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It was a simple question for someone to ask. “Would you like to have Thanksgiving with my family?” She asked Mulder, watching him closely.
He looked at her. She could see that he was hesitant to respond, but that quickly faded. “Sure, Scully. I'm sure Bill will be thrilled to see me.” He flashed a cheeky smile and she felt herself relax into her office chair.
*****
The ride wasn't so bad. It only took an hour, even with the light snow. They packed overnight bags just in case they were too worn out to make the drive back. The only real problem would be everyone's sleeping arrangements.
They reached Maggie's house and pulled up on the curb. They exited the car and Mulder grabbed their bags from the trunk. They walked up to the house and Scully rung the doorbell. Bill answered the door.
“Dana!” He exclaimed. A smile was spread on his face as he hugged her. His demeanor changed as he looked at her partner, Fox Mulder. “Fox,” he had said dryly.
“Bill Scully!” Mulder grinned and held out his hand. Bill, much to his own revulsion, took it. “How are ya these days?”
“I swear, you're one cocky mother-”
“Dana?” Maggie's voice came from behind him and he stepped back. “Oh,” she stopped as she got closer. “And Fox. What a pleasant surprise! Please, come in. Bill will you take those bags from him?”
Mulder and Scully entered the pleasantly lit house. Bill obeyed his mother, though he didn't like it.
“Hi mom. It's so nice to see you,” Scully said as she hugged her mother.
“It's nice to see you too dear; and you also Fox.” Over her daughter's shoulder, Maggie winked at Mulder. He shifted uncomfortably and felt his face burn. One might say he was blushing.
“Always a pleasure Mrs. Scully.” He smiled, and now it was his turn for a hug.
“Come now, Fox.” Maggie told him.
“What?” That was all he was able to manage before she whisked him away. Scully was left standing in the living room looking after them.
“Is that little red I see?” Melissa's voice came booming into Scully’s ears.
“Melissa! It's nice to see you this year.”
“Likewise my dear sister. Come here!” She embraced Scully like she hadn't in a lifetime. “It's good to see you.”
“You too,” she began. “Did you happen to see Mom and Mulder?”
“Relax, your boyfriends in the kitchen.”
“Melissa…” Before she knew it, she too was being dragged into the kitchen. Mulder and her mom were talking and laughing like they were old friends.
“Mom? Mulder?” Scully’s eyes were questioning. She looked at her mother, then at her partner. His eyes were soft and playful. He smiled.
“Oh dear, Fox is just delightful with his stories.”
“Oh really? Delightful?” Scully’s brow lifted.
“Scullyyyy!” Mulder sauntered over to her and put an arm around her shoulder.
Melissa was smiling from ear to ear. Scully’s face turned a bright shade of red as Mulder’s hand rubbed the length of her arm. At that moment, Bill walked in. Melissa tried to stifle a laugh at the look of his face watching Mulder with his baby sister. He cleared his throat.
“Um, is everyone ready to eat?” Mulder turned to Bill and gave him a shit-eating grin.
“Oh yes, Bill. We're all starved.” Scully elbowed him in the ribs. This time, Melissa didn't bother hiding her laughter.
*****
The Scully Family (and Mulder) sat in the dining room. Much to his dismay, Bill sat in front of Mulder. Next to Mulder was Scully, in front of her was Melissa, and Maggie sat at the head of the table since their father was no longer with them.
“Can everyone join hands for grace?” Maggie asked.
Scully looked up at Mulder, knowing his discomfort with things based on religion. “It's okay,” he mouthed.
He grabbed her hand, he knew Bill was watching him closely. Everyone joined hands except for Mulder and Bill. They bowed their heads.
After grace, they started with light conversation. Of course, Bill threw remarks at Mulder as much as he could. Scully shot him disapproving looks, but he ignored them. Mulder, overall, seemed to be quite the charmer. With every word he spoke, Maggie seemed to love him more and more. Scully found herself staring at him but she couldn't seem to stop.
Melissa noticed, she always did. “Isn't that right Dana?” She asked, catching her little sister off guard.
“What?” Scully hadn't realized the subject had changed. She wondered if she really had been that distracted by Fox Mulder.
“I said, isn't that right?” Melissa smiled mischievously and put her wine glass to her lips.
Mulder looked down at Scully, catching her gaze. “What?” He repeated her question, but he was laughing. She dropped her head in embarrassment as Mulder stared down at her, smiling. Melissa was pleased with herself. Bill was watching with his eyes squinted.
“Dessert anyone?” Maggie's voice interrupted the moment.
“I'll get it Mrs. Scully.” Mulder stood from the table, placing the napkin that was in his lap onto his plate.
“I'll help you,” Melissa chimed in. She followed him into the kitchen.
“So…” she started off, placing herself to face him.
“Melissa.” He was nervous, but he wasn't going to admit that. He and Melissa had never really been alone together.
“I see right through you ya know,” she simply stated. “I see through this whole act; I can tell by your aura.”
“What do you mean by that?” He tried to play it cool, but he had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about.
“When are you planning on telling my sister how much you wanna be her boyfriend?” She cocked her head to the side challenging him.
“That's-that's ridiculous!” He stammered. “I would never...She's my partner. It would never work out anyway. She doesn't- no she doesn't like me. Wouldya get the pies? Everyone's waiting.” With that, he left the kitchen. Melissa got all the information she needed.
“What took you so long?” Scully had questioned him when they returned.
“Hmm?” He had hummed as he leaned into her. He was close enough to smell the lavender perfume she had applied behind her ears. She was intoxicating, and Mulder was drunk.
“Nothing.” She smiled with rosy cheeks.
Bill was not pleased.
*****
Mulder and Scully insisted that they do the job of cleaning up while everyone else got changed for bed. They both had decided that it was far too much to go back home now.
“Thanks for inviting me Scully.” They were washing dishes at the sink, side by side.
“It's no problem,” she replied. “I wanted you to know that you will always find a home with him.”
“Oh really? After only 3 years together?” He quipped.
“Mulder, I’m serious.” She gave him one of her classic Scully looks. Little did she know, that was his favorite.”
“So am I.” He was looking at her again. He couldn't help himself.
“What is it Mulder?”
“You're cute,” he responded.
“W-what?”
“I said you're cute.” Mulder started to put away the remaining dishes as Scully stood in front of the sink, unable to speak.
When he finished, he went to stand in front of her. She backed up into the counter and Mulder followed.
“What are you doing?” Her eyes held a million questions.
“I don't know,” he answered honestly. His hand came up to cup the side of her face- it was much like when he comforted her after he learned of her father's death.
“Mulder, are you okay?”
“Perfectly fine.” His thumb was stroking her cheek and she leaned into it. He was close, so close to kissing her. But he stopped himself when he heard heavy footsteps approaching them.
“What the hell is this?” Bill obviously saw more than he needed, despite it only being a touch (a complicated one).
“Bill, please.” Scully was pleading with him to not cause a scene on Thanksgiving.
“Alright Dana, I just came to tell you goodnight.” He kissed her on the cheek and rubbed her back.
“No kiss for me, Bill?” Mulder gave him his best puppy dog look. Bill sighed and walked out. “Sleep on the couch,” he yelled behind him.
“Well Mulder, I guess we should get ready for bed.”
“Scully!” He lifted his eyebrow. “ I thought you'd never offer!”
“Shut up Mulder.” She went to get dressed first.
*****
Mulder headed down the hall towards Scully’s old bedroom. Her door was open and a light was on.
“Mulder? I thought you'd be asleep.”
“I'm afraid your mother's couch is too comfortable for my taste.” She laughed. He loved her laugh.
“You can stay here until you feel yourself getting tired.”
“Thanks,” he mumbles, taking a seat on the edge of her bed.
It was like that for a few minutes. She only had a twin sized bed. Mulder eventually laid back, sprawling himself across her legs with his feet still touching the ground. She was reading a book silently. He thought she looked nice in them.
Neither of them realized it was happening, but her fingers were laced in his hair as she ran through the brown strands. For once, he felt like he was truly at peace. The sigh that he emitted called Scully to the attention of what she was doing.
“Mulder?”
“Hmm?” His eyes were closed.
“I think you should go get some sleep.” She put her book down on the nightstand.
“Yeah.” He turned his head into her lap and opened his eyes. She was looking at him through furrowed brows.
Scully found herself leaning in, and Mulder found himself sitting up to meet her. Their breathing was erratic and everything seemed abnormally silent.
“Scully,” he plainly whispered.
“Uh-huh.” She managed to get that out before he started kissing her.
Her hand was grabbing at the back of his neck and his was brushing the hair out of her face. Mulder was fully sitting up now- in more ways than one. Scully leaned back on her bed as a way of inviting him to be on top of her. He quickly obliged.
The sweetest spot was on her neck. It seemed to be both of their favorites. He was sucking on her skin in all the right ways and she had to cover her mouth to conceal a moan. It was wrong to do this in her mother's house, but Dana Katherine Scully was no saint.
Mulder kissed his way around the outline of her jaw and settled back on her lips. She opened her mouth, craving his tongue. He quenched her desire (and his own).
“Are you sure about this?” He asked her between breaths.
“No.”
“Do you want to stop?”
“No.”
He began to kiss her again as he ran a hand up and down her thigh. She again ran her fingers through his hair. This time it was his turn to suppress a moan, which he buried deep into her neck.
“Shit!” They both stopped. It sounded like Melissa had stubbed her toe on something in the hallway. Mulder laughed softly and kissed her forehead.
“Why are you laughing?
“Something your sister said to me in the kitchen.” It was ironic, really. She had questioned him about Scully, but yet she was the one who interrupted this whole “process.”
“Maybe you should go back down to the couch,” she suggested, a hint of sadness in her voice.
“You're right,” he agreed. “Wouldn't want your scary older brother murdering me in front of your mother.”
He waited a bit to be sure that Melissa had gone back to her room.
*****
Mulder woke up on the couch. He checked the clock on the wall- 10AM. He could smell eggs and toast in the kitchen. Of course, he thought to himself, this is what a real family does. He entered to find Maggie, alone.
“Good morning Mrs. Scully.”
“Oh hi, Fox. Good morning.” She smiled sweetly at him and for a moment he wondered what it would have been like to grow up here. He looked down at the tiled floor and smiled to himself, shaking his head.
“Good morning!” He recognized Scully's voice coming into the kitchen. She brushed past Mulder, sliding her hand down his arms as she went towards her mother.
“Good morning sweetheart.”
Mulder could feel the love radiating in the room.
“Mornin’,” Melissa grumbled, also making her way into the kitchen. “Fox…” she stopped and turned to face him. He could not meet her eyes.
“Hello Melissa.” She winked at him.
*****
Bill had joined them for breakfast. Everyone sat in the same seats as the night before. The atmosphere was light and loving. Mulder felt more welcome here than he ever did with his own family. His mother was the opposite of Maggie. Maggie wasn't cold and distant.
The table mostly kept to small talk but Melissa tried to sneak in things for her own amusement. “Mom, don't Dana and Fox both look like they've lost sleep,” she had asked. Mulder choked, Scully chugged down her glass of water, and Bill clenched his fists to keep from attacking Mulder.
“Melissa, they probably have off schedules.” Her mother had answered.
“Yeah, you know jet lag can last for days- weeks, even.” Mulder tried his best to not make eye contact with Bill. He wasn't ready to die just yet.
“Mmm, yeah. Jet lag.” Scully had added in.
When everything was said and done and everyone was dressed, it was time for them to head back.
“I really enjoyed staying here Mrs. Scully.” Mulder gave her one final hug.
“We enjoyed having you, Fox.”
“Speak for yourself,” Bill mumbled under his breath.
“See ya around, Fox.” Melissa waved at him then hugged her only sister goodbye.
“Goodbye everyone, I love you guys.” Scully held her arms out for a family group hug.
When the two agents walked down the sidewalk to Mulder's car, Scully intentionally bumped into him. He did the same, only he grabbed her hand.
It would be a long ride back.