PHANTOM SHADOWS: R4-Demi-P4

~zz~

Saturday morning, 8:00 Am:

Fox gently pushed aside the quilt that was covering him and slowly sat up, so as not to disturb his lover on the other side of the bed.

Walter stirred under the thick down and Fox threw a nervous glance over his left shoulder. It was all right; he was still asleep.

Relieved, Mulder stood up and padded softly over to his dresser. He eased the drawers open and found a shirt, jeans, socks and a fresh pair of underwear. Then, with one last peek at his slumbering bed-mate, Fox left the room and shut the door behind himself. He didn’t dare shower in his ensuite’, instead he decided to use the main bathroom, it was stocked with all the essentials too.

**

The night before, when Walter and Fox had returned home, Fox had stripped and crawled into bed naked. He didn’t even bother with brushing his teeth. By the time Walter was done brushing and washing, Fox was all ready laying on his side asleep with his back to Walter’s side of the bed.

The large AD yawned and then crawled in himself. The space between them was large and the bed needed Alex in it for it to feel normal.

**

Once he was showered, Fox dressed as quickly as he could and then left the apartment, taking care not to slam the door behind himself. Mulder was bone tired and despite only sleeping for just over four hours, he just *had* to get up and get back to the hospital; Alex might need him.

~zz~

Walter rolled over and reached out for Fox. When his hands did not find that which they sought, he immediately came awake. The large man sighed and rolled over and squinted at the time on the bedside clock. The green digital numbers declared that it was already 11:30 am. Walter threw back the covers and got up. Pulling on his robe, he went in search of Fox, knowing all along that the agent was at Alex’s bedside.

Lacking anything better to do at that hour, Walter started the coffee brewing then went to get a shower. He really needed to clear his head this morning.

As he was leaving the kitchen, there was a knock at the door. Wondering who it could be, he opened it up, somewhat surprised to see Scully standing there with a box of donuts in her hand.

She looked up from brushing crumbs off of her lapel as soon as the door swung open.

"Good morning." Greeted the redhead cheerily.

"’Morning Dana." Walter gestured that she should come in.

As Scully crossed the threshold, she passed off the donuts to Skinner, who graciously accepted the offering.

While she removed her overcoat, Dana talked casually to her former boss. "Fox wanted me to come by with those." She turned and faced the older man. "He told me to tell you that he’s going to sit with Alex for most of the day."

Walter grunted and shut the door, more firmly than he had intended too. "So I figured,." he said.

His tone of voice told Dana that Fox not being here was irritating him; though it was obvious the AD was trying to hide that fact from her.

"He said that if you want to go back to your place, he’d catch up with you there." She smiled at her boss, unsure if she should mention to him that the police had already spoken to her that morning. The cops had been adamant about her not telling Skinner or anyone else what they had talked about. The cops had even threatened her with obstruction if she did so. She told them in no uncertain terms that she, of all people, did not need a refresher course in the law.

She could see by just looking at Walter’s face, and by the tone of his voice, the AD was not a happy camper. She decided right then and there to keep her mouth shut. Besides, none of this was really any of her business. She had already concluded that after her dreadful experience in Walter’s Cape Haven home, she was going to stay out of the men’s affairs.

"Hmph." Was all Walter could manage. He knew his jealousy was getting the better of him, just like Alex’s had eventually got to him back at the mansion.

Which was why they were all in this mess in the first place. If Alex had not run from the manor and gone back to his place, Spender would never had found him there and then the rest of the whole ugly story wouldn’t have happened either. Walter shook his head, he was blaming the victim and that was unacceptable.

"Want a coffee?" he asked finally, reigning in his thoughts.

"Sure." Dana followed Walter into Fox’s kitchen and sat down at the small table.

Skinner put a cup down in front of her then he slowly lowered his large, aching frame into a companion chair.

"What’s the matter?" she asked. She knew that the cops hadn’t contacted him yet.

"Do you really want to know?" Walter realised that he really needed someone to talk to. A neutral ear to confide in. Who else would even begin to understand his dilemma but Scully?

"Of course I do, sir! I asked didn’t I?" Dana was just a little put out that he would question her sincerity. Then again, she wasn’t going to tell him about the cops visit to her house this morning, so maybe he was right in questioning her loyalties.

"I’m sorry, Scully." Walter rubbed a large hand over his bald pate. "It’s just that I'm all messed up right now. I know you wouldn’t have asked me if you didn’t want to know how I was." He offered the petite woman a weak smile and she accepted it by reaching out and squeezing his hand.

"What is it?"

"Well, this morning, Fox, after barely getting four hours sleep snuck out of bed and took off to the hospital."

"This surprises you? He’s crazy with worry about Alex. Getting shot so close to the heart almost killed him." She picked up her mug and drank a sip then put it down. "He phoned me this morning and got me out of bed."

"What did he want?" Walter drank from his own mug.

"He was pissed off to find out that when he got to the hospital, I wasn’t there." She laughed softly, despite being angry with her partner at the time. "I told him that a half hour after you two took off some nurse the size of a liquorice stick and looking like Miss Hathaway from the Beverly Hillbillies chased me out of there when I told her that I wasn’t Alex’s wife. I don’t think Mulder believed me." She took another sip of her coffee.

Walter played the handle of his mug. "I know Mulder’s worried sick about Alex, I expect that, but I’m worried, too. He didn’t even bother to wake me to see if I wanted to go with him. I would have gone." Walter, whose focus had been on the ripples in his coffee cup, looked up at Dana. His eyes searched hers for a second, then he said softly, "It was my gun that got him Dana. My gun…." Then he buried his face in his hands. He hadn’t been able to tell Fox that. He’d told him everything else, but not that. How does one tell his lover that he almost killed their other lover?

"Oh Walter…" Dana stood up and reached out and took her large boss up into her small arms. "It was an accident. An awful, horrible accident."

Walter nodded his head. He knew it was an accident, but that knowledge still did not make it any easier. He patted the back of Scully’s porcelain hand and she let go of her boss and sat down again.

"What am I doing?" He asked her finally.

"You’re grieving for a hurt lover," replied Scully sensibly.

"No." Skinner shook his head. "That’s not what I mean."

"Then what?"

"What am I doing with those two...that’s what I want to know."

"What do you mean? You love Mulder and Krycek. That’s what you’re doing with them." Scully was confused, her boss was not making much sense and she wondered if he had an undiagnosed head injury too.

"Do I? I know I am in love with Fox, I have been for a long time. But I have to face it, the only reason why I’m in their bizarre little romance is that Fox had a fantasy and Alex helped him to fullfill it. If Alex had his way, I wouldn’t have been in the picture at all." Skinner took a sip of his coffee, just to have something to do with his hands.

"I don’t think that’s true at all, sir." Dana replied. "I think Alex loves you very much." She was sure that the Russian loved her boss.

"Oh, I don’t doubt that he cares for me deeply, and I for him, but are we really in love."

"Of course you are!" Dana wondered where this whole conversation was going.

Skinner smiled, who would have guessed that Dana Scully was such an optimist.

"You are only having doubts because you accidentally hurt Krycek. Mulder will understand. You did what you had to do to save Alex’s life." Some of the questions the detectives had asked came to the forefront of her thoughts, but she didn’t dare bring them up.

"Maybe it isn’t them at all. Maybe it’s just me," sighed Skinner.

"Okay, now you’ve lost me. What on earth are you trying to say?"

"I’m wondering what kind of a future I have with those two. That’s all. It’s apparent that Alex comes first and always will. The same goes for Alex when it comes to Mulder." He held up his hands to stop Scully from interrupting him. "I know, that sounds really jealous, and maybe I am, but it’s still the truth. Those two are reckless, wild. They live to experiment with life and to raise hell." He grinned in remembrance of some of their night time club hopping antics.

"I can act like them, have fun with them and yes, even love them but in the end it will still be an act. I need stability Dana, I need one lover who is devoted to me," Walter’s voice grew wan, "I need a lover who wants only me and not another."

Dana ran her fingers through her hair and sighed.

~zz~

Alex’s breathing lightened and Fox knew that his lover was on the verge of waking. He had just finished speaking to the duty nurse who assured him that indeed, ‘Miss Scully’ was asked to leave. Mulder thought that the red-head was damn lucky, because had she left on her own and then something bad had happened to Alex then he’d never forgive her....

"Fox." Croaked Alex softly. His eyes were open and staring at his seated lover. "What are you doing?" A tiny smile graced the corners of his lush mouth. "You’re making faces."

Mulder shook his head, relieved to hear Alex’s voice. "I’m arguing with Scully in my head."

"Who’s winning," quipped Alex, his mouth was dry as cotton, but he couldn’t seem to be able to work up any spit to wet it.

"Me of course." Fox leaned over and gave Alex a quick peck on the lips. He noted Alex’s discomfort and reached over to the rolling table and poured some ice cold water into a clear plastic cup. "Do you want to sit up a bit?" Mulder asked, handing the cup with a bendy straw in it to Alex.

"Yeah, that would be great." Alex sipped the water while Mulder turned the crank and moved the head of the bed into an upright position.

The water was cold and clear and nothing had ever tasted so good. His thirst slaked, Alex asked, "Where’s Walter?"

Mulder took Alex’s cup and put it on the table. "He’s at my place. From there, I think he will go back to his apartment in the city."

"Why didn’t he come to the hospital?" Alex wondered why Walter would be there with his other lover.

"Because when I left this morning he was still sleeping. His ribs are really hurting him, I thought it was best to let him rest. Knowing Walter, after a hot shower and some fresh clothes, he’ll perk right up. We’ll probably see him later on this afternoon or early this evening."

Alex nodded. It made sense, the poor guy had been through the ringer too. It was just that he always seemed so big and strong that Alex forgot that he might need to recuperate too.

Alex changed the subject of Walter to the topic of he and Mulder.

"I’m so glad to see you’re all right, Fox. I was worried sick the other night when I got up and you were gone." Alex reached out and took his lovers strong hand. "I’m so sorry I blew up at you over that tape. Will you forgive me?"

Alex’s eyes misted up and internally, he blamed the medication. Though the truth be told, he was just plain anxious for their harsh words to each other to be put behind them. He hated it when he and Fox fought; it brought out the most frightening emotions deep from with in himself.

Emotions he always had to fight hard to bury again.

"Did Spender hurt you bad?" Alex swiped at his eyes, trying to deny the tiny, clear liquid crystals their freedom. He hoped that Fox didn’t have to go through what that cancerous bastard had put him through.

Fox brought Alex’s hand up to his lips and lovingly kissed the back of it. "Me forgive you? It’s more like the other way around. Do you forgive me?" He planted a languid kiss over each large knuckle, then said, "I’m so sorry Alex, for everything. Spender, the tape… It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t tried to watch that tape, you would never had gone out looking for me and you would never had been shot."

Alex laughed softly. "Oh aren’t we a pair, Fox?" He wished he could hold Fox’s other hand in his, but his left arm had all of the IV tubes in it. Only his right hand was free of any apparatus. "There’s nothing to forgive you for. I think Spender set the whole thing up knowing full well what our reactions to the tape would be." Alex shook his head in amazement. "We were like two rats in a maze, reacting exactly how he wanted us too."

Mulder nodded, Alex was right.

"But you didn’t answer my question. Did Spender hurt you bad?"

"No…nothing that I won’t recover from at least." He smiled gently. "Do you remember being in the basement?"

"Oh, Fox, everything is an X-file for you." Alex meant that in a loving way but he still answered the question. "Of course I remember. Well, vaguely anyway. I remember knowing that my love could conquer his hatred. I know that the possibility of losing you crossed my mind, and the thought of us being apart was not an option. I’m not quite sure how it worked, or why, I only know that it did and I’m damn glad for it…and for you." Alex started to shake, he could still feel the evil chill in the basement. "Hold me, Fox. I need for you to keep me safe now." Mulder stood and leaning over the bed, wrapped his arms around his green-eyed lover.

"Mmmmm, that feels good, Fox. I’m still so tired. I think I’m going to go back to sleep for a while."

"Go ahead, I’ll be here when you wake up." Fox planted a chaste kiss on Alex’s forehead.

"I know you will. Only this time, I’d like some pudding and some apple juice waiting when I get up." He smiled up at Mulder then his lids fluttered closed. With in seconds, his breathing evened out and he was asleep.

Mulder gently pulled his arms out and flattened the bed again before he sat down. He was glad that he and Alex had had a chance to talk about the other night. One thing was for sure, they were both in for a lot of therapy once Alex recovered from Spender shooting him. There was a soft knock on the door and just as Mulder turned his head to see who it was, the door opened.

A young cop, no more than twenty five flashed his badge at Mulder and said softly, "I’m detective Saunders, is now a good time to talk to Mr. Krycek?"

Mulder gestured with his head toward Alex. "Alex just went back to sleep. He’ll be up in a few hours."

Saunders nodded. "Can we talk outside please." Asked the detective, holding open the door for Mulder.

Mulder glanced back at the sleeping Alex before stepping out.

"Who are you?" Saunders asked casually.

"Fox Mulder……"

"The lover."

"Yes, the lover. Or one of them anyway."

"Have a seat Mr. Mulder, I have a few questions I want to ask you…"

~zz~

"Sir, why are you all of a sudden doubting you’re place in Mulder and Krycek’s life?"

"Because, they’ve not said it outright, but I know the two of them look at me as somewhat of a ‘father’ figure. I never used to mind it, in fact, I found it quite endearing that they looked up to me in that way, that they wanted me to have some authority over them. But now, knowing what Spender did to Alex and Fox, I don’t know if there will be room for me anymore. I don’t know where I’ll fit in. How can they look at me the same way, knowing that it was another father figure that hurt them so."

Dana didn’t know what to say to that. What could she say? Skinner had some valid points. But still, she had to try to convince him otherwise. "I don’t think you’re giving Mulder enough credit, sir, or Alex for that matter."

"No? Maybe not. But I can’t help but think that maybe having Fox and Alex was more my fantasy than theirs, and now that it’s been fulfilled, maybe it’s time to end things before they get too far out of control."

And at that, Scully was absolutely speechless.

~zz~

"Mr. Mulder," Saunders said, "you said that you were one of Mr. Krycek’s lovers. Is Mr. Skinner the other?" Saunders all ready knew the answer to that.

"Yes." Mulder was ultra wary of what he said to the detective. Giving mostly one syllable answers where he could. The agent got the feeling that Saunders was trying to build a case against Walter.

"So you three are a triangle?" Saunders tone of voice was bland, lacking any sort of judgement.

"Yes." Mulder said, "Is there something wrong with that?" He was starting to get on the defensive.

"No." Saunders scribbled something down on his pad, Mulder couldn’t see what it was.

"Well then why are you asking."

The detective, despite being young, was good at his job he knew that now that the agent was irritated, he would start getting the answers he wanted. "Is Mr. Skinner the jealous type?"

"No?" Mulder said immediately.

The detective flipped back to a page in his pad, "Well I have information that he is. That when provoked, he can become quite violent."

"No! Not at all." Denied Mulder vehemently.

"Okay," Saunders said evenly. Switching directions he asked, "Who brought whom into the relationship?"

Mulder explained how it was he and Alex together first then how Skinner was brought into the relationship. Skipping over the raunchier bits of course. Mulder explained as best as he could about them being a trio. He made sure to tell the detective that Alex and Walter really cared about each other a lot.

"So, just to be clear, It was your idea to bring Skinner into your bed?"

"Yes."

"And he was definitely interested in being with you before you asked him to join you?"

"Yes."

"I see." Saunders noted in his book the bruises on either side of Mulder’s jaw and of the agent's raw and scraped wrist. Though he hadn’t been in Alex’s room for more than a few seconds, it was long enough for his to see the sleeping man’s scabbed over wrists and the bruises around his neck. He jotted down that the relationship might be abusive between the two younger men and the older. But he kept this to himself, they could investigate it more thoroughly at a later date. He could see that Mulder was becoming really agitated at the mention of Skinner being jealous and controlling, denying the accusation before he could even finish his sentence. Classical sign.

"As an agent, what type of fire arm are issued?" Saunders again, switching the focus.

"Personally, my weapon is a Smith and Wesson 1076 and Walter carries a SIG Sauer 226."

"Okay, thank you Mr. Mulder." Detective Saunders stood up and handed his card over to the agent. "I’ll be in touch."

"Look Detective. I know where you’re trying to go with this and I’m telling you right now, Walter did not shoot Alex, C . . . er I mean Jeff Spender did. He was holding Alex hostage and threatening his life, Walter had to do something."

Saunders nodded, but Mulder could tell that the cop wasn’t buying a word of it.

"Did you know that the bullet they pulled out of your lover was from a SIG Sauer 226, the same kind as Mr. Skinner’s. There were no weapons found at the scene Mr. Mulder. Spender was unarmed."

Mulder stared blankly at Saunders, had Walter shot Alex by accident?

"Like I said, I’ll be in touch. Please call me when Mr. Krycek is up to talking to me. I’m sure he can clear everything up."

Mulder scowled at the detective and pocketed the card. "I’m sure he will." And with that, Mulder stepped around Saunders and went back into Alex’s hospital room. He planned on phoning Skinner the minute the detective was out of sight.

~zz~

"I’m tired of talking Dana." Walter stood up. "I’m going to go back to my place and clean up and after that, I don’t know what I’ll do, but I’ll think of something." He stood up and kissed Dana gently on the cheek. "I’ve bent your ear enough for one day." He turned and went into the bedroom to get dressed.

~zz~

Saunders waited until Mulder had gone back into the room before he went down the hall to where there was a door leading to an outside sitting area. He pulled his cell and dialled his partner. "Yeah, Miguel, the one lover confirms that Skinner carries an FBI issued SIG Sauer. No. I’m keeping my eye on the guy’s door. I couldn’t talk to Krycek, he’s still out of it. No, I saw for myself. But I think this Skinner guy is starting to look good for this murder and the *attempt*. Mulder denies that Skinner would do such a thing, but from the people I’ve talked to, he was the jealous type. Maybe Krycek picked up the guy and Skinner took exception and tried to kill both. At any rate, we’ll know more once Krycek is up. Get the warrant for Skinner’s apartment. I’m going to sit on Mulder just in case he tries to contact Skinner… Yep… I’ll talk to you later."

Saunders hung up his cell phone and turned it off. He lit a cigarette and kept his eyes on Alex’s hospital room, which he could see plainly from this angle.

~zz~

Jo’s Next!!!