Phantom Shadows 2

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"No that doesn't go there!" Scully yelled at Krycek for the fourth time in as many minutes. His expression darkened and he stormed out of the living room, taking the stairs upstairs two at a time.

Mulder looked angry and she sighed. "I'm sorry Mulder, it's just that I don't need or want his help, and he wasn't setting up the equipment correctly anyway."

"That's no reason to yell at him, and I'm not the one you should apologize to." Mulder said. "I can finish setting up the equipment. I don't want to eat dinner with you two shooting daggers at each other, so please, for me, go upstairs and apologize to him."

"But...it's Krycek! He doesn't have feelings! Remember he's an assassin." Scully's rational side took a back seat when it came to dealing with Krycek.

This time it was Mulder who got angry. "Used to be! Scully, I love him. You don't know him well enough to say anything. Now please go before you really upset me. I'm trying to be understanding. I know he caused pain in both our lives, but it's over and done with. I've never been happier. I need him and Skinner in my life."

Scully turned around and followed Krycek's path upstairs. Her shoulders held high. Yep she looked angry. He sighed and finished setting up the camera equipment and other monitors. Alex really didn't know how to set up a ghost hunting kit, but he was trying to learn. He wished Scully could just forgive Alex, maybe then she would see what a wonderful man his lover was.

****

Scully felt slightly weird being upstairs in the old house. This was where Mulder, Krycek, and Skinner made love, shared secrets, and thrived together. An ache of pleasure ran down her body, caused by the image of Mulder and Krycek naked together in bed. Both men are beautiful. She quickly shook her head, refusing to think of her partner in a sexual manner. Bad enough her boss and Mulder were breaking fraternizing rules.

The stairs led to a short hallway with three closed doors. She paused briefly, one of the closed doors led to the master bedroom. Krycek most likely went to their bedroom. She ignored the stairs at the other end of the hall, they only led back downstairs, toward the kitchen.

She opened the first door she came to and sighed, multi-colored and neatly folded towels and sheets stared back at her. Scully closed the closet door and moved to the next door. She turned the cold doorknob and pushed. The door swung open reveling a small guest room, nicely decorated too. This must be where she was going to sleep. Skinner had good taste, she decided taking in the expensive four poster canopy bed, the wood was a dark rich brown and shone. Blue curtains framed the large window, and a small wooden dresser stood against the wall. It looked like it was made from the same type of wood as the bed.

She walked in the room and opened the closet door, she was moderately impressed with it's size. It was hard to find large closets in old houses. She closed the closest door and opened the other one, it led to a moderate size bathroom. It had a sink, a shower, and toilet. The counter top had plenty of space for her cosmetics and toiletries. Light blue curtains covered a small square window, the shower followed the same color scheme, except dark flowers and fish, swam across the plastic. Not bad. Scully wondered who decorated the house, she didn't think the assistant director would have much time to refurnish an old house.

Her stomach grumbled and she looked at her silver watch. It was already six p.m. It made sense, the fading sun cast an orange glow around the bedroom. Scully wanted to find Krycek before it got too dark to see without lights. She hurried and left the guest bedroom, closing the door behind her. Procrastinating was not going to make apologizing to the assassin any easier. For the life of her she didn't know why she was actually going to do this. She opened the last door and stopped in her tracks. A chill went down her spine. The room was freezing, she could see her breath. Krycek stood next to the large king sized bed, facing her wet and naked, the water logged green towel lay across the thick comforter of the bed. She tried to step back out into the hallway suddenly embarrassed to see the man she loathed naked, but her legs wouldn't move.

He moved toward her, his naked body magnificent in the fading light of the room. Scully opened her mouth to speak, to tell Krycek to get dressed, maybe even to make some quipping comment about his lack of dress, but again her body failed her. No words were escaping her throat. Under normal circumstances she was not afraid of Krycek but here in this house, in his bedroom, with him naked, and her body uncooperative, she was scared. He closed in on her and she couldn't utter a word of protest as his mouth swooped down and captured hers. His breath stank like rotten milk and she gagged, but her arms just wouldn't move!

She last time she had felt so helpless was when Duane Berry had kidnapped her and he stuck her in the trunk of his car. A low moan escaped her throat as he dragged her unresponsive body to the bed. He threw her down, and in the back of her mind she noted the wet towel pressing into her expensive clothes. It didn't matter, once she was down Krycek started ripping the buttons off her suit jacket. She closed her eyes, and concentrated on at least moving one arm. If she could punch him in the temple, it might be enough to knock him out.

Once her shirt was gone, Krycek started to become more violent. Pinching her nipples, biting her shoulders, and roughly trying to rip off her slacks. It seemed the more intense Krycek became the easier it was to lift her arm off the bed. She opened her mouth, to try screaming for Mulder and Skinner, but still she all she could do was moan in pain. Scully felt air on her naked legs and started crying. Tears slid down her temple and she felt one pool into her ear. Why couldn't she move?

*Please Mulder come upstairs* she silently started begging.

A loud crash downstairs distracted Krycek and for a moment she had her body back. She opened her mouth and screamed, loudly. Krycek's green eyes blazed red for a second and her body was back under his control, but Krycek wasn't staying around. He got off her and ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. A moment later three men rushed into the room. Mulder, Skinner, and Krycek? Wow that was quick she thought somewhat hysterically.

"What's wrong!" Mulder blurted out before noticing that his partner was half naked and lying across their bed; crying silent tears. It seemed like the last bit of orange left in the room faded at that moment. She didn't know who turned on the overhead light, she was too busy trying to piece together her torn clothing and cover herself.

She felt a large hand cover her shoulder. Scully looked up into Skinner's concerned eyes. "Scully what happened? Are you okay."

She wanted to tell them what had happened but not sitting on their bed half naked in torn clothing that barely covered her breasts. "I can't talk about it. I need to change." Scully said softly.

Skinner stepped back and allowed her room to stand up. Her torn pants fell the rest of the way to the ground. Her face had never felt redder, although her shirt was long enough to cover her, she would still have to bend over to pull them back up, which was too reveling for her to contemplate.

"Walter, Alex, can you please go downstairs and get Scully's suitcase? I'll stay with her." Mulder's voice was a welcome relief. They had been partners for years and had both seen each other naked. She kept her head down not wanting to look at Krycek. She now knew he wasn't the one who tried to rape her but she still couldn't shake her fear of the green eyed assassin.

The two men left leaving the door open. She didn't know what to say to Mulder. Nothing like this had ever happened to her. She met victims of rape occasionally as a FBI agent and as a medical doctor, but she didn't know how to classify this attack. What did it mean to her? The closed bathroom door mocked her. She wanted to open the door and see if maybe there were two Krycek's. She hadn't told anyone that it was a Krycek look a like who tried to rape her. How would Mulder and Skinner react? The men must have been together when she screamed, they all entered the room at about the same time. If it wasn't Krycek who ripped off her clothes and hurt her, then who was it? Those pinches felt real enough. Her breasts still ached. She pulled up her pants, and haltingly stumbled to the bathroom door. Her legs felt weak and wobbly.

The doorknob was cold against her clammy palms. She barely heard Mulder's insistent voice asking again and again what happened. She had to find out if anyone was in the bathroom. She opened the door enough to see inside and a startled gasp escaped her lips. She slammed the door shut and closed her eyes. She slid down the wall next to the bathroom door, and held her knees to her chest. Trying to erase the image that would probably forever be trapped in her mind.

Mulder knelt down in front of her and she unfolded herself and latched on to him, he was her lifeline. How could she ever be partners with anyone else? She wrapped her arms around his chest and cried into his shoulder. The stress over the past weeks, not knowing what to do after finding her partner having an affair with her boss and Krycek, the almost rape by a ghost, and then seeing her own body torn to pieces in the bathroom. It was too much for even her to handle.

Mulder was at a loss - Scully was bawling her eyes out and she wouldn't say anything. She clung to him so tightly he was having trouble breathing. "Scully, you have to loosen your grip a little. I can't breathe!"

Despite her fears Scully giggled slightly as she moved her arms from around his chest to around his neck. She snuggled in closer to Mulder's warmth. "Sorry Mulder."

"It's OK, schweethart," Mulder said in his best Bogart impersonation. Scully laughed out loud at the pitiful attempt - he was never very good at impersonating anybody with his monotone voice.

"Are you laughing at me? Are you laughing at ME?" he replied, this time imitating Joe Pesci.

"Cut it out Mulder! You stink!"

"Stink? I took a shower at least a month ago."

"Mulder, stop!" Scully punched him in the shoulder. "No more jokes, this is serious!"

"You know Scully, you're beautiful when you're half-naked!" Mulder hugged her close.

"That's enough!" Scully chuckled, getting out of his lap. She was still upset about the whole incident, but Mulder's infectious good nature made her feel better. She pulled her clothes around her and wiped her face and nose on the sleeve of her ruined shirt.

"Real classy, Red," teased Mulder as he stood up. He scooped her up into his arms, extracting a tiny shriek out of her. "Let's get you dressed."

Scully laughed at his antics and hugged him close as he carried her out of the bedroom into the hallway. Krycek was standing in the hallway by the guestroom holding her suitcase. He glared a little at the two laughing partners as they passed him into the room.

Mulder suddenly spun Scully around a few times then threw her onto the bed. She was laughing uncontrollably, letting out another shriek when Mulder leapt onto the bed with her. His much greater weight sent her bouncing into the air. She grabbed him and held him tight until he stopped bouncing and she stopped laughing.

"Mulder, you're terrible! I hope you don't treat other victims this way!" She cried, her stomach aching from the laughter.

"Only the sexy ones!" he said, quickly ducking her mock punch.

"I've got to change clothes," she said, getting out of bed. She staggered a little walking toward the doorway where Krycek still stood with her suitcase. She couldn't figure out why he didn't just leave it. She stopped, suddenly scared it was that - other - Krycek. Her heart started racing at the thought - she ran back to the bed and jumped on next to Mulder. He had rolled over onto his back to watch her.

"Mulder, get my bag," she whispered, afraid to approach the figure at the door.

"Your wish is my command," he said quietly, sensing her fear. He didn't understand it - she'd always seemed mad at Krycek, not scared - but he didn't want her to get upset again. He took the suitcase from Krycek, noticing the sullen expression on his lover's face.

"What's wrong, love?" he said, stroking Krycek's cheek.

"Nothing," mumbled Krycek as he pulled away. He hurried back downstairs.

"Sheesh," said Mulder. He'd have to find out what was wrong later. He could only handle so many emotional people at a time. He put Scully's suitcase on the dresser.

"I'll go downstairs while you change and then."

"NO!" screamed Scully. "Don't leave me alone, Mulder!" She knelt on the bed, suddenly very serious. She wasn't feeling brave enough to stay in her room alone.

"OK, OK, just don't scream like that again. I almost had a heart attack," he said, clutching his chest and falling dramatically on the bed.

"You got it. Just turn around." Scully unpacked her suitcase, finding her sweats. While she changed clothes, she turned to look at Mulder. He was sitting on the bed with his back to her. She studied his form, marveling at how gorgeous and fit he was. Her mind again wandered to her secret fantasy of him lying naked on the floor in front of her as she sat in a chair; he was kissing and nibbling her toes, working his way up her leg to. Stop! She cried in her head, suppressing her fantasy.

She felt her heart ache with love and desire for her partner. She hadn't always been in love with him. When Scully first saw Mulder, she thought he was the geekiest nerd she'd ever met. And the aliens and conspiracies and other lunacies she had to pursue with him! Many times she contemplated quitting the X-Files and salvaging her career.

But - her abduction, her cancer - it was while writing her journal during the aborted attempt to cure her cancer like the other abductees that she realized how deeply in love she was with Mulder. She had never met anyone so amazingly loyal, steadfast, and dedicated to her and her well being, nor had she met anyone so pigheadedly stubborn and devoted to his work. If other people could see even a tenth of what she saw of the real Mulder, he would have fans and lovers in a line out his door and down the block. She remembered how good it felt to be in his arms as he taught her how to swing a bat at the ballpark, and how he had playfully taken a bite from her nonfat rice dream tofutti whatzit. Luckily he quickly left with his stupid newspaper article; he didn't see her stare at her dessert in a reverie - and he didn't see her slowly lick the area where his lips had touched, pretending it was that luscious mouth of his.

She had never really been able to fathom why she didn't pursue a romantic relationship with him. Deep down she must have known he was gay. It had torn her soul apart when she caught him with Skinner and Krycek here in their little love nest. Without hard evidence she had been able to fool herself and continue fantasizing about him, but having been hit smack in the face with reality had been almost too much.

Scully walked up behind Mulder and stroked her fingers through his hair. Mulder whirled around, startled. His look of confusion made her laugh. She lay down on the bed next to him, staring at him, thinking of all she would never have, and started crying again.

Mulder groaned inwardly at her tears; he could never stand seeing a woman cry. He lay next to her and hugged her close to calm her down. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect - she grabbed him around the neck again and cried harder.

"Scully, Scully, why are you crying? Tell me about what happened earlier."

"It's not that," she sobbed.

"What is it then, hun?" he asked, gently stroking her hair.

"I.I.I love you!" she yelled, burying her face in his shirt. She couldn't believe she said that!

"I love you too, Scully," Mulder replied in a comforting way.

"No, Mulder, I mean, I love you." Scully looked into his eyes, waiting for a reaction.

Mulder stared for a moment, her words finally sinking in. "I love you too, Scully, and I mean it. No, wait a minute," he said, cutting her off before she could reply. "I do love you Scully. You're my best friend, my soul mate. You're one of the most important people in my life, honest."

"But you're with Krycek and Skinner. You're not with me." She felt a sudden anger inside. How dare he say that when he's fucking Alex the assassin Krycek who had killed his father and her sister! "You don't love me! You love that bastard who killed my sister!"

"Scully, we've gone over this. Krycek didn't kill your sister. And I do mean it when I say I love you. Think about what we've been through over the past six years! I've shared all that with you, not them."

"That's easy to say, isn't it?" She barked sarcastically.

"Scully, do you remember when I did the past life regression? The Sullivan Biddle thing?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I've thought about it a lot since that time, and I have come to some conclusions. What I saw and felt wasn't the literal truth - the timeline is all wrong. There's no way that CGB Spender could have been a Nazi soldier, nor could I have been a Jewish woman, and probably not even Biddle. I think, though, that it represented a more profound truth. Those visions were a metaphor for my life as it is now. You have been and always will be by my side, my soulmate and companion in my life's work, the only one I can trust to always be at my back, who will never surrender or give up on me. When I thought I was going to lose you to the cancer there were some nights I wanted to literally plunge my hand in my chest and rip my heart out it was hurting so bad in there. If you had actually - you know - I would have had to kill myself. I can't even contemplate living my life without you by my side."

Mulder stopped talking; he hugged Scully close so he could hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Oh, Mulder," Scully whispered, crying yet again.

"So you see? I do love you, with everything that I have."

"But you're with Krycek. And Skinner!"

"Scully, when it comes to sexual orientation I am gay. I can't deny that, nor have I ever. I am in love with Krycek - he's been very good to me. But that's a different kind of love."

"What's our kind of love?"

"I think it's best described like this: Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Mulder paused for a moment. "You're my friend, Scully."

"Oh, Mulder," moaned Scully.

Mulder placed his hand on her chin to look into her face. They were both crying, but Mulder smiled. She had never seen him look so beautiful. He leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't a lustful, probing kiss; it was chaste and innocent and she held his head firmly so he couldn't get away.

Krycek was boiling inside listening to Mulder. He had slunk back to the hallway outside Scully's room and peaked around the corner. He heard Mulder's heartfelt speech about his love for Scully. It certainly sounded better than the couple of throwaway lines he used to describe his love for Krycek!

Sam hovered a few feet away from Krycek, drinking in the jealous rage pouring out of him. This quartet of people in his home was getting very interesting! The woman in love with the one called Mulder and Mulder in love with two other people. Two other men! This was going to be really fun. Sam gathered himself into a slim bolt and shot himself into Krycek. Krycek stiffened momentarily, but Sam was in so quickly and cleanly that he barely noticed. Sam went to work.

Krycek continued to stare at his lover and the bitch. Mulder had finally broken off their kiss and he was still stroking her hair. She nuzzled up next to him and seemed to have no intentions of letting him go anytime soon. That bitch! Trying to take what was his! He had to do something about it -he'd be damned if he'd let a cunt like her take Mulder.

Krycek fingered the large carving knife he had in his hand. Skinner was a stickler about everything and insisted they sharpen it often. It would do a fine job carving up Scully. He walked toward the bed.

"Let go of him, bitch!" he yelled, grabbing Scully by the hair and yanking her off the bed. She screamed and tried to unfasten his hand.

"Alex, what are you doing!" Mulder yelled, too stunned to move.

Krycek threw a punch with all his strength at Mulder and socked him in the face. Mulder's head snapped back and blood spurted out of his nose. He fell back onto the pillow gasping in pain.

"You two-timing slut - I guess you just use me when you aren't getting enough from this bitch. I thought you were gay, Mulder - I didn't know you liked pussy too."

Mulder could only moan at Alex's words.

"Say your prayers, cunt, 'cause you're going to die." Krycek yanked her into a standing position and sank the carving knife into her chest. Scully didn't even scream as he slowly jerked the knife down her body, blood pouring out over his hand. She was dead before he finished splitting her open.

Krycek dropped her body and threw the knife down next to it. He climbed onto the bed and threw a few hard punches into Mulder's gut, incapacitating him. He flipped his helpless lover over and yanked his pants down.

"I'm going to fuck you to remind you who you belong to - who you love. It seems only fitting that I'm going to lube you with your ex-lover's blood. This is going to feel great!"

Mulder feebly struggled under him, but Krycek forced his legs apart and drove his fingers into Mulder's anus. He unzipped his pants and sank his cock in with one quick thrust.

Krycek came to with a scream - he was still standing by the guestroom door watching Mulder and Scully. Both sat up looking at him.

"What's wrong, Alex?" Mulder said, hurrying to Krycek's side, pulling him into a hug. Krycek stood shaking, unable to speak.

"Alex, why do you have that knife with you?"

Krycek gasped, throwing the knife to the ground. Mulder continued to comfort Alex.

Scully lay back down to watch Mulder and Krycek. She was so intent in her observation that she didn't feel Sam enter her.

Mulder continued to comfort Alex, even though he wouldn't tell Mulder what caused him to scream. Scully was listening, exasperated at his stubbornness. Mulder deserved better than this! To be involved with an assassin, a hired killer - it was too much. Jealously and rage swelled up in her. If it wasn't for Krycek she could have had Mulder for herself a long time ago. How dare he do this! There was only one way to get what she wanted - she would have to kill Krycek. Skinner wasn't a problem - he was just a balding old fogy, there couldn't be any real attraction between Mulder and the AD. If she could rid the world of Ratboy every one could go back to where they belonged, and she would have Mulder all to herself! She got out of bed for her gun.

Scully quietly but briskly walked to the doorway where the two men stood hugging. Without a word she put the muzzle to Krycek's temple and pulled the trigger several times in quick succession. His head exploded in a spray of blood and brains.

"Alex!" screamed Mulder as he cradled his slumped lover's body. "Scully!"

Scully started; she hadn't killed Krycek - she was still lying on the bed! But it felt so real! What was going on in this crazy place? She lay back on the bed shaking.

Sam left Scully suddenly when he felt Skinner come up the stairs. Everything was working according to plan. He entered the bald man easily - it got easier every time.

Skinner stopped halfway up the steps when he saw Krycek and Mulder. Krycek seemed upset and Mulder was comforting him. Skinner's rage and hatred of Krycek boiled up again; Mulder was wasting precious emotional energy on this guy when he should be devoting all his time and love to Skinner. Beyond the two men he could see Scully intently watching them. Skinner fixed more hatred on Scully. She was trying to horn in on Mulder too! That sneaky little bitch - he'd have to take out both of them. He was just formulating a plan when he sagged and fell against the wall. All of a sudden Skinner felt disoriented. He was starting to get really frightened. Nobody was safe in this house. They would have to set up the equipment on automatic then leave for DC.

Sam was really working up a great finale for this latest little drama when he felt himself irresistibly drawn out of Skinner towards the front yard of the house. He could feel another presence nearby, and it was deliciously evil. He would just have to take a look.

Sam reached the edge of the yard - it frustrated him, but his ghostly form could not go beyond the confines of the property where he died. Stupid rules, he thought. Luckily, the person he was looking for was on this side of the road so he could get a good look. Inside a nondescript car sat an old man, maybe in his 50s or 60s smoking a cigarette. He was listening to headphones and had powerful binoculars in his hand. Sam was in awe at the soul - if you could call something that black and twisted a soul - which stared back. This one is more evil than I am! Afraid of invading this human, he merely reached out a tendril to read his thoughts.

CGB Spender sat in his car marveling at the great job his men had done bugging Skinner's house. He could hear everything in every room. The new powers that be in the conspiracy had gotten mad at him when he relieved the usual surveillance crew of their job, but this one was personal. He was going after his son and his future lover, and he didn't want those lunks messing it up.

All seemed quiet in the house after the histrionics earlier. He still felt sick over that sappy conversation his son - his son! He loved that phrase. His son pouring out his soul to Scully just to make the redhead feel better - yuck. And Mulder so openly gay! It was a very funny situation. Of course, Spender had laid aside his own sexual orientation to do what he was told. He had even enjoyed the sex he had with Teena Mulder in a small way. At least the result was fantastic. As exasperating as Fox had been to deal with over the past few years, he was proud beyond words to know the son he had sired for the project had turned out so perfect. Unlike his other son, Jeffrey. The project had wanted him to replicate his successful stud service with Cassandra, but the result was disastrous. Jeffrey was such a loser. He hadn't even had the heart to kill the poor bastard when he screwed up last year.

Fox would serve another purpose this time; he was going to help his old man get the lover he wanted and deserved. Spender leaned back against the headrest and undid his zipper. Taking Viagra wasn't helping him much with his impotency. He could barely get it up at all, let alone climax. He settled into his favorite sexual fantasy - its incestuous overtones were the only things that allowed him to get the modest erection he could achieve with the drugs.

He imagined himself in his little dungeon he had tucked away in a quiet corner of DC. That was the only real part of the fantasy, unfortunately. Spender started stroking his cock as he pictured Alex Krycek in stockings, high heels, and a silky negligee. His wrists were cuffed and attached to a chain suspended from the ceiling, pulled high enough so his toes could barely touch the ground. The negligee was green, perfectly matching his eyes. Spender walked around his lover with a wooden paddle in his hand, striking the pert buttocks at irregular intervals. Spender would occasionally grab Krycek's head and probe his mouth, eliciting groans of ecstasy from the helpless form. Krycek's long, thick penis was erect and throbbing but Spender would never give it any relief. After doing that for a while, Spender turned his attention to Mulder. Mulder was lying on a low table, naked, each limb tied with a silk scarf to a post. He writhed with passion watching Krycek get paddled. Spender stroked his hand down Mulder's chest and groin, stopping to roll his large balls around in his hand. He had put a tight leather strap around his son's scrotum so he couldn't climax, and it seemed to heighten his pleasure.

"Please, father, I'm begging you," moaned Mulder, his cock swollen and throbbing. "Let me come!"

"You have to pleasure me first, Fox, you know that."

Mulder cried out wordlessly, arching his back as Spender manipulated the large dildo embedded in his anus. He slowly pulled it out and pushed it back in, making sure to rub the prostate each time.

"Please, father!" Mulder cried.

"One moment, son," Spender replied. He needed his lover too. He returned to Krycek who was painfully erect watching Mulder writhe on the table. He quickly undid the cuffs. Krycek leaned heavily against him, his mouth hungrily devouring Spender's.

"Wait a minute, babe, not yet," Spender admonished. He led Krycek to the table.

"On your knees, Alex, right here." Krycek awkwardly knelt down on the floor a few feet away from Mulder's head. Spender dropped the small table leaf under Mulder's head. Mulder let his head drop down and he opened his mouth. Spender sunk his 13-inch cock down Mulder's throat, slowly thrusting in and out.

"OK, Alex, you know what I like."

Krycek spread Spender's cheeks. Spender let out an ecstatic cry as Krycek began to lick and nibble and thrust his tongue into his anus. The double action was more than he could take; he threw his head back and screamed as he came and came and came.

Spender dropped his cigarette; his body jerked as his shriveled little erection burped a couple drops of almost clear liquid. He sagged back into the car seat, looking at his tiny penis with disgust. When he had Alex and Fox in his power for real, he would have to break them fully first so they wouldn't make fun of how little endowed he was.

Sam reveled in the sick little fantasy this old man had about Krycek and his own son Mulder! He would make a perfect addition to the work he had cooking in this house.

This Mulder - he must really be something, Sam thought. He's got everybody hot to get into his pants. Sam had originally dismissed him as just another "pretty", but he was going to have to check this guy out. He returned to the house.

The quartet was seated at the dining room table, picking at the dinner Skinner had prepared. No one was talking; each was lost in his or her own thoughts of confusion, anger, and destruction. Only Mulder seemed perplexed about everything. He had tried to get at least one of the others to talk, but all had sunk into some sort of funk. He sighed, regretting having ever brought Scully here and exposing her to whatever danger was in the house. It had become much more frightening because it seemed this ghost could physically manifest itself. He was about to say something when the sudden temperature drop startled him.

"Uh oh," Krycek said. They all looked frantically around, trying to pinpoint the ghost.

Mulder was about to say something when he felt himself lifted out of the chair. He couldn't move. Something yanked the tablecloth and everything on it to the ground. Scully screamed at the loud noise. Everyone was standing, but no one noticed Mulder at first.

After clearing the table, Sam lifted Mulder a few inches off the ground, spun him around and slammed him down onto the table. The others froze as they saw what was happening to Mulder.

"My God, " whispered Skinner. He tried to grab Mulder's arm to keep him still - it looked like he was having a convulsion. Sam threw Skinner back a few feet, hoping the others would get the idea.

Since they were all in love with Mulder, Sam decided he would have a little fun with him. He held Mulder still on the table and entered his body. And he slid back out again!

What's going on? thought Sam. He entered Mulder's body again, but he couldn't seem to stay in. He had never experienced that before! Sam tried a third time to enter Mulder's body; this time, he grabbed Mulder's soul and held on, trying to anchor himself.

Scully, Skinner, and Krycek stood frozen watching Mulder squirm and yell on the table. Twice they had seen something travel under his skin and disappear. It reminded Scully of the strange worm they had encountered in the Arctic six years ago.

A third time they saw something move under his skin, and it remained for a few minutes this time. It looked like his flesh was boiling, then it stopped again.

Despite the grip he had on Mulder's soul, Sam slid out of his body. He finally let go of Mulder and returned to the basement. He had to think over this strange new development!

Mulder turned on his side and curled into a fetal position when he felt the ghost release him. He was shaking and felt ice cold inside. The evil he had felt inside of him.

"Baby, are you OK?" soothed Krycek. He had finally started moving again and quickly scooped up Mulder. He brought him into the living room and lay him on the sofa. Skinner and Scully crowded around. "What happened?"

"It was so evil - I've never felt anything like it before!" whispered Mulder. He was determined to tell them everything; he had already figured out that the others had somehow had encounters of their own with the ghost, but for some reason they wouldn't talk about them. Maybe he could set a good example.

"What do you mean?" asked Skinner.

"I felt the ghost actually hold me down and then enter my body. But it wasn't really my body - it was more like my mind, or my soul. I felt its evil; I felt its hatred and rage and." He stopped, not able to go on.

"I don't think we should stay here anymore." Krycek pulled Mulder up into a bear hug.

"My thoughts exactly," said Skinner, joining the hug. He looked at Scully for a moment, then pulled her into the hug too.

Sam watched the foursome from the basement. He could see the whirling reds and greens of the woman and the two other men - the emotions they still felt; they were just below the surface, only suppressed for the moment. Outside the house he could see the same reds and greens, but those emotions were surrounded and interlaced with a black evil he had never seen in another human being before. In the middle of all that he could see a shining gold and white light that threatened to vanquish the rest.

Damn you, Fox Mulder! thought Sam. You'll not keep me from getting what I need - from what is my due, my revenge on the world. I'll snuff you out!

^*^*

Skinner pulled himself out of the hug. "Well, it's too late to go anywhere tonight. We may as well eat dinner...get a good night's sleep and cut out of here in the morning."

He turned away and went to the refrigerator door.

Scully dug her elbow into Alex's stomach - seemingly an accident - but both knew it wasn't. The red-head was reclaiming her territory.

Alex extricated himself from the three-way hug by casually stepping back a pace. "Right, like we'll be getting any sleep tonight in Dracula's castle." He said, leaning back against the kitchen counter. Green eyes watching closely, as Mulder and Scully continued to embrace each other.

Finally, Mulder released his partner. "Are you okay now?" He asked her tenderly, tucking an errant lock of hair behind her ear.

She nodded. "Yess...I'm all right." Mulder patted her arm then turned away to see what Skinner was pulling out of the fridge. As he did so, Scully shot Alex a triumphant smile.

Alex's eyes narrowed, but that was all he gave away in terms of betraying his displeasure. The rest of his features remained remarkably placid.

^*

The quad sat down at the dinner table, relieved, that for the time being, the entity seemed content to leave them alone.

^*

Sam needed to rest too. Leaving the ghosts, spiritual plane was exhausting. Fox Mulder's pure spirit, seemed to tiring him a more than usual. Just one more reason for the entity to seek his revenge against Fox Mulder and the other occupants.

^*

The foursome, three men and a woman, ate in silence. Well, three people ate. Alex avoided doing so by pushing the food around his plate. Creating small, eye pleasing potato peaks with his fork.

The quiet between them was strained and uncomfortable.

The clink and scrape of Alex's fork against his stone wear plate was irritating the hell out of Mulder. Finally, he cleared his throat. "So...what *did* the three of you experience when the ghost invaded your bodies?" He put his eating utensils down beside his plate and switched his gaze between the three. None of whom responded verbally.

Instead, Skinner flamed red, embarrassed by his vision of raping and murdering Krycek. He was humiliated by the excitement he had felt and the realness of the orgasmic released he had experienced. He lowered his eyes, refusing to look at anyone. He crammed another bite of chicken into his mouth.

And Scully only stared at Alex, hard and then scowled. She drew out the silence of the moment by taking an overly long drink of her milk.

Alex simply absorbed Scully's dirty look, turned his head and noted Skinners heat reddened face then leveled his lover an even look.

"Well?" Mulder questioned Alex again as he was the only one actually looking at him. His eyebrow was raised in expectation.

"Uhmmm...nothing." He whispered, "I saw nothing....." Alex dropped his fork and the stainless steal clattered as it hit the rim of the still full plate.

In an instant he was up and out the back door.

Mulder rose to follow.

"Let him go Mulder." Scully said blandly. "He expects you to chase him. Let him have some time."

Truth was, she was glad he'd left the table. She was tired of Krycek's accusing stares. Like *she* was the one who'd done something wrong.

Mulder looked to Skinner who only shrugged, his cheeks still pink, and went back to eating. The agent sank down in his chair and resumed eating.

^*

Alex angrily pushed the back door open and the wind slammed it close for him. A storm was brewing on the cape.

The rain pelted down, hitting Alex has he ran and washing over him in frigid cold sheets. But he welcomed the icy burn of the freezing rain drops. They extinguished the heat of his anger in his face. He ran from the sprawling back yard to around the front, where he passed the tree that was used to hang people. He stopped only when he was opposite the ominous timber, across the long and winding driveway that ran in front of the house.

The Russian stared to the house, it's brightly lit windows did nothing to comfort him, however. He did not want to step foot back in that place ever again.

The ghost had made him see a side of himself that he didn't think existed. Oh, he could kill people alright, but to harm Mulder's beloved Scully? No, *that* he couldn't do or could he? The entity had made him see that the only reason he didn't kill her was because it would upset Mulder...if the two partners should ever have a falling out, then, he would be more than happy to finish the job that crazy mother fucker Cardinale didn't...and that's what scared him.

That he was capable of outright cold blooded Murder.

The other killings he had done were necessary evils. Or so Alex had always told himself.

He stood near the cliffs edge, and eyed the black water. The tide of the ocean was on the rise and the poor weather forced the whitecaps to come crashing over the sandy beach; slamming dramatically into the rocks.

Alex watched the water unblinking..how easy it would be to just jump, to let the ocean take you into her chilled, wet arms and keep you safe for all an eternity, safe from the kind of hurt that ached in him right now.

The torrential rains had already drenched his thick sweatshirt, Alex's hair was wet enough to shampoo. But he didn't care...couldn't care. How could he possibly *care* about himself when the one person in the entire world that he truly, deeply loved did not return the same sentiments?

Despaired, Alex sank to the soggy ground and sat flat on his bum, facing the tumultuous Atlantic ocean. He wrapped his arms around his legs, trying to control the continuous shiver running through him and tried to think of what he was going to do next.

^*

As soon as he heard the thunder, Fox pushed his plate away and went to find his lover. He had given him 10 minutes alone, plenty of time to get his head together as far as he was concerned. It was dark, cold and raining out. Mulder was worried for his lover.

Alex Krycek was nothing if not dramatic.

As he walked away, Mulder heard Scully sigh heavily. But he ignored her and went to the mud room. He put on a coat and boots and then went to find Alex, noting as he passed the coat hooks that Alex's jacket was still hanging there; he grabbed it.

"Alex?" Mulder called.

Upon hearing his name. Alex slowly stood and turned to face his lover.

"I brought you your jacket." Mulder handed over the beat up leather to Alex, who took it but did not put it on.

"Thanks." Mumbled the freezing man.

^*^*

The smoker remained unnoticed - like a black cloud at midnight - in his car. He had seen Alex come running out, had heard the argument inside of the house. He was content to just sit back and watch the wet Russian stew in the rain.

But then his son joined the other, and the old man couldn't resist. He picked up a pair of night-scope binoculars and trained them on the two. He was disappointed that he could not hear what they were saying to each other. Though it was apparent by the look on Alex's face that he was upset about Mulder and Scully and the words of love that had passed between them.

^*

"What's the matter Alex?" Mulder asked. He watched his lover closely. A little concerned for the fact that the younger man had his back to the cliff, and wasn't that many feet away from the edge. Alex looked ravishing, as the wind whipping his wet sweatshirt at the hem while a thunder cloud boomed and lit up the sky behind him.

But Alex ignored mother natures presence. "What's wrong?" He parroted, annoyed that his lover didn't already know.

"Yeah. What's wrong?" Mulder was beginning to grow a little impatient himself by this time.

"You have to ask that?" Alex shook his head.

Maybe he really didn't know Mulder at all.

"Hello... Alex, I'm not a mind reader." Mulder exaggerated, stepping closer to the younger man. "I really don't know why you're mad at me?"

Alex shook his head. Fine Mulder wanted the truth, then he would get the truth.

"I'm angry because of what you said to Scully."

"Huh?"

"You want me to spell it out for you?" Alex hissed. Mulder looked back to him expectantly, so he went on. "Fine! Back there, in that house, I stood in the hall and listened as you told Dana how much you loved her. How the hell am I supposed to feel. I think pissed off is the appropriate response."

Mulder smiled, Alex was jealous, of course. "I don't love her that way and you know it. It's you I'm with."

"You're with me and *Skinner* you mean." Alex spit out bitterly.

"Alex...." Mulder started but he was cut off.

"Listen to me Fox. I heard you say to Scully, and I quote, *I do love you Scully, you're my best friend, my soul mate. You're one of the most important people in my life.* You did say that ... right Fox?" Alex crossed his arms defensively across his chest. The lighting illuminated up the whole night sky in behind him.

"Well, when you say it, sounds a little more serious than what I meant it to be." Tried Mulder, though it sounded lame even to his ears.

"Up until two hours ago, I thought that I fell under the category of best friend and soul mate...." Alex swiped the water off of his face. "That hurt when you said that Fox. But what really got me was when you told her that you couldn't even contemplate living your life with out her. You've never said that to me. No please, let me get this out..." Alex said, when Mulder tried to interrupt him again. "But what really cut me the most though ... the very most...is when you told her you loved her with everything you have. And when she commented that you were with me, the best you could come up with was that I've *been good to you*, and that how you felt about me *was a different kind of love*. Either you love me or you don't Fox. And right now it sure as hell feels like you don't."

Mulder closed the short distance between them and placed his hands on either side of Alex's cold face. "You're making it out to be more than what it was .... 'Lex.....It's you that I love. Only you."

Alex remained unconvinced. "Oh really. That's why you told Dana that there was *no greater love* than what you two had. What am I to you? Just a nice body you can fuck? Yes? No?" Said Alex when Mulder shook his head.

"Well, I think you're lying. And if you don't love me than I'm nobody." Finished the Russian quietly.

"That's not true...You're everything! Where is all of this coming from? Is that ghost in you again?"

Mulder was worried that the malicious spirt and invaded his beloved again. He was afraid that Alex would convince himself that Mulder didn't love him. When he told Scully all of those things, he had only wanted to soothe her fears; he had thought that they were alone.

"If you dump me then I go back to being all alone again. What do you think would happen if it was me that left you? You'd still have Scully...she's not going anywhere....that much is obvious." Alex stepped back away from Mulder and gestured angrily toward the house. "...Skinner will still be there, just waiting to get you all to himself...just like he's always wanted, no doubt about that. I'm not enough for you Fox, frankly, I need you more than you need me."

"Don't back up any more Alex..you're getting too close to the cliff...." Mulder was starting to get really afraid now, his lover was not that far away from the edge of the unprotected cliff. Should he grow angry and forget, Mulder could lose his hot headed Russian for good. "...You're my everything...I mean it....I don't know why you won't believe that. You're scaring me Alex...lets move away from the edge." Mulder said when his lover stepped backwards another pace, moving even farther away from him.

Finally, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Alex looked behind, then closed the distance between them. "Why are you having these doubts about us after all of this time?" Fox asked, calmer now.

Alex's voice grew soft, and Mulder had to strain to hear him, despite standing very close. The thunder rolled in faster and faster.

"If I was enough for you, then how come you had to play the games that you did and get Skinner into bed? If I'm enough for you, then how come a woman, your partner, is your soul mate?"

"Oh...Alex, I can't love a woman that way and you know it."

Alex had had enough, he just wanted to get away from this cursed property and away from Scully and Skinner. "Well you could have fooled me. You want to know what I saw? What my vision was?" Mulder nodded. "I had a knife and I used it on Scully. I flayed her chest wide open and then I turned my anger on you...I....raped you."

Alex hid his face behind his hands for a second then pulled them away and looked at Mulder directly in the eyes..."I'm scared Fox. I'm losing you to Skinner and Scully and I'm afraid of that goddamned place." Alex pointed toward the house, but he didn't look at it. " I refuse to spend one more night at the *Bates Motel*. Tonight, for a brief few seconds, I thought that I had murdered the love of my love's life.....I need to go to my place for a few days; to get myself together." He started to walk away, still holding his coat.

"Wait, Alex, please don't' leave...god please don't leave me!" Mulder grabbed Alex's arm and held him.

"I have too Fox. You know where I am. When you figure out what it is that you want, come and let me know. I'll be waiting." Alex leaned in and kissed his lover softly on the mouth. He ran the pad of his thumb over Mulder's soft lips then gave him a peck on the tip of his wet nose. Turning away, he walked slowly toward where his car was parked.

^*

Mulder stared after Krycek's car long after the tail lights had faded. The Russian had just up and left. With out even bothering to pack his clothes. He couldn't believe it, his lover had really up and gone.

The rain sluiced over Fox, and finally, tired of being wet and miserable, he decided to do something about the wet part and trudged back toward the house.

^*

The smoking man watched the whole, animated, but silent exchange. When Alex left in his car, the old man was surprised. He kept his eyes peeled on his son after Krycek had gone. Once his boy headed inside, the smoker lit up another cancer stick and smiled, for surely, Mulder would tell the other two in the house what was going on.

Spender loved listening in to others.

^*

"Where's Krycek?" Skinner asked. He pulled the plug in the sink and peeled off his rubber gloves.

"He won't come back into the house. He told me what his vision was, and it frightened him enough that he just left. He's going back to his place for a few days." Mulder didn't want to tell Skinner the rest of the story.

Walter hung up the dishtowel and crossing the room quickly, he wrapped his arms around Fox. "Mmmm..." He said, nuzzling the younger man's neck. "I guess I've got you all to myself tonight...."

Mulder froze, isn't that exactly Alex had said the AD wanted? He squirmed out of Skinner's warm arms, "Not tonight Walter. It wouldn't be right with out Alex here too."

"What?" Skinner asked, amazed that Mulder, who had gone to such great lengths to get him into bed in the first place was turning him down.

"I don't think we should make love until I work things out with Alex." With that, Mulder turned and left the kitchen.

"Work out what things?" Skinner asked Mulder's retreating back. But he received no response.

^*^*

The cigarette smoking man stubbed his butt out in the overflowing ashtray.

So Mr. Krycek was going to be alone for a few days, well that was a pleasant stroke of luck.

He started his car and drove down the winding road with his headlights off; so he would not be noticed. The howling wind would cover the noise of his engine. Spender was unafraid of driving in the dark, in spite of the storm.

The smoking man desperately wanted Krycek and his son under his complete control. Alex was going to be alone, so now was as good as time as any to get what he wanted. Fox, he would grab while the FBI agent searched for his missing lover. Spender smiled and lit another cigarette.

He had some business to take care of before he could contemplate snatching Krycek. The was no point in taking the men unless he was going to use them sexually. For him to enjoy Alex and Fox, he needed look after impotency problems. And he knew just where to go to get such *things* fixed. The alien colonists owed him more than one favor. He was positive that they would be able to do something for him to increase his virility along with his cock size.

^*^*

A gigantic dose of Alien Viagra. That's what the colonists gave him.

At first, Spender was afraid that the greys were putting one over on him, as they explained to him what they were capable of doing.

He should have known already that they wouldn't lie to him; they don't know how too. Three grey scientist had performed a painless, bloodless procedure in the time span of 90 minutes, and then he was done.

Now here Spender stood, naked in front of his main bathrooms' floor to ceiling mirror. He was admiring his new body. The Aliens didn't just stop at giving him what could only be described as magnificent genitalia, but they had even been so kind as to shave off a full thirty years in what Spender liked to think of as an all over *body lift and exchange*.

He turned this way and that, admiring the little grey creatures handi-work. The deeply creased wrinkles that once lined his face, had all but disappeared. Save for a few tiny, fine lines at the corners of his large brown eyes. His grey hair transformed to a deep brown, and Spender was amazed to be staring at the face and body of his other son, Jeffrey, now deceased. He smiled, he never realized just how handsome his younger boy really was. Spender liked the new and improved version of himself.

A large man, the smoker had seen his once trim frame slowly increase, a couple of pounds at a time, year after year. But that too, had been taken care of in his operation. At six feet two, Spender now weighed a more natural 200 pounds; instead of 235. His whole frame was trim and taught with muscle definition over most of his now, 34 year old body.

As he studied his new form, Spender wondered why he had never taken the time when he was in his thirties to enjoy himself - to have a little fun.

Well, he had them to do over again, and this time, he would linger over every moment and indulge his every whim.

The aliens informed him after the operation, that he didn't have long to live a year or two at most. Which was why the gifted their reliable, traitorous agent with the unique present of their special operation.

Spender, would not squander such a extraordinary gift. His own impending immortality made sure of it. Along with his new outer shell, the greys had introduced nanites into the smoker's blood system, making him twice as strong as he average man.

^*

He wrapped his fist around his large, fat cock and stroked himself a couple of times really hard. His response to the stimuli was immediate. A few powerful thrusts later, with visions of Alex on his knees before him, naked and leashed, Spender erupted. His body sent out jet after jet of hot white cum.

He smiled at his reflection, pleased on top of everything else, with his newly gained sexual prowess.

^*

Spender sat, in the early hours of pre-dawn, at his dining room table, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette. He was not tired at all, and on his mind were his son and his spit-fire lover. He had to get both of them, somehow. He would start with Alex first, as he was the most easily accessible.

Alex was all alone, in a decrepit apartment in a seedy part of town.

"Talk about setting one's self up." Spender said out loud, grinding out his butt in a Lalique crystal ashtray.

^*

By the time the week winter sun started to rise, Spender knew exactly what to do to get Alex. It would take more time and extra careful planning to get his son all alone. But he would succeed, eventually.

For now, Spender locked the lurid and incestuous thoughts that he harbored for his son and concentrated on Alex Krycek alone. And for the third time in as many hours, the renewed man reached inside of his robe and masturbated himself to another explosive climax.

^*^*

Alex pulled into his seldom used parking space in the unprotected underground lot of his building. His key unlocked the service elevator, which everyone used to get to their apartments from the lot. The metal grating clanged shut and the old machine creaked it's way slowly upward, toward the top floor of the converted warehouse where Alex live.

Once inside, the Russian hung up his jacket and then turned a slow circle in the centre of the large, spacious one room loft, looking all around himself. The place smelled dusty, so he lit a few candles. He went to his fridge, pleased to see that though the milk was bad and his cream too, he still had yoghurt that was well within it's shelf life. He pulled a black cherry Yoplait out and let his stainless steel door go.

Tomorrow he would have to go shopping, but tonight, the yoghurt would be enough. He lounged back in his favorite canvass lawn chair, and staring into the hypnotic flame of the coconut scented candle, he thought about he and Mulder and what his lover had said.

Mulder said that he loved him... and only him. But Alex was having a hard time swallowing that. Especially after what Mulder had confided to Scully. At one time, Alex would never had doubted Mulder or his word, but now, he just didn't know anymore. Since the addition of Skinner into their relationship, everything had changed.

Alex's shivering returned, the rain and wind had chilled him to the bone. He stood and picked up a flickering candle. A hot bath by candle light was just what he needed right now, that and a goodnights' sleep in his own bed.

^*^*

Hours later, with the new dawn beginning to rise, Alex was pulled from his dreamless sleep by loud pounding on his door. He sat up and listened for a second then smiled, Fox must have come. Alex quickly clamored out from underneath his warm down quilt and reached for a pair pajama bottoms. He pulled on the light cotton covered with pictures of Taz and Bugs Bunny then went for his steel door. He opened it and saw, not his lover, whom he already missed, but Jeff Spender. Jeff had disappeared with out a trace over a year ago.

"Jeff?" Asked Alex. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in Alex?" Spender passed the threshold into the Russian's apartment, under the guise that he was the Jr. Spender and not the Sr version.

Alex locked the door. "Where have you been? And how did you find this place?" He was completely shocked, never in a million years would he have guessed that Jeffrey would be standing in his living room.

Spender smiled and lit a cigarette. He sat in a lawn chair, ignoring Alex's frown over the second hand smoke. "Do you even have to ask? I am my father's son after all."

"True." Alex pulled on his robe and went into the kitchen, where he put on a pot of coffee. He relaxed, it was only Jeff Spender in his apartment after all. Jeff Spender, who couldn't even kill an alien with out his help.

Over coffee, Alex would get everything he could out of Jr. about where he had been and what he had been up to while there....Any thing Alex could get on that smoking bastard would be ammunition.

Spender blew a plume of smoke out, knowing full well that Alex found his son to be no threat. That was good, because the second that Alex relaxed - just like the bunny in the python tank when it finally settles down - the smoker intended on striking. In his pocket was an aerosol can of chloroform...the technology these days was great. Along with the spray, he also had a pair of handcuffs wrapped tightly inside a black leather hood. The hood had a zipper down the back and sported neither eye nor mouth holes...only two small gaps at the nostrils for air. With his new found strength, carrying a big guy like Alex Krycek would be no problem for him. Certainly none of the Russian's ever partying neighbors would even be close to waking up at this early hour, so risk of being seen was slim to nil.

"Yes, life is finally getting good" Thought Spender to himself as he drew in another drag off of his cigarette, watching Alex pour coffee between lust-narrowed eyes.

***

Cape Haven
Sunday, January 2

Mulder pulled out of Walter's arms and swung his feet over the edge of the bed and rested them on the cold hardwood floor. Something had awoken him. The house had been unusually quiet since Alex had left. Not even a boo from their resident ghost. Mulder cursed himself for the thousandth time for not going after Alex. He rubbed the crusty sleep out of his eyes and looked around the bedroom. The predawn light was just beginning to lighten the room and the only sound he heard was Walter's snoring. "Damn!" He had slept later than he had intended. Walter's arm suddenly snaked around his waist.

"Come back to bed, Fox."

"Walter, it's past seven o'clock."

Skinner pulled Mulder back down on the mattress and loomed over him. "Fox, it's Sunday and still early." He pressed his morning erection against Mulder's hip as he leaned down and kissed him passionately, morning breath and all.

"Walter..." Mulder gasped breathlessly. "I really need to get up..."

"Alex will be fine. Give him some more time to cool off," Skinner said, as he nuzzled Mulder's throat licking and nipping at the tender flesh.

"Walter, I feel guilty about having sex with you when Alex is upset." Mentally Mulder was feeling guilty, but his body was enjoying the things Walter's mouth was doing to him. He wiggled trying to get out from under Skinner's larger body.

Skinner pulled his mouth reluctantly off Mulder's body and gazed down at him. "Fox, I thought we were okay? You and Alex seemed perfectly happy including me in your lives as an equal partner. What's wrong? Are you having second thoughts?"

Mulder gazed into Skinner's sad brown eyes. He was really screwing things up bad lately. First, he drove Alex away by being selfish. Now he was about to screw things up with Skinner, too. "I'm sorry, Walter. I want you...I really do. I want all three of us to be together. These past two weeks have been the best in my life." Mulder caressed the side of Skinner's face. "However, Alex's happiness is the most important to me. If he's not happy then I can't be happy either."

"So what are you saying? That there can never be a time when I might mean as much to you as Alex?"

"I don't mean it that way. Walter, it doesn't matter that I care for you as deeply as I care for Alex. I can't lose him. No matter how painful it is for me, I would sacrifice my love for you in order to keep him."

Skinner looked wounded. "Has Alex asked you to?"

"NO!" Mulder shook his head. "He's upset because he thinks that I don't love him as much as he loves me. He's mad that I told Scully I loved her..."

"This is about Scully?"

"No..." Mulder sighed. "More than anything...I think it's about this house or more to the point what's haunting it. I believe it's having an adverse affect on you, Alex, and Scully. I want to do some research on the house's history and the land its sitting on. Maybe we'll be able to determine who or what the ghost is and how to deal with it. Walter, I believe once we deal with it, then our lives can get back to normal"

Skinner sighed. He wanted to talk about their relationship not some damned spook. "Fox. Let's deal with the house later. Right now I think you, Alex, and I should get together and discuss our relationship." Skinner couldn't stop his hand from caressing lovingly up Mulder's side as he talked.

Mulder caught Skinner's hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the palm, then holding it still. "I agree. I want us to resolve our problems away from this house. We'll pack up and go over to Alex's apartment. I'll deal with the research on this house later."

Skinner leaned down and kissed Mulder before climbing off him. "Let's grab a shower first. Do you want to go wake Scully?"

"Yeah. I'm sure she'll want to get out of here," Mulder said, pulling on a robe he walked out the door and down the hall to the guest bedroom. He knocked and the door and it was open immediately to a fully dressed and disheveled Scully. Mulder guessed that she must have slept in her clothes, that is, if she even slept at all. "Walter and I are going to grab a quick shower then pack up the equipment and head back to D.C. Scully, would you mind taking the 35mm film over to Frohike to develop? Then have the boys pull up any information they can find on this house and the land it's sitting on?"

"Mulder, I'll do anything as long as you don't expect me to ever come back here again."

"Okay, Scully, be ready to leave in twenty minutes," Mulder said, turning and heading back to his and Skinner's bedroom.

Scully stood there and watched him walk away. A vivid image of Mulder and Skinner naked in the shower flashed before her eyes. She flushed and became aroused by the image. A small smile played across her lips. This might be an interesting masturbation fantasy. If she couldn't have Mulder, at least she could get off by fantasizing about him and Skinner. She felt the temperature drop slightly and looked nervously around her, then hurried into her room to get her bag.

Sam frowned, as he watched the pretty redhead. He still wasn't strong enough to take over her mind again. He had been hoping to force her to claw out her eyes then jump out of the second floor window. Now he might not get the chance to even kill her.

The one called Mulder interested him most of all. Sam had never met a human who he couldn't control or one who posed a threat to him. He'll have to figure out away to kill him.

***

Something didn't seem right about Jeffrey Spender. Krycek watched him closely as they drank their coffee and talked. It finally occurred to Krycek that it was the way Jeffrey was looking at him that was off. Instead of staring at his face, Jeff kept staring at his groin. Krycek had taken time, while the coffee was brewing, to lose the Taz and Bugs Bunny pajama bottoms for a pair of tight fitting black jeans and a black sweater. He was still barefoot and thought about going to get a pair of socks, but he didn't want to turn his back on the strange young man. He couldn't help himself from noticing the large bulge in the younger man's pants. Just how big was Jeffrey? He pulled his eyes away. Deciding to try to get the Jeffrey's attention off his crotch, he asked, "Ah, so are you going to seek revenge against that bastard father of yours for what he did to your mother?"

Spender's face darkened. "I think that is between my father and me, Alex." He made a show of looking at his watch. Then he set his mug down on the kitchen counter. "I should get going. It was nice talking with you again." He adjusted himself in his pants as he walked to the door.

Krycek followed him. "Jeff, where are you staying?" he asked while unbolting the door and briefly turning his back to Spender.

CGB Spender took advantage of Krycek having his back to him and pulled out the aerosol can.

Krycek was pulling the door open as he turned back to face Spender. The smoker sprayed him in the face with the chloroform. Krycek's eyes widen as he fought for breath. Then he collapsed unconscious into Spender's arms.

Spender lowered him to the floor and kicked the door closed. He pulled the black leather hood out of his pocket and unfolded the handcuff from it. He then secured those around Krycek's wrists, and turned Krycek on his side so he could kiss his luscious lips. "Alex my green-eyed vixen, your sweet lips are going to get a real workout soon." Spender then pulled the hood over Alex's head and zipped up the back. He made sure the two nostrils holes were properly positioned. Spender didn't want his lovely prize to expire before he could take his pleasure from Krycek's scrumptious body. He looked down at the sightless and mouthless mask. He might just leave it on the assassin for a while. At least until after he got his first good fuck out of that beautiful body. The lack of sight should heighten the experience for Krycek.

Now for plan two. He needed to lay the bait for his son. Spender took out the note he had written earlier and placed it under the ashtray containing his cigarette butts. He then rummaged through Alex's drawers and pocketed the tube of lubricant then stole the spare change off the night table. "It's time for us to leave, my sweet," he said, hefting Krycek's heavy body over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. He opened to door and made his way for the elevator. As he had surmised, the converted warehouse was dead quiet. He smiled. Not a neighbor was stirring. Spender opened the large steel door on the freight elevator then pulled open the gate and stepped inside with his precious cargo. It didn't take long for them to reach the parking garage. He had taken a cab the apartment building, planning to steal Krycek's car for his use.

Spender opened Krycek's trunk and dumped his body inside. Again, he checked the nasal passages on the mask. It occurred to him that Krycek might become ill from the chloroform and the exhaust fumes from the car. He hoped that Krycek would hold up during the forty-five minute car trip to Baltimore. Otherwise, that mask was going to become very uncomfortable. He slammed the trunk and climbed into the driver's seat. Spender unzipped his pants and allowed his cock to spring free. He sighed with relief and backed the car out of the parking space. The aliens hadn't been kidding about him becoming more virile. His sacs were swollen and heavy between his legs and he had already jacked-off three times in the last twelve hours. Yet, he needed to get off again to relieve his discomfort.

As he drove onto the freeway, he steered with one hand while fondling his cock with the other. He didn't notice the Lexus as it passed in opposite lane heading back to D.C.

***

Skinner parked his Lexus in front of Krycek's apartment building. He had only been here a handful of times. They usually preferred Skinner's place, and they totally avoided going to Mulder's apartment. He looked over at Mulder as they rode the elevator up to the top floor. Mulder seemed tense. "Fox, I'm sure we'll be able to work it out."

"He was pretty upset last night, Walter. I'm not sure if he'll be too open to talking to both of us."

"Let's not borrow trouble until we talk to him," Skinner said as he opened the freight elevator's gate then the heavy steel doors.

The moment they stepped off the elevator, they knew something was wrong. Krycek's apartment door was wide-opened. Skinner pulled his gun and Mulder did likewise. Mulder squashed the urge to rush into his lover's apartment as they approached the apartment cautiously.

Skinner signaled for Mulder to enter.

Mulder rushed through the doorway arching his gun to cover all directions as he scanned the apartment. Skinner came in after him and they did a quick search of the apartment. Mulder frowned at the ashtray on the kitchen counter and the two coffee mugs. The room smelled strongly of cigarette smoke. Mulder stuck his finger in the coffee mug. The beverage was still lukewarm. He then noticed the note under the ashtray. He used two fingers to pull it out and opened it carefully.

"What do you have, Fox?" Skinner asked. Holstering his gun he walked up behind Mulder, so he could read the note over his lover's shoulder.

"It's from that smoking son-of-a-bitch! He's taken Alex!" Mulder's hand shook with rage as he held the paper. "He intends to force Alex to have sex with him! And he would like me to join them!"

Skinner took the note from him and reread it carefully.

[My Dearest Son, I've taken much pleasure in watching you and young Alex from a distance. Your passion for each other has given me countless hours of enjoyment. However, I am no longer satisfied with just watching. Not since, you've taken Walter Skinner into your bed! I intend to take Skinner's place as the third member of your ménage à trois. I'll get back to you on a location where you can join Alex and me.

Your loving father,
CGB

PS. Bring some more KY with you.]

"I should have killed that sick SOB when I had a chance!" Skinner growled.

"You and me both!" Mulder paced back and forth across the small kitchen area. "We need to find them before he rapes Alex! Walter, do you have any idea how to locate him?"

"Sorry, Fox. He's moved since the last time I was at his place and hasn't sent me his forwarding address. I don't think he liked that I pulled a gun on him that time." Skinner thought for a long moment. "What about Diana Fowley?"

"She's dead, Walter."

"I know that, Fox! She was close to him. Maybe there's an address for Spender among her possessions?"

"There might be. Diana willed her estate to her younger sister Mary. I'll give her a call and ask if we could search through Diana's possessions." Mulder headed for the phone.

Skinner reread the note again. "He would kill Spender this time."

***

The smoker stopped the car in front of a large garage door attached to a converted brick firehouse. He climbed out of the car and used his key to open the garage door, then drove his car inside, parking it next to his Lincoln Continental. He had purchased this property over a year ago, but hadn't had much use for it until now. Spender had set the upstairs up as his personal fantasy world. He'd come here and jerk off to surveillance videos of his son and Krycek. At least he tried to. Spender only recently had some bondage equipment installed as his fantasies had gotten more elaborate. He now referred to the large upstairs room as the playroom.

He opened the trunk and checked Krycek before hefting his dead weight over his shoulders. The young man was still unconscious. A moan escaped Krycek's lips as he carried him up the staircase to the second floor.

Krycek returned to consciousness to the sensation of being carried. When he opened his eyes and his long lashes brushed against the leather mask covering his eyes. He stared out at only blackness. It took his muddled mind a moment to realize that some sort of hood covered his face. His stomach lurched from the affects of the chloroform and the smell of the leather. Krycek moaned and clamped his lips together, realizing groggily that his mouth was also covered by leather. "Sick," he said weakly from his upside down position.

The smoker could barely hear the younger man as he carried him upstairs to his playroom. "Hold on, my sweet. You wouldn't want to vomit until I remove the mask." He reached the upstairs landing and carried Krycek to the back bedroom he had prepared for his use. The windows were shuttered and a large deadbolt was on the outside of the heavy oak door.

Krycek tried damn hard to take his mind off his queasy stomach. However, the smell of the leather combined with cigarette smoke, and the motion of being carried was too much. He threw up inside the mask. Because the mask was so tight, he started choking on his own vomit.

As the sounds of the younger man choking reached his ears. Spender quickly dumped Krycek on the floor and unzipped the now ruined masked. He yanked it off and rolled Krycek on his side.

Krycek raised himself slightly and emptied the rest of his stomach contents on the floor. He then collapsed exhaustedly back on the hardwood surface, gasping for air.

"You sure made a mess of yourself," Spender growled. Krycek's face and sweater were cover in vomit --some even got in his hair. He grabbed the handcuffs securing Krycek's wrists and hauled him to his feet.

Krycek wobbled and fell against Spender's body. The smoker swore as his clothes became smeared with vomit. He hauled Krycek back up over his shoulder and carried him into the bathroom where he dumped him, clothes and all, into the shower stall. He turned on the cold water and Krycek who sat up sputtering.

Krycek's eyes widen as Spender pulled out a sharp knife and moved toward him. He tried to back away, but there wasn't anywhere to go in the small shower stall. His left wrist was grabbed in a steel grip and the smoker sliced up his sweater sleeve then sliced down his right sleeve, cutting his sweater off his body. When the young Russian tried to fight Spender off. The stronger man backhanded him across the face.

"Don't try that again, Alex," the smoker growled then ripped open Krycek's jeans and pulled them off down his long legs.

The cold water had Krycek shivering as he huddled naked on the shower floor.

The smoker admired the delicious sight of a shivering naked Krycek, before hauling the younger man up by the handcuffs. He used his superior strength to pull Krycek's wrists over his head and secure the handcuffs to an overhead hook inside the shower stall. Krycek was now on his tiptoes under the shower spray. "Jeff, if you're going to kill me! Why don't you just get it over with?"

"I have no intention of killing you, Alex. Now if you'll excuse me for a second I need to get out of these wet clothes." He didn't try to correct Alex on his real identity. Spender adjusted the water temperature to warm before leaving the bathroom. He came back minutes later naked and carrying a bottle of shower gel and the tube of KY.

Krycek's swallowed heavily when he got a good glimpse of Spender's enormous erection. "Why are you doing this?" He twisted, trying to pull the hook out of the ceiling. It was useless. He was still too weak from the effects of the chloroform, and his fingertips could barely touch the hard steel of the hook.

"I've wanted to fuck you from the moment I first laid eyes on you in Skinner's office," Spender said, stepping into the shower. He set the lube on the built in shelf then squirted the shower gel onto a soft washcloth.

"Jeff, we've never met in Skinner's office..." A light suddenly went off inside Krycek's head as he realized just who he was dealing with. "Shit! You're not Jeff. How?"

"You're asking how was I able to regain my youth? Simple, my sweet, I sold my soul to the devil long ago. This was only one of my rewards," the smoker said as he ran the washcloth over Krycek's shoulders.

Krycek wanted to keep him talking. If Spender was talking, maybe he could distract him long enough to get his strength back. "What were your other rewards?"

"Fox." Spender continued to wash Krycek while he talked. "You see, Alex. After Teena Mulder broke off our affair, I wanted to get back at her. So I cut my first of many deals with the aliens. They promised to artificially impregnate Teena with my child, without hers or Bill's knowledge," he said, running the washcloth over the length of Alex's penis.

Krycek bit his lip to keep in his sharp retort. He was feeling less weak by the minute and waited for just the right opportunity to strike.

Spender smiled. "It worked perfectly. She never even knew she had been abducted."

"Fox, doesn't look like you!" Krycek growled.

"He's my son nonetheless," Spender snapped, squeezing Krycek's penis painfully. "But the aliens did something to his genetic make up. It wasn't obvious at first but the clues were always there. Fox said his first words at eight months. He was speaking complete sentences by fourteen months. Bill and Teena never suspected. Bill would brag about how smart his little guy was." Spender snorted. Then he set the washcloth aside and picked up the tube of lubricant. "Only two people suspected that the aliens were involved in Fox's conception. Your former British employer and Fox's former informant Deep Throat." Spender's greased fingers snaked between Krycek's buttocks.

At the feel of the greasy fingers against his most private part, Krycek slammed his head back, hitting the smoker full force in the face. Spender hit the wall of the shower and slid down holding his bleeding nose. Krycek pulled himself up by the handcuffs and lifted his legs, placing his feet on the small shelves inside the shower. He was able to pull the handcuff links over the hook. He accomplished this all in the matter of seconds and drop back down to the shower floor. Krycek spun and attempted to deliver a knockout kick to Spender's head. However, the smoker grabbed his foot and twisted it, forcing the younger man to lose his balance and crash to the floor outside the shower stall. The fall stunned Krycek as the back of his head hit the hard tiles.

Spender was on him in seconds! He used his superior strength to slam Krycek's head several more times into the tiled floor, until the young man was knocked unconscious. Spender stood and delivered an enraged kick into Krycek's midsection. He clenched his teeth and wiped the blood away from his mouth with the back of his hand. Then took two deep breaths calming himself, before hefting the unconscious young man over his shoulder and carrying him into the playroom. He looked around thoughtfully at all of his toys. The X-cross and the horse were tempting, but he decided on the sling. It would splay Krycek's body wide open for whatever he desired...and right now, what he desired was to punish the young man.

After he had Krycek bound securely to the sling, he walked back into the bath and cleaned the blood off his face. He then took a moment to clean the blood off the tiled floor where Krycek's head had struck it. Spender reentered the playroom and opened the oak storage cabinet. He pulled out several items and carried them over to the table next to the sling. He then settled into a chair to wait for Krycek to regain consciousness. He hoped he didn't give the young man a concussion. As he studied that beautiful body, he stroked his rock hard cock. The young man's penis laid flaccid against his thigh. The smoker licked his lips hungrily wondering what Krycek would taste like. His eyes finally focused intently on the tight rose-colored bud opening between Krycek's splayed buttocks. If his captive didn't awaken soon, he just might have to take him as is. No use in both of them suffering. Spender glanced at the clock on the wall.

***

Mulder sat reading Diana Fowley's address book. Mary Fowley had been very helpful. She had given them the combination to the storage locker where she had her sister's possessions sent. He and Skinner had spent the last two hours going through its contents. They had found several interesting items, including Diana's journals. So far they were having no luck finding CGB Spender's current address.

"Fox, I think we may have to try other avenues for finding Spender."

Mulder sighed and tossed the address book back in the box. "I think you may be right." He rose and walked over to Skinner and wrapped his arms around the larger man's midsection. Mulder rested his head on the Skinner's shoulder. "Walter, Alex has been hurt so much in his life. I can't stand to think what that smoking bastard is doing to him. We have to find him and fast!"

"Fox, we will!" He hugged Mulder back tightly and kissed the side of his face. "Alex is one of the strongest men I've ever met. I'd be surprised if he hadn't already escaped from that old man! C'mon, let's go and see your weird friends. Maybe they can help us track down Spender."

"Walter, I need to go to my apartment first. What if Spender already tried to contact me?"

"If he has, Fox, we deal with him together! I'm not letting you recklessly put yourself in his hands. Not when his main intention is to have sex you! His own son for crying out loud!"

"Walter, I'll take whatever risk is necessary to free Alex! Even if it means putting my life in that man's hands!"

"It's not your life he's interested in!"

"I'll risk anything for Alex!" Mulder said stubbornly.

"I'll risk anything too, with the exception of you, Fox." Skinner turned Mulder to look at him. "We'll deal with Spender as a team. We'll have a better chance of rescuing Alex that way."

Mulder didn't agree or disagree. He turned and stepped out of the storage locker into the bright January sunshine. Skinner was right behind him. "Walter, let's get over to my apartment. We'll discuss how we're going to rescue Alex after we locate where that smoking son-of-a-bitch is holding him."

As Skinner drove, Mulder pulled out his cell-phone and dialed the lone gunmen. "Hey, Langly, its Mulder. Turn off the tape."

"Hey, Mulder. We were going to call you! We found out some interesting things about Skinner's haunted house!" Langly said excitedly. "You should see the photo prints Frohike made from the rolls of 35mm film you took! Totally creepy, man!"

"Langly, I don't have time to talk about this right now! The smoking bastard has abducted Alex and I need you guys to help Walter and me find out where he's taken him!"

"Oh bummer, man. We'll get right on it," the enthusiasm from Langly's voice had vanished.

"Thanks, Langly. Call me when you have something," Mulder murmured disconnecting. He held his cell-phone loosely on his lap as he rested his head against the headrest and closed his eyes.

Skinner glanced sadly over at Mulder as he maneuvered the car through Alexandria's Sunday afternoon traffic. If anything were to happen to Alex, he was positive that Fox would break off their relationship. He'd lose two of the best things that had ever happened to him, all because of that smoking man. That *dead smoking man* when he got his hands on him! Skinner fingers tightened on the steering wheel as he turned down the street to Mulder's apartment building.

***

Continued in part 3