Together, but not "together," Scully and Mulder meet for lunch on Christmas Day, happy to spend time with one another.

December 25, 2016

Joe's Deli

1:30 p.m.

Scully took a sip of coffee, looking toward the door as she waited for Mulder. Glancing at her watch, she set her cup down and picked up her phone, seeing if perhaps she had missed a call or message from him.

Finding nothing, she decided to check her email while she waited. Nothing good or interesting, she exited the app and placed her phone face down on the table, taking another sip of coffee.

The bell above the door jingled and she saw him walk in, looking around and smiling when he saw her. Dodging past a waiter, he made his way over to her and joined her in the booth.

"Hey, sorry I'm late… there was this car that couldn't decide if the speed limit was a law or a suggestion," he said and she laughed. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, just got here a few minutes ago."

"Ordered yet?"

"Just coffee. Your tea should be here… yeah, in just a second," she said, signaling to the waitress and smiling.

"Ahh, Scully," he said, shaking his head with a smile as he picked up the menu.

"Iced tea, sir," the waitress said, setting the glass down on the table. "Let me know when you're ready and Merry Christmas to you both." She smiled and walked away, Scully taking another sip of coffee before setting her cup down and looking at her own menu.

"What looks good? You wanna share?" he asked and she glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't we always?"

"As long as you don't get a salad, yes we do," he answered with a wink and she smiled.

"No, I think today I'll get a French dip and some Matzo ball soup."

"Ohhh yeah. I'll get the pastrami then. And some onion rings. Perfect." He closed his menu and set it aside, smiling at her as he reached for his iced tea and unwrapped the straw.

She licked her lips and gave him a half smile, looking at the menu again, wondering what dessert she would get when they were finished with their meal.

"That was quick," the waitress said as she approached the table. Mulder nodded, smiling up at her, and Scully saw her blush.

Raising her eyebrows, she watched the interaction, highly amused at how easily he charmed people, women especially, and yet never seemed to be aware he was doing so. It was always a sight to behold and then tease him about later, laughing as he stuttered and scoffed at her words.

"We're old hats at this, Hannah," he said, glancing at Scully, who gave him an amused smile for using the waitresses name. He furrowed his brow for a second, no doubt knowing what she was thinking, before turning his attention back to the waitress. "Hannah, I'll have the pastrami with a side of potato salad, an extra pickle, and an order of onion rings. For the lady: a French dip, side salad substitute, and a large bowl of Matzo ball soup. We'll be sharing our meals, so we'll need some extra plates. And extra napkins, too."

"You got it," Hannah said, writing it all down on her notepad. "Did you want anything else? The salad, soup, and onion rings first, or with the meal?"

"I'll have a water and first is fine," Scully said, her eyes on Mulder. "Thank you, Hannah."

"Yes, thank you," he replied, staring back at Scully.

"You're welcome. Should be out soon." She took their menus and walked away, neither of them breaking eye contact.

"She's cute," Scully said, and his brow furrowed again.

"Is she? I hadn't noticed. I don't tend to see that when other such beauty is before me," he said and her eyes dropped to his lips for a brief second. "These salt and pepper shakers, for instance. Look at the craftsmanship." She glanced down and laughed with a snort as he showed her the glass bottles with metal tops carried in nearly every restaurant in the country.

He shook his head as he examined them and she watched him, that annoyingly nagging feeling in her stomach that had been there since they started working together again, rearing its ugly head. Since their separation, and subsequent being together but not together, she had moments in which she felt older and perhaps not who he wanted anymore.

Too much history and pain getting in the way of them having a future together aside from their work.

A glass of water was set on the table and a bowl of steaming Matzo ball soup. Two sets of wrapped utensils were placed on top of a large stack of napkins.

"Salad should be out soon, Miss," Hannah said and Scully looked up at her, feeling guilty for her feelings of silly jealousy.

"Thank you," she whispered and Hannah smiled, stopping at the next table before moving along.

Mulder handed her one set of the utensils and split the napkins between them. She nodded her thanks and paused the unwrapping of her utensils when he tapped the table gently, asking, without words, for her to look at him.

"I didn't mean the salt and pepper shakers," he whispered with a shake of his head. "I see no one else in here but you. Nobody else even registers."

He stared at her and that nagging feeling in her stomach turned to the sensation of butterflies, her heart rate increasing and breath catching. She reached out and squeezed two of his fingers with two of her own and nodded as she let out a ragged breath. He smiled and pulled his hand back, unwrapping his own utensils.

"So… we just share this one large bowl, or should I ask for another and we can split the balls up?" he asked, the moment passing, as he looked at the bowl.

"Well, it's always best to keep balls together, so I say we share."

His eyes widened as he lifted them to hers and she raised an eyebrow, a smile creeping across her face. Tilting his head, he raised his own eyebrows and licked his lips.

"It's been decided then," he said and she laughed as he picked up his knife and began to cut the Matzo balls into bite sized pieces, looking at her and waiting for her to take the first bite.

She dipped her spoon into the soup, filling it with broth and a bit of Matzo ball, raised it to her lips and blew on it gently to cool it down. He exhaled deeply through his nose, shaking his head as he stared at her, his eyes intense. She smiled before eating her bite and he hummed as he placed his spoon in the bowl and filled it with broth and carrots.

Her salad and other food soon arrived. Splitting the meals between them, they both pronounced that the other's sandwich tasted better and that sharing was always best. Taking a napkin from the pile, he reached over and wiped au jus from the corner of her mouth and memories of the times he had done that before, caused the butterflies in her stomach to once again stretch their wings and take flight.

God… but he knew how to make her feel weak.

Bread pudding was ordered, and as they waited, he picked up his coat on the seat beside him and took a white square box tied simply with a red ribbon out of his pocket. Setting it on the table, he slid it toward her with a grin.

She smiled as she picked up the red gift bag beside her and handed it to him. He grinned as she folded her hands and rested her chin on top of them, watching him pull out the green tissue paper.

"Oh my god…" he said with a chuckle as he took out the gift she'd had commissioned for him: a black and white drawing of a UFO pulling Bigfoot up in a tractor beam as a man, who looked suspiciously like Mulder, cried out Noooo! from behind a tree in a forest, his fists raised to the heavens. "Oh, Scully, this is fantastic."

"Glad you like it," she said with a smile.

"I love it. Exactly how I would feel if I were to see that happening," he said with a nod, looking at her and grinning. "Now you."

She untied the ribbon, setting it aside and began to open the box, but then she paused.

"Is it another keychain? Earrings made from implants?" she teased and he laughed softly.

"No. Not this time."

"Hmm," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Okay, I trust you."

"Good."

She lifted the lid and looked down, pulled back the tissue paper, and gasped. Sticking a finger through the looped light silver string, she lifted it from the box.

It was a clear glass orb holding within it, what looked like a tree of blown glass. Turning it, she admired the colors of the leaves: greens, reds, and yellows, as the sunlight caught them.

"Mulder…" she breathed, shaking her head. "This is beautiful."

"It's a healing tree," he said softly and she looked at him, letting out a surprised breath. He smiled and reached for the box. "This paper explains it in better detail: as in nature, it takes time to recover from a change. In life, we need to learn to be like the tree. To bend with the wind, remain strong when we believe we will break, and rely on those who love and care for us to help and guide us. The Healing Tree is the reminder to take a breath, to pause and reflect on what is most important." He finished reading and put the paper back into the box.

"It's beautiful," she said again, tears pricking at her eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Thought you could put it on your desk or hang it somewhere, whatever you wanted." He smiled and she nodded.

"I'll hang it, let the light shine through it." They stared at one another, the double meaning not lost on either of them. He nodded and with one more glance as it twirled, she put it back into the box.

"Here's your bread pudding," Hannah said, setting down a plate of a delicious smelling dessert, laying utensils beside them. "Enjoy."

"Oh, we will," Mulder said, licking his lips as he put his gift away. "This smells amazing. Thank you, Hannah." She nodded at them and walked away, Mulder handing Scully a spoon and then picking up his own.

"Merry Christmas, Scully," he said and she grinned.

"Merry Christmas, Mulder," she said, tapping her spoon to his before they each took a bite. Moaning as the sweet bourbon sauce hit her tongue, she smiled as she watched him lick his lips, his answering grin making her heart race.

"You busy after this?" he asked and she shook her head.

"Day's wide open," she answered and he nodded with a smile.

"Good," he said, taking another bite and smiling. "There's this place I was thinking of checking out. It's said to be haunted by the former residents who only return on Christmas."

"Christmas Eve, I think you mean and…" Picking up her coat, she felt around and nodded when she found her keys. "... unless you're some kind of magician, my keys are staying right here next to me." He howled with laughter and she smiled as she watched him. "So, you're welcome to go and see, but I think you missed it and… honestly, I think you know you should leave that house alone."

"Yeah," he said with a nod, scooping up a large bite and staring at her. "How about a walk down at the marina? See all the decorated boats?"

"Yeah," she agreed with a smile. "I like the sound of that."

"Decision made," he said, shoving the bite into his mouth and she laughed, reaching for a napkin to wipe sauce from his bottom lip as he winked and his foot grazed hers under the table.

Yeah… he knew just how to make her deliciously weak.