Trust Book 2: Trust, Love and Happiness, too. Pt 8
by Nikita
Title: "Trust, Love, and Happiness, too." Chapter 4 cont.
By: Nikita
Series: 8/?
This is a sequel to my first series: "What We Need Now is Trust." Available at Down in the Basement, Slashing Mulder, or at my own website: http://www.koukla.net/nikita_slash
Spoilers: Season 7.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own the X-Files or any characters, plot lines, etc. They belong to Chris Carter, Fox, and the wonderful actors themselves. This is an unauthorized story for entertainment purposes only. I'm but a poor humble grad student struggling to make ends meet. Writing this stuff and keeping a website actually costs me money. But I do it as a labor of love.
Warnings: Slash. M/M relationship, sex, language. Schmoop, angst, plot, all the good stuff. Mpreg., aliens, etc. etc.
Feedback: Yes, please, may I have some more?! nik_cleo@hotmail.com
Authors note: Yes, I know I love wordy titles... This is the sequel of my first Trust series. It continues almost 4 years after we last saw our happy little family...
^ Still means telepathic communication
'' still means internal thoughts
Alex and Mulder LIKE to dangle off of cliffs. Honest.
And now for our feature presentation...
Trust Series Book 2
Trust, Love and Happiness, too.
by Nikita
Part Eight>> Bang <<
>> Bang <<>> Bang <<
>> Bang <<
>> Bang <<>> Bang <<
> Clunk << silence >
>> Bang <<
>> Bang <<
>> Bang <<
>> Bang <<^God damn it! WHAT are you doing?! ^
Mulder whipped the blankets off his legs and sat up in the bed. Pulling on his robe he went to hunt down his ambitious lover...
"Good morning, Lisa." Alex looked up as Fox appeared in the doorway of their guest bedroom. Fox ran a hand through his bed head hair and glared at his lover who sat in the middle of the floor amid hammer, nails, and pieces of wood.
"WHAT in the hell are you doing?!" Fox folded his arms over his chest. Alex raised an eyebrow and pointed out Kat in the corner, 'helping' her papa by playing with assorted tools.
"I wanted to get started..." Alex turned and picked up his hammer.
"ON..." Fox asked impatiently.
"On the crib." Alex held up the railings that were almost put together. Fox felt his irritation at being woken up so rudely on a Sunday melt into a sappy puddle.
"Oh." He said quietly as he walked over to Alex and laid a hand on his shoulder. Alex looked up, smiling, little chips of wood in his hair. Mulder picked one out and then tweaked his nose. ^You know it's going to be months...We're not going to need it for quite a while. ^
^I know. I just wanted to do it now. And Kat wanted to help...we were talking and she's getting pretty excited about being a big sister. She wants to help us get ready. ^ Fox smiled at that and turned to watch their daughter. She was seriously contemplating the insides of their toolbox and rearranging the order of the tools.
"Well, my busy bees...how about we take a break for some breakfast?" Kat jumped up and ran to wash her hands. Fox pulled Alex to his feet, but didn't immediately let go, instead he held the captive hands up closer to his face. "You better be careful with those hands, buddy. I don't want you smacking your thumb with the hammer." Fox ran his fingertips over Alex's hands. The skin was still new and pink; they weren't yet callused, though from the feel of it Alex had been making an attempt to form some.
Alex just smiled and kissed Fox's hand earning a little mock-glare in return. "They're fine. How do YOU feel?"
"A little queasy, but I think it'll be fine once I eat something."
Alex frowned at that and tugged him towards the door, "Well, then...let's go eat."
They entered the kitchen; it was smaller than their old one, but not too bad. Alex grabbed the bread and popped them in the toaster. He then opened the fridge for the eggs.
Mulder filled the coffee machine with water and reached for the coffee.
"Decaf if you're drinking it, Fox." Alex didn't even look up from the stove. Mulder made a face and shoved the bag back, reaching for the small canister of decaf.
XXX
Jan 25 2005
"Scully." Her brisk tone left Mulder no doubt he'd interrupted her in the middle of work.
"Hey, Scully. How's work?"
"Mulder! Fine...boring." She sighed.
"No flukemen to autopsy? No vampires?"
Scully grinned a little, "Nope, not a one. Like I said...boring. What's up? Is anything wrong? How are Kat and Alex?"
"Nothing's wrong. They're both fine. They went out for a while...thought I'd catch up with you."
Scully sensed something wasn't being said. "How are 'you' doing?"
"I'm fine. Feeling...okay."
Scully knew he was going to keep her guessing, but played along. "Feeling...how?" She imitated.
"Feeling...kind of like I did when I first got back." Mulder couldn't fight off a grin now. He knew her little wheels would be turning in her head.
"Like you first...?" Scully frowned, and then a slow incredulity dawned on her. "Mulder? Are you trying to say...?"
"Yep! Bingo." Neither was going to say it over the phone.
There was a long silence. "Uh, Scully? You okay over there?"
"Uh...I-I, Mulder are you 'sure'?"
"Definitely."
Another long pause. Mulder was beginning to think this wasn't the best way to break it to her. "Scully?"
"I'm here, Mulder. I don't...don't know what to say." Another pause, then, "How?" she demanded.
"I think 'that's' a topic for another time. So, how were your holidays? How's your mom?"
Scully rolled her eyes at that. "Fine, Mulder. Just fine. Sounds like your holidays were more eventful than mine."
"Yes, they probably were." Mulder smiled.
XXX
St. Louis
Orthodox Easter 2004
6:55 p.m.Mulder helped Mari and Anya clean the dishes from the Easter dinner. Kids darted in between the adults as they carried stacks of dishes to the kitchen. Last week had been what the Kryceks called "American Easter." But the orthodox religion calculated easter differently and so today the family had gotten together to celebrate at Mari's house.
"That was a great meal, Mari. You're a wonderful cook."
Mari beamed, she was quite proud of the meal she had cooked for the holiday. "Yes, I noticed you had quite an appetite. Three helpings! I'm glad to see you're no longer a rail."
Mulder felt his ears burn; he was beginning to show. Much as he and Alex discussed it, they still hadn't decided what to say about the pregnancy, so they remained silent.
"Uh, yes. You're food is just too good. Excuse me." He stepped back out of the kitchen to pick up some more plates. He saw Alex still talking with his brother in the next room. Nikolai had seemed extra moody today and had pulled Alex aside after the meal to talk. As he watched, Fox saw the conversation take a heated turn, Nikolai glanced up and noticed his observation and pulled on Alex's sleeve for him to follow him into the next room.
"No. What is your problem, Nick? This is Easter; I don't want-" Alex jerked his arm out of his older brother's grasp, refusing to go with the man. Nikolai flushed a furious red.
"You WILL come with me, Alexei. Are you forgetting who I am?" Nikolai reached to grab Alex again.
Without thinking, Mulder rushed into the hallway and put himself in between the two men. Nikolai had grasped Alex's elbow again and as Mulder came between them, he was jostled off of his feet and into Nikolai.
The three men crashed into the wall of the hallway, struggling to regain their balance. As they did so, Nikolai brushed against Fox's stomach as the child moved. Nikolai froze and stared at the bulge between them. He then slowly raised his eyes to stare in horror at Mulder.
Alex grimaced and grabbed Fox's elbows, helping him regain his balance and pulling him away from his brother. Several people rushed into the hallway at the noise, but Alex waved them away. "It's okay, Fox tripped on the rug and bumped into Nick." Mari frowned at this, but guided the others into the living room.
Nikolai was still leaning against the wall in shock. He was staring at Mulder's stomach. "Eh-ta vahz-mozh-na?" He whispered, stunned.
Alex's eyes darkened and Mulder glanced at both of them worriedly. "Nikolai, I think we should go to your study, after all." Alex gestured for his brother to lead the way. Nikolai pushed away from the wall and led them to his office.
Alex closed the door behind them and turned the lock as Nikolai grabbed some glasses and a bottle of liquor from a small cabinet. He poured a glass and moved to pour some in the other two glasses.
"No, thank you, Nick. I'd rather not and Mulder shouldn't." Nikolai darted a look at Fox, but set the bottle down, moving to sit in one of two leather chairs in the room. Alex motioned for Fox to sit in the other one, he remained standing behind the chair, glaring at his brother.
A strained silence remained between the two brothers, neither wanting to cave first and speak. Exasperated, Mulder finally spoke up. "How about one of you tell me what you two have been arguing about?"
Nikolai shifted his gaze from his brother's accusing eyes to Fox's. "What do you mean?"
"Can it, Nick. You two seemed all right for a while, but the last two years you've been watching us suspiciously and pulling Alex aside for a lecture every time we meet. What's bothering you?"
Nikolai flicked his eyes down to Mulder's stomach and back again. "I don't know-"
Alex moved around to Mulder's right side, "Cut the bullshit, Nikolai, Fox is right, why all the lectures on taking care of my family and always asking me about our personal lives? About Kat? About my past?"
Nikolai slammed down his glass. "Do you think I don't know?! Do you think I don't know about the men? The men that made you work for them? Why you went away so quickly? Never contacted your family?"
Alex pulled a chair out from Nikolai's desk and sat next to Mulder. Very quietly he asked, "What do you think you know?"
"What do I 'think' I know? Don't patronize ME, 'Lexei. I raised you from a small boy. And they wanted me to work for them, too. I refused. But YOU. You are 'still' working for them."
Mulder glanced at Alex, his lover's face was very still, but his eyes gleamed dangerously. "You couldn't refuse them. You did it or you were eliminated. You're lying."
Nikolai glared back, the tension and anger between the two men was palpable and made Fox shift in his seat involuntarily. As he did, he could also feel the restless surge and roll of the child inside him. Kat had been an active baby, but this one was proving even more active. He finally began to rub his belly gently, trying to soothe it.
Nikolai noticed. "I am not. I told them to go to hell. Our parents were fools to be involved with them. I was struggling to hold onto two jobs taking care of my little brother and two sisters. I could have used the money they offered me, but I refused it. What is 'your' excuse?"
Alex leaned forward, ready to do battle. Mulder held out his free hand. "Wait. Let's discuss that later. Right now I want to know why you said you think Alex is still working for 'them'."
Nikolai seemed triumphant as he pointed a finger at Mulder's belly where a hand still rubbed it. "That! You are carrying a child. And Kat. She is the work of those men. They tried to get me to work on one of their 'projects' many times. They were doing something to fetal tissue. I saw enough to know they were doing experiments on children and unnatural ways in gestating."
Alex stood again. "Now I know you are lying. The only way you would know anything about those experiments is if you were working for them very closely. Just how long DID you work for them, Nick?"
Nikolai stood, too. The two seemed about to fight, Fox found it difficult to rise from the laid back chair. Luckily for him, someone knocked, loudly, on the locked door. "Nikolai, let me in." Mari sounded serious.
Alex and Nikolai had frozen in place, fists clenched. Mulder stopped struggling and leaned back as Nikolai finally brushed past his brother and unlocked the door. "What is it, Mari? We were talking..."
Mari pushed past him and closed the door behind her. "Yes, I know. And I also know you will get nowhere if I leave you alone in here. I saw off our guests, Katerina is spending the night here, Natasha is watching her upstairs." She sat down where Nikolai had been glared at Nikolai until he moved to stand next to her.
"Alex, sit. We have much to discuss. Fox, are you feeling all right?" Mari's eyes were warmer when she spoke to Mulder.
"Yes, I'm fine." Mulder glanced at Alex, but his lover was too busy glaring at his brother.
"Good. Now, I gather the three of you were discussing 'business,' am I right?"
Mulder glanced at the other two men, they were in the middle of a staring contest so he decided to take over. "Yes. What do you know about this... 'business?'"
"I was involved. For several years. That's how Nikolai and I met. I worked for one of their projects. I was supposed to 'convince' Nick to join our cause." Mari smiled at Alex's sudden reaction, he jerked his eyes to stare at his sister-in-law.
"What? What happened?" Alex was stunned, Mulder just nodded, it made sense.
"So you two did some work together?" Mulder asked, Mari nodded and ignored her husband and brother-in-law for Mulder.
"Yes. We worked on one of the cloning experiments. I was not a doctor or scientist, though. My talents were more...in communications. I'd rather not discuss it now. Suffice to say that I was not happy with my work and Nikolai was a young doctor, so dashing and handsome, so against what they had us doing." She smiled and glanced up at her husband, reaching for one of his hands. Alex just stared.
"So...anyway. I got us out. I negotiated and won us freedom from their...'interference' in exchange for my silence and occasional use of my skills. I guess they decided not to chance working with me again, because I never heard from them since. We were lucky. And we've been silent about our involvement until now in order to 'remain' lucky." She glanced back up at her husband, her face conveying her disappointment in him for breaking their vow.
She glanced back at Mulder once more. "But. I suppose we can trust you two not to spread this around. So, are you really pregnant, Fox?" Her intelligent eyes were piercing.
Mulder tensed, but felt Alex's grip on his arm. "Mari, this silent pact will go both ways." Alex glared meaningfully.
Mari laughed, Mulder felt a little uneasy. He had underestimated this woman. She was excellent in hiding her true colors.
^Oh, don't worry, Fox. I like you, both of you. Alex is my brother-in-law...and so are you. I would never let anyone harm you. Actually, I've been quite worried for both of you. And you? I underestimated you, too. I should have known what was up much sooner, but you are pretty good at shielding. ^
Mulder raised an eyebrow. ^You, too. ^
Neither brother heard the exchange they were watching their respective spouses closely, both suspected a telepathic exchange, but had no way of knowing for certain.
"I'm waiting for an answer, Fox. We won't speak of this to the family if you don't want to. But I think you will find the Krycek siblings to be fairly open minded at such things. It is a family business, after all..."
Mulder swallowed, but decided the cat was well out of the bag. "Yes. I am pregnant. And Kat is our daughter as well. In blood as well as spirit."
Mari reached out and grabbed both Mulder's and Alex's hands. "Oh, I'm so happy for both of you. How did it happen? Was it really consortium experiments? I wouldn't think they would be so advanced even after all these years."
Mulder realized that she didn't know as much of the consortium's business as she thought she did.
They spent the next couple of hours sharing information. Nikolai eventually sat down on the arm of Mari's chair. Mari and Nikolai were stunned, but open at the explanations of alien invasions and morphing and how Mulder and Alex had come to be together on a rebel alien's ship.
They had explained Kat's conception and birth, but hadn't told of the current pregnancy.
"But how are you pregnant again, Fox? Did the oilean or morph...?" Mari laid a sympathetic hand on Mulder's arm.
"Um, no. Actually, I'd rather not discuss it. It is now possible for us to have children without intervention. That's all I will say." Mulder shut his mouth firmly and Alex nodded.
Nikolai had been quiet through most of the discussion, but his face had changed from stony malice to a more neutral expression. He rose, "What about your doctor, Mulder? You said your former partner and another doctor helped you and monitored your pregnancy. Have you done the same for this one?"
Fox blushed; he hated the thought that they knew so much about such a private and personal subject. "Uh, no, actually. Scully did examine me briefly shortly after the...after I found out I was pregnant, but she's been far too busy to visit lately. She is planning to come as soon as possible and do some tests."
Nikolai shook his head, "That's unacceptable. You should be closely monitored. Even if you 'were' extraordinarily lucky with Katerina...there is so much that could go wrong in even a normal pregnancy. This is far from normal. My specialty may have changed from when I started out, but I am competent in the field."
Mulder opened his mouth to protest. Mari pounced, "Yes. You must be examined, Alex I am surprised at you! Why haven't you taken better care of Fox? No doctors...tsk."
They all stood, Mulder still trying to protest, but this time Alex interrupted, "I think this has been a bit much to take in. I think we should get some rest and think about things. Excuse me, but as you two so often like to point out, I need to take care of my family. Come on, Fox." He started out the door, his hand on Mulder's elbow.
Much as he hated being ordered about and treated like a child, Mulder went gratefully, wanting to get out of the room too desperately to complain.
Mari and Nikolai protested, but finally gave in as they collected Kat and left the house.
"All right. We'll see you soon, though. Bye, Kat! Happy Easter!"
They drove away, Alex gripping the wheel tightly. Kat closed her eyes and dozed in the back of the car. It was raining and the 'thwack, thwack' of the windshield wipers would have hypnotized Mulder, too if he hadn't been so nervous and upset.
^Were we right to tell them? ^
Alex glanced at him and then back at the road, ^Well, it's a little late NOW. But, yes...I don't think they would do anything to harm us. Or else I would have gotten us out immediately. The consortium is dead. There may be pockets, but they are not the threat they once were. And I never heard of my brother or Mari's involvement. They were likely telling the truth and were 'out' of it for years before I was recruited. ^
Mulder nodded, ^I didn't sense any ill will from them. Mari's good at blocking, but I'm better. Now that I knew to look, I searched her mind thoroughly. She wasn't even aware of it. Her ability is limited and naturally occurring. She isn't a hybrid. She's a lot smarter and more devious than I would have thought, but she loves your brother and you and the whole family. She's happy and does want to help us. But still...I hate having more people know about this. And I don't want them knowing any MORE. I don't want your brother examining me, Alex. ^
^Of course not, Fox. I understand. But we have to get Scully down here for a visit. It's been far too long. She barely examined you in February. Just checked your bp and a brief examination of your belly. She said she wanted to examine you more fully and do another sonogram and she hasn't yet. ^
^I know. She feels bad, she's been so busy... ^
^Fuck that! When we get home I'm getting Skinner on the line and he is going to get his ass in gear about getting her time off. ^
They pulled up to their apartment. Mulder held the umbrella as Alex scooped Kat up in his arms and they went inside.
Laying down their daughter in her warm bed they tucked her in and took turns kissing her on the forehead. They turned out the light and closed her door most of the way. Kisa jumped up on her bed and kneaded the blankets, purring.
Mulder decided to take a shower while Alex checked the house again before turning in for the night. He'd hoped Alex would join him afterwards, but there was no sign so he finally rinsed off and dried himself. Walking into the bedroom he heard Alex on the phone, obviously talking to Skinner.
"Don't give me that, you know that it is important for Scully to come here. Just make it happen... No I don't have any knowledge about that... You believe what you want to, Skinner. You want to ask Fox? Go ahead."
Alex held the phone up, his eyes revealing nothing, the link closed. Mulder took the phone and sat down on the edge of the bed in his robe.
"Mulder, what do you know of the recent disappearance and death of Chris Jacobson?" Skinner's voice was low and deadly serious.
"Nothing. When did this happen?" Mulder glanced up at his lover, Alex was picking up the towel Mulder had tossed on the floor, avoiding his gaze.
Skinner ignored his question, "Do you know the whereabouts of Alex Krycek from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. today?"
Mulder rolled his eyes, "Yes. He was with Kat and I all morning and afternoon. We went to his brother's house around 4:30. He was with in plain sight of his family the whole time..."
Skinner cleared his throat, "I'll tell Agent Scully that she has three days of leave effective tomorrow." He hung up.
Mulder hung the phone up and went into the bathroom, Alex was brushing his teeth. Fox folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. "Well?"
"Weh, whahh?" Alex kept brushing.
"You know very well... How did you do it?"
Alex spit out the toothpaste and rinsed his mouth. "If you are referring to the alleged crime that Skinner so sweetly asked me about, then I have to say that I 'didn't' do anything..." Alex wiped his mouth on the hand towel and turned a completely innocent face to his lover.
It was wasted. "It's obvious you did it. I just didn't know you still had connections to have this sort of thing done. I thought you were past that." Mulder shifted, letting Alex past him.
They went back to the bedroom. "I have no idea what you're talking about Mulder. But I will tell you one thing...never assume I'm past anything where my family is concerned. And that is all I'm saying on the subject." Alex climbed into bed and turned out his bedside lamp.
Mulder climbed in after a moment's hesitation. He hated the thought of what Alex had obviously arranged done. But he'd known the kind of man he'd gotten involved with. And when he thought of what home life must have been like for 'Mrs.' Jacobson and their children... He had a hard time being too upset.
They lay on opposite sides of the bed for several moments. Finally, Alex sighed and moved closer, putting his head on Fox's shoulder and moving a hand down to his belly. "I couldn't let him endanger another child of mine..."
Fox put his own hand on top of his and they lay awake a long time.
To be continued...
Eh-ta vahz-mozh-na? Translation: "Is it possible?"
Continued in Chapter 9