Summary: She's back, She's bad...She's Canadian!
(oh, the story? Someone's not happy with the X Files and darned well wants to show it!)
Rating: Story, Good Stuff Happening Here, MSR - super light fluff for the holidays!
Disclaimer: Not mine. No Mulder abduction; no pregnancy. All fine and dandy in MY world.
Archive: Anywhere, anytime - just let me know!
E-Mail: [email protected]


2002 And Counting...
by Sheryl Nantus

"It could be dangerous..." Mulder's voice was low and tense.

"We've done dangerous before." Scully responded in a low whisper; tucking her head closer to his. "And I am a doctor..."

"Ah, true. I keep forgetting." A sly smile. "So you don't mind giving me mouth-to-mouth?"

"As long as you don't try to slip me the tongue again." She shot back with an even wider grin.

"Okay, we're agreed." Mulder suddenly sat up straight on the couch; Scully ram-rod straight beside him. "Right - we'll have some fruitcake."

Jackie St. George poked her head around the corner from the kitchen, scowling. "You two are hysterical, you know? Besides, I got the receipe from a website online. How bad can it be?"

Mulder's eyebrows rose almost as fast as Scully's.

"Oh... just add more rum to the ferschlugging eggnog then!" The Canadian disappeared back around the corner with a snort. "I'm trying to do that domestic thing..."

"Too bad the hubby is overseas." Mulder chuckled as he got to his feet and headed for the table. "He would be a perfect test subject." Picking up the bottle of rum sitting on the kitchen table he eyed the level. "Not even half gone. I assume she's got more around here." Pouring the eggnog into a fresh glass he added a generous dollop of the rum; using his finger to stir it. Smacking his lips as he sucked his finger dry he smirked at his partner. "Tastes good..."

"Your finger or the eggnog?"

He strode over to the couch, holding the glass in front of him. "You decide."

Taking the glass Scully took a deep swallow; watching him intently. Her head jolted back as her eyes widened and a deep cough ripped free.

"Good..." The redhead croaked. "Really good..." She smiled widely. "I'll try the other taste later."

"Okay, you holiday folk..." St. George appeared around the corner balancing two plates. "I got the cheeses here and the fruitcake there." Slipping the trays onto the coffee table she flipped her long hair back with one hand. "Smoked cheddar and so forth... and we have plenty of time before the ball drops; so to speak..."

As Mulder returned to the kitchen table to make another drink Scully reached out, expertly snagging a piece of fruitcake. Nibbling almost daintily on the slice, she frowned. "This is good."

The Canadian smiled as she flopped into the large easy chair. "Well, like duh!"

"No, I mean it. This is really, really, good..." As Mulder returned to the couch she fed him a small hunk. "This is almost..."

"As good as your mother's?"

Mulder chewed slowly at first, picking up the pace as he reached for his own piece. "Maybe better..." He grunted as Scully's elbow found a home in his ribs. "I said 'maybe'..."

"Well, considering it's her receipe..."

"What?" Scully coughed as she reached for her eggnog. "This is Mom's?"

"Believe it or not, it's exactly the same as a certain website cook's..." St. George chuckled. "I don't know how she paid your mom enough for it, but..." She shrugged. "Go figure." Reaching for her own abandoned mug of eggnog she smiled. "Thanks for coming over, though - with Marty being overseas for a few more days I wasn't really keen on seeing the New Year in alone. Did you pass up any invitations?"

"Well, Skinner was having a sex orgy..."

Scully reached for a slice of cheese, daintily balancing it on a cracker. "Nothing. Mom's out West, so we do have to call her at three to do the New Year out there."

"Yep. Oh, and Mulder?" The Canadian waggled her right hand at him; displaying her wedding band. "No kissing me at midnight."

"But..." His lower lip shot out in a deep pout. "Who am I gonna kiss..."

The two women let out a paired sigh as he blankly looked around the room.

"You know, you could have him neutered." St. George offered helpfully. Scully put her hand under her chin, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Might keep him from dipping his fingers where they don't belong..."

"Might keep him from marking his territory in the office..."

"Might keep him from growling every time Skinner comes into the room..."

"Might keep me from paying for breakfast tomorrow when we all get over the hangovers."

"Oh." The Canadian nodded to the FBI agent. "Guess you should keep him for stud duty a wee bit longer."

"If I must..." Scully let out an exaggerated sigh as Mulder forced a deeper pout onto his face.

"So... any New Year Resolutions?" Jackie reached for a thick slab of cheddar.

"I don't do resolutions." Mulder looked at the two shocked faces. "Oh, like you keep yours? I don't think so..."

"I do." Scully sipped her eggnog. "Last year I resolved to not ditch you."

"And?" He grinned widely.

"I didn't. You ditched me."

Mulder opened his mouth to respond, then thought the better of it and went silent for a minute. Seizing upon her victory, Scully continued.

"What's yours Jackie?"

"I resolve..." She eyed the fruitcake warily. "To gain at least ten more pounds."

"What!" The redhead began to laugh. "That's not a resolution!"

"Sure it is!" St. George protested with a wide smile. "I'm not going to make promises I can't keep, so..."

"I resolve to keep on bugging Kersh." Mulder picked up on the idea immediately.

"I resolve to keep on fixing those expense reports so you can read them."

"I resolve to keep on bugging Skinner." St. George drained her mug of eggnog. "But only because he needs it."

"I resolve to let Scully answer her phone when it's her mother calling."

"Yes, I would appreciate that." The irony in her voice went around the room; causing a series of giggles and chuckles.

"I resolve to see The Lord of The Rings movie at least ten times... with my husband." St. George croaked as she coughed on a piece of fruitcake.

"I resolve to keep pushing Scully out of bed." Both women stared at Mulder. "What? A man has to have goals, right?"

"I resolve..." Scully frowned for a brief second. "To do two thousand and two good deeds this year."

Mulder looked at her, suddenly serious. "What?"

"You heard me. Two thousand and two good deeds. Nice things." Scully looked down into her drink. "Maybe you put in too much rum."

"That's an average of..." St. George dabbled her finger in the air, scrunching one eye shut. "Five and a half deeds a day. That's a lot..."

Mulder crunched a cracker noisily. "Well, I can think of a few good things she can do for me daily..." He grunted as his sore ribs withstood another attack.

"Not really." Scully protested. "Letting someone in in front of you while driving; giving to that fellow who's always on the corner of the Hoover building playing that trumpet..."

"Not killing your partner on a daily basis..." Jackie raised her mug. "You go, girl!"

"Going to join me?" Scully laughed as Mulder rescued her empty glass and retreated to the kitchen table.

"In not killing your partner? Well, I'm not sure..."

"You know..."

"Well, gotta have goals." She handed her mug to Mulder for a refill. "Since you're standing..."

"At your service, ladies..."

"Oh, you wish..." Jackie chuckled. "Okay, Dana - I'll give it a shot."

"Me too." The tall man brandished the rum bottle. "And God Bless Us, Every One!"

"Don't push it, Mulder..." Scully took the offered glass and raised it in a toast. "And a good New Year to everyone!" She took a deep sip, gasping for air as the liquid hit home.

"Oh, I cut back on the eggnog already." Mulder shot her a sly wink. "Working on my first Good Deed for 2002..."