Title - Family Dinner
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Keywords - MSR, MA, SA
Spoilers - set some time after Emily
Summary - Mulder and Bill have to work on burying the hatchet when Scully's life is in danger.
Disclaimer - The characters don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for my own therapeutic purposes. They will be returned relatively unharmed to Chris Carter, or whoever wants to borrow them next, when I'm done.
Chapter 1
The holidays are generally a happy time for Dana Scully. She loves the decorations, the music, and everything else that brings out the holiday cheer. This year, however, things are different. It's not that she isn't happy, she's just too busy and stressed to realize it right now. She's definitely far too busy to be having this conversation.
"Mulder, I'm trying to finish this. What do you want?" she snaps, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder while adding the layers of vegetables to her casserole.
"I'm sorry, Scully. I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to tell you I love you."
She can practically see him pouting over the phone and instantly feels contrite for being short with him.
"Thank you, Mulder," she says, her voice becoming calmer than before. "I love you, too."
Mulder is another source of stress for her this holiday season. This is the first Scully family dinner he's attending with her - really with her - as more than a friend or partner. This dinner will be their 'coming out' for lack of a better description. Nobody in her family knows that they've gotten together as a couple and will soon be getting married. So she's a little nervous at how this evening will turn out.
Not only that, but this year her mother decided to share the cooking duties. She assigned all the women attending, Scully included, one of the dishes to prepare. Which is what Scully is hastily trying to complete before the dinner. A task Mulder isn't making easy. But she also knows he wouldn't be calling just to bother her. There has to be a reason. It's just that sometimes, he needs a little coaxing before he gets to the point. However, she doesn't have that kind of time today, so she tries to get to the point for him.
"Seriously, Mulder. Why did you call?" she asks, not trying to sound impatient, just trying to move the conversation along. "You're supposed to be here any minute to pick me up."
"Scully, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, your brother Bill will be there. And he hates me," he whines.
Ah. So he's scared and trying to back out, she figures. She doesn't blame him. She's nervous too. He just needs some encouragement. And if that doesn't work, she'll try bribery.
"He doesn't hate you, Mulder," Scully assures him. "He's just kind of protective of me. Besides, you two have hardly had the time to get to know each other. How could he possibly hate you?"
"Let's just say that we've had a few run ins, and leave it at that. Trust me. Your brother hates me."
"I don't understand . . . "
"Forget it, Scully. I shouldn't have said anything. I'll be there in about half hour." He tries to hang up the phone, but she doesn't let him.
"Just a minute." She has to know what he means by 'run ins' with her brother Bill. Why doesn't she know anything about them? She knows that Bill doesn't approve of the her choice in career, but she had no idea that the animosity extended to her partner.
"Mulder, why don't you get along with my brother?"
"It's nothing, Scully. I guess I'm just projecting or something. I don't think I would have liked any guy dating Samantha either," he says, trying to put her off. But she isn't falling for it.
"No, Mulder. You mentioned some run ins with him. What did you mean by that? Has Bill said anything to you? I know he didn't agree with using the chip when I was dying from the cancer. But I recovered. I survived. He can't still be mad about that, can he?"
"Bill has made it very clear to me that he doesn't appreciate my presence in your life. He blames me for the bad things that have happened to your family."
"That's ridiculous, Mulder. How could you be responsible for my cancer?"
"Not just your cancer. Melissa, too. And all the times I've dragged you into danger on the job."
"None of that was your fault, Mulder. He can't think that you . . . "
"He's outright said it, Scully," he says, interrupting her. "Along with calling me a few choice names."
"He what? Oh, Mulder, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"It wasn't the right time. You were so sick. He thought you were dying. I can understand him being so upset. I thought that's all it was. But then that time with Emily . . . let's just say he wasn't exactly happy to see me then either."
"I had no idea," she says quietly. "I can understand why you wouldn't want to come to this dinner. I'll make an excuse for Mom."
"No, don't do that. I shouldn't have even brought it up. I was just nervous. They have to find out about us sooner or later, right? Tonight is the perfect time."
"Are you sure? Mulder, I'd hate to put you in the position of being verbally abused by my brother again. There really is no excuse for that kind of behavior."
"I'm positive. And don't worry about it. I'll handle Bill. You just finish up with your dish and I'll be there soon to pick you up." He tells her he loves again her before hanging up the phone.
Scully realizes, much to her dismay, that while talking to Mulder, she neglected her delicate casserole and burned the top layer that was simmering on the stove. She starts to make more when she discovers she's out of the main ingredient. Thinking quickly, she finds herself across the hall, knocking on the door.
"Hi, Mrs. Levitz," she says almost shyly to the old woman across the hall.
"Dana. It's good to see you. How are you, my dear?"
"Good, Mrs. Levitz. But I'm afraid I need to borrow some cream cheese, if you have it."
"I'm sorry. I was baking some cakes and used the last of it just this morning. You can try that little store up the block. Mr. Herman usually keeps things like that in stock."
"That's okay. I might see if I can do without it," Scully shrugs. "Thanks anyway."
"You know, he also stocks that special dog snack my little Otis loves to eat. He's been out for a few days and I haven't been able to get out in this cold to get him more," the woman hints.
"Mrs. Levitz, would you like me to pick up the dog snacks for Otis?" Scully asks her, a knowing grin on her face.
"Oh, I don't want to put you out, my dear. I just thought that if you decided to get the cream cheese, and if it wouldn't be any trouble . . . "
"What kind of dog snack is it?"
"Those little ones shaped like sausages," the woman tells her, pulling out a five dollar bill from her bra. "He loves those."
"I'm sure he does," Scully says, trying hard not to laugh at the old woman's actions. "I'll be right back."
Scully grabs a jacket and her keys, locking her door behind her. The store is just a few blocks away, so she decides to walk. This shopping trip hopefully won't take very long. Five minutes to get there, five to get back and a few minutes in the store. She should be home before Mulder gets there. No need to leave a note for him. Besides, what could happen in fifteen minutes?
End Chapter 1
Author - Nicky
Rating - PG
Keywords - MSR, MA, SA
Spoilers - set some time after Emily
Summary - Mulder and Bill have to work on burying the hatchet when Scully's life is in danger.
Disclaimer - The characters don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for my own therapeutic purposes. They will be returned relatively unharmed to Chris Carter, or whoever wants to borrow them next, when I'm done.
Chapter 1
The holidays are generally a happy time for Dana Scully. She loves the decorations, the music, and everything else that brings out the holiday cheer. This year, however, things are different. It's not that she isn't happy, she's just too busy and stressed to realize it right now. She's definitely far too busy to be having this conversation.
"Mulder, I'm trying to finish this. What do you want?" she snaps, holding the phone between her ear and her shoulder while adding the layers of vegetables to her casserole.
"I'm sorry, Scully. I didn't mean to bother you. I just wanted to tell you I love you."
She can practically see him pouting over the phone and instantly feels contrite for being short with him.
"Thank you, Mulder," she says, her voice becoming calmer than before. "I love you, too."
Mulder is another source of stress for her this holiday season. This is the first Scully family dinner he's attending with her - really with her - as more than a friend or partner. This dinner will be their 'coming out' for lack of a better description. Nobody in her family knows that they've gotten together as a couple and will soon be getting married. So she's a little nervous at how this evening will turn out.
Not only that, but this year her mother decided to share the cooking duties. She assigned all the women attending, Scully included, one of the dishes to prepare. Which is what Scully is hastily trying to complete before the dinner. A task Mulder isn't making easy. But she also knows he wouldn't be calling just to bother her. There has to be a reason. It's just that sometimes, he needs a little coaxing before he gets to the point. However, she doesn't have that kind of time today, so she tries to get to the point for him.
"Seriously, Mulder. Why did you call?" she asks, not trying to sound impatient, just trying to move the conversation along. "You're supposed to be here any minute to pick me up."
"Scully, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, your brother Bill will be there. And he hates me," he whines.
Ah. So he's scared and trying to back out, she figures. She doesn't blame him. She's nervous too. He just needs some encouragement. And if that doesn't work, she'll try bribery.
"He doesn't hate you, Mulder," Scully assures him. "He's just kind of protective of me. Besides, you two have hardly had the time to get to know each other. How could he possibly hate you?"
"Let's just say that we've had a few run ins, and leave it at that. Trust me. Your brother hates me."
"I don't understand . . . "
"Forget it, Scully. I shouldn't have said anything. I'll be there in about half hour." He tries to hang up the phone, but she doesn't let him.
"Just a minute." She has to know what he means by 'run ins' with her brother Bill. Why doesn't she know anything about them? She knows that Bill doesn't approve of the her choice in career, but she had no idea that the animosity extended to her partner.
"Mulder, why don't you get along with my brother?"
"It's nothing, Scully. I guess I'm just projecting or something. I don't think I would have liked any guy dating Samantha either," he says, trying to put her off. But she isn't falling for it.
"No, Mulder. You mentioned some run ins with him. What did you mean by that? Has Bill said anything to you? I know he didn't agree with using the chip when I was dying from the cancer. But I recovered. I survived. He can't still be mad about that, can he?"
"Bill has made it very clear to me that he doesn't appreciate my presence in your life. He blames me for the bad things that have happened to your family."
"That's ridiculous, Mulder. How could you be responsible for my cancer?"
"Not just your cancer. Melissa, too. And all the times I've dragged you into danger on the job."
"None of that was your fault, Mulder. He can't think that you . . . "
"He's outright said it, Scully," he says, interrupting her. "Along with calling me a few choice names."
"He what? Oh, Mulder, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"It wasn't the right time. You were so sick. He thought you were dying. I can understand him being so upset. I thought that's all it was. But then that time with Emily . . . let's just say he wasn't exactly happy to see me then either."
"I had no idea," she says quietly. "I can understand why you wouldn't want to come to this dinner. I'll make an excuse for Mom."
"No, don't do that. I shouldn't have even brought it up. I was just nervous. They have to find out about us sooner or later, right? Tonight is the perfect time."
"Are you sure? Mulder, I'd hate to put you in the position of being verbally abused by my brother again. There really is no excuse for that kind of behavior."
"I'm positive. And don't worry about it. I'll handle Bill. You just finish up with your dish and I'll be there soon to pick you up." He tells her he loves again her before hanging up the phone.
Scully realizes, much to her dismay, that while talking to Mulder, she neglected her delicate casserole and burned the top layer that was simmering on the stove. She starts to make more when she discovers she's out of the main ingredient. Thinking quickly, she finds herself across the hall, knocking on the door.
"Hi, Mrs. Levitz," she says almost shyly to the old woman across the hall.
"Dana. It's good to see you. How are you, my dear?"
"Good, Mrs. Levitz. But I'm afraid I need to borrow some cream cheese, if you have it."
"I'm sorry. I was baking some cakes and used the last of it just this morning. You can try that little store up the block. Mr. Herman usually keeps things like that in stock."
"That's okay. I might see if I can do without it," Scully shrugs. "Thanks anyway."
"You know, he also stocks that special dog snack my little Otis loves to eat. He's been out for a few days and I haven't been able to get out in this cold to get him more," the woman hints.
"Mrs. Levitz, would you like me to pick up the dog snacks for Otis?" Scully asks her, a knowing grin on her face.
"Oh, I don't want to put you out, my dear. I just thought that if you decided to get the cream cheese, and if it wouldn't be any trouble . . . "
"What kind of dog snack is it?"
"Those little ones shaped like sausages," the woman tells her, pulling out a five dollar bill from her bra. "He loves those."
"I'm sure he does," Scully says, trying hard not to laugh at the old woman's actions. "I'll be right back."
Scully grabs a jacket and her keys, locking her door behind her. The store is just a few blocks away, so she decides to walk. This shopping trip hopefully won't take very long. Five minutes to get there, five to get back and a few minutes in the store. She should be home before Mulder gets there. No need to leave a note for him. Besides, what could happen in fifteen minutes?
End Chapter 1
