Mulder stretched out on his motel, less then comfortable bed. He had to secretly admit that it was slightly more comfy then a futon though. And especially more comfortable then a car which he would most likely have been sleeping in had he chosen to venture a trek back to Arlington in the deep snow. He picked up the remote next to the nightstand and turned on the television. He gave a chuckle as the opening credits for It's A Wonderful Life began to scroll across the screen. "Well, looks like you and I get to spend Christmas together after all, Jimmy."

He placed his hands behind his head and tilted his face toward the window. He could see the snow still falling very heavily and blanketing the windowpane outside. He could also catch a glimpse of the Christmas lights blinking from a house just down the street. It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago he was in a house similar to that one and celebrating with a family that he didn't even know. He had been laughing, playing Santa, carving the family turkey and even sharing a quick kiss with his partner under the mistletoe. And now, despite all that here he was right back where he usually was at this time of year: alone and watching television. It seemed it was true that you really couldn't change things at times if they were meant to be no matter how hard you tried.

As he watched the snow fall, his mind began to wander. The movie, It's A Wonderful Life always made people question what would happen if they were gone? Would anyone even miss them? Was one person really that important to be missed? What difference could one person make? Would anyone really miss Fox Mulder if he were found dead in a hotel room with a bullet to his head? Most likely Bill Scully would be doing the waltz with the Director of the FBI if that happened. The X-Files would be shut down, the doors would be locked and the files forever silenced. And who would show up at his funeral? It was always said you didn't know just how many REAL friends you had until your funeral. Well, there would be his mother of course, Byers, Langly and Frohike, Skinner and others who came just to dance on his grave or spit on it. And then there was Scully. What would she do? He had thought up to today that she would be the one person who would shed a tear if he died. But now after Bill's comments in front of her family, he wasn't so sure. It was one thing for her to deal with just Bill but now she had her whole family. And he knew how important her family was to her. Or at least before he had started keeping her from them. Maybe it was true what Bill had said? Maybe he had been keeping her from her family and forcing her on these quests with him? Maybe he was a terrible influence on her? Maybe it would have been better if he and Scully had never met? In the morning, he planned to tell Scully just how he felt and how she should make her own decision about whether to stay with the X-Files or not.

Scully made her way carefully up the icy, snow-covered stairs with a bag in her hand. She had asked the taxi driver to take her to the nearest Holiday Inn and according to him, this was it. "Why couldn't this be one of those Holiday Inn's with all the rooms on the inside!" She muttered as she felt the icy cold wind whip through her. At first when she had checked at the front desk, there had been no indication that Mulder had stopped there as he had said he would. She had then thought of what he had said about not spending Christmas with Jimmy this year and had looked under George Bailey. And sure enough there was one registered. It was true through the years she had learned some of her partner's tricks. She still wasn't quite sure if she was doing the right thing but it was too late to turn back now. She was already here and would have to accept the consequences if he turned her out or not. She just had to hope that Bill hadn't totally closed him off completely from her. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Mulder looked toward the door with a confused look on his face. He couldn't think of a reason to why someone would be at his door. He slowly sat up. "Who is it?"

"Mulder, it's me."

"Scully?" He moved off the bed and walked up to the door.

"Open the door, Mulder. It's freezing out here."

He unlocked the door and opened it. "Scully, how did you find me?"

"Can we talk about this inside before I turn into an icicle out here?"

Mulder sighed before stepping aside. "Welcome to my humble Christmas abode."

Scully stepped in and stomped her feet. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to walk through weather like this in flats?"

Mulder closed and locked the door behind her. "So, just how did you find me anyway? I didn't use my real name when I registered."

"Do you really think I haven't learned a thing or two from you over these years?" She gave him a look. "George."

"You figured that out?"

Scully nodded. "I figured that out."

Mulder noticed the bag in her hand. "You came bearing gifts?"

"No." She put the bag on a table and then pulled out some Tupperware. "Actually I came bearing food."

Mulder's eyes widened. "Even better. Although, a Snickers Bar and Mountain Dew have been part of my Christmas feast before." He took a seat on the bed. "So why did you come here, Scully? I thought you were spending the day with your family?"

Scully started opening the Tupperware and pulled out paper plates. "You made a promise to me and you kept it."

"Which was?"

"You kept your temper down when Bill turned into a complete ass. I know that took a lot, Mulder."

"Yeah, well haven't dealt with enough assholes in the past years to not know how to handle myself."

"What he said was completely uncalled for, Mulder. " She spread the Tupperware on the table. "And regardless, you made a promise to me and now I'm going to fulfill my promise to you."

Mulder cocked an eyebrow. "The taking a bath with your salts in my tub bit?"

Scully gave him a look. "No, the other promise."

"Uhhh…"

Scully reached out and hit him playfully. "The promise that you wouldn't spend Christmas alone!"

Mulder nursed his shoulder. "Ok, ok I knew that. " He noticed her setting the table. "I have one small request."

"And that is?"

"Since I invited you in to my Christmas abode that we don't eat with formalities." He noticed her puzzled look and stepped over to the table. "We eat buffet ala TV Dinner style." He motioned to the bed and television.

"Are you kidding?"

"It's time to eat Christmas, Mulder style." He patted the bed.

"All right." Scully filled a couple plates. "But I'm only doing this because it's Christmas and I feel sorry for you."

Mulder grinned. "I'll take sympathy to get some good food and quality television."

Scully walked over to the bed and took a seat beside him. She handed him a paper plate and then looked at the television. "It's A Wonderful Life, Mulder? That's what we're watching?"

"I swear to you it's just a coincidence." He shifted his paper plate slightly as he picked up the plastic silverware on it with his hands. "And besides, Scully haven't you ever spent a Christmas watching It's A Wonderful Life?"

Scully cleared her throat. "No, I guess I uh must have missed out on that phase of my life."

Mulder set his paper plate on the bed and reached over to the table pulling up two cans. "Pepsi or Mountain Dew?"

Scully made a face. "Neither is exactly my choice in taste. But….give me the Pepsi."

"Pepsi? My kind of woman. Head's up!" Mulder replied before tossing the can at her.

Scully caught the can and with one smooth move opened the can and took a drink. She couldn't help but grin as she saw Mulder's mouth practically fall open. "What?"

"Uhhhh….err…."

Scully reached over and gently put his mouth back up. "Close your mouth before you drool all over your food, George."

Mulder shook his head. "Sorry just never saw a woman do a move like that before with a can." He shifted his legs and put the plate back on his lap, facing the television. He then stabbed at some food with his fork. "So seriously, Scully how did you get away from your family?"

"I talked to Mom and she was the one who packaged up all this food." She answered before taking a bite of her food and swallowing it. "She said to make sure that Fox didn't go hungry. And then she told me not to worry about what the rest of the family might have thought."

"She did?" Mulder asked before taking another bite of food.

"Hmm mmm." Scully answered before swallowing another piece of food. "Actually, I think she was just proud of how I handled myself with, Bill."

Mulder turned back toward her. "And just what did you do, Agent Scully?"

"Well, let's just say I put him in his place."

Mulder sat up excitedly. "You kicked his ass didn't you? You showed him that new move they showed us at the gym last week? So, did it really work as well as they claim it does?"

Scully gave a laugh. "Sorry to disappoint you, Rambo but no I didn't physically hurt him. Although I admit it was tempting. But no I chose the non-violent method by talking to him like a civilized human being. And even though he will never admit it, I think I actually got through to him."

"You're sure you didn't threaten physical violence?"

"No, I just told him how he was wrong about you. In… how he described you were responsible for my getting cancer and nearly dying. And how he was wrong about our relationship."

"Our relationship?"

"Yes. You know how he…claimed you went with me to my Mom's because you were interested in…"

"Getting into your pants?"

"Well, I wouldn't have used quite a colorful sentence like that but…yes."

"Scully, that's not true. I want you to know that."

"I know that, Mulder."

"And…the whole thing with the mistletoe, I only did it because I thought you wanted to. I would never have agreed to do it otherwise. I would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship and partnership, Scully. It means too much to me for that."

"It's ok, Mulder." Scully answered with a smile. "I liked it."

"You…you did?"

"Yes, I did. It was very nice."

"Well…maybe we could do it again, some time?" Mulder asked leaning toward her.

Scully moved closer to him with her lips just inches from his. "Next year, Georgie boy." She whispered before pulling back.

"Oh you are a cruel one, Mr. Grinch."

Scully gave him a smirk and took her seat again. "Well, I promised Mom I would be back by the time they got back from evening mass. So, until then, I am keeping you company."

"You got out of Catholic mass for me?" Mulder took her hand. "Scully, marry me." He grinned.

"And all we did was share one kiss under the mistletoe." She answered with a grin back before taking her hand and ruffling his hair. She picked up her Pepsi. "So, should we toast to something?"

Mulder picked up his Mountain Dew. "To..salt baths and kisses for next year?"

Scully gave him a look. "Mulder…"

"Ok, ok. To….the best Christmas I've ever had. And…to the best partner and friend I could ever have."

"Cheers." Scully answered before clanging cans with him and taking a sip of her drink. "All right, so tell me about how this movie can drive so many people to watch it every year." She placed her arm around him as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

Mulder smiled as he placed his hand around her shoulder. "Well, you see, Scully a lot of times we may wonder just what would the world be like if we weren't born. That's where George Bailey comes in.."

"Jimmy Stewart right?"

"That's pretty good, Scully. Anyway he meets this angel and…"

"Merry Christmas, Mulder." Scully replied looking up at him.

Mulder looked down at her and kissed her forehead gently. "Merry, Christmas, Scully."

And as the day continued on, two partners lay on a bed watching television and eating leftovers downed with Pepsi and Mountain Dew. And Mulder got the chance to show Scully a Christmas Television marathon that she would never forget. Soon the light outside turned to dark and the stars appeared signaling it was time for her to return. But as she left the hotel room, with her bag of Tupperware to head back to her family, she knew she was leaving with something else. She was leaving with the best memories of a Christmas she would not soon forget as well as the best gift she could ever receive: a deep bond and understanding that she would never feel again except with Fox Mulder. And now she couldn't help but wonder what next Christmas would hold in store?

THE END