Alex watched the snow as fell, covering the lawn outside. Tiny flakes ticked against the window pane, ice had traced patterns over the glass.

Christmas sucks. He thought morosely as he stared out at the frost covered trees. Alex hated this time of year. He hated the bustling crowds, he hated the brightly decorated shops.

He hated the cheerful crowds as they shopped and chattered their way around the colourful department stores.

And to make it worse, both Walter and Fox wanted to have a traditional Christmas. Turkey, and baked ham, stuffing, Christmas pudding, Christ, Fox had even bought eggnog.

Well the eggnog wasn't too bad, Alex had to admit. He rather liked it, but still... and to add insult to injury...A TREE!

Walter and Fox had insisted that they had to have a tree. They had wanted Alex to go with them, when they went to buy one but he had dug his heels in, there was no way he was going to do something as dorky as to go and buy a tree. It was downright embarrassing.

Then to make matters worse, they insisted, no make that demanded that he help decorate it.

That had been the final straw. They knew how he felt about Christmas, they knew how he hated the whole stupid holiday. Revenge in his heart, Alex had agreed to help with the tree, but after 'accidentally' dropping several glass balls and tangling the Christmas tree lights, he had been sent over to the couch to watch t.v instead.

Well that had been just fine with him. He had watched an old James Stewart movie, the kind they always put on this time of year. he had sat, face set in stubborn lines, watching the old grainy black and white movie while the flames blazed cheerfully in the fireplace, licking at the blackened logs.

He could hear them chatting as they hung the tinsel over the green branches of the tree. It all seemed so cozy, so domestic, it made Alex want to throw up.

After they had finished, they wandered over to see what their less than happy lover was up too.

Fox sat down on the couch beside him, ruffling his hair. Alex glared at him, green eyes sulky.

"Uh oh, what's wrong with the Grinch?" Fox asked with a grin.

"Nothing." Alex replied shortly. "I'm trying to watch the movie that's all."

Walter chuckled. "I thought you hated these old movies Alex." He replied. Alex shrugged.

"Well personally I think that Alex is having a case of the Christmas blues myself." Fox said, Walter nodded, his face solemn.

"Hmm, I think you just may be right there Fox, but if that's the case, then what do you think we should do about it?"

"There is a cure, but I must warn you Walter, it's a drastic one." Fox replied, matching Walter's serious tone.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Suddenly Alex felt himself grabbed by a couple of powerful arms. Walter threw the younger man onto his lap and both he and Fox began tickling their young lover on the ribs.

"Oh quit it! Knock it off!" Alex yelled, laughing and kicking in a desperate attempt to escape the tickling fingers.

Finally, out of beath, with tears of mirth running down his face, Alex rolled off Walter's lap and collapsed in a heap on to the floor.

Both Fox and Walter helped him back up again, Fox taking him into his arms and cradling him like a small child.

Alex loved being held, he had always been starved for affection after losing his parents and then his grandmother. The Consortium had provided him the necessities, but he had been a drone, an operative, little better than a slave to help further their cause. There had been no affection there.

"Better now sweetheart?" Walter asked, watching both the men that he loved, cuddling beside him, it made his heart swell, it felt so good to be able to watch Alex and Fox hold each other with simple love.

"Hmmm." Alex mumbled, eyes closed as he rested his dark head against Fox's shoulders. Fox shot Walter a look of shining eyed joy as he held the younger man. There had once been a time when Alex would have pulled away, embarrassed at any sign of affection, but slowly, he was beginning to trust them.

The journey had been a slow and difficult one for Alex, but he was at a point now, where he could feel that he was part of their small but loving family. And that had been the biggest step of all.

The movie ended with the stereotypical happy ending. Walter had gone out to the shed to get more firewood. Alex could hear Fox rummaging around in the kitchen, getting some more popcorn and beer from out of the fridge.

He was happy. The thought sent a little thrill through him. He was happy, okay, he hated Christmas, but he could suffer though it for the sake of his lovers. After all, he owed his happiness... his very life to Walter Skinner and Fox Mulder, without them both, without their love, their unwavering faith in him Christ knows what would have become of him, he would probably be in jail, or worst still, dead, by now.

Yes, he owed them both so much, but how could he show it to them. How could he show them his gratitude, and his love?

Fox came back in with a huge bowl of popcorn and three bottles of beer. Carefully he set it all down onto the coffee table, nearly dropping one of the beers.

Walter hurried into the room. Flakes of snow melting on the shoulders of his thick jacket.

"It's really starting to come down outside." He remarked, as he stacked the logs into the giant wicker basket beside the fireplace. "I think we might be in for a real snow storm."

Alex glanced outside, the sight of all the snow falling reminded him of his childhood in Russia.

"Well as long as we are in here and not out there...I'm happy." Fox replied as he lifted his bottle of beer to his lips.

Alex smiled. "There might be enough snow to make a snow man."

Fox glanced at him, his hazel eyes twinkling. "The big tough assassin making a snow man, that's something I'd have to see to believe."

Alex used his good arm to throw a mock punch at Fox, who laughing, ducked away.

"Knock it off you two." Walter's voice was gruff, but good natured. He enjoyed watching the two younger man laughing and teasing each other.

Alex pouted. "He started it first." Fox of course turned to Walter with a big eyes, 'who me?' look.

Walter sighed and rolled his eyes. But inside, his heart was singing.

It was wonderful and warm under the quilt. Alex was snuggled between both of his lovers, his head resting on Walter's broad chest. Fox was cuddled up behind him, one arm thrown over his waist.

The three of them had made love, slowly, they had explored each other's body's, touching with their fingers and lips, claiming each one for their own. Sexually sated both Walter and Fox had fallen asleep, but Alex still lay awake, his mind wandering aimlessly.

He wanted to find a way to show how happy, and how grateful he was to them both, but how?

Christmas was only a few days away, he could buy them gifts, but Fox and Walter had everything they wanted and needed.

Alex wanted to get them both something special, something from him, but what?

Then slowly an idea began to form, smiling Alex nodded to himself, yes it would be perfect.

The next few days were spent in a flurry of shopping and cooking. Walter had taken over the kitchen, ordering both the younger men out. Fox was a walking diaster around cooking implements, and Alex was not much better.

Fox had taken to sneaking parcels into the spare room when he thought that so one was watching, much to the amusement of Walter, and Alex spent a lot of time upstairs in the bedroom, working, as he explained to them both.

Fox and Walter both accepted the explanation, after all, they knew how tough it was emotionally for Alex this time of year. They both agreed it was best to just leave him alone.

Christmas eve was spent sitting in front of the fireplace, watching the glowing embers, as the cheerful fire cast dancing shadows over the walls.

The had just finished a wonderful meal that Walter had prepared, and after they had washed and dried the dishes, they had decided to take their coffee into the living room.

The presents had been wrapped and carefully placed under the tree, the colourful wrapping paper gleaming in the soft light.

"This is like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting." Fox remarked lazily, leaning against Walter as he stared into the flames.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Walter replied. Fox turned to smile at him. "Not necessarily." Suddenly he sat up. "I have an idea, why don't we all open one present now?"

Alex looked over at Walter hopefully. "Yeah, that's great idea." He added.

Walter shook his head with a rueful grin. "You two are worse than a couple of kids. All right then. But just one."

Fox chose a gift each for Walter and Alex, handing them the wrapped boxes. Walter then handed Fox his gift. They tore the paper off the packages eargerly.
Walter had been given a beautiful 24 carat writing set from Fox and Alex had gotten a boxed set of his favourite video movies, Day of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead. He was in horror movie heaven.

Fox opened his present, gasping with surprise and pleasure when he saw it was a brand new Sony Play Station, he had wanted one of those for a while. He looked up at Walter with a huge smile. "Thanks." He said warmly.

"Wait on, I have a gift for you both." Alex said suddenly. "I want to give it to you both now... is that okay?"

"Sure sweetheart." Walter replied, he and Fox glanced at each other curiously.

Alex got up and left the room for a moment, then returned, in his hand, he was holding a letter each. Walter recognized the envelopes as part of the letter set he had given Alex for his birthday.

Shyly, he handed each of the other man a letter each. Unable to contain their curiosity, they both opened their letters and began to read.

Dear Fox... I have always loved you as much as I have ever loved anyone in my whole life. When I was alone, you were the one constant in my life, when I was hurt, you helped me, and most of all, you were able to forgive all the things I had done, all the things that I had been forced to do.

You are the balm that heals my soul, you are the light that warms my heart, and most of all, you are the the man that I look up too and the man that I long to be.

You forgave me and took me into your life, your heart and your soul, you showed me how to be alive again and for that alone I can never repay the debt that I owe to you.

All I can do is offer you the only things that I have, my heart, my soul and my love...forever.

Alex

Fox looked up at Alex, tears in his eyes, a lump had risen in his throat, swallowing hard, he nooded and smiled. "Thank you Alex, this is the best gift I've ever been given."

Walter read his letter slowly, savoring each word.

Dear Walter... If Fox is the heart of our family, the surely you are the soul, for that is where the strength and the courage comes from. The soul.

You are the one that looks after us and cares for us, you make us feel safe and wanted and most of all, loved.

You who have every reason to despise me for hurting you the way that I did with the nanocytes, and yet you could still find it not only in your heart to forgive me, but to take me in when I was hurt, to help me heal and most of all to help me find my place in life.

And it was with you and Fox both.

It was you Walter that made me realize when you first took me in, that I did not want to be anywhere else but with you and Fox.

I love your strength, I love your humour and kindness, but most of all, I love you, you have made me a better man, and a better human being through your unwavering faith in me.

Even when all others had given up on me, you never did, you who had the most reason to hate me.

For your faith, your trust and most of all your love, I can never hope to repay the debt that I owe you. All I have to give you is this, and my love, the very depths of my soul, I give it all to you freely.

No matter what life brings, no matter what may happen, we will always be together, I belong to you and Fox both and I shall never stray far from your arms. For you taught me, that is where I belong.
Alex

He watched them reading the letters, biting at his lower lip nervously. Fox reached out and gathered Alex into his arms. "I love you, you know that don't you."

Wordlessly, Alex nodded into his shoulder. Tears had started to prick at the corners of his eyes.
"I just wanted to give you both something special, something from me." Alex explained. "I know it's not much but..."

"You're wrong there Alex." Walter replied, his voice husky with emotion. "This is everything." Fox nodded, reaching up he stroked Alex's sable hair. "Your gift has made this a special Christmas for all of us."

With that, Walter joined them both, gathering them up in his arms, and that was the way the three of them ushered in Christmas day, with the fire casting it's shadows over them as the flames flickered.

The three of them sat entwined in each others arms, oblivious to the outside world, the cold, and the harshness of winter. Anyone peeking in through the window at that moment would have wondered at the sight of three grown men cradling each other, warm and safe inside, they would have wondered, then moved on, perhaps smiling fondly at the love they had been fortunate enough to witness.

Many years would pass since Alex had given Walter and Fox their gifts, but this moment, this one precious moment would last forever.