A Coffee Shop Christmas
An alternate universe in which Dana Scully owns and operates a coffee shop in which Fox Mulder is a frequent customer.
“Next in line, please,” Dana called out, smiling as a young woman and her child walked up to the counter. “Hello. Happy holidays. What can I get started for you?”
“I want a hot chocwate,” the little boy said and Dana looked to the woman for confirmation before addressing the boy.
“Do you want to have whipped cream and sprinkles on top of it?” she asked and his green eyes lit up as he smiled.
“Yes! Yes! I wove sprinkos!” he said as he jumped up and down, the people in the coffee shop chuckling quietly.
“Rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles, or red and green sprinkles for Christmas?” she asked and he frowned as he stopped jumping. He tapped a finger to his chin and Dana looked at his mother as she placed a hand over her heart; the sight of him too adorable.
“I want wainbow sprinkos,” he said and Dana nodded.
“Please,” prompted his mother and he nodded.
“Pwease.”
“You got it. Anything else? Maybe a cookie, or a marshmallow snowman?”
“I have it, Mama? Da snowman mahshmawow?”
“Oh, honey. I only have enough money to get the hot chocolate for you. I’m so sorry.” She smiled tightly at him and Dana shook her head.
“Oh, there'll be no charge for it. Anyone who says marshmallow the way he just did deserves a special treat,” Dana said and the woman began to interrupt, but Dana shook her head, not wanting to hear it. “One hot chocolate with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles, a marshmallow snowman, and for you, Mom?”
“Nothing, I…”
“What would you like?” Dana asked softly and the woman let out a deep breath.
“I… I… really like peppermint white mochas,” she whispered, shaking her head. “But I don’t… I don’t want you to get in any trouble for-”
“Can’t get in trouble when you’re the owner of the shop,” Dana said with a smile. “You want a venti?”
“Yes. Thank you,” the woman said, tears shining in her eyes. “Truly, thank you. It’s been… been a long time since I’ve… thank you.” She wiped her eyes quickly and Dana nodded, ringing up a child’s hot chocolate and then discounting it by fifteen percent.
“That will be a dollar and twenty cents.”
“No, but it’s…” The woman looked at her and Dana smiled. “Thank you, again.” She exhaled a shaky breath as she counted out the money, all in change.
“Thank you. That will be at the end of the bar when it’s ready. Could I get a name please?”
“My name is Sammy,” the boy said, pointing to his chest and Dana smiled as she took the change and placed it in its proper spots in the register drawer.
“Thank you, Sammy,” she said, winking at his mom and then looking at her barista, Jane. “A hot chocolate for Sammy with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles, a venti white chocolate peppermint mocha for his mom…” Dana raised her eyebrows and the woman nodded.
“Sabrina.”
“For Sabrina,” Dana said. “Also a marshmallow snowman, and two plain croissants. Thank you, Jane.”
“You got it, Boss,” Jane said, bopping her head to the techno Christmas music that was playing softly.
Sabrina stared at Dana, her mouth opening and then closing, tears in her eyes again. Dana smiled and nodded as Sabrina mouthed thank you and proceeded to walk down to wait for their items.
“Next, please,” Dana called as she turned to look at the next customer and her heart skipped a beat.
How had she not noticed he was there?
“Good morning,” he said as he walked up to the counter with a smile and the scent of his cologne reached her nose.
He smelled so good.
“Good morning,” she replied, her heart now thumping in her chest at his proximity.
“How are you today, Dana?” he asked as he laid down the armful of stuff he was holding.
“I’m fine, thank you, Fox,” she said and he grinned with a nod.
“Delighted to hear it,” he said. “I myself am doing well.”
“Good. I was just about to ask,” she said and he nodded again.
“As you always do,” he said, smiling and separating the items into groups. “Along with my usual coffee today, I also need to purchase these and some gift cards. I was selected to bring holiday gifts to the women in the HR department and I thought, "What would be better than a cute coffee mug and a gift card to this fine establishment?” Seeing as I am always here, I figured I should know that it’s definitely a treat.”
“It’s very thoughtful of you to think of me… my shop, I mean,” she said, her face flushing as she looked at what he had selected. “Wow… all of these?”
“I didn’t clean you out, don’t worry,” he assured her, glancing back at the shelves. “I tried to match them, but also be mindful of taking too much.”
“That’s… that’s very considerate. But I do have stock in the back if there is something you wanted in particular.”
“That would be great. But, before you check on that, could you do something for me?”
“Sure.”
He leaned closer and she swallowed as she did the same, his cologne even stronger as she took a quiet sniff.
“That woman there, with the little boy?” he asked quietly, looking to his left with his eyes only.
“Yeah?”
“Could I buy her a gift card and have Jane covertly give it to her?”
“You… you want to get her a gift card?” she whispered and he nodded.
“Broke my heart when she said she only had enough for his hot chocolate and she wasn’t able to get anything for herself. You’ve helped, now I want to do the same.”
She pulled back and stared at him, at this man she had slowly gotten to know over the past three months when he stopped in every weekday to get a coffee. She knew he was kind, attentive, and had even helped out a couple of times when there had been a spill or a demanding customer became too loud. This was different though and it caused her to fall for him even further.
“Yeah. I can get that for you,” she said softly and he grinned.
“Good,” he said, taking out his credit card. “Fifty dollars, please.”
“Fox!” she said in surprise and he shook his head.
“Twenty five for her and twenty five for the kid. Although, I’m sure the majority of it will be spent on him.” He handed her the credit card and, with shaking fingers and a lump in her throat, she put fifty dollars onto a green gift card with Happy Holidays! written on it in rainbow colored Christmas lights.
“I’ll be right back,” she whispered, giving him back his credit card.
Putting the gift card into an envelope with the amount written upon it, she walked over to Jane. Whispering in her ear what to do when the drinks were ready, she slid the gift card into Jane’s apron pocket.
“Wow,” Jane whispered. “If I was straight, that man would be joining me for dinner tonight. All I’m saying.” She gave Dana a pointed look and then gestured for her to return to the register. Letting out a shaky breath, Dana nodded and walked back.
“That was very kind of you to do, Fox.”
“It’s nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ve seen you giving out food without charging for it, or giving someone a steep discount on their purchases. It was only right that someone else lent a hand.”
“Still it was kind and thoughtful. Thank you,” she said. He looked at her and smiled, her stomach flip flopping.
“Did… did you want me to check in the back for any of the items for you?” she asked as a loud Ohhhh was heard from Sabrina and Dana looked over at her.
She had a hand over her mouth and was trying to hold back her tears, not wanting to scare or worry Sammy. She turned her head and met Dana’s eyes, believing it was her who had given her the gift card. But when Dana looked at Fox, Sabrina’s eyes widened and she drew in a sharp breath.
“Mommy!” Sammy said. “I got da snowman!”
“Yeah,” she breathed and walked over to Fox, Sammy trailing behind her as he held his marshmallow snowman, smiling happily.
“Sir,” Sabrina said, stopping in front of Fox. “I can’t accept this… I don’t even know you.”
“Sure you do,” Fox said, smiling at her. “I think you just don’t recognize me in my work clothes.”
“What?” Sabrina asked, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“I’m one of Santa’s elves,” he said quietly. “When we’re out in public we have to stay incognito, hence the suit and tie you see me wearing now.”
“You…”
“I’m Fox, elf number 2525. I’m glad I have that one as twenty five is my favorite number, and I got it twice. I’m also glad when I can do something to make people happy. Especially those who may have lost the holiday spirit a bit.” He smiled at her and Dana had tears swimming in her eyes as she watched them.
“Yeah,” Sabrina whispered, her hand running over the top of Sammy’s head. “I don’t… it’s been hard. This money will be so nice to have to get him a special treat and to take a moment for us, even though I still feel like I shouldn’t accept it.”
“Oh no, you can’t give back an elf’s gift. Those are the rules,” Fox said and Dana laughed softly, wiping at her eyes.
“Do elves accept hugs?” Sabrina asked and Fox nodded, opening his arms and hugging her.
“Here are your drinks and croissants,” Jane said, placing the cups and a small bag onto the counter.
“Oh,” Sabrina said as she stepped back and laughed out a sob. “I forgot all about them when you handed me that gift card. I got so flustered. Thank you. Thank you to all of you. You really changed my day. Changed both of our days. Sammy, can you say thank you to everyone?”
“Dank you,” he said, giving them a sticky smile.
“You’re welcome,” they all said and Sabrina took his hand, smiling at each of them as she picked up the bag and the drinks and walked out of the coffee shop.
“Okay. Enough tears,” Jane said, rubbing Dana’s back. “I’ll get your drink ready, Fox. You want the usual or you want me to surprise you?”
“You know what? Surprise me,” he said. “Just no-”
“Hazelnut,” Jane and Dana said simultaneously and he nodded as he pointed at them.
“And I’ll go see what we have in the back if you tell me which items you want,” Dana said, blowing her nose on a napkin and letting out a deep breath.
Five minutes later, four bags hanging from his arms that were each filled with a ceramic coffee mug, a travel mug, a bag of limited seasonal coffee, and a twenty five dollar gift card, Fox picked up his coffee and bade them goodbye.
“Oh, wait,” he said, taking a taste of his surprise coffee. “Huh… that’s delicious, Jane. I want that tomorrow.”
“You got it,” Jane said, winking as she began to make the next order.
“See you both tomorrow. Thanks for your help, Dana.”
“And for yours,” she said, the words she wanted to say to him feeling trapped in her throat.
He nodded at her with a smile, walked out the door and headed toward the bus stop as Dana sighed, feeling like a failure.
“Slipped past you again, eh?” Tom, the older gentleman who arrived nearly as soon as the coffee shop was open, asked as he came up to the counter for a refill.
“I’m… I’m working on it, Tom,” Dana said, taking his cup and filling it with his usual half decaf and half regular coffee, her cheeks burning.
“Huh,” Tom said, his tone disbelieving.
“It’s complicated. He’s a customer,” Dana said, setting his cup down and staring at him.
“True. But still,” Tom said, nodding his thanks as he walked back to his table and his laptop.
Dana chanced a glance at Jane and saw she was watching her with a kind smile, but her eyebrows were raised in obvious agreement with Tom.
The bell above the door jingled and Dana was happy for the distraction.
“Welcome in. Happy holidays. What can I get for you?”
____________________
“See you tomorrow,” Dana said to Jeff and Corinne, the mid-shift baristas, as they walked past her, buttoning their coats.
“See you, Dana,” they both said and she smiled as they walked out the door.
“I’ve got everything done in the back, lights off, doors locked,” Miguel, the late shift barista, said as he came in from the back untying his apron and tossing it into the small laundry cart.
“Great,” Dana said, smiling at him.
“Everything done out here?” he asked just as the bell above the door jingled and they both looked over in surprise.
“What?” Dana asked as she stared at Fox, who had never been in the shop twice in one day and especially that late at night. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m-” Fox began, his gaze moving from Dana to Miguel, who had moved quietly but quickly to stand beside Dana.
“Everything okay?” Miguel asked, touching her arm.
“Oh! Yes. It’s fine. This is Fox. He usually stops by in the morning.”
“Ohhh. This is Fox,” Miguel said, his hand moving from her arm and Dana felt her face flush, sure she was about to be outed, knowing he had been discussed amongst everyone working in the coffee shop. “You’re the one who bought the gift card this morning for that woman.”
“Guilty,” Fox said with a grin and Dana let out a sigh of relief at how Miguel had identified him.
“Good man,” Miguel said, sticking out his hand. “Nice to put a face to the name.” They shook hands and then Miguel turned his attention to Dana. “What else do you need me to do before we close up?”
“Oh, you’re…” Fox said, seeming to realize the place was empty and the lights were low. “You’re closed.”
“Technically not for two more minutes,” Dana said with a forced laugh. “But yes. We close at eight.”
“I didn’t realize,” Fox said.
“Well, that’s because you’re not usually here at night, right?” Miguel asked and Dana cleared her throat.
“Right,” she agreed. “Well, you can head out, Miguel. I’ve got whatever else needs doing out here covered.”
“You sure, Boss? I don’t mind staying.” He gave her a smile, one she knew well as his teasing smile. “I could finish the small amount that’s left and you could speak to Fox.”
“Thank you,” she said, placing a hand on his back and nearly pushing him toward the door. He grabbed his coat and scarf from the back of a chair, chuckling softly as he nodded.
“Night, Boss. See you tomorrow,” Miguel said, pushing the door open. “Pleasure to have met you, Fox.”
“You as well,” Fox said, waving at him and smiling.
Miguel nodded at him and then looked at Dana, raising his eyebrows. Though he said nothing further, she heard everything he was not saying.
She locked the door as he left, waving goodbye as he shivered and put on his coat and scarf before turning left and walking out of sight.
“I hate to hold you up,” Fox said when she turned around.
“You’re not. I still do have some things to take care of here.”
“I could help? Make it faster?” He smiled and she drew in a breath through her nose.
“Why did you come back tonight?” she asked softly. “I’ve never seen you here this late.”
“Ahh, well,” he said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “A few reasons… but um…” He put his hands in his coat pockets as he rocked on his heels. “The women loved their gifts today.”
“Oh, that’s great. You made good choices.”
“Well, you helped.”
“Hmm,” she hummed with a nod.
“I wanted to tell you that they loved them.”
“You could have told me that tomorrow when you came in,” she stated and he nodded.
“I could have. Yeah. But…”
“But?” she asked, her heart beating faster.
“I wanted to tell you tonight. I wanted… I wanted to see you again,” he said softly and she pressed her lips together to stop from smiling.
“Why?”
“Because…” He sighed and shrugged as he gestured with his hands in his pockets. “Every day when I come in here, I work up the nerve to ask you something and every day I leave without doing it.”
“Ask me what?” she whispered.
“If you’d… if you’d like to have dinner with me. Or drinks. Or a walk in the park. Or… see a movie. Whatever you’d like to do,” he said softly, shrugging again.
“You do?” she whispered and he laughed softly.
“Yeah. And every day I chicken out. I…” He took a hand out of his pocket and rubbed it across his mouth. “I talk myself into it and then I tell myself that this is your business, where you work, and men asking women out at their place of business can be creepy and weird. I didn’t want to make you feel weird or uncomfortable, so I…” He looked at her and shrugged. “I leave without saying anything and then I kick myself over it all day.”
“Well, I-”
“But today,” he continued, beginning to pace, and she raised her eyebrows. “Today when I gave the women their gifts and they all exclaimed over them, they asked where this coffee shop was and when I told them about it and you, it got really quiet. I thought maybe they didn’t like the gift or something and then Aurelia, this amazing woman who has been there forever, laughed and said that now it all made sense.”
“What did?” Dana asked as he stopped pacing and looked at her with sheepish eyes.
“She thought… that I had bought them here because we were dating,” he stated and for a second she stopped breathing.
“Sh… she did?” she asked and he nodded.
“I told her that wasn’t the case and they all looked at each other and asked me why the hell not? I… I laughed it off and said it wasn’t like that, but I…” He sighed and gave her a half smile. “I wished it was like that and I knew I only had myself to blame. I left their office determined to stop by here on my way home, but I forgot I had a late meeting and now… now I’m keeping you when you should be leaving. I feel like I’m making a huge mess of this and-”
“Fox,” she interrupted, stepping toward him. “You’re not the only one to blame. I… I also thought… I wanted…”
“What?” he asked, his expression hopeful.
“I thought saying something would be odd since you're a customer, but I…”
“You what?” he asked, stepping closer to her.
“I wanted to ask you if you’d like to see a movie. Or get dinner and drinks. Or take a walk in the park,” she said, shrugging and smiling slightly.
“Yeah?” he asked, grinning happily.
“Yeah,” she said with a nod.
“Well, that’s… that’s…”
“Yeah,” she agreed and he laughed quietly.
“I know it’s rather last minute,” he said and her smile grew. “But, would you like to have dinner with me tonight? Or-”
“Take a walk and look at Christmas lights?”
“Then dinner?” he asked hopefully and she laughed.
“Yeah,” she agreed and he nodded.
“What do you need to finish here? How can I help to speed it along?” he asked and she laughed, her heart racing with excitement.
In no time, they were leaving the coffee shop and stepping onto the still busy streets, despite the hour. She adjusted her scarf and hat, letting out a breath that swirled around her like fine mist.
“Main Street?” he asked. “Check out the store windows? There’s one store in particular I really like.”
“The Company store?” she asked, knowing most people liked the windows they created, but something about them always felt too… modern to her.
“No, although they are nice, just not to my liking. Too unfeeling or something,” he said as they began to walk towards Main Street.
“I think that too,” she said with a nod. “The ones at Jasper and Company-”
“But Jasper and Company-” he said.
They both stopped walking and stared at each other. He grinned and she bit her bottom lip as she smiled back.
“They’re nostalgic,” he said and she nodded. “Like you’re in someone’s living room and sharing Christmas with them.”
“I completely agree,” she said and he grinned again.
“Well then,” he said, offering her his arm. “Let's delve into a bit of nostalgia.”
She laughed as she slid her arm through his and they continued walking down the street, talking about everything and nothing all at once.
______________
“Next in line please,” Dana called out as she handed Jane the cup for the next order.
She grinned when she saw Fox standing there, as always in awe as to how he seemed to sneak in without her knowledge. He grinned back as he approached the counter, a small bouquet of daffodils in a glass vase held in his hands.
“Good morning,” she said, taking the vase from him and shaking her head. “What can I get for you?”
“The usual please. And also…” he said, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss. She smiled when he pulled back, grinning like a fool.
“You are too much,” she whispered and he shrugged. “Thank you for the flowers.”
“Thank YOU for the past three months,” he said quietly and she leaned forward, giving him another kiss.
“I love you,” she whispered and he nodded.
“I feel the same,” he said and she laughed.
Setting the vase out of the way, she put in his order and rang him up.
“Three dollars even, please,” she said and he shook his head.
“You know, I thought there would be perks to sleeping with the owner, but I guess not,” he mumbled as he took out a ten dollar bill and handed it to her.
“There are,” she said cheekily as she finished his transaction and handed him his change. “You get to sleep with the owner. Coffee still costs money.”
“Yeah,” he said with a grin. “Capitalism. Am I right?” She laughed as he put his change in the tip jar and leaned toward her again. “One more kiss before I go?”
She grabbed the lapels of his coat and pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly. Jane wolf whistled and Tom laughed as he clapped appreciatively.
“That one good enough for you?” she whispered as she pulled back and Fox stood frozen in place for a few seconds.
“Yeah, that… hmm,” he said, stepping back and clearing his throat. “That’ll do it.”
“Good.”
“Your usual is ready, Fox. Once you can function again, that is,” Jane teased. He huffed out a breath, gave his whole body a shake, and walked over to pick up his drink.
“Thank you, Jane.”
“Uh huh,” she said, glancing at Dana and smiling.
“Well,” Fox said, walking towards the door. “Well…”
“See you later,” Dana said, waving at him with a smile.
“Yes. Yes, you will,” he said, still looking a bit dazed.
“Bye,” she said and he nodded as he walked out the door, Tom laughing softly from his table.
Dana looked down at the bright yellow daffodils, smiling as she stroked her fingers across their soft petals.
Two women laughed as they entered the coffee shop and her attention was diverted.
“Hello. Good morning,” she said, feeling happy beyond what she could ever have imagined. “How can I help you?”
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