FADE IN:

INT. MULDER & KRYCEK'S LIVING ROOM - NOON - DECEMBER 22

It's a warm humid, rainy day. Pretty odd weather for the middle of December in Washington, D.C.

Mulder is standing in front of the window staring down onto the street below. He's wearing a black turtleneck and a warm sweater over it with nice casual pants. He looks sad. Mulder lifts his hand up, revealing that he has a paint brush in his hand, he starts to paint snowflakes on the window.

Krycek enters the living room, he looks over heated and tired. He's wearing light gray sweat pants and no shirt. He's sweating and chugging down a glass of ice water.

Mulder hears him enter the room and looks over.

Mulder shrugs.

LIGHTNING BOLT CUT TO:

INT. FBI BANQUET ROOM -EVENING

A bunch of agents in work suits are standing around talking. Mulder and Krycek have not arrived yet. Scully, Marita and Skinner are talking... and the Cigarette-Smoking Man is there too... but not talking to them. The room is kind of decorated for the holidays. Some Christmas music is playing in the background, Kenny G's Christmas album, the CD ends, just mumbles of conversation now...

Suddenly, Mulder enters the room... dragging a sled with him. Krycek is tied up wearing a Santa Claus hat, leather jacket, sitting in the sled. He's not amused... and his look says it all... 'Mulder will die in the next five minutes'. Mulder wears a reindeer antler hat (headband) and a big red clown nose, he's as happy as can be. Mulder starts ringing jingle bells as he enters.

Krycek looks utterly confused, as if he doesn't recognize anything around him. Mulder turns his attention back to everyone else, expecting Krycek to listen to him. Everyone in the room is standing there in silence, no one is laughing. Krycek stands up insanely, Marita approaches him.

He gives her an odd crazy look, that doesn't answer a thing. Krycek walks over to the punch bowl and takes a glass of it and chugs it down hoping it's spiked.

Mulder, pretending nothing happened, walks over to Scully and Skinner. Mulder clears his throat.

Marita hits the play button on the CD player and Kenny G resumes. Krycek is working on finishing off the punch, quickly. He looks scared of everyone, panicked.

TIME CUT:

From Mulder's POV, everything odd that happened is forgotten... Krycek on the other hand, has found some alcohol.

Mulder and Scully are talking with Agent Robert Alfredo. Skinner is trying to get rid of the alcohol Krycek is holding.

She walks toward Skinner and Krycek. Skinner is trying to take the vodka bottle away from Krycek... it's childish game of tug-of-war...

Skinner gives one last hard tug and wins! Krycek whimpers plops down onto a seat and crosses his legs, and holds his knee, his head held high in the air, as if he's very important.

Skinner just looks at him, he's convinced Krycek is on something.

Scully and Skinner exchange a look and walk back over to Mulder and Robert.

The expression on his face shows that he's convinced this is the truth. Off their skeptical looks...

TIME CUT:

Mulder is standing by the window wishing it were snowing, he looks sad again. Krycek walks over to him, very sophisticated.

Krycek quickly looks up to the sky and somehow finds an answer.

Krycek walks off.

After their lips part, Krycek just drops Scully to the floor and walks back over to the punch bowl, where Marita is standing.

Marita dumps red wine all over Krycek and walks off to see if Scully is ok. Spender cautiously approaches Krycek.

Krycek walks off and leaves the room, taking the sled with him. He leaves unnoticed by all, save for Spender. Spender goes over to Mulder. Scully's there icing her eye, Marita is concerned and Skinner still looks pissed.

Mulder has the 'oh crappit' look on his face, he taps Spender's back to indicate Spender's going on the Krycek Hunt with him.

INT. FBI HALLWAY -

Mulder and Spender are checking any open doors. Spender opens one...

Mulder chuckles.

Mulder gives him a childish snear and gives Spender a noogie as he heads toward the ladies room. Spender fixes his hair. There is a loud panicked scream coming from the ladies room.

Mulder comes flying through the door, only to discover...

INT. LADIES ROOM

Krycek admiring himself in the mirror.

Spender flies in behind him, his gun drawn. They both look worried for Krycek.

Off Mulder and Spender's looks...

TO BE CONTINUED...