Painful Experience 2: Chapters VIII-XIII 


FEEDBACK NOTE: DiAnn passed away in her sleep on August 23, 2000.
Xanthe has set up a Book of Condolences at:
http://www.xanthe.org/Guest/Diann.htm Please take a moment and
sign the book if you enjoyed this story.

Rating: NC17 - language, adult themes Category: Vanilla Slash /
Pure Trash /Discipline 

Warning: Mulder/Scully/Skinner If you don't like this kind of
thing, or you are underage, go somewhere else . . . NOW! I don't
want to hear from you and I don't want to hear from your Mama.

Spoiler: None Maybe some mention of other episodes but nothing
too revealing.

Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will, own Mulder, Scully, Skinner,
Krycek or the X-Files. I am borrowing them without permission and
am obviously not receiving money for this stuff. We all know who
they really belong to, CC, Fox and lots of other people but
again, not me.



Painful X-Perience VIII A Little Help From My Friends by DiAnn

"Mulder, are you making it your personal goal to tick off every
law enforcement official in every town in all fifty states?"
Scully signed with exasperation and leaned back against the
headboard of their lumpy motel room bed. The bed in the other
room was just as bad, she had checked. They still rented two
rooms, even though they only used one now.

**Why couldn't he ever just play nicely with the other kiddies.**
Mulder was a great guy. Better than great, he was the best. But
only she and Walter Skinner ever got to see that side of him.

Today it had been Sheriff Roy Adams of Hope, Arkansas. A
powerfully built, *by the book* police officer. By his demeanor,
Scully thought him to be ex-military. Intelligent, competent and
totally annoyed with her *off the wall* and very sarcastic
partner.

"Come on, Scully, that guy was just asking for it. Up tight SOB.
He wouldn't even listen to my theory. Those kids are still
missing and every minute we waste could be crucial."

"Mulll-ddder, your theory was that they were abducted by elves in
the woods. Elves, Mulder? I am as Irish as they come and even I
don't believe in elves."

"Well, maybe you should and so should Sheriff Adams. Ex-army
know-it-all."

"Marines." Came a fierce growl from the doorway connecting their
two rooms. Both agents swung around in shock to see Assistant
Director Skinner standing there.

Assistant Directors did not usually fly to small towns like Hope,
Arkansas to visit with his agents, especially in the middle of
the night.

Skinner leveled his angry brown eyes on Mulder. "He was a marine.
A damned good one too. I served with him in Nam. Saved my butt
more than once."

Mulder managed to close his mouth enough to say "What . . . how
did you get . . . Why are you . . . "

"What am I doing here? How did I get into your room? Why am I
looking at you like you are dead meat?" He stared pointedly at
his still astonished male agent. "I am here to straighten this
sorry mess out. I got in your room with a lock pick so no one
will know I was here. And I am looking at you like this because I
do plan to adjust your attitude immensely."

Skinner walked over to Mulder and began to unbuckle his agent's
belt. Mulder gasped and put his hands over the AD's. "Be still."
Skinner barked. Mulder immediately dropped his hands to his
sides. Skinner almost chuckled. Mulder always responded so well
to that marine commander voice. Skinner continued to work on
Mulder's trousers.

"Roy called me. He couldn't believe I had sent some smart-mouthed
kid out here to make his life miserable. Imagine his surprise,
when I told him that the *smart mouthed kid* was actually the
best agent in the bureau and someone I care about a great deal.
Someone with whom I choose to spend most of my free time."

"What! You . . . you told him about us." Skinner had now reached
for his zipper. Mulder fought the urge to stop him again.

"Don't worry Mulder. Roy understands the kind of relationship
you, I and Dana share. I had to assure him that I would handle
this problem personally."

Mulder was now standing in his black silk boxers. Although this
was one of Scully's favorite views, she was growing a little
concerned. It was not like Walter to just walk in the room and
start undressing one of them. He was usually much more subtle.
She had leaned up from her perch on the headboard at Walter's
sudden appearance but she was still sitting on the bed.

"Handle the problem, how Sir?" She asked. Walter looked mad
enough to bite nails. She was not going to let this go too far.
She and Skinner both felt the need to keep Mulder in line on an
ongoing basis but no one was going to hurt Mulder more than
necessary. Not while she was in the same room anyway.

Skinner pulled the paddle from his coat pocket and heard Mulder
groan. "Walter please don't do this. You haven't even heard my
side. What makes you think I deserve that?" He gestured forlornly
at the familiar wooden paddle that now lay on the scratched and
dented motel room table.

Skinner was busy removing his own coat and rolling up the sleeves
on his crisp white dress shirt. Mulder looked over at his
partner, she could be his only hope. Walter always listened to
her.

"Scully, Please." Mulder whined.

"Sir, perhaps it would be better if you waited until you had
calmed down some." Scully sounded very concerned.

Skinner looked over at the beautiful redhead and his eyes
softened. Why couldn't Mulder be more like his partner? She
seldom, if ever, gave him any grief. Her only fault lie in her
love and loyalty for her partner, who usually drug her into
trouble with him.

"You know I never give him more than he deserves, Scully. I'm
crazy about the hard-headed little shit."

Mulder started to remind them that the subject of their
discussion was still in the room but then decided it might be
preferable if they, especially Walter, forgot he *was* in the
room.

Walter had brought a chair away from the desk and set it in the
center of the room. He picked up the paddle, took a seat and
motioned Mulder to come over to him. Mulder shook his head
slowly, his eyes wide.

"Now." Skinner's voice boomed through the quiet room. Mulder
jumped and quickly came to his side.

Skinner grabbed his arm and gave him a shake. "When I tell you to
move, you move. Understand?"

Mulder swallowed hard then nodded his head. Skinner pulled him
face-down across his lap.

"Pull those boxers down, Mulder."

Mulder reached behind him and put his fingers in the waist band
of his underwear. *God, this was so humiliating.* He awkwardly
lowered them to just below his buttocks. When he let go, his boss
grabbed the soft material and pulled it the rest of the way to
his knees.

"I let you get away with a lot Mulder, but antagonizing a good
man like Roy Adams is just too much. You need people like him on
your side. You can't do this alone and I refuse to let you think
you can."

He brought the paddle down hard on the waiting backside across
his lap. It sounded like a pistol shot in the room.

Mulder flinched but so did Scully. Skinner rolled his eyes, this
was going to be another of those occasions where he blistered
Mulder's butt, for his own good mind you, and Scully spent the
rest of the evening soothing her partner's hurt feelings.
Sometimes Skinner didn't know why he bothered.

He looked down at the dark head of the man over his lap. Yes he
did know. Mulder was a danger to himself. He gathered no support
from other officers. He thought he could survive with just Scully
and Skinner to care for him. Wrong. Out in the field, the
loyalties of the people around you could mean the difference
between life and death.

He brought the paddle down again, harder this time. Letting his
anger at this beautiful young man dictate the strength of the
stroke. Mulder yelped. Good, a cry on the second stroke. Usually
didn't get any reaction from Mulder until blisters were forming
on his backside.

He brought the paddle down again, this time Mulder had gotten
control of himself and didn't make a sound. He did however,
involuntarily shift his butt trying to avoid the next punishing
stroke. None the less, the next stroke unerringly found its mark.
Mulder gasped.

Again and again the paddle landed on Mulder's backside. The area
was now glowing a brilliant red, Mulder was trembling
uncontrollably and Walter could hear him quietly sobbing into the
cheat carpet. He brought the wood down again, harder than the
last stroke. This time Mulder cried out loudly.

When he looked up, Scully also had tears in her big blue eyes.
Damn. These two were going to make him as crazy as they were.

He threw the paddle down and lightly rubbed the scalded skin
before him. "Elves, Mulder?"

"Ye . . . yes, sir."

"You are going to apologize to Sheriff Adams tomorrow morning. Do
you understand?"

The dark head nodded frantically.

"And then, if there really are . . . elves .. . you will find
substantial proof and present it to him in a professional manner.
Is that understood?"

Again the head nodding, "Yes, sir."

"And . . . I am going to tell Roy that if you give him any more
trouble, he is to give you a good old-fashioned trip to the
woodshed. They still have those down here, you know."

He heard both Mulder and Scully gasp. He looked up and met
Scully's concerned eyes.

"Sir, you can't do that. Mulder is just too good looking, if your
friend has any inclination in that direction he will take you up
on your offer just to get his hands on him. Even if he doesn't
take it any further than a spanking Sir, he doesn't love him like
we do. He could really hurt him."

"Maybe that's what he needs Scully, it just might get through to
him. Sometimes I don't feel like I make much of a difference with
him. And I trust Roy Adams, he knows how I feel about you two. He
would never go too far with someone I love."

Scully still looked concerned as Walter helped Mulder up off his
lap and to the bed. He finished undressing Mulder, pushed him
into bed, then he himself undressed. He got into bed and wrapped
himself around Mulder who had wrapped himself around Scully.
Walter extended his arm over Mulder to unbrace Dana as well. This
felt so good, maybe he should go out in the field more often. He
felt Mulder's hot backside pushing up against his crotch. Hot
arousal shot through him.

He heard Scully whispering soothingly to Mulder, punctuated with
the frequent sounds of soft kisses to his tearstained face.
Mulder had stopped trembling and seemed to be listening intently
to Scully.

He would give them a few more minutes then make his own moves to
console his two favorite agents. His anger appeased, this could
turn into a great night.

******

Mulder had tried. He really had. But the sarcasm was just too
much a part of his personality. And Sheriff Adams was not one to
take it lightly. They had clashed and clashed badly.

At last the case was solved. The two children had returned, or
been returned. No one knew for sure. They said the fairies had
taken them. Fairies or elves, there was no concrete evidence for
either. Nor was there evidence for any other more mundane
explanation either.

And to make matters worse, Mulder had pulled another disappearing
act. Taken off on his own again, chasing some clue known only to
himself. He didn't want to take the chance that the elves might
get their magical little hands on his partner, so he had gone
alone. He should have been more concerned about Skinner and Adams
getting their very real hands on *him*.

She could hear Skinner yelling over the phone from across the
room. She had asked Adams not to call Walter until they knew if
Mulder was really in trouble. He had called anyway and Mulder's
fate had been sealed.

Now Scully stood outside an old fishing shack in the middle of
backwoods Arkansas. She could hear the Sheriff's leather strap
working on her partner and she was worried. Very worried.

Mulder was yelling. Had been yelling consistently since about
five minutes after the Sheriff had wrestled him into that shack.
This was not like Mulder. On the occasions when he was physically
punished he usually took is as quietly as possible, not wanting
to add to his own embarrassment. At least in this remote area the
only other one to hear his cries was Scully.

She could also hear the contact of each hard stroke echo off the
nearby trees like gunfire. Adams was being very severe with that
strap.

How could Walter have condoned this? He had practically given
permission for Adams to do this. Practically guaranteed that this
would happen. And if she knew Walter, he was probably still
fuming. Mulder would be lucky not to get a repeat performance
from their boss when they finally got home.

Right now she wished she had never told AD Skinner about that
first spanking she gave her partner. Maybe none of this would be
happening or . . . she thought, or just maybe Mulder would be
dead by now. The punishments had certainly slowed down his
impulsive streak. Knowing that either she or Skinner or more
likely both of them would be on his ass, literally, had made him
think twice before taking unnecessary chances. At least most of
the time.

But now, this stranger was strapping him, and from all
appearances, the worst he had ever gotten. The sounds of the
whipping and Mulder's strangled cries tore through her. She
thought of bursting in there with her gun drawn. This had gone on
too long. How many times did he plan to hit him anyway? How much
could Mulder take?

Suddenly the sounds of leather striking flesh stopped. She could
hear the sheriff's gravelly voice punctuated by Mulder's frantic
answers. Mulder seemed to be willing to make any promise the
Sheriff asked.

Scully quickly ran back to the car. She had been unceremoniously
ordered to stay there and didn't want this man to know she had
not done as told. Neither Skinner, or of course Mulder, had ever
touched her in anger but she didn't trust Roy Adams to not
chastise her if he felt it was warranted. If he even tried,
Mulder would probably shoot him. And that would probably tick off
Skinner again. Best to save her partner the trouble and just get
in the damned car.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the car doors opening. Roy Adams
gracefully slipped his massive form into the driver's seat beside
her.

She looked behind her a her partner as he carefully positioned
himself in the back. He was obviously having trouble sitting now.
He looked completely disheveled and his eyes were red and teary.
He also refused to meet her eyes.

"Mulder," Scully said very gently," are you all right?"

Before Mulder could open his mouth, the sheriff answered.

"Okay Missy, we'll have none of that. Walter told me how you baby
him after he's been disciplined. You are spoiling him into an
early grave." He glared at Scully who averted her eyes. **Missy,
Indeed** Scully fumed.

"He'll be fine. I didn't break the skin, just heated him up real
good. Both you and Walter love him, that's obvious. And just
looking' at him, it's obvious why you do. Damn pretty boy. Smart,
too. But he needs discipline and needs it badly. He was missing
more than twenty-four hours on this case and no one, including
you, knew where he was. Doesn't that worry you?"

Mulder spoke up from the backseat, "I told you, I was just trying
to protect her from .. "

"Quiet, Boy. It's not too late to turn this car around and give
you another dose of my strap. This conversation is with your
partner." Mulder shut up.

"Well, Missy, does it worry you. It isn't the first time is it?"

Scully sighed. "No, he does this more often than I like to think
about."

"Well, unless you and Walter put a stop to it you are going to
have a very pretty corpse on your hands instead of a partner. I
saw it happen a lot in Nam. Young men, smart, good-looking, a
bright future ahead of them, cut down before their time, all for
lack of discipline. I took many of them out behind the barracks
for a little taste of leather, including your boss."

Scully's mouth hung open in shock. Out of the corner of her eye
she saw the same expression on Mulder's flushed face.

"You . . . you punished . . . "

"Yep, with that same leather strap your partner is now so well
acquainted with."

Adams chuckled. "That's why he knew I could give this boy
something he couldn't. A hard lesson. Sometimes that's the only
thing that will help a hard-headed kid find his way home."

Scully was shaking her head in disbelief.

"Trust me Missy, you want to keep that boy, you let Walter be as
hard on him as possible. It won't be as hard as I was today, he
loves him too much. Same thing happened to me, got to lovin'
Walter too much. But I got him out of NAM alive and Walter will
get this kid through too. You can trust him."

Scully smiled. "Yes, yes I can. And Sheriff Adams, thank you."

"Oh, no thanks necessary. It was my pleasure, Missy, that boy
does have one fine ass on him. Just like Walter said."

Scully couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her while she
watched Mulder blush furiously in the back seat.

"Yes, he certainly does."

End Eight

Painful X-Perience IX Mama's Boy by DiAnn

"Mom, we're here." Dana Scully called as she opened the door to
her mother's home. She and Mulder had been invited for a quiet
Sunday dinner. And they were both looking forward to it
immensley, it had been a rough few weeks for the X-Files team.

Her mother came from the kitchen, smiling at her two welcome
guests. She pulled Dana into her arms and kissed her soundly on
the cheek, "Oh Sweetheart, I'm so glad you could be here today."

She then reached for Dana's Partner, Fox Mulder. He also received
the required motherly hug and kiss on his cheek. This time he
didn't tense up at her touch. **Good, he's finally accepting my
affection.** "Fox Dear, it makes me so happy when you can
accompany Dana. I miss you when you stay away so long."

"Sorry Mrs. Scully, we have had some tough cases lately. There
was just no time for Scully and me to get away at the same time.
But I'm really glad to be here now. What smells so good?"

Maggie Scully smiled even more brightly, "It's your favorite, Fox
. . . "

"And how would you know what *his* favorite might be, Mom?"

Everyone's head turned to see Bill Scully, Jr. standing in the
doorway. Navy commander, oldest son and self appointed Head of
the Family'.

Dana was the first to react, "Billy, I didn't know you were
here." She started toward her brother to give him a sisterly hug.

"That's obvious, or you wouldn't have brought *that* man to your
Mother's house, I would not have allowed it."

Dana stopped short and flushed scarlet with anger.

Mulder just looked uncomfortable.

Maggie bristled with her own anger, "William Scully, Jr. that
will be quite enough. The last time I checked this was still my
home, you I believe, live in California at present."

Maggie turned her glare from her son and rested her eyes on Fox,
whom she thought of as one of her own. This fine man who
protected her daughter with his own life. The man whom she was
quite certain was in love with and loved by that same precious
daughter. Neither had ever said as much, but a mother just knew
things' about her children.

"As I said Fox, I am very pleased to have you here with us
today."

"Well, that makes one of us." Bill growled softly. Maggie Scully
had moved out of the room but Mulder and Scully heard every word.

"Maybe I should just leave, Scully. I could hang out for a while
and then come back to pick you up in a few hours."

"Mulder, no. I want you here. My mother wants you here. Bill is
totally out of line and I won't allow him to dictate my life. If
I don't appreciate your overprotecting me, I certainly would not
tolerate it from an older brother. A misinformed older brother,
at that."

"But Scully, your Mom has been so good to me, I can't take a
change on ruining her dinner gathering. I thought it would be
just the three of us. You should be able to visit with your
family without the hostility my presence is causing."

"Fox Mulder, you will not leave this house and hang out' alone
somewhere. *You* are my family, Mulder. You know I love you, how
could you even think I would choose Bill over you?"

"It's not a matter of choice, Scully, it's a matter of keeping
peace in the family and making your mother happy."

"Trust me, my mother will be most unhappy if you leave. And don't
even think about sneaking out of here, Mulder. My mom has a
hairbrush just like mine right upstairs and I will use it if I
have to."

"Scully!" Mulder blushed furiously. No one was around to hear
her, at least he didn't think so. Why did she always bring up her
unusual practice of spanking him? Then he saw the mischief
twinkling in her eyes.

"Very funny, Scully. What are you going to do when I refuse to
let you threaten me with that anymore?"

"I will give you a good blistering so you know it isn't just a
threat. But this time I am teasing. Please don't leave, Mulder. I
really want you to be here with me."

Oh no, it was the Scully you know you can't refuse me look' and
of course, he could never refuse her. She knew it. He knew it. He
sighed heavily. ** Just give it up, Mulder. It's a lost cause.**

"All right, Scully my love, but I warn you I have a really bad
feeling about this."

"Dana . . . Fox, come into the dining room now, everything is
ready."

Mulder sighed and looked like he was headed for his own
execution. Dinner with William Scully, Jr., what a joy. What a
way to spend a Sunday away from work, the first in a very long
time.

**** 

Dinner rapidly turned into a disaster. Mulder had not said two
words but Scully could tell his temper was at its limit. Bill had
been harassing him at every turn and had completely ignored
Maggie's pleas for him to cease his attack on Fox.

Dana had tried to change the subject to Bill's children. Her
brother had taken the opportunity to point out that had it not
been for Mulder, Dana would have contributed some grandchildren
of her own by now.

Maggie had tried to draw Fox out with a discussion of an article
she had recently read on suspected UFO activity in the arctic.
Mulder had remained sullen and quiet.

Dana expressed concern about Bill's next naval assignment. His
ship was being dispatched to the Middle East. Bill explained that
he was a hell of a lot safer in the service of his county than
Dana was in the service of her's, thanks to her partner.

Maggie inquired after her daughter-in-law. Bill was more than
happy to tell everyone that at least his wife was loved and
protected. That no one loved Dana and no one would ever get a
chance to do so because Mulder was in the way.

Mulder's face flamed with anger and he jumped to his feet, "I
love Dana more than life itself. I would die for her. She is the
most wonderful, most . . . " He stopped when he realized what he
had just confessed to Scully's family. **Oops!**

He was positive that if Scully had wanted her brother to know
about their relationship, she would have told him. He had known
this would happen. His big mouth and hot temper had gotten him
into trouble again. Now everything was ruined. Scully would
probably leave him. A decision that would, no doubt, be highly
recommended by her family.

But Scully wouldn't be alone. She would still have Walter,
without Mulder. He would be the one left all alone. He had always
known it would end that way, with him on the outside looking in.
Now it would be a reality.

And Mrs. Scully, he respected her so much. She was such a kind
and wonderful Mother to her children. He couldn't even imagine
what it would have been like to grow up with someone who actually
cared about him. His own mother had been so distant he had for
all intents and purposes raised himself. No nurturing, no
direction and definitely no expressions of love.

Mulder took a deep breath, looked around the table. He saw the
knowing smile on Mrs. Scully's face, the shocked anger on Bill's
and the blush on Dana's. He headed for the door. He needed some
air, needed it badly. He had to get out of there now.

Margaret Scully's voice stopped him. "Fox, stay here please, we
need to discuss this like a family."

Mulder kept going. He knew about family discussions, a chance to
inflict real pain with their version of the truth'. All the
reasons why he was not wanted in the Scully family. All the
reasons why he was so wrong for Scully.

He made it as far as the front porch when a large hand descended
on his shoulder and he was roughly spun around to face Bill
Scully. "You don't need to come back, I'll make sure my sister
gets home safely . .. for a change."

Mulder could hear his own blood pound in his ears through the red
haze of rage. He turned quickly and his fist connected firmly
with Bill Scully's jaw. Bill landed hard on the porch, a look of
total surprise on his face.

"You are going to regret that Mr. FBI. I'm as well trained as you
are and I am going to kick your ass."

In a flash, he was up and had tackled Mulder like an NFL Pro.
Mulder went flying off the porch, his back and head making solid
contact with the hard ground. The breath was knocked from him. As
he gasped for much needed air, Bill Scully took the opportunity
to pommel him.

He heard the shouts from Scully and her mother but he was too
busy trying to defend himself from the blows of the big man on
top of him to obey their commands to stop the fight.

Suddenly Mulder gasped as freezing cold water splashed into his
face. Someone had thrown ice water on them. The much larger Bill
Scully pulled away from Mulder, sputtering and cursing. His
larger body had shielded Mulder from most of the onslaught of
water. However, Bill Scully was sopping wet and hopping mad.

"Mom, why the hell did you do that?"

"It either was that or let your sister shoot you."

Both men looked up to see an obviously angry Dana Scully with her
hand on her weapon.

**Shit!* Bill quickly pulled further away from Mulder as he saw
the anger reflected in Dana's eyes. As for Mulder, he decided not
to move a muscle. He knew the *Dana Scully Temper* first hand and
didn't want to call any attention to himself. Let someone else
take the heat for a change.

And the look on Margaret Scully's face wasn't much better. He
hadn't had much of a mother during his childhood but even he
recognized that look.

Maggie Scully glared at her oldest son. "Bill, you know what
happens when you fight in this house. It's time to cut your own
switch. The willow tree is out back where it has always been."

Bill looked at his mother with shock. "Mom, you can't be serious.
I'm more than forty years old. You can't . . . "

"Not another word, Bill. I am still your Mother and my rules
still stand in this house. And take Fox with you. Show him what
to do. In fact you cut his and let him cut yours."

She noted Fox's eyes were huge in his pale face. He didn't know
exactly what this was about but she knew any male would recognize
her tone of voice. They were in trouble, big trouble. They were
both looking at her like little boys, very naughty little boys.
It was good to know she still had the *mothers' voice*. So useful
when dealing with men.

She really didn't plan to punish Fox very much. It hadn't really
been his fault, he had just been pushed too far. But he was, in
her opinion, one of hers and he needed to learn to talk problems
out instead of throwing the first punch.

Bill on the other hand needed to be taken down a notch and she
was still quite capable of doing just that. ** Forty years old,
my eye, he has just acted like he is about ten. I intend to show
him I still know exactly how to deal with bad little boys.**

Dana helped Mulder to his feet, all the while checking him for
damage. She noted the bloody lip and badly bruised jaw. **Wonder
how hard he hit his head?** She sighed. He was looking at her
with apprehension. "What's going on, Scully?"

She was busy wiping the blood from his lip and the water from his
face. "It's all right, Mulder. You go with Bill like Mom asked.
Don't worry. I won't let anything bad happen to you." He blinked
at her. She sighed again. He was completely clueless - cute but
clueless.

Bill Scully tried one last time, " Mom, I refuse . . . "

"Refuse what, Bill. Refuse to be part of this family. You
attacked and hurt someone I love like a son. He has done a great
deal for me, more than you obviously realize. And he is also the
man your sister loves. You just picked a fight with *your
brother*, Bill and you know what that means. Now go."

Mulder stole one more glance at Scully, who nodded at him to
follow Bill. He sighed and did as she indicated, he forlornly
trailed after Bill Scully.

Maggie's voice stopped their progress. "Bill, be nice to Fox out
there or I will let him watch."

Mulder looked at Scully with confusion, "Watch what, Scully?"

**Clueless.**

"Never mind, Mulder, just go with Bill."

Dana looked at her Mom with real concern, "Mom, I have to admit I
am not adverse to seeing Bill receive a little punishment but you
aren't going to hurt Mulder are you? He doesn't understand what
this is all about. I really doubt the cut you own switch' term
was used on Martha's Vineyard." She grimaced. "I think his father
preferred expensive leather belts."

"Dana, I love Fox like one of my own sons. If it hadn't been for
him, I would not have survived the time you were missing. He was
my strength at a time he really had very little left to give. But
what he had he gave to me. He tried to hide his own pain and
worry so I would feel more optimistic about your return. He is a
wonderful man. He is worthy of your love, Dana?"

Dana blinked back tears, "I know, Mom. And Yes, I do love him
with all my heart."

"Good. Well, to answer your questions, I plan to throughly tan
Bill's hide. The very idea of coming into my home like some kind
of lord and master, ordering me and everyone else about like
that. I'll teach that young man who still rules this here. As for
Fox, I'm going to give him a kiss or two of the switch just to
show him he's part of the family. Just enough that he will need a
little sweet consultation later. There is nothing like a man with
a hot bottom in bed."

"Mom! I definitely *DO NOT* want to know how you know that."

*** 

The picking of the switches had been an ordeal for Mulder. Bill
had refused to explain anything to him. At one point he was sure
Scully's brother intended to hit him again but then thought
better of it.

Bill walked straight to a particular tree in the back yard and
cut off two limbs. He thrust one into Mulder's hands and kept the
other for himself.

"Come on, Asshole."

Jeez, what a great family gathering. Maybe he had been better off
as the amazing "invisible child" back in Chilmark.

When they came back into the house, Maggie and Dana were waiting
for them.

"Into the den, Bill. And Bill, before you go, trade switches with
Fox."

"Mom . . . "

"Do it . . . now!"

Bill's face resembled a thunder cloud as he yanked the limb from
Mulder's fingers and glared at everyone else in the room, he
thrust his own switch into Mulder's hands as his sister
snickered. He moved into the den to await his mother who followed
him and closed the door behind her.

"Scully, please tell me what is going on."

Scully signed, "Mulder, in our family physically fighting with
other family members was strictly forbidden. It always resulted
in a switch applied to a bare backside. The lesson being that
violence begets violence, pain begets pain. Bill evidently
thought he was past that. He forgot that Mom is one strong lady."

Mulder blinked, then blinked again, realization of his
predicament dawning slowly, "Scully do you mean that I . . . that
your Mom . . . that she is . . . no!"

"Afraid so, Mulder. Don't worry. She isn't really angry with you.
It is just that when my siblings got into a fight this was the
outcome and Mom saw you punch Bill first."

Mulder was literally shaking from head to foot now. "Scully, but
he . . .I can't . . . I can't let . . . please, Scully you have
to stop this. If someone has to hit . . . hit me with that stick,
can't it be you, please."

He looked so cute and scared, she put her hand behind his dark
head and pulled his face into her shoulder, hugging him tightly.

Raised voices could be heard from the den. There was obviously a
very intense discussion going on behind that closed door.

Scully softly kissed Mulder's smooth cheek. "Sorry, Mulder.
Welcome to the Scully family." She smiled up at him. "It's your
own fault, you know. That famous Mulder charm has completely
bewitched my Mother. You are now a Mulder-Scully in her eyes, for
better or worse.

"Well this is definitely worse, Scully."

Just then the whistle and smack of a switch on bare skin emulated
from behind the den door. Then the sound came again. And again.
And again. A steady cadence of whistling blows. Quickly, sharp
pleading cries from Bill were added to the sound mix.

Mulder flinched and shook harder with each stroke. Scully hugged
him tighter, at this rate he would have suffered more than Bill
before he ever got in there.

Scully stroked Mulder's soft silky hair. God, she loved his hair,
"Mulder, calm down. Bill deserves every bit of this. Has he been
this hostile to you on other occasions?"

"Yeah, well he was upset at the hospital after you put the chip
back in your neck." Mulder looked at her with intense hazel eyes,
"But can you really blame him Scully, after all, it was all my
fault that you got that cancer to begin with."

"Mulder, do you want to taste my hairbrush on that cute little
backside of yours before you go visit Mom in the den. I have told
you over and over again, it was not your fault. I choose to stay
with you, always."

"Scully, will you please stop threatening me with that hairbrush.
It is embarrassing."

"No, I won't, not as long as it works. And the way you are
trembling now, I would say physical discipline is a fine
deterrent for you, Fox Mulder."

Mulder just signed and shook harder. Bill was taking quite a
through warming in the other room. Amazing that a grown man could
cry that hard. And well deserved as far as Scully was concerned.
She was still upset about the cut on Mulder's beautiful bottom
lip.

Finally the sound of the switching stopped and Scully and Mulder
both eyed the door, waiting for the occupants to emerge. Scully
with curiosity about Bill's well-earned condition and Mulder with
trepidation.

There was more soft conversation going on behind the door.
Finally it opened and Bill came out and keeping his face straight
ahead gingerly walked into the other room. He moved as quickly as
he could under the circumstances but not nearly fast enough for
either Mulder or Scully to miss his flushed face and fresh tears.

Maggie called from the other room, "Fox, come here, Dear."

Mulder stood frozen to the floor. Finally Scully had to take his
arm and lead him firmly to the door.

"Do you need me to stay, Mom?" Scully was worried about her
partner. He looked about ready to pass out. She trusted her mom
to go easy on him but still she was concerned for him.

"No Dana, Fox will be fine. I just want to have a little talk
with him. I promise. I'll return him shortly and practically
undamaged."

Mulder was close to panic. **Practically undamaged, Shit!** This
absolutely could not be happening to him. His life in the last
year had taken an unbelievable turn. Skinner, Scully, practically
everyone he knew lately wanted a piece of his ass, literally. It
seemed that suddenly everyone want to put him over their knee.

Maggie looked at the very beautiful and very frightened man in
front of her. Her daughter was a lucky woman. Usually men who
were this good looking had been badly spoiled and were nearly
impossible live with. But Mulder had never been spoiled. Just the
opposite really, he had never even been loved.

"Fox, give me your switch." Mulder looked down at his hand, he
had forgotten he was even holding the stick from the backyard. He
handed it to Maggie and gulped.

"Bill tried to trick you, you know. He chose a small one for
himself and a much larger, heavier one for you. Unfortunately, he
had to trade." Maggie chuckled. "The larger one did a fine and
much deserved job on him. This one won't hurt much at all."

Mulder eyed it with skepticism. When his large, long lashed eyes
raised to meet with Maggie's she couldn't help but smile at him.

"I am only going to punish you a little, Fox. Most of the blame
for this rightfully fell on Bill, Jr. But you are very special to
me and to my family and I want you to feel like you are a part of
us. In this family there is no physical violence allowed between
family members. Do you understand?"

"Ye . . . yes."

"Did you throw the first punch?"

Mulder gulped again. "Yes."

"All right, I want you to lower your jeans and bend over the back
of this large chair."

"Please, Mrs. Scully . . . don't do this to me."

Maggie stared at the handsome young man.**So that was the hurt
puppy' look Dana was always complaining about.** She could see
how it would be very effective on her daughter but, unfortunately
for Fox, it wouldn't work on her. Not on a woman who had raised
two sons and two daughters practically alone while her husband
sailed the seas.

Maggie looked into his eyes and said very softly, "Do as I asked,
Fox."

He could not refuse her. His hands moved to his belt almost
against his will. She had given him the gift of her love. And she
had given him an even greater gift - Scully. If she wanted this,
then he would do it. But he didn't know if he would survive the
humiliation.

He lowered his jeans and bent over the chair as instructed. He
felt about twelve again as she pushed his shirt farther up onto
his back.

"Now Fox, lower your boxers to just below your backside. We won't
expose any more than necessary for the switch to bite a little
bare skin."

He was shaking hard again as he complied with her wishes. He
lowered his boxers only to where his buttocks met his thighs in
back but still he felt totally exposed before this much admired
woman. He shut his eyes tightly, his face flaming.

"Do you know I love you, Fox?"

He hesitated only a moment. "Yes."

The switch descended on his backside. At first he heard only a
sharp whistle then his butt exploded with fire. He gasped and
flinched.

"Do you want to be a part of my family, Fox?"

"Ye . . . yes."

Again the fire burned across him. He felt tears sting the back of
his eyes. He had disappointed Mrs. Scully. That hurt worse than
the whipping, well almost.

"Will you ever again intentionally hit another member of your
family?"

"No . . . no never."

Blazing fire spread once more across his skin. Now his backside
was throbbing. That switch hurt worse than his father's damned
strap. "Ouch-h-h-h."

"You will apologize to Bill, Fox."

"Yes . . . yes I will. I will."

Again. . . The Fire!

"Oh-h-h-h . . . Oh . . . it . . . it hurts."

"Yes dear, I know. Only two more, Fox."

He tried to prepare himself, but the burn of the next stroke was
overwhelming. He felt the tears escape his eyes and begin to run
down his cheeks.

Before he could gasp in another breath, another hot stripe burned
into his aching flesh.

"Ah-h-h-h-h" He cried out loudly. **Damn. Did you enjoy that one,
Bill?** He had wanted to remain silent, both to annoy Bill and to
spare Scully. She always got upset when he was punished, even
when she thought he deserved it. Even when it was her idea.

The last stroke had been the worst. Spreading like an inferno
across his unprotected skin. He jerked and cried out with his
pain.

"It's over, Dear. You can get up now."

He tried to rise gracefully but his knees felt like jelly and his
backside burned and throbbed unbearably. He had only received six
strokes. Bill had received four or five times that and with a
much heavier stick and he suspected a much heavier hand. How had
Bill walked out of here? He found he now had a new respect for
the other man.

He felt a gentle hand on his arm, helping him to his feet and
assisting with the rearranging of his clothing. His daze was
beginning to recede slowly but he still felt as if he were in a
fog.

"Are you all right, Sweetheart?" Maggie ruffled his thick dark
hair. Such a soothing, sweet voice. It almost made him want to
cry again.

"Ye . . . yes, Mrs. Sc . . . "

"I think you should call me Mom now, don't you?"

"Yes, Mo . . . mom." Maggie patted his arm. "I'll send Dana in
here. I know she is about to break down that door. She loves you
so much, Fox. Please take care of the both of you. Will you do
that for me?"

"Yes, Mom. I'll protect her."

"And . . . "

"And myself. I promise. And I swear, Bill is now my new best
friend."

Maggie chuckled. "Thank you, Dear, I knew you were an intelligent
man from the day I met you."

The minute the door opened, Scully was by his side. Gently taking
his arm and guiding him to the couch. He carefully lowered
himself and winced. She took a seat as close to him as she could
get without being in his lap.

"Are you all right?" She was gently wiping the tears from his
face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She rolled her eyes and he smiled. "Really
Scully, I'm okay."

"I'm sorry this happened Mulder. If I get my hands on Bill away
from Mom, I will . . . "

"No Scully. It's okay, really. Aside from you and Walter, no one
has ever cared enough about me to take an interest in my
behavior." She looked at him in puzzlement, she knew enough about
his so called childhood to know that wasn't entirely true.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Dad beat me often and hard but that had
more to do with the amount of alcohol he had consumed than
anything I had done or not done."

Scully kissed his cheek, his chin, his nose. She ran her fingers
through his hair, then kissed his ear.

"Scully."

More soft kisses. "Hum-m-m?"

"Could we not tell Skinner about this?"

His only answer was Scully's smile and another soft kiss to his
bruised lip. **He was just so cute.**

**And naive.** Not tell Skinner. No way. She couldn't wait to get
home and tell Walter, he was going to just love this story. It
was even better than buck toothed vampires and long tailed monkey
babies.

She could almost hear Walter Skinner laughing now.

End Nine

Painful X-Perience X He Ditches Me Not by DiAnn

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Assistant Director Skinner slammed his fist
down hard on his desk. He immediately sucked in his breath and
waved his injured hand in the air.

**Damn it all!** Mulder had done it again, gone tearing off
chasing some . . . some damned alien or something!

When he got his hands on him this time, he was going to murder
the man. Slowly. Painfully. With absolutely no mercy. And to
punish Scully, he was going to force her to watch while he
tortured Mulder. **Hell of a plan.**

After all, Scully had known that her partner had asked Skinner's
permission to investigate some farfetched tabloid trash story in
Alabama or Mississippi or some damn place. **God, he couldn't
even remember what Mulder had said now.** She should never have
let Mulder out of her sight.

The minute Scully had left to visit her brother in California,
Mulder was gone. Vanished. Skinner had awoken early that morning
and reached for him, anticipating a whole weekend of Fox Mulder
all to himself. But instead of a warm and willing body, he had
found. . . nothing. The pillow was cold. Mulder was gone.

Walter should have known. When he turned down that damned 302,
Mulder had not really argued all that much. For one wild, crazy,
fantasizing moment, the AD had believed that Mulder might
actually listen to him when he said no'. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"
Walter couldn't remember when he had been this angry, but he was
very sure the last time had also involved Mulder.

Skinner actually flinched when Kimberly's voice sounded over his
intercom, so engrossed was he in his plan for the demise of his
aggravating agent.

"I have an Officer Frank Thompson, with the Mississippi State
Police for you, sir. He says it pertains to Agent Mulder."

Skinner snatched up the phone, "Assistant Director Skinner."

He was answered with a distinct southern drawl, "We've found an
abandoned car near Hernando. It was leased to a Special Agent Fox
Mulder."

"Yes, that is one of my men." **The most important one,
officer.** Skinner felt nauseous.

"Was Agent Mulder located with his car?" Walter was amazed that
his voice could sound this calm and steady. He was near panic.

"No sir, but we did find a small amount of blood on the seat.
We're having it analyzed, to determine if it's Agent Mulder's
blood."

**Of course it's his blood. It's always his blood.**

"I appreciate that, Officer Thompson. Please, give my assistant
all information relevant to the location of the vehicle. Someone
from the Bureau will be there shortly to head up the
investigation into the whereabouts of my agent. Thank you."

Walter Skinner sat down and put his head in his hands. Mulder was
in trouble. Skinner had to find him and find him fast; Fox' life
might depend on it. However, he did not want to involve the
Bureau personnel. One more Spooky Mulder disappears to find
little gray men' episode, and his career could be ruined.

Whom could Walter trust? Scully was thousands of miles away.
Besides, he didn't want to involve her yet. He didn't really know
the people in the Biloxi Field office that well. Whom could he
call? Whom could he trust to help him find Mulder quickly and in
one piece, so Walter could kill him himself?

Then it hit him. Hernando, Mississippi was close to a small town
in Arkansas. A small town with a big sheriff; Roy Adams. Ex-
Marine, good friend and someone Skinner trusted with his life,
and more importantly, with Mulder's.

Skinner picked up the phone and dialed.

"Sheriff Adams."

"Roy, it's Walter."

"Walter, how are you? I didn't expect to hear from you so soon.
Decide to take me up on that hunting trip we talked about?"

"Yeah, Roy, I need you to help me do some hunting, all right. Fox
hunting. Mulder is missing. His car was found near Hernando,
Mississippi with blood on the seat. I don't know who else to turn
to, Roy. He could be in danger. I need to find him fast, but I
want to do it quietly, if possible."

"Walt, when are you going to get control of that boy?"

"As soon as I find him, Roy, I promise. Just as soon as I find
him."

***

Mulder was dizzy. And lost. **Don't forget lost.** Scully was
definitely going to kill him this time. No, probably not, Walter
would do it first.

This was his own damn fault. He had gotten a great lead on a
crashed UFO in this forest, but now his first trip into the woods
had resulted in a nasty fall and a bump on the head. He had made
his way back to the car, rested a little, and decided his head
was fine. Then he'd started out again in another direction. Only
now he wasn't sure what direction that had been. And it seemed
that little bump on his head had started to bleed again. It had
also turned into a splitting headache.

He just needed to rest a little, lie down for a nap. He heard
Scully's voice in his mind, "No, Mulder, you probably have a
concussion. You have to stay awake."

"Come on, Scully," he whined. But she was right; he had to keep
moving. He was sure to find the car eventually, right? Or at
least the UFO.

***

Assistant Director Skinner and Sheriff Roy Adams arrived at the
sight where Mulder's car had been found. They had assured Officer
Thompson that they were just here for a preliminary look, and
that the rest of the Federal Investigative team was right behind
them.

Walter figured he had about six, maybe eight hours to find Mulder
before the Mississippi State Police became suspicious. Then he
would have to discretely return to DC himself and call in a real
Federal search party.

***

Skinner was beginning to panic again. He and Roy had searched the
woods for the past four hours and found nothing.

Walter was truly impressed by Roy's tracking abilities. He seemed
so at home in the forest. He kept them searching in ever
expanding circles without losing his sense of where he was, or
more importantly, where the car was. Skinner had a good sense of
direction, but Roy was better, much better. Mulder, on the other
hand, could get lost going to the hotel lobby for those
disgusting sunflower seeds.

Walter tried not to think about the blood on Mulder's seat, or
the very real possibility that he was not in the woods at all,
but being held by some madman again. Mulder was like a madman
magnet. ** Lunatics were drawn to one of their own, evidently.**

"Does this belong to you?"

Skinner whirled around to see Roy holding a struggling Fox Mulder
by the collar of his leather jacket. He was pale, bleeding,
covered in dirt and leaves, and obviously angry at being
manhandled. Skinner didn't think he had ever seen such a
beautiful sight.

He grabbed Mulder from Roy and hugged him fiercely, "God, I was
sure you were dead this time. Are you all right? Does your head
hurt? Do you need to go to a hospital?"

Roy Adams abruptly jerked Mulder back from Skinner's arms.

Roy Adams was a big man. He had several inches and several pounds
on the muscular Walter Skinner, so it was no surprise that the
slender Mulder looked like a rag doll in his hands. And Adams was
eyeing his captive like a toy he wasn't sure if he wanted to
save, or just dump in the trash. As he shook him roughly, Mulder
tried to bring his hands up to grasp his aching head.

"Hell yes, he's all right. That scratch on his head is nothing
and he is not going to a hospital, he is coming with us. Aren't
you, Boy?"

"Ye . . . yes."

Another series of hard shakes, "Yes, what?"

Mulder moaned in pain, "Yes, Sir."

"Roy . . . " Skinner did not want this to get out of hand. If
Mulder needed medical attention and didn't get it, there would be
hell to pay from Dana Scully.

"Quiet, Walt. This boy isn't hurt that bad, and he isn't going to
get any more than he deserves this weekend. But I guarantee you,
he will not soon forget what he learns from his trip to see me
this time." Another shake for Mulder, "If you act like an
irresponsible kid, you get treated like one. Right, Boy?"

"Ye . . . yes, sir." Now Walter understood why Mulder had seemed
so scared when they'd found him. He wasn't upset over being lost;
he was frightened of Roy Adams. And obviously with good reason.
Roy was not a man to anger.

To Skinner's amazement, Roy propelled Mulder swiftly through the
forest and back to the car. Mulder's behavior was totally
passive. Walter would've thought that no one, including himself,
could push Mulder around like that without a fight. But Roy
could, and did. And Mulder didn't say a word. It was such a nice
change.

After Skinner had patched up his head wound, Mulder had remained
silent and withdrawn on the two-hour trip back to Roy's home in
Arkansas. By the time they arrived, it was after seven on Friday
evening, and they were all exhausted and hungry.

Skinner was impressed with the small but beautiful log home in
the rustic setting. It was blissfully peaceful, so quiet and
private. No neighbors for miles around, just lots of trees and
clear skies. Mulder seemed a little concerned by the isolation.

Skinner thought he probably should be concerned. Roy was not
happy with Mulder. Skinner wasn't particularly happy with him
either, but he was so damned glad to get him back. **And, face it
Walt, you're glad you don't have to tell that spitfire Scully
that her partner slipped his leash again.** Walter was so
relieved that he probably would have just forgotten the whole
thing. Roy was not inclined to be so lenient.

Upon entering the house, Mulder removed his leather jacket and
immediately took up residence in a far corner. Walter looked at
him, **Not far enough, Fox. Not nearly far enough.**

"Come here, Boy," Roy growled, as soon as he cleared the door.

Mulder slowly shook his head and backed further into the corner.
His eyes shifted to the scowling Skinner, decided there was no
help there, and looked quickly back to Adams.

As Roy started toward him, Mulder's eyes widened even further in
his face. Skinner hadn't thought that was possible. **He looks so
boyish right now.** Skinner glanced at Roy Adams. The sheriff did
not seem impressed by Mulder's perfected innocent' look.

In a flash, he had Fox by the front of his shirt, "When I tell
you to do something, Boy, you do it." *Shake* "You don't ask
why." *Shake* "You don't ask when." *Shake* "You just do it."
*Shake* "You got that?"

"Yes."

*Shake shake* "Have you forgotten already? Yes, what? You just
don't learn, do you, Boy?"

"No, sir. I me . . . mean yes, sir."

When Adams finally let go of him, Mulder inched his way toward
the door. Walter was too angry with him to protect him. It would
be best to get the hell out of here, and fast.

Adams angrily stomped to a closet and removed a leather bag. From
this he began to lay various items out on a nearby table.

Mulder recognized most of them: a paddle, a strap, what he
thought was a riding crop and then a few things he did not
recognize. A bunch of leather harness looking things and what
looked like some kind of clamps. **Oh, God.** Things he did not
want to identify. He really wanted to go home. Now.

Adams turned toward the pale young man. As he took his first step
in Mulder's direction, the agent turned on his heel and tried to
run right through his boss. The unfortunate obstacle that was
Skinner had no time to move out of the way.

Skinner reached out and grabbed Mulder around the waist to halt
him, but Mulder was determined in his escape. He tried to blindly
climb over Walter, and when that didn't work, he gave a mighty
shove and turned both himself and his boss completely around. Now
Mulder had his back to the wall, with Skinner between him and
Adams. His arms were wrapped tightly around his Skinner's waist,
his face was buried in his designated protector's chest.

Walter had just barely kept his balance during Mulder's leap into
his arms, and now the trembling agent was about to send them both
to the floor in one big heap.

To make matters even worse, Roy established a firm hold on
Skinner's belt and tried to pry him out of the way. Mulder would
have none of it, and held on with all of his strength. A strength
enhanced with pure adrenaline.

Pulled between the two, Walter fought frantically for balance.
Mulder was shaking so hard it was rocking Skinner, and Roy was
pulling so hard it took everything Walter had to just stay on his
feet.

"Roy . . . Roy wait! Stop. Stop a minute. Let me talk to him."

"Get him out of there, Walt. Now," Adams huffed through thin
lips, before backing off a little.

"Mulder!"

Just more shaking. "Mulder, talk to me."

"Did .. .did you see that . . . that stuff?" Mulder was using
that pouting voice again; the one that always got him exactly
what he wanted from Scully. Well, Walter was *not* Scully.

"Damn it, Mulder, listen to me! What the hell do you expect? You
nearly scared me to death. Waking up to find you gone took ten
years off my life. And if I'd had to call Scully to tell her I
couldn't find you, or worse, had found your lifeless body, she
would have killed *me.* And you know it. You purposely waited
until she was gone, you little shit."

"Mm Orayalter."

"What? Get your face out of my shirt. I can't understand a word
you're saying."

"I said, I'm sorry Walter."

"Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, I'm afraid. Now, let go
of me. You're breaking my back and making Roy even angrier in the
process. Take your medicine from us, and I won't have to tell
Scully about this fiasco."

**Not tell Scully?** Mulder definitely liked the sound of that
idea. Scully could be deadly when perturbed, and his little
adventure in the woods today would definitely perturb her.

Mulder moved from behind Skinner to face Adams' angry glare. They
had to be back in DC in less than thirty-six hours. How much
damage could the good sheriff do in such a short amount of time?

"Now, are you ready to come here, Boy?"

Mulder slowly walked over to the sheriff and stood in front of
him, a defiant look on his handsome face. Adams shook his head,
it would have to do for a start. This boy certainly had a lot to
learn about respect for authority.



"That's better, Son. Whatever I do to you, I do because I care
about Walter over there. Always have. If he wants to keep you,
which I have no doubt he does, then I plan to help him hold on to
you. In spite of your poor self-preservation skills, I might add.
I'm sure we can improve them immensely. Now, take off your
clothes. You won't be needing them for the rest of the weekend."

Mulder stood rooted to the floor, glaring at the sheriff.

"DO IT!"

**God, he hated that Marine Sergeant voice.** He couldn't help
but obey. Skinner used it on him all the time.

He slowly undressed. Skinner noticed the infamous Mulder Pout was
firmly in place. **Nobody should be that gorgeous.**

As soon as the last of the clothing had been removed, Adams
grabbed Mulder's upper arm in a vice-like grip and pulled him
unceremoniously over to a scarred and battered desk. Sitting down
in the chair, he pulled Mulder face down to land across his
knees.

Mulder struggled but Roy would have none of it. He pulled Fox'
right arm up behind his back and locked one leg across the back
of the young man's knees.

"You've acted like a damn fool kid. Now you'll find out how us
good ol' Southern boys treat Yankee brats."

Mulder couldn't believe it when Adams brought his palm down
sharply on his bare backside. He was getting spanked like a
child! And jeez, did it sting. This man's hand hurt as much as
Walter's paddle.

He couldn't get his breath. Roy was spanking him so hard and so
fast that there was not a moment's lapse between one slap and the
next. The pain just kept building. Before his brain could react
to one burning, stinging stroke, the next was falling.

He struggled and wiggled with all his might, but the big man had
him truly pinned. Frantic, he yelled his head off as tears ran
down his face. He'd be embarrassed about it later. At the moment,
all he could think about was the scalding heat in his backside.
So what if Walter was watching him be punished like some kid? So
what if he was completely humiliated by this position? So what if
he had several more hours to spend with Roy Adams? Nothing
mattered. Nothing except finding a way to stop the onslaught of
slinging slaps to his now blistered backside.

The slaps stopped as suddenly as they had begun. Mulder found
himself on his feet, although very shakily. If not for Adams'
support, he was sure he would be kissing the carpet right now.

"Did that hurt?" Another hard shake.

"Ye . . . yes. Sir."

"Good. Because you are going to get a dose of this medicine every
few hours." Mulder stared at him incredulously. "And," he
continued, "that is in addition to whatever else we decide you've
earned for this little stunt. Now go fix us some dinner, Boy."

Mulder's chin hit the floor, "Dinner?"

"Yeah, dinner. You know, the last meal of the day? Has to be
prepared, and served and then the mess cleaned up? Dinner."

"You want *me* to cook?" Even Skinner looked a little unsure of
that idea.

"Look, kid, this is the way it is. Until Sunday night, you do as
we say. Without question. You speak when we say you can speak,
you get your butt warmed when we feel like doing it, and you do
all the work around here. Is that so hard to understand?"

Mulder's head was spinning. Adams gave him another hard shake to
get his attention, "Dinner, Mulder?"

"Okay. I'll see what I can do . . . * Sir*." Skinner cringed.
There was no doubting the sarcasm in that last 'Sir'. He had
known Mulder wouldn't be able to remain passive for long.

Roy Adams smiled, but it wasn't a pleasant sight. He slapped
Mulder smartly on the backside, "Get in that kitchen . . .*
Fox*." With that, a miserable Fox Mulder went to prepare their
meal.

***

Walter and Roy regarded the bowls in front of them with horror.
Skinner was the first to recover enough to ask the obvious.

"Uhh . . . what exactly is this, Mulder?"

"New England Clam Chowder. It's my Mom's recipe." Said with a
wide grin and sparkling eyes.

Walter looked at Mulder closely. Was this a joke? No, Fox seemed
genuinely proud of this dubious accomplishment.

"But we didn't have any clams." Skinner eyed his bowl
suspiciously.

Mulder shrugged, "I used canned tuna. I used to make it all the
time when I was a kid."

"You cooked when you were a kid?"

"Yeah, well, after Sam . . . well, Mom was kind of out of it, and
I got tired of peanut butter sandwiches."

Roy Adams looked gloomily at his bowl, "You think this is better
than peanut butter?"

"Yeah, it's good. Try it."

The two men exchanged looks. Roy rose purposefully, grabbed the
two bowls and dumped the contents into the sink.

"Hey . . . "

Adams patted Mulder on the shoulder, "It's okay, Son, you tried.
We'll just have to find other things to keep you busy this
weekend. I'll do the cooking. You just sit in that chair over
there and stay out from under my feet."

Mulder glared at the older man and stood his ground. Skinner had
seen that stubborn look any number of times. Mulder had just
about reached the end of his rope. Skinner looked at Roy. **Uh-
oh.** He had seen that look before, too. Roy Adams was not known
for backing down. This could get very ugly, very fast.

"I said get in that chair! Or would you rather go pick out
something from the table in the living room for me?"

Mulder considered that intimidating assortment of paddles and
straps, and sulkily moved to the chair. He winced as his sore
backside made contact with the hard wood. The two older men could
hear him cursing and muttering under his breath while they fried
bacon and scrambled eggs. Skinner looked up to see his old friend
grinning. "Well, Walt. He's quite a handful, isn't he?"

Skinner actually chuckled, "Roy, you have no idea."

Adams looked over his shoulder to the now inhabited chair against
the far wall. "Boy, you keep that grumbling up and you'll be
having a bar of Irish Spring for dinner." The muttering lowered
in volume but didn't stop. Walter rolled his eyes, **Let the
games begin.**

An hour later, Mulder found himself in the bathroom on his hands
and knees, scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush. ** A damned
toothbrush, for Christ's sake.** This was truly unbelievable. Who
did that asshole think he was, and why was Skinner just standing
by while this happened?

***

Skinner couldn't remember ever feeling this good. Roy Adams lay
on one side of him in the king-sized bed, kissing his neck and
stroking his chest. He had almost forgotten how good Roy could
make him feel. It had been more than twenty years since he ended
his relationship with this man, but the years now rolled away
like nothing. Walter sighed with pleasure.

And then there was his beautiful Mulder on the other side of him,
with that dark head buried between his boss' legs. It was usually
Mulder who lay between him and Scully like this. No wonder the
younger man was usually incoherent and whimpering with pleasure.

And to make matters even better, every time Roy got too intense
in his attentions to Walter, Mulder would *accidently* nuzzle
between them. Fox Mulder was jealous. This was just too good.
Imagine that, the brilliant, beautiful and sexy as hell Mulder
was actually jealous. If Walter could have gotten enough air into
his lungs right now, he would have laughed with joy.

Seeing that Roy was becoming totally exasperated with Mulder,
Walter gathered the younger man into his arms, rolled over and
tucked him safely under his own body. So while Roy did wonderful
things above him, Mulder squirmed and wiggled under him. This was
definitely heaven. He lowered his head and devoured that
irresistible bottom lip.

***

A couple of hours later, Walter felt a sleeping Mulder being
roughly taken from his arms. He tried to regain consciousness and
hang onto Fox at the same time. Whatever was happening, Mulder
was fighting and cursing. Then he heard a familiar voice, "Let
go, Walter. Time for another dose of his medicine."

"Oh," Walter snuggled back down in the covers as he listened to
Roy give Mulder another open handed spanking. It was really kind
of nice. Walter realized just how much of his time he spent
worrying about Mulder. Well, his Fox was in good hands; he
wouldn't be getting into any trouble this weekend. Maybe Walter
could relax just a little. It felt good.

When the quietly sniffling Mulder was finally returned to his
arms, Walter immediately began to comfort him. Not that he
thought the agent deserved comforting, but he really wanted to go
back to sleep himself. But then he realized just how good it
felt. Mulder had quieted, snuggled into him and was listening to
his soothing words with abject intensity. Just like he always did
with Scully. No wonder the woman consistently babied him after
punishment. This felt like the triumph one might experience after
finally luring some wild and beautiful woodland creature to come
to them. Like maybe a fox.

***

Walter looked out the window at Mulder working in the back yard.
He wore nothing but a tool belt and his hiking boots. **My, my,
my.** Now, there was a sight.

Roy's voice sounded from just behind him, "Nice view."

"Oh, yeah," Walter smiled.

"I think he might be better looking than Luchini."

Instantly, Walter was back in the jungles of Nam and by his side
was the tall, dark and outrageously handsome Tony Luchini. The
first man to whom Walter had ever been attracted.

"Yeah, I think he is." Walter chuckled again, "Hell, he's better
looking than anyone I've ever been with, man or woman."

Roy chuckled, "Yeah.. not much with a hammer, though."

"I don't think his father had much time to teach him about using
hammers. Probably didn't know how himself. Old Vineyard money,
you know."

"What *did* his father teach him?"

Walter thought about it then sighed heavily, "How to cry without
making a sound."

"Thought that might be the case."

Walter looked around at his old friend, "You know whatever that
is you have him working on probably won't hold up. He's hitting
his thumb more than the nails."

"Doesn't matter; it isn't anything. Just keeping him busy and out
of my hair."

"Don't hurt him, Roy. I don't want this to get out of hand."

Roy nuzzled Walter's neck, "I would never hurt someone you loved,
Walter. I saved Tony for you, didn't I?"

"Yeah . . . yeah you did." The handsome young Luchini had gotten
into some serious trouble while on leave in Bangkok. Without the
intervention of Roy Adams, Tony could have ended up in a military
prison. Roy did not approve of military personnel conducting
themselves as stupidly as Luchini had but, for Walter, he had
saved Tony.

Walter felt himself harden as he watched Mulder suck on his
injured thumb again, "Think he's okay out there?"

"He's fine. And just think, you can give him another bath when
he's finished. Why don't you come back into the bedroom with me
while that young pup is out from under foot?"

Walter smiled with anticipation as he followed Roy to the back of
the house.

***

"I said, I am not going for a hike."

It was late Saturday afternoon and Mulder was dead tired. He was
not used to the kind of physical labor Roy Adams had dished out
that day. And his backside was stinging smartly from his last
'dose of medicine,' administered just a few minutes earlier. This
time, the spanking had been delivered by the traitorous Skinner.
Actually, he wouldn't let them know it, but his butt was so sore
he wasn't sure he actually could walk anywhere, let alone hike in
the damned woods.

He looked defiantly at the two other men, dressed in flannel
shirts and jeans. He *was not* going hiking in the woods with two
fully-clothed men while he himself was totally naked.

"I want some clothes."

"I think you want a taste of the strap."

Mulder glared at the man.

"Walter, go get the strap for Agent Mulder." Mulder paled
slightly, but didn't break eye contact with the sheriff.

When Walter reluctantly returned, Mulder was already face down
across the kitchen table. He was trained in self defense, but Roy
had several inches and at least 70 pounds of pure muscle on him.

"Quiet down, Boy," Roy put even more pressure on Mulder's
shoulders to keep him pinned to the cold table.

"Six to his backside, Walter."

"I don't know, Roy. He's awfully red already."

"Not red enough to suit me. Do it."

Walter lifted the strap high and brought it down on Mulder's
waiting backside. The effect was instantaneous. Mulder's body
jerked as the leather left a crimson weal across his skin. He
cursed and struggled frantically to get up from the table.
Skinner brought the strap down again, and to his surprise, Mulder
burst into tears.

**Shit!** He didn't want to see Mulder cry like this.

"Roy . . . I . . . I can't do this," Walter threw the strap on
the floor and closed his eyes.

He felt Roy's arms around his slumped shoulders, "I know Walt.
It's all right. I had a hard time using that strap on you back in
Nam, too. We'll let the rest of this go until later. How would
that be?"

"Thanks, Roy," Walter pulled Mulder up from the table. Mulder
felt almost lifeless in his arms.

Walter looked over at the sheriff, "Roy, why don't we postpone
the hike and have an early dinner instead?"

Roy didn't look pleased, "You aren't doing that boy any favors,
Walt."

"Mm ot ah bhoy!"

Skinner quickly pushed Mulder's face further into his shoulder to
silence him. **Not now, Fox.** Would he never learn when it was
best just to keep his mouth shut?

Adams shook his head, "Go get him cleaned up. I'll start dinner."

***

Mulder awakened slowly. The surface he was lying on was shaking
and he could hear muffled noises close by. **Where the hell was
he? Was this an earthquake?**

Slowly it began to come back to him . . . Crap! Still at Roy
Adams' house and still Saturday night.

After his confrontation with Adams' strap in the kitchen, Skinner
had given him another bath. It was so humiliating and frustrating
(not to mention painful) to sit in that tub and be washed like a
baby. Walter had not missed one single spot on his body,
teasingly going over the *good parts* over and over. Mulder had
not been allowed to touch Walter, or himself for that matter, at
all. Then, when Mulder was so hard and hot that he was actually
in pain, he'd been roughly jerked from the tub, toweled off and
shuffled down to dinner.

Mulder had managed, with just a little prodding, to stay awake
during dinner. He remembered Walter pulling him toward the bed;
he must have been asleep before his head hit his pillow. Now he
had to find out why the damn bed was shaking like this.

He opened one eye and chanced a look to his right. Skinner and
Roy Adams were clinched in an embrace so tight, Mulder could not
tell where one ended and the other began. They were kissing
passionately and Walter was moaning. **Moaning, for Christ's
sake.** Moaning while kissing someone else. Mulder was instantly
furious and launched himself at the interloper, Roy Adams.

Walter gasped as the man on top of him was unceremoniously
toppled to the floor beside the bed. One very angry, spitting,
cursing Fox Mulder was on top of him. As Mulder drew back his
fist for the first punch, Adams grabbed him around the chest,
trapping both arms to his side. He rolled over so the younger man
was solidly held beneath him, still calling Adams every filthy
name in the book.

Skinner was impressed. He hadn't known Mulder knew that many
dirty words. He thought some were even in foreign languages.
**Been hanging around Navy brat Scully too long.**

As Mulder began to tire and gasp for breath, Adams wrestled them
both to a somewhat upright position. He then deftly flipped
Mulder onto the bed face down. The agent resumed his struggles
and his creative cursing.

"Walter, that young man needs to learn some manners. Hold him
down until I get back." He glared at Walter, "And if you try to
stop me this time, you'll take his place."

Skinner's mouth dropped open. Roy had not threatened him like
that for twenty years. He felt his mouth go dry. **Sorry, Fox.
You're on your own.**

Adams returned quickly, his flushed face glowering. Upon reaching
the bed, he immediately raised the strap over his shoulder and
brought it down on Mulder's squirming backside. An angry red mark
appeared as Mulder gasped and bucked.

Skinner watched as the strap continued to pepper down on Mulder's
buttocks and thighs, leaving stinging stripes. Fox bit down on
the bed cover and tried not to make a sound, but it was simply
too much. By about the twelfth stroke, Mulder was sobbing.
Skinner felt like a traitor holding him down for this harsh
punishment, no matter how well-deserved.

What seemed a lifetime later, Adams landed the final blow and let
the strap fall to his side. Skinner started to help Mulder up,
but was stopped by the look on Roy Adams' face.

Adams grabbed hold of the tearful younger man and pulled him to
his feet. He held him firmly as he swayed, "Jealousy doesn't
become you, Boy. Go stand in that corner over there and think
about what a fool you've made of yourself tonight."

Mulder just stood there and looked at him. He couldn't mean . . .
"Wh . . . what?"

"I said, get your nose in that corner, " Adams pointed to a
convenient corner of the bedroom.

Mulder was still angry, still resentful of this man. This man who
had been kissing Walter like that. This was just too much. He was
a thirty five-year old Federal Agent. He was not going to stand
in a corner like some chastised child.

"No."

Adams calmly picked up what looked like a leather switch. **Where
did that come from?** Before Mulder knew what was happening, the
thin switch cracked down and viciously bit the back of both of
his thighs. "Ah-h-h-h-h . . . "

"Get in the corner. Now," Adams ground out between clenched
teeth.

Mulder moved and buried his flaming face in the corner. He didn't
think he had ever been this embarrassed. That was, until Adams
and Skinner began discussing him. About how he looked and what
should happen next. Skinner thought he looked adorable. Adams
thought he looked ridiculous. Mulder suspected the sheriff's view
was closer to the truth. Walter thought he had been punished
enough, but Adams definitely did not. Adams would, in all
probability, get his way.

Then he realized that Adams was kissing Walter again. **Shit!
Shit! Shit!**

He felt like he had been standing there forever. Never one to
stay still for very long, Mulder began to fidget. Suddenly a
sharp stinging stripe landed across his thighs. "Ow-w-w-w . . . "

"Stand still, Boy, you're making me nervous. Never make a man
holding a crop nervous. Especially when you're buck naked. Words
to live by, Fox."

Mulder tried to stand absolutely still. Minutes passed, but it
seemed like hours. He realized that Adams and Skinner were making
those quiet little sounds again. And Skinner was moaning, again.
**Damn it!** If that SOB didn't get his hands off Walter right
now . . .

Could things get any worse? His backside was on fire, the tears
would not stop rolling down his face, he was stuck standing in
this damned corner while that man was putting the moves on Walter
. . . his Walter. . . and it was still only Saturday night.

And then the bed started shaking again.

***

Skinner was worried about Mulder. He was in a foul mood this
morning, and not trying to hide it. Walter sighed. A jealous Fox
Mulder wasn't nearly as attractive as Walter had thought it would
be. He seemed to be trying his best to deliberately antagonize
Sheriff Adams. Not smart.

Skinner had to give Roy credit. He had been more patient than
expected. He seemed to understand that while Mulder was obviously
beautiful, he was also insecure. It took a good two hours of
sarcastic remarks and deliberate rebelliousness for Roy to act.

Roy had gone easier on him this time but still, Mulder wouldn't
be able to sit down for a week.

***

Walter watched from the back porch as a very hot, very sweaty
Mulder painted an outbuilding. Well, that wasn't exactly
accurate. He actually had more white paint on himself than on the
wood in front of him. **I'm never going to be able to clean him
up enough to pass Scully's inspection,** Skinner thought
despairingly.

And he absolutely could not allow Scully to discover that she had
left her partner in Skinner's care, only to have him ditch their
boss the very night she left. Or that the AD had allowed Roy
Adams to torture Mulder for two days. Or that he had watched
passively as Fox drowned himself in white paint.

Walter Skinner experienced a sudden powerful premonition that the
two of them would not be able to keep this ordeal a secret from
Special Agent Dana Scully. God, that woman had a temper that no
man in his right mind would willingly want to face. Under the
right circumstances she could make his and Mulder's lives
miserable. And those circumstances would certainly include coming
home to a well-beaten, bruised and whitewashed Mulder.

As Walter watched in horror, the sticky, oily paint dribbled down
Mulder's right arm, clung to his elbow for just a moment, then
landed with a plop right on top of his dark head. Jeez!

"Damn it, Mulder! At least keep it out of your hair."

End Ten

Painful X-Perience XI Uncomfortable Position by DiAnn

Scully walked back into her office and sighed with relief. Her
trip to California to visit her brother had been enjoyable, but
she was glad to be back home. She glanced over at Mulder. He had
been so quiet since her return. Granted, she had been very late
arriving, and they had engaged in other, more *pleasurable*
activities last night. But today, he had hardly spoken.

"So, what did you do while I was gone, Mulder?"

"D. . .do?" he kept his head buried in a file.

"Yes, do. What did you and Walter do while I was in California
with Mom?"

"Uhh . . . we spent the weekend out of town," he said, still not
looking at her.

"That's strange," she said thoughtfully, "before I left, Walter
was looking forward to spending some quiet quality time with you
here in D.C. You know, just the guys. Male bonding, that kind of
thing. He seemed very excited about some peace and quiet at
home."

"Well it was... uh... kind of a last minute thing, Scully. Can I
get you some more coffee or something?" He quickly rose from his
desk and headed for the door.

"No, I already have..." her phone interrupted her. "Scully."

Scully smiled brightly, "Sheriff Adams, how nice to hear from
you. Yes... Yes... he did what?" her smile faded as she glanced
over at Mulder. He was again seated behind his desk, his nose
buried in the file. Scully frowned at the top of his head.

"I see. Oh, I certainly do. Yes. Thank you, Sheriff." She hung up
the phone, never taking her eyes off her partner.

"Did you happen to go to Arkansas this weekend, Mulder?"

"Uhh...well, yes...but it's kind of a long story, and..."

"Save it. I have to pick up those lab reports in fifteen minutes.
And then we have to leave for Idaho," she rolled her eyes at him.
They were going to investigate yet another reported shape-
shifter. "We'll talk later."

Mulder gulped. She did not look happy as she left the office. He
had been looking forward to this investigation, now he'd just as
soon stay home. Scully in a pique was not good company. Or good
for his physical well-being.

The minute she was out of the door, Mulder snatched up his phone
and dialed.

"Skinner."

"She knows."

"Knows what, Agent Mulder?"

"You know what. About Arkansas. Adams called her. Just now. She
knows."

"And you are telling me this because..."

"You went with me."

"I did not *go* with you, I was *chasing* you. There's a big
difference."

"You're in this too."

"No, I'm not."

"You aren't going to help me, are you?"

"No, not a chance. Goodbye, Agent Mulder."

Mulder laid his head on his desk. **He was doomed.**





*** Motel Somewhere In Idaho.***

Scully had barely spoken to him for days. Every time he looked
up, she was scowling at him. **Jeez!**

"Okay Scully, I give up. What do you want to know? I'll tell you
about my past, my future, Arkansas. Anything to end this."

"Why did you ditch Walter?"

"I did not *ditch* Skinner... I only ditch you," he suddenly
realized his mistake. "No, I mean it's not the same when I ditch
you. No...no, I mean, I don't really ditch you, I protect you...
Oh, God."

If looks could kill, his body would already be cooling.



**** 

The case had been horrendous. Not a shape-shifter at all, just a
guy with a really good make-up case and an obsession with young,
darkly handsome men. He had soon fixated on Mulder, for obvious
reasons, and made both of the agents' lives a living hell.

Scully had continued to share her bed with him, but only because
she was sure he'd end up in the suspect's clutches if left alone.
That really ticked Mulder off. He could take care of himself. He
wasn't supposed to sleep in her room so she could protect him.
When he'd objected, she had rattled off so many examples of what
kinds of things happened to him when he was left on his own, he
had finally just given up and bunked with her.

Of course, the suspect ended up snatching him anyway.

He'd snuck away, literally, for a late night run. And run right
into the arms of Mr. Wrong. The guy hadn't had time to actually
rape and then murder him, but it had been a close thing. The
killer had actually donned a red wig and fishnet hose thinking it
would please his handsome federal captive. Mulder had been in
shock, he thought he and Scully had been so discrete about their
true relationship. Now even the criminals were picking up on it.

So, a completely naked and thoroughly felt-up Mulder was rescued
by his obviously enraged partner. The other cops found the
situation hilarious. Imagine, "Spooky" Mulder, the object of a
crush. And to make matters worse, after a hasty confession, the
killer had begged for Mulder's address so he could write him from
prison.

**How romantic.**

Now they were back at the Bureau and Scully was still furious
with him. And Skinner was definitely **not** helping. Actually,
he seemed to be egging Scully on.

As Mulder headed down the hallway toward the elevator, Agent
Stanley Michaels decided it was a good time to harass good ol'
Spooky. Michaels' timing had never been great, today it proved to
be disastrous.

"Hey Spooky, heard you had a hot time in Idaho. Do you miss your
new boyfriend?" Snickers were heard from the other agents
standing nearby.

"At least I can get one, Michaels." Mulder smirked, looking
Michaels over slowly from head to toe.

Michaels face turned a bright, unhealthy red, "Did it make the
redhead jealous, Spooky? Better watch it, you could lose your
little partner...*again*. Or is it Skinner who would be jealous?"

Mulder's voice rose several decibels, "What do you mean by that
you, son of a bitch?"

"It's the only way you could keep your job, Mulder. The **only**
way."

Mulder's fist connected solidly with the man's jaw. Pain shot
from his knuckles to his shoulder, but hitting that man felt
good. It felt *really* good. He couldn't remember the last time
he had experienced something this satisfying. Mulder started for
him again, but felt a very familiar, very large hand land on his
shoulder.

A couple of the other guys grabbed Michaels, and Skinner's arm
slid around Mulder's throat, binding him loosely but securely to
his boss' chest. "Finished?" Skinner growled in his ear. Mulder
took a deep, shaky breath and nodded his head.

"I want both of you in my office...NOW!"



***A.D. Skinner's Office***

This had been going on forever. Mulder covertly glanced at his
watch. Going on six o'clock. They had been here for over an hour.
Would this grilling session never end?

Skinner was on a roll. You did not hit a fellow officer. You did
not verbally harass a fellow officer. You did not engage in
fisticuffs on federal property. Spirit of cooperation... all in
this together...uphold the standards of the Bureau... depend on
one another.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. His boss droned on and on... and on. Mulder had
long ago lost the thread of Skinner's rant. He needed to get out
of here. Scully was going to be angry with him. Again. He was
supposed to pick up dinner tonight and they had still not
discussed how angry she was with him. Or what she intended to do
about it.

"AGENT MULDER!!!"

He jumped in his seat, "Wh...what...Yes, Sir?"

"Glad to see you're still with me. I feared for a moment you had
slipped into a coma."

"No, Sir... Sorry, Sir."

Skinner glared at him and he felt himself blush.

The A.D. sighed, "Agent Michaels, you are suspended for three
days. Effective immediately. Take the time to think about the
reason for this action. I will not allow it again. You may go."

"What about Spooky? He hit *me*!"

"I will handle Agent Mulder's punishment." Out of the corner of
his eye, Skinner saw Mulder flinch.

**Good.**

"Agent Mulder is assigned to a case right now and cannot be
spared. You are not. And in the future, you will leave my
supervisory duties to me to conduct as I see fit. Do you have any
further questions, Agent Michaels?" Michaels shook his head and
studied his feet. "Then you're dismissed."

Mulder heard the door close behind him. He didn't like Michaels,
but right at the moment he would've preferred to have kept his
company. Skinner's assistant, Kim, had already left for home, and
Mulder suddenly felt very alone with this man. The man he
reported to, the man he loved. But still a very dangerous man.

Skinner walked over and locked the door. Mulder heard him doing
other things behind him but he didn't want to look around. He
really... really wanted to go home to Scully. Now.

Walter suddenly came up behind him and placed both hands on
Mulder's shoulders. The gesture was too intimate, too personal,
too intimidating in this office. Mulder felt his own breathing
change. He felt off balance and not in control of the situation.
He felt fear. Well, fear was probably a healthy reaction to A.D.
Skinner in this mood.

Skinner released him without a word and came around to sit on the
corner of his desk. Too close. Much too close for Mulder's
comfort. The agent squirmed in his seat.

"I heard you had another close encounter with a serial killer."

"Uhh....well, he....he was..." Deep sigh, "Yeah, yeah I did."

"What did he do to you?"

Mulder glanced up. Walter appeared angry, jealous and
exasperated, all at the same time.

"Uhh... well, you know... he kissed me a little and put his hands
on me... he hadn't gotten to the hard- core stuff before Scully
got there."

"I see. Why did you go running by yourself when you knew this
suspect had targeted you?

Mulder swallowed, "Scully was mad at me. I needed to be alone. To
think of a way back onto her good side. It was three in the
morning. Good little serial killers are in bed by three. Everyone
knows that."

Skinner did not smile. So much for lightening the mood.

"I see... Why did you hit Michaels?"

"He said something I didn't like."

"I know. I heard."

"Y... you did?"

"He doesn't suspect anything, Mulder. He was just jabbing at you.
I'm sure they all think it was the homosexual connotation that
set you off. If they suspected you were protecting me and our
relationship, we would both be out of a job." He crossed his
arms, "You need to be more careful, Mulder."

"He insulted Scully, too," Mulder pouted.

"Yeah, well, Michaels got what was coming to him. Now, what about
you? What kind of punishment should I give you? And I refuse to
suspend you; it would show up in your file. More blood to attract
the sharks to you."

Mulder looked up through his lashes, "Tape surveillance?"

"Yeah, right. Watch that brilliant mind of your's turn to mush
until you snap and run off to get yourself killed. I don't think
so."

Mulder just looked at him. Surely he wasn't going to strap him
again tonight? Scully would probably add a few strokes for that
Arkansas thing. She still wasn't over that.

"Take off your clothes, Agent Mulder."

"Wh...what? H-here... now?"

"Yes, here and now. Everyone has gone home. It's almost seven and
I swept for bugs after Michaels left. We're safe for an hour or
so. Long enough for me to get your attention and try to beat some
sense into you again. Now, move it or I'll take them off for
you." Mulder hesitated, and Skinner looked him over, "That's one
of your expensive suits, isn't it?" Mulder nodded dumbly. "You'll
need something to wear out of here tonight. You'd better do it
yourself. But make it fast."

Mulder swallowed hard and undressed quickly. Skinner walked
around him as he stood in the middle of the office. The carpet
felt rough and scratchy under Mulder's bare feet. His skin goose-
bumped in the air conditioning, and he couldn't get enough air
into his lungs. He felt Skinner's eyes on his body. Not that
Walter hadn't seen him naked before, but not here, not in this
office.

"Mulder, you act like an unruly child. You don't use your head.
You take off alone in dangerous situations. You lose your temper
and lash out, instead of communicating. You drive your partner
and your supervisor crazy wondering what you're going to do next.
Sometimes I just don't know what to do with you... Do you have
anything to say?"

"Could I call Scully, Sir?"

"What?" Walter couldn't believe this. He was trying to save the
kid's life and career, and all he could think about was calling
his partner.

"It's getting late, Walter. She's going to be really worried and
then she's going to get really angry."

"I see. Why don't I call Scully for you? Then maybe you can
concentrate on what I am trying to tell you."

Mulder didn't like that idea at all. Skinner call Scully. This
could turn out ugly.

Skinner dialed and waited for an answer, "Hello, Dana. No, I'm
fine. I'm still at the office and I have Mulder here with me. He
got into a confrontation with Agent Michaels late this afternoon.
Yes. Yes, very. He's standing naked in front of my desk right
now. Yes, it's safe. Yes, quite thoroughly. He won't forget
tonight. And Dana. . . Isuggest you have your hairbrush out when
he finallymakes it home. Yes. Yes, I see. Of course, I'd love
to."

Skinner hung up the phone and smiled evilly at his now-blushing
agent, "Dana invited me to have dinner with the two of you
tonight. Isn't that nice, Agent Mulder?"

"Yeah, that's just great."

Skinner unbuttoned his cuffs and started rolling up his sleeves,
"Assume the position, Mulder."

Mulder just stared at him, "What?....What, Sir?"

Skinner sighed, "Bend over and grab your ankles. Surely you've
had to do this before?" Mulder did as he was told. He felt
totally exposed in this embarrassing position.

He heard Skinner open his desk drawer, then close it. The A.D.
then walked around into his wayward agent's line of vision. He
was carrying a heavy wooden ruler.

**Why can't I just get suspended like everyone else? A few
restful days at home sitting on my couch?** Now, he wouldn't be
sitting **anywhere** for the next three days.

"Anything to say, Mulder?" the A.D. was tapping the ruler
ominously against his muscular thigh.

"Could I just be suspended?"

"No." The ruler was still tapping on his thigh. " Now don't move
out of position. And I would be quiet if I were you. Don't want
to attract any attention from anyone who might still be in the
building."

Mulder felt Skinner move around behind him, a few seconds'
hesitation, and then the ruler exploded across the very center of
his backside.

Mulder bit his lip and hissed. **God, that hurt!** It was obvious
that ruler was going to make quite an impression on his taut
flesh. He drew in a deep breath and waited for the next stoke.

The ruler cracked against him again. Lower this time, right where
his buttocks met his thighs. Right where he would have to sit.
Skinner was not messing around. This was punishment. A strangled
sob escaped Mulder's lips.

The ruler bit again in the same tender spot. Mulder shifted his
weight from foot to foot trying to move out of range, even just a
little. The ruler exploded once more on the agonized area.

"Ah-h-h-h...Please, sir, please. Somewhere else. Hit somewhere
else, please!"

Skinner smacked his tender thigh.

"Ouch!"

"Mulder, I decide where to hit. Now stay in position and let this
ruler do it's job."

And what a job that ruler did. Mulder took about ten strokes with
just wiggling, hissing and an occasional gasp. He tried
desperately not to react to what Walter was doing to him. He
didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

Skinner increased the strength of the strokes. The highly-
effective piece of wood was leaving bright red stripes across
Mulder's smooth backside. He would not soon forget this
punishment.

By stroke fifteen, Mulder's bottom was a brilliant crimson
overlaid with welts. He was frantically dancing from foot to
foot, his movements hindered by his own hands around his ankles.

By the twenty-second swat the agent started sobbing quietly. He
had broken position only once. Walter had smacked his thighs
until he was back where he was supposed to be. Mulder didn't let
loose of his ankles again. That ruler was harsh on his backside,
but it was hell on the back of his legs.

At stroke thirty, Skinner finally put the ruler down and surveyed
his handiwork. The ever-exasperating Special Agent Fox Mulder
stood before him still bent at the waist. He was sobbing, his
bottom blistered and marked. He would certainly not sit down
comfortably tomorrow, or probably the day after, either.

As Walter stood there, he shook his head in amazement. Even in
this undignified position, punished and weeping, Mulder still
looked beautiful. Why was it so hard to stay angry at this man?

"You can stand up now. It's over."

Mulder carefully stood, his tear-stained face as red as his
scorched backside.

"Go stand in that corner. I have some paperwork to finish up
before we can go. And keep your hands away from your ass. I
worked hard to impart that sting, I want it to last."

"What... no!...No, I won't! I..." Skinner watched in amazement as
a very angry Mulder actually stomped his foot at him.

"Did you like assuming the position, Agent Mulder. Want to try it
again so soon?"

Mulder glared at his boss but shook his head.

"I didn't think so. Get in that corner. Now. I hate paperwork,
and the highly-appealing view of your spanked red bottom
decorating my office should make it a great deal more enjoyable
tonight. And don't test me, you didn't get nearly what I think
you deserve. And don't make me tell you again to get in that
corner." Skinner had chosen his words precisely to taunt and
embarrass Mulder. He wanted him to feel this punishment was
childish. Just like his actions. Skinner could tell it had
worked; the agent was furious.

Mulder gritted his teeth and moved to the blasted corner,
mumbling and cursing all the way.

Skinner had just about reached the end of his rope, "Shut up,
Mulder."

"Yes...*Sir*." Skinner felt his temper rise a notch. God, this
kid was going to drive him over the edge some day. He could hear
the angry young agent calling his boss every name in the book as
he stood facing the wall.

Skinner got up, going into his private lavatory and shutting the
door softly. **I cannot kill him. I cannot kill him.** Well he
could, but then he would have to tell Scully. It just wasn't
worth it.

He came back out and was standing beside Mulder so quietly the
younger man jumped. He hadn't realized Skinner was not still
safely working behind his desk.

"Something you want to say to me, Mulder?"

"No...*Sir*." Skinner almost cringed at that sarcastic 'Sir'.
There was nothing quite like Mulder in smart-ass mode.

"Good. I just wanted to make sure while you could still talk." As
Mulder opened his mouth to make another sneering remark, Walter
shoved a slimy, wet sliver of bar soap between his lips. Mulder
started to sputter and spit, but Walter covered his mouth with
one big hand, the other going behind his neck.

"I'll take that out of your mouth when you're finished with this
corner time. Don't make a sound or I'll use that ruler on you
again, and the corner time will start over. Understood?"

Mulder nodded, pleading for mercy with his big, engaging hazel
eyes, his full bottom lip trembling against Walter's hand.

Skinner patted his jaw and wiped a stray tear from his smooth
cheek, "Sorry, kid, won't work this time. Enjoy your corner. Just
think about the taste of that soap and about showing proper
respect for authority."

He patted Mulder's head and crossed to his desk. Now he had a
great view of a gorgeous man with a blessedly quiet mouth.

Ah, this was so much better.

*** 

On the other side of one of the office doors, Cancerman moved his
ear away from the wood. Smiling, as he adjusted his trousers to
accomodate his erection..

**Very interesting development.**

Poor Fox, he just seems to attract that kind of trouble. That boy
had certainly gotten his bottom warmed enough from Bill. And Bill
had been more than willing to let his best buddy watch those
punishments. Cancerman smiled at the memory.

Now... maybe, just maybe, he needed to step in for his old
friend... help keep that pretty boy of his in line.

Yes... yes, indeed-y.

End Eleven

Painful X-Perience XII Remember When by DiAnn

Walter Skinner watched the road with one eye and Mulder with the
other. The agent had not yet said a word on the drive home and
Walter was a little worried. He had punished Mulder for his part
in an office confrontation but it had been for his own good. He
just hoped Mulder saw it that way.

Walter had left his favorite agent in that corner, chewing on
soap, for only about fifteen minutes. But by the time he
retrieved him, Mulder had been foaming at the mouth like a mad
dog with tears streaming down his face. And furious.

Skinner had allowed him to rinse his mouth thoroughly but he knew
Mulder would taste the soap for the rest of the night. Walter
knew all about the effects of soap in the mouth. He had formed
his own intimate relationship with Lifebuoy back when he was a
teenager, thanks to his own loving but very strict mother.

Mulder again wiped his hand across his mouth. He noticed
Skinner's eyes on him and dropped the hand quickly.

"It's all right, Mulder. It's all over now. No suspension, no
repercussions. It's really much better this way."

"Maybe. I didn't like the soap and I don't know what Scully has
planned. She's still angry about my trip to Arkansas." He looked
at Skinner like the trader he thought him to be.

"If you don't like the soap, don't call me those names. Where did
you learn to talk like that, anyway? And what was that last thing
you called me?"

Mulder grinned and looked out the window, "It's Japanese. That
diplomat, the one with the alien on the train, called me that
right after I arrested him. I think it means your mother made a
questionable career choice. Scully taught me the rest of them,
she's pretty well versed in swear words."

"Well, maybe I should have brought that soap home with me."

"I don't want any more of it and if you try that on Scully, she
*will* shoot you. No questions asked."

"You're probably right."

When they arrived, Mulder let himself and Skinner into Scully's
apartment. Well, he stayed there now too. At least when they
weren't both at Skinner's house. But technically this was still
Scully's apartment.

"Scully, I'm home." He then stood back behind Skinner, supposedly
to remove his jacket but really he wanted to be out of range
until he could see what kind of mood his partner was in.

Scully came flying around the corner of the kitchen, checking
Mulder over for damage as she approached.

"Mulder, what did you do? What confrontation? With what agent?
Did he hit you? Are you hurt?"

Skinner held up his hand to stop her. "Whoa, Dana. Stanley
Michaels said some thing that "Spooky" here didn't like. Michaels
did not hit Mulder, but Mulder *did* hit Michaels. The only place
that he is hurt is his backside. Oh, and a little taste of Dial
in his mouth. He smarted off to his direct supervisor once too
often."

Dana stared at him in shock, "You washed out his mouth?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why?" She was trying desperately not to laugh.

"Because he didn't like my Mother's occupation. Now before we
discuss Agent Mulder's dubious behavior and the ramifications
thereof any further, could we have dinner. I missed lunch and I'm
starved."

Scully eyed Mulder, who was now busy eying the carpet. She
sighed.

"Sure. Fine. Whatever."

Just as dinner was being served, Mulder's cell phone rang from
the other room. He quickly retrieved it from his jacket. He was
almost glad to postpone the inevitable discomfort of taking a
seat at the table. Skinner had done an admirable job with that
ruler tonight.

"Mulder."

"Hi Mom. Is everything okay? Are you all right? Sure Mom . . .
sure I'll leave right now. No, I understand. I'll be right
there."

Scully looked up from her meal, "What's wrong, Mulder?'

Mulder had disappeared into the bedroom and was throwing some
things in an overnight bag. "Mom wants me to come up to Chilmark,
Scully. She sounded upset."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Yes . . . no . . . yes. You can't Scully. You know Mom blames
you for that . . . that"

"It wasn't your sister on that bridge, Mulder. It was a clone.
The body dissolved into green goo, that's very conclusive
evidence."

"I know, Scully. But . . . but she's my Mom. And anyway I didn't
know she wasn't my sister when I traded her for you. So Mom is
right in a way, it is my faul . . . "

Scully placed her fingers on his lips and wrapped her other arm
around his waist to hug him tightly. "I know Mulder. I don't
agree that you are to blame but I know how you feel. Let's talk
about it later. Please be careful and call me later tonight.
Okay?"

"Sure, Scully." He kissed her on the lips, bussed Skinner on the
head on his way and was out the door.

Skinner and Scully were left staring at each other.

Skinner cleared his throat, "Something about this is bothering
me, Dana. It just doesn't feel right."

"I know what you mean. I would follow him but I have to be at
Quanico at eight tomorrow to conduct a class. It's too late to
find someone to take my place now."

"Don't worry Dana, he'll be fine. How much trouble could he get
into on a visit to his Mother's house?"

Scully smiled at Walter, "Are you talking about the same Mulder?
I would feel better if he didn't go near Martha's Vineyard
without one of us with him. He always gets depressed or worse,
whenever he goes back to that place."

"Yeah, well just keep close tabs on him by phone and let me know
if anything seems unusual."



*****

When Mulder finally arrived at his Mother's immaculate house, he
was exhausted. He had to ring the bell several times before she
answered. Looking pale and tired. He wrapped her in his arms.

"What's wrong, Mom? What's happened?" She patted his arm.

"I made some tea, Fox. Come into the kitchen with me."

Mulder did not want tea, he hadn't eaten at all that day and was
very disappointed that he had to leave home earlier without
eating Scully's home cooked meal. He really wanted some real
food. He decided he would drink the tea with his Mom and then
raid the fridge later.

Tina Mulder looked distressed as she set the cup in front of her
son and waited for him to drink the hot, overly sweet liquid. He
put the cup to his lips and watched his mother. Her skin was
pallid and her usually meticulous hair a little disheveled.

"Aren't you having any, Mom?"

"No Dear, not right now. Oh Fox, I need to talk to you. I'm so
worried about you." She looked away and seemed to lose her train
of thought. "But . . . But right now I think I need to go back to
bed. I just haven't gotten my strength back after the stroke.
Will you stay here tonight and talk with me in the morning?'

"Sure Mom." He stood and kissed her lightly on the forehead. This
was strange. First she practically demands that he come up here
right away and then she is too tired to talk to him.

"You old room is all ready for you."

"I'll just sleep on the couch, Mom."

Mulder watched in horror as her eyes began to fill with tears.
"Oh no, Dear, please. Sleep in your old room. It would . . . It
would mean so much to me. It . . . it's important, Fox."

"Okay, sure Mom, whatever you want. You know that."

Stranger and stranger. Shit, there wasn't even a television in
that room. He felt just like a kid again being sent of bed when
he wasn't one bit sleepy. But only a few moments later he found
himself yawning widely. He thought about that previously planned
refrigerator raid but decided he was sleepier than he had
thought. He shrugged and headed upstairs with his arm around his
mother. A night in the Fox Mulder sanctuary of his youth. Could
be nice.

***

Mulder awakened several hours later with a splitting headache and
a cramp in his neck. **Damn.** So much for sleeping in his old
bed. Obviously didn't fit him anymore. And he had certainly slept
in a strange position.

He started to push the hair out of his eyes. He smiled. Scully
usually did that for him every morning now. Then he realized that
his hand wouldn't come down from it's uncomfortable position over
his head. He heard the rattle of handcuffs.

**What the hell?**

The bedroom door opened slowly and his mom peeked around the
corner.

"Mom, what the hell is going on. Get me out of these." He rattled
the cuffs violently.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart, he said you wouldn't listen unless we
made you."

"Who said that? Mom, did you put something in that tea to make me
sleep? Did you Mom? Did you?" Mulder was screaming and he watched
as his Mother's eyes clouded with tears.

Just then Mulder got the shock of his life.

"Don't talk to your Mother that way, Boy."

Cancerman! Here in his Mother's house. And Mulder did not have
his gun. Could not defend his mother or himself.

"You cancer ridden Son of a Bitch, you get out of this house. You
get away from my mother. If you hurt her, I will kill you. I
swear I will kill you."

The Cancerman came over to the bed, smiling down at the helpless
young occupant. He sat down on the edge and placed a hand on
Mulder's chest, pushing him back down onto the mattress.

"Calm down, Boy, you are wearing yourself out and scaring your
poor mother."

His mother looked relieved. "Yes Fox, please. Samuel has been a
good friend to me since my stroke. He has told me how dangerously
you have been behaving. He has offered to help me get you back on
the right path. It's all for your own good, Fox."

"Samuel?"

Tina Mulder smiled at the Cancerman, "Why yes, this is Samuel
Fox, I have known him since before you were born." His mother
stared out the window, lost in thought, a vacant smile on her
still lovely face.

"Samuel Fo . . . Fox?" Mulder felt sick.

Cancerman smiled down at Mulder. "Yes, *Son*. Samuel William Fox,
nice name don't you think. I have always liked it."

Mulder was sure he was going to vomit. Cancer man rose from the
bed and walked over to Mulder's mother.

"Christina, Dear Heart, why don't you take another one of your
wonderful little pills and get some more rest. I will take care
of talking to Fox this morning. Then this afternoon you can join
us in our discussions."

"Yes Sam, I am a little tired. Thank you so much." Mulder's
mother left him alone, bound to the bed, still dizzy from some
unknown drug and in the presence of his worst enemy slash Father.
**Oh God, please no.**

The door opened again and two rather large men entered the room.
Of course they were dressed all in black. **How melodramatic.**
Mulder could almost find this funny if it wasn't so damned sad.
**Sam Fox.**

Cancerman had lost his false smile as he watched Mulder. The
agent glared back at him. He refused to think of him as Sam Fox.
That made it too personal, too coincidental, too nauseating to
think about.

"You know, Fox, I have another son. Resembles you but hasn't
given me nearly the trouble you have."

"Sorry I've been such a disappointment."

"Oh you don't disappoint me, not at all. In fact, I've always
been rather proud of you." He smiled, "But I couldn't help but
notice that you disappointed Walter Skinner yesterday."

Mulder felt himself pale, "Wha . . . what do you mean?"

"Oh, I think you know. Skinner's disciplinary methods are
unorthodox but they seem to be highly effective. I decided to try
them myself. It wasn't hard to persuade your mother that you
needed to be corrected. After all, Bill had convinced her of that
long ago."

"Don't you touch me, you Bastard. Let me go. Don't come near me."

"Prepare him."

Mulder fought. He landed one good kick in a rock hard midsection,
barely received a grunt for his efforts. He was roughly stripped,
turned and had pillows shoved under his stomach lifting his
backside. His feet were securely fastened to the posts at the
foot of the bed.

"Remember this? This isn't the first time you've been in this
position is it? You slept like this many nights. Hands and feet
tied, your backside on fire from Bill's belt. *Do* you remember
now, Fox?"

"No, no I don't remember. This didn't happen. Never. This never
happened to ne before. Let me go."

"How about the garage. Do you remember what used to happen in the
garage? I think the hooks are still in the ceiling. Shall we find
out later? Let your mother watch, just like she did back then?"

Mulder sobbed into the pillow. "No . . . no it never happened. It
never happened."

Sam Fox held out his hand and received a thick leather strap from
one of his minions. He raised it above his head.

"You know Fox, I always knew you would grow to be a handsome man
but even I didn't anticipate just how attractive you would
become. You are very beautiful , Son. Very beautiful, indeed."

He brought the strap down hard on the pristine buttocks presented
so enticingly for his attention. The retort of leather on flesh
was like a gunshot in the small room. Suddenly Mulder was twelve
years old and the man above him could, without a doubt, be his
father.

Cancerman worked methodically from shoulder to knee. Never
speeding up or slowing down, never hesitating. Just leaving
stripe after burning stripe down the creamy flesh of his
antagonist. This thorn in his side.

He whipped Fox for getting in the way of his precious project. He
whipped Fox for the boy's unrelenting curiosity. He whipped Fox
because he had turned Dana Scully away from the cause. He whipped
Fox because he could.

Mulder had his head buried in his pillow. He couldn't stop the
tears but he wasn't about to let this diabolic man see them.
**God, he hurt.** This was so much worse than his Dad had done.
So much worse. Cancerman had covered the same territory with that
strap over and over. The pain was now almost unbearable.

He wondered how long it would be before Scully got worried,
probably later this afternoon. He had called her from the car a
few minutes before arriving last night. She would respect him to
call again this morning.

***

Walter Skinner had a bad feeling right in the pit of his stomach.
He just couldn't shake it. It had to be Mulder. This was
definitely the Fox Mulder stomach upset. He would recognize the
symptoms anywhere. Maybe he should call Fox at his Mother's
house. Then maybe he could actually get some work done here. He
glanced over at the corner Mulder had occupied last night. **My,
oh my, that boy had an ass on him.**

*** 

"Mulder residence."

"Mrs. Mulder, this is Assistant Director Skinner. I wonder if I
might have a word with Agent Mulder."

Silence.

"Mrs. Mulder? Is something wrong?"

"No . . . nothing. Nothing is wrong. It's just that Fox isn't
available right now."

Skinner shivered as he suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

"Mrs. Mulder where is Fox?"

He heard what sounded like a sob from the other end of the line,
"It's for his own good. It has always been for his own good. Bill
always said . . . "

"Mrs. Mulder, where is Fox. I need to speak with him
immediately."

Tina Mulder quietly hung up the phone. It *was* for his own good.
Bill had always said it was necessary. And now Sam was sure
without this discipline Fox was going to get himself into
trouble. Sam wouldn't lie to her. He wouldn't. But once he had ..
. once he had done something . . . oh, she just couldn't remember
anymore. She needed another of her pills.

Mulder hung suspended from the garage ceiling. He was freezing.
Yes, he remembered this. The sound of other kids laughing and
talking as they passed the house on Saturday afternoons. On their
way to have fun while Fox hung bare and waiting for his Father to
administer his punishment. He would wait and wait, only his toes
resting on the cold floor. Just like now. And then his Dad would
. . . would . . .

And sometimes there was that other man. The man who smoked so
many cigarettes. Sam had liked the man but Fox hadn't liked him
at all. Not at all. The man had watched and smiled while his Dad
had . . . had . . .

Saturday afternoons . . . quiet Saturday afternoons. And Mom, Mom
has stood and watched too. She had not smiled but she had
watched. Watched while his naked skin reddened and blistered and
he tried to control his screams. Couldn't scream, all those kids
outside. Couldn't scream. Couldn't let anyone hear him scream.

"Scully." It came out as no more than a whisper.

"I don't think she's coming Fox. She thinks you are having a nice
visit with your mother. Tina spoke with her not an hour ago, told
her that you were going to have a nice lunch and then take your
mother shopping. Isn't that nice?"

"Sc . . . Scully."

Cancerman was back with his two smug looking goons. **If I get
loose from here I'm going to kill them first.**

"Remember this Fox?"

Oh God! Yes! He remembered it. The paddle. It was shaped like an
innocent ping pong paddle but made of hard wood, lovingly
polished until it gleamed. It had Fox's name printed in neat red
paint across the handle. Mulder shuddered. He remembered it well.

"Bill told you he made this himself. He didn't, you know. I
suspect you always wondered about that. How Bill could make this
fine paddle but never anything else. I made it. I was quite good
with woodworking once." He stoked the smooth back of the
implement. "I chose the wood, sanded it, stained it and polished
it to perfection. Notice the nice holes I drilled into the
surface. Beautiful work don't you think? I'm sure you never
really appreciated it's beauty or its effectiveness. It's really
a fine piece of work, Fox, and I did it just for you."

He laid the paddle aside. "But I'm going to wait a little while
to use it on you. First I have something you haven't seen
before." He picked up something from the workbench behind him. It
was a small wooden handle that had long narrow strips of leather
hanging from it.

"It doesn't look like much does it? But used correctly it is
quite effective and it is so light it can be used safely in
places that regular instruments of chastisement cannot. Very
tender places.

He brought the little whip down hard across Mulder's chest.
Mulder hissed through his teeth. It did sting more than it looked
like it would.

He raised it again and brought it down across Mulder's washboard
stomach. Received another jerk and a hiss for his trouble.

He brought the whip back again and brought it down lower, right
across Mulder's groin. The strips of leather wrapped themselves
around his penis and Mulder finally screamed.

***

Skinner had not bothered calling Scully. She would have found it
difficult to get away from her class and Walter wasn't really
sure there was a problem. No need to bother her yet.

Mrs. Mulder had sounded vague and confused but after all, the
woman was recovering from a stroke. And Mulder's cell phone was
turned off but he often forgot to recharge the battery when he
was distracted by other things. It was something he and Scully
did for Mulder on a continuous basis. It was better to take care
of it themselves than not be able to reach him like this.

He would probably drive all this way only to find Mulder enjoying
a nice day with his family. Then what would he say, "Oh hello
Mrs. Mulder. I'm sleeping with your son and when he didn't answer
his cell phone I got worried. Sorry to disturb you." Yeah, right.

***

Cancerman stood back and looked at Fox's beautiful body. It
looked red and raw. Mulder's head had long ago slumped onto his
chest. The boy just didn't have enough stamina.

He stepped forward, took hold of Mulder's chin and lifted his
head. He stepped forward once more and allowed Mulder's head to
fall forward again, this time onto his own shoulder. His arms
slipped around the unconscious agent. He had never gotten to hold
Mulder like this. Fox had never trusted him. Samantha had. A few
trinkets, a few compliments and Sam had let him hold her and
cuddle her. But not his Fox. He could have bought Fox the New
York Yankee Baseball Team for his very own and the boy would
still have kept his distance. Paranoid little shit. **That's my
boy.**

Sam ran his hands through Mulder's soft brown hair. Such nice
hair. So like his mother's. And those lips. Mulder looked so much
like Tina had when Sam had first met her. Fox was, of course,
more masculine with a bigger nose but still the resemblance was
enough to make Cancerman aroused.

Tina had lost her fire. Her independence and strong will crushed
by a domineering husband and too much tragedy. But Fox. Fox still
had his fire. More passion than anyone he had ever seen. And . .
. Sam suspected that Walter Skinner had acquainted the boy with
the pleasures of sex with anther man. Fox wasn't gay. He was sure
of that. But there was certainly something between him and
Skinner. He shrugged, it didn't matter really. If the boy was a
virgin, so be it, that had never stopped Sam Fox before.

Mulder started to stir. He hurt. His skin burned all over and he
could smell stale cigarette smoke.

"Dad?"

He heard Cancerman laugh as he stepped away from him. Then anther
smell assaulted him. Smelling salts. Ugh! He gagged and coughed,
pulling back as far as possible from the awful stuff. He opened
his eyes and stared into another set of hazel eyes, not two
inches away from his face.

"Welcome back, Son."

"Get . . . get away from me."

"Still no respect for your elders. Too bad." He turned to the
other men. "Help Mr. Mulder onto the workbench."

The two MIBs stepped forward and soon a weakened Mulder found
himself securely fastened face down across his Father's seldom
used workbench. **I've been here before, too.**

Cancerman tested Mulder's binds then told the other two men to
leave them alone. They seemed reluctant to leave.

Cancerman ran his hand down Mulder's hip and watched the young
man shudder. He pulled a tube of lubricant from his pocket and
applied it to his fingers.

"Do you like anal sex, Fox."

"Get away from me. Don't touch me. Get away, you filthy, chain
smoking Son of a Bitch."

Cancerman calmly reached around him and picked up the paddle he
had laid there earlier. "Tisk, tisk Fox. Such language and with
your dear mother sleeping just upstairs."

He hefted the paddle in his hand, enjoying the weight and feel of
the hand crafted piece of wood. He then brought it down
powerfully on Mulder's sore backside.

"Ah-h-h-h, God."

The paddle landed again, harder than before. Mulder bucked and
twisted but he was bound too tightly. He had no place to go.

The paddle struck again and then again. Leaving burning, bruising
patches of deep pain in it's wake. Mulder had firmly believed
that his backside could not possibly hurt more than it already
did. He had been so wrong.

This paddle was torture. It always had been. From that first
night his Father had used it on him, he had feared it above
everything else. That paddle had always seemed to be evil, having
a life of it's own. Biting harder and hurting longer than was
naturally possible.

And, he remembered, this paddle was what his mother had used on
him. When his father was not home, he expected his wife to
maintain discipline. On his son, not on his precious daughter,
thank goodness. Samantha was never beaten. So when Mulder
exasperated his Mother, she got out this paddle and tanned his
butt. No matter who used it, it always left him in tears and
unable to sit down.

*** 

As Walter got closer to Tina Mulder's house, he became more
uneasy. No one was answering the phone there now. They could just
be out somewhere but still he was worried. He stepped on the gas
a little harder. He would think of something to explain his
presence to the woman. It would be worth it to see Mulder and
make sure he was all right.

*** 

Mulder felt the nicotine yellowed fingers rub the lubricant into
him. This was going to kill him. He would not survive this. That
black lunged bastard was going to rape him and he had no way to
stop him. He had tried to yell for help and now he had a dirty
rag shoved into his mouth. He wondered how long it had been out
here and what was on it. It tasted foul.

"Fox, will you relax. I don't think this is your first time. What
could you possibly see in Walter Skinner by the way?" Mulder
forgot how to breath.

He was pushing two fingers inside now. Oh this boy was so hot and
so wonderfully tight. Maybe he didn't sleep with Skinner after
all. He heard Mulder moan.

"Fox, I always loved your mother. We had a misunderstanding. A
silly fight really. I had to go to Russia for a short time and
when I returned she had married Bill."

He now had three fingers buried in Mulder.

"She knew she had made a mistake almost immediately. But in those
days you didn't just go get a divorce and of course there was the
baby, you Fox, to think about.

"He pistoned his fingers in and out of the hot opening. This was
so much better than he had even imagined. **What an ass on this
boy.**

Mulder was gagging. If he vomited now, he would choke on it. He
fought the nausea. He couldn't stand the thought of this man's
hands on him. He couldn't stand what this man was saying about
his mother. She had been pregnant with him when she married Bill
Mulder. Pregnant by whom. Oh God!

He could be having sex with his own father right now. No, no he
could be raped by his own father right now. He had sex with
Scully and he had sex with Walter. He made love to them and they
made love to him. This was very different. This was rape. He had
to remember that.

He heard a zipper lowered. He bucked against the ropes holding
him and tried to cry for help through the gag. He could not let
this happen. He absolutely could not let this happen.

"Uhh . . . Sir."

"What do you want. I told you not to disturb me."

"Sorry Sir. I had to tell you. Walter Skinner is reported to be
approaching. ETA in less than fifteen minutes. He got through our
first surveillance location unnoticed."

Samuel Fox pulled his slickened fingers out of the shuddering
body under him. "Damn it. Damn it all to hell. I should have
killed that man when I had the chance. All right, bring the car
around. We can't let him see us and we can't kill him in this
house."

Mulder sighed with relief as Cancerman and his two seedy
sidekicks made a speedy retreat. **Wish they had untied me first
and *what* is on this rag.** He suddenly released a breath he
hadn't known he was holding and was surprised to feel tears
rolling down his cheeks. He sobbed into the rough wood of that
hated workbench.

*** 

Skinner rang the doorbell. He rang it several times before he
resigned himself to the fact that no one was going to answer it.
Just as he turned away to wait in his car, he heard a muffled
sound coming from inside. He put his ear against the door. He
heard it again. He lifted his head. It sounded like it was coming
from the garage. Maybe just a cat or something.

He rang the bell again. Suddenly the door opened just a crack and
a tired blue eye peered out at him.

"Can . . . can I help . . . you?"

"Mrs. Mulder, it's Assistant Director Skinner. Are you all right,
where is Fox?"

*** 

Skinner was horrified to find Mulder in the garage. Tied across a
table, beaten and sobbing his heart out. And, Oh God, there was
lubricant all over his backside. Please, no, please.

SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! Scully was right, Mulder could get into trouble
while singing in the church choir on Easter Sunday with a full
congregation watching.

How many other people were raped and beaten when they went to
visit their Mother. While, it appeared, said mother was sleeping
off the effect of some pretty powerful drug.

His fingers fumbled as he tried to untie the knots. Mulder had
started mumbling and sobbing the moment he had removed that
repulsive cloth from his mouth. Walter had so far not been able
to understand a word that he said.

He gently lifted Mulder down from the table and into his arms.
Sitting on the hard concrete and cradling the trembling man in
his lap.

"Sh-h-h-. It okay. It's going to be okay. Mulder, just calm down.
I'm here now. Can you tell me who did this to you?"

"He . . . he said his name was Fo . . . Fox. His name is Fox. Do
you und . . . understand wh . . . what that means? Fox. He used
to watch. He was watching when . . . Dad. . . why did you let him
watch like that." A shudder ran through Mulder's body.

Skinner knew he had to get him out of this chilly garage and into
the house. And he had a few important questions for Mrs. Mulder,
too.

"Sh-h-h- Fox, it's okay. We can talk about it later. Can you
walk?"

"Cancer . . . Cancerman. His name is Fox." A big sob. "He knew my
mother and his name is Fo . . . Fox."

Skinner stared down at him, "He did this to you. Did he rape you,
Mulder?" He didn't really want to know. But he had to ask, he
couldn't help himself. If that man had raped Mulder, Skinner
planned to kill him on sight. Career be damned. Even if he spent
the rest of his life in prison, he would kill that man.

"No . . . no, didn't have time. They knew you were coming."

Skinner slumped with relief. Thank God, he had not waited longer
to come here. It would have been so easy to ignore his gut
feeling and just stay at the office where he belonged. He hugged
Mulder tighter and kissed his forehead.

Skinner rose from the floor, wrestling Mulder with him until he
could lift the younger man into his arms.

"I...I can walk."

"I know. Just let me do this. You can walk to the car later."

***

Mulder lay on his Mother's couch. Clean, his wounds dressed, and
warm at last.

He stared into Walter's brown eyes, "You know we can't do
anything about this. He knows about us. He would ruin us before
we had a chance to ruin him. We have no proof. Just my word and
everyone knows I've always hated him. *You* .. . can't do
anything to him."

Skinner sighed and averted his eyes, "I know. It's just that . .
. " Mulder laid his hand on Walter's warm muscular arm.

"It's fine, really. I managed to get back some old memories,
without getting holes drilled in my head this time." Mulder
laughed as his boss rolled his eyes at him. "And now I'm
reasonably sure Scully will forgive me for that Arkansas thing.
She hates it when someone else hurts me. She thinks of that as
her designated job."

"What about your Mom, do you blame her?"

Now it was Mulder's turn to look away. "No, she's always been
kind of delicate. I've ended up taking care of her more than
she's taken care of me. She thought she was doing what was best
for me. It's what Dad always told her needed to be done. Keeping
me on the straight and narrow."

"Fat chance of that." Mulder chuckled at his comment. It sounded
so good to Skinner to hear him laugh.

"Have you called Scully?"

"Oh, Yeah."

"She take it badly?"

"I told her you didn't recognize the assailant. I did not want a
one woman posse out looking for Cancerman. No man should have to
face that, not even him."

"Scully's never going to buy that. I was in Mom's house in
Chilmark. What kind of an unknown assailant would break in to
sleeping woman's home just to rape her FBI Agent son?"

"Well then, you think of something."

"Not my problem."

"What! You're in this too."

"No, I'm not."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the victim here. I don't remember a thing. You're on your
own, Big Guy."

"You aren't going to help me, are you?"

"No, not a chance."

Skinner laid his head in his hands. **He was doomed.**

End Twelve

Painful X-Perience XIII Doctor's Orders by DiAnn


Mercy Hospital Aspauh, Ohio

Dr. Gerald Ramsey walked down the hall of *his* hospital. It was
small but well equipped and staffed with the best of the best.
The finest doctors and nurses available anywhere. He would put
his people up against any larger hospital. Each one and picked,
he had seen to it personally.

Dr. Ramsey was a big man. Big in spirit and in body. Well over
six feet and still in top physical condition. He worked out every
day without fail. He would not have settled for less from
himself.

He was tough but fair. Well respected and admired by all who knew
him. He had built this hospital into what it was today. It was
his empire and his legacy.

Suddenly he heard a commotion coming from room 402. That darned
FBI agent again. "Fox Mulder," Dr. Ramsey sighed. When the agent
had first arrived badly injured and in obvious pain, his nurses
had made quite a fuss over the handsome young man. Now they just
fussed *about* him.

The kid was a royal pain in the ass. The worst patient Dr. Ramsey
had seen in a very long time, unfortunately not long enough for
his liking.

He walked into room 402.

"I said take this away. I can't eat it and I won't eat it. Nobody
could eat it, nobody would want to. Why can't you just listen to
me for a change. Where is that damned doctor today anyway? I want
out of here . . . now."

Dr. Ramsey's lips compressed into a thin line. This young man may
be an FBI Agent but he as in serious need of some discipline. But
instead it seemed he just got coddled. He and his striking red-
haired partner were obviously very close, probably lovers from
all appearances. And although he did listen to her, the minute
she left his room he went into this tyrant act again.

And then there was Assistant Director Skinner. The man had flown
all the way here from Washington just to personally check on his
wounded agent. But he seemed to garner little respect or maintain
little control over the unruly young agent.

Dr. Ramsey cleared his throat from the doorway. All eyes turned
in his direction. The three nurses with expressions of relief,
Mulder with a glare.

"I. Am. Leaving. This. Hospital. Today." Mulder ground out
between his teeth. "Do I make myself clear, *Doctor*?"

Dr. Ramsey walked over and stared into the hazel eyes of his
irritating patient. They sparkled with intelligence, passion and
anger. Dr. Ramsey had seen many men like this Agent Mulder in his
life. Brilliant, driven and reckless. He had put many of these
young men back on the straight path by curbing that reckless
spirit. Perhaps he could save this beautiful young man also.

He turned to the nurses. "You may leave now. I wall take over
Agent Mulder's care from here."

Mulder watched as the nurses retreated. Now what? These power
games always made his anger rise another degree. God, he hated
hospitals. And where were Scully and Skinner? They said they
could be here first thing this morning. It was now definitely
morning, where were they?

He glared at the doctor. Unfortunately the powerfully built man
was glaring back.

"Agent Mulder, you are disrupting this hospital."

"So let me leave."

"You are not ready to leave my care. I would think two or three
more days before those wounds are healed enough for a trip back
to Washington. They were already seriously infected when you came
into the hospital. Even though your temperature is now within an
acceptable . .. "

"I - Feel- Fine. I'm cured. You're a great doctor. Satisfied? Now
I'm leaving this second rate Witch Doctor's Hut now." Mulder
started to rise.

**Witch Doctor's Hut.** Dr. Ramsey glowered. Yes, this young man
was in need of some major attitude adjustment and he was just the
man to administer it.

Mulder's eyes widened in surprise when the doctor took two more
steps toward the bed and was now towering over him menacingly.
**What the hell.**

"Son, you are about to see this hospital in a whole new light."
He lowered the bed until Mulder was flat on his back.

"Hey . . . Cut it out . . . what are you doing? Medical terrorism
isn't part of the Hippocratic Oath you know." **Well maybe it
was, Scully used it on him all the time.**

"I'm going to turn you over now, Mr. Mulder."

He began to gently but firmly turn Mulder onto his stomach.
Mulder struggled ineffectively, the doctor was bigger than he was
but on a good day, Mulder could have easily held his own against
him. However, this was not a good day. He might be a trained
Federal Agent but he was still sick and weak from his injuries.
Dr. Ramsey put him where he wanted him without much difficulty.

"What the hell are you doing. You have never examined me like
this before."

"You are right, I haven't but maybe I should have. It's time to
start your physical therapy now, Agent Mulder."

Dr. Ramsey pulled down the blanket that covered him and quickly
pushed aside the flaps of the hated hospital gown, baring him
from the waist down. " I want you to put both hands on the pillow
by your head, and don't move them."

Mulder swallowed hard. He did not like the turn this morning had
suddenly taken. **Where the hell was Scully.**

"Wh . . . what are you going to do?"

"I said hands on the pillow," Ramsey barked. It was a voice
Mulder recognized. Skinner's military command voice. He had
learned to somewhat ignore Skinner but this voice he obeyed
before he even thought about it.

"If you move those hands, young man, it will just go harder for
you." Ramsey laid one big hand on the small of Mulder's back. He
was not going to allow Mulder to move enough to tear out his
stitches.

The hand felt heavy and hot on Mulder's bare skin. **Go harder!
What would go harder?**

"What the hell do you think you are you going to do to me. Let me
up from here right now."

"You, my boy, are obviously someone special. Smart, handsome,
probably a damned good agent. But you need discipline. You
obviously aren't going to get it from that pretty partner of
yours and even AD Skinner treats you with kid gloves. But I don't
own any kid gloves, Mr. Mulder."

Mulder felt the first stinging slap on his right buttock. **The
man was actually spanking him!** Mulder was beginning to see a
pattern here. It seemed people were a lot less inclined to just
put up with his smart mouth lately. Must be some kind of
intergalactic planetary shift or something.

The second slap landed on the same spot, followed by a third on
that same injured area. Mulder flinched involuntarily, that one
area on his right cheek was on fire. Before he could take in a
good breath to protest, three identical slaps landed on his left
side.

"Stop it!" Mulder moved his hand down to protect his vulnerable
backside. A resounding slap landed on the back of his right
thigh. "Ouch-h-h-." The slap repeated itself on the same burning
thigh area.

"Hands back on the pillow, Mr. Mulder. The slap repeated once
more on his thigh. Mulder quickly brought his hands up beside his
head.

"I will not stop, Mr. Mulder, I have not even begun." The big
stinging palm landed again and again as the doctor punished the
skin of Mulder's glowing backside. He was relentless and
determined to inflict substantial discomfort to this troublesome
young man.

Mulder's demands were ignored, his threats left unanswered, his
pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears. Finally the assault stopped.
Mulder's butt stung like the blazes of hell itself.

"Well, that was about 30 strokes, do you think you can behave
yourself in this hospital now?"

Mulder buried his head in the pillow and refused to answer. He
didn't have to play along with this bastard's sick games.

"Fine. We'll see how you feel after thirty more." Mulder gasped
out a "no" just as the heavy hand landed on his already sore
backside.

This time Mulder couldn't control the flinches and involuntary
wiggling or the muffled cries that escaped his lips. He was
burning up. The man hit the same areas over and over again. He
used a series of three slaps to a chosen spot then moved on to
find another patch of skin that took his fancy. The only breaks
coming when Mulder moved his hands, then his thighs received the
doctor's attention. Mulder quickly learned not to move his hands.

Mulder, much to his shame, felt choking sobs coming from deep in
his chest. The good doctor was as unmoved by tears as he had been
by commands and threats. He was relentless and Mulder felt
himself become lightheaded with the emotional overload of the
stinging pain and the immense humiliation. It took him a few
moments to notice when the slaps had stopped.

Dr. Ramsey looked down at the back of the dark head on the
pillow. The young man was trembling from head to foot. Good.
Nothing like a lesson well learned.

"Now, are you willing to conduct yourself in a manner suitable to
this hospital or do I need to administer another thirty strokes?"

"No. No . . . I'll . . . I'll . . . "

Ramsey ruffled the man's soft hair. He noticed that handsome
face, half buried in the pillow, was as red as his behind.

"You'll do what, Agent Mulder?"

Mulder took a deep shaky breath, "I won't make any more trouble."

"Good, I thought you would eventually see this my way. Now don't
try to turn over. We're going to leave that handsome backside of
yours just as it is for a while. Let your nurses see what happens
to unruly patients in this hospital. He heard Mulder groan and
the shade of red on his face intensify.

"Pl . . . please don't do this to me."

Ramsey adjusted the hospital gown to show a good portion of the
long, well-muscled back as well as the well-punished backside.
This young man's body was a work of art, his nurses were going to
enjoy this.

"I warn you, Mr. Mulder, you are to stay in this position. Hands
by your head, buttocks open to the air. If you fail to do so, you
will find yourself receiving a good dose of my leather belt. Do
you understand?"

Mulder gritted out a yes between clenched teeth, face flaming.

About fifteen minutes later Scully appeared in the doorway.
Mulder had already been visited by each of his three nurses. He
would never forget this embarrassment.

He groaned when he saw Scully. She was standing in the doorway
with her mouth hanging open. He might have enjoyed this un-
Scullylike confusion if it had not been for his present
predicament.

Scully stood fascinated. Her errant partner, whom she had
expected to find in a rage when she arrived, was lying quietly on
his stomach. He was practically naked and sporting a very red
bottom. And what a truly fine bottom it was. No wonder those
nurses out front were all smiling like that. Then she noticed his
tear stained, red face. His sad 'hurt puppy' eyes begging for
sympathy.

"Mulder, what happened?" She cooed as she started to pull the
blanket up to cover him.

"Scully stop! You can't do that. He'll . . . he'll come back. ..
he'll do it again if you . . . you . . . "

Scully stopped pulling on the blankets, "Who did this to you,
Mulder?"

A brief hesitation. "The doctor. I pissed off the doctor."

Scully hid a smile. "I would say you did."

Scully looked down with appreciation at her partner's beautiful,
blistered butt. Well it was probably long overdue. She and Walter
should have stopped his tirades days ago. But he had been in so
much pain and they had been so worried about him, they had let
him act pretty much like a spoiled brat.

Now Mulder was lying quietly in what had to be a most humbling
position. Someone in the medical profession had finally found a
way to effectively sedate Mulder. She just might give that doctor
a kiss.

She looked up to see Walter enter the room.

"What's going on in here? All those nurses . . . " Skinner had
suddenly stopped, speechless. He looked at Scully with a
combination of shock and confusion.

She smiled at Walter, "He was causing difficulty in the hospital.
The doctor took matters into his own hands, so to speak."

Scully and Skinner looked at each other and instantly broke into
laughter. They couldn't help it, this was just too good. They
laughed until tears ran down their faces and they were gasping
for breath. Mulder glared at them. **Some friends he picked.**

Skinner struggled to gain control of himself, "You know Mulder,
this seems to just keep happening to you. Must be that boyish
face of yours. You just look like someone who needs a good
spanking."

"I'm so glad you two are enjoying this . . . *Sir*." Mulder spat.

Skinner ignored the sarcasm just oozing from that statement. "Oh
we are, Mulder, we are. Scully, why is he just lying there like
that?"

"From what I can gather, Walter, he apparently has to display
that cute little red butt of his to anyone who walks in the room
until Dr. Ramsey comes back. If he moves before that time, he
gets another spanking.

Skinner glanced down at his troublesome agent. "I wish I'd
thought of this. A well-spanked Mulder decorating a corner of my
office, that should make my job a little more enjoyable."

Scully laughed, "Or how about this view perking up some dreary
little run-down motel he has managed to find for us."

"So I take it you don't disapprove of my methods?"

No one had noticed Dr. Ramsey standing in the doorway of the
room. Mulder wondered how long he had been there and how much he
had heard.

Scully laughed again. "Well actually, we heartily approve but I
don't think poor Mulder is too happy right now." She ran a
familiar hand over the smooth, hot skin of her partner's injured
cheeks. He groaned softly and flinched at her touch.

"Well, in my opinion that young man needs discipline. He appears
to be totally out of control. And he is far too intelligent and .
. . " he winked at Scully, "much too *pretty* to lose. His nurses
have throughly enjoyed today's view from room 402."

Dr. Ramsey looked at the two people standing over the embarrassed
young man. They obviously cared about him enormously. That was a
comfort to the doctor. He really did not want to think about this
bright young federal agent getting himself killed. He liked the
strength and passion he saw in him, just not in *his* hospital.

The doctor addressed his patient, "Fox, you will stay just as you
are until lunch. You are very beautiful, it isn't often the staff
gets such a pleasant opportunity. Good for morale, you know. And
of course, they think you were more than deserving of what you
got. Everyone likes to see justice served." The doctor then
turned on his heel and left.

Skinner looked down at his now docile agent, who once again had
his blushing face buried in the pillow. He glanced at his watch,
"Well Agent Scully, we have about two hours before our upended
young friend here is in a position to carry on a conversation
with us. Face to face that is. How would you like to spend the
time?"

"Shopping, Sir. I feel the need to purchase a new hairbrush."
Mulder groaned. "A good sturdy one. And Walter, don't you need
something from the leather department?" A louder groan from the
bed.

"Yes Dana, I think I do need to add a few new belts to my
collection. Unless there is a serious change of attitude once we
get home, I might be wearing out the ones I have."

Scully ruffled Mulder's hair. "Looks like your leash just got
shortened Mulder. And by the way you really are beautiful like
that." She bent down and kissed the back of his chocolate brown
head.

"Shall we go Walter? I'm sure his nurses would like to spend a
little more time in here now."

The End Thirteen

THE END OF 2/2