Kathleen A. Klatte
kat2000@bestweb.net
kawklatte@aol.com

"The Millenium Ball"

Feedback and commentary are most welcome.  

Disclaimer:  The X-Files is the property of Chris Carter, FOX, 
and Ten Thirteen productions, et al;  this is a recreational 
endeavor, no profit is being made and no copyright infringement 
is intended.   
Scully & Doggett
Note:  This is a suite of three vignettes, so if you receive it 
through more than one mailing list, be sure to read them all.  

******************************************
DECEMBER 31, 2000
THE J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC

Dana Scully sat at Fox Mulder's desk lost in memories of the 
previous December.  She remembered the horrible and frightening 
violence of the case they'd been working on, and she remembered 
Frank Black's joyous reunion with his daughter, and she 
remembered waiting for Mulder to get patched up in the ER on New 
Year's Eve.  She remembered holding her breath as the clock 
struck twelve, waiting to see what, if anything, would happen.  
She remembered the incredible relief she felt as the lights 
stayed on and the world continued on its merry way, and she 
remembered how she and Mulder had welcomed the New Year with a 
kiss.  God, how she missed him!  People around the bureau were 
starting to refer to him in the past tense now, as if he was 
dead.  Everyone except for her, and A.D. Skinner...and Agent 
Doggett. 

John Doggett paused in the doorway of the basement office, 
admiring his partner.  He'd never seen Dana Scully in formal 
attire before and she was stunning.  Her red-gold hair was 
loosely curled and tucked neatly behind her ears.  She wore a 
touch more makeup than usual and brilliant diamond stud 
earrings.  Her gown was emerald green velvet, with thin shoulder 
straps and an empire waist that helped to camouflage her 
slightly expanded tummy.  The gold cross that she was never 
without nestled in the hollow of her throat.  He noticed a sad, 
faraway look in her eyes and knew that she was thinking of 
Mulder.  

"'Evening, Agent Scully," he said quietly.  

Scully jumped slightly at the sound of his voice.  "Good 
evening, Agent Doggett."  

Doggett chuckled.  "We're going to a party," he reminded her, 
"you think maybe we could just be 'Dana' and 'John' for a couple 
of hours?"

"I'll give it my best shot," she promised, rising gracefully to 
her feet.  

"Good.  By the way, you look absolutely beautiful."  

"Thank you, Ag- ...John.  You're looking very handsome 
yourself," she added.  He was, too.  The simple elegance of a 
classic tux suited him perfectly.  Scully recalled wryly that 
Mulder always managed to look as if he'd been sleeping in his 
evening clothes.  

"Shall we go?" Doggett asked, gallantly offering his arm.  

Smiling brilliantly, Scully linked her arm through his.  

******************************************
THE WHITE HOUSE

"Fancy meeting you here, Doctor Scully," Walter Skinner said 
politely as he passed her a cup of punch.  

"Happy New Year, Mister Skinner," Scully replied demurely.  

"Not quite yet," Skinner muttered, his eyes never ceasing to 
scan the crowded room.  "You look lovely," he added in a more 
normal tone.  

"Thank you," Scully answered.  She raised her glass to her lips, 
then spoke quietly.  "I think we've got one security person for 
every two guests."  

Skinner shrugged slightly.  "We're talking about the President 
of the United States here.  No one is taking any chances.  We 
have to figure that there's a few wackos out there who actually 
know that the new millenium starts tonight - not a year ago - 
and be prepared for anything they might try.  Personally, I'll 
be thrilled if the most newsworthy event of the evening is some 
politician getting drunk."  

"Spoken like someone who's never had to escort one off the 
premises without the press catching on," a tall man with a 
neatly groomed mustache quipped.  

"'Evening, Ron," Skinner greeted the newcomer.  

Scully smiled politely at the head of the president's Secret 
Service detail and he nodded in reply.  

"Enjoying the party?"  

"Very much.  I've never actually been inside this part of the 
White House," Scully replied.  

"Well, I'm glad you could be with us tonight," Ron stated 
pleasantly.  

"Ron, you're grinning like the cat that ate the canary," Skinner 
noted.  

"Hell, this is the best holiday bonus I've ever gotten.  
Everyone I have to protect is in one building - which I just 
happen to have the blueprints and security layout for, and I got 
to invite as many of my own friends as I wanted to the party.  
What more could a guy ask for?"  

Scully smiled politely as Skinner and his friend exchanged 
greetings of the season before moving on.  There was something 
she could ask for, but with each passing day it seemed less and 
less likely that she would receive it.  

Doggett noticed that Scully's smile didn't quite reach her eyes 
and resolved to do something about it.  He stepped up close 
beside her.  "Dana, may I ask you a favor?"  

"Of course," she replied immediately, with another flawed smile.  

"Dance with me?"  

"I'm afraid...I'm not very good company right now."  

"Please?" he said as appealingly as he could manage.  "It's 
nearly midnight, and I'd really like to welcome the New Year 
with the loveliest lady here."  

Scully's smile was a little softer, a little more genuine as she 
placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her to the dance 
floor.  

Lush, romantic music swelled around them as Doggett expertly 
guided her around the floor.  He was pleased to feel her relax 
somewhat in his arms.  

Scully noticed the president's daughter dancing with her 
boyfriend.  "They look so much younger than they do on TV," she 
noted.  

"Too young for everything they've been through lately," Doggett 
agreed.  "But then you'd know something about how that feels.  
You're thinking about Mulder, aren't you?" he added. 

Scully nodded, knowing it would be a lie to contradict him.  
"Always," she admitted quietly. 

The music swirled to a close amidst a flurry of applause and the 
President, accompanied by the First Lady and their daughter, 
stepped up to the mike to count down the last thirty seconds of 
the year.  

Many of the gentlemen present had their arms wrapped around 
their female companions, so it didn't look at all out of place 
for Doggett to fold his arms tight around Scully and whisper in 
her ear.  "I'm gonna make you a New Year's promise, that 
somehow, some way, we are going to find him."  

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Scully murmured sadly.  

"I always keep my word.  I'm a good cop, and you're a brilliant 
investigator.  Agent Mulder is out there somewhere and you and I 
are going to find him."  

"-three, two one - Happy New Year!"  

Hugs and kisses were the order of the moment, so no one noticed 
as Scully stretched up on her toes to brush a light kiss against 
Doggett's cheek.  "Thank you," she whispered.  

He took her in his arms to dance again as the first plaintive 
notes of Auld Lang Syne flowed through the room.  

"That's such a sad song," Scully observed.  

"Maybe," Doggett agreed.  "Old friends are special...you don't 
ever want to lose them or forget about them."  

"But there's something to be said for new friends," Scully 
suggested, smiling up at him.  

"Happy New Year, Dana Scully," he said gruffly.

"Happy New Year, John Doggett," she replied whimsically.  


Fin.  

HAPPY 2001!

There were lots of interesting guests and goings-on at the 
Millenium Ball - check out the SOF and West Wing versions of the 
story.  

Copyright (c) 2001 Kathleen Klatte
All Rights Reserved