Part 8



Alex walked into the living room, glass of apple juice in one hand, pair of scissors and next week's T.V. Guide in the other, and a baloney sandwich hanging out of his mouth. He set the items he held down on the coffee table then removed the sandwich from his mouth, taking a bite as he did. He set the sandwich down on top of the glass and lifted the plastic bag halfway out of the aquarium, cutting the top away.

"You behave yourself, now," he warned the angelfish as he inverted the bag and dumped its contents into the tank.

The fish darted frantically amongst the neon colored paraphernalia anchored in the blue rocks at the bottom, then he settled down and inched forward to investigate the new arrival.

An almost identical fish, save for the slightly lighter coloring of its stripes, floated patiently while the other swam around it, checking things out. Seconds later, the two were gliding back and forth from one end of the tank to the other, looking for all the world like they'd been together forever.

"You're happy now, aren't you?" Alex asked the fish, who was now playing hide and seek amongst the plastic plants with the other. He watched for a while longer then sat back with his sandwich and picked up the remote control. Just as he had turned on the television and was about to speed through the channels, the phone rang.

Dropping the remote, Alex snatched up the phone and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, handsome."

Alex smiled and leaned back against the cushions.

"Who's this?"

"This is the guy who fucked you senseless this morning."

"Ohhhh, yeah."
"You remember now?"

"Yeah," Alex purred into the phone. "I can still feel you. Just like you said I would."

A low chuckle met his response.

"Where are you?"

"In a rental, on our way to the police station."

"Wait a minute...Scully's with you?"

"Yep."

"*Fox*..."

"Yeah, baby?"

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Why?"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, I'd say Scully was turning about fifteen different shades of purple about now."

Fox glanced quickly in his partner's direction then turned his attention back to the road, grinning.

"Mmmm, maybe twelve."

"You're bad."

"Wait till I get home. I'll show you bad."

"Christ," Alex chuckled softly. "You can get me hard so unbelievably fast."
"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Do me a favor. Save it for me, okay? I promise, I'll make it worth your while."

"And now I gotta spend the next few days in agony...thinking about what it is you have in mind, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you do."

Soft groan.

"Aww. Are you suffering, baby?"

"Like you didn't know."

Fox chuckled again. A deep, nasty sound that sent shivers of anticipation through his lover.

"So," he said, changing the subject. "What're you doing?"

"Unzipping my pants."

"Aleeeeex."

"What?"

"Hands off."

"I was just kidding...as uncomfortably tight as my jeans are right now, I'm behaving myself."

"Okay. Good."

"Good that I'm suffering?"

"No, good that you're waiting for me." Fox's voice dropped two octaves, and he murmured into the phone, "I'm gonna make you scream..."

"God, Fox, cut it out."
"What, you don't like that idea?"

"You know I do, but if you don't shut the hell up, I'm going to come in my pants right here, and I won't even have had to touch myself."

Fox squirmed in his seat, imagining just that.
"Ooooh, yeah?"

"*Yes*. And number two, you must be pissing Scully off royally."

"Ask me if I care."

"You should, Fox. Please don't provoke her."

Hard sigh. "Okay, okay...so what are really doing?"

"Having some lunch....went to the pet store today."

"What for?"

"Got the angelfish a friend."

"You mean you got him lunch."

"Nooo, no. I got him another angelfish. You should see how happy he is now."

Fox laughed into the phone. "Happy? You can tell he's happy?"

"*Yeah*," Alex replied with a touch of indignance in his voice. "They're playing in the plants."

"Alex...fish don't play."

"They are too playing. They're happy together. I think it's love."

"*I* think you're cracked."

The comment earned Fox a soft snort.

"Okay babe, okay. But when that little cannibal eats his one true love, I will not refrain from saying, time and time again, I told you so."
"And when he doesn't?"

"*You* get to say I told you so...but you won't. 'Cause the first time you forget to feed them, that other fish is gone."

"Okay, we'll see."

"Yeah, we will...look, babe, we're getting close to the police station, so I'd better go."

The playful, combative tone left Alex's voice."...Okay. Call me later?"

//Okay, that didn't sound too pathetic. Christ.//

"'Course I will. Probably be sometime after seven, okay?"

"'Kay." Not really expecting Fox to respond, he closed his eyes and whispered into the phone.

"I love you."

"I love you too, babe. Talk to you later."

Fox disconnected and for the first time since starting his conversation with Alex, noticed that Scully's leg was bouncing up and down, and the fingers of her left hand were biting into the seat cushion.

"Something to say?"

"Nope."

Fox snorted and turned his attention back to the road.

//Okay, Mulder. Go ahead. Act smug. We'll see how smug you are when you see what little Alex has been up to while you were gone...//

********************

Darkness began to descend on the apartment, and Alex entered the living room from the bedroom, turning on one lamp. He walked over to the window behind Fox's desk, hand absently caressing the back of his lover's chair as he moved.

Well, he'd made it through the day. Quite an accomplishment, though he knew that tonight would be a much bigger test. He hated the idea of sleeping alone, even if it was Fox's...*their* bed he was in. All in all, though, he could be fairly proud of himself. No anxiety attacks, no expected, unexpected visits from Skinner.

He allowed himself a small breath of relief. Guess he'd be okay after all.

Glancing at his watch, he noticed that it was almost seven.

//He should be calling soon.//

His heart leapt in anticipation of hearing his lover's voice, speaking to him in that low, sexy tone, telling him about his day, saying that he missed him...

He'd take that to bed with him and wrap it around himself like a blanket as he prayed for sleep to take him quickly.

Emitting a soft breath, Alex turned from the window and picked up the phone, carrying it with him to the sofa, where he dropped down and switched the t.v. on. Not five minutes into the news, he got up and headed toward the kitchen for a glass of water. Halfway there, he spun around and ran for the phone as it rang.

"Hello?"

"That fish disappear yet?"

"*No*."

Soft laugh. "How're you doing?"

"Okay."

"What're you up to?"

"Just heading into the kitchen for a glass of water. I ordered Chinese for dinner, and now I'm thirsty as hell. How'd it go today?"

"Pretty predictable. Scully and everybody else coming up with what they consider to be rational explanations for this thing."

"Not so rational to you."

"You should see the looks that my theory got."

"You didn't expect anything different, did you?"

"No, I'm used to it. Get's old after a while though, you know?"

"I know. I'm sorry, vozliublennii."

"I know a way to fix it."

"You do?"

"Yup. I could quit."

Alex finished the water and set the glass down on the counter. "Fox..."

I really don't think I'm going to make a year, Alex. I hate being away from you."

"I don't like it none too much either, but please give it a little time. I don't want you to have any regrets."

Fox sighed softly then went silent.
"Fox?"
"I'm here. My head knows that you're right, babe. It's the rest of me that's having problems with it."

It was Alex's turn to be silent.

"Okay," Fox piped up. "How about this? If I have to be anywhere for more than three days, you come out to find me."
"Didn't we kind of have this conversation?"

"Kind of. But I'm not suggesting that you come with me, I'm saying that you could meet me."

"That wouldn't make Scully any happier than she would be if I'd gone with you."

"I'm not interested in Scully's happiness. I'm interested in yours. And mine."

Alex closed his eyes and sighed softly. "I love you, Fox. And your happiness is all I care about. If I'm around irritating Scully, she'll in turn make your life a living hell. And I can't have that. I won't."

"And I won't have you putting your needs aside for the sake of peace between me and Scully. I can handle her and any shit she decides to throw at me. But I can't handle knowing that you're unhappy or uncomfortable, especially when I know there's something I can do about it. You're first, Alex."

There was a brief silence, then the younger man spoke, his voice hoarse with emotion.

"It's been so long since anyone's...I-I've only ever mattered to my parents."

"You matter to me. You're all that matters to me."

Alex's fingers tightened around the phone. "I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do if..." He caught himself in mid sentence and swallowed the rest of his words. Seconds later, Fox's voice drifted to his ear, soft and husky and completely spellbinding.

"Alex."

The younger man responded with silence.

"You won't."

Sable lashes swept downward, covering the glassy, green of Alex's eyes.

"Baby?"

"Yeah." Alex stopped to clear his throat. "I'm here."

"Talk to me."

"'Bout what?"

"About all the stuff that's going on inside you right now."
"Going on?"

"Alex, I can feel you."

God, it was as scary as it was wonderful. To have someone so in tune to his emotions that even hundreds of miles away, he could sense his need...

"I...I miss you," Alex stammered. "I hate the thought of going to sleep without you. I feel s-so..." He swiped at his upper lip with the back of his hand. "I don't know. Anxious, I guess."

"I'm coming home."

"*No*. Fox, don't."

"Alex..."

"I'm not a baby," the younger man insisted. "I can deal with it by myself."

"But you don't have to. I promised I'd take care of you, Alex, and that's what I intend to do."

"You do," Alex answered, his tone lowering to an almost imperceptible level. "You take such good care of me..." He snorted softly. "More than half the time I'm sure I'm dreaming all of this. Please, Fox, stay there. Do your job. I promise you won't come home and find me naked in a corner, babbling incoherently."

"Well now, wait a minute," Fox replied, the humor returning to his voice. "I think I'd kinda like the naked part."

A hint of a smile came to Alex's lips. "Okay, well, I can arrange that."

"Can you arrange for whipped cream and some leather harnesses too?"

This time a short chuckle pushed past the curved lips.

"Kinky bastard."

"Does that mean I should take back the souvenirs I bought you? I guess they'll refund my money for the ball gag; it's still in the wrapping..."

"Fox, you did not walk into some adult gift store and buy a ball gag."

"I didn't? Oh. I guess I didn't buy the fur lined cuffs or the flavored lube either, then."

Alex emitted a loud peal of laughter as he refilled his previously empty glass.

"Oh, my God. Tell me Scully wasn't with you."

"No, I dropped her off at her room then went back out. There's this place I saw just down the street as we were driving to the motel earlier. How do you feel about thong underwear?"

"God. Why?"

"Just asking. How about cock rings?"

"Fox..."

"Yes, Alex?"

"Okay, if that was meant t' sound innocent, you fell way short."

"Damn. Well, I tried."

"Uh huh."

"God, I can't wait to get home."

"Yeah, you don' wanna see me, you jus' wanna play with all your new...toys."

Alex drank down the second glass of water and shuffled into the living room, flopping down across the sofa.

"First of all," Fox argued, "they're our new toys, and I wanna play with them with you." The playful tone faded. "Then, when we're both completely exhausted, I want to fall asleep with you wrapped in my arms."

Alex moaned softly into the phone. "That's what 'm gonna miss most tonight."

"Baby, you okay? You sound kind of funny."

"Mm hmm. Yeah, I'm just...wow. Feel so tired all of a sudden." Alex squinted at his watch. "Jeez, it's not even eight."
"Why don't you go to bed?"

"If I go now, I'll be 'wake by two...if I sleep at all."

"Wish I was there to keep you awake," Fox murmured, "but..."

"Mmm. Beat as I feel right now, 'm not even sure you and all your new toys could keep me 'wake."

"Damn," Fox chuckled softly. "You're fading fast, babe. Go to bed."

"Starting t'feel like I could sleep all night," Alex sighed.

"Go on. I'll talk to you in the morning, okay?"

No answer.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"You're falling asleep. Hang up and get to bed."

"Mmm hmm."

"Love you."

Fox smiled at his lover's muddled response and waited until he heard the click on the other end before disconnecting. He sat quietly, phone in his hand, wishing with all his heart that he was home, holding and stroking Alex while the younger man drifted off to sleep.

Alex was right. All the time they'd spent together...all the companionship, the conversation, the mind-shattering sex...*this* was what he missed the most. The feel of Alex's hair, so silky soft, brushing the underside of his chin. The comforting weight of the other man's body resting on his...long sinews, previously taut and straining, lazily flowing under his wandering hands...

Fox closed his eyes and moaned softly.

...The barely audible purr of contentment as his love descended into sleep...

Jesus, who the hell would have known that he could become this addicted to someone, let alone Alex Krycek in such a short period of time? He was so in love with the man he couldn't see straight, and it was an unbelievably wonderful feeling.

Which, unfortunately, translated into the incredible loneliness he was now suffering.

"A year of this?" he asked himself, drawing a pillow to his chest and hugging it tightly. "I really don't see it."

********************

Emerald eyes fought to stay open as unexplainable exhaustion weighed down Alex's lids. Feeling much too heavy to move, he managed to force himself up off of the sofa and stumbled into the bedroom, where he shrugged out of his pants and shirt then dropped down onto the bed and reached for the t-shirt that Fox had worn the night before. Alex had not thrown it into the hamper, instead folding it neatly and leaving it at the foot of the bed, knowing that tonight he'd want to wear it.

Inhaling deeply as he worked the shirt over his head and pulled it down over his chest, he tingled at the lingering scent of his lover.

"Fox," he murmured sluggishly, letting himself fall back onto the mattress. "Want you home." He turned onto his side, pulling the older man's pillow to his chest and fell almost immediately into a heavy slumber.

********************

Ten o'clock.

Well, if what's his name and....the other one...had followed instructions, everything should be set by now.

Scully paced the length of her motel room, running the plan in her head.
Tap into Mulder's water pipe. Attach device. Check on Krycek at around nine to see what was what. If he was as big a water drinker as Mulder was, he should have ingested plenty enough by then to put him out for several hours.
Ironically, it was the incident he'd been involved in all those years ago that gave her the idea for this. Though she'd been courteous enough to figure a way to get around drugging the whole damn building.

Anyway...

If he was out, get in, get down to business, taking care, of course, to snap plenty of pictures for Mulder's viewing pleasure...remove device...God, she hoped the morons didn't forget to remove the damn thing...and get the hell out.

Should be easy enough even if they were the boobs she'd pegged them for.

She stopped in front of the only window in the room, staring out into the darkness. Suddenly a wave of unexpected panic washed over her.

//God. Holy Christ, Dana, what the hell are you doing? What if they're caught? What if Krycek isn't too far gone, and he's able to fight them? He kill them, and you know it. Of course, probably not before he beats the truth out of them.
They'll squeal like rats, and you'll go down like the fucking Titanic. You'll lose your job, you'll probably be arrested...and Mulder. Oh, dear God, Mulder. Is a piece of Krycek really worth hurting him this deeply?//

//He won't be hurt if Krycek is smart. He won't want Mulder to see those pictures. He won't want to take the chance that Mulder will believe that he was drugged and set up. He'll be too frightened of losing him...//

//You know what you're doing, don't you? You're admitting it. Krycek loves Mulder.//

She closed her eyes, shaking her head.

//No. Not necessarily. So he's scared to lose him. So fucking what? Mulder's nothing to him but a warm body and a hot meal.//

//He had plenty of warm bodies. And those bodies gave him more than enough money to live on. He left it behind for one man.//

"Doesn't matter," she whispered to herself. "Even if by some ridiculous stretch of the imagination he does love Mulder, he's beneath him. He's scum. He's trash, he's...

She pressed her forehead to the streaked glass and released and deep moan.
"He's goddamn gorgeous."

//Jesus, there are plenty of gorgeous men around...*Mulder's* gorgeous, but you don't go moist at the thought of him.//

//If you did, there'd be something seriously wrong with you. Mulder's like your brother for God's sake. Krycek is...oh, my God, he's...//

He was sex personified. Every move, every sweep of those fucking beautiful eyelashes...every word that rumbled past those flawless lips screamed 'fuck me'. And so far Mulder had had all the pleasure.

Well, him and a few hundred others.

Soon it would be her turn. And she'd know what it was that put that look of utter satisfaction on Mulder's face when he walked into the office every morning. She'd know what it was that made him so anxious to get home every night...

//Okay, so you'll know. And then what? How long do you suppose you'll be able to blackmail him before he decides he's had enough? And then what'll you do? Are you really prepared to make sure Mulder sees those pictures?//

"Okay." Scully moved away from the window, giving herself a good shake. "Stop thinking so much. You think way too much. Just go with it. It'll work out okay."

Fingers clenched in her hair, she fell across her bed and groaned up at the ceiling.
"Ohhhh, God!"

She rolled onto her side and curled into as small as ball as she could, mumbling softly to herself.

"What are you doing, what are you doing, what the fuck are you..."

********************

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"What d'you mean, what am I doing?" One of the pair on the fire escape asked.

"It's pitch dark in there."

"So, you're gonna shine a fuckin' flashlight in the window? What if he's awake, brainiac?"

The irate man shoved the camera he carried at the other.

"*This*, he grated as softly as he could, "is what you use."

His companion took the camera and lifted it to his face.

"Man, this is way cool," he said, amazed at the wonders of modern technology.

"Watch him for a minute and make sure."

Silence descended on the metal platform as the man with the camera watched the figure on the bed.

"He's out cold, man. He ain't movin'."

"Okay," the other man murmured. "Okay, let's get down and get in there."

The two men descended the fire escape and snuck around into the building, picking the lock to apartment forty-two. Shuffling quietly inside, they located the bedroom and carefully peered into the darkness.

No movement. No sound.

As they entered the room, the faint light from the window afforded them a tiny glimpse of their target.

The limping man smirked down at the helpless figure and began to remove his shirt.

"You an' me are gonna have a little fun, bitch," he whispered as he dropped the shirt at the foot of the bed and undid his pants. "Too bad you'll be too out of it to know it."

His cohort positioned himself with the camera as he reached into his pocket, producing a condom and some lube, and when he had finished preparing himself, he nodded to the other.

"Get some good shots, now." He turned on the light by the bed. "And don't forget to use both cameras."

Climbing onto the bed, he straddled the unconscious man and froze.
No reaction.

Smiling, he went to work undressing Alex, then ran his hands over the newly exposed skin.

"You are pretty. Too bad you had to be such a goddamn fucking prick."

"In fairness, A.J., you did provoke the guy. He told you no kink, yet you tried to fuck him with that beer bottle..."

"Fuck you, Howie. Who asked you? Just take the freakin' pictures."

The other man began snapping as his irate companion not-so-gently manipulated his victim. Sucking at Alex's throat, he pulled and twisted one nipple, and when his friend had taken enough pictures, he pulled away, grinning.

"Let's see you explain that little hickey to lover boy," he snickered then squeezed some lube onto his sheathed cock. Distributing the gel, he pulled the other man's legs up and wrestled them up and over his shoulders.

"God, this is not easy when you got no help," he grunted, positioning his cock. "Howie, you gettin' this?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm gettin' it."

"Using both cameras?"

"Yeah, both cameras...which also ain't so easy."

Alex moaned softly, and the two stopped, holding their breath.

A.J. wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "Still out." He shifted a bit, gritted his teeth, and pushed roughly into the other man. "Ahhh, yeah. Pictures, Howie, pictures."

"I am, I am..."

********************

Skinner paced the length of his living room, cursing himself over and over for the thoughts had been coursing through his mind ever since this afternoon.

Mulder away. Krycek alone.

Walt horny.

"No," he whispered harshly. "No, it isn't worth all the trouble that would arise from it."

His body argued that point most strenuously.

And it kept screaming at him until he picked up his jacket and stalked out of his apartment.

********************

A.J. leaned forward, falling onto his hands and almost folding Alex in half, and then he began to thrust violently, grunting with the effort.

"Hope you...feel this when you...wake...up," A.J. grated, pounding mercilessly into the former hooker. "Wish I could...ah, fuck...be here to see his face when he sees..."

Howie stopped shooting for a second, startled by his companion's loud grunts of completion, but he recovered quickly and finished the roll just as A.J. pulled out and let Alex drop to the bed.

"God, that was good."

Howie shuddered. "Wasn't it just a little too much like fucking a stiff?"

"Nah," A.J. rasped, pulling his rubber off and using the sheet to clean his cock. "He's warm."

The other man shrugged then looked around. "Well, let's get out of here before he wakes up or something."

"He's still dead to the world," A.J. argued, slapping Alex's cheek twice. "See?"

"Still, we don't want to take any chances. "C'mon, let's go."

A.J. rose from the bed and began walking around, poking at this and that. "In a minute. I just wanna nose around a little."

"Look. If you're gonna fart around here, go ahead," Howie choked. "I'm goin' down to take that thing off of his tank."

"Yeah," A.J. murmured, distracting himself with the items on top of the dresser. "Yeah, go ahead."

Quickly, Howie made his way out of the room, leaving A.J. alone with the still unconscious man.

Putting a bottle of cologne back in its place, he picked up the small, framed picture of Alex and a man who had to be his lover. Alex sat in front of the other man, back to the other's chest, his man's arms wrapped loosely around him. Two serene faces smiled out at A.J., and he snorted, putting the picture back.
"Pretty," he said to the motionless figure. "Very pretty."

He walked over to the closet and threw the door open.

"Niiiiice," he murmured, checking out the suits that hung within. "Hmm. Armani," he read aloud, looking at the label on one of the jackets.

Shutting the door, he limped over to the bed and smiled down at the naked form. "Got you a sugar daddy, huh? That's nice. Wonder how happy he's gonna be when he finds out he's not the only one bangin' you." He chuckled softly, picking up his clothes. "Sorry we don't have time for another round, sweetie pie, but I really gotta go now. Howie should be back soon, and he'll have a bird if I'm not ready to go."

Dressing quickly, A.J. stopped to give Alex a hard slap to his thigh, then he left the room, whistling softly to himself. Making the decision to meet Howie downstairs, he opened the door, and before he could step into the hall, he came face to face with a man who was not his friend.

"Who the hell are you?" a harsh baritone rumbled as sharp brown eyes seared A.J. with angry heat.

"Uh..." The intruder's eyes flicked past the newcomer to his companion, who had just stepped off of the elevator and froze with shock.

"A.J.? What's..."

"What's going on, here?" The square man boomed, noticing the cameras and another large, filter type item in the other man's hand.

"N-nothing, we're just..." A.J. shoved the larger man aside, taking him by surprise, and he and Howie fled.

Quickly regaining his balance, Skinner bolted after the two, catching up to the handicapped man easily enough. He tackled the man, and they both went sprawling to the floor. Cursing loudly as the man with the cameras threw open the door at the end of the hall and scampered down the stairs, he flipped the other onto his back, and again began bellowing questions.
"Who are you? What are you doing in that apartment?"

"Just visiting, man," the other croaked.

"Bullshit. I'm going to ask once more. And then I'm going to start hurting you."

"No! No. Come on, you don't have to do that. I'll uh...I'll tell you."

"Start talking. Fast."

"I don't live here. I came from California to do a favor."

Skinner tightened his hold on the man's shirt. "What kind of favor?"

"The guy who lives here...he used to live in California. He was a hooker. Pissed off a lot of people while he was there. He gave me this limp. Anyway, he must have done something to the person who called me, too." He shrugged. "They wanted a little payback."

"What did you do?" Skinner hissed, unable to process at that exact moment why he felt such rage bubble up inside of him.

The man remained silent, not knowing whether or not to answer.

Skinner lifted him a few inches off of the floor then slammed him back down.
"That jar your memory?"

"We...we fixed it so that his sugar daddy would boot him to the curb."

"How?" the increasingly irate man spat through gritted teeth.

"Gave...gave him a little sleeping potion then while my friend took some pictures, he and I had a little party..."

"You drugged him?"

The man's silence answered his question.

"You had sex with an unconscious, defenseless man?"

"He had it coming."

"He deserved to be raped?"

Bloodshot eyes mixed with fear and defiance stared up at Skinner, and he rose to his feet, dragging the man up with him.

"Who brought you here?"

"Woman. Small redhead."

Skinner's eyes narrowed. //*What*?// He fell silent for a moment then let go of his captive.

"Get the hell out of here," he gasped at the surprised man. "Go before I change my mind."

A.J. backed up a few steps, moving slowly at first, then he turned and lurched away as quickly as he could, disappearing from Skinner's sight.

Taking two deep breaths, Skinner headed toward Mulder's apartment and stepped inside, closing the door after him. He stopped and listened but heard nothing. Glancing around the spotless apartment, he moved cautiously into the bedroom and drifted over to the bed, where Alex lay, naked and still passed out cold. Even in the sparse light, he could see a bruise forming on the younger man's throat, and a small object on the bed beside him.

Withdrawing a pocket-sized flashlight from his jacket, he switched it on and pointed it at the spot. He cursed softly and reached into the tissue box on the nightstand beside the bed, plucking away several squares and picking up the discarded condom. He retreated to the bathroom and flushed the rubber, then returned to the bedroom and looked down at the unconscious man.

The reason he came faded into the background as anger overtook everything else.

//Goddamn fucking little bastards. You should've held on to that one.//

//Uh huh. Right. And what? Let Mulder find out that you were here? What reason would you give him for that? And what about Scully? That asshole sang for you, what makes you think he wouldn't tell his story to anyone else who threatened him? C'mon, Walt. It's Krycek or you and Scully.//

//Christ, but he didn't ask for this. He's a victim. That asshole raped him.//

//And what were you going to do? Challenge him to a game of Gin?//

"God," he whispered, raising a hand to his forehead. "No. No, I couldn't. I...I wouldn'tve..."

He looked down again at Krycek and began to shudder.

So vulnerable. So damn quiet.

Skinner pressed two fingers to the younger man's throat and breathed a sigh of relief as he found a steady pulse.

The brief contact roused the sleeping man a bit, and he became a little restless, sighing and shifting position before settling down.

//He's going to be coming around very soon. Do you really want to be here when he does?//

Skinner reached for the crumpled sheet at the foot of the bed and pulled it up over the other man, then reached out, gently skimming the surface of his hair with one hand before quietly slipping out of the room.

********************

Fox groaned softly, groping around for his cell phone as it rang somewhere in the darkness.

Christ, he'd only gone to sleep a short time ago, having tossed and turned for hours, and now this.

Finally finding the damn phone, he pressed 'yes' and dragged it up to his ear.

"Mulder."
"Fox?"
Quickly shaking himself awake, he sat up, eyebrows drawn down into a concerned frown.

"Alex?" He looked at the clock.

Three thirty?

"Alex, what..."

The confused voice cut him off.

"Fox, where are you?"

"What do you...I'm in my motel room, babe."

Silence, then..."Oh."

"Where'd you think I was?"

"I don't know, I..."

"Alex, what's wrong?"

".......Nothing, I...I'm...I'm sorry. I guess I was dreaming..."
"Dreaming? What about?"

"I don't...nothing, I...thought you were...here..."

Fox closed his eyes, feeling a stab of pain go through him. "I wish I was," he whispered into the phone. I'm sorry, baby. I...I'll be there tomorrow."

"No. No, it's...I'm okay. It just...I'm all right."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm really sorry. Finish your work."

"I can't, Alex. Not when you sound like you do."

"Just a little disoriented 'cause I just woke up. I'm okay. Please, Fox. Stay there."

Against his better judgement, Fox agreed.

"All right. But I'm going to call you later, and if you don't sound any better, I'm coming home."

"I'll be all right," Alex promised. "Go back to sleep. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Fox commanded softly. "Just be all right."

"...I love you."

"Love you too, babe. Talk to you in a few hours."

The soft click on the other end sent a shudder through Fox, and he put his phone down, staring into the darkness.

//What the hell was that about?//

"Christ."

He could only speculate on the real reason for Alex calling him at this hour of the morning, and none of his guesses made him any more comfortable than the other.

One word. One tiny little inflection in Alex's tone that he didn't like, and he would be on a plane back home tomorrow.

He sat there for at least half an hour, staring at nothing at all before making the decision to get up and go for a run.

Changing into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, Fox picked up his cell phone and keys, and left the room.

********************

"It was a dream," Alex told himself for the fifteenth time as he curled up against the headboard, trying to control the intermittent tremors that passed through him.

He winced at the ache he felt and shook his head.

It couldn't be.

He didn't feel this way before he went to bed...

Yes, there was a vague, pleasurable sensation...the one that Fox had left him with, but this wasn't that. It was prominent...painful. Like he'd been violently fucked very, very recently.

And then there was the fact that he'd awakened naked. He'd gone to bed wearing a pair of underwear and Fox's t-shirt, and when he opened his eyes, he found them down at the foot of the bed.

Yet, there was no one there.

He'd risen on shaky legs and wobbled through the apartment, finding nothing.

"Crazy," he whispered breathlessly, pulling a pillow to his chest. "You're losing it."

But still, he couldn't shake that feeling...

He slid out of bed again, stripping and changing the sheets, then made his way to the bathroom, where he turned the shower on to an extremely warm temperature and stepped inside, scrubbing himself almost raw. That done, he shut the water off and dried himself, moving over to the sink.

As he finished up, he looked at the steamed mirror, staring a minute at the fine coating of moisture before wiping it away and looking at his reflection. He began to shake violently as a dark red blotch on his neck became visible.

//That wasn't there. Fox didn't do that. Jesus...//

Alex stumbled back to the bedroom, falling onto the mattress and, curling himself up as tightly as he could, he pulled the sheet up under his chin and stared wide-eyed into the darkness.

"Fox, I didn't...I don't know what happened. I wouldn't...I didn't do anything, I...I didn't do anything..."

********************

"Christ, Mulder, you look like hell."

"I feel the same way, so..."

Scully raked a critical eye over her partner. "Didn't you sleep?"

"Not much...you don't look too well rested either."

Scully turned her gaze down to the floor. "No. No, maybe those were lousy mattresses or something, huh?"

Fox made no attempt to answer.

"So, are we going out to interview the people on the list the cheif gave us yesterday?"

"...Yeah." Fox looked at his watch and walked through the motel lobby to the restaurant with Scully close behind.
"You hungry?" he asked. "How about some breakfast?"

"I suppose so, since we seem to be heading in that direction."

The pair walked into the half full dining room and sat down at window booth. Scully picked up the menu while Fox stared outside and played with the napkin in front of him.

"Aren't you going to look at the menu?"

Glittering hazel eyes turned to the woman across the way then flicked down to the bill of fare in front of him.

"No, I...I know what I want."

The waitress appeared a few minutes later, poured two cups of coffee and smiled at the couple.

"Hi. What can I get you?"

"I'll uh...I'll have two eggs over medium, wheat toast, light, and hash browns."

"All righty..." she looked expectantly at the man. "And for you, sir?"

"English muffin's fine."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

The waitress offered another smile then disappeared while Fox looked back to the window.
"An English muffin?"
"You don't like English muffins?"

"Mulder, we rarely have lunch when we're in the field. How far's an English muffin going to get you?"

"I'm not that hungry."

"Mulder, is...is something wrong?"

"Nothing I care to discuss with you."

"Okay. Well..." Scully fidgeted with her spoon. "Okay."

Forty-five minutes later, they were on their way to their destination, riding the whole way in silence. Two hours after that, they were on their way back, having procured all the information they could from those they interviewed. It was now a little bit after noon, and Fox figured that he'd let enough time pass. As soon as he got back to the motel, he was going to call Alex and see how he was...

"Mulder...Mulder, where are you going?" Scully asked as Fox passed the exit they should have taken to get to the police station.

"Back to the motel."

"But...aren't we going to the station to talk to Chief Warner?"

"Later. I gotta go back to my room first."

"Did you forget something?"

No answer.

Scully released a long sigh, knowing that no answer meant that it involved Krycek somehow.

This morning, before she'd left her room, she'd tried to contact the men who were supposed to pay Krycek a visit last night, but was unable to...which didn't put her mind at ease at all. And then there was Mulder. Distracted and sullen, and she wondered if it was because he couldn't get hold of Krycek this morning, or he had, and...

//And what? What?//

Fox pulled up in front of his motel room door and shut the motor off. Without a word to his partner, he got out of the car and started toward his room.

"Mulder!"

The man spun around and sent Scully an impatient look.

"How long before we leave again?"

"I don't know," he answered flatly. "I'll let you know."

Without another word or look, Fox disappeared into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Once inside, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed home.


Wide eyes peered over the blanket that Alex had pulled up to his nose, and he stared at the ringing phone.

It was Fox; he knew it was.

If he didn't pull himself together and make Fox believe that he was okay, he would be on the next plane home.

And if he didn't answer it at all, Fox would be on the next plane home.

//Either way, he's going to know. Answer it.//

He reached down, and brought the phone to his ear with a trembling hand.

"...Hello?"

"Alex...babe, it's me."

"Hey."

"How're you doing?"

"I'm okay."

"Your voice is so soft."

Alex cleared his throat and spoke a little louder.

"S-sorry, I was sleeping."

"You were? I'm sorry, I waited to call, hoping that you'd be awake."

"I was earlier, but I guess I fell asleep again."

There was a brief silence, then Fox spoke.

"Alex, aside from being tired, tell me how you feel...the truth."

"I'm better, Fox, really." Alex squeezed his eyes shut, hating himself for lying.

//I'm sorry. Oh, God, I'm sorry, Fox...//

"A little more sleep, and I'll be good as new."

"*Really*?"

"Yes...really. Uh...you get anywhere today?" Alex asked, trying to distract Fox from his state of being.

"Did our interviews. We gotta go to the station and talk to the chief, then Scully can do her autopsy. And, I guess, we'll take it from there."

"Uh huh."

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"The second I wrap this up, I'll be on a plane back home..."

"I know that."

"Unless you need me sooner."

"Fox..."

"Say the word, and I'm there."

"I'm all right. Please...please believe me."

"...All right Alex, I believe you. I uh...I should get to the police station now. The sooner I get this wrapped up, the sooner I can come home to you."

"That sounds good."

"I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye, babe."

"Bye, Fox."

Alex hung up and lowered the phone to the mattress as he took several shallow, stuttering breaths.

Thank God Fox hung up when he did. Alex didn't know how much longer he'd have been able to keep it together if the other man had kept asking if he was okay.

He closed his eyes, but his mind remained wide awake, struggling with the possibilities of the night before. No one scenario made any more sense than another, and his head began to pound as he tried to figure it out.

//What difference does it make?// he asked himself. //You got fucked last night. That's the bottom line. Who did it and how doesn't matter. Yet again, you've managed to fuck it all up. And when Fox finds out, that'll be it. You'll be history.//

"No," he whimpered, looking around at the place that had become his home. "I didn't know...I never would have let anybody..." he gasped, pulling his lover's pillow to his face. "Please believe me...you have to believe me."

//Don't you tell him. He'll never believe it.//

//He'll see my neck. He'll know. I have to tell him.//

//Fine. But pack your bags before you do. That way, when he tells you to get the fuck out, you'll be ready.//

"I don't want to go," Alex sobbed softly, clutching the pillow tightly. "Want to stay..."

//Then do what you have to, to make sure that you do.//

Swiping the tears from his face, Alex steadied himself as best he could, and he began to try and figure a way out of the mess he'd done nothing to get himself into.

********************

"Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you since this morning!"

A.J. rolled his eyes and emitted a heavy sigh. "Been busy."

"Doing what?"

"Finishing up."

"It went okay last night?"

"Yeah," A.J. lied, giving Scully a brief rundown of events but conveniently omitting his run in with the pissed off bald guy.

"And the film and everything else is where I told you to leave it?"

"*Yes*. Christ, woman, you think we're stupid or what?"

//Don't answer that.//

"You removed the device?"

"Yes..."

"You didn't leave anything behind?"

"No..."

"You didn't beat him or anything? You left while he was still out?"

"No and yes..."

"Okay. Good. Good. You're on your way back?"

"In two hours."

"Good. Thanks for your help."

"No prob. Payback is sweet. Later, Red."

"Goodbye."

Scully hung up and breathed a hard sigh of relief.

//See? No problems. Went smooth as silk.//

She began to smile.

//The rest'll be a cakewalk.//

"Get ready, Krycek. As soon as we get back, your ass is mine."

********************

Go to Part 9

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