6am, Christmas Day

Scully awoke with her head once again resting against Mulder's chest and snuggled into him lying beside her on the sofa bed. They had slept there again with the door to the lounge opened so that they could hear anyone moving in there and stop the children from opening their gifts before the adults came down. She pressed herself fully against him and ran her hands lightly over his bare back and chest, pressing kisses onto his sternum. She shivered with excitement as she realized that the hand that was usually slung over her waist had instead found its way inside her pyjama bottoms and was squeezing one of her ass cheeks gently. His other hand slid up her back and cupped the back of her neck pulling her head up beside his so they could join their mouths. As they kissed, Scully's hands moved down to the waistband of his pyjamas and eased their way underneath it to caress his buttocks. Their kiss intensified as their hands explored but they were halted by the sounds of three very excited small children in the next room. Remembering their job and also the interruption the previous morning, they hastily removed their hands and, after placing a quick kiss to the tip of her nose, Mulder got out of the bed. He returned minutes later with all three children who crawled under the covers with them and demanded a story. Mulder reached over to the table beside the bed and retrieved the book he had bought for Scully the day before. Although they had all heard it, the children all cheered when he told them that they were going to read it again. They had all been tired when they had heard it before but this time they questioned and commented on every line he read.

"Mr. Fox. Is this book about you?"

"Mistah Fox. Is dat Auntie Day?"

"Does Fox really only want his angel to stay with him? No presents?"

"Yes that's all he needs; for her to stay with him for ever and ever. He'll never need anything else. I'll never need anything else."

"Oh, here."

"Read it again. Mr. Fox."

"Yeah. Aden, aden."

"In a minute you three. Fox wants his Christmas wish just now."

"And what would that be Mulder?"

"A kiss from his angel. Is that okay?"

"Yup. That's totally okay with me Mulder."

"Auntie Day's not an Angel Mr. Fox. She's an auntie."

"She's your auntie but she's my Angel, Peter. She always has been and always will be."

Saying that, Mulder leaned over Peter's head that had kept popping between him and Scully, stopping them from kissing. He captured her mouth with his own and, forgetting about the three children, they moved closer together as the kiss deepened. Scully's tongue slipped between Mulder's parted lips and she explored his mouth slowly until she realised that the insistent tugging on her pyjama top was not his eager hands trying to remove it. She pulled reluctantly away to look at her niece who had her top grasped firmly in both hands and looked like she was about to burst from excitement.

"Daddy's up. Pwesents. Pwesents."

The three children grabbed Mulder and Scully and dragged them from their bed into the lounge where they met Charlie, Jess and Bill. After receiving a glare from Bill, Mulder let go of Scully's hand and returned to the den where he put a t-shirt on. When he re-entered the room, Maggie and Tara had both arrived also and everyone had settled into position, waiting for the present giving to begin. Jess, Tara and Charlie were on one couch with Scully and Maggie on the other, a free space between them. Mulder paused, still standing in the doorway, and looked at the couch and then the empty armchair at the opposite side of the room. Scully frowned in confusion and patted the seat next to her for him to come over and sit down on but Mulder looked to Bill again. Bill glowered at Mulder from his armchair, telling him exactly where he should sit but Mulder still wavered until Maggie spoke up.

"I saved you a seat, Fox. Come on, the kids are dying to get started."

"Sure Maggie. Thanks."

He crossed the room quickly and settled between her and Scully, ignoring the continuing daggers been thrown from Bill's eyes. Scully took his hand in hers, stroking it gently to ease his tension and nestled into his side. He smiled at her and pulled her tighter to him, glad that he was sitting beside her now and not across the room. All the adults watched as the four children received their stockings and laughed at their obvious excitement.

"Okay everyone. Let's go get some breakfast and then we'll get to the big presents. I've already put stuff out for the kids, you adults can sort out what you want."

"Sure Maggie"

"Sure Mom"

"Gamma, we want presents now."

"Well you have to wait I'm afraid. Bring your stockings through and you can show me what you got from Santa while we eat. How's that?"

"Okay but don't eat slow."

"We won't, Peter. I promise. "