Scully was relieved as she heard a door open followed by a voice.

"Hey everyone, I'm back! You didn't open up the presents without me did ya?"

Scully turned to see another familiar sibling. "Charlie!"

Charles smiled back at her. "Hey sis. Got a hug for your bro?"

"Are you kidding?" Scully walked up embracing him warmly. "It's so good to see you! I didn't think you were here."

"Yeah, well we had a major Scully family crisis come up and I was called in to solve it." Charles pulled back from her with a bag. "Liquor refreshments from the twenty-four hour store on the corner." He answered with a wink. "So, how have you been Dana?"

"Can't complain too much." Scully glanced at Mulder. "Oh, Charlie this is Fox Mulder, my FBI partner."

Mulder stepped away from Bill and shook Charles' hand. "Nice to meet you, Charlie. Or is it Charles?"

"Doesn't matter." Charles answered back with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Mulder. That is….what you prefer if I remember what Dana told me?"

"Wait, she's told you about me?" Mulder looked at Scully. "Uh-oh. I promise you that one time I toilet-papered the Director's office I was completely drunk!"

Margaret walked back into the living room. "It's time to open the presents! Everyone gather around the tree!"

Bill looked back at Mulder with a slight huff before backing away and heading toward the tree. The males who had been surrounding Mulder also followed him.

"Oh, better get this bag to Mom." Charles replied before heading to the kitchen.

Scully walked up to Mulder and pointed to the cigar. "Since when do you smoke, Agent Mulder?"

Mulder tilted his head. "Don't you think it makes me look very distinguished?"

Scully gave him a look. "Do you really want me to answer that?" She then gave him a smile. "Come on, you can sit by me." Taking his hand she led him to a place by the tree and sat down. She looked across and saw Matthew with Bill and Tara on the couch. He then saw Scully.

"I wanta go sit with Auntie Dana!" Matthew shouted excitedly.

Bill glanced over and saw Mulder sitting next to Scully. "Matthew, Auntie Dana already has someone sitting with her." The last thing he wanted was his son to be in the company of a man he despised.

"I don't care!" Matthew answered pouting. "I wanna sit with Auntie Dana!"

Tara looked at Bill. "Bill, just let him. He hasn't seen her in two years and it is Christmas."

"I don't want Matthew sitting by Fox Mulder!" Bill whispered loudly. Before he had a chance to think, Matthew had already slipped away from him and headed over to Scully and Mulder. He took a seat on Scully's lap. "Matthew!"

By this time Margaret had returned back from the kitchen with a cup. She handed it to Bill. "Here is a refill of your eggnog, Bill." She looked over at Matthew and knew exactly what was taking place. "Bill, just leave Matthew alone. Let him enjoy himself. Remember what I told you?"

Bill let out a sigh. "Fine." He then took a huge drink of his eggnog.

Margaret was relieved to have stopped that potential disaster. She then turned back toward the family. "Now, who wants to play Santa this year?"

"Me!" Matthew replied raising his hand as high as he could. "Auntie Dana boost me!"

Scully smiled as she raised Matthew putting his hand higher. "I think Matthew wants to do it, Mom."

Margaret looked at Matthew who was straining his arm. "Goodness, Matthew I've never seen a little boy want to play Santa so much! All right, the job is yours." She handed him a Santa Claus hat.

"Yay!" Matthew answered bouncing up and down. He then turned to Mulder. "I want you to help me."

Mulder stared back at Matthew with a puzzled look. "M…me?"

"Yep. You're with my Auntie Dana so I know you good." Matthew picked up the Santa hat that Margaret had given him and placed it on Mulder's head. "Santa hat too big for me so you wear."

Scully couldn't help but giggle as she saw Mulder in the Santa Claus hat. "Mulder, I don't think you should argue with him."

"This is the first time I've ever been outdone by a two-year old." He looked back at Matthew. "There's one problem little buddy. I don't know everyone here."

"Me either." Matthew answered back. "But you help me."

Scully sat back and watched as Matthew pulled out the presents from the tree. He then had Mulder help him sort them and then distribute them to people. They literally had their own assembly line of passing out presents. The entire family seemed entirely enthralled by the scene. Save for one who looked anything but enthusiastic. Watching his son interacting with Fox Mulder was his worse nightmare.

Mulder laughed as Matthew kept playing with the jingle bell on the end of his hat. He hadn't laughed like this in a long time. "Ok, ok buddy now why don't you go ahead and open your presents while I go sit with your Auntie Dana?"

"Ok, Santa." Matthew answered before going over to his pile of presents.

Mulder went over and took a seat next to Scully. "It appears I've been given a break." He grinned as he took off the Santa hat. "Actually I think it would look better on you." He started to slip it on her head.

"Nuh uh!" Matthew replied from across the room. "You keep Santa hat on!"

Scully let out a chuckle. "Sorry, Santa." She adjusted the hat on his head. "I think we may have just found a new look for you."

"Ha, ha, ha." Mulder answered as he put his arm around her. He then leaned back and watched as the rest of the family went about opening their presents. The looks of anticipation on their faces and the sparkling of their eyes as they saw their gifts was something he had not witnessed in a long time. Even the simplest of gifts like mittens and scarves were received with great appreciation. He watched as hugs and kisses were exchanged followed by smiles and laughing. So this was what a real family Christmas was like? And he smiled as he heard a familiar carol in the background on the stereo Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. What an appropriate piece to be playing at this point talking about family gatherings and being together. And of course he remembered it was the song that had also been playing at the mansion just last night. He decided at this time that Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas was going to be his favorite Christmas song. And every time he heard it, he would think of this exact scene. He glanced over at Scully who was also in the process of opening her presents. He was glad he could do this for her. And he had already faced Bill with no problem, which had been his greatest fear of coming in the first place. Things could only get better from here.

Margaret's voice broke all the monotony. "Ok, everyone it's time for some good ole Christmas dinner! Don't worry about all the wrapping paper just pile it in the middle of the room for now." She then headed toward the kitchen.

Mulder helped Scully slowly to her feet. "Looks like you got some good stuff there."

"Yep. A little bit of this and a little bit of that." She tugged on Mulder's Santa hat playfully.

"Look!" Matthew cried pointing to the fireplace. "You have ta!"

Mulder and Scully both turned around looking at the area behind them puzzled.

Charles then gave a wide smile as he realized what Matthew was talking about. "Ah, that's right, Matthew. You have a good eye."

Scully turned back to Charles. "Charlie, what are you talking about?"

"Look up!" Matthew yelled as he jumped. "Look up!"

Scully looked at Mulder again before glancing up. She then saw the tiny thing of mistletoe just above the fireplace over her and Mulder. "Oh my."

Matthew made a kissing noise. "Auntie Dana gots to kiss Santa!"

Mulder also looked up and saw the mistletoe. "Now, how does a two-year old know about what mistletoe is?"

Charles let out a laugh. "Already a member of the male family clan and he's only two."

"Kiss Auntie Dana, Santa!"

"Actually buddy, Santa isn't supposed to kiss." Mulder replied with a smile. "He just brings presents."

"Santa kiss!" Matthew answered back loudly.

Charles shrugged his shoulders. "Guess you gotta do what you have to do. It is tradition."

"Go ahead, kiss her!" Came a voice from the crowd. There then followed different variations of kiss her from the rest of the family members.

Mulder looked back at Scully. "Scully, if you're uncomfortable with this we don't have to."

The chant became louder as Scully looked into his eyes. "It's ok, Mulder. I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. It's just a quick kiss."

Mulder took a deep breath as he looked back into her eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening! He was about to kiss his partner in front of all these people! And not just people but family members! He had to admit this was something he had secretly wanted to do although not quite in this setting. Well, there was no turning back now. He bent down and gently pressed his lips to hers. He remarked to himself how tender they were.

"Eeeeeew!" Matthew replied in the background as he covered his eyes.

As Scully felt Mulder's lips on hers for that brief moment, time seemed to stand still. She didn't even hear Matthew's protest in the background at seeing grown ups kiss. She had thought of this so many times before and now it was more wonderful then she could have possibly imagined no matter how brief. His strong lips were so wonderful! She felt him pull back after just a few seconds. But those seconds were the world to her.

Margaret had come back to the living room just in time to witness the kiss between Scully and Mulder. She felt all tingly inside as she saw her daughter kiss the man she had come to like over the years. No matter what Bill said, to her Fox Mulder had saved her daughter and she knew deep inside that he cared for her. For if he didn't, then why else would he have agreed to come here with her? She smiled as Scully and Mulder parted lips and the family applauded. Even though mistletoe was a tradition she would have to thank whoever the person was that had told her to hang it where she had. But she had chosen to hang it there herself, hadn't she? She shook her head. "Everyone, please come to the table for some Christmas dinner!" She glanced at the clock. "Well, actually it's breakfast technically but tuck in anyway!"

"Oh boy!" Matthew yelled before running toward the table. It was amazing how a two-year old's focus could change in less than a minute.

As the rest of the family headed to the table, Mulder placed his hand on Scully's face. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." She smiled back. "I've never kissed Santa before."

Mulder let out a laugh. "Yeah, well Santa doesn't just kiss anyone either, you know. Only those who are special."

"Really?"

"Yep." He took her hand. "What ya say we head over and get us some Christmas grub?"

"I think that's a great idea, Santa." Scully replied back pulling on his jingle bell.

"Hey, hey watch Santa's hat now." Mulder answered before leading her to the table. He pulled out a chair for her and when she was seated took his own next to her. He had just kissed Scully! He had been accepted into the Scully clan and now he was about to eat what looked to be the best Christmas dinner he had EVER seen! He would have to make sure to thank Scully later for the best Christmas of his life. There was nothing that could possibly go wrong now, right?