AUTHOR'S NOTES: When I posted Exaiphnes VIII, I mentioned that there would be a follow-up...well, here it is and a couple of days early. I hope you enjoy it. If you did, please let me know!

Mulder sat down on the floor next to Tim, sliding his arm around the Tim's back. He watched as the flames from the fireplace reflected in Tim's glasses, the lights from the Christmas tree glinting on Tim's hair as Andy Williams regaled them with stories of Christmases long, long ago in the background.

"This is great. Thanks for doing this," he said. Tim looked so incredible. Again Mulder was amazed that this man had invited him to be a part of his life. It made him feel alive unlike anything else ever had.

"I told you it would be worth having a tree," Tim answered.

"I had no idea. It makes every night like a party." And they could use a couple parties. Life had been hard this year; first his accident, then Tim's illness and the revelations about his uncle. They could use a little bit of the Christmas cheer.

Tim laughed, leaning into Mulder. "We could use a little party now and then."

Mulder reached over for the bottle of wine he had carried in with him and poured two glasses. He handed one to Tim, who shifted his weight and lifted his right hand off the floor to accept the glass.

Mulder held his own glass up to Tim's. "Cheers."

The glasses clinked as they moved together.

"Do you know the origin of toasting?" Mulder asked as he took a sip of the full-bodied burgundy.

"No, but I'm sure you'll tell me, Oxford boy," Tim responded, setting his glass down on the floor.

"In the middle ages the kings would poor a little into each other's glasses to make sure that no one was poisoning anyone," Mulder answered, smiling at his lover.

"Do I need to worry?" Tim teased.

"Not from me," Mulder answered, leaning in to kiss the wine from Tim's lips.

"So, was Teena mad you aren't coming up this year?" Tim asked.

"Not really. She understood that we had plans down here and made me promise to bring you up in January. She was impressed with my Y2K prep team, though."

"This I would have loved to have seen. Your mother, Boston Brahmin, and Frohike as he goes over her home security system."

"Actually, he can clean up okay as long as you get him to take those gloves off. No matter how many times I tell him he looks like a geek he won't listen."

"Fashion advice from Agent Mulder. It's a classic everyone should be treated to once," Tim responded.

"Well, I know someone in this household who could do with a trip through a men's store," Mulder retorted. He leaned over and filled first his glass, then Tim's.

Tim chuckled, settling back into Mulder's arms. "Let's just stay like this for a good long while, okay?"

"You'll get no arguments from me," Mulder responded.

They sat watching the fire burn, until the CD ended.

"We should go upstairs," Tim said.

"Yeah," Mulder answered. He stood up and held his hand out to Tim, pulling him up. He grabbed the wineglasses and empty bottle while Tim made sure the fire burned out.

Walking out of the kitchen, he snapped the lights off in the living room and followed Tim up to their bedroom.

"Are you sure you don't want to go over to Dana's mom's on Christmas Day?" Tim called from the bathroom where he was getting ready for bed. He pulled his shirt off and lobbed it toward the hamper.

"I thought that was the point of not going to my mom's," Mulder answered as he pulled the duvet back. "We'll go to your mom's for Christmas Eve and then just have a day to ourselves."

Tim snapped the light off and walked back into the room. Mulder had slid his t-shirt off and stood contemplating his boxer shorts.

"You gonna get lucky tonight?" Tim asked, smiling at Mulder.

"You tell me," Mulder answered. The wine had loosened him up very nicely, not too much, but enough.

"Well, I know what I want," Tim said, moving over in front of Mulder. He slid his finger in between the waistband and Mulder's skin. Running his finger along Mulder's skin he heard the other man sigh contentedly. Tim slid the cotton drawers down, touching the warm skin as he went. He sat down on the edge of the bed and slipped his arms around Mulder's waist, moving his hands along Mulder's lower back. He leaned in and kissed Mulder's chest.

"I want it to always be like this," Tim said. He pulled Mulder close to him, and laid his head on Mulder's chest, listening to his heartbeat. He had missed being this close to Mulder and he was going to make damn sure it never happened again.

Mulder gently moved Tim back on the bed, quickly undressing him as well. He moved in, kissing Tim's right ear and then moving down his face, to his chin and back up again. He waited to see if Tim would respond. Since Tim's illness and his revelations about his uncle's abuse, Mulder never quite knew what to expect.

Tim groaned and moved against Mulder, his cock rubbing against Mulder's. Mulder pulled him closer and rolled them together on their sides. His hands moved down Tim's back, as they continued to move against one another.

Tim ducked his head down, moving his lips across Mulder's chest, sucking on first one nipple, then the other. He rolled Mulder onto his back and dipped his head further to taste Mulder. He pulled harder and harder as Mulder grew in his mouth. The FBI agent bucked his hips up in response, wanting to be closer and deeper within Tim. Tim continued to move, sliding his mouth from Mulder, and rolling him onto his other side, he pulled up behind him.

He slid his hand down, touching Mulder's anus. He felt the other man's pleasure continue to grow. He slid his right hand in, widening the opening, moving carefully as Mulder continued to breathe rapidly. *You can do this, Tim*

He slid his left arm around Mulder's chest, drawing him close. Tim was aroused, more than he had been for so long. Nature seemed to pull as he slipped into Mulder, the two of them now moving as one. It had been so long since he had held Mulder this way, been this intimate with him.

He cried out as his orgasm washed over him. He felt the tears begin to flow as the pleasure radiated through him. With one last shudder he fell back onto the bed.

"Are you okay?" Mulder asked, quickly turning to face Tim. It wasn't the first time they had made love since the cancer, but the first time Tim had initiated anything.

"Better than okay," Tim responded.

"But you're crying?" he asked.

"It's just...I'm happy," Tim answered.

Mulder gathered his lover in his arms. He tucked his head into Tim's shoulder and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Tim."

Tim didn't respond, he simply pulled Mulder closer. Tonight actions were speaking louder than words.

The End!