Darkness, Darkness by Ursula First there was red...blood red as if the world was suddenly viewed through a stained glass window. It was beautiful for a split second before the hot flash of pain called forth the darkness. He was falling, falling... Weight returned to him first. His limbs felt as if stones anchored them to the bed on which he lay. His head was a boulder with hot lava within. The air around him smelled of medicine, stale human scent, of bleach and disinfectants. It was familiar. He remembered this from Russia. He was in a hospital. Fear kept him still. Always gather information before betraying you were awake. Alex strained to hear if anyone was breathing nearby. He heard nothing and cautiously tried to open his eyes. He could feel his lids lift, but the world outside was dark. He couldn't even see if there was a source of light anywhere. It was darker even than the silo, which had been the deepest blackness that he had known. Someone was near. Alex struggled to get his hand up to tear off the bandage he was sure was over his eyes. He could feel his fingers twitch, but the rest of his arm did not respond. He lost it at that point. The scream emerged from his gut and exploded out of his chest, searing his throat. He felt a cold swipe on his arm and then a prick. As the haze of medication sucked him down, he realized that he couldn't feel the shot in his arm unless he still had one. His lips creased into a smile as he fell into sleep. Darkness was still his pillow when he woke. Someone was reading. "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Mulder's voice...his unique slightly nasal New England voice was as familiar to Alex as the sound of his own. A moment later, Mulder said, "You're awake now, Alex. I heard the change in your breathing." "Yeah, well, I knew you were kinky, but this blindfold trick is going stale quickly," Alex said. His eyes burned as if he had failed to duck after disposing of one of the aliens. He knew it wasn't a trick but he didn't want to think about what had really happened to him. "Alex, I think we've been through this a couple times. You've had a head injury. You were shot in the head and in the shoulder," Mulder said. Mulder's touch was familiar...the hands that had so often bruised him...the only hands that could hurt him to the embers of his soul. They traced the half-forgotten path of the bullets that Alex could only vaguely remember. "I can't see," Alex said. "Yeah, I know, we've had this conversation before," Mulder said. Lips brushed his forehead. Mulder said, "I have to go. I'll be back. Dave's outside. He'll stay with you." A familiar voice asked, "Hey, Mulder, how you holding up?" "I'll live, but I wasn't the one shot," Mulder snapped. There was an edge to Mulder's voice that had not been there when he spoke to Alex. A gentle hand covered Alex's. It felt strong and callused from hard use. "It's Dave Starsky. You okay, partner?" "I can't see," Alex replied again. He asked, "Why? What happened?" "Alex, you went to a meeting set up for Agent Mulder and caught the bullets meant for him," Starsky said. "The man didn't know whether to cry over you or hit you. He wasn't pleased with your decision." Starsky had a great voice, animated, kind, and humorous. Alex shivered in his darkness and tried to concentrate on what the man was saying. He had confused memories of going someplace to get information, but it had been a trap...just as he'd feared it would be. A soothing hand stroked Alex's head. "You just rest. I bet when the swelling goes down that you will be able to see just fine. When you're strong enough, you need to tell us what you remember. We'd like to get the bad guys." "I don't know why Mulder doesn't like you. That was always what he wanted too," Alex said. His head hurt and he was afraid. What if he was trapped forever in the darkness? He controlled his terror. Never show them how afraid you were. He said, "So simplistic...white knights..." "Yeah, well, if you want to keep your rat boy reputation, you're gonna have to stop trying to save Mulder," Starsky said. "Do you remember what happened?" "I think so," Alex replied. He searched his aching head for the details. Five hours on a plane with a sulking Mulder wasn't Alex's idea of fun. He tried to keep himself buried in the facts about the case, but there wasn't enough to last five hours. He picked up a paperback in the airport, a mystery novel by a writer he liked. Mulder put on his glasses and peered at the title. "That's not very Russian," Mulder commented. "What do you do, read it and root for the bad guy?" "Asshole," Alex muttered. "I know you are, but what am I?" Mulder said. "Jesus, Mulder, are we back in preschool?" Alex asked. "If we were, teacher would wash your pretty mouth out with soap," Mulder said. His hazel eyes flickered sardonically. Aware that Mulder was still looking at him with his classic intensity, Alex resolutely returned to the book, trying to wall the man out. It wasn't going to happen this time. It just wasn't. "What's not going to happen?" Mulder asked. He grinned as if he really knew what Alex meant. He moved in his seat, his leg pressed close to Alex's. His thigh felt the same as ever, strong, the lean muscles of a runner and a swimmer. Oh shit, he must have said it aloud unless Mulder was back to reading minds. "I was talking to myself," Alex said, "about the book." "Yeah? You losing it, Krycek? I think you're losing it," Mulder said. "Shut up. It's a long flight, Mulder. Act civilized," Alex replied. "Like you would know...You think your behavior has ever been civilized?" Mulder asked. "By the way, how did you get Walter to agree?" Glancing around the plane, Mulder lowered his voice to a harsh whisper, "You letting him screw you too?" "God, Mulder, you sick fuck. You think everyone behaves the way you do? No, Skinner uses the head on his shoulders to think. He agreed that we've been wasting time fighting each other. The way we worked it out, he has me and the bytes off his ass and I have my so called employers off mine," Alex said. "You agreed to this, Mulder. You said you would work with me for information. You think I'm holding out on you?" "It doesn't matter whether I believe you or not. Take it, Alex, just take it. You want to pretend you haven't earned the shit I'm giving you?" Mulder said. That made Alex swallow his reply. He cast a wounded look at Mulder and then moved as far away from him as possible. "What have you got?" Starsky said, staring at his partner. "E-mail from Mulder," Hutch said. "Yeah? That alien hunter guy?' Starsky replied with interest. He brandished the paper bag at Hutch and said, "Chocolate custard filled doughnut?" "Are you trying to kill us both with heart disease?" Hutch asked. "Hey, anything this good should be good for you," Starsky replied, poking his tongue into the center of one of the doughnuts and licking up a taste of custard. He was aware that Hutch was watching him with the peculiar expression that he sometimes had. Hungry... Well, if Hutch wanted him, he sure liked to send out mixed signals. Starsky knew he wasn't a deep thinker like Hutch. He was a pouncing kind of cat. Hutch was the one that had to plan out every move from the mouse hole onward. Like the time he went on a three day fast to purify his body just to have sex with whichever suntanned bimbo was his amour at that time. Funny, Starsky liked to look, but he fell deep when he fell. He might like to flirt, but when he grew serious about a relationship, he wasn't the one to end it. Not ever. He could wait when he had to wait, but Hutch... A guy could get old waiting... "Do you think that ex-agent Mulder could be right: that those guys we've been investigating are part of his conspiracy?" Starsky asked. Taking a doughnut, Hutch stared at it as if he was holding a live cobra. At last, he gave in and took a bite, mixed pleasure and dismay at his weakness in his face. Starsky thought, 'Yeah, Hutch, that's the problem. If it feels good and it isn't hard work, you think it can't be right. Sometimes, the reason why it's easy is because it was meant to be. We were meant to be, Hutch.' Licking a bit of custard off his fingers, Hutch said, "They should be okay in the guest room. They don't want to use credit cards for anything. They're afraid of being traced." "Sure," Starsky said. He said, "I don't know about this, bud. This all seems strange to me. I don't like trusting other people. This entire situation reads like those crazy newspapers you like to read...Lone Gunmen? Conspiracy Times? I remember when we were plain old street cops..." "Yes, but now we know what is going on," Hutch said. "You know every time we looked, it was deeper and darker." "Yeah, I know, but aliens?" Starsky said with a shudder. "Remember when you used to make fun of me for reading the National Enquirer?" "Still do," Hutch said with a snicker. "The Lone Gunmen are different. For one thing, they work with Agent Mulder." "Yeah," Starsky said, "You know, Hutch, Mulder's just a guy. Don't be putting him up on a pedestal and all. Cause in the end, it's just thee and me." Hutch's smile started small, but it finished up like fireworks. He said, "Yeah, I know, but, damn, Starsk, this is the guy who gave it all up to find the truth. Besides you know as well as I do that the men that shot you had ties to the government, big business, and the military. The more we knew, the deeper the conspiracy seemed to be rooted. I've been talking to Mulder for over a year. I think he and his partner are the ones that can help us." "You know how I feel about the FBI," Starsky said. Hutch said, "I told you Mulder doesn't work with them any more. He has a private investigation firm. He has handled disappearances like this before." "I know," Starsky said. Old Hutch wasn't going to accept that Mulder wasn't any more important than he was. Hell, Starsky knew that Hutch was the best there was. How could former Agent Mulder be any more intense, any more kind, true, and insightful than Starsky's partner? Alex had drifted off to sleep and woke with a start at a sharp jab from Mulder. He blinked into the artificial light of the airplane, realizing that they were landing. The mystery book slid down from his lap to the floor. He caught it before it landed. "Good reflexes," Mulder admitted. "Of course rats do have them." "Fuck you too, Mulder," Alex shot back under his breath. Mulder laughed. They jostled shoulders as they went down the ramp into the terminal. "There they are," Alex said, indicated the two men standing by the baggage claim. He had vetted them thoroughly and was as familiar with their appearance as if they were old friends. David Starsky was a darkly tanned man. He had a wide mouth with smile lines that spoke of a playful nature. His hair was black, curly, lush, and wild. His eyes were so piercingly blue that they seemed almost violet. Starsky had broad shoulders, tight hips, and a round butt that tempted Alex to squeeze it. Always in motion, it was as if he moved to music. The long lashes on those incredible eyes completed the attractive picture. The blond, Hutch, was more lightly tanned. He was built a lot like Mulder but was fair in complexion. He had blue eyes like Starsky but his were light colored with an expression of unshakable innocence. He frowned as he stared into the crowd looking for them. His broad forehead creased along already formed lines. He was more conventionally handsome than his partner, but it was to the darker man that Alex's eyes flickered back for a second look. Mulder pushed in front of Alex and approached the men. "I'm Mulder," he said. "Dave Starsky," the man with the curly hair said. "My partner, Ken Hutchinson. Guys call me Starsky. He's Hutch. That Krycek?" "Yeah," Mulder said, a moue of disdain twitching on his face. 'It was just like Tunguska', Alex thought, 'He needs me, but that didn't mean that he's going to treat me any better than if I was a turd squashed on his shoe'. Offering his hand to Starsky and then to Hutch, Alex shrank into his 'ignore me; I'm helpless' skin. Both of the cops looked at him curiously. All they knew about Alex was that he had inside knowledge about the kidnappings. The cops were driving a vintage red and white muscle car, a Torino. Alex ran his hand over the hood as Mulder made a face at the transportation. "Is this a genuine 460 engine model?" Proudly, Starsky threw back the hood, revealing a gleaming engine, a broad expanse of chrome that hardly tolerated a smudge of oil. Alex said, "Damn, that's cherry..." As Starsky and the new guy expounded on the joys of testosterone cars, Hutch stowed the baggage in the trunk. Both men traveled light so this wasn't a big job. Fondly, Hutch said, "This car is Starsky's baby." "Now, if it was a pink Cadillac," Mulder said. He stared with bemused fascination at Krycek. Mulder looked a little older than his picture on the website, but he was still compelling. His long, slightly crooked nose seemed elegant on his lean and sharply boned face. His eyes changed constantly in the light, at first appearing gray, then green, and finally even a light brown. His hair was tawny as a lion's mane, rippling with dark undertones and amber highlights. His forehead was broad and his expression was alive with intelligence. He was tall, lean, and narrow hipped, built like a thoroughbred horse with as much implied power. Right now, his expression was definitely sour as he scowled at his partner. "You didn't know your buddy was into cars?" Hutch asked. "Hell, I'm never sure if the guy is even human. If you told me he eats babies for breakfast, I'd believe you," Mulder said. Damned if Mulder didn't sound serious...better make sure that Starsky didn't get too close to Krycek... With an eye on Krycek's wiggling butt, Hutch was uncomfortably aware that there might be more than one reason to want to keep Starsky away from the man. The man was attractive and Hutch was very aware that Starsky was curious about the idea of having sex with a guy. If Hutch believed it was more than a whim, he might stop pretending to misunderstand what Starsky was saying. The trouble was that Starsky was always taking up hobbies, flitting from one fad to the next. Hutch didn't think he could take it if they moved their relationship to a physical level and Starsk didn't like it. If making love disrupted their friendship, it wasn't worth the risk. Starsky would get over Hutch remaining 'clueless' about his hints. Despite Hutch's reluctance to give into Starsky's wishes, he couldn't help looking at Krycek as if he was the competition. Certainly, the man had strikingly lovely features. He was tall, a little over six feet and had an athletic build. A few laugh wrinkles radiated from extraordinary green eyes that were framed with exceptionally long lashes and topped by brows of winged grace. His mouth wasn't large, but was shaped like a cupid's bow. Krycek's hair was sable brown and looked as inviting to touch as silken fur. A ridiculously small nose was set off by a v-shaped indentation. His chin was small and delicate, giving his face a childlike cast. Starsky's distinctive laugh was followed by a charming purr of a chuckle. The sound was pure velvety seduction. Hutch frowned. He didn't want to be Starsky's experiment, but he wasn't happy about the idea of some other guy making love to his Starsk either! When Hutch looked at Mulder, the guy looked stormy. His brows were knitted and his eyes held an intense and angry expression. Mulder snapped, "Hey, Krycek, you aren't here to play with a hot car like an overgrown high school jock." "At least, I was a jock," Krycek said. "What did you play in high school? I was on both the football and soccer teams." Starsky shut the hood, ignoring the squabble. He grinned and said, "Wait till you hear this baby on the road." Whatever Hutch was cooking, Mulder was sure he wouldn't like it. No meat was in sight and the noodles were green and orange. Sure he had green and orange pasta in his refrigerator from time to time, but it wasn't that way when he bought it! Krycek had disappeared out into the garage with Starsky after the discussion of the case had whispered to a stop. Mulder clicked the files open on Hutch's laptop. The missing women had that particular roundness that seemed so familiar from Scully's pregnancy. Several had MUFON associations and the others might also have a history of abduction. Some victims would never admit that they had memories of missing time and flash recollections of alien experiments. The circumstances of their abductions were all the same. There were no signs of foul play and no evidence of assault or theft. It was as if, as one family had said, the earth had risen up and swallowed them. Starsky and Hutch had picked up the pattern of reported alien abduction and decided to contact the Lone Gunmen, who had referred the case to Mulder. Hutchinson had been persuasive and he had presented the case well. It had taken Mulder a full day to decide to call Krycek. They had agreed to work together, but it was hard to make that a reality. Ten women, ranging in age from eighteen to thirty, all in good health, all seemingly infertile up to the sudden return of their fertility. It stank of another Consortium plot. Hutch said, "Have you and Krycek worked together long?" "No," Mulder replied. He glared at the screen. All the faces...all the suffering. He thought about Scully and William. She still wanted to pretend that nothing unusual had happened. Every time that Mulder saw the child, he worried about what hid behind the healthy, apparently normal baby. All that activity was certainly not just a fluke. If Krycek was telling the truth, even his efforts hadn't dug out the motivations behind Scully's pregnancy. He had told Mulder vehemently that he had really believed that the baby was a hybrid. There was no one more puzzled when the infant was apparently normal. It hadn't been too hard to accept that the big scene in the basement was Krycek's idea of an escape route. It had seemed unlike Skinner and unlike Krycek. It had only been slightly less crazy than the idea of Mulder and Krycek working together. Mulder thought of Krycek the way he was when he first met him. Beautiful, aggressive, wide-eyed and ingenious. "Krycek was my partner a long time ago," Mulder stated. "He's interesting. What were you saying about him? Should I be worried about Starsk?" Hutch said. "I don't know. Krycek always seems to have more than one agenda," Mulder replied. "Have you and Starsky been partners a long time?" "Forever. We met at academy and it was chemistry, pure chemistry..." Hutch said. "And you live together?" Mulder asked. "It's temporary," Hutch said. "Just coincidentally our places burnt down at the same time." At a quick, piercing look from Mulder, he said, "Yeah, right, we got too close to the bastards...probably the same ones that took the pregnant ladies. It was easier to find one new place than two." "I lived with my former partner a while, but it didn't work out. I'm not cut out for family life. She's better off without me," Mulder said. "She? Oh, I thought..." Hutch said. He stared at Mulder with those perceptive blue eyes. "Yes, Scully, my real partner. Krycek was never anything to me," Mulder said. He wished that were the entire truth. "I'm going see what Krycek is up to," "This car is a thing of beauty," Krycek said, "Did you rebuild it yourself?" "I've owned it since I first made detective," Starsky said. "I wish I could drive something this hot," Krycek said, "In my business, you can't afford to attract attention." "I'd think it would be hard for you not to attract a certain amount of attention," Starsky said, leaning back against a fender. He thought Krycek had a pretty classy chassis himself. Starsky grinned. He was fond of his own ass, aware of women subtly turning to look when he passed in his trademark, worn-to-soft, clinging perfection jeans. Of course, he liked it even better when he caught Hutch looking. "So what is your business?" Starsky asked. "You worked for the FBI?" "I was an FBI agent for a while," Alex admitted. "Most of the FBI agents that I've met are asses," Starsky said, bluntly. He liked the way Alex smiled at that. "Yeah, they don't have your style," Alex said. He lovingly closed the hood and patted it. "This is a beauty. I envy you." "I asked you about your business. All this alien stuff...Hutch buys it, but I'm not so sure," Starsky said. He saw humor flicker across Alex's eyes. "Doubt is a good thing, but Detective Starsky, they are real. I may not always tell the truth, but this is gospel," Alex said. Starsky had unusually good instincts about people. He sensed Alex was dangerous, but somehow he didn't feel as if the danger was to him or to Hutch. He just hoped it wasn't pheromones that motivated acceptance. He admitted that he was curious about his feelings toward Hutch. He had the feeling his partner was holding out in the belief that Starsky's sexual feelings for him would pass. Okay, maybe Starsky had bitten deep for the grunge look when it came about. And sure he had checked out the oxygen bar scene... Karaoke shouldn't count as Hutch enjoyed that as much as Starsky did. Then there was the tattoo... The belly button piercing, however, was pure style. Starsky felt that was a fashion classic. He was still considering having at least one nipple pierced if Hutch said he liked the idea. Anyway, none of those things should indicate that Starsky was always indulging in flights of fancy. He just enjoyed fun and games. Look at the Torino and the Monopoly collection, fortunately saved from the fire that consumed Starsky's apartment by being on display at Huggy Bear's kid's school. He had kept both of those passions since he was a kid. Hutch was crazy if he thought that Starsky wasn't serious. Hutch was his life and although it had taken him a while to acknowledge it, his partner was his love too. He just had to persuade Hutch of the fact. Starsky was aware that Alex was staring at him and smiled at the man. He said, "I was just wool gathering." The man shrugged and said, "Yeah, I have a lot on my mind too." Krycek looked nervously at the door as Mulder entered with a scowl on his face. Starsky saw the skin around the man's eyes bunch as he winced. "Don't you think we should be talking about the case instead of you hanging out in this garage like an overgrown teenager?" Mulder said. He shot Starsky a territorial look and grabbed his partner's arm to guide him out of the attached garage back into the house. "Look at the composite again," Mulder directed, shoving Alex toward the computer. "You should know him. I think I saw him with Spender a few times." "It's not as if I knew everyone," Alex said. "You might have noticed that the turnover in Spender's employ was fast. His plans were ill conceived and when they screwed up, he always blamed it on someone else. When he terminated you, it didn't just mean a bad reference on your resume." "You seemed to survive," Mulder said. "Yeah, why do you sound disappointed?" Alex remarked. "Knock off the bullshit," Mulder said. Starsky didn't like the man's attitude. He had watched this long to be sure that Mulder was not engaging in some sort of rough teasing. Hell no, his entire attitude begged to be taken down a notch or two. Starsky bristled and stepped into Mulder's body space with the strut of a bull elk in mating season. Poking Mulder in the chest, Starsky said, "No, you knock off the bullshit." Krycek's eyes flickered. His lips parted as if to speak, but Mulder shoved him again and said, "Don't interfere, Starsky. I know how to handle Krycek. He's not someone for whom you should feel protective. The bastard is a stone cold killer." Starsky checked in with his gut. It didn't agree with the assessment. The guy might have killed. Hell, there were a lot of nights that Starsky couldn't sleep thinking of the men he had killed in the line of duty. Starsky had seen men and women who killed without regret, killed for pleasure, or for convenience, swatting down people with no more conscience than as if they were flies. He knew the dead black holes that passed for their eyes. He was seldom wrong about his reactions to psychopaths; they made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. No, Krycek wasn't crazy nor did he appear to lack human emotions. He did have a look about him as if he had been fighting in a long, brutal war for all too long. Somehow, that made Starsky feel ever more protective. Those wounded eyes reminded him of Hutch's blue ones when things got bad. Starsky said, "I don't know either of you, but one of you acts like a bastard and it ain't Krycek." Although Starsky wasn't always good at touchy-feely stuffy except when it came to a short list of people he loved, he walked over and laid a hand on Alex's shoulder. The man looked at him with wide eyes, a hint of color on his beautifully drawn cheeks. Starsky tried to rub the tension out of the tightly bunched muscles and said, "Look, if you need to sleep in a separate bedroom from this guy, you can sleep in my bed." Shit...now that sounded like a blatant invitation. Starsky felt his face redden. He said, "Hutch wouldn't mind me bunking down with him." The way Mulder glared at Starsky's hand, it was as if Starsky was touching him without permission. Alex didn't object though. He lowered his eyes but he seemed to relax at Starsky's touch. "Alex doesn't mind sleeping in the same room as me. Do you, Alex?" Mulder said. His voice was under complete control, but still managed to convey menace. Looking at Mulder, Alex shook his head. He said, "It's okay, Starsky. Mulder has a lot of reasons to despise me." Sick, Starsky thought. These guys were trapped in some painful loop of pain given and taken. He knew he shouldn't get involved, but he felt something for Krycek. If he couldn't have Hutch, just maybe...if he liked it with Krycek, wouldn't that prove to Hutch that it would work out for the better between the two of them? Well, Starsky didn't really believe that. "Alex, tell Starsky to back off. He's safe enough with me, Starsky. I haven't killed him yet," Mulder said. "Just remember that you're a guest. Hutch and I won't have abuse under our roof," Starsky said. It had been a long time since someone treated Alex as if he had rights. If he was that Hutch guy, he'd have latched onto Starsky and never let him go. Of course, Alex wasn't good at self-denial. Mulder was his addiction. Every time that Mulder used him, Alex told himself not again. Every time, he gave in to the feelings that overwhelmed him. He fooled himself into believing that Mulder really cared for him beneath the callous attitude. This time, it wasn't going to happen. Alex ducked into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and bundled himself in the thread-worn sweats that he used for pajamas. Mulder rolled his eyes when Alex entered the bedroom and said, "Sexy, Alex, very sexy..." Lips forming a tight line to avoid a retort, Alex burrowed under the covers and turned his face to the wall. He wasn't going to talk to Mulder. Leave no openings for the man to get under his skin... Alex heard Mulder come back. He pretended to sleep, although his hand gripped the pillow until it ached. He tracked Mulder by the sounds, waiting for him to get into the other bed. It didn't happen. Alex could sense that Mulder was standing in the room, looking at him. He shuddered, his breath sighing. The weight settled on his bed and the covers lifted. Alex resolutely kept his face turned away. Mulder's hands pulled at his pants. "No," Alex said. "Yeah, right," Mulder said, "You know that you want it." "I don't," Alex said, wishing that he was telling the truth. "Alex...Alex..." Mulder said, his breath heating the back of Alex's neck. His hand's fumbled under the sweatshirt, reaching around until they found Alex's nipples. His lips explored Alex's neck as his fingers rubbed lazy circles around the aureoles. "I'm going to make it good for you. I won't hurt you. This is one place where it works. Don't screw it up for us. I need you. You know I need you." Oh, God, Mulder... Agile fingers bunched the sweatshirt higher and pulled the pants down to reveal Alex's spine. The light switched on. Alex blinked and resisted opening his eyes. Mulder drew in a deep breath. "As beautiful as I remembered. I always loved your back," Mulder said, his fingertips tracing Alex's spine. "You're thin, Alex, you must not be eating well. I can feel your ribs. I can nearly feel your heart beating through your flesh. You're not frightened by me here, Alex. You know that it will be good, almost perfect..." Damn it... that was the problem. Mulder's touch would inflame him, take him to the brink of extinction and tumble with him the entire way. Alex knew his body would sing for Mulder and that he would feel incredibly alive. He moaned as Mulder's fingertips were replaced with his lips. The hot, wet touch of Mulder's tongue made him shiver with helpless anticipation. He was hard and his legs spread against his will. "You have to say yes, Alex. I'm not a rapist. I've never taken you against your will, have I?" Mulder said. It was hard to think with Mulder's hands stroking him, teasing him... Traveling over him, Mulder's hand cupped Alex's erection through the heavy jersey of the sweatpants. A soft chuckle noted what he found. "Alex, this is the one thing that doesn't have to be complicated. Say yes or no." "Okay," Alex found himself saying. He was going to hate himself for it, but Mulder had worked his magic on him. Alex sat up with some help from Mulder and raised his arms to be undressed. "Yes, that's it," Mulder said, "that's my boy." Mulder was naked and his erection glistened between his legs. The sweat top hit the floor and Mulder gripped Alex's sides. "Mine," he said. "You've always belonged to me, Alex. Do you think that anyone...that Starsky could make you feel this way?" The bastard was right. The combination of fear, anger, arousal, shame, and guilt was like a drug. Mulder's eyes traveled over him, not even cringing back from the scarred stump. Alex thought, 'Well, he shouldn't flinch from it. That was his too, marking Alex more completely than any tattoo or brand.' The fire in Mulder's eyes grew softer and he leaned closer, his face angled to find Alex's lips. One brush of that familiar mouth and Alex was lost. Mulder was his addiction as Alex was Mulder's. They consumed each other. They scarred each other soul deep until their wounded incomplete selves only fit to each other. A moment later, Alex was naked. Mulder's mouth sucked hard on his soft neck, right under the line of his jaw. He was marked...twice over. He knew that Mulder's hands were gripping him so tight that he would wear the midnight-shaded imprints for a week. "I want to see you," Mulder said. He reached for the lubricant that he must have set on the bed table. Alex closed his eyes, lashes fluttering as he considered how disgusted he was with himself. Mulder knew that he would win when he set that tube on the table. It must make the man laugh to see the ruthless double agent turn into a spineless slut under his touch. Lips claimed his belly, tickling him. Mulder's tongue explored his navel. Mulder's nose brushed Alex's armpits. Mulder said, "I love the way you smell. If I could bottle this scent, I could make a fortune. Eu de Alex." Mulder's chin rested against Alex's breastbone as he considered Alex's face. The sharp point hurt even as the contact settled Alex. "We belong to each other, you know, Alex. Yin and yang, dark and light, and all the shades between." Mulder nodded and drew away. His fingers teased Alex's opening a moment later. "Haven't been playing much," he said. "That's good. You know whom you belong to. That's one good thing I can say about you." Alex kept his eyes open now. He wouldn't miss one moment of Mulder's expression. Now, Mulder was tender, fascinated, enraptured by Alex's body and caught up in the passion that always existed between them. When Mulder looked at him like that, Alex believed. He believed that it would be different. That this time, it wouldn't end with the sex and Mulder would understand why Alex had behaved as he had. Alex always hoped that the physical love would bring caring with it and Mulder would suddenly treat him as an ally if not as a beloved. Hope was the most addictive drug of all. "You ready?" Mulder asked, as his fingers gently circled inside Alex, shaping him to a design that would only accommodate him. Licking his lips, Alex whispered back, "Yes. Always." Mulder's eyes narrowed, "Alex," he said tenderly. "I..." Mulder stopped himself and shook his head. "Don't want to get carried away. We are good here together like this." A wry smile danced on Mulder's lips. "We are a pair, aren't we, Alex?" The press of Mulder's erection made Alex yield. There was always some degree of pain, but Mulder was seldom brutal. Even if he left Alex bruised and bleeding, as he had in Tunguska, the moment Mulder decided to have sex with him, he became so gentle that Alex would forgive him. The press of Mulder's entry was inexorable. Stone would have yielded to him. Alex could feel Mulder's sweat anointing him. The sudden explosions of breath as sensation overwhelmed them came closer and closer together. He arched and pressed up. The rough wool of Mulder's public hair pressed against the tender flesh of his ass. Mulder's face scrunched with near agony of bliss. His muscles were defined by the tension of his body. Such a thin line between pleasure and pain... There was no space left between them. The barriers fell. Alex felt as if he were raw and open to Mulder's emotions. As Mulder thrust more rapidly, one hand left Alex's thigh to close over his cock. "Almost," Mulder hissed as he set a faster pace within and without. "Come with me, Alex. Come with me all the way." Alex's body rocked with pleasure. He held back most of a loud groan of pleasure. He knew that some sounds were escaping and hoped that Starsky didn't think that he was being beaten. This was not to be seen. This was between Mulder and himself. It was theirs. Even through the condom, Alex could feel the fire of Mulder's semen. He was the only man that Alex wished like hell to have inside him unprotected. They'd done that once in Tunguska...writhing on that concrete floor like demons of desire. Afterwards, Mulder had been frightened, even though he was the one that insisted. Alex had assured him that he was clean, had been tested, and finally Mulder had calmed. But the fear had caused Mulder to withdraw, wall Alex out at a time when he wanted to talk to Mulder, assure him that Alex would get them out of there safely. It had all gone to hell, hadn't it? This time, Mulder remained tender. He drew off the condom and padded away to the guest bath to get a washcloth. After he had carefully removed the traces of their sex, he had snuggled Alex close, lying over him, a leg mounting him, pelvis to back with no space between them. The last word that Mulder said to Alex as sleep drew him down was "mine". His... The sounds that interrupted Starsky's sleep at first galvanized him to action. He was on the edge of the bed, ready to charge into the guestroom and rescue Alex before he realized the rhythm of the groans was somewhat familiar. Shit. That would have been embarrassing! The polite thing to do would have been to turn on the radio and give them some privacy, but instead Starsky listened. His cock stood up, wanting to join the action. It wouldn't hurt to jerk off. Better to satisfy his urges now than to walk around hard all day tomorrow. At first, Alex filled his thoughts. Starsky filled in the blanks from a gay porno film he had rented, putting himself on top where the homely, but well-hung lead had been. From everything he had read and heard, it wasn't that much different, just tighter and maybe harder. Guys often liked it harder, the books suggested, more intense. It was easy to imagine Alex's face filled with passion, but as Starsky's hand moved over his cock, the face in his dreams became Hutch's. He hesitated, feeling reluctant to use his partner's face in this fashion. He couldn't help himself. He was lost in a dream where his blond angel was his. Where they completed each other physically as they always had in spirit. When Starsky came, he almost sobbed. It wasn't enough to dream it. He needed Hutch. His forehead crinkled and he suddenly had a plan...one that might help Alex as well as himself. There were marks on Alex's throat above the collar of the black sweater he wore. Starsky momentarily thought that he had been wrong and that Mulder had been hurting the man last night. Quickly enough, he realized that they were the marks of passion, perhaps calculated to show ownership. His jaundiced eyes took in Mulder's cocky pose. Starsky thought he could take the man down a peg or two. "Alex and I will take half the abduction sites. Hutch and you can partner up, Mulder, to look at the rest," Starsky said. Hutch gave him a look, but wouldn't challenge Starsky in front of strangers. He frowned at Starsky though and the look he gave Alex was not a pleased one. Mulder said, "What? Why? I want Krycek where I can keep an eye on him." "The abduction sites are scattered all over Los Angeles," Starsky said, "This way we get you two up to speed in half the time. We can compare notes tonight." "I want to see all of the sites and talk to the witnesses myself," Mulder said. "If that's your gig, you can go back out on your own later. Me and Hutch only have a few days off to crack this case so we don't have time for your bullshit," Starsky said. He looked at Alex meaningfully. With a shrug and a smirk at Mulder, Alex followed Starsky to the Torino. Mulder grumbled as he went with Hutch, "How come I have to go in the Ford Fairlane?" "The Ford Fairlane is a great car. Just because I preserved the original paint job unlike my partner's flashy restoration with that Torino," Hutch defended. Shuddering at the shit brown, flaking finish of the Fairlane, Starsky gunned the Torino onto the street. "How did it go with Mulder last night?" Starsky asked. "Did he treat you good?" Alex's cheeks pinked and he muttered, "Okay. Want details?" Resisting the urge to say yes, Starsky said, "I wasn't meaning to pry; I was worried about you." A sharp look at Starsky and Alex said, "But you are curious, aren't you? I've met guys like you, wanting to know what it's like. Sometimes, I showed them." "Mulder seems possessive," Starsky said. "Yeah, well, he is in his own way," Alex said. "I don't get off on his behavior." "Have you been in love with Mulder a long time?" Starsky asked gently. "You don't pull your punches, do you?" Alex said. He leaned back in the seat, his hand playing with one elfin ear. Starsky didn't expect an answer. He was navigating the turnpike when Alex's soft voice said, "We were partners. It wasn't supposed to be real, but how I wished it were. I've heard it's not unusual for a partnership in a high stress job to lead to strong feelings. You love your partner or you hate your partner. I loved him." "I know what you mean," Starsky said. "You're in love with Hutch? How come you've been looking at me then?" Alex asked. "I've loved Hutch for a long time, but I couldn't put a label on what I felt. Or maybe I could, but I wasn't mature enough to handle it. A while back, the guys we might be both chasing put a plug in me. I nearly died. One thing I thought about when I was getting well...I loved Hutch every which way a person could. Anyone else that came into my life was going to take a back seat to him. It wasn't fair and it wasn't honest. It took me a while to even hint at what I was thinking to Hutch. I thought he would be open to it. Hutch has always been more up front about what we meant to each other than I was," Starsky said. "Hang on," Starsky said, maneuvering around a tight knot of speeders. He grinned as he saw a pair of state troopers swoop down on the lemmings. "Shit, I'd hate to see what your version of hot pursuit is like," Alex said. "I have power to spare," Starsky said. "Why not use it?" Claiming the left-hand lane, the Torino ate up the miles toward their first stop. He said, "You were asking why I was checking you out. First of all, you aren't hard to look at and I don't know... you give off some pretty strong signals." "So you pegged me as an easy lay?" Alex said. "Take it easy. That's not what I meant. I checked you out because there's something about you that I find attractive. I want Hutch, but maybe I could be interested in you too," Starsky said. "I don't want to be a substitute for your Hutch," Alex said. "You're a nice guy, Starsky and if..." The words rasped suddenly as Alex's voice became husky. "If things were different." "Yeah, I know," Starsky said. "I was thinking that it would be a hell of a lot better for you if your Mulder realized he loves you." "Grow up, Starsky, not everyone is into true love and white knights. Mulder's interest in me ends the moment we get out of bed. I don't like it and I keep hoping that it will change but I live in the real world. Mulder doesn't give a shit about me. Sometimes I think he gets off as much hitting me as he does fucking me," Alex said. Starsky spared a hand long enough to pat Alex's leg. He said, "He wouldn't be so obsessed unless there was more to it. I may seem innocent compared to you, but I've been around." "What I'm thinking is that we make like we are getting interested in each other. Maybe if I make Hutch jealous, he will get the idea that he'd better move on it. As for your Mulder, he needs some good old fashioned competition," Starsky said. "You think so," Alex asked. His eyes remained on Starsky for a long moment. Starsky could feel them burning into him even without looking directly at the man. "It couldn't be much worse," Alex said. "I used to think that if I could only be his partner again that it would be all that I wanted. Even if he hurt me, just to be with him, to know that I could protect him, hear his voice..." The poor guy had it as bad as Starsky had it for Hutch. A moment of self-satisfaction made Starsky glow inside. If you are going to have one great, unrequited love, then loving someone as good as Hutch was the way to go. Sometimes, Starsky wondered how people could just look at Hutch. Why Starsky could stare at him for hours... "Yeah, well, Hutch is impressed with your guy. Thinks he's Batman or something, the Dark Knight. The guy who is trying to save the Earth from some kind of bogeymen," Starsky said. "They're real," Alex said. "You don't want to know how real." A moment later, Alex said, "I'll try your plan. Shit, can't make things much worse for me." "Good, you and I will go out tonight. When we get back, you sleep with me," Starsky said. "What? I don't know...Mulder," Alex said, shifting in the seat. He gave Starsky another of those sidelong glances from beneath his lashes. As if he didn't know how effective a weapon that was... "We don't have to really do anything," Starsky said, trying to sound disappointed. "We'll just fake them out." "You think you can fool your partner? And should you? Why risk what you have with the guy? Mulder and I make the earth move in bed, but I'd trade it if he cared for me half as much as your Hutch cares for you," Alex said. Mona Lisa smile...Alex added, "Maybe." "I've got to do something. This is driving me nuts. Besides, even if this screws things up instead of helping, Hutch will forgive me. He always does." "Must be nice," Alex said. Poor guy...he might be some tough super spy type but he had it bad for Mulder. Starsky had made a mistake or two along the way, but once he knew the score, he was out of there. Hutch was the same. Whenever a relationship went sour, they always had each other. Starsky couldn't imagine sticking with a relationship that was as painful as the one Mulder and Krycek had. He wasn't sure if he was doing Alex any favors by trying to move the love affair along. The neighborhood that Starsky drove into looked tough. Alex recognized gang slogans on walls. The house in front of which they parked was neat compared to many of the others. The paint might be peeling, but no trace of graffiti was tolerated. The yard boasted of sparse grass, a cheap swing set, a sandbox, and a number of dogs. Starsky swaggered out of the car, stood on the sidewalk, and whistled. A skinny teenage boy ran out the door. "Gimme five," Starsky said, slapping a ten into the kid's hand. "Don't let anything bad happen to my baby." "Got'cha," the kid said, stationed himself in front of the Torino. Starsky grinned and sauntered into the yard, giving his tight jeans a hitch. One of the little boys in the sandbox was obviously part African American. The other child was a golden skinned blond, but both shared a certain exotic cast to their features. As they looked with shy interest at the two strangers, a teenage girl came running out. "Paul, Billy, you know you were supposed to stay inside. Oh, Detective Starsky! Come inside." The two toddlers ran squealing with laughter away from their sister. A woman came to the door and yelled, "You kids better get in here or grandma isn't going to buy you anything at the Pow-wow." Spotting Starsky, the apple-round woman said, "Hey, there you are...Come in." Starsky said, "This is one of the guys that I told you about...the experts in this business. This is Alex Krycek." With a glance at Alex, Starsky said, "This is Rosa Rides Pretty. She's the mother of one of the missing woman." "Good. I've been dreaming about her in the meetings. I know she's going come home soon. I know," the woman said. The house wasn't small, but it seemed close by virtue of the sheer number of people packed into it. An Indian man in a wheel chair worked on a mass of feathers at the dining room table. A thin woman, who looked to be in her twenties, dragged a comb through the glossy mass of hair belonging to a little girl right off some western postcard. Suitcases stood ready on the floor, open and displaying spills of clothing with museum quality beadwork. An elderly man was rocking a baby. His thin white braids were bound with red yarn. He looked distrustfully at the intruders and scowled. "Pa..." the woman warned. "Don't say nothing. I invited Dave here." "You come in the kitchen. I'm making the fry bread for the Pow-wow. Joy is helping me," Rosa said. The kitchen looked cluttered, but was clean. Alex nearly tripped on a patch to linoleum that had come loose. Rosa said, "Mind that. I've been saving to have the kitchen redone, but the cost of things..." Returning to the counter, Rosa dived back into a huge steel bowl of dough. Her clever plump hands formed rounds of dough, made a small hole in each, and plunked it into an outsized electric frying pan. Alex inhaled the enticing smell and his stomach rumbled. The beautiful young woman left her work for a moment. Before Alex could object, he had a cup of coffee and a slab of the fried bread, glistening with jam and butter. Starsky got the same treatment. He sprawled at a small kitchen table. He appeared lazy and indolent, very relaxed, but Alex sensed that it was an act. Starsky didn't miss a thing. Joy, the daughter, was as beautiful as some of the Tartar women that Alex had seen in Russia. Her eyes were like those in Japanese paintings, large, dark, and slanted. Her thick braids made you want to loose the hair to admire it. She was slender and graceful. Her eyes made Alex think of Mulder for some reason. He had almost an Asian look about him sometimes when he was in the grip of strong emotions or maybe it was that beautiful people always made him dream about Mulder. "Joy was with her twin, Lee-Lee, the first time that she was taken from us," Rosa said. "We were out camping. The girls went to use the pay showers in the next campground. Pretty soon, Joy came running into camp. Joy's in track, you know. Very fast. Faster than her sister, even if they are identical twins. My daughter was sobbing and yelling about lights, gray men taking her sister." "No one but Mom believed me. The policemen said that it was stress, but they were wrong. It was just as I said," Joy said, as she returned to her work. Alex said, "I believe you. They took her, but somehow she came back?" "We were called to the hospital," Rosa said. "Lee-Lee was there. She was very ill for a while and wouldn't say what happened to her. The doctors...checked to see if she had been raped, but it didn't look like it." Blushing, Rosa said, "It took a while to notice that her moons had stopped. She was afraid she was pregnant and didn't say anything right away. Finally, she spoke up and told me. I had her checked and they said...they said she couldn't be pregnant. Her ovaries were gone. My baby wasn't ever going to be a mother. That was when she was fourteen. She put her head back together, worked hard in school and oh, she became such a fine dancer with beautiful manners. I'm so proud of her and Joy. Lee-Lee is the queen at the Civic Center Pow Wow, the biggest in the city. Joy is the runner up. In fact, Lee-Lee was going to turn the crown over to Joy since the queen is not supposed to be pregnant." "It was a real pregnancy? The doctors said so?" Alex asked. "Yes, they made Lee-Lee go to some specialist that I didn't like at all. He was rude and bossy like the Indian Health Doctors used to be. He said that if Lee-Lee didn't keep her appointments that Child Welfare might take her baby. I don't think they could, but Lee-Lee was sure they would," Rosa said. "How far along was she?" Alex asked. "Almost seven months when they took her," Rosa said. "Everyone else went up to the big Pow Wow in Seattle and to see Francis....my oldest daughter. She just had the cutest little boy. I had to work and Lee-Lee wasn't feeling well. It was a difficult pregnancy. I worried about her." "What happened? Were you here when they took her?" Alex asked. "Yes. All the lights went out and some men came in. They were wearing masks and shining spotlights in our faces, but I wasn't fooled. When they grabbed Lee-Lee, I ran at one of them. He had an alien face, but when I scratched him; he bled red. I got him real good. Hard as I tried to defend my baby girl, they took her. They took her!" Rosa screamed. Gulping, Rosa and Joy clung together for a few moments. "Do you think it was the same people both times?" whispered Starsky. "No," Alex said, "The first time was probably the real thing and there was no doubt a second abduction that no one knew about. That's how she would have been impregnated. The last time though...the aliens are gone. I'm almost sure of it. Mulder and I took them out, but that leaves some dangerous men who would do anything to keep their power. I think what we are investigating is a cover-up." As Rosa and Joy calmed down, Alex said, "Did the investigating officers take the skin sample from beneath your nails?" "Yes, but when Starsky and his blond partner came around, they said that the sample had disappeared. No one knew the name on the card the man gave me," Rosa said. She smiled a savage smile and said, "I got something though. You wait here." Coming back, Rosa thrust an oversized tee shirt at them. She pointed at the shirt and said, "I changed out of this before the cops came. It has a big blood spot. I didn't think anything about it until I read on the Internet about how they can tell things even from a dried out splotch like this. It hasn't been washed. It fell behind the bed and I only found it a few days ago." Starsky said, "Evidence keeps disappearing on this case. I'd hate to take this to the lab and have them lose it." "I have a source that can run some types," Alex said, "We'll fed ex it to him." Starsky patted Rosa on the shoulder and said, "You did good, Rosa." "I know she's alive," Rosa said, "I saw her crying for me at the Peyote meeting. Bring her back to me." Not all the victim's families were as cooperative and helpful as Rosa. Alex was tired of the interviews even though he had always enjoyed the footwork of investigation. This time, his guilt was too big a burden. If he had just been willing to take the risk at an earlier time, none of this would have happened. These families would be intact. Even sitting still, Mulder seemed to radiate energy. He reminded Hutch of the opals his last girlfriend had favored. The surface was beautiful, polished, and lovely. Looking deeper into the stone, there seemed to be endless layers of iridescence as if a galaxy of stars glowed from within. Mulder glanced his way, looked back out the window and sighed. "You must think I'm an ass," Mulder said. "No, I guess you're under a lot of pressure," Hutch said carefully. "It's not that. My life has been a carnival sideshow for so long that I don't think I could cope with a remotely normal existence. It's Krycek. He's like a drug. He makes me behave in ways that I regret later. I lose my temper around him," Mulder said. Thinking about the sounds that escaped from the guest room last night, Hutch wasn't sure that Mulder was telling the entire story. On the subject of last girlfriends...how long had it been? His Lady of the Opals had gently put her ring-covered hand on his one day and said, "Hutch, when we're together, we're never alone." Hutch and Miranda had gone away for a weekend and were at a beautiful timeshare beach house when they'd had that conversation. Miranda had twisted the opal ring on her finger and said, "You called Starsky five times today. I can't count how many times you've said his name. You're in love, Hutch. That's cool with me, but, sweetheart, I don't want to be in the middle." All the talk in the world hadn't changed Miranda's mind. Hutch had to admit that she was right. His relationship with Starsky just got deeper as time passed. The problem was that Hutch was afraid to make the first move or rather to give his beloved partner leave to make one. He was afraid that it wouldn't work and that it would ruin what they had already. It had always been easier for Hutch to keep friends than lovers. Hutch said, "I don't know. He seems to care about you." "I don't want him to care about me. I don't want him to lov..." Mulder bit off his words and then said, "love me. We weren't very discreet last night, were we?" "No," Hutch admitted. "It's all right. Starsky and I don't have a problem with it." "It's just a physical thing with me," Mulder said. "That's all it is." "Sure," Hutch agreed. Mulder shot him a look, but didn't comment. "Here we are," Hutch said, as he turned onto the correct block of the first site on his and Mulder's list. The middle class house with the brightly painted aluminum siding had a Santa Claus landing on the yard complete with Rudolf, but next to the cheerful scene was a 'for sale' sign. Hutch wondered what was going on, but he was afraid he knew. Ms. Horovitch came to the door before Hutch even reached for the doorbell. She was in her early fifties, her hair mostly gray, grayer now than when Hutch had first met her a mere month ago. Her strong features were handsome rather than pretty. She hadn't bothered with makeup and her lips were chapped with winter dryness. Her light blue eyes looked intelligent and direct, fearless as if she had faced her worst nightmare. The woman said, "Hello, Detective Hutchinson. Excuse the mess. Tom and I are divorcing...he's already moved out. Without Allison...well, we've grown apart." Ms. Horovitch stood aside. There was a half-stripped Christmas tree, a broken ornament unheeded on the beige carpet beneath it. Packing cases were stacked in a corner. The pain on Mulder's face as he took in the scene seemed very personal. Hutch had read about Samantha, Mulder's sister. He supposed that Mulder's parents had fractured under the stress. It had shocked Hutch at first that families fell apart under the problems caused by a sick, murdered, or missing child. Adversity, he had always thought, should bring families together, but it didn't always work that way. A few moments later, Mulder sat in the living room with a picture of Allison in his hand. He turned it this way and that as Ms. Horovitch retold the story of her daughter's abductions. Mulder's gaze was so empty that Hutch almost shivered when he met it. If Hutch didn't have Starsky, that could be him. The story seemed much the same although Mulder managed to glean a new scrap or two of information in his questioning. He seemed inquisitive about Allison's fiancé, the presumed father of her child. The man had seemed curiously complacent about his future wife and unborn child disappearing. Ms. Horovitch said, "I suppose I sound like a cliché mother...no one is good enough for my daughter, but I don't like him. I've always had feelings about people and I didn't like him. Tom kept saying he was a good catch...that Allison wasn't pretty enough to be as picky as I wanted her to be. As if a husband was the sum of her hopes...Allison is very bright. She's in her third year of chemistry undergraduate studies. She met Hank Calvert at a campus recruitment fair for pesticide firms. I didn't want her to even think about working for a company like that. Her health for one reason made me hate the idea. For the other reason, well, I did my time as an ecology activist. I can't live my daughter's life..." With a wry smile, Ms. Horovitch said, "I'm rambling. Anyway, Hank seemed to hover over Allison. I was pissed when she told me she was pregnant and then I wanted to know how? After she was kidnapped, the doctors said that she would never have children. She kept telling me, 'It's a miracle. You don't question miracles." Laughing, Ms. Horovitch said, "What are the young coming to? When I was Allison's age, I believed everything should be questioned. In any event, Hank was around for a while after Allison was kidnapped; long enough to be ruled out as a suspect. Then, he said something about moving on. He said you should know when it's time to let go. A month?" "Did you check this guy out?" Mulder asked Hutch. "What do you think? Starsky and I might not have ever worked for your FBI, but we don't leave any lead without an investigation. He was clean. I don't like him either, but there's nothing to indicate that he's anything but a recruitment PR person for a chemical firm." "Ms. Horovitch, do you have a picture of this guy? I want to show it to ... my partner," Mulder said. "Yes, there are a couple with Allison. Let me get one," the woman said. She stood and rummaged in one of the boxes. A moment later, she produced a snap shot. "You know him?" Hutch asked Mulder. "No, but Krycek might," Mulder replied. Mulder had seen that expression on Krycek's face before. Much as he liked to pretend that Krycek was just a thug, there was a good cop hidden beneath that black leather and ready Glock. The man who came in the door with Starsky was as eager as a hunting dog on the trail of prey. Krycek said, "I have something, Mulder, a blood sample from one of the abductors." Mulder couldn't keep back the flicker of a smile. Damn it! He had liked Krycek...not at first sight, but when the cocky agent had gotten into his face, waving car keys like a challenge. That had taken guts to do to him and brains. "Yes, Hutch and I gleaned a few bits and pieces too," Mulder said. "Get that lap top of yours heated up. We have work to do." Krycek guarded his laptop doggedly. He wouldn't even let Mulder close to the screen when he entered his password. "You don't know this Hank Calvert on sight?" Mulder asked, from across the room. "Fuck, Mulder, you think I know every low life in creation?' Alex asked. "Just the ones that I suspect work for the Consortium," Mulder said. "Did you know everyone in the FBI? What do you think? That we had conventions? Team building meetings? What color is the knife in your back seminars?' Krycek snapped. Starsky chuckled at that. He strolled up and leaned over Alex's shoulder, too close as far as Mulder was concerned. "Nice laptop," Starsky said, but his voice was sultry enough to make it sound like a come on. If Starsky was allowed to be that close then Mulder wasn't going to wait to be invited. He crowded in close to Krycek and managed to elbow Starsky aside. Page after page of faces in thumbnails filled the screen. Krycek was scrolling through them so rapidly that Mulder didn't see how he could be registering the features. Black cross-outs marked many of the graphics. "What do the Xs mean?" Mulder asked. "Dead," Krycek said. "Did you?" Mulder started. "Yeah right, I managed to get a time machine so I could loop back in time and kill hundreds of creeps," Krycek replied. "How can you see them? You're going too fast," said Mulder. "Look, Mulder, I can remember faces as well as you do. This is my talent," Krycek said. He grunted and said, "Yes, there he is." "Do you think the chemical plant is a front?" asked Mulder. "Could be. Could be legit. The Consortium had some business ventures that were simply moneymakers. We can check it out," Krycek said. When they arrived at the plant, it was closed. Mulder said, "Fuck, someone must have tipped them off." He glared at Krycek. "Don't be an asshole," Starsky said, pointing at a sign that said the EPA had made a visit and closed the place down. "Oh," Mulder said, biting at his lip. "That's it for tonight," Starsky said. He moved closer to Alex and said, "You still up for what we talked about?" "Yes," Alex said. "Sounds good." "What are you two talking about?" Mulder said. "Let me in on it." "Afraid not, Alex and I have a date. Pygmalion Place," Starsky said. "That's a gay bar," Hutch said. "Yeah, I know. We're going dancing," Starsky said. "Have a problem with that?" "Ah, no, buddy, whatever you want to do," Hutch replied. "I have a problem. Krycek, I didn't bring you here to go dancing. We have work to do," Mulder said. "What?' Krycek asked, "I don't see what good it would do rehashing old information. I'm going out with Starsky." Knowing Alex was jerking his strings, Mulder still couldn't help bristling and moving chest to chest with him. He said, "You should leave Starsky alone. He's too good for you." A strong arm pushed Mulder back. Starsky moved in between Alex and him. "Uh-uh, Mulder, you can put that attitude where the sun don't shine. This is my territory. You don't mess with Alex here." His territory? Alex belonged to Mulder. That was understood. Mulder snapped, "Alex, you want to keep our partnership, you don't do this." Before Alex could react, Starsky shoved Mulder again. "What part of 'no' don't you understand?" When Mulder tried to push Starsky in return, Hutch jumped in and pulled him away. "Don't touch my partner!" The calm face on the blond was gone. His cheeks showed red circles as he said, "Alex said he was going out with Starsky. I might not like that either, but you can't just shove people around." "Starsky started the shoving," Mulder replied, wilting as he realized that he sounded like a kid after a playground fight. "Be that as it may, they have a right to do what they want," Hutch said. His blue eyes looked troubled as they met his partner's. "If you want to protect Starsky, then keep him away from Alex," Mulder said. "Is that a threat?" asked Starsky, bristling like a fighting gamecock. "No, it's a warning," said Mulder. Hutch touched Mulder. He whirled, feeling attacked, but Hutch shook his head. He said, "Come on, Mulder. Let's talk about it." As he passed Alex, Hutch said, "Better not hurt him, Krycek." Starsky held the door open for Alex, knowing that Mulder was watching from behind the drapes in the living room. Alex glanced back and said, "This isn't working. He's going to hate me more than ever." "Give it time. Let me tell you, if you give in now; he's going to think anything he does to you is okay. You want to be his doormat or his partner?" Starsky said. "I..." Alex began. He looked down, eyelashes shading his jade colored eyes. Starsky cupped the delicate chin with a soft touch and smiled at Alex. "Trust me." The eyes, if possible, grew bigger and greener. Alex said, "Starsky..." "Things can only get better," Starsky said. Sensing that both of their partners were watching, Starsky leaned in and kissed the pale pink lips. Alex's mouth was rose petal soft and his mouth tasted sweet. His hand came up and clutched Starsky's neck for a moment. A tremulous smile briefly crossed the man's face. "It's a good thing we're just acting," Alex remarked. "Yeah," agreed Starsky, reminding himself that the one he wanted was Hutch. Starsky had only been in the Pygmalion Place Club once and that had been on business, but he remembered that it had been a classy place, the kind of place that you brought a beauty like Krycek. The snug black denim, silk sweater, and black leather jacket were club formal, Alex said. Starsky had chosen black jeans over blue, still tightly fitted, but not threadbare like his favorites. He wore a dark blue sweater that Hutch had bought him for his birthday. He knew he looked good by the glint in Hutch's eyes. As much as he thought that Alex was a beautiful man, Starsky wished he were going out with Hutch. His partner and he had danced together playfully many times. He could imagine what it would be like to move together, neither one leading...just moving together with the grace of one soul in two bodies. Holding onto Krycek's elbow, Starsky walked into the club. Eyes raked over them. It wasn't a new thing being desired and having a date admired, but Starsky was more aware of it than usual. "What do you want to eat?" Starsky asked. "I don't know. Anything," Alex answered. "Italian then. Angel hair pasta is good. Not much they could do to screw that up and tenderloin medallions. That sounds good too," Starsky said. "You do this much?" Starsky asked, "Go clubbing?" "I used to when I was young. After I decided I wanted to be in the FBI, I had to...play it straight," Alex said. "I used to sneak into places when I was eighteen. No one threw me out." Starsky bet that the bartenders would look the other way just to have Alex dress up the place. "But you haven't been in the FBI for a long time." "Yeah, but the fun went out of it. I've been a time or two, either picking somebody up because the asshole who was my boss was targeting them or because I needed someone to make me forget for a few hours," Alex said. "This is a nice place. Sophisticated." "Yeah, I wanted to bring you some place nice," Starsky said, "Even if we are just play acting." "You want to dance while we wait for the food?" Starsky asked. "Sure," Alex said. The man moved nicely and had no problem letting Starsky lead. Close like this, Starsky looked for flaws and didn't find many. Alex was lovely, maybe not to everyone's taste, but strikingly pretty when the light was right. It was hard to believe the man had lived the life that Mulder said he did. He seemed so young and innocent. Starsky let his hand drift a little lower, just where the straight grace line of spine met the lush ass. Very nice, if Starsky wasn't in love with Hutch, he wouldn't mind taking this further. It wouldn't hurt to steal a kiss. It took a moment to realize that the music had stopped and that he was still kissing Alex. Someone quietly applauded and chuckled. Blushing, Starsky led his 'date' back to the table, now covered with platters of food. He said, apologetically, "I got carried away." "No one who kisses like that has anything to be sorry for," Alex said. "This looks good." "Yeah, I like Italian. Hutch makes fun of me sometimes because I always like Italian and Polish places, but the food is good and it reminds me of some happy times," Starsky said. "To happy times," Alex said, lifting his glass of house wine. He sounded as if they had been rare in his life. It felt like a date even if Starsky had ulterior motives. Actually, it felt like a great date. Alex was very sensitive to Starsky's moods and held up his end of conversation. They talked about classic cars, classic rock, and somehow or other, conversation always led back to the two men they called partners. The way Alex described Mulder made him sound like a real hero. Of course, Hutch was a hero, Starsky's white knight. Maybe it was wrong to do this, but if it made Hutch realize that Starsky was serious about wanting a physical relationship then it had to be done. "When we get back," Starsky said, "You just come to my room. You think Mulder will be awake?" "Yeah, he has trouble sleeping except after we have sex. That always puts him right to sleep," Alex said. "If he gives you any trouble, let me handle it," Starsky said. "Don't hurt him. Mulder's been hurt enough. I've hurt him enough. Maybe we shouldn't do this," Alex said. "Hey," Starsky said, "It's for his own good. You want him to act right? Treating you mean can't make him feel good about himself." "I guess you could be right," Alex said. "I know that I'm right," Starsky said. It was a game that Krycek was playing, Mulder thought. He couldn't believe that Alex would prefer the crude-talking cop to him. Okay, Starsky might have a certain animalistic charm, but the rules of the game were that Alex chased and Mulder ignored. It had always worked up until now. Why was Alex changing it? Hutch had been moody in his quiet way, playing sad songs on his guitar and apparently experimenting to see if you could get drunk on carrot juice. He had holed up in his bedroom early in the evening. As Mulder watched, Starsky opened the car door for Alex. On the porch, they paused. Starsky's hands framed Alex's face. In the moonlight, Alex's eyes were extraordinary, green as jade, green as the ocean. Lips parted...the way Alex looked at Starsky killed Mulder. He never thought he cared about how Krycek felt as long as he could have him any time he wanted. Now, he realized that it could be different. It could be tender... Oh, God, Starsky was kissing Alex. Not a friend's kiss either, deep and long as if he would drink the essence of him. Mulder felt dizzy with want and need. He couldn't even be angry. He felt like a fool for playing so many games with Alex. He had lost him and he didn't even realize that he needed him. The two men broke apart now, but Starsky kept a possessive hand on Krycek's arm. Mulder couldn't bear to see it. He almost ran back to his room. He would tell Alex that it would be different. He'd treat him differently. Take him out like Starsky did if that's what he wanted. Even if it was the trick that he thought it was, Mulder thought that Alex must be very desperate to go to this extent to get the message across. Hutch managed to resist going out when he heard Starsky come home. He listened to Starsky as he went to his room and groaned as he realized that Starsky wasn't alone. He heard Krycek laugh softly at something as they reached the door. Finding some earplugs left over from last summer when the house next door was undergoing noisy renovations, Hutch put them in his ears and went to bed to lie there, trying not to think about his feelings. Damn it! It wasn't that he was unwilling. He was just afraid that Starsky wouldn't like it as much as he thought he would. Hutch had never even considered that Starsky would be curious enough to try it with a different man. It better be just curiosity. Somehow, it seemed harder to bear that Starsky was with another guy. Hutch had been jealous a few times of Starsky's girlfriends, but he always really knew that it wouldn't last. Would this be just a fling? Would a guy be a replacement as a best friend and a partner as well as being a lover? That scared Hutch. As soon as the two men passed his room, Mulder put on his jacket and left the house, driving back to the chemical plant. Starsky and Hutch were still too much the good cops to think about just breaking into the place. There could be evidence that was overlooked. Besides, Mulder couldn't stand the thought of hearing Starsky make love to his Alex. The plant was silent. Mulder had some decent skills for breaking into places. Hell, he was up for a career as a cat burglar if he ever needed a fallback occupation. There was a watchman, but he was asleep in his car and dead to the world. Oh, yes, this was juicy evidence, Mulder thought, as he snapped pictures of a basement clinic. What would gynecological equipment be doing in a chemical plant...even one that manufactured spermicides? A file had slipped behind the file drawer. It happened all the time and with all the empty Pendaflex folders, it had been missed. There was a neat plastic stick-on for a floppy disk and yes, the file was there. The rest of the folder looked like medical charts. The picture of the patient was that of Lee-Lee, one of the missing women. Mulder searched further without finding anything. He held the file like a treasure, concealed in his jacket. Who cared who Alex screwed? The man was going to be so pissed when he found out what Mulder had! "Did you hear someone go out?" Alex said as Starsky came back from the bathroom. "Maybe," Starsky said. "I think it was Mulder. I have to check," Alex said. It was Mulder. He had 'borrowed' the Torino; Starsky had tossed the keys on the coffee table when they had come inside. "Damn," Alex said, "I should go after him." "Stop worrying. He's probably driving around...in my Torino, which doesn't make me very happy. Haven't you ever just driven around when you're angry with a lover?" Starsky said. "That hasn't come up with me before," Alex replied, thinking that he had been too intent on sopping up every moment when he and Mulder had really been together. There wasn't anything as normal as a lover's quarrel in the life they had been leading lately either. Alex said, "When Mulder and I have been fighting, I always seem to be handcuffed to something." Well, that shut Starsky up. "I want to go after him," Alex said. "Okay, let me see..." Starsky said. "No, looks as if Hutch took his keys in his room. Just a second." A moment later, Hutch came out, tucking his shirt in his pants. "I'll take you to try to find Mulder," he said. "No problem," Starsky began. "I just needed the keys." "My car, I drive," said Hutch. Alex almost smiled. He had the distinct feeling that Hutchinson was glad of the distraction, happy that his partner's night with Alex had been interrupted. "Come on," Hutch said to Alex, with a nod. His faintly frowning brow furled further as he said, "Let's look for your partner. Starsk, you stay here in case he comes back." There was something stale in Hutch's car. The interior was strewn with stuff, a thermos, some hamburger wrappers, a package of guitar strings, and other flotsam. Alex picked up the strings and said, "You might be needing these." "Oh, that's where they went," Hutch said, "I bought a new package when I couldn't find them." As they drove around, Alex could feel the anger rolling off Hutch. He scanned the darkness for Mulder and the Torino, seeing neither. He had a sudden intuition and said, "Damn, the chemical plant...he went to the chemical plant!" "You think so?" Hutch said. "Yeah, I think so! I know so. I know Mulder! The son of a bitch has no common sense!" Alex remarked. Feeling for his Glock, Alex said, "Hurry up." The mild frown crossed the blond man's face again. He brushed some of the long straight locks away from his broad forehead and said, "You didn't seem very worried about him earlier." "The date?" Alex said. That already seemed like a hundred years ago. He said, "Hutchinson, that was your partner's idea. He thought if he made you jealous, you might realize that he was getting tired of waiting for you to believe him. He wants you so bad that it is driving him crazy. Starsky also thought that Mulder might realize that if he didn't treat me better that I would leave. Hell, we spent most of the night talking about our partners." The smile that spread across Hutch's face was radiant, lighting his pale features until he was beautiful. "Starsky did that because of me?" "Yes, if I had anyone who cared about me as much as that guy cares about you, I'd hang on so tight that no one could come between us," Alex said. "I hear you," Hutch said. "Look, Krycek...Alex, it was working. Your Mulder was upset, thinking that he was losing you." "I don't believe that. I just have to be content with what I have, I guess. I shouldn't think that I deserve more," Alex said. "If I hadn't betrayed Mulder, maybe he wouldn't take so many chances." "If he loves you, he'll find a way to forgive you," Hutch said. "Starsky and I might seem like perfect buddies to you, but we've bumped heads a time or two. We always let it go. There's nothing that is big enough to stop us from being friends." "Then you should take the chance of letting the relationship become physical," Alex said. "Unless the thought is too repulsive..." "No, I don't have anything against it. Love is love, I've always said. Physical form shouldn't matter," Hutch said. "Then make him happy," Alex said, finding his voice gone husky with emotion. "Why waste a moment before fate takes it away?" The way Hutch looked at him, Alex believed that he understood. Maybe Alex couldn't fix things for himself, but he could make it better for Starsky. He and Hutch were too good to remain less than happy when all it took was the courage to face their feelings. As Hutch pulled surprising speed from the Fairlane, Alex craned his neck around. "Hey, there's the Torino!" It was speeding in the opposite direction. Hutch observed the car chasing the Torino and reached for the car phone. A moment later, a state trooper joined the chase. Hutch said, "You think your little friends will risk a showdown with the troopers?" "Not anymore. Discretion is the word these days," Alex said. "Mulder and I have been chipping away at their power base. They don't take big chances anymore." Craning his head around to watch the chase, Alex said, "Mulder will be insufferable. He must have found something." "You're just pissed that I found the information and not you," Mulder said. They had been arguing all morning. There wasn't much to do anyway. They had read Lee-Lee's file. It made it clear that the missing women were part of a slightly different experiment than the one that had resulted in Scully's pregnancy. Sprawled on the couch with his partner, Starsky looked self-satisfied. He and Hutch had gone out to the garage, but the yelling had still penetrated to the house. Alex had smiled when the shouting had stopped suddenly. Starsky and Hutch had kiss-red mouths when they emerged. Alex thought the two were just waiting for a private moment to fulfill Starsky's hopes. Mulder asked, as a buzzing sound emerged thinly from somewhere, "Anyone see where I put my cell phone?" As the men looked, Alex remembered that Mulder's jacket was on the hook in the guest bathroom. He went to look and thought he'd better answer the phone in the pocket. The voice was that of a stranger, but Alex found it familiar all the same. It was the voice of corruption, of power, and dirty deals. The voice of the men who had made his life hell for ten years. "Mulder, I'll trade you the life of one girl for the file that you took," the voice said. Drawing a deep breath, Alex made the arrangements to meet the man. Mulder came bursting in as the man hung up. "Who was it?" Mulder snarled. "Wrong number," Alex said with a sneer. "Who else would call you?" "Bastard," Mulder said. "I'm not the one with a file that proves that," Alex said. "And you snivel to strangers about how cruel I am to you," Mulder said, grabbing his phone. Alex waited for a moment when Mulder wasn't paying attention and took the file and the keys to the rental car that Mulder had picked up. Mulder would be angry, but Alex felt that he was better equipped to deal with the Consortium than his still impulsive partner. Alex doubted that the Consortium had any attention of turning over Lee-Lee to Mulder. It was no doubt an ambush, which was why Alex was going to the meeting site early. As an afterthought, Alex called Starsky and said, "Starsky, our enemies know where you are. Be careful." "Wait, Alex, where the hell are you?" Starsky said. Alex hung up. Best to avoid an emotionally draining confrontation before he went into battle. He had a bad feeling about this, as bad a one as he had lying on his belly in Tunguska. Well, one more time under the wire...better him than Mulder. Mulder came up behind Starsky as he put his phone away. "Was that him?" "Yeah," Starsky said. Mulder showed the men the tracking device he had borrowed from the Lone Gunmen, who had borrowed it from people who no doubt were not aware that it was missing. "I have a tracking device on Alex. I didn't want him to disappear inconveniently." "Okay, let's go," Starsky said. "He said there might be a hit coming down on us anyway." The armaments that went into the Torino were far from regulation. Mulder said, "Expecting trouble?" "Yes," Starsky said. "Just be prepared, Krycek might not be on our side. He's betrayed me before," Mulder said. Moving stealthily down the dead end alley, Alex climbed up on a dumpster and checked the window for alarms. Not surprised that there weren't any, Alex proceeded to cut the glass so he could unlock the window and let himself inside. The Consortium probably wouldn't want a dead body left inside a building that it still owned. They had problems enough currently. Alex drew a swift breath as he landed in musty smelling darkness. He strained to listen for the sounds of ambush and heard nothing. Perhaps he was here in time to do some reconnaissance. It was an old garage. Good choice for an execution. The nice thick walls were suitable for keeping in the sounds of gunfire and any unfortunate protest from the victim. Alex had a flashlight; he might not be a Boy Scout, but he liked to be prepared for anything. However, he didn't want to use it and attract attention. Slipping along the wall, Alex was intent on getting into a good location for an ambush. The sudden blast of light caught him off guard. Before he could blink, he felt fire sear him. He spun around and felt another burn along the back of his head. He fell heavily. Blood filled his eyes from a head wound, but he could see his attackers. His arm felt like over cooked pasta, but survival instincts drove his Glock up. He saw one, no, two of the men fall before someone got another shot off. Damn...light flowed like lava over Alex's vision. Red bursts like fireworks. He thought he was dying, not for the first time. Death was cold, dark, and Mulder's furious voice shouting at him...no big surprise. The gunshots came from inside the garage. Mulder's long legs sped him toward the sound, but the two Los Angeles cops weren't far behind him. Skidding to a stop behind a thick support beam, Mulder snapped off a shot. He could see Alex on the floor. A man had been moving toward him, perhaps to finish him or to search him. Mulder's bullet hit the man mid-chest. "Alex, Alex," Mulder shouted, no thought now about his partner being a traitor. "Alex, I'm here." More shots in the dark. The room sounded like fireworks going off, except the screams were far from happy. Mulder saw Starsky moving in a staccato pattern, his partner covering him as if they were connected to each other's brain, able to anticipate every move. The fight pushed back into the garage. Mulder scrambled across the oily smelling concrete to Alex. He cupped Alex's head with one hand, the other still holding his gun as he searched for more attackers. "Ambush," Alex said. "I thought I could outsmart them. They meant to kill you." "Idiot," Mulder said. He could hear sirens. Starsky and Hutch must have called for backup. There were two wounds. One was in Krycek's remaining arm and the other had penetrated into his skull. Alex blinked and his fingers twitched. Only the faint beat of pulse betrayed that he still lived. Mulder crouched over his partner as he heard someone coming back. "Don't shoot! It's us," Hutch's voice shouted. "We called an ambulance for Alex." Lights flickered on and Starsky came into the room, dragging someone that Mulder recognized from a picture. "Why, Mr. Calvert, who are you recruiting here?" Mulder said. He lunged at the man, who had meant to kill him. Who might have killed Alex and that idea terrified Mulder in ways that he was not prepared to face. "I'm not saying anything," Calvert said. "We'll see about that," Mulder said. He wished Starsky and Hutch hadn't called for backup. He wanted to question the man himself and the methods he would have gladly used were not in any police manual...even in Los Angeles. "Brought you some clothes," Hutch said. "You might want to clean up before they admit you too." "Yeah," Mulder said. "He made it though surgery. He's strong, Mulder. Don't worry," Hutch said. The glare that met his gaze wasn't entirely sane. "Don't tell me what to feel," Mulder said. "I'm not. I'm trying to take care of you," Hutch said. "Are they keeping close watch on Calvert?" Mulder said. "Yes," Hutch said. "As close as possible." "Okay. You stay here with Alex. Watch everyone that gets near him. Trust no one," Mulder said. Taking the clothing, Mulder went into the bathroom of the private room. He had insisted on moving Alex here in order to protect him. To be honest, to be alone with him. His hand had been over Alex's heart, reassuring him with the beat. He didn't trust the machines that beeped and glowed. Besides, he felt sure that Alex could feel his presence and know that he was here. Know that Mulder cared. Night and day blurred together. Calvert seemed to be breaking down under questioning. One of the other thugs had lived and was fingering him as the brains of the operation. Today while Mulder was present, Calvert had indicated that the missing women were still alive. If they could keep him alive, place him in a witness relocation program, he might be willing to talk. Both prisoners had been listed as dead. The wounded man was logged into the hospital in a locked ward as the loser in a gang shooting. Calvert was in protective custody as a child molester. That was Mulder's idea and, to his surprise, Starsky and Hutch's boss agreed. They had lost prisoners and witnesses before. The doctors said that coma victims sometimes roused to the voices of the people they loved. Mulder had talked to Alex until he couldn't think of a thing to say. Finally, he leaned over and said into the pink shell-like ear, "I love you, Alex Krycek. I think I always have." It worked like magic. Mulder felt Alex's chest heave and then Alex said, "My head hurts." "You were shot," Mulder said. "You shot me?" Alex said. "No, idiot, I saved your life with the help of Starsky and Hutch. You apparently thought I couldn't take care of myself," Mulder said, summoning doctors. Alex's eyes fluttered open. His gaze was oddly without focus. He said, "Mulder, there's no light." "Yes, there is," Mulder said, fear jumping in his chest. "I can't see anything," Alex said. His fingers twitched on the bed. "My arm? I can't move my arm." "Shh, it's all right. It's in a restraint. You were shot there too," Mulder said. Doctors moved him aside and worked on Alex. Mulder followed the specialist outside when Hutch showed up. "What's wrong with his eyes?" "There's nothing wrong with his eyes. There was some pressure on his occipital lobe," the doctor said. "We've relieved it, but there could be some residual damage." "He's blind. That's a pretty big could be!" Mulder snarled. "Maybe you missed something...a fragment." "Nothing showed in the x-ray," the doctor said. "Give it time." Time felt as if it was not moving. Mulder returned to Alex's side and rested his head on the pillow. He lightly touched Alex's eyelashes, praying that he would be all right. "No matter what," Mulder said, "I'll take care of you. You don't have to be afraid." "You think Mulder is okay alone?" Hutch asked. With a smile, Starsky said, "He's not alone. He's with the guy he loves." Reaching out, Starsky pulled Hutch the rest of the way through the door and flipped him around the inside. "And so am I. I believe you made me a promise?" "Now?" asked Hutch. "Yes, now, you want to wait until something happens and we don't get another chance?" Starsky asked. "No, right now is fine," Hutch said, pulling his partner's face closer to him. Staring into the cobalt blue of Starsky's eyes, Hutch met his lips perfectly. They had kissed each other playfully before, but this kiss was a promise of more, a commitment of the body that had been made soul to soul long ago. Starsky was surprised to feel Hutch's fingers unzip his jacket. It was off before he knew it, hitting the floor with a thunk from all the junk in his pocket. Hands flew. For all Starsky knew, they levitated to Hutch's bedroom. To sprawl over his beloved Hutch...touching the man he loved with every inch of his naked body... Hutch stared up at him, looking like a blue-eyed angel. He smiled and said, "I was wrong to doubt you. My partner. My lover." Worshipping, Starsky stroked his hand through the fine silk of Hutch's hair. He laughed and said, "I've been wanting to do this with you so long that I don't know what to do." With tiger-like strength, Hutch flipped him and grinned down at him. "I have some ideas." "You know, I've always wanted to do this," Hutch said in a muffled voice as his mouth explored down Starsky's neck. "Jungle down here," Hutch added as his questing lips encountered Starsky's chest hair. It felt like small electric shocks. Small teasing nibbles made Starsky gasp and then he groaned long and low as Hutch's tongue soothed over the small hurt. By the time that Hutch encircled his nipples and suckled them, Starsky was hard as he could get. He stroked Hutch's hair again and again. He was awash in sensations, trembling with the intensity of his arousal. He had to arch and see Hutch, assure himself that it really was his partner doing this to him. As Hutch finally worked his way down, Starsky said, "You don't have to..." "I want to. I want to make you feel so good, Starsk," Hutch said, in a voice so husky that it seemed to belong to some darker, sensuous person. "Oh, God," Starsky exclaimed falling back. He felt Hutch's mouth fasten on him. Hutch laughed with the head of Starsky's cock in his throat. He let the yearning flesh go for a moment to say, "You taste the same as me. We taste the same." A friend of Starsky had once said, "Any mouth feels the same in the dark. It's hot and it makes you feel good. You shouldn't worry so much about who is doing it." Well, that guy was wrong. Starsky knew who was making him feel this way. It rocked him, exploding in waves of excitement until his entire body was one throbbing need. "Hutch," he breathed, "Hutch." Knowing that he should withdraw; that he was going to come soon, Starsky said, "Hutch, I'm going to come." That only spurred Hutch on. It was like a sacrament. Starsky's blood thundered in his ears. His moans rose and he keened as the pleasure shook him. Hutch kept him inside his mouth, taking his essence to be part of him. It was beautiful, terrifying, and more unique than the first time so long ago because this was Hutch. Hutch's hair brushed Starsky's belly. The pale gold gilded the dark hair that curled upward from Starsky's groin. The heat of his breath teased the sensitive flesh of Starsky's stomach. "I want you inside me," Starsky said. "Hutch, I want you to make love to me now." The hair lifted away and Hutch looked up at him. "Starsk, you don't have to push it so far the first time." "I want it," Starsky said. "I want to feel you inside me. I want you to know that I want you. That I would give you anything, but most of all, I just want to be with you like that." "I don't know," Hutch said, "I'm not sure. What if I hurt you?" "You won't," Starsky said, "I trust you. You would know." "You never like to take things slow and easy," Hutch said. His blue eyes searched Starsky's for any sign of doubt. Satisfied, Hutch cupped Starsky's face, feeling the shadow of beard already growing back from the morning shave. His thumb brushed Starsky's jaw softly. His eyes melted into Starsky's and he leaned over to kiss him again. "I do love you," Hutch said. "Yeah, I know," Starsky said with satisfaction. He turned and raised his leg, understanding the mechanics of this. Hutch panted as he stroked lubrication with teasing strokes down Starsky's ass. "You seemed to know what you're doing..." Starsky said. "Yes, you remember Monique? She had a sense of adventure," Hutch replied. "I don't remember her," Starsky said. "I want to make you forget them all." "I think you can," Hutch said. "That feels strange," Starsky said, wiggling at Hutch's finger inside him. It didn't hurt, just felt odd. "Gets better," Hutch said. Hutch's kisses distracted Starsky from coherent thought. Small bursts of pleasure shook Starsky from the inside. He tensed for just a moment as he heard the snap of the condom, but a moment later; he relaxed, purring under Hutch's touch. It hurt a little, maybe even a lot at one point, but Hutch knew when to wait, when to pull back. They were rocking together, gasping in unison. Hutch's arms were around him, making the world right. Starsky didn't want it to end. He wanted to stay joined to the other half of him, but the spikes of pleasure came faster and faster until Starsky knew he was going to come again. He heard Hutch's cry of pleasure and was proud that he did that, he was the one making Hutch feel like that. He surrendered then to his own pleasure for the second time that evening. Afterward, it was as perfect as Starsky could have wanted. They lay together, face to face, sharing one breath. Hutch smiled at him and said, "I should have trusted you, partner. This is going to work." "Told ya," Starsky said, kissing Hutch before settling down to sleep. "Brought you some clothes," Hutch said. "You might want to clean up before they admit you too." "Yeah," Mulder said. "He made it though surgery. He's strong, Mulder. Don't worry," Hutch said. The glare that met his gaze wasn't entirely sane. "Don't tell me what to feel," Mulder said. "I'm not. I'm trying to take care of you," Hutch said. "Are they keeping close watch on Calvert?" Mulder said. "Yes," Hutch said. "As close as possible." "Okay. You stay here with Alex. Watch everyone that gets near him. Trust no one," Mulder said. Taking the clothing, Mulder went into the bathroom of the private room. He had insisted on moving Alex here in order to protect him. To be honest, to be alone with him. His hand had been over Alex's heart, reassuring him with the beat. He didn't trust the machines that beeped and glowed. Besides, he felt sure that Alex could feel his presence and know that he was here. Know that Mulder cared. Night and day blurred together. Calvert seemed to be breaking down under questioning. One of the other thugs had lived and was fingering him as the brains of the operation. Today while Mulder was present, Calvert had indicated that the missing women were still alive. If they could keep him alive, place him in a witness relocation program, he might be willing to talk. Both prisoners had been listed as dead. The wounded man was logged into the hospital in a locked ward as the loser in a gang shooting. Calvert was in protective custody as a child molester. That was Mulder's idea and, to his surprise, Starsky and Hutch's boss agreed. They had lost prisoners and witnesses before. The doctors said that coma victims sometimes roused to the voices of the people they loved. Mulder had talked to Alex until he couldn't think of a thing to say. Finally, he leaned over and said into the pink shell-like ear, "I love you, Alex Krycek. I think I always have." It worked like magic. Mulder felt Alex's chest heave and then Alex said, "My head hurts." "You were shot," Mulder said. "You shot me?" Alex said. "No, idiot, I saved your life with the help of Starsky and Hutch. You apparently thought I couldn't take care of myself," Mulder said, summoning doctors. Alex's eyes fluttered open. His gaze was oddly without focus. He said, "Mulder, there's no light." "Yes, there is," Mulder said, fear jumping in his chest. "I can't see anything," Alex said. His fingers twitched on the bed. "My arm? I can't move my arm." "Shh, it's all right. It's in a restraint. You were shot there too," Mulder said. Doctors moved him aside and worked on Alex. Mulder followed the specialist outside when Hutch showed up. "What's wrong with his eyes?" "There's nothing wrong with his eyes. There was some pressure on his occipital lobe," the doctor said. "We've relieved it, but there could be some residual damage." "He's blind. That's a pretty big could be!" Mulder snarled. "Maybe you missed something...a fragment." "Nothing showed in the x-ray," the doctor said. "Give it time." Time felt as if it was not moving. Mulder returned to Alex's side and rested his head on the pillow. He lightly touched Alex's eyelashes, praying that he would be all right. "No matter what," Mulder said, "I'll take care of you. You don't have to be afraid." "You think Mulder is okay alone?" Hutch asked. With a smile, Starsky said, "He's not alone. He's with the guy he loves." Reaching out, Starsky pulled Hutch the rest of the way through the door and flipped him around the inside. "And so am I. I believe you made me a promise?" "Now?" asked Hutch. "Yes, now, you want to wait until something happens and we don't get another chance?" Starsky asked. "No, right now is fine," Hutch said, pulling his partner's face closer to him. Staring into the cobalt blue of Starsky's eyes, Hutch met his lips perfectly. They had kissed each other playfully before, but this kiss was a promise of more, a commitment of the body that had been made soul to soul long ago. Starsky was surprised to feel Hutch's fingers unzip his jacket. It was off before he knew it, hitting the floor with a thunk from all the junk in his pocket. Hands flew. For all Starsky knew, they levitated to Hutch's bedroom. To sprawl over his beloved Hutch...touching the man he loved with every inch of his naked body... Hutch stared up at him, looking like a blue-eyed angel. He smiled and said, "I was wrong to doubt you. My partner. My lover." Worshipping, Starsky stroked his hand through the fine silk of Hutch's hair. He laughed and said, "I've been wanting to do this with you so long that I don't know what to do." With tiger-like strength, Hutch flipped him and grinned down at him. "I have some ideas." "You know, I've always wanted to do this," Hutch said in a muffled voice as his mouth explored down Starsky's neck. "Jungle down here," Hutch added as his questing lips encountered Starsky's chest hair. It felt like small electric shocks. Small teasing nibbles made Starsky gasp and then he groaned long and low as Hutch's tongue soothed over the small hurt. By the time that Hutch encircled his nipples and suckled them, Starsky was hard as he could get. He stroked Hutch's hair again and again. He was awash in sensations, trembling with the intensity of his arousal. He had to arch and see Hutch, assure himself that it really was his partner doing this to him. As Hutch finally worked his way down, Starsky said, "You don't have to..." "I want to. I want to make you feel so good, Starsk," Hutch said, in a voice so husky that it seemed to belong to some darker, sensuous person. "Oh, God," Starsky exclaimed falling back. He felt Hutch's mouth fasten on him. Hutch laughed with the head of Starsky's cock in his throat. He let the yearning flesh go for a moment to say, "You taste the same as me. We taste the same." A friend of Starsky had once said, "Any mouth feels the same in the dark. It's hot and it makes you feel good. You shouldn't worry so much about who is doing it." Well, that guy was wrong. Starsky knew who was making him feel this way. It rocked him, exploding in waves of excitement until his entire body was one throbbing need. "Hutch," he breathed, "Hutch." Knowing that he should withdraw; that he was going to come soon, Starsky said, "Hutch, I'm going to come." That only spurred Hutch on. It was like a sacrament. Starsky's blood thundered in his ears. His moans rose and he keened as the pleasure shook him. Hutch kept him inside his mouth, taking his essence to be part of him. It was beautiful, terrifying, and more unique than the first time so long ago because this was Hutch. Hutch's hair brushed Starsky's belly. The pale gold gilded the dark hair that curled upward from Starsky's groin. The heat of his breath teased the sensitive flesh of Starsky's stomach. "I want you inside me," Starsky said. "Hutch, I want you to make love to me now." The hair lifted away and Hutch looked up at him. "Starsk, you don't have to push it so far the first time." "I want it," Starsky said. "I want to feel you inside me. I want you to know that I want you. That I would give you anything, but most of all, I just want to be with you like that." "I don't know," Hutch said, "I'm not sure. What if I hurt you?" "You won't," Starsky said, "I trust you. You would know." "You never like to take things slow and easy," Hutch said. His blue eyes searched Starsky's for any sign of doubt. Satisfied, Hutch cupped Starsky's face, feeling the shadow of beard already growing back from the morning shave. His thumb brushed Starsky's jaw softly. His eyes melted into Starsky's and he leaned over to kiss him again. "I do love you," Hutch said. "Yeah, I know," Starsky said with satisfaction. He turned and raised his leg, understanding the mechanics of this. Hutch panted as he stroked lubrication with teasing strokes down Starsky's ass. "You seemed to know what you're doing..." Starsky said. "Yes, you remember Monique? She had a sense of adventure," Hutch replied. "I don't remember her," Starsky said. "I want to make you forget them all." "I think you can," Hutch said. "That feels strange," Starsky said, wiggling at Hutch's finger inside him. It didn't hurt, just felt odd. "Gets better," Hutch said. Hutch's kisses distracted Starsky from coherent thought. Small bursts of pleasure shook Starsky from the inside. He tensed for just a moment as he heard the snap of the condom, but a moment later; he relaxed, purring under Hutch's touch. It hurt a little, maybe even a lot at one point, but Hutch knew when to wait, when to pull back. They were rocking together, gasping in unison. Hutch's arms were around him, making the world right. Starsky didn't want it to end. He wanted to stay joined to the other half of him, but the spikes of pleasure came faster and faster until Starsky knew he was going to come again. He heard Hutch's cry of pleasure and was proud that he did that, he was the one making Hutch feel like that. He surrendered then to his own pleasure for the second time that evening. Afterward, it was as perfect as Starsky could have wanted. They lay together, face to face, sharing one breath. Hutch smiled at him and said, "I should have trusted you, partner. This is going to work." "Told ya," Starsky said, kissing Hutch before settling down to sleep. Reflecting on the swollen face pillowed on the stark white of bleached sheets, Mulder thought, 'I never have really seen him. Not from the first." First there was the intruder, an awkward creature in an ill-fitting suit, a man trying to push his way into the sacred place where only Scully belonged. Then there was his lover...a generous, worshiping creature so willing to give him his deepest fantasies. Alex was young and adoring, wanton for Mulder, writhing in his bed, ever ready for more; yet Mulder could be proud of him, proud of his intelligence, his ability, and his courage. Mulder had read him Achilles and called him his Patroklos. They were good together. Mulder remembered thinking that if he could have had both Scully and Alex as his partners that he would have been the happiest man on earth... Then Alex had betrayed him, hurt him in the worst possible way. Ah, but he had still met Mulder's needs, providing him with an enemy he could touch, a punching bag, even a sin eater for him. He could heap the blame for his father's sins, his own fears and inadequacies on Alex. That was why he had been astounded and angry when he thought Alex was dead. God, he had been so pissed when Walter had revealed the truth! How dare Alex make bargains behind Mulder's back! How dare Alex make Mulder sag with relief that he was alive? And now... There was this wounded creature. Mulder smoothed some lip balm on Alex's sweet mouth. He kissed Alex's cheek and saw the eyelashes flutter. The IV tube rattled as Alex's arm twitched. "You're going to be okay," Mulder said, "You want me to read to you?" The eyelashes fluttered. Mulder picked up the book again and started to read. He never seemed to get past the first few paragraphs... Starsky caught the distrustful look from Mulder and smiled. He said, "I thought we were over that, Mulder." "It wasn't very funny," Mulder complained. "I know," Starsky said, "you can bet that Hutch read me the riot act, but it worked." "It didn't work," Mulder said, "I was going to tell Alex I loved him anyway." "Right," Starsky replied. "Take care of him," Mulder said. Alex's face turned toward him. "You have to go?" "Just for a while," Mulder said. "Be good for the nurses. I'll sneak you some chocolate if you're awake when I come back." "You're not going to do anything stupid?" Alex asked. "No, I need to talk to Calvert again," Mulder replied. He kissed Alex's cheek and stroked his thumb over his lips and down his chin. After Mulder left, Alex said, "I fucking hate this, lying here helpless while he's out there. And those women..." His fist pounded the bed weakly. "Stupid doctors...I hate the way they keep hedging. Am I going to see again or not? It's that simple, but all they keep saying is that I have to wait. I hate fucking waiting..." Alex said. Patting the man's shoulder, Starsky said, "It's going to be all right." "Don't bullshit me," Alex said. "When I lost my arm, I kept going because I wouldn't just lie down and die. It would have made too many people happy." He pushed Starsky's hand away. The arm wound had been minor, but it still hurt Alex to move it. "I'm sick of this shit. Get out of here, Starsky. I want to be alone for a while." "I promised Mulder I'd watch over you," Starsky said. "Fuck Mulder," Alex said. "I'm sorry that I went. I must have been having the stupidest day of my life. That ambush was for Mulder. It should have been him." "Yeah, you don't really mean that," Starsky said. "How the hell do you know? You don't know me!" Alex screamed. "I know all I need to," Starsky said, "I know what it's like to love someone so much that it makes you crazy." The feeble blow that Alex aimed at Starsky could have been evaded, but Starsky let it connect. Alex hit him twice more before he said, "I'm scared, Starsky, I'm scared of living this way. When he stops feeling sorry for me, what will Mulder want with an one armed blind man?" "I think Mulder wants him to spend the rest of his life with him," Starsky said. "The big galoot loves you, Alex. Just believe it and, whatever happens, you'll be okay." Alex's hand found Starsky's and held it as tightly as his wound would permit. "I want to believe," he said and laughed softly. "I'm so tired now." "Yeah, you got to take it easy. You just get some sleep. I'll be right here until Mulder gets back," Starsky said. "Hutch is a lucky man," Alex said. Starsky listened until Alex's breathing changed and he went to sleep. Poor wounded creature...Starsky felt guilty for being happy when Alex's future was so troubled. He hoped Mulder was serious about sticking with Alex. Starsky knew he'd rather live without his sight than live without his Hutch... After Starsky and Hutch took over for him at the hospital room, Mulder returned to the jail. Captain Dobey had Calvert in the interrogation room. The prisoner's cool was chipping away by the hour. Mulder noted that the Consortium's harshness resulted in a crucible for its people. Most of them cracked under the heat. Only Krycek seemed to burn white hot from the fire...becoming like a twice-forged steel blade, strong, pure of weakness, and sharp edged. Calvert wasn't stronger under pressure. He was breaking. His smooth hair was rumpled now, flaked with dandruff from the harsh soap that he was provided for his shower. His skin looked gray and there were dark circles under his eyes. "You can't hold me here," Calvert said. "Your buddy is willing to testify that you set up an ambush, paid him for a hit," Mulder said. He smiled sardonically. "The judge at the arraignment agreed that we had ample reason to hold you." The handcuffs jangled in the silence that followed. Calvert's manicure had yielded to a ragged look; the man had been chewing his nails. His hands were shaking as he pressed them together, trying to stop the shaking. "They'll kill me if I talk," Calvert said. "They'll kill you regardless," Mulder said. "You're aware that your employers don't have a high tolerance for failure." "I need a guarantee that you can keep me safe," Calvert said. "Those women are alive, but they won't be for long. The scientists who have them don't need them much longer. Once the babies are born, that's the end." "I can make a deal for you if you lead me to the women," Mulder said. "I want to talk to Krycek. He lived; didn't he?" Calvert said, "The only man to evade a Consortium death sentence five times...if he arranges the witness protection program for me, I'd have a chance." "He's in the hospital," Mulder said. "Get him out," Calvert said. "Fuck, no," Mulder replied. "You have more to lose than I do." "I know about you, Mulder. You're a bleeding heart. You won't let those women die. You get Krycek in here and I give you the women." It took two of Dobey's best men to pull Mulder off the Calvert. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," Mulder read. A catch of the breath told Mulder that Alex was awake. They had the usual rehash of the recent past...Alex didn't seem to retain the explanation from one waking to the next and then Mulder had to meet with the prosecuting attorney. Right now, the only thing they could really tie to Calvert was the attempt on Mulder's life and shooting Alex. That was enough to hold him, but only with Dobey's efforts to persuade the prosecutor that Calvert was tied to the missing women. The Lone Gunmen were busy tracing every known employee of Matz chemicals in the hopes of finding where the women were hidden. So far, all of the leads had been useless. The Consortium had quietly packed its people away, some of them so quickly that they left a fiancee wondering what happened. There were even one or two that left puzzled and devastated spouses or children. In a way, Mulder reflected, as he drove back to the hospital, those families might be the lucky ones. He and Samantha would have been better off without Mulder's father and his terrible misjudgments, leading to the loss of one child and the suffering of the other. The hospital held a surprise, a pleasant one. Alex had held onto consciousness. He was awake when Mulder walked into the room. He sat next to the bed, taking the chair that Starsky had vacated. "Mulder," Alex said, face turning to him. "You can see?" Mulder asked. "Blurs of light sometimes," Alex said. "I don't need my eyes to know you, Mulder." "I hope that's a good thing," Mulder replied. "Good or bad, that's the essence of me," Alex replied. "Starsky filled me in on the case. Did you find anything out from the prosecutor?" "She'll deal," Mulder said. "If we get the women back." "What does Calvert want?" Alex asked. "Sanctuary," Mulder said. "He thinks you have a magical gift for managing to survive with a Consortium price on your head." "I could think of something," Alex said. "He wants to meet with you," Mulder said. "Then I meet with him," Alex said. "You can't," Mulder said. "The longest you've been awake since you came back to consciousness is a few hours." "I don't think those women care about my health," Alex said, "I've survived worse things, Mulder." "Tomorrow," Mulder said, "If the doctor thinks you're strong enough." "I can do whatever I have to do," Alex said, "I always have." "I know that," Mulder said. "Get some rest now." "I will. I wanted to wait to see...to have you with me," Alex said. Mulder traced the lips that curved in a minuscule smile. "No problem, I'm not leaving Alex. I...It's going to be good from now on, Alex. I'm going to take care of you." "When I can see again," Alex said, "We can take care of each other." Kissing the pale forehead, Mulder said, "That's a deal." Alex's nose gave its characteristic scrunch. Mulder drew a path down the funny wrinkle and then couldn't resist kissing the V of the frown. "I'll be right here, Alex." "I know," Alex said, "Don't worry. We can do this. We can save these women." "Yeah, I know...partner," Mulder said and that made Alex really smile. There was no way that the doctor would release Alex from the hospital for at least another day, but he was allowed out of bed. Mulder guided Alex down the corridors, a protective arm around his waist. He could sense Alex willing himself to appear stronger than he was. When his fingers brushed Alex's wrist, he could feel the rapid beat of the pulse. They stepped outside onto the patio. It was a bright day, seventy degrees in January. Mulder said, "We should retire to California after we bring the Consortium down. It's been raining for the last week in Maryland." Alex said, "I had Bora Bora in mind myself." "I could see you in nothing but a tattoo and flowers," Mulder said. A snort was his answer. A cloud passed over the sun and Alex said, "It's darker, isn't it?" "Yes, a cloud passed in front of the sun," Mulder said. "I was afraid that I wasn't going to even be able to see light," Alex said, "I hate the dark, Mulder. I guess I wouldn't be a very good rat after all." "It's going to be okay," Mulder said, putting his arms around Alex and resting his chin on his shoulder. "What if I don't get my sight back?" Alex said. "What kind of life is that?" "You will, but even if you don't, you'll adapt," Mulder said. Pushing away from Mulder, Alex said, "You say that because it's not your eyes." "Alex, I've been researching. There are schools where you can go to learn how to handle your life. We could get you a service dog. I'd go with you to the school if that happens," Mulder promised. He reached out to touch Alex again and was slapped away. Scuttling away, Alex backed into the ornamental cast iron railing. He gasped as his arm was jarred. "Alex, if I could give you my eyes, I would. I love you. I know I haven't had time to prove that to you, but I will," Mulder said, edging closer. His hand gripped Alex's arm. His lover tensed then slowly sagged into Mulder. "I don't want to die," Alex admitted. "Even if I'm blind...I just feel so helpless." "I know," Mulder said, embracing Alex and rocking on his feet and rubbing slow, soft circles on his back. "When we're finished here, I'll take you to Bora Bora to get well. We'll walk on the beach." "Walk on the coral and feed the sharks?" Alex said. "Sure if you want to," Mulder said. "You know my mother had a necklace of black pearls from Bora Bora. I was thinking about that the other day. You reminded me of those pearls... I always wondered why she said they were black. They only appeared that way if you weren't paying attention. They were more like lustrous silver. The pearls were wonderfully beautiful, so many layers...elegant, perfect and enduring. You would never know that they were formed out of pain. That's you, Alex, a lovely creature that has survived and triumphed over his injuries, all the finer and more beautiful for them." "So now I'm your pearl?" Alex replied. "As precious as one," Mulder said. "I like that," Alex said. "Good, let's get you back inside, love," Mulder said. "Just keep your arm around me like you can't keep your hands off me, Mulder," Alex said. "Mmmm, that's an easy role," Mulder said. "I don't want him to know I'm almost totally blind," Alex said. "I can't show any weakness to a scum bag like that." "I understand," Mulder said. Behind his dark glasses, Alex's face was a mask. He moved with his usual gliding step as if he knew exactly where he was going. If Mulder didn't know differently, he wouldn't have known about Alex's terrible injury. Alex wore his contempt for Calvert openly. He seemed to taste the man's scent in the air like a deadly viper, his face turned toward the man perfectly, using the sharp senses that had kept Alex alive all this time. "You want my help in staying alive; don't cross me," Alex said. "I have an interest in getting those women back. I know that time is running out and unlike Mulder, I have no moral objections to making sure that my former bosses know that you are alive. You ever hear about Luis Cardinal?" "Yeah, he's dead," Calvert replied. "You heard that he was a sadist, enjoyed killing? Enjoyed seeing his victims suffer?" Alex asked, a smile twitching on his lips. "I've heard," Calvert admitted. "He has a brother who makes him look like Mother Theresa," Alex replied. "His name is Raoul and I just saw him today, here. If I were you, I'd start talking now and keep talking until Mulder and I get those women back. Otherwise, I'll make sure that my old pal, Raoul, knows where to find you." "Mulder, you won't let him do that!" Calvert said. He looked at Starsky and Hutch who shrugged and glanced away. "You guys are cops. You can't let him do that." Starsky started a tuneless whistling and Hutch made a pretense of being seriously fascinated by the state of his fingernails. Mulder said, "You know, I never got anywhere playing by the rules. If I do it Alex's way, at the least, I get the satisfaction of knowing you died miserably for your role in this. Wasn't it bad enough to perform experiments on these women? Did you have to seduce Allison too?" "She was talking about an abortion and we weren't ready to pull the subjects," Calvert said, as if it was a reasonable course of action. "I had to make her believe that I wanted her to have the baby because I loved her and would be a good father to the kid. It wasn't easy...she was a whiny demanding bitch." "Mulder," Alex said, a touch restraining him. "You know me too well," Mulder said. Calvert seemed to be searching for a way out, but his shifting, frightened gaze only found hostile faces. "If I tell you, you'll get me out of here?" Calvert asked. "Yes," Alex said, "I can do that." "You shouldn't be here," Mulder said. "I can't believe that Starsky and Hutch voted against me to let you come. You're hurt." Mulder stormily looked at Hutch and said, "If he was your lover, would you have let him be part of this in his present condition?" "Don't look at me...I couldn't stop my lover from getting off his deathbed to go along on a case," Hutch said, with an affectionate look at Starsky. "Just what I thought about. " Starsky said. "If I thought there was another plan, I would have proposed one. I don't want them to move the women where we can't find them." "Or sacrificed," Alex said. He made a face at his own choice of words and said, "Murdered." Mulder completed the rest of the trip in sullen silence. The project had moved the women to an old youth camp, located deep in the foothills of San Bernardino. As they drove down the bumpy road, Starsky complained, "These frigging trees are spooky. I feel like they're closing in on us." "Hey, some of those cedar trees are older than the United States," Alex said. "Oh, Alex, I'm so proud. You've expanded your reading from DOT statistics," Mulder teased. "Fuck you too, Mulder," Alex said, but a smile flickered at the comment. The camp announced that it was the retreat of a spiritual group and then that the camp was closed due to landslides. Mulder pointed at the tire tracks and said, "They're recent. I guess you weren't lying to us, Calvert. See if your password still works." Jumping out of the car, Mulder pulled Calvert out and pushed him toward the gate. The man moved aside the sign, revealing a modern keypad, and coded in the password. The gate opened and the small, well-armed assault force forged onward. Alex grumbled at the SWAT team body armor that Mulder insisted that he wear. "It won't stop a gray." "Calvert said there weren't any aliens or hybrids involved in this project so you keep that armor on, Alex," Mulder snapped back. "Bossy," Alex said. "I was the senior agent," Mulder replied. He said, "And you stay with the car. You're only along for tactical advice." Leaving one of Dobey's men to watch Calvert, the rest of them trotted silently down toward the cluster of building s. Calvert said there was an underground holding facility below the camp recreation center. Several trucks with National Park Service logos stood in the parking area. Drawing a deep breath, Mulder moved forward to the compound. Starsky and Hutch were almost lost in the shadows. Before any of them could try the second password that Calvert had reluctantly gave them, light flooded the compound. Armed men marched out followed by women wearing prisoner's coveralls. One of the women stumbled and a guard slapped her. A dark skinned woman threw a punch at the guard and screamed, "Bastard, keep your fucking hands off us." A tall man with glasses snapped as the guard lifted his rifle butt, "If you kill one of the fetuses, you'll pay with your life." "Bitch, the moment you deliver, you are going to pay for every kick and punch you've thrown. Why the aliens thought your gene pool was worth stealing is beyond me!" the guard complained. The women were hurried onto a bus. Mulder was trying to decide whether it was worth the risk of starting a fight now when one of the trucks on the outskirts of the parking lot burst into flames. Another flared brightly and then exploded. In the intense light of the fiery vehicles, Mulder quickly took advantage of the confusion to charge into the bus. He tackled one of the guards and the Indian woman took on the other. The pregnant women screamed like furies as the second guard went down. His cries quickly died away in a wetly bubbling sound that Mulder didn't want to think about. A clear war cry came from the group as the Indian woman celebrated her revenge. Mulder shoved the other guard out of the bus and put his gun against the driver's neck. "Get this bus on the road," he ordered. Starsky and Hutch as well as the rest of Dobey's men seemed to be handling the rest of the project employees. Perhaps the project had not expected trouble from a bunch of pregnant women. Mulder however didn't underestimate them. "I'm FBI," he said, feeling that would be more reassuring than another explanation. "We're going to take you home." "Alex, we have them," Mulder shouted when the bus stopped by the car holding Alex. He finally took the time to count and said, "Wait, there are only eighteen of them." The Indian woman said, "Two of us got sick. They took them away and I heard the guards say that their babies killed them." Her dark eyes glinted in the headlights as she put a hand over her belly. "My baby doesn't make me sick." Mulder frowned, wondering if he should go back to check or if he should concentrate on getting the women to safety. He moved forward to check on Alex. As he did, Allison Horovitch recognized Calvert. She moved out of the bus like one of the fates, her hands held up to claw him. Taking advantage of the distraction, Calvert grabbed for his guard's gun and shot at Mulder. The bullet grazed Mulder's arm and he dropped his gun. Calvert aimed again, but Alex had reacted. He had insisted on being armed and now proved that he wasn't helpless even blinded. Calvert spun almost totally around from the force of the shot. When Mulder checked a moment later, the man's was gasping like a fish out of water. Bright frothing blood ran from his mouth. He made a choking sound; his eyes seemed to bulge in their sockets, and then there was merely a rattling noise as his last breath exhaled. Allison Horovitch, the woman he had conned into keeping her baby, asked, "Is he dead?" "I'm afraid so," said Mulder. Looking down at Calvert's body, Allison spat on him and then stumbled back into the arms of her friend, the Indian woman. "Shh, it's over now. Over," the woman crooned. She looked at Mulder and said, "Take us home." A week later, Hutch came back to the house with a satisfied look on his face. He said, "The charges are holding and couple of the lower level people are singing like birds. There have been a couple attempts to poison the prisoners, but we've been testing their food and caught it. Dobey has hand picked the jailers so I think these men will live to be prosecuted. I'm still hoping that they might reveal some of the higher levels of power." "Keep dreaming," Mulder said. He and Alex were sitting in the Starsky's favorite chair...a big overstuffed thing with room for two men, provided they love each other very much. Alex curled in the curve of Mulder's body; the book that Mulder had been reading to him slipping to the floor. "How did the appointment go?" Starsky asked. "This time I could read four lines down and I haven't had a headache for a week," Alex said. "The doctor said there was no reason he can't travel," Mulder said. "You really are going to Bora Bora?" Starsky said enviously. For an answer, Mulder tossed a packet of tickets at Starsky. Starsky pulled them out and looked. "You have four tickets." "Partners share every thing," Mulder said. He grinned and said, "Dobey already said you could have the time. I just have to get you back in time for the trial." Looking more closely, Starsky asked, "Which of us are Mr. Smith and Jones and which of us are Mr. Jones and Smith?" "Live," said Alex, leaning back into Mulder's arms. "Happily ever after," Mulder said. The end. ursula4x@Aol.com

Title: Darkness, Darkness Author/pseudonym: Ursula Fandom: X Files Genre: Slash Pairing: Mulder/Krycek and Starsky/Hutch Date Posted: 1-10-02 Rating: R Status: New Archive: Full House, DIB, wherever Karen wishes to Archive Fan4Richie or Ursula4X@aol.com Series/Sequel: Is this story part of a series: No Other web sites: My site on Full House Slash Archive: http://fullhouseslash.slashcity.net/~ursula/ Disclaimers: X Files, Mulder, Krycek and other characters do not belong to me. Sniff... Starsky and Hutch belong to Arnold Spelling and those of us who will always love them. Notes: I have brought Starsky and Hutch into the present to play with Mulder and Krycek Also want to thank Sun Singer and Dark Cherry for the safe, warm place they have made for my stories This is Karen-Leigh's Christmas Present. She may post or archive anywhere without further permission from me. Time Frame: Post Season Eight: Summary: Darkness, Darkness, be my pillow... back to top

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