The Alliance
by Nicole
DATE: 04/22/00
RATING: Very NC-17
SPOILERS: None
SUMMARY: Alternate Universe After the events of The Changing, the world is ruled by magic and Mulder has to learn to find a role for himself in the new paradigm.
WARNING: Sexual Assault, Angst, explicit sex (consensual and non-consensual) between hot men, magic, and B&D. If that isn't your thing or you are below the age of consent. DO NOT READ!!!!!!!!!! My Krycek has two arms and he's going to keep them thank you.
DISCLAIMER: They aren't mine. They belong to CC and 1013 Productions. I don't make any money...wouldn't take it if I could, just borrowing, you can have them back.
FEEDBACK: Please and thank you. Bientot19@aol.com
Website if applicable: http://www.parkers-place.net/roundXFslash/nicoleshome.htm
DEDICATED TO: Megaera for beta and for reminding me that the supernatural exists beyond the written word, (but mostly near her home) And to JoB (who gives great beta and has an arsenal of ideas). Thanks to Cerulean_Blue, Amothea, and Michael for their support, beta and *delicious* ideas...keep 'em coming love.
Chapter Seven
AlliesSalmon Falls, CA
West of Santa Rosa
Day Nineteen
Hour 1300"So, what are you looking at, Krycek?" Frohike asked as he approached the younger man. The group had left Fort Bragg two days previous, not in a convoy of cars, but in the same helicopter that they had arrived in. The change had been last minute as everyone but Krycek had protested the use of cars. Skinner had pulled Krycek aside and the conference between the two had ended with Skinner announcing that they would stop for at least one night before reaching San Francisco. His face had brooked no disagreement, though no one had understood why there was a need to stop at all. Antonio had simply sighed, taken a car to collect the helicopter and returned with it. They had stopped for the second night not too long ago.
Langly was a bit miffed that he had been unable to gather his belongings, but Byers had simply pointed out that he could easily acquire replacements.
Now after Antonio had gone again for gear and a second, makeshift camp had been set up, Frohike found Krycek sitting on a large rock, away from camp, staring north, from where they'd come. He repeated his question.
Krycek gave him an inscrutable look and raised a brow. "Nothing," he said quietly in response.
Frohike shrugged. "Okay. I just thought you'd want to know that Mulder is looking for you." He ran a hand over the top of his head, moving back a bit as Krycek hopped off the rock immediately.
"Why are we stopping anyway, Krycek?" he asked.
"Because I wanted to have a few nights with Mulder before we set up house in San Francisco." To Alex's own ears the reason sounded silly, he could spend time alone with Mulder anywhere. However, it had been what he demanded of Skinner and though things were going wonderfully with Mulder, he didn't want to admit that his demand was unnecessary.
"Oh...okay. Well, he's looking for you. I told him I'd find you for him...as I thought I would be the best to do it." At Alex's questioning look Frohike shrugged. "Just thought about where I would go if I wanted some down time, and voila."
Krycek slapped Frohike on the shoulder and grinned. "God job, Frohike."
Frohike beamed and puffed up, about to launch into a more detailed analysis of his search for Alex, but Alex just walked away, the little man trailing behind him.
"So I was thinking I could use a little brush-up on my aim. I know I miss some of what I shoot at..."
"Thank God," Alex muttered.
"Yes, well, I didn't mean to shoot at you!" Frohike assured him. "But, with a few hours of honing my craft, I think I could really be a gunman."
"You want me to teach you how to shoot?" Alex's face showed his shock.
"Well, sure. We're compadres aren't we? Aren't we?"
Alex frowned a bit then nodded. "Yeah, I guess we are. Look, when we get settled down...wherever the hell Skinner lets us, then we work on your aim."
Frohike grinned. "And maybe some chop chop killer moves, too?"
Krycek leveled a stare on the little man, "Don't push it, Frohike."
Frohike grinned, knowing that Krycek wasn't really irritated.
When they approached the camp Skinner grinned at Krycek coming over and running a hand through Krycek's hair. "There you are, Alex. Fox has been looking for you. Where were you?" Skinner stroked Alex's face, his big fingers tracing the high cheekbones gently.
Alex shrugged, not entirely uncomfortable with the big hand on his face. "Just thinking," he mumbled. "Where is he?"
Skinner sighed. He wanted to kiss Alex's pink lips, but the man was stubborn. He could force the issue, easily, but after how quickly Fox had fallen into Alex's arms he knew he didn't have long to wait. "He went to the river." He pointed in the direction of the small river that they had camped near.
Krycek turned to leave but he stopped for a moment and without looking back at Skinner he said in a gruff voice, "Thank you."
Before Skinner could react to that, Krycek was gone. He smiled and shook his head. His assassin was surely an interesting mix of fury and softness. The grudging thank you was not for telling him where Mulder had wandered, Skinner knew, but for bowing to Alex's demands of more time alone with him. Though it was a little thing, Skinner wondered how long he could go without tasting one or both of them again. He too was changed and he needed sex nearly as much as the sweet fruit he had collected.
***
Alex found Mulder sitting on the bank of the little river, tossing rocks in and wearing one of his vacant looks, chewing on his lower lip.
"Hey you," he breathed as he slid down beside Fox.
Fox jumped a bit and smiled. "You shouldn't sneak up on me like that. You sure are quiet."
Alex kissed the side of Mulder's mouth, tonguing the tiny crack where the lush bottom lip met the bowed upper lip. "Yeah, I know, you told me once that you wanted to put a bell on me."
Mulder grinned, "I did?"
"Mmm hmmm, but I said I liked startling you."
Mulder ran a hand over Alex's thigh, reveling in the hard muscle. "I bet you did. You are a bad boy, I think."
Krycek chuckled and scraped his teeth on Mulder's jaw. "Very bad."
Mulder shook his head, amused. "I..."
"Shut up and kiss me," Krycek purred and was pleasantly surprised when Mulder turned quickly and opened his mouth over his own.
They kissed slowly at first, their lips barely touching, their tongues mating between their lips, exposed and hungry. Mulder grabbed the back of Krycek's head and pulled him in tight, devouring him with sudden intensity. They both moaned as the kiss caught fire and Mulder pushed Krycek down into the soft dirt.
He pulled away enough to stare down at Alex's beautiful face. "God, Alex, I could stare at you forever."
"I hope you don't," Alex grinned. "There are a few things I'd rather you be interested in."
Mulder kissed the tip of Alex's nose. "Oh, believe me, I am interested in every bit of you." He emphasized his point by stroking one hand down Alex's belly to the juncture of his thighs. He rubbed the heel of his palm over the bulge trapped by denim. He nipped at Alex's chin. "I can't even think about what I was going to ask you, all I want is to take your clothes off and make you scream." He rubbed his hips into Alex's, showing his gentle lover exactly what he wanted to do to him with every rolling thrust of his body.
Alex had the same idea, he couldn't think of anything he'd rather do then make Fox scream.
"I want to be inside you, Alex...my sweet angel. God you're so beautiful," Fox moaned, nipping at Alex's lips. He stared into Alex's eyes, thrilling to the heat there. Some dangerous sparkle glittered in those black lashed orbs that seemed so out of place for his angel. "So very beautiful."
Alex had other plans. When Fox bent again to capture his lips he shifted above him and with a small grin at Fox's surprised look, he rolled Fox under him and captured his full lips hungrily. He pressed one thigh between Fox's and spread his long legs with one sure movement.
"I am going to make *you* scream, Fox," he growled.
Fox was gasping, more than a little surprised at the quickness with which Alex had reversed their positions. And that the young man would take a dominant position. He grinned, "Is my little angel getting frisky?" he teased.
"I'll show you how angelic I can be, baby," Alex promised, his voice a dark purr. "When I'm so deep inside you, you can't even breathe then tell me how angelic I am." He pushed up at Fox's shirt, growing impatient and ripping at the fabric. When Fox's chest was revealed he sat back in shock, staring at the pierced nipples with wide eyes and an open mouth.
"What? What is it?" Fox complained. He raised a hand to Alex's face and found his hand grabbed and held tight.
"When the fuck did you get your nipples pierced?" He was desperately trying to resist dragging Fox up and shaking him. He had the image of Skinner and Fox, alone on one of the stolen nights and Skinner marking Fox as his.
Fox stared up at his suddenly fanged angel in utter surprise. Alex looked almost like he wanted to kill someone. His eyes were narrowed and burning, his lips a thin line, compressed tightly. There was a muscle flexing beneath the skin of his jaw and his grip was tightening on Fox's wrist.
"Hey, guys..." Frohike started before stopping abruptly at the obviously intimate moment. "Oh, sorry."
"Get out of here, right now," Alex hissed.
"Hey, you don't have to talk to him like that," Fox snapped pulling his wrist free.
Alex glared at him. "Fox!"
Frohike narrowed his eyes, realizing suddenly that there was a problem. He hated to go against Krycek. Of course most of that was simple fear of the man, but also because they were becoming so tight. But, Mulder was one of his own. "Mulder? Are you all right?"
Krycek threw Frohike a deadly glare and the little man trembled.
"Get out of here right now, Frohike," Alex repeated, his voice falling to a whisper.
Frohike held his ground, swallowing audibly. "I can't do that, Krycek. No...not if Mulder...not if Mulder needs me."
Mulder shook his head. "It's okay, Frohike. I think this is something I can handle on my own."
"You don't remember..." Frohike began.
"You are pushing it, Frohike," Alex whispered.
"Go on, Frohike," Mulder said calmly. He watched as the little man gave Alex one last look, a threatening look, before he turned and left, slowly.
Fox gave Alex a confused look and reached once more to touch Alex's face, but Alex moved his face out of the way with an angry sound.
"Skinner said you'd hate them, Alex, but you're acting like a child," Fox said with a bit of irritation. He tried to sit up but Alex pushed him down, both hands on his shoulders.
"So you two talked about what I'd think? And you still thought it would be fun to do it?" He stood up abruptly. "You know, he has some fucking nerve to tell me I can't even let Garren touch me." He ran a hand through his hair, wanting to hit something and unable to hit Fox.
Fox sat up with narrowed eyes. "That's bothering you isn't it? Not being with Garren."
Alex missed the dangerous note in Fox's voice and he sneered. "He wants the best of everything. He wants to own you completely and keep good old Alex at his beck and call...with the promise of a little Fox ass to keep him happy."
Mulder flushed angrily and stood. "And what do you want?" He knew without Alex saying a word that Alex wanted Garren. "You're more pissed about not being able to be with Garren than anything else aren't you, Krycek?"
Krycek gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "You don't want to push me right now, Fox. I know you didn't remember me when you had your little bonding ceremony with Skinner..."
"I asked you a question, Krycek. It bothers you that you can't be with Garren. You told me yourself that he doesn't have to *take* anything from you anymore. Because you want him."
"Stop fucking changing the subject, Fox. Yeah, I fucking want him. Okay? Happy? How does it feel? How does it fucking feel? You want Skinner so fucking badly...well I want Garren." He flushed at the words...knowing them to be true, but knew he had said them more to hurt Fox than anything else. Knowing that Fox couldn't help not remembering him didn't stop it from hurting Alex. He remembered little things about everyone else. Just nothing about the man he *supposedly* loved.
Fox stared at Alex for a few seconds before he responded. "How does it feel? It hurts. But then I suppose that was the point."
Alex flushed a bit, "I'm...I don't want to hurt you, Fox," he paused, knowing that he had for a moment wanted Fox to hurt just a little. "But I'm standing here in front of you, the man I *love* and you're wearing marks from a man who takes what he wants...makes us both play the whore so we can be safe...maybe. You stand there not remembering me at all, but you smile at Skinner like you want to eat him alive. You're hurt that I want Garren? You're hurt that I might be wondering where he is, if he will come back to me? I don't want you to hurt, Fox. But can't you see that I'm hurting, too?"
Fox lowered his eyes and walked a few feet from Alex, staring at the cool, dark soil by the bank of the river. He didn't understand why it hurt so badly to hear that Alex wanted Garren, but it did. It felt like his heart had been torn from his chest and callously stomped.
Alex wanted to follow him, but dammit, he had been a wimp for so long. Loving Fox so much was making him crazy. He felt like he was drowning. For so long he had relied on himself and himself alone, caring about no one. Then Fox Mulder had come along and suddenly he was letting himself get hit around and bowled over. He'd even begun to want to help Mulder in his quest. And then...then they had made love and he'd lost himself entirely. How could he even look at Skinner without killing him...or at least trying to, knowing that he'd dared to do something so personal to Fox. Knowing that Skinner was staking a claim when Fox was out of his mind. He shouldn't have taken it out on Fox, but it was true, Fox did want Skinner. And Alex was anything but happy about that. He threw off the niggling guilt that informed him that he had been as willing as could be to be with Skinner himself.
Fox turned finally. "Skinner told you not to be with Garren?"
Alex frowned. Not understanding why Fox would ask him that. Not liking the way his lover's voice had no emotion in it. "Yes, but, Fox, baby, that isn't important. What is, is that he feels free to command me...us. That he would take advantage of you when you didn't even know you weren't his."
"And whose am I? Yours?"
Alex did go to Fox then, his anger dying at the sorrow there on Fox's beautiful face. "Yes, oh God, baby, I know I have a crazy temper when you're concerned. I know it wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have taken it..."
"I'll talk to him," Fox said quietly, moving his face away from Alex's hand.
"What? What do you mean?" Alex followed Fox's face with his hand, touching the cool skin over his jaw.
"To Skinner about Garren," Fox said in an emotionless voice.
"No, Fox. Please, that's not what this is about. Shit." Alex wanted to kick himself for the distance between he and Fox, a distance not there just moments ago.
"Skinner didn't do this, you know. I don't know why you thought he did, but he didn't. It was another gift from Mikhail." He stared in to Alex's suddenly wide eyes. "A nice way of reminding me of the pleasure of being his, I suppose."
"Fox, I..."
"Don't. I know you are hurting. I wish I could remember everything. But you're wrong. When you say that I remember nothing about you. You think I don't know what's in my heart? You don't think that I know how special the feeling I have with you is? You're right though, in that I remember little things about everyone else and not you. But when I slept in your arms, I felt like I was home." He looked away from Alex. "Walter didn't tell me that you were unhappy. I'm sorry that you are." His voice was a whisper, hurt and confused.
Alex pulled Fox into his arms. "No, I'm not unhappy. I love you. I'm happy with you. Just being with you, Fox. I'm sorry that I lost it. Try to understand that it is hard...this whole thing. Baby, we weren't even together long before all this." He kissed Fox's hair, but Fox still stood unmoving in his arms. Alex closed his eyes trying to will Fox to know how much he was loved.
Fox tried to relax in Alex's embrace, but the words he'd spoken, words of love and outrage paled compared to the words of wanting Garren. "So we're *with* Walter for protection? Not love," he choked out.
Alex kissed Fox's cheek. "He loves you," he ground out.
"And you." Fox wasn't asking, he knew Skinner did love Alex. Maybe he was using them, but Fox couldn't envision Walter, the gentle lover he loved, being like Mikhail...using them, both of them.
"Yes, maybe he does. But, that doesn't change the fact that he would keep us apart if we didn't let him in. So we made that decision...together."
"So what do you get from Garren?"
Alex stiffened. He felt the trap spring. A trap Fox had laid with soft words. "Nothing. I get nothing from him."
Fox pulled away from him. "But you want him."
Alex shook his head, wishing he could take back the words, spoken in anger. Regardless of their veracity. He'd sought and received the look of hurt on Fox's face. A momentary victory that had tasted sour on his tongue the moment he had uttered the words. "I *love* you. Only you."
"I don't know what to believe anymore, Alex." Fox crossed his hands over his chest, utterly ashamed of the rings on his nipples. Sickened by what he was hearing. Skinner. Using them both. He shook his head. "I can't...I can't talk about this anymore. I just want to be alone.
Alex took a deep breath. "I do love you, Fox. I'd give anything...do anything to have had none of this happen." He tried to take Fox in his arms again, but Fox moved away. His hands fell back to his sides, useless.
"Maybe we can talk later," Fox whispered.
"Maybe?" Alex was shaking. Everything was falling apart and he was powerless to stop it.
Fox saw the look of despair on Alex's young face. The green eyes, such pools of living jade, wide with fear. "We'll talk later, Alex. I just want to be alone right now to think."
"It isn't safe to be alone, Fox. Not with the night coming. Please, just come back to the camp with me. I won't say anything...won't do anything until you want to talk. But, please come back. I can't bear it if you were to be taken again. Please."
Fox nodded. "All right."
Alex sighed a bit. He bent to pick up Fox's ruined shirt. If he had just asked Fox...he wouldn't even think of it. He had made so many mistakes with Fox. So many missteps taken. He had never been so clumsy with any aspect of his life before. He'd have been dead long ago if he had. Vulnerability. It was too new for him. Every thing that Fox thought or felt was important to him. Too important. He'd never been in love before. Didn't know how to handle it. He just wanted to be with Fox. Why then did he do everything wrong? How could he have told Fox, so bluntly, so cruelly, how much he wanted Garren?
Fox didn't look at anyone when they arrived back at the camp. The Gunmen were huddled together speaking in hushed, quick tones. They stopped abruptly when they saw him. They avoided looking at Alex after their first accusing looks.
Skinner met the two with a concerned frown. "What is it?"
Mulder shook his head and evaded the questing hand that caressed his face. He saw that there were tents set up. He didn't even wonder at where they had come from. With ascendants around, he supposed anything was possible. The previous night Skinner had set up camp so swiftly the others, excluding Antonio, had all shied away from the big man for hours after. It had been disconcerting to see objects appear out of thin air, while a ruby glow emitted from Skinner's eyes. "Is there a tent I can use. I want to...rest."
Skinner pointed to a large tent just beyond the western edge of the campsite. "You can rest in there. Fox, are you all right?" He saw the tension in Fox's face, the tension in Alex's.
"I'm fine." Fox looked into Skinner's face and saw nothing but love and concern there in the hard planes. Alex had to be wrong. Skinner...Walter would never hurt them. He hurried to the tent. He could feel Alex move to follow, but he knew the young man wouldn't come far with him. He opened the tent, the sound of the zipper as he sealed himself in, bringing a flash of memory.
//Darkness lit by a small gas lamp. A small, dark girl sitting on a sleeping bag, her face entranced, her eyes a bit scared, as he told a scary story. It was his voice, he knew. Young, very young. 'Don't tell me the end, Fox. I don't want to know...tell me the police caught the loony.' He felt a smile curve his lips as he leaned closer, his shadow large on her small frame. 'No, he was never found,' he whispered and laughed as she launched herself into his arms. 'You big baby,' he scolded, tugging on her hair, but not making her get off his lap. 'We're only in the backyard.'//
That memory warmed him. Memories of home and family. He saw a man's face, a strong, stern face. His father when he was young. His mother straightening his tie, pushing a lock of hair out of his face, before nodding in maternal satisfaction. Ships sailing by on the Vineyard Sound.//
He lay down on one of the two thick sleeping bags that had been laid out and tried to remember everything. He closed his eyes, trying to capture his past and soon he found himself drifting off into sleep.
***
Washington D.C.
Penthouse
Day Nineteen
Hour 1530Murdoch finished instructing the shades, watching as the dark shadows inched over the floor and leaked out the window. He tracked their darkness as they wafted, smoke like into the sky. They would go across the Atlantic and instruct his loyal brothers there. What of the witches? They had gone to his bidding, make his sweet Foxling lust for him, but they had disappeared into the night and he'd heard nothing of them since. He could feel no trace of them, the ungrateful hags.
He turned to look at the changed male in the sling. Beautiful. It was true that many of the changed humans were not as lovely as some of their fully human companions, but they were so delicious despite any physical flaws. Their appeal was physiological, instinctual. Whatever they looked like they were utterly desirable. The more changed the more valuable. And their offspring would be just as compelling. With careful breeding using the more beautiful changed humans, their posterity would be stunning. The male in the sling was one of the most used in breeding despite the fact that there were many other more changed than he. Tall, muscular and strong. The face was almost too pretty, full lips, wide, blue eyes, high cheekbones, eyebrows darker than the brown-gold hair. Murdoch traced a finger over the beauty's spine and removed the large dildo he had been pleasing the toy with. He smelled so sweet, was so afraid.
"You want to go back to the pens, little love? You've been such a good boy. Such a tight, little baby."
The blue eyes, dark with the pain Murdoch had inflicted turned to him with a pleading expression.
"Careful, little love, your looks of pain will only make me want to play some more." Murdoch chuckled as the young man blanched and closed his eyes. "Perhaps the lovely Shane will sooth your hurts for you." Murdoch smiled darkly as the pretty jerked at the name. Shane Deston, a pure blood, had a definite penchant for Murdoch's little breeder. He wasn't above sharing things with his pure bloods. They had been loyal, after-all. The only rule that had to be adhered to was that no changed human could be seriously injured. Used thoroughly, without doubt, but not harmed.
When his Foxling was back at his side he knew there would have to be breeding sessions, but he wasn't very excited about sharing him. Of course the children Fox would sire would be invaluable. Utterly. Beautiful as well as changed. He thought of the little cat then. Both males were exquisite and though not as changed as his Foxling, the cat had few peers among the changed. He turned and gestured to his human guards. "Take him to Deston." The guards quickly complied, their hands running over the trembling frame, more than necessary, but Murdoch was tolerant. Humans couldn't help their attraction to the changed ones. As long as they didn't indulge in more than that, he would tolerate it. As the young one, what was his name? Brian? Yes, Brian. As Brian was taken away Murdoch sensed something. He smiled slowly and made his way to a comfortable chair, letting the silk fabric of his robe fall open as he sat, legs spread, lubricant from the pretty Brian still slicking his cock. He closed his eyes and went inward, to the dark place and sought out his sleeping love.
***
Salmon Falls, CA
West of Santa Rosa
Day Nineteen
Hour 1330Alex had settled on the ground, leaning back against a tree. His long legs were bent before him and he rested his hands on his knees, staring at the tent that Fox had disappeared into. Skinner approached him, stood over him for a moment before sitting next to him.
"Want to tell me what happened?"
Alex looked at his hands, intent on the study of his fingers.
"Alex? What happened? Why are you upset?"
"I'm not the one you should worry about. I hurt Fox. He's the one who..."
"Alex, you are the one I am worried about right now. You wouldn't hurt him...not unless you were provoked. I know that much about you."
"Provoked?" He laughed, but it was a mirthless sound. "Yeah, he provoked me all right. He had his nipples pierced by some monster and I of course assumed the worst."
"You thought I had done it," Walter said quietly.
Alex looked back at the tent. "Yes."
"And you were angry."
"Stop talking like a priest or a psychologist. Yeah, I was angry. I'm angry that I have no control over my own life. I'm angry that the only way you'll protect Fox and I is if we let you fuck us. I'm angry that I hurt the only person I love, because I want something I shouldn't." He looked at Skinner. "Don't look at me with such concern, if you were concerned then you wouldn't make us whore ourselves for you."
Skinner, the part of him who sat for years behind a desk and tried to do the best he could for his agents and the law, recoiled from the truth in Alex's words. He should just protect them, let them live out a happy existence just the two of them, admiring from afar, respectful of a love he had envied. But, the stronger part of him, one that still wanted to do good despite his need to dominate, knew that Alex and Fox were his. That they would always be his.
"What is it that you want that you shouldn't?" He ignored Alex's little glare and waited to be answered.
"Garren," Alex hissed.
Skinner stiffened and he stood. "That is not an option, Alex. You are right to say you shouldn't want him."
"I don't care if you like it or not, Skinner. I care because it hurts Fox."
Skinner had to turn and walk away. If he hadn't he might have been tempted to punish Alex, as he had envisioned before. He wanted Alex to come to him on his own, but he wouldn't be patient much longer. Alex had been so sweet in his arms, the give of his body, the strength tamed. Skinner knew that Alex would fight the hook with everything in him, denying that he belonged to anyone. The fight made the ultimate reward so great. Garren was another matter. Why had Alex told Fox that he wanted Garren? He frowned darkly as Antonio seemed to be about to speak to him. Antonio turned from him with a disgruntled sigh. Alex must really be confused by the wolf. When Garren reappeared, and he would Skinner knew, he would have to tell the wolf that he could not play with Alex any longer. He would kill the wolf if he refused to leave, he resolved.
Alex watched him leave and almost got up to stop him. Though what he had said was true, he found it harder and harder to look upon Skinner with anger. He wondered if it was the change that made him flush with the thought of lying with Skinner...even when he was worried about Fox and conflicted about Garren.
***
Mulder was cold. The dark was alive; he could feel it breathing around him. He stood in the living dark, shivering and confused. Wet, slick floor beneath him, moving as if in breath. The cold was all around him and he wondered if he were dreaming. If this was his mind, utterly blank. A light in the darkness drew him forward. There was a warmth coming from the light and he found himself running toward it. The darkness shifted around him, things moving behind him. He thought for a moment that the light would keep receding in front of him like in bad dreams, but he could see that it was a doorway, and he ran faster. He stopped as soon as he gained the door. His instincts warring with his fear of the blackness behind him and the warm room before him.
There was a man sitting in a large chair at the center of the room.
The man in the chair smiled at him, a smile that held no warmth at all. The cold at his back held more warmth than that smile and he made to move backward into the living darkness, but his back hit a solid object. He turned with a gasp, thinking to find that which had pursued him, but found only a wall where the doorway had been, a cold wall.
"Poor, lost Fox. Can't you at least say hello?"
Mulder turned toward the voice. It was deep and mocking. He faced the man, gritting his jaw as he saw the man's splayed thighs and nudity under the black robe. Those eyes, as black as the darkness he'd left, stared at him intently, hungrily. "Who are you? Where am I?" He was surprised a bit to find that his voice was so sure. So firm.
"Why, you're home. With me. For a while. I can give you back your memories you know. Come here, come close to me and we shall see what you have forgotten."
Mulder couldn't resist that promise. To remember everything? To be whole again? He moved forward until he had crossed the room, noting the fading light coming from large windows and strangely familiar buildings beyond the glass.
"Oh, Foxling, how I've missed you. So lovely, so perfect."
Mulder stared into the black eyes and let himself be drawn down onto the man's lap, trying to ignore the large organ brushing his thigh. "I asked who you were?"
"Ah, yes. So you did, lovely one. I am your master, your only lover. Murdoch." The words were spoken softly, as if in a caress.
The name made him stiffen and he shook his head. "No," he shook his head again. "I don't...I don't know that name." But it was a lie. He knew the name. He felt Murdoch's lips on his throat, the hot rasp of his tongue on the tender flesh. But his mind had turned inward. He saw himself on the sling, the crowd around him ignoring his pleas for help. He felt the strike of leather on his flesh, the firm slapping on his anus, and he screamed silently as he was raped.
"You do remember me, Foxling, don't you?" Murdoch whispered, his hand going up to the pierced nipples and tugging hard on the little rings, groaning in lust as Fox gasped with pain.
There was a bath, Mulder could see it, could see himself on Murdoch's lap, and he recoiled from the lust on his own face as he rode the big man. The water churned about them as he came. But it was the words he whispered that made him shake. "I love you, Alex." The image shattered like a mirror, little bits and pieces of the image flying outward. He knew. He remembered what he felt. Worry that Alex had been hurt...in the apartment when the men had come and attacked.
Alex.
Alex in white boxers cooking and laughing, then killing with ruthless efficiency. More memories. Alex looking so young, not so young as now, but in a terrible suit. Alex in leather, looking like a wet dream. Him hitting Alex, pulling at his hair, all the while wanting to kiss those pink, moist lips. A flood of memories and he cried out as they assaulted him.
***
Alex leaped to his feet at Fox's cry. He was in the tent and beside his restless lover before another breath had been taken. Another nightmare? Fox was writhing on the sleeping bag, his mouth open and wet. Hazel eyes stared up at him, but Alex knew Fox wasn't seeing him. The look in those eyes made Alex bend to kiss the sweep of lash. Fox looked terrified. He soothed Fox's brow, "Baby, you're okay. It's just a dream."
***
Murdoch frowned at the nature of Fox's memories and he pulled roughly on one of the nipple rings, forcing Fox's attention back to him. Fox's eyes grew wider still as he understood where he was despite not knowing how he was there. "Yes, prince, you remember me. Did you think I would allow you to forget? That I would allow some callow hunter to strip you of that memory? Of whom you belong to?" With that Murdoch tore at Fox's jeans. "I will take you again, here in dreams, so that you might not forget how I can make you scream."
Fox struggled, his mind trying to grasp, to solidify all the memories fighting for dominance. He fought to keep those hands off him, but his movements were sluggish. He could hear Alex. Alex telling him everything was okay, but it wasn't. He couldn't stop Murdoch. Alex's touch on his face, but when his frantic eyes looked around the room he could see no sign of his lover.
Murdoch growled as he sensed the little cat near. Trying to take Foxling back. He bit at Fox's nipple in frustrated fury and tore the ring out, his cock incredibly hard as Fox screamed in pain.
***
Alex paled as Fox screamed, his eyes not understanding what he was seeing. Blood was trickling down Fox's chest and the ring...the ring had vanished. "Fox, godammit wake up," he shouted, frantic now to rouse him, as Fox grew rigid and started to shake.
Skinner entered the tent and Alex looked to him in a panic. "What's happening to him?" Fox screamed again and Skinner was there to see the other ring disappear. "Fuck! Jesus! Walter, wake him the hell up!" Alex growled in frustrated fury as the edges of Fox's jeans were pulled away from Fox's twisting body, the buttons ripping open to expose the curled, brown hair of Mulder's pubis.
***
"You won't ever hide from me, Foxling. My own Prince," Murdoch hissed trying to take Mulder's jeans completely off. But, Fox resisted more and more; the voices so near were taking him away from Murdoch. The blood on Fox's pretty chest at once excited Murdoch and repelled him. His fury had made him do it. Fox had made him furious. It was Foxling's fault he bled. The wounds would heal. The memory of defiance and its consequences would not. He cupped Mulder's scrotum and squeezed hard, thrilling to the pleading whimper his loving touch elicited.
The voice of the human ascendant joined Alex's and Foxling blinked away from his dream. Leaving Murdoch to open his eyes alone in the growing darkness of his rooms far above his city.
***
Mulder fell back into himself, or so it seemed to him. There was that moment of dislocation and then he was sitting wrapped in Alex's arms and staring up into Walter's concerned face. The red glow was there again in Walter's eyes, and he found himself leaning toward him, before relaxing back into Alex's sure embrace. He felt Alex trembling and it took him a moment to realize that Alex was absorbing the tremors stemming from him. He tried to quell the shaking of his body while Alex kept up a soft litany of "Baby, baby, shhh, baby, baby shhh, baby..." The words had a talismanic quality to them and Fox leaned deeper into the beloved embrace his trembling easing bit by little bit.
Skinner caressed Mulder's jaw and Fox tilted his face into the strong hand, rubbing his cheek into Walter's steady caress. "Fox? Fox, what happened?" He traced one strong finger in the blood that trickled down Fox's chest, staring at the torn nipples with narrowed eyes.
"M-Murdoch," Fox whispered, shuddering anew. "Oh God, somehow I was with Murdoch." He wanted to tell them that it had happened once before, but the memories of his entire life were crowding in, making him feel dizzy, unanchored from the steady earth and he swayed in his sitting position, leaning further into Alex.
Scully rushed in, her eyes narrowed. "What happened, Mulder?" she rasped, looking from one possible villain to the next. To Alex she appeared as friendly as a rusted fishhook as her eyes took in her battered partner. "Why is he bleeding?" she demanded as she made her way to Mulder's side.
"Scully, I just realized that I dream very vividly," Mulder quipped, visibly trying to compose himself in his partner's presence. Tears that had been threatening to escape gold-tipped lashes were banished as the shivers were stilled resolutely. He still leaned deep into Alex's strong embrace not yet confident enough to leave that cocoon of security.
Alex was staring at the finger-shaped bruise coming out on the tender skin of Fox's hips. The bruises parallel to the v-shaped muscles that framed Mulder's pubis. He slid his hand around to cover Fox's near nudity from Scully's gaze and his eyes met Skinner's, both men's faces grim and shocked.
Scully pushed at Alex's arm, "Krycek, I need to look at this," she hissed when Alex refused to move his arm.
"Let her look, Alex," Skinner commanded.
When Alex obeyed reluctantly, no one took notice of it. He stayed close to Mulder's back and watched as Scully bent to inspect Mulder's chest.
Scully clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "What happened?"
"Murdoch...somehow was able to reach Mulder in his sleep. I would have thought it was a dream if I hadn't seen it for myself. The rings in Mulder's nipples, just disappeared, like they were torn out," Skinner explained shakily. The thought of Murdoch being able to access Fox so easily, so physically, made him nauseous. How powerful was he? What were his limitations? If he could get inside Mulder's mind, what was stopping him from making Mulder call to him? Once called, he could simply steal Fox away.
"He didn't rip them, he bit them off," Mulder supplied with a voice that attempted to sound flippant, but sounded young and scared instead.
"He fucking *bit* you?" Alex spat out. "That bastard! He *bit* them off?"
"He likes to bite," Mulder reminded him. The wounds had faded from his first encounter with Murdoch, but the memory of being trapped on Murdoch's plane, sitting on his lap while Murdoch's hands and mouth devoured him, made Fox shudder once more. He could only feel the bulk of that huge cock pressed against his buttock then, but he had soon become intimately acquainted with it...had even begged for it, spread his legs wide and twisted his hips wantonly to get more of it inside him. He flushed with remembered shame. There were some things he would rather forget for good.
"I do remember that," Scully quipped, deliberately matching Mulder's attempt at levity.
"Where was he?" Skinner asked, rubbing the smooth skin on his skull.
"He...he was in a room...I don't know where, sir, but I think it was in D.C."
Scully raised her brow at the use of the title. Mulder hadn't called their superior anything but Walter since he had been returned from Mikhail. Alex was too busy kissing Mulder's jaw to notice and Skinner was caught up in his own thoughts, but Scully stared at her partner with a more critical eye. When he had said that Murdoch liked to bite...did he remember the first incident as well? Were more memories coming to him?
"These will have to be stitched up," Scully decided. "They aren't bad, one stitch each should do it. Krycek, I need my bag. It is the black..."
"I know which one it is," Krycek growled, "Go get it, Skinner. I'm not leaving him." His jade eyes defied anyone to contradict him, sparkling with a leashed fury that made Scully want to squirm for its intensity.
"Antonio is coming with it now," Skinner informed them just as the tent flap was moved aside and Antonio stepped in, holding Scully's black bag stuffed with all manner of medical supplies she had gathered in Fort Bragg.
Mulder took the moment to turn and look into Alex's face. Though he been in Alex's presence for days, it had been weeks since he had looked on the pretty face and known that he was the most important thing in the world to him. He smiled a bit, receiving only a blank stare in return. He had to smile a bit; Alex was lost in thought, restraining his anger just barely. He kissed the angular jaw and Alex nuzzled him, his green gaze shifting just enough to inspect Mulder's face.
It scared him that Murdoch could so easily come to him...could he do the same to Alex?
"What are you doing?" Alex hissed at Scully when she took out a fairly large needle and began to thread it with a dark, surgical thread.
"I'm going to stitch him up," Scully replied quizzically, pausing to stare at the assassin who was glaring at her.
"With that? It's too big. Find something smaller," Alex demanded.
"She's the doctor, Alex," Mulder reminded his young lover.
"And I'm the one telling her she isn't sticking that fucking oar into your flesh," Alex growled.
Scully ignored him and soaked a cotton swab with antiseptic wash. She gently laid the swab to the first nipple. Grimacing as Mulder gasped at the sting. Her hand was gripped and pulled away from Mulder's chest and she looked with exasperation into snapping jade.
"You're hurting him, Scully," Alex informed her coldly.
"Alex, she has to clean the wounds, now let her get it done," Skinner barked, receiving a little glare from Alex in response. But Alex obeyed.
"Everyone out," Scully said in frustration as Alex leaned his jaw onto Mulder's shoulder, his arms wrapped protectively around Mulder's waist. Skinner knelt beside her...too close for her to maneuver, his eyes watching her every move critically, though he had the grace to remain silent. Antonio was staring at Mulder with something akin to confusion and all she wanted to do was to get her partner patched up.
Skinner stood reluctantly, but Alex just remained where he was.
"I'm not leaving," he said finally.
"Scully doesn't like to perform in public," Mulder soothed pulling away from Alex's embrace. "I mean why not just have the Gunmen in with video cameras?"
"I'm not leaving," Alex repeated, though he didn't pull Fox back into his chest.
"Are you okay, Mulder?" Langly asked, as he stuck his head in.
"I'm in Hell," Mulder moaned in a joking monotone. To Langly he just held up one thumb.
"Cool, you were making a lot of noise...we thought Krycek...well you know, we thought he got angry or something...we would have come in ourselves, but we saw that the AD Sir and Scully already did. Anyway, Skinner, AD Sir, there's someone here to speak to you...says you know him. Real old guy."
"Baku," Skinner rasped. He turned to leave, but paused. Something was different about Mulder; something felt different about the things he was thinking. A slow smile spread across his face and he turned to face his beautiful lover. "Welcome back, Agent Mulder," he said before stepping out of the tent.
Krycek frowned after Skinner, but his curiosity wasn't such as to compel him to leave Fox's side.
Antonio's gaze kept falling to the parted denim and the strands of hair that curled around temptingly at Fox's crotch. There was something erotic about the fact that Fox had just been mauled...that he was displayed like the pretty piece he was. He could just see the first swell of tasty flesh nestled in the curled hair, and he felt his own organ began to throb in time with his increasing heart rate. Fox smelled so sweet, was so compelling. He wanted him suddenly with a feverish desire. Fox's long legs were parted just slightly, the musk of his hidden flesh like a siren song of desire. Fox's scent coupled with that of Alex's and Dana's was nearly too much stimulation and he had to turn and stumble out of the tent before he took all of them at once, somehow.
Scully didn't look up as Antonio left. She gave up on making Krycek leave and bent to the task at hand. "This will hurt, Mulder, but it will be quick," she assured.
He tried to grin, "Oh you know I love it when you hurt me, Scully," he teased.
She smiled a bit and sterilized her tools once more before slipping the tip of the needle into the flesh, marveling at how little damage had really been done, considering that Murdoch had apparently bitten Mulder's nipple rings off. She didn't even want to know when Mulder had gotten such a thing...only that she knew it had to be recent. She heard a moan and looked up, surprised to see Krycek looking as if he were about to cry. He moaned again as Mulder let out a hissed breath.
"For God's sake, S-scully..." Alex rasped, sounding like a small child.
"One more," she promised as she tied off the first stitch. She looked to Mulder who gave her a tired wink and nodded as she prepared to stitch the second nipple.
"Mmmppff"
Alex ground his teeth at Mulder's sound of pain. Wanting nothing more than to toss the little redhead out of the tent...along with her torture devices.
"There. All done. I'm going to give you Tylenol for the pain," she said briskly, masking her own discomfort at causing her partner pain. It didn't escape her notice that of the three of them, Mulder had taken the small surgery far better than she and Krycek. He had barely moved or uttered a sound, but she was feeling ill and Krycek looked like he wanted to kill her and he had moaned throughout as if he had felt each tug and slide of the needle. "I'd give you something stronger but that would be overkill I think."
"Oh, baby, make her give me Morphine! I'm dying here," Mulder gasped.
Alex missed the wink Mulder gave Scully and he grabbed her black bag. "Give him something stronger, Scully. I mean it."
Mulder sighed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding here. It's nothing. I've had worse."
Neither his partner or his lover seemed to be clueing in to the fact that he was making reference, albeit subtly, to past events, but instead of calling them on it, he allowed Scully to hand him the bottle of Tylenol and said nothing.
Scully leaned to the side to reach one of several bottles of Evian that Antonio had placed in every tent. She handed one to Mulder and before she could say anything, Mulder grinned.
"Don't tell me, take two and call you in the morning?"
"Fox," Alex scolded him for his levity as Scully smiled and shook her head. She quickly bandaged his nipples and instructed him to not remove the bandages. "They might get infected, Mulder, and then they won't heal as quickly as I suspect they should."
"Oh, he won't," Alex assured her. He pulled the edge of the sleeping bag up again, once he noticed that Mulder's sex was partially revealed. The bastard Murdoch wasn't just intent on removing Mulder's nipple rings. He had been tearing off his clothes as well. He clenched the muscles in his jaw again. Murdoch could have raped him and he would have been forced to watch it. He had been shaking Fox and calling to him, but Fox was too far gone into whatever place Murdoch had stalked him. It had only been Skinner who had been able to reach him. One word from Skinner and Fox had come to.
Another reason they needed Skinner?
Fuck.
He was so deep in thought he was startled by Fox's hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. He looked down at those long fingers and smiled. He loved Fox's fingers. They were analogous of the rest of Fox's lovely body. He looked up into Fox's eyes and frowned a bit at the intent look Fox was giving him. He looked away and stubbornly moved closer to Fox. He didn't care if Fox was still upset with him about the scene by the river; he wasn't leaving his side. Not one chance in Hell. Not one.
"Scully, thank you," Fox murmured. "I think I'm set now."
She gave Alex a hard glance. "No wild stuff until that heals, Krycek," she admonished.
Alex shook his head, looking surprised that she would even mention it. "I'm not going to do anything to hurt him, Scully." He narrowed his eyes a bit. "I don't need to tell you that or anything like it. He's my lover."
Mulder held his hand up as Scully opened her mouth to reply, "Look you two, it is nice that you both care, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. So, Scully, you can leave now assured that I am in no danger. And I swear, Alex will not do anything to make you wish you had let me shoot him when you had the chance."
Scully and Alex stared at him a bit confused, but Scully left with one last glance at the dark-haired man who sat so close to her partner.
When she had gone Alex stroked Mulder's arm and sighed. "I...I'm sorry, baby, I know it is strange to you, but I hate to be told to be careful with you...like I would really do something to hurt you." Alex gave Mulder a look from beneath a shutter of sooty lashes, the green of his eyes a startling contrast to the pitch of their borders. He lowered his gaze as Fox continued to stare at him implacably. He made to move away in order to find his silent lover another shirt to wear but Fox stilled him with one hand on his bicep.
"Hey, you," Fox sighed, his voice quiet yet somehow jubilant for all the hush.
Alex frowned. "Hey."
"You know, I think that I have either a lot of reasons to kick you out of this tent or a few to keep you here, what do you think?"
Alex shook his head and without letting Fox continue he twisted around so that his arms were about Fox's waist with his face pressed into Fox's lap. "I won't leave you, baby. I don't want to. Please don't make me. I love you."
"Don't, Alex..." Fox began.
"No. I won't let you think that I don't love you. I do. I'm sorry that I said anything about Garren. I am. I don't care about anything but you. I wish you could just believe me." He kissed Fox's hip, his chin rubbing the gentle swell of Fox's sex, still trapped in the denim.
"I do believe you, babe," Fox whispered. "I remember the first time you said it.
Alex froze. Not sure what Fox meant. Did he mean the first time Alex had ever said it, or the first time the forgetful Fox had heard it just days ago?
"You put your head down like this then too, babe. God, I'd never heard anyone say it before...not anyone who meant it really. It was like having all my dreams come true, all in one small declaration."
Alex raised his face to meet Fox's gaze. "What? Baby, what? You remember?"
Fox stroked his lover's face with a soft hand. "I remember everything...how I slammed you up against the wall thinking I was going insane, but not caring as long as I could taste you...touch you. I remember how quick it all happened...the trip to San Francisco and the morning...you were wearing white boxers and God how I wanted to eat you alive...everything. I remember it all." The last was almost too quiet to hear but Alex heard.
"I thought I had lost you," Alex admitted in a choked voice. He lowered his face back to Fox's lap. "You said you loved Skinner...I was going crazy." He squeezed tight trying to stop from shaking...relief flooding him. Fox remembered him! It was overwhelming. He found to his horror that he wanted to sob in relief. Wanted to wrap himself so tightly to Fox that they would become one...so that he would never again lose him.
Fox tried to bend over Alex but the pain in his chest kept him from fully covering the younger man. "I'm sorry, babe, I can't imagine forgetting you, but that is what Mikhail wanted. I couldn't be a good slave if I constantly wanted to escape to my beautiful lover, now could I?"
Alex shook his head, not moving from the warmth of Fox's lap, he smelled the musky warmth, the familiar scent of the man he adored and he never wanted to move. "No." The stroke of Fox's hand in his hair was addictive, a thousand times more arousing than any stroke from another. He almost purred like the cat Garren called him. "He made you forget it all."
"Especially you, Alex...the one thing I wanted to remember more than anything."
"More than Skinner?" Alex questioned and the uncertainty in his voice made Mulder want to cry. The confident assassin sounded like a lost, little boy.
"More than *anything* in the world...more than Walter, more than Scully or the Gunmen or even myself...baby, you are everything to me...everything that I wanted to fight for...he had to take you from me."
Alex rose from his supplicant position and hooked his hand behind Mulder's neck. He paused to look at the swollen lips a moment before drawing them to him with a sigh. "I want to kiss you, Fox," he husked.
"I want you to kiss me too," Fox purred already sliding his knees further apart in response to the arousal in Alex's voice. "I want you to kiss me, to touch me...to fuck me. God, I want you, Alex." He grinned then against Alex's pretty, bowed lips. "My sweet little Angel."
Alex chuckled and licked Fox's lower lip. "So you aren't as perceptive as you like to think."
"Why?" Fox purred as he shifted his hips in wanton invitation. "Because I thought you were an angel?"
"Mmm hmmm," Alex groaned, feeling the hard outline of Fox's erection on his belly. "An angel is something I think no one in their right mind would call me."
"Oh, but you are," Fox husked, wanting nothing more than his angel to spread his legs and fuck him so hard he screamed. "You are my angel."
"I'll be anything you want...I am a good actor..."
"You're good at lots of things," Fox sighed as Alex relented and let himself be drawn over Fox's now supine form, careful not to press into Fox's chest. Fox spread his legs about Alex's waist. "I need you inside me, Alex. I want to be yours again."
"You always were mine, Fox," Alex insisted, looking into Fox's wide eyes. "Only mine."
But are you mine, Fox thought before Alex's lips claimed his, burning away any qualms with the satin and heat of his tongue.