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Cover by The Theban Band


Hardened Criminal
Part III: Restoration
by Nicole S and Orithain


Alex Krycek blinked his eyes open for the first time in days. He tried to focus on where he was, but his eyes didn't seem to be working at that moment. He closed his eyes again and sighed. He felt awful. His throat hurt; his head hurt, his side hurt; something was up his nose blowing cool, moist air into his lungs. He lay there for a few minutes before he decided to see where he was again. Squinting into the brightness, his surroundings came into focus. IV, stand, hospital bed, that antiseptic smell, the soft hiss of oxygen.

Alex tried to sit up but couldn't. He tried to move his arms out to grip onto the bars of the bed for leverage but found one immobilized and tubes sticking out of it. The other one flopped uselessly out to the side, strength gone from his muscles. He raised his head a few inches but put it back down on the pillow fast; it hurt too much to move.

He moved his head to the side and saw someone in a hospital uniform moving in his direction. He tried to speak, to get their attention, but found he could not. The person came over to him and Alex tried to sit up to talk.

"Hey, man, relax. Doc Pendrell'll be here in a sec."

Alex opened his mouth, but was at a loss for words again, his throat incredibly sore. A croaking noise came out instead.

"You had a tube down your throat past coupla days. It's gonna hurt like a bitch for about a week."

Alex rolled his eyes and tried to shake his head, but that also hurt. He closed them then opened them again, this time they focused so he could finally see who was speaking to him. It was some small time pusher from C block, Portuguese guy, Paiva was his name. Alex had seen him in the dining hall. The Italians muttered about him and his Portuguese friends who were trying to squeeze them out of the drug trade in C Block. Then again, the Italians muttered and gossiped about everybody.

"You know, gettin' the shit kicked outta you caused us all a world of grief, Krycek."

Alex again tried to speak but gave up. The young man sat down on his bed and leaned in close. "See, you the only guy who'll take out the damn garbage. Clarke and Silva did it, but they got paroled, then you got beat up, no one's left. Wiseguys don't wanna do it. No one wanna do it. The Wops had their little Russian boy to do all the dirty work, but now the garbage just piles up. So Tagarelli gets totally pissed, the dining hall stinks, the kitchen stinks. Finally, he makes two guys do it, threatens them, but they don't wanna. So this huge fight starts and they start throwin' the garbage around. Man it fuckin' stinks and it's fuckin' vile shit, man. So they close the kitchen and lock us all down an' bring in some box lunches from somewhere. Well, no one likes that an' everyone starts throwin' food all around. Another big fuckin' mess. So Tagarelli lets the word out that if anyone's gonna fuck with his kitchen people, he's gotta fuck with him. The prison brought in this fuckin' hazardous waste crew in to clean out the fuckin' place. Space suits on an' everything. Took 'em a whole day to clean it up. It finally opened back up again, today."

Alex stared at the young man in disbelief. Tagarelli always yelled at him, called him a Soviet Commie Bastard. He thought he probably wold be shanked by one of his Wiseguys to get him out of the way one of these days. Offering his protection was something Alex had never counted on.

"So, none of them guys are happy 'bout it, but it looks like the Irish are gonna leave your ass alone for awhile." The young man smirked, "So you protected, Krycek, but you better get well soon 'cause the guys Tagarelli got doin' the garbage are messy, an' he's right pissed off."

Alex smiled in disbelief; his life just got stranger and stranger.

Suddenly, there was a voice beside them, "Paiva, how come you didn't tell me our newest patient was awake?"

Paiva hopped off the bed and gestured to Krycek, "He just woke up, Doc."

"Did he say anything to you?"

"Naw, his throat's all sore from the tube."

Dr. Pendrell moved over Alex and took his pulse. He looked down at the man lying on the bed, a forced smile on his lips, "Are you having any pain?"

Alex nodded his head slightly.

"I've prescribed some pain killers for you." The doctor looked down at the chart in his hand and scribbled on it, then back at Alex. "You should be out of here in about a week." Pendrell checked his chart again, then looked back at his patient. "In the meantime, it's bed rest." He gave another forced smile and walked away.

Alex lay back on his pillow, his head spinning from the things Paiva told him. What was he going to have to do for Tagarelli for his protection? He knew the Italians were entirely homophobic, so he wouldn't have to bend over for anyone...Alex blushed as he finished his thought, anyone but Mulder. He hoped the Italians didn't ask him to kill anyone; that just wasn't his style.

Paiva was back at his bedside, checking his IV and injecting a drug into the small tube that led off to the side.

"Here's your pain relief, man." He leaned down and whispered in Alex's ear, "You need anymore painkillin' when you outta here, I can fix you up nice."

Alex nodded at the young man, who walked away to tend to his other duties.

xx

Krycek lay there for the entire day, scoping out the ward when he wasn't sleeping from the drugs they gave him, seeing who else were patients. There were people who were beaten, stabbed, and just plain old sick. In the corner of the ward, there was a plexi-glass room with a CO in it, watching their every move. There was also a CO who walked the floor, ensuring there was no trouble. They'd switch every hour, giving them chances to sit down. There was a plexi-glass door off to the side that led to the ward, but there was also a door leading out to the hallway in the back.

He could now move his hands and his head a little bit, sipping the occasional taste of water to soothe his still aching throat. He dozed off and on throughout the day, the drugs sending him into a hazy escape of this place. About 5 in the afternoon, he woke up when they brought him some food. He ate a little but wasn't very hungry. He pushed his tray aside and flopped back to the pillow, his head turned toward the front of the ward, where the guard was. Suddenly, the door behind the guard swung open, and another CO entered from the hallway. Alex's heart skipped a beat. It was Mulder.

He could see Mulder joking with the other hack, laughing, until he threw a stack of papers on the desk before him. He saw Mulder linger for a minute, surveying the room until their eyes met across the room. It was if time had stopped; the only thing that mattered was this hazel gaze meeting his own. Alex's insides fluttered; his tongue darted out to moisten his dry lower lip. Mulder looked away suddenly, as the other hack asked him something. Mulder answered then left the enclosure.

Alex could feel his body tingle with excitement at what just happened. He wished Mulder could come here and feed him ice cubes to soothe his throat. He wished Mulder could come and kiss him and hold his hand and make it all better. Alex sighed and turned his face to the side as far it would go, regretting that he couldn't roll over and bury his face in it and cry.

xx

Mulder left the plexi-glass guard enclosure, ensuring to pull the door shut, lock snicking behind him. He had come here on some useless errand that he had sweet talked some secretary out of doing. I'll take it down there, Shelly. Naw, I don't mind, I know how you don't like going to the medical ward. Mulder nearly punched himself in the head for flirting so blatantly with her. He hoped he wouldn't have to do it too often to find an excuse to come down here and look at Alex.

"Alex." He shook his head, as he said the name to himself under his breath. What the hell was he doing? Krycek was a damn prisoner, he was a Corrections Officer. This was never going to work, it was too dangerous, too stupid. What if they got caught? Mulder's shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. I should just apply for a transfer and get as far away from here as possible. Get away from him. He sighed. But I don't want to get away from him.

Mulder had gone back to the hospital every day for the three days that Alex was there. Every time he went into the hospital, he told himself that he shouldn't be there, he should just go home. But he needed to see him, needed to know he would be okay.

Mulder chose to visit late at night, his uniform allowing him passage through the corridors of the hospital without prying questions. He also chose that time so he would not encounter the nurse that had grilled him the first night.

He silently walked up the long hallway of Alex's ward, the only sounds the hiss of oxygen and light snoring. The nurse at the station looked up from the bank of monitors and reports and scrutinized him for a moment before she smiled. Mulder smiled back and walked up to the young guard outside Alex's door. He had a heavy textbook in his hands titled Fundamentals of Aircraft Engineering. The young man looked up at Mulder and closed his textbook.

"Can I help you?"

"Time for a break."

"Excuse me?"

"It's time for you to take a break."

The young man nervously looked down the empty hallway then up at Mulder before standing. "I'm not supposed to leave my post."

Mulder smiled warmly at the young man, "Are you working all night then going to school during the day?"

The young man nodded, "Yeah, finals are next week."

"You must be pretty tired."

He shrugged, "You get used to it." Mulder noticed he had dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"So why don't you go get yourself an hour's sleep?"

He shook his head, "No. I was told not to leave. I don't want to get into trouble."

Mulder put his hand on the young man's shoulder, "You won't get into trouble, it's 3 in the morning, who's going to know? Look, I was a young CO like you once; I know what it's like to work hard. I just finished my shift and thought you could use a break."

The young man looked into Mulder's eyes, weighing the options. "I could really use some food about now. I haven't eaten since lunchtime."

"There's a diner across the street that's open all night. They've got great cheesesteaks."

Mulder could practically see the young's man mouth water at the mention of food. The guard licked his lips then nodded, "Okay. But I'm only going to be gone half an hour."

"Sounds good to me, take your time."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Mulder watched the young man gather his textbook and knapsack and walk quickly down the corridor to the elevators. He waited an agonizing minute to make sure he left before he went into the room. There was a weak light illuminating the room, and he could see Alex lying there, his face slack, lips slightly parted.

A lump rose in his throat as he moved closer to the prone form under the sheet. He reached down and clasped Alex's right hand in his, the left having tubes and needles running in and out of it. He leaned down and kissed Alex on the forehead, shocked to find the skin under his lips warm. Why wouldn't he be warm? He's not dead!

He snorted to himself then kissed Alex again, this time moving down to his cheek, nuzzling it against his own. He moved down and kissed Alex's ear, before he moved his arms around him in an embrace.

"Hey, babe, I was worried about you," Mulder whispered. He sighed and ran his hand up to squeeze Alex's shoulder.

"I don't know how it happened, Alex," he said to the unconscious man. "But I'm in love with you." Mulder sighed. "I thought...I thought it was just the sex, but..." Mulder pulled his head back and looked down at Alex, stroking his lips with his thumb.

"In the beginning, Alex, I wanted revenge. I hated you so much; I wanted to hurt you so bad. But you know, sometimes things change, and now I..." A tear slid down his cheek to land on Alex's arm. "I'm so sorry, Alex." Mulder leaned down and kissed his lips. "Please forgive me," he barely whispered.

Mulder reluctantly pulled away, lingering for a minute to caress Alex's hand before leaving the room, giving himself time to compose himself before the young guard came back.

Mulder was now at the gate that separated him from the long hallway leading to the medical ward and the rest of the prison. He straightened up as soon as he stepped through, his shoulders squared, senses awakening as he walked down the tier to the kitchen. There was something that happened when he stepped into this place, a change that occurred in him. He wasn't Fox Mulder, the sensitive brother who gave up everything to put his sister through medical school and cried every night for a year after his parents died. He wasn't the guy who helped the old lady across the street with her groceries. He wasn't the young man who had been in love with Michael and shared his passion for life. When Fox Mulder stepped through the door to this prison, he was a hard-ass, a force to be reckoned with. I could add cruel rapist to that list.

He wandered into the kitchen, where Tagarelli stopped him. "Where the fuck is that Krycek? He ready to come back, or not?"

"He just got out of surgery the other day, Tagarelli. Give him another week or two."

"Week or two? Goddamn roaches are gonna take over the place by then. Fuckin' Irish, always fuckin' stuff up. Shoulda never let them in this fuckin' country." Tagarelli muttered more curses under his breath as he went back to supervise the kitchen.

Mulder went to stand in his familiar spot against the wall, arms folded against his chest. He had about 15 minutes before everyone started to file in for the evening meal, time to think about things.

When Mulder left the hospital the first night Krycek went in there, he had gone out to his car and actually cried for the first time in a long time. His emotions had gotten the better of him that day, and he couldn't help it. He barely remembered driving home, but somehow he ended up on his couch with a bottle of Jack Daniel's. He remembered wanting to call Mike, wanting to confess what had been happening between him and Alex, wanting Mike to come over and comfort him, make him feel better. He had the phone in his hand and was ready to dial a hundred times, but didn't. He remembered spitting the word coward into the reflection of his livingroom window before flinging the phone across the room.

He didn't know how to feel about Krycek. The last time they were together, they made love; it wasn't just sex, or fucking anymore. They wanted each other, needed each other. Mulder sighed and quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind as the first inmates came through the door for dinner. He had to be sharp, and pining for Krycek right now wasn't going to help.

xx

After his shift, Mulder checked in on Krycek again, feigning an interest in Pendrell's children and their activities. As Pendrell started talking about baseball games, ballet and soccer, he looked over at Krycek who was sleeping in a bed about 20 feet from him. Krycek's lips were parted slightly, his chest moving up and down with his breaths. His eyelashes were lush and thick, resting against his high, prominent cheekbones. His nose still showed some bruising, and there was a barely noticeable bump on the bridge. His hands were folded over each other, resting on his belly, long fingers begging to be held...

"Fox... Fox..."

"Hmmm... what?

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yeah, soccer, right?"

"That was five minutes ago." Pendrell took Mulder aside where no one could hear them. "He's not worth it, Fox."

Mulder's eyes grew wide, "What?"

"Getting revenge for Michael. It's not worth it. You kill him, and you'll end up in here with the rest of them. And you know what they'll do to you in here, Fox."

"Kill him?"

"That's why you're always making excuses to come in here, isn't it? You want to avenge Jamie's death? Look, Fox, we all like Michael, and we all feel rotten for what happened, but that's no reason to mess up your career, your life over him. I know Michael's your best friend and he used to be...more, but forget about it, okay? Just ignore him, let him serve his sentence, and he'll be out of your hair in no time."

Mulder looked at Pendrell as if he was crazy before he started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm...I'm not going to kill him, Brian."

"Then why are you always in here staring at him?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Pendrell shook his head, confused. "While he's in this ward, he's under my care; I'm responsible for him. I don't care if you screw up your career—well, I do, but I can't live your life for you—but don't drag me down with you."

"Hey," Mulder grabbed his arm. "I promise, I'm not going to do anything. I just want to see if...if he's okay."

"You want to see if he's okay?"

"It's a very long and complicated story, Bri." Mulder lowered his head. Shit, getting busted by one of your friends was the worst.

Pendrell looked at Alex, then looked at Mulder; he knew something was up but really didn't want to know what it was. "Look. You can come in here and check him out, but if anything happens to him, I'm responsible..."

Look," Mulder cut him off. "I'm not going to do anything to him, honest. Hell, Brian, I'm the one who found him. If I wanted him dead, I just had to leave him there. He'd probably have died before anyone found him. I'm not going to hurt him."

"I have your word?"

"My solemn oath."

"Okay."

xx

Alex spent the next couple of days drifting in and out of consciousness. The drugs they had given him knocked him out almost immediately. Alex tried in vain to stay awake, to fight the drowsiness, but he couldn't.

"Just lie back and enjoy the high, man," Paiva said to him as he fought again to keep his eyes open. He was determined to stay awake in case Mulder came to see him again. He would dream about Mulder, dream that he came up to his bed and stroked his hand with his fingers then ruffled his hair. It had to be a dream; there was no way Mulder would be allowed to do those things out in the open. He thought he saw him once, through his drug-induced haze, by the doorway, talking to the doctor, laughing about something. Alex's heart felt like it had snapped in two; he wanted to reach out and have Mulder come to his side, to hold him, to bring his lips down and kiss him.

He longed to feel Mulder's strong arms around him, holding him in a warm embrace. Alex had felt that warmth only once, and he longed to feel it again. Gradually, they reduced the dosage of his medication, but he still felt incredibly tired. At least the haze was wearing off, and he could string a thought together. He was dozing one afternoon when he swore he heard Mulder's voice. He forced himself to wake, his long lashes blinking open to reveal emerald green eyes that slowly focused. His heart skipped a beat. It was Mulder. He was talking to the doctor again and gesturing to Alex.

Alex watched the two men walk over to his bed, wondering what was up. Mulder had a really weird look on his face, and the doc seemed nervous. He didn't understand it. He could barely move, and the other guys who'd been patients had all been released over the last few days, leaving Alex as the only patient right now. Besides, with Mulder there, that left him with three COs to protect him if Alex suddenly had a superhuman recovery and tried to kill him.

The CO on the floor went to get dinner for him and the other guy after confirming that Mulder would stay until he got back. Someone was due to relieve him to do just that in about an hour, but since Mulder was there and he was hungry, he decided to go then. Mulder was delighted. He knew the other guy wouldn't be watching very closely with Alex being alone in here.

He and Brian stopped beside Alex's bed, staring down at him.

Alex stared back, still wondering what was going on. It was killing him to have Mulder so close and not to be able to touch him.

Mulder moved, raising a hand, and Pendrell flinched. "Fox," he started, looking nervously at his friend.

Hearing the doctor call Mulder by his first name, Alex frowned slightly. What was this guy to Mulder?

Mulder sighed, both at Brian's continued uneasiness and Alex's jealous reaction. This was getting complicated.

"Brian, I told you I just want to see how he's doing. I'm still the same guy you've known since you were 12, the guy who plays with your kids, remember?" He thought that should reassure both of them.

Alex relaxed. Brian still looked uneasy, but Fox didn't care. He glanced over his shoulder casually and could see that the CO wasn't paying any attention. He took the chance and reached out to Alex, cupping his fingers along the stubbled curve of his jaw. Alex smiled and leaned into his hand, while Brian stood staring at them with his jaw hanging down.

"Are you really okay?"

"Yeah," Alex said. "I've been better, but the doc says I'm fine. I'll recover completely, no lasting damage."

"Good. You scared the hell out of me, you know. When I found you, I thought... I thought you were dead at first."

"God. I'm sorry."

Mulder shrugged. "I doubt you did it on purpose." His fingers moved over Alex's face, one stroking over his lips until they parted and Alex took it inside, sucking on it as Mulder had taught him to suck his cock. Mulder gasped, feeling himself harden. It was going to be a long couple of weeks till Alex was well again. With another quick glance toward the other CO, he took a huge risk and leaned down to drop a quick kiss on Alex's lips. Their mouths clung together for an instant, but Mulder forced himself to straighten up before they could get caught.

"Fox?" The shock was clear in Brian's voice.

Mulder grinned wryly at him. "I told you I didn't want to hurt him. I just didn't mention what I did want to do."

Alex snickered.

Pendrell glared at him. "But...Michael?"

Alex winced and shut his eyes. It seemed he was destined to meet every friend Michael and Jamie had ever had. Mulder held his hand comfortingly, out of sight of the other guard and anyone who might come in.

"I'll admit I started out wanting out to make him pay for what he did, but... Somewhere along the way, something changed. I dunno." Mulder shrugged.

Alex opened his eyes again to stare at Mulder searchingly. They'd never had the chance to talk after their one meeting when he came back. He'd finally accepted that he liked sex with Mulder, that he cared about him, but he had no idea how Mulder felt. Until this instant he hadn't been sure that Mulder wasn't still trying to punish him.

Mulder met his gaze calmly. "Later," he mouthed silently, and Alex nodded slightly. He was no more thrilled than Mulder to be having this conversation in front of Pendrell.

"Look, Fox," Brian started.

"I don't want to talk about it, Brian," Mulder stated with finality.

Brian didn't look happy, but he didn't say anything else.

Mulder just silently held Alex's hand until the other guard got back, then he left without a backward glance.

xx

Two days later Krycek was released from the infirmary and sent back to his cell, under strict instructions to avoid any heavy exertion for another week. This meant that he was essentially confined to his cell with only books for company. He didn't have a new cellmate yet since Spender's death, but he knew it was only a matter of time.

Alex made his way back to his cell after nearly three weeks in the hospital and medical ward. He held his head high and squared his shoulders as he walked down the tier, not wanting to show any sort of weakness. Everyone stared at him, curious about this relative newcomer who had secured protection from two distinct sources in such a short time.

He got back to his cell, surprisingly grateful to be home. When he got back, however, he found a small man crawling on the floor. Alex stood in the doorway and looked up the tier, then back at the man. This was his cell; his stuff was still here.

"Who the hell are you?" Alex asked, crossing his arms in front of him.

The man crawling on the floor looked up, surprised, both fear and defiance showing in his eyes. He stood and leaned his back against the wall, crossing his arms across his chest, mimicking Alex.

Alex looked at this short, balding man with glasses and wide mouth. He reminded him of a dwarf.

"Who the hell are you?" he retorted.

"This is my cell."

"Mine too."

Alex snorted at him, then moved over to make his bunk, the sheets, blanket and pillow waiting for him in a pile on the bare mattress.

"I got here yesterday," the short man offered. "How long have you been here?"

"Almost a year."

The man grunted and watched Alex make up his bunk, "So you're Krycek?"

"Yep." Alex finished making his bunk and sat down on the chair connected to the desk, not wanting to lie in bed anymore. The doctor had said to take it easy and rest for another week, but he was sick of resting.

The man looked Alex up and down; not checking him out, but sizing him up. "I'm Frohike."

"Congratulations," Alex offered. This guy was certainly weird; his glasses were as thick as the bottom of pop bottles, and he wore fingerless leather gloves. He leaned back and stretched out his long legs before him, deciding that he'd better find out what this little man had done to get himself into a place like this. "What are you in for?"

The man eyed him suspiciously, twitching with nervousness as he formed his answer, "What are you in here for?"

"Manslaughter," Alex said, matter-of-factly. The word, while the truth, still shocked him slightly.

Frohike's eyes opened wide, "They put me in with a killer?"

"It was...an accident." Alex looked at the floor then back at his new cell-mate. "This is prison, you know. What did you expect?"

"I don't know; I've never been in jail before."

"That makes two of us. So are you going to tell me your story, or what?"

Frohike twitched again, looked around, then leaned in close, as if someone were listening. "Internet fraud," he whispered, before leaning back.

Alex laughed, "They sent you here for that?"

Frohike's eyes narrowed, "It was a serious crime, you know." Seemingly proud of his crime. He straightened up and continued. "I hacked into the DoD and FBI mainframes. I was trying to find proof that the government has known about the existence of extra terrestrials since the 50s. I was this close, I was downloading data onto my hard drive when BAM, the door breaks down and a SWAT team comes in."

Alex shook his head as he laughed again, deciding it would be a wise idea not to mention that he had almost been an FBI agent.

"They have one, you know? In a hangar in the Nevada desert." Frohike wiggled his eyebrows up and down at him."

"Have what?" Alex asked.

"A UFO. Near Roswell, New Mexico. That's where it landed in the '50s."

"Uh-huh?" Alex rolled his eyes.

"It's true. The government has been holding them for years, running tests on them, experimenting with them, trying to make a hybrid with a human being."

"Who?"

Frohike gave an exasperated sigh, "The aliens."

"I see," Alex said again, laughter in his voice.

Frohike threw up his hands, "I can't believe you've never heard of this! This is a very major thing, you know. The information I saw while I was downloading indicated that the government is working with the aliens to take over the world."

Alex was amused by this little man; he had never met anyone so animated before. "I've heard of it, but it's just a modern day fairy tale. Something to keep the people at the Weekly World News busy."

"No, no, no, my friend, it really happened, I have proof."

Alex yawned, "Proof?"

"I can't tell you about it, specifically, but one day I'm going to prove to the world that I'm right."

"Fascinating." Alex yawned again. He was suddenly very tired. He stood and took his shirt off then started on his shoes and pants.

Frohike backed away and raised his hands, "Whoa, buddy, I don't suck no dick."

"What?" Alex said, confused for a second before snorting. "Don't flatter yourself, I'm just taking a nap."

"And you have to do this naked?"

"Look, it's hot in here, I hate sleeping in my clothes, and besides, I still have my underwear on." Alex slowly climbed up onto the top bunk, wincing as he did.

"That's a nasty looking scar," Frohike observed.

"Yeah, well, don't piss anyone off in this place, and you won't get one." Alex settled on his bunk and put his hands under his head, listening to the strange little man scurrying around on the floor again as he drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, Alex was aware of a hand shaking him. He awoke with a start, ready to defend himself.

"Hey, buddy, take it easy. I just wanted to tell you that it's time for dinner."

Alex flopped back onto his pillow and brought his hands up to rub the sleep from his eyes. He was rather hungry. He slipped off of his bunk, Frohike looking at him warily. Alex started to get dressed.

"What were you doing on the floor?" Alex asked.

Frohike looked at him, suspiciously, "What do you mean?"

"You were crawling on the floor this afternoon."

"I was?"

Alex sighed, "Look, if we're going to be stuck in this cell together, we're going to have to communicate. This isn't Jeopardy; you don't have to answer in the form of a question."

Frohike crossed his arms across his chest again. "How do I know I can trust you?

Alex rolled his eyes as he zipped his pants. He was going to have to introduce this Frohike character to Ralph Morrison in the kitchen. Ralph had once told Alex that if he thought aliens were ever reading his mind, he should put tinfoil on his head to block the transmissions. He looked down at the dwarf-like man, "Who else are you going to trust in here?"

Alex pulled his shirt slowly over his head, careful not to stretch too much as he still hurt. He toed on his shoes and started down the tier to the cafeteria, his new friend following behind, almost running to keep up with Alex's long strides.

"Data port," Frohike suddenly said.

"Data port?"

"Yeah, you know, like a phone line, for a modem."

"I don't think we have any of those."

"I know, I'm going to put one in."

Alex laughed, "You can't just call up AT&T and ask them to install a phone line in Cell number 628, block A."

"I know that; I'm going to do it myself."

Alex stopped and looked down at this crazy little man who wore an expression of true sincerity. "How the hell are you going to do that?"

"Run a cable from the payphones."

Alex laughed again, calming down quickly to avoid any looks. He turned and started walking again, "You're nuts."

"No, I'm not. I'm going to do it. A modem cable, a palmtop, and I'm hacking my way to freedom."

"Yeah, well, send me a postcard from Mars."

They had just reached the dining hall, and it felt weird to Alex to come in this way with everyone else. He was usually working, watching everyone from the other side.

Alex got his food and sat down, Frohike now silent about his plans to wire their cell with other people around them that could hear. He had just begun to dig into his spaghetti when he had the sensation of being watched. Alex looked up into an intense hazel and gold gaze meeting his own. His heart skipped a beat as he and Mulder stared at each other. His groin immediately began to stir as well. It took every ounce of willpower he had not to jump up and run to his lover.

He stared at Mulder, noticing that he was trying to hold back a smile. Mulder licked his lips, looked away, took a breath then looked back. Alex remained expressionless. Mulder, now calm after his deep breath, mimicked Alex's stoic stare. Alex looked down then up at Mulder through his eyelashes, trying to look sexy. Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. Alex jumped as it clamped down hard.

"Krycek, you commie bastard, you coming back to work, or what?"

He looked up into the face of Vince Tagarelli, who wore a frown on his face. A frown was a good thing; if he was smiling, you were in real trouble. Alex leaned back in his chair and smiled at the Italian mob boss.

"Doc says I gotta wait a week."

"Fuck, Krycek. You know what kinda shit you put me through already?"

"Yeah, I heard."

"So I gotta live with these fuck-ups for another week?"

"Looks that way."

"Goddamn it." Tagarelli put his hands on his hips then left in a huff.

Krycek looked over at Frohike, who had a stunned look on his face. "What?" Alex asked, putting a forkful of spaghetti in his mouth. He flashed his eyes up to Mulder, who was still staring at him. Alex could feel his cock swell a bit more, pressing into the fabric of his underwear. He turned his attention back to the strange little man sitting across from him. He had to calm down. Dinnertime was almost over, and he couldn't walk through the dining hall with a hard-on in his pants.

'That was Vince Tagarelli!"

"Yeah, so?"

"He's number two in the Provenzano cartel. He 's a very powerful man." Frohike nervously looked around to see if anyone was listening then leaned in close, "Is he a friend of yours?"

"I work for him, here in the kitchen."

Frohike sat back in his seat to finish his dinner, "Shit, remind me never to piss you off."

Alex smirked at the remark and flashed his gaze back up to Mulder again. Mulder bit his lower lip and licked it then closed his eyes slightly. Alex nearly groaned out loud as that simple act shot a bolt of lightning down to his cock. He frowned at Mulder, who raised his eyebrows and let the barest smirk form on his lips.

Bastard. He knows exactly what he's doing to me.

Alex tried to finish his dinner but wasn't very hungry anymore. He was suddenly tired again as well. He stood, taking his tray and giving Mulder one more seductive look before he ditched his tray and left the hall. He walked back to his cell, stripped and got into bed, not noticing Frohike was following him like a little puppy dog.

He lay there, on his back, wishing he could roll over. He had never felt this tired before. Then again, he had never recovered from major surgery before. He closed his eyes and dreamed of Fox and him in a large, soft bed, making love. The fingers running down to pinch and pull on his nipples felt real. The tongue in his mouth also felt real. He swore he could feel it probing every inch of his moist interior, over his teeth, then pulling away. Lips kissed his neck and down as hands moved down his body, caressing his now scarred flesh with gentle touches. The hands went lower, to caress his balls and stroke his cock lightly. He could feel the fingers grip him as he thrust his hips up, trying to create more friction. The touch was fading, getting lighter. He heard himself whimper and moan, then he woke up.

It must have been the middle of the night because the lights were out and Frohike was snoring below him. He was covered in sweat, and his cock was throbbing, aching to be touched. He moved his hand down and brought himself off with a few practiced strokes. He then lay there, letting his breathing calm down, listening to his new cell-mate snore.

Alex made a move to jump down off of his bunk to wash himself but instead, brought his hand up to his mouth, where he licked himself clean, before settling back down to sleep.

xx

All week, Alex rested in his cell, mostly sleeping, except for forays to the medical center for his doses of Tylenol and his trips to the dining hall for food and Mulder.

Every meal, Mulder was there, leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of him, staring at Alex. Every meal, Alex was driven into a frenzy by Mulder's stares and actions. The simple act of Mulder dragging his tongue across his lower lip made Alex's cock harden. He'd stare at the moisture that clung to the pink skin and dig his nails into the palm of his hand to keep from moaning out loud.

The last time Mulder had kissed him with those soft lips was in the prison hospital, the terrified doctor looking around nervously. Alex had wanted to pull Mulder down to him and have him crawl in bed with him and hold him that day. Unfortunately, with Alex condemned to bed-rest for the rest of the week, it was going to be agonizing days before he felt those strong arms again.

At night, he had to relieve himself quietly in his bunk, careful not to let his new cell-mate hear him. He just hoped Mulder was going through the same agony he was; he didn't want to be going through this frustration alone.

xx

It was Alex's first day back on the job since he was injured, and he'd been surprised when the Italians actually greeted him when he came in. It was amazing the power garbage had to make a man popular. He guessed he'd better never try to get off the garbage detail, or there might be a riot.

He did his job all day long, grateful to finally have something to do again. Another day or two stuck in that cell and he'd have gone nuts. His heart started beating faster when dinner was over and it was time to start the clean up. If anyone had ever told him that he'd look forward to taking garbage out, he'd have suggested a good psychiatrist. But he couldn't wait to be alone with Mulder. Since it was raining heavily, he assumed that Mulder would wait until he had to do the recycling. That would mean waiting a little longer, but since the others left while that was being done, they would have as long as they wanted. It was worth the wait.

Alex sighed and glanced at the clock, willing it to move faster. Finally, finally, everything was done, and the other prisoners went back to their cells while Mulder remained to watch Krycek until he finished the recycling. He followed the younger man into the recycling room, leaning back against the wall and watching him as he disposed of everything. As soon as he was done, Mulder pushed away from the wall, moving toward him.

Alex stood his ground, watching Mulder come closer, meeting his eyes fearlessly for a change. He could feel himself growing aroused as Mulder got closer, knowing what was to come.

Mulder stopped in front of him, stroking a finger over his cheek. Alex turned into the touch, practically purring, like a cat being petted. Mulder took the final step that brought him against Alex and wrapped his arms around him as he kissed him.

Alex sighed into Mulder's mouth as he felt their tongues move together. He clung to Mulder desperately, tasting the other man, exploring every warm crevice while Mulder caressed his body, gradually undressing him. Alex suddenly realized that his shirt was gone and his slacks down around his ankles, only needing him to kick off his shoes and step out of them to leave him completely naked. He stared into Mulder's eyes as he did, then stood proudly nude before the fully clothed man. Whatever happened next was up to Mulder.

Mulder stepped back to get a good look at... his lover. He might as well admit it. He and Alex Krycek were lovers. He maintained eye contact while he removed his clothes, watching Alex watch him, letting him look his fill for a change.

They moved together again, their erections pressing together as they kissed again. Alex couldn't believe how good it felt to be able to touch Mulder, to stroke him, and to feel himself being touched with affection.

"God, Mulder, what are we doing?" Alex moaned.

Mulder sighed, holding him tightly. "I don't know. I know this is insane, but I don't want to stop." He looked away, then met Alex's eyes miserably. "Unless you do? I know I didn't give you much of a choice at first, but..."

Alex cut his words off with another kiss. "Look, I admit I hated you for a long time. And I wouldn't recommend this as a way to start a relationship, but I'd like a chance to see if we can make it work."

Mulder sighed. "I'd like that too. But you know that we can't let anyone know about this? I'd lose my job, and god knows what would happen to you."

Alex nodded. "What about the doc? You didn't try to hide it from him."

"No, I know I shouldn't have done that, but I'd been so worried about you. Besides, Brian's been a friend since we were kids; he won't blow the whistle on me."

"Will he tell Michael though? If he's his friend too..."

"No, he'll leave it up to me. He's more my friend than Mike's anyway. We all grew up together, and we're friends, but Brian's never been quite comfortable with us being gay. Well, actually I'm bi, but most of my relationships have been with men. Anyhow, like I said, Brian's a bit uneasy with the whole thing. Must be the Catholic in him. I don't know why he can handle it better with me, but he does. I don't even think he keeps in touch with Mike."

Alex nodded and let it go. If he and Mulder were still together when he got out of this hellhole, then they could worry about his friend's reaction to seeing them together. But considering that he had at least a couple years before he'd even be eligible for parole, it wasn't worth worrying about yet.

He sank down to his knees, lightly lapping at the beads of moisture on the tip of Mulder's cock, refamiliarizing himself with the other man's taste after nearly a month. He hadn't done this since before Mulder's vacation, and he'd missed it. He took the head into his mouth, sucking lightly while his tongue played over the surface, loving the sounds of Mulder's moans above him. He gradually took more in until Mulder's entire length was in his mouth, and he tugged on the man's hips, trying to get him to fuck his mouth.

But Mulder pulled away and dropped to his own knees, kissing Alex again and tasting himself in the younger man's mouth. Alex finally pulled away from the kiss, only to kiss his way down Mulder's throat, then down to his chest where he nibbled on the aroused nipples. He nipped at Mulder's chest, letting his teeth sink into the warm flesh for an instant before releasing it so he could move on. Mulder's hand on the back of his head stopped him, pressing his mouth back against his chest.

"Do it, mark me. As long as my clothes will cover it, you can leave marks on me."

Alex groaned at the thought, opening his mouth again and sinking his teeth into the muscle before him. He heard Mulder's groan of pain, but he could also feel the man's erection digging into his hip, so he knew Mulder liked it. He could taste blood in his mouth when he released Mulder, and he licked over the bite mark he'd left, sucking on it till a large bruise blossomed around it. It made him feel a little like Mulder belonged to him.

"Mulder?"

"Fox."

"Huh?" Alex looked at him blankly.

"Fox. It's my name."

"Oh." A pause. "You want me to call you Fox?"

"Yeah. That's what lovers do."

"Are we lovers?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Fox. Fox." Alex repeated it a few times, trying it on for size. "I like it. It fits you."

"You fit me."

Alex whimpered and started to turn around so he could get down on all fours, but Mulder stopped him. "Not this time, Alex. I want to see you when I take you tonight."

Alex stared back blankly, unable to imagine how that would work. Fox grinned, looking forward to teaching him something new, something he'd never associate with pain or rape.

"Lie down, Alex, flat on your back."

Alex still looked confused but did as he was told, looking up at Mulder trustingly. Mulder leaned down to lick Alex's throat, slowly working his way down, nibbling on his nipples gently, smiling when Alex gasped and groaned under his touch. He had to keep reminding himself that he couldn't leave any marks on Alex, no matter how much he wanted to.

He forced himself to move on, taking Alex's cock into his mouth for a moment while he pulled the lube out of his pants pocket so he could prepare Alex. He was really going to enjoy seeing the pleasure on Alex's face this time, seeing those green eyes go blind with passion. He kept sucking Alex as he slid one slick finger inside him, then two, feeling the younger man almost immediately start to screw himself back on his fingers, already primed for the pleasure.

"Please, Fox, I need..." Alex was nearly sobbing.

"I know, baby, I know what you need," Mulder soothed, stroking the cock he'd allowed to slide out of his mouth.

He sat up on his heels as he stroked the slick over his own cock, then raised Alex's ass to rest on his lap. But Alex still wasn't properly positioned, having no idea what to do with his legs to make the entry easier, so Fox hooked his ankles over his shoulders. He paused for a moment, admiring the finely made body of his lover, stroking his beautiful erection, until Alex's increasingly frantic whimpers warned him that it was time to move on.

Mulder positioned himself at Alex's entrance, just pressing against the tight ring of muscle, but making no attempt to slide inside. He looked into Alex's eyes, watching the frustration cloud his face. Alex squirmed, trying to entice Mulder to take him, finally snarling up at the older man in frustrated rage.

"Goddamnit, fuck me!"

And Mulder did. He slid inside Alex's yearning body in a long, smooth glide, watching the pleasure wash over Alex. He started a slow, gently rhythm, knowing it was exactly what Alex didn't want, and he couldn't prevent a joyful laugh when Alex tried to hurry him. He shifted position so he was stretched out over Alex, covering him like a blanket, and he kissed him, languidly flicking his tongue in and out of his mouth as he stroked into his ass. Alex was going wild under him and barely remembered not to bite Mulder's lip.

The man was driving him insane. He'd never felt anything like this before. It felt so good, felt like Fox was claiming him, but it wasn't enough. He wanted, needed, more.

"Fox, please!" he begged.

Mulder grinned, then increased his pace, thrusting harder and faster. He threw his head back, groaning as he came deep inside Alex, filling him with his seed. Alex moaned pitifully as the incredible sensations stopped, leaving him still wanting. He looked up at Fox desperately, wondering if it had all been a lie, if this was his punishment.

"Trust me, baby," Fox urged again, licking at his lips. Mulder pulled out of Alex and gently lowered his legs to the ground, wondering if he realized that every breath was a sob. He grabbed the lube again, holding it up where Alex could see it, smiling at the expression of confusion on the younger man's face. Then he squeezed out a glob onto his fingers and reached behind himself, fingering his own ass, as Alex's eyes widened. Even though he'd just come, it felt good, and Mulder could feel a faint twinge of interest from his cock.

Alex watched in fascination as Fox, still kneeling between his legs, pleasured himself with his own fingers in his ass. He prayed that this meant what he thought it did. Then Mulder reached for his cock, spreading the gel over him, and he couldn't help thrusting up into that hand. He'd never in his life been this aroused. He thought he'd die if he didn't get some relief.

Mulder grinned down at him and moved over him, straddling his waist so his rampant cock pressed between Mulder's cheeks. Alex reached up, hands moving over his lover, catching at his nipples and pinching them so Fox gasped with pleasure. Then it was Alex's turn to gasp as Fox rose up, then sank down on his cock, slowly filling himself with Alex. He had to pause several times to allow his body to adjust to the presence inside him, but finally he found himself sitting in the cradle of Alex's pelvis, the entire length of his cock buried inside him. Both men breathed heavily, then Mulder started to move. He rose up, nearly allowing Alex to slip out of him, then sank back down. He repeated the action over and over again, gradually moving faster. His own cock was hard again, amazingly so considering how recently he'd come, but everything about fucking Alex was amazing.

He groaned when he felt a hand on his cock, and looking down, he watched Alex's hand stroke him, giving him exactly what he needed. He began to move ever faster, caught up in his own pleasure, but still aware of the man beneath him. Alex tried to help him, catching his rhythm and thrusting up into him, arching under him until his whole body stiffened and he came deep inside Mulder. Even as he came, he continued stroking Mulder, who came for the second time only moments after he did.

Mulder remained where he was for a few moments while he caught his breath, then reluctantly disengaged from Alex and stretched out beside him on their bed of cardboard. He smiled when Alex rolled toward him, and he wrapped an arm around the younger man's waist, pulling him close, enjoying these few moments of peaceful togetherness. He dropped a kiss on the top of the sable head nestled against his shoulder. They remained in each other's arms for a few minutes before they had to get up and get dressed to return Alex to his cell.

Once clothed, they gravitated back into each other's arms for a final kiss and embrace before going back to their normal lives.

Alex clung to Fox fearfully. "So what happens now?"

Fox sighed. "Nothing, Alex. We just have to continue on till you get out of here, then we can see what happens."

"You really think we can do this?"

"I don't think we have a choice." With another gentle kiss, Mulder motioned Alex to leave the room and followed him out.

xx

The next day, Mulder had just arrived for his shift when he was summoned to Skinner's office. Panic swept through him as he walked down the tier and up the stairs to meet his boss. What was this about? Did someone see him and Alex together? Did someone hear them? He started to sweat as he raised his hand to knock on the door. He knocked twice and awaited his fate.

"Enter!" the gruff voice bellowed from inside the office.

Mulder gripped the door handle, palms sweating, and turned it, letting himself into the office, his mouth suddenly dry. "You wanted to see me, sir?" Mulder croaked, immediately clearing his throat.

Skinner looked up at Mulder, his stony expression unchanging. He motioned to the chair in front of him. "Have a seat."

Mulder sat down and crossed then uncrossed his legs. Skinner set aside the file he was working on and smiled at Mulder. Mulder sat still and fought the incredible desire to fidget.

"Officer Mulder, we're going to rotate staff again." Skinner threw his pen on his desk and leaned forward before he continued. "The current staff rotation isn't performing satisfactorily."

Mulder frowned, "I thought I was doing a good job in the kitchen, handling Tagarelli? There hasn't been a fight since I got there. I get along with the other COs; what's the problem?"

"Relax, it's not you; you're doing a great job; you're one of the best COs we have. The problem is, we need you elsewhere. D block hasn't been the same since you rotated out of there. Last week a guard got slashed; the cons are spitting on the COs there is lack of control. Those cons seem to respect you, or at least listen to you. We want you to rotate back."

Mulder sat there with a stunned expression on his face. He thought he was in trouble, and then this came along. Mulder thought of his old stomping ground; he liked it there, liked the crew he worked with. There was minimal bullshit and interaction with the cons there – most of them were confined to their cells for 22 hours a day.

"We'd like you to head up the crew there." Skinner proposed.

Mulder's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Are you offering me a promotion, sir?"

"You'd be supervisor in that block. You'd get a raise, a better parking spot and more responsibility. What do you say?"

A million things ran through Mulder's mind. He had been waiting for an opportunity like this for years; he'd be a fool not to take it. It was just too bad that he hadn't gotten promoted five years ago when Sam needed the money the most. He looked up at Skinner and smiled, "Yes, that sounds wonderful."

Skinner stood up and offered his hand to Mulder. "How does Monday sound?"

"Sounds great." Mulder shook Skinner's hand before he turned to leave. He had just gotten outside the door when a thought ran through his mind Alex. Mulder gripped the wall; how the hell could he forget about Alex? What did he just do? Mulder nearly groaned out loud as he walked down the tier to the dining hall. Shit! It was the end of the week, too. He was off for the next two days; that meant that this would be their last time together until...until he gets paroled. Mulder sighed, then turned down the corridor to go back to the change room.

xx

Alex looked at his watch, then looked out into the dining hall. He wondered where Mulder was; he wasn't usually late. Finally, about half an hour later, he saw the tall, golden-browned haired man saunter through the crowd. Alex's insides fluttered, as they often did when he saw his lover. Lover. Alex nearly smiled to himself when he said the word. He had never had a lover before.

"Krycek, quit daydreaming and get back to work!" Tagarelli screamed at him.

Alex quickly jumped to action. It was busy, as usual, so the time flew by as he did his duties, wanting his shift to be over quickly. Finally, the other staff left, and it was time to sort the recycling. He went into the room and got to work, sorting glass from plastic, breaking down the boxes. Finally, Mulder came in and leaned against the wall. Alex's face flushed and his heart pounded as he quickly worked to get the recycling out of the way so they could be alone. Finally, he was finished, and he started to lay the cardboard down on the floor when Mulder spoke.

"Leave it, come here."

Alex walked over to Mulder as Mulder closed and locked the door. Alex noticed Mulder's eyes were red, as if he were holding back tears.

"Fox? What's wrong? You're scaring me."

Mulder stared at him miserably. He had no idea how to tell Alex that after raping him, then falling in love with him, now he was leaving him. God, I couldn't fuck with his mind more if I was still trying!

"Fox!" Alex sounded really worried now.

Mulder took a deep breath. "I got a promotion."

Alex waited, then when he didn't seem about to add anything, said, "But that's a good thing. Isn't it?"

"To supervisor in D block. Starting Monday."

Dead silence. It lasted so long that Mulder finally forced his eyes up to meet Alex's, finding them fixed on him in shock, tears swimming in their depths. He reached out to him, but Alex flinched away from him.

"Alex..."

"Don't." Alex swore and turned away, pounding a fist against the wall. "Just don't. Did you enjoy making me believe you? Huh, Fox?" he sneered as he faced Mulder again. "I guess raping me wasn't enough for you; you wanted me complicit in my own punishment. How did it go, Fox? Did you decide that a gaybasher deserved to be fucked over, to think that someone actually loved me just so you could pull the rug out from under me?"

The naked pain in Alex's voice finally roused Mulder from his shock at the younger man's misinterpretation. "No! Alex, no. I don't want to leave you, and I'll find some way to see you sometimes." Though god knows how. "But this promotion, it's what I've always wanted. It shows that I'm not just some hack even if I only have a high school education. They trust me; they're giving me more responsibility. I couldn't say no to that! But I haven't been lying to you, baby, I love you." He stopped, shocked by what he'd just said. When the hell did that happen? Fuck, being his lover and caring about him was bad enough, now I'm in love with him? Mike is not going to be happy. He shook his head slightly, frowning.

"I love you," he repeated more strongly, staring into Alex's eyes. "But I need this for me."

Before he could say more, Alex's fingers were lying across his lips. "Shhh, Fox. I understand. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. Of course you have to take this promotion." Even if I have no fucking idea how I'm going to survive in this place knowing you're so close but I can't see you or touch you. Kinda makes me believe in divine retribution.

Mulder winced, having a pretty good idea of how Alex felt. He pulled the other man into his arms, burying his face in the silky hair when Alex lowered his head to his shoulder. His hands stroked over the younger man's back, at first comfortingly but gradually turning to caresses designed to arouse. He didn't even notice the change until he realized that Alex was squirming against him, rubbing his erection against Mulder's thigh.

A lustful grin flickered across Mulder's face as he reached down to cup Alex's ass and pull him closer. A faint moan from Alex was his reward. But feeling Alex through the barriers of cloth wasn't enough; he needed the warm contact of skin against skin. He unfastened the younger man's slacks and pushed the waistband of his briefs down, freeing his cock. Mulder licked his lips when he saw that the head was already covered with droplets of moisture. Unable to resist, he dropped to his knees, fingers digging into Alex's hips, and licked the ruddy shaft clean, then slid his lips over the tip. As he sucked lightly, he raised his eyes to Alex's face, seeing the head thrown back in pleasure and the lower lip caught between strong, white teeth to hold back his moans of pleasure.

Someday, Mulder promised himself, someday, I'm going to have you where we don't have to worry about other people, and I'm going to make you scream with pleasure until your voice gives out.

In the meantime, he'd settle for making Alex's knees give way under him. He chuckled around the sensitive flesh in his mouth when he saw that Alex now had a fist stuffed in his mouth to muffle his cries. Alex shuddered at the sensation of Mulder's laughter on his cock, a faint whimper escaping him, and he thrust forward into Mulder's mouth. Mulder took him deeper, deeper than Alex had ever felt before.

He looked down, meeting Mulder's eyes, seeing Fox watching him, seeing himself disappear into that sensual mouth, and it was too much for him. The next stroke of Mulder's tongue over his shaft pushed him over the edge, and he convulsed as he filled Mulder's mouth, groaning as the pleasure shot through him. He leaned over Mulder, barely staying on his feet by clutching at his shoulder.

Mulder watched him with a grin, licking his lips while Alex stared at the movement of his tongue as he sank to the floor. Never taking his eyes from the prone man, Mulder rose to his feet and removed his clothing, not tearing it off, but not stripping for Alex to watch either; rather he undressed quickly and efficiently, simply removing an impediment to his pleasure. Lying at his feet, Alex squirmed out of his own clothes and waited, his legs spread wide in invitation. Mulder barely restrained a gasp at his sheer beauty.

As Mulder knelt back down, Alex suddenly made a decision and rolled over onto his belly, pushing up onto all fours. He arched his back and leaned down, bending his arms so he could rest his head on his crossed wrists. This time, Mulder couldn't prevent the gasp from escaping him. Alex glanced over his shoulder, meeting Fox's eyes directly.

"Take me, Fox, I want you to. Who knows when we'll be able to see each other again? Claim me, Fox. I want to, need to, know that we belong to each other."

Fox's eyes closed for an instant, then opened again to give Alex a look full of love. "No matter what, no matter how long it is till we can be together again, remember that I love you." Suddenly he laughed. "If I could fall in love with you despite everything, you can be sure that's not going to change anytime soon."

Alex had to laugh too. "That's all very nice, Fox, and I'm very happy to hear it, but would you mind showing me now?" He wriggled his ass at his lover for emphasis.

Mulder chuckled, nipping unexpectedly at the firm cheeks, surprising a yelp out of Alex. Fox grabbed the lube he had put down nearby and quickly stroked some onto himself and into Alex, preparing them quickly. He couldn't wait any longer, and from the way Alex was moving back onto his fingers, he didn't want to wait either. He replaced his fingers with his cock, sliding in until his balls rested against the other man's ass, gasping at the pleasurable tightness of this man who was his.

Alex groaned when he took Fox inside himself, feeling both possessed and the possessor. He pushed back, seeking to take him even deeper, feeling joined to him in a way he'd never thought possible. Weird as it sounded, even to him, he was almost grateful that he'd ended up in prison and been raped. What the fuck am I thinking? Then he looked over his shoulder at Fox and remembered why. No matter how awful everything had been, he was glad to have Fox now. And speaking of having Fox now... He clenched his ass, pleased at the sound of pleasure he drew from Mulder.

Mulder slid his arms under Alex's arms and over his shoulders, pulling him upright and settling him on his lap as they knelt, Fox embedded deep inside Alex. Mulder started moving his hips while he stroked Alex's cock, and Alex caught his rhythm, arching and twisting his lap. Mulder seized a fistful of Alex's hair, pulling his head back and around so he could kiss him as they continued to move together. Alex cried his pleasure into Mulder's mouth as he felt his lover explode inside him, making him come again.

Still kissing, they sank down to lie on their sides, spooned together until Mulder reluctantly withdrew a few minutes later. When he did, Alex rolled over to face him, pillowing his head on Mulder's shoulder once the older man stretched out on his back. They lay together, holding on to one another as long as they could before cleaning up and dressing to take Alex back to his cell.

Before they left the room, Mulder stopped Alex with a hand on his shoulder. Alex halted but didn't look back. "I will find some way to make this work, Alex. Trust me."

Alex nodded silently, not saying a word as they went to his cell and Mulder left him there. He watched the guard walk away, trying not to be obvious, then crawled into his bunk. He turned to face the wall, a single tear rolling down his face.

xx

Part IV: Correspondence

orithain@aol.com
nicxf@softhome.net

6/99
E-mail: orithain67@sympatico.ca
nicxf@softhome.net
WEBPAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/de3/infinitum
Disclaimer: Surfer Boy owns these guys, although he doesn't deserve them.
This is set in a prison and contains rape, violence, sex and hard time. You have been duly warned.
NC-17
Thanks to Aries for continuous encouragement and chanting.
Summary: Alex recovers from being beaten, and Mulder faces facts.

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