The kids Life from the Ashes Series. Book 5 Generations Jo B purplefox@usfamily.net Rating: NC-17 Keywords: M/Sk/K SLASH Disclaimer: The X-Files characters Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Alex Krycek, Walter Skinner, Jeffrey Spender, CSM, the Lone Gunmen, Kimberly Cook, Senator Matheson, Bill Scully, the morph etc. are the property Chris Carter, 1013 productions and Fox Broadcasting. All other characters in the series are mine. Summary: This is an Alternative Universe Story. It takes place after an alien virus has killed off most of the world's females and caused mutations in forty-five percent of the remaining males. Authors Notes: This is the fifth and final book in the series. The story is told from multiple POVs. Beta notes. Thanks Laurie, Nicole, and Demi-X for beta-reading and editing this chapter. Feedback is always welcome. Any constructive suggestions are appreciated. WARNING! This story contains references to male/male sex. Okay to Archive: please ask first. Chapter 6 Painful Losses By Jo B Sedona, Arizona Saturday, March 10, 2018 Mulder's POV A crow caws overhead and swoops down on a dead squirrel lying in the road. I stroll down the concrete sidewalk with Frohike and Scully at my side. Scully is holding Arman's hand. Fanned out around us are the additional sorcerers that Walter had sent to Sedona when he found out I had come here five days ago. I brought my own force of sorcerers, including Gabriel, but for some reason Walter decided that wasn't enough. My sorcerers are conveniently out of sight, ready to respond to any hint of danger to my friends and son. The reason I came here is a secret to everyone in town, except Scully and Frohike. Walter and Alex know; I sent them an email once I arrived, explaining my reasons for coming to this place outside of Walter's rule. I needed Scully with me for moral support and Frohike for his clairvoyant abilities. Most of Sedona's population is made up of humans. The Sheriff and his deputy are the only sorcerers for hundreds of miles. The Sedonian's hired them over a decade ago to defend their community from roaming bands of n'thrals. That threat is almost over, only a handful of n'thrals is still alive in Arizona. At first the men in this peaceful community were standoffish. They didn't know what to make of my visit, and were fearful I had come to overturn the court's decision to drop the kidnapping charges against them. They became more open once they saw my three-year-old son and Scully. Most of the population is comprised of craftsmen, artists, and farmers. Over the past five days I've visited all of their shops, and toured the surrounding farms and ranches. One thing that struck me about this community, other than the lack of children, is its self-sufficiency. They don't require outside aid for anything. They weave their own blankets, raise their own meat, grow their own vegetables, and receive their electricity from solar panels set up in the desert. The only thing they seem to purchase from the outside world is gasoline and diesel fuel. We enter the only diner in town. It is packed with locals, but four men quickly stand and offer us their table. "We are just leaving, y'all can have our table," Adam Thomas says. "Thanks, Adam," I reply. He appears surprised that I remember his name. He shouldn't be, since I've come to learn all the names of the three thousand residents of his community. I know more about each of them than they know about each other. They look longingly at Arman as I scoop him into my arms and deposit him into the booth. I slide in next to him as the busboy comes to clean the table. Scully and Frohike sit across from us. "Are you sure about this, Mulder?" Scully asks for the umpteenth time. "Yes. I think they will be happy here, and as Frohike can tell you none of the men in this community are pedophiles." It is the reason for our five-day visit. I spent time talking to each man while Frohike scanned their minds. "What can I get ya?" The waiter is a young man in his early twenties. He would have been just a toddler when the world changed. "Michael, my son and I will share the number 2 special and a large orange juice for both of us." Arman climbs onto my lap as Scully and Frohike place their orders. "Daddy, can I have chocolate milk?" I hug his small body. "Okay. Michael, can you switch one of the orange juices to chocolate milk?" "No problem, sir." "Do you think many men will come this afternoon?" Scully asks, glancing around the restaurant. All the men are watching us while pretending to be interested in anything but us. "I think we will have a full house," I say. I've arranged with the city council to have a platform and microphone set up in the main square. It was the only place large enough to accommodate three thousand people. I expect that most will be curious to hear what I have to say. "Mulder, don't you think you should talk to Walter and Alex about this first?" Scully asks. "They already know why I am here, but this doesn't involve them." "You're still married to them." "I've filed for divorce. They're refusing to sign the papers." Scully's voice softens. "Mulder, how have you been holding up?" I gaze into the concerned depths of her warm blue eyes. "It's been hard. I'm not used to sleeping by myself. I remember all the mornings waking up with Walter and Alex's bodies wrapped around me." Tears well up in my eyes as I think back to the weeks before I left them, waking up cold on one end of the bed while Walter and Alex were snuggling in each other arms. I don't know what I did to cause them to treat me like that. "Daddy, no cry." "I'm not crying, Mani." "I'm sorry, Mulder," Scully says. "Don't be. Nothing good ever lasts forever." Frohike, who has been uncharacteristically quiet, speaks up. "Mulder, they did act like assholes, but that doesn't mean they don't love you and aren't sorry for how they treated you." I shake my head, knowing how raw my emotions are and not wanting to lose it in public. "Fro, I don't want to talk about them. Not here." "Okay, Mulder, but when you're ready to talk we're here for you." "Thanks." I swallow back the tears, hugging my son for comfort. We eat our meal in silence. I don't have much of an appetite, so Mani ends up eating more of our breakfast than I do. I think about my reason for being here. I know I'm doing the right thing no matter how painful it is. When I went over the plans for the mansion meant to house my six hundred and fifty daughters I realized how impossible it would be to hire competent employees to care for them all. Hope and Faith volunteered to be administrators, but I decided not to impose on them. The most practical solution was to find families willing to adopt the babies. It is only right that they are allowed to grow up with parents that will love and care for them. "So, what are you going to do if they don't want to adopt them?" Scully asks. I look around at the men in the diner and the way they keep looking at my son. "They will." *** Crystal Palace Tuesday, March 10, 2018 Skinner's POV "General, have your men triple-checked all of Sedona's citizens? I don't want anyone with a record of abuse or pedophilia to get their hands on one of Fox's babies." I am proud of Fox for deciding to put the babies up for adoption, even if he didn't involve Alex and me in the decision. "Yes. My men couldn't find anything on them other than the kidnapping charges from the case Prince Fox broke." "Good. Keep me informed if anything comes up." I wait for him to leave my office before turning on the live surveillance feed from Sedona. I watch Fox as he directs the setting up of two tables in front of a platform in the center of downtown Sedona. Already a large crowd is milling around. "Walter, this is one of the reasons he left us." I turn toward Alex's voice. He is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. There is a look of disapproval on his beautiful face. He's finally started talking to me again after weeks of silence. "I need to make sure he's safe." "He took twenty sorcerers with him including Gabriel. You didn't have to send any more. He's being responsible." "Alex, he took Arman and Scully with him, I consider that irresponsible." "No. By taking Arman and Scully, Fox was showing the men of Sedona that he came in peace and from what we've seen it worked. The Sedonians opened their homes to them. If he had shown up with only twenty sorcerers at his side, his reception wouldn't have been so welcoming." "Maybe you're right. I just can't help trying to protect him." I shut off the monitor and stand. I feel helpless to do anything else. "Do you want to get some lunch?" Alex smiles softly. "Sure, Walter. Don't worry, Fox and Mani will be fine." "I hope you're right." *** Sedona, Arizona Saturday, March 10, 2018 Mulder's POV I step up on the platform and look out over the huge crowd. I'm carrying Mani in my arms. I set him down on the platform and pick up the microphone. I lick my lips nervously, staring out at all of the people giving me their total attention. The silence is deadening. I clear my throat then begin talking, "Thank you for coming today. I have come with a proposition for the people of Sedona. It is something that will benefit all of us. In two months, on May 10th, six hundred and fifty human female babies will be born. They are my daughters. I want them to have the love and care that only a family can give. So I am putting them up for adoption, and have decided to give your community the first chance to adopt them." An excited murmur races through the crowd. "On the tables up front are the adoption forms, if you are interested fill out the form. The only restriction I have is that they need to be adopted into two parent households. Do you have any questions?" There's a moment of stunned silence before a hand raises in the middle of the crowd. I nod to the man. "Sir, Bill and I are farmers, our farm is thirty miles from town. Is it possible to adopt more than one baby, so they can grow up together?" I smile at the young couple. "Yes." "Is this a real adoption? You won't come back and take them from us?" "They will be yours, as long as you raise them with love and don't abuse them." "Are they really healthy human females?" "Yes." "How will we get them?" "Helicopters will deliver them to Sedona as soon as they are born. I suggest you prepare for their needs in advance. Infants require a lot of care." My hand goes unconsciously down to my belly. "God bless you, Mr. Mulder. You're the answer to our prayers," an elderly man says. He is standing beside two younger men one of whom bears a striking resemblance to him. "You're welcome, Mr. Simpson. If your son, James and his partner would like to start the line, the adoption forms are on the table. Fill them out and you will be notified by my assistant when your application has been approved." I feel a sense of relief as the men hurry to form four lines at the tables. For once I know that I have made the right decision. *** Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Mulder's POV It's been ten days since my trip to Sedona. I am sitting on Arman's bed watching him as he sleeps. My son is sucking his thumb while hugging his teddy bear. I smile softly. Sitting here at his bedside has become a nightly ritual for me. He's given me the will to go on, when all I want to do is give up and die. The pain I feel at times can be so unbearable. So I spend hours in his room after he's fallen asleep just watching him and thinking about my life and my children's future. Arman looks so peaceful and innocent, he reminds me of better days. I know that he's unhappy that I left his dads. At first he thought this was a big adventure, now he misses living upstairs with them and his brothers and sisters. I don't know what to do. I only hope that he'll forget what it was like before.... Walter and Alex have tried to reconcile with me, but I've refused to listen to what they have to say. I've been too deeply hurt to allow them to talk their way back into my heart. I find myself going out of my way to avoid them because every time they're near the heat of their passion and beauty starts to defrost the ice around my heart. I cannot allow that to happen, if I do, I'll no longer have anything left of my pride. I refuse to be anything less than their equal, and until they start seeing me as such I will stand my ground. I'll give Walter credit. He hasn't tried to use Arman against me. I half-expected him to demand that our son remain upstairs with him and Alex, but he hasn't. Why? I don't really know. Walter loves our children as much as Alex and me. I close my eyes. I'm crying again. When will the pain and loneliness go away? I bend and kiss the top of my son's head. He continues sleeping peacefully as I stand and leave his room. I walk down the hallway toward Shinji's lab. The lights are on under the door. I knock first before entering, not wanting to startle him. Shinji is typing on his computer. He looks tired. "It's late, Shin, you should get some sleep." "I'm so close, Mulder. I've been going back over all of my notes and I think I've isolated where Rory and Kazuo may have tampered with my experiments." "Couldn't you just ask them?" "I did, but neither could remember exactly what they did." I roll my eyes. "Figures. Well, I'm going to hit the sack. Don't stay up too late." "Don't worry about me. Unlike some immortals I'm not pregnant, and I'm going see that I stay that way," Shinji says, smirking. I give him the finger before leaving the lab. He chuckles and goes back to his computer. I don't head for my bedroom; I haven't slept there in weeks. Instead I head for my office. Once inside, I toe off my shoes and strip off my shirt, tossing it on the floor. I leave on my jeans and undershirt as I walk into the bathroom. The room is small and stark, unlike the beautiful bathroom I shared with Walter and Alex. The unwelcome memory of the times we bathed together comes into my thoughts. I splash cold water on my face, trying to get the image of my former lovers' beautiful bodies out of my thoughts. It is hard enough getting through the need for sex without them making it impossible. My body craves sex as much as it craves air. I reach for the thick vibrator that has been my soul companion since I left Walter and Alex over a month ago. No. My hand stops just shy from picking it up. I yearn for human contact...to be touched, stroked, held, kissed. I brush my teeth and wash my face then I return to my office and turn on the television. I glance at the huge pile of mail on my desk. Since I left Walter and Alex I've received thousands of marriage proposals from around the world. Even King Gullbrand sent a gift along with declaring his love. It made my skin crawl. Some of the men proposing to me are the same ones making offers for Hunter's and Gawain's hands in marriage. I never felt less human and more like a piece of meat. I lay on my sofa still dressed in my jeans and undershirt. The television drones on, but I don't bother to watch. I cover my eyes with my arm, as my other rests over the swell of my belly. According to Hope, Alex has gone in for his ultrasound and was delighted to find out he's having only one baby girl this time. I haven't gone in yet. I'm not planning to either. It doesn't matter to me what my baby's sex will be. My attention is drawn to the television. There is a commercial on advertising a discreet dating service--Mister Kane's Perfect Mates Inc. The business is located on the south side of the palace in the shopping district. Would it be so wrong to hire someone for sex? Why should I stay celibate when Walter and Alex have each other? It's not like I'm looking for someone to replace them--no one could. I just need some human contact. I shake my head. No, I don't need the hassle of another man in my life. I went for years with no one, and I can do it again. Can't I? *** Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Krycek's POV "What is he doing?" I ask. "He's sleeping on his sofa again," Walter says. "He's not happy. Why doesn't he come home?" I turn to face Walter who's lying beside me in bed. "Alex, I don't know. He refuses to listen to us and short of dragging him back by his hair I see no way of getting him to come back to us. In time he'll realize that he needs us as much as we need him." Although I share Walter's frustration I know we haven't done enough to reconcile our differences with Fox. He sees us as not respecting him as an equal. I still haven't figured out how to show him that we do. It doesn't help that Walter and I have been fighting since I found out about the part he played in sabotaging the research into stopping our compulsions to become pregnant. If it weren't for the fact that I had to do some equally manipulative things when I worked undercover for the UN before the alien attack, I'd never have forgiven him. "What do you want to do?" I ask. "The only thing we can do, continue to apologize until he believes us." "Walter, you're really betting that he'll get tired and cave in." "Alex, I've been watching him and he's not having an easy time of it. Fox is just too stubborn to admit that he needs us." "Walter, it's not about need. Fox wants our respect and to be viewed as our equal." "He's already has our respect--" "He doesn't believe that, and we hardly showed him any since he woke up." "Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't know why we treated him like that. Alex, I'll try to talk to him tomorrow when I visit Arman." Walter rolls over on his side and lays his hand over my swollen belly. "How are you feeling?" "Fine. Our daughter has started moving a little. We should think of a name for her." I sigh, placing my hand over his, enjoying Walter's concern and support. "How about Amanda? It was my step-mom's mother's name." "I like that name. Just three months to go." I suddenly feel guilty. Fox is also pregnant but we're not there for him. He's going it alone. "What's wrong?" "Fox hasn't gone in for his tests or an ultrasound yet. I've checked with Doctor Pendrell. He said Fox refuses to make an appointment." "Damn, what is he trying to prove?" Walter sighs. I roll over into his arms and rest my head on his broad shoulder. "I don't think he's trying to prove anything. You know Fox has to be made to see the Doctor." "I doubt that he'll tolerate us making him do anything." I feel a brush of lips on my head. Walter's soft voice adds, "I'll try to get him to see reason tomorrow." *** Wednesday, March 21, 2018 Skinner's POV It is early morning when I head down to Fox's apartment. He's agreed to allow me to take Arman for the day. I stop at Arman's room first. His bed is empty. On his nightstand is a photograph of Alex and me from our wedding. I frown, recalling that day and how neither Alex or I picked Fox for our best man. What were we thinking? Some of the things we had done to him, even before he awoke from his month long sleep, were unthinkably rude. I scan the apartment and find him curled up sleeping with Fox on the sofa in the office. I stroll purposefully down the hallway, hesitating briefly outside the office before entering. It is hard being near Fox with him refusing to even listen to me. He is asleep, lying on his back with Arman sleeping across his chest. I'm not sure Fox is even aware that he is there. I stand at the foot of the sofa and study him. He is still the most beautiful man I've ever seen. The top button of his jeans is undone. I can see the pregnant swell of his belly. He's bigger than Alex is, although Alex is a month further along in his pregnancy. God, why did I do those things that caused Fox to hate me? I don't know what to do to make him love me again. I've apologized. I've sent flowers. I've tried to reason with him to no avail. I'm at a loss. "You're early." Fox's hand is on our son's back as he stares up at me. "I wanted to have Mani bathed and dressed--" "I'll bathe and dress him," I say hurriedly. "Fox, I've missed having him in my life." I hesitate before adding, "I miss you. Please, come home. We can work out our problems." "Please, don't...." Fox looks away and shakes our son awake. "Wake up, baby, your Daddy's here." He sits up holding the boy who is rubbing his eyes. "Mani, weren't you able to sleep in your bed?" Fox asks. "Daddy, there's a big monster in my closet." Fox smiles and hugs him. "I'll go ask it to leave. Look who's here." Arman' face lights up when he notices me. "DADDY!" He climbs off Fox's lap and jumps into my arms. "Hi, Mani." I hug him against my chest. His small body is warm from sleep and he smells so good. I smile at the way his hair sticks up at odd angles. "Come on, I'm going to give you a bath and get you dressed." "I want to take a bath with you and Daddy Fox?" I look at Fox. "I would like that, but I don't think Daddy Fox wants to take a bath with me." "Daddy, pleeaase take bath," Arman whines, looking at Fox. Fox looks ill as he stands shakily. "Go with Daddy Walter, I'll be in the kitchen making your breakfast." "Are you all right?" I ask, starting to reach out to him. Fox backs away. "Morning sickness. I'll be fine as soon as I throw up." "Fox, Alex mentioned that you haven't seen Doctor Pendrell yet." "Walter, I'm an immortal. I don't need to see a doctor." "Aren't you curious about what you're having?" "No." "You're bigger than Alex is, aren't you worried that you might be having twins?" "No." Fox bends, picking up his shirt off the floor then he turns off the television. He avoids looking at me as he walks towards the bathroom. "Go bathe your son. I'll have his breakfast ready by the time you're done." I know better than to continue arguing with him, so I carry Arman out of the room. "Do you like living here?" "I want to live with you, Daddy Fox, and Daddy Alex." "Son, I want you and Daddy Fox to live with us, too." I set him down on the floor inside his bathroom then start filling the bathtub. I help him out of his pajamas; they are wet from perspiration. "Where's your anti-power cuff?" I ask. "Daddy Fox says I don't have to wear it at home." I don't like that he's not wearing it. It's too dangerous to others until he's old enough to learn to use his powers. I'll talk to Fox about it. I test the temperature of the water before lifting him into the bathtub. "Daddy, can we go to McDonald's?" "I don't think there's a McDonald's on the Island." "I went there with Daddy Fox." "Really? I'll have to ask him where it is located. Close your eyes." I pour water over his head then squirt some baby shampoo on. His hair is soft and thick; it's the same chestnut brown color as Fox's was before the change. I take my time washing him. I've missed seeing him daily. Only my unwillingness to hurt Fox further prevents me from demanding that Arman live with Alex and me. I finish washing him, while listening to Arman tell me about his daily adventures. His speech has improved considerably these last five weeks. "Uncle Shinji cooked last night and we ate with sticks." "What did he cook?" I ask, lifting him out of the bathtub onto the bathmat. Then I wrap a large bath towel around him and scoop him up into my arms. "He cooked shrimp and rice and mushrooms and peapods." He hugs me around my neck as I carry him into his bedroom. "Do you like mushrooms?" "I love mushrooms." I dry and dress him, then put the anti-power cuff around his ankle. "C'mon, champ, let's see what Daddy Fox has fixed you for breakfast." When we enter the kitchen Fox is at the stove flipping pancakes. Duncan MacIver, Rory's and Shinji's sixteen-year-old son, is sitting at the table eating a plateful of pancakes while flipping through a magazine. I don't like it that Duncan has moved down here with Shinji, not with Hunter living here, too. I don't trust him being this close to our immortal son. "Mm, that smells good, Fox. Do you have extra?" I ask, trying to ease the tension between us, and hoping for a normal venue to talk to him. "Yes. Sit down with your son." "Hello, King Walter. How are you today, sir?" Duncan says. "Duncan, I'm doing well. How come you're not in school?" I help Arman into his booster chair. "I'm waiting for Hunter. We were up late last night listening to music, and he overslept this morning." He smiles sweetly, looking just like his roguish Scottish father. "Fox, you're keeping an eye on Hunter, aren't you?" "Walter, get your head out of the gutter." "You can't blame me for worrying." "I'm watching Hunter." His face shutters over, concealing his emotions. Great, I've already put my foot in my mouth. "Fox, I'm sorry for implying that you're not watching Hunter. Mani says you took him to McDonald's. I wasn't aware there was one on the island." "One just opened near my FBI office." Fox places a plate of pancakes in front of me and one in front of Arman. "Thanks," I say, reaching for the maple syrup. "You're welcome," Fox replies. "Mani, do you want me to cut up your pancakes?" "Yes, please! And I want lots of syrup." "I can cut up his pancakes, Fox. Why don't you fix yourself a plate?" "No...I need to get ready for work." I look at him closely and notice that he hasn't put on the weight that Alex has since becoming pregnant. It may account for why he appears to be larger in the belly than Alex. "You shouldn't skip breakfast," I say hesitantly, afraid of offending him further. My plans for having a friendly conversation with him over breakfast are collapsing. "I plan on grabbing a breakfast bagel sandwich at McDonald's." Fox kisses Arman. "Mani, have fun with Daddy Walter. I'll see you tonight." "I will, Daddy! LOVE YOU!" "Fox, can we talk after I bring Mani back?" I ask, not able to keep the desperation from my voice. "There is nothing to talk about. All you need to do is sign the divorce papers." "Fox, I love you." I have no intention of signing those papers. I want to tell him as much, but I can't find the words around the knife in my heart. Fox heads for the door, pausing in the doorway. "Let me go, Walter. I want my freedom back." "Fox, please...can't we try to work it out? We can seek counseling...it helped last time." I fight to keep my emotions in check. I don't want to cry in front of Arman, but it hurts being this close to Fox and him not wanting to be in the same room with me. *** Wednesday, March 21, 2018 Mulder's POV The pain in Walter's voice is nearly my undoing. I still love him and Alex deeply, but I cannot allow my feelings to interfere with my need to reclaim my freedom and self-respect. I cannot go back to the way we were. I won't be the odd man out. Left at home to take care of our children while Alex and Walter go off to rule the world. I look away from him and shake my head.... "I can't." I hurry out of the room. Instead of changing into a suit for work as I planned, I head for the elevator wearing the jeans I slept in last night. "Gorgeous, you should try to work it out with them." The metallic voice chimes as the elevator doors slide close. "Arty, stay out of it." "They're both sad. Is that what you want?" "They have each other...they don't need me." "You're wrong." I look up at the camera lens as the elevator doors slide open on the main floor, remembering how Walter and Alex treated me before I came to my senses and left them. "No, I'm not." I had become a possession...an object to them. They no longer cared about my feelings or needs. I leave the elevator heading for the horizontal lifts that will take me to the FBI offices. Over the past sixteen years the palace has become even larger as new additions are added. It is the size of a medium city. Over three hundred thousand people live and work here. My office is only three miles from the center tower where I live. My thoughts turn back to Walter and Alex. I need to find a way to get them to sign the divorce papers. Once they accept that they'll never own me again, it will be better for all of us. I have an idea, although it isn't something that I want to do. Instead of riding the lift to my office, I stop in the shopping district. The corridors are crowded for a Wednesday morning. Stares and whistles greet me as I make my way to Mister Kane's Perfect Mates Inc. I pause outside the business, but instead of going in, I hurry past. The thought of entering makes me uneasy and ill. Deep down I cannot cheat on Walter and Alex, even if our relationship is over. So much for my idea of getting them to sign the divorce papers. I stop at a small café. I'm hungry and figure I might as well get something to eat before I go to work. The other customers keep their distance. They're too intimidated by me to get too close. A small man rushes over. "Prince Fox, welcome to the Rainbow Café. Are you expecting anyone else?" "No. And it's AD Mulder, not Prince Fox." I hardly ever go by AD Mulder. Most of the time I forget that I've become an Assistant Director. I turned down the promotion for years before finally agreeing to it, with conditions. "I have a nice table for you." I'm grateful when he shows me to a corner table away from the windows. I pick up the menu and look at the variety of breads, pastries, and other breakfast items. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" "I'd love some coffee, but I'm not suppose to have it. Just bring me a cup of Earl Grey tea?" "Would you like to hear today's specials?" I smile. "Sure." "We have honey oat pancakes with a side of hickory smoked bacon. A breakfast sausage casserole and a side of fresh fruit. Eggs Benedict on top of a sweet crab cake and smothered in hollandaise sauce." "The breakfast casserole sounds good, I'll have that." "I'll get your tea and put the order in. It will take a few minutes." "Thanks." I'm feeling comfortable here. I look around at the other customers. They have stopped staring and gone back to their meals and conversations. My thoughts turn back to Walter and Alex. I just can't seem to keep them out of my mind. "Hi." The voice startles me out of my contemplation. I look up at an extremely handsome man. "I was wondering if I could join you?" He smiles and nods toward the empty chair. "Don't worry, I don't bite." "You're human?" I can sense it from his posture and aura. "One hundred percent, is that a problem?" "No. Please sit." It's been a while since I've met any humans outside of my work. Most of the men Walter and Alex invited to our home were sorcerers or clairvoyants. There are very few humans in Walter's government. Even in the FBI, most of the new hires are not human. Considering humans now make up over seventy percent of the population that isn't good. The waiter stops back with my tea and looks at the man standing beside my table. "He's not disturbing you, is he?" "No. He's joining me." The waiter frowns as the man sits across from me. "What can I get you?" "Coffee and a cinnamon roll." The man looks intensely at me after the waiter leaves. "I noticed how sad you looked." I gaze into his blue eyes and shrug my shoulders. "I have a lot on my mind." "Yeah, I can imagine. According to the news you're three months pregnant and you've left King Walter and Prince Alex...." I glare at him. "I'd prefer not discussing my private life." "I'm sorry if I've overstepped any boundaries." He shrugs his shoulders. "You really should talk about what's bothering you. I'm a really good listener." "What newspaper do you work for?" "You think I'm a reporter?" "Only reporters have the gall to continue asking questions when told to butt out." "My name is Cyrus Kane. I own Mister Kane's Perfect Mates Inc." "You saw me stop outside your business." "Yes. Many men stop but few have the nerve to enter. Prince Fox, loneliness is a big problem on the island and stateside. Even after nearly two decades, it's hard for most men to admit they need another man for sex and companionship. Then there are men holding positions that prevent them from prowling bars for companionship. They rely on my service to fix them up with partners. I match men to those with common interests and compatible personalities. Some wish for one night stands, others are looking for life-long companionship." The waiter is back with our food. He continues to shoot a disapproving glance at Cyrus. I pick up my fork after the waiter leaves. "I thought I might need someone to ease the loneliness...but I was wrong. I have friends and my kids," I say, realizing how much all of my friends have meant to me these past weeks. "You need someone who can make love to you." "I had that with Walter and Alex." "Then why did you leave them?" "They no longer saw me as an equal." "If that is the case then you should think about finding someone else. Why don't you at least fill out the application? I'll send you a list of candidates and you can decide whether to meet them or not." "I don't know--" "You don't have to decide right away. Let me give you my card. The application is online so you can fill it out when you're ready." I hesitantly take his card, no longer knowing what I want...only feeling more alone. *** Sunday, April 1, 2018 Krycek's POV I'm having lunch with Fox today. My goal is to convince him to take me back as his partner at the FBI. I never should have quit and looking back I don't know why I did. It makes no sense. I could have learned to rule with Walter while still maintaining my position with Fox. I comb my hair while looking at my image in the mirror. Fuck, why do I always put on so much weight when I'm pregnant? None of the other immortals do. Fox certainly doesn't. My face is rounder and my ankles are swollen. In six weeks I'm going to St. Petersburg for Fox's daughters weddings. If it weren't for the fact that Fox is going, I would stay here instead of facing the humiliation of going to an international event looking like I do. I touch my belly and smile. "Hey, Mandy, you're going to love Walter and Fox. Let's hope I can convince Fox to come back to us before you are born." I button my shirt then head down the steps. "Alex, would you give this to Fox for me?" Walter says. He's standing at the bottom of the bathroom steps waiting for me. I take the small box. "What is it?" "Just something I want him to have. I'd give it to him myself, if I thought he wouldn't throw it back at me without opening it." "He hasn't been much more open to listening to me." "Yeah, but he's agreed to have lunch with you. That's further than I've gotten with him." At the sadness in Walter's voice, I wrap my arms around his waist. "Shh, babe, we'll get him back, don't worry about it." Walter has been so depressed lately that it's been affecting the way he's been ruling the kingdom. "Alex, I miss him so badly. It just gets worse the more days that pass without him being with us." Walter rests his forehead on my shoulder. His whole body is weary. "Walter, we may have to get more aggressive with him. We can't allow Fox to crawl into his shell and hide from us. You know he suffers from a low self-worth, since his sister was abducted and his parents convince him that he was to blame." "I know, Alex. It was one of the reasons why I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger when I killed Bill Mulder. I hated him for what he did to Fox." He pulls away from me. "You better go. You don't want to be late." I kiss his lips and murmur, "Keep the faith," before hurrying out of the bedroom on my way to the nearest elevator. The last thing I want is to keep Fox waiting even for a few seconds. The elevator stops on the floor below ours. Rory MacIver steps onto the elevator. He smirks at me. "Alex, pregnancy agrees with you. Are you off to see Mulder?" "Yes. Are you heading down to see Shinji?" "Yep. Shin says he'll take Kazuo and me back once he discovers a cure for immortals compulsions." "If that is the case then I hope you're back with him soon," I say as the elevator stops on the sixteenth floor. Rory steps off. "Aren't you getting off?" "No. I'm supposed to meet Fox in the Palace's main dining room." "Well, good luck to you, Alex." "You too." When I reach the dining room, Fox isn't there yet. The maître d' approaches me. "Prince Alex, I have your table ready for you." "Is everything prepared?" I ask. "Yes. Our chefs have prepared all of the dishes you requested." "Thank you," I say as he seats me in a secluded corner next to a waterfall. I am puzzled that the table is set for four. I'm about to call the maître d' back when Fox arrives. "This is nice, Alex." I am disappointed that standing beside him are Kat and Sergei. "Fox, I thought we were dining alone." Sergei helps Kat into the chair beside mine. She is huge with child. Fox smiles and shrugs his shoulders as he sits to my left. "You know the old saying, the more the merrier." Sergei plops down on the chair across from me. "Dad Alex, thanks for allowing us to dine with you. Kat and I want to talk to you and Dad Fox about babies, nursing, and such." I sigh. "Sergei, immortals' pregnancies are not the same as human pregnancies." "Alex, let's just answer their questions," Fox says. Kat rolls her eyes. "Uncle Alex, it's not like there are a lot of women to ask about what having a baby is like. I already talked to Dana, but she had her baby on the horizontal lift, not in the hospital." "Okay, point taken." The waiter comes back with sparkling apple cider and a basket of fresh baked bread. "Alex, you're looking nice," Fox says. "I'm fat." "No, you're not." "Yes, I am." Fox frowns. "Okay, if you say so. After all, my opinion doesn't count as much as yours does." "Fox, your opinion counts as much as mine." "Then say it." Fox gives me a smug look. "Okay, I'm not fat." "That wasn't too painful to admit, now was it?" Fox says, pleased with himself. I ignore him and reach for a slice of bread. "You should go see Doctor Pendrell." "Why should I? It's not going to change the fact that I'm pregnant and will be having a baby in four months." "Uncle Fox, I've been seeing Doctor Pendrell weekly. You should, too," Kat says. "You're not an immortal, you can have complications during pregnancy. I can't." "Great, that very comforting," Kat says, placing a hand on her large belly. "Fox, you're scaring her," I say. "Sorry." Fox smiles and pats her hand. "Kat, women have been giving birth for thousands of years. You have nothing to worry about." The waiter is back with the first course of oysters Rockefeller, one of Fox's favorites. "You ordered for us?" Fox asks, his eye color changing to a stormy gray. "I-ah...damn. I'm sorry, Fox, I wanted this to be special I didn't think you'd mind. If you want to order something else--" "No. That's okay." I can tell he isn't happy about it. "Fox, I really am sorry." "Alex, I said it was all right!" "Dads, can you please not fight?" Sergei says. "Sorry, kids," Fox sighs, his eyes changing back to a swirl of greens and golds. "Alex, it really is okay as long as you didn't order anything with cilantro." "I don't know what you have against cilantro," I say, relaxing. Fox makes a face, picking up his fork. "It tastes like dish soap." "Well, I like it, but don't worry it's not in any of the dishes." We eat the appetizer quietly. I watch Fox intently, getting aroused as the juices from the oysters moisten his lips. I want to ravage those plump lips as his tongue darts out licking the savory juices from them. The waiter returns with a mixed green salad interrupting my pleasurable contemplation. "So, when you guys are nursing how do you know the baby is getting enough milk?" Kat asks. The waiter pauses in dishing the salad onto four chilled plates. He looks between Fox and me waiting for one of us to answer her. "Alex, do you want to field this one?" Fox asks. Great, as if I enjoy talking about breast-feeding in public. I give him an annoyed look. "I'll answer this one, Fox, if you take the next one." I turn to Kat. "You can tell two ways, if your baby is gaining weight and the amount she wets diapers." "Good answer," Fox says, smiling. Kat pushes a strand of red hair out of her blue eyes. "How soon after giving birth can you have sex again?" "Twenty-four hours for immortals, but for you and Sergei two years." Fox smiles as he shovels a forkful of salad into his mouth. "Dad!" Sergei blushes. I smile at Fox and he smiles back. For the first time, in a long time, the tension between us is non-existent. We continue eating and chatting with the kids, and by the time dessert arrives I'm ready to make my pitch to get back into the FBI. "Fox, I do have something I want to discuss with you," I say. "I have something I want to tell you, too." I smile. "You first then." "Okay. I didn't want you and Walter to find out from anyone else. I figure you can tell Walter. I'm going out on a date Friday night." I am momentarily stunned, and can't believe I heard him right. "What? A date as in with another man?" Fox seems nervous as he stumbles over his next words. "Alex, I-I met someone last week who convinced me to give dating a chance--" "A chance to do what?" I interrupt angrily. Fox frowns. "A chance to ease my loneliness." "How can you be lonely? You have lots of friends and our children!" I toss my napkin on the table. "Fox, you went years without anyone in your life but Scully. Why is it so important now to date another man?" Fox closes his eyes. "Alex, I wasn't an immortal when I was with Scully. You don't know how painful it is to not be touched--" I stand suddenly causing my chair to topple over with a thud. "I love you, Fox, and I'm not about to let another man get inside your pants! I'm not losing you, not now, not ever!" "Alex, please try to understand." "There is nothing to understand." I reach into my pocket for the small box Walter gave me to give to him. I toss it at him then turn quickly and rush out of the dining room. If I stayed much longer I might do something that I would regret. I never felt so frustrated and helpless in my life. God, Fox has a way, like no one else, of causing such intense feelings inside me. I head outside. I need to think and clear my head, so I head toward the cliffs that look out over the ocean. It is a tranquil place, where I often go to contemplate my life and work out problems. It is chilly outside, so I plunge my hands into my pockets as I reach the top of the cliff. "Damn," I mutter, while staring out across the ocean. I pull my hands from my pockets and lean against the wooden fence running the length of the cliff. The water crashes against the jagged rocks a hundred feet below. Suddenly I am shoved from behind and I find myself falling headfirst over the fence and down the cliff. The last thing I remember is crying out to Walter and Fox seconds before my body hits the sharp rocks below. *** Sunday, April 1, 2018 Mulder's POV I watch Alex run out of the dining room. Shit, what have I done? The last thing I want is to cause him or Walter any pain. What have I become? I lift the lid off the box Alex threw at me. My breath stops as I see its contents. "Dad, what is it?" Sergei asks. I am stunned. "It's your Dad Walter's Medal of Honor." This is Walter's most prized possession. Only several hundred Medal of Honor were given out over the history of the U.S. military. "Wow, he never allowed any of us kids to even touch it," Sergei says. I have a warm feeling spreading throughout my body and the ice around my heart slowly starts to thaw. *FOX!* "Alex!" I leap to my feet and race out of the dining room. "Oh God NO!" I can see him in my mind falling off the cliff. I run as fast as I can. *** Sunday, April 1, 2018 Skinner's POV I grab Fox, preventing him from trying to climb down the steep cliff to where Alex's partially submerged body lays bleeding below. I arrived just seconds behind Fox and haven't had time to take in the situation. "Let me go, Walter!" Tears are streaming down Fox's cheeks as he struggles to break free. "Dammit, Fox, stop it!" I continue to hold him firmly as I use my powers, teleporting Alex's broken body to the ground at our feet. I let go of Fox and he drops to his knees, gathering Alex up in his arms. He starts using his healing powers to repair the damage as I kneel beside them and reach out to hold Alex's lifeless hand. I can feel the energy pouring out of Fox into Alex. "Fox, don't overexert yourself," I warn, fearful for Fox's unborn baby's health. Fox looks up at me with a sadness that I can't remember ever seeing before on his face. "Walter, he's lost the baby." I notice for the first time the torn shirt and the blood around his exposed navel. "God, no!" I lower my head to Alex's chest and weep for the loss of our baby. Fox's hand strokes my head soothingly as I feel Alex's chest rise and fall as he starts breathing again. "Who did this to him?" General Kline's voice pulls me from my grief. I raise my head and realize that the royal guard is shielding us from a large crowd of onlookers that have gathered down the hill from us. Sergei and Kat are standing next to the General. My son has his arms around his girlfriend and both kids look sick. "I don't know." I look up at Fox's pale face. He shakes his head wearily his whole body is trembling. "W-we were having lunch...and had a disagreement. Alex got angry and left. The next thing I know was hearing his voice in my head and an image of his body falling." Fox's body sags with exhaustion and I realize he did overexert himself healing Alex's broken body. I look down at Alex's face. He's breathing easier now and a healthy color has returned to his skin. "Clay, where is the stretcher? I want to get Alex and Fox back to the palace." I am now fearful that Fox might lose his baby, too. "I'm fine, Walter. Just take care of Alex," Fox says. "Cut the crap, Fox! You're not fine! Doctor Pendrell is going to give you a thorough examination." I can see Fox is having a hard time staying conscious. His face is so white. I touch his hand and find his skin is cold and clammy. I'm scared. I help place Alex on a stretcher while keeping a watchful eye on Fox. He hasn't attempted to get back on his feet, his sad eyes follows the stretcher carrying Alex back to the palace. I kneel beside him. "Fox, come on, either I'll carry you or you'll get on the stretcher." "I'm so sorry, Walter, it's all my fault." I tenderly brush the tears off his cheeks. "It's no ones fault but the bastard who pushed him off the cliff." I help Fox to his feet and over to the stretcher. "Come on, you're going to have to sleep to regain your energy. Fox, Alex is going to need both of us to get through this." Fox nods, he's too tired to speak and is asleep as soon as his head hits the small pillow on the stretcher. I place my hand over his belly and pray that no harm has come to our baby. *** End of chapter 6: Painful Losses. Coming soon chapter 7: Weddings, Births, and Funerals.