Title: Pregnant Mulder (3/?)
Author: Bertie
Date: 3/28/01
Fandom: X-Files
Pairing: M/Sk
Category: Schmoop, with a side order of angst
Rating: PG-13
Status: WIP
Archive: yes
Feedback: bertie45@altavista.com
Series/Sequel: 3/?

Notes: Special love and high fives to my lovely beta, the Goddess Michele, without whom this would be pure crap:-)

******************

Krycek was ticked off. He was sitting in the middle of a ton of paperwork that he had finally found in the bottom of a locked cabinet hidden in the last known residence of the smoking man. Included in the mess of files was everything from Walter Skinner's birth date to CSM's real name. Krycek could not have cared less about the true identity of the black lunged bastard, but he had to begrudgingly give the son-of-a-bitch credit for keeping his records so well organized.

This was one of the good things about leaving the FBI as quickly and easily as he had --no paperwork. "Sometimes the paperwork comes to find you," he told himself bitterly.

"Aha!" he thought when he came across information on Scully, muttering the words aloud without realizing it. "I must be getting warmer. At least with this I can maybe bribe the red head into releasing some info..." A part of his libido woke up at the idea of seeing the short doctor again. "She definitely is aging gracefully, better than a certain former partner of mine," He shook his head remembering the monstrosity that had greeted him at Skinner's apartment.

There, in a mix of boring papers about Skinner's nanocytes and the box scores from a dozen different World Series games, was a reference to having a child...a child that was of good strong Spender stock...Krycek cringed at what he read. He knew he could use this information. He put the paperwork into his duffle bag and was about to shove the rest of it away when something caught his eye. There was a key that he hadn't noticed before hanging up on the side of the cabinet. "The man was slicker than an oilien..." he thought, and then shivered at the memory of the black worms that had infected him. He still had nightmares about it and that missile silo. He quickly grabbed the key and, after determining that there were no locks in the room into which it would fit, he pocketed it. He looked around some more, making sure there was nothing left of any use to him, then left, shaking off the last claustrophobic oilien thoughts and wondering what he now held the key to.

******

Dana was practically giddy at the thought of having a whole day off. Spending time with little Jenny was so thrilling. Having the busy life of a family practitioner was not always so rewarding when it came to spending time with her family. She sighed wistfully, wondering if some day she would be able to have the complete family she longed for, with a husband and a house of her own. She loved the support her mother and brother had given her but they were not the best substitute for the fuller and richer environment a father could offer to her child. She knew there were plenty of single mothers who didn't even have any family at all to help and she wondered how they managed. She felt thoroughly selfish for wanting more and she wished she could be thankful for what she had. She shut her eyes thinking of what it would have been like to be with Mulder in a house in the suburbs with a cat and a dog...being with him and Jenny together, growing as a family, growing together. She had fantasized of that a lot during her pregnancy and afterwards...Then when Mulder had been returned, her concentration and concerns had been solely on helping Mulder to heal, and she had set aside her domestic dreams. But it had been so hard.if Skinner hadn't been there to help her out-she didn't even want to think of that.

As she shook her head to release her mind from its dark musings there was a knocking on her apartment door. She looked over at Jenny playing with her toys with a mother's instinctive concern before answering the door.

"Out!" she growled out as low and menacingly as she could, hoping not to upset Jenny, even as she wondered if shooting the bastard at the door would distress her child as much as it would relieve her.

"Sorry, my dear, but there is something I must show you."

The velvet voice did nothing to soothe her nerves.

"Krycek, first of all, I am not your dear, and second of all, this is one of the few times I have to be with my child!"

"Jenny won't mind me...I'm good with kids..."

"No--I don't believe you, please get your leg out of the door and go..." Her voice was pleading as she pushed futilely at the door he was holding open, and she sensed Jenny coming over to take a look at the funny man in the door way. "Jenny, go and play--"

She was cut off abruptly when Krycek pushed the door open and swooped Jenny up in his good arm.

"Hey, sweetheart. I'm Uncle Alex and I've come to speak to your mother for a short while..."

Dana just stared in frustration as Alex played house with her child, and did a pretty good job of it too, if Jenny's giggles were any indication. She was horrified with herself when she thought the baby looked good in his arms, and then wondered how she'd look in them herself.

"Shit, I need to get laid!" she growled to herself, angry at her thoughts and afraid for her baby.

"Baby," Jenny called to her baby doll and Krycek bent and picked up the doll and let her hold it.

"Come on, sweetie. I will take you to your playpen," his silky voice was strangely soft and seemed to hold less than it's usual malice as he spoke to Jenny.

He took her over to the playpen and set her in it, distracting her until she was busy playing before leaving her. He suddenly took a handkerchief out of his pocket and sneezed loudly into it once, twice, then put it away and muttered snuffling: "Damn allergies..."

Dana just stared at him as if he had suddenly turned into Jeremiah Smith.

He shrugged, seeming embarrassed. "I seem to be allergic to babies..."

She snorted looking at him incredulously, "I think you are allergic to responsibility!"

He smiled. "Probably, but there really is something here that I have to show you. Something about the paternity of your child and her genetic makeup."

Dana sighed loudly, wondering what he was up to despite the small thawing of her emotions. "Fine...would you like anything? Tea, coffee, a cookie?" She laughed out loud when she said that, realizing that once you became a mom, you never stopped, even when your child wasn't with you.

She motioned him over to the living room where there were toys scattered liberally across the floor, and a plate of cookies on the coffee table. He ignored her offer of a drink, he stepped over the toys, and he moved the plate of cookies aside to spread the papers from his duffle bag onto the table.

"This is something you will be highly interested in, Dana."

Dana put her hands on her hips looking down at the paperwork, ignoring for the moment the familiarity. "And you want to tell me about whatever this is for what? An exchange of information about Mulder?"

He smiled as sweetly as he remembered how to, hoping to sway her. "Well, yes, but then again, I wonder if you could really tell me anything significant." He pulled the key out of his pocket and held it out for her to look at. "I found this in with the files, and I'm wondering if this will get me more information about Mulder than you could provide. We need to know what he was going through, and for what purpose -why the aliens nabbed him, and what effect it's having on him now. I, or possibly, we could find the lock this key fits into and-"

She stared at the key, stunned, and gasped, "Krycek, where did you get that?"

"You recognize it?"

She nodded, but wasn't sure if she should tell the rat bastard any thing more, no matter that his eyes were causing strange flutterings in her stomach that were becoming more and more difficult to ignore.

*~~~*

Mulder groaned in pain and frustration. He hated that he was bloated and fat and he wanted nothing more than to just sleep all day. How dare Walter not understand him when he said he was too tired to get up and go get the newspaper in the morning? In the past 3 days someone had swiped Skinner's morning paper and, as Walter had been out of town, he had expected to come home and be able to catch up on the news. When he discovered that Mulder hadn't managed to retrieve the paper before the mystery thief could abscond with it, he was upset, maybe more than was warranted. Frankly, Mulder could have cared less about the stupid things.

"If you want the paper that badly, go see Frohike.he keeps them stacked up in his room. I think he has every issue dating all the way back to 1990," Mulder had told him when he complained, trying to sound nonchalant about it and coming off slightly peevish instead. "You could at least kiss me, or am I that repulsive to you now?" he whined to his lover.

"Oh, babe, I am so sorry. I have missed you." He put strong arms around Mulder to emphasize his point. " I just didn't think. You know I like to look at the paper. I couldn't read the New England Herald, it's just not the same as the Washington Post."

Mulder finally got his 'I'm home and I missed you' kiss, and then there was a knock at the door, and Walter went over to answer it. Mulder watched his strong, muscular lover's backside, felt a sudden unexpected rush of lust, and wished he had the energy to sneak over and give it a squeeze. He froze when he heard the neighbor's voice come wafting through the door.

"Mista Skinna, I am so glad to see you safe and sound back from your trip. I have kept your newspapers over at ma place. I hope you don't mind," she lisped thickly.

Mulder was certain the old bat loved to spit on people, which was why she kept that ridiculous heavy southern drawl. He knew for a fact that "Miss Eloise Weatherby" had been married at least three times and moved about ten times more than that all over the states. He had looked into her background with the aide of a certain old friend, namely, Frohike, when he noticed her continually coming by to see Skinner as often as she could, and often with no particular reason at all...

'The damn bitch thinks she can steal Walter away from me. Ha!' He thought. 'I will show her!' For a moment he was surprised by the harsh jealous streak that ripped through him, but then he felt more frustration than envy as he sighed and realized that he didn't even have the strength to get up and prove to the witch how much Skinner was in love with him and no one else. A glance down at his ever increasing bulk, and he added disgust and a little self pity to the stew of his emotions. Having nothing left to wear that felt comfortable, he had simply draped himself in Walter's robe, which was loose even on the larger man. Walter told him it looked great and had given him permission to wear it whenever he wanted, but now, as he ran a hand over his thickening middle, he thought the hunter green terrycloth made him look somehow deformed and slightly amphibious.

'I probably look like a fat bullfrog next to her,' he thought bitterly. 'And a fat pregnant bullfrog at that.'

He sighed and waited until Walter extricated himself from the neighbor's clutches, thanking her profusely, telling her he was very glad she kept them for him, and how kind it was of her. Mulder rolled his eyes as he listened to his lover pour on the charm. 'Yeah, I know, Walter, rub it in some more, why don't you!' He thought unkindly. Rationally, he knew that Walter's courtly act was simply his way of being polite to the old girl, and that his lover's concern for the feelings of others was one of the many things that made him so special to him, but at this point, he really didn't feel like being rational.

When Walter turned around, slightly flushed and smiling, Mulder growled, "Why don't you just go over there and put her out of her misery once and for all, Walter."

"Fox, what are you talking about?"

"I know you want to sleep with her. And she practically takes your clothes off with her eyes."

"Don't be ridiculous, Fox! Aside from the fact that she is at least 10 years older than I am, what would I want with her anyway? And how do you know what she does if you aren't there to see?"

"Because I can tell!" Mulder grumped.

Walter shook his head. "Baby, you just need to relax-"

Mulder staggered up on his spindly legs and 'bopped' Walter on the nose. There was no other word for it. It wasn't a slap, or a hard right, or anything resembling a boxing move. It was a 'bop.'

"Do not tell me to relax, damn it! I know what I heard just now, and I know what she is like around you all the time, simpering and pouting like some second rate Scarlett. You can't hide that! You like it, I can tell"

"Mulder, there is nothing to hide." Taking Mulder's hands, Walter tried to ease him back into the new chair that he'd had delivered especially for his pregnant lover, the recliner with the built in massager. He didn't know if it would help, but it most certainly couldn't hurt, and he really wanted only the best for Mulder, physically and mentally, during this incredibly odd and wonderful time.

"Stop placating me, Walter. The way you're defending her, it's almost like you are sleeping with her!"

Skinner couldn't stop the laugh that slipped out of him at the thought of himself in an amorous embrace with the old lady next door, and got bopped in the nose again. Skinner knew this was just Mulder, highly frustrated and emotionally fragile, because the bops were little more than love taps. They actually sent his libido soaring in a way he remembered from chokeholds past.

"Mulder, if you don't stop, I don't think I can be responsible for my actions." The warning was growled, but the smile remained intact, and his eyes darkened in sudden arousal, but Mulder was in the throes of a serious tantrum, and failed to notice.

"Ha! You are an FBI AD, being responsible for your actions and the actions of your subordinates is-"

Mulder's tirade was cut off by a mouthful of Skinner tongue. Mulder melted for just a moment but the minute Skinner's mouth pulled away, he continued again, albeit after a second or two to regain his breath.

"And then there's the fact that every time you see her, you always want to fuck me, Walter! Every time she comes over you are as randy as a goat afterwards! What's that all about?"

"That's because of how jealous you get, it's so hot!"

Mulder laughed. "Yeah, I believe that one. How many times did you tell Mrs. Skinner that?"

Skinner winced. He hated when Fox referred to his ex-wife as Mrs. Skinner. But he realized it was just jealousy, that he was getting over emotional from all the hormones in his body, and chances were it would get worse before it got better... Scully had sat him down the first time the hormones had turned Mulder into a raving shrew and explained in great detail the effects of hormones from pregnancy on normal, healthy women. But on a man, she had warned, and a man with what Mulder had been through, it was definitely going to get worse. Skinner had groaned at the news, but he knew there was little or nothing he could do. It was up to him to keep Mulder as happy and healthy as he could, just thinking about the new life that was a part of both of them currently forming in his lover's body was enough to make him do anything in his power for the man in his life.

"Would you rather we were married, Fox?"

Mulder laughed. "And what? I become Mrs. Skinner?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Fox. I would be Mrs. Mulder, of course." He got a smile for that, and was pleased, but still concerned. "I just wish you weren't so.upset or worried. I love you and only you, baby."

Mulder was mollified, but only slightly. He sighed heavily, pressing himself against the strong muscular body still half holding him upright and continued, "I just wish this was all over with and we could go back to normal."

Skinner smiled softly and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. "I don't think that will be possible, Fox. You are going to have a baby and we will have to take care of it."

Mulder groaned, not even wanting to contemplate that.

The phone rang and Skinner felt like the bell, able to take a moment away from the minefield that was his lover's emotions right now, saved him.

"Skinner," he answered.

"Sir, may I please speak to Mulder?" Dana's voice was a little tremulous.

"Dana, is everything all right?"

She said automatically, "Everything's fine, Walter. Um, I just need to ask him a question."

"Ok. Here he is." He handed the phone to Mulder who took it anxiously.

"Dana, is Jenny OK?"

"Jenny's fine, Mulder. She's having a ball playing with Krycek."

"What?!" he shrieked, pulling away from Walter's comforting arms.

"Calm down, Mulder. I am sure your neighbors would be grateful. Or at least their dogs will be!"

"Why is Krycek playing with our baby, Dana?" he asked impatiently through his gritted teeth trying to stay calm when all he could feel was the insane urge to beat his former partner to death with the phone he held in a white-knuckled death grip.

"Mulder, he came here with some information from Spender."

"So, why did you let him near Jenny?"

She sighed. "He forced himself in, Mulder. It's not as if I could do much about that."

"You were an FBI agent, Dana. You are also a medical doctor. You could have done something!" He was feeling nauseous and angry and frightened, and thinking 'I will not kill her, I will not kill her, I will not kill her.'

"Listen. This is important. Krycek has a key that looks like it could fit that locked cabinet you found in your mother's house."

"What is he doing with it?"

"I think the more pertinent question would be what was Spender doing with it?"

After a long pause she asked, "Mulder are you still there?"

When Mulder did not respond she continued, "Mulder, Krycek brought information with him as well as this key. Documents that he says claim that you were experimented on as a boy and that whoever did these tests, these experiments, had no idea if it had affected your ability to conceive. These documents also mention that the only way for you to conceive would be for you to be abducted by the aliens for further study."

Mulder paused. That was the first he heard of that information. As the full implications of what she was saying sank in, he closed his eyes and groped blindly with his free hand. Walter was there, gripping his hand tightly, and he took a deep breath, before asking in a small, tired voice, "Dana, does that mean Jenny really isn't mine?"

Dana sighed. "I don't know. I wish I knew. I want Jenny to be yours, Fox. I don't think I can take learning otherwise, even if it turns out to be the truth. But, if you want...Krycek has this key. Maybe to that cabinet, and maybe to more."

Mulder sucked in his breath. "He wants information doesn't he?"

"Of course."

"About me."

"Yes."

"Shit."

Mulder thought quickly;, he could always destroy the cabinet, without ever finding out what was in it. It was iron, though, and would take some doing, but he was sure the Gunmen would help. Even Walter, if it was what he wanted. But was it what he needed? To let it go, to never know for sure? For all he knew there could be something else inside the cabinet. It may house more information that had been kept away from him. He didn't know if he wanted to face it. But he knew that whatever it was inside that cabinet was information about his father-his birth father. He put his forehead onto the phone handle, trying to decide.

"Fox, what's wrong?" asked Skinner, concerned, "What is it?"

Mulder shook his head. He had to be the one to decide this on his own. Just then the baby inside him seemed to move and he gasped, his hand going to his stomach instinctively. He had never felt that before and he was stunned. His legs became wobbly and he nearly fell. Skinner took the phone out of his hand barked gruffly into it, "Dana, he will call you back."

Without further ado, Skinner hung up the phone, then scooped Mulder up and laid him on the couch as if he weighed nothing. Mulder knew he had gained a good 20 pounds at least since the beginning of his pregnancy and he had the stretch marks to prove it, but Walter lifted him with ease, and somehow his lover's strength seemed to soothe him.

"Baby, tell me, are you hungry, thirsty? Are you in pain?" Walter looked worriedly into his eyes and stroked his hair, which helped even more.

Mulder just shook his head. "I think I fully realized that I am carrying a life in my body. I am carrying a child. A child that will be ours, Walter. I don't care who knows about it. I want to be proud of this pregnancy instead of hiding it. I want to shout it out loud and tell the world about it." He felt that quiver in his abdomen again, and he grabbed Walter's other hand and laid it across his stomach. A moment later there was another movement, and Walter stared at him with something akin to wonder. Everything else was forgotten for a moment as they grinned stupidly at one another, and waited for another sign of life. But apparently, whoever was residing inside Mulder had decided the show was over for now, and after another moment or two of warm silence, Mulder continued with what he had been saying.

"I think the next step will have to involve a certain rat we all know and despise being let in on our little secret. Then we can decide how to go on from there."

"You're talking about Krycek?! Again?! Why is he always popping up at the weirdest and most inconvenient times?"

"He found out that I might not be Jenny's father, Walter."

"Wh-How? And why would you trust him?"

"He has documents from Spender. I am fairly sure it is legitimate-" he snorted, wondering at the word he had just used. "I have a feeling I will finally know who my real father was but I have to tell Krycek about this-" he indicated his stomach. "And then he's willing to deal, once he knows what is going on with me." He shrugged. "Who knows why he's interested, but the bottom line is, he has the key to a locked cabinet that may contain everything I-we-need to know. It may even have information that reveals what is happening to me and how or, at least, why."

Skinner listened patiently the entire time he spoke, but after he finished, he rose from his crouch beside the sofa and growled, "I think I will take care of the rat myself, Fox. It's about time!"

"Walter-wait!"

But Walter had risen and was walking out the door, his keys in hand, before Mulder could finish.

Title: Pregnant Mulder (4/?)
Author: Bertie
Date: 4/03/01
Fandom: X-Files
Pairing: M/Sk
Category: Schmoop, with a side order of angst
Rating: PG-13, again?! yes its shocking!!
Status: WIP
Archive: yes
Feedback: bertie45@a...
Series/Sequel: 4/?

Notes: Special note to my lovely beta, the Goddess Michele...I changed a little thing...can you tell;)

Mulder rose up from the couch like a sounding whale and hobbled slowly over to the phone, delighted to discover that he could add swollen ankles to his list of "shitty things in Mulder's life today." He quickly dialed Dana's number and told her that Walter was on his way over and was acting completely ape-shit.

Dana scoffed, "What is with you two? I can't leave you alone for one day and without one or both of you suddenly turning into pre- adolescent Neanderthals!"

Mulder gave a long-suffering sigh, as if he'd heard this accusation before, and said, "I don't know, Dana, it may have something to do with a certain person you are currently harboring." He couldn't keep the tinge of sarcasm out of his voice, and Scully reacted to it with uncharacteristic anger.

"Harboring? You act as if it is totally a choice on my part!"

"You could have just told him to fuck off."

"You come here and tell him that," she growled impatiently.

He laughed suddenly. "I'm sorry I am being such an ass, Dana-chock it up to hormones, I guess. I am worried about what Walter will do, though. Maybe you should tell Krycek to leave while he still has one good arm, not to mention a head on his shoulders."

"No, I will not." She knew she was being more stubborn about this than she should have been, but seemed helpless to stop herself. " Let's see if Walter can handle himself in front of me without turning into a complete idiot."

Mulder smiled, knowing immediately who would have the upper hand in any confrontation between his lover and his best friend. In this case, size definitely didn't matter. "I think you have it under control, then."

"You better believe it. Talk to you later."

He hung up the phone and then waddled over to the kitchen to prepare some food for himself and Walter, his mind divided between wondering if Walter would come out of this unscathed, and wondering if there were any more pickles in the cupboard-he had a craving. This last thought made him smile and brush a hand across his thickening waist.

*~~~*

Walter banged on Dana's door just a few short minutes after Dana had hung up the phone. She opened the door but and immediately declared, not giving him a chance to speak: "If you come in here and upset Jenny, I will murder you."

Walter stared at Dana as if she had turned into a pelican. He, then quickly composed himself and sighed, "I just wanted to tell that little jerk that he had best keep away from Mulder and..."

There was Krycek holding Jenny on his hip.

"Wa-Wa!" Jenny called out to her favorite human being, after Mommy, of course.

"Hey, baby. How are you doing?" Walter's gruff exterior melted in front of the smiling cherub whom he quickly took away from his enemy with surprising gentleness.

"Pwaying with Unca Awex," she lisped.

"Uncle 'Awex', huh?" he glared at Alex but said nothing, merely carried Jenny into the living room to play.

"So, is he here to tell me what's what?" Alex asked Dana.

"I think he wants to tell you to go jump in a lake, but I have a feeling he won't be doing much for awhile except playing with Jenny. She loves the attention, and always sleeps so soundly after he plays with her." As an afterthought, she murmured, "And he loves being with her, almost like a father."

"Well, good, because I think I was about to have a sneezing fit."

"I don't think you're allergic to babies, Alex. I think you're allergic to the baby powder."

"You're probably right, doc," he smiled at her broadly, and she thought she should have been pissed off at the smirk and the words, but instead she found sending her heart racing.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck-' she stopped her mental chastising when she realized that was exactly what she wanted to do with the dark haired, green eyed ex-agent. She usually hated when someone called her 'doc', and she didn't like the way her emotions were warring with one another inside her. 'You are getting soft in your old age!' she rebuked herself silently

Alex turned to watched Walter play with Jenny, while Dana went into the kitchen to get them some iced tea and sandwiches, her inner battle continuing. 'What, now you're going all domestic?!' she screamed at herself. 'Trying to show him how good it can be?!' She was only slightly surprised that her internal monologue had no effect on the tasks before her, which she completed in short order, taking food and drink out to the living room on a tray.

Walter immediately wolfed down a couple of sandwiches while Alex took over playing with Jenny, who didn't seem to mind the switch in playmates at all. She had formed an instant rapport with the young man, bearing none of the malice that everyone over the age of three seemed to find for Krycek within hours of meeting him, justified or not.

"She's a handful, Dana. Maybe you should let me and-" Walter stopped that thought, looking surreptitiously at Alex.

Then he sighed. "Mulder wants me to just tell him outright, but maybe I can bluff my way out of it."

"Are you going to take A-Krycek to his mother's residence?"

"Whatever for?"

Dana groaned at the lack of communication that had apparently taken place between Fox and Walter, and then patiently explained about the documents and the key. Alex and Jenny ignored the grown-up talk, taking pleasure instead in discovering how many toes the baby had, and just how hard she could pull Krycek's hair.

"Actually, that's perfect. I will take him over to the house, open the cabinet, get the documents out then stuff him in it," he said it so calmly; but Dana could tell he would do it easily, needing only the flimsiest of excuses, or none at all.

"Oh, no you don't. You will either take him over there and treat him with respect or stay here with Jenny while I go with him!" Her voice was low, but Walter recognized the inherent threat in it, and his curiosity was peaked. Before he could question her motives, however, Alex approached the two of them, holding a suddenly very sleepy baby in his arms, shooting Walter an unreadable look, then turning his gaze on Dana and offering her a somehow shy smile, as if to say 'now what do I do with her?'

"C'mon, Jenny. Time for nighty night," Dana said to her child, plucked her easily out of Krycek's grip, taking her to her the bedroom where her crib was.

Alex looked at Walter expectantly, wondering if he was going to start something. The big man waited until Dana was out of the room before he said calmly, "You will not intimidate any of us to get what you want. Got that?"

Alex nodded, knowing to step carefully. He was always impressed by the sheer presence the older man exuded when he entered a room. It wasn't just his height, although he was at least an inch taller, and it wasn't the impressive muscles he kept hidden under those conservative clothes, he just had one of those personalities that entered the room before he did. Alex smiled to himself as Walter shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny.

"I think we can work something out, Krycek." Walter conceded so quickly that it made Alex nervous, but he didn't interrupt as the older man continued: "Dana mentioned that key you have. If we go together to check it out, then I will reveal to you what you want to know."

"I think I already know, Skinner. I am not a total idiot, despite what Mulder or you might think. The aliens experimented on him. That much is obvious. But I cannot imagine that the grand plan was to turn him into a couch potato."

Skinner smiled enigmatically at Krycek. "I think more will be revealed at the old Mulder residence, Krycek."

Krycek nodded and they were about to leave when Dana stopped them, having gotten Jenny down for her nap with a minimum of fuss, for which she was dimly grateful.

"You two will behave yourselves! This is for the sake of Mulder's health, and I think you both have his best interests at heart. But-" This last she directed expressly at Walter: "Old habits die hard, and you need to remember what's at stake here."

"Very well, Dana. I will behave myself professionally. But I will only do so unless I am otherwise provoked. That is all I can guarantee."

Dana nodded, expecting nothing less from Walter, and trusting his word. "And you, Alex?" She felt no qualms at demanding the same thing of Krycek, although she might not be as believing of his words.

Alex smiled that pulse-racing smile again, and she suddenly wanted to believe.

Alex loved the fact that Dana was calling him by his first name. "I will behave myself, Dana."

Walter on the other hand was highly disturbed by the way Dana was looking at and talking to Krycek. To him, Scully was the mother of the second greatest love of his life, Jenny, and he did not like her fraternizing with the enemy like she seemed to be doing. But he knew better than to call her on it. At least not right now. That can wait until later, he thought to himself, although, if the truth be told, Krycek had not been his usual rat bastard self since Walter had been there. It almost warranted further thought, but he set it aside, with the rest of the questions in his mind, opting for action now, knowing it was his strong suit, and knowing that it was his way of doing what he hoped was for the best for everyone involved. Until this situation was resolved to his satisfaction, he still had to admit that there was something in Alex's smooth tone, almost like a purr, that sent a chill up his spine. Not fear for himself, but rather a sense of foreboding that eased not at all when he noticed Dana's reaction to Krycek's voice, which held the hint of a promise of more to come. 'That bastard had better not come near Jenny's mother, again,' he thought.

"Come on," he growled. Krycek followed willingly enough.

*~~~*

Once they had established the fastest route to the Mulder family home, they jumped into their respective vehicles and drove off, with Skinner leading because of his superior knowledge of the route. Walter was glad to take a break from Krycek's presence. He wondered why he felt even more discomfited around the man than usual, and a mental picture of his favorite petite redhead came to him suddenly.

'Yes, Dana's sudden trust in him is frightening.' he thought, but something else nagged at him and he tried hard to put his finger on it.

'Jealousy? Am I jealous of Krycek? Or am I-god! Am I jealous of Dana?'

He quickly admonished himself for even thinking that. He knew he had no reason to be jealous of Dana. 'Sure the guy is cute, there is no doubt about that, but he is no Fox!' he growled to himself. Suddenly a thought came unbidden in his mind of a certain Lieutenant in the Marines that made him wonder about his sexuality for the first time back in those first frightening days of his tour of duty. He'd had black hair and green eyes but hadn't been quite as pretty as Krycek.

'Oh shit!' Now he wondered if being alone with the guy was such a great idea.

*~~~*

Dana was settling down for the night, curled up in satin pajamas with a cup of tea on the coffee table, wanting to get plenty of sleep tonight, knowing that Jenny would be up early, and wanting to be able to enjoy more quality time with her child without being too tired. Without thinking about it, she started straightening up the files that Krycek had left with her. A single paragraph caught her eye and distracted her momentarily. It was about Skinner's nanobytes. She knew that the technology that had nearly killed her old supervisor was far in advance of what today's supposedly modern technology was capable of, just as she knew that the technology's intended medical uses would be astounding if ever used properly. She was sorry that it was Skinner who was the unwitting guinea pig on the evil uses of that technology.

She picked up the sheets that were shoved randomly into the files and began to read about it.

*~~~*

Mulder was wondering what was happening with his lover. Gleeful images of Walter choking Alex Krycek to death competed with equally vivid images of Dana kicking the crap out of both men. At last he gave in to his anxiety. He called Dana's and she quickly picked up.

"Hey, there." She answered brightly after he identified himself. " Did you know that Skinner's nanobytes were intended to establish the first ever 'baby keeper?'"

Her swift introduction of an unknown subject caught him off guard, but just for a moment. "Dana, are you on drugs? Where is Walter?"

"Oh, sorry I was just reading some of these files that Krycek left with me."

"Wonderful, I see that you seem to be getting on swimmingly with the double-crosser."

Dana ignored that comment and told him, "Walter and Alex have gone together to your mother's house."

"So its 'Alex' now, is it? I see."

"Mulder, can we talk about something else? You sound like a broken record."

"Sure. Fine. Whatever. What is this 'baby keeper' thing you are talking about?"

"Well, it seems that in the event of a woman being incapable of conceiving, a fertilized egg could be implanted in the womb and 'guarded' by the nanobytes or 'baby keeper' as its called in these papers."

"Dana, do you think this technology was used on you?"

Dana paused in shock. She hadn't even thought of that, having convinced herself that something had just finally worked and she had become pregnant despite the times she had tried to conceive unsuccessfully with Mulder through artificial insemination. She did not want to believe it was from some alien technology used on her to 'keep good Spender stock' going as she had read at one point.

"Maybe it was, but...I don't...I -Jenny could still be yours, right?" Dana's voice suddenly grew small and nervous, and Mulder sympathized with her fears.

"Dana, I am sure she is mine. She certainly has my stubborn streak."

Dana sighed and giggled a bit. "She also has your eyes, Mulder. They were the thing that made me fall in love with you right off."

Fox grinned. "I always knew you had the hots for me."

"Only in your dreams, G man!"

Fox laughed. "That's the Dana I know and love!"

Dana snorted. "OK. Fine," then suddenly sobered, " but I wonder if this technology is what is keeping you pregnant?"

"You are probably right. I was thinking that Skinner's nanobytes might have had something to do with it. I swear the only time that this would've occurred was when the condom broke. Your lectures on the use of them alone kept us careful."

"Unless they were implanted in you while you were abducted, in which case it would have nothing to do with Walter."

Mulder didn't like the sound of that. "Wouldn't they have shown up on the tests you did on me?"

"Hmm. Unless the technology has become so advanced that the nanobytes are now virtually undetectable by us."

"Dana, I'm shocked. You quit the X-files and now you start sounding like me! It just isn't right."

"I think Reyes and Doggett are excellent investigators, Fox. They are making quite a name for themselves."

"Now you're making me jealous-suddenly I'm itching to go back in the field," Mulder gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Oh no, Mulder, I'm not you."

"Yeah, you are the bionic woman, I forgot."

"I certainly feel like it, what with work, no work, new work and a new child. And I must be superhuman, since Jenny was able to survive all those times while you were gone."

Mulder knew Scully wasn't trying to make him feel guilty, but he let himself anyway. "Hmm...all that. I think I will still stick with my iron man."

Dana giggled. "Good, I think he will be sorely pissed if you brushed him off now considering the fact that you are probably carrying his child."

"I wish we could be sure about that, Dana."

"Well, I guess we won't fully know until after the child is born. But don't borrow worries, Mulder. I do not want you to go through what I did. You stay safely there at Skinner's and hopefully the boys will be back later this evening."

"Well, looks like this tuna casserole will just have to be for me and the baby," Mulder grinned as his stomach growled in response.

"Tuna casserole?" Mulder could actually hear Dana raising an eyebrow. "I am sure Walter will be highly upset at missing that."

"Don't push it. You were doing so well, there."

"Good night, Fox. Jenny 's going to be up in less than six hours, so I have to get my sleep when I can. And remember, no needless worrying!"

"Good night, my sweet Dana." He made exaggerated kissing noises into the receiver, then hung up on her gentle laughter.

Dana snorted once more before hanging up. She did miss their talks and it was nice to be able to laugh again. She had been on edge for far too long, and she knew that a big part of the problem was not having her best friend around so often. As she went about the apartment shutting off lights and locking doors, she vowed to spend more time with Fox, for the sake of both their sanities.

*~~~*

Walter opened the Mulder house with the keys that Mulder had given him, which he kept on a ring with his own. Alex followed him into the dark house and Walter tried the lights. Some were working, which was handy, although Walter was surprised that the electricity was still on. Probably because Mulder hadn't had time to change anything with the house since he came back.

"Now, what I remember about this iron cabinet that Mrs. Mulder had, is that it was in the dining area, near the china cabinet."

Alex allowed Walter to lead the way. He was getting miffed, watching the big man moving in front of him.. It was down right disturbing how Skinner made him feel hot and bothered and yet cold and angry all at once. He was too much like all the other older big men who had taken from him and never given back. Betraying Skinner before was easy. Knowing that this man was responsible for what was happening to Mulder, though he wondered to what extent now, just pissed him off to no end. Watching the man move about and the muscles rippling across his back and shoulders was disquieting to say the least.

Walter moved the furniture about like it was made of paper, and Alex got even more upset when it didn't exactly turn him green with envy but rather red with desire. 'Think about igloos,' he warned himself. 'Iceland, the president, Mulder-'

That did it. But it also pissed him off all over again as his lust started to fade. The object of his affection for so long now was the object of his disgust. 'That's right,' he thought, 'Skinner's the reason Mulder's as fat as a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving Day.' Half of his mind warred with the other, and just when he thought the 'Walter's a bastard' side was winning, his thoughts of vengeance were interrupted by the other side: 'Will you take a look at that!' he sent the thought to his eyes, and parts south, when he looked up to see Walter flexing muscles all throughout his body as he pushed the iron cabinet away from the wall to get easier access to it from the rest of the furniture.

His musings were interrupted when Skinner huffed, "There. Now see if that key doesn't fit."

Alex nodded, not wanting to break his hold over his control just now by having his voice betray anything. He bent down and stuck the key in and turned it. It unlocked and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's see what that black-lunged bastard left for Mulder," growled Skinner.

Alex pulled it open with his one good hand and stared into the dark recesses. There, on top of some papers, was a palm pilot.

"Shit! Gimme that!" barked Skinner. But Alex had already reached in before Skinner could take over.

Alex grinned devillishly up at Skinner from his crouched position. Skinner felt like a complete idiot. He should have known better than to trust a jackal like Krycek.

"Listen, Krycek, you want information, I can give it to you, but please-" He cringed at the petulant fear he heard in his own voice, but, with memories of nanobytes past still fresh in his memories and in his nightmares, he was unable to stop it.

Alex's grin broadened. Skinner made a lunge for it and they struggled. Suddenly Skinner gasped and fell away.

"Fuck, Skinner. I didn't do that, I swear!" Alex didn't know if Skinner could hear him, but he knew he hadn't activated anything, and all his former evil thoughts faded away as the big man fell at his feet, gasping in pain.

Alex manipulated the tiny computer in a way he knew how and suddenly Skinner stopped twitching but he was knocked out cold. He reached for his cell phone and voiced several choice Russian cursewords when he thumbed the on switch; it was dead. He had to get a hold of the lovely red haired doctor.

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