Part IV
"Alex! Wait!" Mulder grabbed a towel and wrapped it round his waist. He
hurried after the other man, leaving the two clones staring after him.
Baines glared at Alexei. "You just fucked up all our lives kid.
Congratulations!" The first and only man who had ever wanted him, had
just left him for someone else, and Baines was finding it hard to
believe how much that hurt.
Alexei's eyes filled with tears and his lower lip trembled. Then the
floodgates opened, and Alexei was sobbing in desperate distress. Baines
felt an odd sense of protectiveness towards his vulnerable double,
despite his earlier anger. It seemed so natural to reach forward and
gather the trembling man into his arms and hold the warm body close to
his. Alexei clung to him, and let his head be drawn down onto Baines'
shoulder. There was a strange sort of comfort in holding each other,
trying to distance themselves from the pain that Mulder seemed destined
to cause them. Baines had little experience dealing with the complexity
of relationships.
He let Alexei cling to him for a long time, needing the closeness
himself. Eventually he reached forward and tilted Alexei's head up
towards him. He gently brushed the tears off the smooth skin, looking
into emerald eyes. Alexei had wound his arms tightly around Baines'
neck, and Baines found himself irresistibly leaning forward, and tasting
the sweet lips inches away from his.
Alexei gasped, and clung tighter, fingers winding their way through the
soldier's short hair. They both deepened the kiss, bodies instinctively
moving closer. Not the fire of Mulder's kisses, but a sweeter, gentler
passion. Something like need that reached out to both of them, each
alone for so long. Baines could so easily lose himself in those loving
arms.
It was so hard, too, when they finally moved away from each other.
Alexei was staring at him, as if he had never really seen him before.
And Baines was beginning to realise exactly who it was who had made him
leave everything he had ever known. Not Mulder at all. But for a pair of
sweet green eyes that had looked deep inside him and found something
beyond a hired killer.
Baines hastily dressed, and decided that he would have to try and talk
to his enigmatic and fascinating original. But he could still feel the
pressure of those green eyes watching him, nearby.
"Alexei, you are so beautiful, but don't ever try to trick me again!"
Baines warned, his voice hoarse.
The clone nodded, totally unafraid of him now. "Don't call me kid," he
whispered, and leaned into Baines, who slid an arm round his waist.
"C'mon Lexy, lets face the firing squad."
Mulder had desperately tried to stop Alex as he started to leave but his
pleas fell on stony ground. So eventually, he blocked the doorway with
his body to stop Alex from leaving.
"Don't go Alex, please!"
"Why, Mulder? So I can join your harem?" Alex sounded so bitter. "Go
get one of them if you're so hungry for sex, they both seem willing!"
Mulder felt a sudden fierce anger. It hadn't been his fault that he had
ended up in Baines' arms, it had been luck and a bit of Alexei's
mischief. "Yeah Alex, I wonder where they got those sex hungry genes
from? Or their taste in men!" Then seeing the coldness in the green
eyes, he spat out the worst thing he could conceive of, without thinking
it through. "Makes it interesting, doing it with you when you can use
both arms, you're so much more versatile!"
The look of stunned hurt and confusion on Alex's face told Mulder that
he had gone way too far with that last crack.
"You should be happy then," the younger man whispered, and turned away
from him. Mulder realised from the shivers that ran through Alex's
shoulders that he was crying. The assassin pushed past Mulder and
started to open the door.
"No, don't go! I didn't mean that...." Mulder uselessly begged. And
Alex's fist connected with his jaw as the younger man charged into him,
knocking him off his feet. Alex fell half on top of him, swinging his
arm as hard as he could in repeated punches to Mulder's head and chest.
The storm of emotion took Mulder completely by surprise, and maybe some
part of him thought he deserved it, because other than trying to protect
his face, he made no effort to fight back.
There was a gasp from the bathroom doorway, and Baines lunged forward,
grabbing Alex and twisting his good arm behind his back, imprisoning
him. The assassin desperately struggled, fighting Baines restraining
arms, then finally gave up and lay limp and unresisting in his grasp.
Alexei came forward, and stared at the two men who provided the only
security he had ever known, and who he cared for so much. Then he
whimpered softly. "Sorry, sorry, sorry......" His eyes begging them to
make it alright again.
"Shut up Alexei! I think it's more than just you, this time." Baines
could feel the tremors in Alex's body. He didn't know why, but he felt a
sudden pity for his tormented original, the hapless man who had suffered
so much. Baines pointed at Mulder, whose nose and mouth were streaming
blood. "Alexei, clean him up like I showed you. Do you remember how?"
The clone nodded, and led an unresisting Mulder into the bathroom.
Baines looked at his prisoner. "Are you going to fight again if I let
you go?" A defeated look and an exhausted shake of the head. Baines
released Alex, and guided him to a chair, sitting close to him to
forestall any aggression. Haunted green eyes stared back at him.
"You're so like I was before.... this." He gestured at his arm. "I hope
you'll be very happy together!" Back to the hostility then.
Baines glared at his double. "Sure! When he leaves me in the middle of a
kiss to run after you." He began to laugh softly.
Alex scowled. "So what's the joke? You laughing at me?"
"No!" Baines sounded sad and rueful at the same time. "I was just
thinking, it's a hell of a way to start your sex life! If I had known it
was going to be this much trouble, I wouldn't have bothered!"
"What?" Alex said, startled out of his bleak mood.
"Today was my first time," Baines admitted shyly. He blushed, looking
suddenly so young.
"Shit!" Alex knew he couldn't hate Baines now, after that admission.
"Why haven't you ever...?"
"I wasn't allowed to! Gets rid of aggression. Couldn't let my kill rate
drop!" He rose, lithe and graceful to his feet and turned to look at
Alexei, who was towing an equally subdued looking Mulder by the hand.
"All done, Lexy?" Baines asked, and Alexei nodded. "Look, we all need to
talk, without fists or tears. Can we all manage that?"
"No!" Alex shook his head. "I just want to get out of here. You do what
you want." He rose and started to walk away. With a sudden wail, Alexei
lunged after him and flung his arms around Alex's neck. Alex grabbed his
clone's shoulders, and said harshly, "Decide Alexei, are you coming or
staying?"
Desperately, Alexei swung his gaze between his two protectors. And saw
who needed him most. "Coming..." he whispered. His eyes begged Mulder to
forgive him, but Mulder just turned his face away so that Alexei
wouldn't see him cry. The clone was still clinging to Alex as they left
the hotel room.
Baines grabbed his kit and followed them, though the invitation hadn't
included him. As he left, he turned back to Mulder for a moment. "You
are such a stupid fuck! Why did you have to hurt him?" Baines shook his
head sadly.
Alex jumped in the hire car he had rented, and moments later, Alexei was
sitting in the front seat beside him, green eyes watching him intently.
"Put your seat belt on!" Alex said, then turned in surprise as the back
passenger door opened and Baines climbed in.
"Did you really think you were going to go off with him, and not me?"
Baines grinned disconcertingly. "Now that I'm starting to become curious
about you." Alex opened his mouth to tell Baines to get out, then
stopped. For a moment, Alexei had been looking at Baines with such open
yearning.
Oh damn! He knew that look so well, because that was the way he had
always looked at Mulder. Shit, we're all crazy!
And as Baines settled into the back seat, there was a protectiveness
about him that made Alex Krycek feel, unlooked for, an odd sense of
safety..
"Where are we going?" Alexei asked.
Krycek smiled. "My bolthole."
Alex's hideout was an old warehouse on the edge of a small town, about a
hundred and fifty miles out of Washington. It looked old and derelict
from the outside, but was securely locked up. There was enough room
inside the large entrance to conceal their car. In one end of the
warehouse, was a series of rooms that Alex had managed to adapt to
living space. It was a bare and cheerless place that did little to raise
their spirits.
Alex rubbed his eyes tiredly. He needed time to think, but Alexei wasn't
making things any easier. He was eagerly poking his nose into every
corner, giggling as he found some new treasure that he considered
fascinating. He seemed to have a wonderful mechanical aptitude, which
generally meant investigating things by taking them apart. In the end,
Alex just let him, and sank down onto his old couch. Baines had
disappeared. Soon quiet descended, as Alexei found something new to
occupy his mind for a little longer. Alex dozed.
He was in Russia again and they were holding him down.....
The dream he always had when he was under stress and in low spirits. He
was crying when he woke, not just for his lost arm, but for the
innocence that long gone, and the constant pain and loneliness that
seemed to follow him.
"It's alright." His clone sat next to him and tentatively reached out a
hand to touch him. "Don't cry, please Alex." Alexei then, Baines wasn't
the gentle sort.
Alex Krycek let go, allowed all of the pain to pour out. He sagged
forward into Alexei's arms, crying desperately. Alexei had always been
able to offer him comfort, from the moment they first saw each other. A
pair of strong arms enfolded him, and he clung to Alexei, needing his
gentle consolation. He sobbed as if his heart was broken, which was
close to the truth. The clone didn't judge, didn't criticise, just
accepted his pain and held him close. And finally cradled his exhausted
body as he slipped into uneasy sleep.
Alex awoke hours later, his body deliciously warm in the cool air , from
the lean body stretched out beneath his. As he had slept, he had draped
himself over Alexei's body in a curiously intimate gesture. So few
people had ever had his trust like that. Green eyes looked at him in
concern as he lifted his head from the clone's chest.
"You okay?" A cautious enquiry.
Was he? He didn't know, but he still felt that yawning emptiness
inside him where Mulder had destroyed part of him.
A tear renewed its track down his face. The clone's hand gently wiped it
away.
"We're all together now, Alex. You're not alone any more!" A sweet
smile. Fingers gently tilting his chin up, to stare into his eyes. Then
the clone was leaning forward to kiss Alex so gently on his lips.
Alex felt the need flare inside him, a desperate longing for human
contact. This was so stupid..... But he had to, wanted and needed to
answer that kiss. Alexei was so understanding, so accepting. As he
deepened the kiss, and wound his one good arm tightly around the clone's
neck, Alex felt his body reacting to the other's closeness, becoming
hard. He saw the understanding in the green eyes, and found himself
moving against his double, shifting so that he was astride the other.
And Alexei began to rub himself like a cat against Alex.
This was crazy, dangerous, and mad.
He couldn't stop.
And when fingers worked at his clothing, reached into grasp his
thickening cock, all he could think about was that at least someone
wanted him. Alexei's legs spread for him, and he positioned himself with
difficulty, trying to balance his body one handed. And gentle fingers
were guiding him, easing the work of penetration. He entered Alexei,
began to slide into him in long, slow strokes, maintaining enough
control to help his partner towards pleasure. To look into a face as
similar in its passion, as his own. Green eyes hot with desire, yet
innocent enough to still feel the wonder of orgasm. Alexei screaming in
wonder and longing, begging Alex to fuck him. In long languorous strokes
bringing Alexei to the brink, then timing his rhythm so they could come
together, The sweet hot, tightness clenching around him in waves, as he
loosed himself into the willing body, then sagged forward to lie on
Alexei's chest again.
Alex felt gentle fingers stray down his body in a slow, light caress. He
enjoyed the heat of the bare skin against his for a moment longer, then
lifted his head to look into Alexei's face. There was welcome there. A
radiant smile passed across the younger face, and lazy afterglow
lingered in the long lashed emerald eyes.
"I'm glad Baines isn't around," Alex said softly to his clone. "I know
you like him, but he's too much like I used to be! So cold and military.
I suppose I pity him in a way!"
"Alexei" punched him full on the nose.
Green eyes blazed at him. "You son of a bitch! Couldn't you even bother
to find out who you were sleeping with!" Baines had reached the end of
his tether. He felt as if he was being assaulted from three different
directions. All three of them, Alexei, Mulder and Alex were so
disturbing in their individual ways. He couldn't handle his conflicting
emotions, the pain of twice being rejected, the consuming desire he felt
for their touch. He had to get away, on his own, work this out. He
snagged Alex's car keys on his way past, and fled.
Alex felt dazed, and not just from the effects of the punch. He had just
slept with Baines, been held by Baines, and been comforted by Baines,
and he, like Mulder, had ended up using Baines for his own pleasure. He
couldn't seem to get the look of utter betrayal out of his mind, the
hurt and anguish in the clone's eyes when Alex had insulted him.
He had been so stupid. Baines couldn't be much older or more
experienced than Alexei, he had just been trained to be independent, so
it wasn't as obvious at first. The look of sweet compassion on his face
when he had comforted Alex, and the breathless wonder of his lovemaking.
And the smart right cross that had probably broken his nose, from the
amount of blood it was generating.
And finally the errant Alexei appeared, staring in astonishment and a
little fear at the bloodstained assassin. Alexei was covered in motor
oil, from the look of him, and would probably need to scrub his skin for
hours to clean the muck from his hair, face and hands.
"What the hell have you been doing?" Alex had to say it twice before the
clone could understand his nasal tone, he was still clutching his
bleeding nose. He gave an annoyed glance at his clone.
Alexei grinned disarmingly. "Playing with the car! It was fun!"
"What! Our car?" A nod. Then Alexei waved something suspiciously
familiar at his original. "I couldn't find where to put this bit back, I
managed to put the rest together properly, like you told me to if I
broke anything. But this must be a spare bit."
A fucking brake pad! Oh shit! Baines!
The phone woke Fox Mulder out of a particularly nasty dream. A group of
aliens were chasing him, and he kept seeing the back of a familiar
leather jacket disappear round the corner just ahead of him, but he
could never catch its owner. Groaning, he fumbled for the receiver. His
head was aching, and his vivid dreams were probably due to the excessive
amount of scotch he had drunk last night, when his deep depression had
seemed to hang like chains around his neck. At least the Consortium
wasn't interested in him, for the moment, so it was relatively safe to
stay at his apartment.
"Agent Mulder, this is Assistant Director Skinner. I need you to go to
the sheriff's office, in a little town called Arnehouse, about three
hundred miles from here. I want you to pick up a prisoner and hold him
incommunicado until I can interview him personally. Scully will pick you
up in ten minutes."
Mulder fumbled his way into a fresh shirt and grabbed his jacket,
quickly running a razor over his stubbled face. By the time he was done,
his partner was at the door, ready to go. She raised an eyebrow when she
saw how rough he was looking.
"Rough night, Mulder? Maybe you should take some time off, and show
Alexei the sights of Washington." He must look bad, if Scully was
showing him some sympathy.
"Alexei's gone with Krycek!" He knew he sounded abrupt, but the clone's
apparent betrayal still hurt so much. And Alex.... He wanted to confess
the truth, but the words felt like ashes in his mouth.
I betrayed the only man I've ever really loved, for a little casual
sex with a stranger. Then I more or less told Alex he was useless in bed
because I wanted to hurt him so much. I wanted him to hurt like I was
hurting.
He knew what Scully would say. Drop Krycek and get on with life. He's
not worth it. Settle for your own private copy, sweet, harmless and
controllable. Yeah, and ready to be used 365 days of the year, day or
night. When had he started to think of Alexei as a substitute for the
real thing? He made sure he was a kind and generous lover, and that the
younger man enjoyed their activities. And the adoration Alexei felt for
him was so damned seductive.
The fire wasn't there. The heat of Alex Krycek's gaze as he looked
challengingly into Mulder's eyes, the fierce, and lonely, independence.
The way they caused sparks when two bright intellects clashed. The way
it felt when he held Krycek in his arms, like nothing else in the world
mattered. When had he realised that it was love? Some time last night,
in the midst of feeling sorry for himself, he had realised what the only
important thing in the world was. And how he was prepared to fight for
it.
Poor Alexei. Living with Mulder was just a different kind of whoring.
For security and kindness, and the strength of a pair of loving arms
around him. Not that Alexei even knew how to say no to Mulder's demands
for sex.
"What's the case?" Mulder finally broke the long silence that had
descended over him, as they drove out of the city.
Scully looked slightly exasperated. "I was wondering when you were going
to ask, Mulder. You might be more than a little interested in this one.
A local sheriff called the bureau last night. Turns out they've picked
up a Federal fugitive who's wanted for five murders. He was involved in
a car crash and they had to fingerprint him to try and get an I.D. while
he was unconscious. It's Alex Krycek!"
The young man sat in the interview room, huddled on the chair, his hands
cuffed in front of him. He was resting his head on the table and from
the way he held his body, it appeared that he was in pain. As the two
agents walked into the room, he lifted his head and looked dully at the
two newcomers. He had a spectacular bruise down the left side of his
face and his shirt hung loose, showing the unmistakable whiteness of
bandages where he had impacted with the steering wheel. Green eyes
flared with hope when they saw Mulder, then he bowed his head again, so
the sheriff wouldn't see his betraying expression.
"Ran off the road on a hairpin bend. He was going pretty fast, and
apparently, someone had been messing around with his brakes. He hadn't a
hope of stopping in time. He hit a tree, more or less, and his seat belt
saved the lucky son of a bitches life. It took an hour to cut him out of
the wreck, and he was out of it for a couple of hours after that. It was
a real surprise when we found out who he was!" The sheriff gave a
succinct summary of the accident.
Scully frowned at the sheriff. "Is it safe for us to move him? He looks
pretty beat up."
"Yeah, he's had his ribs strapped up and you've got to keep an eye on
him in case of concussion, but he's fit to be transferred." She went to
sign the paperwork , giving Mulder a knowing glance, while he was left
alone with the prisoner.
"What happened? Why aren't you with Alex?" The clone looked at him with
a slightly cynical gaze, but Mulder could sense the rigid control with
which he was holding himself.
"Yeah, Foxy! Don't bother to ask how I am first. Get your priorities
right!" He shivered slightly. "I walked out on the others, alright.
They're as bad as you!"
"Baines!" Mulder knew him now. "I'm sorry. It's just that I love him so
much.... And I made the biggest mistake of my life when I let him
leave." The clone lowered his head again, and a flicker of pain crossed
his face. Slowly Mulder reached out a hand, and gripped the younger
man's shoulder reassuringly. And Baines turned, burying his face in
Mulder's side as a shudder ran through him.
"Please, just hold me!" he whispered. Mulder wrapped his arms around the
injured man, and soothed him.
"You're going to have to pretend to be Alexei for a while. My partner
couldn't handle another Krycek clone." A nod and another shiver. They
heard the door opening and drew apart quickly. Then, formalities
completed, the two agents took their prisoner out to the car. Mulder
pushed the clone into the back seat, and climbed in next to him.
"Are you alright, Alexei? Why on earth did you think you could drive a
car? That's so dangerous!" Scully was more than a little concerned for
the clone.
Baines managed to look downcast, and shrugged wordlessly. Green eyes
took in Mulder with a sly sideways glance. "Foxy..." he said in a
wheedling tone, "Please take these cuffs off. They hurt!" Scully smiled
at the clone. "He's harmless, Mulder, let him loose. We can introduce
him properly to Skinner when we get back to Washington." The clone gave
a grateful smile at Scully, and with misgivings, Mulder freed the
younger man. He leaned back in the seat, and tried to ignore the
proximity of the clone. A trace of a smile surfaced on Baines' face.
This situation, while not what he had intended, certainly had
possibilities.
The motion of the car had a soporific effect on him, and Mulder began to
drowse.
Strong arms found their way round Mulder's waist, and warmth pressed
against him from the side. Unthinkingly, Mulder rested his head against
the other. He smiled at the feel of gentle fingers beginning to unbutton
his shirt, stroke the flesh beneath the cool cotton.
"Really Alexei," Scully sounded amused. "Haven't I told you before about
playing with Mulder in public!" Mulder jerked fully awake, as sudden
realisation came. He wasn't dreaming, and this certainly wasn't Alexei.
Green eyes flashed amusement at him. Despite being bruised and battered,
Baines was throwing himself with gusto into his new role. He was quite
good at it! For a moment, their time together was uppermost in Mulder's
mind. How it had felt to be kissed in passion by this man.
"But Scully, I like him so much! He plays such fun games. Especially
in the shower!" Mulder blushed, feeling his cock stir in unwelcome
eagerness, and vowed silent revenge on Baines. Fingers began to rub at
his thigh, and crept upwards, uncaring of whether Scully was watching.
Mulder shifted away from Baines, and covered his erection casually, with
his clasped hands. The clone grinned knowingly and leaning back in the
seat, closed his own eyes, trying to regain some of his strength.
Their arrival in Washington was something of an anticlimax. No waiting
hordes of F.B.I. agents or Consortium hoodlums. Just an impatient
Skinner, who would have to wait for now, they could explain things to
him later, at the Lone Gunman's building. Somehow Mulder had persuaded
Scully to keep the details of his love life secret from their boss, and
this seemed to be the safest, most neutral place to stash the clone.
The three men were more than a little surprised to see who accompanied
Mulder and Scully into their offices. Alex Krycek was a known felon and
wanted criminal and not the sort of company that Mulder was expected to
keep.
"Mulder!" Byers said cautiously, "and the redoubtable Scully. And I
believe this is Mr. Krycek!" He frowned at Mulder. "Do you want to tell
us why you're putting us at risk like this?"
Scully smiled disarmingly at the three men. "This isn't Krycek guys,
count the arms if you don't believe me!" Mulder winced, and he saw a
momentary look of distaste on Baines face, before he smoothed over his
expression. "This is Alexei, one of the most harmless, gentlest people
you're ever likely to meet. Do you know a lot about cloning?"
Langly nodded. "We know the theories. It should be possible to clone a
human subject now, but the Federal Government would never allow it. The
Far Right would crucify them, pardon the pun." He blinked in momentary
surprise. "You're saying this is Krycek's clone? Incredible!" He
inspected Baines thoughtfully. "Who did it then?"
Mulder shook his head,. "It isn't important now. We need somewhere to
keep him until I can tell my boss he's not Krycek!"
Frohike nodded. "That should be possible. Does he have any special
requirements?"
Scully smiled. "Put him down in front of the t.v. and lay in a good
supply of ice cream, and he'll be no trouble. Will you Alexei?" The look
Baines gave Mulder threatened death and damnation to him. "Ice cream?"
he mouthed silently in disgust, as Scully turned away. Mulder felt a
smile twitching at his lips. Perhaps this situation did have an up side.
"Oh, and by the way Alexei, don't forget to practice your numbers. I'm
sure the guys can help you!" Baines closed his eyes briefly, then a
green gaze impaled Mulder. "Come back to me soon, Foxy," he said
sweetly, "I'll be so cold at night without you to cuddle me!" Mulder
heard one of the Lone Gunmen choke on his coffee, as he fled out of the
door. Damn, but Baines was good. As sly, in his own way, as Alex Krycek
himself. Come to think of it, Alexei was pretty duplicitous as well.
Must be in the genes!
Double Trouble
by Megaera
Mulder had got himself into such deep trouble, he wasn't sure if he
would ever get out of it. The man he loved more than anyone else in the
world , the one who kept him awake at night, desperate with longing, was
walking out the door.
