Title:Happiness - New Year's Eve Misadventures Author: shawntaw Category: MSR, Au Rating: G Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I am making no profit. Summary: What could possibly go wrong? Feedback makes me very happy at shawntaw@hotmail.com :) Side Note: I got a error message saying "Safe Harbor - Skinner's Epilogue" didn't post, but I see it when I go to xfc-atxc. So, I'm wondering...Is it coming through o.k.? Can you read it? Because I could...just wondering. Should I repost? (I am not as computer- literate as I seem*L*) TO DANIELA LABOD WHO HAS MADE A WEBSITE OF MY STORIES: www.geocities.com/corran_14776/shawntaw.html Thank you.:) ****************************************************** Scully took a deep cleansing breath. *This is really happening. Mulder and I are making the official announcement to my family that we are engaged to be married.* She regarded her pale reflection, reached into her cosmetics bag and pulled out the blush. *Mom knows, but how is Bill going to react?* She wasn't worried about Charlie, her other brother. He wouldn't even be there tonight; he was at sea. But she imagined he would take this tidbit of news in his typical laid-back manner. She wasn't worried about Tara, Bill's wife. Scully knew that Tara secretly liked Mulder and would be delighted for her. She was only worried about Bill. Terrified actually. Scully smoothed down her hair and looked at her reflection again. She had left Mulder's apartment an hour ago and needed every bit of the time not only to get ready, but to talk herself out of hyperventilating when she considered looking her brother in the face and telling him that she was marrying a man that he despised. A part of her rebelled - *To heck with him!* - but she knew in her heart she wished she could have Bill's approval. Scully wondered what her father would have thought of Mulder. The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. She looked at her watch. 8:30 p.m. Mulder was right on time. ******************************************************* Mulder swallowed again and tried not to shuffle from foot to foot in Scully's hallway. His hand trembled as he raised it to ring the bell. *Stop that!* Mulder silently screamed at the traitorous limb. He wanted to look calm and assured tonight. He didn't want Bill to think he was unnerved in the least by the big announcement he and Scully were making. Mulder paused to breathe deeply and then pressed the doorbell firmly. Nothing was messing up tonight. ******************************************************* Skinner and Maggie Scully were winding their way back to Skinner's car from the wooded interior of the small park. Maggie carried her shoes, one sporting a broken heel, and tried not to slip as her soaking wet, stocking-clad feet slid across the wet, short grass. Skinner lightly helped her keep her balance by grasping the back of her right elbow. He sloshed and squished as he walked, his clothes also dripping with water. Skinner's lips were a thin line. He couldn't see Maggie's face. She had her head tilted forward, watching her step, and her dark hair formed a humid curtain hiding her face. "I had no idea the sprinkler system would come on," Skinner broke the awkward silence. "Why are they watering in winter anyway?" he wondered aloud. Maggie's shoulder shook slightly as she stepped carefully around a stump. "I thought with the weather being so unseasonably warm, and the sky being so clear tonight..." He threw up his free hand in exasperation. "I thought a moonlight picnic was a good idea," he finished. Maggie's shoulders shook harder this time. She stopped and he heard a strangled noise come from her, followed by a gasp. "You're laughing," Skinner said incredulously. Maggie turned her sparkling eyes up to him. She was indeed laughing. Skinner grinned with relief. "Why wouldn't I laugh? Look at us!" she exclaimed. The small park reverberated with their merriment. ******************************************************* Byers carried the margarine tub containing the soup into the kitchen. "Really, I insist," he was saying over his shoulder to Kimberly, who lounged on her sofa. He spotted the microwave and set the soup next to it. He began to open and shut cabinets in his search for a bowl. "Well, ok. I'm too weak to argue," her amused voice followed him into the kitchen, "The bowls are on the left of the microwave." "Thanks." He found the bowls and poured her some soup into one. He microwaved it, dug up a spoon from a drawer and carried the hot bowl carefully on a plate to the reclining Kimberly. She smiled sweetly at him. He leaned down to place the plate gently on her lap, bringing his face uncomfortably close to hers. Byers felt himself blush. Kimberly's smile widened and she looked at his mouth. *Kiss her!* He heeded the voice in his head and moved a fraction of an inch closer. A loud knocking at the door made them both jump. The soup splattered a little on her robe. "Oh!" she said, setting the plate holding the soup bowl on the small coffee table, "Just a minute!" she yelled at the door. "Where would I find paper towels?" Byers was yelling from the kitchen. "Under the sink," Kimberly answered and walked muttering toward the door. "Who is it?" "Um, Kim, its Frohike - I mean, Melvin. I've got Langley with me. Did Byers - John - come by here?" Byers appeared in the entryway to the kitchen, clutching a damp paper towel. "What are they doing here?" he said quietly, stepped forward and handed her the towel to clean the small splatter-spot on her robe. "Thanks," she scrubbed at the spot, "I have no idea why they're here." She crammed the towel in her robe pocket and unlocked her front door. Byers stood behind her door, out of sight. He wanted to hear what they had to say. Kimberly leaned around the door and smiled sweetly at the two men standing in the hallway outside of her apartment. "John has been here, yes, why?" Byers felt himself smile. Kim had heard the uneasiness in his voice and wasn't giving him away. She knew he wanted to know what the heck his friends thought they were doing. "We, uh, we thought that after he came by here and saw for himself that you were, uh, busy, he might need a ride home or something." "I'm not busy; I'm sick," Kim repeated what she had told Byers earlier on the telephone. "Ok, whatever, its o.k. Really. The three of us are used to it. Goes along with the territory being computer geeks." Byers could hear Frohike trying to make light of it. He really thought that Byers had been dumped. "You know where he went?" Langley finally spoke up. "Um, yes, actually I do," Kimberly said, "Why don't you gentlemen come on in for a minute and I'll tell you where he is?" There was a pause. Byers could practically hear the two of them considering. "Yeah, alright...but just for a minute. We really should go after Byers," Langley finally said. "Just give me a minute," she gestured to her robe. Kimberly closed the door and looked at Byers, her eyes glittering mischeviously in the semi-darkness. "John, I have an idea," she grinned. ********************************************************************** Bill felt antsy setting out the trays of appetizers and the big punch bowl. *Where's my mother?* He squelched his protective streak and tried not to picture his mother tied up somewhere while unknown men beat up her date for information. Bill shook his head. *Too much T.V.* He began to fill the punch bowl with the concoction he had found in the refrigerator. ********************************************************************** 9:06 pm. *Where is everyone?* Bill checked his watch again and moved the curtain to one side to peer out the front window. His jaw dropped as he watched the soaking wet couple hobble up the sidewalk. Skinner said something Bill couldn't hear, bent at the waist and picked up an obviously struggling Maggie. She pounded Skinner on the chest with her fists and Bill suddenly saw red. He jerked open the front door and began to stalk toward them. A set of headlights suddenly flooded the scene and the three of them paused to turn toward them. It was Mulder's car. Bill scowled and continued toward Skinner and his mother. She no longer struggled, but he was close enough now where he could hear her entreaty. "Walter, put me down." "Nope, not until you give me what I want." "After what you did to me in the park?!" *I'm going to KILL Walter Skinner* was Bill's last thought as he launched himself at the man. ********************************************************************** Note: RL is calming down a little, so expect more timely updates. I'm sorry I haven't been able to answer e-mail as quickly and as personally as I usually do, but I LOVE feedback! It makes me feel like my writing means something, so thanks!!:) It is indescribably (did I spell that right?*L*) nice to know that someone out there is reading this stuff! Hey, on a side note, the web site that Daniela made for my stories surpassed 1000 hits! I personally think this is a reason to celebrate! (shawntaw throws virtual confetti) "Whoooooohoooooo!" Next installment is coming very soon....