*TITLE* : The Tallest Elf

*AUTHOR* : Article67

*DATE* : 12/11/01

*FEEDBACK* : Article67@hotmail.com

*ARCHIVING* : Anywhere, just tell me so I can brag. ;-)

*RATING* : G all the way, baby. Well... there are a couple
of not-so-nice words in there..

*TIMEFRAME* : current

*KEYWORDS* : Skinner fic/Christmas fluff?

*DISCLAIMER* : Characters created by Chris Carter. Scenarios
created by ME.



The Tallest Elf

December 21st, 2001



He had walked past the tree twice a day for three weeks
without even noticing it. It was a little unusual for the
Bureau to set up a Christmas tree in the lobby, but it was
just a tree, after all. They were every where after
Thanksgiving. The bank, the local drug store, not to mention
every department store in the city had half a dozen on
display. They were easy to ignore, especially for a man who
didn't have a reason to celebrate Christmas anyway.

He would have kept walking by it, paying it no attention
despite its blinking lights, bright red bows and childish
ornaments, if Agent Doggett hadn't stopped him that
afternoon.

He was almost out the door when Doggett called him, and as
fate would have it, he stopped right by the tree. Doggett
was quick and to the point, understanding full well that he
was leaving for the day and Skinner appreciated that. Even
he looked forward to Christmas vacation.

He signed the expense voucher with a familiar ease, and when
he looked up, he noticed the tree. What caught his attention
was a single ornament. Cut carefully from green construction
paper, and shaped like a teddy bear.

Written across it was "Scott Ainsworth, age 7".

He scowled at it, trying to recall if anyone he knew at the
bureau was named Ainsworth. He was good with names,
particularly those who worked in this building, but it
wasn't the least bit familiar.

"Sir?" Doggett said, jerking his attention away from the
tree.

"Sorry, John," he mumbled, handing Doggett the form.

Doggett glanced over at the Christmas tree and then turned
back to Skinner.

"I'm surprised there are so many bears left," Doggett said
with a shadow of sadness. "I've already taken four myself,
and I know Monica has at least that many. Scully even took
one for William."

"Bears? Skinner asked, not caring if he sounded like an
idiot.

Doggett nodded and snagged one of the paper cut-outs from
the tree, holding it out to Skinner.

"Kids who lost a parent in the Pentagon."

A swift chill settled in his gut as he took the paper
ornament from Doggett, staring down at it in speculation.

"I won't keep you any longer, Sir. Have a happy holiday,"
and like a ghost from Dickens' tale, Doggett was gone.

Skinner glanced back up at the tree, unintentionally
counting the ornaments.

Thirteen.

Fourteen, the slight weight of the paper in his hand
reminded him.

He stuffed it quickly into his coat pocket, waved to Benny
the evening guard, and strode out the glass doors into the
bitter wind.

*   *   *


He stared out the sliding door into the darkness, or semi-
darkness, that was Crystal City. Two glasses of Crown Royal
had done nothing to abate the restlessness that had followed
him home from work that evening. He pretended not to know
what it was, but the ploy wasn't working.

"To thine own self be true," he muttered, setting his glass
down on the dining table with a thump and a slosh of amber
liquid.

He jerked open the hall closet and pulled the ornament from
his coat pocket.

"Aime Jensen, age 5", was printed across the front of the
pale red bear, on the back was a D.C. address.

He really didn't appreciate the hard lump that rose in his
throat as he read the words one more time.

Fourteen children that were probably having one hell of a
shitty Christmas. Fourteen kids whose mother, or father made
one big mistake on September 11th. Going to work.

"It could have just as easily been the Hoover building," he
muttered to the empty room. The slight echo from the sparse
walls pushed him into motion.

He held the paper between his teeth and yanked his coat from
the closet, jangling several of the metal hangers in his
haste.

He buttoned it as he waited on the elevator.

*   *   *

He slipped into the building from the parking garage and
made his way to the lobby.

"Forget something, Mr. Skinner?" Benny called from the desk
as he strode purposefully to the tree.

"You might say that," he replied, quickly snatching up every
paper bear. He glanced at each one as stacked them in his
hand. Age 7, age 6, age 5, age 9, age 4, age 8 months.

None of them were over ten. That realization made him
queasy, and more determined. He walked around the tree
twice, making sure that there were no bears hiding in its
branches. A soft chuckle reminded him that he was being
watched.

"You tell anyone, and I mean *anyone*..." Skinner warned the
guard.

"No, Sir," Benny grinned, "I didn't see anything but one
damned tall elf."

"Good man," he grinned, heading back to his car.

He fought the holiday traffic all the way to Toys R Us, and
was stunned at the tide of people jammed into the building.
He remembered now why he didn't celebrate Christmas.

He grabbed a cart and made his way through the store and the
mass of people. He already knew what he wanted to get each
child, and the far wall of the big store held what he
sought.

He stacked fourteen identical teddy bears into the buggy,
and waded quickly back through the sea of shoppers to the
check out line, nearly giving the cashier a heart-attack
when he asked, 'Can I get those gift-wrapped?'

The actual wrapping took longer than the entire shopping
trip, but it was worth it. With the help of one clerk he
loaded the back of his SUV with the gifts and headed home.

Half-way there he realized he was humming Christmas Carols.

*   *   *

A young Fed-Ex driver was at his apartment door early the
next morning, and looked at Skinner with something akin to
horror at the pile of packages, each carefully labeled and
tagged for pick-up.

"Don't worry," Skinner said, "They're not heavy."

It only took two trips to load them into the back of the
truck and as the driver pulled out into traffic, Skinner
smiled broadly.

Inside each box sat a brightly wrapped bear with a tag that
said 'Merry Christmas, from the tallest elf.'




--end


Author's Note: We have one of these in my Bank, and I bet
there is one in yours too. I saw it, and the ages of some of
the kids listed broke my heart. I think it would break anyone's... 
Even Skinner's...