Admission VIII:
The Best Laid Plans - Part 3

By Aries

"Hello?"

"Hey. How’s the patient?"

Fox smiled into the phone. "Pretty good, I think. Last night was a little rough but things are better now."

"What happened? Can you talk about it?"

"Yeah, he’s in the shower. Mm...he was a little uneasy at first. Walked around moving things. You know, stuff that was out of place, I guess..."

"Well, you know what that’s all about..."

"I know. Anyway, he had a shower and I put him to bed, and he seemed to relax a bit, though he didn’t want me to leave him until he went to sleep. I went and got ready to start dinner, and he came out a couple of hours later. He smiled and joked with me about cooking, and he seemed in a much better state of mind. He went outside to fill the bird feeders...I finished cooking, and went out to call him. In that little bit of time, he’d done a complete turn around. He was pacing around, checking the perimeter of the yard, searching the bushes and the fences, looking for the way the men who took him could have gotten into the yard. The fact that someone got in here and nabbed him was really eating at him."

"He’s feeling vulnerable."

"Yeah, and he had no idea what to do with the way he felt about it, so he just...he lashed out."

"And since there was no one else around to bear the brunt of it..."

"You got it. I caught it full force."

"Aww, Mulder..."

"I’m so pissed with myself, Scully. I reacted all wrong."

"What’d you do, get into it with him?"

"No. In some respects, that may have been better. My guard was down. I let myself get hurt..."

"Did he slug you?"

Fox emitted a short laugh. "No, not that kind of hurt."

"Oh."

"He said a bunch of stuff I knew he’d regret as soon as he calmed down, but I let it get to me anyway. I left him out there in the yard and came inside. I brooded in the dining room while he brooded outside. He came in a while later, feeling just like I knew he would, apologizing, telling me he didn’t mean any of what he said. He was so upset. We talked it out, made up and had dinner. The rest of the night went fine. This morning, no problems...I’d be stupid to think that it’ll be smooth from here on out, but the worst of it may be over...I thought it might have taken him a little longer to get the anger out, but...wait, hang on...okay, coming..." Fox moved toward the bathroom, phone between his shoulder and ear. "You want to say hi to him?"

"Thought he was in the shower?"

"He was. I’m on my way to dry his back. Those damn welts and that cut are still a bit tender...here, talk to Scully."

Fox handed the phone to Alex, and took the towel from him.

"Hi, Scully."

"Hi! You sound a lot more chipper today."

"Yeah, well, amazing what a good...uh...night’s sleep’ll do for you." He cut his eyes in the direction of the muffled snicker.

"I’m glad you’re feeling better. Is there anything you guys need?"

"No, I don’t...Fox, Scully wants to know if there’s anything we need...he said no, but thanks for asking. You know, Scully, you really should go to your brother’s."

"There’ll be other visits, Alex. This was some serious stuff that went on here. I wouldn’t be comfortable the whole time I was away."

"What, do you think something’s going to happen?"

"No," she answered too quickly, "not at all. It’s just for my own peace of mind, okay? Humor me."

"Yeah...uh...here’s Fox. Thanks again, Scully."

Fox noted the troubled expression on his lover’s face as he exchanged the towel for the phone. He kissed the younger man’s shoulder and moved toward the door. "Breakfast in five minutes, okay?"

Alex nodded and went in to get dressed. The minute he was gone, Fox spun out of the doorway and moved through the hall.

"He’s got that look again, Scully. What’d I miss?"

"I’m sorry, Mulder. I think he thinks I’m staying because I’m afraid of something happening."

"Are you?"

"He could go off the deep end. I just want to be around in case you need some backup."

"Backup? Scully, this isn’t a warehouse drug bust."

"I know that. Okay, maybe backup wasn’t the right word. How about support?"

Fox sighed into the phone. "I appreciate your concern but I really think the worst of it came yesterday."

"Sounds like you may be right, but I’m still going to pass on Bill’s this time."

"Did you tell him you weren’t coming?"

"Yeah."

"What excuse did you give him?"

"I told him the truth...well, you know, as much of it as he needed to know."

"Just when he thought he couldn’t loathe me any more..."

"Bill will get over it. And if he doesn’t, it’s his problem. You and Alex are my extended family. I’ll be here if you need me, just like I’d be there if he needed me."

"What about your mother? Is she very upset?"

"She’s disappointed, but she understands. She said to give you both her best."

Silence.

"Now, are you sure there’s nothing you need?"

"I don’t think so."

"Well, think about it and give me a call if you think of something."

"Thank you, Scully."

"No problem. I’ll talk to you later."

"Okay. Bye."

Fox hung up and pulled two dishes down from the cupboard. Minutes later, Alex entered the kitchen and stood quietly by while Fox placed the full plates on the table.

"She thinks I’m gonna flip out on you, doesn’t she?"

Fox paused in the middle of pouring a glass of orange juice. "Why do you say that?"

"Just the impression I got."

Fox motioned to Alex to sit. "She’s just concerned."

"I feel much better," Alex protested mildly

"I told her that." Fox pulled out a chair and sat down. "What can I say? Scully’s Scully and she’s not going to stop worrying just because you or I tell her she should. Come on, let’s eat before it gets cold."

The rain had stopped, and after breakfast, Alex suggested taking Clyde out for a walk.

"Yeah?" Fox smiled his approval. "Sure, if you’re up to it."

"Yeah, I need to get some exercise."

"Great. Let’s go."

Alex called to the dog who was lying a short distance away. "Hey, Clyde. Wanna go for a walk?"

Clyde’s head lifted and tilted from side to side.

"Well?"

Clyde jumped up and bounded over to retrieve his leash, wiggling and twisting while Alex tried to attach it to his collar.

"Dog, would you please stand still?"

Fox stood leaning against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest, an amused grin on his face. "He’ll calm down when he gets older," he mimicked Alex’s voice, throwing the words he’d said a thousand times, back at him.

"Come on, he’s better than he used to be."

"Yeah. Right. Whatever you say. Let’s go."

The exercise had begun to do its job. Alex was starting to relax. Conversation picked up and an easy smile now curved his mouth. Being approached with greetings and good wishes from at least four of the neighbors helped.

"How do all these people know?" Alex asked when the last well wisher crossed back over into her own yard.

"I questioned all of them," Fox answered. "I’m surprised they’re all still talking to me."

"Questioned or interrogated?"

"Let’s just say I’m surprised that that they haven’t come for me yet with pitchforks and torches."

"God, Fox..."

Fox shrugged. "I may have been a little overzealous, but I was desperate."

"Well," Alex drew his knuckles down his lover’s arm, "maybe they understand that."

They finished their walk and spent the rest of the day, and in fact the next couple of days, doing not much of anything at all. Alex seemed in good humor most of the time, only occasionally falling into a pensive mood, but snapping out of it quickly under Fox’s loving attention.

Tonight, after Fox wore them both out, Alex propped himself against the pillows, turning the TV on, and flipping idly through the channels. His lover lay sprawled across his thighs, slowly and thoroughly licking his cock clean. Alex lovingly combed his fingers through Fox’s golden brown hair with his free hand while he continued to search for something worth watching. Finally, a prison riot caught his eye and he stopped, dropping the remote to the mattress. His eyes shifted down to Fox, joyfully immersed in his task, eyes closed, outrageously talented tongue executing long, gentle strokes over his cock. The sight sent a twinge through his lower regions.

"Hey."

Fox rested his cheek on top of his lover’s cock. Golden brown lashes swept upward and a soft green-gray gaze fell on Alex’s face.

Alex opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him as he looked down at his beautiful Fox.

The eyes stared intently for a while, then closed as Fox nuzzled him gently. A single kiss bestowed on the tip of Alex’s exhausted cock, and he slid up, maneuvering himself behind his lover, pulling him back against his chest and wrapping his arms around him.

Alex rested his head back against Fox’s shoulder, allowing the other man to string a trail of kisses along his cheek and jaw.

"Have I told you today that I love you?"

Fox laughed softly in his ear. "You were just screaming it about twenty minutes ago."

"Oh. Was I?"

"Yeah...what the hell are we watching?"

"Beats me. Something on one of the pay channels. I just stopped 'cause I saw some action."

Both men turned their attention to the screen, watching as the revolt was finally put down, and the ringleaders were dragged into the warden’s office. He had two of the men thrown into solitary, but the third, he kept in his office. The two men stood glaring at each other, radiating hatred, then the warden ordered the man stripped of his shirt, and cuffed to the barred window to the right of his desk.

Fox felt Alex’s body tighten then jump, as the first blow of a leather belt was delivered. His eyes snapped shut and his head jerked to the side on the second blow. Fox groped for the remote, found it, and quickly shut the television off. He hugged Alex to him as the other man lay silently in his arms, staring sightlessly toward the window.

"Do you want to talk?"

Alex shook his head and said nothing.

"Okay." Fox sat there for how long, he did not know, stroking Alex’s back, offering silent comfort. Finally, the younger man shifted, but did not meet Fox’s eye.

"Can we turn the lights out?"

"Yeah," Fox answered quickly, leaning over to turn off the lamp, "sure...that better?"

Alex nodded and fell silent again.

Fox waited patiently, hoping that he would begin to speak, but he merely burrowed into Fox’s warmth and said nothing. Nearly half an hour later, he was asleep. Fox emitted a long sigh, kissed the top of his head, and closed his eyes.

Whistle.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

"It hurts, Fox...please...oh...oh, God, yes...thank you...oh, baby, that feels so good, so...no... no... don’t touch me...don’t... no! "

"Alex... Alex..." Fox shook Alex gently. "Baby, wake up. Come on..."

Alex’s eyes snapped open and he stared up at the man hovering over him...

Something wasn’t right. That look in his eyes. Pure, wild hatred.

"Fucking..."

Before Fox had a second to react, Alex was on him, spinning him onto his back, pinning Fox’s arms under his knees, hands around his throat.

Fox struggled under Alex’s weight, trying to rasp his name, but there was no air, and it wasn’t long before he was too weak to fight anymore. He lay beneath Alex, a deafening roar in his head, and his limbs going slack.

Alex tightened his grip, eyes still blazing.

Fox stared wide-eyed up at Alex, silently begging for intervention.

The bedroom door swung open as Clyde pushed his way in. He’d heard the commotion, and had come to investigate. He stood a few feet from the bed and began to bark and yap incessantly.

The sound woke Alex, and he stared down at his hands squeezing the throat of his almost unconscious lover. He cried out in horror, falling away from Fox.

The air came back to Fox in a rush, choking and gagging him. He turned onto his side, overwhelmed by fits of coughing.

Alex stared, mortified. "Fox...oh, God, Fox?" The continuous hacking frightened the younger man. He reached out to touch his distressed lover, but drew away quickly. "What did I do?" he whispered, "What the hell did I do?"

Every gasp for air brought a fresh round of coughing, and Alex inched closer. He reached out, rubbing the older man’s back. "I didn’t...Fox, I don’t..."

Fox struggled for air while trying to speak. "Water..."

Alex stared confused for a moment, then slid off the bed and quickly retrieved a glass of water. He kneeled next to Fox, trying to hold the glass to his lips, but his hands were shaking too badly. Still coughing, Fox took the water from him and managed three sips without choking on it.

"I’m..." more coughing, "I’m okay."

He handed the glass back to Alex, who placed it on the nightstand, then retreated to the end of the bed, huddling there in a miserable heap.

Fox took a few deeper, though still unsteady breaths. "Alex...it...was a dream..."

Alex shook his head, staring wide-eyed into space. "I could’ve killed you."

"I’m all right."

The younger man’s eyes welled up with tears. "I could...could’ve killed you."

More coughing. "But...you didn’t."

"Because of Clyde. What if...oh, God, what if he hadn’t come in?"

"You wouldn’t...have killed me, Alex..."

"I could have...I...didn’t mean it, Fox, I don’t...God...oh, God, I could’ve killed you."

Fox gathered enough strength to move to the end of the bed and wrestle Alex’s arms away from his body. He spun him to the mattress, pinning his wrists down beside his head. "Stop it. Listen to me...I’m all right. I’ll be all right," he wheezed. "It was just a dream. You would have come out of it."

A few tears chased each other from the corner of Alex’s eye, and down into his ear. "How do you know that?"

"I just do." Fox stopped for a few breaths then said in his most convincing tone, "You would never have killed me."

Alex’s body began to tremble, and he started to sob. "I don’t know...I didn’t..."

Fox released Alex’s wrists and tucked his arms under his back. He rested his head on the younger man’s shoulder and hugged him tightly. "I know, baby. I know you didn’t mean it. You were dreaming...it’s okay..."

Alex’s arms wrapped around Fox and he cried harder. "I love you, Fox...I...I love you..."

"I know. I know."

"I’m sorry..."

"Nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t know." Fox kissed and stroked Alex until his sobs abated. He raised his head and looked down at red-streaked eyes. "Let’s get some sleep. You wore yourself out."

Alex shook his head.

"Why not?"

"I’m afraid."

"Of what?"

"What if I dream again? I don’t want to hurt you."

"So you’re never going to sleep again?"

"No, I’ll...I’ll go sleep in the guestroom..."

Alex started to get up, but Fox pushed him back to the mattress. "Like hell, you will."

"Please, Fox, I don’t..."

"You’re not going anywhere. There’s no reason to believe that tonight will be repeated."

"What if it is?"

"Then we’ll deal with it when and if it happens."

"What if next time I succeed. I’d sooner die than hurt you."

"I will not be in the same house with you and sleep in different beds." Fox stroked his lover’s hair. "Baby, we were separated for almost a week, and the thought that I might never sleep next to you again, was enough to make me want to put a bullet through my head. I can’t and I won’t be separated from you purposely." Fox pulled himself up against the pillows, dragging Alex to his chest. "It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. Just hang on to me and go to sleep. It’ll be all right, I promise."

Alex lay shaking against Fox’s chest, cringing every time the older man coughed. Fox held him tightly, croaking words of comfort.

"It’s okay, baby. Just relax. I love you..."

Alex’s eyes squeezed shut.

"Do you want to talk to me?"

Silence.

"Might help you to feel better..."

Alex took a long hard breath, then began to speak just above a whisper. "...I couldn’t see his face, but...his voice. I could...he was beating me. The pain, it was..."

Fox listened, unsure whether or not he was hearing Alex’s memory of the dream or the actual event.

"It hurt so much...I’d die before I let him know that..."

Fox’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of his love, restrained and mentally and physically abused.

"But you were there..."

Fox closed his eyes, creating a stream of moisture down both cheeks.

"You came to me and held me. Protected me against the worst of the pain. You helped me sleep." Alex took a deep, stuttering breath and continued. "You were there tonight, too. In the dream. Comforting me. Making love to me...but then...then all of a sudden, it wasn’t you...it was...and I was screaming for him to stop, but he wouldn’t, and... and then Justin was in front of me. And I was able to move. I wanted him dead, Fox. God, I wanted him dead..."

"He is dead, Alex. I couldn’t let him get away with what he did to you. He’ll never hurt you or anyone else again."

"But he has. Even now. Look what I just did to you because of him."

"He can’t touch us anymore, baby. We’re stronger than him. "You’re stronger."

"I thought I was. But I...I can’t shake this."

"It’s only been a few days. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You need time. And patience..." Fox smiled into Alex’s hair, ignoring his own discomfort. "...and love, which fortunately for you, I’ve got tons of."

Alex remained quiet for a while, then just when Fox thought he might be falling asleep, he spoke, again whispering. "You killed him for me."

Fox tightened his hold on the man in his arms. "You’re my whole life, Alex, and I’ll kill or die to protect you." He went quiet for a moment, then continued. "When I walked into that room and saw you on the floor of that cage...you were so still...I lost my mind. At that point I only wanted two things. To get to you, and to kill that motherfucker..."

"You...did you think I was dead?"

"I didn’t know. I couldn’t see you breathing." He kissed the crown of his lover’s head. "I was so scared. I couldn’t live the rest of my life without you, baby. I wouldn’t want to."

Alex raised his head, for the first time meeting Fox’s eye. "I guess we’re in it for the long haul, then?"

"You ask me this after three years?"

Alex gave him a tiny smile.

"You sure you’ll be able to stand me for the next forty or fifty years?"

Alex raised himself up, lips hovering close to Fox’s. "Absolutely."

Fox’s mouth descended, tenderly capturing his lover’s in a long, sweet kiss. When they parted, Fox stroked Alex’s cheek and smiled down at him. "It’s late," he rasped, "go to sleep."

The light faded from Alex’s eyes, and he looked away.

"It’s all right," Fox reassured him. "Close your eyes." He kissed and petted Alex’s head. "No more dreams. I promise."

Alex believed him. He snuggled closer, closed his eyes, and in no time at all was peacefully sleeping.

Fox listened to the slowing respiration; felt the loosening of Alex’s muscles, and closed his eyes, offering up a prayer for a peaceful remainder of the night.

Fox rolled onto his side, wincing at the soreness in his throat. He opened his eyes to find himself alone in bed, though he could feel Alex’s presence nearby. He looked around, finding the other man standing by the windows, staring out into the yard.

"Al..." he stopped to clear his throat, "Alex?"

Alex’s eyes shifted in the direction of the uneven voice.

"You okay?"

The younger man hesitated, then walked over to the bed and sat down. "I need to be asking you that."

Fox noted the look of misery on his lover’s face. He smiled reassuringly, and answered, "Throat’s a little sore, but that’s all."

"Your neck is all bruised," Alex said softly.

Fox’s hand went to his throat. "It is?"

Slight nod.

"They’ll go away. I’m fine, Alex, really."

Alex sat quietly, head bowed.

"Baby..."

The younger man looked up through the sweep of his lashes. Fox reached out to skim the line of his jaw, and he leaned forward, resting his forehead against his lover’s shoulder.

"How did you sleep?"

"Okay," came the soft reply.

"No more dreams?"

Slow shake of the sable head.

"Didn’t I promise?"

"Yeah."

Fox kissed the side of his head. "It’s early. Come back to bed."

"It’s not that early."

"It is when you got nothing else to do all day..."

"You want to go back to work?"

"No. No, I didn’t mean it like that. I love being home with you." He reached out, tugging at the belt on Alex’s robe. "I just want you to come back to bed."

Alex let the older man pull the robe off and coax him back under the sheet. He settled on his side and Fox moved closer, lying on his back, tucked between Alex and the mattress. One arm snaked around Alex’s back, and pulled him down on top of him.

Alex shifted, immediately feeling the slow stiffening of his cock. For days now, Fox had taken care of him, giving him all he had and more, and he’d accepted the attention gratefully. Now Fox was looking up at him, his eyes sparkling with need, and Alex didn’t quite know what to do.

Alex lowered his head, covering Fox’s mouth slowly and tenderly, letting his lover’s muffled moans seep into his senses, setting them all on edge. One hand slid up through Fox’s hair, holding his head still while he deepened the kiss. His tongue slipped between Fox’s parted lips, stroking over the hard surface of his teeth, then the contrasting softness of the interior walls of his cheeks.

So good.

Even first thing in the morning, Alex loved the taste of his lover’s mouth. His tongue searched every inch of the dark interior, finally finding its counterpart and initiating a slow, easy seduction.

Fox clung to his shoulders, blissfully immersed in ever-growing passion. He squirmed under his lover’s weight, pressing upward against his thigh. He broke from Alex’s kiss, making eye contact, letting the turbulent mix of green and gold speak for him...

Alex cupped Fox’s cheek, thumb sliding back and forth across the morning stubble. The other man’s hands slid forward from his shoulders, flattening on his upper chest. His head tilted back, arching and baring his throat to Alex.

Fox could be an aggressive lover, as comfortable with controlling any sexual situation as he was with their usual give and take, but when he was in the mood to be submissive, that’s what he was. Alex loved this chameleon-like quality about him. And as Fox could so easily move from one personality to the other, he supposed he possessed the ability as well.

This morning, Fox obviously wanted to be the bottom, and more than anything, Alex wanted to give him what he was asking for. He slid one hand along Fox’s arm, grasping his wrist and pulling it away from his chest. He pinned that hand beside Fox’s head, then reached for the other, repeating the action. He lowered his head to the exposed throat, closing his eyes to block out the evidence of what he’d done the night before. But he couldn’t close his mind to it, and images of his Fox lying ashen and motionless, sent violent shudders through his body, and stopped him cold.

Lustful anticipation turned to cold dread as Fox looked up at his frozen lover. "Alex? What? What is it?"

The younger man gave no answer as he rolled off of Fox and sat up, head resting on his bent knees. "I’m okay," he said, then took a deep breath. "Just...gimme a minute..."

Fox sat up beside him. "You’re not okay. Take a few deep breaths before you hyperventilate." He waited as Alex did as he’d instructed. "Better?"

Alex nodded, head still on his knees.

"Alex...look at me."

Long seconds passed before Alex lifted his head and looked in Fox’s direction.

"What happened?"

"I’m sorry."

"Don’t be sorry, just tell me what’s got you upset."

Alex’s gaze slid down to Fox’s throat, then flitted away.

Fox sighed heavily, realizing what the problem was. He got out of bed and walked over to the mirrored dresser to see what the big deal was. He observed the moderate bruising around his throat, and moved calmly back to the bed. "It isn’t that bad, baby." He smirked at Alex, trying to lighten the moment. "Want me to wear a scarf until they go away?"

"That’s not funny."

"Come on, Alex. I’m the guy who almost didn’t wake up this morning. If I can smile about it..."

"You’re really not making me feel any better, you know? "

The smile fell away from Fox’s lips on hearing the miserable tone in his lover’s voice. "Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it worse." He reached out to caress the younger man’s shoulder. "I don’t know what to say to you, Alex, other than to repeat what I told you last night. It wasn’t your fault. I know that you would never knowingly hurt me."

"That’s not the point. The point is I did hurt you. And I could easily have killed you. Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"I know. But you can’t hold onto it, you understand? You can’t feel guilty every time you look at me."

"Yeah, well, maybe you can tell me how to stop it."

"Think about something else."

"Gee, that’s easy, why didn’t I think of that? What am I supposed to think about?"

"I don’t know..." Fox inched closer, fanning Alex’s ear with his breath. "Maybe you could think about how damn sexy I am..."

The beginnings of a smile teased the corners of Alex’s mouth.

"...how the sound of my voice sends tingles through your body..." Fox tickled the exterior of his lover’s ear with the tip of his tongue. "...how my touch makes you shiver..." He gently pushed Alex back against the pillows and swung himself over the younger man’s body, straddling him on his hands and knees. "Maybe you could think about how good it’d feel to be inside me..."

Alex’s head fell to one side, and he groaned softly.

Fox studied him closely. "You want to be inside me, baby?"

Alex nodded, exhaling heavily.

"Close your eyes...good. Now keep them closed and just feel me, okay?"

The younger man let out a faint whimper, but complied with his lover’s request.

Fox brushed Alex’s mouth with his own, letting his tongue whisper across his lower lip. He moved downward, kissing and licking the warm flesh of Alex’s neck and chest, pausing at one nipple. He flicked at it gently, and Alex arched off the bed.

"Fox," he panted, "oh, please..."

Fox moved to the other nipple, treating it to the same wonderful torment as the first.

"I...Fox, I...I need you..."

The older man nipped at the sensitive peak, drawing a frustrated whine from his lover, then moved on. He slid downward, enjoying the feel of Alex’s stomach muscles rippling beneath his lips. He reached Alex’s aching cock, grasping it at the base, and lapping delicately at the glistening tip.

Alex’s head rolled back and forth on the pillow, and he gathered up fistfuls of sheet. "Mmm... ah...please...oh, please..."

Fox sucked the entire length of Alex’s cock down his throat, pulling a loud gasp from the man under him. He sucked steadily, letting his tongue flutter along the length of his lover’s rock-hard erection. The stiffening of Alex’s body suggested that the younger man might be closer to the edge than he thought. He pulled away, listening to the loud groans of protest.

"Hang on for just a second, baby..." Fox reached over into the nightstand drawer, withdrawing the lube. He squeezed a generous amount into his palm, and applied it quickly to Alex’s cock. He inched forward, positioning himself, letting his ass brush the bobbing shaft. "Hold it for me, baby."

Alex wrapped his hand around the base of his cock, holding it upright and steady, while Fox lowered himself onto it. Both men whimpered impatiently as Fox slowly impaled himself on his lover. When Alex was inside him as deep as he could go, Fox began to move, rising up and sinking slowly back down. The other man’s head pressed back into the pillows and he let out a long sob as Fox’s muscles contracted on every upstroke.

"Fox...baby, I can’t...I..."

Eyes still closed, Alex clutched at his lover’s cock, jerking it convulsively.

"It’s all right, baby...neither can I...come on...take...take me with you..."

Alex pumped Fox’s erection harder as the man on top of him moved faster. They reached the end almost simultaneously, Fox’s frantic cries joining Alex’s, and they collapsed together, panting heavily.

The pounding in Fox’s head subsided, and he felt Alex’s hand tenderly caressing his slick back. He picked his head up and kissed his lover softly. "God, that was good."

"I’m sorry it wasn’t what you had in mind."

"S’all right," Fox licked Alex’s shoulder. "It was still hot."

Alex said nothing, silently appreciating his lover’s attempt to reassure him.

"Baby?"

"Yeah? Wait. Let me guess. You’re hungry."

"Uh-huh." Fox lifted himself off of Alex’s chest and bounded out of bed. "I’m gonna go take a shower, then get breakfast started."

Alex squinted up at his face. "You pull me back into bed, now you want to get up?"

Fox shrugged, grinning down at his lover. "I got what I wanted."

"So you were just using me. Well isn’t that nice? I’m insulted, I’m...I’m hurt..."

"You’re full of shit." Amusement filled Fox’s tone. He approached the bed and placed a soft kiss on Alex’s mouth. "But I love you." He grasped the younger man’s hand and pulled. "Come on. Let’s do our part for water conservation..."

"I got it," Fox called to Alex who was elsewhere in the house, as he went to answer the doorbell. He swung the door open and smiled down at his partner. "Hey."

"Hi." Scully walked past her partner and stopped halfway into the living room. "Am I early?"

"A little. But you know how anal Alex is about punctuality. Dinner is almost done."

"Yeah, I know. How is he...Mulder...what’s that?"

"What?"

Scully moved closer, investigating the marks on his neck. "Are those...bruises?"

Mulder closed his eyes momentarily, emitting a soft sigh. "Yeah," he answered softly.

"What the hell happened? Looks like somebody tried to strangle...you...Mulder?" Scully asked, suspicion creeping into her voice. Fox’s silence said more to her than any words could. "What the hell went on here?"

Fox opened his mouth to speak, stopped, and started again. "Alex had a nightmare last night. He was asleep. He didn’t know what he was doing..."

Scully’s eyes widened in shock. "Alex did that to you? Mulder..."

"Please, Scully, don’t make a big thing out of this. He was miserable enough."

"Mulder, you don’t get bruises like that unless someone was really trying to choke the hell out of you. And you know, come to think of it, your voice is a little raspy. Your larynx might be injured."

"I’m okay."

"If Alex is acting out his dreams like this, it could be a real problem. Maybe he should see someone...a professional..."

Fox held his hands out a few inches from his sides, palms upturned, raising his eyebrows.

"You’re too close, Mulder. Your emotions are bound to get in the way. And things could get worse."

"It’ll be all right, Scully. I’ll take care of him. We’ll work through it."

"This isn’t just any garden variety psychological problem. He tried to strangle you."

"Not me. Saint James...anyway, I’m okay."

"This time. What if it happens again? Mulder, he could have..."

"Killed him."

Two heads turned in Alex’s direction. He stood in the doorway, looking utterly miserable.

"See, Fox? Even Scully thinks I could be a danger to you." Alex’s eyes slid away and he drifted quietly out of the room.

"Shit."

"Damn," Scully whispered. I didn’t know he was there."

"I know. It’s not your fault. If it hadn’t been you, something else probably would have set him back. I gotta go find him."

Fox went after Alex with Scully close behind. They found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table, hands clasped loosely in his lap, head hanging. Fox started to move toward him, but Scully stopped him with a hand on his chest. She stepped forward and pulled a chair up facing Alex. Lowering herself into the seat, she placed a hand gently on his knee.

"Alex? I’m sorry. I know how upset you must be about this. I didn’t mean to make it any worse. I’m just concerned...about both of you."

"It hurts so much to think about what I did to him...to see..."

"You didn’t mean it."

"Of course I didn’t mean it, but intention isn’t worth shit when something else is in control."

"Don’t let anything else be in control. I’ve seen first hand the strength of your love for Mulder. Just stop trying so hard to fight all the bad stuff, and let your love take over. And... maybe you might want to consider seeing someone..."

"You mean like a psychiatrist?"

"An analyst. Someone to help you with your problems if you feel you can’t handle them yourself."

Alex looked up to Fox. "Do you think I should?"

"It’s up to you, Alex, but I was hoping that we could deal with this ourselves. I know you wouldn’t feel comfortable talking with anyone else about it."

"I really don’t want to, but more than that, I don’t want to hurt you again."

Fox squatted in front of the sitting man, laying his hand on the unoccupied knee. "It’ll be all right. Just trust me. More importantly, trust yourself."

Alex covered Fox’s hand with his own. "I trust you with my life, Fox. You know that. But..." He shook his head and lowered his eyes.

"Listen to me, baby. I trust you. Now if you believe in me the way you say you do, you’ve got to know that I’m right to trust you."

Fox waited quietly while Alex considered his words. Finally his lashes lifted and he looked into his lover’s eyes. He leaned forward slowly, and rested his forehead against Fox’s shoulder. The other man’s arms wound around him, hand rubbing his back while he kissed the side of the sable head.

Scully watched, always warmed by the affection between the two men, but still a bit apprehensive about this latest development. She swallowed her concerns, and patted Alex’s knee and Fox’s back. "Okay, break it up. I’m hungry."

Alex pulled away from Fox, and kept his head down turned until Fox raised it with two fingers under his chin.

"Okay?" the older man asked softly.

Alex nodded then sat motionless as his lover moved in for a long, gentle kiss.

Scully shook her head, smiling, and rose from her chair to check on dinner.

Fox backed off just far enough to see Alex’s eyes for a moment, then pitched forward again, kissing him once more.

"Wow, this smells great," Scully said loudly, trying to get the attention of at least one of the men. "Alex, you must have done the cooking."

Fox broke the second kiss, smiling at his lover. "I think she’s trying to tell us something."

Alex smiled back and looked over Fox’s shoulder at the redhead drumming her fingernails on the counter. "Actually, I just helped. Fox did ninety percent of it."

"No way."

"Why don’t you believe it?"

"This smells too good."

Alex rose from his chair, pulling Fox up with him. "He’s been doing the cooking since I got home. And it’s good."

"Really? Well...you’re still walking and talking, so I guess it must be okay."

"It’s better than okay, I’m telling you. You’re gonna be shocked."

Fox turned to Alex, raising one eyebrow. "Shocked?"

"Oh...uh...well..."

"What’s wrong with pleasantly surprised?"

"N-nothing...um...I didn’t exactly mean it like... shocked...it’s more like..."

Fox nodded, waiting for Alex to explain himself out of this spot.

"Come on, lisa, you know I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that she’ll be amazed..."

Fox’s eyes widened as he continued to stare at his floundering lover.

"No! Not amazed, uh..."

"You’re sinking fast, Krycek."

Alex lowered his gaze, and sidled over to Fox, draping his arms around his waist, and rubbing his head against his cheek. "I’m sorry, lisa...I love you..."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Well..." Fox petted Alex’s hair. "You can prove it to me later, okay?"

"Hey, I got an idea," Scully interrupted, "Why doesn’t somebody prove to me how good this damn food is?"

Fox kissed his lover’s head, then moved them both in Scully’s direction. "All right, all right. Don’t work yourself into a state."

Three hours and half a dozen compliments later, Scully was on her way home, and the men settled in for the night. They started off watching television in bed, but soon ended up making love. At Fox’s silent insistence, Alex took the lead, though somewhat timidly. It was wonderful, and it was sweet, and though it was often that way between them, there was a difference this time. Alex wasn’t holding back because he wanted tenderness. Something else was tempering his actions. Something Fox would almost describe as fear. He had to get Alex over this. He missed his aggressive, confident lover, and he was willing to bet that Alex was missing him too. After all, it was part of him, and he knew no one with a stronger sense of self than Alex.

The two men curled together, physically satisfied, and slipped into unconsciousness.

Over the next few days, Alex had one more nightmare, but Fox was better prepared, and lightly restrained him before he woke him...just in case. Alex woke quickly though, and without incident. Fox gathered him into his arms, stroking, and petting, and reassuring, as Alex clung to him, afraid to go back to sleep. He did, finally, but not until very early in the morning.

Fox went back to work that morning, dragging into the office, looking just a little bit rough around the edges.

"Hey, welcome back!" Scully greeted him as he walked into the office. "Uh...damn, Mulder, you look like hell."

"Didn’t sleep last night."

"Now what?"

"Alex had another nightmare."

"He didn’t try to kill you again, did he?"

"No... but he didn’t get back to sleep till around three-thirty."

"What about you?"

"I remember seeing five thirty-eight...about twenty minutes before the alarm went off."

"God, Mulder. You should have taken one more day off and gotten some sleep."

"I’ll be okay. I’ll go to bed early tonight."

"You’d better. I ran into Skinner in the hall on the way down here. He wants us in Tampa on Wednesday."

"What for?"

"Don’t know yet. We have a nine-thirty meeting in his office though, to get the details."

"Shit."

"What?"

Fox shook his head, looking more than a little disturbed.

"You’re worried about Alex."

"Well...yeah."

"Mulder, you knew you’d have to come back to work sooner or later...how is he aside from the nightmare?"

"Pretty good most of the time. There are some ways in which he’s not quite himself, but I’ve got a few ideas about how to deal with that...I just hate to have to leave him alone. I think he’s still too vulnerable. Of course, he’ll tell me to go and not worry about him."

"You have to get back into the swing of things sooner or later, Mulder."

"I know. It’s just that this first time away from him is going to be hard on us both."

"I’m sure it will. But if I know you, you’ll check in with him fifteen times a day. And Florida really isn’t all that far..."

Fox nodded absently. "Yeah... yeah, I know. It’ll be fine, I’m sure. We just have to make it over this first hump."

"Right...so...what have you got planned to bring Alex back to himself?" Scully cocked her head, noting the devious little smile that spread across her partner’s face. "Or shouldn’t I ask?"

Fox’s hand slid around his back of his neck, then back to the front, moving down his chest, then away, distributing the fragrant, silvery liquid. He watched his hands as they moved from one button to the next, slipping each disk through its corresponding hole. He stopped at the third button from the top, then looked up at himself in the mirror. Deciding to leave it undone, he took his hands away, and studied himself.

Just the way Alex liked him.

Softly pleated black pants and black silk shirt. Day’s growth of beard. Sexy wisp of golden brown hair falling over one eyebrow. Mouth drawn into an incredibly delicious pout.

Satisfied, Fox walked into the bathroom where Alex was preparing to slip his silver hoop through the hole in his earlobe. He moved behind the younger man, who when he caught sight of his lover in the mirror, froze, eyes sliding over the vision in black. Fox reached for the object in Alex’s hand.

"Let me."

Alex turned slowly, and Fox moved forward, letting their bodies touch as he carefully inserted the post. He secured the earring and stepped back a few inches, eyes raking over his lover’s form. He was beautiful in a dolphin-gray jacket and pants, and a dusty periwinkle blue-lavender shirt that set off his magnificent eyes.

"Very nice," Fox, commented softly.

One corner of Alex’s mouth tilted upward. "You too."

Fox nuzzled the younger man’s throat. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Alex took his lover’s hand and the two walked out to the garage. "Yours or mine?" he asked as they moved between the two cars.

Fox glided over to Alex’s Porsche, running his hand over the smooth black hood. His eyes locked on his lover’s. "You drive."

Fox’s words sent a twinge of electricity shooting through Alex’s body. He paused, needing a moment to compose himself then stepped forward, opening Fox’s door and shutting it after he was tucked inside. He slid into the driver’s seat, and not daring to look again at the other man, started the car and pulled out of the garage.

Fox watched Alex quietly, waiting a few minutes before sliding as far over to the left as he could go, and laying his head on the younger man’s shoulder. "Been a long time since we’ve been out anyplace nice," he said, tracing the tight muscles of his lover’s thigh with his fingertips.

Alex blinked several times, trying to concentrate on the road rather than the rapid swelling in his pants. A weak "Yeah," was all he could muster.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you like what I’m wearing?"

"Yeah. Of course...you... you know I love you in black."

"I wore something special for you..." Fox whispered.

Before Alex could ask, Fox grasped his hand and placed it down over his crotch. The younger man groaned deeply as his fingers recognized the leather strapping bound snuggly around Fox’s rigid cock. He fought to keep his eyes open as raging hunger crashed over him. It had been a good many months since Fox had worn this for him. The last time he had, Alex had fucked him against a filthy wall in an alley behind the club they’d been at, unable to wait until they got home...

Fox squirmed, whimpering softly as his lover massaged his restrained cock. "Baby..."

Alex’s hand left Fox’s lap, receiving a low groan of protest. He cupped the side of the other man’s head with his palm and pressed a few kisses into his hair. "I love you," he murmured just above the sound of the motor.

Fox molded himself to Alex’s side, happily drowning in the pleasure of the other man’s attention.

When they reached their destination, Alex covered Fox’s mouth in a deep, ravenous kiss, then exited the car. By the time he’d come around to the passenger’s side, Fox had already emerged and was standing, waiting for him. As soon as Alex reached him, their fingers twined together and they kissed briefly but thoroughly, then Fox let Alex lead him to the door of the dinner club.

The host smiled as the two men entered. "Good evening, gentlemen. Reservations?"

Alex released Fox’s hand and slid his arm around the older man’s waist. "Krycek."

"Ah, yes. Here we are. You requested a corner booth?"

Alex glanced quickly at his lover who was looking innocently around the establishment, then back at the host. "Yes."

They were led to a quiet corner of the club, Alex noting the position of the booth and many plants along the sides.

Very private. Perfect for those who wanted to see but not be seen.

Alex thanked the host and moved aside, letting Fox sit first. He slid in beside him, intently studying the devious glint in his eyes.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing..." Fox slid closer, resting his head on Alex’s shoulder. "What makes you think I’m up to something?"

"You have a really hard time trying to look innocent when you’re not."

Fox shook with silent laughter. "Really Alex, all I want to do is have a nice night out with the man I love. Do you see anything underhanded in that?"

"You’re up to no good, I can feel it."

"You can? He covered Alex’s hand with his own, and moved it into his lap. "How about this? Can you feel that?"

Alex let out a small sigh, and gently caressed the solid column of flesh and leather just beneath the lightweight black material. "Oh yeah, I can feel that...God, you’re so hard. Is it uncomfortable?"

He was starting to get into it.

Good.

"Yeah," Fox squirmed beside Alex.

Alex kissed his head, then murmured into his ear, "Would you do something for me?"

Soft groan. "You know I’ll do anything for you."

Alex gently pushed him away, putting a few inches distance between them. "I want you to sit there, behave yourself, and talk to me."

Fox tilted his head to one side. "You...what do you want me to talk to you about?"

Alex shrugged. "Tell me why you wanted to come out tonight, when I know you couldn’t have had more than couple hours sleep last night."

Fox looked directly into the smoldering green pools. "I felt like going out. Is that a bad thing?"

"No..." Alex’s gaze grew hotter and more intense. "...How was your day?"

"Long. I missed not being able to touch you or look at you whenever I wanted."

Before Alex could respond, a waiter approached. Early to mid thirties. Beautiful light mocha complexion, with dark wavy hair and the blackest eyes framed by lashes almost as long as Alex’s. He smiled, and their dark corner lit up.

"Good evening gentlemen. My name is Mark, and I’ll be your server tonight. Would you like to hear the chef’s specials?"

"Sure," Alex turned an equally dazzling smile on the man.

The waiter recited the specials, every so often smiling in Fox’s direction. When he finished, Alex turned his attention to his lover, stroking his jaw. "Does any of that sound good to you, baby?"

The corner of Fox’s mouth twitched upward. "The Cajun shrimp and tenderloin sounds interesting. I think I’ll have that. Medium well on the steak, please."

"Very good." The waiter looked to Alex. "And you, sir?"

"I’ll have the Pasta Primavera."

"Certainly. Would you like an appetizer?"

Alex’s eyes flicked up and down his lover’s body, turning the heat up a couple of notches. "I’m...all set. How about you, lisa?"

Fox stared back, shaking his head.

"How about some wine?"

"Yeah, I’d like that."

Alex indicated his selection to the waiter, then dismissed him. He watched the man walk away, and turned back to Fox. "He’d do you in a second, if he could."

"What? The way he was smiling at you?"

"That was admiration...and envy. He was saying, ‘Holy shit man, you’re one lucky dog. If you’d let me watch, I wouldn’t say a word if you wanted to lay that sweet thing down right here in this booth and fuck him raw."

Fox laughed softly. "You got all that from a few smiles, huh?"

"Yes, I did. And he was wondering if I might be willing to share."

"Uh huh. And what was your reply?"

"Number one, he’d never be able to handle you, and number two...no way in hell." Alex’s fingers swept across the swell of Fox’s lower lip. "You’re mine."

Fox smiled, capturing one fingertip between his teeth.

"Ah ah ah...remember what I said about you behaving."

"You started it," Fox pouted, releasing the finger from his mouth.

"What where we talking about before he showed up?"

"I believe you were telling me how much fun it would be to let me unzip your pants and play with your cock while we had dinner..."

Alex shook his head, grinning. "Noooo, no. I know. I was asking you how work was."

Fox shrugged. "Nothing new, really. Followed up on a few cases, pissed some people off...oh. Oh, oh...Skinner wanted to see us this morning. He wants us in on a case...four women in Florida...on-line friends apparently, all found dead in front of their computers. They all seemed to be involved in the same fan fiction writing group."

"Fan fiction?"

"Yeah. They write their own stories revolving around the characters in their favorite television shows. This one in particular happened to be about a very unlikely sexual relationship between two characters. They were all participating in the same story at the same time...like a round robin.

"Uh...okaaaay...and how is this an x-file?"

"Well...don’t you find it strange that four women are all dead at the same time in front of their computers while writing the same story?"

"I guess...wait...um...Florida?"

"Yeah. I gotta go out there day after tomorrow."

The temperature plunged.

"Oh."

"I’m sorry, baby. I ... "

"What for?" Alex forced his tone to be light. "This is nothing new. It’s what you do."

"I know, but I hadn’t expected to have to go away so soon after..."

"Don’t worry about me, lisa. I’ll be fine." Alex pressed his lips together and looked down at the table.

"Alex..."

Before he could finish, Mark was back with the wine. He poured for Alex, waited for his approval, then with another flash of white teeth, disappeared from sight.

Alex picked up the bottle, filled Fox’s glass, and topped his off. He returned the bottle to the bucket, and stared down into his glass, absorbed in whatever emotions were rolling through him.

Fox slid along the seat until their thighs touched. "Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"I’m sorry."

"Cut it out, Fox. You have no reason to be sorry."

"I completely ruined the mood here..."

"I asked you about work, remember?" Alex lifted his own glass to Fox’s lips, letting him drink from it, then kissing him tenderly. I’m fine. I promise."

Alex put on a damn good show. No one watching would ever have guessed that there was another thought in his mind other than having a wonderful evening with his lover, but Fox knew better. Though Alex was sweet and attentive, the mood that had been set earlier, had never been recaptured after the Florida talk.

In the middle of their meal, the band for the evening took the stage and began to play. Almost an hour later, Alex took Fox by the hand and tugged him up on the dance floor.

Fox looked around on the way to their destination. The floor was already three-quarters full, and while some of the couples were female, and even fewer male-female, the majority was male. They found a space, and Alex drew Fox into his arms. They rocked slowly together, arms wound around each other. Fox let his head drop, resting his cheek on Alex’s shoulder as the younger man slowly caressed his back. He slid a hand down to the small of Alex’s back, and rubbed himself against the younger man’s crotch, feeling the solid heat there. Alex held him tighter, moaning into his hair. Fox raised his head and whispered into his lover’s ear.

"Alexei..."

Alex shuddered at the warm tickle. "Yeah, baby?"

"I need you." Fox licked a path around the outside curve of his ear. "Please...take me home."

"N-now?"

"Right now," Fox whimpered, squirming against him.

Alex was dying. His cock was pounding. His head was pounding. The palms of his hands were moist from sweat. Images of him ripping Fox’s clothes off and taking him in the back seat of the car flashed through his mind...then driving home while Fox still lay in the back seat, naked except for the leather strapping, and insane with frustration...dragging him through the house...throwing him down on the bed and fucking him again, while he screamed for mercy...it’s what Fox had been wanting...what he’d all but got down on his knees and begged for. Alex wanted it too. God, he wanted it so much.

Tonight.

Fox would still be feeling him all the way to Florida and back...

Fox felt the tension drain from Alex’s body, and it wasn’t a good thing.

"Baby?"

Alex drew back, giving Fox a tiny smile. "Come on," he said softly, "let’s go home."

The ride home was a relatively silent one. Fox sat close to Alex, touching and nuzzling him, but was unable to re-ignite the fire he’d started earlier.

Alex pulled into the garage and both men alighted from the car. Instead of stumbling into the house, tearing each other’s clothes off, they walked slowly, holding hands all the way into the bedroom. Clyde followed close behind, wagging and whining.

"He must need to go out." Fox turned and walked back toward the door. "I’ll be right back. Come on, Clyde."

Alex nodded, watched Fox disappear into the hall, then removed his jacket and the rest of his clothing. He walked into the bathroom and turned the shower on, waiting until the water was warm enough, then stepped inside. He poured a generous amount of bath gel into the sponge, and began to wash. His eyes closed as he rubbed the sponge across his chest, brushing the tight nipples. His body was still sensitive from his earlier arousal, and the sponge on his skin felt like...Fox’s tongue. No... not true. Nothing felt like his Fox’s tongue...

Fox walked back into the bedroom, hearing the shower. He stood quietly listening, not sure what he should do now. Seconds later, he sat heavily in one of the two chairs by the window. He closed his eyes, focusing on the throbbing of his cock beneath the black material of his pants.

Alex turned the shower off and dried himself. He groaned softly as the towel grazed his still rigid cock. He glanced toward the door, hoping that Fox would have joined him in the shower, but wasn’t exactly shocked when he didn’t. God, he hated himself. Fox had gone to so much trouble to make this evening special, and he just fucked it all up. He had to fix it, he had to make it better, somehow. He finished drying off and walked naked into the bedroom. He looked around, frowning until he found what he was looking for.

Fox. Slouched in the chair by the window...asleep.

Alex crouched beside the chair, and his presence startled the other man awake. He laid a hand on Fox’s knee and rubbed it gently. "I’m sorry," he whispered his apology.

Fox blinked down at him, not missing the fact that he was very much naked. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep."

"You’re tired."

"I’m okay." Fox stared at him hopefully.

Alex studied him, reading the expression in his eyes. He shifted to his knees, leaned forward, and touched his fingers to the front of Fox’s shirt.

Fox’s eyes remained glued to his lover’s face as he felt the first button give. The breath escaped past his lips in a soft hiss as the second button was undone, and his cock came back to rigid attention.

Alex saw Fox’s eyes go smoky, and his hand slipped inside the partially unbuttoned shirt, caressing his heated skin. His fingertips brushed over a hardening nipple, sending a tiny shudder through Fox’s body. His other hand joined the first, now teasing both nipples simultaneously.

Fox’s neck arched, pushing his head back into the chair’s cushion, and he was breathing heavily now, laboring for each breath. Unable to get any intelligible sound from his throat, he mouthed Alex’s name, making a silent plea to his lover. But if only Alex would listen, he’d be able to hear his cock screaming it loud and clear.

Alex’s hands left Fox’s chest, and slid down the open edges of his shirt. When he’d reached the part where the material was still joined by buttons, his eyes rose to meet those of his suffering lover. His fingers tightened in the material and he wrenched the shirt open, popping the last few buttons, and yanking the shirt out of the waistband of Fox’s pants.

The older man’s hands tightened on the arms of the chair, and he gasped loudly, involuntarily arching up a few inches off of the seat.

Alex gripped Fox’s hips, pushing him back down, then went to work on his pants. Once he had the zipper down, he pulled the pants off, flinging them over the other chair. He continued to remove each article of clothing until Fox sat, sprawled naked before him with only the cock straps and chain in place. "Beautiful," he murmured, bending to place a soft kiss at the swollen tip. He unhooked the chain, and slid it through the ring on the first strap. He wrapped the fine metal around his hand, then drew it down Fox’s chest, scraping it over his already sensitive nipples. The older man’s body convulsed, and an abbreviated groan rose into the air. His eyes rose to Fox’s face just in time to see that he was mouthing something else. "What? What is it, lisa?" he whispered.

"H... hard...harder..."

Alex complied, pressing he chain-wrapped hand down on Fox’s chest, and dragging it slowly over and around both nipples. Fox twisted and moaned in his chair, incredibly aroused by the simple action.

"You like that, baby?" Alex gasped, now rising to meet Fox’s level of excitement.

The older man nodded, still writhing from the continuous contact.

Alex loosened his grasp on the chain, letting it uncoil. He drew it up Fox’s chest, and around his neck, securing the clasp to one of the links, effectively forming a collar. He rose to his feet, tugging on the chain. Fox got up and Alex led him over to the bed. Just as he was about to give his first verbal order, a muffled ringing pierced the air. It was Fox’s phone, meaning that it was business, and couldn’t be ignored.

"No," Fox whimpered, "No, no, no, no..."

Alex tilted his head back, inhaling and exhaling deeply. He snatched Fox’s pants up off of the chair, pulled the phone out, and handed it to him. Fox took the phone and jerked it to his ear.

"What?"

"Jeez, Mulder, what if it wasn’t me?"

"Scully," he rasped through gritted teeth. "What is it?"

"Are you busy?"

"Very."

"God, Mulder, I’m sorry. Listen, don’t kill the messenger, but Skinner couldn’t get in touch with you, so he called me a little while ago. There’s been an unexpected development on that case in Florida. He wants us out there, ASAP."

"Scully..." Fox glanced quickly at Alex then away. "...tell me you’re kidding..."

Alex let the chain drop from his hand and he fell onto the bed, pulling himself back against the pillows. He waited quietly for the bad news.

"I’m sorry, I wish I were. I’ve booked us a couple of tickets. Our flight leaves in two hours."

"All right," he said softly. "I’ll uh...I’ll pick you up in an hour."

"Mulder, I really am sorry."

"Not your fault."

Fox disconnected, and let the phone drop from his limp hand, onto the bed. The other hand unhooked the chain and let that too drop. "Alex..."

"I know," The subdued voice came from the head of the bed, "you have to go."

Fox nodded, gazing sightlessly at the window. "I’m..." He paused, attempting to control his breathing. "I’m sorry."

"It’s all right," the voice sounded again, this time closer. Fox turned into it. Alex began to gently unbuckle the straps still secured around his cock. "I’d repacked your bag after the last time. All you have to do is throw your suits and shoes into the garment bag, and you’re off."

Fox closed his eyes, battling the buildup of frustration, and at the same time, losing himself in the sensation of Alex’s fingers moving over his swollen cock. "Takes twenty minutes to drive from here to Scully’s. Five minutes to pack the garment bag, ten minutes to shower and dress..." His eyes opened and focused on Alex. "That still gives us twenty-five minutes."

Alex unbuckled the last strap, and removed it. He dropped the leather down next to Fox’s cell phone, and stared at the older man.

Fox wrapped an arm around his kneeling lover’s waist, and pulled him forward. His mouth clamped down on Alex’s, and he lowered them both to the mattress.

Alex clung desperately to his lover, never wanting to let him go, though he knew he must. He opened his mouth to Fox, offering the warm interior.

Fox immediately accepted the overture plunged inside, scouring the moist recesses, and provoking Alex’s tongue into a sensuous duel. He maneuvered Alex over to the right, never releasing his mouth while he rummaged in the nightstand drawer for the lube. He quickly produced the tube, slicked up his cock, and pulled Alex’s legs up and back. He positioned his cock and pushed in gently, pulling a long moan from his lover. Once he was deeply embedded in Alex’s ass, he began to move, thrusting slowly as he wrapped his hand around his cock.

"God, baby, you feel so good," Fox whispered as he continued to move. "I don’t...I..." His words faded into a harsh groan as Alex’s muscles contracted around him. He tightened his grip, pumping his lover’s cock harder and faster, his hips adhering to the same rhythm as Alex whimpered and dug his fingers into his back.

Alex had no right to ask it out loud. This was supposed to be Fox’s night...

"Ah...oh... Fox..." Alex bucked beneath his lover as he increased the strength of his thrusts, now slamming steadily into him. He gritted his teeth, growling deep in his throat as the friction on his cock also increased.

"Come on, baby," Fox grated into his ear, "I can’t hold it..."

And he couldn’t.

Seconds later, Fox threw his head back and his harsh sobs echoed through the room. Alex immediately followed, shaking violently with the effort it took to choke back his screams of pleasure.

Fox fell onto Alex’s heaving chest, feeling the slick evidence of his lover’s explosion now coat his own skin. He tucked his hands under Alex’s back, hugging the younger man to him. "I don’t want to leave you," he murmured into the shoulder beneath his cheek.

Alex stroked the damp skin, loving the feel of Fox’s muscles contract and relax under his touch. An apology was on the tip of his tongue, but he bit it back, not wanting Fox to leave thinking that he was upset. He took a deep breath, kissed the golden-brown head, and suggested that Fox get into the shower before time ran out.

Fox nodded, gently disengaged himself, and pulled himself to his feet. Alex shooed him off in the direction of the bathroom, then went to the closet to pull out the suits and shoes. Less than ten minutes later, Fox emerged from the shower, and changed into the clothes that Alex had laid out for him.

"Are you all right? Maybe I should drive you," Alex suggested, thinking about the fact that Fox had had next to nothing for sleep the night before.

"I’m fine," Fox promised. "I’ll let Scully drive to the airport, okay?"

"Okay."

The older man approached, threading his fingers through Alex’s hair. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"You gonna be okay?"

"Fine. Just go and do what you have to do."

Fox hesitated, massaging the back of his lover’s head. "You don’t know how I hate this."

"This is no different than any other time you’ve had to go out of town. Just kiss me, tell me you’ll miss me, and go."

He was trying to make it easier. Fox knew he was unhappy, and though it showed all over his face, he’d be damned if he’d admit to it.

"I love you."

Alex smiled and leaned forward for a kiss. "I love you, lisa. Call me as soon as you get there, okay?"

"It’ll be late..."

"I don’t care. You call me."

"Okay."

"Now go on. You’re all packed and ready."

Fox nodded and hesitated. His eyes searched his lover’s, then pulled him in for one more long kiss. When they finally parted, Fox picked up his two bags and left the bedroom without looking back.

Alex stood motionless until he heard the door open and close, then Fox’s car start and drive up the street. When silence descended again, he glanced warily around the room, then crawled into bed. He pulled the sheet up around his chest, drew Fox’s pillow under his head, and closed his eyes.

Scully looked into the miserable face of her partner as he unlocked the trunk for her bag.

"Maybe you should have taken some more time off, Mulder. You’re apparently not ready..."

"I’m okay."

"You sure as hell don’t look okay. And I’m willing to bet that if you’re not okay, Alex isn’t okay."

"Things are just a bit tense because this is my first time away after all that shit. Things will get back to normal, soon."

"Give me the keys. I’ll drive."

"I was going to ask you to, anyway. I promised Alex."

"Haven’t you been sleeping?"

"Not much last night."

They got into the car, and headed for the airport. A few minutes into the drive, Scully glanced over at her partner who was staring out the window, instead of resting.

"So, what were you so agitated about when I called?"

Fox sighed heavily. "It was just a really bad time for interruptions."

Scully wrinkled her nose. "Oh. I gotcha. God, Mulder, I’m really sorry."

Fox nodded, still staring out the window, watching what should have been an earth-shattering night pass him by...

Alex’s eyes snapped open, and darted frantically around the dark room. His breath rushed back into his lungs as he realized that he was home in his own bed.

Alone.

Alex checked the clock, did some quick calculating, and figured it would be at least another hour before Fox called him.

He closed his eyes, but opened them again, minutes later when he thought he heard something. He sat up, peering into the darkness. Clyde’s head came up too, but only after his had. The dog looked at him for a few seconds, then lowered his head again to the floor.

But still, he got up.

He walked around the house, looking out windows, checking locks, and on his way back to the bed, he stopped.

Sure he was.

Alex turned in the direction of the closet, and pulled a small metal box down off the top shelf. He unlocked the box, and pulled his gun out. He stared at the weapon for what seemed like an eternity, then, loaded in the clip, took the gun back to bed with him, and shoved it under his pillow. He closed his eyes and soon after, drifted into sleep.

Fox trudged into his motel room and looked around.

Fuck.

"How much does this suck?"

He dropped his suitcase down beside the room’s only chair, hung up his garment bag, and flopped down across the bed. He picked up the phone and dialed home. The phone rang only twice before it was picked up and a husky voice said hello.

"Hi," Fox said softly.

"Hi."

"Sorry I woke you."

"S’okay. I wanted you to call, remember? What time is it?"

"Two-twelve."

"Mmm... just get in?"

"Just this minute."

"You’d better get to sleep..."

"Alex."

"Yeah?"

"I’m...you okay?"

"...Yeah...I..."

"You what?"

"Nothing."

"Baby...tell me."

_ Don’t do this to him. Don’t make him afraid to go out and do his job._

"Nothing. I was just going to say that I was fine. Everything is fine."

"You don’t sound fine. Are you sure?"

"Positive. It’s just that I’ve been asleep. Now go on. You need some rest."

"All right. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah...love you."

"I love you, Alexei. Goodnight."

"...Goodnight."

Fox dropped the phone into the cradle, and rolled onto his back. "God," he whispered into the still air, "please don’t let this case drag on and on."

Alex walked slowly, breathing in the fresh, summer air, turning his face up to the sun every now and again. It felt good. Alex likened the sensation to the warmth he felt when his Fox smiled at him.

Christ, he missed him.

Not even a full day yet, and...

"Hi, Alex!"

Alex jerked himself back from his musings. "Hi, Mitchell. How you been?"

"Good."

Clyde bounded up, and the boy scratched his head and under his chin. "Hi Clyde." He turned his attention back to Alex. "How ‘bout you? I haven’t seen you around. I was hopin’ you weren’t sick or anything."

"No, I’m fine. Just been hanging around the house a lot...resting..."

"Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"They didn’t hurt you, did they? I heard my mother talkin’ to Robbie’s mother on the phone. And she said that Mrs. Kilgore down the street said that you were in the hospital."

Alex released a long sigh. "Umm...yeah, Mitchell. I was in the hospital...but just for a very little while."

"S-so they did hurt you?"

"...Yeah." He held out his arms, turning around and around as they walked. "But I’m fine. See?"

The little boy nodded, then jumped on to the next subject. "Mulder at work?"

"Yeah, he’s working."

"You guys gonna be around later? I heard Mom say that she wanted to let a week or so go by before she came to see you...let you rest, I guess, and she was thinkin’ about callin’ you tonight."

"Well, I’ll be home, but Mulder is working out of town."

The boy’s eyes widened. "On a case?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. How long?"

"Don’t know. I’m hoping he’ll be able to tell me that when he calls tonight."

"Tell him I said hi when you talk to him, okay?"

"Will do."

"’Kay, I gotta go. Mom told me to be home at four-thirty."

Alex checked his watch. "It’s uh...four-forty-eight."

"Okay, I gotta go. I’ll see you later!"

Alex waved to the boy as he ran off toward his house. He walked up to the house, opened the door, and he and Clyde disappeared inside.

"Hey, baby."

"Hi."

Fox stretched out on the bed, loosening his tie. "I’ve been thinking about you all day."

"Makes two of us, 'cause I’ve been thinking about you all day. How’s it going?"

"Not as well as I’d like it to."

Soft sigh. "I know what that means."

"You know I’ll be home just as soon as I can."

"I know."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I’m good. Just missing you...uh... Anne Mitchell stopped by today."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, she said she didn’t want to come rushing right over here when I first got home, but she wanted me to know that she was glad I was back and that I was okay. And she heard I was alone for a few days, so she brought over some food...actually, a lot of food. She didn’t want me to have to cook for myself."

"That was nice of her. We’ve got some good neighbors."

"We do."

A brief silence descended, then Fox asked what he’d been dreading to ask. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Okay."

"No dreams or anything?"

"No. Took me a little while to get back to sleep after you called, but when I did, I was out until eight this morning."

"Not that long."

"Longer than you."

"True."

"Are you in for the night?"

"Unless I get called out, yeah."

"Then get some sleep."

"You don’t want to talk to me anymore?"

Alex closed his eyes and whispered into the phone, "Of course I do. But I don’t want you stumbling around, exhausted. Not in the field. Promise me you’ll go to sleep right now."

"Okay, I promise."

"All right. Love you."

"Love you, too."

"Goodnight, lisa."

"Goodnight, babe."

Alex hung up then toured the house, checking the windows and doors. After a warm, relaxing shower, he dropped into bed, and fell asleep less than fifteen minutes later.

Alex sat bolt upright, gun pulled from beneath his pillow, poised for use. He blinked, trying to focus in the darkness.

Nothing.

He was dreaming.

He sat, head resting on bent knees for a brief time. When he was breathing easier, he tucked his weapon back under the pillow, and lowered himself to the mattress. He stared up at the ceiling for two hours before sleep returned for him.

"You figure out what it is, yet?"

Scully looked up at her partner who was just coming through the lab doors. "I’ve just completed the second autopsy, Mulder, and I can’t find anything amiss so far. No wounds, no toxins in the blood...no evidence of trauma of any kind. I’m baffled."

"Keep looking. There’s got to be something."

"Yes, but what?"

"I don’t know. Something killed these women. Call me if you come up with anything."

"Where are you going?"

"Going to try and find out who or what...if anything, these four women had in common...I’ll see you later."

"Hello?"

"Hey."

One corner of Alex’s mouth slanted upward. "Didn’t expect to hear from you so early."

"Oh...sorry...am I interrupting something? Your boyfriend over?"

Alex grunted. "Yeah, I was just getting ready to lick the grape jelly off of him when you rang."

Fox laughed softly. "Want me to let you get back to it?"

"Nah, that’s okay, he can wait...so...how come you’re calling me in the middle of the day?"

"I’m on my way back to the lab to find Scully, and I thought I’d call. I wanted to hear your voice."

Alex’s jaw tightened. "Doesn’t sound like you’re coming home today..."

"No. I’m sorry, babe."

"You haven’t found anything at all?"

"Not yet. I’ve visited their jobs, their families and friends...I can’t find anything in common."

"Aside from the fact that they all had the same hobby."

"Right."

"Autopsies show nothing?"

"Not that Scully can see, so far."

Alex sighed. "Nothing is ever easy, is it?"

"I’m easy..."

The younger man couldn’t stifle the laugh. "That, I knew."

"Only for you, baby."

Alex groaned softly. "Always a good thing to hear."

"Listen, I gotta get going, but before I do...how are you? Did you sleep okay?"

"I’m all right. I only woke up once."

"Nightmare?"

"No." Too quick.

"Alex..."

"What?"

Fox released a soft breath. "I’ll...I’ll talk to you tonight."

"Okay. I’ll be waiting."

"Bye, babe." Fox hung up and headed back out to the lab. He drove the six mile distance, willing himself to concentrate on the case at hand rather than the beautiful, green-eyed bundle of confusion that he loved more than life.

An impossible task.

He’d bet a week’s pay that Alex had had another dream last night. He knew that tone...had spent three years now, learning to decipher all the different pitches, pauses and inflections, and he was damn good at it. Maybe he’d be able to get him to talk about it, tonight.

And maybe Cancerman would become a Boy Scout troop leader.

If he was home, he’d be able to get him to talk, but not from this far away. Alex wouldn’t want to worry him, especially while he was on a case. Fox resigned himself to that fact, and pulled into the parking lot.

Scully was in the middle of the last autopsy when he walked in.

"Any leads?"

"Nada."

"Well, I may have one...or maybe I’m grasping at straws...I don’t know."

Fox stepped closer. "What is it?"

"It would seem that the endorphin levels in all three of the previous bodies were higher than normal."

"Doesn’t the body release endorphins in response to pain?"

"Yes."

"Yet you found no evidence of stress or trauma."

"None. But when I say higher than normal, Mulder, I’m talking off the scale. I’ve never seen anything like it."

"So you’re saying these women, what? ODed? Is that possible?"

"It would appear that way, wouldn’t it?."

"Okay, assuming this is what happened...what caused such a massive chemical release?"

"I don’t know."

"Want to hear my idea?"

"God, not really, but I’m sure that won’t stop you. Listen, I’m just about done with this examination. Why don’t we get out of here and get something to eat? I need a break. You can entertain me while we eat."

"You’re coming back?"

"Yeah, there are a few more tests I’d like to run."

"Oh...all right." Fox prowled around the room for a short while, then took a seat and waited quietly for his partner to finish. Finally, she pulled her gloves and cap off, and turned to him.

"No different than the rest."

Fox rolled his eyes up into his head and his lids dropped over them.

"Come on," Scully tapped his shoulder as she passed him. "Let eat. I’m starved."

Alex picked up the phone on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Me, again."

"Done for the day?"

"Yeah. Scully is back at the lab, running a few more tests before we throw it in."

"You mean you’ll be home tomorrow?"

"I don’t see why not, unless these tests show us something new. I don’t think she expects to find anything more, though...just being thorough."

"So the case isn’t solved?"

"For the record, no."

"What do you think?"

"They may all have been abducted at one time. Their systems manipulated somehow...programmed to release an excess of endorphins at a certain time..."

"An excess of endorphins killed them?"

"So it would appear. It’s all we’ve got."

"For what purpose?"

"I don’t know. Some type of experiment. One among the many these assholes conduct." Fox stretched out on the twin bed. "Forget about that. It’ll never make it into any report, so...how are you today?"

"I’m all right. You?"

"Lonely. The bed is so cold..."

"You’re in Florida."

"Work with me, Alex."

"Oh. Sorry. Yeah? My poor baby. It’s lonely here, too. I miss feeling your arms around me. And the taste of your mouth..."

Fox breathed audibly into the phone. "What else?"

"You know that sound you just made? It feels so good when you do that in my ear. Sometimes I think that if you did it long enough, I could come from that alone."

"Remind me to try it sometime."

"I’ll do that...what are you doing?"

"Lying on the bed...talking to you...getting incredibly turned on."

There was a brief silence, then Alex’s voice wafted over the line toward Fox’s ear, blanketing him like a fine summer mist.

"Get undressed, lisa."

Fox grinned lazily. "Why?"

"Because I want you to."

Fox reached for his tie, loosening the knot, and slipping it over his head. He then went to work on his shirt, methodically undoing button after button.

"Are you undressing?"

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Already am."

"Oh?"

"Been in bed for about half an hour."

"Why so early?"

"I was waiting for you to call."

"Oh, so you planned to seduce me tonight."

"Is that all right?"

"You need to ask?"

"...Are all your clothes off, yet?"

"Yeah."

"Are you hard?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Good. Close your eyes."

"Way ahead of you."

"Kiss me, Fox...your mouth is so soft. And it’s sweet, and beautiful, and your tongue...oh, God, it’s sliding in and out...like you’re fucking my mouth with it."

"I am. I’m showing you what I want to do to your ass...what I want you to do to mine...do you want to fuck me, Alex?"

"More than I want to breathe."

"Put your hand on my chest. You feel that?"

"Your heart is pounding."

"Yeah. I want you so much, Alex. "

"Mmm... tilt your head, baby. I want to find the pulse in your throat..." Alex fought to suppress the sudden image of seeing his hands wrapped around his lover’s neck. "It..." he took a deep breath and continued, "...it feels so strong against my tongue. There’s a faint taste of salt on your skin..."

Fox writhed on his bed, absently stroking his own chest. "Because you make me sweat."

"I want to bite you, baby. I want to suck your skin into my mouth and mark you."

"Do it."

"But it’s hard to control myself sometimes. I’m afraid I’ll hurt you...but you just make me so crazy..."

"I don’t want you in control, baby. I want to feel you everywhere. Come on, hurt me..."

Alex growled into the phone. "Fox..."

Fox continued, intentionally working his lover into a frenzy. "Do it, Alex. Bite me harder...leave bruises wherever you touch me. I’m yours, baby. Never let me forget it..."

Alex arched and twisted, one hand clenched tightly in his hair. "Lisa...oh, God, I wish you were here."

"Would you love me the way I’m asking you to?"

Soft hiss. "Yes..."

"Would you fuck me until I scream, and then fuck me some more?"

"Christ, baby, I’ll fuck you right through the mattress," Alex gasped, "I’ll fuck you until you can’t scream...until you can’t walk..."

« Promise me. »

« Promise...I promise. Oh God, Fox, I can’t stand it."

"I feel the same way, but this is too good. Lick the sweat off my chest, Alex...God, your tongue is so soft. I can...I can feel it moving down...so slow...I’m waiting...please, baby..."

Alex took two deep breaths before he spoke. "Your nipples are contracting. Every time my tongue passes a little closer, they tighten more..."

"Touch them, Alex..." Fox’s fingers brushed the tip of one brown peak. "Oh, that’s good..."

"I love the feel of them on my tongue...so hard...I want to suck them..."

"Oh yeah, baby. Suck them...harder...m-mmm...bite them, Alex... " Fox pinched his nipples, twisting and pulling them, crying out into the phone.

"That hurt, baby?"

"Yes," Fox gasped softly.

"Good. Now, if you want me to continue, you’ve got to earn it. Touch me, baby...show me how much you want me."

Fox released his reddened nipples, stroking and soothing them, bringing his excitement down a notch. "I’m...I’m lifting my head from the pillow...trying to reach you...my tongue finds the hollow at the base of your throat. You taste so good. I want to lick every inch of you..."

"I’ll hold you to that when you get home. But for now, there’s only about seven inches of me I want you to lick...right now. And make it good, or this is done."

Fox whimpered. "No... I...I’m rolling over...on top of you, now, kissing you...kissing you...your mouth, it’s so...but you’re pulling away..."

"I told you where I want your mouth, Fox."

"I’m moving down...licking your throat, nipping at the skin. I can feel your heart as I move over your chest. I feel it pounding before my mouth ever touches the skin there. My tongue is sliding back and forth between your nipples, licking them, first one, then the other. I’m nipping at them..."

Alex blew out an unsteady breath.

"Is that good?"

"You know I like that, baby. But my cock needs some attention, now."

"I’m moving again, down...I’m rubbing against your cock as I go. It feels so hot against my skin. I’m sliding lower, kissing and licking...I can smell you now, and it’s making me so hard. I can feel the tip brushing against my chin..."

"Kiss it, Fox."

"I’m wrapping my hand around the base to keep you steady, and kissing gently along the shaft, up to the head. Your skin is like warm velvet on my mouth..."

Alex lay sprawled on their bed, lazily stroking himself, catching the bead of fluid at the tip of his cock with his finger, and spreading it over the head. "I love the feel of your lips on me, lisa... I love...love to see your face when you’re sucking my cock. You enjoy it so much..."

"I do. I can’t get enough of you. I’m licking the head. The tip...it’s salty and bitter...I want more."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah...please..."

"Work for it, baby."

"I’m sucking your cock into my mouth. I can feel it hit the back of my throat, just before I draw back and stop. Just the head is in my mouth now. My tongue is sliding over it...searching the slit..."

Alex arched his back, continuing to caress his cock gently. "Come on, baby. Suck me..."

Four states away, his lover did the same. "I’m...God, I’m sliding back down over you...relaxing my throat...I want you in as deep as you can go...I’m sucking...easy at first, then harder. You’re moaning and twisting under me. I can feel your fingers closing in my hair, holding me still, and you start to move..."

"Oh Jesus, Fox, I don’t...I’m...bucking into your mouth. Harder and faster, and... shit...oh, God."

"You need...need to come, don’t you?" Fox panted.

"Yes."

"Me too. Let’s come, baby. Wrap your hand around your cock and think about being in my ass."

Alex followed Fox’s instructions, and gritted his teeth while he began to work his cock, slowly at first, then with increased fervor. "I pull you off of me by your hair and drag you up to my chest. My mouth finds yours and I’m kissing you hard. I taste myself in your mouth. It’s about all I can take. Come on, baby, ride me. Oh, that’s it. I can...can feel you, lisa...sliding down over me until I’m buried so deep inside you. I need to feel you under me...I’m...rolling you onto your back. I slip halfway out, but I push back in as far as I can. Pull out, then right back in..."

"I’m squeezing you, Alex, every time you pull back. You feel so good...so good inside me..."

"Oh, yeah, squeeze me...you’re so warm and silky..."

Fox moved his fist rapidly, up and down his swollen shaft, unable to hold back anymore. His desperately whispered words set the pace. "You’re slamming into me now, so hard that the bed is shaking. It hurts, baby...Jesus, it hurts, and... and it feels so good, and I never... never want you to stop."

"My beautiful...Fox...look at me...want to see...see your eyes when you...ah... shit...Fox, I’m..."

Alex’s hoarse cries resonated in Fox’s ear, and then Fox let go, emitting loud, choking sobs as he came over his fist and stomach.

Aside from the double effort to control their insurgent breathing, the two men were now silent.

Alex grimaced, removing his sticky hand from his spent cock. He let it drop to his side on the mattress, and sighed into the phone. "Tomorrow’s such a long way off."

Fox’s lips trembled into a partial smile. "You mean that won’t hold you till then? A very soft laugh was his only reply. His body wiggled slightly, making itself more comfortable, and his fingers unwound from his shrinking cock. "Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"That was good, baby."

"But?"

"But...when I get home, I need..." Fox broke off in mid-sentence, hating how selfish he sounded. Alex was still recovering, and... "I’m sorry," he murmured. "I shouldn’t..."

"Shouldn’t what? Tell me that you’ve got needs? You’ve been so good to me, lisa. So patient. Come home to me and let me make you happy."

"I don’t want repayment, Alex. I love you, and the only thing I want from you is for you to be okay."

"I’m fine. And believe me, it’s as much for me as it is for you." A smile crept into his voice. "You can’t possibly think I’m that unselfish."

Fox grinned. "Silly me. What was I thinking?"

"It’s okay, baby, I understand. You’re tired."

"Yeah. Listen, speaking of which, why don’t you get some sleep, now? I’m going to check in with Scully, then turn in, myself. Sooner we get to sleep, the sooner tomorrow will come."

"All right. Call me as soon as you have your flight information."

"I will. See you soon."

"I love you, lisa."

"I love you. Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight."

Alex disconnected and dropped the phone onto the nightstand. He lay there for a few minutes, then got up and went into the bathroom. When he’d finished cleaning himself up, he got back into bed, and curled up with Fox’s pillows, smiling contentedly.

In his motel room, Fox had just completed the same ritual that Alex had done.

He dropped onto his bed, and picked up the phone. Punching in Scully’s number, he waited for only two rings before she answered.

"Good timing, Mulder," his partner offered. "I was just on my way out the door."

"Did those tests show anything?"

"Nothing. Which is really what I expected. Those four women were perfectly fine...before they bought it, that is. We’ve gone as far as we can go with this case. All that’s left is to wrap it up with Chief Lopez, and I can do that."

"What do you mean?"

"It’s not that late, Mulder. Why don’t you see if you can get a flight out. Go home. Surprise Alex. I can finish this up."

The thought of surprising Alex in bed sent a little thrill through Fox’s body, and even though he’d brought himself to orgasm not more than twenty minutes ago, his cock began to stir.

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Call me back and let me know if you’re leaving."

"I will. Give me a few minutes, okay?"

"All right, well, I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes, so actually, you could just wait until then."

"Right. See you in a few. Scully?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No problem. I just know you’re dying to get back to him."

"You know me well."

Fox hung up and immediately called out to the airport.

Fox pulled into the garage, smiling as he exited the car and walked into the house. Clyde met him at the door, whining his usual greeting. He patted the dog’s head, and moved deftly through the dark house toward the bedroom. He reached the door, and the smile fell from his face.

He heard Alex before he saw him...whimpering and crying out with rage, struggling against a tormentor who no longer existed except in his dreams. He dropped his bag by the door and rushed into the room, falling onto the bed beside his stricken lover.

"Alex...baby...come on, wake up. You’re dreaming..."

Fox froze as glassy dark eyes snapped open, and in an eye blink, he was staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Alex...wake up, baby..." He spoke slowly and softly, hoping to awake but not agitate the sleeping man. "Justin Saint James is dead and gone. It’s me you’re holding your gun on."

Fox searched Alex’s eyes for some sign of recognition. Only blackness stared back.

"Baby...it’s me. It’s Fox. I’m home. I came home because I missed you, and I...and I love you. Please wake up and talk to me."

"Sweetheart, please..."

"I love you, Alex."

"Please wake up and put the gun down..."

Fox issued another soft, shaky plea. "Alex. Please..."

Fox watched Alex’s eyes close, then open part way. His gun hand began to tremble, and Fox gently covered it with his own. He took the gun away with his other hand, then pressed a kiss into Alex’s perspiration-coated palm. "It’s okay," he whispered. "It’s all right."

"Fox? What..." Alex blinked slowly, looking at his surroundings. "You’re here."

"Yeah. I’m home."

"I..." he looked down at the gun. "God, what did I do. I almost shot you..."

"But you didn’t." Fox stroked his damp brow. "Everything’s fine."

"How...how can you say that? I almost killed you twice." Alex’s chest heaved as his respiration quickened to an alarming rate.

"Easy, baby." Fox moved over Alex, half covering the younger man’s body with his own. He pulled the sable head into his shoulder, and held Alex tightly.

Alex’s hands clenched in his lover’s shirt, gasping and shaking violently. "You shouldn’t...shouldn’t be here."

"Scully suggested I catch a flight out tonight. She knew how much I missed you..."

"No... you shouldn’t... be here..."

"You’re afraid you’re going to hurt me."

Alex nodded. "I don’t want to. I could’ve shot you, Fox. Oh, my God. Oh, God..."

"Baby, stop. You’re going to make yourself sick."

Alex attempted to push Fox away. "Get off me."

"Why?"

"If you won’t go..."

"What? You’re going to? Oh, hell no." Fox tightened his grip on the tormented man. "Neither one of us is going anywhere. Just relax, okay? Then we’ll talk."

"How can you be so calm? I almost killed you... again."

"We’ll talk about it when you’re more rational. Now, breathe." Fox kissed Alex’s jaw, then his neck. He spoke in soft, soothing tones. "Slowly...in and out...that’s it, baby..."

Alex’s body slumped, and his muscles began to unknot. His fingers again closed in the front of Fox’s shirt, gently this time, and he sighed into the material. The trembling subsided, and his breathing began to return to normal.

"What are we going to do?"

"I think you did it."

"What d’you mean?"

"I don’t think I woke you up, Alex. I think you did it yourself. Can you recall any of the dream?"

Alex shuddered. "Every word."

"Can you summarize it for me?"

"Do I have to?"

"Please?"

"He... he was taunting me again. Doing the same things he did when I was at his house, but..."

"But, what?"

"He kept trying to provoke me into killing him, but...he knew... he knew it was you... I can’t explain it..."

"I think I understand." Fox drew back a bit, and looked down into glistening, dark eyes. "You said he provoked you?"

Alex nodded. "He just...he came right out and said it. He wanted me to kill him...you..."

"What stopped you?"

Alex blinked, then turned his eyes back up to meet his lover’s. "You did."

"Me? Did you hear me talking to you?"

"I could hear your voice, faintly. He kept saying that it wasn’t you...that you’d never want me again after...after..."

"It’s all right," Fox murmured. "You know that isn’t true."

"I know. Umm...wh-when I say it was you, I don’t mean because I heard your voice. I just...I guess what Scully said to me the other day must have registered on some level. I stopped fighting him and thought about how much I love you. Next thing I knew, I was looking up at you."

Fox smiled down at him. "See that? You did it all yourself. I think it’s going to be okay, sweetheart."

Alex hesitated, then raised a still shaky hand to his lover’s face. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, I do."

The younger man displayed a weak smile. "Why didn’t you just take the gun from me?"

Fox laughed softly. "We were this close. I didn’t really want to risk a struggle, you know?"

Alex closed his eyes and nodded.

"Umm...one other thing...why did you have your gun in bed with you?"

Alex shrugged. "Just felt better. More secure."

Fox opened the nightstand drawer, and placed the weapon inside. He returned his attention to Alex, tilted his head up and grinned when his eyes reopened. "So...aside from all that, aren’t you glad to see me?"

Alex wrapped his arms around Fox’s back and pulled him down. "God, you know I am. Hurry up and get undressed and get under the sheet. I need to feel you against me."

Fox pulled away from his lover, quickly shedding his clothes, and slipping under the sheet. He wrapped Alex in his arms, kissing him again and again.

"What, no complaints about me throwing my clothes on the floor?"

"Not this time. Don’t think you’re gonna get away with it tomorrow, though."

"Wouldn’t dream of it." Fox nuzzled the sable head tucked under his chin. "How about you try to go back to sleep, now?"

Alex would have liked nothing better than to stay up and make love with Fox for the rest of the night, but the stress of that nightmare and all that came afterward, really had taken a lot out of him. He snuggled against Fox, stringing tender kisses across his chest and shoulder. Within a short time, silence descended on the room.

The feeling that he was being watched struck Fox long before he opened his eyes. His lashes lifted, and the fuzzy visage of his lover appeared before him.

Alex lifted a hand to Fox’s head, stroking over the surface of his hair. His eyes wandered over the sleep softened features, taking in the temporary blue-green shade of the half closed eyes, the flushed complexion...those exquisitely swollen lips...and he smiled, feeling right for the first time in over two weeks.

Fox blinked up at Alex, giving him a sleepy grin. "I’m still alive?"

"Shut up."

The older man rolled onto his back, executing a lazy stretch, and issuing a challenge. "Shut me up."

Alex pounced on him in an instant, growling as he took Fox’s mouth in ravenous kiss. Seconds later his lips gentled, now merely whispering across his lover’s, raising more than a few sighs. Fox arched up against him, pressing his rapidly swelling erection into Alex’s, and finding that his partner was in the same condition.

"Alexei..."

Alex lifted his head, kissed the tip of Fox’s nose, then rested his head in his hand. "Don’t kill me, okay?"

Fox’s eyebrows drew down into a frown, but he said nothing, allowing Alex to continue.

"Even though you’re lounging around here like a man with nothing to do, I’m willing to bet that you’re going to be going in to the office at some point today."

"Well, yeah, I should."

"Right. But...tomorrow’s Saturday."

"Yeah..."

"That means today is Friday."

"Very good, Alex."

Alex shifted, gently smacking his lover’s forehead with the tips of his fingers. "Would you listen?"

"It’s hard to concentrate on what you’re saying when your cock is digging into my stomach..."

"Fine, I’ll just..." Alex attempted to lift himself off of Fox’s chest, but the other man held him in place.

"Come on, I’ll behave. What were you going to say?"

"I was going to say, that I’d really like to wait until tonight...give me a little time to plan something..." The left corner of his mouth twitched. "...special."

Fox chewed on his lower lip. "Special?"

Alex rubbed the tips of their noses together. "Yeah."

"I uh..." he stopped to clear his throat, "I guess I could wait for that."

"You know, I sorta figured you could. Come on, let’s get up."

"I’m about as up as I can get. What do you think about..." Fox’s hand slipped between their bodies, and stroked Alex’s stony erection. "... taking a little bit of that edge off..."

Alex reached down, grasping his wrist, and pulling it away. "Oh, no. I want that edge."

Fox’s eyes darkened, and a lascivious grin curved his lips. "All right," he said softly, "it’s your show."

Alex teased his lips once more before rising to his feet, and pulling him along into the bathroom. He released Fox’s hand to reach into the shower and turn on the water. When it was warm enough, he stepped inside, pulling Fox after him. He handed the loofah and the shower wash to the other man.

"Wash me."

As Fox moved to do as he asked, Alex flattened a hand on his chest, momentarily stopping him. "No teasing."

Fox gave him his most tantalizing pout. "Not even a little?"

Alex shook his head slowly.

"Alex..."

"My show."

Grudgingly, Fox followed his instructions, and even though he kept his touches as innocent as possible, he noticed Alex becoming more and more aroused. When he’d finally washed everything he could, and could no longer avoid the inevitable, his hand moved to Alex’s groin. He carefully washed the area, drawing his hand slowly down the shaft, gripping it at the base, and gently pulling his fist up to the head, and away. His eyes rose to Alex’s face, observing look of rapture that had washed over it. He moved to repeat the action, but the younger man’s hand clamped around his, and wrenched it away. The dark lashes lifted, and a forest green gaze was leveled on him.

"Your turn."

Alex took the loofah from Fox, squeezing a generous amount of the thick, silky liquid into it. The older man’s eyes drifted shut as Alex worked the sponge across his chest and shoulders, building a rich lather. When he’d finished with the front upper half of Fox’s body, Alex turned him around and started on his back. His hand moved purposefully in smooth, firm strokes, massaging and cleansing.

Fox’s soft sigh was drowned out by the running water, but the tightening of his body was not overlooked by his lover. Alex moved closer, pressing himself into Fox’s back, and caressing his lower body with the sponge.

"Baby," Fox grated, his hips jerking into Alex’s hand, "please..."

Alex said nothing. He only took his hand away, sliding it around to Fox’s ass, sliding the sponge back and forth between the muscular cheeks.

"Alex..."

"Mmmm. There you go, lisa. Nice and clean." He ignored the older man’s harsh groan, turning him around. He met the glazed, hazel eyes, smiling sweetly. "You rinse off now. I’ll wait for you in the bedroom." Alex gave his ass a quick squeeze, and stepped out of the tub.

"God," Fox moaned, turning the temperature control a bit to the left, making the water a bit cooler. He rinsed off, dried himself, and entered the bedroom where Alex was indeed waiting for him. The younger man was dressed in his customary worn jeans, and a sage green shirt, and he wore a most devious little grin.

"Got your suit all ready for you."

Fox eyed him suspiciously. "Yeah...thanks."

Alex tucked his hand inside the towel that Fox had wrapped around his waist, and pulled him toward the bed. "I’ll dress you."

"That’s...real sweet, but...I think I can handle that myself."

One dark eyebrow arched upward. "My show."

"Sorry...forgot. But baby, you’re killing me..."

Alex leaned in close, brushing Fox’s mouth with his own. "It’ll be worth the torture. I promise. Here," he reached down to the bed, picking up the white undershirt and pulling it over Fox’s head. Next, he held the gray shirt while Fox slipped into it. "And..."

Fox’s eyes narrowed.

Alex pulled his favorite piece of attire out from under the perfectly pressed trousers, letting it swing from his index finger.

"Alex...you don’t expect me to wear that to work."

"I don’t?"

"You can’t! I can’t walk around the Hoover Building with this thing on..."

"Who’s going to know?"

"Me!"

"And this is a bad thing?"

"For me, yeah!"

Alex drew his tongue along the older man’s jaw. "How bad?"

"Really bad. Alex, please. You can’t do this to me."

Alex hesitated, pretending to be thinking about it. His eyes dropped back to Fox’s face, and the other man knew he was trouble.

"Yeah...yeah, I can." He pulled the towel from around Fox’s waist, revealing a very impressive hard-on. He offered his lover a cocky smirk. "Oooh. Nice." He wrapped his hand around Fox’s erection, holding him steady, while he fastened on the leather strapping.

Fox twitched and moaned while Alex worked, and when he was done, pleaded once more with the younger man for mercy.

"Baby, please. I’ll do anything for you. Anything. Just please, don’t make me wear this to work."

Alex slipped the chain through the ring on the first strap, and secured it around Fox’s waist. "You are going to do anything I want. Starting with this." He finished dressing Fox, then kissed him softly. "Now. Let’s go have some breakfast, then you can go to work."

Fifteen minutes later, Fox sat at the kitchen table, enduring more torture as Alex teased him through breakfast. He crumbled his muffin to bits while Alex sat across from him, jeans unzipped, stroking himself as he licked the cream cheese from his cinnamon bagel. The younger man looked up at him and smiled. He picked up the plastic cup containing the cream cheese, and walked over to Fox.

"Want some?"

All Fox could do was look from Alex’s face to his cock which was now bobbing invitingly in front of his mouth, and nod.

Alex dipped two fingers into the container, scooping up some of the contents, and smearing it over the length of his cock. He brought his fingers up to his mouth, licking and sucking the residual cream cheese away. That done, the same hand came around to the back of Fox’s head, petting the golden-brown silk. "Go ahead, lisa," he coaxed, "have a little taste."

Fox gasped as he leaned forward, touching his tongue to the solid length of muscle. Slowly, he licked away the creamy substance, thoroughly cleaning his lover’s cock, while Alex struggled to hold himself in check. When no trace of the cream cheese remained, Alex pulled him away by his hair.

"Was..." The younger man drew in a deep breath and released it. "...was that good?"

"Mmm, yeah. Alex...let me finish you..."

"No."

"You mean you’re going to drive yourself crazy right along with me?"

Alex tucked himself back into his jeans and drew the zipper back up. He leaned down, laying his cheek against his lover’s and whispering in his ear. "I want us both as close to the edge as we can get."

Fox met his gaze and gave him a shaky smile. "I think I should be scared."

"Maybe you should be." Alex looked down at his watch. "You should be getting to work now." He backed away, allowing Fox to rise from his seat.

"Oh, God. How am I going to walk around like this all day?"

"I have faith in you. Come on." Alex led Fox out to the garage and pinned him against the car, engaging in a fierce kiss before letting him go. "Think of me today, baby."

Fox tilted his head up, closing his eyes. "How can I not? There’s a little reminder of you wrapped around my cock, remember?"

"And I know you’re not going to take it off, right?"

"How do you know?"

Alex’s knuckles skimmed down the front of Fox’s pants. "Because I told you not to."

Fox lowered his eyes knowing full well that he’d obey Alex, even though his lover would have no way of knowing for sure if he had.

"Go to work."

Fox got into his car and with one last long look at Alex, pulled out of the garage, and drove away. He squirmed in his seat as he drove, thinking about the morning’s events and whatever lay ahead. Whatever it was Alex had planned, he was sure it was evil.

God, that was nice to say.

Alex seemed more himself this morning than he had in over two weeks, and for that Fox was eternally grateful...even if he was presently dying a thousand deaths, and his tormentor seemed to be enjoying every second of his agony.

And oh God, he was in agony. His cock throbbed against the restraints, begging to be freed, and though he couldn’t ignore it, he did deny his insistent organ’s constant pleas.

He made it to work, but not his office, before he was stopped in the hall.

"Agent Mulder?"

Fox inhaled deeply, and turned around. "Yes, sir?"

The AD eyed him briefly, then looked around the busy corridor. "Where’s Scully?"

"She’s still in Florida."

The older man approached him, stopping about a foot away. "Why are you here, then?"

"We arrived at a dead end...more or less."

"More or less?"

"Yeah, uh...she believes she’s determined the cause of death of those women, but was unable to compile enough evidence to support any one theory on how it is they all died from the same thing. She just needed to speak to the Tampa M.E. today, and we’d be out of it. There was no need for me to stay, so I caught a flight back last night."

One dark eyebrow rose above the top edge of Skinner’s eyeglasses. "Is there a problem?"

"Sir?"

Skinner’s eyes surveyed the hall. "At home..."

"Oh. Uh... n-no. Everything’s okay."

"How is he doing?"

The question shocked him. "He’d hit a few rough patches," he answered softly, "had me worried, but he’s much better now."

The other man nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable with the conversation he’d started. "All right, well...when Agent Scully gets back, I’ll expect a full report."

Fox nodded his acknowledgment, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Is something wrong, Agent Mulder?"

"Hmm? No. Nothing. I’m just...I...I have some work to do, so if you’ll excuse me..."

Skinner let his agent pass, watching him disappear down the hall and around the corner. He rubbed a hand across his broad forehead. He’d tried to keep the thoughts...the images out of his mind, but every time he saw Mulder, they popped back into his head, and some of those images made him flush.

Fox made it to his basement office, removing his jacket and throwing it across the chair in front of his desk. His own chair creaked its complaint as he dropped heavily into it. He tilted his head back, breathing deeply and trying not to concentrate on the dull throb behind his zipper. But of course, the more he tried not to think about it, the more he did.

Alex.

Goddamn beautiful, sadistic son of a bitch. Eyes blazing with carefully checked hunger. Teasing mercilessly. So easily decimating his capacity for rational thought. Radiating pure animal joy at his accomplishment.

Christ, and he loved him.

Fox closed his eyes and let the heat penetrate him to the core. His body shuddered at the thought of what Alex would be doing to him just a few hours from now.

The sound of his own frustrated whimpers and cries were pushed to the back of his mind by the curious tone of his partner.

"Mulder? You in there?"

"Hmm? Yeah...uh...what are you doing here?"

"I came right in from the airport so we could get going on our report."

"Why didn’t you call? I would have picked you up."

Scully shrugged. "It was quicker to just get a car at the airport. What have you been doing?"

"Nothing, I just got in myself."

"From..."

"Home."

At twelve fifty-nine in the afternoon? Is everything okay?"

Fox smiled. "Yeah," he said softly. "Everything is fine."

Scully rolled her eyes up into her head and closed her lids over them. "Okay, say no more. You get in here at almost one o’clock, I walk in to find you on another planet, and you’re smiling that goofy smile of yours. I think that pretty much tells me all I need to know."

"So, everything all wrapped up in Tampa?" Fox crossed his legs and winced slightly.

"Yeah, I...you okay, Mulder?"

"Fine. Why do you ask?"

"You just got this funny look on your face."

Fox uncrossed his legs and tried sitting on his hip. Not much better.

"No. I... I don’t know what you mean..."

"Mulder..." Scully studied the expression on her partner’s face, then held up her hand. "You know what? Never mind. Umm...everything is as wrapped up as it’s going to be from our end. It’s the Tampa P.D.’s show, now..."

Fox’s eyes closed and a tiny, helpless whimper escaped past his lips. Scully stopped speaking, watching the almost unnoticeable wiggle of his hips.

"What the hell is your problem, Mulder?"

Fox ran a hand through his hair, and drew a shaky breath. He turned a heavy-lidded gaze on her. "Nothing. Come on, we gotta get this report straight. Skinner said he wanted to see us when you got in."

"Well, I suggest that you douse that flame, Mulder, before we walk into his office."

He gave her a weak smile. "Flame?"

"What am I, stupid? Alex has apparently got you all fired up this afternoon." She displayed a knowing smirk. "As glad as I am to see that he’s feeling more like himself, I’d really appreciate not being embarrassed when we go to see Skinner."

"Don’t worry, Scully, I’ll be..." The ringing cell phone interrupted his sentence. "Mulder...what? You what?" He turned his chair around, murmuring into the phone. "Don’t...come on, cut it...oh, shit...baby, please...baby...hello?" He let the hand holding the phone drop, dangling over the arm of the chair, while he attempted to drag some air into his lungs.

Scully stifled a giggle, then spoke. "Mulder...Mulder?" She barely heard the choked ‘what?’ that came from the direction of Fox’s chair. "Why don’t you take a minute, then we can go see Skinner, and you can go home."

"Can’t."

"Can’t what?"

"Go home."

"Why not?"

"Not till at least five. Alex told me not to."

"And... since when do you do what Alex tells you to?"

Fox swiveled his chair around to face her. He shook his head. "You wouldn’t...I...I promised..." He attempted another smile. "It’s his show."

"Uh huh. Okay, look. I’m going to take care of a few things, and I’ll be back. Could you please cool yourself off enough to speak coherently to our boss by then?"

Scully exited the room, leaving Fox alone to pull himself together. He jerked himself out of his chair and prowled the length of the room, mumbling to himself.

"Okay, come on. You can do this. You’ve got more self control than he apparently gives you credit for..."

His cock was whispering something else.

Fox stopped pacing, and clasped his hands behind his head. "And he knows it, and he knows you know it, and he knows you can’t do anything about it...sadistic prick." He dropped back into his chair, letting his head fall onto the desk. "God, I love him..."

Alex sat slouched on the sofa, one long leg hooked over the arm, and the other stretched out before him. A lazy grin played at his lips as he imagined his Fox, so goddamn pretty when he was turned on, trying to maintain some semblance of composure, but not quite succeeding. His eyelids drooped as he thought about his lover, going about his daily business, speaking to this person and that...sitting in Skinner’s office...packed into the elevator...paranoid that everyone had suddenly developed x-ray vision and could see through his gray Armani to what he wore beneath. He laughed softly, hearing the curses and vows of revenge in his head. He moaned to himself, thinking ahead a few hours to tonight. By then, Fox would be more than ready...and willing...and desperate...like he already was. His eyes closed and he absently stroked the bulge in his jeans.

"Gonna be a long night, Fox baby." He opened his eyes and lifted himself from the couch. Time to start getting ready.

Scully sat on the sofa in Skinner’s outside office, while Fox paced slowly, from side to side.

"Mulder, sit down, would you? You’re driving me crazy."

Fox glanced at his partner, but continued to pace.

"You know, if it makes you feel any better, it’s three-forty eight. You can go home in a little over an hour..."

Scully’s words went straight to Fox’s crotch, sending unbearable jolts of painful pleasure directly to its center. He stopped in his tracks, shuddering delicately.

"Mul-der... you promised..."

The door opened and Skinner filled the emptied space. He looked from the diminutive red head to her restless partner. His eyes narrowed on the man, then looked back to Scully. "Come in, agents." He retreated into the office and sat down at his desk, waiting for the two to assume their usual seats. He watched the male half of the pair sit stiffly, and frowned.

"Agent Mulder, are you all right?"

"Yes, sir."

"You look like you might in pain."

"No, sir, I’m fine."

"Well...then...shall we get on with this?"

Scully handed him the report and she sat quietly, glancing from time to time at her partner who was rapidly descending back into his pit of lust. It irritated her at this precise moment, but she had to admit to herself as she always did, that she envied the two men. Three years later, their passion had only grown. They never seemed to be able to get enough of each other, and what made it even more wonderful was that fueling all that lust was a deep, abiding love that no matter what happened, could never be extinguished.

Fox shifted impatiently in his seat, unable to find a comfortable position. The jostling drew Skinner’s attention, who of course looked up just in time to see his agent slouched in his seat, head thrown to the side, eyes closed, and a pained frown wrinkling his brow. He cocked his head, studying the man. Somehow, the expression still managed to have an erotic quality to it. Or maybe that was just his imagination...Christ, he hoped his imagination wasn’t capable of conjuring up such ideas...

Fox sat gritting his teeth, very well aware that he needed to knock this shit off, but thoughts of Alex naked, on his knees, in front of this very chair, sucking him off while he tried to discuss the case with Skinner, had suddenly popped into his head, and he couldn’t rid himself of it.

Scully glanced from her partner to their boss, beginning to squirm a bit herself.

She couldn’t kick him, she was too far away. There was no way to get his attention without drawing Skinner’s...which appeared to be glued on Mulder at the moment...

Both men snapped out of their own private thoughts, and turned attention on the woman who appeared to be trying to cough up a lung.

"Scully? You..."

"Are you all right, Agent Scully?"

"Yes," Scully said between coughs. "I umm...strange, it just...hit me all of a sudden. I just need some water."

Before Fox could react, Skinner was out of his chair. "I’ll get you some," he offered, already halfway to the door, grateful for the interruption.

Scully abruptly ceased her hacking and turned to her partner, whispering urgently. "Would you knock it off? He’s watching you, you know!"

"I’m sorry," Fox moaned. "God, I’m going to kill Alex..."

"What the hell did he..." She cut off her inquiry as the A.D. re-entered the room, and handed her a small glass. "Thank you." She took a couple of sips, and put the glass down. "It seems to have stopped." She shot a hard glance at her partner, then drew Skinner into conversation.

Fox sat quietly, putting all his effort into pulling himself together, while his partner summarized their trip for the A.D.

"So, what you’re telling me is, four women are dead, presumably by a natural occurrence in the body that had run amok?"

"Yes, sir."

"No clue on what caused this phenomenon..."

"No, sir."

"Just a little curious, wouldn’t you say, Agent Mulder?"

Fox nodded. "Yes...yes it is."

"And you have no opinions on this case?"

"Of course I have opinions, sir, but nothing, as Agent Scully has pointed out to me, that can be supported by evidence."

"So you have nothing to add."

"No, sir."

The A.D. stared in amazement. "All right, then." All three occupants of the room rose from their seats. One, slowly. "That’ll be all. Have a good weekend." Skinner’s eyes fell involuntarily on Fox Mulder as he followed his partner out of the office, and didn’t leave him until he closed the door quietly behind him. He walked back to his desk, and lowered himself into the chair. The wire-framed glasses hit the desk with a dull clank, and one square hand attempted to gently massage away the beginnings of a very large headache.

Alex lay sprawled on the bed, the light of dozens of flickering candles illuminating his bare skin. He teased himself with a long strip of black silk, stroking it over his thighs, lingering on his cock and balls, then drawing it up his chest, over his face, and back down. He looked over at the clock by the bed, lifted the phone, and dialed.

"I want to thank you again, Mulder, for the most uncomfortable fifteen minutes of my life."

Fox sat at his desk, upper half of his body draped over the flat surface. "I heard you the first five times, Scully...’

"Did you see Skinner? Mulder, the man was actually embarrassed. He didn’t know where to look!"

Fox’s response was cut off by the ringing of his cell phone. His eyes dropped shut as he pulled it out of his pocket and brought it up to his ear.

"Mulder."

"Hey, baby doll."

"Hi."

"Miss me?"

"Of course."

"How’s your day going?"

"About the way you expected it to."

Soft chuckle.

"Scully wants your head."

"And you? What do you want?"

Fox glanced up at Scully who was glaring at him out of the corner of her eye, and whispered into the phone. "I got some company here, Alex."

"Scully?"

"Yeah."

"So?"

"What do you mean, so?"

"Scully’s far from innocent, lisa. She knows what’s up. Tell me what you want."

"Come on, Alex."

"Tell me."

Fox sighed, and lowered his voice even further. "I want your cock in my mouth..."

Scully rattled the contents in one of her drawers, purposely making noise so she wouldn’t hear any of her partner’s conversation.

"Is that the only place you want it?"

"No." Fox’s eyes closed and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I want it in my ass. Hard and deep."

Alex growled softly into the phone. "Soon, baby. You’ll be leaving in about twenty minutes, right?"

"Can’t I leave now?"

"Not five o’clock yet."

"Why can’t I leave until five?"

"Because I said you can’t. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Is your cock still hard?"

"Painfully so."

"You okay?"

"I’ll be better after I get home."

"Well..." the amused voice purred, "I wouldn’t be so sure about that..."

"Christ."

"I’ll see you soon."

Fox disconnected and dropped the phone on the desk. His head followed with a loud thud.

"Go home, Mulder."

"Can’t yet."

"You two are nuts, you know it?" Receiving no answer, Scully went about the business of filing forensics reports and returning her calls. At five o’clock, she walked over to her partner and tapped the back of his head with her knuckles. "Now. Get the hell out."

Fox lifted his head and looked at his watch. He took a few deep breaths and rose from his seat.

"Are you going to make it through the weekend?"

Fox raised and lowered his eyebrows. "If I’m not in on Monday, you won’t need to ask any questions." He picked up his jacket and walked to the door.

"Have fun and tell Alex that I’m going to kill him."

"Right. You leaving?"

"Yeah. One more call to make, and I’m out of here."

"Okay. See ya."

Fox walked to his car, every footstep sending a vibration up his legs, and ending at the tip of his cock. He reached his vehicle, threw his jacket across the back seat, then slid in behind the wheel. He sat for a moment, trying to quell the dizzying thud in his pants, then took a deep breath, started the car, and headed for home.

Naturally, everyone and his brother was on the Beltway at this time of day, which was irritating enough, but when the slow crawl turned into a dead stop, he had to beat down the urge to climb out onto the roof of his car, and start firing.

Ten minutes later, he was still sitting in the same spot.

"Shit." Somehow, the length of chain that hung down his back had become wedged between his ass cheeks, and it was getting more uncomfortable by the minute. "Shit." And the more uncomfortable it got, the harder his cock throbbed.

And then the phone rang.

He considered not answering it, but...

"Mulder."

"You sound tense."

"You could say that."

"Are you on your way home?"

"Yes and no."

"What does that mean?"

"Stuck in traffic."

"Oh, it is rush hour, isn’t it?"

"Yeah."

"Well...I guess you’ll get here when you get here, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Want to talk to me for a while?"

"Alex..."

"What? I just want to occupy your mind for a little while. You know, help the time go by faster..."

No response.

"So...get a lot done today?"

"Not really."

"Why not?"

"I was a bit distracted."

"Really? With what?"

"Some sadistic son of a bitch cinched up my cock and balls and made me walk around at work like that all afternoon."

"What kind of a perverted sicko would do a thing like that? I mean, my God, what is this world coming to? So, did you do it?"

"Yeah, I did it."

"Obedient...aren’t you?"

"I can be...when I want to be..."

"And you want to be?"

"I really do..."

"You still at a stand still?"

"Yes."

"Where are your hands?"

"One is on the wheel and the other is holding the phone."

"You don’t need to have your hand on the wheel if you’re not moving. Drop it down to your lap...did you do it?"

"Yes..."

"Play with yourself until traffic starts moving."

Fox’s hand began to move over his crotch, teasing his bound cock. "Mmmmm. God...what are you doing?"

"Waiting for you."

The click startled him. "Hello? Alex?"

Son of a bitch.

He got him going, then he hung up.

Fox sat there, cursing Alex to hell while he rubbed himself through his pants, increasing his own torture with every caress.

By the time traffic had started moving again, beads of sweat were trickling down Fox’s back, and soaking his shirt straight through. By the time he pulled into his driveway, he felt as though he’d gone swimming in his clothes.

Fox pulled into the garage beside Alex’s Porsche, not knowing whether to be more afraid or grateful now that he was finally home. He grabbed his jacket and exited the car, and just as he was walking around the front of it, he was grabbed from behind and thrown forward over the hood. His immediate reaction was to straighten up, but a hand on his back held him down.

"Don’t move."

Fox trembled, his upper body still draped over the hood of his car, as his pants were undone and yanked down around his ankles. There was more activity, then he felt his ass cheeks being spread, and a hard, velvet-sheathed object being pressed into the small opening. His screams bounced off the walls of the garage as Alex slammed into him, forcing his hips against the warm metal, again and again.

"Jesus! Alex, oh God... please..."

His only answer came in the form of a series of clipped grunts that seemed to get louder with each thrust.

"Baby...oh... shit! Don’t...don’t...I need...please..."

His broken pleas were drowned out as Alex came, his choked cries filling the enclosed space.

The younger man collapsed onto his lover’s back, fighting to draw breath. Seconds later, his spent cock slipped out of Fox’s ass, and he stood up, pulling the shaking man with him. He turned Fox around, kissing him sweetly. "Thank you, lisa. I needed that."

Fox clung to the front of Alex’s shirt, and whimpered frantically while rubbing against him.

Alex pushed his lover away, then bent to pull his jeans up. Refastening the zipper and button, he looked Fox up and down.

"Unbutton your shirt."

Fox did as he was asked without question.

Alex frowned, looking at the undershirt he wore beneath. He approached, brushing the older man’s lips with his own. "I always hated these things." He grasped the neck with both hands, and ripped the undershirt down the middle. He smiled, flicking his finger across one hard nipple. "That’s better." His hands went down to the chain around Fox’s waist, and unfastening it. "I believe," he said softly, pulling the chain through the ring, then fastening it around Fox’s neck, "that we were interrupted the last time we tried this." He gave the chain a gentle tug. "Pull your pants up so you don’t break your neck."

Fox obeyed, then quietly followed as Alex led him into the house.

"You hungry, Fox?" Alex asked as they moved through the kitchen. "I cooked us a nice dinner." Not waiting for the other man to answer, he continued. "Let’s get washed up, then we can eat."

The two men walked into the bathroom, where Alex turned the shower on, and instructed Fox to undress. When the older man had taken everything off but the cock restraints, he looked over at his lover.

"Probably shouldn’t get this wet..."

"Yeah, it’ll take forever to dry, and since we’re not through with it for the evening... but..." he pointed a warning finger, "you will not come. Understand?"

Fox nodded meekly.

It took five minutes for Alex to remove the leather strapping. Fox writhed and squirmed with the loosening of each strap, and he needed a little extra time and care to insure that orgasm remained safely out of his reach.

Alex tossed the restraints aside and turned back to his long-suffering lover. He stood quietly, eyeing the naked man, noting the full body flush, and the solid length of flesh, straining toward him. He looked into Fox’s eyes, one corner of his mouth slanting upward. The expression gave the older man all the instruction he needed.

Fox stepped tentatively forward, sliding one hand up Alex’s chest and around his neck. He pressed himself into the younger man’s body, resting his head on the ivory cotton covered shoulder while his other hand went to work on the buttons of the shirt.

Alex kissed the side of Fox’s head and stroked his hand down the length of his back, over the hard curve of his ass, then back up. He repeated the action over and over again until Fox had his shirt finally, and completely removed.

Fox’s mouth wandered over Alex’s bared chest, worshipping the bronzed flesh in the way only he knew how. Alternating between teeth and tongue, he made his way down and across, zigzagging between nipples, pulling gently on the sparse, dark hairs, and following the downward path they created until the waistband of Alex’s jeans stopped him.

Alex’s fingers plunged into the hair of the man who was now on his knees before him. He’d only just come minutes ago, but seeing his Fox this way sent a succession of tingles through his body, and he knew that in no time at all, he’d be ready again.

Fox’s fingers crept up and down Alex’s thighs, skimming along the sides and back, then splaying over his denim covered ass, caressing and kneading while he teased the younger man’s navel. When he heard the deepening of Alex’s respiration, his hands moved around to the front, undoing the button and drawing the zipper down.

Alex, thoughtful man that he was, had worn no underwear tonight, making his lover’s job that much easier. His jaw repeatedly tightened and relaxed as Fox pulled his jeans off, then wrapped his hand around his not-so-flaccid cock, and began to gently stroke it. Alex petted the golden-brown head lovingly.

"Mmmm, that’s nice. Very nice, but dinner’s waiting. Come on, let’s get cleaned up."

Fox rose to his feet, accepting the hand that was held out to him, and followed Alex into the shower. They washed each other slowly, Alex taking every opportunity to tease Fox. By the time they finished, Fox was completely wrecked, just barely making it over the edge of the tub and stumbling into the middle of the bathroom where Alex wrapped a bath towel around him, drying him thoroughly.

"You okay, lisa?" Alex whispered softly against his cheek as he finished drying Fox’s back.

"No," came the older man’s shaky reply.

"You just need some rest. Why don’t you get dressed while I dry off, then we’ll have a nice dinner?"

Fox began to move away, but a gentle hand on his arm stopped him.

"Don’t forget this."

Fox turned slowly, spotting the leather strapping hanging from Alex’s hand. Chewing on his lower lip, he took the object from his lover.

"Put it on."

Fox obeyed the soft command, hands shaking as he refastened the straps around his cock and balls, then moved toward Alex. He wrapped himself around the younger man, rubbing his damp head along the line of his jaw.

Alex wound and arm around Fox, hugging him tightly. "Okay, baby," he murmured, "go on, now. Get dressed." He released the other man, and watched as he moved silently into the bedroom. Smiling broadly, he rubbed himself dry, then entered the bedroom where Fox was just beginning to button his shirt.

"Umm...no. No. Leave it unbuttoned."

Fox’s hands fell away from the shirt and hung down by his sides.

"Yeah," Alex said looking him up and down. "Very nice. Give me two minutes, okay?"

Fox shifted uneasily, while Alex pulled on a shirt and another pair of jeans. When he was through, he held his arm out, coaxing his lover to his side. He wrapped the extended arm around Fox’s waist, and the two men moved together out of the room.

Alex lifted his wine glass to his lips, watching his lover pick at his food. He didn’t need to ask what the problem was, he could see it all over Fox’s beautifully tortured face. He rose without a word from his chair, and took a seat beside Fox. The older man’s eyes focused on him, and he unconsciously licked his lower lip. Alex leaned over and kissed him gently, then lifted his fork to Fox’s lips. Fox took the offered food, his eyes never leaving Alex’s. They ate their entire meal that way, Alex jumping back and forth from his plate to Fox’s, feeding them both.

When the last bite was eaten, Alex put his fork down and threaded his hand through Fox’s hair. The older man leaned into the touch, rumbling softly as Alex massaged the side of his head.

"How about some dessert?"

Heavy, golden-brown eyelashes lifted, and a golden-flecked stare was leveled on Alex. The younger man grinned.

"I’m going to clear the table. I want you to go into the bedroom, get undressed, and wait for me. I’ll be in soon."

Before Fox rose from his seat, Alex pulled him in for a long, teasing kiss. When he was released, he moved quietly from the table and into the bedroom, where he removed all of his clothing. He left the restraints in place, knowing that Alex had intended for him to keep it on.

He settled onto his side, drawing his knees up a bit, and hugging a pillow against his chest. His eyes drifted shut as he tried to shift his concentration off of his aching cock and onto something else.

Like his aching balls.

And his aching jaw...it had been clenched in frustration for most of the day.

Hell, when he really thought about it, most of his body ached. Every muscle was like a watch spring being wound tighter than was really bearable. And if he’d read that gleam in Alex’s eyes correctly, the torment wasn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.

Fox groaned softly and flipped onto his back. The next thing he knew, his eyes were opening...

Opening?

When had he closed them?

And Alex was kneeling over him, awash in candlelight. Smiling that smile.

"Time for dessert."

He stretched out on the bed beside Fox, propping himself against two pillows, and reached over to the nightstand, producing a glass bowl full of chocolate covered strawberries. Fox moved to his side, molding himself against the fully-clothed body. Alex wrapped one arm around his lover as he plucked a strawberry from the bowl.

Fox watched the liquid ooze from the fruit as strong white teeth sank into it. The juice left Alex’s lips glistening with moisture, and he stretched up to lick it away.

Alex moaned softly, allowing his lover to lap gently at his mouth. When Fox was through, he took another bite, but instead of chewing, he lowered his head, transferring the piece from his mouth to Fox’s. He ate the remaining portion, and again allowed Fox to lick away any remaining moisture from his lips.

"Sweet, aren’t they?"

Fox nodded, busily nuzzling and kissing Alex’s throat.

Alex lifted another strawberry and inspected it. "I picked them up at George’s Farm down on Slocum Road. Who the hell knew these things got this big?"

Fox stopped kissing his neck and looked up at him. Alex turned his attention back in his lover’s direction. He held the strawberry to Fox’s lips and smiled when he refused it. He bit into the fruit and brought his mouth down on Fox’s, letting the older man feed from him. When the strawberry was gone, they kissed madly, Alex allowing Fox to scour the sweet interior of his mouth, and suck hungrily on his tongue.

They went through six strawberries that way, and by the time Alex set the bowl on the nightstand, Fox was in a near state of delirium, fidgeting and rubbing himself against his lover’s thigh.

"I got something else for you," Alex whispered against Fox’s mouth as he caressed the bare hip and upper thigh. His hand slipped away from Fox’s body and dropped to the waistband of his jeans.

Fox whimpered in anticipation as he felt movement, then heard the faint grind of the zipper being drawn down. Alex’s fingers clenched in his hair and gently pulled his head back until their eyes met.

"All yours."

Fox slid down Alex’s body, stopping when his head was parallel to his lover’s crotch. He parted the material, allowing Alex’s cock to rise toward his mouth. He lowered his head and flicked delicately at the flared head with the tip of his tongue.

Alex inhaled deeply and tried to relax as Fox paid loving attention to his cock. One hand came up to his shirt, slowly undoing the buttons, cueing Fox to pull his jeans down and off. When he was completely stripped of his clothing, Fox returned to his cock, licking and lightly sucking the tip.

Fox hooked one leg around Alex’s thigh and rested his head on his hip as he continued to worship his lover’s swollen cock. One hand cupped the heavy sac that hung below, caressing and squeezing gently.

Alex’s back arched, and a deep moan rolled past his lips.

"Mmmm... oh God, baby...God, I could die happy in that mouth..."

Alex’s words felt like that first swallow of Coke, fizzing and burning down the throat, past the chest, and into the stomach. Only, it didn’t stop there. It worked its way lower, pooling in Fox’s groin, causing further agony to his already tortured cock. He released a hard breath and swallowed Alex’s entire length in one fluid movement.

"Aww, fuck! Jesus, baby...ah...oh, yeah..." Alex’s head rolled back and forth on the pillows, and his hands twisted in the sheets as Fox’s greedy mouth worked him continuously.

Alex’s cock made the decision for him.

Fox felt that first rush of hot fluid hit the back of his throat, and he swallowed that and more as he bucked in vain into the mattress.

When harsh cries faded to soft purrs, Alex’s eyes blinked open to find those of his distressed lover looking back at him. "Alex," Fox whimpered, "please..."

Alex pulled Fox up onto his chest, kissing him soundly, and tasting himself in his lover’s mouth. "I’m sorry, lisa," he panted, "not quite yet."

"Alex," Fox pleaded, squirming against him, "I don’t think...I can’t take it..."

Alex brushed the hair away from Fox’s forehead. "Yes you can, baby," he encouraged softly. I know you can."

And he did. He always knew unerringly, the precise moment that Fox had reached his limit, and in typical Alex fashion, would always push him just a hair beyond it.

"No..."

"Fox." Alex grasped a handful of hair at the back of the older man’s head. "Do you love me?"

Fox grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut, but opened them quickly as he felt the grip tighten.

"Do you love me?"

Glazed hazel eyes met sober green, and Fox nodded as much as the tension on his hair would allow.

Alex unclenched his fingers. He smiled softly at Fox, stroking and smoothing the golden-brown strands. "And you’ll give me what I want?"

Fox nodded again, hypnotized by the unblinking pools of deep green. "Any...anything you want."

The thing was, he wasn’t just saying it in the hopes of getting laid quicker. He meant those words.

Anything Alex wanted.

Always.

His precious love had been returned to him, and he could never be grateful enough.

Alex had been forever changed by the events of the past few weeks. To be utterly unfazed was an impossibility, even for him. But despite his captor’s best efforts, he emerged from the eternal hell intended for him, his strength and his will, fully intact.

And he chose today to exercise both.

Fox grunted softly as Alex propelled him onto his back and devoured his mouth. He wound his arms around the younger man’s neck, only to have them pulled away and pinned above his head.

"Don’t move."

Alex rose from the bed and disappeared into the closet, leaving Fox to contemplate his fate. He writhed and moaned softly to himself as he considered the possibilities.

"Come on, now, quit squirming so I can..." Alex had returned and straddling Fox’s chest, attempted to get his wrists cuffed to the headboard. Mission finally accomplished, he blindfolded his lover with the strip of black silk that he’d been teasing himself with earlier. "So, so pretty..." Alex covered Fox’s mouth with his own, muffling the frantic whimpers. His tongue plunged inside, invading the darkness, still tasting remnants of his most recent orgasm.

Fox strained against the fleece-lined cuffs, arching against Alex’s body as he sucked voraciously on the tongue probing his mouth.

Alex pulled away suddenly, kissing the tip of Fox’s nose. "Want me to fuck you?"

"Yes..."

"You want to come?"

"Yes... please!"

"You gotta get me hard again, first. Can you do that?"

"How? You’ve got me cuffed..."

"I’ll show you how, baby."

Silence descended but there was movement, and Fox felt an object of medium width and length being slowly inserted into his ass. He gritted his teeth, taking the entire length of the vibrator, and shuddering deeply as it was turned on.

"Oh, God," he whined. "Aleeeex..."

"You like that, baby?"

"Please...help...help me..."

More movement. "I am helping you..." A hand at Fox’s head turned it to the side, there was more shifting, and then his mouth was teased open by the velvety head of his lover’s semi-erect cock. "I’m helping us both," Alex sighed softly from somewhere in the vicinity of the older man’s bound cock. He grasped the end of the vibrator, and rotated it gently as he worked it in and out of Fox’s ass.

Fox screamed in agony, letting Alex’s cock drop from his mouth. He bucked against the vibrator, feeling the explosion rolling in so close, but never close enough to actually detonate.

"Please," he sobbed, a single tear of frustration forming in the corner of his eye.

Alex slid the vibrator out, almost to the end, then plunged it back in as he lapped at the head of Fox’s throbbing erection.

"No!" the older man shrieked, thrashing wildly. "I can’t...can’t...Alex, please, stop!"

Aside from turning him on incredibly, ‘stop’ meant nothing to Alex. Unless Fox used the safe word they’d agreed on long ago...and he never did...Alex would continue.

He released the darkly flushed head from his mouth, and lovingly kissed the tip. "I’ll fuck you, baby, when I’m hard. I’m almost there. Come on, lisa. Suck me."

Fox’s head shifted around, his mouth searching for and finding his lover’s nicely thickening cock. He sucked it into his mouth, growling as he furiously worked Alex into a similar frenzy.

Alex resumed thrusting the vibrator into Fox’s ass, maintaining an erratic rhythm, while his teeth lightly scraped over the head of his cock.

A heavy sweat broke out on both men as each fought their separate battles. As Alex began to lose his, he pulled out of Fox’s mouth and withdrew the vibrator. He lay panting heavily for a few moments while beside him, Fox twisted and begged for release.

"Fox" he panted. "... Fox...listen to me. I’m going to take the straps off..."

Fox whimpered his approval.

"...take a few deep breaths. Relax as much as you can. Do not come. If you do, I won’t fuck you again for a month, do you understand?"

Fox nodded, doing his best to draw deep, steady breaths.

The removal of each strap was greeted by a long, guttural moan, and plenty of squirming, but the thought of Alex’s promise helped Fox hold himself in check until the device was completely removed.

"That’s my good baby," Alex whispered, dropping a number of tiny kisses along the quivering length of his lover’s cock. He kissed and nibbled his way upward, settling his body on top of Fox’s, and issuing a clipped grunt when their erections pressed together.

Fox’s jaw clenched until he thought his teeth would crack. Suffering like this had only existed in a world long ago and far away, and then, as now, it was Alex who had finally pulled him through, and rescued him from the unbearable agony. So, okay, this time around Alex was enjoying the hell out of his torment, but...

Alex groped around in the tangle of sheets for the lube. His fingers finally wrapped around the tube, and he placed it down within his line of sight.

"Baby, I’m going to uncuff you, okay? I want to feel you wrapped around me while I fuck you."

Fox lay still while Alex inserted the key into the lock and freed his hands. As soon as he could move, he wound his arms around his lover’s back. He blinked up at Alex, trying to focus his fuzzy amber gaze as the blindfold was also removed. "Alex," he rasped, clenching his fingers in the taut muscles of his lover’s back, "I need you. Please...I’ve been good...don’t make me wait anymore."

Alex stroked Fox’s cheek as his mouth trembled into a smile. "Yes, you have been good, baby. You’ve done everything I’ve asked you to."

Fox nodded, spreading his legs and winding them around Alex’s hips. He pushed upward, whimpering wildly.

Alex pulled away, forcing himself from Fox’s strong grip. "Wait, lisa...wait..." He grabbed the tube that he’d dropped down beside Fox’s leg, and flipped the top up.

Fox’s eyes dilated until only slivers of green and gold could be seen, as he watched his lover carefully apply a generous coating of lube to his cock. "Hurry, baby," he whispered breathlessly. "I need you so much."

Alex completed his task, then once again lowered himself to Fox’s overheated body. Immediately, he again found himself wrapped in the strong circle of Fox’s arms and legs. He grasped his cock at the base and guided it to his lover’s ass. "You gonna come good and hard for me, baby?"

Fox nodded, unable to get any intelligible words past his lips.

Alex pushed forward, teasing the clenching anal muscles with the slick head of his cock. He watched through slitted eyes as Fox’s mouth dropped open, and a hard, stuttering breath tumbled from it. The head disappeared inside the tight opening, and Fox’s teeth gritted on the inhale, creating a loud, hissing sound. "You promise?" Alex asked, inching in a tiny bit more.

"Promise," Fox croaked, finding his voice. "I promise... please, Alexei..."

The breath died in Fox’s throat as he felt himself filled with his lover’s heat. It returned as Alex withdrew, only to be forced out again by a hard thrust.

He could feel it. The storm. It was coming, and this time nothing would stop it. An entire day of torture...wonderful, agonizing torture at the hands of his deliciously sadistic, amazingly beautiful Alex, and it all came down to this. Seconds of indescribable bliss. Screaming, clutching, sweating rapture.

Seconds. A matter of seconds, and it would be over. After hours of suffering.

Worth it?

Fuck, yeah.

Would he allow Alex to do it to him again?

Damn skippy.

Alex thrust a hand under Fox’s head and grabbed a handful of hair, holding his head still as his mouth came down hard on the lush, full lips. His free hand wrapped around his lover’s cock, and matched the rhythm of his thrusting hips.

Fox wrenched himself away from Alex’s mouth, wailing obscenities into the air. His fingers dug into the younger man’s back, his short nails still managing to leave red marks that criss-crossed the healed wounds of only a few weeks ago.

Alex winced, the small pain feeding his excitement. He firmed his grip on his lover’s cock, and began to pump it mercilessly as he drove deeper.

The wailing turned to all out screams, and Fox thrashed beneath Alex as the world shattered into tiny shards of light.

"Oh, yeah..." Alex gasped, pounding furiously into Fox’s ass as his lover shot slick, opaque fluid over his chest and Alex’s fist. "Let it...let it go, baby..."

The screams switched to frantic, choking sobs as Alex continued without abatement, ramming again and again into Fox. He kept working his lover’s cock, refusing to let go...unable to.

As Alex proceeded to drive his body into the mattress, mini waves of ecstasy continued to wash over Fox, and he lay limply beneath the younger man, shuddering with each vibration.

Alex finally felt his own orgasm approaching...slower due to the fact that he’d already come twice this evening, but no less powerful. When it hit, his body tensed, then began a series of erratic spasms as he emptied himself into his lover.

Fox’s fingers closed weakly in Alex’s hair as the younger man shuddered and groaned harshly, falling onto his chest. They lay together, whimpering almost inaudibly as the blood once again flowed freely through their veins. When he was able to, Alex lifted his head a fraction, and smiled down at Fox. Exhausted, amber eyes glowed softly as the older man stared back, and full, rosy lips curled slightly upward, too weak to give Alex a full smile. His eyes closed and he attempted to concentrate on speaking a few words, but no sound would come forth.

Alex brushed his knuckles down the side of Fox’s face, and across the swell of his lower lip. "What do you want to say, lisa?"

The golden-brown eyelashes fluttered once then ceased, and Fox’s respiration evened out and deepened. Alex studied him for a moment, and smiled. He was asleep. He dropped a tender kiss on Fox’s mouth, then moved lower on his chest, gently cleaning away all traces of residual semen with his tongue. The action roused Fox, and his eyes opened a sliver.

"Mmmmm..."

"Shhhhh." Alex kissed the spot he’d just finished bathing. "Go back to sleep."

"No... sorry, didn’t mean to..." Fox blinked sluggishly, struggling to wake up. "Don’t want to sleep yet."

"No?"

The other man shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Just...want to be with you..." Fox combed his fingers through Alex’s hair. "...kiss...talk..."

The younger man rested his cheek on Fox’s chest and grinned up at him. "You still want to talk to me?"

"Shouldn’t." Fox attempted a pout but didn’t quite pull it off. "After what you did to me..."

"Awww. I’m sorry, baby."

"No you’re not."

Alex slid up Fox’s chest, stopping when they were eye to eye. "Neither are you."

More awake now, Fox grinned up at his lover. "You’re an evil, evil man."

"And you love it."

"I shouldn’t make it so easy for you."

A mischievous glint came to Alex’s eyes. "That could be fun, too."

The humor faded from Fox’s eyes and was immediately replaced by boundless adoration. He brought a hand up to Alex’s mouth, tracing the line of his lower lip. "I love you."

In answer, Alex lowered his head and took Fox’s mouth in a soft kiss, gently coaxing his lips apart. His tongue slipped in past the row of teeth, finding and engaging his lover’s tongue in a playful duel.

Fox sighed into Alex’s mouth, his tongue stroking and teasing its mate. His hands slid up his lover’s back, traveling over the weeks-old scars, and encountering the fresh welts he’d inflicted. He pulled away from the kiss and pressed Alex’s head down onto his shoulder so he could look at the younger man’s back. His fingers traced the new marks, then his arms encircled Alex gently.

"I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t...I didn’t realize I’d..."

Alex kissed Fox’s collarbone. "It’s all right, lisa. It doesn’t hurt."

"I didn’t mean to..."

Alex lifted his head and met Fox’s eye. "Come on, it’s okay. It’s not the first time one of us has scratched the other up, and..." he inclined his head and nipped gently at Fox’s nipple, "considering how rough we play sometimes, I’m sure it won’t be the last."

"Yeah, but..."

"I’m fine," Alex interrupted. "He didn’t screw me up so much that I can’t make the distinction between his twisted actions and my baby’s passion."

Fox lay silently, his fingertips whispering over Alex’s back.

"Hey," Alex nuzzled his jaw. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I j...I just ...I keep thinking about what it must have been like for you, not knowing where you were...being beaten and..." he couldn’t finish the sentence. "...and I can’t...I can’t stand it. I want to kill him over and..." he gritted his teeth "... over..."

Alex kissed his chin, then his mouth. "Lisa..."

"I shouldn’t have left you. I’d been feeling uneasy for days, and yet, against every instinct, I let you talk me into going to work."

"You can’t shoulder the blame for that, Fox. It isn’t right. You know, if it weren’t for your persistence, I might still be there...and God knows how much worse things would have been. You saved me from a whole lot more shit, baby."

Fox raised his eyes to Alex’s face.

Alex rested his forehead against his lover’s, and grinned down at him. "My hero." When his only response was the same somber expression, he growled softly, capturing Fox’s bottom lip between his teeth, and giving a little shake of his head. Receiving a smile and a soft laugh from the older man, he released his lip, then passed his tongue across the tiny indentations that his teeth had left.

"That tickles."

"Yeah?" Alex swiped at Fox’s mouth again.

"Come on, cut it out..."

"You weren’t saying that half an hour ago."

"That was then, this is now."

"I could have you begging to be fucked in less than twenty minutes."

"You think so, huh?"

"I know so."

"What makes you so damn sure?"

"'Cause I’m good."

"Conceited prick."

The rich, satiny sound of Alex’s chuckle filled the room. "You say the sweetest things."

Fox’s hand traveled down Alex’s back to the curve of his ass. He lightly caressed the smooth muscles, occasionally giving a gentle squeeze. "Question."

"What?"

"If I hadn’t been able to hold it...would you really not fuck me for a whole month?"

Alex closed one eye and grimaced. "I don’t know. I’d try real hard..."

Fox gave him that patented heart-melting, cock-hardening pout. "You would?"

"I said I wouldn’t fuck you. I said nothing about jerking..."

Fox smiled.

"And sucking..."

"Mmmm..."

"And then I could always sit back and watch you get yourself off. That’s always big fun."

Fox gave his ass a hard smack.

"Shit! What was that for?"

"Because I felt like it."

"Fresh."

"I’d give you three days and then you’d be all over me."

"Oh, really? Are you trying to say I have no self-control?"

"That’s what I’m sayin’."

"I have plenty of self-control, thank you. Just...not with you, ya slut."

"Wait...gimme a minute, and I’ll try to look sorry."

"Ah, don’t bother."

Fox smirked and pulled Alex down for a long kiss. He released the younger man’s mouth, and hugged him to his chest.

Ales sprawled comfortably over Fox’s body, tucking his head under the lightly stubbled chin. "Know what?"

"Hmm?"

"I’m tired all of a sudden."

"I know," Fox murmured, idly combing his fingers through the fringe of sable hair at the base of Alex’s neck. "Me too."

Alex kissed the warm skin beneath his mouth, tasting the faint flavor of sweat and the remnants of his lover’s recent climax. "I love you, baby," he whispered as he gave himself up to the lethargy that had come to claim him.

"I love you. Goodnight, sweetheart."

In the fuzzy remains of consciousness, Alex heard the comforting tone of his lover’s voice. Felt the warmth of his embrace, and sank contentedly into sleep, knowing that when he woke in the morning, he’d do so in the loving circle of his Fox’s arms. He’d open his eyes and he’d be home.

End

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