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Title: Loup Garou - The Kindred - Book One Summary: The ongoing adventures of Alex Krycek and his werewolf lover. ThanX to the Loup Garou Beta Readers - they have nagged, nitpicked, badgered, and encouraged me in so many ways, and not just in writing these stories. You guys are the greatest. Loup Garou - The Kindred "And what I wouldn't give to find a soul mate, When I first started this series, I had no idea that one 83K story would become a 1 megabyte monster. But Jess took a life of her own and convinced all the others to keep pestering me to write their adventures. I'd no sooner finish one story and then the ideas for six others would pop into my head. And at this point, I don't see an end to the series. So if a pack of dogs follows you one full moon lit night, look closer. You just might be looking at Jess, Alex, and Lindy. It was dark and cold in front of the Reflection Pool. The man in black watched the two FBI agents dispassionately. He was not interested in them, but who would be looking for them. Snatches of their conversation floated through the air to him. "If I... what I could trust?" "... trust me, Scully." "Mulder... trust... than anyone. It's just..." The sound of the twig breaking cut off the conversation. The objects of the man's quest had stepped out of the shadows. He reached for the camera outfitted with the infra red lens. Two Years Later - The woman stepped into her apartment. "Hello, Chloe. Did you miss me?" she cooed as her black and white cat rubbed against her legs. She picked up the fluffy cat and scratched behind its ears as she went to her computer. She logged on to her internet server and requested her mail. The e-mail on her system was short. "Jess - Need your help on a case. Contact me ASAP. - Mulder." Jessica Leahs leaned back with a sigh. Why me? she thought, drumming her fingers against the wrist rest. The only reason Mulder would ask for my help was if... . She was afraid and excited at the same time. Don't get your hopes up, girl. She reached for the phone. "She's coming." Scully nodded. "Are you sure you want her to be involved in this?" She sounded unsure. "No," Mulder smiled. "But she is, after all, an expert in this area. But then, you don't believe in what she is." Scully shot Mulder an annoyed look. "I believe she knows what she's talking about. But I don't believe she's a werewolf." "But she does. That's what's important." "Mulder, you don't have to defend her to me," Scully said sharply. "I'm not." Mulder backed off. "I'm just stating her belief." She's been snappy for the last couple of days. Must be PMS. "Hello, Scully. Lindy says 'hi'," Jess said as she stepped through the door. She fixed Mulder with a glare. "This had better be good," she growled. "I gave up front row San Jose Sharks tickets for this." "With the way that hockey team plays," Mulder snorted, "I'm sure you won't be missing much." "Go to hell, Mulder." "And it's good to see you too, Jess." "So why did you tear me away from Lindy and my cat, who won't forgive me for three months when I get home?" "Here's what we know for sure. There was an attempted murder. I'm sure you'll recognize the pattern - looks like a dog savaged him." Jess blinked. "And this concerns me because... ." "It occurred on the night of a full moon. And saliva samples taken from bite wounds reveal a strange enzyme that we are unable to identify." One of the cell phones rang. Scully answered hers. Jess leaned towards Mulder. "Let me guess. You've reached a dead end." She pointed at Mulder. "You think it's a werewolf, and she," she nodded her head at Scully, "think it's a psycho with a dog." Her eyebrows raised as she looked at Mulder. "And you want to use me to find out which it really is. Am I right?" Mulder looked nonplused. "I just thought with your talents and abilities you would be a help." "In other words, send a werewolf to catch a werewolf." Jess leaned back and looked reflective. "I doubt that it is a werewolf, Mulder. I've been searching for so long, and Lindy is the only one I've ever found." Scully hung up the phone. "That was the hospital. Our John Doe has been reclassified from serious to critical. He's not expected to last the night." "The victim survived the attack?" Jess shook her head. "Damn. That would have made things a little easier." "I'm sorry?" Scully wasn't following. "Mulder, I'm surprised you didn't think of this." Jess turned to Scully. "The full moon will be in under a week. If he survives, get him into an isolation chamber. Keep him under observation. If he transforms, then we're dealing with a werewolf. If not," she shrugged her shoulders, "we're dealing with someone who is using some kind of dog as a murder weapon." Mulder asked the question that was on everyone's mind at some level. "And if we are dealing with a werewolf?" Jess shrugged her shoulders again. "I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it." She stood up. "C'mon, I want to see the victim." They decided to drive to the hospital together. They also used the time to catch up. "How's Lindy doing?" Scully asked from the driver's seat. "Great," Jess replied from the back seat. "She's in a private school, where the teachers understand what she's gone through. Getting good grades, and being a perfect angel for the most part." "And any little devils in your life?" Mulder asked. "No boyfriends, just cats." Jess snorted. "I've been a little too busy taking care of Lindy to worry about that. That, and I just haven't had the inclination to date." Mulder nodded. "So when did you last go out with someone?" "Mulder," Jess snorted, "you're as bad as my brother. He keeps trying to pair me off with various friends and clients. Hasn't worked yet." Mulder laughed a little. "Sounds just like our old friend Robert." He turned to Scully. "Robert was the guy who first introduced us, what, a little over a decade ago." "Yeah, that sounds about right." Jess leaned her head against the window. Scully was curious about how deep Jess's feelings for Mulder still went. She had said that they were nothing more than good friends. "If you were interested, would you be dating?" she asked. "Probably." Jess looked out the window. "The right guy hasn't come along yet. But I'm patient. I've learned how to wait." "God dammit! Can't things go are way just once?" Mulder growled. He, Scully, and Jess had just arrived at the hospital, only to find out that John Doe had died. "Never have before, so why should they now?" Scully shook her head. "I'll start reviewing the chart and the paperwork for the autopsy." They started walking towards the morgue. Jess looked disappointed. "Would it be possible to observe the procedure? It might give me some insight into..." she trailed off, looking puzzled. "That's odd. I smell smoke." Scully inhaled deeply. "I don't smell anything." "Me neither," Mulder said. "Fire?" "No," Jess replied after a moment. "Cigarette smoke. Pretty faint. Doubt either of you could smell it." She shook her head. "Probably some orderly sneaking a tobacco hit." The three of them stood in front of the autopsy table. Mulder was looking slightly queasy. Jess was watching Scully prepare with a detached fascination. "Here's our John Doe." Scully pulled the sheet back from the corpse's face. "Cute," Jess snorted. The man's face was a rictus of pain and horror. A parallel lines of teeth marks encircled the neck. "I see the bite wound, but something that shallow shouldn't have killed him." "The theory about the actual cause of death was blood loss due to the fact that he was shot in the heart. One odd thing - there are no defense wounds on the hands or arms." Scully was putting on a pair of latex gloves. "That *is* odd about the lack of defense wounds, especially if there was a dog involved in the attack." Jess was staring at the slash pattern. She turned to Scully. "May I examine the body before you open it?" Scully nodded and passed Jess a pair of gloves and glasses. Jess put them on and leaned down, eyes level with the throat. She stared at them intently, fingers tracing the gashes. "I can tell you a one thing about these marks - they weren't made by any dog I know of." "What makes you say that?" Mulder asked weakly. He was making a macho attempt to keep his breakfast in his stomach. "I see a set of dog canines, dog incisors, and molars. *Human* molars." Scully looked a little closer. "She's right, Mulder. They do look like human molars. Could a man have bitten and then the dog bit over the same spot?" Jess shook her head. "Not with that degree of accuracy. Maybe the attacker had a set of skeleton canine jaws and used that to make an impression. Symbolic lycanthropy?" One of the cell phones rang. "Mulder... you have the results? We'll be there as soon as we finish the autopsy." He powered down the phone. "That was Pendrell. He has the test results on one of the collars we found." "Collars?" Standing up, Jess shot an irritated glance at Mulder. "Mind explaining?" "We found what appear to be two tracking collars with the victim. One's being examined through official channels, the other unofficial. In fact," Mulder started towards the door, "I'm going to check with the Gunmen to see if they've turned anything up." "Fine, go ahead." Ditch me like always. Scully reached for a scalpel. As Mulder stepped out the door, the last thing he heard was Scully asking a question. "Has he always been so tight lipped when it comes to sharing information?" "Ohhh yeah. Would you believe that once he..." Mulder sighed to himself. I'm gonna regret introducing the two of them. "So what's the rundown on the collars?" Jess asked. The autopsy had been completed. Back at Mulder's apartment, they were waiting for the results of some tissue sample analysis. To Mulder's frustration, nothing unusual had been found except for the odd enzyme that was deposited in the bite wound. "The collars are similar to the radio tracking collars used in wildlife management, with one unusual modification." Mulder paused, looking straight at Jess. "Each collar had been outfitted with a stun device that has substantial discharge." "Why would you put a Taser in a dog's collar?" Scully mused. "Maybe it was one *bad* dog." Jess said. "Doesn't prove anything." "Jess, I expected Scully not to believe me, but you of all people..." "Mulder, I'm not saying I don't have an open mind to your werewolf theory. However, I don't keep my mind so open that my brain falls out on the floor." Scully decided to step in before things got out of hand. "Right now, there isn't enough evidence to make any conclusions." "You're right, Scully." Jess yawned. "Anyway, I gotta go take a nap if I'm gonna go nosing around tonight." "Um, Jess, I wanted to talk to you about that," Mulder said. "I don't think you should go out alone at night." "I beg your pardon." Jess's voice took on an edge. "You heard me." Mulder's voice also had an edge to it. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." "I don't doubt that. I just don't want you to get hurt or mistaken for our suspect." Uh oh! Scully thought. Jess had stiffened and was looking more and more pissed by the moment. "Mulder, Jess will be careful. I don't think house arrest is the best way to... ." "No, Scully, don't bother." Jess had spun on her heel and was leaving. "I won't so much as step outside the hotel without your permission, Fox," she hissed the last word, knowing how much he hated to be called by his first name. She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. "The stubborn little..." Mulder's voice trailed off. Scully shook her head. "Don't you hate it when someone you care about doesn't listen to you or see that your advice is for their own good?" "Yeah, it is frustrat... Damn. You just described me." Scully grinned. "Gotcha," she said, kissing his nose. Damn him! Jess mentally screamed. The sheer unmitigated arrogance... Jess sat fuming in her hotel room. How did I let him get me into this? I can't believe Mulder had the gall to ask, no tell, me not to go out at night alone, human or wolf. Period. He had backed her into a corner and made her promise not to leave the hotel. And because of a strong sense of personal honor, Jess felt obligated to keep that promise. But she didn't have to like it. It's not like it's a full moon. Jess groused. I can understand the fact that he doesn't want me hunting. But, the fact that I can't go out outside as a human without a *chaperone*... . She gritted her teeth Jess could see some sense in it. If it really were a werewolf, and someone tried to frame her, it would be good to have an alibi. And she probably would have agreed with it eventually if Mulder hadn't then made a tactical error. He checked up on her. Worse, he tried to cover up the fact that he was checking up on her. I don't believe it. A doctorate in psychology and he goes and does a bone headed thing like that. Jess shook her head. So here I am, Friday night, and I said that I wouldn't leave the hotel. She snorted. And then smiled. ...But I never said anything about leaving my room... The human part of him, what little of it that was left, was lonely. But loneliness had been his lifelong companion. He didn't have many friends at school, bright enough to get good grades but not to be the star student. Always wanting to be the center of attention, but never quite making it. Maybe that was why he jumped at the promise of power so quickly. They had flattered, flirted, coaxed, seduced, and compelled him until he had been in too deep to escape. Damn Cancerman! And damn me for listening to him! Alexander Krycek thought as he walked back to the hotel. Recruited straight out of Quantico, he had served the powers-that-be to the best of his abilities, no matter how distasteful he found his mission. His reward for obeying without question, a death, no, make that a*life* sentence. First came Fox Mulder almost shooting him, then the botched car bombing, then Mulder beating the crap out of him in Hong Kong, and then being left in the silo to die. If only I were that lucky. And then... Krycek shivered at the memory, pulling his leather jacket tighter around him. The last thing he remembered was cleaning up in the bathroom in Hong Kong. He couldn't remember how he got into the silo. He could remember screaming himself hoarse for someone to let him out. And eventually someone answering his cries. Two days or was it three after his voice gave out, too weak from thirst and hunger to struggle, they came for him. They strapped him not too gently to a gurney and took him to one of their labs on the outskirts of D.C. Kept him sedated until he had regained his health somewhat. And then they began the experiment. At least they didn't use any of that "alien" DNA. He had seen some of the poor bastards they had done that to. At least I still look human... most of the time. He stopped in front of the hotel bar. It wasn't one of the smoky dives that he had been haunting as of late. Maybe it would throw the Cigarette Smoking Man off his trail. Yeah, right. Krycek had the feeling that if Cancerman *really* wanted him, nothing would be able to save his hide. He had thought that when he was almost captured by one of the enforcers. If he hadn't attacked the man sent after him, he probably would be back at the lab, alive or dead. And amazingly enough, the credit cards in the wallet he had taken hadn't been signed, so it was easy enough to forge a signature. Almost like someone wanted him on the outside. So he was Alex Kowalski for the moment, until Cancerman decided that it wouldn't do to have him on the loose. He stepped into the bar and surveyed the crowd. It was the usual assortment of business people and tourists trying to unwind. Hello! Who's she? The short haired brunette in the black t-shirt and jeans was bending over to align the shot. Dark eyes glanced up, connected briefly with his, and cooly returned to the cue ball. She completed the shot without hesitation. Something about her was damn attractive. Despite his situation, he wanted to get to know her, even if only for one night. He turned to the bartender. "Send the woman at the pool table one of whatever she's been drinking." "Good luck, buddy. She's turned down five drinks so far." Jess was downstairs in the bar, shooting pool. And playing a damn fine game too. It would be better if I could get the drunks to stop hitting on me. It was throwing off her concentration. Getting hit on was one reason Jess didn't go to bars too often. It annoyed her. Ever since she had become a werewolf, most human males did nothing to excite her anymore. The only exception she had dated had been Mulder, but the Change had only been in effect for about a day when she met him. Now she doubted that if she met him now, she'd be attracted to him. On the other hand, it was all she could do to keep men from hitting on her. Must be pheromonal or something... she mused. She looked up from a particular difficult shot - the two was behind the eight with just a few inches in between. Hit it wrong and either she would scratch or knock the eight ball into the pocket. Hmmm, look what just walked in... The young man wearing the leather jacket and tight jeans had a lean, hungry look about him that appealed strongly to her. Concentrate on the pool balls, girl, not his. She refocused and completed her shot. Perfect! The cue ball kissed the eight ball and hit the two ball into the corner pocket, *just* missing scratching. She looked back up, to see the man admiring the shot, and her chest. Jess straightened back up and nonchalantly began to rack the balls for another game. She glanced over at the bar. Yup, he's still watching. She started to chalk the cue. "Hate to bother you, miss, but another guy has sent you a drink." The waitress sounded bemused. "Again?" Jess raised her eyebrows. "Okay, which one this time?" "Black jacket at the bar." Jess casually glanced in that direction. It was the young stud. His eyebrow slightly raised when he caught her looking at him. Nothing ventured.... Jess thought. And since I so rarely have these impulses, why not? "Can I use a page off your bill pad?" Krycek watched the woman scribble something down and give it to the waitress. Keeping the beer, she then set the waitress on her way. The waitress headed back to the bar. She gave him the note before picking up her next order. Krycek opened it. "I don't accept drinks from strangers, so get your cute butt over here and introduce yourself." He looked back to where the woman was standing. She smiled, placed a second cue stick on the table, and gestured him over with her head. He smiled in return and to himself. It's gonna be one interesting night. After a few beers and several games of pool with Alex, as he called himself, Jess decided to call it a night. And, coincidentally, he was staying on the floor below her. So they took the elevator together. They stood in front of the door to his room. "So I guess I can't convince you to come in for some coffee?" he asked. Jess gave him a devilish grin. "What you really mean is 'So I guess I can't convince you to come in so we can screw each other for the rest of the night?' I don't think so. Besides," she said, leaning in close, "we have to save something to do for one of our later dates." Krycek drew in his breath sharply. Jess closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly as he leaned in close. His tongue slid over hers and traced the ridges of the roof of her mouth. She grabbed his hips, slamming her body against him. Moaning, she returned his passion with equal enthusiasm. The kiss broke as suddenly as it started. They both stood there panting, wondering what would happen next. Krycek turned slightly and opened the door. "So, did I manage to change your mind about coming in?" "You make a *very* persuasive argument," Jess purred. She paused, a playful sparkle in her eyes. "Maybe... hmmm... no." She shoved him into his room. "But call me tomorrow," she said with a laugh, pulling the door shut. All Krycek had been wanting when he first saw her was a one night stand. However, not sleeping with her right away and seeing her again did have a certain appeal. I think I just might do that, he thought. But for the moment, he wanted to take care of a pressing problem. And right now, that problem was pressing his boxers. It had been so long since he had been with a woman, and he had gotten hot and bothered very quickly. Maybe a cold shower... Krycek started to strip and headed for the bathroom. He had gotten as far as the bed when he caught sight of himself in the full length mirror. Completely naked, he took a long hard look at himself. He had healed well from his experience in the silo, the mistreatment at the labs and the training, leaving only solid muscle on his thin frame. Only an odd bruise on his groin was left. His fingers brushed against it and the hair at the base of his half hard cock. Ooooooh. That was a mistake, he thought, closing his eyes, shocked by the power of his reaction. Longings that he was forced to deny for the moment swelled, demanding attention. Forget a *cold* shower. It's as close as you'll ever get to having her, another male voice whispered in his head, chuckling evily. Especially if she finds out what I did to you. Krycek spun around panicked, thinking that the voice had been in the room with him. It had only been his imagination and memory. But it was all too real. The speaker did exist, and in real life would be saying the exact same things to him. She'd turn away in disgust if she knew that you enjoyed what I made you do. I didn't enjoy it, he thought. He walked into the bathroom and started the water running. Okay, maybe you didn't, the voice conceded. But if she knew who you *really* are, and what you've done, she wouldn't let you kiss her shoe, let alone her lips. The thought of kissing Jess again drove away the mocking voice torrmenting him. She was a wonderful kisser, all heat and tongue and pressure. He knew she would be the moment he had seen them, pursed as she aligned her shot on the pool table. And then he had been proven right just a few minutes ago. But I'm just kidding myself, he thought despondently. With everything I've done, she wouldn't be interested in any kind of relationship with me. It would be too dangerous for someone he even slightly cared about, and he had caused enough pain in his life. He sighed trying to forget the sensations that Jess had awakened in him. Scully wasn't looking forward to this. Neither she nor Mulder had heard from Jess last night. And Mulder and Jess had one hell of a fight. They could both be so stubborn. And she wasn't that happy with Mulder to begin with. He could be so self-absorbed at times, pratically ignoring her. And although Jess had made it clear that she could easily take care of herself, he went out of his way to protect her. However he couldn't see that Scully was upset and wanted, needed the attention more than Jess did. Scully stepped down to the hallway to Jess's hotel suite. Jess had insisted on having her own place and acting independently of the two of them. Scully stopped in front of a door. She knocked on it. "It's Scully." "Come in, it's open." Scully entered. "So tell me," Jess looked up from the newspaper she was reading. "Did you come over here on your own, or did Mulder put you up to this?" Scully decided to be direct. "I'm here on my own. What did you do last night?" "Murder, mayhem, ya know, the usual." Jess grinned. "I was downstairs in the bar shooting pool for several hours. The bartender and the guy I was playing with can vouch for me." "So basically, you were trying to teach Mulder a lesson about trying to control you." "Yup. Did it work?" "Hasn't worked when I've tried. Why should it for you?" "True," Jess agreed. "Actually, something about the way he said it rubbed me the wrong way. I've had a problem with male authority figures ever since I broke up with an abusive boyfriend. So I'm as much to blame for my attitude." "I also thought you'd want to see a copy of the autopsy and the ballistics report." She handed a stack of papers to Jess. "Basically, the reason he died is due to the trauma induced when he shot himself." "Suicide? I thought this was a murder." Jess started to leaf through the papers. "So did we, but ballistics came back as being from the gun found in John Doe's possession. And his prints are the only ones on the gun. One other thing, the bullet was coated with pure silver." It had been a long day at the Bureau. Mulder was tired. Having made up with Jess had helped. But it had been another day of working with people who thought that "Spooky" had another one of his weird ideas. Only Scully and Skinner would defend him somewhat, although not believing his theories anymore than his detractors. Now they were at Scully's. Finally alone together, Mulder thought. He stepped up behind Scully and pressed his body against hers. She moved away from him. What is up with her? She usually can't stand not touching when we have a chance. "Scully, what's wrong?" "Nothing's wrong, Mulder," Scully snapped. "Well, something's bothering you. You've been edgy since Jess arrived. Don't tell me you're jealous of her." "No, I'm not jealous of Jess." "Then what is it? Please, don't shut me out." "Look who's talking," Scully growled. "Every time I've had a problem, or needed some reassurance, you've been stone cold. It's time you've been on the receiving end for once." "Scully, I've always had a hard..." "No!" Scully interrupted. "I don't want to hear your excuses. I'm tired of you blaming everything on your rotten childhood. Just get out." "Please, I didn't mean to..." "Go!" Scully wasn't backing down. Mulder realized she was *really* pissed off and would toss his ass out the door if he didn't leave. "Okay, I'm going." He backed out the door. Scully burst out into tears as soon as the door closed. Part of her wanted to chase him down and take back everything she said. However, pride won out and she went to bed. Jess sat in her room, watching a TV infomercial. She had spent a great evening watching a really bad sci fi movie with Alex. They both had ended up mocking their way through it. That and making out like a horny teen with him had been a lot of fun too. Now alone, she was too wound up to go to sleep, even though it was 2 am. There was a knock at her door. Who the hell could that be at this time of night? Alex, I thought I wore you out. She got up and said "Who is it?" as she spied through the peephole. "Iz me," slurred Mulder's voice. "Le' me in? Please?" Yes, it was Mulder standing out there, staggering about in an alcoholic haze. Jess opened the door. "Mulder, what are you doing over here? Don't tell me you drove over here like this." Mulder staggered through the door. "Went to see Jess, stopped at the bar in the hotel lobby. Dana, I'm sorry." "Mulder, it's me, Jess," she said softly. Whoa! He's *really* plowed. I don't remember ever seeing him *this* drunk. "Scully's at her place, I think. Do you want me to take you there?" "No, Dana, le' me finish. Sorry for not talking. Can' talk 'bout problems, makes 'em too real. Don' send me away 'gain. Woan push you t' talk" Mulder put his arms around Jess and pulled her in before she could break the embrace. "Forgiv' me?" Mulder clamped his mouth over Jess's. Jess almost retched from the smell of beer on his breath. She pushed hard against Mulder, shoving him off balance. He fell backwards onto the couch. "Mulder, you're drunk. I'm not the one you should be talking to. And you shouldn't be talking to anyone while you're like this. Let me take you back to your place and get you sobered up." "Don' wanna leave." She sighed. "Okay, at least let me make you some coffee." Jess turned away and started the complimentary coffee pot brewing. "So, talk to me. What's the problem?" A snore was her answer. Jess turned and looked at the couch. Mulder had passed out. How do I let myself end up in situations like this? she thought, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. Mulder finally woke up. He was in his bed. How he got there he wasn't quite sure. Or why he had just kicked off his shoes before he went to bed instead of stripping to his shorts like he usually did. His head pounded in tempo with his heartbeat, which made it almost impossible to think. What a weird dream. In it, he remembered apologizing to Scully, but for some reason, she looked like Jess. I'll have to analyze that one later. He rolled out of bed, staggered into the bathroom, and emptied out his stomach. That accomplished, he stumbled to the kitchen, determined to get some coffee. Hell, I can smell it already. "Morning, Mulder." "Morning, Jess. *Jess?!?* What the hell are you doing here?" "I brought you home last night. You were in no condition to drive, and I didn't want you ralphing in my room. And from the sounds I heard a few minutes ago, I think I made the right choice." Mulder felt at his front pocket. The keys were still in there. "How did you get me in here?" Mulder accepted the cup of coffee Jess offered and sat. "How does anyone get into your apartment? I picked the lock," Jess grinned. "Now, do you want to tell my why you showed up at my hotel room plastered?" "I, uh, don't remember much about last night." Mulder winced at the light as Jess cracked open a curtain to look outside. "Well, does calling me Dana, incoherently apologizing for not talking, and trying to ram your tongue down my throat sound familiar?" Mulder grimaced. "Hell! Then it wasn't a dream." He looked at her sidelong. "And you didn't try to take advantage of me?" "Let's just say I figured you wouldn't be 'up' to the occasion." There was a knock at the door. "That'll be Scully. I'm outta here." "Jess, can't you stay and..." "Referee? I don't think so." Jess got up to answer the door. "Besides, you're a big boy, and you two have to learn to talk to each other. That, and I gotta catch up on some lost sleep." Jess grabbed her purse as she opened the door. She nodded a greeting to Scully and left. An awkward silence filled the room. Mulder finally broke it. "So, how much did Jess tell you?" "Just that you showed up at her place drunk and made a pass at her thinking that it was me." Scully shook her head. "Even when you try to cheat on me, you end up with me." "Well, at least I'm faithful in a bizarre way." "Bizarre is right. Maybe that's the problem." "Say again, Scully?" Scully looked out the window. "All this weirdness is starting to get to me. I don't think we've actually ever had any time to ourselves." "What about last weekend at your place?" Scully shook her head. "That's not what I mean, Mulder. Every time we go somewhere together, it's because of work. We're being sent to investigate some odd murder or disappearance. It's always as Special Agents Scully and Mulder, never Dana and Fox." The light went on in Mulder's brain. "Are you saying that you want to go somewhere on vacation with me?" "I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes." "Then that settles it." Mulder lurched up and crossed the room to hold her. "As soon as we get this case solved, we take a leave of absence together." "But, Mulder, that would be stupid for us both to take one at the same time. How would we explain to Skinner... ." "Shhhh." He put a finger to her lips, silencing her. "This is something you need and I want to do for you. Let me think about the details, we'll come up with something." It was 10 am. Jess crashed onto her bed. She was curling into a ball, drifting off to sleep when there was a knock at the door. If it's Mulder again, I am going to kill him. She got up with a sigh and answered the door. There stood Alex. "Hey, Jess. How are you d... whoa!" He looked her up and down appreciatively. "I thought you were joking about screwing each other on one of our later dates." Jess looked down horrified. She was wearing what she usually wore to bed panties and a satin sleep shirt that barely covered them. "Oh God! I forgot you were coming over," blushing furiously. "Let me get dressed," she said, retreating to the bedroom. "No, don't bother on my account," he said trailing after. "Mind if I watch?" A pillow slammed into his face, followed by the door. "I guess that's a 'no'." Jess reappeared wearing jeans and a t-shirt. "Make that a 'not-just-this-moment'." She sat down on the couch, patting the spot beside her. "Anyway, I'm too tired to appreciate sex fully." "Rough night? I thought I left you feeling good. You sure felt good against me," Alex said, sitting beside her. His hand slid across the small of her back to wrap around her waist. Jess relaxed back into his embrace. "Remember the friend I was telling you about?" "The one that you slept with?" "Yeah, that's the one. He and his girlfriend had a fight, and he showed up here wasted. So I had to get him back to his place - don't ask how, the details are a little fuzzy due to the lack of sleep." "What, afraid I'd walk in on the two of you and fly into a jealous rage?" "Nah, I didn't want my room stinking like vomit when he sobered up." "Good point." His hand was circling lightly around her hipbone. "So what do you want to do today?" "Sleep," Jess said, placing her head against his shoulder. "Together? Right now? Sure." "You have a one track mind, a dirt track." Jess laughed. "I think that's why I keep you around." She put a hand on his thigh, stroking it lightly. God! What is it about her? I should be thinking about getting the hell out of town, not falling for this beautiful woman. Krycek pulled her in for a heart stopping kiss. I'm here to help Mulder and Scully solve... Ohhhh, he is *so* good. Alex's tongue was slowly exploring her mouth. She moaned and laced her fingers in his hair. He leaned back, pulling her onto him. I shouldn't be doing this, but I sure as hell don't want to stop. There are worse things I could be doing than falling in love. Jess sat opposite the Hoover Building, sketch pad in hand. Her pencil danced over the paper, catching the feel of her surroundings. It's been too long since I've drawn for the fun of it. She was so absorbed in shadowing the stairway she had drawn, she didn't notice the FBI agent standing behind her. "Not bad." Jess jumped in surprise. "Uh, thanks." She brushed her bangs back from here eyes. "Of course, if you've put any government secrets into that drawing, I'll have to arrest you." He flashed a FBI badge. "In fact I'll start the interrogation right now. What's your name and will you have dinner with me tonight?" Jess thought about it. I'm not attracted to him, but why not. "I plead the fiftieth. I refuse to answer on the grounds that I don't know your name." "It's Tom Colton. And you are?" "Jess Leahs. And yes, I'd love to go to dinner." They traded polite nothings and phone numbers. Colton excused himself, saying he had to get to work. As he was about to enter the building, he took one last look. He saw Jess chatting with... Mulder? Then he remembered the rumor that was going around - Spooky's ex was in town and helping him pick up the killers vibes, or something like that. So much for that date. He stopped in the lobby to make a call. Jess had returned to the hotel to get ready for her date. There were three messages waiting for her, Alex saying that he was too tired to do anything tonight and he'd call in the morning, Mulder inviting her to dinner with Scully, and Colton saying his mother had arrived in town unexpectedly and he had to cancel tonight. Well, at least I still have something to do tonight. She phoned back Mulder. "Hey there. It's Jess." "Hey there yourself. Do you want to go out to dinner with my boss and his wife? " "Afraid to face them alone?" Jess couldn't resist teasing. "No, feeling sorry for you. Thought you'd like to get out of that hotel room. And I want you to run interference if he starts asking Scully and I questions." "Oh, I see. I'm a diversion. I should be insulted." Jess paused for a beat. "But you know me, free food and I'm there. What time and where?" After they joined the Skinner's at the table, Jess had switched gears admirably. She went from baiting Mulder endlessly to a polite dinner guest in the blink of an eye. Both she and Sharon Skinner had grown up in California, and were discussing the merits of the Bay Area versus San Diego. Scully could not hide her amusement as Mulder kept looking at Jess in shock. She does love keeping him on his toes, she thought. "Mulder, have I grown a second head or something?" Jess had finally noticed the odd looks she was getting. Before Mulder could respond, Scully jumped in. "He's in shock that you haven't tried to take him down a notch for the last ten minutes." Mulder shot an annoyed look at his partner as Jess took up the challenge. "I was *supposed* to be making fun of you in front of your boss and his wife?" Jess hit her forehead in mock frustration. "Mulder, you've got to tell me these things *ahead* of time." The sound of laughter filled the air. "Remind me to tell the most embarrassing story about you I can come up with later, Jess. And if you're really bad I'll... oh no." Mulder's voice faded out. "Something wrong, Mulder?" Skinner had been enjoying watching Jess and Mulder go at it. There was a relaxed familiarness between the two of them that put Mulder more at ease than Skinner had ever seen. Scully was very calm also. Odd, that, he thought. If a woman with a past with Mulder, or one who was thinking about a future with him, was around, Scully got possessive very quickly. Mulder leaned towards Jess. "Don't look now, but Colton just walked in with someone." "Well, he broke the date with me because his mom was in town." Jess turned to look. "Although if *she's* his mother, my hat's off to her plastic surgeon." Skinner turned in his chair. Agent Colton was being sat at a table on the other side of the room. His "mother" was a twenty something leggy blonde with a low cut blouse and a high cut skirt. Mulder, who never like Colton to begin with, looked irate. Scully looked embarrassed by her former partner's actions. She also looked concerned for Jess and worried about Mulder. "Don't even think about going over there, Mulder." Jess sat drumming her fingers, contemplating something. "Yeah, don't go. I want first crack at him. Besides Mulder," an impish look was glowing in her eyes, "sometimes the best revenge doesn't involve direct physical violence. Watch and learn." Reaching up to dishevel her hair, she turned to Mrs. Skinner. "May I borrow your wedding ring?" Colton sat at the table with his date, Laura. Things were going very well. Much better than if I had gone out with Spooky's ex. She wasn't as witty as Jessica seemed, hell, she wasn't as bright as Jessica. But it looked like he could get Laura to say 'yes' much easier than he could have Jess. "So, Tom, what would you like to do after dinner? Maybe stop back at my place for a drink?" Laura leaned forward, showing off more of her cleavage. Colton, eyes glued to her chest, licked his lips and was about to respond when another voice interrupted. "Honey, what are you doing here? It's been three days this time, Tom. I've been *so* worried." The blood drained from Colton's face, and other body parts as well. He turned to see Jess staring at him, tears in her eyes. The light glinted off the wedding band on her hand as she wrung them nervously. "Who is this? You didn't tell me you were married." His date sounded put out. Colton stared darkly at Jess. "I'm not." "Tom, don't say that, sweetheart!" Jess cried out. "We can work it out. And little Tommy and Amy keep asking when daddy will be back." "Kids? You have *kids*?" Laura had heard enough. "I'm leaving, you creep!" "Laura, wait!" Colton stood up trying to stop Laura. No luck. She stormed out. Jess, meantime, had covered her face with her hands. She was shaking with what looked like sobs of sorrow, but was actually hysterical laughter. Colton spun around to face her. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" he ground out through clenched teeth. "No, just what the hell do you think *you're* doing?" Mulder, having decided to get into the act, was now stepping up beside Jess, putting an arm around her comfortingly. "Here you have a beautiful wife, a loving family, and you are running around with some bimbo who's IQ is smaller than her bra size." Jess was leaning into Mulder for support. Now she was really losing control. "C'mon, let's sit you down and dry your eyes away from that jerk." He was leading her off. "You could do *much* better than him." He was sitting her down at a table where... Oh shit! Scully and AD Skinner were watching the whole thing. Colton turned bright red and left the restaurant. "Jessica, that was very immature of you," Scully scolded. She passed the ring back to Mrs. Skinner. "I know, but it was fun. Besides, don't worry about it. I'm used to rotten luck when it comes to men." Mulder got a closed off look. "Are you implying something?" It took Jess a moment to register what he said. "Oh no. No, no, no," she said shaking her head. "I was referring to the first guy I kissed. He gave me mononucleosis." She ran her fingers through her short hair. "And then there was Jake, of course. But you, nah." That clinched Skinner's suspicions. "I take it that the rumors about the two of you are true." Jess didn't miss a beat. "Which ones? I started three myself." "The ones about you and Mulder having an affair." "Had an affair," Mulder corrected. "And that was over ten years ago." "Try twelve." Jess snorted. "We were young and stupid. Things have changed a lot since then." Mulder took the opening she left. "Yeah, you're older." "Mulder, bite me." "And then you told him what?" Krycek was laughing uncontrollably. "Something about 'our kids' asking for daddy. His date flounced out." Jess was still snickering from the memory. "Then my friend came over and read him the riot act for 'walking out on me'." "That's too funny." He reached out to stroke Jess's hair. "How could someone be so stupid as to walk out on you?" "Seems like there are a lot of stupid men out there." "I'm not one of them." Krycek lifted her wrist to his lips. Jess shuddered in pleasure. I want you *sooooo* badly. "I hope not." She pulled his head to hers, kissing his forehead. I've got to have her. Krycek flipped around so he was kneeling in front of Jess. He eased in between her legs, spreading them, but not touching any higher than her knees. Jess slid forward, kissing him feverently. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her weight against him. That was too much for Krycek to bear. He leaned backwards to the floor, taking him her with him. He pushed her backso that she was straddling his hips instead of his waist. He looked up at her. She was looking down at him, lips parted, eyes full of dark fire. She leaned down to brush his cheek with hers. Krycek moaned softly. She brushed against his other cheek. She then settled her weight back onto her hips, and his. She sighed at the feel of the hardness beneath her. "So beautiful. Oh God, so beautiful," he whispered. He slowly started to press upwards with his hips. His hands clamped onto her waist, holding her firmly against him. He needn't have worried. Instead of pulling away, Jess ground into him. She lowered her chest against him, kissing his throat. Her hands started to wander over his sides, slipping underneath to caress the small of his back. "Jessica," he breathed. He started pulling her shirt out from under her jeans. A ringing sound filled the air. Shit! Not now! Jess thought desperately. She lifted up, a disappointed look in her eyes. "I'm sorry." "Not your fault." Krycek cupped her cheek. "Go on, get it." Jess kissed him lightly. She eased off him, prolonging contact as long as she could. As she moved off to answer the phone, Krycek picked himself up off the floor. Hell, what were you about to do? Sex was not a problem, but a relationship would be. And this time, he didn't think he'd be able to separate the two. And I really don't care. I want to be with her more than anything I've ever wanted before. "Sorry about that." Jess returned. She put her arms around his waist. "Just my friend, calling to ask about going to lunch tomorrow." She hesitated. "Um, Alex, I'm not sure we should pick up where we left off." But I want to. Oh God, do I *want* to. No! Please! I don't care if it's the wrong thing to do. "I think you may be right." He pulled her head against his chest, cradling it. "Then you better go." The regret in her voice was real. But I don't want you to leave. Stay, please! Krycek nodded. He kissed her softly and then crossed the room. At the door, he looked back hesitating. "Talk to you tomorrow?" Jess was standing there, biting her lip, trying to keep from crying. She nodded slightly. He looked down, and then let himself out. What have I just done? Jess despaired. She shut off the lamp and went into the bedroom. Not bothering to undress, she threw herself on the bed and cried herself to sleep. Jess sat in her hotel room alone the next morning. God, Scully and Mulder are damn lucky to have each other. She had spent most of her life alone. She had never thought about having a long term intimate relationship with a human. For that fact, she hadn't thought of having a short term relationship either. Hell, what am I doing? Jess thought miserably. I shouldn't be involved with Alex. He's either going to think I'm crazy, or freak out. Hell, *Mulder* couldn't handle it, how could I expect him to? What was I thinking? There was a knock on the door. "Jess, it's Mulder, and I'm sober." Jess answered the door. "That's a shocker. What are you doing here? New info?" "No, just wanted to talk." Mulder sat on one end of the couch. "It's been a while since it's been just us. So, how are you doing?" Why the hell not talk to him about it? "I'm struggling with something. I've started dating someone, casually I thought." Mulder leaned back, a little surprised. "You, dating? There must be a God." "Stop that!" Jess threw a pillow at him in annoyance. "I'm serious here." "Okay, I'll behave." "Promises, promises." Jess shook her head. "When I started, I said that it was just for fun. But I'm developing strong feelings for this guy." "Have you acted on those feelings?" Mulder was curious. Jess had learned to keep a tight rein on her emotions, and she wasn't impulsive. But she sounded truly rattled. "No, but came too damn close last night. If you hadn't called... ." Jess shook her head. "I really don't know what to do. I can't tell him what I am." "Are you sure about that, blood thirsty hell beast?" Mulder ducked another pillow flying in his direction. "No, I'm serious. Jess, you don't have to tell him. I mean you've been here what, a week? Things can't be that far along. How much does he know about you?" "That I'm in town helping you, that I was abused by Jake, and some stuff about my family. Aside from that, nothing much." "So why are you panicking? It's not like the two of you are engaged or have made any type of serious commitment." "Mulder, you don't understand." Jess sighed. "I haven't been attracted slightly to any men since you. And I am *strongly* attracted to him." Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Are you trying to tell me you're a lesbian or did I spoil it for you being with other men?" "No, I'm not gay and don't flatter yourself." Jess laced her fingers and rested her chin on them. "I think it has something more to do with being a werewolf than having been abused." Mulder thought about that for a moment. "Jess, let me get this straight. You haven't been interested in dating. You arrive here, where we think there is a werewolf roaming, and you start getting urges you haven't had since before your transformation. You don't think that this guy is the person we're looking for?" "I don't know, Mulder." "So, do a mind probe." "It's not that simple," Jess growled through clenched teeth. "I can't probe for information. I just pick up on what the person is thinking about. Unless he happens to be thinking that he's a werewolf, I can't tell. And I'm not going to run a twenty four hour mind scan for the three seconds that he might be thinking about lycanthropy. And besides," she bowed her head. "If I do scan him and learn something, I might accidentally let it slip. How do I explain that?" "That's a hard one, Jess." Mulder sounded sympathetic. "Anyway, I'm unsettled to begin with. Full moon's tonight, and I'm always antsy until I go out for a run." "In that case, I'll leave you alone." Mulder got up to leave. "Just be careful." Jess gave him a toothy grin. "I will be." Shit! I did it again. The full moon had been too much to resist. Out causing mayhem as a wolf, back in the room as a remorseful human. Vague remembrances of bloody violence danced in his mind. He put his hands to his head to try to shut out the screams of his victims past and present. Damn it to hell, I thought I could control this! And what happens if you're with *her* one full moon night? He couldn't shake the image. Him on top, and deep inside, of his lover. The sudden pain of transformation ripping to shreds the pure pleasure he was feeling. Her cries of ecstasy changing to screams of horror in a heartbeat. The look of pure terror in her beautiful brown eyes as his fangs closed on Jess's ivory throat. Oh God! No! Krycek thought. That does it. I can't let that happen to her. I'd never forgive myself. He was going to call off the relationship, no matter how much it hurt. He couldn't risk killing, or even wounding, the first person who loved him unconditionally. True, Jess hadn't said it aloud, but her actions spoke loud enough for him. Gotta stop thinking about this. He grabbed the bottle of vodka he had bought earlier in the day, just for this occasion. Getting drunk and passing out was the only way he knew to shut out the images and the voices. It's gonna be lonely without Jess, he thought as he popped open the long neck bottle. A lone tear, first of many, slid down his cheek as he threw his head back and took his first swallow. The creature had shadowed Jess back to the hotel. For someone with exceptional mind powers, she sure is dense. But then she hasn't had any training. And I'd enjoy training her in several things. The male grinned wolfishly. When he first caught her scent, it drove him wild. Here was a strong, and strong willed, bitch. The others at the lab had become too submissive. He wanted a challenge. He wanted her. The thought of her under him almost distracted him from his mission - to hunt down Krycek. The damned traitor had killed a guard and disabled his implant and escaped. Exactly how it wasn't known. The tracking devices were supposed to be foolproof. That would be a trick worth knowing. Be nice to slip out whenever I want to. But first I'll have to find him. He looked at the woman stepping through the doorway. Soon, my dear. Soon. But for the moment, he needed to find another target to vent his urges on. Jess was returning from a midnight run as a wolf. The full moon had been impossible to resist. She hadn't killed, just stretched her four legs and gloried in the senses of the predator she could become at will. She walked into her room and checked for messages. Nothing. That's odd. I should have heard something from Alex by now unless I'm getting the brush off. Jess decided to walk by his room and see if he was awake. There was a light coming from under the door to his room. Jess knocked at the door. "Alex? You in there?" She heard someone moving clumsily around inside. She pushed at the unlocked door and stepped through it. Krycek sat on the couch. "Jess? Whacha doin' h're?" He looked at her through unfocused eyes, red from crying. Jess surveyed the scene. A bottle of vodka, half empty, sat on the table. That was more than enough to clue her into what had happened. "I haven't heard from you at all today. I was worried," she paused, trying to judge exactly how drunk he was. "Alex, what's wrong?" "Done awf'l th'ngs. Doan't deserv' forg'v'n'ss. Luv you, but doan't deserv' to be luved.." "Oh Alex," Jess whispered, stunned. To hell with it. I don't care anymore. She dropped onto the couch beside him, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you too. I don't care what you've done." "Wha?" Krycek blinked. Did I just hear right? She took his head in her hands. "I love you. But we can't talk about this while you're like this." She stood back up, tugging him with her. "C'mon, let's get you into bed so you can sleep it off." Krycek woke up, abruptly alert. His time on the run had turned him into a light sleeper. God, what a headache! He recognized that he was in his bed. How the hell did I end up here? I thought I was on the couch... oh shit! He remembered Jess showing up and thought he remembered saying he loved her. Stupid, stupid, *stupid*. She could *never* return those feelings. Musta hallucinated her reaction. He tried to get up, but was hampered by a weight around his midriff. He rolled over gently, hoping against hope. The lovely arm that was thrown around him did belong to Jess. Still dressed, like himself, she was stretched out beside him asleep. Then last night did happen. He softly traced his fingers over her cheek and lips. Jess stirred lightly under his touch. Those luminous dark eyes opened. "Morning, Alex," she said, kissing his fingers lightly. "Morning, Jess," he said shyly. "Still here?" "I didn't think it would be good for you to wake up alone. And I couldn't make myself leave. So technically, we've slept together." She rolled onto her back. "Do you want to talk about last night?" Jess's voice wasn't demanding, just offering. "I don't know where to start." He reached for her hand. His fingers interlaced with hers. "How about with 'I love you'? Unless it was the booze talking and not your heart." He heard the uncertainty in her voice. "It wasn't the booze." He shifted, laying half on, half off her. "I love you with all the heart I thought I didn't have." I won't hurt her. I won't let anyone hurt her. I won't allow it to happen. "Alex, I don't know what you did," she said, looking deep into his eyes. "And I don't really care. I've done some awful things too. All I care about is the fact that you love me and I love you." She pulled his head to hers and kissed him slowly. This kiss was different from their previous ones. It was bonding them closer emotionally and hinting at the delicate passion and pleasure awaiting them. Jess smiled at him when the kiss ended. She started to lightly massage his shoulders. "So, how's your hangover?" "I'm not nauseous, thank God for small favors. But I do have a horrible headache," Krycek winced, playing for sympathy. Jess nodded. "You know," she said, drawing her fingers down his spine. "I heard somewhere that sex is supposed to be a cure for headaches. Interested in testing that theory?" He grinned. "You know, I always hated doing research in school. But in this case...." He pressed himself down on her, kissing her feverishly. "Alex," Jess growled low. He ripped off their shirts. Krycek, straddling one thigh, was kissing and nipping her exposed flesh. Panting, he fumbled with the catch on her bra. Jess pushed him back so she could look in his eyes, fear and desire spilling from hers. "I have scars, Alex." Krycek responded by leaning down and capturing her mouth. He closed his eyes and slid his tongue between her lips. While he was pleasuring her, his hands moved to Jess's back, undoing her bra. He slid the lace and elastic away from her body. The scars she had told him about had faded with age and weren't that noticeable. Slicking her skin with the tip of his tongue, Krycek moved from her lips down her chin and neck to stop her left breast. Jess's hands traced his chest, caressing each nipple before sliding down his abdomen. They stopped at his fly to tease it open. She stroked him lightly through his cotton briefs, swirling her finger just below the damp spot that appeared. He moaned at the gentle contact. "Jessica," he breathed. Before she could start any serious touching, he pulled her arms above her head, pinning her there. Bending low over her, Krycek slowly started thrusting against her hips. The pager in Jess's pocket, set to vibrate, went off. So did Krycek. "Oh shit!" he yelled, collapsing onto Jess, breathing hard. Then he rolled off of her and onto his side, refusing to face her. "What's wro... oh." Jess said as she reset her pager. "It's okay, not your fault. You were just a little... overstimulated." She put an arm over his chest, spooning into him. "Please, don't pull away from me." Did I just hear right? Krycek rolled over to face her. "You don't blame me?" he croaked. The last time he had been with a woman, he came prematurely then also. His partner's complaints and insults had been loud and long. "No, I don't," Jess reassured. She gently stroked his cheek. "We were excited, it's been a while for both of us, and," she shrugged her shoulders, "these things happen. And if it's a regular problem, we'll work through it." She kissed him lightly on the lips. "Why don't you go clean up while I see who paged." Krycek returned the kiss gently. "What did I do to deserve you?" "Funny, I'm asking myself the same thing," Jess said as she got out of the bed. "Mind if I use the phone?" "Go ahead. I think I need a shower. Feel free to join me, but I'm not certain anything will happen." Krycek was still waiting for Jess to belittle him. "Would you stop being so hard on yourself?" Krycek winced again. This time it wasn't a play for sympathy. Did I just say 'hard on'? Open mouth, insert foot, Jess sighed. She crossed the room and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Sorry, poor choice of words." She leaned against him. "I don't know who hurt you, but I'm not like that. So stop setting yourself up. I'm not gonna intentionally cause you pain." Krycek rested his head against her bare shoulder. Jess wrapped her arms his neck. He started to tremble. She gently rocked side to side. "I wish you could trust me more," Jess whispered. His arms wrapped desperately around her waist. "Jess, if I told you some of the things I've done, you'd hate me afterwards." Krycek's voice broke in a sob. "I can't risk losing you." Jess's pager, now set to audio, went off again. "Damn electronic leash," she murmured. One hand slid from his neck down and around his back and side to her waist and shut off the intruding noise. "Listen, go take your shower. I'll check my voice mail and then we'll get some breakfast and talk." Krycek slowly disentangled himself from Jess's embrace. If things were only that easy. "Okay. Give me about ten minutes." He stepped into the bathroom. Jess sighed as she pulled her clothes back on. Whoever called me, I'm going to kill them. She picked up the phone. "Jess, it's Mulder," came the recorded message. "There was another murder last night. Call back and we'll get you into the crime scene." Damn! Of all the rotten luck. Jess slammed the receiver down. She'd have to go, because it would be another month before she could possibly pick up the killers scent if she didn't. "Alex?" she called stepping into the humidity of the bathroom. Krycek poked his head out of the shower. "Something wrong, Jess?" "I'm sorry, hon, but I've got to go." Jess sounded apologetic. "It's an emergency." "Okay..." Yeah, right. You've changed your mind about sleeping with me. "Whatever you say." The hurt in his voice was unmistakable. God! He doesn't believe me. What am I supposed to do now? Tell him the whole truth? "Alex, we will talk about what's happening later. The reason I have to go now is that there's been a murder. I have certain, um, talents that my friend wants me to use, but I have to see the corpse where it was found in order to get the best results." That sounds really lame. Why didn't you say 'I have to smell the ground and see if I can catch the other werewolf's scent.' That sounds more believable. "Right." The one word came out with a harder edge than he intended. His head withdrew back into the shower. Jess's shoulders slumped. "I'll call when I get back." She left the bathroom. A few moments later he heard the soft click of the outer door closing. Hell! What did I just do? Krycek hit his head against the slick tile. She tried to explain why, and I just drove her away like a spoiled brat. Idiot! he berated himself. "Come back, Jess," he whispered. "I'm sorry and I will make it up." Scully watched Jess out of the corner of her eye as she drove. Jess had been very quiet and introspective since she got into the car. No cracks about Mulder, no comments about her interrupted sleep. Scully's curiousity finally got the better of her. "Jess, what's wrong?" "Huh?" Jess said. She turned her head from the window it had been resting against as she absently watched the scenery scroll by. "I said 'What's wrong?' You've been too quiet since I picked you up from the hotel." Jess smiled ruefully. "Is it that obvious?" "Yes." "Okay, I'll spill my guts. But you'll probably wish I hadn't when you here about this." Scully grinned. "If I can handle Mulder's psychoses, I'm sure I can handle someone's who is under the delusion that she's a werewolf." Jess chuckled a little. "Still don't believe me?" "Not one bit." "Okay, fair enough." Jess paused, putting her thoughts in order. "Shortly after I came here, I met someone. We've spent a lot of time together the last few days." Scully nodded. "Mulder mentioned that you were seeing someone." "Well, things took a serious turn last night. While he was drunk, he told me that he loved me." "So what happened?" "Basically the same thing that happened the night Mulder showed up at my place drunk. I put him to bed. However, I fell asleep beside him." "And when he woke up you were still there." "Yup. This is where things get complicated." Jess stopped for a moment. "When we both woke up, we started to talk about what he said last night. And I also had realized during the night that I loved him too, and told him." "And so you two took the next step." "Tried to." Jess sounded faintly embarrassed. "This is one of those things that, if we end up together, we'll probably howl over. Mulder paged me about this murder. I usually keep my pager, which was in my pocket, set to vibrate and... ." She trailed off. And started to giggle. Scully started to giggle too. "You don't mean... ." "Exactly. And he feels that it was his fault. So I tried to explain to him that I understood." "But he didn't understand why you had to leave." "That's it in a nutshell." Jess sighed again. "Dana, what am I going to do?" "First of all, Jess, keep calling me Dana instead of Scully. Most of my friends do." "Sorry, I, uh, didn't want to presume anything." "That's okay. And second, I don't think there is anything you can do about, what *is* his name?" "Alex." "Alex's attitude. If he really loves you, he'll come around." Mulder surveyed the scene dispassionately. If this doesn't convince Jess, nothing will. The blue sedan pulled up. Scully and Jess got out. Scully flashed her id to the police guarding the scene and ushered Jess past the barrier. Scully had slipped into her cool clinical mode. "What do we have, Mulder?" "Caucasian female, early 20's. Was out jogging and... ." They all looked at the corpse with its throat torn out. Jess, on the other hand, was anything but cool. She was scanning the ground, the bushes, the corpse, her eyes restlessly devouring the crime scene. A scent hit her as the breeze shifted. Yes. We have werewolf. She was edgily shifting her weight, trying to decide which direction to move. "Now *this* definitely feels familiar. Any animal tracks?" Mulder pointed to the other side of the body. Jess skittered around to get a better view. He couldn't keep some vindication out of his voice. "This indicates that there is a werewolf involved." "Try a pit bull. Here's the collar." Scully pointed out the broken leather strap with the id tag still attached. "The dog turned on his master." "Yeah," Jess called back to her. She was standing on top of the embankment. "But usually a dog doesn't snap its neck out of remorse." Scully and Mulder moved over to where Jess was standing. Hidden by the embankment was the corpse of a large dog. Its head was turned in an unnatural angle. In addition to the throat wound, three of its legs had been broken and deep gashes covered its side and shoulders. And a second pair of even larger animal tracks lead away from the body. "Exactly what I did to Rex," Jess muttered. "Wait a minute... ." She squinted at the corpse's hindquarters. "Mulder, is there any signs of sexual assault on the jogger?" "No." Mulder wasn't sure where she was going with this. "Well there was an assault committed, just not on the expected victim. Is that what I think it is, Dana?" Her nose wrinkled. Scully had moved in to get a better look. "It does look like semen." "Ten to one it's canine," Mulder said. He looked disgusted also. "Five to one it's human," Jess retorted. I hope. Scully interrupted their argument. "We'll know when we get a sample." Mulder and Jess both looked up. "We?" they said simultaneously. Jess returned to the hotel. She asked at the desk if she had any messages. Nothing. Okay. Jess didn't want to go back to her room. After all the emotional roller coaster she had been on, she didn't want to lock herself away. Maybe I'll walk to the bookstore. Get something sci-fi to distract me and go read in a park. She walked out of the lobby. The black man put down the newspaper he was reading. He looked over to the clerk behind the check-in counter. At the clerk's nod, he got up and followed Jess down the street. He quickly caught up to her. "Miss Jessica Leahs." A statement, not a question. Jess immediately stiffened, but kept walking. "Who wants to know?" Jess glanced sidelong at the man in the trench coat walking beside her. "You should choose your associates more carefully." Again a statement, not a threat. Jess stopped and looked darkly at him. Caution, girl. Step lightly. "I'm not use to total strangers coming up to me on the street telling me who I can and cannot see." "That wasn't an order, Miss Leahs. Just a suggestion, for your safety." The man brushed past her. Jess stood there and watched the man disappear into the crowd waiting at the corner for the bus. So much for going to the bookstore. She switched directions and headed to the nearest pay phone. "And then what did he say?" Mulder leaned forward, intent on Jess's story. "Nothing, just walked off and got lost in the crowd." Jess leaned against the edge of his messy desk. "Then I called you." Scully, standing in the doorway to Mulder's apartment, watched Jess and Mulder talking. Neither of them had noticed her yet. They act more like brother and sister than ex-lovers. The only time Jess had asked Mulder to act on the past that they shared was to save her, and her little girl's, life. Otherwise, she never brought it up, unless it was to gently tease him when it was just the three of them around. Maybe that's why she never felt threatened by Jess's existence in his, no make that their, life. Mulder broke into a smile when he saw her standing there. "Hello, beautiful." Despite Jess's presence, he kissed her long and deep. Jess watched Scully's reaction turn from annoyance to arousal as Mulder kissed her. They really do love each other. I want that for me and Alex. "Ahem, ahem, ahem, third person in the room," she coughed. The kiss broke, but not the embrace. "You obviously don't know about his video collection, Jess," Scully laughed. "That's more likely to turn him on more than discourage him." Jess laughed as Mulder turned red. "I'm going to get you later for that," he murmured to Scully. "I'm looking forward to it," Scully countered. "Yo, we've got some business to attend to." Jess didn't want anymore information about their sex life than she already had. "I was warned by a stranger to 'choose your associates more carefully.'" That caught Scully's attention. "Any idea who?" Jess shook her head. Mulder started to speak. "The only thing I can come up with is that we're getting too close to whoever is causing these murders and they are trying to scare you off, Jess." "Mulder, that doesn't make any sense." Scully's voice of reason found the obvious hole in Mulder's idea. "We don't even have a motive yet, let alone a suspect." "There is a way to find out," Mulder said. He picked up a roll of masking tape and placed an 'X' prominently in the window. "Jess, you might as well go back to your place. It may be a while before we have an answer." "I do have one answer." Scully looked serious. "The DNA analysis came back on the semen samples found at the scene. It's not human. The closest thing it resembles is a dog... or a wolf." Jessica returned to her suite, not in a good mood. Krycek's attitude at her leaving, and the following silence really hurt deep. Mulder being right didn't make things easier for Jess's peace of mind. And the stranger's warning didn't help any either. Too many things happening at once. All she wanted to do was grab some leftover takeout, let Alex know she was back if he's speaking to me, and get some sleep. There was a flickering light under her door. Jess stiffened and pushed the door open cautiously. She then relaxed when the scent of her "intruder" hit her. How did he... damn. I forgot I gave him the extra key. Soft candle light filled the room. A dozen long stem roses graced the coffee table. And Krycek stood in the doorway to the bedroom, smiling shyly. "It's about time you got back. The lasagna is getting cold." Jess stood there with her mouth open. "Wha.... what is all this?" She gestured around the room. Krycek crossed over to hold her. "It's my way of saying I'm sorry about this morning." Here we go again. "I thought I told you that wasn't your fault." "No, I'm not talking about my 'accident'." Krycek tilted her head back, looking into her eyes. "I'm talking about my attitude. You were trying to help, and I was being a brat." She melted against him. "Alex, it's okay." "No it's not. And I want to make up for it. Tonight, if you'll let me." Jess leaned her head against his chest. She could feel the pounding of his heart, as well as her own. "Of course, I'll let you. I just wasn't expecting anything so romantic." She looked up at him. "I love you, Alex." He brushed his nose against her hair. God! What was I thinking this morning when I pushed her away? "I love you, Jessica. Now, let's eat before the lasagna gets colder." Four beings waited in the parked car. Three of them, one in the front seat, two in the back, were human. The fourth one in the front passenger seat could easily pass for human. "He's late," the not-quite-human one growled softly. "Patience," the man in the driver's seat. "You must learn better control." The man sitting in the back besides the bodyguard lit a cigarette. "I can control the Change the best of any of us at the lab. And do you have to smoke that in here?" Arrogance and annoyance crept into the deeply snarled words. He glared back into the rear of the car. The bodyguard pulled a gun loaded with silver tipped bullets. He pointed it at the head of the thing sitting in front of him. Cancerman's response was a grim smile. Looking into the werewolf's eyes, he deliberately took a deep drag off the cigarette. He exhaled. The werewolf coughed and backed down. The bodyguard lowered the gun. "That is exactly what I'm talking about," the driver/trainer said. "You forget your place too easily. Just because you are the alpha male does not mean you can throw your weight..." He fell silent as the rear passenger door opened. Mr. X got into the car. "She's been warned." "Excellent," Cancerman said. "Has he been located as of yet?" "Yes. He is staying in the same building she is. They appear to be involved, but do not know about each other's ability." "That could be a complication." "Give me the word, and I'll drag them both here by the scruff of their necks" The werewolf leered into the back seat. "But give me fifteen minutes alone with the bitch, first. She'll have forgotten him by the time I finish with her." "Not yet." Cancerman paused, considering the options. "She has made certain allies and it would be unwise to move against her." He put out the smoldering stub in the ashtray. "And Krycek?" The werewolf had an unholy gleam in his eyes. "What about him?" Cancerman lit another cigarette. "He will be dealt with shortly." After dinner, Krycek gently led Jess to the bedroom. It was also softly lit by candles. On the bed lay a red silken gown. "Why don't you go and change?" he asked softly, kissing her neck. "Of course," Jess said quietly. In contrast to her eagerness this morning, she seemed strangely reluctant. "Although it's a waste of time. You'll have me undressed in about five minutes." "Who said that I'll be that quick?" His hands slid up and down her sides. "Go on, I want to see how it fits." "Um, Alex, I... ah, haven't done anything like this before." Jess's quiet voice was full of uncertainly. "Exactly what do you mean?" Krycek sounded confused. "I know you're not a virgin." "How to put this... ." Jess looked at him shyly. "I've never been, ah, romantically seduced. It was either the rough sex with the abusive boyfriend, or it was the swept away emotionally, impulsive sex." Krycek held her close. "I think I understand." His lips brushed her ear. She's more fragile than she lets on. "No you don't." Jess looked scared. "There are things about me that you don't know. Things that could change how you feel about me in a heartbeat." Krycek stroked her hair. She's just as terrified of this as I am. "Jess, what did you say this morning? 'I don't know what you did, and I don't really care.' That is how I feel about you. We can talk about it in the morning. But tonight I want to spend in your arms. I love you, and I want to take you, but only if you want me." "I do want you, desperately. Just give me a few moments to work up my courage," Jess trembled in his arms. "It's okay. I didn't think this would freak you out so much. You were so confident this morning." Jess laughed weakly. "I'm used to dealing with spur of the moment things. However this... ." She gestured weakly at the whole setup. "We don't have to, if this is too much... ." "No," Jess whispered softly. "I want to. Give me five minutes." Jess kissed him lightly. "Take your time." Krycek returned the kiss gently. Gown in hand, Jess slowly walked to the bathroom. She looked back at him. The love and acceptance in his eyes almost broke her heart. She slipped out of sight. Oh God. We're actually going to do it. His heart pounded in his ears as he stripped down to the matching silk boxers he had purchased at the same time. Making sure that a handful of condoms were in easy reach, he lay down on the bed, waiting. He was getting stiff just thinking about what was going to happen. Jess meantime was also changing. She slipped the gown on, which fell to mid thigh. He did make a good choice. The deep red did compliment her pale skin and dark hair beautifully. Am I ready for this? she thought. I haven't been with anyone since Mulder, and I've known Alex for less than a month. Her heart gave a twinge at the thought of stopping. I may not be ready for this, but I sure as hell want it. But I'm not going to make the same mistake. I'm going to tell him. Tomorrow. "Ready, Alex?" She couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice. "Ready," came the soft reply. Jess took a deep breath and stepped into the bedroom. "Oh. My. God," Krycek breathed. She had been beautiful dressed in her usual jeans and t-shirt. Now she looked truly devastating. The shimmering fabric clung and draped to reveal the curvaceous figure she had but didn't flaunt. Jess couldn't tear her eyes from his form. Her breath quickened as she eyed his hardened nipples, his heaving chest, and the bulge in his boxers. She took a hesitant step forward. Krycek got up and went to her. He pulled her back to the bed, caressing her through the thin fabric. "I love you. I want you. I *need* you, Jess," he panted into her ear, and then sucked on her lobe. His hands slid up to her breasts. She didn't need to be encouraged. "I love and want and need you too, Alex," she whispered as she rubbed her body against his. Her hands wandered down his stomach and under the boxers. "Not yet, beautiful." Krycek gently pulled her hands away. "I don't want a repeat of this morning." His lips brushed against her ear. "Unless I'm inside of you." His words sent a shiver throughout her body. She pulled him tight against her and fell sideways onto the bed. Krycek immediatley rolled on top, and pressed his lips to hers. Her lips immediately parted, and he found his tongue plunging into her steamy interior. Jess's arm wrapped tighter around his waist. She tugged at Krycek until he rested his full weight on her body. Then her hand slipped to his bottom to squeeze and massage the muscle. "Oh Jess," Krycek gasped. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck to kiss and nip at her neck. As Jess continued her massage, he slipped the straps of her gown off her shoulders. His exploring lips moved to her shoulders and parted to taste her skin. Jess couldn't stand waiting anymore. She shoved with all her weight, rolling Krycek onto his back. She followed through, landing on top of him. I can't believe I'm about to do this. She sat up, straddling his thighs, and pulled the gown over her head. He was hung over and couldn't see clearly this morning, a snide little voice inside said. Be prepared to be shoved off the bed and watch him run away. Krycek sucked in his breath sharply. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. His hands started to reverently touch the body above him, brushing up her thighs and around to her back. Up to her shoulders and around front to cup her breasts. She shifted underneath his touch, self-concious of her scars. He sat up and brushed his lips against her hollow of her throat. Jess moaned. She took his head in her hands and gently guided him to her breast. Krycek took the erect nipple into his mouth eagerly, tugging gently. Jess gasped and pressed hard against his groin, amazed that he saw past her scars to the beauty within. He switched sides and began to suckle her other breast even harder. He laid back down, pulling her down with him. He urged onto her back with his hands. She made a desperate mewling sound as Krycek pulled away from her. It was almost torture for him not to be touching her. He slipped out of the silk boxers, springing to full length. Jess started to pant at the sight of his erection. God! He's *huge!* She reached out to fondle him. This time Krycek allowed her to touch him. He moaned as she probed the smooth head and the long shaft with her fingers. She then pulled him forward until his tip just brushed her lips. Hearing his gasp, she grew a bit bolder, and ran her tongue along the underside of his cock. Krycek pulled back from her touch, not wanting to come in her mouth this time. Breathing in ragged gasps, he grabbed a condom. Jess shivered as she heard the rip of the foil. Now sheathed in latex, he laid back down on her, letting his lips start at hers and roam downwards. Jess ran her hands up and down his spine. Again he was at her breasts, but now he decided to go lower. He ran his tongue side to side over her stomach, not going any further than her navel. He played with the dimpled depression, thrusting his tongue in and out, teasing her and himself. Jess took his head in her hands. She lifted his head to gaze into his eyes. He nodded at the unspoken question in her fiery eyes. Just because he didn't want oral sex their first time meant that she had to do without. She lowered his lips back to her skin and slowly eased his head further along her body. He slowly slid a hand along the inside of her thigh to slowly part her. She gasped and lifted up against the gentle contact. Her fingers clawed at his hair as she positioned his head between her legs. Krycek took that as permission granted. His tongue slowly began to lick the soft skin of her thighs. She moaned. Spreading her further, he began to explore her folds. His reward was a scream of pleasure. He found the center of her delight. He ran his tongue first over the sensitive knot of nerves and then into the source of her dampness. One hand reached up to rythmicly and gently squeeze her left breast. His tongue flicked between the two sensitive spots. Jess sobbed and shoved against the pressure he applied. Her rythmic thrusts got him even more excited. Unable to hold back, he pulled his head away and positioned his erection at her entrance. Jess spread her legs wider and pushed against him. He ever so slowly breached her body, trying to memorize the moment when he first felt his true love ensheath him. He gave a breathy moan once he was fully engulfed by her hot, tight wetness. "Jessicaaaaaa... ." Jess stared up at the handsome man above her. His back was arched forward, pressing himself as deeply into her as possible. His mouth had fallen open in a smile of pleasure/pain. He looked down at her, the dark fire blazing in his eyes mirrored in her own. "Oh God, Alex," she said, tears falling from her eyes. "I've forgotten how good it feels... ." He lowered himself against her. She clutched at him desperately and pressed upwards. Her moan of longing was echoed by his. He slowly started to thrust. Jess's hands were grasping at him. He could feel her body underneath him pressing upwards against his. Her lips were still exploring his face and neck. Jess pressed her mouth to his, kissing him frantically, fingers lacing into his hair. Krycek started to thrust faster and harder, unable to hold back anymore. His hands moved to her breasts, grabbing and releasing in time to his strokes. Jess came with a shuddering cry, almost convulsing against him, savoring the sensation. She was still shivering in the aftermath when Krycek came with a cry of his own. He sagged against her as he erupted into her. "Jess," he whispered as he kissed her neck lightly. He slowly, regretfully withdrew. "Alex," she breathed. She pulled him close after he disposed of the condom. She buried her forehead against his shoulder. "I love you," she whispered. "No matter what happens, no matter what you've done, I will always love you." Her eyes shut in drowsy contentment. Krycek gently nuzzled her ear. "I love you, too, Jessica. Nothing else matters but that." His eyes also shut. I'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Within minutes, they were both asleep, still holding to each other tightly. Mulder was curled around Scully's form. She was asleep in his arms, nestled against his chest. Normally, her presence was enough to settle him, but tonight he just couldn't get to sleep. Who warned Jess? And about what? Mulder mused. Scully's right, we're no where near solving this case. It just doesn't make any sense. He was just starting to drift off when there was a quiet knock on the door. Mulder disentangled himself from Scully. She stirred and opened her eyes. "What's happening?" she murmured sleepily. "Someone's at the door. Stay here." He got out of bed and reached for his gun. "Be careful," Scully whispered as he left their bedroom. She reached for her robe and her gun, in case she needed to back him up. The quiet knocking came again. Mulder edged to one side of the door. "Who is it?" He cocked the gun. "Mr. Mulder, I don't have times for these games." Mr. X sounded impatient. Mulder opened the door. He just wanted to get the info and then get X the hell away from here. "I want to know who threatened my friend, and why." "Mr. Mulder, no one threatened Miss Leahs. An unwise alliance she has made was pointed to her. And I think you'll find more interesting another bit of information I have." Mulder lost his temper. "I'm tired of being jerked around and fed scraps of information that suit your twisted game. Either tell me what I want to know or leave." He moved to slam the door. X didn't look impressed. "Alexander Krycek is back in town." Mulder froze mid movement. His eyes hardened. "Where do I find the son of a bitch?" "You know all you need to know for the moment." X turned and walked away. Knowing he wouldn't get anymore information, Mulder shut the door. Scully stepped out of the bedroom. "I heard every word, Mulder." Mulder clenched his jaw. She wanted to find Krycek badly, to punish him for being present when Melissa was killed. Almost as badly as he wanted to slit Krycek's throat for killing his father. "We don't need this now." "Do we ever need it?" Scully sounded tired. "Let's get back to sleep." She padded back into the bedroom. Mulder followed. "Why did he tell me about Krycek instead of Jess?" he wondered aloud. Scully yawned. "We'll worry about that in the morning. I'm to tired to think straight right now." She curled up and pulled the blankets back over her. Mulder felt himself slipping off as his head hit the pillow. There has to be a connection... . But the need for sleep overwhelmed him. He was unconscious before he completed the thought. Jess could feel herself pressed against someone's chest. It took her a few moments to remember exactly who. One eye slid open to drink in Krycek's form. She felt a shiver of delight as she watched his muscles ripple as he stretched, and yawned. "Morning, gorgeous." His hands stroked her back and bottom. He kissed her long and hard. "Morning, handsome," she managed to gasp when the kiss broke. She pulled his head back down and picked up where he left off. Krycek rolled Jess onto her back. He threw a leg over her midsection, straddling her, and started to massage her shoulders. His hands moved lower and he started to massage other parts of her body. Jess began to moan softly. She reached up to entangle her fingers in his hair and pull him down against her. Her tongue insistently probed his mouth. Their timing was horrible. Jess's pager, on the bedside table, started to beep, interrupting their foreplay. Krycek rolled his eyes and backed off. Jess sighed. "I'll get rid of them quickly.""I'm going to take a shower. Join me when you're done." He rolled o ut of the bed. Jess gave him a wicked smile. "And if I don't 'join' you in the shower, I'll be certain to the moment you get out." Krycek's inhaled sharply at the thought. "I'm going to hold you to that, Jess. You know that, don't you?" "And 'hold' me to something else, I hope." She reached for the pager as he went to the bathroom. Jess reached for the phone and dialed the number on her pager. "Scully," came the voice on the other end. "Hey Dana, this is Jess. You buzzed?" "Jess we have a new problem. Mulder and I need to talk to you right away, at the FBI office." "Okay. When do you want me there? I just woke up." "Let me pick you up around 10:30. That enough time?" Jess glanced at the clock. Nine fifty six. "Uh, okay. See you in a bit." "Jess," Krycek called. "I'm out, now. What to you want to eat?" He finished drying off. No answer. He padded out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Jess?" He saw the piece of paper laying across the pillows. Oh shit! She didn't have the guts to say 'goodbye and have a good life' to my face. With a trembling hand, he picked up the paper. "Dearest Alex - No, this isn't a 'Dear John' letter. Sorry to run off like this, but it's an emergency. Meeting a friend downstairs at 10:30. Details when I get back, not sure when that will be. Will call if it gets too late. I love you. Jessica." His body slumped in relief. Thank you, whoever's up there... Wait. I don't want her to think I'm mad at her about this. He looked at the clock. It was ten thirteen. If he hurried, he might be able to catch her. Krycek threw on his clothes and hurried downstairs. He had just stepped out of the elevator and into the crowded lobby when he spotted Jess talking to... Dana Scully?!?! Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Oh GOD! Oh GOD! OH GOD! He backpedaled into the elevator. Neither Jess nor Scully had spotted him. The doors slid shut. Alone, he slumped against the wall for support. He put a hand to his forehead in an attempt to clear his mind. Okay. She knows Scully. That means that she must know... oh shit! Mulder *must* be the ex-boyfriend she's here to help. But she doesn't have a clue as to who I am. The thought brought a wave of relief over him. Her actions had been so open, so honest, that he felt certain that it wasn't a ploy by either the Cigarette Smoking Man or Mulder and Scully to entrap him. I can't leave her. I love her, and I've got to protect her. If I play this carefully, she won't get hurt. The door to the elevator opened on his floor. All he wanted to do was to get to his room so he could change clothes and think over this new complication. How am I going to tell her? He wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings. He walked into the right hook. His head snapped back and it slammed against the closed doors. As he slid to the floor, fading into darkness, he heard one of the voices he never wanted to hear again. "Mr. Krycek, did you really think you could escape us so easily?" The smell of cigarette smoke assaulted his nostrils. He coughed weakly and lost the last grasp on consciousness. Jess sat in the basement office, waiting to find out why she was here. Scully had gone off in search of Mulder. It's a day too late for the werewolf to have attacked again. So she idly amused herself looking at the oddities Scully and Mulder had collected over the course of their cases. She looked up as Mulder and Scully entered the room. She changed her mind about the smart remark she was about to make when she saw the serious expressions on their faces. "What's wrong?" "Jess, we have a new problem. I want you to go after someone." She had never heard Mulder sound so serious or so hell bent on revenge. "Who is it and what has he done?" Scully stepped forward, also angry. "His name is Krycek. He killed Mulder's father and my sister Melissa." Jess's jaw clenched. "That makes it personal. Where do I find him?" "We don't know." Mulder's fist closed. "All we know is that he is in town, which can't be good news." "So I'll put our other hunt on hold. Do you have a picture?" "Yes." Scully leafed through the file she was carrying. "Here it is." She handed the eight by ten glossy to Jess. Jess glanced at the picture. She started and stared. Her eyes grew wide. "Oh shit. No!" The blood drained from her face. Tears started to fall. Mulder was surprised by her reaction. "You know him?" Jess bowed her head. "You could say that... ." Jess led Mulder and Scully into the hotel. "He's going to be in one of two places, his room or mine." Mulder nodded. "Let's check his first." They didn't have any FBI backup. As Jess had said earlier, this one was personal. They got into the room with the key Krycek had given Jess. However, someone had gotten there first. Everything had been turned inside out. "Damn." Mulder muttered. "Looks like someone else wants him just as bad." Jess hadn't said much since she had been told the whole story. She had just told Mulder that she and Krycek had been 'involved.' Scully had a guess as to how involved, but Mulder, as usual, didn't have a clue. "I guess my room is next." They went up to the next floor. Jess pulled out her key. "I can't do this." She handed the key to Mulder. Her room hadn't been touched. The half melted candles still sat in their holders scattered around the room. Jess sat on the couch as Scully and Mulder searched the room. Mulder stuck his head in the bedroom. He pulled it back out and looked at Jess. "You didn't. Tell me you didn't." Jess blushed and wouldn't look at him. She nodded once slightly. "Jessica." He sounded disappointed. "I can't believe you slept with him." "That is not important at the moment, Mr. Mulder." Mr. X stepped into the room. Jess stiffened. "You're the one who warned me, but you were warning me about Krycek, not Scully and Mulder." "And you chose to disregard that warning, Miss Leahs." X stepped further into the room. "Only because I didn't know." Jess stood up. "Where can I find him?" Jess paced forward. "If you know about me and Krycek, then you know what I am, and what I'm willing to do to get that information." "I'm well aware of your condition, Miss Leahs." "Where do we find Krycek?" Mulder repeated Jess's question. "That I cannot tell you. However I can suggest you search this location." He handed a slip of paper to Scully. Scully glanced at it. "I don't think we'll be interested in touring a genetic pharmaceutical company." "Things that go on in that lab shouldn't happen to a dog." Mulder caught the hint. "Or a wolf." "Exactly." Krycek could feel the steel handcuffs cutting off his circulation. He was sitting on a chair, but which direction was up was a mystery. "Wake up!" a voice hissed. Cold water splashed into his face, soaking his hair. He sputtered, coughed and managed to open his eyes. In front of him stood Cancerman, Alpha Wolf, and the Trainer. Scraps of their conversation floated towards him. "Are the others secured?" "Yes sir, with the exception of the Alpha Wolf and Krycek. We were waiting for the final decision." "Excellent. Now we just have one last piece of business to attend to." Cancerman lit another cigarette. A shrill siren filled the air. Alpha ran to the window. "They are sitting in a car outside," he said as he peered out. "Wait a moment, she's with them." The pure lust in his voice was evident. Krycek stared darkly at Alpha. "Oh I forget," Alpha looked back at Krycek, leering. "I have competition for the bitch's affection. Don't worry, when I take her, you can watch." "There is no time for that." Trainer sounded irritated. He turned to Cancerman. "Sir, I respectfully suggest that you let myself handle this situation." "Agreed. Do nothing to our 'guests.' However, Krycek must be terminated." Cancerman left the room. "Wait a moment." Alpha sounded worried. "I see a fourth person." Trainer moved to the window, shoving Alpha out of the way. "I don't see any... ." Alpha's arms moved almost too fast to track. He grabbed Trainer's neck and twisted. There was a quiet crack as the cervical vertebrae snapped. Alpha cast the body to one side. "You're next. But first," his voice grated against Krycek's ears, "I'm gonna have some fun with your girlfriend." He left the room, grinning lustfully. Krycek took a deep breath. With a slight effort, he broke the cuffs. I must be stronger than they realize. He searched the corpse for the keys to remove the bracelets. He also left the room. They sat parked in front of the building. The lab had a storage facility attached to it. Jess was all for searching it first. However Mulder and Scully overrode her. Getting into the lab itself wasn't as hard as it should have been. For it being a high security lab, it was ridiculously easy to override security. "Almost as if someone wants us to get in," Scully murmured ominously. They slowly explored the building. There were many cages for large animals, but all suspiciously empty. "Someone cleaned house," Mulder whispered. Jess had moved into the next room. "Check this out," her voiced echoed. Scully and Mulder stepped into a room filled with file cabinets. Jess was standing on tiptoe, rifling through one. "This one is the L's." She pulled out a bulky stack of papers and put them inside her shirt. "Mine," she said by way of explanation. She walked towards a stairway at the back of the room. Mulder and Scully checked the K's. There was a slim file marked "Krycek, A." followed by a recent date. "So that's how he got out of the silo," Scully whispered. Mulder nodded. "Makes sense. He's out of sight already, so why not use him for a test subject. Jess, what date is on your file? Jess?" Mulder turned around, only to see her disappear at the top of the stairs into a doorway. Mulder followed her up the stairs. He stopped at the top. A catwalk encircled the room. Inside were piles and piles of cardboard boxes. The perfect place for an ambush. He couldn't see Jess from his position. He started to circle the room. Jess meantime had descended from the catwalk. She moved through the maze of boxes slowly. She was dreading finding Alex. No. Think of him as Krycek, the monster who murdered Mulder's father and Scully's sister. Jess was having a difficult time. She wanted desperately to forget the emotions of past weeks and focus on the task at hand. She wanted to hate him for what he had done to her friends. It wasn't working. Every time she tried to visualize him hurting Mulder or Scully, instead she saw him with her. Talking. Smiling. Laughing. Kissing. Making love. Stop it! You won't be able to go through with it. Jess put her balled fists to her temples in an attempt to clear her mind. Concentrate on finding him. Worry about what happens next after it happens. She heard, or was allowed to hear, the soft scrape against the cement floor. Oh hell. There he is. It's come down to this. The sound had come from the other side of the boxes. She slowly started to edge around the cardboard mountain. The boxes exploded down onto her. Jess was knocked to the ground. Trying to bat the boxes aside, she rolled over and scrambled forward on all fours. A hand grabbed her ankle, yanking her backwards. "Oh no, bitch," a strange male voice said. "You're not going anywhere. Not until we've had some fun." A second hand clamped down on her inside thigh. The pressure on her ankle suddenly released, but before she could take advantage of it, a fist slammed into the side of her head. Jess collapsed onto the cement floor, hitting her head a second time. Stunned and in pain, she didn't resist as he flipped her over. One large hand pinned both her arms over her head. The other slid an iron bar underneath her wrists. With a casual strength, he bent the bar around, shackling her in place. One hand then moved to his pocket, pulling out a bandana. He gagged her with it. He leered at her. "So, here we are, just the two of us." His hand stroked her face. Jess shuddered in revulsion. "I'm not so bad. You weren't so fussy when it came to sleeping with Krycek." His hand wandered down to a breast and squeezed. "I know what you are," he whispered into her ear. "And I think you'll find sex with an alpha male much more satisfying than what you've had so far with that reject from the lab." Her eyes widened and she convulsed under him in a vain attempt to throw him off. Alpha grinned. "I'm not that easy to get rid of. And yes, he is a werewolf, just like me. I also know that you are too. I've been watching and wanting you for a *loooong* time." Grasping her breast tighter, his free hand moved to her fly, unzipping her slowly. Jess's scream was muffled by the gag. But it was still loud enough to summon help. "Get the hell away from her, bastard!" Krycek's scream of outrage echoed in Jess's ears. She saw a blur above her head and felt Alpha's weight disappear. She curled upright and shook her head, managing to clear it. The sight that met her eyes surprised her. Krycek, face twisted in rage, was bent over Alpha, repeatedly slamming his fist into the face of her attacker. Alpha sprawled, apparently unconscious from the beating. She tried to say his name, "Mmffhh?" Krycek turned to her, his expression softening. "Oh God, Jess. I didn't want you to get hurt." He knelt down beside her, tears falling from his eyes. Using his werewolf strength, he bent the bar back from her wrists, pulled the gag from her mouth, and put a hand gently to her bruised cheek. "Can you forgive me?" Mulder watched from his vantage point on the catwalk, gun drawn, trained on Krycek. He stiffened as Krycek moved towards Jess. If he so much as looks at her wrong, I'm going to blow his head off. Much to Mulder's disgust, Jess wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder. Neither of them were paying attention to... . "Jess! Look out!" Alpha, with a roar of outrage, pulled the two of them apart. "You, I'll deal with later," he growled, shoving Jess backwards. She landed on her side a few feet away. "And as for you," he said, turning to Krycek. A fist slammed into his face, knocking him unconscious. Alpha dropped him to the ground. Jess, still on the ground, wasn't about to give up without a fight. "Let him go, you son of a bitch!" she ground out through clenched teeth as she kicked with all her strength, connecting with the back of his knee. Alpha staggered forward, almost tripping over Krycek. "How *dare* you attack me, you little whore!" He kicked her viciously in the abdomen. Jess grunted, clutching at her stomach. He picked up Jess by the loose fabric of her shirt, jerking her off her feet. Mulder took aim. When Alpha moved towards Jess, he found he had the perfect clear shot at Krycek. All he had to do was pull the trigger... . And then Jess's words from earlier echoed in his head. "Besides Mulder, sometimes the best revenge doesn't involve direct physical violence." His eyes narrowed. He fired. Scully ran through the catwalk doorway only to see the brute holding Jess collapse, blood fountaining from a shoulder would. Jess picked herself up and staggered to an unconscious Krycek, sobbing hysterically. Mulder moved woodenly down the stairway towards them. "Mulder," she called. There's no telling what he'll do. Krycek has answers we need. And if he kills Krycek now, Jess will never forgive him. She followed him to the ground floor. Kneeling by a semi-concious Alpha, she cuffed him and then started to administer first aid. Krycek slowly regained his senses. He was aware of Jess crying near him. Her hands on his arm tightened. He shook his head and managed to open his eyes. Shit! This is it. Pucker up and kiss your ass goodbye. Mulder was standing over him, glaring. He was holding his gun loosely in one hand. "You've earned yourself a forty-eight hour head start. I suggest you use it before I change my mind." Jess's body slumped in relief. "Thank you, Mulder," she whispered. The realization that he wasn't going to die slowly dawned on Krycek. Mulder wasn't going to kill him, at least not at this moment. He looked to Jess. Tears were spilling from her eyes. "Go. Run," she whispered. "I love you." She closed her eyes, unable to watch him leave. Jess felt his breath tickle her ear. "I love you. I always will. Remember that." She felt the soft warmth of his lips brush hers. She heard the receding footsteps. She opened her eyes. No sign of Krycek. Just Mulder and Scully looking at her. She rolled onto her knees and cried into her hands. Two Days Later Jess sat on the bed packing the rest of her stuff. She mentally checked off her list. Clothes out of the closet, shampoo and makeup out of the bathroom. That just leaves the chest of drawers. She got up and slid the top drawer open. Damn! I thought I got rid of these. Her eyes teared up as she pulled out the red gown and boxers. She sat back down on the bed, still holding the clothing. I am not going to cry. I am not going to cry. I am not going to cry, Jess mentally chanted as the tears slipped through her tightly closed eyes. There was a knock on the door. Jess got up and stuffed the lingerie into her suitcase. Wiping her eyes, she answered the door. "Hi Dana, Mulder," she said dully. They stepped into the room. "Ready to go?" Mulder asked. "Yeah, let me shut my suitcase." Jess moved into the back room. Scully, followed by Mulder, went in after her. Scully caught a glimpse of red silk as Jess zipped the suitcase shut. "Keeping those?" "Yeah," a glimmer of her old sense of humor reappeared. "I'm planning to make a voodoo doll." Mulder smiled. "You're gonna be okay, hell beast. It will just take a while." "Sure don't feel like it now." "Give it time," Scully counseled. "You can't shut off your emotions at a moment's notice." "Sure wish I could," Jess said. "Don't we all," Mulder replied. "Jess, I'm going to ask you to do something. I'm not going to hold you to it, but I need to ask you to do it." Jess swallowed. "What?" I think I know what he wants me to do. "If Krycek contacts you, let me know." Shit! "I can't promise you that." Mulder looked disappointedly at her. "Okay," he said softly. Great Mulder. Make her feel worse. Scully stepped between them, shielding Jess. "Let's get you to the airport." "Okay," Jess sighed. "All I want to do is go home and forget." Krycek stood outside the airport terminal beside the chain link fence. Sometimes the best place to hide is right under your nose. He hadn't left Washington D.C. after saving Jess, just left his things at the hotel. The thought of Jess was painful. Oh God. I want to be with you so badly. But it was too soon. He wasn't certain that he was being watched and didn't want to endanger her anymore. Why did I have to fall in love with her? He had considering ending his life the first day after their separation. The only thing that gave him the strength to go on was her final whispered, "I love you." Krycek watched as the airplane took off, bound westward. She's on her way. He had followed her from a safe distance, not allowing himself to be seen, but close enough to protect her if she needed it. He grasped the fence, the mesh cutting painfully into his fingers Right now he had other pressing matters. He had to get some information, any information, that he could use to bribe Cancerman into protecting himself, and eventually his love. I will be with you soon, Jessica. I promise. But it will just take a while. This one started while I was in the middle of 'The Vampire Lestat.' I was facinated by the notion of the anti-hero. And I knew there was a history between Mulder and Jess that needed to be explored. ** Loup Garou II - The Becoming Jess and Krycek laid in bed together, asleep in each others arms. Swept away by their emotions, they had pleasured each other until they were both too exhausted to move. Krycek woke up first. One eye slid open to take in the setting sun. Then the second one opened so he could focus on the beautiful woman in his arms. As screwed up as my life is, how did I manage to end up with someone so wonderful? He tenderly brushed her bangs back from her eyes. Jess stirred lightly from his caress. Her eyes blinked open to see Krycek smiling at her. She reached up to stroke his cheek with the back of her fingers. Neither of them wanted to break the spell they were under. Afraid to speak, Jess settled for actions to express herself. She pulled his head to hers and kissed him passionately. Krycek sighed and rolled onto his back. He pulled her on top of him. Grinning, he grabbed a condom and raised his eyebrows. Jess grinned and let her hands and lips start to roam. Krycek also explored her tenderly. Aside from the occasional gasp as an extremely sensitive spot was probed, the love they made was silent and tender, each trying to express their feelings through the physical act. Jess and Krycek collapsed back into the bed, sated for the moment. Jess felt content, secure in the knowledge of Krycek's love. But she still felt something needed to be explained. "Do you still want to know how it happened?" Krycek nodded. He settled deeper into the pillows, keeping an arm around her shoulders. Jess nestled down beside Krycek. She put her head onto his chest. She quietly began to speak. I'm still not quite sure why I went into that second hand shop. I was just coming out of my bank and noticed the new store "Now and Forever Changed." Now normally I don't go to this type of store. If anything, I'll go to a second hand bookstore. Otherwise, I avoid those places like the plague. Dimly lit, it almost looked like an antique store. Only instead of old elegant pieces of furniture, there were mostly old bean bags, lava lamps, and scarred teak furniture. Clothes from the last four eras lined the walls. In one corner, by a register that looked older than I was, were a few shelves of ratty Harlequin novels, old college texts, outdated National Geographics and a glass case. I wandered over to the books, thinking You never know what you might find. I was right, but not the way I expected. I happened to glance into the case as I passed by, and stopped short. There, amid the cheap beaded necklaces was a ring. It was a wolf's head. The garnet eyes glared me out of the silver head, mouth wide open to expose long fangs. "Do you see anything that interests you?" a crackly voice asked behind me. I whirled around to see an old lady, with a case of osteoporosis that made my back hurt just looking at her, standing behind me. "Sorry," I sputtered, "I didn't hear you. And I am interested in that wolf ring." "Ah, yes, that ring," she said. Pulling it out, the wolf seemed to wink at me. "It's funny," the old lady said. "I mark all the incoming items, and I don't remember marking this one. Must be getting absent minded in my old age..." "It happens to the best of us," I joked. "How much?" "Ten dollars." "I'll take it." Why I said that I'm not really sure. I usually wear gold, and don't wear that many rings. But, I found myself outside, ten bucks poorer, and with an unusual ring. I pulled it out of the recycled plastic bag to get a better look at it in the sunlight. The garnet eyes glimmered in the light. The fangs appeared to have been enameled in white. What appeared as a snarl in the store now looked like a smile. Looking at the inside band, I noticed some some scratches. I squinted made out the words - Loup Garou. ** I arrived at home, and began my daily ritual of banishing the ghost of my ex-boyfriend Jake Farnsworth. It still hurt that he had left me. Not that he was a great guy, in fact he was a jerk. During that last fight, I had threatened to leave him. He then slapped me hard and... did other things to me. Afterwards he burst out laughing. He told me that I wouldn't survive five minutes without him, that I'd come crawling to him, begging him to take me back. He left. Permanently, I hoped. As I entered my ground floor apartment, I heard a familiar meow. "Hello, Mystery," I cooed. "How did you get out of the bedroom this time?" The scared little black and white kitten I found crouching on my doorstep a year ago had grown into a self-assured cat. Mystery rubbed against my legs as I pick up the mail off the floor. Bills, bills, and more bills. I was still getting the occasional letter for Jake, but fortunately none this time. I flopped down on my couch, pull Mystery on my lap, and clicked on the T.V. I pulled out the ring and gave it the once over again. Mystery looked at the ring and sniffed at its nose. She jerked back like she had been shocked, and raced off into the bedroom. "Psycho cat," I muttered to myself. The words loup garou sounded vaguely familiar. I thought it was from some Arthurian legend. I decided to call Robert. Growing up next door to each other, we were best friends, almost brother and sister. He had a passion for myths and tragedy and had studied Celtic mythology at Oxford. I figured he could identify what the ring was. All I got was his answering machine, so I left a message and a description of the ring and asked him to call back. All this time, I had a strong desire to slip on the ring. I had told myself I had bought it as a curiosity, something to give Robert, but now I wasn't so sure. The garnet eyes stared at me, practically ordering me to put it on. I slid it on slowly. As I put it in place, I felt a jolt of pain, yet it was erotically pleasant. I could feel shivers running throughout my body. I was sweating, but felt ice cold. As soon as I regained control of myself, I tore the ring off my finger. Cautiously, I tried it on again. I felt nothing, no feelings of pain, pleasure, or anything, just the weight of the ring on my hand. You've got one hell of an imagination, girl I scolded myself. I rationalized that the previous experience was static discharge from the carpet. I went into my bedroom and put the ring on my dresser. Mystery scooted out from under the bed, glaring at me. I got ready for bed, laid down, and coaxed Mystery up beside me. Normally she would be glued to my side, but tonight it took her a little convincing to get up on the bed. As I drifted off, my body still reacting to the sensations unleashed by the ring, I wondered what I could do to feel that way again. ** I didn't hear from Robert until late the next day. I went on to work, my going nowhere cashier job, and then to school. It was my fifth year on a two year technical degree. Considering the mistakes I had made, it was a major miracle I still had my job and was in school. After putting up with rude customers, due projects, and bad parking at school, I was more than ready to go home and crash and burn. There was a message from Robert waiting on the machine. It's a secondhand from a garage sale, and actually records every third word. "...Jess... ...ring... ...not Celtic... ...friend... ...to see... ...call me. Bye." I punched in Robert's phone number. "Hello?" came a male voice. Great! I actually got him on the first try. "Hi Robert, it's Jess. Just got home." "Hey, Jess! How's it going?" "The usual. What do you know about the ring I got?" "Well, from your description, it isn't Celtic. More likely French. Not my area of expertise. I did mention it to a friend, and he'd like to take a look at it." "You're not trying to set me up, are you Robert?" He had tried to hook me up with a few of his friends after Jake left. I felt too wounded to try again so soon. "No, honest. But he is single if you're interested." "You never give up, do you?" I laughed. "I'll stop by in a hour with it. If you're friend's there, fine. But don't expect anything." "Okay, see you soon." I hung up the phone. Mystery sauntered out of my bedroom. She stood aloof, deciding not to acknowledge my presence. "Would the Queen of the Universe like some dinner?" I moved into the kitchenette. "Let's see, beef in aspic, white ocean tuna, or roast turkey with gravy," I said reading the cat food cans. "Sometimes, Mystery my girl, I think you eat better than I do." I dumped the tuna flavored mush into her dish. Mystery stepped to it, and daintily started nibbling at the pile. I gave her a pat and got ready to go out again. ** I pulled up to Robert's home in the middle of suburbia. It was the typical middle class home, just lacking the two point five kids playing with the dog in the yard. However, since his wife Michelle had set her sights on climbing the corporate ladder, it didn't look like that scenario would play out anytime soon. As I entered the yard, the Rottweiler move as close to me as his leash would allow. He barked a greeting to me. "Hey Rexy, how's it going?" Rex responded by lunging and growling. That was the usual. Rex would usually greet someone, and then not allow anyone outside of Robert or Michelle and touch him. I pushed past him and knocked on the door. Robert opened it. "Hi, Jess. You're a little early." "Made good time. Is Michelle here or at a power dinner?" "Late meeting at work. It'll be you, me, and Mulder." "Mulder? His name is *Mulder*?" God, what *were* his parent's smoking! "That's his last name. Doesn't like to go by his first." There was a knock at the door. Robert gave me a martyred look. "Please, Jess, *try* not to embarrass me too much." I stuck out my tongue at him as he opened the door. That's when I first met Fox Mulder. He was a handsome man with a full lower lip that just begged to be kissed. I was suddenly conscious of my old t-shirt and jeans, my short stature, my pale skin and dark hair. Not for the first time, I wished I was a six foot blonde with a perfect body. Here's a guy that I could never end up with. So I didn't go out of my way to flirt. I was my usual smart mouthed self. I don't need a relationship now. And I did my damnedest not to allow it to happen. So, begging off, I gave Mulder the ring and got the hell out of there. "Jessica, can I see you in the office before you clock in?" I didn't like the sound of that. Usually Mr. Hawworth would talk to you after you were punched in. If he wanted to talk to me before, it wouldn't be good. I was right. "I'm sorry Jessica, but I'm going to have to let you go. Effective immediately." I was surprised, but not extremely so. "Why?" "Cutbacks. The corporate office thinks that we could run the store with five less cashiers." "Dammit, I worked here for three years and I'm being dismissed because some CEO wants to raise his salary at my expense?" "I'm sorry Jessica, but my hands are tied. You'll get unemployment, of course, but that's the best we can do." Two weeks later I met Michelle for lunch. "So how's life going?" Michelle asked. "Unemployment ain't what it's cracked up to be," I snorted. "I've applied for three cashier jobs and they all tell me I'm 'overqualified.' "In other words, you want too much money." "Exactly. Why pay for someone who actually knows what she's doing when you can get a kid in high school who's willing to take minimum wage." I shook my head. "I'm squeaking by on my savings and unemployment." Michelle asked the thing I hadn't wanted to hear. "Why don't you ask your parents for help?" I sighed. "Things haven't been great between us since I got involved with Jake. When he left me, I got an I-told-you-so speech from Dad, a disgrace-of-the-family, Rachel-would-have-never-done-such-a-thing speech from Mom. I would constantly be compared to my dead sister. I just can't go back to that situation again. If I went back home, I would never hear the end of it." Michelle looked at me with an arched eyebrow. "Is there ever anything *good* going on in your life?" "Once in a while, things do go right for me, believe it or not. Just nothing recently." "Not even Mulder?" "So you and Robert were trying to set me up." I grinned at her. "And no, I never heard from him about my ring." "Well hang in there. Something's bound to happen sooner or later." The dream's started a few nights later. I was running on all fours. All fours?!?!? I was eating up the ground effortlessly with giant strides. I glided like a shadow through the back streets and alleyways. I was hungry. I was hunting. I pause when I see a human lurking in the shadow of a building. He was watching the street, gripping a switchblade. A junkie. He was waiting for a hapless victim who would supply him with the money for his next hit. He was a predator, taking what he desired without guilt for the sake of an artificial high. Little did he know that predator had become prey. I dropped into a stalking posture and inched closer. Saliva dripped from my bared fangs. I barely suppressed a growl, not wanting to betray my presence... yet. I heard footsteps approaching, the sound of someone jogging. Junkie and I tensed, ready to spring. Everything happened fast, to the humans. The images were perfectly distinct to me. A young blond woman jogged by. Junkie was behind her, grabbing her and putting the knife to her throat. His demand for money was drowned out by my howl. The howl of a hunter who has cornered her prey. They both turned to look at me as I sprang for his throat. Junkie met my eyes for a split second. In that fleeting moment, I read the horror in his eyes. No withdrawal induced hallucination compared with *this* terror. I heard two screams, one male, one female. I shoved Blondie out of the way, intent on my victim. Junkie had wet himself. He was sobbing, begging for his life. Ignoring his pleas for mercy, I tore out his throat. As Blondie ran screaming into the night, I let out a howl of triumph. Now that the killing had been accomplished, I felt no desire to feed. The act of killing had been what I needed. The dream started to fade as I turned and slipped back into the night. The alarm went off at 6:30 AM. I woke up feeling more exhausted than when I went to sleep. I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchenette. Mystery almost tripped me as she twined herself against my legs. I made some coffee and plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. Mystery jumped into my lap. I stroked her absentmindedly as I half listened to the TV. The news was talking about a young man killed last night, apparently by a mad dog. I looked up when they flashed a picture of the victim. My mouth dropped open. It was the junkie from my dream. I felt nauseous. What was going on? Was I connected somehow to the killings? I hadn't heard when the attack occurred. Maybe I half-heard it last night, and dreamed about it. I crawled back into bed and managed to shut out the world and the questions in my mind. ** I woke up again around 5 PM. Mystery was curled up beside me. I got out of bed, disgusted that I had slept so late when I should have been looking for a job. There was a message on the answering machine. Musta slept through the phone ringing. I hit the playback button. "...Mulder... ...information about... ...talk... ...call...." I was surprised to hear his voice. I had figured that I was getting the big kiss off. Fortunately, the machine decided to record long enough to get the phone number. I dialed it. "Mulder." "Hi, this is Jess Leahs. You called me earlier." "Hello Jess. I found some information about your wolf ring. Care to meet somewhere to discuss it?" "Actually, I'm not much of a social butterfly today. Feel more like a social moth. Would you mind coming here instead? Say in about an hour?" "Okay. I'm just leaving the office now." I gave him my address and hung up. I showered and got dressed. Mystery insisted on helping by shedding on whatever I laid on the bed. There was a knock at the door just as I finished after about forty five minutes. "You're early. Be there in a moment," I yelled. Mystery didn't take to strangers too easily, especially men. She got jealous easily and tried to 'defend her territory,' by scratching and biting, so I left her in the bedroom. I opened the door. There stood Jake. "What the hell are you doing here," I whispered. I was too shocked to slam the door in his face. "Baby, I'm sorry about everything. I've come here to... ." "Don't say it. I'm not interested. You made your feelings for me clear when you left." I moved to slam the door. Jake pushed the closing door open and shoved me back into the room. "Listen to me, baby, I want us back together. And you know I *always* get what I want." He reached for me and I backed away. Part of me was cowering in terror. Control, maintain control. I also could feel something trying to take over myself. The urge to let loose and attack was growing by the moment. It felt like the wild dream of violence I had the night before. "Get out now." A quiet "ahem" made us both look towards the door. "Is there a problem, Jess?" Mulder had appeared in the doorway. He glanced at Jake and shot a questioning look at me. Hell yes there is! "No, Jake was just leaving." I glared at Jake and pointed out the door. "Who's he, baby?" Jake stared at Mulder. He acted like he had a right to know about my every movement. "Same thing you made me when you left. None of your damn business. Leave!" Jake moved out the door. "I'll be seeing you soon. It's not over between us. You know that." He left. I exhaled the breath I didn't know I was holding. As I slumped against the wall, Mulder crossed the room. "Are you okay?" "Give me a minute or two and I'll be fine. You have an impeccable sense of timing." Seeing Jake had unnerved me more than I cared to admit. I shook my head. "That's not the welcome I had planned." "Who was that?" "Jake, my ex-boyfriend. He walked out of my life about a year ago. Apparently he wants to walk back in." I sighed. I moved to the couch. "I really don't want to talk about this right now. Please, sit." Mulder started to sit, only to stop at an indignant squawk. He jumped back up and turned to stare at Mystery. She was sitting on the couch, ears back, glaring at him. "Mystery, what do you think you're doing?" I chided. I swept her into my arms and sat down on the couch. So much for keeping her in the bedroom. She was still staring at Mulder, moving uneasily. "I take it that that's you pet." "Mulder, meet Mystery." I was trying to get her to relax by stroking her. Her ears slowly came forward. She was still tense, but wasn't trying to get off my lap, or scratch Mulder... yet. "She was a stray. I think she was abused as a kitten. She's never been easy around strangers." "Why do you call her Mystery?" Mulder placed his hand near Mystery's nose. She cautiously started to sniff it. "Careful, she sometimes bites." Mystery pushed her head under Mulder's outstretched hand. She quietly purred as he started to rub behind her ears. "She has an amazing talent for escaping from whatever room I put her in. I still haven't figured out how she does it. When she first did it, I kept saying 'It's a mystery how you do that, cat.' And Mystery just sorta stuck." Mystery, in the meantime, decided Mulder was an okay guy. She jumped down, stretched ostentatiously, and meandered back to my bedroom. I shook my head. "She's *never* accepted anyone that fast. You trying to make me look like a liar, cat?" I called after her. Her tail whipped an s curve around the door in response to my tone of voice. "So what did you find about the ring?" "The words 'Loup Garou' roughly translate into 'man wolf'. In other words, a werewolf. "Uh oh. Do you mean to tell me that I've bought a cursed relic of a lost tribe of vicious monsters?" "No, I'd say you somehow got a hold of a prop from a Grade B horror flick." I shivered in mock terror. "How have I survived the evil influence for the past month?" "There's only one way to break its spell," Mulder grinned at me. "Have dinner with me tonight." "If that's the only way I can be saved, I guess I'll have to do that." Three months passed. I dreamed of a better life. I dreamed of Mulder, who was becoming a close friend. I dreamed of Jake leaving me alone. And I dreamed of my other self's actions. There's a pattern here. The thought wouldn't leave me. I was having violent dreams once a month, from the point of view of a wolf-creature who would only attack someone about to commit a crime. The next day there would be some victim found with their throats torn out by... something. I grabbed a calendar and started checking dates. The dreams I had coincided with the full moon. I dropped the calendar. No! It can't be possible! I was delusional, losing my sanity. Werewolves aren't real, they're just a myth. There's no scientific proof they ever existed, let alone exist today. I picked up the calender again. Tomorrow night was the next full moon. I would take steps to prove to myself that I was ill and needed professional help. I would end the fantasy that I had become a creature of the night. ** I borrowed a video camera from Robert. It was easy to set it up last thing before I went to bed. It was pointing where I would be lying, and had an eight hour tape. More than enough time to prove to myself that I was just having nightmares. I clung to that thought as I slipped into bed, praying that I would be proven right, that they were just nightmares. I didn't even want to think about the other dark possibility. ** I was running through the city streets. I was the spirit of the night, dark and dangerous. The sound of a scuffle in an alleyway drew my attention. Two human scents wafted towards me on the night air - one alive, one newly dead. I had found my prey for the evening. I stalked into the alley and scanned for my victim. There. A dirty teenager, wearing gang colors, rummaging through the pockets the corpse of the rival he just stabbed in the back. I repressed a whine of hunger. I started forward. My paws rustled some newspaper lying on the ground. The gang banger looked up. He saw me leap at him, framed by the moonlight. As my teeth met in his throat, he was able to slice the knife into my left shoulder. Now, I was *pissed.* It wasn't a major wound, but deep enough to make me favor my left leg. No one had ever wounded me during the hunt before. The cool logic of a hunting animal left me, replaced by the blood lust of a wounded beast. I worked out the rage by savaging the body. No one had the right to hurt me. Didn't they know I was the dark avenger who dealt Death at a whim? The dream faded into oblivion as I continued to disfigure the corpse of my prey. ** I woke up with the details of my latest dream still fresh in my mind. I started to get out of the bed, and collapsed back down. I couldn't put much weight on my left shoulder. It was throbbing. I glanced at it. There was a cut on it. I examined my fingernails. There was blood under them. I sat on the edge of the bed. My mind was refusing to process anything but one thought. It's true. I am a werewolf was all I was capable of. I eventually took the tape from the camera. I put it into the VCR and prepared to watch it, mostly out of curiosity of what I looked like as a beast, not from the need to convince myself that I was a werewolf. I settled on the couch in front of the TV. Should be interesting I thought as I started to forward search the tape. There, an hour into the recording, I saw the Change beginning to happen. I had kicked off the blankets, wormed out of my clothes. I was panting heavily and dripping with sweat. I started to thrash about on the bed, wrestling with an unseen enemy. I watched, detached and fascinated. The logical part of my mind was screaming No! This *cannot* be happening! The instinctive part of my mind felt like I was waking up from a long sleep. On the screen, I started to contort into a fetal position. I saw fur bursting from the follicles all over my body. My bones were reworking into a canine form. I had thrown my head back, baring my newly grown fangs, as my jaws stretched and my muzzle extended. Four inch talons extended from my hands/paws. Within a minute, the transformation was complete. There I lay, now as a wolf. And I was a magnificent creature - as large as a St. Bernard, with a glossy black pelt, ivory fangs, and jet black claws. Deep brown eyes, the only thing that looked remotely human, blinked in the moonlight. I leapt to the floor, shook myself and stretched like any dog would when it wakes up. I then slipped out the open window beside my bed. I shut off the VCR. I clicked through the TV channels until I found a local news program. The top story was about the "Full Moon Murderer." He had struck again last night. The current theory was that this sicko had a large dog, most likely a large husky of some sort, that he was siccing on his chosen victims. I smiled grimly at the description. They don't know how close they are. There was a passing mention of the local police asking the FBI for help. ** I got the phone call later that day. As if I didn't have enough troubles then. I phoned Robert and Michelle. Surprisingly, they were both there at the same time. "Hi, it's Jess." "Hey Jess," Robert answered. "What's up?" "I just got some bad news. I need you to take me to the airport and cat sit for me. Mom and Dad were just killed in a car crash." The next month was a blur. I know that there was the funeral, but I only have a few vague images from it. I do remember moving from their graves over to my sister Rachel's. Ironic, Mom and Dad died from the same thing Rachel did. It was hard to think about Rachel, even seven years after the fact. One good thing was the fact that I got to talk to my brother. He was also a black sheep of the family. He had decided to go into medicine, but not the kind Mom and Dad had planned. Instead of being a neurosurgeon or a heart specialist, he became a vet. He was a good one too. I don't think I would have gotten through this all without him, and his wife, Annie, who was, ironically enough, a doctor. What did surprise me was the reading of the will. I was the sole heir. Michael, my brother, had been cut out entirely. That I was aware of, but what I didn't know was how large the estate was. A lot had changed since I had left with Jake. I had gone from scraping by to independently wealthy in a day. I spent most of my time sifting through Mom and Dad's possessions with Michael, keeping what we wanted and donating the rest to charities. I also tried to give half of the money to Michael. He didn't want any of it, except enough to pay off his student loans. I didn't want to move back to the house where I grew up. Too many bad memories. So I concentrated on getting rid of the stuff I didn't want. I also pondered my newly discovered werewolfness, which I didn't tell Michael about. A thought wouldn't leave me. Maybe I could learn to control the transformation. Maybe I could learn to have more control over my beast-self. Not a cure, but the next best thing. Maybe I could even learn to leash the urge to kill. Admittedly, I was killing those who broke the law, but part of me worried about killing some innocent. ** I got home late on the night of the full moon. I didn't want to bother Robert or Michelle and decided to take a cab home. Hell, I can afford it now, so why not. I decided to try to stay awake. I wanted to be aware of the transformation. I felt that I could learn to control the hunting instinct, maybe channel it to other ends. I stood naked in front of my dresser, facing the mirror. I dangled the ring and stared into its eyes. I hadn't put it on again after the first time, but I didn't want to be parted from it. So I wore it on a silver chain, usually tucked under my shirt. Something about the eyes drew me in. I couldn't look away. I poured out all my concentration into outstaring those ruby eyes. Then I felt the Change begin. My skin started to itch like crazy. I lifted my hand to scratch my cheek, only to see shaggy black fur covering it. My nails were lengthening and thickening. Then the wave of pain washed over me. I dropped to my knees, except they weren't knees anymore. They were hocks. My instep had lengthened and my calves shrunk. My tail started to extend. I fell forward onto my arms/forelegs. My tongue had become too large for my mouth. It flopped out as I panted, head lolling. My jaws stretched and my teeth exploded through my gums. And then blessed relief. No pain. Just silence, except for the sound of my raspy breathing. I looked around. I couldn't see into the mirror from my position. I stood about four feet tall on all fours. I reared up and looked into my eyes. They were the only thing that remotely resembled me as a human. I jumped away from the mirror and through the window in one fluid motion. The urge to hunt was becoming uncontrollable. I ran without conscious thought or direction. Part of me registered the fact that I was at Robert's house. I was prowling in front of the driveway. /Strange dog-not-dog!/ came the growl. /Go away! Or else!/ Rex was loose in the yard. He had somehow slipped his leash. /Not stranger. Friend. Peace,/ I barked back, wagging my tail. I didn't want to fight Rex. Never thought I'd be trying to reason with him like this. Rex however didn't believe me. /Go away! Not dog. Not man. Don't belong. Enemy!/ He stepped towards me growling louder. My ears pinned back. I growled and bristled myself. /Want friend. No want fight. No want hurt. Will defend. Warning. No threat./ Rex lunged for my throat. It was absurdedly easy to side step him and nip his hip as he passed by. /No fight. Could hurt. No want to. Friend?/ Rex made another pass at me. I was a little slow moving out of the way. He scratched my right shoulder with his jaws. That got me angry. No more Miss Nice Wolf. Letting go of what control I had, I attacked. Rex gave a weak yelp as I locked my jaws around his throat. I hefted up onto my hind legs and shook my head back and forth like a cat worrying a rat. Rex's legs left the ground and swung freely. I felt more than heard the spinal column snap. I let go mid shake and watched the body arch through the air to land in the bushes. The last thing I remembered was my bloody mouth opening wide in a savage howl of triumph. The pounding on the door matched the pounding in my head. I woke up with a splitting headache. God! Is this what an aneurysm feels like? I rolled out of bed. At some point I had pulled on a t-shirt. I grabbed my robe and stumbled out to answer the door. There stood a police officer. "Miss Jessica Leahs?" I nodded. Oh shit! Someone saw me last night. They're here to haul me away. "Sorry to wake you, Miss. I'm Officer Malone." He offered his hand. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but something has happened." "What?" Oh hell! I'm in trouble now. "I'm afraid that your friends Robert and Michelle Preston were killed last night. We need you to identify the bodies." ** I sat in the police cruiser silently. The officer, thinking I was in shock over the loss of my friends, didn't speak to me. I was in shock. Just not the way he thought I was. You were there last night. You lost control and killed Rex. You lost control and killed Michelle. You lost control and killed Robert, one inner voice chanted. No! I don't remember killing them. Rex yes, but my friends, no! another inner voice countered. You don't know what you're capable of. It didn't take much to push you into a lethal frenzy. Just one little scratch, and you're a killing machine. Admit it, you enjoy feeling the life ebb from your victim. I've killed before, yes. It was either to protect or avenge. And I've never killed more than once a night. That you remember. What if there are others who have satisfied your hunting hunger? What if... "We're here." Officer Malone's voice interrupted my internal debate. I stepped out of the car only to see Mulder ducking under the police tape and come towards me. "What are you doing here?" "We thought at first this could have been another of the Full Moon Murders. I've been assigned to help investigate and wanted to see the crime scene." Mulder hesitated. "Um, where Robert and Michelle taking care of your cat?" "Yeah, they were keeping Mystery while I was gone..." I stopped. "No. Not *her* too." "I'm sorry, Jess. Mystery was stabbed repeatedly. We think Rex tangled with someone's dog. Michelle and Robert were found with their throats slit." After identifying the bodies, Mulder brought me back to his apartment. "You shouldn't be alone right now," he explained. I was too heartsick to protest or care. My only comfort was knowing that I hadn't caused their death. I walked through the door, not paying attention to anything. Mulder guided me to the couch. I sat down, numb with grief. I was staring at my leg when I noticed the cat hair that still clung to my jeans. Mystery's hair. That was what pushed me out of my shocky state. Tears fell as I thought about how I would never have to change Mystery's litter box again. How I would never try to decipher Robert's messages on my answering machine again. No more of Michelle and Robert playing matchmaker. No more lectures from Mom and Dad about my wasted potential. I felt Mulder's arms encircle me. "Let it out, don't hold back," he whispered. I gave in completely to my tears as Mulder rocked me like a child. I cried for Robert, for Michelle, for Mystery, for Mom, for Dad, for Rachel, but mostly for myself. We quietly started to talk about the losses in our lives. I told him about my sister Rachel who had been killed in a car crash when I was thirteen. How my parents, out of grief, tried to remake me and Michael into the child they lost. And how, unable to deal with it any longer, I ran off with Jake, out of rebellion, when I turned eighteen. He told me about his sister Samantha. About how she had disappeared without a trace. About fearing that she was dead, and fearing more that she was alive and hurting. A few tears escaped his eyes. I was stunned. "God! How you have suffered. At least I know what happened to my sister. I'm not strong enough to handle that. I would have gone crazy if I had to live with that." I reached up to wipe the tear from Mulder's cheek. I felt an electric shock course through me as I touched him. I was transfixed, staring into his eyes. It had been so long since I had been in this situation, I wasn't sure how to react. Apparently he felt the same attraction that I did. He pulled me in closer and kissed me. Part of me had been waiting since the day we first met. I ran my fingers through his hair. He moved away from my lips and explored my cheek, my earlobes, and my neck. I could easily feel his growing excitement, as well as my own. I pushed away slightly. Too soon since Jake. Dammit, I'm letting it happen again. "We shouldn't be doing this," I whispered. Mulder traced the contour of my cheek. "You're right, we shouldn't." He then kissed me again, parting my lips with his tongue. He slowly began to thrust into my mouth. I trembled and matched his rhythm with my hips. He broke off the kiss, leaving me gasping. "Are you sure you want to stop?" "No," I whispered. "All I'm sure of is how much I want you." I started to kiss his neck. He moaned quietly as I slowly pulled off his shirt. He guided me to the bedroom. He laid me down on the bed, and then knelt on the bed, straddling me. He brushed his lips across my forehead and then slowly began to work his way down to my right breast, kissing and stroking me through the fabric of my shirt. It felt good, until he gently nipped my erect nipple. That is when I remembered what Jake had done to me. I had felt so safe with Mulder, I had completely forgotten. Shit! He's gonna see... I froze up, unable to move due to the memory. Mulder must have thought my sudden stillness was from extreme excitement. He closed his eyes, unbuttoned my blouse and unhooked my bra. Grinning in anticipation, Mulder opened his eyes to get his first look at my nude torso. His jaw dropped. "Jesus! What happened to you?" A network of scars crossed my abdomen and breasts - straight cuts that almost looked like surgical scars, stab wounds, and the jagged bite marks were still clearly visible. Some had paled to white streaks, but most were still bright pink to angry red. A year wasn't enough time for them to completely heal. None had been serious enough to need stitches, just severe enough to leave their mark. I looked away from him, a lump in my throat. Mulder put a hand on my cheek and turned my face back towards his. Infinite pity was in his eyes. "Jake did this to you,"' he said quietly. I nodded. I had clicked over to the emotionally detached mode that I always used to think about that night. "I was miserable at that time in my life. I had threatened to leave Jake. He thought I was leaving him for another man. He told me that he'd never let that happen, that he'd make it so another man would never want me. I didn't know he had a switchblade on him...." My voice broke and I started to shiver. Mulder pulled me in close and stroked my hair. He didn't push me to continue, just kept whispering that it was all right, that it wasn't my fault. "After he finished raping me, he left. Said that he'd done *too* good of a job, that he could never become excited seeing those scars. Not that I wanted him to stay." I paused. "I've never told anyone about that night. Robert and Michelle knew something had happened, but not what. If I hadn't found Mystery a few days later and forced myself to take care of her, to care about her, I would have killed myself." I started to cry. Mulder still holding me rolled onto his back. He didn't say a word, just offered me silent strength as I sobbed into his shoulder. His arms around me were the last thing I remembered as I fell into an emotionally exhausted slumber curled up on his chest. ** I woke up late the next morning. At first, I couldn't figure out where I was. Then last night came slowly into focus. I was in Mulder's bed, alone. Hell's bells! I thought. I then noticed that I was wearing my shirt again. Mulder musta dressed me while I was asleep. Thinking about last night with Mulder was painful. Well, it's obvious that I've blown any chance I had with him. Just ought to get out of his life and stop being such a foolish dreamer. Like someone like him would want me. I rolled out of bed. He had put my shirt back on, but not my bra. I looked around, but couldn't see it. Fine, I don't need it. My cowboy boots were another matter though. They were my favorite pair and I wasn't about to walk home barefoot. I remembered kicking them off in the front room. Just grab them and go. I opened the door. I had figured Mulder had gone on into the office and I wouldn't have to face him. Wrong. He was sitting on the couch, reading the morning paper. He looked up at my entrance. "Sleeping beauty awakens," he quipped. I didn't want to deal with the rejection I knew was coming. "Shouldn't you be at work?" I growled. "Finished the profile and called in sick today. Coffee, Jess?" The answer came a little too quickly. I had heard enough of Jake's alibis to know when I was being lied to. "No, thanks. I'll just find my boots and leave. And don't worry. I won't bother you again." "'Bother me?' Jess, you're not making any sense." I sighed. Looks like I won't be able to slip out. "I know that after you found out what happened to me you..." "...wouldn't want a thing to do with you?" Mulder finished. I nodded, unable to meet his eyes. "Jess, you didn't deserve any of what Jake did to you." Mulder was moving towards me. "And anyone who would turn you away because of that doesn't deserve you." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in close. I leaned against him, shivering. He tugged me back to the couch. "Did you get any counseling?" "For about two weeks," I said as I dropped down. Mulder took the other end, giving me space, but also holding my hand. "Then my boss told me to either quit asking for so many days off, or quit my job. I needed the money, so I gave up the counseling." "Bastard," he spat. "Tell me about it." I sighed. "I was just bent on survival. My goal was to just make it to the next day." "Ever thought about pressing charges?" "When this... happened to me," I stumbled over the words. I still had difficulty thinking that night, let alone talk to someone about it. "...I didn't want anyone to know. I was.... am, too... ashamed of it. The one time I actually got as far as picking up the phone, I thought of the public humiliation that I would go through. That and the fact that I didn't want to face Jake again was enough to convince me to hang up." "So, without any support from friends or family, no counseling, no nothing, you kept going?" "Yeah, that's basically it." I paused. "Michelle and Robert kept trying to play matchmaker for me since a week after the shit hit the fan." "Yeah, when Robert called, he kept telling me what a 'nice girl' you are." "Hmm, sounds like something he'd do... I mean done. I'd avoided anything to do with dating, until you came along." "Ohhh. So it's not me you're after. It's my PhD." I laughed a little. "No, it's a nice bonus, but I'm not interested in being psychoanalyzed for free. Actually," Oh boy, this is hard to say. "When I first saw you, something inside told me that I could trust you." "You can trust me, especially now." Mulder slid over next to me and touched my cheek. "I want to try and make things better for you. I know you want to leave, but stay. Please." I thought about it. I couldn't resist the pleading tone in his voice. "Yes. I want to leave. But I want even more to stay." I leaned towards him and kissed him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled in as tight as I could. I lost myself in the tidal wave of sensations. We were back in his bedroom. Somehow, our clothes had disappeared. He pushed me (I pulled him?) down onto the bed. Being with Mulder brought me pleasures I had never known before. I had never experienced such passion. Every touch, every kiss, every lick, every stroke, every thrust left me breathlessly sobbing for more. I finally came under his skilled hands, seconds before he did deep inside me. Mulder held still, except for the slight twitching in his loins, as he pumped into me. I sighed in contentment as he moaned his relief. He kissed me deeply as he withdrew. I could taste his tongue and my (his?) tears. Still pressed against me, he pulled the sheets back over our forms. I buried my face in the warm skin of his neck, unsure of what to say. I had never felt so coddled in my life. At the same time, I never felt so panicked. "Mulder, what the hell did we just do?" "Jess, do I really have to explain to you what happened?" His eyebrows raised and he wore a look of mock surprise. "Mulder, I *know* what we did," I giggled. But I grew serious quickly. "It's just that a lot of things in my life have changed so drastically and so fast that..." "... things feel out of control?" "Yes." You don't know the half of it. "The only thing you can do is take one day at a time. And I'd like to help." I sighed. "Do you have any idea what you're asking of me?" "Do you have any idea what I'm offering? Or how hard it is for me to offer?" I thought about it. He had told me about his girlfriend from Oxford and how she had hurt him deeply. This had to be as hard for him as it was for me. "Yes, I think I do know. And yes, I do want your help." "So how about I start helping you now?" he breathed into my ear, sucking my earlobe. "Mmmm, you know me, Mulder, always ready for a little help." "So do you want to tell me the real reason you didn't go into work?" We were sitting in the kitchen. After our second bout of lovemaking, we had decided to get a late breakfast. Mulder shifted uneasily. "Was it that obvious?" I smiled ruefully. "Let's just say Jake gave me a lot of practice at telling when someone's lying. Now, spill." "I was pulled from the Full Moon Murders." "Your boss didn't want you sleeping with one of the murder suspects. I'm assuming I *am* a suspect." "No, you're not. The cab driver verified your alibi." "Then why?" "Do you believe in paranormal phenonema, the existence of beings that cannot be explained by science as we know it?" "Well, yes..." I trailed off. The sudden change of topic had thrown me off track. "I'm not so arrogant to think that humans are the only intelligence in the universe. Surely there exists on other planets..." "I'm not talking about alien life forms. I'm talking about werewolves." There was an earnestness in his voice I had never heard before. "Excuse me?" I blinked. How much does he know about me? That frightened me. I had thought I had been so careful. "All the Full Moon murders had three things in common, a full moon, the sighting of a large dog, and someone about to commit a crime." "But Robert's and Michelle's..." "They weren't part of the pattern. I didn't gain a lot of points when I mentioned that this probably wasn't the same person." I was growing uncomfortable with the conversation. "I hate to end this, but I've got to get ready for the funeral, if I can find my boots." Mulder grinned lopsidedly. "Confession time. Follow me." We went back into the bedroom. "I figured that you might try to skip out on me," he said opening the closet. There were my boots. I snatched them from him. "And where's my bra?" I said with my eyebrows raised. He gave me a devilish grin. "How do you think I'm planning to get you back here again?" The funeral was a nightmare. Well, not the funeral itself, but what happened afterwards. Mulder and I sat together in one of the pews of the chapel. There were a few of Michelle's and Robert's coworkers. I subconsciously noted a late comer had sat down in the back, but I was too absorbed in my grief to pay too much attention to my surroundings. That was my mistake. It was after the ceremony. Mulder and I had split up to talk to the other mourners. I had just finished comforting and being comforted by Michelle's secretary. I was moving to an alcove besides the coffins, just wanting to be alone for a moment. "Baby, we need to talk." Shit! Just what I don't need now! He had been popping up where ever I was when I least expected it. Because he hadn't hurt me or threatened me, a restraining order was out of the question for the moment. "Jake, I thought I told you to stay the hell away from me." My back was to him and I did not want to look at him. He grabbed my arm and spun me around. "I told you things weren't over between us." I tried to break his grip on my arm, but couldn't get the leverage. Jake laughed at my struggle. "You remember what I like," he said snaking an arm around my waist and pulling me in closer. "But I didn't think you'd be so eager to do it in a mortuary." "You sick bastard," I hissed through clenched teeth. I was revulsed by his nearness. I slapped him hard with my free hand in an attempt to get away. The sound drew everyone's attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mulder start forward, coming to my rescue. Too late. Jake released his grip on me and slammed a fist into my face at the same time. The blow caught me square on the jaw. Off balance, I staggered backwards towards a pew. Jake's leg whipped behind mine, tripping me and sending me crashing to the floor. The last thing I remembered was the star burst pattern of lights as the back of my head impacted with the hard wood edge of the pew. ** I woke up in my bed the next day. There were fuzzy images from after the beating I took. I vaguely remembered the hospital and talking to some police about pressing charges. I slowly started to get dressed. It was obvious that someone brought me home, but I didn't have a clue as to who. I padded into the kitchen, not really paying attention to anything. Gotta feed Mystery... Damn! Tears started to fall from my eyes. I felt a Kleenex gently wiping my tears. I opened my eyes. There stood Mulder. I managed to smile through my tears. "Hi there," I whispered. "You spent the night?" Mulder smiled back. "Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you'd be okay. You had a pretty hard fall." I reached back to feel my head. There was a large lump there. "I bet my jaw has turned lots of pretty colors." Mulder nodded and reached out with his hand. He gently caressed the uninjured side of my face. I leaned into his touch, savoring the fact that I could finally trust a man who I had met as an adult. But I still couldn't tell him about my suspicions about myself. Not yet, soon. "You okay?" he asked. I shook my head. "I will be, but not right now. I just need some time." I thought for a moment. I wanted him to stay the day, and hopefully the night. "Would you mind staying around for a while? I don't want to be alone." He leaned in close. "Especially tonight?" "Yeah." I was embarrassed by my forwardness. "Of course. All you have to do is ask." Several months passed. With the full moon above me, I slipped out into the night. The Change was becoming easier to control, and the pain didn't bother me as much. In fact, I was starting to enjoy the relief after the pain. And the need to kill humans didn't consume me this time as it first had. Rats, squirrels, and the occasional gopher made excellent substitutes. Several sated my appetite, one here, one there, whenever the urge struck. Dogs I avoided, more because I felt like it would be killing my retarded cousins than any fear. Every time I thought about attacking a passing cat, I saw Mystery, so I left them alone too. I prowled around aimlessly, wandering where I would, and not actively hunting anything. I found myself in the alley behind Mulder's apartment. Pining to be with him, even when you're lupine. I mentally snickered at the rhyme, but there was more truth to it than I cared to admit. I was becoming dependent on him emotionally, although I would be the first to deny it. And the sex wasn't bad either. The hunting urge was growing. I put my nose to the ground and started to pay more attention to what I was smelling - old rat spoor, at least a day old, today's garbage just turning ripe and a human who passed by a few moments ago. The human scent made me do a double take. It was familiar, too familiar. It was Jake's scent. I had sniffed at an old shirt of his I found before I left home tonight. Something had warned me to be prepared. I growled low in my throat. I started tracing the trail. It lead inside the building, to Mulder's apartment. The door had been pushed ajar. My ears swiveled, listening for any noise. I heard the faint scuff of a shoe against the carpet. I pushed my head through the space. The apartment was unlit except for the light from the TV, but my sensitive eyes still needed a few seconds to adjust to the darkness. Jake's scent, and the smell of whiskey grew stronger. I could smell Mulder now as well. Mulder looked like he had fallen asleep on the couch. He looked like an angel compared to the evil look Jake had. Jake was edging to the kitchenette. He was muttering beneath his breath. Too quiet for a human to hear, and almost too faint for me to hear. "...told you to leave her alone... ...belongs to me... ...dammed if anyone... ...show her not to... ...mine and no one else's...." It suddenly all made sense. I knew who killed Mystery. I knew who killed Robert and Michelle. I knew what he was about to do to Mulder if I didn't stop him. My hackles rose as I slid through the open door. I settled unnoticed into a dark corner, waiting to see what would happen. Jake moved towards the couch. I could see the glint of the knife in his hands. I could feel my muscles tense up, readying to spring. A slight twitch of Mulder's arm made me freeze. He was awake and aware of Jake, but not of me. I decided to wait and see how this played out. If I didn't have to betray my presence, good. But I wasn't about to let Jake kill Mulder. Even if it meant I would have to reveal wolf-self. The idea of revenge also had a strong appeal. I wanted to toy with Jake, and not kill him outright. I wanted to make him *suffer* for what he had done to me. A quick death was too good for him. Maybe not even death at all. An attack savage enough to leave him alive, but a broken man. Jake raised the knife. Mulder's fist shot up into Jake's face, almost too fast for me to track. Mulder was up and off the couch, preparing to defend himself. Jake had managed somehow to hold onto the knife. He repeatedly slashed at Mulder's throat, barely missing. Mulder kept throwing punches. He managed to grab Jake's wrist, keeping the knife from his throat. But he didn't know what I did, when Jake was in a drunken rage, it was almost impossible to stop him. Jake managed to throw a lucky blow. It connected with his chin. Mulder went down, stunned. I had seen enough. I rose to a crouching position. I growled loudly. I slowly advanced towards Jake. Both Jake and Mulder looked in my direction. "Jess, don't," Mulder whispered. Part of me registered the fact that Mulder had said my name. But I was concentrating on Jake. Jake stepped forward. "Come on, you mangy bitch. I can take you on." That's what he thought. I launched myself at Jake. I knocked him flat on his back. The knife went clattering across the floor. Jake curled his legs under me. With all his strength, he kicked me in the gut, knocking the breath out of me. He ran from the apartment. I bolted after him, ignoring Mulder's yells. I was hunting now with the singlemindedness of a predator. I trailed behind Jake, close enough for him to know I was still following, but far enough that I wouldn't get kicked. I herded him towards a park on the outskirts of town. I wasn't sure how this would end, just that it would end soon. I could hear Jake's breathing grow ragged. He was wearing out and was nearing collapse. I quickened my pace. Jake dropped to his hands and knees, panting. I was hardly winded. I started circling him, feinting and growling. He flinched at every false charge I made. Finally I couldn't wait anymore. I walked forward slowly and deliberately. I looked Jake in the eyes. There was only one thing left to do. I kissed him on the lips, pressing my fangs against his teeth, and then slapped him across the face with a taloned paw. Just like he did when I upset him with a 'lack of excitement'. Jake shuddered as he realized who I was and what I had become. "Oh, baby, please don't. I'm sorry, baby. I won't ever bother you again." I ignored his pleas. His hands gripped my throat as my fangs closed on his. "Nooo!" was the final noise he made, aside from his death rattle. His hands limply fell from my neck. Instead of voicing a triumphant howl, I turned away silently. Jake's blood, instead of being sweet like my other human victims, tasted bitter. It's over, I thought. I turned my back on the body, heading back to Mulder's. ** I sat down on Mulder's couch, human, naked, cold, and stunned at what had happened. But the Jake's death wasn't what had thrown me. Mulder called you by name when you were a wolf. He knows! repeated in my mind endlessly. I shivered. "Cold?" Mulder handed me a afghan, which I wrapped around myself. I looked into his bruised face. "Hhhh... how long have you known?" I sputtered, finally finding my voice. "I had a good guess since I first saw the ring. There are many werewolf legends where the catalyst of transformation is a piece of clothing or jewelry." "And you didn't tell me? Just watched?" I was hurt. "No. I didn't truly believe until tonight." He looked down. "I thought we had something special. I was hoping you would tell me." I bit my lower lip. "I didn't believe myself until just before the funeral. And things happened too fast for me to keep up after that." "Too fast?" Mulder sounded outraged. "You become a deadly creature once a month and things were moving 'too fast' for you to tell me?" He reached quickly for something on the table beside me. I cringed back. The movement was too similar to what Jake did before slapping me around. Mulder stared at my horrified face in shock. "Jeez, Jess. Did you actually think I would hit you?" "I don't know." "Jessica." Mulder dropped to his knees in front of me. "I would never, *never* hit you. I thought you knew that." He kissed me, trying to reassure me. I felt myself relaxing in his arms. Mulder's lips traveled down my neck. "I would never hurt you," he whispered and pushed the afghan off my shoulders. "Mulder," I whispered softly as he tongued my shoulder. The emotions of the last few hours finally caught up with me. I could only think of expressing the feelings I felt for this man. And I only knew one way to express emotions - physically. I knew what was going to happen next. Part of my mind was questioning what I was about to do, if I was so scared and hurt, I shouldn't let this happen. I pushed the afghan off my body, baring myself before him. As he took a nipple in his mouth, the questioning part of my mind shut up. We made love then, trying to comfort each other. Afterwards, we just held each other, not daring to say anything that might spoil the moment. But the damage had been done. We both knew it would just be a matter of time before the relationship ended. ** I sat amid the suitcases in my apartment. Everything was packed and ready to go. Only one thing was left, and I was dreading doing it. I couldn't stay here anymore. I couldn't stay with Mulder anymore. And not just because of the hurt we both felt over our keeping secrets from each other. We never should have become lovers, I thought. My problem was I tried to define who I was by tying up my identity with someone else's. That was what I had done with Jake, first being known as his lover, and then his victim. And if I wasn't careful, that is what I'd do with Mulder. And he was too good of a friend for me to let that happen. So I decided to move out to San Jose to be close to the only family I had left, my brother. We had talked long about it and both agreed it was for the best. But that didn't mean that either of us liked it. The expected knock on the door finally sounded. "It's open," I called. I knew who it was already. Hell, I had asked him to come myself. "Jessica, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Mulder asked as he stepped inside. "No, but I can't stay here after everything that happened." I didn't beg him to come away with me, back to the West Coast, like I longed to do, despite knowing that it would be putting me in the identity crisis that I was trying to avoid. His work and the search for his sister were to important to him. I knew that if he came out of pity for me, he would end up resenting me for the rest of his life. "There is something I need you to do for me, though." "Anything," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I pulled the chain that held the Loup Garou ring from around my neck. I toyed with it. "I should have this destroyed, but somehow I can't find it in me to do it. I want you to take it and keep it safe." And my unspoken message was clear. If you want to be with me, put it on and become like me. I dropped it into Mulder's hand. "I'll do my best, and I'll think hard about what to do with it," Mulder said softly. In other words, 'I don't know what I want.' I thought. "That's all I'm asking." I paused. "The shuttle will be here in an hour to take me to the airport. My brother will meet me at the San Jose airport." Mulder sighed. "Then I guess this is goodbye." "Yeah," I couldn't keep the catch out of my voice, "but I'll stay in contact." We both had avoided using the word "love" when we talked about us. But we did love each other, but that love wasn't the kind that could keep us together as lovers. Close friends, yes, but lovers, no. "You can expect me to pop up sometime in the future and complicate your life." "I think I'd like that," Mulder whispered. Then he leaned in close and kissed me. It wasn't a horny, passionate kiss. It was the two of us relishing the closeness to each other that we wouldn't feel for a long time, and possibly, probably never again. The kiss broke when I pulled away. I didn't want us to end up sleeping together once more. That part of our relationship was over. It had to be over, or else I would go crazy. Mulder understood why I backed off. He brushed his lips against my forehead. "Goodbye, Jess." "Goodbye, Mulder." I watched as he turned and leaved. I sighed as the door closed on that chapter of my life. Author's note - No matter what she thought or believed, Jake had no right to do what he did to Jess. If you are in a situation where someone is mentally, physically, or sexually abusing you, GET OUT! Tell your spouse, your friends, your parents, your pastor, your doctor, your teachers, the police, anyone. And if the first person doesn't help you, KEEP ON telling people until someone does listen and helps. This one came out while I was in a fit of writers block while I was working on 'Life Mates.' It was meant to be a bit of fluffy mind candy. I think I achieved what I was going for. ** Loup Garou III - Confessions ** I walk to the ground floor apartment set back in the complex in San Jose. Exactly why I chose to come here I'm not certain. All I know is that I need a friend now. Especially now. I knock on the door. A woman, not much younger than myself answers it. "Scully," she said, using Mulder's habit of addressing me. "I didn't know you were in town. Come in." The surprise was plain on her face. "What are you doing here?" I take a deep breath. "I needed to talk to someone about Mulder. Someone who understands." Jess Leahs nods. She is an enigma. Mulder's friend, and by extension of her feelings for him, mine. Ex-lover of the man who I love and who does not know. Confidant of something she shrewdly guessed in a moment of stress. And werewolf, or so she says. Aside from that single delusion, she is as normally mental functioning as the next person. Maybe even more so. As I move to the couch, I look at the surroundings. Typical two bedroom apartment. Her adopted little girl is sitting in front of the TV, absorbed in some inane show. The blond child looks up and smiles at me. "Hi, Miss Scully." I smile back. "Lindy, why don't you go get ready for bed." As the child leaves the room, Jess turns to me. "Need a place to stay tonight?" she guesses. "Please." I don't want to go and face the lonely motel room. I didn't want to face Mulder tonight. "You can have my bed. I'll sack out in Lindy's room." She leaves the room to make arrangements. That was typical of Jess. Giving her best when she didn't have to. I would have been content with the couch. "Make yourself comfortable. Hot water's just finished boiling." While I wait, I make myself some tea to try to calm myself. It isn't easy. The words from our fight still ring in my ears. I'm so concentrated on the memory, I don't notice Jess reenter the room. "Scully?" she says softly. I startle, dropping the cup I'm holding. It shatters into a million pieces. Just like my life. "Goddammit!" I scream in frustration. The sisters at my parochial school would have never tolerated me swearing. They taught me to control my emotions. But I'm not in school anymore. I let go of the tight rein I always keep myself on. I start to sob like a child. "Scully, it's okay." Jess puts an arm around my shoulder and guides me back to the couch. She puts a box of Kleenex into my lap, handing me one of the tissues. "Let me get that." She disappears into the kitchenette and cleans up the mess. She returns to sit in the chair opposite of me. "Now, what's wrong?" She hands me a second cup of tea. I could smell the hot chocolate she fixed for herself. I put the cup down on the coffee table between us. "Mulder and I were out here investigating an 'alien abduction.' A young woman went missing and then returned abruptly, claiming to have spent that time in space. A microchip was found embedded in her neck." Jess nods. "Go on." She takes a sip of her drink. "Mulder and I started arguing over who put the implant there. Not too many people outside the Bureau know this, but I went missing for a time also." Give Jess the facts and she comes logical conclusions or spookily close inferences. "And someone also put a microchip in your neck?" "Yes." I look down at the wadded Kleenex I'm clutching. "And things haven't been the same between us since." "Was this before or after I met you?" "After." "And you still haven't told him about how you feel?" Tears start to fill my eyes. "I was going to. But he's been more distant lately. I thought it was possible that he loved me the way I love him, but now I don't know." "So what does that have to do with right now?" "Mulder wants me to go back to DC and let him finish the investigation alone. I told him that this was as much my case as his. Technically, he's the supervisor of the X-Files and I'm under him. So he pulled rank on me." "Stupid," Jess whispered. "Then what?" I shake my head. "We had a fight. I said some things about his beliefs and how they are usually unfounded in science." Jess nodded. "And he...?" "Told me unless I followed his orders, when we got back to DC, he was going to ask for me to be reassigned." I sigh. "I just turned around and left." "He said *what*?" Jess's voice grew louder with each word. "I can't *believe* he would pull some bone headed shitty trick like that. No wonder you're upset." I pull inward. "I can't face going to the motel, knowing he's one room over tonight." Jess smiled. "Like I said, you can crash here. Do you want anything to eat?" "No. I just want to sleep." "Okay, let's get you set up." Something in Jess is a nurturer. She leads me to her bedroom and got the things she'd need, fussing over me all the while. As she slid the drawer to her bed stand open, I notice a few foil wrapped packages inside. "I'm not ruining any plans you had for tonight?" She looks at me blankly for a moment. "Oh, the condoms. No, I'm not sleeping with anyone, but they're there just in case. There's a spare robe and gown behind the door and an unused toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. Feel free to use them or anything else you need. I'll see you in the morning. Good night." "Good night Jess." I close the door after her. I go through the motions of getting ready for bed, although I know that sleep will be a long time in coming. Just as I ready to turn out the lights, I hear the knock at Jess's door. I hear her cross the room and open it. "Mulder! What are you doing here?" I wrap her flannel robe around myself. I open my door a crack. Yes, Mulder is standing there, looking miserable. "Jess, I've really done it this time. Can I come in?" Jess glances in my direction, but lets him in. "What happened Mulder?" "I drove her away. She was the best thing in my life. I tried to protect her and I drove her away." Mulder sits down on the couch and buries his head in his hands. He doesn't know I'm here. All he was doing was going to a friend for some comfort. And he and I knew that was all he'd get out of Jess. She had made it clear that friendship was all she wanted from Mulder. She didn't regret their past, she just knew it could never be the way it once was between them. Jess looks in my direction while his eyes are covered. She knows I am on the other side of the door, watching. Her unspoken question was clear what the hell do I do now? I stick my head out of the doorway. Mulder's back is to me so there is no chance he can see me. I'm not here. Keep him talking, I mouth to her. Jess looks back to Mulder and kneels beside him. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Mulder what happened?" Mulder shakes his head. "I overreacted to something and pulled rank. She protested. I wanted to tell her that I was scared for her. I wanted to tell her I love her. Instead I threatened her." Jess asks another question, but I don't hear her. All I can hear is Mulder saying 'I love her.' Mulder is answering Jess. "I threatened to have her pulled from the X-Files completely. I thought that she knew it was an empty threat. I couldn't live without her." She rubs his shoulders lightly, trying to comfort him. "Then why haven't you told her?" "Because how could someone as wonderful as Dana Scully fall in love with a messed up schmuck like me?" "Mulder, you are not a schmuck," Jess smiled. "You may be a paranoid twit that smells conspiracy in every little event, but you are *not* a schmuck. Go find her. Apologize. Confess your love." Mulder looks more and more miserable by the moment. "I want to, but I don't know where to start looking. She could be anywhere." I can wait no longer. I open the door. "I'm right here, Mulder." Mulder turns and sees me there. Jess quietly mutters, "I'll give you two some time alone," and retreats to Lindy's bedroom. Mulder stares at me, stunned. "H...how long have you been standing there?" "The whole time." "You heard everything?" "Everything." I walk around to stand in front of him. "Why didn't you tell me, Mulder?" Mulder swallows hard. "I wanted to, but if I did, everything would have changed between us. I know that you can't share the feelings that I have for you. But I couldn't lose you." He looks deep into my eyes. "I love you." I kneel beside him and place a hand on his cheek. "Do you know how long I've been wanting for you to say that?" Tears spill from my eyes. "I love you too, Mulder." Mulder looks at me with disbelief in his eyes. Obviously that wans't the answer he expected. One hand caresses the one on his cheek. It slides down my arm and around to my shoulderblade. With a gentle pressure, he urges me forward. I don't need to be encouraged. I slide forward onto his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. My eyes shut as I lean forward and kiss his full lips. Oh God! His mouth is so wet and hot, his lips so soft. They part slightly, allowing me to slip my tongue in and out against the velvet of his. I have dreamed of this for so long, but reality surpasses the dream. Mulder whimpers and his arms tighten around me. I open my eyes to gaze on him. His eyes are shut tightly. His skin is flushed. And I can feel him beneath me hardening. He pulls away first, breaking the kiss to take a deep breath. "Scully," he huskily whispers before lunging for me again. He presses me back against the cushions of the couch, slipping his hands under my gown. "Not here," I whisper. As much as I want Mulder, I'm not to eager to have sex in Jess's home. "Back at the motel?" Mulder nods. I rise and grab my coat and purse. We hurry from Jess's to one of the parked cars and pull away hurriedly. I feel like a giddy teenager sneaking out to meet the boyfriend that my parents don't approve of. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as he drives. He is still flushed, still breathing hard, and is gripping the wheel so hard his knuckles are turning white. I've never seen him aroused around me. Because of me. At the first red light, he caresses my knee. His hand slips under my coat to graze my thigh. And then he laughs. "What?" I ask, not certain what is so humorous about my legs. "Do you realize," he chokes out around the giggles, "that you didn't change clothes when we left Jess's?" I snicker as I realize what he said was true. I was still wrapped in the robe and gown under my trench coat. We are still laughing when we pull into the motel parking lot. We practically run to the room. Mulder fumbles in his pocket for the key. His hand trembles as he unlocks the door. He finally manages to get it open. He sweeps me over the threshold, kicking the door closed behind him. Mulder eases the coat off me, leaving me dressed in the robe and gown. He lays me down on the bed. I pull him down on top of me, unbuttoning his shirt. "Scully," he moans and tongues my ear. And then he abruptly stops. He backs away from me like a wounded animal. I'm puzzled. "Mulder, what?" He swallows. "I, uh," he stammers, "just remembered, um, don't have anything with me. I wasn't expecting...." he trails off. I smile. "I do." For some reason, when I first heard Mulder's voice at Jess's door, I had pocketed a few of those condoms Jess kept in that drawer. Well, she had said to feel free to use to whatever I needed. And I really need this. I pull the packages from the pocket of the robe. He stares at me. "Just when I think I have you figured out," he murmurs, stroking my cheek. Our hands start feverishly plucking at our clothing. Now naked, we twist and wind about each other, lost in sensation. Our hands and lips explore each other with infinte tenderness. He pulls away. I gasp at the loss of contact and open my eyes. He has pulled backwards onto his knees and is offering me one of the condoms. I smile and sit up. Yes, I'll put that on you. But not before I put something else on first. I flip forward and take his proud erection into my mouth. He yelps at the unexpected sensation of my tongue massaging him. He bucks forward, trying to be gentle, but needing to feel me desperately. He makes soft little grunts with each thrust that presses him deeper into my hot mouth. I feel my dampness increase at his sounds of pleasure. Mulder is quickly nearing climax. His hands go to my cheeks and lift my head from his body. "Please, together?" he whispers huskily. "Yesss," I purr. God, I *don't* purr. Not me, the Ice Queen. But now I do because it feels right. The way it feels when I'm with him. Not when were butting heads over some of his spaced out theories about the X-Files, but when were just together, talking and sharing. I gently roll the condom onto him. He then pushes me over backwards, lowering his body onto mine. His tongue travels from my lips to my breast. He gently takes my swollen nipple into his mouth, nibbling and sucking. I cry out wordlessly and press upwards against him. In response he trails a hand through my pubic hair and lightly strokes my clitoris. Again I arch against Mulder, begging silently for him to enter me. He lifted up from my breast, smiling in heated anticipation. I return the smile as he scoots back up to kiss my mouth. I feel him slowly spread my legs and lower himself against my waiting wetness. I feel the head of his cock enter me. And then more than the head. We both moan simultaneously. It's an overwhelming sensation, one I've been waiting for ever since I first met him. We hold still momentarily, unable to believe the fantasy has become reality. I move my hips slightly. He realizes that I'm granting him permission and begins to thrust gently, slowly. I urge him faster and faster with my hands and voice. He responds. Oh God, does he respond. I can feel my orgasm about to begin. "Mulder," I moan. "Scully," he responds. He senses how close I am to coming and slows the tempo. I whimper. He grins and then speeds back up. I feel myself begin to dissolve from the pleasure he was inflicting. My muscles begin to tighten and spasm. "Mulder." The feeling of my reaction to my orgasm pushes Mulder over the edge. He tenses and pushes into me roughly but pleasantly, losing the tenuous grip he had on his control. Once. Twice. Thrice. He screams my name as he comes. He collapses against me shuddering. I am shuddering also, unable to believe what we just did, but by no means regretting it. We lay still for a few moments and then he withdraws. No words pass between us. We smile and share a long look filled with contentment and love. What just happened was inevitable, destined since the day we first met in that basement office. I wonder why I fought it off so long. Mulder nuzzled down between my neck and shoulder, his arms still around me. I nuzzle him back feeling his body relax. I stroke his shoulders, feeling drowsy. I lean my head against his close my eyes. ** I wake up to the sound of two voices softly talking. One Mulder's. "Sorry about showing up at your place like that last night." "'S'okay." Jess's voice is the other. I don't want to interrupt them, so I keep my eyes closed. "I take it you two finally admitted how you felt about each other?" "Yeah, and I think I'm going to kill you for not telling me Scully was behind me the whole time." Jess laughs. "Would you have said those things if I did?" "No." "Then kill me for trying to see my friends happy. I guess it's a capital offense now." Her voice grows quieter. "Listen, I'd better go. Take good care of her, Mulder, and yourself." "I will," is his soft reply. I hear the door close. I feel the bed sink under his weight as he lays down beside me. A palm gently strokes my cheek. I smile and open my eyes. He is hovering above me, smiling, but with a hint of fear in his eyes. Fear that I will reject him even now. I smile back and pull his head to mine. I feel the tension wash out of his shoulders as I kiss him. "Good morning," I whisper when the kiss ends. "What did Jess want?" "She brought back your clothes and took hers." He grins at me lopsidedly. "Do you listen in on all my conversations?" "Well, you did think I was sent to spy on you when we first met. So why disappoint you?" Mulder laughs. It is good to hear him laugh. He does it so little. But he becomes serious quickly. "I want to appologize for pulling rank on you. And threatening to send you away." I wrap my arms around him tighter. "Forgiven. But even though you know that I love you, don't expect me to change my beliefs about the X-Files. Or take any dominant male / submissive female crap you try to pull." Mulder's arms tighten around me. "Deal." He sighs. "What do we do now?" "I think we have two options. Pretend last night didn't happen." "That's not an option," he growls. "Or be careful when we go back to DC. We can keep it hidden, for now. We are, after all, trained for the FBI." He nuzzles my neck. "It's going to be hard to keep my feelings for you hidden from now on, knowing you feel the same way." I kiss his hair. "We can do it, Mulder. I love you." "I love you too, Scully." And we get out of bed to greet the day. Together. This one I started even before I ended 'Kindred.' It began as a PWP about what would happen if Jess and Krycek ever reunited. And then it grew and grew. I have a soft spot for this one has what I feel is the best sex scenes I have written, where Jess and Krycek are reunited. ** Loup Garou IV - Life Mates - A Sequel to The Kindred "People love who they love, and it doesn't have to make sense to the people on the outside." - Jerry Springer "We're not angels, Akasha; we are not gods. To be human, that's what most of us long for. It is the human which has become myth to us." - Lestat, "The Queen of the Damned," Anne Rice Jess stepped off the airplane with a sigh. Home, sweet home, with earthquakes, drive by shootings, and smog. God! It feels good to be back in San Jose. A short blonde child streaked towards her. "Jessie!" she screamed. "Hey, Lindy!" She knelt down and hugged the little girl tightly. "I can't tell you how much I've missed you." "And how about me?" a male voice asked. A six foot brown haired man that bore a striking resemblance to Jess stood nearby. Jess grinned up at her brother. "Missed you about the same as always, Michael, not much." "Very funny, sis. Let's get your luggage. Are you sure you want to spend the night at my place? Not that Annie and I don't want you too, we just thought that you'd want to get home as soon as possible." "I just need to be around you, Annie, and Lindy for a day or two." Jess's voice took on a sad tone. "I've got a lot to tell you all." Scully looked up from her paperwork to stare at Mulder staring at the wall. They were filling out the report forms from their latest case. Her partner was uncharacteristically quiet, not trying to convince her of the correctness of his werewolf theories. He was trying to absorb all that had happened in the last few days. "Mulder?" He looked at her. "Yes, Scully?" "You're upset. Do you want to talk about it?" "I had him, Scully," he started softly. "I had him and I could have finally have gotten revenge for my father and information to use against the Consortium. And I just let him go." The frustration was growing plainer in his voice. "Mulder, you didn't just... ." "I just let him go," he repeated louder. He slammed his fists against the desk. "Damn it, Scully. I let him go because my best friend had to go and fall in love with Alex Krycek, of all people." "Mulder, Jess didn't intend to get involved with anyone, let alone Krycek. She's miserable over it too." She decided it was time to break one of their unspoken rules - no touching at work. She got up to move behind his chair. Scully massaged Mulder's tight shoulder muscles. "And you did the right thing. If you killed Krycek, or hurt him, Jess wouldn't have forgiven you." Mulder sighed and leaned back into her massage. "You're right. But the next time I see Krycek, I may not be so forgiving." "Neither will I. But first we have to find him." "Jess, what you've just told us, it's incredible," Annie said. "And you haven't seen this Alex since?" Jess, Annie and Michael were sitting in the living room of her brother's house. It was late at night and Lindy was in bed. "No, and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing." Jess sighed. "And I have no idea what I'm going to do." "Do?" Michael's voice had a shade of disbelief. "You love him. He obviously loves you. You'll eventually find him, or he'll find his way to you." "It's not that simple," Jess began. "I owe Mulder... ." "Jess, listen to me," Annie interrupted. "You don't owe Mulder shit. You don't have to choose to tell him anything. You helped him with the murder case. That's all you owed him. You don't have to carry out his personal plan of vengeance." "She's right, sis. You have don't have to tell Mulder when Alex shows up." "If," Jess said pessimistically. "When." "Yeah," Annie said. "My husband, the hopelessly romantic vet, is usually right about these things." "I'll hopeless romantic you, you pediatrician. Jess, sometimes I think you told us about being a werewolf just so that you could have medical treatment in whatever form you happen to be in. Oh, I just remembered. I found something the other day that I thought you might want." Michael picked up a black jewelry case from where it had been resting on the coffee table. He tossed it in her general direction. Jess plucked it out of the air with a casual grace. "Still testing my reflexes, Mikey?" She opened the box. A shocked look passed over her features. "Where did you find it?" "Up in the attic. I was searching for some school books and stumbled across it. Since Dad didn't let you keep any of Rachel's things, I thought you might want it." Jess pulled the ornate silver cross out of the box. "I thought Rachel was buried wearing it. How did you get it?" She slipped the chain around her neck. "Mom took it off just after the funeral. She was saving it for you, but Dad didn't want anything of Rachel's left to remind him. It was in one of the boxes of things you sent me to check after they died. And don't stab yourself with it," he added. "It *is* pure silver." "Thanks. And I may be depressed about Alex, but I'm not suicidal," Jess laughed. "Do you really think we'll find each other?" she asked wistfully. Michael looked hard at his younger sister. I haven't seen her this lonely since Rachel died. "Yeah, sis, the two of you will." Annie chimed in. "Of course, Jess. After all, wolves mate for life." Lindy couldn't sleep. She was with Jess, and everything was safe and secure. Back home for two months, life had gotten back to normal for the two of them, as normal as it can be for an adult and a juvenile werewolf. Everything should have been fine. But it wasn't. Jess had tried hard not to let her grief and loneliness show, but the little girl could see it when Jess thought she wasn't being watched. She wasn't eating as much, she wasn't sleeping well, and her normally pale skin was even more pallid. A thought crossed her mind. Her mind powers were starting to develop. Jess could send thought messages and she could receive them. Her ability to send and to sense thoughts that weren't broadcasted wasn't so good, yet. Though her powers were weak and behaved erratically, she could easily sense strong emotions. And Jess's were very strong. Maybe then I can help her feel better. In fact, she could sense Jess remembering something with fondness and longing at this moment. Maybe if I try hard enough, I'll actually be able to see what she's remembering. Lindy hadn't tried it before on her own, and she wanted to show off to Jess. Maybe that will cheer her up. She sat up in bed and got comfortable. Her cat jumped down from the bed where it had been sleeping. She started to narrow her focus down to the woman in the other room. Jess emotions were washing over and intertwining with hers so that Lindy had a hard time remembering that she was the observer, not the experiencer. Yes! The mental image came slowly into focus. If Jess realized her mind was being probed, she gave no sign of it. She was lost in the memory of her and a man together in bed. Naked, she was moaning and guiding his head down her body. He started kissing and touching between her... . Lindy screamed. Jess was in her room in a heartbeat. ~Lindy, what are you doing?~ "Are you okay? You shouldn't try that without letting me know." "You let him touch you like that?" Lindy asked shivering. ~How could you?~ She remembered how *he* had touched her like that. She hated and feared the smoldering look in *his* eye that would appear before *he* started to... . ~Lindy,~ she mindspoke softly. She sat down on the bed. "The man who hurt you was sick. He twisted something that is a normal and beautiful act into something perverted. Sex between two consenting adults, like me and Alex, can be an expression of love." "But, but you enjoyed it. Whenever *he* did me, it hurt." "There is a bit of a physical size difference between you and me. And I was relaxed and not fighting it. In fact I was encouraging him to touch me. On the other hand, you didn't want anything to do with *him*. No one had any right to do what *he* did to you." Jess paused and looked at her sideways. "You know, we've talked about your abuse. We've talked about having sex, AIDS, VD, and pregnancy. But we've never talked about making love, though." "What's the difference?" "Having sex is the actual physical act, no emotions or merely lust and a greedy longing for pleasure attached. Making love however involves the deeper emotions, the affection, the trust, the love. I could have sex anytime I wanted to. But there are only two men I have made love to. And only one I could now," she in an undertone, almost as an afterthought. "Is that Alex?" At Jess's nod, she asked the question she had been preying on her mind. "Is he gonna come here?" The fear was plain in Lindy's voice. Ah, here we go. "I don't know sweetheart." She stroked Lindy's hair. "But if he does come here, things may change some. But two things won't I'll always love you and protect you. I'll always do my damnedest to keep *anyone* from hurting you." "Even Alex?" Lindy sounded scared. "He won't want to..." "Even Alex," Jess said firmly. "Not all men are sick like *he* was. Remember Mr. Mulder? And what about Michael? They haven't tried to do anything to you, right?" "Yeah," Lindy said hesitantly. "Well, neither will Alex. If he does show up, he and I might be sharing my room. But he won't ever hurt you the way that sick man did. And if he does," Jess pulled Lindy's head against her chest, "you tell me right away, and I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you ever again." ~I promise.~** They lay together in the darkness of her bedroom. Scully was absorbed in her lover's motions. He was gently exploring her body with his tongue and fingers. She could feel his hot hardness growing against the tops her thighs and slowly, teasingly moving in between them. The phone rang. "Shit. Not now," her lover said. He backed away as she reached for the bedside phone. "Scully." She paused. "What? When did this happen!" She listened for a few moments more. "Yes, thank you for informing me." She hung up the phone. "Your cell phone will go off in a few seconds." "No it won't. I shut it off." Mulder grinned at her. "I didn't want us to be interrupted, for all the good that did. So what's so important?" "That was Skinner's office. They relieved a call from the jail where the man who calls himself Alpha Wolf was being held. A guard went into solitary to check on the man you shot defending Jess. He were found an hour ago with his neck slashed open. There's no sign of the man you wounded." "He escaped?" Mulder's eyebrows shot up. "Yes, and there's no clue as to where he went." Scully shook her head. "Six months they held him, and we still don't know who he is." "Well, we can't do anything about it now." Mulder pulled her back down onto him. He silenced her comments with a kiss. In a few moments, the call was the last thing on their minds. Jess was in a good mood. She had just seen Lindy off to school. The youngling was enrolled in an all girls school for now, so she wouldn't have to deal with boys. Her male teachers were aware of her past sexual abuse, and worked with Lindy. Fortunately, the PE teacher was a woman, so none of the teachers other actually had any reason to be in physical contact with her. For now, Lindy was coping very well. In fact, she had become an A student. So Jess was alone when she got the call. "Hello?" she answered the phone. "Jess, it's Mulder." "Hey Mulder, what's up?" "Something happened that you should know about. The man that called himself Alpha Wolf escaped. And we still don't know his real name, even though it's been three months." Jess swallowed. "Thanks for the warning." "No problem, hell beast. That aside, how are you doing?" "Surviving. And lonely," Jess sighed. "Jess, forget about Krycek. You could do a lot better than a cold blooded murderer," Mulder scolded. Here we go again. She immediately went on the defensive. "I've done worse." "Jess, Jake did treat you badly. But that doesn't mean that you have to pine over the first man that you've bedded in twelve years." Her eyes narrowed. "First of all, Fox," she hissed, "I was referring to the murders *I* committed all those years ago. Second, Alex did treat me better than Jake. But I miss him because he loved me and I love him. I'm not 'pining' over him just because he's good in the sack. Thirdly, who I sleep with ceased to be any of your business when we stopped having sex. And fourth, who said that I've been celibate the whole time?" "Jess, listen to me. I didn't mean to get you mad. But I need you to tell me if he shows up." "Why, so you can kill him in front of me?" Mulder was exasperated. "You don't know who he's connected with. You could be putting yourself and Lindy in danger." Jess wasn't about to let him have the last word. "The same way you have been putting Dana?" "That's not fair." Mulder sounded hurt. "I'm just trying to help you." Jess relaxed her stance. "Sorry, but I can't promise you anything. I don't know what I'll do until it happens. But I will think long and hard before I do anything." "Okay." Mulder sounded resigned to her answer. Her response had not really surprisedhim. They had had some variation on this conversation for the last few weeks when he called. "Let me know if you need anything. Goodbye, Jess." "Bye, Mulder." Jess hung up the phone. She rolled her eyes. So much for having an upbeat day. I'm almost there. Just a little further to go. He refolded the map and put it in the backpack that held his only worldly possessions. He had been working steadily towards his goal for the last six weeks, since he had returned to US soil from St. Petersburg. It was almost within reach. So close, so damn close. He couldn't afford to make an error now. The slightest misstep and everything would end in disaster. He didn't think he was being followed. But he had to be sure. He didn't want to bring her into any more danger. I'll make the final push from San Francisco tonight, he thought wearily. Then I can rest, if only for a day or so. Part of him wanted to give up, lay down, and die. But part of him was just too stubborn to give up. Maybe that was why They had chosen him, for his tenacity. Or his naivete. Or maybe it was my stupidity. Alex Krycek walked the overcast streets of San Francisco, waiting for night to fall. It will be safest to move after dark. That was how he had been traveling after he left the freighter he had stowed away on - hole up for a month, wait for the full moon to rise, make the kill his animal instincts demanded, run like hell as a wolf as far as he could get in one night, and then start the cycle all over. It was a nerve wracking waiting game. I wish I could control the Change and didn't have to wait for the moon, but at least I don't shift unpredictably. And it's a good thing that the Change also triggers regeneration, he thought, unconsciously rubbing his right hand against his left arm. Krycek hadn't been surprised when, that night several months ago, he felt the familiar pains of full moon transformation overtake the the phantom pains of his missing arm. He was aware that werewolves had incredible regenerative and healing capabilities, but he had been surprised to see the missing limb explode from the stump as he went from human to lupine form. And even more amazed when he kept the arm when he Changed from wolf to human. He sighed. I'm almost there, Jess. Please be waiting. If she turned him away, he had decided what to do. Too many people had wished him dead. His mother had been gone for many years. He wasn't sure if his father was alive or not, and he didn't want to think about him. His experience in Russia had finally broken his will to play the game. He had bought the silver arrowhead necklace and filed the edges to razor sharpness. There would be no reason for him to continue if Jess didn't want anything to do with him. His life was worthless without her. He would have no one and no reason to live. But he had to see her one last time. Either way, tonight I'll know what to do. Mulder sat on his couch, thinking about the full moon and Jess. She would probably be out with Lindy, howling her lungs out. And hopefully had forgotten about Krycek, although it seemed unlikely. Every time he had called and talked to her and tried to bring up Krycek, she had gotten defensive and snappy. She listened to what he said about his recent adventure in Russia and Krycek's involvement in the militia. Then she snarled something about the fact that she had also killed as a werewolf, so was Mulder going to come after her too? Why Jess and Krycek? Why not Jess and Pendrell? Or even Jess and Colton? I could live with that. He shook his head. He wanted to see his best friend and ex-lover happy. But he also wanted revenge for what Krycek had done to him and Scully. The question was how to do it without alienating Jess. Unknown to Scully, he had the Lone Gunmen trying to trace Krycek's movements in Russia and keeping an eye on the ports of entry. If he ever returned to the US, Krycek would try to contact her, seeking shelter. He wanted to find Krycek before Jess did, so she wouldn't be put in the position of having to choose between them. But as more time passed, the less likely that seemed. Damn. It was a good thing I didn't Change and go out tonight. Later that evening, Jess sat by the window to her apartment. She was watching the West Coast winter rainstorm. Jeez. It's miserable out there. At least it's not like the time it flooded downtown. I wonder how Lindy's handling the storm, she mused. Lindy loved to sit and watch the rain coming down from the safety of a window. She had begged Jess, Annie, and Michael to be allowed to spend the night at his place, where the windows looked out into a street instead of another apartment. And Annie had indulgently said okay, and yes she could bring her cat Chloe before Jess or Michael could protest. She's got us just where she wants us, she thought with a grin. There was a soft scratch at the door. Who is that? Jess wasn't expecting any visitors, especially not in this weather. And why would they scratch at the door and not knock? She opened the door. Standing there was a tall, thin, shaggy, black and white half-wolf half-husky, covered with mud. Poor thing, she thought. This dog's obviously had a rough time of it somewhere. "Come on in, boy. Can't turn you away on a night like this." The dog stumbled in, weak and exhausted. She pulled out of the refrigerator some left over roast that she was saving for tomorrow's lunch. "Here, eat up." It wolfed down the leftovers. Jess kept frowning at the dog. There was something familiar about its eyes, a brilliant green instead of the usual brown, blue, or gold found in a husky. And at the base of the dog's ear, almost hidden by the shaggy fur, she could see a glimmer of a gold earring. Oh. My. God. "Alex?" Jess asked softly. The werewolf whimpered weakly, closing his eyes. Krycek slumped against her legs managed a shallow nod. Thank whoever's up there that she recognized me. "Oh God, Alex," Jess whispered. She knelt down and pulled him in close. "I've missed you," she said, burying her face in his fur. "I've been searching for you since... hoping that... praying you were... ." Her voice trailed off, remembering how they had been split apart. She started to sob quietly. Krycek placed his head on her shoulder. He licked her face in affection, trying to comfort her. Jess smiled through her tears. She took the fanged head in her hands. "I love you, you smelly mutt. But let's take care of the smelly part." She led him to the bathroom. "Can you control your transformation?" She started the water running. A shake of the head and a soft whine was her answer. "Okay, we'll just work with it. Get in." Krycek stood in the bathtub and allowed Jess to soap and scrub his body, washing away the muck from his travels. He sighed as he felt his tense muscles relax. I'm safe, at least for the moment. It's wonderful to have a full stomach and feel clean again. His head drooped in contentment. Jess could feel the thick fur thinning out under her hands. Slowly the back was broadening. The hocks were folding forward. The muzzle was slowly shrinking back into a human nose and lips. She repeatedly rinsed his body. By the time she had finished grooming him and had gotten him out of the tub, he was fully human again and half asleep. "Missed you, Jess," he murmured as she toweled him off. His arms fell around her and he pressed his nose to the skin of her neck, inhaling deeply. "Love you." "Love you too." Jess brushed her lips past an ear. "Your dead on your feet. Let's get you to bed. We'll have time to talk in the morning." Jess sat up after putting Krycek to bed, watching him sleep sprawled on his back. He looks so peaceful now. Almost angelic. She brushed his hair away from his face tenderly. He stirred, muttered something unintelligible, and resettled on his side. His left hand was fisted and laying near his head, making Jess wonder if he had been a thumb-sucker late into his childhood. Poor thing. Seeing him like this, it's hard to believe what Mulder told me. She got up and moved to the living room. She dropped to the couch. Mulder. Oh God! Jess hadn't allowed herself to think about Krycek coming back into her life. She always talked about it as if it could happen, but she never actually let herself believe it for a moment. If I call Mulder, he's gonna kill Alex. If I don't call Mulder and he finds out, he's gonna hate me, and I lose a friend, and probably gain an enemy. Jess put her heads in her hands. What am I going to do? Time to make a choice. She sat there thinking for a few minutes, and then picked up the phone. Krycek woke up to the chimes of a grandfather clock in the other room. He was well rested for the first time in a long time. He stretched and looked around the room. He was lying in a full bed with a home made dog quilt thrown over him. An old mahogany dresser graced the opposite wall. On the bedside table was a picture of a happy family - Jess, someone who looked like the male version of her, a chestnut haired woman with her arm around him, and a blond seven-year-old girl that was beaming ear to ear. There was a second older picture of a boy and two girls. And a third of the blond girl. Must be her family. He slowly got out of the bed. Although soaking in the bath last night had helped, he was sore from traveling so far so fast. Better find my clothes. Naked, he padded into the living room, also searching for Jess. The sound of the door knob turning startled him. Shit! Someone followed me. He looked around to find some sort of weapon to defend himself. He needn't have worried. Jess stepped through the door, carrying several plastic bags with the name of a local drugstore imprinted on them. She was also carrying the backpack he had dropped outside her door. She broke into a beautiful smile when she saw him standing there. "You're awake," she said, going to him. She put her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. God! She's more beautiful than I remembered. His arms wound possessively around her body, reassuring him that she was real. He returned the kiss crying, releasing the pent up emotions of their separation. He could taste her salty tears as well as his own. When the kiss ended, Jess stepped away a little shyly. "I got you some things. I thought you'd want to clean up. I hope I got the right size." She handed him one of the bags. "It looked like the stuff you had seen better days." "Thanks." Inside was a toothbrush, razor, a set of sweats and boxers. "Let me go get dressed." "Okay." Jess kissed his cheek. As he moved to the bathroom, he heard her talking. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" she asked as she put the rest of her purchases away. He pulled on the boxers and sweats. "Last night or before?" "Whatever you're comfortable with." Jess appeared in the doorway, leaning against it, arms crossed. "I'm not comfortable with any of it." Krycek looked at her with mixed emotions. "I wanted to tell you, but I wasn't sure how. And I wanted to keep you safe." "Trust me, Alex, I was in danger long before I met you. You haven't figured it out yet, have you?" She shook her head. "Don't you know why Mulder asked me to help?" Krycek shook his head. "I figured you were supposed to be psychic or something," he said around a mouthful of toothpaste. "Since I was working with Spooky? Close, but not quite." Jess grinned. "It's so obvious that I missed it when we started dating. You see," she paused, looking him in the eyes, "I'm also a werewolf." Krycek blinked. That was the last thing he expected her to say. But it made sense in a twisted way. It explains the way it felt like we knew each other as soon as we met. He spat out the foam. "How?" I don't remember seeing her at the labs. "That's a long story. One that can wait until after breakfast, or I guess it would be lunch. It's almost eleven." "And maybe wait until after... something else?" He didn't dare voice what he wanted - her. Jess's grin got wider. "Of course. Why do you think I went to a *drugstore*?" She stepped in close and rubbed her hand against his chest, tracing lightly the swirls of his chest hair. "Jessica," he whispered throatily. He could feel goose bumps trailing after her hand. He felt certain stirrings for the first time in a long time. He lifted her hand to his lips. Jess shivered. Her lips parted and eyes shut. "Alex." Her breathing quickened. Krycek leaned in close, lips parting to match hers. Just as they made contact, his stomach rumbled. They both pulled back giggling. "I guess that means breakfast first." Jess turned to go to the kitchen. He looks like he lost some weight. Life on the run definitely does not agree with him. "Eggs and bacon okay?" "Yeah, sounds great." The man in the trench coat carried the package as if he were transporting the Royal Crown Jewels of Great Britain to their safe house. And in a way, the information that was on the video tape in the brown wrapping was more valuable. He had received it from his contact on the West Coast. Now all that remained was making sure the right people saw and acted on it. He didn't pretend to understand his boss's orders. The Cigarette Smoking Man didn't owe him any explanation. As long as he carried out this assignment successfully, he wouldn't worry about it. After eating together, they moved back to the living room. "You're not mad at me for not telling..." "Alex," Jess interrupted, "how can I be angry with you when I'm guilty of the same thing?" His shoulders slumped in relief. "So how much time do we have together?" Krycek asked, sitting on the couch. "I called Michael last night. Annie, my bro's wife, will bring Lindy back tomorrow." "Actually, I meant how long will we be together, alone or not?" "What do you mean?" Jess looked puzzled by the question. She sat down beside him. "I'm assuming Mulder knows I'm here. It's only a matter of time before he comes after me." Jess looked away uncomfortably. "Mulder doesn't know. No one does, except Michael and Annie." "Say again?" He put a hand to her cheek, turning her face to him. "Mulder and I haven't gotten along well since... you know." Jess gave a weak laugh. "He knows me too well. He figured if you showed up here, I wouldn't tell him. We've had many 'discussions' about it." She smiled. "I guess he was right." Krycek's hand slid from her cheek to entangle itself in her hair. "So we have no worries, at least for the moment," he murmured. He pulled her head to his and kissed her. Jess slid towards him, easing onto his lap. Her hands brought his other hand to her breast. He slowly kneaded it through her clothing. "Oh God," he whispered. She was just as firm as he remembered. Jess's breathing deepened. She shifted, straddling him. Her hands slid under Krycek's shirt, stroking his soft skin. Her lips moved across his cheek. Her breath tickled his ear. "I want you. I need to feel you moving inside of me." She took his earlobe between her teeth and gently bit down, toying with his earring with her tongue. Krycek could only growl in response. But still he hesitated. He gently lifted her off his lap and then stood up. "Are you sure you want this? There is a lot that has happened that you don't know. I fucked up big time." And was fucked up big time. Jess stood up beside him, pressing herself against him. Her fingers intertwined with his. "Alex, Mulder's told me some of it. We can talk about it later. And I know it will be dangerous. I know it puts you, me, and my family at risk. But I love you and I'd rather face that danger with you than on my own." Krycek leaned his forhead against hers, looking into her eyes. "Jess, I love you with all my heart. Anything that is within my power I would do for you." "Well, right now all I want is for you to make passionate love to me." "I can do that." He scooped Jess up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.He gently lowered her onto the bed. Jess sat her up and pulled him onto the bed on top of her. Krycek groaned as one hand entangled in his hair and the other slid down to cup his ass. She began to squeeze rythimically. He kissed the tender skin behind the angle of her jaw before nibbling on her earlobe. Jess arched up against him, sighing softly. "Alex, this is real, right? This isn't a dream?" She felt the wet warmth recede from her ear. "If this is a dream," he whispered huskily, "I never want to wake up." His lips brushed hers tenderly before moving to lick her other ear. He then pulled back to watch her as she reacted to what he was about to do. She whimpered as he laid a finger on the center of her forehead. Krycek ever so slowly traced the line of symmetry down her nose to pause at her lips. They parted to lure his finger between her teeth. He gasped as she sucked it gently, an imitation of a more intimate act she wanted to perform. He shivered and backed off slightly to kneel between her legs, which were spread in welcome. The finger reluctantly withdrew to continue tracing down her face and neck. He toyed lightly with the collar of her button down shirt. With a look of complete absorption, he slowly undid it, revealing a soft cotton bra. "So beautiful," he whispered, sliding it off to expose her breasts. "What?" he asked as she shifted uneasily beneath him and looked away. "How can you say that?" was her answer. Tears slipped from her eyes. "How can I be beautiful with what Jake did to me? With the way he scarred me, slashed me?" The scars, some knife blade thin, some jagged tooth marks, traced across her breasts and stomach like lines of white fire. Two bite marks circled around her nipples. The slashes radiated outward from her nipples to the base of her breasts and traced the path between her breasts to her navel. For the first time, he realized that she too had a past to overcome. The cocky, smart-mouthed, devil-take-the-hindmost, werewolf woman he loved could also be sad, shy, and uncertain, afraid her body would be a turn off, all because of what an abusive boyfriend had done to her one night in a drunken rage. "Jessica," he whispered softly. A hand gently turned her head back to look at him, hovering over her. Looking at her chest, he deliberately smiled wide and wantonly. "I see a beautiful woman that I love with all my heart who has been though the fire, and came out so much stronger. I think you are the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen." Looking into her eyes, he lunged his hips towards hers so his cock prodded her thigh. The sweats he was wearing did nothing to constrain his hard-on. "And my body hasn't changed its mind about making love to you." She closed her eyes, smiled, and softly whimpered as he bent down to kiss away her tears. Jess's hands moved from where she was cradling his ass to slide to the hem of his shirt. She peeled the shirt deftly off his body, making his cock throb even harder. Krycek leaned in for another lingering kiss. Their first time had been franticly consumanted, both having abstained for so long. Now he wanted to draw this encounter out as long as possible, uncertain they would ever have a chance for a repeat performance. But the sight and feel of bare skin against bare skin almost made him change his mind. His tongue slid along hers, relishing the feeling of wet, warm velvet. Meanwhile, Jess had kept her hands busy. She worried his sweatpants and boxers down to mid thigh. Her deft hands then traced up the inside of his thighs, making him shiver. They slid around to the back of his thighs kept moving up his back to end at his shoulders, holding him tight against her. Krycek moaned and reluctantly pulled away from her mouth to travel downwards. He placed feather light kisses around her breast and matched his movements on her other with his fingers, spiraling inwards to her erect nipples. He heard her gasp as he gently blew across them. He gently sucked and pinched them, and she bucked upwards and tightened her hold on his shoulders. "Let me sit up," he whispered. Jess relaxed her grip as he crouched upwards and wiggled out of the sweats. "Now lift your hips." He slowly, reverently removed her jeans and panties. "Do you have any condoms?" Jess smiled. "Like I said earlier, why do you think I went to a *drugstore*? For their choice in clothing?" Never taking her eyes from him, she reached behind her to pull open a drawer of the bed stand. She fumbled blindly and pulled out an unopened box. Krycek eagerly snatched the box from her hand and ripped it open. Hands trembling with excitement, he tried to open the shiny foil packet. "Alex, wait." Jess sat up and put a hand over his. "Let me do it." She pulled the package from his hands. "Now lay back and let me do the work." "Jess, what are you doing?" he asked as she shoved him down gently so he lay with his head at the foot of the bed. "Something I've wanted to do for a long time." Supporting her weight on her elbows, Jess bent to suck at his navel. And then she moved her lips lower, blowing softly into his pubic hair. Krycek moaned and sat up. He knew what she wanted, and he wanted it too. His hands grasped either side of her head and guided her to his engorged cock. He gasped as he felt a warmth cover his glans. He shifted under her, lifting his hips involuntarily, urging her to take more. Her right hand traced the skin inside his thigh to start massaging his balls. She then lunged, taking all of him she could. She felt the end of his cock press against the back of her throat. "Oh God... oh God... oh God!" Krycek screamed as he felt her swallow repeatedly, running her tongue over the sensitive skin. With each swallow, she grasped and released his balls. He had never felt such an intense sensation in his life. She could feel the skin of his scrotum tightening. Jess then released him, backing away slightly. She looked up to see him staring at her with open mouth and wide dilated eyes. "Get... that... condom... on... me... *now*!" Krycek panted. Jess trembled as she unrolled the condom onto him. She had never seen a man so desperate for release. Good Lord, what have I done? She watched him take a deep breath and... . Krycek flung Jess backwards to land in the pillows with him on top of her. Both hands went to each side of her cheeks as he kissed her long and deep, smelling and tasting himself on her. Backing off so he could watch her face, he positioned herself to penetrate her. He smiled as he heard the quiet yip she gave as he brushed against her clit. He repeated the movement. She yipped again and lifted her hips, her eyes shut tight. "Jess, look at me." She opened her eyes to stare into his. Krycek slowly began to sink his cock into her wet tightness. Once he was fully buried in her, he let out a breathy moan of contentment. Jess shivered and whimpered as he settled his weight onto her. She nipped at his earlobe as he nuzzled her shoulder. Tentatively, she moved her hips. Krycek took that as permission and slowly started to thrust. "Harder, Alex, harder," Jess begged. Krycek obliged, pistioning himself in and out of her faster and faster. He could feel his tension rising. One hand moved down to where he was frantically pushing to lightly stroke her clit repeatedly. Jess arched up beneath him, nails biting into his flesh as they stroked downward to his ass. She screamed his name as she came. He pumped into her even faster, feeling her squeezing him. And suddenly found himself screaming her name as he surged into her. He colapsed onto her, ehausted. One of her hands moved to cradle the back of his head. Krycek kisssed her ear. "Let me up for a moment." He withdrew to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. Jess smiled and stretched. She scooted over to one side of the bed as Krycek returned and got in bed beside her. She pulled him to her with a sigh of contentment. Krycek put his arms around her tightly. He nuzzled her hair, inhaling her scent deeply. Jess sighed again and nestled into his shoulder, still smiling. Her eyes slid shut. Krycek felt her breathing become slower. He glanced down to find that she was asleep in his arms, as trusting as a little child. The smile still graced her lips. And suddenly he realized what a stupid move seeing her was. It would only be a matter of time before someone hunted him down, and would use Jess to get to him. But for some reason, he really didn't care. Being with her was enough for the moment. He leaned his cheek against her hair and shut his eyes. He was asleep before he knew it. And the expected nightmares never visited them. He sat in one of the seedier motel rooms in San Jose. He had gotten away from the jail without much trouble. It had been a little more problematic to trace the traitor's trail, but a little research as to where the bitch lived let him figure out where Krycek would appear. And when I get a hold of them, Alpha Wolf grinned to himself. He would capture them. He would personally punish Krycek for escaping. He would claim the bitch as his mate. He would be back in good graces at the labs. In short, he would be the dominant male, the alpha wolf of the pack, again. That was how he thought of himself, as Alpha Wolf. He never even thought of his human name anymore. Hell, he had forgotten his human name. The animal had eaten up any vestige of humanity he once had. He had always completed his assignments with the cool efficiency of the predator that his masters had prized. No female had denied him anything his bestial lust had desired, wanting to share his power. And no subordinate male had ever thumbed his nose at him like that. That was why his escape and her rejection drove him so. Now it was a matter of time. Krycek was in San Jose, he could smell him and sense his mental signature. All he would have to do would be get a hold of the bitch, and Krycek would stick his neck in the noose willingly. All he had to do was watch and wait. Jess and Krycek laid in bed together, asleep in each others arms. Swept away by their emotions, they had pleasured each other until they were both too exhausted to move. Krycek woke up first. One eye slid open to take in the setting sun. Then the second one opened so he could focus on the beautiful woman in his arms. As screwed up as my life is, how did I manage to end up with someone so wonderful? He tenderly brushed her bangs back from her eyes. Jess stirred lightly from his caress. Her eyes blinked open to see Krycek smiling at her. He's here. He's *really* here. She reached to stroke his cheek with the back of her fingers. Neither of them wanted to break the spell they were under. Afraid to speak, Jess settled for actions to express herself. She pulled his head to hers and kissed him passionately. Krycek sighed and rolled onto his back. He pulled her on top of him. Grinning, he grabbed a condom and raised his eyebrows. Jess grinned and let her hands and lips start to roam. Krycek also explored her tenderly. Aside from the occasional gasp as an extremely sensitive spot was probed, the love they made was silent and tender, each trying to express their feelings through the physical act. They collapsed back into the bed, sated for the moment. Jess felt content, secure in the knowledge of Krycek's love. But she still felt something needed to be explained. "Do you still want to know how it happened?" Krycek nodded. He settled deeper into the pillows, keeping an arm around her shoulders. Jess nestled down beside Krycek. She put her head onto his chest. She quietly began to speak. "I'm still not quite sure why I went into that second hand shop... ." Scully stepped into their basement office only to find Mulder fiddling with a VCR. "Don't tell me that you still feel the need to watch those videos of yours after last night." "Not exactly. I found this tape on my desk this afternoon. And I think you'll find it interesting." Mulder hit the play button on the remote. The screen flickered to life. Scully found herself looking at the outside of a ground floor apartment. A mongrel that mostly husky limped into the scene. It scratched at the door, whimpering. Jess opened the door, and let the thin animal inside. "Looks like Jess took in a stray, Mulder." "Yes, that's what it looks like. But look at what happens at a later point in the tape." He hit the fast forward button. After a few moments, Mulder let the VCR resume normal play. The point of view shifted. Instead of the door to Jess's apartment, now they were looking at the window. After a few seconds, Jess was framed in the sill. She was obviously talking to someone. Then the person she was talking to stepped into view. A bare chested Krycek pulled her into a passionate embrace. Oh great! Scully thought. She had been afraid of this. "Mulder, what do you want to do?" "Do? I want to kill the bastard." His voice took on a grim tone. "He hurt you, he hurt me, and I'm not going to let him hurt Jess. She's suffered enough." "Even if that means that you hurt Jess?" Scully could understand his need for vengeance. Hell, she had wanted to personally pull the trigger of the gun Mulder would place to his head. Then they had found the records in the drug company that gave detailed accounts of testing and experiments performed. After reading what they had done to Krycek, she felt that revenge should be tempered by mercy, or cruelty, depending on your point of view. Mulder wants him to die. I want him to live and suffer. "I want to avoid it if at all possible." He put down the remote. "Let's go pay Jess a little visit." "My God, Jess. You went through all that and managed to stay sane?" Krycek sounded in awe of her. They had stayed in bed through the whole story. Krycek has listened silently, completely absorbed by her tale. Jess, still in his arms, had finished and was waiting for his response. "Some people would say I wasn't sane to begin with." "Jess, could you be serious for one moment?" "Okay," Jess sounded apologetic. "Defense mechanism - whenever things hit a little too close to home, I wisecrack my way out of it." "You don't have to do that with me." Krycek kissed her tenderly. "What I meant was that it didn't drive you crazy. Back at the labs, three out of four 'subjects' went insane within two months." Jess sighed. "I've always been a survivor. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it through my teen years." "Well I don't think I could have handled it." His hand started to stroke her cheek. "I've had a rough time dealing with everything that I did, let alone what happened at the labs." "Alex, what really happened between you and Mulder?" Jess lifted up and looked into his eyes. "I've heard Mulder's and Dana's side, but I want to hear yours." Krycek leaned back further into the pillows with a sigh. "I want to, Jess. I've told you all I can," he told her what he remembered about what he had done to Mulder and what had been done to him since they were parted. It had felt good to finally confess to someone what he had done. Hearing her say "I forgive you" had started his wounded soul healing. "But there are blank spaces where I can't remember. I want to, but I just can't." The frustration was plain in his voice. "It's okay," Jess soothed. "You can tell me when you remember. I'm not asking you to do it now." "Good, because I have a hard time concentrating on more than one thing at a time." A hand stroked her bare back. "So what are you concentrating on right now?" She lightly placed a hand on his thigh. "How beautiful you are." "I like that line of thought." Jess kissed him passionately. Her hand moved to a more private part of his body. Krycek tried to respond in kind, but wasn't able to rise to the occasion. "Sorry," he mumbled. "It's okay," Jess said. "We've gone for so long without sex, and then have it twice times in the last ten hours. It's no wonder you're not able to right now." She snuggled back down beside him. Krycek idly stroked her. Time to get back to reality. "Jess, what are we going to do?" "I don't know." "Same here. All I know for sure is I can't lose you. Jess, will you marry me?" The words came tumbling out before he was fully aware of what he was saying. Jess sat up, shock written all over her features. "Did you just ask me what I think you did?" "Yeah," he said softly. Hell, I've come this far, so why not take it all the way. "I love you with all my being. I can't stand the thought of being separated from you. I can't offer much, but all that I am is yours." Tears shown in Jess's eyes. "Why are you asking now? I do love you, but why this step this fast? Why not just live together for a while?" Krycek sighed and closed his eyes. "I want to be tied to you as closely as possible. I came from a traditional family, Jess. I was taught that if you loved someone, you made a permanent commitment to her. And I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to ask again." Jess bowed her head. He's right. Carpe the diem, girl. It may never come again. "Yes, Alex, I'll marry you. I love you with all my heart and soul... and body," she added mischievously. She leaned down and kissed him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. "You've just made me the happiest I've ever been, Jess. But I would have stayed even if you had said 'not yet,' or even 'no.'" Jess smiled tenderly. "I could never say no to you, Alex. Besides, in a way, we've already made that commitment." "I'm not following," Krycek said. There was a contentment in her voice that Krycek never heard before. "Alex, dearest, don't you know that wolves mate for life?" Lindy stood outside the apartment door with Annie. She was nervous and a little scared. She clutched the cat carrier that Chloe was in. Annie gave her hand a squeeze. "Things are going to be okay. If you want to come back with me, all you have to do is ask." Lindy nodded. Annie knocked on the door. Jess opened the door. "Come in," she said nervously. Please don't let Lindy freak out. Please let them like each other. "Annie, Lindy, this is Alex." Lindy looked around the living room. Sitting in the corner chair was a man. Although she had glimpsed his face in Jess's memory, he wasn't what she expected. She knew he was a werewolf, so she expected him to look like the horrible fair haired being that created her. The fact that his hair as dark as Jess's immediately reassured her. She shyly smiled. Krycek smiled back. Don't scare her. Jess had told him about what Lindy had been through. "I've heard a lot about you. I'm glad to meet you." Lindy moved from Annie to stand beside Jess. She had opened the carrier and Chloe sauntered out. On seeing a stranger sitting in 'her' chair, Chloe went to the Krycek and proceeded to rub against him, marking him as part of her territory. Krycek reached down to scratch behind the cat's ears. Chloe's purrs filled the silence of the room. "What's your cats name?" he asked. "Chloe," came Lindy's reply. As Krycek continued to scratch the feline, Lindy slowly moved towards her cat. She started stroking Chloe's back. "Do you have a cat?" "No, but I did have a dog when I was younger." Jess exhaled the breath she didn't know she had been holding. If Lindy felt comfortable enough to ask a question like that, things were off to a good start. Annie grinned also. "Michael sent over some of his things until you can get your own, Alex. If you'll excuse me, I have to go see a patient. Everything okay?" "Yeah," Lindy said. "Okay, Lindy. Talk to you later, Jess. Nice to meet you, Alex." Annie left. Jess turned to Lindy. "Why don't you go put up your stuff? Then we'll get something to eat." "Pizza?" Lindy looked up eagerly. "Sure, why not." Jess watched Lindy hesitantly pick up Chloe, and scamper off to the safety of her room. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. "That went well. I'm surprised she went near you." "Am I that scary?" Krycek got up and crossed the room. "Am I that horrible a monster?" He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "No, but she didn't take to Michael that fast." She reached behind his head to entangle her fingers in his hair. She swayed back and forth. "Do you really think we can pull this off?" He swayed with her, matching her rhythm. "You said Lindy..." "No, I'm talking about us staying together. Are we going to be able to pull off the All-American couple trying to raise their child? I mean look at us, three werewolves, you running from God-only-knows-who, a little girl who's terrified of strange men, and me trying to keep Mulder from finding out about us? One tiny slip up, and it could end in disaster." A chill passed over his heart. "Are you saying that you've changed your mind about trying?" She turned in his arms. "No. I'm just terrified. I know things can't last as they are." She bowed her head against his chest. He leaned his head against hers. "I know, and I'm scared too. If anything happened to you or Lindy because of me, I don't think I could live with myself. I'm not sure I can live like this." "Live how? With me and Lindy?" "No, as a werewolf." He smiled and chuckled a little. "Funny. I had to lose my humanity to find it." "Alex, I've lived like this for over ten years. And I miss being human. It's stressful to have to plan your life around the cycle of the moon. It's hard, but doable." "Jess, if you had a choice, would you become human again?" She sighed. "Don't know, Alex. I just don't know." Scully woke up in the hotel room alone. Damn! He ditched me again. They had arrived in San Jose late the night before. Mulder had wanted to go find Krycek and Jess that night. Scully had convinced him, she thought, to wait until morning. She got up and dressed. Then she searched the room for any clue as to where Mulder went. There. Beside the phone was a note pad, top page half missing. With a few strokes of a finely sharpened pencil, she was able to see the imprint of what had been scribbled. It was an address in Los Gatos, an affluent suburb. And next to it was a name, Michael Leahs. The door opened to the one story house, and Jess stepped out. Looking back, she waved goodbye to Michael. She turned and started to walk to her Jeep, parked around the corner. Then she saw the man standing beside it. She closed her eyes and sighed. It was only a matter of time. I had hoped for longer. Maybe I can bluff my way through it. She walked up to the man. "Hello, Mulder. What are you doing here? Where's Dana?" "Jess." His voice was cold and distant. "I wanted to talk to you alone first. I know Krycek's with you." Jess swallowed. "How?" "Someone sent me a tape of the two of you. Jess, how could you?" He allowed some pain to seep into his tone. "I can understand before, when you didn't know who he was. But now you're protecting him. Do you have any idea how much that hurts?" "Yes I do. It's the same hell I've been putting myself through trying to decide what to do. But it was my choice." "Jess, why? I thought our friendship meant something to you." "Mulder, it does. But look at it from my point of view. In the last twelve years, he's the only other man I've been interested in. You've been able to move on and find someone else. I didn't have that luxury of being able to find someone to lean on." Mulder, angry at her defense, asked the question that he always wondered about. "If you were so lonely, why didn't you find me, or find someone else, and make them like you?" Jess put her head in her hands. "I thought about it, Mulder. Once I almost sought you out." Her temper and control had finally broken. Her voice took on a low growl. "But would you have forgiven me if I did? Do you really think I could do *this* to someone else?" Her paws/hands shot out to grab his collar. Mulder found himself staring eye to eye with not Jess, but a snarling jet black werewolf. Instincts took over. Mulder slammed a fist into the vulnerable underside of her jaw. Losing her grip, Jess reeled back a few steps. She dropped into a crouch, growling, preparing to spring. Mulder reflexively drew his gun and aimed between her eyes. "Mulder!" Scully shouted. She had finally found him. From her angle, she could see the back of Mulder, but not Jess. "What are you doing?" She ran up to him. "My God, Mulder!" came a voice. "What are we doing?" Jess straightened back up, human. She stood there gasping for breath, trembling and crying. Jess edged around him in a wide circle to get into the Jeep. Mulder lowered the gun, but didn't reholster it. "Run away. That's what you're good at." The wounded look never left her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mulder. But I've made my choice. I *gotta* follow it through." Her car pulled away with a roar. "Dammit, Scully! Why did I just do that?" Mulder sounded angry with himself, not to mention disgusted with Jess. "Now she's going to run to *him.*" The last piece of the puzzle clicked into place. "Mulder, you still have feelings for her. You're jealous of the fact that Krycek now is dearer to her than you." "Now is not the time to talk about this!. We're here to find Krycek!" Mulder stared at her. From the angry look on his face, Scully knew she had hit close to home. His voice softened. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to take it out on you." He looked down. "Jess came here to see her brother. Let's get directions from him to her place." "Okay," Scully said quietly. He's torn about this. He wants to hurt Krycek, but not Jess. I don't think one can be done without the other happening. Two miles away, Jess pulled over to the side of the road. She was just outside the park where she and Lindy often went to play. Sobbing, she lowered her head against the steering wheel. God! What did I almost do? She had never lost control of the Change and her temper like that before, even when she was unaware of her abilities. I almost killed my friend. But I can't let him hurt Alex. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she hadn't paid any attention to the car that had pulled over behind hers. Someone had gotten out and tapped on her window. Jess didn't look up. She just assumed a police officer was checking on why she was on the side of the road, crying her eyes out. She lowered the window. "Yes?" A hand with a vile smelling cloth shot over her nose and mouth. Jess shrieked, trying to turn her head away. A second hand clamped on her skull, holding her in place. "Not so fast, bitch. You're gonna spend some time with me," a familiar and hated voice said. Jess, dizzy from the fumes, jerked hard and bit down on a finger. "Ouch! How dare you!" The hand on her skull slammed her forward into the steering wheel. The cloth once again covered her face. Jess, struggling weakly, faded into unconsciousness. Krycek sat in Jess's apartment, waiting for her to return. She's been gone longer than she said she would be. He was getting worried although Jess had reassured him in no uncertain terms that she could easily defend herself. "I've fought seven foot humans twice my weight and won without a scratch. I could take you down in an eye blink," she had said. Something in her tone of voice had made Krycek incredibly aroused. Maybe it was the soft growl that underlied the words. He eyed her five foot four inch frame appreciatively. "Prove it," he said, stepping closer. Jess's response was to merely grin and step forward. She kissed him lightly and then quickly turned and pulled his arm over her shoulder. She flipped him over her back and onto the couch easily. Stifling a giggle, she walked to the door, letting her fingers trail over his torso as she passed. Krycek shot up from where he sprawled on the couch. "You didn't follow through. You should have pinned me when you had the chance." He grabbed her in front of the open door and kissed her passionately. "Tonight," was Jess's whispered answer. "But right now, I've got to see my brother. Be back in three hours." That had been five hours ago. And he hadn't heard from her since. Lindy was in her room, watching TV. She didn't want to be in the same room with him without Jess present. While the little girl was skittery around him, she seemed to accept the him only because of how he felt about Jess. Poor kid, he mused. He thought about the story Jess had told him about a young girl who had been sexually abused by an 'uncle' and then sold to a pedophile, who also was a werewolf. The little girl had been Changed to make her fit *his* fetish even more. I'd probably be terrified of me too with everything she's been through. The phone rang. Krycek listened absently as the answering machine picked up. "Jess, if you're there pick up. Alex if you're there, it's Michael. I need to talk to you or Jess. Jess said to tell you the first movie the two of you saw was 'Attack of the *the* Eye Creatures.'" Michael wasn't stuttering. That was how the title had appeared on the movie. That was the pass word they had agreed on. I hope her phone isn't bugged. He picked up the receiver. "This is Alex." "Can I talk to Jess?" "What do you mean? She's not here." Alarm bells began to ring in Krycek's mind. "She left here about two and a half hours ago. Said she was going straight home. She should be there by now." Michael also sounded worried. "But the reason I called is I've just been contacted by two FBI agents." Damn! Krycek swallowed. "Let me guess. Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully." "Yes. I was calling to warn you and her." Michael's voice grew soft. "Listen, she told me about what you did, but it's not my place to judge. All I know is when you two were apart, she was the miserablest I've seen her in a long time. Her attitude did a complete one eighty when you showed up. That's reason enough for me to be your friend. I figure you've got a half hour head start before they get there." "Thanks." Krycek hung up the phone. No sooner had he put the receiver down than it rang again. The machine picked up. An all too familiar voice started to speak. "Traitor. I have her. If you want to see your little bitch alive again, meet me at the Vasona Park boat house in half an hour." The line disconnected. Shit! Krycek thought. That was the Alpha Wolf's voice. Mulder didn't kill him after all. He shivered when he remembered how Alpha had nearly killed him and tried to rape Jess. Hang on, Jessica he prayed. I'm on my way. "Lindy, I have to go out. Stay here. Open the door only to me, Jess, Michael, or Annie." Scully knocked on the door to Jess's apartment. Mulder stood to one side, gun drawn, ready for trouble. "Jess, open up." "She's not here. Neither is Alex." Lindy opened the door. Alex hadn't said that she could to Miss Scully, but Jess had earlier told her that she could always trust her and her partner Mr. Mulder. And Jess, as far as Lindy was concerned, outranked him. Mulder holstered the gun. Jess had found Lindy once by "mind scanning" for her. Maybe it could work both ways. "Lindy, do you think you could find Jess, like that one time she found you in D.C.?" "Yeah," Lindy said. "I know where she and Alex are. I can take you there." The little girl shivered. "She's in danger and scared." Jess when she came to, she was lying face down on a wooden floor. Her head throbbed with each heartbeat and her throat felt like it was on fire. She gingerly moved a hand to touch her face. One split lip, one gashed forhead, and one hell of a black eye, she winced, gently probing the wounds. She tried to lift her head, but the room spun dizzily. She let out a low moan. "Ah, good. You're awake," Alpha said. She heard footsteps echo towards her. A hand clamped down on her wrist. She was jerked to her feet. Jess stood there swaying. "Here." Alpha lifted a sports bottle to her lips. "The stuff I drugged you with makes you awfully thirsty. Drink. It'll help." Jess turned her face away. Alpha looked amused. "Smart bitch." He took a long sip and swallowed. Heheld the bottle back to her. She grabbed the bottle and gulped the water down. Alpha reached to steady her shaky hand. "I'm not such a bad guy," he purred, stroking her fingers. Jess shivered under his touch. "What do you want?" she croaked, dropping the bottle. "What I want is you beside me. You're almost every bit alpha wolf that I am. A worthy underling, beta to none but me, the alpha female of the pack. I can't understand what you see in that traitor Krycek." The water did help clear her system. "What are you going to do to me?" she asked, staring malignantly into his eyes. Her fist and jaw clenched. Alpha chuckled. "Still a little spitfire, eh, bitch?" He leaned in close, staring her down. "I'm not going to hurt you. You and your boyfriend are my ticket back to the labs." His breath caressed her ear. "You'll find life there isn't so bad, especially as my mate." Jess's eyes narrowed in response. "Trying to protect yourself from me?" he asked, touching the silver cross she wore. His finger's brushed against her breasts. Jess hissed like a wet cat and took an involuntary step backwards. Alpha's grip on her wrist grew tighter, almost snapping it. He jerked her body against his. Jess trembled and slumped in defeat. "I knew you'd see reason eventually. And speaking of the traitor he should be showing up to 'rescue' you soon." His other arm snaked around her waist, tugging her shirt out of her jeans. He bit at her neck, drawing blood. "But until he does, why don't we get to know each other a little bett... aaauuugh!" Jess had kneed him with all the accuracy and force of a striking cobra. As Alpha dropped her wrist to cradle his injured member, she backhanded him with her free hand. She pivoted, praying she could gain the door before Alpha recovered. Jess knew that she couldn't beat Alpha Wolf in a fight in an enclosed space. If she got outside, her speed and agility would more than even the odds of her winning. "Oh no you don't, you little slut!" Alpha tackled her from behind. As she collapsed with Alpha cursing above her, pressing his body into hers, she struck her head against the doorjamb. Jess, trying to keep from blacking out, heard the glass shattering. I hit a door, not a window. She managed to turn her head in the direction of the sound. Krycek stood there among the shards. "Get the hell away from her!" Alpha stood up and stalked forward. Krycek and Alpha circled each other warily. Krycek had fought him before and wasn't looking forward to facing off with him again. But there is no way in hell I'm going to let him hurt her. "So you really think you can take me on," Alpha snarled. "Your girlfriend thought that also. Just before I brought her to her knees." "Liar!" Krycek shouted. "If you've laid a finger on Jess..." "Don't worry, after she went down on me, I returned the favor." Krycek roared incoherently and charged. In his anger, he forgot his FBI self-defense training and the fighting techniques they tried to indoctrinate him with at the lab. He just lashed out with the animal fury he was feeling. Alpha sidestepped him neatly. He kicked Krycek in the gut as he passed by. Krycek went down to his knees, clutching his abdomen. Alpha lifted him up by the throat. "So much for the great warrior, defending his lady's honor," he sneered. "Our mutual boss has told me your worthless life is to be spared. You're to be brought back for more testing. So...." The hand holding Krycek started to contract. Krycek choked and clawed vainly at his neck, trying to draw breath. Just before he passed out, the hand loosened. "The only thing that would make this better was if the bitch were awake. But don't worry, we'll both be there to watch when they start the experiment again, a dissection perhaps." The hand tightened. Krycek was again on the verge of blacking out. Suddenly the pressure released. He dropped forward, supporting his weight with his arms. After taking several deep breaths, he became aware of Alpha screaming. Alpha was turning his back on him. That's when Krycek saw the silver cross, buried to the hilt, sticking out of the base of his skull. Alpha was trying to reach around and rip it from his head. He managed to tear it out by the chain and dropped it like it burned him. But it was too little too late. Alpha staggered, only to fall forward, convulsing. The blood was streaming from the deep gash that had been enlarged in Alpha's struggles. He looked at Krycek. The loathing in his voice scathed Krycek's ears. "Damn you and her to hell!" Then his body sagged and his breath rattled in his throat. Krycek crawled towards the body. There was no pulse. It was over. He looked at the cross that had caused Alpha's downfall. It was the same one Jess had worn. He looked up. There she stood, swaying in the effort to keep upright. Her face and body were bruised and lacerated. There was a haunted look in her eyes. Krycek stood and Jess staggered to him. Not saying a word, she threw her arms around him. He gently touched her blood oozing from her throat, tears welling up in his eyes. Both too weak to support their combined weight, they fell to their knees crying. Lindy guided Mulder and Scully deftly through the park. She quickly grew impatient every time Mulder and Scully insisted on checking for hidden people when they entered a new area. "There's no one in here," Mulder said. "I coulda told you that," Lindy snorted. Her werewolf senses had told her that there was no one in the last five buildings they had gone through. "Wait." Lindy held up a hand. She stretched up on her toes, head tilted to one side. ~Jess?~ A male scream rang through the air. Lindy was off like a shot, running towards the sound. "Lindy! Get back here!" Scully started running after her. Is it my imagination or is her hair growing longer? she thought distractedly. The rubber band holding her ponytail had broken, her long blond hair flowing behind her like a lion's mane. Mulder caught up and passed Scully. Lindy had just turned the corner, shooting out of sight. They stopped short and drew their guns. The soft sound of sobbing could be clearly heard. Guns raised, Mulder and Scully turned the corner. Scully slowly lowered her gun as she took in the scene. Lindy was clutching at Jess, who in turn was holding and being held by Krycek. Alpha's corpse lay nearby. Both Jess and Krycek were bloodied and bruised. Lindy put her arms around Jess. She pushed her way between Jess and Krycek, wanting to feel sheltered. Alex hasn't tried to hurt me. He's not bad like *he* was. So why in Mr. Mulder pointing his gun at him? Krycek looked up to see Mulder still holding the gun on him. This is it. He dropped a soft kiss on Jess's head which was cradled below Alpha's marks on his throat. "Take care of Jess for me, Lindy," he whispered, his voice hoarse from the throttling. "And always remember that I love you, Jess." He then looked at the far wall, giving Mulder a clean shot through his skull. I'm sure this time he's using silver bullets. Jess could feel Lindy trying to get as close to her as she could. She heard the whispered words. She opened one teary eye to see Mulder aiming at Krycek. No, Mulder please, no. She closed that eye, resigned to the fact that her love was about to die at the hands of her friend. "Goodbye, dearest," she whispered. Her arm tightened around his body. Scully could not allow it to end like this. He hasn't done enough penance. He hasn't suffered enough. He never will. And Jess will hate Mulder for the rest of her life. She may even come after him. "Mulder, don't!" "Scully, he killed my father. He helped kill your sister." Mulder ground out through clenched teeth. "He was involved in your abduction. He's tried repeatedly to kill me. Give me one good reason I should let the son of a bitch live." "You just named our best reasons," Scully countered. "I want him dead as badly as you. But he has information and answers that we need. And what better way to shut down the X-Files than have the lead investigator charged with murder, no matter how well Krycek deserves it? Are you going to throw that all away for vengeance?" Scully shook her head. "And what about Jess? If you kill him, you may earn her hatred." "She wouldn't do that." Mulder pulled back the hammer on the gun. "Jess, Lindy, move out of the way." "If someone killed you, *I* would hate them eternally. And think about how miserable you were when I was missing. Are you willing to consign Jess to that for the rest of her life?" She put a hand on his arm. "You let him walk away once. This time, choose to walk away yourself." Mulder's aim shifted slightly as he turned to look at Scully. "What he did is unforgivable. He must be punished." "Don't you think I am?" Krycek's voice rasped. "You seem think that I'm a monster without a conscience. I'm not. I'm living with the guilt. Every day I face the man in the mirror and think about what I've done. I didn't enjoy deceiving you, Mulder. I was told that you were misguided, that I was helping you by not telling you Who I worked for. I didn't know what They were going to do to Scully, just was told to keep you distracted. And I didn't want to kill your father, but I was being watched. And I was too much of a coward to disobey orders and be killed myself." His voice gave out. "And think, Mulder." Jess picked up where Krycek left off. "He was experimented on. He has been altered into something beyond human, forced to give up family and friends for fear of harming or causing someone to harm them to get at him. Has to live with the constant fear that They will swoop down and start Their experiments again. It's a living hell." She looked directly into his eyes. "You wouldn't be punishing him, Mulder. You would be putting him out of his misery." Mulder frowned at Jess, but lowered the gun. "What are you suggesting? That I walk away and forget that he's with you?" "Yes! That's exactly what I'm saying!" Jess had one last card to play. "One of Them obviously wants Krycek outside for now. There has been too many times when he could have been killed out of hand. Why? Because he's an embarrassment to Someone. Why an embarrassment? Because he knows too much." "She is right, Agent Mulder." Cancerman, flanked by four soldiers, stepped through the door. Krycek made a low moan of despair. "Mr. Krycek, I'm disappointed. You really didn't think we wouldn't find you?" The two of the guards aimed at Mulder and Scully. They slowly lowered their weapons. Another moved to Alpha Wolf's body, reaching for a pulse. He shook his head no. "Very impressive, Miss Leahs." He lit a cigarette. "The government thanks you for your aid in capturing two dangerous fugitives." "What are you going to do with us?" Jess's voice was without inflection, as if she really didn't care any longer. No matter what happens, I'm going to lose Alex. One way or another. "With you and your ward, nothing." Jess and Krycek bowed their heads. They knew what would happen next. Mulder and Scully had a good idea too. "And what about Krycek?" Scully asked. The soldiers moved forward. "He will be taken into custody." Krycek disentangled himself from Jess and Lindy. "But you have to catch me first!" He bolted towards the back of the boathouse and leapt through the broken window. Two soldiers followed outside. One raised the rifle and fired at the fleeing figure. Jess's scream echoed the Cigarette Smoking Man's command. "Do not shoot! He is to be taken alive!" Jess and Lindy ran to the window. She saw Krycek running to the end of the adjoining pier, clutching at his shoulder, blood seeping from a gunshot wound. "No," she whispered. Krycek half turned and made eye contact with her for one fleeting second that stretched for an eternity. After a momentary hesitation, he dove into the lake. He never surfaced. Jess bowed her head against the window sill, not caring about the shattered glass that scratched her forehead. She listened to the quiet footsteps leaving the building and coming towards her. She felt Lindy's arms around her neck. She also felt a hand drop to her shoulder. "Come on, let's get you outside where I can check you out." Scully helped Jess and Lindy to their feet. With Jess leaning heavily on her shoulder, she led them out. Mulder followed. Mulder watched the dragging the lake. So far, the dive team hadn't found Krycek's body. The sun was setting, and there was little chance that a corpse would turn up in the next few minutes. It would be best if they did find something, anything to end the uncertainty. He looked at Jess, sitting on a bench with Lindy in her lap near the edge of the lake. Her arms were wrapped possessively around the little girl. Her dark hair brushed against Lindy's golden locks. She stared at the lake, watching, but not seeing. She has that look in her eyes, Mulder thought. The same look she had when she found out that Robert, Michelle, and Mystery were dead. Jess had been deeply devastated by the loss of her childhood friends and her cat at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. Scully stepped up beside him quietly. "They are about to call off the search for today." Mulder nodded. "He really did love her. Almost makes me wish I could be able to forgive the bastard, if only for her sake." He paused and turned to Scully. "I think we should get Jess back to her place. She's gone through a lot today." Scully sighed and closed her eyes. "We all have, Mulder." "Scully, I'm not saying that all this was easy on you. I know it was hell. But we have each other. She has no one." "Be honest, Mulder. What I said earlier is true. You still love her." There was no jealousy in Scully's voice. It was merely an observation. "That's why you couldn't shoot Krycek." "Yes, I do love her. But as a friend and because of what we once shared. But will we ever be lovers again? No." He took her hand in his. "Someone else more important to me has already taken that place in my heart." He squeezed her hand tightly. Scully returned the squeeze. Hand in hand, they walked to the bench where Jess sat. Lindy had fallen asleep, resting her head against Jess's chest. Mulder put a hand on her shoulder. She pushed it off. Scully placed her free hand on Jess's shoulder. This time she didn't protest. Jess blinked and turned to face them. She had cleaned the blood off her face and neck, but the scratches and bruises were even more pronounced against her pale skin. That lost look on her face is enough to break even Cancerman's heart, Scully thought. "They're ending the search for tonight." She spoke to Jess as if she were a young child. "It's time to get you home." Jess nodded and tried to shift Lindy without waking her. Dropping Scully's hand, Mulder stepped forward without a word and scooped Lindy out of her lap. Lindy stirred a little, but didn't wake up. Jess then stood silently and followed Mulder and Scully. She paused once, looking back to the lake. A tear rolled down her cheek. She then turned and continued back to the car. The Cigarette Smoking Man watched events unfold from a discrete distance. He was only marginally involved in this part of the Project. His involvement was due to his former underling. Once he had left Krycek to die. Now, because of the DNA he carried, Krycek was too valuable to kill out of hand. He could be useful in the future. He lit the Morley and inhaled. His eyes were fixed on the bench where Mulder's former lover and her little girl sat. She had sat there almost unmoving for the last two hours. The only time she had shifted was when she looked away from the lake for a few moments. She had stared in his direction, although it would be impossible for her to see him. Her expression reminded him of another time he had seen the same quiet desperation. He had been younger then. He hadn't meant any harm. He hadn't meant for it to happen. It just did. And he was still dealing with the consequences to this day. Perhaps that was why he felt the urge to watch over her.He watched as the two lovers/partners walk to the bench. They wo uld see that she was taken care of. And so would he, discreetly, of course. She was valuable as an experimental subject to see if her kind could function in a human world. A thought crossed his mind. It would add an interesting twist to the experiment. His associates would find it amusing at the least, and informative at the most. The hard part would be keeping Mulder or Scully from killing Krycek outright. But given a suitable carrot, the man will walk off a cliff without hesitation. And she won't, she wants him to suffer. Now he had just to wait. He wouldn't waste resources looking for Krycek. A werewolf wouldn't be killed by a shoulder wound from a regular bullet, which he made sure his men were armed with. It would be a matter of time before Krycek sought him out because of desperation, needing protection. Jess laid curled on her side on her bed, silently weeping. After Mulder and Scully brought Lindy and her home, she had went to her room. She had thrown herself on her bed, trying to process all that had happened without feeling. It wasn't working. The door opened. "Jess?" She didn't look at Mulder. "Just say what you have to say and then leave." She still spoke in the toneless voice she had used earlier. "I just want to say that I'm sorry about everything." "Everything?" Jess rolled over and lifted her head to stare at him, eyes puffy from crying. "Everything." Mulder sighed. "Listen, you love him. He loves you. I know he could have used you and Lindy as a 'human'" Jess snorted at the word, "shield, but he didn't. He could have taken advantage of the situation. He didn't. And I know how hard a love like that is hard to find." She sat up. "Apology accepted. But what do I do now if... ." "Whatever you want to, Jess." Mulder sounded resigned. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It's your choice. Scully and I have discussed this. As long as he keeps his nose clean and cooperates with us, it's none of my business who you're sleeping with." Jess got up and hugged Mulder tightly. "Thank you," she whispered. A quiet 'ahem' made them split apart. Scully stood in the door. "Your brother's here. He wants to see you." Jess nodded and walked to the door. She stopped only to hug Scully and also whisper "thanks" to her. Scully crossed over to Mulder. She wrapped her arms around him. "That was generous of you, Mulder." "I don't have to like it," he replied. "But we need him alive for now. I just wonder if he made it to safety." She shrugged her shoulders. "C'mon." Scully led him out by the hand. Michael and Annie were in the living room. He saw Jess's brother holding an empty leash. Jess and Lindy were on their knees, cooing and crying over a black and white male husky. The dog whimpered and cowered back slightly at the sight of the FBI agents. "Jess, we've got to go back to D.C.," Mulder said. He shot a sharp look at her. "Remember what I said about him behaving." Jess grinned up at him. "I know, no bad dogs." She stood up. "Thanks for everything, both of you." "Just be careful. All of you," Scully said. As they walked out the door, she took one last look back. Jess was standing now, one hand resting on the dog's head. Lindy was also standing, her hand over Jess's. They both stood silently by the dog as Mulder and Scully left. When Krycek woke up, he had a hard time remembering exactly where he was. He was laying in a twin bed, covered in an juvenile print quilt. Across from him was a desk with an older TV perched on it's top. A few posters of kittens and puppies graced the walls, along with the plush animals on the bookcase next to the closet. Girl's room, obviously. He rolled onto his belly and pushed up to look at the clock on the bookshelf/headboard. And his eyes rested on the radio alarm before shifting to the picture of an average height brunette hugging a seven-year-old blonde beside it. And everything that happened yesterday came flooding back. Alpha Wolf kidnapping Jess. The fight to the death between the two of them. Mulder and Scully finding and almost killing him again. The Cigarette Smoking Man forcing him to dive into Vasona Lake in order to escape. After that things became more blurred. He could vaguely remember swimming to the far shore of the lake and somehow managing to summon enough concentration to self-heal and Change for the first time without the influence of the moon. And somehow, relying on the instructions Jess had given and the map of the area he memorized, he had managed to find Jess's brother's house and be recognized. Michael had brought him to Jess's right away, while still in wolf form. He rolled out of the bed, uncertain why he was in Lindy's room and not Jess's, where she had put him the last time he showed up unexpectedly. This doesn't look good. A faded pair of men's jeans were sitting on the chair beside the door. And on top of those jeans were a set of red silk boxers. Talk about sending mixed messages, he mused. He pulled the clothing on. The jeans, being Michael's, were a little loose on him, but a belt fixed that problem. He left Lindy's room to cross over to Jess's. Her door was closed. Krycek knocked on the door. "Jess?" "Come in," came the quiet reply. Krycek stepped through the door. He looked around her bedroom. Jess was sitting on the bed, back to him. "Where's Lindy?" "She went with Annie and Michael for the weekend. Her choice." Krycek took a deep breath. "So we're alone." "Yeah," Jess looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "Alex, why didn't you come back sooner before? You came back right away this time." "I couldn't. It would have been too dangerous." Krycek sat down on the bed beside her. Jess edged away from him. "Yeah, right." There was a tremor in her voice. "Jess," he said softly. He put his hands on her shoulders. "You don't think that I don't love you, that I'm using you. Do you?" Despite herself, Jess leaned away from him slightly. "I searched for you for so long. I kept defending you to Mulder, Scully, and myself. But as more time passed, it got harder to do." She looked at Krycek. "I didn't know what to believe." "Oh God, Jess. I had no idea I hurt you so badly." Pulling her against him, Krycek leaned his forehead against hers. "I stayed away because I knew I was being followed. Hell, I probably still am. But I couldn't stay away any longer. Please, forgive me, I beg you." A tear slid down his cheek. Jess wiped it away tenderly. "I didn't know what to believe about you staying away. Mulder insisted that it was because you were involved with the man he calls Cancerman. I wasn't so sure. But I *never* believed you stopped loving me, or stopped loving you." She pressed her lips to his. She wrapped her arms around him. Krycek whimpered as he returned the kiss. It started gently, but quickly became more passionate. Jess went down backwards, laying on the bed and pulling Krycek with her. Her hands started exploring his back. Krycek took her heads in his hands. His tongue probed even more deeply into her mouth. One hand slid from where it was stroking her cheek to cup her breast. "I want you so badly," he whispered. Since her mouth was otherwise engaged nibbling his ear, Jess mindspoke without thinking. ~I want you too, Alex.~ Krycek jumped back at the unexpected connection. "Jeez, Jess, that scared me." He looked at her curiously. "You can do that too?" "I'm sorry. I didn't mean scare you," Jess apologized. ~What do you mean 'too'?~ I hope I can still do this. He took a deep breath. ~I can mindspeak, also. Not many of us at the labs could.~ He switched to talking. "I'm not quite as good at it." "Alex, that's wonderful." Jess sounded excited. "I found out by accident that Lindy and I could communicate psychicly." Her head tilted to one side. ~What else can you do?~ "I can read minds a bit, and also send images." He decided to demonstrate by showing her an image he had thought of often - the two of them spending their first night together. "You would choose an X rated image," Jess purred. She replied in kind. Krycek gasped. She had chosen one of her fantasies, him naked, her kneeling in front of him, pleasuring him in ways he had dreamed about those nights away from her. He pressed himself harder against her body. "Jessica," he whispered throatily. He kissed her frantically, aching to make love to her. Jess smiled at the reaction he had to her. And she was going through the same thing. Her body was responding to his caresses, throbbing with the need to be taken. ~Do you want to make that fantasy a reality?~ He moved one of her hands to the hardness between his legs. ~Do you have to ask?~ It's funny, Scully mused to herself. She closed her eyes and sighed. I thought that when I came face to face with Krycek, I would have no mercy. But when I saw how pitiful he was... . She shook her head. She was a long way from forgiving Krycek for what he had done, but she did feel the stirrings of a little pity for what was done to him. And after all that Jess has been through, she deserves a shot at happiness. I wonder if Mulder will see it that way. She opened her eyes to glance at Mulder. He was sitting beside her, head tilted forward, eyes closed. Krycek did kill his father. And letting the past go isn't one of Mulder's talents. Otherwise, he wouldn't be searching for Samantha so hard. Mulder may have said he wouldn't harm Krycek for Jess's sake, but he wouldn't easily forgive. Or forget. Krycek and Jess lay in a tangled heap of sheets, their bodies still entwined. He was tenderly kissing her neck. That smile on her face when she came has made all my suffering worthwhile. A ghost of that smile still played on her lips. "It's funny, Alex. Just when you think it can't get any better... ." She delicately left the thought unfinished. He laid his head on her chest, listening to the steady thump of her heartbeat. ~I know what you mean, beloved.~ "'Beloved?' I don't think I like the sound of that," Jess murmured. "Sounds like something you put in an obituary." She exhaled in pure contentment. "So you still gonna marry me?" "After the last half hour, do you think there's any question?" A teasing tone crept into his voice. "Do you think it might be a problem that our relationship is based on sex?" Jess arched an eyebrow. "That's a *problem?* God! I wish all our problems were that simple." Krycek chuckled. "True." He stretched against her. "We do have a problem though." ~Mulder and Scully.~ Can't keep reality from intruding, can we? Jess thought. "So what do we do?" "Not what, when. Let them know I'm here. And pray that they can find some touch of pity for me." "Alex, we don't have to..." Krycek laid a finger on her lips. ~We tried to keep it secret, and you almost got killed. Maybe things will be different if we lay all our cards on the table.~ Jess sighed. "So how do we do this?" "I think I have an idea." Mulder stepped into his apartment since the first time he had been in San Jose. Surprisingly, there was a message on his answering machine. He didn't often get calls when his friends knew he was out of town investigating a case. He punched the 'play messages' button. "Hey, Mulder. I wanted you to know that I found that thing I've been looking for, just after you left. And I ran into a mutual friend, and I plan to be staying in touch with him. Oh, and Lindy says 'hi'. Give me a call when you can. See ya around." Okay, Jess. I get the message, he thought. And Krycek can be a valuable source of information, once he begins remembering. I'll tell Scully, and leave it at that. For now. Jess lay in the bedroom of the apartment, trying to get to sleep. Tonight is a nightmare night. She knew it. How she knew it, she wasn't sure, but she *knew* it. And it had been a while since she had this vibe. And Lindy's been doing so well, she thought. Lindy had adjusted surprisingly well to Krycek's presence in Jess's life. She had made major steps towards conquering her fear. But when she did spook, Jess had to do her utmost to calm her back down. She rolled over to watch Krycek as he slept. He was curled beside her, his left arm curled under his body protectively. Jess noticed that he always did seem to favor that arm, although he was right handed like her. Hell, I would too. Hard to believe that it's only been a month, she thought with a smile. She sighed as she though about how fast her life had changed. Maybe thinking about everything has got me edgy. Some hot chocolate ought to settle me. She slid out of bed, trying not to disturb Krycek. She padded out of the bedroom and across the living area to the kitchenette, weaving to avoid furniture. An adult and a child fit into the space easily. But two adults, a child and a cat was pushing it. It's high time to get out of this cramped apartment. She started the water boiling. Just after she added the powder to her cup, she heard movement behind her. ~Whatcha doing?~ Lindy mindspoke. ~Girl, what are you doing out of bed?~ Jess turned around. ~It's after midnight.~ ~Heard you moving around. And you always told me to check out strange things.~ ~Okay. As long as you're up, sit down and have some chocolate too.~ "Okay." She sat down. ~Why isn't Alex with us?~ ~He's asleep. Didn't want to disturb him or you.~ Jess looked the little girl in the eye. ~How are you doing? Any nightmares? Scary feelings?~ ~Nope.~ Lindy blew into the mug. ~He hasn't tried anything. Always been nice. Why should I be scared?~ She started to drink her chocolate. ~Good. I've just been unsettled tonight. Thought I might've been picking up something from you.~ Jess lifted her mug. Musta been imagining things. The drank in silence, just enjoying being together. Lindy's eyelids started to droop and her head began to nod. ~Why don't you go back to bed?~ Jess said. Disgusting, I'm still wide awake. ~Okay.~ Lindy was tired. Once up, usually she would resist the idea of going back to sleep. She got up from the table. "Night, Jess." she whispered as she went back to her room. Jess cleaned up the kitchen and turned out the light. As she walked back to the bedroom, she heard a low moan of fear. That was when she realized that she hadn't been picking up vibes from Lindy. She had been picking them up from Krycek. She ran the last few paces into the bedroom. Krycek, still asleep, was thrashing about on their bed. "No! Don't! Nyet! For God's sake, no!" he screamed, bolting upright. His eyes snapped open. "Alex, it's okay. I'm here." She sat on the bed and pulled his sweat covered body to her. He locked his arms around her tightly, burying his head into her shoulder. ~It's all right.~ She rocked him back and forth. ~Jess, what's happening?~ Lindy mindyelled. She had heard his yell and was running towards their bedroom. ~It's okay, Lindy. Go back to sleep. I'll deal with it.~ Her attention shifted back to the frightened man she was cradling. "Alex, you're safe," she repeatedly whispered. Eventually, his death grip loosened on her. His hands wandered up to her head and pulled it to his. While kissing her, he pressed her back onto the bed. ~I need you, Jessica.~ Jess returned the kiss as he pulled her sleep shirt off her. He had been so frightened of what he had dreamed, he was trying to reassure himself of reality by making love to her. ~I'm here. You're safe,~ she repeatedly 'spoke as she was swept away by the sensation of his lips on hers. Her underwear soon followed the sleep shirt. And his also. Jess lightly stroked his back as Krycek moved to her breast, gripping her shoulders convulsively. She nuzzled the top of his head, planting kisses in his soft hair. A soft growl, almost a purr, vibrated from her throat as she reached his ass. Krycek whimpered and tongued the skin between her breasts. ~So beautiful.~ He traveled back up to her face, stroking her cheeks. ~Do you want me, miserable rat bastard that I am?" ~I don't want a miserable rat bastard. I want you.~ She nipped lightly at his ears and throat. She wrapped her thighs around his. Krycek moaned wordlessly and penetrated her. Each thrust sank him deeper into her depths. Jess whimpered quietly with each movement, feeling him fill her. She could feel her pleasure rising, her muscles squeezing him. ~Alex!~ Krycek looked down at his lover, in the throes of her orgasm. She had arched up against him, heels and head dug into the matress. Her neck was bare to him in submission and ecstacy. The sight of her drove him over the edge. ~Jessica!~ He flowed into her as a warm darkness flowed into him. Krycek woke up. He could feel Jess's arms holding him tightly. She was curled around him protectively, her cheek resting on his neck, making it impossible for someone to get at him without going through her first. Oh God! What a nightmare. In his dream, he was back in the labs, just before he underwent the first in a series of experiments. He shivered as he remembered the cruelty inflicted on him in the name of science. He smiled as he remembered making love to Jess. It had been more incredible than usual, maybe because he had been so relieved that it had only been a dream, that he wasn't still locked in that damn silo or in those labs or in the woods outside of Tunguska having his arm hacked off. Or maybe it was because... . Krycek groaned. Shit! How could I have been so *stupid*? Jess stirred when she heard the groan. "Morning handsome," she said, snuggling a little closer. "Morning Jess." His hand started to stroke her short brown hair. "I'm sorry about last night." Jess idly traced circles on his chest. "Don't worry. I'm used to handling nightmares. Between me and Lindy, I've had a lot of practice. Want to talk about it?" "Not really." He didn't want to discuss those horrible memories at all. "I wasn't talking about my dream." His other hand eased across the small of her back. "I'm talking about making love to you without a condom. Jeez, I can't believe I forgot." "Alex, it's okay." Jess pushed up to look him in the eyes. "Our tests came back negative and we're only sleeping with each other. So that rules out AIDS and other VDs. And if I'm pregnant," Jess shrugged, "I can't think of anyone else I want to be the father." She lay back down on beside him. A glint appeared in her dark brown eyes. "Besides, I could have stopped you if I had really wanted to." Krycek sighed in relief that she wasn't mad at him. And then decided to return her teasing tone. "I'd like to see you try," he growled as he dove lecherously for her neck. Jess laughed and playfully shoved at him. Their wrestling match continued for a few minutes until it was interrupted by a quiet knock. ~Can I come in?"~ came Lindy's mindvoice. "Give us a sec," Krycek called. He slid out of bed to get their clothes from the floor where he had tossed them last night. Ignoring Jess's wolf whistle as he bent over, he tossed her the sleep shirt. As she pulled it on, he stepped into his sweatpants. "Come on in," he said as he sat back down on the bed. Lindy, dressed in pajamas, opened the door. "Morning," she said. She scampered into bed beside Jess. "Scooch over, Alex. Lindy's hanging off the edge." Jess resettled, putting an arm around each of them. "So what are we doing this Saturday morning?" "Watch cartoons and eat Chocopuffs?" Lindy said eagerly. "Sounds like we're in for a sugar rush, Jess," Alex laughed. "Okay, Lindy, go turn the TV. I'll get the cereal. None for me, though. But it's not my fault when the two of you are bouncing off the walls." Krycek winked at her above Lindy's head. ~Hopefully, I'll be bouncing off of you later.~ ~Horny hell hound,~ Jess shot back. "Let's move into the living room." Later in the afternoon, Jess, Lindy, and Krycek were still watching the TV. Damn, it's been so long since I've had a lazy day. Might as well enjoy it, Jess had idly thought earlier. Between working with her brother Michael at his veterinarian clinic as a secretary, taking care of Lindy and Krycek, and trying to discretely do research into the paperwork she swiped from the pharmaceutical lab, she felt as if she were physically stretched almost to the breaking point. But would I trade any of it for the world, nope. She hadn't been this content ever in her life. And apparently Lindy felt the same. To her surprise, Lindy had snuggled on the couch between her and Krycek instead of the opposite side of Jess from him. True, she was practically on Jess's lap, but it was a big step for her to be there between them at all. ~Aren't we a picture of domestic bliss?~ Krycek 'spoke to her sardonically. He stretched and yawned, displacing the cat that had curled on his lap. ~Me, domesticated? Never,~ Jess snorted. "Sorry, Lindy, but my leg's gone to sleep. Move, please." She stood up, shaking her leg to get the blood flowing again. Lindy also got up. "I'm gonna go play video games," she announced and ran up the stairs. "Abandoned for a hedgehog and a plumber," Jess muttered. She flopped back down beside Krycek. "So are you ready to talk about the dream you had last night?" Krycek grabbed her legs and swung them over his lap. "No, I'd rather talk about how much I want you." His hands started to slide up them. Jess stopped him mid movement. She pulled her legs off him to curl them under her. "Oh no. You're not using sex, however great it is, to avoid this. I want to help you. What's wrong?" Krycek sighed. "I've been dreaming about Hong Kong, the silo,the labs, and the woods outside the gulag. And they terrify me." "Are you remembering things?" "No, I still have blank spots." "Well something is trying to break through," she leaned an elbow against the couch. "Maybe we oughta get you a hypnotherapist." "Why? So I can relive my greatest shame? Have my nose rubbed in everything I did?" Bitterness tinged his voice. "All I want to do is forget," he sighed. "Alex, that's not what I meant." Jess put her left hand over his left one and squeezed. "Some part of you is trying to remember, wants to remember. Those repressed memories are festering and rotting inside you. If you allow yourself to remember, you can start to heal." Krycek put his free hand over hers. "I'm scared, Jess. I am scared shitless of what we'll find out." Jess leaned her forehead against his. "We'll work through it together. What ever happens, I will be here for you." She lifted his hand to her lips, kissing the palm lightly. ~I swear it.~ Two days later, Krycek and Jess waited nervously in the hotel room. Mulder had requested to see them, alone, in Martha's Vineyard. Since it coincided with a school break, they had brought Lindy along. "At least we'll get a mini vacation out of it," Krycek had said. Lindy, oblivious to the tension, sat reading in the corner. She also had a stack of hotel stationary and a pile of crayons in easy reach. Her head snapped up. ~Someone's at the door,~ she mindspoke to the room in general. Jess nodded and went to the door. She looked out the peephole. "Mulder," she said softly. Krycek took a deep breath and nodded. Jess opened the door. "Hello, Mulder." "Lindy, Krycek, Jess," he said by way of greeting. In an attempt to diffuse the tension between him and Jess, he tried to make a joke. "So how are your San Jose Guppies doing?" Jess flopped down onto the edge of the bed. "You didn't call us out here to make fun of my home town hockey team, Mulder. Cut the chit chat. Why are we here?" "There is a way Krycek can prove he's reformed." The skepticism in Mulder's words were clear. "I'm listening," Krycek said. "It involves the digital tape." "Digital tape?" Jess arched her eyebrows. "What digital tape?" Krycek understood immediately. He closed his eyes. "You're not going to ask us to do what I think you are." ~What? What is he going to ask for?~ Jess mindspoke to Krycek. ~Me to sell my soul to the devil again,~ came the grim reply. Mulder leaned forward. "Not 'us' Krycek. You. I have a lead on the digital tape. I want you to retrieve it." His choice of words rankled Jess. "Retrieve?" She stood up. "Is that what you think of us? Of me? Something less than human that can be ordered around like some trained dog?" ~Jess, calm down,~ Krycek stood up and put his arms around her. ~No, Alex. I won't calm down. He's treating us like we owe him.~ ~I do.~ ~So do I. But he's taking advantage of it.~ Mulder looked uncomfortable. "I wish you two wouldn't do that." "Do what?" Jess asked sullenly. She sat back onto the bed. Mulder tapped the side of his head. "Telepathy." "Get used to it," Jess snarled. ~Jess, calm down. Let's hear the man out before we refuse him.~ "Start talking." "The digital tape," he said for Jess's benefit, "has information on it from Roswell up to the present. It was first brought to my attention by a hacker." Jess nodded. "Who got it illegally, of course." "Of course. I, um, handed the tape over to Skinner for safe keeping." Jess finished the story. "And then Krycek took it forcibly from him. And the rest, shall we say, is history. And I think we have enough info to make a decision." Mulder stood up to leave. "Consider what I've said. And Krycek, consider this." His eyes narrowed. "If I even think that you aren't playing this straight, you're a dead man. And if you hurt Jess... ." "Mulder, that's enough." Jess's voice was ice cold. With a final glare at Krycek, Mulder left. About two seconds after he left, Krycek spoke. "Let's do it." "Alex, you don't have to prove anything to me. And it's too risky." "No, we need to keep Mulder and Scully our allies. And I have to atone somehow. This might be a start." Jess requested a second meeting with Mulder, alone. She was waiting in a Dennys, not far from where she was staying. She wanted a few words with Mulder, not wanting to have to act as a buffer between him and Krycek. Mulder came and joined her in the booth. "Krycek chickened out this time?" "Shut up, Mulder. *I* requested this meeting, not Alex," Jess growled. "I have some questions I want answered before we say yes or no." "Fine, go ahead. Ask." "Okay. One, how reliable is your source?" Mulder shifted uneasily. "As reliable as any of my sources are." That's not an answer, Jess thought. But she knew that would be the only answer she would get. "Two. Does Scully know about this?" "No." Jess looked at him sharply. "You haven't told her? Is that wise?" "Is that any of your business, blood thirsty hell beast?" Jess smiled at the use of her nickname. "You're right. It's none of my business." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "You know the only reason I'm considering this is because Alex feels so damn guilty." "Like I said earlier, this is a chance to prove he's reformed." Mulder shifted again uneasily. What is he hiding? Jess thought. He's keeping back something. She didn't want to probe his mind and find out. That would be a violation of their friendship. And Jess felt that she and Krycek could handle any situation together. "Okay, we'll do it. Where do we go and what do we do?" "The tape is being kept in a house on the outskirts of D.C. The full moon will be happening in five days. He'll probably have the best chance then." "No, Mulder. If someone knows that you've contacted us, they'll be expecting him then. Alex can will the Change almost as well as I can now. And I'm not letting him do this alone. He and I do it tomorrow night." Krycek and Jess debated the information they had gotten from Mulder, formulated a plan. Jess and Krycek would make the raid on the house. A little careful observation on Mulder's part had revealed that there was a standard burglar alarm on the house, but nothing else. Once it was disabled, it would be a simple matter to get in and out. They had left Lindy at the hotel. Krycek had been adamant "I don't want her involved. It's too dangerous for a kid like her." Now they were trotting in wolf form to their target. ~Alex, does any of this smell rotten to you?~ Jess 'spoke. She had been uneasy with the whole idea. She was almost invisible because of her solid black fur. Krycek was a little easier to see because of the white patches on his dark fur, the more traditional markings of a husky. ~I've had an uneasy feeling too, but I can't quite put a finger on it.~ ~Don't you mean paw?~ She ducked his mock snap at her neck. ~Okay, I'll be serious.~ ~You, serious?~ he snorted. ~Don't make me laugh.~ A fence barred their way. Taking a few steps backwards,they both took a running jump it to land in a backyard. ~This is it.~ Jess looked back at Krycek. ~You've had more experience breaking into places. What next?~ ~We find a way in.~ Krycek circled the house, scanning the place. ~There. Window to the kitchen is cracked open. And if there is an open window... .~ ~... the alarm system is off.~ Jess trotted over to the window and nosed it wider open. She slid through the opening. Krycek followed. They found themselves standing in a kitchen with all the modern convinces. Their claws clicked against the tile floor as they made their way to the hall. ~Mulder said the tape will be hidden in the upstairs den, Alex. Let's go.~ They paused in front of the stairway. ~Wait a second. This place smells familiar.~ Krycek had wrinkled his nose, inhaling deeply. Jess sniffed. ~Something does smell familiar, but I'm not sure from where.~ She shivered, fur bristling in waves. ~This is giving me the creeps. Let's just get the damn tape.~ ~Agreed.~ They slowly climbed the stairs. The door to the den was wide open. Jess and Krycek entered it hesitantly, heads and bellies low to the ground. They started pulling drawers open and rifling through them, no mean feat using canine jaws and paws. ~Jess, found it!~ Krycek pulled his head out of one drawer, holding the tape gingerly in his mouth. They started back down to the kitchen. ~Alex, this is all wrong.~ Jess stopped, ears pinned back flat against her head. ~Nobody's here. It was too easy to get in and find it. If this tape's so valuable, why keep it here, with no one guarding it?~ Krycek looked back at her, forefeet on the window sill. ~And I just remembered what smelled so familiar. There were Morley butts in the ashtray upstairs. And I only know of one person connected with Mulder who smokes Morleys.~ He shot her a mental picture of Cancerman. Jess eyes widened. ~Oh God! This is a set up! Let's get the hell out now!~ Krycek and Jess squeezed through the window. They couldn't sense anyone around them, but they ran off quickly and silently, taking no chances. ~We'd better split up. I'll go get Lindy. You go on to Mulder's.~ Jess veered off in another direction, blending into the night. ~I'm gonna run a random pattern, just in case. Be there in two hours. Be careful.~ Krycek also ran into the darkness. Jess had returned to where she left her clothes earlier that evening. She Changed back into a human and went into the hotel. Better find Lindy. She almost ran to their room. Jess stepped through the door. ~Lindy, I'm back.~ No response, mindvoice or physical voice. ~Lindy?~ Jess opened the bathroom door. Nothing. ~Lindy!~ Jess opened the floor length drapes. Again nothing. There were no other hiding places in the room. ~*Lindy!!!!*~ Damn you, Mulder. Damn you, Cancerman. And damn me for getting involved in this in the first place. How am I going to face her? That kid's a daughter to her. He had heard Jess's mindscreams. She 'spoke to him frantically after not finding Lindy. After calming her somewhat, he also tried to 'speak to Lindy, with no luck. Maybe I'm just too far away from Lindy. That's got to be it. But deep inside, he knew that wasn't the reason. He stopped in front of an apartment. Never thought I'd end up here. He knocked on the door. Mulder opened it. He looked at him cooly. "Well," he said, arching an eyebrow. Krycek strode in, hatred burning in his eyes. "I hope Lindy's life was worth this." He tossed the tape at Mulder. "Where is she? Jess dragged herself here an hour ago." "I don't know." Each word came out with a hard edge. Jess staggered out of the bedroom. Eyes wide, she clutched at the door frame for support. She looked at Krycek, and then behind him. ~I still can't 'hear her. Can you?~ Krycek shook his head. "I still can't 'hear her either." ~I hoped it was because I'm not as strong as you are.~ He walked over to her and put his arms around her. Jess leaned into the embrace, shivering. "What do you mean 'can't hear her'?" Mulder demanded. "We can all mindspeak to each other. Doesn't have to do with the fact that Alex and I are a mated pair." Jess explained. "Seems to be an extension of our mindreading abilities." "And Lindy is keeping quiet? Shutting you two out?" Mulder asked. "No, it doesn't work that way. We can usually get a sense of where the other is." "So what happened?" Jess couldn't answer. Krycek explained, deadly serious. "Only two things I know of can stop mindspeach - when we're too far apart, or death." Scully walked the hallway to Mulder's apartment. She knew he was up to something. He had been even more paranoid and secretive at work and at home than usual. That meant that he had gotten a lead on a piece of information that someone didn't want him to have. When she stepped into the apartment, she understood why. Jess crouched on the couch, arms wrapped around her knees tightly, staring into space. And where Jess goes... oh shit! She walked over to Jess and shook her shoulder slightly. "Jess, where's Krycek?" "Bathroom" came the toneless reply. Jeez, she is really out of it. "And Mulder? Where is he?" "In the bedroom," said an all too familiar voice. Scully spun to see Krycek standing in the doorway to the bedroom. "What the *hell* are you doing here?" "Mulder asked us to do a favor." The bitterness in his voice was palatable. "And it doing it may have been the worst mistake I've ever made." He pushed past her to kneel in front of Jess. He stared intently at her face, and then cupped it in his hands. "C'mon, Jess. We can't reach her from here. Exhausting yourself isn't going to help," he said gently. " 'Exhausting yourself?' " Scully asked. Jess still stared into space, almost catatonic. "She's trying to find Lindy by mindscanning, but I've never seen her go so deep," Krycek said. "Jess, I got us into this. It's my fault. Blame me." Jess closed her eyes and started to shake. Her breath, instead of being slow and measured, came in staccato bursts. "Not your fault,... told her would *always* protect her,... should have known... ." "Jess, look at me." She opened her eyes. He continued to speak. "There is know way that you could have known. And we'll find her." "Lindy's missing?" "Yeah, Scully. Go ask Mulder about it. I'm going to try to snap Jess out of this." Scully stepped into the bedroom where Mulder was holding a digital tape. "Is that why Jess and Krycek are here?" "I was told where the tape was being kept. And I thought that they were the perfect choice to get at it." "Only it was a set up, and you were suspicious but asked them to do it anyway." Scully started piecing everything together. "And you thought that if anyone got hurt, it would be Krycek and not Jess or Lindy." She paused tilting her head. "Is that even *the* tape?" "I don't know. All I know is I may have just destroyed her life." "No, Mulder, you just complicated it that much more." Jess, shadowed by Krycek, stood in the doorway. "You didn't abduct Lindy." Her jaw tightened. "All you're responsible for is what you asked me and Alex to do." "Jess, I'm sorry that you and Lindy got involved." Mulder did sound repentant for that. "But don't ask me to apologize to him." Jess bit her lower lip. "Alex, Dana, I want a minute alone with Mulder." Krycek and Scully left the room without a word. Jess fixed Mulder with a steely glare. "Now let's get something straight between us. I once loved you. I do still, as a friend. And I'm extremely hurt and angry right now." Mulder's gaze also narrowed. "And?" he asked dangerously. "I made a vow that I would fight tooth and nail to keep my family safe. And consider Alex family as much as I consider Lindy, Michael, Annie, Dana, and you. But if I'm forced to make a choice between you and Alex, you're not going to like it." Mulder stood up. "Jess, for the sake of our friendship, I'll try to not force you to make that choice. But don't expect me to accept Krycek with open arms." Jess steped forward a pace. "I'm not asking you to. But I would like you to stop acting like he's demon spawn. Sometimes I wonder who you're actually angry with, Alex or your dad." "Jess," he growled warningly. "Shut up, Fox and let me finish." Jess's eyes narrowed. "I can understand why you'd be angry at Alex. He did shoot him in cold blood. But you make it sound like he killed your best friend, not your father. And don't tell me that your father was your best friend. I know better than that. I know that he didn't want you to talk about Samantha, or act like she existed. And I have a good guess that he knew a lot more about her disappearance than he let on." Mulder paled. He was sure that no one other than Scully and his mother had any idea about that. "How did you know?" "Logical reasoning, and the fact that I'm a bit further removed from the events means I can be a more dispassionate observer." Jess shook her head. "Mulder, I understand about how you feel about your dad. My dad wouldn't let us talk about Rachel when she died. But I still loved him and it took me a long time to admit that I was angry at him. But you have to admit the anger is there and then let it go, or else it's going to destroy you. But I won't let you take it out on Alex." Krycek was going through his own special personalized hell. This is exactly what I was afraid would happen. He hadn't wanted Jess or Lindy to come to any harm. Oh God, if I don't find her... . They were back as Scully's apartment. Jess refused to stay at Mulder's. "Too many memories," she had said. And since the hotel room had been compromised, there was only one place they could hide momentarily. He sat by the bed, watching Jess. He had managed to finally get her to go to sleep. She had stayed up seventy two hours straight, trying to reach Lindy with her mindvoice. Nothing had been found, no sign of her physically or mentally. He wanted more than anything to collapse beside her, to forget, if only while asleep, the waking nightmare they were living. But there was something he wanted, needed, to do. He left the room, only to search out Mulder's partner. "Scully, I wanted to say I'm sorry." "Sorry, Krycek?" Scully growled. She was sitting at her home computer, typing a report. "About what?" Krycek swallowed. "About everything I was involved in, your disappearance and your sister's death." There, he said it. "I know it doesn't make up for what I've done. I know you will probably hate me for the rest of your life. And I don't blame you for it," he added softly. Having said what he needed to say, he turned and started to walk away. "Krycek," she said sharply. "I want to know, did Cardinale pull the trigger, or did you?" He half turned back to her. "You probably won't believe this is the truth. Cardinale shot her. I was there, but I didn't kill your sister. And I want to take down the men who ordered it just as badly as you." The phone rang. Scully picked it up. Krycek stood watching her, afraid of what she was hearing. Please, don't let Lindy be dead. Scully hung up the phone. "Wake Jess up," she said grimly. "They've found Lindy." Lindy lay unconscious in the hospital bed, hooked up monitors. Jess sat beside the hospital bed, pressing Lindy's hand to her forehead. She knew what had happened to herfrom the moment she saw her lying in the bed, twelve hours ago. Scully entered the room, holding Lindy's chart. "Jess, can I talk to you outside?" The door opened a second time. Krycek stepped in wordlessly and walked to Jess without looking at Scully. He dropped a quick kiss in Jess's hair and took her place beside Lindy. Jess followed Scully out of the room. Outside Mulder was waiting. "We have the results of the blood work on Lindy." Jess nodded, saying nothing. "Her tests came back as normal. *Completely* normal," Scully emphasized. Jess made a statement, not asked a question. "They reversed the Change." "Jess, you're always telling me not to jump to conclusions," Mulder said. All we know for certain is that the unknown enzyme that she had in her blood is no longer present." "Mulder, last night was a full moon. I stayed up the whole night, in her room, fighting the urge to Change. Lindy didn't so much as grow an extra hair." She turned away. "I don't know whether I should be happy, sad, or jealous." "Jealous?" Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Lindy may have just become something Alex and I have longed for - fully, unquestionably human and not worry about someday losing control and letting the truth about what you really are slip out." She looked sidelong at the pair. "But you wouldn't understand that, would you?" "Jess, think about who you're talking to," Scully said ironically. "That's not what I meant. And you two being lovers is a little less earth shattering than being the myth come to life. But I don't want to talk about it." She looked at Mulder hard. "One question, was that the tape you were looking for?" "It was blank," he said softly. Jess looked down and away from him. "Figures," she muttered and walked back into Lindy's room. Jess sat by Lindy's bed, watching her. According to the doctors, she was slowly coming out of the coma and would be conscious sometime today. Poor little thing's been through so much. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered how they first met. She and the little girl had bonded so fast, mostly because of their shared lycanthropy and experiences. She looked around the room. Everywhere she cast her gaze, she saw I.V.'s, tubes, wires, monitors, and other medical devices that all connected back to the little girl laying in the bed. Why her? She's suffered enough. Why not me instead? The door opened and Krycek stepped in. He had been either at Jess's side or at Lindy's when she was asleep. He gently brushed Lindy's bangs back from her eyes. "Jess what are we going to do?" Krycek sounded as mystified as she felt. She reached for his hand. "I don't know." Jess looked down. "Part of me wants the little werewolf I've been raising back. But part of me is saying 'let her be human and have a 'normal' childhood.'" She looked back up at him. "She doesn't remember much about being human. And what she does isn't that happy, mostly her abuse." She gestured weakly. "I don't know if she wants to be human. If I Change her and she didn't want me to, she may hate me." "Hate us, Jess. I'm going to back whatever decision you and Lindy make." He sighed deeply. "God, sometimes I wish I were human again." Jess wrapped her arms around him. "Eventually you get used to the cycle of the moon, and even enjoy it. But you never stop mourning and longing for your lost humanity. Believe me, I know." She paused. "And if she decides to stay human, will she want to stay with me? I don't think I could lose her." Her voice became that of a scared child. "Maybe we should wait until we can talk to Lindy. After all, if she decides to stay human, and then changes her mind, we can do something about it then." He held her tight. "You're right. It is her choice." Jess laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart. Tears slipped from between her closed eyelids. But what will she choose? Krycek's grip on her shoulders tightened. "Jess," he whispered softly, "Look." Jess turned around wiping her eyes. She smiled as she saw Lindy's eyes flutter open. Lindy made a weak sound and reached for her. "Shhhh, it's okay," Jess cooed, taking Lindy's hand in her own. "We're here, sweetheart." "Can't 'hear you. Don't remember anything," Lindy said, frightened. "It's all right, Lindy." Krycek put his hand over Jess's and Lindy's. "You will remember eventually. You don't have to right now." "But why can't I 'hear you?" Lindy was growing edgier by the moment. Jess looked at Krycek. ~Do I tell her now?~ ~I don't see anyway we can avoid it.~ Jess looked back at the little girl tenderly. "Lindy, sweetheart, we think that someone, somehow was able to make you human again." Her eyes widened. "Not a werewolf? No more Changing?" "Yes, honey. But you need to get a little better before we talk any more about it. You may not be able to 'hear me or Alex, but one of us will be near by, watching." She bent over to whisper in Lindy's ear. "And I'll always love you, no matter what." A doctor stepped into the room. "I see she's awake. We need to run some tests. If the two of you would mind waiting outside." Krycek sat in the waiting room besides Jess, near Scully and Mulder. After the doctor had examined her, the four of them had seen Lindy, who still was a little groggy. They had left when she fell into a deep natural sleep. In her relief that Lindy was all right, she had finally allowed herself to fall asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. Krycek leaned his head against hers. Can't go to sleep, not now. One of us needs to be awake. Just in case, he thought tiredly. His eyelids, however, refused to cooperate. He was lightly dosing before he knew it. A quiet "ahem" made him look up. Mulder stood in front of him frowning. "We need to talk, alone." Krycek lifted his head. "I have nothing to say to you. I did your dirty work. Now leave us alone." "Listen to him," Jess said quietly. She lifted her head from his shoulder. ~You're supposed to be asleep,~ Krycek chided. "I was," she said softly. "Go talk to him. Get it out of your system." She patted Krycek on his back, looking at Mulder. Neither of them were sure to whom she had spoken. Krycek gave her hand a squeeze. He stood up, looking Mulder squarely in the eye. Mulder returned the stare and then turned and walked away. Krycek followed. They both walked silently past Scully, returning from looking at the latest test results on Lindy's charts. She turned and watched them leave with puzzled eyes. She started to follow. "Don't, Dana," Jess said softly. She got up and walked over to her. "Where are they going?" she asked. Jess smiled ruefully. "Either to kill each other or to make peace." Krycek followed Mulder down to the half empty parking lot. He had walked in silence behind Mulder the whole time. He understood the anger that the man had towards him, but that didn't give him any right to try to get revenge on him through Jess or Lindy. "That's far enough," Krycek said. He grabbed Mulder by the arm, swinging him around to face him. "What is this about?" Mulder pulled his arm free. "You, you son of a bitch." The hatred and contempt were clear in his voice and face. "It's supposed to be you in the hospital bed, not Lindy. It's your fault." "I wasn't the one who took her from the hotel," Krycek growled. "No, but if it wasn't for you, Jess and Lindy wouldn't be here." Mulder's eyes narrowed. "And you did help take Scully. And kill her sister. And kill my father." "Go ahead, vent all your hate on me. It's nothing I don't put myself though every day. But it won't change anything I've done." "You arrogant bastard!" Mulder lost hold of the tight rein he had on his temper. "You betray my trust, you almost get me killed multiple times, you leave me to die in a gulag, and *I'm* the bad guy?" He swung at Krycek, connecting with his jaw. Krycek staggered back, stunned. Strangely, he didn't retaliate, or even defend himself. Mulder again punched him, this time square in the face. Krycek's head snapped back, blood streaming from his nose. Again, he didn't retaliate. In fact he almost seemed to want Mulder to hit him. Again Mulder punched Krycek on the jaw. This time he wasn't able to keep his balance. Krycek staggered and went face down onto the pavement. Mulder was on top of him in an instant. Jamming a knee into Krycek's back, he grabbed Krycek's head and started slamming it against the pavement. "This is for Scully!" Slam. "This is for Melissa!" Slam. "This is for my father!" Slam. "And this is for me!" Slam. He paused. Somehow, beating up Krycek wasn't making him feel better like he thought it would. Krycek was right - it wouldn't change a thing he had done. It wouldn't bring back the dead or erase what had been done to the woman he loved or reunite him with his sister or his father. Krycek turned his head to one side. His head was covered in cuts and bruises. His nose was broken. He was spitting blood from where his jaw had cut into his tongue as Mulder punched him. But he still managed to gasp out, "I'm sorry, Mulder," with tears falling from his eyes. And for the first time, Mulder actually listened to him. Heard his pain. His shame. His sorrow. Krycek sounded just like Mulder whenever he talked about being unable to stop Samantha's abduction. Something in Mulder softened. He realized that Krycek was just a pawn. He had been a victim of the Smoking Man's schemes as much as he was. And also, Jess was right. It wasn't Krycek he was angry with. Well, no, it was Krycek he was angry with, but it was what his father he was really wanting to beat up. Krycek felt the pressure on his back ease. Mulder's hands went from his head to his shoulder. He was being helped into a sitting position. Mulder knelt down in front of him. "You really mean that, don't you?" Krycek put his hands on either side of his nose, forcing it back into normal position so he could self-heal. The cuts could be worried about later. "Believe it or not, yes. I was told that I was actually doing you a favor by spying on you. When I was told about what they planned for Scully, I was in too deep to get out. And that whole mess with your father, Scully's sister, the gulag..." his voice trailed off and he shook his head. "It's unforgivable." He took a deep breath. "All I want to do is forget my past and live with the woman I love." Mulder looked Krycek in the eye and pulled him to his feet. "For Jess's sake, I'll let you live. Go clean up." Mulder turned and walked away, leaving Krycek standing there. Lindy sat patiently through another round of blood work being drawn. The constant gentle attention had removed her fear of the doctors and nurses. In fact, several of them had brought her stuffed animals, coloring books, and other toys, all the time saying "what a brave little girl" and "what a sweetheart" she was. The knowledge that either Jess or Krycek were hovering just outside the door was also a great comfort. She couldn't remember much about what happened after Krycek and Jess left the hotel room. She could remember hearing some noises and then feeling very sleepy. And a bright light. Mulder had repeatedly asked if there was a feeling of a presence in the room. "Yes," she answered, "but I never saw them, I think." Jess had then interrupted, insisting that Mulder wait until Lindy was out of the hospital. "And if she decides not to talk right away, it's her choice." The nurse removed the needle from her arm. "All done," she said. "Your mom will be here in a moment." Lindy grinned a little. Although she never called Jess "mother," that was exactly how she felt about her. And although she didn't know Krycek that well yet, she trusted him more than any man she had met. "Already am," came Jess's voice. She stepped through the door. Krycek was still off with Mulder, where ever that was. The nurse smiled at them and left. "How ya doing?" "Little scared." Lindy looked up at Jess. "So am I," she said gently, laying a hand over the child's. Lindy said hesitantly, "Would it make me a bad girl if I said I want to stay human? For a little while?" she added quickly. Jess smiled reassuringly. "You can stay human as long as you want to," Jess said. "And it doesn't make you a bad girl. And if you change your mind or decide that you never want to be a werewolf again, that's okay too." The door opened again. Mulder and Scully came into the room. "Hey there, Lindy," Mulder said. "You better start not looking so healthy, or else they'll kick you out for faking." Lindy giggled. "The sooner, the better, eh little one?" Jess said, ruffling Lindy's hair. "So where did you hide Alex's body, Mulder?" Mulder frowned. "He isn't back?" "No, I haven't seen him since he went to talk to you, over an hour ago. Dana?" Scully shook her head. "You don't think... ." Jess got a concentrating inward look. Lindy touched her arm. "Anything?" "No." The word was a quiet whisper. "Mulder, what did you do to him?" "I didn't kill him. I lost my temper and roughed him up, but that's all." "But he was conscious when you left him?" Jess growled. "Yes." "Oh shit," she whispered. "Here we go again." Again they waited three days. Jess barely got any sleep. She had been helping Lindy adjust to being human again in addition to keeping herself open to receive Krycek's mindvoice. And when she did snatch some sleep, she was haunted by nightmares. She was in the middle of a horrifying one, a mixture of her life with Jake, Lindy's memories of her john, and fears about the future, when she felt someone shaking her shoulder. Jess blinked and looked up. "Dana, what is it? Have you found Alex?" "Not exactly." Scully paused. "We've been contacted. They want a trade." Jess swallowed hard. "What?" "They want the papers you took from that pharmaceutical lab in exchange for Krycek. Do you have them?" "Some of Mulder's paranoia rubbed off on me. I carry them where ever I go. I'll do the exchange. Where and when?" Jess sat waiting on the park bench. She clutched a briefcase close to her chest. Mulder sat next to her. "It's gonna be okay, hell beast," he said, trying to reassure her. "Is it?" Jess's voice was toneless. "We're always gonna be running. It'll never be safe for us." "Isn't that the nature of life?" Cancerman stepped out of the darkness. Jess shrank back into a defensive position. "Never being certain of the future, yes. Being snatched out of the darkness, no." She glared like a fox that has been cornered by the hounds. "We have what you want," Mulder said. "Where's Krycek?" "That will be disclosed when I'm assured of the briefcases contents." Jess stood up. "So much for honor among thieves. Stay," she said to Mulder. She crossed the two yards separating her from the Cigarette Smoking Man and handed him the briefcase. As she did so, the wind shifted, leaving Cancerman upwind from her. That scent, she mused as she inhaled. And then a light went on in Jess's head. This man had more of a personal stake in the X-Files and Fox Mulder than anyone guessed. Jess smiled. Not a pretty smile. The form in front of her shifted slightly. Cancerman knew that she *knew.* "How can I be assured that this won't happen again, that I won't be taken?" she said quietly, so Mulder couldn't hear. "*Family* is very important to me." The Cigarette Smoking Man kept his poker face admirably. "You were to be next. But...." he paused, trying to regain the upper hand. "If certain information is kept quiet, attention will be focused elsewhere." Jess nodded, playing along. "Then we have an understanding. Where's Alex?" she asked the last sentence in her regular voice. Mulder's cell phone rang. He answered it without taking his eyes off of them. "Mulder... where... we'll be there. Jess." She looked back at him. "They've found Krycek. He's at the hospital right now." Jess's head swung back around. The Cigarette Smoking Man had disappeared back into the darkness. "Let's go." Krycek could feel someone gently holding his hand. Everything hurt horribly, including his hair. Okay, open your eyes on the count of three. One. Two. Two and a half. Three. One eye cracked open. He winced and snapped it shut as the light from the overhead lamp stabbed at it. "Alex?" came Jess's voice gently. He turned his head slightly towards the sound and tried opening both eyes again. He managed a partial victory this time. One eye refused to open. Jess smiled at him. "Go easy. You're going to need a lot of beauty rest." "How bad?" he croaked. Jeez, my mouth feels like the Sahara. "Massive contusions on your abdomen, groin, and chest, three broken ribs, dislocated right shoulder, left hip, and right knee, chipped tooth, half healed scratches on your face, bruised jaw, broken nose, and one beauty of a black eye." Jess paused. "They really worked you over. The doctor mentioned something about giving us a bulk discount." "I'd laugh, but it hurts too much." Krycek paused. "They reversed the Change in me also." Jess nodded. "Let's talk about that later. Lindy wants to see you as soon as possible. She's really latched onto you. Feel up to it?" "Okay, send the kid on in," Krycek said. Jess got up and opened the door and signaled. As Lindy trotted past her, she stepped out of the room to talk to Mulder and Scully. "How is he?" Mulder asked. "Physically sore. Mentally, I don't know yet," Jess sighed. "Same with Lindy. It's an emotional hell that they're going though. And I'm afraid that I'm gonna lose them." She turned and went back into Krycek's room. Mulder and Scully stayed silent. Neither one could come up with the words to allay Jess's fears. Three days later, Jess had brought Krycek back from the hospital to the condo she had rented. After he and Lindy were released from the hospital, Mulder had politely asked them to stay in the area for a little while, so he could keep an eye on how he and Lindy were adapting. He and Jess agreed. They needed to be near someone who could offer support. She felt that they shouldn't go back to California yet, no matter how appealing it was to run away and stick her head in the sand. Lindy was coping wonderfully. Krycek, however, just wasn't ready. He was weak from having the Change in him reversed, not to mention having been beaten with a precision meant to cause pain but not permanent damage. Otherwise he was physically healthy. Mentally, however, was another story. He had avoided touching her. She wasn't sure exactly why. He had been plagued by the nightmares while kept in the hospital for observation, and he refused to talk to her about them. Lindy had gone to bed hours ago. Jess watched him over the edge of her book. Krycek was sitting in the chair on the opposite side of the room instead of being curled up on the couch beside her. He was halfheartedly watching the late news. He's uneasy about what happened. Hell, I'm uneasy too. Maybe a night's sleep will settle us. "Ready to go to bed, Alex?" Krycek wouldn't look at her. "Um, I was thinking. Maybe I should sleep out here on the couch tonight." "Okay. Or you can have the bed. I'll sleep out here." She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She didn't particularly want to have sex, but she did want to hold and be held by him, just to touch him. She had sleeping alone for almost a week, and was incredibly lonely. Jess hadn't realized how much she had come to depend on his presence But if he needed to be alone, she would abide by his wishes and not make him feel guilty. He shifted uneasily. "And I think that maybe I should move out." Jess paled, staring with wide eyes. "Why?" she whispered when she finally found her voice. "You told me after we started living together about how most humans didn't do anything for you." He finally looked at her. "I can't stay here, loving you, wanting you, if you can't return those feelings." "Oh, Alex," she breathed. "Is that why you've avoided touching me all night?" As he nodded, she crossed the room and knelt in front of him. "I may have been attracted to the werewolf, but I fell in love with the man. I love you, Alex. That will never change." She interlaced her fingers with his. "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it together. Wolves mate for life." She grinned slightly. "Face it, you're stuck with me." He slid out of the chair. "Oh God, Jess. I've been so scared that you wouldn't feel like that," he whispered as he knelt in front of her. His hands found her head. "And being stuck with you ain't that bad." Jess found herself tasting both his tongue and his tears. "Shall we move to the bedroom?" she managed to gasp as he kissed the hollow of her throat. "Jess, I'm not sure I can," he murmured. "I'm *really* sore." "That's okay. Let's just get some sleep." She helped him up from the floor. Arms around each other's waist they padded off to the bedroom. Krycek woke up with a slight moan. The swelling in his eye had finally gone down enough so he could open it. He looked over to see the back of a brunette head next to him and a blonde one beyond that. He and Jess had fallen asleep in each others arms. Krycek remembered waking up once in a cold sweat, haunted by his dreams. He also vaguely remembered Lindy coming into their room, frightened by a nightmare of her own. She had been so scared that she asked if she could sleep with them. He and Jess had shifted around until all three were in bed, Jess in the middle. Something about the three of them being together comforted him. It reminded him of the morning a little over a week ago. Seems like a lifetime ago, he thought. He gently stroked Jess's hair. She stirred slightly and opened her eyes. "Morning, Alex," she whispered. "How are you feeling?" "Sore, but not as bad as before. I think Lindy's still asleep." "Am not," came the little girl's voice. "Been awake for an hour." "Oh, playing possum. I see." Jess squirmed onto her back. "Wanna talk about your dream?" "Just about *him*, nothing else." "Just about the sicko who made you a werewolf? Not about anything else?" "Yeah." Lindy scooted out from under the covers. "Gonna go watch TV," and retreated from the bedroom. Jess rolled over so she was laying half on, half off Krycek. "And do you want to talk about anything?" "Just about how thankful I am that I woke up next to you." An arm went around her waist. "I'm afraid that one day I'll wake up, and you'll be gone." Jess tightened her arms around his body. "Alex, I wouldn't leave you." "No, that you would have been taken. Like Scully was from Mulder. Like Lindy was from us." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Like I was from you." Jess lifted up. "Alex, there is something I have to tell you. But it stays between us. Scully can't know. Mulder can't. Even Lindy can't, for now. But I think it will insure that we won't be split apart." "What?" His eyes squinted with concern. "Remember how I told you about my meeting with the Cigarette Smoking Man? I didn't tell you the whole story. You see... ." Jess and Krycek decided to invite Scully and Mulder over for dinner. It was intended as an olive branch and Jess didn't expect them to accept. But much to her surprise, they did. Jess and Krycek were waiting in their living room tensely. Lindy was upstairs playing, waiting for dinner. The expected knock on the door made Jess and Krycek jump. Jess got up to open the door. "Hello Dana, Mulder. Come in." Mulder and Scully entered the condo. The four of them stood in an awkward silence, until Krycek spoke. "Listen, I know how much I've hurt you. And I know saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't change anything. But don't take it out on Jess and Lindy." "In other words, a truce is what you want," Scully said. "A truce is what we need. An alliance is what I want." Krycek swallowed hard. "A friendship is what I hope for." Mulder and Scully looked at each other long and hard, each debating internally. Jess kept her mouth shut, knowing that there was nothing she could say to influence them one way or another. It had to be Scully and Mulder's decision. Scully nodded at Mulder. He said what they had agreed on earlier. "What you've done is not forgotten. It's not forgiven. But because of what you know and for Jess's and Lindy's sake, we're willing to call a truce and an alliance." "Thank you, both of you," Jess said. "So what do you say to me calling Lindy down and we eat?" After dinner, they all moved to the living room. They talked for hours, trading stories about each other and forging a tentative new alliance between them all. Mostly it became an oneupmanship contest between Jess and Mulder about personality quirks, odd habits, and embarrassing memories although Scully and Krycek, every now and then, did get in little digs about the two of them. None of them were truly comfortable, but it was a start. Lindy sat between Jess and Krycek, at first excited to be so late. She loved listening to Jess talk about her past. But eventually it was too much. Her head almost split at the ears from the force of her yawn. Jess was suddenly aware of the little girl sitting beside her. "Lindy, it's way past your bedtime. Scoot." "Alex, read me a story?" Lindy asked. "Okay." Krycek got up from beside Jess and followed Lindy upstairs. Jess smiled out of love as she watched them pass by, not to mention the fact that it put Krycek's tight butt right at her eye level. Mulder reached over and slapped her hand lightly. "Hey, get your mind out of the gutter. We gotta talk serious for a moment." Jess sighed and looked back at Mulder. "What?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "I want to know how the three of you are doing." "We're all having nightmares. By the end of the night, one of us has woken up at least once to comfort the other. And usually Lindy ends up asking if she can sleep with us sometime in the night." "Nothing helps?" Scully asked. "No. Lindy and I have these dreams whenever we've just come out of an *extremely* stressful situation. What she and I are going though is familiar territory. I'm dreaming about Jake and Alpha Wolf. Lindy's dreaming about the creep who molested her. In about a week we'll be back to normal. Alex, though, has me worried. I can't even get him to begin to talk about what he's dreaming about." "You and Lindy talking it out should lessen the problems soon, especially if it's helped in the past." Mulder nodded. "Krycek, though, is an another story. Considered hypnotherapy for him?" Jess sighed. "Every time I mention the possibility, he gets defensive and changes the subject. And I'm at the end of my rope." "I can see why," Scully said. "If tonight's, and the past month's any indication of how he feels now, I wouldn't want to talk about it either." "It's not just a matter of not wanting. He can't. He has gaps in his memory. I've offered to try a mind probe, but he doesn't want that done either. He wants to forget, and something isn't letting him. But every time I bring up hypnosis, he tries to distract me." Jess looked down and blushed. "He usually succeeds too," she murmured. "Let me talk to him, Jess," Mulder said, ignoring the reference to her sex life. "Maybe I can arrange something." Later that evening, after Mulder and Scully left, they prepared for bed. Krycek and Jess showered, seperately. Krycek was comfortable sharing a bed again with Jess, but he wasn't certain about sex yet. He wanted her, but not if she was going to sleep with him out of pity. Jess kept giving him side long glances. She knew something wasn't quite right, but didn't know how to approach the question. "How are you feeling?" "Much better now that we've talked to Mulder and Scully." "I meant physically." Krycek turned to look at her. Standing in front of a mirror, her back was to him. She had put on her sleep shirt, but hadn't buttoned it. He could see a reflection of a pink nipple. He gulped as he felt his body respond. "Um, okay, I guess. Still a little tender in some spots, stiff in others." She turned and smiled at him. "Stiff in the right place, I hope. Maybe I'd better examine you and find out." Krycek moaned from the idea, but he was still hesitant. "Jess, you're not doing this out of pity for me? Because you feel you have to?" "Alex, I don't do things because I feel I have to." A hint of fear appeared in her eyes. "You do want me? Right?" "More than anything. It's just... ." Krycek looked down. "Alex, stop punishing yourself." Jess stepped in front of him. She put her hands on either side of Krycek's face, making him look her in the eyes. "There are enough people out there who want to hurt you without you adding to it." "But Jess, when we met we were the same thing. But now I'm human and you're..." "Flesh and bone and blood, Alex. Just the same as you. I laugh, I cry, I fear, I hurt, I need. And I love. I love you. You love me. And that's all that matters." During the last words he had leaned closer to her face. He could see the unshed tears glimmering like stars in her eyes, could feel her warm breath across his skin, could smell her intoxicating scent. "You're right Jess. I love you. You love me. And that is all that matters." He closed the mere centimeters that were seperating them. Their kiss was long and luxurious, both reassuring themselves that they were together. Tongues entwined. Hands explored. Skin rubbed. And Jess's shirt fell to the floor. Jess backed away from him, breaking the kiss. She pressed her lips to his ear. "Alex, let me make love to you." Krycek shivered as she nipped at his neck. "Jess, I want to. But I can't... ." "No, Alex. Let me be on top. Let me pleasure you. I'll be gentle." A gleam appeared in her eyes. "Unless you don't want me to be gentle," she added in a soft growl. Still, he resisted her, although his body begged him not to. "Jess, I'm afraid." "Afraid of what?" Jess pushed him down to sit on the bed. "Afraid that you won't be, um, sexually responsive to me." She looked into his wide eyes as she straddled his thighs. "Alex," she said as she guided one hand to her breast. "What do you think I'm doing right now?" She bent down to nuzzle his neck, giving it soothing swipes with her tongue. Krycek groaned and gave up on holding back. She was too sexy to resist. "Jess?" She pulled back to stare puzzledly at him. "Yes, Alex?" He smiled at her. "Make me howl." Jess smiled back. "Just remember, you asked for it." Krycek gulped as he was pushed back flat on the bed. Jess was kissing his face wildly, fastening onto whatever feature was closest to her lips. He nipped back, managing to catch her upper lip between his teeth. He sucked hard as both hands found her breasts and squeezed. Jess pulled back when he released her. "Hey! You're supposed to be the submissive one here." She grabbed a foil package and opened it, growling under her breath. "So make me." Now that's the Alex I know. She unrolled the condom onto his generous erection. "Do you know how a dominant wolf enforces rank over the subordinate members of its pack?" She gently took his balls in her left hand and squeezed. "Nooooo." It was more of a moan than an answer. He smiled and brought her right hand to his lips. A pink tongue darted out to caress her palm. Jess was positioning herself above his groin. "The alpha male, excuse the expression, treats a subordinate male wolf like a female by symbolically mating. Only in our case, I'm not a male and it ain't symbolic." Her hips lunged downward. "Rrrrroooowaaal!" Krycek found himself buried in her hot flesh. Jess giggled. "That sounded more like an angry, wet cat than a wolf howl." She raised back up. Jess's passage caressed Krycek's cock again. He threw his head back. "Aroooo!" Jess raised up. She shook her head again, laughing. "No, that's not quite right either. Sounds like an asmathic coyote." She sank down on him yet again. "So help me. What am I supposed to sound like?" "Like a man who can't hold himself back any longer." Jess started moving her hips faster. Krycek was lunging upwards to meet her thrusts. His hands went to her waist, holding himself more firmly to her. "Oh! Oh! Oh! Ohhhhhhhhwwwwwwoooooo!" "Now *that's* a wolf howl." Jess tossed her head back and joined his seranade as he shot into her. Her head lolled forward and she fell forward onto him. "And you... were... afraid I... wouldn't be... sexually responsive... to you... anymore," Jess panted. She rolled off of Krycek with a sigh of contentment and removed the used condom from him, sated for the moment. He was also panting, trying to catch his breath. "God, Jess, I may never be able to have sex again after what you just did." Jess gave a mock shiver. "Don't say that." She nestled down beside him, wrapped her arms around him, and pillowed her head on his chest. She was drifting off to sleep when she heard him speak. "Mulder talked to me while you and Scully were saying 'good night' to Lindy." He shifted uncomfortably beneath her. "He suggested that I get a therapist." "What do you think?" "That he should keep his sizable nose out of our business." She chuckled slightly. "Little late for that, don't you think?" Jess eased up on one elbow. "Face it, events have bound all our lives together, for better or for worse." Krycek sighed. "But I don't have to like it." "Alex, we can get through this together. But running from the past isn't going to help. Would it help if I said I'm willing to go with you?" He shrugged noncommittally. "Let me think about it." The next morning, Krycek watched from the kitchenette of the condo. Lindy was beating Jess soundly at a video game. Lindy was recovering from her experience, slowly but surely. She wanted to start talking to someone about what she went through, mostly because she had been in therapy before and remembered how much better she felt afterwards. Mulder had offered to put them in contact with a therapist who would be more open minded to their situation than the run-of-the-mill psychologist. That girl's got more guts than I do. He went back upstairs, not ready to face them quite yet. He still walked gingerly, trying to not jar his battered body any more than necessary. He had finally come to a decision, but wasn't certain he could follow through. Story of my life. He had also thought that about standing up to Cancerman, about telling Mulder about Scully's abduction, and his role in it. He had, at the time, regretted the fact that their partnership was a sham. And then he had chickened out and set events in motion that were still haunting him today. But that was before I met Jess and Lindy. Having people around that truly cared for him, despite everything, was something he wasn't used to yet. You know what you need to do. So do it. Jess groaned as she lost another game. "Okay, Lindy, you beat me, big time." She passed the control back to her. "I give up." She got up from the floor and went to the kitchenette. She had just finished pouring herself a soda when a note pad thumped down on the counter beside her. "Who's Dr. K. Anderson?" "According to Mulder, the best damn regression hypnotherapist there is. And has an associate who would be open minded to Lindy's experiences. Feel like staying in the D.C. area for longer than we planned?" Jess smiled and hugged him. "Are you sure? It's gonna be dangerous in D.C. We can find someone in California, for both you and Lindy." Krycek returned the hug. "No, I need to face this head on, and out here it would be too easy to hide. Besides," he said, looking at Lindy, "it's gonna be dangerous wherever we are." "True. Shall we tell Lindy?" "Tell me what?" Jess and Krycek looked down to find Lindy standing beside them. Jess hefted her up and rested her against her hip. "We're thinking about moving out here for a while. How do you feel about it?" "Can we get Chloe?" "Yeah," Krycek said, "We can send for your cat." Amazing what a kid's priorities are. Lindy leaned her head contentedly against Jess. "Okay," she whispered. Krycek pulled both of them in a little closer. He leaned his cheek against Jess's hair and sighed. "This is going to be rough." Jess tightened her grip on them. "We've gotten through worse. We'll get through this." "Jess," Lindy started hesitantly, "I wanna be a werewolf again." Jess looked up from the book she was reading. "Lindy, did you just say what I think you said?" "Yeah," the little girl said. "I miss being able to mindspeak to you." "Is that enough of a reason?" Jess said gently. "If I Change you and you change your mind, I can't promise that you'll be human again." "She's right Lindy," Krycek said from the doorway. He had been quietly listening to the conversation. "Alex, Jess, I wanna be a werewolf. I don't know about being human. I don't wanna know about being human." Jess and Krycek looked at each other. "You said it was her choice," Krycek said softly. Jess looked back at Lindy softly. "You know I've never done this. I don't know that it will work." Lindy got up and climbed into Jess's lap. "I don't care. I wanna try." "Okay," Jess whispered softly, putting her arms around the little girl. She signaled Krycek over with her head. "Alex, Lindy, do I just bite?" Both of them nodded. Lindy offered Jess her wrist. Jess took it and lifted it to her lips. She Changed slightly, allowing her wolf's muzzle to extend slightly and the teeth to grow sharper. She looked at Lindy for one last confirmation. The little girl nodded. Jess bared her teeth and sank them into Lindy's wrist. Lindy gave a small yelp, but didn't try to pull away. She leaned her head against Jess's chest to listen to her heartbeat. For her part, Jess didn't chew or gnaw, just held on. She felt Krycek put a hand on her shoulder. "That should be long enough," he whispered. Jess released. She hadn't bitten deep, just hard enough to break the skin and allow her saliva to enter Lindy's blood stream. She could taste the salty blood. She shifted back to full human. "Could you get me some water?" As Krycek went to get it, Jess turned her attention to Lindy again. "Did it work, sweetheart?" "Dunno." Lindy was trying to gauge the sensations running through her body. Krycek returned carrying a glass of water, a large bowl, and a washcloth. He handed the water and cloth to Jess. He echoed Jess's question, "Did it work?" She rinsed, spit into the bowl, and scrubbed at her teeth to clean them. And shrugged her shoulders. "Can't tell." She sighed. "The full moon will be in about three weeks. We'll know then." Mulder knocked on the door to Jess's and Krycek's condo. It had been three weeks since he and Scully had last heard from them, except the occasional message to let them know that everything was okay, and what Jess had tried with Lindy. He heard Krycek say, "It's open," muffled by the door. Mulder pushed through. No sooner than he the door was shut than a gold form knocked Mulder to the ground. Mulder found himself being the on the receiving end of an enthusiastic greeting from a puppy wolf-dog. "Get her off me," Mulder cried. "She slobbering all over my new suit." A set of black jaws grabbed the loose skin of the puppy's neck. The adult gently but firmly pulled the puppy back off Mulder. The black adult wolf looked hard at the gold puppy. It then got up and trotted off to another room. The gold one followed. "I see it worked for Lindy," Mulder said. "So why aren't you on all fours too?" Krycek sat on a recliner chair and motioned Mulder to take a seat. "Lindy wanted to be a werewolf again. I'm not so sure." "And I'm not pushing for a decision from him." Jess had reappeared wearing her customary jeans and t-shirt. "Lindy wants to say 'good night' to you, Alex. And she's sorry about tackling you, Mulder." Krycek got up with a grunt. "Still sore," he said by way of explanation. "Oh Jess, if Scully arrives, don't tell them. Wait for me." He left the room. "Tell us what?" Mulder said as the doorbell rang. "You heard, I'm sworn to secrecy until Dana gets here." Jess jumped easily to her feet. "Coming." She opened the door for Scully and ushered her to the couch where Mulder was sitting. Krycek had reentered the room and was sitting in the recliner again. Jess perched on one arm next to him. Mulder looked at Jess keenly. "Okay. What is it that you were going to tell us?" Jess and Krycek took each other's hands. "We're engaged," Krycek said simply. Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Engaged?" They both nodded. "I know asking your blessing would be pushing it," Jess said, "but we felt that you should know before we actually got married." Mulder shook his head. "You're right, you are pushing it. But it's your choice." "Are you sure that it's safe enough to do that?" Scully asked. Krycek shrugged his shoulders. "It won't ever be 'safe' for us. But we want this more than anything." "And we're not doing it right away," Jess added. "We're going to wait for things to settle a little." "As long as you know what you're getting into," Mulder muttered. "Listen, it's late. We should go." Jess nodded. He will accept Alex in my life but nothing more. He's trying for my sake to be happy, but it's not happening. Maybe someday, but not today. She and Krycek got up to see them out. At the door, they all shook hands. Scully took a long hard look at Jess and Krycek. They do make a lovely couple, she thought. Same dark hair and intensely, although differently, colored eyes made them seem like they were halves of the whole. Mulder looked like he was trying to say something, but couldn't find the words. "Krycek, I won't forget, and I can't speak for Scully, but I won't hold your past against you." "Krycek," Scully said, "I won't hold your past against you either. Consider it a wedding present." "Wouldn't ask for any other," Krycek said softly. He put an arm around Jess. Mulder and Scully nodded and then turned to walk away. Scully took one look back at the pair standing in the doorway, watching them leave. There was something in Jess's and the Krycek's peaceful expressions that made her think of a pair of wolves who found each other after a long loneliness, life mates now and forever. This one practically wrote itself. And Jake, which I didn't know was the name of David Duchovney's character in 'The Red Shoe Diaries,' is a synthesis of my ex-boyfriends. I was fortunate enough never to have been in the situation that Jess has faced, but as I wrote this, the similarities scared me. I learned a lot about as I wrote this. Loup Garou V - Ghosts "I've got some demons, but who doesn't? Maybe, with some help from a compassionate therapist and an understanding lover, I can overcome them." Krycek, 'Promises, Promises,' Nicole B. The brown haired man sat in the bar, nursing his beer. Old memories had driven him to come back to DC, and they weren't pleasant memories. But he was pleased that his favorite haunt still existed. He had been testing himself for thirteen years. He had survived in the most barren wastelands, both natural and urban. He had learned control. And he had learned to kill without being caught. He felt he was now ready to confront her. His life's love. His life's hate. The woman who made him what he was, in more ways than one. Someone in a trench coat sat down on the empty stool beside him. "Jacob Farnsworth." A statement, not a question. "Maybe," Jake said cautiously. His eyes narrowed. "Who want's to know and why?" "I believe we have a common acquaintance," was the cool reply. Two pictures were tossed on the polished hardwood surface. One was an old snapshot of Jake and a young woman. The second one was a recent Polaroid of the same brunette and another man. Jake grinned wolfishly. This person knew who he was and why he was here. And any help he could get achieving his goal would be greatly appreciated. "Looks like it. What can I do for you?" Five Months Later Mulder sat in his apartment, waiting for Scully to arrive. Late at night, they were both off duty for the weekend, but would probably end up discussing their latest case. It appeared to be a serial killer/mutilator with no obvious X-File connection. Until Mulder saw the victims. He had seen the same wound pattern before. But it had been on a living body. I'll tell Scully what I know, he thought. She won't believe me anymore than she believed about Jess, but she will agree about getting Jess involved. Of course, that also means getting Krycek involved. Mulder had finally come to terms that Jess had taken Krycek as her lover. Krycek, out of a sense of shame, had been trying his hardest to make up to Mulder and Scully for all he had done. Although his memory was patchy, he gave Mulder all the information he could. The phone numbers Krycek used to contact Cancerman had, of course, been long disconnected. And all the other plants who had no need to work together were kept secret from each other so they were never exactly sure who worked for whom. The sound of the door opening interrupted his train of thought. He looked up to see Scully letting herself in with the key he gave her. She dropped the gym bag holding her weekend clothes on the floor. "Mulder," she said, crossing the room to him. "Scully," he breathed. He pulled her onto his lap. Mulder pulled her head onto his for a sensuous kiss. Enough thinking about Jess and Krycek. Enough thinking, period. For the moment, he just wanted to enjoy being with the woman he loved. Jess was making a final round of their home before going to bed. She checked the locks, made sure all the lights were off, the cat and the dog had food, and then went upstairs. She stopped and opened the door to Lindy's room. The young girl was going through a phase where she wanted to sleep with the window open. With the nights getting colder, Jess would usually sneak in after Lindy was asleep and shut it. This time, however, it looked like Krycek had beaten her to it. The window was closed and locked down. Lindy was securely tucked in, clutching a plush dog tightly, her cat curled at the foot of the bed. Jess smiled, shut the door, and went on to her bedroom. Krycek was already dozing in their bed. Jess changed into her sleep shirt and slid into bed beside him. He rolled over and pulled her in close. "Bout time," he murmured. "Sorry, got caught up in my book." She snuggled closer. "Thanks for closing Lindy's window." "Huh?" he asked sleepily. "I didn't close her window." "It's shut now," Jess said, chewing on her lower lip. Then her head almost split at the jaws from the size of her yawn. "Lindy did it then, probably. Good night, handsome." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He returned the kiss. "Night, beautiful." They were asleep within five minutes. "So what do you think, Scully?" She lay in bed beside him, she considered Mulder's question. "It sounds like Jess should definitely be involved. Especially if she's familiar with the suspect." "She and Krycek have put down roots nearby. So contacting them is no problem." "I'm kinda jealous of Jess." Mulder looked as Scully sharply. "Jealous? Of Jess?" Scully shrugged. "She and Krycek are in as much danger as we are, if not more. But they get to 'put down roots' as you said. Have a home together and eventually a family. While we have to make do with stolen moments." Mulder touched her hair lightly. "I'm not content with things the way they are. But we can't do anything else right now." "I know," Scully sighed. She leaned her forehead against his. A wicked gleam appeared in Mulder's eyes. "I can think of one thing we can do right now that Jess and Krycek can't." Scully was intrigued. "What?" "Have wild, animalistic sex without worrying about waking up our kid." Darkness, all around him. Pinpoints of light high above him, taunting him, impossibly out of reach though a distant opening. A square of light filtering through the square glass inset in the door. In the background of his prison, a looming hulk of unearthly origin. Alone. All alone. He had been abandoned here, left to die by a man who's purpose he could no longer serve. He didn't even have a gun or a knife or even a plastic bag so he could take the easy way out. He was meant to suffer. The sound of a shoe scuffing against the cement floor caused him to turn in panic. "Who's there?" he croaked, voice rusty from disuse. There was no real reason to make any noise, once he stopped screaming. And when he saw his companions in the darkness, when they stepped one by one into the square of thin light, he did start screaming again. Melissa Scully, demanding to know why he had killed her and why he meant to kill her sister. Bill Mulder, telling him that this was just fate for the decisions he made and the people he had chosen to follow. And an man, now using English, now using Russian, chiding, upbraiding, scolding him, ripping his ego to shreds, asking how he could possibly have a son like him, reminding of his disappointments and failures of both his adult life and his childhood. And behind them, a crowd of one armed people raggedly dressed, their leader carrying a white hot knife, demanding that he become one of them. He begged, pleaded for a second chance, a chance to atone for what he had done, to make amends. But the ghosts were relentless. They closed in on where he cowered by the door, head covered by his arms, sobbing for mercy. He felt the first pair of hands touch him. "Alex, wake up. You're dreaming. Alex, you're safe." Krycek's eyes snapped open to see Jess's concerned face above him. She was in bed beside him, hand resting lightly on his shoulder. He gulped a few deep breaths. "Oh god, what a nightmare." Jess laid back down beside him. "Another silo dream? You were yelling in English and Russian." "Yeah, another silo nightmare. It was a doozy this time." Krycek rolled off his back and put his head onto her shoulder. He sighed as he felt her arms encircle him. "Sometimes I think I'll never escape my past." "Alex, no one escapes their past," Jess sighed, stroking his hair. "I think the best anyone can hope for is overcoming it." "Mulder, Scully, come in," Jess said. She had gotten their call early Sunday night. "How are you two this Monday morning?" She ushered them into the living room. "Alex should be here in a moment. He's walking Lindy to school. Can I get you anything to drink?" Scully smiled and shook her head. "Like our call said, we're here on business." The front door opened and Krycek stepped in, holding the leash of a Husky. "Hello. Sorry I'm late but Boomer made a slight detour. Let me get him some water." He led the dog into the back yard. "Boomer?" Mulder looked at Jess. "*You* have a dog named 'Boomer'?" "'Heinrichen's Dead On Boomerang' by 'Heinrichen's Dead On Shot' out of 'Broyle's Boomerang Blitz,' Boomer for short," Jess explained. "He's Alex's - I'm sticking with cats. And I thought you wanted to talk business." Scully nodded. "There is a serial murderer on the loose. Mulder and I feel you should be involved." She set a sheaf of papers on the coffee table as Krycek came back and sat beside Jess. "This person seems to be targeting a specific type," Mulder said, "female, brunette, around five-foot-four, late twenties to mid thirties." "You just described me. Wanna use me as bait?" Jess picked up the stack. She started looking through the papers. "Not exactly," was Mulder's cryptic comment. "Nice," she said with a wrinkled nose, grimacing at the gory crime scene photos. She stood up and moved over by the window to get a closer look in better lighting. "The last picture, taken by an ATM security camera, is of the suspect," Scully said. Jess kept leafing through the stack. When she got to the last one, she paused and paled. Shut her eyes and opened them to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She wasn't. Even over a decade later, she still recognized him. Jess dropped into a dead faint. Scully and Krycek were by her side at an instant. Jess was already shaking her head, trying to clear it. They helped her back to her feet. "Are you okay?" Krycek asked. Jess wasn't paying any attention to him. "*He's* the suspect? How? He's supposed to be dead. I *killed* him, for God's sake." "What?" Krycek was looking more confused by the moment. Scully shook her head. "You said you bit his throat. You never said you saw him dead. There's a possibility that he survived." Krycek shook Jess's arm. "What are you talking about?" Jess reeled from the implication. "My God! If he *did* survive," she whispered, "I might have Changed him, made him into a werewolf." "My thoughts exactly," Mulder murmured. "Mulder, Jess, if you two don't start explaining right now...." Krycek growled. "Who is the suspect?" Jess shrank inward. "My ex-boyfriend Jake Farnsworth." Scully pushed open the door to Assistant Director Walter S. Skinner's office. "You wanted to see us, Sir?" Mulder stood to one side of and slightly behind her. "Yes. Come in. I wanted to speak to you about this special security clearance request," he reached among the papers on his desk, "for a Miss Jessica Leahs." He glanced up. "The same Jessica Leahs that we had dinner with a year ago?" "Yes," Mulder answered. "She's familiar with the suspect. Her knowledge would be invaluable." "I see no reason not to grant your request." Skinner looked at them in an offhand way. "And as long as Miss Leahs is coming, you can tell her it's safe to bring Krycek along." "Sir?" Mulder and Scully looked at each other and then the Assistant Director. "Agent Mulder, Agent Scully, did you really think that her involvement with Krycek could be kept secret? Along with your involvement with each other?" Mulder, for once, was at a loss for words. So Scully did the talking. "How long have you known?" "About Miss Leahs and Krycek, or about you two?" Skinner sounded faintly amused. Mulder found his voice. "Let's start with Jess." "Certain interests brought it to my attention, along with her X-File. After the things those two have been through, I decided to act on it by not acting, if Krycek keeps up the good behavior. But the first sign of Krycek thinking about misbehaving, and he is a dead man. And as for you two," he leaned back, "I didn't make Assistant Director without learning a thing or two about discrete investigating. And what you two do during your off hours is none of my business as long as it doesn't interfere with the performance of your duties." "Yes sir," said two voices at once. They were all gathered in an FBI conference room. How Mulder and Scully had arranged for clearance for her and amnesty for Krycek, Jess didn't have a clue. And she wasn't sure she wanted to know how. She did have a clue about the hostility swirling around the room. It didn't take her mind powers to sense it. She fidgeted, readjusting the skirt she was wearing. The fact that she was dressed professionally instead of in jeans added to her discomfort. She surveyed the room, making mental notes to herself. Skinner was tolerating Krycek's presence, but watching him like a hawk. It was ovbious that Skinner had wanted to talk to Krycek alone, but Mulder and Scully had ushered them in so quickly it wasn't possible. Dangerous. Warn Alex to be extra careful about being above board when dealing with him. Tom Colton, sitting opposite of Scully, was glaring at Mulder, Krycek, and Jess in turn. Still hasn't forgiven me about that incident in the restaurant, she thought with a slight chuckle, remembering how she had shamed him in front of his date for standing her up. Another female FBI agent connected to the case was about to be briefed on this investigation along with Jess and Krycek. She stared intently at Krycek, who studiously ignored her. They obviously know each other. Ask Alex about her. The door opened. A young agent in a lab coat stepped into the room. "Agent Pendrell, thank you for finally joining us," Skinner said with an edge. Pendrell blushed, mumbled an apology, and sat down next to her. "Now that we are all here," Skinner said in a business like tone, "we can begin. Miss Leahs, Mr. Krycek, you're familiar with everyone here, except Agent Cassandra Oldham." Oldham smiled. "Mr. Krycek and I are *very* familiar." Jess cocked an eyebrow and glanced at Krycek. He responded by tightening on the grip on her hand he was holding under the table. Skinner nodded acknowledgment. "Agent Mulder." Mulder, beside Scully, stood. "What we have a serial murderer," he started. "He has fixated on someone from his past and is symbolically murdering her. It is Agent Scully's and my belief that his psychosis is escalating and he will soon kill again, possibly tonight." "With the full moon tonight," Colton sneered. "We know you think that he's a werewolf, Spooky." He glanced in Jess's and Krycek's general direction. "Why are they here?" Jess and Krycek stirred slightly, but didn't say a word. Mulder chose to ignore Colton's slur for the moment. "Ms. Leahs and Mr. Krycek are here to help." "I see," Colton said. "Krycek I know is a traitor, but let me guess. I'll bet the real reason Leahs is here is because she's psychic, not to mention Spooky's lover." "Agent Colton, that is unnecessary!" Skinner said sharply. "Miss Leahs's relationship with Agent Mulder is not... ." Jess stood up. "Please, Assistant Director, let me answer him," she said sweetly. She looked Colton in the eye. "Yes, I'm Mulder's *ex*-lover, from thirteen years ago. No, I can't see the future anymore than you can. Alex is here because he's *my* lover," Agent Oldham gave her a sharp look, "and he chooses to stay by my side and support me through this." She pulled her blouse loose from her skirt. "And I'm here because I'm the person your murderer has fixated on." She lifted the blouse, exposing the scars on her stomach. Putting her clothes aright, she sat back down, stone faced. Krycek put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You didn't have to do that," he whispered into her ear. "Yes I did," was her whispered reply. Her attention shifted to Scully, who was reading the prime suspect's, Jacob Farnsworth, criminal record. It mostly consisted of a couple of speeding and drunk driving citations. But towards the end was where it got interesting. Four trespassing arrests against one Jessica Leahs and one Fox Mulder. A restraining order filed by Jessica Leahs. And a warrant issued for assault and battery on Jessica Leahs. Scully looked at her gently. "Anything else you want to add, Jess?" Jess sighed. "Domestic/psychological abuse, rape, and a death threat just about covers it." "So how does the werewolf angle fit in?" Colton sounded subdued after hearing what Jess had been through. Pendrell spoke. "There was an unusual enzyme found in the victims wounds. That same enzyme has been seen twice before. The first time was around a year ago, in a murder. The second time was about thirteen years ago in the 'Full Moon Murders,' another series of similar crimes." Agent Oldham spoke up. "It could easily be that Farnsworth is under the delusion that he is a werewolf. He could be using a dog to attack and a knife to dismember the victim." Jess steepled her fingers. "Jake was always fascinated by the occult. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, the living undead, that sort of thing. If he has gone around the bend, he would probably do something like that." Skinner decided that it was time to take control of the briefing again. "We have seen the photos of the victims. These crimes match almost exactly the abuse perpetrated by Jacob Farnsworth on Miss Leahs. The question is how to alert Farnsworth to Miss Leah's presence without placing her in undue danger." "That's simple," Jess said. "I have some tickets, front row, to the Capitals/Sharks game tomorrow night." That was the last thing anyone expected her to say. Even Mulder looked at her blankly. "Miss Leahs, I don't understand," Skinner said. "Actually, it's 'Ms.'," Jess politely corrected. "I bought them when I found out the San Jose Sharks were visiting, before all this." She shrugged her shoulders. "Jake was, and probably still is, a die hard hockey fan. Getting me hooked on hockey is the only good thing he ever did for me. And the game will be televised locally. He'll be watching, if not actually there." Mulder caught on fast. "And if you're there, one of the few Sharks fans, in teal, in the front row, you're certain to be on TV at least once." Heads around the table nodded. "And because it's a public event, you should not be in any danger," Colton said. "I wouldn't say that," Jess countered. "That assault and battery occurred at my best friend's funeral. But it's the safest thing I can come up with, without a direct confrontation." "And a confrontation is what we want to avoid at this point," Oldham said. "Between Ms. Leahs and Farnsworth." The next hour was spent discussing strategy, which Jess had little to contribute to, except some insight into a few of Jake's personality quirks. But for the most part, she sat quietly, absorbing everything and searching her memories for anything that might be of use. When Skinner stood up, he broke Jess out of her reverie. The meeting was over. The room was emptying out. She stood and turned to Mulder. "Is there any way I can see all the information that you've collected?" she asked as she followed him and Scully out of the room. Mulder nodded. "That's why I pushed for clearance for you and Krycek. Speaking of him, he's still in the conference room." "I'll get him." As Jess stepped back into the room, she saw Oldham grab Krycek's tie, pull his head down to hers and kiss him passionately. To his credit he was trying to push away, but weakly so he wouldn't strangle himself. "What the *hell* do you think you're doing?" Jess snarled. Oldham broke the kiss and gave her a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile. "Just seeing if old feelings were still there." She cast an approving glance over Krycek's body. "And I see they are." She brushed past Krycek and Jess airily and walked out into the hallway. Jess turned to watch her go, eyes agleam with a feral glare. No, I'm imagining things. She did not just growl like a wolf. Krycek swallowed. "I guess I've got some explaining to do," he said weakly. Jess spun towards Krycek. "You better believe it. Start with why the two of you were playing tonsil hockey." Scully, who had heard what Jess said, interrupted. "Jess, Krycek, not here. Let's go down to the basement. You can explain there." Mulder sat at his desk. He looked from Scully, sitting at hers, to Jess, perched on the edge of the desk beside Scully, to Krycek, leaning back against the cabinets that held the infamous X-Files. "Who is she, Krycek?" Krycek sighed and studied his shoes. "Her name's Cassandra Oldham. We were both at Quantico together." He paused. "She's part of the reason I got involved with the Consortium in the first place." Jess exhaled the breath she was holding, but her tight stance didn't relax one bit. Krycek continued. "We were lovers. I didn't want anything more, but she did. And then one day she said, despite the precautions we took, she was pregnant." Scully took an educated guess. "Only she wasn't." "Yeah," Krycek sighed. "I felt that I had to do the 'right thing' and marry her. I proposed. She accepted. And then I found out she was lying." He shook his head. "I called her on it, and after denying it strenuously, she finally admitted it was to entrap me. So I broke it off." Mulder nodded sympathetically. "Go on," "I did care deeply for her, and was extremely hurt. And in a vulnerable moment, I first met the Cigarette Smoking Man. And the rest is history." He looked at Jess pointedly. "Just like any feelings I once had for her." Jess relaxed her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" she asked softly. "Because I didn't think that I'd see her again. And it's something I don't like remembering." Half of Jess's mouth curled into a smile. "Is there anything that you actually like remembering?" she snorted. "But Jess, you're not going to like remembering what I need you to." Mulder was serious. "Jess, do you have any idea why he's come back after you, and why now?" Jess frowned. "That has me puzzled. The only thing I can come up with is that it would be thirteen years. His superstition at work." "Thirteen years since you broke up with him?" Scully asked. "No, thirteen years since I Changed him. And why are we assuming I'm the only target?" She looked at everyone in turn. "Jake could try to hurt me through someone else. He could also be going after you, Mulder." "There have only been female victims intentionally killed so far," Mulder stated. "So far," Jess echoed. "But I have a feeling that might change." "Jess, you can't seriously think..." A knock on the door interrupted their debate. Skinner stood there. "I want a word with Krycek, alone." Krycek could feel Jess's worried eyes on him as he stood up. One of his hands lightly brushed hers as he passed by. He followed Skinner into the hallway. Skinner lead him back down towards the elevator. Krycek opened his mouth to say something. All that came out was a grunt when Skinner punched him, just like he did when Mulder dragged Krycek into Skinner's apartment late one night. Krycek found himself pinned to the wall by a strong arm across his collar bones, pressing into his throat. "Listen," Skinner growled, his face mere inches away. "If I even suspect you of pulling a double cross, boy, your ass is mine. Understood?" Krycek swallowed. "Perfectly." Skinner stared at him until Krycek dropped his eyes. He then backed off. "I'll be watching." He turned and then walked away, pausing only to stare down Krycek again when he reached the the door to Mulder and Scully's office, exuding menace. Krycek slumped against the wall, sighing. That went better than I thought it would. He had fully expected to be beaten to a pulp by Skinner, payback for when he stole the digital tape from him. He stood there, eyes closed until he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. "You all right, Alex?" came Jess's voice. He opened his eyes to see Jess standing in front of him. He leaned forward until his forehead touched hers. "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked up to see Mulder, Scully and Skinner standing in the background. Jess turned to look at them. "If you're done with us," she said in the voice of a child asking permission, "I'd like to go home." Krycek brought Jess back to their condo. The moment they were out of the Hoover Building, she had dropped the smart ass attitude. She was quiet and withdrawn, speaking only when spoken to. She was scared, more so than he had ever seen. He was scared too. Krycek had finally gotten a good look at the photos of the five victims during the briefing. When visiting their home, Mulder had put them away as soon as Jess confirmed what he thought. The four women in them bore a striking resemblance to Jess, same dark hair, dark eyes, and light complexion. The fifth victim, a man, appeared to have stumbled on the murder in progress, and was killed in an offhand way. He had only had his throat slashed and wasn't disfigured like the other women. The same way Jake had disfigured Jess. Jess had never really given him any details about what Jake had done to her. The scars spoke loud enough. The plastic surgeon she had seen told her that the massive damage would be very difficult to correct. She would lose a lot of sensitivity and would still have visible marks. So she had opted not to have reconstruction done. Even if it meant she had to live with the reminder every time she got undressed. She was standing in front of the window, staring at nothing. Krycek silently walked up behind her and put his arms around her. Jess jumped in fright and then relaxed into his embrace. "You okay?" he whispered into her hair. He started rocking her back and forth. "No," she whispered, shivering. He nipped at her earlobe. "Anything I can do?" Jess turned in his arms. She wrapped hers around his neck. "Make love to me, Alex," she whispered into his chest. "Like you have to ask," he snorted, trying to lighten her mood. "Good thing Lindy's at her friend's for the night. Now we get to play sleep over." Normally his joke would have worked. But this time Jess pushed away, head bowed. She turned and took a few steps. She sat on the bed, still facing away from him. Krycek didn't have a clue as to what was wrong with her. He sat down beside her. "What?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're always urging me to tell you what I'm feeling, not to hide. Do the same for me. What's wrong? What do you need?" "I need to feel safe," she said haltingly. "I remembered how scared of Jake I used to be. And I'm fighting the urge to become that terrified creature again." "Even as a werewolf, you still fear him?" Krycek asked. As Jess nodded, he thought, She's always seemed so strong, so in control. "He can still hurt you that badly?" "Yes." Jess looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm scared of what will happen. I want to feel safe. And the place I feel safest is in your arms." "Oh Jess," he whispered. He could feel tears stinging his eyes also. "I had no idea. I know he abused you, but I didn't think that the pain still ran so deep. Come here." He pulled her close. Jess felt his hands pulling her shirt off and then pressing her back against the bed. His mouth engulfed hers as he lay down on her. Jess arched under his touch, moaning softly. "I love you," he whispered into her ear. "I'll do everything in my power to make you feel safe, protected, loved." He ran his hands up her arms and across her shoulders to trace lovingly down to her breasts. "Alex, sit up," Jess whispered. He complied, straddling her. Jess undid his tie and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Her hands gently stroked his chest through the thin cotton undershirt. He sighed as Jess pulled it off of him. He bent back down to take her earlobe into his mouth. Krycek gently nibbled and pulled on it. One hand slid across her stomach to cup her breast. He softly teased the erect nipple, tracing swirls around it. Krycek kissed his way down to her other breast to draw wet circles and suckle. Jess moaned softly and entangled her fingers in his hair. Krycek had decided it was time for some more serious action. "Lift up." He gently removed the rest of her clothes. Her breathing shortened to gasps as he softly stroked her depths. He gently slid two fingers inside of her moistness. "So beautiful, so sexy," he whispered. Fingers still inside her, he leaned forward to kiss her with an eager mouth and tongue. Jess traced his lips with her fingers. He lured them into his steamy interior. He licked each and the palm, drawing circles on the skin. The hand then slid down his torso to grip and tease his length. She squeezed and tickled and stroked him until he was begging to enter her. Krycek backed off the few moments it took to kick off his boxers and put on the condom. He fell forward onto Jess, snaking his body against hers. And with one fluid motion, he impaled her. He let out a deep sigh as he slowly began rocking his hips. "Every time we make love," he whispered, "it feels so new yet so ancient and so right. I've never had a lover who could make me come with just her voice, let alone the feeling of anything as perfect as her body." Jess was making whimpering sounds in time to his thrusts, along with grasping and releasing his shoulders. He sped up a little, encouraged by the soft sounds she was making. But when he opened his eyes to look at her, he saw that tears were falling from her eyes. "Shhhh. Don't cry," he cooed. "Everything's going to be fine. I won't let anything happen. I won't let Jake hurt you ever again." His thrusts became faster, driving in and out of her, making her forget her fears, displacing them with sheer sensual pleasure. Jess's arms tightened convulsively around his body. Sensing she was close, Krycek thrust slowly, but forcefully, rubbing against the most sensitive spot on her body, intending to push her over the edge. Jess squeaked. Her head tilted back, her mouth stretching in a wide smile as she came. The sight of her orgasm triggered his. Jess's mouth covered his as he screamed and felt the darkness overtake him. Jake sat in his hotel room in one of the seedier parts of town. He was savoring the memories of what he did to his latest victims a few hours ago. The male he had taken out almost too easily. The female had put up a struggle, but nothing he couldn't subdue. In fact, he liked it when they struggled against him. It reminded him of when Jess used to be 'feisty', before inevitably giving in. Jess, baby, he mentally purred. His contact had been right. She was here in D.C. And if not, she would soon be. He had made sure the murders he committed would come to Fox Mulder's attention. And when he figured out who was behind it, he was certain the FBI man would contact Jess. And then he would contact Jess. And Mulder, the bastard who stole her from him. And this Krycek, her current lover. They would all pay. Especially Jess. But he would eventually, and after suitable punishment, forgive her. Then he would take her back. And she would be more than happy to stay by his side, where she belonged. Unconsciously, he fingered his neck where she had bitten him, tracing the scars. Up until the first full moon after she left him for dead, he thought he would go mad. He tried to convince himself that the big black bitch wolf that had attacked him could not have been Jess. No way. Uh uh. His former lover *couldn't* have been a creature of darkness. It was just the result of a dog attack after five too many shots of tequila. But when the moon peeked over the horizon and he felt his body shifting shape, it all made sense. He smiled. Baby, you may have done me a favor that night. I knew creatures like us existed, but never dreamed of becoming one. It feels so right. His powers as a predator perfectly complimented his mind set survival of the fittest. Destroy all that stands in your way. Take what you want. And as he had told her once, "Listen to me, baby, I want us back together. And you know I *always* get what I want." Even if it took thirteen years. Jess lay in Krycek's arms, head pillowed on his chest, trying to fall asleep. She did feel safe and secure. He had seen to that. She was slightly disgusted with Krycek though. After their lovemaking, she was still alert while he had dozed off with a contented smile on his face. Or so she thought. As she shifted slightly, an arm reached up to play with her soft, short hair. One eye lazily opened to look at her as his smile grew broader. "Feeling better?" "Yes," she whispered. She sighed against him. "It was just a bit of a shock, and I needed some comforting." He nuzzled the crown of her head. "If you need any comforting, especially *that* kind, let me know. And," he added impishly, "expect me to need some comforting sometime." Jess laughed. "Any time you want." She leaned and kissed him. She then snuggled back down beside him. "Speaking of comforting, do you want to talk about Cassandra?" "She's part of the past. I can work with her, but nothing more." Krycek kissed her head lightly. "Are you going to Change and go for a run tonight?" "No, not tonight." Jess closed her eyes. "Jess?" "Hmmph?" "Do you ever feel like we're being watched?" "Of course, Alex," Jess said. "I know the Consortium has to have us under observation. I haven't actually spotted them, but I know it's being done." "I know that too. But that's not what I was talking about." Krycek sighed and rolled onto his side to look at her. "Sometimes I just get this feeling...." he trailed off. Jess also rolled onto her side to face him. "What kind of feeling?" "That there's something in the room with me, with us. Watching. Seems stronger when I'm alone or at night." Jess shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe you still have some latent mind reading abilities left over from your stint as a werewolf. You're probably picking up Chloe or Boomer," she yawned. "Yeah, maybe I'm picking them up," Krycek didn't sound convinced. "Listen, next time you sense it and I'm asleep, wake me up and let me know." Jess shifted again. "Ever think about undergoing the Change again? Not that you have to be a werewolf for me to love you." "Yeah, but I think I'm more comfortable as a human. But either way, I'm happiest when I'm with you." Mulder didn't like being proven right when it came to a prediction of a murder. Their killer had struck again last night, with the full moon. And he didn't like the fact that Jess had also been proven right. This time it was a couple, both slaughtered the same way. He looked over the police report as Scully performed the autopsy. The female victim's appearance was getting closer and closer to Jess's. And the male victim looked like him. And for the first time, Mulder seriously considered the fact that Jess might not be the only target Jake had in mind. Jess wasn't aware of the fact that Jake had also repeatedly threatened him while they were dating. But being a man and an FBI agent had made Jake a little more circumspect in his threats than the brutal ones he had made to Jess. Scully stepped into their basement office. "There's no question. The same person who killed the other victims killed these two." She pulled a chair up to sit in front of him. "Mulder, the male victim looked like you. Jake's after you, too." Mulder nodded. "It's one thing to be threatened by Cancerman. At least you know somewhat how he'll react. But this man is insane. He will try to hurt Jess and me through any means possible." "Like through Krycek or Lindy. Or me," she added after a pause. She lightly rested a hand on the folded hands in Mulder's lap. "Mulder, we've talked about this. Being partners, let alone lovers, means taking on a certain amount of risk. And I wouldn't change a thing." Mulder's mouth quirked into an off center smile. "Nothing?" "Well, maybe two things," Scully conceded. "I would change it so my dog ate the alligator instead of the other way around. I still miss Queeg." Mulder chuckled a little. "And the other?" "I would change it so that we wouldn't have to hide the fact that we love each other from everyone." "Would you settle for calling me 'Fox', Dana?" "Yes, Fox," she said softly. The one time she had called him that, back on the Tooms case, he had responded by pushing her away. Even when they became lovers, Scully hadn't felt that she had permission to use his first name. Even Jess never called him Fox, except when she was angry and wanted to piss him off, and she was as close a friend as he allowed anyone to be. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that as Samantha was taken away, she was screaming his name, she thought. "But we can't hide it forever." Mulder nodded. "It's not that I don't want people to know about us," he started slowly. "I'm afraid of how the Consortium may react if they knew." He looked her in the eye. "I don't think I could lose you again." The phone rang, interrupting their quiet moment. Mulder picked it up. It was Jess. "Hey there." "Hey hell beast. What do you want?" "World peace, a million dollars, and a *really* nice stereo for starters," Jess laughed. "Actually, Alex and I are taking Lindy and Boomer to the park. Lindy wanted to know if you wanted to join us." Mulder put his hand over the speaker. "Park with Jess, Krycek, and Lindy?" he asked her. Scully nodded. Maybe I'll get a chance to have a private word with Jess, she thought. She's a good judge of him. She would tell me if I'm pushing too much. Scully sat on the bench in the park watching Jess, Krycek and Lindy play with Boomer. The husky was enthusiastically trying to catch the frisbee that they were tossing back and forth. Watching them, for all appearances a happy, normal family, Scully felt a pang. She had been serious when she told Mulder that she was jealous of Jess. She could publicly display affection for the man she loved. They were making plans, despite the danger. Not for the first time, she wished Mulder would act like Krycek as far as marriage went. She smiled when Jess, going long for a catch just out of her reach, tripped and fell onto the grass. Boomer, happy something was finally down at his level, began pawing at her and licking her face. Jess pushed the dog away laughing and happened to catch sight of Scully sitting alone. She scrambled back to her feet, tossed the frisbee to Lindy, and walked towards the bench. "Hurt yourself?" Scully called. "Nah, just want to rest." Jess sat down. "Where's Mulder disappeared to?" "Bathroom hunting." They sat watching Lindy and Krycek and Boomer, who picked up just where Jess had left off. "How are things going?" "Lindy's doing fine. She's doing great in school and has adapted to Alex being around wonderfully. But it's Alex that has me worried. He's still having nightmares. Even worse than I remember Mulder's being." Scully nodded. Ever since she started doing field assignments with Mulder, sleeping in the next motel room over, she had been aware of the tormented dreams that were his almost constant companions during stressful cases. When they had become lovers, the nightmares subsided somewhat. But they never completely disappeared. And if Krycek's were worse than Mulder's, Jess really had her hands full. "Therapy isn't helping?" Jess sighed. "He stopped going. Mulder's 'open minded' therapist wasn't so open minded about me being a werewolf. It discouraged us and so he quit and we haven't found anyone to take his place yet. I just keep trying to help him deal with everything nightmare by nightmare, memory by memory. Makes life interesting." "So are you two just living together for now, or do you have other plans?" "Yes and no. We want to get married, but things are still too risky, especially with how he and Lindy went missing. I want to be certain Lindy is fully comfortable with the idea. And I want to be sure that he's ready." She looked at Scully. "Anything going on like that between you and Mulder?" she asked, trying to get the focus of the conversation off her lover. Scully sighed. "Every time I try to bring up the subject about letting people know, Mulder begs off with a 'not yet, too dangerous.' Although Skinner does know." "Mr. By-the-book Skinner knows?" Jess's eyebrows shot up. "I thought that sleeping with your partner was frowned upon at the FBI." "It is, but he's okay with it unless it effects our job performance. But as far as anyone else knowing...." Scully rolled her eyes. Jess laughed and checked her watch. "It's getting late." She stood up and whistled loudly. Krycek, Lindy and Boomer trotted over. Krycek had knelt and was clipping the leash to Boomer's collar when Mulder came walking up. "Leaving so soon?" he asked. "The game's tonight," Jess said as she watched Boomer's leash get almost ripped from his hand as the dog eagerly tried to chase the geese swimming in the pond behind the bench. "Alex, if you're not careful, Boomer's gonna pull you right into the pond." Mulder grinned. He couldn't let this be left unsaid. "Jess, you don't mean that Krycek would have been...." dramatic pause, "...ab-duck-ted?" "No, Mulder" Scully cut in. "She'd probably think that he was a victim of... fowl play." Lindy, Jess and Krycek groaned at their puns. "On that note," Jess said, "I think we oughta be getting home." They all walked the three blocks back to Jess and Krycek's condo. As they walked up the driveway, Lindy and Scully both stopped in their tracks, staring at the upper story. "Jess there's someone up there," Lindy said. Three heads snapped in the direction Lindy and Scully were staring. "I don't see anyone," Jess growled. Scully shook her head. "There was someone there a moment ago, a woman." Jess shook her head. Mulder and Scully left after thoroughly searching the condo. Nothing was found out of place. No signs of forced or unforced entry were found. All the doors and windows had been securely locked. "Weird," was her only comment. But Jess had more important things on her mind. They were getting ready for the game. She had found her jersey and was now searching for the tickets. "I could have sworn I left them right here," she muttered as she rummaged through the desk. Lindy wandered into the room, ready to go. "Jess, I've been thinking about the woman I saw. I've seen her before." Jess looked up. "Where, Lindy?" "In my room. Sometimes I wake up at night and she's standing there, smiling at me. She tucks in my blankets too." Jess thought back to the times she had found windows shut or doors locked, and Krycek said he didn't do it. She filed it away to talk about later. Try to push too much out of Lindy when she didn't want to talk and she'd snap shut tighter than a spring loaded bear trap. But she did have to ask something. "Lindy, are you scared of her?" "Nope. She looks like you, but has longer hair and blue eyes. But Chloe and Boomer don't like her. Almost ready to go?" "Uh, yeah. I just gotta find the tickets. Go tell Alex." Jess watched Lindy run downstairs. Looks like me but with blue eyes. Like Rachel. This is getting too strange. She sighed and put her hand on top of the desk to steady herself. Her hand landed smack on the tickets that weren't there five minutes before. Jake watched the hockey game from the hotel room. The Capitals and Sharks were tied one to one. A vicious fight over the puck had broken out near the Capital's goal. "No!" Jake slammed the long neck beer he was holding against the bed stand. Shark Number 39 had managed to tip the puck past the goalie into the corner of the net. The camera flashed on the crowd, focusing on the few fans wearing teal. Jake's eyes widened. He found himself staring into Jess's cheering face. Jake then grinned. She's here. He clicked off the TV. Screw the game. I've got more important stuff to do. It was time to put phase two of the plan in motion. He got up and grabbed the keys and the address his contact had provided. All his contact wanted was for him to search the house for a specific item. Anything else that he wanted to do would be left to Jake's discretion. And he did have some ideas about what he wanted to do. "Oh my God," Krycek whispered as he surveyed the destruction. He, Lindy, and Jess had just returned from the game, elated by the Sharks three to two victory, which was unusual since it was a road game and a win. That elation quickly turned to fear when they saw the door hanging off its hinges. They called the police, Scully and Mulder from a neighbors and waited for them to arrive before they even entered the house. Now they were picking through the wreckage, trying to figure out what exactly had happened. Jess was trying to keep Lindy calm and help the police take stock of the damaged. Lindy's room, thankfully, was untouched. The rest of the house was a different matter. Krycek was in his and Jess's bedroom, where the worst of the damage had been done. Mirrors and windows had been smashed. The wallpaper had been slashed. The small TV/VCR combo had been thrown across the room, the screen shattered. Books were ripped and strewn about, their shelves torn from the walls. The picture of Jess, Lindy, and Krycek had been knifed to shreds. But the bed that Jess and Krycek shared had borne the brunt of the attacker's fury. It had been slashed deep, destroying the sheets and mattress. Stuffing from the pillows lightly dusted the whole surface, sticking to the grayish white viscous fluid that covered a section. Mulder stepped into the room. "Krycek, they want to check this room for prints now." He looked at the bed. "Do you think that is what I think it is?" "Uh huh. So much for using *that* bed again." He followed Mulder back downstairs where Jess was hanging up the phone, while Lindy clung to her leg. " I just called Michael and Annie. They've agreed to take Lindy." Krycek and Mulder nodded. None of them wanted Lindy to be involved at all. She had been through enough in her short life without this. "We'll arrange for an escort to accompany her back to San Jose," Mulder said. Scully ducked under the police line followed by Skinner and Colton. "Looks like you got his attention, Jess," Scully said, looking at the overturned furniture. "You haven't seen upstairs," Mulder muttered. "Do we have to talk about this now?" Jess said, patting Lindy's head reassuringly as she squirmed even tighter against Jess's leg. Skinner nodded. "We'll arrange for a hotel and guards." "One thing," Colton said. "You said he would see you and react, but he found out where you were too fast." "I don't like it either," Krycek said. "It means that he either got lucky, or," he looked at them all in turn, "he has someone helping him." Jake sat in the hotel bar, waiting for his contact to arrive. He didn't know who the person worked for. He didn't know what the person's name was. And he didn't care. All he knew was that he was being paid well for something he had wanted to do for a long time. His nameless friend in the trench coat sat down beside him. An unmarked envelope was placed on the bar beside Jake. "You were thorough?" "Yes," Jake said. He tucked the envelope into his denim jacket "I searched the house. There was nothing remotely resembling the tape you described there. You could have told me she has a little girl." The last words were a snarl. "Does it change your plans?" "Yes. I want my baby back, and I want to punish those who stole her from me. But the child is a complication. I don't want to risk harming a little girl, especially one my baby is so close to." His eyes narrowed. "I may be a werewolf, but I'm not a *monster*." The contact considered that for a moment. "You do not have to be concerned. The child is being sent to her brother." Jake nodded. "What's the next move?" "She and Krycek are being relocated for their 'safety.' If you uphold your end of the bargain, she will be yours." Jake nodded and flipped a few dollars towards the bartender. He got up and left the bar. The informant sat there for a few minutes more and then also left. And the man sitting in the corner left also. The Cancerman is not going to be happy about this. Mulder and Scully had helped Jess, Lindy, and Krycek settle into their new quarters. The hotel room that they had been moved to was just like the others he had spent time in over the course of their investigations. It looked like Jess and Krycek would be staying for a while. Lindy would be leaving in the morning for Jess's brother. The door to the adjoining room opened. Colton stood there. "We need to have a word with Ms. Leahs," she said quietly. She, Scully, and Skinner had already been questioning Krycek. Mulder nodded and looked back at Jess. She was sitting on the bed beside a sleeping Lindy. She had finally coaxed Lindy into falling asleep, convincing her that she was safe. For a moment, Mulder wondered what it would be like to have children, his and Scully's. If they would have her hair, his nose, her lips, his eyes, and so on. But now wasn't the time to think about that. He walked over to Jess and tapped her on the shoulder. He gestured with his head silently to the other room. Jess nodded and stood up. After she adjusted Lindy's blankets one last time, she quietly followed Mulder into the other room, closing the door slightly so that sound wouldn't carry. She walked over to Krycek who was sitting on one of the double beds and dropped silently onto it. And at that point, some of the adrenaline she had been running on wore off. She slumped forward, eyes shut. She felt Krycek put his arms around her, supporting her. "Ms. Leahs?" Skinner started. "Please," she murmured. "Whenever I hear 'Ms. Leahs,' I get this mental picture of my mother. Call me Jess, or Jessica if you need to be formal." "All right, Jessica," Skinner amended. "Do you have any idea how Farnsworth found you so fast?" She didn't have a moment to answer him. A high pitched scream echoed through the room. Jess bolted through the door, Krycek close on her heels, everyone else behind him, guns drawn. They stopped short when they saw Jess and Krycek trying to comfort a terrified Lindy. "Shhhh," Jess soothed, rocking the frightened, crying child back and forth. "It's okay," she said softly. "We're here." Krycek laid a hand on Lindy's shoulder, reassuring her that he was here, but not crowding her. "It's all right," he said soothingly. The sobs eventually subsided to an occasional hiccup smothered against Jess's chest. Much to Jess's surprise, Lindy squirmed out of her arms to burrow against Krycek. His arms went around her slowly, knowing how skittish the girl was about men touching her. Jess kept a hand on Lindy's back. "Lindy?" The little girl's head turned slightly to look at Jess out of the corner of her eye. "Can you tell us what scared you?" "I had a dream," she said hesitantly. "Okay," Jess said gently. It was apparent that she had done this many times before. "Can you tell me what it was about? Was it about *him*?" "No." Lindy clutched at Krycek tighter. Mulder and Scully hadn't seen her ever be so clingy, even to Jess. "It was about Alex." Krycek stroked her hair reassuringly. "What about me? You can say." Lindy, looking up at Krycek, spoke hesitantly. "You were fighting a man who had scars on his throat. You shot him three times, but he wouldn't stop." She stopped and shivered. "He killed you," she said in a flat tone. Scully spoke. "Lindy, have you seen the person you dreamed about before?" "No." Mulder stepped back into the other room and returned with a picture. "Lindy, is this the man in your dream?" He held the photo out to her. Lindy's eyes widened. She nodded, burrowing back against Krycek, afraid to speak. Krycek and Jess looked at each other horrified. In Mulder's outstretched hand was a picture of Jake. "She could have seen an old photograph," Jess growled quietly. She sat down cross legged on the bed. Lindy had refused to let Krycek out of her sight, so he was trying to get the young girl back to sleep. Skinner was still there, waiting for the agents he had requested to arrive. He had sent everyone else home for the evening. And since the divorce between him and Sharon had become final, the A.D. had no good reason to go home to the lonely apartment in Crystal City. So, in a step unusual for an administrator, he had chosen to take the first watch. He also wanted to warn Jess that he knew exactly what she was. Skinner raised his eyebrows. "You keep pictures of him around?" "Hell no! I thought I got rid of them all, but that doesn't mean I didn't miss some in an old album." Jess threw up her hands in exasperation. "Or maybe she saw those crime scene photos, hopefully not the gory ones. I don't know." "But you don't believe like Mulder that the girl is possibly psychic?" Jess shook her head. "Lindy may be a lot of things, but psychic isn't one of them. If anything, she's psycho, just like me." "Just like you," Skinner said, "in more ways than one." Jess's head jerked sharply. She knew what he was talking about. "How did you find out? And do you believe?" "I'm Mulder's, and was Krycek's superior. And there is an X-File concerning you. Let's just say I'm willing to suspend my disbelief for the moment." "Please don't spread it around. I have a hard enough time explaining why I keep 'Rover's Flea Flee' next to my shampoo." Skinner laughed. "Jessica, you are probably the most outrageous woman I've ever met. How did someone so bright and witty..." He stopped speaking before he finished the thought. "...End up with someone like Alex Krycek?" Jess finished. She shrugged, smiling. "I'm still figuring that one out myself. Maybe because I've been lonely so damn long. Maybe because Alex reminds me a lot of both myself and Mulder. Maybe it's because I know both sides of the story, and pity him." "Pity him?" Skinner felt a lot of things towards Krycek, and pity was definitely not one of them. Jess leaned back and sighed. "Yes. He believed he was doing what was right. By the time he found out what he was into, he was too deep to get out. So he continued, until the assassin was almost assassinated. And then there was his family life... ." She trailed off. "But it doesn't excuse anything I did," came a voice from the doorway. Krycek stood there. "I finally got Lindy back to sleep." He crossed the room to sit beside Jess on the bed and slipped one of his hands into hers. "What I did was reprehensible. I'm not proud of my past. I'd give anything to change it." Skinner nodded. "And as long as were talking openly, I want you to know. I've already spoken to Krycek. As long as he behaves, I'm willing to look the other way." He stared Krycek in the eye. "If you don't... ." "I understand." Krycek leaned closer to Jess. Her head turned sharply. "I think I hear Lindy. We'd better get back in there." "Let me handle it, Jess." Krycek got up and went back to the other room. They could hear him talking softly to little girl, and then a faint melody began to rise and fall. God damn it! That son of a bitch is singing the kid a lullaby. Skinner shook his head in amazement. "You'd never think that he's a cold blooded murderer looking at him now." Jess smiled with a tender look in her eyes. "He's come a long way. Got a long way to go still, but we're working on it." She got up, yawned, and walked across the room. "I'm calling it a night." "Jessica," Skinner said. "Before you go, I want you to know that I may not agree with what you're doing, but I admire what you've managed to accomplish. And if you ever need anything..." Jess smiled from the adjoining doorway. "Thanks." She disappeared into the other room. Jess lay in bed, wide awake. Although she was tired, sleep eluded her no matter how hard she tried to relax. Not like I don't have any stress. She rolled over to look at Krycek on the next bed, who was still holding Lindy. The little girl still refused to let him out of her sight. He had fallen asleep sitting up in an awkward position with Lindy sprawled across his lap. She smiled, wondering how he could get any rest in that position. Apparently he couldn't. Green eyes slid open. "Can't sleep?" he whispered. "Nope." Still smiling, she got up and eased into the other full bed beside him. An arm went around his waist. He leaned over to kiss her neck lightly, a mere brush of the lips. "Have I mentioned how much I love you lately?" She nuzzled his hair. "About as often as I have." "Then will you tell me what's bothering you, aside from the obvious?" "Lindy's dream scared me. Alex, I want you to go with her." "And leave you alone, Jess? I don't think so." "But it's too dangerous for you." "And it's not for you?" was his whispered reply. "I'm not leaving you to face Jake alone." "But Alex... ." "No buts Jess. You helped me through so many bad spots. Now let me help you." Lindy whimpered in her sleep. Jess reached over and stroked the girls hair. "I'm gonna miss her." "Me too. But it's the right thing to do." "But I wanna stay here!" Lindy protested. ~I wanna help!~ she mindspoke. Jess knelt down in the airport terminal to the girl's eye level. She was red eyed from sitting up all night. "I want you to stay too. But it's too dangerous." "But you're staying," Lindy pouted. "I have to. If I could, we would all be going together." ~I don't want us to split up anymore than you do.~ "But Alex is staying too!" ~And he's not even a werewolf anymore.~ "Alex decided to stay with me. I wanted him to go with you." ~I tried to talk him into it. Believe me I *tried*.~ Lindy let a little of the fear she felt show. "But what if something happens to you? Or Alex?" ~That dream scared me. I don't want anything to change.~ "Lindy," Jess said softly, "we talked about this. If anything happens to me or Alex, Michael and Annie will take care of you. Now, come here." She pulled the child to her in a hug. "I love you, Lindy." "I love you, Jess," Lindy said, hugging her tight. Krycek walked over from the ticket counter. "We've got the ticket's Jess. Boomer and Chloe have been checked in. The flight leaves in fifteen minutes," he added in an undertone. "Lindy, let's get you something to read." They went to the gift shop and found a copy of 'Redwall' for her. By the time they had paid for it, Lindy's flight was boarding. Agent Hawman stepped up to them. The young woman had experience in dealing with young children, and been assigned to escort Lindy to San Jose. "Hi Lindy. Are you ready to go?" Jess gave Lindy a final hug and kiss. "Say hi to Michael and Annie for me. Be good. I love you Lindy." "I love you too." Lindy hugged Jess back. She then took Agent Hawman's offered hand. With a look back at Jess, Lindy boarded the plane. Jess stood at the window and watched until the plane took off westward. Mulder and Scully had stayed in the background, respecting their goodbye. Now they came forward. "You're did the right thing, Jess." Krycek laid his hands on her shoulders. Jess sighed and leaned against him. "Why do I feel like I've abandoned my baby?" "C'mon," Mulder said. "Let's get you two taken care of." Jess lay curled by Krycek, asleep for the first time in almost twenty four hours. After seeing Lindy off, it had been back to the Hoover Building to help Mulder and Scully finish off the profile of Jake. Then a quick trip to what was left of their home to salvage some items. And then back to the motel, where they were supposed to be safe. He was pressed against her back, idly running a hand up and down her side, reassuring her while she was unconscious that he was there. When he had woken up two hours ago and tried to move away, she whimpered like a puppy and squirmed until she could feel him. So he lay beside her, curled around her body. His palm continued to stroke her, finally coming to rest just below her navel. He wondered for a split second what it would be like to reach over to stroke his lover's belly and feel his unborn child kick in response. In her sleep, Jess shivered. He kissed the nape of her neck lightly, reassuring her that he was there. Someday, he thought with a sigh. Maybe someday it will be safe enough for us to finally get married, let alone have kids. Although they had 'reassurances' from the Smoking Man that they would not be split apart by the Consortium, they didn't trust them. So they had decided to wait. And I'm not waiting because of what Cassandra did to me. If Jess said she so much as thought she *might* pregnant, he would pack her up then and there and head to Nevada, and not out of a sense of duty. He wanted to marry her. Being with Jess made him happier than he had ever been. She was the first person who unquestioningly loved and supported him since his mother died. A quiet knock on the motel door caused Jess to stir. "Mmmnfh?" "Shhhh, go back to sleep, Jess." Krycek got up as she rolled over and settled deeper into the sheets. Not expecting anybody, he thought. He opened the door, hoping whoever it was didn't have news of a new murder. The last person he expected to see was standing there. "What the hell do you want?" "My business is with Ms. Leahs, not you." Cancerman calmly stepped into the room. At the sound of a strange male voice, Jess had leapt upright in the bed. Her eyes narrowed on the calmly smoking figure in the trench coat. "Why are you here?" she hissed. Cancerman calmly removed the cigarette from his mouth. "I'm here to remind you of our bargain. I was against this from the beginning. But I am only one of many." "In other words," Krycek growled, "we're supposed to trust you. No questions asked. Assume you're telling the truth." "There is a way that Ms. Leahs can be certain." Jess's eyes widened. "You're suggesting I do a mind probe on you?" She considered it for a moment. He's desperate, searching for any way to keep his secret safe. "Yes." She stood up and advanced on the Cigarette Smoking Man. "Jess, it's too dangerous," Krycek said in an undertone. "I know, Alex, but it's the *only* way." She turned all her attention to Cancerman. "Think back to when this was set in motion. You don't have to think of names, just close your eyes and remember." Krycek watched as the Smoking Man closed his eyes. Jess nodded and also closed hers, frowning intently. Suddenly, both stiffened. Jess's breathing went from her normal to being in sync with Cancerman's. They stood that way for about five minutes. Then Jess's eyes snapped open, followed by Cancerman's. She looked around disoriented for a few seconds. Her gaze eventually went back to the tall man. "You're secret won't be revealed over this. You have my word." Cancerman nodded and let himself out. Jess allowed herself to sag against the bed. She reached for a silver star pendant with sharp points, which was sitting on the bed stand. Krycek put a hand on her shoulder. "What did you find out?" "Too much," was her quiet reply. "He's telling the truth. It wasn't his idea and he did all he could to prevent it." She pulled his hand off her shoulder and turned the palm upward. "Alex, I want you to keep this with you." She placed the pendant in his open hand. "Jess, silver does nothing for me," Krycek joked. "Please, you don't have to wear it. Keep it nearby, just in case." She curled his fingers closed over the jewelry. "I want to know you're protected. I don't want anything to happen to you." "If it makes you feel any better, I have this." He pulled a silver chain with an arrowhead pendant from under his shirt. "You keep it." He gently placed the silver chain around her neck. "You need to be protected as much as I do," he whispered, stroking her cheek. Jess leaned forward and kissed him. Her fingers entangled in his soft hair as his tongue slowly slipped into her open mouth. When he pulled back after a few moments, she expected him to ask if she wanted him, or just gently push her back onto the bed and make love to her. She wasn't expecting what Krycek said next. "Jess, let's set a date to get married." Jess blinked. Where did that come from? "We will," she whispered, stroking his cheek. "Eventually." "No, after this business with Jake is done, as soon as we can get Lindy, let's go to Las Vegas. I'm tired of waiting," he moaned. "I don't care about the danger, about Cassandra, about the Consortium anymore. Damn them all. All I want is you." Jess took a deep breath. "Yes, Alex. As soon as this is over with, I'll marry you." Instead of kissing her again, he stepped away from her. "I'm gonna do this right," he mumbled. He dug into his coat which was thrown across the chair and pulled out a black velvet ring box. He had been surprised earlier when he put his hand into the jacket to grope for a pen and came across his mother's wedding ring instead. It was the ring he had meant to give to Cassandra, but never had the chance. He thought he had left it at his old apartment that he had been forced to flee and would never see it again. Just another one of those things that had been mysteriously appearing when least expected. But that really didn't matter at this moment. He went down to one knee as he opened the box, offering it to her. "Jessica Leahs," he said, his eyes piercing her very soul, "I love you with all that I am. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" "Yes, Alex. Oh yes," she whispered as he slipped the small marquis cut diamond onto her left hand. Tears slipped from her eyes. "I love you, Alexander Krycek." She pulled him back up to her head to kiss him passionately. Krycek returned the kiss, his tongue dueling with hers. Jess moaned as he moved from her lips to her ear. A hand slipped from her shoulders to cup her ass, squeezinglightly. Jess tilted her head back, baring her throat to him. Krycek bent his head to nip lightly where her chin ended and her neck began. Her breathing deepened. I should be calling Mulder and letting him know what just happened. But this is more important. "Oh God, Alex. Take me, please." Like I need the encouragement. With gentle, lazy movements, he relieved her of her shirt and jeans, bra and panties. Jess shivered and put her arms around his waist. "Turn around." Still clasping him, she guided Krycek over to stand in front of the mirror. Watching their reflection, she pulled his shirt off and worried his fly open. Her lips went to where the shoulder joined the neck. As she pushed his jeans down and toyed with the bulge through his boxers, she kissed and sucked and nipped the sensitive spot. Krycek growled low, just the way he knew drove her crazy with desire. His hands went to the back of her head, holding her firmly in place. Jess growled back, sucked harder, yanked the boxers down, and started to massage his erect cock. "Oh God! Jess!" Krycek moaned. Jess was milking him for all she was worth, stroking the long shaft, squeezing his heavy balls. He could feel her hard nipples poking into his back, surrounded by the soft warmth of her breasts. Although it was torture to do so, he pulled her hands away so he could face her. Krycek pushed her back onto the bed, kissing her ravenously. He nipped his way down her torso to her breasts. Jess squealed and clasped his head harder against her. "Ohhh!" He took a tight nipple into his mouth. His teeth grazed the sensitive flesh a little more roughly than he intended. "No!" Jess shivered and shoved his head away, tensing. He moved back up to her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to remind you of Jake. I promise *never* to hurt you." He kissed her lips softly. "I know." She started to cry. "It's just... ." "Shhhhhhh," Krycek whispered. He laid a finger across her lips. "I understand." He gently kissed her tears away. He felt her fingers entangle themselves in his hair. Krycek stroked her cheek and moved back to her lips, kissing her tenderly until he felt her relax beneath him. Jess opened her mouth and flicked her tongue across his lips. Krycek opened wide to let Jess probe and explore his mouth. He grasped her tighter and rolled onto his back, taking her with him. Jess kissed him harder and ran her hands over his shoulders and chest. She pushed up from him, muttering something. Krycek was staring at her breasts, hanging a few inches from his lips. "Sorry, Jess, I was concentrating on something else." He reached a hand to gently cup them. Jess sighed at his touch. "Um, Alex, I think I gave you a hickey." She sounded mortified. Something in her apologetic tone made him giggle. "Talk about marking your territory. Where?" She touched the tender skin where his neck met shoulder. "Here." A finger lightly traced from the base of his neck to circle his nipples. "Damn. I wanted to be able to show it off without being obvious." The hands still cupping her breasts squeezed. "So where do I get to mark you?" She drew her left hand down his chest to his navel. "You already have." Krycek pulled Jess back against his body. His lips covered hers as he rolled her onto her back. Again he started working his lips down to her breasts, kissing her gently. When he reached her nipple, he tongued and kissed it with exaggerated care. Jess sighed softly. Her hands stroked his hair. Krycek looked back up at her flushed face. Jess pulled him back up to her face to kiss and nuzzle him. Krycek pulled away with a groan. He got off the bed and stumbled across the room to rummage through their suitcase. He finally found the foil packets he was looking for and bounded back to the bed. Jess sat up. "Let me do it, Alex." She opened the packet and rolled the condom onto him. She then laid back down and spread her legs wide. Krycek didn't need to be encouraged. He was inside of her, thrusting for all he was worth. Jess's hands were on his ass, urging him even faster. He started rotating his hips with each thrust, making her moan. "Alex!" Jess cried. He could feel her inner contractions begin to squeeze him. Krycek gave up on holding back and shot into her. He collapsed with the weight of his pleasure. Jess gently began stroking his shoulders. Krycek kissed her lips lightly, and then sat up. After disposing of the condom, he lay down beside her, pulling her body close. "I'd be perfectly content to spend the rest of my life like this, Jess." She smiled in return. "You've made me the happiest I've ever been, Alex." She stroked his cheek with the back of her fingers. They lay content in each other's arms for a few moments. Krycek kissed Jess lazily. "I think I'm going to take a shower." Jess inhaled deeply. "That would be a good idea. You smell like motor oil." "Yeah? Well you smell like flea dip." "Oh really? You can't pass by a Jiffy Lube without breaking into a cold sweat." Krycek got out of the bed. "I'll remember that the next time I have to bail you out of the pound." He ducked the pillow flying in his direction. "Still love me?" "Always will." Jess stretched and yawned. "Go take your shower. I'm gonna let Mulder and Dana know about our visitor." She reached for the phone as he stepped into the bathroom. Mulder and Scully looked up to see Jess standing in the doorway. "You wanted to see me?" "Yes, Jess," Scully said. "Where's Krycek?" "Shower," was Jess's reply. "And he was more observing, not actually interacting." Mulder looked at her. "Aside from Krycek, why would Cancerman be so interested in you?" Jess swallowed. "There's something I may know," she began hesitantly, "but I don't have any proof. I don't want to say anything until I'm certain one way or another." "Jess, are you sure that keeping quiet is safe?" Scully quietly asked. Jess laughed and gestured with her hands. "Is anything connected to that man safe?" The light reflected off the small diamond ring. Mulder caught her left hand. "Is this what I think it is?" "Yeah," she said, smiling. "It is." He looked into her eyes. "You sure about it?" Jess nodded. "I hope you know what you're getting into. Excuse me." Mulder left the room. Jess turned to Scully. "Do you want to tell me that I'm making a mistake too?" she asked with a half grin. Scully smiled. "Won't waste my breath. Jess," she said, switching subjects, "did you tell anyone that you were being brought here?" "No. Michael and Annie know I'm in protective custody, but not where. My friends think I'm out of town." "Well, then how did Cancerman know how to find you?" "I don't know. A tail I guess." Scully shook her head. "Not with this many agents around. I want you to be careful. I think we have a spy in the camp." Krycek stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. "Sorry I took so long." "Not a problem." It wasn't Jess's voice that answered him. Krycek spun around to see Oldham sitting on the bed. "What are you doing here?!?" It's a good thing I didn't come out here without the towel and 'surprise' Jess like I thought about. Oldham smiled sensuously. "Agents Mulder and Scully had a question for Jessica." She stood up and walked towards him. "I thought we could use the time alone to get... reacquainted." "Don't count of it, Agent Oldham." He wished that he had more around him than a skimpy towel. Oldham was giving him *that* look, the one that he couldn't resist when they were dating. And, feeling like a traitor to Jess, he was responding. "Oh, come on, Alex." Oldham stood up and stalked towards him. "We know each other well. Call me Cassandra, just like the good old days," she purred. Krycek was trapped between her and the sink. "And we did have good days." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Trying to pressure you was the dumbest thing I ever did. I really miss you, Alex. Don't tell me that you don't miss me." The hands moved to his chest. "I know you did." "Once." Krycek pushed her away, breathing hard. "Not anymore. I moved on." "Did you?" Oldham stepped back up against him. "You didn't kiss like it earlier." She batted at his towel. Krycek grabbed at it quickly to keep from being exposed. While his hands were otherwise engaged, she leaned against him and put her arms around his neck. "You certainly don't feel like it now," she whispered, rubbing against his arousal. Krycek managed to duck out from between her and the sink. "Listen, I love Jess. I've asked her to marry me. I'm with her now. I don't want anything to do with you." "Nothing to do with me? Really, Alex?" Her eyebrows arched airily. "That healthy bulge there could have fooled me." A finger traced the edge of the terry cloth across his midriff. Think of that alien possessing you. Think of the experiments they ran on you. Think of those men hacking off your arm. Think of what Jess would hack off if you cheated on her. Think of *Cancerman* coming on to you. *Anything* to get your body under control. He could feel his lust abating somewhat at the unappealing images. There was a knock on the door. Oldham looked at Krycek disappointedly. "Looks like we'll have to pick this up later." She sauntered to the door and opened it. Mulder stood there with a surprised look on his face. "Agent Oldham?" he asked, looking from her to Krycek. "What are you doing here?" Oldham smiled smugly. "Remembering old times with Alex." She walked past him breezily. Mulder spun to Krycek. "You didn't..." he began dangerously. "No!" was his explosive reply. "I *love* Jess. I wouldn't hurt her like that. And besides, if I had cheated on her, she would castrate me in an eye blink." He walked past Mulder to grab some clothing. Mulder chuckled at that. "She would." And if he had cheated on her, what she left would be his after she was done. But now to talk about why he really was here. "I saw that she's wearing a ring on her left hand." Krycek had stepped into the bathroom and was getting dressed. "Uh huh. I asked her this morning to set a date, just after we had an interesting visit." "Yeah, she told me about it." Mulder shook his head. "But getting married, especially now? You two are playing with fire." Krycek came back into the main room. "Don't you think I know that? Look, I know I don't have the greatest record when it comes to telling the truth, and, frankly, I don't blame you for not believing me. But I *do* regret a lot of the things I've done. But I don't want to look back when I'm dying and have not marrying the woman I love be one of them." "That's the way I feel about Scully." "So why don't you do something about it?" "Too dangerous." Krycek barked a laugh. "Mulder, look who you're talking to! You're life's a cakewalk right now compared to what I'm facing." "It's too dangerous," Mulder repeated. "If the Consortium found out..." "Mulder," Krycek interrupted. "What makes you think that the Consortium doesn't already know? You're under surveillance, so they must." Mulder shook his head. "But even leaving the Consortium out of it, there's always the unspoken FBI policy that we're breaking - Thou shalt not sleep with thy partner." "And you don't want to quit working with her on the X-Files." Krycek shook his head. "Sounds like you need to make a decision about what's really important in your life - work or a family." "Family," Mulder mused. "I've been thinking about that more and more lately. I'm scared shitless of the idea of having kids though, the possibility of them being abducted like Samantha was," he swallowed hard. "I don't think I could deal with that." Krycek nodded. "I worry about something happening to Jess and Lindy. I worry about us having kids. I mean, if we did, would they be human or lycanthropes? And what kind of father would I make?" "If the way you handle Lindy is any indication, a damn good one." "Lindy's a sweetheart. And most of the credit goes to Jess. Given that kid's past, it's a miracle that she's accepted me living with them so easily." "Speaking of the past," Mulder said with some hesitation, "how much does Jess know about what happened in Tunguska?" "Everything. And more than you do." Krycek looked down at his feet, unconsciously clenching his left hand. Skinner sat in his office, contemplating the strange turn of events. He hadn't expected to see Krycek again, alive. And when A Certain Person had informed him through a private email that Krycek was alive and well and living with Mulder's friend, it had been tempting to hunt him down for some personal revenge. And then he realized that was exactly what that Someone wanted him to do. So he sat on the information, biding his time. He may want to punish Krycek, but he wasn't about to react like a puppet having it's strings jerked. Then came another email - a simple affair, just an X-File index number, one of the first ones Mulder personally had compiled after he had transferred. It dealt with the Full Moon Murders, a series of bizarre killings believed to have been committed with someone using a dog as a murder weapon. It also dealt with an unusual wolf shaped ring and an unusual woman. The third and final piece of information came from the hands of the Smoking Man himself. Skinner had seen the tall man come out of his office. Not saying a word, they had stared at each other until Cancerman calmly turned and walked away. And on his desk, Skinner found an envelope containing records of experiments performed on Krycek and observation notes on Krycek, Jess, and Lindy. Also in the envelope was a note, typed and otherwise nondescript. "They are not to be disturbed," was all it said. Any punishment he could mete out would be insignificant compared to the hell of the waiting game that they had to live with. Or maybe he was just getting soft in his old age. It was obvious that Krycek was head over heels for Jess, and Jess returned the feelings equally. They felt for each other as strongly as Mulder and Scully felt for each other. And he couldn't find it in his heart to split up the happy couples, no matter what rules they were breaking. He only wished that things could have turned out that way between him and Sharon. I knew she was a Star Trek fan, but who would have guessed that she would have run off with John Delance? His reverie was broken by a knock on the door. "Come in." Skinner looked from the desk when Jess and Krycek entered. Jess had a strong case of cabin fever, and Krycek had felt claustrophobic ever since the silo incident. So they were allowed, within reason, access to certain parts of the building to assist on the Farnsworth case. A package sat on the desk. "This was left at the front entrance for you, Ms. Leahs," he said, gesturing at the brown paper covered box. "It has been X-rayed. It's some sort of necklace." "Odd," Jess said. "I didn't mail order any jewelry. Anything should have been sent to my home. I didn't tell anyone to send stuff here." She picked up the box and deftly tore off the paper. She pulled out the ornate silver cross from the cardboard. Krycek looked at it intently. "Is that what I think it is?" Jess said nothing, merely nodded. It was the same cross she used to stab Alpha Wolf to death. "Do you have any pictures of who left this for me?" Skinner nodded. "A young woman left a note with it." He passed her the note along with some stills taken by the security cameras. The pictures showed a woman with long brown hair hand the package to the guard, and then walking away. Unfortunately, her face was not visible, shadowed by the upturned hood of her raincoat. "Don't recognize her," Jess said, turning her attention to the note. As she read it, her eyes widened. "Oh my God! This can't be. I've been spending too much time around Spooky." "What are you talking about?" Skinner asked. "I'm assuming R. J. Leahs is a relative of yours." Jess stood up. "Yeah, Rachel Judith Leahs's my sister. Excuse me, I need some air." She left the room. Skinner looked at Krycek questioningly. "Rachel was her sister," Krycek said slowly. "She's been dead for almost 20 years." "Jess, maybe we should talk to Mulder about what's going on," he heard Krycek say as Mulder and Scully entered the basement office. Mulder cocked his head at Jess. "Tell me what?" "About some weird stuff that's been happening at home," was Jess's reply. She was staring at the far wall. "Stuff that comes right out of one of your X-Files." "Jess, *you* are right out of an X-File. What could be weirder than that?" Krycek looked at Mulder. "How about a haunted house? Or more accurately, a haunted condo?" Scully's eyebrows shot up. "You think your place is haunted?" Jess nodded. "Mulder, things have been disappearing and then reappearing a few minutes later. Keys, pens, papers, small things like that. At first I thought it was absentmindedness. Now I'm not so sure." "Chloe and Boomer will avoid areas, bark or hiss at them. We've found doors and windows locked that neither of us did," Krycek continued. "And I've felt something." Mulder frowned at him. "I thought that you lost those psychic abilities when you became human again." "I did. But this is different. You just know that some*thing* is near you, but you can't see it. Lindy's been actually seeing things." Mulder nodded. "The strange woman she and Scully saw that afternoon." Jess also nodded. "And then this was left for me, care of your boss." She lifted Rachel's cross from its box. "I haven't seen it since when I killed Alpha Wolf. They took the corpse away before I could retrieve it." Mulder recognized it easily. "Who gave it back to you? Cancerman?" "No," Jess said. "The note was signed with my sister's initials." A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Pendrell stood there. "I have the results of the fingerprint test on the note. There were none." Jess slammed a fist into her palm in frustration. "Figures," she muttered. Krycek lay on his back in the bed, arms behind his head. Jess lay curled on her side, with her back towards him, sound asleep. Just when I think that I have a shot at a normal life. He exhaled softly as he thought about all that had happened in the last week. "Hard time sleeping?" came Scully's quiet voice from the next bed over. Since Cancerman's unannounced visit, someone spent the night with them inside the new room as a guard. She had drawn the duty tonight. Krycek sat up. "Am I disturbing you?" "No. Just thinking." Scully sat up as she heard Jess snort, mutter something unintelligible, and roll over. An arm went possessively around Krycek's waist. Her eyes never opened. Scully smiled at that. "How does she manage to sleep? You'd think she'd be wide awake, afraid of nightmares." Krycek nodded. "Wait until two in the morning. She usually has them about then," he whispered. "Speaking of nightmares," Scully said cautiously, "Jess mentioned that you have had some bad nightmares. And that you stopped counseling." Krycek shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. The doc had no problem dealing with the alien related experiences, but when I explained about Jess, he refused to accept what I said about her." "Jess can be a bit much to swallow," Scully chuckled. "And for what it's worth, Mulder is trained in hypnosis if you feel ready to try again." Krycek nodded. "At this point, I'm not sure, Scully. Not right now, at least." Jess's eyes snapped open as there was a knock on the door. "Not again," she muttered, pushing up and shaking her head. Scully got up and drew her gun. She edged to the door. "Who is it?" "Agent Scully, open up," came Skinner's voice. Scully threw the door open. "Have you seen Agent Mulder?" "No, he's at his apartment, sir." Serious brown eyes looked at her worriedly. "We've just gotten word that there has been a break in at his apartment. He's not there." Scully, Krycek, and Jess entered the apartment with some trepidation. There were signs of a violent struggle, furniture overturned, papers and books scattered. Giant slash marks gouged the walls. Krycek put on a pair of latex gloves and examined the marks. He let out a low whistle as he drew his fingers through the gouges. He turned back to Scully to say something. But Scully was staring sightlessly at the couch, spattered with bloodstains, probably Mulder's. Jess stood beside her, a hand on her shoulder, staring with narrowed eyes and compressed lips. Krycek put his hand on Scully's other shoulder, trying to comfort her. "We're going to find him, alive." Scully stepped away from him. "And what if we don't?" "Then Jake *will* pay dearly," Jess growled. "Agent Scully would you come in here for a moment?" came Skinner's voice from the bedroom. Scully walked dazedly into the room. Jess and Krycek followed. Besides Skinner stood Colton, with a mixed expression on his face. Colton spoke, not taking his eyes from Scully "The room had been ransacked. We found a pile of clothes scattered, some of which I believe is yours, Dana." "So what's so odd about that?" Krycek asked. "When Mulder and I were partners, we kept a spare change of clothes at each other's apartments." "Not this kind of clothing, I hope," was Colton's retort. He pointed at a pair of crotchless panties crumpled on the floor. Scully stared at the clothing, unable to say a word. All she could think about was how ambitious Colton was and how the OPR would love to get their hands on anything they could use to discredit Mulder and her. Skinner looked like he was trying to find a way to get his agent out of the situation, but couldn't think of any way. As Scully opened her mouth to protest, Jess spoke first. "They're not Dana's. They're mine." Krycek turned to her stunned. "Jess, what are you saying?" She looked at the floor, blushing, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "Mulder, um, likes to keep trophies." Watching from under dropped eyelids, it was all she could do to keep from laughing as the smug expression fell off of Colton's face. "With that settled," Skinner said, "let's get this room checked for prints." Skinner, Krycek, and Colton left the room, leaving Scully and Jess alone. "Jess, thanks. That was quick thinking." "No problem, Dana. Do you think he bought it?" Scully looked hurt and angry at how her 'friend' had tried to use her. "Jess, buying is the *only* way Colton gets it." Krycek stood in the lab next to Jess. This brings back memories of Quantico, he thought. They were waiting for the analysis of the fingerprints that they had lifted from Mulder's apartment. Pendrell tapped the screen, pointing to the only print that wasn't Mulder's that they were able to lift. They studied the image intently. "Almost looks like a human fingerprint superimposed on a dog's toe pad," Colton muttered. A cell phone rang. All the agents automatically reached for their pockets, only to realize that it wasn't theirs that was ringing. All eyes turned to the phone laying on the desk. Mulder's phone. Skinner picked it up. "Hello?" He listened for a few seconds and then hung up. "He said he'd only talk to Jessica. Let's get this wired with a tracer." Just after they outfitted the phone, it rang again. Jess looked to Skinner. He nodded. Jess picked up. Her voice was heard both from her and from the speaker on the recorder. "Hello." "Jess, baby, it's good to hear your voice." "Jake," she hissed through clenched teeth. "What do you want?" "You, baby," the bass voice replied. "I want you back. I have Mulder. Meet me and we'll discuss... arrangements." "And how am I supposed to find you?" "You're smart, baby. We belong together now and forever. You'll find a way." There was the abrupt sound of a dial tone. All eyes turned to Pendrell, hunched by the line tracer. "Thirty seconds too short." Jess was muttering something to herself. "Now and forever, now and forever." Her brow knitted. Her head snapped up and her mouth opened to say something, but she seemed to think better of it. Colton looked at Jess. "What's with the 'baby' business." "Jake's personal nickname for Jessica. No originality," Oldham commented. "Not anywhere as unusual as 'hell beast'." Jess nodded distractedly. You could almost see the wheels turning inside her head. "Excuse me a moment." She walked to the door. "Jess, where are you going?" Scully asked. "I need to get a drink of water." Not quite a lie, but not quite the complete truth. Krycek frowned at her retreating back. "Excuse me," he said and followed her out the door. "Jessica," he said warningly. "Yes, Alexander?" She was by the elevator. "The cooler's *that* way," he said, gesturing with his head back down the hallway. "You recognized something. What?" Jess bowed her head. She couldn't lie to the man she loved. "I think I know where Jake might be holding Mulder. But I'm not certain." "Jess, you're not thinking of doing something stupid like going after them alone." Jess's head was still bowed. "Alex, I want you to know this. I love you, now and forever." Before he could ask what the hell she was talking about, Jess had thrown her arms around his neck and was kissing him passionately. He looked confused when she pulled back. And stunned as her fist impacted with his jaw. His head snapped back. He heard was a quiet "Forgive me," and the sound of her retreating steps. Krycek must have blacked out then, because the next thing he was aware of was was Scully's voice. "Krycek! Krycek! What happened?" He felt hands on his shoulders. "Ugh!" He sat up and shook his head. "Jess slugged me. She's figured out something and wants to handle it herself." Skinner hauled Krycek to his feet. "Did she tell you where she was going?" "No, but I have an idea where to start." Krycek opened the door to the motel room. "Damn! She's not here." "She's been here, though," Colton commented. Her laptop was still running and hooked up to the modem and printer. A stack of freshly printed pages lay beside it. Krycek picked them up. "Jess's journal." He then turned his attention to the computer. He started punching keys, trying to figure out what she had done. "Looks like she printed it and then left." Scully had picked up the papers. She read the first one and frowned. "Krycek, what was she muttering before she left?" "Something about 'now and forever.' It sounded vaguely familiar, but I'm not sure from where." "Well, there's a second hand store called 'Now and Forever Changed.'" Colton pulled out his cell phone. "Pendrell? Colton. Is there a listing for a store in this area called 'Now and Forever Changed?' Yeah, I'll hold." Krycek looked unconvinced. "How would Jake know about it? It happened to Jess long after she and that son of a bitch broke up." "We've had indications that there is a leak in this case," Scully interrupted. "Farnsworth's known too much about our plans." "Let me go with the strike team," Krycek said evenly. "No," Skinner said. "I've been pushing it for you to be walking around here free, much less placing you back on active duty in a possible hostage situation." "But Jess is..." "Krycek, we don't know," Skinner said sharply. "No, you think I'm the leak. I know you don't trust me. And given my track record, I don't blame you. But damn it! Jess is the best thing that's happened to me. If anything happens to her..." "No, Krycek, we know you're not the leak. You have alibis that check out. Listen, I know you're worried about Jessica. But my hands are tied. In case you have forgotten, you *are* a known felon." "I understand," Krycek looked down, apparently backing off. "I know you're doing what you have to do." At that point, Colton stepped into the office. "Sir, we have an update on the lead. There was a store by the name of 'Now and Forever Changed'. The mall it was in is abandoned and scheduled to be torn down." "The one over by the park?" Krycek asked. He knew it well. Colton nodded. Skinner looked at Krycek sharply. "Take Mr. Krycek back to the hotel, the new room, since the old one has been compromised." Colton looked at Krycek darkly. Apparently he felt that a babysitting assignment was beneath him. "Come on," Colton growled and stepped out of the office. Krycek followed him meekly out of the building to the parking garage. Just as they reached the car, Krycek stopped, took a few steps away, and pointed. "Isn't that Jess over there?" "Where?" Colton turned and looked in the direction Krycek was pointing. Krycek retracted his arm and violently elbowed Colton in the abdomen. Then his forearm snapped up to slam his fist into Colton's nose. Colton went down like a ton of bricks. "Sorry, Colton, but I never really liked you any way," he muttered. He stooped over the unconscious body and removed his gun and holster. He got into the car and sped off. After giving the FBI the slip, she had spent a few hours in the park where she 'killed' Jake. She was gathering the mental strength she would need to face him one final time. As she knelt to touch the very spot where she had defeated Jake the first time, she felt a quiet courage flow through her that she sorely needed. I did it before. I can do it again. Now and forever. The phrase echoed through her mind over and over. Jess never had really appreciated the irony of the name of the store where she bought the Loup Garou ring, Now and Forever Changed. Until today. It had only taken Jess seconds to figure out what Jake had meant by the phrase. All that really puzzled her was how to get away from the FBI so she could face off with Jake on her own terms. And now, she was outside the building that had once housed the second hand store. Jake must be there. It's the only place he could be holding Mulder. The building had been converted to an office complex, and recently abandoned. She scanned the building for an entrance. In the back of the building, a door was left invitingly ajar. Probably a trap, Jess thought, but I don't see any other way in without effectively screaming 'I'm here.' She slid through the doorway silently. The room she entered was dark, but she could see light coming from under the doorway of the next room. She started towards it. A shadow detached itself from the wall behind her. It stalked towards her. Jess, oblivious to her pursuer, put a hand on the door knob. She turned it silently and eased the door open a crack to peer through it. Unexpectedly, a hand impacted with the door above her head. It was slammed violently shut. Jess gasped as a breath tickled her ear. "Hello, baby." Jake pushed Jess against the door, face first. She grunted and tried to squirm away. "You're not going anywhere, baby," he growled into her ear and then bit the lobe. He jerked her hands behind her back and handcuffed them as he licked the blood away from her ear. "Finally back where you belong, with me," he whispered. She heard the jingle of metal against metal as Jake put the key onto a key chain. His hands went to the nape of her neck to undo the clasp of the necklace she was wearing. "Don't wear silver, baby. It doesn't look good on you." A hand stroked down her back to knead her ass. "Ooooooh! Still nice and tight. I've missed this." "Get your damn hands the hell off me," Jess snarled. "I don't think so, baby." Another hand slipped across her waist and up to a breast. Working it like a doorknob, he pressed his body against hers so she could feel his growing erection. Jess sagged against him, apparently giving in, but really getting ready to shove backwards hard. Jake took a step away from her, giving her no support. "Uh uh, baby. I know that trick. And I bet Mulder and Krycek have taught you a few more that I'd like." Jess glared out of the corner of her eyes. "You'll never find out, you bastard," she hissed. Jake spun her around and slapped her hard. While she was reeling from the blow, he shoved her off balance. Jess fell to the ground. "We'll see about that, baby." He knelt down, forcing her legs apart. He licked his lips as he unzipped his jeans. Jess was writhing like a fish caught on a hook. "I swear by all I hold dear, Jake, this time I *will* kill you." "C'mon, baby, cooperate," Jake cajoled. "I know you want this." Jess was twisting desperately, trying to position herself to kick or knee him. Her movements made it impossible for Jake to get her jeans off. The too quiet for a human to hear sound of a door closing made Jake and Jess look up. "Wait right here, baby. Looks like it's gonna be business before pleasure." He rezipped his jeans and left Jess laying there. Jess rolled into a sitting position. These cuffs will be tough to break, but not impossible. Although extremely strong compared to a human, it would take time and effort to get out of a set of handcuffs by brute strength. As she sat up, her fingers brushed against a cold piece of metal. Could it be? The metal rod fit right into the lock of the cuffs. Jess unlocked the cuffs and whipped her wrists in front of her. It can't be. She held the key Jake had put on his key chain. There's no way it could have fallen out of his pocket. But she had more important things to worry about. She kicked off her shoes and willed the Change. Fur exploded from her body. Four inch talons extended from fingers and toes, shredding her socks. Knees pulled up and folded in on themselves, becoming canine hocks. And teeth knifed through the gums of her extending muzzle. Watched out Jake. This 'baby' has a temper and is pissed off. Krycek slipped into the front of the building without being noticed. He drew the gun he 'borrowed' from Colton. He knew that if Skinner or Colton found him before he found Jess or Mulder, he would be shot, and probably killed, on sight. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was that Jess was in there with Jake. He found himself standing in the empty office building. Most of the office furniture and cubicle dividers were gone. The only piece of furniture in the room was a chair. Tied and gagged in that chair was Mulder. And standing over Mulder was Jake. "Krycek, we finally meet," Jake growled. Krycek eyed Mulder, trying to determine how hurt he was. He looked like he had been beaten up badly, and, although unconscious, not seriously hurt... yet. "What do you want with Mulder?" "He's the bait for her and you. He owes me for taking her away." His eyes narrowed and his head tilted. "You *really* think you can keep her from me? Take her away? Steal what's mine?" His voice grew hoarser with each sentence. Krycek neared Jake warily. His eyes narrowed. "I can't steal what was never yours to begin with." Jake snarled in outrage and charged. They wanted him alive, but Krycek had no choice but to defend himself. He pulled the gun from his jacket and fired three times in quick succession. His aim was excellent, and he couldn't miss Jake at this range. The bullets slammed into Jake's shoulders and chest. It didn't even stop him. The wounds seemed to close almost as soon as they opened. Mulder woke up in time to see Jake grab Krycek by the throat and throw him against the nearest wall. He repeatedly punched Krycek in the gut. He suddenly let go, allowing Krycek to stumble forward. As Krycek lost his balance, Jake brought his hands down to grab his neck and head. There was a loud snapping noise and Krycek impacted with the ground. "Does anyone *else* think that they can take me down, like this wimp I just killed?" There was an answering growl from the darkness outside the doorway. Jake laughed. "You remember what I like, baby. But with an audience? I didn't think you were into exhibitionism. Come on, I'm waiting." What came flying out of the darkness was approximately Jess's size. It was wearing the clothes Jess had been wearing, right down to her denim jacket. But there the resemblance ended. The black, furry streak of fangs and claws launched itself at Jake, tackling him just above his waist. And to Mulder's amazement, Jake seemed to be undergoing a bizarre transformation. One moment helooked perfectly human, the next he looked like a brown male version of what Jess had become. His roar of anger was echoed by Jess's snarls of hatred. They were on the ground - clawing and biting, snarling and spitting. Jess and Jake rolled over and over, first Jess on top, then Jake. Blood flowed freely from bite wounds and claw marks. Jaws snapped viciously mere millimeters from the enemy's neck. Hind legs were pumping frantically, trying to disembowel the opponent's belly, getting entangled in the clothing that was now being ripped to shreds. "FBI! Freeze!" Scully burst into the room, gun drawn. It distracted Jess for about a half second, enough time for Jake to curl his legs under Jess and shove hard against her stomach. Jess was kicked back, head snapping back against the wall. Jake took the advantage. He rolled clear of a stunned Jess, Changed, and grabbed Mulder by the throat. "One false move, and he dies." Jess rose to her knees as she also Changed. "Don't hurt him," she whispered weakly. "I'll do what you want." "Jess, don't!" Scully spoke. Mulder, still gagged, shook his head. "Alex is dead. There's no reason for me to go on." Jess bowed her head, defeated. "Jake, if you promise to leave Mulder and Dana alone, I'll go with you, willingly." Victory shone in Jake's eyes. "You'll stay with me." "Yes." She stuck her hands deep into the jacket pockets. She frowned intently for a moment, hand working inside the material. "You'll sleep with me, whenever, however I want." She bowed her head lower, submissively. "Yes." Her voice was quieter, weaker, defeated. "Until death do us part." "Until death do us part," was Jess's hopeless echo. "I'm sorry Mulder, Dana. It's the only way," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. "Done," Jake snorted. He untied Mulder and shoved him towards Scully. "Now come here, baby, and seal our deal with a kiss." Jess walked towards him with all the quiet dignity of a great queen being sold into slavery. Jake reached towards her and slung an arm around her neck, jerking her in close. He clamped his mouth over hers and forced his tongue between her lips. Jess didn't react visibly. She just stood there. Jake backed off to stare into her narrowed eyes triumphantly. "Jake," she said in a low, angry voice, "don't call me 'baby'." Her right hand whipped out of the pocket almost too fast to track. She struck at him with a stabbing motion, and then stepped back coolly, her face emotionless. Jake screamed the wail of a lost soul going straight to hell. He staggered towards Mulder and Scully and collapsed, rolling onto his back. They could see the slit right over his heart where she had stabbed him with pure silver. The cross on its chain dangled from Jess's hand, coated in Jake's blood. He shuddered convulsively, and then lay still. Jess wasn't even paying attention to him. She had crossed the room and knelt where Krycek lay sprawled. Head bowed, she rocked back and forth, crying to herself. Mulder knelt down beside Jess. He laid a finger along Krycek's carotid artery. "Scully," he said abruptly. "Call an ambulance. He's alive." Jess sat by Krycek's hospital bed He could hear her, but he couldn't so much as twitch in response "Alex, dearest," he heard her whisper, "please wake up, if only to say goodbye." If only I could, he thought desperately. He had been aware of everything from the moment Jake had taken him down to being put on the ambulance gurney, and the paramedics saying something about a severe spinal injury. Things became hazy after that. The door to the room opened. With his eyes closed, he couldn't see who. Someone, probably Mulder from the sound of the tread, stepped up beside her. "Jess," he whispered softly. "the doctor wants to talk to you." Warm lips brushed Krycek's forehead lightly. "Be right back, m'love." He heard two sets of footsteps retreat and then the door open and shut. "Alex," called a soft voice. But there shouldn't have been a voice to call. Everyone had left the room. It sounded like Jess's, but it wasn't quite right, a little higher than hers. "Open your eyes, Alex." Krycek opened the eyes. He sat up, amazed that he had control over his body again. He grew even more amazed when he looked down and realized that his body hadn't moved a millimeter. "Oh my God, I'm dead," he whispered, shell-shocked. "Not quite," came the soft voice again. He turned around to look at the woman who spoke. She was a little shorter than Jess and looked an awful lot like her. She wore a simple white robe belted at the waist with a blue sash. Her lighter brown hair cascaded to the middle of her spine. Eyes as blue as Jess's were brown regarded him with warmth. "Greetings, beloved of my sister. I wish we could have met in life instead of at the threshold of death." "You're... Rachel?" "Yes," was the calm, soothing reply. Krycek had read enough of the X-Files and popular psychology to recognize a out-of-body/near-death experience when he saw it. "Am I dying?" he asked softly. "No." Rachel smiled the same gentle, reassuring smile Jess had. "I'm here to make sure that you do not pass into the beyond. And to tell you that there is nothing to fear from me. I will always be watching over my sister and those closest to her, but I won't interfere, unless she needs more help than is humanly possible. Tell her that I love her." Rachel raised her hands, palms outward. A white light flared from behind her. A silent explosion hit Krycek and flung him back on the bed and into his body. He still wasn't able to move and in a state of shock from what had just happened. The door opened yet again. Two sets of masculine steps moved to the bed. "Why are we here?" an unfamiliar voice asked. "It would be much easier if he were allowed to die." "It is vital part of the experiment that the two of them are kept together, at least for now." Krycek could smell the cigarette smoke on the other man's breath. "And she will be too dangerous without the distraction that he provides." "Very well." A large hand rested lightly on his forehead. He felt a rush of warmth course from it down to his toes. He could feel his bones knitting, swelling reducing, pressure receding. The hand lifted. The two men left the room. He just lay there, not moving, not daring to believe what had just happened, until the door opened again. His eyes fluttered weakly. "Jess?" he croaked. Mulder watched Jess and the lead doctor talk in hushed tones. From the sad look on Jess's face, he didn't think that the news was good. When Jess turned away, he went to her. "What's the news?" "Not good." She wiped a tear from her eye. "They doubt he'll come out of the coma. And until and if he does, they won't know if there's any brain damage, or how severe it is, but the best possible scenario is he'll be a quadriplegic. And that's the least likely." Mulder put his arms around her. "I'm sorry to hear that, Jess. No matter what I fell towards him, I didn't want to see you hurt." Jess buried herself against him, crying. Mulder held her, letting her work out the emotions of the last week. She eventually pushed away. Mulder wiped a tear from her cheek. "You need a break, Jess. Scully wants to talk to you. She's in the chapel. Go talk to her and I'll keep an eye on Krycek." Jess nodded and turned away to walk down the hall. Mulder shook his head. Something vital has gone from her. It was more than simple depression and tiredness. She may have killed Jake, but Jake killed her will to overcome. Jess walked down the hallway to the the chapel where Mulder told her Scully was waiting. She entered the dark room to see Scully sitting in the first pew. Jess sat down beside her. "Been a while since I've been in a chapel." "It's funny," Scully mused. "I was raised in the church, but haven't been in a while. But I always seem to end up in a church whenever I see something that shakes my faith in how things are." "And I take it I've done that shaking, Dana." "I saw you fight Jake. I saw what you became. I'm trying to believe, but I cant." Scully shook her head. "I'm not asking to you believe, Dana. Hell, sometimes *I* don't believe," Jess laughed a little. "Oops! I just swore in the presence of God. I might get struck down for that." Scully chuckled. Jess picked up where she left off. "You don't have to believe what I am for us to stay friends. In fact, I'd rather you didn't believe. It makes a nice reality check when I get caught up in everything. And I need all the friends I can get right now." Scully reached over and squeezed Jess's hand. "I take it the prognosis isn't good." "No." Jess sighed. "It's only a matter of time before he... ." Jess covered her face with her hands. "We talked about it. We knew it was there was always a risk. But I thought... ." She started to sob. Scully put her arms around Jess. She knew what Jess was going through. At any time, she could be going through it with Mulder. Scully just held her, offering silent consolation. Mulder burst into the room. "Jess, Krycek woke up and is asking for you!" Jess sat in the park across from the hospital late at night, waiting for someone. She had a good guess as to who and why, but she wasn't one hundred percent certain. She had spent most of the afternoon and a good part of the evening at Krycek's bedside. The doctors were all amazed at the sudden turn around in his health. They wanted to keep him for observation overnight, but would release him tomorrow. The words heard most often around his room were 'miraculous full recovery'. Her doubts as to who wanted to speak to her faded when the man stepped out of the darkness. The Cigarette Smoking Man sat down on the bench beside her. "Ms. Leahs." "Sir," she said as a greeting, a show of respect. She did respect this man for what he was, for his courage, even if she didn't agree with his beliefs or actions. They sat in silence, Jess staring at the hospital. She counted up floors and over windows to find Krycek's semi-private room while waiting for Cancerman to speak. Cancerman followed her gaze and lit a cigarette. "He will be allowed to live." "Yes," Jess said softly. "Second chances are hard to come by. You know that better than anyone." She turned to stare him in the eye. The Smoking Man met her gaze unflinchingly. "How much do you *really* know?" "Enough to pity you for the choices you were forced to make," was her gentle reply. "Enough to wish you no ill will. Enough to thank you for what you arranged. And enough never to completely trust you for one moment." Cancerman stood up. "Then our understanding remains intact." At Jess's nod, he turned to leave. Jess stood up also. "One thing." Cancerman stopped several paces away from her. "My hat's off to whoever found the look-alike for my sister," she said to his back. The Cigarette Smoking Man looked back over his shoulder. "Ms. Leahs, to what are you referring?" "The person who delivered the cross A.D. Skinner gave to me." Jess paused and frowned. "One of your associates must have... ." She trailed off. Cancerman smiled and shook his head. "My dear, you haven't been spending *enough* time with Spooky Mulder." Agent Oldham stepped into the Skinner's office. She was greeted by the sight of the OPR, in addition to several people she never expected to see together in the same room, at least not alive. Mulder and Scully stood to one side of the head of the conference table, flanking a seated AD Skinner. Jess and Krycek stood on the other. Colton and Pendrell sat at the table. And casually sitting on the couch in the background, smoking as if he had not a care in the world, was Cancerman. All eyes were on her, faces unreadable. "Agent Oldham," Skinner began. "Assistant Director Skinner," Oldham began cautiously. "May I ask why I have been called here?" "Serious accusations have been leveled against you. This board has convened to hear your response to these charges. Agent Mulder." Mulder began to speak. "While working on the Farnsworth case, it became apparent that someone was leaking information to Farnsworth. We have reason to believe that Agent Oldham is that leak." Oldham smiled. "Preposterous. If anyone should be suspected of leaking information, it should be Mr. Krycek. You have nothing connecting me to any leak." "Yes we do," Scully said. "In the presence of Agents Colton and Pendrell, Assistant Director Skinner, Ms. Leahs, Mr. Krycek, and myself, you made a reference to two of Ms. Leahs's nicknames - 'baby' and 'hell beast'." Oldham's head tilted slightly. "And the significance of that is?" Jess calmly spoke. "'Hell beast' is a nickname, given to me by Agent Mulder. Only he, Agent Scully, Mr. Krycek, and I know about it, but it may have been mentioned elsewhere. 'Baby,' however, is also a personal nickname, one that I hate and never allow anyone to use. Only five people know about it, again Agent Mulder, Mr. Krycek, myself, Agent Oldham, and the person who gave it to me. Neither myself, Agent Mulder, nor Mr. Krycek have ever made reference to either nickname in Agent Oldham's presence. The only way you could have known that is if you were in contact with the person who gave me it." Oldham calmly raised an eyebrow. "And that person is?" "Jacob Farnsworth." Krycek spoke for the first time. "You had to have been giving him information. It's the only explanation." Skinner looked at her gravely. "And what is your response, Agent Oldham?" Her chin jerked up a bit higher. "I refuse to answer on the grounds that I may incriminate myself." Skinner nodded. "In that case, Agent Oldham, you are relieved of duty, pending a criminal investigation. Dismissed." Oldham gave Jess and Krycek one last poisonous glare. She spun on her heels and left the room. Jess and Krycek waited at the same park where Jess had met with the Smoking Man. They had received an e-mail, ironically enough, from Mulder's address. However Mulder denied having sent it. All it contained was a time and a place. Jess's head swung around to stare at a lamp post, almost bristling even though she was in a human shape. Into the yellow circle of light stepped the Cigarette Smoking Man. Krycek stood up. "What do you want?" "I have something for you Krycek." Cancerman held out an envelope. Jess and Krycek looked at each other as they stood up. Krycek walked cautiously towards the light and took the envelope. He held the it gingerly. "What is this?" "Just a full pardon," Cancerman said. "Just your freedom." Krycek's eyes narrowed. "And what do I have to do keep it?" "Merely return to work for me. Your errors and discretions will be overlooked." The Smoking Man looked at Jess. "And someone of her abilities could easily be placed, if her loyalties were assured." Krycek glanced back at Jess. "The offer is tempting." He turned and looked Cancerman in the eye. "However, I've lost my taste for playing the espionage game." "Mr. Krycek, you misunderstand me. You are not being offered a choice. You either accept what I offer, or consider yourself, and her, dead." Krycek merely dropped the envelope and turned his back on Cancerman. He walked back towards Jess. "You're a fool, Krycek." Krycek had reached Jess's side. "You're right. I am a fool for listening to you in the first place." He put an arm around her. "Let's go." "Krycek, Leahs, turn your back on me and our deal is off." Jess turned and looked back at him with an evil gleam in her eyes. "Remember, you said that, not me." With their arms still around each other, Jess and Krycek walked into the darkness. Krycek watched Jess from the doorway to the Lindy's bedroom. Since returning to their home, they had slept there, not wanting to face the memories waiting them in their own. She was sitting on the bed, frowning over a note pad. "I've finished. Almost done?" Jess scribbled something before answering. "Yeah, all it needs is for you to sign it." She looked up and handed him the pad and pen. "I just hope they understand why we're doing this." Krycek sat down beside her and put his left arm around her. "It's not the kind of life I wanted for us, but I don't think we have a choice." Jess leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know. We'll always be hunted. At least this way we might do some good And we'll still be together. I just wish... ." "I know." She didn't say anything as Krycek wrote a few lines down on another sheet of paper. "There, it's done," he said softly, tearing the sheet of paper off the pad. Jess stood up and left the room. She returned carrying two envelopes. She wrote something on them, put the letters inside, and sealed them. Krycek got up and held her close. They both stood there, arms entwined, drawing silent strength from each other. Krycek looked down and saw the fear and uncertainty along with the love he felt towards this woman mirrored in her own. "We'd better go." Jess nodded and reluctantly withdrew her arms. He caught her right hand in his left. They walked through the condo to the front door. Jess placed the letters on the TV, where they could be seen by someone coming through the door. Krycek picked up the two backpacks filled with what they needed to survive. They kissed passionately at the doorway before stepping outside hand in hand to meet the dawn. Mulder and Scully were at the door to Jess's and Krycek's condo at ten the next morning. Late last night, they had been asked to show up today. All Jess would say was that she had some 'important news' and had made a choice that would 'affect the rest of my life.' But strangely, their knocks went unanswered. Scully tried the door. It was unlocked. "Jess? Krycek?" she called. "Doesn't look like anybody's home," Mulder said worriedly. "What's that?" Scully followed his gaze to see an envelope propped up on the TV, addressed to them. A second envelope was next to it, addressed only to Mulder. "Maybe they got called away and left us a note." She picked the first one up and opened it. "You're not going to believe this," she said after reading the letter. Mulder took it from her offering hand. "Dear Mulder and Dana," he read, noting Jess's handwriting. "By the time you get this, Alex and I will be long gone. The recent events convinced us that we will never be left alone, that there will always someone out there who wishes us harm. We are unwilling to put you and Lindy in jeopardy for our sake. So we are leaving, but we don't know where to. We will stay in touch. Michael and Annie know already. Please help Lindy to understand why. Jess and Alex." He opened the second envelope, which had something aside from paper in it. A metal object fell to the floor and landed by his feet. "Mulder," was scrawled in Krycek's handwriting, "Jess and I won't be able to use this for a while, but I don't want to see it go to waste. Remember what we talked about. Don't be a fool and let her get away from you. Alex." Mulder bent to pick up what had fallen. It was the engagement ring Krycek had given to Jess. Scully saw him retrieve something from the floor. "What is it, Mulder?" Mulder pocketed it without letting her see what it was. "Something I may act on later, Scully. Nothing more." The End of Book One __________________________________________________________ Title: Loup Garou - Book Two Author: Shael Disclaimer: Disclaim, disshlaim. Only Jess, Lindy, Michael, Annie, assorted medical staff, and the various pets belong to me. Yoda the Jedi Master belongs to Lucasfilms Ltd., and the rest of the cast belong to TenThirteen Productions. The quote in the headers of these stories are also used without permission. No copyright infringements or disrespect intended. I just felt that they were appropriate. Synopsis - The ongoing adventures of Alex Krycek and his werewolf lover. Includes Loup Garou VI through XVII. NC17 for graphic sexual situations, including M/F, M/M, and M/M/F. Feedback is always appreciated, and in fact encouraged. ThanX to the Loup Garou Beta Readers - they have nagged, nitpicked, badgered, and encouraged me in so many ways, and not just in writing these stories. You guys are the greatest. I was reading the book "The Beast Within," a reference work on the werewolf myth. One of the chapters concentrates on the lycanthropic genesis. Aside from being bitten, another way to be a werewolf is to have werewolves for parents. And since some of XF deals with alien reproduction, it was natural that I branch into writing about a child werewolf. That and Lindy wanted a sister. ** Loup Garou VI - The Loss "We all have a natural instinct to prolificate." - D. Scully "And if I'm pregnant, I can't think of anyone else I want to be the father." - J. Leahs The last thing Assistant Director Walter S. Skinner expected to see when he opened his door in the middle of the night was a bedraggled Alex Krycek holding the leash of an equally bedraggled black wolf. "What do you want?" Skinner growled. The wolf whined, leaning heavily against Krycek's legs. Krycek was breathing hard as he looked Skinner in the eye. "A place to hide and for her to heal. Nothing more. We'll be gone within twenty four hours." Skinner's eyes narrowed. Aside from being in desperate need of a few meals, a long shower, and a shave and haircut, Krycek looked healthy. The wolf, on the other hand, was standing on three legs. The right hind leg was held up at an awkward position, the swollen paw barely grazing the ground. Dark brown eyes were glazed over with pain. Skinner hated Krycek, but he did have a soft spot for dogs. He shoved the door open wider. "Get in here." Krycek and the wolf limped over the threshold. Krycek turned to Skinner to say thanks when he suddenly found himself being shoved against the wall. Skinner grabbed him by the jacket. "Listen, boy, if this is a trick... ." Skinner didn't get a chance to finish his threat. The wolf had jumped up on her good leg and was snarling in his left ear. Skinner could feel her hot breath and the weight of her paws on his back. Krycek tilted his head to look past Skinner's shoulder so he could see the wolf. "Jess, stop that! Get off him!" The wolf turned away and hit the ground with a thud and a slight whimper. She was still growling and bristling and glaring at Skinner. Krycek turned his attention back to Skinner. "She's still keyed up. If you let go of me, it'll keep her from attacking." "And what will keep you from attacking?" "There's a gun in my waistband. If I wanted you dead, we wouldn't be talking now. If you let go, I'll give it to you." Skinner glanced down. Just poking out above Krycek's belt was a gun's handle. Krycek could have shot him as soon as he opened the door. Skinner released Krycek. True to his word, Krycek pulled out the gun and offered it to Skinner, butt first. Skinner accepted it without a word. The wolf relaxed, let out a sigh and then a yelp and a moan as the wounded paw brushed the ground. Krycek knelt down beside her. "Do you have a first aid kit? Ace bandage?" Skinner nodded and went upstairs to get them. He also grabbed a couple of old blankets and what was left of the pain medication from when he had been shot. He wasn't sure what effect they would have on canine physiology, but the poor animal was suffering and it might help a bit. Skinner came back down the stairs to find that Krycek had hefted the wolf onto the kitchen table. He was running his hands over the injured leg. As he reached the juncture where the paw joined the leg, the wolf gave a yelp. "Easy, Jess," Krycek soothed. "I know it hurts. Let me get it wrapped." He glanced at Skinner. "Hand me the Ace bandage." Skinner handed him the fabric. "That looks broken. She needs a cast, not a wrap." Krycek was busy wrapping the bandage around the wolf's ankle and paw, supporting it. "She heals fast. This will be enough to hold the bone in place until it's back to normal." He noticed the pain pills Skinner had set down. "Vicodin? Give her two, if you don't mind." Skinner shook two pills onto his palm. He placed it beside the wolf's muzzle. As he was debating how to get the medication inside the animal, a pink tongue swiped across his hand, curling around and carrying away the pills. Her tail thumped against the table top twice. Krycek smiled at that. "Quit flirting, Jess." He caressed the beast's head between her ears. The wolf gave a soft moan and she pressed up against his hand. Her large brown eyes slid shut with a sigh. "She'll be more comfortable on the couch," Skinner said. Krycek took a hold of the wolf's flanks. Skinner took the forequarters and nodded. "One, two, three." With a grunt they lifted the one hundred fifty pound canine and moved her to the couch. Krycek picked up the blanket and tossed it lightly over the form. He moved to the other end of the couch to sit down and cradle the head of the dog on his lap. He unbuckled the collar. "It's mostly for show, to avoid violating leash laws. She could snap it in a second." He laid his head back against the couch with a sigh and shut his eyes. Skinner watched them for a moment. The younger man seemed exhausted, but it could have been an act. The canine was out like a light. "Now, Krycek, care to tell me why you're here?" He didn't get an answer. Skinner leaned forward for a closer look. Krycek had fallen asleep. Skinner shook his head. He stood up and walked back up stairs. He came back down with a pair of standard issue handcuffs. He cuffed Krycek's wrist to the free standing floor lamp between two of the three torches, making it impossible to slide the metal ring off. Satisfied that Krycek was going nowhere for the night, he went back upstairs and to bed. Jess woke to a throbbing in her ankle. She had Changed back to a human. She had been asleep, from the narcotic effect of the drug and unconsciously focusing her energy on healing the broken bones in her foot. Now it looked and felt no worse than a badly sprained ankle. She looked up at Krycek from where her head was pillowed on his stomach. He had shifted so his legs were half under her, and his left arm was stretched up and cuffed in what had to be an extremely uncomfortable position. Jess pushed up onto her knees and looked around for the one of the backpacks that Krycek had carried. There they were, dropped by the door. She got up and limped to them and got out a pair of leggings, tee shirt, and some other necessary clothing. Just as she finished dressing, Jess heard Krycek muttering something. She turned to see he had broken out in a cold sweat. "No! Don't take my arm! Please leave me my arm!" Jess picked up his leather jacket and limped back to him. She sat down and put her arms around him. "Alex, it's okay," she cooed. "You're with me." Krycek woke with a start. He stared at her with wide frightened eyes. "I can't feel my left arm!" "It's still there," Jess reassured. She ran her hands up and down it. "Skinner cuffed you to the lamp sometime in the night. Your arm fell asleep." She kissed the tender skin of his inside elbow and then his wrist. "See, feel that?" Krycek sighed at the soft contact and ran his free hand up and down her back. Jess folded up the jacket and slipped it behind his head. She kissed his lipsgently. She looked deeply into his eyes. "We're safe, if only for the moment." Krycek sighed his relief. "How's your ankle?" Jess smiled. "Sore, but manageable." He saw the worry, fear, love, and desire glowing in her dark brown eyes, a reflection of what was in his deep green ones. "We almost didn't make it this time, Jess." His stroked her cheek. "I want you so badly," he whispered. "It's been too long." Jess delicately nuzzled the underside of his jaw. "I want you too, but somehow I don't think that screwing on your former boss's couch while you're chained up is a good move." "Then I guess a blow job is out of the question." Jess laughed. "You're incorrigible." She snuggled back on top of him and pulled the blanket over them both. "Let's just get some more sleep and we'll make plans in the morning." "Sounds good to me." Jess wrapped her arms around him and he cradled her head against his chest. He felt her breathing become slow and regular. He stroked her short dark hair in an absent-minded pattern. Krycek wasn't sure that this was a smart move. But Jess had been hurt in the attack and it was to far to Mulder's or Scully's. Skinner was the only one who they could trust. Now whether or not Skinner trusted them was another question entirely. And that was a question he was too tired to consider. Within minutes he was asleep also. The next morning, the first thing Skinner did after getting dressed was to go downstairs and check on his 'guests.' He came around the corner of the stairwell with gun drawn. Krycek may have been chained up, but that big black wolf wasn't. But as he looked around his living room, all he saw was Krycek, still cuffed to the lamp, and his lover, Jessica Leahs, curled on top of him, both of them still fast asleep. There was no sign of the canine. It was obvious that Jess had been up and around during the night. The gun (stupid of me to leave it down here, Skinner chided himself) had been unloaded, bullets placed at one end of the counter, far from the weapon. Krycek's leather jacket had been folded up and was cushioning his head. Skinner took a step forward, causing the floorboards to creak softly. Jess jumped up in a movement reminiscent of a dog that has been startled awake. She blinked confusedly for a moment. "Sorry about last night...." she muttered. Skinner lowered the gun. "Where's the wolf?" Jess gave him a wry grin. "So much for 'suspending your disbelief'." She stood up and stretched. Skinner noticed she was putting almost half of her weight on her right leg, but the ankle was swollen, much like the dog's had been. "What happened?" "We were on our way to see Mulder when we attacked. Some punk was going to throttle Alex. I jumped him, and we fell. Somehow I landed with him on top of me and my right leg under us and my ankle couldn't support the weight." "And why were you going to see Agent Mulder?" Jess looked at Skinner. He got the distinct feeling that she was sizing him up. "Just checking in," she replied cautiously. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to tame the snags knotting it. "Listen, I'm sorry that we disturbed you and your wife... ." "No need. Ever since becoming Fox Mulder's superior, I've become used to late night intrusions." He took a breath and continued. "And Sharon and I are divorced." "Oh," Jess swallowed. "I'm sorry. I thought... ." "No need to apologize. When you and I first met, Sharon and I were trying to reconcile. It didn't work out." "I see." Jess stood there for a moment, uncertain of what to say or do. "Would it be too much to ask for you to uncuff Alex? I know that you don't trust him, but he won't do anything." Skinner looked at her gruffly. "I'm expected in the office and for appearance's sake, I'm going in. You can stay for another day or so." He walked to the door and opened it. "The keys to the cuffs are upstairs on the chest of drawers," was the last thing he said as he left. "They got away." The young man in the suit was disheveled. His face was scratched and bruised. Cancerman's face was unreadable. "Explain." "We almost had him when she showed up. She killed two of us before we knew she was there. I barely got away." "But they are unharmed?" "I think I broke her leg, but it didn't slow her down. She fought like a demon." There was a sound of undisguised awe in his voice over his opponents skills. Cancerman lit a Morley. "Did she hurt you?" The question was asked with a studied indifference that belied his concern. The underling undid his collar just enough to show several small, freshly formed scabs. "The scratches and bruises are from fighting him. She bit me, because I was holding her hands down, I guess. Didn't do anything more than break the skin. Nothing too serious." The Smoking Man took a drag off the cigarette. "And their present location?" "Uncertain. First contact was made in Crystal City, Virginia. From their movements, I would surmise they were heading towards Washington D.C." Cancerman decided to terminate the debriefing. He had all the information he needed. "I have your written report on the incident. We'll consider this matter closed for the moment. Dismissed." The underling nodded his head and left. Cancerman turned to the body guard who had been listening just out of sight in the other room. He had to be cautious about the ones chosen to undergo and maintain the Change. "Make sure that he does not survive until the next full moon. And be certain to use the silver bullets." Jess stood under the shower head. God, how long has it been since I've had a shower? She shut her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the water sluicing over her body. After uncuffing Krycek, she had headed back upstairs to the bathroom. He hadn't woken up when she released him, so Jess had left him where he was, wanting to clean up. She was hungry and in pain, but all she wanted was to get the dried sweat and dirt off of her skin. Living on the run was a lot tougher than she had thought it would be. Krycek had taught her how to survive, just as she had taught him how to live. They wandered seemingly at random, nosing here and there for bits of data Mulder might find useful - here a UFO sighting, there a crop circle. But mostly they tried to lose the tails placed upon them by Cancerman and the Consortium. She heard the sound of a familiar tread coming up the stairs and into the bathroom. "Walter, what are you doing here? I thought this morning was enough for you." "Very funny, Jess," Krycek snorted. "Don't hog the hot water." He joined her in the shower. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Jess toyed with the few strands of hair on his chest. "I thought you got in here to clean up." "Can I help it if I'm easily distracted?" Krycek trailed his fingers up and down her spine. "Where is Skinner, by the way?" "He went to work and told me that we could stay for a day or so." She stepped out of the direct spray and pushed him into it. She massaged his back, easing the muscles that had cramped from sleeping in such an awkward position. "So we have time to plan our next move." Krycek lathered and rinsed himself. "Uh huh." Jess was shampooing her hair. "I figure that we also have enough time to... ." "Well, I already know what *my* next move is." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back into the stream of water. With his stomach pressed against her back, his hands stroked upwards over her body to massage her scalp, rinsing the foam away. Jess trembled and sighed. She could feel his hot erection pressing into her back. She leaned her head back and turned slightly to whisper in his ear. "And what might that be?" Her tongue flicked out to caress his lobe, toying with the gold loop earring. "I think you know." His hands slid back down to cup her breasts. "But last night, I thought you said screwing here would be a bad idea." "I said screwing on your former boss's couch last night would be a bad idea. I didn't say anything about this morning in the shower." Krycek laughed for the first time in days. Their lives had been so danger filled, so treacherous, and so paranoid lately that they had rarely made love to each other. One would always be on guard while the other rested. "You little minx! If I had known that, I would have dragged that damned lamp up here." "And shocked the hell out of the both of us," Jess giggled. "Talk about an electrifying orgasm." She turned in his arms and kissed his lower lip, sucking greedily. Her arms locked around his neck. Krycek returned the kiss with an enthusiasm that almost frightened Jess. "Do you know how hard it's been not to reach over and molest you while you slept?" His fingers trailed down her spine to squeeze her buttocks. Jess smiled. "Believe me, I *know*! And I wished you had." She rubbed her body hard against his. "Alex," she whispered breathily, "I don't care that we don't have any protection. Three weeks without sex is three too long. All I want to do is make love to you." Krycek turned and shut off the water. He shoved Jess gently back against the tile wall. Starting at her lips, he slowly kissed his way down to her nipples. She was trembling partially from the cold of the evaporating water and partially from pure arousal. Her mouth had dropped open and she made little whimpering noises with each breath. He reluctantly left her breasts and dropped to his knees to continue his explorations lower. His tongue swirled around and in and out of her navel, a hint of what was to come. And he did want her to come. His nose traced a line downwards until it was tickled by her curly hair. He nuzzled her, inhaling her unique scent. When he felt her hands lightly resting on his head, Krycek stole a look up at his lover. Her head was tilted back, her breath was coming harder and faster. She was almost ready. Krycek's tongue gently slipped into the dampness that had very little to do with the shower she had just taken. Jess squealed. He found the erect nub and lapped at it. Her hips began thrusting frantically. He continued to tongue her gently, toying with her. He felt her tremble violently and then sag against the wall, her breathing slowly calming, but still quite heavily. Krycek stood back up and pressed against her. He kissed her, letting her taste herself on his tongue. Jess held him tighter, spreading her legs. Her moan of pleasure turned into a gasp of pain as her injured ankle wobbled. Krycek nuzzled her neck and lifted her right leg over his hip, supporting her weight. "Jess," he whispered in her ear. He was poised to enter her, but not yet at the point of no return. He would be the moment his cock brushed her dampness. "If you've changed your mind, if it's too painful standing, I can stop. We could... ." "Alex," she breathed, nipping at his neck, "make love to me." He leaned forward, allowing his cock to slowly sink into her. Krycek moaned and brushed his lips against the hollow of her throat. Making love to her was an incredible experience. Sometimes he just watched her sleep, wondering how someone so wonderful as his lover could stay with someone as screwed up as himself, could forgive him, let alone love him. And he felt that if he could give her pleasure, despite all the shit she had been through, that it was a way to at least start to atone for what he had done. Jess shivered when he had sunk in to the root. She buried her head against his shoulder. "Oh God, Alex, you feel so good." It was a source of constant amazement that this man could bring out these intense feelings within her, let alone return them. Almost every time she caught sight of her scars, she wondered why someone as handsome as her lover, who could have anyone he wanted, would choose to stay and make love to her. Krycek slowly began rocking his hips, moving in and out of Jess, holding her bottom firmly. His motions were slow, almost lazy. This could be the last time we make love, he thought, like he did almost every time. I want it to last for both of us. His mouth blindly sought hers, sucking and licking. His lips parted before her tongue. She thrust with it in time to the thrusts of his cock. It was an old game they played, both penetrator and penetrated, both giving and receiving pleasure. Krycek moaned and pressed tighter against her body. His movements became faster and more urgent. His hands gripped and released her cheeks quickly and gently. Jess was gasping harder. Krycek broke the kiss to look at her as she came. Her thighs gripped him tighter. Her nails bit into his flesh with an intense pain that was really an intense pleasure. Krycek moaned as he felt her contractions gripping him. Jess had lifted her head from his shoulder and had tilted it back against the slick tile. Then Krycek came, stifling his scream of ecstasy against the tender spot where Jess's shoulder ended and her neck began. They held each other tight as their breathing slowly returned to normal. Jess lowered her head and nuzzled his cheek. Her lips brushed his soft skin. Krycek and Jess softly kissed each other's lips repeatedly. As if it were a prearranged signal, he backed away from her, easing her right leg back to the ground. He held her tightly, kissing her forehead. Jess nuzzled his neck, almost purring her contentment. "I've really missed that," she whispered. "So did I." Krycek got out of the shower and offered her his hand. "Now why don't we dry off and go see what Skinner keeps in his refrigerator." Jess took his hand and stepped out of the shower, still favoring her right leg slightly. Krycek wrapped a fluffy towel around her, wiping off the remaining moisture. He then started to dry himself. "Go get that foot in the air. I'll take care of everything else." Skinner sat at his desk, trying to make sense of the latest report from Mulder and Scully. It was a combination of cattle mutilations, unexplained lights, and strange circular markings left in fields. Mulder claimed it was UFO's. Scully argued for teenage pranksters and predator attacks. He looked up as the door opened. He felt a shiver of unease when he realized who he had to deal with, although he never allowed it to reach the surface. "Mr. Skinner," Cancerman began affably. "I understand your having a problem with rats and stray dogs." "Actually I'm not. The strays tend to keep the rats in line." "However, rats do carry rabies." With a casual disregard for the 'no smoking' sign, he lit up a cigarette. "Even the sweetest tempered dog will turn vicious when bitten by an rabid rat." Skinner's nose wrinkled, but he said nothing about the smoke. "I'll just have to make sure that I get my new pets vaccinated." "Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of calling animal control." "I'll keep that suggestion in mind." Cancerman nodded. "Just so that we understand each other." He turned and left Skinner's office. Skinner sat there for a few moments. He was debating about letting Mulder and Scully know about the fact that Jess and Krycek were around. He decided against it, based simply on the fact that it was probably the exact move that the Smoking Man wanted him to make. He would wait until tonight, when he could talk to Jess and Krycek face to face and find out what they *really* wanted. Later that afternoon, Jess and Krycek were packing up, preparing to leave. They wanted to be gone before Skinner arrived home as to avoid any further complications. The faster they disappeared again, the safer it would be for both themselves and their reluctant allies in the FBI. After their shower, they had eaten a little and slept a lot more. Jess's ankle had finished healing and was back to normal. Krycek had written one note to Mulder and Scully and one to Skinner, explaining the attack on them last night. Jess had also written a letter to Michael, Annie, and Lindy, and also a short note to Skinner asking him to see that the letter to her family was delivered. "That's it," Jess said as she zipped up her backpack. "Are we going to take the gun?" "Shouldn't," Krycek said. He hefted his pack onto his back. "We don't know who it's registered to, if it's registered at all. A weapon would be nice, but I don't want anything that could be used to track us." Jess walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Do you think we'll ever not be running for our lives?" "I wish I could say yes, Jess." Krycek turned and leaned his forehead to hers. "This has been hard on you, hasn't it?" Jess just looked at the floor and nodded. Krycek nuzzled her hair. "I'm going to make it up to you someday. I promise." He sighed. "But for now, we'd better go." Jess nodded. Krycek put a hand under her chin, lifting it to look into her eyes. "I love you," he mouthed and kissed her. "I love you too." Jess kissed the pulse point behind his jaw. "So let's get moving." Krycek walked to the door as Jess picked up her backpack. He opened the door to see Skinner standing there, keys in hand. "Going somewhere?" Jess looked Skinner in the eye. "Alex said that we'd be gone in twenty four hours. We intend to keep that schedule." "And I said you could stay for a day or two." Krycek shook his head. "We don't want to cause you anymore trouble than we already have. It'll be best if we disappear again." Skinner pushed his way past Krycek into the apartment, pulling the door shut. "I wouldn't try disappearing right now. I had a visitor at my office this afternoon. The Smoking Man knows you're holed up here." Something in Jess wilted. She hung her head and dropped onto the couch. "God! I thought we might've lost him for a while." Krycek put an arm around her comfortingly. "We lost him before. We can do it again." But it was plain that he was as scared and tired as Jess was. A knock on the door startled all three. Skinner peered through the spy hole and opened the door to a somewhat sheepish Mulder and Scully. "Sorry to disturb you, sir," Mulder began apologetically, "but by any chance is... ." "Alex! Jess!" cried a child's voice. A nine-year-old blond girl darted past Skinner to run straight for Jess and Krycek, both of whom looked stunned. Jess wrapped the little girl in her arms and lifted her onto her lap. Krycek looked at Mulder. "How did you know...?" Mulder shook his head. "She was on my doorstep when I got home. All that she would say was that you were here." "Lindy," Jess asked gently, "how did you know we were here and why did you come?" Lindy looked Jess in the eye. "I just knew that you were hurt," she said calmly, as if that explained how a nine-year-old could cross a continent to find two people in hiding without an adult's help. A resigned look crossed Jess's face. "We're talking about this later, kiddo." She glanced up to see everyone's questioning looks. "Don't ask me how she does it. She just does it." Krycek looked at Lindy. "Do Michael and Annie know you are here?" Lindy looked down and shook her head. Jess frowned and looked at Skinner. "Would you mind horribly if I used your phone to make a collect call?" Skinner watched Jess from the stairwell. She was calling her brother to let him know about Lindy. Jess was pacing as she talked, using the cordless. Actually, she was pacing as well as she could with a nine-year-old clinging to her leg. "Michael, it's me. Lindy's... no she's here with me... . I don't *know* how she... we'll work that out. Can't talk much longer... love you too, big bro. Bye." She sat down on the couch with a sigh, forcing Lindy to let go. "We gotta talk about your unnatural attachment to my leg sometime." She looked down and ruffled the child's hair. "I missed you, sweetheart." "I missed you too, Jess." Lindy sat down practically in her lap. She looked at Jess's belly hard, then smiled and patted it. "Are you and Alex gonna come back with me?" Jess sighed. "I don't know, Lindy. I've missed you a lot, but I don't want to put you in danger." Her head tilted to one side. "It was a stupid move for you to run off like that to find us. I thought you were smarter than that." Skinner's attention shifted when he heard the sound of steps at the top of the stairs. Krycek walked past him without saying a word. He went straight to Jess. "Scully wants to check you over, Jess." "Okay. You and I aren't done talking," she said, pointing at Lindy. She got up and walked up the stairs. "Sorry for the trouble," she muttered as she passed Skinner. Skinner watched Krycek and Lindy. The young girl looked extremely comfortable and relaxed sitting next to him. In fact, she was filling Krycek in on the doings of a 'Boomer' and 'Chloe.' He had seen what was turned up about the child's abuse and was surprised at how trusting the girl was with Krycek. He looked to his side when Mulder came up to him. "I'm surprised that Jess trusts that rat bastard with her kid." Mulder shook his head. "Krycek may be a lot of things, but he's not a child molester. Jess knows it." He smiled grimly. "Besides, if Krycek betrayed her in any way, she'd send us his testicles in a zip lock baggie." "Still, if I were her...." Skinner rumbled. "I'm no happier about it than you sir," Mulder said. "But Jess won't let him pull any crap. The moment she's suspicious of him, she'll turn to me." "Is that why you've tolerated this situation so long?" Skinner asked. "So when he does betray her, you're there to take him down?" "No sir," Mulder replied. "I wont be taking him down. I'll be there just to clean up the mess and collect what's left when Jess is finished." Krycek, Jess, and Lindy were all now in the motel room that Mulder and Scully had sprung for. Lindy was exhausted, emotionally and physically from her travel, so they were forced to rest longer. Even Jess was impressed. She had crossed the country, running day and night as a wolf, in just over a week. Krycek was amazed at such devotion. While he worked for Cancerman, ideas such as loyalty only got lip service. In reality it was a dog eat dog world. As he lay next to Jess on one of the double beds, he kept turning over one idea in his mind. It didn't feel right to send her away. Maybe it was time to stop running. "Jess, we can't send Lindy back," he whispered. She lifted her head from the pillow. "Alex, you didn't just say what I think you just said," she whispered back. "Listen, I know it sounds stupid," he sighed. "But she'd actually be safer with us than with Annie and Michael. We *know* the danger we're facing. They don't." Jess sighed and leaned her head deeper into the pillows. "That does make sense, Alex, but she's been through so much in her short life. And a life on the run isn't what I'd've chosen for her." Krycek took Jess's hands in his own. "It's not the kind of life I'd've chosen for you." "Alex, that's different," she protested. "No it's not. If I could manage it somehow, we would be living together as an old married couple, with Lindy, Boomer, Chloe, with the one point five statistical biological kids we would have in our five bedroom house." "And we'd be bored out of our skulls," Jess quipped. "Jess, that's not the point. We would *all* be together, not separate. You're a werewolf. She's a werewolf. And wolves are social animals. It's not fair for the two of you to be apart. And I know you've been missing her more than you like to show." Jess sighed. She did miss her little girl deeply but thought she had hidden the pain well. "Is it that obvious?" "Yes." He reached over and stroked her hair gently. "When we showed up for Christmas, you two were inseparable. Lindy wouldn't let you out of her sight for five seconds. I'm surprised she hasn't tried to track us down before now. And I remember being a werewolf. It was lonely, mostly because the others wouldn't have a thing to do with me, unless it was to beat me up or something worse. That's part of the reason I fell in love with you so fast. Don't get me wrong, I would have fallen for you anyway." "And I would have fallen for you too. But I don't know about taking her on the run with us." "We'll be able to protect her better. We know what we're getting into. Michael and Annie, as much as they want to take care of her, don't. And maybe we should stop running and make a stand." "Alex, what are you saying?" Krycek swallowed hard. "Let's settle down and stop running. I want to marry you, help raise Lindy, and just live. The Consortium can do what they damn well please." Jess snuggled against his chest. The idea of having a home again strongly appealed to her. There were risks, but there were risks living on the run also. No matter what they did, there would always be risks. "It might just confuse the hell out of them. Let's do it, my love. And what does happen, well, it happens." She raised her head to his and kissed him. Krycek kissed her lips, her nose, and her forehead. "But first, let's make one last trip. I've heard Las Vegas is beautiful this time of year." He nuzzled her hair sleepily. "I just wish I still had my mother's ring to give back to you." "We can get it from Mulder later, or get another one. Maybe we should wait a little longer before we get married," Jess murmured sleepily. "Let's just get some rest and we'll let tomorrow take care of itself." A week passed after Jess's and Krycek's unexpected appearance. After a quick briefing with Mulder and Scully, they had taken Lindy and disappeared somewhere into the night, without telling anyone where they were heading. So it was a bit of a surprise when they received a letter in Jess's scrawl postmarked from Nevada. Jess and Krycek *never* communicated with them by mail. They had always called using a public pay phone or secured land line. Mulder opened the envelope, and a picture fell to the floor. He stooped to pick it up. "Looks like they finally went through with it," he muttered, passing the photo to Scully. "It's a regular family portrait." She took it. It was a snapshot outside of a wedding chapel somewhere in Las Vegas. In it was Krycek, one arm around Jess, with Lindy standing in front of them. Scully shook her head and flipped the picture over. On the back was scribbled a short note in Jess's hand. "Don't panic," it said. "We got this far and then chickened out. We're waiting for a more suitable time. Visiting Michael and Annie. Will contact when we settle. Jess, Lindy, Alex." Jess looked around the condo in one of the sprawling suburbs near Washington DC. Getting Michael to send some of her stuff and their pets was just what she and Krycek needed to unwind and relax. With Boomer the husky almost tripping her and Chloe the Persian cat shedding on her clean laundry, it was finally starting to feel like home. There had been no overt reaction from the Consortium, although Jess and Krycek weren't so naive to think that they weren't being observed. So, for the moment, they had no immediate serious problems. Except for one that Krycek wasn't aware of yet. Jess felt guilty about keeping her suspicion a secret from him, but she needed to be certain before she said anything. As promised, she called Mulder and Scully and let them that they were back in town. In fact, she had just gotten off the phone with Scully a second time, explaining her problem, who agreed to help her. Someone knocked on the door. Jess opened it to Scully. "Thanks for coming, Dana." "Not a problem, Jess." Scully walked in. "I got one of the most accurate ones on the market." "Shhhhhh! Not so loud. Alex is still here." Jess looked upstairs, afraid that Krycek may have heard them. "Let's go into the bathroom to talk about this." They went into the downstairs bathroom. Jess shut the door firmly. "Anything I need to know?" The sound of the knob being turned kept Scully from answering. She and Jess looked up at the door opening like two girls caught going through mommy's forbidden makeup. "Jess, is Scully here? I thought I heard...oh shit!" Krycek suddenly exclaimed when he saw the pregnancy test sitting on the sink. He swallowed hard and sat down on the edge of the tub. "I think I know what this means. It's serious, isn't it?" Jess and Scully nodded. "I see." A devilish smile crossed his face. "So Scully, what happened? You and Mulder get so drunk you forgot that there's about a hundred forms of birth control out there?" Krycek joked. He smiled. "Congratulations. Listen, speaking as a man, don't put off telling him. Let him know right away. And be direct." Jess sat down on the bathtub beside him. "Yeah, Dana. Maybe something like 'I think I'm pregnant, Alex.'" "Mulder," Krycek corrected. "Alex," Jess replied. "Mulder!" His voice was a little more forceful this time. "Alex," Jess said in the same calm tone of voice. "*Mulder!*" Krycek got up and walked to the sink, gripping the porcelain sides tightly. Scully looked from Jess to Krycek and back to Jess. "I'll see myself out." She backed out the door. Krycek didn't look back at Jess. "How late are you?" he asked softly. Jess swallowed. "A week." "Are you sure?" he asked in an unreadable voice. "Pretty. I just need to take the test to be certain" She shifted back and forth. "I wanted to be positive before I said anything to you. I mean, with what Cassandra did to you, faking that pregnancy... ." She was worried and Krycek still hadn't looked at her. "Alex, are you okay?" "Okay?" Krycek repeated. "The woman I love is pregnant with my child and you ask if I'm 'okay'?" He turned to face her and swept her off the ledge, crushing her to his chest in a fierce hug. "Does this convince you that I'm okay?" he whispered as he lowered his lips to hers. Jess cried in his arms as he kissed her. He nestled her head under his chin and let her sob, stroking her reassuringly. "I'm so scared. I want this child, but I'm afraid of what it will be, human, werewolf, ...or something else." "Oh God, Jess," he said with a shuddering breath. "I hadn't even thought about it. If the Consortium finds out... ." His arms tightened around her. Jess and Krycek held each other for several minutes. Jess sighed eventually. "Let me take the test. We may be worrying for nothing." But I don't think I am, was the unspoken end to the thought. When Lindy came home from school, she knew something was up. Jess and Krycek weren't downstairs to greet her like usual. She could hear them talking and laughing upstairs. She could also hear a steady thumping noise, caused by the headboard of their bed hitting the wall. There was only one way that particular sound could be made. Lindy shook her head a little and rolled her eyes. Although she and Jess had had 'the talk,' she still didn't quite understand why Jess liked sex with Krycek so much. When the werewolf who Changed her molested her, it had varied from uncomfortable at best to extreme pain at worst. Jess always treated her like an adult when it came to a serious question, especially about sex. She could usually respond to Lindy with a straightforwardness that caught most people who didn't know Lindy's history off guard. But whenever she asked why Jess enjoyed Krycek touching her like that, she replied like any other uncool adult, "You'll understand when you're older." She went into the kitchen and got herself a glass of soda. The sounds had stopped, so she guessed they would be down soon. So Lindy went back into the living room, plopped down on the center of the floor, and turned on the TV. Chloe came in from another room and dropped herself on Lindy's lap, demanding her share of attention. Lindy scratched behind the cat's ears idly, waiting. It wasn't a long wait. Jess came bouncing downstairs, wrapped in a robe. Krycek followed closely on her heels, wearing only sweatpants. He crashed into Jess when she stopped short at the sight of the blond girl. "You're home already!" he blurted out. Lindy nodded. "It's a half day because of the parent-teacher conferences." "Uh, yeah, I forgot," Jess said. She sat down on the couch and patted the spot beside her. Lindy got up from the floor and sat beside her. "Lindy," Jess said, taking the girl's hand. "We've got some exciting news. I'm pregnant." Lindy didn't look surprised. "I knew that. I've known for about a month." Krycek's eyebrows almost shot over his hairline. "You've known for a month? How?" Jess was only a month along at the most. Lindy shrugged her shoulders. "I can just tell sometimes." She tilted her head and looked at Jess. "Can't you?" Jess shook her head. "Lindy, I had no idea I was pregnant until a few days ago. Can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?" Lindy squinted at Jess's belly. "A girl," she said after some hesitation, "a girl with dark hair." Krycek smiled. "Like that's a surprise," he laughed. Jess's hair was almost as dark as his. "Are you okay with this Lindy? You know this doesn't mean we'll love you any less, right?" Lindy smiled a little shyly. "I always wanted a little sister," she admitted. Jess tousled Lindy's blond hair affectionately. "Well, we'll work on giving you a brother too, someday." A month passed. Jess, Lindy and Krycek adapted to a more settled life. Aside from Lindy, they told no one about Jess's pregnancy. They wanted to wait until it could no longer be hidden, for all their safety. There was no telling exactly how the Consortium would react. Krycek kept glancing at Jess as he drove to Mulder's apartment. Scully had left a cryptic message on their answering machine, requesting them to come over. Jess had insisted on going over even though she wasn't quite feeling okay. She was looking tired and pale. "You taking your vitamins?" Jess smiled. "Yes, I'm taking those prenatal vitamins. I just had a hard time getting to sleep last night and am feeling a little draggy. And the morning sickness doesn't help either. I'll be fine." When they arrived, Krycek insisted on helping her out of the car and into the elevator, fussing over her. "Alex, I'm pregnant, not porcelain. I can still walk unassisted, you know." Krycek smiled at her. "So when are we going to let Mulder and Scully know?" "Why not today, if this isn't too serious." Jess knocked on the door to apartment 42. Scully opened it. "We came as soon as we got your message," Jess said as they stepped inside. What's wrong?" "It's serious Jess, Krycek. I've been reassigned." "You reassigned? No way! Skinner wouldn't dare..." Krycek began. "The order didn't come from Skinner, but from his superiors. Budget cuts was the reason given." "I see," Jess said. Yeah, right. We can find the money to make a stealth bomber, but can't find the cash to fund two person department in the FBI's basement, so cut it down to one. "How are you handling it?" "I'm still in shock. But Mulder has me worried. He thinks that this means he can't continue to search for Samantha. He's devastated. He won't talk to me." "I'll give it a shot." Jess went into the bedroom. She saw Mulder sitting on the bed, his head hanging down. "Mulder? I heard. I'm sorry." Mulder turned to look at her. It was obvious that he had been crying, but his eyes were dry at this moment. "Why did it have to be today?" he asked, looking like a lost little boy. "I could have handled it any other day than today." Today? What's so special about today? I...oh. Those cruel bastards, Jess thought with a sigh. It was a calculated psychological blow. Today was November 27th, the day that Samantha had been taken away. Only someone else was being was being 'taken away' and this time it was Scully. She sat down on the bed beside him. "Just because Dana isn't assigned to the X-files doesn't mean you have to give up your search for the truth or for Samantha. And there's a woman out there who's worried sick about you. She should be talking to you right now, not me. And maybe there's an upside to this situation." "Upside?" Mulder shook his head. "What upside?" "You and Dana can finally go public with your relationship." Jess put an arm around him. "Listen, she's hurting about this also. Go talk to her." Mulder pushed up off the bed. Jess patted him on the back. They both went back into the living room. "He has returned to the land of the living," Jess pronounced, taking a seat on the desk chair. She slumped, her light complexion washing out even further. Mulder looked at Jess with a little concern. "Jess, you don't look so hot. Are you feeling okay?" Jess put her hand to her forehead to wipe away a thin film of sweat. "I don't feel so good. I'm cold, but I'm sweating and feel lightheaded. I think I need some fresh air." She stood up shakily and took a few steps. Krycek stared dumbly at the dark wet stain that appeared where Jess had been sitting. "Jess..." At the sound of her name, Jess tried to turn to face him. But her legs gave out and she collapsed. "Jess!" Krycek screamed. He bolted across the room to kneel beside her. Scully had beaten him to her and was already examining her. "Call an ambulance! She's bleeding!" Mulder watched Krycek pace the waiting room. The man was a nervous bundle of energy, pacing back and forth between the double doors of the emergency room where she had been whisked out of sight and the waiting area. The pattern was augmented every five minutes by a trip to the nursing station to inquire about Jess's condition. Mulder finally got tired of the incessant circling. "Krycek sit down. You wearing a track in the carpet isn't going to do her any good." Krycek did sit for about five minutes. And then again he was up and pacing. Mulder was losing his patience. "Krycek, sit down. She's going to be fine." Krycek glared at him out of the corner of his eyes. "You don't know that." "She will be fine," Mulder repeated. She's tough. She's..." "...two months pregnant," Krycek muttered. "What?" Mulder's jaw dropped. "Are you two crazy? With the Consortium after you? And the fact that she's a..." "Do you think we *planned* it?" Krycek screamed through gritted teeth. "We were as surprised as you are." He dropped into a seat, cradling his head in his hands. "And we're both elated and terrified." Scully stepped through the swinging doors, followed by a nurse. "Krycek, she's awake and asking for you." Krycek stood, his apprehension apparent. "Is she..." "They're both fine." Krycek sighed in relief and followed the nurse back into the emergency room. That left Mulder and Scully alone. "Did you know about Jess being pregnant?" Scully shook her head. 'Yes and no. She asked me a few questions about the accuracy of pregnancy tests and had me buy one for her. She never said she was, so I assumed the answer was no." Mulder seemed to be processing the fact that his ex-lover/friend was now pregnant by his ex-partner/ex-enemy/uneasy ally. He followed Scully back into the restricted area. "How is she *really*, Scully?" "She'll be fine, if she stays in bed," Scully answered. "We're not exactly sure why she started bleeding. But for some reason, it stopped as mysteriously as she started." Mulder kicked over to investigative mode. "Could it be related to her lycanthropy? With her odd blood chemistry, her body may not be able to carry a pregnancy to term." Scully gave him a patented you-have-got-to-be-kidding look, the one she reserved for his more outrageous paranormal theories. "Jess mentioned during admissions that there is a family history of troubled pregnancies." Krycek's head poked through the swinging doors where Jess was. "She wants to talk to you for a minute, Mulder." Mulder nodded and walked through the doors, changing places with Krycek. He looked at Jess laying in the bed. She was still pale and hooked into IV's to help replace some of the lost fluids. "Hey there," he said quietly. Jess looked at Mulder through half closed eyes. "Surprise," she said weakly with a smile. "To say the least." Mulder pulled a chair up close to the head of the hospital bed. "Jess, I don't know what to say. Except, are you sure? You aren't considering terminating the pregnancy? Why weren't you on the Pill? And why weren't you taking precautions?" "For a man who doesn't know what to say, Mulder, you sure have a problem keeping yourmouth shut." She put a hand protectively over her stomach. "I, we both, want this child. And as to your other questions, the Pill doesn't work with my biochemistry and neither of us were exactly thinking with our brains at the time." "Jess, you know that lycanthropy is said to run in families. There is a strong possibility that the baby you're going to be raising will also be a werewolf." "Just like I'm raising Lindy," Jess responded. "The only difference is that Lindy isn't related to me by blood, and the fact she was about five when I met her." She paused, considering her next words carefully. "What's got you upset is that Alex is the father, isn't it?" Mulder sighed and looked away from her. "Jess, I know he hasn't hurt you. He's been above board with everything and hasn't tried to double cross me or Scully. But I can't trust Krycek completely. I'll never be able to, because of what he did." Jess laid a hand on his arm. "I understand, Mulder. But I'm not asking you to trust him. I'm asking you to trust me." She sighed and shut her eyes, plainly exhausted. "I'd better let you rest. We'll talk later," Mulder said. "And I'll try to be happy for you and your spawn, hell beast." "Bite me, Spooky," Jess murmured sleepily. The young informant delivered his weekly surveillance report. "Sir, she has been hospitalized." "Hospitalized?" the consulting doctor for this part of the Project repeated. "Why?" "According to the medical records, she is two months pregnant and has unexplained bleeding." "Just like the others," the doctor said. He turned to Cancerman. "She should be brought in for an examination and treatment." The Smoking Man removed his cigarette from his mouth. "Is it absolutely necessary?" "Yes," the doctor replied. "If treatment is begun early enough, it may be possible to bring her to term. If not, the fetus, and possibly the mother, will not survive." Cancerman paused, considering his options. Jess and Krycek had not followed through with their threat to go to Mulder yet. It would be a risk separating the two, but Jess was too valuable a subject to allow to die without intervention. "If the situation is not critical, wait until she has been released from the hospital. Then bring her in for observation." I hate laying on my back all day, Jess thought with a groan, I feel too vulnerable. Basic animal instincts said that an exposed belly was an invitation to having it bit open. But all the doctors had been emphatic. She could go home, but only if she did one thing - stay in bed. She needed to be still for the rest of her pregnancy to insure both her and her baby's health. However after six weeks of just laying around, Jess was starting to feel stir crazy, even with the change of scenery. Lindy poked her head in the room. "Need anything Jess?" "Nah, Lindy, I'm just gonna watch TV and maybe take a nap." "Okay, if you want anything, yell." Lindy went off to her room. I want to be able to get out of bed, she groused. Jess leaned her head back against the pillows and thumbed the remote. The inane chatter from an afternoon talk show filled the air. She clicked it off, bored. She had finally managed to convince Krycek to go out and do something for himself. He had been hovering over her day in and day out since her enforced bed rest. Jess tolerated it at first, but she decided to shoo him away. "Alex, please don't take this the wrong way, but go chase some aliens with Mulder or something." Krycek smiled at her snarly attitude. She would give selflessly, but try to take care of her and you got your head bitten off. "Don't tell me you're tired of being waited on hand and foot?" "I just feel like you're staying here because I'm stuck in bed for six more months. I'm sick of you hovering over me. Lindy can watch me just fine for a few hours." "Okay," he said. "Now you don't give Mommy any trouble," he spoke to her belly. Jess was just barely beginning to show, and you had to be extremely familiar with her body to notice. He kissed the slight bulge of her stomach and then Jess's cheek lightly. "I'll be back later. Want anything?" she asked for a crossword book and sent him on his way. Now she lay half dosing, eyes shut. A soft rumble and a gentle vibration made her crack open an eye slightly. Growing up near the San Andreas fault, she was used to earthquakes. Not even a 3.0 on the Richter Scale, she thought settling back down and almost fell sleep again. Then a thought crossed her mind. I'm in DC, not San Jose. Earthquakes in this part of the country were not as common as the West Coast. Jess sat up. ~Lindy?~ she mindspoke. There was no reply. Jess switched to her physical voice. "Lindy?" Still no response. Although the shades to her room were drawn and the lights off, it was growing brighter and the vibrations were increasing. Jess threw up an arm to shade her eyes, but it did little good. A wave of sleepiness washed over her. This didn't feel like going to sleep naturally. It was more like having a dimmer switch turned to the off position, but it was her mind that was being dimmed. The light was growing brighter with each second. The last thing she did see before losing consciousness was a spindly figure backlit in her doorway. Krycek walked back up the driveway to the condo. Jess had been right. He did need a little time to himself, even if it was just a quick drive to the mall to get a few magazines and a book for Lindy. He couldn't resist looking at the baby care aisle at the drugstore. He also couldn't resist making one small purchase for their future child, a small, pastel purple, terry cloth puppy. The front door was unlocked, which set off a dim warning bell in his head. I thought I locked it. He dismissed the thought. Lindy probably checked the mail and forgot to relock it. Having a healthy amount of paranoia was one thing, jumping at shadows was another. It was quiet. Jess's napping and Lindy's listening to her walkman. He climbed the stairs silently, not wanting to disturb either of them. He rounded the corner to peek in on Jess sleeping. Their bed was empty. So was the adjoining bathroom. "Jess?" He checked the small den across the hall, the room they planned to turn into a nursery. "Jess?" he called again. He knocked on Lindy's closed door. "Lindy, have you seen Jess?" Lindy opened the door, yawning. "She's in your room." "No she's not. What happened?" "Dunno. I was listening to some music and fell asleep." "Oh dear God," Krycek whispered, slipping into shock. He knew the Consortium would eventually find out about Jess's pregnancy, but he didn't think this was the move they would make. "They've taken her." Krycek walked into his and Jess's room. He half expected to see her there, already asleep, or complaining that he had stayed up too late and woke her up. Only their bed was empty. He had called Mulder and Scully first thing. He knew that he couldn't go to the police. The moment they ran a background check on him, within an hour he would be on his way to to jail, and then probably a morgue soon after that. Mulder then called a group of friends. Krycek had heard him make references to 'The Lone Gunmen' before, but didn't have too much faith in their hacking abilities. He was wanted by too many people for too many different things from his past to be erased with just a few keystrokes. Either he seriously underestimated Mulder's friends capabilities, or someone else was looking out for him. The police came, did a routine search, and left, all without a sideways glance at Krycek. Krycek took a shuddering breath and threw himself down on the bed. He buried his face in her pillow, clutching at it and crying, smelling Jess on it. He prayed to a God he no longer believed existed that, please, let her be found alive and well. He looked up when he heard the soft sobbing coming from the next room over. He got up and went towards the sound. "Lindy?" The young girl was sitting curled on her bed, crying. She was holding a picture of her and Jess. She looked up at Krycek. "My... fault," she stuttered between sobs. "All... my... fault." "No, sweetheart." Krycek sat down on the bed beside her. "Lindy, it's not your fault." "Yes it is!" Lindy insisted. "I shoulda been awake! I shoulda been with her! I shoulda fought them!" "Lindy, you're a child. A girl with special, extraordinary powers, but still just a child." He put an arm around her. Lindy leaned against him, sniffling. "Jess wouldn't blame you, and I don't either." Lindy put her arms around him, crying even harder now. Krycek gently stroked her head, allowing his own tears to fall. "I should have been here too. It was stupid of me to leave." "Alex, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known!" Lindy cried. Krycek hung his head. "I should have. At least, I should have guessed that this would happen." Neither of them said anything for a long time. They just sat there on Lindy's bed, lost in their thoughts. Lindy eventually broke the silence. "We're gonna find her, right?" Krycek thought hard before answering. He didn't dare lie to the young girl. "I hope so, Lindy. I pray so." Skinner looked up from the paperwork on his desk. "Agent Mulder, I'm afraid I'm going to have to deny your request to investigate Ms. Leah's abduction as an X-File." "Sir, it's not a new file. It's a continuation of one of the first ones personally compiled by myself," Mulder hedged. Skinner leaned forward in his chair, staring hard at the younger man. "I'm afraid that's irrelevant. Certain interests have made it clear that pursuing this matter as an X-File would be detrimental to both your and Ms. Leahs's health." Skinner tried to soften the blow. "I know she's a close friend, Agent Mulder, Agent Scully." Scully tried playing their last card. "She's also three months pregnant." "Krycek's?" At Mulder's nod, he shook his head. "That explains why Cancerman was so emphatic. We can investigate it as a standard missing person's case, but not an X-File and not with either of you involved. I'm sorry." The first month came and went. The authorities did their investigation and found nothing. Strangely enough, there wasn't much publicity about Jess's disappearance. Or perhaps it wasn't so strange. Perhaps Someone was seeing that it was kept quiet so certain events could proceed without any interference. It was simply as if she had dropped off the face of the earth. Krycek swung between self-recrimination and wild hatred. He felt that it was his fault. If he hadn't gone out, if he had stayed with her, if he hadn't gotten her pregnant, if he had never met her, if he hadn't gotten involved with Cancerman in the first place... . Even if he found Jess and their child alive and well, he vowed vengeance for taking them away and putting all of them through this living hell. And he became more ashamed of the role he had played in Scully's abduction. How did Mulder survive that and stay sane? was an almost constant thought. Michael and Annie offered to take Lindy. He gave the girl her choice. She could go back to California with Jess's family, or she could stay with him. Lindy chose to stay with Krycek, wanting to help look for Jess. He tried hard to make sure that the young girl didn't blame herself for what had happened, but didn't extend that to himself. Lindy felt miserable, like she had let Jess down. So to ease her conscience, she searched intently when she had finished her homework and could sneak away from Krycek. Lindy had no fears that Krycek would molest her like the werewolf who Changed her, but she wanted to find Jess on her own terms. She would slip out into the night as a wolf, searching for any trace, physical or mental, of Jess, and returned frustrated at having found nothing. Mulder also helped them, remembering how his family had been torn apart by the loss of his sister. He accepted Scully's reassignment without protest. He also kept an ear to the ground concerning information about either Jess or Samantha. He may have conceded this particular battle to Cancerman, but he hadn't lost the war. Scully was concerned about Mulder. She had always noticed the similarity in appearance between Jess and what Samantha might look like as an adult. She secretly believed that was why Mulder was so protective of Jess. Now she had disappeared, just like Samantha, just like herself. And once again Krycek was involved. Month two passed. Scully started her teaching position at Quantico. Mulder continued his search for both Samantha and Jess through both official and unofficial channels. Krycek and Lindy also searched. They kept in contact with Jess's brother. He had heard nothing. Lindy's nightly searches turned up nothing. Month three passed. Mulder and Lindy still met weekly to talk about their feelings of guilt over the disappearance of their loved ones. Helping her deal with the hurt and pain of missing Jess also helped Mulder start healing the wounds from Samantha's disappearance that had never really closed. Month four passed. Mulder and Scully started openly dating, no longer able to hide their emotions for each other from their FBI associates. Krycek and Lindy started to consider the possibility that they might never see Jess again and would be forced to learn to live without her. And halfway through month five, Jess was dropped back onto the face of the earth. Mulder was running. He was following a set of bloody dog tracks down a twisty corridor. Every now and then he would see the tip of a black bushy tail disappearing around a corner. The tracks went from being far apart and evenly spaced to a close together and in an irregular pattern. It indicated the animal went from a smooth, running pace to a severe limp. As he turned the corner to a long straight away, he finally got a good look at what he was tracking. It looked like Jess in her full wolf form. She was bleeding from several wounds striping her back. She stumbled and collapsed to the ground, crawling forward a few inches, clawing at her neck. Rolling so her back was to him, she gave a groan and a rattly breath. And then she stopped breathing entirely. Mulder ran forward. As he reached her, she started to Change. When the shaggy fur disappeared, only then did he notice the bloody silver chain wrapped around her neck, biting into the flesh, almost decapitating her. "Oh Jess," he whispered. Then he noticed the hair spilling from her head was too long and the wrong color. The werewolf wasn't Jess. Mulder gently turned the body to look at the face. And as he saw Scully's vacant eyes staring sightlessly, he started screaming. He bolted upright in his bed. He put his head in his hands, rocking. "It was just a dream. It was just a dream. It was just a dream," was his mantra. He felt a warm hand reach out from the darkness to rest on his arm. "Fox, what's wrong?" came Scully's voice from next to him. "A nightmare, Dana. Nothing more than a nightmare." "About Samantha or Jess?" Jess's disappearance had triggered Mulder's memories of being unable to stop Samantha's abduction. Or at least, that's what he had told her. She knew he still harbored a great deal of guilt over her own disappearance. "It was about Jess... and you," he hesitantly admitted as he lay back down. Scully rolled over and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm not planning on going anywhere, Fox." "Good, Dana." He returned the hug gratefully. "I don't envy Krycek having to sleep alone." "Me neither," Scully murmured. "I'm not that strong." Lindy jumped over the back yard fence. She was returning as a blonde wolf from her nightly search and full moon hunt. Again it had been a quick kill of a couple of rats to satisfy her blood lust and a night of fruitlessly searching for Jess. She instinctively stiffened when she saw the figure in the leather jacket sitting on the back porch. As she caught his scent, she relaxed. Lindy trotted over to Krycek. He was sitting on the steps, an open bottle of vodka beside him. Lindy could have smelled the scent of alcohol on his breath ten yards away even with a human nose. Krycek was looking down at something he held in his hands. She butted his chest with her head. She had remembered what *he* had done to her when he got drunk, but she trusted Krycek. He had never tried to touch her the way *he* did. His teary green eyes shifted to stare into Lindy's blue ones. Krycek put the purple puppy toy down on the steps beside him. "Nine months, Lindy." He tousled the golden ears. "Jess would've given birth to your sister tonight." Lindy snuggled closer to him. A low whimper escaped from her throat. Krycek took her furry head between his hands. "I know you've done your best to find her, honey." He kissed between her eyes. "Go upstairs and get ready for bed. I'll be up there in a minute." Lindy's pink tongue swiped across his face. She got up and slipped into the condo. Krycek stood up and took one last look at the full moon. He had a momentary vision of a black female wolf nursing a newborn pup. He smiled slightly at the though. Jess, where the hell are you? he thought desperately. A beeping noise filled the air. Krycek frowned and went inside, trying to locate the source of the sound. Sitting on the desk was Jess's pager, chiming. Krycek and Lindy had faithfully kept fresh batteries in it, praying that somehow they would be contacted using it. He picked it up and noted it was Jess's voice mail number. Probably a wrong number, someone got the wrong voice mail box, he thought glumly. But he dialed the number, punched in the password, and listened to the playback anyway. His eyes went wide. "Oh my God," he whispered. It was the voice he both hated and feared and wanted to hear. Krycek stood outside the house, the same one he and Jess had retrieved the bogus digital tape from. I know I promised Jess I'd never make a deal with this devil again. Well, some promises were meant to be broken. He had followed the instructions to the letter. He hadn't told anyone and he had come alone. But he didn't come unarmed. He walked up to the door and turned the knob slightly. It was unlocked. He's waiting for me. But he went in anyway with his senses alert and his gun drawn. He walked into the unlit living room. "You're late, Mr. Krycek," a familiar voice chided. "I expected you to contact me earlier this month." Krycek looked around, unable to spot him in the darkness. "Where are they? I know you have them, you smoking son of a bitch!" "The correct question is 'where is she?' Mr. Krycek." Krycek saw a lighter flare and the glowing end of a cigarette. A lamp turned on to the low setting, revealing Cancerman sitting in the corner. "After all, your lover was having a difficult pregnancy." Krycek's jaw clenched. "If you've hurt either of them, so help me God, I'll go to Mulder and tell him about you and his..." "Spare me your idle threats, Mr. Krycek. We both know that without Ms. Leahs confirmation, Agent Mulder will not believe you." Krycek raised the gun, sighting between Cancerman's eyes. "And what's to keep me from killing you where you sit?" "Nothing," was the Smoking Man's calm reply. "Except for the fact that if you kill me, you'll never find her. Someone else will merely assume my position. And he may not be as benevolent as I have been." Krycek lowered the gun, easing the hammer down. "So what do you want from me?" Cancerman took a drag off the cigarette. "I'm willing to exchange her for a certain item. In X-File 117126, there is a piece of evidence, a ring. Procure it for me, and she will be returned." "Mulder, please, you've got to help me." Krycek knew he had no right to ask the man standing before him for anything. He had hurt Mulder in so many ways. But Krycek prayed that if Mulder didn't have pity on him, he would at least do this for Jess. Mulder's eyes narrowed. "With what?" "I've been contacted by the Smoking Man. He's willing to make a trade, but I don't understand why." "What does he want?" "A ring that is part of an X-File. He said it was number 117126." Mulder frowned, thinking. "That would be Jess's ring. I wonder what he wants with it." "I really don't care. All I want is to find Jess." Mulder looked sharply at Krycek. Was there more to this deal than Krycek was telling him? "Are you willing to sell your soul to get her back?" "According to you, I don't have a soul," Krycek snapped. "I've accepted the fact that you won't ever trust me. And to tell you the truth, I don't blame you. But if you won't do it for me, do it for Lindy because she's just as miserable as I am." Krycek sat on the park bench, waiting for the Smoking Man. The ring was a heavy lump in his leather jacket's pocket. He shivered a little and pulled his jacket tighter against him to keep the cold out. But the shiver had little to do with the cold, and a lot to do with fear. Cancerman had never said Jess's name. It could have been her that he meant, or it could have been the child if Jess had given birth to a girl. If Jess were dead, he would destroy that bastard if it were the last thing he did. And if their child hadn't survived, he would cheer Jess on as she strangled Cancerman with his own intestines, if she were merciful enough to kill him outright. It was cold comfort to know that somewhere in the darkness, Mulder was watching. Krycek knew he was there out of concern for Jess, but also to make sure that Krycek wasn't double crossing him. After Krycek went to Mulder for help obtaining the ring, Mulder had gone to Skinner. And Skinner had authorized Mulder checking out the file's evidence bag for 'research' and had made no comment when it returned empty. He thought about the ring. Although he had never seen it until Mulder passed it on to him, he knew what it looked like. Jess had described it vividly. It was silver and shaped like a snarling wolf head with faceted garnet eyes. And inside the band were inscribed two French words - 'loup garou.' Loosely translated, they meant werewolf. Putting on the ring apparently caused Jess to become one, to be able to Change from human to beast at will. He didn't look up as he heard someone walk out of the darkness towards him. He also made no acknowledgment when the Smoking Man sat down on the bench beside him. Cancerman finally broke the silence. "Did you obtain it?" Krycek reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He stared straight at his former boss and toyed with it as if he were thinking about slipping it on. The Smoking Man lit a cigarette. "If you do that, you will never find her." He turned away and stared straight ahead as he handed it over. Cancerman lifted the ring into the light. He looked at the inside band. He then pocketed it. "You've done well." Krycek bristled. "I kept my end of the bargain. Now you keep yours. Where is she?" "Patience, Mr. Krycek." Cancerman stood and walked off into the night. Krycek made no move to follow him. He sat there, still staring straight ahead. He didn't move until Mulder came up to him. "What did he tell you, Krycek?" "Nothing." He slumped forward and put his head in his hands. "He told me nothing. I did everything he asked, played the part he wanted, just like I used to." He looked up into the sky. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" he shouted. "Hire the Stupendous Yappi and have him try to call up Jess's dead sister Rachel? Ask her where Jess is?" Mulder shook his head. It was times like this that he almost pitied Krycek. He put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Maybe we'll hear something tomorrow." When Mulder took Krycek back to his and Jess's place, they found Jess in the very bed she had been taken from. She was very weak and very ill. And no longer pregnant. Now she lay in a hospital bed, breathing shallowly. All they would tell Krycek was that her condition was stable. Aside from that, nothing more would be said. "Jess, love, c'mon, wakeup. You're pretty enough. You don't need any more beauty sleep." He stroked her bangs back from her forehead. Jess's head turned slowly under his light touch. Her eyes opened slowly. "Alex?" she whispered, barely moving her lips. She blinked, unsure of where she was for a few seconds. Tears spilled down her cheek. "I couldn't stop them. They took her from us." "It's not your fault, Jess." One of his hands found hers. She grasp it tightly, afraid he would also be ripped away from her. "I don't blame you. It's not your fault," he whispered as she cried. "I love you. I've missed you. It's not your fault." Jess continued crying softly. Krycek caressed her hair and wiped her tears away, whispering tender endearments. She eventually subsided, exhausted by the emotional display, despite how mild it had been. She leaned into his touch, sighing and closing her eyes. Her head leaned forward slightly as she fell into a natural sleep. Krycek sat there, stroking her hair and holding her hand. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Her hair was clean but longer, as though her captors hadn't bothered with cutting it. Although not grotesquely underweight, Jess was thinner, most of her muscles having lost their tone. But it was her face that he kept returning to. Dark circles smudged her eyes, almost making her look like a raccoon. Her skin was paler than usual, from lack of exposure to sunlight. The door opened. Krycek looked up to see Jess's brother Michael step into the room. "We just got here," he said. His hand took Jess's other. With his free hand, he wiped away a few tears that sprang to his eyes. The bond between Michael and Jess had always been strong, especially since their sister Rachel died. "Do you want some time alone with her?" "Yeah, please. I'll let you know if she wakes up." Krycek nodded and reluctantly left the room. He walked out of the room to see Annie, Michael's wife, talking to Lindy and Scully. He winced when he saw Annie, four months pregnant. Knowing that Jess's sister-in-law was pregnant was one thing, but actually looking at her was a constant reminder of what he and Jess may have lost forever. Scully caught sight of him. She walked towards him. "Alex, we've got the results back from the first of the tests." Krycek knew there was a serious problem. Scully had called him by his first name. And there was a lot of pity in her voice. And when he heard what the results of the tests were, he understood why. Scully watched Jess and Krycek sleep through the observation window of the door. Jess was resting in the bed, Krycek in a chair pulled up by the head of it. One of his hands was locked possessively around hers. She jumped when she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders, until she realized who's hands they were. "Look at the two of them," she whispered. Mulder lowered his chin to rest on her shoulder. She could feel the scratch of his unshaven cheek against hers. "How are they taking it?" "Jess doesn't know yet. She didn't wake up again. It's best for her just to sleep as long as she can." Scully sighed. "And Krycek's devastated. He really wanted that child with her." "And she really wanted children. She's going to be deeply hurt," Mulder sighed. "Where's Lindy?" "Michael and Annie took her to their hotel. They'll bring her back in the morning when Jess wakes up. Let's go home, Mulder." Mulder nodded. With their arms around each other, they walked out of the hospital. They were quiet for the most part on the ride to Scully's apartment. Scully was lost deep in thought. She had never considered about having children beyond the thought that she did want them someday. She and Mulder hadn't talked about it, but she had a feeling that if she did get pregnant, he would throw himself wholeheartedly into being a father. Mulder, for his part, kept looking sidelong at her, as if he had a question but wasn't sure how to ask. They walked side by side, shoulders barely brushing. At the door, Scully turned to Mulder. "Are you planning to spend the night?" she asked, passing through it. "Yes," was his soft reply. Mulder entered the apartment. "I was also planning some other things for tonight." "Not to put you off, but I'm tired, Fox." Mulder chuckled. "Although that would be nice, Dana, that's not exactly what I had in mind." "So what did you have in mind?" "A lifetime commitment." Scully smiled. "I must be tired. For a moment I thought you were proposing." "I am. I love you, Dana." Mulder took both her hands in his. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He sighed, lips brushing her forehead. "I've wanted us to be together forever from the first moment I first saw you." His lips traveled to her ear. "Make my fondest dream come true. Marry me, Dana Katherine Scully." Scully looked up and was lost in his hazel eyes. "Yes, Fox William Mulder. I will marry you." Mulder crushed Scully to his chest in a fierce hug. "We can't do it right away, Dana. We both know that there are too many risks. If you went missing again...." "I'm willing to wait, Fox," Scully answered. "As long as we're together, I will be content." "Jessie." Jess startled awake at the sound of someone calling her name. For a split second, she was terrified, uncertain of where she was. Then she felt Krycek's hand on hers and she sighed in relief. She turned her head slightly so she could look at him. He was sitting awkwardly on the chair next to her bed, asleep. It was clear that he hadn't been taking good care of himself. His leather jacket, which was almost was a part of him, was hanging loosely from his frame. "Jessie," came the voice again. It was obvious that it wasn't Krycek who was talking. And he never called her 'Jessie,' her childhood nickname. Jess slowly started scanning the room. She saw a young woman standing at the foot of the bed. She was wearing a white dress, but it didn't look like a nurse's uniform. It looked like a oversized t-shirt belted at the waist by a blue sash. She had long brown hair and startling blue eyes. The face looked familiar. And with a bolt of shock, she recognized the face in front of her. It was almost the same face that stared back at her from the mirror every morning. "Rachel?" Rachel smiled. "It's been a long time, Jessie," she said. She moved to the head of the bed. "I've missed you, little sister." Jess smiled. "Oh, God! Rachel," she said as Rachel bent over and carefully hugged her, avoiding the IV lines. Jess returned the hug with one arm, unwilling to let go of Krycek. She felt warm and solid and real. "I'm not hallucinating, am I?" she asked, tears trailing from her eyes. "No Jessie, I'm still dead." Rachel grew serious quickly. "I don't have much time. You must be strong, for you, your love, and both your daughters. Everything will work out for the best." "How do you know that?" Jess asked. "Can you see into the future?" "Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future," Rachel said, sounding suspiciously like Yoda the Jedi Master. "Oh come on, Jessie," she laughed. "Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I'm not up on my pop culture references." Jess chuckled. Despite wanting to talk to her sister, she was falling asleep. She fought her body's gradual decline towards unconsciousness. "Will I see you again, Rachel?" "I don't know. But remember I'll be watching and helping you when I can. I love you, Jessie," were the last things she heard before she fell asleep. "No, please don't," were the first words he heard when he woke. Krycek woke to a stiff back and neck from sleeping in a chair. He blinked as he turned his head to see Jess weakly struggling against her nightmare. "Jess," he said softly, trying to wake her. "It's a nightmare. You're safe." "Alex?" Jess breathed. She reached for him with the arm that didn't have the IV in it. "Where am I? Did they bring you to me?" "No, shhhh. You're in the hospital." One hand went to the side of her head, thumb lightly tracing her cheekbone. He leaned down to brush his lips against hers. Jess tried weakly to return the kiss. Krycek pulled back. "Don't. Rest. I couldn't resist. I've missed you so much." "I've missed you too, Alex. I'm half surprised we're back together." She closed her eyes tiredly. "I can't remember much. I do remember a baby girl. I even think I hallucinated seeing Rachel." Krycek nodded. "Just go back to sleep, love. We'll talk in the morning." Late the next morning, Scully walked into Jess's room. She was awake and sitting up, reading from a magazine. But oddly, she was alone. "Where's Krycek?" Jess looked up and grinned weakly. It was obvious she was still extremely tired and weak. "He's under strict orders to eat his breakfast and smuggle in some strawberry covered Belgian waffles for me." The smile faded quickly. She looked out the window. "So how bad is it?" Scully took a deep breath. "There is no sign that you miscarried, no sign of you giving birth, no sign of an abortion, and also no sign of a C-section. It's as if the fetus was just removed from the uterus. But there's something else." Jess blinked at the odd catch in Scully's voice. "What?" "Jess, how much do you know about how the female produces ova?" Jess shrugged. "I know that a woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have, that she doesn't manufacture them constantly like a man does sperm. They just ripen one or two at a time and when it's ready to be fertilized, it is released from the ovary." "Exactly right. That is how it is with most females. But Jess, if these tests are accurate, you don't have any ova left." "That's ridiculous!" Jess snorted. "I haven't started menopause at thirty two, have I?" "No. At some point in your disappearance, you apparently super-ovulated. And for some reason your body is still producing hormone levels as if the ovaries were intact." "That's impossible." "I know it is, but it's what's happening." Jess bowed her head and closed her eyes, allowing the facts to sink in. "I can't regenerate ova since they were removed, not damaged. So I probably won't be able to have children. Right, Dana?" "I'm sorry, Jess. But you're right. Children, at least your biological children, aren't going to be in your future." "Except for my little lost girl," Jess whispered to herself. She looked up at Scully. "For some reason, I'm positive I gave birth to a girl. I can't remember anything, except some snatches." She switched gears abruptly. "Does Alex know?" "I told him last night." Scully decided it was time to let Jess have some good news. "There's someone here who wants to see you." She opened the door wide and Lindy flew across the room. "Lindy!" Jess hugged the girl to her tightly. "Oh God! You've grown so much..." Lindy was sobbing tears of joy and guilt against Jess's chest. "I'm sorry I let them take you," she blurted out. "Shhh," Jess whispered. "It wasn't your fault." She lifted Lindy's head, making the girl look her in the eye. "The important thing is we're together again." Lindy hugged Jess tighter. Jess stroked Lindy's hair. "Don't blame yourself, sweetheart. Blame those who separated us." Jess wandered aimlessly around her upstairs bedroom. It was almost bedtime and she was tired, both physically and emotionally. It was her first night back, after being escorted home by an extremely solicitous crowd - Mulder, Scully, Michael, Annie, Krycek and Lindy. Chloe and Boomer had been happy to see her home also, Chloe marking her and purring with feline intensity and Boomer not wagging his tail, but his whole hindquarters. She glanced around, comforted by the presence of so many familiar things, their books, pictures, and furniture. On top of the dresser, however, was something she didn't remember. She crossed the room to get a better look at it. It was a small, terry cloth, purple puppy, a baby's toy. Jess closed her eyes, remembering what had happened earlier in the day. Before came home, she went to the first of a series of hypnotic regression/counseling sessions. The doctor had been open minded about her experiences and seemed to accept her belief about her lycanthropy without questioning Jess's sanity. "Okay Jess," Dr. Brossette began. "For the recording, tell me about the impressions that you have of your missing time." Jess nodded. "I feel that I wasn't awake most of the time, except for very brief periods, and those are hazy. I also think I gave birth to a daughter, but I can't remember when or how and why I'm so certain it was a girl." Jess let the psychiatrist guide her into the hypnotic trance. "What are you feeling?" "I'm afraid," Jess said with a shiver. "Can you tell me why?" "I'm afraid that I'll die before my baby is born." "That didn't happen. You're safe and you did give birth. Can you remember anything about the delivery?" "I'm restrained and half asleep, sedated. There's an IV in my arm. There are doctors fussing over me, examining me. I hear phrases like 'placental anchor ruptured,' 'fetal heartbeat irregular,' things like that. I'm being moved into what looks like a delivery room." Jess's breathing quickened. "That smoking son of a bitch is there, watching. He's observing me like a student about to dissect a frog." Her head bowed and her features tightened. "I'm being prepped for surgery. They're going to perform a C-section using... lasers?" "Lasers?" Dr. Brossette asked. She scribbled a note on the legal pad. Jess frowned. "It's some sort of light beam, but it doesn't hurt. They're opening me now, cutting through the skin and muscles. No blood. Oh God," Jess whispered. "They're removing the baby." She smiled radiantly. "A little girl, with dark hair. She's so beautiful," she whispered. She gasped and then stiffened. "Jess, what's happening?" "Something's wrong. The baby is breathing, but she hasn't cried the way most newborns do. The doctors look concerned." Jess was taking short, gasping breaths. "Cancerman is displeased. The doctors mutter something about 'genetic viability' and shake their heads. Cancerman says something about them being incompetent, that the 'setting was too intense for the fetus.' One of the doctors argues back, saying that I'm 'too genetically unstable for further experimentation.' "No! They're taking her away from me! Jess was shouting at the top of her lungs. "Bastards! Bring back my daughter!" She slumped down into the chair. "Cowards," she hissed through clenched teeth. Jess bowed her head, tears starting to seep from under her eyelids. "She belongs with me," she pleaded. "Please." Dr. Brossette felt that Jess had gone through enough for one session. She was going to bring her out of it gently. But she needed to be sure that nothing else went on at that time. "Did anything else happen, Jess?" She nodded. "The Smoking Man takes a long hard look at me, as if deciding something. He nods to the doctors and says, 'do it.' One of the doctors puts a gas mask over my face. Everything fades after that." Now Jess stood in front of the toy forlornly. She stared at it, wondering where her daughter was. She could hear Krycek wandering around downstairs, trying to find her. "I'm up here," she called. She heard him climb the stairs and nudge the door open. "Are you okay?" he asked as he walked to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "No," she whispered. "I failed us, Alex. I failed her." He tightened his grip around her. "You failed no one, Jess." She wasn't listening to his quiet protest. "I should have fought more. I shouldn't have submitted to them so easily." One of his hands lifted from her waist to press against her lips, silencing her. "Don't blame yourself. They probably had you pumped full of drugs. You weren't in control, and there was no way you could be in control. They did the same to me when they took me from the silo." He turned her around and kissed her forehead. "C'mon. Let's go to bed." "Okay." They prepared for bed quietly, each lost in their thoughts. At one point, Krycek noticed Jess cupping her belly and sadly tracing where a Cesarean scar would have been, if she still scarred. They slid into bed, still without saying a word. Jess lay on her side, back to him. Krycek finally decided to take action. "Come here," he said, spooning into her back. He nuzzled the nape of her neck. "I've missed you, Jess." Jess snuggled down into his embrace. "You just missed having a life sized teddy bear to sleep with," she grumbled as he slid a leg between hers. She could feel the muscles of his jaw tighten as he smiled. "Yeah, I missed cuddling up beside you in the middle of the night. I missed drifting off to sleep after a mind blowing orgasm. I missed waking up to you cursing how early dawn comes. But I missed most hearing you say and saying to you three little words." "Please suck me?" "Jess!" he chuckled. "Yes, I missed that phrase, but I was thinking of 'I love you'." Jess rolled over. "I love you too, Alex. Sometimes I wonder why you're staying with me when I can't... won't be able to... ." She started to cry quietly. "Shhhhh, my love," Krycek soothed. His hands stroked her back with long, sweeping motions. "Nothing can change how I feel about you. And if we can't have kids, we've got each other and Lindy." He kissed away her tears. "And eventually we'll find her." Jess quieted under his touch. "Alex, she deserves a name. I know we didn't get a chance to talk about it before, but I,... we need to do it." "Lindy and I talked about it while you were missing. We came up with a name that we think is appropriate. If you like it," he added. "Amanda." "Amanda," Jess repeated, testing it. "It's beautiful. What does it mean?" Krycek looked into her eyes. She could see the tears welling in his. "It means 'beloved one'." Jess pulled his head to hers so they were cheek to cheek, letting her tears mingle with his. They cried themselves to sleep, trying to comfort each other over their loss. Krycek woke up at dawn with his arms firmly wrapped around Jess's waist, hers tightly around his neck. Her cheek was pressed against his neck, lips barely brushing his skin. The feeling of her hot breath stirring his chest hair made his toes curl. He desperately wanted to roll her over onto her back, to plunge into her body with tongue and cock, to relish her heat and moisture. But it may be too painful for her, he thought. They weren't sure exactly how long ago she gave birth. It could have been as recently as three days and as long ago as three months. Despite his good intentions of abstinence, his hands started to gently trace over her body, lingering on the curves of her breasts and waist and bottom. Jess sighed and stretched against him. She nuzzled his neck as her own hands began to roam. "Good morning, Alex." Krycek kissed the top of her head. "It's definitely a good morning waking up with you in my arms." He tilted her head up so he could reach her lips while slipping a hand under the silky material of her sleep shirt to rest on her breast. His fingers involuntarily clutched at it as he felt her nipple harden against his palm. Jess pulled him a little closer, trembling. She returned the kiss eagerly. Her tongue swept into his mouth, reacquainting herself with his humidity. Her hands began pushing his cotton tee-shirt upward. She found one of his nipples and teased it erect. Then they wandered southwards, teasing taut muscles. As she tried to pull down his boxers, she felt his hands on her wrists. "Jess, don't. Please stop." She heard the longing that was completely contrary to the words. "Why should I, love?" "The docs said that we should wait." His fingers brushed against her stomach and then he reached up to cup her cheek. "I don't want to hurt you." "Alex," she purred. "There are ways I can pleasure you without being hurt." Before he could protest, her lips reclaimed his. "I want to do this," she whispered against his lips. "I *need* to make love to you." She caught his upper lip between her teeth, nibbling. "I need to feel back in control." She drew his tongue into hermouth and applied strong suction. Krycek whimpered and reflexively thrust his hips upward. "I need to know that I can still arouse you." As Jess pulled back, he smiled and caught her head between his hands. "Oh yeah, you definitely can arouse me." He lowered her head the base of his neck. "That's not going to do much for you." He felt her laughter vibrate against his skin. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you make it up to me at a later date." "Is that a threat or a promise?" Jess smiled. "What do you think?" She began to lick at his neck and collarbones, running her tongue across his body in lazy trails. "I think I might be in deep trouble," Krycek said, guiding her mouth to a nipple. "Oh, God how I've missed you," he whispered hoarsely as she started licking. The sensation of her tongue on his nipple tightened it to a sharp peak. She pulled away for a moment to wet her finger, and then lowered herself back to the bud. Her wet finger matched the motions of her tongue on his other nipple. He couldn't wait any longer. Krycek entangled his fingers in her hair and guided her southward. She playfully resisted, licking and kissing as he guided her where he wanted to feel her lips the most. Jess worked his boxers down to his knees. She put her hands on his waist and stole a glance upwards. She smiled as she saw the tension and longing playing across his face. Jess then dipped her head, focusing her attention on the task at hand. He moaned as Jess drew the tip of his cock into her mouth. She ran her thumbs over his hipbones. Her tongue played with the slit while her hands slid below her chin to roll his balls back and forth. She raised the heavy erection and licked the sensitive underside from base to tip and back. Then she lunged, engulfing him. "Oh God," he groaned. His hands were still at her head, urging her to take more. Krycek sat up, sliding his feet back so they almost touched his thighs. He squeezed her cheeks between them. He felt Jess squirm, rolling to her side. She pulled him with her, so now Krycek was now kneeling above her, cock still firmly held in her mouth. Her teeth lightly scraped the underside of his length. Her eyes were shut, concentrating only on pleasing the man she loved. "Ooohhhh," he moaned. He couldn't hold back any longer and started to slowly thrust. Her hands found his asscheeks and held him tightly. Krycek could feel his balls slap her chin as she urged him to move faster. He almost lost it completely when she started humming deep in her throat. He started gasping, his body straining. The few times he had tried masturbating to his memories of her had left him feeling lonelier, emptier, so he had abstained completely. Having gone so long without sex, it took little to push him over the edge. "I'm... coming," he managed to blurt out, trying to withdraw. He didn't expect Jess to moan and clutch his bottom tighter, digging in with her nails. Krycek screamed as he erupted into her welcoming mouth. Jess's eyes cracked open to watch him. Krycek's head was thrown back, his chest heaving. He shot again and again, coming so hard he was sure he was bleeding. She swallowed again and again, stimulating him further. His head drooped as Krycek felt his spasms subsiding. But he stayed in her, unwilling to break the connection, until he felt his cock softening. At that point, he pulled out, reluctantly. Krycek laid back down on her and kissed Jess, basking in the afterglow and enjoying the taste and smell of himself on his lover. "I owe you big time," he croaked in a hoarse whisper. "Is there anything I can do for you right now?" Jess nodded. "Just hold me," she said quietly. Krycek nodded and settled a little more firmly on her body. He stroked her hair as she laid her cheek against his shoulder, lost in her thoughts. "We'll find her, Jess," he whispered, guessing the reason for her rapid mood swing. "We'll find her." Three months passed. Jess continued her counseling, working to reconstruct as many memories as she could, which weren't many. Either she had been drugged into submissiveness, or the command to repress was still too strong to be overridden. Jess, Lindy and Krycek worked on trying to live as normally as possible. Or at least as normal as they could when Mulder would call them unexpectedly in the middle of the night. "Mulder, why the hell are we here?" Jess asked from the back seat of the sedan, clearly irritated. Lindy was asleep, her head cradled in Jess's lap. The young girl now was almost inseparable from Jess. "Why are you in such a crabby mood?" Mulder snorted. He turned his attention back to driving down the dark street. "Well, let me see," she yawned. "I've had trouble sleeping for the last few months. The first night I finally get to sleep before three a.m., I find you knocking on the door at midnight, telling us to get to dressed, totally disrupting my sleep pattern. And you want to know why I'm in such a crabby mood?" Mulder looked at Krycek in the passenger seat. "You put up with this every day?" he asked as he pulled up to an apartment building. "No, she's nothing but sweetness and light to me. You just bring out the worst in her." Krycek looked up at the apartments. "This is where you brought me that night before we went to Tunguska." Mulder nodded. "Just don't spit at me this time," he said with a grin. "Only if I don't end up handcuffed to a balcony." Jess's head popped between the front seats. "You never told me you were into bondage, Alex." Mulder and Jess laughed as Krycek blushed. He grew serious quickly. "My new informant is a little skittish, so let me do most of the talking." Jess frowned. "That brings me back to the original question. Why the hell are we here?" "I'm hoping that she'll be able to help, and may need some DNA samples." Jess's frown deepened. "Does she know what I am?" "No." "Mulder, you *know* how I feel about giving blood samples to people who are aware of my lycanthropy, let alone people who don't have a clue. It's too risky." Mulder looked exasperatedly at her. "Jess, she may be able to help. Do you want it or not?" Jess nodded and woke up Lindy. Mulder led them into the apartment building and to one of the upper floors. "Wait here," he said. He walked down a few doors and knocked on it. A blond woman in a robe loosely knotted at her waist opened the door. Marita Cuervarubia's surprise was evident and rehearsed. "Agent Mulder, what are you doing here?" "I need your help." Mulder was oblivious to how the woman looked him over, eyes lingering on certain features of his body. She opened the door invitingly. She almost purred her reply. "What can I do?" "A friend of mine's daughter is missing, under unusual circumstances. We need help finding her." Cuervarubia smiled seductively. "Bring your friend by. But why don't you come in now so we can discuss strategy in locating the child." Mulder was still oblivious to Cuervarubia's flirting. "They're here now." Krycek almost chuckled at how fast and far the blond's face fell. "Where are they?" Mulder signaled the trio forward. They walked towards him in even measured paces, saying nothing. Cuervarubia looked at Krycek and slightly tensed. However when she looked at Jess, her poker face slipped. Although Krycek concerned her, she was clearly afraid of Jess. As Mulder introduced them, Jess regarded Cuervarubia with a calm exterior. However, her mental dialog was rapid fire. This is wrong, she thought. She is afraid of me, almost as if she knows what I am. How? Mulder said he hasn't told her. Jess didn't like this at all. "I can't take a blood sample here," the UN worker was saying. "I don't have the proper equipment to store it." "How about a hair sample?" Krycek suggested. Cuervarubia nodded and left the doorway to get a pair of scissors. Jess, Mulder, and Krycek waited in silence. When the blond returned, she was holding the scissors in an almost defensive stance, sharp end pointed towards Jess. She clipped a few strands from Krycek without hesitation. She was not so cool when it came to getting a sample from Jess. That done, she turned back to Mulder. "I'll notify you if anything turns up, Agent Mulder." Mulder nodded and turned to leave. Krycek and Lindy followed, leaving Jess and Cuervarubia standing there. Jess stared at the blond, not in a hostile way, just questioning. The blond flinched and quickly retreated into her apartment. Jess nodded to herself grimly and followed the two men back to the elevator. Jess decided to do a little delicate probing during the ride back to Virginia. "Mulder, how well do you know her?" "She's given me reliable information in the past Jess. I trust her. She said she 'believes in my work'." "We've heard that one before," Krycek muttered. Mulder was irritated by that comment. "Well, she hasn't tried to abduct my partner." "Mulder, something is just plain wrong with the situation," Jess said, trying to keep the men from fighting. "She was frightened." Mulder shrugged. "She recognized Krycek as a wanted felon." "No, she went on guard when she saw Alex," Jess corrected with a shake of her head. "She was afraid when she saw me." Her eyes shifted uneasily. "She knows more than she lets on. And what the hell was with that sex kitten act?" "What are you talking about?" Mulder snorted. Krycek laughed. "C'mon, Mulder. She wanted you. She was ready to jump you the moment she answered the door. Jess is right, though. She does know more than she's saying." "Be careful around her, Mulder," Jess warned. "She could be working for the Consortium and her orders are to divide you from Dana by any means possible." "Jess, now you sound paranoid. She helped me." "Asking nothing in return," Krycek whispered. "Nobody does anything for nothing, unless they're being paid by someone else. Believe me, I know." Mulder watched through the glass window of the hospital door. Lindy, Jess and Krycek were oblivious to the outside world, engrossed in getting to know the infant. They were counting fingers and toes, debating who's nose Amanda had, and doing everything a family does when the newborn arrives. But their joy was tinged with sadness. Their "newborn" was four months old, and might not live to see five. Little Amanda Krycek, who had barely begun to live, was dying. And it didn't look like a damn thing could be done to prevent it. Mulder had barely driven back to the outskirts of DC before his cel-phone started ringing. Jess's pager also started beeping, the 'urgent message' chime startling her. "Dana's number," she said as Mulder answered his phone. "Fox, where are you?" came Scully's voice over the phone. She sounded excited and agitated. "With Jess and Krycek. We were..." "Fox, something has happened. An abandoned baby has been found. There's a good chance it's Jess's. And hurry, her health doesn't look so good." He had sped to the hospital where the baby had been taken. What would happen next wasn't the mystery, but when it would happen was. Scully came back from consulting with the doctor. She stepped up beside Mulder. He took one of her hands in his. "How long does she have?" "A few days, no more than a week," Scully said with a sigh. "According to Dr. Miwa Hirai, the specialist in charge, it's a miracle that she's lasted this long. Her blood chemistry is even more bizarre than Jess's. A transfusion of O negative didn't help." "That odd enzyme is what's needed?" At Scully's nod, he asked another question. "Why don't they try a transfusion from Jess or Lindy?" "They're the wrong blood types. Jess is A negative, Lindy's AB positive. Amanda's O positive like Krycek, but he doesn't have that enzyme like Jess does. They still want to try a transfusion from Krycek, hoping the fact that he's a close relation to her may have a beneficial effect. But that's a long shot." "Okay, Mr. Krycek," said Dr. Hirai. "I'll be back in a few minutes to check on how you are doing." She made one final check of the line running from the needle in his arm to the blood collection bag and then left the room. " Dr. Hirai?" The woman turned back at the sound of Krycek calling her name. "How long before Amanda gets this blood?" "It will be a half hour at the most," the Japanese doctor said. "But the sooner she gets it, the better." Dr. Hirai then left the room. Krycek let his head thump back against the examination table on which he was laying and thought about what had brought him to this point in time. Not three hours before, he had stood in front of the crib Amanda had been placed in, Jess at his side. He couldn't take his eyes off the baby. She's so beautiful, he thought. Amanda had dark hair, but pale coloring, and she somehow ended up with hazel eyes. Dr. Hirai had just finished explaining that a transfusion was needed, that it may even be a futile effort, and had left them to talk. Krycek stood there, and was surprised to find he had made his decision before he had really thought about it. "Jess, I think we both know what needs to be done." Jess lifted her head from his shoulder. "Alex, are you saying what I think you're saying?" "I am," was his quiet reply. "To use your favorite phrase, 'bite me.' Make me a werewolf again." She looked up into his clear green eyes. "Are you sure? You always told me how miserable you were..." "Before I met you," he interrupted. "And before, I was Changed without a choice. It was out of my hands, a punishment. Now, I choose to undergo the Change, to save her life. It's the only way." Jess nodded. Krycek lifted his left wrist to her mouth in offering. She gently took hold of it with her right hand, pressing it to her lips in a soft kiss. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply the unique smell of sweat and musk that was Krycek. Jess parted her lips and pressed her teeth against the tender skin. Time stopped as she opened her eyes and sought his, needing one last confirmation. Krycek nodded. "Do it," he mouthed, unable to speak. He watched Jess take a deep breath and snap her jaws shut. He gasped at the sensation of her sharp teeth breaking the skin. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. The heat and moisture inside Jess's mouth was intense. There was an awareness of both his body and hers, erotic and primal. It was nothing like when he was first Changed. Jess trembled at the salty taste of his blood. She held for a few minutes and then let go. She wiped the traces of the red fluid from her mouth. "I hope you start producing enzymes instantaneously, or even sooner," she said. She had tried to play it off as a joke, but he could hear the seriousness in her words. He hoped the same thing too. And apparently Lindy felt the same. She had watched the whole exchange silently. And after it was done, the little girl had come up to him and hugged one of his legs, just like she did with Jess. Now she was out there with Jess, trying to comfort the woman who had raised her. A ripple of unease passed over him. It was familiar and yet somehow alien. He frowned, trying to discover the source of the feelings. Almost seems like it's coming from the outside, he thought. Krycek grinned and relaxed. It's already working. I can feel Jess trying to mindspeak. The Change had taken hold. I must be producing enzymes if I can sense her. Everything's going to be fine. ~Jess?~ ~Alex?~ came Jess's mindvoice uncertainly. ~Can you hear me?~ ~Yes, love,~ he spoke back. ~Are you okay?~ Her next words sent a chill through his heart. ~No. Something's wrong.~ He could almost see Jess pacing outside the ICU Nursery, Lindy trying to peer through the high windows. ~I saw several nurses and doctors rush in, but I can't tell if they went to Amanda or not.~ Jess paused, waiting for a response. ~Alex?~ Krycek was no longer paying attention to her. He was staring at the doorway, transfixed by what he saw there. It was a woman in a simple white dress, holding an infant. "Rachel?" She sadly nodded her head, blue eyes filling with tears, long brown hair cascading over her shoulders. The image then started to fade. "Noooooo!" he yelled. He bolted upright, ripping the needle from his arm. He could dimly 'hear Jess's mindscreams of denial and Lindy's mindhowls of lament. He must have fainted from the adrenaline surge, sudden movement, and loss of blood because the next thing he was aware of was Jess calling his name. He realized his eyes were shut, so he opened them and turned his head to look at her. Jess had pulled a chair up beside the donor table and was holding his hand. He squeezed it as he saw that her other arm was holding Lindy tightly on her lap. Tears were welling up from both blue and brown eyes. Then he knew what happened even before Dr. Hirai began to speak. "Mr. Krycek, Ms. Leahs, I'm so sorry..." One week later - Mulder and Scully weren't sure why they were called to Skinner's apartment to deliver the results of the parentage test on Amanda. Skinner's attitude towards the pair had shifted from suspicion to protectiveness, although exactly why was a mystery. He let them in without a word. Krycek, Jess and Lindy were out on the balcony. All three were looking at the stars. Lindy's elbows rested on the railing of the balcony, Jess's hands on Lindy's shoulders, Krycek's right hand tracing Jess's spine. "They're here," Skinner called out to them. The three of them turned and came in without a word. Jess and Krycek sat down on the couch, Lindy easing onto Jess's lap. It was time to get the news out into the open. "According to the results of the test there is..." Scully began. "No possible way the child we called Amanda could be our missing daughter," Krycek finished. Scully, Mulder, and Skinner stared dumbfounded that they were already aware of that fact. "How did you know?" Mulder finally asked. "We knew from the moment we saw her," Jess sighed. "She had hazel eyes. Neither Alex nor I have any relatives we know of that have that eye color. That gene just isn't in our families." Krycek also sighed. "When I was at the labs, there were always at least three females in their third trimester. The survival rate past the six months for infants was about thirty percent. There would have been no problem in obtaining a dying baby werewolf to try to fool us. If she had blue, green or brown eyes, we would have fallen for it." "Let me get this straight, Alex," Mulder said slowly, a grudging respect in his voice. "You knew that that child wasn't yours, and you still asked Jess bite you, to make you a werewolf again?" At Krycek's nod, Mulder asked the question they were all wondering about. "Then, why?" Krycek rested a hand on Lindy gently. "She was somebody's daughter." I had the concept of Alex being a rape victim from the very start of the series. However, I was too chicken to actually implement it until this story. I must pause to thank Nicci (nicci73813@aol.com) for co-writing my first M/M story. But I never expected for this story to take the turn at the end it did. Sometimes I think I'm along for the ride as much as my readers are. **Loup Garou VII - Triad A man's past is not simply a dead history... it is a still quivering part of himself, bringing shudders and bitter flavours and the tinglings of a merited shame. - George Elliot The Smoking Man walked down the hallway past the juvenile dormitories. The few young adults that were in the hallway respectfully acknowledged his presence, no matter which form they were in, with an almost reverential attitude. A brightly colored ball rolled across his path. A giggling juvenile male, no older looking than a seven-year-old human, ran out of one of the side doorways chasing the ball. He pulled up short at the sight of Cancerman, awed to be so close to one of the few who had the power of life and death over him and his family and friends. In short, he was awed at being so close to one of his gods. Cancerman paid no attention to the startled youngling and continued to walk unhurriedly towards the nursery. Before entering, he put out the cigarette that was almost a part of him. No chances could be taken with these infants' health, at least, not until they were older juveniles. He pushed the double doors open and walked towards the female caretaker, who was in her human form, leaning over one of the cribs. "How is the newest addition?" The female lifted the three month old out of the crib. "She's doing extremely well, sir. Her development is right on target for a human of the same age." "Excellent." Cancerman studied the dark haired infant closely. At first glance, she looked exactly like her dam. But a closer look revealed her sire's wide set and impossibly green eyes. The infant squirmed restlessly in the female's arms. On impulse, the Cigarette Smoking Man reached out to stroke the little one's cheek. She endured his touch for a moment and then reached with a tiny hand to grasp his finger, pushing it away. "Sorry, sir," the female said nervously. Humans had proven to be capricious, unpredictable beasts. He might take offense at the young one's willfulness, and, in that case, God only knows what punishment might be in store for both the youngling and her caretaker. "She's very strong willed," she offered as a explanation. "So I see," Cancerman mused. The infant had formidable grip for one so young. She's inherited both her sire's and dam's physical and mental strength and determination. That determination and strength had allowed the parents to survive almost intolerable situations. An idea crossed his mind. It would both reveal the limits of what acts the parents would commit, and also give him compromising information about another thorn in his side. That definitely deserves close consideration, he mused. And he wondered if the parents, especially the sire, would be willing to go through with the act, based on that strength and determination to find their missing offspring. Pulling out a cigarette, he turned to leave. "See that I am kept up to date on her progress." The female nodded, relieved that there was no punishment, at least at this moment, forthcoming. There was a question she needed answered. "Sir?" she asked timidly at his retreating back. "Has a name been chosen for this infant?" Cancerman turned from the double doors to look at her. He spoke one sentence before passing through them. "The parents have decided on Amanda." Jess and Krycek were getting ready for bed. It had been three months since Jess had reappeared, no longer carrying her and Krycek's baby. She stood in front of the mirror, frowning contemplatively at her reflection. She had been in a sad, reflective mood for most of the day, remembering what she could. What few memories she had been able to reclaim were of her giving birth to a beautiful girl and then being separated from her child. Krycek came up behind her. He had been sadly in thought for most of this day also. It had taken them both a little while to figure out why they were both in such depressed states. But once they had determined the cause, it made perfect sense. It had been one year since they had turned up on Skinner's doorstep, cold and afraid. And soon after, in a hormone driven frenzy, they had conceived Amanda. He snaked his arm around her waist and whispered into her hair. "You okay?" Her head rubbed against the crook of his neck. "Yeah... just thinking." "About Amanda?" Jess nodded. Krycek kissed her temple. "I wish she were here too. C'mon, let's get some sleep." He lowered the lighting level in the room. After his experiences in the silo, he was never comfortable in full darkness. Jess didn't seem to have the same problem even though she had been abducted, but because of her lycanthropy, she had excellent night vision, so she coulds see what was around them at almost all times. They both slipped into bed. For a change of pace, Jess snuggled into Krycek's back, draping an arm over his midsection, instead of vice versa. Without conscious thought, her hand slid down his torso and under his boxers. She gave his cock a gentle squeeze.He jumped as if her hand were a snake. "Don't touch me!" Krycek screamed, bolting from the bed. He turned around and for a few seconds, Jess saw raw panic in his eyes. Jess sat up, startled by his reaction. She gently and slowly reached for his hand, the way she would for Lindy after one of her worse nightmares. "Alex? What's wrong? What did I do?" She was genuinely puzzled by his reaction to her gentle fondling. He had reacted this way a few times before, when she initiated foreplay unexpectedly. Then he had begged her not to ask him why he panicked. She held her silence, trusting him to tell her when he was able. He stood there for a moment, and then seemed to realize where he was. He passed his hand over his eyes. "I'm sorry." Krycek said. "Jess," he began nervously, "there's something that happened to me when I became a werewolf you don't know. Something Alpha Wolf did to me." Jess nodded, wondering what could be so horrible that Krycek had been afraid and reluctant to tell her. She watched him sit down, take a deep breath, and begin to tell her everything about how he became a werewolf, including details he had left out and would have rather forgotten. Jess sat listening with wide eyes. My God! He keeps saying *I'm* the strong one! she thought when he finished his story. Jess was amazed that he was still functional, although she guessed a lot of it was due to denial and repression. She put a hand to his cheek, making him look at her. "My poor, wounded lover," she whispered as she leaned forward. Tears slipped out of her eyes as she gently kissed his lips and put her arms around him. Krycek sobbed and buried his head into her shoulder, allowing himself to cry over the memories for the first time. Jess rocked him gently, whispering endearments and planting soft kisses in his hair. His crying eventually quieted down, but he clung to her tightly, craving reassurance. Eventually, she eased herself down onto the bed, still holding him. Krycek spent the night locked in her embrace. The few times he awoke from memory laced nightmares, Jess was awake, stroking his hair and whispering gentle reassurances. Towards the dawn, the fitful dreams ceased and Jess allowed herself to fall asleep. When Krycek woke up the morning after, Jess was still wrapped around him. He sighed softly and ran his fingers through her hair. She moaned softly and snuggled in a little closer. She wasn't really awake, but not fully asleep. Her body was warm and soft against his, making parts of him warm, but definitely not soft. The only problem was that she was still half asleep. A devilish grin crossed his face as he decided he would rouse her by arousing her. His hands wandered from the back of her shoulders to the front of her chest. He slipped a hand under her shirt to find her full breast. Lightly stroking her nipple, he unfastened the shirt, sliding it off her shoulders. Jess moaned again, softly. She shifted around and away from him, smiling slightly. He could see a gleam of light reflecting through her thick lashes. Krycek chuckled quietly. She was awake, but would let him play out his fantasy. It was hard for Jess not to smile when she heard his quiet laugh. Early on, she had discovered a pattern in their sex life. Whenever Krycek was feeling guilty or he was extremely upset over anything, he became almost compulsively sexual with her, as if pleasing her was the only way to make up for his dark deeds. If she would say no, which was rare, he would respect the boundary she placed, but he wouldn't be completely reassured no matter what she said or did unless it involved a good lay. Krycek bent back over her torso. His lips brushed her shoulders and neck traveling up to her lips. When he lightly ran his tongue over the pale redness, her lips parted slightly. His tongue slipped inside her mouth, playing with hers. Jess shifted under him, her arms wrapping around her shoulders. Krycek rolled over, taking her with him. "Good morning,Jess." "Morning, Alex," she mumbled sleepily. Her hands started to gently undress him, lingering and stroking his body intently. Krycek pushed her away. He had only told part of the truth last night, and he had to come completely clean with her. "Jess, before we do this, there's something else you need to know." "Not again." Jess smiled at him. "Let's see." She ticked off the items on her fingers. "I know that you were part of a world wide conspiracy, you're running for your life from various assassins, were possessed by sentient motor oil, and were the werewolf myth made real. What's more to know?" Krycek didn't smile at her humor. "It's about, um, a previous sexual relationship." "Okay." Jess grew serious quickly. "What?" "Nobody knows about this. Back when I was in Quantico, just after I broke up with Cassandra, I had an affair with a classmate." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "That's not so bad. A lot of people who have just ended a relationship..." "No, Jess. I had an affair with a *male* classmate." "Oh," was Jess's verbal reaction. Her mental reaction went along different lines. Oh God! He's trying to tell me he's gay. Or bi. And he's trying to make what happened to him his fault. "How did it happen?" "Bill was my roommate. And a good friend. And gay. He had an ongoing crush on me since we first started sharing the room." Jess nodded encouragingly. "Go on." Since she hadn't left, Krycek opened up a little more. "It was a week before I graduated. I was so lost. He got me to talk, and eventually to cry. He hugged me, trying to comfort me. Before I knew what was happening, he was kissing me." His cheeks reddened. "And I was returning it." "Alex, young people often experiment. It's not unheard of." "Jess, let me finish. Things escalated from there. He told me about his crush. I was lonely and flattered and curious. Bill and I had a brief fling, for the rest of the week. We didn't use protection, and Bill had other lovers. Looking back, I'm damn lucky I didn't get AIDS or other things." He looked down at his feet. "I've had bisexual impulses all my adult life, but other than that once, I never acted on them. I was too afraid to tell you after... what happened." "Alex." Jess lifted a hand to his cheek, making him look into her eyes. "Just because you're bisexual does not in any way legitimize what Alpha Wolf did. Nothing you have done merited that kind of abuse. This changes *nothing* between us. I'm honored that you felt comfortable enough to tell me. But what does this have to do with now?" He licked his lips nervously. "I want you to do me." There. It was out. She would either turn away from him in disgust or laugh at him. Jess swallowed. This could be worse. Hey, it might even be fun. And maybe it will help him heal. "How? I'm not exactly equipped for that." Krycek relaxed when he realized that she was interested. "I got some Astroglide. Just use your fingers." She leaned in close to his ear. "Okay. Where is it?" Her tongue darted out of her mouth to flick against his ear. "Where we kept the condoms," he moaned. Jess rummaged through the drawer of the bedside table. She found the lubricant, just where Krycek said it would be. Her hands trembled. "You're going to have to guide me. I have no idea how to do this. But I want to." "Okay. First, just explore. Use the cuffs if you want to." "No," she whispered softly, "we use them if *you* want to." "I want. Oh God, Jess, I want." She reached back into the drawer and pulled out two pairs of handcuffs. Given the horrible experiences she had in her sexual history, he had been surprised to find out she also shared a curiosity and enjoyment of bondage. And he was touched that she trusted him not hurt her while she was restrained, the same that he trusted her. Krycek lay face down on the bed as she cuffed one wrist, and then the other, to the spindled headboard. She gently began to rub his shoulders. He sighed as she gently began to slide her hands down his muscled back. She bent over him, pressing her soft breasts into his back as she kissed the base of his neck. As he moaned and pressed up against her, Jess retreated. She settled beside him, her hands still caressing his back. They slowly traced lower to cup and knead his buttocks. After a thorough massage, she ran her tongue up his spine to nuzzle his hair. Krycek's breathing quickened. He moaned louder as Jess again laid down on top of him, stroking up and down his restrained arms. "Do you like this, Alex?" she whispered, nipping at his ear. "Yessssss," was his tortured answer. "Oh God, Jess. Penetrate me. Now. Please." Jess straddled one of his legs. She squirted some lubricant into her hands and oiled her fingers well. Once the gel had been warmed by her touch, she rubbed around his tight sphincter. One hand rested on his bottom as she groped under his body with the other. "Put a pillow under my stomach. It'll make it easier." Jess did so. With his butt slightly higher than his head, Jess could now easily reach his hot erection. He whimpered as she slowly grasped and stroked him. She placed two fingers at his entrance and slowly pushed inwards. She thrust with her fingers in time with her strokes of her hand. Krycek began to moan and pressed against her hands. He gasped in delight as she ran her fingers over his prostate. "Yes, Jess. Harder," he groaned. "Can you fit a third finger in?" Jess pulled out and undid the cuffs. "Kneel," she whispered. She pressed her torso against his back. One hand reached around to stroke him, the other fingers penetrating him once again. Krycek began working up and down. "Yes, yes, oh, harder!" He laughed in delight as his skin rubbed against Jess. He wrapped one hand backwards around her waist, the other clutched at her hair. She was thrusting and stroking faster and faster. She kissed his neck, and then bit at his earlobe. Krycek gave a yelp. He tensed up and shoved backwards against her. She felt the cock in his hand spasm as Krycek began to come. His head lolled back on her shoulder. He panted in relief and release. Jess turned slightly and kissed his temple. Her fingers slowly slid out of him. "Let me go clean up." She left the bed. Krycek sank back into the bed with a sigh. Jess returned and curled up beside him. Her fingers resting on his chest were cool from the water she rinsed off with. "Jess, thank you." "For what, jerking you off? My pleasure." "No, for understanding. For loving me in spite of everything." "I always will, Alex. I love you. But I wish you'd stop doing this." He sat up, puzzled by her comment. "Do what?" Jess sat up. "You're still trying to find a way to punish yourself for everything." She looked at him disappointedly. "You were setting yourself up for me to leave you. But that's not going to happen. So get it through your thick skull and quit it, okay?" Krycek sighed. "I'm sorry." He pulled her back down and nuzzled her hair. "How can I make it up to you?" he whispered, trying to placate her. "Well," Jess purred, pulling him on top of her. "There is something that you can do that will put me in a good mood." "The things I have to do to make you happy," he growled, nipping at her ear. He wouldn't be able to maintain an erection for about half an hour, but he could use that time to drive Jess into a frenzy. Jess giggled and playfully pushed his head away. "I wasn't talking about *that*, Alex. Although that does put me in a great mood." She sat up on her elbows. "It's almost 10:30. I was thinking about you go getting some Chinese takeout for breakfast." Krycek raised his eyebrows. "Sweet and sour pork for the first meal of the day?" At Jess's nod, he made a face. "You are one sick woman, Jessica Leahs." Jess kissed his cheek. "That's what you love about me, Alexander Krycek." Walking out of the resturant, Krycek tried to juggle two bags of cardboard boxes filled with spicy Chinese food. For someone who isn't pregnant, Jess sure has odd ideas of what sounds good for breakfast. Krycek sighed at the thought of Jess being pregnant. As soon as the doctors gave their go ahead, he and Jess had resumed having sex. That wasn't to say that it was the same as before. Actually, now they almost slept together more often than before her abduction. "Making up for lost time," Jess joked when he pointed that fact. But there was also an unspoken need behind their joinings, whether they were wild and raunchy or gentle and tender or anything inbetween. Neither of them were using any form of protection. There had been an unsaid and unanimous decision to try to prove the doctors wrong by getting her pregnant. But for the two months since they resumed making love, there had been nothing but failure. He walked to the passenger side of Jess's jeep, opened the door, and set the food inside. It was only then he realized that he knew the driver a blue sedan had pulled into the spot next to him. But there was no point in running. The Smoking Man would only continue to stalk him until he listened to him. "What do you want?" Cancerman got out of the car, holding a file. "It's not what I want, Mr. Krycek, but what you want." He held the file open so Krycek could see the first page. On it was two photos - one of an *extremely* pregnant Jess unconcious on a hospital bed and the other of a dark haired newborn laying in a crib. As Krycek reached for the file, the Smoking Man tucked it back in his trench coat. "Information always comes at a price, Mr. Krycek." "What do I have to do to get it?" Cancerman smiled slightly when he heard the desperation in the young man's voice. "Not what, Mr. Krycek, but who." He paused to light a Morely and to gauge the reaction of his former underling. Krycek paled, but managed to growl out, "Go on." "I need compromising evidence on a certain man. If you provide it, the file is yours." "And what kind of compromising evidence do you want?" "A video tape of you and the man having sex. He cannot know that he is being taped and your lover cannot know about it beforehand." "And if I say I'll do it, how will I be able to plan this without alerting Jess?" "Timing will be considered and arrangements will be made. Do we have a deal?" "Yesssss," Krycek hissed, eyes narrowed. "When?" Cancerman merely turned to leave. "You'll know when." Krycek sat in the living room, waiting, listening to the thunderstorm outside. Jess had left earlier yesterday for Massachusetts, acting on the tip Mulder had passed on. Lindy was spending the weekend at a friend's. If he did this right, he would have the information about Amanda. He would tell Jess, however. She deserved to know. He would not, could not lie to her. After all, he rationalized, Cancerman said she couldn't know ahead of time. He never said anything about afterwards. When he came home from his unexpected meeting, he found Jess just finishing packing for a trip. "Sorry for the short notice, Alex," she said as they ate the takeout. "Mulder left a message on my email. He's been alerted to serial murders in a small city outside of Boston. There's also a good chance that it's being done by a werewolf, maybe one newly Changed. He wants me to see if it is and if I can make first contact before the FBI or police do." She saw the abandoned expression on his face. "You don't mind me leaving, especially with what you just told me, do you?" "Uh, no," he hedged. "I know it's important to you, to us, to find other werewolves. I'll stay and take care of Lindy." He knew right away that this was probably part of the promised 'arrangements.' Jess beamed at him. "Thanks." She kissed his cheek. "I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but I'm gonna miss you." He kissed the corner of her mouth. "I'm gonna miss you too, Jess." Krycek hadn't felt like so much scum since he betrayed Mulder. Jess gave him an odd look, but didn't say anything. "I'm not sure where I'll be staying, so page me if you need me." With that, he helped Jess with her suitcase to her jeep and kissed her goodbye. Well, actually, Jess rammed her tongue down his throat, leaving him breathless and wanting. Krycek sighed deeply. He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. Lindy's friend had invited her over a week ago, and now Jess was gone. So it was only a matter of time before... . The doorbell rang. Krycek took a deep breath and went to the door. He opened it to the last person he expected it to be. What and who Assistant Director Walter S. Skinner expected when the door opened he wasn't really sure, but it definitely was not Alex Krycek. A while back, when Mulder had been desperate enough to bargain with the Smoking Man to find a cure for Scully's terminal cancer, he had warned him against making such a deal. "You deal with this man, you offer him anything," he had warned Mulder, "and he will own you forever." Then, in order to save Scully's life, he went and sold his soul to the devil. And now it was time to start paying the devil his due. He had his orders, his instructions. If he wanted to keep his position at the FBI, he was to come here and have sex with the man he found here. He had no qualms about his ability to go through with the act. He was extremely comfortable with his bisexuality. But what puzzled him at the time was that Cancerman had been so emphatic that he was to leave that man alive and physically unharmed afterwards. Easier said than done. The young man standing awkwardly in front of him had caused him more grief and trouble than he cared or wanted to remember. Maybe now it was time for a little payback. And if Krycek tried anything, Skinner could always claim self-defense. Krycek looked pale and shaken as he pulled the door wider, allowing Skinner to enter the condo. Krycek shut the door without saying a word or looking at Skinner. Both men knew what was expected of them. Krycek merely grabbed one of two beers and starting climbing the stairs. Skinner grabbed the other one and followed his former agent upstairs into the bedroom. Once in the bedroom, both men stood uneasily, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Skinner looked at Krycek over the top of his beer. He finally broke the silence that had been over them the whole time. "You know why I'm here." Krycek wouldn't meet his eyes. "Yes," he said quietly. Skinner's eyes rested on the bedside table. A small bottle of Astroglide was next to a picture of Krycek, Jess, and Lindy. "Have you done this kind of thing before?" Krycek shifted uncomfortably. There was fear and unease in his whole stance. "Had sex with a man or an affair?" "Both." Krycek sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Jess knows I'm bi, and until tonight, no." Skinner looked at Krycek. The boy is beautiful, he thought. Krycek couldn't be called handsome. His features were too delicate, his deep green eyes framed by lashes so long and thick that most women would have to apply half a bottle of mascara to achieve the same appearance. He had the type of unearthly beauty that attracted and excited Skinner. Skinner reached out with a square hand to cup Krycek's cheek, thumb resting on his windpipe and pressing gently. Krycek flinched. Skinner smiled slightly. "Listen, boy. You do what I say, you obey me, and I won't intentionally hurt you. Shall we get this over with?" The younger man nodded, his green eyes still wide with fear. But behind the fear, a lust could be seen lurking. Krycek licked his lips. "What do you want me to do?" Skinner sat on the edge of the bed. "Kneel," was the quiet command. Krycek obeyed. Skinner quickly relieved Krycek of the his shirt. He found himself admiring the well defined chest and the high tight nipples. Krycek took a deep breath and hesitated, clearly uncertain about how to proceed. Skinner pulled Krycek up a little higher. "Now undress me." As Krycek busied himself, Skinner continued speaking. "You have been a pain in the ass, Krycek. An even bigger one than Agent Mulder, if that's possible." Despite himself, Krycek smirked as he unbuttoned the AD's shirt. "I've been told I have a talent for that." "Did I say you could speak?" was the growled reply. Krycek froze at the tone, Skinner's shirt half way off. "Keep going. Well, tonight, boy, I intend to be in yours." Krycek had settled back down on his knees. "Good," Skinner growled approvingly as his fly was cautiously unzipped. "That's far enough for the moment." Skinner pulled Krycek down onto the bed next to him. What is he so afraid of? Skinner thought, looking into the terrified eyes. "Behave, and you have nothing to fear," Skinner whispered into Krycek's ear. "Anything suspicious, and you're dead." He bit the lobe to emphasize his point. Krycek turned towards the AD to say something, only to catch Skinner full on the lips. Skinner wasted no time establishing who was in charge, prying his tongue into Krycek's mouth as he reached for the man's crotch. Krycek shivered and whimpered as Skinner unzipped him slowly and then pushed him down onto the bed. Jess, please forgive me, he though with a whimper as Skinner lay down on him. Outside, the garage door had just finished closing. Jess got out of her jeep with a look of disgust on her face. The whole trip had been a wild goose chase. More like a wild weregoose chase, she thought with a wry grin. The werewolf sighting Mulder had gotten a tip on and passed to her had turned out to be nothing more than a psychotic dog trainer living out a 'Hound of the Baskerville's' fantasy. Disillusioned, she had turned around and headed home as soon as she was certain. She sighed as she walked up to the door, her duffel bag slapping against her legs. What I wouldn't give for five minutes with a werewolf who would be a friend. She wanted someone to talk to, a mentor figure she could turn to like Lindy looked to her. Well, at least I've got Alex, she thought as she let herself in the condo. She had driven several hours nonstop through the bad storm just so she could be with her beloved. She was half way across the living room when she heard the soft moan. Jess froze, senses instantly alert for danger. When the sound was repeated, she relaxed. He's up there, thinking about me, jacking himself off. The thought of watching Krycek pleasure himself and then joining him at the critical moment sent a tingle racing between Jess's legs. With a feral gleam in her eyes, she crept up the stairs silently, deciding not to give her presence away just yet. She poked her head around the corner of the doorway, determined not to make a sound. And when she saw what was happening on their bed, she was incapable of making a sound. She reached out to grab the door frame for support. No! This *can't* be happening! Alex, how *could* you? she thought despairingly, her shock melting into anger. And despite that anger and disgust at being betrayed, she felt herself getting turned on by the sight. Skinner and Krycek were writhing on the bed. Their jeans were unzipped and their shirts were off. Krycek was underneath, eyes tightly shut as Skinner tormented a nipple. Skinner bit down and Krycek's eyes flew open. He raised his head in reflex and saw Jess standing there with wide, staring eyes. "Oh *shit!*" Krycek yelled, shoving Skinner's head away guiltily. Skinner sat up, annoyed at Krycek's sudden mood swing. First he was frightened and submissive, now he was trying to direct the action. "What the hell is going on, boy?" He turned to follow Krycek's pointing arm to see Jess standing in the doorway. She was breathing heavily, and trembling. She looked very hurt and very angry. And very aroused. Skinner backed to the edge of the bed as Krycek sat up. Somehow, the woman he was at least a foot taller than and easily outweighed was a threatening force he didn't particularly want to face. "Jess," he heard Krycek babble, "Oh, God! Jess, let me explain..." "I don't want to hear it, Alex!" she yelled, making his name sound like a curse. She turned to run away. "Jess wait, please!" Krycek was following her and managed to catch her arm just before she hit the stairway. "There is a good reason for this." Jess clenched her teeth. "Good reason? You're having an affair with your ex-boss, on *our bed* no less, and there's a 'good reason'?" "Jess, please, listen to my side of the story," Krycek begged. He sounded desperate. Jess frowned looking back at their bedroom. Skinner stood there, his shirt still off and jeans unzipped. She made a decision. "You both have three minutes to get dressed and get your asses downstairs to explain. If it takes any longer, I'm out of here and I'm not coming back." She turned and stomped down the stairs as Krycek scampered for the bedroom. When Skinner and Krycek came downstairs, they found Jess sitting at the head of the kitchen table, nursing a beer. She was still frowning, her nails tapping a staccato rhythm against the hardwood surface. Cancerman looks less menacing than she does, Skinner thought with a shiver. She didn't look up as they entered. "Care to explain?" she growled, not looking at either of them. Krycek sighed deeply and sat down on her right. "It's a long story," he said, reaching for Jess's hand. Jess jerked her hand away as he touched her, still staring at the beer bottle in front of her. "Just start talking," she snarled. "I got a call from Cancerman," Skinner began. "I'm bisexual, and he knows it. He threatened my position at the FBI unless I came to this address and slept with the man who lived here. I didn't know who it was until I got here." Skinner shook his head. "After Sharon left, this job is all that I have. I'm still able to use my influence to keep Agents Mulder and Scully protected. I just couldn't walk away." Jess nodded. Her voice remained cautiously neutral. "And what's your side, Alex?" Krycek looked at his lap. "Cancerman contacted me. He said that he would give me information about Amanda if I had sex with the man who showed up tonight, and didn't tell you before the fact." "Amanda?" Skinner asked, clearly puzzled. Jess had closed her eyes. "Our daughter, who was born while I was missing." She turned and looked at Krycek for the first time since the shouting match upstairs. "You were going to do that for her?" she asked with tears filling her eyes. "For her, for you, for us," Krycek said, laying a hand on hers. This time she didn't pull away. "I'm not proud of what almost happened, of hurting you, but I was willing to go through with it. And I was going to tell you about it." Jess sat there, mulling something over. "Excuse me a moment." She stood up and went to the phone. She leaned her shoulder against a wall as she punched in a number. "Hey, Dana? Listen, I know it's late but can I speak to Mulder?" There was a pause of a few seconds. "Hey Mulder, got a question for you. Did you send me an email about a case a day or so ago? Hmmph. That's what I thought. No, it's not okay, but I can't talk about it now. Sorry to disturb Dana. You I live to disturb. Bye." She hung up the phone and turned back to the men sitting at the table. "We have been set up big time." "Set up?" Skinner echoed. Krycek started to laugh softly. "I think I see where you're going, Jess." He leaned forward. "Mulder didn't send you a message, did he?" "Nope. It was a red herring to get me out of town. I have a feeling our mutual enemy has gone to more subtle means to divide and conquer." She sighed. "So what happens now?" Skinner looked at Krycek. The younger man shrugged his shoulders. "Walk away and forget this ever happened," Skinner said. Jess shook her head. "That doesn't keep you your job or get us any information about Amanda." Krycek looked up at her, shocked. He had been sure she would have castrated him without anesthesia if he had suggested a threesome. "Jess, exactly what are you suggesting?" "I think you know." Skinner could feel himself getting aroused again. Jess, with her pale skin and dark hair and eyes, was a beautiful woman. "Are you sure?" he asked. Jess gave him a serene smile. "You're doing this for Mulder and Dana. Alex is doing this for me and Amanda. Why should I let you two be the martyrs?" Her eyes darted to Alex. "And you won't be betraying me if I take part. Are you okay with that?" Now Krycek was between a rock and a hard place. Jess being involved would be both a physical and emotional comfort. But he didn't want her on the tape, let alone the fact that she wasn't supposed to know about this. If he didn't agree she would want to know why. And she would never agree to it if without Skinner's knowledge and consent also. But if he told Skinner, Cancerman wouldn't give him any information about Amanda. "Alex?" He looked up in response to Jess's voice. He could see the worry in her eyes. She thinks I'm hesitant because of what happened, he thought. If only I could somehow tell her the real reason. But the decision had been made. He nodded. "Shall we go back upstairs?" he asked hoarsely, standing. Skinner stood as Jess walked forward. She offered an arm to Krycek, and then one to Skinner. The three of them interlinked, they went back upstairs. When they reached the bedroom, almost all of Jess's self-possession vanished. She stopped short of the doorway. "I've never done anything like this before, Mr. Skinner," she said with a shy dip of her head. "Walter." Skinner corrected gently. "You can call me Walter. And this is new ground for me too." He stepped forward, tilted her chin upwards and kissed her with an open mouth. He broke the kiss long enough to whisper "so beautiful." Jess trembled as she felt Krycek step up behind her. He nuzzled her hair and kissed the back of her neck. She could feel both men's erections pressing into her. She quietly whimpered, rocking forward and back. Krycek's lips traveled to her ear. "Jess, are you sure you're all right about this? I mean, Jake never made you... ." "I'm fine," she whispered as Skinner started kissing her forehead. "Jake was too possessive, too jealous to share." "I can see why." Now Skinner's hands slid over her neck to reach for Krycek's shoulders. "I surprised you're both willing." As Jess angled to the side to allow the men easier access, Skinner started kissing Krycek's left ear. "So where did you plant the camera?" he laughed softly. "Don't try to deny it, boy," he said, laying a finger on Krycek's lips, silencing his protest. Jess was chuckling as she attacked Krycek's right ear. "C'mon, Alex. I wasn't FBI trained and I figured out in three seconds that someone wanted this taped for blackmail." She pulled on the lobe, making him gasp involuntarily. "And I think we all know who. That's what he wanted in exchange for the info, and why you hesitated when I said I wanted this." "Yeah," Krycek admitted. "I'm okay with the idea of the three of us, but the thought of that tar sucking son of a bitch watching us turns my stomach." Jess pursed her lips, thinking hard. "I have an idea. You and Walter put on a good show for the camera. I'll sit on the sidelines for the taped round." Skinner frowned. "That puts me exactly where the Smoking Man wants me." "I'm working on that. I think I know a way to get what we all need, but leave Cancerman empty handed," Jess murmured. "But you have to trust us." She stepped back and blinked, her face serious. "Can you do that?" Skinner looked back and forth between Jess's dark brown eyes and Krycek's deep green ones. "I can trust you, Jess." They both nodded. The message was clear. Jess may be trustworthy, but Krycek still wasn't. "I'll go get this set up," Krycek muttered. After he stepped into the bedroom, Jess turned to Skinner. "I know that you have to make this look realistic by being rough. But if I think you're hurting him unnecessarily, I *will* step in, video or no video." Skinner nodded. He had seen that protective look before, but then it was on the face of a mother dog watching as her pups were being handled by her master for the first time, trust commingled with threat. Krycek stepped out of the bedroom. "It's all set up. I reprogrammed the camera's clock so there is no time discrepancy." He was obviously nervous. Jess laid a hand on his arm. "You okay?" she whispered softly. Krycek took a deep breath and nodded. Jess slid her hand up and down his arm reassuringly. "Come on, boy," Skinner said firmly, gripping Krycek's other arm and tugging him away from Jess's grasp. Skinner's voice was gruff and carried an underlying hint of menace, but a quick glance at his face assured Krycek it was mostly pretense, meant for the camera. Skinner intended to give the black lunged bastard the spectacle he expected to see, but he had *no* intentions of deliberately hurting Krycek to do it, especially with his lover watching. He was a hard man, but he wasn't a sadist. Krycek cast a quick worried look at Jess, who gave him a reassuring smile before taking a seat on the chair next to the wardrobe where the camera was hidden. She was well out of the camera's range, and if she remained silent, she would not be noticed. For the second time that day Skinner began to unbutton Krycek's shirt. As each button was undone, Skinner kissed the pale, almost hairless skin that was exposed. Soon the shirt lay discarded on the floor, and Skinner began to slowly pull down the tab of Krycek's jeans, lowering the zipper with an agonizing slowness. Krycek shuddered as Skinner ran both his large, warm hands into Krycek's jeans and pushed them roughly away from his hips. Skinner jerked the jeans down Krycek's legs along with his briefs, and then with one smooth motion, shoved the young man backward onto the bed. Krycek gasped, and looked up at Skinner warily, surprised and a bit intimidated by the sudden violence. The cold fire he saw blazing in his former boss's dark eyes did little to reassure him. Krycek swallowed, and timidly kicked off his jeans before lying back on the bed, naked and trembling a little. The room was warm, but he felt chilled to the bone. Please, let me be able to get through this, he prayed. Skinner never took his eyes from Krycek's as slowly he undressed himself, carelessly tossing his clothes onto the floor with Krycek's. The look in those eyes made promises to Krycek that left him feeling breathless from some emotion that wasn't quite desire, and not entirely fear. Slowly Skinner lay down atop Krycek and began to skillfully use his hands and lips to explore the body lying supine beneath him. Skinner felt his excitement mounting quickly, aroused almost beyond reason by the sight of the lovely young man at his mercy. So young, he thought. So very young, and so beautiful. Krycek gasped, and tossed restlessly under his former boss's caress. Skinner felt a completely unexpected wave of tenderness wash over him. Something about this young man was so vulnerable, it brought out responses in Skinner that he wasn't even aware he was capable of towards other people, let alone this man. Krycek tried so hard to be tough, with his tight jeans and black leather jackets, but once stripped of those accouterments, the illusion of toughness was lost and what remained was just a very frightened and wary young man. Skinner leaned over to murmur into Krycek's ear. "Just follow my lead, Alex. I'm not going to hurt you." Krycek nodded imperceptibly, feeling oddly grateful for the older man's use of his first name, an obvious attempt to put him at ease. Skinner kissed Alex's ear, exhaling warm breath that made gooseflesh rise on his body and his nipples tighten painfully. Skinner nipped at the delicate earlobe next to his mouth, and began to work his way down Krycek's body, running his tongue down the salty, lightly sweating skin of Krycek's neck to lazily circle one nipple, before suddenly nipping it hard. Krycek gasped, and writhed against the hard body above him. Skinner continued down, trailing his tongue down the firm young body, dipping and swirling it into then out of Krycek's bellybutton before lowering his lips down to the heavy erection waving in front of his face. He rubbed his rough cheek against the velvety skin of that lovely cock, causing Krycek to gasp at the almost forgotten and utterly sensuous feel of a beard against his penis. Skinner opened his mouth and began lapping at the tender flesh. Krycek groaned, and his fists clutched at the comforter, still tangled from their earlier grappling. From her perspective on the chair, Jess could feel her body responding to the sight of A. D. Walter Skinner taking liberty with the accommodating body of the man she loved. I've got to remember that spot, she thought as Skinner slowly explored an erogenous zone Jess wasn't aware of, making Krycek writhe in agonized pleasure. Her nipples tingled, and she reached down unconsciously to stroke herself with a feather light touch. Without taking her eyes from the bed, she slowly began undressing herself, letting her hands tease and linger on her body, making it even more responsive. Feeling warm lips and hard teeth and soft tongue on his most sensitive organ was rapidly depriving Krycek of his ability to keep himself under any kind of control. He found it hard to lie still, but if he moved, Skinner pulled away, warning the young man without words to lie back and take it, reminding him of just who was in control of this situation. Skinner ran his tongue lazily down Krycek's stiff shaft and began sucking almost casually at his balls. Krycek cried out and his hips left the bed. He never had told Jess, but he loved having his balls sucked. He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to take this tortuous treatment. Skinner mouthed his balls, opening wide and taking first one, then the other, and then, incredibly, both into the recesses of his hot mouth at the same time. He released Krycek suddenly, and the younger man cried out at the feeling of the room's cool air against his overheated flesh. He cried out again, almost a sob, and whispered, "Sir, please...." "Did I say you could speak?" Skinner demanded. He was gratified to see the young man bite his lower lip hard enough to draw blood before managing to shake his head 'no'. He slid his way back up to the young man's head. A heavy forearm went across Krycek's throat, cutting off his air. "You don't speak, you understand?" Skinner's voice carried tones of threat and menace, a strong reminder of who was in charge. A pointing finger punctuated each word mere inches from Krycek's face, but it was mostly dramatics for the camera. "You are silent. I will tell you when you may speak, but until then, you are not to make a sound, do you understand?" Jess stiffened in the chair, her lips lifting from her teeth in a silent snarl. Walter, don't you dare follow through on that alpha male threat with him! Back when she and Mulder were dating, he had tried that kind of game with her in fun, forgetting momentarily what she had been through. She had reacted badly. Mulder then spent the next six weeks after that night trying to reassure her that Jake and he were two different people and that he would never hurt her. Jess kicked away her jeans that were puddled around her ankles. She crouched, ready to spring to Krycek's aid if it was needed. Be strong, my love, she thought. I won't let him hurt you. Krycek nodded, and Skinner felt a sudden pang of unease when he noticed that tears were beginning to leak from the corners of Krycek's eyes. As he slid back down Krycek's body, he risked a glance backward over his shoulder to where Jess sat and was surprised to see her half naked and her face drawn into a dark, feral, scowl. Before resuming where he left off, he debated stopping, but decided that they were too far gone into the performance for that. Whatever was causing Krycek's tears and Jess's glares, they'd have to talk about it later. Skinner licked one finger wetly, sucking and swirling it around in his mouth before placing it against Krycek's anus, teasingly rubbing and scratching right around the puckered opening without penetrating. Skinner allowed himself a grimly satisfied smile at the sight of the young man's cock pulsing at his touch. Who would have suspected him to be so responsive? Without warning he thrust the finger inside up to the first knuckle, and Krycek bucked helplessly under him, crying out despite the warning to stay silent. Clear fluid was beginning to leak copiously from the reddened tip of his lovely large erection. Skinner pushed the finger the rest of the way inside, and stroked Krycek's prostate. Helplessly he arched his back off the bed and began bucking his hips, meeting the penetrating digit. Krycek's reaction to the stimulation was beginning to tell on him. His shaft lay flat against his stomach, precum trailing from it to pool on his belly. His balls were beginning to draw up toward his body, his hips leaving the bed with the force of his thrusting. He said nothing else, but sounds still escaped him, small, soft breathy little sounds that told Skinner he wouldn't be holding out much longer. Skinner began stroking Krycek's cock with his other hand in time with the thrusting of his finger. He took the soft spongy flesh of the cock's head into his mouth, gently raking it with his teeth and firmly stroking the shaft with his tongue. Suddenly, with a loud cry Krycek erupted into Skinner's mouth. Skinner continued to suck at the spasming organ in his mouth, using talented lips and tongue to milk every last drop of come from Krycek's balls. He didn't remove his mouth from Krycek's cock until he felt it beginning to grow soft. Almost reluctantly he allowed the sated organ to fall from his lips and crawled up the lovely young man's body to kiss him long and hard. Krycek shuddered at the taste of his own semen on his former boss's lips and tongue. Skinner moved his lips to Krycek's ear. "You know what has to happen now, boy," he whispered. "I don't know how much experience you have in this area, Alex, but believe me when I tell you that inflicting pain is not how I get my jollies. I'm not going to intentionally hurt you. In fact, I hope I can make this as pleasurable for you as I know it will be for me." Skinner reached past Krycek's head for the small bottle of Astroglide on the bed table. He squirted some of the lubricant into one hand, and parted Krycek's legs before sliding a single finger deep inside his ass. After a moment a second finger joined the first, then a third. Skinner glanced up at Krycek and the look he saw there on the young man's lovely face gave him pause for just a second. His deep green eyes were wide, the pupils enormous. His face was flushed, his lips parted and his skin shone with a thin sheen of sweat. Skinner thought that he looked as ageless as an angel, and just as beautiful. His eyes bored into Skinner's with an intensity that left the older man feeling suddenly uneasy. There was a story there behind those eyes, he knew. He wondered if he would ever have the opportunity to learn what it was. Skinner removed his fingers from Krycek and settled himself between his legs. With a gentleness and care he hoped would set the young man at ease, he pulled Krycek's legs up and settled them on his shoulders. He stroked Krycek's thighs, maintaining eye contact. Krycek gazed back at him, a deep, frightened sadness and resignation behind the obvious sexual longing in his eyes. Skinner was still feeling the unease that had assailed him moments before, and he had to admit to himself that he had undeniable doubts about what he was doing. As much as he felt Krycek should be punished for all he had done, this was not the time nor the place nor the way. He had been telling the truth when he told Krycek he didn't want to cause him pain. And that included psychic pain. Skinner wondered about the propriety of continuing with this, but he felt he had no choice. They'd all agreed to it, and hurting or not, Krycek was obviously willing to go though with the act. And God knew Skinner wanted to go through with it. He felt excited beyond reason, and eager to bury himself in the warm and willing human flesh before him. Krycek gasped sharply as Skinner began to penetrate him. The young man shivered beneath him, partially from pleasure, partially from fear. Skinner closed his eyes and willed himself to go slowly. He'd promised Krycek he wouldn't hurt him, and it was a promise he intended to keep. But Krycek was so tight, so hot.... his internal skin felt like heated silk, gripping Skinner's cock in a velvet fist. Skinner hoped he would be able to last long enough to bring the young man the pleasure he'd promised him. Krycek groaned deeply. The older man's cock deep inside was bringing him to a level of ecstasy he'd seldom felt - part pain, all pleasure, and soul consuming. He wondered dimly which emotion he was feeling more strongly, the pleasure of the act, or the shame of the memory. Krycek used his internal muscles to grip Skinner tightly as he thrust, gripping the headboard behind him and using it as a anchor to try to hold himself in place while Skinner thrust against him, into him, faster and faster, harder and harder... The feeling was so intense, so powerful... sweat fell from Skinner's brow like rain as he gripped Krycek's powerful thighs and pounded into him. He was frantic now, he was close, it wouldn't be long.... Jess sat gripping the arms of her chair until her knuckles turned white. Her breathing had sped up, and she had to bite her lip to keep quiet. Unconsciously, she was writhing in time to Skinner's thrusts. This was the most erotic thing she had ever witnessed and it was almost impossible to keep her body's responses in check. Skinner gripped Krycek's cock, hard once again so soon after his first climax and jerked it roughly as he slammed himself against the young man beneath him so hard he shoved him up the bed. Krycek began moaning loudly, coming for a second time just as Skinner began to come for the first. Skinner saw colored lights exploding behind his closed lids, and thought for a moment the top of his head just might blow off. He'd never felt anything so intense in his life. After a moment the spasms stopped, and he collapsed bonelessly onto Krycek, causing the young man to grunt with surprise. Skinner allowed his arms to go round Krycek's neck, and kissed his cheek. After a moment, he felt Krycek's arms hesitantly go round his back as Krycek embraced his former boss. Skinner could feel the wetness of Krycek's tears, still flowing, against his own cheek, and he wondered again at the young man's history. What had he been through that was so painful that this encounter brought him to tears even as it brought him to release? And how much must he love the young woman in the room with them, and their precious missing daughter, to go though with something that caused him such psychic pain. Jess released the breath she had been holding when Skinner climaxed, a tear trailing down her cheek as she watched the two men embrace. Skinner had kept his promise about not hurting Krycek, but she knew how hard it had been for her lover to go through with this seduction. She focused on calming her desires, knowing what Krycek now needed the most was emotional support and not a horny lover ready to jump him and make him come yet again. Right now all her mind wanted to do was get to Krycek and reassure him that everything was fine. Her body's desires could be tended to later. Her eyes caught Skinner's as he glanced back again. She gestured towards the bathroom with her head. With one last kiss on the young man's forehead, Skinner pulled away from Krycek. "I'll be right back," Skinner murmured as he got out of bed and walked towards the master bath. Maybe the boy really has changed, he thought as he closed the door. And then maybe I never knew the 'real' Krycek. If their situations had been reversed, if he and Sharon had a daughter and didn't know if she were alive or dead or worse, Skinner wasn't sure he would have been able to be so vulnerable to a man who had threatened him and had no real reason to keep from killing him. And as mush as he had loved and tried to love Sharon, Skinner doubted he could have willingly done what Krycek had just done for Jess. After Skinner disappeared into the bathroom, Krycek got out of bed. He stumbled weakly to the wardrobe where the camera was hidden. After shutting it off, he slumped against the maple wood and shut his eyes, tears still falling. He jumped when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. "It's only me," Jess whispered. She pressed her body against his. Only when his arms encircled him did he realize she was naked also. Jess tugged at his shoulders. "Back to bed?" Krycek nodded. Jess led him back to their bed, easing him into the center. She began kissing away his tears. "It's all right," she whispered as Skinner came out of the bathroom. Skinner slid back into the bed on the other side of Krycek. Two pairs of hands started to gently trace over his body. He started to gasp out of emotional overload more than pleasure. "No... please... no more... not tonight." Jess nodded as Skinner kissed the back of Krycek's neck. She pulled the comforter over their forms as she felt Skinner's hand slide to the small of her back to pull her more firmly against Krycek, and Krycek more firmly against himself. Jess dimmed the lamp and then slipped an arm over Krycek's shoulder to rest on Skinner's, completing the connection. Thus entangled, they eventually fell asleep. When Skinner woke up one a.m., the first thing he noticed was he had slept in a strange bed by a very warm body. The second was the very warm body belonged to Alex Krycek and just beyond him was Jess Leahs. As the memories of last night came back slowly to him, he raised his head and sat up. There was a dim light emitting from the lamp beside the bed, allowing him study his bedfellows. Krycek tossed restlessly in his sleep. Jess, on Krycek's other side and asleep, rested an arm lightly on his shoulder, trying to reassure him even while unconscious. Skinner looked at the sleeping forms with mixed emotions. What are we now? Not quite friends, but no longer enemies? Jess was snuggled up on her side, a small smile curling her lips. But Krycek's expression was more troubled. He began to sweat and mumble. Krycek shifted, pulling the sheet away from his body, also baring Jess's chest. Skinner could feel the first stirrings of renewed sexual interest. He reached down to stroke the sparse downy hair that covered Krycek's torso. Just as he made contact, Krycek's green eyes snapped opened. "Don't touch me!" he screamed, cowering back. Skinner jumped back and Jess shot up, her eyes wide and agleam with a mother wolf's protective anger. Krycek was pushing hard against her, burrowing against her like a frightened child. She looked from him to Skinner, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Comprehension dawned on her face and she relaxed. "Alex, it's okay. It was only Walter. It's all right," she whispered as she stroked his hair. Krycek blinked once, remembered where he was, and pushed away from Jess. He wouldn't look at either of them. "I'm going to take a shower," he muttered. He grabbed the top sheet as he got out of bed, obscuring his lower half as he retreated to the bathroom. "Alex?" Krycek turned back at the sound of Jess's voice. "Can I tell him?" He leaned against the doorjamb, thinking it over, top sheet still shielding his body. "Yeah," Krycek said with a bitter laugh. "He can't think any worse of me than he does already." He disappeared into the bathroom. Skinner looked at Jess. "What was all that about?" Jess sighed. "A dark secret in his past." She reached behind her to turn up the lamp and pick up a robe which she wrapped around her. She also tossed a pair of boxers to Skinner. One side of Skinner's mouth curled in a grin as he stepped into the shorts. "Isn't everything in that boy's past a dark secret?" "Not this dark," was Jess's reply. She settled onto her legs, kneeling on the bed. "You know about what happened to him, the whole lycanthropy experiment, right?" Skinner sat down on the same side she knelt on. "I've been informed of it," he said cautiously. Hewasn't sure that he believed half of what he read. Psychic werewolves who could regrow missing limbs weren't exactly normal. But then this whole situation made some of Mulder's X-Files look perfectly normal. "Well, not everything was written down in that file." Jess continued. She sat a little straighter, and Skinner was reminded of a teacher about to give a lecture. "The werewolves had a hierarchical pack system, much like wild wolves do, except monogamy and the alphas of the pack being the only breeding pair didn't seem to be the rule. The dominant male, who called himself Alpha Wolf, had a sadistic streak. Alex, being the newest member of the pack, was what's called the omega wolf, or lowest in rank. In the wild, an alpha male enforces dominance on a subordinate male by treating him like a female, by miming intercourse. Only in Alex's case..." she trailed off. Skinner looked aghast. Being beaten as punishment was one thing, but what Jess was implying? Krycek may be an untrustworthy, murdering betrayer, but there were other punishments that were more appropriate. No wonder he was so scared last night. Krycek had been through a physical violation that he felt no one should endure. Last night, at least, had been consentual. "You don't mean...?" "Exactly. He was raped repeatedly by Alpha Wolf." Jess sighed again. "You know about the emotional repercussion of a person being raped. I've helped Lindy through them and gone through them myself. Alex has them all, plus a few more." She looked Skinner in the eye. "You may not believe it, but he is truly ashamed of everything he's done. And he feels that everything that happened since he stole the tape from you is just what he deserves." Skinner looked at her skeptically. "So why is none of this mentioned in Agents Mulder's and Scully's reports?" "Think about it, Walter. You know how close we are, but it took him a year to admit to me he had been raped. Do you honestly believe he would be eager to tell Mulder and Dana about that?" She shook her head. "That's why he was so frightened last night. You are the first man he's been with since Alpha Wolf attacked him. He was trying not to relive the experience." Her eyes hardened. "And Cancerman ordered what happened to him and knew exactly what last night would do to him." Krycek stood under the shower head, feeling the water wash over him. He wasn't ashamed of last night with Skinner. That had been pleasant. But the feel of another man having sex with him triggered memories that he would have rather forgotten. He shivered as he remembered what Alpha Wolf had done to him. Although he had enjoyed what had conspired the night before, there had been points where he had almost panicked, caught up in a flashback. Only Jess's presence had been enough to keep him from fleeing. He started scrubbing his skin, trying to feel clean. Sometimes, he could still feel the oil oozing out of his pores, his eyes. But that felt spring time fresh compared how he felt after Alpha Wolf had abused him. Some of his darkest nightmares were about being locked in that damn silo. His worst one involved him retching up that cursed whatever-it-was, slumping down against the alien artifact, feeling a breath of hot air on the back of his neck and an arm go around his waist and only then realizing that Alpha Wolf was also locked up with him. The door opened and the soft pad of Jess's feet could be heard. "Alex?" came her voice. "Can I join you?" she asked timidly. "Please, Jess." He held aside the curtain. Jess stepped in, and touched his arm shyly. "Are you all right?" "No," was his shaky reply. As Jess put her arms around him, he sagged against her. "I keep thinking about what I've done, and what has been done to me. I deserved what Alpha Wolf did to me," he said in a broken voice. Jess shook her head. "Lindy didn't deserve what happened to her. I didn't deserve what Jake did to me. Why should it be any different for you?" She pulled his head down and cradled it on her shoulder. "No one deserves to be raped, no matter what they've done." Skinner pushed aside the curtain to join them. "Some punishments don't fit the crime." He ran a hand comfortingly over the younger man's shoulders. Krycek wasn't paying that much attention to either of them. He was wrapped up in the nightmare of his memory. "I can still feel him against me sometimes, stimulating me. I came for the bastard, just before he did. Then he bit me, Changed me." His head drooped even further. "And it was erotic." "Alex," Jess whispered into his ear. "You didn't have much of a choice. Male physiology is wired so when you come, it's pleasant to some degree." Skinner pressed against Krycek's back. "One of the first cases I investigated was a homosexual gang rape. I learned a lot about human sexuality on that case. Believe me, just because your body enjoyed it doesn't mean you asked for it to happen." He paused, curious about how they would answer his next question. "Did you ever receive any counseling?" Krycek snorted as he turned to face Skinner. "No," he spat. "Mulder put us in contact with someone who would believe me about the UFO part, but whenever I started talking about werewolves, he looked at me as if he were ready to institutionalize me." Jess also shook her head sorrowfully. "If the counselor won't help you where you're at, what's the point of going?" Her arms slip under his and up to rest on his shoulders. "So the two of you have been dealing with everything on your own?" Skinner asked, incredulous. "Well, we can't exactly go through traditional counseling, and last time I've checked, abductee support groups believe in little gray aliens, but not furry gray werebeasts," Krycek said. "I did get some counseling about when I was raped by Jake, after Mulder and I parted ways," Jess commented. "Me remembering what I learned, and reading a lot of psych books is the only way we've stayed sane." She paused, resting her cheek against Krycek's shoulder. "We were damn lucky that we didn't pick up any diseases. You can see the test results if you'd like," she offered. Skinner nodded, relieved to have an answer to one question he hadn't been sure how to ask. "I'm also clean. But before we do anything else, we should get some condoms so you don't end up pregnant, Jess, and not know which of us is the father." Both Jess and Krycek shut their eyes. "I wish that we're a problem, Walter," Jess said, a tear trailing from her eye. "Whatever happened to me when I was taken, it rendered me sterile." "And it's all my fault," Krycek whispered bitterly. "If I had never gotten involved with that black lunged bastard to begin with, none of this would have happened." "Alex, don't talk like that," Jess said. "You can't blame yourself for what Alpha Wolf did to you." "You were faced with difficult choices for any man..." Skinner started. "I'm not a man!" Krycek yelled. He turned away from Skinner, his first display of anger in a long time. "I let Alpha Wolf fuck me. Then I couldn't protect my lover and my child from what I should have known was going to happen. And I let you fuck me last night, and I enjoyed it." The anger drained from his voice. "What kind of man does that make me?" The last words were a harsh whisper. Jess looked up into Krycek's eyes. They had variations on that conversation ever since he had told her about his defilement. There was nothing more she could say to ease her love's anguish. Jess didn't what to do. All she could do was lean her head against his chest and hold him tightly, listening to his heartbeat. She felt a second pair of arms go around her. Skinner slid his arms around Jess's waist and over Krycek's hands. "You are a man," he said softly into Krycek's ear. "You didn't just 'let Alpha Wolf fuck you'. And you wouldn't have survived what you've been through if you weren't. You've earned my respect, Alex." "I... don't... deserve... it," Krycek gasped, his eyes beginning to tear. Skinner and Jess held him, gently swaying. They let him cry and cry and cry. He sobbed out all his shame from the repeated attacks by Alpha Wolf, the terror of being left to die in that God forsaken silo and then being experimented on, the sorrow he felt when his mate went missing, the fear that the daughter he had never even held may be dead or worse, the self-loathing he still felt at betraying Mulder and Scully, and over the loss of his innocence when he went to work for the Smoking Man, and for the miserable family life that had started him down this path. Skinner, closest to the shower head, eventually started to shiver. "We're out of hot water," he said, reaching back to shut off the flow. Jess nodded and slid the curtain back. She stepped out of the shower and helped Krycek out as if he were a small boy. Krycek moved almost in a trance, dazed from releasing his pent up emotions. Skinner grabbed a few towels from their racks and tossed one to Jess. After a quick wipe down, she and Skinner began to dry Krycek gently. Jess ran the towel over Krycek's face gently, wiping away the trails of his tears. Skinner rubbed his towel briskly though Krycek's hair, making it stand on end. Now he did look a lot like the boy Skinner always called him. But on that young, beautiful face was written a knowledge and an experience that not even Methuselah had lived long enough to acquire. Jess busied herself with his legs and nether region, not trying to arouse, just dry. Then she rubbed her towel over Krycek's chest, tracing his ribs and sternum. Unable to resist, she placed a wet kiss just above his heart. At Krycek's reflexive sigh of pleasure, she slid her tongue over to one of his nipples. She licked and nipped it to a tight bud. The gentle contact seemed to snap Krycek out of his daze. His hands went to either side of her cheeks and pulled Jess close to kiss her with an open mouth and probing tongue. All her denied lust from last night came flooding back into her system. She whimpered when Krycek pressed his half formed erection against her thigh. Skinner could feel his own cock stirring as he watched the two lovers kiss. Even with everything they had shared last night, Skinner still felt he needed permission before joining them. He stepped up close enough to Krycek to feel the heat radiating from the young man's body and blew softly along the nape of Krycek's neck, stopping just below the earlobe, but never touching his skin. "Do you want me to leave?" he asked softly. Krycek pulled back to look at Jess. "It's your choice," she whispered. He then turned to look at Skinner. This time when Skinner looked into those clear green eyes, he saw no fear. Hesitation, yes. Uncertainty, yes. Fear, no. "Stay," Krycek whispered, and then lunged for the AD's mouth. Skinner froze for a moment, surprised by Krycek's sudden enthusiasm. Then he started returning the kiss with equal passion. "Hey guys," Jess said in a forlorn voice. Both men turned to look at her. She was mugging a pathetic face for all she was worth. "You two got to do that last night, making me wait. I'm feeling a little left out." "Poor baby," Krycek said, stroking her hair and sliding his hand to cup her cheek. "Just wait your turn. We'll pay some attention to you." His hand went lower to rest on her breast, toying with the suddenly tight nipple. Skinner placed his square palm against Jess's other breast, feeling the nipple contract. "As lovely a bathroom you two have, I think we'll all be more comfortable in bed." "Then what are we waiting for?" Jess asked. They moved back into the bedroom. Jess motioned for Krycek to get in before her. Skinner got in on the other side, sandwiching Krycek's body firmly between them. As Krycek's head dipped to suckle at Jess's breast, Skinner slipped a hand between their bodies. "Mine," he rumbled, fingering the precum wetting the tip of Krycek's cock, stroking it down the stiff shaft. Jess lifted her head and looked at Skinner with raised eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?" She took hold gently of the base of Krycek's erect cock. "I saw him first." "No, I did," Skinner corrected. His fingers wrapped around the soft head. "I was his boss before you met him, after all." "Yeah, but I got in his pants first." Jess squeezed and relaxed her hand lightly and repeatedly. When Krycek sighed softly, she winked at Skinner. "That gives me ownership rights." Skinner grinned in response. He began stroking Krycek's cock firmly to where Jess held him. "But I think I outrank you." "Maybe at the Hoover building, but here you don't," Jess snorted, her hand still moving. "My house, my lover, my rules." Krycek pulled away from Jess's breast and moaned. "Have either of you considered that what you're arguing over is attached to me?" he asked, his hips starting to slowly thrust. Her hand sped up the tempo and Skinner matched it. "Be quiet, Alex," was Jess's response. Under the twin assault, it was impossible though. Krycek's breathing grew rapider, now coming in short gasps. He squinched his eyes shut. A hand went to cup his balls, rolling them individually and together. From it's size, he guessed it was Jess's. Skinner's slid between his thighs to reach between Jess's legs. Krycek heard her muffled squeak as Skinner stroked her, dampening his fingers. Then it was Krycek's turn to squeak. Skinner was pressing a finger, slicked with Jess's arousal, between his cheeks probing for his opening. Krycek squirmed a little, pressing back against the searching hand. Hearing and feeling Krycek's response, Jess switched motions. Her hand on his cock ceased to squeeze and began to stroke in an opposite rhythm of Skinner's, forward when he pulled back and back when he pulled forward. Skinner, meanwhile, was busying himself by fingering Krycek's prostate in time to their strokes. Now Krycek started to moan and thrash. "Oh God," he grunted, tossing his head. He pressed forward into Jess's hands, and back against Skinner's. The tug of war going on in and around his groin quickly became too much. With an explosive yell, he came, shooting hot semen onto Jess's thighs. He buried his head between her breasts, allowing her to cradle his head. Skinner sat up on one elbow. "Now look what you've done," he said in mock annoyance to Jess. He reached across Krycek's body to trace his fingers through the cum on Jess's thighs. "Me?" Jess said innocently. The look she gave Skinner was anything but innocent. "You had a hand in it. Or I guess I should say in him." "Yes you could say that," Skinner smirked, running his hand up her torso. "Now it's your turn." He ran the pad of his thumb over her tight nipples. "Get over here," he growled. Jess rose up to mock glare at Skinner and Krycek started to giggle. "Sir, if I were you, I wouldn't take that tone of voice with her." "Don't spoil my fun, Alex," Jess purred. "Let him learn the hard way." She carefully crawled over his body to get to Skinner, pausing only to kiss Krycek. He scooted to where Jess vacated, propping himself up lazily on one elbow to watch. This ought to be interesting, he thought, idly wondering who would end up submitting to whom. Jess lay down next to Skinner, letting him pull her in close to kiss and nuzzle her. She guided one hand to her breast. Skinner rolled on top of her. His hands started stroking all the bare skin he could reach. Jess sighed and drew her hands down to Skinner's butt. Her body was extremely responsive to his touch. He pressed his lips to hers, stroking her damp tongue with his as he eased between her legs. "How do you like it, Jess?" he whispered in her ear. He kissed the tender spot where her chin joined her neck. "Hard and fast or slow and gentle?" Jess's head was tilted back, her eyes shut tightly. She was smiling in a way that Krycek recognized as one of her more unpredictable moods. "What do you want, Walter?" "Be careful how you answer that, sir," Krycek said. He was watching the pair fascinated by their actions and was touching himself lightly. "Alex, be quiet," Jess purred. She reached over to squeeze Krycek's cock, causing it to erect violently. Skinner laughed. "It looks like you're the one who needs to be careful, Alex." He slid into Jess and began to thrust, at first slowly and then harder and faster. Jess's dark eyes turned back to Skinner, filled with laughter. "Walter, what Alex was trying to warn you about is that when someone screws me, I screw back just as hard." Then the breath was knocked from his body. Jess had somehow flipped them so she was above him. And she was riding him hard. He lay back and let her do the work. Aside from that prostitute that had been paid to bed and frame him, none of his sexual partners, male or female, had been willing to wrest control from him, and she did just for a few seconds. Jess, however, seemed determined to be in charge for almost the whole thing. It was a strange sensation and position for Skinner. And even more surprising, he found he liked it. Skinner watched her breasts bounce from the force of her hips grinding against his. He reached up to knead them, relishing their weight. Jess gasped and sped up a fraction more, clenching him with her internal muscles. Then his back arched, toes curled, and a drawn out groan escaped his lips as he came, pumping furiously into her depths. He shut his eyes as the sensations pounded through him. She's almost as good a lay as Alex. His eyes opened when he heard her indignant squawk of surprise and felt her being lifted off his softening penis. Krycek, still erect from her earlier caress, was straddling his legs and entering Jess from behind. He looked at Jess's face. Her eyes were half open and luminous from the pleasure he had inflicted and Krycek was inflicting on her. Skinner reached up to stroke Jess's cheek. Sharon never looked so passionate or beautiful. And Krycek looked equally passionate and beautiful above her, intent on making her come yet again. He had a firm grip on her hips and slammed into her hard and fast. Skinner reached for Krycek's shoulders, pulling the two writhing bodies against his. He kissed first one and then the other full set of lips with an open mouth and questing tongue. And to his amazement, he felt himself getting hard so soon after coming. "Let me out from underneath." Krycek reared back on his knees, taking Jess with him and still thrusting furiously. Skinner scooted out from under them, but not before giving one of Jess's nipples a playful lick. "What... are... you... doing.... Walter?" Jess managed to gasp out ask Krycek still pounded her. "You'll see, Jess. But Krycek will feel. And I think you'll both enjoy." Skinner repositioned himself between Krycek's legs. Jess grinned wickedly. "I... guess... what... they... say... about... baldness... and... testosterone... is... true." "Sir, what are you doing?" Krycek asked nervously, glancing back as Skinner reached over him for the Astroglide. "I think you know." Skinner lay down on the still heaving body. Krycek moaned as he felt the length of Skinner's hot arousal against his buttocks. Skinner stroked up and down his sides. He whispered in Krycek's ear, "If you don't want this, all you have to do is say 'no,' Alex." Krycek paused, firmly planted in Jess. "Yes, do me, sir," he whispered huskily as Jess reached backwards and urged with her hands for him to keep moving. He picked up at a slightly slower pace than before. Skinner blew softly in the young man's ear. He pushed off of Krycek, kneeling between the younger man's legs. He squirted some of the lubricant into his hand. After letting the gel warm slightly, Skinner slipped one finger past the tight ring of muscle of Krycek's anus, making the young man push against him. He started to lazily search with that finger. Krycek jumped when Skinner caressed his prostate. Jess squealed. "I don't know what you did, Walter, but his reaction sure felt good. Do it again." "Not this time." Instead, Skinner began to penetrate Krycek. The young man beneath him moaned and pressed back against the A.D., and then relaxed as the older man began to thrust, allowing Skinner to drive him deeper into Jess. Jess's hands went from Krycek's hips to Skinner's. She could feel Krycek's every pulse, every twitch, every reaction to both her body and the man above him. Her hips began working in time with the men above her. She was so close. Krycek grunted with every motion. The sensation of being simultaneously sheathed and impaled was mind blowing. And that pleasure quickly turned to raw ecstasy as Jess came, her muscles clenching and releasing his cock, Skinner's raking against his prostate at the same time, causing him to tumble over the edge and into the abyss. Skinner moaned. Both bodies beneath him had seized up in the throes of their orgasm. Krycek's tight ass was milking his cock in strong tremors. And then Skinner came, exploding furiously, feeling like it was not just his cock, but his whole body that was spasming. He collapsed onto Krycek, who still lay limply on Jess. They all held each other, savoring the aftershocks. Eventually it was Jess who broke the spell. "Guys... you're... too... heavy... . Having... trouble... breathing...." she said, her voice muffled by the pillow she was face down on. "Spoilsport," Krycek mumbled as Skinner slid off to Jess's right side. Then he cuddled into Jess's left. "What time is it anyway?" he asked with a yawn. Jess lazily lifted her head to stare at the clock. "Two thirty." She snuggled back down between the warm bodies. "Let's get some more sleep and we'll talk over breakfast. Walter, would you dim the light?" Skinner did so and gave Jess and Krycek a lingering kiss before nestling back down beside Jess. He threw an arm across both of their bodies, before shutting his eyes. "Sleep well." And for the rest of the night, none of them were disturbed by nightmares. The chiming of the grandfather clock downstairs woke up Krycek. It was ten a.m. on Sunday morning. He sat up in bed and looked around. Jess was still laying next to him and Skinner on her other side. This isn't how I thought this situation would end up, he thought. Jess lay on her stomach, hair shooting every which way, looking unearthly beautiful. Skinner's head rested between her shoulder blades, a slight smile on his face. Krycek smiled and sighed. For someone who has such a forbidding exterior at work, Skinner has a surprisingly gentle side. When he saw Skinner at the door last night, he had not expected to survive this encounter, or if he did, to be beaten within an inch of his life after being raped again. But neither early this morning nor late last night had been rape. He knew from the background information during his assignment to Mulder that the AD was an ex-Marine, and had a troubled marriage. Perhaps Skinner's stone cold attitude and threatening posture at work was just as carefully crafted a facade as Krycek's leather jackets - an illusion of invulnerability that was surprisingly easy to see through, if you knew where to look. Maybe we're not so different after all. Krycek slid out of bed and found a his clothes. For some reason, he felt shy about dressing in front of the sleeping pair, so he dressed in the bathroom. As he came back out, he found Skinner awake, although still in bed. "Morning, sir." "Good morning." Skinner looked at Krycek. He looked back at Jess. "She's still out like a light." Krycek smiled. "Jess isn't that much of a morning person. I'll go get breakfast started. We don't have much to offer, though but you're welcome to it." "Cold cereal and milk is fine with me, if you've got it." Krycek nodded, padded downstairs, and started to fix breakfast. He had just finished pouring the orange juice when Skinner came downstairs. "Jess isn't awake yet?" Skinner shook his head. "When I tapped her shoulder, she growled something that sounded suspiciously like 'bite me' and rolled over." Krycek sighed as he opened the freezer. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this." He removed a baggie filled with small frozen spheres. "What are those?" Skinner asked. "Marbles. Sometimes it's the only way you can get her moving in the morning. She's going to be pissed, though. Be prepared to search for my remains." He paused at Skinner's quizzical stare. "Have you ever been woken up by frozen marbles being rolled across your back?" Skinner chuckled at the younger man's doomed expression as Krycek climbed the stairs. He was still laughing when he heard a loud screech echo from the upstairs bedroom. Eventually Krycek came downstairs, followed by a glaring Jess. She was dressed in dark jeans and a black sweatshirt. "Good morning, Walter," she said, kissing the A.D.'s cheek lightly. "What, nothing for me?" Krycek asked, looking hurt. "I'm not talking to you except to say you won't know when it's coming. You won't know where it's coming. You won't know how it's coming. But believe me. It's *coming.*" "Sounds like you're in big trouble, Alex," Skinner laughed. But he grew serious quickly. "When are you supposed to deliver the tape?" "Tonight, sir. I'm supposed to deliver it to him personally." Jess nodded, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers. "And I'll be there to take it back." They spent the rest of the day plotting contingency plans incase Jess failed to regain the tape. Although if she failed, there was not much that could be done for Skinner. Jess did feel however that she wouldn't fail, but it wouldn't hurt to have backup plans. Now they were sitting in the living room, killing time. Boomer and Chloe decided to make an appearance. The husky sat at Skinner's feet while the cat curled on Jess's lap. Krycek was in the kitchen, getting them something to drink. Jess looked at Skinner from where she sat on the couch, stroking Chloe. Something had been bothering her. She felt that he deserved to see the reality of what she was. "Walter, I know you've read about what I am, but do you want to believe? Can you believe?" Skinner looked up from scratching behind Boomer's ears. "Jess, what are you talking about?" Jess sighed, looking around the room to collect her thoughts. "It's not just a simple matter of saying 'She says she's a werewolf and I believe her' without seeing me Changed," she hesitantly began, still stroking the cat. "It's not a matter of reading one of Mulder's reports and not dismissing what he says as bunk." She looked Skinner in the eyes. "I once Changed in front of a human who didn't know what I was. He ended up in a mental institution and will probably never be released. It shattered his mind. All because he didn't want to and couldn't believe. I knew what it would do to him, but I went ahead and Changed in front of him anyway." Skinner blinked. She didn't seem like the type that would maim or kill for pleasure. "Why did you do it?" "He killed my friend." Somehow the four simple words managed to convey the depth of her sorrow at the loss in Jess's voice. Skinner nodded, realizing for the first time that Jess didn't love often nor lightly. And when someone did gain her trust and affection, be it friend or lover, she protected as fiercely and as loyally as the animal she said she could turn into. And she was offering that same trust and affection to him. And that cinched Skinner's decision. "I can believe," he said firmly. Krycek returned with the drinks. "Believe what?" he asked, passing the sodas to Skinner and to Jess. "In what I am," Jess said, putting Chloe on the floor. She turned to Krycek. "I thought it was only fair to show him." Krycek nodded. "You're right. It's only fair." He settled down on the couch next to her. "Are you going to do it now?" Jess cocked her head at Skinner. "No time like the present," he said. Jess nodded and focused on a far spot on the wall, staring intently at it. Skinner watched fascinated as the form before him blurred, shifted, and Changed. Her knees made a quiet popping noise as they folded back into canine hocks. The bare hands and feet furred over and grew four inch talons. Pointed ears lifted from where they had lay flat against her skull. As the muzzle extended, a tearing noise was heard. The furryhead turned to look at her hindquarters, a slightly disgusted snort escaping as the black furred tail ripped through the seat of her jeans, ruining yet another pair. Jess yawned, exposing her ivory white fangs and blood red gums. She lifted a hind foot to scratch lazily behind her right ear. "Don't you *dare* give fleas to Boomer or Chloe," Krycek laughed. The laugh was abruptly cut off by a pillow flying into his face. But now was not the time for silliness. "I've got to get going and deliver the tape," Krycek said. Jess nodded and stood also. For some reason, the Change added about two feet in height to her stature when she stood on her hind legs, making her seven feet tall and tower over the two men. Jess pulled Krycek to her in a reassuring hug, licking the top of his head as a farewell kiss. Krycek squeezed back and then left the room. Jess turned to Skinner now and hunkered down to his eye level, minimizing herself in an effort not to scare him. She reached forward slowly, offering her hand/paw to shake. Skinner took the offered appendage, and then pulled Jess to him for a hug also. Her body felt unmistakably female underneath the clothes and fur. Her arms went gently around his body, and he could feel the enormous strength being restrained in those steel hard muscles. God! he thought. She could have pulled me limb from limb anytime last night. He squirmed as he felt her rough tongue caress the top of his bald head. A deep growling chuckle came from the barrel chest his cheek was pressed against. Then he felt a rush of wind as Jess abruptly pulled away and bounded out the open window. That left Skinner alone in the room with the pets. They had all agreed to meet at his apartment at midnight. Then it hit him. This plan required him to trust the agent who was a known traitor and murderer. Somehow, when Jess had been in the room, it had seem to be the most sensible thing to do. Now alone, it seemed to be playing right into Cancerman's hands. It's a little late to be having second thoughts, he thought as he left the condo. Cancerman stepped into his apartment and turned on the light. He tossed his trench coat over the back of the chair in front of his typewriter. He put the tape in the VCR and sat down on his couch. Krycek had shown up at their chosen rondeveau point, suitably dispirited and upset, and handed over the tape. "Now where's the file?" Cancerman pocketed the tape. "When I'm assured of what's on the tape, you'll get your information." He then turned to go, leaving Krycek standing among the light and shadows of the alley where they had met. He didn't see one of the shadows detach from the others and stalk after him. He sat watching the two men on screen dispassionately. The Cigarette Smoking Man picked up the phone and dialed a number. Time to throw a scrap of cheese to the rat. "See to it the specified information is delivered." He hung up the phone and turned his attention back to the television. When the performance was over and static filled the screen, he lit a cigarette. "Was is good for you too?" a female voice purred from behind him. Cancerman turned to see Jess leaning against the sill of the open window, arms crossed. "I guess the desire to watch that type of video runs in the family." "What are you doing here?" He tried staring down the figure dressed in black jeans, a dark sweatshirt, but oddly enough, no shoes or socks. Jess wasn't one to be easily cowed. "I think you know," she said, lazily pushing away from the wall. She started walking causally towards him. "Alex is remembering more and more everyday," Jess said conversationally. "Especially about how he was unwerewolfed. He says that if the treatments don't kill you, you just wish they did." Cancerman sat calmly, not allowing the shiver of fear he felt to appear. He had been able to intimidate other werewolves before, but he knew the same mind games would not work on the young woman now standing in front of him. "What makes you think I would opt for a reversal, if I acquired the same condition you have?" Jess smiled and leaned in close. "You live in the darkness," she whispered. A finger traced his jaw line as gentle as a lover's touch. It ended under the point of the chin, focusing Cancerman's eyes on hers. "You have others take the actual risk of doing your dirty work when it involves face to face confrontation. And when you are involved directly, you kill from afar." She laughed softly, a chilling sound. "You don't have the balls it takes to be a werewolf." Cancerman involuntarily flinched under her touch. Score one for Jess. "What are you here for?" "The tape and a promise to leave Skinner alone," was the purred reply. "Give me what I want right now, and I leave without throwing a rabid fit. However if I don't get what I want, I start biting. And if I hear of Skinner having, shall we say problems with job security, I'm returning, fangs bared. And I'll keep returning." Jess smiled grimly. "The choice is yours." The Smoking Man didn't see an immediate way out of the situation without giving her what she wanted. He was too old to be certain he would survive the reversal of the Change, and he had no desire at this time to live out the rest of his days with the urge to howl at the moon once a month. "Take what you want. You have my word," he growled, stubbing out a cigarette. Jess smiled sweetly. "Thank you." She sauntered over to the VCR and ejected the tape. Tapping it against her thigh, she crossed the room to the window. Doing so, it left her back unguarded, the ultimate werewolf insult. "You are so harmless I can bare my neck and still be safe," it said. And Cancerman knew exactly what her motions meant. She jumped onto the open window's sill, balancing on the balls of her bare feet. Jess turned back to smile once more at Cancerman. Only now she had Changed, so a wolf grin smiled good bye to him. She tucked the tape inside her jacket and jumped. Cancerman went to the window unhurriedly. Jess had landed running on all fours, apparently unharmed by the five story fall. "Damn her," he whispered softly in both annoyance and admiration as he lit another Morley, watching the fleet dark shadow be swallowed by the even darker shadows of the night. As it neared midnight, Krycek walked down the hallway to Skinner's apartment. As they had agreed, he was returning to let Skinner know that the tape had been delivered and it was now up to Jess. Skinner opened the door on Krycek's first knock. "Where is Jess?" Krycek stepped into the apartment. "Don't worry, sir. She'll be here." A knocking sound came from behind the curtains that obscured the balcony. Skinner went for his gun and cautiously drew the curtains to one side. "Would *somebody* please let me in? It's freezing out here!" Skinner slid back the glass door, allowing a shivering Jess into the warmth of the apartment. "How did you get up here?" "Climbed the facade," Jess said as if it were an everyday event. She pulled out a videocassette from her denim jacket. "Thought you might want to verify what this is before I start ripping it to shreds. Then we can all go our separate ways." "And act like this never happened," Skinner muttered. Jess and Krycek glanced at each other when they heard not the expected bitterness over their shared night, but regret. "You're sorry that it's over?" Jess asked. "In a way, yes." Skinner was obviously serious. "After learning everything I did, I can't go back to how I felt about or treated the two of you before." Krycek looked at Skinner with wide eyes. "What are you saying, sir?" he asked with a swallow. "I want the relationship to continue." Jess's mouth fell open. "Walter, I'm flattered, but it's too dangerous for us all to sleep together on a regular basis. And I've got Lindy to consider." "Jess, I know the sex can't continue, as much as I'd like it to. But I don't think we should lose the groundwork the three of us have made." "Sir, that wouldn't happen," Krycek said. "We have too many enemies to turn down an offer of friendship." Jess toyed with the video in her hands. She flipped back the cover and methodically began pulling the tape off the reels. "If I can convince Lindy that you don't want to molest her and want her involved at all, Walter, she'll be okay with you occasionally spending the night." With one last tug, she snapped the last of the tape off its spools. "It's late. We should go." Skinner nodded. Aside from his physical attraction to the pair, he really wasn't certain why he wanted the relationship to continue. It would be easiest to wash his hands of the whole affair. But that was the last thing he wanted to do. "I'll do some digging myself and see if I can turn up any information on your daughter. Be careful," he said, kissing first Krycek and then Jess on their foreheads. Krycek opened the door for Jess as she walked out. "Thank you, Walter. And we're always careful." With that, she turned, tripped and went face down on the floor. Krycek was on his knees, helping her back to her feet. "Jess, are you hurt?" "Only my pride, Alex." She stood up and stepped over the package that was left on the doorstep. "What is it?" Skinner squatted to look at the writing on the brown wrapper. "It's addressed to you, Alex." Krycek picked up the package and ripped it open, almost tearing the contents in two in his eagerness. He started to shuffle through the paperwork excitedly, not paying attention to some of the papers fluttering to the floor. Jess looked equally excited. "Is it the promised info?" Krycek's excitement evaporated quickly. "Progress reports, growth charts, medical exams, blood test results, but no doctor names, no establishment names, nothing traceable." He slapped the papers down onto his thigh. "Damn!" Jess picked up the papers that had fallen. She glanced at one of the photos in her hand. Then she gave a cry, raising her fist to her mouth and tears coming to her eyes. Krycek looked at the photo, and put his arms around her, his eyes also tearing. Skinner gently took the picture from Jess, who was too upset to really notice. When he looked at it, he understood their reactions. In the picture was a dark haired baby, asleep in a crib. And on a placard, hand lettered with care, was a single word - Amanda. Believe it or not, this is actually the first Loup Garou story I started on. I was so tired of Scully being jealous of any female that had a remote interest in Mulder, or had a sexual past with him. I wrote this story to show that Scully being jealous doesn't have to be a given. Loup Garou VIII - The Meeting It was Saturday morning. Dana Scully had been looking forward to the weekend. If she wasn't working on an urgent case with Mulder, she had the luxury of having two whole days to herself. No chasing after aliens. No monsters reaching out of air vents. No weirdness at all. Then the phone rang. "Scully." "It's me," Mulder's voice sounded tense. "I have an emergency. I can't go into details, but I need you to get over here now. Bring your black bag." "Mulder, what's going on?" She could hear labored breathing and an occasional quiet moan in the background. "Are you watching one of those videos that arent yours?" "No, Scully, this is serious." There was a second moan. "Get over here *now*." There was a sudden buzz of a dialtone as Mulder hung up the phone. Scully also sighed as she hung up the phone. So much for a nice, normal weekend. she thought. Scully knocked on the door. "Scully, get in here!" came the muffled reply. Mulder sounded like he was in his bedroom. She pushed open the unlocked door. The living room was empty. The breathing she had heard on the phone sounded more ragged, the moans softer. Scully started to for the bedroom. Then she saw the blood smeared on the wall. "Mulder, what's wrong?" "God dammit, Scully, get *in* here!" She stepped into the bedroom to see a strange woman in a plain black bra on his bed. The light glinted off the locket she wore around her neck. Pale scars crisscrossed her torso. A blanket was tossed over her lower half. Mulder was standing over her, applying pressure to a wound on her shoulder. "Gunshot wound. Round went through, but she's still bleeding." "Mulder, she should be in an ER, not here." Scully was moving off to the bathroom, trying to sterilize the best she could. Despite her wound, the woman tried to speak. "No... hospital...." she managed to gasp before passing out. "We can't take her there," Mulder said. "I can't explain now, but I will. Please." The woman was still unconscious. Her shoulder was swathed in bandages, giving the stranger an appearance of being a mummy. Scully took her pulse. It was weak but steady. She turned to Mulder. "If she survives the shock, blood loss, and probable infection, she should be fine." Mulder sighed. Concern, relief and uncertainty were written on his features. "She'll make it. She's a survivor. Thank you, Scully." "I should check over her and see if she has any secondary wounds that need tending." She reached for the blanket. "Scully! Don't!" Mulder reached to stop her. But he was too late. Scully stared in shock. It wasn't what she expected to see. She had thought that she had caught Mulder screwing around, that it had been some kinky sex game gone wrong. "Oh my God..." she whispered. The woman looked perfectly human from the black cutoff denim shorts and up. Below the mid calf was another story. Black fur covered her lower legs. Four inch talons sprang from massive hind paws. A six inch tail extended from a slit in the seat of her shorth. "Mulder, what *is* she?" Scully whispered. She ran her hand over a leg. It felt just like a large dog's. The paw twitched reflexively, claws unsheathing further, as she touched it. The tail thumped against the bed like an angry cat's. Mulder took her arm, trying to turn her away from the stranger. "Let me explain in the living room." Scully took one last look at the stranger. The fur was thinning out. It started maybe an inch lower than when she had first removed the blanket. She pulled it back over the unconscious form and followed Mulder out of the bedroom. Once in the living room, she turned and accosted her partner. "Who is she, Mulder?" Mulder sat down on his leather couch. "She's an old friend. I met her shortly after I graduated from Oxford, just after I returned home." "And her appearance?" "She's a werewolf." "She's a what?" Disbelief was evident in her voice. She couldn't accept what Mulder had just told her. "She's a werewolf." Mulder repeated. Scully shook her head. She knew Mulder well enough to know that he was perfectly serious. "Mulder, I'm not going to say it. Even with what you have told me, with what I *saw*, I just can't believe it." "Believe it," said a soft female voice. Mulder and Scully turned to the bedroom doorway. The woman stood there in a black t-shirt, on fully human legs, clutching the doorway for support. Mulder started to get up. The woman put up a hand halting him. With a fierce independence in her eyes, she slowly crossed the room to a chair. The stranger collapsed into it with a sigh. Scully was at the woman's side in an instant, lifting the shirt to examine her shoulder. She unrolled the bandages. There was only a scab where the wound should have been. "My kind heal fast," the woman said. "Scully, meet Jessica Leahs. Jess, this is my partner, Dana Scully. I just wish you two could have met under better circumstances." "Charmed, I sure." Jess said. "Mulder, I don't have time for this. I gotta go." "Go?" The doctor in Scully reacted immediately. "You've just received a major wound and have lost a large amount of blood. The fact that you're conscious is a miracle in itself. If you go anywhere, it will be back to bed." "I can't." Jess tried to stand up. She made it half way before falling back into the chair. "I had a friend with me when I was attacked. I gotta find her." "Tell me where she is, and I'll go get her." Mulder was on his feet and moving towards the door. Jess shook her head. "She won't come to you. If anything, she'll run away, even if she knew I had sent you." She shook her head. "I'm the only one who can." Jess managed to stand shakily before falling back into the chair yet again. "I just need a day or two to heal completely, but I can't wait that long to find her." "Then we'll take you where you need to go." Scully shot a look at Mulder. "Could I have a word with you?" They moved back into the bedroom in an attempt for Jess not to hear. "What are you *doing*?" Scully said. "She shouldn't be here, let alone running around outside." "You saw what she looked like a while ago. She doesn't want any trouble for herself, you or me." Mulder sighed. He looked at back at the woman who was sitting in the chair, trying to summon the strenght to get up from the chair for the third time. "And you don't know her like I do. Once she's made up her mind about something, it won't be changed." The three of them were in the car, driving through a park. Jess was in the passenger seat, giving directions to Mulder. She was sitting slightly slumped forward, as if sitting upright were almost too much for her to do in her tired state. Scully leaned forward. "Who are we looking for?" she asked from the back seat. "Her name's Lindy." Jess closed her eyes, seeming to concentrate on something. "Left here, Mulder. Miss Scully, she's a young girl that I am taking care of. She's about seven or eight years old. We're not absoulutely certain." Mulder tightened his grip on the wheel. "Is she like you?" "Turn right here. Yeah, she's like me." Jess's brown eyes snapped open. "Wait. Pull over." They stepped out of the car. In front of them was a trail leading off through the bushes. "Lindy, where are you?" Jess called, moving down the trail. She seemed to have recovered from her tiredness somewhat. Scully and Mulder followed behind. The trail lead towards a clearing. Jess stepped into it. "Linnndeeee!" She looked at Mulder and Scully as they entered the clearing. "Stay back. She's very afraid of strange men." Jess knelt down in the field. She was scanning the bushes. A slight rustle caused her head to snap in that direction. "It's okay, Lindy," she coaxed. "You're safe now. You can come to me." Her voice projected warmth and security. A child's small blonde head poked out of the bushes. "'S'okay?" she lisped. "Yes, it's safe." Jess reassured. "You were a very good girl. And a very brave girl, to do what I said." She followed Lindy's scared stare over to Mulder. "It's okay, honey. They're friends. In fact," she stage whispered behind her hand, "I bet he's more scared of you than you are of him." Mulder picked up on Jess's hint. "Scully, I don't think I'd like to run into her when there's a full moon." "Know 'bout us?" Lindy stepped out from behind the bush. Jess nodded. "Yeah, they know." Lindy frowned at her. "Thought you said never to tell." Jess smiled. "Lindy, there are times when the rules have to be broken. He's someone I trust and have known since before I met you." She held out her hand. "Come on, we're gonna go someplace safe." Lindy scooted out from behind the bush to take Jess's hand. Jess stood back up. "It's gonna be okay, sweetheart." They had all returned to Mulder's apartment. Lindy was being checked over by Scully. Lindy, needing to prove that she wasn't afraid, hadn't wanted Jess to be there. So she had been banished to the living room with Mulder. Mulder decided to use this time alone with her to get some answers. "Why didn't you tell me about Lindy, Jess?" "Don't worry, Mulder. You're not her father," she said gravely. "I may do a lot of things, but I would *never* hold back information like that. Besides, think about it. She's way too young. Any kid that you would have fathered would be nine at the youngest." Mulder looked relieved, and then guilty that he felt relieved. "Then who is?" "Damned if I know." She shook her head. "As far as I've been able to piece together, her mother was a crack addict and she never knew her father. One of her "uncles" sexually abused her and then literally sold her to a pedophile." "My God.... No wonder she doesn't like strange men." Jess smiled, "And there's no one stranger than you, Mulder." She leaned back into the seat, serious once again. "She seemed to end up with an above average sicko. He was a werewolf. And it appears that he Changed her to make her even more attractive to him." "So, how did she end up with you?" "She killed him. She stabbed him with silver out of sheer terror and desperation one night after he... had been with her. I met her on the West Coast, where she had been living with her john. She was scared and trying to survive on her own. Reminded me a lot of myself and I just couldn't leave her. We've been wandering together for about three years now." She sighed. "It's been a challenge to say the least." "Does she have the abilities that you do?" "Not quite. She can Change, but it's either full human or full wolf. Nothing in between like I can do. She doesn't have the mind reading ability either, but that took about five years for me to develop and control." "You can read minds?" That was something he didn't remember. "How did you think I knew where to find Lindy? I was scanning for her almost as soon as I woke up. I don't like doing it, though. I had to learn very fast how not to read minds. I only do it in a life or death situation. Don't worry, I'm not a psychic Peeping Tom." She winced and rubbed her temples. "Besides, doing it for a long time always gives me a headache." The door to the other room flew open. Lindy ran over to Jess, grabbing onto her leg with a death grip. Scully followed. "Aside from some bumps and bruises, she's fine." Jess smiled and rested her hand on Lindy's head. "Honey, I know you love me, but you're cutting off circulation to my leg. And I've lost so much lately I need all I have." "Sorry, Jess." Lindy loosened her hold. "That's okay. Do you want to talk about what happened after we got split up?" "No," she said in a small voice. "I don't remember." She started to shiver and looked frightened. "I can't remember." "Jess, she's still in shock," Mulder said in an undertone. "She may not be able to remember right now. She may also be repressing it." Scully watched the scene with an uneasy fascination. Lindy was growing more panicky by the moment. Her breathing grew shallow and raspy, whistling through her open mouth. Her blond hair, pulled up in a ponytail, seemed to grow coarser and add several inches to its length. Why do her teeth suddenly look pointed? Jess reacted swiftly. She pulled out the necklace she was wearing under her shirt, dangling it at Lindy's eye level. She grabbed Lindy's hair, not allowing her to look away. "Concentrate on the locket," she said softly. "See how the light glints off it. Watch how it dangles on the chain. Nothing matters but the locket. Nothing exists but the locket." Lindy's breathing slowed down. She closed her mouth. Jess released her hair, which was once again baby fine. "That was close," she breathed. "Lindy, where's your necklace?" "I lost it." Lindy sounded embarrassed. Jess smiled. "That's okay, honey. We'll find it. Or get another one. Here," she took off the necklace. "Why don't you wear mine for now. I don't need it as much." She reclasped the necklace around Lindy's neck. "If Mulder doesn't mind, why don't you go on to sleep." Mulder nodded. "That's not a problem." As Lindy scampered to the bedroom, he turned to Jess. "And what about you?" A tired pair of eyes turned to regard the FBI agents. "What about me?" Scully shook her head. "You need rest even more than Lindy does." "Later. We've got to figure out who knows about me." Jess sounded tired but determined. "We can start with who shot you." Mulder asked. Jess sighed. "Lindy and I were in the park, minding our own business. And then bang, I'm bleeding from the shoulder. I ran on instinct, and you were the closest person I could think of." "So you don't have any idea," Mulder said. Jess shook her head. "Nope." Scully shook her head. It's going to be a long night... . Jess had finally fallen asleep in spite of herself. She had been exhausted, spending most of the night comforting Lindy from her nightmares and brainstorming with Mulder and Scully, trying to figure out who knew about what she was. Every time there was so much a peep from the bedroom, Jess was there in an eye blink. After the fifth time, she didn't come back. Scully went to check on them. She came back quietly. "She's fallen asleep beside Lindy. We shouldn't disturb her. So..." she paused, looking him in the eye, "Do you want to talk about it?" "No, but I have to anyway." Mulder looked out the window. He took off his reading glasses. "We were both younger and stupider. A mutual friend introduced us. I was still trying to get over Phoebe, she was trying to get over an abusive boyfriend." Mulder looked back to her. "And we tried to help each other as friends." "And the two of you became lovers." "Not intentionally. It just happened one night, after we had found out that a mutual friend was murdered. And it was the last thing I needed at the time." "So you broke it off?" "No, she did. She was having to deal with the loss of her parents, her ex-boyfriend's harassment, and her becoming a werewolf. It was too much, and she called off the sexual part of the relationship, but not the friendship. But we never really kept in touch regularly. I heard from her last about year ago, and that was a note just to let me know she was okay." Mulder paused. "It's nice to see her again." "I see." Scully sounded neutral. Best gal pal you used to sleep with, who left you because she was having a mental breakdown, and you haven't talked to her in almost a year. Perfectly logical to take her back with open arms. "And what is this about the ring she keeps mentioning?" "It was what apparently started her transformation. It's in one of the X-Files. Hers." "Mulder, what is she to you?" "She's a friend. Someone I care closely about." Mulder rubbed the sides of his nose tiredly. "Someone who needs my help." Scully then said the thing that had weighed on her mind from the first moment she saw Jess. "Are you sure about that? It sounds like she's been taking care of herself." Scully took a deep breath. He's not going to like what I'm going to say. "Jess would be about Samantha's age. She also looks similar to her. Are you really trying to help Jess, or Samantha?" "Scully, that's not fair." But Mulder didn't protest what she said. Jess woke up in Mulder's bedroom. Damn! I allowed myself to fall asleep. Stupid, stupid, stupid! she berated herself. She sat up on the bed. Lindy was no where to be seen. She stood up and walked over to the window, looking over the street outside. The door to the bedroom opened. Mulder stuck in his head. "Sleeping beauty awakens," he quipped. Jess smiled as she turned to him. He had greeted her like that on one other occasion, the morning after they had spent their first night together. "Okay, where did you hide my shoes *this* time? I still have my bra on." She got up off the bed, running her fingers through her hair. "Where's Lindy?" "She woke up about two hours ago. Scully took her to go get some clothes since you can't get at your things right now." "So we're alone." Jess shifted her weight from one foot to the other uneasily and looked out the bedroom window again. "How's your shoulder?" Mulder wanted to stay in safe territory. He was remembering the emotions and sensations that he and Jess once shared. It's been so long since I've been with anybody. Scully could never have any romantic feelings for someone as screwed up as me. But Jess now, we may end up resuming the relationship where we left off. That may notbe a bad thing. "It's completely healed. Doesn't even look like I was shot. I don't scar any more," she added softly. He's as handsome as I remembered. It would be nice if somehow we found our way back to each other. But I'm not sure that would be the best thing for either of us. "But you can't heal the ones Jake gave you," Mulder spoke quietly. Jess shook her head. "No. Looks like I get to keep whatever blemishes I had before I became a... you know." "All this time," Mulder said sadly, "and you still blame yourself for what he did to you." "No," Jess said softly. Still looking out the window, she continued. "A lot of therapy cured me of that. I don't blame myself for the hell that son of a bitch put me through, just for not getting out of that situation sooner. But they are scars; they are blemishes. I don't think I'll ever not be self-conscious of them." Mulder crossed the room to put his hands on her shoulders. When they had first tried to make love, she had been scared that her ex-boyfriend would be right. She had been afraid that the scars would repulse him. "You are beautiful," he whispered. "You are sexy. Just keep telling yourself that." His arms slipped around her waist and brushed his lips againt the nape of her neck. Jess sighed softly. Since she hadn't pushed him away, Mulder grew a little bolder. He started sucking on her earlobes and nipping at her neck. His hands were stroking her flat stomach, moving towards her breasts. She leaned back into his embrace, shivering. God, I've missed this. Jess turned in his arms and kissed him deep. She had wanted this for so long, but a nagging thought wouldn't leave her alone. Was she the one he *really* wanted? Feeling like a betrayer, she lowered her mental shields and brushed against his mind with a tendril of her thought. What she sensed there made her stiffen. She violently pushed away from him, shields snapping back into place. "What the *hell* do you think you're doing, Mulder?" Mulder looked confused. First Jess had been acting as if she wanted him, now she looked ready to murder him. "What are you talking about?" "It's not me you want," she said with a shake of her head. Her voice softened in pity. "How long have you been in love with Scully, and not feel that you have the right to tell her?" Mulder blinked at her. She was right. How could she know? Then what she had done hit him. Mulder had completely forgotten about the psychic abilities Jess had told him about. Anger tinged his voice. "I thought you said you never would do that unless it was a life or death situation." Jess's eyes narrowed. Her voice was steel hard. "Yes. I did say that. If I had found out about this after we made love, I probably would killed you." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Listen, we're both too angry and hurt to talk sensibly. You go take a cold shower. I'm gonna find some way of working this anger off." She spun on her heel and tried to stomp out of the bedroom. Mulder grabbed her arm, yanking her back. "No! We're finishing this now. What did you mean about me loving Scully and can't tell her?" Jess spun and jerked her arm free from his grasp. "You want me to psychoanalyze you? Fine. Mulder, you're so obsessed with the past, you can't see the present. You feel like it should have been you who disappeared and not Samantha, that you should have either sacrificed yourself for her, or stopped it somehow. So to punish yourself, you screw up any and every shot at happiness that you have." Mulder's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't the one who ended our relationship." Jess's eyes also narrowed. "Touché® But my only excuse is that I had only a few months to get used to what I now am." "And I had three hours to deal with it," was the retort. "But you suspected, and didn't say anything." Jess folded her arms. "I was hurt, so I ran." "You could have confided in me." Jess thought about that for a moment. She started to shake with suppressed laughter. "And *what's* so funny about that?" Mulder demanded. "I'm sorry." Jess said, still giggling. "I just had a mental picture of what that might have looked like. 'Dearest, I love and trust you as never have anyone before. Oh, by the way, I change into a blood thirsty hell beast when the moon is full.'" Something about the way she said that struck Mulder as hilarious. Mulder snorted, losing the hold on the anger and hurt that he felt. That tore what little control Jess had left. She let go and let loose the emotions of the last twenty four hours in a peal of laughter. Her laughter was infectious. Mulder gave up on holding back and joined her. That's when the rift between them finally healed. Their relationship would never be about sex, in fact it never had. It had been about the fact that they were two people who life had kicked in the teeth, and were just trying to survive, and perhaps one day, live again. When they managed to regain control, they were sitting back to back on the bed. Mulder took a deep breath. "Okay, blood thirsty hell beast..." Jess turned and smacked him on the shoulder. "Stop that, or you're going to start me off again. And my stomach muscles can't take any more." She became serious for one brief moment. "You're right about me running away. Forgive me?" "Yes. ...And you were right about me punishing myself. And my feelings about Scully. It's just how do I tell her?" "I can't answer that one, Mulder. All I know is that if you don't tell her, you're eyeballs are gonna explode out of sexual frustration." She looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. "So what do you have for breakfast?" Scully guided Lindy out of the discount chain store. She had gotten Lindy a few things - a pair of jeans, a shirt, and a few undergarments. The little girl was shy to begin, but warmed up to her quickly. Within a half hour, Scully had been told about her teachers, her friends, and her cat. "Why isn't Jess with us?" she asked. Scully smiled and looked into her wide blue eyes. "Jess was still asleep when we left. I thought it would be a nice surprise if you had some new things so she wouldn't have to worry about it." "She worries 'bout me a lot," Lindy said. "Almost like she's my mommy." "Well, that's what mommies do," Scully said, pulling her car keys out of her purse. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I believe you dropped this," a strange male voice said. Scully turned to see two men in trench coats. Thug Number One was standing angled so that passerbys couldn't see the gun Thug Number Two was holding on them. "Get into the van quietly and there will be no trouble." Lindy was trying to hide behind Scully's legs. Scully reached back behind her to take Lindy's hand. "Come on Lindy. Everything's going to be okay." The van pulled into the darkened garage of a compound on the outskirts of DC. "We caught the females, sir." Thug Number One said. "Bring them out," said the man in charge. Thug Number Two ushered Scully and Lindy out of the side door of the van. The man in black turned to look at his captives. "Idiot!" he hissed. "The girl is one, but not the woman." He stared at Scully. "In fact, you've compromised our mission even more. This is Agent Mulder's partner. Put them into separate cells." He looked back into the shadows after the pair was marched off. "Now what do we do?" "They are pack animals. One needs the other to thrive." The Cigarette Smoking Man stepped into the light. "The adult will search out the juvenile," he said, lighting a cigarette. "All that is required is a little patience." "So when's the take out getting here, Mulder?" Jess asked. "And why can't you keep food in your apartment like a normal human?" "Few minutes for the Chinese and there is food here." Mulder looked out the window, watching for the delivery boy. "Two Budweisers, a sack of sunflower seeds, and a jar of fish flakes for your goldfish don't count as food." Mulder looked back at Jess with a grin. That was the smart mouthed woman he remembered. "Hmmph. Such manners. Be nice, especially since I got you sweet and sour pork." A knock on the door interrupted their banter. Mulder opened the door expecting it to be the Take-out Taxi. He didn't expect to see the professionally dressed informant standing in the hallway holding a large white paper bag. "What are you doing here?" "You were the ones who ordered in instead of going out for dinner." Deep Throat walked into the apartment, putting the bag down on the table. He offered his hand to Jessica. "It's a pleasure as always, Miss Leahs." Jess blinked as she shook hands. "Have we met?" "I have seen you before, but you probably have never seen me." Mulder stepped inbetween the two, trying to shield Jess. She shouldered her way around him and sat down on the couch. "So you know what I am," she commented amiably. "How long have you had a tail on me?" "From the moment you bought the ring" Deep Throat said, "For many years, experiments have been run on test subjects, a eugenics program, if you will." "And what does that have to do with Lindy and Jess?" Mulder asked. Jess was sitting quietly, absorbing everything. "I think I know. She and I are test subjects, aren't we?" Deep Throat nodded. "We were unaware that the male that created Lindy had certain perversions when he was altered. We were watching both you and her closely when your paths crossed." "So Jess was chosen at random," Mulder said. "If anything, she chose herself," Deep Throat corrected. "Several rings were laced with certain bio-chemical agents designed to induce the Change in the subject and distributed at random." Jess nodded. "Like the second hand store where I bought it. But why are you here now?" "You and Lindy were to be brought in for an examination. However, your resistance was not taken into account." Deep Throat took a slip of paper out of the inside pocket and put it down on the table. "Brought in for an examination," Jess repeted. "Oh my God, Lindy!" "Wait a moment," Mulder interrupted. "Scully and Lindy went out less than two hours ago. If they were missing, how would you know about it so quickly?" "Agent Mulder, you know that your apartment has been bugged. And Miss Leahs astutely guessed that she was being followed. Your work and your friends have made certain people very uncomfortable. What makes you think that you are not also under constant observation?" Jess stood up, her face set resolutely. "I'd better go find them." Snagging the paper off the table, she walked past Deep Throat to the door. "Miss Leahs, a word of warning." Jess turned and looked at Deep Throat, who was regarding her with deadly serious eyes. "You and your little girl are two of the strongest werewolves created. That makes this doubly dangerous for you. Certain interests want you under tighter control, to study your full potential. But if they feel you are a large enough threat, they will not hesitate to kill you." Mulder's informant walked to the door and opened it. "I suguest that you don't go alone," was the last thing he said before disappearing into the shadows in the hallway. .
Mulder and Jess stood beside of the chain linked fence. The compound was quiet. There was no sign of any guards. Jess looked at Mulder. "Up and over?" Mulder nodded. He tossed his jacket over the barbed wire at the top. "Ladies first?" Jess looked around. "I don't see no lady here." "Cute, hell beast." Mulder laced his fingers together to boost Jess up higher. "Don't bother, Mulder." She took a few steps back, and went at the fence at a run. She jumped, climbed the fence like a cat climbing up curtains, and dropped to the other side. "Show off." Mulder scrambled over the fence. As he hit the ground, he heard the distant bark of dogs. He looked up to see two doberman pinchers running full speed towards him. "Uh oh!" Jess watched the approaching guard dogs without concern. "Don't worry." She allowed the animals to approach within twenty feet and then Changed halfway. Mulder looked at her in awe. What had been an average looking woman now did look like a blood thristy hell beast. Four inch talons graced strong hand/paws. Pointed ears were pinned back to a skull covered with jet black fur. And from a dripping muzzle extended ivory fangs. The werewolf looked at the oncoming dogs and snarled, exposing those fangs to the root in a deafening roar. The guard dogs took one look at her, turned tail, and ran away whimpering. Mulder turned back to look at Jess, who had Changed back to full human in an eyeblink. She shruged her shoulders at him. "Let's get moving, Mulder." They ran across the field to the building. Sliding across the wall, they edged towards the door. Mulder tried the door. It was unlocked so they passed through it unhindered. Inside was dimly lit. A van stood in the center of the otherwise empty room. Jess was walking towards it, taking deep breaths. At one point she dropped to her hands and knees to place her nose inches from the concrete. She stayed like that unmoving for several seconds. "Well?" Mulder asked, standing a few feet behind her. She pushed up off her arms and turned on her knees to face him. "They were here, a few hours... Mulder! Look out!" Mulder turned as the tranquilizer dart pierced his shoulder. He heard Jess scream a bezerker war cry and saw her charge at the gunman. "Stop!" came the voice of Thug Number One. Mulder managed to turn his head, despite the fact that air now seemed to have the consistancy of molasses. He saw a man holding a gun aimed at his head. "One false move, and he dies." And the last thing he saw was Jess raising her hands in the air before he lost his balance and faded to black. Jess was marched down the hallway, a gun pressed firmly into the small of her back by Thug Number Two. She had seen Mulder go down, but wasn't sure if he was drugged, wounded seriously, or just faking. The thugs had herded her away before she could do anything. They came to the doorway. Her captor knocked and then shoved her forward through the doors. Jess scanned the room, noting the table, three chairs. There was Scully, gagged and tied to one of the chairs. The second one was empty. There was no sign of Lindy or Mulder. There was, however, another person in the room. A man in a dark suit sat in the third. "Welcome, Miss Leahs." Jess was forced into one of the chairs. Her hands were tied behind her back. "What do you want with me and Lindy?" "With you Miss Leahs. The child is disposable." Jess's eyes widened. "Why? Why are you going to kill her?" "We need your kind now, and her age, fear, and lack of the control and talents you have makes her... undesirable." He knows what we are. "You want to use me as a soldier." Realization shone in her eyes. "A weapon," Jess said bitterly. "The ultimate weapon," the man in black corrected her. "Strength, savagery, speed, and the loyalty of a wolf, the intelligence of the human, and a supernatural ability for mind reading and self-healing. What more could you ask for in a warrior or a bodyguard?" "Who said I would be your warrior?" Jess said defiantly. "My dear Miss Leahs, your precious Agent Mulder is dead." Scully's eyes widened as she heard those words. "As for Agent Scully, she soon will be. You have no one left to help you, no where left to hide. And if you are not willing, there are other methods we could use to produce more of your kind. Your saliva harvested and injected perhaps..." the man mused. "You see, you have no options." "Except for one." "And what would that be, Miss Leahs?" "You tied us up using rope, and I have *very* fine control over the Change." She smiled sweetly. "I've been sawing through this rope with my claws throughout our little chat." Her right fist slammed into the jaw, knocking him out cold. "Idiot," Jess muttered under her breath as she started to untie Scully. Scully stood up and rubbed her raw wrists. She ripped the gag from her mouth. "How did you do that?" She walked over to the unconscious man and removed his gun. "You don't believe what I am," Jess said. "So I won't waste my breath." She knelt down and started to tie up the man in black. "I believe that you have been altered genetically and experimented on. I don't believe in your psychic abilities or your claim that you can become a wolf at will." Scully edged over to the door. "We can debate this later. Let's go find Mulder and Lindy." "He said Mulder was dead," Scully said tonelessly. Something in her tone of voice made Jess look at her sharply. "You love him, don't you?" At Scully's miserable nod, Jess continued. "I know this isn't the time to talk about this, but I might not get the chance to afterwards. Go after him. Let him know how you feel. You'll end up with one hell of a man." Scully shook her head. She repeated the phrase that rang through her mind. "He said that Mulder is dead." "He lied. I know you don't believe in my powers, but I could sense easily that he lied. He's out there, somewhere nearby." She gestured to the doors. "Let's go." They both went into the hallway and started checking the adjoining rooms. Scully looked into the glass square embedded in the door. "Here," she said, three rooms down from where they were held. Jess and Scully kicked the door open. They saw Mulder and Lindy gagged and tied to chairs. Jess untied Lindy as Scully released Mulder. This is almost *too* easy. Almost as if we're being tested, Jess thought to herself. Lindy threw her arms around Jess, sobbing. "Shhhh, it's okay," she whispered into the little girl's hair. "C'mon, why don't we get the hell out of here," she said, swinging Lindy around to ride piggyback. "Thought you'd never ask, hell beast," Mulder said. He checked the hallway and gestured them forward. He took the lead point and Scully took the rear guard. The Smoking Man had watched events unfold from a remote area via live video feed. She has no idea that she is being tested, he thought, taking a drag off his Morely. She was unaware of the fact that she was part of a lifelong experiment. She and a few others were created at random. She and her little girl had been watched up close and from afar for most of their lupine life. Now it's time to see how she reacts when confronted with another of her own kind. The fact that the FBI agents would escape was a given. What was in question was if the werewolves would. How far would the creatures take the impluse of self-sacrifice before it lost to the instinct of self-preservation, and exactly how much humanity was left in these werewolves. They pushed through another set of doors into what looked like a holding area. Inside this room were many animal cages, like the ones found at an animal shelter or a laboratory. Almost all of them were empty, except for one holding the largest gray husky Jess had ever seen. Jess and Lindy stared fascinated at the large animal. And the dog stared back equally intent. Jess laid her palm flat against the bars. The dog sniffed at it and then laid its paw in the mirror image of hers. Lindy reached for the latch of the cage. Jess stepped back and the dog leapt free from its confines. Both Scully and Mulder took an involuntary step back from the beast. The dog for its part, looked happy to be out of the cage. It stretched, sat and scratched at its neck. "Poor boy," Jess cooed. She and Lindy scratched behind the animal's ears. "Cramped in there, wasn't it?" "Jess, this is wonderful Kodak moment, but shouldn't we be leaving?" Mulder asked. "Sooner done than said, Mulder." Lindy and she followed Mulder and Scully out of the room. The dog trailed behind. They turned the corner to see an open door leading outside. "Almost there," Mulder said. Lindy bolted towards the door. "Race ya!" she yelled with the entuhusiasm of a girl running against her sibling. "Lindy!" Jess shouted. "Get back here!" Lindy stopped just as the man in black stepped between her and the doorway. Mulder and Scully aimed their guns. He smiled. He aimed a high powered rilfe between Lindy's eyes. "Drop your weapons." Mulder and Scully complied. Jess glared, but she knew there was nothing she could do. Before she could consider her options, a streak of gray fur darted across her field of vision. The dog she released was in front of their captor, hackles raised and snarling. The man shifted his aim from Lindy to the beast. The dog crouched and prepared to spring. Lindy instantly reacted by running for Jess the moment the creature leapt. Their captor screamed and threw up his left arm in an attempt to defend himself, forgetting about the gun in his panic. As the dog tore out his throat, he dropped the weapon. The gun fired when it hit the cement floor, directly into some barrels filled with flammable chemicals. Mulder and Scully were divided from Jess and Lindy by a raging inferno in seconds. "Jess!" Mulder yelled. He could feel himself being mesmerized by the dancing flames. "Mulder! We'll be okay!" Jess yelled back. "Get Scully and get the hell out!" "She's right, Mulder," Scully shouted. "This place will go up in seconds." She pulled Mulder in the direction of the exit. Mulder shook off his fear and ran. They made it outside and behind a car parked twenty yards away before the roof blew off the building. Mulder sat vigil in front of the Reflection Pool. After answering the fire marshall's questions, he and Scully had searched Washington D.C. all day. No sign of Jess or Lindy. "Still here, Mulder?" came Scully's quiet voice. "How late are you going to stay?" She sat down beside him on the bench. "Until I know for certain." "Mulder, the only body they found was male. Lindy and Jess must have gotten out." "They found those canine corpses, Scully. Who knows what form they were in after we left them." Mulder gazed searchingly into her face. "But you don't believe they were werewolves, do you?" "Mulder, I want to believe, but I can't." Scully stared out into the night. "I know what I saw was a reality, but I'm not brave enough to open myself to that reality. If I did, who knows what I could trust?" "You can *always* trust me, Scully." Mulder's voice was soft, but with a hint of reproach. "Mulder, I do trust you, more than anyone. It's just..." Scully broke off at the sound of a twig breaking. They both looked towards the pool. A huge black dog, followed by a smaller yellow form, stepped out of the shadows, carrying something in its mouth. They sat there quietly for a moment, and then the black one tossed its head back in long mournful howls. The golden one cried in counterpoint. The creatures were either unaware of their presence, or just didn't care. They just sat there in the moon lit night, baying for all they were worth. When the last howl faded, the large one bowed the massive head, nose brushing the earth, whimpering quietly. The smaller one licked it's face comfortingly. Mulder couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Jess?" he whispered. The dogs leapt up as if shot at. They turned towards his voice and dropped into a defensive crouch. The black one moved in front of the golden one, defending it. Snarls filled the air until they got a good look at Mulder. Their lips slid over ivory fangs and their stances relaxed. "Mulder, what the hell are you doing?" Scully whispered fiercely. He had gotten up and was walking towards the beasts. The black one had sat down and was regarding his approach with calm eyes. The golden one skittered back to the brush. Mulder stopped about two feet away, knelt down, and held out his hand. The dark dog looked at it for a moment and then stretched its head out. Scully watched the connection being made. The scene reminded her of the first man who earned the trust of a wolf, the animal that became the ancestor of the common dog. Its fur was extremely soft in Mulder's hand. Mulder scratched behind the large ears. The beast's tail wagged slightly. The scene lasted no longer than a few heartbeats. The dog pulled away from Mulder. It seemed to look regretfully at him, and then her. In a black and gold flash, the animals were running away from them, disappearing into the night. Mulder stood back up and motioned Scully to join him. "We can leave now. I have my answer," he said looking at what the animals had dropped. There, washed in the full moon light, lay the open locket. Out of the locket peered the smiling faces of Lindy and Jess. I freely admit, I love angst. And I set out to put Jess in as angsty situation as possible. Also this story came about because of a topic on a discussion list - what kind of parents did Alex have? While some opted for a physically abusive father (dysfunctional family was a given), I tended to think that the Consortium tended to be a family run operation. And thus was Dmitri Krychekov created. Loup Garou IX - Family "Asking nothing in return. Nobody does anything for nothing, unless they're being paid by someone else." - A. Krycek "Loup Garou VI - the Loss" "How can I be assured that this won't happen again, that I won't be taken? *Family* is very important to me." - J. Leahs "Loup Garou IV - Lifemates" "Has there been any sign of my son?" The young man who served as his aide consulted his notes. "Aside from report from the gulag in Tunguska, and a brief sighting in St. Petersburg, he has not returned to Russia. The most recent ones involve his lover in the area of Washington D.C." "And my granddaughter?" "I have been unable to trace her whereabouts as of yet, sir." He was eager to please his new boss, and admitting to failure was not what he wanted to do. "All we are certain of is that the child left at the hospital that was claimed to be her, in actuality, was not." Eyes every bit as green as his son's stated out the window. When his only child disobeyed his wishes and chose a "career" in the FBI, following in his father's footsteps, he had all but disowned him. He wanted a life free of shadowy entanglements for his boy. Although he was involved in a different section of the Project than his son had been trained for, he had connections and followed his son's life with a mixture of parental pride and anger. And then, when young Alexander had been assigned to work with Fox Mulder, things fell apart. After helping him diffuse a hostage situation, inadvertently having his cover blown, and himself almost blown up, he had disappeared. His son resurfaced occasionally. Fencing documents here, working with a paranoid militia there. And then there was the werewolf experiment. But now he seemed to have found a good woman who loved him for who and what he was and was trying to raise a family, if the Consortium would leave him alone. He and, for an unknown reason, his American counterpart had eloquently argued against Krycek being terminated. He had almost broken down and contacted his son when he heard his pregnant lover had been abducted. And his heart ached when he heard that his son's fiance had been returned, but not his newborn child. But pride and anger had won out and he had held his silence. Through all these troubles, his son never turned to him for help, and he would be damned if he showed the first sign of weakness. "Sir?" The sound of his assistant's voice brought him back to the here and now. It reminded him that his new aide was unused to working in this dark underworld. A seasoned assistant would wait for orders silently. "What do you wish to be done?" Although it meant living with a continuous heartache, he wouldn't demean himself by seeking out his son. "We watch and wait, for the moment." Mulder and Scully weren't sure why they were called to Skinner's apartment to deliver the results of the parentage test on Amanda. Skinner's attitude towards the pair had shifted from suspicion to protectiveness, although exactly why was a mystery. He let them in without a word. Krycek, Jess and Lindy were out on the balcony. All three were looking at the stars. Lindy's elbows rested on the railing of the balcony, Jess's hands on Lindy's shoulders, Krycek's right hand tracing Jess's spine. "They're he re," Skinner called out to them. The three of them turned and came in without a word. Jess and Krycek sat down on the couch, Lindy easing onto Jess's lap. It was time to get the news out into the open. "According to the results of the test there is..." Scully began. "No possible way the child we called Amanda could be our missing daughter," Krycek finished. Scully, Mulder, and Skinner stared dumbfounded that they were already aware of that fact. "How did you know?" Mulder finally asked. "We knew from the moment we saw her," Jess sighed. "She had hazel eyes. Neither Alex nor I have any relatives we know of that have that eye color. That gene just isn't in our families." Krycek also sighed. "When I was at the labs, there were always at least three females in their third trimester. The survival rate past the six months for infants was about thirty percent. There would have been no problem in obtaining a dying baby werewolf to try to fool us. If she had blue, green or brown eyes, we would have fallen for it." "Let me get this straight, Alex," Mulder said slowly, a grudging respect in his voice. "You knew that that child wasn't yours, and you still asked Jess bite you, to make you a werewolf again?" At Krycek's nod, Mulder asked the question they were all wondering about. "Then, why?" Krycek rested a hand on Lindy gently. "She was somebody's daughter." Mulder looked surprised. He expected that kind of selflessness from Jess. But Krycek? Scully also looked surprised. "What are you going to do now?" "We're hoping you'll be able to help us." Jess said. She paused to pull Lindy, half asleep and falling off her lap, tighter against her, almost afraid the young girl would be snatched out of her arms. Krycek gestured to a thick manila folder laying on Skinner's coffee table. "We were able to get a hold of some information, but nothing we can trace. We'd like it if you could see what you can turn up." Mulder reached for the file. Inside were medical reports, lab work results, growth charts, but no names of doctors or establishments. "I'll see what I can do. How did you get a hold of this?" "Don't ask," snarled three voices - Jess's, Krycek's and Skinner's. Hours later, after Mulder and Scully left, Krycek stood outside on the balcony again. Is this how Mulder feels, he wondered? Does he spend hours staring into the sky, wondering where Samantha is, like I do Amanda? The last time he had been here, he and Jess were running for their lives. In a moment of blind passion and hormonally expressed love, Jess had conceived his child. And then Jess was taken from him. And returned, without their baby. Three months later, he was offered information about the daughter he had never had a chance to hold. All he had to do was seduce Skinner and videotape the act. It had been a calculated blow, meant to remind him of the torture and rape he had endured at the hands of Alpha Wolf and to drive a wedge between him and Jess. Jess had stumbled across the set up and almost bit both of his heads off. But she listened to his and Skinner's explanation, and understood the desperation that had led Krycek to make his decision. And Skinner felt a touch of pity for the young man who had more than paid for what he had done. No one could have foreseen what happened next, after they had gone through with the act. They had gotten their information and now had passed it on. Krycek only hoped something could be found that would lead them to Amanda. "Alex," he heard. He glanced to his left to see that Skinner, after letting Mulder and Scully out, had joined him on the balcony. "Are you all right?" Skinner asked, leaning against the rail beside him. Krycek smiled tiredly. Who would have thought that his ex-boss would turn out to be their ally, let alone their lover? "I haven't been 'all right' since I met that smoking bastard. Where's Jess?" "Lindy had a nightmare. Jess went upstairs to comfort her." He looked at the young man who was still staring straight ahead. "Does that happen often?" "Yeah," Krycek shrugged. "We're all still having nightmares at least once a week, sir." Two weeks after I've slept with him and I'm still calling him 'sir', he mentally laughed. "In light of everything that's happened between us, you can call me Walter. In fact, I'd prefer it. And just thinking about what the two of you have been through gives me nightmares." Skinner lightly kissed the nape of Krycek's neck. "I don't suppose I could convince you and Jess to spend the night. Maybe comfort the two of you if you have nightmares?" Krycek shivered as Skinner's warm breath in his ear made goose bumps ripple across his flesh. "Maybe," he said turning to look at the older man, a glint in his eyes. "But I seem to end up handcuffed every time I'm here. Is that going to happen?" Skinner smiled. "Only if you ask, boy" the AD whispered as he lowered his lips onto the lips of the beautiful young man standing before him. Jess rounded the corner of the stairwell. She watched the two man slowly, sensuously kiss. When she suggested the threesome, she had expected it to be a one time event, not a long term relationship. But that's what it looked like it was going to be. Skinner wanted it. Krycek wanted it. And in a slightly shamed corner of her heart, she knew she would go along with it if that's what her lifemate wanted. Jess believed that she could grow to love Skinner almost as closely as she did Krycek, if only for the fact that he hadn't killed Krycek when he found out that they were together. But still, she had spent several nights laying awake, worrying while Krycek slumbered beside her, blissfully unaware. She turned possible outcomes over in her mind. Most of them didn't worry her. But there was one possible outcome that had her terrified. Maybe we can make this work, she thought as she went outside to join them. "I hate it when you two start without me," she mock growled. Skinner laughed and put an arm around her. "How's Lindy?" Jess leaned her temple against Krycek's chest. "Just her standard nightmare." Skinner's eyebrows rose. "Standard nightmare?" "Yeah." Jess closed her eyes. "She has nightmares about her life before she met me, about the creep who molested her. They're stress triggered. She'll be fine." He was aware of the child's history of sexual abuse. Skinner did look a little guilty as he asked a question he had been worrying about. "Does it have anything to do with you three spending tonight here?" Krycek snuggled in a little closer between the two of them. "No, more with what happened with that baby." He sighed. "I wonder who's she was." Jess nodded. "So do I. And I hope someone else would do that for Amanda." Skinner ran his hands up and down their spines. At the mention of their daughter, Jess and Krycek's faces fell. Maybe he could do something to distract them. "It's cold out here. Let's go inside." Jess and Krycek nodded. The three of them still connected, they went back into the light of the apartment. As they passed the threshold, the could hear a quiet cry. "Alex?" "I'll see what Lindy wants. Be back in a moment or two." As Jess and Skinner sat down on the couch, Krycek headed up the stairs. He walked down the hallway and pushed open the door to the bedroom. Lindy sat up on the bed with her arms around her knees, the pensive look on her face half obscured by her long blond hair. She didn't look particularly scared, just thoughtful. She's a beautiful child, he thought. No, she's a beautiful teenager, he corrected mentally. Lindy, as close as they could figure, was somewhere between the ages of eleven and thirteen. She's going to start breaking hearts soon, if she hasn't already, he thought with a bit of parental protection. She may not be his daughter by blood, nor Jess's, but they both felt and acted like it. He sat down on the bed beside her, giving her space if she wanted it. "Is something wrong, Lindy?" "No," the girl sighed. She slid over next to Krycek, her arms still around her knees. She leaned against him for comfort. "Not with me, anyway. Jess is upset, though. She has been for the last few weeks." Lindy was right, and you didn't have to be psychic to sense it. "I know," Krycek sighed. He hadn't been able to get Jess to talk about what had been bothering her. It's not like there hasn't been any stress in our lives in the last year, he thought. The pregnancy, the abduction, the birth would have been enough to cause anyone to be upset, to put it mildly. And then there was the aftermath. She hadn't talked about them sleeping with Skinner or Krycek's return to werewolfdom. He was at peace with his decision to become a lycanthrope, as well as having sex with the Assistant Director. He had cautiously tried to broach both subjects many times, but she turned away, saying she wasn't ready to talk yet. It was the first time she had actively shut him out of her emotions. Lindy looked him up and down with serious blue eyes. "I know what's troubling her." Krycek looked at her shocked. "She's talked to you about it?" Lindy had been told in generic terms what had happened. She was willing to accept that Skinner would be around, but was still wary of him. He knew that Lindy and Jess were close, but he couldn't see the adult spelling out in detail her sex life to the child. Lindy shook her head. "No, but I can sense it, read it in her mind. Can't you?" He shook his head. "I can mindspeak like you. I can sense emotions like you. But I can't read thoughts like you. I'm just not strong enough. Do you do that often?" Again Lindy shook her head. "I haven't done it for a long time. I don't like violating privacy like that. It makes me feel really tired afterwards and causes headaches too. But she's been so upset, I had to do *something!*" "It's okay, Lindy. I know that you didn't mean any harm. Jess knows that too." Krycek returned to what Lindy said earlier. "So what's Jess worried about?" Her light blue eyes regarded his green ones solemnly. "She's afraid she's gonna lose you." "Lose me?" Krycek was stunned. "She's afraid that I'm going to leave her for Walter?" At Lindy's sober nod, he got off the bed. "Oh God, no wonder she's been so distant lately. I'd better go talk to her right now." "No, Alex. Don't go downstairs yet," Lindy counseled. "Jess wants to deal with this her own way. She's gonna talk to him. Give them some time alone together." Downstairs, Skinner eased his arms around Jess. She sighed and leaned her head against his chest. Skinner stroked her hair lightly. Jess's brown eyes gazed frankly up at Skinner's equally brown ones. "What are we to you, Walter?" "Huh?" he asked, not really paying attention to what she said. He had been focusing on how soft her hair was, how warm her body was, how wonderfully female she smelled, and how his arousal was slowly building. Jess pushed back a little so she could look at him more easily. "What are Alex and I to you? Friends? Lovers? Sluts? Cheap dates? A diversion? A substitute for Sharon?" The flippancy in her voice couldn't disguise the fear. He looked at her somewhat surprised. He couldn't tell her his true feelings, not yet at least. "I thought I made it clear what I want us to be. Lovers, if you'll let me be part of what you and Alex have." Skinner reached out and stroked her cheek. "What brought that out?" Jess shut her eyes and sighed. "I guess what it comes down to is I'm afraid." He understood clearly then. "Afraid that you'll lose Alex to me, that he'll stop loving you?" Jess jerked back in surprise. "I didn't think I was that easy to read," she murmured. Skinner smiled tenderly. For someone who had such an in control image, Jess could be easily frightened. "Back on the Farnsworth case, you weren't afraid you'd lose him to Agent Oldham. Why should I be any different?" Jess sighed and looked down at her lap. "Alex told me that any feelings he had for her were long dead. She was another part of his past, like working for Cancerman. But you're part of the present, the here and now." She looked him in the eyes. "Watching you and him together that night was more than erotic, it was powerful. I had never seen him be so open, so vulnerable to anyone but me." "And part of you was a bit jealous, and afraid that he'd choose me over you?" At Jess's nod, Skinner continued to comfort her. "He loves you, Jess. I could never come between the two of you. I may be part of your relationship for a long or short while, but you and he will always be together." Skinner pulled her back tight against his chest. "When I said I wanted the relationship to continue, I knew it was a package deal." He reclined against the couch, cradling her on his body. "And believe me, not only do I like his package, but yours as well." He nuzzled the top of her head. "I really want to make love to you, Jess. But only if you want it." Jess opened her mouth to say something, but kissed him instead. It was a gentle, exploratory kiss for the most part, Jess uncertain how far to go, Skinner not wanting to push her for more than she was willing to give. He gently stroked the back of her head, allowing her to set the pace. Jess seemed to come to some sort of decision and pulled back for a moment to remove his glasses. Then she leaned in close to brush her lips against his cheeks, his nose, his forehead, and then his lips. When her kisses became more insistent, Skinner pulled her tighter against him. He rolled over, lowering Jess to the floor. He gently reached for her breasts as his hips rubbed against hers. The first time they had sex, she had taken control early on. She had pleasured him without concern for the same for herself, a 'thank you' for him having been so gentle and sensitive to Krycek's situation. But now he wanted her to enjoy the sexual act with him, to prove to her that he hadn't slept with her only because he had been turned on by Krycek and it was too soon after Krycek's orgasm for him to respond sexually. He could feel his cock throb as he found her pebbly nipples, tight and hard, through the soft cotton of her tee shirt. She arched underneath his touch. Her intense response to him through several layers of clothing made him wonder how responsive she could be to other stimuli. She had to be open minded when it came to her sexuality, or else he wouldn't be fondling her breasts right now. Jess sat up and lifted her shirt over her head. Skinner also sat up, growling low in desire, and carefully unfastened her bra. He pulled her into his lap, stroking her lower back and ass before fastening his hot mouth onto her pink nipple. With a moan, Jess arched backwards as Skinner reached for her jeans. Urging her to lift up for a moment, he peeled them off her, taking her panties also. He drank in the sight of her naked body in all her glory. And despite some surface flaws that were not her fault, and the fact that she never would have the confidence to admit it, she did have a glorious body with full breasts and buttocks, sensitive hands and lips, and silky skin and hair. Now it was Skinner's turn to moan as Jess unbuttoned his shirt. Jess slid the shirt off him, running her hands up his bare back. Jess leaned forward and kissed his neck and slowly began to work her way down to his chest. Skinner growled softly as Jess tentatively began to lick his nipples. He urged her up again, this time shedding the rest of his clothes. Then, much to Jess's surprise, Skinner silently rolled her onto her stomach. Kneeling between her legs, he massaged Jess's shoulders, rubbing his cock between her asscheeks. She smiled lazily as her lover's hands traced down her body, expecting him to tease her clitoris and vagina. However, she began to panic when she felt him rub around her anus. Skinner felt her tense beneath him, not from surprise or expectation, but fear. He ran his hands up and down her back in an attempt to relax her. "What did I do wrong?" The body beneath him shuddered. "You couldn't have known," Jess whispered, staring straight ahead. Skinner wasn't sure what she was talking about. He moved to one side as Jess rolled over to face him. But when he saw the scars on her abdomen, it made sense. "Did Jake....?" "Rape me anally?" Jess finished for him. "Yes. He'd do that whenever I had my period. He always warned me that if I valued our relationship, and my health, I wouldn't get pregnant. Then he'd turn around and be angry that I would bleed." She curled into a protective ball. "He would say what the thought of vaginal sex at that time of the month disgusted him , but he needed release." Skinner softly placed a hand on her shoulder. "And he would be less than gentle?" he asked. "Jake didn't have a gentle bone in his body," Jess barked with a bitter laugh. She rolled back onto her stomach. "The best I could ever hope for would be the bruises would be under my clothes and that I could walk normally the next day," she said matter of factly. She drew a sobering breath. "I was really screwed up then." Skinner gently ran his hands through her hair, massaging her scalp. "But you got out of there. That's the important thing." His hand moved to slide up and down her spine. Then he kissed the back of her neck. Jess sighed, relaxing under Skinner's touch. He grew bolder and ran his tongue down to the small of her back. Jess gasped and shivered. He laid down on top of her, and whispered into her ear. "If you don't want to try this, all you have to do is roll over or shove me away." "No," she whispered, rubbing her cheek against his. "I trust you. I wouldn't have let you see me Changed if I didn't. I know you don't mean to hurt me. Just go slow." Skinner turned and licked at her ear. "I wouldn't go any other way." He sat up and grabbed his slacks. He watched her visibly relax when he produced a small tube of Astroglide and squirted a generous amount of the gel onto his fingers. Skinner raised his eyebrows. "He did you dry?" Jess shook her head. "He used just enough so I wouldn't be severely torn, like I was the first time, but it still hurt like hell." 'Severely torn like the first time? Still hurt like hell?' Skinner thought. That son of a bitch must have barely lubed himself and then just shoved his dick in without stretching her first. She had been viciously violated, the same as Krycek had been. Skinner only hoped he could overcome the hurtful memories and displace them with more pleasant ones. Making sure the gel was warm, he gently began to trace the cleft of her ass. When she instinctively trembled, he whispered softly in her ear. "If I hurt you, let me know and I'll stop." She nodded and he kissed her hair. "I don't know if Jake ever did this for you, but when you feel pressure against your anus, clench like you were trying to push me out." Jess took an deep breath and nodded again. Skinner kissed the back of her neck reassuringly and knelt again between her legs. With a deliberate gentleness, he spread her legs wide apart and placed a pillow from the couch under her stomach. Again he began to tease her anus, resting his finger against the puckered opening. As he began to press against her, Jess took a deep breath and pushed back like she had been instructed. She gasped in surprise at how easily his finger slid into her. Skinner lazily rubbed with one finger, and then slid a second into her. He smiled when he felt her press back against his hand as he spread his fingers wide. Oiling himself with his other hand, he pulled out of Jess and leaned forward over her back. "Just like a moment ago," he whispered as he pressed the head of his cock against her anus. Jess made a slight squeak as the glans popped inside of her. "Am I hurting you?" Skinner asked, concerned. Jess took a deep breath and closed her eyes, gauging the sensation running through her. There was a delicious pressure, but no pain. When Jess shook her head, Skinner slowly began to thrust, driving himself deeper into her hot body. Soon he was buried to the root. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted to his knees, bringing Jess with him. Jess moaned. He felt so hard and so good inside her. One hand moved from her waist to cup and torment her nipples, stroke her flat stomach, and play with her pubic hair. Then his fingers began to stroke her clitoris, first light and slow, and then with an increasing speed. And when he started to thrust in earnest, the novel stimulation soon had Jess writhing against him. "Don't stop!" Her breathing grew shallow and rapid. "Walter! Oh God!" she cried out. "Is this what you put Alex through?" The thought of Krycek watching, or better yet, taking part brought Skinner dangerously close to coming. He rubbed her clit harder, wanting to hear her scream in delight before he finished off. Five seconds later, he got his wish. He felt her muscles begin to contract around his cock as she threw her head back against his shoulder and screamed and went limp in his arms. And then he was grasping her hips, exploding with a cry of his own. They stayed kneeling for a few moments, too overcome to move. But eventually, still inside of her, Skinner gently eased Jess and himself back to the ground. He kissed the nape of her neck and her cheek. "Oh God, Walter," she moaned quietly as he withdrew. Skinner lay down beside Jess, surprised that her eyes filling with tears. "I had no idea that it could feel so good," she whispered. His eyes softened. As Jess started to cry, he pulled her close and let her. She's as damaged as Alex, he thought. She's just a lot better at hiding it. This is going to break Jess's heart, Mulder thought. She loves that bastard, and he betrayed her. As much as he didn't want to cause her pain, he felt he had to tell her what he had found out. So he had called Jess to his apartment to talk to her. Actually, he paged her. For some reason, she wasn't answering her phone. Maybe she already knows, he mused. Scully had left to go spend a week with her mother. When he awoke alone this morning, a large plain envelope had been slid under his door at some point in the night. When he opened it, all it contained was a picture. But what a picture. The grainy, black and white images were of Skinner and Krycek out on the balcony, wearing the same clothes they had been last night, could be made out clearly. As could what they were doing. There was a knock on the door. He opened it to Jess. "Hi Mulder. What do you want?" "Come in, Jess, and sit." Jess took a seat on the desk chair. Mulder took the couch. "I have been given some information I think you should know about." Jess looked excited and concerned at the same time. "What, Mulder?" She's going to explode when she hears this. He looked away from her, unable to face her eye-to-eye and tell her this. "I think that there might be something going on between Krycek and Skinner." He took a deep breath. "Something sexual." "Oh, that," Jess commented. She sounded disappointed, as if she had been expecting news about Amanda. She also sounded slightly embarrassed. "I know all about it." Mulder turned to Jess so fast, he almost gave himself whiplash. "Jess, you *know* what happened between them?" "Yeah," came the reply. She shrugged her shoulders slightly, an embarrassed smile haunting her lips. "I know. Hell, I was there when it started." Mulder's mouth dropped open. "'There when it *started?*'" He couldn't see sweet, little Jess, that sexually shy, scarred woman he had dated, living out one of his videos. "You, Krycek *and* Skinner?!?!?" His tone put her on the defensive. "Mulder, it wasn't like Alex and I woke up one day, felt our sex life was boring, and decided to boink Walter for the hell of it." Jess sighed and leaned her head back against his couch, baring her throat and closing her eyes. Mulder was struck by that movement. She was being her most trusting with him, physically and emotionally, as she had always been. It was the sacred basis of their friendship. Either one of them could divulge their darkest secret and not worry about the other being indiscrete or jugdemental. He would try his hardest to honor her trust. "Okay, how did it happen, hell beast?" She was quiet for a while, making Mulder wonder if she was not going to answer. "Alex was contacted by our favorite chain smoker," she eventually said "He wanted Alex to tape him and an unknowing Skinner having sex, blackmail material. In return, he would give Alex some info about Amanda. I was lured out of town on a false pretext by one of the Cancerman's lackeys. I saw through it too quickly and got home and interrupted the proceedings." Her dark eyes opened and sought his. "There were things that happened to Alex that you don't know about, things that he couldn't talk about until recently. I couldn't let him face what he was about to do alone." "So you helped deceive Skinner." Jess's eyes narrowed, but she softened the look with a smile. "Mulder, give your boss some credit. He knew that he was being set up. And give Alex some credit too. Before we did anything, he told us about the hidden camera." Jess sighed again and studied the ceiling. "They went through with it. Walter spent the rest of the night, and things happened, but weren't caught on film. Later on, Alex handed over the tape, and I took it back and destroyed it in front of Walter." "And that's how you got those papers." At Jess's nod, he continued. "I understand why you and Krycek went through with it, but Skinner? Did he say why he went through with it?" "Yeah," Jess said cautiously. "But I can't tell you why." Her lips quirked into a half smile. "Betrayal of trust." Mulder's head thudded back against the wall. "I know about that. I just have a hard time believing that you and Krycek would fuck with Skinner for just a handful of papers." "Mulder, I would fuck Cancerman in an eye blink if it led to getting my daughter back. And don't look so horrified. I *know* you would do the same if it meant regaining Samantha." "Yeah, I would," Mulder admitted. "I hope it never comes to that." He regarded her seriously. "Jess, what do you feel towards Skinner?" She threw her hands in the air. "I don't know," she said frustrated. Jess stood and began pacing the room like a caged animal. "At first, I thought I only slept with him because I was subconsciously trying to thank him for not hurting Alex and playing out a fantasy. I expected a 'slam, bam, thank you sir and ma'am' situation." "But you're developing other feelings." "Ooooh yeah." Jess fell back onto the chair. "I'm warring between jealousy, lust, affection, and God only know's what other emotions. And I'm also afraid that I'll lose Alex." She sighed using her whole body. Mulder shook his head sadly. Jess had had so many problems with men, he didn't want to see her hurt further. "God, I wish I could help you with that one." Jess relaxed further into the chair. "So what are you going to do with the file?" "I'm planning on giving it to some friends of mine, a government watchdog group called the Lone Gunmen." Jess wasn't going to like what Mulder had to say next. "I also want to give it to my U.N. contact." Jess's eyebrows lifted. "Covarrubias?" At Mulder's nod, she frowned, narrowed her eyes, and flared her nostrils in a snort. "Mulder, you know that I don't trust her." "Jess, not one minute ago, you said you'd do the wild thing with Cancerman if it meant you get your daughter back. Now you're letting a personal dislike get in your way." "Mulder, it's more than personal," Jess snorted. "She knows a lot more than she lets on. Have you told her what I am?" "No." "But that night we met, she was terrified of me. That meant she had to have some knowledge of what I was beforehand." "Jess, we've had this argument too many times to count. You asked me to help you find your daughter. Now let me do it." "Okay," Jess sighted. She glumly noted that Mulder always referred to Amanda as "your daughter" not "your and Krycek's daughter." He acknowledged her pain, but not her lifemate's. Skinner trusted Krycek and Scully also did to some degree. But it looked like Mulder would always have a lingering distrust buried under the surface. They sat in silence for a few moments, not certain what was safe to speak of. Mulder eventually broke the quiet. "How's your brother and his wife?" Jess smiled. "Wonderful. Annie's due in about three weeks. Michael is besides himself with anxiousness. According to the sonogram, it'll be a boy. We're planning to fly out to San Jose in about a week, so we can be there when Mikey Jr. is born." She looked at Mulder curiously. "When are you and Scully planning to have kids?" "We're worrying more about when we're getting married than kids," Mulder snorted. "And when is that going to happen?" "Soon, hopefully." Jess looked at him gently. "And why are you waiting?" Mulder turned the question back at her. "Why are you and Krycek waiting?" Jess smiled ruefully. "You know why. We're living on the edge of a cliff. We don't dare do anything that might jeopardize Amanda or Lindy, or draw too much attention to ourselves." "And I can't do anything to jeopardize Dana. I won't risk losing her." Jess sighed. "So status quo remains." When Jess finished talking to Mulder, she went back home to Krycek and filled him in on their conversation. "So what do you want to do?" she asked, seeking guidance. Krycek frowned, thinking. "We let Mulder give her the information, but I think we should also make our feelings towards her clear." Jess nodded. "That's what I thought. So I guess we take a short trip to New York." A wistful look crossed Krycek's green eyes. "I grew up for the most part in New York." Jess looked at Krycek in surprise. She had never really gotten him to explain fully how or why he first became involved with the Consortium. And he never talked about growing up. He always got that same wistful expression whenever Jess talked about her and Rachel spying on Michael and his friends and how Michael got revenge on his nosy little sisters. But he never said a thing about where he grew up, childhood friends, or family stories. "Really?" Jess said, uncertain how to far to probe. "Yeah. Father worked there, and he brought Mother and I from St. Petersburg, then it was called Leningrad, when I was about three. I grew up like any other American kid, but with constant reminders from Father that I was Russian, and that was where my loyalties should lie." "That must have been tough," Jess said, thinking of all the 'there's a Red under every bed' propaganda she had grown up with. She put her hands on his shoulders. "Yeah," he sighed. "After we had been here about five years, Mother grew sick. The doctors said she had inoperable brain cancer." Krycek closed his eyes, his forehead leaning against hers. Even after all this time, he still couldn't think about her without crying. "She lived for two years after she was diagnosed. I spent most of my time with her, right up to the end." He felt two warm arms encircle him, comforting him. "Even before Mother died, Father threw himself into his work, ignoring me. I look a lot like Mother, so I was a constant reminder of her. I spent so many years trying to get him to notice me. He worked for the same people Cancerman works for, but his primary focus was to protect Russian interests. As soon as I graduated from college, after Cassandra tried to trap me into marriage, I joined up with the American contingent, partially because I do love my adopted country, but mostly to thumb my nose at Father. That finally got his attention." Krycek paused and sighed, looking into Jess's eyes. She nodded, encouraging him wordlessly to continue. "When I made my intentions known, he tried to dissuade me from working for the Consortium at all. And when I said I was to be groomed for the FBI, he was livid. He tried to convince me to work for the KGB instead, if I had to work for Them at all. He told me if I did go to the FBI, he would never speak to me as his son again. I left and he's kept his word." "Alex, I had no idea," she said. Her hands slid from his shoulders to his waist, holding him close. She felt his cheek rest on top of his head. "There's one person I wonder about," Krycek whispered into her hair. "I guess you would call her my nanny. She took care of me and Mother while she was ill and after Mother died, and sort of knows about who Father and I work for." He pushed back to look at her face. "I don't know if she's still alive or not." Jess nodded gently, sensing her lover's sorrow. "Nothing says we have to return home from New York right away. After we finish our business there, we could stay a few extra days. See the sights. Maybe visit some old friends." Krycek pulled her closer to him in a fierce hug, burying his face into her soft hair. "I'm not sure I can do that, Jess. I want to, but I don't know that I can. It means going back." When she stepped out of the UN building in New York City, her senses automatically shifted into high gear. Marita Covarrubias knew that in her line of work, a sense of paranoia could lead to a long and healthy life. Nothing around her was out of the ordinary, except Jessica Leahs lounging against a lamp post, a long way from her usual haunts of D.C. and San Jose. Covarrubias looked at the woman holding the leash to a very big half-wolf, half-husky. The young woman was wearing a her boyfriend's leather jacket which was too large for her, but gave an appropriately menacing air. And a young blond girl stroked the animal's back. The wolf's ears perked up at Covarrubias's approach. Jess continued leaning against the lamp post without a movement, except to scratch behind the wolf's ears. The U.N. worker decided to pass in front of the trio and not to pay any attention to the intimidation game they were playing. It seemed to work. Jess still concentrated on scratching Krycek's ears. Just after she passed the pair, she heard the quiet whisper. "If you hurt him, you will pay." Despite wanting to get the hell out of there, Covarrubias turned to look at Jess. "What did you say?" Jess pushed away from the post. "Mulder may trust you, but I don't. If you hurt him in any way..." her voice trailed off and she shrugged her shoulders as if the rest were obvious. "'I'll have hell to pay?'" Covarrubias said in an alto voice tinged with sarcasm. "Ms. Leahs, I didn't think you were into trite cliches." Krycek growled deep in his throat. Lindy also bristled. "No, you'll just have us to pay," Jess said calmly before turning to leave. Covarrubias looked after the retreating werewolves. They are getting too cocky. She would report this incident to her superiors. However, despite past recommendations, They had been lax on Leahs and Krycek. This time she would see personally that appropriate countermeasures were taken to remind the werewolves of their place. Jess sat in the passenger seat of her Jeep, letting Krycek drive her and Lindy to wherever they were going. They had left New York and were heading to see Krycek's friend who lived in one of the numerous outskirting smaller towns. "We're here." Krycek had pulled up to an old brownstone apartment building in a quiet neighborhood. "I hope she still lives here," he said, getting out of the car. Jess and Lindy also got out of the car. They followed Krycek up the stairs and into the building. He was obviously nervous. They said nothing as they waited for the elevator. Once they were in the elevator and heading to the seventh floor, Jess and Lindy gave him a reassuring hug. "It'll go fine," Jess said. Krycek nodded and returned the hug, mussing Lindy's hair. When the elevator doors opened, he walked up the apartment 731 and knocked on the door. An elderly woman answered it. "Yes?" she asked with a heavy Russian accent. Krycek smiled. "Hello, Tati." The old woman's face lit up. "Alexi? Little Alexi, not so little anymore?" The woman lifted a hand to his cheek went off into rapid Russian endearments, at least Jess guessed they were endearments from her tone of voice. Krycek was replying in kind in equally fluent Russian. Krycek turned and motioned Jess and Lindy forward. He switched back to English for their benefit. "And this is my fiance, Jessica Leahs, and her adopted daughter Lindy. Jess, Lindy, this is Tatiana Rudenko. Until we moved, Tati practically raised me after Mother died." Jess smiled and offered her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Rudenko." "Please, call me Tatiana. And come in." She hustled them inside and down a short hallway to a crowded living room. "Let me get you something to drink. Tea?" As Jess and Lindy sat on an overstuffed couch, Krycek remained standing. "Let me get it, Tati." "No, Alexi. You are a guest in my home." "Tati, please, I want you and Jess to get to know each other. And it will be just like old times when I made tea for you." Krycek walked to the kitchenette. "And I'm not taking 'no' for an answer." The Russian woman laughed. "Still such a stubborn, determined young man." Tatiana turned to Jess and regarded her with warm gray eyes. "I am glad that he has found someone who truly loves him. He deserves it, especially after what that witch did to him." Jess smiled. She knew exactly who the witch, pronounced more like bitch, was. "He told me all about Cassandra Oldham. I even got to meet her once. She was an attractive woman, but no threat." "Good," Tatiana pronounced, patting Jess's arm. "And when are the two of you having children?" Jess looked down at her red and black cowboy boots. "We're trying, but we may not be able to." "Your problem?" When Jess nodded, Tatiana clucked reassuringly. "Science is doing all sorts of wonderful things for people trying to have babies. I'm sure you will be hearing the patter of little feet in the future." Jess smiled sadly. "We hope so." Only not quite the way you're thinking. Krycek came back into the living room bearing a tray with a tea service on it. With a child like intensity, he poured the hot water into the teacups and passed them out. Tatiana accepted the cup with a smile. "So Alexi, why have you come to see me after all this time?" as she steeped the tea. Krycek smiled as he dipped his tea bag in his cup. "I wanted to see how you are doing, Tati." Tatiana gave him a knowing smile as she took a sip. "And you wanted to know how your father is, but couldn't bear to talk to him directly." She shook her head as she put the cup down. "Too proud to let him know that you still care about him or he about you." "Care about me?" Krycek said sharply. "He never contacted me after I graduated. He never offered to help." Jess put a hand over Krycek's clenched fist in an effort to soothe him. "You can speak freely in front of me, I know about who Alex and his father worked for. We have gone through several tough events this last three years. We never heard heard anything from him." The older woman sighed again. "Alexi, despite what he said, your father never stopped loving you. He calls me every week to find out if I knew anything about you. Please, consider contacting him." Krycek sighed as Jess squeezed his hand. "I'll think about it, Tati." Three days after they returned home, all seemed right with the world. Or at least as right as could be expected in their lives. It was a Friday late afternoon. After dropping Lindy off at soccer practice, Jess had slowly made her way back home. Krycek was off somewhere 'running errands.' In other words, he was looking for a Russian language newspapers and hoping that no one was following him this time. So she asked Krycek to drop her off at home. As she passed through the doorway, she noticed something on the floor. Jess picked up the envelope addressed to her. It hadn't come through the mail, because there was no post mark she could discern. She flipped it over and with a casual slice broke the seal. Inside was a copy of an article dated for this evenings issue of the San Jose Mercury News, the edition yet to be published on the West Coast. She skimmed it, puzzled asto why someone would send her an article about a man and his pregnant wife killed in a seemingly random freeway shooting. The reason became all too clear when she looked at the attached pictures. These were not from a newspaper, but copies of crime scene photos. She recognized the green minivan by the license plate. "No!" The word was a strangled yelp. Her brother had just bought that minivan, having traded in his old VW Bug for something more family like, as he put it, something he could more easily haul around the many kids he and Annie intended to have. Jess clutched the photo to her chest, sobbing. Michael, Annie, no! Don't be dead, please. Only when did she sense another presence in the room did she look up. Her brown eyes looked up to connect with a set of wrathful hazel ones. "Mulder," she gasped, wiping away a tear. In her distress, she didn't notice his jaw and hands clenching convulsively. "Why are you..." "Shut up, Jess!" Mulder snarled. Jess blinked. Her friend never had acted towards her with such hostility, not when he found out about her and Krycek's relationship, not when he had found out she was a werewolf and had hidden the fact from him. "What's wrong?" Mulder fixed her with a steely glare as he advanced. "You knew, and didn't tell me," he growled in a low voice. Jess was puzzled. Her mind was still preoccupied with her brother. "Knew? About what?" "About *him*." She had never heard one word filled with so much hate. "That smoking son of a bitch. And my mother." His eyes narrowed. Now his voice filled with sorrow and hurt and anger. "Why didn't you tell me?" "Oh God," Jess whispered, staggering backwards. She now knew what he was talking about. She had stumbled across some information about Cancerman, but had decided to protect Mulder by possibly never telling. The truth would be too painful for him to bear, at least at this point in his life. "I wanted to, but..." "But what?" Mulder thundered. "Jess, I trusted you! Against my better judgment, I tried to accept that you love that lying rat bastard. Now I find out that you're working with him!" "Alex had nothing to do with that." Jess pleaded. "He was all for telling you right away, but I overruled him. I didn't think you could handle what I found out, so I was going to wait for a while..." "I don't want to hear your moralistic excuses, Jess! Who are you to play God with my life?" "Mulder," Jess pleaded. "I wasn't playing God. It was breaking my heart not to tell you, but you need to hear why." Mulder stepped forward, placing himself inches from her face. His right hand started to raise. Her rational mind knew that he would never strike her, but the instinct she was operating on was reminded of Jake about to beat the crap out of her. Jess cowered back, clearly afraid. At the horrified look in her eyes, Mulder checked himself suddenly. He didn't buy the fact that this had been Jess's idea. It had to be that rat bastard's, but she willingly went along with him. That is what hurt him the most. "I don't want to hear from you ever again," he growled at her softly. Mulder spun on his heel and stormed out of the condo. Jess stood rooted in shock until she heard the squeal of a car being driven violently away. Overcome by a wave of nausea, Jess bolted for the upstairs bathroom. She ran to the toilet and vomited again and again, until she was completely empty. Only when she looked up did she notice the message scrawled in a red and black oily substance on the mirror. "YOU'RE NEXT" And under the words, there was an arrow pointing downwards into the sink. Jess pushed up off her knees and walked like a zombie towards the mirror. Then what was cradled in the sink caught her eye. Little Chloe, Lindy's pet cat, was laying limply in the depression, her throat slit with a neat, blood encrusted gash. If Jess's stomach hadn't been empty, she would have wretched again. Dazed, she walked out of the bathroom and to the linen closet. She pulled out the oldest, rattiest towels she had and tenderly wrapped the cat's body up. She carried the body down stairs and out to the garage. She found one of the large empty storage bin and placed Chloe gently inside. Part of her rational mind was screaming at her to stop disturbing evidence and call the police, but her maternal instincts were screaming louder to keep Lindy from stumbling over her beloved pet. Jess went back upstairs to take a closer look at the mirror. Leaning in close, she widened her nostrils to take in the smell of the liquid. She recognized that there were only two odors in the liquid - cat's blood and motor oil. That snapped what little control Jess had over her instincts. With an incoherent roar of rage and fear, Jess slammed her fist into the glass, spiderwebbing its surface with cracks. She then fled outside on foot, barely noticing, but subconsciously registering in the back yard, Boomer lay limply on the end of his tether, his throat also slit. Jess couldn't gather enough control to try to mindspeak to either Lindy or Alex. She didn't will her hand, badly lacerated from the shattered glass of the mirror, to heal. All she could do was run on instinct to possibly the only living friend she had left in the world. Upstairs and getting ready for bed, Skinner heard someone pounding on his door. Grabbing his slacks and a belt, he slid them on and headed down stairs. Half way to the front door, he was hit by a wave of deja vu. He then remembered the last time he had been awakened like this. Agent Mulder had dragged a seemingly unrepentant Alex Krycek to him seeking a safe house to hold him for the night. Then there was the night a year later that Krycek had brought a wounded Jess, also seeking a safe haven. This time, it was Krycek's, and now his, lover standing outside, alone. Skinner opened the door for Jess. Instead of speaking or entering the apartment, she stood there, pale and trembling. Her hair was tousled, her face was streaked with tears, and her right hand was slick with blood. He gently reached for her. "Jess?" Her eyes slowly sought his, as if from a great distance. "Can I come in?" she whispered in a barely audible voice. Skinner nodded. Jess mechanically passed through the threshold and walked to the couch. Staring at nothing, she sat down stiffly on the couch. Then she started to shake. What has happened to her? Skinner thought. Even on the Farnsworth case, she always had a measure of control. He sat down on the couch beside her. "Where's Alex and Lindy?" Jess trembled even more violently. "I don't know," came her weak gasp. She's in deep shock over something. But what? "Do you need someplace to stay?" Skinner couldn't tell if her head was nodding, or bobbing from how hard she was shaking. "Do you need to be alone?" "No!" was her explosive reply. She clutched his arm tightly. "Don't leave me alone! Please!" He had never seen her react with such panic. Oh God! Alex and Lindy are dead, or worse and she's gone crazy. "Do you want me to call Agent Mulder?" That was apparently the wrong question, because if she was trembling before, she was practically convulsing now. "Okay, no Mulder." Skinner put his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Jess didn't resist, but neither did she encourage or aid him. She rested stiffly against him, wrapped up in her own private nightmare. Realizing that she wasn't going to move on her own, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to the bedroom. Getting her ready for bed was like taking care of a three-year-old. "Lift your arms." She did, and he pulled the tee-shirt off of her. Next came the bra. She stood there bare chested before him. But there was nothing erotic or provocative in her display. Her shoulders were rolled forward, her face shell shocked. He slipped on her an old dress shirt of his, one he intended to throw away because of how faded it was. It came down almost to her knees. Skinner sat her down on the bed and knelt to remove her shoes and socks. Jess seemed to slightly snap out of her catatonic state and shimmied off her jeans. Without a comment, she lay down on her side on half of the bed, staring straight ahead. Skinner lightly stroked her cheek. She still stared and didn't so much as blink at his touch. "I'll be right back." He walked into the bathroom and undressed. He didn't want to add to her distress by thinking that he was trying to take advantage of her obvious disorientation. Their relationship was still too fragile. Skinner would let her take the lead and let her decide if she wanted to be comforted with sex or not. He grabbed some antiseptic and a roll of gauze. When he came back out of the bathroom, clad only in his briefs, Jess was still laying where he had left her. Her wounded hand was dangling over the edge of the bed. As Skinner tended to it, she began trembling again, and also started to sob quietly. He slipped into the other side of the bed and pulled her back against his upper body. "Shhhh. You're not alone," he whispered, stroking her hair. Jess rolled over began to sob hysterically into the A.D.'s broad shoulder. She seemingly cried for hours, each sniff more heart wrenching than the last. Skinner gently held her, whispered comforting nonsense into her ear, and patted her back until with a hiccupping gasp, she fell into an exhausted, restless slumber. He felt himself drifting off when he heard another knock on his door. Grabbing his pants, this time he went downstairs to open the door to an agitated Lindy and Krycek. "Don't worry," he said motioning them inside, guessing the reason for their worried state. "She's asleep upstairs. What's going on?" Krycek and Lindy both gave sighs of relief. "I'm not certain, Walter," Krycek began, "but it must have been horrible for her." "I haven't been able to get her to talk about it. What happened?" Lindy's answer was the simplest way to explain. The little girl looked tired, and being in a dirt and sweat covered sports uniform made her look as ragged as her voice sounded. "Our lives fell apart." Despite having been awakened from a fitful sleep, he was instantly alert. Interrupted sleep and midnight meetings came with the territory. Green eyes swept over the emergency report, noting the highlights. "And have they been harmed?" "Not physically," his aide answered, bleary eyed. "The acts were targeted towards Jessica Leahs specifically, but to designed to cause them all mental anguish. The last of her immediate family, with the exception of one member, have been killed. Her relationship with her closest friend has been compromised. And her child's pets were slaughtered." "And her location now? And my son's?" "They all fled to a Walter S. Skinner's, an Assistant Director of the FBI, apartment. Apparently, there a close relationship has been forged between the three adults." "And the reason for these... actions taken against them?" "The only reason that seems logical is they informed Covarrubias that they were aware of her knowledge of their lycanthropy. They also made reference to FBI Special Agent Mulder." He nodded, piecing together what probably happened. The UN plant was a rookie, eager to prove her worth. The werewolves had merely warned her that they had an eye on her. She overreacted, deliberately misled her superiors, or overstepped her limited authority and arranged for a bloody lesson to be taught. "Arrange for all them, the AD included, to be protected twenty four hours a day. And make certain that it was Covarrubias who ordered this." He paused for a moment, running through what his aide had said a few moments ago. "All of her family was assassinated, except one member? Who survived?" The aide's words were not reassuring. "She is not aware of this fact, but the one who survived is one of Us." Skinner and Krycek stood by the bed, watching Jess sleep. Although unconscious, tears were still seeping from her eyes. Krycek and Lindy explained what they had been able to deduce that happened. It was almost broke their hearts when they realized how badly she was affected by the events of the last six hours. Right now she needed some comfort, of the physical kind. After shedding his clothes, Krycek knelt beside the bed. He gently wiped the tears away. Jess shivered and opened her eyes. "Alex?" she asked, reaching for his face. "Shhhh. I'm here, love," Krycek whispered as Skinner got in bed behind her. "Move over." As the A.D. wrapped his arms around Jess and pulled her close, Krycek slid under the sheets. He softly kissed her lips, first chastely, but then with increasing passion. His left leg slid between hers, teasing the her calf with his foot. One of Skinner's warm palms slid up her stomach to cup a breast. At Jess's soft sigh, it crept to the buttons that were holding her shirt closed. Strong fingers teased the shirt open as Skinner planted kisses at the base of her neck. He cast away the shirt, and worked next on removing her panties. Krycek moved to Jess's ear. He breathed into it, making Jess break out in gooseflesh. He then latched onto the lobe, nibbling and tugging. He could feel the warm skin of the back of Skinner's hands brush against his nipples as the A.D. teased Jess's breast. He groaned as he felt Jess's hips start to grind against him, and then again when he felt Skinner begin moving also. "Oh God," Jess gasped. She was making soft, mewling sounds and tears started trailing from her eyes. "I thought you were.... I thought I would find Walter...." "Shhhh," Skinner whispered into her ear. "We're both here." One of his hands slid from her breasts to Krycek's cock. The young man gasped as the head of his cock was gently rubbed against her thighs. Then it was his turn to gasp as Krycek's hands went to his ass, pulling Skinner tighter against Jess. Jess moaned as Skinner covered her left breast with his large, warm palm. He slowly worked his palm in circles, massaging her. Krycek, meanwhile, busied himself pleasuring her right breast with lips and tongue. Jess cried out soundlessly, reaching behind her to stroke the back of Skinner's head with her left hand while entangling her right in Krycek's hair. Skinner couldn't hold back any longer. He rolled over and reached into the bed stand to retrieve the lubricant. After oiling his cock generously, he slid his still slick fingers between her asscheeks, preparing her. Jess groaned and relaxed almost immediately. Gently holding her hips, Skinner positioned himself to penetrate her. When he felt Jess press back, he entered her anus ever so gently. He felt her shivers of pleasure as he stretched and filled her with shallow, gentle thrusts. Once fully enclosed in her hot channel, his hand reached for Krycek's erection, intending to jerk him off as he made Jess come. But Krycek had other intentions. He guided Skinner's touch back to Jess's breasts. And then Krycek slipped into Jess's tight vagina causing her to sob raggedly from pleasure. The sensation of being stretched and filled by both men at the same time was almost too much to bear. Her hands sought Krycek's dark hair and pulled him to her taut nipple, begging wordlessly. Jess arched back against Skinner as Krycek began gently nibbling and licking. Still thrusting slowly, Skinner started nuzzling her neck and shoulder, biting gently. Both men ground into her, first opposing each other's strokes and then together And without warning, she was coming violently. Wave after wave of pleasure swept through her, almost causing her to black out. All she could do was close her eyes and ride out the pulsing sensations. She distantly heard herself scream in ecstasy. Exhausted from her emotions and actions, she barely noticed when Skinner began to grunt with each thrust. Krycek tossed his head back and gave a sharp bark as he came. When their thrashing bodies stilled, Skinner and Krycek eased out of Jess. Both men kissed her in the muzzy afterglow, all of them content for the moment. Skinner pulled the covers back over their bodies, pausing to stroke his male and female lovers's cheeks. Trusting him completely, they were both already asleep. He nestled into Jess's back, pulled Krycek a little tighter against her, and was soon asleep himself. When Jess slowly woke up, the first thing she realized was that she wasn't in her bed at home. As she sat up, she remembered everything that had happened yesterday. Then she saw that she was alone. Alone. Last night, Alex, Walter, and me, was a dream. Tears started to fall from her eyes. She heard the door open. She heard the pad of bare feet as someone crossed the room and Jess felt a soft handkerchief wipe at her eyes. "You gave us quite a scare, Jess," came Krycek's voice. Jess opened her eyes to stare at her lover's incredible green ones in disbelief. Her arms went around his neck, her head into his shoulder. "When you weren't here when I arrived, I thought They got to you and Lindy too," she sobbed brokenly. Krycek kissed her hair. "We're not so easy to get rid of," he whispered into it. Jess shivered. Her lifemate was safe, Walter was safe, but was her other companion? "Lindy's okay, right?" "She's fine." Krycek stroked her face. "She's here with us. If you're up to it, come down stairs with me and maybe get some breakfast?" "Okay." She let Krycek help her out of bed. "I don't have much of an appetite though." She looked around for her clothes. Krycek tugged forward a suitcase that had rested just outside the doorway. "Lindy and I brought some things we thought you'd need." He opened the suitcase and tossed her a pair of jeans and a cotton shirt. Jess's eyes filled with tears yet again. "Then you saw?" she asked, pulling on her clothes. Krycek nodded. "Yeah. Lindy knows Chloe and Boomer are dead, but not how. I made sure of that." He gestured down the hallway with his head. "C'mon. You need to eat." Grabbing her hand, he tugged out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Skinner and Lindy looked up as the pair entered the living room. She still looked depressed, but the hopeless, zombie expression was gone. Skinner thought that her change in mood was due to relief that the last of the living who loved her were safe. Lindy slipped off the couch and ran to her. The young teen looked pale, but much better in clean clothes. Jess dropped to her knees and pulled the girl in close. They held each other silently. Skinner wondered if they were speaking mind to mind, because they were so quiet. Lindy pulled away and Jess got off her knees. They walked hand in hand to the couch and sat down. Lindy leaned against Jess, and the young woman put an arm around her. Krycek sat next to Lindy, and Skinner on the other side of Jess. "I feel so stupid for reacting the way I did," Jess said, putting her head in her free hand. "Any one thing I could have handled, but all three at once..." "Three?" Krycek asked. "We know about the pets and Michael's and Annie's deaths. What else happened?" "There was another death," Jess groaned. "It was of Mulder's and my friendship. He knows, Alex." Krycek's jaw dropped. "How?" "I don't know." Jess lifted her head to look at Krycek and Skinner. "All I know is that he feels that we betrayed him. No," Jess amended. "He feels that you've betrayed him and corrupted me, Alex." Skinner looked confused. "Betrayed him? Corrupted you, Jess? What are you talking about?" "Back when Alex and I started living together, I stumbled onto some information regarding Cancerman and Mulder's mother. Cancerman and I made a deal - in exchange for my silence, he would leave us alone. He didn't keep his end of the bargain, but I couldn't tell Mulder, not at this point in his life." "Do I want to know what you know?" "No," Jess and Krycek said at the same time. "It's almost impossible to blackmail these men," Krycek said. "You try to turn one of their weapons back on them, and it always will backfire." Jess bowed her head. "If you've gained Mulder's trust, you'll know what we're talking about soon enough." Skinner sat back in his chair. "So now what happens?" Jess leaned back into the couch and stroked Lindy's hair. "I guess we go to San Jose and bury Michael and Annie." She sighed. "After that I don't have a clue." Her eyes teared. "I don't think I could stay in the condo, not after everything that's happened." Skinner gently patted her shoulder. "You don't have to go back to stay. I think I know of someplace you can stay, long term if you like." "Thank you," Jess whispered, sagging into the couch. "I guess we were fooling ourselves, thinking we were safe. Cancerman was bound to try something like this sooner or later." "Jess, I don't think Cancerman ordered this," Krycek said. "No pun intended, but it seems like overkill." "I agree," Skinner rumbled. "These events aren't his style. They're too personally directed. And he would only strike once, not three times in rapid succession." Jess sighed and slumped forward. "Then who? Who have we angered... oh no." Krycek experienced the same flash of insight Jess had. "Covarrubias," he growled. Skinner looked at the pair, worried. He had been told about the blond's help in getting Krycek and Mulder to Russia and her odd reaction to Jess. And his FBI instincts said that they were right, that something more was going on, even if Mulder was too blind to see it. "It's dangerous to jump to that conclusion," he cautioned. Krycek nodded. "We know that, Walter. We won't do anything unless we're certain." Cancerman finished delivering his report on the events of the last twelve hours to Well Manicured Man. "We have yet to determine exactly who leaked the information, but I have my suspicions." Well Manicured Man nodded. "And where is Leahs now?" "She, Krycek, and the child are en route to San Jose to claim and bury the bodies." "And the Assistant Director?" "He has elected to remain behind to deal with Agents Mulder and Scully." Well Manicured Man sat and considered the latest events. "We can manipulate this situation to our advantage if we move cautiously. Find out who ordered the murders and the attacks. Miss Leahs will be more than happy to learn who did it." Cancerman raised his eyebrows skeptically. "And why would she listen to us?" Well Manicured Man smiled. "I have some influence over her that I have not brought to bear just yet. She needed to be in a truly desperate situation to be receptive. Now the situation is perfect." Jess, Krycek, and Lindy stood in front of the graves. The last three days had been a blur. Jess had identified and claimed the bodies of her brother and sister-in-law. Then they had arranged the well attended funeral. After that came the reading of the will, the arrangements that had to be made regarding Michael's vet practice, and the house in Los Gatos. Jess's decision had been to sell the vet practice to Michael's partner, but keep the house locked until she could sort through the belongings and decide what to keep and what to donate to charities. Now that all that had been taken care of, all that was left was one more goodbye and the flight back to D.C. to try to reconstruct their lives. Jess sighed as she looked at the six graves, her mother's, father's, sister's, brother's, sister-in-law's and nephew's. Lindy held on to her waist while Krycek crossed his arm below her neck. They just held each other, grieving quietly. The scent of approaching cigarette smoke made the trio bristle and raise their heads. "Haven't you hurt us enough?" Krycek growled. "What the hell do you want *now*?" Cancerman calmly walked up to the opposite side of the fresh graves. "I'm here to pay my last respects, Mr. Krycek." He removed the omnipresent tube of tobacco from his mouth. "What happened to Ms. Leahs's brother and sister-in-law is a tragedy and a waste." "You, of all people," Jess snarled, "are offering *me* condolences? You probably ordered their deaths!" "I did no such thing," was the calm reply. "What appears to have happened is that a member of my association decided that you needed to be reminded of your precarious place. And the results of that associate's actions were harmful to my position also." ~He's right~ Krycek grudgingly mindspoke to Jess. ~Mulder finding out about him cannot have helped him, or improved his standing among his colleagues.~ Jess considered her lover's and her enemy's words. She relaxed her tight stance slightly. Her sharp gaze pierced Cancerman's eyes. "So why are you here?" "A senior associate has expressed an interest in your case, Ms. Leahs." Cancerman paused to take a drag of the smoldering cigarette. "He wishes to protect you and yours from any further overzealous acts." Krycek looked at the Cigarette Smoking Man with narrowed eyes. "Why the hell would one of the Consortium want to protect us?" Cancerman had been wondering the same thing himself. "I don't know," he admitted. "All he would say was that he wanted to help you avenge your brother's death, and possibly give you information about Amanda." Jess and Krycek looked at each other. They both would make a deal with the devil if it meant regaining their lost daughter. ~You make the call, love,~ Krycek 'spoke to Jess. ~I'll follow your lead.~ Jess nodded slightly. Lindy, who had remained silent during the exchange, angled in slightly in front of Jess. She glared at Cancerman, wanting to attack the man who had caused the woman she considered to be her mother such pain, half daring him to hurt Jess or Krycek so she'd have the excuse. Jess dropped a hand on her shoulder, a reminder to hold onto the control that separated inhuman werewolves from mere human wolves. The grip on her shoulder tightened painfully when Well Manicured Man stepped from behind one of the trees. "Hello, Jessica. It's been a long time." Jess nodded, eyes wide, apparently too dumbfounded to speak. In a heartbeat, she wondered how many of the events in her life were coincidence, and how many carefully arranged. Cancerman looked at his superior and then at Jess. "You have already met each other?" Jess found her voice. "Yes." She stood a fraction straighter. "Hello, Uncle." When Scully entered her and Mulder's apartment, she immediately knew something was wrong. Mulder was no where to be seen. Usually after this long of a separation, he would be all over her. She heard a muffled noise coming from behind the closed door of their bedroom. Acting on FBI trained instincts, she drew her gun and eased to the door. She peaked through the half open door. She sighed and holstered the gun. "Fox?" He sat on their bed, holding a framed photograph in his hands. Mulder looked at her. Her heart almost broke when she saw the anguish and pain in his eyes. She had never seen him this upset. "Dana?" Mulder motioned her over to the bed with his head. "Look at this picture. Tell me what you see." Scully took the picture from his hand. It was a picture she had seen before many times of the four Mulders, taken roughly a year before Samantha went missing. She scanned the photo for something X-File related, a 'ghost' in the foreground, a 'UFO' in the background, some clue about Samantha's abduction. "I see your family, Fox." Mulder took the picture from her. "It's not my family, Dana. It's a lie," he said in a soft, bitter voice. In an unexpected fit of violence, he threw the picture across the wall. The glass covering the photo shattered into a thousand pieces. "It's a goddamn *lie* that *Jess* helped perpetuate!" "Jess lied to you?" Scully couldn't believe it. Jess loved Mulder like a brother. "She knew the truth about my father. She knew that Krycek didn't kill my father, but she didn't tell me." "What?" Now Scully was even more confused. "Why is it so upsetting that Krycek didn't kill your father? And why would he lie and say that he did?" "Krycek didn't kill my father, he only thought he did." Mulder's gaze darkened even further. "Actually, he worked for him." "Oh my God," Scully whispered. Krycek had made one thing clear. He had only taken orders from one man. "You don't mean..." "Yes," Mulder whispered bitterly. "That smoking son of a bitch and my mother..." His voice broke, losing the tenuous control he had on his emotions. Scully put her arms around him. She held him as he cried. "Fox," she whispered in his hair. "I love you, no matter who your biological father is. It doesn't change who you are." "But it does," he whispered. "Like father, like son." "Fox William Mulder!" Scully said sharply. "You are not the same as Cancerman. Just because you share some DNA with him, it does not mean you will become him." "One thing makes more sense now," Mulder said, staring at the photo he had thrown across the room. "Remember those inoculation files we found, the ones with your and Samantha's names on them?" Scully nodded and Mulder continued. "I noticed Samantha's label covered another name, mine. He was trying to control Dad." "Or maybe he was trying to protect your mother," she said. Scully didn't add the 'and you' she was thinking. It made more sense, though Mulder wouldn't accept the fact that even Cancerman could be capable of a basic human emotion like love. But Mulder had caused so much trouble in the past, it would have been a lot easier for the Cigarette Smoking Man to have him killed out of hand. And yet, Mulder still lived. As Mulder buried his face in her shoulder, Scully looked at the photo, now lying crumpled on the floor. Through coincidence or fate or what have you, the corner containing Bill Mulder had been torn away from the rest picture. It was one of the nicer hotel suites in downtown San Jose with a lovely view of Guadalupe Park. It spoke of wealth, but not ostentation, the type of place for men who wanted discrete comfort but not close scrutiny. Jess and her uncle were having a private discussion in the bedroom while Krycek and Lindy waited outside uneasily. Well Manicured Man sat on one of the queen sized beds. "I only found out about my sister's and your father's death recently." He paused, trying to gauge her reaction. "I'm sorry I didn't try to make peace with her sooner." Jess, sitting on the other bed, smiled ruefully. "I don't think she would have accepted it. She really did love Dad." What the hell am I doing?!? Jess thought. I've just found out that one of my few remaining living relatives is a member of a world wide conspiracy, and I'm talking about family history? She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Did Mom know who you're involved with?" Well Manicured Man shook his head. "All she knew was that I had a high security clearance job." She picked up the glass of soda off the nightstand, a favorite from childhood, her uncle had to thoughtfully provided. Nose centimeters from the brim, she inhaled like she was testing the bouquet of a fine wine. No drugs I can smell. "So why did you bother to look for me now?" She took a sip of the soda, waited a moment testing for an unusual taste indicating a drug, and then took a larger swallow. Her hesitation over the drink was noticed but not commented on. "Jessica, your mother had cut herself off completely from me after Rachel's death. It was only when I started searching for you that I discovered that you were involved in an ongoing project." He paused and decided to reveal something personal to her. "I recently lost someone very close to me. She was murdered brutally and senselessly. It was a wake up call. I decided to try to track down the last of my family." "Last of my family," Jess repeated bitterly. "Did you have anything to do with..." "No. I wasn't aware that you were threatened until I found out what you have become. And I will discover who caused this murder and make them pay for my nephew's death." "No, Uncle, we want to be the ones who exact payment." Jess leaned forward intently. "But there has to be an understanding. I don't trust you at all. The only reason we are doing this is that you are offering what we want - revenge. But expect nothing more." "And if I offer something more?" Jess smiled sadly as she leaned back. "You wouldn't," she said with a shake of her head. "And if you did, you wouldn't keep your end of the bargain. If you gave us Amanda, you would lose your power over us. I know we'll never regain our daughter through you. But back to business," she said with a false cheerfulness. "You were going to tell me who arranged for my life to be torn apart." "I am not certain yet," Well Manicured Man answered. "I have a suspicion, but want to be sure." "In that case," Jess said, getting off the bed, "I'm going home. I'm sure you'll notify me when you find out who did this. Until then, Uncle." He remained silent as his niece opened the door to the bedroom. This will have to be handled with caution. If I play this right, her loyalty to me will be assured. Jess stepped out of the bedroom only to find Krycek extremely upset. Cancerman was with him. "Alex, what's wrong?" Jess asked, glaring at the tall man behind her lover. "Jess, we need to go back to New York. Tati's had a heart attack." Lindy leaned back into the seat and let the acceleration of take off wash over her. They were on their way back to New York, so Krycek could see his beloved Tati, probably for the last time, before she died. Jess's uncle had offered them the use of a private jet, which would get them to the Big Apple hours before their scheduled flight. Since every minute counted, Jess and Krycek accepted, even if they had to share the cabin with an unwelcome fellow passenger. She was worried about her adopted mother. Jess just couldn't seem to settle. She was alternately looking in tenderly on a sleeping Krycek, reading the book she had bought, checking maternally on Lindy, and glaring at the Smoking Man, who sitting on a diagonal facing her, puffing away unconcernedly as he read the New York Times. "Ms. Leahs, I do wish you would stop staring at me like that." Cancerman's voice had an amused edge to it. "Like what?" Jess asked, distractedly leafing through pages of her book. Lindy had noted that she had tried to read the same three pages for the last half hour. Again there was an undefined amusement in Cancerman's voice. "As if I were the prince of darkness." "Sir," Jess said, managing to look wounded yet completely unrepentant. "I've *never* thought of you as the prince of darkness. Duke of insufficient lighting, maybe, but never prince of darkness. That's who Mulder thinks you are." She put down her book, giving up the pretense of reading. She leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling of the airplane. The Cigarette Smoking Man also put aside the newspaper. "Speaking of Agent Mulder, have you spoken to him?" Jess saw no reason for not telling him. He probably already knew what her conversations with Mulder consisted of. "I manage to get as far as 'please don't hang up.' And then he does." Jess looked into Cancerman's eyes. "I'm surprised you didn't come after me yourself when you found out he knew." Cancerman shook his head. "If you were going to tell him, you would have a long time ago." And, although a major annoyance sometimes, she could be useful to him in the future. Jess blinked and stared beyond Lindy out the window. "You're trying to protect him, in your own way, aren't you?" "Yes, although he makes that practically impossible." They fell silent for several minutes. Jess sat there, struggling with something. "Is she all right?" she finally asked. Cancerman knew who Jess was talking about. "Amanda is doing well. She is a healthy little girl. She shows all the signs of being extremely intelligent and gifted." Jess nodded, closing her eyes in a vain attempt to hide her tears. "Why did you take her from me?" she asked in a broken voice. For the first time, Cancerman decided to be honest. For all the young woman who sat before him had suffered, she had earned the right to a small part of the truth. "You were dying. Werewolf pregnancies have a tendency to be difficult and fatal. Human/werewolf crossbreeds are nortoriously fragile until the third month of life. If I hadn't had stepped in, Amanda would have been stillborn and you would have died trying to give birth to her. And once you were stabilized, the focus was making sure the child would survive." "I guess I should thank you for my life then, and hers," Jess said slowly. "But you should know, I will stop at *nothing* to find her. You thought Mulder was dogged about finding Samantha. You haven't seen anything yet." As soon as the private jet landed, Jess, Krycek and Lindy got off the plane and headed to the hospital without a word to Cancerman. Jess and Lindy sat half dozing in the waiting room. They had already said their goodbyes to Tatiana and were letting Krycek do the same privately. Blue and brown eyes would slide half open every time a doctor, nurse, orderly, patient, or visitor would pass. ~Jess. Lindy,~ came the quiet mindcall. Jess opened her eyes to see Krycek standing in front of her with tears in his eyes. She knew then that Tatiana Rudenko had passed on. She and Lindy stood and pulled Krycek into a group hug, offering silent condolences. Then they turned and left the hospital to head to the airport and home. Krycek knew that someone connected with his father, or even his father himself, would take care of funeral arrangements, and he did not want to be around when that happened. They called a cab to take them to an airport. From there they would take a commuter flight back to Washington. They missed seeing the old man in black by five minutes. In the cab, Jess tenderly held Krycek in her arms. "Alex, did she say anything to you before...?" Krycek sighed deeply. He was dry eyed and in shock. Tears would come later. "She made me promise to find Father. Jess," he said, switching gears. "How did Rachel die?" She knew that he was avoiding talking about finding his father. And at this point, it seemed wiser not to push. Jess leaned her head back against the seat. Lindy, who had never heard the full story, leaned against her, listening intently. "I was thirteen, she was sixteen," Jess began. "She just got her license on her birthday, and a new car. She decided to go up Highway 17 to Santa Cruz. She did it as a statement of her new found independence. And she took me along for the ride." "We spent the day playing on the beach and exploring the Boardwalk, the amusement park there. It got later and later. I kept begging for one more ride, one more game, one more handful of popcorn to toss to the seagulls. After about an hour of 'just five more minutes,' she pulled rank and we started back home." "Highway 17 is a twisty, turning, two lane freeway, 55 mph for the most part. But the summit is a dangerous area. But people still speed full tilt over it. There is at least one fatal accident a month there." Jess stopped, her eyes tearing. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and continued. "Rachel was just about to take the summit doing 25, what traffic in our lane, the commute side, was doing. Some idiot coming the other way doing 75 lost control coming downhill and swerved into incoming traffic. He ran..." Jess stopped, unable to go on with the description. "Rachel died on impact. It was a minor miracle that I survived." Lindy patted Jess's hand. "And the other driver?" "He also died on impact. Instead of blaming him, my parents blamed the person who got Rachel the car for the accident." Krycek stroked Jess's hair. "But why did he lose touch with your family after the accident?" Jess's lips twitched into an ironic smile. "Who do you think bought Rachel the car?" He had just returned from the hospital, where he paid his final respects to Tatiana Rudenko. His last, living link to his son was gone. It was time to start forging a new one, a direct one. The old Russian looked up from the final report. "Are you certain?" he asked, eying the stack made up of papers, audio cassettes and video tapes. "One hundred percent, sir," the aide replied with certainty and satisfaction. "I have obtained the surveillance tapes, and done some research into her family. She was told that her uncle didnot know of her being involved in a section of the Project. However, this videotape proves otherwise. We are ready to consolidate the information into a more compact package for delivery." "And is any information about my granddaughter included?" "Yes sir. I was able to unearth some videos that document her progress. With your approval, I am ready to commission a courier to deliver the information." Green eyes lost their focus, wandering in a deep thought. "I will deliver it personally," he said abstractedly. "Sir?" his aide asked, surprised. "What if your son refuses to see you?" The old man had already thought of that possibility. "I will deliver it in a roundabout way. It is time for my son and myself to, as Americans say, start mending fences." Skinner sat behind his desk, half dreading his next appointment. Agent Mulder had asked to see him privately, and he had a good idea why. He had heard from Jess earlier this afternoon. She had called to explain why they would be later than originally thought. She had also given him a quick and dirty briefing about her long lost uncle. Skinner knew that what he had planned would be a risk, but he felt that it was one worth taking. He also wanted to try to heal the rift that had formed between Mulder and Jess. She had withheld the truth, a capital crime as far Mulder was concerned, but she had done so trying to protect her friend and ex-lover. Right now she needed as many friends as she could get. There was a knock on his office door. His secretary Kim opened it. "Agent Mulder to see you sir." Skinner nodded. "Show him in." Kim opened the door wider and Mulder brushed past her. "Agent Mulder, have a seat." Mulder took the chair opposite Skinner and went right to the heart of the matter. "Sir, I know what happened between you, Krycek and Jess." Skinner looked at his most troublesome agent. "And what does that have to do with you asking to meet with me off the record?" "I need you to talk to Jess, to tell her that I forgive her. I know that Krycek suggested it and she was too desperate and lonely to risk losing him by refusing." Skinner slipped before he could stop himself. "Alex did nothing of the sort." "Alex?" Mulder repeated softly. His tone took on outrage and disbelief. "You're *still* sleeping with them?!?" "Agent Mulder," Skinner said sharply, "who I spend my free time with is none of your concern," "It is when Krycek's involved. He's setting you up to be blackmailed by Cancerman, if you're not already in league with him." Mulder rose to storm out of the office. "Agent Mulder!!! *Sit*!!! *Down*!!!" Skinner thundered. As Mulder dropped back into the chair, stunned by the sheer volume of Skinner's voice, the AD grabbed control of the situation and his emotions. "First of all, I'm going to ignore that remark about me being 'in league' with that black lunged bastard. I may have worked for him, but I *never* worked *with* him. Second, Cancerman has *more* than enough information to use as blackmail against me without having Krycek add to it. And thirdly, are you at all aware of what transpired before and after you saw Jess?" "No sir," was the sullen reply. Skinner decided to pull no punches. Mulder often played the martyr, forgetting that others around him also suffered as great wounds as his. "Thirty seconds before she talked to you, she found out Michael and Annie were murdered. Five minutes afterwards, she found Chloe and Boomer dead. She came to me, thinking that Krycek and Lindy were murdered, and half afraid she would find me dead also." "Sir, that doesn't excuse what she did. Did she tell you?" "Only that she withheld information from you. She also said she was trying to protect you." "Sir, I can't believe you're defending them." "I'm not defending them. She admits it wasn't a good choice, but it was the only one she could make at the time. Without going into specifics, she told me that she convinced Alex that it was better to keep the information hidden. And maybe before you judge her, you should take a good hard look at the information you've kept hidden to protect people you care about." Ouch! Mulder thought. He still hadn't told Scully about the fact that she would probably not be able to have children, or about what Skinner had done to save her. He hadn't told his mother that he knew about her affair with Cancerman. But the same rules didn't apply the same way to him. "I can't forgive them." "They're not asking you too forgive them right away. They're just asking you to try to understand. Now if you'll excuse me," Skinner said brusquely, standing, "I have to pick them up from the airport." Again, they had accepted an airplane ride from Jess's uncle. Only this time, Jess, Krycek, and Lindy had the plane to themselves. Returning from the bathroom, Krycek lovingly looked over the only family he felt now that he had left. Lindy sprawled across the seats facing Jess, sound asleep. Jess had buried her nose in Dennis McKiernan's "The Eye of the Hunter," but was having no more success reading it than the last time she flew. He sat down beside her. ~Love, we need to talk,~ he mindspoke, not wanting to disturb Lindy. Jess sighed and put her book down. ~About what?~ ~About you, me, and Walter.~ He reached over and took her hand. ~We need to figure out where we stand.~ Jess looked out the window. ~That's the problem. I'm not sure where I stand.~ Krycek let go of her hand to gently stroke her soft hair. ~You've fallen for him too, haven't you?~ Jess sighed. ~In a sick, Oedipal way, yes. I love you the strongest, but I do have feelings for Walter. He reminds me of a cross between you, Mulder, and Dad. I mean, he's gentle like you, but tries so hard to hide it, just like my dad did. And then he's got Mulder's tenacity and loyalty... wait a minute!~ She turned sharply to look at Krycek, but there was nothing accusatory in her glance. "Did you say 'too'?" she whispered out loud. ~Yes, I did.~ Krycek pulled her in close. Jess nestled against his shoulder. ~You are my lifemate, and will always be. I have developed feelings for Walter, for the same reasons you mentioned, but they are no where near as strong as what I feel for you. If it ever comes down to a choice between you and him, there is no choice.~ Jess snuggled against him tighter. ~Same here, Alex. But what do we do? Just watch and wait to find out how he feels?~ ~I think that may be the wisest thing to do,~ Krycek answered. ~He may be under orders to continue sleeping with us. But somehow, I think that if he didn't want to, he wouldn't.~ A gleam of humor appeared in Jess's eye, the first one in a long time. ~Why wouldn't he want to sleep with us? We're a pair of sluts who can't get enough.~ Krycek chuckled. "Jess!" he quietly admonished. ~Of course, he's hurting over Sharon. Maybe that is why he's staying with us.~ ~Could be,~ Jess shrugged. ~I guess we should just watch and wait.~** Before taking them back to the condo, Skinner decided to spring two surprises he had on Jess, Krycek, and Lindy. He had thought long and hard about his plans, and decided that this would be the best way to do things. He may end up dead, but he would die with a clear conscience. Under the pretense of having to pick up something, Skinner brought them to a neat two story house. While he was unlocking the door, a muffled noise could be heard coming from the inside. Once they opened the door, the first thing they saw was a large box on a coffee table. Lindy looked at it with undisguised curiosity. There was another muffled squeak from its general direction. "What's that?" Jess and Krycek shrugged their shoulders, clearly not knowing. "Why don't you open it and find out?" Skinner suggested. Lindy walked to the coffee table. "What did you get her?" Jess whispered as the girl knelt. "You'll see," Skinner whispered back. He watched intently as Lindy lifted the lid to the box, uncertain how his gift would be received. He hadn't spent much time around children and Lindy was so skittish, he wasn't sure that the girl would understand that he just wanted to be friends. He need not have worried. Lindy lifted the lid and gasped in delight. She lifted an eight week old calico kitten from a nest of newspapers. "Is she mine?" Lindy asked, rubbing her cheek against the squirming kitten. "Yes," Skinner said. "If you want her. I'll bet she's really thirsty. Why don't you take her into the kitchen and get her some water." "Sure," Lindy said. "Thank you." She hesitantly approached the AD and hugged him. Jess smiled. "Yes, thank you, Walter." She kissed his cheek. Krycek also kissed his other cheek. "That was very sweet of you, tough guy. Now we just need to find a place to live. There is no way we're going back to that condo." Now for Skinner's other surprise. "Why not live here?" "Here?" Jess looked around at the spacious living room. "Are you asking us to move in with you, Walter?" "Not exactly," Skinner said. "This is where Sharon and I lived while we were married. I got the house in the settlement, but couldn't stay here alone. As much as I hated seeing it empty, I never got around to selling it. I was thinking that you may want to rent it. I'd still keep my apartment, but would occasionally spend the night, if you'll let me." His brown eyes regarded them somberly. "But before you say anything, there is something you should know." Jess and Krycek looked at each other worriedly. They both crossed the room silently and sat down on the couch. Skinner sat down on the chair opposite of them. And much to their surprise, he put his head in his hands. Skinner sat there silently for several minutes. Then he found the courage to speak. "I told you that I was supposed to have sex with you Krycek." He paused to see their silent nods. "Those were my original orders. However, they changed when Jess took the tape from Cancerman." Krycek paled. ~Here we go.~ One of the things they had finally discussed was Skinner's possible motivations for an ongoing intimate relationship with them. He shot a sideways glance at Jess. "Changed how, Walter?" "There is something you need to know first." Skinner still hadn't looked at either of them. "Did you know that Agent Scully has potentially fatal cancer that is currently in remission?" Both Jess and Krycek shook their heads. But a thought occurred to Krycek. "Is it related to her abduction?" he asked with a swallow. Skinner nodded and Krycek looked down, ashamed. Jess put an arm around Krycek and reached for Skinner, but he had placed himself out of her reach. "What does that have to do with now?" "After he found out, Agent Mulder came to me and begged me to set up a meeting with the Cigarette Smoking Man. I refused, unwilling to put him in a position where he would have to sacrifice himself to save Agent Scully's life." That was enough for Jess and Krycek to guess what his new orders were. "Oh God, Walter," Jess breathed. "And then you offered yourself as the sacrifice." "And you were told to spy on us after gaining our trust," Krycek said without rancor. Skinner nodded his head, still cradled in his hands. "Yes," was all he said. He heard the two of them stand and walk towards him. This is it, he thought. I'm not going to rot in some prison cell, framed by Cancerman. I'm not going to be shot execution style by some nameless assassin. I'm about to die at the fangs of these two werewolves. Skinner heard the lighter of the two treads walk behind the chair. He felt Jess's hands go to either side of his neck. He stiffened, waiting for her to throttle him. But instead they began a gentle massage. But he still flinched when he felt her warm breath besides his ear. "Why are you telling us this, Walter?" He started to turn to face her, but with a gentle pressure, she forced his head back to its original position. "Jess, Alex, those bastards put you through so much in the last few days, I thought you should hear if from a friend instead of an enemy." Now he felt Krycek's breath in his other ear. "The whole truth, Walter. Tell us everything. They won't be happy with us knowing. Why are you revealing this to us?" Skinner shuddered. He could feel the weight of Jess's breasts lightly resting his shoulder blades and Krycek's hands lightly caressing his upper thighs. The initial fear was giving away to arousal. "Because my orders didn't include falling in love with both of you," he moaned. ~I knew it, love,~ Jess mindspoke to Krycek. ~Shall you tell him or I?~ But Krycek was already speaking. "And we didn't intend to love you either, Walter. But it's happened." Skinner was still wondering if he had heard correctly when Krycek's lips closed on his. Then he felt Jess's lips millimeters from his ear again. "Thank you for being honest with us, Walter. We love you too, and we'll just deal with things one day, and one night, at a time." Her lips gently brushed the top of his head. Skinner pulled away from Krycek's kisses to ask a question. "You're not going to kill me?" He could feel Jess lightly trace her fingertips across his skull, wiping away a few tears of hers that had fallen on him. Krycek answered for them both. "Walter, we've lost so much in the last few days, we can't bear to lose another loved one." Skinner relaxed and let Krycek and Jess kiss and nuzzle him. He had told them the truth out of a desire to protect them and without a thought for his own safety. He hadn't expected neither Jess nor Krycek to be this caring towards him after he had come clean. For the first time in many years, he felt loved and protected at the same time. Static filled the screen of the television. Mulder and Scully looked at each other. The unspoken question was clear - 'Now what do we do?' Four hours ago, a stranger had shown up on their doorstep. Scully had answered the knock, Mulder standing behind her. "May we help you?" Scully asked the old gentleman. "I sincerely hope so." There was a slight Russian accent to the voice, one that had almost been eliminated through years of speaking English. "I have some information that is of some interest to some friends of yours. My son, to be exact." Mulder's brow knitted. "Do I know you or your son?" The old man smiled. "My name is Dmitri Krychekov." "As in Krycek? You're Krycek's father?" Mulder asked, incredulous. "Although Alexi would probably say that it has been years since I've acted like one, yes. But I am not here to discuss my family history. I would greatly appreciate if you could get this box," he gestured to a cardboard box, the kind used to store or transport files, beside him, "into Alexi's possession." Mulder was trying to figure out why he was being used as a messenger boy. "And why don't you give it to them directly?" The old man sighed deeply. Krychekov looked truly saddened. "My son would not accept anything from my hand. If you ever loved Jessica Leahs, Agent Mulder, you will give this information to her. And if you can't do it for her, do it for my innocent granddaughter." "I know one thing they would gladly accept from you," Scully said. "Why don't you simply just return Amanda to Jess and Krycek?" Krychekov smiled sadly. "I wish I could, but I have very little influence in that part of the Project. I have been trying unsuccessfully to locate where she is being kept. Like my coconspirators, I am only human. We're not omnipotent, like you seem to credit Us and our creations as being. Leahs is mortal, not infallible. She thought she was doing the best thing. And I know the pain that foolish pride can bring. I haven't spoken to my son in almost six years. Do not let that happen to you, Agent Mulder." And with those simple words of warning, Krychekov left, never looking back to see if they picked up the box. After bringing the box inside, Mulder and Scully reviewed the information that Krychekov had left. Parts of it made no sense. What was so important about the video of Michael's and Annie's outdoor wedding that it would be included with a still of Jess and Covarrubias talking, audio feed of Covarrubias being briefed by Well Manicured Man, her contacting a no-name pawn to scar e Jess's brother into silencing her and of the Well Manicured Man intercepting the flunky changing those orders to a professional hit? But the last twenty minutes of the video tape needed no explanation. Even without the close up of the child's green eyes and dark hair, the baby crawling towards a coaxing nurse, sitting and laughing in the playpen, and sleeping peacefully in a crib was clearly Amanda. Jess and Krycek had been right about one thing. Covarrubias could not be trusted. Mulder had called her and if she had seen Jess recently, if there had been any change in the Consortium's stance towards her or her family or if there was any signs of the child she was 'helping' them find. The UN worker had said that she hadn't seen Jess, there had been no actions taken towards her, that none were planned, and there was no sign of the baby. And Mulder felt sickened when Covarrubias suggested in a sultry voice that he 'come' over and they 'discuss' the case the rest of the night. "Now what?" Scully asked, sitting cross legged on the couch. "Covarrubias was the one who told me about my mother and Cancerman. It's obvious that I can't trust her." Mulder left his place beside her and ejected the tape. He stared at the blank screen. Jess deserved the information, but he couldn't face her quite yet. He was still too wounded to think about forgiving her. It's almost midnight, Dana. I'm too tired to think straight. Let's just sleep on it." No matter how hard she tried, Jess couldn't sleep. It wasn't the fact that she was spending the first night in her new home. It wasn't the fact that she was distraught over the events of the last two weeks. Some instinct kept telling her that someone was near, that some*thing* was in the house. The house wasn't empty by any means. Krycek and Skinner were in bed beside her, Lindy in the next bedroom with Patches, her new kitten, curled up besides her. Realizing that she wasn't going to get a good night's rest, she slid out of the bed and wandered downstairs to the kitchen. She flipped on a light and then bit back a scream of surprise at the sight of the ghost of her dead sister sitting at the table. Despite having experienced several similar visitations, she still felt scared shitless in surprise when Rachel turned up unexpectedly. Rachel smiled at her. "It's about time you came down here. I was afraid I would have to wait all night." She gestured towards a chair placed in front of a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Jess sat down on the other chair. "Have you seen Michael and Annie?" she asked, taking a drink. "Yes. I was there to help ease their passing into the beyond. They send their love, Jessie. And I know you've also seen Uncle." Jess nodded and turned the cup of chocolate side to side, staring into it. "He said he would find out who killed them." "Jessie, do not trust him." Rachel's voice carried the tones of an older sister warning her younger sibling not to paw through her stuff. Jess looked at the shade of her beloved sister. "He's helping us, Rachel." "No, he's helping himself, and using you to do it." Rachel looked at Jess sadly. "Don't look to our family for comfort. And as odd as it sounds, look to your lifemate's." Jess sat up. "Alex hasn't been on good terms with his father since he was a child. We aren't even sure if he's alive or not." "That doesn't matter, Jessie. All that matters is this - do not trust any of our living blood family." Jess shifted uneasily at her sister's stern warning. "And what about Walter?" "You can trust your new lover. I have to admit it, sis, I didn't think that you'd be so flexible when it comes to bed partners." Jess smiled and blushed a bit. "Neither did I." She was curious about something. "Are you going to show yourself to him?" Rachel shook her head. "I'm not planning to. He has his hands full enough with your lycanthropy without having to deal with another guardian spirit also." Jess looked at Rachel confused. "Another?" "He has to explain that to you." Rachel had started to fade, becoming more transparent with each word. "But remember what I said. Do not trust our uncle." And then she was gone. Jess still stared at where Rachel had stood for several minutes. When there was no further sign of the woman in white, Jess sighed. I wish she would show up at a happy time in my life, she thought as she got up from the table. On her way out of the kitchen, Jess felt a furry warmth brush past her bare feet. Patches rubbed her legs in a feline greeting. "What are you doing out here? You were curled up with Lindy." Lindy didn't like sleeping with an open door, so Patches had been shut in for the night with her. "Don't tell me we'll have to change your name to Mystery the Second," Jess said, remembering fondly her old cat's Houdini-like abilities. She scooped up the ball of fluff and cradled it to her chest. Patches began a contented rumble. "Little purrslut," Jess chided. "You'll purr for anyone anytime." She climbed the stairs and went to return the kitten to Lindy. The door to Lindy's bedroom was ajar. That's odd, Jess thought. She normally can't sleep when the door is cracked like that. But it explained how Patches got out. Jess pushed the door wider open, intending to deposit the kitten inside the room. However she froze at the sight of Lindy's bed. Lindy's empty bed. Lindy wound her way through the maze of the apartment complex with the ease of a predator stalking its kill. She kept alert for signs of anyone following her, easier to do in wolf form than human. Lindy wanted no interruptions before she had reached her goal. Part of her did feel a bit guilty about sneaking out and knew that Jess would be furious if she found out, but Lindy didn't care enough to turn back. She found what she had been searching for. In a few seconds, the golden adolescent werewolf had Changed back into a normal looking human girl, dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. Lindy checked the address once again and knocked. It took several repeated rounds of knocking at the door before Lindy heard the sound of someone moving on the other side. Scully, wearing a terry cloth robe, opened the door. "Lindy? What are you doing here? It's three am!" she exclaimed as she let the young girl inside. Blue eyes that looked much older than they should regarded Scully seriously. "I gotta talk to Mr. Mulder, please." Mulder had appeared, also wearing a robe. "What's so important, Lindy?" he asked, sitting down on the couch. Lindy hunched down on a chair at a right angle to the couch. "Why won't you forgive Jess?" she demanded. Both Mulder and Scully started. "Lindy, how much do you know about this?" Mulder asked. Lindy shrugged. "Jess told me that she made a bad choice. She didn't tell you something that she should have the moment she found out about it. She told me you were mad at her because you found out. She didn't tell me any details." Lindy looked at Mulder. "Why can't you forgive her? She's really sorry and really miserable." "Lindy, it's not that simple..." Mulder began. He was interrupted by a furious pounding on the door. Scully opened it to a very shaken looking Jess. Skinner stood hovering behind her, looking concerned. "Lindy!" she shrieked, and ran to the child. "Don't you *ever* sneak out on me like that again." She pulled Lindy to her in a fierce embrace. She looked like she would never let Lindy go. "Jess, I'm sorry, but I had to do *something*," Lindy defended. "You've been trying to apologize and he's acting like a son of a..." "Lindy!" Jess said sharply, fixing her with a steely glare. "This is between me and Mulder." Her face softened. "I know you want to help, but on this one you can't. We'll talk about it when we get home." Lindy nodded and stood up. Jess took her hand. "I'm really sorry about Lindy showing up like this. I'm also really sorry about what I've done, Dana, Mulder," she said, looking at each personshe named. Scully nodded acknowledgment, but Mulder refused to even look at Jess. Jess looked at the ground and turned back to Skinner, who was still by Scully in the doorway. "C'mon, Lindy," she said, eyes downcast. She brushed past Scully and Skinner and into the hallway. Skinner also turned to leave when he heard Mulder's voice. "Sir, may I have a word with you please?" Jess turned to look at Skinner. He dug into the pocket of his trench coat and handed her his cell phone and keys. "Wait in the car and call Alex about Lindy," he said, forgetting that she probably had already let Krycek know, using her mindpowers. Jess nodded and led Lindy on their way. He turned back to Mulder and Scully. "Yes, Agent Mulder?" he inquired. But Mulder had gotten up and went into the bedroom. Skinner looked at Scully. She shrugged her shoulders. Skinner was just about to leave when Mulder returned, carrying the box Krychekov had left with them earlier. "Tell her I forgive her, but I can't see her just yet," Mulder said, offering Skinner the package of documents, audio tapes, photos and videos. "I can't say when I will, but I can say that I will. And if half this information is correct, I do understand what she will do. And I don't blame her." Skinner nodded as he took the box. "I'll let her know." Then he left, following Jess down the hallway. Scully closed the door and turned to Mulder. "Are Jess and Skinner having an affair?" she demanded. Mulder did his best to feign ignorance. "What makes you say that, Dana?" Scully listed off the items. "One, he was with her at three am, not Krycek. Two, I saw the way he looked at her. Three, you're trying to act like you noticed nothing out of the ordinary, but you obviously know something. So answer my question - is she cheating on Krycek by sleeping with Skinner?" Mulder sighed. Maybe it was time to tell her about Jess and Krycek and Skinner. But that also meant revealing the truth about why she was here, warm and alive, instead of in a grave, cold and dead. "I can honestly say that Jess isn't cheating on Krycek or vice versa. But as for the other part..." he trailed off. Scully's eyes widened. "Jess and Krycek *and* Skinner?!? But... *why*??" she sputtered at Mulder's confirming nod. Mulder took her hands in his large, warm ones. "That's a long story, Dana. It will take the rest of the night to explain." "Fox, we have all the time in the world," Scully responded. Do we? Mulder thought. There was always a possibility of her cancer returning. But now he needed to explain how it went into remission in the first place. Mulder led her back to the couch and prepared to tell her the whole story. Krycek watched Jess worriedly from the bottom of the stairs. Jess had refused to go back to sleep when she and Skinner brought Lindy home. Instead, she had dove into the box and pulled out the video She was watching it over and over again. That in and of itself didn't worry Krycek. He planned to watch parts of it over and over with her, to memorize the image of their missing daughter. But this was different. Jess was rewatching images of her dead family and clearly obsessing over the sight of her brother. He finally decided that enough was enough. He walked over to Jess and stood in front of the TV. "Jess, come on upstairs. You're overtired and need some sleep." Jess shook her head. "There's got to be something important on this tape," she muttered. Krycek took the remote from her hand that clutched it. "There is, but you're not going to see it if you're half asleep. And we have the files and audio tape to search through. You need to be wide awake to find anything." Jess sighed and closed her eyes. "Okay," she said. She stood up and walked over to the VCR. She was so tired, she missed hitting the stop key and hit pause again. She glanced at the screen and froze. She knelt down and stared closer at the screen. Now Krycek was really worried. He had almost convinced her to come upstairs, and now she was focused on the screen again. "Jess?" "The lying son of a bitch," she whispered. Her voice grew as her fury did. "He lied to me. The bastard *knew* the whole *damn* time!" Her lifemate looked at her puzzled. "Jess, who knew what?" "*He* *knew* *everything*!!!" she screamed, pointing a shaking finger at a figure on the screen. The videographer had panned the crowd at the outdoor wedding. In the background, one figure could be seen clearly standing away from the group. And even at that distance, it was easy to recognize the Well Manicured Man aloofly watching the happy couple and the sister/sister-in-law/bridesmaid. Scully sat quietly besides Mulder, absorbing everything she had been told. She was in shock over what Skinner had done for her and amazed at the depth of love that Jess and Krycek shared to allow their part to happen. "Dana?" Mulder asked softly. He was worried by her silence. "Fox, I wish you had told me this a lot sooner," she said slowly. She laid a hand on his. "But I forgive you for withholding the full truth from me." Mulder mentally winced at her words. That was the exact same thing he had accused Jess of doing. He stared out the window of their apartment, watching the first flush of sunrise. Why can't I let Jess off as easily? He didn't realize he had spoken his thought aloud until Scully answered him. "Because you're angry at your mother, but don't think you have the permission to express it. Jess is just a convenient target, a substitute." There was a truth to her words. Mulder laughed quietly. "I though I was the psychologist here. And is Krycek a substitute for that smoking bastard?" "No, you're really pissed at Krycek. And Jess, but you're making her the head villain when she was a pawn doing what she thought was best." Mulder nodded. "I'll have a long talk with her when she gets back from New York." Scully looked up, confused. "She's going to New York?" "If I know her, she's going to displace some of her own anger on Covarrubias. But she won't go after Covarrubias's superior, at least not yet." As Covarrubias once again left the UN Building late at night, she scanned the surrounding area. Assured that no one was in the shadows waiting to jump her, she started cautiously towards the parking garage to retrieve her car and go home. Then she heard a low woof. It was answered with two soft barks and followed by snarls. Covarrubias peered into the darkness. She saw a gleam of light reflected off blue eyes to her right. Glancing to her left, she could make out the vague shape of a black and white husky. And she heard the scritch of a dog's nails coming from the darkness in front of her. Stepping into the light, the werewolves paced forward, stalking her from three different directions. Covarrubias drew her gun and aimed at first the white and black male, then the solid black female, and then the smaller gold female. If she shot one, the others would attack, so she backed slowly the way the wolves were herding her. She was so intent on the trio following her, she backed right into the tall man in the trench coat. "What are you doing here?" she asked, looking at the Well Manicured Man. He smiled, and the blond shivered. "Just checking in. You haven't made a report recently." "There has been nothing to report," she said. "Except the fact that Agent Mulder is aware of his true family now. And the fact that Leahs's family is dead and her home desecrated. And the fact that you arranged it all." He lifted a hand to silence her protest. "Don't lie to me by trying to deny it. You made a few too many amateurish mistakes when they threatened you. You struck back too hard." "I didn't order Leahs's brother killed, just to be threatened. His death was an accident." Covarrubias defended. Her eye's widened at the lies mixed with the truth in his next statements. "But you did tell Agent Mulder about his true heritage, and of Leahs's knowledge of it. You came to me for advice." That was the truth. "You ignored my orders toleave well enough alone, that she would be dealt with in other ways. You overstated the threat that they are to Us." That was the lie. The werewolves circled around her and were now crouched at Well Manicured Man's feet, preparing to spring. Covarrubias gathered her composure. "You won't let them kill me. If they move against one of Us, their daughter will suffer the consequences. Her life now depended on the predators paternal instincts. "They have no friends among Us to shield their precious Amanda." The three werewolves were grinning and drooling in anticipation now, the soft growls growing in volume and intensity. Well Manicured Man looked at them with an indulgent smile. He rested a hand lightly on the shoulders of the black female. "You should learn from my niece. She knows when and how to play her hand." He then turned and walked away. Covarrubias looked at the werewolves in horror. She had been set up and was now about to be disposed of. "He lied. I didn't order your brother to be killed," she whispered as the carnivores advanced. "He was supposed to be warned, that's all." But the wolves were implacable. She turned to run. She didn't get any further than two steps. Lindy attacked first, hamstringing Covarrubias's right leg. Without letting go, Lindy twisted her jaws, making the blond fall on her back instead of stomach. Krycek pounced next. He straddled Covarrubias, reared back, lunged forward, and bit just below her left shoulder, ivory fangs shearing through flesh and bone. Her screams reminded him of his when his arm was hacked off. Only his were bitter in his throat, her's sweet in his ears. When Krycek backed away, Jess picked up where he left off. Her claws tapped just below Covarrubias's navel, and then gouged into her belly. She slit up to the sternum and yanked out the still beating heart. Jess sat back on her haunches and growled in satisfaction as her claws pierced the bloody organ she held in her fist. Then the three began to tear at the body the way they would a deer they had brought down, working out all their fear and anger and hatred and frustration. The Well Manicured Man never looked back as the werewolves savaged the body. His associates would not be pleased when they found out that yet another flunky had been found out and dealt with, but they would have to accept with it. In this world, it was a part of life that sacrifices must be made. And if his niece were to become loyal to him out of gratitude, this was one sacrifice he would willingly condone. Even if he hadn't been the one who told her that Covarrubias had 'caused' her such anguish. He was puzzled though. Only because he had someone watching her did he know she was about to move against Covarrubias. How Jess figured out who had carried out the orders that resulted in the death of her family did cause him some concern. If she continued to think and act independently, that would be a problem. Another sacrifice might have to be made. He would regret it because he did have a genuine affection for his niece, but the Consortium's protection came first. Krychekov watched the video of the assassination by werewolf with a grim satisfaction. He noticed with a trace of disappointment that neither Jess nor his son turned on the Well Manicured Man after they had finished with Covarrubias. They must be intending to try to manipulate him into revealing where Amanda is, he thought approvingly. It was a plan that spoke of maturity and cunning and patience, one that he would have implemented himself. The violent pounding on his study door started him. "Sir?" called the excited voice of his aide. "Come in." The young man almost tore the door off its hinges in his eagerness to get inside. "What is it?" Triumph shone in the aide's eyes, revealing his apparent greenness to this world of intrigue and power. "I have located your granddaughter!" Jess and Krycek sat outside on the back porch, stealing a quiet moment together. They talked over all the recent changes in their lives, from Krycek becoming a werewolf again through their recent actions. "Rachel was right," Jess said. "Uncle can't be trusted." She sighed and looked at her feet. "Do you have any idea who really gave us the information? Was it Cancerman? Mulder? Dana?" "I don't know, Jess." Krycek looked up into the star lit sky. "Maybe we'll find out, and find Amanda, someday." Jess leaned her head against his shoulder. Krycek kissed her hair and put an arm around her waist. They stayed that way until Lindy and Skinner came out searching for them. The older man and the girl had just gotten back from getting take-out and a movie for them to enjoy. "Are you guys going to stay out here all night?" Lindy asked exasperated that they hadn't moved for the half hour they had been gone. Jess lifted her head from Krycek's shoulder as they turned to face the pair. "Maybe," she said with a grin. "Well," Skinner said. "The pizza's here, so if you two want any, get your butts inside." Krycek stood up, mumbling something under his breath about how werewolves shouldn't take orders from any human, no matter how good he was in bed, but Jess remained sitting. "You coming?" he asked. "Tonight if I'm lucky." Jess ducked the half-aimed swat at her head. "Give me a few minutes, okay?" "Okay," Krycek said. "But don't blame me if you get stuck with the anchovies." He turned and walked into the house with Skinner and Lindy. Jess sighed and looked back up at the night sky. I'll make it up to you, Mulder, she thought. I'll do whatever it takes to earn your forgiveness. And, soon, I'll find you, Amanda. And when I do, we'll all be together again like it should be. She stood up and dusted herself off. Not really paying attention, she wandered back inside. "Jess? You okay?" she heard a concerned voice ask. Mulder's voice. Jess stopped short, not believing her ears. Yes, Mulder was standing before her, his face sorrowful. She could see Scully standing in the background along with Krycek, Lindy and Skinner. "Mulder," she said, her eyes tearing. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you," she whispered as she started to cry. Mulder crossed over to her and put his arms around her in a brotherly embrace. "I know, hell beast. I forgive you." He took a ragged breath. "And about how I reacted, I'm sorry too." Krycek wasn't the only one who sighed in relief. Jess and Mulder held each other, swaying and whispering apologies and accepting their blame. He heard Lindy's mindvoice ask a question puzzledly. ~Alex, are we all a family again?~ He squeezed Lindy's shoulder. ~We always were, Lindy,~ he mindspoke back. ~And we always will be.~ Written during a fit of writer's block, I pounded this one out while waiting for Season 5's Redux. Not much more to it than that. And it did break my creative block. Loup Garou X - Farewell You selfish bastard. I'm standing in front of your grave. And no matter how hard I try, I keep having these sad and angry thoughts. The sad ones are appropriate. The angry ones I can't express here, at your burial. You went off and left her alone. You pulled the ultimate ditch on Dana, didn't you? All because you couldn't face the truth, you son of a bitch. Or what you thought was the truth. Maybe what you thought was the truth was no more than a new lie. And I can't believe you made her tell them. She barely had time to ID your body before she had to rush off to the hearing. I wish to a God I barely believe in anymore that I had got that call and not her. But she was your partner, she should have done it. But I would have spared her that. I would have been willing to identify your remains, so she wouldn't have to remember seeing you with half your head blown off. Yes, it would be a burden to live with, seeing you like that, but I would have done so willingly, if to spare a dear friend from such pain. After all, I am, I mean was, your close friend. And I do love you. Not romantically, although once I thought I did. But I love you like a brother. And I know in a lot of ways, I substituted for Samantha in your mind. Are you with Samantha now? Is she really dead like you feared? Are you with her and at peace? Or are you still wondering? Or are you asking 'why' like we are? Why did I/he give up? Why couldn't have I/they helped? Why didn't I/they see this coming and prevent it? Why did I/he leave them/us? I stood in front of your mother, to 'comfort' her during the funeral as the tradition is. I know she never thought I was good enough for you when we dated. Doesn't every mother think that about her only son's girlfriend? But she was always so distant, so wounded and so defensive around me. I think she didn't like me because she saw so much of herself in me, but along a different path. I know she saw me at the service, but didn't didn't so much as blink at me. Only when it is my turn to 'comfort' the grieving mother, and we saw each other's pain did she not turn away from me. It's a small step, but a step. And he was there too. The Cancerman. Always in the background, hiding among the shadows. But for once, I saw real human emotion on his face. No tears, that would be seen as a weakness, but a contained sorrow. He was genuinely sorry to see you dead. I caught his eye at one point, and nodded to him, showing that I knew he was there, even if no one else knew why. He greives your loss also, Mulder, but could never publicly show it. I think, in some twisted shadowy way, he did care for you. And somehow, I get the feeling that he was not directly involved in this, that he was unable to stop it. And believe it or not, it looked like three quarters of the FBI turned out to pay last respects. Not only Skinner and Blevins, but many of the agents you butted heads with over your theories, the same ones who called you Spooky. Now they are here, honoring the brilliant man who so often gave them the clue that helped them solve some of their cases, but didn't want the credit. All you wanted to do was stay in the basement and pursue the truth, be it about an alien abductor or an all too human murderer. The Lone Gunmen were here too. They were all subdued, in shock like the rest of us. Frohike sidled up to me at one point. He told me that he was looking for the one who caused this and asked if I wanted a piece of the man who drove you to suicide. I looked at him, about to make a cutting remark to the effect that this had better not be a sick pick up line, when I saw he was serious. I nodded. You may have put the gun to your head and pulled the trigger, but someone put the thoughts in your head that made you pick up the gun. That's murder as far as I'm concerned. I am a firm believer in an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, life for life. I kept putting off going over to Dana. Talking to her would be putting the final nails in your coffin. She has been standing with her family, so brave, not letting out your final secret. Afraid that even in death, it could be used to hurt you. She has been mourning like a friend and partner, but not allowed to mourn as a lover. That will be done later, privately. I finally got the courage up to talk to her. I put my arms around her neck and hold her close. "Dana, I am so sorry," I whisper. And then I lose control and begin to sob like a hysterical child. She holds onto me, greiving but controled. Looking at us, you'd think I was the lover and she was the best friend. Maybe it is better for people to think that, if it helps hide your secret. And you've kept mine for so long, this is the least I could do for you. Now your casket is being lowered into the grave. I have one last act to perform. I loosen the ribon holding the boquet I brought to the funeral and toss it onto the casket, so the flowers scatter into the grave. Many had wondered at it since it was made of white and purple Digitalis purpurea and yellow Anconitum lycoctonum - foxglove and wolfsbane. Hell, I thought it was fitting. I had to spend half the night on the phone before I found a florist who had them, so I wasn't going to let them go to waste. It is almost time for me to leave, my friend. Lindy, brave soul, tried to come, but couldn't make it. She doesn't want to think that the first man she remembers who didn't try to take advantage of her is gone forever. And maybe I should have forced her to come, to face reality but I couldn't find it in my heart to do so. Alex wanted to come, but couldn't, not with the place crawling with FBI. It may be your funeral, but I'm sure some agents, looking for a commendation, would have made it his also. He will come tonight and mourn by the light of the full moon. As will I. But for now I must say goodbye. You selfish bastard. After writing such an angsty 'Family,' I decided it was time for something happy to happen to Krycek and company. And contrary to popular belief, this is not the end to the Loup Garou Saga. Loup Garou - Children "But the Wild is the Wild, and motherhood is motherhood, at all time fiercely protective whether in the Wild or out of it..." - Jack London 'White Fang' Mulder walked down the street amongst the run down buildings. He had been doing a lot of thinking about a lot of things. His life had radically changed in a week. He had found out about a truth about Cancerman, a truth that almost destroyed a friendship. This will make up for what I said to Jess, Mulder thought. On finding out the truth about who his father was, and Jess's knowledge of it, he took out all his anger and pain on her. And then he found out that it was part of a set up designed to terrorize Jess. He had been manipulated to add to her pain, just as she had been manipulated to add to his. He paused in front of his destination, a decrepit office building that had seen better days. Mulder pushed open a door walked into the offices of the Lone Gunmen. Langley looked up at Mulder's entrance. "So what do you have for us this time?" Mulder grinned. "A challenge." He handed over the file he was carrying to Beyers. It was a copy of the information that Krychekov had given him to pass on to Jess and Krycek. "I need you boys to identify the doctor or location that are in these photos." Frohike looked up from the camera he was fiddling with. "Why us, Mulder? You've got people at the FBI who can do that." Mulder shook his head. He had told Jess yet that he had forgiven her. This was to be a surprise for her, to prove that he really had. And although Krycek had been protected from the repercussions of his betrayal of his oath to the FBI by Cancerman and his associates, there was no sense in taking foolish chances. "Not if they knew who's involved." Krychekov watched the video of the assassination by werewolf with a grim satisfaction. He noticed with a trace of disappointment that neither Jess nor his son turned on the Well Manicured Man after they had finished with Covarrubias. They must be intending to try to manipulate him into revealing where Amanda is, he thought approvingly. It was a plan that spoke of maturity and cunning and patience, one that he would have implemented himself. The violent pounding on his study door started him. "Sir?" called the excited voice of his aide. "Come in." The young man almost tore the door off its hinges in his eagerness to get inside. "What is it?" Triumph shone in the aide's eyes, revealing his apparent greenness to this world of intrigue and power. "I have located your granddaughter!" Krychekov was shocked. His new aide had shown promise and raw talent, but he had not expected him to find Amanda so quickly. "How did you do it?" His aide shrugged his shoulders. "I had started by asking for information about obtaining a werewolf as a bodyguard, as you suggested. And this woman contacted me, saying she helped care for Jessica Leahs during her abduction and believed she was now taking care her child. She thought we would be interested in this information." Krychekov leaned back in his chair. "And what do you propose we do now?" The aide stated the obvious conclusion. "We go get her." A half smile curled one corner of Krychekov's lips. "And what do we do if our associates decide that they do not want to give her to us?" "We, um.... We...." the aide stammered. Krychekov nodded. "Exactly. They will not grant me custody of her. We cannot take her by force. For the moment, the fact we know where she is is enough." Well Manicured Man walked along the fence of the corral, admiring the Arabian stallion he had acquired. The coal black stud was still adapting to his new surrounding, rendering him skittish and slightly wild. Just like my niece, he thought. His niece was a concern at this moment. After assassinating Covarrubias, Jess had quietly gone back to her life. None of the expected demands to see her daughter were made. Instead of the grateful, dutiful niece he thought he would see, there was a wary distant woman. It's almost as if she knew I ordered her brother killed. Ordering Michael's death had been one of the harder things for him to do. But he had to follow the path that would be the most profitable to the Consortium. Michael wasn't a werewolf, but Jess was. Sacrifices sometime had to be made. Jess needed to be completely demoralized before she would listen to him. And then there was another problem. Jess and Krycek had known that Covarrubias done the dirty work. However he was not certain if they knew the whole truth, that he had intercepted Covarrubias's instructions and changed them from a strong arm threat to death orders. He had intended to reveal to Jess that the UN worker had a hand in her brother's death, but not nearly as soon as Jess found out. The stallion trotted up to him and snorted. Well Manicured Man reached out and stroked the elegant beast's nose, noting that the horse was learning to trust him. He had to gain Jess's trust. If he could convince Jess that serving the Consortium by serving him, things would be so much easier for her. Krycek would follow her blindly out of love. Otherwise he would be forced to see her destroyed. He would regret it, but the Consortium's needs came first. Jess sat in front of her laptop computer, eying the CD ROM jewel box beside it thoughtfully. Staring at it won't tell me what's on it, she thought. The CD had been found inside the box that had held the information about who had ordered Jess's brother's death. It had literally been found *inside* the box, discovered when she had broken it down to be recycled. She heard the sound of someone walking down the stairs. "I finally managed to corner Patches and put her in with Lindy. She says she's going to sleep," Krycek said, coming into the living room. He walked up behind her and kissed the top of his head. "Decide what to do yet?" "No," Jess said. "It could be programmed to dump my data somewhere and then erase my hard drive, or worse. I'm not sure I'm willing to reload everything again." "It came from whoever gave us that information about your uncle and Covarrubias." The name still rolled off his tongue with a trace of bitter anger, even though they had exacted deadly revenge on the UN plant. "I say we trust whoever it is and load the CD." Jess glanced at Krycek in surprise. "You're saying to trust this unknown person? Why?" "I honestly can't say," Krycek sighed, nuzzling his lover's hair. "I just have this feeling..." he trailed off. "Okay, here goes nothing," Jess said, sliding the CD into the drive. It was formatted for her system and opened automatically. Inside the active window was a self extracting archive. Jess looked back at Krycek. He nodded. Jess traced her finger along the trackpad to double click the icon and start the extraction process. "Hmmph," Krycek said after the program loaded itself onto Jess's desktop. "Looks like an internet chat program." "But look at it's size," Jess said, keying up the about-this-program box. "It is at least tentimes larger than it should be. Let's check the readme.txt file." She opened her word processor and selected the file. The program refused to open the file. "Non-recognizable format?" she asked questioningly. "Try clicking it like it's an application," Krycek suggested. Jess shrugged and did so. Both she and Krycek jumped when a heavily synthesized voice, obviously digitally altered, issued from the computer's speaker. "Greetings," it said in a metallic monotone. "You made a wise decision in installing these programs. I am a member of the Consortium, but disagree with it's actions concerning you. If you need information concerning certain events, use the integrated chat/e-mail software to contact me. It is heavily encrypted and will not be detected by most forms of bugging software. I understand any hesitation that you would have about using it, but I am here to help. Be safe and well." Jess leaned back against Krycek's stomach as he massaged her shoulders. "It looks like there's a new player on the block." He bent down to kiss her ear. "Come on, let's go to bed." Jess stood up and put an arm around his waist. Together, they walked upstairs. The first room on the left they passed was a nursery for a little girl, complete with a crib. While Jess had been missing, Krycek and Lindy had gone ahead and furnished the bedroom. And although Mulder, Scully, and Skinner kept telling them it was not healthy, neither Jess nor Krycek could find it in their hearts convert the room back to the den it was before. In their minds, to do so would to be denying Amanda existed, and giving up any hope of ever finding her. The next bedroom was on the right. Jess paused by the slightly opened door and looked inside. The stuffed animals and toys were slowly being replaced by books, CD's and a stereo. She's almost an adult. She smiled sadly. ~My little girl is growing up,~ she mindspoke. Krycek kissed her temple. ~You've done a wonderful job raising her,~ he mindspoke back. Jess squeezed her arm around his waist and resumed the walk to their bedroom. Once there, they both undressed and got ready to go to sleep. After they got under the cotton sheets, they spooned together on their sides, just wanting to be close to each other. ~Feels weird that Walter isn't here,~ Krycek mindspoke, referring to the fact that Skinner was out of town at a conference. ~Yeah, it does seem strange.~ Jess gave a deep sigh. ~Do you think we'll ever get a chance to raise Amanda?~ Krycek gently stroked Jess's hair. ~I hope with all my heart that we will.~** The first thing he noticed was the sound of a baby's coo. Krycek looked around the unfamiliar room he found himself in. The only piece of furniture in it was a wooden cradle, painted white. He walked over to it and looked at the young baby lying in the cradle, resting his arms on the edge. The little girl with fine, dark hair cooed again. He reached down to stroke her cheek but she was just beyond his reach. Resting his chest against the side of the crib, he stretched his arm down as far as he could. And no matter how he tried, he couldn't touch her. Maybe if he leaned over a little further.... Krycek woke with a start. He managed to catch himself before falling out of bed. He shoved himself back on the mattress and sighed. Amanda, where are you? he thought. It had been a dream he had several times before, and always ends the same way, him unable to touch her. Krycek heard the front door open and close. He rolled over in bed and sat up, noting it was 10:30 AM. Here I am always accusing Jess of being a late sleeper, and I've already spent half the morning in bed, he thought. They had flipped a coin early the night before, betting on who would take Lindy to school and make a grocery run. Jess lost and had been up since 6:30 AM. He half expected her to come up stairs and razz him for being in bed still, but was surprised when she didn't show after ten minutes. Grabbing jeans and a shirt, he pulled them on and went downstairs. He found her sitting in the darkened living room, her head in her hands. "Hey beautiful," Krycek said, dropping a kiss on her hair. He sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. "What's wrong?" "Alex," she said with barely a sound. "I may have just ruined our chances of ever getting Amanda back." "What?" Krycek blurted, feeling a chill stab through his heart. Is that why I dreamed I couldn't reach her? Jess nodded. "When I came out of the grocery store, Cancerman was waiting for me with another proposition." Krycek pulled her a little closer. Even before Jess had gotten pregnant, Cancerman had offered them protection if they did his dirty work. "What kind of proposition was it this time?" Jess swallowed. Her eyes narrowed in anger and gleamed in grief. "I guess he figured that if I was willing to sleep with both you and Skinner, I wasn't choosy. He said that if I had sex with him on a regular basis, he would see to it that we would regain Amanda and she wouldn't be taken from us." "That black lunged bastard!" Krycek roared. All the other offers had involved spying or thieving, nothing so intimate or degrading. The thought of Jess and Cancerman turned his stomach. "He's fucked with us one too many times. Consortium or no, I am going to *kill* that son of a bitch!" "Alex, wait!" Jess had followed him and grabbed on to his arm. "For Amanda's sake we can't make him any madder. And believe me, I did make him mad." Krycek took a deep breath as he realized that Jess had probably also lost her temper when confronted with such a choice. "What did you do?" "I got angry," Jess said simply. "I once told Mulder that I would be capable of it, but I was just so... repulsed. I called him every swear word I could think of, plus invented a few new ones. I told him there was no way in hell that I would sleep with him." He reached out and stroked her cheek. "And what happened?" "He just stood there damned impassive, the way he always is and said something about just showing how little I loved my daughter by not accepting his generous offer." Her head bowed. "And then I really lost my temper." Lost her temper? Krycek didn't like the sound of that. Jess had, once she had found out what she was, kept an iron tight leash on her more feral bloodthirsty reactions. "You didn't bite him, did you?" Jess sighed and looked at the ceiling. She then stood and paced the room like a panther in a cage. "The parking lot was deserted, just me and him. I was so angry, I had partially Changed and didn't know it. I reached out and slapped him, not realizing until too late what shape I was in and that my claws weren't fully retracted. I didn't scratch him deeply, but enough to leave my mark. I don't think he believed that I actually did that and neither did I, at least not until he reached up and touched the blood oozing from his cuts." Stopping in front of the large picture window, she stared outside for a moment and then shut her eyes. "Then he told me I had just lost any chance of regaining Amanda." He stood up and crossed the room to her and put his hands around her waist. "No wonder, Jess. In the labs, I never saw a werewolf raise a talon against a human master, especially him. He was trying to reassert his dominance over you, scare you back into submission." Krycek guided her back to the couch and sat her down. "Whatever," Jess said. "At that point, I couldn't take any more. I jumped in the car and drove home. The groceries are still out in the car. I bet the melted ice cream and the upholstery look lovely together." "We'll get it cleaned," he said. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. Jess leaned against him and closed her eyes, trying to be brave. "It wasn't so much what he offered that made me angry. I half expected something like that." She bit her lip, trying to hold back her emotions. "What made me angry is that for five seconds I seriously considered doing it." She covered her eyes with her hands. "Oh God, Alex," she moaned. "I considered it! What have I become?" Krycek rocked her gently. "You've become an incredible woman coping with an intolerable situation. I'm not mad at you for considering it. I'd only be upset if you agreed to it. Go ahead and let it out," he said, his eyes tearing as well. Jess began to sob inconsolably, afraid that she had lost her last chance to regain their daughter. They both sat their and cried, trying to ease their grief. Eventually their tears did stop. Krycek stroked her hair. "Why don't you go upstairs and start a bubble bath. It'll help you feel better. And I promise to scrub your back." "That does sound tempting." Jess wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'll go get it started." She stood up and kissed him. "Everything's going to be fine, right?" Krycek tenderly kissed her in reply. "I promise," he whispered. "Now go upstairs. I'll be there in a few moments." Jess nodded and gave him one last kiss. She turned and went upstairs. Krycek leaned back against the couch and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He's gone too far this time, Krycek thought. He stood up and looked at her laptop. He turned it on as he heard the water start running upstairs. Focusing on the screen he moved the pointer to the mysterious piece of software. He double clicked it. A dialogue box appeared, offering two choices - 'send email' or 'chat.' Krycek chose the email option and typed a one line message. "Please, we need your help." Pausing for a moment, he folded his hands as if in prayer. This could still be a trap, he thought. But I can't let this go on any longer. He's hurt her too much this time. It's time we took the offensive and took back our own. He could hear Jess moving around the upstairs. "Alex?" she called. "Are you coming?" "I'll be there in a minute." With a sigh, he clicked the 'send message' button. I hope this is the right thing to do. Krychekov sat in front of his computer, wondering if he had miscalculated. He had been certain that his son would have contacted him by now. Perhaps he knows that I gave him that information, he thought. Perhaps his pride and anger a too great to overcome. As he prepared to log off his terminal, the 'new mail' icon started flashing. Krychekov guided his mouse to the blinking icon and clicked it. The mail screen came up and the new piece of mail was automatically opened. He read the message and sighed in relief. It appears that Mulder did not tell Alexi who gave him the box, unless Leahs is going behind his back and contacting me without Alexi knowing it, Krychekov thought. I will have to be careful that my identity does not become known, or else he will shy away, thinking that I am manipulating them. And that was the last thing she wanted. But his son's plea, even though made to a stranger, made him feel hopeful that their burnt bridges could be rebuilt. But right now he didn't have time to sit and contemplate. He had an appointment that could possibly help him help his son regain Amanda. It is a dangerous request, but it may work, he thought as he logged off and closed up his office. Krychekov went outside and got into the waiting car. "Where to, sir?" the driver asked. "The J. Edgar Hoover Building," was the terse answer. As he was driven there, he went over his plan in his mind. If I can gain his trust, he would be a great source of information, Krychekov thought. The driver deposited him outside the gray building. Krychekov went inside and wove his way through the maze of floors, elevators, and offices to find the office he was looking for, the door open since he was expected. It would surprise most people to learn that it was not a dark place but brightly lit with several lamps and a large window, perhaps a vain attempt to counteract the shadowy life the occupant lead. It wasn't sparsely furnished, but there were no personal items, as if the owner had never really lead a life outside of his duty. "Dmitri," Cancerman said in a falsely friendly tone, rising from his chair to offer the Russian his hand. "It hasbeen a while. Have a seat. What can I do for you?" Krychekov shook Cancerman's hand and sat down in the chair in front of the large mahogany desk. He idly wondered who or what gave the Cigarette Smoking Man the four parallel scratches on his cheek that were held closed with butterfly tape. "After helping you with the Tunguska incident, you told me if I needed a favor, just to ask. I am here about that promise." Cancerman nodded, not certain he liked this turn of events. Krychekov had been instrumental in helping smuggle Fox Mulder, and the family he befriended, out of Russia without incident. Krychekov had bribed and coerced so skillfully that Mulder still probably didn't have a clue that the 'dangerous' post-gulag parts of his escape had been staged to keep it from looking too easy. It would pay to keep the Russian an ally, but he would make sure that any favor he would be asked to perform would put him ahead in the long run. "What do you need?" Now for the delicate part. "I have been following with some interest the Loup Garou section of the Project, especially the breeding program. Amazing work has been done in that area." "Yes," Cancerman said cautiously. "Although the survival rate is lower than we would like it to be, nine out of ten breedings produce a pregnancy. Among chosen adults, the Change's physical side is one hundred percent effective, although the psychic side is harder to replicate. What does that have to do with the favor?" "I am looking into having a new bodyguard assigned to me. Why not one of the adults, to show off to other associates how successful the Training program has been." Cancerman frowned. He had expected Krychekov to ask about seeing or obtaining Jess and Krycek's whelp. His own spies reported that Krycek had no contact with his father, but the bond between a father and a son was strong, even when all but ignored. He trusted Krychekov no more than he trusted Krychekov's son. This could be worked to my advantage. "That is arrangeable. I'll arrange to send to you some evaluation packets so you can choose an adult that will be compatible with your needs." Krychekov nodded. "Then I will be on my way. Doing business with you has been the same as always." It was a compliment only on the surface. "The feeling is mutual, Dmitri." Jess eased down into the warm water, sliding in until her nose was just above the raspberry scented bubbles. Alex was right, she thought as her muscles relaxed. I do feel better now, and I haven't even been in here thirty seconds. Even over the running water, she clearly heard Krycek moving downstairs. She had heard the chime of her computer as it powered up. Jess sighed and shut her eyes. She knew what he was doing. I just hope it's not Cancerman or Uncle toying with us, she thought sleepily. When Krycek came upstairs, Jess was snoozing in the tub. He smiled as he knelt and looked at his lover, who was about to slip under the surface of the water at any moment. Ever so gently, he tilted her head back so her nose stayed clear of the foam. Jess smiled and sat back up a little. "I thought you had forgotten me." "Never." He leaned forward and chastely kissed her on the lips. As he pulled back, Jess put a suds covered hand behind his neck, pulling him in closer. "I'm a bit overdressed for the occasion," he murmured as she nuzzled his cheek. "So take care of the problem," she whispered, withdrawing her hand. "I will," he whispered huskily. He stood up and left the room. Jess wasn't sure why he left. She had expected him to strip off and dive into the tub. But she wasn't disappointed when he returned. Krycek stepped into the bathroom, wearing nothing but a skimpy, low slung towel around his hips and a large grin. Jess ogled him appreciatively but with a raised eyebrow. "You're still overdressed." Krycek's smile grew wider. "Not for long," he said. "But first I want to scrub your back like I promised. Sit up." Jess rolled forward and scooted towards the faucet. Krycek shucked the towel and climbed into the tub behind her, framing his legs around hers. Grabbing a thick washcloth and a cake of soap, he worked up a rich lather. Krycek began tracing her spine with a firm circular motion. Jess trembled and gave a low moan. He slowly began washing her back, his hands straying closer and closer to her sides. When he found a tense muscle, he massaged it until he felt it ease under his hands. As Jess relaxed further, he began kissing her neck. Jess gave another soft moan and leaned back against him. Krycek's lips found the tender spot between neck and shoulder and began to nibble, rubbing the washcloth across her stomach. Jess squirmed against him. He gave up any pretense of 'clean' thoughts and brought his hands to her chest, cupping her breasts, thumbing her nipples. Jess groaned and reached behind her, searching by feel for his erection. Finding it, she squeezed lightly his steel wrapped in velvet. They spent several long minutes teasing each other with feather light touches followed by firm strokes. Finally, Jess's desire got the better of her patience. She rolled over and pressed her body against Krycek's. One arm went around his waist, another around his shoulders, and she pressed her mouth to his. Licking and nibbling his lips, their tongues darted and dueled. Krycek's hands slid from her mid back to her ass scratching her lightly with his nails, relishing the whimpering noises she made. Given the confining space in the tub, it should have been impossible for Krycek and Jess to switch positions. But somehow they managed it, sloshing half the water and foam out of the tub. Reaching for a towel, he folded it and put it behind her head to cushion it from the hard ceramic edge. She pulled his head back down for another breath stealing kiss. Caught up in the moment where foreplay ended and the actual lovemaking began, Krycek paused looked into her glowing eyes. Jess reached up and stroked his cheek. He was staring at her as if he had something to say, but couldn't phrase it. "Is something wrong, Alex?" she asked, concerned. Krycek pressed his lips to Jess's forehead. "When I first made love to you," he whispered against her skin. "I thought I couldn't love you any more than I did then." Reaching down, he positioned his cock at her entrance. "I was wrong," he whispered as he pushed forward. Jess made a strangled noise and tilted her hips, encouraging him to go as deep as he could as he filled her. Krycek returned her sob with one of his own and held still, savoring the feeling of her surrounding him. Jess also was motionless, wanting this moment to stretch through eternity. But eventually, she clenched her muscles sheathing him, encouraging him to start moving. Krycek really didn't need to be encouraged. Starting slowly, he began to thrust, but quickly lost control as Jess ran her nails up and down his back. He groaned and Jess answered with one of her own. Sensing he was close to coming, Krycek reached down and stroked her clitoris repeatedly, amazed he could differentiate between her wetness and the water. That was all it took. "Alex!" Jess shouted and convulsed, splashing violently. Krycek's thrusts became more frantic as Jess writhed beneath him, sloshing even more water over the sides of the tub. And then with a final grunt, he felt his seed shooting deep inside of her. They held each other close, exhausted and sated. Eventually, they were shivering as what was left of the water chilled to room temperature. Krycek lifted his head. "That settles it," he said, sitting up. "We need more room to do this right. We're getting a large whirlpool tub." Jess laughed. "I think we did well considering the cramped quarters." She sat up and surveyed the puddles of water and foam that had pooled on the floor. "Who's going to clean this up?" she asked with a sigh. Krycek grinned at the despondence in her voice. But her rapid mood swings were worrying him. "Let's just throw some towels down," he said, nuzzling her neck. "But first let's get out and dry off." As Jess slowly gathered her legs under herself and gingerly stepped out of the bathtub, Krycek admired her tight backside and trim legs. He stood up and also stepped out of the tub, but not as cautiously as Jess. Krycek slipped and fell on his ass. "Ouch!" Hearing the thud, Jess turned. She smiled slightly and offered him a hand. Krycek took it and braced himself against her weight and pulled upright. Krycek didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he pulled her against his body and wrapped an arm around her waist. Jess leaned her head against his chest. Krycek rocked her back and forth. "I used the CD ROM," he whispered into her hair. "We can't handle this alone anymore." Jess nodded. "You're right. We need help. I just hope..." He lifted his fingers to her lips. "So do I, Jess." He still rocked back and forth. "I think we should keep the sex part of the offer from Lindy. She has a hard enough time understanding us and Walter as it is. Us sleeping with Walter, but refusing to sleep with Cancerman would probably confuse the hell out of her." Jess regarded him with a half smile. "Alex, *I* have a hard enough time understanding us and Walter." Krycek grinned back. "Do I hear some guilt creeping into your voice?" he asked, grabbing a towel. "Just the 'nice girl' in me horrified at what I've become." Jess also grabbed a towel and wiped herself dry. She dropped the towel onto one of the larger puddles. "This isn't exactly how I figured my sex life would be." "Jess, with all I've done, I didn't think I would have *a* life, let alone a sex life with two wonderful lovers." He also wiped himself off and dropped the towel onto another puddle. "I just wish I could offer you a normal life. You know, marriage, kids, a home without bugging devices." "Alex, we've talked about this." Jess put her hands on his shoulders. "With what we are, I think a 'normal' life is out of the question," Jess laughed. "I've never expected it from you. I don't care if we never get married, as long as we're together." Krycek took both her hands in his. "Jess, I promise you that someday, somehow, we will have a normal life without the Consortium hanging over us." He looked into her brown eyes and saw the love shining in his green ones reflected there. "I will marry you." An impish looked appeared in Jess's eyes. "And what about Walter?" Krycek shrugged his shoulder. "We'll figure out something when we jump off that bridge." Jess smiled. She leaned forward and kissed him with an open mouth. Krycek moaned and pulled her tight against his body. Jess began a sensual exploration of his mouth with her tongue. Krycek whimpered and started to tremble. Jess broke the kiss and pulled back to look at him. "Alex, I know we're not going to get married anytime soon, but would you like to start practicing for the honeymoon?" Krycek nodded and pulled her to their bed, grinning. "Practice makes perfect, don't you think?" Cancerman was ready to deliver his report. "There have been several unauthorized accesses to the computer files on the Loup Garou section of the Project." Well Manicured Man's eyes narrowed. "Have you been able to determine who has been doing this?" Cancerman shook his head. "The exact identity of the hacker is unknown, but the records indicate that access began shortly before Leahs and Krycek killed Covarrubias." "But you have your suspicions?" Well Manicured Man prodded. Cancerman couldn't keep some satisfaction out of his voice. "Yes." Well Manicured Man didn't like the sound of that. He still wanted to woo his niece into working for the Consortium. If she were causing problems, she may have to be dealt with. "Do you think that my niece has something to do with it?" Again Cancerman shook his head. "Although they have considerable computer knowledge, neither Leahs nor Krycek have the level of expertise it requires to have breached the security measures in place. One of the records compromised was the location where their whelp is being reared. Neither of them have shown any signs of this knowledge, let alone mounted a reclamation attempt. If they are directing a third party, the information has not been given to them." Now was time to air his suspicions. "Also, I feel that we are dealing with an internal matter." Well Manicured Man sounded relieved. "So you believe the intruder is working on from inside?" "Krychekov has started to take an interest in that section of the Project." He paused to light up a cigarette. "He has specifically asked for a werewolf bodyguard." Well Manicured Man nodded pensively. If Krychekov was involved, there would be a good chance that soon Krychekov's son and his niece would be. "I see no reason we can't comply with his request," he finally said. Krycek sat on the living room couch, trying to watch the TV. Nothing he saw was holding his interest. And the house was quiet since Lindy was in school and Jess out shopping with Scully. He clicked off the television, having decided to just sit and enjoy the silence. A knock on the door made him jump. Krycek got up and looked through the spyhole. "Hello, Mulder," Krycek said after cracking it open. He should know that Jess is out with Scully, he thought, since Mulder usually came to see Jess and him together. "Jess isn't here." "I didn't come here to talk to Jess," Mulder said. "I came here to talk to you." Krycek nodded and opened the door wider. Mulder walked in. "Like what you've done to the place," Mulder said, looking at the upholstered couch, the free standing lamps, and the oak bookcase. Krycek grunted an acknowledgment. "Can I get you anything? Beer?" Mulder nodded. Krycek went into the kitchen and returned with two longnecks. He handed one to Mulder who was now sitting on the couch. Before he twisted off the cap, Mulder looked at the label. "Red Wolf Beer?" "What did you expect us to drink? Coors Lite?" Both men smiled at the joke. Krycek uncapped his bottle and took a long swig. Mulder did the same. They sat in an uncomfortable silence that Krycek finally broke. "What do you want to talk about, Mulder?" Mulder leaned forward. "You know I've forgiven Jess and you for withholding the truth about Cancerman being my father. In fact, I've almost forgiven you for everything. But there is something you and I have to discuss." Krycek had a good idea what would come next. "What do you want to talk about, Mulder?" Mulder's words were without emotion. "I want to talk about the night my father died." Krycek sighed and looked at the bottle he held in his lap. "I had fucked up big time by blowing my cover with you," he slowly began. "Cancerman told me I could regain my good standing by another assignment, an assassination. He didn't tell me who it was though. I figured it was one of your informants. And at that point, I was desperate to get back into the Consortium's good graces, so I accepted." "Cardinal drove me to the house. I had no idea who lived there, until that son of a bitch smoker told me afterwards. I broke into the bathroom and waited. And waited. And waited. I was in there a good two hours before your father came in. The rest you know. Except for the part that Cancerman decided that I was no longer useful, and almost killed me by car bomb. I decided to buy my life with the digital tape. I also decided that the further away I could get, the better." He stared straight ahead, not willing to look at Mulder. "And I've been punished in some way every day since." Both remained silent, Krycek waiting for Mulder to say something, Mulder trying to sort out his feeling. Only when the phone rang did either of them make a move. Krycek reached over and punched the speaker phone. "Hello?" Both started when they heard the Cigarette Smoking Man's voice on the other end of the line. "Mr. Krycek, I'm glad I reached you." Mulder leaned forward to say something. Krycek made a motion for Mulder to be silent. He reached for the tape recorder next to the phone and hit the record button. "What the hell do you want?" he growled. Cancerman's voice didn't waver one bit. "I spoke with your lover a little while ago. She rejected a rather generous offer of mine." "Sorry," Krycek snarled. "But Jess and I don't find her having to fuck you generous, you tar lunged son of a bitch." Mulder's jaw dropped. He knew that Jess and Krycek were being taunted, but had no idea that the Cigarette Smoking Man had made such a low blow. He knew that Jess was still trying to reconcile in her mind the fact that she was sleeping with two men, and this had to be a painful reminder of what others would think her if it became common knowledge - a whore willing to accommodate anyone who could make it worth her while. Mulder was so wrapped up in that revelation that he almost missed Cancerman's response. "Mr. Krycek, I would watch your language, or I might withdraw my offer to you before I make it." Krycek paled, but kept a hold of his anger. "You aren't asking me to take her place?" "To let me fuck you? You are cute, but I don't go that way," Cancerman chuckled. "I was going to offer you a job. In return, I can give you visitation rights to your daughter." Krycek stiffened. He looked at Mulder from under raised eyebrows. "And what would that job be?" he asked, although both men had a good idea of what the Smoker's next words would be. Mulder and Krycek were staring each other in the eyes when Cancerman spilled the details. "You have somewhat regained Agent Mulder's trust. All I want you to do is report to me anything he tells you about his cases, for now. In return, depending on the quality and quantity of the information, you get to spend an hour to half a day with Amanda." Krycek didn't think about it for a moment. "No deal, bastard," he snarled. There was a moment's pause. Mulder could almost see Cancerman lighting up another cigarette. "The offer still stands, Mr. Krycek. But it is not indefinite." There was the abrupt sound of the dial tone. Krycek sighed and hit the stop button on the recorder. He also shut off the speaker phone. "Another one to add to the collection," he muttered as he ejected the tape and wrote the time and date on it. Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Collection?" Krycek nodded. "He calls about once a week with some offer. Most of the times it involves Amanda, sometimes not. We decided to tape them to see if we could discover a pattern. There's a shoe box full of these under our bed." "How long has this been going on?" Mulder asked, leaning forward. Krycek sighed and looked at the ceiling, calculating. "On and off, since Farnsworth tried to kill me, and Cancerman brought that alien in to heal me. But it's been a lot more frequent after Jess was returned." "Alex," Mulder asked. "Why didn't you tell me and Dana about this a long time ago?" Krycek shook his head, a self-depreciating smile on his face. "If I told you about these calls, would you have believed that they weren't a set up, that I wasn't trying to trick you into trusting me?" Mulder nodded. Anytime before Jess's disappearance, he would have believed it was a set up. But he had seen how desperate Krycek had been to find her and was reminded of himself when Scully had been taken. And as driven as he was to find his sister Samantha, Krycek must be even more driven to find his daughter. Somewhere along the line, the impossible, or at least what he once thought was impossible, happened. He began to trust Krycek once again. "But I don't think you're trying to trick me now, Alex." Krycek nodded. He had noticed that Mulder was starting to call him Alex again. Maybe Mulder did actually believe him. "You don't know what a comfort that is." He looked thoughtfully into the distance. "Jess and I," he said with a sigh, "we can't continue like this much longer, Mulder." Mulder looked at Krycek, concerned. He noticed for the first time the dark circles under his eyes. The young man, who wasn't that heavyset to begin with, had lost more than sleep. There was a haunted look in his eyes, one that he had seen many times before in the mirror. He'sright. They can't go on like this much longer. Jess and Scully had gone out to do some female bonding. They had gone shopping and spent time talking about trivial things. Now that they were sitting in the restaurant, there were serious things to discuss. "Jess," Scully began hesitantly. "Fox told me about you, Krycek, and Skinner." Jess stared at Scully, her brown eyes wide. "How much did he tell you?" "Everything." Jess sighed and toyed with her salad. "Believe me, when I first agreed to it, I had no idea it would turn out like this." "But Jess, why did you agree to it?" Scully asked. Jess put her fork down. "The original terms were that I couldn't know about it ahead of time. But I stumbled across Alex and Walter accidentally. At that point, we were desperate for information about Amanda. It's a desperation I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," she finished quietly. Scully shook her head. "Jess, I still don't understand..." "I don't mean to sound catty, but until you have a child of your own, you really *can't* understand." Jess paused for a moment, as if coming to a decision. "Dana, there is another reason I had to become involved. I'll tell you, but you can't tell Mulder. At least, not yet." Scully stiffened. "Jess, I won't keep secrets, especially one that...." "It's not one that will hurt Mulder, or betray him or you. It's something that Alex wants me to keep quiet until he feels more comfortable about talking about what happened to him." Jess sighed and looked down. "Lindy and I aren't the only ones who have experienced rape." Scully's jaw dropped. "Alex was raped?" Jess nodded soberly. "By Alpha Wolf, the bastard." She sighed deeply. "Cancerman knew about it, of course, and decided to use it. If he wanted the info on Amanda, he had to sleep with Walter. When I found out, I couldn't let him face it alone. And then things just kinda developed from there." "I think I see," Scully said. Jess stared at the tablecloth. "Listen, I know that you think I'm a slut for doing it. And I don't blame you. But I hope it won't affect our friendship beyond repair." Scully shook her head. "No I don't think that at all." In her cases in the FBI, she had seen many twisted acts committed in the name of love. And if she didn't know Jess so well, she would have lumped Jess right into that group. But the more she thought about it, the less Jess seemed to fit that assumption. With her history of sexual abuse and how devoted she was to Krycek, her actions, while not seeming logical, seemed fitting for her and the situation. "I think that you did what you thought was right. I don't think it will affect our friendship." Jess smiled, clearly relieved. "Thanks, Dana. I need all the friends I can get." Cancerman hung up the phone with a grimly satisfied smile. He hadn't really expected Krycek to take him up on his offer of a job, no more than he had thought Jess would agree to sleep with him. If they had agreed it would have been a pleasant, but unexpected, bonus. If they did not, the constant offers and uncertainty about their daughter would wear down their resistance and make them easier to manipulate. Picking up a pen, he prepared to start scratching notes on the legal pad in front of him. He reached over and flipped a switch to the on position. Krycek's voice filled the air, relayed in real time via one of the many bugs planted in the Krycek home. "Jess and I," he said with a sigh, "we can't continue like this much longer, Mulder." Cancerman raised an eyebrow. Agent Mulder was in the room? Even better. Now his former henchman was being reminded of his disloyalty in front of the man he betrayed. The lower Krycek felt, the more easily he could be persuaded to work for Cancerman once again. He heard Mulder answer Krycek. "I know it's difficult, Alex." Cancerman blinked at Mulder's use of Krycek's first name. He knew that Mulder's attitude towards Krycek had changed, but wasn't aware that the FBI agent was that trusting. "But hang in there. I'm not saying it gets easier, but you learn to live with the ache, eventually." There was a pause. "How much does Lindy know about this?" Krycek sighed again. "She knows that Cancerman approached us about working for him. She doesn't know about the request for sexual favors." Cancerman smiled to himself as he made a note of that comment. So Leahs and Krycek are hiding things from the girl. That presents many interesting possibilities. Although he would never touch the thirteen-year-old in a sexual way, here was a golden opportunity to test how devoted Lindy was to Jess. There was a firm but quiet knock on the door. He checked the clock on the wall and turned the switch to the off position. The whole conversation was being recorded, so he wouldn't miss any information because of his appointment. Cancerman opened his office door to a young, long haired brunette. "You wished to see me, master?" "Come in and sit down," he told the human looking female. "I have an assignment for you..." After talking to Krycek, Mulder decided to call on the Lone Gunmen and check their progress. "So what have you been able to find out?" "Surprisingly enough, a lot," Beyers said. "One of the printouts included in that file had the address for an computer network. We were able to break into the system." "You're not the only one interested in this kid," Frohike said. "Our hacker discovered another hacker's entry point, so he put a transparent patch on it. It made his job much easier. Whenever our mystery hacker logged on, we got duplicates of his keystrokes and whatever data he discovered. Plus our guy could sign on, but it only looked like only one person was breaching security." Langley raised his eyebrows. "We're puzzled why you're taking such an interest in her, Mulder. The tests show she's not your's or Scully's." Mulder paled. Was Jess's secret out? "You guys ran genetic tests?" "No. But neither Scully or you are the right blood type for this child to be yours," Beyers said calmly. "We're curious." Mulder got up to leave. "She's a friend's. Do you remember Jessica Leahs?" "Oh yeah, I do remember the lovely Miss Leahs," Frohike sighed. He turned back to Langley and Beyers. "Sexy short haired brunette who said she'd never sleep with me because she'd be afraid of contracting mange.." The pair nodded. It was hard to forget Jess after hearing some of her more outrageous, humor laced insults, especially the ones she made to people she really liked. Several years ago when Jess had been visiting Mulder, seeking help getting legal papers for Lindy, she had been introduced to Lone Gunmen. Jess and Frohike had hit it off nicely, him 'hitting' on her all night, she humorously 'repulsing' him. "Didn't we help her get a birth certificate and adoption papers for her girl?" Langley said. As Mulder nodded, he remembered something more. "And isn't she sleeping with Krycek?" Mulder nodded again. "Ummm hmmm." Langley gestured at the picture, stating the obvious conclusion. "Then this is their kid?" "Yup. Jess was abducted while pregnant, and found after she delivered. They have no idea where their girl is." Beyers gave a low whistle. "Then that explains it." Mulder tilted his head. "Explains what?" "Our hacker had to pull out after a day. He detected a second patch into the system, one placed there by the file's owners," Frohike said. "The files are still accessible, but now anyone who hacks in will be tripping alarms left and right. Our guy managed to get out without being detected, but it was close." "So whoever is maintaining the files knows that his security has been breached." "Yes," Langley responded. "But the gateway is wide open. It's after you log on and connect that your ass is grass. The file owner wants the original hacker's identity trapped neatly as quickly as possible." "I can't wait until we get into high school," Mary announced. Lindy looked at her friend as she fiddled with her locker. "But we're top dogs here in junior high. When we get into high school, well be the bottom rung of the ladder again. "But we'll high schoolers, not kids anymore," Mary explained. She picked up her backpack. "I can't wait until I get my driver's license." "You can't wait for a lot of things," Lindy laughed. She opened her locker and paused, surprised by at the sight of an audio tape laying on top of her books, next to the walkman she listened to as she walked home. Mary's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. "Are you coming Lindy?" "No, I forgot something in Miss Heinrichsen's class," Lindy lied. "Go on. I'll see you Monday." Mary rolled her eyes. Lindy was her good friend, but she could get into these moods sometimes. "Okay. Give me a call sometime this weekend. Bye, Lindy." Mary turned and walked away. "See ya, Mary." After she was sure that Mary was out of sight, Lindy picked up the tape, examining it carefully. There was nothing written on the label to indicate it had been recorded on, but the notch that allowed you to erase it was gone. Curious, she popped it in her walkman and pressed play. She was surprised to hear Jess's voice. "We got another offer?" "Yeah," Krycek said. "The usual - 'spy on Mulder and you can see Amanda'. And Mulder knows about them now. He was here when I got the call." Jess's voice sounded tired. "Alex, maybe I should take him up on his latest offer to me. Mulder would still trust you and it would only be my body..." "No!" was the shouted response. Krycek continued after a moment's pause and a deep sigh. "The only reason he offered it was to torment you. If you said you'd sleep with him, he'd probably change the terms to something worse. And then renege on his end of the deal once you had gone through with it." "But there is a chance..." Jess sounded truly desperate. There was the sound of someone walking across a wooden floor. "But I don't want you to take that chance..." The tape snapped off at that point. Lindy was stunned. She knew that overtures had been made, offers of safety, money, and parenthood if Jess, she and Krycek worked for the Cancerman. But this reminded her of the twisted games *he* would play with her. Her molester didn't only screw her body, he screwed with her mind. Maybe, Lindy thought, since Jess and Alex don't want to play, Cancerman will accept a substitute.... Krychekov sat in his office in the Russian Embassy, looking over the latest paperwork. It was unrelated to his search for his granddaughter, but that was what his thoughts kept returning to. He was still debating exactly what to do with the information he had acquired. His aide opened the door a crack. "Sir, your new bodyguard has arrived." Krychekov put his paperwork into a file. "Show him in," he said as he put the file into a drawer and locked it. The aide nervously pushed the door open wider and gestured. Krychekov blinked in surprise. A tall, *female* stepped into the room behind the aide. She looked as human as Krychekov, from her light brown shoulder length hair and eyes to her well proportioned body. She was attractive to humans, and probably to werewolves as well. "Mr. Krychekov," she said, offering her hand. Krychekov shook it, but kept eye contact until the werewolf dropped her gaze, as he had been instructed. He had to establish dominance from minute one. "What am I to call you?" The werewolf bobbed her head differentially. "I no longer have a human name, sir. At the labs, everyone called me Warg." An ugly name for a beautiful woman, Krychekov idly thought. The word was vaguely familiar. Krychekov couldn't help but feel a shudder, which he did not show in the least. "Very well, Warg. My aide will show you your quarters. You will assume your duties tomorrow. Is there anything you require?" Warg stopped to think a moment. "No, nothing at this time, sir." She followed Krychekov's aide, clearly ill at ease besides the lycanthrope, out of the office. His new bodyguard's name teased at the corner of Krychekov's mind. He looked intwo English dictionaries and an encyclopedia to no avail. Finally he found the reference in a guide to literary characters. "Warg - the evil race of wolves under the command of Sauron in J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy." Almost there, Skinner thought to himself as his sedan turned the last corner. He had gotten back from an out of town conference earlier in the morning. He came home to his apartment in Crystal City and unpacked. And he proceeded to drive himself crazy pacing the apartment. It eventually dawned on Skinner what his problem was when he tried to go to sleep. He was lonely and the bed seemed empty. It had been two weeks since he had seen Jess or Krycek. They had talked on the phone while on the trip, and when he returned home, but it wasn't the same. Unlike Sharon, Jess and Krycek both accepted him where he was. Neither pushed to know what he was feeling or reveal anything more than he was willing to say, to be something he wasn't. That trust and acceptance was a comfort he wasn't used to feeling. Tonight he wasn't particularly seeking sex from them, just companionship. Skinner pulled up to the house just in time to see Lindy sneaking out of her upper story window and start to climb down the trellis. Where the hell is she going at ten at night? He jumped out of the car and walked to a few feet from where she would touch down. Lindy didn't look down but concentrated on finding her next handhold and foothold by feel. She worked her way down cautiously, but swiftly. After two minutes, she stepped to the ground. Lindy looked up and smiled, certain that no one inside the house had discovered her escape. Then she turned around and her face fell. "Bust-ted," she said, looking up at Skinner standing there with his arms crossed. "Correct." He looked at Lindy, shocked. The young teen was dressed in black bicycle shorts and a tight black tank top, revealing a body that was developing a woman's curves. She was allowed to wear some makeup foundation, lip gloss, and occasionally a neutral eyeshadow, but nothing like what she had plastered on. She had used Jess's blush and mascara freely. Also, she had gotten a hold of ice blue eyeshadow and liner and fire engine red lipstick. Her hair was ratted out skillfully, giving it an artfully careless tousled look. Skinner was reminded of a cheap street corner hooker. "What are you doing out here?" "I... um.... Well, you see...." Lindy stalled, trying to come up with an excuse. She obviously hadn't considered the possibility that she would be caught. Skinner folded his arms across his chest. "Actually, let's wait until we're inside so you only have to explain once." Lindy hung her head. She had heard Skinner's tone of voice enough times from Jess to know what it meant. She turned around and marched up the stairs, Skinner close behind her, pulling out his keys. When he opened the door to the empty living room, he yelled out. "Hello?" Skinner heard Krycek call out a greeting. "Hey, Walter! We're in the kitchen." Lindy looked up at Skinner hopefully. Jess and Krycek obviously hadn't missed her yet. Maybe she could convince Skinner to let her sneak back up stairs if she promised not to leave the house tonight? No such luck. "Come on," Skinner said to Lindy, gesturing towards the kitchen door. They both walked into the room to see Krycek and Jess sitting at a table stacked with bills, a checkbook, and a calculator. "Walter? Who are you talking to?" Jess said, punching numbers into the calculator. She glanced up and did a double take. "*Lindy*?!?!?!?" Krycek looked up when he heard the surprise and shock in Jess's voice. "What the hell?!?" he exclaimed. "I caught her sneaking outside," Skinner said gruffly. "And I think she was just about to explain where she was going." "I was going out," Lindy said with a stubborn set of her jaw. She didn't want to say what she was up to. "Not like *that* you are, Alinda Ann Leahs," Jess snarled, invoking Lindy's full name as only a mother when truly pissed off can. She broke eye contact to check the clock. "And not at 10:13 at night." "Now, where were you going?" Krycek asked. "And who were you going to meet?" Lindy sighed and looked down at her lap. "I found a tape in my backpack today," she began. "It was a recording of you two talking about Cancerman's offers to both of you." Jess's and Krycek's eyes widened and their jaws dropped. "You were going to give Cancerman a choice?" Krycek whispered, stunned. Skinner looked confused when Lindy nodded. "Cancerman's offers? Going to give him a choice? What are you talking about?" Jess had stood up and went to Lindy. "We'll explain later, Walter." She put her arms around the girl. "Lindy," she said, looking into the girl's blue eyes. "I won't let one of my daughters, no matter how willing, sacrifice herself for the other." She leaned her cheek against Lindy's head. "Let's go upstairs and wash this stuff off your face and get you back in bed." She looked back at Krycek. "You'll explain?" Krycek nodded. Jess and Lindy stood. "I'll be back down in a while," Jess said. Skinner sat down in the chair she vacated. He could vaguely hear Jess talking to Lindy, her voice trailing off as they walked into the living room. "First of all, you're coloring is so different from mine that my blush doesn't look good..." Skinner turned to Krycek. He was surprised to see how tired his lover looked. Dog tired, Skinner thought, repressing a slight snicker. It worried him that it was the same tired look that Jess had. "What was that about?" And looking at a very weary Krycek, he suddenly realized what probably happened, and cursed himself for not catching on sooner. "What did he offer and when did he do it?" Krycek sighed. "The most recent one was yesterday when Jess was at the grocery store." "'Most recent?'" Skinner repeated, stunned. "I think you'd better tell me the whole story." The young man sat in front of the terminal, clicking away at the keyboard. Late night was when he preferred to do his hacking, less chance of being interrupted by other computers or people. He was inside the host computer and working towards the root path that contained the information he was seeking. He checked it often, hoping that more information would appear. Unfortunately, nothing new had been added recently. He did hear something, the sound of people approaching. He shook his head in disgust. He preferred to do his hacking without people standing over his shoulder. The door to his room opened. "And this is our computer room," Krychekov's aide's voice said. What is he doing? Giving a goddamn tour? Hacker though. He turned around and fell in lust with the brunette woman standing behind the aide. This five foot beauty with light brown, long hair, dark eyes and a lush figure was something out of one his fantasies. Hacker was so intent on mentally undressing the new woman that he missed entirely the aide's introduction. And then the aide prepared to move on, but the woman seemed to be staring at him intently. Hacker stared dumbly back. Then the woman broke into a smile, turned and left the room. But before she did, she glanced back at him suggestively. Hacker leaned back in the chair, putting his hands behind his head. Some days you just can't put a foot wrong, he thought with a grin. Jess sat down on the bed next to her daughter. "Lindy, you know how much I love you." Lindy had finished cleaning off the makeup and was now in a flannel gown. The girl now looked like the thirteen old she was. "I love you a lot too. That's why I was going to do it." "I know." Jess bowed her head. "But I would never ask you to sacrifice your integrity or sexuality like that." Lindy's eyes widened in confusion. "But Alex...?" "Alex is an adult. He can make his own decisions. But you are a teenager, a very mature one, but not an adult." Jess sighed and shook her head. "As much as I want to find Amanda, I don't want to see you hurt." Lindy leaned forward to rest against Jess's side. "I could have spied on Mulder easily. And if he chose sex, it probably wouldn't have been any worse than I've had done to me before. I don't think Cancerman could have been any more perverted than *he* was." Jess put an arm around her. "Lindy, that's not the point. I don't want you to get hurt physically or mentally. And there is an emotional side to sex that you really won't understand until you're older. And you've been hurt so much that way. I don't want to see you hurt anymore." "I'm sorry, Jess. I promise I won't do either thing," Lindy said, hugging her. "I love you." "It's okay, Lindy." Jess rested her cheek against the blond head. "I love you too. Now get to sleep, okay." "Okay." Lindy slid under the covers and rolled onto her side. Patches the cat, who had slipped into the room unnoticed, jumped up on the bed and curled up beside Lindy. Jess pulled the covers up to her shoulders and placed a kiss on her cheek. She crossed the room to the door and turned off the lights. "Good night, Lindy." Jess heard a quiet "good night," as she pulled the door shut. She leaned against it and put her head in her hands. What are we becoming? Jess thought, tears coming to her eyes. She heard the sound of someone walking up the stairs. Jess felt strong yet gentle hands encircle her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face. She looked up to see Skinner's brown eyes regarding her seriously. "Why didn't you come to me about this?" he whispered. "You're in such a precarious position, we didn't want to endanger you any further," Jess said quietly. "Can we finish this conversation elsewhere?" she asked, gesturing with her head behind her. Skinner nodded. His grip shifted from her wrists to one of her hands and he guided her to the bedroom. "How long has he been making offers?" he asked, rubbing his thumb against her palm. "Since he had Alex healed after fighting with Jake," Jess said. "The workings of the deals change, except for two basic things. We do him a favor, we get to see Amanda." Krycek stepped into the room. "Everything's locked up downstairs. I'm assuming you want to spend the night, Walter." "I really hadn't planned to, but since your offering..." Skinner trailed off. Jess pulled her hand from Skinner's and dropped down to sit on the bed. "I don't mean to be a downer, but I'm not up to sex tonight. I'm just overloaded." "That's fine with me," Krycek said. He also sat on the bed and stroked her back. Skinner nodded. "I'm tired myself. I'm sure we'll make up for it some other time." Without any further discussion, they got ready for bed. Only when they were under the covers, Jess in the middle, did a thought occur to her. "Should I move to the outside? I mean, in case you two want to..." Skinner shushed her with a kiss. "Just go to sleep," he whispered, putting an arm across her body to rest on Krycek's hip. Krycek copied the movement, so his hand rested on Skinner's waist. Jess, locked into place between the two men, gave a soft sigh and relaxed. A few seconds after closing her eyes, she was asleep. Even in sleep, Skinner could feel the hair on the back of his neck rising. Waking up, he recognized the sensation. It was the same thing he felt whenever he saw the old woman. He rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. Skinner was surprised to see Jess standing at the foot of the bed. But she's right beside me! he thought, stunned. He could feel Jess's body pressed against his side. He peered closer at the stranger in the white dress. The woman did look amazingly like Jess - same oval face, same nose, and same coloring. Except this stranger had deep sapphire blue eyes and lighter brown hair that fell to her waist. She was staring at Jess intently, sorrow, pity, and love all mixed in her glance. Her gaze shifted to Skinner. Her eyes widened, making her thought clear Oh *shit*! He wasn't supposed to see me. The woman turned and fled through the door faster than Skinner thought was humanly possible. Skinner leapt from the bed, startling Jess and Krycek awake. "Wha' goin' on?" Jess sleepily asked, raising up on one arm. His response made her wake up instantly. "There's an intruder in the house." But a thorough search revealed nothing. "I don't understand it," Skinner muttered, now downstairs in the kitchen. "I *know* I saw someone standing at the foot of our bed." "We've searched this house basement to attic," Krycek said. "If anyone had been here, we would have scented them a long time ago." Jess was at the stove, heating water for hot chocolate for her and Lindy. "Why don't you describe this person?" Skinner nodded his head. "The odd thing was that she looked like you, Jess." "But with long hair and blue eyes," Jess, Krycek, and Lindy finished together. Lindy rolled her eyes. "Told ya that we should have told Walter about Rachel," she said with a trace of smugness. "Told me about who?" The only Rachel that Skinner knew of connected to Jess was her dead sister. He looked from Jess to Krycek "Jess? Alex? What's going on?" Jess brought the kettle to the table and sat it on a metal trivet. She sat down and sighed. "How to put this," she murmured, tapping her forefinger against the table. Skinner raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me the house is haunted?" Krycek bit his lower lip. "Not exactly. I guess you could call her a guardian spirit." "Rachel tends to appear in my life at times of severe stress," Jess said with a shrug of her shoulders. "She's never harmed anyone. She just... I don't think I can explain," she said shaking her head. Skinner nodded his head. Jess's inability to explain Rachel's presence in her life was like him trying to explain bond between him and the old woman. You consciously couldn't ever express what it was, but you knew and understood it on some level. "Would you believe that I understand what you mean perfectly?" Jess woke up at six am, awake and edgy almost instantly. Wedged back to back with Krycek and belly to belly with Skinner, she shifted restlessly trying to find a comfortable position. She rolled over cautiously, uncertain why she was uneasy. There was something other than Lindy's revelation and Skinner's sighting of Rachel last night troubling her. She raised her head and her eyes rested on the calendar hanging on the wall. And then the reason became clear to her. I'm two days late, she thought. Then she remembered the last time she missed a period. No! she thought, shaking her head. I *can't* be pregnant. Dana said it was impossible. She cautiously started to inch her way around one of the sleeping bodies next to her, not wanting either one to wake up. The springs squeaked under her. Krycek sighed and flopped onto his stomach. ~What's wrong Jess? Cramps?~ Jess bit her lower lip. ~No. I'm not cramping. And that's got me worried. Let me out.~ Still half asleep, Krycek rolled over and sat up. Jess swung her legs behind him and got out of bed. Worried about *not* cramping? he puzzled. He didn't comprehend what she was talking about until she was half way to the bathroom. ~Jess, you don't think you're...~ ~I'm not sure.~ Jess turned back to look at him. ~And if I am, we've got some serious decisions ahead of us. I've got a test on hand and I'm going to take it.~ Krycek sighed and flopped back down. If she is pregnant, who is the father, me or Walter? And what will the Consortium do? He didn't think he would survive if Jess went missing again. Five minutes passed, while Krycek squirmed, not certain if he should go to Jess, or wait until she came back. Skinner felt the bed shifting under him and heard the spring let out another serenade. "For stealthy predators, you two sure make a lot of noise," he grumbled. Krycek sat back up. "Walter, wake up. We've got a problem. Jess thinks she might be pregnant." Skinner sat up as if he relieved an electrical shock. "She's what?!? I thought you said..." Jess walked out of the bathroom, her emotions flickering between relief and disappointment. She was carrying a decidedly white pregnancy test stick. "False alarm. My cycle's probably off because of the stress." Tossing the test into the waste bin, she sat on the edge of the bed beside Krycek. "Sorry." Skinner reached and tugged her shoulder until Jess lay down across their legs, her head in Skinner's lap. Skinner started stroking her hair and shoulders. "You're forgiven." He sighed in relief. "We haven't talked about the possibility..." "We didn't think it *was* a possibility," Krycek interrupted. "We were told that Jess would not be able to have anymore children." "If I did get pregnant, and it was yours, Walter," Jess said slowly, "I wouldn't force you to be any more involved than you want to be. Or you either, Alex." Krycek rested one hand on her hip and leaned against Skinner. "If that situation did come up, I would be willing to raise the kid as my own if you wanted nothing to do with us, Walter." Skinner continued stroking Jess. "I honestly can't say what I'd do. Sharon never wanted children, and I never really thought about it." Jess nodded. "I don't think it's something we're going to have to worry about." She levered herself up on one arm to look at Krycek and Skinner. "And I don't know whether to feel happy or sad about that." Skinner leaned forward and kissed Jess on the lips. Krycek also leaned forward and first kissed Jess's ear, and then Skinner's. The two men urged Jess flat on her back on the bed. Jess grinned. "Isn't this what led us to thinking I was pregnant?" All three of them laughed. Skinner had an idea earlier and had discussed it with Krycek. Now would be the perfect time to implement it. He raised and eyebrow at the young man, who nodded. "Jess, you trust us, don't you?" "Of course," was Jess's response. She was not sure why Skinner was asking. "Walter and I have been talking," Krycek said as he started to unbutton her sleep shirt. "We think you have been too stressed lately." He pulled the cloth away from her body. Skinner, meanwhile, had reached over to pull open the drawer of the bed side table. He pulled something out of the drawer and hid it behind his back. "We got to thinking that you need some time to be pampered. And we want to make sure you don't try to reciprocate, this time." Jess grinned as Krycek took hold of her hands. "And how do you intend to do that?" she asked as Krycek bent to kiss her neck. Krycek sucked at her skin. "Ve haff our vays," he growled in a horrible German accent and lifted her hands over her head. Jess closed her eyes and sighed as Krycek began to nibble on her earlobe. But her eyes flew wide open when she heard a metallic click. Tilting her head back, she squinted until she saw that both wrists were securely cuffed to the spindled headboard. "Jess?" She turned back to Skinner at the sound of his voice. His worried face hovered near hers. "Are you okay with this? All you have to do is say no." Jess closed her eyes again and swallowed. Jake had never tied her up when they had sex, preferring to beat her into submission when he was in one of his more violent moods. When they were dating, she and Mulder hadn't quite gotten to the stage where they felt comfortable to explore their fantasies. She and Alex had experimented some, but with her in charge. And as she searched her soul, Jess realized that she had trusted both these men with her most highly guarded secret, her lycanthropy. So why shouldn't she trust these men with her body? Taking her silence as consent, Skinner slid a large warm hand from her cheek down her neck and to her right breast. ""Yes," she whispered as he slowly moved his hand in a circle. His hand withdrew to be replaced by his lips. "Oh god, yes." Krycek kissed his way down to Jess's left breast. Sucking her nipple into his mouth, Krycek slid a hand along the inside of her thighs, encouraging her to spread her legs. Jess drew a sharp breath, arching, offering. Leaving her breast, he crawled his way down her body, kissing every inch of flesh he could reach as he went. Krycek now rested with his head between Jess's legs, his ass in the air. He kissed her inside thigh, smiling when she quivered at the feel of his warm lips and tongue. He repeated the kiss, and was rewarded with a quiet whimper. Skinner lifted his head from her breast to grin at Krycek. "Maybe we should gag her too." Krycek grinned back. "I like the noises she makes." Jess shivered, listening to her two lovers debate their plans for her. She pulled against the cuffs, a reminder to herself of how much she trusted Skinner and Krycek to allow them complete control of the situation. Hearing the rattle, Skinner traveled back up to her ear. "Is this too much for you to handle?" he asked, looking into her eyes. Jess took a deep breath. "No, I'm okay. I'm just impatient." She felt Krycek's breath tickle her thigh, making her squirm. "Patience is a virtue, Jess. One you seem to lack when in bed." Skinner moved to pay some attention to Krycek now. "You aren't that patient yourself, boy," he said and then ran his tongue down Krycek's spine. Reaching into the drawer again, Skinner retrieved the bottle of Astroglide and prepared Krycek with two well slicked fingers. He reared up behind Krycek, holding his hips firmly. When Skinner felt the young man push backwards against him and heard his whimper of longing, he buried himself in Krycek's hot flesh with a series of maddeningly slow strokes. And with every slight push Skinner made, Jess felt Krycek's lips brush her clitoris. Skinner bent low over Krycek's back and reached for the younger man's straining penis. Each gentle stroke was accompanied by a thrust of Skinner's hips, and a lick on Jess's clitoris. Then Krycek began to suck Jess in time to Skinner's thrusts making the young woman writhe. Jess came quickly, peaking earlier than usual because of the stress and uncertainty and relief she was experiencing, not to mention the mind bending stimulation. When she felt Krycek's wet warmth retreat, she opened her eyes. Skinner had lifted Krycek to his knees and was turning the young man's head so he could kiss and taste his lover. Taste both his lovers, Jess thought, realizing that Skinner was licking her juices off of Krycek's face. A low purr escaped her throat At the sound, Skinner looked down at Jess. She was still panting and watching him with dilated eyes and parted lips. Looking at her red, ripe mouth gave him an idea. His lips moved to Krycek's ear. "Wanna come in her mouth?" Krycek groaned and nodded. Jess also nodded. "Get rid of the cuffs," she whispered. Krycek fumbled for the key on the bedside table and clumsily released Jess, hampered by the thrusts Skinner was still making. Tossing the cuffs to one side, Jess sat up and gathered her legs under her. She watched Skinner and Krycek writhe together, enchanted by the sight. Skinner had pulled Krycek's back against his chest and his hands were roaming over his lover's torso. Deftly avoiding Skinner's roving hands , she ran a finger up Krycek's chest and neck to his mouth. ~Suck,~ she mindspoke quietly. Krycek did, taking a guess at what Jess had planned next, although uncertain how she would be able to fit her finger in his ass with Skinner's cock already filling him. He played his tongue over her finger, imitating the way she had pleasured him so many times before. The feeling of being impaled by Skinner while being probed by Jess was quickly becoming overwhelming. Once her finger was dripping wet, Jess slid her finger out of Krycek's mouth slowly. Krycek's tongue followed, trying to prolong the connection. Jess smiled and captured his tongue briefly in her mouth before kissing down his torso. His nipples were lightly caressed by her tongue before it started to stroke down to his navel. Crouching in front of Krycek, she placed her lips on the tip of Krycek's cock, allowing Skinner to push him inside. Skinner moaned. Krycek was unconsciously clenching his ass, not the full throbbing of an orgasm, but extremely pleasurable none the less. And then he felt Jess's hand reaching around to fondle his asscheek, and a slick finger begin to probe for his asshole. Skinner threw his head back and gasped in surprise. Jess was gently and skillfully working her finger into his ass in time with his thrusts. And she must have been doing something with her mouth, because the exact moment she stroked Skinner's prostate, Krycek gave a yelp and began to come, his ass spasming around Skinner's cock. That was too much for Skinner. He gave a cry and flopped against a none too steady Krycek, feeling himself spill into the young man in front of him. He could feel Krycek's shoulder tremble under his cheek. He also felt Jess withdraw her finger. Jess lazily let Krycek's cock slide from between her lips. She slid her hand up Skinner's back as she sat up. After putting both arms around the two men, she lay back down, pulling Krycek and Skinner on top of her. "Neither of you had a stroke, did you?" she asked, a bit breathless. "Noooo," answered Krycek, more of a moan than a response. "Came the closest I ever have," Skinner whispered. "And I thought you weren't supposed to reciprocate." He reached for Jess's forehead to brush back a lock of her short hair. Jess started lazily stroking Skinner's back. "Was that a complaint?" Skinner nuzzled Krycek's hair. "No, just an observation." Regretfully, he levered up onto his arms and sat up. "I'd better get going before Lindy wakes up." "Why should you?" Jess said lazily, reaching for him. "She knows about all of us, it's Saturday and you don't have to go to work. As long as you don't imply that you want her involved with us in bed, she'll be fine." Krycek turned so he could look at Skinner out of one eye. "Spend the day with us, Walter. Sex with you is wonderful, but you can spend time with us without doing it. We won't complain, much," he added impishly. The idea of loafing around all day with Jess and Krycek did have appeal. The ever dreaded paperwork was the only thing waiting for him at home. "Okay, you've twisted my arm. I'm staying." When they came downstairs, they found Lindy already dressed and watching TV. "Morning Lindy. What are you doing out of bed before noon on a Saturday?" Lindy shrugged her shoulders. "You were a bit noisy." Skinner, Krycek, and Jess blushed a bit. Lindy made no other comment about their sexual activities. What they did in the bedroom was none of her business as long as they did not want her in their bed also. "What's for breakfast?" Jess shrugged. "Um, we've got some pancake mix. I whip up some pancakes in no time." "Sounds good to me," Krycek said. "I'd better check our email." Jess and Skinner and Lindy headed to the kitchen to fix breakfast. Krycek smiled to himself as he booted Jess's computer to check their email. Aside from the comment about them being loud, Lindy had shown no unease about the two of them sleeping with Skinner. She had adjusted to Skinner being around almost as quickly as she had adjusted to him. There was only one message on the system, from a nobody@nowhere.org. When he opened it, it quoted the email plea he had sent out earlier. The only response was a time - "9:30 AM EST". Krycek looked at the message in surprise. He had not expected someone to actually respond to his plea for help. It had been a shot in the dark as far as he was concerned. He checked the clock. It was 9:30 AM. Now curious, ran the mystery program and chose the 'chat' button. There was a delay of a few seconds. Then words scrolled across the screen. "Mr. Krycek or Ms. Leahs?" "Krycek," he typed back. "Who are you?" The answer better not be 'I was David Bowman', he thought. Again he waited a few seconds. "That is not important. What is important is that I can help you regain your daughter." Here comes the stinger, he thought. What does he want me to do? Spy on Mulder or Skinner? "How? What do you want from us in return?" "Nothing," was the answer that eventually appeared on the screen. "Just show up at the address in the following email at 6:00 PM. If you feel the need to reciprocate, we can discuss terms at a later date." Krycek frowned thoughtfully. What game is he playing? he wondered. There had to be an ulterior motive, something wanted in return. That was how the Consortium worked. The only logical reason Krycek could come up with was that this was all an elaborate snare to entrap him and Jess. But this looked like too good of a chance to pass up. "We'll be there." Hacker sat tabbing at keys in the computer room. Facilitating the chat between his boss Krychekov and whoever he was so interested in earlier today had been routine. None of his watchdog programs had sounded any intruder alarms. He was still logged on, looking for any extra information he could use to ingratiate himself to his superiors. So intent was on the screen, he jumped when he felt a pair of hands touch his shoulder. He spun the chair around and found himself staring into Warg's face. "I didn't mean to scare you," she whispered softly, licking her perfect red lips. Hacker leered, looking her up and down, noting the skin tight jeans and low cut blouse she was wearing. Her voice was rough with desire. "Since I first saw you, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind." She sensuously ran a hand up and down his chest. "I don't know anyone here very well and I'm so lonely..." This was his fantasy come to life. Hacker leaned back in the chair as Warg straddled his groin. She settled her delicious weight onto his legs. Hacker pulled her down to his lips to kiss her hungrily. Then his hands slid to her breasts, delighted that she wasn't wearing a bra. He felt Warg's hands go to either side of his head as she kissed him with a feral passion. I am about to get laid, he thought as she pulled back to take a breath. Warg smiled and snapped Hacker's neck like a twig, twisting his chin behind his shoulders. Suddenly businesslike, she shook her head. All too easy, she thought. She had scanned his mind the moment she saw him at the computer, correctly guessing he was the one who broke into the system. And that teenage fantasy had not been that much of a challenge to set up and execute. Climbing off the body, she tilted the chair, letting the corpse slide to the floor. Now down to business. She turned to the logged on terminal and began retracing the recent keystrokes. In a few minutes, Warg had the information she required. She knew now for certain that Krychekov was the one who was passing information onto Krycek and Leahs. She also now knew the source inside the labs for Krychekov's information. And most important, she knew what Krychekov was planning and had time to inform her real boss. Her head spun around. She could hear the sound of someone coming down the hallway. She crouched on the to one side of the door, hidden from view. She changed slightly, allowing her razor sharp claws and fanged muzzle to extend. The footsteps stopped outside the door. Warg tensed, flexing her claws, reading herself. The door opened. The young aide stepped through the door and froze at the sight of Hacker's corpse splayed on the floor, belly down but staring at the ceiling. Warg acted quickly, taking advantage of the young man's shock. Two swipes of her paws and a quick bite to the neck was all it took. With a casual disregard for the two bodies, she left the room to keep her appointment with her superior. "I don't get it," Lindy said. "They were just here." Skinner and Lindy had only been upstairs for a moment - Lindy to find her book, Skinner to find his celphone in his coat upstairs. And during the few minutes they were gone, Jess and Krycek had disappeared. Skinner frowned and looked outside. "Their car is gone. Where could they be going? They didn't say they had any plans tonight." Lindy was also frowning thoughtfully. She eyed Jess's laptop. Sitting down in front of it, she powered it up and started tapping keys. "The last program accessed was an internet communications program." She loaded the program.Skinner came up behind her, looking at the screen. "Should you be doin g that?" Lindy didn't look at him. "Do you want to find out where they went or not?" she growled, a bit irritated. "I mean, why haven't you tried mindspeaking to them?" Skinner knew the werewolves had a form of ESP, and thought that it could come in useful right now. "They're out of my range," Lindy said matter of factly, still typing instructions. She found a transcript of Krycek's conversation and the attached email containing the address. "But I know where I can find them." Lindy stood up. "I'm going after them." Skinner shook his head. Werewolf or not, Lindy would need help. "Not alone you aren't." Krychekov stood outside one of the dormitories of the compound. His identification had gotten him inside no questions asked. He was now waiting for his contact, whom he was meeting in the flesh for the first time. The main doors to the building swung open. A young woman looked around, scanning the outside. Her eyes rested on the old man. "Mr. Krychekov?" "Yes," he said in a guarded fashion. The woman, with her long brown hair and blue eyes looked vaguely familiar, but he could not place her. The young woman nodded. "I am the caretaker for the young ones here. Come with me." She held open the door. Krychekov stepped over the threshold. "Before we do this, I need to know why?" Caretaker looked into the distance. "This little one deserves better than she will get here. She deserves all the love her mother and father will give her." Krychekov nodded. He wanted his granddaughter to grow up being loved, not seen as a pawn or an expendable piece of equipment. "I understand." "This way, sir," Caretaker said. She guided Krychekov towards the nursery. "How did you determine that this young one is the child I am looking for?" he asked as they came up to a set of double hospital doors. "By this stage in the Training, the sire and dam are allowed to visit the children, if they so wish. Usually the dam will regularly, but sometime the sire will or even both. She's the only one who hasn't had at least one visit." She pushed the doors open. Although he knew the intended scope of this part of the Project, he was still amazed by the number of cradles he saw, well over one hundred. "Are they ever all filled?" "No," Caretaker said with a sad shake of her head. "Thirty at most are ever filled with newborns. And from there the number drops to ten surviving their first three months. The sire and dam aren't allowed to see their get until then, or even name them. To insure loyalty, most of the werewolves created are Changed as young children or brainwashed as adults, but infants are highly valued." Krychekov did some quick thinking. Amanda would be six months at the oldest. Then that must have been why it was so hard to trace her. Her records must have only recently been made available. "Where is she?" "Here," Caretaker said, gesturing towards the closest crib as she walked to it. She turned to say something to Krychekov, but instead her mouth dropped open in horror. Krychekov was almost deafened by the sound of a gun discharging close to his ear. He felt the scorch of heat as the bullet whizzed past him to find its target in Caretaker's forehead. Her corpse dropped to the ground. He turned to see the expected sight of the Cigarette Smoking Man standing in the background. But he did not expect to see Warg holding the smoking gun in the foreground. They stood there silently for a few moments, Krychekov waiting for Cancerman to give the order that would end his life. Instead the Smoking Man issued a different one to Krychekov's former bodyguard. "Leave us and wait for me outside." Warg backed out of the door, her gun still aimed on his former boss. "You have a beautiful granddaughter, Dmitri," Cancerman said once Warg had moved out of sight. "Go on, take a look at her." Krychekov walked to the cradle. He took a sharp breath as he got his first in person look at his son's daughter.Amanda had been wakened by the gunfire, but was not crying. Green eyes fringed by long dark lashes calmly stared back at him. Fine brown hair, closer to Jess's slightly lighter shade, crowned her head. So much of both her parents could be seen in her face that Krychekov had no doubts. This child was his lost granddaughter. After he tenderly wrapped Amanda in a blanket, Krychekov scooped the child out of the cradle. The infant squirmed slightly, and then nestled down. Cancerman stood in his path, but did not bar the door. "If you leave with her, consider yourself a dead man." "I already am a dead man for finding her." Krychekov cuddled Amanda closer. She gave a soft sigh and snuggled down on his shoulder. "I need to make amends with my son. You, of all people, should understand that." He made his way to the door, passing by the Cigarette Smoking Man without looking at him. "I can't be responsible for what happens next, Krychekov," Cancerman called after the retreating figure. Krychekov turned back to look at the man in black. He fleetingly noted that Cancerman was already distancing himself by using his last name instead of his given one. "That is what caused you to end up where you are. You want the glory, but always refuse to take responsibility that goes with it." He walked through the door and past his former bodyguard without hesitation. Warg raised the gun, sighting on Krychekov's head as he moved past. She awaited the order to fire. Cancerman came out of the nursery. "Do not shoot. He will lead us to where Leahs and Krycek are." Jess and Krycek stood outside the abandoned house, debating their next move. ~It's probably a trap,~ Jess mindspoke as they walked up the stairs. ~That's a given,~ Krycek mindspoke back. ~But maybe we should take the chance.~ He tried the front door. It swung open at his touch. ~Unlocked.~ They both slid through the doorway. The hallway was empty. But the in the living room was one piece of furniture - a cradle. Krycek gave a quiet gasp. "Just like my dream..." he whispered. They both walked towards the cradle and looked down. A brown haired baby, no older than six months lay nestled under a blanket. The baby cooed and smiled at the sight of two faces looking down at her and reached upwards, waving pudgy arms. Krycek swallowed hard and reached down to lift the infant. And, unlike his dream, he was able to scoop her into his arms. He lifted the child and pressed his nose to her forehead, inhaling deeply. Underneath the baby powder smell that all infants seemed to share, he could smell her personal scent. It was a blend of his and Jess's. He smiled. Krycek needed no genetic tests to tell him that the infant he was holding was his daughter. ~It's Amanda. I'm sure of it.~ Jess made a quiet, strangled noise and reached for Amanda. Krycek gently passed her the baby and placed an arm around her waist. Jess studied her daughter's face intently. ~She looks like you,~ she mindspoke. Caught up in the moment, neither of them were paying attention to their surroundings. They jumped at the sound of a familiar and hated voice. "What a lovely family reunion." They turned to see a man in black and a what smelled like a female werewolf holding a gun on them. Jess and Krycek both mindspoke at the same time. ~Cancerman.~ Jess's breathing sped up and she cringed backwards, a fear reaction. He's going to take Amanda away, was the only thought she was capable of thinking. Krycek was also scared, but a surge of paternal anger flooded his system. "What the hell do you want?" "The child," Cancerman said. "Believe me, Ms. Leahs, Mr. Krycek. This is nothing personal. If you two would cooperate, all this would not be necessary." He turned to the figure standing behind him. "Incapacitate the adults, but do not harm the infant," he said as he walked into the hallway. They all heard the sound of the front door open and shut. Warg sighted between Jess's eyes. "I'm almost sorry I have to do this. You two are something of a legend around the labs. I really admire you for bringing down Alpha Wolf." "You don't have to do this," Krycek said. "You can let us walk away with our child and come with us." "And disappoint my master?" Warg said with a lifted eyebrow. "I think not. My rank in the pack will be greatly enhanced if I bring back your daughter." Jess cradled the bundle tighter against her chest, lips drawing into a snarl as her muzzle extended. Krycek moved protectively in front of her, shielding his loves. "Then you'll get herrrr overrrrr ourrrrr dead bodiessss," he growled, half Changing. Warg's aim shifted from between Jess's eyes to between Krycek's. "Not what the master wants, but if that's the way it has to be," she said, her finger tightening around the trigger. Jess and Krycek made an abortive attempt to scramble out of range. Startled by the sudden jerky movement, Amanda began to cry. A gunshot split the distance between the werewolves, missing Warg by scant millimeters. The bodyguard turned and fired in the direction of the sound. They heard a groan and the clatter of something metallic dropping to the kitchen floor. It was the last thing Warg heard, just before a third gunman fired a silver slug through her temple. Jess faded into the background, trying to hush Amanda, as Krycek dove forward to snatch the gun falling from Warg's dead hand. As he hit the ground, he rolled and righted himself, aiming in the direction of the fatal shot. With his fur covered hands and long claws, it would be difficult but not impossible to squeeze off a round. "Ssssshow yourrrrrsself," he demanded, ears pinned back against his skull, green eyes blazing. "It's me," a familiar voice called out. Skinner and Lindy stepped out of the shadows of the hallway. Jess Changed back to full human and moved forward, still clutching Amanda tightly. "Walter? What are you doing here?" "We read your email and followed you," Skinner said matter of factly. He leveled his gun at the shadows. "Who fired the other shot?" Krycek spun around and aimed his gun into the shadow. "Who'ssssssss therrrrrrrrrre?" he snarled. A weak voice called out in Russian. "Alexi, please, help me." Krycek's ears flipped forward. He recognized the voice instantly, although he had never expected to hear it again. "Fatherrrrrr?" Jess sat on the couch in the private waiting room. Amanda was laying against her shoulder, asleep after a bottle feeding. Lindy, in a show of independence, was curled up under a blanket on the chair next to her, but was as close to Jess as she could get without actually touching her. Look's like we're going to have problems with jealousy, Jess thought with a rueful smile. Cautiously, she stood up, keeping Amanda supported. She carried her over to the crib that had been placed in the room and laid Amanda down on her back. Amanda didn't stir once, except to stretch like a cat in her sleep. Watching her daughter caused tears came to her eyes, but they were tears of joy. So much has changed, she thought. And it's good changes. Not the usual shit that gets flung at us. They had gone to the hospital in two ambulances - Krycek's father in one, Jess, Krycek, and Amanda in the other. Skinner and Lindy followed in his car. But soon after they had arrived, they were forced to part company. Krycek had tried stay with Jess and Amanda, not wanting to face his father quite yet. But he had to consult with the doctors about his family's medical history. Skinner had disappeared, gone to notify Mulder and Scully. Later, Jess and Lindy brought Amanda, who had been given a clean bill of health, to Krychekov's bedside where Krycek was waiting. "Here's Daddy," Jess cooed to Amanda, bouncing the infant in her arms. Krychekov smiled weakly and shifted his right arm, reaching towards Jess. "May... I... hold... my... grand... daughter... one... last... time?" he wheezed. Krycek looked at Jess for a long time. She had a neutral, yet watchful, expression on her face. "Yes," Krycek eventually said. He took Amanda from Jess, pausing for a moment to hold his daughter close. Gently, he laid the third generation Krychekov in his father's arms, avoiding crimping the various tubes attached to his body. Krychekov smiled. "She... looks... like... her... grandmother," he whispered weakly. "I... wish... Katerina... were... here... to... see... her." Krycek's eyes filled with tears. "I wish Mother were here, too." Amanda scrunched up her face, preparing to give voice to a loud cry. As the baby started waving her arms, she picked her back up. "I think she needs to be changed," Jess said. "I've got to go hunt for a diaper." "No, Jess," Krycek said, taking the opportunity to avoid his father. "Let me." He took Amanda from her and cuddled her under his chin. He gave Jess a quick peck on her cheek and left the room. Jess turned to Lindy. "Go help him, okay?" Lindy nodded and left the room. "Alexi is a lucky man," Krychekov said in a much stronger sounding voice. That confirmed one of Jess's suspicions. Krychekov had been trying to manipulate the situation, even with a bullet to the chest. "No thanks to you," she spat out. "And I wouldn't call him that. He goes by Alex now." "Americanized," he snorted in derision. Jess shrugged her shoulders. "His choice." Jess sat down on the chair beside the bed. "You knew the whole time what was happening to him, what was done to him." A statement, not a question. Krychekov hesitated a second before answering. "Yes." "And you didn't help him at all," Jess commented. Her face was expressionless and as still as a mask "I couldn't," came the weak defense. "Liar!" Jess snorted. "The Consortium knows he's your son, right?" Krychekov nodded. "Yes." One of her eyebrows arched. "And you knew he thought that he was left to die in that silo?" "Yes." The answer was very quiet. "And he was in there alone for three days? And then experimented on?" "Yes. I was ordered to leave well enough alone." "Well, the way I see it, you were manipulating him also." Her voice hardened. "If I knew my daughter was trapped, I would do every damn thing I could to rescue her, orders be damned." "My granddaughter..." he said quietly. Jess's eyes narrowed. "What about Amanda?" Krycek's voice was little more than a whisper. "Werewolves are not the only shapechangers the Consortium controls." Jess leaned over the bed, her face inches away from Krychekov's. She understood the implications of other shapechangers. A look alike could easily disappear with Amanda when left with well meaning humans. "Is that a threat?" she growled. "No, it is a warning. You were never meant to regain her. Don't think that They won't try to get her back." His eyes softened. "I do not want to see my granddaughter grow up the way They intend her to do. And I honestly do not want my son hurt any more." He paused. "There is a way you could know I am speaking the truth." Jess's brow furrowed. "You're granting permission for me to perform a mind probe?" Jess wasn't sure that she was fully comfortable with the idea. Mind probes were tricky at best and could cause irreparable harm not only to her subject but herself. Krychekov looked resigned to his fate. "Yes." Jess nodded and stared into his eyes. Krychekov steeled himself for what he thought would be a terrible assault. He had seen what had happened to some of the humans the werewolves were allowed to play with to develop their mind powers. Some had come through okay, but most had deep psychological scars. One had even died from a heart attack, induced by the fear and trauma of having another mind peering directly into his. He felt a feather light touch brush against his head. He almost reached up to bat at the tickling sensation when he realized that it wasn't physical but purely mental. Then he felt a warmth seep into his brain. The only sensation he could equate it to was a heated skin cream slowly being absorbed. Jess proceeded cautiously. She did not want to induce a stroke in him, or in herself for that matter. She started slowly sifting through Krychekov's thoughts, trying to get to the truth of the matter. She read his thought and his intentions as quickly as possible, wanting to get back to the safety of her own body. But unbidden, she saw fragments of memories through Krychekov's eyes. He/she was proudly holding his/her son Alexi for the first time. He/she was sitting at his desk stone faced, but crying on the inside, when his aide brought word that the love of his/her life had died. He/she telling his/her son, a reflection of the ambitious innocent that he/she once had been, that if he worked for Cancerman, he/she would never speak to him as a father again, bitterly regretting the words the moment they were spoken but unwilling to back down now that the die had been cast. Krychekov felt the alien warmth receding slowly. His green eyes, so similar to Krycek's and yet so different, regarded Jess's brown ones. "Do you believe me?" Jess frowned thoughtfully, sifting through all she had learned. "I know your intentions are honest. But don't expect me to convince him, especially if you keep sabotaging your attempts by playing these manipulative games." Jess got up and walked to the door. Three quarters of the way into the hall, she turned back to the figure in the bed. "He probably won't ever trust you. And I cant say that I blame him." Without another word, she turned and left the room. The sound of the door opening snapped Jess back to the present. Skinner poked his head inside the waiting room. "Is it okay to come in?" Jess nodded. "They're both asleep, so keep quiet please," she whispered, torn between the desire to show off her children and the maternal impulse to keep from disturbing their rest. Skinner stepped quietly inside followed by Mulder and Scully. Jess moved slightly to one side, giving them a clear view of the cradle. Mulder, Scully, and Skinner looked down on the sleeping infant. "She's beautiful, Jess," Skinner whispered. "Just like her parents." Jess smiled modestly. "I don't see much of myself in her." "I'm just glad that she didn't end up with your pointy ears," Mulder said quietly with a grin. "Mulder, bite me." Jess walked back to Lindy to pull the blanket more snugly around the young girl. Scully looked around. "Where's Krycek? I figured he would be glued to Amanda's side." Jess's smile fell off her face. "That's a long story." Krychekov was aware of another presence in his room even before he was fully awake. Although Jess had been cautious and gentle, he had still been exhausted by the mindprobe and had fell asleep. He opened his eyes and saw Krycek sitting stiffly in the chair across the room. Wearing his leather jacket, white tee shirt and black jeans, his son looked lean and predatory. "Alexi?" "Call me Alex," was Krycek's cold reply. He looked at his father with narrowed eyes. "You told me you'd never have anything to do with me, so why the hell are you involved in this?" Krychekov gave a deep sigh. "Because it involves my granddaughter and my son." Krycek raised his eyebrow. "I thought you said that you had no son." The words were laced with bitterness. "And if you don't have a son, you can't have a granddaughter," he added sarcastically. Again a deep sigh. Krychekov wearily closed his eyes. "I was wrong to turn my back on you. I'm sorry." "*Sorry?*" Krycek stood up and stalked towards the old man laying in the bed. "If you're so *sorry,* then why the hell didn't you get me out of that damn silo? Or help me find Jess? Or my daughter before now?" His indignation and outrage grew with every word. "Alexi, I had to move cautiously" Krychekov explained. "I was ordered to leave you alone. But despite those orders, I have been trying to help in as many ways as I could." "Sure." Krycek forced out the bitter word through clenched teeth. "And why haven't Jess or I seen any evidence of your 'help'?" "Who do you think sent you that information? Or who you sent that email plea to? Or who you electronically spoke with?" Krycek bit his lip, unsure of how to respond. "Okay, perhaps you did help us a little" he conceded. "But don't expect me to be bending over backwards in gratitude." He turned to leave. "Or expect me to come running to you for help." "Alex." Krycek turned back at the sound of his chosen name, the name he used when he thought of himself. "They will try to get her back. Take care of my granddaughter." Krychekov looked older and weaker, as if the last day had aged him more than the last twenty years. "Be careful, my son." Krycek stood there, staring straight at Krychekov. Jess had told him everything she had learned from her mindprobe. But his father had always been a master of manipulation. He could have been thinking those thoughts specifically to deceive her. But could it be possible that Krychekov was truly sorry about the rift that had come between his son and himself? "I always am, father," he said, walking away. The next move they made was to go home. Krycek sat down on the couch, completely happy for the first time in months. He knew he should be worried about the Consortium's next move. He knew he should be worried about his father meddling in his life. But for some reason he couldn't. All he could think about was Jess upstairs putting Amanda down for the evening. Skinner sat beside him. He couldn't help but grin at the expression on Krycek's face. I don't think I've ever seen him so happy. "What are you so smug about, boy?" "I'm not smug, I'm content," Krycek corrected. "I have my daughter back, and for once, I fought against the Consortium and didn't get beaten up." Both men laughed, and were still chuckling when Jess came downstairs, carrying the receiver half of a baby monitor. "I think she'll sleep for a few hours now." "Enjoy it while you can," Lindy said from the chair near the couch. She was curled up with a book. "Mary said her little sister didn't sleep through the night until she was a year old." A ringing noise filled the air. Jess picked up the phone. "Hello?" "Jess, it's Dana," came Scully's voice. She sounded urgent. "Is Alex there with you?" The odd catch in Scully's voice made Jess blink. "Yeah, and so is Walter. Hold on a sec and let me put you on speaker phone." Jess tabbed at a button before hanging up the receiver. "What's up?" Scully's voice was worried. "Has the hospital contacted you about Krychekov, Alex?" "No," Krycek said. He leaned towards the speaker. "What about my father?" Scully took a deep breath. "He's gone." Krycek bowed his head. "I was with him a few hours ago. I had no idea that he was that bad off," he said. Jess and Skinner both reached out and placed reassuring hands on Krycek. Both guessed that he was feeling guilty over what he had said to his father, despite the fact that he had needed to vent. They heard the receiver rattle as Scully shook her head. "No, he's not dead. He's disappeared." "Disappeared?" Skinner asked. "He checked himself out?" "No. He just left." Well Manicured Man looked displeased as he sat behind his mahogany desk. He glared up at his subordinate as the report was delivered. "And why were Leahs and Krycek allowed to regain their whelp?" Cancerman held his ground. He had driven from Washington D.C. to Florida without stopping for food or rest. He was not about to play the ubiquitous servant. "Your niece has been harder and harder to anticipate and control. With the infant, it will be much easier to coerce them by threatening them with harm to either the adolescent or the infant. And also it will give us a chance to observe them raising not only the adolescent, but an infant 'in the wild' as it were." Cancerman's superior frowned. "But it almost cost another associate his life." "True," Cancerman mused. "But there was a bright side to that incident." Well Manicured Man raised an eyebrow. "And that would be?" "He revealed a rogue werewolf." Cancerman paused to take a drag off his cigarette. "If Warg could be easily swayed by me to spy on Krychekov, she could have as easily been swayed to spy on Us for another party." "And speaking of my 'house guest,' he should be awake now." Well Manicured Man rose from the desk. "Shall we ask him for his side of the story?" he asked with a grim smile. Cancerman nodded and stood also. The two men left the office and went to the living quarters of the house. Outside one of the guest rooms, a man with amber eyes stood guard. Well Manicured Man nodded to the guard, who let them pass. Inside the guest room lay Krychekov on the double bed. The older man looked weak, but awake and alert. He looked at Cancerman and Well Manicured Man with caution and wariness. "Why am I here?" Cancerman raised his eyebrows. "No hello or other polite niceties? Dmitri, I am shocked by your lack of manners." Well Manicured Man smiled coldly. "We know that you have been in contact with your son. We know that you also helped him and my niece regain their whelp." Krychekov knew better than to try to lie to these men. "Yes I was involved. I know what the penalties are for going against the Consortium's wishes, and am willing to face them." "Mr. Krychekov, I'm sure we can reach a compromise that will be beneficial to both of us," Well Manicured Man said smoothly. "Your indiscretion can be overlooked if you prove your good faith by telling us how you managed to plant one of your agents so deep inside one of our labs. I can understand why you wanted your granddaughter and your son reunited, and others in our association may also. But spying on your allies is unforgivable." "What are you talking about?" Krychekov asked. He looked truly confused. Cancerman removed the cigarette from his mouth. "The young woman who led you inside was not one of our people. Her corpse disappeared from the nursery where we had our 'discussion.' We want to know how she managed to gain access, and why you hid the body." "She was not one of my agents. She contacted me and offered to get me inside. I don't know why she was so interested in my son's child." Then he realized who the caretaker had resembled. "But she did look like Leahs." Well Manicured Man looked at Cancerman who nodded. The Cigarette Smoking Man had noted and commented on the resemblance also. He knew that Leahs believed her dead sister Rachel watched over her, but this had to be a clever hoax. "We will have to verify this," the Smoking Man said. Krychekov nodded. "You can contact my aide. He can vouch for the fact that I did not plant a spy." Cancerman went to the door and signaled. Well Manicured Man shook his head. "That is not what we had in mind," he said as the guard stepped into the room. Krychekov realized exactly what the guard was the moment he saw him. And the last thought he had before he fell into the werewolf's amber eyes was that this one wouldn't be as cautious or careful about probing his mind as Jess had been. One Week Later "She gets that from your side of the family," Krycek snorted. He patted Amanda on the back, trying to ease the child's discomfort. "Ex-cuuuussssse me?" Jess said. "No one in the most obscure branches of my family tree has a burp like that!" "Um, Jess," Lindy piped up. "I wouldn't say that," she said, placidly stroking Patches. Jess appealed to Mulder, Scully, Skinner. "I don't burp like that, do I?" An assortment of hems and haws met her question. And at that point, Amanda, perched over Krycek's shoulder, let out another belch of large proportions. Mulder looked at Jess with humor in his eyes. "Jess, there are a few rare truths that are meant never to be discovered." Everyone started laughing. They heard a car pull up in front of the house. "The pizza must be here." Jess looked out the window and stiffened. Krycek also looked out and stiffened. Mulder got up and added his face to those staring out the window. He saw Well Manicured Man getting out of a nondescript sedan. Jess whirled to face those in the room. "No one say a word about Michael." She started to the door. "Jess, that man ordered the death of your brother. You're not going to go out there and talk to him?" Scully asked incredulous. "I have to," was Jess's reply. She walked through the door, face grim. Krycek passed Amanda to Skinner and followed her, also grim. Lindy moved to the window, peering around the curtain. Scully turned to Skinner. She spoke the question on her and Mulder's mind. "Why?" Skinner sighed. "That man is her uncle." They all moved to watch from the open front window. Krycek and Jess stood on the porch, watching Well Manicured Man's approach. Half way up the walk, he stopped. Jess started forward to meet him. At her signal, Krycek stayed where he was. Jess and Well Manicured Man stood staring at each other for a few moments. Jess's uncle finally broke the silence. "Congratulations on your beautiful daughter." Jess nodded coolly. "Why are you here?" Well Manicured Man didn't like it that Jess went straight to business instead of trading pleasant nothings. "Jessica, you know you will not be allowed to keep her. It will go so much easier if you just cede custody back to me. I can arrange it so you can see your daughter whenever you want. After all, we are family." "Michael was family also," Jess said in a dead tone. "And look what happened to him." "Jessica, I'm not certain what you are talking about," Well Manicured Man protested. "How dare you," Jess hissed. "You lied to me. I know that you knew when I became a werewolf. I know that you had been watching us for many years. And I know that you ordered Michael's death, that Covarrubias was just a red herring." Well Manicured Man smiled coldly. "And why haven't you taken your vengeance against me." "Unlike you, I will not raise a hand against my family, no matter how much they deserve it." Jess turned her back on her uncle and walked back to Krycek. "You know it is only a matter of time before we get her back," Well Manicured Man called after her. Krycek put an arm around her waist, pulling her in close. "I think you had better leave now," he growled. Without waiting to see if Well Manicured Man followed his suggestion, he turned and guided Jess back inside. The moment they were inside, they heard a car pulling away. Lindy went up to Jess and hugged her. Jess hugged her back and then looked at Skinner and Amanda. Soundlessly, she reached out her arms. Skinner passed Amanda back to Jess. Jess cuddled the baby to her, tears starting to trail from her eyes. "We heard everything," Scully said. She could only guess at the anguish that Jess must be experiencing. Jess reached up with her free hand to wipe away her tears. "I was hoping They would leave us alone for a little while. I guess I was wrong." Mulder shook his head. "The Consortium won't just leave you alone, especially now that you have Amanda." "We know that," Krycek snapped. "We know that it's only a matter of time before something else happens." He then sighed and pulled Jess a little closer. "But until then, we're just going to live one day at a time." Another case of writer's block, another piece of mind candy. Enough said! Loup Garou XII - Anniversary ** I feel the bed shift underneath me. It feels strange, sleeping in a bed next to my life mate. In my time living with the rats, I never thought I would experience anything as normal at this again. I was wrong, and happily so. But it is hard to erase a year's worth of memories with two week's worth, even when those two weeks are of perfect bliss. And it isn't just sexual satisfaction, although that is a big part of it. Some of it is just the companionship of my kind, a werewolf like myself. Some of it is the fact that I am no longer running for my life. That's not exactly true, but at least I'm not wandering endlessly like I have in my past. And some of it is, for the first time in my life, finding true love and someone who returns it, despite knowing everything I've done. Through the thick curtain of my eyelashes, I watch her. Few people realize that I can look like I am asleep, but am watching through the narrowestly slitted eyes. It has saved my life more than once even when human, appearing helpless but ready to spring into action in a split second. Jess is sitting up in the bed, thinking with a sad expression on her face, the one she hides when she suspects someone is looking at her. She has been like this all day, deep in thought, wrestling with her emotions, but keeping quiet about her struggle. She looks down at me, to reassure herself that I am still asleep. I am curious, so I pretend to be unconscious. She comes to a decision. I watch Jess as she gets out of the bed, swiftly and silently, like the predator she is. She is so graceful, so beautiful, although she would never let herself see it. Jess opens the door to the closet, glancing back at me when the door creaks. I continue to feign sleep. She reaches up and pulls a beat up book off the shelves. Then she pads silently out of the room. I follow, as quietly as she, shivering as I leave the warmth of the bed. When the light in the living room flicks on, I stop, hidden in the shadows of the bedroom door. I watch as she walks to the kitchen. She returns from the kitchen carrying a shot glass and a bottle of vodka. That is a bad sign. She rarely drinks, and then nothing stronger than beer or wine. The vodka is mine, the one indulgence in my Russian heritage I allow myself. She pours a shot and sits it on the table. Then she sits on the couch, her back to me, but I can see her clearly in the decorative mirror on the wall. After reading one page in the book for several minutes, Jess lifts the shot glass, staring past it into the distance, a silent toast. She stays that way for a few minutes. Then swiftly, without spilling a drop, she downs the alcohol in one swallow, grimacing a bit at the taste. After putting the book down, I watch her settle back into the couch, one leg braced against the coffee table. And then she starts tracing lines on her breasts, slowly, deliberately. Her fingers trace around her nipples, then stroke radial lines to the base of her breasts. Then she curves her fingers down between her breasts to her navel. And then she does it again, repeating the exact same movements. But she isn't masturbating. There is nothing erotic about the way she fondles herself. Then everything becomes clear to me and I realize what she is doing. She is remembering. Remembering what that bastard of an abusive boyfriend did to her. She is tracing her scars, the ones given to punish her for trying to take back control of her life. She doesn't like to speak about that time, but she drops hints about the darkness she lived in. She has never told me exactly what happened that night, aside that Jake had beaten, cut, and then raped her, and that it hadn't been the first time for any of it. Tears fall from her eyes as she unbuttons her sleep shirt and slides her panties off. With a shuddering sigh, she looks at bare torso, beautiful alabaster graced with pearl pink nipples and traced with the palest pink lines, offsetting her velvet soft dark hair. Then she hides her face in her hands, sobbing. Despite what she believes, the faded scars, mere ridges in her skin, are barely noticeable to all but her. Where I see glorious perfection, she sees hideous disfigurement. I cannot let this continue any longer. She has helped ease so much of my pain, I have to try and ease hers. I step into the living room, not trying to conceal my presence. "Jessica?" She starts and half turns at the sound of her name, crouching down. Naked and vulnerable, I've never seen her look more beautiful. "Alex," she whispers, reddening in shame. "Tonight, fourteen years ago...." she starts to explain. 'Shhhh, Jess" I whisper, walking over to sit beside her. I brush my lips against her forehead, resting my hands on her shoulders, pulling her tigtht against me. "I understand," I murmur. And I do, for I had endured the same thing, although she doesn't know. I will tell her eventually what Alpha Wolf did to me, but I can't, not now. I've told her everything I can will myself to about everything I have done, seeking absolution for my sins. But I am not ready to tell her how we are more alike than different. Jess's scars have healed somewhat with time, but my scars are still too raw. They are not physical scars like some of hers. Mine are purely psychological, and not all of them from Alpha Wolf. Some are from the one Mulder calls Cancerman, from doing his bidding. Some are from my father, ignoring me after Mother died, until it was too late. Some are from Mother, feeling abandoned by her death. And some are self inflicted, guilt, fear, hatred, and self-loathing, but all are blood red whip weals across my soul. And then I realize something intensely painful and ironic. In a funny yet humorless twist of fate, the night she was raped was the same night I sold my soul to the Consortium by accepting Cancerman's offer of employment. Different years, but the same day. Jess and I are celebrating an anniversary of sorts. A weak laugh escapes my lips. Jess looks up at me, dark brown eyes puzzled. "What?" she asks, afraid that she is the source of my humorless chuckle. "Something else," I whisper, wiping away one of her tears with the pad of my thumb. I kiss her forehead. "Not you. Never you." How could I laugh at the woman who is helping me put my life back together? I kiss Jess's lips, clinging to her as if to a lifeline in a raging river. And that is what she is to me, for I constantly feel that if I let go for even and instant, I will be swept away and drowned by the concequences of my actions. My tongue plunges into her open mouth with all the subtlety of a stampede of cattle. She kisses back and writhes against me, driven by her demons of memory. If I have my way, there's going to be an exorcism tonight. I fall back flat onto the couch, pulling Jess astride my stomach. I raise my knees, and she rests her back against my thighs. She sits there, breathing heavily. I reach up and stroke her chest, enjoying the texture of her skin. I cup her breasts and run my thumbs over her hardened nipples. Her eyes are half open, misted with tears of emotional pain and desire. "I don't want you to feel forced," I whisper thickly, giving her breasts a gentle squeeze. I then slide my hands to her waist. "Not ever, but especially not tonight." My hands slide down the sides of her thighs, and then to either side of my body. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, baring my throat to her. If she wants sex, she will have to take the initiative tonight. I feel her hover over me, a warm breath caress my chin. I feel the cushions under me shift as she resettles to rest beside me. A wet warmth covers my Adam's apple, making me break out in goose bumps. And when I feel the slight suction, I clench my fists and moan, fighting my desire to roll her over and fuck her until we fall unconscious. I know that phrase doesn't sound romantic. But they are the only words I know that can convey my need for her body. No mere words can convey my need for her soul. I feel a second, tremulous kiss on my collarbone. I shiver, giving voice to another moan. She is an eager lover, but a bit shy about being in charge during sex. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that she was a virgin when she met Jake and anytime she tried to explore, she was literally slapped down and asked who else she was sleeping with, because that felt too good for her not to have been taught to do that. Mulder aparently cured her of cringing in bed, but she still isn't fully comfortable yet. I hope to change that, although I am greatful to Mulder for teaching her that sex and pain don't go hand in hand. Encouraged by the noises I'm making, she moves down lower and circles a nipple with her tongue. She latches on, sucking as if she were a nursing baby. And as she works me with her lips and tongue, her right hand slips to my boxers to stroke my rapidly swelling penis through the cotton. Her hands are gentle and feather light, a tease of what I hope will happen. "Jessica," I whisper, a plea and a prayer. I arch beneath her hand, encouraging her to continue. She sits up and smiles, the first real smile I've seen on her lips all night. Both of her hands now rest on my boxers, trembling slightly. I raise my hips and she cautiously pulls them downward. My cock is swollen and purple and resting against my stomach. "Jessica," I whisper again as she encircles me with her warm hand. Her hand starts moving, pumping me with deliberate, sensual, lazy movements. I close my eyes with a sigh as she runs her thumb against the vein throbbing on the underside of my cock. I could come from this alone. I feel the cushions shift again. Jess straddles me and lifts my cock, preparing to impale herself on my rigidness. I open my eyes and stare into the chocolate brown pools of hers. Something is nagging at me in the back of my mind, but I can't figure what it is, and really don't give a damn. Jess realizes it as my cockhead brushes her curls. "Condom," she half curses under her breath, lifting away from me to rest beside the couch. She kisses my lips briefly and then darts to the bedroom. My head thumps back against the arm of the couch. Shit! That was too close! Even long before we met, she had tried the Pill, curious if this situation ever arose if it would work. Her sister-in-law, although a pediatrician, had managed to get her a prescription and authorize fertility testing for her. And the tests revealed that she still ovulated monthly, with or without oral contraception. As much as I want there to be no barriers between us when we make love, we can't risk Jess getting pregnant. It's not that we don't want children. I want more than anything to trace the curve of Jess's swollen belly, hoping to feel a kick in response. Or to hold my newborn son or daughter close, studying his or her face to discover what traits he or she inherited from which side of the family. But that time is not now, and possibly may never be. Our lives are too unsettled and dangerous to bring a new, innocent life into our world. And as much as I want to be one, I am frightened of becoming a father. I learned in my psych classes in colllege and later at Quantico that you parent by example. And my example was a poor one. My father never physically abused me, but neglect is a form of abuse. And Jess's was little better, her parents shutting their children out of their emotions when her older sister died and trying to remold Jess and Michael into their dead Rachel. But, despite poor examples, we want to be parents. Maybe I won't screw that up like I've done with so many other things in my life. Jess returns, holding a small packet. There is the ripping sound of foil and she is deftly unrolling the condom onto me. Again she settles onto my body. Again she lifts my cock and prepares to sink down on me. And this time, she does. God, she feels so good even with the condom on, all heat and moisture. Cautiously, she slowly works her way down my cock, allowing gravity to do some of the work as she is stretched. I reach up and brush her cheek with my left hand, thrilling just being able to feel her skin under my fingertips. I still can't believe that what the Cigarette Smoking Man intended as a curse has become a blessing. For if he hadn't sicced Alpha Wolf on me, I probably never would have met this wonderful woman above me. I would still be hiding in Russia, bitter over the loss of my arm, plotting blood thirsty revenge against Mulder, against Cancerman, against everyone. But my werewolfness caused healing in my arm, and she helped start the healing in my soul. Those first nights were the hardest. Had I the silver, I would have committed suicide, not knowing about the incredible healing powers that I had been endowed with. The woodland refugees I had stumbled upon had explained their actions as soon as I stopped screaming, thinking they were saving me from a fate worse than death. "No arm,no test," they repeated emphatically, amazed at my ingratitude. But I was angry, hateful, bitter and unreasoning, the scent of my charred left arm making me nauseous. They treated me kindly for the short time I stayed with them, despite my curses and my threats, commenting among themselves about how quickly what was left of my arm healed. As soon as I was able, I slipped away to Peskow's datcha near St. Petersburg, to hide for a while. I returned and slew them all, a true wolf among the lambs, at the first full moon. that night, once I was human again, I learned to love my werewolf self when I found my left arm restored to me. Thinking back, I do regret the wanton slaughter a little, but then I was just filled with the desire for revenge. They were easy targets I could vent my rage on. But now I know that my hatred was directed at the wrong people. I do hope to have a chance to direct my rage at the right people soon. Jess is moving in slow, gentle up and down motions that threaten to drive me mad. She gently catches hold of my left hand and guides it to her breasts as her movements become more forceful. Now tears sting my eyes. How often I had dreamed of this, alone in the militia, in Russia, of the feel of her velvet chamber, of her downy breasts, of her hot mouth. Only now I find that reality surpasses the dream. Oh God! I have killed the innocent, and the not so innocent. I do not deserve this. I do not deserve her. But I love her, want her, need her. And the love and the want and the need all blend into a lightening bolt that races from my groin up my spine and explodes behind my closed eyelids. I arch under her with a soundless cry, eyes shocked open by the intensity of my orgasm. Jess smiles wider and clamps down with the muscles in her thighs and groin. As melodramatic as it sounds, I literally swoon from the sexual pleasure this wild, wonderful woman is capable of inflicting on me. When I stopped trembling, Jess releases me from her body. Languidly, I sit up and remove the condom, knotting it to keep my come from spilling. We will destroy it later in the furnace in the basement of the building, just as we have destroyed the others. We cannot allow *any* genetic material that could possibly be used to create another werewolf, or child, to fall into the Consortium's possession. Jess is so cautious that she doesn't even lick stamps, buying premoistened or using tap water to wet the glue. One man's paranoia is another man's prevention. I pull Jess against me and nuzzle her neck. I lay back down and take her with me. Wanting to shelter her, I roll half on her, stroking the curve of her waist. She is still tense in my arms, although she is trying to relax. And in my post-orgasmic haze, I realize why she is still keyed up. "You didn't come, did you?" I whisper softly into her neck, and then kiss her hot skin, feeling her pulse throbbing in her veins. "No, I didn't," she whispered with a slight shake of her head. She nuzzles me back, trying to reassure me that she's fine with not having an orgasm. Her hand idly wanders down my back. "It's okay. I don't think I can, tonight." I kiss her hair, her eyes, her cheeks, her lips. "Yes you can," I whisper like a father encouraging his daughter. But my thoughts are far from parental. Leaving her petal soft lips, I kiss in a straight line from her chin down to the valley between her breasts. I tease the skin there, lifting her breasts and rubbing them against my cheeks. I nuzzle each of her nipples, stroking them with my tongue, relishing her moans. I eventually continue to the curls between her legs. Her breath catches as my fingers begin to spread her open. I place quick kiss on the inside of either thigh, and then one between her legs. God! She is still moist and excited from earlier. Jess whimpers as I begin to go down on her in earnest. I find the swollen knot of nerves and flick it rapidly with my tongue. She squirms, unable to stay still. I hold onto her twisting hips, making sure my tongue stays in contact with Jess's clitoris. She keeps making feral noises, encouraging me to continue. And when I wrap my lips around her clitoris, sucking and pressing against it at the same time, she gives a half strangled gasp. That is what I have been longing to hear. She makes that sound, sometime softly, sometimes loudly, every time she comes. When she makes that noise, I can't help but think of a virgin who has just come for the first time. But I half suspect the real reason for her cry is that despite how many times I've made her come, she still can't believe how good it feels, that she's still waiting for the pain that Jake inflicted on her during sex. I hold her until she stops trembling, stroking her thighs and whispering words of love. When I feel her muscles go slack, I crawl back up her body, kissing her sweating skin reverently. She smiles muzzily, eyes half shut. I run my tongue over her lips sensuously and she kisses back with equal passion, ready for another round of lovemaking. But it is too soon for me to get hard again, no matter how much I'd like to. I'll never be able to understand how a woman can come and be ready to come again within moments. My eyes rest on the vodka. I push up on one arm and grab the bottle. One handed and in an awkward position, I manage to pour some into the shot glass without spilling too much. I place it to Jess's lips, offering. She shakes her head no, smiling, but wrinkling her nose, a wonderful sign that she is returning to her old self. I shrug and down the vodka with a grin. I then snuggle onto her. "Feeling better?" Jess nods. "Much," she says in a mere whisper, but you can easily hear the satisfaction in her voice. She sighs and streches beneath me. It is one of those all too rare moments where we are not on guard and are fully relaxed. "Good," I grunt, reaching behind me for the quilt resting on the back of the couch. I spread it over us, ready to spend the night out here. I don't want to risk breaking the spell our love has woven by returning to our bed. Jess squirms a bit, trying to get out from under me. "Shouldn't we get back upstairs?" she asks, ever the practical one. "Do you really want to move?" I ask, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, any part of her face I can reach. I don't want to move. I want to stay here forever, holding her, and never to have to face Mulder, Cancerman, or myself in a mirror. "No," is the lazy reply. Jess shuts her eyes, wrapping her arms around me. "But we're just going to be embarrassed when Lindy comes downstairs to get ready for school." I kiss her ear. "I'm sure that by now, she's figured out what we're doing." I never thought I'd be playing a father figure to a kid. Jess had told when we started dating about Lindy, about how that kid was almost everything to her, expecting me to be scared off. I almost was, but I couldn't go back to being lonely. I had never really been around kids, but was determined to make the best of a 'bad situation.' I was wrong. Lindy, although at first shy and scared of me, and I are slowly becoming friends, and it isn't as hard as I thought it would be. What is harder than I thought would be is learning to live with Jess. She and I have dealt with things alone for so long, it is difficult for the both of us to work as a trusting team. "I just wish you had come to me instead of me having to figure out what you were doing," I whisper into her hair. Jess buries her forehead into my shoulder. "Alex, I didn't want to burden you," she whispers softly. I roll onto my back, taking her with me. "It wouldn't be a burden," I say softly, lifting her head so I can look into those sad brown eyes, thick bangs tumbling into them. I reach out and stroke her hair back from her forehead. "You've taken on so may of mine. I could do no less for you." I nuzzle her shoulder and neck. "I'm here for you, the way you've been for me." Jess snuggles closer against me. "Sorry," she whispers. "S'okay." I pull my arms a fraction tighter. Jess's breath slows and evens out, a sign that she isdrifting off to sleep. And I am not far behind. But despite my sleepiness, I can't help but wonder about the future. Maybe next year, we won't be celebrating this anniversary this way. Maybe next year we will have a child. Maybe next year, I won't be shadow dancing with Cancerman. Maybe next year, I will be alive. Even a murderous, traitorous werewolf can dream of a better life. And although my life with her is good, we will always have dread hanging over us. I want to give her everything she deserves. I want to banish the storm clouds that are on the horizion. "Alex," Jess whispers sleepily. "My diary." "I won't read it," I reassure her. As close as we are, Jess and I respect each other's privacy. "No," she whispers. "Read the entry it's open to. I want you to." "Later," I whisper into her hair. Jess doesn't say anything more and neither do I. I hold her for half an hour, listening and watching her drift off to sleep. When I am sure she is dreaming, I reach over and pick up the diary, careful not to lose the passage it is open to. And what I read surprises me. "Tonight I met a wonderful man," is scribbled on the page. "Alex is funny, sensitive, and the handsomest guy I've ever seen. No, handsome isn't right, but beautiful isn't masculine enough. I think he might want to see me again. I am so scared. I haven't dated for so long, and my heart is crying out to take a chance with him. But I know the moment he sees me naked he will turn away, repulsed by what Jake did to me. I only hope I can see him again, maybe steal a few more kisses, and content myself with all too few memories." I put the diary down, stunned. I had no idea she felt that way. I was always afraid she would find out who and what I truly was and despise me. Until we made love the first time, I half expected her to disappear out of my life. Even afterwards, I steeled myself for that possibility. And here she was having almost the same fears, but not daring to whisper a word. I look down at her resting beneath me. Jess is asleep, her mouth open and a thin line of drool running down her cheek. I grab her discarded sleep shirt and wipe her mouth. She mumbles a little and closes her mouth. I feel a wave of awed tenderness wash over me. She trusts me. Even knowing everything I've done, she trusts me. Asking her to marry me was the right thing to do, even if we never will be able to. With Cassandra, it was all wrong. I was too young at the time, and too lonely to see it, but Cassandra was a manipulative bitch. And sometimes I half wonder if she wasn't working for Cancerman and her mission to chip away at my self-esteem until I was open to the black lung bastard's influence. I yawn, tired of thinking. I pillow my head on Jess's chest, soothed by the steady thumping of her heart. It feels good to be in her arms, warm and soft and safe, something I am not used to feeling. And the feeling relaxes me, makes me drift towards sleep. And with the muzzy sensation comes the certain knowledge that Jess and I will be celebrating this aniversary, and other more happy ones, in the future. Okay, this one may seem to be a bit obvious as far as plot line. But you know that I was bound to write it sooner or later. And it was time to make Skinner suffer a little. And I freely admit that I was influenced by 'Leonard Betts,' 'Momento Mori,' 'Redux I,' and 'Redux II.' Loup Garou XIII - Changed "Whoever is bitten by a werewolf and lives becomes a werewolf himself." - Curt Siodmak "The Wolf Man" Universal/MCA 1941 It was a wet and wild night. The storm that had been predicted all morning had finally arrived with a vengeance. Rain poured in sheets down from a black sky. And despite it being a night not fit for man nor beast, they were out in the midst of it. Halted at a stoplight, Mulder glared into the back seat of his Ford Taurus. "If that filth doesn't come of my new Armani, consider yourself the owner of one very expensive rag. Not to mention the bill for cleaning the car. Why the hell did you have to shake *after* you got in?" The dirty black and white werewolf sprawled across the back seat wasn't impressed with Mulder's display of anger. He yawned, exposing ivory fangs, and lazily scratched behind an ear with his taloned right hind paw. Smacking his jaws, he sat up a bit, wincing as he put weight on his left fore leg. He batted at the power window controller with his paw. Once the window was down far enough, he slid his head out and drank in the air rushing by. Mulder looked back again. "Shouldn't you be hiding?" The lycanthrope snorted in irritation, but did pull his head back inside. The large wolf-like creature settled onto the back seat again, nosing at the blood soaked bandage on his left shoulder, whimpering a little in pain. When Mulder had realized his passenger was wounded, he had pulled over and bandaged the injury. "Yeah, I know it hurts. We'll be there in a few minutes, and then Dana can look you over." He drove the rest of the way in silence, except for the canine's panting. When he pulled up to the typical middle class home in the middle of McLean, Virginia. Mulder got out of the car and walked around to open the rear passenger door. The curtain inside of the front bay window was swept to one side briefly and then allowed to flutter back into place. The door opened and out stepped Skinner, ignoring the rain. "Where is he hurt?" "Left shoulder, bullet's still in him," Mulder replied. The werewolf wriggled forward, trying to get out of the car without jarring his shoulder. Skinner grabbed the loose skin on the nape of the canine's neck and lifted, helping him gain his hind legs. The canine tossed his right foreleg over Skinner's shoulder, licked the AD's cheek and let the older man guide him inside. Mulder followed, wondering how Skinner knew about the injury. When he called ahead, all he had said was that Krycek was hurt. The answer became clear when he saw Jess leaning against a wall, pale and trembling, resting a sleeping Amanda against her hip. Lindy, also pale, stood by Jess and held her hand. Both females rushed to the large creature and Skinner when they saw them. The werewolf lifted his drooping head a bit and licked first Lindy's and then Jess's cheek with a sloppy tongue. Scully stepped out of the kitchen from where she had been boiling water to sterilize her instruments. "Couch," she ordered. Skinner steered the lupine creature over to the couch and lowered him onto it. After passing Amanda to Mulder, Jess tossed a blanket over strategic parts of his lower half, a nod to human modesty. Scully was trying to part the shaggy fur to find the entry wound and not having much luck between the fur matted with mud and blood. Jess took Scully's wrists and lifted her hands away. "Give him a moment to Change," she said quietly. And Scully watched fascinated as the fur and muzzle and pointed ears melted away to reveal a human looking male. As many times as she had seen this, from both aliens, werewolves, and a loser human, she still had a hard time believing that this kind of shape shifting was possible. Instead of a large wolfen creature laying on the couch under a blanket, it was Alex Krycek. His normally pale skin had an ashen quality to it under the grime and pain pooled in his emerald eyes. Jess's voice reminded Scully of why she was here. "The bullet has to come out before he can heal properly." The next ten minutes were completely medical, and accompanied by several green looks, bit lips, and sympathetic winces from the adults. Lindy was fascinated and leaned over, eyes watching every detail. Eventually Scully extracted the bullet, which clanged loudly as it was tossed into the metallic bowl Lindy was holding. Krycek closed his eyes and slowed his breathing as both Jess and Scully wiped away the dried mud and blood and then bandaged the wound. Jess looked intently at him and then turned to everyone else. "Kitchen," she mouthed. Mulder, still holding Amanda, and Scully moved quietly towards the other room, noticing that both Jess and Skinner bent down to kiss Krycek's brow. Lindy brushed her hand against the one of Krycek's that rested on top of the blanket. Mulder reached out and took a hold of Scully's hand, oddly touched at the tenderness that was being expressed. "And I thought our relationship was complicated," he said with a disbelieving shake of his head. Scully nodded in agreement. She had seen many traditional families that had far less love in them than this one appeared to. "But somehow they make it work." Cancerman lit a cigarette and frowned at his typewriter. After neglecting his Jack Colquitt series because those editors butchered the ending to his only published story, he had decided to give it another go. Only this time he was determined to keep tighter control, just like in every other area of his life. But having finally decided to write again, he found himself stymied by writer's block. His hands were poised over the typewriter, awaiting the first glimmer of inspiration. Just as the tips of his fingers brushed the keys, the phone rang. He picked up the phone, irritated by the interruption, his real life infringing on his dream. There was only one reason he received phone calls. "Yes? When? Are you certain it was Mulder *and* Krycek?" He listened for a few more seconds. "No, I will see that countermeasures are put in place." He hung up the phone. Damn them! he thought. Agent Mulder obviously couldn't keep well enough alone and had to keep poking his nose into things that were best left undisclosed. And now it seemed that he had convinced Krycek to assist him. It was difficult to keep persuading certain associates that Agent Mulder's continued existence was essential to the Plan, as equally difficult to keep them convinced that allowing Krycek and Jess to live was equally essential. And this incident would make it even harder. Krycek, as a wolf, had broken into one of Their fronts used to store records and retrieved several files. And, despite being shot in the shoulder, the black and white werewolf had been seen quickly loping off to a car driven by Mulder. The data itself was worthless, a red herring to throw off track anyone trying to steal information. But the act itself was what had Cancerman worried. Obviously, Krycek was feeling bolder, and Mulder more trusting than Cancerman was comfortable with. But Cancerman was still annoyed by the distraction from his writing. Distraction, hmm, he thought. Perhaps that is what is needed right now.... Krycek shifted under the covers, barely awake. At some point, he had been shifted from the couch to their bed. He could smell familiar scents lovers, children, friends. That told him that he was at home and safe. The pain was gone from his shoulder, a blessed relief. He had panicked when the bullet ripped into his left shoulder, flashing back to the woods in Tunguska. But he still had his arm, and he was at home, safe for the moment. He heard the door open and then close. "And you accuse me of being a late sleeper," a female voice chided playfully. Jess, carrying Amanda on one hip, sat down on the bed, taking his left hand in hers. Krycek opened his eyes to look into Jess's. "Where is everybody?" "The office. Unlike us, they have to work for a living. Thank God for trust funds. Walter said he might be by later tonight." Jess stroked his fingers with hers. "I was so frightened last night, when I felt you get shot. I thought this was it for certain." "So did I." Krycek sat up. He reached over and cupped Jess's cheek with his hand. "Was it the information what Mulder wanted?" "No. It wasn't." Amanda burbled and reached towards Krycek. Jess passed her over when Krycek opened his arms. "Amanda was asleep, thank God, when you were shot. I don't think she knows what happened." "Good that she was asleep, bad that it wasn't the information." Amanda leaned over to grab onto Jess's shirt and tried to stand up. Managing to heft herself upright, she let go and balanced for a split second before falling back down. Krycek smiled. "You're going to be walking soon," he said, tickling his daughter. Amanda giggled. Jess also smiled. "Heaven help us when that happens. This little heck beast will make a wreck of the house." She leaned against Krycek and ruffled Amanda's hair. Krycek raised his eyebrows. "Heck beast?" "She's not old enough to be a full fledged hell beast" Jess said with a smile. "And purgatory beast is just too much of a mouthful." Krycek laughed. It felt good to be able to laugh, to have a semblance of a normal life. The illusion was becoming harder and harder to maintain, which made them cherish it even more. "And how's Lindy?" "Fascinated by the whole process of removing a bullet. Now she says she wants to be a doctor and not a marine biologist." Jess smiled, but there was still concern in her eyes. "She's worrying me, Alex. She's been so withdrawn lately." Krycek made a dismissive gesture. "It's normal teenage angst, Jess. She's balancing the urge to be a member of the pack against the urge to have nothing to do with her parents." Jess sighed and leaned her head back against the spindled headboard. "I guess you're right. And in about twelve years, we will be doing this again with you," she said, tickling Amanda. But neither of them said out loud the end of that thought. If we're all still alive. Two days after Krycek had been shot was the full moon. It was also the worst rainstorm of the fall. It wasn't quite cold enough to snow, but cold enough to be miserable. Skinner still couldn't believe that Krycek and Jess had conned him into babysitting Amanda while they went out. Well, conned isn't exactly the best word. They did ask. Mulder and Scully already had plans for the evening. And although he was ill at ease around the young ones, even Lindy who seemed more adult than Jess did sometimes, he agreed. It would give Jess and Krycek some time to pay attention to Lindy without having to be looking after her younger sister. And they had gone out, despite of the storm. When he questioned the wisdom of going out in the violent weather, they had made it clear to him - transforming with the full moon was not an option, it was a necessity for their sanity, especially after a stressful period. They had been out running in weather a lot worse with no problems, he had been reassured. Over the crash of thunder, Skinner heard a high pitched yowl come from upstairs. He climbed the stairs and went to Amanda's room, the source of the sound. Instead of the ten month old human baby, he saw a black and white puppy about twice the size of Lindy's cat Patches. Amanda looked at him with bright green eyes and tried to wag her white tipped tail, despite the diaper covering her rump. Skinner unfastened the perfectly dry diaper and lifted Amanda onto his shoulder. Amanda squirmed, turned and licked his left ear. Skinner jerked his head away to avoid the tickling tongue. "Stop that," he said with a slight laugh. Guessing she was awake because she was hungry, he carried the baby werewolf downstairs and into the kitchen. He found the bottle that Jess had left and warmed up the concoction of milk and well chewed meat. When he asked how they got the beef, chicken, and lamb so finely processed, Krycek made a wry comment about how wild wolves got meat ready for their cubs. It was more than enough for Skinner to get the picture. Amanda nursed avidly, sucking, chewing, and pawing at the rubber nipple. "You'd think they don't feed you," Skinner said, surprised at how fast the puppy drained the bottle. Letting go of the nipple, Amanda sprawled in his lap, still wagging her tail. Skinner stroked the puppy, who emitted a loud burp. "I bet you feel better now," he said. Skinner had an easier time dealing with the youngling as a canine than a human. It was mostly because he had grown up with a father who loved to breed hunting dogs, and affection towards them was the only softness he allowed his son. He heard a noise outside, the rattle of the locked door knob being turned. Are they back already? he thought. They only went out for an hour? He gently eased Amanda onto the cushion beside him. Amanda curled up, yawned, and closed her bright green eyes. When he got up and opened the front door, looking out into the wind and rain, Skinner thought he saw the tip of a black furry tail disappearing behind the porch. They are back, Skinner thought. "Jess? Alex? Lindy?" he called out. There was no answer. Above the patter of the falling drops, a rapid panting could be heard. It sounded like an animal that was in pain, or afraid. Skinner's first thought was that Patches had slipped out of the house and had been hurt somehow. Then he saw the paw prints in the mud in the next flash of lightening. They clearly belonged to a very large dog. Ignoring the rain and the low rumble of thunder, he followed the tracks into the back yard. He heard a quiet whine. "Hey, it's me," he said from the fence's gate. "What's wrong?" The whine grew in volume and desperation. The next flash of lightening revealed a crouching black *male* wolf-like animal. "Who are you?" Skinner demanded of the stranger. When the whimper changed to a snarl of fear, Skinner realized he had committed a grave error. He had cornered a frightened and possibly wounded creature, and it was obvious the canine now felt that the only way to escape was by attacking. Skinner slowly started backing away. But he wasn't moving fast enough for the male's tastes. In the next flash of lightening, he saw the male charge, talons spread and fangs bared. He could feel himself reeling from the impact and a knifing pain sear through his left shoulder as he fell to the muddy ground. There was a dim explosion of light behind his eyes as his head impacted with the ground, his glasses knocked into the darkness. He could feel the weight of the creature's forelegs planted against his chest, claws digging in and saliva dripping onto his exposed neck. Triple roars of outrage drowned out the next peal of thunder. Jess, Lindy, and Krycek had returned. Trying to keep from blacking out, Skinner felt more than saw the three leap and land around him, leaving only one direction for the stranger to run. The male snapped his jaws at Skinner and fled, leaping into the darkness. Krycek and Jess followed, leaving Lindy with Skinner. She half Changed, so she could speak and stand on two legs. "Arrrrre yoooou aaooooll rrrrright?" Lindy asked as she helped Skinner to his feet. "Left shoulder hurts like hell," Skinner said with a grimace of pain. He walked to the porch shakily, the young werewolf at his side every step of the way. Lindy let them in the house. She grabbed one of the three robes that had been left just inside the doorway and slipped it on, Changing back to a human as she did so. She guided Skinner to a chair, noting that Amanda was asleep on the couch. Skinner collapsed into it and promptly passed out. A quick mindprobe revealed to Lindy that the head wound was not serious, his unconsciousness was a reaction to the pain more than from the fall. She went to the bathroom and got a washcloth. After wetting it thoroughly, Lindy returned to Skinner, unbuttoned his shirt and started to wipe away the mud and blood from his left shoulder and chest. The claw marks were mere welts that didn't break the skin, but the shoulder looked worse. After the area was clean, she began a careful visual examination of it. She didn't like what she saw. Jess and Krycek finally returned and Changed to human. ~He got away,~ Krycek mindspoke, disgust coloring his mindvoice as they slipped into their robes. He picked up a corner of the terry cloth and began wiping Skinner's glasses, which he had found outside, clean. Jess also mindspoke as she slipped into her robe. ~I don't like the fact that a strange werewolf has been sniffing around here and we didn't notice it.~ ~We've got a worse problem, Jess,~ Lindy answered. ~I think Walter was bitten.~ Both Jess's and Krycek's jaws dropped. "Oh God," one of them whispered, too quietly to identify the voice. Jess and Krycek walked over to Skinner and examined the wound. There was a deep but lightly bleeding semi-circle of puncture wounds of varying sizes on both on his chest and back. Krycek looked at Jess and nodded. ~Bite wound,~ he said. Jess closed her eyes and bowed her head. They all knew what that meant. "I hope to God we're wrong," she whispered. The werewolf, now looking completely human, slid into the building silently as befitted a predator. I am dead. I am so dead, he thought. He had failed his Master. He had been given a chance to gain rank and prestige and access to sexual partners, and he had blown it. All he had to do was break into a house and retrieve a baby. It sounded so simple. The parents would be out. There was no security system to speak of. He would be in and out in a matter of minutes. Or so he had thought. He had been stupid enough to walk right up to the porch and try the door knob. He had almost lost control of his bladder and peed like a frightened pup when he heard a someone get up and walk towards the door. The werewolf had just enough time to duck back behind the porch and over the fence into the back yard. And then he really messed up. He hadn't meant to leave the human male alive. 'You accidentally bite a human, you kill the human.' That was the first rule They pounded into any werewolf's consciousness. He had intended to kill the hapless human, but then those other werewolves had shown up and he panicked. It had taken all his skill to lose the male and female tracking him. And he had a sneaking suspicion that the only reason he did elude them was ones who were trailing him were more concerned with the welfare of the human than hunting him down. Instead of going to the communal area where his pack mates would be lounging, or to his quarters, he went to the office where he knew he would be called sooner or later. And when he stood outside the oak double doors, he literally smelled trouble. Not one man, but three awaited him inside. He took a deep breath and raised his fist to the door. Even before the first knock sounded, he could hear his Master's command. "Enter." The werewolf opened the door and passed through it, his darting eyes betraying his fear. Oh shit! I am dead. For the two others in the room were his Master's superiors, the one who was forever smoking Morleys and the one with impeccably groomed nails that took such an interest in the pregnant bitch that was brought in from the Outside. The Master sat behind his desk, the implements of his authority sitting in plain sight on his desk. The heavy leather bull whip with it's jagged metal tip sat curled in one corner, alongside the revolver. He knew from watching other discipline sessions that the gun was loaded with silver bullets. "You were sent to retrieve an infant, but you have returned empty handed." The Master's voice cracked like the whip on his desk. "Explain." The werewolf drew a deep breath. "I have failed, Master." He went on to explain to the audience of three the events of the night. They sat there impassively staring, only their breathing betraying the fact that they were not statues. When the tale was over, the Master wanted to make one point clear. "You bit a human and did not kill him." The werewolf hung his head. "I bit a human, and did not kill him." The Master reached for the whip. "You know the penalty," he said dangerously. The werewolf cowered back, knowing what would come next. He prayed to what ever saint that watched over his kind that the punishment would be over quickly. Cancerman stepped forward, making a gesture to halt the Master. "Describe this human you bit," he said, giving the werewolf his full attention. The werewolf, still cringing, responded. "He was the same height as you. Almost completely bald, but what was left of his hair was brown. Brown eyes and also wore glasses." Cancerman considered the information. "Normally, your blunder would be dealt with swiftly and surely. But this error has assisted us. You are dismissed," he said, ignoring the Master's shocked look. The werewolf could not believe his ears. He had expected to get the thrashing of his life at minimum, and he was not even getting a verbal reaming. The werewolf backed out of the door, uttering his thanks and unworthiness and praising the benevolence of his human overlords. The doors eventually closed. The Master turned to Cancerman and Well Manicured Man. His position with the werewolves would be greatly undermined if it became common knowledge that he was as afraid of these people as most of the werewolves were of him. "Would you like another attempt made?" "No," Well Manicured Man said. "Assistant Director Skinner undergoing the Change should be more than enough to keep them distracted." Cancerman nodded his agreement and lit another cigarette. "What rank was that male?" "He is two levels above Omega Rank," the Master answered. "And he has no appreciable mind powers." Well Manicured Man, signaling Cancerman to precede him, prepared to leave. "Allow him access to a sterile female, or male if that's his persuasion, tonight, as an expression of how pleased we are about this unexpected development. And tomorrow have him killed as a reminder to the others that our orders must be carried out explicitly." Half way through the door, he turned back. "And make sure that no one under rank of Delta is ever sent to deal with my niece again," he added as an afterthought. When Skinner woke up, he was in bed and naked. How did I end up here? he thought looking around. After a moment of squinting, he recognized Jess and Krycek's bedroom. Skinner thought that the attack had been a dream, until he tried to sit up and put weight on his left shoulder. The pain made him collapse back onto the bed. Laying on the bed, Skinner heard the bedroom door open and the sound of bare feet walking towards him. He felt a hand gently take his. "Easy, Walter," Krycek said. He was wearing his robe and looked like he hadn't slept all night. There was a haunted look in his eyes. Skinner leaned all his weight on his right arm and sat up. "God, my left shoulder hurts." He looked outside, noting the still dark sky. "What happened?" There was no graceful or easy way to tell him. Krycek gently reached out and touched his wounded shoulder, looking at the scabs. The wound was deep enough to induce the Change, but not serious enough to be life threatening. "You were bitten," he said, deadly serious. It took a moment for the full meaning of the words to sink in. And the full implication would not sink in until much later. "Are you certain?" Skinner blinked. "We're sure it's a bite. We're not one hundred percent certain it was a werewolf, but we're pretty damn sure. Jess and Lindy are out trying to track him right now." Krycek paused for a moment. "You'll show little signs soon, but the night before the full moon is when the Change will really start taking hold." He gripped Skinner's hand tighter. "But we'll be here to help you." Skinner shut his eyes. He couldn't think of this right now. He was surprised that Krycek wasn't out hunting with Jess. "Why did Lindy go with Jess and not you?" "We talked about it," Krycek said with a sigh. "As much as we want to protect Lindy, it's time she started learning how serious things are. Jess thought this would be a good chance to help Lindy hone her hunting skills. That and the fact that I'm the best choice to talk to you right now." "Best choice?" That didn't make any sense to Skinner. "Lindy doesn't remember much about being human or newly Changed. Jess wasn't aware of what was happening to her at the time. But I knew what being bitten by Alpha Wolf meant. And They kept me under close observation and noted each new sign. One of the scientists made it a point to torture me by giving me daily progress updates on my progress." Krycek paused before continuing."And then I did go through it twice." Skinner nodded. He still was amazed at what the young man who sat before him had been willing to go through for love and forgiveness. For some reason, Skinner knew that Krycek would always be ashamed of all he had done out of ambition, and later survival instinct, and would forever be trying to atone. The first time he had become a werewolf, it had been forced on him, but he felt he deserved it as a punishment. The second time it was to try to save a life. And then there had been what he had been willing to endure that had led Skinner to become more intimately involved with Krycek and Jess. Krycek watched Skinner, wondering at his lover's silence. "Do you have any questions, Walter?" He looked into Krycek's beautiful grass green eyes and felt a familiar heat flood his system. "Alex, I do have one question at this moment. Does being bitten make you hornier than usual?" Part of Skinner's mind chided himself that he was using sex to avoid what just happened, but he was listening to the louder part that was demanding gratification. Krycek grinned wickedly. He leaned in close to Skinner's ear. "Extremely, Walter." He ran his fingers lightly over the top sheet covering Skinner's thigh, pulling it away from his body. "And what do you want to do about it?" Skinner reached forward and pulled Krycek onto his lap. "How about some mind blowing sex?" he asked as he unknotted Krycek's robe, his hands lingering and stroking the younger man's slim hips. Krycek laughed and shrugged the cloth off his back, revealing his naked body for Skinner's inspection. "I thought you'd want something else blown." He knew the sudden arousal was probably a subconscious reaction to avoid what had just happened. And Krycek really didn't want to face it at this moment either. Skinner chuckled. His laughter quickly turned to gasps of pleasure as Krycek leaned forward to suck a flat nipple into his mouth. He sank back against the pillows as Krycek teased the nipple to a tight peak using his lips and tongue and occasionally a gentle scrape with his teeth. Skinner moaned and grabbed Krycek's head, fingers brushing against the buzz cut that he seemed to favor lately. As his lover continued his explorations, it was hard for Skinner not to push Krycek's head to the hardness between his legs, or guide the hands stroking his neck to grab his ass. When they made love previously, Krycek had been the more passive partner, unless Jess was involved. And then he only actively seduced her body as Skinner explored his. So he endured this sweet torture, wanting Krycek to feel comfortable enough to be able to play and indulge himself. Maybe it was due to his persona at work, the ice cold, stone-faced, approach-me-not facade that was created in part by his Marine training and a desire to protect people he cared for from the forces he had no choice but to deal with, but Skinner was a deeply feeling man. Few people, lovers included, seemed to realize that sometimes he needed as badly to be made love to as to make love. Skinner's sounds made Krycek almost unbearably stiff. As Krycek licked his way to above Skinner's navel, he couldn't believe that Skinner was letting him have his way with his body. Cassandra, the woman he almost had married, had always wanted to be on the receiving end, but had specific demands about what acts he could and could not perform. Jess was very give and take, sensitive to moods and needs and willing to try almost anything at least once. His only other male lover, Bill, had always been in charge during their brief relationship, but had always been gentle. And, although he didn't actually count as a lover, there was his experience with Alpha Wolf.... He hadn't realized he had shivered until he felt Skinner's hands stroking his shoulders. Krycek looked up to see Skinner staring at him, concern filling his brown eyes. "Are you okay, Alex?" Krycek slid back up to look Skinner in the eyes. "I'm fine," he whispered, and kissed his lover's face. Skinner's hand cupped Krycek's cheek. "Then why are you crying?" Krycek swallowed as Skinner wiped away his tears, which he hadn't realized were falling. "With everything I've done, I don't feel like I deserve this," he whispered. Skinner wound his arms around his lover. "What makes you think I do? I did his dirty work too." That was part of why Skinner felt sympathetic towards Krycek and cared for him in a way that even Jess couldn't. They had both ended up playing roles and performing actions that they found distasteful at best. Skinner kissed Krycek's lips, softly at first and then hungrily as their libidos flamed again. Krycek wiggled out of Skinner's arms, rubbing his cock against the AD's flat stomach. Skinner gave an involuntary groan and arched his groin in offering as the younger man licked his belly, tongue darting in and out and around Skinner's navel. And Krycek was never one to say no to an offer, especially of a rock hard cock dripping precome. Lazily, he began to draw his tongue up and down Skinner's shaft, relishing the cries his lover was making. He then nibbled his way down to Skinner's balls, pausing to kiss the base of his sex. Nuzzling Skinner's balls, he began to lick every inch of flesh he could reach. As Krycek groomed Skinner's pelvic area, Skinner forced one of his legs between Krycek's. Krycek's response was to groan and lock his legs around Skinner's. He began thrusting against it as he took Skinner's large cock in his mouth, deep throating him. Wanting to drive the AD insane with desire, he hummed in time with his thrusts. Oh God! Skinner couldn't believe what was happening. Here he was with his rock hard cock shoved down the throat of a man who by all rights should be a hated enemy who was his lover and giving him an expertly executed blow job while humping his leg like a dog in heat. But thought became impossible as he felt his balls draw upwards. "Ughhhhhh...." Krycek's thrusts and swallows became faster as he felt Skinner's tension build. And then the AD was coming in his mouth a little sooner than expected. Krycek gagged slightly, not having been fully prepared for Skinner's explosion. But then he lost himself in sensation as he felt his seed spurt onto Skinner's leg. Once those sensations faded, Krycek let Skinner's cock ease from between his smiling lips and moved down to Skinner's thigh. With the care of a cat grooming a kitten, Krycek licked his come off the older man's leg, eliciting shivers of pleasure. After Skinner's thigh was completely clean, they both lay there, sated and exhausted. Skinner closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. "Jess is going to be pissed that we didn't wait for her," he said, eyes still closed. He sounded more satisfied than worried. "Mmmm hmmm." Krycek rolled off Skinner and slid back up to his head. "She'll just have to wait her turn," he muttered as he stretched languidly. He threw an arm over Skinner's chest and rested his head so it was covering his neck, but not restricting Skinner's airway. "Probably won't be back until dawn," he yawned. "We might as well catch some sleep until then. Good night, Walter." Krycek felt a soft kiss on the top of his head. "Night, Alex." Despite the approaching dawn, two wolves worked there way across the rain slicked city. The larger of the pair, a solid black female, looked forward to her companion. ~I can't find any sign of him.~ she mindspoke. ~Smell anything, Lindy?~ ~Nothing!~ the blonde werewolf snorted, still sniffing the ground. ~It's as if he just disappeared.~ Lindy then shook, sending rain droplets flying from her coat. Jess heaved a canine sigh and sat back on her haunches. ~He probably did one of two things - went into the sewers, or got into a waiting car. Either way, we can't smell where he went.~ Lindy raised her head and looked back at Jess. ~Which means this was planned.~ Jess nodded. ~I wonder what he wanted. It obviously wasn't to stop and chat.~ She pawed vainly at the ground, trying to raise any scent. Lindy looked to the east and bristled her damp fur. ~Almost dawn. Shouldn't we head back?~ ~Yeah, we should.~ Jess turned around, and looked skyward. ~At least the rain is stopping.~ Lindy trotted up to her and nuzzled Jess's face. The older werewolf returned the caress halfheartedly and then started home at a walk. Lindy followed for a few paces, and then sped up so she was shoulder to shoulder with Jess. ~What's wrong, Jess?~ ~I've been blind, Lindy.~ Jess stared straight ahead as she strode onwards. ~I should have foreseen this. The Consortium has been too quiet lately. They were bound to make a move.~ ~Jess, you can't plan for every contingency~ Lindy protested. ~And maybe it wasn't a werewolf that bit Walter.~ Jess paused, right forepaw in the air, and fixed Lindy with a steely glare. ~Do you really believe that Lindy?~ Lindy returned the stare and then dropped her head and shook it. ~No, Jess,~ she admitted. Jess nodded an agreement. ~Then it will be just the same as if it were my jaws that sliced into his shoulder.~ She stood up and headed off at a fast lope. Lindy stopped, watching the female she thought of as her mother, and shook her head. She feels responsible. But she's not. But she won't see things that way. The golden wolf then bolted after the ebony one, and followed her home. Skinner woke up first the next morning. Krycek still sprawled across and next to him in hedonistic unconsciousness, but Jess was no where to be seen. He tried to hold still, not wanting to disturb his lover. But despite himself, one hand crept up to Krycek's scalp to massage the buzz cut hair. Krycek snorted lightly and shifted. "Morning, Walter," he murmured, eyes closed, and nuzzled Skinner's chest. "Morning, Alex." Skinner kissed the top of Krycek's head, and looked around. "Jess isn't here." Krycek's eyelids pressed tighter together momentarily. "She and Lindy are downstairs," he eventually said. Krycek yawned and opened his eyes. Skinner nodded and rolled out of bed. Krycek found himself admiring Skinner's naked backside Last night's experience of sucking Skinner off made him wonder if he would be open to other suggestions and positions. Krycek shook his head. What am I thinking! This isn't the time. It would be tricky enough to propose renegotiating the relationship without the newly Changed situation interfering. Skinner, half dressed, looked back at Krycek. "You going to stay in bed all day, boy?" he asked. Krycek shot him a dirty look, but also got out of bed. Both men dressed quickly - Krycek in sweats and jeans, Skinner more professionally in the spare suit he had left there for emergencies. "You're not planning to go in today?" Krycek asked, incredulous. Skinner nodded, pausing in the middle of knotting his tie. "I don't want anyone to think anything is out of the ordinary." "Too late. It's almost nine." Krycek took one of Skinner's hands. "We have to talk about last night and figure out what we're going to do about it. Stay, please." The older man squeezed Krycek's hand. "Okay." Internally, Skinner was relieved that Krycek and by extension Jess and Lindy were offering their support. "So what do we do first?" "The first thing any werewolf does when faced with a crisis - eat." Krycek tugged Skinner downstairs and into the kitchen, where Jess and Lindy were waiting. Lindy sat at the table, looking tired. Jess was talking into the phone, and looked equally tired. After a few moments, she hung the receiver on the hook and turned to Lindy. "You're called in sick from school." Lindy nodded. "Morning Walter, Alex," she said, turning her attention to the men who just entered the kitchen. Jess stiffened and wouldn't turn around to look at Skinner. "This is my fault," she blurted out staring at the floor. "I should have expected something like this and protected you." Skinner walked over to her and put an arm around her. "I knew the risks when we first got involved, Jess. I don't blame you, Jess, or any of you," he said and took a deep breath. "So you didn't catch him so I can tear out his heart and eat it?" Jess, despite the situation snorted. "I knew watching 'An American Werewolf in Paris' was going to give you the wrong idea." Jess stepped back and looked up at his face. "How are you feeling?" "Okay." Skinner took a deep breath. "How soon can we be sure?" Jess looked at Krycek with a raised eyebrow. He thought for a moment. "We should be able to tell now," he said slowly. Jess nodded, regaining her composure now that she had something else to focus on. "Lindy, go get my necklace." Lindy slipped from the table. "I'll be right back," Jess said, following the girl out of the kitchen. Skinner turned to Krycek. "How are you going to do this?" "Simple, really," he replied. "A drop or two of blood and some silver are all that's needed." Lindy and Jess arrived at almost the same time, Lindy carrying the cross on its silver chain, Jess carrying a needle, rubbing alcohol and some cotton balls. "Are your ready for this, Walter?" she asked, sterilizing the needle with the alcohol. Skinner took a deep breath and nodded. Jess stood up and moved to his left shoulder. "This may sting a little, but not really hurt. There aren't that many nerves in the earlobe." Folding the lobe over, she rubbed a alcohol soaked cotton ball over the skin. Picking up the needle, she pricked the lobe quickly and efficiently, not piercing deeply. Skinner flinched a little. Milking the wound with her fingers, Jess held another cotton ball to the tiny puncture for a second. Swiftly, not giving the blood a chance to clot, she removed the wad of cotton and stroked it over the silver cross. Thin wisps of smoke rose from the metal, confirming their suspicions. Jess dropped down on the chair next to Skinner. Krycek put a hand on his shoulder, and asked the obvious question. "Do we tell Mulder and Scully?" "Not yet," Skinner said after a moment. He stared at the cross, not certain he believed what he had just seen. "I need time." And the last thing he wanted was Mulder taking watching and dissecting everything that would happen to him. Jess nodded, stunned by what she had also seen. "Whatever you want, Walter." Sitting on her bed, the teenager stared out her window at the sky, thinking. Lindy had been relieved that Jess had called her her school saying she was absent due to illness. She was feeling tired. And it wasn't just because she had been out tracking the stranger all night. Lindy had noticed over the last few weeks that her energy level was flagging. Jess had also noticed, assumed that it was linked to Lindy beginning to menstruate, and told her it was normal, and that her energy level would climb back up soon. But Lindy wasn't too sure. The tiredness was always with her, no matter how much sleep she got the night before, or where she was in her cycle. She had meant to bring it up again with Jess, and maybe ask Krycek about it. But now that Skinner had been bitten, Lindy felt that he needed the attention more than she did. After all, a little tiredness couldn't compare to the shock of being Changed. I'll just make sure I get to sleep earlier. Her only other problem was the nosebleeds she had late at night. When they started three months ago, it was only a drop or two of blood. Lindy ignored it and put the sheets in the laundry before Jess noticed. But lately, the bleeding was becoming heavier, more frequent, and harder to conceal. But she did not want to bother Jess, Krycek, or Skinner with it. They had enough to worry about for now. The knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts. "Can I come in?" came Jess's voice. "Sure," Lindy called. Jess opened the door and walked into the room. "How are you doing, sweetheart?" Lindy shrugged. "Okay." Jess tilted her head to one side as she sat on the bed. "I'm worried about you. I want to be sure that you're getting enough attention. I mean, with Alex, Amanda, and now Walter, I just feel like I've been neglecting you." Lindy scooted closer to her. "I don't feel neglected, Jess." She leaned against Jess's shoulder. "I just want some time to myself." And I'm too tired to keep up with you. Jess looked hard at her. Lindy was almost certain that Jess had seen through this half-truth when Jess put her arm around her. "I can understand that, Lindy," she said with a squeeze. Jess stood up. "But remember that I'm here for you if you need me." Lindy smiled. "I will." Jess smiled back and went out the door. Lindy then sank back on the bed. I should have told her. But I can't. Too much is happening too fast. Lindy also was trying to find a pattern, and she didn't like the one revealing itself. She bled the most a few hours after she Changed. She felt a warmth trickle onto her lips. She touched them and her fingers came away covered in blood. "Damn," she said, reaching for the Kleenex box. She had been a werewolf for almost as long as she could remember. And she would stay one. Even if it killed her. Mulder and Scully had finally come to a decision, and decided it was time to let everyone know about it. So they had taken a vacation day from the FBI. After telling their parents, they went to see Jess and Krycek. But, after Jess let them in, both looked surprised to find Skinner in the living room instead of at the office. "Sir?" Mulder asked. "What are you doing here?" Before Skinner could come up with a plausible excuse, Jess interrupted smoothly. "That's my fault. We asked him to babysit Amanda last night and forgot to set an alarm. So when we woke up at noon today, I exerted my evil influence and convinced him to play hooky." Mulder gave her a sharp look. The answer came a little too smoothly and sounded a little too pat. Jess returned his stare with an unblinking one of her own. Eventually, Jess looked away first, something she rarely did when confronted. His gaze shifted to Skinner, who wouldn't look at him. Now Mulder knew something was definitely wrong. He made a mental note for later to try to dig out of her what was happening. Scully also sensed that there was something being left unsaid, but she took Mulder's cue and did not probe. "Well, it's a good thing that you are all here. We can tell you all at once." "Tell us what?" Krycek came downstairs, carrying Amanda. Lindy followed close on his heels, rubbing her eyes. Mulder and Scully shared a look before Mulder answered. "We're engaged," he said taking hold of Scully's left hand. There were an assortment of congratulatory words and squeals. Jess bounced off the couch to give Mulder and Scully a hug. "When?" she asked. "Settle down, hell beast." Mulder gave Jess a friendly shove. "We haven't set a date yet. In fact, we're going to have a party to announce it to everyone." "We just felt that you should hear it first Jess, since you helped us to admit how we felt about each other." From the looks Krycek and Skinner gave Jess, it was obvious that she hadn't told them the story. "I'll explain later," she said to them, turning back to Mulder and Scully. "You haven't told your families yet?" Jess asked with raised eyebrows. Scully laughed. "Yes we have. My mother's response was, 'Well, it's about time.'" Krycek laughed at that. "And yours, Mulder?" Mulder shifted slightly. "She took it as well as could be expected." Jess nodded knowingly. She had met Mulder's family once, and it hadn't been a great success. Mrs. Mulder had made it clear to her that she felt whatever flesh and blood woman her son was currently dating would never be good enough for him. However past girlfriends, no matter how shabbily they treated Mulder, were the best things that had ever happened to him. Shying away from that subject, Mulder asked a question. "Why haven't you and Alex gotten married?" "Is that really any of your business?" Skinner snapped. Mulder and Scully shot him a look, startled by his response. Jess put a hand on his shoulder before replying. "Lots of things. The fact that we're afraid that the moment we fill out any legal paperwork, the police will be knocking down the door to drag Alex away." Scully responded to that statement. "We ran a police check, out of curiosity. His record has been wiped clean by someone." Krycek shook his head. "That doesn't really matter. The lower profile we maintain, the better it is for us." "Listen, this is great news," Skinner said. "But I have to be up early for a conference, so I'm going home." He stood up and walked to the door. "You sure you want to go home?" There was a concern in Jess's voice that made Scully think she was asking a totally different question. Skinner nodded and almost slammed the door as he walked through it. "What was that about?" Mulder asked. None of the werewolves would look him in the eye. "Nothing, Mulder," Krycek said, making Mulder certain that something was going on. Despite his fears and worries, Skinner returned to the Hoover Building the next day, passing off his absence as due to a 24 hour flu. He hoped to lose himself in the backlog of paperwork that waited him. He also hoped that a certain visitor would make an appearance. But at the same time he was dreading it. The door to his office opened without a preliminary knock. Skinner eyed Cancerman with outward calmness as the older man stepped into the room. Before it had been difficult to maintain a poker face when dealing with this man. Now, with Skinner's knowledge of what he was becoming and this man's probable role in his transformation, it was almost impossible. Cancerman began speaking without any formalities. "I warned you that it was possible to pick up rabies from your pets," he said placidly, reminding Skinner of a conversation that had taken place almost two years before. Skinner frowned, understanding the reference. "They are not responsible for what is happening." "But in a way they are." Cancerman paused to select a cigarette from his ever present pack of Morleys. "If you had let them be, none of this would be occurring." "Odd. I recall you being the one who ordered me to sleep with Krycek in the first place, and to gain their trust." "And you knew what was expected of you, and you failed to deliver the desired results. But we were talking of this situation," Cancerman said, sidestepping the issue. "There is a treatment, of course." "Of course," Skinner said. Lindy and Krycek had been through it once before. Both had chosen, for their own reasons, to become werewolves again. "But such treatments usually have a high price." "Of course, Mr. Skinner. And this one is no different." He removed a cigarette from his pack of Morleys. "The only question is if you will be willing to pay the it." "And exactly what is that price?" Cancerman made a big show of lighting his cigarette before answering. "You will take an early retirement from the FBI. And you will sever your ties with Agents Mulder and Scully, in addition to Mr. Krycek and his family." The old man turned to leave. "That seems a bit of a high of a price for something that isn't fatal," Skinner said to the retreating back. Cancerman turned and looked Skinner in the eyes. "Are you certain that it's not fatal, Assistant Director Skinner?" Before Skinner could respond, the doorway was empty. Skinner sat there for a moment, and then stood up, grabbing his coat. He wasn't certain where he was going, but he couldn't stay at the office any longer. Jess snorted in irritation when she heard the pounding on the door. Trying to do laundry, cook a roast, feed Amanda, who was having nothing to do with the strained carrots Jess had picked out, and coax her computer to download the latest graphic editing shareware had Jess reconsidering the whole idea of being domesticated. Krycek was no help since he was out at the library, trying to do some research on the ways to reverse the Change. And now, to add to her distractions, someone was not so patiently knocking on the door. "I'm coming," Jess yelled as she picked up Amanda and walked over to the door, trying to wipe the carrots off of both her and her baby. Mulder was grinning when she opened the door. "I haven't heard you scream that for a long time. And orange isn't your color." "Mulder." Jess lifted Amanda a little higher, bouncing the baby against her hip. Amanda leaned towards Mulder, reaching for his garishly bright silk tie. "Shouldn't you be at work?" she asked, holding the door open with her knee. "I'm taking an extra long lunch." Mulder ruffled Amanda's hair as he walked in. He had his suspicions and wanted some answers. With Jess, he tended to get the best results if he cut to the chase. "What's up with Skinner?" "What do you mean up?" Jess asked, feigning ignorance. Mulder sat down on the couch. "I know something's happened with him, Jess. Don't play innocent with me. He was uneasy about something when we visited yesterday, and he's been jumpy at work." He looked at her sharply. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" "No, I'm not. Sometimes I wish to God that I were, but that doesn't look likely in the near future." Jess put Amanda down in the playpen. "What's going on with Skinner is personal. He's asked us not to talk about it with you yet." Mulder arched an eyebrow. "So can you tell me what it's not about?" Jess pursed her lips a little. "It's not about you, it's not about Dana, and it's not about that supposed face on Mars. Aside from that, I'm not saying a word." "So it's about lycanthropy." Jess shook her head. "I didn't say that." "Then it's not about lycanthropy." Jess remained noncommittal. "I didn't say that either. I said that he didn't want us to discuss it with you." "And I expect you to honor my wishes, Agent Mulder." Both Jess and Mulder turned to see Skinner standing in the doorway. "This is between Jess, Alex and me." Mulder voiced his suspicion. "You've been bitten, haven't you sir?" He turned to Jess. "Was it an accident? Which one of you did it?" Jess blinked and took a step back, stunned by the idea that Mulder thought she or Krycek were capable of intentionally spreading the Change. "Do you really think I could do this to someone?" she had once asked him. The idea of deliberately inflicting lycanthropy on an unwilling human made her nauseous. Skinner walked over to Jess and put an arm around her. "Agent Mulder, you should go." The line was delivered with very little heat, more as a matter of fact. But Mulder wasn't certain if that meant he was correct or not. He shot an appealing look to Jess. "I'm only here to help." She gestured towards the door. "We've got to handle this our own way Mulder. If we need your help, we'll ask for it." Mulder nodded, realizing he would get no more information at this moment. But that didn't mean that he would stop investigating until he found out what really happened. He stepped through the doorway. "Just be careful, both of you." Jess and Skinner nodded but otherwise remained silent. Both watched as Mulder walked down the sidewalk to his car and drove away. Jess shook her head. "He's not going to be happy until he knows," she commented. Skinner nodded his agreement. "But I'm not ready for him to know." Skinner stood out on his balcony, staring at the almost full moon. It was one night before the full moon, and he couldn't get it out of his mind, or what was going to happen tomorrow evening. He had come home after barely managing to sit at his desk all day. He had chewed out three agents who didn't deserve it, and Mulder, who did deserve it. He then had informed Kim that he was taking two weeks of his accrued vacation time, effective immediately. Once in his apartment, he thought about making dinner, but wasn't hungry. He tried watching television, but he couldn't settle on one channel. He tried calling Krycek and Jess, but only their answering machine picked up the phone. He thought about going to bed, but it was only 8:30 PM. Restless, he had wandered out to the balcony and was entranced by the sight of the moon. It had been almost one month since he was bitten. It was easy to forget about the attack and lose himself in his work during the light of day. But his sleep was stalked by the beasts of nightmares. Jess and Krycek had stood by him, being there when he needed to talk but otherwise keeping their distance. Skinner tried to reassure the pair that he didn't blame them for what had befallen him. But as the night came closer, it was becoming harder not to think about the Change and wonder and dread what would happen. And the dream didn't help either. It was always the same. He was running down a twisting hallway, being stalked by a werewolf from his worst nightmare. No matter how fast he moved, the foaming, snapping jaws were not far behind. Every turn he thought would lead to freedom and safety. But they only lead to entrapment and death. And the werewolf was herding him ever faster towards that final destination. He was not alone in the maze. He passed Mulder and Scully trapped behind a glass wall. Jess and Krycek were around the next corner, chained and muzzled on the floor, bellies exposed. And by the exit stood Sharon, handcuffed to the wall. Somehow Skinner knew that if he tried to leave this trap, the werewolf would turn its rage onto the other helpless occupants. Not wanting that to happen, he led the creature deeper into the labyrinth. One final turn left him in a cul-de-sac, the beast blocking his only exit. The creature had him backed into a corner. There was no where for him to run. For a split second, he wondered why the old woman, who had saved him many times and in many was before, was allowing this to happen. He watched in fascinated horror as the muscles contracted beneath the pelt. The werewolf sprang for his throat and.... Then he would wake up in a cold sweat, screaming bloody murder. If he were alone, he would turn on the lights and wait until dawn and then go to work. If he were with Jess or Krycek, they would wake up and try to comfort him with whispered reassurances or sweetly offered gentle sex. Either way, Skinner would not allow himself to fall back asleep and start the cycle of nightmares again. They did discuss possible cures. Krycek's research did turn up some interesting theories. Skinner had been mildly amused at the mysticism surrounding the ways to reverse lycanthropy. They ranged from as simple as addressing the werewolf by his Christian name three times to as radical as lopping off the werewolf's penis. "I don't think so," Jess commented after reading aloud that particular remedy. It appeared that, aside from going to the Consortium and begging for treatment to reverse the Change, there was nothing to be done. And it was the waiting that was killing him. He was used to being in a position where he could do something to alter the outcome. This time he was denied of that recourse, and constantly reminded of it. Cancerman stopped by daily to make veiled taunts. Mulder stopped by daily trying to figure out if Skinner had been Changed or not. Scully was curious, but keeping her distance, assuming something personal was troubling him. Jess, Krycek, and Lindy tried to act normally around him, but he had caught them watching him, waiting for signs of his altered state. Skinner was jerked out of his thoughts when he heard his front door open, keying his edgy instincts further. He cursed himself for the fact that he had left his gun in the bedroom, but then realized that a potential assassin wouldn't be letting himself inside with a set of keys. That, and on the light breeze, he could just detect the smell of perfume, something earthy, exotic, and unmistakably female. He turned to see Jess standing there, wearing a trench coat, one that had been Krycek's while working for the FBI. It was too long for her and the excess fabric draped over her feet, hiding her shoes, reminding Skinner of a young girl playing dress up in her daddy's coat. She was looking at him, gentle concern on her face. "Alex and I thought you shouldn't spend tonight alone." Jess kept her distance, a little uncertain. "Unless you want to be alone." Skinner reached an arm out to her. Jess walked towards him, the coat trailing behind her. "So why isn't Alex here, too?" he asked at he put an arm around her waist. He pulled Jess so she was between him and the railing of the balcony. Only half conscious of what he was doing, he began molding his body against hers. "Someone has to stay with the kids," Jess said simply, leaning back against him. "This time, I won the coin toss," she added with an impish smile. "Really, how are you doing?" Jess's gentle probing rubbed him the wrong way. Skinner stiffened. "I'm fine," he said brusquely. "Except for the irritability, nightmare induced insomnia, no attention span, and loss of appetite," Jess said with a slight sigh. "You don't have to hide it, Walter. I won't think any less of you. We go through this every time the full moon nears. Think of it as a severe case of PMS." Skinner shook his head. He was so used to being in control of his emotions, that this edginess and irritation was frightening and alien to him. "How do you deal with this?" he whispered in her ear. Jess stared up at the moon. "You get used to it," she said slowly. "And the longer you're a werewolf, the less severe it gets." She turned around to face him, a seductive grin on her face. "But it also helps if you exhaust yourself with certain... distractions." The last words were said as she fluttered her eyelashes, ones that were almost as as long, thick, and dark as Krycek's. Skinner could feel his breath catch in his throat, and the blood begin to pool between his legs. His hormones were as out of control as his emotions. "And what kind of distractions would that be?" Jess stretched up and teased Skinner with feather light kisses on his jaw and chin. "Take off the coat and find out." Skinner ran his hands up and down her arms and shoulders. His palms trailed down to the buttons and he undid them slowly, teasing himself as much as her. And his eyes widened as the coat slipped off. Jess's smile grew broader. "You'd be amazed what you can buy off the internet these days." Skinner eyed the black baby doll, matching lace panties, and high heels appreciatively. "I, obviously, am hitting all the wrong sites." Jess nodded and shivered, goose bumps breaking out over her fair skin. "Cold?" Skinner asked. Jess nodded again. "Well, let's get you warmed up," he said, bowing his head towards hers. She met him half way with parted lips. Skinner clamped his arms around her, pulling her tight against his body. Jess responded by lifting her legs and wrapping them around Skinner's waist. Skinner turned carried Jess back inside. Jess's lips moved from Skinner's to his ear. "Let me down." Skinner loosened his grip and Jess slid her legs down his, causing Skinner to tremble. He could not remember being so aware of a woman's looks, a woman's scent, a woman touch. The closest he could compare to was when he lost his virginity to his girlfriend at age fifteen. Jess, sensing that Skinner was too caught up in his reactions to make any conscious decisions, grabbed his hand and guided him upstairs. She could vaguely remember the yearnings that were coursing through her body the night before she first Changed. But at that time, she had rationalized it, mentally convincing herself that her heightened senses were do to the fact that she had just met and wanted to get laid badly by someone who was to become a dear friend, Fox Mulder. But then Krycek and Lindy had told her of going through the same thing when they were Changed. Lindy's memories were hazy and tinged with a undeserved shame. Krycek had also felt the same yearnings but was also thankful that Alpha Wolf had been out on an assignment and was no where near him that night. When they reached the bedroom, Skinner regained some of his ability to move independently. He took a hold of either side of the neckline and pulled outward, rending the garment in two. With a feral smile Jess responded by unbuttoning his shirt and running her hands down his chest to unzip his fly. She then kicked off her heels and climbed onto the center of the bed, presenting her ass to Skinner. She knew from the moment that she had decided to come over that the sex was going to be rougher than usual. However, she felt confident that she could keep the situation in hand, and it wouldn't turn out like one of her nights with Jake. Following her onto the bed, Skinner molded himself to her back, growling. He rubbed his open mouth over her neck, tongue and teeth gliding over her skin. Jess tilted her head back and let out a purr that was almost a growl. Skinner ran his hands up her abdomen to her breasts. Barely aware of what he was doing, he closed his mouth, pinching the tender flesh below her jaw between his teeth. Jess let out a hair raising shriek and bucked ferociously, sharply elbowing Skinner in the side at the same time. Skinner found himself tossed to the far end of the bed, surprised that the small body that had been beneath him was so strong. Panting, and a bit dazed by her sudden violence, he watched Jess crouching by the pillows, her eyes narrowed. She raised a hand to the red mark on her neck. "No biting," she hissed. Skinner's eyes narrowed, calculating whether he could throw her down to the bed and mount her before she could retaliate. Jess also was plotting, trying to figure out how to slow him down if he tried to bite her again. She could handle anything but that, especially if the biting moved to her chest. They stayed there for several long moments, breathing heavily and watching each other. Their stare down was interrupted by a knock on the door. Both Jess and Skinner looked away at the same time. Skinner backed off the bed while Jess remained crouched by the pillows. Silently, he zipped himself up and and walked down stairs to the front door. Get rid of whoever's at the door and then get back upstairs, he mentally growled. He opened the door and was surprised at who stood there. "Come in," he said, pulling the door wider. His ex-wife entered the apartment with a neutral, almost friendly expression on her face. Sharon appeared on the verge of saying something when she noticed something behind Skinner. He half turned to see what she was gazing at. Jess's coat, puddled on the floor where he had tossed it a few minutes before, and her purse resting on the couch. When he returned his gaze to her, the expression she now wore was anything but friendly. "Well, I see you haven't wasted any time," she said rather tartly. Skinner squared his shoulders slightly as a defensive look crossed his face. "I didn't realize who I keep company with is any of your concern." "It's funny you should say that, Walter. Especially with who you kept company with before our divorce." That stung, but he tried not to let it show. "So why are you here, Sharon?" he asked, trying to remain civil. "I need this paperwork on turning over the insurance for the house signed. I hear you're renting it now." "Yes" he said a little sharply. Skinner did not want to discuss the rental agreement with Sharon. "Why did you stop by without calling first?" "I did. You were probably so wrapped up in your work, you didn't notice, or just forgot, just like when we were married." Sharon handed him the paperwork and a pen. Skinner scribbled his name by the x and handed the paperwork back to Sharon without saying a word. "I won't keep you from your entertainment any longer," she said cattily and let herself out the door. Skinner leaned his head against the door. Damn! Why does it still hurt so much? After They had attempted to kill her, he and Sharon had tried to reconcile. Skinner had made the effort, but Sharon's attempt had been half hearted, making it clear what she wanted. And even though it tore him apart to do so, he signed the divorce papers. He turned toward the stairwell, only to find Jess standing at the top of it, wearing the shirt he had been earlier. "You heard?" he asked as he climbed the stairs. Jess nodded. "Everything." She paused and took a small step backwards. "Do you want me to leave?" She looked at himwith wide brown eyes, seeming small and fragile. Skinner shook his head and put an arm around her shoulders. "No." The stare down with Jess and the verbal dueling with Sharon had channeled the pressures building within his psyche outward, leaving him feel drained. The last thing he wanted was to be alone with his thoughts and memories. But Skinner also doubted he could get it back up to satisfy Jess. Jess also put an arm around his waist as they started walking. "We don't have to pick up where we left off," she said, as if sensing his emotional turmoil and tiredness. "In fact, it might be better if we don't." Skinner brushed his lips against the crown of her head as they crossed the threshold of the bedroom. "You're too good to me, you know that? No other woman I know would put up with this situation." "You and Sharon, your dueling with Cancerman, or sleeping with me and my life mate?" Jess said lightly, an attempt to lift the dark mood. She lay down on the bed, facing the center. Skinner shoved off his slacks and flopped down on the bed. "The whole damn thing, Jess." He pushed at her shoulder until she rolled onto her other side. Skinner then spooned into her back and draped an arm over her waist. "By the way," Skinner mumbled into her hair. "I noticed your perfume when you walked in. It's nice." "Um, thanks," Jess muttered. She closed her eyes and was almost asleep when a thought crossed her mind. I'm not wearing perfume. She rarely did since it interfered with her sense of smell. Trying not to disturb him, Jess turned over and looked down at Skinner. He was asleep, the emotional roller coaster having exhausted him. Many of the lines of worry had smoothed out, making him look younger. His sense of smell has sharpened. Jess, even after seeing the smoke raise from the cross, had tried to discredit what she had seen. There is no way to deny it, girl. He's one of us. When Skinner woke up at dawn, Jess was still asleep. She had wriggled onto her other side, her head now facing him. For a moment, he was caught up in a panicky sense of deja vu, thinking of when he had been framed for murder. But at that moment, Jess made a noise in her sleep and curled tighter in on herself. Skinner reached out and stroked Jess's arm. At least I didn't have another nightmare last night. He gave a sigh of relief and closed his eyes. He could still remember clearly the terror of waking up next to the corpse. But what had really unsettled him was his own self doubt. Skinner had half believed that he did it at the time in the midst of a nightmare, or that the old woman had somehow done it. Either way, he was certain he was guilty. But since he had signed the divorce papers, he had not seen the old woman, not even when he had started sleeping with both Krycek and Jess. He wasn't sure if that meant she approved of his current relationship or not. Jess and Krycek's attitude towards her possible interference was surprisingly blase, probably due to the fact that they already were used to interference by a guardian spirit, Jess's deceased sister Rachel. A hand entrapping his fingers brought him back to the present. He opened his eyes to look into Jess's smiling face. Leaning forward, she brushed his lips with a gossamer light kiss. "Feeling better?" "Some," Skinner answered. He bent low over her to kiss her cheek, but paused when he saw the bright purple bruise behind her left ear, visible in even the half light. "I'm sorry about...." he trailed off, stroking gently around the swollen flesh. "It's okay," Jess said, giving his fingers a squeeze. "You weren't yourself last night." "That's no excuse," he whispered in her ear. He reddened in shame as he thought about the night before. "Christ, if we hadn't been interrupted, I was practically going to rape you." She bolted upright, outraged by what he believed. "Don't you *ever* think that, Walter!" Jess hissed, brow furrowed. She reached out and touched his cheek, her expression softening. "I know what rape is, and if last night had continued the way it had been going, it may have been rougher than usual, but it wouldn't have been rape." She leaned forward and kissed him. "I wouldn't be here if I thought it was." Skinner sighed as Jess nuzzled his jaw and neck. "So why was I such an asshole last night?" Jess sat up on one elbow. "Because it was night. That's when the Change's influence is the strongest. It won't be like this every month. Stress levels also affect it. And believe me, we definitely have stress." She tossed one of her legs over his and pulling his body closer to hers. "So why are you awake so early?" "Habit." Before becoming involved with Jess and Krycek, and way before he was divorced, Skinner had made it his routine to wake up early, get dressed and go to work. Often he had been the first to arrive and the last to leave his department. And even afterward, it wasn't uncommon for Jess or Krycek to wake up and find Skinner long gone. "Well, try to go back to sleep" Jess counseled. "You're gonna need the rest for tonight. Trust me." She lay back down and shut her eyes, conversation over as far as she was concerned. Skinner shook her head. Jess was not an early morning person in the least, but he rarely was alone with her. He had a question that he wanted an answer to, and he needed her opinion before broaching this subject with Krycek. Now seemed the perfect time to ask her. "Jess?" "Yes, Walter?" she muttered, sounding like a half asleep mother indulging her two-year-old's endless curiosity. "Do you think Alex would fuck me?" Jess didn't even bother to open her eyes, certain she had misheard him. "I thought he already was. Don't tell me this whole relationship is just one giant hallucination I've been having." "No. You and Alex have fucked each other. You and I have fucked each other. I've only fucked him." "Oh. I get it. You want to know if he'd top you. I think so." Jess opened her eyes. "What brought that out?" "I don't know." Skinner took a deep breath. "I've been wanting it for a while, but never knew exactly how to ask. And I never really thought about it until you shoved your finger up my ass. None of my lovers had done anything like that before and it felt... good." Jess nodded. Skinner had such a dominating presence, most people would automatically submit, not considering the fact that he probably needed to be submissive sometimes. Hell, I'm guilty of it myself. The only time she had topped him was their first time together. "Talk to him. I'm sure he'd be willing to give it a try. Or do you want me to bring it up with him?" When Skinner nodded, Jess smiled and kissed his lips. "Consider it done." She stroked her hands down his sides. "I really did bruise you," she said when Skinner winced under her gentle touch. "I'm sorry." Skinner didn't respond except to pull her down to his chest and stroke her hair. Jess reached up to dig her fingers into a set of tight shoulder muscles, trying to relax him. "Walter, can I ask you a question?" "Go ahead." Jess rose up on one arm to look into his eyes, her expression puzzled. "Why are you so eager to have sex with me when Alex is in bed with us or near by, but not when it's just the two of us? And before you ask, last night doesn't count." There had been several times when Jess and he had been alone together while Krycek was out assisting Mulder. And although Jess appeared willing, somehow sleeping with her then didn't feel right without Krycek being present. He shifted uneasily. "I feel that you belong to Alex." "And you belong Alex. And to me. Just as Alex belongs to you, and I do." Jess lay down beside him. "We wanted you to feel you're an equal partner in this relationship, Walter. I'm sorry if it hasn't worked out that way." Skinner reached out and placed his palm on her arm. "It's more my fault than yours." Jess had done everything she could to make him feel comfortable around her. And he had held back, unconsciously feeling as if he were betraying Sharon again. But,oddly enough, he did not have the same problem when Krycek suggested sex. "And since we're playing twenty questions, it's my turn. Are you going to Agents Mulder and Scully's engagement party?" "Yes," Jess raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me on a date?" Skinner raised an eyebrow back at her. "Are you refusing?" "No," Jess said with a giggle. I"t just seems a little silly, since we're already sleeping together." "Tradition has it that the Assistant Directors and above are supposed to show up to any function with an escort." Jess shot him a mischievous smile. "Then ask Alex." Skinner sounded amused, but exasperated. "Jess...." "Of course I'll go with you," she said. "But what's the story? I mean, I'm sure that some people are going to recognize me from the Farnsworth case, and they know I was hooked up with Alex." Skinner thought a moment. "You and I were acquaintances before you met Alex. You're doing this as a platonic favor to me." "Pitying the newly divorced? Sounds good," Jess smiled. "Are you sure you want to say platonic? That means you have to keep your hands off me all night." "Believe it or not, I am capable of self-restraint. I just choose not to exercise it most of the time I'm around you and Alex." Jess looked him up and down, amused by his proclamation. "You seem pretty restrained right now." Skinner shook his head. "No I'm not." He slowly unbuttoned the shirt and eased the fabric aside, tickling Jess's ribs. Ridding himself of his briefs, he rolled on top of the woman beside him. Skinner sat up so he could look see her. She's so small. With the image she projected, Jess always seemed taller than her five foot four inch frame. His eyes rested on her scarred breasts. And she's so perfect, he thought. Far from being unarousing, the blemishes reminded him what a sacred gift Jess was giving him, her body and her trust. A fingertip lazily traced one of the longer scars from navel to nipple. Skinner looked at her face when he felt Jess shudder beneath him. Far from the relaxed arousal of a moment ago, her eyes were tightly shut, lower lip caught between teeth. He felt a wave of self-reproach flood him. Of course she doesn't like to be reminded of them, you idiot. Skinner tenderly gathered her stiff but unprotesting body close to his. "I know Farnsworth was rough with you," he whispered in a velvet soft voice. "What did he do to you? Bite, beat, slap you if you tried to pleasure him? Pummel you within an inch of your life and then make you come hard without your consent? Take you to the edge and make you suck him off and leave you begging?" Now Jess was quaking beneath him, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Don't make me relive it," she rasped out, moisture leaking from behind closed lids. Jess jumped when she felt a soft tongue licking away her tears. Skinner's voice was filled with a tenderness she had heard from so few men in her life. "I need to know so I don't ever remind you of him." Jess opened her eyes to find herself staring into Skinner's. His head hovered over hers, lips centimeters away from brushing hers. She could see the dull ache of need in his eyes, mingled with a stronger desire not to hurt her. "Walter, you could never remind me of him." Moving swiftly, she slid one hand around his waist, one around the back of his head and pulled him to her body, sealing her lips to his. But he heard the false courage in her voice that thinly masked the pain and fear. "Brave little liar," he whispered, stroking her hair. "You may fool Alex talking like that, but you don't fool me." Skinner moved to kiss her neck, smoothing his hands over her breasts. Moving slowly, he then trailed his tongue along each scar, reverently worshiping her body. Jess arched up beneath him. "Takes one to know one, Walter," she said regaining some of her composure. She reached down and tweaked his nipples as his hands went to her waist. She started to lift her hips, rubbing her pubic hair against his leaking cock. "Easy, girl," Skinner gasped when he felt himself surge. Her soft hair gliding over sensitized skin was making him lose control. "Or this'll be over before before we want it to be." "Are you sure about that?" Jess asked. Her hand wandered down to position the head of his cock just inside her moist entrance. "Are sure you don't need it... hard?" Jess squeezed her muscles, making Skinner groan as his cock slipped further inside when she relaxed. "Fast?" Another contraction had Skinner grasping the sheets on either side of her head. "Furious?" She gripped his full length with the last contraction. Giving up any pretense of control, Skinner rose up on his knees, jerked her ass closer to his groin and began to pound into her. He could feel his orgasm swelling from the base of his spine quickly, despite his mental attempts to stave it off. Spreading the lips of her sex wide, he thumbed her clitoris, determined to give her as good as he got, even if she got it after he did. He's not going to last long enough for me to come, Jess thought, disappointed. She was close to orgasm, but needed prolonged stimulation. But still, she parried his thrusts, determined to enjoy their closeness, even if she didn't come. Jess began tossing her head back and forth as Skinner felt his orgasm flood himself as he emptied into her. Withdrawing swiftly, he grinned as he heard her breathless curse when he stopped thumbing her and her equally breathless scream when he began tonguing her. Jess arched her hips off the bed, legs stiff, and Skinner licked her into her orgasm. Still smiling, he kept his hands on her hips as her legs relaxed. Jess tugged his head back up to hers and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her close and settling her against him. Feeling a wetness seeping through his chest hair, Skinner looked down to find Jess silently crying. "Hey, I thought you were supposed to be comforting me." "Sorry," Jess said, wiping away a tear. "I wasn't expecting you to be concerned about my pleasure. No, because of Jake, not because of the Change." She reached up and kissed him reverently with closed lips. "Thank you." She then nestled back down on him. Skinner stroked her bare back. Dare I tell her how I really feel about them? He had told them that he was developing strong feelings for them, but in the last month, Skinner had been surprised to find how deep they were, deeper than he had ever felt for Sharon. Not yet. I don't think any of us can handle it. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against Jess's head. From her breathing, Skinner could tell that she had already fallen asleep. And before he knew it, the alarm was going off two hours later. After their breakfast, Jess had brought the reluctant AD back home with her, to keep an eye on him. She had never observed a human about to undergo the Change for the first time, and she wanted to see if his experiences paralleled hers. They had spent most of the day under a thin veneer of normalcy. Krycek spent the day in an armchair, working on some project on Jess's laptop. Skinner, sitting on one end of the couch, buried his nose the New York Times and the Washington Post. Jess, back flat against the seat cushions, legs tossed over the armrest, was reading a novel, and keeping an eye on Amanda who was playing on the carpet. And Lindy also sat on the floor, working on her math homework. Jess swung her legs onto the floor almost at the same moment Krycek looked up from the computer and Lindy's brow furrowed. The trio made a face. Skinner was about to ask what was wrong, when he smelled it. "I think someone needs to be changed, and I don't mean become a werewolf." Jess stood up and picked up Amanda. As she passed by the chair Krycek was in, he put the computer in sleep mode and followed her upstairs. Lindy picked up her papers and went into the kitchen, leaving Skinner alone. Jess's voice floated through the air. "Alex, I wonder if we're doing the right thing with Walter." Skinner looked around, trying to locate the voices as Krycek's answered. "Jess, there's not much we can do if he was bitten, except ease the transformation." The voices were coming from somewhere to his left. There was the rustling of cloth. Again he heard Jess. "That's not what I'm talking about. Last night, Sharon stopped by." "His ex-wife?" Krycek asked. At this point, Skinner realized what was happening. The baby monitor in Amanda's room was turned on. Jess had brought the base into the living room and turned it on earlier when Amanda was napping, although the werewolves didn't really need it to hear the child's cry. Skinner privately thought it was just so they be reassured that Amanda was alive and with them by hearing her breathing. "Yeah, and they had a sniping match. She won." Jess sighed and paused before continuing. "I think he still cares deeply about her, and that we are just a distraction." "You don't mean he's using us for sex?" There was the sound of tape being ripped off plastic. "No, he does care for us strongly. But he's got a lot of unresolved emotions towards Sharon. And I get a feeling he's using us to avoid dealing with them." "I've had the same suspicion for a while, Jess. I was hoping he'd discuss them with us. But I don't think he's that kind of man." "He's learned not to share, to protect by keeping it all to himself. That's how he survived watching so many of his friends die in Vietnam, and deal with Cancerman. That's what drove him and Sharon apart. And with the added stress of the Change, I'm afraid for him." Krycek's voice sounded worried. "You think his mind might snap?" "I don't know." There was a silence in the room. "Jess, what's this mark on your neck?" "Oh, that?" Jess hedged. "Um... Walter got a little too excited last night and..." Krycek's voice raised in outrage. "He *bit* you?" "He didn't mean to. And check out the bruise on his ribs from where I elbowed him off. And we had a heart to heart about it, and some other things." Another pause. "There is something he would like to know." "What?" Jess paused before answering. "He wants to know if you'd top him." Krycek gave a little laugh. "I was thinking about asking him the same thing. Um, Jess?" "Yes?" "Do you love him?" Jess must have nodded or shook her head, because there was no verbal response. "I feel the same way," Krycek said softly. At that point Skinner turned off the monitor. He was afraid of what their feelings were. At first he had told himself that their relationship was simply sex, and that was that. His feelings were becoming harder to deny. He had fallen for both Krycek and Jess, and fallen hard. But when they came downstairs, Skinner gave no hint of what he had overheard, afraid of the answer, but desperately wanting to know. The question preyed on his mind all afternoon and into the early evening. Eventually, they moved upstairs and started to prepare. All that really needed to be done was for them to undress. Lindy, understandably, opted to do so separately from the adult males, and Jess went with her. Krycek gave Skinner a hug from behind. "Jess told me about yesterday." Skinner sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite her." "She talked about that, but she also mentioned something else." Moving to the bathroom, Krycek began putting their clothes in the hamper. Skinner looked over a shoulder, playing the innocent. "What did she say?" Krycek turned to face him. "That you were interested in being a bottom." There. It was out. And the ball had landed squarely in Skinner's court. "Yeah, Alex. I am." Serve returned. "I've never topped a guy before, Walter. But I'm willing to try. But tonight isn't the right time." A naked Jess stepped into the room, resting Amanda on one hip. "The moon is about to clear the horizon," she said, looking out the window. "Do you feel anything yet, Walter?" she asked as she put the baby down on the bed. Skinner shook his head, annoyed by an insistent itch. And then he felt a strange, yet familiar weight on his skull. He reached up, only to feel a mane of hair growing on his scalp. Then he became aware that hair was not only growing on his head, but everywhere, itching and covering every inch of skin. And as he brought his hand down from his head, he noticed the small but quickly growing talons on his fingertips. Then the pain hit like a sucker punch to the stomach. Skinner would have screamed from the agony, except all the breath had been knocked out of his lungs. He could feel his bones and muscles being twisted into forms that normal humans could never achieve. He dropped to his knees and slid onto his stomach, face contorting in agony. There seemed a lot more face for him to grimace with. And then the pain was gone, just like someone turned a switch off. He lay panting on the floor, trying to catch his breath. At some point, Lindy had come into the room. He could see her, Jess, and Krycek staring at him, clearly worried. But what was occupying his mind at the moment was that he could *smell* them staring at him clearly worried. Then he also realized, with considerable consternation, that they were Changed. Jess stepped forward, and delicately licked his cheek. ~Walter, can you hear me?~ she asked as she nuzzled him. The mindvoice was easily recognizable as Jess's. Skinner sat up in shock, and then jumped to his feet when his tail unexpectedly curled reflexively around his legs. Skinner let out a deep woof of surprise, and then startled at the sound. Krycek and Jess exchanged uneasy glances. Neither of them could read Skinner's expression or body language. The only thing they were certain of was that Skinner was in shock. Krycek stepped forward to lick Skinner's other cheek. ~Are you all right?~ ~I want to see,~ came a low rumble, unmistakably from Skinner. Mindspeach seemed to come as naturally as physical speech for him, at least when in the canine form. He stalked towards the mirror, trying to get used to the feeling of having four on the floor. Jess shouldered her way in front of him. ~I'm not sure that's a good idea, Wa....~ ~I want to see *now*!~ The words struck her like a blow as Skinner pinned his ears back and growled instinctively, baring his teeth. Jess's ears swept back, and she bared her teeth. She also growled and tensed, making it clear that she wasn't about to take any attitude from Skinner. Skinner may be top dog when at the FBI, but this was her domain. ~Back off, Jess,~ Lindy counseled, not wanting to see them fight. Jess snorted and moved out of the way. However she did not break eye contact with Skinner, and doing so did not cede her dominance. Forced to look away first, Skinner tromped past her and towards the dresser. He leapt on the bed, and started to examine himself carefully. Brown canine, and yet somehow still human, eyes stared thoughtfully back at him. His fur, unlike Jess's and Lindy's solid coloring and Krycek's tuxedo look, was the brown patchy look of a wild wolf coat. He could almost pass for a true wolf, except for the fact that he was twice the size of his wild cousins. While Skinner was examining himself, Jess turned to Lindy. ~Are you sure you want to stay?~ ~Someone needs to watch Amanda. And he needs you more than I do, Jess,~ was Lindy's reply. ~Walter, c'mon. We're wasting moonlight.~ Krycek led Skinner downstairs. Jess followed, pausing at the doorway to look back at Lindy. The younger female was sitting up on her hind legs and made a shooing motion with one forepaw. ~ Go on.~ The mental voice was unconcerned, but there was an edgy look in her eyes. Jess nodded and padded downstairs. Note to myself - pin Lindy down and find out why she's been so distant lately. When she saw the living room was empty, she went outside to find Krycek sitting on the grass, waiting for her. Skinner was circling around the yard, exploring it with his unfamiliar canine senses. Jess had almost forgotten how alien the altered awareness first was. ~Are you ready to go?~ Skinner nodded. ~As ready as I'll ever be.~ They headed off to a nearby park at an easy lope. Normally, Jess, Krycek, and Lindy would range far, heading to the outskirts of town where wild things still lived, and stalk rabbits or the occasional deer. But tonight, they would have to make do with feral cats or large rats, if they decided to kill. Several times they had to duck out of sight quickly to avoid being seen by humans. Skinner gave a quiet bark, amazed at his lack of murderous instincts. ~After last night, I thought I would become a blood thirsty hell hound when this happened.~ Jess snorted, but didn't miss a stride. ~Depends. I wasn't aware of what was going on when I first Changed, so the animal in me ran rampant. Once I became aware, the urge to kill humans lessened. Lindy had more of a desire to keep people from being hurt the way she was.~ Krycek added his two cents. ~I killed, like Jess said, but I learned to control the beast within. And we don't hunt every time.~ He stopped short to sniff a wet patch of grass. ~You've been under a lot of stress. Last night, all that pressure was trying to erupt into the Change.~ The other werewolves stopped also. ~So what do you do when you're out like this?~ Skinner reached with a hind paw to scratch behind his ear and then froze as he realized how he had moved. ~Generally destress ourselves - run, howl at the moon, play games, that sort of thing,~ Jess said. ~Oh, by the way Walter,~ she leaned over and nipped him on the hip. ~Tag! You're it!~ She bolted to a spot about twenty feet away, wagging her tail enthusiastically. Krycek, who had been standing beside Skinner, also shied away out of reach. He was also wagging his tail. ~Well, are you going to sit there all night or what?~ Skinner took two steps towards Krycek, and then dove for Jess. She was expecting some sort of diversionary move and jumped out of the way at the last moment. Her tail whisked by his nose, making Skinner sneeze. While he was distracted, Krycek brushed by, nipping Skinner's tail. But he didn't move quite fast enough. Skinner jumped and landed half on Krycek, biting the loose skin on the nape of his neck. ~Gotcha!~ The older male quickly backpedaled to where Jess stood. Krycek shook his body. He stalked towards the two, his fur bristling in mock rage. ~Wait until I get my paws on you two!~ Jess gave a joyful bark and loped a wide circle around him. Skinner did the same in the opposite direction. They played games for the rest of the evening, forgetting their worries and just exhausting themselves with lighthearted fun - tag, king of the hill, hide and seek. Beside doing it for the sheer enjoyment, Jess and Krycek were teaching Skinner skills he would need - how to balance, run, leap, twist, turn and tumble. The full moon sinking into the west was what signaled the end of the evening If this is what it's like to be a werewolf, it isn't that bad, Skinner thought, as they wearily headed home. After making sure that Amanda was down for the night, Lindy retreated to her room. Instead of waiting for the dawn to Change back, she resumed human form after a few hours. God! I am so tired. Normally, she would make a bowl of popcorn, toss an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in the VCR, and watch until the others came home. But tonight she felt exhausted. Lindy crawled into bed, feeling cold. As she snuggled under the covers, Lindy tasted blood, and realized that her nose was bleeding again. But she was too tired to reach for the Kleenex box. I'll talk to Jess about this first thing when she gets back, she thought hazily. But then the room went dark and she was unconscious. Although the moon had sunk, there were still several hours of night left when the werewolves found themselves home. ~Normally we stay out later, but let's not push it for your first time. We'll start teaching you how to hunt next full moon,~ Jess mindspoke. She yawned as she clawed at the door knob. ~Amanda will be old enough that we can bring her a mouse or something else small to practice with. It would help you too, Walter.~ The three werewolves walked inside the house. Krycek Changed slightly, so he could balance on his hind legs and close the door. The lights were off, but, since all three had excellent night vision, they avoided the furniture with ease as they went upstairs. ~Check on the kids?~ Skinner asked. Jess and Krycek got distant looks on their faces, as if they were listening for something just out of range. ~Both asleep,~ Krycek mindspoke. ~No need to disturb them.~ In the bedroom, Jess and Krycek Changed back to human form. Jess turned to Skinner, who was still looked like a wolf. ~Are you okay?~ Jess asked. ~The expression on your face is kind of....~ she searched for the right word, ~constipated.~ His eyes were wide and his breathing was coming in short pants. ~I can't Change back.~ There was a hint of panic in Skinner's response. ~You won't be able to will it for a few months,~ Krycek soothed. He slipped into the bed without getting dressed. ~Just get into bed. You'll shift sometime during the night.~ Skinner leapt onto the bed and then wormed his way under the covers. Jess got in, sandwiching him in the middle. She laid a hand on his fur. ~Good night, Walter.~ Skinner heard Krycek's echoing 'good night.' ~Good night Jess, Alex.~ And maybe he was imagining things but he thought he heard a dual answering ~love you.~ He was running down a twisting hallway, being stalked by a werewolf from his worst nightmare. No matter how fast he moved, the foaming, snapping jaws were not far behind. Every turn he thought would lead to freedom and safety. But they only lead to entrapment and death. And the werewolf was herding him ever faster towards that final destination. Skinner recognized his recurring nightmare. But there were a few subtle alterations to the basic pattern. Except for the werewolf, he was alone in the maze this time. And instead of feeling terror, he was angry. He stopped, sick of being hunted. Why am I running from this werewolf? I am one! He turned and stood his ground, making the werewolf come to him. The werewolf did not hesitate but charged towards him, arms spread and jaws drooling. Skinner met the attack with a growl. But, unlike the previous dreams where Skinner woke up in a blind panic, feeling teeth and claws rend him to shreds, the werewolf pulled Skinner into a bear hug, rubbing its muzzle against the AD's head. For the first time, Skinner noticed how soft the werewolf's fur was. The beast touched its tongue to Skinner's forehead, a sign of affection, and then turned him. A mirror had appeared and the beast had draped himself over Skinner's shoulders, underside of the jaw resting on Skinner's head. And then the images began to merge, Skinner's more solid, the werewolf's more ghostly, but clearly there. Looking into the reflection of the shadow's eyes, he recognized the creature. This werewolf that was haunting his dreams was himself. One of Skinner's eyes cracked open. Krycek had been right; he had Changed back to a human in his sleep. He was sandwiched comfortably between Krycek and Jess. Krycek was stirring a little at his movements. "It's okay. I had a dream. Go back to sleep Alex." Krycek nodded slightly and shut his eyes. Skinner also shut his eyes, a slight smile on his face. He knew now that he would not be troubled by that particular nightmare ever again. Morning sunlight streamed through the blinds, creating bars of gold and shadow on the comforter. Jess yawned, squinting against the light. She stretched, trying to chase the last of the post-Change drowsiness from her limbs. Sitting up, she looked around to see if Skinner or Krycek were awake yet. Skinner wasn't, but Krycek was on his side facing her, green eyes open. ~Morning, love,~ Jess mindspoke. ~Morning, love.~ Krycek stretched cuddled into Skinner. ~I bet he's going to be sore today,~ he mindspoke. Jess made a noise of agreement. ~I'll go start a hot bath for him to soak in. That should help.~ She slid out of the bed, wincing a little at the cold air. Missing her warmth, Skinner moaned in protest and then nestled back against Krycek. Krycek put an arm around Skinner's waist and idly began stroking the fine hairs covering Skinner's chest. Skinner shifted again, brushing his ass against Krycek's morning erection. Krycek smiled and nuzzled Skinner's head. Lazily, his hands found their way to Skinner's shoulders. He kneaded the muscles, noting even in sleep that Skinner was tense. The older man yawned and stretched, making Krycek jerk his head back to avoid Skinner's bashing his nose. "Morning Alex," he rumbled. Krycek kissed the back of Skinner's neck, not easing up on his massage. "Morning, Walter. How do you feel?" Skinner shifted his limbs experimentally. "A little stiff," he confessed. "A little? Yeah, right," Krycek snorted. He switched motions to a hand to hand knead, like a nursing kitten. "It's normal. Your body will adapt eventually." Skinner grunted and rolled onto his stomach. Krycek followed, straddling his waist, keeping his weight on his knees. Skinner sighed and relaxed a bit. Krycek kept on massaging and bent down to kiss the back of his neck again. "So what do you think about last night?" "Last night?" Skinner mumbled, distracted by the feeling of Krycek's hands kneading his back and sides. "It was, well, different than I thought it would be. I think I can live like this." Krycek unconsciously sighed, relieved to have an answer to an unspoken question. Few of those who were Changed without their consent chose to stay Changed. They took the only option available to them - suicide. Krycek hadn't wanted to tell this to Jess, but he had wondered if Skinner would choose to live. Skinner sighed, letting the tension drain out of him. Mmm, this feels good. He stretched out against the mattress. "Alex, remember how you said that last night wasn't the right time for you to top me?" Krycek lifted off Skinner, allowing the older man to roll onto his back. "Yeah," Krycek breathed, barely daring to hope that this conversation was leading to where he thought it would be. Skinner gazed up into Krycek's eyes, his glowing with a banked fire that threatened to blaze out of control at any moment. "What about this morning?" Meanwhile, Jess turned off the water spigots. She then stood up and stretched languorously, enjoying the fuzzy after glow of the Change. Usually about six hours after a full moon transformation, she experienced something similar to post-orgasmic pleasure. Krycek and Lindy also said they felt a delicious sense of relief. I wonder if Walter feels this way, she thought. She stuck her head out of the bathroom, intending to announce that the bath was ready. But the sight that met her eyes silenced her. Krycek was arched over Skinner, back drawn tight as a bow, was kissing the underside of Skinner's jaw while rubbing his groin against Skinner's. Her mind flashed back to the first time she had caught Skinner and Krycek in bed together. Only this time, Skinner was writhing under Krycek's advances. And judging from the swell of both men's cocks, they were enjoying it. With a lazy smile, she walked over to the bed, settling at the foot of it. Krycek meanwhile began nipping and kissing Skinner's neck. Sitting up a bit, Krycek's hands went to his lover's pectorals, thumbing Skinner's erect nipples and kneading the muscles the way he pleasured Jess's breasts, and the way he had been pleasured. Skinner groaned and pressed upwards against Krycek's palms. Krycek grinned, pleased that he was bringing out these intense responses in the normally reserved Assistant Director. He felt the bed shift behind him, so he looked over his shoulder. Jess was sitting there a few inches away, lips parted and breathing deeply. "Enjoying yourself?" he spoke to her. "Immensely," she purred back. He lunged towards her and Jess ducked his kiss. "You've got other things to focus on," she laughed, giving him a light slap on the ass, encouraging him. Krycek turned back to Skinner who was now eying him with his best 'come hither' look. "What are you waiting for, boy?" Skinner said, lifting his groin. With a feral grin, Krycek flung himself forward over Skinner, hushing the man with a kiss. While his tongue plunged into Skinner's mouth, his hand plunged into the bedside dresser. Withdrawing from the drawer, he sank back on his knees, tossing the bottle of lubricant between his hands. Krycek smiled and turned to Jess. "Care to do the honors?" Jess took the tube. "You ready for this, Walter?" Skinner paused for a moment before nodding yes. Jess opened the bottle and squeezed some of the gel into his hand and reached for Skinner's ass. But Krycek grabbed Jess's wrist halting the motion. Pausing again, Krycek looked at Skinner, waiting for one final confirmation. Skinner was touched that that Krycek was leaving an out for him, a chance to change his mind. "Yes, Alex," he said, rolling over and making himself vulnerable. Jess grinned and began began to smear the now warm gel between Skinner's asscheeks deftly. Then Krycek grabbed a pillow and slid it under Skinner's hips. His fingers began tracing a lazy path from Skinner's balls towards his anus, setting his lover on fire. Once at the puckered opening, Krycek rubbed, but did not penetrate. Skinner thrust his hips back, and Krycek's fingers retreated. "Bastard," Skinner hissed. "Wrong. My parents were married," was the sweetly voiced answer. His fingers returned to Skinner's asshole and began to rub with a little more force. One finger slipped inside, and then a second one joined the first. Both fingers began a slow in and out slide, gliding over his prostate. Skinner's legs tensed and the older man lifted up, offering himself. "Please," he whispered. His muscles tensed further when he felt the fingers withdraw and the head of Krycek's well oiled cock kissed his asshole. "Relax, Walter," Krycek cooed. Trying to distract his lover, Krycek took hold of Skinner's cock and began a slow, deliberate pumping motion. With each surge, Krycek pressed against Skinner, until his cockhead popped inside. Skinner yelped and Krycek held still for a moment, and then began to embed himself in Skinner in a series of maddeningly slow thrusts. And through all of it, he still maintained a firm grip on Skinner's cock. "So hot... so tight," the younger man grated out. Skinner couldn't believe the sensations coursing through him, the ebb and the surge of Krycek against and inside of him. God! Why didn't I ask him to do this sooner? The feeling of Krycek's cock inside his body was unlike any ecstasy he had ever experienced. Yes, there was pain and discomfort, but the pleasure of being penetrated and pumped at the same time more than made up for it. Then the young man let go of his cock, lifting Skinner to his knees. He cried out at the loss of the hand and again when something hotter and wetter replaced it. He can't be *that* limber! Skinner opened his eyes to find Jess had worked her way underneath and was eagerly going down on him as Krycek started to pound him in earnest. Vaguely, he thought he should slide a hand between Jess's legs and finger her, but the thought took more coordination than he had at the moment. He could feel the pressure growing behind his cock, and Skinner knew he couldn't last much longer. All he could do was ride out the moment and the pleasure being given to him. Krycek felt that he had died and gone to heaven. Even in his wildest dreams, he never imagined that topping a man, much less this man, would be so good. He heard Skinner's gasp, and Jess's quiet gag, and then he could feel Skinner coming. The muscles surrounding his cock began to spasm, which was more than Krycek could stand. He came a violent bark, collapsing onto Jess and Skinner. Jess pulled her head out from beneath the two sweating bodies. Smiling, she lay down beside them, satisfied with her part in their lovemaking. True, she hadn't come, but she didn't think she needed an orgasm every time they made love. Sometimes the self satisfaction at a job well done was enough. And the focus this moment should be on Skinner, not her. Skinner's face was away from her, and he hadn't moved since coming. "So did you like it?" she asked, a little concerned about the silence. Krycek slid bonelessly off Skinner to lay on his belly next to the older man. Skinner rolled onto his back a bit gingerly and stretched, putting one arm around her and one on Krycek. "What's not to like? That was quite an experience," Skinner murmured. He tapped Krycek's back with the palm of his hand. "You're purring, boy." "Am not," was Krycek's rejoinder, smothered in Skinner's shoulder. "Werewolves don't purr." Jess lifted her head to rest it against Skinner's other shoulder. "Then what's that noise you've been making for the last few minutes?" "Very friendly growling." He grinned, raising his head. Krycek ran his fingers over Skinner's abdomen to tickle Jess's stomach. "Do you need anything?" "Nah. I'm still riding the buzz from last night. Later maybe." Jess rolled out of the bed and stretched. "I'll go check on the kids and start breakfast," she said, grabbing a robe. Leaving the men stretched out in bed, she went into Amanda's room. The youngest of the pack was still sound asleep. Jess smiled tenderly and then tiptoed out into the hall. The next stop was Lindy's room. Jess knocked on the door. "Lindy, are you awake? I need help getting breakfast ready." When there was no response, she knocked again. "Lindy?" Again there was no response. She opened the door and poked her head inside. "Lindy? You okay?" "Oh, God!" Lindy was laying on her back on the bed. Her pillow, her sheets, her skin were all coated with blood. Jess flew to the bedside to check Lindy's pulse, terrified to find her wrist ice cold and her heartbeat thready. "Somebody call 911!" she screamed. Scully and Mulder walked into the hospital and marched straight to the reception desk of the ER. "Excuse me, we're trying to find out about an Alinda Leahs? She was brought here a few hours ago?" Mulder asked. A young woman sat behind the desk, pushing papers. "Are you family?" "No," Scully answered. The medical assistant looked down at her paperwork, dismissing them. "I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to give out information to non-family members." "They're with me." Skinner stepped up from one side to the desk. Pulling the pair to one side, he guided them towards an elevator. "We told them that I'm Jess's brother. They've moved Lindy up to ICU," he said. "She's not good." "What happened?" Scully asked as the elevator doors shut on them. "We went out running last night. Lindy decided to stay behind and babysit Amanda." Skinner paused to take a deep breath. Mulder noted the use of the word we, but didn't say anything. "When we got up this morning, Jess found her, unconscious and covered in blood. The doctors believe that it was a nosebleed that caused the blood loss, but they haven't determined why." The doors opened to the third floor where Skinner led them out. Krycek, with Amanda resting against one hip, and Jess was standing next to a woman in a lab coat who held what looked like a medical chart. Skinner went towards them. " Dr. Aholtz, these are Special Agents Mulder and Scully. They're close friends of ours." Dr. Aholtz nodded a greeting to the FBI agents. "Mr. Krycek and Ms. Leahs, I need to speak with you for a moment." Jess nodded. "I would like Agent Scully to have access to Lindy's records. She's a MD, and I'll sign whatever papers are necessary." "Of course." The woman passed the chart she was holding to Scully. Krycek offered Amanda to Skinner, who took her without a word. Then Dr. Aholtz led Jess and Krycek to the deserted waiting area to consult with them privately. Scully briefly watched them, and then started flipping through the chart, noting the normal test results on the first pages. But what she read in the most recent entries made her blood run cold. She reread the diagnosis a second and then a third time to make certain she was not seeing things. She looked up at Krycek and Jess. From their body language, it was easy to infer that they had been told. Jess was leaning heavily against Krycek, screwing her face up in an attempt not to cry. Krycek looked little better, shaking his head violently as if denying the doctor's words would make Lindy healthy and whole. He also leaned against Jess heavily, holding her tight. Both looked as if their will to fight had been leeched away. Mulder's voice snapped her out of her shock. "Did they determine what's wrong with Lindy?" "Yes." Scully opened the chart and read the diagnosis in the tone of voice that earned her the dubious title of Ice Queen. "The MRI of the cranial area reveals that the probable source of the nosebleeds is a feronasal mass, most likely malignant in nature. The mass has most probably metastasized and is inoperable." Through the glass inset in the door, Cancerman watched Jess and Krycek hovering over Lindy's bed. To say he was concerned about this new development was to put it mildly. The juvenile's collapse was unexpected and made no sense. True, she had been implanted when she had been abducted, but none of the other werewolves had suffered any adverse affects from the subcutaneous tracking devices. And Lindy's symptoms curiously paralleled Agent Scully's cancer episode. They will probably assume that is what is happening to her. Cancerman had learned a hard lesson when Scully was dying. He had been shot by an assassin, probably one of the ones he had assigned to other cases, and was left to bleed to death in his apartment. Or so he had thought as he weakly reached for his only picture of Samantha and Fox. But the Angel of Death had business elsewhere. Before everything faded to black for one final time, he felt hands gently rolling him onto his back. A warmth suffused his chilling body, radiating from the hand placed over the chest wound. He opened his eyes to stare at his benefactor, the same one who he ordered to heal Mrs. Mulder. Soft hands lifted him onto a stretcher and he was spirited from the building into a waiting private ambulance. He had ended up at Well Manicured Man's compound in Florida. He recovered there, chastened by the reminder that he was not indispensable to the Consortium. The alien that had healed him did not do so completely. He would bear the scar from the bullet's entry for the rest of his life, a physical reminder of the lesson. But he considered himself lucky. Krycek's father was still catatonic from the mindprobe performed on him by a werewolf. Within six months, Cancerman was back, much to everyone's surprise and disgust. But he may not be so lucky with this situation. Jess had proven to be fiercely protective of her family, and Lindy definitely qualified as that. It wouldn't take the werewolf long before she, and her pack mates, would come after the closest contact they had to the Consortium's infrastructure - him. And if he knew Jess and Krycek, thhey would be coming after blood. Upon hearing of Lindy's hospitalization, he immediately called his superior. "And why was this allowed to happen?" was the coolly voiced question when Well Manicured Man had been brought up to speed. Cancerman had rehearsed his reply beforehand, so there were just the right proportions of defense and accusation in his voice. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who insisted that there be no direct interference in their lives after they regained their whelp." He could hear the frown in his superior's voice. "Although my niece knows about the hand I've had in certain events in her life, she can still be brought around. See to it that the child is made well." Cancerman inhaled deeply. "Your niece's ward isn't a human that we have experimented on. She is a werewolf, and we are not certain what she is suffering from. It is possible that it is already too late for her." "It had better not be too late for Lindy," Well Manicured Man countered. "For your sake." Cancerman wasn't about to take the fall for this one, especially if the werewolves did decide on bloody retribution. "And what makes you think your loving niece won't hunt you down also? Why should she believe that this wasn't one of your ways to get her attention?" Well Manicured Man's voice tightened with anger. "Just make sure that the child is healthy, and that is a problem we won't have to face." Recalling that comment, Cancerman shook his head. Easier said than done, he thought glumly. The werewolf breed had proven resistant to most diseases, mutilations, and injuries. But the few that would cause irreparable harm were swift and fatal. The child has a month at the most. Based on the preliminary reports he had seen, Cancerman had an idea of what the teen was suffering from. But how she was exposed and who did it was beyond him for the moment. I need a cigarette, he thought and turned around to find himself staring face to face with Skinner. "Do not be concerned," he said, feigning bored disinterest. "It is in our best interest that the young one be healed." "She had better be healed, for your sake," Skinner growled. Cancerman watched Skinner push past him and walk through the door of Lindy's room and join the pair beside her bed. Ever since Skinner had come to him asking for a cure for Scully's cancer, the Assistant Director had not dared make anything that may have been remotely construed as a verbal threat towards him. And for the first time, he wondered if a Changed Skinner was more of a threat than a human Skinner. A week had passed and Lindy come to her decision, now she was just trying to work up the courage to follow through. She sat up in her bed, absently stroking Patches as she wrote a note. Her choice would hurt Jess, Krycek, and Skinner, but she did not want to wait any longer. Lindy finished writing her note. It's better this way, she rationalized. I know it will hurt them, but it's over quicker. The bleeds were becoming steadily becoming worse, and she was feeling ill more than she felt well. Some days they charted Lindy's health by the hour. The oncologist was frankly baffled by her condition and sent her home, saying she would be more comfortable there. Scully's cancer had caused a slow degrading of her health, an almost imperceptible slide. Lindy seemed to tumble off a series of cliffs, each a deeper plunge than the last. Folding the note and putting it on the pillow, Lindy silently slid out of bed. Leaving her room, she padded past the master bedroom, glancing inside. Jess and Skinner, gone to Mulder and Scully's party, wouldn't be back for hours, and Krycek had fallen asleep on the bed, still dressed. Lindy continued on her way, walking down the stairs and to the den. She walked unerringly to the closet and opened the door. Stretching to reach the top shelf, she removed the steel lock box. No one remembered the fact that she had a key to it. Sitting cross legged on the floor, Lindy opened the box and contemplated its contents. She hefted the gun, checking the chamber, just like Krycek had taught her. It wasn't loaded. Too, noisy, too messy, she thought. And I cant remember where the silver bullets are. She replaced it in the box. Gingerly, she lifted the other weapon inside it, an antique knife that had cost Jess a pretty penny. The dealer had been surprised when she picked it out, trying to turn her attention to a rarer piece. But the one she had been interested in was pure silver. The other, a older iron knife, while far more valuable, wouldn't suit her purpose. I didn't think I would ever have to use this. Lindy sat back a bit, caught up in a memory. Jess had shown the knife to Lindy soon after she bought it. "You and I both know about the dark forces watching us," Jess had told her solemnly. "If it ever comes down to it, I would rather die than live with scientists poking and prodding me. That is what this is for. I know what I would decide, but you have to make your own choice. I'm showing it to you to let you know you have an option." Lindy and Jess had been through dark times before, but had always found the will to survive. But this time, Lindy thought the outcome was inevitable, and didn't want to watch herself waste away. She was certain that the cancer would not kill her outright, but after suffering enough, she would wish she was dead. She felt along the edge of the blade. It was razor sharp, just as when Jess first bought it. Lindy sat the knife down, and stood up. She replaced the box, making sure nothing looked out of place. She picked up the knife. Not here, she thought, looking around the den. Carrying the knife and the burden of what she was about to do, she climbed the stairs and headed for the bathroom. The party was going smoother than Mulder thought it would. The mix of his and Scully's friends and family did have potential flash points, but so far everyone had been behaving themselves. In fact, he was watching one of the flash points that was currently in deep discussion with Langley. "And I still say that Sauron could kick Modru's ass any day of the week," Jess said in an argumentative, but friendly voice. Mulder smiled when he realized that they were debating the merits of Tolkien versus McKiernan. He moved on, relieved that so far there had been no problems. Krycek, it had been decided should not attend because of his involvement in Melissa's death, and because of all the FBI agents who would be present. There had been several raised eyebrows when she appeared at the door with Skinner. Whether it was because she was known to be Mulder's ex-girlfriend, or whether because she was with Skinner instead of Krycek, he wasn't sure. But once they had arrived, Jess and Skinner split apart, each mingling with the group they felt most comfortable. Skinner walked up to Mulder. "So how soon will you make the announcement?" "In about five minutes," Mulder said. "How are you and Jess doing?" "Except for a few glances, I haven't seen her all night." Skinner shrugged amicably. "Kim did ask if we were dating, and I saw no reason to say yes. Then she asked me why not. It's ridiculous how she tries to.... Uh oh. I don't like the looks of that." Mulder looked in the direction Skinner was facing. Now Jess and Colton were talking, and Skinner was right. It did not look good. Colton looked Jess up and down, leering, and asked her something. Jess shook her head emphatically and took a step backwards, not realizing she was literally putting herself in a corner. Skinner started towards her. Mulder was a pace or two behind. Now he could hear what they were discussing. "I told you I'm not interested," she said sharply. Colton grinned lustily. "I've seen the way Skinner looks at you and you at him. And I know that kid you were showing pictures of is Krycek's. So the way I see it, you're a slut that can't get enough. Oh, the kid is Krycek's and not Spooky's, right?" "How dare you," Jess hissed. "If this weren't a party, you would be on the floor with a bloody nose so fast your head would spin." She pushed past him. "Kinky. I like that." Colton grabbed Jess's arm. "Does Krycek watch as Skinner humps you? Or is he too busy fucking that blond kid? Is that why you keep her around?" Oh shit, Mulder thought as he saw Jess tense. She broke Colton's hold on her arm by swinging it across her body. On the backswing, she extended her arm, catching his nose with her knuckles. At the same time, she stomped on his instep. Colton howled, reaching first for his nose and then his foot. His yell drew the attention of everyone else who wasn't looking at them. "You little fucking bitch!" Jess backed away eyes widening and then narrowing. She may have decided to fight Colton, party or no, had not Scully appeared at her side. "Jess, I think you need to cool down." Jess never broke eye contact with Colton until he flinched. "Yeah, I think you're right." She spun on her heel and walked away. "What's the matter, Jessie baby? Too close to the truth for your taste?" Colton called after her retreating back. He wiped the smirk off his face when he turned and saw Skinner towering over him. "I don't ever want to hear you talking about a childhood sexual assault survivor in that manner." Skinner then stepped away from Colton. He wanted to go after Jess and comfort her, but he knew that was not wise at this point. Mulder leaned over Colton's shoulder to whisper into his ear. "I don't need any of my psychic sources to see a transfer to another office. Maybe Alaska?" "The little fucking bitch,"Colton repeated, gingerly prodding his nose, which was starting to swell. "I ought to have her arrested for assault." "Leave her alone, Colton," Mulder said. "Oh, by the way, did you know that there have been a series of UFO sightings out near Lover's Leap?" Colton's eyes narrowed. "No," he drawled slowly. "I was out there four nights ago, watching. Beautiful night, saw a lot of stars, and parked cars. I remember seeing this blue Mazda there, with a man and a hot blonde, most of the time I was out watching." Mulder paused for a moment. "You have a blue Mazda, don't you Colton?" Colton didn't answer, but was looking distinctly pale. Mulder continued. "I happened to recognize the woman from a current case a friend of mine in the VCU had me look at. She's a well known prostitute. I noted the license plate number of the car, since there is an ongoing investigation involving her." Mulder looked pointedly at a squirming Colton. "But you know how messy my desk is. I can file things away and never find them again." Colton may have been a lot of things, but slow and stupid was not one of them. "So if I don't file charges...." "I forget where I filed the license plate number. But for now I suggest you leave." Without another word, he turned away from Colton and walked into the kitchen. Scully was patting Jess on her back. Jess was sitting at the table, head in her hands. "Oh God, I'm so sorry." Mulder sat down beside Scully. "You have a way of livening up a party, hell beast." She glared at him out of the corner of her eyes. "Bite me, Mulder." "Not since I'm marrying Dana." Jess smiled a bit at Mulder's joke. "Seriously, are you going to be okay?" "Yeah, just let me calm down a bit and I'll rejoin the party. Maybe even start a full fledged brawl." She looked up. "Why don't you go on and make your announcement? I'll be back in a few minutes." "You're sure, Jess?" Scully asked. Jess nodded so Mulder and Scully got up and went back to their guests. Jess stood up and walked to the door, cracking it slightly. She could hear Mulder calling for everyone's attention. There was a hushed silence as Mulder and Scully broke the news to their friends and acquaintances. Then there was polite applause along with some noises of congratulations. Jess leaned back against the wall, smiling sadly. Skinner pushed open the door and noticed her wistful expression. "You sure you're okay?" Jess nodded. "I was just thinking..." "...That you and Alex should be doing this too," Skinner finished. Jess nodded again. "Is it because of me?" "No, it's just not our time," she said. Jess held out her hand to him. "Let's just go back to the party." "Okay." Skinner took her hand and walked her through the door, determined to speak to Krycek about this. Right now, they went back to the party to celebrate with Mulder and Scully. Lindy thought her actions had not been observed, but there was one who saw what she had planned. No, Lindy! Don't do it, Rachel thought desperately. But she didn't think she would be able to stop Lindy. I swore to Jessie I would watch over those she was closest to. Finding you dead would break her heart. Rachel had kept her promise to Jess. Whenever Jess had needed more help than humanly possible, she had been there. She had slipped her the keys to her handcuffs, and later her silver cross, when her psychotic werewolf ex-boyfriend had captured her and tried to kill Krycek. She had watched over her captive sister while pregnant. She had counseled her Jess not to trust their uncle when Jess was about to mistakenly put faith him. And she had helped set the events in motion that lead to Jess and Krycek regaining Amanda. The spirit cast wildly for options, desperate to alert anyone who could help stop this situation. Materialization was out of the question, that took too much preparation and she was short of time. Lindy would be dead before Rachel could make herself visible. Direct mental contact would only unsettle the teen further. Jess was too far away to contact, and Skinner wasn't able to sense her yet, if he would ever be able to. Krycek's mind had been closed to her for the most part. The one time she had managed to materialize for him and later for Skinner had been sheer luck. There is no one in the house whom I can communicate with, she thought in frustration. Or is there? Krycek moaned. Jess was doing something absolutely wicked and wonderful to his cock with her mouth while Skinner had two fingers buried in his ass. He arched forward, pressing his cock further down Jess's throat as Skinner's fingers were replaced with something hotter and thicker. He could feel Skinner's breath against his neck, but for some reason, he was meowing his passion. The rough tongue rasping against his cheek made Krycek realize he was dreaming. The meow sounded in his ear again, louder and more insistent. Eyes closed, he reached out and made contact with something warm and furry. "Go away, Patches," he muttered, shoving. Patches gave a loud screech and dug her claws into Krycek's shoulder, trying to remain on top of him. "Ouch!" He sat up in time to see a calico form dart across his lap, grab his watch off the bed side table and bolt for the door. "Damn cat! Bring that back here!" The cat had developed a bad habit of grabbing things that caught her fancy, earrings, nail polish bottles, and even once Skinner's glasses, and carrying them off. He got up and lumbered after Patches, who was making a bee line for the bathroom. Knowing this cat, she's going to drop it in the toilet. Patches let go of the watch and began to scratch at the door and meow desperately. Krycek retrieved his watch and tried the bathroom door, curious why the cat was so eager to get in. It was locked from the inside. It must have been accidentally locked. But he remembered Skinner saying that the bathroom door could be opened, if force was applied in just the right spot. Grabbing a hold of the nob, he shoved hard against the door, leading with his shoulder. The door flew open. Krycek found that the bathroom wasn't empty as he first thought. Lindy stood in the tub, eyes closed, a large bladed knife in her hand. She began to raise it to her unprotected neck. "No!" Krycek thundered. He charged the smaller girl, knocking the knife from her grasp. "What the hell are you doing, Lindy?" he yelled, pulling her wrists above her head. Lindy half sobbed, half growled and twisted in Krycek's grip. "Let me go!" she gritted out. But her tears won out over her anger. Lindy slumped, leaning against Krycek, and began to cry. Krycek stood there, a little uncertain what to do, until he noticed his shirt was not only wet with Lindy's tears, but her blood. He led her to the toilet and put the lid down. "Sit, Lindy. Let's get you cleaned up." After Lindy sat, he tilted her chin back and pinched her nostrils, trying to slow the rivulet of blood flowing from her. Once the bleeding had stopped, Krycek wet a washcloth and cleaned the blood from her face. Crouching down beside her, he looked into the girl's blue eyes. "Lindy, why?" he asked. "B-b-because," Lindy sobbed. "I don't want you and Walter and Jess to be hurt watching me die." "And finding you dead wouldn't have hurt us?" Krycek said softly. Lindy bit her lip. When she first considered committing suicide, she had only thought that everyone would get over it. She hadn't considered what would happen when someone found her body, or how long the hurt would last. Lindy threw her arms around Krycek's neck. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I thought I would die anyway, so why not get it over with. I didn't think about... ." Krycek gently stroked her back. "I really don't know what to say, Lindy, but I know that we aren't just ready to lose you yet." He scooped her up like Jess did when Lindy was little and carried her out of the bathroom. The blood was pouring from her nose again. Krycek laid her down on the bed and applied direct pressure, trying to staunch the flow. Again the bleeding stopped, but he wasn't sure if he moved Lindy if it would start again. "You're cold as ice," he murmured as she began to shiver. Krycek wrapped Lindy in the comforter and laid down beside her. Lindy moved closer, seeking warmth. Krycek gently put a hand on her shoulder. "There's no reason to be afraid of me," he muttered out of habit. "I know." Lindy closed her eyes and relaxed. Krycek watched until he was certain that she was asleep. And only then did he allow himself to drift into a light sleep, waiting for Jess and Skinner to return. Around 2:00 AM, the front door to the house opened. Skinner and Jess walked inside and shut the door. "Are you sure you're okay?" he grunted, pulling Jess to him. Jess nodded, but had a distracted look, as if she were listening to something he couldn't hear. Arms around each other's waist, Skinner and Jess walked across the room. "So how good of a date was I?" Jess asked. Skinner kissed her hair. "Aside from beating up Colton, a very good one." "Hey! He called me a whore, insulted you, and made a slur against Alex and Lindy. What was I supposed to do?" Jess pouted. Skinner smiled at Jess's willfulness. "You could have told me and I would have taken care of it." "And get called up by the OPC? I don't think so. That is just what certain people would love to see. But thank you for wanting to defend my honor." "Actually, I've been looking for four years for an excuse to punch out the arrogant little son of a bitch." Jess smiled and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Maybe next time," she said ducking away from his embrace. "I want to check on the kids first. Then we can wake up Alex and have some fun." Amanda's room was the first one they checked. She was in her cradle, fast asleep. Skinner reached down and stroked her fine dark hair. "You and Alex make beautiful babies," he whispered. Jess looked at him closely. He had never expressed a desire to have children. His attitude towards Lindy and Amanda was friendly, but not overly familiar. "Did you and Sharon ever want children?" "No," was the curt reply. "She was too busy with her career and I never gave much thought about it. Now I almost wish I had," he said in a whisper. Jess leaned her head against his chest. "They're a blessing, but having children wouldn't have helped you and Sharon stay together. If anything, it may have driven your further apart faster." They watched Amanda sleep for a few more minutes and then headed out the door. Lindy's room was next. Her door was open slightly, revealing an empty bed. Jess frowned. "She's in our bedroom," she said after a moment's concentration. Skinner shook his head. "I didn't sense you doing anything," he said as they moved to the master bedroom. "Don't force yourself, Walter," Jess said, squeezing his waist. "It took three years for my mental powers to develop, and Alex says that there are all sorts of levels. Maybe you just have it when in canine form. And maybe you need something to help focus with. Lindy and I wore matching lockets for a long time. It was a way we could be certain that we would have something to focus on no matter what form we were in." They looked inside their bedroom. Lindy was curled up on the bed, nose pressed to Krycek's chest. He lay on his side, an arm laid protectively across her body, lightly reassuring Lindy that he was there. And Patches sat on the other side of Lindy, standing watch over them both. Skinner turned to say something to Jess, but noticed she wasn't staring at the bed. Her attention was focused on the bedside table, where a knife gleamed in the semi-darkness. Jess recognized it immediately. "Oh my God," dropped from her lips. Krycek half sat up at the whisper. "Thank God you're back," he said softly. There were bloodstains on his white tee shirt, stains that corresponded to where Lindy had pressed her nose against his chest. The blood drained away from Jess's face. "She tried to kill herself?" she asked in a small voice. Krycek nodded. Jess crawled onto the bed and nudged Patches out of the way. "Lindy?" Lindy blinked her eyes open and stared into the concerned ones above her. She sat upright and threw her arms around Jess. "I'm sorry. I really didn't want to kill myself. I just got so scared," Lindy sobbed into Jess's shoulder. Before she could answer, Jess felt the mattress bend under the weight of someone sitting down beside her. "We're all scared, Lindy," Skinner said quietly. "But you can't allow fear to dictate your actions in a way that will hurt you." Jess felt him settle against her back. Krycek laid back down, reaching to ruffle Lindy's hair affectionately. "It's a lot better to be scared together than scared alone. You can come to any of us about how you feel, and you should." "Any of us?" Lindy asked. "Any of us," Skinner affirmed, reaching across Jess to rest a hand on Lindy's shoulder. Jess reached up and squeezed Skinner's hand, before returning her attention the the teen in her arms. "You shouldn't carry this alone, Lindy. Does one wolf in a pack do all the hunting? Or caring for the cubs? And do they let an injured member of the pack fall by the wayside?" "No," Lindy said quietly. She nestled a little further into the warm cocoon the bodies around her made. "We're a pack, a family, Lindy. What we deal with, we do it together. Tomorrow I'm calling Dr. Bronsette and seeing if we can get you in for counseling. Family counseling. If you're willing to go," Jess added to Skinner. "I am," Skinner whispered quietly into her hair. "And I think she's gone to sleep." Krycek leaned up on one elbow. "Yeah, Lindy's asleep." He reached out and stroked her long, blond hair. "Should we move her to her bed?" "No. She's comfortable here, so let her sleep. I don't think she's gotten enough for a long time," Jess said sadly. Beneath the sorrow, Skinner heard the self-accusation in her tone. "It's not your fault, Jess" he said, stroking her cheek. "None of us saw it coming." Jess didn't answer, but leaned her head into the pillows. Her breathing became slow and deep, a sure sign that she had fallen asleep. Krycek's eyes were also closed an his breathing steady. Skinner continued stroking Jess in a slow thoughtful manner. What Jess had said about wolves in a pack had struck home. They did act as a family of wild wolves would. He felt that he had been accepted in before he was Changed, and that was not something these creatures would do lightly. And now having their shape shifting abilities just added to their bond. He could sense that the bond would be challenged and tested over the coming weeks, as they dealt with each reminder of their mortality. But as Jess said, they were a pack. They would deal with it together. "Okay," Jess instructed in a smooth voice. "I want you to pick an object in the room, something stationary like a pillow on the bed, a spot on the wall, a corner on a picture frame. Imagine it is staring at you and stare back at it. Concentrate on outstaring your chosen object." She kept up a soothing stream of comments for the next five minutes, watching Skinner intently. Skinner for his part, listened to her instructions, and concentrated on the spot on the wall he had chosen. It was the place where the wedding photo of him and Sharon had hung on the wall, before he had given up hope of them reuniting. But after the end of the five minutes, Jess put her hand on his arm, breaking his concentration. "Nothing's happening, Walter. Let's call it a night and try again tomorrow." Skinner got up off the bed where he had been laying, stretching his arms above his head. Jess uncurled her legs and stood up. "Alex wants me. I'll be right back," she said, giving him a friendly pat on the back. She walked out of the room. Skinner sat down on the bed and rested his head on one hand. They were trying to figure out what he was now capable of as a werewolf. And his capabilities seemed far less than the others. Aside from the night of the full moon, he had not been able to mindspeak. Nor had he been able to will the Change. And that was frustrating the hell out of him. For the first time in their strange relationship, he felt that he an inferior rather than an equal. The others remained cautiously optimistic. "It took me three years to learn to will the Change, and my control wasn't all that great until another two years after," Jess had told him. "And as far as Alex and Lindy are concerned, they seem to be prodigies." "And what about mindspeaking?" Skinner said glumly. Jess shrugged her shoulders. "Depends. Maybe you haven't been exposed to the enzyme long enough. And maybe it's a coincidence that the three of us can mindspeak." She rubbed his back reassuringly. "It doesn't matter to us if you only Changed that once, we will still love you." Sharon had said something about always loving him once, the first time she had found out that he had sought sex outside their marriage. Her words echoing in his mind, Skinner stood up and went to the dresser. Some of his things were still stored here, mostly odds and ends that he didn't have room for in his apartment but did not want to part with. And right now he wanted to look at one particular item. Reaching into one of the lesser used drawers and pulled out his wedding picture of him and Sharon. He sat down on the bed, looking down at her image. It had been hard to let Sharon go, even though to hold on to her would make them both miserable. Just as it made him miserable when he received this in the mail. It was the picture he and Sharon had given her parents after their wedding. That told him, in ways that the dry ink of her signature on the divorce papers, that it was over. Even though there was an exact copy in the closet in his apartment, he could not make himself get rid of this one. Jess walked back into the room. "Alex wants Chinese for dinner, Lindy's actually hungry and wants pizza. So how does sweet and sour pork deep dish sound?" she asked in a smart ass tone. The smile dropped off her face when she saw what he was holding. Jess gently put a hand on his shoulder. "You okay, Walter?" "I'm fine," Skinner said brusquely, pushing away her hand and putting down the picture. "Sharon was part of your life for a long time, Walter," Jess said softly. "Much longer than Alex and I have been. Don't feel you have to hide her. If you need to talk about her, or anything, we're always willing to listen." Skinner nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't, not yet," he said not looking Jess. Jess patted Skinner's shoulder and kissed his temple. "We're not asking you to, until you're ready. So," she said leaning back, trying to lighten the mood. "Let's get downstairs and make a decision about dinner before Lindy and Alex ask for a side order of Parmesan and fried wonton to put on the pizza." Jess stood up and walked to the door. "You coming or not?" she asked, looking at him over her shoulder and holding her hand towards him. Skinner got up and put the picture away. Then he took Jess's hand and went downstairs. When he saw Lindy, he was stunned. The pale girl, resting on the couch, had not recovered much from the bleeding incident last night, but she appeared to have degenerated even further. "Jess, I don't think I can eat pizza. Would soup be okay instead?" she asked in a weak voice. Jess nodded. "Of course, Lindy." She went to the kitchen. Krycek and Skinner looked at Lindy. She was wrapped in a blanket, but still shivered. Dark circles ringed her eyes. And she was losing weight. Their gaze shifted to lock on each other, and they both had the same obvious thought. We can't allow this to continue. Cancerman opened the door to his apartment and turned on the light. Tossing the coat over the back of a chair, he went straight to the typewriter. It had been a difficult week creating false trails and maintaining plausible denial. While driving from the Department of Defense building, inspiration struck for his next story. All that was on his mind was making it back to his apartment and start typing before the ideas slipped away. He had just settled at the typewriter and began hitting keys when he sensed that he wasn't alone in the room. He heard a carefully concealed step, and a quietly snorted breath. He turned and rose to his feet, reaching for his sidearm. His gun never cleared its holster. A furry grip took hold of his neck just below his jaw, tips of claws scratching his skin. Gagging and forced to his knees, Cancerman looked up at the black and white beast that had his throat in a crushing grip. He could feel her needle sharp claws begin to dig into the soft flesh in front of his spinal column. Cancerman reflexively tried to swallow, and the grip tightened further. He gripped the massive paw's wrist trying to loosen the talon tipped fingers. But what had him frightened the most was the expression on the werewolf's face. It was a tight mask of animal hatred and fury. But behind the green eyes was human logic and awareness. And beyond the werewolf was A.D. Skinner, watching with a studied impassiveness. Skinner allowed this to go on until he heard the slight rattle in Cancerman's breath. He put a restraining hand on Krycek's shoulder. Krycek's eyes snapped to his and the message in them was clear - 'let me finish this.' Skinner shook his head. "We need him alive for the moment, Alex." Krycek snorted and turned his attention back to Cancerman, raising him to his feet, and then a little higher to keep him off balance. The claws released as he shoved with the palm of his paw. That sent the Cigarette Smoking Man sprawling backwards to land in an undignified heap. The werewolf then raised his paw to his muzzle, sniffing. A pink tongue darted out to rasp against the fingers, licking the blood away. Krycek made a big show of cleaning his claws, and then settled behind Skinner, bearing his teeth in a feral grin. Cancerman managed to regain his feet and some of his composure. "It's always a pleasure to see such a well trained beast. You seem to have had more luck with him than I have, Mr. Skinner." Krycek's ears tilted back and he growled. "I haven't developed control over the Change yet, or else I would have done it myself," Skinner said. "You said that Lindy would be cured. She's alive, but not healed. And there was a suicide attempt a week ago, and she has been getting progressively worse." "Indeed?" He was well aware of the attempt. Cancerman raised his eyebrows. "Am I responsible for the child wanting to die?" Skinner's eyes narrowed. "You are responsible for putting her in this position. And we're willing to kill to get her out of it." Cancerman remained unimpressed. "You would not be the first person to threaten my life. And although you have done so on several occasions, but I still live." Cancerman shrugged slightly. "But arguing will get us no where. We are all reasonable beings and I am willing to strike a deal. There is something of value you have that I do want." Krycek bristled and Skinner spoke the Changed werewolf's thoughts. "If you think we're going to hand Amanda over to you..." "If we wanted the child, we would take her, and there would be nothing you could do about it," Cancerman interrupted. "What I was referring to was raw material." "Rrrrawwww... materrrrrial," Krycek repeated with an odd catch in his voice that wasn't due to trying to speak English using a wolf's throat. Cancerman held up two rubber stopped vials. "All I require is a saliva sample from each of you. Provide me with it, and arrangements will be made for young Miss Leahs." Two heads shook. "No," Skinner said. "Lindy is cured first, and then we turn over the samples you want." Cancerman smiled. "You've learned to play the game well, Mr. Skinner. Of course you will give me the samples. Your conscience will not allow you to do otherwise. And, of course, her situation can always be reversed." Skinner looked at Krycek, his decision already made. The younger werewolf was looking inward, trying to mindspeak to Jess. She was out of his range, so he made the decision without her input. Krycek barked once softly, nodding his muzzle. Cancerman gave them a slightly larger malignant smile, sensing the decision before Skinner also nodded assent. Skinner walked woodenly past the Smoker, not wanting to show how much of a victory Cancerman had just won. Krycek padded after, restrained anger in every stride. But at the threshold he paused. Rearing up to his full height of nine feet, he lightly grabbed the door and pulled. The hinges pulled out of the wall as if they had been taped on. And the implication was clear - if Cancerman did not keep his end of the bargain, nothing would stand between him and a pack of angry werewolves. Krycek then snorted, leaned the door against the frame, and walked after Skinner. The Smoking man stubbed out his the smoldering butt of his cigarette with a shaking hand, and reached for a fresh one. Krycek, even before he had joined with Jess, had been a wild card, and now Skinner was harder to predict. But right now he had a phone call to make to the super of the building to have the door repaired. And then he had to put phase two of his plan in motion. Well Manicured Man read the report with a shake of his head. Jess is the closest thing to a daughter I have. He wanted her brought into the fold, as it were. Under his tutelage and auspices, she had the potential to become a force in the Consortium, an heir to his position and power. But if Lindy died, and if she believed that he had a hand in it, not only would her recruitment be impossible, but his life would be in danger as well. Since his position precluded him from having a family, he had watched for a carefully for a protegee. Rebecca, his sister and Jess's mother, knew that her brother had plans for one of her children, but she did not know how extensive those plans were. Michael, the oldest, was bright, but lacked the cunning that would be necessary to protect himself in the dark underworld. That left the two girls, Rachel and Jessica. Although the Consortium tended to be an old boys club when it came to the more powerful members, both sexes were welcome for membership as long as their intelligence and loyalty were proven. And times were changing. There were several females being considered for positions when more senior members were no longer able to carry on. He subtly began testing and grooming them for this purpose. Both girls were equal in intelligence, but he chose Rachel, then fifteen, since she was older. When she turned eighteen, he would approach her about working for him. He would only have to wait three years, compared to waiting six for Jessie, as Rachel called her. Over the next year, he watched, studied, and influenced the girls in their school and social lives, proud of their progress. Then everything had gone wrong. Rachel died, and Rebecca blamed him. She tried to cut him off from her family, but he still watched and waited, keeping a close eye on his remaining student. Then Jess, as she now insisted on being called, met Jacob Farnsworth. Unconsciously bent on self-destruction because of guilt over her sister's death, she moved in with him the moment she turned eighteen. Their arrangement lasted one year - one year of physical and mental abuse. It culminated with the night that Jake left her raped, beaten, and bleeding. Rebecca and her husband watched, but would not help unless Jess swallowed her pride and came crawling back to them. But the young woman was too stubborn and independent. Knowing she would shy away if he tried to help her so soon after being hurt, he waited, watching for her to be receptive. Almost twelve months after that fateful night, he was ready to make his move. Then she had stumbled into the Loup Garou subsection of the Project. And into the arms of Fox Mulder. Fortunately, Mulder and Jess did not stay involved for long. That could have led to more complications and a complete ruination of his plans. Despite her now being a werewolf, he still had high hopes for his niece. There were many nonhumans who worked in positions of power in the Consortium. He watched from a distance as Jess explored the limits of her abilities. She got in several scrapes and got out of them just fine. She adopted a daughter. Eventually, she did get back into contact with Mulder, but as long as the relationship did not become a serious romantic entanglement, Well Manicured Man would not interfere. When she met Alex Krycek however, he almost did interfere. Then he learned that his subordinates former lackey was also part of the Loup Garou project. Intrigued by the possibilities, he kept a closer eye on Jess. Then she became pregnant, an act with serious consequences. Few of the werewolves gave birth to healthy offspring unassisted. Although it was a risk, he had Cancerman order Jess's removal so her health could be watched over. Jess gave birth, and was eventually returned to her home, without her child. Then Cancerman had decided to test the boundaries of Jess's and Krycek's love for each other. With the Well Manicured Man's full approval, he had ordered Assistant Director Skinner of the FBI to have sex with Krycek if he wished to keep his job. And at the same time he bribed Krycek into taping himself and Skinner having sex. Jess had found out, and taken her own countermeasures, nullifying Cancerman's plans and securing Skinner as a close friend and ally. At that point, Well Manicured Man decided that he needed to ingratiate himself to Jess. He felt that she was getting too cocky and overconfident. So, although he had nothing against Michael personally, he ordered his death, and ordered Covarrubias to inform Mulder of Jess's knowledge of his true parentage. Then he revealed to Jess some of his involvement in her life. He had trained her too well. Instead of gratitude from her after she dispatched Covarrubias, he got suspicion and distrust. And then word had come down from his superiors. If he did not show any headway in gaining her confidence, she would cease to experience the freedom she had enjoyed as his niece. So he played his last card. Cancerman had his instructions, although ignorant of the fact that he had engineered the situation. A. D. Skinner's unexpected and accidental Change had been an unexpected bonus, making Jess even more vulnerable to his manipulation. And her fate depend on her reaction, which he would shortly have. Jess finished packing the diaper bag. "I really appreciate you doing this, Dana, Mulder. Are you sure you want to take Amanda for the afternoon?" "It's no problem, Jess," Scully said. She bounced Amanda in her arms. "You need some time with Lindy. You also need some time for yourself." "Later," Jess said. "Right now, time is too short. I want to make as many memories of Lindy as I can." Mulder had never heard her sound so dejected. "Has Lindy taken a turn for the worse?" Jess nodded. "According to the last tests, she should have been dead a week ago." "And the Change isn't helping her heal?" Mulder asked. "The Change is the only thing that has kept her alive," Jess snapped. "She has the nosebleeds, and also coughs up blood. It's as if this blasted cancer has turned her into a hemophiliac. Several times she's lost almost all her blood. Then she slips into a coma for several hours, sometimes for almost a day. When she comes out of it, she has severe nausea to the point where she dry heaves if she moves. It's difficult to keep her hydrated and her body temperature is almost constantly below normal." Jess stopped and took a deep breath. "But the pain in her eyes is what kills you. " Scully looked surprised at Jess's description of Lindy's condition. "Jess, if Lindy is so bad off, why isn't she at the hospital?" Jess's words were bitter. "Human treatments have done zip for her. Because of what we are, she's sentenced to a living death. It's been keeping me up at nights, wondering if I should help her die. All I would have to do is leave a silver knife or my necklace in arm's reach and she would do the rest. She tried a week ago." Jess took another deep breath. "And I have been wrestling with myself, debating whether or not Lindy's life is worth selling my soul to Cancerman or my uncle." Mulder and Scully both looked stunned. "Jess, I don't know what to say." Mulder put a hand on Jess's shoulder. Jess shrugged it off. "I'm trying to contact the psychologist who did my hypnotherapy to see if she'll counsel Lindy, but it's like she's dropped off the face of the earth." " Dr. Bronsette?" Mulder said with a slightly guilty look. "Shortly after you completed your sessions with her, she was found dead in her apartment." Jess quietly absorbed that information. She was about to say something when they heard a weak voice on the baby monitor. "Jess?" The young woman turned and looked up stairs. "We'll bring Amanda back in a few hours," Scully said. Jess nodded as Mulder and Scully left carrying Amanda. She then turned and walked up the stairs to Lindy's room. "You called, Lindy?" Lindy, wan and pale, looked at Jess. "Please, Jess. I want to go outside. Just on the porch, please?" Poor kid's been trapped inside for the last two weeks, Jess thought. I would go nuts. "Okay, but just for a few minutes." She wrapped Lindy in a warm quilt and hefted her, internally wincing at how light she was. She carried Lindy downstairs, out the sliding glass door, and onto the protected porch. She knelt down and then crossed her legs and cradled Lindy on her lap like she used to do when they were both younger. Patches wandered out from the kitchen and climbed onto Lindy's lap, purring. Lindy breathed deeply. "I almost forgot what fresh air smells like." Jess smiled a bit. "Don't you mean fresh smog?" She meditatively stroked Lindy's hair. It was harsh and brittle, no longer the gold silk that Jess had envied on occasion. "Lindy, what if I said that there was a chance you could get better, but it would have a heavy price?" Lindy shrewdly cut to the heart of Jess's dilemma. "Would it put you in debt to your uncle and Cancerman?" She felt Jess nod against the top of her head. Lindy snuggled back into Jess's warmth, chilled by the thought that Jess would betray her self-integrity to save her. "Don't. Let me go then." Jess's answer was full of heartbreaking resolve. "I have no intention of letting you go, sweetheart." They sat there, cuddling together. Lindy eventually fell asleep, exhausted by the effort to sit up. Patches wandered back into the house on one of her errands. Jess still sat, not wanting to disturb Lindy's rest. She stiffened slightly when she heard the front door open. It's not Alex or Walter, she thought. They would have spoken a greeting. The breeze was blowing into her face, making it impossible to smell the stranger. "Dana? Mulder? Did you forget something?" "You shouldn't leave your doors unlocked," came an all too familiar voice. Not now! Jess begged internally as a set of footsteps crossed the room. I can't deal with him now! She scraped up an arrogant facade and snarled, "What the hell do you want?" "No sharp edged comeback, Jessica? I'm disappointed." Well Manicured Man walked to where Jess was sitting. "You can't be comfortable sitting there. And Lindy should really be inside and not out in this cold." He stretched out his arms. "Let me help you." Jess looked at her uncle dubiously. He smiled at her suspiciousness. "I won't be able to spirit her off in the three seconds it will take you to stand up." Jess sat there stubbornly, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. Well Manicured Man thought for certain she would refuse any show of help, even simple politeness. He was about to walk away when he heard her respond. "Okay." Well Manicured Man scooped Lindy out of her lap long enough to let Jess stand. Jess took Lindy back and brushed past him, taking the girl over to the couch. She placed her tenderly down. Then she stood up to her full height and turned to her uncle. "What do you want?" "It's not what I want, but what you want." He paused, uncertain that Jess would accept what he had to tell her. But the full moon was a week away and the Change would trigger another bleeding incident. And it would be doubtful that Lindy could stand another. "I can tell you what is wrong with her, and more importantly, how to heal her."' Jess turned to Well Manicured Man, stone faced. Her voice did not betray the faint flicker of hope in her heart. "Why the hell should I trust you?" "Believe it or not, I am not the heartless monster you makes me out to be." Well Manicured Man placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "We are family." And so was Michael, Jess thought bitterly. She shrugged off his touch. "Okay, let's say I do trust you, just this once." Jess's eyes glinted. "What needs to be done?" "I was originally led to believe that the same tests that were performed on Agent Scully were performed on Lindy. I have since learned that I was deliberately misled. A small pellet has been implanted into her near the sight of her 'malignancy.' It is coated with an organic material designed to break down and expose microscopic particles of silver to her blood stream." Jess made a leap of logic. "It's a test to see how much silver is actually needed to kill a werewolf." Jess's uncle nodded. "Very good. Remove the implant from just below her epidermis and her immune system will do the rest." Jess was not certain that she believed half of what she was being told. Lindy and later Krycek had been forcibly abducted and the Change reversed leaving them human. Why bother to run this test on her? They had no way of knowing she would choose to become a werewolf again. And why would it take so long for the material to break down? They would never be certain she would survive long enough for Their test to begin. "What do you want in return?" "Nothing Jessica." Well Manicured Man turned. "Nothing at all." He walked out the door, leaving Jess standing beside Lindy. It was hard to go into the office and pretend that everything was still the same. Lindy was getting progressively worse, Jess was depressed because of Lindy's illness, Krycek was worried about Jess, Lindy, and Skinner. So far Cancerman had not contacted him with a cure for Lindy. Skinner half-believed that the man in black would not follow through with his promise. But I may be wrong, he thought as the Smoking Man came into his office without ceremony. Without a word, he put a syringe down on the dark polished wood of his desk. Skinner eyed the hypodermic. "What is this?" "That's Lindy's cure, or yours." Cancerman paused to inhale on his cigarette. "The symptoms she's displaying lead a diagnosis of silver toxicity. However, I have been unable to determine where her exposure to the metal is coming from. Most likely it is an implant in her body." Skinner frowned at the Cigarette Smoking Man. "But what do you mean by my cure or Lindy's?" "Because I am uncertain where the implant is, the only cure is to reverse the Change. That syringe contains a chemical that will accomplish that. Half of the syringe's volume will cure Lindy. But all of the syringe's contents will be needed to return you to a human state." Cancerman held out his hand. "I believe that you have what I require." "And you'll get it when Lindy is healthy." The Cigarette Smoking Man paused, picture of generosity. "Very well. But if what I provide is used, I expect to be repaid." Skinner eyed Cancerman coldly. "I want to make certain that a bargain has been struck this time, so what happened when we made similar arrangements regarding Agent Scully will not happen again." "Of course we have a bargain," Cancerman replied. He turned and left, leaving Skinner staring at the hypodermic, pondering his next move. After coming to his decision, he called Mulder and Scully and asked them to meet him at the house. Then he called Jess and Krycek and asked them to have Lindy's medical records handy. When he arrived, he found Mulder and Scully there. Krycek was out obtaining the records. Without a word, he handed the capped hypodermic to Jess. Jess held the syringe gingerly, studying it from all angles. "Walter, what is this?" "According to the Cancerman, it's the only way to save her." Skinner sounded doubtful. "He implied that it will reverse the Change in her." "Or you," Jess said softly. "Let me guess. It's enough for you or for her, but not for both of you." Mulder looked at them sharply. He finally had confirmation that Skinner had been Changed. "You two can't believe two thirds of what that man says. And what you can believe is so self-serving, it can't be trusted." "Then what about my uncle?" Jess's voice was toneless. "He told me that she had been implanted right here." She tapped her forehead between her eyes. "A silver implant," she added ominously. The front door opened and Krycek came inside, shaking snow from his jacket. He handed Scully a slim manila envelope. "Here are Lindy's x-rays." Mulder looked at Krycek with a slightly hurt expression. "I could have had the Lone Gunmen hack in instead of you breaking in." Krycek rolled his eyes. "I didn't break in. Jess signed a release form so I could pick them up." Scully pulled the film out and held it up to the light. All of them crowded around her, staring at the x-ray intently. "There," Skinner grunted, pointing at a small white spot on the image. Scully shook her head. "That could be a flaw in the film itself. From the angle this was filmed at, it's impossible to tell if it is an implant." Krycek shook his head. "It's too dangerous to assume it is. If we open Lindy up and the bleeding doesn't stop, she'll die." Mulder eyed the hypodermic. "How do you know that whatever is in that syringe won't kill her?" "Lindy's dying anyway." Jess put a hand to her forehead and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "It may be the only thing that saves her." Lindy shook her head weakly. "No," she whispered forcefully. "I want to stay a werewolf. No matter what." She took another ragged breath. "We do it the other way." Skinner knelt down beside her. "You're sure, Lindy?" he asked taking her hand. He wanted to give the girl an option, to make sure she didn't feel that she had to pass up this chance to be healed so that he could be human again. Lindy squeezed his hand and nodded. Skinner stood and backed away. "We have our answer." He moved away as Krycek bent over to hug Lindy. But he quickly moved to let Jess kneel beside Lindy. Jess also hugged Lindy, holding her close for ten minutes, murmuring 'I love you' repeatedly. Scully eventually tapped Jess's shoulder. Her voice was gentle, knowing what she asked of her. "We have to do this now, Jess." With one final whisper, Jess reluctantly relinquished her hold on Lindy. Backing away, Jess felt Krycek's and Skinner's arms go around her. None of them looked away as Scully put Lindy to sleep using a chloroform soaked cloth. None of them looked away as Scully picked up the scalpel. The surgery went smoothly, even for it being conducted in a living room instead of a hospital. Eventually Scully, using high powered magnifying glass, found and removed the pellet. She put it into a vial filled with deionized water, which Mulder immediately pocketed for analysis. Scully finished stitching the wound before she spoke. "She'll probably sleep for a while. You should too," she added, pointedly staring at Jess. Jess shook her head. "I can't sleep until I know one way or another." At that point, Amanda began to cry. Krycek took her from Mulder. "I'll take her upstairs and see if I can puther down." He brushed Jess's hair with his lips and then went upstairs. Sensing that Jess needed to be alone, he gestured for Skinner and Mulder to follow him. That left Jess and Scully alone with Lindy. Jess sat watching Lindy, pushing the blonde bangs away from Lindy's eyes and the oozing stitches. "Did I ever tell you how Lindy and I first met?" Scully shook her head. "No, Jess." Jess continued stroking Lindy. When she resumed speaking, her voice was as distant as the time she spoke of. "I met her about three years after I broke up with Mulder. There was a series of murders that reminded me of the ones I committed just after...." Jess paused, rubbing her forehead. "I tracked her from one of the crime scenes to where she laired during the day. She snuck up from behind and managed to surprised me, which earned my respect then and there. Poor kid hadn't eaten for three days so I convinced her to come home for me for a meal and a warm place to sleep. But she would only come along if I promised her that she could leave anytime she wanted to. She never did." Jess smiled tiredly and ran her fingers through her hair. "She was only about five years old, but seemed so much older. I pieced together what happened to her, and she reminded me so much of me I couldn't help but try to reach out to her, to help her have a better life, or at least a childhood." Jess fought the tears that leaked out of her eyes. "I don't know that I can lose her... ." "I know how you feel, Jess." Scully reached out and grabbed one of the sobbing woman's hands. "Did Mulder ever tell you that I had a daughter?" "What?" Jess looked up and blinked confusedly. Pregnancy did things to a human woman's body she had trained herself to recognize. It was a way Jess tested herself when she was learning her limits. While she was ignorant if she were with child herself, she could tell by a sniff if a human was pregnant or if she had been. And Scully didn't smell like she had been. Scully nodded. "I didn't know that she even existed until the end of her life. Apparently while I was abducted, my ova were removed and experimented with. Emily was the product of one of those experiments." "And she didn't survive?" Jess asked, guessing the answer to the question. "No, she didn't," Scully sighed. It was still hard to think about Emily, the daughter she never knew and was meant to have. "And whatever was done to me left me barren." "Dana.... I had no idea," Jess said. It explained the odd looks she got on occasion from Scully, jealousy mixed with longing. "This may not be the best time to bring this up, but there's something that Alex and I wanted to talk to you and Mulder about. If something happens to us, we'd like for you two to have custody of Amanda and Lindy." If she lives, Jess added mentally. Scully was also thinking the same thing, but did not voice it either. But she was surprised and touched by Jess's request. If anything, she expected the children's guardianship to go to another werewolf, since going to Jess's or Alex's blood relatives were out of the question. "Why us and not Skinner? You're closer to him." Jess smiled a bit. "Dana, can you really see him raising them on his own?" "No." Scully also smiled briefly before checking the child's vital signs. "Lindy's breathing and pulse have gotten stronger. It may have worked." Jess shook her head. "I want something more definite before I can believe." She and Scully sat by Lindy's bedside for another hour. Every five minutes, one of the men looked into the room, only for Scully to signal that there was no change. But towards the end of the hour, Jess could feel her daughter's cold hands grow warmer. And eventually, Lindy opened her eyes. "Jess?" Jess smiled tenderly. "Shhh, sweetheart. I'm here." Lindy's voice was uncertain. "Where am I?" "You're at home. Go back to sleep," Jess cooed. Lindy sighed and shut her eyes. Jess looked at Scully. But Scully was not paying attention to her. "Oh my God," Scully said quietly. "Look at the incision." The wound, which should have still been bleeding, looked like a year old scar. And it was quickly losing its redness and smoothing over into perfect flesh. Jess smiled. "She's going to be fine," she said, a hint of disbelief in her voice. "She's going to be fine." Scully stood up. "I'll go tell everyone." She left the room. Jess sat there, holding Lindy's hand. She was so used to things taking a turn for the worse that she was shocked that things were actually going according to plan. She remained that way until Skinner walked into the room. "I had to see that it was true," he whispered, his hands going to her shoulders. "She's going to be fine." Jess patted one of his hands on her shoulder. She twisted so she could look Skinner in the eyes. "Walter, I want you to know, whatever choice you make, we'll stand by you." He nodded, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Moving away from her, Skinner picked up the hypodermic. In his hands he held the key to regaining his lost humanity. With Lindy's healing, he was free to use it without guilt. His humanity was in his hands. The one thing he had wanted during this whole ordeal was control of his destiny. Now he had it. He knew what he was going to do. Well Manicured Man was well pleased. Lindy was well on the way to making a full recovery. His niece and her lovers were too concerned about the teenager's health to be poking their noses into things best left unexplored. And Jess had made a trip from DC to his apartment in New York to update him on Lindy's progress (as if his own spies weren't capable of doing that) and to express her gratitude for his help. "And how is Lindy doing?" "She's almost completely her old self. She tires easily, but she's growing stronger daily. And there have been no more nose bleeds." Jess looked up at Well Manicured Man, tears in her eyes. Clearly, she had expected the information he had given her to be bogus and to hasten Lindy's death. "Thank you." Well Manicured Man nodded. "Jessica, you and I are family." He put his hand on her shoulder, playing the father offering his wayward daughter permission to return to the fold. This time the young woman did not shrug it off. "Despite what you believe, I only want what is best for you." Jess bowed her head. "I believe that you believe that. But what you want for me is not what is best." She stood up, having done what she came to do. "I should be going now." "Of course." He knew better than to press. It had been hard for Jess to accept his help, and to push would only make her shy away more violently. "But remember that my home and my protection is always open to you." Jess nodded and walked out of the apartment. Well Manicured Man smiled to himself and walked to the VCR that was in the cabinet with glass doors behind his desk. He had proof that Jess was starting to trust him and that she could be won over. She would not have to be destroyed. There was still hope for his unknowing protegee. Cancerman was in front of his typewriter, punching away at keys, happy that he had edged around his writer's block. He had pounded out five pages in ten minutes when there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find Assistant Director Skinner standing there, tight lipped. This day is getting even better, he thought. "I believe you have something for me, Mr. Skinner." Expression neutral, Skinner took out the glass vials and handed them to Cancerman. Only when the Cigarette Smoking Man realized that that they were empty, did Skinner allow a slight smile to cross his features. Cancerman pocketed the empty vials. "You're breaking our bargain. Lindy can always suffer a relapse." Skinner shook his head and restated the terms of their bargain. "The deal was if I used what you gave me, Alex and I would give you the saliva samples." He didn't say another word, but handed the case to Cancerman. The older man opened it, surprised to find the hypodermic, needle capped and chamber still fully loaded. The Cigarette Smoking Man's eyes narrowed. "You're being a fool, Mr. Skinner." Skinner's eyebrows lifted. "Am I?" He turned and walked down the hallway, disappearing into the elevator, going to rejoin his pack. Outside, a forest green Ford Explorer was parked. While the white Jeep Cherokee had served them well, it had finally succumbed to a faulty transmission and had to be traded in. From the rear, left of the car seat where Amanda was, Lindy's voice piped. "Do you really think he's going to do it?' Jess, on the other side of Amanda, shrugged. "His decision," she grunted. Krycek, in the driver's seat, spoke. "Lindy, he's been human much longer than any of us were. He may not be willing to take the step into the unknown that the Change represents to him." "But he was willing before to stay Changed," Lindy replied. She still looked pale and tired, but the old sparkle was back in her eyes. "Before he didn't have a choice... ." Jess cut herself off when she saw Skinner emerge from the apartment building. Skinner walked over to the Explorer and got in. He didn't say a thing but stared straight ahead. Krycek started the car without a word and pulled out onto the road, heading for Crystal City. Before she hit the freeway, Skinner spoke. "Tomorrow night's the full moon." Krycek grunted agreement and his grip tightened fractionally on the steering wheel. Jess blinked and tensed, but said nothing. Not getting more of an acknowledgment, Skinner started speaking again. "Jess, last time, you said something about teaching me to hunt. Is that offer still good?" "Of course, Walter," Jess said, relaxing. "It's a skill all werewolves should have." "Then I'll be needing it." Skinner smiled. "Let's go home." And at this point, I leave you. Other stories are in the works. I thank you for taking the time to read them and write me. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I have writing them. Shael the Wolfcat Spoilers for all the way to Season 5 - The End and The X-Files: Fight the Future. With the exception of Jess, Lindy, and Amanda, they belong to TenThirteen Productions. Rating of R for language. Synopsis - Jess is infected with the Black Oil. This came about from a couple of viewings of "The X-Files" episodes 'Piper Maru'/'Apocrypha,' 'Tunguska'/'Terma', 'Patient X'/'The Red and the Black,' and one viewing too many of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode 'Skin of Evil.' Previous stories in this series can be found at: http://home.earthlink.net/~wolfcatxf/loupgarou.html Loup Garou XIV - Oilien By Shael Completed July 22nd, 1998 "And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate/To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands,/Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee,/By help of her more potent ministers,/And in her most unmitigable rage,/Into a cloven pine..." - Prospero, "The Tempest" The house looked like any other on the block in the starlight night - a neat, two storey with a well trimmed lawn. A porch light had been left on, as if they occupants were waiting for a late night visitor, or a teenager returning from a date. And eventually the ones who lived in the house did return. Five wolves padded into the house - two adult males, an adult female, a juvenile female, and a sleeping female cub carried by the scruff of her neck. Once inside, the black and white one immediately padded upstairs with the cub clasped in his jaws and the gold wolf followed a few seconds later. The reflection of the porch light off the window caught the remaining male's eye. The skin under his pelt began to tingle and he could feel each individual hair of his coat stand on end. "Rrrrrrrooooooooooouuuuucch!" The cry broke from his lips as he pushed up onto his hind legs and he Changed forms to a human. "God, it hurts just as much going back," Skinner said. The solid black female also reared. Jaws spread wide, she reached her forelegs skyward, stretching claws and muscles to their limit. But human arms were lowered to her side. "You get used to it," Jessica Leahs yawned. "And believe it or not, it does eventually hurt less." She stretched again and emitted another gigantic yawn and started up the stairs. Skinner followed, catching up to Jess quickly. He halted her ascent with a hand between her breasts, pressing her against his body. Jess smiled and melted into him. Skinner responded by burying his nose in her hair. His lips began to wander downwards to nibble on an ear. Jess sighed and leaned further back, baring her neck. Skinner's lips pressed against the tight skin. Then he pushed away from her and brushed past her. Jess blinked, confused at the sudden mood swing, and then trotted after him. "What?" she barked. "Nothing," Skinner countered without a backwards glance. He strode on towards the bedroom. "Something," Jess corrected. Moving swiftly, she ducked around Skinner and blocked his path. "What's wrong?" She stepped up to him and put her hands on his shoulders, rubbing lightly. "Please, tell me." The last words were not spoken as a demand, but as a plea. Skinner lifted his hands to hers. Being vulnerable was extremely difficult for him, but extremely necessary in this relationship. "It felt so natural to mindspeak to you, Alex, and Lindy tonight when I was Changed, and so frustrating that I can't now." Jess nodded, understanding. "I know it's rough on you, not having the abilities that the rest of us share. Alex seems to be the exception to the rule. Lindy and I didn't come into our powers overnight, and you've only been a werewolf for three months. It may take a while." She took a deep breath before continuing. "And we have to keep in mind that there is a possibility that you may never have as strong mental capabilities as the rest of us do." Skinner nodded, slumping a little. Krycek had been Changed by an extremely powerful werewolf, and apparently so had Jess and Lindy. But the werewolf who had bitten him appeared to be mediocre, or at least Skinner was evolving slowly. Jess rested her head against his broad chest, trying to comfort him. She pushed up onto her toes so she could nuzzle and kiss the underside of his jaw. Skinner wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in tighter. A wave of sleepiness washed over him as the last of the endorphins produced by the Change faded. It was awkward going, but he maneuvered their bodies to the bed, refusing to give up his grip on her warm body. Jess pulled back the sheets and slid in, Skinner following. He molded himself around her back, sighing his contentment when Jess slid a leg back between his. The bed shifted again, and a second body now cuddled up to his. Krycek's arm went over the one that was resting on Jess's waist. Skinner smiled as he felt a pair of lips brush against his ear. And he fell asleep still smiling. Loneliness, seclusion, isolation, incompletion. Each word was carefully tasted and mulled over, and each word was discarded for not quite, but almost expressing the state of his emotions. The man sat in the car across the street from house, watching and waiting. The werewolves had entered the house hours ago. He had been tracking one particular one for almost two years now. That creatures inside the house would bring him closer to what he desired most. Reunion with his kind and revenge on those who separated him from them. Human bodies are such a bother, it thought, regarding the reflection in the rear view mirror. So limited, so frail, and so... disgusting. His host was considered handsome by his own species, but it could not understand how any truly intelligent creature would find water blue eyes, straw colored hair, and *flesh* attractive. It's amazing this species can stand each other long enough to reproduce. And the creatures in the house were little better, even if they could alter their form somewhat. The mind briefly flirted with the thought of impregnation, but then the suffering it intended to inflict as revenge would be over all too soon. Beside, there was something more lasting about psychic pain and it intended to make him suffer for bringing about that blasted vaccine. But if its plan worked, it would not have to deal with any sack of meat again. It would rejoin with others of its kind, and the lonely emptiness would be filled. It was a matter of waiting now. Late morning sunlight streamed into the kitchen. "Okay, we are going to do this," Jess growled. She stared at her antagonist determinedly as scooped another spoonful out of the bowl in her hand. "Just because you're a werewolf doesn't mean that you get out of eating your veggies." Amanda, however, had other opinions on the subject. As the spoon neared her mouth, the one-year-old grabbed it, pulled it towards her, and then let go. Jess, not expecting the move, jerked, splattering strained peas across her face. Shaking her head, she reached for the tea towel that was already covered with the earlier courses of the meal - bits of cooked cereal, soft carrots, pieces of banana, and splashes of milk. "You think this is funny, don't you?" she asked the child, wiping her face. Amanda laughed, and Jess smiled. "From now on, Daddy and Uncle Walter get to feed you." It had been three months since Jess's world almost came crashing down on her. Skinner had been accidentally Changed, and Lindy had almost died. Both situations had turned out in the best possible way, but not without outside interference. Surprisingly, however, things had settled down after Well Manicured Man had told Jess what how to cure Lindy. There had been no veiled threats, no innuendo, and no demands for favors or allusions to a debt owed. They had been left alone, something for which Jess was constantly grateful. Life had been as normal as possible for a pack of five werewolves living in a human world. And normalcy was what they all strove for. Skinner did stay over far more often than was prudent. Someone would be bound to notice, but Jess and Krycek didn't have the heart to point that out. The Assistant Director, although uncertain about his newly acquired werewolf abilities, seemed to have found, if not happiness, a measure of contentedness. Jess and Krycek were content for the moment just to be parents. And part of that parenthood involved Krycek taking Lindy to school and then doing some discrete research into bioengineering and Jess trying to feed their youngest daughter. There was a knock on the door. Jess finished wiping the baby food off her face as she stood up in front of the highchair. "Now you behave," she admonished Amanda and walked to the front door. Peeking through the spy hole, she saw a blond man she did not recognize. Safety chain in place, Jess opened the door a crack and looked at the stranger. "Can I help you?" "Yes," the man said thoughtfully. "I believe you can." The stranger pushed the door back, snapping the chain and sending an unsuspecting Jess flying against the wall. Her mind went into street survival mode as the stranger stepped inside and shut the door, locking it behind him. "My purse is over there on the table. The cash and credit cards are yours." It would be easier to let a would be thief take her valuables and then later identify him than Change and try to explain why he was raving like a lunatic about werewolves once the police arrived. "I don't want your money," the stranger said. He eyed her up and down as if making a final decision. "I want your body." Jess's eyes widened and her stance shrank slightly. Oh God no! Amanda, please don't cry. Don't let him know you're here. She knew she could easily fight off her attacker if he tried to rape her, her strength as a werewolf would not make it a contest. But if he threatened her child, Jess would comply, no matter how perverted the act, out of a mother's instinct to protect her offspring. But she was confused as she tried to weigh her options. Something about his words didn't ring true. There was no obvious sexual interest in the stranger's voice or attitude, no anger towards her gender that was demanding a degrading release. The confusion must have been clear on her face. The man blinked and cocked his head to one side, considering her expression with some puzzlement. "Oh, I see," he said after a moment's contemplation. "You think I want forced copulation. That's not what I meant." He stepped forward, locking his gaze on Jess's eyes. "I meant that I just want to use your body for a while." For the first time she noticed her attacker had sky blue eyes. And those eyes were clouding over, turning black as a summer thunderstorm. She could feel herself swirling into the abyss. "Something's wrong." It was early afternoon and Krycek had just picked up Lindy from school. He looked at they young girl with an arched eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" he asked, turning onto the street they lived on. Lindy frowned. "I don't know," she said thoughtfully. "I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong at home. I've had it for the last few hours." Krycek kept his expression neutral, although inwardly he was extremely concerned. Lindy, like himself, was a werewolf, but unlike himself, seemed to have a psychic talent that went beyond mere lycanthropy. She had demonstrated it several times by seeing spirits, visions of the future, and once even tracking Jess across country. Every time he was tempted to dismiss her as a kid, Lindy proved herself something more. As he pulled up to the house, two other cars pulled up behind him, one containing AD Walter S. Skinner, and the other containing Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. "You called them?" he asked. Lindy merely nodded. A they walked into the yard, all three shot curious looks at Krycek, who lifted his hands in a I-have-no-idea-what's-going-on gesture. Mulder nodded and asked the question they were all thinking. "Okay Lindy, what's up?" Lindy shrugged as they walked up the porch stairs. "Something's wrong. And I just knew you needed to be here." She reached out to touch the doorknob, and immediately froze. "It's open." That was a sure sign that thing s were amiss. Jess, even before her abduction experience, kept the doors locked whether she was at home or not. "Lindy, step back," Skinner quietly ordered. Both he, Mulder and Scully drew their guns. Easing the door open slowly, they swept the living room before signaling for Lindy and Krycek to enter. There was the nauseating odor of charred flesh. Mulder could smell it, even without a werewolf's enhanced senses. And Krycek could smell Jess and Amanda all around, a bitter tang of fear that hung heavy in the air, but could not tell if they were in the house or not. A childish sob echoed from the stairway. The sound of a werewolf cub in distress was enough to override common sense. Krycek bolted through the house, not caring if there were others waiting in ambush, desperate to find the source of the cries. Racing up the stairs and into the first room, he found Amanda in her crib. The baby was standing, wailing, clutching at the rails, and was in a desperate need of a diaper change. "Hush Amanda. I'm here. It's okay," Krycek said, picking her up. His daughter sniffled and nestled against his shoulder, grasping his shirt in tight fists. Despite the fact that his animal instincts were screaming for him to now locate his mate, he forced himself to take care of his daughter's needs first. He had disposed of the old diaper and was cleaning Amanda when Lindy bolted into the room. "There's no sign of Jess, but Walter found someone hiding in the closet," she panted. "Mr. Mulder says for you to get down there *now*!" "Okay," Krycek said. "Finish this." He knew it was serious when Lindy did so without protest. As much as she loved her little sister, Lindy hated having to change her diapers when Jess or Krycek weren't able to. He bolted out the door and downstairs, taking the steps three at a time. The charred smell became stronger as he headed for the living room to find Scully administering first aid to a badly burned man. A memory stirred in the recesses of his mind - a bright light fading and two soldiers writhing on the ground with severe radiation burns. No! he thought desperately. Not this! Scully rose up from her knees. "Well, he's not going to be able to give us any information. He's dead." She looked at Krycek. "Do you recognize him?" Krycek shook his head. "No, but I've seen this before. We all have." There was only two ways Krycek knew of that produced that kind of radiation burns - being in the radius of a nuclear blast, and the other he really didn't want to face. You'll have to face it, he thought. If Jess is... He didn't let himself complete the thought. "Any sign of Jess?" The others shook their heads. "She's missing and there was no one else here who could tell us what happened," Skinner growled. "One other person was here," Lindy said, walking down the stairs. Her sister was firmly tucked against her waist. "Amanda." The adults shook their heads. "Amanda, even if she saw it, can't tell us what happened. Not at her age," Mulder pointed out. "Yes she can," Lindy insisted, pulling Amanda tighter against her side. "If she saw some of it, I can read it in her mind. It has to be me. Alex doesn't have that ability." Her wide blue eyes considered each of the adults. "Please, I can do this." Krycek's eyes sought out Skinner's. It was clear that both men was uncertain about letting Lindy help. Jess had always been protective of the young girl, trying to give Lindy the childhood that had been stolen from her. But Lindy was growing up, and as she had pointed out, was the only werewolf present with that ability. But there was a danger. Jess had always been hesitant about reading minds, afraid of losing her individuality and ending up in something resembling a Vulcan mind meld gone horribly wrong. There was no safe way to test the limits of their abilities. Lindy decided to take her plea to Krycek directly. ~ I know what the risks are. She's helped me so many times. Please, let me help her.~ Krycek slowly nodded. Lindy moved Amanda so she could look into her eyes. But then she closed hers, Amanda's closing at the same moment. Skinner could feel a faint tickle at the back of his head. He twitched, almost reaching to brush it away when he realized it was purely mental. "Sorry," Lindy murmured without opening her eyes. She took a deep breath and seemed to refocus. Skinner felt the feathery touch withdraw. Lindy took several more deep breaths. Amanda was perfectly quiet in Lindy's arms. Both were so silent and still that Scully grew worried and decided to try to break Lindy's concentration. She reached forward to touch her shoulder. Almost too swiftly to track, Skinner reached out and caught her hand, Krycek a split second behind him. Some instinct was warning them to not let this be interrupted, and Scully decided to go with their judgment for the moment. Eventually Lindy slumped a little and opened her eyes. "Amanda was in the kitchen when the stranger came to the door. She heard them talk, but didn't see anything. Jess came back into the room, picked her up and took her upstairs. She doesn't know anything more." Krycek sighed and walked to the small rolltop desk that was tucked into a corner. He seemed to age ten years as he unlocked one of the desk's drawer. He pulled out a small box an took off the lid, looking inside and counting something as he walked back to the gathered people. "Two each." First he offered it to Skinner, then Scully, and then Mulder. Mulder turned the bullet over in his palm. It felt different and the surface was far shinier than the standard issue for a Sig Sauer. Scully was also scrutinizing the ammunition carefully. "Silver?" Krycek nodded. "Coated. A solid silver bullet won't fire properly because of the difference of the weight of the metals." He then went to the closet and pulled a lock box down from a high shelf in the closet. Skinner grimly loaded his gun. "Are you certain that this is necessary?" he asked quietly. Krycek nodded. "If it becomes a choice between her dying and hurting an innocent bystander, she would prefer death." Producing another key, he opened the lock box and then stared into it. "The gun. It's gone." "It was here two months ago." Lindy knew that from personal experience. "What about the knife?" "Here," Krycek grunted. He tilted the lock box so everyone could see the silver knife resting in its sheath. "So we can assume that she is armed with a gun," Mulder said. "What about the Change?" Krycek thought for several long minutes. "I can't say for certain, but the Oil will probably figure out how to shapeshift eventually. The problem is how to find her before that happens." Skinner, Mulder, and Scully blinked. "Why don't we just track her by scent?" Skinner asked. Lindy and Krycek shook their heads. "It would be too difficult," Lindy said with a sigh. "I mean, her smell is literally all over the place here. There's no way to really tell which is the freshest." "And if she drove off, it's impossible to track her," Krycek added. "We could follow the car maybe half a mile max in the city, if we knew which one to follow. The cars all smell alike and pavement doesn't hold exhaust scent worth a damn." Krycek took a deep breath and stated the obvious. "So the only thing we can do is wait for her to resurface." Across town at the same moment, Jess knelt before the doorknob, working with the slim metal letter opener she had grabbed before she left the house. Or rather, the oilien inside Jess made her kneel and pick the locks on the door. Eventually the last of the tumblers clicked, leaving the door chains in place. With an ever so slow application of superhuman pressure, the chains tore loose from the frame. The thing that looked like a woman slipped through the door marked "The Lone Gunmen." Once inside the office, the oilien took off the denim jacket and threw it into a random corner. Walking to the closest desk, she methodically began ransacking the files and drawers, sorting through the papers and pictures. Not finding what she wanted, she moved to the on to the second, and eventually the third desk. She grew irritated at the seemingly endless pictures of UFO sightings, reports of government mind control plots through pop culture, and notes about various government officials being paid off to implement seemingly innocuous and useless studies. "It's got to be here somewhere," she snarled. Frustrated, she cleared the nearest desk of computer equipment with the sweep of her arm and a roar. Growling, she glared at the walls. That's when the photos tacked on the corkboard caught her eye. There were of an abandon military sites, filled with silos. The thing wearing Jess's body smiled. Walking to the wall, she tore one of the pictures away, sending tacks flying. She tucked the picture inside her shirt and turned to go, not caring to try to cover her obvious search of the room. Walking calmly to the door, she opened it, and found her self staring at Frohike. "Jess?" he asked obviously startled. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" The oilien quickly scanned Jess's mind for a plausible excuse. "I thought you may have some typing that needed to be done like last time, so I stopped by. The door was unlocked, so I just walked in." Frohike considered what Jess said. She had helped type up and deliver previous issues of "The Lone Gunman" as partial payment for the work they had done to get Jess papers for Lindy. He almost believed her until he saw the ransacked office. He looked back at Jess, about to demand an explanation when her fist impacted with his nose. He staggered back, stunned by the blow. Jess followed up by kicking him in the stomach. Frohike tripped over his feet and dropped to the floor, now clutching his gut. He looked up at Jess, and was certain that his optic center had been damaged. There was a faint white corona around her. The aurora pulsed several times in the minute he stared at her and faded after one final pulse. With a frustrated snarl, she grabbed a handful of his hair and jerked his head up to hers. "Be glad she likes you. I'm in the habit of leaving corpses, not witnesses, in my wake." Unexpectedly, she let go. He fell to the ground again, this time hitting his head against the tile floor, knocking him unconscious. The oilien prodded him a few times with her toe. Convinced that he would give her no further problem, she stepped over the body and went out the door. She now knew where she needed to go. Krycek picked up the denim jacket and held it to his face, inhaling deeply. "She was here under two hours ago." The were gathered in the offices of the Lone Gunmen. Langley had found Frohike unconscious on the floor and Jess's jacket in the corner. He called Mulder instead of the police, not wanting to draw too much attention to their lair. Frohike had become conscious just as Scully, Mulder, and Krycek arrived. Lindy and Skinner had remained behind, in the vain hope that Jess would somehow return home. Acting on a hunch, Mulder grabbed the Geiger counter that was in a pile on the floor and began to sweep the room. In one area, there was a sound like popcorn exploding in a microwave. "This spot registers higher than normal radiation." "Let me see," Scully said. She took the counter and took readings around various places in the room. "There was something radioactive here, and not that long ago. The residual radiation is concentrated... here." "Then I wasn't seeing things," Frohike said. "That's where Jess stood." "Seeing things?" Krycek questioned. He tucked the jacket and walked over to where Mulder and Scully stood. Frohike nodded. "Yeah, there was a glow around her. I had been out for a bit, buying hoagies. I opened the door and Jess was standing there. Then she beat the crap out of me. But the really weird thing is she talked about herself in the third and first person." Scully raised an eyebrow as she examined Frohike, watching for signs of a concussion. "Third person?" "Uh, yeah. She said something like, 'Be glad she likes you. I leave corpses, not witnesses'." "That doesn't sound like Jess," Scully commented. "You should get checked out at a hospital, but as far as I can tell, you're fine." "No hospitals," Frohike grunted. "I don't want Langley reading my chart." "We've finished taking inventory," Beyer's interrupted. How the Lone Gunman could find anything in the chaos was beyond Scully. The current condition of their office made Mulder look like a neat freak. "Everything seems to be in place, except for one thing." "Which is?" Mulder asked. Langley walked over to the corkboard on the wall. "We had some pictures posted here of missile sites where there has been suspicious activity. The one with the full site in North Dakota is missing." "North Dakota?" Krycek repeated. He looked at Mulder and Scully. "We need to go, now." "Easy, Alex," Scully said. "There's no proof that she's gone there." "Listen, we need to get going," Mulder said. "If you hear anything from her, let of know." He and Scully moved towards the door. Beyer grabbed at Krycek's arm as he passed by. "If there's anything we can do, let us know," he said quietly. Krycek nodded and followed the FBI agents out of the door. "I think that anwsers the question about whether or not Jess is possessed," he muttered, moving woodenly towards the car. "But I can't understand why it didn't kill Frohike." Mulder unlocked the car. "What if the entity dominating Jess doesn't have complete control? That would explain why it didn't kill Frohike. It tried, but it couldn't detonate. Remember, it said, 'Be glad she likes you.'" Mulder took a deep breath. "I think Jess is fighting whatever it is that is controlling her." Krycek considered that. "It is possible. But she won't be able to keep that up for long." He flopped into the back of the seat. "And when she can't keep it up?" Scully asked as she got into the car. Krycek merely sighed. He had fought against the invading entity, and lost. "Don't ask." Scully looked thoughtfully at Krycek's reflection in the rear view mirror. "Okay, now what do we do?" The younger man thought for a moment before answering. "There is one other place to check...." Hidden away in his apartment, Cancerman watched the video with an absorbed interest. It wasn't one of the standard surveillance tapes of the subjects, but a copy of a personal video that had been made. On screen was a living room of a typical home where untypical creatures lived. Krycek, sitting on a couch, had Amanda on his lap, and was bouncing her on his knee. "C'mon," he urged the one-year-old, shaking and tickling her. "Say it." Amanda grinned at him and giggled, clapping her hands against her chubby thighs. Jess, apparently holding the video camera, laughed. "Alex, she's too young to talk," came her voice from off screen. "Well, my daughter is a genius," Krycek protested. "She said it, and she'll say it again." "Get real!" Jess hooted. "She said ah-ah, not dada. And besides, if I have my way, her first words will be 'Go Sharks!'" The Cigarette Smoking Man smiled at Jess's reference to her favorite hockey team. Amazing, he thought. They are trying to live a normal life, despite everything. He had once thought he could have both, love and the shadow world. But Their demands had finally forced him to make a choice. He had chosen power, but that didn't mean part of him did not grieve over what he had lost. The telephone ringing interrupted his train of thought. The phone only rang for one reason. After thumbing the remote, Cancerman picked up the phone and listened. "When did this happen?" He again listened for a few seconds. "Put the North Dakota base on high alert. And no, I will inform him myself." He hung up the phone, deeply disturbed by the news. It appeared that Jess, despite already being involved in the Loup Garou division of the Project, had been targeted by another sector for an experiment. She had been deliberately infected with the Black Oil. By whom, however, was a good question. Cancerman immediately thought of Well Manicured Man, his boss and Jess's uncle. He just as immediately dismissed that thought. Everything that Jess had endured because of her uncle had been carefully controlled, an effort to make her stronger for a purpose Cancerman wasn't clear on yet. No matter what his niece believed, Well Manicured Man had made sure that Jess had never been in life threatening danger. This situation, however, did have deadly potential. Humans had a hard enough time physically and psychologically when exposed to the sentient and nonsentient versions of the Black Cancer that did not gestate, but most werewolves, it seemed, were completely decimated by having their will overridden so thoroughly. One of three things happened to them - the werewolf became catatonic and eventually ceased to live, the werewolf went foaming mad and had to be put down for safety's sake, or the werewolf won through the struggle and came back mentally stronger than before. However it was impossible to predict which one would occur. He had seen some strong willed werewolves, alphas of their respective packs, give up and die for no apparent reason after being possessed. He had also seen some of the lowest ranking werewolves come out of it and fight and obtain higher ranking and even go on to rule the pack with an iron claw. There was no way to tell if her mind would bend and reform or shatter into a million pieces. He reached for the phone to inform Well Manicured Man of this situation. The concern in his superior's voice dispelled any doubts about him being involved. "She was exposed? How? By whom?" "I do not know at this time. The base is on high alert. I'll be there shortly to plan strategy." Cancerman hung up the phone and grabbed his coat. It would do one of two things, he mused as he put his arms in the sleeves. Go to the silo directly, or.... He opened the door to leave. And found Jess standing there, a wide, sweet smile on her face. "I see I came at a bad time. I hate to keep you from your appointment, but there is so much that we need to discuss." Cancerman opened the door wider, realizing that at the moment, the best thing was for Jess to be where he could keep an eye on her. The young woman stepped through the door, still smiling. "And what may I do for you?" he asked. Cancerman didn't bother to use Jess's name since he knew it wasn't Jess who would answer. "You know what I need." Jess's voice took on a sultry purr. One of her hands slid down her torso in a sensual movement, tracing every curve slowly. "And I'm willing to deal with what I have on hand." But her eyes and the tight lines around her mouth only conveyed disgust. Cancerman smiled, eying the woman standing in front of him. She is attractive. For half a second, he considered it. But Well Manicured Man would have his head if he slept with Jess, not to mention what Jess herself would do when she regained control of her body. And that may be sooner than the parasite thinks. Jess was obviously aware of what was going on at some level, and was making an attempt to gain control. But she wasn't able to at this point. A flat out refusal seemed unwise, and this particular response would keep the oilien off balance. "What makes you think that I'm interested in bedding this bitch werewolf? Or think that I haven't already sampled what you're offering?" The oilien blinked, but only hesitated for a split second. "Information then?" The Smoking Man nodded. "For starters, shall we state what we want out of this bargain?" Jess's face took on a disdainful glare. "What do I want?" She roared the next words, fangs growing with every syllable. "I want to get back to the ship!" She paused, took a deep breath, and forced herself to grin. The smile was bitter, tight, and revealed completely human teeth. "And you?" "I want you to leave her undamaged." Cancerman lit another cigarette. Her last statement had revealed something he might be able to use, the oilien couldn't control the Change well, yet. "I can make arrangements for you to be taken to your final destination." Jess smiled, baring her teeth in a snarl of irony. "If you think I'm going to pour myself into a bucket and trust you to take me where I want to go, you've got another thing coming." A gun appeared in her hand, one which Cancerman recognized as being a standard issue FBI weapon. "I'm going anywhere I want in this body," she said evenly, "and you're coming with me." "So this is where he lives," Mulder muttered. The room could have been straight out of a generic motel, a place to sleep with no personal touches, except for a picture. On impulse, he picked it up for a close look and then just as quickly put it down. Scully had caught a glimpse of the picture. It was one she recognized, a picture of Samantha and Mulder taken the summer before Samantha disappeared. "Was Jess here?" "She was here," a familiar voice said. Well Manicured Man stood in the doorway to Cancerman's apartment. "And she is in grave danger. It took them hostage." Scully raised her eyebrows. "*It* took *them* hostage?" "My subordinate is as much of a hostage as Jess is," Well Manicured Man responded. Half dreading and knowing the answer, Krycek asked the obvious question. "Where is it taking them?" Well Manicured Man gazed levelly back. "I think you know where, Mr. Krycek." Krycek ignored the pointed reply. "But what does it want with Jess?" "In an odd way, Mr. Krycek, you are part of the reason the Black Oil infected her," Well Manicured Man said. "The oil contains a group consciousness. It first arrived on this planet being carried by a asteroid. But it miscalculated the gravitational pull between the moon and Earth and ended up fragmenting the asteroid into many meteorites, which landed in different parts of the world." "Tunguska," Mulder muttered under his breath. "Exactly," Well Manicured Man commented. "And each part of the meteorite carried part of the Black Oil. It's consciousness, self, what have you, was fragmented. Each fragment has been instinctively trying to rejoin with the others. The more fragments that gather together, the more strength the group consciousness regains." He paused, as if this pained him. "It was one of those larger fragments that has invaded Jess." Krycek blinked, not clear on one point. "But how did it know where to find her?" Well Manicured Man continued his lecture. "As each of the fragments grow larger, the group consciousness becomes more complete. It has the ability to access what might be compared to a racial memory, but the memories are composed of each individual fragment's experiences, not to mention the memories of its hosts. You may have not known my niece then, but it had a starting place to search for you, Mr. Krycek." "This is all fascinating," Scully said, not certain if she fully believed what was being said. "But what does it have to do with Jess?" "It needs a host body to travel long distances. And for various reasons, it chose her." Scully raised her eyebrows. "And those reasons are?" Well Manicured Man looked Krycek in the eyes. "Revenge against Mr. Krycek and myself." Three sets of eyes turned to Krycek. "Part of the information on the digital tape was about these creatures. The Russian scientists I provided that information to, for a hefty price, were able to come up with a vaccine against the Black Oil." "And a rescue party had been sent by the Oil's allies. The spacecraft, however, was shot down, and locked away for further examination. She has been possessed in retaliation for both of those acts." "And you couldn't have stopped it?" Krycek snarled. "We know every moment of our lives is watched by you and your associates. You had to know that it was coming." "We are not infallible!" Well Manicured Man snapped. "She is the last of my sister's family. If I could have prevented this, I would have. And I can help." Krycek's eyes narrowed, but it was Mulder who responded to Well Manicured Man's statement. "How?" "I can give you access to the place the Black Oil is headed. No strings attached." Krycek thought about it for a moment. The last time Well Manicured Man had offered something no strings attached, he had kept his word. The information needed to heal Lindy from her illness had worked promptly, and there had been no demand for repayment. It seemed worth the risk to do the same again. "Okay," he said, but still couldn't shake the feeling that he had just sold part of his soul back the men he had sworn to never deal with again. Cancerman lay on the bed, for all appearances staring at the ceiling but watching Jess out of the corner of his eyes. Hoping that the oilien was not aware of his state of health, he played up the pain he sometimes experienced from being shot in the chest and requested that they stop for the night. The being grudgingly agreed, apparently wanting him healthy for the moment. Cancerman had then pulled the car into the next Motel Six he spotted and requested a room. The clerk had smirked a bit as he handed the Smoking Man the key, eying a bored Jess standing in the background. The little bastard probably thinks I hired Jess for the night. Now Jess sat in the corner chair, legs propped up on the table. Her eyes were closed, her breath slow and regular, but she was still gripping the gun tightly, barrel pointed directly at him. Testing how alert she was, Cancerman moved towards the phone. There was no reaction from the form softly backlit by the lights filtering through the closed curtains. Quietly he lifted the receiver off the hook. Jess snorted a little and shifted slightly. Eyes never leaving her, Cancerman dialed a phone number. Once the computer answered the phone, he punched in an identifying sequence. The code would initiate a program to trace the lines back to the source, as well as put a wiretap on the phone. He slowly began to replace the receiver. Just after the receiver touched the base, a steel vise clamped down on his wrist. The oilien glared at him, her face working in anger, a soft growl filling the air. She stared at him, amusement eventually replacing the blatant anger in her eyes. "If you want to make a phone call, all you have to do is ask," she said, releasing his wrist. It doesn't realize I've already made one, the Smoking Man thought, not daring to believe his luck. Slowly again he dialed the phone under Jess's watchful eye. It rang only once before it was picked up. Well Manicured Man was the voice on the other end of the line. "Yes?" The werewolf hit the speaker button as Cancerman began to speak. "It's me." Well Manicured Man quietly voiced a concerned question. "Is she there?" Jess nodded slightly, signaling for him to answer. "Yes, and under the complete control of the Oil." "Are you heading for the North Dakota base?" "Yes. She's armed with a gun..." Jess's finger tapped the disconnect button. "I think that's long enough for tonight. And I would rest up if I were you. We have to make our goal tomorrow." Still keeping a wary eye on the werewolf, Cancerman settled back on the bed. Without a further word, he resumed staring at the ceiling, wondering which of the plans he had set in motion would end up rescuing him, or killing him. He could smell her all around him - her unique identifying musk thick with arousal. His hands reached out and touched firm, hot flesh - hers. Gentle, but irresistible hands coaxed him to roll from his side to his back. Recognizing her touch, he acquiesced immediately, feeling his cock swell larger with each beat of his pulse. Unless she moved quickly, he was certain he would be found dead from a lack of oxygen to his brain. But what a way to go! he thought happily as the hands teasing at his nipples now moved southwards to worry at the waistband of his sweatpants. He opened his eyes to gaze at his lover as she removed his offending clothing and sank down on his erection. Jess was smiling at him, an odd expression of triumph flitting across her features as she began to move. Her warm brown eyes turned as cold and flat as a snake's. And then the whites of her eyes swirled into black... Krycek woke with a start, biting his lip to keep from screaming. Earlier in the evening, Scully had insisted he take a Valium to relax. He sat up, blinking in the square of moonlight that spilled through the window. The adreneline surge from the nightmare combined with the fast metabolism of a werewolf burned off the dregs of the drug. How can I even try to sleep knowing that she's with him? He didn't want to think about what she was being forced to do, and the fact that she was sharing a room with the Cigarette Smoking Man added to his unease. Not that he thought that Jess would willingly sleep with Cancerman; she had told him she wouldn't be capable of the act. But the entity in control of her might. Or force her to commit other acts she found distasteful. Certain he would be unable to sleep without the terrifying dreams, Krycek got out of the bed and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. After briefly checking on a soundly sleeping Amanda, he walked downstairs, not willing to go back to the nightmares that were waiting. And found he wasn't the only one with insomnia. Krycek raised his hand as he passed Skinner, who was calling someone on his cell phone, and then headed on to the kitchen. Lindy sat at the table, staring into a cup of hot chocolate. She looked up at someone sitting across from her at the table, her face solemn. "This is worse than when she was pregnant," she said. "I mean, we know where she is, but can't do anything about it." "I know it's rough, Lindy," came Mulder's voice in response. "But hang in there. She's going to be okay." "And Jess is very resourceful," Scully added. "She'll find a way to help us." "I know," Lindy said. "I just wish there was something I could do." "You've already done a lot, Lindy," Krycek said. He walked over to the table and sat down. "Why don't you go to bed. And before you protest," he added, cutting off Lindy as she opened her mouth. "You probably won't get anymore sleep than I have, but Jess will chew us both out if I let you stay up all night." Lindy looked for a second like she was going to object anyway, but then stood up. "Okay. Wake me if you hear anything?" Lindy gave him a quick hug as she passed by. "Of course." He watched as, to Scully and Mulder's murmured good nights, Lindy left the room and Skinner entered. Once he was sure the teen could not see him, Krycek let his shoulders slump and cradled his head in his hands. I just said 'will' like I'm certain that she's going to be fine. I wish to God that I'm right. Skinner also sat down. "I just finished talking with Jess's uncle. He will see to it that we will be allowed onto the silo compound with supervision." He glanced at Krycek. "Can you handle that?" The young man nodded, lifting his head. "But we have another problem. What do we do with the kids? Lindy could face this, but Amanda...." Krycek trailed off. Mulder understood Krycek's frustration. Amanda needed to be watched over. Lindy, however capable, couldn't be left alone in this situation. That meant that either Skinner or Krycek had to stay behind. And neither man was truly willing to do so. The other option, which really was not one as far as all were concerned, was to leave Lindy and Amanda in the custody of Well Manicured Man's aides. Mulder could see no way to resolve the situation. Scully finally broke the silence. "I think I might have a solution." At the moment, Jess was strongly identifying with Meg's father from Madeline L'Engle's "A Wrinkle In Time." There was a duality to her perceptions that was driving her crazy. Although she could feel her physical body's motions and sensations, she could not control them. At the same time, below her "shoulders," her psychic body was no more able to move than if she had been encased in acrylic. But every so often, she could feel her responses at least stymying her possessor's actions. I wish I could somehow tesser my way out of here. And somehow I don't think Charles Wallace will be showing up to rescue me. Very amusing. The voice wound its way to her ears from the mental darkness. You have an amazingly well developed sense of humor for a creature so low on the evolutionary scale. Jess mentally took a deep breath. While her body's respiratory rate remained the same, her mind reacted as if there were a sudden influx of air. Why are you doing this? If you had explained that you needed help, I would have been more than willing to aid you. Of course, came the bitter response. Just like those humans who shot down my transport. 'So sorry, we'll fix it. And while we are, let us study you.' And forty years later, here I am still. The voice then continued softly. You have little reason to be loyal to humanity. We could be allies, you and I, and make humankind pay. I was born human, Jess thought back. That is reason enough for me to be loyal. Even though they hurt you? The oilien decided to remind her of what she owed humanity... ....Pain. Dull ache at the back of her head from hitting the corner of the table, pressure where her boyfriend knelt on her legs, pinning her in place. "You little slut!" Jake's voice rasped. "You wouldn't leave me unless you were already fucking someone else. Well, I'll make sure he won't ever want to touch you again." Tearing of cloth and a sharp, stabbing pain in her breast... ....Tears falling down her cheeks as she confessed, lying in a hospital bed, what a thirteen-year-old thought was the truth. "Mom, Dad, it's my fault. If I hadn't asked Rachel if we could stay at the Boardwalk for another hour, we wouldn't have been in that accident. She'd still be alive." Cold stares her only answer, no offers of parental denial, support, or comfort... ....Anger erupting from beneath the surface, claws extending and aiming for the throat, only to be redirected last minute to score the fleshy pad of the cheek. The scent of blood, metallic and faintly sweet, below the scent of tobacco smoke. "To see her, all you had to do with me is what you are already doing with Krycek and Assistant Director Skinner. However, due to your unprovoked behavior, I withdraw the offer." Lava rage turning to ice fear at the thought of never holding her missing daughter... ....And the olien's voice smoothly encroaching on her memories. Need I go on? Jess remained silent. Not convinced, I see. The oilien's voice took on a dark tone. If you would cooperate, I would not have to use him to get us to my ship. And this would probably not be necessary. Jess could sense a malignant amusement behind those words. What would not be necessary? She barely had time to respond before... ....Breathless screams. Limbs and lips entwining and exploring. Bodies tensing and relaxing as the final wave of pleasure crashed through them. Jess leaning down for a smoke flavored kiss. And her partner looking up at her admiringly before whispering in a sated voice, "You're very good..." No!Jess whispered, horrified. She bowed her mental head, tears slipping from her eyes. Why are you doing this? You have control of my body and can easily overcome what little resistance I can put up. There is no need for this. Why? She could sense the oilien regarding her thoughtfully, scanning her mind for an appropriate response. What is it that Ariel said to Prospero when he had defeated his enemies? It had been a long time since she read The Tempest in college. Jess thought for several minutes before the answer floated into her consciousness. It was one of her favorite passages, even before she was Changed. Afterwards, she thought about it whenever she had a victim before her, begging for mercy. Ariel says, "Your charm so strongly works 'em/That if you now beheld them your affections/Would become tender." Prospero asks, "Dost thou think so, spirit?" Ariel answers, "Mine would, sir, were I human." There was a dark, low chuckle. And I am not. There was a sense of the presence retreating, and Jesswas alone in her mental cage again. Amanda giggled in the older woman's arms. "What a little angel! What's her name?" "Amanda," Krycek said, putting down the diaper bag. "Thanks for taking her on such short notice. We really appreciate it." "It's not a problem." Margaret Scully said. "Dana said that it's an emergency." "I need to be going," Krycek said. He bent down to kiss Amanda on her forehead. "Be good, little one." "I'm sure she will be. Dana, Fox, can I speak with you for a moment?" Krycek stepped out into the night to join Skinner in the car. "Have I met him before?" "I don't think so, Mom," Scully said. "Dana, I am sure I know him from somewhere." Mrs. Scully was adamant. "Wasn't he at the hospital when Melissa died?" Oh shit! Scully thought. She had completely forgotten that Krycek had been watching Melissa to make sure she would not survive to identify him. And she wasn't to certain that her mother would understand why she was now allied with him. Mulder came to her rescue. "Agent Krycek was there, Mrs. Scully. But he can be trusted." "You're certain, Fox?" Mrs. Scully remembered that Skinner had gone after Krycek, and that he had come later been found severely beaten. "Yes," Mulder reassured. "And he has entrusted you with one of the most important things in his life, his daughter." Mrs. Scully immediately put two and two together. "And the woman who you're searching for is her mother? Then go find her," she said when the pair nodded. "Thanks, Mom," Scully said again. She gave Mrs. Scully a quick hug and exited the house with Mulder in tow. The both went to the car and got in. "I'm not sure I agree with Lindy staying at the house alone." Skinner shook his head. "Someone needs to keep that area covered in case Jess somehow makes it back. And I don't think that she'd stay with your mother, she can't come along, and neither of us," he gestured to himself and Krycek, "are willing to stay behind. Now let's go bring her home." The rest of the trip had proceeded without incident. The oilien had awakened the Smoking Man up shortly after the first light and waited impatiently outside the Seven Eleven as he bought coffee for his breakfast. Now they were pulling up to the manned gate of the compound. Jess kept the gun discretely tucked out of sight, but Cancerman was sure it was still pointed directly at him. "Make sure this goes smoothly," she growled as they pulled up to the checkpoint. The guard walked up to the sedan and crisply saluted when he recognized the driver. "Your identification, please." Cancerman handed over a plain white card with a magnetic stripe on the back. Jess remained staring straight ahead, to all appearances bored by the proceedings. "And hers, sir?" the soldier requested respectfully. Cancerman risked a glance at the oilien. Long experience with nonhuman races had taught him clues that had saved his life on occasion. Jess, although staring straight ahead, was readying for an attack, if he read the tension in her jaw and clenched fist correctly. "She is a protegee of mine," he said without hesitation. "I will vouch for her credentials and her behavior." The guard frowned slightly. "Excuse me, sir." He took Cancerman's identity card back to the gate house put it through a reader. The guard began tapping keys and picked up the phone as he stared at the computer screen. "This had better work," the oilien growled, staring at Cancerman. "I don't plan on being stopped so close to my goal." This was the make or break point. If the oilien suspected anything was amiss, he and the guard would be dead in a matter of seconds. The guard returned, carrying two barcoded badges and the card. He gave them to the occupants of the car without a word and then raised the barrier. Cancerman put the car into gear and drove past. The oilien relaxed slightly and allowed a small smile to creep over her features as she clipped the badge to her tee shirt. "Well done," she purred. Not acknowledging what she said, Cancerman drove further down the road towards the silos. To his consternation, there were five people standing beside their destination. Jess's body tensed and a hiss escaped her lips. "No." But Cancerman kept driving, eventually pulling up by the building. The oilien responded by drawing her gun. Once the car had stopped, she gestured for the Cigarette Smoking Man to get out of the car in front of her. "Don't try to stop me!" Jess pointed the gun at Cancerman's head. "I will shoot him!" "Why shoot him?" Mulder challenged. "Change and rip his throat out! Or fry him in a nuclear blast!" The oilien paused for a fraction of a second too long, betraying it's weakness. "I don't because I choose not to." "You mean you can't because Jess is stopping you," Krycek taunted, taking a few steps in front of Mulder. "For all your supposed superiority, four humans and four werewolves have outsmarted and outmaneuvered you." The oilien snarled, tensing, fledgling fur erupting over her body. Shifting her aim to Krycek, she fired once. Krycek, sensing what was coming, dropped to the ground. But Mulder wasn't able to duck out of the way. Scully, in a true display of marksmanship, returned fire, literally shooting the gun out of Jess's hands. The being howled in anger and pain. Twisting around, she bolted towards the silo. Krycek was the first to run after her, Changing and overtaking her in a few strides. Grabbing her arm, he dug his heels into the ground to halt her. Jess responded with a roar and a taloned slash that was turned into a roundhouse punch to the vulnerable point below the jaw. Winded, Krycek involuntarily let go and Changed back to a human, knocked off his feet by the force of her blow. Twisting and crouching, Jess lurched for the entrance of the silo and gained it before anyone could stop her. Skinner was at Krycek's side instantly, helping the young man back to his feet. "I'll be fine," Krycek gasped out. "Help her!" Skinner nodded and plunged into the silo, leaving Krycek in Mulder and Scully's care. He noted in the half darkness a pair of discarded shoes, flung against the wall. A few feet on was the torn remains of the t-shirt Jess had worn. A little further was what was left of her bra. He continued down the hallway, half crouched. The hallway curved to the right, blocking his view, but not his hearing. He could hear a pair of male screams and a crescendoing satanic growl that ended in a roar and a pair of sickening squelches. And then dead silence. After a few seconds Skinner heard a pounding noise, the sound of something hitting metal repeatedly. It was interspersed with a screeching noise, similar to fingernails on chalkboard. He cautiously traveled down the last few yards, staying close to the wall, and turned the corner, the metallic smell of blood first reaching him. Even with the carnage he had seen in Vietnam and as a field agent, Skinner almost vomited at the gruesome sight. Two soldiers were on the ground, their bodies torn wide open from chin to pubic bone, blood and entrails splattering the walls. The pounding and screeching noise came from a huge, black figure vainly clawing at a steel door smeared with blood and marked 1013. He stared at the werewolf try to force the door off its hinges. But this creature wasn't Jess in her full lycanthropic mode, as if the entity couldn't access all her powers. The black fur was thin and mangy, in places, the head resembling the werewolf of the black and white movies instead of a real wolf. The long claws were not being wielded with their usual skill, and the paws were trembling with excitement, making it impossible for the door to be opened by conventional means. The creature was clearly frantic to get inside. Swallowing hard, Skinner took a step forward, not trying to hide his presence and realizing that with his slowly growing abilities, he would be no match for Jess (even in her current state) in a fight. The werewolf froze for a split second, and then whirled around, her rat naked half tail swinging in counterbalance. Fresh blood dripped from her stubby muzzle as the jaws parted in a snarl. She started to charge forward, only to halt after two jerky steps. The werewolf hissed like a wet cat, pointed ears flat against the misshapen skull. "I'm not going to hurt you," Skinner spoke gently. "Let me help." He watched as the muscles under the patchy pelt rippled and contracted in preparation to spring. Skinner wondered for a moment if another werewolf's claws and fangs were as deadly as silver. But Jess backed away a few steps. Being certain to stay out of striking distance of the twitching paws, Skinner edged over to the door. There were several sizable dents and gouges in it, but was otherwise intact. An electronic lock, the kind you slid magnetic striped cards through, was near the handle, all lights glowing red. Taking a deep breath, Skinner unclipped the badge he had been given when he came onto the site, and ran it through the reader. The lights turned green and there was a hiss as the seal of the door was broken. Then there was the sound of many feet running towards them. Skinner felt the breath get knocked from his lungs as the furry form bolted past him and through the slowly opening doorway. He was slammed against the wall, and had started to slide to the ground when a pair of arms grabbed his shoulders. He opened his eyes to find himself staring into Krycek's green ones, fear of where he was dueling with fear of what had happened to Skinner and Jess. "I'm all right. She's in there," Skinner said, noting that Mulder, Scully, Cancerman and Well Manicured Man were part of the group. Mulder and Krycek went to either side of the door, guns ready. As they both whirled into the doorway, a gagging noise could be heard. "You've got to see this," came Mulder's voice. He went inside. Krycek remained rooted to the spot, staring at the interior of the room where he had spent time imprisoned. Scully slid past him to see what was happening. They watched in horror as Jess, now human in shape, climbed up on top of the UFO, doubled over, and began retching. Her head lifted and she stared sightlessly forward, weeping tears of oil, before the gusher erupted from her mouth. Every conceivable opening in her body was oozing the fluid. The procedure lasted for a few minutes, but seemingly went on for hours. Krycek cried for her and for himself, reliving his own memories. Eventually, Jess's body slid off the UFO, completely spent. Skinner walked to her and gently rolled her onto her back. Scully and Mulder came forward, snapping out of their shock to examine Jess. When Scully reached out and touched her wrist to check Jess's pulse, she reacted violently, flailing and screaming hoarsely and curling into a defensive ball. "Shhh," Krycek soothed, quickly moving to her side. "Easy, Jess. It's just us." He took Scully's hand and placed it near Jess's nose. The trembling woman took a few sobbing breaths. Only then did she allow Scully to check her vitals and make sure her breathing passages were clear. Mulder, taking his cue from Krycek, also held his hand to Jess's nose before touching her. He gently drew his finger across the back of her hand. "It feels like the same oil as before." Skinner unfolded the blanket he had brought with him. He turned his attention back to Jess, helping her sit up. Jess shivered and whimpered, vainly trying to wipe the oil off her skin. Skinner put the blanket around her shoulders. Jess grabbed one of the corners and began to scrub her face, rubbing her skin raw. "No, Jess," Krycek said, taking hold of her hands. "You'll only make it worse. Let's get you home and we can clean you up." Skinner helped Jess to her feet. She swayed for a moment before leaning heavily on him, eyes shut. And throughout the whole scene, Cancerman watched, a remote, smoke breathing god, and made no move to aid nor hinder. Well Manicured Man, however, shouldered his way past them. Thumbing back Jess's eyelids, he stared long into her eyes. "It's completely out. There are medical people on the way." Krycek glared at the men in black. It was obvious that Jess would need attention, but not necessarily the kind that the Consortium would give her. Skinner however, had no qualms about answering. "No thanks." "Don't be a fool. She cannot travel in her current state," Well Manicured Man countered. "At least let me provide a place to stay." He looked at Krycek. "It will not be one of the labs. I can promise you this." The others considered this momentarily. Well Manicured Man was right; Jess could not travel very far in her condition. "A hotel," Krycek grunted. "Our choice." Jess's uncle nodded. He stood to one side, and signaled Cancerman to do the same. Krycek and Skinner guided Jess out of the room, through the blood spattered hallway, and out into the light of day. In the same Motel Six Cancerman had spent the night in, Scully examined Jess. The woman's reflexes checked out fine, as did her pulse, her breathing, and every other autonomous body function. "Aside from being bone weary, she appears to be okay," Scully eventually pronounced. Krycek helped Jess to her feet, and then scooped her into his arms. "Then let's get her cleaned up." He carried Jess into the bathroom. Skinner followed, carrying a plastic bag he had snagged from the trunk of the car. He began the water running as Krycek began stripping Jess, dropping the blanket and what was left of her ruined jeans and panties into the bag. The closer the piece of clothing was to her skin, the larger the oil stains grew . Just the way it was with me, Krycek thought with a shudder. Jess was only partly conscious, her head lolling, Krycek supporting her full weight. "Hold her for a moment," Krycek said. Skinner supported the limp body as the other man took off his clothes and stepped into the shower. Skinner guided her into the shower. He also stripped, but stayed outside the tub, so Jess got the full spray of water . Krycek held her upright as Skinner cleaned her off. There's too much, he thought as dark colored slime slipped off of her skin. This couldn't have come from inside her. But he knew it had, and what he was seeing was only a fraction of it. Eventually the water running off of her body was clear. Krycek guided Jess out of the shower and to Skinner, who was waiting with a towel. He started wiping the exhausted woman down as Krycek stepped back into the shower to clean off the oil that had gotten on him while he was holding Jess. Skinner gently toweled the moisture off of Jess's body and then led her back to the bedroom, which Mulder and Scully had discretely vacated. Finding a long gown, he eased it over her head. Jess seemed to come to enough to help, working her arms into the sleeves. Skinner then tucked her into the bed. Jess sighed, asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. A tear slipped from under Jess's closed eyelids. Skinner reached out and caught it, rubbing the substance between his thumb and finger, a worried look crossing his features when he realized how oily the tear was. He sensed more than heard Krycek step up beside him. "The self aware part of it's out of her system but she's still going to be extruding that stuff for a couple of days, at least." As if thinking about what he had just said, Krycek paused. Then the young man began to tremble. He knows that from experience. Skinner pulled Krycek into a protective embrace, running one square palm up and down the other man's spine. Krycek sighed deeply and leaned into the hug, still trembling. "You're as tired as she is, Alex," Skinner whispered. "Get into bed. I'll debrief everyone." "And me?" Krycek mumbled, with a weak thrust of his groin. "I'll put some on so you can take them off." "After you get some sleep, boy," Skinner promised. He guided the young man into the bed. Krycek crawled in between the sheets and wrapped himself around Jess's body. She made a soft noise and nestled into Krycek's arms. Skinner's heart ached when he looked at them, both bruised and battered by thisexperience. He grabbed his jeans and shirt and pulled them back on before going out to the Mulder and Scully. "They're both asleep." Scully looked up from where she was examining Mulder's shoulder. "She's probably going to be asleep for at least 24 hours. She shouldn't be moved before then." Skinner registered for the first time that Mulder had possibly been shot. "Agent Mulder, how is your shoulder?" Mulder grinned, and then winced. "I've been worse. In fact, she's," he nodded his head towards Scully, "done worse." "The bullet just grazed his bicep," Scully said. "It came so close it scorched, but didn't break the skin." She paused for a moment. "How is Jess?" Skinner's reply summed up all of their feelings on the situation. "I don't know, and I have a feeling we won't know until she wakes up." Jess opened her eyes, not recognizing where she was. Why am I in a motel? she wondered looking at the bland furnishings in the room. Shakily, she rose from the bed and staggered into the bathroom. After performing the basic biological functions she did every morning, she went to the sink, gripping the porcelain sides. I'm as weak as a kitten, she thought, staring down the drain, slightly dizzy. Jess glanced up and caught sight of herself in the mirror. Only it wasn't her image she saw, but the stranger who accosted her in her home, ice blue eyes morphing into inky black... Jess shrieked and picked up the nearest item she could lay hands on, a sample sized shampoo bottle. She threw it against the mirror, meaning to shatter it, to drive the image from her mind. But the bottle was too light and bounced off the glass without damaging it. Now screaming in blind panic, she began beating her hands against the mirror. "Jess! Stop it!" rang out a voice harshly. Hands grabbed her shoulders to spin her around, and then shifted their grip to her wrists. She found herself staring into Krycek's jade eyes. Reflexively, she snapped hers shut, instinctively trying to protect herself from reinfestation by the Oil. "It's okay, Jess. You're safe," he said more softly. Jess bit her lip, trembling before collapsing against his chest and beginning to cry. Krycek wrapped her in his arms, rocking her gently. "You've been asleep for two days." Krycek gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. "God, Jess, it felt like two years." He kissed the crown of her head. Jess's sobs eventually subsided and Krycek guided her back to the bed. "Where the hell are we?" she asked in a raw voice. "North Dakota," was the reply. Jess didn't seem to grasp the full significance of the location, and Krycek didn't want to push her yet. "Get back in bed. You still have some healing to do." "Don't want to sleep," she protested, sounding like an eight-year-old pleading to stay up after bedtime. "Tell me what happened," she rasped as he laid her down and pulled the covers over her body. Krycek sat down on the bed and Jess snuggled into his lap. He brushed her bangs off of her forehead. "You were infected with the Black Oil. Yes, Jess," he said when she shifted to stare at him, her eyes questioning. Inwardly, he was relieved that now she would look into his eyes. "The same alien intelligence that possessed me." Jess blinked, clearly turning that fact around inside her head. "I remember someone at the door..." Her eyes widened and she inhaled with a hiss of horror. "Amanda! Did I..." He silenced her fears with a brush of lips across her forehead. "You did nothing to her. She's perfectly well and with Dana's mother." "I could have killed her," Jess whispered, horrified by the thought to the point of trembling. "I could have killed you." Krycek shook his head as he reclined on the bed. "No. It wasn't you. There were deaths, but the alien, not you, is responsible for that." Jess seemed to consider what he said and closed her eyes. Except for an occasional full body shiver, she was now still. Her cheek rested on his shoulder, lips brushing his neck. Krycek stroked her back slowly, soothing and reassuring her without words. Scully poked her head inside the door. "Alex," she admonished as she stepped inside. "You were supposed to tell me when she woke up." "She just did," Krycek protested as Jess sat up. Scully made an exasperated noise and crouched down to Jess's level. She held up her index finger in front of the young woman. "Track my finger," she said and started to move it around Jess's head. Brown eyes followed its path with no effort. "What day is it, Jess?" Jess answered the question promptly, but Krycek noticed she didn't look Scully in the eyes. "Um, I'm not sure. Alex said I was asleep for two days, so it's at least Wednesday." "It's Friday. You were in an altered state of consciousness for two before you passed out." Scully held up all her digits on her left hand except for her pinkie. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Jess's brow furrowed. "I forget. Do you count the thumb as a finger?" Scully straightened up, relieved at Jess's unorthodox, but thoughtful question. "You're fine. I want you to rest as much as possible for the next few days. But first you need to eat. How does soup sound?" "Good," she rasped. Scully nodded and went out the door. Krycek piled the pillows up behind Jess so she could lean against them and still be upright as she ate. But before Scully returned, another person had arrived in the room above to check on Jess through a spy camera. It was rare for him to be seen at a place not of his choosing. You came to him inadvertently on your part, or were summoned and responded with all due alacrity. All aspects of the Project needed at least his tactic approval to go forward. But this kind of personal scrutiny was far from the norm. The Senior Elder looked over Cancerman and Well Manicured Man before turning back to the television screen. "She is to make a full recovery?" Cancerman nodded once. "It appears so. Her first response upon waking was to fight, not to flee. We will monitor her mental state closely, but she appears to be on the mend. As to who infected her, I have not been able to determine that exactly." Well Manicured Man frowned. "What do you mean 'exactly'?" The Elder scowled at Well Manicured Man speaking out of turn, but gestured for Cancerman to continue. "An analysis of the waste oil extruded revealed traces of minerals. They were a perfect match to the sample from the Tunguska region." "Then there is a Cold War connection." The Senior Elder again considered Jess on screen for several moments. "What of the pups?" "Neither one was infected," Cancerman replied immediately. "And they were unharmed throughout the ordeal." "Is the younger one in our possession?" "No," said Well Manicured Man. After a split second hesitation, he amended his statement. "We should leave her to Leahs's and Krycek's custody, to maintain the little goodwill that I have cultivated." "Very well. We will be perform the extraction within six months as scheduled. Until then, they are to be left alone." Well Manicured Man nodded his acknowledgment of the order. He stood there for several moments before leaving the room. Then within two minutes, he appeared in the hotel room, checking in on Jess. The Elder waited until Well Manicured Man had been on screen for several seconds. "Your superior seems extremely concerned about his niece." Cancerman nodded his head once, indicating that he had noticed. "He still believes that she can become a Member." The Elder turned slightly to keep one eye on the screen and one eye on the Cigarette Smoking Man. "You are familiar with her history. Can it be done?" "It may be possible." Cancerman paused to remove a fresh cigarette from his pocket. "But highly doubtful." "Then her only use is as a test subject." The unspoken corollary to that statement was clear. Once the test was over, she would have no use. "I don't remember much," Jess said. She clasped the cup of hot chocolate in her hands like a lifeline. "And what I do remember, I wantto forget." They were the only ones in the living room at the moment. Krycek was checking on Amanda down for the third time that night and Lindy had gone to bed about half an hour ago. Skinner gently placed a hand on hers. "Come on, let's go to bed." He bit back a sigh when Jess pulled away as if she had been burned. He had, despite all common sense, spent every night of the past week with her and Krycek, needing to be a part of their healing. He was certain now that rumors were spreading from Mulder's basement office to the Attorney General's that he and Jess were having an affair, and probably someone would soon connect the fact that Jess had been, and probably still was, Krycek's lover. Most likely in a short time, his career would be over. But that didn't matter. What was important was that two people he loved were hurting, and needed to heal. Krycek was actually doing better than Jess was. He still had moments of terror, caught up in a memory or recognizing one of Jess's reactions as one he once had. But he had faced this enemy before, knew its powers, and its limits, and remembered that the terror did fade over time. Jess, however, didn't want to be touched, or even looked at for over a minute by anyone other than Krycek. She maintained a normal facade, but was far from her normal self. Her eyes were perpetually downcast, her movements those of a frightened mouse instead of a confident alpha female werewolf. There would be times where she seemed about to break out of the cocoon of nightmarish memories, but then she would slip back in, wrapped up tighter than before. And it was difficult to spend the night with her, no matter how much Skinner wanted to do. If she was touched unexpectedly, she pulled away as if electrocuted. The first night, hoping to encourage her to join in, Krycek and he indulged in some foreplay, whispering between their moans how and where they wanted Jess to touch them. Jess, however, climbed out of the bed, dragging a blanket behind her like a three-year-old, to spend the night sleepless on the couch. That, to say the least, killed the mood. The second night, she retreated only as far as the chair beside the dresser/vanity, staring at the wall, and climbed back into bed when they were finished. The third night was also partially spent on the chair, where she watched, much as she had done the first time Skinner and Krycek had sex. Afterwards, she had fallen asleep, back to them, only to awaken at two am screaming from nightmares she refused to discuss. And the rest of the week had passed that way, Jess becoming more comfortable a step at a time, although her nightmares showed no sign of decreasing. After the third night, she told them what Krycek had guessed, that the oilien had probed her memories and replayed several sexual ones. She wouldn't go into specifics, but both Skinner and Krycek thought they had to do with the time she was raped or had to do with her time alone with Cancerman. Jess docilely followed Skinner up the stairs. Once in the bedroom, Jess grabbed a t-shirt and pair of leggings and disappeared into the bathroom to change. When she came out, Skinner was still dressed. Walking over to her, Skinner gently pressed his lips her forehead, giving her time to back away. Jess accepted this token of affection and even leaned into it slightly. "I'm going to take a shower." Jess nodded and Skinner kissed her forehead again and then went into the bathroom. Jess sighed and climbed into the middle of their bed. She stretched out on her stomach and folded her arms under her head. She fell into a wary doze until Krycek came into the room, stripped to his shorts, and laid down beside her. He placed a hand gently onto her back. She twitched, but made no other move. "Alex?" she asked softly. "Yes, Jess?" "How do you deal with it? The memories of what you did while you were under the control the Oil." Krycek began moving his hand around her back in small, comforting circles. "I try not to think about it. And when I do have to, I remind myself that it was the Black Cancer, not me." And, if I can, I have wild sex with you or Walter to ground me in the present, he thought, but did not think it would be wise to say. "I have these... images," Jess began hesitantly. Her voice grew troubled, and she would not look at Krycek. "Of me and the Smoking Man, together... sexually." Now she started to tremble. "And I have no idea if they are true memories or false images the Cancer was using to torment me." Krycek gently turned her head to face him. "Look at me," he said softly. Her eyes slowly slid to meet his. "If it happened, it wasn't your fault. It doesn't change how I feel about you. And I'm sure Walter feels the same way." He kissed her soft brown hair, her sad brown eyes, and lightly on her pale lips. Jess said nothing more, but curled up onto her side, nose pressed into his chest. Her breathing evened out and slowed as she fell asleep. Krycek put an arm over her and allowed his mind to wander. Now Jess's nightmares and hesitation about sex made sense. He heard the water shut off, and a few minutes later Skinner stepped back into the room. "Did you find out anything?" he asked, leaning down to kiss Krycek's temple. Krycek twisted so he could brush his lips against Skinner's cheek. "It's just what we thought." He brushed Jess's hair back from her head. "She should be okay, but it will just take some time. Let's talk more in the morning." Skinner nodded and got in bed on the other side of Jess. Krycek gave a quiet sigh and closed his eyes. Skinner, though, found he was not quite ready to fall asleep. After a half hour of just watching the pair, he reached out and softly stroked first Jess's and then Krycek's hair, petting them in turns the way he would Lindy's cat Patches. Both were definitely asleep now, Jess wedged between their bodies, almost curled into a fetal position, but still with them. Krycek's words earlier echoed through his mind, and he prayed that they would prove true. "She should be okay, but it will just take some time." The End With the exception of Jess, they belong to the Great Surfer Dude who delights in tormenting us by making us wait until November for season premieres. Rated NC17 for M/(withheld) See end of story for specifics Synopsis - Skinner gets an unexpected visitor. All stories are available at http://home.earthlink.net/~wolfcatxf/loupgarou.html All feedback is appreciated. Loup Garou XV - Femme Fatale by Shael (wolfcatxf@earthlink.net) It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and AD Walter Skinner was alone in his apartment. Or at least he was until there was a knock on the door. He looked out the spyhole before opening it to his visitor. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, surprised to see one of his lovers patiently waiting to be let in. A bright smile and a saucy walk brought the visitor into the apartment. "I was going through the closet and this outfit just screamed 'Wear me!' I put it on and thought you might like to see it. Well, what do you think?" The phrase was accompanied with a coquettish twirl. Skinner eyed his lover appreciatively. The short pleated black skirt only emphasized the bare, long legs (just shaved, he noted with approval), slim hips and tight ass that were being flaunted for him. The white blouse was the sheerest Jess had, one she joked about being able to drink tea through without changing the taste. Six inch black stiletto heels completed the outfit. "How did you make it through the streets without getting jumped?" The answer was accompanied by a slow smile and dip of overlong eyelashes. "A very long trench coat." The voice became teasing. "And why aren't you jumping me right now?" "Good question." Skinner sat down on the couch and patted the cushion beside him. His lover sauntered over, skirt swishing provocatively from side to side. As soon as they settled, Skinner wrapped his arms around shoulders and waist and moved in close for a kiss. He met lips already parted; a tongue darted into his mouth before he was prepared. Skinner moaned. This is what had addicted him - the heat, the wetness, the intensity. And that intensity was being put to very good use at the moment - biting his lips, grazing his jaw line, ttugging his earlobe. He didn't know if it had to do with lycanthropy, but every time he made love to either of the werewolves, even after his Change, Skinner felt that the intensity would devour him the way a starving wolf devoured a fat rabbit. Skinner pulled the supple body across his lap, making sure his erection ground against the crease where thigh met groin. The body in his arms arched, neck stretching, inviting to be nipped. Skinner did so, fingers fumbling at the buttons of the blouse. Impatient, he grabbed two fist fulls of fabric and pulled. A ripping noise, a few buttons flying and the blouse was in two pieces on the floor. His lover pushed back. "You'll pay for that," a sex-coated voice intoned. Two hands pressed him back against the cushions before caressing his nipples through his shirt. These hands were far more steady than his as Skinner's shirt was teased open button by button. And when those kiss-redden lips and bright eyes broke contact only to refocus on his erect nipples, Skinner almost howled. His hips began to move independently of his mind, not that his mind had any great objections. Apparently that was the sign to proceed a step further. Those hands deftly moved down to his fly and swiftly exposed his cock. Those wonderful hands wrapped themselves around the stiff shaft and began to pump. Skinner let his head loll from the sensation. "How do you want it?" he rasped out. "Up my ass." Three simple words. Just three simple words that had the effect of hardening Skinner more than he thought possible. A bottle of lube had materialized from nowhere on the side table and he grabbed it. After squeezing a generous amount onto his fingers, the next order of business was to get the lube up the offered orifice. His lover lifted from the knees, grabbing Skinner's shoulders for support. Damn, Skinner thought as he lifted the skirt. I should have pulled the panties off before slicking... hello! Skinner grinned up at his lover. "Forget something?" he asked, enjoying the glide the skirt's fabric against the back of his hand and the caress of bare flesh against his palm. A quick kiss was dropped against Skinner's forehead. "Didn't want to waste any tim...ah!" The grunt punctuated where two blunt fingers breached the anal sphincter. A few agonizingly slow strokes had the body Skinner was holding thrashing and begging wordlessly for more. And then more was given. The feeling of the skirt brushing his bare stomach was a novel sensation. His hand moved under the fabric without conscious thought, adding to the mutual pleasure. When one would be close to the brink, the other would stop and then start again. But eventually Skinner gave up on holding back and clamped iron hands on his lover's waist, holding the thrashing body in place as he came. And the feeling of hot semen spurting was enough for his partner to also let go. Eventually, the body above Skinner lost it's rigidness and slumped bonelessly across his torso. After a few seconds in that position, his lover shifted, slid off Skinner, and nestled in the crook of his arm. With a sigh of contentment, the stilettos were toed off. "You have no idea how much it hurts to walk in those damn shoes." One shapely leg was thrown over Skinner's. "Miss Manners always says that a lady keeps her legs together while wearing a skirt," Skinner commented. "I'm no lady," was the lazy response. A bare foot now caressed the inside of Skinner's calf, causing the AD to shiver. "Did you enjoy that?" "Mmmmm..." Skinner rumbled as he nodded. "There's just one problem." "Problem?" An eyebrow arched inquiringly in his direction. Skinner's eyes sparkled with amusement, a sight all too rarely seen. "Alex, don't you think that Jess is going to be pissed off that we ruined her favorite blouse and stained her new skirt?" NC17 for M/M sex Loup Garou - Justice By Shael Hawman (wolfcatxf@earthlink.net) Frank Kiote sat by the swimming pool of the hotel, eying his next target. The woman, swimming laps in the clear blue water, was a striking beauty, Or she could be if she took the time and effort - dark, short hair, almost black eyes, extremely fair skin, and a short but thin body that advertised a healthy lifestyle. Nothing at all like his last date. Frank shook his head at the memory. The tall, leggy blonde, ('What was her name?') had been too easy a conquest. A few drinks, some sweet nothings in her delicate ear, and the bimbo had been practically throwing herself at him. He enjoyed the pursuit of his prey almost as much as the ecstasy of the capture. Although it had been fun when Amy ('Yeah, that's her name,') finally realized that it wasn't just sex he was after, just as all women realized when it was too late. Frank returned his attention to the pool. The woman had pulled herself out of the water and began toweling herself off. His eyes slid over the form in a black one piece bathing suit that revealed everything, yet showed nothing. She walked past him to pick up her room key on the table next to his smiling slightly, her eyes sliding over his body. Women tended to find his sandy blonde hair and well muscled body irresistible, and obviously this one was no exception. "Gotcha," he said when she was out of hearing. He didn't know her name yet, and probably would forget it by this weekend, but that was irrelevant. He would have her and some fun, soon enough. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next time Frank spotted the woman, she was sitting outside alone on the bench. Her nose was buried in an Anne Rice novel, oblivious to the world around her. Frank sat down on the bench on the other side of the path, on a slight diagonal. He picked up the the newspaper he had brought along and began to 'read' it, watching her over the edge of the page. They both sat there for several minutes, until the alarm on the woman's digital watch went off. She looked up from under long, silky eyelashes to see if he was watching. Shutting off the offending beeping, she looked at the time, picked up her purse and left, leaving her book behind. 'Damn! This is going to be harder than I thought.' At this point in his pursuits, Frank had at least struck up a conversation. Usually he had the woman's name and phone number by now. Patience was not one of his virtues. Frank had always seen himself as the word his last name sounded like, the coyote, the trickster. He also saw himself as a sly carnivore who took pleasure in wooing, winning, and then killing his lovers. But once he had them, there was no challenge anymore. Frank got tired quickly of his new plaything, and since he never liked to share as a child, why not kill and be done with it. It saved him the trouble of having to deal with those messy emotional breakups. Besides, there was something fascinating about feeling the life ebb from such a beautiful body... . He looked at where she had been sitting. 'Hmm. She left her book behind.' Frank got up and sat on the other bench. He picked up the dog eared copy of The Queen of the Damned. 'What do we have here?' On the inside cover was her name scrawled in loose handwriting. 'Jessica Leahs,' he read. 'What a lovely name. I'll just turn this in at the front desk with a note, and I bet she calls me within a day.' Jessica was obviously a sly little flirt. He had seen the look she had given him before leaving, shyness overcoming her desire. She hadn't forgotten her book, but had left it on purpose for him to find. 'We'll meet soon, my beauty.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Thank you for returning my book," the soft alto voice said. "I was sure I had lost it for good." Frank gave the woman across the table for two his most winning smile. "Miss Leahs, it was a pleasure to do so." "Please, call me Jess. Whenever I hear Miss Leahs, I look around for my mother." She blushed a bit and bent her head demurely, brown eyes peering through a thick curtain of lashes. Frank was certain that she wasn't wearing mascara, that her lashes were naturally long. "I will, but only if you call me Frank." They were having dinner together in the hotel restaurant. They talked about everything and nothing as people tend to do on a first date. Frank found himself itching to hurry things along to what could only be their natural conclusion. He bit his tongue three separate times, stopping himself from suggesting they go upstairs. 'Play it slow,' he reminded himself. 'Act the perfect gentleman and she'll be eating out of your hand.' Despite his caution, Jess was looking increasingly nervous. Her eyes would look into his and then dart away like a restless sparrow's. "I'm sorry, but I've got to go," she said nervously. "Why?" Frank asked. "Am I scaring you off?" "Yes! No! I mean...." she trailed off. "My last relationship left me pretty hurt. I met someone, would have followed him to the ends of the earth, and he just up and left me." Her dark eyes connected for his for the first time the whole evening. "I'm not sure I can handle the idea of being vulnerable like that yet." 'Damaged goods,' Frank thought. That made it so much easier for him. Women who were hurting, and knew it, tended to fall for his brand of seduction a lot easier. 'Let her think she's in control.' "Listen, I want to get to know you better before we plan any trips to the ends of the earth. You set the pace." "Okay." Jess still looked uncertain, but she didn't bolt from the table, yet. Frank decided it was time to reel her in. "Listen, why don't we go up to my room. We can talk there without any distractions. And whatever happens, well, it happens." Jess studied him for a moment, thinking with lips pursed slightly. "I think I'd like that," she said softly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Frank was pleased with himself. After three hours of the most gentle seduction he had ever waged, he had managed to get Jess undressed and into the bed. His hunger was rising, with each kiss inflaming it further. He pulled his body away from hers slightly, testing her. Jess blindly squirmed forward a bit, searching. Frank smiled to himself. 'It's time.' "Jessica," he whispered in her ear. "I know the last man you were with treated you badly. I want to make up for that. Let me make love to you." Jess pulled away from him suddenly. Frank watched as she got out of the bed and walked to the window. Pulling the curtain aside, she stood in a rectangle of spilled moonlight, her back facing him. "Before we do this, there is something you should know." Jess's voice had taken on a soft growl that aroused Frank even more. "What is it?" Frank asked softly. 'Does her hair look longer? No, it's a trick of the full moon's light,' he thought, staring at her. Jess's voice changed from rough silk to diamond ice. "Amy Schroeder was my friend. And," she said, turning to face Frank. "A mere coyote is no match for a werewolf." Frank watched in horror as his prey Changed. Fur erupted from every follicle of her body. The snout pushed out, fangs gleaming in the moonlight. Pointed ears swept flat against a canine skull as she growled and leapt. In that moment, Frank Kiote realized that he had not been stalking Jessica Leahs, she had been stalking him. The beast landed square on Frank's chest, knocking the wind from him. She used one paw to slap his mouth shut, making him bite his tongue. As he tasted the metallic tang of blood, the other paw's talons unsheathed even further and traced a line from his abdomen to his groin, leaving a long red welt. The werewolf's grinning face was the last thing he saw before the wave of pain radiating from between his legs caused him to pass out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jess, with her luggage beside her, sat reading the paper in the lobby of the hotel the next morning. She was listening to the two desk clerks discuss the discovery made early this morning. "Did you hear him raving as the paramedics bring him out?" said the first clerk. "Yeah," the second one replied. "All about werewolves and vengeance, screaming about how he killed so many women." "What a psycho. I mean, imagine it. Committing all those murders and then castrating yourself out of guilt." "He was one sick puppy." ' "Sick puppy" doesn't even begin to cover it,' Jess thought, smiling grimly behind the paper. The butcher knife that had been found had only Frank's blood and prints on it. She had made certain of it. The police had given her a call as a matter of routine duty, but did not attach any credence to Frank's wild ranting about her. Jess sighed and waited patiently for her cab to arrive. She was going home and was satisfied with the outcome, but not truly happy. No matter what she did to Frank Kiote, Amy would still be dead. But she could leave with a clean conscience. Justice had been served. Disclaimer: Fox Mulder (mentioned in passing) is the property of TenThirteen Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. Jessica Leahs and Lindy are copyrighted to me. Please do not archive without my prior permission. Loup Garou - Companion By Shael (wolfcatxf@earthlink.net) She sat in her apartment. The San Jose Evening News was on, reporting about the latest in a series of odd murders. Three young men had been found with their throats slashed open. Theory had it that there was a vicious stray dog or coyote on the loose. Jessica Leahs knew better. Damn! she thought, slamming a fist into her other had out of frustration. Another one dead, and I can't get a fucking clue as to where he's hiding. Her frustration was written in the tense pose of her body. Jess wanted to find this particular murderer badly. So did the police. That was what she was afraid of, the police finding the killer before she did. Okay, the last murder victim was a john about to commit a crime. That fits in with the others. And with what I did. All three of the men murdered had picked up a prostitute, and were about to rob/rape/murder their hired date. It was a pattern Jess knew from personal experience. Not that Jess had ever been a prostitute. Or even in law enforcement. No, she had killed lawbreakers under similar circumstances. After she became a werewolf. And these killings had the exact same flavor that hers did. One or two witnesses seeing what they thought was a dog. The animal intent on the person about to cause harm. And the lack of mercy to the target, but going out of the way not to so much as scratch the innocent observer. It was her former pattern to a tee. But once she had become aware of the fact that she was more than human, she stopped killing. That didn't mean she wasn't violent on occasion and did not seek vengeance when she felt she was wronged. She just didn't intentionally kill indiscriminately any longer. She wanted to find this person. In the six years that had passed since that first night, Jess had never found another werewolf. She wanted a friend that was like her desperately. And in the last three months, she first dared to hope that she would find another. Is it too much to ask for? Jess thought tiredly. And she was tired - tired of always having to watch her back, tired of not having anyone to talk to, tired of being lonely. She wanted someone she could talk to about how to keep her claws from blunting when she walked on cement, if it was normal to crave raw steak as the full moon neared, if all werewolves had the capability to read minds. She had so many questions, but no one who could answer them. She couldn't, wouldn't take the chance of revealing herself to a human. Never again. She had sworn that to herself after Mulder. The only exception had been her brother, and even he had a hard time with believing, until she had shown him. Damn it, Mulder, she thought with a sigh. Why couldn't things have worked out differently? Jess remembered her old boyfriend with fondness. And he knew what she was. But the fact that Mulder had suspected what Jess was, but never told her, and had been angry at the fact that she didn't divulge her secret until she had no choice had been what finally driven them apart. Jess shook her head. No self pity, girl. If you keep this up, you'll be too depressed to concentrate, and there go your plans to go running tonight. Jess had been delighted to find that with enough concentration, she could will and control the Change. At first, it had involved staring hard at a necklace charm she wore, a small locket. If she poured out all her concentration, she could initiate the Change. But she had pushed and trained herself to not lean on the crutch her locket provided. Almost anytime she wanted to do something as a wolf, she just thought hard and she was on all fours in no time. She was getting good enough to halt mid-transformation, making herself something that looked a lot like female version of Lon Chaney Jr's werewolf. And, if she tried hard enough, she could keep from transforming on a full moon night, although it was mental torture to do so. The psychic capability had surprised her even more. It had been an accident the first time she had read her brother's mind. But she could, to some extent, impose her will on a weak mind, but it left her feeling tired and drained emotionally and physically. Frightened by the moral implications of her ability, she only used the talent when absolutely necessary. Jess clicked off the television and looked out the window to watch the sun set. It was handy to have a ground floor apartment, even if renting it was a little expensive. Her landlord was baffled as to why she wanted to stay in that ground floor when three flights up there were empty apartments that had twice as much room for only a few hundred a month more. She had thought about it, but being on the ground made it easier to slip in and out unobserved. I'd better take a nap, Jess yawned. Although she had incredible strength and stamina, she still needed to rest regularly to keep herself at her peak. She curled up on the couch, pulling her legs up to her stomach like a puppy curling up beside its mother, and was asleep in no time. Five hours later found Jess running on all fours through the city streets. Her solid black coat was almost impossible to distinguish from the night. Normally when she went out running, she would hunt for small game - rats, squirrels, opossums, and the occasional deer that wandered down from the Santa Cruz mountains. Dogs she avoided hunting, feeling it would be killing a mentally handicapped cousins. She had a soft spot for cats, so they were avoided also. But tonight she had other plans. I'll check out where they found the latest body. It had been found on the outskirts of town near a local make out spot, with the car beside it. The hooker had been crying hysterically, babbling some story about a killer dog. She was still under suicide watch at Valley Medical Center. Jess found the area with little problem. It was stilled isolated by the police tape, even though the car had been towed and all the forensic evidence collected. Ducking under the yellow tape, she began sniffing around. Her ears pricked forward and she whimpered in excitement. Yes! There was another scent here, a female one similar to her own, an indescribable blend of human and canine. And it was only a few minutes old. She started to trace it. It led through an open field towards a construction site. A shed stood at the far end, and its door was ajar. Easy now, she cautioned herself. Jess started to stalk forward, crawling low to the ground. Just because you have friendly intentions doesn't mean that she will. She was so focused on the shed that she didn't hear the stealthy steps coming up behind her. A sudden snarling weight dropped onto her back, sharp claws digging through the thick fur to scratch the skin. With a bark of surprise, Jess bucked and threw her attacker off before the attacker could clamp her jaws on Jess's throat. Quick as lightening, she pounced and got her first good look the creature she was hunting. The fur under her black paws was a blond gold. She had pinned her quarry easily, because it had the appearance of a small female wolf cub. Blue eyes looked at her in terror. The little one twisted beneath her, making a game attempt to bite her leg. /None of that,/ Jess barked, slapping her paw against the young one's muzzle, clamping the jaws shut. /Promise to behave, and I'll let you back up./ /I'll behave,/ the youngling growled sullenly. Jess lifted her paws and backed off a few paces. The cub bolted. Jess jumped after her, shifting slightly so her forepaws became more hand like. /Gotcha!/ Jess grabbed the nape of the fleeing wolf. The young one twisted, still trying to break free. /Now, you're gonna talk to me if you want to or not!/ Up on her hind legs, she dragged her captive back to the shed. Jess stepped inside and shut the door. She sat against it. The little one backed into the corner in terror. Jess softened, thinking about how she must appear to this wolf-child. Poor thing's probably terrified of me. /My name's Jess. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. What's your name?/ The small werewolf ducked under a blanket and Changed into a human. A small blond head poked out from under the blanket. She looked no more than eight years old. "My name's Lindy," she said, eying Jess cautiously. Jess grabbed the other blanket and allowed herself to transform back to human. "Okay, Lindy, that's a good start," she said wrapping it around herself. "How did you become like me?" "My john did it," was the simple reply. "You're john?" Jess only knew of this as a term for a prostitute's customer. "Yeah," Lindy answered. "I cost him three thousand bucks," she said with a trace of pride. "Oh. My. God." Jess shivered violently. A quick mind probe confirmed what she had guessed. The child had only a few vague memories of her mother, and none of her father. Lindy had been sold into slavery by a drug addicted "uncle" after using her for his own pleasure. And the buyer had been a strange one, a werewolf pedophile. To make Lindy fit his fetish even more, he had Changed her before molesting her. "Where can I find that the son of a bitch?" Jess was ready to hunt the bastard to the ends of the earth if she had to. She wasn't about to let this creep go unpunished. And this time, she would break her rule about not killing her victims. "He's dead." Lindy's voice took on the tone of a street wise hooker. "I stabbed him with a big silver sword he had. He was real rich." Her voice changed to that of a hurt child. "And real mean." The last piece of the puzzle fell into place, the motive for the murders becoming clear to Jess. "Like those men were gonna be mean to those women?" she asked quietly. Lindy nodded and started to cry. Despite the tough image she projected, the murders she committed, Lindy was only a small child. And Jess's gentle questions hurt her in ways she did not have the life experience to describe. "Aw, sweetheart," Her heart went out to the child. And she understood, having been a rape survivor herself. Jess scooted over beside Lindy. She put her arm around Lindy protectively. Lindy leaned into her, sniffling. "Listen, you were right trying to help those women. But we can't just kill anyone who hurts us. They sometimes have to be judged by their own kind, just like you judged the sick man who hurt you. Listen, why don't you come home with me..." Lindy pulled away, the streetwise mask falling into place. "No thanks. I'm okay on my own. I don't need another john, or a pimp." "Sweet mother of God, girl! Not for that!" Jess was nauseated by the thought. Obviously, Lindy would have to be won over. Jess decided to try a different tactic. "It's gotta be lonely out here. I know I am at my place. No one to howl at the moon with." she concentrated on making her next words as neutral as possible. "You can come home with me, and if you don't like it, leave." "I don't know...." Lindy sounded doubtful, but then stomach growled. Jess smiled. "Listen, rule number one. Never make a decision on an empty belly. Let's go to my place and get something to eat." Hunger won out over fear. "Okay," Lindy said. And with that, she Changed. Jess watched fascinated. She had never seen another werewolf go through the transformation. And it was similar to her process. First the hair appeared and grew longer, covering pale skin. The knees folded over to form hocks and hind legs. Her nose turned black and the muzzle pushed out, white fangs gleaming. The golden puppy stood in front of Jess again. Jess looked at Lindy and a wave of doubt hit her. She had just offered to be a mother to this little girl-wolf when she didn't know the first thing about parenting. She knew she couldn't rely on her mother's bad example. Hell, do I know what I'm in for? she thought as she Changed. But she didn't let any of her doubt seep into her voice. /Ready to go?/ Jess barked. /Yeah,/ the Lindy yipped back. She was excited at the prospect of having dinner and a warm place to sleep for once. And despite her street bred skepticism, she sensed that Jess was someone she could trust. Her excitement was infectious. /Well, here we go! Race ya!/ Jess sped off, Lindy a pace or two behind. They ran off together into the velvety darkness. The note had arrived earlier in the afternoon. His valet had handed the plain manila envelope to him without raising so much as an eyebrow. Well Manicured Man accepted it with the schooled impassiveness that had served him well in such situations before. He knew however, that the note would not contain good news. His superiors avoided sending information by written word, preferring triple scrambled land based telephone lines or face to face communication for their business. But on rare (and usually disastrous) occasions, paper messages were employed. He opened the envelope to find two pieces of paper inside. The first was a fragment of a report typed on standard letter paper. "While the control group is continuing to develop as expected, ninety percent of the current generation exposed to the antimorphic agents are showing signs of unpredictable and uncontrollable transformation, as well as irreversible genetic degradation. It is recommended that all of the exposed be isolated and studied in a strictly controlled environment." A second note was on heavier cardstock, the kind used to package cigarettes. The message on it was phrased much more simply. "This will be announced within twenty four hours." Flipping it over, he saw the familiar red and white Morley brand logo. Chagrined that his underling's spy network within the Consortium was much more efficient than his own, Well Manicured Man stood up from the chair and walked to the fireplace. He stared into the fire for several minutes before feeding the notes to the flames. But destroying the note would not destroy the orders he would shortly have to issue. He turned back to his desk and picked up an old, framed picture. Two girls aged fifteen and twelve, and a boy of seventeen smiled for the camera, innocence and hope shining in their eyes. Two of them were dead, one still lived, but all three of the children sacrificed for his cause. And the one who lived would make yet another unwilling sacrifice. Sadness flooded him, a feeling he hadn't felt for such a long time that it was as alien to him as any creature from outer space. He had once thought it would best serve her interests if she were to become one of the Consortium, that a measure of power would grant her and the ones she loved a measure of protection. However, this report changed all that. For Jessica Leahs, there would be no power, no protection. His niece would never be swayed to join him. Instead she would hate him and possibly try to kill him. And to tell the truth, Well Manicured Man could not blame her. But personal regrets and interests could not be allowed to interfere with the Plan. His situation was not unique; his comrades had also paid for their power with their family. It would be expected of him to keep Jess under control once things began to happen. He touched the buzzer on his oak desk, summoning his valet. "I am needed Washington DC. Have the jet prepared and inform me as soon as it is ready." The five canines moved through the night as if they owned it. Their gait would not have been out of place in the deep forest where their wolf kindred still walked unmolested by humans. And oddly enough, in the heart of Washington DC, they did not seem out of place. The smallest of the three adult canids was a coal black female, scouting ahead of the others. The largest male, walking to the rear of the pack, had the more traditional markings of a wolf. The black and white puppy dashed between the similarly marked male and the gold adolescent. Occasionally the puppy would dash ahead, only to obediently heel at a quiet voiced 'woof' from one of the adults. The female continued to wander among the buildings, seemingly at random. The males, subadult female, and the puppy followed until the female halted. She had stopped in front of a pool of spilled motor oil. Lowering her head gingerly, she stared into the eyes of her reflection, head tilting slightly, nostrils dilating as her breath went from calmly even to a series of violent snorts. She jerked her muzzle away as if stung, and began to frantically backpedal only to bump into the black and white male. Nuzzling her cheek, he put paw over her shoulders and drew her trembling body close to his, an extremely human gesture for a canine to make. ~It's okay, Jess.~ ~I know, Alex, I know.~ The werewolf's mental voice was a little shaky. Jess leaned against Krycek, absorbing some measure of confidence from one of her mates. Skinner slid along her right, protecting her exposed side, nuzzling her cheek and grooming the short fur behind her ear. ~It's only been three months since you were possessed, Jess. You don't have to do this now.~ Jess her weight so she now leaned against Skinner, sighing heavily. ~Yes I do. I can't let my body being hijacked by the Black Cancer keep me in hiding.~ Her tone became ironically humorous. ~Besides, I'm a bad-ass werewolf. I can't the Consortium think that waving a quart of 10-40 weight in my face can scare me.~ Skinner's tail wagged in spite of himself at the image of Cancerman advancing towards Jess, a bottle of motor oil held before him like the crucifix of a priest confronting a vampire. Krycek was also grinning as he nuzzled Jess once before untangling himself from her. Walking with a sure step, Krycek stepped over puddle and looked back at Jess, waiting. ~Come on. If I can do it, you can.~ The black werewolf took a deep breath. Jess took a few steps forward, paused fractionally before the pool, and then quickly stepped over it. Once on the other side, she lowered her head and sighed again. ~Whew!~ The puppy tumbled over to Jess and began to lick at her muzzle. Jess gave a doggy grin and knocked her muzzle into the pup, sweeping her off her feet. Amanda rolled over and then leapt up, losing interest in Jess's muzzle and becoming fascinated with Lindy's tail - interested enough to give it a sharp nip. Lindy gave a mock startled yelp. ~Ow! My tail! I'll bet Ms. Scully's gonna have to amputate it now.~ She pinned her sister to the ground with one paw and began tickling Lindy unmercifully. ~Now, now Lindy,~ Jess mindspoke in a chiding tone. ~Don't give what you won't be willing to take.~ Jess knocked Lindy to the ground and began tickling both the blond and the black and white puppies. Krycek watched, his tail waving back and forth slowly. Now that's the Jess I know, he thought, the Jess I've seen too little of lately. Moving to join in the mock battle, he paused, one foot in the air, head twisting back over his shoulder. Skinner noted his pose. ~Is something wrong Alex?~ Krycek's head twisted around, nose dilating. ~I thought I smelled- no, smell isn't right. I thought I sensed something.~ ~'Sensed something?'~ Skinner trotted over to Krycek and gave him a friendly shoulder bump. ~You're starting to sound like Mulder.~ Skinner ducked the set of teeth snapping in the vicinity of his right ear. ~Do you think we're being followed?~ ~I'm not sure.~ Krycek's ears swiveled as he scanned the surroundings. ~Stick close to Jess and keep your eyes peeled. But don't tell her. She's got enough on her mind as is.~ Jess stepped out of the shower. She wiped the moisture from her body before stretching out the last of her tension. Although she Changed into a werewolf often and with precise control, there was always a price to be paid in pain during the transformation. She then wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, tossed a second one over her head, and went into the bedroom. "Where's Alex?" Skinner, clad only in briefs, stood up from where he had been sitting on the bed. "He's cleaning up the mess you tracked in." He smiled when Jess looked at the floor in embarrassment. "I still don't understand what you were doing." Jess turned back to the mirror. She answered his question as she toweled off her hair. "I was asserting my dominance over my fears." Skinner's eyebrows shot skyward. "By rolling in an oil puddle?" he asked as he stepped up behind her. Jess, looking at his reflection in the mirror, tapped the side of her nose. "Scent is the primary way a wolf experiences the world. One of the basic instincts is that if you smell like it, it won't hurt you." She smiled a bit sheepishly and turned to face him. "And I know it's silly, but I do feel better for have done it." Skinner nuzzled the top of her head, inhaling deeply. "Well, you may feel better, but I prefer it when you smell like this." He peppered kisses in her hair, slowly moving down to her face. Jess tried to hold still, but trembled slightly. Her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted as Skinner reached the bridge of her nose. She pressed up to brush Skinner's lips, but shrank back when he leaned his weight against her. Skinner sighed inwardly as he stepped back. Jess was almost back to her normal self, except for one area. When she had been abducted by the alien intelligence, she had spent the night with the Smoking Man. She had images of her and Cancerman having sex, images she wasn't sure were true memories, or implanted ones to torment her. But real or false, they had affected her. When Skinner or Krycek tried to touch her, she shied away. Jess's shoulders slumped. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. How much longer are you going to let it rule you? she chided herself. It wasn't that Jess was no longer interested in sex. Far from it, she was craving the feel of Skinner's hands, Krycek's lips. But when they touched her, she flashed on images of her and Cancerman. Her memories of when the alien intelligence had used her body as a host were extremely fragmented. Most of the images she could deal with. She had killed many times before when in a rage, and could (perhaps a bit too easily) rationalize away the guilt over those acts. The sexual impressions from that time period were enough to stop her cold. Just the way, a long time ago, her thoughts of Jake Farnsworth had stopped her. Her eyes opened wide at that revelation. I'm acting just like I did when Jake raped me. She hadn't met Mulder until a year after it happened, but she had still turned away from him the first time touched her. Mulder had taught her that there were men who still desired her, despite what Jake had done to her. But here she was letting herself fall into a victim role she had sworn that she'd never assume again. And I'll be damned if I go a year without feeling Alex and Walter inside me. Skinner was watching her face. He could see a mental struggle was going on. When her eyes opened her eyes, Skinner saw a gleam that had not been in since her possession. Still, he was surprised when Jess stepped into his space and put her arms around him. She began rubbing herself shamelessly against his body, causing the towel to fall away. Skinner wasn't in a mood to find out what spurred on this change in attitude, especially when Jess stated to lick at his nipples. He did have one question. "Shouldn't we wait for Alex?" Jess leaned back so she could look Skinner in the eye. He quivered at the sensation of her pubic hair brushing against his thigh. Her hands skimmed down his sides to slip inside the front of his briefs. "Alex can wait his turn." Krycek yawned as he walked down the hallway, feeling rather well pleased with how things were going. Jess had reacted well for having been possessed by the Oilien so recently, Skinner seemed to be adapting to being a werewolf quite well, Lindy wasn't showing any signs of impending teen rebellion, and he had managed to get Amanda down to sleep with a minimum of fuss. Out of habit, he opened the door to the hall closet, quickly glancing at the shelves to see if he could spot a hidden microphone. They were used to having the house swept regularly for bugs. They left a few strands of hair scattered loose in drawers and other likely hiding places. If the hairs appeared to be disturbed or were missing, the area was immediately checked. They had an effective, if low tech, way of neutralizing them until they could be removed. If it were an audio bug, Jess would position a stereo speaker near it and play Meatloaf's "Wasted Youth" at full blast. Once they had actually seen a van start to rock the moment the music was turned on. If it were a video bug, the lens would be blocked with a smirk and whatever was handy, usually bubble gum if Lindy was around. A low sound made Krycek look in the direction it came from, his grin growing wider. Yes, Jess is definitely doing better, he thought. Hidden microphones and cameras were the last thing on his mind as he opened the bedroom door. Krycek swallowed hard, moaning quietly as his eyes traveling from where Skinner nipped at Jess's neck, where two fingers mercilessly plucked at a rose pink nipple, and where two fingers disappeared between her legs. Jess arched, hissed and relaxed. Skinner's lips traveled to her ear. He whispered something before licking the lobe. Jess's lust glazed eyes opened and slid down Krycek's body, resting on spot where the robe the tented. Her left hand stroked up and down the empty spot on the bed beside her once as she licked her lips. Krycek didn't need a second invitation. He shed the robe while crossing the room and crawled onto the bed. Skinner slid back, pulling Jess with him. Jess gave a soft grunt and pressed harder against Skinner. Krycek kissed a trail from Jess's collarbone to her pubic hair, lingering over Skinner's hands where they covered her breasts. Krycek's hands parted Jess's legs and watched intently as Skinner's cock disappeared into Jess. Skinner began to thrust, and Krycek bent his head closer. Skinner moaned at the feel of Jess. She was tight, probably since she hadn't slept with either of them for three months. He kept his thrusts shallow, partially because of that, partially from the awkward position. Skinner jumped when Jess gave an unexpected yip, and then barked one himself when he felt Krycek nuzzle his balls. Krycek took his time, licking first Jess and then Skinner. He groaned around Skinner's balls when a warm hand and a warm mouth descended on his cock. He glanced up and was able to see Skinner guiding him into Jess's mouth before her free hand pushed Krycek's head back down. Skinner kept his hold on Krycek's cock, adding gentle squeezes to Jess's suction. They fell into an easy rhythm of lick, thrust, and suck. Krycek couldn't say how long they kept it up, but a series of sharp grunts alerted him that Jess was close. He sped up his licks, until he could feel her move in one continuous quiver. Skinner's grip on his cock spasmed, and then Krycek was flooding Jess's mouth. Krycek just lay there, limp and content. After a few minutes, he turned around so they were all head to head and smiled as Jess nuzzled his cheek and then Skinner's. "Missed that," she murmured sleepily. Jess rolled onto Skinner, pulling Krycek on top of her, and promptly fell asleep. Skinner smiled before threading his fingers through Krycek's and closing his eyes. Krycek allowed himself a self-satisfied grin and thought before falling asleep. Things are looking up. Skinner eyed the stack of paperwork awaiting his approval. That was one of the downsides of having been promoted from Special Agent - the red tape and bureaucracy that came with the position. But on the bright side, that cigarette smoking bastard isn't around today, Skinner thought. Resigned to the fact that it would be several hours before he made any headway into the pile, He reluctantly picked up the first of the folders and began reviewing its contents. So he was grateful when Kimberly buzzed him on the intercom. "Sir, Jessica Leahs is here to see you." He carefully screened the surprise out of his voice. "Send her in." Skinner continued reading the file until he heard the door open. Standing in the doorway, Jess cocked her head to one side. "Am I interrupting something important?" she asked. "Only paperwork." Skinner closed the folder, put it on the desk, and then stood up. "What are you doing here?" Jess smiled and pulled a cell phone out of her purse as she walked forward. "I thought you might want this. I almost called you to check, but realized how silly that would be." She paused for a moment, shifting her weight from foot to foot, like she had another thing to say, but wasn't certain of how to phrase it. "I, uh, just wanted to say thanks for sticking with me. I know I haven't been the easiest person to live with the last few months." "Jess," Skinner rumbled, taking one of her hands. "You have a more than legitimate excuse not to be yourself. I would be more concerned if you weren't acting strange." Jess gave him a half smile. "Some people would say that acting strange *is* normal for me." "You know what I mean." It still puzzled Skinner how Jess had a hard time believing that someone could love her. Krycek had told him that it had taken her a while to believe that Krycek cared for her despite what an abusive boyfriend had trained her to believe. Although Jess did trust Skinner, it was clear that she didn't yet have that same comfort zone with him. Deciding that it would be best to keep things light for the moment, he changed the subject. "Do you have any plans for today?" Jess shook her head. "Lindy's in school, Amanda's at daycare, and Alex is doing some translations at the library, so I'm out causing what mayhem I can." Skinner nodded. "Then can I interest you in lunch?" She grinned. "I think I might be able to squeeze you into my busy schedule. And when have I ever been known to turn down a free meal?" As her voice trailed off, Jess's normally pale skin went pallid and her eyes rolled back in her head. Skinner caught her before she slid to the ground. Slipping an arm around her waist, he steered her to the couch. "Jess? Are you okay?" As Jess half sat, half fell down, her beeper began chiming. She curled over, placing her head between her knees. "I- think so. Some sort of dizzy spell." Fumbling at her waist, she pulled out her pager and hit the buttons, squinting at the readout. She sat up so suddenly, Skinner was certain she would pass out for certain this time. "I need a phone." Stacey hurried down the hallway to answer the knock at her door. She wasn't expecting any more of her clients to be dropping off their kids this early in the morning. She ran a daycare for infants and school age children out of her home, but the only client currently on the roster for morning care was Amanda Leahs, and she had been dropped off three hours ago. Stacey opened the door, and did a double take. "Ms. Leahs? What are you doing back?" Jess smiled apologetically. "There's been a family emergency, and I need to pick up Amanda now. I also want you to know that I'll be out of town for the next few weeks. I'm sorry for the short notice." Stacey nodded. "I understand. I'll get Amanda right away." She walked down the hallway to the one of the bedrooms. Amanda sat on the floor, staring at the videotape of the Telletubbies playing on the television. Stacey's little terrier lay curled against the little girl, head over one chubby thigh. Stacey had always thought it odd that her dog always tried to get close to Amanda, but would avoid the other toddlers. She bent over and picked up the 13 month old. Amanda made a noise in protest as Stacey carried her back to the living room. Once away from the TV, the baby made happy noises, grabbing at Stacey's long hair until she saw her mother standing in the doorway. Amanda shrank back into Stacey's arms. Jess continued to reach for the baby, ignoring the child's obvious distress. "I don't know what's gotten into her," Stacey said, twisting so Jess could easily pluck Amanda from her. Jess smiled. "She gets these moods sometimes." Amanda seemed determined to prove Jess's statement and began to scream at the top of her lungs, flailing her arms and legs. Jess bounced the toddler in her arms. "It's okay." Amanda then let out a howl of earsplitting proportions. She sounds more like a dog than a baby, Stacey thought. Is she actually *growling?* She gasped sharp in disbelief. The baby in Jess's arms seemed to be undergoing some sort of transformation. The tiny ears became pointed and furry, and a small muzzle filled with small, sharp teeth extended. And those small, sharp teeth bit into Jess's left bicep. Jess screamed and released her hold on the puppy/baby. Part of Stacey's mind registered that the animal began scampering away at top speed as soon as she hit the floor. But what really had her attention was the wound on Jess's arm that was bubbling green blood. Breathing became very difficult as a chemical smell assaulted her nostrils, searing her sinuses. The last thing she saw before passing out was Jess's oval face shifting into a square-jawed masculine form. Mulder pulled up to the crime scene with almost no knowledge why he was here. He had received a call from Skinner, asking him to come to this address. Mulder took in the ambulance, the black and white units, and the police tape blocking off the entrance to what looked like a family home. "Agent Mulder!" Mulder turned at the sound of his name. AD Skinner was getting out of a police car. "Sir." Mulder changed directions and met Skinner half way. "What's going on?" Skinner's face was grim. "Jess was in my office when she got an emergency page from her daycare. There was an incident here an hour ago. All the children are accounted for, except for one - Amanda." Mulder took a deep breath. "And you don't think that's a coincidence." "No, I don't." Skinner dropped his voice. "And before you ask where Alex is, he knows that despite his criminal record being purged, he wouldn't last five minutes here." He looked back at the police car. Mulder noticed for the first time that Jess was sitting in its back seat. "She asked me to call you." Mulder nodded. "I'll go talk to her." He stepped past Skinner then to the car. Jess sat with her head leaning forward against the front seat headrest,. Mulder opened the door and crouched down to her eye level. "Jess?" For a moment, he thought she wasn't going to respond. But slowly her turned toward him. The usual gleam in her eyes were gone, her face a blank. One word described how she looked - beaten. She looked at him, blinked, and pulled herself out of the private hell she was inhabiting. "Mulder?" Mulder had only seen Jess in this state twice before, once when she discovered he knew what she was, and once when she thought Krycek was dead. "Jess, what happened?" "I.... I don't know. They won't tell me." One of her hand reached out to grasp Mulder's, the other one remained tightly clenched by her stomach. "All I know is that Amanda's missing." She paused to take a breath. Her next words were a bare whisper. "And I think They took her." This was a pain that was familiar and yet alien to him at the same time familiar from the loss of Samantha, alien because she was his sister, not his daughter. He slowly disentangled himself from her grip, wincing when he saw the gouges his hand left by her nails. "Jess, I'm going to see if I can find anything else, okay?" Jess nodded once and settled back into the seat, staring again at the headrest in front of her. Mulder walked over to the knot of trench coats standing near the ambulance. Coming closer, he recognized AD Kersh, and Special Agent Spender, A young woman sat in the back of it, breathing from an oxygen mask. An EMT hovered nearby, monitoring her vital signs. Neither man acknowledged Mulder's presence but continued listening to the daycare giver. "I thought it was odd that Ms. Leahs was back so quickly." Stacey shook her head. "When she drops Amanda off, it's usually for the day. And Amanda just acted weird around her." Mulder immediately pounced on that statement. "Weird, how?" Spender shot Mulder an irritated look, but quickly focused on the woman's answer. "Normally, Amanda is just lights up when she sees her mommy." Stacey paused to take another breath from the oxygen mask. "She'll practically leap from my arms into Ms. Leahs'. But this time, she didn't want anything to do with... her." The odd catch in the babysitter's voice caught Spender's attention. "Her? You mean Ms. Leahs." "Yes... well, no." Stacey shook her head and looked to him appealingly. "It sounds crazy, I know, but she looked exactly like Ms. Leahs at first, but then she started to look like... a he." She shook her head. "But I had to be hallucinating, because Amanda looked like a dog and Ms. Leahs bled green blood." Stacey began coughing and turned to take another breath from the oxygen mask. At that point the EMT monitoring her spoke up. "If that will be all, gentlemen, I need to transport Mrs. Ray to a hospital." The three FBI agents backed away from the ambulance. It hadn't even turned the corner before Kersh began laying down the law. "Special Agent Spender is in charge of this case," he said in a tone that invited no opposition. Mulder, however, wasn't one to let the lack of an invitation stop him. "But you heard the babysitter. This case is obviously an X-File," he protested. Kersh was not about to give in. "Due to his relationship with the child's mother, Assistant Director Skinner is a suspect. Therefore, no one in his department will be assigned to this case. You will make yourself available to answer Agent Spender's questions. Aside from that, you are not to be involved in this case in an investigative or advisory manner." "Sir, I'm familiar with the mother of the child. She's requested that I help," Mulder protested. Spender fixed Mulder with an icy glare. "The way you helped my mother?" Mulder didn't reply to Spender's taunt. At Dr Werber's request, he met with Cassandra Spender, before he knew who her son was. She disappeared from her psychiatric ward bed after she begged him to stop what she called an imminent holocaust for the entire human race. So he said nothing as Spender and Kersh walked away, already discussing what details would be released to the media. He looked over at the police car where Jess and Skinner waited. Jess was leaning against Skinner, who was stroking her hair reassuringly. Kersh may have ordered him to stay away from this case as a professional, but he would be involved as Jess's friend. Cancerman lit a cigarette before he stepped into the paneled office on East 46th Street in New York City. He was about to give a report to his superiors on the extraction of the werewolf cubs. All except one had gone smoothly. The fact that one did not would not sit well with them. Once they found out which pack it was from, they would have more reasons to be concerned. He opened the door to find the Elder and Well Manicured Man waiting for him. The Elder wasted no time. "Have the retrievals been completed?" "Yes, they have been completed." Cigarette Smoking Man paused for one moment. "There is a problem. One retrieval did not go as planned." "Which one?" There was an ugly edge to Well Manicured Man's voice. "Amanda Leahs. The cub put up an unexpected resistance." "But the cub is now in our possession." The Elder waited for the Cigarette Smoking Man's confirmation. Cancerman removed the cigarette from his mouth. "No, not as of yet." "Good god!" Well Manicured Man exploded. "You mean that a cub is wandering loose? Why aren't you managing the situation personally?" "It cannot have gotten far." The studied calm face belied Cancerman's concerns. "Although its tracking device is malfunctioning, it is contained in a small area. It will only be a matter of time before it is captured. The press covering the 'attempted kidnapping' are being handled by our people, and our new man at the FBI is in charge of the case." "If it is not captured soon, it could cause an unrepairable breach of plausible denial." The Elder shot Cancerman a sharp glance. "What of the sire and dam?" "Both are upset, of course," Cancerman said with a dismissive gesture, "but they know they are in no position to expose us. For them to do so would also expose activities of their own that they would prefer to keep hidden." The Elder nodded. "Have they been contacted?" The Cigarette Smoking Man shook his head. "No. At this moment, to contact them would cause exposure." Well Manicured Man leaned forward. "When direct contact is to be made, I should be the one to initiate it. Jessica will not attack me." "Are you certain of that?" Well Manicured Man ignored the skepticism in the Elder's voice. "She knows that if she kills me, someone else will become her handler. That person may not be as understanding towards her as I am." The Elder considered Well Manicured Man's statement. "Very well. But once she becomes a serious threat, her usefulness as a test subject will be reevaluated." He turned back to the Cigarette Smoking Man. "Make certain the cub is captured before our allies find out and decide to take matters into their own hands." From the crime scene, Jess and Skinner had gone to the press conference to alert the public to a missing child. Jess had, as any mother would, begged for the return of her flesh and blood. Ignoring requests for interviews, they had headed for home. Mulder was already there, talking to Krycek. Now they were waiting for any word, with the press camped out up and down the street. Jess was seated on the couch - bare heels pressed into the cushion, ankles crossed, one arm looped around her knees, forehead resting on it. Lindy sat next to her, holding Jess's free hand. In contrast, Krycek paced the room restlessly, stopping every so often to glare through the windows at the press vans parked on the street. Skinner was looking out the window, wondering how many of the reporters were Syndicate spies. Mulder hung up the phone. He had contacted Scully, who was attending a forensics seminar on the West Coast. "Scully's on her way back." Jess nodded and pushed her fingers through her hair. "Like she's going to be able to do anything," she muttered. Krycek whipped around to face her. "Jess! Don't talk like that!" Her upper lip lifted in a snarl. "Hell, we can act for the press like the dutiful parents, begging for the return for our child. But we all know what really happened. And we know that it's a snowball's chance in hell that we'll find her before They do." Krycek snorted. "And we're supposed to do nothing?" "Hell no!" Jess stood up, keeping eye contact with him. "But we've got to face the fact that we may not find her." Jess and Krycek continued in their staredown. Both blinked at the same moment. "Alex, we can't fight each other, That's what They want." "And we can't do nothing, Jess." Krycek countered softly. "They want that as well." Jess sat down and Krycek resumed his pacing. Nothing more was said for several minutes. Then Mulder had one of the insights that helped earn him the nickname 'Spooky.' "What if we're looking for the wrong Amanda?" "Wrong Amanda?" Krycek glared at Mulder in incomprehension. "What the hell are you talking about?" Mulder shrugged. "All our search efforts have focused on finding a missing child. What if she Changed and has been a wolf ever since? She could be staying canid as a mean of protection, and the police would pass her by and not know." Jess pressed her palms against her temples, threading her fingers through her hair. "Let's assume you're right, Mulder. But if Amanda is running loose in wolf form, why hasn't she come home? That should be her first reaction, her primary instinct." "Maybe she can't." Lindy twisted around so she could look at Jess. "This was obviously planned, right? So maybe they had a backup plan in case something went wrong, people out there to get her if she did manage to get away. Maybe they're between us and her, so she can't come home." Krycek nodded. "Lindy's right. They always plan for every contingency. Amanda's probably too far away for us to sense and can't get closer." "Let's assume that you and Lindy are right," Skinner said. "What do we do?" Krycek shrugged. "One of us goes out there and gets her. No, Jess," he said as she started to get off the couch. "You can't. You need to stay here for the press. Same for you Walter. So that leaves me." "What if you come across the people searching for Amanda?" asked Mulder. Krycek gave him a slightly disdainful look. "I can handle them." "And if they're not human, Alex?" Jess asked softly. He didn't answer her, but held her gaze. This was different from their standoff earlier, a silent communication. "You're right. We don't have a choice. But be careful. And bring our daughter home." Spender really didn't know why he went back to the crime scene, except that the longer he was in the office staring at the reports, the less sense they made. He thought that maybe a change of scenery might help him put things into perspective. Not only did the daycare worker's statement make no sense, but the whole assignment was becoming more bizarre. His father if I can call him that, for all the good he did Mom and me had promised him a fast rise to power. All he had to do was investigate this missing child case, and keep Fox Mulder away from it. And keeping Fox Mulder away from this case would be difficult. Spender knew the moment he saw Mulder at the crime scene that Mulder would be poking his nose where it didn't belong. He hadn't spouted off any theories involving alien abduction, but Spender thought that would only be a matter of time. And heaven help him when that happened. But what he found more interesting was what he was not being told by either Mulder or his father. His friend from Quantico, Tom Colton, had clued him in that Jess was an old girlfriend of Mulder's, was known to be involved with the renegade agent Alex Krycek, and was currently sleeping with AD Skinner. But when he went to requisition the file, it was reported as missing. How those fact fit in with the missing child, he wasn't certain yet. He did know that they most likely did. As a matter of course, he had run a background check on her, and was surprised when an X-File case number came back in the information. Curiosity getting the better of him, Spender had gone down to the basement to take a look at it. Mulder sullenly had pointed to one of the black cabinets, clearly not happy that Spender was in charge of this case. Not expecting any help, Spender started searching the cabinets. Eventually he turned to Mulder. "It's not here." With a look of annoyance, Mulder stood up, pulled a drawer open, and started rifling through the contents. He did it a second time. "It's not here," he said with a bit of surprise. Spender rolled his eyes. Mulder searched several other drawers and his desk with no luck. A quick call to records retention was also fruitless. It was if the file had grown legs and walked out. The sound of metal hitting cement pulled him out of his thoughts. Spender turned back in time to see one of the dented garbage cans at the mouth of the alley he had just passed rocking on the ground. Knowing the kind of men he now worked for, Spender drew his weapon and called out a challenge. "Federal Agent. Who's there?" There were more sounds of metal on cement and a small quiet whine. Some sort of animal, Spender thought, slowly holstering his gun. "Come on out, it's okay," he coaxed. A small black and white canine head cautiously poked out from behind the garbage can. Wanting a closer look, Spender knelt down and continued to call the pup. He pulled the half sandwich left over from lunch out of his coat pocket to use as a lure. At the smell of fresh food, the husky pup tumbled clear of the garbage cans, bellying forward with tail tucked between its legs, clearly torn between hunger and the desire to run. Spender tossed the sandwich on the ground a foot out of his reach. The pup ran eagerly to the food and started to devour it without a sidelong glance. Spender looked at the puppy with interest. It was female and didn't look like a stray. Although she had no collar, the black and white fur was far too clean for a dog that had been on the street for a while. But the thing that attracted his interest was that the animal had an extra toe on each white stockinged paw - five instead of the normal four, giving her absurdly large feet. A closer look at the mouth revealed an irritated pinkness, some sort of chemical burn that had almost healed. Cautiously aware of the fact that those little teeth were sharp, he reached out and patted the puppy on her head. Last crumbs of the sandwich gone, the puppy looked at him, her white tipped tail beginning to wag slowly, but quickly gaining speed. She bounced over to Spender put her oversized forepaws up on his knees and looked up at him. He picked up the small bundle of fur and was rewarded with a sloppy lick across his face. "What am I going to do with you?" Spender wondered out loud. The pup snuggled against his chest, tail wagging furiously. He thought about several things as he knelt there with the canine in his arms - he had always wanted a dog and never had one because his father did not allow animals in the house, he didn't have anyone to take care of an animal if he got called out of town on a case, and there was a 'no pets' rule at his apartment. With a sigh of regret, Spender was just about to put the pup down when he realized she had fallen asleep in his arms. She trusts me, he thought with a bit of wonder. No one had trusted him for a long time - not his mother once he started questioned her belief in aliens, not Mulder, not his partner Diana Fowley who he suspected was sleeping with and reporting to his father, not his father who had promised him power but had yet to deliver. That was what made his decision. He stood up and took the puppy back to his car. One sleepy, green eye opened and then shut when she was put down on the passenger seat of the car. He then got in and started for home. It was a simple matter for him to slip out unnoticed from through the back yard. The reporters paid no attention to him, a dog that slipped his leash and was wandering down the street, intent on whatever business dogs have. But Alex Krycek had business, but of an all too human nature. What hadn't been easy to do was to slip away alone. Once he left the room to prepare, Lindy had followed. "I'm going with you." Krycek shook his head. "No, Lindy. It's too dangerous, especially if there are aliens involved." Lindy's blue eyes narrowed at Krycek's pronouncement. Trying to soothe the teenager, he put a calming hand on her shoulder. "It's not that you can't take care of yourself, but I don't think Jess could handle if anything happened to you now." The corner of Lindy's mouth twitched, but she nodded. "Okay." It was clear that she didn't agree with him, but was willing to abide by his request. Krycek squeezed her shoulder affectionately. Lindy then left the room so he could strip to the skin, change, and slip out the window. But still, once outside, he waited a few minutes, making sure the second youngest member of the pack honored his wishes. The first place Krycek went was the daycare center. There were still signs of the investigation that had taken place earlier - the police tape marking the area, where the abduction had taken place, ever so faint traces of fingerprint dust on the doorknob, the lingering scent of exhaust. He hoped he would be able to find some hint of Amanda's presence. Nose to the ground, Krycek began trotting back and forth. A few feet from the front door, he smelled Amanda's scent. Tail flagged in eagerness, he followed her trail through bushes, across one street and into a back alley filled with dented garbage cans, broken wooden pallets, and discarded cardboard boxes. In short, it was the perfect place for a puppy to hide from human pursuers. But there was no sign of her being there at the moment. Careful not to cross the trail and mask the scent, he retraced her route pawprint by pawprint. Her odor grew heavier behind two overturned trashcans. She sat here for a long time, Krycek thought. Then she went... where? Cautiously, he stepped over the garbage cans, only to find that the scent stopped abruptly. And a second odor took over, one that made his fur bristle. Cancerman! No, wait... Krycek inhaled deeply, closing his eyes to concentrate. Smells *like* that smoking son of a bitch, but it's not him. Who...? The sound of tramping boots made him lose his train of thought. Krycek backed into the shadows, watching and waiting. A tall, square jawed man walked into the light and stopped exactly where Amanda's trail ended. Krycek recognized him from his time as Cancerman's lackey. His fur involuntarily bristled, and he barely managed to stifle his growl. This entity was always referred to by the Consortium as the Bounty Hunter. Krycek had never heard his true name and wasn't even sure that his species had anything like the human concept of names. That did not make him any less deadly. Or feared. The Bounty Hunter stood there, taking in the measure of the area. Krycek held still, barely breathing for fear of betraying his presence. He had no desire too see if the alien's weaponry was as effective against werewolves as it was against other aliens. The entity's head turned, looking into the alley. If Krycek had been still before, now he was a stature. The alien continued to stare, and Krycek was certain he was found out. He crouched, muscles contracting for a preemptive leap. If I can surprise him, I might be able to get one paw behind his head and claw him in the neck... But there was no need for him to do so. Either unconcerned or unaware of the werewolf in the alley, the Bounty Hunter turned away and walked back in the direction he came from. Krycek waited until he could not hear any footsteps before stepping back onto the street. Keeping a wary eye the direction the alien had disappeared, he lowered his muzzle and sniffed at the spot he identified earlier, only to snort in disgust. Can't smell anything but that goddammed alien stink. Wrinkling his upper lip, he cast about in several directions, only to be stymied by the new scent. After violently sneezing, Krycek padded away in the direction opposite of the one the Bounty Hunter took, hoping he would both find Amanda soon and avoid any more of the aliens. Juggling his keys, the doorknob, and the puppy hidden beneath his trench coat was no easy task. But somehow Spender managed it, but not without one or two high pitched squeaks. Once the door was shut, he pulled the puppy out from beneath his coat and patted her apologetically. The small husky squirmed, eager to be on the floor and exploring. Once the dog was on the ground, Spender turned on the television for background noise as he pulled off his suit jacket and began rummaging around in the closet for a few things. On air at this moment was a replay of the news briefing about the missing child. The puppy continued to wander around the room sniffing in various corners until Jessica Leahs was on screen. At the sound of Jess making tearful pleas for the return of her daughter, the puppy tumbled over to the television. She put her forepaws on the TV, her wagging tail a blur. She began to bark, eager high-pitched yips of excitement. "Shhh," Spender soothed as he picked up the puppy, worried about the neighbors turning him in to his landlord. The puppy squirmed, whimpering when Spender turned off the television. "That's enough TV for both of us tonight." Rubbing the fur behind her ears, Spender carried her into the bedroom. He had placed cardboard box in one corner after lining it with a soft blanket. After putting the puppy in it, Spender got ready for bed. Every so often he'd look at the box and grin at the sight of disembodied ears and tail circling the inside of the box. Eventually the pup jumped out of the box and trotted over to the bed. Looking around nonchalantly, she leapt up on the bed, circled three times, and lay down with a contented sigh. As adorable as she looked, Spender was not about to let a dog with god-only-knows how many fleas sleep on his bed. "Down," Spender said, pointing to the floor. Someone had obviously spent time on training the puppy before she ended up on the street because she immediately dropped to the floor. Spender nodded as he got between the sheets. "Good girl." The puppy had dipped her head in submission, but those big green eyes were staring at him with a puzzled what-did-I-do look. Spender sighed, feeling the first stirrings of guilt. "Don't look at me like that." Her woebegotten expression deepened as he turned off the light and settled down to sleep. A quiet whimper floated up to him from floor level. After dropping a hand over the side of the bed, Spender was rewarded with a cold, wet nose nudging his fingers. He rubbed around her head until he found the spot just behind the puppy's ears that started her tail wagging rapidly. After a final pat, he rolled over and closed his eyes. A second whimper reached his ears. This one was only a little louder, but much lonelier sounding. Loneliness was something he was all to familiar with from time wondering where his mother was or why his father had abandoned him. Spender sighed and patted a spot on the mattress. "Okay, you win." The puppy didn't have to be told twice. She jumped on the bed immediately. Spender rolled onto his side, propping up his head with one arm. The little dog licked his face once before curling nose-to-tail near his chest. "God help me when I try to eat breakfast tomorrow." The white tipped tail wagged twice at the sound of his voice. "What am I going to call you?" he mused, stroking the black and white fur. The puppy yawned, reminding Spender of how tired he was. With a yawn of his own, he shut his eyes, promising himself he'd name the puppy tomorrow. Jess stared out into the darkness, seeing nothing. It was the hour before sunrise. It's always darkest before dawn. The old clich顲ang hollow in her mind. Moving silently to the living room window, she pulled one corner of the curtains aside, hoping to find that the front lawn didn't have reporters camped out on it, proof that the last eighteen hours had been a bad dream. With a sigh, she let the curtain fall back into place. Krycek had been out searching now for six hours. Aside from scenting Amanda near the daycare, there had been no sign of her. He had mindspoke that much to her, as well as his encounter with the alien. Still he searched on, turning up nothing. Now exhausted in body and mind, he was heading home to rest before starting again. She was so intent on watching that she jumped when something touched her feet. Patches meowed loudly, rubbing against Jess's legs. She picked up the calico cat and rubbed her forehead against the silky fur. Patches wriggled out of her arms and trotted into the kitchen, right over to her dishes. The calico cat looked at the empty bowls, sighing tragically. Taking the hint, Jess poured fresh water into one, and opened the cabinet where the cat food was stored. She grabbed the bag and realized that it was too light. Opening the bag confirmed what she thought - it was empty. That was the last straw for Jess. All her fears and worries and frustrations bubbled to the surface. "Damn, hell, shit, fuck!" Jess snarled. She slammed the cabinet door shut and threw the ceramic bowl across the room. It hit the far wall, shattering on impact. Patches gave a startled cry and fled for the relative safety of the living room. Jess slumped against the counter, buried her head in her hands, and began to sob, rocking back and forth. An arm encircled her shoulders, and Jess leaned against it. It guided her over to the kitchen table. When she felt the edge of the chair against her calves, she automatically sat down, folding her arms and resting her head on them. Strong hands massaged and petted her shoulders and neck. She continued to sob and the stroking continued, offering silent comfort. Eventually she sat back up. Skinner pulled a chair next to her. "I know she's not my daughter, biologically. But after every thing that's happened between us, what we've gone through, I can't help but feel that she's my daughter." Jess slowly placed her hand over his and squeezed, nodding. "But I can't imagine how torn up you are over this. I want to help." Jess took a deep breath before rattling off her state of mind. "I don't know where my baby is. I should have known that They would have tried to do something like this and I should have prevented it. I feel like I should be out searching for her but can't leave because she might come back." Her next words were voiced in a tone of total defeat. "And we're out of cat food." Skinner squeezed her hand. "We can do something about the last one, at least. What size bag do you get? The medium bag?" "The small one, the eight pounder," Jess mumbled. "Do me a favor and take Lindy with you. She needs to get away from this." Meanwhile, Patches had sidled back into the room and circled around to Jess. Cautiously the cat rubbed against Jess's legs. Jess reached down and scooped Patches onto her lap, scratching her ears in apology. She then leaned over to rest her head on Skinner's shoulder, closing her eyes. They stayed that way for some time. Just when he started to believe that Jess was asleep, she raised her head and looked at the door. The door was opened by a hairy paw. Krycek, as a werewolf, paced into the kitchen. He grabbed one of the robes kept by the door for when they came in canine. "We have got to install a pet door on that," he grumbled as he Changed. He sat down by Jess and took her hand. Skinner nodded in agreement as he stood up. "I'll go get the cat food. Neither of you leave until I get back." Two weary nods were the response. Skinner left the kitchen, wondering how much longer they would be left wondering. Spender stood in the middle of the mega-pet store, feeling a bit lost among all the aisles. He had just come to get some dog food and a bowl or two for the puppy. Who knew there were so many different kinds of dog food, balls, chew toys, pet beds, crates, bowls, harnesses, collars and leashes out there? At the clerk's recommendation, he picked up a book on dog training written by a Karin Berquist, in addition to some premium priced puppy food and a combination food and water dish. But he turned down the offer of free personalization for it. Spender couldn't shake the idea that she already had a name, and that he would figure it out eventually. He was debating the merits of a hard rubber ball versus a rope chew toy when he heard someone call out his name. "Agent Spender?" Spender turned around, only to see AD Skinner standing behind him, along with a blond teenager who was holding a bag of cat food. "What are you doing here?" Spender tilted the basket so Skinner could see the contents. "Just buying things for my dog before I get back to work," he said defensively. One of Skinner's eyebrows arched. "I didn't realize you had a pet." "I didn't, at least not until yesterday. She's an adorable thing with black and white fur, big green eyes, and extra toes." He could almost see the teenager's ears perk up at that. He wasn't certain what had caught her interest, but it was clear that she was paying close attention. Lindy looked at Spender closely. Her nostrils flared twice, and her eyes went wide. "Where did you get her? Does she have a name?" Spender shook his head. "I haven't named her yet. She's a stray that seems to have adopted me. Now if you'll excuse me?" Skinner nodded and Spender walked towards the cashiers, aware of a pair of blue eyes scrutinizing him the whole way. Spender looked back from his position in the checkout line. Lindy was talking animatedly to Skinner and pointed in his direction. The AD looked up once in his direction, then back to the teenager and shook his head. Lindy said something, stamped her foot for emphasis, and tapped her nose. Skinner pulled out his cell phone when Spender realized that the he was next in line. Dismissing his boss from his thoughts, he paid for the pet food and started for home, mind once again trying to make heads or tails of the missing child case. Cancerman stepped into his office, the only one there on a Saturday. Most of his support staff were able to maintain a sense of normalcy, a family that was blissfully unaware of their real business. He had given up that pretense on a cold night in October 1973. The werewolf situation was the reason he came into the office. Amanda Leahs had disappeared, as if from the face of the earth. The Smoking Man wasn't ready to discount the possibility. If the rebel aliens had gained access to the Loup Garou Project, they may have decided to abduct one to study, and took advantage of the Consortium's botched attempt. Since there were so few werewolves that were not heavily guarded, it would be the logical choice to abduct one of the KLS pack, as Jess, Lindy, Krycek, Skinner and Amanda had come to be known. The previous day's videotapes were on his desk, waiting for him. Some of these were of the KLS pack, some of Agents Mulder and Scully, but the one of Jeffrey Spender was the one he picked up. He had hopes for his son, hopes that he would be able to mold and direct him the way he had not been able to mold and direct Mulder. And to do that effectively, Cancerman needed access to areas of Spender's life that his son would not willingly share. Although his mind was still working over the problem of the missing Amanda Leahs, he placed the tape in the VCR and pressed play. Taping his son was not an officially sanctioned act. However, all the Consortium members had some sort of side project that served their personal interests, such as Well Manicured Man's attempts at grooming Jessica Leahs as an heir to his position. It was Cancerman's private belief that none of the werewolves would never become trustworthy allies. Well Manicured Man kept forgetting that Jess was merely an experiment in progress, a blind spot that he intended to exploit when the best opportunity arrived. At this moment, his highest priority was checking in on Jeffrey Spender. What he saw onscreen solved one of his problems while creating a whole new set. In puppy form, Amanda was backing out of the bedroom, something white clenched between her teeth. "Hey! Let go of that!" His son sounded like he was trying for annoyed, but came off as amused. Spender bent down and picked up dress shirt, sighing when he saw the prominent holes in the drool soaked collar. "That was my best shirt!" Trying to look stern, Spender glared down at the puppy, who looked back up at him with a cocked head and wide green eyes. A soft, questioning whimper floated on the air. Spender's lips twitched, but he kept staring. The puppy sunk a little lower, bellied forward, and reared up to put her paws on his knees as her lower jaw quivered. Spender burst out laughing and Amanda's tail started to wag as he picked her up. "I am in deep shit. No matter what you do, I'm never going to be able to discipline you." Amanda responded by licking the tip of his nose, making Spender giggle. Cancerman shut off the tape at that point and leaned back in his chair, with a thoughtful expression on his face. This will have to be handled delicately. It was clear that his son was emotionally attached to the werewolf, and that he thought she was nothing more than a common dog. Simply demanding the puppy would alert Spender that there was something unusual about her. He was not at the point where he could be given information on the alien, hybrid, and werewolf experiments. Cancerman lit a fresh cigarette, carefully considering his next move. One of the machines by the desk chimed. Cancerman looked down at the recording device. The green LCD readout indicated that Skinner's cell phone had just been activated to place a call to an unlisted number at the Krycek household. He reached down and turned up the volume, not wanting to waste time listening to the taped replay. It was Krycek's voice that answered. "Yes, Walter?" "Lindy thinks we may have a lead on where Amanda is. We just ran into Agent Spender. His new pet matches her description. Lindy's sure that its Amanda." Krycek swore softly. "Does he know..." "No, he talked like she was a normal dog. But if The Smoking Man finds out..." Krycek didn't need the sentence finished. "Where does he live?" Cancerman shut down the volume on the recording device and picked up his phone. He had to act quickly, before events spiraled out of control. When Spender got out of the elevator, he was surprised to see a woman standing at the door to his apartment, knocking frantically on it. On the ground next to her was a black and white husky-like dog, sniffing at the doorjamb, whining and clawing eagerly. Both of their heads turned in his direction as he walked towards them. Spender found himself staring into Jessica Leahs's desperate eyes. She looked like hell... dark circles under her eyes from a lack of sleep, dressed in the same clothes she had worn when he saw her at the daycare, her hair snarled in a way that suggested that it had been combed only as an afterthought. The dog by her feet looked up at him for one moment, and then went back to sniffing intently at the door. She didn't wait for any pleasantries but went straight to the point. "Lindy and Walter called me. They said that you have a new puppy. It's important that I have a look at it." "Ms. Leahs, shouldn't you be at home in case there's some news of your daughter?" "I need to see your puppy." Jess's voice was hoarse with desperation. "Please!" Something in her eyes warned him not to question her. "Move your dog." As Jess grabbed the scruff of the husky's neck, Spender pulled out his keys. Not understanding what was so important, he unlocked the door. Before the door was even half-open, the puppy squeezed past him into the hall, yapping excitedly. She ran straight to Jess and the dog. Jess dropped the leash and held out her arms, giving a strangled cry. The puppy, her tail a blur, leaped. Jess caught her, pulling her to her chest, tears trailing down her face as she was knocked to the ground. The black and white dog was equally happy to see the puppy, his tail wagging furiously as he licked both the puppy's and Jess's face. The puppy squealed, and put her forepaws around the dog's neck, a human gesture of affection. Jess was rubbing her face into the puppy's fur, crooning love words. Spender watched, surprised that he was so disappointed. It was clear that the puppy did belong to Jess. But his disappointment gave way to concern when he realized one of the words one of the words Jess was repeating over and over was Amanda. She's lost it, he thought. The stress of her daughter being missing has made her mind snap. He cleared his throat, about to draw Jess's attention away from the puppy when the elevator door opened. Jess's head snapped up, the husky growled, and the puppy whimpered. The Bounty Hunter stood blocking the elevator. "You know why I'm here." Jess nodded, her teeth bared in a grimace. "I am under orders not to hurt him," he gestured with his head towards Spender. "However, there are no such instructions regarding the two of you." Jess stood and moved into what appeared to be a ready stance, legs apart for stability, arms loose but hands twitching. "Then you'll have to take her over our dead bodies." The husky's growling grew louder, adding emphasis to Jess's statement. The alien's expression never wavered as he took one step forward, causing the dog to react. In a black and white blur, it snatched the puppy off the ground with its jaws and scrambled towards the fire exit. The dog reared onto its hind legs, clawing at the doorknob of the firedoor. At the same time, Jess launched herself towards the Bounty Hunter, screaming a berzerker war cry. The Bounty Hunter stepped forward unhurriedly, meeting her mid leap and slamming her to one side with a single blow. Spender also rushed at him, only to be batted aside. Spender hit the hallway wall hard, and fought to keep from blacking out. But his actions gave Jess the two seconds she needed to rebound and tackle the alien from behind. The Bounty Hunter and Jess crashed to the ground. But the Bounty Hunter twisted as he fell, and Jess hadn't pinned his arms. There was a quiet snick, a flash of light off something metallic, and Jess gave a pained grunt before going limp. The Bounty Hunter pushed Jess's deadweight off his body. He stood up slowly without a second glance at the woman crumpled at his feet. He did take a moment to look at Spender, as if reassuring himself the FBI agent was still alive. Then he turned and headed off in the direction the dog had fled. The fire exit door slammed heavily. Spender quickly moved to Jess's form sprawled on the floor, eyes drawn to what looked like a cross between a switchblade and an ice pick lodged in the back of her head. He reached out and felt along her neck seeking, but not finding a pulse. Swearing under his breath, he turned to go back to his apartment to call 911. The sound of a hoarse inhalation stopped him in his tracks. Spender turned to see one of Jess's hands arch behind her to grab the strange weapon and work it free from the base of her skull. The clouded eyes blinked, rapidly regaining awareness of the surroundings. Not possible, he thought Not fucking *possible!* After a moment, Jess groaned. One hand moved to cradle her forehead, and the other pushing her semi-upright. She blinked twice, shook her head once, and looked up into Spender's startled eyes. "You... you were...." he stuttered. "Dead," Jess finished for him with a shake of her head, placing the weapon into the pocket of her jacket. "I'm hard to kill." She reached out her hand and Spender, in a state of shock, pulled her to her feet. Jess took several shallow breaths and a tentative step forward. She would have fallen if Spender, moving in reflex, hadn't caught her. Jess grabbed his upper arm and shook her head again, trying to clear it. "Did you see where they went?" Still trying to wrap his mind around what he had just seen, Spender guided Jess over to the fire escape. He pulled on the door. It didn't budge. "It's jammed somehow," he said as he continued to pull. "Out of the way," Jess ordered. Grabbing the handle, she bowed her head, took three deep breaths, and pulled with all her strength. She pulled so hard, she broke off the door handle. Snarling, Jess threw it away and immediately ran for the elevator. Spender blinked, looked at the handle laying on the floor, and then the woman entering the elevator. Holy shit! Dazed, he followed her into the elevator, barely making it in before the doors shut. Jess was leaning against the wall, staring beyond him. Turning to see what held her fascination, he turned to look at the reflection on the metal doors. According to it, a third person was in the elevator car. A blue eyed, long haired version of Jess was standing behind her. But when he turned his head to look at Jess, the stranger wasn't there. Jess, still staring at their reflection, began to speak quietly. "Rachel, if I'm not hallucinating and you're really here, don't' worry about me. Protect her." She kept repeating that phrase until the doors slid open. Jess pushed away from the wall, preparing to run. Spender grabbed her arm, halting her dead in her tracks. "Who was that? What was that? And what the hell is going on?" he demanded. The woman glared back at him as she pulled her arm free. "Take my advice. Go back to your apartment, and try to forget that any of this ever happened." She softened her harsh words with a sigh. "Trust me, knowing will complicate your life so much more." Spender stood his ground. "And not knowing won't?" Jess eyed him dubiously. "You really want to help? This will cause a lot of trouble for you, especially when your father finds out." Those words stopped Spender cold. He was certain that she knew who his father was and who he worked for. Exactly how she knew was not important at the moment. He was at a crossroads. Spender could do what Jess suggested. He could go back to his apartment and ignore what he had seen tonight, the safe thing. Or he could go on and find out exactly who this woman was and why that puppy was wanted by so many people, something as Jess had said would probably bring him into conflict with his father. Not willing to wait out Spender's emotional crisis, Jess hurried outside, intent on catching up with Krycek. She stopped short and stood looking at the spot where her car had been parked. Of course he took the car. Contacting Skinner would take precious time that Jess dared not waste. But at the same time, she couldn't track them on foot, especially if the aliens were also trailing them. She was so deep in thought weighing her options that Jess jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Eyes wide, she spun around to blink at Spender, standing behind her with his keys in hand. "Need a ride?" Krycek crashed through the underbrush, Amanda crushed to his chest by one massive paw in addition to the werewolf pup holding tight to his fur. He ran on pure instinct, his mind focused on only one thought. They are not getting my daughter. He had made it outside of the building a few steps of the alien, long enough to bolt to Jess's Ford Explorer and through the window she left open. Ducking inside, he dropped Amanda on the passenger's seat and Changed. Praying he wouldn't get pulled over for public indecency, Krycek started the car and pulled away, driving out of town and towards the mountains. Once he had found himself in the woods, he pulled the car over. Again he willed the Change, this time to a bipedal canine form, one that offered a balance between a wolf's speed and a human's agility in addition to massive strength. Once the transformation was complete, he picked up Amanda and headed in among the trees. He pulled up short of a clearing breathing heavily, scanning the surroundings carefully for anyone or anything that could be a threat. Which way to go? Around would take longer, but cutting through means I'll be in plain sight. His panting sounded unnaturally loud in his ears. Looking to the sky to get his bearings, his heart stopped when he saw that Orion's Belt had a *fourth* star in it - a star that grew in brightness and size, a star that resolved itself into the underbelly lights of a UFO. Krycek growled low in his chest, flattening lower to the ground. Amanda whimpered and clung tighter. The UFO hovered for a moment before slowly drifting a few degrees to the right. Krycek bolted to his left just before a bright blue light illuminated the spot he had been standing. He entered the clearing, running a zigzag pattern, knowing that it would only be a matter of time before he was caught, but determined to change the outcome. Weaving, ducking and somersaulting, Krycek avoided the light beam, but he knew that he could not keep up the acrobatics indefinitely. Amanda kept her death grip on his fur, not complaining even when she was squashed between the ground and Krycek's chest. If I can make it to the trees, I can lose whatever-that-is. The light stabbed downwards, catching him with forefeet in the air, muzzle pointed skyward, hindquarters bunched, ready to spring. He was frozen in space, even unable to voluntarily blink. A figure stepped out of the bushes directly in front of him. This one looked exactly like the Bounty Hunter, but there was a subtle difference to the smell, designating him as a different being. Moving unhurriedly, the alien walked to the frozen werewolf. Krycek's heart hammered in his furry chest. He surprised himself by managing to emit a weak growl. Although the alien's expression never wavered, Krycek got a sense that the being admired the fact that he was trying to put up a token resistance. But that did not stop the alien from reaching out and taking Amanda from his arms. The werewolf pup, apparently unaffected by the paralyzing ray, whimpered and squirmed. The alien grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and shook her sharply. Amanda growled and snapped at such mistreatment, twisting to try to sink her teeth into the hand holding her. The alien responded by striking her on the side of her head, making her cry out. Krycek's rage blossomed red behind his eyes. From somewhere deep inside, he found the strength to break whatever invisible bonds were holding him immobile. With a roar he leapt forward, catching the alien by the shoulders. The three of them went down in a tangle of both human and canine limbs. Amanda squirmed free from the pile as one of Krycek's fangs lanced the base of the alien's skull. He gave out a loud yelp when the caustic fluid hit his skin of his lips. White paws working frantically at his muzzle, Krycek rolled free of the corpse as it began to disintegrate. The wind blew the fumes rising from the pile of bubbling green goo directly into his face. Wheezing, he attempted to stand up. He made it partway up before collapsing, wracked with coughs. He could feel Amanda cowering against his side, whimpering in terror as well as coughing. Turning his head, he saw several spindly gray skinned figures step out of the surrounding forest. Growling despite the burning pain in his mouth, he tried to stand again, only to have black dots swim across his line of sight. Krycek blinked rapidly, desperate to clear his vision as the grays advanced. Still wheezing, he weakly attempted to crawl between the advancing aliens and Amanda. He made it about three inches before the last of his strength faded, along with his vision. Amanda's whimpers, increasing in intensity and volume, were the last thing he heard before fading out of consciousness. "We've been driving for hours." Spender glanced away from the road and towards his passenger. "How do you know we're heading in the right direction?" Jess shook her head without opening her eyes. "We don't have enough time for even the simple explanation. You've come this far on faith. Try taking it just a little bit further." Biting his lip to keep from repeating his question, Spender drove on, following the curve of the mountain road. After Jess had gotten in the passenger seat, she had immediately shut her eyes, unrolled the window, and started to guide Spender. Twice she had told him to turn the car around and head in the opposite direction, and every now and then she would hang her head outside the window. But for the most part, she had sat in the passenger seat with a look of intense concentration. So he was startled as they neared a curve in the road when her head snapped up, eyes opening wide. "We're getting close." As they rounded the corner, Spender saw the roadblock set up by the heavily armed soldiers. He stomped on the breaks, leaving a ten foot skidmark. Jess was out of the car before it stopped, heading for the forest. A single gunshot fired a foot over her head stopped her in her tracks. "Ms. Leahs, if you would care to join us." Spender stepped out of the car, recognizing the voice of his father before he spotted him in the group of armed military men. One or two of the rifles were pointed at him. But the majority of the gun muzzles followed Jess's movement. "Of course, you could always make a run for it," Cancerman said in his maddeningly calm way. "But are you willing to take the chance that these guns are not loaded with standard ammunition?" Her shoulders slumped and Jess turned around, controlled anger in her face. "A wise choice. Now would you care to tell me what you are doing with Special Agent Spender?" Eyes narrow, Jess shrugged. "Let's just say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time." She pushed one corner of the jacket aside, to reveal a loaded Glock tucked in the waistband of her jeans. She never pulled the gun on me, Spender thought. Why is she lying? To protect me? Aware that he looked bewildered, he hoped his father assumed it was due to the situation, not Jess's statement. But the situation was pretty bewildering. A second man in civilian garb stepped forward. He looked at Jess with pity. "I told you that you would not be allowed to keep her. I'm sorry it has to be this way, Jessica." Spender watched as Jess took a deep breath. From her reaction, he guessed that she knew this man all too well. Her voice was tight with suppressed fear. "Why?" "The Change is extremely stressful for a pregnant bitch. While you were under our care, you were given certain an antimorphic drug to help you tamp down your talent. We thought the drug would have no side affects on a fetus, the way it has no side affects on an adult." Well Manicured Man shook his head. "We were wrong." "Antimorphic drug? Pregnant bitch?" Spender looked from his father, to Jess, to Well Manicured Man. "What are you talking about?" Before anyone could answer, a light rose from behind the tree line. Spender threw one hand up to shade his eyes as he peered at it, trying to determine exactly what he was looking at. The craft was a rough isosceles triangle with various colored lights dotting the underside. Once clear of the trees, it hovered for a moment, the point formed by the longer sides rotating towards them. A low pitched whine reached his ears, a while that quickly grew in pitch and volume. The lights grew brighter, the hum higher... Without warning, the craft shot towards the horizon. Everyone turned to follow it, ignoring the wind that whipped their hair. Spender's gaze turned to his father, who was calmly smoking. Jess, on the other hand, stood there open mouthed. "Good god, no," she whispered. She looked back at the two men in black. "Please, no." Well Manicured Man walked up behind Jess and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm truly sorry, Jessica." Jess took two stiff steps away before turning and breaking into a run in the direction the UFO had came from. The riflemen tracked her progress, only to be halted by a wave of Well Manicured Man's hand. Cancerman also tracked Jess's progress until she disappeared into the brush. Then he looked at his son with the same closed expression he had used when Spender had asked where his mother was the first time she went missing. Before Spender could say a word, Cancerman turned and walked up the road, the soldiers trotting smartly behind him. Well Manicured Man still stared in the direction that Jess had taken. She had reacted as he expected - her immediate concern and fear was for her child and her mate. The anger would come later. But what surprised him was the fact that the younger Spender was here. As far as he was aware, the only one of the werewolves who would have been in contact with him would have been AD Skinner. This could have intriguing possibilities, he thought. The Smoking Man wanted his son to inherit his position within the Consortium, the same as he wanted Jess to step into his once the time was right. At this moment, it seemed wisest to walk up the road where the soldiers were waiting, leaving Jess and Krycek to their grief and Spender to contemplate what he had just seen. She ran through the forest, not caring that she was marking a trail that a blind man could follow. She didn't care if the military goons pumped her full of silver bullets. All that mattered was that she get to Krycek, to hopefully confirm what she feared just happened had not. ~Alex!~ she mindspoke, scanning the forest in front of her. ~Where are you?~ The lack of response terrified her, making her wonder if he had been abducted as well. She found him five minutes later. Krycek was lying next to a pool of green goo, unconscious. His mouth was wide open, his tongue lolling out, lips pulled back from his fangs. Jess winced as she looked closer, noticing the chemical burns visible under the white fur lining his mouth. Gently she stroked along his spine, tears falling down her face. Krycek stirred under her gentle touch. Green eyes opened to meet Jess's brown ones, afraid of what he would find in them. He sat up, talons caressing her cheek, touching where her tears trailed across her skin. His eyes asked the question - where is our daughter? Jess looked up at the stars in the direction the UFO had taken. Krycek threw back his head and howled, Jess pausing half a beat before joining in. Together they keened their grief, howling the pain of their loss to an indifferent sky. When Spender heard the howls, his first thought was that there was an unarmed, emotionally distraught woman alone in the woods with some angry sounding wolves. Drawing his gun, he started in her footsteps, fairytale images of what the Big Bad Wolf did to Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother running through his mind. Her trail wasn't hard to follow. The path of broken tree limbs and trampled bushes led straight to a clearing. The howling rose to a shattering crescendo and then vanished, only to be replaced by a soft weeping. Making sure the safety was off of his gun, Spender eased into the clearing. His jaw dropped at the sight that met his eyes. Jess knelt in the center of the clearing her arms around something that had a vaguely humanoid body and a clearly lupine head. The massive jaw rested aslant on top of her head, revealing ivory fangs. Taloned paws stroked her shoulders, the muscles rippling and flexing underneath a black and white pelt. There was only one word in Spender's mind - werewolf. All the legends and horrors and fears associated with that word did not encompass the reality. And Jess sat there unafraid, actually pulling herself closer to the monster. She must have said something too low for Spender to hear because the werewolf nodded and loosened his grip on her enough so she could stand up. Taking one massive paw in both hands, she helped the canid to his hind feet. The werewolf staggered against the smaller woman, and looked up into Spender's eyes. Pointed ears flattened against the large skull as a deep rumble of a growl reached Spender's ears. Jess gasped, apparently becoming aware of Spender at the same moment as the creature beside her. Spender, albeit shakily, raised the gun in his defense. "Jeffery, put the gun down." Jess's voice cracked, as if she had been yelling earlier and had strained her throat. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Alex isn't going to hurt you." She then winced. Shit! I didn't mean to say that! "Alex?" Spender made the connection in his mind instantaneously. "Alex Krycek?!?" Both the werewolf and Jess nodded. That was when the adrenaline of the last several hours wore off and the shock of all he had seen set in. Spender could feel the blood draining away from his head. He fell to his knees, the gun slipping out of his hand. Both Jess and Krycek started forward to catch him. Acting on instinct, Spender leaned away from the werewolf, so it was Jess who actually caught him. As he passed out, he murmured something too quietly for Jess to hear. Jess gently lowered Spender to the ground. Krycek's ears were cocked forward, a look of consternation was clear on canine features. ~What did he say?~ Jess mindspoke. Krycek looked up, eyes scanning the skies for the UFO he knew he would not see. ~He said that I had the same markings as his puppy.~ * * * * * He woke up feeling like was hung over, but he didn't remember getting drunk the night before. Spender sat up in bed, wondering what mischief the puppy was getting into. Looking around he saw his shirt was folded neatly over the back of the chair, shoes sitting beneath. Looking down, he realized that he had gone to bed in his slacks, except that he couldn't remember going to bed... Then he remembered the day before. He could vaguely remember waking up in the back seat of his car just as they crossed back into the city limits. Without a word, Jess drove to his apartment complex, walked him upstairs, let him in his apartment, and from there on everything was blank. He also had disjointed fragments of the day before - the bizarre fight in the hallway, the long and seemingly aimless drive, Jess's confrontation with his father, and... Spender shook his head, running a hand over his face. I didn't see a UFO. I made up the stuff about aliens abduction because I was a little boy who wanted to please Mom after Dad left. Aliens do not exist. Are you sure about that? a quiet voice persisted. And what about that other creature you saw last night? He closed his eyes and gripped the sides of the sink. The animal he had seen could not be explained away as a simple canine. It had stood on two legs. It had answered to Alex Krycek's name. It had the same markings as the puppy... It all started to make sense. If Alex Krycek had been genetically experimented on, altering him.... Spender cautiously avoided using the word werewolf to describe what he had seen. Jessica Leahs gave birth to a daughter, and was known to have been involved with Krycek. From what little he knew about the men his father worked for, Spender realized that They would be interested in seeing if such a mutation would breed true from generation to generation. If such a being were created and able to pass on its mutations, the implications would be staggering. All views on genetics would be revised, as well as adding a whole new dimension to the concept of biological warfare. But none of this explains the lights you saw last night. If a werewolf could exist, why not aliens? I'm only calling it a werewolf for lack of a better term. It's not a werewolf like you see in the movies. Continuing his mental argument, he went into the living room where two things caught his attention. On the coffee table was his gun and his keys. And under them was a scrap of paper. The message scribbled on it was brief. "When you're ready to talk, I'll try to explain. Jess. 555-1013." The second was that just inside the door was a file. It was too thick to have been just slipped under. Someone would have had to open the door and place it on the floor. Picking it up, he blinked when he saw what was labeled on the outside. X-117126 Lycanthrope Case Study: Leahs, Jessica A. It's the missing file. But who left it? Jess hadn't been even carrying a purse when she first arrived. Spender knew the file hadn't been in his car, and they hadn't tripped over it when they entered the apartment, meaning that it had to have been placed there some time after they arrived. Sitting on the couch, he flipped it open and began reading it. Spender's jaw dropped. He flipped a few pages forward, then a few pages back. Stared at the clinical photos depicting her scars. Read Mulder's reports on her abilities. Studied Scully's notes on the blood tests and the DNA analysis. There was no doubt about it. Jessica Leahs was a werewolf. And if the file was anything of an indicator, she was as easily capable of violence. But wasn't that what was thought of wolves? They're cold blooded killers who hunt for the sake of violence only? She could have easily have killed him at any point in the last twenty four hours. Now they're thought of as intelligent creatures that take care of each other, killing only for food or survival. Spender sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, seeking a distraction even as he tried to digest this new information. The morning news was on, reviewing the events of the previous day. The anchorwoman's announcement only sent his mind spinning. "The fate of a missing child has been tragically discovered. Early yesterday afternoon, the body of Amanda Leahs was found." The scene then cut to a press conference from the day before. Jessica Leahs was standing at a podium, flanked by Skinner and several other FBI agents, trying to speak. "I'd like to thank everyone who searched for... oh god..." Jess buried her head in her hands and was led offstage by Skinner. If he had seen the conference before last night, he would have believed it. That can't be Jessica Leahs. The meeting had taken place when he had been driving up the mountain with Jess by his side. And if the woman up there wasn't Jess, there was a good chance the man behind her wasn't AD Skinner. This has to be a cover up. But where did they find people who look so much like them? Spender picked up the paper with the phone number on it and tapped it against the file thoughtfully. He knew his father was probably the one responsible for the file turning up in his apartment. But the reason why was a bit more obscure - was it a warning to stay away from dangerous creatures? And if it was a warning to stay away from them, was it for his sake or for his fathers? With some misgivings, he dialed the phone number. The phone rang four times, and then the answering machine picked up. "You've reached 555-1013," came Jess's voice. "You have reached the Leahs residence. We will be out of town for the next two weeks. In lieu of flowers, we request that you make a donation to the ASPCA in Amanda Leahs's name." Spender hung up the phone. I won't be talking to them for a while. He looked at the phone for a while. I could call my father and ask him what the hell happened last night. But I doubt I would get the whole truth. As he hung up the phone, he noticed the white shirt the puppy had been chewing on earlier. He picked it up, smiling a bit at the memories of the puppies. He went to the bedroom, picked up the box that she was supposed to sleep in, and put the shirt and the items he purchased yesterday in it. Spender put the box into the closet, a reminder to himself that things are not always what they seem. "I have the results of the autopsy." Scully paused when Krycek, Skinner, and Jess visibly tensed. She had just arrived in DC just in time to see the news conference that Jess and Skinner had denied being at. Jess had asked for her to perform the autopsy, and when Scully said she would, Skinner had pulled several strings and called in several favors to make it so. It had been hard. It was always hard to do an autopsy on a child. The sight of young promise cut tragically short always hurt, even more so with the loss of Emily. When she saw the results of the blood work, she understood why they asked her. They wouldn't have the truth from anyone else. "While the DNA tests came back as matches to both Jess and Alex, there was no sign of the enzyme associated with the ability to Change present in Amanda's body." "My best guess is that the body found was a clone," Mulder amended. "Once the police found the body, the search for the 'missing' child is done, leaving Them free to do what They like behind a wall of plausible denial." Krycek took in a deep breath and then exhaled. It was exactly what they had expected. It was exactly what they had feared. Jess just looked at the floor, fighting back her tears. Lindy leaned against them both, seeking comfort. "Thank you, Agents, for all you've done," Skinner said. "I think we need some time alone." Mulder and Scully then left, but not before Jess gave them silent hug of thanks. Once they were gone, Jess and Lindy went up stairs. Krycek stayed where he was, staring at nothing. Skinner sat motionless until Krycek broke the silence. "I should have stopped them." Skinner then stood and walked to the younger man. "You did everything you could. It's not your fault." Krycek didn't respond to Skinner until he started nudging him towards the stairs. "We've got a long flight to San Jose tomorrow." Krycek signed once and pulled himself up the stairs and to the bedroom. There they undressed and got into the bed. Neither of them said anything. After a few minutes Jess entered. She also got ready for bed and turned off the lights. Slipping under the sheets, she curled up against Krycek and buried her head in his chest and quietly began to sob. That broke Krycek's reserve. Other than the howl the night before, he hadn't expressed any grief, maintaining a poker face. Now he cried, trying to wipe away Jess's tears. Skinner shifted away slightly. Amanda wasn't his daughter, maybe he should leave Krycek and Jess to their grief. Krycek growled at the loss of contact and reached behind him, searching by feel for Skinner. Jess hooked him by the shoulder and pulled him back against Krycek. Eventually the tears subsided, but none of them moved away. They fell asleep still holding each other against the night. Well Manicured Man walked down the hallway, trying hard not to let his jet lag show. He had come to this laboratory straight from the airport. The flight from San Jose had gone smooth, as had most of the events while he was in the West Coast. The werewolves had played their allotted roles with no fuss. There had been other shapeshifters on call in case they would not go through the charade of a burial. But Jess, Krycek, Skinner, and Lindy had been the perfect picture of a grieving family. Only because they are, he reminded himself. Just not in the way everyone believes. He had approached her when they were all at the graveside. Skinner, Krycek, Jess and Lindy had been quietly talking. But as he came closer, they fell silent, watching him with hostile eyes. Well Manicured Man stopped about five feet away, with the grave between him and the werewolves, a barrier of sorts. "Jessica, I need to speak with you." "Haven't you done enough?" Lindy snarled. Jess dropped her hand to Lindy's shoulder and squeezed. Without a word to the others, she started walking parallel to the grave, threading her way among the other monuments. She stopped at a particular one and waited. Keeping an eye on Krycek and Skinner, who were watching him like a pair of hawks, Well Manicured Man joined her. Jess studied the tombstones, the ones that belonged to her parents. "I'm just beginning to understand what Mom and Dad went through when Rachel died." Well Manicured Man looked at Jess with a bit of surprised. "She's not dead, Jessica." "But I have a feeling that I'll never see her again. It's almost the same thing." Jess, still staring at the grave, continued speaking. "You referred to me as a 'pregnant bitch.' Not as your niece, but an animal. That's all I am to you, right? An experiment in progress. A lab rat." "Jessica, that is not true. If I did feel that you were nothing more than an experiment, why would I have helped when Lindy was dying?" Jess looked into his eyes. "For the same reason you had my brother killed it was the best way to manipulate me at the time. I should rip your throat out because of everything you've done." She shook her head in self-depreciation. "But I can't. Not yet at least. Because I believe that for the most part, I'm still human. But, I'm warning you. You keep telling me that I'm an animal, and I'll start believing and behaving like one." Without saying anything else, she returned to the waiting members of her pack. Finding himself in front of a locked set of double doors brought Well Manicured Man back to the present. He punched in a clearance code on the keypad next to them, and waited. The lights on the keypad turned green and with a quiet hiss, the doors opened. Well Manicured Man walked into the room and found the Cigarette Smoking Man waiting for him. "We were just about to begin," he said, gesturing to the window he stood beside. Well Manicured Man joined him at the window, which was actually a one way mirror. On the other side of that mirror lay a black and white werewolf pup. Amanda stared straight ahead, not twitching so much as a whisker. Nearby sat full dishes of water and food. "She hasn't Changed since she was brought in?" Cancerman shook his head. "No. She does eat, but not nearly enough to keep her healthy. She has also been offered toys, treats, and other positive stimuli, but shows no interest in any of it. We were about to begin the experiment." "Then proceed." Cancerman pushed a button under the mirror. A door opened to reveal a blond woman. She walked over to where the puppy was laying. Amanda glanced up and then looked away, clearly uninterested. The woman stood still for a moment, and then her form started to morph. Blue eyes darkened into brown, waist length blonde hair shortened and became brunette. Amanda looked up again, this time into an exact duplicate of Jess's face. Changing to human, she reached up with her arms. The shapeshifter picked her up. Amanda snuggled into the woman's arms and began sucking her thumb. "Interesting," Well Manicured Man said. "Now she's ignoring her sense of smell in favor of the visual information." "She is seeking comfort in the familiar, even though she knows it is a counterfeit," Cancerman responded. "Does Jessica Leahs know that she is alive?" "She does. The situation will be handled." Well Manicured Man's voice took on a cool tone. The Cigarette Smoking Man said nothing in response. He is too attached to his niece. She could quickly become a liability. Something would have to be done about that, soon. Jess hung up the phone. "He's on his way." From his spot on the couch, Skinner nodded. "And you're sure that we want him to know the truth?" "Yes," Jess confirmed. "He saw us that night. He knows that the truth about what," Jess paused and took a breath before continuing, "Amanda is was being kept from him. From what you've told me, he only works for his father because he believes that everyone else is against him. He could be an ally." Lindy looked up from her chair by the fireplace. "And if he doesn't become an ally?" Krycek's look was grim. "Then we eliminate the threat." It had been three weeks since Amanda had disappeared, two since they had gone through the sham of the funeral. There had been several messages of condolence on the answering machine. There was no message from Jeffrey Spender, which had them all concerned. Now Spender was coming over, and it was time to try to explain what he saw. There was no further conversation until Spender arrived. Skinner let him in without saying a word. Spender had expected to see him there. Rumors were whispered around the JEH building that the reason the charges against Krycek had disappeared was that she had become Skinner's lover. Krycek was also there, glaring at Spender and standing protectively between him and Jess. But the presence of Lindy surprised him. Spender's eyes came to rest on Jess. She stared back calmly, waiting for him to make the first move. "You lied to him." He didn't have to explain. Jess knew exactly who he was referring to. "I had no reason to tell him the truth." "And you have a reason to tell me the truth?" "We." Krycek paused, searching for the right words. "...Owe you for taking care of our daughter. You could have easily given her to Them." "'Given her to Them?'" Spender exploded. "I couldn't have, because I didn't know what she was!" Spender looked from Krycek to Jess. "And I still don't know what she was or what you are!" Jess looked at Krycek, Skinner, and Lindy, each in turn nodding, giving her one last silent confirmation. "Sit down, Jeffrey, it's a long story." Once he took a seat, Jess sat back and took a deep breath before beginning. "We each have different stories of how we became what we are. For me, it started fourteen years ago when I bought a ring." The End
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