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What We Need Right Now is Trust
by Nikita

Part One

Pain...bright, blinding light...cold...so cold...exposed...rawendlesspainneedstopnowplease. Scully, someone, anyone... And he's screaming...screaming himself hoarse, "Scuuulllyyy!" "Scuuullyyy!! "Heeellllpp!" "Stooopppp!"

But it doesn't...it doesn't stop. His screaming does, though, his voice given out on him, the lack of his screams leaves a horrible silence punctured by his own loud panting gasps.

The light remains, unwavering, unblinking, his eyes unable to close, taped open? Or can he just not close them? Can't move anywhere, can't even see why. He can feel, though...cold metal...some sort of table or chair. His legs dangling off...not dangling, though, held down by more metal, his arms and hands held down by more metal...even his face...'god my face...it hurts, something cold, hard stuck in my face.' And he felt it, whatever it is pierce the skin and jam into the cheekbones, the red-hot pain and now the constant ache. Throbbing.

'Well, I've gotten myself into a fine mess now. Yeah, no help coming now...no Scully gonna bust through the door and save my ass. Nope, just me and the aliens now. His thoughts racing, struggling to retain his sense of self, trying to hold on to sarcasm to keep the panic at bay. 'I wanted the truth, I wanted answers...I wanted aliens...well I've got 'em now, big ass green aliens.' Only he didn't see any. Just 'heard' them...in his mind. Constant alien whispering. The bounty hunter disappeared after dumping him on this thing. The table seemed to come alive, snapping restraints automatically...and the facial restraints. 'Bit of an overkill, doncha think?' Then his sarcasm just plain ran out of steam, adrenaline finally giving out to exhaustion. So he recited baseball statistics, counted the number of suits he'd ruined in the line of duty, thinking about how badly he needed to do his laundry, anything normal and mundane to keep his mind occupied. It didn't work of course. Unable to think clearly, fatigued and cold, he finally just lay there...waiting.

And then the whispering in his mind had started. Just like it had before with the rubbings not so long ago. And he'd screamed again. The pain of 'hearing' in his mind returning just as before. Only it was somewhat more controlled, he wasn't catatonic, he could 'hear' more clearly, only it was so alien he couldn't really understand. 'Oh, it's controlled, but it still fucking hurts. And I really could wish for catatonia right about now. But no, lucky me...I'm wide awake.'

And now, now he was waiting again. Waiting in pain, shivering from cold and struggling to blink against the light...alien whispers ringing in his mind, unending.

..*.
<BANG>

Awareness returns harshly as he struggles to understand his surroundings. He's lying on a cold metal floor...a metal floor! He sits up, no restraints, the light gone...in fact it's dark. The sound that woke him gone. No clue what it was. Somewhere along the line he'd fallen asleep, trussed up on the table/chair. Despite his eyes forced open and the pain....and now he was...where? Some cell? He struggled to his hands and knees and crawled forward, hands searching for...something. Finding a cold smooth wall, he slides his hands up, slowly standing...shakily. Reaching...searching he finds nothing but wall...no corners, no door, just unending wall. He's in a large circular room with no doors and no seams...and no food, blanket, or toilet.

Mulder slowly sank back down to the floor, his back to the wall, arms crossed over his bent knees and rested his head on his arms. 'Now what? I starve to death? Die of thirst? Or just wait for more experiments?' Closing his eyes he somehow manages to fall asleep again.

It turns out the latter is true, the round room is where they dump him in between experiments. He's never awake when it happens, after the first time they leave him food and blankets and a small hole as a toilet in the center. He wondered if they'd just forgotten the first time and read his mind to supply them or if it'd been purposeful...another experiment to see if he'd rage...yell, cry. But what was the point? No one answered and no one cared. So he ate, slept, did his business and was slowly going mad. Every so often, time had no real meaning anymore, he'd wake on the table/chair and the torments would begin again. They cut him open...everywhere. His chest, his legs, arms, he lost track after awhile. There was always pain somewhere.

But then...something changed. He woke up, expecting his round room and strange goopy oatmeal-like sludge and his blanket, only to find himself in a larger room, it seemed a little warmer, though still dark. He struggled to sit up...struggled because his strength was nearly gone by now. Failing, he remained curled up as he'd woken and tried to lift his head, a moan escaped his lips.

A rustling sound came from the far corner. He squinted into the darkness making out a nearing shape. "Who's there?" his voice was a hoarse croak that he didn't recognize...'too much screaming' was the distant thought before he focused again on the shape coming a little closer. But at his words the shape had stopped.

"Mulder?" A disbelieving whisper came from the figure. Mulder remained quiet, stunned and unable to think beyond, 'someone human, someone else here, someone that knows me...oh god, please...I can't take it anymore alone...' He tried again to sit up managed fairly well until his arm gave out on him and started to fall back down when the figure moved quickly to his side and caught him from slamming into the cold floor again. Mulder looked up into the face of his savior and saw...Alex Krycek.

..*.

'Shit. Alex Krycek.' And even Krycek looked good to him after all this time alone, how long he didn't know. Felt like eternity. Seeing another human being was a blessing. Krycek, dressed in some kind of thin clothes, like surgical scrubs, was holding him half off the floor where he'd caught him. He continued to gaze at Mulder disbelievingly, his green eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Mulder...Jesus, I thought you were dead."

"Oh, not yet...but hey, stick around...might get lucky" Mulder wheezed, trying to keep the tears from escaping his eyes. 'Woudn't do to start weeping on him. Can't hug him, but damn I'm so happy to see him I could kiss him...'

Krycek's face darkened at Mulder's words, then just as quickly his face turned carefully blank. He shifted his weight, moving Mulder more into his arms and off the cold floor. "Mulder, can you help me get you to the corner? It's warmer over there, we've got blankets and food."

Mulder perked up at this, and struggled to sit up with Krycek's arm around his shoulders. Standing, he noticed for the first time that he, too, was wearing thin pants and a loose tunic. He felt a surge of gratitude. So long without clothes he'd forgotten how civilized it felt. Too tired to ask why Krycek was helping him, he quietly lurched over to the corner with a supportive arm around his back.

In the corner was a nest of blankets and a small thin mattress. Krycek guided Mulder onto the makeshift bed and covered him up with a scratchy, but warm blanket. Mulder lay back gratefully, but started shivering.

"Are you alright, Mulder?" Alex asked quietly, his eyes quietly assessing him.

"Yeah, just cold." Mulder bit out, clenching his teeth shut again, still shivering...then opened his mouth for one last thought, "...and tired."

Krycek nodded absently; seeming to think hard about something for a moment, then shrugging he climbed over Mulder to lie down on the mattress. Pulling Mulder's blanket around himself as well he lay on his side, back to the wall, facing Mulder who lay on his back. He said nothing and closed his eyes.

Mulder didn't know what to think, too tired to argue and too grateful to want to, he closed his eyes and tried to stop shivering. He couldn't, though, as he lay there, images of what they'd done this last time played on in his head. His shivering increased, his arms hugging himself, eyes squeezed shut.

Slowly, an arm came over his chest and Krycek hesitantly moved closer. His warm body and firm embrace soothing Mulder, who slowly warmed and stopped shivering, comforted by the presence of another. He finally slipped into an exhausted, but troubled sleep.

..*.

Alex, meanwhile, was wide-awake. 'Mulder. Alive. Alive and in my cell. How had he ended up here? Last I knew he was taken by the ship in Oregon. God, he's so thin, I can feel his ribs and his hipbone digging into me. I need to make him eat when he wakes.' Thoughts and questions swirled in his mind. He had no idea what if anything Mulder knew about the events that had occurred since his abduction. Alex knew he'd be in for quite an interrogation once Mulder was more himself. A little food and he'd be up and pacing, grilling Krycek on every subject under the sun. Alex snorted at that thought. The sun, he hadn't seen the sun in quite a while. He missed it. It was so easy to take for granted. Not that he was one to do that often. The missile silo had cured him of that. He basked in the sun and outdoors any chance he got. It'd be so great to be outside sitting in a park right now. Or a beach, hell, Mulder could use a little sun and fresh air himself. He hoped he'd get a chance soon. Maybe, if they got out of this together they could go somewhere nice together. Not likely to happen, but hey, a guy could dream. Alex was drifting off at the thought of sunning himself on hot sand with water lapping at his feet when Mulder started grunting in his sleep.

Soft at first, then growing in sound until he started screaming at the top of his lungs. "Nooo! Stop it! Please, please!!" Mulder cried and screamed the same words over and over, thrashing, hitting Alex in his desperate attempts to escape.

Alex grabbed both of Mulder's arms and pinned them to his sides. "Mulder! Mulder, wake up, it's okay, they're gone. Mulder, wake up!"

Mulder continued to thrash, his screaming turning into pained gasps, "Please, why are you doing this?! Stop, please stop..." Mulder's eyes were squeezed shut, tears streaking from the corners.

"Mulder...Fox, wake up, look at me!" Mulder's eyes snapped open at the use of his first name. He gasped for a few minutes staring at Krycek's lips until he settled down.

Several minutes passed, still breathing hard he croaked softly, "I don't like that name, you know." The corner of his mouth quirked up a little.

Alex, relieved, found himself chuckling, "Yeah, I know, but it worked, didn't it?" Crisis over he got up and brought over a flask of water. "Small sips, don't want to get sick." He reminded cautiously.

Mulder took the water from him and despite his raging thirst he followed the advice. While he sipped he watched the other man rummage through a pile of things nearby. Krycek turned back to Mulder, he held up what looked like a granola bar, but square and strange looking. "Think you can eat something?"

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Damned if I know, tastes like Styrofoam and about as filling. All we got right now, they should bring warm food soon, though."

Mulder took a small bite of the food, then quickly took a larger one as his hunger surged to life. Once done and hunger was slightly abated, Krycek's words finally registered. "They? They who? Where are we? The ship...?!" Mulder's voice became more and more panicked with every question, he was struggling to control his hysteria.

Alex sat down facing him. Taking Mulder's hands in his own he spoke with forced calmness and focused on soothing the trembling man. "It's okay, Mulder, you're not on that ship anymore. I don't know when or how, but you have been rescued and are now on a rebel ship."

Mulder calmed down slightly at his words, his hands slowly stopped shaking, but continued to clutch Alex's unconsciously. "But you...why are you...what is going on? Are they going to do..." Mulder seemed unable to finish. Krycek sighed, he'd known that the questions would start soon, at least Mulder wasn't accusing him or violent.

"Mulder, I told you before I was working with the resistance. When I gave you the information on the ship, I didn't realize that it was a trap for you. Cancerman set us up. Once you were abducted and Cancerman was gone the resistance made their move. It's been a long six months. The colonization has been stopped and the rebels have been cleaning up the colonizing force from this system. It's not over, but this round was ours. But now...now I don't know what is going on anymore. The last mission I worked with them...I was hurt and I woke up on one of their ships, they healed me...better than I was before and then they put me in this cell. I guess it was to recuperate, but it's been a while...I don't know how long and they won't tell me what's going on or why I'm being held. All they said was the colonization was defeated and my mission was over. They won't talk to me. They just bring me food and whatever other supplies I need and leave me here." His voice became harsh during the last few sentences. He slumped slightly, his head hanging down as some of the pent up emotions were vented.

Alex realized that he was gripping Mulder's hands a little too tightly and relaxed his grip, but didn't let go. Mulder sat absorbing this new information, his forehead scrunched up and lower lip between his teeth. He then sighed loudly and leaned back so he rested against the wall. His face relaxed and he looked very tired.

"So, you killed Cancerman?"

Krycek's head snapped up, he looked at Mulder cautiously, "yeah."

"What did you mean, they healed you better than before? Were you sick?"

Why was he concerned with him? Why didn't he grill him on the details of the colonization? The war? What was going to happen next, details he expected Mulder to demand from him.

"No, I...my arm. The arm I lost in Tunguska. They healed it..."

Mulder frowned slightly, seeming to think. Krycek realized that Mulder may have never known. The night he beat him one handed, he hadn't really explained anything, or shown him anything. And any other meetings afterwards he'd always worn gloves and his jacket. Hell, all this time he'd been somewhat angry at Mulder, as if it were his fault...mad he didn't acknowledge it...Mulder hadn't known.

Mulder looked up with sad eyes, "God, Krycek, I didn't know...I'm so sorry. Tunguska...I...I came close to it myself. If I'd known...I don't know... I'm sorry."

Alex dropped Mulder's hands as if they were burning him, surprised when he found himself squeezing back tears, geez he was getting soft, fuck it he wasn't going to cry! "Sorry for what?" He growled. "You didn't do it. Just forget it, it's over now." Krycek sprung to his feet and prowled the cell. "They'll be here soon..."

Mulder closed his eyes and sighed again, this time Alex noticed that it seemed to be from pain. Anger and discomfort forgotten he turned and looked at Mulder concerned. "Are you okay?"

Mulder just nodded, then opened his eyes and blushing he whispered, "Um, I need to...to use the bathroom."

"Oh, it's over in that corner." Krycek watched Mulder struggle to get up for a moment then went over to help him.

"Here, let me help." Mulder seemed ready to make a fuss at that.

"Don't be a stubborn bastard, just let me." Mulder bit his lip and kept quiet, letting Krycek haul him to his feet and stagger over to the corner.

..*

God, how embarrassing, Krycek helping him with this. He couldn't protest, though, he couldn't stand, much less walk. And he needed to go...badly.

Once done, Krycek helped him lay back down on the mattress and gave him some more water. Why was he doing all of this? And the information on the colonization and the war... Strangely enough he believed every word. His instincts told him that the other man was being completely honest with him. And the arm. God, the arm. He should have known, looking back he remembered the stiffness and lack of movement. Krycek had been good at hiding it...but the signs had been there.

Krycek wiped his sweaty brow with a rag and tucked him in. Tucked him in! Such tenderness...and he felt so much trust. Oh, and the ship...he was off that ship...rescued...but not free. Neither of them were...

Mulder's thoughts swirled around at a feverish pace...thoughts jumping from one subject to another. He was having difficulty focusing...he began to shiver...he was so cold.

Krycek was frowning concernedly at him. "Mulder? Are you cold? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Can't get warm..." Mulder's teeth chattered and he shivered in short spasms.

"Shit. Where the hell are they anyway? They should have brought some food by now." No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the cell door slid open and two rebel aliens marched in. Typical of the rebels, they had their eyes, mouths, and ears sealed shut. This was the only shape they showed themselves in around humans. Krycek had given up on wondering what their true shape was or how they saw or heard anything. The only way they communicated was telepathy, Krycek braced himself for the communication.

^We will take the sick one to the morph. He can heal the wounds and infection. Your nourishment will be brought at his return^ Krycek knew better than to argue, he stepped out of their path and watched silently while they stooped to pick Mulder up.

Mulder gasped and struggled, "No! Leave me alone!"

"Mulder, they are going to take you to heal you. It's okay..." Krycek tried to soothe the frenzied man.

"No! Don't let them take me...please, Alex!"

"Fox! Fox, it's okay, they will heal you and bring you back. I'll be here." He certainly hoped he wasn't lying. He didn't know for certain they would do as they said...he had no choice but to comply.

Mulder seemed to calm down at his promise, but remained very stiff and wide-eyed as he consented to be picked up. Krycek watched them leave and then slumped down onto the floor. 'What the hell have I gotten into now?'

@@@@

Some time later, who the hell knew how long with no watches or sunlight to judge by, Mulder was returned along with the promised food. Alex hurried over to check on the agent as he lay on the mattress once more. Mulder looked pale, but the scars on his cheeks were gone. Checking his temperature with his hand, Alex noted with some relief that Mulder felt normal and free of the clammy sweat. Unfortunately, he was also unconscious. Deciding to let Mulder get some rest, he went to examine the food. It mostly looked like the same military rations he'd been living on during his 'stay' on the rebel ship. But there also appeared to be some kind of soup...possibly some kind of vegetable soup...probably canned. It smelt good and it was hot. He covered it up to try to keep it warm for Mulder and ate some of the tougher items that Mulder wouldn't be up to eating.

Moaning, Mulder began to stir. "Hey, Mulder. Feeling better? Time to eat." Mulder jerked and opened his eyes, staring at Krycek first with panic, then recognition, and finally with profound relief. Alex was stunned, he couldn't believe Mulder looked so relieved to find him here. 'Well, considering I'm the only human being around I guess it's kind of understandable. And I did promise I'd be here. He's probably shocked I kept my word. Well, where the hell would I go anyway. We're stuck here.'

Mulder sniffed hopefully at the bowl of soup Krycek tried to hand him, but when he reached for the bowl he found his hands trembling too much to hold it.

"Hold it, Mulder, you're gonna spill it. Just sit still." Meanwhile he thought sarcastically, 'Shit, this just gets better and better. Now I get to feed him, too.' Krycek slowly spooned some soup up and held it out to Mulder. Mulder balked at first, but then the smell hit him again and his stomach rumbled dreadfully, he accepted the spoonful and forgot his hold ups.

Awkward at first, they soon found an acceptable routine and soon the bowl was empty. Krycek then fed him bits of meat that seemed soft enough until all the food was gone. Mulder sighed contentedly and lay back down feeling full for the first time in...well however long it'd been. Belly full and pain gone he drifted off to sleep once more.

Watching him, Alex tried to understand what he was feeling. He'd expected to feel fed up with caring for Mulder by now. Helping him to the bathroom, feeding him, worrying over him...this wasn't the sort of thing he did. He killed people, he spied, he survived. Surviving did not include helping others...only yourself. He was surprised to find that he was sick of just surviving. What would it be like to take care of someone else? To have them care about whether you lived or died.

Halfway through feeding Mulder he found himself enjoying the intimacy, feeling his knuckles occasionally brush against Mulder's cheek. Feeling another's breath on his skin. It had been...different. Almost nice. 'Shit. I'm getting soft. I can't afford to lose my edge. As soon as Mulder's feeling better he'll be back to his usual abrasive self and I can't afford to be weak. No more nice guy. No more 'Fox' I'm going to stick to my role and he'll just have to deal with it. Fuck. He's on my bed. I'm tired too, you know. Damn it, he just takes over everything.' Conveniently forgetting his long confining loneliness he wondered why the hell he had to take care of Mulder. Tired, he decided to reclaim his bed, pushing Mulder to one side of the mattress, he climbed in. Pulling the blankets up he tossed and turned, finally he sighed a long suffering sigh and turned one last time to face Mulder's back. Lifting his arm, he wrapped it around Mulder and pressed closer. 'Well, it's cold. Doesn't mean anything. We'll change the sleeping arrangements...soon.'

*^*^*
Mulder awoke to a very warm man pressed against his back. Krycek was nuzzling his neck and ear, murmuring something he couldn't understand. The only thing he thought he recognized was a name, Lisa. 'Jeez, he's cuddling up to me and dreaming of his girlfriend. Hmm, I wonder what she looks like. Lisa, sounds like a blond...big tits, nice ass. Bet she's beautiful. He's probably got his pick of women...even if he is a criminal. Lots of women like that bad boy look. Black leather, tight jeans... ' Mulder broke off that train of thought and shifted, trying to ease Krycek off him and on his own side of the mattress.

Instead, Alex burrowed closer and then moaned, "Mmmm, yeah....Lisa."

'Enough is enough.' "Krycek...Alex..." Hoping his masculine voice would snap Krycek out of it, Mulder waited, he was a little shocked at the response...to say the least.

"Oh...Fox...mmm..." Krycek's impressive erection was now poking him in the side and starting to grind against him.

'Oh, shit...now what?!' Mulder was absolutely shocked. Krycek was dreaming about him. Him and some girl named Lisa apparently. Kinky bastard. 'Well, so am I 'cause now I'm getting hard. But then, I always knew that I was kinky...' Whether or not this may have eventually led to more, Mulder would never know, because suddenly the room flooded with lights and the doors swished open.

Krycek woke with a start and realizing his situation, backed up and decided to pretend nothing happened. Both men watched a rebel alien enter.

---

The alien stopped in the center of the room and without addressing the prisoners signaled behind him for the other rebels to enter. A small group came up behind him and stepping around the first they walked over to where the two men crouched and began to roughly pick them up.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Krycek shouted, angry at being so violently manhandled out the door. Mulder seemed similarly distressed, but made no sound.

^You are being moved to new accommodations, comply or you will be sedated.^

"Fine, why didn't you just say so." Krycek smirked, trying not to show his fear. This didn't sound good. Briefly he wondered at Mulder's lack of fight, usually the agent would have been kicking up quite a fuss at this kind of treatment, but instead he was docile.

They were hustled down a dark corridor until they reached a series of doors that had very small windows covered with bars. Krycek was shoved into one and he stumbled into the dark cell. It was considerably smaller than their other cell. It was also colder and there was a small metal shelf jutting out of one wall, apparently a cot. 'Well, now we're going to have a fight over sleeping arrangements.' Krycek thought with a cynical grin, 'Which do you want, Mulder? The cold hard floor or the cold hard shelf?' But as he finished turning around to face the door it slammed shut. No aliens and no Mulder.

Krycek bit his lower lip to keep from crying out for Mulder. 'Shit, keep it together. Maybe they are taking him to examine him again. Maybe they'll bring him in soon...yeah, you just keep thinking that.' Krycek walked over to the door and craned his head to look out the small window. 'Oh, shit. Oh, shit...' His heart started racing and he could feel the screaming panic racing through his veins. He was going to scream, he was going to lose it... Krycek had experienced claustrophobia ever since the silo. He couldn't stand dark confining places without windows. Well, actually he could stand it. Had to, too many jobs had depended on it and he'd been on the rebel ship in that cell for quite a while (god knows how long), but he'd kept the fear at bay. You could stand anything if you had to. He'd kept it together all this time, why was he freaking out now? 'Because now I don't have to. Mulder needed care, he was there, I wasn't alone anymore. Shit, I'm already soft. Mulder's always hated my guts, anyway. Only a matter of time before we came to blows. Hell, now I don't have to listen to him or take care of him.'

Krycek started thinking dark thoughts about the agent. Taking over his space, his bed...needing him. Christ, he'd had to feed him and help him to the toilet. It was only focusing on anger and resentment that kept him from screaming. He knew it, too. He didn't really resent Mulder, it had been having a companion that made the cell more bearable, but if he thought that he'd lose it for sure, so he went back to focusing on negative thoughts. He lay on his back on the cold metal shelf and did his best to not notice the silence and the loneliness. Eventually he wore himself out and fell into a restless sleep.

---

Mulder, meanwhile, was led further down the hallway. He had heard Krycek be shoved into another cell and wondered if he was going to be shoved into another one. Instead, they seemed to be going somewhere else. The rebel aliens had a firm grip on both of his arms, pinning them to his sides as they hurried him along. No one spoke, telepathically or otherwise. Normally he'd have had a snide comment ready, but the overwhelming fear and certainty that he was being led to further experiments made him quiet. He couldn't afford to anger them, when he'd fought the others the 'sessions' were usually worse. He decided it would be better to cooperate.

Finally they reached a larger door than the cells, it swished open for the aliens and they led Mulder through the door. As he entered the room that was full of bright light, he glimpsed a metal table and odd looking metal equipment and then the room spun and faded from view.

---

Krycek woke suddenly; a rebel had entered the room and was communicating with him again.

^We are now nearing your planet again. You will be returned to your home. We have no further need of you.^

Alex felt a surge of relief that quickly faded. "What about Mulder? You're gonna let him go, too, right?"

^His situation is not your concern. He will remain here.^

"His situation is very much my concern. He deserves to go home, too! Why do you want to keep him?!"

^There is no need to become hostile. He is not pure. He is a hybrid and cannot be released. He will be dealt with once we have finished examining him.^

The alien turned and left, leaving him to his thoughts.

Krycek felt his stomach clench violently...dealt with...they were going to kill Mulder. God, the tampering the consortium had done to Mulder as a child...it was going to kill him. The rebels always killed the 'impure.' Whether it was their fault or not. They felt it far too risky to leave behind evidence and possible uses for colonizers. He knew there would be no talking them out of it. His mind raced for an answer...some way to escape...but there was nothing he could think of...they were at the aliens' mercy on this ship. 'Damn, Mulder, you have the shittiest luck. First you were fucked with as a kid, then your sister, then the abduction and now you get rescued only to be eliminated. God, Mulder, I'm so sorry...what am I going to do? I can't leave you here...I can't let you die...I need...I need you...shit. I need him...I'll deal with that later...right now I've got bigger fish to fry. I'm not going to leave another human being here to die, but how they hell are we going to get out of here? Even if I kill them or blow up the ship, there's no way off it.'

Krycek noticed some food and water by the door and went to eat, wondering where Mulder was and if he was okay. 'Probably shivering again. He's so cold all the time, hell, I'm cold, too. It's not as warm as the other cell and there are no blankets. And not even another warm body to huddle with.' Krycek suddenly felt very tired, they must have drugged the food. He curled up on the cot and dreamed of his warm beach and in the distance he saw Mulder walking over...

---

Mulder woke up in a cell much like Krycek's only he had a blanket under him and another covering him. He sat up slowly, aching all over, his lips chapped. Noticing food and water by the door he sipped at the water, but didn't try the food. He sat back down on the cot and huddled in the blankets.

He now knew what was going on. He knew why he was being kept here on the ship and what they were doing to him...and that they had involved Krycek, too, though without his knowledge.

'And he doesn't need to know. Nothing he can do about it.' Mulder knew from the Rebel's minds that Krycek was to be released. They had no use for him on the ship, but he was a valuable asset on Earth. As for him, well, they had other uses for Mulder. He knew that they would eventually terminate him.

After they'd had their fun of course. Plenty of experiments left to perform. The first one well on its way. With that thought Mulder put his hand on his belly, feeling a faint fluttering already within...

Continued in Part 2

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