MULDER THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Round One, Part Four

Mulder winced as Krycek pulled him to his feet. Seeing the glint in the other man's eye, he frowned.

"This doesn't prove anything, you know."

"Mulder, you just walked into a tree. A slayer *must* be aware of his surroundings at all times..."

"I know. I've heard it all before." Mulder lowered his head and walked on, telling himself that he didn't care whether or not the other man followed.

//And the way he smiled at me had nothing to do with the fact that I just got attacked by the Big Bad Tree.//

He affected a thin, nasal tone and an English accent. "A slayer should be aware of his surroundings at all times. One second's hesitation could cost him, or someone else, their life. Blah, blah, blah."

Krycek had caught up with him and now looked over at him, a small crease between his eyebrows. "If that was supposed to be Skinner, that was a truly pathetic impression."

"Not Skinner. Craven. He was... a friend."

He hunched his shoulders and ignored the curious look that Krycek shot him. He did not want to think about Texas right now. Didn't want to remember leaping flames and running agents and the pain on the older man's face as he'd...

"How do you know what Skinner sounds like, anyway?" Almost to himself, he muttered, "shouldn't surprise me. You both have the "sacred duty" speeches down pat. You should get married and move to London and get a German Shepherd and do whatever the hell you want and LEAVE ME ALONE!"

He spun, the vampire that had jumped out at him overbalancing and crashing into a trash can. As the demon struggled to its feet he searched around wildly for something that would do as a makeshift stake. Smooth wood was placed into his hand and he thrust the stake forward, through the flimsy dress and into the unbeating heart beneath. He turned and stared into shadowed eyes.

//Who *are* you?//

"Okay, okay, I'll wear the damn cross. And yes, you had a stake and I didn't, but if you say one single word about Boy Scouts I'll break your damn neck."

"But you'd look so cute in that little uniform..."

"Bite me!"

* * * * *

Only one light was still burning in the hoover building as Skinner pored over the ancient text just sent over from the Watcher's Council in England. So intent was he on his translation that he didn't even notice when the man entered his office; the bright light throwing the ridged expanse of his forehead into sharp relief.

"And the... cabbage? His spelling was atrocious..." Skinner muttered, barely restraining the urge to get out a red pen and write "see me" in the margin. The vampire hefted a conveniently heavy paperweight.

"And the *slayer* will..."

And his last thought, before there were stars, and blackness, and a world of pain;

"This could be bad... this could be very, very bad..."

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

Cerulean Blue is next!