Refugee Camp
Tuesday, November 20, 2001
2:00 p.m.
Dressed as a sergeant in the U.S. Army, the Alien Bounty Hunter made his way through the crowded refugee camp located fifty miles outside of Dallas, Texas. Dallas was one of the few major cities that had received only minor damage in the alien attack. Over half of the people living there had fled fearing future attacks. The military was having a hard time maintaining order. Theft and rape had become common at the camps and throughout the country as their society devolved into chaos.
This camp was the ninth he had searched with no luck. All the major camps were being located in the southern portion of the country. With winter approaching and the supply of oil from the Middle East and South America cut off, the country had only its own resources to depend upon, so the need for preservation had become a top priority. With the destruction of so many cities and the deaths of millions of Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans, the need for oil had gone way down as the continent literally ground to a halt. People could no longer travel freely; they needed a sticker from the military that authorized them to be out on the roads. Only a small number of people received the stickers: essential government employees, farmers, military employed truckers, and medical personal. Even with millions of barrels of oil stockpiled in the government's reserves, and a slow-down rate of consumption the reserve would only last them a little over two years. So they needed to maintain production in Alaska and increase production in the gulf.
The Bounty Hunter showed around a photograph he had of Fox Mulder. No one recognized him. He would continue to head west toward San Diego then head up the coast.
The Wolf and Panther
The Cabin
Tuesday, November 20, 2001
6:00 p.m.
"Don't touch me!" Sandburg snapped as Ellison tried to help him into their new bedroom. "I'm not an invalid!"
After thirty-days, Sandburg was still sick, but not nearly as sick as he had been. His body had finally gone through its last major change two days ago.
"Blair, I don't know why you're mad at me. How was I to know that you'd turn into a hermaphrodite like Mulder and Alex? If I'd known, I would never have touched you. Besides you're the one who wanted to have sex."
Sandburg walked through the doorway into their new bedroom. He gasped in surprise. For the last month he had been bedridden and hadn't seen the progress they were making on the new addition. Now that it was complete he marveled at what a beautiful job his lover and friends had done. A fire burned in the large stone hearth giving the room a warm glow. The two rocking chairs they had gotten on their trip off the mountain were in front of the fireplace. Between the chairs was a small table with a teapot and two teacups. The wrought iron canopy bed had a thick, inviting, down comforter on it. The wood floor was polished pine. He walked over to the fireplace and ran his hand over the smooth pine mantel.
"Jim, it's beautiful."
"Why don't you sit down? I made us some tea."
Sandburg walked over and sat on one of the rocking chairs as Ellison poured the tea. He gazed into the hearth at the leaping flames.
The privacy of having his own bedroom, with Jim, made his change a little easier to bear... but not much.
"Blair, Mulder and Alex have adjusted to their body's changes. I'm sure you'll be able to adjust, too." Ellison handed him a steaming cup of tea.
"How? Look at this!" Sandburg opened his bathrobe exposing a smooth hairless chest.
"We all lost our body hair."
"Yeah, but yours, Walter's, and John's body hair has grown back."
"Yeah, but it's not as thick as it was."
"It's thicker than Mulder's and Alex's."
"We don't know how much body hair Mulder and Alex had before they changed. At least they have some."
Sandburg took a sip of the tea and changed the conversation. "Have you finished the greenhouse?"
"Yes. You're going to like it. We've already started some herbs."
"What about the mushrooms that Paul brought us?"
"John and Alex have built platforms for them to grow on in the caves. With any luck we should have fresh mushrooms in a few weeks."
"I feel like I've missed a month of my life," Sandburg sighed.
"Chief, I hope you're feeling better by tomorrow. Paul and Mike are coming up from their farm and they are bringing a big tom turkey for our Thanksgiving meal on Thursday. I'm looking forward to meeting John's brother."
"I'm feeling better than I have in a month, but I'm not sure we have a lot to be thankful for this year," Sandburg grumbled as he took another sip of tea.
Ellison sighed. His lover was usually the optimist of the two of them. "We have a lot to be thankful for. We're still alive and together. We have a roof over our heads, new friends, and we're not going to starve. And as long as we have each other, we have tomorrow."
"Jim, that's pretty deep."
Ellison smiled and bent to kiss Blair softly on the lips. "I love you, Chief."
Sandburg sighed, "Big guy, you're the only one who can make me forget my problems."
The Dog and Rat
The Cabin
Wednesday, November 21, 2001
1:00 a.m.
"Harder, John!" Krycek gasped as Doggett thrust into him from behind. The bed shook as their passion increased.
Krycek had been hot and horny all day, and with Fox away on a trip to the other side of the mountain with Skinner to gather fresh cranberries from a neighbor's bog for their Thanksgiving meal, Krycek was unable to satisfy his lust with his favorite former FBI agent. Not that he was complaining too much, John was proving to be an exceptional lover, since they'd first had sex it kept getting better.
In the middle of a thrust they both suddenly changed into wolves. Krycek yapped as Doggett's knot forced its way into his vagina while his powerful jaws clamped down at the scruff of Krycek's neck holding him in place. He continued short frenzied thrusts.
Doggett let go of Krycek's neck and howled as the other wolf's orgasm squeezed his shaft so tightly that it sent him over the edge and he pumped his seed deep inside Krycek.
'God, John. That was great.' He could feel the large knot at the base of his lover's cock throbbing inside of him. It was starting to make him horny again.
'Why did we change?' Doggett asked as he started to lick Krycek's furry neck where he had gripped it while he waited for his knot to shrink.
'I don't know.' Krycek said, more interested in grinding his butt back against the hard object inside of him.
The Fox and Bear
The Woods
Wednesday, November 21, 2001
2:00 a.m.
Skinner paused by the stream and took a sip of refreshing mountain water. The moon wasn't full but for some reason he and Fox had changed into wolves. Fox thought that being outside under the clear nighttime sky surrounded by nature had brought about their change.
'Walter, I have to tell you something but I don't think you're going to like it,' Mulder said as he sat on his haunches on the mossy bank watching his lover quench his thirst. He'd noticed a difference in his lover's scent the last time they'd changed but couldn't quite identify what about it had bothered him until now.
'What is it, Fox?'
'I think I know why you've been throwing up for the past month.'
'Oh yeah, and why is that?' Skinner looked over his shoulder at the slick chestnut colored wolf.
'You're pregnant. It is why you smell different.'
Skinner felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his belly as he growled, 'Don't joke, Fox!'
'I'm not joking, Walter, as a hermaphroditic wolf you have all the right equipment.' Mulder looked embarrassed and guilty as much as a wolf could. 'I think it was the first time we had sex in wolf form. You had me so turned on by your scent... I think you must have been in heat.'
'That would mean that you knocked me up.'
'I'm sorry... it wasn't intentional.'
'This is just great!' Skinner sighed.
'Walter, we have another problem,' Mulder said too afraid to approach his upset lover.
'What is that?'
'When we change back, we'll forget that you're pregnant, so we won't be able to seek a medical solution.'
'A medical solution, do you mean as in an abortion?'
'Yeah. Isn't that what you would want?'
'Fox, I'm still stunned... I have no idea what I want.' Being in wolf form, Skinner found that he wasn't as upset by the idea of being pregnant as he might have been back in human form.
He strolled over to Mulder and licked him across the mouth to show that he wasn't upset with him. 'Let me confess something to you. One of the reasons I married Sharon was out of a desire to start a family. I love kids, but unfortunately for us it turned out that she was barren. I still loved her dearly, even though I've always been more attracted to men. Sharon knew this, and she also knew how pigheaded I was... that I'd never divorce her out of a sense of obligation to her, so she filed for divorced as a means to set me free. She knew that I had fallen in love with a man I worked with.' Skinner looked pointedly at Mulder.
'Me?'
'Yes, you.'
Mulder happily snuggled up to Skinner and licked him behind the ear. 'Do you want to do me?'
'Oh yeah,' Skinner moaned, 'But let's get back to our camp first. If we change back now, we might have a hard time finding where we tied our horses.'
Mulder chuckled. 'Always practical, it one of the things I love about you.'
The Dog and Panther
The Cabin
Wednesday, November 21, 2001
6:40 a.m.
The crowing of the rooster woke Doggett who was lying sprawled out over Krycek in the sleigh bed up in the loft. The covers were a tangled mess around their legs. He raised himself off his younger lover and climbed out of bed as quietly as he could so as not to wake Krycek.
Doggett pulled on his robe then grabbed his clothes, and stepped out into the hallway into the new addition and walked down the staircase. Last week they had removed the ladder and repaired the loft's railing. He whistled happily as he crossed the parlor and entered the bathroom off the kitchen. After he showered and dressed he planned to start a pot of coffee.
As the hot water soothed him, Doggett thought back upon his life. Over two months ago he had been lonely; many of his friends from the bureau had started to ostracize him because of his commitment to the X-Files. Now, with three lovers and several close friends, he was no longer lonely. Regardless of the alien invasion he was happy living here. This place felt like the home he'd fantasized about in recent years. The only thing missing were children.
He soaped up, enjoying the fragrance of the homemade bar of soap. They had traded two jugs of moonshine for a dozen bars from their neighbor, Laura Nightingale, who lived on a few acres of land twelve miles from them. This bar had the soft fragrance of vanilla with a hint of sandalwood and coconut.
Doggett was excited that his brother, Mike, and papa would be arriving today and staying through Saturday. He wanted his brother to meet Walter, Alex, and the other guys, and see his new home.
He stepped out of the bathtub onto a bathmat and dried himself then dressed. When he walked out of the bathroom Ellison already had a pot of coffee percolating on the stove as he waited to use the bathroom.
"Good morning, John," Ellison said as he headed for the bathroom.
"Jim." Doggett nodded. "How's Blair doing this morning?"
"Better." He paused in the doorway. "I think he's well enough to join us for breakfast this morning."
"That's good to hear. How was sleeping in the new room?"
Ellison smiled. "John, it felt really good having a place that Blair and I can consider ours for however long we stay here."
Doggett smiled back. "I can imagine it would. Maybe come spring we can add another bathroom onto the place."
Ellison chuckled before he stepped into the bathroom. "After we get Walter's workshop built first."
They already had a large pile of lumber, roofing material, windows, and electrical supplies, piled up outside next to the barn under a heavy weatherproof tarp. Their recent trips off the mountain had been to scavenge building supplies. They were building the workshop with two by six framed construction materials. It would be a freestanding structure away from the barn, since the sound of power tools had upset their cows.
They had poured the thirty by forty foot cement foundation two days ago. They were hoping to get the structure framed and a roof on it before the first snowfall. Then they could take their time working on the inside.
Doggett was looking forward to working in the workshop. Not only did they have an area planned for woodworking, but also tools and an area to fix motors.
The Fox, Bear, Dog, Panther, Rat, and Wolf
Wednesday, November 21, 2001
10:10 a.m.
The horses puffed out clouds of white breath in the cold morning air as they trudged up the hill. Their riders bundled against the cold, in leather jackets, and wearing gloves on their hands.
Mulder struggled to bring into focus a memory just beyond his grasp. He glanced over at Skinner who was riding beside him. "I feel as if I've forgotten something really important," he said.
"Me, too," Skinner sighed, "Just what happened last night? You don't think we changed into wolves again do you?" They had awakened shivering on top of their sleeping bag entwined in each other's arms.
"We changed, but I don't think we wandered too far from our camp."
At Skinner's inquiring look Mulder added, "I saw a few wolf tracks around our camp when we were packing to leave."
"There wasn't a full moon last night, why did we change?"
"I think it was from being outside in the woods at night. It must have brought out a feral need within us." Mulder licked his lips. "I often feel a pull whenever I'm outside among the trees."
Skinner nodded. He knew what Mulder meant, but hadn't been able to pinpoint the strange urges he'd been having as being the desire to shed his humanity and change into a wolf. "Do you think we can change at will if we tried?"
"Maybe we could try some night after John's father and brother leave," Mulder said as they rode into the farmyard and over to the barn.
They dismounted and Mulder took the reins from Skinner. "I'll take care of the horses, why don't you go inside and warm up... you're looking pale again. How are you feeling?"
"I am feeling a bit queasy and tired." Skinner removed the bags from the horses. "I'll bring our packages inside. After you're done with the horses would you like to share a shower?"
Mulder smiled. "I'd love to. I'll try to hurry."
Doggett stepped out of the barn. "You can take the milk inside and let me tend to the horses, and then you won't have to hurry," he said, carrying a large container of milk.
Mulder's smile broadened as he took the milk container from Doggett. "Thanks, John, you're a life saver. I'll be back out to help with the chores after I warm up a little."
"We'll be out to help," Skinner corrected. He was sure he'd feel better after a shower.
"No need, guys, Alex and Jim already took care of the chickens and cleaned out the barn. After I get the horses fed and groomed there isn't anything left to do," Doggett said as he turned and led the horses into the barn.
Mulder turned to Skinner as they headed toward the house. "I used to spend most of my day tending to the animals, weeding the vegetable gardens, chopping wood, and putting up supplies for the winter. What am I going to do with so much free time?"
"We'll think of something," Skinner said with a leer.
Sandburg opened the back door for them as they approached.
"Thanks, Blair. You're looking better," Skinner said.
"I'm feeling better."
The kitchen smelled delicious of cinnamon, all spice, apples, and pumpkin. Krycek and Ellison were in the process of baking pies for their Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Mulder's stomach growled as he carried the steel milk container into the kitchen.
Krycek looked up from pouring fresh pumpkin filling into a piecrust and smiled, silky stands of sable hair fell into his eyes. He unconsciously brushed them away. "Did you get the cranberries?"
Skinner plopped the large bag of cranberries on the counter. "There's more than enough for Thanksgiving, we should freeze the rest." The smell of cinnamon was making him nauseous; Skinner excused himself and hurried into the bathroom.
Mulder quickly followed and closed the door as Skinner bent over the toilet bowl. While his lover was once again throwing up, he filled a glass with cold water from the tap. He handed it to Skinner as his lover straightened.
"Walter, I think we should talk to Sean about bringing a Doctor up here to look at you. It's not normal for you to be throwing up this much."
Skinner rinsed his mouth out and spit in the sink. "It's nothing, Fox."
"It's not nothing, Walter."
"Okay, if you can find one who makes house calls I'll let him check me over."
"I'll radio Sean after our shower," Mulder said as he turned on the water then started to strip.
"I think you're worrying about nothing," Skinner said, feeling a hundred percent better now. He shed his clothes, stepped into the bathtub behind Mulder, and drew the shower curtain closed.
"I hope you're right."
When they finished their shower they pulled on their robes and slippers, then carried their dirty clothes to the new laundry room and placed them in the dirty clothes hampers, separating them by colors and whites, before heading back to the bedroom to dress for the day. With so many men living together in such a small place they finally had to agree to some simple rules, and not tossing their dirty clothes on the floor or over a chair was one of them.
Mulder had reluctantly agreed to the schedule board Jim and Walter had hung up in the kitchen. It listed each man's chores for the week, including who had cooking duty, cleaning, milking, and a number of other tasks that they needed to get to each day. They even added other tasks such as deer hunting, fishing, and trade. Mulder hated to admit that the board did make their lives easier. Even their horse trip to trade for cranberries had been scheduled on the board. Each man still pitched in and helped the others if he finished his chores ahead of time.
Mulder had glanced at the schedule board when he brought the milk inside. It had him down for bringing in firewood, dusting, and mopping the floors, which he planned to do after he ate and radioed his ranger friend.
"I'm starving," Mulder said as he pulled the sweater on over his head.
"Me too," Skinner echoed. "But we'll have to find something that isn't going to require us to use the stove. Jim and Alex seem to have it pretty well occupied."
"How about a bowl of granola, do you think you could hold that down?"
"As long as it doesn't have cinnamon in it, for some reason that scent has been turning my stomach lately."
They walked into the kitchen and Mulder opened a cabinet and pulled out one of the plastic containers filled with granola. He opened it and sniffed; satisfied that this one was cinnamon free he filled two bowls while Skinner grabbed the milk from the refrigerator. They retreated to the dining room, out of Ellison's and Krycek's way, with the cereal and milk. Mulder set the filled bowls and container of granola on the table while wondering where Blair had gone.
They ate quietly. Skinner was refilling his bowl when Doggett strolled in through the back door.
Doggett removed his boots and placed them on the mat next to the door to clean later.
"Don and Wendy Wade are coming over on Saturday to teach us how to collect and make maple syrup from our maple trees," he announced as he ducked passed Ellison and grabbed a cereal bowl from the cabinet and joined them at the table.
Skinner looked across the table at Mulder and smiled. "Fox, out of all the places in the world you could have chosen to disappear to; I'd say you picked the perfect location."
"I'll second that," Doggett said as he filled his bowl with cereal.
Mulder's eyes lit up with mischief. "Just keep those thoughts in mind when there's three feet of snow outside."
"God, I hate snow!" Doggett groaned. "But I don't mind hibernating in front of a blazing fire with good companionship. I think I'll survive winter as long as I don't have to go outside too often."
Skinner chuckled. "When I was a boy I loved winter and the first snow... actually I still do if I don't have to drive in it. In a way I'm sort of looking forward to our first snow. Life doesn't seem as hectic, and I think we are well prepared for winter."
"I'm a winter slut," Krycek said from the kitchen. "I love to ski, snowmobile, and hunt in the winter. It is so much easier to track wild game through the snow. My uncle used to take me hunting with him and he even taught me how to ice fish."
Ellison placed the mincemeat pie on a cooling rack. "I don't mind the winter as long as it doesn't get too cold."
"What about you, Mulder?" Skinner asked.
"I grew up in New England, it was required that we like winter," Mulder quipped. "I know how to ski and ice skate. I'll admit that I never liked shoveling snow which had been my job as a boy."
"I had the same job. I think all sons did." Skinner chuckled.
Ellison suddenly stopped what he was doing and hurried out the back door.
The other men looked at each other before pushing away from the table and following him outside. It took them a couple of minutes before they could hear what had drawn Ellison out of the house. The sound of motors grew louder then two all-terrain, three-wheel vehicles drove through the gap in the bushes.
Doggett smiled broadly as he recognized his papa and brother. His papa had told him not to meet them at the ranger station that they would have no problem getting to the cabin. Considering that his papa had already been out to visit three times, Doggett knew he'd have no problem finding his way back here. He did wish that they had told him they were bringing their all-terrain vehicles along. Both had carts attached to the back, filled with packages.
They pulled up and parked next to the cabin. Paul Doggett pulled off his helmet and climbed off the three-wheeler. He hugged his son first then Mulder and proceeded to greet the other men while Mike Doggett greeted his brother and Mulder then waited to be introduced to the other men. By then Sandburg had stepped out of the greenhouse to join the group. He'd been inside making notes on where he wanted to plant certain herbs and vegetables, depending on the direction of the sun and how much direct sunlight each part of the greenhouse would get.
After introductions, Mike glanced around, looking out over the mountains and the stream. "Wow, you guys have a beautiful place here and talk about a magnificent view."
"You think this is nice, Mike, you should see the view from where our windmill is set up," Krycek said. "You can see the whole valley."
"I would like a tour of the whole place."
Doggett smiled at his brother. "I'll give you one as soon as we get your bags inside."
Everyone helped carry the bags and packages inside. Doggett hefted the cooler with the thirty-pound tom turkey, while Mulder grabbed the other even heavier cooler.
Doggett hoped the turkey would fit in their oven. They needed one this size since the Gunmen, Ranger Sean, and Laura Nightingale would be joining them for their Thanksgiving meal.
"Paul, we just finished the new addition so we have plenty of room now," Skinner said as he carried their bags up the staircase to the loft where Paul and Mike would be sleeping.
The other men placed the packages of food and supplies on the counter. Doggett shook his head in amazement that his papa would bring more food besides the turkey. Meat filled the other cooler: bacon, pork chops, pork tenderloins, pork roasts, sausage, and baby-back ribs. It was enough to fill their freezer.
While everyone was putting away the items the Doggetts had brought, Mulder took the time to call Sean on the radio.
"A military doctor... I don't know, Sean? Over," Mulder sighed as he sat in front of the radio in the alcove off the new front entryway.
"She's good, Mulder, and trustworthy. Over," Sean said.
"Okay, I'll take your word for it. When can you get her to come out? Over."
"Let me call her. We can discuss it over dinner tomorrow. Over."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sean. Over and out." Mulder set the mike down. He wasn't sure if Walter would want a military doctor and a woman no less.
They could decide over Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.
The Fox and Rat
Thursday, November 22, 2001
3:10 a.m.
"Shh, Fox, you'll wake Paul and Mike," Krycek whispered as his mouth latched onto Mulder's other nipple and he started teasing it into a hard nub.
Mulder bit his lip to stifle a moan. They were on the sleeper sofa in the parlor while Paul and Mike slept upstairs in the loft.
The mattress creaked as Krycek shifted position to kneel between Mulder's parted thighs. His hand fondled Mulder's penis and balls before moving on to play with his duo openings. One slick with arousal the other tightly clenched. Not for long, Krycek thought as his cock thicken even further with arousal at the thought of feeling that tightness around it. He used the slickness from one orifice to loosen the other. He loved fucking Fox through both but anal sex was still his favorite when he was on top. Once Fox was prepared, Alex pushed into him.
After recovering from a brief moment of pain caused by his lover's thick cock, Mulder wrapped his long legs around Krycek's waist drawing their bodies even tighter together. He reached up and pulled Alex's head down so he could kiss those perfect bowed lips while enjoying the feel of his lover's throbbing sex filling his rectum. Mulder found it hard to believe that he'd gone all these years without knowing the joys and pleasures of making love this way. Like an addict, he now craved the touches and caresses of each of his three lovers and he couldn't resist touching and exploring their bodies in return.
Krycek started thrusting slowly in and out while his lips remained locked in a passionate kiss with Fox. Krycek shivered as wave after wave of intense pleasure shot through his body. Fox's kisses burned through him igniting nerve-endings, sending spikes of fiery pleasure from his lips to his groin. No one had ever kissed him with such an intense scorching passion before and he doubted anyone could match Fox in that area.
As in all good things, it didn't take long for him to erupt inside his lover. Krycek felt the dampness of Fox's come against his belly as their mouths quieted their cries of release before their kiss finally ended. He collapsed fully sated into his lover's arms, resting his head on the warm firm chest. Before he drifted back to sleep Krycek felt Fox's arms tighten around him, holding him protectively, and a tender kiss placed on the top of his head.
The Fox, Bear, Dog, Panther, Rat, Wolf, Otter, Stork, Frog, and Puppy
Thanksgiving
12:10 p.m.
The kitchen was crowded. Frohike had come over early to help with the meal. He brought along some trout that Jimmy and Langly had caught and he had smoked in his Uncle's old smokehouse. The men were standing around snacking on the trout and sipping the strong ale that Ranger Sean had brought with him. All but Skinner drank; alcohol was another thing that had turned his stomach. He just couldn't drink it without getting sick.
Laura Nightingale had gone out for a walk with Mike Doggett. The two had hit it off on first sight. Laura was in her mid thirties, attractive in an exotic way, belying her varied ancestry, a mix of Native American, African, and Irish. Her skin a light toffee, her eyes blue, and her hair tight red curls that she wore tied back in a ponytail. She had moved to the mountain seven years ago to get away from the repression of city life and her medical career. She had a toughness about her that helped her adjust to the hardship of mountain life.
The temperature had climbed into the low sixties, perfect walking weather, and warm enough that they could open the windows to allow fresh cool air into the hot kitchen.
"Sean, does this Doctor Nash have to report her whereabouts to the military?" Skinner asked.
"She's an Army Colonel. Liz doesn't have to inform the military of her day-to-day activities. Especially now, when all medical personnel have been working nearly nonstop since the aliens attacked."
"If she's that busy, I don't want to her to go out of her way for no reason."
"It doesn't sound like it's no reason to me, besides Liz owes me a favor," Sean said as he picked another chunk of smoked fish off the filet. "I'll arrange to fly her out here next week."
Skinner reluctantly nodded his acceptance. If he hadn't vomited again, an hour ago after taking a bite of the smoked fish, he might have been less obliging.
Mulder placed a comforting hand on Skinner's shoulder. "Walter, it's going to be okay."
"What if it isn't? What if I have something seriously wrong with me?"
"We'll deal with it together as a family." Mulder hugged him. "Besides other than throwing up, you look perfectly healthy. Your color is good, you're not running a temperature, not to mention you look ten years younger."
The affect the alien virus had on their appearance was something they never talked about... each man appeared to have regained ten or more years of their life. The gray had disappeared from Skinner's hair, leaving his previous dark brown in its place.
"Fox, can I talk to you, Alex, and Walter in the bedroom?" Doggett asked, nodding his head toward the bedroom.
After they entered the room, Doggett closed the door behind them.
"What's this about, John?" Krycek asked.
"We've all been infected with this alien virus, what if the Doctor is able to detect what has happened to us? What we've become?"
"I hadn't considered that," Skinner said, "Maybe it's too risky to bring her here, she is a military Doctor after all. She might feel that it's her duty to report this back to her superiors."
Mulder frowned as he wished again that Scully were around. She'd be able to help them. "No. Walter, your health is more important. Why don't we let her examine you, but not allow her to take any blood samples?" He knew that was feeble but he was too worried about Walter's health.
"We can feel her out while she's here and decide just how far we can trust her," Krycek said.
"There are still a lot of good people in the military. I say we do as Alex suggested, get a feel for her. We're all pretty good at judging someone's character," Doggett said.
"I agree," Mulder said.
"I don't," Skinner said, "It's too risky."
Krycek gave him a smug look. "You're out voted, Wally."
Skinner frowned. "We haven't taken Jim's and Blair's votes yet. This affects them, too."
"Fine, we'll take their votes later tonight," Doggett said. "If it all right with you, guys, I also want to tell my pa and brother what has happened to us."
"I think we can trust your family, John," Mulder said.
"Agreed," Krycek said.
Skinner nodded. "Agreed."
"Let's go rejoin our friends," Doggett said as he opened the bedroom door.
Bowls of food filled the cook's table. Paul Doggett claimed the job of carving the large turkey. Skinner stood and watched the amazing skill the elder Doggett had with the carving knife.
"Everything looks and smells delicious," Laura said as Paul placed a couple of slices of breast meat on her plate.
Langly and Bond had claimed the two large drumsticks and were already sitting at the table with their plates brimming with food.
"I think we out did ourselves," Frohike said as he beamed with pride while he scooped some sweet potatoes onto his plate.
"Try the giblet gravy, Laura, it was my mom's recipe," Mike said.
"I'm sure it will be really good then, Michael." Laura smiled as he poured some gravy over the mashed potatoes on her plate.
Mulder whispered in John's ear. "I think your brother has caught the love bug."
"This place seems to have that affect on a man." Doggett gazed into Mulder's eyes and smiled. "I know I've been bitten by it at least three times."
Mulder grinned back as they waited at the back of the line for their turn to fill their plates.
Once everyone was seated Paul led them in grace.
"Lord, you have seen fit this year to put us through a test of our faith in you. While the purpose of your test is beyond my understanding, you saw fit to bless my family with this ample feast. May we grow strong so we can do your will and free our planet from these demon aliens attacking us? Amen."
"Amen," the others echoed.
Paul's brief prayer disturbed Mulder. While he wasn't a religious man, he did believe in a higher power. He wasn't sure if this was some test or not. Of course he now felt guilty while they were enjoying themselves; billions of humans were either dead or being enslaved by the aliens. If it weren't for the U.S. military they would be in the same boat as the other six continents. Still it surprised him that the aliens had retreated from their attacks on the North American continent. It told him that they weren't as all-powerful as he first thought. Did the secret collaboration between the consortium and the aliens yield vital information on how to fight them other than the magnetite-laden missiles? Mulder knew he could go round and round for days thinking about this so he focused his mind on another subject.
"Paul, how have your visits to the refugee camps gone?" he asked.
"The camps are not a pretty sight, Fox. The military has started asserting lethal control over them. Lawlessness had gotten dangerously out of control. A man caught raping is now taken out and publicly whipped before being thrown in the stockades. I can't say that I have a problem with the military's style of justice. I found several young families that I'm going to allow to live on the farm in exchange for their help with the crops and animals."
"Are you sure you can trust these families?" Krycek asked.
"Yes, Alex, I am a really good judge of people."
Langly was the first one up for seconds.
Mulder noted that Langly had put on some muscle and wasn't as pale as he had been previously. It appeared living on the mountain was having a healthy effect on his friends. It was a joy to see Byers in jeans and a sweater and looking more relaxed than he had in years. Frohike was the only one unchanged. Mulder had a feeling that his closest friend enjoyed living in his uncle's cabin with Langly, Byers, and Bond.
If they were still alive come springtime, they would install one of the three Francis turbines they picked up during their scavenger trips in the stream behind the Gunmen's cabin. They'd measured the velocity of the stream and estimated that it could produce 1200 kilowatts of electricity per hour on the average day. One of the other turbines they planned to install in their portion of stream to provide additional back up power, mainly for the new workshop and barn. The third turbine they were keeping as a replacement.
Skinner pushed away from the table and headed for the bathroom. He needed to pee again. Maybe he had a bladder infection that would explain the constant need to pee, and it could explain why he was throwing up so much.
Frohike leaned back in his chair and unfastened the top button on his pants. "Damn, these are some fine eats."
"How's the militia going, Melvin?" Paul asked.
"Fine, Paul. We have our community well protected. Everyone is pitching in to make sure it stays that way."
"Alex and I have guard duty tomorrow morning," Mulder said not looking forward to having to get up at five in the morning to make to the guard post by eight.
Krycek leered. "I don't mind being stuck in the small guard shack for eight hours with you. I think we should be able to find something to do to ease our boredom."
Frohike looked at the pair of them. "Just don't get too distracted that you allow a stranger to sneak past you.
"Don't worry, Fro, no one will get by us," Krycek said.
After dinner everyone helped clean up, and then they all retired to the parlor or the front porch to enjoy a slice of pie and each other's company.
By seven o'clock, Laura said her goodbyes as she prepared for the twelve-mile horseback ride back to her cabin. Mike saddled up one of the other horses and headed out with her, despite her protests that she'd be fine. He wanted to make sure she made it home okay since it had started to get dark earlier.
After Sean and the Gunmen had finally left for home, the guys decided it was time to tell John's father about what had happened to them. They knew the elder Doggett already suspected something, since he commented about his son's more youthful appearance on more than one occasion.
Paul listened quietly while his son explained about the alien virus and its effect of changing them all into a type of werewolf. John left off that Fox, Alex, and Blair had changed into hermaphrodites.
"Do you have more solid proof that you could show me?" Paul finally asked after several minutes of uneasy silence. "It's not that I doubt what you are telling me, but alien werewolves just seem too B movie for my liking."
"If you come back on November 30th there's a full moon and you can watch us change," John said. "Other than that all we have are these photographs, taken by Frohike during the last full moon." Doggett handed his father several inkjet prints that they had printed off Langly's laptop to Sean's inkjet printer at the Ranger station.
Paul arched an eyebrow as he recognized the inside of their cabin. "Who's the panther?"
"That's Jim."
Paul studied the photos then pointed at one of the wolves. "That's you isn't it, son?"
"How did you figure that out?"
"He has your eyes." Paul handed the photos back. "Okay, I believe you. And I take it since you allowed Melvin to take your photos that you aren't dangerous in wolf form."
"We're not dangerous to our friends, but we have killed while in wolf form to protect our family," Mulder said.
"From what I've heard about wolves they're very protective of members of their pack. I'm glad you boys saw fit to tell me about this."
"You needed to know, Pa. We didn't tell you sooner because we were still adjusting to this change."
"That brings us back to Walter needing a doctor, and the risks involved in bringing a military doctor out here to examine him," Mulder said.
"Jim, Blair, we'd like to have your vote on the subject. We've already explained our views," Krycek said.
Skinner just stood silently against the porch railing with his arms folded across his broad chest.
"I think we should allow her to examine Walter," Sandburg said. "His health is foremost, Jim is a human lie detector, he'll know if she is being deceptive."
"So it's settled then." Krycek smirked at Skinner.
The Fox, Dog, Bear, Panther, Wolf, and Rat
Thursday, November 30, 2001
10:00 a.m.
The weather had been unseasonably warm the past week. It allowed them to get a lot of work done on the workshop. Over the past six days, they had raised all of the walls on the workshop and installed the roof, complete with several skylights and a ventilation system. This afternoon they'd be ply boarding and insulating the walls and installing the windows. Tomorrow they'd be putting up the plasterboard walls and painting the cement floor. The workshop had two double doors to allow them to bring in or out large pieces of equipment or wood.
Mulder walked around the spacious interior. He knew that while the space seemed large, it would shrink once they started installing the shop equipment they had stored in the barn, root cellar, and the tool shed. The sound of a helicopter drew everyone's attention outside and they all headed to the field where Sean usually set down.
Skinner stood nervously at Mulder's side as a female doctor climbed out of the helicopter. She was a short and thin woman in her late fifties. She wore her gray hair in a tight bun and had on a tailored uniform with her rank insignia clearly visible. A black doctor's bag was in her hand while slung over her shoulder was another larger bag.
The Doctor stopped in front of them and held out her hand to Skinner. "Doctor Liz Nash. I take it from Sean's description that you are my patient, Mr. Skinner."
"Doctor Nash, I appreciate your going out of your way to come out here. While I don't feel it was necessary, my friends thought differently."
"Sean mentioned that you were reluctant to seek medical assistance. From his description of your ailments, I'd say you're either pregnant," she quipped, "or suffering from a stomach virus."
Mulder felt a shiver race up his spine at the mention of the word pregnant. It was like bringing into focus something he'd suspected all along. He looked at his lover as the sinking feeling settled in his belly. Pregnant? He knew it sounded preposterous but he was now positive that that was what was wrong with Walter. He was pregnant. It explained his throwing up, needing to pee constantly, and his sudden mood swings. But how did it happen? Who's the father? Or is a father even necessary?
He was pulled out of his thoughts by John's voice. "Earth to Fox." He stared down at the doctor who had her hand out for him to shake.
"Sorry, Doctor," Mulder mumbled as he shook her hand.
"You look troubled, young man," Nash said as she shook his hand.
Mulder attempted to smile. "I'm just concerned about my friend."
"Don't worry, I'll figure out what's wrong with him." She patted his hand and moved on to meet the other men.
The Doctor reminded Mulder of a kindly grandmother. He hoped she didn't figure out what was wrong with Walter. Unless he happened to be wrong about Walter being pregnant which was possible but not very likely. Mulder was never wrong when making one of his leaps. He needed to talk to someone about his suspicions.
He looked at the other men, and decided on Sandburg.
"Blair, can I talk to you?" he said as Sandburg started to follow the others back toward the cabin.
Sean had turned off the helicopter and was walking with Ellison toward the back of the cabin to see how their workshop was coming along, while Krycek and Doggett headed inside the cabin with Skinner and the Doctor.
"Sure, Mulder, you look worried. What's this about?"
Mulder nodded his head toward the path leading to the lake, and they started walking in that direction. "I think I know what's wrong with Walter."
"Oh? What's wrong with him?"
Dry brittle leaves crunched under their boots as they walked down the path. "He's pregnant."
"Whoa, man!" Sandburg stopped dead in his tracks. "Did you just say, he's pregnant?"
"Yeah, that's what I suspect."
"Oh man, oh man," Sandburg muttered over and over again.
"Blair, is something wrong?"
"Jim and I... I and Jim...."
"Blair, calm down you're going to hyperventilate."
"You don't understand. I... we...." Sandburg took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "Mulder, I was feeling really, and I mean really horny two nights ago so I allowed Jim to fuck me there... you know."
Mulder sighed, "I know." Having gone through the change months before the others he'd become very familiar with his body's cycles, so he'd been very careful about having vaginal sex when he was ovulating. "So you think you might be pregnant?"
"If Walter is then it's very likely that I could be as well."
"It's possible, I'm sorry, Blair." They continued their walk to the lake. "One thing is puzzling me. I have no doubt in my mind that Walter is pregnant, but he doesn't have female reproductive organs how did he become pregnant?"
Sandburg focused on the problem at hand, pushing his fears to the back of his mind. "Maybe Walter, John, and Jim didn't develop all of the attributes of a hermaphrodite, it might be possible that they did develop some of them that aren't visible, such as a uterus and ovaries."
"You probably are right, but that doesn't explain how he became pregnant. Unless it happened while we were wolves...." Mulder frowned as a light suddenly went off in his head. "Let's get back to the cabin, I need to check something."
Sandburg hurried to keep up with Mulder's long strides. "Mulder, there is something else you should know."
Mulder slowed and looked at him.
"I think while Jim and I were having sex, we changed. I'm not positive since I have no memories of my time as a wolf... it was just that I found black and gray fur in our bed the next morning."
Mulder nodded adding that piece of information to the other data in his mind. They entered the cabin through the new front door that opened upon the new foyer. They found Krycek and Doggett pacing in the parlor... the bedroom door was closed.
"Fox, where have you been?" Krycek asked.
Mulder ignored his question as he made a beeline for the desk and pulled the folder containing their wolf pictures out of the drawer. He carried it over to the dining room table and started spreading the photos out. He stopped and pointed to one of the pictures of the wolves leaving the cabin. It clearly showed all of them from behind. "This is Walter," Mulder said pointing to the wolf in the picture.
It doesn't take long for Sandburg to see where he was going with this. "Wow, man. How come we didn't notice this before?"
"What's wrong?" Krycek asked as both he and Doggett leaned in to look at the photograph. Neither saw what had the other two men's attention.
Mulder pointed to the part of the photo that held his interest and waited for their response.
"Fuck, Walter has a cunt!" Krycek gasped as he finally focused on the backend of the wolf. Besides the balls visible between the wolf's legs, there were also two distinct openings.
Doggett looked between the image of him and Walter as wolves, as a sudden uneasiness settled over him. "Where are you going with this, Fox."
Mulder looked over at the closed bedroom door, and said quietly, "I think we should get the Doctor out of here as soon as possible, and not for any reason can we allow her to take a blood or urine sample from Walter."
"Why? Fox, explain yourself," Doggett said firmly.
Mulder led them out of the parlor into the foyer. "I know what's wrong with Walter."
"And what is that, Fox?"
"He's pregnant." Mulder continued quickly before either of them could interrupt him. "He became pregnant while he was in wolf form. John, Blair and I think that you, Walter, and Jim might all have ovaries and a uterus but lack vaginas in your human form but not in your wolf form as was clearly shown in the photograph."
The bedroom door opened before they could discuss this further.
The Doctor stepped out followed by Walter buttoning his denim shirt.
They gathered around them. "Doctor, did you find anything?" Krycek asked.
"He seems to have a lump in his belly. It might only be a cyst or at worse a tumor, I'd like to have him flown to a military hospital for further tests, but he's being stubborn. If Walter would allow me to take a blood sample I might be able to determine if he has any cancer cells present." She looked to the men hoping they would to persuade Skinner to cooperate with her.
"Thank you for your time, Doctor Nash, but that won't be necessary," Doggett said.
Nash was surprised by the response. "Aren't you worried about your friend's health? If it's a cancerous tumor it could kill him."
"We'll arrange for him to go to a local hospital for treatment. No offense, Doctor, but we don't trust the military," Krycek said. "Thank you for pinpointing what is wrong with him, though."
The Doctor looked imploringly at Mulder.
"I'll go inform Sean that you're ready to leave," Mulder said quickly.
Skinner just stood there with his mouth hanging open, wondering what had gotten into his friends.
After the Doctor and Sean had left, everyone gathered in the parlor.
"Okay, would someone mind telling me what just happened?" Skinner growled as he looked at the other five men. Ellison appeared to be as clueless as he was. The other men wouldn't meet his eyes.
Krycek gave Mulder a little shove from behind, causing him to step forward into Skinner's direct line of sight. Mulder glared back at Krycek but knew this couldn't be put off.
"Fox, out with it!" Skinner snapped.
"Okay, Walter, but let me show you something first." He walked over and grabbed the wolf photo off the table. "This is a photograph of you from behind as a wolf. Look closely at it what do you see?"
After studying the photograph for a couple of minutes Skinner's face suddenly turned a shade of white. "What does this mean?"
"It means that as wolves both you and John are hermaphrodites. We don't know about Jim since we don't have any photographs of him from behind. That lump the Doctor felt in your belly is a baby. Walter, you're pregnant."
Skinner sat heavily upon the sofa. "How?"
Mulder sighed and sat next to him. "I think you mated with one of us while we were in wolf form."
"So you're telling me that I'm pregnant with one of your babies?" Skinner looked at Mulder and shook his head in disbelief. "No. It's not possible." He stood on shaky legs, hurried into the bedroom, and slammed the door shut.
Mulder hurried after him, entered the room, and closed the door behind him.
Krycek looked a bit unnerved as he stared at the closed door.
"What's wrong, Alex?" Doggett asked as he allowed Mulder to privately console their lover. Walter didn't need a crowd right now. He was mentally having a hard time totally accepting this news, even though his gut told him it was true.
"Remember a week ago when we had sex up in the loft?"
"Yeah."
"I'm worried that you might have knocked me up."
"Oh shit!" Doggett started pacing this was getting worse. "Don't panic, Alex, we only have Fox's word on it that Walter is pregnant. He could be wrong. And if he's wrong about Walter, you're probably not ah...." He made a wide swooping motion with his hands over his stomach.
"John, this is Fox we're talking about here. He's never wrong."
Ellison had been standing there for the last ten minutes in stunned disbelief. He glanced around for Blair and found he was no longer in the room. He headed to their bedroom where he found Blair standing in front of the fireplace staring at the cold ashes.
"Chief, what's wrong?"
"What if I'm pregnant?" Sandburg said as he hugged his middle.
"That is crazy! You are not pregnant!"
"What if I am, Jim!"
"You're not!"
"What if I am!"
"Dammit, Blair, I don't know!"
"I may be pregnant with your child and you don't know!" Sandburg walked over to Ellison and glared up at him. "You better think about it and until you do know you're sleeping on the sofa! Now get out!"
"Blair, don't be this way."
"Out!" Sandburg pointed toward the door.
Ellison sighed and marched out of the room. Damn what was he going to do? He couldn't even wrap his mind around the possibility that his lover could be pregnant. How could he possibly know what to do if he were?
Mulder sank down on the floor next to Skinner and pulled him into his arms. He'd never before seen Walter cry, and right now he was weeping buckets. Skinner hugged him and buried his face in the crook of Mulder's neck. Mulder just held him protectively while rubbing soothingly circles around his back.
"It's going to be okay, Walter," Mulder murmured as he pressed a kiss against the top of his lover's bald head.
Skinner's sobs died down. "God, Fox, I thought I might be dying of cancer, not that I could possibly have a baby growing inside of me. What are we going to do?"
"We need to have an ultrasound done, so we can determine just where the baby is located if it's protected inside a womb or if it has attached itself to one of your organs. You could bleed death if it has attached itself to one of your organs and gets too big for the Doctor to remove it."
"And if I have developed a womb?"
"Then it should be easier for the Doctor to remove it without harming you."
"Fox, if he's protected inside a womb and not a threat to my life, I'm not sure that I can abort him. I'm not sure what I want to do yet. I'm just so damned scared."
Mulder hugged him tighter. "Whatever you decide, Walter, I'm here for you."
"You better be, he's your kid."
"How can you be so sure?"
Skinner rested his head against Mulder's shoulder. "I just am."
Night settled over the mountains and the full moon rose before the men could do any more work on the workshop. Not that any of them were up to doing anything other than moping quietly around the cabin. As the moon shone brightly in the nighttime sky, they found themselves on four legs and racing out of the cabin into the woods.
As animals their problems seemed to melt away as they chased each other through the forest. They finally stopped by the windmill overlooking the valley below.
'At least we now know for sure that Blair and Alex are also pregnant,' Doggett said as he nuzzled up against the mate carrying his child. He could smell the change in both Krycek and Sandburg.
Neither wolf seemed too upset at finding out he was pregnant. They did have time beforehand to prepare themselves for the news. Wolves by nature are extremely protective of their young.
Krycek looked over at Mulder who was licking Skinner's face affectionately. 'You should give it a try, Fox. You'd make a good mother.'
Mulder stopped and looked over his shoulder at him. 'No thank you.'
Skinner sighed, 'Fox, I don't want to abort our child. How are we going to prevent our human forms from taking that action?' He now felt content and happy knowing that a cub was growing inside his belly.
'I think your human form has already ruled out killing our cub.' Mulder looked at him quizzically, not being pregnant he had no idea of the attachment and bond that his two lovers and friend were feeling for their unborn cubs.
He looked over at the panther that was staying protectively close to his mate. Mulder realized that he was doing the same thing with Walter as Jim was doing with Blair, and John was doing with Alex. He felt extra protective toward his pregnant mate. He doubted that they'd allow their human forms to harm their unborn cubs.
Author's Chapter Notes:
In the peaceful bliss of their mountain home, the men celebrate Thanksgiving and learn some startling news about three of them.
Author notes: I was informed that in the south men refer to their fathers as Daddy, not Pa like I had written. But since I've already have John referring to his father this way, I'm going to continue with that instead of trying to switch boats in midstream. I'll know better next time.
This story, like all of my stories, carries the Mulder friendly label.