7pm, Christmas Eve
Mulder and Scully settled down on the sofa bed in the den with the three kids to read them their story. They propped themselves up on the pile of pillows side-by-side with Peter cuddled up to Scully's other side and the twins nestled in their laps. Scully's head lay on Mulder's chest just above Abby's and Mulder's left hand rested on her shoulder when it wasn't turning the pages of the book. Mulder read to the four of them, telling the story of the little boy called Fox whose only Christmas wish was to have his angel remain with him always.
After Mulder finished the last page, he looked down at each of the three little faces, pleased to find that they were all fast asleep. He whispered to Scully that the book had done the trick as he carefully moved Abby off his chest so that he could get up but he got no answer. Looking down at her head resting on his chest, he smiled softly as he saw that she too was sleeping. He lay there watching her sleep for a long time, thinking how lucky he was to have found such a perfect partner in every sense of the word. He stroked a lock of hair from her eyes, enchanted with her beauty and reluctant to leave such a wonderful vision. Eventually he moved her gently to his side and got out of the bed, taking great care not to wake her. She whimpered in her sleep and he leant down to press a kiss to her forehead, whispering soothing words of love. He tiptoed to the door and, as he carefully opened it to leave the room, he turned back round to take another look at the four sleeping beauties all cuddled together. He pulled himself away from the sight and walked through the kitchen and up the stairs where he met Charlie heading towards his room with wrapping paper.
"Hey Mulder. Are the kids all okay?"
"Yes, they're all asleep down on the sofa bed."
"Thanks for doing that. Jess and I didn't know when we were going to get time to wrap up all their presents. We thought we would have to be doing it at 2 in the morning."
"It's no problem. We didn't mind doing it."
"Where is Day - I thought you two were attached at the hip...or the hands...or the lips...or..."
"Ha ha Charlie, very funny. She fell asleep too, someone woke her up far too early this morning!"
"Really? Whomever could that have been?"
"Hmm I wonder. Anyway, I didn't have the heart to wake her so I left her down there with the kids. I thought I could wrap up her present while she slept. Have you got the shopping bag I gave you earlier?"
"Oh, sure. Here you go. I'd forgotten all about it. Not to be nosy or anything but how come you only got her present today?"
"I've already got her something but I saw her admiring this in the shop window and I had to get it for her."
"Ahhh. That explains it. Me and Jess were just curious. I hope you're not offended."
"Not at all Charlie. I didn't even think of how it would look."
"Well, I'd better get back to wrapping. You won't believe how much stuff we have still to do."
"Okay Charlie. See you later."
When Mulder finished wrapping Scully's present he put it with her others in his bag, which was still in her room. He sat on her bed for a minute, thinking about how wonderful the holiday was turning out to be. He had been looking forward to spending time with her and her mother but had been very wary of Bill. After yesterday's outburst from him, he had doubted very much that he would see her again, thinking instead that their partnership would be terminated and they would go their separate ways. He had no doubt however, that he wouldn't have lasted long without her by his side and was very thankful that he didn't have to worry about that anymore. He shook off the dismal thought of being without his Scully and got up from the bed to go find the others.
Mulder and Scully settled down on the sofa bed in the den with the three kids to read them their story. They propped themselves up on the pile of pillows side-by-side with Peter cuddled up to Scully's other side and the twins nestled in their laps. Scully's head lay on Mulder's chest just above Abby's and Mulder's left hand rested on her shoulder when it wasn't turning the pages of the book. Mulder read to the four of them, telling the story of the little boy called Fox whose only Christmas wish was to have his angel remain with him always.
After Mulder finished the last page, he looked down at each of the three little faces, pleased to find that they were all fast asleep. He whispered to Scully that the book had done the trick as he carefully moved Abby off his chest so that he could get up but he got no answer. Looking down at her head resting on his chest, he smiled softly as he saw that she too was sleeping. He lay there watching her sleep for a long time, thinking how lucky he was to have found such a perfect partner in every sense of the word. He stroked a lock of hair from her eyes, enchanted with her beauty and reluctant to leave such a wonderful vision. Eventually he moved her gently to his side and got out of the bed, taking great care not to wake her. She whimpered in her sleep and he leant down to press a kiss to her forehead, whispering soothing words of love. He tiptoed to the door and, as he carefully opened it to leave the room, he turned back round to take another look at the four sleeping beauties all cuddled together. He pulled himself away from the sight and walked through the kitchen and up the stairs where he met Charlie heading towards his room with wrapping paper.
"Hey Mulder. Are the kids all okay?"
"Yes, they're all asleep down on the sofa bed."
"Thanks for doing that. Jess and I didn't know when we were going to get time to wrap up all their presents. We thought we would have to be doing it at 2 in the morning."
"It's no problem. We didn't mind doing it."
"Where is Day - I thought you two were attached at the hip...or the hands...or the lips...or..."
"Ha ha Charlie, very funny. She fell asleep too, someone woke her up far too early this morning!"
"Really? Whomever could that have been?"
"Hmm I wonder. Anyway, I didn't have the heart to wake her so I left her down there with the kids. I thought I could wrap up her present while she slept. Have you got the shopping bag I gave you earlier?"
"Oh, sure. Here you go. I'd forgotten all about it. Not to be nosy or anything but how come you only got her present today?"
"I've already got her something but I saw her admiring this in the shop window and I had to get it for her."
"Ahhh. That explains it. Me and Jess were just curious. I hope you're not offended."
"Not at all Charlie. I didn't even think of how it would look."
"Well, I'd better get back to wrapping. You won't believe how much stuff we have still to do."
"Okay Charlie. See you later."
When Mulder finished wrapping Scully's present he put it with her others in his bag, which was still in her room. He sat on her bed for a minute, thinking about how wonderful the holiday was turning out to be. He had been looking forward to spending time with her and her mother but had been very wary of Bill. After yesterday's outburst from him, he had doubted very much that he would see her again, thinking instead that their partnership would be terminated and they would go their separate ways. He had no doubt however, that he wouldn't have lasted long without her by his side and was very thankful that he didn't have to worry about that anymore. He shook off the dismal thought of being without his Scully and got up from the bed to go find the others.
