Mulder fished in his pockets for his house keys as he paid the driver but came up with car keys instead, taunting him uselessly in his hand. As he walked up the path, he spied that the street lights were out and looking up at his own building, Mulder noticed that the lack of lights and missing Christmas trees twinkling, told him in advance that the power was most likely out in the whole block. Trying to juggle his keys, phone and case, Mulder hit speed dial 1 as he inserted the right key.

The ringing in his ear distracted him enough to stop messing with the key, smiling at the sound of her voice as she answered with a panting breath.

"Scully, it's me." He turned back to his door and tried again with the key.

"Hi Mulder, did you change your mind?"

"No nothing like that. But I did manage to get my car locked in the FBI garage. I wont be able to pick it up until Tuesday. Can you swing by my place instead?" he asked sheepishly, tugging firmly on the cold key to unlock the door.

"Yeah sure, no problem. I'll be there at 6.30."

"Great Scully, thanks." He pulled sharply on his key, when it suddenly snapped off leaving half of it in the keyhole. "Aw shit!"

"What? What is it Mulder?"

"Oh nothing. I gotta go Scully. I'll see you later."

He shoved the phone in his pocket and felt the heat rising up his neck and cheeks as the small protruding piece of broken metal mocked him from the keyhole. With no other options, Mulder pressed the buzzers for the other apartments hoping someone would let him in. Needing only to try three numbers before an angry neighbor granted him access, he shot up to his place and called the landlord.

A few flicks of the light switch confirmed the lack of power to the building, and he fumbled on his desk for the phone. Holding it between his head and shoulder, Mulder began to undress quickly and started the shower before the gruff voice of his landlord answered.

"Mr Troy? It's Fox Mulder apartment 42...I had a problem with the front door this evening...yes I think the lock may have been frozen, it swallowed half my key."

In the dark Mulder gathered the towels from the hot press and tossed them aimlessly into the bathroom, as he went into his bedroom to rummage for clean clothes.

"Yes I understand it's Christmas Eve...I understand that it will be difficult to get a locksmith out here...pay for it?" He stood in the middle of his bedroom with a pile of tee shirts in his hands. "But I...okay okay okay...just send me the bill...whatever."

He switched the phone off and tossed it through the dark in what he hoped was the general direction of the bed. Stripping out of the remainder of his clothes, Mulder fumbled his way around the cluttered room to the door, finally making it to the bathroom unharmed. Noticing that he wasn't met with a warm wall of steam it suddenly dawned on him that his electric shower wouldn't provide him with the warmth he desired.

Shit!

"Gimme a break," he muttered as he reached out his hand in the dark only to have it met by a freezing blast of water. Shivering now as he stood wearing only his boxer shorts, he turned it off and made his way back to the bedroom, his arms outstretched in the pitch-blackness to feel his way. He searched for the phone again and hit speed dial 1, tossing on a jumper as he waited for her to answer.

"Hello Mulder...have you changed your mind this time?" her voice came down the phone.

"No...not quite." Her quiet laugh made him grin. "I do have another problem. My car is locked in the car park at work, and I just got home to find my shower is out. So is my power ...any chance I can come by your place and avail myself of your facilities?"

"Sure Mulder. Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No. I'll get a cab. See you in a bit."

Scully rubbed her hair with a soft white towel enjoying the glass of white wine, sitting in front of the small fire she couldn't resist lighting. Her eyes wandered around the room, her lips pursed as she gazed upon the Alien biopsy book Mulder had given her last month. However they turned down at the sight of the family portrait that stood proudly over the mantelpiece. Letting her eyes linger a moment longer soaking in the image of her dead sister and her father, she shook the melancholy thoughts from her head as she sipped the sweet wine again, giving her hair one more vigorous rub before placing the damp towel over the radiator.

Passing the tree, she spied the bundle of presents she was bringing to her moms this evening and couldn't help the involuntary tingle of anticipation that coursed through her body. She hadn't thought of taking Mulder's gift but now that he was joining them she'd hate to have him feel left out. Her mother had been delighted at the news that he was coming and she promised to talk to Bill before they arrived. A soft almost shy knock at the door dragged her away from the fire to open it, where she found Mulder, wearing a crooked smile, standing sheepishly holding a hastily packed gym bag.

"Mulder. Come in." She stood back pulling the door open further to allow him entry, but when he stepped in she noticed he was limping. "What's happened? Why are you limping?"

"I kind of went over on my ankle rushing for a cab, it's nothing, don't worry about it. My ass took the brunt of the fall!" He turned away, hiding his blush as the image of his ungainly figure sprawled on the icy sidewalk flashed into his mind, once again making him relive the impact of the hard cold ice. Brushing off her concern with a wave of his hand he glanced around the room.

"I'll just go...and eh..." he stammered gesturing towards the bathroom. She nodded her head with a smile and watched as he made his way through the living room, walking gingerly on the right foot, favoring the weight on his left. With a shake of her head she returned to her place by the fire, and rested back on the small chair she'd dragged over. Her feet stretched out in front of her and she basked in the ultimate Christmas feeling. Presents awaited her eager attention under the tree, her hair was drying naturally from the heat of the fire and the wine she sipped tingled deliciously with the bubble of excitement she could all but taste. The shower ran for mere moments and she could hear Mulder moving around in the bathroom, banging and crashing about within the small confines of the room around him.

She went into her bedroom, grabbing a duffel bag to pack the gifts into and quickly put his into the bottom of it, lest she forget it. As she carefully put the last box in and zipped it closed, Mulder breezed in from behind, his stealthy approach surprising her. Jumping at the shadow that moved around her, turning to see him standing barefoot behind her.

"Forgot your shoes?"

"No...I think I did a number on my ankle...you don't happen to have an ace bandage around here do you?"

"Sure Mulder, sit down. I'd best take a look at that."

He claimed the seat by the fire as she rose to get the first aid box. Staring into the dancing flames he enjoyed the flickering heat that stroked his face, basking him in the Christmassy atmosphere that she'd so effortlessly created, while his own apartment stood cold, powerless and free of holiday cheer, save for the small pathetic Christmas sock that hung empty from his fish tank.

"Let me take a look..." she asked kneeling before him so he wouldn't have to move it too far. She rolled up his trousers to mid shin as she examined the swollen foot. A large purple bruise was permeating his otherwise sallow skin and it looked as if it was going to expand a lot further before it began to recede. "Can you rotate it?"

With a wince and a small groan he twisted it round and wiggled his toes. She asked him to curl it and bend it, pushing her palm against his sole as he pushed back as hard as he could.

"Okay, it looks like you may have sprained it." She pulled an ace bandage from the box and began to wrap his foot up tightly. "You should really stay off it though, Mulder."

"It'll be fine. It feels better already honestly."

She pulled his sock over the bandage and helped him slip on his shoes. Tentatively he stood from the chair and rested a hand on her shoulder. A wan smile traversed his lips, failing at the last moment to bring any warmth to his features.

"C'mon, lets blow this joint!"

Scully covered the fire and switched off the tree lights, as Mulder collected his bag from behind the couch where he'd dropped it after his shower. They walked as fast as she dared through the snow not wanting him to strain his injury, knowing he was in no eager rush to confront her brother again.

I know this chapter ends kind of suddenly...but look...I added the next one straight away! :)