probably think the same thing.

"Maggie? You ok in there?" Walter called out from the bedroom. Smiling, she opened the door and walked into the bedroom.

"Here I am dear." Walter turned from where he was shucking off his pants. "Wow."

Maggie ran her hands through the hair on Walter's bare chest, "That's the second time you've said that to me tonight Mr. Skinner. Keep it up and I might think you like what you see."

"Be assured Margaret, I always like what I see when I look at you." Walter went for a variation on his favorite move and hoisted her up so her legs were wrapped around his waist. Kissing her deeply, he whispered, "This is much better than that stuffy party, right?" Instead of waiting for her answer, he dropped her on the bed and moved to kiss her chest, putting a hickey above her right breast. "There. What do you think John would say about that?" Skinner said, very satisfied with his work. "Stop talking about John!" Maggie admonished him, pushing him over and kissing him soundly.

"Ok." He pushed her back on the bed and, taking both her hands in one of his, gently but firmly pinned them above her head. "Ooh!" Maggie gasped in delighted surprise as Walter took first on nipple then the other in his mouth, teasing them until she squirmed. His free hand took up the minstrations as he kissed her roughly on the mouth. "You are mine now Margaret and I am going to fight to keep you." His voice was low and gravelly in her ear. These words, coming from another man, might have sounded menacing, from Walter they were exhilarating. Maggie could not help but tease him to keep his ego in check. "Really? I thought we were just having a little fling?" Skinner only growled in response and nipped at her neck as they continued making love, each marking the other possively. Exhausted, they fell asleep almost immediately, cuddled together peacefully.

Early the next morning, Skinner woke feeling relaxed and happy. Sleeping next to Maggie always made him feel so much more rested than without her. Or maybe it was the good sex. Either one. He thought about her words from the night before. She had looked him straight in the eye when she said it, and though her tone was teasing, Walter knew there was a kernel of truth to her words. Though they had been seeing each other for the better part of a year, they had not made any kind of official commitment and Skinner was an official kind of guy.

As he lay in bed watching her sleep, a realization crossed Walter's heart. He wanted to wake up with Maggie every morning for the rest of his life. But, he wasn't just content to be with her, he wanted her to be his wife. The realization shocked him a little.

Pushing the hair out of her eyes, Walter gently kissed Maggie's forehead, the bridge of her nose, each eye lid, then her lips. Sighing, Maggie smiled softly and opened her eyes. "Good morning." She whispered, trying not to break the spell of the early morning calm.

Walter returned her smile and kissed her gently again. "Good morning. How are you feeling today?"

Maggie stretched under the covers, wincing just a bit from her love sore muscles. "Like I made love to a bear." She joked as she snuggled closer, kissing his chest, "but a very handsome bear."

Cradling her gently, he asked, "What did you have in mind for us to do today?"

Maggie lifted her head and looked at him mischievously, "Oh, I have big plans for you after breakfast." At Skinner's raised eyebrow she laughed softly. "I can't reach the hooks to hang the Christmas lights on the outside of the house by myself."

Laughing out loud, Walter rolled, pulling her onto his chest so he could hug her tightly before they climbed out of bed.